《Witch's Daughter And The Devil's Son》


 Chapter 1: The Infamous Witchs Daughter

    <h4>Chapter 1:The Infamous Witch''s Daughter</h4>


    nk!


    Shliing!


    "Swords?" I thought the moment I heard those sounds, and the next moment, realization hit me. "War?"


    Two groups of soldiers arrayed against each other, one side d in red while the other group was in blue. I felt like my soul had been teleported in the middle of a cruel ughter. The soldiers were charging at each other, fighting mercilessly with their swords.


    The bright moonlight allowed me to see everything clearly, but before I could get the gist of the situation, a soldier marched towards me as if he intended to kill me.


    Can he even see me? I panicked and shut my eyes on reflex.


    Far away, standing by the window of my bedchamber, my real body gripped my dress, prepared to feel the pain of the sword sh with my eyes shut tightly. But before that sword could reach me, another de whizzed by.


    Hearing the scream of the soldier, I opened my eyes, only to see one tall man in a perfectly fitted long ck robe standing in front of me. As his broad and robust back faced me, all I could see was my savior''s sword piercing the soldier''s stomach, thrust deep enough the de went all the way through his back.


    The tall man retrieved the sword from the soldier''s body and was ready to kill more. Pushing the dead soldier aside, he grabbed the soldier''s sword and continued his ughter, swinging both des with precision.


    Observing him from behind, I could guess he was not an ordinary man. His perfectly fitted ck robe was embroidered with gold threads in what appeared to be a royal crest, and his long hair was tied in a pony with a gold essory at the upper back of his head.


    My sight followed the left side of his neck, which was visible whenever he turned slightly to one side.


    "A tattoo...Is it a snake?"


    I couldn''t see it clearly. He was so fast that it was difficult to see even the side of his face.


    My vision followed his every movement, the quick footsteps, and the skilled swordsmanship as his knotted hair kept dancing in front of my eyes. I felt like he was protecting me by killing the soldiers surrounding me and found myself curious to know more about him.


    "No, it''s impossible." I narrowed my eyes at him. "How can he protect me when I''m not present here physically, and he can''t even see me?"


    "I want to see him...ahh...why can''t he turn around for once?" I tried my best, but there was no use. Although I did all I could to follow him, my sight allowed only his back view.


    Though he couldn''t see me, feeling helpless, I blurted out, "Who are you?"


    As if he heard me, he stopped ughtering and froze in his ce.


    It startled me. "Did he just hear me?"


    He was about to turn...


    "Mydy, it''s time to sleep."


    The images in front of me dispelled the moment someone spoke, and I couldn''t see the man anymore. Feeling disappointed, I turned to look at the middle-aged, grey-haired woman who entered my bedchamber and disturbed my scrying.


    "In some time, Martha," I replied and continued staying by the window.


    I focused my inner vision again towards the faraway mountain range as the bright moonlight shone on me. As the night breeze yed with my long red-brown hair, my delicate veil, which covered the lower half of my face, waved yfully along with the wind while my long blue dress danced in harmony.


    To my dismay, I couldn''t see the scene of the war again, and I sighed in disappointment.


    I am Seren, the infamous daughter of a witch, the ugliest creature that no one wished to see. Although I am a princess, no one wanted to acknowledge me because I have the blood of an unholy creature flowing through my veins.


    I lived in the tower at the farthest end of the Royal Pce of Abetha, away from the main pce and its pomp and pageantry. I was ced up high, away from the crowd, in a ce where no one was allowed to enter because a witch''s daughter lived here.


    As if being a witch''s daughter was not enough, I was also cursed. But if one was to look at it in another way, my curses were more like a boon than a bane as those who try to harm me would have misfortune befall upon them.


    "Mydy, the bed is ready," Martha called out as she stepped towards me.


    "Hmm," I nodded lightly.


    Martha stood beside me at the window of my room. "May I ask what mydy is looking at?"


    "If I tell, will you choose to ignore it like always?" I countered.


    "What is it?" Martha insisted, trying to follow where my sight was fixed at.


    "There," I pointed towards the faraway mountain range, "Across those mountains, some men are fighting."


    Martha didn''tment on it. "I understand. It''s time to sleep."


    I wasn''t surprised by her reaction and sighed, "Good night, Martha."


    Without saying more, I stepped towards the bed while Martha kept looking at the mountain range.


    Martha grunted disapprovingly, closed the window, and pulled the curtains.


    I knew Martha was aware I told the truth, but she chose to ignore me as usual. Whenever I said anything strange, she always advised me to stay away from it.


    Having spent seventeen years of my life in this tower��a ce where no onees, not even servants��only my nanny, Martha, had stayed here with me. She was my everything: a sister, a mother, a friend. She is family.


    Martha taught me to control my emotions and protected me from any harm. She never wished me to cry, or scream, or get angry, as it would end in catastrophe because of my cursed life.


    "Tomorrow is the day we go out in the pce," Martha informed before adding more wood to the firece.


    "Is it the King''s birthday or the Queen''s or someone more annoying?" I asked.


    As far as my memory serves me, the King''s birthday was thest time when I went out and mingled amongst the people in the pce. It''s the same every year. I was only allowed to go out on special asions, which was only because I was officially required.


    Ahh, I almost forgot, even though it''s for the namesake, I was a royalty of the Kingdom of Abetha too, and they had to let me out.


    "No, this time it''s the Second Princess'' engagement," Martha replied.


    "Won''t it be ominous for the witch''s daughter to be there?" I asked sarcastically. "What if I burn the bride and groom?"


    Martha looked at me. "Instead, I wish mydy to smile, so the people will see pretty flowers blooming everywhere."


    "I can''t be the only one who is unfortunate," I said andy down on the bed.


    Since I stopped smiling, it was rare to see flowers blooming within the kingdom, and they had to bring them from other ces. Well, there was no reason to smile and feel happy, so it''s not my fault.


    Moreover, this one was my favorite among all the curses that I had, as I could make them devoid of the beauty of flowers blooming. I knew being cursed was not good as it''s the sole reason my life turned into this, but I had long learned to live with it.


    "There is no such day."


    After I closed my eyes, I heard Martha go to her room which was just beside mine.


    Though she was a nanny, she was privileged to be in the room next to me. It was her reward for looking after the witch''s daughter.


    As I fell asleep, my head was filled with curious thoughts about the man I saw in my earlier scrying, at the same time, not willing to wake up the next day and face all those annoying people in the pce.

 Chapter 2: The Mystery Man

    <h4>Chapter 2:The Mystery Man</h4>


    "Mydy, it''s time to wake up." My nanny''s nagging voice pulled me out of my sleep.


    "Can''t I sleep for a while?" I questioned her in annoyance.


    Martha came closer to my bed. "Princesses must follow royal rules and etiquette��."


    I pulled the quilt over my head,pletely covering my face to dy starting this dreaded day, and spoke, "Etiquette is for those who will marry for the kingdom''s sake and make the King and Queen proud. Not like I''ll marry anyone ever."


    Despite my answer, Martha tried to pull the quilt. "Still, mydy needs to be ready. It''s an important day in the pce."


    "Not for me," I resisted.


    The pull on the quilt suddenly ceased, so I took a peek only to see something that I didn''t like.


    Martha had stepped back, her fingers twirling and her eyes focused on them. White fog appeared, surrounding her fingers.


    "What are you doing?" I asked despite knowing what she was up to.


    "Myst resort to get mydy out of bed," Martha replied.


    I clearly remembered what she did thest time. I was thrown out of the bed, and it was humiliating.


    "Wait, wait!" I jumped out of my bed. With a frown, I couldn''t help butin. "I can''t believe I''m the princess, and you are the servant."


    Martha crossed her arms, and the fog on her fingers disappeared. "Mydy, your bath is ready."


    When I stepped inside the bath, as usual, Martha stepped in as well to help me.


    I removed my sleeping gown and had nothing except for the permanent veil covering the lower part of my face. Despite my reluctance, I gingerly lowered myself into the wooden tub filled with steaming hot water.


    "Maybe witches love their children too?" I mumbled.


    Martha smiled warmly. "All mothers are the same."


    "She wouldn''t have abandoned me if she loved me."


    "Everyone has their reasons." As always, Martha didn''t sympathize with me and took the side of the person whom no one ever saw.


    "Leave me alone."


    After saying that, I gotfortable inside the hot water tub as I rested my back on the wooden wall and stretched my legs.


    Martha left as instructed, finally giving me time to soak. I closed my eyes and enjoyed the warmth on my skin.


    After a few moments of brief rxation, I felt something pulling me down into the water. I gasped as a strange force pulled me away.


    My eyes opened in shock, only to find myself no longer in my wooden tub but deep underwater and a tall figure had held my right hand tightly.


    I looked around in panic.


    Though mild sunlight touched the water surface, it was not enough to clearly see the tall figure''s face.


    "A man?" I concluded after regaining my senses.


    My free hand moved to secure the veil on my face in fear that the mysterious stranger would remove it. The veil in itself didn''t matter to me, but it was a reflex of the teaching that I got since I was a child��not to take off the veil and not let anyone else take it off.


    However, before I could touch the veil, the stranger caught my other hand as well. He was so close, but I couldn''t see his face. The only thing I could notice in the darkness was the glittering tattoo on one side of his neck.


    Seeing that tattoo, I screamed inside, my eyes round with pleasant surprise.


    "It''s him!"


    I didn''t feel scared. Instead, I was excited about meeting him again.


    The curiosity to see his face took over my rational thoughts.


    I moved my gaze from his tattooed neck to his face. In the darkness, two red irises shone.


    "Red eyes?"


    I could feel those fierce red eyes staring into mine.


    This was my chance to see his face clearly, especially since he continued to grasp both of my hands.


    Unfortunately, a distant yet familiar female voice called out, "Mydy."


    The voice pulled me away from his grasp. When I opened my eyes again, I found myself the same as before; I was inside my tower, soaking in my tub as if I''ve never left.


    "Was it a dream?" I wondered and looked at my wrists.


    They had faint red marks, and I could still feel the stranger''s touch lingering on my skin. The way he held it so tightly almost pained me.


    "If it''s not a dream, then what is it?" I thought.


    Martha hade in to add scented herbs on the water, and I cursed her in my mind for her bad timing. Because of her, I couldn''t see the man again.


    "But why was he staring at me like that? Who is he? Does he know me?" Countless questions filled my mind.


    I got out of the bath in a while, and Martha helped me don a silk robe.


    I sat in front of the dressing table to let Martha do her work on my appearance. From therge oval mirror, I could see our reflection. She started drying my hair while I stared at my veil-covered face. I yearned to take it off but couldn''t.


    "Am I that ugly to keep my face covered all the time?"


    Martha let go of my hair and did something with her fingers. The veil fell from my face onto myp.


    She looked at me through the mirror. "Mydy can decide herself."


    I looked at my face, not knowing what to think. "How can I decide when I don''t know what pretty is?"


    "Mydy canpare it to the other princesses," Martha referred to the other daughters of my father, my so-called stepsisters.


    "It''s better to be ugly if my looks need to bepared with them," I retorted.


    Martha smiled lightly. "A woman with such beautiful and rare purple eyes, how can she not be pretty?"


    "Then why do I always have to cover my face?" I asked, picking up the veil from myp.


    "To protect you, mydy."


    "I know, but from whom?"


    Martha didn''t answer, and there was a silence for a while.


    When Martha finished drying my hair, she started to put on makeup on my face.


    "Do I even need it? What''s the use when no one can see my face?" I mumbled.


    "Half of the face they can," Martha replied.


    I frowned. "Then only put makeup on half of it."


    Martha brought out the newly-arrived gown prepared for today''s asion, which the King sent along with lots of jewelry to match.


    Though I was an abandoned daughter, my father, King of Abetha, made sure to provide everything for me.


    Since I was young, I had always wondered if he truly cared for me or if his actions were meant to save his face in front of others by showing that he treats his daughter well even though she was a witch. Perhaps, he might not like to embarrass himself if I were to be seen wearing shabby clothes by the rest of the kingdom.


    Martha put on the ice blue-colored silk gown on me. The multiyered gown was long enough to reach the floor, and it had delicate embroidery made using soft silver and dark blue threads on its hems. It fitted my body perfectly; the round neck, as well as the ribbon at the waist.


    Lastly, I wore the long-sleeved floor-length outer robe made with a delicate see-through fabric, which was left open in the front to let the gown inside be visible.


    Once Martha made sure I was ready, she put on the spell again and tied the veil to my face. The white veil changed its color to match with my ice blue gown.


    Even though I had seen Martha cast this spell several times before, it was something I could not do on my own. I wondered if I could do this kind of magic on myself and change my lifepletely.


    I observed my appearance in the mirror��the red-brown hair that Marthabed and set nicely with some jewelry attached to it, my forehead which had a tiny fire-like birthmark in the center, a pair of rare purple eyes with the rest of my face hidden behind a veil, and the expensive gown...


    I studied the veil again. Wearing it all the time made my mind remember my face only with the veil, and I kept forgetting how it looks without it.


    I turned, and Martha was standing in front of me as if she''s waiting to do onest thing. I knew what it was and stayed still.


    Martha closed her eyes, mumbled something, and flicked her fingers.


    I turned to look into the mirror to watch small patches of dark blue scales with a golden tinge begin to appear. First, they appeared on the right corner of my forehead, then the right side of my neck, andstly, on the back of my right palm.


    "Now I look like a witch''s daughter," I mumbled.


    My eyes were devoid of any emotion as I don''t know what I should feel about this transformation.


    Martha instructed, "It''s time to leave."


    I sighed. "Why do I need these?"


    "It''s to protect you, mydy."


    I red at her. "Always the same answer."


    Sadly, I could never insist on getting answers from tight-lipped Martha. I wished I had something to threaten her and get all those answers, but as of the moment, there was nothing to be done.


    "We should leave."


    Martha guided my way out.

 Chapter 3: Going Out Among The Royals

    <h4>Chapter 3:Going Out Among The Royals</h4>


    Stepping out of the tower, the first thing that greeted me was the sight of my garden full of lush greenery and numerous beautiful flowers��the only ce in the entire kingdom where flowers bloomed because this witch''s daughter looked after them.


    The entire tower where I lived and the garden in front of it was meant for me, as per King Armen''s royal decree. Tall walls made of grey stone surrounded the garden so no one could peek in and disturb my privacy.


    "Please, allow us. We are only obeying the orders of the Second Princess."


    "You can''t go in."


    I heard a few loud voices from outside. Martha prevented me from going further and went towards the garden gate, the only way to enter this well-protected ce.


    By the King''s order, assigned guards were always present outside to protect this ce against troublesome and curious people. Anyways, no one dared to enter this ce after the horrifying incident that happened in the past.


    Ten years ago, a servant had sneaked inside, but the very next day, he was found dead. His limbs and head were chopped off from his body, and the severely mutted body was hung on the garden wall for everyone to see. It was the most gruesome sight.


    No one knew what happened, but they believed it was the witch''s doing��and that witch was me.


    I heard Martha talking to someone, "What''s going on here?"


    "These are the Second Princess''s maids, and they want to get flowers from the garden," I heard one of the guards say.


    "I need to ask the Princess," Martha told him and returned inside.


    As I already heard it, I nodded lightly to Martha, which meant I allowed them to enter the premises.


    Getting permission, two young maids entered the gate, but there was no mistaking the fear and panic in their eyes. It was apparent they were scared of me but had toe here against their wills. If they were to disobey orders, the Second Princess would have killed them for insubordination.


    "Third Princess."


    Upon seeing me standing in front of them, the young maids hurriedly bowed to me, their eyes rooted to the ground and their bodies shivering as if I''ll kill them right away.


    "Make it faster," Martha instructed them coldly.


    The maids hurried towards the numerous flowers in full bloom. Their eyes shone brightly upon seeing them as it was not an everyday thing to see the flowers blooming in this cursednd. In the entire Kingdom of Abetha, mine was the only flower garden with blossoms.


    They picked up several roses, daisies, and lilies. I knew that if they could, they would have taken away everything that was there.


    "We should leave, mydy," Martha prodded, and I nodded in response. There was no need for me to wait for these maids to finish their errand.


    While going towards the gate, Martha spoke in a low voice, "They won''t be able to keep them."


    I sighed. "Only if they could keep their foul mouths shut."


    We finally stepped out of the gate and the boundary of that tower and the territory under my name. Outside, the two assigned guards bowed but didn''t dare to look at me until I crossed a certain distance.


    Crossing a winding stone pavement lined with meticulously kept shrubs, Martha and I finally entered the long corridor that wound its way towards the main central building of the pce meant only for the royal family.


    ''Royals? Of course, I''m not considered as one,'' I thought.


    Months had passed since Ist walked along this corridor, and it had remained the same. A couple of guards in blue-ck uniforms with swords hanging down their waists stood at either end of the passage.


    Therge porcin vases imported from the eastern kingdoms were ced on either side of the walls, and delicate red banners hung at the ceiling, between the huge pirs, to give the luxurious ce a more festive feeling.


    Soon, I reached my destination and stood in front of a huge pair of doors. Beyond them was the grand hall where the House of Ilven, the Royal Family of Abetha, would hold the ritual before the engagement ceremony of its Second Princess.


    The door opened as someone announced, "Her Highness, Seren Ilven, the Third Princess of Abetha, has arrived."


    The change in the atmosphere was palpable. As if the most terrible news had been announced, the entire hall filled with countless people of peerage and nobility turned silent, their scared and hateful gazes scanning me the moment I stepped in.


    "My Lady..."


    "It''s fine, Martha," I said.


    I know Martha would say something to console me, but I was so used to this reaction that it didn''t matter to me anymore.


    Ignoring them, I walked ahead on the carpeted path which divided that massive hall into the two parts, from the door to where the monarchs of the Kingdom of Abetha, King Armen and Queen Niobe, sat regally on their thrones.


    The moment I entered the main hall, I heard those expected annoying whispers from the gossiping crowd, which made me wonder how convenient it would have been if I could turn myself deaf at this moment.


    "The witch is here."


    "How can they allow her attendance?"


    "What if something bad happens?"


    "Look at those scary marks. So ugly."


    "And those purple eyes. Only witches can have such a color of irises."


    "I heard her mother was even uglier and scarier."


    "Be quiet! What if she hears us and sets us on fire? Don''t you know what she did with the First Princess back then?"


    "Stay away from windows. What if she screams and hurts us by breaking those sses with her witch voice?"


    I sighed,ining silently to myself, ''These idiots, should I just burn something here to scare them? Or should I scream a little to break the windows? Ahh... I can''t even bring fake tears to drown this ce in rainwater.''


    As soon as it was hatched, I dropped the n. I felt nothing towards these idiots, at least not to the extent that they could stir my emotions enough to harm them. Ohh, they were not even worthy of me lifting a finger to use the power of my curses on them.


    With Martha behind me, I bowed to the King. I didn''t want to, but as Martha said, I had to do it.


    I looked at the middle-aged man with shoulder-length brown hair sitting on the throne, looking regal in his royal blue cloak.


    My father, King Armen Ilven of Abetha, the ruler of one of the wealthiest and most powerful kingdoms in the continent.


    "Greetings, Your Majesty. May our Abetha forever prosper under your reign," I greeted with the etiquette expected of the asion.


    King Armen had nothing on his expression that could make me think he was happy to see me. He looked as cold and calm as always.


    "Good to see you here, Seren," the golden-haired woman beside the King spoke, forcing me to look at her.


    ''This annoying old woman,'' I frowned inside and said with no trace of politeness, "But I can''t say the same, my Queen.''


    The smile on Queen Niobe''s face disappeared. Before she could say a thing, King Armen spoke, "It''s time. They will be here."


    Well, it didn''t matter to me as I had long stopped considering them my family. It only made me wonder, don''t they feel tired or bored doing and talking about the same old things? Because I sure was bored of seeing the same expressions every time I came across them.


    Martha stood behind me, lined up along with the rest of the maids from all the other royals in attendance. The seats were arranged in rows facing each other on either side of the walkway, and from his seat in his throne, the King had a vantage point on everyone.


    The seats opposite myself and the other royals were empty, and I realized it was allocated for the people from the groom''s side.


    The doors of the hall opened again, and a few women entered the hall. Those in front leading the neers must be royals, based on how they were dressed, while their maids followed them carryingrge-sized trays individually covered by several pieces of silk cloth.


    The new arrivals were women from the groom''s side, representing the second son of the King of Griven Kingdom. From what Martha told me earlier, this was a political wedding between? Prince Lenard Cromwell, the Second Prince of Griven, and Princess Meira Ilven, the Second Princess of Abetha.


    Thedies from the Royal House of Cromwell? greeted the King and Queen, and they were guided to sit in the row in front of us while the maids carrying the trays stood behind them.


    Although these guests were here for my half-sister, the Second Princess Meira, their gazesnded on me and stuck on me as if I was a curiosity from some other world.


    ''Looks like I, the witch''s daughter, am famous everywhere,'' I concluded, not minding those gazes on me.


    After a few more moments, Meira Ilven, the Second Princess of Abetha, arrived at the hall with her maids following her. Though I didn''t particrly like her, I couldn''t deny that she looked more than decent. With hair as golden as her mother''s, she wore a light pink regal-looking gown and heavy jewelry to go along with her gown. Meira walked with grace as her meticulously painted face shone brightly, a pleasant smile on her thin pink lips.


    On her hands, she carried a bouquet made from the flowers plucked from my garden.


    It made me wonder, "When they can use the flowers that were ordered from the neighboring kingdom, why do they have to use these?"


    Everyone stared at her as if they hadn''t seen a woman more beautiful than her. The Queen looked visibly happy, not even bothering to hide her pride in having such a pretty daughter.


    The Second Princess sat on the chair especially ced in the middle of the hall as thedies from the groom''s side gifted her everything they brought with them. Those trays were filled with expensive clothes and jewelry.


    "Pardon his dy, but His Highness, the Second Prince, will be here shortly. His Highness is only waiting for his elder brother, the First Prince," one of the women informed Queen Niobe.


    However, their idle chat was cut short.


    "Fire! Fire!" someone screamed from the crowd, grabbing everyone''s attention in the hall.


    Even without standing up, I could see that the giant curtain covering the window at the main hall''s other end had caught fire. The crowd was scared and terrified even as the pce maids and guards moved to put the fire out.


    "It''s the witch! She did this!" someone shouted loud enough to suppress the panicking crowd.


    Suddenly, all eyes were on me, and the fear and usation in those eyes were impossible not to see.

 Chapter 4: Scaring The Idiots

    <h4>Chapter 4:Scaring The Idiots</h4>


    Although everyone was staring at me, it didn''t scare me, and I withstood their using res calmly.


    Martha immediately came to stand beside me. Even though she annoyed me most of the time, she was the only person who came to protect me.


    "Why did you do it?" one middle-ageddy asked me. If I remembered her correctly, she was one of the King''s concubines as well as the Queen''s puppet.


    "She didn''t do it," Martha replied on my behalf.


    I didn''t like what Martha did because I wanted to be the one to speak up for myself, but then it felt good to have at least one person by my side.


    I looked at my father, King Armen, who remained silent as if he had expected Martha to protect me. The woman next to him looked troubled, but I knew her expression was fake. Queen Niobe was, in fact, pleased by the situation, but as the Mother of the Kingdom, she had to pretend otherwise.


    "You are just a servant, so stay out of it," berated another woman who was one of the Queen''s rtives.


    Martha was about to say something, but I held her arm lightly to stop her. She turned to me, and I gave her an assuring look in response.


    Finally, the King spoke, but he said nothing about the fire nor the usation against me. He simply ordered Martha, "Take the Third Princess back to her ce."


    Suddenly, one older man stepped forward and bowed to the King. "Your Majesty, this is not the right way to deal with this. No crime should go unpunished."


    Another man stepped forward as well and bowed. "If we let this pass, what would our guests, especially the groom''s family, think?"


    With this, the rest of the officials from the royal court stepped out to agree. They all bowed to the King and repeated, "We seek justice, Your Majesty."


    The women representing the groom''s side felt like they had to voice their opinion out into the open as well. One of them said, "Your Majesty, the Second Princess is to be joined to the Griven''s royal family, and as part of our family now, we will not allow anyone to bring harm to her."


    Others raised their voices to agree with them as well, and the King had to listen to them. All were influential people in the royal court who came with their families.


    First Princess Giselle and Second Princess Meira looked pleased with what''s happening. Although they did not speak out, they stood together with eager expressions on their faces as if they were enjoying a show.


    The King turned to me. "Do you have anything to say?"


    For the first time, I felt like I was finally given an opportunity to protect myself, and he trusted me to make well use of it.


    I maintained my calm and looked at the users. "Why do you all think I did it?" I asked.


    "Only witches can do it," said one noblewoman.


    "That I know, but why would I do it?"


    "Why else? Because you are jealous of Second Princess Meira and want to spoil her happiness!" "How can you be so sure?" I countered.


    "Isn''t it obvious?" the woman scoffed. "Witches are always crafty and hurt others."


    Even if I had screamed my heart out saying I didn''t do it, they would never believe me. They only saw things they wanted to see and only listened to words they wanted to hear. It''s better for me to act along with their fears, as it looked to be the only way these people would understand what it truly meant to be a witch.


    I could have left, and no one would have dared to stop me, but how could I miss the chance to scare them and see those amusing scared faces?


    ''Idiots asked for it.''


    I moved my right hand, and the two women in front stepped back in fear as if I hadshed out an attack on them. They were staring in horror at the blue scales on the back of my palm.


    I observed my palm as I twirled my fingers to check on every side. "I wonder if my powers are bing stronger now that I have the capacity to burn that huge curtain in just a minute." I looked at Martha. "If we burn that huge curtain normally, it will at least take twenty minutes, right?"


    Martha nodded, and the others waited to see what I would have said, or rather they were curious to know if I admit it was my doing.


    ng! Thud!


    One metal vase fell from its stand. The First Princess had stepped back as if on reflex, unmindful of the noise she caused. Her expression was priceless��she had probably recalled a certain traumatic experience.


    I smirked. "I mean,st time when I supposedly burned the First Princess'' clothes, I remember there was only the smell of burning, but no pungent smell of oil. My, but today, is it just my nose, or is it as if someone had coated that curtain in the mmable oil? Since when did my powers allow me to produce mmable oil? At this rate, I can certainly burn this entire pce in a moment."


    After hearing it, everyone held their breaths as if I would really do it. I looked at those women. "Isn''t it fascinating?"


    "Are you scaring us?" One man came forward, another of Queen Niobe''s rtives, and appeared to be husband to one of those women.


    Of course, it scared them. I scared them.


    Only if they could see the smirk on my lips, it would have been even more effective. ''This damn veil.''


    "I just had an urge to try it," I exined, and others went speechless.


    When scaring them almost worked, I heard one pitiful voice.


    "What did I do to you to harm me? Why do you have to spoil my day?" It was Second Princess Meira who spoke, taking upon herself the role of a victim. "You are a witch, but it''s not my fault."


    I stared at her. "Trust me; I''m happier being a witch than a fake person."

 Chapter 5: The Unknown Masculine Voice

    <h4>Chapter 5:The Unknown Masculine Voice</h4>


    The pitiful victim mask the second Princess wore disappeared from her face into an angry one. "How dare you?! They are right! You can''t possibly be my sister. You are just an ugly witch!"


    This certain sister of mine couldn''t handle her emotions, especially anger. It made me wonder that if she were the witch instead of me, we all might have been dead by now.


    However, the moment she cursed me, the flowers in the bouquet in her hand withered.


    Everyone looked at the flowers. One woman pointed at it as if she couldn''t wait to add fuel to the fire. "See, this is the witch''s doing! She can''t even spare those poor flowers."


    "It''s not me but her foul mouth," I retorted.


    She called me ugly, so how could those flowers that I personally grew take it? Somehow, I understood why they took flowers from my garden. They had nned for this scenario to happen.


    "We won''t let you harm the Second Princess!" one man dered, looking so brave as if he was ready to sacrifice himself against me.


    I looked at the man. "If I wanted to harm her, I would have burned clothes she is wearing and not that pretty curtain."


    Second, Princess Meira looked angrier as if that was even possible, and I know why. I referred to the curtain as pretty, but then that meant her expensive dress had no value inparison.


    Whatever I did, I was sure they couldn''t harm me, and they could only grit their teeth.


    Because they could no longer fight me with words, the women turned at Queen Niobe for help. "Did you see, my Queen? She wants to burn the Second Princess!"


    The Queen came down the throne to approach us, who were standing on the front row. She went to her poor ''victimized'' daughter first and held her hand to console her. The women from the groom''s side did the same.


    After their pitiful performance, Queen Niobe looked at me with reproach. "How can you do this to your own sister? I didn''t expect it from you, Seren."


    Gasps could be heard in the hall.


    The Queen''s words held value. Because of what she said, she had confirmed that I was the one whomitted arson to ruin this asion.


    Others looked at King Armen. "Your Majesty should do something about this crime."


    I looked at the King too. "Your Majesty, I expect the Royal Investigation Bureau to search for the traces of mmable oil at the ce of the incident."


    The King nodded slightly in my direction, which meant that he epted my request.


    "How outrageous! Aside from you, who would do something like this? It makes no sense," yelled one man after seeing how the King agreed to it. Guilt was written all over his face. It was clear their n was about to fail.


    "She is just making up things to protect herself!" said another woman.


    However, my father paid them no heed.


    "Take the Third Princess back to her ce," the King ordered, once again looking at Martha.


    "My Lady," said Martha as she bowed and led my way to leave this riot.


    On the way out, I could hear the crowd growing restless.


    "How can we let her go so easily?"


    "Shouldn''t we punish her?"


    "Ever since she came to this kingdom, she only brought us misfortunes."


    "You are right. We should throw her out of the kingdom."


    Thud!


    The loud sound came from King Armen mming his hands on his armrest. When he stood up, the entire hall turned silent.


    "Don''t forget she is a princess," said the thoroughly angered king, ring at everyone who had been gossiping about me.


    Although King Armen never loved me, the whole kingdom knew he never let others get to me. To be honest, it was highly likely not because he thought of me as his daughter, but because regardless of my reputation, I was an official princess of the Kingdom of Abetha, and he would let no one disrespect a person from the royal family.


    Just as Martha and I reached the door, we heard a man''s voice break the heavy silence.


    "Looks like someone used expensive mmable oil imported from the east only to burn a curtain. As I heard, it seems like the Kingdom of Abetha and its people are really rich."


    I turned to look at the source of the masculine voice. The others did the same.


    I realized that the masculine voice came from the direction of the incident, which was therge window farthest from the throne, where the burnt curtain, or at least, what''s left of it, remained hanging.


    I wanted to see who the person was, but there were so many people standing in the way, looking at the ce of the incident. I turned to go there, but King''s guard came to us.


    He bowed to me and then looked at Martha. "King has asked the third Princess to go back to the tower."


    Martha nodded to him lightly and turned to me. "We should leave, mydy."


    Just as I stepped out the door of the hall, the strong gust of wind passed by me, and I felt something familiar was pulling me back inside the hall. I turned to look inside and felt the force of unknown energy.


    "What happened?" Martha asked.


    Feeling puzzled, I replied, "I don''t know, but something is there..."


    Martha looked at me and towards where my sight was fixed at and instructed, "We need to leave."


    The guard came forward and stood between me and where I was looking. He blocked my sight. I red at him, but that robust built, tall guard didn''t budge.


    ''No respect for a princess,'' I groaned inside.


    Martha held my hand and dragged me away with her.


    I tried to pull my hand, but I couldn''t get it out of her grip.


    ''This old woman is incredibly strong.''


    I had no other choice but to follow her.


    ---------


    Kindly read the author''s note below.

 Chapter 6: The Devils Son

    <h4>Chapter 6:The Devil''s Son</h4>


    All the people within the hall studied the man who had justmented in support of Third Princess Seren''s im regarding the curtain and the mmable oil.


    A tall man wearing ck clothes with delicate gold embroidery was inspecting the window and the leftover of the curtain with his back facing towards everyone.


    He brushed his forefinger along the edge of the window frame and then rubbed the forefinger with the thumb. He chuckled, "Wasteful prodigals."


    Who was he? That was the question on everyone''s mind. The nobles of Abetha had never seen him and the clothes he wore indicated that he was from another kingdom.


    "Are you sure?" asked hispanion, who was a man wearing luxurious golden yellow ceremonial clothes meant for royalty.


    The guests recognized this man. He was the groom''s brother and the Crown Prince of Griven, First Prince An Cromwell.


    But who was the one apanying First Prince An?


    The unknown man turned to look at the First Prince. "Check for yourself."


    Prince An repeated what hispanion did and reached the same conclusion.


    "You are right," An confirmed the presence of mmable oil.


    The Second Prince of Griven, Lenard Cromwell, and the groom of the political marriage joined them too. He wore the same signature royal clothes from Griven, just like his elder brother, An.


    As the three mused over the scene, the crowd shifted and parted to make way for King Armen, who had left his throne to oversee the situation personally.


    King Armen looked at the young man in ck. "King of Megaris!"


    The young man nodded in greeting, as they both had the same standing, and there was no need for him to bow to a king of another kingdom.


    Hearing what King Armen called the man in ck clothes, everyone realized who he was, and whispers echoed within the huge hall.


    "Is he that famous Devil''s son?"


    "After the witch, now we have a devil too. How unlucky!"


    "Keep quiet. He is so dangerous that even his father is scared of him."


    "True. His father made him king when he was just eighteen, even though from what I heard, his other son was the crown prince."


    "No, from what I heard, the previous King of Megaris is not his birth father. He is the devil''s son that the queen bore."


    "I heard he is vicious and cruel."


    "That''s why he is a powerful king even though he is just twenty-three. The youngest and cruelest king in the entire continent!"


    "Who won''t be scared of the devil?"


    Thud!


    Thud!


    The royal guard behind King Armen knocked the base of the javelin in his hand on the marble floor, and the heavy sounds silenced the unruly whispers.


    "Pleasure to have you here, King Drayce," said King Armen.


    "The pleasure is all mine, King Armen. But, I must say Abetha has a unique way of weing their guests," said the young king as he smirked and pointedly looked around at the gossiping crowd.


    Everyone felt intimidated by the way this young king looked at them. His red eyes carried a mocking gaze, as if he looked down on others, thinking of them as nothing but lowly creatures.


    Though they felt intimidated, their eyes didn''t stop gazing at this handsome young man.


    King Drayce Ivanov of Megaris was a tall man with an inherently charismatic appearance, his maic demeanor captivating enough to make people keep staring at him even though they found him scary as well.


    Standing proudly before them was a man with a strong build, with wide shoulders and a long neck, a well-sculpted face with intimidating red eyes. His face was more than handsome with his thick eyebrows, sharp pointy nose, thin lips that carried a light smirk, and fine jawline.


    His elbow-length jet ck hair was pulled back, half of it tucked at the back of the head and secured with a gold essory. His ck clothes, upon further observation, was in fact the royal clothes of Megaris, and it was tailored perfectly on his well-sculpted body.


    Together, all of these added to the dark and intimidating aura he carried.


    "Apologies for the kind of wee King Drayce had to see. I will surely make up for it," said King Armen, his tone polite.


    "I''ll look forward to it," King Drayce responded.


    "Allow me to guide you to your ce." King Armen gestured for them to follow him.


    The three young men followed the King of Abetha while the rest of the guards escorted them, pushing the crowd away.


    ''Where is she?''


    Drayce looked around to search for the young woman who was being used, for she did well to protect herself. He was never interested in women in general, but her bold and fearless attitude today made him curious about her.


    Upon Drayce''s arrival in the hall with the two Griven princes and their own royal guards, instead of an announcement of their entrance, they were weed by yells and chaos. They had stopped to check what was going on and heard the entire conversation.


    Drayce could not see her face as her back was facing him. The only thing he knew was that she owned long red-brown hair and a dulcet voice with a confident and mocking tone.


    ''Seems like when I was busy investing to support her pleading to the King, she left,'' Drayce concluded and sighed. ''No acknowledgment of my kind intentions. So rude of her.''


    He smirked.


    As the neers crossed the path from the back of the hall towards the throne, the crowd had taken the liberty to observe Drayce. The people of Abetha had heard plenty about the young King of Megaris but never had the chance to see him in person.


    They couldn''t stop admiring the handsome man who continued walking, not sparing a nce at anyone.


    The young women, and even the older and married women, couldn''t stop looking at him as if they were in a daze.


    "They say devils and witches are enchanting. No wonder, it''s the truth," said one older nobleman to his subordinate as he observed the scene in the hall.


    The engagement ceremony finally started after a seat was prepared for the King of Megaris.


    As Drayce was a good friend of Prince An and he had been in a nearby territory on official business, he joined the brothers to catch up. Afterwards, he was then invited by An to apany them for his brother''s engagement.


    "Who is that girl?" Drayce whispered to An.


    "First, pay attention to the engagement ceremony," An instructed, whispering back.


    "Not interested," Drayce countered.


    An gave him a displeased gaze.


    "Lenard is not my brother," Drayce countered to that gaze.


    "Such a devil," An mumbled, but then, he relented, "Later."

 Chapter 7: The Pair Of Purple Eyes

    <h4>Chapter 7:The Pair Of Purple Eyes</h4>


    The engagement ceremony between the Second Prince of Griven and the Second Princess of Abetha finished without a hitch. While the guests were excited about the asion and busy showering praises on the couple, Drayce had no interest in it. He simply watched from his seat and waited for the celebration to be over, so he could leave to search for something that was stuck in his mind.


    After the official ceremony, King Armen invited him for a special banquet along with the princes of Griven, the representatives from other kingdoms, and the Abetha''s royal court.


    "So how was the journey, King Drayce?" asked the man who introduced himself as Abetha''s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Darus Count.


    Drayce only looked at him and then picked up a finely crafted silver wine ss to continue drinking. He didn''t find the question worth answering, and it was the knight behind him who spoke mockingly in his stead.


    "Everything was fine till a group of soldiers wearing Abethan military clothes attacked us in the mountain ranges bordering your kingdom."


    "Soldiers with some sloppy skills," added another Megaris knight. His eyes carried the same type of pride as his King''s, looking down on others.


    This deration surprised not only King Armen but also the rest of the special banquet attendees. The officials of the royal court of Abetha turned silent while those from other kingdoms whispered among themselves.


    With furrowed brows, King Armen looked at the Military General who was also present there. "Is this true?"


    The Military General stood up and bowed to the King. "Your Majesty, as per my knowledge, there was no such movement from our army stationed at the borders."


    The King of Abetha looked at the Minister of the Royal Investigation Bureau and ordered, "I need the full report about it by tomorrow!"


    "King Armen should calm down," said Drayce. "As my knights have said, those men wore Abetha''s military clothes, but their skills were sloppy. From what I heard, Abethan soldiers are one of the most well-trained armies renowned for theirbat skills."


    King Armen was surprised by the praise. "Still, we need to investigate this properly to give you and your men an exnation."


    "Your Majesty, ording to our analysis, those men are highly likely rebels or thieves hired to create misunderstandings between our kingdoms," said the knight apanying Drayce.


    "Why would someone do it?" asked a minister from Griven Royal court.


    Drayce looked at him and smirked, "I''m sure there is a good reason."


    The way Drayce looked at the minister made him wary of this young king who looked like he harbored evil thoughts in his mind all the time.


    The atmosphere within the banquet became ufortable. Drayce decided to drop the subject.


    An could see his friend was in a yful mood and sided with him. He looked at the King of Abetha. "I am sure your Royal Investigation Bureau must have solved the mystery by now."


    "King Drayce was indeed right about the mmable oil," King Armen replied.


    "I just thought to check the credibility of that youngdy''s statement. Indeed, her nose caught the right thing," Draycemented.


    King Armen didn''t react to his response as he didn''t wish to continue on this topic. Not only him, but the rest of Abetha''s nobles avoided talking about the Third Princess.


    An looked at Drayce. Only now did he understand why his friend brought up the burning curtain incident when he never liked to meddle in others'' business even if someone was about to die.


    However, Drayce ignored the difort of the crowd and insisted, "I am curious who thedy is."


    "It will be better if King Drayce won''t ask more about her," said the oldest-looking man among the court ministers. From his expression, he seemed not to like the identity of that useddy. King Armen chose to remain silent. He had his reasons.


    "May I know why?" asked Drayce.


    "Your Majesty, she is the... our Third Princess," King Armen''s adviser rified before the old minister could talk. "Misunderstandings are bound to happen within the royal family, and it is not polite for us to talk about internal affairs of the family."


    "There is no misunderstanding! She is a witch, and we all know that!" the old minister rebuked.


    "The Royal Investigation Bureau has evidence that it was not her doing. Therefore the Third Princess is innocent." Although the King''s adviser replied politely, he was chastising the old minister with a re.


    Drayce found their bickering interesting.


    "Witch?" Drayce mumbled and looked at his friend. Hearing this, he understood why An was reluctant to tell him things about Abetha''s Third Princess.


    Drayce''s sight shifted to the old minister who couldn''t keep his mouth shut, much less restrain his disdain in front of the royal family. He could not tell if the older man was simply brave or if he had gone mad.


    "Why shouldn''t I know about her?" Drayce asked.


    "There is nothing good about witches," the old man replied simply.


    "What about devils?" Drayce asked, a light evil smirk painted on his lips.


    Everyone knew about the King of Megaris being rumored to be a devil''s son. Gossips had been going around in the pce since he arrived, but as this was a reputation he deliberately maintained, he did not shirk from it. In fact, he tacitly acknowledged it as a powerful tool to intimidate his opponents.


    The change in these snobbish people''s expressions upon hearing him say the word ''devil'' was something he enjoyed.


    ''No wonder that girl could outsmart these idiots.''


    His red eyes scanned their twisted faces while enjoying his wine.


    Because of his words, hushed whispers about witches and devils filled the banquet. Everyone''s expressions looked highly disturbed.


    Even the King of Abetha, who was known for his calmness, was no exception. Though he did his best to hide it, Drayce had observed that the older man had aplicated look in his eyes upon the mention of his third daughter.


    ''It''s making me even curious about her,'' Drayce smirked.


    "I hope King Drayce will enjoy the food." King''s advisor tried to salvage the awkward atmosphere as he pulled out a light smile and diverted the topic.


    Drayce could see the adviser trying his best to talk instead of King Armen, especially whenever it was about the Third Princess.


    The feast was concluded after the guests and officials found their bearings back and talked about the various issues regarding their kingdoms and how they could solve them together.


    Afterward, the royal family arranged for Drayce and the representatives from other kingdoms to stay and rest up. Drayce stood at the balcony of his room, looking outside and observing the part of the pce grounds visible from there.


    His sight shifted towards therge winding river that flowed beyond the castle walls. It reminded him of something, and he stood staring at it in a daze.


    "What are you thinking about so deeply?" a familiar voice asked behind him. It was An, who did not even knock upon entering his room.


    "A pair of purple eyes," Drayce replied, still looking at the winding river.

 Chapter 8: The Mysterious Woman

    <h4>Chapter 8:The Mysterious Woman</h4>


    "Purple eyes?" An repeated only to make sure.


    Something came to An''s mind as he had heard something about it before. He then looked at Drayce and noticed how serious he looked. His friend definitely had something more going on in his mind.


    An decided not to pursue the topic. He understood Drayce��if he thought to go after something, he would never give up chasing. However, what his friend was searching for at the moment was not something good.


    After a minute of silence, An could not help himself, "You must have made a mistake. No normal human can have purple irises."


    "I am not a normal human either, so I do not think that''s abnormal," Drayce countered.


    "I keep forgetting who my friend is," Anmented. "You should rest. You didn''t rest after the previous night''s battle."


    "Who was the one who insisted for me to be here?"


    "I only wanted you to visit the side of the continent you have never been to," said An.


    "Or you wanted your friend here so you won''t get bored on your own."


    "My bad. Now rest."


    Drayce removed his outer cloak and threw it towards the bed. He was ready to strip, but raised an eyebrow seeing his friend remained idle inside his room.


    "Leave, then. Don''t stay here to stare at my handsome face."


    "I prefer pretty faces," An scoffed before he left the room.


    After fixing himself, Draycey on the bed with scattered thoughts. He did not know how long he had stared at the ceiling.


    He was sure, what he saw was not an illusion but reality.


    "Who is she?" he continued to ask himself before he finally closed his eyes.


    ---------


    The previous night, when Drayce was busy fighting suspicious men disguised as Abethan soldiers, he suddenly heard a woman''s voice out of nowhere.


    ''Who are you?''


    Startled, he ceased his attacks and turned to look at the source of the voice. All he could see was a face with its lower half-covered with a veil and a pair of purple eyes, and the image vanished in the air the moment he blinked.


    He felt like it was an illusion and must be because he was tired and didn''t get enough sleep. At that time, he didn''t have much time to think about what happened because he had to get rid of the enemies.


    Once that small battle was over, he and his men rode straight towards the Kingdom of Abetha. However, the distance towards the capital could not be covered within a few hours. It was a long overnight journey, so they had to halt somewhere, not to mention, some of his soldiers had been injured, and they needed rest.


    At dawn, his men set up camp in the wilderness along a river bordering the capital of Abetha. From where they stopped, they could see the sight of the city, as well as the Royal Pce of Abetha. The main pce shone under the moonlight, and there were torches ignited everywhere on the castle walls.


    Just as the mild sun rays touched the sky, Drayce thought that it would seem unruly to enter the capital looking travel-worn. Besides, the river looked inviting; thus, he decided to go for a morning swim in the cold freshwater. However, just as he went deeper into the river, he saw something floating in the water.


    ''What''s that?''


    As the sun had notpletely risen yet, his vision was not good underwater.


    He swam towards it and pulled it to him. To his surprise, what he held was actually a maiden''s hand. He realized that the figure underwater was a woman who seemed unconscious. He could only look at her in shock when she opened her eyes.


    In the dim light, he could see nothing but her glittering purple eyes.


    ''It''s her.''


    He could forget anything but those pair of purple eyes as well as the veil covering half of her face.


    The woman panicked and moved her hand towards her face, but he held it and stared into those enchanting eyes.


    She stared back at him, not looking scared at all. The initial anxiety in her eyes turned into curiosity as she continued to stare at him without a tinge of fear.


    ''Amusing,'' he thought, but the next moment, she disappeared again.


    "What was that? Where did she go?" He looked around, but there was nothing around him underwater.


    "Is it an illusion again?" he wondered and then looked at his hands. He could still feel the warmth of her skin in his palms. "No. It was not an illusion this time." He was sure.


    He swam to the surface and came out of the river fully drenched. He could not help but look towards the Royal Pce of Abetha in the distance.


    "Your Majesty, if we leave now, we can reach there on time," one of his knights said as he approached his King, who was staring at the castle in a daze.


    After not getting a reply from his King, the knight asked again, "Is there something that''s bothering you, Your Majesty?"


    "Something is strange about this ce," Drayce replied, his eyes still not leaving the sight of the pce.


    "Is it about the previous night''s incident?" the knight asked.


    "Hmm," Drayce nodded subconsciously.


    "We will enquire about those attackers," said the knight.


    Drayce sighed but did not correct the knight. He was not referring to those attackers but to that mysterious woman; he kept seeing the moment he entered the boundaries of the Kingdom of Abetha. Moreover, there was always some unknown force that kept pulling him somewhere which he could understand. His sight fixed on the Royal Pce; he felt iting from something within those castle walls.


    When he arrived at the main gates of the Royal Pce with his soldiers, his friend An was there to wee him; after all, it was this man who was responsible for calling him there.


    The moment Drayce stepped inside the pce walls, he felt that unknown force grow even stronger, and it only kept going stronger the closer he got to the main pce.


    "What happened? Why do you look so serious?" An asked.


    "Nothing." Drayce had nothing to say as he himself was not sure what it was.


    What happened after he arrived at the ceremony hall pulled his interest into one more thing, that bold and confident young woman.


    --------


    After the small nap, Drayce was ready to go out and roam around the pce. However, instead of enjoying the scenery, he was more eager to know if he could find the reason for the strange unknown pull he could feeling from this ce.


    "Where do you want to go?" An asked, ying host to guide his friend as he was very familiar with the pce grounds. Their own knights apanied them as they walked.


    "Anywhere," came his cold reply.


    "Don''t me meter," An said with a chuckle and they left to go out.

 Chapter 9: Sneaking Out

    <h4>Chapter 9:Sneaking Out</h4>


    I remained inside the tower, in my bedchamber, since my return from that engagement ceremony, where my presence was visibly unweed and undesired. Not that I wanted to stay.


    Still, it wasn''t my wish to be holed up in my tower once more, where I could do nothing but look outside of the window of my room. Under the bright afternoon sunlight, birds could be seen flying in the sky freely.


    "Wouldn''t it be nice to be a bird and fly wherever I want to go?" I mumbled, envying these little animals.


    "And then be killed by a slingshot or an arrow, only to be hung on a fire and then go into someone''s stomach?" Martha idlymented as she busied herself tidying my gown and arranging the jewelry I removed after returning.


    I red at her. ''This olddy never forgets to break my happy bubble. Always so bitter.''


    "Can we go out today?" I asked, looking at the busy Martha with hope in my eyes.


    "Can''t we... sneak out like always?" I asked, my voice low and my face sad. On some days, Martha and I secretly leave the Royal Pce in disguise, and those were the best days of my life.


    "Today is not a good day," Martha countered, dashing my hopes once more.


    I huffed. "I have been in this tower for the past seventeen years. At most, I could only go tend my small garden. When girls of my age go out and have fun, I can only see the outside world through this window. Still, I neverined. Today, I really want to go out," I pleaded.


    Martha didn''t reply.


    "If only I were sessful in running away a few years back, I wouldn''t have to bear with this prison life," I frowned.


    When I was seven, I tried to run away by fooling Martha and the guards. No one had thought a kid would even think, much less dare, to do so. Back then, I seeded in leaving the tower''s premises and even managed to escape the pce grounds. It was midnight, and as I was small, I could sneak past the patrolling guards.


    Everything beyond the castle walls was surrounded by scary silence.


    Deciding not to be scared of anything, I continued walking as fast as possible, hoping to put as much distance as I could between me and the pce. When I was in the city proper, I did my best to avoid the main streets where establishments were still open and a few night owls could be seen walking.


    The alleys and the side paths looked as if so many eyes stared at me through the darkness. My will of not feeling scared started to shatter with the slightest sound made by the dry leaves and pebbles under my feet.


    I remembered, just as I consoled myself that it was nothing, a scary figure in a ck cloak who had its face entirely covered appeared in front of me. A long bony hand, with long nails, tried to grab me. I screamed out of reflex and ran back, but another figure in a ck cloak came out of the alley to stop me from going back towards the pce.


    I screamed once more, calling out for help, but none of themoners nor the patrolling guards seemed to have heard me. All I knew, those scary figures in ck cloaks came to be floating in the air.


    I remembered my young self shedding tears, sitting on the ground, curling myself like a ball, and covering my face with my palm to not see those scary things.


    A miracle did happen. Suddenly, everything turned silent, and the figures in ck cloaks were nowhere to be seen. I lifted my face to look up, and I saw Martha standing at a distance, looking at me with a gentle expression.


    Not dying even for a moment, I ran towards Martha and hugged her tightly, crying my eyes out in fear.


    Martha kneeled and hugged me back to calm me. We returned to the pce, and no one knew I tried to run away. Since that day, I never dared to step out of the pce on my own again.


    Ten years had passed, yet the memory still brought fear to my heart.


    Martha sighed as she went towards the wardrobe and pulled one set of in clothes for me.


    "Get ready," she instructed.


    My eyes shone brightly, and I got the clothes from her. These were the clothes we used whenever we sneaked out of the pce. I hurried to get ready.


    After wearing them and putting on boots, I looked at myself in the mirror as a cheerful smile painted my lips. I wore a simple yet elegant pink-colored, floor-length silk dress. Although these clothes looked too luxurious for the working ss, the daughters of rich merchants and women from noble families outside of the pce wore such clothes; they were different from what royals wore. These kinds of clothes would easily let me blend in outside as this was the capital city of Abetha, and people generally wear silk clothes here.


    Martha stood behind me as she held my hair. She braided my hair to make it look simple and tied one gold ribbon to fix the end of the long braid.


    Martha also put on one circr hat on my head, which had delicate pink cloth surrounding it, long enough to cover my face.


    It was normal for young women of the capital to put on a hat with a veil to cover their faces. In my case, this was necessary not to let anyone see my purple eyes, or else it would be a dead giveaway of my true identity. These rare purple eyes were known in the whole kingdom as the color of the witch''s eyes. Martha could hide anything with her magic but not the color of my eyes.


    Daily, Martha had always worn the dress that servants in the pce wore. However, most of the important servants serving respective royals had something different in their uniforms to distinguish them from the normal servants. Over the off-white dress, Martha had to put on a light purple thin fabric, a short cardigan that showed her identity of being my servant. Purple indicated the color of the witch''s eyes, my eyes.


    As we were heading out today, she took off that purple cardigan and put on one ck robe to cover the dress and hide her identity as a royal servant.


    "Shall we leave?" I asked with excitement, dying to go out.


    Martha nodded and led my way out of my bedchamber. We walked till the end of the corridor, whichter took a circr turn down by stairs. There, Martha worked her magic spell, and one rock in the wall was pushed back, only to open a secret door for us.


    That door was the entrance to a tunnel that leads beyond the pce walls, towards therge river that wound outside the pce.

 Chapter 10: Are You A Witch Too?

    <h4>Chapter 10:Are You A Witch Too?</h4>


    Looking at the peaceful river in front of me and the vastnd teeming with greenery, I found myself mesmerized as usual by the beauty of nature. I inhaled deeply to enjoy the fresh air, fully relishing this rare taste of freedom.


    "After so long... It feels great," Imented as I held my skirt and skipped my way towards the river, feeling excited like a kid who just got his favorite toy.


    For someone like me, nothing but freedom could truly make me happy. It was more precious than any power or wealth in the world.


    Martha followed quietly behind me, simply letting me do what I wish.


    I made my way to therge boulders lining the side of the river and found a good spot to sit. As the rocks were surrounded by shallow water, I could dip my feet and y unhindered without getting my clothes wet. The calmly flowing water reached just above my ankles, and the cold against my warm skin felt wonderful.


    As I was happy and smiling, as usual, one of my curses showed its effect.


    The nts nearby that originally looked like ordinary shrubs, devoid of the beauty of flower blossoms, suddenly had buds grow on them that bloomed into colorful flowers. The entire ce was transformed into a flower garden, and it was a dazzling view.


    I looked at Martha. "Aren''t they so pretty?"


    "That''s why mydy should smile often," Marthamented as she admired the view as well.


    "Then you should bring me out often, too," Iughed, smiling brightly as the happy kid inside me was ready toe out.


    Martha didn''t reply, but there was a tinge of worry on her face, and I could understand why.


    "Are you worried about what others will think when they see flowers blooming inside the capital?"


    Martha looked at me. "It''s a good thing to see so many flowers after so long."


    As usual, Martha avoided answering me, but I knew what was in her mind.


    "They will think this witch is happy after almost ruining the engagement ceremony of her sister, and these flowers in full blossom prove that."


    "Mydy should not be concerned with what others think," Marthamented.


    I smiled. "I am not as long as I can be free like this."


    Martha was ady who never smiled and only thought about how to do her job perfectly. However, through her actions, I knew she cared for me. Seeing her constantly worry for me never failed to bring warmth to my heart.


    "Won''t you join me here, Martha?" I asked.


    Martha sat on the rock beside me calmly.


    "Today, can you honestly answer a question of mine?" I spoke.


    "Only if I can answer it," she replied.


    I took a deep breath.


    "Are you a witch too?"


    "Why does mydy think so?" she countered.


    Her response was a pleasant surprise.


    ''Did she really say something instead of t-out ignoring my question straight away? I didn''t hear her wrong, right?''


    Though surprised, I kept myself calm. I needed to grab this opportunity to make her talk more.


    "You know magic spells," I replied.


    "So any person who knows magic is supposed to be a witch?" she asked back.


    Her words made me look at her face.


    Although she was my nanny, Martha could not be considered old, probably just around the same age as my birth mother. Though she was a servant, there was something about her that distinguished her from normal servants of the royal family. Perhaps it was her temperament, coupled with her looks.


    Grey shade of hair tied in a long braid, a pair of light brown eyes, a long face with fair skin, sharp and pointy nose, as well as a tall, slender body. Although my sense of beauty might be different from the people of my kingdom, I believed that Martha could be considered above average if not pretty by normal standards. If she were to wear luxurious clothes, no one would think she was a mere servant.


    "You are old but still pretty. You are not ugly, so��."


    "Who said witches are ugly?" Martha asked.


    "Do I even need to ask anyone? If not that, then why would I have to cover my face?"


    Martha opened her mouth to say something, but I stopped her. "I know! I know! You will say it''s to protect me, but I can''t stop thinking I need to hide my face because I am ugly."


    "You are even prettier than your mother," Martha mumbled under her breath, but she was no longer looking at me. Instead, she stared at the river ahead, looking lost in thought. This was the first time I had seen such an expression on her face.


    Moreover, she mentioned something about my mother, something other than the two things I knew about my mother. First, that she was a witch, and second, that she was the one to put this veil on my face.


    ''Could it be the beautiful view that reminded Martha something? A memory of my mother? Do I need to continue this to fish out more information from her?''


    I couldn''t help but make ns in my mind for the next time we sneak out again.


    "If she was a witch, how can she be pretty?" I asked after I realized both of us had fallen in silence.


    This time, Martha didn''t reply, which didn''te as a surprise to me.


    I had reached the phase where I could only ask questions and leave them for Martha to decide whether she wished to answer or not.


    "So you personally know my mother," I concluded, not minding how she ignored my previous question.


    Again, there was no reply.


    "Were you friends, or did you serve under her, too?"


    "How did you two meet?"


    "Most importantly, is my mother alive?"


    "How did she and my father meet?"


    One after another, questions I hid deeply poured out of my mouth. However, Martha remained silent throughout. Before I could ask more, she stood up, and she stepped away from the waters onto the dry part of the riverbank. "We should leave, or I won''t be able to take mydy to the market."


    "She is my mother, but I know nothing about her. Can''t you at least tell me something more about her?" I insisted, but I did get up from the rock and followed her.


    ''This old woman walks really fast,'' I sighed, trying to catch up with her.


    "She was pretty. Knowing this much is enough for today," Marth replied as she led me out of the river towards the city proper.


    ''This heartless woman. Just wait and watch what I''ll do today,'' I frowned inside, ring at her back. ''If you think you can control me just because you know some magic tricks, then you are wrong.''

 Chapter 11: Curious Drayce

    <h4>Chapter 11:Curious Drayce</h4>


    While Seren and Martha were enjoying their brief taste of freedom, the thing that worried them the most was indeed happening inside the Royal Pce.


    The gardens within the pce grounds had exploded with pretty colors and fragrant scents due to the flowers blooming everywhere. Not just inside the pce, but even outside, themon people were amazed to see the rarest view they ever got to see.


    Everyone understood what these blossoms meant��the witch was happy��but then they felt conflicted.


    Should they be happy or curse her for keeping the kingdom devoid of such beauty of nature?


    Or should they be worried about the root of her happiness?


    For the Kingdom of Abetha, blooming flowers had be a sort of ill omen, for they believe something terrible would soon befall the kingdom. The witch''s daughter ought to be scheming something wicked, as it wasmon sense that witches could only be happy when they were about to unleash their evil ns.


    -------


    Inside the pce.


    An showed Drayce around the interesting parts of the pce grounds, including the royal court, the arsenal, the military base inside the pce, where they met with high-ranking military officials, and the various offices the concerned people working under them.


    "Finally, we are done with the boring part," An said as he gave out a sigh.


    "It was your decision to get bored while I am interested in something else," Drayce countered.


    "I just wanted you to see how they work. As a ruler, one should know everything about other kingdoms as well."


    Drayce touched his sword and gave a meaningful gaze to An. "When I want to know something, I have a better, more efficient way to know it."


    An frowned and mumbled, "This guy loves to talk using a sword." He looked at Drayce. "Will it hurt if you don''t use violence?"


    "You are already handling the part of spreading peace. You alone should be enough."


    An knew there was no use in arguing with his violent friend and changed the topic. "Let''s go to a nice, quiet ce in the eastern part of the pce. Ake."


    Apanied by their personal knights, the two left thest official''s study and went for the greener part of the pce. But as they approached theke, their eyes were left wide open.


    "Since when has this ce turned so pretty?" Anmented, still in shock.


    "I don''t remember seeing anything like this when I entered the pce," Drayce said in agreement. Although he did not pay special attention to the view, he could swear he had not seen a single flower anywhere in any of the royal gardens, but suddenly, the entire ce was full of them as if someone had nted new bushes and shrubs just now.


    "Let''s go. I hope this will pacify your always-so-violent mind." An led the way, and Drayce followed him across the stone path with flowers in full bloom on both sides.


    As they admired the gardens, Drayce realized they had almost seen the entire pce but didn''t go to one side of it.


    "Why didn''t we go to the northern side of the pce?" Drayce asked.


    "That part is deserted, and there is nothing to look at," An replied.


    "Then we should go there," Drayce said as he turned to the northern direction.


    Unknown to them, one of the Abethan knights assigned to assist them was rmed by their actions, and knowing he could not stop these royal guests, he left the retinue in a hurry.


    An caught up to Drayce. "Why do you always go to where there is nothing?"


    "We can advise King Armen how to make that deserted ce useful."


    "Don''t be a nosy guest, Drayce," Anmented while following him.


    "I intend to be a helpful guest," Drayce countered and continued walking.


    Just as they reached the northern part of the pce, they could see a tall stone tower beyond the trees. Before they could go further, two guards stood in their path and bowed them.


    "Your Majesty King Drayce, Your Highness Prince An, this ce is restricted for anyone to enter," said one guard.


    Drayce didn''t react to the guard and studied the stone tower ahead, which was still far from where he''s standing and was surrounded by tall stone walls.


    There were various towers located in the different corners of the pce, but none of them had any walls installed around them, and anyone could freely go in those towers as they wished.


    This particr tower seemed suspicious to him.


    "We should go back," An said.


    Ignoring his friend, Drayce looked at the guards. "And why is it restricted?"


    "King Drayce," came a familiar calm voice, and Drayce turned to look at the speaker.


    Approaching them was King Armen, apanied by two knights. Both he and An greeted the King of Abetha as well.


    "I hope King Drayce enjoyed visiting the pce," said King Armen in a casual tone.


    "It was nothing special," Drayce replied, not willing to act fake. Normal things never enticed him, but he was always curious about the things that were unapproachable or mysterious.


    King Armen didn''t mind what he said as he took it as one of the young king''s quirks.


    "This tower belongs to the third princess. My daughter doesn''t like it when people disturb her privacy, so no one is allowed to do so," King Armen exined what Drayce wished to know, "and it''s not good to go against the wish of ady."


    Drayce couldn''t deny thest thing King Armen said. It was indeed rude, especially for a stranger like him, to disturb a princess''s royal dwelling.


    An wished to take his friend away from there and spoke, "Apology for the inconvenience, Your Majesty."


    King Armen nodded to it lightly and instructed, "Theke in the east has a pretty view. I suggest Prince An show that ce to King Drayce."


    "Thank you for the suggestion, Your Majesty. We will take our leave," said An and signaled his friend to go with him.


    Drayce gave a light nod to King Armen and left with An.


    Once the two were out of sight, King Armen looked at his knights.


    "Didn''t I order you to keep an eye on him?"


    "Apology, Your Majesty," said one of the knights.


    The other knight spoke, "They were visiting the offices and arsenal and had been guided to visit theke, but as royal guests, we cannot forcibly stop them from heading to this part of the pce."


    The two knights bowed in response. King Armen''s gaze then fell on the flowers. "Where are they?"


    "They have sneaked out a while ago," replied one of the knights.


    King Armen sighed in disappointment. "Ask your men to protect them in the shadows and once they are back, ask Martha to visit me," King Armen ordered before he turned around and left.

 Chapter 12: Attempt To Escape

    <h4>Chapter 12:Attempt To Escape</h4>


    While walking across the vastnd filled with greenery, I could not help but say, "My legs are blessed today as they can finally do justice to what they are made for."


    "Make sure not to let them go overboard, or mydy won''t be able to walk even a single step after getting sore legs," Marthamented.


    "You can never let me feel happy, can you?" I frowned.


    On most days, I could only walk inside the tower''s premises, the farthest being my garden, which was just a pitifully short distance that didn''t even make me feel like my leg muscles were stretched.


    After walking for a long time, Martha and I arrived at the market side of the capital. I enjoyed visiting this ce as I could see so many different things in a single nce. It allowed me to wander around with other people without any restriction. Being here made me feel like an ordinary person, like I was truly one of them, and I liked it.


    ''I feel alive here. I wish I never have to go back to the pce,'' I thought and looked at Martha, who was walking with me. If only this olddy is not with me...''


    Even though the lives ofmon people were full of constant struggles, selling things andboring to make a living, their lives looked far better than my prison life.


    Happily, my eyes scanned the market to cherish every moment as I didn''t know when I woulde here next time. Many shops, small roadside stalls, and food carts were lined up on either side of the street.


    People were buying things from the shops, bargaining with them for just a single penny. Some were eating food from the stalls, while kids were ying around and throwing tantrums to their mothers to get what they wanted. Merchants from different shops and stalls were calling out to inform what new things they have to let the curious customers buy them.


    Young women around my age were buying things andughing with each other, but what pulled my attention the most was the fact that their mothers were buying things for their daughters to make them look even prettier, and those daughters looked happy to be pampered. Little girls could be seen walking around holding the hands of their fathers, and their fathers were buying them whatever they wanted.


    Their eyes showed how much these parents loved their daughters.


    ''I would never have this in my life.''


    I felt envious.


    Martha looked at me. "Mydy, would you like to buy something?"


    I shook my head. "I have everything, and what''s the use of wasting the King''s money when those things will only end up in the closet?" I sighed and thought, ''If only someone can buy for me too, just like those girls. How fortunate they are to get so much love.''


    "Would mydy mind it if I buy something for her?" Martha asked as if she guessed what was in my mind.


    "Why would you? It''s not like you are my mother," I said and walked ahead as Martha continued to follow me.


    One particr shop caught my eye. It was a shop showcasing beautiful dresses fordies. Although it was a small shop, it looked packed with clothes as most of them hung at the entrance.


    Something clicked in my mind, and I said, "I would like to try dresses from this shop."


    Martha nodded, and we entered the shop, but there was just a little space left for us to move around. Martha had been forced to stand a little farther like a guard.


    I looked at the dresses that the owner of the shop, an olddy, showed me.


    "This will suit the youngdy," said the owner, spreading an olive green dress in front of me.


    "Can I try this?" I asked.


    "The room is there." The olddy pointed towards one wooden door at the end of the shop. Even more clothes were hung in that area, and the door to the changing room was almost buried behind them. Looking at the space between each rack of clothes, only one person could pass at a time.


    I looked at Martha. "Wait for me."


    The owner went to entertain Martha as I left for the changing room. Before closing the door, I saw Martha leave the shop, but I didn''t know why and where she was going.


    "This is my chance."


    I put down the olive green dress that I was holding, picked up one light blue-colored robe that hung close to me, and put it on. Most shops in this market area always had one exit on the backside for their staff, and I understood that general design after sneaking out to visit this market with Martha before.


    I put on the light blue robe and exited the shop from its backside.


    "This olddy will regret not answering my questions. How can she not tell me about my own mother?"

 Chapter 13: Owner Of The Red Eyes

    <h4>Chapter 13:Owner Of The Red Eyes</h4>


    From the corner of the back alley of the shop, I checked on Martha. She was standing in front of an essories shop and was holding something in her hand as she talked to the owner of that small stall.


    This was the best opportunity for me to escape, and I used it. I ran while holding the floor-length skirt of my dress, smiling brightly at my sess.


    I didn''t care what would happen next. I only knew that this freedom tasted good.


    After running some more, I came to a reasonable distance from Martha and stopped at one intersection with so many paths attached leading out of here.


    "Which way to go?"


    I observed all the paths and chose to go to the one that didn''t have so many people walking.


    As I threaded my way, I looked here and there in worry. "Why are there no women here and only men?"


    I heard theughing sounds of mening from the big houses, and curiously, I peeked at them from a window. Inside, men were drinking, and women with too much makeup on their faces were serving them.


    "This doesn''t lookfortable."


    I didn''t know what ce that was but those men and women didn''t feel right to my senses. Continuing my way, I noticed all those big houses were the same, and men continued to go in and out of them.


    "Youngdy, from which brothel are you from?" I heard a man''s voice behind me.


    ''Brothel? What''s this?''


    I turned around to look at the speaker and check if he was talking to me. A middle-aged man, stinking badly enough to hurt my nose, gazed at me from head to toe. As my face had a hat and veil covering it, his sight was fixed at my chest and then traveled down to my waist.


    I furrowed my brows, ready to leave, but stopped as the man said something revolting.


    "Young and fresh," the manmented, though he couldn''t see my face. The way he looked at me, the way he licked his own lips, was disgusting to me.


    "What did this man even eat?"


    I frowned and turned to leave, but he grabbed my hand and forced me to stop.


    "Let me go." I greeted my teeth, trying to pull my hand back.


    "You can go once I''m done with you," said the man, and he was about to pull me to him, but I pped him.


    His touch felt disgusting. Because of my p, the drunk man moved back, almost losing his bnce.


    "You witch!" the man yelled, and it pulled everyone''s attention to me.


    ''Did he recognize me?'' I felt worried.


    "How dare you p me? Get her!" the drunk man said, and the next moment, a number of burly men stood around me.


    These people looked scarier than the demons seen in books. It wasn''t their looks, but their intentions scared me. I didn''t know what kind of intentions they had exactly, but they felt threatening, and my guts told me I must never let them capture me.


    ''I need to run.''


    ''Martha, where are you?''


    What a tragedy, that in the end, I could only pray for that olddy to save me.


    My eyes searched for Martha, but there was no miracle, and she did not appear to bring me away from here. The drunk man signaled his men something, and they pulled the blue robe that I wore over my pink dress.


    "Keep her hat. If she is ugly, it will spoil my mood," ordered the drunk man.


    ''How dare they?!'' I frowned.


    The man leered at my pink dress. His disgusting behavior started to anger me.


    "A noble youngdy," the man smirked, "Today, we can taste a nobledy instead of those whores."


    Everyoneughed at me, making me feel as if I was nobody.


    ''Taste? Am I food to taste me? Are they nning to kill me and then eat me? Are they demons?!''


    I searched for a way to escape, but those strong men stood in my way.


    "Let me go before I hurt you," I warned, clenching my fists.


    "Haha! Hurt us?" the man said, and everyone aroundughed again. The few people passing by didn''t concern themselves about what was happening and instead looked at me as if I''m some sort of entertainment.


    "Take her dress off," the drunk man ordered, and the others stepped towards me, ready to rip off my clothes.


    ''Are they real?'' My anger was brewing. ''How can they treat me like this? They touched me, took off my robe, and now want to take off my clothes."


    Instead of fear, anger filled me inside; I red at those men as if they were the most hated thing for me. I didn''t know what happened, but I couldn''t control my emotions.


    Something hidden inside me was asking me to hurt them.


    The next moment, their clothes caught fire, and the entire ce was filled with their screams. The men that were set aze and the bystanders had started running away.


    "Witch! There is a witch!" They all shouted their throats out, fear evident in their voices.


    In that chaos, I ran as well, not thinking where I was going, and bumped into someone. My hat was misced, ready to fall, but one hand held it before it would fall down.


    My nose was hurt when my face bumped into the hard chest of the man, and I looked up only to see a pair of red eyes staring at me. The owner of those eyes stood tall in front of me.


    ''Red eyes?''

 Chapter 14: Who Are You?

    <h4>Chapter 14:Who Are You?</h4>


    I tried to pull my hand from his grasp, but my strength was nothingpared to his.


    "Don''t anger me. I can burn you too," I warned again, but my words seemingly fell on deaf ears.


    Only after getting inside a quiet alley, far away from the ce of the incident, did the red-eyed man finally stop.


    He cornered me against the tall stone wall of the alley, and as he faced me, he stared into my eyes which were covered by the transparent cloth from my hat.


    He smirked. "My anger can burn this entire ce. Do you want to see?"


    The way he looked at me and the smirk dancing on his lips seemed intimidating. He didn''t look like he was joking. Moreover, he didn''t feel scared upon knowing that I''m a witch and had just burned a few people. From the looks of it, he didn''t seem like an ordinary person.


    "W-What do you want?" I asked.


    He removed my hat and looked deeply into my eyes, observing them. It looked like he confirmed something before he asked, "Who are you?"


    Instead of my name, I told him my identity, thinking my words would scare him.


    "A witch."


    However, he only chuckled lightly in response.


    "Interesting."


    As I studied this curious stranger, my gaze wandered to the tattoo on his neck. My eyes widened as familiarity hit me. It was simr, if not exactly, the same tattoo from that guy I have seen in my visions before!.


    "This tattoo...?" I said with a puzzled tone, hoping he would say something about it.


    The mocking smirk on the man''s lips disappeared as he turned silent, studying me with narrowed eyes. Shock briefly shed across his red eyes before they turned scary, their colors darkening as if they had mes burning inside them.


    "Who are you?"


    Although he asked the same question, the tone this time was different from how he had asked before. He sounded cold and threatening.


    The dangerous tension between us broke when we heard voicesing closer.


    "Search for her... We need to find her��."


    "Oh, no. I need to run," I mumbled and pushed him away.


    My strength couldn''t move him even an inch, but surprisingly, this man took a step back and didn''t stop me from escaping. I ran away with all my might and entered a random alley, calcting which way would lead me back to the market''s main street.


    "Martha, where are you?" I mumbled helplessly.


    Deep inside, I knew Martha could always find me wherever I go, showing up to rescue me at the nick of time just like before, but this time, I was worried and scared because she didn''te.


    I could only gather the courage to run away because I trust that she woulde after me and that if I fell into trouble, she woulde to save me.


    Where was she?


    I heard loud noises again, the voicesing from the other side of the tall alley wall where I was standing.


    "We will find that witch and burn her in front of everyone!"


    "Those ugly creatures deserve to die!"


    "Today, flowers bloomed, so we should have been prepared for the witch to show up and capture her."


    I heard those voicesing closer, and I was sure they would find me in no time. From either end of the alley, I could see men roaming here and there, carrying all kinds of weapons, in search of the witch.


    I was trapped.


    As I could not possibly outrun these men, I could only hide. Looking around, I saw that the wall was broken on one side, leaving enough space to fit my body. I hid inside as myst resort to save myself and prayed that Martha would show up soon before anyone discovered me.


    Just as I was steadying my breaths, I heard a man''s voice from the end of the valley.


    "Go back!" warned the man coldly.


    ''Is it him again?'' I wondered as the voice sounded simr to that man who dragged me away from the drunk man and his minions.


    Risking to take a peek, indeed, I saw the same red-eyed man blocking the entrance of the alley all by himself.


    "Who are you?" one man from the angry mob asked.


    "You don''t need to know. Just go back if you don''t want to die," the red-eyed man warned coldly.


    "We are here to capture a witch. Don''t meddle in this if you don''t want to die."


    "There is no witch here."


    One man observed the red-eyed man and said, "You don''t look like you''re from here. Are you with the witch?"


    "What if I am?"


    ''Is he crazy? Does he want to die?'' I frowned at his boldness. ''Seems like he doesn''t know how much people hated witches here.''


    "Then we have no other option," said the angered man as he stepped ahead, intending to hurt the red-eyed man.


    Swash!


    Shling!


    The next moment, that man''s head was on the ground, rolling away from his body, while the blood dripped along the sharp edge of the red-eyed man''s sword.


    It scared the rest of the angry mob and they stepped back from the bloody scene.


    "Didn''t I warn you before? Anyone else wants to try again?" asked the red-eyed man as he held his sword to one side, pointing towards the ground.


    I couldn''t see his face as I could only see his back from where I was hiding, but I was sure he must have that same evil smirk on his lips and his red eyes must have had those mes dancing within them.


    By this time, everyone had run away in horror. He turned to look where I was, and I immediately shrunk into a ball, trying to bury myself into that small space.


    Although I could not see him, I could sense someone walking towards me from the end of the valley. I closed my eyes in fear that I would be captured by him again. ''What does he want from me?''


    After what seemed like an eternity, I finally heard the familiar voice that I''ve long waited for. When I opened my eyes, Martha was standing in front of me and I nearly did something childish, like jumping on her and hugging her. But I stopped myself and first looked around to search for that red-eyed man but no one else was there.


    Martha and I were by ourselves.


    ''Where did he go?''

 Chapter 15: So Thats Her!

    <h4>Chapter 15:So That''s Her!</h4>


    After running into King Armen, An led Drayce to take a stroll at the prettyke on the eastern side of the pce, but of course, Drayce was not interested in the scenic view at all.


    "Since you''re still bored, we should use the rest of the day to take a look outside of the pce," An suggested.


    "Not like we will grow gold inside the pce if we stay here," Drayce countered as he could not see what was interesting about this so-called pretty ce. In his opinion, its reputation was exaggerated by others.


    "Sarcastic devil," Anmented, loud for him to hear, but Drayce didn''t mind it.


    The two went out on their horses and two Abethan knights escorted them in case they needed help, especially with Drayce being new and unfamiliar with the capital.


    An led his friend to themercial district of the capital. Its main street was a mix ofrge shops and residences, as this part of the market was also where the richest of merchants and the city''s business leaders resided.


    "As our kingdoms are neighbors, Griven imports the weapons from the merchants here sometimes. Their quality is top-notch," An informed.


    "I doubt if itpares to Megaris."


    "Narcissist!" An sighed. "Nothing bad in knowing the things here. In the future, you might have some business with this kingdom so it''s good to know the merchant leaders and build good rtionships with them. These rich merchants have wideworks and hold great influence in many kingdoms, not just in Abetha."


    "I have my ways," Drayce countered and An understood as usual what he meant.


    ''What a violent guy.''


    "We are normal humans so we can only go the normal way, unlike you." An sighed as he continued to ride towards thergest business guild of Abetha.


    They entered one luxurious hall after another, and An introduced Drayce to a few important people before they went to meet the leader of the merchants. Soon, they arrived in front of a two-story office at the most central part of the market district.


    An went inside thevish wooden building and Drayce was about to follow him but his sensitive ears heard some curious noises seemingly just an alley away.


    He halted and focused on the noise and confirmed that it was not too far from him.


    A familiar wave of energy he had felt before a few times appeared from the same direction.


    ''I can''t be mistaken��''''


    Not being able to stop himself, Drayce entered the alley next to thatvish wooden building, walking at first before it turned into a full sprint.


    He stopped at the other end of the alley upon spotting a mysterious woman in pink surrounded by a few men. He heard her warn the bunch of men that she''ll burn them.


    Her voice sounded familiar, but since she''s wearing a hat, he could not see her. He stepped towards the group, wanting to confirm his doubts.


    Before he could reach any closer, everyone surrounding the woman caught fire, and this created chaos.


    Coincidentally, the woman in pink ran in his direction in a hurry and bumped into him, causing her hat to fall down. But thanks to it, he could finally see her eyes.


    Not just her voice, but even her eyes were a perfect match to the one in his memories.


    Without hesitation, he put that hat back on her head and dragged her towards a random silent alley, ignoring her empty warning.


    Drayce cornered her against the alley''s stone wall and smirked at her silliness, of not knowing who he was and even daring to threaten him.


    "My anger can burn this entire ce. Do you want to see?"


    This much was effective enough to intimidate her and shut her mouth from spouting nonsense.


    "W-What do you want?" she asked.


    Instead of answering her, Drayce removed her hat and stared deeply into her eyes. He was sure those were the same pair of eyes he was searching for. The lower half of her face was covered in a veil, the same as that mysterious figure who appeared when he was fighting on the mountain ranges at the border of Abetha and when he went for a swim in the river.


    "Who are you?" he asked.


    "A witch!" came her reply.


    He could see through what scheme went through her tiny brain.


    ''Still trying to scare me huh, little kitten?'' He chuckled softly andmented, "Interesting!"


    Just as he raised his hand towards her veil to take it off, she said something that startled him.


    "This tattoo...?"


    His hand halted before he could touch her veil and the expression on his face changed. The mocking smirk on his lips disappeared as he turned silent and stared at her. Reflected on her surprised eyes, he could see his own eyes turned darker, mes seemingly burning within them.


    His voice was cold and threatening as he repeated, "Who are you?"


    Before she could answer, they were interrupted by the yells about capturing the witch and Drayce heard her mumble under her breath, "I need to run away."


    Drayce stepped back and let her go. After she left, he looked at the hat in his hand and realized she forgot it.


    There was something she was trying to hide and the way everyone was searching for her, he was sure she was in trouble. But why?


    The way she burned those people, he was sure she held some power but was she really a witch?


    "Doesn''t seem like it," he mumbled and held that hat up as he checked it. "One should always return someone''s thing if they left it behind."


    He walked towards where she went on the other alley. He saw the mob of people going the same way. Before they could enter the alley, he stood at the entrance, blocking their path.


    He warned the mob to return but they didn''t seem to take him seriously so he had to set an example.


    Not blinking even once, he beheaded the silly man in front of him, not a tinge of regret in his eyes as killing someone was not a big deal for him.


    Feeling scared, when the mob retreated, Drayce saw a familiar olddy with grey hair. He was sure he had seen her at the engagement ceremony earlier. If he''s not mistaken, she should be a servant of the third princess of Abetha.


    "So that''s her," Drayce concluded.


    The olddy looked at Drayce and then at the hat in his hand and she stepped towards him.


    Drayce put forward the hat. The olddy epted it and she entered the alley behind him.


    At that exact moment, An arrived along with the Abethan knights apanying them.


    "What are you doing here?" An asked before his gaze dropped to l the beheaded body on the ground.


    "You and your sword don''t like to rest," Anmented.


    Drayce said nothing. His eyes wandered across the alley where he saw the olddy going towards where that woman in pink was hiding and felt relieved.


    "Let''s go," Drayce instructed and they left the ce.


    On the way back, although Drayce appeared calm, he had many questions in mind which answer he needed to find out.

 Chapter 16: Worried Father

    <h4>Chapter 16:Worried Father</h4>


    Martha and Seren reached the pce through the horse carriage brought by the king''s men who had been asked to keep an eye on her. Just like Martha, they were alsote to reach the ce of the incident due to Seren''s sessful escape.


    The carriage dropped them by the river, close to the pce wall where the secret passage connected the tower and the outside world. Martha and Seren did not even look to appreciate the scenery as they entered the dark passage. After all, the once-blossoming flowers had already wilted.


    The sun was about to set, and the darkness had started to fill the royal pce as many fire torches were lit to brighten up the grounds again.


    Barely half an hour after the two returned from their excursion, another person entered its grounds. The guest was a man who was older than the king. He was tall with a robust build and wore a dark blue knight''s uniform with a golden crest, signifying that he was nomon knight. A sword hung on the left side of his waist, and as he walked, his left hand rested on the sword''s handle.


    His short ck hair had turned grey with age, and he had a few cuts and old wounds on his wrinkled face, signs of his legacy as a respected knight. His well-trimmed beard added charm to his long and robust-looking face. The calm but cold look in his gunmetal blue eyes was constant intimidation for others to obey his order.


    He was Sir Berolt, themander of the Kingdom of Abetha''s royal knights.


    The guards present outside of the Third Princess''s tower bowed to the knight and allowed him to go to the garden''s gate, where he rang thrice the metal bell hanging on the side.


    Hearing the metal bell sound, Martha stepped out of the tower and came to the knight.


    "Sir Berolt." Martha bowed in respect.


    "His Majesty has asked for you," the old knight informed her in his cold and rough voice.


    "I''ll be there shortly." Martha returned to the tower to inform Seren of the King''s order.


    On the other hand, Sir Berolt left without waiting for Martha. He was only here to pass the King''s order. Through him, the Kingmunicated with Martha as he also handled the responsibility of protecting this ce via his trusted men.


    Sir Berolt had been loyal to King Armen since he took over the throne and was always by the King''s side, the responsibility of his security.


    "His Majesty King Armen has asked for me. I''ll return soon," Martha informed Seren, who was busy thinking over something.


    Hearing the King''s name, Seren returned to her senses and looked at Martha. "The King must have learned what happened today."


    Martha nodded.


    "Will he punish you?" Seren asked. Worry and guilt were painted in her eyes, aware it was her fault that Martha had to face trouble.


    "Don''t worry," Marthforted her and turned to leave.


    "Martha!" Seren called. "What if��.the King asks you to leave, and you can no longer be my nanny?" The fear of losing someone was evident in her eyes.


    What she had caused today in the market was something serious. The King was obviously unhappy, and he might me Martha for she had agreed to lead her outside; worse, she wasn''t there to protect her when Seren needed her the most.


    "It won''t happen. Even if mydy finds me annoying, I won''t leave her side ever," Martha assured and left before Seren could stop her.


    ----------


    Martha reached the royal court, which was brightened by the fire from the torches. When she entered the court, the tall and robust figure of King Armen stood facing the throne, close to thest step of the stairs that led to the elevated throne.


    Martha looked at the King, who had his back facing her. she could only see the view of the royal blue-colored floor-length cloak fixed at his neck and flowing downwards. His finely crafted gold crown with rare gems fixed on them was kept on the throne, and his deep brown shoulder-length hair, parted in the middle, was left out in the open.


    She bowed to him. "Your Majesty has asked for this servant?" Martha said, politely informing her arrival to the King, who looked lost in his thoughts.


    King Armen didn''t reply immediately and turned to look at her, taking his time to observe her. The cold and confident-looking King looked calm, but his eyes told her that something troubled him deeply. His sapphire eyes darted at Martha; it was obvious he was not pleased with what happened in the marketce.


    Though he wore royal clothes and expensive jewelry, he did not look like an imposing man at the moment; he looked like a worried father who was upset with an irresponsible servant.


    "Was my order not clear?" the King finally asked, his voice cold andmanding.


    Martha lowered her head. "Apology for not being able to stop what happened today."


    "If you had followed my order to not take her out of the pce for some time, this wouldn''t have happened. I have always allowed you to secretly take her out so that she can get to know the outside world, for I know it''s wrong to keep her in confinement always. But there is no other way to protect her."


    Martha looked at the King as she raised her lowered head. As a servant, she should normally have kept her head always lowered in front of her king, but this issue was something different. Regarding Seren, she looked confident and protective, not the least bit scared of the King.


    "I never said not to take her out. Couldn''t you have stopped or dyed her for a few days till the people from other kingdoms returned to their homes?" the King countered coldly.


    "Your Majesty, I wanted to, but I couldn''t. I couldn''t see her hurt and helpless. I know it''s to protect her, but how long does Your Majesty think it''s possible? Till how long can we two be by her side to protect her? When we are gone, what will happen to her, who is unfamiliar and vulnerable to the outside world? At least, today''s incident in the market taught her what kind of people she should stay away from and which ces she should not enter."


    "Her older brother, Cian, will look after her," King Armen answered.


    "Is Your Majesty forgetting why Crown Prince Cian was sent to look after the northern part of the kingdom for the past few years?"


    His eyes dimmed. "He wanted his sister to be out of that tower, and I couldn''t let it happen. I couldn''t tell him the reason either."


    "Or is Your Majesty concerned about something else?" Martha said, which made King Armen turn silent for a while. Her next question made him close his eyes.


    "Why hasn''t Your Majesty seen his own daughter''s face ever?"

 Chapter 17: Bring The Culprits

    <h4>Chapter 17:Bring The Culprits</h4>


    "Why hasn''t Your Majesty seen his own daughter''s face ever?"


    Martha''s question reminded King Armen about the bitter truth about his youngest daughter. How unfortunate he was not to be able to see his daughter''s face even once. As her father, it was one of the greatest regrets he had in his life.


    He could still recall when he first held her in his arms when she was a newborn, and although he badly wished to get a glimpse of her looks, he never had the chance to. That veil on the lower part of her face had long been there to protect her, and he didn''t dare take it off.


    All he remembered was that pair of innocent purple eyes. Those were the prettiest gems he had ever seen, and his heart had been captured at first sight. Oddly, those lovely eyes he thought of fondly were the very same eyes that made people curse her and call her a witch.


    The innocence in those eyes, seemingly asking for her father''s care and love, her soft crying voice, and the way that baby''s tiny palm held his finger, those were the best memories he had of his youngest daughter, Seren.


    In mncholy, the King said, "I''ll tell Cian never to let her be without the veil. He cares for her, so he will obey my wish."


    Martha lowered her head as she sighed. "What if mydy takes it off one day? We know who she truly is, and no ordinary power or magic can hold her back for long. She is naive and young now, so she obeys what we say, but a time wille when she will start thinking for herself and do what she wants."


    Her words added to the worries of the king. "I don''t care who she is. For me, she is and will always be my daughter, and I need to protect her."


    "Keeping her locked up and taking away her freedom is not the way to protect her, Your Majesty. It will only make her weak, unable to defend herself when it''s time for her to face the difficulties of her identity. Everything had worked out fine when she was young, but now she has grown up and seeks to find the meaning of her life and her future."


    "Her future can''t be like other ordinary girls," the King of Abetha countered grimly.


    "We don''t know what her future holds but with the reality of her birth; I am sure her life is meant for a greater cause."


    With his conversation with Martha going in circles, the King had to rub his aching temples. "Is there no other way? What do you suggest I do?"


    "Your Majesty, please let the Third Princess out and allow her to interact with people," Martha suggested.


    The King immediately shot the idea down. "Impossible! What if they harm her?"


    "They can''t. It''s clear from what happened today. Her curses are there to protect her."


    The King sighed as his mind recalled his own experiences of his younger years. As someone born into the Royal House of Ilven, the young Armen had met countless people from all walks of life. Even after he had imed the throne and became the King of Abetha, his life had never been smooth sailing due to the power struggles inside and outside the kingdom. The harsh reality in this so-called human world might be too much to bear for his youngest daughter. "Humans are vicious creatures. They can do anything."


    "The solution is to keep her by someone''s side, and that someone must be a person we can trust to be capable of protecting her," said Martha.


    Her statement puzzled the King. He could never let anyone be by his daughter''s side. Martha was an exception.


    "What do you mean?" he asked coldly.


    "Someone who will be loyal to her just like we are and who will not care about who she is. Also, this person should be ready to sacrifice his or her life for her," Martha replied.


    "Where can we find that someone?" asked the King.


    "We don''t need to find such a person. Let destiny work its course. Whoever it is will find her on their own."


    King Armen considered her words for a moment. Martha was someone who cared for Seren more than she cared for her own life, so he trusted everything she decided for his daughter.


    "I will think about what you said," the King assured.


    "Then, Your Majesty, I ask to be excused. I should take my leave as mydy is alone and scared already," Martha said.


    The King nodded lightly, granting her permission to leave.


    Bowing to him, Martha left while King Armen returned to his musings about the welfare of his youngest daughter.


    After some time, two old officials entered the hall and bowed to the troubled king. One was a grey-haired man in a dark blue uniform, while his much olderpanion looked schrly with his long white beard and eyesses.


    They were the King of Abetha''s most loyal men, Sir Berolt,mander of the knights, and Lord Eudes, trusted advisor to the king.


    "Your Majesty looks worried," Lord Eudes observed after a light cough.


    King Armen nodded lightly and looked at Sir Berolt. "As you said, the King of Megaris saved the Third Princess. Does he know who he had saved at that time?"


    "Not sure, but he didn''t bother to inquire at that time. Seems like the act of kindness towards the weaker one," Sir Berolt replied.


    King Armen gave out a sigh of relief. "Don''t let hime closer to the tower again," he ordered.


    "May I ask why Your Majesty is so worried not to let him see her?" Lord Eudes asked.


    "He is said to be the devil''s son, and we all have heard how cruel he is. He is known for his habit of going against others and going after something that he should not. I don''t want the Third Princess to be one of his curious ythings. My daughter is not a spectacle for his entertainment."


    The two understood the King''s worry. "Understood, Your Majesty."


    Looking at the worried king, Sir Berolt asked, "What should we do with the fire incident during the Second Princess''s engagement ceremony?"


    "Did you catch the culprit?" the King asked.


    Sir Berolt nodded. "After the investigation, we found the culprit to be a maidservant from the Queen''s chamber. She confessed that she hated the witch, so did it all on her own."


    The King sighed again and closed his eyes. He could infer clearly the truth, but as always, he had to bury it for the sake of peace. ''Humans are vicious creatures indeed.''


    "Punish her with what she deserves," the King ordered.


    "Yes, Your Majesty."


    "It won''t be easy as the royal court members will again me the Third Princess for what they think she is. If we punish all the involved people, not just the arsonist, the public opinion will go against the royal family with what Your Majesty ns to do," came the honest opinion from the advisor, Lord Eudes.


    "This time, I won''t mind using this," Sir Berolt said coldly as he gripped the handle of his sword.


    Lord Eudes looked at the barbaric Sir Berolt, who just wanted a reason to free his sword out of its scabbard.


    "The kingdom is made by nobles andmoners together and not the king alone, so we need to think about executing people carefully. The Third Princess has always been a sensitive topic in court. It won''t be good to give an opportunity to those who are desperately waiting to take down His Majesty and take over the throne for themselves."


    "Once we clean the dirt from the royal court, no one will ever dare to go against His Majesty," Sir Berolt announced with determination.


    "Then no one will ever trust in His Majesty and the Crown Prince Cian. Setting fear is not the way to handle them. If we give them a chance, in the future, they will find a justification to rebel against the crown," Lord Eudes said again, his voice patient and his face calm against the stubborn and cold Sir Berolt.


    These two men were both great pirs of Abetha, but they were like ice and fire at the moment, unable to convince each other of the best approach to solve the internal strife within the kingdom.


    King Armen went towards the throne and sat on it regally. His face was as frigid as ice.


    "I will decide what to do with them. No matter their status, just bring the culprits to me."

 Chapter 18: Virgin Lips

    <h4>Chapter 18:Virgin Lips</h4>


    When An entered Drayce''s room, he found his friend standing in front of the window. He was staring outside, towards the starry sky, looking deep in thought.


    "Since we returned from the marketce, you have been unusually silent. Did something happen?" An asked as he made himselffortable on a finely crafted wooden chair with a soft red cushion.


    Drayce turned to look at him. "I want to know about the Third Princess of Abetha."


    His question startled An and made him curious about why his friend was suddenly interested in a stranger. Even more curious, it was ady to boost. But then again, knowing his friend''s temperament since young, he realized it was actually nothing surprising.


    This troublemaking friend of his, would his senses ever fail him totch on to the things normal people would never even dare to take an interest in? Drayce was like a predator; the more you run, the more you hide things from him, the more he would pay special interest and would like to know more.


    For him, it was more than a game. It was a hunt.


    An took a deep breath. "What about her? Well, she is a princess and the third daughter of King Armen."


    "Are you going to stop acting ignorant, or do you want me to throw you out of this window?" Drayce raised a brow.


    An could see that he was serious and spoke quickly with raised hands, "Calm down, calm down. If you do that, so many young beautiful women out there who haven''t even seen my handsome face yet will turn into widows. How cruel can you be? At the very least, let me meet them first, so they''ll know this handsome me exists!"


    Drayce frowned, "Lame joke!"


    Red eyes gleaming, he then stepped towards An with a look in his eyes that rmed An of his dangerous intention.


    He was really going to throw him!


    "Wait!Wait!"


    An stood up and turned defensive as he moved his body behind the chair, using it as his shield.


    Drayce stopped, thinking it was enough to scare his friend, and now he would get all the answers he wanted.


    However, a teasing smile painted on An''s lips. He didn''t look scared at all.


    "My dearest friend, I will give up my life for you if you really want it. But before you throw me out the window... I would like you to kiss me before I die. At least that way, my wandering soul can boast that I had kissed this continent''s most dangerous and handsome man''s virgin lips."


    Drayce''s face turned ck, to the point his expression looked darker than the night outside.


    "You can''t be serious," Drayce eximed in annoyance.


    "I am." An smiled like a shy woman in love, but his eyes wereughing at his friend''s murderous face. "It''s my lifelong dream to be the first person to kiss the devil''s son."


    Since An was still messing around with him, Drayce moved to get his sword that was kept in the sword stand close to the wall.


    "To kiss me, you have to be a woman. First, let''s convert you into a woman."


    Drayce picked up the scabbard, pulled out the sword, and turned to An with the tip pointed at him.


    The sight scared An, though he knew his friend wouldn''t do it for real.


    "Keep that sword back. No need to trouble it." An moved away to get behind another chair, inevitably positioning a wooden table between them. The two friends were ready to move in a circle around the table.


    Drayce didn''t budge and stepped forward, holding the sword, ready to make a move. "You know, once it''s out, my sword doesn''t like to get back in its scabbard without tasting blood."


    Drayce was no longer joking, and An gulped. "Fine. I''ll tell you about her. Now keep it back."


    "I''ll get to know it from someone else. I''m sure there are others who love their lives more than keeping information from me."


    Involuntarily, An''s hands moved down to cover a certain part of his body where Drayce aimed to hurt.


    "I sure love my life; now keep it back."


    Drayce raised his sword, and An closed his eyes. Afterward, he heard the sound of the sword piercing through the air and hitting something.


    An opened his eyes only to see the sword''s sharp tip stuck on the wall. The sword''s de continued to vibrate for a while, and its sound made his skin at the back of his neck cold.


    Drayce shrugged. "I told you, my sword won''t get sheathed without tasting blood."


    An looked carefully at the wall and only then did he realize that pinned on the tapestry, there was a small wall lizard pierced in its stomach.


    "You almost scared me." An let out a sigh of relief but a pair of red eyes red at him.

 Chapter 19: Knowing The Third Princess

    <h4>Chapter 19:Knowing The Third Princess</h4>


    "Next time, I''ll make sure to rece that lizard with your thing," Drayce warned as his sight moved downward along An''s body.


    In reflex, An lowered his hand when Drayce said ''his thing'' and spoke, "Do you wish to know about her tonight or want to wait to find someone who loves their life?"


    In response, Drayce sat on one of the chairs, kept his sword to one side, and simply stared at the prince. An followed him to upy the chair next to him.


    Drayce no longer needed to repeat his question as An decided to tell him everything that he knew. It was not a good idea to keep his friend hanging. An was sure Drayce was daring enough to storm the Third Princess''s tower to find the truth on his own and create an even bigger mess.


    To be honest, An was already surprised that Drayce had remained patient and didn''t think about going to that tower after that time when King Armen stopped them.


    "This is something I heard from Lenard, who probably learned it from his fiancee, Second Princess Meira. ording to him, one night seventeen years back, a witch wearing a ck cloak entered the pce with a newborn baby. The guards and servants who saw her couldn''t stop her, and when she asked to see the king, King Armen agreed to meet her alone. What the two talked about, no one knew. The witch left, leaving that baby to the king, and the next day, King Armen dered that the baby is the third princess of Abetha."


    "Well, of course, no one asked that mysterious woman face to face if she''s one, but those who saw her described that woman as the ugliest person they had ever seen. She had scary ck scales on her entire body; her hands were like reptiles, with long nails and scaly palms. People were so scared to go close to her. As the King announced the baby she brought as the third princess, everyone had to ept it. Witch''s daughter or not, she is part of the Royal House of Ilven, and thus, part of the ruling family of the Kingdom of Abetha. King Armen never denied the fact that the mother of that baby was a witch, so everyone believed it was the truth."


    Drayce listened to everything carefully. "Have you seen the Third Princess?"


    "No, but I heard she has scales on her body like her mother, which made everyone believe she is a witch too. And half of her face is always covered with a veil, so no one ever saw her face either. They believe she is as scary as her mother, so she hides her appearance."


    "Scales?" Drayce asked, and then he remembered the face of that young woman whom he had saved earlier. ''I''m sure there was none,'' Drayce mused, and now he was even more interested to know what she''s hiding.


    An nodded. "She doesn''t have them like her mother, whose entire body was covered in scales, but only on her forehead and hands. It''s what I heard. Must be because she is half-human too."


    Drayce remembered the veiled woman''s details again. Her forehead''s delicate skin was shining under the bright sunlight, and there was no sign of scales. He remembered holding her hands, but neither of them seemed to have anything strange.


    "That''s it," An sighed, but his friend red at him.


    "Are you sure you are not forgetting anything?" Drayce put his hand on the handle of his sword as a silent warning for An.


    An felt like his troublesome friend was getting more troublesome by the minute. "I''m telling you this not because I''m scared of you. I just don''t want you to go to that tower and create a mess."


    "I''m waiting," Drayce warned again.


    "They say her eyes are purple and it adds to everyone''s belief that she is definitely a witch."


    Finally, Drayce heard what he wished and let go of his sword.


    An grinned at him. "Everything I said is something I have heard from my brother Lenard and others, so I''m not sure if it''s the truth."


    "Don''t worry, I''ll verify it and will let you know," Drayce replied.


    With a grimace, An stood up, intending to leave. "Don''t tell me you are really nning to go to that tower."


    "We can''t invade the privacy of ady, right?" Drayce countered.


    "Yeah, we can''t, so don''t even think about it. We are leaving tomorrow so behave till then," warned An.


    Drayce didn''t react and turned to keep his sword back on the sword rack. "I hope you are not nning to sleep with me."


    "As if I really want it."


    An huffed and left the room, but still, his guts were telling him that his friend was up to no good.

 Chapter 20: Crafty Queen

    <h4>Chapter 20:Crafty Queen</h4>


    While King Armen was worried for Seren and King Drayce was curious about her; on the other hand, there was someone who didn''t have good intentions towards the Third Princess of Abetha.


    That same night, Queen Niobe was in her chamber with both of her daughters apanying her.


    The blond, middle-aged woman had fair and radiant skin despite her age. As she sat on a finely crafted wooden chair trying to rx, her poise remained as regal as it was when she was meeting nobility in the throne room. Her expensive off-white gown with a long heavy skirt, designed with silver and gold thread embroidery, was settled nicely around the chair, adding to her imposing aura.


    Her amber-colored eyes showed she was currently infuriated.


    Her hands rested on the cushioned handrest as she tapped her fingers lightly on it. Her sharp features looked ferocious as she stared at the middle-aged man standing in front of her, who had his head lowered. The man was wearing the light blue-colored silk robe of the high-ranking officials working in the royal court.


    "Minister of Trade and Foreign Affairs!" Queen Niobe chuckled coldly, "I think this title no longer suits you, Lord Darus Count."


    "Mother looks really angry this time," First Princess Giselle quietly murmured to her younger sister, Second Princess Meira, as they yed bystander to the situation.


    The two princesses took after their mother. They had the same long blond hair, amber eyes, and fair soft, and radiant skin. With delicate features and petite figures, they looked as pretty as their mother, if not prettier. However, their appearance wasn''t the only thing they got from the queen. At the moment, they were visibly enjoying the difort of the noble in front of them.


    The high-ranking official flinched in fear. "Apologies, Your Majesty. Next time��"


    "There won''t be a next time," the Queen interrupted him, her tone resentful. "It was a good opportunity to trap that Third Princess and throw her out of the pce, but you couldn''t even do such a simple task."


    "I will find another way��"


    "Another way?" she scoffed. "I gave you two opportunities, and not even one of them was sessful."


    "We didn''t know the King of Megaris would sessfully dodge our attack and even recognize that the attackers were not Abethan soldiers." Minister Darus was sweating as he exined.


    "Haven''t you heard about him being a devil''s son? Did you take him so lightly?" the Queen raised her voice.


    "He is still here, and we can n something else," the minister suggested.


    However, to this, the Second Princess reacted. "Mother, he is Prince An''s friend. How could you?"


    Princess Meira didn''t look happy about the suggestion as she would soon be part of the Royal Family of Griven soon, and the King of Megaris was her future husband''s elder brother''s best friend. After all, Crown Prince An would be the King of Griven; she surely didn''t wish to upset him.


    "And how is mother nning to do it?" Second Princess Miera asked.


    Queen Niobe looked at Lord Darus Count as if instructing him to exin.


    The minister turned to the princess. "Your Highness Princess Meira, given the incident at your engagement ceremony, the delegates from Griven would have shown their unhappiness to His Majesty and demand that he resolve the issue by punishing the Third Princess. In addition to the pressure from Griven, there are the people on our side in the royal court fanning the mes."


    Realization dawned on Princess Meira''s face.


    The queen continued to tap her fingers lightly on the hand rest as she asked, "What do you think would have happened if we stirred more trouble during such a delicate time? Trouble such as... angering the King of Megaris by having masked men cause him injuries? It''s his first timeing to Abetha, but he was weed with aggression by Abethan soldiers."


    "Prince An wouldn''t be silent if his friend was injured when he was the one to one invite him to Abetha," Princess Giselle concluded.


    Queen Niobe nodded. "Right."


    Lord Darus Count continued, "Adding the threat from the King of Megaris and the Crown Prince of Griven; King Armen would be too busy pacifying them to pay attention to us, giving our people the opportunity to execute more of our schemes against the Third Princess. While His Majesty was busy taking care of the serious matters between the three kingdoms, he wouldn''t be able to spare time to protect her."


    Queen Niobe then looked at Minister Darus. "Isn''t it a shame? If only you had perfectly done the tasks I''ve assigned to you in the first ce, then more of my ns would have been executed already. Either my husband would have thrown her out, or we would have offered her to the devil to calm him."


    Minister Darus lowered his head once more because of the admonishment.


    "But mother, I''m confused by one thing. How could you make father me her for it?" the First Princess asked. "Father would have forgiven her like always, saying it was not because of her."


    "When the witch is around, only misfortune awaits for you��this is amon saying in the kingdom, so it''s easy to me everything on her, giving it a name of misfortune for the kingdom, even if it''s just her mere presence," the Queen answered, but the two princesses didn''t seem satisfied with only this much.


    Lord Darus Count exined further, "For the people, the easiest solution for any misfortune is to get rid of anything which is wicked, or it will harm everyone in the kingdom. Even if King Armen is against banishing her, with the pressure from our people and the threat from the powerful and merciless King of Megaris, the King won''t have time to breathe, much less think about the Third Princess."


    However, her daughters still didn''t lookpletely convinced. Princess Meira opened her mouth to protest, "Mother, don''t ever let Prince Lenard know your scheme, or else, he might tell his brother��."


    "No one will know," Queen Niobe interrupted her naive daughter. She then gestured for the minister to lift his head.


    "I heard King Drayce went to that tower," the Queen smiled, looking at Lord Darus Count with renewed interest.


    The minister nodded, happy to redirect the topic of conversation. "The King of Megaris is widely known for his interests in the things that are forbidden."


    "Then we should show him the best way to know more about his newly found interest," the Queenmented as a sly smile painted on her beautiful face.

 Chapter 21: She Wont Be Alive

    <h4>Chapter 21:She Won''t Be Alive</h4>


    "Your Majesty, we have a way to trap the witch again," Minister Darus said, trying to get back in his superior''s good books.


    Queen Niobe raised a brow, waiting for him to continue.


    "I heard the Third Princess had stepped out of the pce today and caused harm to people in the central business district." The minister roughly narrated the incident from the marketce.


    "No wonder the flowers in my garden bloomed. That witch must be happy after burning our people," First Princess Gisellemented, her eyes resentful after hearing the brief ount from the official.


    First Princess Giselle was once a victim of Seren''s anger, and her clothes were put on fire. She could never forget that day as it scared her to the bones. Though she was not hurt, it didn''t fail to give her nightmares to date.


    Seeing her daughter remembering those horrific memories, the Queen spoke, "Don''t worry, my dear. She won''t be here anymore to harm anyone." The queen''s eyes turned indignant. "Because of her and her witch mother, we have been through a lot. Now, it''s her time to pay for all our years of suffering."


    "Mother, was her mother as scary as everyone says?" the Second Princess asked.


    Queen Niobe stayed quiet as she didn''t wish to talk about the woman she hated the most.


    "Your Highness," Minister Darus answered in the queen''s stead, "Many of the older servants in the pce saw her that night, and they all said she was an awful sight to see."


    Princess Giselle spoke, looking as aggrieved as her mother. "How can Father��"


    "Be careful when you talk about your father," the Queen interrupted her daughter with a matching re.


    "Apologies, Mother. I-I just can''t stand that witch''s daughter." Princess Giselle gritted her teeth as she recalled the fear and humiliation from years ago. "I hate her. I truly hate her!"


    Second Princess Meira held her elder sister''s hand to console her.


    "You will be returning to Mivesea in a few days. Don''t waste your time thinking about it," the Queen instructed.


    The First Princess of Abetha had long been married to one of the princes from Mievesea, one of the kingdoms in the south rich in water resources. Princess Giselle only came to Abetha to attend her younger sister''s engagement ceremony as one of the representatives of the royal family of Mivesea.


    Queen Niobe returned her attention to Lord Darus Count. "Till when will the King of Megaris be here?"


    "Then n something to lead him to that tower," the Queen instructed.


    "Yes, Your Majesty."


    "Anything else?" the Queen asked.


    "Crown Prince Cian had sent a missive, asking for permission to return from the northern border, but King Armen did not allow him again," the minister informed her.


    "It''s good. If he returns, he will try to get that witch out of the tower. Let him stay away," said the Queen as she huffed, "Like father, like son. Both are enchanted by that witch."


    "But Prince Cian always listens to you, Your Majesty, so��."


    "He and his father forgot that after the death of the previous queen, I was the one who took care of them."


    "That we all know, Your Majesty. That''s why Prince Cian is always grateful and listens to you as if you are his birth mother, not just a stepmother."


    "When ites to that witch, he is like his father," the Queen countered in displeasure.


    "But��"


    "You can leave," Queen Niobe instructed, dismissing the minister.


    With a respectful bow, Minister Darus quietly left her chamber, leaving the Queen alone with her daughters.


    "Mother, why do you want the King of Megaris to go after her?" Princess Meira asked a few seconds after the minister left.


    "If that witch catches his interest, Armen will have no other option but to give her away," the Queen replied. She stood up from her seat and walked towards her bed, her expression a little tired.


    The two princesses didn''t like this idea. Princess Meira shook her head. "Then she will be the Queen of Megaris. How can Mother let her��"


    "She won''t even be alive to be one," the Queen interrupted.


    Her reply surprised the two.


    "Haven''t you heard? All women who caught his interest ended up brutally killed inside King Drayce''s chamber," the Queen replied, and when she turned around, all traces of exhaustion were gone from her beautiful face.


    The princesses understood, and excitement could be seen in both of their eyes.


    ========


    (Seren''s POV)


    Standing by my bedchamber''s window, I checked for any movement outside from time to time, waiting for Martha to return. She went to see my father because of the trouble I caused this afternoon, and every passing moment was making me anxious if I could ever see Martha again. If not, I was the one to me.


    After a long wait of what felt like an eternity, the door of my bedchamber opened, and my nanny entered the room with no sign that she was punished. Seeing Martha safe, my happiness and relief made me nearly sob. I couldn''t help myself from going to her in a hurry to ask her if she was allowed to continue staying by my side.


    "What did the King say? Is he sending you away?"


    "No, mydy," Martha replied.


    I gave out a sigh of relief, only to realize it was a tad too early because of her next words.


    "His Majesty knows, other than me, no one can handle such a troublesome kid like you. He has no other option but to keep me."


    Martha was back to her annoying self; that meant everything was fine and I didn''t have to worry, but that didn''t mean I would let her sarcastic words slide. I frowned, "I''m not a kid. I''m a grown-updy now."


    "Then mydy should behave like one," Marthamented.

 Chapter 22: Shocking Realization

    <h4>Chapter 22:Shocking Realization</h4>


    "Then mydy should behave like one," Marthamented.


    Before I could say another word, she pulled out something from the pocket of her sleeve. "This is for mydy."


    I swallowed my words and asked in surprise, "For me?"


    ''Present for me?" I smiled lightly and took it from her, not waiting for a moment.


    It was a delicate, finely carved hairpin with multiple and brightly shining stones fixed on it. Delicate gold chains hung to it, forming a semicircle, giving it a sophisticated look.


    "It''s pretty," I said with a light smile, suppressing a childish squeal not to show her how happy I was that she got a gift for me.


    "But this pretty hair ornament almost cost me my job, mydy," Martha replied, hinting at the trouble I caused.


    ''Ohh, so she went to that shop to get this hairpin for me when I was running away,'' I thought and felt bad at the memory, but as usual, there was no need to show it to her and apologize for it. ''I''m a princess, after all.''


    "Thank you for this gift."


    Ignoring my thanks, Martha went to fix the bed for me as it waste. "Tomorrow, we will have a cooking lesson for mydy."


    The smile on my face disappeared as I eximed, "Tomorrow?"


    "Hmm." Martha nodded while getting a new set of bedsheets and quilt for me from the wooden cupboard.


    ''No way,'' I screamed inside. "But, we had it a few days back."


    "Those few days were long back," Martha replied.


    "I''m a princess. Why do I have to��"


    "One day, by chance, if mydy is lost in the wilderness or somewhere unknown, she should know how to survive. People will not be kind to you when they call you a witch."


    "Why do I need to when you are here��?"


    "What if I''m not there with mydy, just like what happened today in the marketce?"


    Her words reminded me of the man who saved me. Ever since we returned to the pce, my thoughts were upied with worry for Martha and about what could happen to her. I almost forgot about that man.


    "That man!" I mumbled and looked at Martha. "Did you see the man who saved me? Who is he?"


    "Mydy, I didn''t see anyone but one beheaded body on the ground," Martha replied.


    "He was there," I insisted. "He was the one to behead that man. He has scary red eyes and��"


    "Mydy must have made a mistake," Martha interrupted me and finished preparing the bed. She then went to add more wood logs to the firece.


    Sulking over the ignorant Martha, Iplied and went to bed. "It''s not the first time I''ve seen him �� I don''t know how to exin, but I''m sure it''s him."


    I looked at Martha, whose back faced me as she tended the firece. There was no reaction from her, as if she didn''t hear me.


    "I once saw him fighting in the mountains, and he was the one to pull me underwater... You don''t believe me as always." I couldn''t help but feel infuriated by her reaction��or rather, herck of one. Whenever I said things I''ve scryed to Martha, I always got silence in return.


    Martha finally finished her work and stood up to look at me. My eyes were full of expectations that she would say something this time, but��


    "Seems like it''s due tock of sleep that mydy is having weird dreams," Marthamented. "I''ll ask His Majesty to send more books for mydy to study so her mind will stop imagining absurd things."


    "I don''t want to study those boring books." I pulled the quilt over my head andy in bed.


    Martha came to fix the quilt properly. "Studying is important for mydy. One should have all kinds of knowledge if they wish to survive in this cruel world."


    I turned to one side, my back facing Martha. "I don''t see any of its use when I can''t even use that knowledge."


    "Then howe mydy recognized the mmable oil on that curtain and defended herself?"


    Martha was right. It was because I have studied the situation of the nearby kingdoms and the current trade between them. Back then, I was curious to see what kind of expensive things were imported from the eastern kingdoms. Afterward, Martha brought one tiny bottle and showed it to me. We ended up using that expensive oil to ignite fire for our cooking lesson��.Annoying cooking lesson.


    Since I was young, Martha had taught me to read and write, and there was always a stock of books sent by the King for me to study. Though I wouldn''t say I liked studying as I was upset with my father and didn''t wish to follow any of his orders, I had to do it because of Martha, as she always found a way to make me do it.


    Her favorite trick was, giving me a target, and if I finish it to her satisfaction, she will take me out. Sometimes, she would make my favorite food. Taking me out was the best deal for me, and I always did my best to get that deal done.


    "Goodnight, mydy," Martha said, but with me being stubborn, I didn''t wish her a goodnight back. I heard the door of my room open and close, which meant Martha had left.


    Finally alone, my thoughts wandered about. ''Why does the King want me to study everything? Not like I''ll be the one to rule his kingdom�� Then...is this his way to torture me silently?''


    Tired of having so many questions in my mind, I closed my eyes, only to remember that red-eyed man again. I couldn''t stop thinking if he was indeed the man I saw in my vision.


    The first time, I could only see his back and tattoo. The second time, those red eyes and the same tattoo.


    "It''s the same tattoo. I can''t be mistaken," I mumbled. "Those eyes...?"


    I focused on remembering andpared the eyes I saw in water and those I saw in the marketce.


    "Ahh!" I covered my mouth immediately to suppress myself from screaming loudly, or it would have ended up breaking all the sses inside my bedchamber.


    "Did...Did he just see me naked underwater?"

 Chapter 23: Muffled Scream

    <h4>Chapter 23:Muffled Scream</h4>


    Just as Martha stepped out of Seren''s bedchamber, the calmness on her face was reced with worry. She was lost in thought as she entered her own room, and even as she sat on a wooden chair next to the window, the worry on her face never eased.


    Martha''s room was next to Seren''s room. When Seren was young, Martha used to stay with the little princess the morning she woke up until she fell asleep. As the little princess was isted in her tower all her life, abandoned by the entire world for reasons she didn''t understand, she was scared of everything around her, especially people. Martha was the only exception; as her nanny, she had been around Seren since she was a baby.


    Although it was only slightly smaller than the princess''s room, it was stripped of the decorations befitting a royal or a noble. It only had the basic furniture inside, and it looked pretty barepared to others'' living quarters. Perhaps, the only good thing about it was that she had the room all for herself.


    Martha looked out of the window and thought about the incident in the marketce. She couldn''t believe Seren escaped, and she didn''t even get a hint. Martha looked at her hands and twirled her fingers to check something.


    ''Is this spell losing its effect? Howe I didn''t figure out her whereabouts? It has never failed before,'' Martha thought in a daze.


    Martha recalled the scenes one by one. After buying the hairpin for Seren, Martha returned to the dress shop, and Seren didn''te out of the changing room despite waiting for so long.


    Worried something happened to the princess, Martha tried to sense her whereabouts, but she couldn''t reach Seren. When she stepped inside the empty dressing room, she found that the olive green dress Seren took with her was lying on the floor.


    ''I am sure she didn''te out of the shop.'' Martha checked with the owner if there''s another way to exit from the shop, and as expected, the backdoor was open.


    ''This girl!'' Martha stepped out of the back door to manually retrace the steps Seren took because the magic spell she had always used to track the princess didn''t work, and she couldn''t understand the reason.


    Only after walking along the alleys, guessing where she could have gone, did Martha realize that there was some unknown energy stopping her spell from locating Seren.


    ''What is this? I have never sensed such energy before. Why can''t I reach her?''


    Feeling even more worried for Seren, Martha picked up the pace, searching for her like a crazy mother who had just lost her child in the crowd.


    Soon, she reached the market''s za, where she saw an angry mob forming. Even without hearing their conversation, she was sure it had something to do with Seren.


    "What happened?" Martha asked one group of women who were whispering among themselvespared to the rest who looked angry; they looked scared.


    "There is a witch here, and she burned a few people," one of the women replied.


    No longer interested to hear more, Martha hurried towards where most of the people gathered, and Martha realized she was headed towards a ce Seren would never go.


    ''It''s all my fault. How can I be so careless?'' Martha cursed herself as she thought. "Fire? Someone must have done something to anger her." The area she was in was where ill-mannered men go for pleasure, and Martha could guess what must have happened.


    Martha tried to sense Seren''s presence again but frowned. ''Who is stopping me from reaching her?''


    Soon, she heard amotion in another alley where a mob of furious people blocked the entrance, yelling at someone.


    ''She must be there.'' Martha stepped forward only to see the mob shifting back in panic, and she heard a familiar masculine voice, the same voice she heard while leaving the Second Princess''s engagement ceremony.


    "Didn''t I warn you before? Anyone else wants to try again?"


    The scared mob was too terrified to move, and Martha managed to squeeze her way to the front and saw a man with a bloodied sword. There was a corpse on the street, and it appeared that he had just beheaded the man.


    ''Who is he?'' Martha thought, and her sight followed the familiar hat that the man held. It was Seren''s hat.


    Because of the man''s threat, the mob had dispersed, and she found herself face to face with a red-eyed stranger. Based on how he carried himself, she could guess he was not an ordinary person. However, based on his expression, he recognized her and was probably someone from the pce. Martha didn''t have time to talk with him as she needed to find Seren, but she was sure that the man had no ill intentions for the princess.


    When she went closer, the man offered her the hat. The two didn''t talk, and Martha went inside the alley as she was sure Seren was there.


    Recalling the entire incident, Martha again looked at her fingers. ''Is it because of him I couldn''t track her?''


    Crack!


    A sudden cracking sound pulled Martha out of her thoughts, and she looked at her window where the ss had small cracks on it.


    Martha stood up from her chair immediately and hurried to go to Seren''s room.


    ''But I didn''t hear her scream.''


    -------


    Drayce wasfortably lying in bed, still thinking about a pair of pretty purple eyes, when his highly sensitive ears caught a muffled scream, followed by the sound of ss cracking.


    Drayce found that the window of his room had some light cracks on it. He climbed out of bed and checked if there was an intruder outside who might have thrown a stone on his window or if maybe a swift bird had identally hit the ss, but there was nothing.


    "This ce is strange," he mumbled and recalled that muffled scream he had just heard. It was a woman''s voice for sure and a familiar one too.


    One corner of his lips curved up to form a little happy smirk. "Is she thinking about me, screaming at thiste hour of the night? Did I scare the little kitten into having a nightmare?"

 Chapter 24: Left Alone

    <h4>Chapter 24:Left Alone</h4>


    Martha rushed to Seren''s room and saw the youngdy sitting in the bed while clutching her quilt to her chest, looking around in panic.


    "Mydy, is everything alright?" Martha asked.


    The bbergasted Seren looked at Martha and mumbled in disbelief over the realization she had a moment before, "He saw me naked?"


    Martha couldn''t understand what Seren meant. She sat at the edge of the bed as she studied the panic on Seren''s face. "Was it a nightmare, mydy?"


    Seren shook her head and mumbled again, "Morning...in my bath...he saw me without clothes."


    "Who?" Martha asked.


    "The red-eyed man," Seren replied, her eyes seeking affirmation from Martha. At least, this time, she would believe her, right?


    Martha held Seren''s hand that was clutching the quilt and caressed it. "No one cane here, mydy."


    "But I went there," Seren replied, not knowing how to fully exin what happened. "But you won''t believe me, I know." She looked helpless.


    "Exin," Martha instructed. It was not an instruction from a nanny but from the woman who was there to protect her all her life.


    Seren exined to her what happened in the morning when she went to bathe. "And I think it''s the same man I saw in the marketce, the man who beheaded someone."


    Martha''s expression turned serious, but deep inside, she was just as puzzled. Although she had many questions in mind, her face showed nothing outside, not willing to scare the princess.


    "Mydy should sleep. We will talk about it tomorrow."


    Seren nodded andy down in bed. Making sure Seren had calmed down, Martha returned to her room.


    However, the poor princess continued to toss about in bed.


    "That''s why he asked me who I am as if he knew me. Definitely, he was that man underwater, and he recognized me because of my eyes and...saw me without clothes. Arghh! Why did it happen when I didn''t wear clothes?! Next time, I won''t enter the water without clothes!"


    Seren continued sulking as sleep left her eyes, not to return anytime soon.


    -------


    The next day, after taking care of Seren''s morning needs, Martha went to see King Armen in his personal study, and it was the secret meeting where Sir Barolt, themander of the knights, guarded the entrance of the ce.


    Martha bowed to the King, who sat regally in his chair as he drank his morning tea.


    "What''s the matter?" the King asked.


    "Your Majesty, do we have any guests in the pce who have red eyes?" Martha asked.


    The King nodded. "The King of Megaris."


    Martha''s eyes widened as she repeated, "Megaris?"


    "Hmm, the rumored son of the devil��."


    "It''s not just a rumor, Your Majesty," Martha interrupted the King and mused out loud, "So he is the son of the former Queen of Megaris, Queen Esther."


    The King nodded in agreement.


    "Your Majesty, I need to go out of the pce," Martha informed. Only she knew what was in her mind.


    "Does this concern the Third Princess?" the King asked.


    "Yes, Your Majesty."


    "How long will it take?"


    "This time, I can''t confirm how long," Martha replied as she lowered her head. "I request Your Majesty to protect the tower in my absence."


    "Rest assured. When are you leaving?" the King of Abetha asked.


    "Right away after informing mydy."


    Martha excused herself after bowing to the King. Sir Berolt entered as soon as she left and asked, "Are there any instructions for me, Your Majesty?"


    "Martha won''t be in the pce for a few days. Make sure to guard the tower," the King instructed as he finished his tea.


    ------


    Martha returned to the tower.


    "Mydy, I will be away for a few days," she informed, making Seren look up from the book she''s reading.


    Her words startled Seren as it was so sudden. "Where are you going?"


    "Some emergency came up," Martha replied.


    "What happened? Is it the King who��"


    "No, mydy. Trust me. Everything is fine," Martha assured, but her tone implied that Seren shouldn''t ask anything more.


    "Mydy should follow the instructions that I give every time I leave the pce," Martha continued.


    "I will."


    "May I know which instructions those are, mydy?" Martha asked like a strict teacher.


    "I should not go out of the tower. If I do, then be quiet in the garden. I should not eat any food if someone sends it for me and I have to cook on my own��" Seren paused and looked at Martha. "Is this why you are adamant about teaching me cooking? So that you can go away whenever you want?"


    Martha ignored her. "I''m waiting for mydy toplete the list of instructions."


    Unwillingly, Seren continued, "I should not reply to anyone if they ask for me. If there is anything suspicious, I should only stay in my room. You will put a spell on the tower''s main entrance so no one can enter it, and I''ll be safe inside. I can''t cry even if I feel lonely; I can''t scream even if I feel scared, and I can''t even feel angry even if I am frustrated by being locked alone."


    Seren stopped, and Martha prompted, "And?"


    "Whatever I hear or see, I should never go out of the tower at night," Seren replied reluctantly.


    "Good. Wait for me," Martha said as she prepared to leave.


    Seren felt like she was being abandoned and almost felt like crying. Not being able to control herself, she stood up and hugged Martha. "You will return, right?"


    "It''s not the first time I am going out, mydy," Martha said as she caressed the back of the young princess.


    "I know, but this time, it feels different. Promise me you will be back," Seren insisted.


    "I will."


    After assuring Seren once more, Martha left, and Seren couldn''t hold back her tears. As she watched the familiar figure go, her chest felt heavy, making her feel as if a part of her was gone.

 Chapter 25: Getting To Know The Palace

    <h4>Chapter 25:Getting To Know The Pce</h4>


    A day after the engagement ceremony between the Royal Houses of Cromwell and Ilven, the guests representing all the other kingdoms were preparing to depart from the capital of Abetha.


    As their Crown Prince and the eldest son of the Cromwell Family, An was the head of the delegates from Griven. Of course, since he was the one who invited them, he had also personally taken the responsibility of leading the guests from Megaris.


    That very morning, he went knocking to the room of his temperamental friend. When he opened the door, he found Drayce cleaning his sword. "After this courtesy call to King Armen, we are leaving. Have your aide informed your men?"


    "I would like to stay here for a day more," Drayce replied as if it''s the most natural thing in the world.


    An was starting to have a headache. He should have seen thising. "I already told you everything about what you wanted to know. Then what''s the need of staying here?"


    "King Armen might want our help soon," Drayce replied.


    His words startled An. "What do you mean?"


    "You will know soon," Drayce replied as he put his sword back in its scabbard strapped around his waist and was ready to leave.


    "What are you up to?" An asked, following his friend out of his room.


    "For now, I''m in a mood to verify some facts that you told me the previous night," Drayce replied, his red eyes flickering with determination.


    "This is why��." An could only sigh and shake his head.


    An noticed that smirk and rolled his eyes. "This is why I didn''t want to tell you anything. You and your rotten curious brain. Spare the witch, at least."


    "But she''s an interesting thing," Draycemented.


    By the time the two reached Abetha''s royal hall, all the guests from other kingdoms were already present. They were thest to arrive.


    As it was merely a courtesy call, the atmosphere was rxed, and everyone was bidding each other well wishes. When it was Drayce''s turn to talk to King Armen, he stood up in front of the throne and spoke. "I would like to enjoy Abetha''s hosting for a few more days. This is my first visit to your kingdom, and I am yet to fully enjoy the beauty of your city."


    His announcement startled King Armen, but he controlled himself from showing his curiosity on his face. "It is our honor to host the King of Megaris and strengthen the friendship between our kingdoms."


    Queen Niobe was surprised too by this twist, but she didn''t show how happy she was inside. Keeping the King of Megaris within the capital worked well with the ns she had in mind.


    On the other hand, despite King Armen being generous in epting his request, deep in his heart, he was worried about the situation.


    He knew why the devil''s son requested to stay.


    It was evident that the King of Megaris must have heard about his daughter and her being a witch. With Martha not around, King Armen had to keep a tight watch on this curious young king. He was sure this young man would definitely find ways to go to that tower and pay Seren a visit.


    Standing in front of the throne, Drayce could see that King Armen didn''t mean what he said. He threw one guilt trap at the King of Abetha to shut him up from being unhappy about his prolonged stay in Abetha.


    "The Kingdom of Megaris thanks you for your generosity, King Armen. My soldiers are still injured thanks to the interesting wee from Abetha, and it won''t be good for them to travel far away in such conditions. I am sure these few days of recuperation will indeed be good for their welfare."


    With such an excuse, King Armen had nothing more to say.


    An could only re at his friend. ''Trust him not to let go of any chance to make others feel guilty for nothing.''


    "We will make sure the Megaris soldiers will get the best treatment so they may recover fast. I will appoint the royal physicians to check on them," King Armen informed.


    "Till then, I hope Abetha won''t be troubled with our presence," said Drayce calmly, but his eyes told otherwise. Those red eyes were a pair of intimidating and daunting eyes that could never be gentle nor calm.


    "Of course not." King Armen maintained the same polite smile. "Please feel at home."


    "Thank you so much, King of Abetha. My friend, Prince An, will also be taking advantage of your generosity," Drayce informed, ignoring the re thrown by his friend that was piercing the back of his head.


    King Armen felt relieved upon learning King Drayce wouldn''t be staying alone. He trusted that Prince An would surely try his best to stop his friend if he had something mischievous in mind.


    The older man looked at An. "I hope Prince An won''t mind staying here to help entertain his friend."


    The real meaning of those words was clear for An, and he bowed lightly. "I''ll do my best, Your Majesty."


    Drayce was also aware of what the exchange meant and could only smirk over it.


    Once the two friends came out of the royal hall, Drayce instructed An. "I need the map of this pce."


    "What for?"


    "I should know where I am in case there is any threat."


    An chuckled at the excuse. "Who will dare harm you?"


    Drayce looked at his friend like he''s an idiot. "Didn''t they already dare?"


    An was reminded of the attack on his friend in the mountain ranges on the border of Abetha. Many questions remained unanswered as the investigation about the incident was still ongoing. The only thing they were sure of was that another party had pretended to be Abethan soldiers.


    Drayce knew what his friend was thinking. "You can keep those questions to yourself. For now, do what I said."


    "It''s not ethical to ask for a map of this pce, especially since it affects the security of the Royal House of Ilven. Even if I do ask, I have to ask it secretly," An said helplessly.


    "I am not a devotee of ethical ways, and it''s supposed to be secret, that''s why I asked you," said Drayce as the two came out to an open ce outside the main pce. As it was the central region of the pce grounds, the two had a perfect view of the entire Royal Pce of Abetha.


    Drayce looked around, only to stop his sight on the tower where the Third Princess lived. "Except for that secret tower, I can draw the entire pce map in my mind. If I go there, I can save you the trouble of getting a map secretly."


    "Don''t even think about it. I''ll get it for you. I only hope you won''t n anything against Abetha."


    "Rest assured. I have more important things to do," Drayce replied, his eyes still fixed on that tower.


    Whatever those ''important things'' meant, An could only shake his head, aware that his friend would not give up until he got what he wanted. All he could do was wish Abetha good luck.


    =====


    The gift function for the novel is open now. You can gift if you wish.

 Chapter 26: Black Smoke

    <h4>Chapter 26:ck Smoke</h4>


    When the queen''sdy-in-waiting entered her chamber to inform her that the Minister of Foreign Affairs sought a private audience with her, Queen Niobe wasn''t surprised. He must have heard of the news regarding the prolonged stay of the King of Megaris and hade to ask for her next orders.


    Lord Darus bowed to the Queen, who was sitting regally in her chair.


    "Your Majesty, ording to our sources, the Third Princess''s servant, Martha, has left the pce," the minister informed in a humble tone.


    His words brightened up the Queen''s eyes, and this piece of news improved her already good mood.


    "You mean, that witch is alone now?" the Queen asked.


    "Yes, Your Majesty."


    "Why, suddenly, good things areing. It seems like that witch''s fate is against her this time." The Queen smiled in schadenfreude.


    "I congratte Your Majesty in advance. Even the gods are helping you seed. The only thing that hinders your ns now is the presence of Sir Berolt. His men are strictly guarding that tower," Lord Darus added.


    "Create something to keep him busy," the Queen ordered.


    "As per your order, Your Majesty, but in the absence of Martha, I doubt the King would let Sir Berolt be away," the minister replied.


    The queen agreed to it, "Then you need to invade the tower''s security by all means, and this time I won''t ept any excuse."


    "Yes, Your Majesty."


    Even after the minister left, Queen Niobe had busied herself in making sure that her schemes against that witch would proceed without a problem.


    ------


    At noon, the entire royal pce was busy as usual. With most of the delegates from other kingdoms gone, those working inside the pce had resumed their normal chores. The guards and maids who happened to be nearby the Third Princess''s tower heard some disturbing noises. This caught their attention, and soon, they saw thick ck smokeing out of one of the windows in the tower.


    One of the guards immediately left to inform Sir Berolt and the King. As minutes dragged on, the servants in the pce had gathered to see the ck smoke, but no one dared toe close and inquire about the situation as fear enveloped them.


    Soon, even the people outside of the pce saw it too. The tower was tall, and it was easy to see the thick ck smoke under the clear, bright sky. The entire capital was gripped in horror as tales of the incident spread widely.


    "The witch is up to something this time."


    "She must be practicing her ck magic."


    "Stay inside at home and don''te out."


    "Don''t know who will die tonight."


    The news of something unholy happening had spread everywhere, and soon, the streets went empty, and the capital became a desertednd.


    ---------


    Drayce and An were riding their horses along the riverbank outside the walls of the royal pce. Drayce was scouting the area, wanting to take a look at the ces around the Third Princess''s tower so he could n his entry without anyone noticing.


    Just as they reached the backside of the pce, Drayce heard a disturbance and then saw thick ck smoke behind the tall pce walls. An followed his sight and was startled.


    "What''s going on there?" An eximed as he continued looking at the ck smoke moving towards the sky. It didn''t stoping out from the window of the tower. "Did the tower catch fire? No�� it seems something is burning?"


    Drayce didn''t seem to hear him and was focused on something as he eyed a particr window of the tower. A light smile was painted on his lips.


    "What are you smiling about?" An asked.


    "I was wondering if what people say about the witch is true. They say when she does ck magic, something like this tends to happen."


    Drayce gave him a questioning look. "Something like this?"


    "This ck smoke and��."


    "Who knows? Might be a witch who is hungry and trying to cook on her own," Draycemented as he signaled his friend by raising his hand to keep quiet.


    It seemed like Drayce heard something again, and this time couldn''t stopughing a little.


    "What?" An asked, feeling all puzzled. "Did you hear something?"


    Drayce nodded. "Quite unexpected."


    "Tell me."


    "Use your own ears."


    "I am not gifted like you with a high sense of hearing."


    "Then that''s your fault," Drayce countered, not willing to tell him anything.


    An made a face at him, which he ignored. They continued to ride along the riverbank around the pce, and when they returned to the pce, as expected, everyone was whispering among themselves. Of course, Drayce could hear what they were talking about.


    "Don''t know what this witch is nning this time."


    "Should we leave the pce?"


    "She must be practicing some ck magic."


    "Look at that smoke. It''s not stopping even after a long time. It looks like she is nning something dangerous."


    Drayce could only smirk at them. "Idiots!"


    -------


    Not only themon people but also the royals within the pce were worried about what the witch was doing. News had traveled everywhere like a wildfire.


    King Armen was aware his people were in a panic, but he knew the truth wasn''t as scary as everyone thought. He called Sir Berolt, who had just returned after checking on Seren.


    "Is she fine?" King Armen asked.


    "Apologies, Your Majesty. We can''t enter inside the tower because of Martha''s magic," Sir Berolt informed him after bowing.


    This worried the king. "Try to find a way to know about her condition. If you can''t, I will have to enter the tower personally."


    "Yes, Your Majesty." Sir Berold bowed again.


    Sensing the worry of the king, Lord Eudes suggested, "Your Majesty, this happens every time Martha leaves the pce. There must be nothing to worry about."


    This worried the King even more. "Keep the security tight, and don''t let any of the Queen''s people close to the tower."


    "We have already taken full measures, Your Majesty," Sir Berolt informed.


    King Armen looked at Lord Eudes. "Minister Darus Count?"


    Lord Eudes understood what King Armen meant and replied to his unspoken question, "He went to see Her Majesty, Queen Niobe. The visits are frequent these days��."


    "They must be up to something again," Sir Berolt said coldly, his eyes showing how he was annoyed with this politics and how he wished to use his sword and finish everything at once.


    "That''s why you need to be more alert this time," Lord Eudes said as he looked at Sir Berolt.


    "This time, I won''t go easy on them," Sir Berolt hinted at his intentions. As a knight, it irked him every time he had to let them go because the schemes concerned the Queen and to keep the peace between the nobles; the King could never openly punish the Queen for her small dirty tricks.


    After all, because of her identity, even if not the Queen, there were other people who would create troubles for her. All King Armen could do was to protect his daughter.

 Chapter 27: Hunger

    <h4>Chapter 27:Hunger</h4>


    While the entire capital was gripped in terror about what evil schemes the witch was up to, inside the tall tower still emitting thick ck smoke, there was one poor princess who was sitting amidst the mess she created in the kitchen, her dirty face almost on the verge of crying.


    (Seren''s POV)


    "Ahh! These boring books. Why do I have to even read them?" I closed the book in my hand and leaned back in the chair.


    With no one to talk with, I had nothing else to do other than be in my bedchamber and stare out from the window. I did try reading some of thetest geography and history books sent by my father, which I found boring. I wasn''t in a mood to tend to my garden nor paint.


    However, there''s nothing else here I could entertain myself with, so I was stuck reading these books.


    Leaning back further in the chair, I closed my eyes, only to hear something annoying.


    Rumble!


    "Huh?" I opened my eyes and looked at my stomach annoyingly. Rubbing it with my hand to calm it down, I asked, "Are you already done with what we ate?"


    I looked outside the window and realized it''s just early noon. Thest I ate was just a few hours ago. Before Martha left, she prepared morning snacks for me, but I already finished them all in one sitting.


    Rumble!


    My stomach growled again, and I sighed. "These books are really boring, and my brain has burned everything I ate trying to understand them."


    I put the book aside, went out of my bedchamber, and headed towards the stairs that led to the lower floors. The empty tower was filled with nothing but the sound of my footsteps, and it made me miss Martha more.


    Once I reached the ground floor, I made my way towards the biggest room further inside the tower.


    It was my personal royal kitchen where Martha cooked food for both of us. This was also where she taught me, a princess, how to cook. It was all because other royal servants and maids were not allowed to enter my tower as decreed by the King, leaving all the chores��from making meals to educating me��to Martha.


    Martha had always made sure to cook the best food for me, the same quality and variety of food that other royals in the pce ate. She was not an expert like the royal chefs in the main pce who prepared food for the King, but her food was always tasty, and I loved it.


    "This is when I miss you the most, Martha," I mumbled as I wondered when this old woman would be back.


    "What should I cook?"


    Knowing, I had no other option but to make my own meal, I looked around and saw the fresh vegetables and fruits kept in the bamboo woven baskets.


    With a smile, I picked up an apple from the basket. "Eating fruits will do. No need to cook."


    Standing by the window side, I finished the entire apple and looked at my stomach as I rubbed it again. "Are you happy now?"


    I was about to leave the kitchen but��. Rumble!


    The happy smile on my face disappeared as I retraced my steps back to the kitchen. "Only fruits won''t do."


    Feeling helpless, I went towards the containers having various grains and cereals inside.


    "Let''s make something easy."


    I opened the container of rice. It was the easiest thing I could cook. I was aware of where I could find what I needed as Martha had shown me everything in the kitchen during my cooking lessons...Tsk, I hate those forced cooking lessons.


    "I can''t eat in rice," I mumbled and looked at the vegetables.


    I washed the rice and reminded myself, "Now, I need to cook it." The most annoying thing I had yet to do. "Fire?" I could only sigh but had to do it.


    The biggest task was to start the fire and keep it continuing till the cooking was done. Lifting my skirt and tying it, so the hems don''t catch dirt, I kneeled in front of the square-shaped mud stove and put tiny wood blocks and thin dried tree branches in it through the circr hole made at the bottom of the mud stove.


    I managed to make fire the way Martha taught me, and it felt like a big achievement. Compared to the past, I certainly improved. "Well, that was not difficult."


    "Where are those pots now?" I found a stack of different-sized metal pots and chose the one that I was familiar with: around, heavy iron cooking pot.


    I put it on the mud stove and added rice, water, vegetables, and a few spices into the pot all at once, thinking it silly how Martha added them one by one.


    "In the end, they will be cooked together. Why waste time?" I felt happy at my thoughtfulness about fast cooking.


    I waited next to the mud stove for the rice to cook faster, but it was taking time.


    "What''s wrong with it?"


    I checked and realized it needed stronger fire.


    "Let''s add more to it." I added more dried branches and tried everything Martha taught me but couldn''t make the fire grow. Instead, the more I tried, the mes on the wood only got smaller.


    Feeling annoyed, I looked around the room, and my sight caught the palm-sized bottle kept on one of the shelves.


    "Ah! mmable oil!"

 Chapter 28: Fire

    <h4>Chapter 28:Fire </h4>


    "Ah! mmable oil!"


    It was the same oil that Martha showed me before, the expensive oil imported from the east, which helped me prove that I didn''t burn the huge curtain during Meira''s engagement ceremony.


    I hurried to get that bottle, as it was my savior from hunger.


    "It''s time for you to help me and my hungry tiny stomach. You owe me for putting that me on me when it was you who burned that curtain."


    Aish, I was so lonely that even talking to this lifeless bottle wasforting. Whenever I was left alone for long in the absence of Martha, I always chose to talk to lifeless things to pass my time and make myself feel I was not alone. I didn''t even spare the walls of this old tower.


    Opening the bottle''s cap, I leaned down to add some of the mmable oil onto the wood inside the mud stove, but just then, my ears caught a familiar sound that I never liked.


    Squeak!


    Squeak!


    Feeling anxious, I turned towards the source of that distinctive sound, only to see a long thin rodent with big eyes and ears and a pointed nose eating the few rice grains I dropped on the floor.


    "Rat!" I eximed in fear and immediately covered my mouth to not scream as I inhaled deeply.


    Not caring for anything, I ran away blindly, only to bump into the rack that held pots filled with various cooking essentials and ended up dropping them all over the floor. Those heavy metal pots made loud noises that could be heard even from far away, and I had to cover my ears.


    "What should I do?" Anxious to get away, I spotted the wooden table next to the wall nearby and climbed onto it without a second thought.


    "Am I safe now?" Just as I gave out a sigh of relief, another trouble awaited me. I was empty-handed.


    While running away, I dropped the mmable oil bottle on the floor�� a bit too close to the mud stove. The oil from the bottle had spread on the floor near the stove. The moment I realized what happened, the oil had caught fire, and tall, frightening mes had engulfed the entire mud stove and the floor around it; just as its name said��highly mmable.


    "My food!" I felt like crying as I could think about nothing but the rice I''m cooking. Indeed, I pity my stomach more than that mud stove and this entire tower.


    "I can''t cry." I reminded myself of one of the most important instructions out of so many that Martha had given to me.? Whatever happened, I should not cry. After taking deep breaths, I calmed myself, climbed down from the wooden table, and hurried to fetch water.


    I picked up a small mud container to get water from a bigger-sized water pot. Just as I started to pour the water over the fire, it ended up filling the kitchen with thick ck smoke, almost suffocating me.


    Cough! Cough!


    Afraid that the ck smoke would reach the other rooms of the tower, I had to open the kitchen''s windows to let the smoke out.


    It took a while until the fire died down, but thick smoke was stilling out from the mud stove. Even with my veil on, I was having trouble breathing. Covering my nose and mouth with the long sleeves of my dress as additional cover, I went towards the mud stove.


    "My food!" This time, I felt like crying my throat out, but as usual, I suppressed it. Only a sad voice came out of my throat. "My food is burnt."


    The rice in the pot was cker than ck, and hardly anything looked edible. "I can at least eat whatever is left?" I consoled myself and picked up that pot with the help of one thick cloth that I picked up from a kitchen cloth hanger.


    Just as I picked up the pot, the smell of burnt rice hit my nostrils. "It''s so...well, not bad...I can eat it."


    Consoling myself, just as I stepped away carrying that heavy metal pot, I heard the rat''s squeak again.


    "I must be imagining..." I prayed inside as I searched where the sound came from, only to be shocked that the rodent was below me, just one step away from my feet.


    I wanted to run away, but that rodent was looking at me, and I couldn''t move. Though I was scared, I couldn''t give up in front of this tiny creature.


    "S-Stay away from me. I am a witch. I-I can burn you. Don''t anger me!"


    Surprisingly, it worked, and the rat moved away. "Even the rat is scared of me."


    I felt relieved and proud, but itsted only for a moment. I saw that rat eating the food on the floor, the food that was supposed to be in my stomach.


    "Even the rat has a better destiny than me."


    Looking around at the mess I made, even the fruits couldn''t escape safely from the fire. There was nothing left for me to eat.


    Thus, I stepped out of the kitchen, much hungrier than when I came in.

 Chapter 29: Abduction

    <h4>Chapter 29:Abduction</h4>


    Aroundte noon, an injured soldier painted in blood could be seen riding a horse in a hurry towards the Royal Pce of Abetha, followed by several city patrols acting as escorts. The knights looking after the pce entrance recognized who the soldier was and allowed him to enter without hindrance.


    The soldier soon reached the main pce, where King Armen was in the throne room presiding over a council meeting, one of the agenda being the Third Princess''s tower incident.


    The King was busy listening to theints of the royal court about the witch and what chaos she would bring to the kingdom after practicing ck magic. All the ministers and nobles looked worried, thinking of the disaster awaiting them.


    One of the royal guards silently entered the meeting and reported something to Lord Eudes, the King''s trusted advisor. After listening to the guard, the schrly older man approached King Armen with a worried look.


    "Your Majesty, one of Crown Prince Cian''s soldiers is here, and he seeks an audience,"? the advisor informed the King as he added, "He carries urgent news."


    King Armen was surprised why a soldier from the northern border''s army woulde in person instead of a messenger. "Let him in."


    The injured soldier entered the royal court and kneeled in front of the king as his greeting. Everyone in the royal court was shocked to see the soldier''s condition and fell silent.


    "Your Majesty, Hatha soldiers, attacked us in the middle of the night and captured Crown Prince Cian!" the soldier shouted, no longer bothering with the royal etiquette, his expression pained as he delivered the shocking news.


    Even the normally calm King lost his cool as he stood up from the throne, anger filling his voice, "Hatha?"


    "Yes, Your Majesty. Their army attacked the fortress at the northern border in the middle of the night. They have upied the fortress and have blocked any form ofmunication with the capital."


    "Didn''t they sign the peace treaty with us?" the King asked, his voice cold as he interrogated the hurt soldier. "How could the northern fortress fall overnight?"


    "Your Majesty, everything was a trap. They had spies inside that targeted the officers before their army marched in. Thevailes soldiers were with them too," the soldier informed angrily.


    "Thevailes? They dared attack after theirst defeat?" the King eximed as he mmed his fist on the throne.


    "Your Majesty, calm down," Lord Eudes said beside him.


    King Armen was already troubled with how all the ministers and nobles gathered to ask him to throw the witch out of the kingdom, and now this happened. It was one problem after another.


    While the King''s loyal subjects felt worried about the iing war, those noble houses and officials under the Queen''s faction found the news to be a golden opportunity for them to back up their demand.


    "Your Majesty, it is as we feared! This must be the start of the misfortunes befalling our kingdom!" Lord Darus cried out, his statement motivating his allies to speak.


    "Your Majesty, it''s definitely due to the ck magic performed by that witch! She must have nned to bring disaster to this kingdom," another minister added.


    "Silence!"


    King Armen, who was already angry with the sudden betrayal of both the Kingdoms of Hatha and Thevailes, red at everyone in the royal court.


    "Imbeciles! This has nothing to do with her! Instead of ming an innocent girl, why don''t you focus on the kingdoms that actually sent armies into ournd?!" the King dered, his irritation stunning the royal court into dead silence.


    King Armen returned his attention to the travel-worn soldier who looked on the verge of copsing, his hands resting on the floor and head lowered.


    Sir Berolt went to the soldier and asked, "Where have they taken the Prince?"


    "Commander Fletcher, from what I overheard, they took him to Hatha and will be taking himter to Thevailes. That was two days ago. The Crown Prince might have reached Thevailes by now," the soldier sobbed as he recounted what else he knew, gathering every bit of energy left in him before copsing the next moment.


    "Berolt, gather your knights and meet me in my chamber," the King ordered before he turned to General Cavrois Losio, the middle-aged man representing the military in the council meeting. "Cavrois, bring your officers ande as well."


    King Armen stormed away without dismissing the court. Lord Eudes, Sir Berolt, and General Cavrois and his men immediately followed after their King, leaving the ministers and nobles whispering with one another.


    Gossips of the injured soldier''s arrival had already spread far and wide as he entered the capital in an unrestrained manner. Soon, the capital heard the news of the Crown Prince''s abduction, and as if people were fanning the news in the dark, in the end, the me was put on the witch.


    ------

 Chapter 30: Strategy To Rescue The Prince

    <h4>Chapter 30:Strategy To Rescue The Prince</h4>


    Note- Due to chapter-length adjustment, some part of the previous chapter has been shifted down to this chapter.


    ------


    Drayce was in his room, apanied by An and his two knights, who were like friends to him.


    The four men were standing in front of a wooden table, looking at the detailed map of the royal pce with interest. Drayce looked at An, who was standing beside him, with a gaze close to admiration. "You are worthy of being my friend."


    An gave him an unpleasant look. The prince was already not happy about giving his friend something that he should not have, and his words just now felt like rubbing salt to his wound. "Thank you so much for thinking so highly of me, Your Majesty."


    Drayce knew how upset his friend was but could only smile at his sulking behavior. Just as he was to tease him again, Drayce went silent as he heard something and signaled everyone to keep quiet.


    Servants could be heard passing the corridor in front of the room and talking among themselves.


    "It''s definitely because of that witch."


    "True, we all saw she did ck magic."


    "Poor Prince Cian."


    "Didn''t Prince Cian care for her and even asked His Majesty to take her out of the tower?"


    "Yes, and because of her, Prince Cian was punished for leaving the pce."


    "Ungrateful witch! Didn''t spare her own brother!"


    "His Majesty will realize the truth soon and banish her out of Abetha."


    "Banish her, huh? Witches should be burned!"


    "If I can, I will be the first one to burn her."


    Hearing their words, Drayce clenched his fists as his red eyes turned fiery.


    "What happened?" An asked. Although he did hear people talking outside, he didn''t catch the content of their conversation.


    Drayce merely? instructed, "You should go and visit King Armen."


    "Not me, him. He will need something from us," Drayce answered as he moved away from the wooden table and went towards the window to stare outside.


    An knew his friend''s temper. Drayce would never say anything without reason, and so, without nagging him for an exnation, An did what he said. After all, if he talked to King Armen, his question would be answered.


    After the prince left, one of the knights folded the pce''s map while the other knight went to Drayce.


    "Your Majesty, any instructions for me?"


    "Get all our soldiers ready, except for the injured ones," Drayce ordered without a change in his expression.


    The knight nodded. "May I ask where are we headed, Your Majesty?"


    "Thevailes."


    ----------


    Inside the King''s study, the high-ranked officials among the Abethan knights and soldiers were all gathered around the much calmer King Armen, busy arguing among themselves.


    They were looking at the map of the continent unrolled on top of a huge wooden table.


    "Your Majesty, we might have to ask for Griven''s help," Sir Berolt suggested after several more minutes of heated argument regarding how to breach the enemies'' defenses.


    The King nodded. "To enter Thevailes as fast as possible, our army alone might not be able to take down the enemies within a month. Hatha will surely set up ways to hinder us from crossing their kingdom. Several months is too long. If we have Griven adding more soldiers, we can bring them down faster."


    Sir Berolt pointed his finger at the tiny kingdom separating Abetha and Thevailes. "We don''t have time to deal with Hatha. Our army and the support from Griven will act as decoys, while we will send our elite knights in secret to save the Crown Prince. Once Prince Cian is back, we will deal with them once and for all."


    "What do you think, General?" the King asked the robust middle-aged military man whose pitch-ck eyes were still fixed on the map. General Cavrois wore a serious expression as he considered the question, his gloomy face not yet recovered from the scars earned from the previous war.


    "Your Majesty, it will be better for our army if we take help from Megaris," the general suggested as he pointed towards a certain ce on the map. "Megaris and Thevailes share a long border between their kingdoms, and it would be easier for Megaris to enter through this mountain range. If the King of Megaris is ready to help us with his army to put pressure on Thevailes, then things will turn easy for us."


    "Last time, we managed to defeat them on our own," Sir Berolt interrupted.


    "At that time, Hatha was working with us, but now it looks like things have changed," the general replied.


    Sir Berolt shook his head. "Griven is our ally, therefore asking for their support is reasonable. But if we get help from Megaris as well, our national treasury might bleed. We are still recovering from thest war."


    "The faster we save Prince Cian, the better." General Cavrois was firm in his stance. "We do not know what demands the King of Thevailes will make in exchange for his safety. Thevailes is known for their cruelty so to deal with them, we should seek help from someone even crueler."


    Unable to convince each other, Sir Berolt and General Cavrois looked at King Armen for his decision.


    Just then, a royal guard entered the study. "Your Majesty, the First Prince of Griven seeks an audience with you."


    "Let him in," the King instructed.

 Chapter 31: Help From Megaris

    <h4>Chapter 31:Help From Megaris</h4>


    After entering the room, An was bewildered to see the tense atmosphere and realized that he intruded in a war strategy meeting. He bowed to the king. "Your Majesty, I have heard about Prince Cian''s situation."


    On his way to the study, An had been informed by his men about what happened during the council meeting.


    The King nodded lightly, and An continued, "I am here to offer help if it''s needed. As the Crown Prince, I can move an army of ten thousand men with my authority, as more would require a decree from the king. If King Armen needs more, I can send a missive to my Royal Father."


    His words visibly lessened the pressure on the shoulders of all the officials inside the study. General Cavrois saluted the prince. "Prince An, Abetha will be taking advantage of your generosity."


    The war strategy meeting proceeded, and An was quickly informed of the ns offered by Sir Berolt and General Cavrois.


    An studied the map. "Prince Cian is in Thevailes, so it will be better to get help from Megaris."


    Hearing his words, the general''s eyes brightened up. "Your Highness, in your opinion, will the King of Megaris? agree to it?"


    An nodded and looked at King Armen. "It will be better if His Majesty talks to him in person. I''m sure he will agree to help."


    The King looked at Lord Eudes. "Arrange for me to meet King Drayce."


    Bowing, the white-haired advisor, left while they resumed discussing war strategies against Thevailes and Hatha.


    ------


    A Megaris knight entered his chamber to inform Drayce about Lord Eudes''s arrival.


    "Your Majesty," the knight bowed at the young king looking out the window.


    Drayce turned to him, and the knight asked, "Was it Dusk, Your Majesty?"


    "Hmm." Drayce nodded and instructed, "You can let him in."


    The knight was not confused; he knew his King was aware of the visitor even earlier than he did. He soon returned with Lord Eudes, who bowed to Drayce as royal etiquette required.


    "Eudes Briggs greets His Majesty, Drayce Ivanov. May Megaris forever prosper under your reign," the old man said courteously.


    Drayce nodded lightly, epting the greeting, and waited for King Armen''s right-hand man to talk.


    "I am sure King Drayce must have heard about the abduction of Crown Prince Cian," said Lord Eudes.


    "Hmm!" Drayce nodded, looking at the old schr while standing by the window.


    "With this regard, King Armen invites the King of Megaris to join him in his study," Lord Eudes informed.


    "I''ll be there," Drayce replied offhandedly.


    Lord Eudes left after bowing to him.


    ---------


    (Seren''s POV)


    It had been two hours since I escaped from the kitchen. Although I want to go back and fix the mess I made and perhaps find something to free me of my biggest problem��my poor starving little tummy��I could not convince myself to return.


    "What should I do?" Back in my bedchamber, I continued to sit on my chair, curling myself like a ball. "Should I go to the kitchen and try to look for whatever is left to cook?"


    Once again, I stood up from the chair and was about to leave the room, but the thought of having rats there scared me, so I curled myself back into a ball on the chair. I had been pacing back and forth like this since earlier.


    ''What if it''s not just one, but there are many more?''


    The image of countless rodents sent a shiver across my spine.


    "Drinking water will do. I won''t die till Martha returns," I consoled myself and grabbed the brass water pot on the table next to me to pour water into a silver ss. Just as I finished the entire ss of water, another thought struck my mind. "What if Martha takes time to return?"


    Just then, I heard some sound outside, and one big eagle sat on my window sill as his wide wings folded into his majestic body.


    It was the first time an eagle ever came close to me willingly, much less approached my tower. Wanting to observe him better, I approached him with slow, steady steps.


    The proud eagle eyed me and unfolded his wings.


    I scooted a bit away, thinking he might fly away upon realizing my presence. Surprisingly, the eagle didn''t look like a wild bird but looked well groomed. When he folded his wings back into his body, I realized there was something tied around his neck, a thick ck thread with tiny red color jade hanging to it.


    I also noticed that he was not scared of me but looked back at me as if he was observing me. I went closer, but my action didn''t scare him. I noticed something was in his mouth.


    The eagle was eating something, and the sight saddened my mood.


    "No wonder you are so healthy. You keep eating. Look at me; I will disappear soon if I don''t eat anything," Iined, but that bird kept chewing what was in his beak.


    It irked me. "You have too much flesh on you. How about I roast and eat you?"


    When I moved my hand towards him, the eagle fled away.


    I looked at him flying away, disappearing in the soon-to-be-dark sky. "As if I would have really eaten you. I am a witch but not an animal."


    My words didn''t reach him, and I returned to my bed. It will be night in the next few hours, and there was no way I would leave my room in the darkness. I hope I won''t die by starving.

 Chapter 32: Someone Adorable

    <h4>Chapter 32:Someone Adorable</h4>


    When Drayce entered King Armen''s study, the war meeting was in full swing. He saw An talking to a scarred man who looked like a war veteran, probably discussing the strategy to rescue Prince Cian.


    Seeing the arrival of the King of Megaris, everyone in the room bowed to Drayce, except for King Armen and An.


    "King Drayce must have known about the situation till now," King Armen said, getting straight to the point.


    Drayce nodded, and King Armen directly addressed the issue. "We are in need of help from Megaris. I hope King Drayce will help us. Abetha will make sure to return the favor."


    Drayce nodded again before proceeding to apany everyone around the huge wooden table. It was silent approval that he was willing to help.


    Looking at the map, Drayce listened to the discussion for a while. After understanding the progress the men had made so far, he spoke as he pointed his finger at a certain ce on the map, "We can take this route to reach Thevailes, through Hatha. It will be faster."


    "It won''t be easy," Sir Berolt said with a frown.


    "That''s why we need to sneak in the night. A small elite force that will focus on speed and stealth. Tonight, we have to enter Hatha''s border and cover as much distance through this forest."


    An looked at Drayce as he gave him a meaningful look. "We are good at sneaking in, aren''t we?"


    Drayce understood what An meant and looked back at the map. "At first, we will join the Abethan soldiers and Griven soldiers who will attack the northern fortress between Hatha and Abetha with theirbined armies, and it will be arge military force the enemies cannot afford to ignore."


    "To distract them," the military general concluded, and Drayce nodded.


    "This way, Thevailes won''t get any help from Hatha, and vice versa," An answered.


    General Cavrois looked at the map and spoke again. "Once we rescue the Crown Prince, it will be difficult to return through Hatha. By then, we will be a lone ind, and the enemies will have be aware of his escape and will keep watch along the Hatha and Thevailes border."


    "Don''t worry about it," Drayce concluded with a smirk. He told them what solution he had in mind.


    After another round of discussions, the military general spoke towards King Armen, "Your Majesty, as everything is set, we can leave for Thevailes as soon as you order it."


    "After having a nice meal," Drayce added.


    "Of course," the King of Abetha said, smiling lightly. "We will set off tonight. Eudes, see to the preparations of all the soldiers and knights participating in this campaign."


    Lord Eudes bowed. "Yes, Your Majesty."


    Drayce continued, "Of course, not just for my soldiers who are apanying us. Every day, a three-course royal meal for the injured soldiers who will be staying back in Abetha."


    An looked at his friend in surprise as he couldn''t understand why he suddenly made such a specific demand. Not like his soldiers would starve in Abetha in his absence.


    "King Drayce can rest assured," said King Armen.


    After everything was decided, they left the study and went to prepare for the uing battle.


    On the way back to his bedchamber, Drayce turned to his personal knight who was apanying him. "You know what to do, yer."


    "Everything is set, Your Majesty," the knight called yer replied.


    An was walking with them. Looking at his friend''s calm expression,? he realized what his friend really meant when he said the King of Abetha might need their help. "You were already aware that this would happen."


    "Did you really think I woulde this far to another kingdom just because you begged me a few times to attend the engagement ceremony of your brother? I have my own kingdom to rule and am not so free."


    "King Drayce thinks so highly of himself," Anmented drily as he added, "And I did not beg."


    Drayce stopped walking and turned to look at his knight, who walked behind them.


    "yer!"


    "Yes, Your Majesty?"


    "Refresh Prince An''s memory of the way he asked me toe to Abetha."


    This sudden demand caught the knight off guard. His expression turned awkward. ''Is His Majesty asking me to act like Prince An?''


    yer was a nickname he earned due to his merits in every battle he participated in. He was a merciless and brave knight on the battlefield, but at this moment, he felt like he would rather die.


    He wanted to scream, but he had no courage to disobey his King''s order.


    "Wait, wait! No need," An interrupted them, and the knight gave out a sigh of relief as he stared at him like a savior.


    As he observed the knight, An continued, "It will be cruel for me to personally see yer destroying my nobility and elegance. To act like me, you should better choose someone wickedly handsome like me."


    Drayce ignored An and said coldly. "yer!"


    "Y-Yes, Your Majesty?" The knight was ready to act, putting on a face as if he''s ready to be executed.


    "Okay! I admit I insisted a little bit more," An interrupted, and again, the knight felt relieved. An continued, "Rather than begging, you can say it was a request filled with a high level of desperation."


    Drayce gave him a cold re, and An finally backed down.


    "Let poor stomachs enjoy the hosting of the Royal House of Ilven," Drayce replied.


    An looked at Drayce''s knight, yer. "Such a soft-hearted king the Kingdom of Megaris has."


    Cough!


    This sudden remark on his cruel and cold King startled the knight, and couldn''t help but cough in surprise.


    Ignoring the two, Drayce returned to his bedchamber. Someone was waiting for him, sitting on the window sill.


    It was a majestic and proud eagle.


    Drayce went to him, and he caressed his back.


    "Seems like you enjoyed the rat," Draycemented and then noticed something. "Did something scare you?"


    The bird was quiet, and Drayce asked again in disbelief, "Who dared to scare you?"


    The eagle rubbed his beak against Drayce''s hand as a response. "Did someone scare you saying, ''I am a witch. I can burn you''?"


    Drayce couldn''t help butugh remembering this. Seren said it to the rat, just in time for Drayce''s ears to catch it.


    There was no reaction from the bird, which signaled he was saying yes to what his owner said. Drayce asked again. "Was the starving kitten aiming to eat you?"


    The bird lightly pecked his beak on Drayce''s palm twice. Drayce understood he was not wrong this time. Drayce couldn''t help butugh again and didn''t know what to think about this little kitten.


    Even when she was in trouble, she would never forget to show her fake courageous act. She was interesting, and for the first time, he thought of someone as adorable.

 Chapter 33: The Royal Feast

    <h4>Chapter 33:The Royal Feast</h4>


    As per Drayce''s wish, a royal meal was prepared for all the Megaris soldiers before leaving Abetha.


    Inside his bedchamber, Drayce could be seen standing, wearing an all-ck attire with a soft armor that was tailored perfectly on his well-sculpted body. He had already taken off a king''s royal clothes and had donned clothes that werefortable yet sturdy. Strapped on his waist was his personal sword.


    Abetha, Griven, and Megaris had finished all preparations for the war that would soon break out. Before heading down to meet his men, Drayce had something important to do first.


    Standing by the window, he caressed his pet, the majestic eagle with long deep brown feathers and arge arched beak. The eagle looked at his owner with a pair of sharp golden eyes, his strong ck-colored and huge ws with sharp nails slightly scratching the window sill.


    "Dusk, don''t be scared of her," Drayce said as he patted the head of the eagle, which Dusk obviously enjoyed, and even rubbed his head against his owner''s palm.? "She is nothing but one scared kitten. If you stand in front of her with your wings wide open, it''s enough to scare her."


    Drayce''s hand then moved to Dusk''s wings which were folded into his body. The tone of his voice lowered as he mused, "But if you dare scare her, these wings won''t be here anymore."


    In response, Dusk shrank his wings back to his body even more. His owner was one scary man.


    Just in time, yer entered Drayce''s bedchamber.


    "Your Majesty, it''s here," yer said, holding a square-shaped package wrapped in a blue silk cloth.


    Drayce nodded slightly, and yer ced the wrapped package on the window sill.


    "Dusk, you know what to do," said Drayce.


    The next moment, the eagle clutched his strong ws at the knot of that blue silk cloth and fled away, carrying it as if it weighed nothing.


    "Your Majesty, may I ask who it was for and��"


    "No!" came a straight denial from the proud king. The knight knew better than to dare ask again.


    When he could no longer see Dusk, yer escorted Drayce to where his injured soldiers were enjoying the hospitality from Abetha before excusing himself to meet the other military officers.


    Drayce was satisfied to see where his men were resting. It was thergest among the military quarters within the pce, which showed how good a treatment Megaris was receiving from the royal family.


    Upon seeing their King, the soldiers all rose to greet him, but Drayce dismissed them by raising his hand. They understood the King wanted them to leave him alone and resumed eating.


    One of his knights approached him. He was the captain of the Drayce''s royal knight brigade, and he was the one looking after the injured soldiers while yer was with Drayce all the time.


    "Your Majesty," the knight bowed.


    "yer had told you what to do," said Drayce.


    "Rest assured, Your Majesty," the captain replied.


    Just then, Dusk returned and sat on the captain''s wide shoulders.


    "Did it go well?" Drayce asked Dusk.


    The bird didn''t react, and Drayce continued as he smirked, "Don''t worry. Tomorrow, it will go fine."


    "Your Majesty, it''s time to leave," yer informed when he returned to the military quarters after checking on other soldiers as he was themander.


    Drayce looked at Dusk and the captain with a warning gaze. "Any mistake and your hand and his wings will disappear."


    The captain bowed, saying, ''there won''t be a mistake'' while Dusk shrank back.


    On an open field just behind the royal pce, Drayce found An talking with themander of the royal knights, the military general, and the King of Abetha. The elite squad beside them wasposed of twenty of the best knights from the three kingdoms.


    The rest of the knights were standing by quietly as well, together with a battalion wearing the crest of Abetha, a mix of infantry and cavalry units awaiting their orders. As they only had a few hours to prepare, this was only the first wave of the army leaving the capital tonight.


    King Armen was merely there to see everyone off and wasn''t joining the actual operation. He greeted Drayce, and after an exchange of a few words, the army quietly left the capital under the veil of the night.


    --------


    (Seren''s POV)


    The sun was about to set, yet I couldn''t get anything to eat. I felt like crying the entire day, but Martha''s warning didn''t let me shed a single tear. As I recalled today''s incident, coupled with the intense hunger gnawing at my tummy, I thought to throw caution in the wind and let my emotions out, but I couldn''t.


    I couldn''t disappoint Martha.


    Standing by the window, I looked at the sky as I spoke, "Martha, when will you be back?"


    As I stared at the empty sky, I noticed a huge shadow...no�� Something was flying towards the tower, and it looked huge in size. The familiar widespread wings looked scarier in the dark.


    It was the same majestic eagle from earlier.


    The huge birdnded on my window. Realizing I had taken an unconscious step back, I exhaled deeply the breath that was stuck in my chest. "You scared me."


    The bird stared at me. With the light from themps in my room, his golden eyes looked like glittering fireflies.


    "Are you happy to scare me?" I asked, and the bird widened his body as if puffing up his chest to admit he took pride in scaring me. He was about to open his huge wings, but suddenly he settled them along his body.


    Only then did I realize that the eagle brought me something


    "What is it?" I asked, still maintaining a good distance between him and me.


    The bird pecked his beak twice on that square-shaped thing wrapped in blue silk cloth, but before I could respond, it fled away in haste.


    After making sure he left, I went closer to the window to check what it was. Just as I was about to touch it, I retreated my hands.


    "Martha said I should not touch anything that''s not mine," I mumbled to myself and returned to bed. I tried not to look at that thing, but my curious mind wouldn''t stop urging me to check it out.


    I had my hands full dealing with hunger, and now, I even had to deal with my curious mind. In the end, I couldn''t bear it and went to check that thing.


    With a deep breath, I carefully touched the knot of the silk cloth and quickly retreated my hand in fear that something would happen, but it was fine. Nothing changed, and it seemed like an ordinary item.


    After a few more seconds, I finally decided to open it.


    "It''s food!" I eximed in surprise, and I nearly danced in joy.


    My body moved on its own. I took the box inside and put it on the wooden table inside my room. It was a huge box with so much food in it. I removed the wooden te inside the box, separating the twoyers of food, and below that, there was more.


    There was a variety of meat and fish dishes, vegetables, and desserts, and there was even mushroom soup. The rice and soup were still piping hot, meaning the meal was freshly made.


    It was a royal treatment of food. No, it was a feast!


    The aroma and the heat being emitted by the food increased my hunger even more. Just as I thought about starting to eat, warning bells rang in my head.


    "What if it''s a trap likest time?"


    When I was eleven, Martha had to leave me for two days. I could still remember that someone rang the metal bell at the garden gate, and I came out of the tower to see who it was despite Martha''s instruction of never doing so.


    When I went near the closed gate, I saw a huge wooden tray filled with different kinds of food. Not thinking much, I took it with me and ate it, only to wake up after not remembering what happened.


    Martha said someone poisoned my food, causing me to be bedridden for days. Good thing that Martha returned and had nursed me back to health before I grew worse.


    After that, I learned that I should never ept anything from others.


    To date, I followed that lesson, but today I didn''t wish to. "At this rate, I will die by starving anyway, so it''s better to eat. This way, I will die with a happy tummy.


    I picked up the still-hot white rice with the spoon kept in the box, but I stopped before I could put it in my mouth. Even though I said all that, I was still hesitant.


    "But, I don''t want to die."


    As I moved the spoon away from my mouth, my nose captured the sweetest aroma, making me lose my rationality. I immediately put that spoon inside my mouth as I thought, "I don''t care."


    Simple rice never tasted so heavenly until this moment, and before I knew it, the wooden box was empty.


    I had eaten everything.

 Chapter 34: The Ambitious Kings

    <h4>Chapter 34:The Ambitious Kings</h4>


    Lord Darus visited the Queen''s chamber as soon as the royal troops were confirmed to have left the capital of Abetha.


    "Your Majesty," the minister bowed as soon as the servants closed the door, leaving him alone with the Queen.


    Queen Niobe nodded slightly, epting his bow while sitting in her chair.


    "The Crown Prince is in Thevailes," he informed.


    "Calm down, Your Majesty. We know they won''t harm the Crown Prince."


    Queen Niobe was aware of it, but that did not mean she would take this insult lying down. "That sly fox! The Queen of Thevailes, if she is not my cousin, I would have shown her ce long back. How dare she ns to take over my kingdom? She is always waiting to take me down."


    "Their n won''t be sessful. The Crown Prince will never marry the Princess of Thevailes. He made it clear even before."


    "That''s why they went this far," the Queen frowned as she added, "Thevailes lost the war before. Now, they shifted tactics. I know how she moves, and this is definitely one of her schemes. She thinks just because I am not Cian''s birth mother; I will not care for him and let him marry her daughter? She probably thought she can turn Cian into her puppet using her vixen of a daughter and turn him against me. Hah! They plot to have the sole male heir of this kingdom tie the knot with her daughter so that they can take over the future ruler of Abetha? Audacious!"


    "It won''t happen, Your Majesty."


    The Queen gritted her teeth. "As long as I am alive, it will never happen. I raised him, he is my son, and only I will select the bride for him."


    "Rest assured, Your Majesty, the royal troops, have left for the rescue mission. His Majesty has decreed war against Hatha and Thevailes. This time, Megaris is also helping together with Griven," he informed her.


    His words pleased the Queen as she said, "Although our n with King Drayce fell apart, he has given us a new opportunity to use him."


    "Megaris already has conflicts with Thevailes. The young King of Thevailes is just as ambitious as his father," Lord Darus informed. "The size of their kingdom has expanded to thrice its size ever since King Samer''s reign started, and if we did not help Hatha before, Hatha would have probably been swallowed to be one of its duchy or provinces."


    "As if we will let him do it," Queen Niobe smirked. "Abetha is not weak."


    "What his father couldn''t do, he inherited it, Your Majesty," Lord Darus sighed. As the Minister of Foreign Affairs, he had known a lot of secrets regarding the inner circles of other kingdoms. "As long as that crazy military general remains in Thevailes, Thevailes will try to expand. He has already instigated the previous king to do the same, but at that time it didn''t work after Abetha defeated them with Hatha. I already had doubts when King Samer married a Hathan princess that they would use this to get Hatha on their side, and now they wish to do the same by marrying their princess to Abetha."


    "In their dreams," the Queen was still angry with what was going on.


    "Of course, I believe Your Majesty and King Armen will never let it happen. Even the King of Megaris, too, he will do everything to stop an alliance between Thevailes and Abetha. Thevailes and Megaris are both militant kingdoms, and currently, their military powers are about the same. If Thevailes manages to take over Hatha and Abetha, Thevailes will have ess to the rest of the continent. The King of Megaris will never let it happen."


    Queen Niobe looked deep in thought about something for a while. Lord Darus remained quiet as he waited by her side.


    "Seems like King Drayce''s appearance in Abetha is not a coincidence. He was probably aware of it," the Queen concluded.


    "Your Majesty is right. I hade to the same conclusion. Sending an envoy with a noble as a diplomat would have sufficed to attend Princess Meira''s engagement ceremony. What more, there is no alliance nor friendship between Megaris and us. There is no reason for him toe so far to Abetha in person. He had always remained in the western kingdoms, and I have never heard him visit the central region." Lord Darus continued, "That is why I am sure he will never let Thevailes seed in strengthening itself. He will do everything to help Abetha."


    "Abetha has plenty of resources and a strategic position and is a kingdom with a strong army. One who has it can conquer the entire continent, but my husbandcks ambition."


    "King Armen prefers peace," Lord Darus added.


    "I know that my son Cian won''t be the same. He has to be ambitious, and then I''ll make that brazen Queen of Thevailes kneel in front of me,"ughed the Queen, as her eyes filled with determination.


    "We all wish the same, Your Majesty."


    "For now, we will clean up the pce to better prepare for the wartime. Make sure to check for spies within the pce. We need to make sure Thevailes and Hatha remain blind. Also, implement the n we prepared to get rid of that witch and send her to her mother," said the Queen.


    "Consider it done, Your Majesty. Sir Berolt has left the pce with his knights, so it will be easy to deal with the few guards around the tower."


    "Do it," the Queen ordered.


    Nodding, Lord Darus left while the Queen busied herself hatching ns against her enemies.

 Chapter 35: Witch, Devil And The Rat

    <h4>Chapter 35:Witch, Devil And The Rat</h4>


    The entire night, Drayce and thebined troop of Abetha, Griven, and Megaris continued to move towards Hatha. From there, the battalion of soldiers were left to capture and reinforce Abetha''s northern fortress.


    The elite squad sneaked past the battlefield and crossed Hatha''s border at midnight as nned. Around dawn, they stopped and camped in the forest deep inside the Kingdom of Hatha as they needed to rest after riding for a whole night.


    "This forest is safe as they don''t keep watch here due to threats from wild animals," Sir Berolt informed the weary men.


    An sighed as hemented, "Humans are scarier than wild animals, and they act scared of the poor things."


    "True!" General Cavrois agreed and spoke as he looked at everyone, "We need to get the exact location of the ce where they had kept the Crown Prince. Our spies haven''t sent anymunications yet."


    "Considering it''s only been three days, they wouldn''t have taken the Crown Prince too far. They must be somewhere close to the Hathan and Thevailes border.


    "Their military border base which is close to the northern Hathan border," An concluded.


    Drayce nodded, "Hmm! By how fast we''re traveling, when we reach there, it will be daytime, so we need to wait till the night to sneak in."


    "Till then, we will get his exact location," the military general added.


    Tents were set up, and everyone went inside to rest except for those stationed to patrol the area. Drayce and An had to share the same tent.


    "Today, you are fortunate to share the bed with me," An concluded as he started to remove his dusty armor.


    "If you do something to trouble me, your thing won''t be that fortunate," Drayce countered as they were about to enter their tent.


    Just then, they heard something, and both held onto their swords to pull them out of the scabbard.? From beside the campsite, there was a rustling of dry leaves.


    Squeak!


    They heard the familiar sound and realized it was only a rat. Drayce couldn''t help but smile.


    An noticed that wide grin and asked, "Are you so tired that you''re already happy to see an ordinary rat?"


    Drayce couldn''t exin why he smiled but said something the next moment that shocked An.


    "I am the devil. I can burn you."


    An gave him an awkward gaze as if he was disgusted with it. "Are you showing your power to that poor thing now?"


    "Doesn''t it sound good to the ears?"


    "My ears felt disgusted," An said as he went inside the tent.


    Drayce continued to look at the rat that quickly disappeared within the bushes around them.


    He couldn''t stop but remember those lines Seren said every time to scare anyone whenever she was cornered.


    After quietlyughing, Drayce went inside the tent where An already got his ce prepared. He stretched his body to rx it.


    Noticing the smile on Drayce''s lips, An deliberately shifted to one side. "You seem weird today. Better stay away from me."


    "Rest assured. I prefer to embrace one rat instead of you."


    With a scoff, An turned to one side, his back facing Drayce.


    --------


    (Seren''s POV)


    The next morning, I woke up in my bed with azy smile, stretching my arms and legs leisurely. Martha was not here to nag me, and I could sleep tillte. But the next moment, I realized something and sat up in my bed.


    I looked around and touched my face and hands and thought, "I am alive! I thought I won''t wake up after having that meal."


    Being alive was a happy surprise.


    "Is Martha back likest time and has cured me?"


    I jumped out of my bed and went to Martha''s room to check if she was there since she was not in my room. Her room was empty. I went down to the lower floors of the tower to check and even went out to see if she was in the garden, but she was not there either.


    "Kitchen! Ah, I forgot to clean it yesterday. She must be busy cleaning it." With a smile, I walked towards the kitchen on the ground floor. "I hope she won''t scold me for burning everything."


    However, Martha was not there too, and the entire kitchen was still a disaster.


    "Did she go to visit my father?" That was the only other reason I could think of as I returned to my bedchamber.


    "I should get ready and wee her nicely. She might spare me from scolding." Just as I moved towards the bath, I heard some noiseing from my window.


    Turning around, I saw the same eagle with a simr square-shaped thing wrapped in blue silk cloth.


    "Again?"


    It came as a big surprise, seeing that I initially thought it was sentst night to harm me, and Martha must have treated me.


    However, if the food was to harm me, there was no need to send it again. The person would think I am dead by now, or were they trying their luck again thinking I didn''t eatst night''s food?


    So many questions arose in my mind, but the fact that troubled me more was that this meant Martha had not returned yet. If she was here, no bird or anything would have dared toe here.


    I went to the window, and that bird fled away like it did yesterday. I looked at his vanishing figure and mumbled, "Who is sending you to me again and again? Is it my father?"


    Lost in my own thoughts, I took the warm wooden box inside. I was saddened by the fact that Martha was not back, and I didn''t care if there was poison in this food.


    "She should get punished for leaving me like this."


    Only after I had a bath and fixed myself did I open that box and emptied the treat of a royal meal for breakfast.

 Chapter 36: Handsome Man In Trouble

    <h4>Chapter 36:Handsome Man In Trouble</h4>


    After a couple of hours of rest in the forest, the sun had already brightened up the clear sky. The elite rescue squad had a quick meal before they readied themselves to leave and reach the Hatha-Thevailes border. Byte noon, they quietly crossed the majority of Hatha through its dangerous forests until they arrived in Niaris, the northernmost province of Hatha.


    Niaris was the territory of Marquis Godfrey Percy, who was also the general guarding the Barknor Fortress. Beyond its wallsy Thevailes.


    The rescue squad was waiting for the information from the spies inside the fortress while they observed the situation from a distance, hiding behind the dense forest trees.


    Barknor Fortress was not just a single castle but a small walled city with high and tough walls. As the frontier of Hatha, its terrain was elevated, allowing the soldiers stationed on the walls a good eye view of thend on either side of the wall. It had a single gigantic wooden gate to allow people to enter the fortress; as such, even on peaceful days with fewer soldiers guarding its entrance, it was a difficult ce to sneak into.


    However, today, it could be seen that an entire toon of soldiers was patrolling the walls in turns. At the gate, more soldiers riding horses wereing in and out.


    The armors of the soldiers belonged to both Hatha and Thevailes.


    "When I came here in the past to visit Marquis Percy, it was not as heavily guarded," General Cavroismented. "They obviously had long prepared to wage this war."


    "General, this is not enough to confirm that the Crown Prince is here, only that they are expecting to be attacked," themander of the knights, Sir Berolt, replied.


    "We can use them to sneak in." An signaled to his friend.


    "We need to seize one prior to reaching the main road," Drayce added.


    From where they were observing, they could see the soldiers verifying the identities of each and every person in the carts and carriages entering the fortress.


    "The way they are checking everything so strictly, it won''t be easy," An concluded.


    "Who likes it easy?"


    "True!" An grinned.


    Just then, Abetha''s spy returned with news.


    "Commander!" He bowed to themander of Abetha''s royal knights.


    Sir Berolt nodded lightly, approving him to talk.


    "The Crown Prince is indeed inside the fortress. He''s being held inside the Marquis'' estate. Although he is detained as a guest and not imprisoned, many soldiers are guarding the entire ce, especially the room where the Crown Prince is. It will be extremely difficult to enter," the spy exined.


    "Did you get the exact location?" Sir Berolt asked as everyone focused on it.


    "Yes, Commander!" The spy pulled out one folded white cloth and opened it to show hismander. Spreading it on the rock nearby, the spy pointed at one location where he already drew a huge cross to show the concerned location. "Here. They are keeping the Crown Prince here."


    Drayce observed the marked location and spoke, "We must enter tonight, or else they might move him elsewhere, and it will only be more difficult for us to get him." He then looked at the spy. He pointed at the gate. "Where are those cartsing from?"


    The spy replied, "Abetha has dered war against Hatha. Although this is the north, the people from the small viges nearby are flooding in together with food and other necessary things for therge army stationed inside."


    "What kind of other necessary things?" Drayce prodded.


    "Well��" The spy cleared his throat awkwardly and spoke, "Since the Thevailes army is staying inside along with Marquis Percy''s army, every night, women are brought to entertain the soldiers, especially for the higher-ranked officials."


    "Women?" Drayce mumbled as he looked around, smiling slyly at An. "But we have handsome man only."


    "What?" An eximed as he stepped back.


    "Time to put your handsome face to use," Drayce replied.


    Cough!


    Cough!


    Others couldn''t believe what Drayce said. The knights from Megaris who knew how their King was like pitied Prince An.


    An rapidly shook his head. "No. Whatever you''re thinking, don''t you even think about it. I prefer to use my war skills instead.".


    Ignoring him, Drayce looked at the spy questioningly. The spy was smart, but he spoke hesitantly, seeing the reactions around him, "I heard...the mainmander of Thevailes, Giles Seeiso, is fond of men��."


    "We are good to go then," Draycemented and looked at An, "Get ready."


    "Are you insane, Drayce?!" the prince shouted in panic.


    "I''ll make sure to protect you. Trust me!"


    "My a��" An stopped with a heavy frown and turned towards where they hid the horses. "I am leaving. I believe one devil is enough to take that entire fortress down."


    Sir Berolt and General Cavrois looked at each other, not knowing what to do, while the spy stood quietly, scared to the bones that Prince An might kill him.


    Just then, one soldier came to them on a horse. He was among the scouts in charge of exchangingmunication with the main army to update them regarding the state of war.


    The scout climbed down the horse and approached the military general, who signaled him to talk.


    He saluted. "General, we have sessfully recaptured the Northern Fortress. The army will start marching towards Hatha''s capital after a day''s rest."


    Drayce did not stay to listen to the rest of the report as he left to get his upset friend.


    "Don''t follow me," An warned as he was ready to get on his horse.


    "You are the only one we can use. If we use those old men or those tough-looking knights, will it work?"


    An turned to look at Drayce, giving him a mocking smile. "To me, you seem to be the best option."


    "My red eyes are famous everywhere, and they all had seen me in previous battles. Don''t forget, Thevailes lost to Megaris. That Giles Seeiso must still be cursing me even in sleep, as I personally gave him that long scar on his face."


    It didn''t calm down An. "I am the Crown Prince of Griven. Do you think he doesn''t know me?"


    "We can make changes in your appearance. It''s nighttime, so we can take advantage of it. My eyes glitter even more in the night, so I really am not an option."


    An refused to budge. "Instead, why don''t you use your powers? It will be an easy win for our side."


    "Let''s fight the human way. I don''t want them to cry over an unfair fight. Besides, we''re here to save someone, not cause a massacre."


    "So, your morals are more important than my dignity," An countered.


    "As a warrior, we should be ready to do anything. I am sure the future King of Abetha will thank the future King of Griven for this life-saving grace."


    An turned silent, and Drayce understood that he had sessfully persuaded his soft-hearted friend.


    "But if that general puts even a finger on me, I''ll make sure to be on the throne next to you as your Queen."


    "Fine," Drayce agreed as he smiled.


    Finally, the two returned to where others were, talking about how to conduct their crazy n.

 Chapter 37: Start Of The Plan

    <h4>Chapter 37:Start Of The n</h4>


    (Seren''s POV)


    Standing by the window, my bored self continued to look at the darkening sky as the sun slowly disappeared behind the mountains.


    Untilst night, my concern had been hunger, but now it changed to boredom. Thetest batch of books had all been read during the day. I couldn''t even go out now because Martha had warned me not to.


    Just then, I saw a shadow flying in the sky towards me. Even though it was still far, I understood who it was.


    "My dinner is here," I sighed, which was unlike how excited I was, seeing the food box for the first time.


    That shadow wasing to the tower, holding a familiar wooden box wrapped in blue silk cloth.


    The majestic eaglended on the window sill and put the box there. He was about to fly back, but I was quick to stop him. "Wait!"


    His wings were stretched midway, deep brown feathers shiny under the light of the setting sun, his sharp body tense as he warily looked at me. This time, I observed him closely, unlike how I used to step back upon the sight of this giant bird.


    This majestic eagle had brought food for me three times today, and as I was absolutely fine after eating it,? I was sure he was not sent by my enemies.


    "You and your owner, do you n to make me a sloth or bear? Too much food this is," I said with a pout.


    The eagle looked at me��no, red at me��as if his golden eyes were screaming out loud, calling me an ungrateful woman.


    Seeing his reaction, my chest tightened in worry. What if this bird stopped bringing me food? There was no guarantee when Martha would return, and the fire had destroyed whatever food was stocked in the kitchen.


    I put on a light smile. "Not that I mind...Umm... Wait here," I instructed, and only after it folded its wings back to its body did I go to one corner of my room.


    I picked up the emptied wooden boxes that were kept on a stack and put them on the window sill. They were tied with a sturdy-looking rope I found from Martha''s room; that way, the eagle would have no problem carrying them.


    "I don''t eat wooden boxes, so you can take these back."


    The giant bird looked at the boxes, then turned to me.


    I asked again, "Do you have a name? Ahh! You must have one. What is it?"


    Those golden eyes red at me again, but this time, it was as if they were saying, ''Lady, I can''t talk.''


    My eyes were smiling like crescent moons at this point. "You can''t talk, so how about I give you a name?"


    There was no response.


    "Why don''t we test it? Try nodding your head if you understand me." However, the eagle remained still as a statue. "You don''t? Then, how will I be sure you''re a male?"


    The bird looked at me as if he sensed something and moved back a little.


    My tone was gentle so as to not further alert it. "I don''t know how to check, but let''s see if I can find something to make sure your gender."


    But the eagle was agile, and it was faster than me. Before my hands could reach him, he had fled away like I''d put his tail on fire.


    Looking at the rapidly escaping shadow, I concluded, "Seems like he is very shy. Never mind, let''s eat again. My tiny tummy has been starving since he only brought me lunch but didn''t bring me afternoon snacks."


    ---------


    Night had fallen, and the rescue squad hiding in the forest outside Barknor Fortress was ready to execute their n.


    Drayce was disguised as an ordinary viger, but even ordinary clothes could not hide his physique, making him look like a strong young helper hired by a small merchant. The other younger knights were dressed like ordinary people too.


    On the other hand, An had to wear nice clothes and look extraordinarily good to make him the most handsome and attractive man around.


    The spy made an arrangement for them to join a group of women, which was being sent inside the fortress to please the soldiers tonight. The women were sitting inside multiple horse carts with guards walking along with the carts.


    These women were gathered from the towns and viges outside the fortress. Due to the number of soldiers both from Hatha and Thevailes inside, many merchants had been ordered by Marquis Percy to deliver women to them. Of course, most of these femalemoners came willingly due to the promise of money and the possibility of getting the attention of someone high-ranked.


    An sat inside a separate cart which was in the middle of the long row of carts. Drayce apanied him inside as his personal guard, and four knights walked outside along the cart. The other members of the squad were disguised as guards as well and mixed up with the bribed merchant''s guards.


    Aretha''s General Cavrois and some of his men were left outside the fortress to act as support once the crown prince was found. General''s scarred face would be too hard to pass off as an ordinary man. Sir Berolt, on the other hand, was going under a different disguise, as they had bribed another small merchant going inside to bring food rations.


    Though An agreed to Drayce''s n, he was not happy. The entire time, he had been ring at his friend.


    "You can use your pretty eyes to charm the general," Draycemented, trying to hold back his smile as the horse cart continued to move towards the fortress. "Distract him until we get the Ilven boy out."

 Chapter 38: Truly First Class!

    <h4>Chapter 38:Truly First ss!</h4>


    When it was finally the turn of their cart to be checked upon reaching the gate, a guard moved the curtain of the cart aside and looked inside.


    Drayce spoke humbly as he lowered his gaze to hide his eyes, "For the Marquis''s special guest."


    The guard immediately understood and closed the curtain right away, but his gaze made An pale. When he nced at An, it was as if he''s saying, ''so he is the one tonight''; however, as a mere guard, he dared not make that demonic special guest wait for his feast.


    Disgust was crawling all over An, and he was ready to step out of the cart. "I''m not doing it! I''m not doing it! We already sneaked inside, and this is good enou��"


    Drayce held his hand to stop him, "Yes, we are already inside the fortress, but do you want everyone to die?"


    An sat back and frowned as he looked at his friend, who was looking back at him calmly. "You sure are enjoying this, Drayce."


    "Not until my sword tastes some blood."


    All the carts sessfully entered the fortress. As they continued to move farther inside, Drayce peeked out by pulling the curtain on his side aside to observe the scenario inside. His mind continued to make ns, although he, of course, would stick to the original one. However, he wanted to be thorough just in caseplications arise.


    The Barknor Fortress was a military base that hadter expanded into a small city. Many buildings that looked like military barracks could be found inside, and although it was nighttime, many people, whether they be civilians or soldiers, were still walking on the streets.


    ording to the information the spy brought, most of the Thevailes soldiers were resting inside Marquis Godfrey Percy''s manor. However, they were permitted to roam around the fortress, as everyone believed that the Abetha''s forces were still fighting the army stationed in the southern region of Hatha.


    After some time, the carts entered the Marquis''s manor once the carts were verified, and they were led in the smaller buildings in the back, where the Thevailes soldiers were resting.


    Loud noises of rowdyughter and vulgar talking could be heard as if drunk people had gathered for entertainment.


    As An''s cart was alreadybeled as someone for General Giles Seeiso, it received special treatment, and they were led to enter inside the Marquis''s castle, where the higher-ranked guests were staying. Several beautiful women, who looked and moved like they came from brothels, were also being sent in along with them. No-one stopped Drayce and the four guards from escorting the Thevailes general''s vor of the night.


    An could sense everyone''s strange gaze on him. Their open disgust and pity pierced him again and again, from the guards to even the women from the viges. It was as if everyone knew��no, there''s no ''as if''. He was sure that everyone knew the general''s preference.


    Another disgusted shiver passed through his spine. The urge to run away was strong.


    "Be calm," Drayce mumbled beside him, knowing what was happening inside An''s mind.


    "You have to pay for my suffering. You just wait," An warned through his gritted teeth.


    Drayce didn''t react as it was not a good idea to provoke his friend at such a crucial time.


    They entered a huge hall where one old robust man could be seen sitting on a huge wooden throne-like chair at the head of the banquet table. The finely-crafted wooden table in front of him carried liquor and dishes.


    The women who came along with them had dispersed among the officers, making sure at least one of them was apanying each person. Two of the women went to the general and started serving him liquor. His lustful gaze observed them, and his hands moved ordingly.


    Just as An entered the hall with Drayce following him, General Giles''s sight zeroed on him as he stood up from the chair. Uponing closer, Drayce had lowered his head so the general wouldn''t notice the color of his eyes. However, it wasn''t necessary.


    With the way the general''s sight was fixed at An, it was impossible he would look at someone else.


    The dark-haired man who just entered had to be in his mid-twenties. Upon closer look, the man''s long hair that was falling gently over his wide shoulders was not ck but more ashy brown in color. It framed a perfectly sculpted face with high cheekbones and a sharp jawline, yet his appearance remained somewhat soft, noble even.


    His eyes ought to be the deepest sea blue eyes one could ever see in the continent, with skin the healthy color of wheat, and his luscious lips were red like blood. Even though the man was wearing a simple dark blue garb, itplimented his soulful eyes, and it was open in the chest area, allowing everyone to see the beautifully toned muscles underneath.


    The general had seen plenty of good-looking people in his life, but even the favorite concubine he had in his estate paled to the elegant face of the man before him.


    Truly first ss!


    The red-faced older man licked his lips in anticipation, and he could not stop himself from moving closer. It was as if there was nobody inside the hall aside from him and the drop-dead gorgeous man that had entered the hall.

 Chapter 39: Delicious!

    <h4>Chapter 39:Delicious!</h4>


    With each step the drunk general took towards An, the prince''s muscles could be seen tensing up. As the person closest to him, Drayce could clearly see his friend wavering.


    Although the banquet hall was noisy, Drayce spoke in a low voice, using a small western dialect in order to make sure nobody else but the Prince of Griven could understand his words, "Remember the n. Talk straight, looking into his eyes that will show you are not scared of him. y hard to get and show you anticipate more from him. Challenge him."


    An frowned inwardly. He wanted to curse but couldn''t show anger on his face as the general''s sight was fixed on him. With gritted teeth, An spoke in the same dialect, "Words of experience? It seems like you had spent many nights with him during your kingdoms'' battles."


    "If so, he wouldn''t be standing here," Drayce scoffed.


    "You kept him alive for me to see this day, you��."


    However, their banter was rudely interrupted by a hearty pig-likeughter.


    "So, you are the fortunate one for the night?"


    An didn''t bow to the red-faced General Giles but stared into the drunk general''s hungry eyes with a stubborn expression. "In this banquet hall, I believe no one can im to be fortunate other than you, General Giles Seeiso."


    The attention of everyone present in the hall shifted towards the general and the handsome man in front of him.


    Though those men had pretty women beside them, entertaining them the way they wanted, they couldn''t move their sights from An''s face. It wasn''t just the handsome face or his lean physique; it was also the way he carried himself with confidence and pride, neither too servile nor arrogant.


    "Oh! One with a temper. General is lucky tonight," whispered one of the officers to his subordinate.


    "For the first time, I am tempted to take a man to my bed," said the other one. "I wonder if he can be tamed."


    "I can exchange all these women for that one man."


    "These vige women are nothingpared to him."


    "After the general''s turn, I am taking him to my chamber."


    Drayce''s sharp hearing could capture all the murmurs going around, and he was thankful that An couldn''t hear them, or he didn''t know what his friend might have done. Knowing his yful friend''s angry side which rarely came out, he was sure they would be beheaded right away, n be damned. After all, An was a prince; he had the dignity of a royal.


    General Giles smirked as his lecherous eyes scanned An''s alluring face. The general raised a rough hand to touch An''s face, but by sheer coincidence, the servant passing close to them tripped and dropped the wooden tray in his hand, shattering tes and food on the floor.


    Of course, it was Drayce who made him trip by stealthily moving his sheathed sword to one side, interfering with the servant''s feet. Drayce sure didn''t want An to be his queen.


    "A-Apologies, General Giles." The terrified servant bowed again and again, begging the drunk man to show mercy on him.


    General Giles red at him, but he spared the servant as he was more interested in the beauty in front of him.


    The servant took the chance to start gathering the scattered things on the floor in a hurry. Another servant helped him, and then they made their escape.


    The general''s lewd gaze moved from An''s face to his neck, then down to his muscr chest that was visible through the partially opened blue robe.


    An was thoroughly disgusted by this point, and it didn''t help that the next word from the general was��


    "Delicious!"


    "That I am!" An agreed with a saucy smile, which thankfully stopped the old general from moving his dirty gaze further down, or else, An didn''t know what he would have done.


    Hemented how he somehow saved his thing from his friend''s sword but now needed to save it again, and this time from this ugly pig-like general. Even though he was wearing clothes, the way the general appreciated his handsome appearance from head to toe, he felt naked and vited.


    General Giles grinned at An. "Quite a daring darling, aren''t you? No courtesan had ever dared to cross me, and you didn''t even bow to me."


    "The night is young. It will not be toote to show you respectter, General. It depends on how the night goes; maybe I will give you more than a bow," An responded with a yful smile, staring back at General Giles with a raised brow.


    "Are you doubting if I can please you properly?" the general asked.


    "As I have said, the night is young. General has many opportunities to erase my doubts," An countered confidently.


    "First, I''ll make you bend in front of me, andter you will bow to me," said the Thevailes general, sounding confident about himself.


    "Only the night can tell," An said in a challenge.


    "Interesting!" General Giles pulled out one tiny ss bottle sealed with a wooden knob from his pocket. "Do you see this?"


    An looked at it to know what it was.


    The old general answered. "If I swallow a single pill from this bottle, it will be enough to keep you bowing the entire night. But as you are so special, I don''t mind taking two of these so you can keep bowing to me for the next two days."


    An understood what it was and cursed this hellishly disgusting man in his mind, but he had to maintain his calm. Not showing any negative emotion on his face, An could onlyugh to hide his revulsion. "s! I can only wait in anticipation, but I might have to remind the General that you might have to empty an entire bottle down your throat."


    "Too much confidence, huh? It seems like you have nevere across someone like me." the generalughed again.


    "Seems like General too has nevere across someone like me. I''ll make sure the General will never forget this night," An with a smile that was not a smile. His words held a hidden meaning that only Drayce understood, but he did not pity the pig-like general.


    "It will be fun to crush this confidence. How about we start now?"


    "Best wine is servedst, General," An replied suggestively, "I would like to ask the General to let me serve him first with the Marquis''s wine. I assure you that even the most ordinary wine will taste even better when served by me."


    "Very well!" The Thevailes general agreed and turned to go back to his seat at the head of the banquet table.


    An murmured under his breath, "Find him fast. I don''t have patience long enough to deal with this shithole."

 Chapter 40: Not A Crown Prince

    <h4>Chapter 40: Not A Crown Prince</h4>


    An followed the drunk general and sat beside him while Drayce and his knights went out of the banquet before disappearing in one corner. Time was of the essence, and they needed to get Prince Cian as soon as possible.


    The map was fixed in Drayce''s mind, and he knew the location was close by. As most of the guards were busy enjoying the drinks together with the soldiers and weren''t paying much attention to anyone, it was easy for Drayce and the knights to move around without much disturbance.


    Inside the banquet, red-faced General Giles sat in his wide chair leisurely, his elbow resting at the handrest of the chair to give support to his head. His leg dangled sloppily on the other handrest as if he wished toy there for the rest of the night.


    His other hand held a wine ss as he continued to appreciate An''s appearance, who was currently kneeling next to the table and was holding a wine bottle, ready to refill the General''s almost empty wine ss.


    General Giles sipped wine without hiding his indecent intentions towards the handsome man serving him. "This wine sure tastes heavenly after you served it."


    "I never tell a lie," An replied as he ced the wine bottle back on the table.


    The pig-like general patted his one thigh, signaling him to sit. "Why don''t you getfortable here?"


    "I wish General Giles to save those strong thighs for the night."


    Though An focused on keeping this man busy, his mind was wondering how long it would take for Drayce to send him the signal that the Prince of Abetha had been found. Each second felt like a year to him.


    Once Prince Cian was rescued, An was sure to please this general enough for the rest of his life.


    "My thighs are stronger than you can imagine." General Giles gave him a meaningful gaze with a dirty smirk on his ugly lips.


    "As much as I would like to believe that, General, I am also not fond of disying my skills in front of a crowd. Pleasure is best exchanged between the giver and the receiver alone," An countered smoothly. "Doesn''t that kind of pleasure sound more special?"


    "I must say I''m honored," said theughing general as he emptied the entire wine ss in one gulp.


    An again served wine in the general''s empty ss.


    -------


    Drayce and hispanions sneaked towards where the Prince Cian was reported to be kept captive, crossing the multiple dimly lit passages between the rooms inside Marquis Percy''s castle. Whenever they see guards patrolling around, they would turn towards the many forked corridors before resuming their nned route.


    Stopping in front of one well-carved door which showed it was a guest room meant for important people, Drayce spoke. "This is it."


    The door handles had chains and an iron lock on them to lock it from the outside, but something seemed off to Drayce. Finally, his personal knight, yer, voiced out what was exactly in his King''s mind.


    "Why are there no guards here?" yer asked, puzzled, but Drayce merely signaled him to break the lock.


    yer pulled out a thin metal pin-like tool and did something with the lock, and it opened in less than ten seconds.


    Removing the iron chains, the knights carefully opened the door, making sure not to make any noise when they entered the room.


    The room was silent. Drayce''s gaze was on the bed in the middle of the room where someone was sleeping quietly, covered entirely with a nket. He found the sight more suspicious. Like him, Cian Ilven was a swordsman too, and this crown prince was a renowned general; after all, he would not be put in charge of Abetha''s Northern Fortress if he had no skills. How could someone like him not wake up when intruders had entered his room?


    yer stepped forward and pulled the nket away, only to see something unexpected.


    There was a man wearing the clothes of the guards in this military base. His hands and legs were tied, and his mouth was covered tightly with cloth. He was unconscious.


    "Could it be that the Prince has escaped?" yermented.


    The Abethan knight agreed. "His Highness is not the type to simply wait for rescue. He is smart just as he is strong."


    "He must have gone to the one who can make the escape easy for him once threatened for life," Draycemented.


    "Marquis Godfrey Percy? But he has been reported to have left Barknor a few hours ago," said the Abethan knight.


    "Then, General Giles Seeiso," yer concluded.


    Drayce nodded, and the three left immediately. An was with the general, and their intuition was strong that Prince Cian must have gone there too. They had to return to where the general was.


    As they retraced their way, they met the other knights who also snuck in disguise. One of them came to alert them. "Commander Berolt and his team are ready. General Cavrois is also waiting for the signal to charge in with the rest of the knights."


    After the brief exchange, Drayce and the other two returned to the banquet hall, only to see the pig-like general was no longer there and there was no sign of An.


    They quickly found one of their men ced there to keep an eye on the hall.


    "Your Majesty, Prince An left the hall with the general half an hour after you left to search for Prince Cian."

 Chapter 41: Desperate To See Her

    <h4>Chapter 41: Desperate To See Her</h4>


    While the central region of the continent was embroiled in the mes of war, inside the Royal Pce of Abetha, there was someone who seemed to have grown white hair overnight. It was King Armen Ilven, who was not only worried for his only son, but also for his youngest daughter too.


    Ever since the ck smoke incident in her tower, he had been terribly worried for Seren''s wellbeing. He had asked his men to check what happened, but due to the magic spell put around the tower by Martha, no one could enter the tower to check what was going on inside. They returned to their king without news about the Third Princess.


    To make matters worse, Sir Berolt had to oversee the rescue mission for Cian personally. Without themander of the royal knights to ensure the safety of his daughter, he had been unable to sleep well. Since she was young, countless attempts were made against the ''witch'', both from people within and outside the pce walls. King Armen had only been able to rx because of the double protection offered by Martha and Sir Berolt.


    However, both individuals were gone.


    The security of the tower only relied on Martha''s spell, which, although hindered him from seeing his daughter, also acted as a protective shield for her.


    His trusted advisor, Lord Eudes, entered King Armen''s study. In the middle of the night, he saw his King sitting on a chair, deep in thought. Several correspondence regarding the war were ced on his desk. The calming tea made earlier remained untouched on the side.


    "Your Majesty asked for me?" Lord Eudes bowed.


    The King looked at him with weary eyes. "Did you get to know about Martha''s whereabouts?"


    "No, Your Majesty. Our scouts and spies can''t get hold of her, as if she has disappeared in thin air," Lord Eudes informed humbly.


    Thud!


    King Armen mmed his hand against the handrest of his chair. "How can she disappear, leaving the Third Princess alone for this long?! She should have returned by now! It''s already the second night my daughter is alone, and she must be scared. And I, her father, can''t even enter the tower and check on her. Hah! I can''t even leave the pce to save my son! Aren''t I a useless father?!"


    All the frustration King Armen kept inside till now came out like a volcano. His expression turned colder and angrier with each passing second.


    Lord Eudes dared notment about the King. "I have activated the spies outside the capital, and we will hear from them sooner orter." He paused for a bit. "The night iste, and we will only receive their messages tomorrow at the earliest, Your Majesty. Why don''t you retire to your room for now and rest?"


    The King decisively ignored his concern as he stood up from his chair. "Do whatever you can, but get Martha back immediately, Eudes."


    Lord Eudes followed him. After leaving the study, King Armen did not head back to his room; instead, he took the direction heading towards the Third Princess''s tower.


    "Y-Your Majesty!"


    "Now, you dare stop me from visiting my daughter?" came the cold reply from the frowning King. "Can I not visit her because I''m worried?"


    "I do not dare stop you, Your Majesty," Lord Eudes sighed as he quietly followed the King.


    The royal knights along the way kept bowing to their King, but no one said anything when they realized where he was headed to.


    Upon reaching the tower, the two guards under Sir Berolt''s personalmand bowed to King Armen.


    "Open the door," Lord Eudes instructed the soldier.


    The knights opened the main gate. Before stepping inside, King Armen had already rung the metal hung outside of the gate to inform his Seren that someone was there and she shoulde downstairs to meet her guest.


    King Armen stepped inside the gate and was weed by the sight of a beautiful flower garden that shined under the bright moonlight. But those flowers seem to have their own magical brightness that glittered even in the night. No one would have expected that behind the stone walls, such a magical sight could exist.


    Other than the King, no one was allowed to enter inside; even his trusted advisor stayed outside and didn''t follow the King.


    King Armen stood in front of the entrance of the tower, hoping his daughter woulde out. Some time passed by, but there was no movement.


    ''Could she be asleep?''


    "Ring the bell again," King Armen ordered in a loud voice.


    Lord Eudes, who was at the gate, heard it and rang the bell as instructed. King Armen continued to wait there for a long time, but not a shadow of Seren could be seening out of the tower. Even though he knew it was useless, as a worried father, King Armen stepped towards the tower''s entrance, only to get pushed away by an unknown, invisible energy.


    King Armen pulled out his sword, thinking he might break that unknown magic by brute force, but again, he was pushed away by that invisible energy. There was no way he could get inside the tower.


    Standing by the gate, Lord Eudes could not see the normally calm King of Abetha, but rather, a father desperate to know if his daughter was safe. He felt sad for his King.


    After some time, King Armen returned to Lord Eudes. He was still holding onto his sword, his knuckles white. "Ask our men to climb the tower from outside."


    "We tried it already, Your Majesty, but as expected, due to magic, they can''t even touch the wall of the tower," Lord Eudes informed, which disappointed the King even more.


    "Get any shaman or anyone who knows magic and get rid of it."


    "I will see to your orders, Your Majesty, but I doubt��"


    "If a woman like Martha exists, then there must be more." King was not in a mood to listen to any excuses.


    The King remembered something and asked, "What about the food I asked to send here?"


    "The Third Princess didn''te to get any of them."


    Frustrated, King Armen could only sheath his sword as he looked up at the tower. He didn''t know what to do and how to get to his daughter. He didn''t even know if she was in any danger. The longer he stared, the angrier he felt.


    He could only curse Martha in his mind for using such a strong spell when she had no ns to return soon.

 Chapter 42: Exposed!

    <h4>Chapter 42: Exposed!</h4>


    Half an hour.


    Plenty could happen in half an hour.


    Inside Marquis Percy''s castle, Drayce and his men searched where the Thevailes general took Prince An. There were several guest rooms prepared for the general that was marked in the map given by the Abethan spy, as it seemed the general had the tendency to move about between the castle and the army barracks.


    One of their knights who managed to disguise himself as a servant came to them, and yer asked, "Where?"


    When they made their ns to break into the Barknor Fortress a few hours ago, they had considered various scenarios such as this. Some of the knights who infiltrated inside were meant to be eyes and means for the entire rescue squad to pass timely information about the situation.


    The servant-knight guided their way away from the banquet hall. However, as they traveled deeper into the castle, Drayce had noticed that the corridors and hallways were too quiet. One could only hear the merriment of the ordinary soldiers outside. There were no patrols, nor maids and servants around...


    Drayce gripped his sword as he said to his men, "Get ready."


    Understanding his meaning, the three knights with him became more alert, their swords being slowly unsheathed as they gazed around the ce.


    As expected, a bunch of Thevailes soldiers came out both from behind and in front of the group. Their swords came outpletely from their scabbards, only to get blood on them as soon as the sounds of swords shing with each other echoed in the hallway.


    "yer!" Drayce called out his trusted knight''s name as he hacked an enemy into two.


    "Yes, my lord?" yer asked while skillfully dealing with the soldiers. He knew better than to give away his King''s identity, but he also could not forgo respecting his liege.


    "Go to An," Drayce instructed.


    Killing the soldier in front of him with another sh, yer left with the servant-soldier who knew where Prince An was. There was no worry on his face. His King was an unrivaled fighter in a kingdom where battle prowess was said to be the strongest in the continent. Although yer was his guardian knight in name, with his strength, Drayce Ivanov needed no protection. He trusted his King to deal with everyone as no one could ever beat him.


    Drayce''s sword continued to ughter each and everyoneing his way, while other disguised knights too who joined the battle didn''t show any mercy on the enemies.


    A few enemy soldiers tried to follow yer, but Drayce didn''t let anyone pass him.


    One by one, the soldiers lost their lives in the hands of the infamous devil, the King of Megaris.


    --------


    When Drayce and his knights left to search for Prince Cian, An had remained inside the banquet hall and continued to deal with the disgustingly perverted general. Each second felt like a year, but he had to maintain his facade of being a courtesan. After emptying a few more sses of wine, one soldier came to General Giles.


    "General! Everything is ready as per your instructions."


    Hearing the report, the pig-like general smirked as he looked at An. "And here, our guest is ready too."


    An felt like something was fishy with that statement, but he couldn''t afford to act recklessly.


    "I have made a special arrangement for tonight, just for the two of us,"?General Giles grinned.


    "Whatever it is, I''ll make sure the arrangement will be more than worth it," An replied, his red lips curved into a coyly pleasant smile.


    "It''s hard to wait to taste such beauty." The general''s lusty eyes glowed with intense delight as if he could not wait to wipe off the confidence in An''s smile. "Shall we leave?"


    An stood up. "I dare not refuse you, General Giles."


    The general emptied the leftover wine in his ss and stood up. The soldier guided their way out as the two walked behind him.


    "I will make sure you will never forget this night," the generalmented as they passed through the corridors.


    "I look forward to it," An replied calmly, but through his side vision, he kept taking note of the surroundings. His eyes didn''t fail to capture something, but he continued walking quietly.


    An had seen the map from the Abethan spy, and judging from the twists and turns they had to take, he realized they were headed towards one of thergest guest rooms on the left-wing of the castle. They soon reached the end of the hallway and found themselves in front of a huge, nicely-carved wooden door.


    The soldier apanying them opened the door and stepped aside as he said, "General!"


    General Giles looked at An and signaled with his hand like a gentleman asking his guest to go inside first. An did so, and the general followed him. The soldier closed the door, and the next moment, swords came out from their scabbards.


    Shwing!


    General Giles, who stood near the closed door, had his sword pointed towards An, who had the same fighting posture. Both men stood pointing their swords towards each other''s throats as evil smirks painted their lips.


    An had a short sword which he covertly hid under his blue robe. As the scabbard was tied to his leg, the short sword was easy to be drawn through the side slit of his long robe.


    "Prince An Cromwell!" General Giles greeted as he chuckled lightly. The pig-like man gazed at him like a predator who just captured his prey.


    An scoffed, "Suddenly, my own name felt disgusting after hearing it from you."


    "On the other hand, I would love to hear my own name from your pretty mouth. Calling for me, begging me..." The general''s gaze passed across the beautiful skin on An''s exposed neck. "And trust me, I will give you more of such opportunities."


    "Oh, after I am done with you, I guess I can spare some time to sing a song with your name in it, about how you can''t even have aplete corpse and a funeral," Anughed. Although he looked rxed, his mind remained alert to deal with any move from the general.


    While the two exchanged vicious pleasantries, they continued to move inside the room in a circle with light and careful footsteps. Their swords remained pointed at each other, ready to attack and counter attack at a moment''s notice.

 Chapter 43: Impressive!

    <h4>Chapter 43: Impressive!</h4>


    nk!


    Shling!


    In no time, the room was filled with the sounds of swords shing and furniture breaking.


    "I could have killed you right away, but before that, I will like to taste you nicely, Prince of Griven," the general said while attacking and defending himself from An''s sword moves. Although he was older, it could be seen that his attacks were swift and ferocious. He did not even look intoxicated.


    An was thinking about when did the Thevailes general realize his identity. Could it be that he had given himself away during the banquet, or worse, did Giles Seeiso already know that enemies infiltrated the fortress?


    "You will soon regret keeping me alive then," An countered as he continued to give a tough fight to the old general.


    Giles Seeiso was a skilled general who had served his entire life fighting with swords on the battlefield. Among the many shes, Thevailes had against Megaris; his troop was one of those that gave Megaris a headache. An knew he was not easy to deal with.


    On the other hand, An was the First Prince of Griven, and he had served in the military before he was officially appointed the Crown Prince. Not only that, as Drayce''s friend, he had sparred way too many times with the fiercest fighter of Megaris. Although An had less actual fighting experience, his swordsmanship was no less than the general''s.


    m!


    Smash!


    nk!


    The guest room was aplete mess.? There was no beauty in the way they fought; two didn''t mind climbing and jumping over anything to dodge each other''s attacks��the vases broke, the wooden furniture smashed, and even the antiques destroyed.


    The general chuckled. "I''ll make sure you regret evening into my sight once I make you bend in front of me."


    "I''ll make sure the general reaches the height of real pleasure," An countered as he dodged the general''s swift sword move by jumping along the wall. One of his legs kicked the general on his chest to make him move back and lose bnce.


    However, General Giles was quick to recover himself. "Young ones are really energetic, huh?"


    "Better than rotten old bones like yours," Anmented as he prepared to attack again.


    This time, the general dodged his attack and kicked An, heavy enough to make his back collide against the wooden drawer chest behind him. A few more things fell on the floor, only to smash into pieces.


    "Tough nut!" Anmented as he marched towards the general.


    With how messy they were fighting, An knew it was impossible to hope the whole fortress had not heard them fight. Soldiers must have been mobilized to surround the castle. He could only wonder if, at the very least, Drayce managed to reach Abetha''s Crown Prince before mayhem broke out.


    This time, An''s moves were swifter. He managed to close in with the general and hit his mouth with the fist that was gripping his sword.


    General Giles stepped back as he felt a light sting in the front row of his tooth. He spat out a canine tooth coated with blood. The inside of his mouth was covered with blood.


    The general wiped his mouth as he red at An.


    An gave him teasing and mocking smile. "Don''t be angry. Your mouth throws out more shit than your rear. What is bloodpared to shit?"


    "Enough of this child-y now!" the general growled in anger as he lunged towards An once again.


    The more furious this pig became, the more An liked it. But General Giles was not easy to handle, especially now that he was acting berserk due to anger.


    "Take it easy, old man. You might sprain your back."


    An teased, but the angry general continued to attack him with ferocity. An had no choice but to be more careful and evade those angry hacks. The des were shing so hard; they were emitting sparkles with each hit.


    Soon, An overpowered the general, taking advantage of his getting tired due to his reckless outburst. Making someone angry and then defeating themter due to their stupidity was An''s favorite thing to do.


    Thud!


    nkkkk!


    General Giles''s sword fell on the floor, its echo loud inside the enclosed room. The general lost his bnce, only to be kicked in the chest again, and his body crashed on the floor.


    "You don''t deserve to stand in front of me," An said as he pointed his sword towards the general. One reckless move, and he wouldn''t mind piercing his sword through his disgusting body.


    Instead of being worried at his defeat, the general chuckled. "Do you think you can kill me and get out of here? Your friends must have been captured by now."


    An chuckled back. "And do you think we didn''t expect these ancient moves from you? How obnoxious. Or should I call you a fool?"


    The general only nced at An, not saying anything.


    An continued. "No wonder. Your brain must be in that little soldier down there, a tiny brain that can''t think of anything useful."


    The general smirked. "Kill me and then see."


    "Not so soon, general. I have a better n for you." A wicked smile painted itself on An''s lips. "How about I get rid of your little soldier and leave you to get pleasure through your rear alone?"


    General Gilesughed like he heard the funniest joke.


    "You are good with words." Hisughter stopped and the look in his eyes changed into a mocking one. "However you try, you can''t change the fact that you will end up under me tonight."


    The general licked the blood from his hurt lips.


    "Guards!"


    The next moment, the door opened and four tall and robust soldiers entered the room, holding their swords towards An.


    The general looked at his soldiers. "Even if he kills me now, don''t let him leave alive. Bury him with me so that his soul will be disgusted even after death."


    An didn''t go to the general to take him captive as the general took that option away. He could only stretch his arm and prepare for a more thrilling fight.


    The general looked at the calm,posed and still so confident Prince of Griven. Even in the worst situation, the young prince didn''t waver or lose hisposure, as if he was not scared of anything.


    Definitely first ss!


    "Impressive!" the general eximed but his foul mouth couldn''t stop spurting out disgusting words. "Now, I don''t regret keeping you alive. Will be fun to take you to my bedter."


    "In your dream, you pig," An replied as his sight wandered around the door, as if he was waiting for something. Before anyone could react, the next moment, all four soldiers were on the floor as the blood dripped out of their bodies.


    Two swords moved so swiftly, not one of the soldiers knew what had happened before they died.


    One of the deadly swords belonged to the ever-confident An, while the other belonged to a familiar young man with brown hair.


    Unable to move from the floor, General Giles dumbly looked at the corpses of his soldiers, before his shocked gaze moved towards the tall man standing at the door, holding his blood-covered sword to one side.


    "Prince Cian?" the general spoke in disbelief.

 Chapter 44: Arlans Revenge

    <h4>Chapter 44: An''s Revenge</h4>


    General Giles was shocked to see the tall young man with short golden brown hair, who was wearing a slightly tattered long white silk robe with the crest of the Royal Family of Abetha embroidered on its sleeves.


    The Crown Prince of Abetha, Cian Ilven.


    His sapphire blue eyes red fiercely at the Thevailes general, and his gaze looked like a sharp de ready to kill the person in front of him at a moment''s notice. His blood-coated sword, added with the anger in his eyes, made him look like someone even a madman should be wary of.


    An smiled wickedly at the fierce prince. As princes of allied kingdoms belonging to the same age group, the two of them had met and interacted with each other several times in countless formal asions. He could understand how furious and humiliated Cian might be feeling. To be captured in his own territory and to be brought into an enemy kingdom against his will, his desire for revenge must be overflowing.


    An chuckled. "I thought you woulde muchter when it''s time to collect my dead body."


    "I won''t mind you dying, but not in the hand of this bastard. You deserve better." Prince Cian stepped towards the general who was on the floor, keeping his sword pointed at his throat with each step.


    General Giles looked at An, surprised to find out that the two seemed to have already interacted with each other. Didn''t the Prince of Griven stay with him the entire time since he entered the castle? Also, before the banquet, he knew the Prince of Abetha was still locked up.


    The general recovered from his shock and grinned maliciously. "Prince Cian. Nice to see you here."


    Cian touched the tip of his sharp sword against the general''s throat, and thin blood trickled from the small cut he made. "These words are unbefitting this scenario, don''t you think so? "


    The general chuckled as he gazed at Cian. There was no fear of death in his eyes. "You can''t imagine how happy I am to see you here. I have long wanted toe to you to have some fun, but it seems like you are more desperate toe to me."


    An sighed. "Again, his mouth started throwing out shit."


    "Let me shut it forever then."


    Cian was about to pierce his sword into the general''s throat��


    General Gilesughed. "Go ahead. I am not scared of death." He licked his lips, "The only regret I have is that I couldn''t take both of you to my bed. After taking that Prince of Griven, I nned toe to your room next."


    "Then die with regrets."


    "Wait!"


    Cian scowled at the Prince of Griven. His hatred for Thevailes was one thing; for a proud royal-like him to be insulted as well, he was at his limits. He couldn''t believe that An had the guts to stop him.


    Although he did stop midway, the cut on the general''s neck was deeper now, although it was not severe enough for the man to die.


    "I have better ns for him." An pulled out a small ss bottle with a wooden knob from his pocket. "Do you recognize this, General?"


    Cian didn''t know what it was, but the general''s eyes widened, seeing the familiar bottle, and he touched his pocket to check if he indeed lost it.


    His pocket was empty, and he spoke, "When did you get it from me?"


    "Well, I am more skilled than you think. It was not difficult to get it from you while fighting."


    Collecting himself, the general chuckled. "So, are you ready to get into my bed? Give me that bottle, and trust me, I''ll send both of you to heaven."


    "Oh my. What can you do when I n to send you to hell? The hell of unlimited pleasure," An replied and looked at Cian. "This is one of the strongest aphrodisiacs from the east. What do you think of emptying this entire bottle down his throat and tying him somewhere? Then, when this miraculous medicine shows its effect, he will be tortured to the point he would have preferred dying by your sword, as he would be unable to pacify his demanding little soldier till death."


    The general gulped, thinking about it. As a person from the military, he was not scared of a neat death, but what An had in mind was pretty much hell incarnate to him. He would die from an overdose, but he would suffer for hours...


    "Not bad," Cian said after understanding what was in that bottle. There was a vicious glint in his eyes.


    "Why don''t you two join me after I eat them all?" the general asked, not giving up on his perverted thoughts.


    "Rest assured, general. I''ll fulfill your wish before you die," Cian said, but from his expression, it looked like what he had in mind was vastly different from what the general wanted.


    Standing in front of the general, An put his sword back in the scabbard and opened the bottle. It could be seen that the bottle was almost filled to the brim with pills as if it was newly-bought and only a couple or three had been taken.


    "Open your mouth," An instructed.


    The general refused to open his mouth as fear finally appeared in his eyes.


    An kneeled on one leg and pped the face of the enemy on the floor. "Didn''t you hear me, old man?"


    Before General Giles could react, Cian crushed his manhood under his foot.


    Just as the general opened his mouth to scream, that scream got buried in his throat as An took that opportunity to empty the stuff from the bottle directly on that opened mouth, and he didn''t remove the bottle even though the general was choking.


    An pinched the general''s nose with his other hand, and only after he made sure that the general gulped all the pills down did he let go. As the general needed to breathe, he had no other choice but to swallow what was inside his mouth.


    Due to the immense pain in his lower region, the general couldn''t even cry out and he could only curl like a shrimp on the dirty floor.

 Chapter 45: Prince Cians Turn

    <h4>Chapter 45: Prince Cian''s Turn</h4>


    "We are yet to be done, old man," An said as he stood up.


    "G-Guards!" the general managed to call out, but perhaps he was in too much pain; it was barely a croak.


    An was about to punch the general''s mouth, but Cian held his hand. "Let him be."


    Seeing the fierce expression on the brown-haired prince''s face, An knew that Cian had other ns and didn''t hit the general.


    "Guards!" the general called out again, but this time loud enough for people outside the room to hear. In no time, two guards appeared at the door.


    Seeing the general and other soldiers on the floor, they raised their swords towards Cian and An.


    An was ready with his sword while Cian pulled out two yellow pouches tied at his waist from the slit of his outer robes.


    Cian looked at the guards, showing them those two heavy-looking pouches. "Now, decide if you want to die like these four soldiers or want this gold."


    Cian tossed one pouch on the floor, and coins spilled out from the open pouch. Seeing so many gold coins rolling on the floor, the guards'' minds wavered.


    "I have more of these," Cain said as he signaled them to look at his waist. He pushed aside the slit of his outer robe where he tied those pouches.


    "K-Kill...them...," the general hoarsely shouted, but the next moment, he whined in pain as Cian once again blessed his little soldier with a nice kick. "Ahhh!"


    "Be good, general, when I am working hard to give you what you want," Cian warned as a devilish smirk painted on his lips. He looked at the guards again. "I don''t have much time for your rusty brains to make a decision."


    "We can get it after we kill you," said one guard.


    "You should know better after looking at these dead soldiers on the floor," An said and pointed his sword with confidence towards the guards. "But still, if you want, then let''s try it."


    These ordinary guards could see that the men on the floor were General Giles'' personal guards. If these two were skilled enough to kill four elite soldiers, they could kill them too.


    "Well?" Cian prompted.


    One of the soldiers hesitated and finally lowered his sword after he looked at the pouch again. "What do you want us to do, sir?"


    "Fuck this general till he die," Cian replied.


    "W-What?" the general eximed, and the guards felt puzzled by the weird demand.


    "Should not be difficult for you after entertaining yourself every night, watching the general''s pleasure activities while standing outside of this door," Cianmented again. As he said those words, he continued to y with the pouch of gold in his hand. "Don''t worry that he will take revenge on you. We gave him drugs that will kill him in overdose. No one will know what happened in this room. If you agree, you get to keep your life, you get money, and you get to dishonor this nasty bastard. I''m sure he isn''t a nice person to be around, right?"


    The soldiers switch their gazes from the gold pouch to the corpses on the floor.


    "Fine, we agree, sir," said the guard who had already lowered his sword.


    "Are you sure about it?" the other guard, who was more hesitant than him, asked.


    "We just have to do what we saw him doing with others," the guard replied emotionlessly as if it was not a big deal. "With this much gold, we can run away to another kingdom. We can even buy our ownnd."


    "Fine then." The second guard lowered his sword too and looked at Cian. "We want all the gold you have."


    Cian threw two more pouches of gold to them, and the two immediately picked them up.


    Two more guards arrived but seeing theirpanions holding pouches filled with gold; greed could be seen on their faces as well. Instead of teaming up to fight Cian and An, the two joined in after hearing a brief recount of the situation.


    One of the neers red at the general as heughed viciously as if he could see the gold coins rolling in. "You two can''t hoard all this gold."


    Panic covered the general''s face as he tried to stand up. "You assholes! I will kill you all!"


    The guards ignored him and looked at Cian. This time, Cian pulled out a bigger pouch. "This one is for the person who will cause his death on his turn." He threw the pouch on the floor, and all four guards hurried to get it.


    General Giles picked up his sword, but An shed at his arm, and the sword fell on the floor. "It''s time for you to have some fun, general. Isn''t this a death worthy of a song having your name? Imagine the birds singing about the pig-like general with the most disrespectful death in history, Giles Seeiso, who died in bed with his own men, rather than in a battlefield or in the hands of the enemies."


    An and Cian no longer paid attention to the trembling old man as they stepped out of the trashed room. As they left, they could still hear the conversation from inside.


    "Bastards! Stay away from me...,mmmph...you!"


    General Giles could be heard shouting, but it suddenly stopped as if his mouth was being gagged.


    "I''ll take him first. I want more gold."


    "No, I will. He will die when I��."


    "Close the door first."


    "Take him to the bed."


    "Let''s kill him faster."


    "Let''s see who is a real man and can get thatst gold pouch."


    -------


    Even with that sessful revenge, Cian and An did not let their guard down. They were in enemy territory, and it would be disadvantageous if they were caught as they were outnumbered in a full-on fight. Since Giles Seeiso had known An''s identity, the entire fortress might have been already alerted of their presence. They were lucky as so far, the passages they took were empty.


    "I didn''t know you had the hobby of carrying that much gold with you," Anmented as the two continued to walk along the long corridor with An in the lead, as he had seen theplete map of the fortress and knew the way out.


    "Beforeing here, I visited Marquis Percy''s chamber," Cian informed with a cold tone.

 Chapter 46: Long Awaited Prey

    <h4>Chapter 46: Long Awaited Prey</h4>


    "Beforeing here, I visited Marquis Percy''s chamber," Cian informed with a cold tone.


    "Ah." That exined why Cian had that much gold. If An was to guess, those several pouches of gold were enough to support a small vige for a lifetime or two. "Who would have known that the Crown Prince of Abetha is a thief?"


    "Doesn''t matter as long as I can save myself and the recklessly brave Crown Prince of Griven."


    The two continued walking in silence. Outside, they could hear people shouting.


    After a while, Cian asked, "Give me an update on everything. How did youe here, and how do we? escape from here?"


    Before An could respond, the floor shook, causing them to lose bnce and hold the wall for support. No, not just the floor. The entire castle was shaking as if there was an earthquake, but the shaking stopped only after several seconds.


    "Seems like the devil is out," Anmented with a serious expression.


    "What do you mean?" Cian asked although he was smart enough to have already an idea of what he meant.


    "King of Megaris," An replied.


    Cian frowned. "What is he doing here?"


    "To rescue you. What else?" An replied as he was in a hurry to conduct his part of the entire n. "First, I need to take you out of here safely," he continued as he tried to remember the map to see which way they had to go. "This way."


    "Tell me why Megaris is involved, and tell me who else is in this operation. If there will be fighting involved, I want to fight. I am not injured, and I am not a damsel to be rescued. I don''t think I can run away when others are here fighting because of me."


    An turned to look at him. "Don''t worry about Drayce. No one can harm that devil. Just be obedient and follow his n. We need to take you out once we find you."


    "And leave others here in danger?"


    "Everyone will be in danger if you divert from the n. Three kingdoms are here for you. If you''re worried about why Megaris is meddling, well, he has his reasons to stay here. He is not that generous to do it for one prince who he doesn''t even know," An countered. "But can''t that wait for when we are outside the fortress?"


    Cian narrowed his eyes. "Don''t treat me as a liability. Although I am not generous enough to put my life in danger for a king I don''t even know about, I can''t be the prince who escaped, leaving my people behind who came here to rescue me."


    "Royals and their pride!" An pinched his nose bridge as he mumbled,


    "Let''s just introduce you to my devil friend."


    An and Cian then made their way towards where they heard the loudest noise of swords shing.


    --------


    After yer separated from his king, Drayce continued to fight with a seemingly unending stream of enemies.? With each hack, a soldier fell, only to be reced by another. It could be seen from the number of iing soldiers that this was a nned attack as if the Thevailes soldiers had waited on this strategic spot to corner the intruders.


    The enemies were expecting them.


    It was a surprise for Drayce and the knights with him, but it wasn''t unexpected enough to fluster them. On the battlefield, anything could happen, and you could not belittle your enemies. Just as you could n against them, the enemies could also n against you too.


    Sir Berolt and the knights with him immediately joined Drayce''s group upon realizing that the rescue n had gone awry. Thebined group fought their way out of the castle until they reached the vast open space away from the military barracks.


    It was pure chaos. Numerous men were fighting each other, and as the intruders were in disguise, both the Thevailes army as well as Marquis Percy''s personal soldiers could not easily determine who the opponents were until they were attacked. The noise of swords shing and painful screams continued to fill the surroundings.


    "Seems like they were prepared to wee us," Sir Beroltmented while fighting along with Drayce.


    "Marquis Percy," Drayce concluded.


    Sir Berolt understood despite the noise around them. "That old rag is still not tired of his tricks."


    As the strongest fighters from their respective kingdoms, they fought with ease as they conversed, making sure each and every enemy soldier''s blood sshed on the ground. Their elite force could have already made their way towards the gate of the fortress, but as they weren''t sure of the whereabouts of the Crown Prince of Abetha, they remained in the periphery of the castle.


    A heavy and deep sound of a war horn echoed across the blood-soaked battlefield.


    There was a sudden silence as the enemy''s soldiers stopped fighting and steadily moved away from Drayce and Sir Berolt''s group of elite knights.


    Drayce and his men had no choice but to turn defensive. The enemy soldiers backed away and eventually parted in the middle, clearing a way for someone to reach where Drayce stood.


    One man in heavy armor came towards them on a horse, followed by a small troop of soldiers behind him. Drayce and Sir Berolt recognized the old grey-haired man who had a long scar on the left side of the forehead, which moved straight down to his left cheekbone, crossing his left eye.


    Godfrey Percy, the Marquis of Hatha who lords over the Niaris Territory and the general of the fortress that stood as a gateway between the Kingdoms of Hatha and Thevailes. Despite being a titled noble of Hatha, he was more known for being one of the staunchest allies of Thevailes inside his kingdom.


    Now that Hatha had bowed down to Thevailes, perhaps he should be officially considered as a man of Thevailes now.


    "He nned to capture us," Sir Beroltmented under his breath. "The Crown Prince being held here in the frontier of Hatha isn''t a coincidence."


    "Isn''t it good? It would have been harder if the Ilven boy crossed over to Thevailes," Drayce replied,? but with his sly expression, it was as if there was something else he wasn''t saying.


    Sir Berolt looked at Drayce in surprise. They did consider the possibility of Marquis Percy personally appearing in their earlier nning, but he thought the probability was small. But with the way the young king said it, he looked like he was sure the rescue operation wouldn''t go smoothly.


    Soon, a bigger troop of soldiersposed of Hathan soldiers, as well as the ordinary soldiers from Thevailes that were initially merrymaking outside, had surrounded the entire ce. Drayce and his men were trapped in between like caged rats.


    "King of Megaris!" the old armored man on the horse eximed as he stepped down and walked towards Drayce.


    Drayce calmly looked at him. There was no caution or fear on his handsome face, only a certain coldness as a light smirk painted itself on his lips. His red eyes glittered dangerously as if he saw his long-awaited prey.

 Chapter 47: Surprise

    <h4>Chapter 47: Surprise</h4>


    The old man stood in front of Drayce, putting a certain distance between them, eyeing the young king with a gloating expression. He only had eyes for Drayce, ignoring the rest of the intruders. His evil smile and his eyes full of pride showed how self-satisfied he was to achieve what he wanted.


    "Your presence is a pleasant surprise, Your Majesty...or should I say, I was not surprised at all?"


    The old man signaled with his fingers, and two soldiers behind him dragged an injured man, only to throw it in front of Drayce.


    Drayce recognized the man. He was one of his own men, a spy he had sent to collect secret information about the Thevailes army.


    "This spy, do you think we wouldn''t capture him?" the marquis asked.


    "Good for you," Drayce replied.


    Drayce did not enjoy conversing with an enemy, but he remained casual as he wanted to buy more time. He first wanted to be assured that An and the Prince of Abetha were rescued, and then he could do what he wanted. Regardless of the situation, he knew yer would surely get back to him.


    The old man smirked as he studied the young king''s expression. "Seems like this much is not enough to surprise the King of Megaris."


    "I would only be surprised if I couldn''t kill you today," Drayce replied as he tightened his grip on his sword.


    Marquis Percyughed mockingly. "What weak people Megaris trained as spies. Do you know how we tortured him to get the information? Only a few rounds and he immediately confessed everything."


    Drayce had already noticed the brutally harmed spy lying on the floor lifelessly, but he didn''t show any emotions.


    The marquis continued, "It just took my men to put one hot iron rod inside his rear. That scream�� ahh�� was a melody to my ears."


    "I have a better n for you," Drayce replied without much change in his face, but there was a hidden dagger in his tone.


    "I know you woulde here after what I did with your people at the border, and you didn''t fail me," Marquis Percy red at Drayce mockingly. "With a prince as bait, capturing two crown princes and the infamous devil of Megaris, it''s like I have achieved the greatest merit in this war."


    The old manughed as his fierce eyes turned dreamy.


    "How easy it would be for His Majesty King Samer to take over the entire continent now. Can you imagine what I would do with your people once we take over Megaris?" the old man taunted. "Once your kingdom bes a territory of Thevailes, maybe I should ask His Majesty to bestow it to me? Hmm? What do you think? Duke Godfrey Percy, Lord of Megaris. Sounds like music to the ears."


    Drayce remained impassive, and his gaze wasn''t even looking at the old general.


    Seeing there was no effect on Drayce, Marquis Percy spoke again. "You don''t believe me? Let me show you an example of what I would do to your people."


    He signaled his men, and another two soldiers dragged one severely injured man with them.


    The injured man''s legs were broken, looking like he wouldn''t be able to walk again unless immediate medical treatment was given to him. His arms draped around the two soldiers with his head lowered down.


    This time, the look in Drayce''s eyes changed.


    The injured man was more than familiar to him. He was someone close to him. One could even say he was one of the people closest to him.


    The two soldiers pushed the injured man in front of Drayce.


    "yer!" Sir Berolt eximed. Even the other knights from Megaris, who had remained unflustered even though they were trapped by the enemies, were shaken to see yer like this.


    yer was infamous for his invincibility with the sword. His reputation on the battlefield was more of a grim reaper rather than a knight; hence, although not many knew his real name, almost everyone had heard of the name ''yer.'' He was a renowned knight only below the King of Megaris when it came to battle prowess.


    "Seems like, finally, King Drayce liked this surprise," Marquis Percymented in glee after seeing the change in those glittering red eyes. "I thought about killing him but kept him alive to see how I would kill his king in front of his eyes. I have always wanted to crush his pride under my feet." The old man put his foot on the sword wound on yer''s stomach and pressed it. "And see, he is here now."


    yer coughed blood but didn''t make a sound. He didn''t even look at his king as he was ashamed that he had let him down.


    If yer was here, then what about An and the Prince of Abetha? This was unexpected for Drayce. Whatever happened, his priority was to get An and the other prince safely out of the fortress. He wanted to refrain from taking drastic actions without knowing their situation.


    Sir Berolt looked at Drayce as the two had the same worries in mind. Sir Berolt gripped his sword until his knuckles were white, his mind filled with thoughts of ughtering this damnable old rag. But he couldn''t act recklessly as there was still hope. The two princes were not with the marquis. He believed in Prince Cian''s and Prince An''s ability to save themselves.


    Marquis Percy was satisfied with the grimness on their faces. "Oh, and are you wondering where that Griven Prince is? Hah. Don''t ce too much hope. You have personally delivered that pretty boy to that perverted bastard. You''re smart enough to guess what is being done to him now. I wonder if we could hear his screams here."


    Drayce felt the calmness he had maintained till now starting to shake.


    "That bastard Giles Seeiso is fortunate today to have two princes in his bed," Marquis Percyughed loudly. "But do not fret. Soon, I will bring you to them, and you will get to see their dishonored selves."


    With jaws clenched, Drayce let his gaze roam around, but there was still no sign of the agreed-upon signal that meant the two princes were safe.

 Chapter 48: Anger

    <h4>Chapter 48: Anger</h4>


    With jaws clenched, Drayce let his gaze roam around, but there was still no sign of the agreed-upon signal that meant the two princes were safe.


    "King Drayce, I can see your nervousness now. I have always known, though they call you a devil, you are nothing like that. Your heart is soft like that of a woman''s," the marquisughed loudly, his voice echoing everywhere.


    When his gaze returned to the severely injured man on the ground, something inside Drayce snapped. The anger that was brewing earlier was now roaring to be released. The devil inside him that he never wanted to bring out was ready to show up and run rampantly.


    His blood was calling out to him...


    yer was not just his knight but his friend. They had known each other since they were kids, and seeing him in such condition was enough to break the walls that had kept the devil inside of him. What more, he had no idea how An was faring. If what this Godfrey Percy was saying was true...


    How could he remain calm when those closest to him had been harmed?


    Marquis Percy broadened his grin, his gaze switching back and forth between Drayce and yer. "Now, I want to change my n. Instead of letting this knight see his king''s death, I would like his king to cry over his knight''s death." The marquis signaled his men. "Cut all his limbs!"


    Before the soldiers could take a single step towards yer, the entire Barknor Fortress shook as if there was an earthquake. The stone buildings around them swayed, and the ground underneath their feet cracked. Behind Drayce, the tallest tower of the Marquis'' castle could be seen crumbling into ruin.


    Destruction.


    Ruin.


    In a matter of several seconds, the entire fortress had seemingly started to copse. Soldiers and civilians alike had to search for something to grab on to bnce themselves to stand steadily, while the rest started to run about to seek shelter from copsing stone buildings.


    However, for the initially self-satisfied Marquis Percy, the world seemed to have zoomed in on a single point. His entire body had be frozen in fear and disbelief. He did not even realize that the horse beside him had run away. Instead, his entire attention was on the person in front of him.


    A person who did not seem human at the moment.


    Even Sir Berolt and other knights couldn''t believe what was happening, but when they remembered the rumor about the King of Megaris, they felt both fear and joy at having such a strong and fierce ally.


    Red eyes turned darker as if mes were burning inside them stared down at the trembling marquis.


    "Dray!"


    A hoarse, pained voice broke through the thick chaos inside Drayce''s mind, bringing rity back to those red eyes and stopping their owner from getting consumed by rage.


    Just as the mes in those red eyes vanished, the ground stopped shaking. Drayce looked down towards his feet. yer, who had crawled down the short distance between them, had grabbed onto his king''s ankle and looked at him with his teary and pain-filled eyes.


    "Dray! Don''t," yer said as he coughed blood.


    Now that the earthquake had stopped, the majority of the people had calmed down enough to think rationally.


    ''It has to be a natural disaster!''


    As military people, they found it impossible to believe that the unholy rumor about the King of Megaris was true. Even if it were, the King of Megaris should not have the strength that could only belong to a god, or else the continent should have long been united under the banner of Megaris.


    ''It is pure coincidence!''


    With renewed vigor, Marquis Percy signaled his soldiers to get yer. But even before they could reach yer, they found themselves thrown far away before they coulde close.


    Drayce''s eyes were fixed on yer. There was no way he would let anyone touch his friend.


    It surprised the marquis and everyone else. No one had touched the soldiers. They were repelled as if there was an invisible force working against them. Although they had heard the rumors about him being a devil''s son,? they were reluctant to ept such tall tales. Onlymoners and bored nobles would believe that.


    But with what they witnessed now, it would be foolish of them to continue doubting their senses.


    "Wait for me. Don''t pass out!" Drayce said to yer, who looked at him with eyes full of trust.


    yer didn''t care much for his injuries, but he cared for his order as he did not want to disappoint his liege anymore. He knew his king would make everything right, and they would make their way out of this fortress even without his king using his powers. Though he was not sure how long he could hold back, he would fight to keep his consciousness intact and watch his king gracefully ughter the enemies.


    Drayce looked at Sir Berolt and the other knights. "Protect him till I finish."


    "As per your order, Your Majesty," Sir Berolt replied with a tightened grip on his sword, and the other knights joined him as well to form a semi-circle around the injured yer.


    Drayce stepped ahead towards the marquis, leaving yer and the rest of the group behind. He pointed his empty hand towards the ground, and one of the bloody swords from a fallen soldier fled towards his hand.


    Marquis Percy flinched upon seeing Drayce showing off another of his powers.


    Drayce rotated his wrists as a warm-up for wielding two swords. With the wless movement of the swords on each of his hands, it could be seen that he was a veteran of dual swords.


    Drayce''s fiery red eyes red at the marquis. "You will regret not dying in thest battle."


    Marquis Percy was shaken inside to find himself against such a terrifying opponent, but he tried to hide he was affected and spoke with a mocking smile. "I heard the King of Megaris believes in a fair fight, but with these powers��."

 Chapter 49: Defeat

    <h4>Chapter 49: Defeat</h4>


    Marquis Percy was shaken inside to find himself against such a terrifying opponent, but he tried to hide he was affected and spoke with a mocking smile. "I heard the King of Megaris believes in fair fight, but with these powers��"


    "My sword skills are enough to wipe out this entire fortress," Drayce countered as he signalled him to be ready to fight.


    "Is that so? Then first, you have to go through my soldiers to reach me," the marquis smirked, and on his signal, his soldiers stepped forward to face Drayce. Meanwhile, Marquis Percy had cleverly hidden himself behind his men.


    Drayce''s red eyes looked bloodthirsty. The soldiers didn''t know what they were about to face. It happened in a blink of an eye.


    Drayce moved with fluid steps, hacking and shing each and every soldier along his way like he was merely cutting grass, not human lives. Those who tried to stop him from reaching the marquis fell after receiving a single attack. Some even died without being able to raise their swords.


    It was a beautiful yet deadly dance.


    Two crown princes happened to step out of the castle only to witness what could only be considered an elegantly bloody massacre.


    "I told you, the devil is out," An told Cian who could not pull his gaze away from the scenario in front. One man was diving deep into the enemy ranks, yet he was pushing forward with ease. Cian could see that man was far from ordinary. Such a merciless man was on their side.


    He already had an idea of that man''s identity.


    Cian''s sight followed where Sir Berolt was fighting the enemies with his knights. They stood circling a man lying on the ground. It looked like they were protecting that injured man.


    "Let''s help them out," Cian said as he stepped towards the group.


    However, An had other ns. "You can go ahead. I have something important to do."


    It shocked Cian. "Are you running away?"


    "Since that devil is here, there is no need for us to do anything. My sword is waiting to cut a few nasty heads which are sadly not here," An exined. Without saying more, he turned around to fight his way back inside the castle, casually cutting short the lives of the soldiers making their way out.


    Cian turned away from him and fought his way to join Sir Berolt and his knights.


    "Your Highness!" Sir Beroltughed in relief upon seeing the Crown Prince of Abetha unharmed. The Abethan knights in the group looked visibly thrilled to see their prince back as well.


    Sir Berolt then realized something was amiss. "Your Highness, howe the Crown Prince of Griven is not with you? Did you not see him? General Losio will be arriving soon to pave a way for us out of the fortress."


    "You don''t need to worry. He''s probably enjoying himself paying back some grievances. He will be out soon," Cian replied. He gestured towards the injured man and asked, "Who are we protecting?"


    "The guardian knight of the King of Megaris. His Majesty King Drayce ordered us to protect his knight for him," Sir Berolt informed.


    Although they were both royals, Cian had never personally met King Drayce Ivanov. Megaris was a kingdom from the east, and its young king had never stepped out from the eastern region ever since his coronation. On the rare times when Cian joined the envoy to Megaris for formal asions, it just happened that King Drayce was always on official business away.


    Cian could only help y the soldiers attacking Sir Berolt and his group, but from time to time, his curious gaze flitted towards the powerful dual-sword wielder who had charged all by himself deep within the enemy ranks.


    One of the knights with better eyesight suddenly eximed, "Your Highness, Commander, reinforcement is here!"


    From where they were standing at the Marquis'' castle grounds, Sir Berolt and his group had a high vantage point allowing them to see the rest of the fortress below them, more specifically the sole gate leading out of the walled city. It could be seen that a group of people were also fighting their way towards the castle grounds.


    Because of the earlier earthquake, Abetha''s military general had noticed the chaos inside the fortress and no longer waited outside the wall to wait for the signal; instead, the experienced general decided to bring his men to fight their way in.


    Although Drayce fought with ease towards Marquis Percy, a part of his attention remained with the group protecting yer. As part of the chosen elite squad, Sir Berolt and the rest of the knights might have top notch fighting skills, but inside the fortress, they were greatly outnumbered. With each passing minute, weariness could already be seen from the way some of the knights were defending more instead of actively attacking.


    When a certain young swordsman in white clothes joined them, it didn''t take him time to understand who it was. He looked around, and his forehead creased when he realized that the Prince of Abetha was all by himself.


    ''Did they not meet up��?'' Drayce thought and felt worried for his beloved friend.


    More of the newly-arrived enemies flooded towards the group protecting yer. Drayce was irritated, and those close to him saw his red eyes emit a peculiar shine. Suddenly, the enemy soldiers around yer''s group were repelled, as if there was an invisible force hitting them away. It was a repeat of a power they had seen earlier.


    Though it helped the ones protecting yer, that strong invisible force of energy made the elite knights lose their ground too.


    Just in time, General Cavrois Loiso reached the castle with his men. They quickly joined the group protecting yer, relieving some of the tired and injured knights from fighting.


    At the same time, Drayce also reached the marquis who didn''t expect him to kill these many soldiers in such a short time.

 Chapter 50: Cut His Tongue

    <h4>Chapter 50: Cut His Tongue</h4>


    "Those were not just rumors then," Marquis Percy concluded.


    Seeing the devil''s son standing in front of him with two bloody swords had made the old general lose the courage to fight. All he could think of was to flee.


    However, Drayce was quick to block his way.


    The loyal guards of the Marquis put themselves between the enemy and their lord, but fear could be seen from their expressions. They knew that as soon as the man moved, they would die. At best, they could only buy time for the marquis to escape.


    "Not so soon, Marquis Percy."


    The defeat was evident in Marquis Percy''s eyes. He could only curse over how they ended up defeated even after having an excellent n. However, all schemes could only fail before absolute strength.


    In no time, Drayce yed the loyal guards of the marquis. The marquis''s face got sshed with the blood from his own soldiers.


    As Drayce had captured the army leader, the cunning Marquis Percy, the battle was officially over. The enemy soldiers had let go of their weapons and epted the defeat by kneeling on the ground. The elite force from Abetha, Griven, and Megaris had also started rounding up the soldiers.


    Drayce looked at his knights, who ran towards him. The knights from Megaris knew even without being told what their king wanted. They bound the marquis with a rope and let him kneel on the ground.


    Being red at by those spiteful red eyes scared the old man. "W-Why are you not killing me? See, I have lost."


    "You are not fortunate enough to get an easy death," Drayce replied as he turned to walk away.


    Marquis Percy tried to stand, but he was pushed down by the knights beside him. He shouted, "Did you forget what happened when my troop entered Megaris''s border?"


    Drayce halted in his tracks, and the marquis continued, "Those kids, I killed them with my own hands. It was fun to kill them while they cried, calling for their mothers. Those young girls, my tired soldiers, enjoyed a lot thanks to them. Such tiny and delicate girls, it was fun for them."


    Drayce tightened his grip on the two swords in his hands and turned around to look at the marquis straight in the eyes.


    "Cut his tongue!"


    The knights from Megaris were quick to execute his order.


    "Don''t let him die," Drayce ordered again and stepped towards yer. The knights had tied up his wounds to stop the most severe of the bleedings; however, there was nothing they could do to his broken legs.


    Drayce kneeled to check on yer and held his hand. "You will be fine," he assured yer.


    yer pulled out a light smile. His eyes struggled to keep themselves open. "As long as you are fine, I''m fine��" But he was unable to continue as he coughed out blood.


    Drayce let go of his hand and closed his eyes as if he was up to something.


    "Dray!" yer called out to him again, and Drayce opened his eyes. "Let me go. It''s time for me."


    yer could see that the calmness on the face of his king was a mask. The redness in his king''s eyes seemed visibly lighter. Although his own vision was blurry due to intense blood loss, he thought he could see tears pooling in his king''s eyes. Perhaps it was his imagination, but the sight made his heartache.


    "You are not allowed to leave. This is an order!" Drayce roared.


    Upon seeing his king close his eyes again, yer realized that Drayce was about to do something he should never do. He pulled what little energy was left in him to make his voice stop shaking. "Then don''t use your powers, Dray. You know you can''t."


    "I can when I have to save someone."


    "You already saved me from the enemies," yer countered. "Don''t go back on your words for my sake, please."


    "Your Majesty, we can still save him!" Sir Berolt announced as soon as he reached them. Beside him were General Cavrois Loiso and another man dressed as a servant.


    General Cavrois Loiso looked at the spy spies. "You said that there is someone here who can treat someone on the verge of death?"


    "Yes, General. There is such a renowned miraculous physician inside the fortress. We can take Sir yer to him. Although I am not sure about his legs, at least, his life will not be in peril."


    The air around Drayce changed. He looked at the two older men. "I again have to leave him to you. I''ll be there shortly after getting An."


    "I will apany you," said the military general.


    "No need," Drayce rejected.


    The knights took yer away on a makeshift stretcher, and General Cavrois and Sir Berolt would apany them with the spy. Although Marquis Percy''s soldiers had surrendered, there were still some soldiers who had not given up fighting.


    Drayce looked around and realized that a certain person was missing. "Prince Cian?"


    "He went back inside to get Prince An," Sir Berolt replied.


    Earlier, when Cian realized the situation was in their control, he left to find one reckless prince who didn''t care for his life.


    Drayce brought with him two knights as he reentered the castle. As someone who knew An like the back of his hand, he was sure where his friend must have gone.


    Not just An, now Drayce had to get the Prince of Abetha too.


    Drayce felt like he was dealing with two naughty and stubborn kids who loved to do what they wanted and didn''t like to follow ns, causing more trouble for those around them.


    If only An had taken Prince Cian out of the fortress after rescuing him and handed him over to Abetha''s military general outside,? Drayce wouldn''t have to worry about them and he could focus on yer who was on the verge of death.


    As he rushed towards where he knew An was headed, he could not help but contemte how Godfrey Percy managed to trap yer. As his most trusted knight, he knew how strong and smart yer was.


    Could there be something else he''s not aware of?

 Chapter 51: His Pride

    <h4>Chapter 51: His Pride</h4>


    Leaving the outside to Drayce and the others, An returned straight to the banquet hall where he had first met the pig-like general and had to endure the perverted gazes of drunken men who had stripped him naked in their minds.


    When he was pretending to be a courtesan, he could hear their dirty talks about taking him to their beds after their general was done ying with him. Only An knew how much of a torture it was to control himself from not beheading those scumbags. As he continued to smile and refill the pig-like general''s wine ss, he had already decided in his mind that tonight would be thest night of their lives.


    The pride of the Crown Prince of Griven was an expensive thing, and these pieces of trash had to pay for his humiliation with their lives.


    Funnily enough, the officers under Giles Seeiso were unaware of the chaos outside. When he entered the banquet hall, the drunk men were still enjoying themselves with women despite the chaotic situation outside. Even the earthquake from a while ago didn''t faze them.


    "What a disgusting sight!" An frowned as he witnessed those disgusting naked men having fun with the women.


    They didn''t even know death had just entered the door.


    An flipped one of the tables, kicking it with his foot, making everything fall on the ground. The sounds of broken ss and the yells of those at that table were loud enough to be heard amidst the noise of merrymaking, pulling everyone''s attention towards the young prince. There was a sudden uproar when they realized he''s alone.


    "What the hell?"


    "How dare you disturb us?"


    One man recognized An. "Isn''t he the one who left with the General?"


    The officer beside him grinned like a beast. "Looks like the General couldn''t satisfy him, so he came to us."


    "He did well! I wanted to take him the moment I saw him," one old manughed.


    Ignoring those scumbags, An called out, "Ladies!" and gestured with one sword towards the exit. "Please!"


    These women were trained courtesans from the brothel, and they were sensitive enough to understand they needed to leave. They immediately separated themselves from the drunk men and gathered their clothes to leave the hall.


    Only after all the women left did the officers from Thevailes realized that something was wrong. They scowled at the pretty young man standing by the door.


    "So, remind me again, who wants to take me to their beds?" An asked, his vicious re passing across everyone inside the entire hall. "I''m here to fulfill your wish." An stepped forward as he swung the sword in his hand. "Let''s see if anyone can even touch me."


    The already pissed men didn''t even bother to wear clothes as they searched for their swords.


    "This pretty boy doesn''t know what kind of hell he has entered!"


    "Don''t kill him before we have some fun with him."


    "Capture him alive, and let''s all enjoy him together. Those women weren''t as pretty as him anyway."


    Hearing all the dirty talk, An''s rage could no longer be contained. He chuckled, "Morons!"


    In the blink of an eye, the first two men who reached him were lying on the floor, struggling to take theirst breaths. It didn''t take much effort for An to slit those drunk men''s throats.


    "When you are drunk, you should refrain from talking big," Anmented as he looked at the two dying men and moved his neck left and right to warm up, ready to tackle the remaining scums.


    Those men didn''t expect this pretty boy could really fight. Before they could get out of their shock, An moved so swiftly, and a few more disgusting bodies fell on the floor with blood oozing out of them.


    Seeing how fast and fearless this young man was, as well as the corpses on the floor, the men sobered up. Though they were veteran soldiers, being drunk made their minds and bodies slow to react in front of this skilled swordsman.


    Not yet satisfied with the blood on the floor, An smiled devilishly at the men who had started to back away from him. "To take me to your bed, you all first need to be alive."


    Some of the more hot-headed officers lunged towards An, only to taste the ground and whine in pain. From their severe injuries, death was only a moment away.


    Soon enough, the entire hall was silent, and no one but An was left standing inside.


    Cian arrived only to find An in that solemn state in the center of the hall, surrounded by corpses and dying men''s bodies.


    Though Cian was not close to An, he knew him enough to understand the personality of the First Prince of Griven, who had always loved to jump into trouble on his own. An Cromwell might look pretty sociable and seem easy-going at first sight, but like any firstborn royal, he was a man who carried the dignity of the future king.


    Cian could easily guess that these people must have done something unforgivable enough to earn the personal retaliation of this proud crown prince.


    Suddenly, one enemy soldier came behind Prince Cian, ready to swing his sword to hurt him, but Cian''s ears sensed the slightest movement behind him and caught the sneak attack. He dodged the attack and pierced his sword through the soldier''s stomach in one swift move.


    When Drayce reached thest corridor, he saw the white-robed Prince of Abetha killing enemy soldiers by the banquet hall entrance. Drayce and the two knights with him helped Cian clean up the rest of the enemies.


    It didn''t take them much time to finish the soldiers, but they simply stood by the door and watched how An turned different from his yful self. For Drayce, it was not new to witness An like this, but it was rare. Although Drayce and Cian did not talk, they silently agreed to watch An get his revenge.


    An gazed at the bodies on the floor. The most despicable ones were still alive. Wouldn''t it be too easy for them to simply die with a single sh?


    "How could disgusting and lowly creatures like you even dare think dirty about me, the Crown Prince of Griven, when you don''t even deserve to stand in my sight, huh?" came the cold and mocking words from the future monarch of a powerful kingdom.


    The next moment, An stepped on the face of one soldier who was slowly crawling his way out.


    "Did I permit you to leave?" An asked before pressing his foot on the deep wound on the man''s back.


    "Ahh! L-Let me go...I swear��"


    An flung his sword, only to pierce the back of that soldier''s neck, with the tip of the deing out through his throat. The whiny voice of the man stopped, and An spoke coldly, "Wish Granted. You are free to go."


    After pulling his sword back, An walked around the hall, and whoever he saw moving a little or even breathing, he pierced his swords into their bodies to end their lives.


    Making sure all of them were dead, An sighed before turning towards the entrance of the hall. He had already noticed the neers a while ago, but he was still consumed with bloodlust and paid them no attention. As he walked towards them now, he acted as if nothing happened, and he had only returned after having a little fun with some friends.


    The evil expression on An''s face changed to his normal yful one as soon as he closed the door behind him. "What''s with that look? I saved you two from seeing a horrible view. Those disgusting naked men...ufff��almost made me puke."


    Drayce and Cian said nothing, but they knew that the Crown Prince of Griven was a devil in the guise of an angel. One should not belittle him just because of his smiling face.


    Along with their knights, the three royals then did a casual sweep inside the castle as they headed back towards their group.


    It was finally time for them to leave.

 Chapter 52: Physician

    <h4>Chapter 52: Physician</h4>


    Even though the lord of the territory, Marquis Godfrey Percy, was captured, the important soldiers and officials stationed at the base were killed, and the remaining soldiers inside the castle had surrendered; Drayce and his group could not afford to stay inside Barknor Fortress for long. Soon, Thevailes and Hatha would realize that an important fortress had beenpromised and send reinforcements which would undoubtedly put everyone in danger.


    The fight might have been brief, but due to the overwhelming numbers of the enemies, several elite knights from the squad had been injured, and some of them even died. No doubt, such a situation would severely affect the speed and security of their return trip.


    It was good that the majority of the military of both the kingdoms of Thevailes and Hatha had been diverted by Abetha, Megaris, and Griven. While dealing with the overwhelming attacks on their borders, Thevailes and Hatha couldn''t pay much attention to this fortress. Even if they did, the dy would doom their scheme to fail.


    It was exactly what Drayce and his group had nned.


    The Kingdom of Megaris would deal heavy blows to Thevailes, putting more pressure on its armies, such that Thevailes would not be able to support Hatha once Abetha counterattacked. Without Thevailes'' military might, it would be easy for thebined armies of Abetha and Griven to defeat the small kingdom that betrayed its former ally. Perhaps, once the war concludes, Hatha would be swallowed by the alliance and lose its sovereignty as a kingdom.


    After Drayce and the others went out of the castle, they headed towards where Sir Berolt and General Cavrois had taken yer to the physician. The physician''s lodging wasn''t far from the castle grounds. Though it was smaller than the buildings around it, the ce was essible, located strategically in the central region of the fortress.


    "How is he?" Drayce asked Sir Berolt, who was outside of the physician''s small home, guarding it along with other knights.


    Sir Berolt bowed to the three royals in front of him and answered, "Sir Sanders is still being treated."


    An followed Drayce, who had entered the lodging without another word, while Cian stayed with Sir Berolt.? Although Cian had heard about Commander Calhoun Sanders, the yer of Megaris, as an outsider, he found it more proper to remain outside to hear Sir Berolt''s report about the current situation.


    Inside the lodging, Drayce found yer lying unconscious on a rug on the floor while being treated by an old man in his sixties, wearing a physician''s robe, although there was no insignia as to which force or kingdom he''s working for. Assisting him were two young men, probably his subordinates or apprentices,? wearing simr robes that looked like their uniforms. One was mixing medicinal herbs, while the other was helping the old man wrap bandages around yer''s wounds.


    The old physician paid no attention to the neers, busy directing his apprentices as well as putting thin silver needles on various acupuncture points across the patient''s body.


    General Cavrois bowed to the two royals who had entered. "Your Majesty, Your Highness."


    Hearing how the neers were addressed, the old physician merely nced at them and then resumed his work, not bothered by anyone''s presence. Even his apprentices treated them as air.


    "How is he?" Drayce asked again.


    The physician looked at the red-eyed man who seemed to be the leader of these people, but as someone who had spent decades healing people, he recognized the genuine worry despite the man''s nd tone.


    "Obviously on the verge of death," the physician answered.


    Although Drayce was the ruler of a different kingdom, General Cavrois didn''t like the way the physician talked to him. He pulled out his sword as he red at the arrogant old man. "Be respectful."


    Drayce waved his hand to signal the general to back off. He didn''t mind the physician''s boldness. At least, he didn''t say his knight was dead.


    Judging from how terrible yer was tortured, Drayce knew that his guardian knight would have died from blood loss and internal injuries if not for the existence of this old physician.


    "Will respecting you save my patient''s life?" the old physician asked, staring at everyone without being scared of anything.


    When the physician nced at Drayce, whose face was expressionless, the old man was silently amused.? His sight was only fixed at the injured man lying on the floor, his red eyes holding the pain and fear of losing someone.


    The physician sighed inwardly. In his practice, he was used to seeing such emotions whenever he treated people who came to him, and he had to give into them. However, such sincere worry wasmon among family and life-and-death friends, not between superiors and subordinates. Despite not introducing themselves, he could see from their interactions that this red-eyed man was someone influential.


    Although he did not appreciate these people who had suddenly barged in his lodging in the middle of the night, seeing such a man worried for his subordinate was something he had never seen.


    While continuing his work, the physician relented tofort the red-eyed man, although his tone remained stoic as he informed him of his initial diagnosis, "We have stopped the bleeding, but he has already lost too much blood. His organs were ruptured, and there''s an internal hemorrhage. The medicinal herbs with us can only stabilize him for now, but we can''t be sure about his condition after this treatment."


    Drayce was all ears on what the physician said about yer''s condition though his eyes still didn''t leave yer''s lifeless-looking face.


    "He seems to be a strong man, so if he''s given proper treatment, we can expect him to get out of this ordeal alive. There is still hope," the physician assured. "However, although I am trying to fix his legs, they wouldn''t be exactly like before, but he should be able to walkfortably at least��." The physician paused and mumbled, "...only if he survives long enough to receive proper treatment��."


    Heavy silence enveloped the room.


    Just then, Cian entered the room. He observed the tense situation, but he had to say what was needed. "We''ve received news from the spies. We can''t stay here for long."


    Everyone knew that they had only dyed their escape due to yer''s situation, but nobody said a word and merely stared at Drayce, waiting for his decision.


    Drayce nodded at the Prince of Abetha before looking at the physician. "I hope there is no issue in proceeding with the treatment inside a running cart."


    The physician looked at Drayce and spoke curtly, "But I have an issue leaving my ce."


    Drayce gripped his sword. "I can solve that issue forever right away."


    His gloomy red eyes suddenly turned aggressive. Drayce, who had been calm even after this physician acted disrespectfully in front of him, looked ready to kill the old man if he would defy his order.


    The physician looked at Drayce with one eyebrow raised in question. It was clear that he sure was not scared of dying, and making him move from his home would not be that easy.


    "I remember hearing from a certain someone that respecting me will not save their patient''s life. Now I ask you, will your stubbornness save his life?" Drayce red at the old man. If the next words he heard were not to his liking, his sword wouldn''t have minded beheading one more person.


    The physician smiled lightly and spoke, "Get the cart ready then." He started to work faster as he kept instructing his two apprentices about what to do.


    An yfully nudged Drayce. "See, the sword is not always the answer to everything."


    Both of them knew that the physician was not giving face to Drayce himself; instead, the old man was persuaded by his words due to his desire to save a person''s life.


    "Says the one who just had fun with merciless ughtering," Draycemented dryly as he stepped out of the physician''s lodging.


    An and Cian followed him out and the three of them started the new arrangements necessary for their return trip that was made more difficult now that they would be bringing an injured yer and other soldiers back with them.

 Chapter 53: Monster

    <h4>Chapter 53: Monster</h4>


    Sir Berolt invited the three royals to an empty house beside the physician''s lodging, where he had prepared a map on the table in the middle of the room.? The military general of Abetha followed them soon after as he asked his two trusted men to stay with yer.


    "Sir Berolt had exined to me the previous escape n, but we need to change it now," Cian said to the people surrounding the map.


    An nodded. "We can''t take yer on a long journey, and passing through the mountains to enter Megaris would be rough and difficult for the civilians as well."


    "I have a proposal," Cian pointed towards a ce on the map.


    "I know of this ce as I was once stationed here with my royal troops to deal with the border issues of Hatha. I am familiar with this entire area. With one severely injured man with us and few others who might not handle the long journey, it would be better to take this route. It''s the forest deeper into the mountains, far from the towns and viges. There are ces where we can allow them to rest in hiding to avoid enemies, and it is also advantageous if we are forced to fight with them in this situation."


    Nobody had any issues with the new escape route.


    Drayce tapped at the map along the mountain range between Thevailes and Megaris. "We do not need to abandon the old npletely."


    An looked at Drayce and realized what was cooking in his friend''s mind. "It''s better that way."


    Cian looked at the two as he also understood what they meant. "If we will proceed with that, we should use Godfrey Percy in front."


    General Cavrois agreed, "He will be the one to take us out."


    "Bastard can be of some use before he dies," Sir Beroltmented with an irritated huff.


    With the amended n finalized, everyone got to work. The knights found an ordinary but sturdy cart that would be pulled by two war horses they got from the Marquis''s castle.


    The cart was big enough to let yer''s tall and robust body lie in itfortably, and the old physician could sit inside with him together with his apprentices. The knights escorting them brought out several bags of medicines and resources that the troop would be needing for the trip.


    All were ready to leave in no time. One more sturdy warhorse was led to the group, carrying a bloodied old man who was tightly bound in rope.


    It was no other than Marquis Godfrey Percy.


    The man looked in pain as his tongue was cut. His eyes could barely be opened, showing how much pain he was in. His mouth was covered with a cloth that had blood on it.


    The physician, who was busy instructing his apprentices, looked at Marquis Percy and his eyes showed that he recognized this person.


    Drayce looked at the physician. "Give him something so he won''t die on this journey."


    "I only treat humans, sometimes animals, but never monsters," the physician replied.


    The physician''s words surprised everyone, but before anyone could say a word, Drayce spoke, "We need to keep the monster alive to give him a death befitting a monster."


    The physician didn''t argue and went towards the Marquis, who was lying numbly on the horse. The physician checked his pulse and mumbled, "As expected, this monster can''t die with only this much." The physician pulled out a few needles and pricked them in the Marquis''s neck. He turned to look at Drayce, "He won''t die with blood loss for at least a day. An easy death isn''t enough to pay for his sins. Make sure he dies horribly."


    They were ready to leave.


    Soon after, their troop rode strong horses with yer, and the physician''s group protected in the center. The horse that carried Marquis Percy was in front, with two knights on either side.


    The fortress residents could see the view of Great Marquise Godfrey Percy was being dragged and paraded by the enemies along with them as they left the fortress.


    Although the initial rescue team only numbered less than thirty men, after Abetha''s military general ascertained that their crown prince had been found, the support soldiers from Abetha and Griven who sneaked in after them were given a signal to paralyze the army inside the fortress. Without their leaders, the captive enemy soldiers could only look at everything but do nothing.


    Just after the royal troop left, General Cavrois led the rest of the allied soldiers to protect Drayce''s group from being attacked from behind. As expected, the escape was not easy. Less than an hour after they left Barknor Fortress, a battalion of Thevailes soldiers reached the fortress. The colonel leading that battalion got updates about the escape of enemies.


    "Colonel, they took Marquis Percy with them."


    The colonel, who was already angry over such defeat, growled, "They all will be hung on the wall of this fortress." He ordered in his loudmanding voice, "Get ready to leave!"


    "From what the scouts gathered, it seems like they will enter Thevailes to cross the mountains to go to Megaris," their informer said.


    "Makes sense. The King of Megaris is with them, and his military has already crossed the Thevailes border and is marching towards our capital. The King of Megaris will probably convene with his main army," the subordinate of the colonel added.


    "Megaris will see their king dying in my hand. He darede this far, asking for his death," the colonel growled.


    The Thevailes battalion left to follow Drayce and his troop on the way to Megaris.


    Thevailes felt humiliated. It was them who started this campaign against other kingdoms, only to find the King of Megaris screwing up their ns. Not only did the young king himself fearlessly enter enemy territory, but his army also sessfully crossed over the natural barrier of the mountain range between their kingdoms and was attacking them. Hence, it was evident that he would definitely return to Megaris instead of returning to Abetha. This young King of Megaris wouldn''t miss the chance to show his people that he personally led the army and captured the enemy.


    A night had passed, and soon, the sun had risen. As pursuers, the battalion led by the colonel did not dare rest.


    After hours of riding, finally, before noon, the Thevailes battalion spotted the enemy troop while crossing a desertednd that had no greenery except for one or two dried shrubs. Ahead the desert was a more barrennd with rows of huge rocks here and there, with scavenger birds fled in the sky to search for food.


    A single cart surrounded by men on horses.


    Although they weren''t wearing armors or uniforms, the colonel was convinced this was the troop led by the King of Megaris.


    "Charge!" the colonel roared.


    At the sight of the approaching enemy soldiers, the royal troop stopped near the rocks and turned around to face the Thevailes battalion instead of running away.


    "Why did they stop?" asked the Thevailes colonel as he lowered the speed of his horse to stop and check the situation.


    "Seems like a trap, colonel," his subordinate replied as he pulled out the binocrs to check on their enemies. He saw the old man tied on the horse, and that was Marquis Percy. "Marquis Godfrey Percy is with them."


    The colonel took the binocrs and saw the condition of the Marquis, which angered him. He and the Marquis belonged to the same faction. If they were to lose control of the Niaris territory inside Hatha, their faction would weaken once the wealth was distributed after the war.


    "They all are going to die today," the colonel said through his gritted teeth. "They are less in numbers. We can get them."


    "Seems like they had a n and��" the subordinate tried to say but got interrupted by the angry colonel.


    "Doesn''t matter. It''s either them or us."


    As he said these words, the battalion reached the small troop, ready to paint thisnd with blood.

 Chapter 54: Painful Than The Death

    <h4>Chapter 54: Painful Than The Death</h4>


    Just as the battalion reached the royal troop, a number of men soon came out behind the rows of huge rocks. They were wearing ck military clothes, which was the uniform of the Megaris army, unlike those knights from the royal troop, who were still wearing the same clothes that they used to disguise when they sneaked inside the Barknor Fortress.


    The battalion under the colonel had a thousand soldiers, while the soldiers from Megaris were only in the hundreds, meaning Thevailes had an advantage when it came to numbers. However, the army of the Kingdom of Megaris was known for their fighting prowess, and it would not be a problem for most of their soldiers to take on one-on-three the ordinary soldiers from other kingdoms. Not to mention, the men who were chosen to join the allied rescue troop were knights, elites from the three allied kingdoms who had earned prestige on the battlefield.


    It would appear that Thevailes had a poor chance of winning over their enemies.


    "When did the Megaris'' military reach here? Aren''t they still busy at the eastern border?" the colonel asked.


    "Colonel, do we order a retreat? They sneaked secretly to rescue their king," said the subordinate. "More enemies might appear."


    The colonel chuckled as an evil smile painted on his scarred face. "Rescue their king? In their dreams." He gripped his sword. "I''ll get the King, and you make sure to capture those two princes."


    By the time the colonel charged over, the fight had long begun. As expected, the fight was fierce, and corpses had littered the barrennd. With his subordinates making way for him, he continued to ughter his way towards the area being protected by the Megaris soldiers��the wooden cart tied to the war horses.


    When the colonel reached the innermost circle of the enemies, he and his men were stalled by the more powerful and experienced knights from the allied troop. The knights were calm as they surrounded the cart while on their horses. However, there was a weird situation in front of their group��Marquis Percy was treated like a human shield, tied on a horse with injuries from stray arrows as if Megaris was mocking Thevailes''s colonel by showing such an important man held captive in their own territory and in poor condition.


    "Where is your king?!" the Thevailes colonel roared as he couldn''t recognize Drayce among them.


    "We don''t need our king to deal with a weakling like you," replied one of the men who looked to be the leader of the knights.


    The vicemander of the royal knights of Megaris was a tall, robust man who carried the same aura as hismander, the infamous yer, and had long held rage in his heart after what happened to his respectedmander.


    Seeing the red-eyed king had not made his appearance, the Thevailes colonel sneered in the direction of the cart. "Seems like your king likes to hide like a woman."


    "That cart is for you to hide when you have lost face to show your king after this shameful defeat," the leader of the allied knights retorted and was ready to attack.


    Although the royal troop was tired of the continuous fighting and traveling for days, there was no way any of them would show mercy to their enemies.


    "We have to reach that cart. It looks like their king is hurt, and they are trying to protect him," the Thevailes colonel instructed his subordinates after realizing that none of the reported royals were present. Even though he might not recognize a disguised prince from Abetha or Griven, it would be impossible to hide the trademark red eyes of the King of Megaris.


    The sh between the two groups intensified, and painful screams filled that deserted ce.


    When the colonel managed to reach the carriage, he got the shock of his life.


    "It''s empty," he mumbled.


    "Seems like your empty brains still didn''t get anything," the vicemander from Megaris said as he stopped fighting for a bit, giving their enemies a chance to process things.


    "It was only to divert us here. They never came here," the colonel said in disbelief. His dream of catching the King of Megaris shattered into pieces.


    "Finally?" the knight gave him a mocking sigh. "So, that top part of your body is not empty."


    Realizing how they were fooled, the Thevailes colonel turned angrier and looked at his subordinate, "Send someone to inform the army."


    The subordinate turned, but the next moment, a sword pierced his stomach.


    "There is no use even if you go back," the knight said as he pulled his sword from the body of the colonel''s subordinate.


    The colonel marched towards the knight, but the skilled knight dodged his attack. The vicemander was one of the best knights under Drayce; if not, how could he have been given the responsibility to lead the important part of their escape n?


    The leader of the allied knights fought gracefully, and the colonel had difficulty tackling him. Soon, the colonel was forced back towards the horse that had Marquis Percy tied on it. Their sights met, and the colonel could see that the Marquis''s eyes looked empty. Although he was alive, his gaze was hoping for nothing but to lose his life soon. It felt like Marquis Percy was begging him to kill him.


    Seeing the Marquis like this, the colonel turned in rage and attacked the damned knight who had kept on taunting him. However, the vicemander dodged skillfully and kicked the colonel on his chest, which made the man lose his bnce and fall on the ground.


    The knight pointed his sword towards the Thevailes colonel''s neck and red at him. "If you have seen carefully what we have done to this monster, I''m giving you a chance to leave. If not, you are wee to die along with him."


    The colonel felt cold sweat. If they could turn this cruel Marquis like this, what would they do with him?


    However, as a military man, he was not scared of dying in the hands of the enemies.


    Seemingly understanding his opponent''s thoughts, the vicemander pushed away from the colonel''s sword. "Let me tell you what we n to do with the old rag." The knight leaned down and said something to the colonel in a low voice that only he could hear.


    The colonel''s eyes widened. "You can''t. We will let you win, and you will give us Marquis Percy."


    The vicemander of the knights chuckled. "Let us win? I don''t think we are on the losing side, though." The knight deliberately looked around, and the colonel followed the knight''s sight.


    Thevailes was definitely on the losing side, and the colonel could only curse his soldiers in his mind. The colonel looked at the knight again. "The rule is to respect the superiors on both sides. Godfrey Percy is a high noble of the marquis rank. Make him a prisoner of war that can be exchanged once diplomatic settlements are made after the war."


    "That old rag is an exception," replied the knight and warned, "Leave, or I might n to do the same with you. Enough bloodshed for the day."


    The colonel stood up. "I won''t forget this. One day, we will meet, and that day will be thest day of your life."


    "I will surely wait for that day. Don''t forget to call out my name when we are on the battlefield again," the knight replied. "Azer Brayden, that''s my name."


    "I will remember it for sure." The colonel returned to his horse as he signaled his soldiers to retreat. Soon after, the sounds of sword shing stopped, and both sides separated from each other.


    When the colonel left with his remaining soldiers, the vicemander of the royal knights of Megaris went towards the Marquis and gave him a mocking look. "How did it feel when your men abandoned you here to die a painful death without even fighting to the death to take you back?"


    With his tongue cut, Marquis Percy couldn''t talk, but the disappointment was evident in his eyes. His own men abandoning him would be the most hurtful thing for any leader, even more painful than being pierced by an enemy''s sword.


    Azer smiled coldly. "It''s just the start of your pain, Marquis. The best is yet toe."

 Chapter 55: Change In Plan

    <h4>Chapter 55: Change In n</h4>


    The changes were inevitable on a battlefield, and in war, one could never be faulted for being too careful. When Drayce and the others talked about their return trip, they knew that their initial n would not work anymore. With their small number, to escape the full brunt of the joined forces of Hatha and Thevailes would require changes to their previous escape n that was formed inside King Armen''s study.


    In the initial n several days ago, Drayce had pointed out the difficulty of returning to Abetha.


    "We can''t return the same way, or else we will have to face Hatha in front and Thevailes behind. We will have to use the terrain to our advantage and follow the mountain range to reach the Thevailes-Megaris border," Drayce told the officials inside the King of Abetha''s study back then.


    "Then there is only one way. Megaris," King Armen stated as he studied the map. "The trip will be longer, but the rescue squad will be safer."


    Drayce nodded.


    Abetha''s Military General, Carvois Losio, suggested, "When we save His Highness Prince Cian, the enemies will surely pursue us. Most of our people will be tired by then. We will need additional support."


    Drayce pointed towards a wastnd shown with rows of rocks on the map. "We have to bring them here. I will inform my army in Megaris to send several troops to? handle our pursuers."


    General Cavrois had doubts regarding Drayce''s proposal. "Your Majesty, pardon my words if they offend you, but this location is still far from the Megaris-Thevailes border, and we will need many soldiers. Depending on where Prince Cian is kept, we will be fighting against an entire battalion or, perhaps, a regiment. Though Megaris is known for their battle prowess, won''t it be dangerous for them to face thousands of Thevailes soldiers? Besides, several troops mean hundreds of men. It won''t be easy to move them inside Thevailes without being noticed."


    "By then, their main army would have been too busy dealing with my army at the border," Drayce replied with a calm face. He had already considered that issue. He pointed towards the mountain ranges between Thevailes and Megaris. "This side of the mountain range is dangerous, but my soldiers can cross it. No one will notice them as Thevailes did not station an army here."


    Before leaving for Abetha to attend the engagement ceremony of the Second Prince of Griven and the Second Princess of Abetha, Drayce had considered many possibilities as per the information he acquired through his spies inside Thevailes and Hatha Kingdom. He had already prepared his military at Thevailes border, and only one message from their King was enough to let them conduct the decided n.


    The rest in King Armen''s study pondered silently as they examined the young king''s proposal.


    "Once Megaris soldiers reach there sessfully, it will be easy for us," Sir Berolt finally said.


    An agreed with the return route. "From here, once we enter Megaris, we can return through Griven. I''ll make sure you all will rest nicely," An grinned yfully. His words were an assurance that they will be sessful by all means possible.


    However, now that they found Cian in the frontier of Hatha instead of Thevailes, that n had to be changed.


    The territory of Marquis Percy belonged to the northern part of Hatha, and there was quite a distance from the fortress to the nned meeting ce in the Megaris border, which was in the east of Thevailes. The distance between Barknor Fortress and Megaris was more than twice as far as the distance between the fortress and Abetha.


    A long journey with enemies surrounding them on all sides would needlessly endanger their group. More so, they needed to shorten their travel time and take more breaks in between due to yer''s condition.


    When Drayce and An entered the physician''s lodging to see yer, Cian stayed outside with his men. He got the information about yer from Sir Berolt and understood how important it was to save that knight. Though Cian didn''t personally know Drayce and his knight, they were the people who came to rescue him. The Kingdom of Abetha had to return this life-saving favor, and as its crown prince, it was his responsibility to get them back safely.


    After Drayce and An stepped out to convene with everyone, Cian proposed changes regarding their return route. Thinking about yer''s condition, Drayce approved the new scheme without further changes.


    The vicemander of the royal knights from Megaris was appointed to lead the decoy team that would be heading to the border. It was Azer, one of the knights who was always apanying Drayce together with yer.


    "Azer, you will lead them to thatnd. Our soldiers are already here. With your fastest speed, it will take you till early noon to reach there. You can do whatever you want," Drayce instructed.


    "Rest assured, Your Majesty."


    "Make sure that Godfrey Percy is out in the open. Tie him to a horse and let the enemy scouts see that we are going to parade him on the way to Megaris," Cian added.


    "We will need another cart too. Can''t leave out the main part of the show," Anughed.


    In less than an hour, their group was ready to leave. Before they headed off, Drayce called for Azer. "You know what to do with that marquis."


    "Yes, Your Majesty," Azer replied and red at the old man tied on the horse beside him.


    Once they left the fortress and crossed enough distance from where no one from the fortress could see them in the dark, their group divided into two parts. The decoy team left northeast for Megaris, while the rest moved south towards Abetha.


    Under Cian''s leadership, the second group moved fast and encountered little hindrance. Among Abetha''s military officials, he was the most familiar with the terrain of Hatha as not only was he themander of Abetha''s Northern Fortress, but he had also earned a lot of military credits during the time when Hatha and Abetha fought with Thevailes together.

 Chapter 56: Justice Served

    <h4>Chapter 56: Justice Served</h4>


    Not only for military purposes, but the smart prince had always been interested in travel and exploration. If he weren''t the Crown Prince of Abetha and bogged down by responsibilities, he would have surely traveled to all the known kingdoms within the continent. In fact, before he joined the military, he enjoyed traveling to other kingdoms together with the envoys for diplomatic purposes. He even had made his own maps for some of those interesting ces, which were mostly coded, and only he could understand them.


    Their group continued to march ahead after crossing the majority of Hatha''s territory. When the sun shone in the sky, they made a short stay arrangement where Cian took them to one small cave to avoid being discovered by their enemies.


    yer was still unconscious, and the physician was trying his best with what he could do. After traveling the entire night, their group was both tired and hungry. Cian and An divided their men to patrol the area while the others hunted and gathered food. Soon, their group fed on the rabbit and deer meat as well as some wild fruits they collected along the way, like berries and plums.


    "What''s the status?" Drayce asked the physician who just came out of the cave after attending to yer.


    "His body needs to rest. Continuous traveling on such a difficult path will keep affecting his wounds. It would be better to rest here until his body stabilizes enough to travel again," the physician replied.


    "Still unconscious?" Drayce asked shortly.


    "Being unconscious is nothing when It''s a miracle that he is still alive," the physician replied.


    Drayce had seen yer''s condition and agreed with what the physician said. He talked to Cian, and they thought to rest there for some time more. From thest intel they received regarding the war, Thevailes and Hatha were on the short end of the stick. Against thebined might of Abetha, Griven, and Megaris, the enemies would not have enough workforce to deal with their small group.


    Also, as they were near the frontier of Abetha, it would be all right to slow down their pace. With Cian guiding them for the rest of the journey, they would make small stops in between, and they would only move during the cover of the night.


    -------


    On the other side, the vicemander of the royal knights of Megaris had finished dealing with the Thevailes general and his soldiers.


    Azer and his men continued to march towards Megaris. Although they rested and ate along the way, they paid no attention to the old man tied to a horse, except for ensuring the prisoner remained alive.


    Just as the sun was about to set, they stopped in what appeared to be an abandoned vige turned into a temporary military camp of Thevailes. It was a deserted ce filled with skeletons, looking more like a graveyard than a vige. The unpleasant and sad air would make no sane person want to stay there. Looking at those skeletons, one could only imagine the painful deaths those people got before being left out here.


    With a cold face, Azer looked at the old man who had fallen asleep on the horse. He pulled out the wooden water carrier hung to his waist and sshed the water on the old man''s face.


    Marquis Percy shivered and groaned in pain. He opened his heavy eyes and found himself at a familiar ce. If his tongue weren''t cut, he would have cursed out loud at sight.


    "You are home, Marquis Percy," Azer informed.


    The marquis looked at Azer when he called it his home, but he didn''t wish to know what they would do with him. He pretended not to hear the knight.


    "Do you remember, Marquis? This ce where you killed those innocent kids and women. Your army attacked our ordinary viges, killed the able-bodied men and took the rest as ves, and brought them across the mountains to this ce. But instead of selling them, you also killed these innocent people and threw them here to rot. I can hear their souls screaming for vengeance, wanting to tear you apart."


    After saying those words, Azer signaled his men.


    Two soldiers dragged the marquis down from the horse and threw him in between the skeletal remains. The marquis tried to move, but the soldiers pushed him down. The soldiers arranged dried logs of wood to which they tied the old man so he wouldn''t be able to move even a bit. He could onlyy on the ground while facing the sky, his broken mouth with dried blood around it unable to make a coherent sound.


    "Your death is in front of you." Azer pointed towards the sky, where the huge flock of scavenger birds roamed in the sky searching for food.


    Marquis Percy shook his head as if asking Azer to kill him with a sword instead of doing this, but Azer ignored him and pulled out a tiny metal whistle from his pocket.


    The two soldiers got on their horses, leaving the marquis on his own. Azer blew into that whistle which made no sound. But soon, the birds roaming in the sky took a turn and dove towards where they could smell blood and flesh. Azer and his men rode away while the flock of scavenger birds covered the entire body of the old man to give him his share of painful death.


    The ce where the Marquis enjoyed killing the innocent people mercilessly and dumping them without care had finally turned into his own graveyard, where his body remains would end up rotting till they turn into the dust sooner orter. No funeral would be held for him as no one would know if he was dead or alive, and if dead, then where his body was.


    Once, the renowned Marquis, Godfrey Percy, finally had the end to his life, exactly what he did with the others. Justice was served, and he got his share of painful death.

 Chapter 57: Valuable Trade

    <h4>Chapter 57: Valuable Trade</h4>


    More than a day had passed since Drayce, and his troop left Barknor Fortress. A messenger arrived at the Royal Pce of Abetha and went to urgently report to the King.


    "Your Majesty," Lord Eudes bowed as he entered the King''s study together with the messenger. "We have received a message from our spies in Hatha."


    "What''s the news?" King Armen asked worriedly.


    The messenger kneeled in front of him. "Reporting to His Majesty, the Crown Prince has been sessfully rescued, and the troop left Barknor Fortressst night. As Sir Calhoun Sanders, themander of the royal knights of Megaris was severely injured; therefore, the troop is traveling slowly. From our estimates, after a day or two, they would have entered the territory of Abetha. Our military stationed in the Northern Fortress will then safely escort them back to the capital."


    King Armen felt relieved upon hearing that his son was safe, but then he asked, "Didn''t we n the escape from Megaris'' side?"


    The messenger nodded and exined the entire situation. As he listened, King Armen could not help but sigh. He understood the price Megaris had to pay in order for the operation to be sessful, and he knew that this was a heavy favor Abetha had to return, but at the moment, there was nothing he could do except to offer aid for the fast recovery of the infamous yer of Megaris when they returned.


    "Inform all the royal physicians to be avable to see his injury, and allow the precious medicinal herbs in the Treasury to be used for his treatment," the King instructed Lord Eudes.


    His advisor bowed. "Yes, Your Majesty."


    ----------


    Not only King Armen but Queen Niobe was also desperately waiting to get thetest news about the rescue mission of Crown Prince Cian. Since the moment she was informed of the Prince''s abduction, she couldn''t be in peace and prayed for his well-being.


    As the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Lord Darus Count also got updates regarding the situation of the rescue mission through his secret sources.? As soon as he was finished with his official duties, he came to visit Queen Niobe in her chamber to inform her about the sessful rescue of Prince Cian.


    Lord Darus bowed to the Queen, who, as usual, sat in her chair after ordering herdy-in-waiting and maids to leave.


    "Your Majesty, they had sessfully rescued the Crown Prince."


    Queen Niobe gave out a sigh of relief. "Finally. I was sure the King did everything to save our son."


    "The King of Megaris yed a major role. His powers and tactics aremendable," Darus Count added.


    "King of Megaris!" the Queen mumbled. "I am sure my husband will have to return this heavy favor to him, maybe at the expense of the kingdom."


    The minister nodded. "With our kingdom being embroiled in a war with Hatha and Thevailes, Abetha can''t afford to upset him if he asks for something, or else the alliance will crumble. From what I heard about his actions during the rescue mission, it shows the rumors about him being the devil''s son are somewhat the truth."


    The Queen gave him a questioning look, and Lord Darus exined, "During the fight, there was a sudden earthquake, and everyone believes the King of Megaris caused it."


    "Interesting, though it''s not believable."


    "Your Majesty, it is too much of a coincidence that just as Marquis Percy had hurt King Drayce''s closest confidant, an earthquake erupted. ording to my sources, it was the result of his anger," the minister added. "Not just that, during the fight, there were a number of times the King of Megaris showed inhuman abilities."


    "If you have heard of this, I am sure King Armen would have known about it too and verified its authenticity and will not try to cross him if he asked for anything," Queen Niobe sighed. After some time, her amber-colored eyes shone brightly. "Instead of promising wealth andnd, why not formalize our temporary alliance with Megaris with a promise of longersting friendship? How about gifting him one of the princesses from Abetha? Isn''t it a normal thing to do when another kingdomes to your rescue?"


    Lord Darust nodded. "Such trades increase the trust between both kingdoms."


    "And here we have one precious witch for this valuable trade, perfect for a devil." The Queen smirked,? her eyes looking like she had nned something wicked.


    "Indeed, Your Majesty."


    "When will they return to the capital?" the Queen asked.


    "They will arrive tomorrow, Your Majesty," the minister replied as he added, "If we proceed with our n, we only have tonight to implement it. Once Prince Cian returns, it will be difficult for us to move."


    The Queen agreed. "Do we have everything ready?"


    "Yes, Your Majesty. We are just waiting for your permission."


    "Tonight, carry it out by all means, and remember, no mistake is allowed."


    "Rest assured, Your Majesty."


    --------


    (Seren''s POV)


    Standing by the window, I kept staring at the sky, which was slowly getting engulfed by the darkness. The sun was about to set behind those faraway mountain ranges.


    Time felt like a snail crawling, and although it seemed a year had passed, it was actually only the third night I would spend alone without Martha being by my side.


    "Where is that olddy? Once she is back, I would trouble her to her bones. She dared to keep me alone for this long." Iined out loud, but the next moment, my mind changed. "What if she never returns?"


    The thought scared me. I closed my eyes and prayed to whoever could hear my pleading.


    "Please let Martha return soon. I will be good to her and listen to whatever she says..."


    Thud!


    "Ahh!"


    Somethingnded on my window, and on a reflex, I stepped back from the source of the sound.? Several secondster, I opened my eyes, only to see the eagle who always brought my meals.


    "Can''t you inform me beforending here so suddenly?" I raised my voice as I tried to calm my fast heartbeats and catch my breath.


    The majestic brown bird didn''t seem to be affected by my words, and I stepped towards him.


    "Why do I feel like you love scaring me? Do you want me to burn you?" I said, and the eagle moved back a little away from the food box he brought.


    "Didn''t someone tell you I am a witch and I can burn you?" I asked again, but the eagle ignored me and turned, about to spread his wings to fly away.


    "Wait!" I called out, and surprisingly, the eagle folded his wings back and turned to face me. I noticed something on one of his ws.

 Chapter 58: Scream

    <h4>Chapter 58: Scream</h4>


    "Is it blood? Are you hurt?" I asked as I got closer to him. Though the sun was setting, the lights from themps in my room allowed me to see his body clearly.


    Though wary, the eagle did not fly when I approached. Just as I was about to reach out to him, he took small steps back but hesitantly stayed still when my finger touched his feathers. When I was sure he would not fly away, my hand lowered, and I observed that there was a tiny wound on his leg, at the outside of his w fold.


    "I have a magic medicine for you. If you take it, it will be healed in no time. Let me get it for you." I turned to go to the dresser inside my room as I continued to talk. "Martha gave me this magic medicine, but it''s of no use for me." My voice lowered as I mumbled, "As if I can even go somewhere to hurt myself."


    I pulled out a small silk pouch from one of my drawers and returned to the waiting eagle. There were small silver round pills inside, which shone, unlike normal medicine. I pulled out one pill and offered it on my palm to the eagle.


    There was no movement from the eagle. The majestic bird didn''t seem to trust me nor the medicine.


    "It shines because it has a magic spell on it. Eat it," I cooed patiently and put that pouch in the pocket of my dress.


    Slowly, the eagle picked it up with his beak. I smiled gently, wanting to pet it. "You still haven''t told me if you are a male or female."


    The moment I said those words, the eagle fled in a hurry again. I could only pout.


    As usual, I ate the food he brought before resuming my boring studies. However, when the words started to blur together, and my eyes turned heavy, I knew it was time for me to rest. After changing into my nightgown and turning down the light from themps, I dove into my bed and fell asleep in no time.


    Tung!


    Tung!


    The sound from the bell hung at my gate disturbed my sleep.


    "Again?" I sighed.


    Every night since Martha left, I had been hearing the sounds of a bell ringing, but I didn''t dare step out of my bedchamber to go out of the tower and check who my visitor was.


    Because of the countless experiences I had when I was a kid, I couldn''t trust anyone. What if people were waiting for me toe out of the tower and try to harm me? Without Martha, how could I know it was safe to interact with people?


    Pretending to be deaf once more, I ignored the sound and covered my entire body with the quilt.


    However, unlike other nights, the bell rang without a stop.


    "Ahh!"


    "Did someone just scream?" My ears turned alert, and when I heard a scream again, I pulled the quilt away.


    "Ahh!"


    A line of sweat appeared on my forehead. "W-what is it?"


    The scream seemed to being nearby, maybe just outside the walls of my ce. Although it was terrifying, it worried me whatever or whoever was causing it. Someone might need my help.


    Was it one of the guards manning the gate? Both? Were they hurt?


    I took a deep breath as I steeled myself to check outside. A peek wouldn''t hurt, right? After grabbing an outer robe to cover my nightgown, I took one of mymps and exited my bedchamber. It was dark inside the tower as no one was there to lighten the fire torches. It was a relief that due to the moonlighting inside the tower through those few windows on each floor, it didn''t feel that scary.


    When I reached the ground floor, there was no longer any sound of screaming.


    ''Was it my imagination?'' I thought and looked at the tower''s main entrance.. ''Perhaps they already received help?''


    I wanted to check just to make sure. Holding my breath, I went ahead and finally stepped out of the tower. I looked around, and everything was calm as if nothing was differentpared to all the other nights. Under the moonlight, my flower garden seemed ethereal.


    From the corners of my eyes, I noticed arge yet weirdly-shaped shadow on the ground. I went closer, only to hear something like a liquid dripping on the ground. When I raised my head, I didn''t realize I had already approached one of therge trees near the gate. My eyes widened as if they would pop out.


    "AHH!!!"


    I stepped back, only to stumble across a rock and fall on the ground. Themp in my hand broke.


    Smash!


    Crack!


    As I continued to scream, sounds of ss shattering enveloped not only my tower but also the entire royal pce.


    "AHHH!!!"


    Even when I saw all the windows of my tower break and the deafening sounds of ss breaking entered my ears, I could not help but scream some more.


    Chaos. There was pure chaos outside the walls of my residence. But how could I pay attention to anything around me when all I wanted at this moment was to get away from this terrible, terrible sight?


    "Martha!" I called helplessly. With tears in my eyes, I tried to crawl my way back towards the tower.


    Behind me, there were mutted bodies of two men hanging on the tree, fresh blood dripping out of their bodies.


    As themp I brought with me was broken, I could only run in the dark inside the tower. My feet and knees were hurt as I stumbled, but it couldn''t stop me from running towards the safety of my room.


    All I could think was to hide myself.


    The image of the mutted bodies would not go away. It reminded me of those ghosts I saw when? I was younger, that time when I tried to escape and Martha saved me.


    However, even though I hid myself under the cover of a thick quilt, unwanted memories continued to haunt me. I could only stay curled in bed, shivering in a cold sweat and choking in tears.


    Soon, I heard the sound of rain and I knew my tears were the reason. My scream could destroy things, and my weeping could cause rain. These curses had long damned me to never allow myself to show my true feelings.


    However, at this moment, my tears would not stop.


    ''Martha, where are you? Pleasee back. Please...''

 Chapter 59: Disaster

    <h4>Chapter 59: Disaster</h4>


    The entire Royal Pce of Abetha was thrown into disarray, filling people''s hearts with terror and dread.


    Although it was in the middle of the night, whether it be the royals, their designated knights, the guards on duty, and even the servants, people of all walks of life inside the pce were all woken by the horrifying scream of a woman. The powerful scream that caused every item made of ss, porcin, and other fragile minerals to shatter into pieces.


    Nothing remained intact, from the huge ss windows of the different castles and buildings within the pceplex to every ceramic vase and porcin figurines adorning the hallways and rooms.


    The incident ended up hurting many people inside the castle, especially the servants and the royals who were in deep sleep. The sudden uproar caused everyone to hurry out of their chambers and run towards the open space in the pce grounds, as if the war had reached the capital and enemies had infiltrated each building, causing everyone to avoid the cmity.


    As if only this much of a disaster was not enough, soon, cold rain started pouring and everyone had no other option but to return under the roof of the main pce and residences to avoid the rain.


    "It''s the witch! It''s the witch''s curse!" One of the injured cried out, and soon, it spread across the pce that this was the witch''s doing, harming innocent lives due to various selfish reasons.


    King Armen, who was still inside his study during the incident, was not spared from the power of Seren''s scream too. While he was busy working on the documents on his desk, the window near him exploded into multiple shards, causing him to receive shallow cuts on his arm and forehead. Just like others, even the king was shocked by this sudden incident.


    The door of the study flung open, and Lord Eudes and a number of royal knights��each of them with various injuries themselves��entered to protect their King from the ensuing turmoil.


    "Your Majesty!"


    "Are you all right, Your Majesty?"


    However, King Armen ignored their concern and dropped everything as he realized what it must be and hurried out of his study towards the direction of his youngest daughter''s residence. He was sure he had heard the light sound of a scream while busy at work, and there was only one reason for such disaster to happen. His trusted advisor and the knights immediately followed him, ready to do his bidding.


    Just as they stepped out, they were weed by the rain. The meaning was clear, his daughter was crying. Something must have scared her to the extent that it made her scream and cry. King Armen cared about nothing and hurried towards the tower.


    "Gather more soldiers around the tower," King Armen ordered as he almost ran towards the tower.


    Lord Eudes signaled one of the knights who separated from their group to execute the order.


    Due to the sudden incident, everyone was outside, and when they saw their king going towards the forbidden area, they could not control their imagination from doing wonders.


    "Even His Majesty mes the witch."


    "Everyone heard her screaming."


    "After performing ck magic, don''t know what she is up to now?"


    "See how much I am hurt? This ss almost cut my neck."


    "Let''s see if this time, His Majesty will let this slide. Because of her attack, people might have died!"


    "Our king should burn her to get rid of all the bad luck this kingdom is going through! She''s been practicing ck magic, unafraid because His Majesty is protecting her. First, she almost ruined the Second Princess''s engagement, then that ck smoke which is surely a curse of some sort. She''s still not satisfied and even got the Crown Prince abducted, and now she is trying to kill us all!"


    "I heard, by killing people, witches increase their powers."


    "No wonder that witch caused the war. There is plenty of bloodshed on the battlefield! She''s damning our kingdom to ruin!"


    "I am even scared to be around this tower and this pce. Perhaps it will be toote to leave when His Majesty realizes she''s out to kill us all."


    ------


    When King Armen reached the tower, he saw a brigade of royal knights standing guard outside the gate in the rain.


    "Your Majesty!" The knights greeted him with a bow and offered to carry the umbre for him but the King raised his hand, saying no need.


    "What happened?" the King asked without care that he was drenched by the continuous rain.


    "Your Majesty, when we arrived here, the assigned guards were nowhere to be seen," the leader of the brigade replied.


    With a gesture from him, the knights opened the gate but remained outside. Although they were worried that their king went inside alone, it was his royal decree that, aside from those allowed by the princess herself, only the King had permission to enter the Third Princess''s residence. At most, they could guard the gate.


    King Armen did not even have to search far to see what was wrong. He saw two bloody corpses hanging on the tree in the center of the garden which was being protected from that rain by the dense foliage of the tree.


    "Eudes!" King Armen roared in anger.


    Lord Eudes, who had never entered the tower''s premises, finally did it for the first time as his king called for him. Seeing the old advisor entering, the leader of the knight brigade steeled himself and took one of themps from his men before following behind him.


    The knight raised hismp when he came close and eximed in shock. "Our guards!"


    As the leader of the brigade and Sir Berolt''s direct subordinate, the knight recognized both dead bodies even though they were coated in blood and badly mutted. Their limbs were broken and hung to the joints in twisted forms. Their faces were scarred, bones nearly showing, and not an inch of their skin was not coated in blood. If not for what remained of their uniforms, it was near impossible to think these were royal knights known for their strength and valiance.


    The King''s sight followed the trail of blood on the ground which was mixed with rainwater and was flowing towards the brokenmp. Despite the rain, themp was still burning with whatever oil was left in it.


    "She was here," King Armen mumbled.


    Lord Eudes followed the King''s line of sight and went to check on thatmp. "You are right, Your Majesty. The embers are not yet put out. It has only been a couple of minutes at most."


    "She must have been thoroughly scared to scream like that," the King concluded worriedly.


    He knew that Martha had strictly taught Seren not to scream, no matter whatever happens, because of its consequences, and his daughter sessfully followed that instruction for so many years. For her to lose control of herself, that meant his frightened daughter needed her father''sfort and protection.


    King Armen strode towards the tower''s entrance, but like the previous time, he was pushed back by the magic that Martha used. He gritted his teeth as he realized once again how much he hated this magic spell that stopped a father from going to his daughter when she badly needed him.


    It was magic and the supernatural causing his pitiful daughter''s life to turn out like this. If he had the power to destroy them all, he would have done so that his daughter would have been able to live in freedom, but s! He was a mere mortal, a weak human who could only think of changing the world but could never do it. The only thing he could do was to protect his daughter by all mortal means possible.


    Feeling helpless,? King Armen did something he had never done before.


    "Seren!"


    The King of Abetha, who had abided strictly by all royal rules and who was renowned among all the kingdoms for his dignified calmness, called out his daughter''s name out loud like a normalmoner, hoping she would hear it and respond to him. Although he couldn''t go inside the tower, surely, she coulde out of it.


    He waited for a moment and called again, "Seren, Father is here!"


    There was no response for a long time, and King Armen felt even more worried.


    "Seren!"


    This time, his voice was heavy with emotion, as if he was choking in desperation. The tears rolling down his cheeks were seemingly being washed away by the rain.


    Lord Eudes and the leader of the knights could only pretend ignorance of the matter. The King''s trusted advisor looked at the knight, who understood what the old man meant and wordlessly saluted before heading back towards the gate. They needed to take those bodies down the tree and move them somewhere else for investigation.


    "Your Majesty!" Lord Eudes called out in rm when he saw his king fall on his knees in front of the tower''s entrance.


    With a hoarse voice, King Armen ordered, "Get someone to break this magic right away."


    Lord Eudes could only pretend to agree. This was not the first time King Armen ordered this, and as his right-hand man, he had been searching far and wide for whoever knew magic or dealt with the supernatural, but he only got disappointment in return.


    At least within the Kingdom of Abetha, it seemed that magic wielders had gonepletely hermit, and there were nothing but rumors about their whereabouts. However, at this moment, he couldn''t tell his king the reality as it would only make him feel worse.


    King Armen didn''t look like he would move from his ce, and Lord Eudes decided to apany him silently, hoping the Third Princess woulde out and ease the worry of her father.

 Chapter 60: Premonition

    <h4>Chapter 60: Premonition</h4>


    Deep within the Dark Forest in the southeastern region of Hatha, a group of rugged mercenaries had set camp in a hilly area that was not frequented by the ordinary hunters due to its proximity to the dangerous mountain peaks that were rumored to be cursed by evil spirits.


    These mercenaries were in fact the other half of the allied troop being led by Cian back towards Abetha. Even with their elite skills, they did not dare blindly travel during the night inside the forest and were thus forced to stop again. Due to their deliberate slow speed and acts of concealment, taking routes that were not frequented by most people, their group was still inside the territory of Hatha. If nothing were to go wrong, it would take them another day and an entire night to reach the capital.


    Drayce had not rested ever since they left Barknor Fortress, opting to either check-in with yer''s deteriorating health or patrol around camp just in case an ambush was set up by the enemies, joining the knights who were assigned to keep vigil for their group.


    His restlessness bothered not only the knights who were robbed of their duties but also the two crown princes who had been on edge the entire time.


    "Not resting and keeping your eyes all the time on him won''t heal him faster," An''s voice broke the tense silence of the camp.


    Drayce simply lifted his head to stare at the two young men who unceremoniously joined him around the campfire.


    Cian spoke up as well, "And even though us keeping watch won''t heal Sir Calhoun faster too, Prince An and I are willing to take over here to look after him to ease your mind. Do rest, Your Majesty."


    However, Drayce refused to budge from his seat in front of the fire, pretending as if the two crown princes were made of air, and continued to stare at the tent where yer was being kept.


    The ignored An was equally as stubborn as his friend. "Well, if you are not going to listen, once yer is fine, I will have to tell him about this, and then you know what he will do..."


    Drayce red at him, but this time, he dared not ignore An''s warning. He stood up and went towards the tent that was set behind him without a word.


    His response surprised Cian, and he looked at An with a questioning gaze. Though Cian had few interactions with the young king, from what he had observed so far, it was near impossible to persuade Drayce from doing something he did not want to do. The King of Megaris was willful to a fault.


    "It''s between those two," An answered Cian''s unspoken question.


    Cian gave him a doubtful look, and Anughed. "Don''t misunderstand. They are not just a king and his knight, but best friends since childhood."


    Cian understood.


    Just as Draycey inside his tent and closed his eyes, suddenly, his red eyes opened in shock. His heartbeats raced for no apparent reason, and there was sudden overwhelming anxiety weighing heavily inside his chest.


    As if something bad had happened.


    Thest time he felt this exact mystifying sensation was when he was a kid, and at that time, he lost someone precious to him.


    ''yer!''


    Drayce immediately hurried out of the tent and went to where his guardian knight was.


    An and Cian, who were chatting idly, saw his distress and immediately followed him towards the nearby tent.


    "yer!" Drayce called out as he drew the p of the tent to one side and entered.


    The injured knight remained unconscious and didn''t react to his king''s shout, but the old physician who was sleeping in the same tent as yer was awakened by the outburst. He frowned in disapproval at the red-eyed man. "What is this ruckus? He is not dead yet!"


    "Check on him," Drayce ordered coldly.


    "Did you not hear what I said?"


    Drayce only repeated his words. "Check on him."


    Unwillingly, the physician stood up and looked at Drayce with an annoyed expression.


    The old man held yer''s wrist and checked his eyes and mouth before prodding around his bandaged limbs. "This tough knight is not yetpletely out of danger, but as I have done everything I could for his situation not to deteriorate, his vitals are now stable. I should say it''s a miracle that despite not having proper treatment yet, his condition is not worsening."


    Drayce felt relieved hearing those words, but the anxiety he felt inside didn''t go away. If this omen was not for yer, who else is close to him that was currently in danger to make him feel like this?


    After exchanging some more words with the physician, Drayce finally released the breath he didn''t realize he had been holding and exited the tent. An and Cian were waiting for him outside.


    An asked him, "What happened? Is yer all right? Do we need to do something?"


    "Not sure," Drayce answered with a furrowed brow. "Something doesn''t feel right."


    An and Cian exchanged a nce, confused by what he meant.


    "You are too tired, so that must be the reason," An suggested.


    Drayce didn''t look convinced. He turned to Cian. "How much time will it take to reach Abetha''s capital?"


    "With our current speed, about a day and a night, so we will arrive there in two days'' time," Cian answered. "Without any break, we might reach there before midnight tomorrow, but I doubt we can shorten the journey time as that will be too rough for the old man and your knight."


    Drayce knew it too, but he could not help but confirm it once more. He found himself unable to rx until he was assured that yer waspletely safe.


    --------


    Inside the Royal Pce of Abetha, the chaos caused by Seren''s scream had not yet died down.


    While the royal guards and servants were busy running around to tend to the injured and bring order back inside the pce grounds, and the King of Abetha had taken vigil in front of his daughter''s tower due to immense worry for her, there were people who had remained calm all throughout the night''s ordeal, seemingly prepared to face this disaster.


    "Mother, did you know this would happen?"


    The Second Princess of Abetha, Meira, could not help but ask Queen Niobe who was sitting leisurely on a wooden chair in front of her. Despite it being the middle of the night, the blond middle-aged woman remained regally beautiful in her nightgown, not a blemish on her fair skin nor a hair straying out of her bun. Likewise, her youngest daughter was in the same situation, as she had been roused by her mother toe visit her and stay with her inside this room for the duration of the night.


    The Queen smiled without answering her daughter, but her expression looked like she achieved something big tonight.


    "Mother!" Meira called again.


    Finally, Queen Niobe came out of the daze of her sess and looked at her youngest daughter who had been sitting restlessly in front of her with an extremely curious expression. The Queen merely smiled, but did not answer Meira''s question.


    "Are you fine, dear?" Queen Niobe asked.

 Chapter 61: Successful Plan

    <h4>Chapter 61: Sessful n</h4>


    "Are you fine, dear?" Queen Niobe asked.


    "Yes, Mother. If I were in my room, I would have been hurt by now," Miera replied as she pointedly looked around the empty room, which had no ss or porcin things around. "Mother, you knew this would happen; that''s why you brought me here, right?"


    Queen Niobe nodded.


    "How?" Miera asked.


    "You don''t need to know, dear. Once your room is clean, you can go back. Make sure to put on some bandages here and there," the Queen instructed before standing up to go out.


    "Where are you going, Mother?" Meira asked worriedly. "I am afraid, Mother. Can''t we stay here until everything is alright?"


    Queen Niobe smirked lightly. "The queen is the mother of the kingdom. She can''t sit in hiding when her subjects are hurt."


    The Queen stepped out of that empty room and followed the light at the end of the dark passage, where she turned on a special mechanism on the wall which opened the hidden door leading inside the Queen''s royal chamber.


    During the night, Queen Niobe and her daughter sought refuge in advance inside the hidden passage connected to her chamber, which was a safety precaution meant for the royal family to use when assassins or enemies besiege the pce.


    Just as the Queen had stepped out, she saw herdy-in-waiting, who was covered in scrapes and cuts, standing guard all by herself inside her chamber with a thick but slightly torn outer robe and a roll of clean bandages in her hand.


    "Your Majesty," the olddy-in-waiting bowed to the Queen and asked worriedly, "Are you hurt, Your Majesty?"


    As it was raining outside, water had pooled below the broken windows. Looking at the broken mess inside her chamber, the Queen didn''t answer and simply instructed, "Let the maids enter. Make sure to clear everything faster."


    Thedy-in-waiting nodded before giving the Queen the outer robe to cover her clean nightgown. Queen Niobe stepped out of her chamber after getting bandages wrapped on her uninjured hand and neck, basically just for show. After instructing the maids, the olddy-in-waiting followed her Queen with a parasol in hand.


    While passing through the corridors, the Queen observed everything in interest. The guards and servants whining in pain and cursing the witch turned quiet as soon as they saw the beautiful Queen making her rounds. The royals who came out of their rooms were hurt, worried and angry, but they too were stunned when they saw the bandaged Queen approaching.


    Smiling lightly at their expressions, Queen Niobe thought, ''It''s better than what I had thought. Didn''t know that witch is this powerful.''


    Thedies of the royal family who saw the Queen came to her immediately.


    "Your Majesty! Did you see what that witch has done?" one of her nieces spoke as she showed the cuts on her bare hands and face.


    "Don''t worry about it. This time, His Majesty will take care of it to not let it happen again," the Queen assured. She turned to herdy-in-waiting. "Call the physicians both inside and outside the pce and have them tend to the injured."


    Though the Queen hated the King''s evil daughter, she was always careful about her status as queen and was always careful and respectful with her words towards King Armen. In everyone''s eyes, she was a powerful and kind queen who supported her king and wholeheartedly cared for the kingdom''s welfare, and it was an undeniable truth. Queen Niobe was the daughter of the powerful King of Othinia, and ever since she joined King Armen''s royal harem twenty-five years ago, she had done everything to aid her husband''s sess.


    After appeasing the royals, despite the rain, Queen Niobe went towards the tower where she was sure her husband would be. She wished to see what condition his daughter was in.


    Just as she reached near the tower''s premises, a knight stopped her from proceeding further.


    Herdy-in-waiting, who was holding a parasol to shield her from the rain, immediately stepped out. "Impudence! How dare you block Her Majesty''s way?"


    The knight bowed. "We are merely following the King''s orders. Your Majesty, please do not take offense!"


    The Queen looked around and saw a brigade of royal knights guarding the gate of the tower.


    "What''s going on?" the Queen asked, her voice cold and full of authority.


    "His Majesty King Armen is inside the Third Princess''s residence, and we have been ordered not to let anyone inside."


    She gave him a questioning look. "Anyone? I do not see Lord Eudes here. Is he not inside with the King?"


    "Apologies, Your Majesty," the knight bowed apologetically as a royal knight; he only followed the King; he couldn''t permit the Queen to enter. "His Majesty King Armen had given Lord Briggs permission to enter."


    The Queen did not insist on going inside as she knew how strict the King''s order was about the security of this tower.


    "Is that witch out?" the Queen asked.


    The knight continued to lower his head. "Apologies. I cannot answer you, Your Majesty."


    "Inform His Majesty the Queen seeks an audience," she ordered.


    The knight bowed and informed the captain, who had just stepped out of the tower gate and was busy instructing other knights about what to do regarding the two dead bodies hanging on the tree.


    The captain of the brigade and the two knights entered the gate, and soon, Lord Eudes came out to meet the Queen.


    "Your Majesty," he bowed to the Queen.


    "How is King Armen?" the Queen asked.


    "His Majesty is trying to get the Third Princess out," Lord Eudes informed her.


    "What about her?" The Queen was more interested in Seren.


    "There is no sign of Her Highness."


    Queen Niobe did not let her true emotions show on her face as she instructed, "Don''t let the King stay here for long. I am sure she is fine after causing this disaster."


    "Yes, Your Majesty," Lord Eudes could only agree with her.


    The Queen returned, knowing that the next morning would be the day when she would manage to get rid of that witch, once and for all.

 Chapter 62: Royal Court

    <h4>Chapter 62: Royal Court</h4>


    An entire night passed by, but Seren didn''te out of the tower. King Armen continued to kneel in the rain at the same ce outside the tower''s main entrance like a sinner was asking for forgiveness. Beside him, Lord Eudes had done his best to make the King asfortable as possible and had ordered the knights to fetch their king a thick hooded cloak, as he continued to apany him silently till morning.


    Outside the Third Princess''s residence, the chaos had subsided, yet a heavy tension enveloped the people and the entire pce. Luckily, the rain had stopped some time before dawn; therefore, the people doingbor inside the pce had been spared from working under the rain.


    Despite that, the servants running around to clean the mess continued to curse the witch in their minds, while the royals and the nobles who had heard the news were both filled with equal fear and malice towards the youngest daughter of the royal family.


    When the sun shone brightly in the sky, finally, Lord Eudes dared to talk to the King, who had remained motionless for the rest of the night.


    "Your Majesty, shall we head back?"


    There was no reply from the King, who only had eyes at the tower''s entrance. Neither drenching in the rain nor the uproar outside could affect the determination of one father to see his daughter.


    "Your Majesty, the dead bodies have been cleared. I will have our men standby to let you know once Her Highness the Third Princess shows up. It''s time for Your Majesty to return. Please take even an hour of rest, and then I will advise the royal kitchen to prepare food inside your chamber. Although we will be missing the morning assembly, it is imperative we face the royal court regarding the status of war... andst night''s incident."


    Hearing the words ''royal court'', there was finally a change in the King''s expression. He realized what he would have to face in the royal court. He needed to protect his daughter.


    King Armen stood up and looked at Lord Eudes. "Find out who hung those bodies here."


    "The investigation is already underway, Your Majesty," Lord Eudes said, referring to the knights who took away those mutted bodies.


    The King looked at the tower gate for thest time and said, "Don''t let anyone enter here. Whoever it is."


    "Yes, Your Majesty."


    King Armen and Lord Eudes stepped out of the Third Princess''s residence, and behind them, the knights shut the gate of the tower before proceeding to guard it once more.


    -----------


    All the ministers and officials present in the royal court were talking among themselves about the disaster that happened inside the pce during the night. For the nobles, staying in their family estates, at most, you could see fear and gloating in their eyes, while for those members of the royal family living inside the pce grounds, most of them were injured and had small bandages on their bodies.


    On a normal asion, they would have excused themselves from attending the royal court due to their injuries. However, in order to demand more from their monarch, they decided to bring the ''evidence'' ofst night''s incident to make their statements powerful enough to move their king.


    "His Majesty, King Armen Ilven of Abetha, has arrived!"


    Soon enough, the guards announced the arrival of King Armen. When he entered the royal court, only then did those using whispers stop as everyone bowed before him.


    "Your loyal subjects greet Your Majesty the King. May our Abetha forever prosper under your reign!"


    In his ceremonial robe, with his dark blue cloak and the royal sword attached to his waist, King Armen stepped forward with a stern and heavy presence. Lord Eudes and one knight followed several steps behind the King, who strode towards the front of the hall without paying attention to anyone. The two stood on either side of the throne as King Armen sat on it. Everyone bowed towards King Armen once more, and it could be seen from the way they reacted which factions belonged to whom.


    From his elevated position, King Armen could see the wounded ones whose expressions were filled with either rage or exaggerated pain, especially the women whose moans and cries sounded as if their limbs were broken instead of getting cut by shards of ss. They looked ready to start a series of usations towards the Third Princess of Abetha and the disaster she caused.


    Even Queen Niobe attended the royal court today in order to see what decision the King would take but had decided to stay neutral.


    Lord Eudes held a scroll in his hand and handed it to the King. On the first item of the agenda, instead of the situation of the war between the five kingdoms, an expected change was made. As the King''s advisor, Lord Eudes could only sigh. Finally, the faction against the Third Princess got a strong reason to corner the King, who had never been easy to deal with.


    King Armen was a strong yet kind king, and since his rule, he had managed to sessfully suppress the faction of the high nobles inside Abetha. His reign was unshakeable, and he had the full support of a powerful queen and themon people. In his entire life, King Armen had only one weakness, and that was his youngest daughter.


    One of the oldest ministers from the noble faction, the Minister of the Left, came forward. "Your Majesty, this loyal subject has been worried to death upon hearing ofst night''s incident. I have painstakingly brought my family''s precious herbs for Your Majesty''s health and have delivered them for our royal physicians to use."


    The King nodded slightly as he waited to hear the expected. "The Minister does not need to worry."


    "We all gathered here to discuss the serious issue that almost cost the lives of innocents in the pce," said the Minister of the Left.


    The King looked calm, agreeing to proceed.


    "The witch��"


    Thud!


    King Armen mmed the back of the royal sword on the ground near his feet. The elegant scabbard made a heavy, dull sound as it hit the marble floor.


    "The Third Princess," King Armen corrected.

 Chapter 63: Theory But No Proof

    <h4>Chapter 63: Theory But No Proof</h4>


    "The Third Princess," King Armen corrected.


    He didn''t like his daughter being called a ''witch'', and one needed to give respect to the Third Princess of Abetha.


    Lord Eudes stepped forward with an amiable expression. "Minister of the Left, do be careful of your words, lest the royal court misunderstands you that you are tantly showing disrespect to the royal family and your entire family earns the ire of the crown."


    "Apologies, Your Majesty! That is not my intention." The old minister lowered his head lightly and unwillingly, but he did not look defeated. He was sure soon the King would not have anything to say. "What happened in the pce the previous night, we all know it''s because of Her Highness the Third Princess''s scream. Countless innocent people within the pce can attest to the truth of this. The incidents from the past are proof that the Third Princess is capable of doing so as even us old ministers all had witnessed the effect of her scream when she was a child."


    The King couldn''t deny it as it was the truth.


    "But have you considered the possibility of what must have happened to make her scream like that?" the King asked.


    One more minister stepped forward. "We all wish Your Majesty to hear us all this time. We, your loyal subjects, all know the Third Princess is His Majesty''s daughter, and as her father, you would try to protect her, but His majesty can''t ignore his responsibility towards the kingdom and its people."


    Another minister stepped out to bawl in exaggeration. "Your Majesty, I had sent my only daughter to the pce as an attendant to the Queen, and she is but a child not yet fifteen, yetst night, she has fainted from extreme blood loss and is still currently being nursed to health. I can only thank Her Majesty for looking after my poor daughter, but...but we must deal with the person who caused harm to the innocent! Not only me, but many of us in this room also have family and friends affected byst night''s incident. This time, His Majesty should listen to our pleading even though the one we are talking against is the Third Princess. His Majesty should not forget the kingdom and its peoplee first before anyone else."


    Many of those in the noble faction started to say the same thing about their rtives being hurt in unison, but King Armen remained unaffected and simply watched them in silence.


    The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Darus Count, signaled everyone to stop and talked, "Your Majesty, your loyal subjects beg you to continue protecting the kingdom and its people. We only seek justice for the innocent people affected by such a tragedy, and we wish for no more life to be harmed, or worse lost, in the future. We beg for Your Majesty to make a decision to appease the troubled and terrified hearts of your people.? Your Majesty, please punish the culprit not to let this incident happen again!"


    One more minister added, "Not just the previous night''s incident, but all the unholy incidents happening in the kingdom since the Third Princess had performed ck magic inside her tower."


    The Minister of the Left sighed. "Your Majesty, first, her ck magic is a practice uneptable in itself. Not only that, but she also brought misfortune to this kingdom. Due to the Third Princess, the Crown Prince, who is the sole heir to the royal family, got abducted, then this disaster in the pce where she no doubt hurt innocent people. Just today, we have also received news from the territorial lords of the western part of the kingdom that they are under a pandemic as the gue is spreading over. All these misfortunes at the same time after she performed her ck magic are no coincidence, but all her doing."


    Before King Armen could reply, Minister Darus Count added the final nail in the coffin.


    "And we finally found proof of the Third Princess''s utter disregard for human life. Last night, the two royal knights protecting her residence were found badly mutted inside her ce, where no one but her could step in.? Two strong men, what inhuman strength must be needed in order to subjugate them? Is this not the work of a demon, or a witch? Your Majesty, will you still protect an evil woman who practices ck magic by using human sacrifice?"


    "What proof?" King Armen asked in a cold tone. "What proof do you have to show that it was her doing?"


    Minister Count did not back down. "Your Majesty, we all know that the Third Princess? is a witch and only witches can��"


    "Mere words of usation? That is your proof?" King Armen could not help but sneer as he interrupted the minister. "Did anyone among you personally see her doing your so-called ''ck magic''? Can anyone within the royal court bring me a witness who had seen her kill anyone?"


    Before anyone could reply, King Armen continued, "Minister, you yourself have admitted that it ismon knowledge for our people to know that my daughter''s scream could wreak havoc. Have any of you considered the possibility that when the security around the tower was weak, someone had plotted against the Third Princess to scare her and use her powers against her?"


    "Your Majesty, why would anyone do such an act against the royal family when the entire kingdom is worried about Prince Cian''s abduction?" one of the ministers countered.


    "How timely, is it not?" King Armen remarked as he tapped on his armrest. "How timely that such an incident happened after we got the news that the Crown Prince was rescued. Although the fact that my son had been rescued was not yet made public to themon people, it is also not kept a secret to those who have the ability to inquire about this news. Moreover, the preparator must have found it as a good opportunity when the entire attention was shifted towards my son''s rescue and the? attention paid towards the tower had been at its lowest."

 Chapter 64: Investigation

    <h4>Chapter 64: Investigation</h4>


    The Minister of the Left shook his head. "Your Majesty, there is no proof that it was done by someone else. Also, no one dares to approach, much less enter that cursed tower. Not only was it your royal decree, but also no one wanted to die in the hands of the witch."


    "Simrly, there is no proof that the killing was done by the Third Princess," the King responded. "She is just a seventeen-year-old girl, not yet even an adult, who has always been alone in her residence. How can such a weak body overpower and kill two trained knights? There is not even a trace of the bodies being dragged from the gate towards the garden. Do you think a mere girl can carry two adults on her shoulder to hang them up on a tree? Based on what the investigation had gathered so far, it is highly likely that my daughter was lured out and saw those mutted bodies in the middle of the night, and like any normal girl, she screamed in fear. Someone who holds grudges against her must have done it to frame her. "


    "It''s just a theory, not conclusive proof she did not kill them," countered the minister. "Who knows, Your Majesty, she might have carried them with ck magic?"


    "Simrly, you all have no proof against her, so there is no use having this discussion," Lord Eudes replied in the King''s stead, seeing how obstinate the ministers were being. "Leave these to be further investigated first��"


    "But the bodies were found at her ce!"


    "As His Majesty has said, it was someone else''s doing to frame an innocent girl," Lord Eudes replied.


    "Then how will you exin the ck smoke?" asked the minister.


    Lord Eudes opened his palms, giving the man a helpless shrug. "Minister, what exnation is needed? ck smoke is emitted when something is burned. Perhaps you have not heard, but with her sole servant currently away, who knows if it is the Third Princess''s failed attempt at cooking?"


    "Y-You!" the minister could not help but say as he red at the King''s advisor. "Eudes Briggs! This is not a time for you to show your humor! What kind of flimsy excuse is that? Cooking never causes such a kind of ck smoke! Not only that, as far as we know, without her servant, even His Majesty couldn''t meet that witch. For days, she never received food offered to her from the royal kitchen. If she can''t cook, then how can she survive without food? She could even scream so loudly after days of starvation?"


    King Armen gestured for Lord Eudes to step back. With a dry chuckle, he stared at the minister. "Seems like our ministers are doing more than their fair share of official duties, having even enough energy to be aware of everything as if they have been keeping watch over the royal kitchen. How interesting. Does the minister perhaps know what meal I ate this morning, or is your interest towards the royal family only pertaining to my youngest daughter?"


    Providing the food for the Third Princess was done in secret so that no one could sabotage the food by adding any poison or anything to that food. The fact that an ordinary minister knew the situation about Seren''s meals made King Armen realize just how deep the faction against his daughter had infiltrated inside the pce.


    The King''s mocking words startled the minister, who knew that he dug a grave for himself; however, he refused to back out from making a strong argument for his side. "Well, Your Majesty, about the Third Princess meal, I only guessed it upon hearing the maid serving the Third Princess is not in the pce. How can His Majesty leave his daughter on her own and not provide for the needs she has?"


    King Armen remained calm as he stared the man down, aware that the blubbering minister was trying to make up for his mistake. He gestured for his trusted advisor to speak now, as he was already getting tired of the issue. However,? this was not the right time to get back at the noble faction when his men were yet to investigate the incident thoroughly.


    "This item in the agenda can be moved for now. When the Third Princess''s servant returns, let the royal court summon Her Highness to shed light on the questions we cannot answer today. Lord Eudes announced, seeing his king turn silent. It was time to put a pause to this item in the court session about the Third Princess.


    "So what should we do till then when we are all here to seek justice for our injuries and trouble caused to us?" asked one minister.


    "The Royal Bureau of Investigation is working to discover the truth, minister. Till then, we expect everyone to be patient. His Majesty assures you all to punish the culprit once his identity is determined," Lord Eudes replied with a courteous smile, but his expression only offended the minister more.


    Just as they were about to move to the next item on their agenda, a member of the Royal Bureau of Investigation entered the hall, and he bowed to the King. He handed a stack of papers to Lord Eudes. "Your Majesty, the preliminary investigation report about the incidentst night."


    King Armen nodded as he epted the documents from his advisor. "What of the dead bodies?"


    "To answer Your Majesty''s question, we have found that the guards were first attacked with swords as they have multiple sword wounds, both stabs, and cuts, on their bodies. From how deep the wounds were measured, the guards fought for a long time and wereter strangled by a rope around their necks. Also��" The investigator stopped.


    "Continue," Lord Eudes instructed.


    "The guards were not killed by strangling. The examiners determined that their limbs were broken, and they were tortured while they were still alive. Also, after talking to the captain of the royal brigade, we have determined that the guards were high-level knights capable of defeating two or more ordinary soldiers on their own. With two trained knights, it cannot be done by any single person but probably ambushed by a group of about six men or more, probably hired mercenaries or assassins ."

 Chapter 65: Hidden Card

    <h4>Chapter 65: Hidden Card</h4>


    "The power of witches is far more than a mere group of assassins," said one minister who couldn''t seem to ept what the investigator said.


    The King gave the minister a sneer. "Enlighten us, minister. What kind of powers do witches hold?"


    "Y-Your Majesty, please stay your anger. The previous night, we saw what they could do. Just by screaming, a witch has caused chaos inside the pce. Dealing with two knights must only take one evil re from them, perhaps a chant or a ck magic spell," the minister mumbled. "Remembering those vicious purple eyes gives me a shiver."


    "If one evil re can work, why do these high and mighty witches even need to use a sword to fight with the guards. Is that not a waste of time, my lord?" asked the investigator, who tried to be polite, but from his taunting tone, one could guess he didn''t like how the minister doubted the results of his investigation.


    "We heard they like to y with their prey."


    "Seems like the minister is familiar with lots of witches around to have so much information about them," the Kingmented sarcastically.


    "Your Majesty, that''smon knowledge about witches that everyone is aware of," the minister countered.


    "When you don''t have any proof about what exactly happened inside the tower premise, then you should refrain yourself from stating any information as a fact. The royal court does not need a minister who makes conclusions based on mere shallow knowledge from hearsays, much less some obscure books."


    The minister paled at the veiled threat. "The information about witches in the books and what people talk and hear about is based on the facts that happened in the past."


    "Has anyone witnessed it personally?" asked the King as he red at the minister who just talked. "Minister of Internal Revenue,st time when you were used of corruption, did the royal court not spare you just because they were based on what we heard and there was no proof? Shall I consider it that those hearsays were based on the facts that happened behind the curtains?"


    The minister was taken aback, and the King red at the rest of the ministers who made their stand against the Third Princess. "I have something for you all. Eudes!"


    Lord Eudes handed the King one scroll. He unrolled it, with the contents of the long scroll facing towards everyone. "Here is the list of people about whom I have been hearing lots of things, but I have been sparing them due tock of evidence which I will get soon. As a king, I am thinking if I should just trust those hearsays, or should I wait for the proof before punishing the culprits?"


    A heavy silence filled the hall.


    King Armen might not be a good father, but he was a capable ruler. Inside the kingdom, his intelligencework was second to none. Though he usually kept his silence whenever he heard nobles and officials doing misdemeanors, he never failed to collect the weaknesses of these people, keeping them as hidden cards for days such as today. Just as these factions thought they could corner the king, the king would suppress them again.


    Lord Darus gave a sidelong nce at Queen Niobe, who had remained silent during the entire session. Although he caught her eyes, the Queen remained unmoved, as if she was not concerned with what was going on. Lord Darus had the responsibility to prove Seren guilty and have her end by either burning her like what happened with the witches in the past or throwing her out of the kingdom as a banished royal stripped out of her title. But looking at the current scenario, either proposal looked difficult to implement.


    The Minister of Foreign Affairs gave an awkward cough. "Your Majesty, may we please return to discussing the previous night''s incident? The entire pce was turned upside down��"


    "That is what we are discussing here, Minister Count," Lord Eudes interrupted him, still donning a courteous smile as he added. "The minister''s concern is the scream itself that brought chaos into the pce, while the royal family''s concern is to find out the root of the incident. Who nned such a horrific incident inside the tower''s premise to scare the Third Princess? His Majesty is more concerned with this entire situation more than anyone else here. The incident not only affected Her Highness the Third Princess but the entire pce, harming the royal household. We assure you, ministers, that as soon as the investigation ispleted, the culprit will get exactly what the culprit deserves��to be beheaded after a public trial."


    With those words, no one dared to bring up the issue again.


    King Armen gestured towards the investigator. "Find out who those assassins are and who had sent them."


    "Yes, Your Majesty."


    "Once we get proof, we will see the culprit properly punished," the King assured as he let his gaze roam around the royal court.


    With the issue dropped, albeit temporarily, the royal court continued their session by addressing the other remaining issues in their agenda, like the sessful rescue of Prince Cian, thetest update on the state of war, and the spreading gue in the western part of the kingdom.


    -------


    Inside the military barracks of the Abethan Royal Army, things were much calmerpared to the main pce. Last night''s incident woke up the soldiers but did not harm them. The quarters of the soldiers mostly had a stone and wooden architecture with no ss windows. As each room was designed with simplicity and convenience as its core, they had norge ornaments or figurines that would causerge injuries on anyone if shattered. The small items the soldiers kept, like water bottles and cups, only caused a handful of cuts on a few unlucky soldiers who happened to be sitting or sleeping near them.


    For the soldiers of Megaris left behind by Drayce inside the capital of Abetha, most of them were left puzzled by the chaos they observed from the Abethan soldiers during the middle of the night. At first, they thought there was an enemy attack, but the Abethan soldiers told them that was not the case. As guests, their assistance was refused by the guards and servants who were busy running around the pce grounds, and thus, they were unaware of the details that caused an uproar inside the pce.

 Chapter 66: Angry Dusk

    <h4>Chapter 66: Angry Dusk</h4>


    The knight captain from Megaris, who was appointed by Drayce to take care of the injured soldiers and to send food to a certain someone with the help of the eagle, Dusk, paced around his room as he waited for his subordinate to return.


    "Captain!" A knight wearing the trademark ck armor of Megaris came running after talking with one of the soldiers he had befriended. "I have investigated what happenedst night."


    The captain signaled him to proceed.


    "Apparently, it was caused by the scream of their Third Princess, who is known to be a witch."


    "Witch?" asked the captain.


    "Yes, Captain. The same princess we heard the rumors about, the one who had always been locked inside that tower." The knight pointed at the tallest tower inside the pce grounds.


    During their short stay, the Megaris soldiers had heard all kinds of rumors about the Third Princess.


    Just as his subordinate was about to continue talking about pce gossip, a majestic giant brown eagle jumped over the knight who brought the information and started to peck him furiously with his sharp beak.


    "Dusk! What are you doing?" the captain shouted. Dusk only stopped when the captain pulled him away from the flustered knight.


    "What''s with him?" the knight asked as he touched the bloody scratches on his face made by Dusk.


    "You must have said something wrong?" the captain replied.


    "But I just brought the information I heard!" the knight retorted as he eyed Dusk like a wronged woman.


    The captain petted the furious Dusk, who was still ring at his pouting subordinate. Being the King''s beloved pet, the smart Dusk was being taken care of by everyone as if he''s their own little brother.


    "What did he say wrong, Dusk? Is it not caused by the Third Princess?" the captain asked while caressing Dusk''s head. He was familiar with Dusk''s behavior, just like their king.


    Dusk didn''t react.


    The captain tried to recall the exact words used during the conversation he had with his subordinate.


    "Is it about the witch part?" the captain asked again.


    Dusk rubbed his head against the captain''s palm, which was caressing it.


    "So he should not call her a witch?" the captain concluded, and Dusk pecked his beak twice on the captain''s palm.


    The captain looked at his knight. "It''s because you called her a witch."


    "Like I said, I just stated what I was told!" the knight replied helplessly to his captain. It was not as if he took the effort to verify what he heard.


    "You can leave," the captain instructed before looking at Dusk. "You were so angry at him. Do you know the Third Princess?"


    Dusk answered by rubbing his head against the captain''s palm.


    Something struck the captain''s mind when he happened to look at the table where he had just ced a boxed meal and tied a blue cloth around it. "Perhaps, is this breakfast for the Third Princess?"


    Dusk pecked the captain''s palm, and now, everything was clear to him.


    "Don''t mind their words. Our king is a devil, and she is a witch. Isn''t it good?" asked the captain as he put the wooden box wrapped in blue cloth in front of Dusk to carry it. After rubbing his head once more, Dusk fled away with the boxed meal.


    The captain now understood the reason behind his king''s strange request.


    ''No wonder we got a royal meal treat three times a day.''


    As he watched the flying figure disappear from his sight, he could not help butugh. "Despite this chaotic situation inside the pce, they did not forget to provide our soldiers with the food that our king requested for us. Thanks to the Third Princess, our injured soldiers are enjoying delicious full meals every day."


    --------


    Contrary to the turmoil within the pce grounds, there had only been silence inside the Third Princess''s residence. An entire day passed without a sound from its owner, and despite the knights'' painstaking vignce, they did not see Serene out of the tower. There was no movement inside, not even a shadow passing through the windows, and thus, there was no way for the king to know about how his daughter was.


    King Armen had waited by the entrance and watched the rain stop by dawn, which meant Seren only stopped crying by dawn. All by herself, with no one tofort her, she must have been crying for hours, probably until she fell asleep.


    It hurt the King when he thought how scared she must be. Even for a battle-hardened man like him, the sight of those mutted corpses was one of the worst he had encountered. What more for his daughter, who had not even seen the world?? He could do nothing but worry for her wellbeing as there was no one beside her to take care of her.


    Not only that, she epted no food from outside as well, so what had she been eating for the past few days? Could it be that she was just starving herself?


    "Your Majesty should not skip food," Lord Eudes said, looking at his King, who didn''t touch the food that was brought for dinner.


    King Armen didn''t reply and stood up from his chair. He looked outside the dining hall window, from where the tower that Seren lived in was visible. His voice was hoarse as he asked, "Did you find someone?"


    "Apologies, Your Majesty, but we are still searching." Lord Eudes bowed apologetically. "And this time, our men even failed to locate where Martha has gone."


    The King sighed. "You can leave."


    Lord Eudes excused himself, leaving the King on his own.


    As it was, King Armen had no other option but to wait for Martha to return. The helpless father could only stare at the tower where there was no lighting out from any of the windows. It waspletely dark, which meant Seren didn''t even ignite amp. Was she even in the condition to do so?


    The previous two nights, King Armen could at least console himself that she was fine by looking at the top window of the tower that showed the presence of light, but tonight there was nothing.


    He could only console himself that knowing his daughter was not any ordinary human; she must be doing fine.

 Chapter 67: Back To The Capital

    <h4>Chapter 67: Back To The Capital</h4>


    Inside the military barracks, the captain of the Megaris knights paced outside his assigned quarters, looking at the night sky from time to time.


    "Why are you still here, captain?" one knight asked.


    "Waiting for Dusk to return. For thest two days, he has always returned as soon as he delivered the food to the other person, spending the rest of his time around the quarters, but today it was the opposite. He spent his time away and only returned to pick up the food."


    "What could be the reason?" the knight asked. "Could it be that Dusk found some bird friends and is ying around somewhere?"


    "Seems like the person he took the food for is in trouble or something," the captain concluded and looked at the knight. "Why are you even here in the first ce? Go back to your quarters and stop fooling around outside. Tell yourrades as well. Just because Sir Calhoun is not here doesn''t mean you can ck."


    With an embarrassed grin, the knight immediately saluted and left the captain immersed in his thoughts. The captain could only shake his head.


    ''If I am right and the person who is receiving the food is Her Highness the Third Princess, then I am sure she is in some kind of trouble. If His Majesty is doing it for her, then she must be someone special for him. I wonder how he will react after knowing all this?''


    The captain of the knights could only make guesses but not voice it out. He and his troop were just guests in this kingdom, and they couldn''t afford to offend the royal family of Abetha by doing something on their own.


    Another hour passed, yet Dusk didn''t return. The captain could only return to his quarters as he sighed, ''s, what am I being worried about? That bird is more capable than me. Dusk is smart enough to do things that His Majesty has entrusted it to do, even going beyond them. Should I feel bad that my only role in this entire affair is to wrap cloth for her meals?''


    ---------


    Byte noon of the next day, the royal troop which left to rescue Crown Prince Cian entered the capital without fanfare. They wore cloaks to cover their armor, or else it would have been difficult for them to silently enter without being received by a cheering crowd of people.


    The atmosphere in the capital looked nothing like how everything was when they left.


    The streets of the entire city were either wet or muddy,? looking like they had been drenched in heavy rain for days. Dark clouds still covered the entire sky, as if they were waiting to pour rain anytime soon.


    While traveling along a less popted path inside the capital on horses, their group could see people cursing andining as they cleared out the water from their homes and shops.


    "That witch will only stop once we are all dead."


    "I wish for her to disappear forever so we can live peacefully."


    "Why doesn''t she just die?"


    "If she was my daughter, I would have killed her the moment she was born."


    Drayce could hear all those whispers clearly because of his strong sense of hearing, while others with him were busy analyzing the situation.


    "It''s not the rainy season here, right?" An looked at Cian, who looked serious since the moment he entered the capital and observed the situation.


    "Hmm!" Cian just nodded but was immersed in his thoughts. He wanted to leave everyone behind and ride towards the pce as fast as he could and see someone who must be in trouble at the moment. But it was not the right thing to do when the guests were with him.


    Sir Berolt answered in his prince''s stead. "Our capital rarely experiences rain, Your Highness, and even if we do, it is mostly a mild shower or a drizzle during summer and spring. Looking at the situation, it seemed to be a sudden heavy rain on a single night, and no one was prepared to face it as there were no arrangements made by the people."


    Looking at the sour expressions of the people, Sir Berolt signaled something to one of his subordinates. The knight nodded and stayed behind by stopping his horse.


    As they were about to reach the gate of the royal pce, the knight who stayed behind caught up with Sir Berolt, who was riding behind others. The knight told him something in a low voice, but Drayce''s ears caught his words.


    Drayce''s expression turned grave as he looked at General Cavrois, who was leading the team. "I am going ahead."


    It startled the general, and he asked, "Any issue��"


    "Nothing," Drayce said as he gripped the reins of his horse and rode faster towards the pce.


    The bewildered general was just about to call out when he felt a strong gust of wind pass by him and saw the horse of his crown prince speeding behind the King of Megaris. He was not even given a chance to react as he heard his prince''s parting words, "I believe General will take care of everything."


    All this time, Cian was holding back from going ahead for the sake of escorting the King of Megaris and the Crown Prince of Griven, but with the young king himself going ahead, there was nothing stopping him from following him.


    Seeing the two royals leaving him behind, An gestured at the rest of the troop with a grin.


    "I would like to excuse myself too," he said before riding away to catch up with the two.


    Just as General Cavrois turned around to look at his equally confused men, he saw Sir Berolt''s horse galloping towards him as if in a hurry.


    "I will leave everything in General''s care," Sir Berolt told him before signaling his knights and hurrying towards the royal pce.


    General Cavrois soon heard from his men the gist of the situation in the capital.


    When the matter was about the Third Princess, the king always needed Sir Berolt, and the general understood it. General Cavrois then reorganized the troop, assigning the royal knights to watch the rear while he continued to stay in front, near the cart where yer and the civilians- the physician and his two assistants were staying, before continuing their slow pace towards the pce.

 Chapter 68: Intruder

    <h4>Chapter 68: Intruder</h4>


    With his horse running at full pace, it only took Drayce a handful of minutes before the huge iron gates of the royal pce came into his sight. From a distance, he could see the gate was closed, and instead of just the ordinary royal guards he remembered from five days ago, armed soldiers were busy guarding it as well. It was not difficult to guess that something happened inside the pce, and the people needed the military to be mobilized to keep order.


    The sudden anxiousness he felt two nights ago was taking over his mind again. Now, he understood the reason.


    It had something to do with her, the purple-eyed princess.


    Seeing his fast-approaching figure, the leader of the soldiers was rmed. "Halt! Who goes there?!"


    Drayce didn''t have time to deal with the guards and let them know who he was so they could permit him to enter the pce. He was sure, with the disguise he was in, none of them would believe that he was a king.


    Drayce didn''t lower his riding pace. His intense red eyes were fixed at the huge gate of the pce as they changed their color to a darker and deeper shade of red as if the mes of hellfire appeared within them. His jet-ck hair continued to dance along with the wind.


    The soldiers at the gate saw that the man on a horse had no intention of stopping, and everyone raised their weapons. "Halt! Identify yourself, or you will be attacked!"


    The rest of the royal guards went to alert their captain, who rushed out as well to see the unruly intruder. With the tense atmosphere within the pce, no one was allowed to enter or exit the gates, except for those nobles with official duties in the royal court.


    "Take position!" the captain of the guards shouted in a loud voice.


    They all took their respective positions in front of the gate, with the swordsmen and spear bearers holding their weapons in front while the archers pointed their arrows towards the approaching intruder.


    However, even before a single arrow could make its way out of the bow, all the guards got pushed back by a strong invisible force of energy. Before they realized what was happening, the huge gate of the pce opened.


    The man on the horse didn''t seem to care about anything but to enter the pce. He entered the gate, leaving everyone shocked by what had just happened. No one was injured, but they couldn''t stop the man.


    Just as the captain and some of the guards got onto their horses, ready to follow the intruder, they saw a familiar brown-haired young man riding towards the gate.


    The guards naturally recognized him, despite him wearing ordinary clothes.


    "Prince Cian!"


    "It''s the Crown Prince!"


    "The Crown Prince has returned!"


    Prince Cian paid no attention to anyone, as just like Drayce, he was in a hurry. He witnessed what happened with the guards and the gate of the pce but didn''t mind it. He was sure it was Drayce''s doing and could be only thankful to him for saving his time as he, too, didn''t have to stop at the pce''s gate.


    Sensing there was something dangerous, the captain of the guards, who was already on the horse, instructed his men, "Two of youe with me and the rest, guard the gate."


    Just as he finished giving his instructions, another rider came in through the gate with a fast horse. Nobody was able to react and stop him.


    "That is Prince An!"


    As a royal who had frequently visited the Royal Pce of Abetha together with his brother, the Crown Prince of Griven was someone the captain of the guards recognized. He immediately followed the three men.


    Drayce rode towards the tower with utter disregard for the people trying to stop his way. His red eyes looked intense, only focusing on the path ahead of him that led him towards his destination.


    Whoever guard was trying to block his way, all were pushed away with the same invisible force, leaving a trail of confused people in his wake. Nothing could lessen the speed of his horse.


    Of course, the guards were rmed, and the knights started to mobilize to apprehend the intruder, but soon enough, upon seeing their crown prince, the knights found themselves ted but confused about the situation.


    "Prince Cian!"


    Those who recognized the Crown Prince all bowed to the prince who passed by them at the speed of the wind, not even sparing them an ounce of attention.


    Cian only had his mind focused on a certain someone, the sibling who he cared for the most.


    On the other hand, although An was keeping up with the speed of the two before him, unlike those men who paid no attention to their surroundings, he looked around to check what was going on inside the pce.


    The entire pce was a mess. Although more than a day had passed and the servants had cleaned up the worst of the mess, most of the structures were not yet fixed. An could see maids hurrying about the main pce, as well as workers fixing therge windows on each of the buildings he passed by.


    From the ground, An had to crane his neck to see more workers hanging on ropes while fixing the windows of the upper parts of the main pce. The peculiar sight roused his curiosity.


    "Was there an earthquake?" An mumbled as he continued to follow his friends.


    ----


    When Drayce reached the tower, he saw the number of knights guarding outside the walls. Drayce wished to use his powers on them and clear his way, but he stopped his horse as he saw King Armen standing at the gate of the tower along with his adviser Lord Eudes as they talked to one knight.


    "Halt, or you will be attacked!" roared the captain of the knights.


    All the knights pulled out their swords when the intruder approached.


    King Armen, who was talking with Lord Eudes, turned to look at the person on the horse. Despite Drayce''s cloak and travel-worn appearance, the older king naturally recognized him.


    "King of Megaris? What are you doing here?"

 Chapter 69: Wants To Help

    <h4>Chapter 69: Wants To Help</h4>


    "King of Megaris? What are you doing here?"


    Hearing their king calling the intruder the King of Megaris, all the royal knights guarding the tower retreated and sheathed their swords before paying respects towards the young man on a horse.


    "Apologies, Your Majesty," the captain of the knights said. "My men mean no disrespect to your royal self. Please punish me if we have offended you." He then signaled his men to clear the way between him and King Armen.


    However, Drayce ignored the people around him as his sight was fixed at the tower''s gate as if something inside was calling out to him.


    Drayce jumped down from his horse and stepped towards the gate, but no one stopped him. No one dared to move without the order of King Armen.


    On the other hand, King Armen did not say a thing and only looked at the young king with a grateful yet puzzled expression. The King of Megaris had left to rescue his son with the partyposed of his loyal men, the Prince of Griven, and some knights from Megaris. What was he doing here on his own? Did this mean that Cian had already safely arrived in the pce?


    Drayce reached the gate and was about to push it open when everyone''s attention was disrupted by the arrival of another person on a fast horse. All the knights present bowed to the person who just arrived.


    "Cian, my son!" King Armen called out in delight, relief visible in his tired eyes. Although he had heard from the reports that Cian had been rescued, he could only put the weight off his shoulders now upon seeing his son in the flesh.


    It had been a while since Lord Eudes had seen his king smile sincerely. He also paid his respects to the future ruler of the kingdom. "Wee back, Your Highness."


    Cian stepped down from the horse as he hurried to go towards his father.


    "Father!" Cian greeted King Armen. "You should not have worried about me. Even without a rescue party, I would have escaped on my own. But enough about me. What happened here? Is Seren fine?"


    "Everything is fine," the King assured his son and looked at Drayce. "I owe the King of Megaris for helping to rescue the Crown Prince of Abetha. It feels like no matter how much I show my gratitude, it will seem to be never enough. I would like King Drayce to rest as the journey must be tiring. Where is Prince An? Eudes, prepare a lodging for our honorable guests, as well as a banquet tomorrow to celebrate Cian''s return."


    "If King Armen thinks he owes me, then allow me to enter this tower," Drayce said calmly.


    His words startled everyone on the scene. Why would a guest from another kingdom wish to enter the residence of the Third Princess?


    King Armen was wary about the intentions of the King of Megaris, but he could not openly show it on his face.


    Cian felt that his request was strange as well, and he shared a look with his father before opening his mouth. "King Drayce, may I ask for your reason? This tower belongs to my sister, the Third Princess of Abetha, and no outsider is allowed to enter. Don''t you think it is improper for a stranger to suddenly barge in without the permission of the person living in it? It is not that our kingdom wishes to be impolite with Megaris, but I believe you understand what I''m saying."


    Although Cian phrased it that way, the truth was that no one but his sister and her lone servant could enter Seren''s residence. This ce was strictly off-limits, even for the members of the royal family. If Cian wishes to meet his sister, he could only inform her servant to bring her out to the garden, and only after getting their father''s consent.


    Even as the Crown Prince, he himself could never break this rule set by their father, King Armen. Despite not agreeing with this arrangement, he was helpless to change things as he knew his sister was special, and their father had ordered people to be kept away for her sake. But as a brother, he had always found her situation wrong.


    Countless times, he had begged their father to let him bring her out of the tower, but he was constantly refused.


    Drayce studied the father and son with a serious look. "I am aware that this is discourteous to the youngdy, but I am sure something is not right, and we should help her."


    "I appreciate King Drayce''s kind intentions of helping us, but rest assured, we will handle our family matters very well without a need for an outsider to step in." King Armen sounded polite, but the underlying meaning was clear��that the King of Megaris was overstepping his boundaries and should not meddle in the matters of Abetha''s royal family.


    An and Sir Berolt arrived in the middle of the strangely tense scene, and the vague atmosphere between the three men only dispersed after he jumped off his horse and approached them.


    "Your Majesty." An and Sir Berolt greeted the King.


    King Armen nodded lightly to ept the greeting. "Prince An must be tired from your trip. Why don''t you and King Drayce go get much-deserved rest? Let my trusted advisor escort you back to your lodgings."


    Lord Eudes stepped forward to stand beside him, but Drayce did not move from where he''s standing in front of the gate. An knew where they were, and he had an inkling about what''s inside Drayce''s mind.


    Realizing the delicate mood of the people around him and the meaning behind the King of Abetha''s dismissal, An turned to Drayce with a meaningful look. "Well, if you are not tired, we should go visit your knights you left behind here. They must be eagerly waiting for their king to return."


    His friend still refused to move. An could only try again. "Dray, we have some important things to handle. Remember, yer is not yetpletely out of danger."

 Chapter 70: Move!

    <h4>Chapter 70: Move!</h4>


    Lord Eudes smiled politely as he beckoned for them to follow him. "His Majesty has arranged our royal physicians to treat Commander Calhoun Sanders. Our kingdom also opened our Treasury to ensure his fast recovery."


    Several seconds passed by in silence before? Drayce took a deep breath and finally turned to leave. It did seem that his reaction was a bit extreme, and in the face of her family, he could not insist on being unreasonable in his demands. At least, not openly.


    He was not aware of the entire situation, other than hearing vague things like the Third Princess causing disaster in the capital, creating a sudden heavy rain, and turning the pce into chaos.


    Moreover, Drayce was not giving up. He had other means to go to where he wanted to, but for now, he thought to be patient with her family.


    When Drayce and An turned to leave, escorted by Lord Eudes, the brigade of knights in charge of the tower''s security immediately returned to their initial positions while Sir Berolt preferred to be with his King.


    "Father, what happened to her?" Cian asked in a low voice while Sir Berolt waited to hear it.


    "I will tell youter. For now, you should return to your bedchamber and rest."


    Cian didn''t like how his father was brushing him off. "I am not any stranger that Father would want me not to meddle in this. It''s about my sister."


    Seeing his stubborn appearance, King Armen sighed. "Fine. Come inside." For the first time ever, King Armen permitted Cian to step inside the tower premise.


    The knights opened the gate for them, and the two stepped inside.


    Drayce had just reached his horse and was about to climb it when his ears caught what the father and son were talking about.


    Just then, there was a loud call of rm, a screech of an eagle, grabbing the attention of everyone around the premises of the tower. Drayce recognized the sound and looked up as An''s gaze followed his line of sight. A familiarrge bird soared in the gray sky before diving downwards.


    "Dusk!" An called out as the two saw Dusk approaching them.


    The eaglended on An''s arm before fixing itself to sitfortably on An''s shoulder. He then looked at his master and called out to him in greeting.


    "This bird dared to sit on my shoulder? Seems like he doesn''t love his wings," Anmented, and the next moment, Dusk fled away to perch on the arm of a rock mural that was kept nearby.


    An chuckled while Drayce faced Dusk and asked while caressing his head, "Is there something wrong?"


    Dusk rubbed his head against his palm, his usual signal of saying ''yes''.


    "Is she not fine?" Drayce asked.


    Dusk did the same thing again before pecking on Drayce''s palm.


    Just then, Drayce''s ears caught something. He raised his hand, signaling An and Dusk to keep quiet.


    Drayce could hear the conversation between King Armen and Prince Cian after the two entered the tower''s garden, and the gate was closed behind them.


    As he continued to listen, his expression turned cold and grave, and without saying a word, he turned to go back towards the tower.


    Drayce didn''t understand why he was so concerned about this Third Princess when he didn''t even know her, aside from those several odd encounters they had. But every time he heard anything negative about her, there was a strange emotion inside him as if something inside him was pushing him to protect her. All rational thoughts flew as his mind was only filled with anxiety and worry for her.


    "Dray?" An called behind him, but Drayce didn''t stop as he marched towards the tower. The Abethan knights standing guard stood in his way.


    The old advisor barely kept up as he called out, "Your Majesty, what��"


    Even before Lord Eudes couldplete his statement, the knights in Drayce''s way were pushed away with an invisible force of energy. No one had touched them, but Lord Eudes saw the guards fall down several feet away.


    The next moment, the gate of the tower opened on its own, and Drayce stepped inside the tower''s premises. His red eyes had turned considerably darker, the same way they always did whenever he used his powers. In his mind, he had thrown caution in the wind, and no etiquette and pce rules mattered to him at this moment.


    An and Lord Eudes followed him while Dusk had flown away towards the top window of the tower.


    King Armen and Cian looked at the gate that was suddenly sted open with a great force.


    On normal times, only one side of the gate was opened to let a single person enter at a time, but now, both sides of the gate were mmed open in great fanfare.


    "What''s going on?" King Armen asked with a furrowed brow. He saw the King of Megaris enter with a cold expression, marching inside the garden as if he was in his own backyard. "King Drayce? What is the meaning of this?"


    King Armen found himself angered to see the young king trespass the residence of his youngest daughter. He had been civil to him earlier, which was because of his merit of saving his son. Other men would be directly thrown out for even approaching this tower.


    Although they were both monarchs, this was Abetha, not Megaris, and here, his words werew!


    Cian stepped forward and blocked Drayce''s way, not even moving aside as they both red at each other.


    His father had already thoroughly informed Cian about the incidents that happened for the past few days inside the capital, especially the ones involving Seren. He was still in shock, barely digesting the series of events leading to the helplessness their father felt for being unable to know the current situation of his sister. Just like their father, he too tried to enter the tower to no avail because of the magic spell cast on it by Martha.


    As it was, the helplessness he was feeling had already turned into anger. Seeing Drayce acting so bold and entering his sister''s ce only added to his rage.


    "Move," Drayce said coldly. His intimidating red eyes stared into another pair of anger-filled sapphire blue eyes.

 Chapter 71: Entering The Tower

    <h4>Chapter 71: Entering The Tower</h4>


    "Move," Drayce said coldly. His intimidating red eyes stared into another pair of anger-filled sapphire blue eyes.


    Cian did not budge, already throwing away whatever royal etiquette and polite speech he should be showing towards Drayce. "Why did you return? This is not a ce for the King of Megaris to wander around. This is my sister''s��"


    "If you are that worried about her, why don''t you go inside instead of blocking my way?" Drayce countered.


    The two men glowered at each other, and for the onlookers, the situation seemed to be spiraling out of control. It would be terrible for both kingdoms if the King of Megaris and the Crown Prince of Abetha found themselves in a swordfight.


    "No one can go inside," Cian said.


    "And why is that so?"


    "There is no need for King Drayce to know about it. We would appreciate it if you leave."


    An and Lord Eudes also entered the garden and had reached the group in front of the tower entrance, with An standing beside Drayce while the old advisor ced himself behind his king and crown prince.


    An sighed as he mumbled under his breath, "And here I thought we three can be good friends."


    King Armen interrupted the staredown. "King Drayce, there is a magic spell protecting this tower, not letting anyone approach it, much less enter it."


    Sir Berolt who held himself back from saying anything to the King of Megaris, added, "Your Majesty, It''s the truth.


    Drayce heard King Armen and Sir Berolt as he smirked at Cian. "If that is the case, then your presence is useless here."


    Cian smirked back and replied, "Same goes for King Drayce."


    "If you move, we can see if it''s the same," Drayce countered.


    King Armen and Lord Eudes were stunned by this sudden situation. However, it did not take long for the two smart men to realize what Drayce had implied.


    Before, King Armen had been too engrossed about his worry for his daughter that he didn''t even stop to think about why the King of Megaris appeared in front of the tower the moment the rescue party returned. He thought it was for him. It was not imperative for Drayce to personally meet King Armen upon return; the two rulers could have metter on a personal meeting, or once they set up the wee banquet for the sessful rescue of his son. Now, he realized that Drayce had once againe to help.


    Remembering the rumors about the King of Megaris, hope flickered in the eyes of the King of Abetha. Sir Berolt looked at his King and somewhere understood what goes in King Armen''s mind. As their sights met, Sir Berolt nodded lightly with an assuring gaze.


    Sir Berolt was part of a royal troop. King Armen was sure he must have observed and understood about King of Megaris very well and he could trust the judgment of Sir Berolt. But before King Armen could say anything, someone else spoke.


    "Let Drayce try," An suggested.


    Cian looked at An but didn''t seem like he would move.


    "Trust me if you do not think you can trust him. I can vouch for him." An added, "Don''t you want to see your sister sooner?"


    Those words made Cian hesitate, and An spoke again, "In this situation, you should keep your brotherly ego on side and take help from whoever can offer it. Looking at your expression, I think she is in dire need of help. Instead of you two wasting your time here, let us go in and save the princess."


    With a reluctant sigh, Cian finally moved aside by the thoughtful words from the prince, who didn''t look that thoughtful most of the time. Cian didn''t expect much from Drayce; he was waiting for him to realize he couldn''t go past that magic spell, but somewhere in his heart, the caring brother in him wished for Drayce to be able to help them.


    King Armen did not look like he was expecting much from Drayce as well, butpared to his son, he was more open to try anything as long as he could go inside the tower to check on his daughter. Moreover, he wished to trust Sir Berolt''s approval.


    Now that no one was blocking his way, Drayce moved towards the entrance of the tower.


    To everyone''s surprise, the King of Megaris encountered no hindrance as he opened the door of the tower and stepped past the door frame.


    Drayce could enter the tower without any disturbance as if there was no magic spell at all. Drayce didn''t even turn to look back as he hurried towards the staircase.


    "How could this be?" Lord Eudes eximed as he rubbed his eyes.


    Sir Berolt was surprised too but after witnessing Drayce''s powers personally on the battlefield, he was somewhere expecting it.


    King Armen and Cian, who had been pushed back by the invisible energy from the magic spell countless times, were shocked to their bones. With renewed vigor, Cian too stepped forward to enter the tower, but he was again pushed by that invisible energy, unable to proceed further.


    He frowned, almost cursing at whatever was there that he couldn''t see that was stopping him from entering the tower. He wanted to curse in frustration. "Why can he enter, but I can''t?!"


    An saw him gritting his teeth and went to him to pat his shoulder in a friendly gesture. "You can trust him."


    Cian exhaled loudly as he tried to calm himself. The truth was too unfair!


    An gave him a reassuring look. "Whileing here, you have seen what he can do. Do I need to exin that he is no ordinary human?"


    Cian didn''t know what to say in response and merely kept his mouth shut. Although he could not contradict what An said, he found it ridiculous that neither his father nor him were able to go to his sister when she needed them, but one stranger��a man to boost!��could enter her room. As an elder brother, he failed to protect his sister.


    King Armen, who himself was speechless but overjoyed, came to his son. "This is for the best. We have no other option but to get help from the King of Megaris again. We already got his help to save my son, and now, my daughter, who is not less important than my son. Our kingdom is deeply indebted to him. I just hope Seren is doing well, and maybe we are being worried for nothing."


    Cian could understand what his father meant, and he admitted he was right, but he still stubbornly kept his mouth shut.


    Now, they could only wait for Drayce to return so they could finally see Seren.

 Chapter 72: Request

    <h4>Chapter 72: Request</h4>


    Inside the tower, Drayce hurriedly climbed the long winding stairs towards the top floor of the tower where he knew her bedchamber was. While crossing the other floors of the tower, he could see everything was dead silent, and although there was simple furniture on each floor, the other floors seemed barely touched. It was as if no one lived inside this tower.


    It did not take him long to reach the top. He used his powers to cross that distance in even less than half of the time that was required for any normal human to climb that tower.


    Standing at the end of the staircase, he looked around the huge circr corridor. It only took him a nce to recognize which of the rooms was the Third Princess''s bedchamber. The decorated door looked more attractive than the other doors in that corridor.


    Even without that, there was no way he would mistake where the Third Princess was as the unknown force of energy pulling him towards her was leading towards that room.


    However, her presence this time was weaker than what he felt the previous time when he met her in the marketce, and this made him frown.


    Drayce hurried towards the room and opened the door without knocking. As expected, the door was not locked, and he found himself inside arge yet elegantly decorated room with everything kept in its ce, but the owner of the room was nowhere to be found. The bed in the center of the room was empty.


    Just then, Dusk, who was sitting on the window sill, called out to him to get his attention. Drayce noticed that the wooden meal boxes he had ordered Dusk to bring for the Third Princess were kept as they were, piled untouched on the ce where Dusk hadnded.


    Dusk screeched again before turning his head at the wardrobe inside the room, and Drayce followed his line of sight. The weak force of familiar energy he had sensed wasing out from that wooden wardrobe, which had itsted door partially opened.


    When he opened the door of the wardrobe, he saw a tiny body with long red-brown hair curled into a ball, as if its owner was trying to make herself even smaller to fit herself on the corner of the wardrobe that had her dresses hung into it. The dresses were partially covering her but were unable to hide herpletely.


    Drayce kneeled and pushed the dresses to the side to look at her face that was covered with the veil on the lower half. Her hair was a mess, and her arms and knees were covered in dirt as if she had fallen on the ground somewhere. Her eyes were closed with traces of dried tears left around them, and her forehead was creased as if she''s having a nightmare.


    Her frightened appearance tugged the strings of his heart, and it angered him to see her in such a pitiful condition.


    Drayce checked her pulse, and not only was it weak, but her wrist was also cold to touch as if her skin wasced with ice. Without hesitation, Drayce lifted the unconscious girl in his arms and stepped out of her room to bring Seren out.


    There was no use in keeping her inside her room as no physician would be able to enter the tower to check on her, and neither could anyone be by her side to take care of her.


    Soon, Drayce reached the tower entrance, where he was greeted by the sight of everyone crowding around the door, waiting for Drayce to return with Seren with a mix of expectant and worried gazes.


    The moment they saw Drayce carrying the unconscious Seren, King Armen, Cian, Sir Berolt and Lord Eudes gave out a collective gasp at the sight. "Seren!"


    King Armen reached out a trembling hand towards her. "What is wrong with my daughter?"


    "Get out of my way!"


    The moment Drayce stepped out of the door, he didn''t even stop to let the approaching King Armen and Cian touch Seren. He marched towards the open gate without paying heed to the two.


    "King Drayce!" Cian yelled as he followed him along with King Armen and Lord Eudes. "What��"


    "Drayce Ivanov! What are you doing? What is wrong with her? Let go of my daughter at once!"


    Drayce stopped but did not turn his head to look at the men making amotion behind him. Before anyone could say a word, he spoke, "The Father who failed to protect his daughter has no right to question me."


    King Armen froze, finding himself speechless and unable to react.


    Cian took Drayce''s abrupt pause as a chance to stand in front of him and block his way.


    Drayce remained unaffected as he calmly looked at the Prince of Abetha. "Would you like me to take her back inside the tower?"


    "My sister is not a trophy that you can take with you just because you managed to get her out of the tower," Cian countered.


    "Once I take responsibility to save someone, I do it till I make sure they are fine," Drayce said coldly. "It would be better if Prince Cian steps aside and not dy the treatment for her."


    "We are her family! We��"


    King Armen found himself walking towards his son and signaling him to stop speaking. He studied the pale face of his unconscious daughter before lifting his gaze to meet those red eyes that looked dark and dangerous at this moment.


    King Armen''s voice was calm as he said, "Just one request, King Drayce."


    "Father!" Cian eximed, seeing his father agreeing for Drayce to take Seren with him.


    "Let me talk," King Armen said to his son, effectively silencing him.


    Drayce stared down at King Armen, waiting for him to talk.


    "Do not attempt to take that veil out of her face. It''s a humble request of one father."


    Seeing Drayce nodding lightly to his request, King Armen stepped aside and he signaled his son to do the same.

 Chapter 73: His Bedchamber

    <h4>Chapter 73: His Bedchamber</h4>


    Unwillingly, Cian stepped aside as well, and they watched Drayce carry Seren out of the tower premises.


    "Eudes," King Armen called out in a tired voice, "Call the Head Royal Physician and have him personally look after Seren."


    One had to know that the best of the royal physicians only serve the monarch of the kingdom himself, and it was basically unheard of to have him treat anyone but King Armen.


    Without waiting for his trusted advisor''s response, King Armen and his son followed Drayce out of the tower despite not knowing where he was nning to take her.


    An, who was calm till now as a bystander, walked along with Cian and spoke, "I told you to trust him. Though he is a devil, he is way better than most humans."


    The knights standing outside the Third Princess''s residence��who had just collected themselves from the shock they got when they were pushed away without anyone touching them��got one more shock of a lifetime.


    They saw the fearsome King of Megaris carrying the unconscious Third Princess in his arms.


    When they saw King Armen behind Drayce, they all stepped aside to make way for them to leave.


    "Berolt, take care of weing the returned troop," King Armen instructed sir Berolt and followed Drayce without waiting for Sir Berolt to reply.


    Sir Berolt bowed to the King and stayed back and with few of his knights he went to wee the retuned troop.


    Even though Drayce was carrying a person, he crossed the distance towards the main pce with a speed ordinary humans could not catch up without running.


    As he headed towards the part of the royal residence where his temporary quarters were located, everyone��from servants to guards and even the members of the royal family��who saw the travel-worn man carrying a certain infamous girl with a veil had their eyes wide and their mouth gaping in shock. Some were unable to do their work, while the worst among them did not even realize the presence of their own king and crown prince tailing behind the absurd sight.


    "Are my eyes ying tricks on me? I-Is that the Third Princess?"


    "Who can it be? Can''t you see that veil-covered face?"


    "I wonder what happened to that witch. Is this her punishment after trying to kill innocent people?"


    "Indeed. Her ck magic must have backfired."


    "Serves her right. I hope she is dead!"


    Thud!


    Smash!


    As soon as those vicious words escaped their mouths, the things around them broke apart. The servants had just arranged the vases purchased outside the pce to rece the ones destroyed from that terrifying incident.


    Those nearby were startled by the noise and moved away to protect themselves. Looking at the mess in the already cleaned ce, everyone could only whine over it.


    "We have to clean it again."


    "My back is already broken from doing all these for the past two days."


    "That witch��"


    m!


    Again, an ornament nearby was smashed into the pieces. Everyone stopped talking, and then panic enveloped them.


    "C-Can she hear us and use her ck magic on us?"


    "That means she is not dead��"


    Smash!


    "She can hear us! D-Don''t talk about her, or we have to clean the entire pce again."


    The terrified servants hurried their work so they could escape as soon as they''re done.


    Drayce had been quiet all along as he listened to their vicious words. He could only tighten his hold on the fragile girl in his arms as his eyes turned darker with every gossip and curse they threw her way��especially their wish to expect her to be dead.


    Although this was not Megaris, and he was just a guest, he was not in a mood to hear any crap and needed to shut them up and punish them. Making them do the same work repeatedly was the best punishment for those bodies with useless brains.


    King Armen and others couldn''t hear what the servants were talking about, but they sure heard the noise of things breaking behind them, only they didn''t have time to pay attention to those.


    "Seems like those lowlives had said something to anger our devil," An mumbled under his breath, his voice low enough that only Cian, who was beside him, could hear him. An knew his words would reach someone''s sensitive ears, but he didn''t care if Drayce heard it.


    Cian had seen Drayce''s inhuman powers multiple times, and after experiencing the temper of the young king, he felt like he understood what An meant.


    Drayce carried Seren towards the bedchamber that was allotted to him for his stay during the Second Princess''s engagement ceremony a week ago. With him being the highest-ranked person second only to their own king, the royal family had arranged for his temporary lodging to be thergest and most luxurious chamber inside the pce, and he was sure that none of the other guest rooms wouldpare to it.


    On the way, people had curiously watched the spectacle of a travel-worn man carrying the unconscious princess with the King and Crown Prince of Abetha following him.? Though they were not aware of the identity of the red-eyed man who carried Seren, seeing King Armen and Prince Cian walking behind Drayce made everyone lower their heads to bow and step to the sides of the hallway to clear the way for the royals.


    Drayce didn''t even bother to look at anyone as his sight was fixed forward towards his destination.


    When King Armen realized where they were heading, he gave an ufortable cough. "King Drayce, we can arrange for her to stay in a different bedchamber."


    "I don''t mind if she uses mine," Drayce said coldly.


    They arrived at Drayce''s bedchamber. The next moment, the closed double doors of his bedchamber opened on their own and Drayce entered the inside without waiting for King Armen''s response.


    Despite the chaos in the pce two nights before, Drayce''s bedchamber was already cleaned. The broken windows were fixed, and the room itself was spotless and warmly decorated,? as Lord Eudes had already ordered the servants to prepare for the return of the rescue party.


    As the royal troop was arriving soon, the pce maids made sure to prioritize fixing the ces that would be used by King Drayce, Prince An, and the others in the allied group.

 Chapter 74: Apology

    <h4>Chapter 74: Apology</h4>


    Drayce gentlyy Seren on his bed, his gaze intent on the fragile young woman whose breathing was still shallow.


    Though Cian didn''t like his sister lying on a man''s bed, he could say nothing. For now, he preferred to only think about seeing his sister better as soon as possible as it pained him to see her in such a pitiful state.


    King Armen went towards the bed to see his daughter. Since Drayce brought her out of the tower, he couldn''t even take a proper look at his daughter. Despite his reluctance, Drayce stepped aside to let King Armen go to his daughter.


    Drayce had calmed down a bit, his rage no longer clouding his mind. Though he was worried for her and wanted to protect her, it was not like he wanted to keep her away from her family.


    Just then, Lord Eudes arrived. He bowed to his king and informed. "Your Majesty, the message has been passed. The Head Royal Physician will be here anytime soon."


    King Armen nodded and sat at the edge of the bed while looking at his daughter; Cian approached the bed to see his sister as well.


    To give them time alone with Seren, Drayce went towards the window where Dusk sat at the window sill. Not wanting to disturb the personal matters of Abetha''s royal family, An opted to follow his friend by the window.


    The atmosphere inside the room was dead silent as everyone''s minds were preupied with nothing but the worry for the Third Princess. Especially for King Armen, it had been so long since he was able to be so close to his daughter and see her properly. Most of the time, he kept her at arm''s length, and he could not even remember thest time they were actually able to have a decent conversation.


    With love and care filling his eyes, King Armen looked at her veil-covered face, the magical veil that never allowed him to see his daughter''s face. How unfortunate it was for one father to still not know how his daughter looked. But even with half of her face covered, King Armen was sure he would know her identity no matter what happened in the future. He had burned in his mind the image of his daughter''s pretty purple eyes, and it would be impossible for him to mistake her for another.


    Cian, who stood beside his father, could see through what his father was feeling at the moment and put his hand on his father''s shoulders to console him. He could only sympathize with what it was like for his father; how unfortunate his father was to be both a father and a ruler. Although he was hailed as apetent monarch, able to protect his kingdom against invaders, he was helpless whenever it came to his youngest daughter despite trying to protect her with all of his might.


    Finally, King Armen did something that he had never done before. He reached out to touch his daughter''s hand, and he found her small delicate hand to be ice cold. He could not help but hold it tighter as if wishing he could pass on his warmth to her.


    Thest time he had been this close to Seren was when she had just arrived at the pce as a newborn baby. As her father, he held her in his hands for the first and thest time.


    This was the second time he had touched his daughter.


    He caressed his daughter''s hand with care, both to make her feel his presence and to tell her that she was safe as her father would protect her. He wanted to say words offort and encouragement, but when he opened his mouth to talk, there was nothing but years of regret spilling out his mouth.


    "Father apologizes for not being able to take care of you, my Seren."


    The next moment, tears rolled down from the eyes of the man who received both fears from his enemies and awe from the people of his kingdom, the powerful exalted ruler of Abetha, Armen Ilven.


    Cian could only stand quietly by his father''s side to be his strength.


    While the father and son were dealing with the pain, they felt seeing Seren hurt, Drayce and An busied themselves with Dusk.


    Drayce caressed his pet''s head. "You have done a good job."


    Dusk had always liked it whenever his master caressed his head and would normally react by rubbing his head back against Drayce''s palm; however, the eagle was awfully quiet today. All he did was stare quietly at Seren from the moment hended in the windows.


    "Even your pet has the same liking," Anmented as his eyes didn''t fail to notice the behavior of the pet and its owner too.


    Just then, the people from the royal pharmacy arrived, and Lord Eudes informed everyone in the room of their arrival. "Your Majesty, the Head Royal Physician is here."


    King Armen collected himself and stood up from the bed to let the physicians do their job. The Head Royal Physician and his two female apprentices bowed to the King.


    The King epted the greetings and moved aside, signaling them to do their job.


    "Please leave the Third Princess to us, Your Majesty!"


    The physician then instructed his two apprentices something, and they pulled theted curtains around the bed that hung to the wooden frame at the ceiling. They also set the wooden partition room dividing screen around the bed to block the Third Princess from other''s sight.


    "I think we should leave," An suggested.


    This time, Drayce was obedient and nodded, agreeing to An''s suggestion. The two left, not finding it appropriate to stay there as they were still the outsiders, and a youngdy was being treated there.


    Lord Eudes closed the door behind him as he stood outside of it. Beside him, two knights were also standing outside the room to keep guard.

 Chapter 75: Eavesdropping

    <h4>Chapter 75: Eavesdropping</h4>


    The Head Royal Physician knew the condition that no one was allowed to see the princess''s face, and the king could trust him with this. The physician checked Seren''s pulse and instructed his apprentices to bring out and open the wooden boxes they carried with them.


    One of them started mixing some herbs with medicinal potions, while the other one took out a set of silver acupressure needles for the Head Royal Physician to use on Seren.


    The time passed by as slow as a snail for everyone waiting both inside and outside the room. As the treatment continued, the two royals sitting inside the room did not even dare talk as they waited to hear about Seren''s condition.


    After half an hour, the physician stepped away from the curtained bed while he instructed his apprentices to take care of changing the Third Princess''s clothes into the new ones that were brought by one servant a while ago.


    Seeing the physician walking towards them, King Armen and Cian stood up. Before he could bow to greet, King Armen asked in a hurry, "How is she?"


    "Your Majesty, there is nothing much to worry about. The Third Princess seemed to have experienced trauma and went unconscious in order to protect her mind. I have given her some soothing herbal medicines that will help her calm her brain after a nice sleep. All we need to do is wait for her to wake up."


    The physician had done a thorough check on her body, and thankfully, there was nothing wrong with her except for minor bruises and small cuts on her feet and elbow that were probably caused by her bumping on something or falling down while her feet were strangled with something.


    King Armen and Cian gave out sighs of relief upon hearing his observation.


    "After proper rest and with the help of medicines, Her Highness would be back on her feet. We just have to make sure not to leave her alone for a while. Although I am unsure what Her Highness had experienced when she wakes up, she will need to beforted and pacified as her emotions will be more fragile. Patients like her might even end up having nightmares for several nights. Your Majesty, Your Highness, please keep the Third Princess away from anything that would affect her state of mind."


    King Armen nodded, and the physician spoke hesitantly, "It would be better...if His Majesty does not send her back to the tower for a few days at least."


    "I won''t," King Armen assured.


    -------


    Outside, Drayce had stopped somewhere nearby his bedchamber. His sensitive ears were focused on what was going on inside during treatment, ready to act if anything was to happen.


    After a long wait, he finally heard the physician talking to King Armenand felt relieved by the physician''s words at the end.


    An, who had quietly apanied his friend, saw the tense expression disappear from Drayce''s face.


    "Are you done with the eavesdropping?" An teased.


    Drayce didn''t answer but instead instructed, "I should visit my knights."


    "Finally! Now you remember you have your people left back in Abetha, and they are waiting for you."


    As usual, Drayce didn''t react to An''s jab.


    "Well, what did you hear? Is the Third Princess awake?" An asked, although he already knew there was nothing to worry about, or else his friend would have run back to his bedchamber.


    "Not yet, but she is fine," Drayce replied, relief visible in his eyes.


    -------


    While the leaders of the rescue party were busy with the affairs of the Third Princess of Abetha, the rest of their troop finally entered the pce. Unlike how guards had turned hostile upon the arrival of Drayce, things were much smoother for the people led by General Cavrois as Sir Berolt was waiting for them to arrive and had already made arrangements for them by the gate. Servants were already waiting to lead them to their quarters.


    After their long journey, everyone was tired and thought of nothing but rest. With the war raging between kingdoms, they had been on the edge for days, and it was only now that their mission waspleted they could truly rx. However, when they entered the pce and saw the scenario inside, all were surprised to see the strange sullen atmosphere inside.


    General Carvois went to Sir Berolt.


    "What happened?" he asked with his eyes trained on the man working on the window of a nearby building.


    Sir Berolt gave him a brief exnation, and General Cavrois asked, "How is the Third Princess?"


    "She is getting treated," Sir Berolt replied before bidding farewell to the general. Now that they had returned to the royal pce, it was time to part ways. Sir Berolt would go to his king to personally report the details of the rescue mission, though he was conflicted if he should directly go to him or await in the King''s study to at least give King Armen more time to take care of the Third Princess.


    The other knights returned to either their own manors or to the military barracks.


    The arrangements made for yer were different from before. He was specially arranged in one of the guest rooms inside the royal residence, on the same wing where Seren was kept. One chamber was arranged for yer to be treatedfortably, where the physicians could be by his side all the time.


    ------


    Assured that Seren was fine after hearing the talk between the Head Royal Physician and King Armen, Drayce proceeded to see his knights in their assigned quarters. He was still in the same travel-worn clothes he wore upon arrival and didn''t bother with his appearance since he was just going to his people. An had simr thoughts, not bothering to clean up as well.


    When Drayce and An reached the military barracks housing the men from Megaris, everyone present recognized the red-eyed man and the one more handsome man with him despite their simple clothing. They hurried to bow to the neers, leaving whatever they were doing aside.


    "We have seen Your Majesty King Drayce and Your Highness Prince An!"

 Chapter 76: Not Surprised

    <h4>Chapter 76: Not Surprised</h4>


    The captain of the knights came forward, his eyes filled with happiness to see his king back, and the same was with other knights. Their young king was their pride, and there were countless tales about his actions both from before and after he was crowned that even to this day, the people of Megaris from all walks of life had admired him.


    When the elite knights who joined the allied troop returned and boasted about their sessful trip, the listeners were not surprised, knowing who their king was. The rescue of the Prince of Abetha was already a given for them. When they heard about how Drayce reacted after yer was hurt, the respect and pride for their king increased in their hearts.


    "How are you, Your Majesty?" the captain asked.


    "You should worry about those who had faced your king on the battlefield instead," An replied before Drayce could say a word.


    The captain smiled lightly as he agreed with what Prince An said, but the next moment, that smile disappeared. "How is themander?"


    Hearing his question, the other knights standing behind the captain turned alert. Calhoun Sanders might be the terrifying ''yer'' on the battlefield, but only to his enemies; for his own men, he was their most respectedmander.


    "He is getting treated. He will be fine," Drayce assured.


    Dusk, who was flying high in the sky, finallynded on the captain''s shoulder after seeing his master from up above.


    "You two did a good job," Draycemented.


    "It''s our honor to carry Your Majesty''s order," the captain said as he lowered his head to bow to his king.


    "If you are done, can we go and change these clothes? I am definitely not enjoying these clothes that reveal my beauty," Anmented as he tugged at the lowered neckline of his clothes that made his muscr chest visible.


    Drayce agreed, and the two left to go back inside the royal residence.


    "I hope you are not thinking about returning to your chamber," An said after a while.


    "I don''t mind," Drayce replied.


    "But there are people who would mind it for sure. Especially the Third Princess. Imagine her screaming again after seeing one red-eyed devil the moment she wakes up."


    "I can use the chamber next to mine."


    "Thank god you understood this time without creating a ruckus," An said with a sigh of relief. However, his relief was short-lived as something struck his mind. "Wait! The chamber next to yours? Isn''t it mine?"


    Drayce didn''t reply, and An spoke again, "Don''t tell me you have some bad intentions towards me..."


    "Remember the lizard?"


    An turned silent at the memory of the poor lizard on the wall.


    When the two were about to reach An''s bedchamber, the Lord Eudes came to them. "Your Majesty King Drayce, your stay has been arranged in another chamber. The one next to Prince An''s."


    Drayce had already expected it and nodded in response, indicating that he epted the change.


    Lord Eudes excused himself to go back to his duties while the two turned to go to their respective chambers. Drayce''s gaze lingered at the door guarded by two royal knights; it was his original room that was now being upied by a certain princess.


    Just as they reached An''s chamber, next to where Seren was resting, Drayce stopped and looked pointedly at An.


    An sighed as he mumbled, "I am not surprised at all," before going to the chamber next to his that was arranged for Drayce.


    No words were needed. It was obvious for An that his friend wanted to stay closer to where the Third Princess was resting.


    Inside their chambers, everything was ready for them��from a clean set of clothes and food, as well as servants ready to serve their needs.


    ---------


    King Armen and Cian remained in the bedchamber to look after Seren to keep vigil while the Head Royal Physician had excused himself to let the Third Princess rest. Since she now stayed inside the royal residence, he could easily return to check on her condition, and there was no need for him to keep watch over her personally. One of his female apprentices was left behind to nurse her back to health.


    King Armen looked at his son sitting beside him, who was still d in the dirty attire of a mercenary. The worry on Cian''s face could not conceal the exhaustion of returning after a long bitter journey, and King Armen could not help but pat his shoulder. "You should get changed and rest."


    "I am fine, Father."


    "I am here, by her side," King Armen assured. "You need to rest well. We still have other matters to take care of, and I would need your help."


    As its ruler, King Armen couldn''t ignore his kingdom while looking after his daughter. Since the incident in the tower, he had already neglected a lot of duties and meetings. Especially now during wartime, staying inside this room to visit his daughter was already a luxury and a form of rest. Moreover, there were important things regarding what happened with Seren, and King Armen had to keep his eyes on the faction led by the Minister of the Left, who were turning more brazen as time went by.


    With his father''s persuasion, Cian reluctantly left the bedchamber, not without giving Seren onest nce as he closed the door behind him.


    ----------


    After having a meal together, Drayce and An went to see yer, who had been arranged to stay in a room on the same wing as them, although he was not a royal. Aside from getting treatment from the royal physicians, this was also one of the special arrangements ordered by King Armen to show gratitude to Megaris.


    When Drayce and An reached yer''s chamber, they saw the mysterious old physician from the fortress, along with his two apprentices, talking with a number of royal physicians crowded around the bed. The old physician had not yet changed out of his white robe, which had turned dirty from the long travel they had.

 Chapter 77: The Old Physician

    <h4>Chapter 77: The Old Physician</h4>


    Seeing the King of Megaris and Prince An arrive, the people inside stood up and paid their respects to them, except for the old physician who busied himself with his patient.


    About this old physician''s strange temperament, Drayce and An didn''t mind as they were already used to it. Besides, they were thankful to the old man foring with them this far and doing his best to save yer.


    "How is he now?" Drayce asked.


    The old physician pretended not to hear his words, and it was one of the royal physicians who seemed to be the most senior who replied, "Your Majesty, Sir Sanders is stable, and his life is now out of danger, but we are not sure when he will wake up."


    Just as he said those words, Lord Eudes came to inform them that King Armen would be arriving to check on yer.


    When King Armen entered the chamber, he saw that Drayce and An were inside as well, and they casually greeted each other. Looking at the unconscious man on the bed, King Armen then asked about yer''s conditions. One of the royal physicians exined everything to King Armen.


    The old physician, who had his back turned on the neers, suddenly paused from working on yer, his hand frozen midair, causing his own apprentices to gaze at their master in puzzlement.


    ''That voice��''


    He could not believe his ears��that he would be able to hear that familiar voice owned by a certain person he had met decades ago.


    The old physician turned to look at King Armen, and their gazes met. Although the two of them had not seen each other for years and time had aged their appearances, recognition shed in their eyes. More than surprised, King Armen was actually shocked.


    "Erich Winfield!" King Armen eximed.


    The old physician stood up as he stepped towards the tall, middle-aged man donning a blue royal robe and a crown. "Valen! You�� So you are the king here."


    Still in shock, King Armen could only nod slightly in response, agreeing to his conclusion.


    Others standing there felt baffled and confused over why this old man called King Armen as Valen and how he dared to talk to the king casually. The fact that the two knew each other made many question the old physician''s identity.


    Was there any important figure, perhaps a noble from another country, who was called Erich Winfield?


    In fact, among those in the rescue party, no one knew the name of the old physician. Due to his nasty temper and arrogance, he did not get along with any of the members of the allied troop during the entire journey. When Sir Berolt inquired about his identity the first time, the old physician ignored him.


    Aside from treating yer and necessities, he did not bother to talk to anyone but his apprentices. Since he wasn''t willing to talk to them, the people traveling with him tolerated the strange old man. Moreover, they were all engrossed in worry about yer and reaching Abetha safely; would they dare bother about his temperament?


    "I can''t say I am happy to see you after so long, Valen." As usual, the tant physician talked informally to the king, not caring for the consequences of his words.


    Themander of the knights, Sir Berolt, who initially stood behind King Armen, stepped forward in a warning. "You should watch the way you talk."


    The physician smirked when he saw the knight touch the hilt of his sword. "Don''t just have that sword for the show. Feel free to use it."


    Sir Berolt turned angrier, but King Armen was calm. He raised his hand, signaling Sir Berolt to calm down, and then asked the old physician, "Can we talk?"


    The old physician, whose name was finally revealed to everyone, looked like he, too, had a lot to talk with the king. He nodded lightly, agreeing to his wish. "But don''t expect me to treat you as a king. You are no one but the Valen that we believed in you were."


    The king didn''t seem like he had any issue with it. More like he was ready to agree to any condition of the physician in order to talk to him.


    Drayce and An shared a meaningful gaze but stayed silent.


    Cian had just entered the room when Erich Winfield called his father with a different name. He greeted Drayce and An before going to his father as he asked, "Valen?"


    The old physician smirked as he recognized the young man''s identity. Cian was a splitting image of King Armen when he was younger. "That''s your father."


    King Armen looked at his son. "In the past, Erich and I hade across each other, and I had to use that name. Nothing much."


    The old physician didn''t say anything, and the king said to him, "Thank you so much foring to save Commander Sanders."


    Erich Winfield didn''t react and returned his attention to his patient to continue his treatment.


    Just then, the Head Royal Physician arrived after treating Seren to check on the work of the other royal physicians. After paying his respects to King Armen and the other royals present in the room, he approached the bed where yer was being treated.


    The Head? Royal Physician noticed the old man in worn-out clothes sitting at the edge of the bed. He was taken aback to see the familiar face. "Erich?"


    The old physician calmly looked at the Head of Royal Physician. "Heath Leuven?"


    The Head Royal Physician looked surprised as well as happy seeing someone he knew. "Good to see you after so long."


    The old physician scoffed, "Are you going to keep talking, or are you going to help me treat this injured man?"


    "With you treating him, I don''t need to worry about Commander Sanders. He is already fortunate enough to be treated by you."


    "Growing old has turned you talkative," the old physicianined.


    The Head Royal physician smiled, already familiar with the old physician''s strange temper, and started helping him.


    Those in the room were all surprised that this old physician called Erich Winfield knew not only King Armen but also the Head Royal Physician, even though he was not from Abetha.

 Chapter 78: Peace Treaty

    <h4>Chapter 78: Peace Treaty</h4>


    "You have done enough. You should wash up and take a rest. I heard your party traveled for days in the wilderness. It must have been tough on your old bones," said the Head? Royal Physician to Erich Winfield after he checked on the condition of yer that looked satisfactory to him.


    Erich Winfield was that type of physician��once his services were needed, he would tirelessly attend to his patient, not even caring for himself. Though he was stubborn and unfriendly to most people, the Head Royal Physician, Heath Leuven, knew how much this old man cared for his patients.


    Erich Winfield sighed deeply and stood up. "I am sure I can trust your ability to treat him." He then moved away from the bed.


    Sir Berolt gestured to him. "The servant will guide your way."


    Erich Winfield and his two apprentices followed the servant out of the bedchamber.


    Once the Head Royal Physician was done checking on yer, he went to the king to update him about his condition.


    Drayce, An, and Cian listened in to his exnation as well since getting an appropriate, and satisfying answer from the stubborn old physician named Erich Winfield was next to impossible.


    "Your Majesty King Armen, Your Majesty King Drayce, the good news is Commander Calhoun Sanders is already out of danger as the treatment given to him managed to pull him away from death. His body is full of vitality, and we have enough medicine to ensure steady treatment. Therefore, healing would not be an issue to his internal and external injuries, though it would take at least several weeks and at most a month for him to be able to move around normally. Now, we just have to wait for him to wake up," he informed.


    Drayce stepped ahead and asked in his normal dominating and authoritative voice, "How long?"


    "That, we can''t assure at the moment. But the way he responded to the treatment, it shouldn''t take long. However, the bad news is, as one of his legs was severely fractured, the possibility of him being able to use it to walk like before would be slim. We will have to wait for him to wake up to undergo more tests in that regard. s, he is already fortunate toe across the man who gave him initial treatment. If not for that man''s life-saving actions, never mind his broken legs, Commander Calhoun Sanders would not havested this long."


    "Do you know him, Head Physician Heath?" Cian asked while ncing at his father. King Armen remained silent the whole time.


    "He is Erich Winfield, a renowned physician who is known to have an ability to bring a dead person to life," the Head? Royal Physician replied. "However, he prefers to travel around to save people and did not stay in any one ce for a long time, making him rtively unknown to those outside the circle of medicinal practitioners."


    After listening to the Head Royal Physician''s exnation, King Armen left with Sir Berolt. Cian also left, leaving Drayce and An in thepany of the royal physicians who would be staying in the room to look after yer.


    As Drayce stared at his unconscious friend, he could only hope for his faster recovery. However, the conclusion spoken by the Head Royal Physician rang in his mind. As much as he wanted for yer to wake up soon, he could not bear the thought of seeing yer hurt by the fact he might not be able to walk like before. The man who always preferred to be on the battlefield while making his enemies run away from him, how could he ever bear the fact that his leg might stop him from doing so.


    There was no way Drayce would allow this strong mountain to copse like this. There had to be a way to fix his broken legs, and he would do anything to get it.


    Night had arrived, but still, Seren was yet to regain her consciousness. There was no way any of those concerned about her situation could sleep peacefully until they saw herpletely fine. It was bound to be another restless night, especially for her father, King Armen.


    Leaving her in the care of two female apprentices of the Head Royal Physician, King Armen and Cian busied themselves in handling official duties and other important matters, especially the n to deal with the royal court when they will raise Seren''s issue again in the uing days.


    Being the crown prince of one of the kingdoms warring against the joined forces of Thevailes and Hatha, An too had many things to take care of, such as reporting back to his kingdom and handling matters such as dispatching and allocating the army under his name in the battlefield.


    Though Drayce was away from his kingdom and handed over some of his responsibilities rted to state affairs to his most trusted people, he had to take care of the things for Megaris too.


    A messenger from Megaris arrived at the capital of Abetha to inform his king about the situation at the Thevailes-Megaris border.


    "Greetings, Your Majesty!" The messenger bowed upon entering his chamber.


    Drayce nodded lightly to his greetings.


    "Your Majesty, we have sessfully imed several cities of Thevailes, winning over their territory miles inside their eastern border. As for the casualty of war, our army only lost several battalions, while Thevailes had lost two of their armies and we have taken their generals as prisoners of war."


    As expected, for the young King, the oue was satisfactory. A battalion was a military unit of about 500 people, while an army wasposed of at least 100,000 soldiers. Thousands of lives were lost with each battle, but Megaris had always had overwhelming victories whenever they fought. War was cruel for the losers.


    "Thevailes had asked for a peace treaty after things went out of their hands."


    "Agree to it," Drayce responded. "Have our diplomats pull up a long list to get a heftypensation from them. Not only gold, get rights to theirnd and resources. Include allowing us to have our army build fortresses in the conquered cities��"

 Chapter 79: Protective Brother

    <h4>Chapter 79: Protective Brother</h4>


    Drayce knew he might have to stay in Abetha for some more time, and it wouldn''t be good to stretch things when he was away from his kingdom. He understood that with his outrageous demand, Thevailes would take several days or weeks for them to go back and forth in negotiations. It was a good dying tactic.


    Once he was done with giving orders to his men andpleting his official duties that had been neglected for the past five days, Drayce revisited his knight troop before returning to his chamber along with An. Instead of going towards his new chamber, Drayce turned to his previous chamber, where Seren was resting. He had not seen her since the moment he left her to be treated by the Head Royal Physician and wished to see her now.


    Just then, Cian arrived there too to see his sister. When he came across Drayce and An, Cian greeted the two with a slight nod. "I hope King Drayce isfortable with the change in his arrangements."


    Drayce nodded lightly, and Cian continued, "Then, I guess there is no need for me to escort King Drayce to his chamber."


    Cian''s expression was neutral, but his eyes and words held the underlying meaning that Drayce should go back to his chamber and no need to wander around to visit others��more specifically, his little sister, Seren.


    An could sense the tense atmosphere between the two men.


    Before Drayce could say something to make the situation worse, An stepped forward and offered Cian his most charming smile. "But I won''t mind if you escort me to my room. What do you say?"


    Cian stared back at him with a frown. "I should have left you with that General Giles instead of leaving him to his soldiers."


    "So cruel of you. Did you forget that general was interested in your beauty too? Hmm, now that I have looked at you, you are no less handsome than me."


    "I was born like this," Cian scoffed.


    "So full of yourself, huh? If you had left me with that pig, I would have dragged you along with me to enjoy it together with him."


    Cian red at him, anger and annoyance evident in his eyes. "You shameless piece of flesh and bones."


    An smiled widely, seeing how he pissed off this seriously overprotective guy. When Cian noticed that the King of Megaris was no longer with them, An gave him a cheeky grin as he said, "I know you care for your sister, but you should be thankful to him. Because of him, you can see her."


    "I am thankful to him; that''s why I allowed him to be here and didn''t arrange him for somewhere else," Cian countered.


    "Then, what''s the matter with not letting him go see her?"


    "It is already dark outside. A stranger should not enter ady''s room at night," Cian spoke coldly. "Is that not proper behavior?"


    An chuckled. "Stranger? To me, he is her savior."


    "Savior or not, that''s beside the point. Seren is not your sister that''s why��"


    "If it were my sister in there, I would have left her to him," An interrupted him, "but my sister is not that fortunate."


    "He is your friend, so you are free to trust him, but ask him to stay away from Seren."


    An sighed. "I wish you to get to know him more."


    Cian didn''t react to his words and simply said, "Rest well," before stepping towards Seren''s chamber.


    An could only sigh and went to Drayce''s chamber to see why his friend had left instead of acting like his usual stubborn self.


    When An entered Drayce''s chamber, Drayce had just taken off his outer heavy robe and changed intofortable nightwear, looking like he was already nning to sleep.


    "I am surprised to see you return and leave us there without arguing with Cian," Anmented as he made himselffortable on a chair.


    "No need to argue over something that I can do easily whenever I want," Drayce replied.


    Knowing Drayce''s abilities, An was not surprised that this man could pull that feat off.? He could only raise a brow as he challenged, "Don''t tell me you will sneak into the Third Princess''s chamber?"


    Dryace smirked as he stepped towards his bed. "Isn''t sneaking what we do best?"


    "What ''we''? This is all ''you.'' You should not forget the virtue of a royaldy. If someone gets to know��"


    "You should go back to your chamber," Drayce interrupted him as he settled himself in bed.


    An frowned and stood up to leave, but not without giving his friend another warning. "From what I know, there''s too much talk going on about her. Don''t create trouble for her. "


    "I n to save her from all her troubles," Drayce replied as he closed his eyes.


    Worried about what Drayce would do and how Cian would react to it, An could only helplessly shake his head as he went to his own chamber.


    -----


    When Cian went to see Seren, the two female physician apprentices assigned to nurse her bowed to him in greeting. Cian went straight to the bed and shifted theted curtain around the bed to one side to be able to see the pale girl whose brows were knitted together as if she was having a nightmare.


    He stared at his younger sister, who was still in a deep sleep. Sitting at the edge of the bed, he held her hand and caressed, his eyes not leaving the sight of her veil-covered face. He had never seen his sister''s face and didn''t know how she even looked. For as long as he could remember, this had always been the case. Since childhood, he only had memories of that veil-covered face��a pair of eyes filled with innocence and curiosity��and her soft voice that sweetly called him ''elder brother''.


    Failing to change her prisoner-like life, he could only wish it to be over soon. As the king''s daughter, Seren deserved to live like any of the other princesses in the pce, if not better than them. Just like his father, he shared a simr pain of guilt and helplessness for her situation.

 Chapter 80: Old Aquistance

    <h4>Chapter 80: Old Aquistance</h4>


    ''I promise you I will find out why you have to live like this, and when that dayes, I will do everything in my power so that you will never have to step inside that cold and lonely tower again. I will protect you,'' Cian thought, his eyes full of determination to protect his sister.


    Why did his sweet sister have to wear a veil all the time and not be allowed to mingle with anyone, not even her siblings? Why did she have to be imprisoned in that tower for all her life? Why was there a need for her to live such a cruel life?


    After spending some more time by his sister''s side, Cian stood up to leave. Just as he opened the door, he stopped to instruct the two women inside the room. "Take care of her, and don''t allow anyone to get close to her."


    With their heads lowered, the two nodded lightly. "Understood, Your Highness."


    Cian stepped out of the bedchamber and looked at the two knights guarding the door. "Don''t let anyone enter other than father and Physician Heath Leuven."


    "Yes, Your Highness!"


    After leaving his instructions, Cian left to return to his own chamber.


    ---------


    The same night, Queen Niobe was waiting inside her chamber to meet one of her pawns to get an update about the situation.


    From herdy-in-waiting and the maids loyal to her, she had learned about how and who brought Seren out of her tower. Although surprised by the series of events, she mostly found it a pity that she was brought out of the tower too soon; the witch did not suffer enough.


    The Queen had been upset about how her husband got back to the ministers to defend his daughter and almost failed her n, but with how things were going, she still had hope left to get that witch out of the pce and ultimately their lives.


    Minister Darus Count came to report to the queen who was sitting as usual in her chair while the middle-aged minister bowed to greet her. "Your Majesty!"


    Queen Niobe nodded lightly to ept the greeting and waited for Lord Darus to continue.


    "The Third Princess is still unconscious, but ording to the royal physicians'' estimation, she will be fine soon," Minister Darus informed.


    The Queen frowned, "Despite seeing such a cruel scene, that witch is still fine? No wonder she is just like her crafty mother."


    She then looked at the minister with a stern gaze. "In the next court session, I don''t want you to back down in front of the King so easily. Prepare your side stronger. Convince the neutral ministers to help persuade the King as well."


    "Yes, Your Majesty. Consider it done," the minister agreed humbly. "I also came here to report the situation outside the pce. My subordinates informed me that King Armen had asked his men to capture and punish the people in the marketce who were discovered trying to dishonor the Third Princess by calling her a witch. However, a number of those people are ours, the ones we hired to spread the news and stir up trouble in the capital, but I assure you that their actions cannot be traced back to us."


    "That previous incident?" Queen Niobe asked.


    The minister nodded. "Those people didn''t know that the girl was the Third Princess and thought of her as a random woman who turned out to be a witch after she burned a few of them."


    "Even if they knew she was the Third Princess, they would have burned her for being a witch. She was lucky to escape."


    "There was talk going on that one strange red-eyed swordsman saved her, and he even beheaded onemoner. If we are not wrong, there is only one red-eyed man in the capital."


    Queen Niobe''s eyes brightened up. "The King of Megaris?"


    "Indeed, Your Majesty."


    Her amber eyes narrowed with hostility. "He dared to hurt themoners in our kingdom for matters that didn''t concern him. He needs to pay for it."


    "We can use it against him if it''s needed," the minister assured.


    "Any idea what my husband offered him in exchange for his help in Prince Cian''s rescue mission?"


    "Apologies, Your Majesty. I will try to get to the bottom of this, but at the moment, we are not sure yet. Both sides are busy taking care of their injured people. King Armen is upied with the Third Princess''s wellbeing, while King Drayce is concerned about his guardian knight who got injured during their trip."


    Queen Niobe understood and instructed, "Get everything ready to corner the King and that witch so there won''t be any other option but to have her thrown out of the kingdom."


    "Yes, Your Majesty."


    =====


    The same night, inside his study, King Armen sat at his desk with folded hands, silently waiting for a certain someone who he had not seen for almost two decades. He looked immersed in his thoughts as seconds ticked by.


    Sir Berolt knocked before entering the study. "Your Majesty, Physician Erich Winfield is in the waiting room. Should I send him in?"


    King Armen nodded lightly, his expression serious.


    Sir Berolt left to escort Erich Winfield and returned with an old man behind him.


    King Armen stood up from his chair upon sight of the old acquaintance. Sir Berolt bowed to the King, asking for permission to leave the two men alone, and left the study knowing his presence was not needed here.


    Once Sir Berolt left, and the door of the study was closed, King Armen asked, "How have you been, Erich?"


    "As you can see, still alive and holding on to your past life''s secrets, Valen," the old man replied sarcastically, openly showing that he held some grudges against the king.


    "At that time, the situation turned out like that. I was helpless," King Armen replied, not minding the physician''s words.


    The old man scoffed and gave him a mocking look. "Helpless? There was someone else who was more helpless than you."


    The guilt from the past showed up on the king''s face. "I tried to search for her, but she disappeared."


    "You are the one who caused her harm." The physician raised his voice. "When you found out who she was, you should have stayed away from her!"


    "At that time, I didn''t know who she was. For me, she was the one who saved me when I was lost. When I got to know who she was, it was toote."


    Anger clouded Erich Winfield''s sight. "So now you regret everything after knowing who she was?"


    There was guilt written all over King Armen''s face. "No, you misunderstand me. I never regretted loving her. If there is one thing I regret, it is that due to my ignorance, I have been unable to protect her. Because of me, she had to pay a heavy price. If only I had known her identity back then, I would have stopped. It''s all my fault."


    Sensing the sincerity in his words, the hostility of the old physician visibly lessened. His wrinkled face turned calmer as he said, "A mere human like you wouldn''t be able to protect her."


    "If only I knew the truth of her life much earlier," came the regretful words from the king.


    "I got to know it when I saw her thest time."


    Thest part of his statement brightened up King Armen''s eyes. "Last time? When did you see her? Is she all right? How is she��"


    Erich Winfield shook his head. "It''s not anything recent. She came to me for help roughly seventeen years ago. I was the one who delivered her baby into this world."


    The glimmer of hope inside King Armen was immediately extinguished. He thought he could finally find news about his missing beloved. "Why didn''t youe to me then? I would have helped her��."


    "Everything was out of control already, and she didn''t want to put your life in danger. Do you really think powerless beings like you and me could really do anything to help her?"


    King Armen sat helplessly back on the chair, unable to refute Erich Winfield''s words. It did not matter that he was a powerful ruler withmand over millions of soldiers and wealth unrivaled by any kingdom; in the end, he was nothing but a mere human.


    The old physician sighed. "Did shee to you with the child?"


    "She came, but after giving that baby to me, she left."


    "Where?"


    "I do not know."


    "How is that baby?"


    "Not so well. I have to keep her in hiding," replied the king.


    It puzzled the physician. "Hiding?"


    King Armen realized that the physician didn''t know the truth about his daughter. "Did you see her again after she gave birth?"


    "She left with the child the very next day without informing me. I never saw her again after that. But I was sure she woulde to you with that child. She was worried about the baby''s safety and you seemed to be the only one she could approach," The old Physician answered.

 Chapter 81: Sneaking In

    <h4>Chapter 81: Sneaking In</h4>


    "Then you don''t know what happened after she left your ce?" the King concluded.


    "Only thing I knew was that she was scared and worried for her baby and was running away from something to protect the child, but she didn''t tell me the exact details," the physician replied as he gazed questioningly at the King. "Is there something that I should know?"


    King Armen closed his eyes as he took a shaky breath. "They�� They cursed my baby daughter, and all these years, I have to hide her from them to keep her safe." He looked hurt as a line of his closed eyes turned moist.


    "Cursed?" The old Physician eximed in surprise.


    Since the old physician was trustworthy, King Armen briefly told him about what kind of curse Seren had, as well as details of her difficult life inside the tower. He had never discussed it with anyone before, but the old physician was someone who knew Seren''s mother. In the past, this old physician had helped them countless times, and the two not only trusted him, but they were also indebted to him.


    "Poor child! Can''t even express her emotions," The physician sighed. "Can I meet your daughter?"


    King Armen exined Seren''s condition at this moment before adding, "If you are fine meeting her even though she remains unconscious, I can arrange for you to see her tomorrow."


    "Who does she looks like?" The Old physician asked and then he concluded on his own smiling lightly, "I am sure just like her mother."


    "I am sure of it," King Armen said, feeling heavy in his heart but couldn''te up to say he had never seen his own daughter''s face. He had yet didn''t tell his old friend about a veil part and why his daughter had to wear it all the time.


    The old physician nodded, and the two sat there, reminiscing memories of younger days.


    After a while, the old physician could not help but ask a question that had been bothering him for a while. "Didn''t she return even once to check on her daughter?"


    King Armen shook his head. "Never. She disappeared again after showing up to hand me over our baby. I searched for her, but��."


    "She must have her reasons." The physician, who looked like he hated the King when he arrived, suddenly turned soft. "Knowing who she is, we can only expect her to be fine."


    King Armen nodded, and the physician spoke again. "You too disappeared suddenly, and I never thought to meet you like this."


    "I had no other option," said the King.


    "After seeing you as a king, I can only assume there must be a valid reason. Well, I will try to forgive you."


    "Thank you."


    The old physician scoffed. "The keyword is ''try''. Given our past interactions, I can still assure myself that you are not a bad person. But the way you disappeared suddenly, and when I saw her carrying a baby and fighting to protect it on her own, I could only resent you."


    "I didn''t know she carried my child. She didn''t tell me before disappearing."


    Erich Winfield sighed, "This all seems soplicated."


    King Armen could only nod, not saying anything in response.


    When the two separated to retire for the night, a name they had never forgotten despite the long years remained hanging unspoken in the air.


    ''Sierra��''


    ------


    Deep into the night, when the entire pce had been cloaked in darkness and its people asleep, Drayce opened his eyes andy staring at the ceiling. He had been calm till now, thinking he would go see Seren in a while without anyone knowing it, but suddenly, his mind turned restless and knew he had to check on her at once.


    Drayce got out of the bed and strode towards the window without even bothering to change out of his nightwear. The next moment, he swiftly jumped out of the window as if it was nothing. Despite the guards patrolling outside, they were unable to catch his shadow as he moved at a speed that a normal person would not even be able to understand what had just happened in front of their eyes. The curtains hanging by the window fluttered due to the strong gust of wind caused by his exit from the window.


    Afterward, the curtains in the window of Seren''s room fluttered the same. The noise of the window opening had pulled the twody nurses'' attention towards the window.


    "What is it? Is there a storm?" said the one as her sleepy eyes looked at the window.


    The other one stood up from her cushioned seat, went towards the window and looked outside. There was nothing outside, and everything was as calm as usual. She closed the windows, not wanting the cold night breeze to enter the room. "Doesn''t look like it. Must be just a wind. We can ask the servants to fix the lock tomorrow. It might be a bit loose."


    She returned to her ce, and the two resumed their light sleep.


    In the dim light of themps inside the room, the two didn''t notice someone was already inside the room with them, standing by Seren''s bedside while looking at her worriedly. The intruder was holding the bed curtain to one side with his hand, which was something they would have noticed if they had checked on Seren again. More like, they were sure that no one could dare enter the Third Princess''s room when royal knights were guarding the door.


    Drayce didn''t care if someone saw him, but based on experience, he also didn''t doubt the ability of normal humans to not notice strange things around them. As expected, the two nurses ignored everything and went straight back to sleep.


    ''This is how King Armen had decided to keep his daughter safe? In the hands of such ignorant and inattentive weaklings?'' Drayce sneered at them as he sat at the edge of the bed.


    ======


    The dim light from themp was enough for Drayceto see Seren? clearly. Though the lower half of her face was covered with a veil, it couldn''t hide from anyone watching her restless face that she was having a nightmare. The frown lines on her forehead and her difficulty in breathing were telltale signs of how bad her dream must be.


    Strangely enough, the anxiousness Drayce felt a while ago disappeared the moment he saw her, and he concluded she was the reason for it.


    Sitting at the edge of her bed, he held her hand to caress it to calm her down. Her delicate hand gripped his palm tightly, as if she was seeking help and wanted to be assured that someone was by her side.


    Drayce continued to caress her hand until her uneven breathing turned calmer, and she slowly loosened her grip on his hand. Even so, Drayce still didn''t stop caressing her hand.


    Though she had calmed down, her delicate eyebrows remained furrowed, and Drayce couldn''t help but move his hand to touch her wrinkled forehead to smoothen it. Before he could touch it, he noticed something on her forehead.


    "What is this? Has this always been here?" he questioned himself and moved closer to take a look at what it was. ''Howe I never noticed it?''


    Ever since they met, Drayce had been so engrossed thinking about Seren''s purple eyes and failed to see other things. This time, his eyes noticed something familiar on Seren''s skin��a tiny red symbol in the middle of her forehead.


    The red symbol looked like a me and a flower at the same time. He was sure he had seen something like this before but was not sure where.


    He moved his hand towards her forehead, and the moment his fingers touched that red symbol on her forehead, it glittered and emitted mild rays of light.


    ''Who are you? What is it about you that always ends up pulling me towards you? Do we know each other? Have wee across each other by chance?''


    Drayce wanted to ask a lot of questions; unfortunately, she was not well enough to answer.


    It was not normal for Drayce to worry for a stranger since he was not the type of person to care for people who had nothing to do with him. This cold devil hardly cared for anyone, but when he did, his care had no boundaries.


    Moreover, the person he was feeling worried about at the moment was not only a stranger but also someone whose face he had not even seen.


    What was there that pulled him towards her always?


    He also understood that the ominous premonition he had several nights ago��the one he thought was about yer��was in fact about Seren. She was in trouble, and he sensed it even though he was a kingdom away. What was there between the two that connected them?


    After spending time to make sure she was calm, and he didn''t need to worry about her for now, Drayce left the same way as he entered Seren''s room.

 Chapter 82: Magic Pills

    <h4>Chapter 82: Magic Pills</h4>


    Another night had passed, yet Seren still didn''t wake up. The council meeting in the morning had just adjourned, and King Armen and Cian took time off toe to visit her before returning to work.


    Seeing the King and Crown Prince, the twody nurses stood up to greet them, while the Head Royal Physician, Heath Leuven, was in the middle of checking Seren''s pulse. He was so focused, he did not even realize the entrance of the two royals.


    King Armen and Cian did not mind and simply waited for the Head Royal Physician to finish his work. Once he was done, Heath Leuven immediately realized the additional people inside the room and came forward to pay respect to the two royals.


    He bowed to greet them. "Your Majesty! Your Highness!"


    The two nodded lightly to ept his greeting, and Cian asked, "How is my sister now? Is she better?"


    "Her Highness is indeed faring better than the previous night, but she hasn''t woken up yet," Heath Leuven replied.


    Cian turned worried as he raised his voice, "If she is better, then why hadn''t she��?"


    King Armen raised his hand, signaling his son to calm down, and looked at Heath Leuven to continue.


    "Your Highness, the incident seems to have traumatized Her Highness the Third Princess to such a great extent that she had closed her mind from waking up. This is her way of protecting herself, scared to see the same thing again," Heath Leuven replied. "Such a response ismon for women and children who have seen death for the first time, more so since from what I heard, what Her Highness experienced was appalling even to a brave man."


    Remembering the bloody sight he found inside her garden, King Armen felt anger rise again inside him. "Leuven, what can we do to make her feel better, and will she wake up soon?"


    "The only thing we can do is give her body some time to calm down, and give her calming medicine and burn aromatic incense inside the room that will soothe her mind..."


    "How long?" Cian asked.


    "In a day or two, we should be able to see improvements," Heath Leuven replied.


    "We have waited till now, so a few more days is not a big deal," King Armen sighed and looked at his worried son. Cian nodded slightly, understanding his father''s words.


    The Head Royal Physician bowed once more. "However, Your Majesty, all we can do is help the princess out. The final oue will still be up to the Third Princess herself, whether she will find the strength to wake up and face reality once more."


    -----


    Drayce was by the window of his chamber after having a morning meal with An.


    "Tell me, did you sneak into her room?" An casually asked while he made himselffortable on one of the? wooden chairs inside his friend''s chamber.


    "Wasn''t that difficult," Drayce replied.


    An sighed, shaking his head. "And I am not even surprised."


    "Why ask the expected?" Drayce countered.


    "Ahh, my bad. I am in the wrong to criticize you for yourcking manners towards ady. Apologies, Your Majesty, the great King Drayce! Wait, let me add something. More like...Your Majesty Devil King Drayce. Sounds better?"


    Drayce didn''t react to his sarcasm, so An could only ask, "How is she?"


    "Looks fine, but she hasn''t woken up yet."


    Their conversation was interrupted by Dusk''s sudden arrival. The majestic brown eaglended on the window sill with something hanging from his beak. It was something he had brought for his master.


    Drayce noticed the small item. "What is it?"


    The bird was already looking at his master as if to urge his master to get it from him. Drayce took the item from Dusk''s beak and weighed it in his hand. It was a small violet silk pouch. Drayce first observed the pouch but did not open it. "Who does it belong to?"


    Of course, there was no answer from the bird since couldn''t talk like a human.


    The curious An approached the window and witnessed what this master and pet were doing. "Making him eat a poor rat was not enough. Now, you are even sending your pet to steal the things of others. Tsk! Doesn''t suit the status of a king."


    Ignoring An as usual, Drayce noticed a tiny embroidered mark at the bottom of the silk pouch. It was a familiar symbol��a red mark that looked like a me and a flower at the same time.


    Drayce looked at Dusk. "Does it belong to her?"


    Dusk lowered his head to reach Drayce''s hand that was busy holding the pouch and pecked on it twice.


    Understanding the meaning of who that ''Her'' Drayce had just mentioned, An scoffed, "So I was right. You are making him steal. A bad bird raised by a bad master."


    "Still better than a noisy nagger," Drayce rebutted while he opened the pouch.


    Before An could respond, his attention was shifted to what was inside the pouch. The content didn''t look like anything ordinary.


    Drayce observed those tiny balls that looked like blue beads. They were emitting their own brilliance, shining so brightly that even the sunlighting in through the window couldn''t hide the bluish light inside that violet silk pouch.


    "What are those? Why are they shining? They look like... magic pills?" An asked with uncertainty, as those kinds of legendary elixirs only belonged to myths of old. He had once read in a book that magic pills emit light on their own, and this was the first time he had seen one. His curious gaze didn''t leave the pouch? .


    Drayce thought about something and asked Dusk. "Is this medicine?"


    Dusk pecked on his palm twice again and looked at his master in anticipation.


    Thinking about why Dusk had suddenly taken things from others and brought it to him, he asked again, "Do you want me to give it to her?" There was no way Dusk would do anything uselessly.


    Dusk responded the same again, answering his master with a ''Yes''.


    "Are you sure, Dusk?"


    This time, An asked the eagle with a serious tone. This was an important matter, as ingesting a pill of unknown or unverified effects could potentially harm, instead of help, a sick person. An knew that if his friend were to agree to do what Dusk said, then there was no stopping it. However, the person he would be giving this medicine to was not someone ordinary.


    In response, Dusk lifted one of his legs, as if asking them to look at it, and then put it down back. An put forward his hand to let Dusk put his w in his palm, and the two friends observed it.


    "Were you hurt?" An asked when he saw a pale mark, simr to that of a healed wound, just above the w.


    Drayce studied it too and asked, "Did she give it to you to treat your wound?"


    Dusk pecked on the hand An was using to check his w.


    An chuckled with an exaggerated cheer, "Could this be a legendary elixir which works miracles on animals as well as humans?"


    Dusk pecked on An''s hand again, only to hear An exim, "Hey, I was just saying it for fun...but you seem serious. There is no way that kind of holy medicine exists, right? That is a treasure that could cause a war!"


    An couldn''t believe a bird would be able to bring magic pills taken from the things of a young princess.


    Drayce looked at his friend. "After spending so many years around me and seeing all those strange things, do you still doubt the magic?"


    An cleared his throat. "Well, I am only used to seeing disasters like earthquakes and throwing poor people here and there without even touching them. I never got to see the civil way of using magic like these healing pills," came the sarcastic reply from the Prince of Griven.

 Chapter 83: Using Powers

    <h4>Chapter 83: Using Powers</h4>


    Hearing his friend''s long-winded remark, Drayce ignored him as usual.


    The young king walked towards where his sword was ced, and without hesitation, he drew a wound on his arm. Blood immediately spilled out.


    "Dray!" However, An''s yell came toote as Drayce had already taken a pill.


    The two watched with bated breaths as the long wound healed at a rate visible to the naked eyes. After a minute, the sword cut had be a faint scar several years old. Drayce returned his attention to? Dusk and approached the bird to caress his head. "You did well. This healing pill has no negative effects on the body. I will give it to her."


    Dusk rubbed his head back as if he was happy with what his master said.


    "How?" An interrupted the show of affection between the master and his pet. "You forget, she is of royal blood. I doubt if her family or the royal physician here will believe you blindly and permit you to give it to her. They will have to verify its effects and even despite that, they may not agree."


    "Who needs their permission?" Drayce said as he pulled the silk threads of the pouch''s opening to close it.


    "Besides, how are you going to give it to ady who is still unconscious?" An asked. "And we do not even know if it can help. Unlike yer, the Third Princess is not physically injured."


    Drayce red at him.


    Seeing that re, An could only sigh. "Well, you did say it has no negative effects so it will not harm her even if it does not help her wake up. But, if by some miracle that pill does wake her up, try not to startle the Third Princess too much. She is ady who has not seen the outside world, and you are but a stranger. Sorry to say, you look scary especially with your re. I do not wish to personally experience her scream that has the power to shatter this pce, and I bet the pce people would appreciate that too."


    "Are you done nagging?" Drayce asked with a dark expression.


    An diverted the question with another question. "Will you sneak in again?"


    "Have no other way," Drayce replied as he continued caressing Dusk''s head, which the bird obviously liked a lot. It was his reward for bringing this medicine to his master.


    An watched the two''s interaction with amusement. Drayce was someone who rarely showed concern or affection for others, buttely, An noticed that his friend had less control over his emotions than usual. "Why do you care for the Third Princess too much?"


    "Not sure," Drayce answered as he looked deep in thought.


    "Is it because her condition reminds you of the bad days of your childhood?" An asked as the air around them suddenly turned serious.


    "Might be," Drayce replied.


    "That means there is more," An concluded, not getting the definite answer from his friend.


    There was no reply from Drayce as he kept caressing Dusk''s head, but it was clear that his mind was lost somewhere.


    An sighed, "You won''t tell me."


    "I will once I am sure of it," Drayce finally spoke up.


    An understood there was something that troubled Drayce.


    "How are you nning to give it to her?" An asked.


    "During the next turn for her to take medicines from the physician," Drayce replied.


    "And how will you know it?" An asked, and Drayce gave him a strange look for asking such an obvious question.


    "Understood��" An said, only to hear Drayse cut him off, "We have a guest here."


    It didn''t take much time for An to understand what Drayce meant, and he looked at the door of the bedchamber.


    They heard a knock and one of Drayce''s knights entered his chamber to inform the young king. "Your Majesty, the King of Abetha and the? Crown Prince of Abetha wish to speak privately with you. Shall I let them in?"


    Drayce nodded lightly, approving him to let King Armen and Prince Cian enter his bedchamber.


    When the royals of Abetha entered, An paid his respects to the older king while Drayce nodded lightly to wee them. Cian stood quietly beside his father, carrying the same indifferent expression from the previous night when he came across Drayce.


    "I hope King Drayce and Prince An arefortable with our arrangements," King Armen said as he stood facing Drayce and An. "Do inform the servants if there is anything you findcking."


    Drayce simply nodded lightly while An spoke politely, "We are grateful for Abetha''s hospitality, Your Majesty."


    "Previously, I couldn''t properly thank King Drayce for getting the Third Princess out of that tower. Thanks to you, we were able to reach my daughter when we otherwise were powerless to help her on our own. I feel like no matter how I show my gratitude, it will never be enough. Though it does not mean much, I would like to invite King Drayce to dine with me," he spoke in a civil manner before? looking at An, "And of course, Prince An as well for his great contribution to Prince Cian''s rescue mission."


    "We will be there," Drayce agreed.


    After exchanging a few more casual words, King Armen and Cian left.


    "Seems like Prince Cian is not that fond of you," Anmented.


    "You can keep his fondness for yourself," Drayce replied nonchntly.


    After nagging his friend for a while, An also left to deal with his own unfinished business. After all, even though he was away from Griven, that did not mean its crown prince had no work to do and was free to y around.


    With An leaving him to his own devices, Drayce finally had the chance to do some work rted to his kingdom as well. In fact, as the king and main decision maker of a kingdom that was about twice the size of Griven, he was much busier than his nosy friend.


    In the middle of working, he heard something from the chamber next door, and he put down the missive scroll that he was supposed to read next.


    The next moment, there was a loud flutter of curtains, and Drayce was nowhere to be seen. The same way, the curtains inside Seren''s room fluttered just like the previous night, but the two busy nurses ignored again, thinking it''s just a strong gust of wind.


    A strange power enveloped the room.


    The atmosphere inside the room turned still, as if time had stopped. The nurses who were preparing medicines for the princess looked like perfectly-sculpted statues. Even the fluttering curtains stopped moving mid-air, akin to a scene caught in a painting.


    Everything was frozen, aside from Drayce who pulled out a violet silk pouch and picked up one tiny blue medicine pill from it. He went to where those nurses were mixing the medicinal herbs into one tiny container and dropped that pill in the mix.In no time, the blue medicine pill got absorbed into the liquid, melting into nothingness.


    Drayce then went to approach Seren''s bed. Standing by her bed while shifting theted curtains to one side to look at her, Drayce observed her sleeping face carefully. Though her face was half-covered, he could still see that she looked better than the previous night.


    Everything inside the bedchamber was frozen due to his power, but Drayce could see that his power had no effect on Seren. He could observe the small movement of her chest as she breathed.


    ''Of course, you are not an ordinary human.''


    Drayce sat at the edge of the bed and reached out to touch that red mark on Seren''s forehead. He could see the light emitting from that red mark once his fingertips touched it. "Seems like this one is to protect you."


    His hand moved to the veil on her face. It wasn''t that he wished to remove it, but he wanted to confirm the strange energying from it. His red eyes could see some energy lingering around it, and it was a power that did not belong to a human.


    "Seems like there are a lot of things that are protecting you," Drayce said as he murmured, "Even I can''t stop myself from wanting to protect you. When I have decided to live more like a human, you make me use my powers all the time. It seems like you will be the reason I might break my promise, and I will go back on my words for the first time."


    Drayce stood up as he said his final words, "I hope that when Ie in front of you next time, you won''t forget to thank me properly."


    With a small smile lingering on his lips, there was again another strong flutter of curtains, and then everything inside the room returned to normal.


    The two nurses returned to their senses and looked at each other, feeling puzzled as if they felt something strange but didn''t know what it was. The two thought it was their imagination and ignored it as they resumed their work.


    After a while, they had finished preparing the bowl of medicine for the Third Princess. One of them reached out towards the face of the unconscious patient, ready to feed her the newly-made medicine.


    Though the entire world was scared of Seren, calling her a witch, the Head Royal Physician was aware that Seren was harmless and had taught the same to his two female subordinates, therefore they were not afraid of touching her.


    They knew that the veil was enchanted. Its main purpose was to block the people''s vision from seeing Seren''s entire face, allowing no one to take it off from her as if it had its own life and mind which could understand what was going around.


    When the nurses touched the veil for the first time, it allowed them to touch it and let them move it up a little so they could feed medicine to Seren. By now, the nurses already got used to it, and they knew what to do.

 Chapter 84: Cold Young Royals

    <h4>Chapter 84: Cold Young Royals</h4>


    As per King Armen''s invitation, Drayce and An went to have dinner with him. When they left their chambers, the head of the royal servants guided their way towards the dining room.


    The huge well-carved wooden door opened as they entered the luxurious dining hall, which every inch exuded the air of royalty.


    On the long rectangr wooden dining table, various delicacies from Abetha were arranged on it. King Armen and Cian, who were waiting for their guests, stood up to wee them. Drayce noticed that none of the other royal family members or high nobles were invited, and the meal would only be between the four of them.


    "Wee, King Drayce! Prince An!"


    "Thank you for inviting us, King Armen," Drayce said as he sat in the chair exactly opposite to King Armen on the other end of the dining table. An sat in the chair opposite to Cian as he offered him a smile, to which Cian signaled him to have a seat.


    The servants started to serve the food, and King Armen spoke, "These are the different kinds of local delicacies from Abetha. I am not sure if the taste is to your liking, as I know that the central kingdoms have different preferences from those of the eastern kingdoms. Prince An is already used to it as he often visits Abetha. I can only hope King Drayce would like it as well."


    "Looking forward to it," Drayce replied nonchntly.


    The meal time passed nicely as they continued to talk about various things rted to the continent.


    "I heard, Thevailes have asked Megaris for a peace treaty," said King Armen.


    King Armen had understood everything by now��the real reason behind why the King of Megaris hade to Abetha and how he had already known about Thevailes''s intentions. Megaris could be considered the biggest threat to Thevailes''s wish to expand its territory with its powerful armies and equally powerful king. Drayce had guessed that to counter his kingdom, Thevailes would make a move against Hatha and Abetha. He had taken the opportunity not only to help preserve the sovereignty of Abetha but also to get his revenge on Marquis Godfrey Percy, who hadmitted heinous crimes against the innocent Megaris civilians who became victims of war.


    Drayce nodded to what King Armen said. "It''s high time for them to learn to be content with what they have.


    "I doubt Megaris will leave them much to be content with," Anmented.


    "They are reaping what they sowed," Drayce replied casually.


    "Seems like King Drayce''s arrival in Abetha was not any coincidence," Cianmented as he looked at Drayce.


    "I don''t believe in wandering around uselessly," Drayce replied as he looked back at Cian.


    "I believe it''s the truth, and King Drayce will refrain himself from wandering within the pce even," Cianmented.


    "Prince Cian can rest assured. I only go to ces that concern me," Drayce replied.


    King Armen and An could feel the temperature dropping around these two and didn''t know how to interfere with their ''civil'' conversation veiled with threats. One was the King of Megaris, while the other was the Crown Prince of Abetha. No matter what, these two represented two powerful kingdoms; diplomacy was imperative.


    Before Cian could say another word, King Armen interrupted his son, "It''s good that Megaris sessfully defeated Thevailes. The war between them and us will then be reduced to skirmishes, and we will get enough time to make future preparations. Knowing their intentions, they would wage a proper campaign against Abetha once more."


    "Even Hatha is in trouble with Griven and Abetha by siding with them. Those two kingdoms will take time to recover from this defeat," An added.


    "We are yet to receive their offer of a peace treaty with our kingdom, so until then, we will slowly nibble Hatha''s southern territory."


    Finally, the topic was diverted, and the two cold and stubborn young royals finally stopped before they could continue the argument coated with mockery.


    King Armen and An felt relieved as they continued their conversation regarding the war, the things that had happened, and the ones that could be done in the future to stop the war from affecting the economy of the entire continent.


    "Knowing King Samer of Thevailes, I don''t think he would back down so easily," Anmented.


    Cian agreed, "The greed to take over the continent has blinded him."


    "Sadly, of all the things he could have inherited, it was the ambition of histe father," King Armen sighed.


    "We don''t have to worry about him, at least, for a good period of time," Drayce informed.


    An chuckled, "The way you have thought of leeching them aspensation, it doesn''t look like a peace treaty but an opportunity to rob the rich."


    "Let the robbers get the taste of being robbed," Draycemented.


    They finished the meal on a good note and were ready to leave, but King Armen stopped Drayce. "I would like to speak with King Drayce alone."


    Cian and An understood it''s going to be an important and serious talk between the rulers of the two kingdoms, and their presence was not needed. The two crown princes excused themselves, leaving the two kings behind.


    "This is not a good ce to talk. I will lead the way to my study," King Armen told him, and Drayce followed him out of the dining hall. Lord Eudes, who was outside along with the royal knights, followed them too.


    Entering his study, King Armen sat in his chair and gestured his guest towards the opposite seat. "Please have a seat, King Drayce."


    Lord Eudes remained outside as his king had something important to discuss that even he was not aware of even though he was the King''s adviser.


    "As I have said before, I and the entire Kingdom of Abetha are grateful towards King Drayce and Megaris for their contribution in rescuing our Crown Prince and Third Princess."


    Drayce could guess where the talk was heading to, and he had already predicted what it would be about. He sat silently, preferring to listen until? King Armen finished what he wanted to say.

 Chapter 85: Conditions And Demand

    <h4>Chapter 85: Conditions And Demand</h4>


    King Armen continued, "The Kingdom of Abetha owes the Kingdom of Megaris, and I would like to offer my gratitude by giving what the King of Megaris wants."


    Drayce looked at the older man, his red eyes asking a silent question over King Armen''sst line��what the King of Megaris wants.


    King Armen smiled lightly after getting that gaze and added, "Of course, this offer does not include the throne of Abetha. You can have anything that won''t cause heavy loss or harm to Abetha. As a father, although I am thankful, this action also carries political intent as this is a gesture under my name, Armen Ilven, to make the rtionship between our two kingdoms stronger." He was not the kind of king who would blindly offer something to anyone.


    "Is King Armen sure that you will grant what I want, as long as they fall along the conditions you have mentioned?" Drayce asked. "Not the throne, not causing harm and will strengthen the alliance between our kingdoms?"


    King Armen''s offer was already something he had consulted with his trusted officials, and once made public, it would receive the praises from the public as an act of benevolence from their king. After all, with the war and the series of events for the past few weeks, the atmosphere of the kingdom had been terribly low. People were filled with worry and fear. Once the people of Abetha found out that they had gained a strong and rich ally like Megaris, the mood of the people would be lifted.


    King Armen had made sure that no matter what, Drayce''s demand wouldn''t be against the betterment of his kingdom. As long as nothing would harm his kingdom and the people, he was fine with giving anything to Drayce.


    King Armen nodded. "As long as itplies with the conditions I mentioned."


    "What if King Armen doesn''t agree to it?" Drayce questioned.


    "We, royals of Abetha, never go back on our words."


    Drayce looked like he had already thought about what he wanted, and King Armen asked, "It seems like King Drayce already has a demand in mind?"."


    "The Third Princess!"


    King Armen felt like he had heard something wrong. "Third Princess? Are you talking about��"


    "You did not hear me wrong. I am asking for your daughter''s hand. I want to marry the Third Princess, Seren."


    King Armen looked like he had got the shock of his life. He abruptly stood up, not even realizing that the chair behind him had fallen.


    "No! It''s not possible!" He had barely gathered his wits as he tried to speak slowly. "Sincere apologies, King Drayce. You cannot ask me topensate you with my own daughter. Other than this, anything would be eptable."


    Drayce stood up as well, but he was calm and collected, aplete oppositepared to how anxious and angry King Armen looked at the moment.


    "I have fulfilled all the conditions that King Armen had mentioned. I didn''t ask for the throne; marrying the Third Princess will not harm anyone��it will even relieve the people of Abetha as we know no one wants her in this kingdom��andstly, a marriage alliance will help strengthen the rtionship between our kingdoms."


    King Armen could only look at Drayce in pure disbelief. Never, not even his wildest imagination, did he expect Drayce to demand something like this.


    "Just now, King Armen said, Abethan royals never go back on their words, so I will consider that an agreement has already been made and King Armen had granted what I had asked for. Do not worry; I will take her as my only queen, and I will not ept any consort or concubine into my harem."


    Before King Armen could say a word, there was a knock on the door. Lord Eudes entered the study in a hurry, not even bothering to greet the two kings as per etiquette demanded.


    "Your Majesty! Third Princess is awake!" Lord Eudes informed his king, but instead of a relieved or cheerful expression, the old advisor looked worried and anxious. Otherwise, he wouldn''t dare enter the King''s study to interrupt him without getting permission to do so.


    "Tell me, what is wrong with my daughter?" King Armen asked.


    "Her Highness doesn''t look well. His Majesty''s presence is needed at once."


    Without another word, King Armen stepped out of his study and headed towards her chamber, not even bothering with the two who followed his anxious steps.


    Just as they reached the door of Seren''s chamber, King Armen stopped and looked at Drayce. "As her father, I would appreciate it if King Drayce stays out of the matters of our royal family."


    Drayce stood back as King Armen entered, and the two knights guarding the chamber closed the door behind him.


    It was not like Drayce would listen to someone so easily, but he knew his limits to not go against certain things. Moreover, he had his ways to get what he wanted. Drayce went to his bedchamber as he trusted his fine hearing sense to let him know what was going on inside.


    --------


    When King Armen entered the bedchamber along with Lord Eudes, the two nurses looked troubled while the Head Royal Physician paced around the room, sneaking worried nces towards the curtained bed.


    "Your Majesty! You are finally here!" Heath Leuven bowed as soon as he caught sight of the King.


    "Is she awake?" King Armen asked. "Seren?"


    His vision was blocked by a wooden screen kept in the middle of the room, dividing the bed from the rest of the chamber.


    "Your Majesty,? the Third Princess, is awake, but you cannot approach her hastily. She seems to be still scared and not allowing anyone, not even the nurses, to approach her."


    King Armen went past the wooden screen towards the bed that hadted curtains hanging, not allowing him to see his daughter directly. But he could see a delicate figure curled like a ball, sitting at the one corner of the bed, her back against the wall, her face buried in her arms that were hugging her knees.

 Chapter 86: Accompanying Her

    <h4>Chapter 86: Apanying Her</h4>


    "Seren?" King Armen called as he moved the curtains to one side.


    The delicately curled figure flinched upon hearing the familiar voice, but instead of looking back at her father, her body shrank even more.


    King Armen took a step forward, only to see her shivering figure trying to move away. King Armen paused from reaching out to her and said with a hoarse voice, "Seren, Father is here. Don''t be scared, my child."


    His eyes were full of anticipation that she would at least look at him, but she didn''t pay attention to the plea in his voice.


    The strained silence inside the chamber was broken as soon as Cian arrived.


    "Seren? I heard my sister is awake��"


    But like with King Armen, there was no response to his words too. Cian approached the bed and shifted the curtains to one side, moving the entire thing to expose the bed as seeing her behind those long curtains made him feel like she was a prisoner. Her entire life, she had spent like a prisoner, but he would make sure that would not be the case anymore.


    He would let the entire kingdom know that Seren was not an unholy thing for others to stay away from, that there was no need to view her from a distance as if she was not a human being but a thing of amusement.


    "Seren? It''s me, Brother Cian," Cian spoke softly, looking at the visibly scared girl.


    However, despite his efforts, the fragile girl did not even move to look at him, and it hurt Cian to think that even his presence couldn''t make her feel better and safe.


    Both the Ilven father and son tried to talk to Seren, but there was still no responseing from her. Going closer to her only worsened her situation, causing her to cry, as if the two were not family but strangers to her, and she needed to stay away from them.


    -----


    On the other hand, after some considerations, An had rushed towards his friend''s chamber.


    Initially, he had been in discussion with Cian when a royal knight brought news that the Third Princess had woken up, and he too hurried to excuse himself, feeling worried that one stubborn king Might do something that would trouble the Abethan Royal Family. Little did he know that his friend had already done what he had to.


    Cian entered Seren''s bedchamber while An opted to stay outside and listen in, feeling worried that his stubborn friend would get into an argument with the Crown Prince of Abetha. He waited with bated breath.


    Thankfully, after Cian entered Seren''s bedchamber, everything seemed calm inside. An finally let out a sigh of relief, assured that his friend was not there, or else he would have gotten to see the two young and stubborn royals pulling out their swords.


    ''Dray may have awful manners, but at least he knows how to show basic courtesy and respect the other royal family.'' He wanted to sob, feeling like a proud mother seeing his son all grown up.


    When he entered the chamber next door, he saw Drayce standing by the window, and as usual, he was not alone. Dusk was there as if this master and the pet duo had no other things to do but show affection to each other.


    "d to see you didn''t run to the Third Princess," Anmented as he added, "I thought you would have surely created troubles for King Armen with your stubbornness."


    "I have done my fair share of it already," Drayce replied.


    "Huh?" An looked questioningly towards his friend and asked as a terrible thought came into his mind, "What did you do?"


    "You will know soon," Drayce answered as he continued to do his favorite thing??��moving his fingers along Dusk''s tough but soft feathery wings.


    "I can never expect less from you," An sighed. "I just need to leave you alone for a while, and you can turn the entire world upside down."


    Drayce pretended to y deaf to An''sment. Although it seemed that he was ying with his pet, in fact, he was focused on listening to what was going on inside Seren''s chamber.


    He caressed Dusk''s head and said, "I wish we could apany her and make her feel safe just like how you did for me in the past."


    An heard it and turned silent. He had nothing to say whenever there was a talk about Drayce''s childhood.


    The next moment, Dusk flew away, and Drayce turned to look at An. "You better not carry that sympathetic look on your face. You look better as a shameless one."


    An''s face changed from serious to yful in a blink of an eye as he said, "I have long known you like my shamelessness, but you love to act coy."


    As usual, Drayce ignored his remark, but An knew his cold friend liked him exactly as he was.


    -------


    When everyone almost gave up on how to get Seren to at least respond, there was a loud noiseing from the window of her chamber. Everyone heard a screech of a bird of prey, and when they turned to the source of the sound, they saw a majestic eagle sit on the window sill.


    The people were surprised to see this majestic bird, as it was not a species of eagle that was found in this part of the continent. Before they could understand and react to the presence of this bird, the least expected person beat them to it.


    The unresponsive Third Princess Seren, who still had her arms encircled around her knees, finally lifted her head up to take a small peek at the neer. A pair of beautiful purple eyes sneakily looked at the eagle.


    Thanks to this bird, the father, and a brother could finally see her face. Though half of her face had a veil as cover, seeing emotions in her eyes was enough for them, thousands of times better than her not opening them due to fear.


    Those gem-like purple eyes looked dazed and puffy due to the continuous crying and the long sleep she had. However, her eyes were focused on the eagle, as if she knew the majestic bird.

 Chapter 87: Brothers Worry

    <h4>Chapter 87: Brother''s Worry</h4>


    King Armen and Cian looked at each other, not knowing what to do. Was this bird dangerous? If so, they needed to scare him away.


    ''If it was sent to attack her��''


    Given the situation around Seren''s reality that only King Armen knew, he could trust no one, not even a bird. It might have been sent by those who wished to harm his daughter.


    Again there was a loud noise of eagle''s screech as he pped his mighty wings and flew towards Seren. King Armen and Cian gripped their swords but before they could get them out of the scabbardpletely, the majestic birdnded on Seren''s bed, near her feet.


    In front of his majestic body with the wings opened, she looked terribly small and weak.


    Dusk folded his wings back. Seren''s gaze followed his movement with half of her face still hidden in the circle of her arms. Dusk lowered his head and rubbed it against her arm as if asking to be petted.


    Finally, Seren moved�� letting her guard down as she reached out one trembling hand to caress Dusk''s head.


    Seeing that sight, the two swords which just came out of their scabbards went back inside. Questions arose in King Armen''s and Cian''s minds. How did Seren know this bird and where exactly did this birde from? They had never seen it before.


    Seren continued to caress Dusk''s head lightly and it appeared that this majestic bird thoroughly enjoyed her gentle touch. Not just his master, he got one more person who petted him.


    "Seren?" King Armen called out softly with hope inside his gaze.


    Hearing his voice, Seren retreated her hand that was caressing Dusk and again sank back into her own world like before. The difference this time was she at least didn''t hide her face as she continued to look at Dusk.


    Another voice could be heard inside the chamber. "Seren, won''t you look at your brother? I know I amte and apologize for it..."


    Cian took a step forward, but in response, Dusk looked at him and screeched loudly as he spread his wings, as if to scare Cian; his golden eyes looked dangerous, like a predator ring at its prey. It was obvious that the eagle was asking Cian to stay away from Seren.


    Cian frowned and gripped his sword, intending to get rid of this brazen bird who dared to threaten him. Just as he pulled it out halfway, Seren immediately reached out her hands to protect Dusk, who was just big enough for her to get him into her arms.


    Seeing his sick sister being protective towards the unruly eagle, Cian put his sword back into its scabbard. He guessed that it must be her pet, only he had not received word of it; after all, he had rarely visited the capital in past few years. He felt that he could trust this eagle��he tried to protect her when Cian stepped towards her, which meant he was no stranger to her.


    The Head Royal Physician had witnessed the entire thing and came to the two royals after some thinking.


    "Your Majesty, I believe this is a good opportunity for Her Highness. Seeing her respond like this, it would be better if we let Her Highness beforted by this bird. The Third Princess has just woken up and must be overwhelmed. It will take time for her toe out of the shock. We need to give her an opportunity to process everything calmly."


    King Armen and Cian agreed to it and Heath Leuven added, "I will ask the royal kitchen to prepare her a simple meal. Her Highness must eat something since she has been unconscious for days, and is? weak and needs energy."


    King Armen nodded as he looked at his daughter who could see no one but a mere bird in her sight. He decreed for the nurses to not disturb the eagle, and let the eagle stay for as long as it wanted.


    Dusk didn''t leave Seren''s side. He would stay with her as long as she wanted him to be there.


    ------


    Soon, the royal servants carried a cart of food inside the room. The meal was made light as per the royal physician''s advice, mostly porridge and sliced fruits that would allow a weak patient to easily digest the food.


    One nurse picked up a wooden tray from the cart with the porridge in it and carried it towards Seren.


    "Your Highness, It''s time for a meal," the nurse said but Seren didn''t react, as if she did not hear the nurse speak. She continued to sit quietly at one corner of the bed in the same position since she woke up.


    Seren didn''t even look at anyone in the chamber other than Dusk, as if she was scared that if she was to move her sight to somewhere else, she would again witness the terrifying scene she had seen that night.


    King Armen and Cian could only stand on the side and look at her helplessly.


    "Seren?" King called for her as gently as he could. Though there was no reaction from her, he continued, "Martha has not returned yet so she can''t cook food for you. Do not worry. This food is safe. You can eat it."


    Sadly, King Armen''s words fell on the deaf ears. King Armen couldn''t even lie saying Martha had prepared this food for her. If Martha was back, there was no way she wouldn''t be by Seren''s side.


    Martha�� she was an existence King Armen had mixed feelings for at the moment. That woman was the only person Seren truly trusted, a person who could bringfort and protection to his daughter. However, at the same time, she was the one to me for this situation. If she hadn''t left Seren alone, all this would have never happened to his daughter.


    Unfortunately, even after hearing Martha''s name, Seren didn''t react to it.


    King Armen was at a loss. What was so special about this bird that she only responded to him? Was it because she was scared of humans, and only animals seemed harmless to her?


    Cian tried to plead once more. "Sister, please, you need to eat. If you won''t, you will turn even weaker. You are not well as it is. Don''t you want to be healthy enough to go out now you are no longer inside the tower? Once you are better, I can apany you to walk wherever you want to go.."


    Just like with King Armen, all of Cian''s efforts were useless. They could see how gravely the incident had impacted her. Although the fact that she woke up was something to rejoice about, it was painful for them to see her terrified of her own family.


    Though Seren was never close to her father,? she was doted upon by Cian. She talked to her brother whenever he had free time in the royal pce. Though he was not allowed to enter the tower itself, he would go meet his sister at least in the garden of her residence. They would often spend time together chatting, and he would often entertain her with tales about his work in the military or his diplomatic visits to other kingdoms. Every time he returned to the pce, he would offer her the various gifts he bought for her.

 Chapter 88: Miracle

    <h4>Chapter 88: Miracle</h4>


    As a person who rarely interacted with people, Seren didn''t talk much, other than asking how he was doing, but seeing each other made the two of them happy, even though it was not often, especially in the past few years because he had been busy with his duties as a crown prince.


    Among this huge royal family, there was at least one person who woulde to see her and talk to her. As far as she was concerned, Cian was the only one who was never scared of her. In fact, for him, she was an innocent little sister. Though they didn''t share the same mother, Cian never treated her like a step-sibling. He was the same with his other siblings, too�� a responsible older brother who loved his younger siblings.


    "What should we do now, Father?" Cian asked as frown lines appeared on his forehead. "Why is Martha not here yet?"


    "She will be here soon," King Armen assured as he didn''t wish to talk about how they couldn''t find Martha, as if she had disappeared into thin air. This had never happened before, and King Armen was worried that Martha might be in danger. If nothing bad had happened to her, why wasn''t she back yet?


    The people they were protecting Seren from, King Armen had managed to keep his daughter safe from them all these years only with the help of Martha. The possibility was high that those people would one day target Martha, putting her life in danger.


    Dusk, who had been only observing everything silently beside Seren, pecked twice on Seren''s arm, as if to get her attention. She looked at him, but she didn''t know what he meant. The eagle stepped back and opened his wings, as if telling her he would leave but would return soon.


    Before those in the room could react, everyone saw the majestic eagle fly out of the window, leaving the Third Princess staring in a daze at the disappearing figure.


    Cian turned to King Armen. "Father, I will order a search for who that bird belongs to and how its owner came to the capital. I am sure he doesn''t belong here. Don''t you think it''s too coincidental that this bird appears just as the tower incident happened? I am worried about how that bird may bring harm to Seren."


    King Armen shared the same worry as his son and allowed him to use the royal knights. After receiving his father''s approval, Cian left to organize his men, while King Armen chose to remain by his daughter''s side, hoping that his constant presence would allow Seren to recognize him.


    -------


    After making sure Seren was fine with Dusk by her side, Drayce left with An to check on yer, who was still unconscious up till now.


    Moreover, her own father opted to stay with her, so he had nothing to worry about. After getting to know King Armen, Drayce could see the older king truly cared for his daughter, although he felt his care was not properly shown and felt by its supposed receiver.


    Drayce frowned when he realized where his thoughts were headed. He could not understand why he was behaving this way.


    Who was he to worry about this stranger, even going as far as to fight with her own family for her sake?


    Why did this little kitten worry him so much?


    There was no real reason for him to care.


    When Drayce and An reached yer''s chamber, they found the old mysterious physician Erich Winfield attending his patient with his two apprentices. By now, he had learned everything about Drayce and the entire rescue mission for Prince Cian. He even heard what happened in the pce with the Third Princess and how Drayce was the one to take her out of the tower.


    Knowing Seren''s mother, Erich Winfield was sure that her daughter was bound to be not an ordinary person as well. The one who brought her out of the tower was the same, not an ordinary man.


    "King of Megaris?" the old physician said as he looked at the red-eyed man who had just entered yer''s chamber.


    Drayce just looked at him with his usual cold gaze, not letting anyone guess what was going on in his mind. He did not speak and simply waited to know what this old man wanted to say. Not like he was interested in knowing anything other than yer''s condition.


    Erich Winfield stood up from his chair and came to stand in front of Drayce. He stared into his red eyes as if to appreciate them, not backing down despite their inherent intimidation. "You are the son of Esther?"


    Now, there was a change in Drayce''s expression, and even An was surprised.


    Erich Winfield continued as he observed the young king''s face closely, "You look nothing like your mother."


    Even after knowing Drayce was a king, the attitude of this old physician didn''t change towards him. He treated Drayce like an ordinary young man.


    "You know my mother?" Drayce asked.


    Drayce and An were already surprised when they found out that the physician they chanced upon in the enemy''s fortress personally knew King Armen. He even dared to disrespect the King of Abetha in his own pce by calling him by his name and replying mockingly. But King Armen did not seem to mind and put up with him, as if they held a secret in their past that allowed them to treat each other as equals. It showed that this old man''s identity was more than what he appeared to be


    "I happened to cross paths with her, just like how we did," Erich Winfield replied.


    Drayce turned curious but didn''t know what exactly to ask this old man. Moreover, he was sure it wouldn''t be easy to get answers from him.


    "Is there something that I should know?" Drayce asked.


    Erich Winfield continued looking at the young king, who didn''t ask him anything about his mother and smirked.


    ''Full of pride and stubborn to the core!'' the old man concluded about Drayce.


    No one within the room was saying anything, causing the atmosphere inside to be strange. It was as if everyone was waiting to hear what the old man would say.


    He shook his head. "Pity. You look nothing like Esther. Since your appearance is not like your mother''s, I do hope you have a heart like hers, kind and devoted."


    "Kind and devoted?" Drayce repeated it. "I would prefer to stay away from those words."


    The old physician only smiled lightly and before changing the topic. "Won''t you ask about your knight today?"


    "How is he?" Drayce asked as he stepped towards the unconscious man. His body remained heavily bandaged, and he reeked of the smell of medicinal herbs.


    "Still the same. We can only wait for him to wake up," Erich Winfield replied with a sigh. He mumbled under his breath, "A long wait unless a miracle wakes him up sooner."


    Miracle?


    This word reminded Drayce of a particr item. Did he not receive a bunch of magic pills with a healing attribute from Dusk?? Why didn''t he think of this sooner?


    Drayce pulled out the violet silk pouch, which he still had been keeping with him all this time after giving one pill to Seren. He took another pill from the silk pouch and held that pill in front of the old physician.


    "Give this to him," Drayce instructed.


    Feeling puzzled by his order, Erich Winfield looked at the pill on Drayce''s palm. It looked like a blue bead and was emitting light on its own.


    Recognition hit him. "This��Where did you get it?!"


    "For now, giving this to yer is more important," Drayce countered, not willing to answer.


    With extreme caution, Erich Winfield epted the pill and put it inside a tiny white crucible filled with liquid medicine. The next moment, the blue pill dissolved in the liquid without leaving any trace. He asked his subordinate to feed it to yer.


    Erich Winfield returned his attention to Drayce. His eyes were grave as he repeated his question. "Where did you get it? I need to know where you got it."


    Seeing the seriousness in the old man''s eyes, Drayce decided to tell him the truth.


    "This item belongs to the Third Princess."


    Since this old physician knew King Armen and even his mother, the previous Queen of Megaris, Queen Esther, then he was either a man with a big background or of mysterious origins. Either way, he seemed to be more knowledgeable than even his peers. This old man didn''t even hesitate before giving that pill to yer. It was clear that this old man knew exactly what it was and what it could do. There was no need to hide something like this from him.


    Erich Winfield looked puzzled with his reply. "I would like to excuse myself."


    The old physician then turned around and left the room, not even bothering to wait for Drayce''s permission.? Although it was disrespectful to him, Drayce was never one to fuss over etiquette. He didn''t mind such an attitudeing from that temperamental old man. Drayce understood there must be some sort of secret surrounding these miraculous blue pills that troubled the old physician.


    Once Erich Winfield left, An could not help but ask in confusion, "What''s with him?"


    "Seems like he is aware of many things even people of our status don''t know," Drayce replied.


    "Not surprising." An shrugged. "He even knows your mother,"


    Drayce nodded lightly. For themon people, it was difficult to travel between kingdoms; thus, there was no need to mention the difficulty of personally meeting the royals ruling over them. This old physician seemed to be harboring a lot of secrets.


    Instructing his trusted knights to continue guarding yer''s chambers, Drayce left with An.


    --------


    King Armen was still inside Seren''s chamber. Once Dusk left, she returned to being unresponsive once more, and King Armen chose to apany her silently, going as far as informing his advisor to bring some of his important documents with him so he could work inside the room.


    After a while, a guard entered the chamber and informed him, "Your Majesty, Physician Erich Winfield seeks an audience with you. He is waiting outside your study."


    "Return first and let him wait for me inside."


    King Armen then let Lord Eudes carry back the documents he had finished reading. He took a long look at his daughter before signaling to her nurses. "Take care of her."


    "We will do our best, Your Majesty."


    The two nurses bowed slightly, epting the instruction from their king as he left the chamber.


    When he arrived inside his study, King Armen found the old physician impatiently pacing by the window, looking like he had a lot to ask.


    "Why did you ask to see me, Erich?" the King asked.


    "Valen!" Erich Winfield came towards King Armen and asked hurriedly, "Is Celia here in the pce?"


    His sudden question startled the King. "Celia?"


    "Celia Voss!" Erich Winfield exined when he saw the puzzlement on the King''s face. "Back then, when you were injured, and Sierra brought you to me, you saw her there. She helped me treat you."


    King Armen simply asked,? "Why are you asking about her suddenly?"


    "Today, I saw something that reminded me of Celia. Tell me if she is here," Erich Winfield asked with his eyes brimming with hope.

 Chapter 89: Crafty!

    <h4>Chapter 89: Crafty!</h4>


    "Today, I saw something that reminded me of Celia. Tell me if she is here," Erich Winfield asked, his eyes brimming with hope.


    "As far as I know, we don''t have anyone with that name around here in the pce," King Armen replied.


    With this, the hope in Erich Winfield''s eyes dimmed. "Is it so?"


    "Hmm," King Armen nodded.


    "Then howe your Third Princess has those elixir pills?" Erich Winfield asked.


    "Elixir pills?" King Armen repeated, puzzled by the strange term.


    Erich Winfield nodded and exined, "Those are miraculous medicines that allow anyone who takes them to heal faster. They are enchanted to contain holy energy within."


    "Where did you see it? How could you say my daughter has them? You didn''t even see her yet."


    "That King of Megaris brought it to me and asked me to give it to his personal knight. Upon asking where he got it, he said it belonged to the Third Princess," Erich Winfield exined.


    King Armen frowned and thought. ''When did he meet Seren? What is going on, and howe I don''t know about it? Did he get them when he entered the tower to save my daughter?''


    "Are you sure you heard him right?" King Armen asked.


    Erich Winfield nodded. "Yes, that is why I am here to ask you about Celia."


    "What happened between you two?" King Armen asked.


    "One day, she simply decided to leave, not even telling me where she was going. She requested me not to search for her ever, so I never looked for her," he replied, his eyes showing he was hurt.


    "She must have her reasons," King Armen replied to console the old man.


    "Hmm." Erich Winfield gave out a helpless sigh. "I thought I could see her finally after so many years, but it seems like I was mistaken."


    "Do not lose hope."


    "Seems like seventeen years ago, all of our lives have changed," Erich Winfieldmented as the memories from the past flooded his mind.


    King Armen nodded. "The past cannot be changed, and we can only walk forward."


    After a minute of heavy silence, something clicked in Erich''s mind. "But from where did your Third Princess get those elixirs? Did she personally make them?"


    "I am afraid I cannot answer you. We will know once we ask her when she is better," King Armen replied.


    --------


    Since Erich Winfield left the chamber, only his two apprentices remained inside to apany Drayce and An and look after yer. The two young men did not stay long. They soon went to the military barracks to check on the other injured knights who were part of Crown Prince Cian''s rescue mission.


    When they reached their assigned quarters, it happened to coincide with the time for the knights and soldiers to have a meal and were about to head to the mess hall, but due to the arrival of their king, they all stood in formation to salute.


    "Your Majesty King Drayce! Your Highness Prince An!" Everyone bowed to Drayce and An.


    Drayce got the leaders of his knight brigades to give him an update about their recuperation and felt relieved to see that they all were doing good.


    Drayce raised his hand to signal that everyone was excused and to continue what they were doing. Only the captain of the knights stayed back.


    Just then, Dusk flew in from the window and sat on the captain''s shoulder. The majestic bird looked at Drayce as if he wished to say something.


    "What is it this time?" Drayce asked.


    As usual, the poor bird had to search for a way to exin to his master what he wanted to say. In frustration, Dusk could only helplessly fly away, and they watched him go away with the speed of the wind.


    "Every time hees in front of us, he has something to say. Such a busybody," Anmented.


    Drayce smirked teasingly, "Are you jealous that he is more useful than you?"


    An red at him. "I am a prince of Griven who puts others to use."


    Dusk returned, and this time he brought an item with him. Dusk ced it on the wooden bench nearest to them before flying to sit on the captain''s shoulder. Dusk looked at Drayce''s expression to check if his master got what he meant.


    "What is it?" An asked, looking at the square-shaped item wrapped in a blue silk cloth


    "Arrangement of food for the Third Princess," Drayce replied.


    An had already learned everything about how his friend had helped the Third Princess and said, "Ohh, so this is that food box of fortune! I wonder, when will I get such good treatment from the affectionate King of Megaris?"


    "I can always ask Prince Cian to show affection to you," Draycemented teasingly.


    "s! When all of your affection is only for his sister, I guess I have no other option but to expect it from him."


    Ignoring his friend''s drama, Drayce looked at Dusk and asked, "For her?"


    Dusk pecked on the captain''s head twice to say yes to it.


    The captain scratched his head where Dusk pecked and mumbled, "You can do it lightly too."


    Hearing hisint, Dusk pecked on his head again. The pitiful captain had to bear with it as he was the pet of his king, and that king was standing in front of them.


    Drayce thought about something for a moment and then talked to the captain of the knights. "Your men are still recuperating. You might get your stomachs upset by eating such heavy meals. Pass the order to the royal kitchen of Abetha to make simple food for you all. Especially the kind that is good for sick people to eat."


    It surprised the captain. "Your Majesty, the royal kitchen must have already prepared the meal for today��"


    Drayce red at the captain.


    He hastily snapped a salute. "Understood, Your Majesty! I will inform them to change the meals."


    "You know what to do," said Drayce, and the Captain nodded.


    "I will excuse myself, Your Majesty." The captain hurried to make essential arrangements.


    An chuckled at how ridiculous his friend was behaving. "Now you are making them eat nd food for the sake of one person."


    "They should be thankful. Because of that one person, they enjoyed a royal meal three times a day," Drayce countered.


    He had a point. Normally, the royal kitchen only catered to the meals of the members and guests of the royal family. Only ordinary cooks would be assigned to feed the knights and soldiers.


    An sighed, "If you stay here longer, I am sure Abetha''s treasury will hit rock bottom soon."


    Drayce didn''t bother with it, and An called him again. "Dray!"


    "Hmm?"


    "How long are you nning to stay here? It seems like you don''t n to return, but I don''t have any ns to stay here with you. The small affairs here no longer need my presence. I have to return to Griven."


    "You are the one to bring me here, so you have to take my responsibility till I am here."


    "I brought you here?" An frowned. "You had already nned to be here for the sake of your revenge on Marquis Godfrey Percy."


    Drayce was not affected by his whining and replied calmly. "You were a great help."


    An frowned. "Crafty!"


    "Can''t bepared to you." Drayce gave him a mocking gaze. "Do you want me to remind you how crafty you are?"


    An cleared his throat and threw a line "I have things to deal with," before leaving.


    Drayce smirked as he knew his friend very well. Acting nice and friendly all the time, but behind that smiling face was a mind always busy nning something, treating the people around him as a chess piece.

 Chapter 90: Audacious Like Master

    <h4>Chapter 90: Audacious Like Master</h4>


    After talking with Erich Winfield, King Armen returned to Seren''s chamber, leaving other matters rted to the kingdom in Cian''s care. Nothing was more important to him than his daughter at the moment. Seren being the Third Princess of Abetha, no one had a say against his behavior; after all, they could not dare criticize that the King was caring too much for the health of his own daughter.


    Anyone who dared to jump on this issue would face not only the hostility of the Ilven Royal Family, but also be attacked by their peers as cold-hearted and selfish, ruining their reputation. As such, the nobles and officials had to halt the less important things that needed King Armen''s presence.


    Soon enough, Cian arrived there to inform his father about the situation of the tasks turned over to him. He sat on the chair beside his father.


    "You did well." King Armen nodded after hearing his report, satisfied by how he handled work in the King''s stead. His son simply nodded, but he did not smile as his gaze went to his weak-looking sister, who was still sitting in bed and trying to hide herself from others.


    "Any progress with her?" Cian asked his father.


    "She rejected the food the nurses offered and did not even take medicine," King Armen sighed.


    "I want to have a private word with Father," Cian said.


    King Armen nodded lightly, signaling the nurses to temporarily leave the room.


    "That eagle��"


    Screech!


    Thud!


    The sudden arrival of Dusk interrupted Cian and caused the nurses to turn around. They realized that the eaglended at the window sill, carrying with him something heavy with his ws.


    Both father and son stood up from their chairs in rm, but gradually calmed down when they saw the eagle not moving from his position. They noticed that Seren''s attention was also grabbed by the bird and she was currently looking at him.


    The people inside the chamber were puzzled by the strange scenario. It seemed like the eagle hade to deliver something to Seren, a square-shaped item wrapped in blue silk cloth.


    ''Is it something dangerous?'' King Armen thought. Beside him, Cian was ready with his sword to deal with the bird if something bad were to happen.


    Dusk merely nced at the other people inside the chamber before pping his wings once again and carried that rectangr thing to Seren. He kept it by her feet, which was close enough for her to touch as long as she lifted her hand.


    The two royals and the two nurses could only look at Seren and Dusk, not knowing what was going on, but seeing the way Seren only reacted when Dusk arrived, they guessed she knew what that bird had brought.


    Dusk pecked on that blue silk-covered box twice and then looked at Seren, but she remained unmoving. She only nkly stared at him and the box.


    Seeing her not opening the box he brought, Dusk tried to untangle the knot on that silk cloth himself, using his sharp beak to pull on the cloth to open it, but it seemed impossible to do it without tearing the silk cloth.


    Watching the bird''s struggle, Cian suddenly opened his mouth to speak. "This eagle belongs to the King of Megaris."


    King Armen looked with incredulity at his son. "Are you sure?"


    "Yes, Father. I have confirmed this with our soldiers and guards who had seen it a few days back flying towards Seren''s tower carrying something. They even tried to shoot him with arrows, but he was elusive and dodged well. Later, they searched the whereabouts of this eagle, and the Megaris'' knights told them he is King Drayce''s pet."


    "Howe I don''t know this? Why didn''t anyone inform me?" King Armen asked as frown lines appeared on his forehead.


    "Knowing it belonged to our royal guest, they didn''t bother with that eagle anymore. They did not think it was important enough to be personally reported though they included the sightings in their daily report several days ago. However, Father was busy dealing with matters between the kingdoms as well as the war, so I guess that report parchment is simply shelved in the archives," Cian exined.


    King Armen did not really me anyone. He could only frown. "Why is his bird visiting Seren in the tower?"


    "That we need to ask King Drayce," Cian replied.


    First, those elixir pills that Erich Winfield mentioned, and now this eagle. Why was the King of Megaris associated with things rted to his daughter? Were there things happening behind the scenes that he was not aware of?


    While the two were talking, their eyes remained fixed on the bodies of Seren and the eagle the entire time, mostly observing how Seren would react to the bird''s struggle.? They suddenly stopped talking upon seeing Seren finally touched that thing the eagle had brought for her.


    Seren could see Dusk trying his best to open the knot but couldn''t, so she reached out to help him.


    With the slow and weak movements of her lightly shivering hands, Seren managed to untangle the knot of the silk cloth but she stopped moving afterward as if she had lost purpose. Seeing her not touching the box itself, Dusk pecked on the cover of the box with his beak. It seemed to be telling her to open it.


    As if she was a kid who needed to be guided on what to do, she followed Dusk''s instruction. Surprisingly, she could understand what he meant despite theck of words, as if by instinct.


    With her hand still shivering, Seren lifted the lid of the box. She appeared so weak the nurses wanted to approach and help her, but they could not decide whether they should help the Third Princess first or observe her behavior to determine the progress of her recovery.


    King Armen and Cian had no such qualms. They wanted to go see what was in that box, more precisely to check if there was something inside that could harm Seren. However, the moment they took a step closer, Dusk screeched and red at them, spreadings his huge wings as if warning them to stay put or else he would attack them.


    Seeing the two had understood his warning, Dusk folded his wings back into his body. It then rubbed its head against Seren''s arm, as if to apologize for his loud screech that might have scared her.


    A mere bird had more authority over their princess than them. He dared to stop them from going to her.


    Cian frowned, "Audacious like his master."


    Cian wished to slice that brazen bird in two but seeing his sister''s pitiful appearance, he somehow controlled himself. He looked at the nurse standing nearest to Seren''s bed, and she understood what Prince Cian wished to say.


    "It is food, Your Highness," she informed.


    Her response surprised the two royals. ''Food? Why deliver food to Seren?'' They already had so many questions in mind, and more were getting added to the pile.


    Drayce was away on a rescue mission just after two days of staying in the capital of Abetha. When exactly did he and his pet meet Seren? Inside the pce? Not possible because she was always inside her tower. After Martha''s absence, she didn''t go out either. Did the King of Megaris sneak into her tower? Seeing how he could easily cross the magic spell barrier, it was highly possible.


    Dusk signaled Seren to pick up the spoon by rubbing his head against her delicate hand and then pushing it towards the silver spoon inside the box with his beak.


    Seren did what he instructed and picked up the silver spoon. Poor Dusk had turned into her nanny, who had to tell her everything step by step, but he didn''t seem annoyed. Instead, this eagle looked worried for her. Despite his struggle, he appeared determined not to give up on her till she ate that food.


    Dusk pushed her hand towards the porridge bowl, and finally, Seren dipped the spoon in it. Dusk looked like he would have fed her if he had hands, but the poor thing could only direct her.


    King Armen and Cian didn''t know how to react to the bird''s efforts to feed the princess, who looked lost.


    "Would it be safe to let her eat that?" Cian asked.


    "The spoon is silver, and it will strongly react to poison if there''s any. Whoever prepared this is clever," said King Armen. "Let''s not disturb them."

 Chapter 91: Water

    <h4>Chapter 91: Water</h4>


    "Father, can''t we do something for her��? I can''t bear to see her like this." Cian looked calm on the surface, but his voice was hoarse with helplessness.


    "We can''t," King Armen replied. "It will only put her in danger, and she will end up suffering for a lifetime."


    "Why? Why will it put her in danger? I do not understand. When will Father tell me about this? We might find a way to help her. If we��"


    King Armen lifted his hand to cut him off. "I will tell you when the timees."


    After having a few sips, Seren stopped eating the porridge.


    Everyone reacted with worry,ing up with various scenarios in their minds regarding what happened.


    Dusk rubbed his head against Seren''s hand as if he had understood what it was. He stepped back, shook his wings and then immediately left through the window. Dusk had observed Seren closely as per his master''s order, always keeping an eye on her if she needed something, and Dusk had done his best. Just in a short period of time, he mostly understood what her needs were and reacted ordingly, like staying by her side when she was feeling scared and alone.


    With the audacious eagle gone, King Armen could finally approach his daughter without being blocked. "Seren, are you not feeling well? Is that food not good? Why did you stop eating?"


    Seren didn''t reply to any of King Armen''s questions as she continued sitting with her head lowered. Dusk was no longer there so she retreated back into her own world.


    "Give her water," Cian instructed the nurse, guessing what must be the reason.


    One of the nurses filled a small ss with water and went towards Seren. "Your Highness? Are you thirsty?"


    Seren still didn''t react. Not to mention epting the water, she did not even acknowledge the existence of the nurse. The nurse looked at King Armen and Cian to know what to do now. Not like she could force the Third Princess to drink water. If the Third Princess resisted and she spilled water on the princess, the nurse might find herself suspended, or worse, demoted at work.


    "Keep it within her reach and step back," Cian instructed, and the nurse obediently kept it on the bedside table.


    They waited for Seren to pick up the ss of water on her own but there was no positive oue.


    "She responds to an animal but not to humans. It seems like that incident made her lose faith in people," King Armen said in a sad voice. "I am the one to me for letting her face such a heinous sight."


    "Head Physician said she needs some time. She will recover. We just have to wait." Cian consoled his father although he himself felt disappointed as well that she could not even recognize her own family. Since Seren woke up, she never responded to her own father and brother who loved and cared for her.


    ---------


    It took Dusk only a matter of minutes to reach the quarters assigned to the Megaris soldiers inside the military barracks, where he noticed Drayce talking to the captain of his knights outside.


    "We all are ready to return. Only waiting for Your Majesty''s order," the captain of the knights informed.


    "As soon as yer is in good condition to travel back, we will leave," Drayce exined.


    The captain nodded. "I will pass on your words, Your Majesty."


    "There will be someone else who will be going with us, so prepare everything nicely. Get the mostfortable carriage you can find and make sure we will not have any trouble during the journey," Drayce added.


    "May I ask who will be joining us, Your Majesty?" the captain asked, though he somewhat guessed it.


    "No!"


    As expected, the knight got the same straight cold denial whenever this issue was brought up. He couldn''t help but curse himself for even asking.


    "Understood, Your Majesty." The captain bowed.


    From above, Dusk dove down towards the two men, making a loud screeching sound to call their attention. The tone of his screech was enough for his master to understand he hade for something important.


    Drayce looked at the eagle which was flying in a circle just above their heads. "What is it?" he asked.


    Dusk seemed to be searching for something, and the moment he found it, he pped his wings towards it. A slim wooden water carrier was hanging on one of the wooden poles supporting the porch of a nearby lodging. Dusk grabbed the tiny rope strap hanging on a nail on that wooden pole and brought the water carrier to Drayce beforending on the captain''s shoulder.


    Drayce looked at his knight and ordered, "Fill the one I use and give it to Dusk."


    There was no way Drayce would give some random soldier''s thing to the royaldy who would soon be the Queen of Megaris.


    The captain left to get the water carrier that belonged to his king. It was kept along with the other essential things needed during the journey. The knight found it inside a wooden box on top of the pile.


    It was a slim elbow-length water carrier carved in fine wood, with gold and silver engravings and rare gems on its strap. With a single nce, one could guess it definitely belonged to someone of high status and not just any ordinary soldier. They were specially crafted for the King of Megaris, even bearing the crest of the Ivanov Family, which symbolized the royal family of Megaris Kingdom.


    The captain filled it with fresh water and handed it over to Dusk, who grabbed the water carrier in a rush and fled away from them without even turning to look back at his master. The eagle appeared to be in such a hurry, he did not even care about anyone else.


    The captain felt puzzled, wondering what exactly was going on.? Not only food, but Dusk even had to fetch water for that person.


    "I have never seen him this frantic when he is not even serving His Majesty himself, but someone else," the captainmented as he reached his king who was busy checking the newly sharpened swords kept on a table.


    Drayce was running his finger over the sharp edge of one sword when he heard the captain speak.


    "He found someone more precious than me," Draycemented.


    ''Impossible!'' The captain could not wrap his head around the fact that the smart and faithful Dusk would put someone over his master. The entire world could turn upside down, but this was just impossible. However, King Drayce was not one to speak nonsense.


    ''Can it be true that she is really a witch, and not just His Majesty, but she also enchanted his eagle?'' Just as that disturbing thought entered his mind, he recalled something that calmed him down.? ''Doesn''t matter as our king is the devil himself.''


    Drayce put the sword in his hand back on the table and looked at the captain, who had fallen silent. "Don''t think too much. I share the same thoughts as Dusk."


    "Huh?" The captain didn''t get what his king meant, but who would dare question the red-eyed devil?


    "Being busy on the battlefield has made you lose yourmon sense," Draycemented again.


    "I apologize, Your Majesty." He simply bowed, regardless of whether he knew what he was apologizing for.


    After checking on his men, Drayce turned to leave the barracks. Although he was away from his kingdom, he had plenty of important work to do as a king so he returned to his chamber escorted by his own knights.


    ---------


    Before Dusk could reach Seren''s chamber, King Armen and Cian had already heard him screeching outside. It was loud, as if it was announcing to everyone inside that he had returned. As soon as the eagle entered through the window, they understood he had brought something with him again.


    A wooden container about a foot long was held by his ws and was dropped beside Seren''s feet. He then pushed it closer to her, asking her to get it. After several urges, Seren finally picked it up, but as expected, Dusk had to peck on the lid of the water carrier to make her open it. Seren tried to move the lid, but she was too weak to even hold the water carrier properly, much less rotate the lid.


    Cian saw this situation and stepped forward to help. Dusk was about to open his wings and screech at him, but Cian''s sapphire blue eyes stared into Dusk''s golden ones.


    "I am not harming her. She needs help."


    With wary eyes, Dusk folded his wings back and let Cian walk closer to the bed.


    As he approached her, Cian probed carefully. "Seren? It is me, your brother. I know you are thirsty. Let brother help you with that." He held out his hand palms up in front of her, waiting for her to give him the wooden water carrier.


    For the first time, it seemed like she finally recognized someone else other than Dusk. She let go of that water carrier.


    Cian removed its lid and passed it back to her. She held it but not even once looked at her brother. She didn''t drink water, as if she was waiting for something. Cian understood and returned to his father''s side.


    Shifting the veil on her face up a bit, only then did she have a sip of water.


    "That thing belongs to King Drayce too," Cian informed King Armen. His father gave him a questioning look.


    "It has the symbol of the Ivanov Family. I don''t think any sane person will dare fake the crest of a royal family, unless he has a death wish," Cian exined the reason.


    King Armen frowned. "Is hemunicating with Seren through this bird?"


    "Looks like it," said Cain.


    King Armen was now somewhat sure Drayce had already met Seren before, or else why would he have asked to marry her with such persistence? But how did he meet her and why was he suddenly so interested in her? He could not understand the young king''s actions. No king would want to marry a girl who is known as a witch as no kingdom would want a witch to be their queen.


    It could not be love at first sight. King Drayce did not seem to be a silly romantic, and neither was he a fool. Even if they had met before, there was no way Drayce would have seen her face. If he had seen it, then things wouldn''t be this normal. Another chaos would have awaited King Armen.


    What reason could be there making Drayce want to marry his daughter without even seeing how she looked? There was nothing glorious about her other than being the most hated and unwanted person in the Kingdom of Abetha. Was he eyeing Abetha and was using Seren, the only avable princess, as a bridge to enter the muddy political waters of the kingdom?


    Regardless of his true intentions, King Armen found him suspicious. He would have to deliberate with his trusted men and find out what he truly wanted, counter it and turn him down.

 Chapter 92: Teasing

    <h4>Chapter 92: Teasing</h4>


    Drayce returned to his bedchamber after meeting his knights. Although he was reading the documented reports rted to his kingdom, his attention was not fully on work; half of it was focused on listening to the chamber next to him.


    From what he heard so far, Seren had a meal, and she was resting with Dusk keeping herpany.


    Just then, someone entered Drayce''s chamber. It was a person who never had to get permission to do so.


    "Seems like the King of Megaris is busy," Anmented as he satfortably on a chair next to the wooden table filled with stacks of papers and scrolls. At that moment, Drayce was busy going through the various missives sent by the officials from his kingdom, updating him about the current internal situation of Megaris.


    "Will that stop Prince of Griven froming into my chamber and disturbing me?" Draycemented as he put away a message scroll.


    "Well, it seems impossible," An responded with a teasing smile.


    Drayce was used to An''s behavior and said, "You can proceed with what you are here for."


    "Since you already know I am here for something, then why don''t you just go through my mind with your devil power to know everything and save me from the trouble of exining?"


    "I don''t wander around messy and unkempt ces," Drayce replied.


    "Good, you would be lost anyway," Anmented.


    Drayce stopped working and leaned back in the chair. Although An loved to banter around and appearedidback most of the time, Drayce knew that all his friend''s words and actions were never without reason. He was ready to hear his friend who had definitelye to discuss something important.


    An finally went straight to the point. "Just like Thevailes, Hatha is on their knees too. After thepensation was made with Griven and Abetha, their economy will be crippled and they won''t be able to get up soon."


    Drayce nodded lightly. "It won''t be for long."


    An continued, "Knowing that sly King Samer, Thevailes will try another way. I am sure they want to take over Abetha by all means possible. upying the central region of the continent is a necessity for his grand ambition to be realized."


    The young king agreed. He had been shing against Thevailes for a while now, and he knew the unyielding personality of his enemy. "Even though he appears quiet now, he must be executing his ns in the dark, waiting for the appropriate time to strike us back after getting this defeat.".


    "What do you think his next move will be? I do not see any movements from them yet but if I am to guess, he will seek help from his mother''s side. The Kingdom of Othinia shares a border with Abetha."


    Drayce thought for a while and unfolded one of the maps on the table. "But isn''t the current Queen of Abetha from the same kingdom?"


    "Both the Dowager Queen of Thevailes and Queen Niobe of Abetha are former princesses of the Nefertiti Royal Family and are cousins, but from what I know, they don''t get along well. The previous king is Queen Niobe''s father who favored her a lot, and that''s how Queen Niobe helped King Armen to make his reign stronger. But after the demise of the previous king, because he has no male heir, the one who inherited the throne is his nephew, Ranulf Nefertiti.? King Ranulf is the younger brother of the Dowager Queen of Thevailes and is King Samer''s uncle. Now, Thevailes is more favored by Othinia. Once they get full support from Othinia, it is also as good as getting the Kingdom of Mivesea under them as a free side dish which��"


    "....will help them attack Abetha through the way of the sea. They must be preparing for a marine battle in addition to a pincer attack onnd," Drayce added as he traced the borders of Abetha on the map.


    An nodded. "Hmm, at this point, the only kingdom which can help Abetha is Griven. Given the marriage arrangement between my brother and the Second Princess, I think King Armen and my father had this in mind. If we are to add Megaris��"


    "Soon," Drayce interrupted him.


    "Soon? What do you mean?" An teased, "Do you want to follow my brother''s footsteps? Do you n on marrying a princess of Abetha?"


    "Can''t I?" Drayce asked.


    "Of course you can, but King Armen is left with only one daughter who is not��" An paused, feeling shocked over his own realization. "Wait...are you nning to marry the Third Princess?"


    With a casual expression, Drayce folded the map and put it back on the side. "Is there any issue with it?"


    An gave it a thought and replied, "No, but I doubt King Armen will agree to it."


    "He will." Drayce looked confident.


    "It''s not like I doubt your confidence but may ask how?"


    Drayce lifted a hand. "We have a guest," he informed as his ears caught something.


    "Who?" An looked at the door, forgetting what he had just asked Drayce.


    "The one from whom you would like to receive affection," Drayce said with a raised brow.


    An scoffed. "What is he doing here? Shall I get ready to witness swords getting out of their scabbards?"


    "Don''t change the subject. Not denying is the same as admission," Drayce said as he referred to the receiving affection part of his previous teasing remark.


    "Don''t worry; I will share some of his affection with you. If you cannot get the sister, you can get her brother. We three are all handsome men. I don''t mind sharing."


    "I am content with the sister. You can keep her brother. That way, it will bring Griven and Abetha even closer."


    "Who knows, if King Armen refused to give you his daughter, Megaris would still have a chance to strengthen the rtionship with Abetha by getting their crown prince. The greatest love story in the history of the continent��starring the most handsome and powerful men of Abetha, Griven and Megaris. The title can be�� the Romance of the Three Kingdoms. What do you think?"


    "You should stop reading some weird books written by random unknown people."


    An smiled teasingly as he winked. "Do you want a copy? You look down on these books because you have not tried reading them. They can help you win over not just the Third Princess but the Crown Prince as well. I can find you the ones with the nicest descriptions with erotic pictures and��"


    Drayce frowned. "You can keep it for yourself."


    Anughed. "I wonder how the celibate devil who thrives in war and breathes violence took a sudden interest in a real living woman."


    Drayce didn''t answer.


    Just then, a knight knocked and entered the chamber. "Your Majesty, Prince Cian of Abetha seeks an audience with you."


    Drayce nodded lightly to permit him.


    The knight left, and An spoke, "Keep your temper and sword in check. Don''t just bring it out."


    "Won''t be needed today," Drayce assured.


    Soon, Cian entered the chamber, unaware of how he was a part of the banter between these two friends who had turned quiet upon his arrival. He saw An and Drayce both waiting for him inside.


    He bowed his head lightly to greet the King of Megaris, and Drayce did the same while he greeted An with a slight nod.


    Though Drayce and Cian had fought together with the enemies and even had a long journey together from Thevailes to Abetha, they were neither close nor friendly with each other. There was something in both that kept them wary of each other. On the other hand, An was familiar with them both and felt trapped whenever these two came across each other.

 Chapter 93: Rare Species

    <h4>Chapter 93: Rare Species</h4>


    Drayce respectfully gestured to Cian to have a seat. Cian sat on the chair ced on the right side of the square-shaped wooden table, opposite to where An was seated. Both princes sat facing each other, one on the Drayce''s left side while the other one was on the right side.


    One could not see what Cian was thinking as he spoke to Drayce, "I hope I am not disturbing King Drayce and Prince An from important matters."


    Drayce merely looked back at Cian. "May I know the reason for Prince Cian''s visit?"


    "I am here to get answers to a few questions from King Drayce," Cian replied, getting directly to the point.


    "I hope it will only be solved by talking and not fighting," Anmented, and the other two turned towards him. An cleared his throat and said, not minding their res, "Please continue!"


    Drayce and Cian ignored him and looked at each other once more.


    Though Drayce had guessed what those questions must be, he still said, "You may proceed."


    "I am sure King Drayce is aware that your pet is serving the Third Princess. May I know how and why that eagle initially contacted my sister?" Cian asked, looking all serious.


    There was no change in Drayce''s expression despite the obvious usation in his tone. "Birds keep flying here and there where humans can''t reach."


    "Are you implying that this is your pet''s initiative and not an order from yourself?" Cian asked in a skeptical voice. "To the extent of providing her with food and water and keeping others away from her, to the point where even her father and brother are not allowed to go to her?"


    "Is this not a good thing?" Drayce asked as hemented, "An abandoned and lonely princess found sce in a bird many times better than the scary humans around her."


    Cian understood the mocking words of the young king. It was truly unfair that Seren had to be hidden in her residence. To anyone who paid attention, it was obvious that she was neglected by the royal family despite having the title of a princess of Abetha. With only a single person to serve her and not allowed to associate with others, she was forced to live a lonely life instead of a pampered and luxurious one. Although it was said to protect her, from what exactly, Cian was unaware of. But he was sure she wouldn''t be safe with normal people around her; that''s why his father never allowed her to go out.


    Drayce continued, "Dusk is not an ordinary eagle. He belongs to a rare species. His protective instincts are stronger towards the one he had built an attachment to."


    "Care to borate, King Drayce?? I suddenly have an urge to know the traits of that rare eagle species," An said, smiling teasingly.


    Drayce red at An but answered anyway. "He is egoistic if you challenge him, impatient if you ignore him, unsympathetic when attacking the enemies, and pushy when ites to protecting someone. One should be wary of his strong ws that can never leave something once he gets hold of it."


    As if An was already expecting to hear that kind of response, hemented with a chuckle, "Why does it sound to me more like the exact description of his master instead of the eagle itself?"


    Drayce didn''t react to An''sment, simply maintaining the neutral expression he always had.


    Cian understood the underlying meaning of Drayce''s words, but for now, he wanted to know something else.


    "I am grateful for the help from King Drayce''s pet, but I would like to know the answer to my question��the truth, to be exact," Cian reminded.


    "Even I am curious to know how our Dusk has be such a busy body," Anmented. He still didn''t know the entire situation, except for bringing food for the Third Princess in her tower.


    Silence filled the chamber as the two princes waited for Drayce to talk.


    "A few days back," Drayce started, "Thick ck smoke came out from the Third Princess''s tower. The entire capital was scared, thinking it was the result of ck magic performed by her and..."


    "ck magic? Ridiculous!" Cian scoffed, interrupting Drayce.


    Drayce approved of Cian''s reaction as he could see Cian didn''t believe what others said about his sister. Drayce thought of testing him again as he continued, "They believed the witch was��"


    "My sister is not a witch!" Cian interrupted Drayce once again as he gripped the armrest of the chair he''s sitting on. "Those audacious brainless creatures!"


    "If you are done being angry, let my friend finish. I am dying to know the entire thing," An chastised him. The Crown Prince of Griven looked like he was engrossed in hearing more of the story, like a street wife wanting nothing but pure entertainment and gossip.


    Cian threw a frown his way, but he turned silent as he wanted to know the rest of the story too.


    "In fact, it was not ck magic but the failed attempt of cooking by one clumsy starving princess," Drayce informed.


    Cian could almost imagine what happened. "I am sure it was the case. My sister is quite naive andcking in these things, but I assure you she is harmless, incapable of even harming a bug.."


    Drayce smiled lightly. "All she can do is threaten a rat by burning it using some non-existing magic."


    An saw Drayce smiling lightly, and he remembered something. "So that day, when we were outside the pce walls and we stopped after seeing that ck smoke, is that why youughed?" An mumbled, "You and your sharp ears..."


    Cian didn''t understand what An mumbled in the end. "How can King Drayce be so sure about it without even entering the tower? Could it be...."


    "Prince Cian can rest assured I entered the tower only on the day I rescued her." With that, Drayce cleared all of Cian''s doubts with one reply. "My senses are simply strong enough to understand what''s the truth. "


    "The King of Megaris values the virtue of ady," Anmented as he threw a meaningful nce towards Drayce. An knew his friend cared for nothing but his goals. If it were not for him stopping this man, Drayce would have ended up going inside the tower regardless of its owner''s permission.


    Drayce understood the sarcasm from An''s remark but chose to ignore it.


    "Since the Third Princess is alone, locked up, and unable to feed herself, I only asked my pet to take food for her," Drayce rified.? "But Dusk seemed to have grown attached to her."


    "May I ask why is King Drayce so concerned about her so much?" Cian asked.


    "Would it have been better to leave her starving for days?" Drayce countered as his red eyes stared at Cian mockingly.


    Cian understood Drayce didn''t want to answer, and there was no way he could force him to. He didn''t know Drayce''s intentions, and neither did he trust him, but for now, he could only thank him for his help.


    "I am grateful for the kindness King Drayce showed to my sister. One day, I will surely repay it."


    Drayce said nothing, and Cian stood up as he bowed slightly to the other two royals. "Thank you for your time. I am sure you have things to do, so I shall? take my leave."


    As he turned to leave the chamber, he heard the First Prince of Griven call out to him.


    "Prince Cian, a moment!"


    Cian turned to look at him.


    "I have received news that Griven has caught the escaping traitors from Abetha who helped with your abduction. I have instructed my men to bring those traitors to the capital. They will likely arrive in the pce by tonight." An''s gaze held something that Cian understood.


    "I look forward to skinning them alive personally," Cian said as his sapphire blue eyes seemingly turned icy with ruthlessness. He turned to leave as he heard An say, "Have fun."


    "You sure know what someone needs best at the best time," Draycemented.


    "He is already annoyed with not being able to help his sister. Let him rx by taking out his anger. Anyways, traitors deserve to be skinned alive."


    Drayce said nothing as he agreed that traitors deserve to be punished harshly. He himself had never forgiven anyone who offended him.

 Chapter 94: Regained Consciousness.

    <h4>Chapter 94: Regained Consciousness.</h4>


    It was during the evening when the thing that the people from Megaris were desperately waiting for finally happened. Sir Calhoun Sanders, the guardian knight of the King of Megaris and the renowned ''yer'' of the battlefield, had regained his consciousness.


    Drayce immediately went to see yer after one of his knights ran to inform him of the good news. An, who was with Drayce, apanied him as well.


    Drayce and An arrived in yer''s chamber in a hurry. Upon arrival, they saw the mysterious Erich Winfield and the Head Royal Physician Heath Leuven both busy examining the knight.


    Cian arrived there too as soon as he got the news. yer was an important representative of the Kingdom of Megaris. Not only was he themander of the royal knights and thus one of the highest-ranking people under King Drayce, he also seemed to be a close friend and someone dear to his king. It was only proper that someone of Cian''s status showed proper diplomatic courtesy to him. Moreover, yer had also put his life in danger for the sake of rescuing him, the Crown Prince of Abetha.


    Cian stood beside Drayce and An as they all waited for the two physicians to finish their examination of the patient.


    Once the physicians finished their job and discussed something between themselves, they instructed their subordinates to take care of other things.


    The two older men came towards the three royals; however, only the Head Royal Physician paid his respects to them in ordance with the pce etiquette.


    "I heard he woke up," Drayce said without a single moment''s dy.


    Erich Winfield smiled slightly at him. "What else do you expect to happen after giving him such a magical thing?" His gaze mockingly conveyed to Drayce that he should not be surprised about the result.


    "I hope it worked," said Drayce, not entirely sure of how effective the pill was.


    "Sure, it did," Erich Winfield informed.


    "Magical thing?" the Head Royal Physician, Heath Leuven, asked.


    "Care and worry from a beloved is no less than a magical thing," Erich Winfield replied, but his sight was still fixed at Drayce. As usual, he didn''t bother lowering his head in front of a kIng.


    "True," Heath Leuven agreed. He turned towards Drayce, "Your Majesty King Drayce, Sir Sanders has regained consciousness and seems to bepletely out of danger, but it will take time for him to get on his feet."


    Knowing he was out of any kind of danger was what Drayce needed to know. Other things, he could wait for as it didn''t matter if his knight was to stay on a bed and rest some more.


    "Can I talk to him?" Drayce asked.


    Heath Leuven nodded. "Yes, Your Majesty, but Sir Sanders might not be able to hold a conversation even if he recognizes you."


    Drayce gave a light nod to show he understood and went towards yer''s bed. The attendants cleared the way for Drayce and the two princes.


    yer was lying in bed with his eyes closed. He looked weak, his skin pale and his eyes had dark shadows under them.


    Drayce sat on the edge of the bed and called out, "yer!"


    There was no way yer would ever fail to respond to his king''s calling. Even if he was on the verge of death, he would make sure to respond to his king before taking hisst breath.


    yer opened his eyes with much effort and looked at Drayce. "Y-Your Majesty...?"


    Drayce didn''t say anything else, and only he knew how d he was to see yer awake. He only stared at yer before reaching out to hold his feeble hand and patting it. It was Drayce''s way of saying he would be fine.


    yer understood his king''s silence. He pulled out a light smile and managed to speak in a hoarse, weak voice, "I... am... absolutely fine... Your Majesty..."


    Drayce merely nodded in response. An and Cian remained silent, tactfully waiting for the king and his knight to get over their emotions.


    "Good to see you back, dead man," Anmented after a while to lighten the mood. Due to Drayce not speaking, the sullen atmosphere inside the room had been ufortable for everyone.


    yer looked at An and greeted him in the same weak voice, "Your Highness also came..."


    "Get better soon if you don''t wish to see your Devil King crying," An teased.


    Drayce red at An.


    An cleared his throat lightly as he waved his hand offhandedly. "Well, I was just motivating him to get better soon. How can you me my good intentions?"


    He gestured towards Cian to change the topic. "Well, I believe the two of you have never been formally introduced to each other. This is the Crown Prince of Abetha, Prince Cian Ilven. The one we rescued." He then gestured towards yer. "This is Sir Calhoun Sanders, themander of the royal knights of Megaris."


    yer had never seen Cian because he was already captured by the enemies in the fortress even before he could reach An and Cian.


    yer wanted to sit up once more, but seeing the look Drayce sent his way, he could only greet with a slight nod. "Greetings, Your Highness�� I''m d�� you''re safe..."


    Cian epted the greeting. "As someone from the military, I have long heard of the aplishments of the yer of the battlefield. I wish Sir Sanders to get better soon."


    Drayce looked back at yer. "You should rest. I will be back again."


    yer nodded lightly and closed his eyes. It was out of pure willpower he somehow managed to keep them open for those several minutes. Drayce found him already asleep the moment he closed his eyes.


    Leaving yer in the care of the attendants, the three royals came to where the two physicians were standing. Drayce looked at Erich Winfield. "I would like to have a word with you."


    Erich Winfield agreed and followed Drayce out of the chamber.


    Drayce stopped as he stood facing Erich Winfield. "How much effect does one elixir have on yer?"


    "His damaged core is healed due to it, which is the toughest part in his recovery. It is exactly the miracle he needed. The rest of his body will take time to heal on its own."


    "How about we give him one more elixir? Drayce asked.


    "Too much of anything is not good." The old man frowned at him as if he was disgruntled the king even had such a silly thought. "We are talking about magical energy which is cultivated by someone else. We are still not sure about how powerful it is. It would be better to let your knight heal on his own and cultivate himself with the energy his body will create. If it''s not a matter of life and death, it''s best we avoid using it."


    "That is a no, then."


    "Not exactly," the frown on the physician''s face grew deeper. "Nothing is absolute, after all. We can give it to himter if we do not see progress in his healing."


    Drayce agreed. "Let me know."


    Nodding, Erich Winfield entered back the chamber just as An and Cian stepped out to join Drayce.


    "King Drayce," Cian called for him.


    Drayce looked at him but did not say a word.


    "Tonight''s meal for Seren will be prepared in the Royal Kitchen as per the instructions of the Royal Head Physician. I would like to get help from King Dryace''s pet."


    "Dusk. His name is Dusk," Drayce informed.


    "I would like to receive help from Dusk," Cian affirmed.

 Chapter 95: No Longer A Princess

    <h4>Chapter 95: No Longer A Princess</h4>


    "I would like to receive help from Dusk.".


    Drayce nodded. He had no problem agreeing to the prince''s request.


    An spoke with a smile. "Rest assured, Prince Cian. That rare eagle would be more than happy to help you." He then looked at Drayce with a teasing smile that Drayce ignored.


    Cian left after bidding farewell to the two who left to go to their chambers.


    "Haven''t you thought about how Hatha could catch yer so easily and hurt him like this in such a short period of time?" An asked.


    "Traitors," Drayce replied coldly.


    "Sounds like they''re already in your hands."


    "Somewhere begging for their deaths which is running away from them," Drayce replied.


    "Wooh, it gave me shivers, but they deserved it." An asked after a while, "How did this all happen?"


    "Godfrey Percy had already nned a trap, knowing we''lle. He was waiting for the moment when yer would separate from me, and he would keep me busy with his soldiers. When yer went to get you and Prince Cian as per my order, the fortress soldiers caught him by threatening to kill the Megaris knights they had already captured. If yer went with them without fighting back, they would spare the other knights. yer agreed to it, trusting himself to be capable of defending them all. However, those knights that marquis used to threaten yer turned out to be long-nned traitors who stabbed him first."


    An sighed. "Then they sure deserve the cruel death. No mercy for the traitors."


    No matter if it''s to a person, a nation, or the crown, betrayal was never eptable. A crime worthy of the death to the traitor, and punishment to the rest of his kin as well.


    ------


    Cian went to see his father in his study, where he found King Armen busy handling the matters that he would have to face on the next day''s royal court session. After spending the entire day around his daughter, who didn''t even spare him a nce, King Armen finally returned to his study as he had to prepare to protect his daughter.


    "Father!" Cian greeted him.


    King Armen gestured for him to have a seat. "How is Commander Sanders?"


    "He seems to be recovering well," Cian replied. "Father seems tense."


    King Armen sighed. "Tomorrow''s royal court session."


    "They won''t let go of this chance of using Seren against you, Father," Cian spoke.


    King Armen nodded. "That is why I need to be prepared. In thest court session, I managed to stop them, but this time they wille with more aces up their sleeves."


    "We can use what I have collected against them during my stay in the north region," Cian suggested.


    "If it''s needed."


    "Father can leave it to me."


    King Armen nodded lightly and asked, "Did you go see your mother?"


    "Not yet." Cian shook his head. He had been busy not only with his official duties but also with visiting Seren.


    "She must be waiting to see you. She was very worried after we received news of your abduction," King Armen informed.


    "I will, soon," Cian assured before talking about the main reason why he came. "I went to see King Drayce at noon today."


    King Armen stopped what he was working on and looked at his son. "How did it go? Did he meet Seren or enter the tower before?"


    "No, he didn''t." Cian went to exin to his father what Drayce had told him.


    King Armen understood, but still, something didn''t feel right to him, as if the mysterious King of Megaris was hiding important details from them. "Something seems amiss."


    Cian agreed. "But we can''t force him to tell everything. For now, we should just get his help for Seren''s sake."


    King Armen agreed, and his son continued to talk., "I was wondering what demand King Drayce will have from Abetha in return for his help. Did he ask for something yet?"


    Knowing his son''s temper, King Armen didn''t wish to bring anything up yet. "We are on talking terms but yet to reach an agreement. Once it''s done, you will know."


    "Is Father hiding something?" Cian asked, seemingly sensing his father''s hesitation.


    "I will prefer it if you look after Seren while she''s healing. As her brother, my wish is for you to be by her side tofort her," King Armen said, changing the topic.


    Cian no longer probed. He could do nothing but listen to his father; after all, King Armen was the King of Abetha.


    -------


    When it was time for dinner, Dusk brought food for Seren in the same manner��a wooden box covered with blue silk cloth.


    After having a magic elixir added to her medicine by Drayce, she was getting better faster than what the physician concluded, which was good news to the people concerned about her wellbeing. Getting sufficient rest and proper meals also added to improve her health.


    Dusk entered Seren''s chamber with a loud screech, and everything happened the same as it happened at noon. Seren ate it, and this time, Dusk didn''t have to manually instruct her about everything.


    Cian, who was present to monitor the situation, was happy to see her progress. He approached her again to give her water, and this time, she epted it without any hesitation though she didn''t look at him.


    Cian was relieved by this development. He would give her more time, trusting how life would be better for his sister once she fully recovered.


    He swore in his name that he would never let her return to that lonely tower.


    --------


    Once Seren fell asleep, Dusk came to Drayce''s chamber next door. As the eagle sat on his window sill, Drayce caressed his head. "You seem to care for her a lot."


    Dusk rubbed his head against Drayce''s palm, saying yes.


    "What do you think about bringing her to Megaris with us?" Drayce asked.


    Dusk, who was enjoying the petting of his master, paused. Realizing what his master meant, his golden pupils expanded, showing he was happily shocked, and then pecked on Drayce''s hand to show agreement to what he said.


    Drayce smiled lightly as his red eyes glittered under the lights from the fire torches. "You seem to like her a lot."


    Dusk pecked again, only to hear his master again. "You should control your liking once we go to Megaris. We love seeing these wings attached to your body, don''t we?"


    Dusk stepped back as he shrank his wings to his body, looking at his master as if saying, ''Not my wings!''


    "I am sure you would like to enjoy the starry sky for a while."


    Dusk understood what his master meant and fled away towards the night sky. The next moment, Drayce disappeared along with the loud flutter of the curtains and appeared inside the dimly lit chamber of the sleeping princess.


    Drayce went straight towards Seren''s bed and shifted theted bed curtains aside. He hadn''t seen her since the previous night, and now, it was time for him to visit her.


    He sat on the edge of the bed, watching her peaceful sleeping face. She looked better now, which made him feel relieved. For some odd reason, the longer he stared at her, the stronger the urge to protect her.


    He touched the mark on her forehead again, trying to remember why it felt so familiar. He moved his fingers away and the light emitting from it faded away.


    "Once we go to Megaris, I will make sure to find answers for everything," he said, and his sight followed the veil on her face. "Once you are mine, you don''t have to keep wearing it."


    Drayce was hit by a sudden urge to take that veil off from her face, but he stopped, thinking he should not do it without her permission.


    "Just wait for a while. You won''t be just a princess of Abetha anymore, but someone to whom the entire continent will bow," Drayce said with a look of determination.

 Chapter 96: Disrespect To The Royal

    <h4>Chapter 96: Disrespect To The Royal</h4>


    The same night, Minister Darus Count went to see the queen as the next day was an important session in the royal court, and he had to update the queen about their n.


    "Greetings, Your Majesty." The minister bowed to the queen, who was, as usual, sitting in her chair.


    Queen Niobe merely nodded to ept the greeting, waiting for him to continue.


    "Your Majesty, the noble houses under us are informed to act ording to what you said. This time, we won''t give King Armen a chance to defend the Third Princess."


    "My son will be there too, so you should be careful with what you say," Queen Niobe instructed.


    "Yes, Your Majesty."


    "The King of Megaris?"


    "We will make sure he will attend the royal court tomorrow. Though he had helped rescue Crown Prince Cian and the glory of sess will favor King Armen, we will bring out what the King of Megaris had done. We can use it to suppress that glory and use it against the Third Princess to malign her image."


    "Make sure this time nothing could protect her. May this mark herst days in this kingdom."


    "I heed yourmand, your Majesty."


    Minister Darus Count left after bowing to Queen Niobe.


    ����-


    The next day, there was a strange fervor atmosphere within the royal pce. It was time for the most awaited royal court session that would inevitably cause a longsting change in Abetha. All the ministers and high-ranking officials were present for this assembly, eagerly chatting with each other while waiting for King Armen to arrive.


    Soon enough, the guards announced the arrival of King Armen.


    "His Majesty, King Armen Ilven of Abetha, has arrived!"


    King Armen entered the royal court followed by his trusted men. Everyone turned silent as they bowed towards the king who entered through the main door of the hall and walked towards his throne at the other end of that huge hall.


    "Your loyal subjects greet Your Majesty the King. May our Abetha forever prosper under your reign!"


    Without paying special attention to anyone, the King of Abetha reached his throne and turned around with a dignified air. The bottom of his royal blue cloak that he wore over his ceremonial robe followed his path, brushing the floor with a flourish.


    King Armen sat on his throne while Lord Eudes and Sir Berolt took their positions on either side of the throne. Since the king was yet to speak, none of the people inside dared to make a noise. King Armen looked down at his royal subjects present at the moment. There existed three main factions within them: those who loyally supported the crown, those who wished to strengthen the power of the nobles, and those who chose to remain neutral. He eyed in particr those belonging to the noble faction, who would never let go of any chance to trouble their king instead of focusing on their roles to develop the kingdom.


    Lord Eudes held a scroll and handed it to the king. Like the previous royal court session, the first item of the agenda was the Third Princess and the disaster caused by her.


    As soon as the floor was open, the oldest minister from the noble faction, the Minister of the Left, came forward. "Your Majesty, in the previous session, the court could note to a conclusion, and Your Majesty has assured all of us about finding the truth. Your loyal subjects implore that Your Majesty sheds light on this terrible incident, as well as your decision regarding the Third Princess."


    King Armen stared at the Minister of the Left with a straight face. "As I have assured you all, the Royal Bureau of Investigation has found the presence of skilled assassins inside the residence of the Third Princess."


    An uproar took ce inside the royal court, but those who were aware of the truth remained impassive about this.


    "Assasins? How can it be?"


    "What insolent creature dared to send assassins inside the royal pce?!"


    Everyone started to talk among themselves. Lord Eudes raised his hand to pacify them. "Silence!"


    King Armen continued, "The Royal Bureau of Investigation has caught the assassins who entered the garden, and they have also admitted to their crime."


    Hearing the king''s words, Minister Count and his acquaintances had sweaty palms. They had not expected the assassins they hired to be caught by the Royal Bureau of Investigation. Minister Count was sure he had instructed those assassins to disappear the same night after handing them enough gold to spend their livesfortably in another kingdom. Out of reflex, he looked at the queen, who didn''t react to the situation at all.


    The doors of the hall opened, and the officials from the Royal Investigation Bureau and the royal guards entered, bringing with them six men who were tied with ropes and looked severely injured.


    Everyone in the royal court looked at those six captured assassins. From their clothes, one could identify them as members of one of the infamous assassin groups in the kingdom.


    The leading official of the Royal Investigation Bureau paid his respects towards the king.


    "Osbert Canmore, the minister in charge of the Royal Investigation Bureau, greets His Majesty!"


    King Armen epted the greeting and instructed him to proceed.


    "Your Majesty, these are the assassins who dared tomit that heinous act and caused damage to Her Highness the Third Princess'' image and health. Upon investigating, they confessed that they did it on their own as they considered Her Highness the reason for the unfortunate incidents happening in the kingdom."


    Minister Count felt relieved to hear the official statement from the investigator. The deal he made with those assassins was that on the slim chance they got caught, they should never mention anything rted to his faction, or else, their entire families would be killed, from adults to kids, with no exception.


    The king cast a nce at the kneeling assassins. "It''s not possible to enter the pce without help from someone powerful inside. I am giving you thest chance to confess to everything and bring the mastermind behind it out in public. If you fail to do so, in the name of the power vested in me as the monarch of this kingdom, I will make sure your entire n will be wiped off from thisnd."


    The assassins felt a chill in their hearts. Comparing the threat of a high noble to the threat of the ruling royal, the choice was difficult to make. Both parties could easily destroy them with a singlemand. However, some of them were still hoping that the worst-case scenario would not happen��that neither of them would touch their families.


    One injured assassin raised his head to gaze at King Armen. "Oh our king, we know we have angered you, but we truly did it for the sake of our kingdom."


    Another assassin raised his head too, "Your Majesty, our n has always supported the wellbeing of this kingdom and its people. We can''t see our kingdom losing its glory due to one witch. The ck magic performed by her has caused your people to live in fear."


    "We did not even kill that witch! We only want to scare her away! Is it a crime to protect our families from ck magic?" a third one spoke up. "Your Majesty can kill us all, but we don''t regret what we have done. That witch doesn''t deserve to live in this kingdom!"


    King Armen''s eyes turned furious when he heard the assassin calling his daughter a witch.


    Seeing the change in his king''s expression, Sir Berolt shouted in anger. "Insolence! You dare speak ill of a royal in front of the entire royal court!"


    The knights standing beside the assassins each gave them a p, causing them to groan in pain. The ps were so loud, some of the weaker-willed officials in attendance trembled.


    King Armenposed himself as he raised his hand, making the knights stop what they''re doing. He opened his mouth, his voice firm with controlled rage. "I have given you thest chance to lessen your punishment, but you seem not to cherish it. You will be given the death penalty, and your families will be given capital punishment as well. Know that I will? find the person behind this."


    The king looked at Minister Canmore and instructed in a loud and cold voice, "Torture them brutally;if they reveal what they know, give them a swift death. Hang their corpses on the tree in the center of the hill the same way they had brutally deformed our knights. Let everyone see what would happen with the people who tried to hurt the royal family."


    The six assassins were dragged out by the guards of the Royal Investigation Bureau. One of them cried out loud, "Your Majesty! That witch will bring disaster to this kingdom! It would be better if you threw her out before it''s��"


    nk!


    Shliing!


    The voice of that assassin turned silent just as he was about to step out of the door of the hall. Everyone heard the sound of a sword getting out of its scabbard, as well as the sound of something hard hitting the floor.


    A sudden silence took over the entire ce as everyone turned towards the source of the eerie sound. A tall and cold-looking handsome royal was standing at the door, holding his blood-covered sword to the side as the blood dripped out along its sharp edge.


    A beheaded dead body was lying near the door of the hall, and its detached head had rolled near the feet of the minister nearest the door. A trail of blood could be seen on the carpet, yet the one who ughtered the assassin looked unaffected.


    "C-Crown Prince Cian!"


    The entire royal court was horrified, with some of the administrative and younger ministers unused to seeing blood turning pale and faint. The Crown Prince had mercilessly ughtered a person in front of all the ministers and the king.


    Before the people coulde out of this shock, they heard Cian talking as he looked at the dead body emotionlessly, without having any regret of killing the person, "Disrespect towards the royal family member is punishable by death..."


    Cian then looked at everyone present in the royal court. His intimidating sapphire blue eyes gazed at them intently. "...and it applies to everyone, irrespective of their status."


    It was both a warning and a threat.? Startled by the sudden turn of events, no one could say a word. Everyone knew disrespect to the royal family was an unforgivable offense, but most people kept forgetting it when it came to Seren, as if they didn''t consider her as a member of the Royal Family of Ilven.


    Those who wanted to oppose him could only curse him in their minds. ''You are only a crown prince! You dared threaten us like this!''


    Cian entered the royal court and walked towards his father, the King of Abetha.


    "Forgive me foring inte, Your Majesty!" Cian bowed to his father like any other king''s subject.


    King Armen didn''t question him about his actions and epted his greeting with a slight nod.


    The guards at the door cleared the dead body and the royal court session continued.


    King Armen looked at his officials. "As soon as the Royal Investigation Bureau knows who is behind this, I, the king of Abetha, will spare no one regardless of the status of that person."


    A shiver passed across the spines of those who were involved, but they remained stubborn. They had worked so hard for this chance to banish the Third Princess. A threat from the king was not enough to sway them from their goal.


    One minister came forward. "Your majesty, we admit that someone wanted to scare the Third Princess, but does that remove her fault? Knowing who she is and what she can do, it is the will of the people to have her out of this kingdom. She has caused nothing but misfortune to this kingdom. The danger she brought, s, the list is unending."


    Cian turned to look at that minister who spoke out.


    "Minister of the Royal Treasury, Minister Tudor, may I know what kind of misfortune? Care to borate on this list? This sounds interesting, but I have no knowledge of this as I have been away from the capital for some time."

 Chapter 97: Past Incidents

    <h4>Chapter 97: Past Incidents</h4>


    Minister Tudor smiled, his response not rted to Cian''s questions. "d to see you back safely, Your Highness."


    "I am not sure if Minister Tudor will say the same thing after this royal court session ends," came the mocking words from the sapphire blue-eyed prince, who looked no less intimidating than his father.


    "How can I not be happy to see our Crown Prince safe and sound?" said the minister as the light smile on his face turned into an awkward one. Cian''s mocking words and gaze didn''t fail to intimidate him.


    Cian kept looking at him. "I am waiting to hear this so-called misfortune, minister."


    Minister Tudor exined, "The Third Princess practiced ck magic, and many people not only within the pce but outside the walls had seen the unusual ck smokeing out from her tower. Soon after, her practice of dark arts started to show its ominous effects by various means."


    Cain gave him a questioning look. "Such as?"


    "You yourself Your Highness was abducted. At the same time, we received news that a gue had spread in various parts of the kingdom in the south, which was then followed by the disaster inside the pce��"


    "Abduction�� gue�� Disaster in the pce?" Cian repeated. "Everything started due to that ck smoke?"


    "Yes, Your Highness," the minister agreed.


    "How will you exin the fact that I was abducted the day before everyone witnessed the ck smokeing out of that tower?"


    "She must have done something else to bring misfortune to the kingdom, andter to make it worse," the minister replied. "s! Who knows how many evil arts she had practiced in her tower before the ck smoke incident?"


    "Seems like my sister didn''t put all her efforts into her ck magic since I have returned safely," Cianmented with a dry chuckle.


    The ministers went silent.


    Cian continued, "You are all old, experienced officials of the royal court, yet you spread rumors without basis. The ck smoke you all are talking about was her failed attempt at cooking as her personal servant, Miss Martha, had to leave the pce for personal reasons. When something burns, it creates smoke. If we think ck smoke is a product of ck magic, then all the cksmiths and other businesses who cause ck smoke should be responsible for all kinds of ck magic."


    "That is different from��"


    "Huh?" Cian interrupted the minister. He shook his head, forcing the older man to stop, knowing what he would say. "You wish to say the smoke caused by a cksmith is different from the one caused by burning food?"


    "It can be due to her practice of ck magic and not cooking."


    "Are you sure about your im? Have you personally seen it?" Cian asked as he red at the minister.


    "No, but we all know what witches can do."


    Cian scoffed and looked around the royal court, walking from one row of ministers to another row. "Let me remind you all that this royal court doesn''t work on mere guesses and usations. Do not let the entire kingdom look down on you. Wise people believe in hard evidence, and as my father wishes to rule our dear kingdom just and fair, thus the entire royal court would not move on baseless usations!"


    The minister turned silent, and Cian continued to speak in a cold tone.


    "Our investigation yielded proof that someone had plotted against the Third Princess. In my name as the Crown Prince, I will make sure to punish the person behind this severely."


    Cian looked at all the ministers from the left. "No one saw the Third Princess perform ck magic. What made you jump to that conclusion? Rumors from themoners? If rumors are all that''s needed to shake the foundation of justice in our kingdom, then I am afraid there are many matters that most of the ministers present here would not want me to bring out for fear of crimes not backed by evidence."


    The entire royal court was filled with silence. The resolve of those who had weaker wills started to falter as they realized the hidden threat in the prince''s words.


    Darus Count looked at one minister and signaled him to say something.


    That minister stepped forward. "Your Highness Prince Cian, please hear us out. We are but normal people, and affairs rted to magic and curses were beyond our scope of understanding. Still, this does not mean we are blind from reality. We do not wish to offend the royal family, but we cannot ignore the voice of the suffering people. What of the other disasters within our kingdom? Don''t you think this is too much of a coincidence?"


    Cian smirked yfully. "Ahh! I was wondering why the Minister of Human Welfare, Minister Warin, hasn''t said anything yet when the innocent ministers here are suffering from the disasters."


    Minister Warin bowed lightly and said, "We can''t deny the fact that the Third Princess''s curse is the reason our capital does not allow any kind of flower to blossom. What kind of proof is needed? Experience, Your Highness. Two decades ago, our city was just like any other city in the kingdom, yet upon her arrival in the royal pce, no flower ever bloomed even during spring. What exnation do themon people need? That ck smoke from her tower was proof in itself! There is no such thing as coincidence in this world. Our kingdom is suffering misfortunes, and we all believe this is all rted to the Third Princess��your abduction, the war, the gue in the South, and the disaster in the pce..."


    Cian nodded lightly as if showing he understood what the minister wanted to say. "As Minister Warin is disregarding the fact that I was abducted the day before everyone saw the said ck smoke, let me put forward some other things."


    "We all are willing to hear what Your Highness has to say," Minister Warin said humbly.


    "Most of you had been working for Abetha for decades," Cian started. "From what I heard from my father, His Majesty King Armen, I was abducted when I was just a year old. During that time too, the gue had spread widely throughout the entire kingdom, much worse than what the South is currently experiencing now. More than ten thousand deaths, as well as poverty and high crime rates for roughly half of the territories, took over the kingdom. You should consider this misfortune too, minister? The interesting part is, both these things happened when the Third Princess didn''t even exist yet in her mother''s womb. Will you defend this saying she had nned this before she even came into existence?" Cian''s eyes turned colder. "Or have you all already decided to me every misfortune on her existence ?"


    "Prince Cian!" the Minister of the Royal Treasury cried out with a red face. "We are all here for the sake of the kingdom! Do not belittle our wish to protect the innocent citizens that the Third Princess has harmed. We are not saying that all the troubles in our kingdom are her fault. We are merely asking for her to be punished for the misfortune her existence has caused, and we cannot deny the fact that the things happeningtely are all caused by her."


    "Is that all, or do you have more to say, Minister Tudor?" Cian asked after giving a deep sigh. The loggerheads were still adamant on the same thing��proving an innocent girl was a cursed witch.


    Minister Warin added. "s! What about her cursed scream to bring disaster inside the pce? Innocent people were injured, and many buildings in the pce were damaged. In terms of damage, it was as if our pce experienced an invasion from enemies! Imagine the destruction she could have caused to the entire kingdom if all the royals and nobles working in the pce were to be injured or killed! Thankfully, no one died this time, but what if next time, it will cause more than just minor injuries? What if next time, not only the people inside the royal pce but also the entire capital are affected? Being the Minister of Human Welfare, I can''t help but worry about it."


    Cian was the same, calm andposed. "ording to our sources, wasn''t someone else responsible for making her scream? That means the one who made it happen is the one to harm the people residing in the pce. That mastermind deserved to be executed!"


    Cian''s counter could only leave the minister speechless.


    Darus Count, who had remained silent till now, could no longer stay back as this was thest chance for him to conduct the order given to him by the Queen.


    "What Prince Cian said is right, but the punishment should be given to all parties who had caused harm to our people. We can''t ignore the fact that the Third Princess is like a living weapon inside the pce. Just like the current incident, anyone can use her powers and curses against us. Her existence is a threat! Despite the fact that she has been trained to control her emotions since she was a child, the Third Princess failed to follow her teaching and ended up in the trap led by others. Being cursed is her fault, and putting others'' lives in danger by failing to control the power of her curses is also her fault. Why should innocents suffer due to her curse?"

 Chapter 98: Turn Of Event

    <h4>Chapter 98: Turn Of Event</h4>


    Saying all his part, Darus count looked at King Armen, "Your Majesty, we all think this kingdom is not the ce for The Third Princess. She should be sent far away in exile for the sake of the safety of our people. Anything that can bring misfortune and harm to this Kingdom should be cut off right away."


    Cian who heard him calmly, spoke, "Minister of foreign affairs, Minister Darus count, so you believe anything that brings misfortune and harm to the kingdom has no right to be in this kingdom? Did I get it right?" Cian asked.


    "Yes, Your Highness!"


    "Harm to the kingdom! What does it include?" Cian asked.


    Anything that affects the growth of the kingdom and the peace of its people."


    "Then, the deep-rooted corruption which is rotting the strong base of this Kingdom like a slow poison, can we consider it as a sad misfortune that brings harm to the kingdom?" Cian asked again.


    Hearing it, so many people had their palms sweaty.


    "That is a different case, Prince Cian. Here we are talking about the wicked powers that should be cut off from this kingdom."


    "Good to know the minister didn''t me their instinct of corruption on the so-called ck magic performed by the third princess. Or I was waiting to hear that ck magic is the thing which has corrupted everyone''s mind."


    Darus count was taken aback by this remark.


    Minister of Treasury, Minister Tudor came forward to counter it. "What Prince Cian said makes sense. What if it is also a part of her ck magic- bringing misfortune by corrupting the loyal subjects of this kingdom?"


    Cian smirked, "Is it?"


    "I believe so," Minister Tudor agreed.


    Minister Darus count could see something behind that smirk on Cian''s lips and spoke, "Let''s not take it that far. Focus on the disaster caused in the pce��."


    "If we are at it, today let''s clear all the misfortunes in this kingdom get rid of all at once," Cian interrupted Darus Count and looked around the court, "I believe everyone thinks the same as me."


    All the ministers from the left stood silent while those loyal to their king agreed to Cian''s suggestion. "We agree to it, Your Highness!"


    Cian looked at King Armen, "Your Majesty, should I?"


    King Armen nodded lightly, "Proceed!"


    King Armen trusted his son''s abilities and waited to y his part as the judge of the argument.


    ''As expected, King Armen would always side with his son,'' is what others thought and waited for Cian to continue.


    "Your majesty, when I was in the north region of the Kingdom, I came across some shocking things and deep-rooted corruption caused by the self-proimed loyal subjects of this kingdom," Cian informed.


    He turned to look at the minister Tudor, "I have looked through the import of copper in the kingdom from Hatha since we have started trade with them in the past. A huge part of the imported copper was missing every time and no one had taken notice of it. Moreover, this has been happening for more than thest twenty-two years when the Kingdom was not in a good state after the demise of the previous queen." Cian looked at the ministers, "Do I need to exin more about it, Minister Tudor and Minister Darus count?"


    "It''s..an unfortunate thing," said Minister Tudor.


    "Of course it is and minister Tudor should feel ashamed of it," Cian said straightforwardly.


    "Prince Cian should look at how he is talking to the respected minister," Minister Darus count said.


    "Eliot!" Cian called.


    Cian''s knight came to him and handed him over a scroll and old-looking record books.


    Cian looked at Minister Todor, "All the evidence is here," and passed it to Darus count and some of them to King Armen, "I hope minister Darus can assure you minister Tudor about the validity of this evidence."


    Darus count went through it and feeling shocked he looked at minister Tudor as if saying now there was no way out for him.


    Cian continued, "We all know, we need that copper to create the currency coins as apart from silver and gold, that is the only metal we use," he looked at Minister Tudor with a doubtful look, "Being the minister of the treasury, was minister Tudor nning to create the copper currency at his home after stealing it from the kingdom''s treasury?"


    Minister Tudor looked scared, "I dare not��."


    "Then where did all that copper go that you had stollen for more than twenty years. I am sure there are more people involved in it."


    Minister Tudor immediately kneeled to the king, "Your Majesty, there is some mistake. Someone is trying to frame me."


    Cian chuckled as he looked at the kneeled minister, "You dare use an innocent girl without proof but when you see the proof against you, you don''t? want to believe it."


    Minister Tudor called out for the king. "Your Majesty��"


    "Berolt, arrest minister Tudor right away and put him in prison," The king ordered and Sir Berolt followed his order.


    The old minister could only call out King''s name as a pleading.


    Once they left, King Armen looked at the official from the Royal investigation bureau, "Minister Canmore, investigate everything regardless of the status of whoever is involved in it."


    "Yes, Your Majesty," Minister Canmore bowed.


    King Armen who alwayscked the proofs against his brazen ministers, finally had something in his hand thanks to his son who had been sent away from the Kingdom for the same reason.


    King Armen looked at everyone in the Royal court and everyone heard their king''s loudmanding and threatening voice, "Corruption is considered treason. The guilty ones will get the punishment that is given to the one whomits treason. Not just the minister but his entire family will be banished from the kingdom and sent to an exile to never be able to return. Whoever is involved in any kind of treason will have a simr punishment."


    The ministers who were confident about getting King Armen down by trapping him with his weakness- His third daughter, were all scared inside with this sudden turn of events.


    The first agenda in the royal court ended up favoring the King''s side but there was another one that was ready to create another trouble.


    Darus Count was waiting for it as it was thest resort of his n to get the third Princess out of the Kingdom and please the Queen.


    All the while Queen Niobe was just silent as she was only waiting for thisst thing.


    Lord Eudes picked up another scroll and handed it over to the king. The next item in the agenda was- The Third Princess went out of the pce and harmed the innocent people by colluding with the unknown man red-eyed man.

 Chapter 99: The Red-Eyed Man

    <h4>Chapter 99: The Red-Eyed Man</h4>


    Lord Eudes read the next item in the agenda in front of everyone.


    "The Department of Human Welfare presents the next agenda. It stated that The Third Princess went out of the pce and harmed the innocent people by colluding with the unknown red-eyed man."


    King Armen looked at the ministers from the left as they all had a smirk on their lips. He knew it was another scheme against his daughter, and he was prepared for it. He decided to hear them all at first, and there was no way he would let go of the culprit who had troubled his innocent daughter and even tried to burn her.


    Cian looked at his father, who gave him an assuring re which conveyed everything would be fine. Being away from the capital Cian was not aware of the entire situation, but King Armen had briefly described him about it the previous night as he was sure that this matter might be raised in the next court session.


    With the worry of defending his sister, Cian had another concern, and that was once again, the red-eyed man was associated with his sister, and he knew who that man was.


    The minister of the Department of Human Welfare, Minister Warin, stepped forward to present his case as he bowed to king Armen to ask for permission. "Your Majesty!"


    King Armen nodded lightly, "Proceed!"


    Minister Warin bowed lightly before continuing, "Your majesty, on the day of The Second Princess'' engagement, The Third Princess went out of the pce. Despite being told not to step out of the tower, she disobeyed Your Majesty, King Armen''s decree, and went out. Not just that, but she even had hurt the ordinary and innocent people outside of the pce."


    "Innocent?" Prince Cianmented as he offered a doubtful sight to the minister Warin.


    Not feeling affected by it, Minister Warin nodded, "Yes, Your Highness! The Third Princess even had an unknown red-eyed man with her who also killed an innocent man."


    Minister Warin moved his sight from Cian to King Armen, "Your Majesty, being the minister of the Department of Human Welfare and what responsibility I hold towards the innocent and ordinary subjects of this kingdom, I seek justice for those innocent people whom The Third Princess had harmed."


    King Aman knew where it would lead and waited to check what they held under their sleeves. The red-eyed man the minister had mentioned was the King of Megaris, and it took him by surprise how they rted Seren and Drayce as acquaintances in harming people.


    Minister Warin talked again, "Your Majesty, I wish you to hear everything from those innocent people who are here and know what The Third Princess had done with them. How brutally she treated them."


    Though King Armen and Cian felt angry with it, they couldn''t show it on their faces as everyone had the right to say their part. If things were so easy, they would have beheaded everyone at the very moment.


    Minister Warin looked at the guard, "Bring them."


    Soon after, a bunch of ten men entered the Royal Court as the guards followed them. All of them looked hurt, more like they were burned. Looking at them, anyone could guess The Third Princess must have put them on fire. It was highly possible as Seren had done it even before, and most of the pce people had a bitter experience with it.


    King Armen had ordered his men to catch these people and decided to punish them on his own without even giving them a chance to plead for forgiveness, but the same night, he got the news about Cian''s abduction. The sudden emergency in the kingdom made him push his n forter. Only if it was not enough, what happened with Seren kept him upied to think about the other minor things.


    Those Ten men kneeled in front of the king, and one of them cried out, "Your Majesty, see how badly the third princess has hurt us. Thereby we are here to seek justice for ourselves." He was the same drunk man who dared to stop Seren and even asked his men to remove her clothes in front of everyone.


    Cian stepped forward and looked at Minister Warin, "Minister Warin, care to exin what exactly happened so we can decide who was at fault."


    Minister Warin looked at the injured men and said, "Don''t be afraid and tell everyone what happened that day."


    The man who had talked just a while ago turned his face as much sad as he could while the others with him pretended to look weaker as if they would die soon.


    "Your Highness!" he looked at Cian and lowered his head to bow him as he talked with his head down, "That day, we saw ady who was covering her face with a veil and hat. From the attire, she looked like ady from a noble family. The part of the capital she was wandering into was not for any noble familydy. Thinking she must have lost her way, I thought to talk to her and guide her to the right way. But when I talked to her, she turned angry and put all of us on fire. Then we realized that she was not any nobledy but a witch. Despite being threatened for our lives, we all thought to capture her so that she couldn''t harm others. When we went after her, we saw one red-eyed man taking her with him and hid her in the deserted alley. All of us went there, and a man mercilessly killed one of our subordinates. We didn''t know she was the third princess. If we had known, we wouldn''t dare bother her"


    Prince Cian gazed at those men and asked coldly. "So you all didn''t know she was the third princess even after she burned you."


    "No, Your highness," they said in unison.


    Cian walked in front of them from left to right as he continued to say, "How many so-called witches do we have in the kingdom who have the ability to burn someone upon turning angry?"


    This question startled the men, but one of them answered, "If there is one, then there can be more, Your Highness."


    Cian continued to walk, which had started to scare those men, "In all these years, has anyone evere across them?"


    "No, Your Highness?" they said in unison again, in their crying and pleading voices.


    "Then, are you sure you didn''t know who she was even after she put all of you on fire?" Cian stopped walking as he stood exactly opposite to those men, facing them intently, "Tales about her burning people, when she is angry, are famous in the entire kingdom, aren''t they?"


    "Y-Your Highness, we were so scared to even think about it. We thought she was a witch, and we needed to capture her to protect everyone."


    "Are you sure?" Cian asked again, his sapphire blue eyes looking scarier with every passing moment.


    "Y-yes, Your Highness," none of them dared to look at him.


    "Forget about what you thought but let me clear one thing to you, The Third Princess doesn''t have the habit of burning lowly creatures without any reason. I am sure there must be a strong reason that she had to do it."


    All of those men gulped as they looked at each other as if saying they were doomed if the truth came out.


    "I want the truth," Cian ordered loudly, and the entire Royal court heard him loud and clear.


    "W-What we had told earlier is the truth," the other man insisted, siding with those who had talked previously.


    "There won''t be another chance," Cian warned with his intimidating gaze as his hand, which already held the handle of the sword, gripped it tightly.


    Feeling scared, one man immediately lowered his head and said, "This is the truth, your highness."


    To stop Cian from intimidating those men and getting the truth out from them, Minister Warin said to interrupt him, "I think the third princess came out of the pce to meet that red-eyed man, but because of these people, she got caught. This must be the reason why she turned angry and harmed them."


    "Red-eyed man?" Cian said, even though he knew who they were talking about.


    "Prince Cian, we all know there is only one man with a pair of red eyes, The King of Megaris, King Drayce. I wonder if something is going on between the third Princess and the King of Megaris��.."


    "Minister Warin!" Cian interrupted and warned him loudly, "Watch what you talk about, The Third Princess of this Kingdom."


    Not just Cian but King Armen had turned furious too. ''How dare he?''


    Minister Warin immediately bowed to both the royals, "Apology, Your Majesty! Apology, Your Highness!" Just as they thought this minister would say no more, he spoke again, "Apology if my words offend his majesty but if we seek for the truth and the justice, then we should consider and talk about all the aspects. Being the third Princess of this Kingdom doesn''t give her the privilege to hide the truth. We need to reach the root cause of this incident."


    King Armen and Prince Cian couldn''t stop him from saying his side, and they could only bear with what woulde next.


    Darus Count looked at the queen, who looked neutral, but she couldn''t hide that light smirk on her lips.


    Just then, the guard announced. The king of Megaris, His Majesty King Drayce! The Crown Prince of Griven, His Highness Prince An are entering the royal court."


    Everyone turned to look at the door of the royal court as if suddenly the atmosphere had turned still and something pulled them to look at the two Royal men who had just entered the Royal Court.

 Chapter 100: Truth!

    <h4>Chapter 100: Truth!</h4>


    Everyone witnessed the tall royal looking man wearing ck clothes with the delicate embroidery of gold and red threads, which signature the royalty of Megaris. His face with well carved sharp features looked cold; his red eyes darted in front, not sparing a nce to anyone. Half of his elbow-length jet ck hair was secured at the back of his head with the gold essory. His one hand rested at the sword hung to the left side of his waist as he walked towards the throne to greet the King of Abetha. Though he was calm, one could see the dark and intimidating aura he carried to make everyone vary of him.


    An walked with him to greet the King of Abetha. These were the two royals from other Kingdoms who yed an important part in rescuing the Crown Prince of Abetha, and by now, everyone had heard and understood what they were capable of.


    They stopped at a certain distance away from the throne. Drayce greeted King Armen with a slight nod while An bowed, "Your Majesty!"


    King Armen epted their greetings, "The Royal Court of Abetha wees King Drayce and Crown Prince An."


    "We look forward to how the Royal Court Of Abetha works," An said.


    "I believe it wouldn''t disappoint Price An and King Drayce," said King Armen.


    Drayce nodded lightly and turned to look at Prince Cian, who stood in front of the group of ten men, kneeling on the floor in the center of Royal court.


    The two royals greeted each other with a slight nod. Drayce looked at those ten men as he stepped towards them and stood beside Cian. An chose to be a bystander, more like he was ready to get some entertainment with morons trying to fool his smart friends.


    "My sensitive ears just caught that someone had blessed this Royal Court of Abetha by mentioning the name of King of Megaris." Drayce''s voice was cold and dominating as he red at those injured and so-called fake victims.


    When Drayce entered the royal court and greeted King Armen, these men recognized him immediately and lowered their heads to hide themselves. They were not aware that the red-eyed man they had mentioned in their defense statement would turn out to be the King of Megaris Kingdom. Neither the minister Warin had informed them.


    Drayce was already intimidating and scary enough as they remembered him from the day when he beheaded their friend without hesitating for even a moment as if it was nothing for him. Now, getting to know who he was for real and remembering the rumors of his cruelty and being the son of the devil, they were sure they had dug their graves.


    The minister Warin bowed to Drayce and spoke, "d to have you here, Your Majesty! ept the greetings from Head of the Department of Human welfare, Minister Odo Warin."


    Drayce didn''t react except for looking at the minister calmly.


    Minister Warin continued, "There is an incident that concerns Your Majesty''s presence, and we all wish to know the truth."


    The minister waited for Drayce to ask what kind of the truth, but Drayce was just standing looking at him unaffectedly.


    "Well, let me exin the entire incident," said the minister, feeling not so confident under that intimidating gaze from the pair of red eyes.


    "A few days back, The Third Princess Seren and Your Majesty, King Of Megaris have caused harm to innocent people in the marketce." He said and pointed towards those kneeling injured men, "There are the victims here, and they seek for justice."


    "Victims?" Drayce let out a deep sigh, and he took a step closer to those men, "We love ying victims, don''t we?"


    Subconsciously those men shrank back. Drayce smirked and looked at Minister Warin, "Care to exin how these people turned into victims instead of assants."


    It startled the minister. Instead of asking what incident, Drayce had directly used those victims as assants.


    Minister Warin exined, "ording to their statement, they hade across The Third Princess, Princess Seren, and tried to help her, but she got angry and put them all on fire with her powers. Later one red-eyed man dragged her with him. Not knowing the true identity of a maiden, they thought she was a Witch and tried to catch her, but then the same red-eyed man stopped them and even beheaded their subordinate."


    Minister Warin waited for Drayce to react, but he was still the same as Minister Warin''s exnation meant nothing to him.


    "And we all know, only King of Megaris, King Drayce, is blessed to have red eyes. Being a king, only he can dare to drag away the princess or rather try to protect her after whatmotion she had created by hurting the innocent people."


    "Innocent people?" That is what Drayce said and disregarded what Minister Warin had said till now.


    It was frustrating for the minister how this young king acted like his using words fell on deaf ears and held no value. He couldn''t stop himself and asked that he should not. "Is there something going on between King Drayce and Princess Seren?"


    Drayce again ignored the minister, stepped towards those men, "You get one more chance, to tell the truth," and pulled his sword out of his scabbard.


    Still, there was no reply from those men who didn''t expect this King to act recklessly in the Royal Court of their Kingdom.


    Thud!


    Ahh!


    The next moment the sword pierced through one man''s palm, whose hands rested on the ground to keep bowing down.


    The man whined in pain. He was the same man who first caught Seren and had his dirty intentions towards her.


    "Reminded me of those pair of filthy hands that touched The Third Princess," Draycemented coldly as if he wished to chop those hands, but it was not the right time to do so. To prove Seren innocent, hearing the truth from those men was necessary, and for that, keeping them alive was important, or he would have killed them the moment he saw them.


    "Is this enough, or should I refresh all of your memories by beheading someone among you again?" Drayce asked.


    Darus count signaled Minister Warin to take control before the King Of Megaris would ruin their n.


    "Your majesty, King Drayce, though we are grateful for your help in rescuing our Crown Prince, it doesn''t give you authority to harm the innocent people of this kingdom and that too in their Royal Court. It''s a disrespect to our Kingdom and its people." He then looked at King Armen, "Your Majesty."


    King Armen nodded lightly to his minister''s pleading and spoke, "King Drayce, I believe your actions will lead us to know the entire truth."


    This shocked Minister Warin and his alleys. The king of Abetha himself approved the outsider tomit violence in his Royal court.


    Drayce pulled the sword out of that man''s palm andmented, replying to King Armen, "Seems like the truth will be buried with the few more deaths here."


    Just as Drayce raised his sword again, those men felt scared to their bones and looked at Drayce, who red at him. He looked like a devil who was just waiting to use his sword on them.


    "Y-your Majesty, forgive us," said the same hurt man, and everyone followed him.


    "Truth!" Drayce said in hismanding voice, which was enough to make them open their mouths.


    The hurt man, who was the first one to spot Seren before that incident, spoke up, "I saw a noblewoman in brothel area and thought to have some fun with her��" the man stopped as he trembled, knowing what he said will lead him to brutal death and started to pleading to king Armen. "Your Majesty, forgive us. We were at fault."


    Cian stepped forward, intending to kill them, but just then, he heard his father, "We all wish to know what happened that day, so continue."


    The man shook his head as he started crying, "Forgive us, Your Majesty."


    "Let me enlighten everyone about what happened that day," Drayce spoke, and everyone turned alert to hear it.


    "One imprisoned Princess was out in the unknown world who had lost her way only to stumble upon the filthy creatures who had bad intentions towards her. When she rejected their advances, they tried to molest her in front of everyone, which turned her angry. She had no other option but to use her powers to protect herself." Drayce stopped and then looked at the man, "Am I right?"


    The man and his subordinates nodded with their heads lowered.


    Cian came forward, "When you try to capture her, you knew who she was."


    The man and others with him nodded as they said in unison as they cried, "Forgive us, Your Highness. We were just scared of the witch and wanted to get rid of her for this Kingdom''s sake."


    Cian was not just angry but also frustrated with how they called his sister witch again and again. Not just these people but the entire kingdom thought of her the same, and there was no way to change their thinking. Even if he killed these men here, it wouldn''t change anything for Seren.


    Just then, Minister Warin spoke again, "Your Majesty, though these people are at fault, we can''t ignore the fact that the person from the other Kingdom had hurt our people. It''s not eptable." Minister Warin knew he had lost, but he couldn''t let go of this brazen young king so easily.


    "King Drayce was trying to protect The Third Princess," Cian countered the minister.


    "Being outsider, he should have waited for royal guards instead of mercilessly killing our people. He has no rtionship with our kingdom other than just being a guest. Is this how we are protecting the human rights of our people."


    "Human rights?" Drayce repeated. "Seems like these rights are limited only to filthy men but not to the women of this kingdom."


    "We Protect everyone''s rights here, but we don''t allow outsiders to hurt our people," Minister Warin replied.


    "Outsider!" Drayce repeated and red at the minister, "If not outsider, was I allowed to punish them?"


    "Yes," The minister agreed and nodded, "Prince Cian can punish them but not King Drayce."


    The next moment Drayce''s sword, which didn''t return to his scabbard yet, beheaded the man whose hand he had already hurt by piercing the sword.


    The uproar could be seen in the entire Royal Court as everyone looked at Drayce in disbelief. Minister Warin was the most shocked person.


    An smiled while Cain was d to see it. King Armen didn''t react as he was just calm.


    The next moment, everyone heard something more shocking than Drayce beheading that man.


    "The one who dares even toy an eye on the Queen of Megaris, deserves to die."

 Chapter 101: Cause Of Celebration

    <h4>Chapter 101: Cause Of Celebration</h4>


    "Anyone who dares to even think of harming the Queen of Megaris deserves to die."


    Hearing these words, the entire royal court turned chaotic. It was shocking news for both the royals and nobles in attendance.


    Even Cian, who had been fine with Drayce''s every bold word and action in the royal court of his kingdom till now, was frozen in his spot in pure disbelief. He turned his shocked gaze towards his father, King Armen, who remained seated on his throne calmly.


    In fact, King Armen was as bewildered as everyone else, although he hid it quite well. He was even a little angry, as he was sure he didn''t approve of Drayce''s demanding his daughter''s hand in marriage.


    How could he dere it in front of his people without his consent?


    If King Armen were to deny the young king''s im at this very moment, then it would put his daughter''s dignity in question. Confirming it would resolve many issues, not to forget it would be a good answer to the ministers'' questions about what was going on between Drayce and Seren, as he even beheaded a man in public to protect her. It was also believable, as everyone was aware that Drayce was the one who rescued Seren from the tower.


    As it was, King Armen himself could do nothing more to save her. If he were to remain stubborn against Drayce,? the kingdom and his subjects would continue to have doubts that he could never answer.


    Not only King Armen, but Cian as well was troubled with the many questions raised in his mind.


    ''Is this what King Drayce asked in return for helping Abetha? Did my father already agree to this demand? How can it be? How can my father agree to it? And why didn''t he tell me that day when I questioned him regarding what King Drayce had asked for? My sister, in exchange for rescuing me? Audacious! No, I can''t let this happen!''


    Amidst the uproar, An was the only person who was enjoying all this, looking around as if ready to get his fair share of entertainment. "Ahh! Finally, he did it. What a great start to this joyful day!"


    After announcing the shocking news, Drayce no longer bothered with the crowd''s noise and stepped closer to Minister Warin, holding his blood-dripping sword to one side and ring at him with hostility.


    "Is this rtionship with the Kingdom of Abetha enough to tear up the foul mouths that talk ill of the Queen of Megaris?"


    At this moment, Drayce looked dangerous, as if he wouldn''t mind ughtering anyone in sight, not even sparing the ministers of the Royal Court. Even though he was standing among the royals and nobles from another kingdom, surrounded by their forces in the middle of the pce, the King of Megaris looked absolutely fearless.


    Under the intimidating and threatening gaze of his red irises, Minister Warin felt like his soul was about to leave his body, and he turned mute as if no word could make its way out of his throat. Under that vicious gaze, not only Minister Warin but also the other ministers present there could only step back and be a bystander.


    Two of those in attendance who were shocked at first then got back to their senses, only to feel happy about the situation. Minister Darus Count looked at the Queen, who still maintained a neutral face even though he knew she felt pleased by the sudden turn of events. Although things didn''t go exactly how they initially wanted, the oue was satisfying.


    Finally, that witch would be out of this kingdom and their lives.


    Queen Niobe looked at Drayce with a mocking gaze as her eyes glittered with something else she had in mind, and it would happen without any failure. It seemed like sending Seren away was not the only thing she had in mind.


    Darus Count immediately bowed towards Drayce as he didn''t wish to let go of this opportunity to get their n to the desired end.


    "Your Majesty, King Drayce, I seek to apologize for our words that must have offended you. We humbly seek to be forgiven for our misunderstanding the situation regarding Her Highness the Third Princess. As loyal subjects of our kingdom, we all are happy after hearing what King Drayce had said. We all look forward to strengthening the rtionship between Abetha and Megaris."


    Completing his part of speech, Darus Count looked at Drayce, but there was not a tinge of change in Drayce''s expression, as if the minister''s words didn''t hold any value to him.


    Darus Count spoke again, "Thesemoners who have offended King Drayce and the future queen of Megaris with their lies and foul words, our kingdom will make sure to punish them."


    Drayce red at Darus Count, and his sight swept across the row of ministers standing behind him. "Onlymoners? I see lots of foul mouths in my line of sight."


    Darus Count was taken aback. This young king was not easy to please. He was mocking the entire royal court of Abetha, not with just his actions but his words too. He caught sight of King Armen''s expression, but it seemed their king would not reprimand King Drayce as he, too shared simr thoughts.


    Minister Warin, who felt he had unknowingly dug his grave today, immediately bowed to King Drayce, understanding that with this new situation, he could be charged with nder and treason against the royal family.


    "King Drayce, I beg your forgiveness for all our thoughtless words. Our ignorance has caused a minor misunderstanding," he said, trying to downy his earlier attack to a mere misunderstanding. "If we had known about the marriage arrangement between King Drayce and the Third Princess, this would not have happened."


    Not only him, the other ministers in the court who knew that their case was lost bowed to Drayce at a ny-degree to apologize to him.


    One old minister stepped forward and happily looked at King Armen, who had been sitting on the throne, calmly observing the entire scenario unfold before him without saying a word. "Your Majesty, this is a cause for celebration! We all appreciate Your Majesty''s decision that will aid the betterment of the Kingdom of Abetha. May we ask if there is already a set date for the engagement ceremony?"


    With this, the entire Royal Court, regardless if they belong to the royal faction or the aristocratic party, bowed towards King Armen, singing praises and appreciating this great decision of having a political marriage with a powerful kingdom like Megaris. Of course, the opposing side had other intentions to celebrate which was- sessfully sending the witch out of their kingdom.


    The old minister then looked at Drayce and continued to cheer, "The Kingdom of Abetha is fortunate to have the Kingdom of Megaris as our ally and to have such a glorious young king favor a princess of this kingdom."


    King Armen remained silent, neither agreeing nor denying anything, while Cian had no other option but to wait to talk to his father regarding this matter. This matter took a political turn that concerned two kingdoms, so they couldn''t act recklessly, nor could they offend the King of Megaris, who sided with the Third Princess and protected her from false allegations.


    Drayce turned to look at King Armen and said, "Regarding the matter of engagement and wedding, these are matters I will still need to talk with King Armen. Of course, the sooner, the better. I look forward to taking the Queen of Megaris to the ce where she truly belongs as soon as possible. The people of Megaris would be excited to wee their Queen."


    King Armen nodded lightly in response to what Drayce said, but his heart was not at peace at all thinking about his daughter.


    With the nod that showed the tacit approval of King Armen, the entire royal court cheered.


    "Your Majesty King Armen is indeed a wise king!"


    "What a joyful union! Our princess will be the Queen of Megaris!"


    On the other hand, King Armen could only hide his true feelings. How could he openly oppose this powerful king in front of everyone and disrespect him? Moreover, the entire royal court fully supported this decision.


    If he were to deny it now, it would only end in bringing the wrath of this young king on Abetha, and the entire royal court would oppose the authority of the king.


    He was a king, first a father of his kingdom andter a father of his daughter.


    Also, if he disregarded Drayce''s im, it would only end up putting Seren into more trouble. Without Drayce''s help this time, King Armen would not have been able to save his daughter from getting banished from this kingdom after how they tried to malign her character.


    With King Armen''s power alone, though he might find a way to keep Seren safe temporarily today, the opposing faction would only get another way to make her life difficult in the future. The aristocratic faction of the royal court, which always looked out to bring the authority of their king down, would leave no efforts in turning the entire kingdom against him.

 Chapter 102: Bold Words

    <h4>Chapter 102: Bold Words</h4>


    Cian was not happy with the situation but could do nothing at the moment, just like his father. The more excited those in the royal court became, the graver was his expression.


    An went to Cian and stood beside him. Amidst the cheerful voices filling the entire royal court, he assured Cian, "Your sister will be fine."


    Cian didn''t respond to An''s words and heard him say again, "I can assure you that for your sister, this one devil is far better than these humans around you. You should understand it by now."


    An''s words somehow worked on Cian''s muddled and chaotic brain as he turned his gaze towards Drayce, who had just put his blood-covered sword inside its scabbard. He could not help but remember the past few days, this young king''s strange protective behavior towards his sister.


    As if sensing his gaze, Drayce, too, looked at Cian, and their eyes met. The confident young king with a cold face covered the distance between them and stood facing the frowning crown prince.


    "I would trust Prince Cian to bless those lowlives with the punishment they deserve," Draycemented with a low voice.


    Cian looked at those terrified criminals kneeling and crying on the ground while looking at the dead body of theirpanion. They had seen a glimpse of their future; after all, a crime against the royal family was nothing short of death.


    Cian gritted his teeth as he remembered what Drayce said about what those lowlives did with his sister, and sudden anger swept over his brain. ''They dared touch my sister, tried to kill her, and even talked ill of her.''


    "Rest assured, King Drayce," Cian spoke as he called for his personal knight, "Eliot!"


    With this loud call, the noise within the royal court finally calmed, and the ministers looked at Cian. Sir Eliot hurried towards him and bowed. "Your orders, Your Highness?"


    "Take them to apany those traitors," Cian ordered coldly.


    Those traitors who betrayed Abetha and coordinated with the enemies in his abduction were currently imprisoned in the torture chambers. It would be befitting to throw these lowlives there until they confess everything they know.


    Sir Eliot turned towards those kneeling men as the other knights joined their captain to take them away.


    Knowing that it was torture and the death penalty awaiting them, the silent cries of those men turned into loud wails as they kowtowed on the floor. "Your Highness, forgive us! Please forgive us! Your Highness, we were wrong! Have mercy on us!"


    There was no reaction from Cian as he could only feel disgusted and angry towards them. The knights pulled those men to leave the hall.


    While getting dragged out, they pleaded to King Armen. The man who seemed to be their leader no longer kept his silence. "Your Majesty, forgive us! We were only following orders! They said if we lie, we can save our lives, and they will reward us for helping to get the witch out of this kingdom��"


    "Stop!" Cian ordered the knights and approached those men.


    Minister Darus and Minister Warin looked at each other with pale faces, fearing that these loose-lipped men would expose their identities.


    Darus Count bowed towards King Armen. "Your Majesty, those men are not trustworthy, and we should not trust any of the words said by them."


    Before King Armen could say a word of response, Cian walked past Darus Count, ignoring his protest, and went towards the sobbing leader. "Who was the one who ordered you?"


    "Minister Warin! It''s Minister Warin! He said, no, he promised us wealth, and even if we were imprisoned, he would save us if we lied!" the man replied in a hurry to save his own life.


    Minister Warin cried out towards his king as if he was wronged, "Your Majesty, we should not trust their words. They are lying!"


    Again, there was chaos within the royal court. The Minister from the Left, as well as those in his faction, had turned silent, while the ones who supported the King found the chance to mock this minister.


    "How can he plot against the princess of this kingdom?"


    "He even tried to malign the Third Princess''s character."


    "Is he the one who plotted to scare the Third Princess, that evil mastermind of what happened in the tower?"


    In his panic, the sweating Minister Warin looked towards the other ministers for help. However, those in the aristocratic faction pretended not to see his pleading gaze, afraid that they would be pulled alongside him for nder and treason against the royal family.


    Darus Count finally opened his mouth to beg, "Your Majesty��"


    "Minister of the Royal Investigation Bureau, Minister Canmore!" King Armen called out, interrupting Darus Count. It showed he was not in a mood to hear anything more.


    The trustworthy minister, Osbert Canmore, stepped forward. "I await your orders, Your Majesty!"


    "Arrest Minister Warin and find out everyone else who is involved in this," King Armen ordered.


    Minister Warin understood he had no other way but to obey the King, and there was no use of pleading. Darus Count assured him with his gaze to not worry, and Minister Warin had no other choice but to believe him.


    Minister Canmore instructed the royal guards, and they took away Minister Warin along with the men who framed the Third Princess.


    In just a single court session, two ministers from the Royal Court were found guilty and were arrested.


    Once the guilty were arrested, the atmosphere within the Royal Court had turned heavy and somber, as most of the ministers were shocked with the sudden turn of events. Two high nobles were found guilty and detained in a blink of an eye; it was a powerful show of the authority of the royal family.


    King Armen looked at Lord Eudes, and despite theck of words, the advisor understood what his King meant. Lord Eudes stepped forward as he looked at the rest of the ministers. "For today''s council meeting, all the agendas have been cleared. We are now putting this royal court session to an end. Dismissed!"


    "Your Majesty, please wait!" Darus Count took advantage of thepse before King Armen exited the hall and bowed to the king before he continued talking, "Your Majesty, on behalf of everyone, we would like to know when we can expect the wedding between the Third Princess and King Drayce." He pulled out a wide smile and looked at the other ministers standing in the court, "I believe you wish to know the same."


    Everyone agreed to it and said in unison, "Yes, Your Majesty, we all wished to know it."


    Darus Count continued, "It is a fortunate thing for our kingdom to have a strong rtionship with a powerful kingdom like Megaris, and we all wish it to happen as soon as possible. After all, the uproar in the capital and what everyone had gone through, the series of unfortunate incidents that had kept the people of our kingdom in fear and trepidation, this union would be a worthwhile cause of celebration to soothe the people''s minds and hearts."


    Despite the minister''s seemingly honeyed words, King Armen remained impassive.


    "As you are probably well informed, Princess Seren is not keeping well with her health. This is a concern we can decideter once she is better. Besides, the matter of her engagement has yet to be decided. Talks of marriage are still too soon."


    King Armen''s reply left no room for consideration, and Darus Count finally stepped back as he could no longer insist on the issue.


    However, King Armen''s relief was short-lived. Just as he thought it was over, Drayce spoke out loud to address the issue.


    "As soon as she is well enough to travel, we will arrange the wedding at once as I have to leave for Megaris, and I don''t wish to return to my kingdom without my queen."


    King Armen was dumbfounded, and he red at Drayce, who didn''t look like he would back down. This young king took the decision regarding his daughter''s life on his own and was not sparing him any chance to get back at him with logical reasoning.


    With a shaky breath, King Armen tried to calm himself. "King of Megaris," he stated with a t tone, as if he was about to lose civility any moment now, "I understand you would want to return to your kingdom at once as it''s not good for a king to stay away from his kingdom that long. But a wedding at such short notice is not possible.


    "I also understand King Armen''s attachment to his daughter, and he must want to prepare the best wedding for his daughter, but I believe if King Armen truly puts his heart on it, he can arrange everything for his daughter in just a blink of an eye."


    "This is not the main concern!" King Armen''s eyes red in anger, but he kept his tone civil, especially since they were being watched by both royals and nobles alike. "In Abetha, we don''t marry girls till they are eighteen. Seren is just seventeen, and it would not be appropriate to marry her off. It is more proper to have her engaged with you until after hering-of-age ceremony."


    His words didn''t affect Drayce''s determination as he responded, "If that is what worries you, then I will give you my word that we won''t consummate our marriage till she turns eighteen."


    The straightforward and bold reply from the young king made the entire royal court feel at a loss for words.

 Chapter 103: I Will Protect Her

    <h4>Chapter 103: I Will Protect Her</h4>


    King Armen looked at Drayce in disbelief, and a strange silence weighed down the atmosphere within the hall. The others present could only silently watch these two monarchs, who looked like neither would be backing down anytime soon.


    Finally, Cian interrupted the staredown, "King Drayce, no one here is ungrateful for the help you''ve given Abetha, and I, as one of the recipients of your grace, especially appreciate the assistance you have given my kingdom. However, I will share my honest thoughts as a family member who wishes the best for his sick sister. Even if you have reached an agreement with my father about a political union between Abetha and Megaris, it won''t be possible to marry her off now when she is not well and even not ready to face the outside world. This sudden marriage and forcing her to go to another kingdom might negatively affect her situation. As strangers��"


    "Strangers?" Drayce scoffed. "What an interesting choice of word when her own people are no more than strangers to her."


    Drayce swept his gaze across the royal court, and everyone understood he was mocking them all. Despite being a princess of the direct royal lineage, Seren was never treated as one.


    "How can you say that? We are her own family��"


    Drayce looked at Cian before looking at King Armen as if to drive a point. "When she woke up, did she even recognize her own father and brother? Who did she trust the most?" Drayce countered, causing the outsiders who were hearing it for the first time to whisper among each other. "She trusted an animal, a bird, which is not even a native of Abetha."


    Cian was unable to refute as it was the truth. As a proud prince, he was normally aggressive, even on par with Drayce, but when it came to his sister, he would be emotional inside, which turned into his weakness. Even at this very moment, the fact that he was not able to do anything for his sister made him feel guilty. He didn''t want her to be taken away just like this...


    With a shaky breath, King Armen finally managed to calm himself down. He needed to have a rational talk with this young king, but not like this, where the entire royal court was spectating at their exchange like it was some entertainment.


    "King Drayce, as this issue concerns my daughter, I would like to have a private word with you in my study."


    Drayce nodded lightly, silently agreeing to it.


    Finally, the royal court session came to an end, and everyone was dismissed after King Armen left.


    All the ministers were curious to know how King Armen would decide on this marriage alliance. Through his choice of words, they could all feel that King Armen was unwilling, but the stance Megaris was taking was not even a mere proposal or engagement, but an actual marriage before their young king travels back to his kingdom.


    The daughter he had protected for all these years although she was a witch, what would King Armen decide for her future?


    --------


    Despite his reluctance, Cian guided the way for Drayce towards the King''s study as King Armen along with his advisor had already left them behind.


    Cian looked restless, and An put his hand on his shoulder, "I told you to trust him."


    Cain said nothing as if he did not hear anything. In fact, he looked tense, thinking about what his father would say to Drayce.


    His gut feeling was telling him things would end up favoring Drayce. The determination he saw in Drayce''s eyes was real, and as a man, he could see through the young king''s intent that he would not give up.


    Being a king of a powerful kingdom, things were already leaning in his favor.


    In fact, if emotions were to be put aside, in the eyes of the nobles andmon people, having a marriage alliance with Megaris would bring nothing but peace and prosperity to Abetha. Aside from her age and herck of consent, there was no real reason to refuse. Seren was not the crown princess and would not inherit the throne. She wouldn''t be ying any major role in politics or business within the kingdom.


    In the future, after she came of age like Giselle and Meira, she would also probably be married off to either a son of high nobility or to a royal from another kingdom.


    Would a union with this infamous devil make his sister''s life better, or would it end up sending her to another hell?


    -----


    When they reached the King''s study, Lord Eudes ushered Drayce to enter the room by himself. Knowing that they would be talking about private matters, An soon excused himself, leaving Cian and Lord Eudes to wait outside the door.


    Inside the study, King Armen gestured for Drayce to have a seat. There was tea and snacks prepared on the table, but neither of them were paying attention.


    Drayce waited for King Armen to initiate the talk.


    "King Drayce," the older king started, "I appreciate all the help we received from your Kingdom of Megaris, so as a gesture of friendship, I wish to be frank with you. What you have asked for is not possible."


    The first time Drayce asked for Seren''s hand in marriage, King Armen did not say no directly. It was easy for Drayce to guess that he was buying time till Seren gets better, andter, he will find a reason to refuse Drayce''s proposal. That''s why Drayce had to bring that matter in front of the royal court, where he knew the nobles, who only thought of benefits, would agree to it, and King Armen would find it difficult to openly decline since the matter was already out in public.


    Things happened exactly as expected.


    The royal court did intend to send Seren out of this kingdom, so they put pressure on King Armen in the name of the new alliance with Megaris. The witch would be gone, and the kingdom would get Megaris as their ally��both things were beneficial for their interests.


    "May I know the reason?" Drayce asked.


    King Armen calmly stared at Drayce, as if to convey he would stop at nothing to convince Drayce to give up on his demand.


    "King Drayce, I have already mentioned the matter of my daughter''s health and her age, so I will not be repeating those anymore. Let us talk about this decision as fellow rulers. From Megaris''s perspective, the people might find it hard to ept her as a queen, given the rumors about her. It is not a secret that my daughter is not an ordinary person, and her identity will end up troubling her. Imagine how hard it is for her here in her own kingdom; what more in a faraway ce where she has neither family nor friends? It will surely create trouble for King Drayce''s authority as a king."


    Drayce smiled at the first thing King Armen pointed out to convince him. His authority as a king? With his reputation, would anyone even dare to challenge it in Megaris? Not to mention his enemies, even his own people, were scared at only the sight of their Devil King.


    "I am d to see how thoughtful King Armen is towards my authority as a king but rest assured. If they can ept one devil as their king, then one witch as their queen is not a big deal. Those who oppose it, I always have my way to deal with them." As if to drive his point, Drayce tightened his grip on the sword.


    King Arman sighed, seeing how stubborn this king was. Finally, he decided toe to a much more sensitive issue.


    "As King Drayce himself is special, you can understand the circumstances of my daughter." King hesitated for a bit, unsure about how much he should be telling this man regarding Seren''s secrets. "That tower is the safest ce for her if I want to protect her. Sending her away will put her in danger."


    Drayce sneered. "So to protect her, King Armen imprisoned an innocent girl in a tower, which is as good as living like a dead person. Won''t it be better to let her live free and die early?"


    Guilt could be seen in King Armen''s face, but there was also helplessness and anger mixed in his stern tone. "It''s not about just protecting her. If I fail to protect her, it will bring chaos not only in our kingdom but the entire continent. She is not an ordinary person, and I am afraid I can''t exin it to King Drayce. I can only say, to protect her and everyone, I have to keep her here."


    "From whom?"


    "Those who we can''t see. The powerful and supernatural beings."


    With a grim expression, Drayce nodded. Although King Armen did not say much, his own experience allowed him to see lots of things normal people would have found unimaginable. He had reason to trust king Armen''s words.


    "Then, given my identity and my ability, doesn''t King Armen think I would be a better protection for her?" Drayce asked.


    At first, King Armen looked at Drayce with a confused expression, but then understood. Drayce was not an ordinary human too.


    Drayce continued, "I will give you my word that she won''t be a prisoner in my kingdom. She will live the way she wants and no harm will befall her because I will protect her."


    The determination and sincerity of his deration seemed to have moved King Armen. The older king closed his eyes, saying nothing.


    After a minute or so, King Armen finally opened his mouth.


    "I will need some more time to think about it."


    Drayce nodded. He was sure the end would be what he wanted.

 Chapter 104: Advice

    <h4>Chapter 104: Advice</h4>


    Once Drayce left King Armen''s chamber, Cian went to see his father.


    Cian did not even bother with the pleasantries."Father, what did the King of Megaris say?"


    King Armen had a weary expression on his face, as if his conversation with Drayce hadpletely taken out his energy. "Doesn''t look like he will back down."


    Cian paused for a while and said, "I wonder why he suddenly wants to marry Seren in such a rush when he had never even seen her. Is he scheming something?"


    King Armen sighed. "I am afraid the real reason is nothing fancy. He is known to go after anything that is forbidden and picks up his interest. He had probably heard stories of the infamous cursed princess who had been hidden from the world and wished to get her because she''s different."


    "Then the more we can''t let such a tyrant get her!" Cian frowned. "What if he gets bored of her as soon as his interest passes? Won''t Seren suffer more than she''s suffering now?" He then sat on the chair in front of his father. "When will Father tell me why we have to keep her hidden? Why can''t we let her live like other princesses?"


    King Armen was expecting this from his son. After all, his son had matured in many ways, and he could not bear being kept in the dark.


    "You know she is not normal like us. You have seen what she can do."


    "I know, but it only happens when someone provokes her and troubles her."


    "It''s not the only thing," King Armen said as he let out a deep sigh, not knowing how to begin exining the truth to his son.


    "I want to know everything."


    "It''s�� Seren, she��"


    King Armen stared at the empty space in front of him, struggling to find the best words to exin her situation.


    "Son, there are things in this world that are beyond what we mere humans know. Things we shouldn''t be part of, where even being a ruler of a kingdom is meaningless. But your sister is different. She holds the power that can control the entire world as we know it, but she''s young and vulnerable. If she falls into those people''s hands, those wicked people who I am hiding her from, she would be in great danger. We can only protect her by hiding her."


    His father''s words were beyond the scope of Cian''s understanding. However, looking at his father''s serious expression, Cian had no choice but to believe.


    "What do you mean? And who are those people?"


    "Those who wanted to harm her and her mother. Her mother is not an ordinary person either," King Armen exined.


    Cian''s mind was filled with many questions. He wanted to know how his father and Seren''s mother met. He wanted to confirm if she was indeed a witch. He wanted to ask why she wasn''t here protecting her child alongside his father.


    His father''s exnation was equally unbelievable and overwhelming.


    "Things are beyond our understanding, and even if we try, it is useless since these are things we cannot control," King Armen added.


    Cian gritted his teeth. "Then, why does she have to wear that veil? What does that have to do with anything? I understand not showing her face to outsiders, but why can''t even her own family see her appearance?"


    "It''s to protect her. This is all I can tell you. We can never take that veil off of her face."


    This answer again. It was the same answer he got back then.


    Just then, there was a knock on the door of the study. Lord Eudes entered the study and informed his king, "Apologies for interrupting your conversation with the Crown Prince, Your Majesty. I am here to report that the Prince of Griven, Prince An, seeks an audience with you. Should I make him wait?"


    "Send him in," King Armen approved, and the two turned silent, both deep in their own thoughts. Though the father and son were discussing an important thing, it would be impolite to send An back.


    Soon after, An entered the study and politely greeted King Armen, "Greetings, Your Majesty King Armen and Your Highness Prince Cian!"


    King Armen gestured for An to have a seat.


    An sat on the chair left to King Armen and opposite to Cian.


    "How can I help Prince An?" King Armen asked.


    "As an ally and future inw with the Royal Family of Ilven, I am here to advise King Armen in making a decision rted to both the kingdoms of Abetha and Megaris."


    Today, An was the total opposite of his usual yful self, when he was either poking fun at Drayce or being casual with Cian. He looked like a royal delegate from another kingdom, sitting to discuss proper diplomatic matters between their kingdoms.


    "I hope Prince An is not here to take his friend''s side and suggest us to approve his outrageous demand," Cian said with a frown.


    An smiled lightly. "If it were that easy, I wouldn''t be here."


    "I would like to hear what Prince An has in mind," King Armen interrupted the two before their exchange escted to something worse. He was sure there must be something really important that An even requested a private audience himself.


    An nodded lightly and spoke, "Have King Armen, and Prince Cian thought about Thevailes'' next move after they got defeated so badly?"


    King Armen and Cian both understood what An meant to say. Though they were busy with other affairs, they didn''t forget about the war, especially Cian. After returning to Abetha and looking after his sister, he spent the rest of his time dealing with the things rted to his kingdom.


    "They only requested a peace treaty with Megaris, but not Abetha. We can expect their next attack soon," Cian said with a dangerous gleam in his eyes, "and we are already preparing for it."


    "May I know how?" An asked.


    "We are trying to recover the loss from this war first. Our generals are preparing our forces to be ready for any kind of situation," Cian replied. "From thetest report we received, we have decided to build up our marine force."


    Hearing this, An understood that Abetha was already aware of the secret movements Thevailes had undertaken against Abetha.


    "Good to know Prince Cian has taken measures against their strategy, but is it really possible to defeat? Thevailes alone?" An asked.


    Cian gave An a cold re. "What is Prince An insinuating? Will Griven abandon an ally in need?"


    "You misunderstand," An said as he shook his head. "Indeed, my younger brother is to be wedded to the Second Princess of Abetha. But the army he could mobilize, even with my assistance as the Crown Prince, would it be greater than what the monarch of thergest kingdom himself could provide?"


    Cian knew what An meant, but he kept his mouth shut, not willing to admit he''s correct.


    King Armen asked, "What is Prince An''s view on the next attack? Do you think that thebined strength of Abetha and Griven won''t be enough?"


    An did not give a direct answer. Instead, hey out on the table the information he had gathered so far. "We know after the demise of the previous King of Othinia, Her Majesty Queen Niobe''s father, the friendship between Othinia and Abetha had considerably weakened. The current king favors Thevailes more, with him being the brother of Queen Dowager of Thevailes. Is that not the main reason why Abetha had stopped trading iron ores with Othinia and started importing more goods from the east?


    King Armen didn''t agree out loud, but he nodded lightly, approving An''s im.


    Cian sighed. "Are you implying that because Thevailes will get Othinia to attack Abetha through the sea way, we need the help of Megaris? Just because of Othinia?"


    "You forget, if Othinia is joining in this war, Mivesea will likely join Othinia''s side too."


    "Mivesea is Abetha''s ally."


    "Didn''t Hatha and Abetha have an alliance as well, but they still defected to Thevailes'' side?" An asked, causing Cian to shut up. "Mivesea might be a small kingdom, but you shouldn''t underestimate it since they have a strong marine force. Since other kingdoms are attacking Abetha and joining in will be beneficial to them; why won''t they do it?"


    "Are you sure Mivesea will be joining in attacking our sea routes as well?"


    "Yes, I am confident. This is information gathered with the help of Megaris, who you know has long been enemies with Thevailes," An exined. "Not just the sea, but from the information the spies had collected, Thevailes will also take advantage of Othinia sharing the border with Abetha. You will be busy with warfare on both sides, through thend as well as the sea. Previously, we were only against Thevailes and Hatha, and the attack was manageable with the support of our army from Griven. But this time, it would be four kingdoms against two. Abetha would be attacked by enemies, both from the north and south. Knowing Thevailes, the other small kingdoms from the west would not interfere in the matter to help Abetha. At best, they might stay neutral, but worst case scenario, they might even help Thevailes, especially if they were to promise trade rights."


    King Armen and Cian turned silent as they imagined the scenario in their heads.

 Chapter 105: Decision

    <h4>Chapter 105: Decision</h4>


    "Although Othinia is mediocre since they support Thevailes, then together they can create trouble for Abetha. Father needs to talk to the King of Mivesea," Cian suggested. "Even if they won''t ally with us, as long as Mivesea stays out of it, Abetha can hold off the southwest. With the help of Griven, we can also hold off the north."


    "Do you think it will work?" An asked. "Othinia''s and Mivesea''s royal family have always been allies, like two peas in a pod. Aren''t you building up your marine force because of Othinia''s threat? Since you have received news that Othinia will be working with Thevailes, perhaps in the next couple of days you will receive simr news about Mivesea. If my guess is right, even before Prince Cian is abducted, Thevailes must have already long reached an agreement with Othinia and Mivesea. The King of Othinia would definitely support the kingdom where his own sister is Queen Dowager, like how the previous king supported Abetha because of his daughter, the current queen. Not to forget, the current King of Othinia, King Ranulf Nefertiti, is as ambitious as the King Samer of Thevailes. My guess is that King Samer promised a part of Abetha''s territory to King Ranulf."


    "They dare!" Cian frowned with a clenched fist.


    "They already did," An added.


    Cian red at An, "I know Prince An is here to suggest to get help from Megaris and have us approve of this political marriage."


    "Indeed. Since Griven is an ally of Abetha, I am here to offer a suggestion that will be beneficial for both parties. Isn''t agreeing to the King of Megaris''s demand the best way, leading to a future where we all can be at peace and avoid a destructive continental war?"


    An studied the gloomy faces of the Ilven father and son. He talked again after a short pause, "If King Armen approves of this marriage, Megaris can formally intervene as an ally and send in its army to suppress both Thevailes and Hatha. The military strength of Megaris is capable of subduing those two kingdoms. Your northern frontier will be safe, and you can focus your military strength on thend bordering Othinia as well as the sea force down south. With my and my brother''s authority, Griven will also be able to enforce you in the south by sending you several ships for marine warfare.."


    "What you are saying, in exchange for military strength, we should sacrifice our own family, a young, innocent girl?" Cian spoke. "Can you even hear yourself?"


    "Again, I am speaking in my capacity as an official envoy of Griven at the moment. Would you prefer to sacrifice your entire kingdom? Hundreds of thousands of ordinary people? Thousands of broken families and orphaned children? And once Abetha is conquered, do you think King Armen can even keep this throne? Don''t you think your entire Ilven family will be executed? When that happens, can you even protect your sister? Say, even if she were to be spared, hearing the rumors about her, I am sure there are so many curious minds out there. Who knows, she may fall in the hands of some perverted noble as a trophy of war, and she would end up in a situation even worse than death."


    Heavy silence took over the study room.


    "If you wish to protect her, it would be better to agree to this marriage proposal. That way, Abetha would be safe, and about the Third Princess, I will vouch to you in the name of my kingdom that you can trust the King of Megaris."


    Both King Armen and Cian did not say a word, but it was evident that they were struggling toe up with a solution. An could see that they were reluctant to sacrifice Seren like this, but as royals of Abetha, they also could not ignore the lives of the people in their kingdom.


    "King Armen?" An called out. "May I speak further?"


    King Armen, who remained dazed with his thoughts, looked at An.


    "I would like to ease you by advising something, this time in my capacity as a friend," An spoke, and not just King Armen, but even Cian looked at him attentively.


    An looked at them with a meaningful gaze. "I know you are worried because the Third Princess is young, and you are hesitating because you do not wish her to be harmed. You might have heard many rumors about Drayce, and as someone who has known him for years, I can confidently assure you he is not a bad person. He might be rude, but he is trustworthy, a man of his words. Since he is asking for your daughter''s hand in marriage, then he will treat her well and will do everything in his power to protect her as a husband. As his future wife''s father, he will keep his word as long as you ask him something in exchange or put any condition in front of him. You can use it to aid something in favor of your daughter before giving her to him. As long as you make him promise, consider it fulfilled. Drayce will never break a promise."


    After giving them a polite bow, An excused himself and left the study, leaving both King Armen and Cian silent with their thoughts.


    "Father��"


    "Seems like we have no other option," King Armen interrupted his son. As he said these words, it was as if he had considerably aged. This was perhaps one of the hardest decisions he had ever made ever since he assumed the throne.


    Cian looked at his father in disbelief, though he knew his father made a decision after much consideration. "What about Seren? We can''t let her leave just like this. I don''t want her to suffer anymore. She''s been locked up in that tower all her life, and now she just got out; it''s like we are selling her off. Isn''t this too unfair for her? I can''t ept this��."


    "As a royal, you are and will always be first the Crown Prince of this kingdom. Being her brother, familial ties, this onlyes second. As my daughter, as part of the Royal Family of Ilven, she too must y her part. We might not be willing, but we cannot ignore reality. People of this kingdom shoulde first as many innocent lives would be at stake."


    Cain stayed quiet, and King Armen nced at his stubborn son. "I also made this decision as a father. Your worry is no different than mine, but we can only trust King Drayce. He had given me a word that he would protect Seren and she would live a free life in his kingdom. Perhaps, under his protection, your sister will have a better life than here. I want her to know what happiness and freedom feel like as well, and perhaps those are things we cannot give her."


    Cian wanted to believe in his father''s words, but as a brother, the worry in his heart could not be removed by mere words. Was the King of Megaris truly someone who could be trusted?


    With Seren now out of the tower, Cian thought he would y a hand in taking care of his sister, but before he could even show her what life outside her prison was like, she was ready to be sent away from him. As a brother, he had not even done anything for her.


    "I will talk to King Drayce," King Armen informed him with a weary sigh. King Armen was more concerned about with the part that An said- Who knows; she may fall in the hands of some perverted noble as a trophy of war? He can never let this happen to his daughter.


    Despite his reluctance, Cian could only nod.


    --------


    After leaving King Armen''s study, Drayce went to see yer. His expression was somber, and nobody knew what he was thinking.


    Just as he reached the hallway where yer was resting, he saw an odd sight. The old physician, Erich Winfield, was wandering outside of the bedchamber, pacing left and right slowly with his hands folded back at his waist. He looked deep in thought, even muttering lightly under his breath.


    Drayce remembered the old physician''s strange expression when he saw those magic elixirs. He was sure that was the reason the old physician was behaving like this.


    When Drayce reached the door of the room, the royal knights stationed outside saluted him, causing the old physician to notice his presence. Just like before, he didn''t bow to Drayce, and neither did Drayce mind it. For him, this old man was the savior of his friend, and he owed him. Erich Winfield returned to his busy pacing.


    Leaving the old man in his own world, Drayce entered yer''s bedchamber after his knight held the door open for him.


    Drayce entered and went towards yer''s bed, and fortunately, he was awake.


    "Your Majesty!" yer said. Although his voice was weak, it at least sounded better than before.


    He tried to move to get up, but Drayce stopped him. "Don''t move."


    yer didn''t give up as he wanted to at least be able to sit and bow to Drayce. With his king visiting him personally, how could a knight keep lying down? Wasn''t that disrespect to his lord?


    Seeing the actions of his stubborn knight, Drayce sat at the edge of the bed and stopped him from moving by putting his hand on the shoulder. "I am just Dray."


    Drayce meant he was there as his friend and not as his king. yer finally gave up andy back in bed.


    After checking in on his health and telling him about how the other knights were waiting for him to return, Drayce took a leave after asking him to rest.

 Chapter 106: Reason For The Haste

    <h4>Chapter 106: Reason For The Haste</h4>


    "King Drayce!"


    The moment the door opened and Drayce came out of yer''s chamber, Erich Winfield called out for him in a manner he had never done before. It seemed like the old physician had been patiently waiting for him outside all this time. Drayce stopped and turned to look at him, waiting for him to talk.


    On the other hand, the knight escorting Drayce gave the physician a narrow-eyed look, somehow pacified to find that this impolite old man finally knew his ce and understood who he was talking to.


    From the moment they met, Erich Winfield had never treated Drayce as a king and was always so blunt with him, even referring to him as ''you''. The knights from Megaris had never liked hisck of manners, but just like Drayce, they put up with it since this old man had saved theirmander. Today was a massive improvement.


    Erich Winfield looked visibly distressed as he asked, "I want to know who is the owner of that magic elixir. Who gave it to the Third Princess?"


    Drayce knew that the old man was arrogant and fearless in nature, but at this moment, that inborn arrogance was gone. The sheer desperation in his voice made him feel as if the old man was on the verge of breaking down over losing something important to him.


    "I only know it belongs to the Third Princess," said Drayce.


    His response caused Erich Winfield to be in a daze.


    Just as Drayce was to turn his back, ready to leave, the old physician regained hisposure and spoke, "I am yet to receive my reward for saving King Drayce''s knight."


    Drayce stopped and looked at Erich Winfield. Looking at his determined expression, Drayce understood what he wanted.


    "Anything else?" Drayce asked.


    "That would be enough," Erich Winfield replied.


    When Drayce left, Erich Winfield kept looking at his retreating back. All throughout his years working as a physician, he was never the one to seek for some selfish rewards after treating someone, but this time, he had no other option. The person he was looking for was more important to him than his pride.


    --------


    Drayce returned to his chamber and thought about what Erich Winfield asked from him. Knowing how naive she was, he was sure Seren was not the one who created those elixirs. She could not even properly cook. Other than scaring others, saying she is a witch, and identally using her powers, she was basically an ordinary young girl.


    The one who gave Seren those magic elixirs, who could it be?


    Drayce recalled the woman who he saw with Seren in the market. It was the same woman he saw her protecting her during the Second Princess''s engagement ceremony. Though at that time he was yet to recognize Seren, it waster due to that woman''s presence that Drayce understood the purple-eyed young woman he was looking for was the Third Princess.


    Oddly, he had been staying in the pce for days, yet ever since he returned to Abetha after rescuing Cian, he never saw that woman again.


    From what he understood, she was surely the Third Princess''s personal servant, and so she should have been with her all this time, helping nurse her to health. That woman never appeared even after Seren was in bad condition.


    Back in the marketce, Drayce could already sense something was different, even strange, with her. At that time, he did not pay her any attention as getting Seren out of that situation was his top priority.


    There was a high chance that it was that old woman who gave Seren those elixirs.


    First, he needed to ask King Armen where that woman had gone. If his conclusion was right then, he would be able to repay Erich Winfield.


    As Drayce busied himself with the piled-up documents on his desk, someone entered the room without needing his presence to be announced or reported for permission.? That person knew, without anyone telling him, Drayce would know who hade to see him.


    Not even lifting his head to look at the neer, Drayce spoke, "Seems like the Prince of Griven is too free. He can even wander around here and there."


    Not minding his nd wee, An leisurely sat on one of the chairs and spoke, "This wandering Prince of Griven had already saved this entire continent from the fright of wars without even raising a sword."


    Drayce finally looked up and saw the light smirk on his friend''s face. "Seems like you have yed your hand by showing them a good future."


    An gave him a not-so-innocent shrug, "How can I not when I am such a peace-loving soul?"


    Drayce said nothing and returned his attention to his work.


    "Seems like you are determined to take your queen back with you," Anmented as he looked at the various parchments on Drayce''s desk.


    "Shouldn''t I?"


    "Of course, you should," An replied. He then asked his friend something that bothered him about his decision, "Why are you in such a hurry to marry her and to take her with you? I refuse to believe you are in love as you have yet to even meet her properly. Tell me the real reason."


    The reply came nonchntly.


    "It''s time for Megaris to get a queen. You know how those old men have been pushing their daughters to me ever since I ascended as a king. Instead of choosing among those annoying women, is it not better to have one little kitten who can be obediently tied to her ce?"


    An scoffed. He didn''t believe Drayce would rush to marry a girl not even of age for such a superficial reason. "You are making it sound like King Armen has raised her to be like that only to aid yourfort."


    "I should thank him then."


    "To me, it looks like someone is sympathizing with a poor girl because she makes him recall his own past," Anmented. "But still, I am sure there is more to it."


    ===


    Note-


    Dear readers, this month the novel is participating in webnovel''s winwin event, and to do better in it, the author needs all of your support. Our target is to reach 10k privileged chapters unlocks. I hope all of you will get at least the first tier of privileged subscriptions and unlock the privileged chapters. If we reach the target, there will be a mass release and there are a few more rewards.

 Chapter 107: Wild Berries

    <h4>Chapter 107: Wild Berries</h4>


    "To me, it looks like someone is sympathizing with a poor girl because she makes him recall his own past," Anmented. "But still, I am sure there is more to it."


    The pen in Drayce''s hand paused mid-writing. He did not respond, his red eyes only staring intently at the parchment on the table.


    An observed his expression. "You can''t say it?"


    "Even I am not sure of it," Drayce replied after some time.


    Since he replied that way, An didn''t insist and asked a different question, "Tell me honestly, if King Armen doesn''t agree to give you his daughter and all the predictions we made about the war are right, will you still help Abetha to fight against Thevailes?"


    Drayce took a long pause before answering with a scowl. "The Third Princess won''t ever step back into this kingdom after that."


    An understood what his friend meant. If war were to break outpletely, Drayce would still help as it was in the interest of Megaris, but it woulde with a terrible price��and when that happened, he would take the Third Princess with him by all means and never allow her to return.


    Before An could continue with his questions, Drayce interrupted him. "I want to know about the female servant that served the Third Princess."


    "Why?" An asked in confusion. He knew Drayce changed the topic and let it pass. If he didn''t want to tell, then he would not pry.


    "Just find out about her," Drayce instructed, not answering that ''why''.


    -------


    Inside her chamber, Seren had a morning meal apanied and assisted by a brown eagle like before. She looked better than before as her eyes, which looked lost and lifeless, somewhat retained their brightness.


    After discussing war conditions with An in his father''s study, as a worried brother, Cian came to visit Seren before he started with his duties for the day.


    It was bound to be another agonizing day for him. The King of Megaris was adamant about marrying his sister, and it seemed like everyone but him and their father was against this rushed marriage. As a brother, he wanted to deny this, but as the Crown Prince of Abetha, he had many considerations and various responsibilities he could never abandon.


    "Seren," Cian called out for her as gently as he could. As expected, his presence didn''t make her react.


    Thest time, she epted the water from him, so he was hopeful of getting some response from her again.


    "Won''t you even look at your brother?" Cian asked as he approached her, careful not to startle her. "I have brought these wild berries for you. You like these, don''t you?"


    Cian put a small wooden box filled with freshly picked berries on the bed in front of her, and his small action made her look at it.


    "Brother apologizes for being away and not being able to take care of you. It''s fine if you don''t forgive me but at least say something."


    Sadness could be heard from his every word, and this was especially true for the two nurses who were close enough to hear him.? They could not help but feel bad for Prince Cian as they had been the silent witnesses of every interaction the princess had within the room.


    They thought to give the siblings some alone time, so they went to stand on the other side of the room, pretending to be fixing something farthest from Seren''s bed.


    This time, Cian''s sincerity worked on Seren. Although she said nothing, she picked up the box of wild berries that her brother brought and ate them one by one.


    Wild berries were the snacks she enjoyed eating the most whenever Cian came to meet her. Because of that, he would bring them to her without a miss on every visit.


    Seeing her eat, Cian could finally feel relief, and a gentle smile formed on his handsome face. He was thankful and happy with this small improvement and did not try to engage with her further, scared that if he talked more, she might stop eating.


    After noticing her body starting to rx, he could not help but ask excitedly, "Are they good?"


    Perhaps it was the magic of those berries or the magic of a brother''s sincere love; Seren reacted to his question by nodding her head lightly.


    ''What a relief!'' The smile on his face widened. "I will get more for you!"


    Seren finally turned to face him. Her purple eyes seemed to have recognized the mixed emotions showing on her brother''s face��the worry in his sapphire blue eyes, the tender warmth in his smile, the visible happiness masking his tiredness...


    .


    It was as if he was trying to convey to her that no matter what happens, your brother would always be there for you.


    A soft, weak voice reached his ears.


    "Thank you."


    Cian could not say a word back, but he smiled at her with his eyes turning slightly moist.


    Till the previous day, she didn''t react to anything and even denied recognizing anyone. He was so happy she was finally getting better. Were the royal physician''s medicines that effective, or was his sister stronger than what he thought?


    "Once you are better, I will take you out." Cian knew what she wanted the most was to get out of that tower, and he was willing to give her everything she wanted.


    Seren nodded again. Brimming with happiness, Cian wanted tough out loud.


    However, a knight soon entered and told Cian his presence was needed elsewhere. Cian finally calmed down.


    "I need to go now, but don''t worry. I will be back soon, sister," Cian informed, and she gave him a slight nod again in response.


    Before he left the chamber, Cian looked at the bird who was still sitting at the window sill, watching his sister. He didn''t know what to think about it and left.


    Cian knew that the bird would bring no harm to his sister, but the egoistic brother inside him didn''t want to feel grateful to it. He could not ept that one stranger, most precisely the master of that bird, was the one looking after his sister when her own family was helpless to do anything for her.

 Chapter 108: Words Of Assurance

    <h4>Chapter 108: Words Of Assurance</h4>


    After having a quiet dinner on his own, the young King of Megaris did not resume working. Instead, he stood by one of therge windows in his chamber, staring at the starry night sky, thinking about what An had asked him earlier during the day.


    Why was he in a rush to marry the Third Princess?


    He remembered that invisible energy that always keeps pulling him towards her. It had never happened with him before, and he found it equally interesting and strange. There was a strong urge to protect her no matter what��and this strange urge, he couldn''t stop himself from acting out of impulse no matter how hard he tried. He could not ignore it.


    That mark on her forehead, he was sure he had seen it somewhere in the past, but he just couldn''t remember where. The only thing he was sure of was that it had something to do with himself. He had so many questions in his mind with answers he had yet to get.


    He also remembered those beautiful purple eyes filled with innocence, eyes which everyone thought symbolized a witch''s eyes, thus fearing their existence, but he found them the most amusing things and wanted to keep looking at them.


    ''How can they call her a witch?''


    Witch? This word made him smirk, but it was a painful one.


    ''A witch! Definitely something scary for them, and scary things are meant to be kept away,'' he thought.


    His mind then returned to An''s words again. "To me, it looks like someone is sympathizing with a poor girl because she makes him recall his own past."


    "Sympathize?" he mumbled, "Why would I sympathize with someone?"


    Drayce closed his eyes. Old memories he thought he had forgotten lingered in his mind. Unfamiliar voices started buzzing in his ears as if he was plunged back into the past.


    A crying voice of a five-year-old boy filled his ears even as various adult voices drowned it.


    "That kid is a monster!"


    "That''s why his mother left him."


    "She didn''t leave. She died because he is a monster."


    "Even his own mother hated him."


    Drayce opened his eyes, and those emotionless red orbs stared at the sky nkly as he mumbled, "She didn''t hate me."


    At that time, those voices continued buzzing in his ears, and his young self hated his hearing senses for that. Whatever he tried at that time, he couldn''t stop hearing those callous people who said nothing but hurtful words to an innocent five-year-old kid. Even shutting those delicate ears with his tiny hands didn''t work.


    Among all those callous voices, his mind captured the familiar voice of the man who he used to call his father.


    "Where is that monster?"


    "Your Majesty, we have imprisoned him in his room."


    "Leave him to rot on his own."


    "Yes, Your Majesty."


    "Don''t let hime out of that room, or he will kill us all."


    "That monster deserves to die. Don''t give him food. Let him starve and die."


    Drayce smirked at this memory. Though they were painful for him at that time, now he felt nothing as his mind seemed to be devoid of any emotion.


    His emotionless red eyes showed the void inside him.


    Suddenly, Drayce heard the sound of footsteps. That was his knight who had entered his bedchamber.


    "Your Majesty, Sir Berolt Fletcher is here to inform you that the King of Abetha wishes to speak with you," the knight informed after saluting.


    Drayce nodded and turned to leave.


    -----


    King Armen was in his study, feeling restless as he walked around and waited for his guest to arrive.


    "Your Majesty, King Drayce will be here in a while," Lord Eudes informed.


    King Armen nodded and asked, "Still no news about Martha?"


    "Still no news, Your Majesty." Lord Eudes bowed.


    A frown took over King Armen''s face. All these years, something like this had never happened before. He was sure Martha was in trouble, and that meant Seren was not safe either. ''Have those people found Martha and wille after Seren?''


    As if the current situation in his kingdom and his daughter were not enough to worry him, it seemed more problems were pouring in.


    Sir Berolt entered the study and saluted. "Your Majesty, King Drayce is here."


    King Armen sat on his chair and signaled Sir Berolt to let Drayce in. King Armen was prepared to talk with Drayce tonight, and he expected things to go ording to his wishes.


    When Drayce entered the study, both kings greeted each other with a slight nod. King Armen gestured to Drayce to have a seat.


    Drayce did not bother with formalities and wordlessly sat down, ready to hear what King Armen decided. From the atmosphere, he already knew what King Armen would talk about. The only question remaining would be what conditions this king would ask from him.


    The silence was short-lived as King Armen directly came to the point.


    "I approve the demand that King Drayce had made."


    As it was a fixed thing to happen, there was no use stretching this ufortable conversation. King Armen needed to get to another important thing.


    Drayce didn''t look surprised at all, and though he was not outwardly showing it, King Armen was disgruntled at how confident this young king was that he would give in to his demand.


    "I will show my gratitude by treating the Third Princess well. She will get the freedom that she could never get in Abetha."


    King Armen was delighted to hear his promise, but there was a short pause as if there was something else he needed to say.? Drayce waited for him to talk.


    "I want a word of assurance from King Drayce," King Armen said after a while.


    "Only if it is something reasonable," Drayce countered, not giving in to the pleading look in one father''s eyes.


    King Armen nodded lightly and said as his heart filled with the hope to convince the man in front of him, "I wish King Drayce to never force her to do anything she does not wish to do and fully respect her wishes."

 Chapter 109: Another Plan

    <h4>Chapter 109: Another n</h4>


    King Armen nodded lightly and said as his heart filled with the hope to convince the man in front of him, "I wish King Drayce never to force her to do anything she does not wish to do and fully respect her wishes."


    Drayces smirked as he inwardlyughed at King Armen, ''Was it even something to ask for? Isn''t it given since? I said I would take care of her nicely? But it seems like he doesn''t trust me yet.''


    "Fine!" Drayce agreed casually, but from his tone, it sounded as if it was a big favour he was doing to King Armen.


    "Thank you!"


    Relief was evident in his voice.


    "When can I take my bride with me?" Drayce asked, "I am sure we will need a wedding ceremony before that."


    King Armen agreed, "We will n ordingly."


    "I prefer only concerned people to be there," Draycemented.


    Drayce''s meaning was clear��that he wanted a small wedding and only a few people as witnesses.


    "I will keep that in mind," King Armen assured.


    Drayce didn''t want anyone who could offend his queen to be there, or he was sure he was ready to punish the guilty ones. On the auspicious day of his wedding, he didn''t want to see bloodshed.


    As the main issue was sorted out, Drayce asked, "I don''t see any personal servants or even maids assigned to serve the Third Princess. Should I take it as King Armen had always been indifferent and biased against my future wife?"


    This sudden enquiry startled King Armen, but now there was no need to hide anything from Drayce as he would be the one taking care of his daughter soon.


    "Seren has a nanny who has been taking care of her since she was a baby. She also acts as herdy-in-waiting and trusted maid. But that woman named Martha has gone out of the pce to deal with her personal affairs."


    "Are her personal affairs more important than the princess''s wellbeing? Doesn''t she understand the circumstances of the Third Princess?" Drayce countered. His voice was calm but underneathy an usation.


    "There are certain circumstances regarding Martha. Do not speak ill of her. She has been a great support andfort to my daughter. In fact, she is the one who has been protecting Seren till now."


    "When would she be back?" Drayce asked.


    Not like Drayce was concerned about a woman who was nothing but a nanny to his future wife, but he had to do it for Erich Winfield.


    King Armen shook his head. "It is the first time she has disappeared for so long. We had searched for her, but we couldn''t find her. I am afraid she is in some kind of trouble rted to my daughter."


    Thest line could be interpreted that they need to protect Seren if his guess was correct.


    "If King Armen needs my help regarding finding her, let me know," Drayce offered.


    "I will."


    With the conversation between the two over, Drayce left King Armen''s study with a light smile on his face.


    --------


    In the Queen''s residence, the loyal puppet of Queen Niobe went to see her as usual after his official duties were done. After the aplishment they had today, there was no way Darus Count would miss the chance of getting praises from the Queen.


    When he was allowed in her chamber, Queen Niobe was already sitting in her chair, waiting for the minister. This time, her expression didn''t look grave but mildly pleasant as she sipped her evening tea.


    Darus Count bowed to her. "Greetings, Your Majesty!"


    "Have a seat," Queen Niobe instructed.


    Most of the time, Darus Count would have conversations with the Queen while standing, but this time, she asked him to sit.


    Just as he settled himself, she offered him tea. Thedy-in-waiting standing behind the Queen served tea towards the grinning Lord Darus.


    With this gesture, the Queen was showing him how satisfied she was with his efforts. If he had not nned to scare Seren by hanging the mutted bodies inside her residence, all these wouldn''t have been so easy. With the disaster she caused, it was a piece of cake to turn everyone against her and create pressure on the King.


    "Your Majesty, finally we managed to get rid of the Third Princess," Darus Count said after he took a sip from his cup.


    The Queen merely elegantly sipped her tea, but her shining eyes showed how delighted she was inside. Behind her teacup, one side of her lips curved up to reveal a happy smirk.


    She only spoke after she put down her empty cup. "Minister Count, this time, you have done really well. I should reward you for solving both of my worries with only one n."


    Hearing about the reward, of course, Darus Count was happy, but her choice of words puzzled him.


    ''Both of her worries?''


    He was aware of only one thing that Queen Niobe wanted, and that was to throw the Third Princess out of this kingdom forever, but what was the other one?


    "Your Majesty, may I ask other than the Third Princess, what is the other thing that troubled you?" Darus Count asked, trying to sound as polite as he could.


    "The King of Megaris!" Queen Niobe replied. Her eyes carried the same look they had when she looked at Drayce after he announced Seren as his queen. That wicked light smirk appeared again on her lips.


    "May I ask how King Drayce had worried Your Majesty?"


    Queen Niobe merely signaled herdy-in-waiting to refill her teacup, not deigning to answer him. She rather enjoyed the rare imported tea which had never tasted this good before.


    Darus Count didn''t mind the Queen''sck of response and merely conversed in good spirits. "Because of him, we could save Crown Prince Cian and could get rid of the Third Princess. It''s as if he came here to get rid of all of our worries."


    "Just as we used the King of Megaris to get rid of her, we can use that witch to get rid of that young king and shake his reign," Queen Niobe voiced out with a conspiring tone.

 Chapter 110: Future Emperor

    <h4>Chapter 110: Future Emperor</h4>


    "Just as we used the King of Megaris to get rid of her, we can use that witch to get rid of that young king and shake his reign," Queen Niobe voiced out with a conspiring tone.


    Her words puzzled Darus Count even more. "To get rid of the King of Megaris?"


    "That young king is ambitious. He is no different from King Samer Vailes. When he ascended the throne, wasn''t his first exploit conquering the other kingdoms in the east, leaving the eastern region with only Griven and Megaris? In the future, as soon as he consolidates his power, he will surely try to swallow the entire continent to create his own empire. If an empire appears in this continent, the only one who deserves to be its emperor should be someone from the Royal House of Ilven, my son Cian, and not one inhuman creature."


    What Queen Niobe said made sense to the minister. As the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Darus Count was always among the first to receive information regarding the movements of other kingdoms. The people of Megaris respected and feared the young king due to his strength and achievements. Besides, seeing the person was much more useful than simply reading reports. How overbearing was King Drayce when he intruded upon the royal court''s council meeting?


    From what he had observed from the King of Megaris so far, the young king had the makings of a tyrant. He was sure what Queen Niobe said was highly possible, and once it happened, Abetha would not be out of his clutches. All the kingdoms would end up being a subordinate of Megaris, paying tribute to it. But he still couldn''t understand how the weak Third Princess would be useful in getting rid of this ambitious king.


    "Your Majesty, how will the Third Princess help us?" Darus Count asked.


    "Her existence itself will be the weapon for us to use against him," Queen Niobe said as she exined further, "Do you think a kingdom asrge as Megaris ispletely under King Drayce''s control? How many factions are vying for interests within Abetha, restricting the authority of my husband? Do you believe their power and influence will be any less in Megaris?"


    "Once that witch enters Megaris, she will be a lonely boat surrounded by sharks. There will be no one who will protect her like how her father, King Armen, had till now. King Drayce is only one person, and as a ruler, his whole life will not only revolve around that girl. For an infamous cursed princess who had never seen the outside world, with no trustedpanion in a distantnd, no family to back her up orfort her, no knowledge of administration or politics, and no courage to stand up by herself, she will only face difficulties there. Forget her reputation; just handling the responsibilities of a queen is out of the question since she never received a proper education.


    "Such an ipetent queen will face humiliation and loneliness like never before, and we all know that once she cries, what disaster she can bring. Even if we put her ipetence as a queen aside, it won''t take time for that ruthless and overbearing king to trouble her and make her cry. Her presence alone will cause thend to be cursed for flowers never to bloom. Themon people are sensitive to such situations, and it will only be a repeat of how she''s treated here in Abetha, scorned and despised by the people. Once that young king realizes that she will bring nothing but trouble and disaster to him, that she cannot even do one thing right, can you tell me how long till his interest in her fades? Until when will his patiencest?."


    Darus Count was delighted to hear such detailed foresight. "Your Majesty, forgive me for not being able to think that far. Your Majesty is, as usual, ahead with her thinking. This lowly minister is enlightened."


    "What I said was only a little trouble for that king. The most important thing is the other one."


    "May I know what it is?" Darus Count asked, feeling all excited about hearing her schemes.


    "I once heard my husband mentioning no one can take that veil off of her face. If someone sees her face, it will bring disaster not only to that witch but also to the one who will see her face, a disaster to the extent that the harm could never be reversed. That''s why even being her father; my husband has never seen his own daughter''s face."


    "That means..."


    "There is no husband in this world who would not want to see his own wife''s face, isn''t it?" Queen Niobe smiled at the minister.


    Darus Count understood everything clearly now. He couldn''t help but praise the Queen. "Your Majesty, this lowly minister is fortunate to be able to serve you."


    Queen Niobe only smirked. Everything was set in ce, and all she''s waiting for was that witch to marry Drayce.


    "Only my son can be the emperor of this continent, and no one else can," she said with a determined voice, and Darus Count agreed.


    After marrying Seren to the King of Megaris, they would get rid of the fear of being attacked by Thevailes, and Abetha would be safe. Andter, once Cian assumed the throne and became king and strengthened Abetha to deal with Thevailes and others, by then, Megaris would have suffered under the curses of that witch, and Abetha could take advantage of it.


    Many ns hatched in Queen Niobe''s mind as she trusted the ability of her son.


    "But will Prince Cian agree to an expansion? He is like King Armen, who prefers to maintain stability and peace." Darus Count asked.


    "It is because my son still needs guidance. History itself has shown that only with absolute power can there be true peace," Queen Niobemented. "It will be Cian who will be praised for bringing a golden age to the entire continent."


    "Your Majesty is wise."


    Queen Niobe finished her cup of tea and gestured for herdy-in-waiting to take it away. "Is there anything else you need to say? The night is gettingte, and I wish to rest."


    "Beforeing here, my men informed me that the King of Megaris had gone to King Armen''s study," Darus Count informed.


    "I believe King Armen must have agreed to give away his daughter to the King of Megaris."


    "I didn''t know this was all that easy," Darus Count said in disbelief.


    "If King Armen needs to protect his kingdom from the threat of war, he needs to get Megaris as an alley or Abetha will be doomed," Queen Niobemented with a frown. "That sly cousin of mine and her son..."


    Queen Niobe was a smart woman and she could predict what would happen next. From her words, Darus Count understood why King Armen was finally convinced to give his precious daughter away. After all, King Armen was the father of this kingdom first, and when it was the safety of the kingdom being threatened, family coulde second. He was truly a wise king.

 Chapter 111: Sleep

    <h4>Chapter 111: Sleep</h4>


    After his talk with King Armen, Drayce returned straight to his bedchamber. It waste, and he should have been resting at this point after working the entire day, but he somehow felt restless, thinking about a certain someone.


    He only saw her the previous night. For the entire day today, he didn''t even hear her voice though he could feel her presence around him thanks to the unknown energy, which was getting stronger along with the improvement of her health.


    The previous two times, he had reasons to sneak inside her room using his powers, but tonight, he had no reason to visit her. She was well enough to move on her own, so there was no need to give her those magic elixirs, and neither was she ufortable in her sleep.


    ''Why is she not having any nightmares today?'' he thought as frown lines appeared on his forehead. As he mused over his dilemma, he realized something and smirked. ''Do I really need a reason to go see her? I should be able to see my soon-to-be wife whenever I wish. I won''t stay long, just a quick glimpse to make sure she is indeed well. It won''t be rude, and neither am I affecting the virtue of ady, isn''t it?''


    Drayce finally convinced himself with many different reasons that sounded more and more valid to him the more he thought of them. The next moment, he disappeared from his own chamber, apanied by the strong flutter of curtains.


    With a simr strong flutter of curtains, Drayce appeared inside Seren''s bedchamber. The two nurses assigned to her were sleeping soundly, and they didn''t realize there was an intruder once again.


    But there was a certain bird who was greatly disturbed by Drayce''s action, feeling like his feathers would be plucked out of his wings due to the sudden strong gust of wind.


    Dusk was initially dozing off by the window, where he was gripping the thin wooden sill rim with one w, the other leg folded up within his bulky body. With perfect bnce, he slept with his beak buried in his bulky chest. But with the speed of Drayce entering the bedchamber through the window, the poor sleeping bird was almost rotated by three hundred sixty degrees, making him lose the grip of his w on the window sill. Even without opening his eyes, it was an uncannily familiar scenario, and he knew who the culprit was. The startled bird fled away from the room after receiving the threatening force he experienced from his master.


    Drayce did not even pay him any attention. He headed straight towards Seren without hesitating for a moment. He moved away from theted curtain around the bed and sat at the edge of the mattress. His eyes didn''t move away from her veil-covered face since the moment it came into his sight.


    What was so amazing about this imprisoned princess that he couldn''t stop himself? This was the question he kept asking himself again and again and might keep doing so till he got the answers to all of his questionable urges.


    Drayce wanted to see her purple eyes. Those eyes were the main reason he was pulled towards her, but he had never gotten to see them again after their encounter in the market. After that day, whenever he visited her, it was always during the night when she was asleep.


    He held her hand that was out of the quilt covering her and tucked it inside. He moved his fingers towards the mark on her forehead, wanting to see that sparkling light like a kid ying with something amusing. But the next moment, his eyes darkened as he thought, ''I need to find out what this is.''


    At that very moment, Seren sensed something weird on her forehead. When she opened her eyes, some kind of light rays were shining above her forehead momentarily blinded her vision, only to see arge manly hand hovering over her face, its fingers doing something on her head.


    With eyes wide open, she was about to scream when that rough manly hand covered her mouth, suppressing her scream.


    She tried to move but the owner of that hand pressed her at her shoulder, restricting her thin body from moving even an inch.


    How could a weak body like herspete with a healthy adult male?


    With fear clouding her mind, her breathing quickened as she tried to struggle out from the man''s hold. The light rays lingering on her forehead disappeared the moment he moved his hand to cover her mouth.


    She was about to start crying when she realized there were a pair of beautiful red eyes staring at her. They shone brightly even with the dim lightsing from themp near the walls of the bedchamber.


    Seren couldn''t understand what was going on. Who was this person? Why was he in her room? What��wait, red eyes?


    She realized she knew the owner of those red eyes.


    "We don''t want another disaster in the pce, do we?" the strange man asked as he leaned down closer to her to whisper in her ear.


    Seren gulped in fear. Her heart was thundering inside her chest, too frightened to have other thoughts.


    What was this man doing here? How could he enter the royal pce?


    Drayce slightly moved back his head to peer down into her gem-like purple eyes which had a tinge of brightness even in the dark. Her eyes, full of fear, stared at him, causing him to smile lightly. The more she was scared, the more it amused him.


    "Be good and sleep quietly," he said, his voice surprisingly gentle. His face was so close to hers, his warm breath fanned against her cheek.


    She did not move. No, it was more like she could not move. Other than staring at him in the dark, she could do nothing.


    Getting no reaction from her, Drayce moved the hand holding her shoulder down to cover her eyes. "Sleep!"


    The next moment, those rough yet warm hands were gone from her body and she opened her eyes.


    The man was gone.


    The bedchamber was calm once again, and there was only the sound of curtains dancing along the night breeze entering through the open window.


    Seren sat up in bed and looked around. ''Was it a dream?'' She could still feel the warmth of those rough palms on her skin. ''No, it was not a dream.''


    That red-eyed man�� he was the one who had saved her before when she sneaked out of Martha''s watch. Why was he here? Was he here to harm her?


    The mind which nked after that terrifying incident in the tower started to fear her future.


    ''Should I... run away from here?''

 Chapter 112: Need To Run Away

    <h4>Chapter 112: Need To Run Away</h4>


    Shaking my head, I sat on my bed feeling confused about what had just happened. Was it just a dream or reality? I touched my face, and it was as if I could still feel the warmth of someone''s palms on my skin.


    ''Should I really run away?''


    Just as I thought about running away, the nurses in the room woke up.


    "Why is it so windy every night? It''s not even the rainy season," one nurse said after giving a hearty yawn.


    "God knows. Let''s just go back to sleep," the other one replied, but she stood up to close the window. "I keep forgetting to remind the servants to fix the loose lock��"


    Hearing their casual conversation, they must have not realized that I am awake. I listened in? and looked at the window they were talking about. I remembered that those curtains were pping with force a while ago when I opened my eyes to look at that intruder. At the moment, those curtains had stopped fluttering and were just moving lightly with a light breeze.


    ''Every night?'' I thought about what those nurses said and had a wild guess. ''Was heing here every night? Does he really want to harm me?'' I remembered hisrge hand that was hovering over my face.


    ''Was...was he nning to strangle me?''


    A shiver ran across my spine.


    When I recalled our brief interaction just now, the daze caused by having just woken up waspletely gone, and I curled up on instinct.


    "I will get water," said the other nurse as she also stood up from her bedding.


    I was sitting in the bed but immediatelyy down and covered my body with the nket when I saw the nurse approaching the table near my bed. I bit my lower lip and kept staring at the ceiling which was decorated with delicate fabric curtains hanging from the center above the bed and spreading in a circle around me.


    As I clutched the nket closer with trembling hands, wanting to cover my head with it, those haunting memories I never wanted to see again started to y back inside my mind.


    That night, I saw a frightening view and I remembered screaming to my heart''s content. Those poor people�� who would do such a hideous thing? Was that a warning that the same thing would be done to me if they ever catch me? I ran back inside the tower while stumbling on the staircase. I remembered hurting myself but I didn''t dare stop midway.


    When I reached my chamber, I immediately climbed inside my bed and covered myself with the quilt. But even the thick quilt gave me nofort, and my very own bedchamber seemed like a frightening ce to me.


    I wanted to hide, to never be found, to never be caught by whoever did that to those poor people. Such horrible death. Were theying for me too?


    My room was dark, and it felt like I could see corpses reaching out to me from the shadows. There was blood�� so much blood...


    ''No! No! Please don''t!''


    Before I could understand what''s happening, I found myself leaving my bed. Hiding under my quilt was not enough. My thoughts back then were all over the ce, and all I could do was to run and hide inside my wardrobe. Crossing that distance from my bed to the wardrobe seemed like an eternity had passed, even when I now knew it was just a short one.


    Getting inside the wardrobe, I quickly closed the door and went behind the dresses hanging inside. I was shaking, and even though I felt unbelievably cold, I was sweating a lot, as if my entire body was drenched in water. But I resisted opening the door of my wardrobe. I could not go out. Whoever killed those poor people could be waiting outside for me.


    Inside that suffocating ce filled with clothes, perhaps I would be safe. Maybe they would not be able to reach me as long as I stayed quiet.. I didn''t care if I couldn''t breathe normally. I would prefer dying by suffocating alone rather than dying in the hands of those waiting outside for me.


    Quiet�� I had to be quiet so I would not be found...


    I didn''t know how long I had stayed like that when I heard the familiar screech of an eagle. It was that kind eagle who had been giving me food.


    ''Oh no, what if they get him too?''


    Though his presence provided me with a littlefort, I was sure that the bird couldn''t help me out. He might even be put in danger as well..


    ''If I keep quiet, won''t he leave? Yes, he will leave and those outside won''t be able to catch him.''


    Darkness was my onlypanion the entire time, and when I finally had the strength to open my eyes, I found myself somewhere else. The chamber was unfamiliar. It was not my bedchamber. I was no longer in the tower.


    ''Did they find me? Will they kill me now? Martha, where are you? Martha�� I am scared, Martha��''


    People were around me. Were they here to hurt me? Would they kill me and hang me from a tree too?? I was scared. I was scared of everything and everyone.


    ''I want to go back to my tower.''


    When I heard the familiar bird''s screech again, I was worried they would hurt him too. I could not allow them to hurt him. He was the only one by my side all the time when I was struggling, providing me with food and even apanying me when I was scared by myself.


    ''I need to run away from here. Martha, where are you? Did she leave me behind? No, she would never. Did the King punish her and banish her from the pce?'' I wanted to cry, but I couldn''t. ''This can be the only reason, or else Martha would never leave me alone. I need to find her.''


    I couldn''t stop thinking about running away and finding Martha.


    However, the two women guarding me were still awake and I had no chance of running away. At least, not tonight.


    ''Let''s just sleep for now.'' I closed my eyes so I could regain energy the next day and find a chance to slip out.

 Chapter 113: Mother

    <h4>Chapter 113: Mother</h4>


    The next day, after Cian finished his morning meal, he did not immediately head to his own study but rather decided to pay a visit to his mother, Queen Niobe, in her residence. He had returned a few days before in the pce, but he had been too busy with his affairs regarding the war and most importantly regarding his sister; he had not even once gone to offer his greeting to his mother, and nor did he meet with his other sibling.


    Although Queen Niobe and Cian did see each other during the royal court session, he was there in his capacity as a crown prince. The two of them had not yet been able to share a word with each other.


    In Queen Niobe''s chamber, herdy-in-waiting informed, "Your Majesty, Crown Prince Cian seeks for an audience."


    Queen Niobe, who was sitting in front of her dresser to get ready, stood up and said with a smile, "Send him in."


    Though she was not his birth mother, she had raised him and cared for him like her own blood and flesh. Her son was finally there to meet her, so how can a mother not feel happy.


    Thedy-in-waiting headed out while Queen Niobe sat back in her chair as she waited for her son.


    Cian entered the chamber and stood in front of the Queen as he bowed slightly to greet her. "Mother!"


    Queen Niobe looked at her handsome son, who she had raised with all her heart, and felt proud to see how well he had grown up to be able to sit on Abetha''s Royal Throne. He was the next king of Abetha.


    It had been several months since hest stayed in the pce, and it was obvious that staying in the Northern Fortress and dealing with military affairs had matured him in many ways. His striking appearance and his elegant yet proud temperament would surely cause all the youngdies of high nobility to pine for him.


    Even before Queen Niobe could say a word, someone barged inside her chamber unannounced.


    "Brother Cian!" a sweet feminine voice called out for him, and a young woman tried to catch her breath while standing in front of him, looking like she almost ran the whole way to see her brother.


    "Meira, did you miss Brother?" Cian said as he looked at his sister with affection and offered her a smile.


    "Of course! When I got to know Brother is visiting Mother today, I ran here as soon as I could," she said with a breathless chuckle.


    "You shouldn''t have. After seeing Mother, I would have gone to visit you," said Cian.


    "Really?" She pouted like a spoiled little kid. "I thought Brother forgot me and only cared for that witch."


    The smile on Cian''s lips disappeared, but he was not angry with his little sister. He was used to hearing it from others in the pce, his own sister, and even their cousins. When he was young, he used to argue and fight with them when someone called Seren a witch, but as he grew up, he understood he alone couldn''t change their thinking. Even their father, the King, could do nothing about popr opinion. He could only helplessly sigh at such a high hurdle.


    Ever since he had that realization, he chose to ignore their bias and care for Seren quietly in his own way. He believed that the day woulde when he would free her from that tower and show the people that the bad rumors about her were false.


    Queen Niobe didn''t miss Cian''s smile disappearing. As the one who raised him, she knew how much he cared for Seren. Though she didn''t like it, she couldn''t change his way of thinking. ''Like father, like son!''


    "Don''t mind her words, Cian. She is still young and doesn''t understand what to say," Queen Niobe said.


    Meira''s expression turned sad. "We all know she is a witch and��"


    "Enough, Meira," Queen Niobe interrupted her. "Your brother is here after so long, so why are we talking about this? You should say something nice to him."


    Meira lowered her head apologetically, and Cian patted her head. "You are turning prettier every time I see you."


    It brightened Meira''s mood, and she looked at her tall brother. "For real? Are you not simply saying that?"


    "Hmm!" Cian nodded slightly, offering her a pleasant smile. From his gentle eyes, she could see her brother''s words were genuine, and this made her even happier.


    "Brother is the best!"


    Cian pulled out a tiny velvet pouch from his pocket and offered it to his sister. "This is for you."


    Meira had a wide smile on her lips as she epted the gift. She opened it, and inside was precious jewelry that Meira liked the moment sheid her eyes on it. It was a delicate rose gold pendant with a deep amber-colored gemstone in the middle, matching the color of her eyes.


    "Have a seat, you two." Queen Niobe gestured for her children to sit.


    Cian and Meira did not remain standing and leisurely sat on the chairs.


    "Mother, apologies for not being able to pay a visit earlier," he said politely.


    "I can understand. It''s more than enough that you are back safely," Queen Niobe said.


    Her words were never sugarcoated like how most mothers talked to their sons who were visiting them after a long time. She always talked the same way she talked with others, but Cian knew her words were genuine, and she really cared for him.


    They had a pleasant morning chat, catching up with their experiences for the past several months they haven''t seen each other. As they spend family time together, maids brought them morning tea and some light snacks. However, Cian was soon informed by his aide of his busy schedule ahead; thus, he had to excuse himself reluctantly.


    His next destination made his cheerful mood disappear because he would have to attend the royal court session where King Armen would officially dere the wedding between his lovely sister and that overbearing king.

 Chapter 114: Improved Health

    <h4>Chapter 114: Improved Health</h4>


    Before attending the royal court, King Armen called for the Head Royal Physician to meet him in his chamber. Before announcing anything, King Armen needed to know his daughter''s exact condition.


    "Greetings, Your Majesty," Heath Leuven said with a bow.


    King Armen epted the greeting and directly asked, "How is the Third Princess now?"


    "Your Majesty would be d to know that Her Highness the Third Princess is recovering faster than what we predicted. Since she is now able to eat and her body is responding well to the medication, her health has improved a lot. If Her Highness wishes to move about, as long as she doesn''t stay under the sun for too long, I believe there won''t be a problem for her to stay outdoors for a bit."


    King Armen felt d hearing such good news. "I''m relieved."


    "Either it''s a small miracle, or Her Highness is stronger than what we can imagine," Heath Leuven added with a pleasant smile painted on his lips. "ording to the nurses, Her Highness is already starting to respond to people, and it won''t be too long from now that she will be back to normal ."


    King Armen could no longer contain his happiness andughed out loud. "That is the best news I have received these days. You and the entire royal pharmacy had worked hard. Eudes! See to it that the budget for the royal pharmacy will be increased starting next month. Reward Physician Heath as well as the nurses assigned to the Third Princess!"


    With anotherugh, King Armen stood up from his chair and murmured, "I should visit her," before striding out of his chamber. He wanted to see his daughter as soon as possible.


    ---------


    After leaving the Queen''s residence, Cian took a detour towards Seren''s chamber. Today was the day when King Armen would formally announce her wedding with the King of Megaris to the entire kingdom, and he wished to see his sister before heading to the royal court.


    It happened that just as Cian reached her chamber, King Armen arrived there too.


    "Good morning, Father!" Cian greeted him.


    King Armen lightly nodded at his son, and the two entered Seren''s bedchamber after the knight opened the door for them.


    This time, Seren was no longer dressed in a nightgown and sitting on her bed. Instead, her petite body was standing by the window, looking outside with the eagle apanying her.? As if her thoughts were wandering far, her hand continued to move through his golden-brown shiny feathers idly.


    Since the previous night, she was already able to react to the people around her. When the nurses offered her medicines or even prepared a bath for her, she would follow their instructions quietly. d in a simple light dress, she no longer looked like a weak, sickly person. She was even capable of eating the meal that the nurses offered her, leaving Dusk finally free from doing his food delivery service.


    More than Dusk''s relief, the knights and soldiers of Megaris were celebrating that they were finally freed from eating nd meals meant for a sick person.


    "Seren?" King Armen called out with a slight shiver in his voice. Though the Head Royal Physician had already confirmed her improvement, he was still nervous about finding his daughter up and about. He could not remove the brief shes of memory from thest several days��that pale face with an empty gaze, that tiny body curled like a ball...


    Seren heard someone call her name and turned to look at that person. She didn''t forget the manners Martha taught her and greeted the man in front of her not as her father but as the King of this kingdom.


    She did a slight curtsy. "Greetings, Your Majesty."


    The fact that she didn''t call King Armen as a father hurt him, but he understood why and dared not voice out his true thoughts. All these years, in order to protect her, he had kept her locked in that tower all by herself. He kept her at an arm''s length, not even giving her a chance to spend time with him as family.


    Why would she call him father when she never got the love and care of a father from him?


    Though he cared for her, it was behind the curtains, a father''s love that she could never see.


    In order to lighten the strange mood between the two, Cian smiled at her and said, "Nice weather outside, isn''t it?"


    She nodded slightly but said nothing. There was a momentary silence before King Armen asked, "How are you feeling now?"


    "I am fine, Your Majesty. My apologies for all the troubles I caused," Seren said. As she said those words, her head lowered down with her gaze fixed towards the floor, like a child asking for a scolding.


    Something touched King Armen''s heart, and he consoled her gently, "You don''t need to apologize. We know it was not your fault."


    Seren was aware of what kind of disaster she had brought with that scream. Though she felt nothing for the people in the pce as they had always hated her, she never wanted to hurt anyone.


    "Seren, do you trust your brother?"


    Cian could guess what his sister was feeling at the moment. Though everyone called her a witch, she was innocent and soft-hearted.


    Only when Seren looked up did he continue speaking, "Listen to me, all right? You don''t need to feel guilty for someone else''s doing. I know my sister will never hurt anyone."


    Her eyes turned moist at the gentle warmth of her brother''s words, but she controlled her emotions, not wanting to cry.


    "Your brother is right," King Armen agreed. He wanted to reach out tofort his daughter, but he knew that he had no right.


    Seren nodded, but for now, she had a more important question in her mind. "Martha?"


    "She is yet to return," King Armen informed her.


    Though it was her father who said it, she didn''t trust his response. ''Didn''t return, or was she banished by you?''


    Not letting her true thoughts out, she simply nodded again to show she understood.


    When Lord Eudes entered the room to inform them that it was time for them to head to the royal court, King Armen immediately turned to leave while Cian let himself fall back to talk to Seren. "I will take you out soon. We can go to the river just outside the pce walls. You like to go there, right?"


    Seren nodded, and Cian left with a smile, but as she watched his retreating back, she could not help but wonder, ''How did Brother know I like to go there? I don''t think I have ever mentioned it to him since I am not allowed to leave the pce. Other than Martha, no one knows it.''

 Chapter 115: Announcement

    <h4>Chapter 115: Announcement</h4>


    For this council meeting, all the ministers were in attendance in the royal court. Everyone knew today would be the day King Armen would make his decision rted to the future of both the kingdoms of Abetha and Megaris, and no one dared to miss such an important asion.


    It could be seen that despite belonging to different factions, the ministers were united by the benefits of having a marriage alliance between the King of Megaris and the Third Princess of Abetha. A number of ministers were happy to take advantage of this opportunity to get rid of the witch from the kingdom, while others were rejoicing for the strong military support from Megaris in exchange for a useless princess. Even those from the neutral faction were supportive of the union, aware that this political wedding between the two kingdoms will aid the growth of Abetha.


    In front of the hall, there were several seats specially arranged just below the throne belonging to the King of Abetha. Queen Niobe upied one, and Cian as the Crown Prince of Abetha sat in another. The third seat was provided for the head of the envoys from Griven, which was being upied by its crown prince, An.


    Slightly above them was an empty seat beside the throne of the King of Abetha, its elevation symbolizing the higher status of its upantpared to the other royals in attendance.


    After being informed by a royal guard, the court herald announced, "His Majesty King Armen Ilven of Abetha and His Majesty King Drayce Ivanov of Megaris are entering the royal court."


    King Armen and Drayce entered the royal court together with Lord Eudes and their respective knights following behind. With their entrance, the initially noisy hall calmed down as those inside paid their respects to the two kings.


    Their arrival signaled that the court session could nowmence.


    Lord Eudes, who was standing beside his king, announced the royal court''s agenda for the day.


    "First on the item, King Armen will announce his decision regarding the marriage between His Majesty King Drayce and Her Highness, Third Princess Seren."


    The silence within the hall was deafening as everyone strained to hear what King Armen had to say. It was as if everyone was holding their breaths in anticipation.


    Looking at the expressions of the people standing before him, King Armen could only inwardly sigh. Beforeing to the royal court, he had already discussed the general arrangement with Drayce. There was no turning back.


    "As you all are already aware, the hand of my daughter, Third Princess Seren, was already promised to King Drayce, and due to affairs rted to his kingdom, King Drayce wishes to return to his kingdom bringing his queen with him. Not wishing to dy his important matters, I have decided to make an exception to the royal protocols and have the wedding between King Drayce and the Third Princess arranged within a week. Princess Seren would have recoveredpletely by then to be able to travel along with King Drayce back to Megaris."


    "Congrattions, Your Majesty. Our Abetha forever prospers under your reign!"


    "Congrattions, Your Majesty! The Third Princess has been blessed!"


    "To a stronger friendship between Abetha and Megaris!"


    The royal court was filled with praises andughter at his announcement. Everyone was in a jubnt mood, the happiest person there being Queen Niobe. Finally, after the wait for so many years, she could get rid of this witch.


    After talking about less important matters, the royal court was adjourned.


    ------


    As they left the hall together, King Armen talked to Drayce, his future son-inw, in a more amiable tone, "If there is anything more that needs to be done, let me know."


    Drayce nodded. Just then, one of the knights guarding outside Seren''s bedchamber approached his king to report something.


    "Greetings, Your Majesty! Apologies for interrupting, but there is something I must report."


    King Armen recognized that the knight was one of Sir Berolt''s trusted men assigned to look after Seren. "What is it? Did something happen to my daughter?"


    "Her Highness the Third Princess asked her two nurses to get out of the bedchamber and leave her alone," the knight replied.


    His statement surprised King Armen and Cian, while Drayce and An continued to silently listen beside them.


    "What happened? Has anyone upset her?" Cian asked with worry.


    With his head still lowered down, the knight replied, "Apologies, Your Highness, but your question is something I cannot answer. The two nurses are better informed regarding this matter. They are currently waiting outside of Her Highness''s bedchamber. We dare not barge in without your approval. Please order us Your Majesty, Your Highness."


    "I will go check on her," Cian volunteered and his father gestured for him to go. Drayce didn''t feel the need to go to her personally as he was sure it was a simple matter and Cian alone could handle it.


    Cian left with the knight while An excused himself as he''s needed elsewhere.


    King Armen brought Drayce to his study to discuss things rted to the wedding and the long journey they would undertake after the wedding. As Seren''s female rtive with the highest status, the wedding arrangement itself would be done by Queen Niobe, but as her father, King Armen would definitely make sure everything wasfortable for his daughter.


    After a while, Queen Niobe was summoned to the King''s study.


    Though Queen Niobe hated Seren, she couldn''t forget her responsibility as the Queen of Abetha and the leader of the royal harem inside the pce.? Seren was a proper princess under thews of Abetha, and thus, as a female royal, her upbringing and everything about her until her marriage should in fact be managed by the Queen.


    This might be the first and only time Queen Niobe would do her duties for the girl she hated the most, and she would ensure nothing would go wrong. Let this be her parting gift.


    The royal harem would perfectly handle the responsibilities of this royal wedding for Seren.

 Chapter 116: Visit The Lake

    <h4>Chapter 116: Visit The Lake</h4>


    When Cian reached Seren''s bedchamber, the knight who remained to guard the door and the two nurses standing outside immediately lowered their heads to pay their respects to the prince.


    "What happened?" Cian asked the nurses.


    One of the nurses stepped up to answer him. "It was Her Highness herself who asked us to leave the bedchamber."


    "What did you two do?"


    The me in his tone scared the two nurses. They felt their bodies trembling under the gaze of the Crown Prince; his eyes were saying if they had really done something to upset the Third Princess, their career under the royal pharmacy would be ruined.


    "Y-Your Highness, Third Princess said she is fine now and there is no need to stay around her," replied the other nurse, not wanting the Crown Prince to misunderstand the situation. "If this subordinate was to guess, Her Highness simply wants time to be alone."


    Not reacting to her exnation, Cian stepped towards the door and one knight opened it for him. Inside, he saw Seren sitting on a chair with her gaze lingering on the sight outside of the window. His entrance caused Seren to turn around and look at the person who had just entered her bedchamber.


    She was about to stand up to greet him but she heard her brother say, "No need," so she did not leave her seat.


    Cian sat on the chair next to her. After getting himselffortable, he asked with a gentle smile, "What is wrong? Did something happen?"


    Seren shook her head and replied calmly, "Nothing is wrong, Brother."


    "Then why did you send those nurses away? You are not well and they are here to look after you."


    She shook her head again. "I am fine now. I am not used to having people around me so I sent them out."


    Cian suddenly understood the situation. They had neglected the fact that since Seren had always been on her own in the tower, she was not used to having people around her all the time. All these years, only a single person had been a constant in her life and that was her nanny, Martha. Having nurses hovering around her and serving after her every need like a maid must be ufortable for her. It would not be easy for her to adapt away from the hermit lifestyle she developed growing up.


    "Will you be fine on your own?" Cian asked. Only to his sister would he sound this gentle, unlike how cold and harsh he was with outsiders, especially with those annoying royal court ministers.


    Seren nodded. "Yes, brother. I am more used to this."


    "If you say so then I will believe your words. There are knights outside. If you need anything, you can ask them. I will also make sure to keep two maids waiting outside to tend to your needs."


    Seren silently nodded again. Her silence didn''t feel right to him.


    Looking around the room, Cian frowned. His sister had nothing to do inside the room. There was nothing here to help her pass the time. Would she be just staring nkly at the outside world from this window? Would that not be a repetition of her life trapped inside the tower?


    "Would you like to go out with me to visit theke?" Cian asked.


    In the eastern part of the pce grounds, there was a beautifulke surrounded by greenery. It was a scenic spot only royals and important guests could visit. Cian was sure she would not only enjoy the view, she would also appreciate the peaceful environment since no one would normally go there.


    His suggestion was met with silence. Seren merely looked at her brother, but Cian could not understand what her gaze meant.


    "Only if you are feeling well enough to take a walk," Cian added cautiously, trying to gauge her reaction.


    Her response came after a short pause. "I can walk."


    "Let''s go then!" Cian stood, feeling delighted in his heart that she finally agreed and offered her his hand. "Let me help you up."


    She could not hide her surprise at his outstretched hand. Even though her brother came to visit her in the past, there was always some hesitation, maybe awkwardness, between them. Under Martha''s watch, they would have afternoon tea in her garden, with him telling her things about the outside world and her simply listening to him talk. She always acted cautiously around him and he respected her wariness and maintained some distance from her.


    In her eyes, Cian had always been a highly-aplished and well-respected prince who kindly checked on her from time to time since she''s a royal by name. But at this moment, the young man in front of her was nothing like that. He was simply her brother. He was simply family.


    The smile on his face and the look in his eyes made her recall those days when she was a kid and Cian was only a young prince. Once he started to handle the responsibilities as the Crown Prince and heir to the crown, he could hardlye to meet her, and slowly, this warmth in his eyes disappeared. Visiting her had be more like a chore than anything. They talked and he brought gifts for her without a miss and but that warm feeling was long gone.


    It was only now that Seren realized how she dearly missed her brother.


    Seeing her dazed, Cian maintained the same pleasant smile but yfully wriggled the fingers of his hand in front of her. "Are you noting?"


    Cian''s words brought her back to her senses. epting his hand, she stood up.


    He then studied her attire. "I''ll ask the nurses to help dress you up in something warmer. I will wait for you outside."


    Afterward, the nurses entered and helped Seren change her clothes. It did not take long for her to step out of the room, looking like the dignified young princess that she is.

 Chapter 117: Her Own Interest

    <h4>Chapter 117: Her Own Interest</h4>


    Cian observed his sister as he offered her a light smile. Though he had never seen her face, he was sure his sister was sure so pretty that she had to cover her face with the veil.


    Cian looked at the nurses. "You two can leave. If there is any need, you will be informed."


    "Yes, Your Highness!"


    The two siblings walked away from the bedchamber with only his personal knight, Sir Eliot, following behind.


    "If you feel tired, you can tell me," Cian told her and Seren just nodded in response.


    As they walked, she took the chance to look around and observe the grandeur of the pce. Although she was a royal, she had spent her days either inside her tower or in her garden. On rare times, she would be invited by the King to the banquet hall or the throne room when there were special asions. Therefore, she had never been able to see this part of the pce.


    The hallway was quiet, and she could only hear their group''s footsteps echoing within the walls. As per the King''s decree, this wing of the pce was prohibited for others to enter and the royal knights guarded the entrance leading to her chamber, thus causing this situation.


    Soon after, their group reached the area guarded by the royal knights. Beyond them was the part of the pce where servants and guards were able to freely walk about.


    Seren was observing each and everything carefully. She came out to take a walk as per her brother''s request, but she had her own intrest in it.


    When the people saw Prince Cian in the lead, everyone moved to the side to make way for him and lowered their heads. Even the royals who saw their group didn''t disturb them and just bowed when they walked by.


    The people were initially surprised to see Seren with him but no one dared to utter a single word as everyone had heard about how Cian had fiercely protected Seren in the royal court''s session the previous day. They also heard how he beheaded an assassin just because he talked ill of the Third Princess. Some of the royal guards even heard tales from their colleagues of how Prince Cian tortured those men who attacked the Third Princess in the market. No one wanted to get skinned alive.


    Seren was surprised that she didn''t hear any one of them whispering ill about her or looking at her with a hateful gaze.


    ''Seems like my scream has scared them a lot,'' she thought, ''Serves them right.''


    The entire trip towards theke was peaceful.


    When they neared theke, Cian said wistfully, "Years have passed by since youst came here."


    Seren nodded as the memory of visiting thiske almost blurred from her mind. She was so young back then when Cian took her out of her residence without the permission of their father. At that time, Martha had gone outside of the pce and Cian had fooled the knights saying it''s his father''s order that he should take Seren out as Martha was not there. The younger Cian was a pretty naughty boy and did not care much for the rules,wanting nothing but to spend some time ying with his youngest sister.


    "I remember getting punished by our father for carelessly taking you out." Cianughed a little.


    Seren didn''t know about what happened after. She grew curious. "Did he beat you?"


    Cian couldn''t help butugh loudly, "Father? No, he would never do that. I just had to spend an entire week locked up inside the royal library,studying an unending pile of books."


    Seren could not help but imagine the young Cian with his face buried in books. Before she knew it, the two finally reached theke.


    Cian led her to stand inside the gazebo by thekeside.? It was connected to one wooden pathway built over the water that allowed one to go closer to the water. Seren looked at the seemingly average-sized waterbed whose end reached the pce wall, and from her guess, the water of thiske should be connected to the river outside.


    The ce was peaceful and scenic, and Seren loved it.


    Theke was surrounded by beautiful greenery, but unfortunately, there were no colours other than green as none of the nts had flowers on them.


    As she enjoyed the view, Seren walked along the wooden pathway over the water as Cian walked alongside her.


    "Be careful," he warned.


    She continued looking around, appreciating the ce in silence, and Cian didn''t disturb her. For someone like him who had seen many ces, thiske was nothing special to look at, but his sister was different. She was someone deprived of even the mostmon and ordinary things in life; as such, everything was new and special to her eyes.


    She looked at the water that was just below the wooden pathways. She saw her reflection on the still water, only to see that veil-covered face.


    She stared nkly at the image, and no one knew what she was thinking.


    After a while, Cian said, "Are you not tired? You should not stand for long. Let us rest in the gazebo."


    Seren understood and turned to leave, not without looking around everything as if she was seeing it for thest time.


    After all, she was determined to run away.


    The two returned inside thekeside gazebo. There were chairs and a wooden table in the center of the gazebo where one royal servant had already arranged newly-brewed tea and light snacks for them.


    Seren and Cian epted the tea served by the servant. Seren was quiet as usual while Cian was quiet due to anxiety. All these while, he had been contemting over how they would inform his sister about her wedding being fixed with the King of Megaris.


    ''How will she react? Will she think they don''t love her and n to send her away? Will she think they used her to benefit their kingdom through this political wedding?''


    Cian was torn on whether he should tell her the truth now or whether he should wait.

 Chapter 118: No Emotions

    <h4>Chapter 118: No Emotions</h4>


    "If you like it here, I will bring you here often," Cian offered when he realized that his youngest sister was staring at theke in a daze. He could not help but add in his mind, ''At least, till you are here with us.''


    ''Do I like it here?''


    Seren realized that rather than theke itself, what she liked was this brief getaway��spending time with her brother, simply sitting inside the gazebo and enjoying the pleasant breezeing from theke.


    However, she did not share her true thoughts and simply nodded, continuing to stare at theke while the servant poured more tea into her almost empty teacup. Since she was not looking at her brother, she failed to see the conflicted way he gazed at her. It was both apologetic and filled with guilt at this moment.


    Her response made Cian rx his mind. After several minutes offortable silence, Cian tried to probe, "Seren, have you heard of Megaris?"


    Busy in her own world, she subconsciously nodded, "Hmm."


    "Who told you about it? Martha?" Cian asked, as other than Martha, she never interacted with anyone.


    "His Majesty has been sending many books for me to read every now and then. There are books that have information about the entire continent as well as an introduction to all the known kingdoms," Seren replied.


    "I see. It is good that Father pays attention to your education," Cian said with the tone of a small talk, but he probed once again, "What do you know about Megaris?"


    Seren looked at her brother. She was answering without even thinking much, but he was asking her so many questions. Was he testing if she was neglecting her studies?


    Cian sensed her doubtful gaze and said, "If you are too tired to answer, we can stop."


    She no longer thought of it and simply answered his previous question, "It''s thergest kingdom in this continent and boasts the most powerful military and marine force. Geographically, it has all kinds of weather since its territory is more than twice the size of Abetha.? Its extreme north territory borders the Northern Barrens; thus, it is covered with snow all year round, while its south is on the warmer side. The eastern sea coast of the content belongs to Megaris, sharing it with Griven further south. In the past, the size of its territory was simr to Griven, but in the few years after he ascended, the new king had expanded it by conquering the smaller eastern kingdoms around it��"


    "Do you know who the king is?" Cian asked, interrupting her.


    Cian was amazed to find out how knowledgeable his sister was, even though she was locked in the tower, isted from the outside world, with no tutor or teacher assigned to guide her. He was sure that if he asked Meira about Megaris, she wouldn''t have been able to say this much.


    "King Drayce Ivanov," Seren replied ndly, as if answering a test question.


    Hearing her answer perfectly to his questions, Cian turned silent. The name his sister had just mentioned without even hesitating for a moment...not even in her wildest dreams would she think that the owner of that name would soon be her present and future.


    Seren observed her brother. "Is there anything wrong with what I said?"


    Cian shook his head. "Everything you said was right."


    Ever since the official announcement of her impending wedding, Cian had been bothered about how to break the news to his sister gently. He wasn''t sure how well she would take it, but he knew that it would be wrong to keep her unaware of such an important change in her life. After all, she only had a week left until the actual wedding ceremony. Seven days could be considered terribly short, and it would not be fair to take away from her the preciousness of thesest seven days of freedom.


    Since Seren looked at ease now, Cian thought to use this chance to tell her about her marriage arrangement since the two were already talking about Megaris and its king.


    "I want to tell you about something," Cian said.


    She tilted her head, wondering why his mood suddenly became serious.


    He continued with the same somber tone, "I want you to first listen to everything calmly. Can you do that for me?"


    Seren nodded lightly, still confused why her brother was acting like this.


    "Father has fixed your wedding with the King of Megaris."


    Her body froze like ice. Seren felt like she had heard something wrong, but when she opened her mouth, she realized no words could escape her lips.


    Cian sighed, "I know it''s shocking, but you must listen as to why father had to do it."


    ''Wedding? Fixed my wedding?''


    It was only then did the gravity of his words truly sink in. The grip of her hand on the tea cup tightened as she looked at her brother in disbelief.


    "Seren��"


    Her response was surprisingly calm, as if the thoughts in her mind were not a mess. "As His Majesty had decided for me, then there is no need to exin why he did it. I am only one of the King''s subjects, and his word is thew. "


    Done saying her part, she stood up. "I would like to go back to my room."


    Seeing herposure and eptance of this shocking news troubled Cian. Shouldn''t she argue over it or ask questions about it?


    Cian stood up as well and asked, "Don''t you have anything to say?"


    "I know there won''t be any use, so I should preserve my energy in getting better faster," she said.


    The Seren standing inside the gazebo right now seemed to be no longer the old Seren, the vulnerable young girl he remembered from his visits in the tower. The incident in her garden had changed her.


    The youngdy in front of him was so still, so quiet; he felt like she was someone without emotion. A pang of pain shot his chest as if he only realized he had lost something precious.


    ====


    Note-


    This month author has rewards for my lovely readers.


    1) The top (#1) fan of the novel will receive a physical gift from the author delivered to their home.


    2) Each of the top five fans, will receive 100 coins as a reward.


    You all can check your Fan Ranking by going into the top fan section of the novel.

 Chapter 119: Stollen The Precious Time

    <h4>Chapter 119: Stollen The Precious Time</h4>


    When she started walking away, Cian decisively followed her. "If you have anything to say, say it to me. Don''t keep it in your heart."


    Seren stopped walking but didn''t look at her brother. Her words did not sound cold, but they had no hint of emotion either. "His Majesty had always kept me locked inside the tower and kept me away from the outside world saying it is to protect me, that I should never ever step out of the tower and should not mingle with others. But now, he is giving me away to some stranger from a farawaynd. What His Majesty did all these years by confiscating my freedom, it is nothing now. It seems like there is no need to protect me anymore."


    Cian understood what she meant. Even though she was not showing it, she must be hurting and thoroughly disappointed with their father. For nearly two decades, every single day of her life was spent like a prisoner, and she had long epted her fate. This cruel move would definitely feel like a betrayal.


    Indeed, that was how she felt. All her years inside the tower were like a p to her face. Was being kept in the tower truly to protect her? If so, then why was it so easy for the King to give her away like an object? Why did it feel like she was being thrown away?


    The King had stolen the precious time of her life, her childhood when she should be enjoying like other kids. She grew up on her own, apanied by the cold walls and the lonely corridors of an empty tower instead of having fun like other girls of her age. She did not even know what friendship was like, nor did she know what having a dream in life was like, as she never got to interact with people and had no chance to decide what she wanted in her future.


    What was all of her suffering for?


    Has she ever done anything wrong for her to be punished like this?


    Cian had no words to console his sister and simply followed her.


    When they stepped out of the gardens, Cian could no longer bear the silence and offered, "If there is something you want, you can tell me. I will try my best as long as it is within my means."


    Seren just nodded but did not reply. Though she was angry and disappointed, she could never me her brother for anything. She knew whatever happened with her, Cian had no part in it; instead, he was the only person who genuinely cared for her, and many of his actions from the past made her realize it.


    Whether it was taking her to theke without permission from their father, fighting for her with their own cousins whenever they teased her when she attended events inside the pce, arguing with their father not to send her back to the tower, all these memories shed in her mind.


    Back then, Seren had witnessed Cian''s heartfelt request to their father. Her brother, who was young at that time, could do nothing in front of their powerful father, the King of Abetha. He was punished by being sent outside of the capital, away from her. Even though he was now a crown prince, King Armen was still the ruler, and his words were what truly held power in this kingdom.


    ------


    Drayce left King Armen''s study after discussing the details of the wedding with King Armen and Queen Niobe.


    Just as he was about to reach the pce''s wing where his bedchamber was, he noticed the resonance of familiar energying from the opposite direction, causing him to stop in his tracks suddenly.


    The knight behind him was surprised by his action and asked, "Your Majesty, is something wrong...?"


    Drayce raised his hand to stop him from talking and looked in the direction where he felt that energy wasing from. His red eyes saw the expected��the Third Princess, Seren. From a distance, he saw that Seren was walking back towards the same pce wing with her brother.


    "She seems fine. We could have arranged the wedding for today itself," Drayce mumbled under his breath.


    The knight behind him heard his king but pretended as if he didn''t. He quietly lowered his head behind his king, not daring to take a look at their soon-to-be queen. In front of her, they should always lower their heads.


    Just then, Seren stopped mid-walk as she too felt a strange yet familiar kind of energying from a particr direction. She tried to remember the times she had sensed this energy. One particr asion was during the engagement of the Second Princess, and after that, she sensed it again the day she sneaked out from Martha''s watch, but she ignored it at that time because of the chaos in the marketce, and she was in a hurry to save her own life. There were several more instances when she felt it when she stayed inside her assigned bedchamber, but she never paid it any particr attention, thinking it was her mind ying tricks on her.


    Seeing her stand still in the middle of the path, Cian looked around to check what caught his sister''s attention. He asked, "Is there anything wrong?"


    Seren did not know what to answer, so she simply did not say anything. She merely stared in the other direction, but all she saw was a group of knights blocking her sight.


    Cian followed her line of sight and recognized the knights from Megaris based on their ck uniform. Because of the knights blocking their sights and due to the distance between their groups, Cian too couldn''t see Drayce but informed his sister, "Are you looking at those men in ck uniform? They are the royal knights under the directmand of the King of Megaris."


    As if it didn''t concern her, Seren turned around and resumed walking. Cian could only sigh.

 Chapter 120: Feeling Of Being Loved

    <h4>Chapter 120: Feeling Of Being Loved</h4>


    Silently, the two siblings entered the royal residence from its main entrance and walked towards the left-wing of the pce where Seren''s bedchamber was located.


    No words were exchanged between them the entire way, causing the mood to be ufortable for Cian. Not that he could me Seren. Unable to do more for his sister, Cian merely respected her private space and silently apanied her the whole way to her bedchamber.


    Soon, they crossed the part of the wing where the royal knights under Sir Berolt were stationed to guard against other people from approaching. Seren didn''t fail to take a proper look at them and counted how many knights were on duty. The knights paid their respects to the prince and princess as they walked past them.


    Only when they reached the door of Seren''s bedchamber did Cian forced a smile on his face as he turned to his sister. "Tomorrow, I will take you to the river outside the pce."


    The silent Seren suddenly spoke, "Brother, will it be fine if I alone go for a walk to get fresh air whenever I want?" Her voice was calm and polite.


    Cian didn''t wish to say no to any of her demands. He wanted herst days in the pce to be peaceful, but he couldn''t allow her to be alone as it was not safe for her. He was sure some people in the pce were still holding malice against her. Nobody knew when she would end up being harmed again.


    Taking a moment to think it over, Cian replied, "You can but only along this wing. Outside is not safe for you. Even nobles have to walk with a knight or a servant all the time; what more a young royal like you."


    Seren nodded and said another demand, "I would appreciate it if no one followed me."


    Cian agreed to it. "Inside this wing, it is safe to wander about so no one will disturb you." Cian then pointedly looked at the two knights guarding the door for the bedchamber.


    The two knights saluted to show that they understood they should not disturb the Third Princess when she wanted to go for a walk.


    "Thank you so much, Brother." Seren bowed to him lightly as her gratitude.


    "You don''t need to thank me over something this small," Cian smiled at her.


    "I will go inside to rest now," Seren informed.


    With a nod, Cian watched over her as the knights opened the door, and she went back inside her chamber. Once the door was closed, Cian immediately turned to leave. Since he was heading towards the main pce, he took the opposite direction and came across Drayce who was returning to his bedchamber.


    Cian stopped and bowed to Drayce. "Greetings, King Drayce."


    Nodding lightly, the young king epted his greetings and asked, "How is the Third Princess?"


    "She is doing better now," Cian replied. "If it''s not a trouble for King Drayce, I would like to have a word with you."


    Drayce nodded. "Let us talk in my chamber."


    The two young royals no longer said anything as they walked together. The atmosphere between them was neither friendly nor hostile, but it made the knights escorting them ufortable.


    Upon stepping inside Drayce''s bedchamber, one looked as cold as always, his red eyes devoid of any sort of emotion, while the other one also had an expressionless face, but his sapphire blue eyes were thick with worry for someone he cared about.


    "Have a seat." Drayce gestured to him to sit on one of the chairs in front of the desk while he sat on his chair behind the wooden table filled with paperwork.


    Cian did not decline, and Drayce patiently waited for him to talk.


    "I am here to talk about my sister," Cian informed, his tone civil.


    With a slight nod, Drayce allowed him to continue. "You may proceed."


    "King Drayce must have already heard what kind of life Seren had lived inside the pce."


    "I am aware of it. I must say I am not pleased to know what the Queen of Megaris has gone through all these years," Draycemented with a dry tone.


    Cian did not rise to the taunt and merely continued, "I know, and I feel apologetic towards her. But we can''t change the past now, so I can only work on the present, expecting her future to be better. I believe King Drayce would keep true to his promise to my father and give my sister the freedom to do what she wants when shees to Megaris."


    "I have given my word," Drayce assured.


    If it was someone else, Drayce would have glowered at that person and asked, ''Do you dare doubt my words?'' but he held back the urge. This young man was his queen''s family, his soon-to-be brother-inw, and he could not be faulted for wanting the best for Seren. He could see the sincere worry inside this Crown Prince of Abetha, who sessfully defended his sister by going against all the odds in the royal court.


    To him, his disappointment with the Kingdom of Abetha somehow lessened. It was enough that other than King Armen, there was one more person in this entire kingdom who worried for his soon-to-be wife.


    "Thank you," Cian said humbly.


    There was a brief pause, but Drayce remained quiet. He was sure Cian was not here only for this much and waited for him to talk further.


    At this moment, Cian was speaking not as the Crown Prince of Abetha but as a responsible brother who loved his sister.


    After thinking over how to put an order in his thoughts, Cian continued, "She has always been imprisoned inside the tower, so she is not familiar with the outside world. She is not used to people. To her, everyone is a stranger, and she will be ufortable and wary of those around her. When she goes to Megaris, she might feel scared, and given her mental condition, it will be difficult for her to ept the sudden changes in her life. A different ce, different people, different culture and environment�� I ask that King Drayce be patient with her."


    "Different, yes, but it will be the kind of ''different'' infinitely better than what Abetha has offered her," Drayce replied.


    Drayce''s words were mocking, but they sounded assuring to Cian. To him, this rude yet straightforward way of talking felt more reliable than the sugarcoated yet untrustworthy words of most people of high society. Cian was the same, and An was the same, so he could see what kind of a person Drayce must be. The King of Megaris was a man of his words.


    Cian nodded lightly and continued to speak, "Being isted from the real world; there will be things that she might not understand at all. She is like a nk piece of paper,cking in experience to deal with anything or anyone around her. It will take time for her to understand and ept her new title, along with the responsibilities that wille with it..."


    Cian stopped deliberately to check if Drayce was getting his point or not.


    A light but pleasant smirk was painted on Drayce''s lips, amused at the brother who was trying to figure out how to put his words right without offending the husband of his sister.


    "I understand," Drayce replied. Before Cian could say more, Drayce said again, "I have given my word in the royal court that we won''t consummate our marriage until shees of age. That much time will be enough for her to understand everything."


    Cian could only nod at the blunt words of this king, but it was a relief that this king at least understood what he meant to say.


    "Also, after going to Megaris, she has to learn not only the traditions and customs there, she will also be educated on how to rule by my side as a queen. After her arrival in my kingdom, she will probably be busy learning things. Those will take time."


    "Then I will entrust my sister to King Drayce," said Cian.


    Drayce nodded and Cian stood up as he said, "Then, I will take a leave. Thank you for your time, Your Majesty."


    Cian turned to leave but stopped again. Drayce waited to know what more he had to say.


    Cian spoke in a low voice, "She has never experienced the feeling of being loved. I can only ask that you make sure she will get to know it."


    To this request, Drayce had no mocking words to reply and just nodded silently again.


    When Cian left, Drayce leaned back in his chair as his hands rested on the cushioned armrest.? There was silence for a moment before Drayce mumbled, "Feeling of being loved? I wonder how it feels."

 Chapter 121: Gift Of Gratitude

    <h4>Chapter 121: Gift Of Gratitude</h4>


    (Seren''s POV)


    After my brother left, I spent my time quietly inside my bedchamber. I had taken my medicines and eaten my food without a fuss, wanting my body to recover as much as possible given the short time I had left. A week was all I had, and I needed to be at least strong enough so I could run away.


    Though Cian cared for me, in the end, I was being sent away, and he couldn''t stop it. It was better to run away on my own and not implicate him. Since everyone wanted this witch to get out of this kingdom, so I would fulfill their wish��but on my own terms. I felt bad that I deceived my brother by using his words and permission as my way to escape this pce, but it could not be helped.


    Around the evening, I found myself standing by the window, enjoying the refreshing sensation of wind against my skin.


    Under the dark starry sky, I could see some servants on the ground and a few guards patrolling the gardens holdingmps, looking like tiny fireflies amidst the darkness. I looked at the tall walls surrounding the entire royal pce, at the night sky over the capital and the sight beyond, those distant mountain ranges which were notpletely visible but with the height of the pce, one could see the vague outline across the huge curtain-like sky.


    "This must be thest time I am seeing this view from the pce. Not humans but this starry sky and those faraway mountain ranges, they were my constantpanions in each and every lonely night I had spent inside my tower."


    Arge eaglended on my windowsill. His sudden arrival caught my attention and pulled me out of my daze.


    I couldn''t help but appreciate this adorable bird and wonder who had raised such a kind and intelligent bird. This bird''s master must be equally kind and intelligent, but why did his master send food for me? Did that person know me? Who could be that person looking out for me?


    My mind filled with a lot of unanswered questions, I reached out my hand to pat that eagle''s head. By now, I understood he liked to get patted gently on his head.


    "This must be thest time we are seeing each other," I murmured, and the eagle looked at me. I smiled, "I wish I had the chance to meet your master so I can thank whoever it is, but it seems like it is not possible."


    As I stroked the eagle''s head, something came to my mind. My hands went to my neck and unsped the only jewelry I wore, a ne with a thin gold chain holding a tiny water drop-shaped pendant with a purple gem.


    "I can''t be ungrateful towards the one who helped me," I said and reached out my hand towards what that eagle was wearing around its neck��a thick ck thread that had a tiny red pendant in it. "Seems like your master likes red. Let me give you something purple."


    As if it perfectly understood my words, the eagle stood still and allowed me to remove what he wore around his neck. I wrapped my ne around that ck thread, adjusting the positions of the pendants in the center before tying it back to his neck.


    Those two tiny gems looked nice together.


    I patted the eagle''s head. "Only this much I can do to show my gratitude. Say thank you to your master on my behalf," I said, knowing the bird cannot do it.


    After a short pause, I lowered my voice, saying something I didn''t wish to say to this bird, but I had to. It seems like I would terribly miss him. "You don''t have toe here after tonight. I won''t be here anymore."


    The moment I said it, the eagle who was enjoying my petting and caressing, suddenly stopped moving his head and looked at me.


    "You don''t want me to?" I asked.


    The eagle pecked on my hand twice, and I understood what he meant.


    "But I don''t want to stay here anymore. I need to search for Martha. I don''t know if His Majesty had punished her and threw her somewhere to die. She is the only one I have," I continued to talk as if that bird could understand everything I was saying. It''s more like this eagle was the only one I could share my thoughts and worries without worrying that he would tell someone else.


    It seemed like the bird got upset, and the next moment, he fled away from me.


    With a sad smile, I continued to stand by the window. I was determined to leave this pce and go somewhere far away where no one could find Martha and me.


    ������-


    After leaving Seren''s window, Dusk flew in a wide arc beforending in the window of the chamber next to hers, where he saw his master sitting in a chair behind a wooden table, busy writing something on parchment with the help of the lighting from themp kept on the table.


    Screech!


    Dusk called out to get his master''s attention. Drayce stopped writing and stood up to go towards Dusk. Dusk never screeched without any reason.


    Reaching the window, Drayce, as usual, caressed Dusk''s head and said, "I heard it all."


    Dusk looked at his master as if it was asking if he should do something, but he heard his master speak again, "I have given my word to her father that I will respect her wishes. If she wishes to run away, then I should respect it, shouldn''t I?"


    Dusk pulled his head back from his master''s caressing palm and stepped back as if he was not happy with what he heard. Drayce looked at his suddenly empty palm that was deprived of the soft sensation of feathers and pulled his hand back.


    Drayce knew why Dusk was acting like this. He smirked. "How about I help her run away?"


    Dusk still didn''t look happy and pped his wide wings as if to show his feelings.


    Just then, Drayce''s eyes caught sight of something purple shining around the bird''s neck.


    "A gift from the Third Princess herself?" Drayce moved his hand to touch that shining gem, but Dusk stepped back and flew away in a hurry as if in fear that his master would take away that gift from him.


    The slight smirk on Drayce''s lips widened as he kept looking at the disappearing figure of the bird in the dark. "He is already showing this much attitude after spending only a short time with her. It seems like he will abandon me for her sake once we go to Megaris."


    =====


    Dear readers, Dusk''s POV is written below for fun. If you all wish to read his POV every time, let me know in thement section so I will continue to write it in theing chapters too.


    (Dusk''s POV1)


    Seren: I wish I had the chance to meet your master so I can thank whoever it is, but it seems like it is not possible.


    Dusk: Lady, just go to the bedchamber next to yours. That scary red-eyed man is the one.


    -------


    (Dusk''s POV2)


    Drayce: A gift from the Third Princess herself? (raised his hand to touch the purple gem)


    Dusk (frowns): Don''t touch it. Though thedy is yours, this gift is mine. Scary man! (flew away)

 Chapter 122: Scared

    <h4>Chapter 122: Scared</h4>


    When midnight came, I sat in the bed, dressed not in my nightgown but in thick yet simple clothes that lookedfortable to wear and would not stand out. I strained my ears, trying to catch any conversation floating nearby. There was only silence, and I was sure, aside from the guards, most people within the pce were already asleep. I was sure it was the right time for me to leave this pce without getting caught.


    When I went out with Brother Cian, I had counted the number of knights guarding the ce and noticed the small corners in the corridor to hide when those knights would stroll around. I was not sure if my escape n would seed given the number of guards in the pce, but since I had done it when I was a kid, it should not be difficult now that I am more capable.


    With a shaky breath, I calmed myself, trying to boost my confidence. I took the small pouch where I kept some of the snacks I sneakily hidden from my earlier meals. I also took some small items I think I could sell so I would have coins to spend once I had left the capital.


    ''I can do this!''


    With a poker face, I opened the door expecting to see two knights standing on either side of my bedchamber''s door. I first had to deal with my two assigned guards.


    Hearing the sound of the door opening, the two knights turned to look at me. Seeing me, the two knights immediately stepped aside and lowered their heads as they paid their respects to me, "Greetings, Your Highness."


    "I wish to take a walk. No one should disturb me," I said in amanding tone without even looking at them and turned to leave without waiting for their response.


    The two knights didn''t dare to disobey my order and stayed rooted in their ce. After all, I was a princess of the royal family, and they served my family. Moreover, their crown prince, my elder brother Cian, had already instructed them to let me do what I wanted and not to follow me when I said not to.


    Since they thought I would only be inside the part of the pce which was well protected by their fellow knights, they didn''t have to worry about me; I should be safe even without apanion.


    My walking pace was neither fast nor slow, and it could be considered leisurely as if I was out on a stroll. As I walked, I could feel their gazes on my back, yet I remained calm andposed so that they wouldn''t even think that I was nning to run away.


    Soon, I took a turn in the corridor, and when I was sure the two knights behind me couldn''t see me now, the calmness in my pace disappeared. I hurried to reach another turn in that silent corridor. Though this entire corridor was empty, after one more turn, I knew there would be knights stationed there.


    I softened my steps as I reached the area where there weremps hanging on the walls. Suddenly, I heard voices echoing in the corridor, and they were growing louder with each passing second.


    ''They are approaching me!''


    My mind was filled with rm that I would be caught, but my entire body froze in its ce and would not move.


    I thought that when running away, my greatest trouble would be evading the detection of the knights, but now I realized that it wasn''t the case. My shaking body was proof of it.


    Hearing those voices echoing within this empty corridor, I closed my eyes, but fear still continued to paralyze me. Inside my head, the horrific scene I had witnessed that night reyed. In my garden, the shadows, that blood...Those painful screams buzzed in my ears, and I felt like running away to somewhere safe, but my body betrayed my thoughts.


    With sweaty palms, I clutched my dress''s skirt and stepped back. My breathing hitched, and my heartbeats thundered inside my chest. My eyes once again carried the same fear from that night.


    From where I was standing, I saw two looming shadows about to take a turn. Instead of running away or hiding myself, I could barely manage to make my legs move and only made a few steps back. I held my breath, knowing soon those shadows would approach me, and I shut my eyes tightly.


    The moment I gave up hope, ready to face the worst, I was suddenly pulled away and cornered by a tall body.


    In shock, I was about to scream, but a rough yet gentle hand covered my mouth as I heard a familiar masculine voice whispered into my ears, "I don''t wish to turn deaf."


    ''I know this voice.''


    With my mouth still covered and my body trapped in someone''s strong grip, I opened my eyes, feeling scared to my bones. The first thing that came into my sight was the snake-like tattoo on the man''s neck.


    ''It''s him!'' I screamed in my head and then moved my gaze up, only to see a pair of red eyes staring back at me. The same red eyes of the man who intruded inside my chamber, red eyes that shone even under the dim light of themps, as if they were engulfed in mes.


    Before I could react, my ears caught the sound of the same voices approaching. I tried to push the red-eyed man to let me go before those guards could find me, but that man was too strong to even let me move an inch.


    The next moment, I felt like a strong gust of wind crashed against my body, but it was gone in a sh as if I only imagined it. However, my head felt light, and I felt nauseous.


    The only thing that kept me on my feet was the rough yet gentle hand holding me.

 Chapter 123: Tired And Hurt

    <h4>Chapter 123: Tired And Hurt</h4>


    Getting back to my senses, I pushed away the man holding me close to him��or at least, I tried to. I wanted to get away from him but my body felt too weak to do so. Catching my breath, I stared at the man, trying to understand what had just happened. What did he want from me? Why was I feeling like this so suddenly?


    His red eyes were still staring at me as I asked, "What did you do?"


    "What you had wished for," came his reply.


    His answer puzzled me. He seemed to realize that I didn''t get what he meant so he deliberately looked around us as if signaling me to check our surroundings.


    Only then did I realize we were no longer inside the royal residence anymore. In fact, we were no longer inside the royal pce itself. With my eyes wide open, I pushed him away again and this time, he easily allowed me to get away from him.


    I turned to look at the outer gate of the pce located quite a distance from us, which was closed at this time and guarded by the royal guards.


    "Why am I here? How did you do it?" I asked in disbelief, but the red-eyed man gave no response to my questions. I turned to look back at him but there was no one beside me. I was all by myself. "Where did he go?"


    I tried looking around for him but there was no one nearby. The entire ce was quiet as if not a single living thing aside from me was in this street.


    My current situation reminded me of the memories when I was young and had tried to run away, only to discover that there were two scary shadow-like things following me. I could not help but gulp as I tried to clutch my outer robe closer to my body. My initial relief about that red-eyed man leaving me was short-lived now that I found myself alone.


    Suddenly, the streets of the capital felt scary. What if those shadow-like things appear again? Should I try calling out for the red-eyed man toe back? At least, that man was neither a demon nor a ghost.


    "No need to be scared. I am not a kid anymore. I can fight," I consoled myself and ran in the opposite direction from the pce. I made sure to avoid the main streets, where most city guards would patrol, and took the narrow alleys that had no people loitering around.


    As it waste in the night, all the stalls I passed by were closed and the houses were locked as everyone must be in a deep sleep. It was a good thing for me, or I never knew who would cross paths with me and create trouble.


    A youngdy out alone in the streets at night was pretty eye-catching enough, and those who hadmon knowledge could recognize me if they were to notice the color of my eyes and this veil on my face, as these were telltale signs of my identity as the cursed daughter of the witch living inside the tower.


    I ran as fast as I could through my body didn''t allow me to. I was mostly out of breath, but the determination to leave this ce was stronger than the weakness my body felt at the moment.


    After crossing a certain distance, I felt like someone was following me and I stopped to look around. I also used this chance to catch my breath, but there was no one around me aside from the patrolling guards which I managed to avoid two streets back. I didn''t have much time. Before my body gave out, I needed to run outside of this capital. It would be better if I reached the forest outside. I could at least hide there, away from anyone who could see me.


    Struggling to catch my breath, I continued to run as I held onto the skirt of my dress tightly. Along the way, the feeling that someone was following me remained, but I didn''t bother to pay attention to it anymore.


    Avoiding the patrols, hiding if there were people in sight, taking detours in narrow alleys, my legs were numb by the time I reached the outermost perimeter of the capital. I did not know how long I had been running when I finally seeded in stepping out from thest circle of houses. The forest was just right in front of me. It was so close, but my legs would not move at this point. Before I knew what happened, I was kneeling on the ground. I closed my eyes as I tried to breathe through my mouth. My feet were so numb that I felt like I wouldn''t be able to take a single step further after this night.


    "Just a little...little more��" I kept mumbling under my shallow breaths. Forget my legs, I felt like my head was spinning and I would go unconscious anytime soon. But what would happen if I pass out now? The city guards would most likely find me and bring me back to the pce. I could not let all my efforts go to waste when freedom was so close at hand.


    Gathering thest bit of energy from my body, I forced myself to stand up and walked towards the forest. It was slow and unsteady, but at least I was moving towards something precious to me. Precious? It was my freedom that was precious and I needed to get it.


    "I can''t just leave one prison only to get into another one. Never!"


    Even though I was as fast as a snail, I was determined to put my foot forward, one step at a time. After what felt like a lifetime, I finally reached the trees and entered the forest. It was nighttime, and the forest was many times scarier than the streets of the capital. At least there, I could still use the moonlight and the streetmps to guide my way, but deep within the forest, it was dark to the point that I could not see what was in front of me.


    The darkness was terrifying, but I needed to bear with it. With my hands groping the trees in front of me, I managed to make my way forward. However, since there was no visibility, I could not see the uneven ground and felt the lower parts of my skirt tearing along the shrubs and bushes. Just as I walked a few rows of trees farther in, my feet were caught in something and my body fell down.


    "Ouch! It hurts!" I hissed under my breath.


    When I fell down, something hurt my knees. Even the palms of my hands were hurt. I was already tired and this pain felt too much for me to bear. Still, I tried to get up with my hand pushing me off the ground that seemed to be covered in dried leaves and branches and stones.


    Just as I thought I could get up, my hands slipped and I fell back on my stomach. There was no strength left in my arms. I could barely feel my legs. I couldn''t move at all and kept lying on the ground. After a while, I rubbed my fingertips together, only to discover a slimy wet feeling on my hand. It was as if there was mud stuck to my hand. Soon enough, my entire body felt cold underneath my dress.


    The ground was muddy, and why not? It must be due to the heavy rain I caused a few days back.


    "I can''t give up...never!" With pure willpower, I managed to make my upper body move. I crawled on the ground, pulling my body forward somehow but stopped again after several failed attempts. At this point, my arms were going numb as well.


    "I need water..." I mumbled and continued toy on the ground as if someone would bring me water if I asked for it. Of course, there was no one. I was alone now.


    I turned around andy on my back. I had no energy left to move. I didn''t even have the energy to feel disgusted at being covered by mud at this moment. All I knew was that my body felt cold.


    ''Did I go far enough not to be found?''


    Feeling helpless, I looked up at the small space where the foliage of the trees did not cover the sky. Through the open area among the leaves, I caught a glimpse of a starry sky. It was the same night sky I saw from the tower, but it didn''t look like the same sky.


    My eyes turned heavy although I struggled to keep them open. I knew I shouldn''t sleep, but I couldn''t stop myself from losing consciousness.


    When I heard the sound of movement beside me, I forced myself to remain awake. Though I was dizzy, I was conscious enough to realize that someone was approaching me.


    With what energy I had left, I got to open my eyes, but only managed to force only a tiny crack. In the darkness, I managed to see someone with a familiar pair of red eyes.


    I wanted to see clearly but everything turned dark.

 Chapter 124: Dream Or Reality

    <h4>Chapter 124: Dream Or Reality</h4>


    "It''s so bright!" I mumbled as I tried to cover my sleepy eyes that were nearly blinded by a? bright light.


    Screech!


    From somewhere nearby, I heard a bird screech. "Did that eagle follow me?"


    I opened my eyes, expecting to see myself surrounded by trees and nts, but I found myself staring at a familiar ceiling with ated curtain hanging from it.


    ''Am I dreaming?'' It was the same view I had been seeing for the past few days whenever I woke up. I found it difficult to fully open my eyes due to the bright sunlighting inside through the window.


    "Window?" What forest would have a window?"


    Thest thing I remembered was falling unconscious inside the forest, and it would be dangerous for me not to wake up soon. I closed my eyes and shook my head, trying to wake myself from this silly dream. I wanted this view to disappear from my sight. It was impossible for me to miss being inside the pce. If I were to dream, I would prefer to dream of some other ce, any ce but the royal pce.


    However, when I opened my eyes, the view was still the same. My chest tightened.


    ''No, no, no��.'' In fear, I looked around and realized I was sleeping on my bed, inside my bedchamber... I sat up. "This can''t be true."


    I pinched my arm tightly. "Ouch!" I looked around, but I was still not out of the dream. "No, no, this is a dream...this is just a dream!" I tried to convince myself and looked at the eagle sitting on my windowsill. "I am even dreaming about this eagle. It is so real."


    I was adamant on thinking it was nothing but a dream. It had to be, right? I could perfectly recallst night''s encounter, how I suddenly appeared outside the pce, how I ran across the entire length of the capital, how I nearly crawled my way deeper into the forest...


    Just then, there was a knock on the door, and the door opened. The same female servant who had been serving me ever since I dismissed the nurses entered my bedchamber. I stared at her as a terrible chill enveloped my body.


    ''This is a bad dream. Yes, I must be having a nightmare!''


    "Greetings, Your Highness!" the servant bowed. "I am d the Third Princess is awake. Shall I prepare your bath?"


    ''Bath!'' It reminded me I fell down in the forest and my clothes must be dirty, my appearance a mess. I looked down at my clothes only to get another shock. ''This...this is not the dress I wore at that time...''


    I looked back at the servant who had taken my silence as a yes and gone towards the side room connected to my bedchamber.


    Everything was so confusing, and I didn''t want to believe it was a dream. I buried my face in my palm. "Let me get out of this dream."


    Disappointment crashed through me in heavy waves. I felt like crying my throat out, but I couldn''t. Feeling the touch of my palm against my face, I realized something. They felt smooth. I remembered falling down when I was in the forest, and I remembered trying to break my fall with my hands. My palms should be scratched by the rocks and branches if not bruised, and my nails should at least have mud on them. However, both my hands were in pristine condition.


    I pulled my nightgown up to see that my knees that should be hurt and bleeding werepletely fine. I poked my knee with my fingers to check if I felt any pain, but there was none.


    My mind felt confused. I could not tell which one was the dream and which one was the reality.


    After a while, the female servant stepped out of the bath and informed me, "Your Highness, the bath is ready."


    "You can leave," I instructed, and the servant obediently left.


    I stepped out of bed and went towards the huge mirror in the room. I looked at the nightgown I was wearing. Last night, I perfectly remembered changing into a casual dress that would befortable outdoors.


    "Why am I wearing this?" I observed my body. I looked perfectly fine when I was expecting to have several scratches and wounds on me. "What is happening with me?"


    The way I forced my bodyst night, I should not even be able to walk properly, but contrary to expectation, I felt energized, as if everything that happened and the suffering I went through the night before was all just my dream.


    With trembling hands, I covered my mouth through the veil. My chest felt suffocated, but I knew I had to keep it in. I could not cry. I went to the window where that eagle sat. "Tell me, is it a dream? Is everything really a dream? If it''s not a dream, peck on my hand."


    That eagle did so, and I said, "Again."


    The eagle did it again. "You are a good bird even in my dream��or maybe, it is not a dream at all."


    My thoughts were interrupted by the knock on the door. The servant re-entered my bedchamber. "Your Highness, Prince Cian will be here shortly to have a morning meal with you."


    After dismissing the servant, I collected myself and went to the bath. By then, I had epted that this was not a dream. Sitting inside the hot water tub, I was wondering what exactly had happened. I closed my eyes, and a sh of memory came to me. I remembered thest thing I saw before going unconscious in the forest.


    "Red eyes!"


    With a shock, I opened my eyes. "Is he the one who brought me back here?" He seemed to be everywhere. He had intruded in my room at night, and he was even there in the corridor. He was also the one to take me out of the pce and then disappeared.


    "That mysterious red-eyed man, is he helping me, or does he want to harm me? If he helped me run away, then why did he bring me back to the pce? How can he enter the pce without anyone knowing? Who is he?"


    As questions flooded my mind, my disappointment turned to confusion and then indignation. There was a realization so shocking that it left my eyes wide open in distress.


    "Did he...did he change my clothes too?"

 Chapter 125: Powerless Witch

    <h4>Chapter 125: Powerless Witch</h4>


    "Did he...did he change my clothes too?"


    My breath was stuck in my chest, and no word coulde out from my throat. I felt like I would suffocate at the thought of what happenedst night. ''The red-eyed man should not be that sort of a rascal, right?''


    I squeezed my eyes shut as I let out the stuffy air stuck through my mouth.


    "Did he see me naked, or did he not?" I kept mumbling under my breath, not knowing what I should feel now. It might be a kind gesture, but it would be downright embarrassing if a stranger��a man to boost��saw ady without clothes on.


    I wanted to scream, but I covered my mouth, trying to swallow my frustration. It wasn''t easy to ept it, and though I didn''t wish to say a word about it, my mind kept thinking on its own, asking the same questions again and again.


    ''Did he really personally change my clothes? Did he see me without clothes on? Did he? Did he not?''


    However, the thought that he must be the one who changed my clothes dominated my mind. I curled myself in a ball and shrank on one corner of that bathtub.


    ''Who is he? How can he�� just�� ?'' Then, a certain memory struck me. Last night would not be the first time. That red-eyed man had seen me without clothes when my scrying caused me to meet him underwater while I was in the middle of a bath. ''Does he enjoy seeing naked bodies? Is he what Martha calls a pervert?''


    A scream of frustration wanted to escape my lips again. I didn''t even know who he was and what he had to do with me! How could this happen?


    I allowed myself to vent out until the water turned cold, and afterward, Iposed myself. It was useless to cry over what had happened already. My time and energy were something I could not waste, and dwelling on something that could not be changed would be a waste of both. Once I got away from here, I could leave these things behind, and no one would know. I wouldn''t even have to see that man again.


    "Forget it. I can run away again tonight. Since I don''t feel weak at all and my body seems better than yesterday''s, this time, I can manage to go deeper into the forest."


    With my determination renewed, I stepped out of the tub and dried myself. I helped myself into a simple yet elegant dress since my brother woulde to see me soon.


    Remembering the events ofst night, it was strange that I was feeling fine, even somewhat energetic. There were no traces of myself getting hurt or feeling tired. No feeling of any sort of weakness.


    "But how? Am I getting stronger? Do I have a hidden power inside me that is showing its effect now?"


    I had always been told that I was cursed and those curses could bring destruction, but I always wondered why I could not cast magic or have useful special abilities if they called me a daughter of a witch.


    In the mirror, I looked at the image of myself. ''Don''t witches have magic? Even Martha can do magic, and no one calls her witch, then why can''t I? Did my mother forget to pass on her powers to me? Isn''t it always that the child inherits powers from their parents? In those storybooks I had read when I was a kid, they said it like that, then why can''t I cast magic?''


    I looked at my fingers and tried to twirl them like Martha, but there was nothing special appearing on my fingertips. There was nothing but thin and fragile pieces of bones joined together and covered with delicate skin.


    "Maybe I need to have a magic wand like what those? witches have in the story books?"


    Losing interest in my hand, I could only sigh.


    "If I am the daughter of a witch, then let me use my powers so I can use it to run away from here." But I knew the reality, "I am nothing but a powerless witch."


    I thought about whoever was my mother and said, "Before abandoning me, you should have at least given me some of your powers. I would have been grateful to you. You gave me nothing but this veil."


    I looked at that veil which had changed its color from white to light blue to match the dress I was wearing. "Even this lifeless veil has its own power, then why not me?" My anger erupted at the unfairness of everything. "I don''t even need this veil! I can just take it off."


    Out of impulse, I raised my hand to pull that veil away from my face, forgetting that only Martha could take it off. The next moment, I got nothing but disappointment in return. My fingers couldn''t touch the veil, as if there was some invisible energy covering my face. My fingers passed through this energy and touched my skin, but I couldn''t touch the veil itself. My hand retreated, but I tried again to grab it. Still, the results were the same; I couldn''t touch it. Well, the disappointment was nothing much. It was not like I was not prepared for it. In the past, I had tried too many times to count but could never touch it.


    When I was a kid and went out in the pce, the other kids tried to take it off of my face saying, ''Let us see your ugly face,'' but they too could not touch it. Only Martha could do it.


    My thoughts were interrupted by a knock on the door, and the female servant entered my bedchamber. "Your Highness, Prince Cian is here."


    "Let him in," I instructed and was ready to wee my brother.


    He entered the bedchamber with the same pleasant smile that he always had whenever he came to see me. Even his eyes seemed to be smiling.


    "Greetings, Brother." I bowed lightly.


    With a slight nod, he epted it and came to me as he observed me from head to toe. It surprised me to find him observing me so tantly. ''Does he know I tried to run away the previous night?''


    My palms turned sweaty as I clenched them into fists. I was not scared that he would scold me, but I would be sad if he was disappointed in me. He cared for me, and if he knew what I did, he might me himself for not taking care of me properly.


    Just then, I heard him say, "You lookpletely fine today. It seems like the medicines are working well on you."


    I sighed a deep relief and agreed, "Seems like it."


    What more could I say? Even I was surprised to be feeling so energetic, like someone had just fed me some magic medicine.


    ''Wait!'' The thought stuck in my mind and I repeated the words inwardly, ''Magic medicine? I have them. I can��but they are in a tower...I can''t go there to get them...that scary ce.'' A shiver ran across my spine at the thought of going back there.


    "What are you thinking so deeply about?"


    My brother''s question pulled me out of my thoughts and I looked at him. "N-nothing. Even I feel that those medicines are really effective on me."


    "Isn''t it good? We should reward the Head Royal Physician again for it," Brother said and I just nodded lightly.


    Soon after, Cian''s knight entered the chamber as he lowered head to bow and said to my brother, "Your Highness, everything is prepared."


    My brother nodded and looked at me. "Let''s go."


    "Where?" I asked.


    "The ce where you would like to be," he replied. He led me out of the bedchamber as the knight followed behind.

 Chapter 126: One Sided Conversation

    <h4>Chapter 126: One Sided Conversation</h4>


    With only a single wall separating them, Drayce could clearly hear everything happening in the bedchamber next to his.


    "It''s so bright!"


    Hearing Seren''s whinyint first thing in the morning, Drayce smirked. "Seems like she finally woke up."


    Her talking with long pauses in between where she must have processed in her mind what was going, Drayce focussed on everything. She must be confused to see why and how she was back in the pce and in her bedchamber.


    Drayce heard her whine again. "Ouch! No, no...This is a dream...This is just a dream."


    "My dear, it''s not a dream at all," Drayce mumbled in response to her conclusion. Though she couldn''t hear it, he liked to respond to her.


    "I am even dreaming about this eagle..."


    "You better dream about that eagle''s master or that eagle will lose his wings soon," Drayce responded to her another conclusion.


    Just then, Drayce heard someone enter Seren''s bedchamber and talk to her, "Greetings, Your highness!" Since the voice belonged to a female, it must be a servant. "I am d the Third Princess is awake."


    "Even I am d," Drayce said with a nod.


    The servant continued, "Shall I prepare your bath?"


    Drayce smirked as he spoke, "She is already clean so no need for that, but she will soon get a shock seeing herself without even a hint of dirt."


    After several minutes, he could hear the servant speaking again, "Your Highness, the bath is ready."


    "You can leave," Seren instructed and Drayce was ready to enjoy the next scenario.


    "Why am I wearing this?" Seren''s voice was full of worry.


    Drayce heard her genuine confusion and spoke, "Because I cannot bear to see my queen in a muddy torn dress."


    "What is happening with me?"


    "Price of being favored by a devil," Drayce answered her another question.


    Soon, her footsteps could be heard. He then found her talking to someone. "Tell me, is it a dream? Is everything really a dream? If it''s not a dream, peck on my hand."


    ''She must be talking to Dusk,'' Drayce concluded and the next moment the words full of warning left his throat, "You better do it gently or I will cut the sharp point of your beak."


    Seren''s soft voice floated to him again. "You are a good bird even in my dream, or maybe it is not a dream at all."


    Drayce frowned. "Dream? Need to get this eagle out of her sight."


    There was the sound of a knock followed by the door opening. He heard the female servant again talking to Seren. "Your Highness, Prince Cian will be here shortly to have a morning meal with you."


    "After we wed, every morning meal will be with me."


    There were several minutes of silence until Drayce heard Seren say something that made him smirk again.


    "Red eyes!" she said.


    "So she finally remembered me," Drayce concluded.


    "Is he the one who brought me back here?" he heard her ask.


    "Other than me, who dares touch the Queen of Megaris?" Drayce said as he narrowed his eyes. There was a dangerous glint in them that only disappeared when he heard her soft voice again.


    "That mysterious red eyed-man, is he helping me, or does he want to harm me?"


    "I can never harm you."


    "If he helped me run away, then why did he bring me back to the pce?"


    "Hmm, good question," he smirked. "Maybe because I couldn''t leave my Queen in the forest to be eaten by wild animals."


    "How can he enter the pce without anyone knowing?"


    "You are the one forcing me to use my powers."


    "Who is he?"


    "You will know it soon."


    After the one-sided conversation by Drayce, there was a short pause on Seren''s side and he heard something that he was waiting to hear.


    "Did he�� Did he change my clothes too?"


    Drayce couldn''t help but smile widely at the way her sweet gentle voice turned high-pitched at her discovery. He could almost imagine her flustered face. Would her purple eyes sh in panic?


    "Too slow to realize it, my dear," Draycemented as he continued to listen to her talking to herself.


    "Did he see me naked?"


    Drayce''s smile widened to its fullest as he said, "So adorable. Just don''t scream or I would have to take you away with me today. I don''t want Prince Cian to me me for not letting him spend some quality time with his sister before whisking her away."


    Drayce frowned when he realized the long silence from the chamber next door. He wanted to hear more. It was rare for his sharp hearing to be used for something this entertaining. He felt like this was something he could do all day and not get bored.


    He idly wondered if she was cursing him in her mind.


    After a while, Drayce heard her again, "Forget it. I can run away again tonight. Since I don''t feel weak at all and my body seems better than yesterday''s, this time I can manage to go deeper into the forest."


    "Little kitten being brave," Draycemented. "Whatever my queen wants."


    There was another long pause and since he could no longer hear the sound of sshing water, Drayce guessed she must be finished with her bath and taking her sweet time in getting ready.


    He wanted her to talk to herself again to know more about what was going on inside her pretty little head. It seemed like he was lucky because Seren started speaking out loud again. Eavesdropping had never felt this enjoyable.


    "But how? Am I getting stronger?"


    Seren must have realized by now the changes in her body.


    "It''s because I gave you a magic elixir," Drayce answered. After what she went through the night before, there was no way he would not give her one. Even an adult male would have suffered through muscle pains running like that, what more a frail little kitten like her?

 Chapter 127: Going Out

    <h4>Chapter 127: Going Out</h4>


    "Do I have a hidden power inside me that is showing its effect now?"


    Drayce helplessly shook his head. "Hidden powers? Seems like my little kitten loves to y magic games."


    "Maybe I need to have a magic wand like what those witches have in the storybooks?"


    At those words, Drayce chuckled. "So naive."


    A soft sigh echoed from her chamber as her voice dulled. "If I am the daughter of a witch, then let me use my powers so I can use it to run away from here. Before abandoning me, you should have at least given me some of your powers. I would have been grateful to you."


    ''It seems like she is talking about her mother,'' he thought.


    Seren continued, "You gave me nothing but this veil. Even this lifeless veil has its own power, then why not me? I don''t even need this veil! I can just take it off."


    "Veil?" Drayce thought about it. "Once we return to Megaris, I will allow you to take it off. You will no longer have to wear it."


    He had seen that veil closely and he knew it was not an ordinary veil since it was an item someone had enchanted. Even though Seren didn''t like it, she was forced to wear it all her life. He was sure he could take it off if she allowed him to.


    Just then, the servant returned to her chamber to announce Prince Cian''s arrival to Seren.


    Drayce picked up his sword as he was ready to go out and mumbled, "Enjoy your brother''spany because, after this, there won''t be the next time."


    Drayce left his bedchamber with his knights trailing behind him. When he stepped out of the royal residence, he saw a fancy carriage standing outside and understood it was for Seren to go out with her brother.


    -----------


    When Cian and Seren came out of the royal residence, they found a horse-drawn carriage already waiting for them outside. Two beautiful white horses were attached to a beautiful ck carriage with a blue crest of the Ilven Royal Family on the side. It was the personal carriage of the Crown Prince, therefore it was not an exaggeration to say that it was one of thergest and most luxurious carriages that could be found within the kingdom.


    Seren gave her brother a questioning look. "This��"


    "It''s for you. We are going out of the pce, and of course, the princess needs to go in a carriage," Cian replied. He would be out of his mind to ask his lovely sister to simply walk all the way out of the pce. Even he would have to ride a horse for that.


    One knight opened the door of the carriage for them and another pulled out a footstool. Cian personally offered his hand to his sister to help her get into the carriage.


    Once she was insidefortably, Cian climbed inside as well,choosing to sit opposite to his sister.


    The royal servants as well as the pce officialsing early to work who witnessed this scene were both equally confused and startled. With the many eyes in the pce, whenever royals were heading out, it usually caused great fanfare to the people around them. However, this never had urred for the Third Princess before as nobody has ever seen Seren step out of her tower except for some special asions within the pce.


    Seeing her climbing the prince''s carriage with such respect and treatment was something even the other princesses never experienced.


    A princess. The witch was being treated like a princess. Sometimes, even the people in the pce forget her true status, treating her more like an abandoned royal imprisoned in her own residence. Things had changed for her in the past several days. Her presence was no longer restricted. Instead, she was allowed to stay inside the royal residence instead of sending her back to the tower, and she was even free to roam in the royal gardens. It was even rumored she even stayed an afternoon in theke in the eastern part of the pce. Some more people did not believe that story, but now she was even given a privilege to be personally escorted by Cian himself and ride the royal carriage of the Crown Prince.


    Suddenly, too much importance was being given to this witch. People thought such treatment must be due to it being herst days in the pce.


    It was the first time Seren had ever ridden a carriage. The space inside wasrge and she found the seat soft andfortable even when the carriage moved, contrary to what she had read in most books. Her excitement only existed for about a minute as she looked at her brother.


    "This�� is this allowed? Can I truly leave the pce? His Majesty might not like this. I don''t want Brother Cian to be in trouble because of me," Seren said with worry in her voice.


    "Don''t worry about it. Father knows everything," he replied.


    Despite hisforting words, there was no happiness in her eyes even though her father permitted her to go out of the pce, not in hiding, but in front of everyone. A tinge of sadness appeared in her eyes.


    "What are you thinking?" Cian asked.


    Seren shook her head and looked outside through the ss window of the carriage. She could see the various structures and buildings inside the royal pce, and then therge gates that separated the pce from the rest of the capital. The entire journey, all she did was to observe outside. It must be thest time she would be seeing this ce. Though she did not have much attachment to the royal pce, she could at least keep it in her memory that this was the ce where she had spent seventeen years of her life.


    "You can say it. Don''t keep it in your heart," Cian insisted. "I want to hear what my sister feels and thinks, so that at least I can understand you a little better."

 Chapter 128: Her Painful Thoughts

    <h4>Chapter 128: Her Painful Thoughts</h4>


    Seren continued to look outside. Since they left through the main gates, the carriage was now passing through the streets where ordinary people gather. Outside the carriage, she could see everyone clearing the way for the royal carriage to let it pass without any disturbances. On the sides of the street, the crowd stood with their heads lowered to show respect.


    Seren said in a low and mncholic voice, "These people are bowing to the carriage at this moment thinking royals must be inside. If they know it''s a witch, will they even bow?"


    Hearing the sorrow in her voice, Cian felt as if his chest had been shed with a sword. ''How badly have people treated Seren for her to have such thoughts?''


    "Are you not a princess and I a prince? We are direct descendants of the King of Abetha. We are both true royals." He swallowed the pain, knowing that it was her who neededfort the most. "And I don''t see any witch here, and neither have Ie across anyone ever."


    A painful smile painted on her lips as she heard her brother. She knew he never considered her what others always called her, but one person''s opinion couldn''t change the thinking of the public.


    She gave a helplessugh as she continued to stare at the outside world. "Sometimes, I wonder what it is like to live like a normal person. I am not even asking to be served and pampered like a princess. I just want to be able to experience how an ordinary person lives. What if His Majesty had allowed me to live normally like this instead of locking me inside my tower? I know he said it''s to protect me but�� he could have made it happen. Why not allow me to at least spend time with family or other children my age? Why not let me at least go around the royal pce, to be escorted by his strongest knights? If the people he''s protecting me from are inside the pce, why not let me live under a false name in another city or town or vige where I can freely roam around?


    "Keeping me locked up in the tower only added to what others thought. His Majesty himself wants everyone to believe that I am a witch and they should stay away from me. His Majesty even ignores me on the rare times I attend the banquets. We never even had a chance to chat with each other like we do, Brother. I do not know my mother. I don''t even know who and what I am. If not for this human emotional feel, this sadness and anger, and disappointment, I would have believed I am not human either....that I am indeed a witch...or some kind of monster."


    Each of her words was hurting herself as well as Cian, but he felt equal relief upon knowing that she trusted him enough to open up, that she honestly said her thoughts instead of keeping them inside.


    Cian let out a shaky breath. "Even I don''t know why Father has done things this way,but one thing I am sure of is that he loves you as much as he loves his other children."


    Seren scoffed, internallyughing at the absurdity of the idea. "I wish it was the truth. Though he never loved me, as his daughter, I still wish for him to show a bit of affection for me. I want him to treat me like his other daughters but he never even smiled at me," she said and looked at her brother, "I don''t have a single memory of His Majesty looking at me with the affection of a father."


    "He doesn''t show it but he cares. When you were sick... no even before that. For years, he had fought for you against the entire royal court. I have witnessed it all."


    She let out a lifeless chuckle, not believing him a bit. "I would not have minded being locked up if he had truly loved me as you''ve said. If he had just shown me what he felt, my days would have been less lonely."


    "I know you find it hard to believe me since he is never one to show his true feelings openly. There must be things we misunderstand since we do not know the whole story. You have never seen how angry Father was whenever the people in the royal court nder you, and you have never seen his despair when we found you unconscious that night." Cian then recalled some of his early conversations with King Armen. "I remember, when I was young, I asked him about your veil. Being a father, not even able to see his daughter''s face even once, it was one of the rare times I saw Father sad. Even now, I cannot forget his expression. He doesn''t even know what his daughter looks like. Isn''t that a punishment for him as well?"


    "Why would he want to see the face of a cursed daughter?"


    "Seren, I haven''t seen your face either, and he strictly asked me not to. I believe his words that it is to protect you so I never dared to ask your veil to be taken off. He must have his reasons, only we do not know what they are."


    Regardless if she agreed or not, Seren no longer said anything, preferring to remain silent. This was also sad for her to hear as she didn''t even have clear memories of her own face. She rarely used a mirror, and it was even rarer for Martha to take the veil off from her face.


    Her face half-covered with a veil dominated her memories more than her face without it.


    The carriage kept moving smoothly along the streets as houses and buildings shed by them like a blur before it turned towards the direction of the river. Since Seren was silent, Cian didn''t disturb her. He could see she didn''t want to talk anymore so he could only internally sigh, wishing that the visit by the river would be enough to lift her mood.

 Chapter 129: Waterfall

    <h4>Chapter 129: Waterfall</h4>


    Soon, the royal carriage reached the river. From inside of the carriage, Seren could see its beautiful clear waters as the carriage rode along the riverbank. The river water was sparkling under the sun, as if tiny jewels were scattered on the surface. She moved her hand to open the carriage window to get a clearer view, but the ss was stuck and she couldn''t move it.


    "Let me do it." Cian helped her open the window. The clean smell of the greenery around them seemed to have refreshed her spirits.


    Seren had been to the river before but after she only sneaked out with Martha through the secret way connecting the back of the tower to a clearing just outside the pce walls. Since her tower was in the outermost area of the royal pce, the distance was short enough to cover it by walking. However, since they went out without permission, the two of them could never truly spend leisurely time outside and could only stay in one area by the river.


    But this time, Seren felt an entirely new experience. Sitting inside a smooth-moving carriage, the gentle winding in the window ying with her hair and brushing along her face was something she had never felt before. She found this to her liking, this sensation like floating in the air, and closed her eyes to enjoy the cold and pleasant breeze from the river. Coupled with the natural scent from the trees and the grass, it even smelled better.


    Opposite her, Cian simply sat quietly to observe his sister''s reaction. He was gratified to see her happy.? She looked like an excited little girl out on her first trip, even putting her head a bit out of the window to take a peek at the view outside.


    Though Cian couldn''t see her entire face, from her eyes, he could guess she must have been smiling at this moment.


    ''Such an ordinary thing is enough to make her this excited. She needs nothing but such small things to be happy,'' he thought. Somehow, the thought made him give a sad smile in her direction. ''Though Father has his reasons, he has truly been unfair to her��''


    For Cian, what his sister was enjoying at the moment was nothing special. It was not a breathtaking sight, but he could understand it meant more to her.


    As he immersed himself in various thoughts, from his side vision he noticed something was changing around. Outside of the window, various colors started appearing from the sea of green that covered the riverside. The trees, the shrubs, the grass�� every nt able to bear flowers, all of them were sshed with colors. Flowers started blooming everywhere as if they were paying homage to the Goddess of Spring.


    Not only Cian but also the coachman driving the carriage as well as the knights on horseback escorting them were all surprised by this miraculous change around them. Remembering who was inside the carriage, they put two and two together and realized this was caused by the Third Princess. This was a rare situation to happen and few had ever personally witnessed it; they couldn''t help but feel equally happy. The entire riverbank had turned into a beautiful and colorful painting with astonishing scenery.


    Soon, the miracle of the blossoms spread and the entire capital was covered with colorful and beautiful flowers everywhere. Inside the gardens of the royal pce, the residences and manors of the nobles and merchants, even the backyards of the ordinary civilians... The people understood what it meant, but along with cursing the witch in their minds, they could not ignore the beauty around them.


    "So before leaving this kingdom, the witch is at least doing something good."


    "Getting married to a king must have made her happy."


    "She doesn''t deserve to be a queen but as long as she leaves this kingdom, it''s fine."


    "Let her ruin some other kingdom and spare us."


    "Hah. She is happy now, not knowing we will be even happier when she''s gone."


    In one part of the capital, a young girl happily pointed at a beautiful blossom. "Mother, the Third Princess made the flowers bloom! How powerful! Is she not amazing?"


    "Daughter, don''t be naive!" her mother rebuked. "Amazing? This beauty is what she robbed from us. Before she came, flowers naturally bloomed in our city. She is only returning it now, as she should have long ago. That cursed existence!"


    People from all walks of life shared simr views, educating some of the younger generation and the guests from outside the capital who were awed by the sight of the beautiful flowers.


    As more people inquired, the news of Seren''s marriage being fixed with the King of Megaris spread throughout the entire capital. They rejoiced at the announcement, but not for the wedding of their third princess itself, but that finally, the witch would be leaving this kingdom.


    The carriage soon stopped at one ce along the riverbank. Seren, who was enjoying that peaceful ride, looked puzzled as to why they had stopped and looked at her brother.


    "Riding is fine, but I think you enjoy walking along the riverbank better," Cian said.


    Seren nodded, and soon a knight opened the door of the carriage and ced a small stool for Seren to step on.


    Like a true gentleman, Cian stepped out of the carriage first and offered his sister his hand. She epted it and happily climbed out of the carriage.


    From the books, Seren knew that this river was thergest and longest river in the continent. This riverbank spanned almost as long as the kingdom itself, thus, she was not surprised to find the view unfamiliar. In fact, she eagerly looked at the scenery.


    Seren and Martha had nevere to this part of the river. Her nanny had always brought her to the same ce just behind the tower, where she would sit on arge rock in the shallow part of the river and put her feet in the water.


    As she let her eyes wander, she noticed that there was a strange sight nearby, from which water flowed down from a rocky ledge before joining the river. The water looked like a huge white cloth hanging down from the edge of a cliff before floating in the air like a mass of clouds.


    ''This...is this a waterfall? The thing I saw in picture books only?''

 Chapter 130: Magic Land

    <h4>Chapter 130: Magic Land</h4>


    Seren had never seen the waterfall before, but she recalled seeing a simr image in a picture story book. ''There is a waterfall in this part of the river? Why did Martha never bring me here?''


    There was something soothing and musical about the sound of falling water. Seren was thoroughly fascinated with this new experience.


    "It looks better than in the books," Seren could not help but whisper in wonder, observing the beautiful waterfall.


    Cian heard her and agreed with it, "Hmm, it''s really beautiful."


    The young prince was satisfied with simply observing his delighted sister.? In his eyes, all he could see was a carefree little girl bouncing in excitement on her first trip outside. She was such a beautiful sight, the colorful flowers surrounding them seemed to pale inparison.


    ''They call her a witch but just her simple smile can turn this ce as lively and pretty as this. They don''t know what they are missing by pushing her away.'' Cian couldn''t help but pity the thinking of other people and wonder if they could see how innocent she was and how much they had hurt her.


    Seeing her eyes fixed on the waterfall, Cian asked, "Do you want to get closer to it?"


    His words almost made her squeal a ''yes!'', but then she forcibly calmed herself and asked hesitantly, "Can I?"


    He nodded with a pleasant smile. "Let''s go."


    They leisurely strolled towards the waterfall through that green field. Two knights walked ahead of them to clear the path, while the others kept their distance as they followed behind. Under the morning sun, everyone found the walk more pleasant than they imagined. The flowers blooming everywhere had made everything look even prettier.


    When they neared the waterfall, the ground became rough and uneven, filled with rocks and slippery stones. Cian offered his sister a hand. "You should walk carefully here."


    Without hesitating, she epted his hand and walked along with him slowly while handling her dress''s skirt with another hand.


    The two finally reached the waterfall where Seren could clearly see where the water was falling. From where they stood, the water drops from the waterfall could reach her and she liked the refreshing sensation spraying on her skin.


    "Have you been here before?" she asked.


    "Hmm." He nodded. "I thought about bringing you here before but could never do it. But I hope it''s not toote now."


    "Thank you," she smiled. Though he couldn''t see her smile, her bright eyes were enough to let him know what his sister was feeling.


    Cian let her enjoy the scenery for a while before offering her his hand again. "Let''s have a morning meal first."


    She looked at him in surprise as if asking, "Here?''


    When she turned around, she saw that the knights were arranging chairs and a small table for them on one side, even setting up a small shade to shield them from the sun.


    ''Brother nned all this?'' Seren had never tried eating outside in the open before. This was another new precious memory she would keep close to her heart.


    "Shall we?" Cian asked, and she put her hand back to his as he helped her down towards the tter ground.


    The brother and sister had a pleasant meal while enjoying such a peaceful view in front of them. There were no sounds other than the musical sound of sshing water and the birds chirping from the trees around them.


    Seren realized she had probably never smiled as much as today in her entire seventeen years of life. She could not help but bitterly question why she was only allowed to taste this kind of happiness and peace now when she was about to be sent away?.


    A trip outside the walls of her tower, a warm meal with family, if everything was like this from the start, she would have never thought about running away from here. Funny, she was allowed to go out like this because these were herst few days in Abetha before her wedding.


    Before, she was already determined to escape, and after today''s experience, she was even more motivated to run away. There was no way she would go to Megaris and be a prisoner of some stranger, probably to experience a repeat of her life in the tower. She would rather prefer spending her life somewhere far and alone in the wilderness.


    ---------


    Drayce was with his knights in their quarters.


    "Your Majesty, the things we have asked from Megaris will be here a day before your wedding," the captain of the knights informed.


    The young king gave a sound of approval before saying, "We will be leaving on the same day of the wedding, immediately after the ceremony. Make sure everything is arranged in the right way and there should be no disturbances during the journey."


    "Everything has been nned ordingly, Your Majesty."


    Their conversation paused when they heard exmations from some of the knights who were pointing outside the windows. Everyone witnessed the supernatural phenomenon of nts around the military barracks blooming flowers all at the same time.


    Drayce knew what it meant and mumbled, "Seems like someone is happy after going out with her brother."


    Despite experiencing it for the second time, the captain of the knights still found the scene marvelous. "Your Majesty, is this kingdom a magd? The next day after we arrived at the capital, the same thing happened as well. I once heard from a passing merchant that Abetha has a ce called ''A City Where No Flower Blooms'', so I am not surprised if they also have a city where flowers suddenly bloom." Heughed a little at his own pun."


    "Soon, Megaris will turn into a magd too," Drayce answered.


    The knight couldn''t understand what his king meant. Before he could ask anything, Drayce stood up to leave and the captain could only bow to his retreating figure.


    Two knights followed behind Drayce as he left the military barracks to go see yer.

 Chapter 131: Pampering The Sister

    <h4>Chapter 131: Pampering The Sister</h4>


    Inside his bedchamber, yer was awake, sitting on the bed with his back supported by pillows.


    Seeing his king visit him, he felt happy and did an awkward bow from his position. "Greetings, Your Majesty." If he could, he would have jumped out of the bed and kneeled on the ground to greet his king.


    "How are you now?"


    "I am fine," he replied casually. A smile spread on his face. "Congrattions on your wedding, Your Majesty."


    With a slight nod, Drayce epted his best wishes, but now that yer mentioned the wedding, Drayce realized that something was off. How could it be possible that on his own wedding his best friend and the knight who had devoted his life for him would not be there with him on such an important day?


    Even yer would feel sad if he, the guardian knight of the King of Megaris, couldn''t be with his king to witness such an important milestone in his life.


    "Wait for me," Drayce said as he instructed his other knights to remain with yer.


    Drayce went to Erich Winfield who was talking with his apprentices outside of the chamber, and his ears just happened to catch their conversation.


    The old physician was telling the two younger men, "We will leave once he ispletely fine."


    "Where will we go next, Master? Are we leaving Abetha or are we heading to the countryside?" one of his apprentices asked. They were used to roaming around different kingdoms, visiting not only cities but even small viges, not staying in one ce for long to help patients in need.


    "We are staying here," Erich Winfield informed and his apprentices felt surprised.


    "I do not mean the pce," the old man rified, clearing their doubts." "We are staying here in Abetha. I have my own ce to live."


    Before they could say anything, the two apprentices saw Drayceing towards them and immediately bowed to him. As usual, Erich Winfield did not adhere to etiquette. When Drayce only silently stared at the physician, Erich Winfield gestured for his two apprentices to return inside the chamber.


    Only when they were left alone did Drayce talk. "I want to give him one more elixir."


    Erich Winfield frowned. "Last time, I told you that it might��"


    "I have given two elixir pills to someone and that person ispletely fine, even more energetic than a cheerful wild bunny."


    The old man was not convinced. "I am telling you, even medicine can be poisonous if too much is taken."


    Drayce remained unmoved. "I think these pills are different. They have no harmful side effects. Aside from its healing effects, it can also be treated as a health tonic."


    Erich Winfield was equally stubborn, but since the patient''s master obviously did not care for his expert opinion, he would let this young king suffer for his own ignorance. "If you are ready to take a risk then I have nothing more to say. Give it to my apprentice."


    The two returned inside the chamber. Erich Winfield was frowning the entire time with his arms crossed as he watched Drayce give one elixir pill to his apprentice.


    After getting a go signal from the old physician, the young man mixed it with medicine and took it to yer. "Have it."


    yer took the medicine without a word. Drayce could only hope he would get on his feet before his wedding as only a few days were left.


    After talking to yer for a while, Drayce left.


    -------


    After having an enjoyable morning meal, the two siblings spent some more time around the river before Cian mentioned his next n for their day out. "Are you tired? If not, would you like to go explore the city? There are many attractions you should see, like the central square, the salons, and boutiques along the western district, the opera house... We can also shop around. I hearddies love that. We can visit the marketce together."


    Hearing the word ''marketce'', the happiness making her eyes glow till now suddenly disappeared.


    Cian noticed her change of mood and said, "Don''t worry, I am with you this time. You have nothing to fear."


    Hesitantly, she nodded and Cian took her back to the carriage. Cian knew she didn''t have good memories of that ce and before she left this kingdom, he wanted to rece those bad memories with good ones. He would make sure whenever she thought of her hometown, she would at least fondly remember her brother and the time spent with him in those memories.


    It took a long ride to reach the marketce. It was not an unpleasant experience for? Seren though, as it was like she was being toured all over the capital. She enjoyed the ride along the riverbank best since the roadside looked like a parade decorated with all kinds of beautiful flowers. ''This is thest time I am seeing this ce.''


    When the carriage stopped at the marketce, Seren realized something and spoke in worry, "Brother, we forgot to get my hat and change into civilian clothes��"


    Shaking his head, Cian smiled warmly at her. "No need. You are here as the Third Princess of Abetha. You don''t need to hide from them. As subjects of this kingdom, it is their honor to see you."


    She felt nervous. ''What if they all run away after seeing me? I will only embarrass my brother.''


    While she was worried about how the crowd would react in her presence, Cian had already stepped out of the carriage and offered her his hand to help her out.


    Timidly, Seren came out of the carriage, tightly gripping her brother''s hand as if trying to gain courage through it. She saw the people around had stopped whatever they were doing and already lowered their heads to pay their respect to them. No one dared to look at them or say a single word.


    The news of Cian beheading the assassin who spoke ill of his sister in front of the entire royal court had long spread among the general popce. Such a bloody act in front of all the royal court ministers and the king himself had created a shadow in the hearts of the people, some even fearing that Cian would turn into a tyrant once he was crowned in the future. With such a reputation,? people with even the slightestmon sense would not ask for death. They feared that if any of them were to say or do anything wrong, offensive or disrespectful towards the Third Princess, they would be punished. Moreover, the Crown Prince himself had brought her here, which meant she was a precious person to him.


    Though they didn''t like the witch, no one would let go of a chance to be in the good book of the Crown Prince himself. As the two siblings walked around the streets, Cian asked, "What do you want to buy?"


    "Nothing," she replied calmly.


    "But I want to buy something for you," he said. He then took a look at the nearby stores and brought her to a jewelry shop.


    Being royals, theycked for nothing but it was his wish to take his sister out and buy something for her. Maybe in the past, she must have wished that someone from her family would pamper or spoil her, even if just for a while.

 Chapter 132: Opera House

    <h4>Chapter 132: Opera House</h4>


    With only a little time left before she would belong to someone else, Cian wanted to use it to give her everything that she couldn''t get for the past seventeen years.


    Cian bought her jewelry, clothes, and whatever nice things he found from almost every shop they entered. The knights escorting them all had their arms full with boxes and packages. Though Seren didn''t show on her face that she was happy, but in her heart she liked it a lot. Her brother was buying various things for her. This was something she had seen whenever she came to this market before: those girls of her age were receiving various gifts from their parents or other family members. Back then, how badly she wished it to happen to her too. Finally, that day arrived. Her heart felt so warm and full, it seemed to be bursting with happiness.


    For the first time, she walked in public with her head held high and her identity known to everyone. No one dared to say a word, and no one dared to neglect her. Every shop owner weed them like they were the children of the Goddess of Wealth herself,ing to bless their lives. Each and every manager and owner would offer them the best they had in their shops. Her brother was her shield and she couldn''t exin how happy she felt.


    After doing rounds on various shops in the marketce, Cian brought Seren to visit the opera house next. It was a ce that Seren had never seen before as it held a kind of entertainment only wealthy merchants and people of high society could enjoy. The venue was extremelyrge and luxurious, almost as grand as the halls inside the pce where royal banquets were held. There were many rows of seats in front of the stage, and there were high-ss private rooms with open balconies on the second floor reserved for the guests with important backgrounds.


    Seren was visibly excited to see what would happen inside this huge hall which was currently being filled with many people. Cian and Seren were seated in a separatepartment meant for royalty. Among the private rooms, it had the best view where the entire opera house was visible below it.


    Though she was unfamiliar with the y itself, Seren liked the music performance of thedy who was ying the heroine, singing with a sweet voice while confidently standing on the stage. She was so captivated by the music, she did not even realize the hours passing by.


    Once it was over, Cian asked, "Did you like it?"


    "Hmm." She nodded happily.


    "Tell me if you are tired, Sister. If not, we still have one more ce to visit. I believe you will find it the best."


    "Which one?" she asked with a sparkle in her eyes. Today was already the best day of her life. She could not even imagine what could make it better.


    "You will know once we are there," Cian replied with a mysterious smile. He offered her his hand once more like a gentleman, and she did not hesitate to take it.


    After the performance ended, the nobles who happened to be in the opera house got to know that Prince Cian was there himself. They all wanted to meet him, but his knights allowed no one toe close. Cian had specifically ordered that no one were to disturb him and his sister. It was a day only meant to be spent with Seren. Moreover, dealing with those annoying nobles who knew nothing but to fawn over and tter him was such a pain.


    Still, a few stubborn nobles didn''t wish to let this chance slide and found a chance to approach Cian when they reached the carriage.


    "We have seen Your Highness the Crown Prince!" Two middle-aged men came to him and bowed with humble smiles on their faces. "We have seen Your Highness the Third Princess!"


    Cian red at his knights, not sparing them his attention. "Didn''t I instruct not to let anyone disturb us?"


    The knights immediately bowed apologetically. "Our apologies, Your Highness. We tried to stop them��"


    One of the noblesughed as he cut off the knight. "Don''t get angry at them, Your Highness. We are here to give our well wishes to the Third Princess for her wedding with the King of Megaris."


    Those sly nobles knew to get to Cian, treating his sister well was the only way. ''Regardless, this witch will be gone soon so let''s just face her for thest time.''


    Cian looked at his sister through the corner of his eye. They were standing side by side, with their arms linked together. "What do you say, Seren?"


    "In return for their wishes, this witch seems to have nothing to give back. I am not well versed and can only offer a few curses, since those are the only things I know," she said and then her purple eyes stared at the two men blocking their way. "I wonder which one would suit these two gentlemen."


    The two nobles were scared stiff when they found her purple eyes focused on them. The way she looked at them with narrowed eyes, they felt as if there was already something wrong happening on their bodies. Of course, Seren had done nothing, and it was simply their imagination going wild. The bias they had against her was too deep; her smallest actions always seemed to have meaning in their eyes.


    "A-Apo-pologies for getting in the way, Your Highness! We will leave." The two nobles left after bowing, not even waiting to be dismissed.


    Cian grinned at the silly sight while Seren giggled lightly behind her veil. For the first time, she liked being called a witch. Until today, she had never had this much fun with this identity.


    As the two siblings enjoyed themselves, the knights around them didn''t know how to react. To most of them, this was the first time they saw royals being this light and casual. It was especially so for their cold-natured and intimidating crown prince.

 Chapter 133: Farm And Berries

    <h4>Chapter 133: Farm And Berries</h4>


    The siblings left the opera house in their royal carriage and went towards the main street leading out of the city proper. Soon, they reached a farm covered with crops tall enough to their knees. One part of it had vegetables, the other looked like it was a paddy field for rice grains. There were some random fruit trees in between.


    "A farm?" Seren asked as she curiously nced around.


    "Hmm!" he replied and led her way towards a stony path.


    "Why are we here?" she asked while following her brother.


    "To get you your favorite thing," Cian replied. After a while, they reached a house made of stone. There was someone outside waiting for them.


    It was an olddy bent on her back. She walked towards them with the support of a wooden stick in her hand. "Greetings, Your Highness."


    Cian epted her greetings with a slight nod.


    The olddy stared at the fine youngdy he brought, trying to see her appearance despite her poor eyesight. "Seems like Her Highness is personally here this time," she said gently.


    Cian nodded, but her words only puzzled Seren.


    "Her eyes are prettier than what you described to me," the olddymented.


    "They are so pretty that no words can describe them right," Cian agreed.


    With a broad grin, he looked at his sister in her eyes. Those purple eyes looking at him with confusion seemed to be even prettier under the sunlight.


    ''How can anyone feel scared of these eyes?'' Cian too felt his sister''s eyes were the prettiest thing for him.


    "Shall we?" Cain asked Seren, who was still staring at him at a loss.


    Seren followed her brother as they passed across the small stone house and went to the wide-open field behind. She curiously looked at the different kinds of nts and trees until they reached a certain section in the center of the farm that was filled with another type of trees.


    Seren tried to figure out what kind of trees these were as Cian led her way towards them. She didn''t know what they were, but upon getting closer, she noticed something on those trees. Each row of trees had different kinds of berries on them, and it looked like they were given special care like the special trees in that farm. Berries were in different shades of blue, and a few were red ones.


    "These berries..." she mumbled.


    "Hmm, this is the ce where I bought them every time before I visit you," he informed her.


    "Oh!"


    They walked further in, where the berries mostly looked ripe and juicy. The trees were not very tall, just tall enough for her to reach the bunch of berries hanging on the trees with her bare hands.


    "You can pick the ones you like the most by yourself."


    She looked at the tree nearest to her and said, "I like the red ones," only to change her mind as those red berries reminded her of a pair of mysterious red eyes. She moved closer to the blue ones. "These blue ones look better."


    One of the knights gave them a bamboo basket, and Cian held the bamboo basket for her as he followed behind her. While Seren enjoyed picking berries, the knights arranged chairs and a table for them under the shade of thergest tree. When the basket was nearly full, the two siblings sat there so that Seren could eat as much as she wanted.


    Without hesitation, she started putting the fresh berries inside her mouth one after another. It took her some time to realize that her brother was just looking at her, seemingly content to watch her.


    "Are you not eating?" she asked.


    "If my sister offers me to," he replied.


    She immediately pushed the basket kept in the center of the table towards him.


    Cain picked up the few and ate them.


    "How did Brother find this ce?" Seren asked.


    "Though this farnd belongs to that olddy, Father is the one to provide her everything so that she can take care of this farm, and in return, she had to nt these berries. This started long back when we were just kids. No one is allowed to? tend to these trees other than this olddy."


    "Why would His Majesty do it?" Seren asked.


    "You guess," Cian countered.


    "I don''t know." From her eyes, Cian could see she wanted to avoid guessing it.


    Cian exined, "The first time that Father discovered you liked berries back when we were young, he immediately passed down an order. His daughter, the Third Princess of Abetha, can''t eat berries from some random trees. She needs to get only the best, and he made it happen that these berries were especially meant only for her."


    Seren turned silent for a while and then asked, "How did you know it?"


    "I think it was after my third or maybe fourth visit where I brought you berries. Father brought me here and showed me this ce. He instructed me to get you berries only from here. During annual harvests, he had sent them to you through Martha. He was the one to pick them for you personally, and this has been happening for years."


    "I...I thought Martha bought them for me," Seren mumbled.


    Cian stayed quiet as he knew it was surprising for her, but he was d to show her their father''s other side, his side that cared for her secretly.


    After she ate the berries to her heart''s content, the two left the farm and returned to the stone house. The old woman stepped out to see them off.


    She looked at Seren and said, "From now onwards, what you have gone through wille to an end."


    "Huh?"


    Seren didn''t understand what she meant, but Cian casually waved it off. "She has a habit of saying some random things."


    "Random things?" The old woman scoffed. "Though I see a powerful future king in you, youck the trust in the things that you don''t want to believe instead of trying to get to know them first�� Ignorant young man." She sighed as if hating that he was not living up to his potential.


    Seren looked at the old woman carefully. The more she looked, the more she found that this old woman was different. The old woman even dropped the honorifics in her talk while talking to her brother, the prince.


    Cian said nothing to the old woman as if he was not bothered by the way she talked. It seems like he was used to her talking with him like this.


    Seren and Cian then climbed back into the carriage and left the farm to return to the pce. The ride was silent, with neither of them attempting to start a conversation. When they reached the pce, the sun was about to set.


    As soon as they entered the main gate of the royal pce, the happiness Seren had felt the entire day came to an end.


    ''Back to the pce means back to my prison life'', she thought.


    After helping her down the carriage, Cain apanied Seren towards her chamber. "You must be tired after spending the entire day out. You should rest. I will ask the servants to send your dinner to your room."


    Seren nodded and entered her bedchamber without a word. Thedy servant soon entered and prepared the bath for her. Seren was tired and she really needed to rx so that she couldter execute her another running away n after midnight.


    Sitting inside the water tub, with her fingers slowly ying with the warm water, she thought about the time she spent with her brother. ''It''s good that before leaving I could be with Brother Cian. I might never see him again after tonight.''

 Chapter 134: Another Attempt

    <h4>Chapter 134: Another Attempt</h4>


    With the sun setting as his backdrop, Drayce''s tall body cast a long shadow inside his chamber as he stood by the window, seemingly waiting with a faraway gaze. Just a while ago, he heard Seren and Cian talking to each other and got to know the Ilven siblings were finally back.


    After a short while, a majestic birdnded on the window sill and pped his wings to greet his master. Drayce asked while caressing his head, "Did she have a good time with her brother?"


    Dusk pecked on his hand to say yes.


    When Seren was busy traveling here and there, she didn''t know someone was keeping eyes on them from up above the sky. Drayce had ordered Dusk always to follow her wherever she went.


    "Good to know it," Drayce said. His red eyes seemed to shimmer as he pondered. "Will she be happier than this once it''s her husband himself who takes her out the next time?"


    Dusk didn''t react at all, neither saying yes nor no.


    "Even you don''t know," Drayce mumbled, and jealousy shed in his red eyes. "We can test it once we take her to Megaris. If we can''t make her happier than this, we will never let here back to her brother."


    This time, Dusk immediately pecked on Drayce''s hand to say yes. Just like his master, he too did not want her to return to Abetha.


    Drayce was delighted with his reaction. "I can say you are indeed my pet."


    Dusk rubbed his head against Drayce''s palm, happy to receive praise from his master.


    Drayce looked at the sky and said while thinking about something, "Let''s see how far she can go tonight."


    ---------


    (Seren''s POv)


    Just like the previous night, I was prepared to run away. I got myself another small pouch hidden underneath my outer robe; although it was a pity, I did not manage to pack a lot of snacks this time since I was out with my brother the entire day.


    I clenched my fist. ''This time, I am more confident that I will make it to the forest outside the capital and go deep enough to hide myself till morning.''


    When I figured that most people were probably asleep, I stepped out of my room. The two knights guarding outside immediately bowed to me. This time I said nothing and turned to leave, walking calmly as if I only intended to take a short midnight walk to rx.


    It was the same route I had taken the night before. There was a turn in the corridor, and I silently walked towards it.


    I chanted to myself, ''Calm down. You have done it once. You can do this again.''


    The moment I took a turn and the two knights could no longer see me; I hurried to walk while being careful of my footsteps. If the knights guarding outside were to appear in front of me suddenly, I should be able to hide somewhere.


    Although I was half running, I did not forget to look around to check if the red-eyed man was around. As per my senses, I couldn''t feel anyone''s presence nearby. Only after making sure no one was around did I feel relieved. If that man were to appear, I was not sure how to face him.


    ''Don''t show your face to me again, pervert!''


    I walked till the end of the corridor from where I could see the knights patrolling to guard the pce wing. With the help of the light from themps hanging on the wall, I could see how many of them were on duty and guess what my chances were of hiding while crossing this corridor. Unfortunately, I did not realize how close I was to the hallway decors and ended up pushing a vase kept on the corner where I was peeking out from. I tried to catch it, but it fell down��


    It was as if time stopped.


    To my shock, the vase froze mid-air before it could touch the floor and shatter into pieces.


    I covered my mouth with my hands before I could say a word in shock and thought, ''How can this be?''


    ''Am I hallucinating?'' I blinked my eyes many times to check, ''No I am not."


    I looked around, only to notice that not just this vase but everything around looked frozen as if I had stepped inside a realistic painting. The decorative banners hanging along the walls, even the curtains which were moving a while ago with the light breezeing inside the pce, suddenly became motionless.


    The situation was equally frightening and fascinating.


    As I let out a shaky breath, I crouched to pick up the vase and put it back in its former ce. Nothing changed around me. No movements, no sounds...


    ''Did time really stop?''


    I steeled my nerves and ignored what was happening as my priority was to run away by all means possible. I peeked out again to check on the knights��this time mindful not to touch the vase��and just as I guessed, they were all standing still in their positions.


    I slowly walked ahead, tentative at first, as if testing if they were truly frozen. As I got closer, I noticed that their eyes were open but not even once did they blink. It was something magical, but I didn''t want to think more about the reason behind this at the moment. My time was precious.


    Passing those statue-like knights, I got out of the pce wing without a problem. I was happy that I could run away without any trouble. While grabbing my dress''s skirt, I continued to run across multiple corridors until I reached the front doors of the royal residence and saw the same scenes. The royal pce guards were frozen in their ces by the door. Even the leaves of the trees beyond did not move. Not a single thing was moving.


    Just like that, I reached the main gate of the pce which was closed since it was the middle of the night. Beside the huge iron gates was a side entrance used by the servants and guards to go in and out of the pce, which was only big enough for one or two people to pass at a time.


    ''Do I need a key?'' I thought as I looked at the lock put in the horizontal iron tes on the door.


    As I stood in front of it and tried to figure out how to open it, it suddenly opened on its own. Startled, I took a step back. I suspiciously looked around, but aside from me, no one around me was moving.

 Chapter 135: Wasnt An Illusion

    <h4>Chapter 135: Wasn''t An Illusion</h4>


    My heart was pounding, and whether it was happiness or nervousness or abination of both, I was not entirely sure.? I stepped out of the side entrance and not waiting for anything, straight away ran on the same path I had taken the previous night which I was familiar with now. Last night, I felt tired quickly, but tonight was different. Despite touring the city with my brother since morning, I seemed to have more energy than before.? Even I was surprised that I was not yet tired. One had to remember that the grounds of the Royal Pce of Abetha were extremely huge, housing several structures and buildings that served as the residences for the royals and offices for the officials; and the capital where it was located was thergest city in the entire kingdom.


    Time seemed to havepletely stopped everywhere, and before I knew it,? I reached the forest. My heart was pounding inside my chest as I stood for a while to catch my breath. Though I felt scared, I had to go through this again. I thought of the previous night; aside from passing out, nothing happened to me so this time I should be fine too.


    Stepping past the outermost circle of trees, I carefully tread my way through the forest. With the foliage of the tall trees covering the sky, it was so dark I could not see where I was stepping on. Only with the help of the trees as I groped my way forward could I continue to walk in the dark. However, I kept my pace slow as I do not want a repeat ofst night. I was careful not to step on rocks nor anything not firm underneath my foot. I also made sure my clothes would not tangle much with the branches.


    I could not determine how long I had been walking when I started to feel a little tired and thirsty. I cursed myself for not bringing water with me but I couldn''t as the two knights standing outside would show doubt seeing me holding a water carrier.


    "Everything is fine. I can bear the thirst. Nothing can go wrong now," I mumbled as I continued to blindly walk ahead. The more I walked, the more I cursed myself. ''I should have also brought light with me. Not amp, but maybe a candle and a box of matches.''


    The deeper I went inside the forest, the more a strange feeling started to nag me.


    "Is someone following me?" I stopped and suspiciously looked around, but there was nothing to see in the darkness.


    It was simr to the previous night; I felt like someone was around. ''Last night, I remember seeing the red-eyed man in the forest��''


    "It must be my illusion," Iforted myself out loud, and my voice seemed to echo within the forest.


    The sound of my voice in the forest gave a strange vibepletely different from how it normally was. Perhaps it was due to the darkness as well as the casual sounds of crickets, birds, and other wild animals I heard from time to time.


    I was not scared of any of them, but they kept me nervous.? I consoled myself, "Humans are scarier than them".


    I continued traveling inside the forest, but now I was starting to feel more thirsty. "I need water...Where can I get it? I don''t think I can hear the sound of flowing water. I can''t bear my thirst now."


    As I grew more restless, I started to walk faster...which I realized was not a good decision.


    Ahhh!


    Thud!


    "It hurts!" I whined with gritted teeth and opened my eyes, only to find myself inplete darkness. Just a while ago, although it was dark, somehow patches of soft moonlight would pass through the leaves to guide my way every now and then. However, now the darkness was absolute.


    "Where did I fall down now?" I turned around as I was lying on my stomach.


    Feeling pain in my body, Iy down on my back and squinted at the soft glow above me. The sky looked farther than how it looked before.


    "How deep have I fallen? I wonder if I can climb up." I sighed. "Why do I keep falling down? Why did it have to happen now?"


    Just then, I realized the coldness surrounding my body. "Ahh!? Water! This pit has water!"


    However, it was not good news. My dress waspletely drenched, making my dress heavy and it kept pulling my body down. I guess I was fortunate that the water level was not much, but just a few inches above the surface. I never learned to swim, and I would drown if the water level was taller than me. When I tried to push my body up, I felt the muddy sensation in between my fingers. I knew the water was not drinkable.


    "I need to get out of here."


    Despite feeling pain in my body, I managed to stand up to search for a way out of here. It was hard to move. My dress was so heavy, I felt like I suddenly gained twice my weight.


    "Aftering so far, I can''t give up and die in this pit."


    I touched the walls of that pit but the soil was loose and it immediately crumbled as soon as I grabbed it. There was nothing I could use to lift my body nor support my feet to climb up. Still, I tried with what I could, only to slip and fall back down. After multiple tries, I gave up andy on the ground. I had no energy left.


    "Seems like this is my new prison."


    I looked at the soft moonlight which was partially visible through the trees and smiled at my pitiful condition. I must indeed be cursed to end up in such a situation. I wanted tough. How confident I was when I left the pce?? Why was my fate so bad and it always betrayed me?


    I suddenly remembered His Majesty when he said that keeping me in the tower was to protect me. Could it be because if I try to leave, I would keep falling into muddy pits?


    "Let me just die here," I sighed as my eyes were already heavy. I was about to lose my consciousness.


    Before Ipletely passed out, I felt someone''s presence again and saw those familiar red eyes just before closing my eyes. This time, I was not surprised.


    ''So it wasn''t an illusion.''

 Chapter 136: Outburst Of Emotions

    <h4>Chapter 136: Outburst Of Emotions</h4>


    (Seren''s? POV)


    The next morning, I woke up only to find myself in my bedchamber. Again. "I am sure it is not a dream."


    I immediately sat up in bed. The first thing I did was to check my dress. It proved my suspicion. "So he changed it again. That shameless pervert!"


    With gritted teeth, I checked for wounds on my skin where it hurtst night after I fell down in the pit. There were no marks and I was not in pain. "I am...pletely fine again? No pain, no tiredness... but how?"


    I looked around the bedchamber and sighed, "Seems like wherever I go, I will end up back in the pce."


    By now, I already understood that the red-eyed man was the one helping me go out of the pce but he was also the one to bring me back afterwards.


    "Who is he? What does he even want? Does he think this is funny? He ispletely toying with me!" I was frustrated and angry and curious, but all those emotions had to be swallowed and hidden as a sense of helplessness and desperation enveloped me.


    "Did His Majesty send him to keep an eye on me?"


    This was the only conclusion I could draw. If that red-eyed man was powerful enough to whisk her out of the pce and freeze time of both the living and nonliving, then she did not stand a chance. She could never run away under his watch.


    "Once I go to Megaris, that red-eyed man won''t follow me and I can run from there." I was determined. "No one in that kingdom knows me. It will be easier to run away."


    ------


    Inside his bedchamber, Drayce was seatedfortably behind his desk when he heard Seren talk to herself again. Just like the previous day, he enjoyed his one-sided conversation with her.


    "I am sure it is not a dream," he heard her say.


    Drayce smiled, "I am sure it is not."


    "So he changed my clothes again. That shameless pervert!"


    "Shameless? Pervert?" Drayce sighed, hearing what she called him. She did not understand his painstaking care but he smirked, "I won''t mind being one for you."


    "I am...pletely fine again? No pain, no tiredness... but how?"


    "Due to your elixir pills," he replied as he imagined her checking her own body, and added, "Now don''t try to run away. We have only a few of them left."


    "Seems like wherever I go, I will end up back in the pce," she mumbled.


    Drayce replied to her mumbling, "After going to Megaris, you will never end back here. Rest assured, I will fulfill your wish of going away from here, never to be back again."


    He heard her again. "Who is he?"


    Drayce smirked, "So eager to know me huh? Just make sure you will be able to hold your ground when you will get to know."


    He could hear the frustration in her voice. "What does he even want? Does he think this is funny? He ispletely toying with me!"


    The young king grinned, trying to imagine once again how her eyes would look as she vented out.


    "Did His Majesty send him to keep an eye on me?"


    He shook his head. "Instead, your father tried to keep me away from you," he said and next moment heard something surprising, one that he never expected woulde out of her mouth.


    "Once I go to Megaris, that red-eyed man won''t follow me and I can run from there."


    Drayce chuckled, "Dear, that entire kingdom belongs to this red-eyed man."


    "No one in that kingdom knows me," she spoke with an odd sense of confidence. "It will be easier to run away."


    "Let''s see who wins," Drayce replied as if challenged by her odd confidence.? He couldn''t stop smiling. ''What to do with this naive girl?'' was what he thought.


    -------


    While Seren was dealing with the ridiculous oue of her every escape attempt, busy cursing that red eyed-man who kept bringing her back to the pce, the one person she had been desperately waiting for finally reentered the Royal Pce of Abetha.


    When Sir Berolt came to the King''s study, he found King Armen just finishing his morning meal. Together with him was Prince Cian, and they seemed to be discussing how the prince''s day with Seren went by the day before. The two appeared to be in a good mood.


    "Your Majesty, I came to report that the Third Princess''s nanny has returned," Sir Berolt informed after bowing to greet the two royals.


    King Armen immediately asked, "Where is she?"


    "Outside. Waiting to meet His Majesty."


    "Send her in."


    King Armen was both bothered and upset that Martha had been gone for so long. As for Cian, he was puzzled by the situation. He knew that someone who was allowed to stay by his sister''s side would not be an ordinary person, but based on his father''s behavior, he seemed to be underestimating the importance of this old female servant.


    Martha entered the study and paid her respects to them with a lowered head., "Greetings, Your Majesty! Greetings, Your��"


    "Where have you been, Martha?" King Armen asked, interrupting her speech.


    King Armen was in a hurry to know where she had been. He wanted to get answers to the many questions guing his mind. Martha had been serving his daughter for nearly two decades. What could make her disappear for so long and be irresponsible towards Seren?


    "Your Majesty, my apologies for not being able to return soon," Martha said without a change in her humble expression. The calmness of her voice irritated the King.


    "I asked where have you been!" King Armen raised his voice. "Why were you gone for so many days?!"


    It was as if all the emotions he had bottled up the past several days finally exploded. Cian had rarely seen his father loseposure. Even facing the royal court all these years, King Armen was always able to keep his true feelings on a leash. Until today.


    For more than a week now, he was unable to sleep and eat well. He was already frustrated with what had happened with Seren and how her life had changed drastically in just a span of days. He had been forced to send his precious daughter away. No king would ever tolerate such a disgrace, and no father could ever swallow such an insult.


    If Martha had been with Seren in the first ce, none of this would have happened.


    Despite his outburst, Martha remained calm with her head still lowered down. "I apologize again, Your Majesty, but I am afraid I might not be able to answer this."


    Her reply annoyed King Armen even more, and he mmed his hand over the table. "Martha! Do you dare speak to me this way? All this time, not once have I ever asked you where you go and what you do because you are the only person whom I could trust to protect Seren." He clenched his fist. "But this time, you failed me�� Do you even know what your absence has caused?"


    "I know, Your Majesty. Commander Fletcher has kindly informed me beforehand," she replied politely. "Though I am apologetic and ept my fault, I also wish to say this is Seren''s destiny and what happened is for her own good."

 Chapter 137: Solution

    <h4>Chapter 137: Solution</h4>


    Herck of remorse angered King Armen. He stood up from his chair, wanting to order his knights to seize Martha and punish her, but his rationality returned, and he managed to stop himself. He glowered at the old woman standing before him. "How can you say that? For her own good? Can you even hear yourself? Do you even know where we have to send her? Away to Megaris! Our efforts to protect her all these years went in vain!"


    "I won''t be able to protect her after this anyway, so it''s good she is going away from here."


    Her response shocked everyone in the room. Regarding his daughter''s safety, King Armen would not dare let himself be dragged around by his rage. He sat back down on his chair as he took time to calm himself.


    "What do you mean?" King Armen asked. Cian, who remained a quiet bystander to their conversation, was equally eager to know what it was.


    Cian knew Martha was not simply his sister''s nanny but her protector, though he was not sure exactly how or why. Only his father knew the truth. Since his father trusted her, he also chose to trust Martha when it came to his sister though this olddy never allowed him to meet his sister without their father''s permission. She was the biggest hurdle for him whenever he tried to go to Seren.


    "I would like to have a word with Your Majesty alone," Martha said. Sir Berolt immediately left the room, and her gaze then went towards the Crown Prince, patiently waiting for him to go.


    The King waved his hand. "It''s fine. You can talk in front of Cian. He already knows most of these things."


    Cian was inwardly relieved. Though, even if his father had asked him to go, Cian was determined to hear everything rted to his sister.


    Martha nodded. "Your Majesty, we have kept her inside that tower all these years so that those people wouldn''t be able to track her whereabouts from the essence of her suppressed powers. Till now, I have done my best to hide that essence by using whatever means I could, but that tower and my magic spells wouldn''t be able to suppress her essence for long. Her powers have been growing stronger day by day. Even If I stay with her, I am afraid I can''t hide her anymore."


    "Powers?" Cian asked.


    "Why do you sound confused? It is not a secret that your sister is not someone ordinary," King Armen replied to Cian before looking at Martha. "Why are you saying this suddenly? Did something happen?"


    Martha nodded, "Your Majesty, we know when she will turn eighteen, those supernatural beings will try to im her powers. She is seventeen now, and they have already started to sense the essence of her powers which are getting stronger even though her powers are suppressed. Once she turns eighteen, the suppression will no longer be effective.? After shees of age, her essence will be too strong to hide, and I will no longer be able to do anything."


    King Armen was stunned by this news, while Cian found himself at a loss. He couldn''t understand the entire thing, although he gathered enough to know that his sister would be in danger once she became an adult.


    Cian asked with a frown, "If you alone can''t protect her, how about the entire kingdom? Can''t thousands of soldiers, even hundreds of thousands of soldiers, protect her? We have a strong military and��"


    Martha looked at him. "Your Highness, ordinary humans can''t deal with supernatural beings."


    King Armen, whose mind was upied with the worry for his daughter, asked, "If you can''t, then how are we going to protect her? You need to find a solution. We need to search for something to protect her."


    "Drayce Ivanov, the King of Megaris," Martha replied.


    The father and son never expected that Martha would mention his name.


    "King of Megaris?" King Armen asked to make sure.


    Martha nodded. "Yes, Your Majesty. He can protect her."


    A strange silence enveloped the room. Cian was speechless, as it didn''t make sense to him. If they couldn''t protect Seren, then how could the King of Megaris even protect her?


    On the other hand, King Armen had calmed down enough to realize what Martha meant. They forgot his other identity��the son of a devil. Only then did they remember that Drayce possessed inhuman powers.


    However, Cian refused to back down. "How can you say that he can protect her? Do you know him?"


    "I don''t know him, but I had seen him once outside the pce when he protected the Third Princess."


    "Tell me the reason for you to think like that then." King Armen instructed.


    Martha answered, "Since the day the King of Megaris arrived in Abetha, not just me but even the Third Princess sensed the presence of certain energy in the pce. During the engagement ceremony of the Second Princess, I sensed it again, but I decided to avoid its source and took the Third Princess away as I was not sure who the person was and if he was someone who could harm her. Later in the marketce, I saw the owner of that energy, and that was the King of Megaris. He personally protected her at that time."


    The two knew about the incident and they were thankful to Drayce for protecting Seren.


    Martha continued, "Back then, she sneaked out from my watch. When she ran away, I couldn''t track her. Her essence was suppressed by some strong power and I couldn''t reach her. Later, I understood that the owner of that energy was the King of Megaris and he holds a kind of power that can protect her. If his presence by itself can make me unable to track her, then I am sure if he actively uses his power, those supernatural beings can never find her. If we want to suppress the essence of her powers after shees of age, our only option is to keep her by the King of Megaris''s side. His abilities are much stronger than mine,? and at this point, he is the only one we can rely on."


    King Armen thought about what Martha said while Cian was not one to be assured so easily.


    Cian countered her exnation and suggestion, "From what you and Father said, I understood there are some supernatural beings who want something from Seren. And from what you said about King Drayce, he seemed to be no less than any supernatural being. What if he tries to harm Seren to get what other supernaturals are trying to get from her? How can we trust him?"


    Cian''s questions made sense. Nobody among them could vouch how trustworthy the King of Megaris was. Drayce Ivanov was infamous for his battle strength and military achievements, but his reputation was also terrible and his personality unreasonable. King Armen looked at Martha. "Cian is right. What are we going to do about it?"


    Martha had already heard about the incidents in the pce and about Seren''s wedding being fixed with the King of Megaris.


    "We can only hope for him to be on her side as he is going to marry her. There is nothing else we can do but expect him to be a protective husband."

 Chapter 138: No Identity

    <h4>Chapter 138: No Identity</h4>


    "We can only hope for him to be on her side as he is going to marry her. There is nothing else we can do but expect him to be a protective husband."


    Her answer was, of course, not satisfactory for the two.


    Cian scoffed, "We can only hope? Is my sister that worthless that her life is dependent on what we can only hope from one stranger?"


    Martha looked at the unhappy prince. "You can remind him of our expectations, but aside from that, we have no other way, Your Highness."


    She then turned towards king Armen. "Your Majesty, please permit me to meet the King of Megaris. I would like to have a word with the future husband of mydy. He is ourst hope. If he can''t protect her, then the only choice is for the princess to be on the run her whole life to get a meager chance for survival. However, running can only at most dy their tracking, and the only end left for the Third Princess is to be devoured by those people."


    King Armen felt terrified with these words and asked, "What will you talk about with him?"


    "Only enough to make him protect her," Martha replied.


    King Armen remained silent for a while. Martha did not say anything as she waited for his decision.


    "I will arrange for it," King Armen assured. At this point, his state of mind had already returned to normal, and his true emotions could no longer be seen on his face.


    "Thank you, Your Majesty," she said as she bowed.


    "Seren will be happy to see you," King Armen said.


    "I will go to mydyter," she informed him.


    King Armen had failed to notice that Martha didn''t look good until now. The aged woman lookedpletely worn out, as if she had traveled far without stopping. "You don''t look good. You may go now."


    "Thank you for your time, Your Majesty," she replied. "I will take my leave now."


    Seeing the old woman step out of the study, Cian looked at his father. "Can we truly trust him?"


    King Armen knew exactly who he was referring to. He idly tapped his finger on the surface of his desk as he sighed. "We have no other choice but to trust Martha''s judgment. She will never push Seren into danger. She has dedicated her life into taking care of your sister and cares for her even more than what we can think."


    Cian could only nod and agree as he could do nothing to help. He still had plenty of questions to ask his father, but for now, he kept them to himself�� because the more he knew, the more powerless he felt.


    -----------


    Drayce did not leave his chamber the entire morning. After he had fun with his one-sided conversation with his naive soon-to-be queen, he busied himself with work. Seren was still in her chamber next door, but she had stopped talking her thoughts out loud, which he found a pity.


    His ears caught the sound of footsteps approaching. Drayce realized someone was there to see him, and he knew who it was. The moment the person entered his bedchamber, Drayce spoke without even looking at him, "Finally, you are back."


    "How can I not?" replied a charming male voice. "I missed you a lot and was on the verge of dying every minute I couldn''t see you."


    "Griven has got such a nuisance as their crown prince," Draycemented.


    An gave a generousugh as he strode inside and casually sat on one of the chairs. "What can I do when they love this nuisance?"


    Drayce had no wish to continue bantering with him. He cut to the chase. "Did you find out?"


    "Do you doubt my capability?" An countered.


    "I never did," Drayce replied and put his work aside. He stared at the smiling prince. "Now, tell me."


    "The Third Princess has had only one person serving and apanying her since she entered the pce, and her name is Martha. She is both the princess''s nanny and maidservant. No one knows where she came from, and there is no record about her. No family, no rtives. If I am not wrong, she is not from Abetha, or if she is, then she must be from somewhere far from this capital," An replied.


    "How did shee here? Who brought her?" Drayce asked.


    Martha? There was no surname, meaning she was neither a distant rtive of the Ilven Royal Family nor ady from the nobility. It was not possible that any random person with no identity would be entrusted with taking care of a princess with a sensitive situation.? King Armen had given this woman the responsibility to look after his daughter, who he never allowed anyone to mingle with. This Martha could not be a simplemoner. It was either she had hidden her true identity, or she was a person with great skills.


    An continued telling him the things his men gathered for him, "When the Third Princess was brought to this pce by that woman who everyone thinks is the Third Princess''s mother, the day after, this woman named Martha arrived. No one knows how she came here or who brought her here, but since that day, King Armen appointed her as the Third Princess''s nanny."


    "Hmm!" Drayce nodded and waited for An to say more. However, An simply smiled at him, as if gauging his expression. He frowned. "That''s it?"


    "There is more," said An, grinning at his impatience.


    "What?" he snapped.


    "Just today, this Martha returned to the pce after disappearing suddenly for many days," An replied. "I came to see you now because I received this news."


    This was something useful. Since she was in the pce, then Drayce could finally fulfill Erich Winfield''s demand to be able to meet the person who had given those elixir pills to the Third Princess.


    "You did well," Drayce praised him.


    An scoffed, "Who needs your praise?."


    "When did you return?" Drayce asked.


    "Last night," An replied as a smirk made its way onto his face. "It also happened that about an hour after I retired to my chamber, I was frozen for a moment, as if everything had stopped, then it was gone like it was all my illusion."


    Drayce ignored his remark. "How did the border issue go with Hatha? Did you finish dealing with it?"


    An sighed. "Your questions always showed you don''t trust my ability. But I don''t doubt your ability to stop time and sneak into a maiden''s chamber."


    "I didn''t sneak in this time. I was helping her with something," Drayce exined.


    An gave him a doubtful look. "It''s fine as long as you are not helping her run away."


    Drayce didn''t reply and An knew at once something was going on.

 Chapter 139: Visiting Drayce

    <h4>Chapter 139: Visiting Drayce</h4>


    Martha returned to the tower first before going to Seren. When King Armen pointed out that she didn''t look good, he was not wrong with his observation. Since she entered the pce, Martha was trying her best to show she was fine��the entire time she was in front of King Armen and even when she was walking towards the tower.


    Her steps were slow but steady when she passed through the gates, and she seemed to be idly strolling as she walked across the princess''s flower garden. But just as she entered the tower, the old woman lost herposure and held onto the wall for support to stand.


    Martha looked in pain as she put one hand to the left side of her stomach. It took her a long time to climb the stairs by taking support from the wall. By the time she arrived in front of her own room, her skin looked so pale she looked about ready to copse.


    Entering her room, she dragged her feet to sit on the chair. She knew that if she were to fall on the floor, it would be difficult to stand again. She closed her eyes, trying to bear the pain but it didn''t help.


    After wiping the cold sweat rolling down her forehead, Martha pulled out a tiny ordinary-looking ck pouch and pulled out two small round pills from it. Without a moment''s dy, she swallowed them. It did not take long for the frown lines on her forehead to ease, and for the color on her face to return, as it seemed that the medicine she had just taken was starting to show its effect.


    "I need to hold on until I am sure she is in safe hands," Martha mumbled. Her eyes started to feel heavy, and before she realized it, she was already asleep.


    After a short nap, Martha woke up and frowned, "This medicine always makes me sleep." She stood up and stretched her body. Her muscles were aching due to falling asleep on a chair. She went towards arge mirror hanging on the wall.


    Martha removed her outer robe and then pulled up the top garment above her stomach, exposing a small part of her skin on the left side of her stomach. On it was a pinkish patch of damaged wrinkled skin, as if something bigger than a fist had once burned her.


    She touched that patch of skin with her fingertips and she flinched at the resulting pain. She stared at the burn scar for a while. "Even the medicine won''t work on it."


    She pulled down her top garment to cover it and went to change into her royal servant clothes that indicated she belonged to the Third Princess. She needed to go and meet Seren, the girl who she had been protecting by keeping her life on the line.


    Recalling the things she heard, the concern could be seen on her face. She was sad to hear what had happened with Seren in her absence and could only me herself for leaving an innocent girl on her own, only to fall into a trap set by someone. But there was nothing to be done. Martha had to go away to get answers that could help her protect Seren. If not for that attack on her by those supernatural beings, she wouldn''t have taken this much time to return.


    Just as she left the tower, she saw a familiar knight waiting for her in front of the gate. Sir Berolt looked like he had something to tell Martha.


    Martha bowed to greet Sir Berolt and heard him, "I am here to escort you to King Drayce."


    Martha followed Sir Berolt, and soon, they entered the royal residence. He brought her to the wing of the pce where Drayce and Seren stayed.


    When they reached the door of Drayce''s chamber, his knight went inside to inform his king and returned quickly. "His Majesty King Drayce is waiting."


    The knight opened the door for Martha and gestured for her toe in. Only she entered while Sir Berolt stayed out.


    When Martha entered the chamber, she saw the young king sitting in the chair behind a work table full of various scrolls. He was not looking at her and was busy going through those documents. That hair color, those eyes�� he was indeed the same young man who had saved Seren in the marketce. At that time, she didn''t know who this stranger was and didn''t bother to greet him.


    She bowed to pay her respects. "Greetings, Your Majesty the King of Megaris."


    Drayce finally lifted his head to look at the old woman in a royal servant attire. "I have been informed that you wish to talk to me about my future queen."


    "Yes, Your Majesty."


    "You can proceed," Drayce said as he leaned back in the chair to hear what his queen''s nanny wanted to say.


    "Your Majesty, you are already aware of the sensitive condition rted to the Third Princess."


    "Hmm," Drayce nodded.


    "You are aware that her life is in danger because supernatural beings will try to harm her."


    "Just say what you came to say," Drayce instructed with a frown. He was not in a mood to hear things he already knew again.


    Martha nodded. "Your Majesty, I have been protecting the Third Princess till now by hiding the essence of her powers. Those powers are suppressed and even the Third Princess is not aware of what kind of powers she holds. But with each passing day, the essence of her powers is getting stronger and my abilities will no longer be enough to suppress it anymore. I am afraid that those who want to harm her will find her soon."


    "I won''t let them harm her. Rest assured."


    "My words may sound offensive to Your Majesty, but although your confidence is admirable, blind confidence is not. Your Majesty does not even know who or what you will be facing in the future. They are more powerful than what you can imagine. This is why we have been hiding her till now, and I wish Your Majesty King Drayce will not be too overconfident regarding things rted to mydy''s life. I wish for Your Majesty to remain cautious and to protect her as much as we have."


    Drayce gave her a questioning look. "As much as you have? You mean, to hide her? To keep her as a prisoner, just as you did?"

 Chapter 140: Opposite Reaction

    <h4>Chapter 140: Opposite Reaction</h4>


    Martha felt a dangerous aura lingering around the young man. She shook her head. "I don''t mean it like that, Your Majesty. We had to hide her the way we did because I am not that powerful, but it''s not the same with you, Your Majesty. I can see that you are capable of protecting her just by being by her side. Your Majesty holds the power to suppress the essence of her powers, to the point that even I cannot sense it. Without that essence to guide them, those people will not be able to find her," she exined.


    "So I need to be around her always," Drayce concluded.


    "Yes, Your Majesty."


    Drayce studied the old woman for a while. "Why do you think I will protect her?"


    "I believe as her husband, Your Majesty will protect your wife, the queen of your kingdom," Martha answered and exined further, "Once mydyes of age and officially reaches adulthood, those supernatural beings will search for her by all means possible and things will only be more difficult for her. Your Majesty has to protect her even more after that."


    "Hmm." Drayce didn''t assure her but said something else, "In exchange, I would like you to do something."


    Martha hoped for nothing but his promise. She was ready to do anything that would help her protect Seren. "Please let me know what it is, Your Majesty."


    "There is someone I want you to meet."


    Martha didn''t think much and said, "As per yourmand, Your Majesty."


    "My knight will inform you when you have to meet that person."


    "Yes, Your Majesty," she agreed.


    As there was nothing much to say, she said, "Thank you for granting me this audience. I have taken much of your precious time, so I will take my leave now."


    Drayce stared at her. "You should treat yourself before it gets worse. I don''t wish something unusual to happen before she leaves with me."


    Martha was taken aback. She never imagined this young king would find out that she was hurt but didn''t bother to ask how. She already knew he was an extraordinary person with powers, the devil''s son.


    "I will take care of it. Thank you for your concern, Your Majesty."


    Drayce pulled out the purple pouch from his pocket and kept it on the table. "It might help you."


    Martha was again surprised as she stared at the pouch. She knew what it was but she could not guess how this thingnded in the hands of Drayce.


    "This��"


    "For the sake of the Third Princess, I don''t want any disturbances till we leave this ce."


    Drayce gestured for her to go. He didn''t give her a chance to ask why he had it and she was sure he would not give her an answer even if she dared to ask.


    Martha picked up the purple pouch and left.


    -------


    Leaving Drayce''s bedchamber, Martha asked Sir Berolt, "Where is the Third Princess?"


    Sir Berolt guided her way towards the bedchamber next to Drayce. The two of them stopped in front of the well-carved wooden door guarded by two royal knights.


    Though Martha wanted to see Seren, she felt heavy in the chest to think how she would face her. Things had be chaotic because she left. There was no one but her to me for this innocent youngdy to go through a lot of suffering.


    ''Will she ever forgive me?'' Martha thought.


    Sir Berolt could understand what was going in Martha''s mind and said, "Her Highness will be happy to see you."


    Martha nodded lightly, assuring herself that it would be the case. Even if not, she was ready to face whatever Seren would say to her, be it her anger or frustration. Martha was determined to hear it all calmly and apologize to her till her anger disappeared.


    One of the knights knocked on the door. "Your Highness? Your servant ising in."


    He then opened the door for Martha to enter the bedchamber.


    Perhaps it was because the knight did not announce her name, when Martha stepped inside, she saw Seren standing by the window while looking outside with her back facing the door.


    The sight of this lonely back was something Martha had witnessed countless times.


    This imprisoned girl could only look at the outside world from the window of her room at the top of the tower.? She could stand like this for a long time without feeling tired. Martha had always found this scene pitiful but could never show this whether in her action or through her words.


    In Seren''s eyes, Martha was always a strict nanny who could not feel her pain but it was not the truth. For Seren''s sake, Martha too had abandoned the outside world as well as the people precious to her in the past. Like Seren, she too lived the life of a prisoner by staying with herdy inside the tower. Protecting Seren was the only goal she had in life.


    Swallowing the sadness she felt, Martha calmed herself and called for Seren. "My Lady?"


    Seren, who was staring at the idle clouds in the sky, felt like she was hallucinating. How could she be hearing that olddy''s voice out of the blue? These days, it seemed like so many strange things were happening with her.


    Martha called again, "My Lady, apologies for beingte."


    This time, Seren turned around slowly. There was a mix of fear, excitement, and worry, even expectation, in her eyes. She stared at the olddy standing at a distance, just a few steps away from the door of her bedchamber.


    "Martha...?" Seren mumbled. She was still not sure if the sight in front of her was real.


    "Yes, mydy��"


    Before Martha could say more, Seren ran towards her and hugged her tightly like a kid, the two of them nearly fell on the floor.


    "Tell me it is not a dream! Tell me you are back for real!"


    Seren''s reaction was a total opposite from what Martha had expected and she stood frozen, only to hear again the pleading voice of Seren. "Please tell me I am not dreaming and you are back for real..."


    =====


    Dear Readers, thest 15 days are left to determine the top fan of the novel and receive the gift from the author. By 31st August, the one who will be the #1 top fan, will get a gift delivered to their home. The top 5 fans will get the 100 coins code each.


    scroll down to read the 3rd chapter of the day.

 Chapter 141: Her Request

    <h4>Chapter 141: Her Request</h4>


    Martha, who was merely a servant, was hugged by the princess. Martha remembered the days when Seren was a baby and she had to take care of the little princess like her own daughter. As that baby grew up, Martha had to give up on her motherly side and started to distance herself, acting as a proper servant who knew the difference between their status. She would always bow to this princess and serve her like a maid, never allowing herself to step out of her role. She could no longer recall how many years had it been since this girl had hugged her.


    With tear-filled eyes,? Martha no longer resisted and hugged Seren back,patting her head gently. "It''s not a dream, mydy."


    Seren finally let go of her and looked at the olddy with watery eyes. She was almost crying like a little girl who had gotten her lost mother back, "Where were you?"


    Martha had no answer for this question and simply gazed lovingly into those teary purple eyes. "I apologize for not being able to return early. My Lady had to go through so many troubles because of me."


    The old woman saw the tears that were about to fall down from Seren''s face. "My Lady, please do not cry. My return is not worth shedding these precious tears."


    Seren shook her head as she swallowed the sob about to escape her lips.


    "Martha...Let''s run away from here," Seren said as soon as she was able to control her emotions.


    Her statement shocked her nanny. Martha didn''t expect this from Seren at all.


    "My Lady��"


    "I want to run away from here. I don''t want to marry anyone. Please take me away from here," Seren pleaded. "I tried to escape already, but I couldn''t. Since you are here now, we can do it...You...you also know magic so it will be easy."


    Seeing Martha stay quiet, Seren continued to plead, "I don''t know where His Majesty is sending me. I don''t want to go with a random scary man who will lock me up��"


    "My Lady, calm down first." Martha patted her head like a mother would to her child. This crying voice full of pleading was hurting her even more.


    "I am calm. I just want to go away from here and I will be fine. Please, Martha."


    Martha patted her hand and said, "Come with me." Martha took her to the chair and made her sit. She went to fetch water for Seren from the jar kept on the table and brought it to her. "Have a drink first."


    Seren epted it and had a few sips of water. Afterwards, she passed the ss back to Martha and looked up at her with a gaze full of expectations. Though Martha looked calm as she gazed back, she herself didn''t know how to convince Seren.


    At this point, only the truth could help her.


    "I believe mydy is now ready to hear some answers to your questions." Martha sat in the chair next to her and held Seren''s hand. "Simply running away is not an option, mydy. I would have taken you away long ago if that could protect you. In the past, staying under the protection of the tower was enough, but now, I have grown old and weak and even the tower will no longer be able to protect you."


    "I don''t need to be protected. We can just live somewhere from here, and I will take care of you," Seren countered.


    "The people I am protecting you from are those who know magic. They will not think twice to harm others. You and I stand no chance in front of them," Martha tried to exin to her? in simple words, making it easier for her to understand.


    "Who are they?" Seren asked.


    Martha shook her head. "You don''t need to know who they are for now. What you need to understand is that both your mother and your father had done their best to protect you so you must not fail their sacrifices. Even if it is difficult and not to your liking, You need to help us to protect yourself. We all wish for nothing but your wellbeing, mydy."


    "But��"


    "Please listen to me. We have no other choice." Martha turned from being soft-spoken to being a strict nanny. "You may notpletely understand it now, but marrying the King of Megaris is for your own good and you must follow it."


    Seren looked at Martha in disbelief and said, "Are you tired of taking care of me?"


    "I am not, but my body might be tired and give up sooner orter," Martha told her the truth. "I am not strong anymore. It is hard for me to even protect myself, and it is even more impossible to protect you now."


    When Martha talked like this, Seren knew this olddy would never listen to her and ask, "You areing with me to Megaris, right?"


    "It''s not in my hand. We don''t know if the Royal Family of Megaris will allow this servant to apany mydy."


    "You can ask His Majesty King Armen to include this in the conditions for the marriage with the King of Megaris. If you are with me, I can live anywhere." It was thest hope Seren left with her and she looked at Martha with hopeful eyes.


    Martha didn''t wish to turn down her request again and said, "I will."


    This little assurance was enough to bring a smile on Seren''s face and she said, "Thank you, Martha."


    Seeing her mood lifting, Martha smiled despite knowing that this happiness of Seren wouldn''tst long. Martha was afraid she wouldn''t be able to apany Seren to Megaris as she was not in a condition to do so.? It would be better if King Armen would not allow her once Seren made such a request.


    ---------


    Inside his bedchamber, Drayce heard the conversation between Seren and her servant.


    "She would never give up on running away so easily," Drayce mumbled.


    When he heard Seren asking Martha to apany her to Megaris, he shook his head as he continued to talk while working, "I am sorry little kitten but your servant can''t apany you to Megaris. In the next two days, we will be married, and after that, I will take care of everything you need."

 Chapter 142: Punishment

    <h4>Chapter 142: Punishment</h4>


    It was dark outside when Cian and his knight left his study after the prince wrapped up some paperwork. Although he was tired, work was not yet done. Hisst schedule for the day was to visit the prison where criminals who havemitted crimes against the crown and the royal family were held captive, the very ce where he had imprisoned the traitors who helped Hatha and Thevailes in his abduction, the assassins who killed the royal knights and hung their mutted bodies inside Seren''s garden and the perverted men who tried to molest his little sister in the marketce.


    At the entrance of the underground prison, the two knights guarding the door bowed to Cian. "We greet Your Highness, Prince Cian!"


    "Are they still alive?" Cian asked.


    "As per Your Highness''s order, they are being tortured but we didn''t let them die," one of the knights informed him.


    Cian entered the prison and walked through a long dark corridor dimly lit bymps and torches. Grim-faced guards were stationed in front of the prison cells and chambers, and no one was talking, showing how strict the security was inside.


    As he walked through the passage, he came across prison cells on either side that had shackles and chains attached to the walls. Gaunt dirty faces could be seen inside the upied prison cells, most of them criminals punished with life-long imprisonment. The terrible living condition inside could be seen through the long iron bars, and the deeper Cian went, the worse the situations in the cells looked.


    As he continued to walk ahead, he soon heard painful cries and begging voices apanied by the sound of a whip.


    It did not take him long to reach the torture chambers, where thetest criminals were kept separately in multiple cells. The torturers inside wore ck clothes instead of the official royal guard uniform, using the color ck to mask the red blood that spilled on them. When they saw the Crown Prince, the torturers silently paid their respects and stepped aside to give way to him. Cian walked towards the cells and looked at the prisoners with no sympathy in his eyes. Instead, those sapphire blue eyes looked enraged, as if he wanted to kill them all at that very moment.


    The men behind the iron bars had huge blood patches in their ragged clothes and multiple wounds could be seen on their skin. Despite their dirty appearances and broken bones, no one was injured to the point of hovering between life and death.


    Seeing Cian, those men started to beg. "Your Highness, please forgive us..."


    "We have families. If we die, who will look after them?"


    "We won''t do it ever again."


    "Forgive us, Your Highness!


    Their cries continued but there was no effect on Cian. Instead, their begging only made him look even colder and more merciless.


    "Get them all out," Cian instructed and went towards the huge empty space on the opposite side of the torture chamber where a knight arranged a chair for him to sit.


    One by one, those criminals were brought in front of him. The guards made them stand in the line but their pleas and cries still continued.


    "Too noisy," Cian said.


    His personal knight, Eliot, went ahead and hit one man with the handle of his sword in the stomach. The man fell on the ground, whining in pain.


    Seeing Eliot turn towards them, the othersplied to shut their mouths and simply waited for what Cian had in mind for them.


    "The traitors who have helped in my abduction, keep them on one side," Cian said and Eliot instructed them to step forward.


    Two disfigured men obeyed the orders. They were part of the few who didn''t beg for mercy because they knew their lives would never be spared. The moment they betrayed Abetha, they had long epted there was no turning back. Looking at their bloody bodies, no one would have imagined they were once proud knights who belonged to the knight brigade under the directmand of the Crown Prince.


    Looking at the two traitors who stood with their heads lowered, Cian had no change in his expression, but Eliot Fletcher could not hide his rage. The tall and robust-looking knight simr in age to Cian looked like his father, Sir Berolt. Eliot was the leader of Cian''s personal knights and he failed to spot these traitors. It was a p to his face. If he could, he would have killed them the moment they were brought to Abetha, but he had to wait for his prince''s order.


    "Eliot!" Cian called.


    "Yes, Your Highness."


    "Arrange for their public execution and strip off the noble titles of their families," Cian instructed with a cold face.


    "I have received your orders, Your Highness."


    Those two traitors could barely stand with their heads lowered. They knew their former leader would personally execute them. They could only hope that their corpses would be allowed a burial.


    Cian then turned his attention towards themoners from the marketce and those assassins.


    "Those assassins, skin them alive and hang their bodies on the tree on the hillside where everyone can see them," Cian ordered and those assassins felt terrified.


    "Your Highness, just kill us right away! Behead us as well!"


    The guards held them to their ces so that they wouldn''t step towards Cian.


    Hearing the pleading from the assassins, themoners started to plead again. Some even went to their knees.


    "You are all still alive to this day because of my sister. If not for me giving my time to her, you would already be cold corpses right now. You should thank her for letting you all live a few days more," Cian said mockingly as he glowered at them. "My sister, such an innocent youngdy, how dare you all try to harm her?"


    "Apologies, Your Highness! We were blind��"


    "The day after tomorrow is her wedding and I don''t want any stinking garbage to be in this pce during her wedding."


    "Your Highness��"


    "Eliot, crush those hands that dared touch the Third Princess."

 Chapter 143: Cruel Prince

    <h4>Chapter 143: Cruel Prince</h4>


    "Eliot, crush those hands that dared touch the Third Princess."


    Eliot signaled the guards to drag those dirtymoners to the one side of the chamber where the tools of torture were ced. Arranged there was a huge wooden block and heavy stone along with metal tools like hammers, knives, among many other things.


    "One finger at a time," Cian ordered, not even looking at the ce where those men were dragged. Cian sat quietly as he heard those men screaming in pain one after another. All of them were dragged to one ce while dealing with their pain, and few of them even passed out.


    "Your Highness, we havepleted your order," one guard informed.


    Cian looked at those men crying in pain. "Pull their eyes out. Those who are unconscious, wake them up and then do it."


    The assassins who were awaiting their punishment of getting skinned alive turned even more terrified.


    Cian smirked at them as he sat leisurely in his chair. "Don''t be scared. What you did with our knights that time, you will also get a taste of it."


    "Forgive us, Your Highness!"


    "I beg you, give us a public execution!"


    "Eliot, what are we waiting for?" Cian interrupted their pleading, his voice cold andmanding. Even the King of Abetha, King Armen, had never shown this kind of cruelty enough to strike fear to the hearts of men.


    After saluting to his prince, Eliot looked at the two traitors who were trembling on their knees. He instructed the guards to put them back inside the prison cell as he would deal with themter. He then conducted his prince''s order and instructed the torturers who knew what to do. It was not the first time that they had skinned someone alive.


    That night, the entire underground prison was filled with blood-curdling screams. Only after those screams disappear did? Cian leave the underground prison with Eliot following behind him. Cian stopped at the prison door and said, "You can stay back," before leaving with another knight.


    Eliot was yet to arrange for the punishment of those two traitors and Cian wanted him to finish his job as soon as possible; he wanted to ensure that the next day, his knight would be in a better mood. He knew how upset Eliot had be ever since they discovered the betrayal, and it would do him good to personally clean up the tarnish to their pledge of knighthood.


    Eliot returned to the underground prison and went to those two traitors. It did not take long for a cage wagon carrying the two to be brought out of the pce, escorted by a brigade of royal knights. Such a scene caused people who were outside at that time to follow the spectacle. They were then brought towards the execution grounds, where the two former knight''s acts of betrayal were announced in front of a small crowd.


    The young leader of the knights stepped forward as he unsheathed his sword. His re was pinned on the two shackled criminals kneeling with their heads lowered.


    "I won''t ask you why you did it as there is no excuse for the crime of treason. But I have been with you two for so many years and I am at fault for not being able to notice the traitors inside you two. I will give you an easy death."


    The two men said nothing. Eliot brandished his sword without a tinge of hesitation in his eyes. The next moment, two beheaded bodies remained on the ground, their heads leaving a bloody trail as they rolled. Eliot left the execution grounds without even turning to look at the dead bodies of the former knights who once trained under him.


    -------


    The next morning, the news of the public execution spread in the entire capital. Not only that, another shocking news made the rounds when the people saw the dead bodies of those assassins hanging on a tree at a hillside where everyone could see them. There was an announcement written on a cloth banner which was posted beside the bloody sight. It was a public announcement from the royal family. Many people gathered around it and read its content. After reading, they understood that it was another punishment meted out on those who oppose the royal family.


    As if this much was not enough, the severely injured bodies of thosemoners from the marketce who daredy a finger on Seren were hung outside of the pce walls with a simr announcement.


    It had been made clear that whoever dared say a word against the Third Princess would go through a simr punishment. The entire capital felt terrified with it and everyone could only be careful with their words. Not even in their dreams would they dare curse the Third Princess.


    -------


    Although there was restlessness outside the pce walls, the entire day passed by peacefully inside the royal pce as the next day was the wedding. Queen Niobe had her hands full making sure that nothing would go wrong, making sure that the wedding would adhere to both the satisfaction of both the kingdoms of Abetha and Megaris. Aside from the servants preparing the venue for the ceremony, the royal tailors were the busiest as they were making a grand bridal gown for the Third Princess in haste.


    Seren did not go out to stroll, choosing to remain in her chamber with Martha apanying her all the time. Earlier, she was invited to have a meal with her father but she declined it. Since this was herst day of freedom before her arranged marriage, she preferred to spend the whole day alone with Martha.


    When he heard her response, King Armen didn''t insist on it and simply decided toe and personally visit his daughter in her chamber. The next day, Seren was arranged to leave immediately after the wedding ceremony and there would be no time for them to talk. Once she became the Queen of Megaris, he could note to visit her in her kingdom, and she might not have a chance to return to Abetha. He was not sure when he would be able to see her. Cian too apanied his father.

 Chapter 144: Last Day In Abetha

    <h4>Chapter 144: Last Day In Abetha</h4>


    When King Armen''s and Cian''s arrival was announced, both Seren and Martha stood up to politely receive them.


    "How are you?" King Armen asked as he stood in front of Seren.


    Though Seren was upset with her father, she could not disrespect the King of Abetha. When she replied, she didn''t look at him, keeping her gaze fixed on the marble floor. "I am fine, Your Majesty."


    "Won''t you even look at me?" King Armen asked.


    "This subject dare not disrespect? Your Majesty by looking into your eyes," she replied.


    His voice softened. "I am here as your father."


    "Sincere apologies, but I am not sure what Your Majesty is referring to," she said coldly, still refusing to look at him.


    King Armen silently stared at his youngest daughter. That head full of long red-brown hair, that small fragile body�� He closed his eyes for a moment, and nobody saw the chaotic emotions he hid behind his calm mask. "I understand."."


    Though King Armen seemingly treated her like a cold and stern man, inside he was truly hurting. He was used to acting like an indifferent father in front of her so that she would never demand him to let her free and would always be wary in front of him. All these years, he had steeled his heart to never show her the affection of a father as he was afraid of being soft with her. He was worried, always worried, that the smallest mistake would put her into danger.


    Now, he was reaping what he had sown. Though he wanted to show her his true feelings, it was toote and she would never ept his affection. However, his youngest daughter was leaving, and with the hatred in her heart, she might never wish to return again. This might be thest time he would ever get to say these words.


    "Seren, my daughter," he started with a hoarse voice, "I apologize for what you have gone through all these years but it was always to protect you. I am not asking you to forgive me but just remember if you face any difficulty, your father and brother are always here."


    Without waiting for her response, King Armen left. Though Cian sympathized with their father, he knew that he could not meddle between the rtionship of King Armen and Seren. He simply talked with his sister about other random stuff before bidding her farewell.


    As soon as he''s gone, Seren turned to look outside of the window and stayed silent for a long time.


    "What is mydy thinking?" Martha asked Seren who was looking at the dark starry sky.


    "This is thest night I am spending here," Seren answered with a soft voice. A strange emotion appeared in her eyes. "Not like I love this ce but it''s better than an unknown ce and people that I have never seen."


    "A new ce means a new beginning, mydy. Do not fret. The King of Megaris will take care of you," Martha assured.


    ---------


    Drayce had just finished talking to King Armen and Queen Niobe about the next day''s wedding rituals. An apanied him when he returned to his chamber. Just as they settled on their chairs a knight entered and informed Drayce, "Your Majesty, the things we have asked from the Megaris have arrived. Shall we bring them in?"


    Drayce permitted them to enter and several knights brought two heavy wooden trunks inside Drayce''s bedchamber. They opened it for Drayce to check stuff inside.


    "Someone is ready to show his love for his queen," Anmented while curiously looking into those boxes.


    Drayce went through everything and nodded in satisfaction. He then pulled out one small exquisitely carved wooden box from the contents and instructed one of the knights, "Hand this to the Third Princess and inform her that she must wear this as part of her wedding regalia."


    The knights left with those two boxes and Drayce kept that small wooden box on the bedside table.


    "This belongs to��?" An asked as he eyed the box.


    "My mother," Drayce answered.


    An had nothing else to say about it aside from a fewforting words, "You are doing the right thing."


    Drayce did not say anything in response, and a sudden heavy silence apanied the two. Whenever it was about Drayce''s mother, things always turned quiet. Drayce tended to lose himself in his memories while An respected his friend''s privacy.


    --------


    The knights from Megaris were quick to head to their future queen''s lodging, carrying those boxes. When they knocked on her door, Martha attended to them.


    "We greet Her Highness Princess Seren," one of them spoke politely. "Apologies for intruding at thiste hour. The King of Megaris had sent wedding gifts for Her Highness."


    Martha permitted the knights from Megaris to enter the bedchamber and they carried those huge wooden trunks inside. However, the knights did not stay long and quickly asked to be excused.


    As soon as they''re gone, Martha opened those two boxes and Seren apanied her to see what they contained. Though she was not interested in receiving wedding gifts, the young girl inside her was curious to know what it was. She had never seen nor heard before what people normally sent for weddings as she had never attended nor participated in any such rituals. Her experiences mostly involved simple attendance on the wedding day itself, marking her presence among the royals witnessing the ceremony itself, not even staying long enough to enjoy the banquet after.


    The two boxes had various kinds of jewelry, all made of precious and rare gems.


    Seren nced at them from a distance and said, "You can close them, Martha."


    Martha did so and Seren sighed, "I would like to rest."


    Martha helped Seren into her nightgown and settled in her bed, covering her with the nket. Without another word, Seren closed her eyes, not knowing how the next day would change her life.


    ''Will she be a prisoner like in Abetha or will get to live a free life?''

 Chapter 145: Getting Ready

    <h4>Chapter 145: Getting Ready</h4>


    Finally, it was the day of the wedding between King Drayce Ivanov of Megaris and Princess Seren Ilven of Abetha.


    The royal pce was decorated with numerous well-preserved flowers imported from outside the capital, as well as scarlet banners and expensive decorations made of gold, turning the entire grounds and various parts of the pce into a sea of dazzling red and gold. Delegates from various friendly forces and noble families had entered the pce to give their congrattions, even though they were already informed they would not be allowed to witness the wedding ceremony itself. Gifts for the bride and groom seemed to be overflowing, enough to fill several chambers, and the excitement andughter in the air made everyone put smiles on their faces.


    Even outside the pce, the joyous air could be felt by the people. Due to the war, as well as the gue, spreading in other parts of the kingdom, not to mention Cian''s cruel punishment just the day before, the mood of the residents of the capital had been low the past few days. However, the news of the royal union between Abetha and Megaris visibly lifted up the spirits of the people. Those civilians and those of status who wanted the witch gone from Abetha were in a merrymaking mood, and those inmerce were thrilled to make use of the alliance between the two kingdoms to expand their business and influence. There was even music and free-flowing food and drinks in the central square to share the blessings of the royal family with themon folk. It was as grand and jolly as the yearly festival celebrated in honor of the founding of the kingdom.


    Inside the grand hall of the main pce, the servants were busy rushing here and there to handle everything per Queen Niobe''s orders. Though she didn''t like Seren at all, she had put her best efforts as the Queen of Abetha in preparation for the wedding. Like everyone else, she too had a pleased smile on her face, which was even more beautiful to the eyes due to her lovely appearance.


    For her, this was indeed a day worth celebrating as her life-long wish would be finally fulfilled��to get the witch out of her family''s lives.


    ----------


    (Seren''s POV)


    Today, I woke up earlier than usual, as Martha had called me before the sun had even graced the sky.


    "Mydy, it''s time to wake up."


    Seeing the gentle expression on her aged face, I looked at my nanny longer than I normally would and got up without a word. The surprise on her face was obvious. Unlike how I troubled her every time she woke me up, using various means to beg her to let me sleep more, this time, I didn''t wish to say or do anything.


    She asked in concern, "Are you not feeling well, mydy?"


    "I am fine," was all I could say in reply. Before she could say anything more, I asked, "Is the bath ready?"


    Martha stared at me for a while before answering, "Yes, mydy."


    She appeared to be again shocked that I asked about it on my own.


    I went straight to the side chamber where Martha had prepared a scented bath. Martha helped me with the bath, smearing my skin and hair with various stuff said to help me look prettier or my skin smoother.? The entire time, I was sitting in the hot water tub silently.


    Martha simply observed everything but she said nothing.


    After having a bath, Martha asked me back to my chamber where we were greeted by other maids who were holding different items in their arms. When they asked me to sit down, some of them massaged my body as they said it would make me look slimmer, while the others helped dry my long reddish golden hair. I was not used to having many maids attend to me, but this was something Her Majesty the Queen ordered, as Martha alone was not enough to help me.


    Afterwards, Martha made me sit on the stool in front of the dresser. Shebed my long hair and set them nicely by securing the front part of my hair on the back of my head with a beautiful gold hairpin. Together with the maids, she then braided the long hair and circled them into a bun that settled on the back of my head. She arranged various other jewels and ornaments on my hair to make it look as pretty as she could. It suddenly felt like I had too much weight settled on the back of my neck. I had never experienced this horribly heavy feeling, as I would normally either leave my hair freely hanging or tied into a simple long braid.


    After they were done with my hair, they made me stand as they made me wear a corset over my undergarment, put on stockings over my legs, then made me wear a petticoat before putting onyers uponyers of fabric over me. Then, they started decorating me with ribbons andces and jewelry.


    ''My neck will break with this much weight, and this bridal gown will drain all of my energy. Why do we have to wear such a heavy dress and so much jewelry? Are they trying to bury me to the point that? nobody will be able to see me under all these things?''


    I kept looking at Martha who was putting more jewelry around my neck before moving to my hands and feet.


    "Are these necessary?" I couldn''t help but break my vow of silence and ask.


    "These are all from the King of Megaris so we have to��"


    "He also sent those two wooden boxes. Should I keep them on my head?" I frowned. "This is so ufortable. I cannot even breathe."


    "Just till the wedding. Later, we can take it off," Martha assured.


    "By that time, I won''t be alive, either because of all this weight or suffocation," Iined. Martha, as usual, ignored myints.

 Chapter 146: True Identity

    <h4>Chapter 146: True Identity</h4>


    By the time the sun took its ce in the sky, they were still busy fussing over me. Around this time, I would normally be eating my morning meal. However, I had no appetite today, and even if I had, no one also offered me food as it would make me not fit into the tiny corset they made me wear.


    "We are done, Your Highness," one of the maids said as they all stepped back. For the past few hours, no one among them made idle chatter, and everyone was careful not to make a mistake. Even though they were touching me, it was obvious that they were afraid.


    Martha stepped forward. "We are grateful for your assistance. I will do Her Highness''s makeup on my own."


    The maids looked as if they were pardoned from a crime and quickly left my chamber as soon as I dismissed them.


    Alone with Martha, only then did I look at myself in the mirror.


    Despite how ufortable it felt to be wearing it, there was no question that the bridal gown was a beautiful piece of artwork. The main fabric had a bright scarlet color like a living me, highlighted with the exquisite work of golden threads on it. The outer long-sleeved robe had a deeper red hue, making my slim body appear curvier than it really was. Although the bridal gown was, for the most part red, theces and ribbons on the sleeves and hemlines were shades of purple, which was something the royal tailor decided toplement the color of my eyes.


    In the middle of my chest, there was a golden brooch with a dark blue gemstone engraved with the insignia of the Ilven Royal Family.


    "Mydy, I will start on your makeup now." Martha removed my veil with her magic spell so she could begin working on my face. Like always, this olddy started to apply powder on my face gently. That warm and gentle touch made my chest tighten. Every time she put on makeup on me, I could feel the other side of this old woman, the motherly part of her she always suppressed. I kept staring at her as she took her sweet time doing my makeup.


    Once I felt she was almost done, I asked, "You areing with me, right?"


    "Not sure, mydy," she answered, continuing her work.


    "You didn''t ask��"


    "Mydy, stop moving your mouth. Let me apply this," she said before applying a red pomade on my pale lips with a soft brush.


    Once she finished, I told her in an using tone, "You didn''t ask His Majesty."


    "His Majesty the King had always been very busy. I didn''t get a chance, but we can ask today," she assured. After a few more touches, she nodded her face. "You look ready, mydy. "


    At this point, my feet that were wearing heels were already starting to ache. While Martha did my makeup, I dared not sit, fearing that I would no longer be able to stand after due to the weight of my clothes.


    She circled me once to check me from head to toe. "Everything is fine," she said and looked me directly in the eyes. "Mydy, listen to me carefully."


    This sudden change in her puzzled me. Just a moment ago, she was acting like a caring mother preparing her daughter for her wedding, and now she returned to being my strict nanny.


    I stood quietly, waiting for her to talk.


    Martha held my veil in her hand and said, "This veil, you can now remove it? on your own whenever it is needed..."


    My eyes brightened. Finally, there was something gooding out of this situation, but her next words immediately took away my momentary happiness.


    "...but you must never take this veil away from your face."


    Her statement puzzled me. ''I can take it off on my own, but I must not take it off?''


    "Why?" I asked.


    "You can never let anyone see your face. If you do so, you will not just bring disaster to your life but the person who will see your face."


    "Then why did you say I can take it off on my own?"


    "You can take it off when it''s needed, and no one is around you. When you have to get ready like this, and I am not with you, at that time, you can take it off."


    "But you see my face always," I countered.


    She sighed as she exined with patience, "I am a woman. You must not let any man see your face."


    ''Ahh, this is something new for me.'' All these years, she had given me the impression that no one could see my face, but now it turned out that no man should see my face.


    "Will that person die if I show them my face?" I asked. Perhaps I could use this as a life-saving resort if I was in danger.


    "No, mydy. It is not like that," Martha replied with a frown. "Remember my warning clearly: once a man sees your face, both your and that person''s lives will turn into hell."


    It was now my turn to frown. "How? Won''t the King of Megaris want to see his wife''s face?"


    "You should not let him see it. You must stop him. No one but you can take that veil out of your face, so you don''t need to be worried about another person removing it, but be careful to have no man around you when you take it off. Do you understand me, mydy?"


    I didn''t know what to think about it. I thought that when I go to Megaris, I would at least be able to take this veil off, but it seemed like this veil was stuck with me till the day I die.


    Martha held me at my arms and shook me as I was not responding to her. "Do you understand what I said?"


    I nodded lightly, and Martha put that veil back on my face, covering the lower half of my face. Thinking back, it seemed silly why she even colored my lips red when it would remain covered all along.


    Just then, there was a knock on the door, and one female servant entered the room. "Your Highness, it''s time to leave. Your wedding ceremony will soon begin."


    "No need to escort us. We are about to leave," Martha informed the servant, who bowed before leaving.


    "Shall we?" Martha asked as she turned to me.


    "Wait!"


    "What happened, mydy?" Martha asked as she looked over me once more.


    "You forgot something," I said.


    Martha observed me once again and mumbled, "Gown is fine, all the jewelry is there makeup and hair��."


    "My true identity�� You forgot to give me my true identity." Martha blinked in confusion, and I pointed at my skin. "Those scales on my body."


    Martha looked at me in disbelief. There was a sh of sadness in her eyes, or perhaps that was my imagination. "You don''t need to have those now."


    "I want it," I insisted. "This is what I have been living with all these years��the title of being a witch''s daughter. This title has be an integral part of my life that I can abandon anything but it."


    Martha shook her head. "But mydy��"


    "Please, Martha."


    There was a conflict of emotions in her eyes. "Are you sure?"


    I nodded. "Hmm! I want you to give me those scales."


    Despite her reluctance, Martha swirled her fingers. Soon, blue scales with the golden shine lines on them started to appear on the right side corner of my forehead, the right side of my neck, and the back of my right palm.


    I appreciated my appearance in front of the mirror once more.


    "I am ready now."


    =====


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 Chapter 147: Path To Freedom

    <h4>Chapter 147: Path To Freedom</h4>


    Drayce woke up early just like Seren. From the bedchamber next to his, he could hear voices and understood his soon-to-be queen had woken up. But from the tone and manner of her speech, he could guess she was not in the best of moods. Either it was because she had just woken up, or it was because of the wedding.


    Just like Seren, royal servants apanied Drayce to get ready as a groom. He let the servants do their jobs with his ears and mind only focusing on the bedchamber next to his. Seren had barely talked and all he could hear were the hushed voices of the female servants helping his soon-to-be queen prepare.


    In the middle of his preparations, An, who was dressed in ceremonial clothes worn by Griven royalty, entered his bedchamber.


    It did not take long before the servants excused themselves from his presence, leaving the two handsome royals on their own.


    An observed his friend d in his wedding attire. Contrary to his usual pure ck outfit, Drayce was wearing something bright and eye-catching at the moment��the traditional long robe of a groom in ordance with the style from the Kingdom of Megaris, which was mostly red and ck with borate gold designs embroidered on the expensive fabric with the crest of the Ivanov Royal Family on its center. On his long jet ck hair, a heavy crown made of pure gold and embedded with jewels rested on it, signifying his status as monarch of his kingdom.


    There was a teasing smile on An''s face as he faked a sob. "Finally, the King of Megaris who had never nced at any woman before is now getting married."


    "No one was worthy to look at..." Drayce countered as he picked up his sword and ced it on the ornamental scabbard on his waist. He smiled, "...until now."


    Just as the two stepped out of his bedchamber, Drayce heard Seren''s voiceining to someone.


    "Are these necessary?" he heard Seren asking.


    "These are all from the King of Megaris so we have to��" This seemed to be her nanny.


    "He also sent those two wooden boxes. Should I keep them on my head? This is so ufortable. I cannot even breathe."


    Drayce couldn''t help but let a small chuckle leave his lips as he continued to walk away to go towards the wedding venue under the escort of his knights.


    Hearing his amusement, An turned his head just in time to see the pretty wide smile on the groom''s face. "What happened to make you smile?"


    Drayce raised his hand, asking him to keep quiet, as he continued to listen in to the conversation between the two women again. He had to slightly strain his ears as the distance was increasing between him and Seren''s bedchamber with each step he took.


    "Just till the wedding," the nanny replied. "Later, we can take it off."


    "By that time, I won''t be alive, either because of all this weight or suffocation."


    This was thest thing he heard from Seren as he soon left the royal residence. The brief overheard conversation left Drayce smiling along the way.


    "Seems like you eavesdropped again," An used.


    Drayce had no reason to hide. "Only to know what she thinks."


    "And what did you get to know?"


    "Nothing so good."


    "A poor girl going to marry a devil, what can be so good about it?"


    "This only applies if she knows who she is going to get married to."


    An eximed, "She doesn''t know?"


    "Only the name but not the person."


    "Hmm, she will know soon then."


    "I hope she won''t run away when she knows."


    An scoffed, "As if you will let her go."


    Drayce could not brush off the sly smile on his face.? No matter what happened in the future, there was no way he would ever let her go. Once he thought of her as his own, then she only belonged to him and him alone.


    -------


    (Seren''s POV)


    After leaving my bedchamber, Martha guided my way towards the wedding venue. The two female servants standing outside my bedchamber followed behind us. Because of the wide heavy skirt ring out of my hips towards the floor, not to mention the delicate heeled shoes on my feet, I walked with unusual slowness, the servants even holding the heavy skirt in their hands. Without them, I didn''t think I could walk in this attire; with this heavy bridal dress and tons of jewelry almost burying me under its weight, I would have fallen twice and probably be dragging myself towards the grand hall with much effort.


    With each small step, I felt my chest getting heavier, making it difficult for me to breathe. Could it be because the corset was fitted too tightly? Was it because of all this weight on my slim body? Or... was it the anxiousness my mind felt because it was my wedding?


    Wedding? Something tough about. I didn''t even know who the person was other than knowing the most superficial details about him, things that were known by basically anyone in the kingdom. That he is the king of the eastern kingdom called Megaris and that he is the youngest and most powerful king recorded in recent history.


    ''Why would he agree to marry me, a cursed princess... a witch?'' My mind could not help but wander in order to distract myself from getting nervous. Many questions kept filling my head with every step I took. ''Is he so ugly and scary that no princess from any other kingdom wants to marry him so he has no other choice than to marry me? I guess it makes sense. Though I am a witch, he will at least get to marry a proper princess.''


    Soon, we reached in front of the wedding venue and the royal guard announced my arrival.


    "Her Royal Highness Princess Seren Ilven of Abetha has arrived!"


    I stopped in front of therge double doors and inhaled deeply. ''Calm down. Whoever he is, I can just run away once I get the chance after leaving Abetha.''


    The knights opened the door for me- the path to my freedom

 Chapter 148: Scaly Hand

    <h4>Chapter 148: Scaly Hand</h4>


    As the knights moved to open the doors, I exhaled and said in my mind, ''Calm down, Seren. You can do it. It''s your way to get freedom. After seeing these ugly scales on me, he will only be scared of me or will abandon me thinking I am an ugly monster. How can the queen of such a powerful kingdom be someone looking inhuman? He is only after my title, and will surely be disgusted with my appearance.''


    Martha and the female servants stepped away from me. From this door onwards, I had to walk alone. Therge double doors opened, and despite my shaky breath, I took a steady step forward. I walked with my head held high as instructed by Martha but I lowered my gaze so that I could only see the path I walked on, which was covered by a long red carpet with scattered flower petals.


    Through the corner of my eyes, I could sense the gazes on meing from the people standing on either side of the aisle. I kept my attention fixated on the long red carpet which led me towards where the groom, a stranger, was waiting for me. Strangely, I didn''t hear any whispers this time. There was soft music being yed from somewhere, but aside from that and my footsteps, it was quiet; no one person among the crowd was cursing me under their breaths or calling me a witch.


    ''Seems like they want to spare me on my wedding day at least.''


    Despite taking each step cautiously, I reached the ce where the groom was waiting for me faster than I thought it would take. I paused several feet in front of His Majesty King Armen, who was standing in front of his throne, looking down on me and the groom from his elevated position. At this moment, he truly looked like a stern dignified monarch in his royal ceremonial garb, a heavy crown on his head and a scepter on his right hand.


    Before the ceremony, I was instructed by Martha on what to expect. From what I had understood after witnessing a few weddings in the royal family, I also knew what I had to do. I simply stood beside the groom with my gaze still fixed on the floor.


    Although I didn''t raise my gaze up to look at the groom, I could see where he was standing. I didn''t dare look at his face. From the corners of my eyes, I could see a tall ck-haired man wearing a strange red robe standing there. Like my father, he too had a crown on his head, although it was of a different design.


    I was thinking whether I should look at the groom at least once to see who I was getting married to. How scary he must have looked that he had to agree to marry me? From my lowered sight, I could only see him till half of his chest. He was much taller than me, even taller than my brother, but if I raised my sight up a bit, I might get a glimpse of his face without him noticing. I wanted to try, but then I sensed his gaze on me and I dropped the n. Sensing his eyes never leaving my body, my heart started to beat faster, making me feel even more anxious than before.


    ''Is he staring at the scales on my forehead? Did it manage to disgust him and made him think of me as ugly? I hope so. Why doesn''t he just give up on this wedding then?''


    Perhaps it was due to my nervousness or due to the various thoughts flooding my mind, I did not realize that they had announced the start of the wedding ceremony. I did not even realize what was happening until I saw the groom reach out his hand in front of me. Only then did I snap back into reality, and find myself already face to face with the groom.


    ''Huh? What is he doing? What is happening? Do I hold his hand? What��?''


    One of thedies-in-waiting of Queen Niobe had approached me while I was distracted, holding a velvet cushion with a ring ced on top. It was the ring meant to be put on the groom''s finger. It seemed we were already on the part of the ceremony where we had to exchange rings.


    A sudden thought came to my mind. ''I will put forward my right hand to wear a ring so he won''t dare hold it after seeing those scales.'' I thought about how smart I am.


    I picked up the ring from that velvet cushion and turned back to the groom''s outstretched hand. The ring was in my right hand which had scales on its back. I doubt this proud king would let me touch his hand with my scaly one.


    Not looking at his expression, I calmly put the ring on his finger. There was no reaction from him even though he saw the ugly patch of scales on the back of my right hand.


    Now, it was his turn. Though by custom, every bride wore the wedding ring in her left hand, I was adamant about giving him my right hand. I was sure he wouldn''t even touch it.


    A man holding a simr velvet cushion approached him, and he took the ring ced on it. Just as I put forward my right hand, the groom held my hand in his left hand, his touch sending a shock of warmth through my body, while he used his other hand to put the ring on my finger. His movements were so calm and gentle, it made me question if it was real��he didn''t even hesitate to hold my scaly hand.


    As if it was not enough, the next moment, I felt his thumb brushing over the scaly skin on my hand, as if he wanted to check how those scales felt.


    Slowly, ever so slowly, I saw my hand being moved up... and he kissed it.


    He kissed it. That scaly hand. Those ugly scales that had terrified countless people.


    ''Is he for real?''


    As I looked at my own hand being kissed, the face of the groom finally came into my sight, only to find a familiar pair of red eyes staring at me.


    It felt as if the world stopped.


    =====


    This month rewards addition for readers from Author.


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    2) Top fan of the novel will get a gift.


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 Chapter 149: Man In Her Vision

    <h4>Chapter 149: Man In Her Vision</h4>


    Red-eyed man!


    No word could escape my throat as I got the shock of my life. I felt weak in my knees, and suddenly,? the floor under my feet was slipping away. It was as if the shock was the final push needed for the weight of the heavy bridal gown and jewelry, added to the anxiousness of getting married, toe crashing at me. This revtion was so unexpected, I felt like my soul would leave my body at any moment.


    The moment my body lost strength, a pair of strong arms held me, protecting me from falling down.


    I could only look at him with wide eyes as I heard him ask, "Are you fine, my Queen?"


    My throat felt too dry to even say a word. Not as if any word woulde out. As I stared at him, it felt like my entire brain had stopped working. When I lowered my gaze, my eyes caught sight of a familiar tattoo shining on the left side of his neck.


    "Are you not feeling well?" the red-eyed man asked again.


    I closed my eyes for a moment to think, or at least try to get my brain working. I wanted to pinch my skin and p my face, maybe wash my face with water, just to check if this was an illusion and if this man would disappear when I opened my eyes again.


    This red-eyed man had upied my mind for the past few days. ''Could it be because I hated him so much, that''s why I was seeing him today?'' But when I opened my eyes, the man holding me didn''t disappear. Just then, I heard my brother''s worried voice that immediately brought me back to my senses.


    "Seren, are you fine?"


    That was my brother, Cian. I straightened myself to stand properly on my own, and that red-eyed man�� the groom�� now my husband�� he let me go. My entire body shook as I tried to quietly gasp for air. It took me all my willpower to stand withposure beside him, facing the guests in the wedding hall, only to hear a voice announce me and him as husband and wife.


    "With this, we have be witnesses to the joyful union between Drayce Ivanov and Seren Ilven. May the King and Queen of Megaris reign forever in prosperity!"


    The apuse and cheers filled the air, but these sounds seemed strangely distant to me. I looked around the hall as I felt like I was standing in the middle of some strange ce and it was spinning in front of my eyes. The noise around me made the difort worse. For the past few days, it was as if I was only getting one shock after another, and it was starting to suffocate me.


    The red-eyed man who I saw on that distant battlefield, then under the water, in the marketce, and then in my own bedchamber. The one who helped me run away and then the one to bring me back, this man was, in the end, the King of Megaris and now my husband.


    I had always known my life was cursed and that I had the worst fate that anyone could have in this entire world, but I never imagined it to be this bad. If this man was my husband, then there was no way I could run away from him. He would follow me and find me wherever I went. I had already witnessed the powers he held, and I was no matchpared to him.


    ''Powers? How can he have those powers?'' The questions in my mind only increased with each passing second. The most important one was rted to the visions I saw through my scrying ability, the one in the mountains and the one underwater.


    ''Why do I see him in my visions?''


    The shock had rendered me in aplete daze. I thought I had mentally prepared myself for this wedding, but the sudden revtion of my husband''s real identity made me unable to know how to react. As if going through the motions, we left the grand hall, and we were escorted to somewhere else, but I could no longer understand what was going on around me.


    Afterwards, I realized that we were inside the banquet hall of the pce. It was crowded with faces both familiar and unfamiliar, but thankfully, no one tried to strike a conversation with me, although a number of guests with high status approached the red-eyed man beside me. There was a ball arranged for the celebration, and there was food, dancing, and entertainment prepared for everyone, but I found nothing interesting.


    The entire time, that red-eyed man never left my side. He simply sat next to me on the ornately-carved couch meant for the groom and bride, which was in an elevated position inside the banquet hall. I could see him through the corners of my eyes and couldn''t stop feeling anxious.? He neither talked to me nor did he show any indication that he knew me and we had met so many times before. He was calm andposed, the total opposite of me.


    ''This man, has he been ying with me the entire time? Is he having fun seeing what I am going through?''


    After the empty formalities were over and all the guests left, I was still sitting like a statue, not willing to believe everything that had happened to me.


    ''Why is this not a dream now?''


    I could not understand what exactly I was feeling, but I knew that with the celebration done, it was time for the groom to return to his kingdom with his bride... and that bride was me.


    The red-eyed man finally left my side, and I was escorted back to my chamber by Martha along with a number of female servants to change into another dress. Since I would be setting out to travel quite a long distance, this heavy bridal gown had to be reced as it would not befortable for the journey.


    However, the other dress they made me wear was not thatfortable either. It might not be as heavy or as luxurious as the wedding gown, but it was more extravagant than the ordinary gowns I normally wear for banquets. The beautiful red dress in itself made it easy for me to move around, the skirt not dragging along the floor, but there was a thick suffocating outer robe to wear over it. The red dress was fine but that outer robe was ufortable to wear due to all the work of gold threads, stones, and beads.


    "Since I''ll be traveling, can''t I wear the casual dresses I always wear?" Iined. Without theyers of skirts drowning me, I was finally able to breathe, but this attire would still make my body ache if I were to sit for long in a carriage wearing it.


    "Your Highness, no, Your Majesty," one servant replied, "You are now the Queen of Megaris and so these should be the type of clothes you should wear. This is already the most ordinary among your new set of clothes."


    I looked at Martha and she nodded lightly, agreeing with what the servant said. I had no other choice but to wear it. With a defeated sigh, I sat on the chair in front of the mirror to get some rest for my tired legs. Getting out of that bridal gown was such a relief because I felt like my body would soon break into pieces with that much weight.


    "This jewelry? Hair? My neck will break," Iined again.


    The servants didn''t show it on their faces, but I know in their minds they were wondering what kind of bride I was toin about being dolled up like this. On the day of their wedding, everyone had to wear all this. In fact, I would notin about the appearance because I could not deny how dignified and beautiful these clothes were. But who would tell these people that this prisoner princess was not used to such luxurious fashion? Since I never socialized with people outside, I was usually dressed in a simplefortable cotton chemise without essories inside my tower. Perhaps, middle-ss citizens of Abetha dressed better than I did.


    ''Why would I dress up like a royal when I only had to be in my chamber all the time?''


    The servants reluctantly took off some jewelry to lessen some of the weight on me but they kept my hair styled the same after removing only a few essories. I didn''t say anything, but I was frowning inside.


    Martha instructed those servants, "All of you can wait outside."


    The servants left, closing the door behind them, and Martha looked at me. I remained sitting quietly on the chair in front of the mirror, staring at my own reflection in a daze. Despite her extravagant clothes, the image reflected in the mirror looked quite pitiful in my eyes.


    "What happened, mydy?" Martha asked. She must have noticed I was unusually silent. Being with me for so many years, she could guess if something was not right with me.

 Chapter 150: Fate

    <h4>Chapter 150: Fate</h4>


    I finally reacted and looked at the older woman through the mirror. "Martha?"


    "Yes, mydy?"


    "Do you remember the red-eyed man I mentioned to you before who I saw in my visions?"


    "Yes, mydy," Martha replied.


    "The man I married today is that exact red-eyed man," I informed her.


    "Hmm," Martha hummed nonchntly.


    I gave her a displeased look. "Aren''t you surprised? That man, why was he in my visions?"


    Martha had a strangely calm expression on her face, her words filled with concern. "As he is the one you had seen in your visions and now both of you are married, that means this is fate. Mydy should not worry about it anymore."


    I looked at myself in the mirror and felt like crying. "Fate? Why is my fate this bad? Is someone punishing me for my wrongdoings in my previous life or something? What did I do to get such a fate?"


    There was a knock on the door and one of the servants entered. "Your Majesty, it''s time to leave."


    Martha looked at me. "My Lady, shall we?"


    With a helpless sigh, I stood up and turned to leave. The servant guided my way towards the entrance of the residence with Martha walking behind me.


    Outside the residence, I saw a ck horse-drawn carriage simrly extravagant to my brother''s, but instead of the crest of the Ilven Royal Family, it bore an unfamiliar crest in gold, which must belong to the royal family of the kingdom I married into. The carriage lookedrger and sturdier as if it was custom-made for traveling over long distances. A number of smaller carriages lined up behind it, and knights in a different type of uniform were standing around with their horses. That ck uniform was unlike the blue ones of Abetha, so I concluded this was the official color for Megaris.


    I noticed the red-eyed man standing next to therge carriage, talking to someone I am familiar with. It was a man who I had seen before, a prince of Griven. Both were deep into their conversation but as if that red-eyed man sensed my presence, he turned to look at me and so did the others. My brother and the King and Queen were standing there too, along with the other royal family members, my sister Meira and cousins.


    I could see the happiness on the faces of the other royals, but I knew it was because they were finally getting rid of me. Only my brother Cian had a genuine care for me, while King Armen had his usual cold expression that made it difficult to understand what he was feeling. If I were to be asked, he must be relieved to know he would no longer be troubled by his witch daughter.


    Martha took me towards the carriage before stepping away. Brother Cian approached me, and I could clearly see how sad he was to see me going. The only regret I had was why I didn''t get more time to spend with him. Why did His Majesty have to send him away to the far north? If brother Cian had remained in the pce, then these past few years would have been more bearable. He was the only person who cared for me but His Majesty took him away from me. Now, I didn''t know if this scary red-eyed man would ever allow me to see my brother again.


    "Take care," was the only thing my brother said as he patted my head.


    I felt emotional but as usual. I couldn''t shed tears and just nodded in response. I had the urge to hug him, but there were too many prying eyes here. I did not want to burden him unnecessarily.


    Other than my brother, there was no one I wanted to say my goodbye to. I just bowed to King Armen to show him respect for thest time. No matter what grievance I had, in the end, this man in front of me was my father.


    "Take care," he said, the same words my brother used.


    As I lowered my gaze, no longer bothering with other people, I heard the red-eyed man, "Shall we, my Queen?"


    In my heart, I didn''t want to go, at least not with this red-eyed man, but I had no other choice. I nodded lightly with my gaze still lowered, not daring to look at him. One knight opened the carriage door for me and that red-eyed man offered me his hand to help me climb inside.


    He was my husband now so I had to ept his hand. Just as I was about to enter the carriage, I remembered something. Martha! I was so shocked all along that I forgot to ask if Martha wasing.


    I immediately turned to look at her, who had remained standing at a distance. Before I could say a word, I heard a voice that sounded calm butmanding, "In Megaris, the groom doesn''t allow anyone but the bride to enter his household. From now on, everything you need will be provided by your husband."


    All the hope in my heart shattered at his words.


    Disappointment? Anger? No, that would be putting it lightly. I could only hate this man who had taken away thest bit of warmth left from me. With Martha gone, I would truly be alone.


    I looked at Martha who seemed to know what''s happening and nodded lightly as if saying everything was fine. She even smiled at me which she never did before. Although she was standing at a distance, I found out that her eyes were moist. She was sad to let me go, her eyes clearly told me.


    I wanted to go back and hug her, say myst farewell to her, but I heard that same voice again. It was a voice I was growing to hate with each passing second.


    "We have two female servants from Megaris who will help my Queen during this journey."


    That red-eyed man was still holding my hand, but I did not spare a nce at him as I entered the carriage without a word.

 Chapter 151: Her Thoughts

    <h4>Chapter 151: Her Thoughts</h4>


    When I entered that royal carriage, I realized that its interior was more luxurious than its outside appearance. It had wide cushioned seats on both sides with plenty of legroom and curtains attached to the ss windows. I made myselffortable inside and found that the red-eyed man did not follow me inside. For a moment, I was relieved.


    Through the ss window, my eyes were drawn towards Martha who was standing at the edge of the crowd, away from the royals surrounding the carriage. Somehow, the small distance between us felt very far, as if she was standing somewhere where I might never be able to reach her. There was strange, heavy desperation weighing my chest. Was it because I couldn''t even go hug her for thest time, or was it because I was sad and disappointed that I will be parting from a person I considered my family?


    I saw the red-eyed man talking to my father and my brother with the First Prince of Griven also joining them.


    The voice of the First Prince of Griven was loud enough for me to hear. "We''ll be traveling together till we reach the capital of Griven. Since we''ll be escorting ady and the entourage is huge, I will make sure our group will travel slowly and make stops in the major cities."


    "It will be a good chance to rest as the journey to Megaris is long," my brother agreed.


    I saw the red-eyed man then talk to his knights, something that I couldn''t hear clearly. One of the knights who had a tall robust appearance looked like he was not in a fit condition. He had an injured leg and had difficulty walking when he approached. That red-eyed man said something as he observed his leg and patted his shoulder.


    I strained my ears to hear what was going on and heard him instruct that knight, "Don''t ride a horse. We have prepared one of the carriages for you."


    That knight lowered his head and said, "I am fine, Your Majesty. It would be a shame if I cannot lead the royal entourage when my king is returning with his bride."


    "This is not a time to act stubborn, yer," the red-eyed man said. "We don''t want your leg to get worse. You are yet to fight many battles for Megaris."


    "Your Majesty��"


    "Do you dare defy the order of your king?" the red-eyed man said, his tone so cold even I felt scared.


    That knight bowed his head, finally giving up in front of his king, and walked towards one of the smaller carriages standing behind my carriage.


    Thud!


    Just then, I heard a sound from the roof of my carriage, as if something had just fallen on it. I looked up but there was no sound again. When I noticed that the red-eyed man was looking at the roof of the carriage, I confirmed the sound I heard was not my imagination. Something had fallen, ornded, on top of the carriage. Before I could think what it could be, the red-eyed man walked towards me.


    ''He ising to sit inside in my carriage,'' I realized when a knight held the door of the carriage and opened it for him. I felt my heart skip a beat. ''This scary man will sit with me in this carriage till we reach Megaris.''


    When he entered the carriage, he took the seat opposite to me. Like me, he too no longer wore the ceremonial clothes from the wedding ceremony. He had changed into a fitted ck robe embroidered with gold threads in what appeared to be a royal crest, and his long jet ck hair was tied in a pony with a gold essory at the upper back of his head. It made him look sharp and dangerous, yet elegant and dignified at the same time.


    His cold expressionless face made me fix my gaze on the embroidery on the long sleeves of my robes, as my hands were on myp.


    ''The entire journey, do I have to face him like this? I can''t even look somewhere else. He is a king. Can''t he just get another carriage for himself?''


    "Are youfortable, my queen?"


    "Huh?" I looked at him, a bit startled. I was too busy in my thoughts, I did not realize he was trying to start a conversation with me.


    "I asked if my queen isfortable in this carriage," he repeated as he looked straight into my eyes. I wanted to turn away, but those red eyes of his stared at me with such fiery intensity it made my entire body shiver.


    ''I was fine till I was alone,'' I thought as I controlled my emotions, replying with a polite, "Yes, Your Majesty."


    When I answered, I noticed a light smirk on his thin lips as he continued to stare at me.


    ''Can he hear the thoughts in my mind? Can he? He seems to have lots of powers, maybe it''s possible��'' The smirk on his face widened, causing my heart to start beating fast. ''Can he really?''


    ''Stop! Stop thinking! I am not thinking about anything�� just be nk...''


    I tried to chant to myself, but this stupid brain would not cooperate and stop working. In fact, it did the opposite, making me panic even more.


    ''What should I do to not think about anything? Ahh..." I made myself look outside of the window so I would only focus on something else and stop thinking.


    Soon, the carriage moved and I realized we were leaving the pce. I gazed at the scenery shing past the window to get thest glimpse of it. When we passed through the main gate of the royal pce,? we had officially left the pce grounds. My gaze continued to linger at the pce''s main gate.


    ''I might never return here.''


    The man apanying me��my husband��was silent the entire time, but from the corner of my eyes, I could see him staring at me. I didn''t dare look back at him. I had many questions for him about our encounters till now, but I decided to not voice them out. He knew I was trying to run away, which meant he also knew I was not willing to marry him.


    ''The way he looks at me�� can it be that it''s because he is angry with me? Of course, he is!? In the end, he is a king and his pride must have been hurt that his betrothed wife tried to run away, not just once but twice. He must be keeping quiet because he does not want to show how angry he is with me inside the royal pce. Maybe, once we reach his kingdom, he will punish me for it. Will he keep me locked up thinking I will run away again?''


    The silence inside the carriage was getting on my nerves. I was getting more anxious the more I recalled the past. Moreover, the man in front of me had made it hard for anyone to guess what he was thinking.


    In the end, I simply decided to close my eyes to avoid his stare.


    =====


    This chapter is dedicated to the readers "RMehrotra" for gifting the first ever Magic Castle to the novel. Thank you so much!

 Chapter 152: She Is Gone

    <h4>Chapter 152: She Is Gone</h4>


    Once the carriage of the bride and groom disappeared from their sight, everyone turned to leave. Martha returned to the tower. As Seren was gone, she nned to retire and leave the pce. There was no longer a need for her to stay here. She first decided to pack her stuff before going to King Armen to bid farewell.


    It did not take her long to pack her stuff as there was nothing much for her to carry. She had been living a simple life in this tower with the Third Princess of this kingdom to fulfill the promise she had once made to someone. Because she was used to taking care of someone else, she had never paid attention to herself.


    Martha changed out of her royal servant''s clothes into ones worn by amoner. Folding that royal servant uniform which represented she was the servant of the Third Princess, she could not help but sigh.


    "She is gone now. I don''t need to wear it." She caressed the purple outer jacket she used to wear that represented Seren''s eyes and mumbled, "I wish you to always be happy." Seren was not just the Third Princess but an important part of her life. With her gone, Martha felt a piece of heart was taken away from her.


    Just as a tear rolled down her cheek, she heard the sound of the bell at the entrance of the Third Princess''s residence, which meant someone was there to meet her. She quickly collected herself and went down.


    Martha saw Sir Berolt standing outside the gate. Even though the princess was no longer there, he still dared not casually walk past the gate.


    Martha bowed to greet themander of the royal knights. "Greetings, Sir Berolt. What brings the Sir here?"


    "I am here as per His Majesty King Armen''s order. King Drayce had requested you to meet someone."


    Martha remembered when she went to see the King of Megaris, in exchange for her requests, he had asked her to meet someone.


    Martha nodded. "Where can I meet that person?"


    "He is here," Sir Berolt replied as he gestured for someone to approach.


    An old man entered the gate.? Martha looked at that man who had just entered in shock, to the point she did not notice that Sir Berolt had turned to leave. She knew this man��Erich Winfield.


    The man walked towards her before stopping to stand in front of her.


    "How have you been, Celia?"


    Martha gulped and looked at him in disbelief. ''How did hee here? Who told him I am here? How did he even find me after so many years? Didn''t I tell him to not search for me ever?''


    She came back to her senses and collected her thoughts. "Perhaps this gentleman has recognized the wrong person? I am Martha, the servant of the Third Princess."


    "I have not," the man replied as he observed her. "You recognize me."


    "But I don''t know you, mister," she said.


    "After so many years, you must have forgotten about me but I still remember you."


    "Apologies for my weak memory. May I know the purpose of visiting me?" she asked.


    "I just want to see you, Celia," he replied.


    Her face appeared calm as she replied,? "I will repeat: My name is Martha."


    "I know, but for me, you will always be Celia," the old man countered.


    Martha felt speechless over his stubbornness. Then, she realized he was always like this, stubborn and prideful.


    "If there is nothing more, I will kindly excuse myself as there are things I still need to oversee," she said.


    Ignoring her not-so-subtle dismissal, he said, "You don''t look good."


    "I am fine."


    "You seem to forget who I am. I am a physician who can see through in one nce if the person in front of me is not well."


    "I see. So the gentleman is a physician. Have a good day, mister," she said with a bow before turning around to return inside the tower.


    Ever since she appeared, Erich Winfield had observed her every movement, even when she was leaving. The way she walked and behaved, he could guess what was the problem with her body.


    "You are hurt on the right side of your stomach. The injury has put a great burden on your body and covers quite arge area. It can''t be an arrow wound or caused by anything sharp. Is it perhaps a burn? I think it''s a deep burn," he spoke.


    Hearing his thorough analysis, Martha suddenly stopped in her tracks. She wanted to scoff at her silliness. Why was she even surprised? Knowing how sharp he was, this was a given. She tried her best to not let him notice her situation, but he still managed to find out.


    When she was walking, he noticed she didn''t let her right hand brush over her left side, and while walking her right leg was being lifted with caution. Even her head was tilted to the right and her shoulder kept moving lightly in between as if she was brushing off the pain.


    Those movements were negligible in the eyes of a normal person, and to those not paying attention, she lookedpletely fine, but she couldn''t hide it from the keen eyes of this physician.


    "You are mistaken," Martha said stiffly. Because she wanted to prove her point, she took a big step forward, only to feel weak, causing her to kneel on the ground. Her arms were shivering as she tried to get back on her feet; she looked to be in great pain.


    Erich Winfield immediately ran towards her and kneeled as well. "Celia!"


    "I-I am fine. It''s just..." she said, trying to bear the pain she felt.


    "Stop talking. Let me help you first," he said and raised his hand to check the right side of her stomach.


    She held his hand to stop him from probing. "No need."


    "I am doing my job as a physician," he countered.


    "You can''t help me with it," she argued, not letting his hand touch her.


    "Is it not one I can treat?" he asked.? She nodded and he asked again, "Don''t you have those blue magic elixirs?"


    Seeing the confusion in her eyes, he spoke again, "The King of Megaris has it and he said it belonged to the Third Princess. I believe you are the one who gave it to her."


    This man seemed to know a lot. Martha felt that there was no sense in pushing him away anymore.


    "I have it," she said.


    "Take it then."


    Martha removed the purple pouch she had kept with her after Drayce gave it to her. She kept it so she could take it when it''s needed, allowing her to hold on till Seren leaves for Megaris. She didn''t wish for Seren to know her true condition. It was a relief that the King of Megaris didn''t allow her to apany Seren.


    Marth had one elixir and felt better in just a few moments.


    Erich Winfield looked at the purple pouch she held and then observed her once more. "Seems like only these many won''t be enough for you." He looked back at three elixirs left in that tiny pouch. "You need to make more."


    "I can''t," she replied.


    "Why?"


    Martha didn''t answer and stood up. "You can leave now."


    She already dropped speaking to him in polite speech.


    The old man stood up as well. "Is there still anything to hide, Celia? I know why you are here and who you were protecting."


    It shocked Martha and she turned to look at him, "Who told you?"

 Chapter 153: No Outsider Allowed

    <h4>Chapter 153: No Outsider Allowed</h4>


    "Valen," Erich Winfield answered.


    The expression on Martha''s face soured. "He is the king of Abetha. Be careful of the way you address him."


    "Doesn''t matter to me and neither does he object."


    "Do whatever you want." After saying that, she walked ahead.


    "The one you were protecting is gone. Must you still ignore me now? I have been patient, thinking one day we will meet. Do you really have to act as if you don''t recognize me?" he said.


    She stopped. "What do you want?"


    "For now, let me treat you. Other things, we can talk aboutter. Once I get answers, I will leave you alone."


    She nodded and walked ahead. Erich Winfield followed her inside the tower.


    Instead of a lounge to wee the guests, the ground floor of the tower had a huge empty space. Other than the set of stairs that led the way up,? there was only an old-looking wooden table and chairs. Martha sat in one chair and Erich Winfield sat in another.


    "Can I?" he asked.


    She nodded and allowed him to see the right side of her stomach that had the burn scar about the size of a fist. The skin looked severely burned.


    Erich Winfield lightly checked her wound and said, "During these years, I have found some herbs that can work on wounds given by supernatural powers. In the past, I couldn''t find how to treat Valen and you brought those elixirs to me. After that incident, I began searching for other remedies while traveling around the continent. I am sure they will help you."


    "No need, I will be leaving this ce. After today, I don''t wish you to see me ever again," she said coldly.


    "Where are you going?"


    "You don''t need to know."


    "Come with me," he offered only to get a re from her.


    "You are not in a condition to go anywhere. Come with me. Once I treat you, you can leave," he offered.


    "No need."


    ''Same answer again'', he thought.? Under her cold re, his mind started to work. "If you don''t, I will have to tell Valen you are not fine and I am sure he will not allow you to leave. He sure owes you for taking care of his daughter for all these years, sacrificing your own life and happiness."


    "Don''t tell him," she said.


    "I won''t," he assured and stood up. "We will be leaving immediately. Be ready. I wille back within an hour."


    Martha didn''t say yes but she knew she had to go with him.


    Erich Winfield pulled out a small pouch from his pocket and offered it to her. "This might help, even if not much."


    She epted it and he left.


    Martha knew he would have many questions for her, but she could not answer them all. The things he wanted to ask were exactly the things she could tell no one about, but judging by the way he talked, she was sure King Armen had made him aware of the situation of his daughter.


    Inside his study room, King Armen was standing silently by the window where he could see the tower where his daughter had lived for the past seventeen years. Although he couldn''t go to her, he was sure she was always in that ce, safe and sound, but now she was gone and all that was left behind was that empty tower.


    Cian entered the study without letting Lord Eudes announce his arrival. He knew his father must be feeling sad and he merely wished to apany him as family.


    "Father?" he called out when he saw the lonely silhouette by the window.


    King Armen merely nced at his son before looking back at the tower.


    Cian went to him. "What are you thinking about, Father?"


    "She left with nothing but hatred in her heart for her father," King Armenmented. Because he had his back on his son, no one could see the flood of emotions in his eyes as he stared at the tower.


    "I believe one day she will understand why Father had done the things you did," Cian assured.


    "As long as she is safe, it doesn''t matter even if she hates me."


    Cian knew nothing could console his father so he silently apanied his father as he too stared at the tower.


    "I believe King Drayce will take care of her."


    "I wish to believe it too."


    "I have seen him on the battlefield and have been observing him when we traveled back to Abetha. Though he looks cold and sometimes unruly, he cares for his people. He is a good king, and I think he would be a good husband to Seren."


    King Armen nodded, agreeing to it as he too had witnessed how worried Drayce was when it came to his personal knight. Since his daughter was the person Drayce chose to be his wife, he ought to cherish her more, and would definitely care for her and protect her no matter what situation would ur in the future.


    Moreover, Drayce had already shown his care for Seren by secretly sending her food and rescuing her from the tower even without knowing her. He could only imagine how good that young king would be to his precious daughter once he got to truly know her.


    ----------


    Inside Queen Niobe''s bedchamber, her daughter Meira apanied her for tea. An array of small colorful snacks and cakes were even arranged on the table, and there were beautiful flowers adorning the vases in one corner of her chamber.


    Meira looked at her mother and said, "Seems like Mother is finally happy."


    Queen Niobe lightly smiled. "Shouldn''t I?"


    Meira smiled too and sat next to her mother in one chair. "I am also happy. Finally, that witch is gone."


    Queen Niobe looked like she had other thoughts in mind as she mumbled, "Finally, there will be no outsider in my family."


    "Did you say something, Mother?" Meira asked.


    Queen Niobe didn''t answer and said instead, "You should change intofortable clothes."


    Meira understood her mother wanted her to leave and agreed. "I will excuse myself then, Mother."


    Meira left and Queen Niobe closed her eyes as if she had participated in a long exhausting battle, and only then could her mind be finally at peace.


    "No outsider is allowed in my family. I only have one son and two daughters."

 Chapter 154: Her Wish

    <h4>Chapter 154: Her Wish</h4>


    Leaving the tower, Erich Winfield straightway went to king Armen. He had to get answers to a few more things from King Armen and he could not wait anymore.


    Erich Winfield had seen Martha during the wedding ceremony of the Third Princess and he was waiting for it to be over so he could talk to her.


    Lord Eudes entered King Armen''s study where Cian still apanied his father.


    "Your Majesty, Physician Erich Winfield seeks an audience."


    King Armen nodded. Lord Eudes left and King Armen looked at his son, "You should rest now."


    Cian understood his father didn''t want him to be there when Erich Winfield would talk with him. He bowed lightly and left as the old Physician entered the study.


    As if King Armen already guessed why Erich Winfield was there, he was calm and waited for him to talk. He was sure hispanion from the past wouldn''t be so calm after he met Martha.


    Erich Winfield stood facing King Arman and jumped to the point, "Why didn''t you tell me Celia was with you all these years. When I asked you that day, why did you lie to me saying she is not in the pce?"


    "I said there is no person named Celia Woss," King Armen replied.


    Erich Winfield looked at him in disbelief. He thought when he will go to King Armen and question him about why he lied, he would feel guilty but there was no stress of guilt on his face.


    "Valen, you have always been so selfish. You only think about yourself and not others. Back then you were selfish because of Sierra and now because of your daughter. But what about others? You are king, you have a family but what about me? You took away the only person I had and even hid her. I understand your reason for protecting your daughter but don''t you feel even a bit guilty towards me? When I asked you a few days back, why didn''t you tell me she is here? Why?" Erich Winfield asked as he raised his voice. Didn''t matter to him if the person in front of him was the king of this kingdom where he was standing at the moment.


    "Because she didn''t wish me to tell you or anyone," King Armen replied calmly to Erich Winfield''s outrage.


    "She didn''t want but you could have still told me. I spent all these years wandering here and there hoping to find her one day. Do you even understand what I have gone through all these years?" Erich Winfield could only be angrier over theck of remorse from King Armen.


    "I understand," King Armen said, "Seventeen years back when she came to the pce just the day after Seren came here, she asked me to not let anyone know her true identity. She changed her name and said she has nothing to do with her previous name. She only asked me for one thing and that was to hide her identity. I couldn''t go back on my words that I assured her. I owe her more than anyone I owe in this lifetime."


    "Still Valen, you should have��." Erich Winfield stopped as he turned emotional. "So many years passed by."


    Seeing him emotional, King Armen felt bad. "That day when you asked me, I wanted to tell you. For the first time I wished to go back on my words but she was not in the pce. I didn''t know where she was gone and if she would ever return. I didn''t want to break your heart if I had told you she was here but you missed the chance to see her. You would have been hurt," King Armen exined, hoping his friend would be calm.


    Erich Winfield calmed himself down and spoke after a short pause, "This time I am taking her with me. I finally found her and I don''t wish to let her go."


    "If she wishes to," King Armen agreed.


    "I will be leaving in a while," Erich Winfield informed.


    "Where do you n to stay?" King Armen asked, "I can help you with��."


    "No need! Though you are a king, I am not a beggar," Erich Winfield countered.


    "It''s for Martha''s...Celia''s sake," King Armen corrected.


    "I can take care of her on my own."


    "As you wish, but if you ever need anything, don''t hesitate toe to me," King Armen offered.


    He knew how prideful Erich Winfield was so there was no use in insisting on him. Moreover, king Armen really wished Martha and Erich Winfield to be together. The guilt he had for unintentionally separating two people, would never lesson despite whatever he did.


    -----


    Martha came to visit King Armen before she would leave the pce.


    Martha bowed to him, "Your Majesty, thank you for letting me stay here for so many years. But I would like to take my leave now."


    King Armen looked at the woman who stood in front of him with her head bowed. This woman selflessly sacrificed so many things in life just to protect his daughter and never everined. Even if she did, then it was all rted to Seren and to her well-being. How can someone be so selfless and devoted to the words once they had promised someone? King Armen could feel nothing but only respect for her in his heart.


    "I am thankful to you for looking after Seren for so many years and taking care of her like a mother. Whatever I do or give it to you, it would never be enough to return how much I owe you. Still, in return for everything, you can ask me anything and I will fulfill that wish."


    There was a pause for a moment and Martha looked at King Armen, "I wish Your Majesty to show his fatherly love to his daughter when she will meet her father. I wish you to let her know how much her father loved her that she is not aware of. I wish you would tell her the reason why you always pushed her away and could never show her all that affection openly."


    Though King Armen had stern expressions on his face, his eyes wavered with the words from Martha. Though he acted cold, it was the truth that every time it hurt him more than it hurt Seren. What an unfortunate father he was for not being able to show his daughter how precious she was to him but instead he made her hate him only.


    Martha kept looking at King Armen who looked in a daze after what she said. From his eyes, she knew what was going in his mind and she could only feel sad for this father.


    "Your Majesty, that is the only wish I have," she repeated.


    It pulled King Armen out of the daze and he looked at her. This woman, even when she was leaving, she was only thinking about lessening his daughter''s pain.


    "I will," he finally agreed.


    "I will take a leave then," she said and King Armen agreed.


    -------


    Martha and Erich Winfield were ready to leave with two apprentices.


    Sir Berolt came to Erich Winfield, "His Majesty has asked me to arrange the horse carriage for you to travelfortably. He wishes you to ept at least this much."


    Erich Winfield looked at the hurt woman beside him and he decided to ept it for her sake at least.


    "Tell your king that we are grateful." Still, there was no politeness in the way Erich Winfield talked about King Armen. Though Sir Berolt didn''t like it, he was used to hearing it from him now.


    There were two horse carriages waiting for them. They got into the carriage and left the pce.


    ------


    Sir Berolt returned to King Armen after Erich Winfield and Martha left.


    "Did it go well?" King Armen asked.


    Sir Berolt nodded, "He epted it."


    King Armen felt relieved and instructed, " As I told you before, keep someone around them and take care of their needs without letting them know."


    "Understood, Your Majesty!"

 Chapter 155: Inappropriate Things

    <h4>Chapter 155: Inappropriate Things</h4>


    Seren probably never imagined that she would fall asleep inside the carriage as soon as she closed her eyes. She tried to clear her mind, to avoid thinking about anything in fear that Drayce could hear her thoughts, but that action only made her fall asleep. It must be because of the mental exhaustion she felt thinking she was getting married to a stranger, in addition to the shock she got seeing who the groom was. Not to mention the tedious preparation before the actual ceremony and the celebratory banquet after, there was also the fact that she had not eaten anything sincest night''s meal.


    Drayce stared at his queen in appreciation, the side of his lips lifting into a smile. ''Are you not scared of me? How can you sleep so carelessly like this?''


    Though he couldn''t see her face, to him, she was fine the way she was. Those scales on her body, though he had seen her without them before, those scales didn''t seem ugly to him.


    The sunlighting from the ss window fell on her face and she stirred a bit, looking bothered by it. Drayce carefully moved the curtain to block the sunlight on her side. Timefortably passed by between them just like that. Drayce did not do anything to wake her up and simply observed her sleeping profile from time to time. He soon noticed that her brows would furrow whenever the carriage would run on a rough path and hit a bump on the road. It seemed to disturb her calm sleep as her head would lightly collide on the cushioned side wall of the carriage where she was currently resting her head.


    Drayce sighed and moved to sit next to her. He held her head and rested it on his broad shoulder. However, the difference between their sizes could not be ignored. Because he was much taller than her, he had to sit with his body lowered so she could keep her headfortably on his shoulder. It was an ufortable position for him, but well, anything for his wife.


    The sleeping young woman next to him seemed to not realize his difort and even rubbed her head and cheek against his shoulder to find the mostfortable ce for her head.


    ''Indeed a little kitten.''


    The carriage continued to run its course as the youngdy, the Queen of Megaris, peacefully continued sleeping, unaware that she was using her husband''s shoulder to rest her head.


    When she woke up after her long sleep, her eyes that were still heavy with sleep were slow to flutter open. It took her several seconds to notice the closed curtain. Her gaze then moved to look at the person who was supposed to sit opposite to her, but the seat was empty.


    ''He is not there. Did he leave in boredom?''


    A yawn was about to escape her mouth when she realized her head was resting on something... and someone was sitting next to her.


    Seren slowly, ever-so-slowly, lifted her head as if she was scared to find out if her guess was true. She turned it to look at the person next to her. That person had his eyes closed with the back of his head resting on the wall of the carriage. She immediately moved away, but there was not much space in the first ce. All she could do was shrink her body in the corner away from him.


    A cold yet calm voice reached her ears.


    "Though I am devil, I am not going to eat you."


    When the man next to her spoke, he opened his eyes to look at his visibly flustered wife. Her bright purple eyes stared at him in shock, and it seemed as if her mind had gone nk at the moment.


    Those innocent eyes, Drayce could never stop looking at them. He kept on staring at them, not realizing what effect it might cause on her.


    As the person who was on the receiving end of those piercing red eyes, Seren didn''t know what to say, nor how to act. His silence only made her anxious, making her wonder if he was waiting for her to do something.? Should she apologize to him for sleeping while using his shoulder? Sleeping in front of a king was rude in itself, and that she slept on his shoulder only made it worse. He must be looking down at herck of the most basic manners of a royaldy.


    "M-My sincerest apologies, Your Majesty," she said in a low and weak voice, feeling nervous under his stare.


    "Apologies? For what?" he asked in his normal cold tone.


    She hesitantly looked at his shoulder which had a wet patch on the fabric, and she was sure she had drooled. She looked back at him and replied, "For resting my head on His Majesty''s shoulder."


    He stared at her for a while before speaking, "Hmm, it was indeed ufortable."


    "A-Apologies��"


    "Next time, you can just put your head on myp when you want to sleep so it won''t be that ufortable for both of us," he interrupted her.


    Seren was shocked. She stared at him with her eyes wide open, as if to check whether he was serious or jesting.


    ''Is he not angry because I was rude?''


    He continued, "If you do not wish to use myp as your pillow, I will allow you to continue using my shoulder. However, since you are pitifully short, you have to sit on myp and rest in my arms, so I do not need to lower my shoulder down to match your height."


    "I-I dare not, Your Majesty!"


    "Only you, my wife, can dare," he replied, still staring at her.


    ''He is a king! How can I do such a disrespectful thing?'' she panicked inside. ''I never even sat on thep of my father, the King of Abetha, like how other kids behave with their own parents because it is rude to act like that to a monarch. Is he trying to test me? I do not want to anger the king by sitting on hisp.''


    "That would be inappropriate, Your Majesty," she said, lowering her head apologetically. As she waited for his response, her eyes kept ncing at his shoulder. That wet patch on the fabric still bothered her. ''Will he scold me once he notices I spoiled his robe?''


    As her thoughts were running wildly inside her head, Drayce, who was staring at her in amusement, smirked. "There are a lot of inappropriate things we will be doing. This is just nothing."


    His answer puzzled her. ''What inappropriate things? Does he mean something inappropriate for a royaldy? It seems he already noticed my drool on his robe. Does he mean a punishment, like treating me like a servant? What will he make me do? Do I need to wash his robe since I spoiled it? But I have never learned how to wash clothes because Martha was the one who did those chores. Ahhh... but I have seen how she washed clothes so I just need to imitate it. It''s just one robe. Looks heavy though.''


    "I will do it," she said, her weak voice sounding oddly determined.

 Chapter 156: [Bonus Chapter]Blank Parchment

    <h4>Chapter 156: [Bonus Chapter]nk Parchment</h4>


    "I will do it," she said, her weak voice sounding oddly determined.


    "What?" he asked.


    "The thing Your Majesty said. I will��"


    "Really?" he interrupted her, leaning closer to her suddenly. He stared deep into her pretty eyes, as if he wished to look through her innocent soul.


    His action caused her to move back, making her swallow her next words. ''��wash your clothes.''


    She no longer voiced out the rest of her statement and simply nodded hesitantly. "Yes, Your Majesty!"


    She did not know why, but there seemed to be a change in the man sitting beside her. She tried to be calm under that intense gaze from his red eyes, but she''s failing to get herposure back.


    "So from where should we start, my Queen?" he asked.


    Her mind turned nk. The way he looked at her made her forget everything else. All she could hear was the sound of the carriage moving on the bumpy road.


    "My Queen needs to answer me," Drayce spoke. "Where should we start?"


    "Umm?" Her mind quickly tried to think of what to respond and she looked at Drayce''s robe. "Y-Your Majesty needs to remove his robe."


    Drayce stared at her in disbelief. He thought he would tease her and enjoy her embarrassment but this youngdy, his Queen, seemed to be so bold already. Did she want to start at this very moment inside the carriage? Well, not bad. It saved his efforts to woo ady.


    "Then?" he asked, hoping to hear something more exciting.


    "Then, I will need water," she replied with a calmer voice, not knowing what kind of thoughts the man in front of her had in his mind.


    "Water?"


    "Hmm." She nodded, looking at him with those purple eyes full of innocence.


    ''She must be thirsty,'' he thought before grabbing his water carrier that was kept inside the carriage and offering it to her. "Here."


    She looked at the slim elbow-length water carrier carved in fine wood.


    ''Where have I seen it?'' she wondered as she found it familiar.


    Seeing her grow silent, Drayce opened the lid of that wooden water carrier and held it closer to her. "You can have this water."


    "Will this be enough?" she asked as she eyed his long and heavy robe.


    On the other hand, Drayce was eyeing her stomach where the outer robe had a long ribbon tied around her tiny waist. "It never dawned on me that my Queen''s stomach can empty an entire water carrier thisrge."


    Seren blinked in confusion. "Stomach?"


    "As per my understanding, after drinking water, it goes to one''s stomach," came the sarcastic reply from the red-eyed king.


    "Drinking?" She blinked again. "No...the water, I mean... will this water be enough to wash Your Majesty''s robe?"


    ''Wash? My robe?'' Drayce repeated the odd choice of words in his mind. He then noticed where her sight lingered often��at his shoulder.


    With his expression not showing his puzzlement, he followed the direction of her gaze There was a wet patch on his robe in the area where sheid her head on earlier.


    Before he could say a word, Seren spoke up, "I will clean the robe, Your Majesty. My apologies." She lowered her head immediately, trying not to meet his eyes.


    Drayce left out a deep sigh and thought, ''What was I expecting? This young woman is a nk parchment who knows nothing at all.''


    "The Queen of Megaris doesn''t have to do such lowly work," he spoke coldly.


    She lifted her head slightly to peek at his expression. "But��"


    He looked at her with one eyebrow raised up as if asking her��did you not understand what I just said?


    She swallowed her words back and instead lowered her head once more. "Understood, Your Majesty."


    After that, Seren no longer said a word, and Drayce did not initiate the conversation with her, causing the rest of their ride to be filled with silence. When Drayce looked out of the window, he realized that they had traveled far from the capital of Abetha. Many hours had passed and he realized they needed to take a short break somewhere as his men and their horses needed to rest. He would have done it earlier, as stopping in a city or town would be mostfortable for everyone, but he didn''t want to disturb his queen from her sleep.


    Although they were in the middle of a wilderness, Drayce ordered the coachman to stop the carriage. When he opened the window, the captain of the knights who were escorting them urged his horse to approach.


    "Your Majesty, the scouts said there is a nd on the upper banks of the river several minutes away from here. If Your Majesty wishes, we can camp there to let the horses rest for an hour."


    Drayce nodded, and soon after, their carriage reached the said area.


    The entire royal entourage had stopped in grasnd near the river. As the carriage carrying the people with the highest status, the carriage used by Drayce and Seren was thest to arrive. The knights could be seen pitching camp, while the horses were allowed to graze and drink water from the river. One knight opened the door of the carriage for Drayce and Seren.


    "We will take a short break here," Drayce informed Seren and she nodded.


    Drayce stepped out first by stepping into a small stool kept in the ground. He then looked at Seren who was ready to step out after him.


    He offered her his hand and she epted it as stepping down this carriage wearing such a heavy dress was not easy. By now, she understood that whenever she would need help, she had to ept it from him.


    One more thing she noticed was that whenever he held her hand, he would always brush his thumb across the scaly marks on the back of her palm. ''Does he like my scales that much, or is he just making fun of me by constantly reminding me of the ugly scales on my skin?''


    When the newlyweds climbed down the carriage, the two female servants who came to Abetha from Megaris immediately approached the royal carriage to begin their duties. They bowed before their king and queen.


    One of them talked to Seren. "Greetings, Your Majesty the Queen! I am Eva, and she is Marie. We are your personal maids for this trip. Let us know if there is anything you need our help with."


    "I will leave you in their care," Drayce said before turning away to talk to his knights who were waiting for his instructions.


    Seren was not used to having anyone by her side other than Martha, but then she looked at the red-eyed man surrounded by his knights and thought, ''With this scary man stuck by my side, he makes these two servants seem not a big deal.''

 Chapter 157: Unaware Of Basic Knowledge

    <h4>Chapter 157: Unaware Of Basic Knowledge</h4>


    Seren''s eyes caught the view of the vast river bed which shone under the bright sunlight of thete noon. A cold breeze came from the direction of the river, making her feel rxed and helping lessen the body aches she felt from the bumpy ride in the carriage.


    "Your Majesty, the camp has been set," one of the knights said after paying respect to her. "You can rest inside the tent for some time."


    "I am fine." After feeling the grass under her feet, Seren walked to get closer to the river while the maids followed behind her, maintaining a little distance between them.


    On the other hand, although Drayce was busy talking to his knights in thepany of An, he kept part of his attention on his queen. He saw Seren going towards the river but didn''t stop her as he continued with his conversation.


    Just then, there was a loud bird screech nearby, a sound Seren found familiar andforting. She looked around thinking, ''Did he follow me?''


    She was pleasantly surprised to find the same majestic birdnding on the rock close to her.? Seeing him, she couldn''t help but feel happy.


    ''Finally, someone I know is here! Now, it will feel less lonely,'' she thought as she walked towards that boulder with a height reaching her waist.


    With a sweet smile spreading behind her veil, she caressed the eagle''s head. "Did you follow me?"


    Dusk just rubbed his head against her hand, enjoying her touch.


    "Your master will worry if you are gone for long," she said again, only to hear one cold voice interrupting her.


    "His master sure won''t mind if he follows you, my Queen."


    Seren turned to look at the man who seemed to have miraculously appeared behind her, his approach so silent she did not notice him until he spoke out loud. She wanted to ask how Drayce knew that the bird''s master would be fine with it, but before she could voice her question, Drayce stepped forward and caressed Dusk''s head. Her own hand retreated immediately.


    The servants standing behind Seren walked away after greeting Drayce.


    "Am I right, Dusk?" Drayce asked and Dusk pecked on his hand twice.


    Seeing Dusk responding to Drayce, she asked, "His Majesty knows this eagle''s master?"


    "Hmm." He nodded.


    "May I know who?"


    "The one standing next to you," Drayce answered, not thinking how much it would shock the youngdy.


    "What?" she eximed.


    Drayce looked at her and said, "My Queen can ask him if you want to confirm."


    Stunned, Seren looked at the eagle. "Is he your master?"


    Since she was standing within reach, Dusk turned towards her and pecked on her hand. She looked at the master and pet in disbelief, and more questions were added to what she already had in her mind.


    After a short pause, she asked, "That food box, did His Majesty send it to me?"


    "My pet only takes orders from me," Drayce replied.


    "Why?"


    "Would my Queen have preferred to starve instead?"


    "No, I mean, how did His Majesty know I needed food?"


    "The ck smoke from the tower told me."


    Seren was reminded of her miserable cooking attempt a few weeks back and if this man knew what she did, it was something to be embarrassed about.


    ''This man has powers so using his powers? he must have learned how I badly burnt the food. Ahh! So embarrassing!'' She screamed inside.


    From the look in her eyes, it was clear to him what was going on in her mind. Drayce smiled. "Rest assured, we don''t let the Queen enter the royal kitchen."


    ''Is he trying to say I am not worthy of entering the royal kitchen?'' She frowned inside.


    Drayce added, "And, my Queen can call him Dusk."


    "Dusk," she mumbled and looked at the brown-feathered eagle. "So you are a boy."


    Dusk''s eyes opened wide and he flew away as if he was fleeing from great danger. His reaction surprised Drayce as Dusk never acted like this even when he threatened to cut his wings. Recalling his Queen''s words, he did not seem to find anything wrong with her statement.


    "Why did he run away?" Drayce asked.


    Staring at Dusk who was flying away with equal confusion, she replied, "Whenever I ask him if he is a boy or girl, he runs away like this. He doesn''t even let me check."


    She spoke casually, forgetting she was adamant on acting refined and courteous with this scary red-eyed man. The arrival of Dusk seemed to have eased her mind.


    Drayce heard her and now understood what was the problem. He controlled himself from smiling and asked, "May I ask my Queen, how are you going to check his gender?"


    "Huh?" She looked at Drayce, feeling all puzzled as she mumbled, "How?"


    Drayce nodded. "Hmm! How?"


    She blinked a few times as she too didn''t know the answer. ''How was I going to check?''


    "Has my Queen ever tried to figure out how humans are differentiated into male and female?"


    She looked extremely bewildered at this point.


    He continued to ask, "Do you know why my Queen is a woman and I am a man?"


    She looked at him then looked at herself. "Because I''m wearing a dress?" It sounded more like a question she wanted him to confirm instead of an answer.


    ''Ahh, so she knows nothing at all. Has she never seen naked babies or kids?'' Drayce thought, ''Exactly how unaware of everything is she? The King of Abetha has kept her away from even things consideredmon sense. How can someone live such a life, so ignorant of the world to the point of not? knowing basic knowledge?''


    Seren had been inside the tower since she was a baby, and not only men but even other women were not allowed to see her. She never got the chance to mingle with others except foring out of the tower like once or twice in a year, most of those interactions with her getting hatred from others.

 Chapter 158: Caring For Her

    <h4>Chapter 158: Caring For Her</h4>


    As her nanny, Martha focused on serving her, instead of educating her and there was no such instance that Martha had to exin anything to her as such things kids learn on their own. Most of what Seren knew was learned from the books that King Armen sent from time to time. The books she had read were mostly about politics, history, and geography, and she never read anything that would let her know the answers to the questions that Dryace asked her. Neither had anyone told her.


    Drayce cleared his throat. "There is another way to know."


    "What way?"


    "My Queen will knowter." He was sure not going to exin anything to her now or this poor girl would get the shock of her life. Drayce could only worry about how he would let her understand everything. "For now, just remember it''s not the same for birds."


    Not understanding what he was saying, she could only nod in silence.


    He asked again, "My Queen, you didn''t answer how were you going to check Dusk''s gender."


    She thought for a while and replied, "I thought there must be something that might let me know."


    "What?" he asked, while inside he wasughing at this innocent woman.


    "Not sure. Must be some mark or pattern like how we can identify female and male lions from the mane around their neck."


    ''So my wife is not that silly,'' he concluded.


    As he stared at his wife who looked at a total loss, Drayce suddenly ordered, "Face me."


    Startled by the change in his tone, Seren looked at him and saw him waiting for his order to be executed by her. Hesitantly, she turned to properly face him.


    Drayce pointedly looked around, and his men who all noticed their king''s meaningful gaze turned to look the other way.


    Seren noticed their strange behavior. ''Why did they all turn away?''


    Drayce looked at Dusk who was still looking at them while standing on arge rock a certain distance from them. Drayce red at him and the poor bird also turned around.


    Seren saw this too. Her purple eyes filled with curiosity looked back at those red eyes that seemed to burn wickedly.


    Before she could say anything, Drayce moved his hand towards her waist and she flinched, only to move back and asked in a shaky voice, "What are you doing, Your Majesty?"


    "Stay still," he ordered and everyone around heard his voice, which made them all pretend to be fiercely busy with something. No one dared to turn around.


    Seren stood still and Drayce opened the knot of ribbon around her waist.


    "Your Majesty��"


    "This robe seems too heavy for my Queen. It''s fine if you take it off," he interrupted her.


    "I-I am fine��"


    "I don''t wish to slow down our journey just because one weak woman fainted due to suffocating under her ill-suited clothes."


    She red at him and thought, ''I am not that weak!'' but couldn''t voice it out as the man in front of her was busy taking off her outer robe. He slid it down her shoulders and took it offpletely. Her inner dress was fine and modest on its own; aside for purely aesthetic purposes, there was no need for that heavy robe over that tiny body.


    Seren couldn''t deny how better she felt once that robe was gone. Her entire body was indeed more rxed without the burden of that unnecessary weight.


    "Servant!" Drayce called out.


    The twody servants, Eva and Marie, turned around and hurried to go towards their king and queen with their heads lowered.


    Drayce held out Seren''s outer robe in his hand, and one of the servants took it from him.


    His hands moved towards Seren''s hair next. He took off all the jewelry from her hair and ced them one by one on top of the folded robe held by the female servant.


    Once he was done removing all the heavy essories attached to her long reddish-brown hair, Drayce gently brushed a few wayward strands away from her face. "I hope my Queen feels better now."


    Seren looked at him in disbelief. ''Why is he suddenly acting like this? Does he need something from me? But I have nothing to give to him. Didn''t His Majesty King Armen give him enough dowry? I heard from Martha that King Armen had given a lot of dowry to my sister Giselle. As we''re both princesses, mine should be around the same amount, right?. Does this red-eyed man want more?''


    Seeing her expression still at a loss, he asked, "Is this fine now?"


    Seren nodded awkwardly as her hand moved towards the back of her neck in a reflex as it hurt.


    Drayce sighed and spoke, "Turn around."


    "W-why?"


    "Just do as I say," he ordered.


    The two servants peeked at their king and queen with dumbfounded expressions. As natives of Megaris who worked in the pce, they couldn''t believe their king was acting like this. He was openly showing his care for someone, looking the opposite of his normal cold and scary self. They had never witnessed him like this; they had never even heard him acting remotely close to this.


    Seren turned around as ordered. Drayce entangled her hair before pulling out a small knife from a hidden pocket inside his robe. He then shed at the long waist ribbon attached to the outer robe that the servant was still holding. Using the ribbon he cut with a decent length, Drayce tied her hair at the back of her neck.


    "It''s done," he said and she turned around.


    Seren felt like the huge weight on her neck was gone and now she could be morefortable.


    Drayce stared at his wife, especially the way her hair was tied with a ribbon, and it reminded him of someone. The blurred image of that person shed in front of his eyes, and he couldn''t avert his sight from Seren as if he was seeing that person in her.


    That person used to tie her hair the same way once in a while, and the young Drayce used to love watching her while she did her hair.


    A kid''s voice rang in his ears. "Mother looks pretty!"


    Just then, Seren''s voice pulled him out of his old memories. "Thank you, Your Majesty."


    "We will be leaving soon, so you should rest," Drayce instructed as he turned to leave and the two servants returned to apany their queen.

 Chapter 159: Naive

    <h4>Chapter 159: Naive</h4>


    Drayce returned to where his captain of knights and An were talking while Seren went towards the riverbank. She sat on one of the huge rocks near the water and enjoyed the pleasant scenery. Although she was surrounded by people she did not know, she felt rxed and happy. Unlike in Abetha, there was no need for her to hide and sneak out, and she could openly admire the view without the worry about being cursed by other people. Here, no one called her a witch.


    ''Must be because I am their queen,'' she thought. One of the servants even ced a piece of cloth on the rock before she sat down, saying that her clothes must not go dirty. Such thoughtfulness and dedication were something she had never experienced, even with Martha. ''It''s fine even if this is out of fear as long as no one is showing disgust or hostility to me. .''


    In the capital, whenever she went out to visit the river, she and Martha had to be cautious to not be seen by others. In addition to avoiding people and hiding their identities, their visits had to be brief as well, because they left the pce grounds without permission. As she sat by the river today, for the first time, she didn''t feel the need to do so.


    The other servant brought snacks for her in a basket. It was filled with fruits like wild berries and persimmons.


    "Your Majesty, please have some fruits," said the servant.


    Seren looked at the one who offered her a basket. It was a young woman a few years older than her, wearing a ck and red dress with her hair set in a tight high bun that not even a single hair strand moved with the wind. The other servant was older, perhaps in herte twenties, but her attire was the same.


    ''Seems like it''s the uniform of the royal servants of Megaris,'' Seren thought.


    Seren epted the basket, deliberately making the scales on her right hand visible to both servants, watching their reactions as she probed if they would feel scared and drop the basket in her hand. Contrary to expectations, both servants appeared unflustered, reacting to her as if they had seen nothing wrong with her hand.


    Seren could not hide her surprise. "What is your name?"


    Though both of them had told their names before, Seren didn''t pay attention as she didn''t think it was important, but now it appeared that these two women were going to stick with her all the time throughout the long journey so she needed to know them.


    The younger servant, the one holding the fruit basket, replied, "My name is Eva, Your Majesty."


    Seren then looked at the other one. "And you?"


    "My name is Marie, Your Majesty," the older servant replied.


    Seren nodded at them before looking at the basket filled with fruits. She tasted a few of them and found them really tasty. She held the basket in front of her two servants and said, "Have some. They are nice."


    Startled by her action, the servants shook their heads and then kept them lowered as they cried, "We dare not, Your Majesty!"


    How daring and bold would they be to eat anything that was meant for their queen?


    "Though I am a witch, I am not poisonous," Serenmented.? "You two won''t die, trust me."


    The two servants were caught off guard as there seemed to be a misunderstanding. Though they had heard the rumor that their king had married a witch, their refusal had nothing to do with that. Since their king was the one who chose this young princess, they would serve her with respect and to the best of their abilities.


    "We do not mean that, Your Majesty," Eva carefully exined. "You are our Queen and we are your mere servants. We dare not eat nor covet anything that belongs to Your Majesty."


    "Since it belongs to me, I can give it to whoever I want, right?" Seren asked back.


    The servants nodded hesitantly, only to hear their queen say again, "Have some."


    The servants first looked at where their king was standing. Drayce was busy talking to his men while looking into the map.


    "His Majesty the King will punish us," Eva said with a low voice.


    "Ignore him and take it," Seren urged.


    The two servants looked at her in shock. The person she asked them to ignore was the King of Megaris who everyone feared. How could their queen take him so lightly?


    Seeing their queen adamant, the two servants picked up a few berries from the basket while thinking it would be thest day of their lives.


    --------


    When Drayce returned to his knights, his ears and mind were still focused on his queen. He couldn''t miss anything about what she did or said.


    yer was there along with the captain who worked under him and the Crown Prince of Griven. yer pointed out a ce in the map that was being held by the two knights to let their king see it clearly.


    "Your Majesty, we are here at the moment, this side of the river. If we keep our current speed, we will enter this city, Bayrock, before sunset. Here, we can stay for the night. It should have nice inns as the city is one of the developed ones in Abetha."


    "Hmm." Drayce nodded.


    "Tomorrow, we can leave after our morning meal and since we are taking the official routes, we will pass through several more cities during the day and arrive at the border of Griven. This one, Cavevale." yer traced the route on the map with his finger. "On the third morning, we will pass through the mountain ranges and officially enter the territory of Griven. We can rest there for a day if Your Majesty wishes."


    "After reaching Griven, you can leave everything else to me," An said as he looked at Drayce.


    "Hmm." Drayce nodded again.


    An saw that though his friend agreed to everything, his mind was somewhere else.


    An looked at the knights and said, "We can discuss thetter part of our journey once we reach Griven."


    The knights nodded without saying anything else. Like An, yer too noticed the same thing about his king.


    yer bowed to the two royals, saying, "I will look after other arrangements," before leaving with the other knights.


    All along, Drayce was thinking about how Seren must have lived her life, andter, he was listening to Seren''s conversation with the two servants. She was so naive, not acting like a queen at all, and he didn''t wish to change her. Let her live the way she wanted.


    "What are you thinking, Dray?" An asked once they were alone.


    Drayce''s gaze swept past his friend towards where Seren was sitting while eating the fruits along with her two servants.


    "I was wondering how isted the King of Abetha had kept her from the outside world that she is not even aware of the most basic knowledge regarding people. She is book smart, but not aware of the simplest things. She is as good as a naive kid. If by chance she is left alone in the outside world, she will not be able to survive in this evil world."


    Each word from Drayce was filled with worry for Seren.

 Chapter 160: My Queen Is Happy

    <h4>Chapter 160: My Queen Is Happy</h4>


    An turned and followed his gaze. "She had been kept inside that tower since the day she arrived in the pce. I heard that she was not allowed to meet or talk to anyone other than just her nanny and it continued till now so you can imagine."


    "Hmm, I can."


    "You have a big challenge ahead. You need to be patient."


    Drayce nodded. "I know."


    The atmosphere between them was serious, but then An said something to ease his friend. "By the way, you should stop giving your people a shock."


    Drayce looked back at him. "What do you mean?"


    "They are not used to seeing you so thoughtful and affectionate. Don''t give them the wrong impression that their scary king has turned into a gentleman."


    "They will get used to it," Drayce replied. The meaning was clear: he would not stop doing it.


    Just as he said those words, there was a sudden change in their surroundings. Despite theck of them earlier, flowers started to bloom on the nts around the riverbank, and this strange urrence was spreading outwards, continuing even up towards the hill. The entire ce turned into colorfulndscape painting again.


    Drayce knew what it meant and looked at Seren who was now standing barefooted on the shallow part of the river, the water barely reaching her ankles with the bottom of her dress drenched with water too. At this moment, she had her small face slightly tilted towards the sky, facing towards where the sun would disappear in the horizon since it was alreadyte in the afternoon.


    The riverbed was reflecting all the colors that were created by the sunlight and the sparkles must have looked dazzling to her. ''She must be happy,'' Drayce thought. The blooming flowers were proof of it.


    "What is this?" An asked, his tone unsure. "In the capital too, I have seen something like this. Is it rted to her?"


    Drayce nodded as he kept looking at the woman who stood with her back facing him. "My Queen is happy."


    "I had heard this in passing from my sister-inw but didn''t know it was really the truth. All along, I thought there was something in the capital of Abetha to cause it." An finally got to clear his doubts and looked around in disbelief. "It''s unbelievable."


    "Hmm," Drayce agreed. "I find it strange. Anyone only needs to look at her innocent-looking eyes that shows her pure soul and know there is no evil inside her. I wonder why they had to call her a witch? How can they treat her like a monster?"


    "Now she is with you so you can give her everything she deserves," An said some consoling words. Knowing his friend really well, he knew what Drayce must be feeling at the moment. The woman he married was someone who had suffered like him;? people judged them and despised their existence without even trying to interact with them.


    Drayce continued to look at her. Though she was just nearby, to Drayce, she looked far away from him. It would take him a long time to approach this distant woman and open her heart. The silver lining was that she would be by his side all the time, and thus he only needed to be patient with her.


    Seeing the flowers blooming suddenly everywhere, all the soldiers, knights and servants from Griven and Megaris were dumbfounded too. Most of them who had stayed in Abetha had witnessed it before, but the new ones who joined them felt like they were in a dream as they had never witnessed such a miraculous incident.


    They started talking excitedly among themselves. The knights who had seen it before replied, "Thend of Abetha is magical. We saw it when we were in the pce."


    "This is so unbelievable," the others eximed, seeing the heavenly scenario everywhere.


    "Our King said soon Megaris will turn into a magicalnd too so you will get to see it often," said the captain who heard the knights'' conversation.


    "His Majesty said that?"


    "It will be really nice!"


    "My daughter and wife will surely love to witness this."


    The happiness seemed to be contagious. One of them asked, "Is it because of Her Majesty?"


    "I think so." The captain then turned towards the rest of the knights and instructed, "Now, don''t just stand here. Return to your work. We have to leave in a while."


    At the order from their captain, everyone immediately disappeared to resume their work, not cking at all. They knew their captain was strict with punishment.


    -------


    Drayce went to Seren to get her out of the water as they had to leave soon but he was quite reluctant to stop her from enjoying herself.


    He stepped into the shallow part of the river to apany her, his bare feet soaked in the water too.


    Upon reaching her side, he asked, "My Queen, does this make you feel happy?" He asked the obvious, but he could not think of anything else to say to start a conversation with her.


    She was so immersed with the view that she nodded on reflex to this question and mumbled, "It''s pretty."


    Drayce looked at her, who was still busy appreciating the scenery, and said, "Indeed, it is."


    He was sure there must be a pleasant smile on her lips, and with that smile, she was infinitely the most dazzling one in this ce. Though the veil was there to stop him from seeing her face, there was no one else more beautiful to him than her at this moment.


    yer joined An as the two looked at the King and Queen of Megaris standing together in the shallow waters.


    "He seems happy," yer said casually, referring to Drayce not as his knight but as his friend.


    An nodded. "He sure is."


    "I am happy for him," yer added.


    "So am I."


    With broad smiles on their faces, they stared at the rest of the smiling people around them. It seemed that Seren''s happiness was truly contagious.

 Chapter 161: Stay At Inn

    <h4>Chapter 161: Stay At Inn</h4>


    "Shall we leave, my Queen?" Drayce asked, his gentle tone seemingly implying their group would leave only if she wanted to.


    Seren realized they had spent a long time there and everyone must be waiting to leave as night would be falling soon.


    She nodded and Drayce offered her his hand as she was about to step out of the water. Seren looked at his hand, contemting whether she should ept it or not. Only Cian had done this for her and she was not used to it.


    Seeing her puzzled, Drayce spoke, "It''s fine to ept your husband''s hand."


    ''Husband...''


    Repeating that word in her mind, she epted his hand. It wasn''t that she no longer feared him;? more like the relief, the happiness, and the freedom she felt put her mind atplete ease, to the point she didn''t mind interacting with this red-eyed man. Moreover, he was the person who brought her away from the ce where everyone did nothing but despise her. Though she was nning to run away from him soon, till then, it wouldn''t harm to be an obedient girl in front of him.


    Drayce helped her walk out of the water with ease. Her two servants quietly followed them.


    The royal entourage was ready to leave after the servants helped Seren change into another dress inside a tent as the bottom of her earlier dress was drenched with the river water.


    Seren sat inside the same carriage as Drayce again. Drayce noticed her change of mood; she looked calm and at peace, unlike how restless she was when the journey started.


    "Today has been exhausting for you. We will stay at an inn in the next city," Drayce informed her. "We will leave again tomorrow, so make sure you restfortably tonight."


    Serene nodded lightly and continued to look outside the window. As the carriage kept moving forward on its path, flowers could be seen blooming wherever it passed. Seren was immersed in her happy world, she didn''t know she was giving a pleasant shock to the people around her.


    Every person in the royal entourage was enjoying this miraculous view.


    ------


    The sun had just set when they reached the city. The royal entourage did not lounge at any of the manors of the local nobles but stopped at the best inn avable away from the most crowded ces. Since the high-ss inn was not at the center of the city but close to its outskirts, ordinary people could not afford to stay inside and thus there were few people in it. The inn was huge with a double story structure and looked equally cozy and luxurious, its inside brightly lit with lighting from numerous scented oilmps. It was a little isted from the other inns and houses around, and the behind of the inn was connected to a well-maintained garden leading towards? the forest at a distance


    The knights who arrived earlier to arrange everything before the carriage of their king and queen reached the inn had already instructed the owner of the inn. The entire inn was booked by their entourage with handsome pay to ensure that their arrangements were made suitable to thefort of their royal guests.


    Seren had been led upstairs where the entire floor was meant for the King and Queen of Megaris. Aside from theirs, all the other rooms were kept empty except for An who had the privilege of being a royal and upied one room on the second floor. The others would not dare share the same space as their king and queen. The rest of the entourage who weren''t on guard duty had to share rooms on the first floor.


    The two servants apanied Seren to help her settle down and rest while Drayce stayed with his knights on the first floor as he still had things to discuss.


    As soon as she was led to the best room in the inn, Seren sat on therge bed that had a nice soft mattress covered with silk bed sheets.


    "Your Majesty, would you like to have a bath while the food is being prepared? It will help Your Majesty to rx."


    "Can''t I first eat and then go for a bath? I am starving," Seren replied. This little kitten had a big appetite and she needed nothing but the food at the moment.


    "As you wish, Your Majesty. I will go down to the kitchen to help so Your Majesty will not wait long," the servant named Eva said. She left after bowing while Marie stayed to apany Seren.


    Soon, the food was bought for her on a silver tray and Eva arranged it on the wooden table inside the room.


    Seren was happy seeing the freshly-cooked food emitting an aroma that made her drool. She immediately went to the table and sat in the chair. Seren had to lift her veil up to eat the food so she said to the servant, "I would like to be alone. You two can have your meals too."


    The servants understood their queen didn''t wish them to apany her. "We will be standing outside, Your Majesty. If you need help, please call us."


    Seren nodded and the two servants left. Seren started eating as she thought, ''I need to have some more energy before I run away from here. Seems to be a good and quiet ce and no one wille after me.''


    After she had food, Seren called the two women inside to clean the table and help her with her bath. She used that time to observe the ce and think about her escape. She was sure leaving by the front door would be impossible, so she might need to find an exit route away from the eyes of the people from the royal entourage. Perhaps the window?


    She wanted to check, but she needed to excuse these two servants as soon as possible so she could execute her n. What if they were to suddenly enter the room when she was trying to run away?


    "Your Majesty, you should rest," Eva said to her after helping her dry her long hair.


    Seren nodded. "You two don''t have to apany me."


    "We will take our leave. Have a pleasant night, Your Majesty. His Majesty will be here soon to apany you," Marie informed her as she smiled lightly at Eva. They bowed and left, not even bothering to hide those meaningful smiles on their lips.


    Seren had noticed them sharing nces at each other. Once the two left, Seren stood up with a puzzled expression.


    ''What''s there to smile about? And why is heing here? Doesn''t he have his own room? This inn doesn''t look that small to not have enough rooms for everyone. Is heing to check on me? I need to run away before hees here. Once we reach Megaris, I am sure he will have strict security around us and I won''t be able to run away ever.''

 Chapter 162: Strange Forest

    <h4>Chapter 162: Strange Forest</h4>


    Shaking her head, Seren went to the door and pressed her ears against the wood. ''Looks like they are gone.''


    She put on the lock first so no one coulde inside before heading towards the window of the room. She noticed that the window faced the back garden of the inn, and since she was on the second floor, it was not that far up from the ground. With some support, she could easily climb down and run away towards the forest. She looked around the room, checking if she could get something like a rope.


    ''What can I use to tie here?''


    Her sight went from the floor-length long window curtains, then to the bedsheet on thatrge bed. After judging the length needed, she tied the curtains and the bedsheet together after pulling them away from their ces. She tied one end of her makeshift rope on the curtain hook by the window and threw the remaining part down to the bushes under the window.


    Without wasting any time, Seren grabbed the makeshift rope and climbed down from the window. Only a few seconds in, her arms were already shaking, as it was not as easy as it seemed. She wondered if she should jump down the midway, but she soon threw away the idea fearing that not only would she be hurt, she might also make a loud sound that would attract attention. When she was about to reach the ground, perhaps because her arms were too weak or perhaps the thought of sess made her impatient, her hold on the makeshift rope loosened and she fell on the bushes.


    "Ahh��!"


    Despite the pain of having a sprained ankle, she immediately covered her mouth with her hands to not make any more sound, or else she was sure someone would hear her. Not minding her hurt leg, she looked at the forest beyond the back garden and stood up without any sound.


    ''This time, he is not around and he won''t know I am running away. If he knew, he would have helped me climb down the window.'' Seren grinned widely despite the pain and limped towards the forest.


    In the past, that red-eyed man would always help her run away with his magic, letting her go unnoticed and unscathed, but this time, since she got hurt, that meant he was unaware of her n. Everyone was either busy eating or resting so no one was paying strict attention to what happened around them. Though there were knights doing guard duty and patrolling the inn, they were manning the entrance of the inn, thinking there was nothing to worry about. They were working to keep people outside froming in and missed seeing their queen running away from the back.


    ------


    Drayce and An were having their meals together in themon area of the inn as the innkeeper personally served them.


    "Are you not apanying your Queen for dinner?"


    "She will be ufortable with me around and I don''t want her to starve," Drayce replied.


    "Ahh...Pity. I almost thought you still love me more than anyone else," An teased.


    "I forgot to ask King Armen his son in the dowry, or else I could have shut your mouth by gifting him to you," Drayce countered.


    "I won''t mind having two in my harem��one a Crown Prince of Abetha and the other the King of Megaris," An teased again, only to see his friend signaling him to stop talking.


    An stopped talking without a question.? Drayce focused on what he had heard. He was sure he had heard Seren''s cry in pain for a moment.


    Only when Drayce stood up did An speak. "What happened?"


    "Stay here. I have to go somewhere," Drayce said as he hurried upstairs towards the room meant for him and Seren.


    There was no one outside the room and Drayce tried to open the door which was locked from inside. Using his power, he opened that metaltch on the door and entered the room, only to see no one inside. Drayce couldn''t feel the strange but familiar energy indicating Seren''s presence inside that room.


    ''She is trying to run away again,'' Drayce concluded as frown lines appeared on his forehead.


    After their peaceful first day, he didn''t think she would attempt to run away tonight since she must be tired from both the wedding ceremony and the entire day''s journey.


    Drayce went towards the window and saw the curtains and bedsheet tied together in a makeshift rope. Without hesitation, he jumped out of the window with a swift move andnded effortlessly on the ground as if it was nothing for him. Drayce noticed the disfigured bushes under the window, as well as the disturbed grass on the garden leading towards the forest behind the inn. He was sure she had run away in that direction like how she chose to hide in the forest the previous two times.


    He hurried towards the circle of trees. His speed was faster than a normal human, and under the night sky, he was a moving shadow barely visible to ordinary men. With eachrge stride he took, he could not help but berate himself.? He realized it was his fault for taking his queen so lightly, ignoring her determination to gain freedom.


    What worried him was what Martha told him��that his presence was necessary around her to suppress the essence of her powers. If his queen was to stray far from him, they would find her.


    At this moment, he could no longer feel that strange familiar energying from her.


    ''How can she run so far in such a short period of time?''


    As soon as Drayce entered into the forest, he could finally sense again that strange energying from her. He felt relieved as he followed it. The deeper he went, the more he found something strange.


    When he was outside, this forest stopped him from sensing her powers, but the moment he entered the forest, he could sense the energy emitting from Seren.


    Something was really strange about this forest, but he couldn''t understand what it was. For now, he needed to get to Seren. Everything else came second.

 Chapter 163: [Bonus Chapter]In Her Bed

    <h4>Chapter 163: [Bonus Chapter]In Her Bed</h4>


    Seren ran deeper into the forest as fast as she could despite her aching ankle. Getting freedom was more important than that momentary pain. Although it was nighttime and the forest was dark, she was not blindly going forward like that time she ran away from the capital. She couldn''t see her path clearly, but the shorter trees in this forest allowed enough moonlight to keep her walking farther.


    After some time, she heard the sound of someone stepping on the dried leaves and twigs. She stopped to make sure it was not her own footsteps and looked around carefully, but there was nothing to see but shadows around her. That sound was getting closer to her.


    ''What is it?'' she thought. ''A wild animal?''


    She felt her palms turn sweaty as the sound was getting closer and closer. It was not from just one side, but she could hear the same sounding closer to her from her front and from behind too. She strained ears to catch those sounds better, at the same time, taking slow steps away as she felt her heart beating faster with each passing moment.


    She wanted to run but couldn''t decide which direction to take as she was scared to bump into whatever wasing closer to her. She looked around to figure it out, but what she heard next made her jump in fright��the sound of growling.


    ''It''s a wild animal!''


    The moment she looked in the direction of that growl, a pair of frightening golden brown eyes were visible against the darkness, and they were approaching her. Just as she was about to turn around, from behind, she heard the same sound, causing her to freeze in ce.


    ''There are two wild animals!'' she cried inside. ''Will they eat me like what I''ve read in that story, where that tiger ate the young farmer who lied to people? But I didn''t lie to anyone. I just want to run away. I don''t want to die before I enjoy my freedom.''


    The owner of the pair of eyes in front of her now had its entire body visible to her. It was a tiger with a huge build, walking towards her with hostility in its eyes, ring at her as if hating her presence for disturbing its territory.


    "Don''t eat me please," she said in a low and shaky voice, her breath growing unsteady. She felt the second tiger reach her as well. She could feel it walking behind her as its body rubbed against the skirt of her nightgown.


    ''Seems like I am going to die today...''


    The two tigers walked around her in a circle, both growling in hostility, before suddenly whimpering as they moved back with both of them sitting in front of her. Under the faint moonlight, she could see how huge they were; she looked tinypared to them. Although they were sitting, their heads matched her height so they could look at each other face to face.


    ''What are they doing?'' she wondered, only to see the both of them lowering their heads...no, more like tilting their heads. ''Did another prey catch their attention? Do they want to give me time before they eat me?'' She wanted to run, hoping to save herself somehow, but she was scared to her bones.


    Just then, she heard another set of footsteps approaching her. She somehow managed to turn her head a little to see if there was a third tiger...


    "Are you fine, my Queen?" She heard a familiar voice, and its owner came closer to her from behind.


    "Stay away! Tigers are here!" she blurted out.


    "Really?" he said casually. As he approached, he red at the two tigers sitting in front of Seren as if they were her pets.


    The sight shocked Drayce. Seren must have not realized but these tigers were not there to harm her. From both the look on their eyes as well as their behavior, Drayce could see they had turned into tamed pets as if something had enchanted or hypnotized them.


    "You dare scare My Queen!" Drayce snapped at them, and the two fierce tigers immediately jumped on their feet to run away, but the person nearest to them, Seren, thought they were about to pounce on her to eat her... and she fainted.


    Drayce caught his unconscious wife before she fell on the ground and saw those two tigers swiftly disappearing into the trees.


    This was definitely not normal. First, this forest in itself was strange, and second, the way those animals acted was bizarre.? Why did those two tigers act like tamed pets, as if they were asking to be petted by Seren? Why were they suddenly submissive to her? Did it have something to do with Seren''s powers?


    Despite having many questions in mind, Drayce returned to the inn carrying the unconscious Seren with him. It only took him a moment to appear inside their room by using his powers. No one realized something had happened to the king and queen.


    Drayce would definitely not let anyone know that their queen had tried to run away. They might look down on her, and he didn''t wish any kind of negativity about her to spread.


    --------


    Seren woke up in the morning, only to find herself lying on a bed.


    ''Am I still alive or am I in heaven?'' was her first thought as she believed those tigers had attacked her. The early morning sunlight changed her mind. She looked around her and realized it was the same room from the inn before she ran away the previous night.


    ''How did I return here?'' she thought, only to mumble the only exnation that came to mind. "That red-eyed man again."


    Just as she was about to let out a sigh, she realized she seemed to be not alone in bed and when looked at her right side, she was given the shock of a lifetime.


    ''What is he doing in my bed?!''


    Even after he brought her back before, he never slept in bed with her, but this time he did.


    ''The audacity!''


    Not even Martha, the person she trusted the most and the one closest to her since young, had shared a bed with her.


    She moved away immediately, not realizing she was already at the edge of the bed. The movement only led her to fall down from the bed, but even before her body could touch the floor, she was up in the air, a few inches away from the floor.


    The woman who had initially closed her eyes in anticipation of a painful impact with the floor opened her eyes. It took her several seconds to understand that she was floating midair and that her body was slowly beingid down on the wooden floorboards.


    ''Magic��'' she could not help but gasp.


    Seren was sure it was his doing. He again brought her back and now even protected her from falling down. She slowly lifted her head and held the edge of the bed to peek at the personying on her bed. She didn''t dare stand up, wanting to hide herself from him.


    As soon as she caught a glimpse of the intruder, she found that red-eyed man awake and staring at her while lying on his one side. She immediately moved her head back down to hide herself, only to hear him talk to her in a hoarse, somehowzy voice.


    "This red-eyed man is your husband, my Queen."


    Drayce had heard her when she called him a red-eyed man when she woke up.


    ''He is a king. Instead of calling him ''His Majesty'' or ''King of Megaris'', have I offended him by calling him a red-eyed man? Will he punish me now?'' she panicked inside.


    "Does my Queen need help getting back to our bed?" Drayce asked after not getting any response from her.


    "W-What are you doing in my bed, Your Majesty?" she asked, still keeping her awkward hiding position, and she heard him respond with, "Husband and wife are meant to sleep together."


    "What?" she eximed and came out of hiding. She looked at Drayce in disbelief while sitting on the wooden floor.


    Drayce looked at her in amusement. "Hasn''t anyone told my Queen about it?"


    Seren shook her head, looking all sad like a kid who was not happy with what she had heard.


    "Well, now I told you so let''s go back to sleep," Drayce said, staring intently at her reaction.


    "I-I am not sleepy anymore. His Majesty can continue sleeping by himself."

 Chapter 164: Removing His Clothes

    <h4>Chapter 164: Removing His Clothes</h4>


    "Are you feeling shy, my Queen?" Drayce asked as he watched her while trying to hide the grin forming on his face.


    ''Shy? Why would I? Instead, I am scared of those red eyes. Stop staring at me,'' was what''s truly on her mind, but the reply that came out was a simple, "No, Your Majesty."


    "You must still be tired. Sleep for a while more," he said, sounding as gentle as he could, but she failed to notice it. What she wanted was for him to be gone from her room.


    "I-I am fine, Your Majesty."


    Still lying on therge bed with his body facing her, Drayce continued to watch her with amusement. "Are you nning to keep sitting on the floor?"


    Seren realized how unbing she must have looked sitting on the floor, thus she hurried to get up. The next moment, a cry of pain escaped her mouth as she put weight on her foot that was sprained the previous night. It was in a worse condition not only because she kept running recklessly, but also because it was not given immediate attention, causing it to swell.


    She managed to hold the edge of the bed before she lost her bnce, but at the same time, a pair of strong arms pulled her closer to a broad, muscr chest to not let her fall. Her breath hitched as she felt his strong but steady heartbeats through their nightclothes.


    In shock, she looked at the red-eyed man and then looked at the other side of the bed which was now empty.


    ''How did he reach this side in a blink of an eye? I didn''t see himing to me,'' Her curiosity made her almost forget the pain she''s feeling on her ankle.


    Before she could voice out her question, Drayce lifted her tiny body up in his arms and made her sit face to face with him on top of the bed.


    Seren looked at his calm face, not knowing what to say or do. She was not used to getting close with anyone and didn''t know how she should feel about it. Aside from Martha, no one really got this close to her, to not even shy away from touching her.


    This kind of care and affection from him was new to her. Her whole life, people had always tried to stay away from her, and even her own brother had been careful around her. Only during those preciousst days in the capital did he openly showered her with attention. This man in front of her, she didn''t know if she could trust him or be careful of him.


    ''What could this man be plotting?''


    Drayce arranged the pillows on the headrest before lifting her body once more so she could rest her backfortably against the pillows. He then sat at her feet to check where she was hurt.


    The moment he touched her swollen foot, she pulled it back, hiding both of her feet inside the nightgown as she hastily adjusted the bottom of her skirt.


    Drayce looked at his queen. She did not appear shy, but she looked hesitant. If she was shy, he would have been happy, but this nk parchment knew nothing.


    An ordinary woman would have been shy since she knew the reasons to feel shy, but his queen was nothing ordinary. Her husband was there but all she felt was fear of him, constantly wanting to run away from him. He could not fault her; after all, he was no one but a stranger to her.


    Fear�� He didn''t want her to fear him.


    It would take time for her impression of him to change, but Drayce was patient.? "We need to treat your injury, my Queen."


    With her gaze lowered towards her folded knees, she replied in a low voice, "It will heal on its own."


    "If we don''t treat it early, you won''t be able to walk properly and I have to carry you all the time. Will such a case be fine with you, my Queen?" he asked.


    ''Carry me all the time?'' she thought as she nced at his cold face. Of course, she didn''t want him to carry her. Seren let her guard down and slowly pulled her dress up to show her feet.


    Drayce looked at the swollen ankle, and the moment he touched it, she whined in pain. It was really in bad condition. The previous night, he didn''t know she had hurt her feet as everything looked fine, but his carelessness had made it worse.


    "Wait here," he instructed as he went out of the room. After a while, he returned with a tiny white ceramic bowl in his hand. There was some sort of green ointment inside that smelled of herbs. Sitting at the edge of the bed next to her feet, he was about to apply it but Seren stopped him.


    "Your Majesty can leave it here. I will apply it after a bath or it will only wash away."


    "You don''t need to have a bath again," Drayce replied as he lifted her foot in his hand to apply the ointment.


    She blinked with a clueless expression, not understanding what he meant... until she looked at her dress. It was a different nightgown from the one she was wearingst night. He had changed her clothes again, and there was no dirt on her.


    She screamed inside, ''He did it again! The pervert!''


    Seren wanted to get angry at him for doing this, as it was evident he must have seen her naked.


    ''Ahh! So embarrassing! Martha told me ady should always wear nice clothes, keep herself covered and never let anyone see her without them. It''s a disgrace for ady if someone sees her without clothes. This man has repeatedly brought disgrace to me. If I were to tell Martha that this man had seen me naked many times, even though I was unconscious and thus without consent, she would be sad that I didn''t follow what she had taught me. I am such a disappointment to Martha.''


    Though Drayce was not looking at her face, he could faintly guess what must have been going on in her mind. He had changed her clothes and she must feel embarrassed thinking a stranger had changed her clothes. Drayce didn''t mind it and simply continued what he was doing. Afterwards, he wrapped one red silk cloth around her ankle tightly like a bandage to prevent her from moving it so that the swelling would heal fast.


    While he was doing all this, Seren studied his serious face as she wondered, ''Why didn''t he say anything about how I tried to run away? As a king, shouldn''t he just scold me or punish me? Is he really letting it slide or does he have something else in mind? He is always so expressionless that it''s difficult to understand what he''s thinking, and those red eyes, I dare not look at them. So scary. Maybe I am right and he will only punish me once we arrive in Megaris.''


    Thinking about her punishment, she could only sigh helplessly.


    Once he was done, Drayce let go of her hurt foot and checked the other one but it looked fine.


    He looked at her. "Are you hurt somewhere else too, my Queen?"


    She stared at him for a moment. His face looked calm and his voice was filled with care for her. ''Why is this scary man acting gently with me? Am I dreaming?''


    Seeing herck of response, he asked again, "Where else are you hurt?"


    "No...it''s just that one foot," she replied.


    Drayce didn''t insist as he climbed off the bed. "I will take a bath and you can rest till then. We can eat toge��"


    Seren was initially nodding her head when she realized that the man in front of her was removing his robe. "Wait!"


    Drayce was bewildered by her shout. "What happened?"


    Realizing she had raised her voice, she lowered her head and asked in a calmer tone, "Your Majesty, why are you removing your clothes here?"


    ''So she at least knows it''s not good to see someone else without clothes,'' Drayce thought as he asked, "Can''t I, my Queen?"


    "Martha said, it''s not appropriate to change clothes in front of others," she replied, still her head lowered down.

 Chapter 165: Beautiful Man

    <h4>Chapter 165: Beautiful Man</h4>


    "It''s fine between husband and wife," he replied and took off his robe. He was wearing nothing but pants underneath. "It''s fine if you look at me. I won''t feel upset."


    Seren still refused to raise her head. "I will rest, Your Majesty." She immediatelyy back on the bed and covered herself with the quilt.


    Seeing her flustered, Drayce smiled and went to the side room to bathe.


    Seren shut her eyes with a disapproving frown. ''Didn''t his nanny teach him what Martha told me? What poor education he must have received!''


    When Drayce came out of the bath wearing new pants, ready to put on his travel clothes prepared on the side, he noticed that his little kitten was still wrapped inside the quilt.


    ''Does she want to suffocate herself?''


    Drayce went towards the bed and pulled the quilt away from her head. "Do you want to suffocate yourself, my Queen?"


    Seren opened her eyes, only to be weed by the sight of a wide and muscr chest.


    With her eyes open widely, her gaze remained fixed on it before slowly climbing up to the tattoo on his neck before heading towards his cold yet attractive face. From where he''s standing at the moment, the morning sunlight seemed to be highlighting the sharp lines of his upper body. As he had just finished a bath, he looked rxed and refreshed, causing her to fall into a daze. In her mind, she could only recall one word to describe him.


    ''Beautiful.''


    She didn''t know how to praise a man''s appearance. She wasn''t in fact sure what the standard of beauty was, as she rarely interacted with people. But to her, at this moment, she was sure no one would deny the beauty of the man in front of her.


    This red-eyed man had always made her scared and wary, but his appearance now was different,pletely unlike the unapproachable imposing aura of a king he wore around all the time.


    He was the same man, yet also didn''t seem to be the same man. She didn''t know why that was the case, but at this moment, he looked like an ordinary handsome young man.


    When her gaze met him, she flinched and immediately lowered her gaze again, allowing herself to curiously appreciate his chest. It was the first time she had seen a man without an upper garment, and his chest looked strong and solid, nothing close to hers.


    Seeing her dazed, Drayce asked, "Are you fine, my Queen?"


    His cold voice brought her wandering thoughts back to reality. She shut her eyes tightly.


    "Apologies! I-I didn''t see you, Your Majesty." She acted as if she hadmitted a crime.


    Drayce didn''t know whether he shouldugh at her. Instead of having a wife for himself, it was more like he had adopted a kid and now had a responsibility to raise that kid into an adult.


    He didn''t wish to rush because he was worried he would just scare this innocent little kitten. With a shake of his head, Drayce went towards where he had kept his clothes and wore them. Once he was ready, he informed her, "I am sending your servants in. My Queen can order them what she wants."


    Seren heard him but didn''t reply. She opened her eyes only after she heard the sound of the door closing. When she realized Drayce was gone, she buried herself back under the quilt.


    ----


    After some time, Seren heard the sound of someone knocking on the door. Eva and Marie entered the room and saw their queen still under the quilt. The two shared teasing smiles with each other, thinking their king and queen had spent their first night together as husband and wife. But little did they know it didn''t go the way these two were thinking.


    Eva went towards the bed while Marie went to the side room to prepare a bath for Seren.


    "Good morning, Your Majesty. Are you feeling well?" Eva asked.


    Seren peeked her head out of the quilt and looked at the smiling young woman. "I am fine." She sat up in bed.


    "Are you hurt somewhere, Your Majesty? If so, we can help you stand," Eva offered, her voice gentle as she reached out a caring hand for her queen.


    Hearing it, Seren was not puzzled, but she felt embarrassed.


    ''Did he tell these two that I tried to run away and hurt my foot? How dare he? What will these two think about me after learning that their queen tried to run away?''


    Seeing Seren''s embarrassed face, Eva could only smile wider as she thought it was due to some other reason. Since she was older by a few years than the queen, she could not help but act like an elder. "Where are you hurting, Your Majesty? It is normal to hurt down there��"


    Mistaking what ''down'' meant, Seren confirmed that Drayce told them about her injury. She pulled the quilt away from her feet and showed that silk-wrapped ankle to Eva. "My ankle."


    "Ankle?" Eva looked puzzled.


    "His Majesty has treated it so it will be fine soon," Seren replied nonchntly, not knowing what was going on in her servant''s mind.


    "How did Your Majesty hurt your ankle?" She was surprised, and then her imagination ran wild. ''What exactly did their king do to their queenst night to hurt her ankle? Oh my...''


    Before Seren could say a word, Marie came out of the side room. "Your Majesty, the bath is ready."


    "I had it already," Seren informed her.


    The two servants looked at each other and then noticed Seren''s clothes. The nightgown was not the one that they arranged for her to wearst night. It was a different nightgown.


    Knowing that their queen had a mild and pleasant temper, Eva decided it would be fine to be more casual with her. She cleared her throat and blinked her curious eyes. "Did His Majesty the King help Your Majesty? bathe?"


    Seren nodded, not thinking much, but then realized toote she had agreed to something bad. She had indirectly told them that the red-eyed man had changed her clothes and seen her naked. Such a disgrace to ady!


    Seren looked at the blushing faces of both servants and didn''t know why they were like this. ''Perhaps they were embarrassed that I had disgraced myself.''


    To change the topic, Seren instructed, "I am hungry. Can both of you bring in my morning meal?"


    Eva and Marie immediately turned attentive towards their queen. "We will bring your food right away, Your Majesty."


    The two servants left while Seren continued to sit in a daze on the bed, waiting for her meal to arrive.

 Chapter 166: Carrying Her In His Arms

    <h4>Chapter 166: Carrying Her In His Arms</h4>


    When the royal entourage finished their morning preparations, Drayce came back to the room just as one of the female servants was about to bring out the things Seren used on her brief overnight stay in the inn.


    "Greetings, Your Majesty," said the servants as they bowed.


    "You two can leave," Drayce instructed them.


    Seren looked at him in surprise. ''Did he forget I hurt my foot and can''t walk on my own? I will need a servant''s help to walk.'' Seeing both servants leaving in haste, Seren''s face became sad. ''It''s fine. It will hurt a little but I will manage.''


    The two of them finally alone, Drayce turned towards his queen. Seren was sitting on a chair, d infortable clothes for traveling with her head lowered, looking troubled by something going on in her mind.


    From her tiny figure, Drayce''s sight then moved towards the window of the room, where the forest behind the inn was visible. Since the previous night, he had been troubled by that particrly strange forest but got no answer even after chatting with the innkeeper earlier. He could feel as if someone was observing them while hiding inside the forest, and that made him more worried about Seren.


    He went towards Seren, and before she could react, she was lifted up in his arms.


    "I can��!"


    "Your foot is hurt, my Queen," he spoke gently, but his eyes said otherwise. Those bright red gems shone as if there were living mes in them. The moment he turned towards the door while carrying Seren, the windows behind them closed with a loud bang sound, as if a strong gust of wind made it happen.


    Startled, Seren looked at the closed windows behind them, only to hear Drayce say, "It must be the wind."


    She nodded lightly and did notin about being in his arms as she knew she had no other option but to let him carry her. There was no way he would listen to her when his expression was this grim and fierce.


    Though she couldn''t see his eyes from her position, only seeing his face from the side, she could somehow instinctively feel the change in them.? Even the snake-like tattoo on his neck glittered for a moment.


    ''What''s with his eyes? And why did this tattoo brighten up suddenly?'' Seren tried to calm herself. ''Is he angry with something? I hope not with me.''


    Drayce carried her out of the room and as they walked down the stairs, his eyes turned normal and the tattoo stopped glittering. Seren felt immediate relief. The moment everyone saw their king carrying their queen out of the inn, everyone lowered their heads, not daring to look at them.


    An, who was in thepany of the high-ranking knights of Griven and Megaris, turned to yer. "Your king has turned into a gentleman overnight."


    Unlike others, An didn''t mind looking at Drayce carrying his bride.


    yer had his head lowered as he spoke, "It is a weed change, Your Highness."


    "Hmm, I see him changed but I hope it won''t turn him weaker like in the past," An added.


    "We are here to take care of His Majesty."


    "That''s true." An then mumbled under his breath, "Moreover, I think he got what he needed the most."


    Drayce helped his queen sit inside the carriage before taking the seat opposite hers like before. An then signaled that they were ready to leave and got into his own carriage.


    The royal entourage left the inn without anything amiss, but Drayce still had a serious expression on his face. He could not shake off the feeling that someone was following them. Without a word, Drayce got up from his seat opposite hers and sat next to Seren. His action startled her once again, causing her to scoot away on reflex, but his next action caused her to nearly jump on her seat. Drayce held her hand while entangling their fingers, before pulling her back close to him, such that they were now sitting side by side.


    She could feel the warmth of his palm on hers, and as soon as she got over the initial surprise, she realized that she did not hate his touch. It even feltforting to her.


    ''It is because the weather is colder here in the north that''s why this warmth feels good," she concluded as she let him hold her hand. Not only that, she would not dare say anything to this strange king who might feel offended if she were to deny him his whims.


    For the next two days, their entourage traveled without issues, stopping to rest on either the towns or scenic spots along the way until they reached thest city of Abetha and officially entered the Kingdom of Griven, where they halted in a merchant city in the northwest territory of the kingdom.


    Upon reaching the city, their stay had been arranged at the estate of the House of Loyset, home of themander of knights who had apanied Crown Prince An to Abetha. His guardian knight, Sir Imbert Loyset, and his family had been serving the Griven Royal Family of Cromwell for many generations, and Marquis House of Loyset was granted the northwest territory of Griven, rich in trade due to its favorable location, for their loyalty.


    The royal entourage was warmly weed at the Loyset Manor by the family of the marquis. Knowing the King and Queen of Megaris as well as the Crown Prince of Griven would be lodging there, as the eldest son of the marquis, Sir Loyset had informed his family to make sure that the arrangements were befitting royalty.


    Elders in the family were present to wee the royals as soon as the carriages stopped in front of the huge wooden gates of the residence. The Crown Prince himself arriving at their home was the most exciting and fortunate thing for them.


    Since they were in Griven territory, An stepped out of the carriage first as his knight, Sir Loyset, opened the door for him. Drayce stepped out of his carriage next and helped Seren alight too. Her injured foot was fine now after two days of rest.


    During the two days'' journey, aside from the two servants, Drayce was the one taking care of her. Most of the time, she was embarrassed and troubled because he would not let her walk and would carry her in his arms whenever she wanted to move or go somewhere.


    With her foot back to normal, she could finally be relieved. At least here, with strangers around, he would not lift her in his arms in front of these aristocrats.


    By now, news had traveled to other kingdoms regarding the royal marriage of the young ruler of Megaris. Especially the people from high society, these nobles had heard about who the King of Megaris had married and didn''t act strange seeing the Third Princess of Abetha. Seren was famous in her own way, the princess who had always covered her face with a veil and the witch with purple eyes which everyone considered as a bad omen. However, the House of Loyset were people who supported the faction of the Crown Prince An, and of course, they would not act discourteously to his important guests. They all weed her as she was now the Queen of Megaris. Who would dare offend the King of Megaris and the Crown Prince of Griven who considered Drayce not just a friend but a close family? That was simply asking for death.


    The members of the royal entourage were guided towards the rooms arranged for them. Drayce and Seren had been given thergest room which was decoratedvishly for the newly wedded couple. Seren was now used to having Drayce in the same room as her and was even used to sharing the same bed with him.


    After having a delicious evening meal hosted by the marquis family, Seren had retreated back to her room for the night. She was currently sitting on a chair arranged in the balcony while appreciating the beautiful flower garden of the manor. The servant, Eva, came to Seren. "Your Majesty, you should sleep. It''s gettingte, and it''s cold here on the balcony."


    Seren looked at the door. It waste but he, the man who apanied her every night, was yet to appear in her room.


    ''Is he noting today?'' she thought.

 Chapter 167: Help Me Change Clothes

    <h4>Chapter 167: Help Me Change Clothes</h4>


    Though initially, Seren was reluctant to have him around her, but as they kept visiting new ces and meeting with strangers along their journey, his presence was afort to her. For years, she had always been alone in her tower, and although she was curious about the unfamiliar and was silently soaking in the experience, she could not remove her wariness and difort when being around people. With that red-eyed man, she felt at least he wouldn''t hurt her.


    Seeing the queen dazed, Eva tried to distract her with things she heard from the butler. "Your Majesty, I heard from the servants here that one of the best things offered by their city is their market here. Since this is a merchant city trading with Abetha, many interesting goods from Griven and Megaris could be found here. They say the market here is one of thergest in the continent, where many people and merchants from different cese here to buy various things."


    Seren just nodded, remembering her experiences in the marketce in the capital of Abetha. Countless people both young and old, streets lined up with shops and boutiques, hawkers on the roadside selling their wares�� She could barely imagine how bigger the crowd would be in a merchant city.


    A sudden thought came to her mind. ''I couldn''t run away during the night. Should I try it during the day when we go to the market to shop? If I fail this time, I will give up on running away at least for some time. It''s so frustrating that I couldn''t seed even once despite trying so many times.''


    As her thoughts wandered, the sound of approaching footsteps alerted her. Seren understood that it was Drayce.


    Realizing their king had arrived, Seren left the balcony and returned to the bed. Eva and Marie bowed to Seren. "Good night, Your Majesty."


    Seren replied to them with a slight nod. The two excused themselves after Drayce entered the room, closing the door behind them as they left.


    Drayce looked at Seren who looked deep in thought. Knowing her by now, he was sure she must be busy hatching a new escape n in her mind.


    "Are you not sleepy, my Queen?" he asked as he put his sword in the stand and started to remove his outer robe.


    Seren averted her sight from him as she knew what he would do next��remove his clothes and change into his night robe. She would always look away whenever he would start undressing. Drayce had brushed aside this behavior for the past two days, but now he wished to tease her.


    "My Queen, please help me change my clothes."


    Seren thought she had heard him wrong and raised her head to stare at him. The two of them gazed at each other in silence.


    Drayce could see the unspoken question in her eyes. "I want my Queen to help me change my clothes today."


    She blinked a few times in disbelief, ''Changing clothes in front of others is not enough, now he even wants me to help him. Won''t he feel embarrassed if I see him without clothes?''


    "Your Majesty, It would be inappropriate for me to��"


    "It''s a wife''s duty to help her husband. Didn''t they teach you in Abetha?" he asked, turning his body to fully face her as if he''s telling her that he''s waiting for her to start her wifely duty.


    Seren blinked as she thought back on the night before her wedding.


    ''Martha said that I should be a good wife and listen to my husband. Never should I do anything to anger him and what not but she didn''t tell me I have to help him change his clothes. She even told me something about marriage consu�� consumption, was it? Do I need to eat something after I turn eighteen? I don''t understand what it is as she didn''t exin, saying I will know once Ie of age. But howe she didn''t tell me I have to help him change clothes? Does he think I am his servant to help him with this?''


    "I am waiting," she heard him again.


    Seren climbed down from the bed and went to him as she had no other choice. Her pout was something Drayce could not see behind her veil.


    Standing in front of him, she felt dwarfed by the difference in their heights.


    Drayce was taller than the average man, and Seren was shorter than an average woman. The top of her head reached up until his chin only, as such, standing like this, she could only stare at his chest.


    She looked at his attire��ayer of ck robes she learned to be the type of clothing worn by people of Megaris. At this moment, she was looking at the outer royal-looking robe, not sure what she needed to do. It did not have buttons, nor were thereces or ribbons. She then raised her head to meet his gaze.


    The way she looked up at him, to Drayce, she looked like an adorable little kitten. Those purple eyes were staring at him as she blinked, asking a question of how and what to do, expecting him to instruct her step by step. He was lost in those beautiful eyes for a moment, almost thinking of taking her in his embrace, but his thoughts were disturbed by her sudden question.


    "How to take it off?"


    Drayce looked at the nightgown she was wearing which had an outer robe too. "Let me exin by removing your robe."


    As he said those words, he moved his hand towards her waist that had a robe strap knotted around it. She stepped back, feeling all flustered.


    ''Shameless! How many times has he removed my clothes when I was unconscious, and now he wants to do it when I am wide awake? Such poor teaching he got! To think he calls himself a king! Who made him King even?''


    "I will figure it out on my own," she said, turning defensive as she observed his robe.


    Drayce stood quietly, ready to enjoy his time with his innocent wife.

 Chapter 168: Lessons Of Removing Clothes

    <h4>Chapter 168: Lessons Of Removing Clothes</h4>


    Seren studied Drayce''s attire with a deep gaze, her expression serious as if she was in the middle of solving a great puzzle.


    ''I think simply pulling will ruin the robe��.''


    His upper body was d in a ck robe from neck to waist, which was clipped together to a tight-fitting vest coat over an inner shirt. The long-sleeved outer robe had gold linings on its hems and seams, as well as golden embroidery on its ck fabric, which crawled upwards to the open high cor highlighting his neck and. It created a diamond-shaped opening below, which ended up at his chest. His long neck and his corbones were visible through it.


    She moved her sight across his chest to observe how she could remove the outermost robe. Just then, her eyes caught the four tiny gold things lined up from his chest to his stomach, which should be the buttons. From below the stomach, the robe had a long slit till slightly above his knee, which made the ck pants over his long legs visible through the gap.


    While Seren was observing his clothes, Drayce was observing his queen. He was not in a hurry, simply standing wordlessly not to disturb her.


    Seren moved her gaze up and down to make sure that it was indeed the gold buttons that had to be dealt with first before looking up to meet Drayce''s stare.


    "May I start, Your Majesty?"


    Though he was the one to force her to undress him, asking for permission was the right thing to do.


    Seeing Drayce nod, she raised her hands to touch the buttons. She was still standing away from him and did not take a step closer; thus, she had to stretch her arms to the fullest to reach those buttons. Drayce could clearly see her hands shaking.


    Drayce took a step closer to her, and before she could step back, he held her by the waist to not let her move. "This way, it will be easier."


    Only when she nodded slightly did he let her go. With only a single step between them, she realized that although it made her ufortable, this was indeed better. Standing at an appropriate distance to make her job easy, she started to unbutton his robe. Because her hands were unsteady, she did each button in her own sweet time, probably enough time for Drayce to have changed into another robe, but he remained calm and silent the entire time.


    Once the four buttons were undone, she stepped back. "It''s done."


    Drayce looked at the unbuttoned robe without a change in his expression. "Do you keep your own robe like this after you loosened the ribbon around your waist, my Queen?"


    She shook her head and understood what he meant. The poor queen stepped around to go behind Drayce, and from his shoulder, she awkwardly pulled down his robe until she took it off himpletely.


    Holding that robe in hand while standing behind him, she said in a low voice. "It''s done, Your Majesty."


    Drayce turned to face her as he looked at her questioningly. Her purple eyes looked anxious when she heard him say, "Looks like I should give my Queen a lesson about how to remove clothes."


    Her only response was a wrinkled brow. ''What now? I seeded in taking off your robe.''


    Drayce deliberately appreciated her robe, and Seren had a bad feeling that she was going to hear something she wouldn''t like.


    "Clothes," he emphasized, "Are not a single piece of garment. Let''s start with my Queen''s robe, andter, your inner garments..."


    "W-Wait!" she eximed as she took a step back. She realized she raised her voice again, so she cowardly lowered her voice. "I mean, wait, Your Majesty. I will help you remove the remaining clothes."


    Keeping the robe she was holding on the wooden chair next to her, she returned to stand in front of him in haste. He stood quietly, his gaze telling her to go ahead. Under his intimidating gaze, the innocent young woman shivered as she stepped forward while avoiding his eyes. She started to unbutton his ck tight-fitting vest coat and his undershirt.


    With each button getting undone, his wide muscr chest became more and more visible to her through the gap. She remembered that day when she saw it for the first time and couldn''t take her eyes off of it. She didn''t know what was so attractive to look at, but she couldn''t stop gazing at it.


    When she realized her abnormal reaction, she shook her head to get her wits back. Trying hard not to look at his chest again, she looked at his wide shoulder and moved the vest and shirt down as she cursed in her mind, ''Uncultured man.''


    With his upper garments gone, the sculpted body of this tall man became fully visible to her once again. She subconsciously stared at his chest, and her sight moved towards his abs going down until the upper lining of his ck pants. She herself didn''t realize she was appreciating his naked upper body. Though she was ignorant of the things between men and women, the typical female instinct was there, making her feel attracted to such things.


    "Do you like what you see, my Queen?" Drayce asked after letting her take her sweet time in staring.


    Seren gulped and looked at his face. Her mind was puzzled by what she was doing exactly. Why was she staring at his naked chest?


    "I asked if my Queen likes to see me like this," Drayce repeated.


    She didn''t know how to answer it. If she said no, then she would offend the king, and if she said yes, then she would bebeled as an uncultureddy.


    She lowered her gaze. "I am not sure, Your Majesty."


    "You can tell it after touching my chest. Do you want to try?" he asked.


    Startled, she looked at him with disbelief and rapidly shook her head. "No. It''s fine, Your Majesty! Uhm, I do not dare��"


    Before she could say another word, Drayce held one of her hands and put it on his chest. The touch of his warm skin against her palm shocked her. She tried to pull her hand back in panic, but he held it tight against his chest until she calmed down.


    Once she gave up, he said, "See, there is nothing to be afraid of. You can always look at me and even touch me. You are my wife, and only you are allowed to."


    His words sounded gentle, and there was no sign that he meant to tease her.


    She looked at her hand that he still held against his chest. Her hand was ced directly above his heart, and she realized how nice his steady heartbeats felt under that solid chest. She looked down at herself, towards her chest that seemed totally different from his and then looked back at him.


    He understood her silent question and exined, "It''s different from yours because I am a man and you are a woman."


    His words made her recall things. She did remember that all the women that she had seen had chests like hers, while the men''s were solid and t, simr to his.


    ''So aside from clothes, this is how men and women are different,'' she concluded and continued staring at his chest.

 Chapter 169: Admiring His Bare Chest

    <h4>Chapter 169: Admiring His Bare Chest</h4>


    With her no longer scared, she just didn''t look at where her hand rested, but let her gaze explore around curiously, from his wide shoulder, down his strong arms, towards his firm chest, before trailing down along his V-shaped waistline...


    She couldn''t help but gulp, but why, she didn''t know.


    Drayce observed her face and thought, ''Is she blushing?''


    He could only guess it through because he couldn''t see her cheeks as they were covered by the veil. Drayce held her other hand too and ced it on his chest as well. He pulled her a little closer and asked, "Does it feel different?"


    She blinked, feeling puzzled about what he was talking about.


    He rified, "Standing close to me and touching me like this, does it make you feel different?"


    ''Different?'' she repeated in her mind. She paid attention to how close she was standing to the bare-chested man.


    She heard him talking again. "Or maybe it feels good?"


    She had no words to say as she didn''t know what she was feeling. Definitely, it was something different, but she didn''t know whether it was good or bad. She felt her heart beating a little faster, so she concluded it must be bad.


    ''My heart beats fast like this after my nightmares or when I feel something bad will happen. This touching must definitely be bad.''


    Though her conclusion was negative, she found herself unwilling to pull her hands away. This strange attraction made her puzzled even more.


    "How does it feel?" Drayce asked again.


    She felt scared of something that she couldn''t understand and replied, "I... am not sure�� Your Majesty."


    He could guess her confused state of mind. She was never close to any man, nor had she seen anyone like this. Moreover, through their interactions since their marriage, it seemed like her shallow understanding regarding the affairs of people made her take some teachings to her strictly by the word without understanding the meaning beneath, just like a pure-hearted child.? At this moment, her purple eyes were shaking; she must feel likemitting a sin.


    Before he could say a word, she spoke in haste, "L-Let me help Your Majesty take off your remaining clothes." She wanted to finish this lesson faster and get away from this man as soon as possible.


    ''Remaining clothes?'' Drayce looked down at his pants. Though he had been in front of her without his shirt, he always kept his pants on. He didn''t wish to scare the girl by letting her lessons advance like this.


    Still, Drayce let her hands go to see what she would do. As expected, the naive woman moved her hands towards his pants after a slight pause from thinking about how to take it off. She saw a small golden button at the top of his pants and figured all she needed to do was repeat what she did earlier with his upper garments.


    Just as she reached out her hand towards the button, Drayce stopped her hand before she could even touch him. "I will do the rest."


    ''Did I upset him, and he doesn''t want me to help him now?''


    Seeing the emotions fleeting through her eyes, Drayce made his tone gentle as he exined,"One at a time. My Queen can learn the restter."


    Seren could only nod.


    "But for this much help, my Queen deserves a reward from me," he said with a small smile.


    She looked at him, puzzled. ''My servants do this simple task several times a day for me, yet I don''t reward them.''


    "It''s fine, Your Majesty��"


    Before she could say a word further, Drayce pecked on her veil over her cheek, and she froze in her ce. She felt the warmth of his moist lips through that thinyer of veil and felt heart skip a beat before thundering back, as if it''s going wild inside her chest.


    For the past seventeen years, she could not remember a single time anyone had done such an intimate gesture with her.


    A peck on her cheek was something she had never received in her lifetime. During the rare times she sneaked out of her tower, she had seen parents doing this with their kids, and they looked happy together, but it never happened with her.


    Martha, she was her nanny and the closest person to her, yet she had always preferred to take the difference between their social status when it came to showing her care to herdy. A royaldy and her servant, that''s how Martha made it explicit to her. She remembered Martha hugging her whenever she cried when she was a kid, and she remembered Martha hugging her back when she returned before her marriage, but never ever did she do this with her.


    Seeing her shocked, Drayce decided to give her time and went towards the adjacent room attached to theirs to change into his night robe.


    When Drayce returned, he found her still standing in the same ce.


    "My Queen, we should sleep now."


    His words pulled her out of the daze, and she looked at his lips that had just brushed against her cheek a while ago. He could clearly see through her what she was thinking. Her eyes were like a mirror reflecting her most honest thoughts; they never hesitated to show whatever she felt.


    "My Queen, do you want me to do it again on your other cheek?" he asked.


    "Huh? No...I am sleepy," she said before hurrying towards the bed.


    Drayce smiled. He knew what he was doing was working in the right direction. He was affecting her, and this time, it was not fear.


    Seren slept on one side of the bed with her back facing Drayce, shutting her eyes tightly as if trying to fall asleep as fast as she could.


    Drayce got inside the same quilt andy on the other side of the bed. He stared at her back and then the unusually wide distance between them. She had cornered herself near the edge of the bed, leaving a gap in betweenrge enough so that one more person could sleepfortably between them.


    Drayce looked at the ceiling with an inward sigh.


    To cover that small distance between them in bed, it will take him a lot more time.

 Chapter 170: Strange Feelings

    <h4>Chapter 170: Strange Feelings</h4>


    When Seren woke up the next morning, the moment she opened her eyes, the first thing she saw was the handsome face of the man sleeping next to her in her bed. He wasying on his side while facing her, and she could see the steady rise and fall of his chest with every breath he took. It made her recall the ''lesson'' from the previous night, and all of a sudden, her heart started to race.


    ''This man sure is scary to make my heart like this just by existing. I hope I won''t die from a malfunctioning heart.''


    Just as she tried to calm her heart, Drayce opened his eyes, shocking her heart into a fiercer gallop.


    ''This man looked like in a deep sleep, but he was not sleeping!''


    She immediately closed her eyes to pretend she was asleep, but her heart was beating so fast she felt afraid that the man beside her could hear her heartbeats.


    "Feel free to look at me. I told you only you are allowed."


    Seren didn''t react to that hoarse, sleepy voice, and Drayce did not say anything else after that. The following silence puzzled Seren.


    ''Did he fall back to sleep? Did he get out of bed already?''


    However, she felt no movement beside her when he got out of bed, nor did she hear his footsteps.


    Seren slowly opened her eyes, only to find a face only an inch away from hers. His red eyes greeted her with a fiery gaze, causing her to be unable to breathe. Before she knew what was happening, she was being pulled closer to him by the waist, with only their nightclothes separating their bodies.


    Those red eyes continued to stare into her own as his hoarse voice warned sweetly, "This time, I won''t use my powers to protect you from falling down, my Queen."


    Only then did Seren realize that she was at the edge of the bed, and he had pulled her because she would have fallen off the bed otherwise.


    "I won''t fall," she countered stubbornly as she pushed him away.


    To her surprise, Drayce let go of his hand on her waist, and the force of her pushing against him instead became her grabbing onto him for dear life. She managed to hold the front of Drayce''s clothes in a reflex before she tipped over the edge.


    Drayce returned his steady hand on her small waist and pulled her towards him once more. "Do you still want me to let go?"


    Of course, this time, Seren shook her head. No sane person would want to fall off the bed, especially since the cold and hard floor of the Loyset Manor was made of pure marble. She would have bruised herself.


    As she looked up to thank him, she realized there was almost no space left between them. She could feel his hot breath brushing against her face and the warmth of his palm on her slender waist, as if all of her nerves were twice as sensitive than normal.


    This strange feeling made her curious. She stared at him as she tried to understand her reaction to this physical closeness to another person. It sure was not fear, but something else...something strange.


    She feared this strange ''something''.


    Seren didn''t want to look at him anymore, but her eyes wouldn''t stop staring at him. It was another one of the strange things she wanted to understand.


    Those red eyes, they used to scare her, and most of the time, they made her wary and ufortable. However, by now, she had grown used to them watching her every step and every move. She had grown used to gazing into them, as if she could see through his mind and his soul through them.


    "Stay still," she heard him say as he moved his hand towards her face.


    She didn''t know what he was doing but she obeyed what he said.


    Drayce brushed away the hair strands from her forehead and on the veil covering her cheek. His fingers stopped at the golden blue scales in the right corner of her forehead. He caressed them, slowly tracing their path, without saying anything.


    As he did that, she wondered what he must be thinking. ''Does he think the scales are ugly? Perhaps, he finds it interesting since he''s touching them with a wistful expression. If this disgusts him, he would have pushed me away. I think I touch Dusk''s feathers the same way. Is he treating me like Dusk? He is really a strange man. ''


    She then realized his fingers were slowly trailing down towards her veil and she turned alert. She immediately stopped his hand from touching the veil. He only looked back into her eyes, not shrugging off her grasp.


    "I am not removing it," he said, and she felt relieved, only to hear him say, "I understand you are used to wearing it always so I won''t ask you to take it off all of a sudden. But I expect you to soon get into the habit of not wearing it. I want my Queen to face everyone without this, with her head held high and not worrying about her appearance however it is."


    Seren shook her head in protest. She didn''t know how to tell him that she couldn''t take it off. If she were to tell him the reason, would he believe Martha''s warnings or would he just take it off to check what will happen? Even though Martha''s warnings were quite vague and hard to believe, she trusted Martha and her words. As such, she decided to never take it off in front of a man.


    Drayce did not know the thoughts in her mind, not even realizing how important the topic of the veil was to her. He only thought she was reluctant because she was used to wearing it her whole life, or she must be concerned by her appearance. But how she looked, did it even matter to him? Regardless if she was a nation-toppling beauty or as in as a vige girl, she was his wife and she was perfect for him.


    "There will be a day when you have to. Do you want your husband to not see you ever? Can it even be possible?"


    Seren felt troubled. What would she do when one day he demanded her to remove it? Would she be punished for ignoring a king''s order? Before that day came, she could only run away from him.


    Not wanting to dwell on such a scary future, she didn''t reply to what he said and changed the topic. "I need to get out of bed."


    Drayce let her go, and she immediately got out of bed.

 Chapter 171: Setting Her Free

    <h4>Chapter 171: Setting Her Free</h4>


    After their morning meal, they were ready to roam around the city. The royal carriage was prepared for them, and she saw that a small number of knights were riding their horses alongside the Crown Prince of Griven.


    After Drayce helped Seren get into the carriage, he closed the door for her. It surprised her that he didn''t climb inside the carriage like all the previous times. Through the ss window of the carriage, she saw him climbing on the empty horse beside the prince of Griven, a gant ck warhorse that seemed to be prepared specifically for him.


    Though she wished to y pretend that she didn''t notice him and his presence didn''t matter to her, subconsciously, she continued looking at him. She couldn''t deny that the sight of the red-eyed man in his royal ck robe was difficult to ignore.


    She shook her head after realizing what she was doing. She mumbled under her breath, "He looks better from a distance;? he should just always stay away from me."


    Traveling through the city, Seren looked at the streets with curiosity. This was the first city of Griven after crossing the borders of Abetha. She was looking forward to seeing the difference between the two kingdoms. Soon enough, they reached the merchant district, where just like the marketce in the capital of Abetha, it had plenty of shops everywhere. The ce looked more crowded than she expected, and the various shops were generally bigger in size as well.


    Seren had heard from her servantst night that this was one of the most famous and richest cities in the Kingdom of Griven because it was the hub for merchants. Having a strategic location at the border of Griven, both the small and big merchants treat this ce as one of the ces where they could trade goods of both the east and west regions, especially since this was connected to the wealthy Kingdom of Abetha.


    From inside her carriage, she saw people visiting different shops alone or with their families or friends. She could hear the loud voices from the shops where merchants were announcing the goods they have. Aside from the fact that this merchant district was of arger scale than what she experienced in Abetha, as well as the presence of hawkers with their goods presented on carpets on the street sides, the clothing style of the people here seemed to belong from different kingdoms.


    However, her attention was not entirely on the sight offered by the merchant district. Seren''s gaze also followed Drayce who was riding his horse beside the royal carriage, as if to say he was looking out for her despite not riding the carriage with her.? She could not help but nce from time to time at the handsome man riding the ck warhorse.


    As if he could sense her gaze at him, he would also look at the carriage, only for her to immediately avert her sight. This had happened several times, and Drayce could only smile lightly as he continued to ride the horse.


    They soon stopped the carriage and the horses as they nned to walk inside the merchant district. Drayce helped Seren to step out of the carriage.


    An climbed off his horse and came to the couple, only greeting Seren as there was no need to greet his friend. Seren replied politely. During their journey, An only greeted her once after introducing himself to her. Since there was nothing to talk about between them, they mostly simply greeted each other whenever they met.


    An looked at Drayce. "You can take Her Majesty to wherever she wants and enjoy yourselves. I can visit the merchant that you n to meet on my own. Just join me once Her Majesty is��"


    "Ahh, no need to trouble His Majesty by apanying me," Seren said in a haste. "I can manage on my own," She didn''t want him to apany her, not at all.


    Drayce could see through her that she wanted to be alone, maybe even using this chance to run away again. Even if he was to give her the benefit of the doubt, she must want to explore everything on her own. He didn''t want to interfere with what she wanted.


    "Fine, but my captain, Rulf, and will go with you," Drayce pointed towards one of the knights with them.


    Seren looked at the robust man who immediately bowed when he sensed his queen''s gaze on him. He was the one to send food boxes for his queen through Dusk and he was d to be able to serve her directly this time.


    "I am extremely honored to serve you, Your Majesty," Sir Rulf said as he gave her a knight''s salute.


    Just then, an eagle let out a screech before dropping down to sit on Sir Rulf''s shoulder. Drayce instructed his captain, "Get one more knight with you."


    An looked at his knights and instructed one of them to escort Seren. "You can apany them as you are familiar with this ce."


    The knight nodded and stood beside Sir Rulf.


    Drayce would have preferred to send yer with her but themander of his knights was still not recoveredpletely. He preferred to keep him with himself, knowing how handful his queen could be.


    Moreover, Drayce was confident that even if she tried to sneak away from her escorts, he would be able to find her. She didn''t know he could sense her presence anywhere as long as she was within the area of his reach, which was broader than one could imagine, enough to epass half the city. It was only interfered by some unknown power in that strange forest which didn''t allow him to spot the energying from her. It was like that forest had trapped her entirely inside, not letting the outside world know about her presence there. Drayce was sure, if he were to be an ordinary man, he wouldn''t be able to leave that forest once he got past a certain distance.


    Seren could sense his powers too but only if he was nearby. The area of her reach was not broader like Drayce''s. It must be due to his powers were stronger than hers or her powers were still suppressed.


    Their group walked together until they reached one of thergest merchant guilds in the area. The ce was in the center of the merchant district, and Seren was fascinated by everything she could see nearby.


    Standing at the outer entrance of the guild building, Drayce turned towards Seren. "You can visit any shop and buy whatever you want. Just don''t go too far, and don''t leave your escorts. This ce is not safe."


    Although he wanted to say no harm would fall her way with the protection of the two elite knights, he still said thest line to scare her so she would not try to pull any tricks that wouldnd her in trouble.


    Seren nodded like an obedient girl. Just then, her attention was caught by one of the carts being pulled by two horses. But there were no goods ced on it; instead, it had a giant metal cage with two fierce-looking wolves kept inside, ring and snarling at everyone as if they were their prey.


    The cart passed by Seren and entered the outer entrance of the merchant guild through the gate and stopped in the premises of a shop that seemed to specialize in selling beasts. Seren felt scared of them and Drayce noticed it.


    "You should go stroll in the boutiques," he instructed her. He didn''t wish her to stay there for long.


    "Shall I guide you to the shops selling the best dresses, Your Majesty?" the knight from Griven offered. Rulf gestured for her to walk ahead so he could walk behind her. The other knight acted like a local guide, giving brief introductions to the shops that they passed.


    Seren did not like the crowd, but she enjoyed the experience of shopping. She kept looking here and there, observing everything calmly though it was too crowded for herfort. Due to the busy nature of the market, no one had time to pay attention to her, other than noticing that she seemed to be a nobledy with a veil, walking with two knights as escorts.


    However, the uniform of the knight from Griven bore the crest of the royal family; thus, no one dared to trouble Seren, other than a few brave shop owners asking her to visit their luxury shops. Seren didn''t stop at any shops and simply continued her stroll, seemingly admiring various goods.


    The two knights trailing behind her, despite their vignce, did not even realize that the Queen of Megarishad something else in mind.


    -----


    Do read the author''s note below.

 Chapter 172: Successful Escape

    <h4>Chapter 172: Sessful Escape</h4>


    Seren continued to explore the merchant district, walking along several crowded streets until she realized she could no longer feel the strange energying from Drayce. That meant she was far enough from him. It made her relieved, even somewhat more confident than she ever was the past few escape attempts.


    Sadly, the young queen was still not aware of the fact that Drayce could sense her energy too, even better than how she could sense the oneing from him. This ignorant little kitten had underestimated the powers of the devil.


    Her two knights quietly followed her without noticing her intention, paying attention to outside forces that might cause trouble to her. Seeing the Griven royal knight among her escorts, most of themoners preferred to clear the way for her despite being curious about her identity. Dusk was also following them while flying up in the sky.


    As she observed the curious sight around her, Seren finally found something that made her smile inwardly.


    ''An opportunity!''


    She stood in front of a shop that was only meant for women and no male was allowed to enter. It was a perfect chance for her to get rid of her escorts as they would be forced to stand outside the shop.


    ''It''s good that I didn''t allow Eva and Marie toe with me or they would have stuck to me everywhere.'' Seren looked at the two knights. "I wish to have a look inside. You two can wait here."


    Both knights were about to voice out their opinion, but immediately shut their mouths upon looking at the shop which was filled with women''s dresses. They had only females��both helpers and customers��inside, while several men who seemed to be escorts and servants of those customers were standing outside. They realized that men were not allowed there.


    The two felt pressure to protect the Queen of Megaris, but they couldn''t apany her to that shop. They wondered whether or not they should announce their identity and drove out the people outside so that the queen could shop all by herself. That would be safer for her, though it might be a little overbearing, but since she''s of royalty, it was her privilege. However, after spending days of traveling with her, they somehow understood the quiet temperament of this queen. She would absolutely not permit them to act like that, and they would be equally in trouble if they were to upset her.


    If the King of Megaris found out they displeased her, he would surely slice them with his sword.


    The knight from Griven and the knight from Megaris exchanged a knowing nce. They decided to gamble; a few minutes of Seren shopping on her own would not endanger her. After all, even though outside, they would keep an eye on the entrance.


    "Your Majesty, if there is something, please call for us immediately," Sir Rulf instructed.


    Seren replied to him with a slight nod and went towards the shop''s outer gate. The knights decided to stand only a few feet away from its entrance and could only keep their eyes on the gate while many women passed in and out. Seren''s hair color and her veil gave away her identity so it was easy for them to spot her.


    When Seren entered the main shop, she knew the knights were still keeping their eyes on her. She spent some time inside the shop going through various dresses, but her mind was busy observing around to see how she could get out of there without being noticed by the knights.


    Soon after, Seren found a solution as her ears caught a middle-aged female who seemed to be the owner of the shop talking to someone. "The fabric we ordered is different from what you have sent us. Take it back and send the one we have asked for."


    The other woman standing in front of the shop owner bowed apologetically., "It was a mistake from our side. My apologies. I will make sure to send the right goods by the evening."


    "The wrong boxes are kept inside. You can take them away."


    Nodding, the other woman called for her servants and asked them to carry the stuff. They arranged huge packages on a hand cart and Seren found the chance to leave the shop while walking alongside the stack of those packages, easily hiding her small frame behind them.


    The knights outside had been waiting for nearly an hour.


    "Should we check?" An''s knight asked Sir Rulf who also looked worried.


    "I do not enjoy showing off in front ofmoners, but I think we have no choice," Sir Rulf replied.


    "They won''t dare stop the royal knights from doing their duties," the knight from Griven added.


    Just as the two walked to enter the outer gate of the shop, they heard amotion from the crowd on the street. Everyone started running as if fearing for their dear lives.


    "What could that be?" Sir Rulf asked as he narrowed his eyes.


    "I will take a look. Sir Rulf can go to Her Majesty," the other knight told him as he hurried to check the situation.


    Realizing that something had happened nearby, Sir Rulf felt it was a terrible decision to leave the queen on her own. No longer hesitating, he entered the shop.


    One of the female staff blocked Sir Rulf''s way. "Pardon, mister, but men are not allowed to enter this shop."


    Sir Rulf red at her as he gripped his sword. He showed the badge attached to his uniform. "I am a knight serving a guest of the Royal Family of Griven. Do you dare stop me?"


    The female staff did not recognize the badge, and she could see this man didn''t wear the uniform of the knights from Griven, but she still could feel he was not someone ordinary. Hearing it was rted to the royal family, the staff did not dare stop him but looked at the middle-aged shop owner instead.


    Thedy shop owner looked at Sir Rulf. As one of the famous merchants in the city, she had more experience than her staff; she immediately recognized that this knight belonged to the Kingdom of Megaris, and he seemed to be someone belonging to the upper ranks.? "Pleasee in, but let me apany this sir to not rm the customers inside."


    With the shop owner following him, Sir Rulf searched through the shop, causing a bit ofmotion from thedies inside, which the shop owner pacified in a timely manner. However,? themotion outside brought back by one of the female staff caused thedies inside to panic again.


    "Madam," the staff informed the shop owner, "there are two gigantic wild wolves on the street! We better close the shop and hide until they are captured by the city guards."


    Sir Rulf heard the report as well and recalled the two wolves that he saw at the merchant''s ce where his king had gone to visit. This made his anxiety grow worse. Sir Rulf couldn''t find his queen inside the shop, and there was danger outside.


    He asked the shop owner, "Have you seen a redheaded nobledy wearing a veil that covers the lower half of her face?"


    "Apologies, sir, but I do not recall such ady," she replied.


    "I saw her!" the female staff who had just returned with the news of wolves replied. "I showed her a few dresses, andter on, she left."


    "Left? Where?" Sir Rulf asked, his cold tone scaring the poor girl.


    "I-I don''t know, sir. So many customers were in the shop so I did not pay attention."


    Sir Rulf hurried out of the shop and went towards the street as he searched for his queen among that scattered and frightened crowd.


    The other knight reunited with him and informed him of the same news about the wild wolves. He paled when he didn''t see the Queen of Megaris with him. "Sir Rulf, where is Her Majesty?"


    "Her Majesty purposely left us. We need to search for her!"


    ------


    Drayce was sitting inside the merchant''s exquisite office in the shop that reflected how wealthy this merchant was. It was rted to the new trading policies that would soon be in effect due to his marriage alliance with Abetha. Griven, as the kingdom between Abetha and Megaris, would be affected by the iing exchange of goods. Normally, tasks like this would be relegated to the nobles specializing in diplomatic rtions, but since Drayce was already passing by, he did not mind personally overseeing the work himself.


    Though Drayce was busy talking to this merchant, half of his mind was paying attention to Seren''s movements. It was quite a difficult feat to monitor her within this crowded ce. Between thousands of different sounds and noises, he was trying to focus on her voice alone, but the thing was, his queen didn''t talk at all.


    Initially, he could still listen to An''s knight who was introducing to her the local goods of Griven, but sheter told the knight that there was no need and she merely wanted to quietly look around, thus, there was no one talking among the group of three. It made him restless, and the only relief was that he could still feel the energying from her.


    ''She is still nearby...''

 Chapter 173: Only If She Is Aware Of Her Powers

    <h4>Chapter 173: Only If She Is Aware Of Her Powers</h4>


    ''She is still nearby...''


    After a long time, he heard her talking again, seemingly talking to someone about dresses. ''She is finally buying something.''


    There was a long break with Seren not talking at all, and this made Drayce grow restless once more. Just then, he picked up on themotion outside, with people screaming and running, and his heart skipped a bit.


    It did not take long before one man entered the office and bowed to the merchant in a hurry. "My Lord, the two wolves we had brought a while ago hurt our men and managed to run away. They are on the streets now��"


    Without even waiting for the man to finish, Drayce hurried to go out of the door. The others had yet to even get out of their chairs in that fraction of a moment, but he had already disappeared from their sights. Those who did not personally know him thought they had seen something wrong.


    How could the King of Megaris vanish suddenly?


    It was nothing new for An and their escorts, and they were less worried as they followed behind him.


    --------


    The streets had turned deserted as everyone ran away, hiding in fear of those two wolves who had managed to harm quite a few people. The city guards had been mobilized by the Loyset Family, but they paid more attention to rounding and protecting the innocent people, thus there was less manpower hunting the wolves. The fierce wolves were used to living in the wild and were quick to run; the men from the merchant and the small number of city guards were not enough to corner them.


    No one realized that these two violent predators were circling towards a particr person who was busy hiding herself. Some time ago, the two wolves had already noticed her��or to be more precise, they sensed something that attracted them towards her without even seeing her. Because they were subconsciously aiming towards her location, the rest of the civilians found this as a chance to run or hide.


    That particr person, Seren, was hiding behind the same hand cart loaded with huge packages from the shop earlier. It was left in the middle of the road by the two workers who ran away after hearing news of the wolves.


    Seren was clueless about the incident. She only vaguely felt that things were strangely quiet around her, iparable to the earlier bustling and noisy atmosphere of the district. As she didn''t know what had happened, she was rxed.? She preferred the silence as that would mean she was somewhere without people. Her best guess was that she was probably somewhere far from the merchant district, that''s why it was quiet.


    On the bad side, Seren was worried her escorts might spot her as the crowd was gone and so was her best cover. Once she left the protection of this hand cart, she would stand out if she were to walk on the deserted street. She could only hope that they were searching around the other shops. She waited for a while before taking a peek out. Seeing no one was around, she came out from her hiding ce and thought of heading in the opposite direction far from that merchant guild where Drayce went.


    "Grrrr!"


    The sudden snarling sound made her flinch. When she turned to face the source, she was weed by the sight of two huge beast-like animals baring their sharp teeth at her.


    ''Wolves!''


    Seren covered her mouth to prevent herself from screaming, as she was sure Drayce would get to know her whereabouts after that. Despite her trembling legs, she slowly took steps backing away from those wolves. Perhaps because she was not running, the wolves merely red at her while sniffing the air around them.


    ''I am thin and not tasty at all! Just stay where you are��''


    Sir Rulf and the other knight finally found her and saw the sight of wolves walking towards Seren. Both pulled out their swords and were about to run to help the queen, but they were stopped by the sudden arrival of a red-eyed man who looked like he had appeared out of thin air.


    "Your Majesty!"


    "Stand down," they heard Drayce say, and they immediately sheathed their swords.


    Sir Rulf was sure that with his king present, then no one could hurt their queen. Even the knight from Griven was aware of his Crown Prince''s best friend''s abilities. They trusted his skills more than anyone else.


    Though Drayce saw those two wolves taking slow steps towards Seren, he didn''t go to help. He wanted to check something and decided to wait. Even if he was wrong about what he had thought about Seren''s powers, he was confident he could still kill those wolves before they could even touch the hem of his queen''s long dress.


    He soon found the wolves turning calmer the more they approached Seren, though someone who was not familiar with beasts might not realize the change in them. Drayce was sensitive to savagery and bloodlust, and he could sense none of those from those wolves. However, Seren was frail at heart, to the point even harmless mice scared her. It would be impossible for her mind that was clouded with fear to notice these animals meant her no harm. She was even unaware that rescue had arrived; she had been terrified to the point she could see nothing but the wolves in front of her.


    Even from a distance, Drayce could feel what his queen was going through. He was sure she was scared to her bones that she could faint any moment.


    ''Only if she is aware of her powers��''


    However, before Drayce could observe further, his eagle arrived to her rescue with an angry screech before starting to attack the wolves with his ws. The majestic bird dealt with two wolves while flying, spreading his enormous wings with each w attack.


    Despite shivering in fear, Seren managed to speak out loudly, "Dusk, no! Go away!"

 Chapter 174: Angry And Powerful Little Kitten.

    <h4>Chapter 174: Angry And Powerful Little Kitten.</h4>


    "Dusk, no! Go away!"


    Dusk was not like Seren. He was a predator on a simr level of savagery as the wolves, and by nature, fierce animals were bound to fight to the death whenever they attacked. Bloodlust immediately permeated the air, and anger could be seen in the eyes of the wolves. Drayce didn''t want to see his pet hurt and finally pulled his sword out of his scabbard, but one of them managed to hit the eagle with its sharp nails, causing the bird to be pped away.


    "No!," she cried out. "Dusk!"


    The eagle fell at Seren''s feet. Seren crouched to hold his bleeding body, not even realizing how her arms shook. Dusk couldn''t manage to get up despite his efforts, but it was letting out a weak croon as if to show he still wanted to protect his queen on the verge of death.


    Seeing him like this, Seren clenched her fists and red at the two wolves. The look in her eyes changed��from fear to something else, as if something had entered inside her to shake her up.


    Drayce stopped midway as he sensed a change in her through the change in the energy he felt from her. That seemingly gentle force of energy turned aggressive, and it shocked Drayce as that energy felt stronger than anything he came across till now.


    ''So this scared little kitten could be like this.''


    Despite the strong energy she was emitting, he approached her, standing only a few feet behind her without her realizing. He did not want a repeat of what happened to Dusk happening to her, no matter how small the chance was.


    ''So this little kitten knows how to be angry,'' Drayce concluded as he saw her stand up with her blood-stained dress.


    All along, Seren had always been a naive young woman akin to an innocent little girl, the kind who could never harm anyone. Even a tiny creature like a rat or bug was enough to scare her, to the point she would scream her throat out. Seeing her like this was totally unexpected.


    After thinking for a while, Drayce lowered his sword, wanting to continue observing the abilities of his queen. It was not like Drayce didn''t care for Dusk; he was sure that Dusk would be fine as he was stronger than any ordinary bird. This could be considered his lesson, as it was his first time fighting with fierce wild animals, thus getting himself injured due tock of experience.


    More people had arrived by this time, both An''s group as well as the other city guards from the Loyset Family. Everyone witnessed the two wolves standing in front of the Queen of Megaris as well as the hurt eagle lying by her feet. Before anyone could take a step forward to subdue the wolves, Drayce raised his hand, signaling them to stay where they were.


    Unaware of her surroundings, Seren continued to re at the wolves, as if any second now, she would burn them to crisps, but the very next moment, those wolves let out a pitiful whine before sitting in front of her like her pets. They lowered their heads on the ground as a show of submission and moved their tails like a pet asking their master to stroke their fur.


    She was angry��angry to the point that she wanted to harm them for hurting Dusk��but seeing them like this, whimpering as if they were wronged, she found herself unable to hold on to her anger. Ignoring them, she kneeled once more and looked at Dusk helplessly. Seeing his body covered in blood, frustrated tears rushed into her eyes.


    Drayce could again feel the change in the energying from her alongside her emotion. The energy of her anger was the strongest and most aggressive, while it seemed to be gentle and passive at normal times, and only Drayce could feel it.


    "Get those wolves," the merchant instructed his men, but An motioned for him to stop.


    "Not now."


    Feeling the confusion of the merchant, An rified, "As your prince, Imand you to stand back and wait for further instruction."


    "I heed yourmand, Your Highness the Crown Prince."


    An no longer paid attention to the others. He knew his friend really well. If he didn''t do anything to stop those wolves, then there must be a reason, or else, those wolves would have long been dead if Drayce wanted to. There was no way those wolves could even touch a strand of his hair on his body as his friend was way more dangerous than those wolves.


    A predator of predators.


    -----------


    Drayce crouched beside Seren who was kneeling by Dusk''s side. The two wolves were still sitting in front of her, looking at Seren as if they had done nothing wrong. When Drayce stared at them, the wolves stared back at him too.


    Drayce narrowed his eyes on them. Those red irises looked like living mes threatening to turn them to ash.


    "Mine!"


    The fur at the back of their neck raised in rm, turning the two wolves fearful, as if it was thepetition among the animals to im something and they have been utterly dominated. With hackles raised, those wolves turned to run as if their lives depended on it.


    Seeing the wolves running away, the merchant and the city guards turned towards An. "Your Highness, if those animals leave the merchant district��"


    "Proceed on capturing them," An ordered. "Make sure no one else gets hurt."


    The pursuers bowed before running in the direction taken by the wolves.


    The merchant looked at An apologetically. "This is the fault of my guild''s ipetence. Please punish me, Your Highness."


    "You are fortunate that nothing had happened to the Queen of Megaris or nothing would have saved you from the worst moment of your life," Anmented coldly, bringing goosebumps to that middle-aged merchant.


    He kept bowing apologetically and heard An say, "Compensate the injured and the damage caused by those wolves, and report everything back to Marquis Loyset ."


    "Consider it done, Your Highness."

 Chapter 175: Its Not Your Fault

    <h4>Chapter 175: It''s Not Your Fault</h4>


    The merchant was able to sigh in relief? and ryed orders to his men before bidding farewell to the Crown Prince. Afterwards, An walked towards Drayce with his knights after instructing his personal knight to bring the royal carriage for the Queen of Megaris.


    After the wolves ran away, Seren looked lost and defeated, not knowing what to do as tears didn''t stoping out from her eyes and she didn''t dare touch the wounded bird who had stopped his movements. It was as if she had gone into shock.


    Her mind drifted to the painful memories from her past. Once upon a time, just like Dusk, a pet dear to her was killed and she could do nothing to help it.


    Drayce looked around and his gazended on the packages on the hand cart. With a piece of fabric hanging out from one of the boxes, Drayce understood it had clothes inside it and immediately tore one box with his sword. Grabbing a huge fold of white soft fabric, he went towards Dusk whose eyes were open as he breathed heavily but had stopped moving. Drayce tore and folded the cloth and wrapped it around his body where he was bleeding. His wing was hurt; the sharp nails of that wolf had caused deep scratches on his body.


    "He will be fine," Drayce said, trying to assure the crying young woman, and only then did? she finally look at him. Her teary and guilt-filled eyes looked hopeful that what he said would turn true. He wanted to tell her it was not her fault, but she would probably not believe it and still me herself.


    When she was young, she only got to hear the painful news, without anyoneforting her young self.


    ''Your cat is dead.''


    That scar was still fresh in her heart, that despite her loneliness inside the tower, she never dared to have any pet again.


    An approached them and saw the state that Seren was in. He offered to carry Dusk. "I will take him." He walked away just as the royal carriage arrived.


    Drayce offered her his hand. "Let''s go." He knew she was emotionally hurt but she was not that weak.


    Seren epted his hand although she couldn''t pull her gaze away from Dusk in An''s arms. She said nothing, but her actions and her eyes were letting Drayce know what she was thinking.


    "Keep Dusk inside the carriage," Drayce told his friend.


    An passed the injured eagle to a knight who then ced the bird on the seat inside Seren''s carriage. Drayce helped her get inside the carriage too and this time, he apanied her instead of riding his horse. He couldn''t leave her alone in such a condition.


    On the way back to the Loyset Residence, Seren was quiet, her eyes? fixed on the hurt bird.


    "A physician specializing with animals will treat him. He will be fine. He is just not used to fighting with other wild animals, but it''s not the first time for him to get injured," Drayce assured.


    Seren could only nod lightly and gathered her will to pull her gaze away from Dusk. She looked outside of the window, but she could not see any of the buildings shing by them. She was cursing herself for her silly mistakes and her failed escape attempts which only caused harm to her and others. She was fine if she was hurt but she couldn''t bear to see the ones she cared for hurt. As someone who had led a lonely life, she had few precious ones she truly cherished, and those were countable on her fingers��Martha, her brother, her cat which was already dead years back, and now Dusk was added to it.


    ------


    Soon, they reached the Loyset residence where a physician was already waiting to treat Dusk inside a guest room provided by their host.


    Seren was not inside her room, but was standing outside by the balcony like the night before. She had already changed out of her bloodied clothes, but for some reason, she could still remember how Dusk was sent flying by her feet. The image was making her suffocate. The wind gently tossing her long hair somehow made her feel easier to breathe as she restlessly waited to get an update about Dusk.


    After what felt like eternity to Seren, Drayce entered the room.


    She immediately turned to look at him and left the balcony. Before she could open her mouth to ask him, Drayce had beaten her to it. "Dusk is fine. He''s just weak because he lost a lot of blood. His injuries will take some more time to heal. His wing is hurt so he won''t be able to fly until he''s strong enough."


    Seren could finally let out the breath she was holding. She felt relieved that he was fine and only then did she realize that her hands had be cold. If something had happened to that eagle, she would have never forgiven herself.


    Drayce could see through her and he knew what she needed at the moment wasfort. He stepped forward, and before she could understand what he''s doing, he hugged her gently while patting her head.


    "It was not your fault."


    She didn''t move, neither could she resist the hug. With his strong arms around her, it made her chest heavy with an indescribable feeling, and this strange warm sensation was causing her eyes to be moist. She could not stop the flood of emotions causing turmoil inside her.


    ''Howe it was not my fault? I tried to run away, that''s why he got injured...''


    Drayce let her cry as he continued to hold her in his embrace. It took her a while before she calmed down, and only then did he let her go. Looking at her red-rimmed eyes and messy appearance, he brought her to sit on their bed. "My Queen must be tired. It would help if you rest. Later, I will take you to see Dusk."


    Seren could only nod like an obedient girl. She promised to herself that after this she would never try to run away again.


    ======


    Dear reader, this month too I will gift something to the top Golden Tickets voter of the novel. So keep voting. Last month''s top fan and golden tickets voter was reader "RMehrotra". She will soon get a gift delivered to her home.

 Chapter 176: Curse And Her Own Powers

    <h4>Chapter 176: Curse And Her Own Powers</h4>


    Once Seren had settled on the bed, Drayce covered her with a quilt before going to the adjacent room to change his clothes as they too had blood stains after he helped carry the injured Dusk.


    When he returned after changing clothes, he noticed Seren had already drifted into a deep sleep. He went closer to her and observed the woman whose breathing was finally steady and rhythmic. Her face was calm, unlike how anxious and agitated she was a while ago.


    He sat at the edge of the bed, still looking at her sleeping figure. His queen had experienced a lot today. The stroll in the crowded merchant district, the fear those wolves caused, her continuous crying, andter, her powers showed up; this altogether must have exhausted her.


    ''Powers?''


    Drayce realized something. As per his knowledge, whenever Seren got angry, her anger could put someone on fire. He was sure she couldn''t control it despite the fact that she didn''t mean to harm anyone. This was the energy he felt from her when she burned those men who harassed her in the marketce, back in Abetha''s capital. But this time, she did not put those wolves on fire even though she was far angrier todaypared to when she was in front of those scum.


    ''Could it be that her powers couldn''t harm animals?''


    Not only that, from what he heard, other strong emotions would also manifest strange urrences around her. Whenever she cried, a downpour of rain was inevitable, and when she shouts, ss and other fragile items would shatter. She cried this time, yet there was no rain at all, not even a sign of dark clouds in the atmosphere.


    ''Has she learned to control her power?''


    Feeling puzzled, Drayce continued to look at her. Again, he remembered something. Although subtle, it seemed like the energy he felt from her when she was angry in the marketce of Abetha and the energy he felt when she was angry due to Dusk were totally different. Both energies reflected her anger, but one was wild and overbearing, but the other one was subdued and obedient to her. In front of the wolf, it was the second type of energy, the one that was obedient to her.


    ''Perhaps, there exists two energies inside her. The one that was wild and not within her control was the energy from her curse, while the more obedient one was her own power, the one her nanny said was suppressed,'' Drayce thought as he analyzed the clues he had so far. ''Are her own powers starting to show up because she will soon be reaching adulthood? Will she be able to fully use her powers once she turns eighteen?''


    The mysteries about his wife would not be easy to solve. He was stillcking information, and he could only observe her for the meanwhile. Drayce left the room, leaving her to sleep peacefully. The twody servants were standing outside if she ever needed something.


    Drayce went towards the guest room provided for the Crown Prince of Griven. He wanted to talk to him regarding leaving for the capital of Griven.


    When Drayce entered his room, An was standing on the balcony, looking at therge estate. The Crown Prince was remembering the old days when he had visited this ce with his father. As a king, it was strange for his father to personally oversee thends, but the King of Griven was not someone who enjoyed staying in the pce for long durations of time. It had something to do with wanting to see with his own eyes how his people were living. Back then, An remembered his father visiting therge merchant groups here as well as checking the issues regarding the border sharing with Abetha. Of course, they had stayed in the Loyset Residence; after all, the Loyset Family was a family of knights. The King of Griven''s personal knight was Marquis Loyset, whose first son, Imbert Loyset, then swore to serve the Crown Prince.


    Because An was immersed in his thoughts, he did not notice his friend''s arrival Drayce found it rare to see a talkative person like An like this.


    "What are you thinking about?" Drayce asked as he joined him on the balcony.


    "Nothing much. Old memories," An replied and asked, "How is your queen?"


    "Resting. Must be exhausted with what happened today."


    With a slight nod, An said, "ording to our initial ns, we will be leaving at this hour, but it seems like we have to dy it now."


    "Once she is awake, we can decide," Drayce replied.


    "Hmm," An agreed as he leaned against the railings of the balcony. "The route to the capital of Griven is safe and the official roads are maintained. Since the distance is not much, we can travel at night too."


    Drayce nodded as he stared off into the distance.


    "What are you thinking about?" An asked.


    "I am wondering what kind of desire can make one person desperate enough to not even care for his or her own life."


    An thought for a moment and answered, "To protect the one they love. What do you think?"


    Drayce did not nod or shake his head.


    "Freedom," he replied, after a while.


    An looked at him. "Are you talking about your past? Why are you even bringing this up?"


    "There was a time in my life when I was desperate to get freedom without worrying about the consequences. I just wanted to be free."


    "I know that your attempt to run away was the reason we met," An added.


    Drayce nodded, his gaze still faraway. "Protecting someone should not turn into taking away their freedom."


    "Are you talking about your wife?" An asked directly though he had already guessed why Drayce suddenly talked about freedom.


    "Hmm," Drayce agreed.


    "Today, in the market, was she trying to��?"


    "Hmm." Drayce sighed, knowing what his friend would say, but not wishing to hear those words.


    Run away.


    His wife was trying to run away from him, again and again, and again, when all he did was to care for her.


    "You know her situation," An said.


    "I don''t me her as once I was like her too. All this time, I knew what she was trying to do but I never stopped her. I want her to do what she wants and when she is tired, I am there to protect her."


    "She needs to trust you first. Only after she learns who you are as a person will she realize there is no reason to run."


    Drayce agreed to it, but it was difficult to gain the trust of a woman who refused to open up herself to him. His queen was quite delicate, and one wrong action might easily erase what progress he had made with her.


    "To protect her, her father imprisoned her. I''m a king as well, so no wonder she expects the same from me, trying her best to run away before we reach Megaris. If I say that she doesn''t have to worry and I will always protect her and let her do what she wants, she won''t believe my words. Instead of me pushing her, it''s better for her to understand her situation at her own pace. Actions speak louder than words."


    An patted his friend''s back to console him. "After suffering for so many years, it will take a lot of time but she will understand as you remain patient."


    "I am not in a hurry either."

 Chapter 177: Even Her Tears Are Magical

    <h4>Chapter 177: Even Her Tears Are Magical</h4>


    In the next hour, Seren woke up in a daze. Although she felt that her eyes were slightly swollen, she felt a bit better, all the exhaustion gone.


    Her servants came to her. Eva smiled. "Your Majesty, good to see you awake. Did you rest well?"


    "Would you like a ss of cold water?" The other servant, Marie, ced a tray with cold water on the table beside the bed. Seeing her servants fuss around her, Seren remembered what happened in the merchant district.


    ''Did I sleep for long?'' Seren thought as she looked outside. The sun was high up in the sky, and the shadows looked a little outward towards the east, which meant it was still noon.


    "Dusk," she mumbled.


    She was ready to go to Dusk but Eva informed her to stay put. "His Majesty has instructed Her Majesty to have a meal first inside your room. Later, His Majesty wille to meet Her Majesty."


    It was the order from the King of Megaris so Seren could not defy it. She sat quietly while the servants brought her meal. Unwillingly, Seren had it as she waited for Drayce toe so she could ask him to take her to see Dusk.


    ''He told me that after I rest, he will take me to Dusk,'' she thought.


    When she finished her meal, Drayce timely entered their room and the two servants left after bowing to him. Her eyes brightened upon seeing him; it was not for him, but the expectations to see Dusk.


    Drayce noticed those bright eyes and he knew the reason for it.


    ''To my wife, my pet is more important than me,'' Drayce thought with dissatisfaction. His eyes darkened a little as if the hidden devil inside him had started to dominate him. ''But it won''t be the same for long. My wife is mine only.''


    He was pulled back to reality by the sweet voice of his wife.


    "Your Majesty?"


    Drayce, who was just back to his senses, smiled at her as if he had not gotten annoyed just earlier.


    "How are you feeling now, my Queen?" His voice was gentle, the total opposite of how his thoughts became aggressive a while ago.


    "I am fine, Your Majesty," she replied politely before immediately asking the important question. "May I ask how Dusk is doing?"


    "I will take my Queen to see him first, andter, we can leave for the capital of Griven," he replied.


    Seren''s eyes widened as her voice shook a little. "I-Is Dusk noting?"


    "He will travel with us," Drayce replied.


    Seren felt relieved and heard Drayce again, "Shall we?"


    Nodding lightly, Seren stood up and followed Drayce. Drayce took her to the guest room where they had kept Dusk.


    Inside, the first thing Seren saw was a bandaged eagle lying on a cushioned table top. Seemingly forgetting everything else, she hurried to the bird''s side, not realizing her action caused the red-eyed man behind her to frown.


    Dusk was lying silently on that cushioned arrangement. His wounded wing was wrapped in white bandages, the wing half-folded due to him not being able to fold it back. Sensing the noise of footsteps, Dusk moved his head to look at the people who had arrived.


    "Don''t move," Seren instructed him.


    Dusk obediently put his head back on the cushion but continued to look at Seren. He let out a low croon, as if in greeting.


    She quietly caressed his head and said, "You will be fine soon." She didn''t know what more to say, but she had to apologize to him. He was mauled by a wild animal because of her. If not for saving her, he would have remained in the sky, beyond the reach of those fearsome wolves. "You are hurt because of me and I apologize for it."


    Dusk rubbed his head back against her palm, as if saying no need to apologize.


    Drayce wanted to say she didn''t need to apologize to him as he only did his job, which was to protect his master. Seren was his queen so ultimately she was his master too. But Drayce kept quiet.


    This side of her was what made her different from others��her kindness, one she freely showed disregarding everything else.


    Tears rolled down Seren''s eyes as she couldn''t bear to see Dusk like this. Drayce again sensed the change in the energy inside her, and he was sure there wouldn''t be any rain manifesting due to her powers. It was simr to what he felt the previous day. It made him somewhat relieved; he didn''t know what he would have done if Griven had to suffer harsh rain out of the blue. In a bustling merchant city like this, many people would have suffered due to the nature of their business. Shops would close and precious goods might go bad.


    His queen was someone extraordinary, and he needed to handle her carefully to not cause harm to herself as well as to others. Although there was still much for him to learn about her, this extraordinary woman was now an inseparable part of his life.


    Just then, Sir Rulf arrived in the room. "Your Majesty, we are ready to leave."


    Nodding, Drayce turned back to look at Seren who was still crying as she continued to caress Dusk''s head with her head lowered down.


    "My Queen, it''s time��" Drayce stopped as he noticed something strange.


    The tears from Seren''s longshes were dropping on Dusk''s body, causing wisps of purple-colored energy to be emitted and absorbed into his injured body.


    ''What is that?''


    Drayce went to stand beside her to see if he had seen things wrong. He had not.


    Seeing those teardrops turning into mild purple rays which reminded him of her eyes, he could not help but be dazed. ''Now even her tears are not normal. Exactly what kind of powers does she hold?''


    It somehow reminded Drayce about a miraculous item��the magic elixirs. Those magic elixirs he used to heal Seren and yer had emitted a simr light spectrum when he saw them in that pouch, although those pills were emitting a bluish glow, not purple.


    ''Were those elixirs made by using her powers?''


    Now, Drayce was curious about how her tears would affect Dusk. If they had a simr effect as those elixirs, then there was no question they would help Dusk to get better sooner than expected.


    ''I wonder if she is aware of this power and what those elixirs were made of.''


    "My Queen, it''s time for us to leave," Drayce spoke and she finally opened her eyes and nodded to him.


    She was about to wipe her eyes with her bare palm, but Drayce held her hand. "Not like this."


    She looked at him, puzzled. He pulled out a silk cloth from his robe and dabbed it on her eyes. She found his action ufortable, but she allowed him to do it without a word ofint.

 Chapter 178: I Feel Cold [Bonus Chapter]

    <h4>Chapter 178: I Feel Cold [Bonus Chapter]</h4>


    The presence of the poor Sir Rulf was forgotten by both royals, and nobody had noticed him immediately lowering his head. At this moment, he was torn between quietly leaving the room like a good subordinate and gawking at the strangely intimate sight to share with his fellow knights over drinkster. His king had been giving him shock after shock since the day they arrived in Abetha. He had long understood the reason, and today, it was merely another confirmation of a single fact��that the devil-like young king had already been thoroughly conquered by the Queen of Megaris.


    Not knowing the impact his gentle action towards his wife had given his knight, Drayce looked at the captain of his knights. "Take Dusk with you, Rulf."


    With his head still lowered, Sir Rulf replied, "Leave everything to me, Your Majesty."


    Drayce and Seren left the guest room with Sir Rulf following them while carrying Dusk in his arms.


    Outside the main residence of the Loyset Manor, the royal entourage was ready to leave. Drayce helped Seren get into their carriage. As usual, he sat with her while Dusk was carried into another carriage.


    The royal entourage traveled towards Karlin, the capital of Griven. After taking a break at one or two ces along the way, the royal entourage reached the capital of Griven at midnight.


    The main streets of the capital were deserted as it was past midnight. Only the city guards could be seen patrolling around. They were aware of the royal entourage reaching the capital and were ready to wee them.


    Although the dark sky made it difficult for Seren to appreciate the true majesty of the Royal Pce of Griven, she found therge outline of the pce simr to the architecture she had seen in her books before. While the pce where she grew up was built near a great river, this pce from a foreign kingdom was backed by mountains.


    The royal entourage soon entered the huge iron-wrought pce gates attached to the tall protecting walls made of white stone.? Seren looked around to see andpare how different this pce lookedpared to the one in Abetha. Though it was night, the buildings and gardens along the way were visible due tomps and fire torches inside.


    The royal entourage stopped inside one of the side pces where the Second Prince of Griven was present to wee them along with his knights, royal guards, and pce servants.


    "Who would have thought the first face we''ll see on our arrival is you?" An grinned as soon as he left his carriage.


    "Our royal family does not care about you, but we cannot afford to be disrespectful to our important guests," the young man in formal attire shot back as if on instinct, already used to the older prince''s casual attitude.


    An went to his brother who shared somewhat simr features to him, the same ash brown hair and sea blue eyes, only Lenard looked younger and thinnerpared to him. Just from one nce, anyone could tell they were siblings.


    The Second Prince of Griven turned away from An to approach the couple who had just stepped out of their carriage.


    "Second Prince Lenard Cromwell represents the royal family to wee the King and Queen of Megaris to the capital of Griven!"


    Though Lenard was An''s brother, he was not as close to Drayce to be able to address him by name. Though he had apanied Drayce many times with his brother, he always maintained the line of respect with Drayce, unlike how his elder brother treated Drayce as nothing but only his friend. Everyone in the Royal Family of Cromwell was aware of the kind of friendship An and Drayce had��a rtionship forged out of trust, not with status and politics.


    Drayce epted Lenard''s greetings with a light nod, while Seren remained silent and motionless.


    ''Do I bow or curtsy? Maybe I should copy His Majesty and simply nod?''


    It was the first time she was visiting another royal family, and she didn''t know how to react or talk like a queen. In the end, Seren did none of them.


    Lenard did not seem to mind this as he gestured for the couple to follow the older man beside him. "This side pce has been prepared for Your Majesties to use. Please rest well. The chambein will see to your needs."


    As it waste into the night and everyone was tired from their travel, Drayce and Seren were guided by the chambein towards their chamber, while An went to leave with his brother. The others were guided towards the quarters for the servants and soldiers.


    Her personal servants, Eva and Marie, followed Seren to help her with her needs. After helping her with a bath and getting her to change into her night clothes, Drayce entered the chamber, causing the two females to immediately excuse themselves.


    Seren looked at him questioningly. ''Is he sleeping in the same room with me today as well? Before, I can still believe that those inns and the Loyset Family residence didn''t have enough room for both of us, but it can''t be that this ce alsocks rooms. This entire side pce is provided for us! I saw many empty chambers along the way.? Besides, what kind of rule forces a husband and wife to sleep together? Don''t they know it''s ufortable to sleep and wake up with another person? I hate the one who made this rule. I can''t even have some time alone. Does he have to stick with me all the time?''


    Drayce looked at his queen and could guess she was not happy seeing him there. Not minding her, he removed his robe and went towards the side room where a bath was already prepared for him by the servants before leaving. Seren was now used to seeing him like this and only averted her sight from him.


    When Drayce returned to their chamber, she was already tucked in bed, seemingly asleep with her back facing the side of the bed where she guessed Drayce would sleep.


    After dressing into the night robe that was arranged for him, Drayce went to sleep next to his wife who didn''t even give him a face.


    Laying on his side, he stared at her back. ''When will she stop feeling scared? Not like I will eat her right away.'' Drayce had a sudden thought that made him smirk lightly. ''She needs to get used to me more.''


    The next moment, he moved his body towards her.


    Seren was not sleeping, and she was aware of his every movement in bed. When she felt he was shifting closer to her, her body subconsciously shrank away. But before she could move even an inch, a strong hand surrounded her stomach and pulled her back. She felt warmth against her back, which could only belong to a man''s strong and muscr chest.


    "There is no more space left for you to move further, my Queen," she heard him say in a low voice, as she felt his hot breath touching the back of her neck.


    Seren flinched as the hot breath on her nape made her heart skip a beat. Feeling the strength of his hand, there was no way she could get away from that strong hold. She felt scared by his unexpected action, but there was something more to it, something that was out of her understanding.


    She could not understand why she''s responding like this. Her interactions with men all boiled down to a single person her whole life, and that was her brother, Cian. She never felt this kind of uneasiness with her brother, ever.


    Being close with this red-eyed man always made her heart race, making her feel aplex emotion that made her feel anxious. It did not seem to be the fear she initially thought it was the first time, but something altogether different. They had been traveling together for several weeks, and she had understood this man had done nothing that would not harm her. In fact, he had treated her well whenever they''re together, but something was there that made her wary of him. Especially his sudden actions like this, this kind of closeness with him, it made her want to push him away on instinct.


    With her heart beating as if it wanted to escape her chest, she could only draw the conclusion that, perhaps, this was not a simple fear or anxiety, but a higher level ofplex emotion simr to those, one she had never experienced in Abetha. That''s the only reason she could think why her heart beat faster all the time in his presence.


    ''What emotion can be worse than fear?'' she could not help but wonder. ''I wish Martha was here to tell me what this is.''


    Not being familiar with any feeling other than fear was of course not Seren''s fault; the young queen was never taught there were other reasons to make someone''s heart turn and twist like this.


    "Y-Your Majesty..."


    "Hmm?" she heard him questioning her with a hoarse voice.


    "The bed is wide enough for both of us to sleepfortably and separately," she replied in a? hesitant voice that was barely above a whisper.


    "Having you in my arms is morefortable to me," he replied. His eyes closed as he held her closer. With their bodies separated with nothing but their night clothes, he could equally enjoy the sweet smell and warmthing from her tiny body.


    "But��"


    "Are you notfortable like this, my Queen?" Drayce asked, interrupting her.


    "You are too close, Your Majesty,"


    Drayce smiled despite himself. "This is how a husband and wife sleeps. Haven''t they taught you about this in Abetha?"


    ''That day, he said a husband and wife should sleep in the same bed. But now, he is saying they sleep like this. Is he telling me the truth? How ufortable. I can''t even move. Now, what to do? I don''t want to anger him...''


    Her mind scrambled to find an excuse for him to move away on his own. "I move and toss around when asleep. It might disturb His Majesty''s sleep."


    "That is not a problem since I''m holding your body. Besides, I feel cold and wish to get warmth from my Queen."


    ''Cold?'' she couldn''t help but inwardly criticize. ''Your body is warmer than mine!''


    Drayce continued to talk, his warm breath brushing the curve of her ear. "I hope my Queen won''t let me shiver in the cold. We will be officially meeting the monarchs of Griven in the morning, and I can''t be sick."


    Seren sure didn''t want him to be sick, or he might me it on her.


    ''Wait, he''s slightly warmer than me. Could it be because he''s running a little fever? I remember when I was sick before, I felt cold as well even though my body was hot. Will sleeping like this really help him? Won''t it be better to call a physician?!''


    Seren was internally panicking. Though it was ufortable for her, she decided to allow him to sleep while holding her. If he''s still cold tomorrow, maybe she would tell Eva or Marie to fetch a physician.


    Seeing his queen so obedient and submissive to his demands, a light smirk painted on Drayce''s lips until he fell asleep. After staring at the empty space in front of her for a long time, not having any other option, Seren also drifted to sleep.


    =====


    This Long Bonus chapter is dedicated to the reader "RMehrotra" for gifting the first-ever SPACECRAFT to the novel and reader "DnIsha" for gifting the seond CASTLE? to the novel.


    Writing more is the only way I can repay the love you guys showed and I ended up writing this long bonus chapter equal to two chapters.


    Thank you so much for the gifts. It means a lot. Much love from me.

 Chapter 179: Bites And Moans

    <h4>Chapter 179: Bites And Moans</h4>


    When morning came, Seren woke up unable to move. A strong arm was still surrounding her waist, keeping her in ce, and it belonged to no other than the red-eyed man sleeping next to her. She wanted to get up as she had enough of this skinship. She felt her right shoulder hurting a little due to sleeping in the same position for so long.


    With deliberate care, she held his hand and tried to lift his arm up to get out of the bed, but then heard him say in a low husky voice something that sent shivers down her spine.


    "My Queen, you should not move if you don''t want to be in trouble."


    ''Did I wake him? And I was so careful��'' Seren''s body could not help but freeze. ''Seems like he will punish me for disturbing his sleep. He should have just slept away from me in the first ce so I wouldn''t disturb him. I am not at fault, but he mes me for it now.''


    "Apologies, Your Majesty," she said as she tried to calm herself, "but I need to get out of bed."


    Since Seren had her back on Drayce, she did not notice the strange expression on his handsome face. The young king, who usually had a cold expression, had a wicked smile at the moment, his lips a hairbreadth away from the curve of her ear. His hot breath tickled the sensitive skin on her neck, and it caused her to want to get away from him faster.


    She tried to move again, but Drayce held her steady at her waist because her struggles were causing her bottom to dangerously brush close against his lower half. "Don''t move or my Queen will get the answer to her question today."


    She paused, puzzled by what he said. "Question?"


    Still holding her at the waist to keep her away, Drayce brushed his lips across the small patch of skin below her ear. Seren didn''t know how to react as he then proceeded to suck her skin at the nape. He only answered her after taking his sweet time enjoying the taste of her skin.


    "About how a man and a woman are different."


    "Huh? H-How?" she asked, trying to keep in the weird tingling sensation his attention was causing inside her. ''Aside from the difference in the chests, are there other ways to know how a man and a woman are different?'' Curiosity took over the difort she was feeling.


    "My Queen, your innocence would be the death of me one day," he said as he pulled away from her nape.


    ''Death?'' The word shocked her and she said at once, "I dare not, Your Majesty! I won''t ask you questions again."


    His huskyugh caused her heart to flip.? "My Queen, you can ask me anything. I remember all the questions you''ve asked before, and though I might not answer them right now, I will do so once I deem you ready. I don''t wish to go back on the words I had given."


    Seren didn''t know what he meant. She didn''t realize how he said those words through gritted teeth, trying to suppress his bodily desires. "Can Your Majesty let me go?"


    "I am still cold," he said in a hoarse voice.


    ''Cold?'' she thought. ''My back is burning with how hot his chest is. The sun is up as well, so how can he still be cold?''


    "Your Majesty, it seems you need to see a physician. Your body is unusually hot," she spoke in a quiet voice. His chest felt hot, his touch was hot, and even his breath was burning hot as it brushed against her ear and the back of her neck.


    "You are to me, my Queen," heughed once more as he nuzzled on the small crook of her neck.


    "Aaahhh��" Seren immediately raised her hand to cover her mouth. Her body felt incredibly strange, and she did not understand why she let out such a strange sound. "A-Am I to me?"


    Her body flinched at the sensation of his warm lips brushing against her bare skin. Drayce left a trail of featherlight kisses across her soft milky white skin. The next moment, she felt him opening his lips, sucking and nibbling on that very same trail.


    "Y-Your Majesty��"


    He didn''t stop leaving his marks on her neck, and he even reached out his hand to push aside the night robe from her shoulder. At this moment, there was hunger in those fiery red eyes, a kind of desire that seemed ready to swallow his prey whole.


    "My Queen failed to provide mefort so she is to me."


    She felt scared at the strange feelings brought by his touch, and her heart seemed to be going wild inside her chest.


    ''I don''t understand! Am I getting scared of him again? I need to get away from him! But what kind offort does he need for him to let me go?''


    "P-Please tell me how tofort you, Your Majesty?"


    "Stay still," he instructed as he slid her night robe a little down from her shoulder, letting him appreciate more of that smooth and beautiful curve of her neck.


    Seren reached out her free hand on reflex, pulling her robe back to cover her shoulder, but Drayce gripped her hand to stop. "Doesn''t my Queen wish to give mefort?"


    She nodded with great reluctance, and heard him continue, "So stay still."


    Seren felt like her thoughts were a mess. She could not understand what she''s feeling, nor could she see why he pulled her nightgown down her shoulder, as if to undress her, when he imed to be feeling cold and wantingfort. Nothing was making sense to her.


    ''Does he want to wear my clothes too? The quilt is not enough?''


    She didn''t dare say a word, afraid she might offend him. Moreover, since he said it will provide himfort, she was curious about the meaning of his strange actions.


    ''Mine!'' Drayce thought as his red eyes remained transfixed on the beautiful sight of her slender shoulder. How he wished to suck and bite at it, and leave his marks on her fair skin to let the entire continent know that this young woman belonged to him and him alone.


    And he did so. Drayce nibbled on her skin, paying special attention to enjoy its sweet taste, and the next moment, another strange yet charming sound left his queen''s lips. It was a little cry of pain that sounded like seductive music to his ears.


    This time, Seren was unable to hold back a loud moan.


    Seren panicked internally. ''What is His Majesty doing?!''


    Initially, Drayce just wanted to tease her a little, wanting to see how his little kitten would react for him to understand how far he could go with her without scaring her too much. It started with him enjoying her sweet fragrance, before it turned to him wanting to kiss her neck, perhaps tasting it lightly, but now, something inside him seemed to snap and he was no longer in control of his own actions.


    With how much his body was aroused, that small seductive cry of hers awakened something inside him. His fiery red eyes turned darker and darker with each of her moans until they almost turned pitch ck.


    "Y-Your Majesty, please stop!"


    Drayce felt like he was hit in the gut. Her cry brought him back to his senses. No, it mmed him back to his senses. His pitch-ck eyes returned to their usual red, and the desire to devour Seren inside them disappeared. He looked down at what he had just done. There were lovebites and teeth marks on her once unblemished skin... with traces of blood.


    ''Damn, that devil!''


    He immediately moved away from her, cursing inside his mind with gritted teeth and clenched fists.


    ''Why?! Why did it show up suddenly?'' Drayce questioned himself, unable to pull his gaze away from what he had done to his wife who didn''t dare turn and look at him.


    He could see her shivering, still lying down on her side with her back facing him. With him no longer holding her, she was finally able to cover her bare shoulder with her shivering hand.


    Guilt hit him in the gut once more.


    "Apologies, my Queen. I didn''t mean to hurt you," he said in a shaken voice, but she didn''t respond to him, as if she had not heard him.

 Chapter 180: Embarrassed And Crazy

    <h4>Chapter 180: Embarrassed And Crazy</h4>


    "Apologies, my Queen. I didn''t mean to hurt you," he said in a shaken voice, but she didn''t respond to him, as if she had not heard him.


    Drayce felt a sensation he had not felt for a long time��fear. As a powerful man, he was never the kind of person to be scared, whether there be sword fights against a skilled fighter or an attack of an assassin or butting heads with influential figures in political battles. But at this moment, seeing that trembling body not responding to him, his chest was clutched with a paralyzing sense of fear.


    Due to today''s mistake, did everything go up like smoke? Had he gone too far this time? Did he make her loathe him? Despise him? Would she try to run away from him again?


    Seren had barely started trusting him, and he seemed to have ruined whatever favorable impression he had built with her for the past several weeks. He had hurt her, and it was a despicable act that could not be easily exined or excused. He didn''t know how to even begin exining it to her.


    "I really did not mean to go this far, my Queen," Drayce said as he tried topose himself. "Allow me to check your shoulder."


    Drayce sat up and reached out his hands towards Seren, but she visibly flinched before he could touch her. She did not turn around as she clutched her robe at shoulder tightly, keeping her bleeding shoulder covered.


    Seren had her eyes kept tightly shut as she tried to calm her trembling body. When Drayce had just started kissing her skin, she was already scared with the kind of strange and unfamiliar sensations her body was experiencing. The intimacy in itself was already too much for her to handle, and when he bit her, she couldn''t help but feel downright terrified. She could not understand her tangle of emotions,but she recognized the ones that overwhelmed her senses. Fear, terror, anxiety��


    ''I got too used to him, I forgot he''s a scary red-eyed man.''


    When he finally apologised, she didn''t know how to react.


    ''This is how he will getfort after hurting me. Why did he bite me? For punishment? He isforted when I''m punished like this? Is he an animal to bite me? A demon?'' Her scared self didn''t dare reply to him, only wanting to keep her eyes closed, as if wishing him to be gone once she opened them again. ''I have not responded to him. Will he punish me again? Will hee and bite me again? It hurts...so badly�� No one bit me like this before, not even my cat.''


    Seren kept her bleeding shoulder covered, her hand clutching her night clothes tightly as if afraid the red-eyed man beside her would tore it down. She wanted to leave the bed, but she didn''t move out as she was scared of angering him with any of her actions. All she thought about was how she wanted to be alone at this moment, how she had to be careful around him in the future?, or even better, not do or say anything when he was around.


    Unable to get the frightened young woman to respond, Drayce could only curse himself and the part of him that he always suppressed inside him��the devil, an inseparable part of his existence.


    Drayce wordlessly climbed off the bed and went towards the adjacent room. He didn''t know how to deal with the situation so find it would be better to leave her alone. Once she had calmed herself, she might be more willing to listen to his exnation.


    He returned to the room after having a bath and dressed himself in a new set of clothes. He found Seren still in the same position. She didn''t move from the bed.


    "I am leaving, my Queen. Do not forget to instruct your servants to treat you."


    He waited for her to reply but she didn''t turn around nor made any move indicating she heard him. Drayce could understand it was really difficult for her to trust him again so he didn''t force her and simply left without another word.


    Once Seren realized he was gone, she finally turned and looked at the door. Giving out a shaky sigh of relief, she sat up in the bed, one hand on her shoulder and the other trying to tame the wildly beating heart inside her chest. She took several long breaths, trying to calm herself as fast as possible before her servants entered the room.


    Sherealized that there was something moist on her fingertips that were clutching her shoulder. Upon observing those fingers, she found traces of blood on it. ''It hurt really bad, but I didn''t know he drew blood out of me. How dangerous he is, simr to those wolves that hurt Dusk. No wonder my heart keeps beating faster whenever he is with me and I feel strange. I should have trusted my instincts.'' She shook her head to forget those strange feelings and then got out of bed.


    Just in time, Eva entered the room and greeted Seren.


    "Greetings, Your Majesty! Have you slept well?"


    Seren gave her a light nod. It surprised Seren that Marie was not with Eva as she was used to seeing them together all the time, but Seren didn''t ask the reason.


    "I will now prepare the bath for Your Majesty." Eva went towards the adjacent room, which had the bathroom, and returned as she gestured for Seren to enter. "Your Majesty, your bath is ready."


    Seren went to the bath as Eva followed her to help her undress. The servant was yet to notice the bites on her shoulder due to being covered by her long hair, and it somehow gave Seren a bit of relief. In fact, she was kind of hoping Eva would never notice it.


    Acting like her usual self, Seren sat inside the hot water tub while Eva started to help her bathe, adding scented herbs into the water before helping her wash her body.


    Seren looked at Eva who was scrubbing her hand with a white washcloth, looking unbothered with her scales. Eva and Marie had? been serving her ever since they left the capital of Abetha, but not even once did they show any reluctance to her being witch.


    "Aren''t you scared of me?" Seren asked, looking at the girl who was merely a few years older than her.


    Eva kept her head lowered as she replied, "Subjects are always scared of their king and queen, but I think it will be more appropriate to use the word ''respect'', Your Majesty."


    "I am referring to me being a witch and those scales on my body," Seren added.


    "I don''t see anything to be scared of, whether it be your appearance or your personality," Eva replied and she looked at Seren. "Your Majesty, whoever you are, you are our Queen, and we serve you with all our heart."


    "What if I am not your queen but an ordinary person?"


    "Then we might have been friends."


    "Knowing I am a witch?"


    Eva nodded. "Not just me, Your Majesty. You are a kind and benevolent woman. I believe my words are shared with a lot of people. As long as you are a good person and you do not wish to bring anyone harm, regardless of status or title, people will love to be friends with you."


    Seren didn''t know what to say and could only think, ''Why didn''t anyone in Abetha treat me like this? Why were they so scared when I never hurt them?'' Then, she recalled something. ''Well, can''t say never...I did hurt them, but it was not my sole fault. If they had treated me well, or no, as long as they did not despise me, I wouldn''t have harmed them.''


    "Your Majesty!" Eva''s sudden cry pulled Seren out of her thoughts.


    Seren found that Eva was no longer on the right side of the tub but behind her. Seren looked over her shoulder and saw the worry on the servant''s face. "What happened, Eva?"


    "N-Nothing, Your Majesty. Just�� this mark and blood on your shoulder�� I apologize for the sudden reaction," Eva said with a stutter. At first, she was horrified to see the queen injured, but then she was struck with a thought andter realized what it was. The worry she felt upon seeing that wound disappeared knowing what it was, and a shy blush took over the youngdy''s face.


    Seren didn''t know what to say and stayed quiet. That red-eyed man had bit her, and she indeed felt scared and angry at what he did. However, seeing Eva''s reaction, she could not understand why she suddenly felt embarrassed in front of her. It made her wonder if she was turning crazy.

 Chapter 181: Likable Pain

    <h4>Chapter 181: Likable Pain</h4>


    They no longer said anything to each other until Seren finished her bath. The young queen sat in front of the dresser with Eva helping her with drying her hair. Their king and queen would meet the monarchs of Griven officially today so Eva had to prepare Seren with a more formal look, befitting the Queen of Megaris. While Eva was busy working on Seren, they heard a knock, and Marie arrived carrying a small white porcin bowl.


    She bowed to Seren while looking at her through the mirror. "Greetings, Your Majesty."


    Eva looked at Marie. "Where did you go?"


    Marie, who was older than Eva and understood a lot more things, looked calm and said, "I went to get medicine for Her Majesty."


    Eva and Seren saw what Marie was holding and understood what it was. Marie went towards Seren and asked gently, "Your Majesty, I need to apply this on the wound. May I know where?"


    "It''s fine now," Seren retorted. She was upset with that red-eyed man, and now she had started to feel embarrassed that others were paying attention to her shoulder wound.


    Marie noticed the light blush on her queen''s ears, as well as the conflict and embarrassment on her eyes.? "Your Majesty, no need to feel shy. Let me put medicine on it so it will heal faster, and not get swollen or infected. With this, your wound will also not leave a scar."


    Seren still didn''t agree so Marie said again, "His Majesty asked me to take care of it. Please, Your Majesty, let me apply this."


    "We need to treat the wound, Your Majesty," Eva urged.


    Seren didn''t wish her two servants to get punished by the king for failing to do their job. She could only mutter an unhappy, "Fine," but didn''t tell them where to apply it.


    "Thank you, Your Majesty!"


    Eva gestured with her head for Marie to move towards the queen''s shoulder, before helping loosen the upper part of her dress to expose where the wound was.


    Marie carefully applied that medicine on the wound. She smiled as she said to their silent queen, in the tone of an elder, "Your Majesty, there is nothing to feel embarrassed about this. Such things do happen between husband and wife."


    Marie being older, could understand Seren was still young and might not have aplete understanding of the things between husband and a wife. Even if the young queen knew, then such things being experienced personally were totally different from only hearing about them. Communication,patibility, and preferences between couples, the young queen must be confused about them.


    "Do your husbands bite you too?" the twody servants heard their queen ask.


    "I am not married yet, Your Majesty," Eva said.


    Through the mirror, Seren looked at Marie who was older. From her expression, Seren was sure she must be married.


    Marie gave Seren an assuring smile. "It happens sometimes, though not as...intense as His Majesty. As your maids, it should not be our role toment on His Majesty''s actions, but I am willing to be punished if you feel my next words are out of decorum."


    "Please continue, Marie," Seren said.


    "Well, given how young and energetic His Majesty is, perhaps we can say this is somehow expected."


    "But...it''s painful..." Seren said in a voice that sounded like a whine. Eva was heavily blushing at this point, unlike Seren who sounded like aining child that was curious to explore what ''expected'' entails.


    Marie didn''t know what to say. Though this was something that she wouldn''t shy away from talking about with her peers and female friends,? this was the queen''s private thing they were discussing. Such intimate details...


    Marie cleared her throat and she tried to maintain a straight face. "Perhaps you must talk about this with your husband. Such things should be likable for the couple."


    "Likable?" Seren asked. "It''s painful!"


    "It should be a likable pain, Your Majesty."


    Seren stared at her servant as if to ask, ''Are you for real?''


    Marie nodded slightly. "Soon, Your Majesty will get used to it. If it''s really not something you enjoy, you must tell your husband for you to find a middle ground."


    ''Get used to it? That means he will bite me again when he wantsfort?'' Seren panicked inside. ''If I tell him I don''t want tofort him, he might get angry at me.''


    Marie finished applying medicine to Seren''s wound. "It''s done, Your Majesty."


    However, Seren did not respond, immersed in her panic, trying to figure out how she would stop him from biting her again.


    Marie and Eva helped Seren with her hair as well as her jewelry. They never got to touch the face of their queen. Seren always wore a veil and the two servants didn''t dare ask her to take it off. They had heard about it before, and they knew about her wearing her veil all the time. ording to rumors, no one had seen her face ever, well, except their king. It seemed like their king was the only fortunate person to have seen her appearance.


    Sometimes, the servants of the royal entourage gossipped about how Queen Seren must be a peerless beauty behind that veil, to the point it made the devil-like king of Megaris wed her in a hurry. Of course, more of those in the entourage believed that was not the case, as the scales on the queen''s body proved that she had an inhuman appearance. The majority of them believed the young king fell for the queen due to her kindness and benevolent heart.


    After helping their queen with her hair and clothes, as usual, the two servants stepped out of the room so Seren could put on makeup on her face though it didn''t seem like she needed it. Her purple eyes were enough to make her look pretty and unique.


    Seren came out of the room once she was ready and heard Marie again, "Your Majesty, the King asked you to join him to meet the King and the Queen of Griven. We will escort you to His Majesty."


    Seren didn''t want to but she had to. Who would dare defy the orders of the King of Megaris, the dangerous red-eyed man who seemed even more dangerous to her knowing he bites people forfort?


    =====


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    ------


    As I promised for the month of August, the top fan of the novel will get a gift from Author and the other top 5 will get 100 coin coupons each.


    The top fan "RMehrotra" Got the smartwatch as her gift.


    I hope in the future we will have other top fans and I could send a gift to other readers too.

 Chapter 182: Round Belly And A Baby

    <h4>Chapter 182: Round Belly And A Baby</h4>


    Seren thought she would be led directly to Drayce, but her servants escorted her to an empty dining hall where she was informed she would be having her morning meal first. After the pce maids prepared the local delicacies of Griven on the table, Eva and Marie told everyone to leave and positioned themselves outside the door, knowing that their queen preferred to eat without people serving by her side.


    After some time, Seren heard a knock and Eva entered.


    "Your Majesty, the King will be arriving soon to escort you to meet the King and Queen of Griven. Are you done dining or do we inform him to give you more time?"


    "I have finished my meals," she replied as she shook her head.


    While the pce maids were clearing out the table, Drayce entered the room with a colder than normal expression, causing Seren to keep her gaze lowered. She dared not look at him and decided to be cautious around him to not make any mistake that would anger him again.


    "Your Majesty," she managed to force out as she stood up from her seat.


    Drayce could see through her thoughts. He didn''t like it but he was at fault for scaring her. However, this was neither the right time nor the best ce for them to talk.


    He went to her and said, "Shall we, my Queen?"


    With her gaze still lowered, she nodded. Drayce could see her hands shivering and frowned inside. Well, again she was not to me for it.


    Escorted by their guards and servants, Drayce and Seren walked towards the royal drawing-room where they would be meeting the Royal Family of Cromwell, the ruling family of the Kingdom of Griven. It was a grand reception room of gold and white, with rich decorations made of white marble and redwood, meant to receive guests of the highest importance. Seren had never entered the drawing rooms in the Royal Pce of Abetha, as she was a princess who had never entertained nor weed guests before, but she had seen the drawing-room of the Loyset Family and there was nothing topare.


    In the middle of the drawing-room was an intimate arrangement offortable cushioned seats and a table with tea and snacks prepared on it. Three men, one old and two young, as well as a graceful middle-aged woman, were upying four of the eight chairs the moment Drayce and Seren arrived.


    Upon seeing the young couple, the royals inside all rose on their feet, while the servants all bowed. The middle-aged man dressed in a luxurious white coat stood up to wee them as well, his smile warm. "s, King Drayce, good to see you here in the pce. Ever since you have been crowned, there have been no chances for us to meet like this."


    The older man''s friendly words immediately turned the atmosphere of the formal gathering into a more casual one, and it allowed the initially nervous Seren to breathe a bit easier.


    "I hope you have been well, King Ailwin," Drayce said while Seren just bowed lightly to greet him. "This is my Queen, Seren Ivanov of Megaris. My Queen, this is King Ailwin Cromwell of Griven."


    An took the role of introducing the rest of his family. "This is my beautiful mother, Queen Julien Cromwell, and of course, you have met my younger brother already. No need to reintroduce him."


    At thest line, Lenard threw a re at the older prince, but An simply grinned back.


    Used to his first son''s antics, the King of Griven, King Ailwin, simply shook his head as he offered a smile to the newly wedded couple. "King Drayce, Queen Seren, we are d you have decided to take a stop in our kingdom."


    The Queen of Griven, Queen Julien, offered a pleasant smile to thedy standing in front of her who had covered her face in a veil. "I hope the new Queen of Megaris isfortable here with the hospitality from Griven."


    Seren nodded lightly to what she said, "Yes, Your Majesty."


    Queen Julien covered her mouth with a gloved hand as she let out a graceful chuckle. Unlike the peerless beauty, Queen Niobe, who had a proud and regal air, the older queen gave off a more motherly and kind impression to Seren. "Oh my, what a polite young woman. We are both queens. Addressing me as Julien is fine, my dear."


    Seren was not used to chatting with people from high society, much less with royalty, and she was yet to be taught the rules of royal etiquette required for a queen. However, Martha had taught her before that openly refusing a royal in front of others was never the wisest move, as most royals consider that rude and offensive.


    "I have received your kindness, Queen Julien."


    Queen Julien was pleased. "Treat Griven as your home as well."


    The Kingdom of Griven. From the books, Seren was aware of the most basic introductions about the known kingdoms as well as their respective histories and royal families. The current King of Griven was said to be also one of the most powerful kings in the entire continent, praised for his strong morals and always ensuring that his policies were relevant and for the benefit of his kingdom and its people. He was the kind of king who even weed audiences with ordinary merchants andmoners.


    "We are still waiting for someone. Please have a seat first," King Ailwin offered.


    Even before Drayce and Seren could head towards the chairs arranged for them, the door of the drawing-room suddenly mmed open.


    "Dray!" A little girl in a bright pink dress ran to hug Drayce''s leg.


    Drayce looked down at the girl whose height barely reached his waist, and she looked up at him with a bright toothy smile. "Dray, I missed you!"


    Drayce offered the little girl a rare kind smile and patted her head. "Rayjin, you have grown up fast."


    Seren looked at the little girl who looked around the age of four or five before turning her attention at the man smiling kindly at her. He looked nothing like his usual cold and indifferent self. The times Drayce would smile was rare, and even then, it was usually of faint amusement or when mocking someone. It was the first time for her to see this red-eyed man smiling at someone with such tender warmth.


    ''Isn''t this girl scared of him?'' Seren could not help but wonder.


    An crouched down in front of the girl with a pout on his face. "Naughty girl, why are you not greeting your grandparents and uncles first? You are showing favoritism! Your Uncle An is hurt."


    The little girlughed, her voice sounding like sweet chimes of bells. "But I missed Dray the most!"


    Another person entered the drawing-room and spoke in a soft tone, "Rayjin, you can''t address the King of Megaris like this."


    "Hide me from Mother!"


    The little girl covered her mouth as if she got caught saying something bad and peeked from behind Drayce''s leg. Drayce patted the little girl''s head, as to console her to not be scared, and turned to look at thedy who had just arrived.


    Thedy who had just entered was walking slowly due to her heavy round belly that showed she was pregnant, and one moredy who seemed to be her servant was helping her walk. She was pretty and graceful, dressed in a luxurious dress not lesser than any of the royals inside the drawing-room. Her already delicate-looking skin emitted the additional glow that expecting mothers had. Her appearance seemed to be simr to the Queen of Griven, only younger by around two decades.


    "Father, mother, I apologize for arrivingter than our honored guests," she said, her voice soft by nature.


    King Ailwin smiled at his daughter. "You came just on time, my child."


    "Greetings, the King and Queen of Megaris!" Thedy bowed and looked at Seren. "I am Alvera, the Duchess of Wimark and the First Princess of Griven."


    Drayce too greeted her back. "We ept your greetings, Duchess Alvera." Seren bowed lightly.


    The two princes bowed in front of thedy. "Eldest sister!"


    Duchess Alvera''s facial features looked simr to Prince An, seemingly to have taken the appearance from their mother. On the other hand, Prince Lenard looked more like their father.


    The beautiful pregnantdy epted the greetings with a light nod and looked at the little girl still hiding behind Drayce''s legs.


    "Rayjin, how do we greet members of royalty?"


    The little girl reluctantly came out of hiding and stood to one side of her mother. She first faced her own grandparents and did a curtsy.


    "Granddaughter greets His Majesty Grandpa and Her Majesty Grandma." She then faced Drayce and Seren. "Daughter of Duke Wimark, Rayjin Wimark, greets the King and Queen of Megaris!"


    The cute little girl suddenly looked obedient, as if her earlier mischief was an illusion.? The bright smile on her lips that made her chubby cheeks look fluffy was gone. Her eyes that were as bright as stars when she clung on to Dryace''s leg had now lost their brightness. She stood like a properdy, but her face betrayed her true emotions. She puckered her lips in displeasure and her tiny nose looked even smaller.


    Seren looked at the cute little girl and found her so adorable and wondered why thisdy who seemed to be her mother had to discipline her.


    ''Seems like thisdy is like Martha.''


    Seren remembered her childhood days. Martha used to be strict with her and how much Seren hated it. But now, she missed Martha the most.


    Everyone sat in the chairs, and soon, they were all in conversation. King Ailwin talked about a few matters rted to their kingdoms with Drayce, while Queen Julien, who realized that Seren preferred to listen, mostly talked with her children without making the younger queen feel out of ce. It appeared that both monarchs of Griven excelled in the art of conversation.


    When everyone was busy talking, Seren''s eyes could not help but nce at the round belly of the woman who sat opposite to her.


    In a picture book, she once read as a kid, there was a prince who saved a princess and they married. The book described that after the marriage, she got pregnant. In the apanying picture, the princess had a round belly, and in the picture after that, she had a baby in her arms.


    ''My sister, First Princess Giselle, had such a round belly too on her first visit to the pce after she married a noble from Mivesea. Martha told me she was having a baby in her tummy.''


    This realization caused Seren''s eyes to open wide in disbelief. ''How did I forget that? I am married too.'' Her hand lightly moved towards her own stomach and she lowered her gaze a little to look at her own t tummy. ''Doesn''t seem like there is any change...yet. Will I have such a round belly too? And a baby in it?''


    Her heart leaped in her chest at the thought.


    ''No!'' she screamed inside.


    Drayce, who sat next to her, noticed her reaction from the corner of his eyes and could not help but smile inwardly. He could somewhat guess what she must be thinking since her gaze was fixed on Alvera''s round belly and she then touched her own.

 Chapter 183: Curious Little Girl

    <h4>Chapter 183: Curious Little Girl</h4>


    While Seren was immersed in her own shocking thoughts, the aide of the King of Griven approached his king to inform him that the morning assembly would be starting soon, and as such, they needed to leave.


    "s, time flies when you are enjoying!" King Ailwin could not help butin. His queen merelyughed as the two of them stood up to leave.


    Everyone else stood up as well to see them off, pulling Seren back to the present. She hurried to follow the others in bowing slightly to the king and the queen as they left.


    "Finally, we can abandon all the formalities!" An gave a sigh of relief just as his parents, the King and Queen of Griven, left the drawing-room.


    With a gleeful chuckle,? the little girl who was quietly sitting on her chair immediately ran towards Drayce. "Dray, will you take me out likest time?"


    "Rayjin..." her mother warned.


    Drayce looked at Alvera. "It''s fine, Sister Alvera."


    Before Alvera could say another word, An spoke, "He is right, Alvera. Just let that naughty girl trouble him. When he was young, he troubled you a lot, to the extent where I questioned myself whether you are his real sister or mine."


    "Something wrong with your memories? He never troubled me at all, but you, you are my constant headache," Alvira countered.


    An looked at Lenard and pulled out a sad expression. "See? We are the abandoned ones here."


    "ying favorites. Like mother, like daughter," Lenard agreed as the two brothers made faces like they were hurt deeply.


    "You two never stop acting like kids," Alveramented.


    Seren was stunned at their sudden change of behavior. Earlier, the three siblings were so well-mannered and elegant��well, with the exception of An��but as soon as the elders were gone, it was as if they changed into other people.


    ''Why are they talking without polite speech? No one seems offended, and they''reughing.''


    She had never experienced how other families normally talked to each other, and she found the situation oddly nice. The three Cromwell siblings looked happy together, and she somehow missed her own brother.


    Just then, the naive voice of a little girl pulled her out of her daze.


    "Why is the Queen of Megaris covering her face?"


    Seren looked at the little girl who was asking that question to Drayce. Ever since she left Abetha, Seren had never heard anyone raise this question. It must be because she was a queen and no one dared ask it or even talk about it, but the little girl was an innocent thing who did not understand this.


    "Rayjin, you are being disrespectful," Alvera interrupted her.


    Drayce looked at Alvera and assured her it''s fine, while An and Lenard sat quietly as they didn''t know how Drayce would deal with it. They sure didn''t want Seren to feel offended.


    Seren found Drayce looking unbothered with the little girl''s question. She heard him answering it in the most gentle way, "Because she isfortable wearing a veil."


    "Comfortable? Are veilsfortable? It doesn''t look like it?" the girl mumbled as she looked at Seren who was staring back at her with equal curiosity. The little girl observed Seren''s veil that covered the lower part of her face. Everything from below her purple eyes till an inch below her chin could not be seen. It was a veil small enough to only cover the lower half of her face.


    "No one here wears it. Can she breathe?" the girl asked again.


    Drayce knew that he had to answer Rayjin in a way she would understand; otherwise, he could not coax her to remain behaved. He looked at the hand of the little girl and held it up.? He touched the tiny gold chain around her wrist that had a small but solid pendant with colorful threads hung to it.


    Drayce pointed at the bracelet. "Last time, you said it''s so heavy and ufortable, but you are wearing it."


    The girl nodded. "My grandpa gifted it to me on my birthday. He said I should wear it all the time as it''s something precious my great-grandma owned."


    "It''s the same for her too," Drayce exined and the little girl somehow understood.


    Still, she has another question. "But who gifted it to her?"


    "Her mother," Drayce replied.


    Though Seren was silent, with all this talk, she felt heavy in her heart and her eyes turned emotional. Maybe, it was because he mentioned her mother who she had never seen.


    "But how will we see her face? How will I know if she is pretty?" the curious little girl asked again.


    "Did you see her eyes?" Drayce asked.


    The girl approached Seren to see her eyes better. Seren immediately blinked so that no one would notice the moisture building up on them.


    Observing her eyes, the girl looked back at Drayce. "Wah! They are pretty! They sparkle like jewels!"


    "That is just her eyes. Do we need to see more then?" Drayce asked.


    "No! With her eyes alone, I think she is the prettiest," the girl said cheerfully. "Wait, no, second prettiest because I am the prettiest! Ah, no, third! Mother is the second prettiest!"


    Everyone in the drawing-room found her mumbling funny.


    The little girl then turned to observe the rest of Seren''s face. "What is that?"


    Drayce followed Rayjin''s sight which was fixed at Seren''s forehead. She was looking at the scales.


    "My Queen, can I hold your hand for a moment?"


    Seren didn''t know why but she just nodded. She didn''t want to interrupt the conversation between Drayce and Rayjin. Moreover, she herself was curious to know what Drayce thought about it and how he would answer the little girl.


    As Drayce was sitting on her right side, it was easy for him to get her right hand. He put his hand forward, palm up, and Seren put her hand on top of his. Drayce looked at Rayjin whose eyes were fixed on Seren''s hand that had blue golden scales on it.


    "This is a part of her skin," Drayce said as he caressed that scaly skin with his thumb.


    Rayjin felt an urge to copy him. "Can I touch it too? Can I?"


    "You should get her permission," Drayce replied.


    "Your Majesty, can I touch your skin?" she asked, her curious eyes blinking innocently.


    Seren had no will to deny the request from such an innocent and sweet girl and nodded to grant her request.


    Rayjin carefully touched the scaly skin with her little forefinger. "Wah! It''s really just skin!."


    Drayce smiled at her. "See, I told you."


    At first nce, anyone would think that those scales must be the same rough scales on a snake''s body, but if one were to touch it, they would realize it was more like a scale-like design made on the skin like a tattoo. If only the sense of sight was used, people would have the illusion of seeing rough and patchy scales like on the body of a reptile.


    Seren was taken aback with how the situation unfolded before her. She did not know what to feel as she stared at how those two were engrossed in studying her scales, forgetting about the others present in the drawing-room.


    The three Cromwell siblings, like their parents, were good at reading the atmosphere and understanding the hearts of people. Even without words, they realized the importance of what Drayce did today.


    Through the seemingly simple exchange between Drayce and Rayjin, Drayce must have given his queen assurance and strength. He knew many people in the future would ask the same question to her, so it was better for Seren to be prepared for it. Through this as well, he could convey to her that he didn''t care about her veil or her appearance. He was fine with however she was.


    ======


    Dear readers, about the character "Rayjin" the name is derived from the real name of reader "RMehrotra" the top fan of the novel. It''s my way of showing gratitude to her.


    In theing days, I will make such thank you gesture to other readers too.

 Chapter 184: What Is Breeding Bull?

    <h4>Chapter 184: What Is Breeding Bull?</h4>


    "Shall we leave? Leonard has prepared everything," An informed as he looked at Drayce.


    Drayce nodded while Seren was curious where they were going next.


    "Wah! Uncle An, are we really going out?" Rayjin asked.


    "Of course, you naughty little girl. We need to be good hosts to our guests," An replied.


    "Sadly, I can''t apany you all," Alveramented, looking a little regretful about not being able to go with them. Ever since she entered the household of the Duke of Wimark years ago, she was rarely able to step out of the duchal residence, both due to her duties of raising Rayjin as well as her tasks as ady of the house. It only became harder now she''s heavy with a child again. Not to mention, her two younger brothers were both adults with busy lives of their own, and as such, spending time together like the old days was a chance hard to get by.


    Seeing her low mood, An turned towards Lenard while shaking his head. "Oh, our poor sister! She must have no strength to y with us since Duke Wimark keeps her busy with his extreme activities."


    Lenard nodded, even deliberately looking at his sister''s round belly. "I think he should stop at three, or our sister will end up being a breeding cow."


    Alvera threw a? killing gaze at her mischievous brothers. "How dare you two disrespect my husband?"


    An immediately defended himself. "I said nothing. It''s Lenard!"


    Lenard was taken aback. He was simply teasing his elder sister. "When did I disrespect him?"


    An was smart enough to make the connection. He patted his brother''s shoulder and said, "By calling our sister a breeding cow, you have implied that her husband is a breeding bull."


    Leonard''s face turned awkward.. "Well,? Sister...I didn''t mean that. My apologies. Besides, the more children, the more prosperous the family..."


    "You should be careful when you know how much our sister loves her husband," An added, acting like a good brother.


    Lenard passed him a displeased look. "Brother, you are the one to start it. You always do this. Why do I even fall for it?"


    Someone there who was angrier at them and spoke out loud. "I will tell Father that Uncle Lenard called him a bull!" Rayjin stood there with an angry pout on her lips.


    Lenard immediately kneeled in front of her and offered her a wide smile. "I never said that word, didn''t I?"


    "Uncle An said you did! And you called Mother a breeding cow!"


    "I apologized to Sister, so no need to mention this to the duke. Be a good girl and keep Uncle''s mistake a secret, alright?" Lenard knew the character of his niece so he decided to coax her. "What do you want? Uncle will give you anything since you''re a good girl."


    "Anything?" Rayjin repeated.


    "Hmm." Lenard nodded.


    "I know what a bull is, but what is a breeding bull?" the little girl asked.


    Lenard felt like he had willingly stepped on thorns knowing they would hurt him and turned to look at his older sister and older brother for help.


    "Answer her now," was what Alvera said, while An shrugged his shoulders, as if to say, "Even I don''t know what it means."


    Seren who was silently observing these siblings also turned curious. She was also interested in knowing what a breeding bull is. Her expectant gaze was not missed by her husband.


    ''We have one more little girl here who knows nothing,'' Drayce thought.


    "Rayjin, why use Uncle''s promise for a mere question? Come, let''s hurry to go out and buy you whatever you want."


    The little girl insisted. "No, I want to know it! Is it a magical bull?"


    "No, it''s not an animal��"


    "But a bull is an animal. Mother taught me!"


    Knowing how stubborn this little girl could be, Lenard reluctantly cleared his throat. "Well, it is a term used to refer to men. it means... a man who loves his wife a lot. Your father loves your mother a lot so he is a breeding bull."


    "Ohh," Rayjin said with her tiny lips pouted out as saying big O and looked like she understood it clearly.


    Just like her, Seren too learned a new fascinating term, but only one man was paying attention to her and realized this.


    Seeing her niece''s expression, Lenard added, "But don''t tell men these straight to their faces, or they will get very very embarrassed!"


    However, whether Rayjin would listen or not, nobody knew.


    Lenard stood up, feeling like he had just saved a world, but his happiness didn''tst long as he realized the strange atmosphere in the drawing-room.


    An mumbled to his sister, "I hope your daughter won''t go around calling each married man a breeding bull."


    Alvera too looked worried and said in a low voice, "I am having a bad feeling about it too. Our little brother needs a nice beating from me."


    "I will always support you. Just beat up him nicely," An whispered back.


    While these two were busy conspiring against their little brother, they didn''t know the worry they had woulde true at this very moment.


    Rayjin looked at Drayce and asked, "Dray, do you love your wife a lot too? Are you a breeding bull too? "


    Drayce, who was initially smiling over the little girl''s conversation with her uncle, froze in shock. He looked at Seren who happened to be looking back at him as well. Her purple eyes held curiosity, but what question they were, he didn''t know.


    The other three in the room were equally shocked, and they exchanged meaningful gazes with each other.


    Drayce didn''t know how to answer. It was easy to simply agree with the child, but it would be hard to clear up what he was agreeing to with his own wife, as it would not be the truth. Or at least, not the entire truth. He still had to exin to her what happened this morning...


    -----


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 Chapter 185: [Bonus Chapter]Softer Than Comforting Pillow

    <h4>Chapter 185: [Bonus Chapter]Softer Than Comforting Pillow</h4>


    "For the first time, I see someone turning this devil speechless," Anmented and looked at Rayjin with approval. "I am so proud of you, my little niece."


    Drayce offered him a displeased look and then returned his attention to Rayjin. "Every husband loves his wife. Now can we leave? If we arete, I might not apany you." It was clear to the Cromwell siblings that Drayce avoided answering the other question, but nobody pointed that out.


    Rayjin panicked. She wanted to go out and y with Drayce. "Wah! Let''s go! I don''t want to bete."


    Seren lowered her gaze as she thought about her husband''s answer. ''So since he''s saying he loves me as his wife, that means he is a breeding bull too, isn''t he? And I''m a cow? It''s really weird wording. No wonder the Second Prince is embarrassed. But I wonder what this love between a breeding bull and cow means. Is love a special gift? I don''t understand.''


    Just as they all turned to leave the drawing-room, Rayjin ran towards Seren. "Your Majesty, can I hold your hand?"


    The little girl''s attention on her puzzled Seren, but looking at those sparkling and hopeful eyes filled with innocence, she could only nod.


    Rayjin immediately held her right hand, even squeezing yfully, not minding the scales in that hand.


    "Your Majesty, your hand is so soft." The little girl held her hand with both hands, yfully stroking and poking with a smile.


    ''Of course, it''s really soft like cotton,'' Drayce could not help but inwardly agree. ''Not only her hand but also her entire body is soft, so soft she''s even moreforting than a? pillow��''


    Drayce immediately stopped thinking asfort was a taboo creating a mess between him and his wife.


    Seren again didn''t know how to react, but she wanted to let this little girl know she liked her. She then remembered what Queen Julien said to her earlier that made her feel warm.? "Please don''t call me Your Majesty. You can call me Seren."


    Hearing how the Royal Family of Cromwell converse with each other had a huge impact on Seren.


    "Really? But...Mother said��" The girl looked hesitant due to the strict instructions she got from her mother.


    "You call His Majesty by his name so you can call me by name too."


    Hearing her initiate something on her own, Drayce stared at his queen with a small smile on his handsome face. Seren was a quiet young woman. She didn''t talk much with others, even to her own servants, and much less with him, other than the few words she said in response to his questions. He could not help but push his luck.


    "My Queen, you can also call me by name," he said, wondering how his name would sound if she were to say it out loud.


    Seren didn''t even look at him. "I dare not, Your Majesty. I amfortable with calling you the way I do."


    The Cromwell siblings could only smile at Drayce''s attempt. From their interactions so far, even Alvera who had met Seren for the first time could guess this young couple was not a normal pair of husband and wife.


    "Seren!" Rayjin called out her name with a wide toothy smile.


    Alvera immediately came forward with a small bow. "Your Majesty, pardon her. She is still so young."


    Seren looked at the duchess. "It''s fine. I liked it when she called my name."


    "We are spoiling her with too much love, and soon, she will forget her manners and etiquette," Alvera said with a motherly scolding tone directed at her daughter, apanied by a narrow-eyed look that meant the young girl would be taught discipline at home.


    The pregnant duchess then turned to An. "Because of you, she started calling Dray by his name, and now she is doing the same with Her Majesty. You are the one responsible for her poor manners."


    "I think we are forgetting something here," Anmented.


    "What?" Alvera asked.


    An looked at Rayjin. "My cute little niece, can you tell us other than me from whom you learned to call him Dray?"


    "Mother. Mother always calls him Dray," Rayjin answered.


    An gave his sister a meaningful look and said nothing.


    Alvera was taken aback a little and said, "Well... I am older than him so I can call him that."


    "It''s fine, Sister Vera. Rayjin can always call me by my name, and she can also address my wife by her name since my wife likes it."


    Seren smiled at the little girl who looked back at her with a chuckle after getting the permission to call her by name. Seren can''t help but think, ''So adorable this little girl is.''


    The reason Seren asked to be called by her name was because there was no one who called her name often. Martha always addressed her as ''mydy'', and the others called her ''Her Highness'', ''Third Princess'' or ''witch''. Even her own father, King Armen, called her Third Princess. Now she became queen, her address was changed to ''Her Majesty'' and ''Queen of Megaris''. Only Cian called her by name, but it was so rare since he normally addressed her as ''sister'' on those few times he visited her in her garden. She had no friends and no one around who would keep calling her name. Sometimes, she felt like she would probably forget her own name fromck of use.


    Their group finally left the drawing-room to return to their own chambers, agreeing to meet each other again in an hour.


    Since they nned to enjoy their time outside, they had changed into clothes that were worn by ordinary nobles, as going outside the pce walls as royals was troublesome, and they wished to get attention from neither the fawning nobles nor the ordinary people. The purpose was to show the city to the Queen of Megaris, and it was necessary for their trip to go smoothly without anyone troubling them.


    An hourter, the First and Second Prince of Griven, the King and Queen of Megaris, and the youngdy of the Wimark Family met each other in front of one of the side pces. Two carriages without the crest of the royal family were prepared, and even the apanying knights were wearing cloaks and ordinary clothes.


    This secretive trip somehow reminded Seren of Martha whenever they sneak out of the pce.


    "It will be fun today," the little girl said to Seren to which she nodded.


    Seren could rte to Rayjin''s excitement. It seemed that this was not the first time the little girl had done something like this.


    Seren and Drayce sat inside one carriage together with Rayjin, while the Cromwell siblings sat in another carriage. They left the pce through a side entrance with the disguised royal guards following them in secret.

 Chapter 186: Praising Her Eyes

    <h4>Chapter 186: Praising Her Eyes</h4>


    The in-looking carriages drove towards the central district of Karlin, where most of the shops and boutiques inside the city could be found. Inside one of the carriages, Seren and Rayjin sat side by side while Drayce sat opposite to them.


    Since it was only an ordinary carriage and there were three passengers this time, the space inside was smaller than what Seren was used to. Not to mention, the handsome man in front of her was making her feel more ufortable than usual for some odd reason. Although she should have gotten used to those red eyes following her every move, today, they made her somehow flustered. Seren tried her best to not look at their owner. She pushed the window curtain to one side and looked outside through the ss window.


    Drayce did not strike a conversation with her. He didn''t disturb his queen as he knew she was curious about each new ce they visit. He could only wonder how special this trip was for ady like her who had never stepped out of the capital of Abetha. Being able to travel here and there was nothing special for him, but there was a time in his life when he too was desperate to go out and see the entire world.


    Rayjin, who saw Seren looking out of the window, asked in a curious voice, "Seren, is it your first timeing to the market?"


    Seren looked back at her and nodded, not rifying that not only was it her first time visiting the marketce, but it was also her first timeing to the capital city of Griven.


    "I have been here so many times with Uncle An and Dray," she informed and apanied Seren to look out of the window.


    Seren observed her surroundings. Karlin, the capital of Griven, was blessed with more greenery than any of the cities they had visited, and it had pleasant weather conditions, although it did seem colder than what she was used to, perhaps due to the capital being surrounded by mountains. If she were topare Karlin to the capital of Abetha, the roads here were wider, and the buildings and residences more spacious than in her hometown.


    She observed the people walking along the streets. It appeared that there was a little difference in the style of clothes they worepared to what people in Abetha wore, just that themon people dress warmly, with additional coats and gloves. It was to be expected since Abetha and Griven were neighboring kingdoms.


    Soon, their group reached the central district, closer to the marketce frequented by themon people, and the carriages stopped in a secluded ce. Drayce stepped out first, carrying the little girl Rayjin in his arms to help her climb down the carriage.


    "Thank you, Dray!" Rayjin smiled before rushing to apany her two uncles who also climbed down from their carriages.


    Drayce offered his hand to Seren, which she readily epted, and he helped her climb down the carriage. Due to her long and fluffy skirt, she couldn''t see the small rock on the ground just beside the footstool, and she ended up tripping on it.


    Drayce easily caught her.


    The young queen ended up in her husband''s arms, leaving no distance between their bodies as his strong arms enveloped her with warmth. Seren gulped as she felt her heart make a wild jump. Her face was buried against his strong muscr chest, making her inevitably recall a beautiful image she had seen before.


    ''What do I do?'' Though she did not understand why she was bing flustered once again. ''Do I push him away? Should I wait for him to push me away?''


    Tactfully, An signaled Lenard to walk away and they stepped away to go inside the market with Rayjin.


    The confused Seren stood unmoving like a statue while taking her husband''s support until she heard him ask, "Are you all right, my Queen?".


    Hearing such a polite and soft toneing from him��though it didn''t lose that signature coldness in it��Seren finally made herself move to look up at his face. Their faces were so close, her purple eyes could be reflected on his red eyes.


    The way he looked at her made her flustered heart skip a beat. Red eyes that reminded her of living mes��


    Her mind was at such a loss, she did not even realize how long she''d been staring at his cold handsome face. She simply couldn''t move her gaze away from this man.


    "Are you all right, my Queen?" he asked again.


    His low voice pulled her back to the present, and she hurried to step aside to get away from him.


    "I-I am fine, Your Majesty," she replied. She could still feel her heart beating faster than normal, but she managed to school her expression and pretend to beposed anddylike.


    "Shall we?" he asked and she nodded.


    "This way," he instructed towards the direction where An had left��a crowded street with many shops simr to what she had seen in the border city under the Loyset Family.


    As they walked side by side, Drayce tried to start a conversation. "It''s simr to the capital of Abetha, isn''t it?"


    Seren nodded. "Just a little more crowded."


    As the kingdom in the centermost region of the continent, Abetha was renowned for its wealth due tomerce and trade, and it was in fact the kingdom with the biggest and busiest marketces and merchant cities. All goods to be exchanged between the eastern and western kingdoms had to pass through Abetha. That was one of the reasons why Thevailes and the other kingdoms were eyeing its strategic position with envy, to the point they were willing to stage war. However, Seren was ignorant of that. She could only say that the marketce of the capital of Abetha was less crowded since Martha and Cian only brought her to the areas meant for the middle ss and the nobility. Of course, this would give Seren a wrong impression.


    Drayce did not bother to correct her, but knowing how she did not like crowds, heforted her. "Rest assured, my Queen. I am here to take care of it for you."


    There was no need for him to say it aloud as Seren was already under his protection the moment they stepped on the crowded street. He guided her way and took great care that she wouldn''t bump into anyone.


    If someone approached her even by a mistake, Drayce would put his hand around her shoulder and pull her closer to him. Seren could not even say anything since he was so quick, he moved before she could react. Those people she was yet to see, he would protect her from bumping into them without even looking at them. Even more amazing, his swift moves didn''t disturb their original walking pace.


    Soon, they found An, Lenard, and Rayjin in front of one sweet candy shop. The Cromwell princes were tall men, making them easy to spot despite the crowd. When Seren and Drayce reached the three, it was obvious that Rayjin wanted to buy local sweets as she was jumping up and down on her ce. The stall owner was preparing the candy for her on one thin wooden stick.


    Rayjin saw Seren arriving and remembered that this was her first time in the market. "Seren! Let''s make one for you too. It''s so tasty. You will definitely love it!"


    "N-No, I don''t��."


    "Try it please," Rayjin insisted, holding Seren''s hand and looking up at her with pleading in her eyes.


    "Fine," Seren agreed.


    Drayce noticed how easily Seren and Rayjin talked; both werefortable with each other upon their first meeting. He was happy that Seren was opening up and deciding for herself without asking anyone.


    An and Lenard passed him a teasing smile. They knew a certain king couldn''t stop worrying and thinking about his young wife.


    Drayce ignored those two as if he didn''t see them.


    Soon, candies of two different shapes were ready, one in the shape of a flower and another one in the shape of a butterfly.


    "Seren, which one do you want?" Rayjin asked.


    "Whichever you want to give me," Seren replied.


    "You have pretty purple eyes so this pretty purple butterfly candy is for you." Rayjin offered her the candy stick which had a small butterfly.


    Seren epted it but didn''t eat it.


    "Why are you not tasting it?" Rayjin asked after she had a tiny bite of that soft candy. "Don''t you like candies?"


    Drayce knew what was the reason. He lowered his head to whisper in his wife''s ear. "Feel free to do what you like. Eat if you want to eat. No need to be bothered by others."


    With great reluctance, Seren moved her veil a little and had a bite under the veil. Only when Rayjin was satisfied did their group continue to walk. An and Lenard already walked ahead while the three followed behind with Drayce holding Rayjin''s free hand.


    Rayjin looked at Drayce while eating the candy. "Dray, what will you gift me this time?"


    Drayce looked at her and asked, "What do you want, littledy?"


    "Umm..." Rayjin thought as she looked around the street. Her sight caught a glimpse of the closest jewelry shop and she pointed there. "I want to go to that shop."


    Only the three of them entered the jewelry shop, as An and Lenard loitered in nearby shops. Seren only stood inside to apany the little girl as she enjoyed watching Rayjin''s reactions but had no n of buying anything.


    "I want that." Rayjin pointed out one tiny baby hairpin which had ordinary gems embedded in it.


    The shop owner handed it to Rayjin, and she looked at Drayce. "This one!"


    Drayce nodded. "That''s it?"


    "Hmm, I will keep the rest for the next time," Rayjin said as she turned to pass it to Drayce. "Dray, put it in my hair."


    Dumbfounded, Drayce looked at the delicate item in her hand without moving an inch. His gaze flitted between the hairpin on her palm and the little girl who was wearing a brilliant smile on her face. He eyed her tiny head that had a rich crown of brown hair braided nicely up till her elbows.


    "Hurry up," Rayjin said.


    Drayce epted the hairpin from her, and Rayjin turned around to make it easier for him.


    Unfortunately, Drayce didn''t know where to put the hairpin on that little head. He tried to remember how women did it, but to his surprise, he found that he could not recall anything of the sort. He wasn''t one to pay attention to fashionable female wear, much fewer essories. He knew how to stab a person, but not how to put a hairpin.


    An aplished king like him, who had solved lots of difficulties on his path and who had nned countless difficult missions, was bothered by something so trivial. The ignorant onlookers around them found the handsome man''s confused expression secretly funny. Sadly, An was not with them, or else Drayce would have been teased to no end.


    Seren understood his dilemma. She pointed at the back of Rayjin''s hair where the braid started. "Here."


    Drayce looked at her and then looked at where she pointed. He just nodded and observed the hairpin in his hand to see how to attach it to the hair. A ribbon could be tied, a clip could be fastened, but a hairpin...


    "Dray, are you still not done?" Rayjin called out.


    Seeing the impatient little girl and the red-eyed man who was slow to react, Seren did something her husband had never seen her do before��initiate to help people. She wordlessly put forward her hand palm up, and he gave the hairpin to her. With a nimble flip of a hand, she then proceeded to pull out a tiny pointed metal rod from the pin before putting the top part of the hairpin at the start of the hair braid. She fixed the tiny metal rod under the hairpin in a way it managed to grab enough part of the hair, fixing the pin in ce.


    Drayce observed the entire thing in stunned silence. ''She makes it look so easy, but why did it seem so difficult to me?''


    "It''s done," Seren informed Rayjin.


    Rayjin touched the back of her head and gave them the sweetest smile. "Thank you! Hee hee, I look like my mother. She wears it the same."


    Seren smiled back at the adorable girl, only to hear one more demand from her. "Seren, you too buy one for yourself too! It will look good on you."


    "No need. I already have enough of them," Seren countered.


    Just the wedding gifts from the groom before her wedding gave her dozens of hair ornaments of the most luxurious kind. As a princess, she also nevercked jewelry and essories even though she was isted in her residence. It wasn''t that she had no assets of her own; it was merely her personal preference to choose simplicity andfort over extravagance and fashion. In fact, she preferred not to be burdened by heavy jeweled hair ornaments, opting for the simplest ones thatmoners use.


    However, none of herpanions listened to her.


    "Which one do you like for her?" Drayce asked Rayjin, ignoring what Seren had just said.


    Rayjin put on an adorably serious face as she let her eyes roam the disy. She pointed towards one pin.. "That one. The purple stone that looks like her pretty eyes."


    The shop owner picked it up and handed it to Drayce and he looked at Rayjin. "This one?"


    "Hmm." Rayjin nodded and looked at Seren. "Wear this."


    Seren couldn''t help but feel moved at the girl''s thoughtful gesture. Everyone in Abetha thought of her eyes as ominous things, but Rayjin sincerely praised them again and again. She had no heart to deny her little request.


    Seren merely nodded to show she''d be epting this sign of goodwill. "I am already wearing one so I will wear your gift once we return to the pce."


    Before Rayjin could say anything, Drayce said, "Let me help you."


    Seren did not even have a chance to react as Drayce was already standing behind her. After seeing Seren putting the hairpin on Rayjin''s hair, he could easily figure out how to remove the hairpin on her reddish-brown hair without messing up a single strand of hair. Drayce skillfully repeated what Seren did when she put that tiny hairpin in Rayjin''s hair.


    "It''s done," he said as he admired his queen.


    "I want to see!" Rayjin said as she couldn''t see it due to her small height.


    Drayce picked her up in his arms and she finally saw it. "It''s so pretty. I knew it would look good on Seren."


    Drayce smiled and looked at the little girl in his arms. "You have good taste."


    Seren turned to look at them, not knowing what to say when she saw Drayce smiling at Rayjin. At this moment, d in simple clothes, with a gentle expression on his face, the red-eyed man she used to fear so much looked like a beautiful piece of art. She couldn''t deny that he didn''t look scary at this moment, as if he was an entirely new person.


    She could not take her gaze away from him despite knowing he was scary...or was he not?

 Chapter 187: Different Kind Of Plays

    <h4>Chapter 187: Different Kind Of ys</h4>


    An and Lenard witnessed what was going on between the three. When they saw Drayce putting a hairpin in Seren''s hair, both were surprised.


    "He has changed a lot," Lenardmented.


    An agreed, "A good change indeed."


    Lenard thought about something, "I can''t believe he is the same person once I was scared to even look at. I wonder if she will see his other side, will she be able to handle it."


    "Rest assured. She herself doesn''t seem to be an ordinary person. If there is someone who can handle his other side, that person must be only her," An replied.


    An had witnessed so many things about Seren. He didn''t know what kind of person she was or what kind of powers she had but he was sure there was something extraordinary about her just like his dear friend Drayce.


    He had seen flowers blooming because she was happy. Though it was impossible to believe, there was no other exnation. Moreover, he had witnessed his friend''s extraordinary powers before, so it was not difficult for him to believe in the existence of any supernatural thing. But he never thought there was someone else too who was like his friend, and that person will eventually be the Queen of Megaris.


    "I believe if fate has brought them together, that means they are meant to be."


    "Hmm," Lenard agreed.


    -------


    Drayce looked back at Seren, who was looking at him. The smile on his face was still the same, which appeared when he talked with Rayjin.


    Seren Averted her sight from him and acted as if she looked around the market to see what more was there. She could still feel her heart beating faster, and this scary man was the reason for it. This time, the only difference she felt was her heart was not affected by his scariness but by seeing his gentle side.


    Drayce put Rayjin down, and they walked ahead. Drayce saw An and Lenard looking at them from a distance and didn''t fail to notice meaningful smiles on both of their faces that meant to tease him.


    "Dray, are we going to theke today?" Rayjin asked while walking with him.


    "Do you want to go there?" Drayce asked her back.


    Rayjin nodded excitedly, "Seren would also like to go there just like I do."


    "As you wish," Drayce said, and they apanied An and Lenard.


    Walking, they came in front of one luxurious-looking building, and Rayjin eximed, "I want to go there."


    Everyone looked at where she pointed, and it was an opera house.


    An looked at her, "Littledy, kids are not allowed there."


    Rayjin pouted, "Why? I want to go there. Even my mother and father had gone there. Once I heard them talking. They didn''t take me with them." Her face became even sadder.


    "When you are a bit older, you can go there," An said.


    "I want to go now," she insisted and folded her hands in front of her chest firmly and still had those pouting expressions.


    Lenard whispered to An, "During the day, ys are normal. Isn''t she allowed?"


    "Rules are rules, and as Royals here, we should not be the ones to break them," An replied in a firm tone which Rayjin should understand.


    Drayce patted upset little Lady''s head, "Rayjin if we go there now, we can''t go to the Lake. Don''t you want Her Majesty to visit theke?" Drayce asked.


    Rayjin stopped pouting and looked at Seren. "But she must want to see the Opera house just like me."


    "My Queen, do you wish to visit the Opera house?" Drayce asked as he looked at her.


    Seren didn''t understand why they couldn''t take Rayjin to the opera house, but as others didn''t want to take her there, she wanted the same, thinking it must not be good for her.


    "I like visiting theke most," Seren replied.


    "Umm...Fine then. We will go to theke," Rayjin finally agreed.


    As expected of Drayce, his innocent but smart wife could understand the situation really well and decide ordingly. They finally left the ce to visit more ces in the market.


    Seren was still thinking about why Rayjin couldn''t visit the Opera house. She had visited the one in Abetha with her brother, and everything seemed fine to her. But there too she didn''t see any kids inside the Opera house and the reason she didn''t understand.


    The young Queen had just seen the normal y as Cian was careful of what he could show his innocent sister and made arrangements ordingly, so she was not aware of why kids were not allowed there.


    An and Lenard walked ahead, and they took Rayjin with them.


    "My Queen, have you visited the Opera house before?" Drayce asked.


    "Yes, Your Majesty. But only once," she replied.


    It surprised Drayce. He thought her nanny must have taken her there but then thought howe she was not aware of anything. She must have seen ys that showed the affection between two people, and most of the time, they showed the intimacy between the two people. Her nanny would surely not show her what this innocent woman couldn''t handle but still��.


    "May I know what kind of y you have seen?" Drayce asked, expecting to hear something exciting, but he didn''t know it would be something opposite.


    "It was about a little girl and her lost pet and how her family helps her," she replied.


    "Did you enjoy it, My Queen?"


    Seren nodded, "Even brother Cian liked it," she replied, remembering those happy memories with her brother.


    Now Drayce understood that Cian was the one to take her there and couldn''t help but smile. ''That smart brother showed her some kid''s y. Very well. She can watch other ys with me.''


    "Other than that, there are different kinds of ys. I will make sure my Queen watches them all once we go to Megaris," Drayce informed.


    Seren could only nod, not knowing what kind of ys Drayce referred to.


    Just then, they heard one more demand from the littledy Rayjin, "Uncle Lenard, I want that doll."


    Lenard, who was holding her hand, could onlyply with the demands of the littledy and walked towards where she dragged him. Rayjin stopped and ran back to Seren, "Seren,e with me."


    Seren looked at Drayce, and he replied, "I told you, you are free to do whatever you like, My Queen."


    With a slight nod, she left with Rayjin while An apanied his friend.


    "Do you want me to book an entire opera house for you tonight?" An asked.


    "No need," Drayce replied as his eyes were fixed on his queen, who was standing with Rayjin in the toy shop.


    "But you look like you want to."


    "Hmm," Drayce agreed and said, "But it''s not the right time. I have already scared her enough."


    "Did you show her the devil inside you or what?" An asked casually, not knowing it was the case.


    Drayce nodded, "Something like that.

 Chapter 188: Trust Me

    <h4>Chapter 188: Trust Me</h4>


    An didn''t expect it at all and looked at Drayce surprisingly, "Did she do something to anger you?"


    Drayce shook his head as he himself was surprised at what caused that devil toe out.


    "Then?" An asked.


    "Even I don''t know why?" Drayce replied; worry was evident in his eyes.


    An could sense the worry in him and asked, "Are you scared it might hurt her?"


    Drayce nodded lightly, "It almost did today."


    "What do you n to do now?"


    "I need to talk to Tyra once I go to Megaris," He replied.


    "She is the only one who can answer you," An added as he too looked worried.


    An, who had witnessed the devil inside him would know what it meant to face him and An felt worried for Seren and his friend too.


    "For now let''s just enjoy what we are here for. She seems happy," An suggested and Drayce agreed.


    Just then Rayjin returned to them holding a doll which had the imitation of the same clothes and the jewelry any noble woman wore.


    "Isn''t she pretty?" Rayjin asked her uncle An and Drayce.


    "It is," both agreed.


    They visited the various ces in the market and then went to visit the famouske outside the city riding the carriages.


    They reached a hugeke surrounded by greenery and beautiful flowers blooming on them. Theke had various cottages around it where nobles could spend their time and enjoy the view of that hugeke while standing on the balcony.


    One cottage was meant for these Royals and went there as the disguised royal guards had already made arrangements for them. The cottage had a high base settled on huge wooden blocks and to get inside, one needed to climb the small set of stairs. They reached the balcony of the cottage that faced theke and where the chairs were arranged around the round table with some snacks on it. This much height was enough to take an entire view of theke which was already below ground level.


    Seren stood by the wooden railing of the balcony as everything seemed so pleasant and calm there. She could feel her mind and heart at peace. Strangely she felt she was always so happy when she was surrounded by nature and its beauty, she felt at home.


    Drayce observed her and could see she was unusually calm but looked at peace.


    "Dray, take me to y in the water," Rayjin said but before Drayce could agree, An spoke, "Today, uncle An will take you there," and lifted her in his arms.


    Both An and Lenard left with Rayjin, leaving Seren and Drayce at the cottage.


    Drayce stood beside her, "Did you like it here, my Queen?"


    Still staring at theke, she nodded subconsciously, not realizing only she and Drayce were left.


    "It''s even bigger than theke in the Pce of Abetha," she added.


    "In Megaris, we have ake even bigger than this. I hope it will be as per my Queen''s liking," Drayce informed.


    "Nature is beautiful despite where we are," she said.


    Drayce looked at her and observed her from the side. As she stared ahead and talked, she didn''t seem like the same innocent woman but a mature one. Surrounded by nature, can it change her like this?


    Drayce felt like it was a good opportunity to have a clear talk with her when she was rxed and might understand him. He didn''t want her to keep feeling scared once they returned and she tried to hide from him or avoid him.


    "I wish to talk about something with you, my Queen," he finally spoke.


    Seren paused for a moment and then hummed, not daring to look at him.


    "What happened in the morning, I didn''t mean to hurt you."


    She just heard him but didn''t react, as she lowered her eyes. When he mentioned it, she felt something different.


    ''What is it? Why am I feeling embarrassed suddenly instead of feeling scared of him if he bites me again? What is wrong with me? Is it like after that shocking incident in the Abetha, my brain had stopped working properly, and it can''t understand what I should feel in certain situations? Is my brain confused?''


    "I can''t exin why it happened but I can assure you that it won''t happen again," Drayce said and it pulled her out of her chaotic thoughts.


    She heard him again, "You don''t have to be scared of me. I don''t n to harm you. You are my wife so I will protect you from any harm. I just wish you to trust me."


    His words felt genuine to her and she looked at him who was already looking at her. His red eyes, which she always thought of as scary eyes, looked gentle and carried warmth in them that she felt like to trust him.


    She nodded looking into his eyes and then resumed what she was doing- staring at theke.


    They heard Ryajin, "Dray-Seren,e here. It''s fun here."


    "Shall we?" Drayce asked and Seren nodded lightly.


    The two stepped out of the cottage and went near theke where a little girl was standing in the water only to dip her fit into them and held Lenard''s hand for the support to stand.


    "Come here," Rayjin insisted Seren.


    Seren, who looked conflicted whether she should go or not, heard Drayce, "It would be better if my Queen removed her footwear before going into the water."


    It was indirect approval from him. Seren removed her footwear and went towards Rayjin as she dipped her feet in the shallow water. The water was cold and felt pleasant to her feet.


    Rayjin was giggling while enjoying it and Seren couldn''t hold her smile back looking at her and how pleasant she felt in the water.


    As usual, the true happiness inside her showed the effect and already blossomed trees and nts had even more flowers blooming on them. The flower buds which had time to bloom into beautiful flowers were already converted into them and the entire ce looked heavenly.


    Drayce and An felt nothing unusual but Lenard and Rayjin were surprised.


    "It''s so beautiful," Rayjin eximed while Lenard looked at Drayce and An as if asking the confirmation for something to which An nodded.


    What Lenard heard about Seren was true. She had the ability to make the entire ce blossom like this.


    Everyone around theke was surprised by this and enjoyed this change in the surroundings though they didn''t know the reason.


    They returned to the cottage and enjoyed the snacks and the tea arranged for them.


    After visiting theke, they returned to the pce byte noon where someone had reached a while ago and had just stepped out of the carriage.

 Chapter 189: Missing Betrothed Princess

    <h4>Chapter 189: Missing Betrothed Princess</h4>


    Rayjin stepped out of the carriage as Drayce helped her and looked at the other carriage where one familiar person was already present while talking to her mother and the servant''s apanied them.


    "Father!" Saying loudly with a voice full of happiness and excitement, the littledy ran towards them.


    The man picked her up in his arms and smiled at her, "Where has my princess gone?"


    "I went out with my uncles," she replied and looked at others who stepped out of the carriage.


    Duke Rhys Wimark, Ryajin''s father and Alvera''s husband, looked at everyone who walked towards them. Duke Wimark was a tall and handsome-looking man but older in age than the other three walking towards him.


    The brown-haired man wore a knee-length outer deep brown robe that had gold essories fixed on it at the shoulder and handcuffs and its buttons left open to show the white shirt and deep brown waistcoat with same color pants. His feet had well-polished boots and every inch of his clothing showed the royalty. His brown eyes emitted the warmth that he had after seeing his adorable daughter and well carved fair-skinned face looked even brighter with the pleasant smile he had.


    He put Ryajin down and greeted everyone and bowed to Drayce and Seren. He was aware of the wedding between the King of Megaris and the rumored third Princess of Abetha so he knew who was thedy who apanied Drayce.


    "Greetings, Your Majesty King and the Queen of Megaris."


    Drayce epted the greetings with a light nod, "Good see you here, Duke Wimark."


    Seren just stood quietly. When Rayjin called this man a father, she understood who he was.


    Drayce introduced him to Seren, "He is Duke Rhys Wimark. Rayjin''s father."


    Seren greeted him with a slight nod and the man did the same. They all went inside to the drawing-room where they all could talk while sittingfortably in the chairs.


    The drinks were given to everyone as they were tired due to the journey.


    Just as they were about to start the talk, Ryajin who sat in her father''sp, said out loud, "Father, uncle Lenard told me you are a breeding bull."


    Cough! Cough!


    Lenard coughed out the water while Duke Wimark almost choked with it, looking at his daughter in disbelief.


    "Rayjin!" Alvera eximed, "Come here."


    Feeling scared with her mother''s re, Rayjin immediately stepped down from his father''sp.


    Duke Wimark looked at his wife and said, "It''s fine," and held his daughter closer who was scared with how her mother suddenly eximed at her.


    An smiled lightly, Drayce had the neutral expression while the young Queen had no idea what it was about but thought, ''It is surely a weirdparison. Why call a human a cow and bull? I would never like it if they called me a cow. They can call him whatever they want, bull or anything but I won''t be a cow.''


    "Apologies, Duke Wimark. I didn''t mean to��" Lenard felt a loss for words.


    Duke Wimark was used to such incidents between them when these brothers and their only sister teased each other. He also knew his daughter who would take a word to its exact meaning as she was innocent to understand everything.


    He first looked at his daughter and said, "Father has brought a gift for you."


    The eyes of the sad girl brightened up, "Really? Where is it?"


    "I will give you for sure but before that, you have to assure me something."


    "I will."


    "You have to give me a word that you will never mention breeding bull words ever again."


    "I give my words to father. I will never mention it," she said confidently.


    "Do you remember what I always say?" Duke Wimark asked.


    Rayjin nodded, "We Wimark always keep our word, If we go back on them, our ancestors will punish us."


    "So you have to keep our word now."


    "I will, father. Now where is my gift?" she asked excitedly.


    "It''s already sent to your room, Rayjin," Alvera said and signaled her servant, "Take Rayjin to her room."


    "Thank you, father." Saying bye to others, she went with the servant.


    Duke Wimark looked at the silent and apologetic-looking Prince Lenard and smiled at him, "Second Prince Lenard, I appreciate that you acknowledge my abilities to the extent of calling me a breeding bull, but it''s not good to call your delicate and pretty sister a cow."


    Lenard felt relieved that Duke was not offended by his words and smiled back.


    An sighed andmented, "Too much love here, huh? My sister felt bad to address her husband as a bull and the husband feels bad for a wife."


    "Are you jealous, my dear brother," Alvera asked before she smiled at her husband.


    "Single man like me can only feel jealous."


    "Don''t worry. We will soon find your betrothed Princess," Alvera assured.


    "There is nothing to worry about. If we could not find her, I will just marry the one I like. Also, it will allow me to be a happy single soul for long," An replied.


    Alvera looked at her husband and then Drayce, "They were rumored to be around the border of Griven and Megaris. Is there no news?"


    "Not yer," Duke Wimark replied and informed. "I and Marquis Kayden Hart from Megaris border territory are working on it.


    "Last time he informed me about the positive result. We hope to find them soon," Drayce informed.


    An looked at Drayce, "You can ask Marquise Hart to slow it down. I am not in a hurry at all. Her grandpa did the best thing by hiding her years back and I don''t want any of you to waste his efforts. Let that old man enjoy his sessful efforts."


    "Though you are not in a hurry, this kingdom is in a hurry to get its new King and Queen. Once we find them, your coronation will happen soon," Alvera countered.


    An could only sigh as if he didn''t want it so soon, "I would like to wander around for long before that Coronation. Once we find them, I will reward that old man for sure. The longer I have to wait, the bigger reward he will get."


    Seren couldn''t understand the entire thing they were talking about. She only understood- Prince An had a betrothed wife but she was not here and someone hid her and the person seems to be her grandpa.


    Drayce looked at Seren who seemed to be tired and said, "My Queen, you must be tired. You can return to our chamber and rest," Drayce instructed.

 Chapter 190: Help To Calm Down A Heart

    <h4>Chapter 190: Help To Calm Down A Heart</h4>


    Seren felt relieved as she felt her presence was not necessary there and was ready to leave as Eva and Marrie were already present there to serve their Queen.


    "Your Majesty, this way, please" Marrie instructed and two more Griven Royal servants apanied them. Eva and Married being new in Griven pce always needed assistance from the royal servants assigned to help them.


    Seren left and others continued their political talk.


    "How are the things at the border?" Drayce asked.


    "Everything is peaceful with the cooperation from Megaris border territory owner, Marquis Hart," Duke Wimark replied.


    "Good to know," Draycemented.


    Duke Wimark was a wealthy person who had control over the entire Griven territory that shared a border with Megaris. He was powerful and could control the various things at the border including various businesses and import-export. He had contacts with the various important sources that aided in the betterment of Griven.


    King of Griven decided to give him his only daughter to secure his strong rtionship with him and there would not be any conflicts between them in the future as those conflicts might end up against them. Moreover, Duke Wimark was known to be a good person who followed the rules and morals.


    He kept traveling a lot and couldn''t apany Alvera in her needed conditions so she had been brought to the Royal family, to her parents'' home to deliver her baby and to take care of her.


    After talking for some time, everyone departed to their rooms while Drayce and An went to visit Drayce''s knights and soldiers who got enough time to rest after reaching Griven.


    --------


    The day passed by and it was the night, a time to depart to sleep after a tiring day. Seren was ready to sleep after Eva and Marie helped her with a bath and changing into night clothes and left.


    Drayce came to the chamber and looked at his queen who was already in bed, sleeping at her one side and facing her back to him. It was an obvious reaction he expected from her when he would go back to the chamber so he didn''t feel bad about it.


    Removing his clothes as usual he went to have a bath which had been already prepared for him by the servants.


    Seren was aware of When Drayce entered the chamber and went to have a bath but she didn''t show any movement and preferred to act like she was asleep. He had assured her that he would not hurt her and she trusted his genuine words. But there was something else that made her wary of him. The new kind of feelings she was experiencing but didn''t know what it was and could only feel scared of it. She was scared how her heart raced faster and her breathing turned shallow whenever he came closer to her or touched her.


    Seren remembered what happened in the morning. Everything seemed fine until he bit her and scared her. Before that what he did was somewhere pleasant to her senses though she felt anxious with what was happening with her. She remembered the touch of his fingers when he slid down her nightdress from her shoulder and then the touch of his warm lips on the back of her neck and along her shoulder. She gulped and felt her heart unstable just with the memory of it.


    ''I think I am falling sick slowly or there is no reason for my heart and breathing to be affected like this. Will I die soon with the sickness? I don''t want to,'' Seren thought and continued to sleep with these scary thoughts in her mind.


    When Drayce returned after having a bath and wearing a night robe, Seren was the same as if she was like an immovable statue. There was not an inch change in her sleeping position.


    ''Is she still scared of me even after I assured her?'' he thought and went to the bed.


    Climbing on the bed, Drayce pulled over the same big size quilt that Seren pulled over her and looked at her who faced her back to him.


    Seren could feel all the movements in bed and brace herself to be calm only. She felt him getting on the bed and a side of the soft mattress where he slept, sinking a little down.


    Drayce calmly looked at her and thought, ''Should I let her sleep like this or show there is nothing to be scared of? What she is scared of, it won''t happen again but she would like the rest of it. If I always leave her like this, she will always expect me to leave her alone.'' Drayce thought and his sight wander around the quilt that took a shape of her petite figure. ''But I sure can''t let her be when I want her so desperately. I need to make her get used to me and my touch slowly. I wonder how she will taste when I do something with her.''


    At this lonely and pleasant night, Drayce''s thoughts were going haywire and his inner desires to devour his wife had started to surface. During the day it was easy to suppress it but at the night it felt equally difficult and impossible. Thought he had given words to her father, but there was no such use that he can''t even touch her.


    Drayce shifted slowly towards Seren who could feel him moving closer to her. Just with a little movement from him in the bed, Seren shut her eyes tightly and prayed for him to note closer to her.


    ''I don''t want to die so soon,'' she repeated in her mind.


    Her already unstable heart had started to pick up the pace and it was ready to jump out when she felt Man''s warm and strong chest touched her cold back and his strong arm surrounded her stomach.


    She had no more space to move but even if there was, she couldn''t dare show she was awake.


    "My Queen," Drayce called her in a low voice as she heard his lips moving at the back of her neck.


    ''Should I respond or not?'' she thought and heard him again, "It''s too noisy."


    ''Noisy? What is he talking about?'' she thought and heard him again, "Shall I do something to put it to rest to lower the noise?"


    Now Seren was curious to know what he was talking about and couldn''t help but break her resolution of acting asleep.


    "My apologies, but I did not understand what His Majesty is referring to," she said.


    "Your heart, it''s too noisy. Do you want me to help you calm it down, My Queen?" Drayce asked in a hoarse voice as he stared at the backside of her slender neck which was visible to his eyes.


    "C-Calm it down?" She mumbled and fear surrounded her mind as there was only one way to calm down a person''s heart- a death.


    Drayce hummed in response, "I am sure you will like it, my Queen."

 Chapter 191: So Many Questions

    <h4>Chapter 191: So Many Questions</h4>


    Drayce hummed in response, "I am sure my Queen will like it when I will help her calm down her heart."


    "I will like it? Who would like to get killed?'' Seren thought as her heart didn''t want to calm down. If not for him killing her, she was sure she would die with a sudden heart malfunctioning.


    She was busy finding reasons while the devil was lost to his senses who was busy sniffing her scent and feeling her closer to him.


    "I-I don''t wish to, your Majesty," she replied mumbling under her shallow breath.


    Drayce''s ears were sharp to catch it and his lips brushed against the back of her delicate earlobe, "What you don''t wish to?"


    It gave her goosebumps. "I am fine with my heart like this. It will calm down on its own," she replied, trying to keep up with what he was doing. "....I don''t wish to die��"


    His hoarse voice and his hot breath brushing against her ear and nape just like in the morning and it was affecting her. His nose rubbing against her skin to inhale her sweet scent to his heart''s content, his hand surrounded her stomach, didn''t just stop there but moved along her t stomach, making her feel embarrassed. But not a single word of protest coulde out of her throat as her mind was overwhelmed with so many feelings at the same time along with fear.


    "No one dies with it, my Queen. Getting help from the husband feels better," he tightened his grip against her as if wanted to merge her body with his.


    "I don''t��"


    "How will you know if you won''t let me help? Wife''s duty is to help husband and let him help you, haven''t they taught you in Abetha?"


    ''Why does he ask me the same question all the time?'' she frowned and screamed in mind, ''No they didn''t teach me anything in Abetha. Your wife is illiterate.'' If thoughts had sound, Drayce''s ears would have gone deaf.


    Not waiting for her response, Drayce continued on his own, "Even if they didn''t teach you, rest assured, I will teach you slowly and nicely," Drayce said and pulled her to sleep on her back instead on her one side. Even before this young Queen could understand what was happening, he was on top of her and she saw his face in front of her. His eyes stared at her intently and his lips carried a light smirk.


    Her puzzled eyes looked into his as she folded her both arms against her chest, ''What is he doing?''


    Drayce didn''t put his weight on her delicate body but found it amusing to observe her like this, scared and puzzled while trying to put on her defense.


    ''How will she look when her face would have pleasurous expressions instead of scared ones? Will her eyes look more seductive than this? Will her voice sounds like music when she will love what I will do to her?'' he couldn''t help his thoughts from going wild.


    He looked at her veil covered her face and observed the veil where it showed a shallow shape of her lips. ''I wonder how sweet she will taste,'' He touched her lips with his finger over the veil and traced gently.


    Seren felt the warm touch of his finger tracing her lips and she subconsciously couldn''t help but part them a little.


    "If we remove this veil, I can help my Queen even better," Drayce said but his words alerted Seren. She moved her hands to ce them on the veil and she shook her head lightly, saying no.


    Drayce retreated his hand and said, "Rest assured. I have given you my words that I won''t remove it unless my Queen permits me to."


    Seren felt relieved and heard him again, "Just remember, you don''t have to hide yourself from me. I don''t care how you look and who you are. I don''t even care what the world says about you. To me, you are just my wife. You are mine and only mine."


    Seren heard each word he said carefully and from his eyes, she could at least guess he was not making up the things but he meant it. But she didn''t know how to respond to him.


    ''He doesn''t care that I am a witch and treats me better than others. Can I really trust him?'' she thought and heard him talk again.


    "For now, shall I continue teaching my Queen wife''s duty?"


    "That meansforting Your Majesty?" she asked.


    Drayce nodded, "In return, I will also providefort to my Queen."


    ''Comfort to me? Do I need to bite him too but I don''t find itfortable,'' She thought and said, "I do not dare bite his majesty,"


    "You can. Want to try it, My Queen?" He asked, looking into her eyes and didn''t look like he was joking.


    ''Is he asking me to bite him?''


    "Where would you like to bite me?" he asked.


    "Nowhere and I don''t wish to get bitten either," she said as her hands crossed her chest and her palms reached to cover her shoulders. "Biting hurts." Her eyes showed she was still scared of biting.


    "I won''t bite you, trust me. That was a mistake," he said and moved his hand to remove her hands that crossed her chest.


    Trusting him, she didn''t resist and let him move her hands. She felt him entangling his fingers with hers and his body putting more weight on her, making her feel the warmth from his hot body.


    "A-Are you still not feeling well, your majesty," she asked.


    "I will feel better once my Queenforts me," he said looking into her eyes and was ready to do something more while moving to her neck.


    "You said...you won''t..bite me��" a shallow whisper left her lips.


    "There are other ways, my Queen," Drayce said as his lips brushed against her neck, ready to suck on her skin.


    Pinning her both hands to the side with his fingers entangled with her slender ones, Drayce inhaled her sweet scent and sucked and nibbled her skin lightly.


    The moment she felt his coarse tongue licking her neck and warm pair of lips sucked it, a light gasp left her lips, and felt her body stiffened. She breathed deeply as Drayce could feel her chest moving up and her head lifting back a little.


    Those gentle touches passed multiple shivers across her spine and made her mind hazy to be able to think anything; her puzzled eyes with that unknown feeling, stared at the well-decorated ceiling and she felt like she will lose herself to something. His hands were locked with hers and her body was trapped under him while her breathing turned heavy. Ayer of sweat appeared in her forehead just with this.


    Drayce didn''t leave an inch of her neck and continued to do so as he heard her gasping and giving out soft moans. She felt soft and seductive that he wished to devour her right there. He again felt like going back on the words that he had given to the King of Abetha and doing whatever he wished to do with her. He was determined to not let the devil out this time. He needed to win over it.


    He whispered in her ear, "Does it feel good, My Queen?"


    Seren gulped and didn''t know how to answer it. Unknowingly she felt good but not being able to understand what it was could only make her feel scared.


    "I am sure it does as much as I am feeling good," he freed her one hand and moved his hand to remove the ribbon knot of her robe below her chest.


    When Seren realized it, she felt even scared to think that he was removing her clothes, "Your Majesty��."


    He stopped ying with her neck and looked back at her, "Are you ufortable my Queen?"


    "M-My robe?"


    "It''s an obstacle," His hand sessfully removed that half knot and it loosened her robe. His one hand still tangled with hers to keep his bnce over her while the other moved up towards her shoulder to move the robe a bit away from her chest. Drayce didn''t realize but he was slowly losing control over himself despite the determination he had and someone was waiting to take over him.


    His sight was weed by the offwhite color, finely embroidered silk cloth that wrapped around her chest- her upper undergarment.


    Seren''s free hand tried to cover it but Drayce held it and pinned it to her side, leaving her shocked as he didn''t seem so gentle to her that alerted her. His eyes darkened and he moved to taste the already exposed part, the top of her chest and her corbones. He couldn''t stop himself and started to suck and lick her skin.


    Seren felt it but the way he suddenly turned harsh opposite to his gentle action on her neck before, she felt scared. it reminded her of when he bit her before, She could feel the change in him.


    "Your Majesty, please," she said and Drayce stopped. He was lost but her voice pulled him back and he looked at her while panting heavily. The moment their sights met, the darkness in his eyes disappeared in a moment.


    Seren noticed his eyes changing color in a fraction of a second and asked, "Your Majesty, Your eyes...are you alright?"


    Drayce who had just returned to his senses, stared at her, ''This woman, instead of feeling scared, she is asking me if I am fine? Is she not scared of me even after seeing me like this? That devil disappeared the moment she looked into my eyes. Can she tame it too? But she is the reason for him toe out and she is the one to make him disappear. What exactly is happening here?'' Drayce was muddled with so many thoughts, ''If she can call him and send him back, I am underestimating her powers. No one holds the power to tame him. It''s impossible.''


    "Your Majesty," she called again that pulled him out of his thoughts.


    She looked scared as well as worried. He was sure she was not aware of what she had caused him. He needed to assure her everything was fine and caressed her hands with his thumb.


    "Everything is fine," he assured and gently kissed on her forehead that left a gentle warmth on her skin to calm her down.


    He looked at the skin on her neck and the top of her chest that he had marked colorful. Her milky white skin had patches of light red marks which looked even prominent due to the fair tone of her skin.


    He tressed it with his fingers and asked, "Does it hurt?"


    He was so wild a moment before but now turned gentle suddenly. It puzzled her and she found it even difficult to understand him.


    "Does it?" he asked again looking into her lost-looking eyes.


    Seren shook her head and Drayce moved from the top of her toy beside her. He pulled her in his embrace without even giving her a chance to protest and said, "Let''s sleep now. We have to leave for Megaris next morning."


    Not having any other option, Seren put her head on his arm and slept while facing him.


    Though his eyes were closed, Drayce''s mind was busy thinking, ''Once I go to Megaris, I will get all the answers from Tyra.''


    ----


    Today one long chapter instead of two short. Pardon the mistakes as our editor is still not avable due to a typhoon at her ce.

 Chapter 192: Nightmare

    <h4>Chapter 192: Nightmare</h4>


    "Catch her and get that baby."


    "We have to capture them or the great empress will punish you all."


    "Don''t hurt her. Capture them alive. Great empress will punish them herself."


    In the dark, a woman ran carrying her baby deep inside the forest where even the light from the moon could not reach its surface.


    In the dark nothing was visible as the baby opened her eyes only to cry but a hand covered her mouth and the woman continued to run as she kept mumbling in a low voice, "Shh..don''t cry. We will soon be safe, Mother will protect you."


    Between the various sounds around that came from so many people running on the ground covered with dried leaves and twigs from the trees sacttered everywhere, there was a sudden loud sound.


    Thud!


    Ahh..!


    A sudden bright light appeared from somewhere and the next moment everything went dark.


    "My Queen!"


    Drayce looked at Seren who looked restless in her sleep while still resting her head on his arm. Her forehead had beads of sweats and furrowed lines that showed she was having a nightmare.


    Seren did not seem to hear him so he called her again, "My Queen!"


    Seren opened her eyes while breathing heavily and she looked scared. Her eyes stared at the well-decorated ceiling and there was no darkness around.


    "It was just a nightmare." She heard a familiar voice and looked at the man''s handsome face that was just a few inches away from her as her head was resting on his arm.


    She didn''t seem to be bothered with the closeness as her mind was still processing over the nightmare she had while staring at him and trying to get back to reality.


    Drayce caressed her hand and spoke again, "You are fine and here with me. Don''t be scared, my Queen."


    Seren closed her eyes and breathed deeply to calm herself down. She was used to having the same nightmare for so many years and it didn''t take her time toe back to reality.


    Seeing her rxed, he asked, "Are you fine, my Queen."


    Seren nodded and realized his hand was below her head and she was so close to him. She was about to move away, but Drayce held her, "I will get up instead," and removed his hand from below her head.


    Seren looked at the man who got out of the bed and walked towards the table in the room and she closed her eyes back, thinking to calm down her chaotic brain. As always she continued to ask the same question to herself.


    ''Why do I always have the same nightmare? Who were that woman and that baby? Am I that baby? But they say I have been in the pce tower since I was a baby then how can I be out like this? I couldn''t even see that woman''s face in my nightmare. If that baby is me, then that woman must be the witch that they describe as the ugliest creature that brought me to the pce. Even Martha never said anything other than asking what I saw in the nightmare.''


    Once she forced Martha only to get the answer like - "If you were that baby then how can a baby remember anything. Babies can''t have any memories from that age."


    ''If Martha said it then she must be right but why does it feel like it happened to me and I feel scared all the time? What was that sudden light?''


    "My Queen, have some water!"


    She heard and opened her eyes, only to see a man in a ck night robe standing by the bed carrying a silver ss in his hand. It surprised Seren that a king fetched water for her and she immediately sat up in the bed.


    "Your Majesty, you don''t need to��."


    "I can do anything for my wife," he replied calmly and sat at the edge of bed, holding a ss of water in front of her.


    Seren looked at the ss of water hesitantly. It was something that the monarch of the kingdom should not do but she was not aware of the fact that it''s different when ites to husband and wife. With her in their room, he was not the king of Megaris but just her husband.


    Drayce understood her hesitation and said, "It''s fine for me to do this for my wife even though I am a King."


    Hearing it, Seren epted the ss of water and had a few sips. Once she was done he took a ss from her and instructed, "My Queen can rest some more."


    "I am fine," she replied, only to get a warning coated in a calm tone,? "But I am not, so you better listen to me if you don''t want to be in trouble."


    Seren could see his gaze turned from the gentle one to intense and he observed her. Seren looked down at herself to check where his sight was roaming and the next moment her eyes were left wide open.


    Her robe was not knotted and its sides were parted away to make her body visible that had her undergarments only.


    Drayce observed her chest which was wrapped in embroidered silk cloth. Her shoulder and the part of the top of her chest were visible and then her t stomach with her belly button came into his sight. He frowned to see her lower garment that covered the rest part and he couldn''t even see her legs. But whatever he saw, was enough for him to go crazy at the moment. Her delicate milky white skin shone brightly in the sunlight and he wished to get his hands on it.


    But soon that view was blocked as Seren pulled the sides of her robe and wrapped it back to cover her body. "Apologies, Your Majesty for being unkept."


    Frowning at the disturbance, Drayce looked at her, who clutched her robe tightly and had her head and sight lowered down. Her face looked flushed with embarrassment and her cheeks had started to turn red with each passing moment as she sensed Drayce''s gaze at her.


    ''Though she understands nothing, she at least got the sense of shyness. Not long till she will understand everything and she will enjoy every night with me. Can''t wait to reach Megaris soon.''


    Drayce didn''t tease her more and stood up. "I will head for a bath. Will my Queen like to apany me in the bath?"


    Seren immediately shook her head, "I don''t wish to be an inconvenience to your majesty."


    "My Queen would be a convenience for me if you help me for a bath."


    "I-I think I might disappoint you, Your Majesty. I have never helped anyone before."


    With this Drayce''s eyes darkened, ''This woman and her innocence,'' he frowned and said coldly, "Good that my Queen had helped no one or that person would have been dead by now."


    She raised her head to look at him to see why he sounded so cold. Did she say something wrong now?


    "My Queen is allowed to help no one but me. In fact, it would be better if my Queen would look at no one but me."


    ''As if I go around looking at stranger men. If not for marrying you, I wouldn''t even look at you. Strange red-eyed man,'' she frowned inwardly and heard him again.


    "Understood, my Queen?" came another cold statement from him.


    Not knowing why Drayce turned so cold suddenly, Seren just nodded her head, not willing to go against his words, "Yes, Your Majesty."


    Drayce headed towards the bath while Seren got out of the bed and fixed her robe as she tied it tightly.


    She remembered how her robe turned like this. ''He was the one to remove this knot saying it''s an obstacle then why get angry at me? Can''t he just ept his own doing? Seems like he has a bad memory. Next time if he messes with my clothes, I will remind him of what he was doing. He dares ruin my clothes. So audacious!''

 Chapter 193: Love Bites

    <h4>Chapter 193: Love Bites</h4>


    When Drayce returned to their room, freshly bathed and dressed in a new set of clothes, he saw Seren sitting in bed with her robe nicely wrapped around her. She merely nced at him before lowering her gaze.


    Catching sight of her eyes for a fraction of a second, Drayce could guess what was in her mind�� she was definitely cursing him. He couldn''t help but smirk. "My Queen, make sure to have a nice rxing bath. We have to travel to Megaris today."


    "Yes, Your Majesty," she replied with her eyes still fixated on the marble flooring of their room.


    "I will be heading out first. My Queen can have her time to get ready," he said and left the chamber. It did not take a minute before Eva and Marie entered inside.


    "Good morning, Your Majesty!" both said together and Seren epted their greeting with a slight nod.


    As usual, Marie went to arrange the bath for her while Eva arranged her clothes for the day.


    Marie came out of the bath. "Your Majesty, it''s ready."


    The twody servants were yet to notice the marks that their queen was unknowingly hiding because of how securely she had wrapped her robe around her in fear that Drayce would try to take it off again. In addition, part of her hair fell on her shoulder, covering the soft curve between her neck and her shoulder.


    Without a word, Seren got off the bed and walked towards the bath. Eva helped her take off the robe, only for her eyes to widen at the sight of Seren''s neck.


    "Your Majesty, this��"


    "What happened?" Seren asked.


    Eva blinked a few times and then looked back at Seren, but no word came out of her mouth.


    Marie, who was standing by the bathtub to assist her queen in getting in the hot water, turned to look at them. One nce was all it took for her to understand the reason behind Eva''s sudden reaction.


    Marie went to Seren to check if she was hurt likest time and asked, "Your Majesty, may I see your neck?"


    Seren didn''t know why these two were suddenly acting like this. "What happened? Is there something wrong?" Seren asked as she was sure this time he didn''t bite her. There should be no reason for them to feel worried about her.


    "Let me first check, Your Majesty," Marie said and pushed away the reddish-brown hair from one side of her neck. Every inch of the youngdy''s milky white skin was covered with small reddish bruises and marks of teeth.


    Poor Eva could only gulp seeing it as it almost scared the young unmarried girl. She looked at Marie. Both could only think how their king was so energetic and loved their queen a lot.


    They never heard the King of Megaris showing romantic interest to ady, much less epting any woman before. Ever since he was crowned, his sole focus had been on work��quelling internal troubles with the nobles and expanding the territory of the kingdom. That was one of the reasons why Drayce Ivanov was hailed as a devil by his people. As servants in the royal pce, they were aware of how their king never spared a nce to any woman. Their Queen was his one and only exception.


    "It''s nothing much, Your Majesty. This is something that usually happens between husband and wife. Eva was merely surprised. She''s young, so please pardon her rudeness," Marie replied to the curious and worried-looking queen.


    "Forgive me, Your Majesty! I overreacted!" Eva immediately bowed.


    Seren caught an interesting choice of words from Marie''s polite speech. "Usually happens? What usually happens?"


    Marie pointedly looked at Eva. "Bring the mirror."


    Nodding, Eva left and returned in a while with a small oval mirror that had a well-carved golden handle to hold it.


    Marie got the mirror from Eva and held it in front of Seren to show her neck and the top part of her chest.


    Seren gasped. She grabbed the mirror from the servant''s hand in shock and observed her neck clearly. Panic covered her face. "It''s��Are these rashes? Did I catch a skin disease or did someone poison me?"


    "No, no, Your Majesty. Nothing happened to you and no one poisoned you," Marie said. "Before anyone could poison you, our heads will roll first��"


    Seeing the fear in Seren''s eyes, Marie cursed herself for simply exposing these things to their young queen like that without being careful with her words. It must be her first time to see her skin like this and must have no idea what had caused it.


    After serving the youngdy these past few weeks, Marie understood their Queen was ignorant and innocent about themon affairs of people. It made Marie feel the urge to be more like a protective mother rather than an older sister or a servant to Seren. She felt constant worry about what their king had done and would do with her in the future.


    Last time, their queen''s ankle was hurt and they didn''t know what their queen had done to their king to deserve such a punishment, or what the king did to cause such harm to his wife. Afterwards, he bit her brutally, to the point blood was drawn, and now, he made all these marks that would be difficult to hide with makeup and must be covered with a high-cored dress. Love bites were normal to have between couples, but the prominent ones their king gave looked really brutal on Seren''s delicate skin.


    "T-Then what is it?" Seren asked in fear.


    "Your Majesty, it''s��.It''s what His Majesty has done with you, is it not?" Marie answered hesitantly.


    "Then did he poison me? I remembered he gave me water to drink," Seren said anxiously.


    "No, Your Majesty," Marie said, not wanting to cause more misunderstandings. Eva didn''t know what to do and thus chose to remain mute. She just left it on Marie as she was married and more experienced.


    Feeling anxious, Seren failed to understand that Marie had said no to. "Will I die now?" Her face looked sad.


    "Your Majesty, first, sit here. Let me exin to you," Marie said and Eva pulled out the wooden stool for Seren to sit.


    Once the young queen sat down, Marie kneeled in front of her and held her hand. She let out a shaky breath as she tried to choose the best words to say.


    "Your Majesty, it''s not what you think. Please calm down. Don''t be scared. Those are not rashes. They are love bites and they won''t harm you. It''s...one of the ways a husband shows his love and affection to his wife," Marie exined as she thought in her mind, ''Though our king had overdone it.''


    "Love and affection?" Seren asked.


    "Mhm." Marie nodded. Eva too listened carefully by the side, though she was already aware of it. Just like Marie, she too thought their king had overdone it with their delicate queen.


    Marie was struggling to find the right way to exin this to the youngdy without sounding vulgar at all. "Your Majesty, when our skin is rubbed or hit harshly by something, we get some discoloration on our skin, right?"


    Seren nodded. Her gaze was pure; she looked at Marie like an obedient and innocent student who wished nothing but to understand the world.


    "This is what happened with, Your Majesties skin,"


    "But I did not rub anything on my skin," Seren said innocently. "Neither am I hit harshly."


    Marie cleared her throat. "Does Her Majesty remember what His Majesty did the previous night to you?"


    Seren recalled it the next moment. Her face turned red, and she gulped at the memories. Though her face was half-covered with a veil, Marie could see the heavy blush crawling over Seren''s ears and neck.


    "Now, you understand, Your Majesty?" Marie asked.


    Seren nodded lightly as shyness and embarrassment covered her though she didn''t know why she had to feel like that. She mumbled, "That...he tried to bite me��but I��."


    "It is fine, Your Majesty. Intimate things between husband and wife should not be casually mentioned to others. Just remember, His Majesty never meant to hurt you. It happens sometimes," Marie exined.


    Seren stared hard at Marie, as if she had something in mind. She knew thedy servant was also married so she peered at her neck. "You don''t have these on your neck."


    Cough! Cough!


    It was Marie''s time to turn embarrassed as she didn''t expect this from her queen. Beside them, Eva couldn''t help but hide herughter. Still, a broad grin was pasted on her face.

 Chapter 194: [Bonus Chapter]Is It Painful?

    <h4>Chapter 194: [Bonus Chapter]Is It Painful?</h4>


    "Yes, Sister Marie. I wonder why you do not have it. Doesn''t your husband show you love and affection?" Eva teased.


    Marie cleared her throat and scowled at the youngerdy. "I can''t have them as I have to work in the pce and we have to look presentable. Even if I have them, I won''t show them off!" Then, she returned her gaze to Seren. "When I was newly married, this happened a lot to me too so rest assured, Your Majesty. It''s totally fine. It will disappear on its own in a day or two, till then we will apply some medicine to get it better faster and put some makeup over them to hide them."


    Seren could only nod as Marie had assured her with so much confidence. With a calmer heart, she got inside the bathtub as her twody servants helped her wash up.


    After her bath, while getting their young queen ready, Eva and Marie tried their best to hide the love bites on Seren''s neck. Instead of being braided and put in a bun which was best for travel, Marie made her hair in a different way today. Shebed her long hair and fixed them loosely over her shoulder so it can help hide the marks on her neck. Eva applied a thickyer of makeup on those marks before making her wear a set of clothes with a high cor. Although the dress was more formal than what Seren normally used for travel, it had the best cut to hide her blemished skin.


    Once their queen was properly dressed, they arranged the morning meal for her, and then, they all were ready to leave. When Seren was escorted outside by her two servants, she saw the royal carriage with the crest of Megaris ready with rows of soldiers and knights with their horses already in their formation.


    Rayjin, who noticed her first, ran towards her. "Seren! Why are you leaving already? Can''t you stay for a few more days? I will miss you."


    Seren patted her head as she smiled lightly, but the little girl couldn''t see her smiling because of the veil. "I will miss you too."


    "Can''t you just stay here? Please? Please?" Rayjin asked. "I will tell Dray to leave you with me, and we can y more. There are a lot of ces you are yet to see��"


    An was standing next to Drayce to bid his friend farewell when he heard how Rayjin tried to persuade the Queen of Megaris. He spoke in a low voice, "My little niece doesn''t know that for the first time, she will get to hear a ''no'' from you."


    "Then handle it," Drayce said. He didn''t wish to break the little girl''s heart.


    "...Will you stay here if Dray allows you to?" Rayjin asked, holding Seren''s hand.


    Before Seren could reply, An approached the two and smiled. "Her Majesty is yet to attend her own coronation ceremony, among many other things. Your mother taught you how royals and nobles have great responsibilities, right, my little niece?" Seeing Rayjin pout, An stroke her head. "Instead of asking her to stay, you can go to Megaris and visit Her Majesty. Ask Duke Wimark to bring you along when he leaves the capital to visit your family''s territory for a routine inspection.? Since the Wimark territory borders Megaris, you can go there anytime with your father if you want to visit Her Majesty. The capital of Megaris is not far from your ancestral manor."


    "Can I? Really?" She looked at her father with a hopeful expression.


    Rhys Wimark nodded at his daughter, and it finally eased the things for them.


    After the parting words between acquaintances were said, the royal entourage of Megaris was ready to depart. Drayce helped Seren to get into the carriage.


    "Go safely," An said before Drayce could follow his wife.


    "Can anyone create trouble with me here?" Drayce countered.


    "Hmm, I keep forgetting who you are," Drayce said and then suddenly lowered his voice, "Seems like you have created trouble for your wife."


    Drayce threw a side nce at Seren who was sitting quietly inside the carriage. "She will get used to it."


    "I see you going back on your words that you have given to her father," Anmented.


    "Might be," Drayce didn''t deny it.


    An could only shake his head. "Still, I trust you to not scare an innocent girl."


    "Don''t worry about it. Once we reach Megaris, I will arrange for her to learn things that must be learned," Drayce replied before climbing the carriage.


    The royal carriage moved, and An simply turned around, confident no harm could befall his friend.


    Sitting inside the carriage, Drayce looked at Seren who refused to look at him. Without warning, Drayce sat next to her, causing her to nearly jump from her seat. She shrank to the other side, but Drayce pulled her closer to him.


    "I just want to check something," he said.


    Seren did not move nor say anything. Drayce moved her long loose hair on the other side of her neck and slightly pulled down the high cor of her dress. Even though they were covered with makeup,? with him being mere inches away from her, they couldn''t hide those faint red marks entirely. He touched one of them with his fingers and Seren flinched.


    "Is it painful?" he asked, not knowing how her delicate body took it.


    Her cheeks blushed, but they were hidden under her veil and thus he did not notice it. She shook her head with her lowered gaze.


    "I will be careful next time," Drayce assured, sounding gentle.


    She looked at him and blinked a few times as she thought, ''Next time? Will there be next time too? That means he will do it again.''


    As if he understood what she was thinking, Drayce answered, "This is what husbands and wives do when they sleep together." He added, "At least, one of them."


    Seren pursed her lips but said nothing. She turned her head away to look outside of the window.


    They were finally leaving the Royal Pce of Griven.

 Chapter 195: Welcoming The King And The Queen

    <h4>Chapter 195: Weing The King And The Queen</h4>


    After leaving Griven''s capital, Karlin, the royal entourage resumed their leisurely pace as they traveled towards their home, the Kingdom of Megaris. For the next few days, their group mostly rested at the different cities along the way for a night at most. With each passing day, Seren not only enjoyed looking at the scenery, but she also noticed how the temperature seemed to be dropping. The people around her started wearingyers of clothes.


    During the trip, they also stayed at the residence owned by the Wimark Family as its territory was situated at the Griven-Megaris border. As per the orders of the Duke and Duchess of Wimark, the best arrangements were made for them, suiting their status as part of Megaris Royalty.


    Seren could finally see where the cute littledy, Rayjin, was raised, and she could imagine how she ran and yed around in the countryside, supervised by her parents. Sadly, she was not there and stayed back in the capital. Seren realized how she missed Rayjin, although they barely got to know each other.


    When they finally arrived at the Kingdom of Megaris, Seren was weed by a sight she would never forget. On the very first city they entered, not only the soldiers stationed at the border received them with dedication, even the ordinary people crowded the main road where their entourage passed, cheering to wee their king who they were proud of, and their queen who their king had chosen to rule the kingdom alongside with him.


    "General of the southeast border, Kayden Hart, greets the dragon and the phoenix of Megaris!"


    Their entourage was weed by the noble in charge of the southeastern territory of the kingdom, Marquis Hart, along with his family, the lower nobles, and the military officials under hismand. Seren could see how the nobility of Megaris treated Drayce with utmost respect and fear.


    During their stay, everyone, from people of status to the most ordinary servants, paid the royal couple great attention, but not many tried to converse with them. Even someone like Seren who was oblivious to most affairs of people could feel a strange atmosphere. However, time was short on her side, and she wasn''t able to figure out the reason why since they left the very next morning.


    While traveling across the various cities towards the capital, she didn''t fail to notice how the clothing of the people of Megaris were different from Abetha and Griven. It was also due to Eva and Marie dressing her up in a different set of clothes than the ones she had brought with her. Those from Abetha and Griven seemed to generally prefer more stylish and colorful clothes, while people of Megaris seemed to favor darker-colored clothes and wearing coats and robes inyers. The women, in particr, wore long boots, instead of the typical heeled shoes. It must be because Megaris was on the northern side of the continent and it was colderpared to the central regions.


    As she clutched the soft yet thick outer robe closer to her body, a thought struck her mind. She remembered something she read in the books about Megaris��snowfall.


    ''Will I get to see snow now?''


    She had never seen it as there was no snowfall in Abetha during winter.


    The sun had long set when their entourage reached ckhelm, the capital city of Megaris. Still, the entire capital was bustling with music and cheers as the people weed the return of their king and the arrival of their queen. Manymps and fire torches were set up everywhere, and the city guards and knights kept the roads clear for the royal entourage to pass by without any disturbances. The crowd was excited to see their monarchs, and some even followed behind the carriages like they were in a parade.


    Seren woke up due to the various sounds everywhere��the sounds of horses, the festive music, the people cheering, and the royal guards giving instructions to people around to keep the path empty. She had been asleep in the carriage because they traveled nonstop from the time they left theirst destination.


    As usual, she realized her head was resting on Drayce''s shoulder. She lifted her head before shrinking her body to her side of the carriage. "A-Apologies, Your Majesty��"


    "For spoiling my robe with the drool?" Drayce asked.


    Seren nodded, and he could only smile lightly.


    This scene had be routine for them for the past few days since they left the capital of Griven. Before she fell asleep, Drayce would always be sitting opposite to her, but whenever she woke up, she would then find him sitting next to her with her head resting on his shoulder. Seren had somehow gotten used to it.


    All the nights they spent together for the rest of their journey, Drayce no longer tried to teach her any ''lesson'' between husband and wife, other than just apanying her in bed by sleeping next to her. He was scared of the devil inside him, and he was more scared of that devil hurting his wife. He first needed to get answers to his questions from the one person who could answer him��Lady Tyra.


    Seren looked outside of the ss window, and even though it''s nighttime, many people were standing by the sides of the road, paying respects towards the royal carriage even though they couldn''t see their king sitting inside it. The entire capital seemed to be decorated with banners andnterns hung everywhere, as if there was a festival happening.


    Soon, their carriage left behind the residences and buildings and reached an upward slope, as if they were climbing a mountain. Seren''s eyes caught sight of the entire city below them from one window, like small dots of fireflies. On the other side, a long stretch of tall stony walls with fire torches came into view.


    The carriage rode closer to the main pce gate and she tilted her neck a little towards the window to see the view of the Royal Pce of Megaris which was behind those tall stony walls. From her seat, only a few tall towers were visible.


    ''It should have been a majestic view if only I could see this during the day,'' she couldn''t help but think.


    The huge iron-wrought double gates fixed in the middle of those walls were open. Many royal guards and soldiers stood in formation on either side of the road,? bowing towards the carriage to greet them and show their respect as they passed by them.


    ''How polite,'' she thought as she remembered how consistent everyone was ever since they entered the kingdom. ''People from Megaris really do respect their king.''


    Seren was too surprised and awed to see such a grand wee for Drayce, she forgot it also meant to wee her, the queen of the most powerful kingdom in the entire continent.


    Sitting beside her, Drayce didn''t disturb her. He simply watched over his wife who was still like a kid who got excited and curious over every new sight she saw.


    ''This entire kingdom belongs to us, my Queen. You can do whatever you feel is right. No one will stop you, not even me,'' Drayce thought as he observed the naive woman beside him.

 Chapter 196: Queens Chamber

    <h4>Chapter 196: Queen''s Chamber</h4>


    Three chapters today.


    ---


    Travelling for several more minutes, their carriage finally stopped in front of a luxurious grand pce meant to be the residence for the King and Queen of Megaris. A knight opened the door of the royal carriage and another arranged the stepping stool on the ground.


    Drayce stepped out first and then helped Seren toe out. The moment she stepped out, she observed knights and servants standing in multiple rows to wee them. A graceful and elegant old woman with grey hair stood in the frontmost row.


    That woman didn''t wear the uniform of the servants. Rather, she was dressed in a simple yet noble dark red gown with minimal jewelry that made her seem like a kind elderly matriarch.


    Everyone bowed to the King and the Queen of Megaris.


    "Greetings, Your Majesty King Drayce! Greetings, Your Majesty Queen Seren!"


    Drayce epted their greeting with a light nod while Seren didn''t know how to react and chose to simply stand quietly.


    The old woman came towards them. She was of average height, with her grey hair tied in a tight bun at the back of her head. Her grey eyes were full of warmth at the sight of the young couple, and the light smile on her face made the wrinkles on her face more visible.


    "King Drayce, wee back to the pce," she said as she curtsied.


    "Tyra." Drayce showed a rare gentle expression for a brief moment.


    "I hope the long journey was pleasant for you both." Although her tone was like that of a noble, she spoke casually to them like that of a grandmother meeting a family member. She was even chuckling as she said in a low voice, "Lord Jasper had beenining how you took your sweet time. He should have been here to wee you, but he got pulled elsewhere due to work."


    The old woman then straightened herself as she spoke kindly, " Please head inside and warm yourselves."


    Seren just nodded. Marie and Eva were already present beside her to apany their queen inside the royal residence.


    Drayce looked at Seren, "My Queen, you can go with Lady Tyra and rest. Anything you need, you can instruct them."


    The old woman looked at Seren and introduced herself as they stepped inside the warm walls of the royal residence. "Your Majesty, I am Tyra Ivanov, a distant rtive to the royal family. I have been serving in the royal pce for three generations, and for the past few years, I am incharge of all the royal servants that serve the king and the queen. Both the head steward and head maid answer to me. Please let me know if there''s anything you need, and I will make the best arrangements for you."


    Seren nodded. "Thank you, Lady Ivanov."


    "I do not dare, Your Majesty. Please, just call me Tyra."


    The older woman looked at Marie and Eva. "After helping Her Majesty, you two can leave everything to the other servants and rest."


    Lady Tyra was aware that their queen was most familiar with Eva and Marie so it would be better if those two served the queen till she gotfortable with the other servants. In a day or two, the pce would provide her with a list of nobledies who would officially be the queen''sdies-in-waiting. For the meantime, Eva and Marie would take on the role.


    The two servants nodded and followed behind their queen whose way was led by Lady Tyra herself.


    While Seren was taken to the Queen''s chamber inside the royal residence, Drayce stayed back to talk with his knights who had travelled with them.


    As Seren walked along the huge corridor escorted by Tyra and a few royal servants, she took the chance to observe her surroundings. Though it was night, with the light from the delicate roundmps, she could clearly see the inside of the pce, which looked different from Abetha architecture-wise.


    The buildings of the pces in Abetha mostly had white walls and high ceilings with a special preference to the color blue, which symbolized the Royal Family of Ilven. Portraits and banners with crests of the royal family, as well as delicate porcin items and gauzy curtains were the main decorations, whether it be inside the chambers or the hallways. A lot of imported goods from all corners of the continent could be found as ornaments, from fur carpets to wooden furniture, giving off a quiet air of wealth and luxury.


    In contrast, the royal residence of Megaris gave a more imposing atmosphere, with cream-colored stone walls and wider hallways with minimal decors, mostly a mix of sculptures made of wood and marble as well as ceremonial weapons hanging on the walls. There were images of auspicious clouds and mythical creatures carved on the ceiling, with colors mostly of crimson, ck and gold.


    Soon, they stopped in front of a huge wooden double door that had handles crafted of gold. The archway was made of white limestone sculpted in what seemed to be flocks of beautiful birds with long tails. The door itself emitted the air of royalty; one could imagine how grand the inside must be.


    The servants walking ahead opened the double door of the chamber and stepped aside. Lady Tyra lowered her head as she gestured with her hand. "Your Majesty, please step in."


    As soon as she entered, Seren''s eyes wandered around that huge room that was about four to five times asrge as her bedchamber on the top floor of the tower. She?heard Lady Tyra say behind her, "Queen Seren, this entire chamber now belongs to you."


    The chamber was huge, with a small sitting room, a main bedchamber, side chambers and a firece. It was mainly decorated with redwood furniture and thick fur carpets, and the browns and reds gave off a warm earthy atmosphere.?The sitting room had a cushioned wooden couch and chairs arranged around a wooden table, with one wall covered in paintings of scenic sights and the top of the firece filled with various ornaments. On the bedchamber, therey a wide circr-shaped canopy bed in the center, which had curtains ofted semi-transparent fabrics hanging down from the ceiling.


    As she appreciated her bedchamber, Seren noticed another door on the opposite side of the room which was made of ss, made in the simr style of the windows. Behind that ss door?was a huge round-shaped balcony from which Seren couldn''t pull her gaze away. She felt an urge to go there, wanting to see how the pce grounds look from her chamber but refrained herself from doing so. As a queen, she needed to behave��at least, on her first day in the pce.


    Lady Tyra simply followed behind her with a smile. She then pointed towards the doors of the side chambers. "There, Your Majesty, we have another room which has a bath, there is the wardrobe, and everything necessary that you might require."


    Seren just nodded. Realizing that their queen was a quiet woman, Tyra said again, "I will leave you alone to the other servants then. If there is anything that Your Majesty needs, please let me know."


    Seren nodded again and the olddy left.


    Eva and Marie helped Seren to have a bath and get ready for the night, while the other servants brought food for her. When she was ready to sleep, Seren looked at the door.


    "What happened, Your Majesty?" Marie asked, though she had a guess what Seren was thinking.


    "His Majesty��"


    "Your Majesty, here in the royal pce, we have separate chambers for the king and the queen. His Majesty must have departed to his chamber," Marie infomed.


    "Ohh," was all she said as she thought, ''At least here, I can sleep alone and nicely without worrying that someone will bite me. Enough with those wife''s annoying duties.''


    Seren happily tucked herself under the thick warm nket that seemed especially soft and rxing to her.


    "Good night, Your Majesty," Eva and Marie said before they left.

 Chapter 197: Seren Ivanov, The Queen Of Megaris

    <h4>Chapter 197: Seren Ivanov, The Queen Of Megaris</h4>


    Under thefort of the extremely soft nket, Seren tried to sleep but couldn''t. She found it odd. It had been nearly a month since she left the Royal Pce of Abetha, and she had experienced travelling across three kingdoms, thus, she was already used to being in a new ce every night. With each stop their entourage made from the central regions towards the eastern part of the continent, everything was new and different to her, as if she had entered another world. She should have been used to sleeping in an unfamiliar ce by now. However, sleep couldn''te to her despite being tired of the long journey.


    Giving up on sleep, Seren thought to get up and go check the balcony attached to her room to get some fresh air, but the moment she pulled that warm and thick nket aside, her body shivered.


    ''So cold!''


    The temperature that night was decent, normal even, for the natives of Megaris, but being a person who grew up in the warmer side of the continent, Seren found it simr to the freezing cold of Abetha''s winter.


    Remembering the rows upon rows of clothes inside her wardrobe back when Eva and Marie helped her to get changed, she decided to get something warm to wear over her nightgown.


    As she rubbed her arms, Seren took amp and hurried to the side chamber which was bigger than her room in the tower. Dresses, gowns, hats, boots, jewelry... The wardrobe was filled with luxurious things meant for a queen, things that Seren was not used to seeing or wearing.


    She looked at the huge wardrobe spanning across the entire wall and felt worried over which one to get. After a while, she frowned to herself, ''What''s to think about this? Just get something thick. Doesn''t matter.''


    Heading towards the part where coats and robes were located, she pulled out the first one that came to sight��a thick coat of royal blue color, stitched in the way to make it look perfect on a woman''s body. Seren did not even bother to properly button it and simply wore it over her nightgown before picking up themp again to go towards the balcony. As soon as she opened the ss door, a strong gust of cold wind passed across her body, causing her to shiver even when she wore such a thick coat.


    Clutching her coat closer with her free hand tightly around her chest, she stepped out, pretending to be unbothered by the cold. She figured she should try her best to get used to it; after all, this ce was now her new home. She wanted to see what was outside and how everything looked from the balcony. It was such a strong unreasonable urge, wanting to confirm the view.


    ''Is it the same as what I used to see from my tower every night in Abetha��faraway mountains, a winding river and a starry sky?''


    She crossed the small distance from the door towards the semi-circr stone railings of the balcony.


    Breathtaking!


    From her balcony, it seemed like the entire city of ckhelm was a nket of darkness filled with countless fireflies. After all, the Royal Pce of Megaris was built on a mountain, thus the numerousmps and fire torches ignited everywhere below created a stunning sight. With the help of the moon, she could see a huge river about twice as wide as the Grand River in Abetha. On the riverbank, she could somehow see the tiny silhouettes of boats and merchant ships floating on the water due to themps hanging in them.


    She gasped. ''A ship! I''ve read them in books, but this is the first time I''ve seen one in real life. I want to see one up close!''


    As she let her gaze admire the beauty of ckhelm, she found everything? new and mesmerizing. She stood on the balcony, not minding the cold wind which was making her shiver more. It took her several minutes to realize she could hear the sound of her own teeth chattering. She could only pull themp she ced on the stone railing nearer to her, before pulling the coat closer to her body.


    ''I should have worn gloves as well,'' she could not help but pout.


    Just then, a pair of warm arms surrounded her. The fact that someone was standing behind her without her realizing it made her jump in fear, but one manly hand held her steady. An arm circled around her waist, while the other one covered her mouth, stopping her from making any sounds.


    She felt a pair of warm lips whispering in her ears.


    "My Queen, you seem to be cold. Let me warm you up a little."


    The voice pulled her out of the shock as she realized, ''It''s him!''


    Drayce removed his hand from her mouth after she calmed down upon realizing it was him. He moved to circle both his arms around her small body, his palms on the back of her hands to entangle his fingers with hers. After gently rubbing her icy cold skin, he held her hand tightly to pass her some more of his warmth.


    "Do you feel less cold now?" he asked.


    ''He is so warm,'' she sighed inwardly but didn''t reply to his question. "Your Majesty... what are you doing here?" she asked, hesitantly.


    "Can''t I be here, my Queen?" he asked gently while letting his lips brush against her earlobe. Seren shivered again, but this time, it wasn''t due to the cold but the tingling sensation caused by the man holding her.


    ''It''s his pce and kingdom. Of course, he can go anywhere,'' she grumbled in her thoughts, ''but can''t I have some privacy and alone time for me?''


    As usual, she did not put herints into words.


    "I mean, this is the Queen''s chamber, Your Majesty," she exined, "and I have been informed that His Majesty has his own chamber."


    Drayce hummed in a response, agreeing to it, and added, "But did no one inform you that the king can go to his Queen''s chamber whenever he wants to?"


    Seren shook her head saying no and thought, ''What kind of rule is this?'' as she heard Drayce continue speaking.


    "If my Queen is not happy to be surprised by my sudden appearance in her chamber, then I will do my best to not make my presence unexpected, but rather, constant. I can stay to apany my Queen in her chamber every night from now on."


    Her startled eyes widened. ''Stay in my chamber?!'' She spurted out in a hurry, "T-That would be too much of a hassle! It''s fine as it is!"


    Drayce smirked, "Is that so?"


    "Yes!"


    "Then, is it fine if I visit my Queen''s chamber whenever I want?"


    "Huh?" Seren felt trapped. She definitely didn''t want him to stay in her chamber every night. Letting him visit was better than that. "Yes, Your Majesty..."


    Drayce smiled lightly at her inner struggle to permit him. He decided to stop teasing her and changed the subject. "Do you like the view from here?"


    "Hmm." She nodded.


    Still holding her in his embrace, with her back pressed against his chest, the royal couple continued to appreciate the night view of the capital. The night was peaceful, and there was nothing to hear but the soft whistle of the wind and their own steady breathing. Seren was slowly getting used to having skinship with Drayce, and she didn''t mind him standing pressed to her like this.


    ''Maybe, this is what husband does,'' she thought, not realizing the fact that she enjoyed the warmth she felt from him.


    "My Queen?"


    "Hmm?"


    "Wee to Megaris," he said in a low yet charming voice. Seren thought it was kind of funny he only decided to tell her this now, but she remained silent as he continued to talk, not wanting to ruin the mood. "This entire kingdom belongs to you now. You are? Queen Seren Ivanov, the Queen of Megaris, who will rule this kingdom alongside me. Every single person in this kingdom is meant to obey your orders. Just do whatever you feel right without worrying about others, not even me."


    She lowered her gaze, focusing on the flickering me inside themp on top of the railing. ''Do whatever I want? Is he serious?''


    "I mean it," he continued, as if he heard what she thought. "You don''t have to keep wearing this veil here either. Just live freely the way you want, not caring for how you look or what others say. I, your husband, ept you the way you are."


    His words made her frown.


    ''Remove my veil? Martha said I can''t. It will make me and the man who will see my face suffer.'' She seemed to feel like Drayce was putting too much emphasis on her veil, and worry flooded her mind. ''What if he takes off my veil and sees my face? How can I stop him? I need to find a way.''


    Seeing her remain silent instead of getting excited over her freedom, Drayce continued to reassure her. "You don''t have to take it off right away if you are notfortable, my Queen. Take your time getting familiar with everyone here, andter, you can take it off whenever you want. Also, shouldn''t I at least know what my wife looks like? This way, I can at least imagine what our kids are going to look like, either like you or like me."


    "K-Kids?" Seren mumbled.


    "Hmm." He nodded lightly. "Don''t you want to have kids with me, my Queen?" Drayce asked, forgetting his wife didn''t know about the way to have children.


    Seren looked down towards her stomach and mumbled under her breath, "But, it''s not round yet."

 Chapter 198: Teaching Starts From The Lips

    <h4>Chapter 198: Teaching Starts From The Lips</h4>


    Seren looked down towards her stomach and mumbled under her breath, "It''s not round yet."


    Of course, Drayce''s sharp years caught that light mumble. Heughed, not knowing what else to do over her innocence.


    A bit annoyed by hisughter, she pouted behind her veil. "I... didn''t do anything to stop it from going round. It''s...it''s just the same."


    Drayce controlled himself from notughing some more and turned Seren around to face him. She looked at him with puzzled eyes.


    Still holding her hands, he caressed the back of them with his thumb. "To make that belly round, there are a few things that a husband and wife needs to do."


    She blinked a few times, thinking about what kind of things he meant. "Without doing those things, my belly won''t be round, right?"


    "Hmm?"


    "Then, can we not do those things? It looked painful to have a baby inside and that big round belly. It will hurt."


    "It sure will, but does my Queen not want to have children? As a queen, it''s your responsibility to give this kingdom its next king."


    "Can''t other women do it instead of me?" she asked, not knowing the gravity nor the consequences of what she was asking for.


    "Those things happen only between husband and wife, and I don''t wish to have another wife," Drayce exined.


    Seren looked sad as she lowered her gaze. "Then, I have no other choice?"


    Drayce frowned as he studied his wife, trying to guess her thoughts. "Will my Queen like it if I love some other woman?


    ''Does it matter if I like it?'' she wondered. As someone who was confined in a tower her whole life, concepts of ''liking something'' and having ''preferences'' were things she did not really understand. Everything was simply handed to her, and all she did was obey and ept things as they were. Moreplicated topics like rtionships between people and love were even more impossible for her to know.


    "Love? Is it difficult?"


    Her question made him pause for a second. He waited till she lifted her gaze again before he answered, "Not difficult, but it''s impossible for me to think about any other woman. I belong to you alone, the same way you belong to me."


    "Oh..." she said with a creased forehead, thinking how owning a pet was already difficult. How much more difficult was owning a person?


    If Drayce had said the same words to any other woman, she would have freely given herself to him that very moment, but unfortunately, this young queen in front of him knew nothing.


    Drayce didn''t mind it either. Sooner orter, she would understand how much she meant to him. "Only you, my Queen, can bear my kids."


    The thought of having a huge round belly seemed painful to her. She timidly asked, "How do I have it?"


    Drayce smiled lighty. "My Queen will know soon. Tomorrow, we can start it."


    "Start it?" she asked.


    "Proper lessons for my Queen," he replied.


    Seren nodded, feeling slightly happy at the thought of being educated. She knew she was smart enough to understand anything quickly. The King of Abetha had sent her many difficult to understand books, but she always understood them all thoroughly.


    Still, books alone were not sufficient. There were many things she needed to learn, as she was aware she was never brought up as a proper princess. She had never gotten a tutor for royal etiquette, for administration, politics, history,merce, among many things. Now, she was the Queen of Megaris, and she would also need to learn everything ording to the customs of this kingdom.


    As she fantasized about her future lessons, not even once did a thought cross her mind that Drayce might mean another kind of teaching.


    "If you are ready, we could have started it right away," Draycemented with a chuckle.


    "Right away?" She blinked. "But we don''t have any books here."


    "No need for books." Drayce raised his hand to caress her cheek over the veil. She was startled a bit, but she was sure he wouldn''t take off her veil as he had given her his word. Moreover, Martha said no one can take it off so she could rx.


    Drayce moved his thumb to the part of the veil over her lips and caressed it. "We would have started the teaching from here��my Queen''s delicate lips."


    "M-My lips?" she mumbled and thought, ''What does this teaching have to do with my lips?''


    She recalled the moments when she used to read books, but there was no such memory where she had to use her lips other than pouting at a few things she read about?some evil people recorded in the history of the continent.


    Drayce continued to?caress her lips, even when she tried to speak. His red eyes didn''t move away from that shallow impression of her lips under the veil. Her lips under his touch were thin and soft like petals.


    "Yes, my Queen," he confirmed with half-closed eyes. "Your lips."


    Her curiosity was piqued. "How can my lips��"


    Before she could even finish her question, her lips were sealed by the softest touch of another pair of lips. Drayce ced his lips gently over the veil and stayed like that for a few moments to feel her lips even though the thin fabric was an obstacle.


    Seren was shocked, her body unable to move and her brain unable to register what had happened. Her breath was stuck in her chest.


    Drayce moved back a little to stare into her widely opened eyes. His voice was hoarse. "Like this, but without this veil on."


    Seeing his adorable little kitten holding her breath, he smiled and took a step?back. "Breathe, my Queen, or you might faint with suffocation."


    Drayce had to repeat his words a few times before Seren finally returned to reality. She took a deep breath and exhaled loudly. She immediately pulled her hands away from his and covered the part of her chest where her heart seemed to be about ready to burst out. ''What kind of teaching is this? Who studies like this? Martha never taught me this. She just gave me a pile of books...''


    "It is gettingte into the night, my Queen. We should go inside," Drayce suggested.


    Seren nodded woodenly, and she indeed shivered, as if only then did her brain realize her entire body was shivering due to the cold. Because Drayce had let go of her, thefortable warmth she felt from him a while ago was gone.


    ''It''s freezing��''


    Even before she could take a step forward, her shivering legs gave out and Drayce lifted her up in his arms.


    "I-I��" she stuttered. "I can walk...Your Majesty."


    Of course, he didn''t believe her words and turned around towards her chamber while holding her in his arms. The moment they crossed the door and entered the bedchamber, the ss door behind them closed, stopping the cold breeze from flowing inside the room.


    He carried Seren towards her bed and ced her on it.


    "I need to take off this coat first," Seren said before he could pull the thick and warm nket over her.


    "I am sure you will need it, my Queen, or you will feel cold," Drayce exined.


    "I am not used to sleeping with a thick coat. It''s ufortable," she countered.


    "Fine," he said softly and helped her sit back on the bed. That coat was a full body cloak that could not be easily removed while sitting. The fabric was thick and heavy, lined with fur, and due to its buttons, it would indeed be ufortable to sleep in.


    Drayce helped her take off the coat. His eyes wandered around her shivering delicate body d in just a night gown. There was no way he would let her be on her own now. Throwing the coat on the floor, Drayce got into the bed with her.


    "Your Majesty, why are you in my bed?" she asked with wide eyes.


    "I can''t let my Queen freeze in her sleep," Drayce answered as he pulled her towards him. Shended on him, but she managed to maintain her bnce and distance by keeping her hands on his chest.


    "It''s time to sleep," he said, ignoring the obvious dissatisfaction in her eyes. The nket covered them on its own without any of them touching it.


    She was sure it was Drayce doing as she knew he could move things by using his powers. Knowing it''s a lost cause, Seren let her guard down and moved her hands away. She simply rested her head on his chest and Drayce wrapped his arms around her.


    The young queen, who failed to fall asleep despite her best efforts and ended up going to the balcony, fell asleep in a matter of seconds in her husband''s warm embrace. Only when Drayce could sense her rhythmic breathing did he nuzzle his face on the smooth curve of her neck and close his eyes to sleep.


    -----


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 Chapter 199: Her Home

    <h4>Chapter 199: Her Home</h4>


    It was still dark outside when Drayce woke up and saw his queen sleeping soundly in his arms. Although the sun was yet to be out, Drayce had no choice but to leave thefort of his wife and get ready to handle the matters rted to his kingdom. Before heading to Abetha, he had already been away from the pce for several weeks to oversee the border issue with Thevailes, and after meeting up with An, participating in the rescue and his wedding, he had been away for nearly two months from the center of power. Even without his trusted aide''s reminder, he knew he had many neglected affairs rted to Megaris, waiting to get his attention.


    Drayce carefully moved away from Seren, making sure not to wake her up. He made sure she was properly covered with the thick nket before observing her veil-covered face. Though he couldn''t see it entirely, he could somewhat guess she''s at peace. Pecking on her forehead lightly, Drayce got up and went towards the firece inside the chamber. He put more woodblocks into it to make the bedchamber warmer for Seren and then left. He wished? he could continue to cuddle her to help her feel warmer, but he had his king''s responsibilities that he could not ignore.


    -------


    Seren slowly woke up when her face was hit by the early morning sunlight entering her chamber through the ss door of the balcony. The gentle warmth wasfortable against her cold skin. Rubbing her eyes with the back of the palm, she got her sight clear as she sat up on bed. What weed her when she looked outside the windows was a bright blue sky with sparse clouds. A sweet and refreshing scent was suddenly caught by her nose.


    "Good morning, Your Majesty!"


    She heard the familiar voice and looked at the person standing near her bed, holding a bunch of flowers inside a bamboo woven basket. Marie was arranging fresh flowers in all the vases inside the bedchamber. Seeing her queen sound asleep, she kept her movements light so as not to wake her up, but when she saw the movement in bed, she hurried to greet her queen.


    Although nobody could see, Seren smiled at the sight of flowers. Back in Abetha, she raised varieties of blossoms in her own garden, and Martha would also sometimes put them in vases inside the tower.


    ''I wonder what Martha is doing now. Is she taking care of my garden?'' Seren remembered something and looked at the other side of her bed. It was empty. ''When did he leave?''


    She sat up in the bed and asked her servant, "Did you just enter the chamber, Marie?"


    "I have been inside for several minutes already," she replied as she gestured at the other vases with flowers in them. "Did I disturb your sleep, Your Majesty?"


    Seren shook her head lightly and heard Marie continue to ask, "Sleeping alone inside such a huge bedchamber, were you able to sleepfortably, Your Majesty?"


    "Alone?" Seren asked, and Marie nodded.


    ''So she didn''t know he was here,'' Seren thought and gave out a sigh of relief. ''But why am I feeling embarrassed to let her know he was here?'' Seren looked at Marie again and thought, ''I guess it''s fine if she doesn''t know. What''s to know about it?''


    Just then, Eva entered the chamber. "Good morning, Your Majesty. The weather in ckhelm is considerably lower than all the ces we passed through our journey. Were you able to sleepfortably?" She asked the same question as Marie. Both the servants were sincerely worried for their queen, as people from the warmer regions of the continent would have a hard time adjusting to the cold.


    Seren nodded as she remembered how she fell asleep so fast when he was with her.


    ''Am I getting used to sleeping with him? It didn''t feel bad, though. As long as he doesn''t bite me, it is fine.''


    "Your Majesty, would you like to have a bath first?" Marie asked when she saw Seren lost in her thoughts.


    Seren nodded, and Eva and Marie helped her with a hot bath. Afterwards, her servants chose a long pink gown paired with a thick outer robe and matching heeled boots to dress her with.


    Just as Seren stepped out of the wardrobe, she heard a loud screeching noiseing from outside, and pleasant surprise registered in her eyes as she recognized the sound. With a light giggle, she raised her skirt and hurried towards where the sound wasing from��the balcony.


    Eva and Marie didn''t stop her as they knew why their queen was reacting like an excited little girl.


    Screech!


    With the loud p of his wings, a majestic brown eaglended at the top of the? stone railings of the balcony. Seren called out with augh, "Dusk!"


    Eva and Marie stayed inside the bedroom and simply appreciated the lovely view of their young queen stroking the feathers of the beautiful bird. During the journey, they saw how attached their young queen was to Dusk. Why not? After all, it was a rare animal with human-like intellect and the favorite pet belonging to their king.


    Dusk crooned at Seren, who came to him like she had seen her long-lost family member. Ever since the eagle had been injured, whenever their carriages made a temporary stop, she would check on Dusk and see his progress. It had only been roughly two weeks since he was attacked in the borders of Griven, and if he was left to heal on his own, it would have taken him months to recover.. It was a miracle his wounds healed fast, and other than Drayce, no one was aware of how that miracle happened.


    Seren didn''t expect Dusk toe to her balcony like this, and she could talk to him like she did in Abetha.


    Since the stone railing only reached up to her waist, she could easily caress Dusk who hadnded on it. "Good to see you here."


    Dusk rubbed his head back against her palm. "Is your wingpletely fine now?" she asked though she had seen him flying even before.


    Dusk spread both his wings to their fullest, and the delicate queen looked even smaller in front of him. It was the first time she had seen him so closely with his both wings spread widely, and it amazed her.


    She chuckled. "You look so big. You can even wrap me in your wings."


    As if Dusk got her words, he was about to try wrapping her in his wings, but something stopped him, and he stepped back while folding his wings. After all, Dusk had an intellect simr to a human. Since he somehow saved one of his wings after the attack of those wolves, he would not do something stupid that would make him lose both. His master was scary.


    When he folded his wings back, Seren''s gaze caught the day view of ckhelm city. She had seen it at night and thought it looked magical, but the day view was not any less impressive. Most buildings were made of limestone, and the roofs of the houses were of various shades of red, and looking at them from her balcony, it was an aesthetic view. The entire capital seemed alive and bustling; she could see countless people and carriages moving on the streets below. She also realized that the temperature during the day was bearable for her. She could somehow imagine her days sitting on the balcony while sipping freshly brewed tea, watching the city below as well as the river with boats and ships traveling on it.


    As she daydreamed, Marie approached to inform Seren, "Your Majesty, Lady Tyra is here. Should I let her in?"


    Seren nodded and saw Lady Tyraing to the balcony. Several women in stylish clothes were following her.


    "Good morning, Queen Seren," Lady Tyra greeted with an elegant curtsy.? "Forgive us foring without prior notice."


    "We have seen Her Majesty the Phoenix of Megaris!" thedies behind the old woman curtsied as well.


    epting the greeting, Seren nodded, although she was not used to the courteous reception she''s receiving from everyone.


    "I hope Your Majesty has slept wend found this chamberfortable," Tyramented as she offered a light smile to her.


    Seren nodded again. Staring at Lady Tyra and her enigmatic smile for a while, it was as if she sensed something. Seren could feel that this old woman was not ordinary; it wasn''t just because she''s a distant rtive of the royals, nor was it because she''s unlike the pce servants.There was something strange about this old woman, but she couldn''t put a finger on what it was.


    Seren contemted over whether Lady Tyra could be trusted or not, but as the King of Megaris, her husband himself, seemed to trust her, then Seren had nothing to say. Still, Seren decided to be careful of her as it was her gut feeling. Regardless if it was good or bad, nothing could go wrong from being careful.


    Tyra had seemingly sensed the sudden change in Seren''s silence but did not mind it. Tyra could also feel that their new queen was indeed not an ordinary person, and she was sure she would soon get an answer to this. She had heard the rumors about the Third Princess of Abetha being a witch''s daughter, but Tyra could sense there was much more to this youngdy.


    Tyra continued, "Your Majesty, the reason for meing to you this early is to introduce to you thedies-in-waiting given to you by King Drayce. After your wedding in Abetha, His Majesty had already written an instruction for me to make a list of the bestdies to enter the pce. This is Lady Xena, Lady Reya and Lady Leia. From now on, they will be yourdies-in-waiting and will serve Your Majesty for the days toe."


    "Greetings, Queen Seren," the young woman in the middle, who looked to be the oldest among the three, smiled. "I am Xena, and I am the head of thedies under your care."


    Xena seemed to be in her mid-twenties, just like Marie, but there was a certain elegance in her movement simr to Tyra. Even the way she stood was elegant, and it appeared like she was trained in royal etiquette. The two younger women with her also gave off the aura of noble women as well.


    "But I already have Marie and Eva," Seren countered with a creased forehead. She didn''t want more people around her, and she wasfortable with having only Marie and Eva around to serve her. Besides, thesedies looked like they never did a single house chore their entire lives.


    The three neers all had pleasant appearances, wearing long dresses that looked like they were all daughters of nobility, instead of pce servants. They were even dressed more extravagantly than Tyra.


    Unlike them, Eva and Marie had changed out of their casual travel clothes and were wearing gray-themed uniforms that had no essories attached to their clothes, other than one single gold badge that she saw on the royal servants everywhere. It was the design of the royal crest, which signified their ranks as well as whether they worked for a particr royal.


    Tyra stepped forward to clear the misunderstanding. "Your Majesty, Marie and Eva will always be with you as your personal servants, but they by themselves would not be able to cater all your needs. Thedies-in-waiting are meant to be your subordinates, your right hand people, and are very importantdies that you as the queen need to have especially once you start assuming your duties in the pce. Eva and Marie aremoners, and they will mostly help Your Majesty with personal things and menial tasks. In contrast, Lady Xena and the otherdies are educated women from noble families, and they will help Your Majesty to deal with work errands and matters where they will represent Your Majesty. Of course, they can also help out Marie and Eva in doing small tasks, like brewing tea for you or bringing in food."


    Seren studied thesedies. She then remembered that back in the Royal Pce of Abetha, there were a number of noble women always following behind Queen Niobe. Some of them were rtives of the queen from her home, the Kingdom of Othinia, while a number of them were daughters of noble houses in Abetha. She realized they must be officialdies-in-waiting, and not simply boreddies who simply followed the queen because they had nothing better to do like she initially thought.


    "Fine," Seren agreed. ''There is no harm in keeping them around as I am not familiar with the people in this ce.''

 Chapter 200: Ready For The Kings Duty

    <h4>Chapter 200: Ready For The King''s Duty</h4>


    Note- Due to the adjustment in the chapter length, some part of the content of the previous chapter has been shifted down to this one, but rest assured, nothing extra has been charged.


    -------


    Tyra smiled back as she came out of her own thoughts about this young queen."I have arranged a nice morning meal for Your Majesty, highlighting the special delicacies of our kingdom. Please follow me to the dining room."


    Seren looked at Dusk to bid it farewell. "Go have your meal too. I will see you soon." After saying that, she followed the old woman out of her chamber, where Tyra led her way to the lower floors before stopping in front of a huge door on the ground floor.


    A knight opened a door, and it opened into a huge luxurious room with crystal chandeliers. Seren stepped inside and curiously observed the room. She didn''t have to enter this room the previous night because she already had her meal during the journey, and she was too tired to eat when they arrived.


    The dining hall had a long rectangr table made of polished redwood in the center, yet it had only two chairs at the opposite ends of the table, which showed it was meant for only two people��the King and the Queen, respectively. Various silverwares were arranged in the middle of the table, which were covered with a lid.


    Lady Xena and the otherdies-in-waiting stepped inside. One went to the nearest chair and she pulled it out for her queen. "Your Majesty, please have a seat."


    Seren sat with a slight nod of her head, and Lady Xena moved to serve her food on a silver tter while Tyra spoke, "I hope the food is ording to Your Majesty''s liking. If there is something Your Majesty wishes to change or add, please let me or Lady Xena know."


    Seren nodded again while Xena and otherdies in waiting started to serve the food. Seren observed them; their movements were smooth and elegant, and they were careful not to rush for anything. Once they were done serving her food, they stepped aside and stood with their heads lowered.


    "I would like to be alone," Seren instructed.


    She was not used to having her meals with others around. Even when she went through this long journey, she always had food alone except for the few moments when she only had to eat some wild berries or fruits whenever they had to make a stop somewhere random.


    "Your Majesty, please take your time, and if you need something, please call for us," Tyra informed her and, along with her Xena and the otherdies-in-waiting, she left the dining room, closing the door behind her.


    Seren removed the veil from her face as she was able to do so now and started eating the food. On their journey towards the capital, they had stopped several times in the cities along the way, and thus she was already familiar with the food preferences of people living in Megaris. Though their food tasted different,? it was not bad. Just her taste buds were not used to the heavy spices, as it seemed they like spicier food.


    ''It''s at least better than eating something cooked by myself,'' she thought and continued eating. At first bite, every dish made her mouth burst with vors, but as she kept eating, she found them enjoyable. Thankfully, the soup and rice were made avable in every meal to help her wash away the strong vors, somewhat like in Abetha. On the contrary, the chefs of Megaris ced more emphasis on meat dishes, and there were fewer vegetables or fresh fruits on the sides.


    ''It''s in fact delicious,'' she thought as she finished with a satisfied smile. Once she was done drinking water and putting her veil back, Seren stood up and went out where everyone was standing attentively.


    "Your Majesty, do you wish to rest some more after the meal or wish to tour the pce?"


    "Tour the pce?" Seren asked.


    "Yes, Your Majesty. King Drayce instructed me to show you the entire pce if you feel interested to do so," Tyra added.


    ''Sitting on the balcony is something I can doter or tomorrow. It''s good to visit the various ces in the pce first,'' she thought and said, "I would like to tour the pce."


    Lady Tyra guided her way out, anddies-in-waiting followed them along, while Eva and Marie entered the dining hall to clean up.


    The young Queen of Megaris was still unaware of what it meant to be the queen of the strongest andrgest kingdom in the continent. She had no idea of the people lurking behind the walls, ready to watch her every move and listen to each and every word she would say; some to curry her favor, others to find fault with her, but all with various thoughts on their own. She was not ready to understand the variousplexities of what it meant to be a queen, a ruler, the mother of the kingdom.


    As she stepped out of the royal residence, Seren curiously yet quietly nced around to survey the massive pce grounds that belonged to her, ignorant of how much power and authority she held in the ce she would soon call home.


    -------


    Back when Drayce was still a prince, it was normal for him to rise early and upy the training grounds to practice his swordsmanship before the knights could even start their daily morning training. Waking up at dawn was a habit he carried over even after he was crowned king. As such, while the Queen of Megairs was still deep in her sleep, the King of Megaris was getting ready to start what he knew would be a busy day.


    After returning to his own chamber, Drayce had no need to order his servants to prepare his bath, as they had already finished it the moment he stepped inside. Unlike the Queen''s chamber, the King''s chamber was an extremelyrge room that took up an entire floor, with a personal study, a small gallery, several side rooms of important documents, rare books, and his collection of weapons, among other things, attached to the main bedchamber. At the moment, Drayce headed straight to one of the side chambers where avish royal bath was located.


    Steam could be seening out the moment his servants opened the side chamber for him.? The floor was caved inwards, with a set of rustic steps made of wood sloping downwards towards the square-shaped pool made out of volcanic rocks in the center of the room.


    From the ss wall on one side of the chamber, the first rays of sunlight had started to enter and fall on the water, causing its surface to sparkle. Drayce unceremoniously removed his robe and stepped inside the bath. His long ck hair clung to the muscles on his chest and shoulders after he lowered his body in the water. Drayce soaked himself inside the bath, his gaze fixed at the view outside the huge floor-to-ceiling window, smiling to himself as he remembered about the innocent talk he had with his queen the previous night. While her cluelessness would have made many men annoyed, everything about her only made him smile.


    "Adorable little kitten," he mumbled in a daze. "It will be fun to teach you everything�� My innocent Queen��my wife...my family."


    Chuckling to himself, Drayce covered his mouth with a hand, but he could still feel therge silly grin under his palm. It felt unreal��this warm happiness inside his chest. He had forgotten when he hadst felt this way. Perhaps when he was a child? He was never able to be truly happy after his mother was gone. This all changed due to Seren. Now, he finally had someone who he could cherish as family.


    The Royal Family of Ivanov had many descendants, and yet none of these blood rtions were people Drayce could sincerely call his family. It could be said that this was the true nature of the royal bloodline, where familial ties were rare, and only power, wealth, and benefits reigned supreme.


    His father and the previous king of Megaris, King Theron Ivanov, had never been someone he could see eye to eye with, always treating him like an outsider. Back when he was young, rumours had spread within the high nobility that Drayce was the devil''s son and not his real son, thus the poor treatment he received despite his astounding talents with the sword.


    King Theron had lots of wives, and his consorts and concubines bore him many princes and princesses, but Drayce could never consider them his family. Many of them were scheming for the throne with des behind their smiles, and they would have seeded in iming his life if Drayce had made one wrong step. Without his mother andcking a strong background and political supporters, Drayce grew up as an outcast prince. If it weren''t for the promise King Theron made to the devil, he would have never agreed to make Drayce the king of Megaris when he turned eighteen.


    ''But I am not alone now.''


    Drayce finished his bath after rxing himself in a pool of hot water. As soon as he got out of it, a servant offered him a red fabric to dry himself, while another servant helped him put on a clean robe.


    Donning the soft bathrobe, Drayce entered his wardrobe while his servants trailed after him. Inside, a smart-looking middle-aged man in a tailored ck suit wearing a monocle gave him a slight bow.


    "I hope His Majesty had a nice bath," said the older man.


    "Never had one so rxing before, Orien," Drayce replied.


    Orien, the King''s personal attendant,? smiled lightly. "Seems like Her Majesty''s arrival will bring happiness to the pce."


    Drayce just smiled while the two young servants who wore simr clothes as Orien started to help Drayce with his hair and clothes. Orien, meanwhile, pulled out a scroll and read out loud the king''s schedule of affairs for the day. The familiar droning voice confirmed to Drayce that his vacation was over. It was the time for him to remind the kingdom that its ruler had returned to attend to his subjects.


    As he would be attending the royal court, he was dressed more formally today. The upper half of his long hair was tucked high at the back of his head with a golden hair ornament. He wore a perfectly fitted long-sleeved ck garment with a high cor secured with the star-shaped golden crest below the neck. Two golden chains hung from the crest in the middle of his chest towards the left shoulder. His dark clothes were lined with pure gold at their hems, and even his ceremonial scabbard attached to his waist was of the same appearance. The ck and gold ensemble hugging his tall and well-built body made him appear more imposing and heroic.


    Just as the servants brought a heavy ck cloak which signified the absolute power wielded by the King of Megaris and arranged it over his broad shoulders, a certain someone arrived in the King''s chamber. Drayce smiled lightly as his sharp ears already informed him who was the oneing to see him. After all, not just anyone could enter the dwelling of a royal.


    Before that person could step inside the side chamber, Drayce spoke in a somewhat teasing tone, without even turning to look at the person, "You have finally graced me with your presence, Jasper."


    The footsteps paused, and he caught a low mumble normal humans would be unable to hear. "Tss. I wonder whose fault it was that I have to run everywhere for work."


    Orien and the servants looked at the door and bowed towards the young man who had just entered the side chamber.


    The young man was in his mid-twenties, the same age as Drayce, and was wearing a dark brown coat over his white inner shirt and dark brown waistcoat. As per the norm for those living in the north, he was wearing warm clothes with gloves and long boots. However, unlike the style preferred by the nobles of Megaris and Griven, his dark hair was cut short, only about an inch or so from his scalp.


    His thin lips had no smile on them, but his brown eyes looked happy to be in the presence of his king.


    "Your Majesty, the Dragon of Megaris, your impable ears always save this poor overworked soul from the trouble of getting permission to meet you," the young man called Jaspermented in a casual tone. Although he spoke more like a schr who loved poetry, he was a tall man with strong thick brows and well-carved facial features that made him worthy to stand alongside his devilishly handsome and charismatic king.


    Drayce turned to look at Jasper. He somewhat found his aggrieved appearance funny. "Next time, I will make sure to inform the knights to make you stay in the waiting room unless you get prior permission before visiting me."


    Jasper merely stared at him, his eyes using, and Drayce excused the servants, leaving the two young men alone inside the side chamber.


    "So? What brought you here that couldn''t wait till after I had my morning meal?"


    "Congrattions on your wedding, Your Majesty," Jasper offered his good wishes. "My family''s wedding gift has already been sent to your study."


    "Why so formal and polite, Jasper?" Drayce asked as he smirked. The two of them had basically grown up together, and he knew that the young man was sulking even without him saying a word.


    Jasper frowned. "I hope this politeness will melt your heart and you will let me take some time away from the mess of your kingdom." He added, as if with a grudge, "Your Majesty."


    "Daydreaming is not a good thing, Jasper," Drayce countered as he stepped out of the wardrobe.


    Jasper followed him. "Losing my hair at such a young age is also not a good thing." Again, he stressed, "Your Majesty."


    Ignoring his aide, Drayce went to get his sword and put it on the ceremonial scabbard on his waist. Of course, just as Drayce understood Jasper, Jasper also understood Drayce.


    The king''s aide stood in front of him as he lowered his head to let Drayce look at his head. "See what you and your kingdom have caused me! My hair is not as dense as before. I had to cut my hair to even it��"


    "What will you even do with your useless hair? It''s not like the more hair you have, the smarter you get."


    "Useless? Which good woman would like to marry a bald man? I''m only in my twenties! Don''t you want me to have kids? I am the only heir of Duke Candace, the one to carry my family''s bloodline. Like this, my family bloodline will be history!" Jasper continued to whine. "Your Majesty, don''t ignore me!"


    "If you are done whining, can we talk about what has troubled you so much? You did not exin the sensitive details in your missives," Drayce asked as he sat on the main chair in the sitting room and signaled Jasper to sit in another.


    Jasper sat and sighed, "What do you expect, Dray? Those ministers indeed waited for you to leave for the battlefield so they could cause more trouble here in the capital. Those old rags will make me insane one day."


    Jasper was one of Drayce''s closest and most trusted people, a childhood friend who could address him by name and could talk casually with him.


    "I will take care of them," Drayce assured. "You must have prepared a pile of work for me already."


    "After spending a month on the battlefield and another month of a long vacation where my king even found a wife, isn''t it right to pay some attention to work?" Jasper countered. "I even came here first thing in the morning because who knows if you would y truant and leave me to deal with your royal court while you go to your queen. Don''t think I don''t know how your mind works!"


    "I can expect nothing less from you," Draycemented and stood up. He needed to go to his study to look into all the matters before he went to the royal court.


    ====


    Dear readers, we have reached 200 chapters for this novel today. If you liked this novel till now, please write a review on the novel. The BEST REVIEW will be pinned at the top of the review section. It will help new readers to understand this book when theye across this one. Your valuable words in reviews are always a big help.


    Do read the Author''s note below.

 Chapter 201: I Am Not Any Monster

    <h4>Chapter 201: I Am Not Any Monster</h4>


    The study room of the King of Megaris was a huge andvish partitioned chamber with a long wooden desk and chair, both made of sturdy polished redwood, near the windows, while there was a smaller desk on the other side near the shelves where the king''s aide took care of less important paperwork.


    The ornaments were rtively minimalpared to the other rooms inside the royal pce, but there were several tokens of war over the firece and the stone walls had various shelves that were filled with a number of precious books and documents from all over the continent. In the center of the study, there was a set of well-cushioned chairs, a couch, and a nicely carved center table meant for entertaining guests.


    The wide ss windows were positioned to face the east, allowing natural light to brighten up the study during the day, and one could see the beautiful view of distant mountains and the river outside. The peaks of those mountains looked white due to them being perpetually covered in snow, but during winter, not just those mountains but also the entire capital would be covered in snow, turning the city into a white canvas.


    When Drayce entered his study, he saw two additional tables ced near his desk where Jasper had already arranged a tall pile of paperwork meant to be personally read and approved by the King of Megaris. The astounding sight of pending work made Drayce reconsider going back to his queen who he left alone in her chamber.


    After staring at the stack upon stack of scrolls, Drayce turned to look at his aide.


    Jasper merely shrugged as he gestured towards the parchment tied with a ribbon on the middle of the desk. "My father gave the deed of one of our coal mines as a wedding gift"��he then gestured towards the new tables filled with paperwork�� "while this is the wedding present from me."


    "Do not tell me that you are not beingpensated enough in exchange for your work for you to not give me something of value."


    Jasper did not show a hint of a smile, but his eyes were obviouslyughing at Drayce. "For any wise king, what could be more valuable than the welfare of his kingdom? These are all the issues that, once you resolve and approve, would make our Great Megaris prosper even more!"


    "If other subjects put more effort into work, it can also aid in the prosperity of the kingdom," Draycemented as he sat in the chair behind the desk.


    "It is not like other subjects will listen to the arrangements of another subject."


    "Those other subjects would once they realize their pretty little necks are at risk."


    Jasper made a face when he was sure Drayce wasn''t looking. "This subject does not wish to be assassinated by other subjects, at least until he gets a wife and has a child or two for the sake of the Candace Family. After that, this subject will happily sacrifice his youth for his king and this kingdom."


    "What youth? You''ll be a bald middle-aged man by then."


    "I''m already balding even though I''m still in my twenties!"


    "One more word and you will end up sacrificing all your precious hair," Drayce warned. "I''ll make sure not a strand will be left behind."


    Japers gave him a narrow-eyed sulking look but wisely chose to stay quiet.


    Drayce went through the scrolls one by one, his actions smooth and fluid as he signed and tossed them aside after just one nce. It was one of the extraordinary powers he possessed; he never had to read the entire thing for long like other people to see the core details. ncing once at what was written inside the scrolls was enough for him.


    Jasper continued to inform him of a few other things that recently happened in the capital.


    "Your elder brother, Prince Keiren, is showing signs of rebellion once again. He has secretly started to conspire with those annoying ministers from his mother''s faction. It seems the harem of the former king is also involved, although we are yet to discover concrete evidence. Once the First Concubine makes her move, your father''s other wives might side with him too."


    "Let him y for as long as he wants," Draycemented.


    "I heard he made secret contacts with Thevailes. One of the knights under him was said to have met with King Samer of Thevailes."


    "Hmm," was all Drayce said in response as he continued to look through the scrolls while tossing them to one side. Jasper divided them depending on which territories the recipient of the documents are, as well as which ones would be kept in the royal archive


    "Aren''t you worried?" Jasper asked.


    "Do I need to?"


    "If you have decided to rule the kingdom like any ordinary human king, then it''s something to worry about. A civil war will cause the economy to suffer, and many innocent citizens will be swept into trouble. If you get rid of the rebels with your powers before they execute their schemes, we will have nothing to worry about."


    Drayce sighed and looked at his aide with a cold gaze. "Do you want me to hunt them down like a monster? Won''t that make me nothing but a heartless butcher? Then there won''t be any difference between me and those self-entitled monsters who call themselves humans despite not acting like one."


    Jasper was taken aback a little. and thought about what just happened. He had served Drayce for a long time, and this kind of discussion was not the first nor thest they''d ever have. His king had never behaved like this whenever they talked about his powers before.


    "Did something happen?" Jasper asked with concern.


    "I am not any monster who will simply hurt anyone��and that devil, I will bury him somewhere if I can."


    Hearing the dangerous edge in his voice, Jasper was sure something had happened. "You are not a monster. Now tell me what happened? That devil troubled you again?"


    Drayce frowned, and merely threw a, "Aren''t we gettingte for the royal court?" before standing up to leave.


    Jasper, the adviser of the king and the one who handled everything in his king''s absence,? also stood up and followed behind Drayce. Since Drayce was unwilling to answer, he pretended as if he did not ask those questions. "Even if those old rags keep standing for hours, it won''t hurt their knees. Even if they do, so what? The royal treasury has too much money, and we can provide them with ointments for years. Don''t worry."


    Drayce wordlessly walked out of the study. Themander of the royal knights, yer, was already waiting outside of the study with his own brigade of knights.


    They all bowed towards Drayce. "Greetings, Your Majesty! Greetings, Lord Candace!"


    "How are you feeling now?" Drayce asked yer. Though he recovered due to those magic elixirs, the long journey had also helped as it allowed his once gravely injured body to rest.


    "I am absolutely fine, Your Majesty," yer replied.


    Jasper couldn''t be silent when his two friends were acting so formal, like a king and his subject, andmented as he looked at Drayce, "When Your Majesty was still resting in some other chamber, I saw Sir Sanders sneaking out to the training grounds to bully��I mean, have a sword fight with his vicemander early in the morning. I am sure he is perfectly fine even if he is to head out to the battlegrounds today."


    yer reserved his respect for his king alone. When he looked at Jasper, he had that innate arrogance swordsmen have as they looked down on intellectuals. "I am sure Lord Candace is bored of handling paperwork all day long. Reading and writing all day are bad for your eyes and your back. I must take you with me the next time my brigade is deployed to the frontlines. Who knows, your hair growth might be stimted once they feel the air of the battlefield."


    "Good idea. I hope he will stop whining over his lost hair after that," Draycemented as he walked. yer and Jasper escorted him while the rest of the knights followed them.


    "Tss." Jasper made a face. "If I leave the pce, I wonder if His Majesty will survive that horrible flood of paperwork."


    yer responded in kind. "With your swordsmanship poorer than even the novices among the knights-in-training, shouldn''t you wonder whether you''ll survive the flood of enemies?"


    The young lord realized that yer''s words made sense. "What, my hair is not enough, you two want me to lose my life too?"


    Crossing the wide corridors of the royal residence towards the main pce, Drayced halted in his tracks. The knight and the king''s aide also stopped their bickering, not questioning in their minds why their king had stopped.


    Drayce closed his eyes when he heard distant yet familiar voices that informed him that his queen was finally awake. Only after he satisfied himself from listening in the women''s conversation did Drayce finally take a step forward.


    "Was it a nice melody, Your Majesty?" Jasper asked, smiling lightly as he followed his king.


    Drayce nodded lightly. "Hmm, a sweet one."


    yer always maintained a neutral expression whenever he was on royal duty, but he too couldn''t help but smile at the rare sight of his king being happy.


    Other than An, yer and Jasper were aware of Drayce''s various abilities as well. They too had known what kind of life he led under the reign of the previous king, thus they understood what a precious being their queen was to their friend.

 Chapter 202: [Bonus Chapter]Megaris Royal Court

    <h4>Chapter 202: [Bonus Chapter]Megaris Royal Court</h4>


    Inside the throne room, the attendees of the royal court of Megaris were waiting for the arrival of their king. The high-ranking ministers, the military officials, and the lords of various families belonging to the upper nobility were waiting on their assigned seats, some while drinking tea, while others were talking among themselves.


    During the past two months, they got to hear the victories their king had against the Kingdom of Thevailes and Hatha, and it made the people of Megaris proud of having such a king. After all, the alliance won against the enemies, the war generated wealth for their kingdom. Those who sided with Drayce, those from the military, and those who benefitted from the new trade routes wanted to celebrate, but those who stood against him could only nitpick at the faults of how unconventional the king was acting, contrary to the traditions of thend and the actions of the former kings of Megaris.


    "I knew our king would always be victorious whichever battle he enters into."


    "He is not like other kings who only sit on the throne and send their soldiers on the battlefield. Our king believes in fighting the enemy by facing them head on the battlefield."


    "He will be the most glorious king in the history of Megaris!"


    "By marrying a princess from Abetha, we got a strong alliance with that wealthy and prosperous kingdom."


    "More than that, it will help us deal with Thevailes. Griven has always been an ally but after having Abetha joined us, I am sure Thevailes will never bare its fangs against Megaris ever again."


    "Abetha''s princess is our queen now. It will surely help improve trade andmerce with the western regions, especially the rare ores that can only be found in Abetha''snd."


    While those who sang praises regarding the royal family had no need to speak in hushed tones, those who were part of the hostile factions hid the des of their tongue behind kind smiles.


    "He ignores the matters inside the kingdom, leaving them to the young lord of Candace Family, and wanders around here and there waving his sword like a barbarian. This is why I said it''s too early to hand him the throne. I don''t understand why the old king abdicated his crown early when he''s still young and healthy."


    "True! What kind of king rules like this? If he wants to fight, he should have simply joined the army and be a general. We''ll even shower him with honors and medals. Bah! If he wants to leave his kingdom unattended, he should at least hand over the responsibilities to someone capable. Megaris have three dukes and five marquises, all lords with experience of managing their territories for decades."


    "He even got married without consulting anyone and took such an important decision on his own. What qualifications does that woman have? Could it be that she seduced him? Is she good in bed?"


    "The queen of this kingdom is someone who holds equal power with him, but he gave it to some random princess. He should have married one of the daughters of our kingdom''s nobles!"


    "I heard the woman he chose is a witch."


    "He is a devil so what more can we expect from him?"


    "This...my son once traveled to the central regions and told me that she''s an outcast of the royal family. I am worried that she will bring misfortune to our kingdom. I heard her father imprisoned her inside a tower because of her ominous presence."


    "If that is the truth, then we must push our king to get more wives. Her status as queen is not stable until she gives birth to an heir��"


    The chatter inside the throne room ceased when a royal guard in a red-ck uniform made an announcement of Drayce''s arrival at the royal court.


    "All rise! His Majesty King Drayce Ivanov has arrived!"


    The huge wooden double door opened and Drayce marched on the aisle with his ck cloak moving in a flourish. With his head held high, one hand holding his sword handle, each steady step he took emitted a heavy and awe-inspiring aura of a powerful king. He had been merely gone for two months, and the nobles seemingly had forgotten how terrifying it was to be in the presence of their king.


    Drayce was not called a devil for no reason. His presence was sharpened through his countless killing on the battlefield, and since his intimidation affected war-hardened generals, the officials and nobles who had never experienced bloodshed in their lives before were already quaking in their seats. All eyes were centered on the red-eyed king, and Jasper and yer who were walking behind him were ignored.


    All the ministers stood up from their chairs as the announcement was made. They stood with their heads bowed and their right fists mped to their left chests until Drayce reached his throne which was elevated on the other side of the huge hall.


    After making himselffortable on his throne, he nced at his royal subjects while themander of the royal knights and the king''s advisor stood on either side of the throne, but one step down in elevation.


    The entire throne room could be said to be the grandest and most extraordinary architecture inside the Royal Pce of Megaris. As the ce where the monarch of the kingdom received high-ranking people and dealt with important matters, the entire hall was made of expensive marble mined near the dangerous Northern Barrens and furnished with furniture, sculptures, and ornaments of the highest quality purchased from all over the continent. Beautiful crystal chandeliers illuminated the hall, as the windows were covered by long velvet curtains.


    The cushioned throne in the front of the hall was made of precious gold taking the form of a fierce rising dragon, its eyes and ws iid with rare gems, and above it, there was an inky ck banner with a golden crest symbolizing the sun stitched on it.


    Below the throne, two rows of grand chairs were arranged facing each other, where the most authoritative figures acting as pirs of the kingdom were assigned to sit ording to their rank and hierarchy. Behind those rows of chairs were grandstands, carved seats made of marble running along the entire wall to allow invited people to spectate the royal court whenever there was a certain issue that needed the presence of the public.


    After Drayce sat on his throne, the royal court turned to face him.


    "Your loyal subjects greet His Majesty King Drayce, the dragon who protects Megaris!"


    Drayce reacted to them with just a light nod and everyone sat on their chairs. As the ministers'' seats were perpendicr to the throne, they had to look at their sides to look at their king.


    One of the most senior among the ministers stood from his seat. "On behalf of the entire royal court, I wee Your Majesty King Drayce, back to the kingdom. We all are delighted to see you back safe and sound, and we are equally proud of the glory that Your Majesty has brought to our kingdom again."


    Drayce just nodded. His handsome and proud face seemed to look down on everyone. "I am sure most of the ministers and nobles here missed their king a lot since I received their well-meaning calls of wanting me to stay in the pce instead of going into the battlefield for fear of my safety. To show my gratitude, I will make sure to take a few ministers and high nobles with me, taking priority of those concerned about my safety so they can personally protect me if danger ever arises."


    The minister who had criticized Drayce earlier about that issue felt like he was caught red-handed and couldn''t help but think, ''Did he nt a spy among the servants who heard us talking about him a while ago?''


    Drayce observed the nobles and officials with a light smirk painted on his lips. It was so satisfying to see them scared when all they did was to act high and mighty in his absence


    =====


    Dear readers, when we post a long review orment, it gets deleted or won''t post. Also, if it has any restricted word (cursing) added like - hell, damn etc, it will get deleted by the system. Even though the one who wrote it can still see it, it will be deleted for others.

 Chapter 203: Warning From The Blatant King

    <h4>Chapter 203: Warning From The tant King</h4>


    In order to liven up the chilled atmosphere within the royal court, one of the more experienced ministers stood from his chair and bowed towards his king. "Your Majesty, we all would like to congratte you on your marriage. Such a joyful asion must be celebrated by the entire kingdom!"


    The other ministers started smiling at each other as well.


    "Indeed, indeed! Our kingdom seemed to have weed an amazing queen!"


    "May the King and Queen of Megaris have a happy married life and bless this kingdom with the next generation of the Royal Family of Ivanov."


    Drayce epted their well wishes with a slight nod. He looked at the officials trying to tter him, as well as those who remained silent, especially the older nobles who didn''t approve of him going against the normal way of doing things, and thought that he needed to address some issues regarding his sudden marriage. Though he personally cared little about anyone''s opinion, as a king, he had to show adequate respect to the leaders of powerful noble houses. Moreover, he would never let go of the chance to shut a few nasty mouths in the royal court.


    "I hope you all have no objection over your king marrying a princess from a powerful kingdom like Abetha." Drayce looked at the left side of the hall that seemed to hold most of the ministers opposing this marriage. "I am sure, by now, you have calcted the kind of benefits this marriage will bring not only to our kingdom, but also to the businesses your families own."


    The old minister who seemed to be the leader of the conservative faction stood up. "Your Majesty jests. Who dares oppose any of Your Majesty''s decisions? We all know you consider the welfare of our kingdom the most, and you would not have made a move without considering all sides.? We agree this alliance will bring more benefits to our kingdom."


    Drayce smirked lightly. "Good to know you all understand it very well. Anyway, this could also be considered good news for your lot. None of you would be forced to sacrifice the delicate daughters from your families to a devil-like me." He paused as if to appreciate the people''s stern expressions, before continuing. "I am sure everyone remembers the incident that happened a year back when Lady Corline entered my chamber."


    With this, a sudden silence took over the royal court. Their king still had the same cold arrogance on his face as he mentioned that incident that most people considered taboo, looking like he was even proud of the fact he killed the youngdy who entered his chamber to get his favor.


    ''Such a devil heartlessly killed the prettiestdy in this entire kingdom!'' was what everyone could think.


    One of the dukes present was the father of the unfortunatedy, and he merely looked down to hide the anger and humiliation in his face. The other nobles whispered among themselves, as they shared knowing nces. Some approved of the punishment of death; after all, regardless of intent, thedy entered the dwelling of a royal without being granted permission.


    However, most of those present in the royal court frowned upon the incident. If it was merely a mere maid, though most would talk behind the king''s cruelty, it was somewhat eptable. The thing was, not only was Lady Corline a youngdy, but she was also of nobility. Such a foolish action of a woman should not have warranted death.


    It was easy for Drayce to guess what those opposing ministers were thinking and he spoke again, "No matter her background, she plotted against her king, and thusmitted a crime against the crown. Such a shameless and foolish woman, forget talking about whether she deserved to be my woman, does she even deserve to enter this pce? There is only one qualification to be the Queen of Megaris��she has to be the woman I chose."


    It was a tight p for all the ministers to hear his cold words, but they could say nothing. The incident of Lady Corline getting killed inside King''s chamber was still fresh in everyone''s mind, and they would never want it to happen with the daughters from their families. Everyone had long epted that their current king was a devil no one should cross; he could kill anyone if something didn''t go as per his liking. He didn''t even show the slightest amount of remorse after killing thatdy.


    Drayce continued, "And I, Drayce Ivanov, King of Megaris, choose to have only one wife for as long as I live."


    With this deration, the sudden uproar could be seen among the ministers who were discussing having concubines for their king because of the rumors about Third Princess Seren who was now their queen. Not just opposing ministers, but even those who normally sided with the king were shocked too.


    Kings and their royal harems were part of the long tradition observed by all the kingdoms in the entire continent. There might be instances where a king would have only a single queen, but he would never have a single wife. Queens, consorts, concubines�� there were many titles for the women of the king, each with their corresponding purposes and authority.


    Since they now have a foreign princess as a queen, the royal court harbored intentions for the king to ept concubines from the noble families within the kingdom, providing them an opportunity to have a chance to aim for the throne if the concubines were to be have offspring first before the young queen.


    "Your Majesty, please reconsider!"


    "Your Majesty, you are young and healthy! Taking in a few more women would be beneficial for the kingdom!"


    In the history of the continent-spanning thousands of years, the Ivanovs of Megaris had always had multiple wives. ording to written records, there was even a king from a few generations ago who built a harem of three hundred women.


    The cold voice of their king resounded inside the throne room again. "Despite what you''ve heard and thought about the Queen of Megaris, you all should bend your knees to respect her. Any offensive word or offensive action against her would be considered treason of the highest offense. Everyone here is aware that speaking ill about the royal family is a punishable offense, and perhaps I have been merciful as most of you keep doing it without fearing for your lives. Yet, regarding my Queen, I have no thoughts of exercising generosity nor patience, much less mercy. I hope there is no need for me to repeat my warning��indeed, this is a warning and a decree from your king. Pay heed to my words."


    The attendees of the royal court could only lower their heads and frown inwardly over this tant threat. No other king of Megaris had ever threatened his subjects like this, but Drayce was an exception. Even the previous king, King Theron, could never act like this, but ever since he was crowned, Drayce had always acted the way he wanted.


    The reason was his power��his abilities that were beyond any human reasoning. They would not wish to be in conflict with the royal family unless they would benefit from it. After all, nobles were people who would neither submit nor fight unless they found their family interests, prestige, and inheritance encroached upon. Though they were unhappy with his show of force, Drayce had yet to reach their bottom line. They could only be d that this devil''s son didn''t act inhumanly with them, knowing what he could do with the powers they had seen when Drayce was a kid.


    Him, being the owner of the powers of a devil made them wary of him, and the rumors about him being the devil''s son got stronger along with it. It was like an open secret that he was a devil''s son, but no one wished to talk about whether he truly had the royal bloodline or not. Only the previous King of Megaris knew what was the truth, but of course, nobles were smart enough to not get on the bad side of the previous king. The less they know, the safer their families were.


    Seeing the strange sullen atmosphere enveloping the entire royal court once more, Jasper could only shake his head. ''These old rags are only as meek asmbs when they''re before Dray.''


    With a deliberate cough, he unrolled the scroll he was carrying which listed the items to be discussed in today''s royal court session. "For today''s discussion, the first item on our agenda��.."


    -----


    One more chapter in the next half hour.

 Chapter 204: Curious About Drayces Mother

    <h4>Chapter 204: Curious About Drayce''s Mother</h4>


    While the King of Megaris was busy dealing with his royal court ministers, his queen had left for her tour of the pce. Finally, other than the overlooking view from her chamber''s balcony, Seren could also enjoy a more personal exploration of the Royal Pce of Megaris. When she thought of the possibility of visiting the city proper in a few days as well, she could not help but be excited.


    "This way, Your Majesty," Lady Tyra said as they stepped out of the chamber and entered a familiar long corridor of that wing. Seren and Lady Tyra walked in front while the others divided into two rows before following behind them. It was a majestic sight.


    It was the same hallway Seren passed through the previous night when they arrived. Last night, the only illumination came from the orb-shaped nightmps, but as it was daytime, the walls and the carpets were brightened by the sunlighting in through therge windows with drawn curtains. One side of the corridor had a wall with paintings and weapon ornaments hanging on it, while the other side had wide ss windows which allowed one to see the outside view.


    Seren stopped before one of the windows, looked outside, and saw seemingly another building connected to where she resides. Unlike other side pces where one building belonged to only a single royal, the royal residence where the King and Queen lived was a colossal curved pce with a garden and a fountain in front, while having the left and right wings facing each other.


    As if Lady Tyra understood what Seren was thinking, she informed, "That entire wing is where the King''s chamber is located. Just like how this entire wing belongs to Your Majesty the Queen."


    Seren observed the floor exactly opposite to where she was standing and thought, ''So he lives there.'' She observed there were two more floors below that.


    She heard Lady Tyra speak again, "These two wings are connected by a pathway which is ahead. By crossing it, Your Majesty can reach His Majesty''s chamber."


    ''Why would I go to his chamber?'' She frowned inside and turned to leave.


    Thedies behind her gave each other confused nces. Their queen was a quietdy, and though they wished to serve her well and give her a good impression of themselves, they were at a loss since they could not guess her thoughts. Aside from Lady Tyra, the rest dared not utter a word in fear the queen would find idle conversation unpleasant, thus they kept silent as Seren took her time to look around, appreciating the wall ornaments of strange weapons as well as the paintings of the scenic ces, important events, and members of the royal family which she was too tired to notice the previous night.


    ''The painters seem to like dragons a lot,'' she couldn''t help but notice themon themes among the paintings.


    After they crossed a certain distance before going towards therge grand staircase, Lady Tyra stopped and gestured with her hand a fork in the hallway leading elsewhere. "Your Majesty, this is the pathway connected to the other side of the wing. If Your Majesty ever wishes to go to the other side of the wing, Your Majesty can use this pathway."


    Seren looked at that long pathway which had windows on both sides and connected both wings. ''So, from here, hees to sneak inside my bedchamber. No wonder he has such poor mannerism, thisyout enforces bad teaching.''


    Frowning inwardly, she looked away and stepped ahead to get away from there as much as possible. Their group climbed down the grand staircase and reached the floor below. Lady Tyra made a gesture again towards the doors around them. "Your Majesty, this floor has chambers for all our future little princes and princesses."


    ''Princes and princesses? That means the king and queen''s offsprings.'' She pouted. ''That means it will be after my tummy goes round.''


    Her hand lightly touched her fat stomach under the long and wide and fluffy sleeves of her dress. Seren gazed at the doors around her. Her eyes observed the number of doors which she couldn''t count as the turn in the corridor was an obstacle but she saw at least a few of them.


    ''At least four doors?'' she thought and asked Lady Tyra, "All those rooms for the princes and princesses?"


    "Yes, Your Majesty," Lady Tyra replied, unaware of what was going on in their young queen''s mind.


    Seren kept touching her stomach as she thought, ''More than four times... it might be... it will hurt a lot, won''t it? I don''t want to be in pain. If they insist, can''t I just run away from here?'' She frowned inwardly. ''No more running. I don''t want anyone to get hurt again. Moreover, he will know about it before I can get far.''


    "Your Majesty, would you like to take a look at those chambers?" Lady Tyra asked.


    The young queen who was already scared and had her palms sweaty with the thoughts of having her tummy round so many times shook her head immediately. "N-No, we can move ahead."


    Lady Tyra nodded and they went to thest floor of the royal residence.


    "Your Majesty, this entire floor is meant for entertaining guests as well as taking care of all your needs. There aremon rooms here, like the drawing-room, the dining hall, art galleries, guest rooms, as well as empty chambers which we could renovate if you have certain hobbies or collections you wish to use them for. Beyond was where the kitchen and the servant quarters are located. All the servants assigned to you stay here so they can immediately attend to your needs."


    "This is the Queen''s residence, and everything here is meant for Your Majesty alone. The servants here take orders from only Your Majesty, and they are not allowed to serve anyone else, not even the king. You have threedies-in-waiting, two personal maids, and twenty other servants, all belonging to you. In this ce, your words are absolute. No outsider, that includes any other royals and nobles, or even their servants, is not allowed to enter here without your permission. Say, if certain noble wishes to seek your audience, they must at least write a missive mentioning their intention to visit at least three days beforeing, that way, yourdies-in-waiting can write back if ever you wish to reject guests."


    Seren nodded lightly to show she understood. It was a little overwhelming how many people were serving her, but she had long epted that being a queen came with changes she would be ufortable with. Lady Tyra smiled at her as they finally stepped out of the doors of the royal residence, only to be weed by the beautiful view of the garden surrounding the entire structure.


    The climatic conditions in Megaris were different from Abetha, therefore the flowers they had were different too. Instead of rose shrubs, which was the dominant flower in her own garden as well as the mostmon flower nt in Abetha, the garden in front of the royal residence also had different flower varieties, like geraniums andvenders, as well as towering trees with seemingly golden-red leaves.


    The previous night, when she climbed down the carriage, Seren already noticed the existence of the garden but she didn''t imagine it would be so beautiful and mesmerizing.


    "It''s just so beautiful," Seren mumbled as her sight was busy observing the fully bloomed flowers.


    Lady Tyra and other servants felt d that their queen liked it.


    "This is all for you, Your Majesty. Before your wedding, His Majesty ordered us to arrange the garden ording to what he thought you deemed pleasing. It''ste autumn, so only the roses and geraniums are still in blossom, but I assure you that when springes, this garden will be a feast to your eyes! Especially these cherry blossom trees that are native to Megaris, s, they are a magical sight to behold!" Lady Tyra felt proud that her work was appreciated. "You can also instruct us for any changes or additions Your Majesty wants in her garden. Orders will be conducted as soon as possible. Even if you wish to bring in flowers and nts from Abetha or from the western kingdoms, we can make it possible by creating a greenhouse for you."


    Seren nodded again as she took her time enjoying the scenic view in front of her. After a while, Lady Tyra came back. Seren was surprised because she was too immersed, she didn''t realize the olddy had left at all.


    "Your Majesty, your carriage has been prepared to take you to tour the entire pce," Lady Tyra informed and led her way towards the carriage waiting outside the wooden gate on the other side of the garden.


    As theplex grounds of the Royal Pce of Megaris consisted of numerous buildings, side pces, and pavilions, it would take more than a day to walk throughout the pce and introduce each ce to their queen, thus a carriage was arranged for the Queen of Megaris so she couldfortably enjoy her pce tour.


    The servants immediately arranged a stool for Seren and helped her climb the carriage. Lady Tyra followed after her and sat inside the carriage too as she was the person in charge of showing her queen the entire pce, taking it upon herself to be herpanion on her first day since their king was busy.


    The carriage left the royal residence and rode slowly on the wide roads inside the pce. Along the way, Lady Tyra continued to inform Seren about which building was for which purpose and who stayed there.


    "Your Majesty, that is the Vermillion Pce on our left side, which is the first building beside the royal residence, belongs to the royal harem which Your Majesty would be in charge of."


    Sere observed the beautiful architecture of the building that was only slightly smaller than the royal residence and said subconsciously, "So this is where all the royal family women in the pce live?"


    "Yes, Your Majesty," Lady Tyra replied. Her response surprised Seren.


    ''Wasn''t I just thinking? How did she hear me? Ahh! By mistake, I spoke it out loud,'' she concluded and thought, ''They''re right beside where I live. I hope they don''t visit my beautiful garden. It''s best if I stay away from them. I wonder if all the women here are annoying like the Queen of Abetha and her daughters.''


    "Your Majesty, that building on our right, is the Obsidian Pce and it belongs to His Majesty, the previous king, King Theron Ivanov, King Drayce''s father. As per tradition, we should go meet him and pay courtesy upon your entry to the royal pce, but His Majesty is not epting guests at this moment."


    Seren looked at the building, and although it was arge structure as well, it looked to be in a single building unlike how her and Drayce''s residence appeared to be like two pces connected to each other. She couldn''t hold back the curiosity and asked, "Where does the Dowager Queen live?"


    Hearing her question, Tyra understood the young queen knew nothing about the history of the royal family. Though her face was calm, the mention of the previous queen brought a tinge of sadness into her eyes. "Her Majesty is no longer with us."


    "No longer with us?" Seren asked as she wondered about the vague choice of words. ''Did she die or did she leave like my mother?''


    Tyra just nodded, "No longer with us."


    Seren tried to remember what she had read in books. From what she could recall, none of them mentioned anything about the previous queen''s death or anything more about her. Seren was only aware of the name��Queen Esther.


    "Did she die?" Seren asked innocently.


    Lady Tyra nodded silently.


    "How?" the curious young queen asked again.


    Lady Tyra bowed apologetically, her voice steady as she responded, "Your Majesty, no one is allowed to talk about this. Your Majesty should get the answer to these questions from King Drayce himself."


    "Understood," was all Seren said before looking outside of the window again.


    Seren was not upset that she didn''t get a clear answer. It was nothing new for her to experience being kept in the dark. Servants had their masters, and they wouldn''t tell her anything if it encroached upon the interests of those they serve. Martha was the same. Although she was her nanny, she only followed the arrangements of the king. She never told Seren anything.


    Seren was a curious youngdy, but she would not insist after asking a question once.


    ''Will he even answer me if I ask him about his mother? He is a king, just like my father after all."

 Chapter 205: Bowing To The Queen

    <h4>Chapter 205: Bowing To The Queen</h4>


    When the Queen''s carriage was seen moving inside the grounds of the royal pce, whoever noticed it, whether it was a servant, noble or royal, stopped on their tracks to pay respect to the passing carriage. Though they had not seen their queen yet, those within the pce recognized the carriage bearing the royal crest that represents the Queen of Megaris, and that alone was enough for everyone to bow their heads without a second thought.


    The sun was the symbol for the Ivanov Royal Family, and the royal crest for the Queen of Megaris was the same except for the one small difference��that shining sun had a flying phoenix bird with its elegant wings wide open carved in the center. That crest was meant for the Phoenix of the Kingdom. Simrly, Drayce''s crest had a dragon carved on it in the center to show he represented the Dragon of the Kingdom.


    "It''s Her Majesty the Queen!"


    "Bow to her."


    The new Queen of Megaris suddenly became the topic of curiosity inside the pce among everyone. Most of them wished to see her, and some could not help but wonder why their king had married this woman.


    "Has anyone seen her yet?"


    "They just returned the previous night, so I missed their arrival."


    "I think aside from the knights and servants from the royal residence assigned to Her Majesty, no one had seen her."


    "I heard she is the Third Princess of Abetha."


    "I wonder what our King had seen in her? After he killed the prettiestdy of Megaris, Lady Corline, I believed our King would never look for a woman."


    "Then is she prettier than Lady Corline? From what I heard, she does not reveal her face in public and wears a veil all the time. I wonder what kind of a beauty she is."


    "You think His Majesty can be lured by something so superficial? Our King married to get benefits from Abetha. It''s a political marriage."


    "There are some rumours about her?"


    "Shh! Keep quiet. Have you not heard what the knights were talking about earlier? His Majesty issued a decree. Speaking ill of our Queen can earn you a death sentence."


    Sitting inside the carriage, Seren could see the people from all walks of life bowing whenever her carriage passed them. She understood it was all because she was their queen now. In Abetha, she had experienced such a view when she went out in a royal carriage with her brother, Cian. This was simply part of what the life of a royal should be, the kind of life she was deprived of for years.


    Before she was made queen, Seren never received the treatment befitting a nobledy, much less a royal princess. Perhaps somedies from the middle ss led better lives than her. Whenever she was among other people, either everyone would point using fingers at her, or pretend not to know who she was.


    ''I wonder if the people in Megaris would soon be like the people in Abetha and despise me for what I am. Well, not like I care. I am happy the more they stay away from me,'' she thought.


    Just then, her eyes caught a beautiful view of a certain body of water, and she stared at it with a silent gasp.


    "Is that ake?" Seren asked.


    "Yes, Your Majesty. There are threekes inside the pce, among several ponds where we raise lotus and fishes. This one is thergest, and it''s a naturalke that existed even before the royal pce was built. Would you like to visit it, Your Majesty?" Lady Tyra asked.


    "Can I?"


    "Of course, Your Majesty. Everything here belongs to you now. You only need to speak a word," Lady Tyra exined, seeing how hesitant the young queen was. She seemed not to understand what kind of authority she held.


    There was a reason why Megaris was a strong kingdom, despite it having a young king and an immense territory that would have easily caused strife in any other kingdom; as a military kingdom who highly respected battle prowess and the way of swordsmanship, hierarchy was strictly implemented and discipline was highly looked upon, much more than in any other part of the continent.


    Though most princesses were not trained to be queen, all of them should have been taught what authority they held once they were to manage their own households after they married into a family. Lady Tyra had no idea Seren was never educated and thought it must be because the young queen must be feeling hesitant due to the differences between the pce life of Abetha and Megaris.


    ''Our Queen is a prudent woman as well. His Majesty really chose her well.'' Lady Tyra instructed the coachman, "Please stop by theke."


    The carriage took a small turn and moved towards theke. The carriage stopped by thekeside, where there was a small wooden bridge built over theke. There was a beautiful gazebo on the other side of the wooden bridge in the middle of the clear waters.


    Lady Tyra helped Seren to step out of the carriage before stepping behind to apany her in the capacity of a chaperon. Seren could not help but smile under her veil. The beautiful clear waters were surrounded by what seemed to be willow trees. Seren observed the water in theke was clear, that even the waterbed at the bottom was visible.


    In Abetha, the easternke mostly had muddy water that was covered by beautiful water lilies all year round. That was because theke was connected to the grand river outside the pce walls, and it would somehow bring in pebbles and river fishes from time to time. Inparison, the water of thiske looked crystal clear; its surface even reflected the color of the blue sky. Even with a normal person''s eyesight, one could see the colorful fat fishes swimming around as if to hunt for food.


    When Seren first caught sight of theke from the carriage, part of her view was obstructed by trees, and she didn''t realize howrge and extraordinary theke was. She remembered Drayce''s words when they went to visit theke in Karlin��''We have an even bigger and prettierke in Megaris,''


    ''So, he was not making up things. It''s really prettier,'' she thought, as she observed theke.


    "Your Majesty, would you like to rest in the gazebo?" Lady Tyra asked, and Seren nodded.


    Seren had started to realize that although she enjoyed her experiences of visiting the various cities and the entertainment they offer, she had an even stronger preference towards ces in harmony with nature, especially ces likekes, gardens, and rivers.


    ''Is it because they always look beautiful, and I never got to see it to my heart''s content?''


    She was brought out from her thoughts when they heard the sound of wheels traveling the road. They caught sight of two slightly smaller royal carriagesing closer towards them.


    Although Lady Tyra was old, her eyes were sharp. She recognized who those carriages belong to and frowned inwardly as she didn''t expect their arrival.

 Chapter 206: [Bonus Chapter]Meeting The Concubines

    <h4>Chapter 206: [Bonus Chapter]Meeting The Concubines</h4>


    Lady Tyra turned towards Seren. "Your Majesty, those carriages belong to the First and Second Concubines of the old king."


    They did not wait long before the carriages stopped in front of them. The woman who seemed to be ady-in-waiting stepped out of the first carriage and helped an older dignified woman to step out of it.


    With long flowing dark hair and eyes the shade of blue, the woman who seemed to be younger than her true age emerged from the carriage and offered Seren a sweet smile. Dressed in an impressive red robe, the woman looked so elegant and charismatic that it reminded Seren of a less attractive Queen Niobe. Though Seren didn''t like Queen Niobe, she could not deny the fact that she was a figure of beauty, grace, and elegance, although she was a cold woman who never allowed herself to show her emotions in front of people.


    From the other carriage, two more women stepped out who also wore extravagant clothes as well. They reminded Seren of her wedding day where she was decked by countless essories from head to toe, and she was forced to wear a heavy voluminous gown that made her weak in the knees.


    ''I know Queen Niobe likes jewels as well, but even she never wore that much on normal days��.''


    From the appearances of the three women, they looked to have the same status as the first woman, but from the way they moved, the first one looked like she held more power. Of course, Seren didn''t notice this and merely curiously observed them.


    The first woman''s light blue eyes gazed at the much younger woman wearing a simple pink attire with an overcoat, as if she was not used to the cold, and a veil covering the lower half of her face. She did not even bother to look at Lady Tyra.


    Lady Tyra stepped forward and made a curtsy towards the first woman. "Greetings, Lady risa!" She then turned towards the other twodies and greeted them as well. "Greetings, Lady Saira and Lady Yavia. Fancy seeing you outside on such a rare good day."


    Lady risa did not even bother to return the greeting as she continued to size up the quietdy behind Lady Tyra. "If I am not wrong, this is the Third Princess from Abetha, our new Queen."


    Her words seemed to hold no respect for the Queen of Megaris. Lady Tyra immediately frowned. She was someone who served three generations of the royal family. Even though she was a servant and was usually mild-tempered, she was someone not a mere concubine who could afford to anger, no matter how favored she was by her man.


    "Did staying in the harem make you lose your knowledge of basic etiquette?" Lady Tyra could not help but scold. "Why are you still not paying respects to our Queen?"


    ording to royal etiquette, those of lower-ranked must always be the first to introduce themselves. This was something all kingdoms in the continent practice, and failure to do so was a tant act of disrespect. Although Seren did not mind, Lady Tyra would not budge on this.


    Seeing the three concubines perform their curtsies, Lady Tyra looked at Seren and decided to do their introductions for them. "Your Majesty, this is Lady risa,? King Theron''s first concubine." She then signaled towards the twodies standing on either side of Lady risa. "This is the second concubine, Lady Saira, and the third one, Lady Yavia."


    Seren looked at them and merely gave them a light nod, not speaking a word. She didn''t know what more she should do.


    "Very well," Lady risamented as she observed Seren who looked back at her in silence.


    risa came here upon hearing that the new queen was touring the pce, and from what she had heard from her sources, the new queen was a quiet youngdy, not even eighteen of age. As the acting head of the royal harem, Lady risa knew she had to act to help this little girl and open her eyes to what it meant to wield the power of the harem.


    "I didn''t expect us to meet like this, but I am d we did," risa said, and Seren again didn''t know what to reply and merely responded with a light nod.


    Lady Tyra could not help but intervene again. "Lady risa, please speak formally."


    The First Concubine threw a sweet smile her way, though her words irritated the olddy''s ears. "What for? We are family. I am the wife of His Majesty King Theron, so ordingly, is it not normal for a mother to talk casually to her daughter-inw?"


    Now, even Seren, who was slow to catch up regarding hidden meanings behind honeyed words, was starting to feel ufortable. ''I don''t even know her. How can she act as if I should have been the one waiting to meet her? Not like I even want to know her. She acts worse than the Queen of Abetha.''


    To Seren, thedy in front of her was nothing but an annoyance, but she was used to keeping her calm in front of such people.


    Getting no response from the young queen, Lady risa frowned inwardly, thinking, ''This little girl is treating me as if I''m nobody.''


    Lady risa''s eyes didn''t fail to notice the scales on Seren''s body, as she softened her expression like a teacher gently reminding her student to put in more work. "Perhaps we should apany you while you tour the pce. That way, we can help introduce this ce to you, and we can also get to know each other more. You must not refuse us if we invite you over for tea this afternoon."


    She then made an exaggerated motion as she covered. "Oh, my. It must be ufortable to drink tea without removing your veil. But rest assured! We are now family, and since you are already an Ivanov, we will ept no matter how ugly, disgusting and hideous you look."


    Seren still did not react, while Lady Tyra didn''t find the concubine''s choice of words appropriate. "Lady risa!"


    "Lady Tyra, the Queen is not even saying anything," Lady risa interrupted her, giving her a narrow-eyed look. "You are merely respected due to your old age, but do not forget you are a mere servant. Do not interrupt a conversation between your masters!"


    Lady Tyra wanted to talk further, but then her expression changed as she noticed something and said politely, "As you wish, Lady risa."


    Lady risa looked back at Seren and added, "Are we not benevolent? We wee even the ugliest creatures in our kingdom, so there is no need for anyone to hide their appearance. Even if you do not cover your face, we will wee you in our hearts��"


    "My Queen doesn''t like to be weed in dark and rotten ces."


    A cold voice interrupted them, and they all turned to look at the person striding towards them.


    "Y-Your Majesty?!"


    Everyone bowed to him while Seren quietly stood in her ce.

 Chapter 207: Protective Husband

    <h4>Chapter 207: Protective Husband</h4>


    Three chapters today.


    The King of Megaris had a cold expression on his face as he sat leisurely on his throne, one hand supporting his head as he listened to the exchange below him regarding the national concerns brought up within the royal court. He did not speak, but the pressure he put on the ministers and officials was immense.


    However, no one had realized that Drayce was not even paying much attention to them, his mind elsewhere after he made his point regarding the issue of his marriage. He had made an estimate��around this time, his young queen should be receiving a tour of the pce. Despite wanting to apany her, Drayce was still busy dealing with issues raised within the royal court.


    "Is that ake?"


    On his annoyed cold face, a light smile appeared on his lips the moment he heard his queen''s sweet voice. His sharp ears caught the sound of Seren''s voice as she talked with Tyra when they arrived in theke beside the Grand Pce where the throne hall could be found. As theke was not that far, as long as he concentrated enough, he could hear the familiar voices outside the throne hall.


    "Yes, Your Majesty," came a reply. It was Tyra''s voice and he heard her exining to Seren about thekes in the pce.


    A deep furrowed line appeared on his forehead and his eyes turned colder as he wished to hear his wife more, but all he could hear was Tyra''s exnations.


    The royal court noticed this sudden change on his face and the conversations slowly died down as everyone wondered if they had said something to anger their king.


    Jasper looked at Drayce and asked, "Is there any issue with the proposed solution that Your Majesty did not like?"


    "Nothing!" Drayce replied casually. "Continue."


    He then returned his attention to what''s happening by thekeside. As he left early in the morning, he didn''t even get the chance to greet her on her first morning in ckhelm as he did not wish to disturb her sleep.


    "Can I?" he heard Seren asking Lady Tyra when she offered Seren to visit theke.


    Drayce smiled and a soft chuckle left his lips and thought, ''Of course, you can, my Queen. Everything here, including me, all belongs to you. It is a little disappointing though to think you would sound happier visiting a mere pond of waterpared to being in the presence of your husband. Your husband''s beauty is no less than the beauty? of an ancientke.''


    While he was busy with his one-sided conversation inside his mind, a wider grin pulled at the corner of his lips, causing everyone in the royal court to feel surprised. One moment their king was frowning, and now, he was smiling.


    ''Is there anything funny about the current agenda?'' was what all the ministers thought as they looked at each other, at a loss whether they should wait for the king to say something or resume their discussion.


    Seeing the rare smile on the face of their king, only those in the know like Jasper and yer understood what was going on. There was only one thing that could make their devil King smile��his wife. They made a guess that either Drayce recalled a good memory about her, or that the queen might be nearby and their young king was eavesdropping on her. Thetter scenario seemed to be highly likely.


    ''Poor Queen! If only she had an idea of her husband''s abilities!'' This was what''s on their minds as no one liked anyone listening in on their private conversations, regardless of how harmless the breach of privacy was, but unfortunately, this devil was gifted with eavesdropping skills��and he was not shy to use it.


    Thankfully, Drayce could control the extent of his sharp hearing, to the extent he could limit what he wanted to hear and what he did not. He didn''t enjoy the annoying talk going around him; the surrounding was filled with annoying people so listening to his queen saved his mind from going bored.


    Sensing Drayce''sck of interest in the royal court, Jasper continued to lead the discussion about the items on the agenda with the ministers, while Drayce continued to concentrate on the conversation between Seren and Lady Tyra.


    "Your Majesty, would you like to rest in the gazebo?"? Lady Tyra offered.


    Drayce smirked, unbothered by how every change in his facial expression affected the ministers and nobles present there. A number of them were guilty of some misdeeds while Drayce was away from the royal pce, and they were terrified to imagine what was going on in their king''s mind, whether he was nning something evil against them.


    ''Gazebo?'' Drayce thought as an evil smirk didn''t leave his lips. ''Should I join my Queen there? Jasper can summarize the issues that need my decision and give it to meter in my study, but my Queen, she is unfamiliar with many things here, and it was not like Tyra was giving detailed backgrounds. She''s only introducing basic knowledge, so it''s my responsibility to exin the importance of certain areas to her personally. Isn''t that what a good husband should do? Help his Queen understand her new home?''


    He found a good excuse to go to her and smiled pleasantly. At this point, a handful of old officials had turned pale in fright. To them, it was a very evil smile.


    "Your Majesty," Jasper called out and Drayce looked at him.


    Jasper pretended to cough. "Your Majesty, this is all for today. Do you wish to address some other issues with the royal court?"


    Before Drayce could say a word in response, his senses caught an irritating scenario by thekeside. His normally expressionless face turned dark as he stood up from his throne while gripping the handle of his sword.


    "Nothing. Deal with the rest of the matters by yourself," Drayce said as he stepped towards one of the side entrances of the throne hall in the direction of theke. yer quietly followed him.


    All the ministers were puzzled by this drastic change in Drayce''s behavior. No one could guess why he''s reacting this way.


    ''We did not say anything that would irritate His Majesty, did we?''


    ''What kind of mood swings King Drayce is having?''


    ''Is it the effect of his long travel after the war? He should have rested and started work after resting a few days!''


    As Drayce was exiting the throne hall, his royal subjects all hurried to stand up and bow in his direction.


    Just as yer closed the door behind them, away from the sight of his ministers, yer heard his king say, "Lake." His king disappeared on the spot, leaving nothing but a strong gust of wind.


    yer understood what the word implied. He instructed the other knights standing outside the building, "Get me a horse."


    Captain Rulf bowed and brought a horse for hismander to use. Not wasting even a second, yer jumped onto the horse''s back and caused it to gallop, leaving nothing but trails of dust in his wake.


    -------


    When Drayce reached thekeside, he witnessed the veiled disy of hostility the previous king''s concubines were showing towards his queen. Regardless of what Lady risa said to Seren, his innocent wife merely stood her ground calmly, as if what the older woman said didn''t matter to her. Moreover, from Lady risa''s expressions, he could see his queen''s silence had managed to annoy the woman and he felt happy. Through his Queen''s silence, she upheld her dignity and did not stoop lowly even when facing the enemy.


    However, what kind of man was Drayce? How could he let this crafty woman disrespect his queen without giving her appropriate punishment?


    "My Queen does not like to be weed in dark and rotten ces."


    As Drayce strode towards the delicate woman in a pink dress in an imposing manner, the rest of the people shivered as they hurried to pay their respects.


    "We have seen Your Majesty King Drayce."


    Ignoring them, Drayce stood next to Seren and faced her. Seren, who had remained silent the whole time, turned to face him as well. She was about to bow before him, but Drayce held her at shoulders and said, "No need."


    Seren did not insist and simply straightened her back. Drayce held her hand, lightly pecked her palm that was covered with a scale, and then looked at her in the eyes. "My Queen, is anyone disturbing your peaceful outing?"


    Seeing Drayce openly showing such affection towards Seren, everyone was taken aback. Lady Tyra was moreposed, and she merely smiled at the couple. She could see how much Drayce adored and loved his wife.


    Before Seren could answer, Lady risa decided to speak first. "Your Majesty, seeing the dragon that protects the kingdom return with such glorious feats, brings honor to our royal family. We are fortunate to bump into you here. Do you want to join us,dies, as we apany Her Majesty in touring the royal pce?"


    Drayce didn''t look at his father''s First Concubine. He only had eyes for Seren. "Ladies, I believe you all didn''t forget to pay proper courtesy to the queen of this kingdom, did you?"


    With this, Lady risa was taken aback but she immediatelyposed herself. "Of course, Your Majesty. But as she is my daughter-inw, it''s fine for me to��"


    "Daughter-inw?" Drayce let out a dry chuckle before turning towards Seren. "My Queen, I only had one mother, but unfortunately, she is no longer with us. The people of this kingdom, even the ones bearing the surname of Ivanov, are all your subjects who you can order at will. If anyone disrespects you, don''t hesitate to punish them regardless of their status. In Megaris, no one is above the King and Queen."


    When Seren did not say anything, he asked, "Do you understand, my Queen?"


    Though she didn''t intend to do anything about what Drayce said, Seren gave him a response in the form of a nod. She had no interest in ying politics, simply wishing to stay away from any kind of trouble and not get attention from others.


    Lady risa''s sweet smile turned stiff as she lowered her head. She tried to recall the words she said earlier regarding Queen Seren''s appearance and realized her words were not offensive in themselves, which gave her leeway to say it''s simply a misunderstanding. After all, she was a woman who survived on the battlefield called the royal pce. People like her were good with words, and they could easily turn white to ck and ck to white with a simple flick of a hand as long as it benefited them. Even though the young king encouraged his wife to stand against them now, he could not protect her all the time.


    She immediately bowed toDrayce. "Your Majesty, I believe there is a misunderstanding as it is only my sincerest wish to wee Queen Seren into the Ivanov Family. My apologies for choosing my words poorly. I just wished Her Majesty to not feel bothered with her appearance, and she does not need to hide. We will ept her the way Her Majesty looks, regardless of what it is."


    Drayce still didn''t pay attention to Lady risa and smiled at his queen. He tucked the loose strand of hair floating along with the light breeze behind Seren''s ear. "My Queen, however you look, it doesn''t concern anyone. If you want to wear this veil, they have no choice but to respect your wish, and the same goes for the opposite. Personally, I think it is especially useful since it will protect you from evil eyes."


    Since Drayce was allowing her to keep wearing her veil, Seren was able to feel relieved. This was what she wanted too. "Thank you, Your Majesty."


    Drayce continued, "I do not even mind even if I, your husband, be the only person to see your appearance."


    Seren''s happiness wilted as she thought, ''So he would not give up on seeing my face.''


    The otherdies were ignored by their king and had no other option but to stay there till their king and queen permitted them to leave.


    Drayce held Seren''s palms a bit tightly. "Your hands are cold, my Queen. Are you feeling cold here?" His voice was full of worry and he pointedly looked at Lady Tyra.


    The old woman understood what he meant and nodded as she stepped away from them. "Your Majesty, I will arrange tea for you in the gazebo."


    Drayce kept rubbing Seren''s cold hands with his warm ones. He then heard Seren mumble under her breath, "It''s not that cold. I am fine."


    "I am worried you might catch a cold. You are not used to such cold weather."


    "During winter. Abetha has a simr temperature too. It''s bearable," she insisted as she wanted him to let her hands go even though she felt better when he held them.


    The other women watching the two felt embarrassed; they could not believe the fearless devil had a caring side like this too.


    "The view of theke from Gazebo is much more magnificent. Shall we, my Queen?"


    Seren nodded and Drayce escorted her towards the gazebo. They walked on the long wooden pathway built over the body of water, leading their way towards the gazebo which was in the center of thatrge ancientke.


    The concubines from the Vermillion Pce felt like they were granted amnesty after their existence was ignored by the current king. They merely did a quick curtsy before no longer paying attention to the couple and hurried towards their carriages.


    The moment Lady risa finally turned around, the true emotions she''d been hiding immediately appeared on her sweet smiling face, causing it to twist.


    "Lady risa, seems like King Drayce favors the Queen a lot," Lady Yavia, the Second Concubine,mented with a frown. Among the three of them, she was the one the First Concubine favored more.


    "She sure is a witch who has enchanted the young king. He didn''t even mind those ugly scales on her body," Lady risa said with disgust as she recalled the sight.


    "Lady risa, Lady Yavia, please speak with kindness. Her Majesty seems like a quiet person. Moreover, our king is not someone who will decide on things without considering their consequences. We should trust his judgment," Lady Saira said. Among the three of them, only she looked at the young couple with admiration.


    Lady risa gave her a narrow-eyed look. "Lady Saira, have I ever wronged you? Do not easily let go of the power you hold. Inside the royal pce, the less power you have, the earlier your death will be. Do not act with subservience. You are no longer ady-in-waiting, but a woman of King Theron. Going by the royal family three, we are the mothers of that unfilial son. He loves his title of a devil too much, he acts like an uncivilized man even towards his own family. And it appears that the woman he ced by his side is equally uncivilized as him."


    Lady Saira, the gentle-lookingdy who used to serve Queen Esther before tragedy hit her, chose to remain silent.

 Chapter 208: Things She Never Experienced

    <h4>Chapter 208: Things She Never Experienced</h4>


    Just as Lady risa walked towards her carriage to climb it, the next moment, one of the wheels dismantled from the main body of the carriage, causing the vehicle to bend and nearly turn over to one side. It surprised thedies and the coachman who thankfully didn''t fall down with an injury. The coachmen of both carriages went to see and investigate the matter. However, based on the quick check they did, it was impossible for this to happen unless a power beyond human understanding was involved in the incident.


    Lady Saira covered her face with a gloved hand, looking as if she was startled by the copse of the carriage. She turned to look at the couple who should have been walking away from them but had suddenly disappeared from their sight. The Third Concubine knew it was Drayce''s doing, and she didn''t feel bad about it.


    "Get me another carriage!" Lady Saira heard Lady risa''s angry voice. She could not help but inwardly criticize the older woman. ''Lady risa, you should be d that it didn''t happen when you were inside the carriage. Our king is still so generous to you. If you do not meddle in His Majesty''s affairs, he won''t even bother with your existence.''


    Only Lady risa''s carriage was broken; Lady Saira''s carriage was fine.


    The sight of a wreckage was what yer found when he arrived on horseback. Seeing the presence of the concubines, yer could somewhat guess the reason why Drayce looked angry and hurried toe here.


    yer merely bowed slightly to those concubines as a show of courtesy before going towards the wooden bridge, cing his body by the entrance to guard it. He had seen the King and Queen of Megaris in the gazebo, and no one should disturb them.


    After a while, Lady Tyra arrived there with servants carrying tea and snacks in trays. She didn''t pay attention to what had happened with Lady risa, but she and Lady Saira exchanged meaningful silent gazes. Lady Tyra smiled.


    ------


    Drayce and Seren entered the gazebo at the other end of the wooden pathway in a blink of an eye. One moment, Seren was still walking, and she felt the ground under her feet disappearing the next. It was so quick, yet she felt the situation familiar.


    ''Did he just use his powers?''


    The moment theynded inside the gazebo, Seren felt her knees go weak as if a strong force of energy had pushed her and sucked her breath away.


    Drayce held her steady in his embrace to support her and to let her deal with this little shock.


    While her head was resting against his strong chest, her eyes caught the sight of the long wooden bridge that should have taken them several minutes to cross. This was not the first time it happened with her, and she could now confirm this red-eyed man had indeed used his powers.


    "My Queen, you will get used to it soon," she heard him say.


    Seren managed to steady her breath in a minute and moved back to stand away from him. She nced at their surroundings once again.


    "Can you go anywhere like this?" She couldn''t hold back her curiosity.


    Drayce nodded. "As long as I can see or I have already seen a ce before."


    Seren blinked slowly, as if she''s deep in thought, and saw the huge mountain quite a distance away from the capital of Megaris. "Can you go to that mountain?"


    "Want to try, my Queen?"


    She immediately stepped back with a scowl under her veil. She had enough with that short journey from the other end of the bridge to this gazebo. If he took her to that snow-covered mountain, she was sure dizziness would be the least of her problems.


    Drayce smiled lightly and exined, "As I''ve said, as long as I can see the ce."


    Seren turned to look at thergeke. The gazebo was like a tiny ind surrounded by clear waters, and everything felt just out of this world; she had no adequate words to describe the experience.


    "My Queen might like to look at the floor," Drayce urged. Seren looked at her feet and her eyes were left wide open.


    ''Howe I didn''t notice it?'' she thought. The entire floor of the gazebo was made of pure ss, and it showed the clear view of that crystal clearke water as well as the many colorful fishes living inside theke. One could even see colorful pebbles and odd-shaped rocks at the bottom, turning the bottom of theke into some sort of natural gallery.


    Seren continued to silently admire the fantastic sight. She did not realize how much time had passed until Lady Tyra arrived along with two servants who carried two trays. One had teacups and a porcin kettle in it, while the other had hand gloves kept on it.


    Drayce picked up the hand gloves and approached his queen who was still busy admiring the beauty of nature. Her attention was brought back to the present when Drayce gently held one of her hands..


    He put on the gloves on each of her hands and said, "Now, your hands won''t feel cold."


    Seren felt better with those hand gloves. "Thank you, Your Majesty."


    The two then heard Lady Tyra, "King Drayce, Queen Seren, the tea has been served."


    The two had tea while admiring the view around; Seren''s eyes didn''t leave the sight of theke while Drayce''s eyes didn''t leave the sight of his queen.


    Once they had freshly brewed hot tea, Drayce asked, "My Queen, would you like to see theke closely?"


    ''Closely?'' She gave him a questioning look and he said, "We can ride a boat."


    ''Boat? I have never seen one up close before, let alone sit on one,'' she thought and nodded immediately.


    Drayce offered her his hand which she immediately epted. At that instance, Drayce had a newfound understanding about his wife��he only needed to let her experience the things that she never tried before and she would happily agree to it.


    A flood of thoughts came to his mind. ''Things she never experienced? Hmm, there are many things she has never experienced. I should be a good husband to let her experience it all.''


    A light smirk was painted on his lips as he walked towards the stair attached on the other side of the gazebo that led downwards where one boat was tied to a pole.

 Chapter 209: [Bonus Chapter]Attracted Towards Him

    <h4>Chapter 209: [Bonus Chapter]Attracted Towards Him</h4>


    What Seren saw was a sleek boat painted in luxurious green and gold, like a fierce dragon from the paintings inside the royal residence that hade to life. The seats inside were lined with dark green velvet cushions, and there was a small table in the middle covered by a gauzy white canopy, the linens forming a shade.


    Drayce helped her get on the boat before getting on too. The wooden boat could be consideredrge for eight passengers, what more there was only two of them riding it. With each of her footsteps, the boat would move unsteadily on the water, as it was floating against a current. Seren, being new to riding a boat, felt scared and held onto Drayce''s arm to stand steady, in fear of falling into the water.


    Drayce helped her sit on the cushioned seat inside the boat. He had just sat opposite to her when he heard her say, "Thank you, Your Majesty."


    The boat started to move in the water and took a particr path away from the gazebo. Startled, Seren looked at the oars which were steadily hung into either side of the boat.


    "What happened, my Queen?" Drayce asked, seeing her puzzled by something.


    "Howe this boat is moving without those rowing sticks?" she asked.


    "Those are for ordinary people, not for us," Drayce said.


    She realized what he was hinting at. ''Is he using his powers again?''


    No longer minding the reason why the boat moved, she carefully crawled to one side of the boat and clutched on the side of the boat before looking down at the crystal clear water of theke. Just as he said, she could see theke closely this way. The bottom which she thought was shallow seemed to be deeper than her first impression. Those fishes, she could almost touch them if she were to put her hand out. Like a little girl on her first excursion, she immediately removed a glove from one hand and let her bare fingers touch the surface of the cold water. The ripples she made caused those colorful fishes to swim away from her.


    Drayce stopped the boat at one ce. He pulled out one porcin container from the side of the boat and opened it in front of Seren. "My Queen, you should give this to them."


    She looked at what was inside the container and asked, "Food for them?"


    He nodded and she removed the glove from her other hand as well. She grabbed a handful of fish food from the container, and she slowly put what seemed to be dried clumps in the water. Soon, schools of fishes gathered on her side of the boat, to the point that one could no longer see the bottom of theke due to the number of fishes flocking over. It was a treat to her eyes and she couldn''t help but smile brightly.


    Drayce felt his wife should be smiling; sadly, the veil was an obstacle that stopped him from seeing her smile.


    ''I wonder how she looks when she smiles,'' he thought. He looked around to see the most obvious thing that could happen at that moment. Her smile caused the flowers around theke to bloom as if it was in the middle of spring.


    The sight was nothing for Drayce, but the entire pce was shocked by this sudden change around them. The knights, soldiers, and the servants, who had witnessed this before during the journey, knew what it was and soon, the word had spread everywhere that the Queen of Megaris could cause the flowers to blossom like this.


    ----


    At the same time, Jasper, who had just gone out to bring the runaway king back to work, arrived at theke on his horse.


    He went towards yer. "What is happening here? Did Dray do this?"


    "Our devil king managed to make someone smile," yer replied vaguely.


    Jasper scoffed. "He has never given me a reason to smile, and it isn''t like he will resort to paltry tricks to make you smile. Then who are you talking about��.ahh, our Queen? He made flowers bloom to make her smile."


    yer shook his head. "Her Majesty''s happiness caused this."


    Jasper then recalled one of the reports he received from Captain Rulf. "Oh, so those rumors I heard from our knights are true then."


    "Hmm." yer nodded and followed Jasper''s line of sight. They were looking at the part of theke where the boat had stopped. Aside from them, many other eyes were silently appreciating the sight of the dragon boat.


    Once the food container was empty, the fishes dispersed from her side of the boat. Seren pouted under her veil, but she was also content with this much. The boat moved forward, and Drayce held Seren''s cold hand which turned even colder due to the water in theke.


    Sere could feel her fingers lose their sense of touch, but the warmth from Drayce''s hands made her feel better.


    "You should be careful of the cold if I am not around. It''s fine when I am with you," he said and continued to rub her palms with his.


    His gentle and caring words made her heart flutter. She silently gazed at the man whose focus was on her cold hands.


    "Does it feel better now?" Drayce asked.


    As soon as their eyes met, Drayce''s ears could catch the sound of her heart beating faster. He smiled lightly as he kissed the middle of her palms gently, causing her pretty eyes to open widely and her breathing to turn heavy.


    Feeling scared with this sudden change inside her, she tried to pull her hands back but Drayce held them tightly.


    "Not warm enough yet," he said and put both of her palms against his cheeks. It made her body lean closer to him.


    With his handsome face cupped in her delicate palms, he asked as he moved his face closer to hers, the tips of their noses nearly brushing.


    "Does it feel better now?"


    Seren couldn''t believe her hands were holding his face and he was so close to her that she could feel his breath fanning across her face. She didn''t know what to do, while Drayce relished the sound of her hammering heartbeats. It was a development he had waited so patiently for.


    He was sure it was not caused by fear, but attraction towards him as a man. Maybe, maybe, she was starting to have those kinds of feelings for him too...


    A pink blush covered Seren''s face, and suddenly, the colors of all the flowers turned pink as if the silent wave of pink color passed through the entire pce. Drayce noticed the changes around and couldn''t help but feel amazed.


    ''A small change in her emotions can subconsciously affect nature like this. Exactly what kind of power does she hold over nature?''


    =====


    Dear readers, this bonus chapter is to celebrate going up in GOLDEN TICKETS ranking from #7 to #6 and #10 of POWER STONE Raking. Once we enter the #5 of both golden ranking and the power stone ranking, there will be a MASS RELEASE. Only one ce up is needed. Keep voting golden tickets.

 Chapter 210: More Than Just Biting

    <h4>Chapter 210: More Than Just Biting</h4>


    "My Queen, do you know why your heart is beating like this?"


    A soft smile lingered on Drayce''s devilishly handsome face as he asked the question towards the young woman with a blushing face. Because he had pressed her cold hands against his cheeks, their bodies had closed the little distance there was initially between them. It allowed him to appreciate her veiled appearance up close, especially those beautiful jewel-like purple eyes.


    The young queen could only stare into his red eyes in bewilderment. It was as if her head was in a fog. She was confused by her body''s reaction, and she was even more confused by his action. She wanted to pull her hands away from his face, but his hands would not let go of hers; his strength was something she could neverpete with.


    Drayce continued to look at his flustered wife, waiting to get her answer. Her entire face, even her ears, were pink under his intense gaze.


    "Do you know why your heart is like this, my Queen?" he asked again, slower this time, as he felt her confusion.


    "B-because...I...am scared?" she replied in a very low voice, as if mumbling to herself.


    "What are you scared of?" he whispered as gently as he could. "I believe you are not scared of me now."


    Seren didn''t deny it; she knew she was not scared of him. To be more precise, she was no longer scared of his presence because it appeared there was no reason for her to feel that way. The days and nights they had spent together for the past few weeks had convinced her of this.


    However, although she admitted that was no longer the case, her heart would misbehave like this whenever he was close like this with her.


    ''If this is not fear, why is my heart like this?'' She had asked herself this question many times, yet she could not find an answer. Her eyes moved away from his eyes to take a look at his entire face and found herself staring at his lips which had a light smirk on them.


    That pair of thin lips looked alluring, and she gulped as she resisted the sudden urge to trace her fingers on those lips.


    ''Have I gone crazy? Why would I even want to touch him for no reason?!''


    "My Queen?" She saw his lips open to form those words, pulling her out of her daze.


    When Drayce saw Seren looking back at him again, he moved her hands away from his cheeks. He moved her right hand towards her own heart and pressed her left hand against his chest. "See? My heart is the same."


    She lowered her head to stare at her hands. Under her palms, she could feel both of their heartbeats racing, as if the two of them were trying hard to outmatch each other''s pace.


    As she had learned something new, she looked at him and finally asked, "But why?"


    "It''s normal for hearts to be like this when a husband and wife are close," he exined. "I feel this way only with you and you must feel this way only with me."


    Seren recalled that she never felt this way with her brother, even when they sat side by side in the same carriage and spent the entire day together. Only Drayce, the second man she had ever spent her time with, made her feel this way.


    "Then, how can I stop it?" she asked innocently. It was not an unpleasant feeling, but it was strange and unfamiliar and it made her have crazy thoughts like wanting to touch his lips.


    Drayce had a teasing smirk on his lips as he moved closer to whisper in her ear. "You can''t. It will only get worse as we get closer."


    What he said was confirmed in the next second. She felt her heart going crazier when he leaned closer to whisper and his lips touched her earlobes.


    "It-It''s not good then��we should stay away from each other..." she mumbled under heavy breathing.


    "That can never happen, my Queen. But I can make your heart calm down if you permit me to do something with you," he said as he moved away to have a good look at her face.


    She gazed at him with questioning eyes, though at the back of her mind, she had an odd feeling she might not like his response. "Permit to do what?"


    "Permit to love you," he replied.


    It puzzled her even more. There was nothing but pure innocence in her purple eyes.


    "How?"


    ''Ah, I keep forgetting my wife is a nk parchment. Never mind, I would love to fill it,'' he thought as he replied to her question in a calm voice, "By doing what we have been doing on most nights whenever we slept together, and many more.?"


    The whole time, the teasing smirk never left his lips. He looked forward to how her innocent brain would take it. He particrly enjoyed seeing her eyes widen as she pondered over his words.


    She blinked as she hesitated. "You mean biting?"


    Drayce sighed inwardly. ''Out of all we''ve done, she only recalls the biting. Doesn''t she recall what I did before biting?'' Keeping his thoughts aside, he nodded yfully. "That''s one."


    She retracted her hand that was still pressed on his chest and wrapped her arms around herself as if to defend against him. "No biting! I told you, it hurts��"


    He didn''t insist. "That''s why I said it''s one. There is much more to being husband and wife, something else other than biting."


    "More? Will they hurt too?" she asked.


    "A little," he said after consideration. He needed to be honest with her about this.


    The thought of being inflicted more pain scared her. ''If biting hurts this much, then the rest will probably hurt more. As I thought, is this a punishment? Torture?''


    "I-I don''t permit," she protested. She was about to move away from him but he was fast as he held her arms and pulled her closer to him. Her legs were trapped between his as they were sitting face to face and she couldn''t move.


    The thought that he would bite her right at this moment scared her even more. She tried to speak, "I-I don''t��"


    "Shhh!"


    He interrupted her with one hand surrounding her tiny waist, while the other moved towards her neck and rested below her ear. His fingers moved towards the back of her head while his intense gaze was fixed at the shallow impression of her lips under her pink veil.


    Seren couldn''t move and could only hold her bated breath, waiting to see what he was up to next.


    Drayce moved his thumb to caress her lips through its gauzy cover. "This ''something else other than biting'' will feel good, my Queen."


    She felt the change in the way he looked at her and even his voice sounded different. She pondered as she tried to figure out the reason behind it. ''What is it?''


    Drayce lowered his head to peck on her veil-covered cheek. He inhaled deeply as he moved towards her ear. "This ''something else other than biting'' will hurt a little butter you will enjoy it," he said in a hoarse voice as he captured her delicate earlobe in his teeth and bit it lightly.


    A surprised gasp left her lips as she heard him say, "Just like this, a little pain but more pleasure."


    Initially, Drayce was in a teasing mood and merely wished to teach her things one at a time, but like always, the urge to be intimate with her took over his rational mind and he couldn''t help but find himself drowning in lust.


    His wife had a scent so fragrant and tempting, it made him simply want to devour her whole. It was a refreshing scent that he could not thoroughly describe in words, but it always managed to make him lose himself.


    ''Mine��''


    His hands surrounded her tightly to hug her, and he buried his face in her nape to smell her where it smelled the best.


    Seren was trapped in his strong arms, but surprisingly, she seemed to...like it?


    ''Is it because it''s cold and he feels warm?''


    As she grew up without being close to people, her instinct had always been to avoid skinship. Her hand wanted to push him away, but then she thought it would do her no harm to return his hug. It was a strange feeling, doing things she would not normally do.


    ''Ah, I must really be going crazy,'' she couldn''t help but sigh inwardly. ''But this feeling...I really like it��''


    Just as she raised her arms to hug him back, she heard him speak while still nuzzling into her nape.


    "My Queen, do you want to know what are the things other than biting that husbands and wives do?"


    Her hands stopped midway from hugging him back. She found her voice getting smaller as his actions were affecting her. "W-What are they?"


    "For that, I need to take you back to your bedchamber."


    "Bedchamber?"


    "Because we can''t take your clothes off here," he replied.


    Her heart made a loud thump as her panic and anxiety soared. She eximed, "Clothes off!? You can''t��"


    "You can remove mine too," he interrupted her, still drowned in his own world as he nibbled on the delicate skin of her neck. He didn''t realize what effect his words had caused her.


    She wanted to push him away, but he spoke again, "Without removing our clothes, how can I show what other things we can do other than just biting?" He moved back to look at her face, his red eyes full of lust and his hot breath fanning across her face. "Before our clothes, we first need to get rid of this veil."


    What her body felt because of his seductive touches had all vanished with hisst statement. It was as if he had poured icy cold water on her head. Her mind had cleared up, and her heartbeats returned to normal.


    "No," she firmly rejected. However, it was as if Drayce was drunk with emotions and simply smiled.


    "Shhh!" He put his forefinger on her lips to stop her from speaking further. His eyes were a vivid red as he caressed her lips over the veil. "Without removing this veil, how am I going to see what these lips look like? How would I know how they taste?"


    She frowned at his response. ''No means no. Besides, why does he want to taste my lips? Perhaps, I am not the only one bing crazy.''


    She heard him again as his lustful gaze never left the shallow impressions of her lips under the veil. "I want to taste these lips. I want to suck them and bite them till they get swollen and turn red. I want to taste your tongue till it goes numb..."


    These all sounded so weird to her as she couldn''t imagine doing what he had just said. She could not understand why he would even want to do those. ''Oh no. What if he has really lost his mind? Will bringing him to a physician help?''


    Drayce looked at her pretty-looking purple eyes and saw the puzzlement in them. "Shall we try it today? First, this veil, and the rest we can remove when we return to your bedchamber."


    Drayce''s fingers moved towards the string of the veil that extended behind her ear.


    ''Can he remove it?''


    A sudden fear took over her mind as she remembered Martha''s words��no man should ever see your face, or it will bring disaster to you and him.


    "Y-Your Majesty, you said you won''t take it off until I permit you to," she spoke in a rush, and Drayce''s fingers that were moving towards her ears stopped. He looked back at her with a frown.


    "I don''t want you to take it off." Seren''s words were firm, and her gaze was determined.


    The lust in his eyes disappeared as her rejection sank in, causing him to cover his face with his hand to hide his expression from her.? There was frustration, disappointment, as well as a little bit of guilt on his face as he swallowed his desire.


    Should he force her and go against her wish? The answer was no��because he was not a monster.

 Chapter 211: Crystal Palace

    <h4>Chapter 211: Crystal Pce</h4>


    Looking at Drayce who had his face buried in his hands, Seren found herself struck with worry. She couldn''t figure out what was happening to him or what he''s feeling.


    ''Did I just anger him?'' she thought.


    She heard him sighing deeply, and she could imagine him gritting his teeth behind his hands.


    "Y-Your Majesty, are you alright? My apologies for��"


    Drayce exhaled heavily, interrupting her next words, and when he looked up at her finally, she found his fiery red eyes devoid of any emotions. His face had returned to its normal cold and calm expression, and she could no longer figure out his thoughts.


    She blinked a few times and thought in panic, ''He seems angry. Has he finally decided on how to punish me?''


    As if Drayce sensed her fear, he let out a silent sigh. "My Queen, we are going somewhere. I hope you won''t mind."


    ''Going somewhere? Are we already leaving theke?'' she thought with a tinge of disappointment. This was her first boat ride, and she felt like she would not mind spending the entire day like this, drifting along the clear waters to watch colorful fishes swimming around.


    Seren did not realize she was staring at the empty fish food container beside her. When she lifted her gaze again, she found Drayce looking somewhere ahead. When she noticed their surroundings, they were already no longer in the part of the ancientke near the gazebo, but were quite a distance from it, towards the other part of the shore from where they came.


    Soon, their boat had taken a turn towards a small waterway surrounded by dense rows of tall trees on both sides. The boat continued to move forward along the waterway, going deeper into that area that seemed to be a pine forest.


    Away from the magnificent buildings and regal pces, the atmosphere in this part of theke was more to Seren''s liking��it was peaceful and tranquil, with no sight of people around to throw cautious or curious nces her way.


    Seren shifted her attention from surroundings towards Drayce, who had remained quietly seated the entire time. "May I ask where are we going, Your Majesty?


    "To meet someone," was all he replied.


    Seren wished to ask who they were meeting but wisely chose to keep quiet. The change in her husband''s behavior was abrupt, and she guessed it was highly due to her rejection. She was worried that she must have angered him; asking him more questions might cost more harm than benefit.


    The boat continued to move forwards in silence. Seren kept herself upied by observing the different kinds of trees native to Megaris that could not be found in Abetha. Although they seemed to have different types and shapes, she knew those were trees that only grow in colder regions��tall trees with reddish-brown trunks and upturned branches with needle-like leaves.


    ''Are these the so-called pine trees I saw in my picture book?'' she thought in amazement as she continued to observe their surroundings.


    After a couple more minutes, as their boat proceeded with no issues, the water way grew narrower and narrower, while the pine trees around them appeared to be older than the next. Due to the dense trees on both sides, sunlight couldn''t normally reach this part of theke during autumn, and Seren felt a little cold despite her coat. Drayce noticed her clutching her clothes closer, and the next moment, she was being lifted to sit next to him even before she could understand and resist his actions.


    "Your Majesty!"


    Drayce wrapped one arm around her and rubbed her arm as if to pass down the warmth. "We will reach there soon."


    Seren nodded and sat quietly. ''It feels better now.''


    It was not only the warmth. Sitting close to him and the way he cared for her without saying a word... She was slowly growing to like them.


    Seren did not realize that their boat had reached the other end of theke''s shoreline until she saw a dainty yet entrancing white pce that was built at the edge of theke. From where she''s seated, she could see hanging gardens along with several water fountains and pavilions, making the pce look harmonious with nature. Soft music could even be hearding out of it.


    "Who lives here?" she asked.


    "This is the Crystal Pce. My grandmother lives here," Drayce answered.


    ''Grandmother?'' It surprised her as she tried to imagine what an older female version of Drayce would look like. ''I never had one...but why did he bring me here? Maybe to pay my respects? Lady Tyra mentioned something like that earlier,'' she concluded on her own.


    Drayce exined further, "The Great Queen Theodora Ivanov, the birth mother of my father, the previous king, King Theron. She''s the one who arranged for my mother, Queen Esther, to enter the royal pce."


    Seren lightly nodded as she recalled the name from her history books. There were many ounts about Great Queen Theodora of Megaris, but on the contrary, Drayce''s mother, Queen Esther, there was no record about her in the books other than her name. It made Seren curious.


    ''Will it be fine to ask him?''


    Drayce pulled out a small pouch from the pocket of his garment and handed it to Seren.


    "Take this."


    epting the ck pouch, she asked, "What is this for?"


    "This is a gift for Grandmother. She no longer participates in high society nor court affairs, and her favorite pastime is gardening. She loves to grow different kinds of nts in her garden and these are seeds of rare nts and trees. You have to give it to her as a gift."


    "But I did not bring this. Your Majesty should be the one to give��"


    "My Queen, you and I are not strangers now. We are husband and wife. What I have is yours too. You are meeting Grandmother for the first time so it''s only right for you to give her a greeting gift. However, since I decided on our visit without prior notice, not giving you time to prepare, it should be my responsibility to help you receive a good impression."


    Seren nodded quietly and epted that ck silk cloth pouch that had the royal crest of Megaris embroidered in gold thread.


    After a while, the boat stopped at the semicircr stone steps where it seemed boats could be docked. Drayce stood up and offered her his hand. Seren epted it as if it''s the most natural thing to do. Her husband then helped her get out of the boat and stepped onto the slightly slippery stone stairs that led the way towards a hugewn with a stone pathway.


    "Greetings, Your Majesty!"


    There were two royal guards who weed them.


    The older guard spoke out after he bowed. "We have already announced your arrival to the Great Lady. She is waiting for you in the drawing-room."


    As a frequent visitor of the Crystal Pce, Drayce was familiar with theyout of the ce and did not need to be escorted. Along the way, the servants who were working around also bowed to them.


    Drayce epted their greetings with a light nod and led Seren''s way towards the inner pce. Seren enjoyed the brief walk, as there seemed to be multiple gardens per area, each housing a variety of nts. To someone like her who also enjoys gardening, it was an exquisite work of art.


    After walking for some time and crossing a certain distance, the main entrance of the inner pce came into view. On a huge terrace overlooking theke, an old woman with all of her hair as white as snow, wearing simple gauzy clothes of the lightest shade of blue, could be seen sitting with perfect grace and elegance. Her thin near-transparent robe over her white long dress made her look like a fairy of theke. Despite the wrinkles on her face, one could see she must have been a breathtaking beauty in her youth.


    Although she wore no essories nor makeup, no one would ever think thisdy was a simple old woman. When her warm sea blue eyes caught sight of the newly arrived couple, she took her cane and stood up to wee her guests as her twody servants behind her bowed towards them.


    "Greetings, Grandmother." Drayce bowed and Seren did the same.


    "Dray, finally you remembered about your Grandmother!" the olddyined, yet the gentle smile on her face betrayed how pleased she was with her grandson''s arrival. She then looked at Seren. "So this is our new queen?"


    Seren didn''t know how to react and just lowered her head lightly.


    "Grandmother, this is my wife, Seren Ivanov, the third daughter of the Ilven Royal Family of Abetha." Drayce introduced. "What do you think of my wife, Grandmother?"


    The Great Lady chuckled. "Not like you will ever bring some random woman with you to meet me."


    She then gestured for them to sit on the chairs arranged on the terrace. After her guests were seated, she looked at Seren with an admiring gaze. "Let me take a look at our Queen who stole our King''s heart."


    Seren gaped as she looked at the Great Lady in shock.


    ''When did I steal his heart? It''s right inside his chest. I just felt it when I touched his chest earlier,'' sheined internally. ''Is it even possible to steal someone''s heart? Any person will die if his chest is pierced. Won''t stealing the king''s heart be the highest form of treason?''


    Not knowing what was going on in Seren''s mind, the old woman smiled at her and appreciated the appearance of the quiet youngdy.


    "Such pretty and rare eyes." She looked at Drayce. "I am sure these eyes are the reason."


    Drayce didn''t reply as he maintained a straight face. Beside him, Seren was puzzled with what the Great Lady meant in herst statement.


    ''Reason? What reason?''


    Though Drayce didn''t give her a response, his grandmother understood she guessed it right. "No wonder. You are still fond of rare things."


    Seren studied the white-haired woman whose presence felt pleasant to her though she was meeting her for the first time. While conversing with Drayce, she was smiling brightly the entire time, looking at her grandson with sea-blue eyes that matched her robe with adoration, showing how sincerely happy she was with their unannounced visit.


    ''I thought she would look like a much older female version of His Majesty, but they don''t look alike.''


    The Great Lady Theodora Ivanov looked several years younger than her actual age, with minimal wrinkles somewhere around her eyes and lips. Her nose was tiny but sharp, and her thin pink lips had a smile that never left her face ever since Serenid her eyes upon her. Her hair, which was as white as snow, reached below her waist, the front part of her hair moved to the back of her head and tied with a long white ribbon matching her clothes.


    As the wind caused her clothes and long hair to flutter, it was as if the Great Lady was the representation of a fairy in carefree solitude, untouched by mortal dust and worldly desires.


    ''They might not look alike, but she''s just as beautiful as him, especially when she smiles.''


    Listening to the two''s conversation, Seren could feel that Great Lady Theodora doted on Drayce. Seren felt aforting warmth from this fact. "I wish I had a grandmother too. But I know that my paternal grandmother is long gone, and I don''t even know if my maternal grandmother is alive. I wonder if I had gotten a chance to meet them, would they be as sweet and caring as the Great Lady, or would they have scorned me just like others in Abetha?''


    While Seren was lost in her own thoughts, she did not realize that the Great Lady noticed the longing in her look. Theodora Ivanov was someone who had seen the world. With a nce, she could guess Seren''s wish that she could not voice out.


    "You can also call me? Grandmother."


    Her unexpected words shocked Seren. It was so sudden her mind seemingly froze. "Huh? Yes...Thank you so much��." Seren stopped as she didn''t know what to call her through the olddy asked to call her Grandmother.


    "Grandmother," Drayce said, looking at Seren as if urging her to say it.


    "Thank you so much��.Grandmother��" Seren said but there was still hesitation in her voice.


    The Great Lady chuckled. "It''s fine, dear. You will get used to it." She then looked at Drayce. "I hope you will bring her here often and not keep her to yourself only. You are busy attending to the needs of the kingdom and can''t apany her all the time. Your wife will be bored sooner orter on her own."


    "I will think about it," Drayce said coldly.


    His grandmother was used to such behavior from him as she knew he was a possessive kind of person and didn''t mind it.


    "Grandmother, this is for you," Seren said, offering a ck silk pouch to the olddy.


    "Oh, my. Is this a gift for me from our Queen?" the Great Ladyughed as she epted the gift. "What is this?" she asked while opening the pouch.


    Seren thought Drayce would answer but he sat quietly, as if it didn''t concern him, so she answered in his stead. "Grandmother, these are seeds of rare nt species you can add in your garden."


    Great Lady Theodora picked out a few seeds from the pouch and observed them on her palms.


    "This is such a precious gift." She then looked at Seren. "Thank you so much, dear. We have such a thoughtful queen."


    Seren felt a little guilty as she was not the one who deserved the praise for this gift and said as she lowered her head, "His Majesty is the one who brought this gift, Grandmother."


    The Great Lady nodded at Seren in appreciation.? ''Such an honest and pure-hearted girl,'' and said, "It doesn''t matter who brought it, my dear Queen. Dray and you are not different people now. But I liked how honest our Queen is."


    Seren contemted something, and despite her hesitation,? decided to say it in the end.


    "Grandmother�� Grandmother can call me by my name."


    "Can I?" the Great Lady asked and looked at Drayce. That question was in fact directed at Drayce.


    The young king spoke in a stiff manner, "Seren Ivanov, her name."


    The Great Lady raised a brow at his grandson''s sudden change of mood. She tapped her cane on the stone floor as she chastised him. "Of course, I know her name. I am not yet senile when you have just introduced her earlier. And although I am no longer involved with the pce, do you think I will have no idea whom my grandson married and made the queen of this kingdom?"


    Drayce didn''t speak further and the Great Lady looked at the young queen.


    "Seren!" She said her name out loud with a distinct royal ent. "From now on, I will simply call you Seren."


    Seren nodded a little too quickly as she felt happy at the moment. Finally, there would be someone around here who would call her by name.

 Chapter 212: She Will Be A Good Queen

    <h4>Chapter 212: She Will Be A Good Queen</h4>


    One of the servants approached the Great Lady and whispered something to her. The Great Lady then nodded as the servant stepped away and entered the room behind them.


    "It is nearing midday now. Let''s go inside where it is morefortable to chat," the Great Lady instructed as she stood up to enter the drawing-room connected to the terrace where they were staying


    Their group entered a huge drawing-room.


    Seren was awed. ''No wonder she named her dwelling the Crystal Pce.''


    She initially thought that the name was taken from the crystal waters of theke, as from the outside, the hanging gardens and rustic pavilions would have earned it the name of a fairnd or a paradise from the legends. However, the moment she stepped in, she was stunned by the sight of therge crystal chandeliers and ornaments made from what seemed to be diamonds and white gold.


    The inside of the Crystal Pce reflected the Great Lady''s elegant yet carefree taste��it was in majority an off-white cream color which had various designs made on the walls in fine gold work. From tables to chairs to the shelves, everything was either coated or made of white gold. Even the portraits hanging on the walls had golden frames. Only the luxurious carpet had a different color, which was a design of red and gold, which made the entire drawing-room look like another exquisite work of art.


    The servants present inside bowed to them, and another olddy stepped forward.


    "I have seen His Majesty the Dragon and Her Majesty the Phoenix of Megaris," the olddy greeted them.


    Great Lady Theodora looked at Seren and introduced the olddy to them. "She is Lady Cerviel, mydy-in-waiting. She takes care of this Crystal Pce."


    Seren nodded lightly and observed Lady Cerviel who looked a little older than Lady Tyra. She wore clothes simr in color to other servants working inside the Crystal Pce, though what she''s wearing were clothes of a noble. Lady Cerviel''s inner long dress was cream in color, though she added a personal touch of wearing a light pink outer waistcoat over it with gold embroidery and crystal essories. It was heavily influenced by the taste of the Great Lady who she had been serving ever since the former queen ruled alongside her husband two generations ago.


    "I have arranged tea for the guests," Lady Cerviel said. The moment the guards had seen the boating into view, they had already notified the people inside that guests would be arriving. Thus, the preparations didn''t take long.


    Great Lady Theodora sat on the chair that was meant for the owner of this ce while Drayce and Seren sat on the longer side of the cream-cushioned couch.


    The grandmother and grandson pair talked about various things that Drayce had done when he was away from the kingdom. Seren listened on the side as they enjoyed the freshly brewed tea which Seren had to drink while lifting her veil a little. The two didn''t mind her silence and let her be.


    From their conversation, Seren noticed that Drayce was close to his grandmother and valued her as a family, in a simr fashion to how within the Ilven Family, Seren was close to her brother. Once the tea was finished, Great Lady Theodora looked at Seren.


    "Seren, would you like to visit my garden?" the olddy asked.


    Seren nodded. "My pleasure, Grandmother."


    The three left the drawing-room through another door which led towards the huge hanging garden that Seren saw from the boat.


    The Crystal pce had two main gardens, the hanging garden at the front and the one on the back of the pce where the greenhouse was located, though in reality the entire pce was onerge garden in itself and many garden areas were interconnected.?Although it was alreadyte in autumn, the hanging garden was blooming with countless different-colored flowers, as if the goddess of nature had just stepped in there to bless that ce. It had arge water fountain in the center where birds were drinking and ying with the water. The trees had bird nests and food feeders hanging on them, causing the ce to be filled with the sweet sounds of birds chirping. It ought to be one if not the most wonderfulndscape she had ever seen.


    Seren found herself lost in happiness to be surrounded by such a beauty of nature and forgot she was there with others. Subconsciously, she stepped forward to take a good look at the entire garden. She walked in the stony path that wound its way to various ces that had y figures ced along with it.


    Drayce and the Great Lady didn''t call her back and simply stood at the same ce as they watched her enjoy herself.


    "I see someone is smitten by his wife," the blue-clothed womanmented as she observed Seren with a smile.


    "Is it wrong?"


    The Great Lady shook her head. "In fact, I am happy for you."


    Drayce didn''tment on it and changed the subject. "Grandmother must know about her background."


    The Great Lady frowned as she chastised him again. "Are you looking down on your grandmother? How can I not know who my grandson got married with? As a good grandmother, I need to get information about everything rted to you."


    "Then I don''t need to exin anything about her," he said.


    "Although your wife is not an ordinarydy, I don''t believe in all the rumors."


    "Not all rumors are wrong?" he said.


    The Great Lady made a sound of agreement. "I understood it when I saw the flowers blooming before you arrived. Imagine how pleasantly surprised I am to see all my treasured nts thriving despite the wrong season. I must say, I enjoyed the view. Such a blessing she has with her."


    Drayce agreed and said, "Grandmother must also know how she has grown up."


    Great Lady Theodora sped the head of her cane a little harder than usual, though her voice sounded calm as she asked, "Does she remind you of your past?"


    The past. Many years had gone by like a blink of an eye, and yet the memories of those days could not be easily forgotten.


    "I had you and Tyra," Drayce said. The sadness appeared in his eyes at the memory of seeing that empty and dreary tower where she used to live. "She had to go through it for seventeen years."


    "That''s why she seems to cherish this a lot," shemented as she followed the petite figure studying one of the exotic flowers on one corner of the garden. "It will be difficult for her to get along with people. She doesn''t like people, she doesn''t partake in conversations, and she seems to prefer solitude. Not everyone is as understanding or as good-tempered as me. But this is a part of her, and you cannot change it unless she wants to change herself. It must bother you a lot."


    "It''s fine. She is getting used to me."


    "I believe you are a patient person. I trust you."


    "I am trying to be," he said, "She needs to learn what it means to be a queen."


    "It might be difficult, but rest assured. Tyra will take care of her education. When I brought your mother to the pce, she knew nothing as well but Tyra taught her splendidly," the Great Lady assured. "The person who has gone through pain has the ability to understand other''s pain, and it makes them worthy to rule and be in power. She will be a good queen, just like your mother."


    Drayce just nodded lightly and continued to look at where his queen had disappeared, forgetting others behind. All of the sudden, they saw the flowers around them changing colors one by one, letting out a subtle glow every time the colors fade into another. Drayce and the Great Lady were pleasantly surprised by the beautiful miracle they''re witnessing. Although it was the first time they had seen something like this, they were both smart people and immediately rted it to being caused by the young queen.


    "She must be liking this ce a lot," the Greatdymented as she turned to her grandson.


    Drayce nodded. "I have never seen her as happy as today."


    "It seems like she has no control over her abilities yet."


    "Her emotions manifest themselves through nature, although this is the first time I noticed she affects flowers like this."


    As for the young woman who was the topic of their conversation, she roamed around the huge garden while following the colorful butterflies flying everywhere. One even sat on her hands when she tried to catch them.


    Looking at the colorful butterflies, she giggled, and the next moment, many of them surrounded her which made her even happier. Soon, they disappeared towards the flowers. Unknown to her, the entire ce was changing into various colors, as if someone was trying different colors on the canvas one after another.


    Seren did not realize that she had strayed away from the hanging garden, and had gone towards another garden of the Crystal Pce. There were more pine trees in the area and lesser flower shrubs. Soon enough, she reached a wooden bridge in the garden which had water below it. There were so many lotuses and water lilies floating over the water, making that pond look colorful. Admiring the view for a while, she crossed the bridge and reached the gazebo which was at the end of that garden and at the border of theke.


    At the edge of the gazebo, she could see her reflection in the clear water of theke. She could also see the scenery of faraway mountains covered with snow. It made her feel as if she was looking at one of the royal paintings inside the pce, the kind of painting that would make one think it could not possibly exist in the real world due to its magnificence.


    "This can''t be real. It''s all so beautiful."


    Seren didn''t know what she was feeling, but she at least knew she had never been this happy before. This ce, she loved it. If possible, she never wanted to leave.


    After some time, she heard footstepsing closer and turned around to see the person behind her. She saw Drayce entering the gazebo. She found herself in a daze once more. Not only the gardens and theke, but this maning towards her also looked like an extraordinary painting that hade to life. She couldn''t help but stare at him without blinking even once.


    Was it the magic of this ce, or was this man himself causing her to question which was more beautiful? She knew he was not ordinary, but his appearance had never made her this breathless before. Even though he was not yet close to her, she heard her heart picking up its pace. She could feel it beating faster with each of his steps towards her.


    ''Why am I...?'' she thought as she touched her chest. It was thumping loudly, she could even hear heartbeats in her ears.


    "My Queen," he said as he reached her. She was still in a daze, staring at his handsome face even when he''s already standing in front of her.


    "My Queen?" he called and finally a dazed woman reacted with a, "Huh?"


    With a gasp, she came back to her senses but her eyes still didn''t leave his face, "Yes, Your Majesty?"


    "Do you like this ce, my Queen?" Drayce asked.


    As if he had asked a little girl about her favorite doll, she looked at him with a bright gaze. "I liked it a lot! It looks like how they describe heaven in books."


    "I am d you liked it," he said, only to hear a question from her.


    "Will we being here often?"


    ''We haven''t left yet and she is talking about returning here,'' Drayce thought and didn''t answer her immediately.


    She stared at him with her eyes full of hope to get a positive answer. With an inward sigh, he answered coldly, "Once in a while, but not so often."


    Drayce wanted to say she coulde there whenever she wanted but he swallowed his words and changed them. By now, Drayce had understood Seren''s love and affection towards nature, and if he were to permit her toe here often, he was sure his wife would forget him and stay here permanently. He sure didn''t want that to happen. She was allowed to show her love and affection to him and him alone.


    Seren''s thoughts were notplex. She was relieved that he at least didn''t say no, and her purple eyes showed how grateful she was.


    "Thank you so much, Your Majesty."


    Seeing the genuine happiness in her eyes, he felt guilty for being crafty. She was the Queen of Megaris, and she could go anywhere she wanted and didn''t need his permission to at least visit this Crystal Pce since its owner the Great Lady Theodora Ivanov had weed her. But he couldn''t help but feel jealous as he was yet to get that affection and love from her. He was even more annoyed by the fact that his grandmother was calling his wife by her name, when he himself had yet to earn that privilege. How could he call her Seren when his wife refused to call him anything but ''His Majesty''?


    ''When will that daye when she will look at her dear husband with such affection and happiness?'' was all he could think at this moment.


    "My Queen, Grandmother is waiting for you to show you her greenhouse. She believes you will love to see it," Drayce informed, getting out of his wishful thinking.


    -----


    Do check the reference images in thement section of both the chapters.

 Chapter 213: Magic Flower And The Soulmate

    <h4>Chapter 213: Magic Flower And The Soulmate</h4>


    "My Queen, Grandmother is waiting for you to show you her greenhouse. She believes you will love to see it," Drayce informed, getting out of his wishful thinking.


    Seren nodded and Drayce led her way out of the gazebo. Walking down a different stony path towards another meticulously manicured flower garden, they took a turn towards an iron gate that was fixed in a stone archway


    The servant standing by the gate greeted them and opened it for them. Drayce let Seren enter first and followed her behind. It was the first time she would see a greenhouse, and she was excited once more. She had read about greenhouses before in books. They were ces designed to house nts and trees that would otherwise not survive due to the local climate of a certain region.


    From what she remembered, they were not only expensive, but also difficult to make and sustain. The Royal Pce of Abetha also had a greenhouse, but she never had a chance to visit it as it only housed medicinal herbs used by the royal pharmacy since due to her curse, flowers never bloomed in the capital.


    After entering the gate, she saw a huge structure that had transparent walls made of heavy ss slides fixed in the gigantic metal rod frame. Even from the outside, Seren could imagine how wonderful the inside must be as those ss walls showed a partial view from inside. Bright sunlight made its way through the ss wall.


    When they entered the ss building, as expected, the temperature was several times higher than it was outside. The air was humid, and the earth was of rich darker soil. Seren saw the entire ce filled with nts and flowers from the warmer regions of the continent. She even noticed rare herbs and flowers native to Abetha. The dome-shaped ceiling of the building had flower pots hung up high and a number of butterflies were roaming around them.


    Seren looked at Great Lady Theodora, who was sitting in one chair around a circr table kept close to one side of the ss building. The Great Lady seemed to enjoy sitting and basking under the sun. She smiled at Seren and signaled her toe to her.


    Seren happily went towards her and bowed as she heard the Great Lady say, "This is our greenhouse. Feel free to call it yours too."


    "Thank you so much, Grandmother."


    The Great Lady stood up with the help of her cane. "Let me introduce you to the entire ce."


    Drayce was standing at a distance, letting the twodies have some time together. One reason was that he didn''t enjoy the warm humid air inside. He was also being good and patient since it was his grandmother. Later, he would take his wife away anyways.


    The two walked around the rows of numerous pots kept in the stands.


    "These are some rare nts that are found in the southern territories of Abetha, while these ones are from the ind provinces of Mivesea. These ones, they were taken from the rocky regions that were home to the western tribes. Those wild flowers only grow in unapproachable ces, and no one can find them easily," the Great Lady continued to exin as Seren followed her. "These are rare herbs from Griven that we add in our tea to be healthy in recement for sugar. I will send some for you so you can have them daily."


    "Thank you, Grandmother."


    Great Lady Theodora smiled at the humble girl and said, "I want you to always be healthy. It''s colder in Megaris than in Abetha, so it will help you cope with the change in the climate."


    There were small ponds inside that had different species of water nts, like lotuses and water lilies. "Since? the nts are from warmer regions and they can''t stand the cold, we maintain the temperature of this greenhouse strictly, especially during winter."


    As they walked further, Seren''s sight followed one nt in a white medium-sized y pot that was isted from other nts. It was kept on a table and one could definitely tell it was intentionally isted. One even needed to climb the stairs to go to its location.


    "Grandmother, why is that nt kept there away from others?" Seren asked.


    As if the Great Lady was already waiting for her to notice it, she smiled and said, "Would you like to take a look?"


    Seren nodded and the two climbed the few steps to reach the nt. Standing in front of the nt which was hardly two feet tall, Seren observed that the leaves of that nt had turned slightly yellowish, and its tips were curled as if they were losing their life.


    "Why is this nt like this when others are blooming nicely? Is it sick?" Seren asked. Since the other nts were healthy, it meant that they were being greatly cared for, their soil fertilized well, and were watered appropriately.


    "This nt has been like this for many years since it lost its owner," the Great Lady answered.


    Seren looked at the old woman surprisingly. "Owner?"


    The Great Lady nodded. "Dray''s mother. Since she left, this nt has turned like this."


    "Can nts even feel such things?" Seren asked.


    "Of course, they can. The more spiritual ones can feel all of our emotions and can get attached to us," the Great Lady answered as she continued, "Esther brought it with her when she came to the pce." She looked at Seren with a meaningful gaze and said, "This nt is not any ordinary one. Like I said, it has spirituality. It''s what you call a magical nt."


    Seren was awed. "Magical nt?"


    "This nt is said to have originated from the tears of a god. So this nt is sometimes called the Tears of God, but because of the flower that bloomed on this nt, it was given a lovely ancient name by the ancestors of thisnd just like how pretty that flower is," the Great Lady informed.


    "What is the flower called?" Seren asked curiously.


    "Ashrin! The name of the flower is Ashrin, which means ''the gift of god''," the Great Lady answered in satisfaction.


    "It''s a nice name," Seren agreed.


    "This flower is also said to direct you towards the one who is meant for you��?your soulmate."


    "Soulmate?"


    "The one meant for you," the Great Lady exined simply, as she looked at Drayce who was still standing at the entrance of the greenhouse.


    Seren looked at Drayce too who then started to walk towards them. She could not help but repeat in her mind what she had heard. ''Soulmate, the one meant for me.''


    Drayce came to them and looked at the Great Lady with a resigned expression. "It''s nearly time for lunch. Seems like Grandmother ns to keep my wife here."


    "As if you will allow me to, but trust me, I don''t mind if you leave her here."


    "When one gets older, daydreaming is a normal thing," Draycemented, treating what she said like air.


    The Great Lady merely smiled at her grandson, who seemed to be in a bad mood. "I am getting older so isn''t it fine to have someone who looks after my greenhouse once I am gone?"


    While these two were talking, Seren had returned her attention to that lifeless nt as she repeated in her mind what the Great Lady said to her regarding her soulmate.


    She felt it was a pity that a nt with such a legend behind it and a beautiful name was dying. She ended up touching the lifeless leaves of the nt, wanting to straighten the curl at its tips, but the next moment, there was a change in the nt that shocked Seren, causing her to step back. It caught the attention of the other two and they suddenly saw light emitting from the nt and the light rays started revolving around it.


    It scared Seren as she looked apologetically towards the Great Lady. "I-I didn''t do it intentionally. I just touched its leaves. I shouldn''t have. My apologies, Grandmother..."


    When she was busy apologizing, she didn''t know how the nt behind her changed, its leaves bing a brilliant green.


    The Great Lady eximed, "You have put life into this nt, dear."


    Drayce was startled, but he was not that surprised by her feat. He had even seen her heal Dusk''s wound and cause heavy rain to fall, so he already had some guesses and expectations about the powers of his wife. But all this reminded him about a lost memory from his childhood and he looked at Seren in shock.


    Hearing the olddy''s words, Seren looked at the nt and soon the three saw a flower blooming on it. It was just a single flower, arge red flower with petals appearing like tongues of me. Golden swirl-like energy could be seen in its center.


    Seren''s sight was fixed on the flower while the Great Lady looked at Drayce who was shocked. The Great Lady knew why he was like that.


    Drayce looked at his grandmother. "That flower��"


    The Great Lady stepped away from Seren and said back towards Drayce, "It''s the same one as the mark on her forehead."


    "Grandmother already knew and that''s why Grandmother brought her here?" he concluded.


    The Great Lady nodded as she tapped on her cane. "Your mother had the same flower mark on her wrist. How can I forget it?"


    Only now did Drayce understand why that flower-and-fire symbol on Seren''s forehead looked familiar to him when he saw it for the first time. His mother had the same on her wrist, and he knew it was the sign of the Ashrin flower.


    Drayce had many questions in his mind. ''How did she get that mark on her forehead? Did she ever meet my mother? But she was always imprisoned in her tower and my mother had left the world even before my Queen was born."


    "Is there someone else who has this nt?" Drayce asked his grandmother.


    "No, it''s the only one that exists in this entire world. It used to be in the possession of someone who holds the power over this world and that someone gifted it to your mother to bless her to find her soulmate and happiness."


    "Huh," Drayce said sarcastically. "Did she really find one?"


    "She did. She found my son."


    The Great Lady saw the disbelief on Drayce''s cold face. She could only sigh. "There is always a variable to what we desire. My son loved her more than he loved his own mother."


    Drayce could only shake his head in disappointment. But he had more important things to do than to contradict his grandmother. "This is a nt. Maybe it gave birth to seeds. Is there someone else who could have the same nt with them and has given this mark to my Queen?"


    "Just like you, even I have questions, but all these are simply things I heard from your mother as well. What I know is limited. From what I remember, only the owner of this nt can pass this mark to another person with the intention to protect the receiver. With that mark, the fate of finding the soulmate shifts to the receiver too."


    With these words from the Greatdy, both looked at each other with an even bigger realization.


    "She...she is not gone��?"


    Just then, Seren turned to look at them with a giggle. "This flower is truly magical. It emits rays when I touch it and the light even moves along my fingers."


    The two stopped their conversation and paid attention to her. Drayce had aplicated expression on his face, as the shocking truth was something that would change many things for him. His grandmother knew she had to let Drayce digest this news first on his own.


    She smiled at Seren and approached. "Indeed, it is magical." After a pause, the Great Lady asked, "Seren, do you know what this mark is on your forehead?"


    Seren was surprised by the question seemingly pulled out of nowhere. "No, Grandmother."


    "This is the same flower��it is an Ashrin."


    In surprise, Seren touched her forehead. "Is this a flower?"


    "Hmm." The Great Lady nodded and asked, "Do you know how you got this mark?"


    "Martha, my nanny, said it has been on my forehead since I was born. It is a birthmark," Seren replied, not thinking much about it.


    "I see," said the olderdy. She turned silent for a while. " This flower is meant to find your soulmate. You have already found yours, and I am sure it is all because of this flower in your forehead."


    "Soulmate?" Seren repeated and asked, "You mean the one meant for me?"


    "The one who will love you more than anything and protect you always at any cost. The one who will never leave you alone and be with you every moment you want him to be by your side."


    Seren pondered over those words and then looked at Drayce as she started to rte the meaning of those words to what Drayce had done for her till now.


    ''Love? I don''t know what it is but it must be the care he showed like how he protected me from the cold. Protect? He always protected me whenever I tried to run away. He was always with me even though I couldn''t see him but he showed up when I needed him. So he must be my soulmate, the one meant for me.''


    Drayce had calmed down by then. He looked at Seren but didn''t know what was going on in her mind.


    They heard the Great Lady tap her cane against the ground. "Let''s leave. It''s time for lunch."


    Seren came out of her thoughts and nodded.


    As Seren stepped away from the Ashrin, the Great Lady looked back at the flower and mumbled, "Seems like this flower has found its new owner."


    -------


    Dear readers, a magical flower mentioned in this chapter "Ashrin" its name is derived from the name of the reader "ash_03" who is the #2 top fan of this novel.


    In future chapters, I will be doing the same for the other readers too when there is a suitable opportunity.


    -----


    Ining chapters, look forward to read Drayce teaching Seren about wife''s duties.

 Chapter 214: Who Screams and Cries In Pleasure?

    <h4>Chapter 214: Who Screams and Cries In Pleasure?</h4>


    Great Lady Theodora Ivanov, Drayce, and Seren had left the greenhouse and returned to the main building of the crystal pce. On the way, Seren was still busy thinking about something as the word soulmate had stuck in her mind. Though the Greatdy had exined the meaning of it and based on that exnation she had concluded on her own that Drayce is her soulmate, still, she had so many questions in her mind.


    ''Why does one need a soulmate? If one needs it then how everyone recognizes them? it is not like everyone has that flower Ashrin on their forehead like me? How can I be sure that Drayce is the one for me? If he is the one then what should I do for him? Do I need to treat him as something special? Howe Martha never told me what this mark on forehead means and this red-eyed man is my soulmate or whatever Grandmother said?''


    Drayce noticed her silence and asked, "Are you not feeling well, my Queen?"


    It pulled Seren out of her thoughts and she looked at Drayce, "I am fine, Your Majesty."


    The Greatdy who walked along with them smiled lightly and said, "But I think, I am not well these days. She looked at Drayce, "How about Seren stays here for a few days. I might feel better having a lovely girl around me."


    Before Seren could even react to such a nice proposal, Drayce spoke, "I will arrange a Royal physician as well as the other best physicians in the kingdom to take care of Grandmother. I will also ask Tyra to search for young maids who Grandmother can consider as lovely and feel better when they are around."


    The greatdy chuckled. "As expected of you. But other girls can''t be like Seren."


    "Same goes for me, Grandmother. She is the only one," he said coldly. His voice showed his authority over his wife which made it clear that she was his alone and others had nothing to do with her.


    "Great King of Megaris arguing for the first time with his Grandmother. Such a possessive young man," Grandmamented, smiling pleasantly and not minding the straightforward from her grandson. ''Well, he has been like this always,'' The Greatdy thought.


    Seren didn''t know why grandmother was happy even when Drayce had rejected her request but one thing she was sure of, Drayce won''t let her stay here and she felt sad.


    ''This ce is so peaceful and no onees here. I wish I could stay here.''


    As if Drayce had sensed her thoughts, he spoke, "My Queen, you have been in an isted ce for all your life till now but it''s time for you to socialize with others and learn to deal with them. You are a Queen of Megaris now and there is no way you can expect to be alone and away from others."


    She pouted under her veil and the Greatdy looked at her, "Dray is right, Seren. You have to learn how to be a Queen now and for that you need to go among the people without any fear and hesitation."


    Seren could only nod to it. They had already reached the corridor of the crystal pce after crossing the garden. The greatdy walked ahead as Cerviel came to her and talked with her about something.


    As they were left alone in the corridor, Drayce looked at his wife who was silent. "I know my Queen loves to be alone and trust me I will give you lots of such opportunities."


    Seren lifted her head to look at him as she felt he might finally permit her to stay here but saw the smirk on his lips getting wider and he leaned down to whisper in her ear. "My Queen will get such opportunities when you are alone with me in your bedchamber every night and no one will disturb us."


    His whisper and those words in a hoarse voice made her heart skip a bit. Subconsciously, with some unknown strange feelings raised in her mind, she took a step back to go away from him but Drayce held her closer by holding her at the waist. Unknown to her, her cheeks turned pink and she looked at him only to see him smiling at her.


    "Again My Queen''s heart is being Noisy. Should I calm it down?"


    She didn''t know why she felt embarrassed but had to give a reason for a sudden change in her heartbeats and spoke in a shallow voice, "Y-Your Majesty��. suddenly pulled me so I felt scared."


    "My Queen should get used to it now," he said and again moved to whisper in her ears, "Soon we will be much more closer than this."


    ''Closer than this? There is no space left between us already?'' she thought and heard him again as his lips brushed her earlobe. "So close that my Queen might scream and cry with pleasure along with her heart beating faster than this."


    ''Who screams and cries with pleasure? Did he mistake the word pleasure for pain? Is he nning to punish me and wants to give me pain? Does he want me to scream and cry? So cruel!'' she thought and asked, "Your Majesty, did I offend you by chance that you want to punish me?"


    Sighing deeply over her innocence, Drayce moved back and looked at her, still holding her closer, and didn''t deny her im, "What kind of punishment would my Queen like?"


    She blinked for a moment and thought, ''How can he ask me this? How cruel!''


    Seeing her not answering, he said, "If my Queen can''t answer, then I have to decide on my own."


    The way he looked at her was so intimidating and along with that punishment words, it seemed scarier to her and she spurted out, "Just don''t bite me."


    He sighed inwardly and asked, "My Queen, are you still stuck at biting when there is a lot more to do? This time no more biting but something else."


    "Something else?" she asked, not having a good feeling about it.


    He smirked as the color in his eyes started to change and she heard the hoarse voice, "This punishment involves tying my Queen to the bed for the entire night and��.."


    "Your Majesty!"


    A voice disturb them and Drayce frowned but he didn''t look at the person as his sight was fixed at the face of an innocent woman who was still contemting over what he had just said.


    Cerviel, who had disturbed them, felt the cold air around the young King and continued to stand with her head lowered down,? "Apologies for disturbing you, Your Majesty. But the Greatdy had asked me to pass a message."


    Drayce waited to hear it and Cerviel said, "Greatdy said, Your Majesty should stop scaring the young girl ande to have lunch with her."


    Passing the message, Cerviel left while Drayce who was still upset with the disturbance finally released Seren.


    "We will talk about it once we return to the pce."


    Seren could only nod as she looked like a poor puppy who could only wait to get her punishment. The two went towards the dining room in the Crystal Pce as Drayce led the way for Seren.


    They entered the dining room where the Greatdy was already waiting for them while sitting in the chair at the short end of the long wooden rectangr dining table.


    The interiors of the dining room were the same as the other parts of the pce in an off-white and gold color and the wide ss windows allowed the sunlight to brighten up the room. A pretty ss chandelier hung in the center of the ceiling, just above the dining table which had gold polished cushioned metal chairs arranged around it.


    The greatdy smiled at Seren to wee her and said, "Have a seat, my dear."


    A servant pulled chairs for Seren and Drayce as they sat facing each other and at either side of the Greatdy.


    The Great Lady looked at her grandson and said, "I believe I did not disturb something important."


    Drayce, who was still cold, countered, "I believe Grandmother knows the answer."


    The greatdy chuckled at the inwardly displeased young man and diverted her attention towards the youngdy sitting on her other side. "I hope you will like the food, Seren though it must taste different from what you are used to in Abetha," the Greatdy said and Seren nodded, "I liked the food here too."


    "d to know it. If you don''t like anything, you can instruct them to change it ording to your preferences."


    "Yes, Grandmother."


    Servants had served the food and stepped back to stand behind. Seren had to eat the food while lifting her veil and Grandma said, "Don''t feel hesitant due to that veil. I can understand you are used to wearing it."


    Seren felt relieved and said, "Thank you so much, Grandmother."


    The greatdy looked at Drayce as they continued to eat food, "Have you thought about having a wedding ceremony ording to Megaris custom?"


    Drayce nodded, "In a week, there will be a wedding ceremony. Till then Tyra will teach My Queen about Megaris customs and the duties of the Queen."


    Seren looked at him surprisingly, ''Wedding ceremony, again?'' She sighed inwardly, ''Those heavy and ufortable clothes and jewelry I have to wear again and so many people will stare at me like I am any rare animal species.''


    -----


    Dear readers, don''t forget to vote your power stones and golden tickets. There will be a mass release for the top 5 ranking in both categories.

 Chapter 215: Sitting In His Lap

    <h4>Chapter 215: Sitting In His Lap</h4>


    Drayce looked at Seren who was eating silently but looking at her, he could guess her inner thoughts and said, "My Queen, it''s a way to introduce you to everyone as their Queen. No need to worry about it."


    Seren looked at him and his silent gaze looked assuring to her and she nodded, "Yes, Your Majesty."


    The greatdy added, "Everyone in the Kingdom must be curious to know who their Queen is. There are so many royals and Nobles you might have to face in the future, so it''s also a good opportunity for you to start getting to know them. They are the people you will rule and they will abide by your words."


    "Yes, Grandmother," Seren agreed, though all the talk felt heavy to her innocent mind which only wants to stay away from others.


    Having a nice lunch with the greatdy, the young couple left the crystal pce as Drayce still had to pay attention to the important matters rted to his kingdom other than just having a royal court session with the Royals ministers.


    On the way back in the boat, Seren again felt cold when they crossed the same small waterway surrounded by tall pine trees on both sides. It was past noon and the sun was moved on the other side to make that cold part inside the woods feel even colder. Though she was sitting next to drayce who had surrounded his hand around her to hold her closer, it was still not enough.


    "My Queen, next time make sure to put on warmer clothes," Drayce said. He was wearing normal clothes as it was the normal temperature for him just like others in Megaris.


    "Yes, Your Majesty," she replied, shivering a little and a little chatter of teeth could be heard which was so clear to Drayce''s sensitive ears.


    Drayce couldn''t ignore how cold she was feeling and neither could he move the boat faster in that huge ancientke to reach earlier which would only make this blissful experience for her into a threatening one. Moreover, with the speed, that cold air would make her feel even worse and might make her unable to breathe.


    The next moment the young Queen was lifted up and was sitting in thep of the King of Megaris.


    It shocked Seren and she couldn''t even understand how fast it happened. Having powers had its own perks for Drayce that his innocent wife couldn''t even get the chance to reject his advances.


    "Your Majesty," she eximed in a panic, seeing herself in hisp. ''How can I sit in King''sp?'' was what she had in her mind. Back then, in the carriage when they left Abetha, he had asked her to sit in hisp but she had never imagined it to happen for real.


    She moved her sight a bit up and looked at his handsome face that was facing ahead as if he did nothing wrong.


    Her eyes noticed his sharp features closely from one side and she heard him say,? "I am feeling cold my Queen." He held her tightly while surrounding both his hands to her delicate body that was wrapped in a thick winter coat, "And you are the only one wearing warm clothes."


    "C-Cold?" She mumbled and remembered he had worn only normal clothes. She felt bad for him but said, "I can not sit in Your Majesty''sp."


    "Only you can, My Queen," he said and turned his face a little to look at her, which made her gulp.


    So close and so handsome!


    She continued to stare at him only to get another shock.


    His hand that was surrounding her stomach, moved up only to move the cor of her winter coat away that she did not realize being busy staring at his face and those red intimidating eyes. The next moment he lowered his head and sucked onto her neck harshly making her gasp in shock as she held onto him tingly with the hand that was at his shoulder and another hand held onto his hand that parted her cor away.


    She felt him sucking her skin at the same ce as his coarse and warm tongue took a turn with his sharp teeth and warm and moist lips.


    ''Is he biting me? But why does it feel so good?'' The realization shocked her. A sudden sense of warmth passed her body and she couldn''t help but want more as she moved her neck up and moaned softly, under her heavy breathing.


    Drayce let her go and looked at the deep red mark at the side end of her neck as he touched it with his thumb.


    Seren looked at him puzzled as to why he did that and even if he did, why he stopped. There was a little disappointment in her mind.


    Drayce looked back at her and said, "This red mark will remind my Queen about wearing more warmer clothes. When it will fade away, I will make another one."


    ''Red Mark? Likest time?'' She remembered when he had turned her entire neck discolored as if she had a skin disease. But this time it felt good and she subconsciously nodded to what he had said.


    Seeing her nodding, surprised Drayce. This time she didn''t look scared about biting but she in fact nodded when he said he would make another mark on her neck.


    ''Am I hallucinating or my Queen is getting braver now?''


    "Did you like what I had just done, My Queen?" Drayce asked as he moved his hand to caress her cold cheek with his warm hand.


    She was about to nod but immediately stopped and said, "Not sure, Your Majesty."


    Drayce smiled lightly as he was pleased to get such a reaction from her opposite to how scared she felt every time whenever he tried to get closer to her. He remembered her reaction from a moment ago when he was busy making that mark on her neck. It was clear eptance from her subconsciously though she might not understand it at this moment.


    "I wish my Queen would permit me to do the same with her lips," Drayce said and she remembered what he talked about doing with her lips when they were in the boat before visiting the Crystal Pce.


    ''I want to taste these lips. I want to suck them and bite them till they get swollen and turn red. I want to taste your tongue till it goes numb��''


    She stared at his lips, ''How will it feel if he does it for real? Will it feel good just like how it felt on my neck?''


    Drayce noticed her staring at his lips and could guess his words and actions had started to make their way in her celibate mind and couldn''t help but feel happy about it. But he couldn''t rush things or he might scare her and fail all his attempts of being patient with her till now. He had enough time till shees of age and till then he can savor her little by little.


    "My Queen," he called and Seren stopped staring at his lips.


    "Huh?" she moved her sight up towards his eyes only to hear him say, "Have I disturb you from admiring my handsome face; especially my lips?"


    She blinked a few times and thought, ''Why was I staring at his lips?''


    Laughing inwardly at her, he talked calmly, "You have heard we will have a wedding ceremony again in Megaris."


    "Yes, Your Majesty."


    "After the wedding, we will have a wedding night that we couldn''t have after our wedding in Abetha due to traveling for so long."


    "Wedding night?" she asked.


    "Hmm," he nodded, "It''s a special night for husband and wife when they get closer to each other."


    "Closer?" she then lowered her head to look at how they were so close already and looked back at him, "Aren''t we already close?"


    "There is more to that closeness?"


    "More?"


    "You will know soon," he said and offered, "How about my Queening to my study once in a while to read some books?"


    Seren nodded as all her life the only thing she could do in abundance was just reading books as she had no other things to do.


    "Good, I will soon arrange for it," he said while still caressing her cheek as his thumb moved towards the shallow impression of her lips under the veil and he caressed it, "On our wedding night, I will get to taste these lips. I believe my Queen will allow me to take this veil off."


    ''Veil off? Again?'' she thought, ''If I say no to it again, will he get upset like before? He looked so cold and scary after that. I need to find another way so he would never ask me to take this veil off.''


    "What are you thinking, My Queen?" He asked, not knowing what went in her mind.


    It pulled her out of her thoughts and she realized they had reached the gazebo in the center of theke that saved her from exining anything to him.


    "We have reached, Your Majesty," she informed.


    Drayce already knew it as his power was the reason for making that boat move without oars. He let her go and helped her step out of the boat and followed behind.


    =====


    Mass Release Alert-


    Dear readers, If we get into the top 5 of the Golden Ticket ranking, there will be a mass release every weekend. Keep voting for the novel so it will encourage me to write more. XOXO

 Chapter 216: Missing His Presence

    <h4>Chapter 216: Missing His Presence</h4>


    When they stepped out of the boat, Seren was shivering a little. Drayce sighed as he could not see her like this. He held Seren closer and said, "Hold on to me tightly, my Queen."


    By now Seren could understand what it was and without a moment''s dy, she held onto Drayce by tightly surrounding her hand around him and burying her face in his chest.


    Drayce chuckled, "My Queen is so smart," and the next moment the two tall and strong build men standing at the other end of that long bridge felt the strong gust of wind which made their feet unsteady and they held onto their ce with much effort.


    "He did it again," Jasper mumbled with an annoyed frown while yer was quiet.


    "Did you say something, Jasper?" He heard the familiar voice and immediately turned to bow to his King.


    "Your Majesty, I was praising you for the way you always let us realize your sudden appearance," Jasper said, keeping his head lowered as the King and the Queen of Megaris looked like they were in an intimate position.


    yer had his head lowered down to bow his king and the others present there- Tyra and a few servants who waited for their Queen to return- did the same. No one dared to lift their sights up.


    Seren was still holding onto Drayce as she felt like her energy had been drained out with the sudden travel. She took her time to calm down while Drayce kept holding her to support her stand steady.


    "My Queen, you will get used to it soon. I believe it does not feel as bad as what you felt the first time," he spoke, smiling lightly and enjoying holding his delicate wife in his embrace, ignoring others around him.


    Seren thought about what he said and realized he was right. She didn''t feel as weak as before. She moved back and looked around only to see two tall men and Tyra with other servants standing with their heads lowered down.


    Sudden embarrassment took over her and she said, "Now I feel alright, Your Majesty."


    Drayce let her go and turned to face Jasper and yer. "My Queen, this is yer, my personal guardian knight. You must have seen him during the journey from Abetha."


    Seren sure remembered him as other than Prince of Griven, Prince An, this man in Megaris'' Knight uniform was the one to be with Drayce all the time.


    Once Drayce finished introducing, yer bowed to Seren, "The Guardian knight of King of Meagaris, Calhoun Sanders, greets your Majesty, the Queen of Megairs."


    Seren just stood calmly as she looked at the man and heard Drayce again, "This is Jasper Candace, my personal adviser and the one who looks after all the matters rted to the kingdom in my absence."


    Jasper bowed to Seren, "Royal adviser of the King of Megaris, Jasper Candace, greets, Your Majesty."


    Seren again stood silently looking at the two men. She didn''t know how to reply to their greetings, other than just nodding lightly. She heard Drayce again, "My Queen, these two are not just my knight and adviser but also my most trusted people and childhood friends just like Prince An."


    It surprised Seren as she saw these two giving all respect to their king unlike how An causally treated Drayce. But she could understand that it must be due to the difference in their status and their official responsibility towards their King. Till now, Seren had understood that the Megaris had strict rules and everyone obeyed strictly to their King and Queen just like what she had read about Megaris in books.


    "If timese when I am not around, My Queen can always trust them with the help other than Tyra," Drayce informed.


    "Loyal subjects of King Of Megaris will always be there to help the Queen of Megaris," the two said together as they continued to lower their heads in front of their Queen.


    Meanwhile, Tyra came there as she bowed, "Greetings, Your Majesty, King Drayce and Queen Seren," she then looked at Seren and said, "I believe It was a nice outing for our Queen."


    "It was," Seren assured.


    "My Queen, I have to leave you with Tyra now," Drayce said.


    Seren understood he must have his King''s duties to fulfill so he had to leave and nodded, "Yes, Your Majesty."


    "Make sure to warm her chamber. She is not used to the cold here," Drayce instructed Tyra to which she nodded, "Rest assured, Your Majesty."


    Tyra Guided her way towards the Queen''s carriage while Drayce walked with her too. Like a good husband, he helped Seren sit inside the carriage and waited till the carriage moved on.


    On the other side, seeing Drayce''s affection towards his Queen, Jasper couldn''t help butment that only yer could hear other than one pair of sensitive ears.


    "If it were not for the important work, I doubt if we could have even gotten to see him."


    Drayce turned to look at him and said, "Rest assured. Soon there will be days when I won''t show up and you will get more work to make those remaining hair on your head fall off."


    It sure scared Jasper as he cursed himself in his mind, ''This foul mouth of mine,'' and then said, "This Loyal subject begs for mercy, Your Majesty."


    Drayce ignored him and walked towards his ck horse which was already there. Jasper and yer followed him and also got onto their horses to go towards the military area inside the pce where he had to meet his knights and soldiers who hadn''t seen their King for a month. Drayce always cared about his knights and soldiers and they equally respected their king and were ready to die for him any moment.


    -------


    Seren who was returning back to the Queen''s residence in the royal carriage heard the noise of running horse''s footsteps which created the light vibrations in the ground.


    Seren looked at Tyra, "What is this?"


    "His Majesty must have been riding his horse," Tyra replied.


    Seren moved the curtain on the window to one side to check. A man in a ck royal dress was riding his horse to go in another direction from where she was heading as the two other figures followed him.


    Her eyes were fixed at the man in ck royal clothes who rode the horse gracefully and looked so attractive to her innocent brain that she couldn''t take her eyes off of him until he disappeared from her sight.


    A while ago when he said he was leaving her to Tyra, she was fine as she didn''t want him to be with her but now seeing him going away felt strange.


    ''Is it because of that loud noise of horse riding?'' she thought.


    Tyra noticed Seren''s puzzled expressions and asked, "Your Majesty, is there anything troubling you?"


    Seren looked at Tyra, "Are you feeling the same as me?"


    Tyra smiled lightly, "May I know exactly what Your Majesty is feeling?"


    "When I saw him...I mean his Majesty was going away, I felt strange...I don''t know how to exin it...but��"


    Tyra understood what it was and said, "Only Your Majesty can feel like this."


    "Why?"


    "It''s because Your Majesty misses His Majesty''s presence and doesn''t want him to go away," Tyra exined.


    "I miss his presence?" Seren mumbled.


    "It''s a normal thing to happen between husband and wife. I am sure His Majesty must miss you a lot when Your Majesty is not around him," Tyra added.


    "Then what should I do to not miss him?" Seren asked.


    Tyra understood her young Queen was so innocent to understand all this and she was also informed about the situation Seren had grown up in.


    "Your Majesty, missing His Majesty is not a bad thing. It is absolutely fine. But if it troubles you more, you can always keep yourself busy with other things that you like and wait for His Majesty to return to you. Or, if it is possible, Your Majesty can personally pay a visit to His Majesty."


    ''Why would I go to him. I should better keep myself busy with something.''


    They returned to the Queen''s residence where Seren was back to her chamber while Eva and Marie and herdies in waiting, waited for her to return.


    "Your Majesty, should rest now," Tyra said and Seren nodded. In such a cold outside, the only thing she wanted was to get into a warm nket as soon as she reached her room.


    Marie and Eva added more woods to the fire as instructed by Tyra and returned to Seren who was being tucked in the nket by Lady Xena and the other twodies in waiting after helping her change the clothes.


    "Your Majesty, being natives of Megaris, everyone here might not understand exactly what kind of temperature is suitable for you. You can always instruct them to change it ording to yourfort."


    "I will," Seren replied, clutching the nket in her hand. She didn''t feel this cold even outside but as she got inside the nket, she felt it even more. She felt her body acting weird; she felt it hot and cold at the same time. Her palms were sweaty as she felt heat emitting from them but she also felt too cold which made her feel so ufortable.

 Chapter 217: Pain And Blood

    <h4>Chapter 217: Pain And Blood</h4>


    ''It must be because of this sudden change in the climate. I will get used to it soon," she thought and clutched the nket.


    She felt so ufortable with this shifting temperature that she buried her face inside the nket but instead, she felt suffocated and moved the nket aside from her head.


    Others who thought their Queen was feeling cold, asked to add more wood blocks in the fire while they started to feel too hot in the chamber.


    "Your Majesty, is there any issue. Are you not feelingfortable?" Tyra asked as Xena looked at her worriedly.


    Seren looked at Tyra, "It''s just cold. I will be fine soon."


    "I have asked to prepare tea and early snacks for you, Your Majesty. I hope you will feel better. If not, we can call for the physician," Tyra suggested.


    "Thank you, Tyra."


    Seren closed her eyes as she tried to bear with this ufortable feeling where she felt agitated. Dinner time came by soon and it was served for Seren on her bed as she didn''t wish to get out of that warm nket.


    Seren had a few bites and said, "That''s it."


    Tyra was not there and looking at the barely touched dishes on the wooden bed food table, Xena said, "Your Majesty, you ate nothing."


    "Today I don''t wish to. I had too much food during lunch," Seren said to ease the worry on Xena''s mind and thought, ''Why am I feeling nauseous suddenly? Is it because I am not used to eating this food?''


    "I just want to sleep," Seren said and her servants obeyed. Tucking her to the bed, the servants left. Trying to sleep, she suddenly started to feel the light cramps in her legs, ''It must be too much walking in the cold,'' she concluded.


    Even after trying for so long, she couldn''t sleep and felt uneasy with what was happening to her. She felt as if her body was hot inside but from outside she felt cold. She felt nauseous and her entire body was heavy, especially the lower half of her body, and curled herself into a ball while folding her knees in front of her chest and


    Suddenly she felt the movement in her bed and a warm hand wrapping around her and a warm masculine chest touching her back. ''Sofortable she thought,'' and realized it was him.


    "Are you feeling cold, My Queen?" she heard a voice that she seemed to have waited to hear.


    He was back and she felt relieved. ''Did I really miss him? But why?''


    "Do you want me to add more wood to the fire?" Drayce asked.


    She already feltfortable in his embrace that there was no need for him to do it. Moreover, she didn''t want to go away or she was worried that thefort she felt might be lost.


    "I am fine, Your Majesty," she replied.


    Having him closer felt sofortable that she couldn''t help but be greedy and couldn''t resist her body instincts. She turned around to face him and hugged him tightly which felt even better. ''This feels better.''


    It surprised Drayce but he was also happy that she herself took the initiative and didn''t wish to disturb her. He hugged her back and closed his eyes, not willing to trouble her, thinking she must be tired. Moreover, from Tyra, he had already heard that Seren ate nothing and didn''t seem to feel better.


    When he got to know it, though he had a lot more things to talk about with Tyra, Drayce hurried toe to Seren.


    The next morning, Seren woke up when the mild sunlight had brightened up her bedchamber. She felt ufortable and her body was in mild pain. Her forehead had furrowed lines and she felt pain in her lower abdomen as a mild whining left her lips.


    Drayce, who preferred to apany his wife instead of waking up early, heard her light whining and opened his eyes.


    "My Queen, are you not feeling well?" He asked looking at her face that had sweat on her forehead and painful expressions.


    "I-feel pain," she replied in a shallow voice and her eyes shut tightly.


    Drayce immediately sat up in bed. "Where? Let me check," he asked calmly, though he felt worried inside.


    Under the nket, Seren moved her hand towards her abdomen and said nothing.


    Drayce moved the nket and thought she must have a stomach ache. "I will call the physician."


    Before Drayce could call for the servant, Seren tried to sit in the bed and Drayce helped her.


    "I need to go to the bathroom," she said in a painful voice and Drayce immediately got out of the bed, "Let me help you."


    Seren didn''t deny the help and moved into a bed while sitting but her hand touched something wet in that bed. She lifted her hand and it was red.


    "B-Blood?"


    Not just her but even Drayce was shocked, "My Queen, are you hurt?" He panicked and moved her a little to check the bed.


    From her hand, she moved her sight to look at him and asked in a crying voice, "Have you poisoned me?"


    It shocked Drayce even more, "My Queen, I will die before I could do such a thing," Drayce said and continued to inspect the bed in a panic and then looked at Seren''s light pink nightgown which had blood on it around her hips and thighs.


    Something clicked in his mind and he looked at Seren, "My Queen, this��" he didn''t know how to say it or ask but he had to, "Aren''t you used to see this?" his voice was hesitant.


    "Why would I hurt myself like this?" She countered and held her stomach, "It hurts. What did you do to me?"


    Drayce understood she was not aware of it and sat in the bed, "My Queen, don''t panic, okay. Nothing has happened. I will send Tyra and the Royal physician soon."


    Drayce called for the servant anddy Xena entered the bedchamber with her head lowered, "Good Morning, Your��."


    "We don''t have time for this. Immediately call for Tyra and the Royal physician," Drayce instructed in a hurry.


    Lady Xena left the chamber in a hurry and returned after some time. "They will be here shortly, Your Majesty."


    "My Queen, just bear with it for some time," Drayce tried to console Seren who was sitting with her legs flooded in knees while her hands surrounded her stomach.


    Lady Xena finally looked up at her queen, feeling worried about her, and noticed the blood on her nightgown. It puzzled her, ''It can''t be miscarriage because it''s not even a month since they got married. Monthly Cycle?...but her Majesty is already seventeen, shouldn''t she be familiar with it? Or has His Majesty done something to hurt her?'' Thest thought scareddy Xena for real. ''I am thinking too much,'' she shook her head and continued to look at the floor.

 Chapter 218: Worried Husband

    <h4>Chapter 218: Worried Husband</h4>


    Drayce was in his study after he left Seren with Tyra and the royal physician to take care of the matter. Seeing her so scared and in pain he felt bad for her but then what she said at that time, hurt him too though he didn''t pay attention to it being busy inspecting the bed and finding the source of blood which was so unexpected to him.


    ''Have you poisoned me?'' Her words buzzed in his ears and her scared and face using expressions as if he was a monster, shed in front of his eyes.


    He sighed, ''She still doesn''t trust me,'' he thought and continued to look outside towards the mountains.


    It was morning and Jasper came to greet his king and assist him with his work like every day. He had got to know that the Royal Physician had been summoned to Queen''s chamber so he understood the Queen was not well.


    "Good Morning, Your Majesty," Jasper bowed, looking at Drayce who was standing by the window calmly.


    Not getting a response to his greeting, Jasper went to him, "Is there anything that is worrying you, your Majesty? I heard the Royal physician had to visit her Majesty."


    If it was another time, Jasper would have teased Drayce as his friend but seeing him so serious, Jasper understood it was not a simple matter.


    "Nothing much," Drayce replied and went to sit in his chair, "Tell me the matters we have to look into the Royal court."


    "Today it''s nothing important, Your Majesty. I will take care of it," Jasper offered.


    Drayce agreed as at this moment he had nothing in mind but the worry for his Queen. "Hmm! Anything else?"


    "Nothing as such that needs your immediate attention, Your Majesty," Jasper replied. He didn''t want to bother Drayce with anything when he was worried about his wife.


    Just then, yer entered the study, "Your Majesty, Royal Physician, Garion Sanyi is here to see you."


    "Send him in," Drayce instructed and yer left.


    Jasper bowed, "Your Majesty, I will take a leave then." Knowing Drayce, Jasper was aware that he would not like anyone around when something concerned his wife.


    Drayce nodded and Jasper left.


    It had been long since Jasper had seen Drayce this serious ever and said, "Dray!"


    Drayce, who was busy in his thoughts, looked at Jasper to know what he meant. Calling him by name means, it was nothing about official kingdom matters.


    "Don''t worry too much. Everything will be fine," Jasper assured and Drayce nodded again as his friend finally left the study.


    Drayce''s friends were aware of when they had to treat Drayce as their king and when they should be by his side as his friends. They never failed to carry both roles perfectly whenever Drayce needed them.


    The Royal Physician, Garion Sanyi entered Drayce''s study and bowed, "Greetings, Your Majesty!"


    Drayce looked at the middle-aged man in histe forties, with short hair and grey eyes, who wore a white long robe and white cap with fine gold embroidery on it and had a Royal crest attached to the left side of his robe at the chest. The uniform was a signature one for the royal physician and his apprentices wore the same.


    "How is she?" Drayce asked.


    Looking at the worried King, Garion Sanyi replied, "Your Majesty, there is nothing to worry about. It was the first time for Her Majesty to get her monthly cycle. Being not aware of it, Her Majesty seemed to be panicked about it."


    "First time?" Drayce said and thought, ''No wonder she acted like that.''


    "Yes, your Majesty, and it is totally fine. Though it should normally happen by the age of fifteen, there are few women who take time and that number is very low. Her Majesty seemed to belong among them. Moreover, it''s good that it didn''t take much time or we might have to give some medicines to Her Majesty to get her monthly cycle. We have given Her Majesty medicines to relieve her pain and now she is sleeping. Soon she will feel better."


    Drayce felt relieved that there was nothing to worry about and nodded to what the Royal Physician said.


    "Your Majesty, there is one more thing that I would like to say," Garion Sanyi looked hesitant.


    "What is it?" Drayce asked.


    "It would be better if Your Majesty let Her Majesty rest during these days," Garion Sanyi replied.


    Already a cold and serious-looking King of Megaris, stared at the royal physician as he understood the underlying meaning of Garion Sanyi''s words. As a husband, he was the one who cared for her the most and he needed no advice from anyone. No one knew how understanding and patient and caring he was with her already which came out of him naturally.


    Looking at the king, who had turned even colder, Garion Sanyi immediately lowered his head, "I didn''t mean to offend Your Majesty."


    "You can leave," Drayce instructed coldly as he understood it was the Royal Physician''s duty to think about the wellbeing of his patient.


    Once the Royal Physician left the study, yer and Jasper entered.


    "Any instructions, Your Majesty?" yer and Jasper asked.


    "Let me know if it is the right time to see Her Majesty?" Drayce instructed.


    Bowing yer left while Jasper apanied Drayce who was sitting silently in his chair. yer returned in a while and informed, "Your Majesty, Her Majesty is resting at the moment but Lady Tyra said Your Majesty can visit."


    As if he heard what he wished, Drayce stood up and disappeared from the study with a strong gust of wind, without saying a word to the other two who didn''t find it surprising the way he disappeared.


    Jasper looked at yer, "After so long I am seeing him like this. Thest time it was when we were in that mysterious forest and you disappeared."


    "Hmm," yer agreed andmented. "Even if it was you, he would have been the same. He values the ones who are dear to him but unfortunately, there are not many of them."


    "Now he is married so we can expect to get more additions to those few numbers," Jasper gave a meaningful look to yer as he smiled pleasantly, "I can''t wait to see little devils ying around here and there."


    "Yeah, It will be fun to see them climbing their uncle Jasper''s shoulder and pulling his leftover hair out."


    "Keep my hair out of it," Jasper gave him a displeased look and said, "You are always so tight-lipped to talk about anything as if one needs to pay you to say something. But when ites to me, how can you talk so much, huh? Were you my mortal enemy in the previous lifetime?"


    "Might be," yer smiled lightly and walked to leave the study.


    "Hey, you even smiled," Jasper eximed.


    yer continued to walk as he said, "You should work more today as Dray would be busy somewhere else." Commenting, yer left and Jasper frowned, "They all want my hair to be gone so they will look more handsome than me."


    ------


    With a strong gust of wind, Drayce appeared outside of Seren''s bedchamber. It had been long since he left her chamber by leaving everything to Tyra and each passing moment was filled with worry. Now he got the chance to go to his wife, he had no patience left to walk like an ordinary human.


    The servant standing out of the bedchamber felt that strong gust of wind and immediately bowed to their King who appeared out of thin air. "Greetings, Your Majesty."


    Not reacting, Drayce stepped closer to the door of the Bedchamber and the two servants opened it for him.


    When Drayce entered the bedchamber, Tyra was busy instructingdy Xena and the two nurses from the royal physician department.


    Everyone bowed to Drayce and left the bedchamber except for Tyra. Not saying a word, he walked towards the bed where Seren was sleeping calmly while covered under the thick nket. Though it was nothing to worry about, he couldn''t help but feel worried after seeing how she reacted before and the pain she felt.


    Drayce sat at the edge of the bed and touched her forehead with his hand where the flower mark on her forehead shone brightly under his touch. Tyra noticed and felt surprised but said nothing at the moment to the silent and worried husband.


    The more he was getting to know about his naive wife, the more he felt bad for her. She was seventeen but knew nothing about the important things in life. What had she done all those years, just living inside that tower, and getting to know about the world through the books? How sad it was that even the animal gets to understand their own life''s perspectives but this smart human knew nothing at all and she always looked suspiciously at everything new to her.


    "Your Majesty, need not worry. Her Majesty has understood it and she will be fine afterward," Tyra said.


    Drayce nodded and stood up, "I would like to have a word with you in my study."


    Tyra nodded, "Yes, Your Majesty," and Drayce left.


    Instructing Xena and others, Tyra Left to go to Drayce''s study. She understood there is something serious that her King must want to discuss.


    -------


    One more chapter in the next half hour.

 Chapter 219: Learn To Accept The Devil Inside

    <h4>Chapter 219: Learn To ept The Devil Inside</h4>


    In his study, Drayce sat in the cushioned wooden chair around the wooden tea table. When Tyra reached there, Drayce asked her to sit.


    "Have a seat."


    When he said it, Tyra understood it was something very important and must concern the young Queen. She sat in the chair and waited for Drayce to talk.


    "Is there anything you have observed about her and wish to talk to me about?" Drayce asked.


    As expected of her, he asked the same thing to which Tyra nodded, "Just like Your Majesty, I can see Her Majesty is not an ordinary person. The only difference is, the energy around her is still so weak while Your Majesty''s powers are stronger than beyond anyone''s imaginations."


    Drayce Agreed, "True, but there was an instance when I could feel the stronger intensity of her powers and I never came across something this strong. Once that incident was passed and she was calm, that strong power disappeared again."


    Tyra nodded as she somewhere sensed the same but was not sure about it, "My guess is, there is something which is suppressing her powers and it has been done intentionally. Unless we know what it is, it will be the same."


    "As per my knowledge, she has been kept hidden to protect the power she holds and to keep her away from some supernatural beings that aim to get her powers," Drayce added.


    "Supernatural beings?" Tyra asked, "There are many types of them but from whom were they hiding her- Angels, Demons, Witches, or other Mythical Creatures?"


    Drayce had the same question in his mind. "They didn''t mention it and I guess they did it intentionally. They are just hoping for me to keep her safe here and don''t want me to know anything more about it. As my presence around her can suppress the essence of her powers, those supernatural beings won''t be able to find her. This is the reason why King of Abetha agreed to marry off his daughter with me."


    Tyra shook her head, "Suppressing the essence of her powers using Your Majesty''s powers is not the permanent solution for it. If some strong forces are searching for her, then it is impossible to protect her all the time. There will be a day when they will find her."


    Drayce agreed, "I believe the same and that''s what worries me. Here in the pce and maybe in this capital city, I can suppress her energy but things might go beyond my reach one day. I can''t keep her captive like her father did till now. I wished to protect her but don''t want to take away her freedom"


    Tyra agreed to it and said, "Moreover, suppressing her powers by something that we don''t know, has affected so many things inside her already. Just like today, it was one of the effects that why she had to face the normal thing in woman''s life sote."


    It surprised Drayce, "Is it?"


    Tyra nodded, "The reason she had it now must be because of Your Majesty''s presence around her. Your Majesty''s powers are taking over what is suppressing her abilities and affecting her body. If you think about today''s incident, we can say it is a good thing."


    ''My presence is good for her?'' Drayce concluded and thought of something else that had troubled him and finally, he decided to talk about it to Tyra, "As you say my presence is good for her, there is something that worries me and tells me to not be around her all the time."


    "Your Majesty can tell me," Tyra said as she was ready to hear it.


    Drayce sighed as the worry could be seen in his eyes, "I am worried that the devil inside me might hurt her."


    "Why do you think so, Your Majesty?" Tyra asked.


    "Before I tell you about it, I wished to ask something else," Drayce said and Tyra nodded.


    "The wild beasts that can even harm a person like me, if they turn into an obedient pet when they see someone, then what can be the reason?" Drayce asked.


    "That means the person holds the power to tame any wild animal and can control them," Tyra answered.


    "I see," is what Drayce said as he looked deep in thoughts and heard Tyra again, "Once the previous Queen, Queen Esther told something about such a person who held this ability. When she was young, she hade across a person who had an ability to control any wild creature and even the mythical beasts hidden under in sacred and dangerous ces on this earth."


    It picked up Drayce''s curiosity, "Who was that person."


    "That I don''t know but the existence of such a person is dangerous for that person itself as well as for this entire world."


    "Why?"


    "If that person decides to control the mythical beasts that even the gods are scared of, then it can be a threat to the entire world," Tyra exined.


    "And what if that person does not possess any of such desires?" Drayce questioned as he had one person in mind who held such power.


    "Then those who want to control this world, wille after that person and use their power to control the world. In any way, a person with such an ability is a threat to the entire world," Tyra answered.


    Drayce nodded, "I understand," and turned silent.


    Tyra remembered Drayce''s previous concern and asked, "May I know, why his Majesty is worried about hurting her Majesty?"


    Tyra was the only person who could answer his question and there was no way he could hide anything from her if he wished to get the answers.


    Drayce turned calm and said straightforwardly, "Whenever I tried to be closer to her, he showed up and tried to take over me. He even bit her and since then she has been scared of me. As per i know, till date he showed up only when I was too angry or something was about to harm me but...there was no such incident like any harm to me��" Drayce himself looked puzzled. "I feel like he came out because of her and she was the one to make him disappear."


    Tyra understood what he meant and spoke, "Your Majesty, I have been telling you to not treat him as a different person inside you. Your Majesty should ept that he is the part of you, in fact, he is just you and not someone different. It''s time, Your Majesty should ept the reality of your existence and ept that dark part too."


    "I can''t. I am not a monster and I have decided to be a human," Drayce countered.


    "It depends on one''s perspective to treat him as a monster or just someone with extraordinary powers. Just because everyone thinks devils can be only bad and possess dark powers, it''s not necessary that the majority is always right. People tend to fear anyone who holds powers," Tyra tried to assure him and asked, "Can Your Majesty tell me any incident when the dark side inside you tried to harm someone intentionally and showed up unnecessarily," she asked. Before Drayce could answer, she spoke again, "Except for the incident when that dark side showed up in front of her Majesty."


    Drayce shook his head, "There is none."


    Tyra continued, "As Your Majesty had said, he always showed up only when Your Majesty was angry and was in any danger. If Your Majesty had epted him instead of separating him, he wouldn''t have shown up like this in an aggressive form. The eptance would have kept the intensity of the darkness low."


    "If I ept him, then this human side of mine will disappear and I might be him. I can''t let him take over me," Drayce countered.


    "It depends on what one''s heart desires. He is an undeniable truth of your life, Your Majesty. If you hate something, he will hate the same with much more intensity and might try to destroy it. If you love something, his love for that thing would be much more intense than yours, which might end up harming that person. Never forget, he is you but much more aggressive form of your own self, Your Majesty."


    Drayce turned speechless as the only thing that came to his mind was, ''Will that devil harm her?''


    Tyra understood what he was thinking and asked, "Have Your Majesty understood why he showed up at that time and harmed her Majesty?"


    Drayce turned tense as what Tyra said repeated in his mind- ''If you love something, his love for that thing would be much more intense than yours, which might end up harming that person.''


    Coming out of it, Drayce asked, "Then, what do you suggest?"


    "The same thing. Your Majesty should stop isting him from yourself. Like this, every feeling he experiences will only show up with too much intensity whether it''s hate or love. In fact, Your Majesty should start making Her Majesty aware of him too so it will be easy for her. She not only has to ept you but also the devil inside you. This is the only way to make both of your married life go smoothly."


    It worried Drayce even more because Seren was scared of even small harming things and if he had to show her the devil inside him, then she might never want to see him. The trust he had earned till now, will all be in vain.


    Tyra could see, Drayce was turning more worried with each revtion from her and said, "Your Majesty, Her Majesty is like a dormant seed, and your presence around her is getting her out of that dormancy. It''s a good thing for her so His Majesty should not worry about it. She will soon learn to ept the new changes in her life and we never know she mighte out as someone stronger than we can ever imagine. That stronger person can be the one that can handle the darker side of you."


    Drayce looked like he can only hope it to happen for real and he heard Tyra again.


    "When his Majesty touched Her Majesty''s Forehead, that flower on her forehead emitted the energy."


    Drayce looked at her surprisingly, "Did you know what was that mark on her forehead?"


    "It was the same Previous Queen had on her wrist," Tyra added. "Also, I got to know what happened at the crystal pce."


    "What do you conclude?" Drayce asked.


    "Your Majesty knows the meaning of having that flower mark," Tyra asked.


    "I do."


    "It emits that energy when both are really meant for each other and they are soulmates. Such a thing never happened with the mark your mother had, though she loved Previous King a lot and he did the same. Her true soulmate was someone else who was not meant for her."


    It was confusing for Drayce. "First you said the soulmates are the ones who are meant for each other but then you said her soulmate was someone else who was not meant for her."


    "Your biological father was her soulmate but they were not meant for each other," Tyra exined, "Their fates were twisted despite they being soulmates. He was the one to gift her that flower to find her true love and when she tried it, he was the one for her."


    "Then why did she married to King Theron?" Drayce asked.


    "There were two reasons. First, she couldn''t be with the one who was her true soulmate. And second, because just like you, she wanted to live as an ordinary human and King Theron was the one who loved her. His love made her move and she loved him back. Though King Theron and your mother were not soulmates, they loved each other deeply," Tyra exined.


    Drayce understood what she meant and thought about something, "You have never told me these things before, neither you mentioned my real father ever. What is the reason to do so now?"


    "I wish this is the time Your Majesty should know the things that might concern his own life. I wish you to understand the reasons behind various things so things for you and Her Majesty would be easier," Tyra answered.


    Drayce nodded to show he understood what she meant.


    "Is Your Majesty not nning to go to King Theron with your wife?" Tyra asked.


    "No need."


    "Queen Esther would have want you to go to him," Tyra added.


    "To make it happen, she should have been here instead of leaving like that," Drayce countered as he looked like his buried emotions wereing out.


    "He was the man who gave her new life and loved her. Though life had taken an unexpected turn for her, she would never hate King Theron for anything. He is the man your mother truly loved," Tyra said but Drayce didn''t react.


    Tyra stood up, "Your Majesty, I will take a leave." She knew she had said enough things to him and she should give him time to think about it.


    Drayce didn''t react and she knew it was his approval. Tyra left, leaving the young King with the old memories.

 Chapter 220: Can Never Hurt Her

    <h4>Chapter 220: Can Never Hurt Her</h4>


    Seren continued to rest while Drayce got busy with his work as what Tyra said was in his mind all the time. Sitting inside the study he was busy going through the parchments while Jasper silently apanied him.


    "Your Majesty, we have discussed the import of goods from Abetha with their ministers," he unrolled one parchment in front of Drayce, "This is what we have agreed on."


    Drayce went through it, "Approve it."


    Jasper nodded and opened another parchment, "This is the map of the border between Megaris and Thevailes," he pointed towards the particr part and said, "This border territory of Thevailes belongs to Megaris now. It wille in use if they try another attempt of war with us."


    "Hmm! Make sure to have more soldiers there so they won''t try to invade it likest time and ask them to always be alert," Drayce suggested.


    This continued for the next one hour. Being a good king, he could never ignore his Kingdom for his own issues.


    Finally, Jasper thought to stop, "This is for a day, Your Majesty."


    Drayce looked at him calmly, "What about the new ships we have asked to build to strengthen the marine force?"


    Jasper looked at him, "Dray, just stop for a while and tell me what is wrong with you? Is there something serious about Her majesty?"


    Drayce shook his head, "It''s about me."


    "What is it?" Jasper asked.


    Drayce exined everything that Tyra said. "You know it''s not that easy to show her the reality. She might even feel scared."


    "But you can''t hide it forever. Moreover, you are the only one who finds him dangerous. What he did was always to protect you and the ones you cared about. What Lady Tyra said is right, he is not someone different but just you. Her Majesty should know about it so she won''t feel scared of his sudden appearance," Jasper suggested.


    Drayce had the same thought in his mind. "I will think about it."


    ------


    Drayce didn''t go to see Seren again the entire day as he believed she must be resting and got the updates about her through the servants. He went to herte in the night when the entire pce had drifted to sleep. With the strong gust of wind, he entered the room where Seren was in a deep sleep. The entire day he was worried for her and finally couldn''t help bute to her.


    There could be no night when his wife would sleep without him.


    Drayce made sure she was in a deep sleep and climbed the bed. He got inside the same nket that covered Seren and slept closer to her. Just by spending two nights with her in her bedchamber, by now, Drayce had understood she felt cold even in the thick nket and fire burning in the firece. But she could sleepfortably only when he was with her. The previous night, she even hugged him on her own and sleptfortably. If not for the incident in the morning, everything between them would have turned even better.


    Drayce moved his hand and contemted over whether he should put it on her or let her be. ''She will feel better. Last night she liked it when I held her closer,'' he thought and surrounded his hand and soon he drifted to sleep. ''She feels so good.''


    He forgot to ept, not just Seren but he was used to having her with him and only then he could sleep sofortably.


    ----


    The next morning when Seren woke up by dawn. She felt good after afortable deep long sleep. Realizing something, she turned to look at her right side but there was no one.


    ''I felt like he was here. I felt that energying from him. It''s like in my sleep I was floating in that energy,'' she thought and sat in her bed, ''Is he gone or was it my illusion?'' she turned sad, ''He didn''te to visit me even once since that moment? Is he angry with me for using him of poisoning me? Must be...I said bad things to him when he did nothing. Will he note to see me now?'' Seren felt her heart feeling numb and she felt worried. ''I sure had hurt him. When people in Abetha used me wrongly, I felt bad and angry too. I need to apologize to him. But how can I when he won''te to me? Should I just go to himter?''


    Seren had so many things going in her mind and sat in her bed while holding that thick nket tightly. ''Why am I feeling so cold suddenly when I felt warm till now? Did the temperature drop suddenly? The weather here is so unpredictable.''


    Just then Marie entered the bedchamber. Seeing Seren awake she bowed to her, "Good Morning, Your Majesty."


    "Good Morning, Marie," Seren replied.


    Marie came to her, "How are you feeling now, Your Majesty?"


    "It''s a little better," Seren replied, "But I am feeling cold now."


    "I will add some more wood to the fire," Marie went towards the firece and started adding more woodblocks to it as she said, "Your Majesty, I hope you are not scared now."


    Hearing it, Seren felt embarrassed about the way she acted when she saw the blood in bed. "I caused trouble for you all," Seren mumbled.


    Marie finished adding wood and said, "It''s not a trouble for us, Your Majesty. We all are d that you finally got your monthly cycle and you now understand it."


    Seren thought about something, "Isn''t there any way to stop it...it just feels so ufortable and painful," Seren asked hesitantly.


    Marie went closer to the bed and looked at Seren calmly and said softly, "I understand Your Majesty. It''s Your first time and you are not used to it, butter it will feel like nothing. Also, it''s important for women to have it."


    Seren nodded sadly, "Lady Tyra told me."


    "We all have gone through it and it''s nothing of a big deal. Later it just bes a normal part of our lives," Marie exined, "Moreover, we are here to help Your Majesty when you face any trouble."


    Seren nodded to it. From morning to evening the entire day passed by, but Drayce didn''te to see Seren. It was the second day when she didn''t see him. When he came to see her the previous day, she was sleeping and when he came to her in the night, she was still in the deep sleep to know his presence around.


    She had spent her entire day in her bedchamber while resting or sometimes going to the balcony to get fresh air. This sudden weakness and little pain didn''t allow her to go out and the difort she felt made her agitated. Though her servants kept talking to her and herdies in waiting tried to refresh her mood by telling her some stories from here and there, she felt happy about nothing and found nothing interesting. Being a curious person to the outside world she was always so excited to know about anything but now she only felt depressed.


    By the evening, she finally asked, "Lady Xena, is His Majesty not in the pce?"


    "I did not hear anything about His Majesty leaving the pce," Lady Xena replied, "But I will ask someone and let Your Majesty know."


    Seren nodded and Lady Xena left.


    Seren didn''t know why she was feeling sad and why not seeing him for long was making her so ufortable. ''Why am I like this? Am I missing his presence?''


    Soon Lady Xena returned, "Your Majesty, His Majesty is in the pce but seems to be busy."


    Seren could only nod and kept quiet. Once it was time to sleep, tucking Seren in her bed, the servants left.


    It waste in the night but Seren couldn''t fall asleep. Suddenly she felt something that she was waiting for- A strong gust of wind and that energy she always felt from Drayce was getting stronger as she felt he wasing closer to her.


    ''He is here,'' she concluded, being sure about it but didn''t turn to look at him. She knew he woulde to her but suddenly felt the energy going away from her.


    ''Is he leaving already?'' Seren turned anxious. He was there finally but he was leaving without even having a word with her. She turned and saw Drayce in his nightclothes, going away from her bed.


    "Your Majesty," she called.


    Drayce stopped and turned to look at her and asked softly, "Are you still awake, My Queen?"


    She was so anxious about him leaving her that she ignored the question and sat up in the bed and asked, "Your Majesty, are you leaving? Are you angry with me?" Her sad face turned even sadder and her eyes looked like she had lost something precious.


    Drayce wanted to answer her but said, "First, let me add some woods to the fire. The bedchamber seems colder for you."


    He went towards the firece while Seren only stared at him and observed his every movement. She didn''t even wish to blink, feeling scared that he might disappear if she blinked and missed seeing him even for a fraction of a second. She didn''t care if she felt cold. She just wished him not to be angry with her and not leave her alone. Not seeing him for two days made her realize that she needed him, she missed him.


    Once Drayce added enough wood blocks and felt it was the right temperature in the room, he returned to Seren and sat at the edge of the bed as he looked at her with a sight full of care, "Why are you still awake, my Queen?" Drayce lifted the nket and wrapped it around her.


    "I couldn''t sleep?" she answered, letting him do what he was doing.


    "Why? he asked and looked back at her.


    She stared at him with her puzzled sight and thought, ''Because I missed his Majesty''s presence.''


    "Is the bed notfortable or is it cold?" Drayce asked again, not knowing what was going on in her mind.


    Seren shook her head and said, "I was worried that His Majesty is angry with me."


    "Why would I be angry with My Queen?" Drayce asked.


    "Her eyes turned moist as if she would shed tears anytime soon and lowered her head, "I-I used Your Majesty wrongly. I apologize for that. Your Majesty can punish me."


    Drayce smiled lightly and said, "I am not angry at My Queen and I can never punish you for anything then whatever you do."


    It surprised her when she was expecting him to act angry with her. "Won''t punish me, why?"


    "Because if something that will hurt My Queen, it will also hurt me?" Drayce replied.


    "Hurt you too?" she asked.


    "It will hurt me too," he assured.


    "Then, Your Majesty, is your stomach hurting too?"


    It puzzled Drayce. "Mine?"


    "Your Majesty said, what hurts me will hurt him too."


    The young naive Queen always got the literal meaning of everything and ended up asking something that could only make himugh. Drayce suppressed hisughter and said, "Not like that my Queen."


    She looked at him questioningly and drayce exined, "If something hurts my Queen, then it will hurt me here," he put his hand on his chest.


    "It must hurt a lot," she said.


    "Hmm, that''s why my Queen should always be away from getting hurt or it will hurt me too." Drayce was aware that she didn''t understand what he meant but nodded to what she said. As long as she kept herself safe, it was enough for him.


    "I will be careful, Your majesty," she assured.


    "My Queen, you should sleep now." Saying Drayce stood up.


    It made her sad, "Are you leaving, Your Majesty?"


    "You don''t want me to leave?" Drayce asked.


    She shook her head, "I feel lonely when I am left alone in this huge bedchamber."


    "I stood up to make a space for myself in the bed," Drayce said as he looked at where Seren sat.


    Seren realized she was sitting on his side of the bed and tried to move but before that, she was lifted up in the strong arms and wasid on the bed gently on her side of that huge bed.


    The next moment she felt a warm body sleeping next to her inside the nket. Seren felt nothing strange and instead looked at Drayce as if she was expecting something from him.


    Drayce pulled her closer, "Is it fine, my Queen?"


    Seren nodded as she buried her face in his chest and spoke, "Your Majesty won''t be gone when I will wake up, right?"


    "I won''t," Drayce assured but then felt Seren''s hand moved at the knot he had tied to his robe in front of his stomach. She had pulled one end of the belt and wrapped it around her palm and clutched it in her fist.


    It surprised Drayce, ''So she doesn''t want me gone,'' he smiled pleasantly, ''What a unique way to not let me go. But not like I want to go away from her either.'' He closed his eyes with a pleasant thought and soon the two fell asleep.

 Chapter 221: I Failed To Teach Her

    <h4>Chapter 221: I Failed To Teach Her</h4>


    When the young Queen and the King of Megaris were in their world of sweet deep sleep in each other''s embrace, the other part of the continent had started to uncover in the bright sun rays. Being the eastern part of the continent, Abetha had its sunrise earlier when Megaris was still covered in the darkness of the night.


    "What are you doing out here so early in the morning?"


    The older man asked as he stepped towards the woman sitting on the wooden block made out from the fallen tree. Her calm-looking eyes stared at the river ahead and below the surface where she was sitting at the hillside. Her tired and pale-looking face had no such expressions to let someone know what she was thinking.


    "I was thinking about Seren," she replied calmly.


    The man sat next to her and gave her a small pouch, "I prepared thisst night. You need to take this medication early in the morning."


    She epted the pouch but looked at it as if it was of no use, "Why are you putting this much effort for me, Erich? You know I can''t get any better than this."


    "My job is to never give up on my patients," he replied and instructed firmly, "Now have it and tell me what you were thinking about her."


    "I was thinking about how guilty I am towards her," she said.


    "Why so suddenly? Wasn''t all that to protect her?" he asked.


    Martha nodded, "It was but while protecting her, we never thought she would ever get married like this. Her destiny was meant to be in that tower till she turns eighteen andter I was about to take her somewhere else where we can suppress her strong powers that would show up once shees of age. We even had a ce prepared to hide her...but...it was all destroyed as they found us even before we could do anything."


    "We?" Erich gave her a questioning look, "I am sure Valin is not a part of this as he is an ordinary human. Then who?"


    Martha turned silent, "I can''t say it."


    Erich Winfield didn''t insist and asked, "So you left the pce for long and was caught up with all this? This injury?....."


    "They caused it. I was somehow protected or I wouldn''t be here," she exined.


    "I think there is nothing for you to feel guilty about. You sacrificed your life to protect her. You were just sixteen when you left and became a mother of someone else''s child."


    "I took care of her like a mother but in the end, I couldn''t be a good mother to her and ended up being her nanny only, who failed to teach her what young girls need to learn before they get married," Tears rolled down her eyes, "I or no one of us ever thought her destiny will change like this. She is still like an innocent child to which there was no need to tell anything as it would have only spiked up a curiosity inside her. It was good the way she was living as in the end she had to end up being hidden somewhere else."


    Erich Winfield passed her folded white cloth to wipe her tears.


    Martha epted it and continued to pour her heart out, "When I was getting treated, we got to the news about the disaster in the pce and then about the third princess of Abetha getting married to the King of Megaris. I med myself for not being able to be with her and couldn''t even hurry toe to her. Somehow I could get back but it was her wedding the next day. I...I didn''t know what to tell her or how to exin anything to her in just one night. On one hand, I was struggling with this and on the other hand, I was holding back every bit of my energy to not fall in front of her and not to show my pain. I didn''t want her to see me dying when she was leaving. I wanted her to leave while smiling. My heart hurt when I saw her going away from me... I could do nothing but send her among the strangers. How scared she must be...I am to me for everything."


    Erich Winifield sat quietly to let her take it out. Since the day they reached this old house in the woods which belonged to Erich Winfield but was empty for so many years, he saw Martha only sitting quietly like in a daze. She didn''t even talk much but finally after almost more than two weeks, she said something.


    She talked again, "You know, the first thing she said to me when I returned the ce and she saw me was- asking me to run away with her. If I was not dying, I might have done it but��.And telling her everything in just one night? at the same time when she wanted to run away was like scaring her. She is like a nk paper that was kept safe and away from everything and who knows nothing at all. I thought, just like other women, she will get to know and I could only trust King of Megaris for that."


    "Why didn''t you teach her like any other ordinary girl?" Erich Winfield asked.


    "I told you she was meant to be kept hidden all her life. Telling her anything will only make her curious. Her curiosity had already put her into trouble before and we just wished her to be away from any such things. What was the use of making her curious when she meant to spend her life alone in hiding and in istion."


    "True," Erich Winfield agreed and asked, "Then why did you agree to let her marry a stranger?"


    "We talked about him. We were aware of rumors about him and the truth behind them. Though we never thought something like this could ever happen, being Esther''s son, we could only look at him as a positive option. After the ce where we prepared to take Seren was destroyed by them, we had no other option but to send her away from Abetha. They had already started to sense the essence of her stronger growing powers and would have found her here any moment. That tower wouldn''t be able to hide her. What stopped them from finding her in the pce was the powers of the King of Megaris which could suppress her powers."


    "Is it?" Erich Winfield was surprised to hear it, "I have witnessed the intensity of his powers but didn''t know it was this powerful as I know that girl holds something really powerful inside her."


    "For now we had no other option but to send her with him and let her marry him seemed better. Being her husband, he will always try to protect her," Martha exined.


    "I don''t know much about him but from what I observed, though he is rumored to be a devil, he cares for his people. There is no better king in this world who shed tears for his subjects," Erich Winfieldmented, "If he can be this caring and protective towards a mere knight then he will be definitely much more protective to his wife."


    "I believe he will try to be patient and understand her. Though I failed to be her mother, I can only expect him to be a good husband to her," Marthamented.


    "What you did for her, even mothers fail to do for their own kids. One day when she will know what you did for her, she will only be thankful to you."


    "I don''t want her to know anything. I just want her to be happy and live a life like any other woman," Marthamented. After a short pause, she talked again, "Erich?"


    "Hmm?" Erich Winfield looked at her.


    "If I die anytime soon, don''t ever let her know about it. Though I am just her nanny, I am the only person she had with her as her family. She will feel hurt and might truly feel like an orphan."


    Erich Winfield''s eyes turned moist but he said, "At least this time try to trust me. I won''t let you go away."


    Martha could only smile at it but it was a smile that showed pain in her heart, "You are still so stubborn like before."


    "I am not stubborn but you should stop talking about dying. You are just in your mid-thirties and not so old to die yet," he countered.


    She looked at him and chuckled, "But you look much older now so it''s time for you to stop being stubborn and be a good old man."


    He gave her a displeased look, "I look older because I was wandering around the continent while searching for someone. I am just in my early forties. I am not old," he dered.


    "You will never change," Martha smiled and continued to look at the river.


    Seeing her finally smiling, Erich Winfield said nothing and apanied her silently.

 Chapter 222: Are You Trying To Seduce Me?

    <h4>Chapter 222: Are You Trying To Seduce Me?</h4>


    The next morning Drayce woke up by dawn and realized his little kitten was still sleeping soundly with him next to her. He lowered his head to look at his wife, who still had her face buried against his chest and her steady breathing he could feel even through the fabric of his robe. She was still holding his nightdress belt in her hand. The entire night her hand was the same, wrapped in that belt and clutching it tightly in her fist.


    ''Is she not scared of me at all now? Instead, is she scared of me leaving her alone?'' He thought as the pleasant smile painted on his lips but the next moment his devilish thoughts took over his mind, ''As she is not scared, will it be fine to eat her a little at least. She will love it, won''t she? That day she seemed to like it when I yed with her neck. Only that much won''t do. She needs to know other ways to feel good too.'' His eyes started to change their color with the lust filled in them.


    Just as he thought, he felt her moving and realized she was awake. She moved her face to look up at him who was staring at her with the intentions of eating her but the next moment his darker-looking eyes turned normal. All those wild thoughts in his mind disappeared, seeing that innocent face and that pair of purple eyes which were full of trust in him.


    He clenched his fist and cursed in his mind, ''I will tie that damn devil and throw him somewhere deep down in the sea with the huge rock tied to his body.'' his revengeful thoughts were disturbed by a sweet voice.


    "Good Morning, Your Majesty," she greeted, smiling at him lightly. Because of the veil, he couldn''t see that smile though her eyes showed she was pleased to see him the moment she opened her eyes.


    "Good Morning, My Queen," he greeted back and moved the loose hair strands away from her face and pecked on her forehead.


    Seren liked it and felt like a kid when he moved her loose hair strands but when he pecked on her forehead the touch of his warm lips felt different. The happiness in her eyes was reced by something unknown while Drayce was busy looking at the mark on her forehead which shined the moment his lips touched it and this time there was something different.


    Every time he touched it, the light-emitting from the flower mark would disappear soon after he moved his fingers away but this time even though he had stopped touching it, it was still emitting that mild light.


    Drayce lowered his sight to look at her and found his little kitten staring at his lips and then she moved her sight up to look into his eyes as if she was seeking to get an answer to something.


    ''What is this look? Is this little kitten trying to seduce me?'' he thought and noticed the flower sign on her forehead was still shining.


    "My Queen��." he called her gently but didn''t know what to say or ask her.


    "Hmm?" she replied like in a daze and continued to stare at his lips. Only if he knew, she had almost licked her own lips under the veil.


    Drayce could see it was not her normal behavior. If he didn''t know how innocent she was, he would have mistaken it for something else.


    ''Is it because of the condition she is in? Her monthly cycle?'' he thought and asked though he knew the answer already, "My Queen, what are you looking at?"


    She moved her sight from his lips to his eyes, "Your lips, Your Majesty. They look so good," came the honest reply from his little kitten.


    "How?" he asked.


    "Not sure." Saying she again looked at his lips and freed her hand from holding the belt of his robe as she moved it up to touch his thin lips. She touched them gently with her fingertips, "They feel warm and soft like...not sure like what..but they feel good."


    Drayce held her hand to stop her from touching his lips and she gave him a displeased look for stopping her from doing so. Though she knew nothing about what she was doing and how her actions could affect him, that feeling of disappointment was stronger in her.


    "Are you trying to seduce me, My Queen?" He asked, his red eyes stared into her displeased-looking purple ones.


    "Seducing? What is it?" she asked.


    Drayce continued to stare into her eyes who didn''t know what Drayce was up to and felt him moving her fingers closer to his lips. She looked at her fingers that felt the touch of his lips and saw him opening his lips only to put her forefinger in his mouth entirely and closed his lips slowly while his eyes were stuck at her face.


    She gulped as a shiver passed across her spine with the kind of touch she felt with just her finger in his mouth. She felt his warm, moist and coarse tongue moving along with her finger in his closed mouth and she gasped lightly in a shock. She felt strange and felt her heart pounding faster as her breathing became shallow. She wanted to pull her hand but he had gripped it tightly.


    Her sight continued to shift between his lips to his intense-looking eyes that continued to stare at her while her finger was being sucked gently.


    He slowly pulled her finger out as if he had just finished sucking onto his favorite sugar candy and said, "What you are feeling at this moment is what we call seducing, My Queen?"


    ''What am I feeling?" She thought and focussed on her own, ''Heart beating faster, trouble in breathing, and feeling something strange?'' she concluded like any scientist who was noting down the effect of the process. ''But I did nothing to make him feel like this to what he calls seducing.''


    She felt used unfairly and said, "But I did not put Your Majesty''s finger in my mouth."


    "My Queen can seduce me just by looking at me," he said staring into her eyes intently and freed her hand only to move his hand towards the shallow impression of her lips under the veil and caressed her lips with his finger, "But I will like it if my Queen does the same with my finger. I am sure, you can seduce me even better like this."


    "Is seducing good?" she asked.


    "Didn''t my Queen feel good with what I did with her finger?" Drayce asked.


    "It...felt different...strange��"


    "That different feeling is what feels good if you try to feel it."


    "How?" she asked again.


    Hearing it, he had a wicked smile on his lips as his fingers moved along her earlobe and he said in a hoarse voice, "By allowing me to get closer to you and you do the same with me. You can touch me and do anything that makes you feel better."


    "Touch you��." she mumbled and moved her hand closer to his face, "Can I?"


    "Hmm," he nodded and waited for her to do what she wanted. She touched his lips with her fingertips what he stopped her from doing a while ago. She gulped staring at his lips and unknown to her, she moved closer to him and touched his lips with hers.


    After drayce pecked on her lips that day on the boat, that different feeling was stuck in her mind and she wanted to feel it again. She stayed like that not willing to part away. She liked it.


    The curious cat didn''t know what her action had caused the devil. He froze in shock as he expected her to touch his lips with her fingers but didn''t expect her to peck on his lips. He greeted his teeth and clenched his fists to control himself from pouncing on her. He remembered the royal physician''s words about letting her rest. Drayce didn''t know his curious little kitten will end up seducing him and leave him to suffer like this.


    In a while, she parted away and looked at his cold face to tell him what she felt, "It felt good."


    ''Obviously, it feels good, My Queen,'' he thought. Gulping with his clenched teeth, he shut his eyes for a moment and opened to calmly instruct her something, "My Queen, you should not do this when you are on your monthly cycle."


    "Why?" she asked.


    Her innocent soul didn''t know what she was doing with him who was already holding himself back from pouncing on her and devour her entirely. Her innocence made him want to do it even more.


    Another question and Drayce could only give up in front of her. How could he exin it to her? He needed to be patient and he stayed silent for a few moments as he shut his eyes while Seren tried to figure out what was wrong with him.


    ''Why did he close his eyes again? Did I ask a difficult question? Does he need to think that deeply to answer it?''


    He opened his eyes and said in a gentle and calm voice, "My Queen, soon we will have our wedding night after our wedding. That night, I will make sure to answer all of your questions."


    Seeing how restless he looked when she asked why, she didn''t wish to ask anything more and said, "Understood, Your Majesty."


    He passed his finger along the border of her veil and said, "That day, this veil won''t be there and I will make my Queen feel something different and even better."


    With the mention of the veil, her body stiffened but she tried her best to not show it.


    Drayce moved away from her and stepped out of the bed. He fixed the warm nket on her and said, "I have to leave now. You should rest for some more time."


    Seren only nodded and saw him leaving her bedchamber.


    =====


    Mass release Alert.


    Dear readers we are just two spots away from #5 in the Golden Ticket ranking. If we enter the top 5, I will make sure to give a mass release with an interesting Wedding Night of our witch and the devil.

 Chapter 223: What Did You Do On Your Wedding Night?

    <h4>Chapter 223: What Did You Do On Your Wedding Night?</h4>


    Once Drayce left the bedchamber, Seren looked at the beautifully decorated ceiling and thought about what he had said.


    ''Veil, he will remove this veil from my face on our wedding night. But what is the need? What does he n to do? Is it necessary to remove my veil? But Martha said I can''t let anyone see my face or it will harm me and that person...but how? She said the person won''t die, then what is worse than dying? Why didn''t she tell me what will happen to me and the one who will see my face?... He could touch my veil even with the intention of removing it when no one could even touch it before. This veil, is it not effective in front of him? If he can touch it, that means he can remove it too. Is it because of his powers? What will happen if he removes it? Will my curses end up harming him? I can''t let it happen.''


    Just then Marie entered the bedchamber. In the mild sunlight entering the bedchamber through the ss window, Marie could see the young Queen was awake and staring at the ceiling.


    "Good Morning, Your Majesty," Marie Greeted smiling pleasantly at her Queen as she bowed.


    It pulled Seren out of her thoughts and she looked at Marie.


    Marie, who as usual carried the fresh flowers in her bamboo woven basket to arrange them into the vases, went towards Seren''s bed, "How are you feeling now, Your Majesty?"


    "Much better," Replying, Seren sat up in the bed and looked at the flowers in the basket in Marie''s hand, "Those are pretty flowers."


    "They also smell good," Marie said and Seren nodded in agreement as she could smell the scent even from a distance and the moment Marie entered the bedchamber.


    "Did you have a good sleep, Your Majesty?" Marie asked.


    "I did," Seren replied.


    Marie smiled with a meaningful teasing look in her eyes, "When His Majesty cares for you so much, then it''s inevitable to have a good sleep."


    "Cares for me?" Seren said and looked at Marie.


    Marie nodded, "His Majesty sure cares for you a lot, Your Majesty. That day when you got your monthly cycle and his majesty had to leave you with us, he was worried. I got to know that His Majesty moved all his work aside and waited toe and see you."


    "Did His Majestye to see me?" Seren asked. All she knew was that he didn''te to her and she missed his presence.


    "Marie nodded, "After the Royal Physician left, His Majesty came but Your Majesty was sleeping."


    Seren''s face turned sad though she was happy to know it, "I thought his Majesty didn''te to see me till the previous night."


    "But His Majesty came that day in the night too. Don''t you remember, Your Majesty?" Marie asked.


    Seren shook her head, and concluded, ''That''s why I felt his energy around me that night but when I woke up, he was gone.''


    "It''s fine, Your Majesty. At least now you know how much His Majesty cares for you and can''t stay away from you. How much His Majesty is busy, he makes sure to return to your Majesty in the night," Marie assured.


    Seren nodded to what she said and decided, ''If he cares for me, I should care for him too.''


    "Your Majesty, would you like me to prepare the bath for you or do you wish to rest for a while more?" Marie asked.


    "You can prepare the bath," Seren instructed and asked, "I don''t see Eva?"


    "Lady Tyra is instructingdy Xena and her some other important things. They will be here shortly," Marie informed and went towards the bath after recing old flowers with the new ones.


    After a bath, Marie and Eva helped Seren dress up. Sitting in front of the mirror of the dresser when Marie and Eva were busy setting her long Reddish-golden hair, Seren looked at Marie and asked, "Marie, did you have your wedding night, too?"


    This sudden question startled Marie and Eva and both looked at their young Queen through the mirror. A blush took over Marie''s face and Eva looked at her teasingly.


    "Yes, Your Majesty. After the wedding, every married couple has their wedding night," Marie answered.


    "Oh!" was what Seren said and turned silent.


    Looking at the silent Queen, Marie realized their King and Queen didn''t have their wedding night the way it should be. Instead, they had spent their first night in the Inn of that city. Even after returning to Megaris, there was no such arrangement to make their night special. She felt bad for her Queen thinking their Queen must have expected something unforgettable which every woman wants and remembers for the rest of their lives.


    Eva looked at Marie as if asking why their Queen was silent since the moment she woke up and what is with this sudden wedding night question. Was something wrong? Being young, Eva could not understand it the way Marie did.


    "Your Majesty," Marie called, "Apology for not arranging the best wedding night for you, Your Majesty."


    Now Eva understood what must be the issue but these two didn''t know they were thinking totally wrong.


    "I heard we will soon have a wedding ording to Megaris customs and then we will make sure to prepare everything the best, Your Majesty," Eva added.


    What these two were talking, didn''t concern Seren at all and she looked at Marie, "Marie, what did you do on your wedding night?"


    Crack!


    The woodenb Marie was using tob Seren''s hair, fell on the floor the next moment. Feeling startled as well as embarrassed, Marie gulped and looked at Seren through the mirror, "W-Why do you ask this, Your Majesty?"


    Eva was shocked too but she came back to her senses and was ready to hear what Marie did on her wedding night. Seren was their Queen, so Marie had to answer whether Marie liked it or not. ''Thank god, I am not married,'' Eva thought while looking at the embarrassed and blushing Marie.


    Seren answered calmly, "I want to know what everyone does on their wedding night."


    It shocked the other two as everyone knows what the wedding night meant for but why did their Queen ask this.


    Marie calmed herself down and offered a pleasant smile to her silent Queen as she spoke gently, "Your Majesty, everyone does the same activity that Your Majesty and His Majesty had done on their first night together."


    Seren knew the husband and wife should sleep together as per what Drayce said and from how he apanied in bed every night.


    "Sleeping together, that''s it?" Seren asked.


    "Y-Yes, Your Majesty?" Marie replied while Eva stood silent.


    Marie and Eva''s face had turned a little red hearing it as it was not something that would be said out aloud but their young Queen looked calm as if it was nothing. They didn''t know that sleeping together held no other meaning for their Queen other than just lying in bed next to each other or cuddling, while these two understood the meaning of sleeping together differently.


    "Then why did His Majesty say, we will be even closer on our wedding night. Isn''t sitting and sleeping together already close enough?" Seren asked.


    "Huh?" was what the other two subconsciously spurted out but then Marie looked at Eva, "Eva, can you pick up a few more flowers from the garden. The purple ones that suit Her Majesty''s pretty eyes."


    Eva nodded and quietly left the wardrobe room.


    Marie wished to talk something more with the Seren but didn''t wish anyone else to know it. Eva was young and she might end up talking about it to others, that''s why Marie had sent her out. Being a wife of a knight, Marie understood the responsibilities that came with the one who served their King and Queen.


    Once Marie made sure Eva was gone, she finally turned to the young Queen and kneeled beside the chair on which Seren was sitting and looked up at her.


    "Your Majesty, what do you mean by only sleeping together?" Marie asked.


    Puzzled Seren who looked like she had said something wrong, turned her head to look at Marie to her one side, "This is what His Majesty and I do. Is there something else to do on the wedding night? His Majesty said to take my veil off that day," Seren answered innocently, trusting Marie and thinking of her as the only person to get answers from.


    Even before Seren had any doubts or knew anything about something, Marie was the one to talk to her calmly and exin it to her. She felt like she could trust Marie and thought of her as the young version of Martha. In Marie''s eyes she could feel the same warmth and care that she used to see in Martha''s eyes.


    "Haven''t His Majesty seen your face yet, Your Majesty?" Marie asked.


    Seren shook her head as if it was not a big deal while Marie didn''t know what to think about it.

 Chapter 224: [Bonus Chapter]How One Consummate Their Marriage?

    <h4>Chapter 224: [Bonus Chapter]How One Consummate Their Marriage?</h4>


    Marie gave it some thought. ''If their king hadn''t even seen his wife''s face yet, then they were yet to consummate their marriage. But she still had a doubt as there were instances that showed their king was being energetic and ended up hurting the young Queen.


    "Your Majesty, the first night in that Inn, outside the city, how did you hurt your leg?" Marie asked.


    Seren turned awkward because she couldn''t tell Marie the entire truth and said, "I...fell and hurt my ankle."? How could she say that their Queen had tried to run away? Seren just prayed for Marie should not ask her how she fell or she would have to lie. ''But Martha said, lying is a bad thing.''


    When Seren was busy praying silently in her mind, Marie was busy with concluding the past things from that day in the city Inn.


    ''Ahh, so this is what happened and I was wondering what His Majesty had done to this young girl to hurt her leg? But after that, they have spent many nights together. If not in those Inns and not in someone else''s home, then what about the nights they had spent here in the pce...Those marks on Her Majesty''s neck...Doesn''t seem like His Majesty could be any more patient,'' Marie thought and asked. "And those marks on Your Majesties neck? After that, didn''t His Majesty do something more?"


    Seren blinked a few times before answering hesitantly, "His Majesty... apologized... for biting me."


    "Ah! But didn''t His Majesty do something other than biting and after apologizing?... I mean something that made Your Majesty feel his Majesty was closer than he should be and made you feel different..." Marrie stopped and sighed as she couldn''t find more words to exin it.


    "His Majesty ones touched my lips with his lips," Seren answered, her puzzled, curious, and scared-looking eyes, stared at Marie.


    Now Marie understood the young couple was yet to consummate their marriage. "Your Majesty, I think his majesty wished to wait till you two have a wedding ording to Megaris customs that''s why you two are yet to consummate your marriage."


    "C-Consummate?" Seren mumbled and thought, ''This was the word Martha said and I could not understand and recall it. Doesn''t seem like eating anything.''


    Marie nodded, "Yes, Your Majesty. His Majesty must not want you two to have your wedding night in a ce like a city Inn instead of the royal ce like this pce and must want to wait till proper wedding in Megaris. His Majesty is so thoughtful."


    Marie felt happy about it as Men are meant to be impatient but their King was being patient even after the weeks of his marriage. ''His Majesty definitely loves her Majesty a lot. Her Majesty is so fortunate,'' she concluded and the next moment heard even more shocking question from her Queen.


    "How does one consummate their marriage?" Seren asked curiously. She was unaware of what she was asking and how it might embarrass her servant while answering.


    Marie paused for a moment, thinking how to answer her, and asked after clearing her throat, "Didn''t anyone tell you about this before, Your Majesty."


    Seren shook her head as if Marie will reveal something so dangerous to her, "Martha just said I will consummate the marriage but didn''t tell how. Do I have to do something?"


    Marie looked at Seren in disbelief but more than that she felt bad for her for not knowing anything. ''How can they marry off a girl just like this even before educating her about anything and that too one princess who is supposed to get all kinds of education. Is this normal in Abetha? Here in Megaris, even the servants get proper education before they get married.''


    Marie thought of Seren as if she was her younger sister and didn''t know what to do, as her mind turned chaotic with so many questions. ''Should I exin it to Her Majesty? Will she feel scared and then try to stay away from His Majesty? She was already scared after that biting incident. Will it worsen the situation and will I have to bear the consequences? Or should I just inform Lady Tyra about it? But his Majesty must already know about theck of knowledge of her Majesty then he might handle it in his way. He seemed to care for Her Majesty a lot.''


    Seeing Dazed Marie who didn''t speak for long, Seren felt even more worried and asked, "Is it something dangerous?"


    "Huh?" Marie came out of her thoughts and looked at Seren only to hear her ask, "That consummating marriage, will it harm me?"


    ''Did I just scare her,'' Marie thought as she observed fear rising in the young Queen''s eyes.


    "N-No, Your Majesty. It''s not something that will harm you," Marie replied.


    Seren recalled all the things that Drayce had said to her till now about what he wanted to do with her on their wedding night, taking off her veil and clothes, more than just biting, it will hurt a little, scream and cry...and so on. Her mind turned chaotic with whatever he said to her and she tried to link them.


    "B-But, his Majesty said it will hurt and I will scream and cry...he even mistook pain for pleasure," Seren said, as the fear covered her entire self.


    Seeing the panicked young woman, Marie first got the hold of herself as she had to be considerate to this young Queen and asked calmly, "Did His Majesty say it like this, Your Majesty?"


    Seren nodded, "Hmm," and looked at Marie as if she was herst hope to save herself from anything, "Why does he want to give me pain and make me scream and cry? Is it like he was talking about getting pleasure by giving me pain? Does he like giving pain?"


    Marie didn''t know whether she shouldugh or feel bad about her innocence. She controlled herself and held Seren''s hand to caress it gently to assure her.


    "Your Majesty, His Majesty won''t harm you, trust me. There are certain things that we do and we scream and cry in pleasure but it''s not the actual pain that you are thinking about."


    It surprised Seren, "Is it?"


    Marie nodded, "Doesn''t Her Majesty like it when His Majesty gets closer? When he gave Her Majesty those Marks on the neck?"


    Seren thought about it. Out of all, she recalled the moment from the boat when Drayce sucked her skin to give her a red mark so she will remember to wear warm clothes all the time. While recalling it in a daze, Seren mumbled, "It felt good."


    Maire heard it and said, "It must be a little painful but still you liked it, Your Majesty, isn''t it?"


    Seren felt a little embarrassed over her own honest reply when she said it felt good but then agreed to what Marrie asked, "Hmm."


    "Just like that there are some other activities that might feel strange but we feel good while doing it," Marie exined.


    "What other activities?" Seren asked.


    "Doesn''t His Majesty say anything about it...the closeness Your Majesty said a while ago?" Marie asked hesitantly as she felt like invading the privacy of their king.


    Seren recalled the moments from the boat when Drayce mentioned the wedding night and said- ''It''s a special night when husband and wife get closer to each other.'' He even said there is more to that closeness other than just being together. When she asked what kind of closeness he said she would know soon and offered her toe to his study to read some books.


    "His Majesty said toe to his study and offered to read books," Seren said and asked, "Is it written in books? I have read lots of books but no book had anything written about the wedding night."


    "There are books for that too," Marie answered as she tried hard to be calm and not feel shy about it.


    "Will his majesty give me those books?" Seren asked.


    "Seems like it," Marie said feeling awkward inside as she couldn''t imagine this naive girl reading those books but wondered how her reaction would be. Marie thought to trust their king and in the end, it was a matter between one husband and wife.


    "Your Majesty, you should trust his Majesty. I am sure His Majesty will guide you properly. There is nothing to feel scared of. Just remember, His Majesty loves you and cares for you. And the person can never hurt the one they love and care for."


    Marie''s words sounded trustable to Seren. She nodded to it and thought, ''I should trust him. Isn''t he my soulmate? ording to what Grandmother said, soulmates protect you and care for you.''


    Seeing the young Queen calm, Marrie spoke, "Now, shall we continue getting Your Majesty ready?"


    Seren nodded and Marie resumed setting Seren''s long hair in a beautiful braid and said again, "Your Majesty, the things we have just talked about, you should not talk to anyone else."


    "Why?" Seren asked, looking at Marie through the mirror who was standing behind her.


    "These things are private matters between husband and the wife and should not go out. Moreover, Your Majesty is a Queen of this Kingdom and such things going out might affect your and His Majesty''s Image."


    Seren didn''t understand the weight of these things going out but she had decided to trust Marie and said, "Understood."


    Marie was done with braiding Seren''s hair and started to put the essories in them one by one as she spoke again, "But, If Your Majesty ever wishes to talk or ask about such things, you can always ask me or Lady Tyra in alone."


    Seren again nodded to it like an obedient girl.


    =====


    Dear readers, this bonus chapter is to celebrate going up in the GOLDEN TICKET ranking from #7 to #6. Once we enter the #5 golden ranking, there will be a MASS RELEASE. Only one ce up is needed. Keep voting golden tickets.


    Also, we have entered the top 10 of the POWER STONE ranking. Keep voting power stones to get into #5 of PS ranking.

 Chapter 225: Atracted Towards Him

    <h4>Chapter 225: Atracted Towards Him</h4>


    Soon Lady Tyra reached Seren''s bedchamber as the other threedies in waiting followed her.


    Seren and Marie stepped out of the wardrobe room once she was ready.


    "Greetings, Your Majesty!"


    Everyone bowed to her to which Seren just nodded.


    "Your Majesty, the breakfast has been prepared for you," Lady Tyra informed and led Seren''s way towards the dining room, and herdies in waiting followed her.


    Lady Xena pulled out a chair for her and Seren sat in it. Today, Seren found new additional dishes to what food she was used to seeing in front of her during the past few days.


    "Is there something special today?" Seren asked.


    "No, Your Majesty. But May I ask, why do you feel so?" Lady Tyra replied.


    "There are additional different and new food dishes," Seren replied.


    Lady Tyra nodded, "Yes, Your Majesty! You are right. These additional dishes are made as instructed by the royal physician."


    "Why?" Seren asked, "I don''t feel sick at all."


    "Your Majesty, for the past two days you ate nothing much. And after all the blood loss, you must feel a little weak. These are meant to nourish you properly as you will be having your monthly cycle every month. That''s why we call it like that. From now on, Your Majesty has to eat more healthy food which will help you to be healthy always," Lady Tyra exined.


    Seren nodded and herdies in waiting started to serve her food.


    Lady Tyra pointed towards one bowl, "Your Majesty, this soup has rare medical herbs that Great Lady has sent for you. The greatdy had asked you to have it daily."


    Seren nodded as Lady Tyra exined about other newly added dishes, "Your Majesty, You need to finish this entire portion. It not only has nourishing nutrients but also will help you keep warm in the cold weather of Megaris."


    Cold weather was what Seren could not get used to easily and really wished to have something that could keep her warm without wearing heavy warm clothes all the time. Everyone around her was wearing normal clothes but she was the only one covered inyers of warm clothes. Moreover, she was not used to wearing them and found them ufortable.


    "Then, can I bear with the cold without wearing these clothes?" Seren asked as she looked at Lady Tyra with her eyes full of hope.


    "It will help you a little, but as Your Majesty is from a warmer part of the continent and your body is not used to the weather of Megaris, it will take time for you to adjust to this changed weather," Lady Tyra informed.


    "Oh!" was what she said as the disappointment took over her mind.


    Seeing her disappointment, Lady Tyra consoled, "But with all these rare medicines, it won''t take much time, Your Majesty."


    This sounded a little better to Seren. As usual, after serving the food, everyone left the dining room, leaving their Queen alone who preferred to eat peacefully with no one around her.


    -----


    Meanwhile, Eva, who had been sent out by Marie, returned to the bedchamber where she saw Marie was fixing their Queen''s bed.


    "Sister Marie, I bought the flowers you asked me to," Eva informed.


    Marie smiled at her, "Keep it there and help me fix the bed."


    Eva did so and immediately started helping Marie.


    Marie looked at the young girl who was busy doing her work dedicatedly and called her, "Eva!"


    Eva looked at her, "Yes, sister Marie?"


    "I believe you understand why I sent you out," Marie said while doing her work.


    "I understand it, sister Marie. Don''t worry about it. If I was you, I would have done the same," she assured.


    "Thank you for understanding," Marie said, smiling lightly.


    Eva smiled back and said, "But, sister Marie can trust me with anything. My grandmother, who had served the Great Lady, had always taught me when I was a kid that one should always be loyal to their master. I understand the responsibility of serving the Queen of this Kingdom."


    "I will keep that in mind," Marie assured and said, "I have always known you are such a nice girl, that''s why Lady Tyra and I had selected you to serve Her Majesty."


    "Thank you so much, Sister Marie, I will never disappoint you and Lady and Tyra."


    ------


    After the breakfast, Lady Tyra asked as Seren stepped out of the dining room, "Your Majesty, would you like to take a stroll inside the garden?"


    "Yes," Seren replied and Lady Tyra led her way through the corridor.


    While passing through the corridor, Seren looked towards the long corridor of the adjacent residence that was meant for Drayce. She continued walking while looking at it as if she was expecting to see him.


    ''I wonder what he is doing at the moment?'' she thought and the next moment frowned at herself, ''Why am I thinking about him?''


    They continued to walk and reached near the pathway that connected the Queen''s residence to the King''s. Subconsciously Seren stopped at the pathway''s entrance which was brightened by the sunlight entering inside it through the windows on both sides as the curtain floated along with the mild breeze.


    With Seren, the others stopped too and saw their Queen looking at that pathway. No one dared to disturb her for a while and stood quietly.


    ''Why do I feel like going to that side of the residence?'' Seren was busy thinking as she was about to take a step forwards towards that pathway.


    "Your Majesty," Tyra called.


    Seren stopped and looked at Lady Tyra as if she had juste out of her dazed condition. Lady Tyra stared at Seren''s face for a moment as if she noticed something and then shifted her attention back to her Queen.


    "Your Majesty, do you wish to go on that side?" Lady Tyra asked.


    "Huh? N-No...I was just��." Seren didn''t know what to say as she herself didn''t understand what she was doing. "Can we just go to the garden?" Seren asked, feeling embarrassed inside.


    "Yes, Your Majesty," Lady Tyra again led her way out and this time Seren followed her quietly, without looking here and there.


    Upon reaching the garden, Seren turned normal and could think about nothing but nature''s beauty around her. That huge garden had so many beautiful flowers in different colors.


    ''What makes Megaris so beautiful. Is it because it is a colder part of the continent and filled with so many pretty things? Everything here looks so neat and clean. Even the water in theke is clear like a mirror so that one can see their clear reflection in it. Everything seems just so pleasant,'' Seren thought as she continued walking around the garden.


    "Seems like, My Queen liked this garden.


    Seren froze in her ce as she heard a familiar voiceing from behind her which made her heart skip a bit. ''It''s him,'' she thought and turned around to look at him while all the servants stepped away from them, leaving the King and the Queen alone.


    She saw the handsome King standing there wearing his ck royal clothes. She had seen him like this but still, she couldn''t move her sight away from him.


    ''Was he always like this so beautiful or it''s just the weather of Megaris which is making me imagine the things. Is this cold affecting my mind? Why do I feel like I was just waiting for him? Am I really getting used to him? Why do I feel like getting closer to him? Can I? Will it be fine?''


    When she was looking at him in a daze, Drayce observed the flower on her head shone momentarily as if the rays of light swept past it.


    ''What is she thinking about to make this flower mark shine on its own?'' Drayce thought as he tried to understand her thoughts by observing her eyes.


    ''Is she attracted to me? Is she finally feeling something more?'' Drayce could only conclude this much from the way she stared at him.


    Her eyes were like a reflection of her thoughts which most of the time showed that she was curious but this time there was something else in them- more like how an adult woman looked at the man they felt attracted to.


    "My Queen, do you have something to say?" Drayce asked.


    It pulled her out of the daze. "G- Garden! This garden is so pretty" she said, hiding her actual thoughts.


    "I am d, My Queen liked it," he said and asked, "Would you mind it if I walk with you for some time, My Queen?"


    "Of course not, Your Majesty," she replied, trying to be calm.


    They walked together for a while as Seren could feel her heart beating faster. ''Can he hear my heartbeats again?'' just as she thought, Drayce looked at her, "My Queen��."


    "I know my heart is noisy but I can''t control it, Your Majesty. My apology!" she spurted out with her head lowered as she interrupted him before he could say an entire thing.


    Drayce chuckled, seeing her embarrassed, "I was saying, if my Queen likes to make any changes in this garden, you can tell Tyra."


    Seren looked at him in disbelief as she felt even embarrassed. She again lowered her head and said, "My apology for interrupting, His Majesty."


    Drayce stepped closer as he stood facing her and held her at her hands. He leaned forwards to whisper in her ear, "I know my Queen''s heart beats faster whenever she sees her handsome husband. But you don''t need to worry, My Queen. I am getting used to this noisy heart now and soon we will find a solution to calm it down."


    He moved back and she looked at him to know what he meant. "Today, we will have lunch together and after that, My Queen will apany me to my study."


    Seren could only nod to him and he spoke, still holding her at hands, "I need to leave now." He left and the servants returned to apany Seren. As she walked into the garden, what he said repeated in her mind.


    ''His study? That means the other side of the residence. I wonder what it looks like? Must be filled with so many books everywhere.''

 Chapter 226: Precious Memories From The Past

    <h4>Chapter 226: Precious Memories From The Past</h4>


    "Your Majesty, as His Majesty said, do you wish to add something more in the garden or wish to change something?" Lady Tyra asked as they continued to stroll inside that huge garden, surrounding the residences of the King and the Queen.


    Seren stopped and looked around the garden and tried to recall what things she had seen in the fairytale book. She remembered the little princess in that book had lots of pets and among them, she loved the bunnies most.


    "Do we have bunnies in the Megaris too?" Seren asked.


    Lady Tyra smiled a little at this question and replied, "Of course we have them, Your Majesty. Would you like to have them in the garden?" Lady Tyra asked.


    "Yes," Seren replied.


    "Consider it done, Your Majesty," Lady Tyra assured and said, "Your Majesty, today we have arranged lessons for you to know about the Royal family of Megaris. Will it be fine with Your Majesty?"


    "Royal family?" Seren asked.


    "Yes, Your Majesty! Now you are a part of the Royal family of Megaris, Ivanov Royal Family."


    It was so sudden for Seren as she never thought about it. Being isted for all her life, having family was like a foreign thing for her as she never had one but only in name. The only thing she had with her from her family was herst name Ilven and that too was gone now as it had changed to Ivanov after her marriage with the King of Megaris, Drayce Ivanov.


    ''Seren Ivanov! Sounds good too. It''s hisst name,'' she thought and smiled lightly as she repeated it in her mind again, ''Seren Ivanov!''


    Seren was immersed in her unknown happy thoughts as they had finished strolling. Lady Tyra asked, "Your Majesty, will it be fine for you to start your lessons?"


    Seren nodded as she thought, ''Maybe I will get to know more about him and his mother.''


    "For that, we need to go to your study. We have arranged everything there," Lady Tyra informed.


    "Study? My study room?" she asked surprisingly. She till now only heard Drayce mentioning his study room but never thought to have it for her.


    "Yes, Your Majesty. You are yet to visit there. It''s on the same floor as your bedchamber," Lady Tyra informed.


    Seren felt happy, ''My own study room. Now I will have something to do instead of just idling around and looking at my servant''s face,'' she thought and said, "I would like to see it."


    "Sure, Your Majesty," Lady Tyra said and looked at Lady Xena, "Make sure everything is arranged properly."


    Lady Xena Nodded, "Yes, Lady Tyra," and she left with the other twodies in waiting. Lady Tyra and Seren walked inside the residence after spending some more time out.


    "His Majesty said I will have lunch with him today," Seren informed.


    "Yes Your Majesty, We have already been informed."


    The two reached the floor of the Queen''s bedchamber. At the end of the corridor after crossing the door of the Queen''s bedchamber, there was one more door. Seren had seen it before but never felt curious to ask about it. She thought only this bedchamber was assigned to her as she was the Queen.


    Lady Xena was waiting for them outside the wooden double door. She bowed and informed them, "Everything has been arranged."


    She opened the door and Seren entered the study as Lady Tyra followed behind. Seren had never seen the study of any royal and she couldn''t help but look around curiously to observe each and everything inside.


    In the tower she had lived in, she never had such a study room but had to study in her bedchamber and read only the books that had been sent to her.


    She observed each part of that huge study room was meant for different things and it was evident with the way they were designed and decorated. The entire floor was covered with well designed soft carpet. The walls had various paintings hung to it with beautiful ssmps on each wall. The ceiling had a crystal chandelier hung to it matched with the design of themps. Flower vases were arranged everywhere with the fresh scented flowers in them.


    Seren looked exactly opposite to where she was standing, at the door. There was a wooden study table and a chair with a big-sized bookshelf covering the wall at the back of the chair. Two ss windows were on either side of the shelves that brightened up that area.


    Seren went towards it and stood closer to the table as she looked at all those books on the shelf.


    "Your Majesty, there are all kinds of books that you might like to read, poetry, medicines, and literature from all around the continent. The previous Queen used to read them. If you wish to add some other books to it, you can visit the royal library and we can get them for you," Lady Tyra informed.


    Seren nodded and turned to look at the right side of the room after she crossed the cushioned wooden couch kept closer to the study area. It had everything needed to do the painting work- The brushes, painting stand with the white painting cloth fixed to it, and small containers of colors.


    Seren walked towards it and heard Lady Tyra talking, "We are not sure if Your Majesty would like to paint but��"


    "I do love painting," Seren interrupted Lady Tyra as she touched the wooden painting stand and said, "It feels good to paint what we see and like. One can paint that memory and keep it alive always in that painting."


    Lady Tyra looked at Seren and suddenly felt like seeing one matured woman and agreed to what she said, "That''s true, Your Majesty."


    Seren turned further to see at the right side wall of the door and saw there was a cushioned sitting arrangement on the floor and had small circr and square-shaped wooden frames fixed on the stands with a small wooden table in front. It was meant for the embroidery on the clothes as most noblesdies preferred to do this in their free time.


    "Your Majesty, If you are interested in doing embroidery work��."


    "I am not," Seren said as she smiled behind her veil.


    A memory from the past shed in her mind when Martha tried hard to teach her how to do embroidery work but she failed with huge disappointment. She could hear Martha''s nagging again buzzing in her ears.


    "My Lady, all the princesses, and nobledies do this. You are a princess and you should notck any kind of talent."


    "No one wants to know what I can do or not. They just know I can only harm them."


    "It''s their fault, My Lady. But you know what you are. It''s not difficult to do this. Let me teach you again."


    "This needle keeps pricking in my fingers and it hurts, Martha. I don''t wish to do it. Like this, I will lose all my blood."


    "With this tiny pricking, you won''t lose that much blood, My Lady. Just focus and it won''t prick. Just finish this rose flower for a day and it will be enough."


    "Martha, I am done making this rose."


    "Where, Mydy?"


    "Here, these tiny red petals are hiding behind green leaves."


    "Mydy, it doesn''t look like a flower but a red caterpir buried under the dried leaves."


    "I like caterpirs then. I won''t do it anymore. I don''t even want to learn it."


    Seren''s eyes turned moist as she stared at those embroidery work tools. She missed Martha, her only family.


    ''I wonder what Martha is doing after I left. Did she leave the pce or is she still there in the tower? I really miss her. I wish she was here. Though she nagged me all the time, she was the only one I had."''


    Tyra didn''t know why her Queen suddenly turned silent and said, "Your Majesty, It''s fine if you don''t like it. If you wish, we can take it away from here."


    Seren shook her head, "No need. Keep it like this. It reminds me of my nanny Martha."


    Lady Tyra understood their Queen was not just silent suddenly but she was emotional inside and said, "As you wish, Your Majesty."


    Seren turned to look at the left side of the study room and saw there was a firece at the left wall with two cushioned chairs with high backrests kept in front of it facing each other with a small table in between them. There was a huge ss window that showed an outside view of the sea when one sat in those chairs.


    "Your Majesty, while sitting closer to the firece, you can enjoy your tea," Tyra informed.


    Nodding, Seren stepped towards the left side as the left side wall attached to the door had a music instrument kept on the floor with the same cushioned sitting arrangement at the right side wall of the door, the embroidery area. The music instrument was a long rectangr well carved wooden body about more than one meter long and had so many strings attached to it from one end to another. It looked heavy to lift normally.


    Seren found it attractive and kneeled in front of it. She brushed her fingers along the well-carved wooden body of that instrument and said, "It looks like a zither but bigger in size."


    Lady Tyra liked the way her Queen showed interest in this instrument. This instrument held lots of precious memories and meant a lot to King Drayce.


    "Your Majesty, this instrument belongs to the previous Queen, Queen Esther. She always liked to y it for His Majesty, King Drayce. His Majesty used to sit in front of the instrument, facing his mother, and liked to see her ying it for him."


    Seren turned her head to look up at Lady Tyra. She could see this old woman really cared for her King.


    "Those were the moments when His Majesty felt happiest when we could see him smiling," Lady Tyra added as the old memories shed in her mind and she couldn''t help but say it. "But after she was gone, he never came here." Tyra looked emotional.


    Seren stared at the instrument for a few more moments while her fingers reaching out to its chords as she thought, ''I wonder how he was as a kid and how he must look while smiling.''


    The next moment a few blurry images shed in front of her eyes and she heard the music ying on this instrument and a pair of hands ying as the slender fingers worked on the chords to create that music. Another pair of tiny hands was there which was trying to mimic the movements of the other pair of hands. A woman''s hands and a kid''s hand, who sat opposite to the woman and in front of that instrument.


    "Mother, I loved this music." Seren heard the kid''s voice but couldn''t see the face. His back was facing her which had his shoulder-length jet ck hair left open.


    The music stopped and the kid said, "Mother y it for me again."


    The woman whose only hands were visible to Seren started to y the same music again as her slender fingers moved along the instrument chords.


    The kid said again, "Mother is prettiest when she ys this for me."


    Suddenly Seren noticed the flower mark on the woman''s wrist, the sams she had on her forehead. Her eyes were left wide open and she retreated her hands from the chords of that instrument in shock as a result those images disappeared from her sight.


    "Your Majesty, what happened?" Lady Tyra asked as she noticed Seren was a little shocked.


    "N-nothing," Seren replied as she thought she just imagined something.


    All thissted for only a few moments but she felt like she was witnessing it for a long time. Being familiar with such things as it always happened with Seren, it didn''t take her too much time toe out of that shock. By now she understood those two were the Previous Queen Esther and that kid was her son, the current King of Megaris and she had just witnessed some old precious memories of the owner of this instrument, Queen Esther.


    Seren didn''t know why and how it happened but thought, ''He looked so happy with his mother.'' She could remember that innocent and cheerful voice of the kid. Seeing this innocent side of him, Seren didn''t know what to think about him. How adorable he sounded while talking to his mother.


    Seren turned her head to look up at Lady Tyra who stood beside her, "Seems like this instrument still holds the old memories inside it."


    Tyra stared at Seren for a while as she realized her Queen had witnessed something and replied, "It can be possible when something is precious to someone."


    Seren saw something written at the one corner of the instrument along with the symbol of Ashrin flower but the letters were not familiar to her and asked Lady Tyra, "What is written here?"


    "Heather! The previous Queen had given this name to this instrument. It is written in one of the ancientnguages that''s why Your Majesty could not read it. Queen Esther knew lots of othernguages which are extinct now."


    "Heather," Seren mumbled and asked, "Why this name?"


    "This is the name of the flowers that grow on the barrennd but make it look prettier and alive. Previous Queen thought the music from this instrument did the same with her heart. It made her feel her barren heart alive."


    "Then it must be really nice music to listen to," Serenmented.


    "It is," Tyra agreed.


    =====


    Dear readers, the name of that instrument "Heather" is taken from the real names of two readers "Heather_Paulk" and "Heather_Maddox"


    If there are any other readers with a simr name, they can ept it for themselves as well. I love all my readers, but it''s just a way to show gratitude towards you all.

 Chapter 227: [Bonus Chapter]Going To Him

    <h4>Chapter 227: [Bonus Chapter]Going To Him</h4>


    "I don''t know how to y this," Seren informed.


    "If your Majesty doesn''t want it, we can take this away��."


    "No, Lady Tyra. I mean to say, I wish to learn this instrument. I always wanted to learn an instrument but my nanny didn''t know any other instrument than just a flute," she said.


    "I will ask His Majesty''s permission to arrange a tutor for you, Your Majesty," Tyra assured.


    "Thank you, Lady Tyra," Seren stood up and heard Lady Tyra asking her, "Does Your Majesty know how to y the flute?" Seren had just said her nanny only knew how to y the flute so Lady Tyra considered she had learned it too.


    Seren nodded, "Yes!"


    Lady Tyra stepped towards the shelf on the same wall but was a bit away from the ce of an instrument. Along with some small antiques, there was one long and a slender wooden box that Lady Tyra brought to Seren.


    She opened the box and held it in front of Seren, "We also have a flute here."


    Seren looked at that wooden flute kept inside the box, fixed in the red velvet cushioned impression of the flute. It didn''t look like an ordinary flute as it was even pretty to look at. The deep brown color wooden flute had a finely carved design which was visible only at a closer look and had multiple fine gold rings wrapped around it at some distance.


    Seren picked it up. "It looked so pretty."


    "The previous Queen had ordered the best artist from the Kingdom of Griven to make it. When His Majesty was young, he once heard someone ying it and insisted his mother y it for him."


    "She could also y the flute?" Seren mumbled as she found it so amusing.


    "Though she got the flute, she never got the chance to y it for his Majesty," Lady Tyra informed.


    "Why?" Seren asked.


    "When this flute arrived, she was already gone," Lady Tyra informed.


    "It is really sad," Seren said as she felt sad about it.


    "But now Your Majesty knows how to y it. His Majesty can hear you ying and fulfill his longst wish." Lady Tyramented.


    Seren looked at Lady Tyra in shock, "M-Me...how can I?"


    "His Majesty will like it," Tyra assured her.


    "I will try," Seren said, as hearing that story from the past was already a sad thing for her to know.


    Seren was about to keep that flute back in the box but noticed there was a tiny flower carved on it- Ashrin flower.


    ''Seems like this flower meant a lot to his mother, Queen Esther as she had it carved on everything that belonged to her just like how Martha had it made on everything that belonged to me.''


    As Seren was slowly getting familiar with the approach of the Previous Queen towards the things precious to her, Seren knew this flute must have a name too and searched for it. She found a few letters carved on it and it looked shorter than what was written on the previous instrument.


    She showed it to Lady Tyra, "What is written here?''


    Lady Tyra smiled, "Queen Esther had a habit of giving a name to everything that was precious to her. Mayka! It''s the name she has given to this flute."


    "What does it mean. I never heard this name?" Seren asked.


    "As I said Queen Esther was familiar with lots of othernguages so Your Majesty will always find unfamiliar names on the things belonging to her," Lady Tyra said and answered the meaning, "It means Gracious. The reason was- To hear the music from the flute gave her a feeling of kindness and made her mind feel at peace and she always said, it made her feel everything around seems to be pleasant."


    "She was not wrong. When My nanny Martha used to y it for me, I felt the same. It took away all my worries and fears." Seren looked at the flute in her hand and at the name carved on it as she said, "This flute sure deserves the name Gracious."


    Seren carefully put that flute back in the box as what Tyra said about ying flute repeated in her mind.


    ''Will he like it if I y the flute for him? Does he even remember that he had such a wish when he was a kid? What if it reminds him of his mother and ends up feeling sad. Moreover, I am not sure if I can y it that well to make him like it.''


    Lady Tyra put the flute back and returned to Seren. "Your Majesty, there is something else that I would like you to see," Tyra offered.


    Seren nodded and Tyra guided her way towards the ss door of the room which was between the firece and music section but far away from them given how widespread this study room was.


    Lady Xena opened the door for them and it led them out in the huge room with ss walls and it was upied with so many different nts and flowers blooming on them. It was like a mini greenhouse aspared to the greenhouse belonging to the Greatdy. In the center of that room, the ce was left empty which had a swing hanging to the ceiling.


    That ce looked heavenly with so many colors brightening up under the sunlighting inside through the ss walls. Through those walls, even the sea was visible and felt like it was surrounded by seawater though it was far from it. It was a nice illusion created by the one who made it.


    Seren went to the swing and asked, "Can I sit on it?"


    "Yes, Your Majesty. This all belongs to you only," Tyra assured.


    Seren sat in the swing as she continued to look at the sea while Lady Xena offered her tea. The time passed without even noticing and it was already noon, time for lunch.


    "Your Majesty, we have to leave for lunch. Seems like we have to postpone our lesson about the royal family of Megaris," Tyra informed.


    "Lunch?" Seren said as if she didn''t feel hungry at all and didn''t wish to leave this ce but then Tyra reminded her, "Today, Your Majesty is having lunch with King Drayce."


    ''I almost forgot,'' Seren thought and stood up from the swing, "We can leave."


    Lady Tyra led her way out of the study and otherdies in waiting followed behind. Walking inside the corridor, they reached the pathway that connected both residences.


    Standing at the entrance of the pathway, Lady Tyra said, "Your Majesty, you can go from here."


    Seren looked at Tyra, who was standing next to her, and asked, "Alone?"


    "Your majesty, no woman is allowed in the King''s residence other than the Queen and Great Lady. It is the same for the Queen''s residence. No man is allowed to enter here other than His Majesty," Tyra informed.


    It surprised Seren and she asked, "Not even you, Lady Tyra?"


    "I am an exception as I used to be his Majesty''s Nanny and I raised him. But I am allowed to go there only if His Majesty asked me to visit him regarding any issues," Tyra exined.


    "Oh!" was what Seren said.


    "His Majesty''s knight would be present at the other side and he will guide Your Majesty towards the concerned ce," Tyra assured.


    Seren nodded, "I will leave then." Seren stepped on the pathway as she felt anxious while going on the other side.


    She remembered what Lady Tyra had just said and thought, ''So Lady Tyra was His Majesty''s nanny who couldn''t teach him properly and His Majesty ended up being ill-mannered who took off his clothes in front of me. But Lady Tyra seemed to be a good teacher. I am sure it is just His Majesty who must be too stubborn to listen to her teaching. Poor Lady Tyra. Must have had a tough time raising him.''


    Walking on that long pathway, holding her breath with each step closer to Drayce''s residence, Seren reached the end where yer was waiting for her.


    He bowed to her, "Greetings, Your Majesty."


    Seren, who was anxious, just nodded to it.


    She heard him again, "Please, this way, Your Majesty," yer led her way towards the right side of the floor and Seren followed him as her both hands clutched onto the winter coat she was wearing.


    ====


    Dear readers, the name of the flute "Mayka" Is the real name of the #3 top fan of this novel- "Mayka_h"

 Chapter 228: He Really Cares For Me

    <h4>Chapter 228: He Really Cares For Me</h4>


    Seren continued to follow yer while walking behind him as she felt with each step her heart was beating faster. ''I need to calm my heart or he will listen to it again and tease me. But I still don''t understand why my heart is like this all the time when I see him? He is not a monster to scare me.''


    Taking a deep breath, she looked around the corridor. It had simr kinds of paintings hung on the walls and antique and heavy porcin vases kept around just as in the corridor of her residence.


    yer stopped in front of one double-sided well carved wooden door and opened it as he stepped aside. With his head lowered in front of his Queen, he gestured to her to step inside, "Your Majesty."


    Seren stepped inside that spacious room. One middle-aged man in a tailored ck suit who was already present inside, bowed to her, "Greetings, Your Majesty."


    Seren just nodded to his greeting as she understood he must be Drayce''s servant and then noticed Drayce was not there.


    "Your Majesty, I am Orien, His Majesty''s personal servant," the middle-aged man informed.


    ''Orien!'' she said in her mind and observed the dining room. It was a much bigger andvish room with huge ceiling to floor ss windows and long wooden dining kept in the middle with only two chairs at the opposite short ends of it. Those enormously big windows brightened up the entire room and made everything shine with it. It had a firece on the wall opposite the ss windows and had a fire burning on it.


    "His Majesty will be here shortly. Please have a seat."


    Seren heard Orien but didn''t go to the chair. Instead, she went towards one window and looked outside while standing closer to it. Orien said nothing and stepped back quietly to stand with his head lowered.


    Seren realized, from there the view outside was different from the one from her chamber. The greennd with pine trees and faraway mountains covered in snow. It didn''t feel real at all but felt like a painting and she couldn''t help but stare at it in a daze.


    The Queen''s chamber faced towards the south-west direction from where she could see a sunset and sea while the King''s residence faced north-east from where one could see the sunrise from behind those faraway snow-covered hills and vast view of Greend.


    It was so different and so beautiful that she couldn''t help but praise it, "It''s so mesmerizing��"


    "Not More than you, My Queen."


    A familiar voice disturbed her and she froze at her ce. She felt him standing behind her and wrapping his hands around her. He rested his chin on her shoulder and said, "Everything is just nothing, in front of my Queen."


    Seren was so immersed in her thoughts that she didn''t realize when Drayce had entered the room and even approached her. She didn''t know how to respond to the praise from him and stood quietly while letting him back hug her.


    ''Seems like he loves to hug me like this,'' she thought, not minding the back hug as if it had just turned into a normal thing for her.


    "The view from this side of the pce is different," shemented.


    "Did you like it more, My Queen?"Drayce asked.


    "Hmm," she nodded and Drayce smirked, "Then how about you stay in my bedchamber so you can see this view whenever you want?"


    ''His bedchamber?'' she eximed in her mind as she felt nervous with the thought of being in his bedchamber. Though she couldn''t understand why exactly she felt nervous, it just made her feel ufortable. ''I can''t stay in a stranger''s bedchamber...Stranger? He is not a stranger now but...It seems good to be in my one bedchamber. He keeps removing his clothes in front of me whenever he returns.'' Seren had experienced this during her two-week journey with him from Abetha when they had to share the same bedchamber all the time.


    Seeing how she had turned so silent suddenly, Drayce knew she must be thinking about what he had just said. ''This woman is just so vulnerable to get my teasing so seriously. Well, not like I mind her staying in my bedchamber. In fact, I would love to have her in my bed every day and night.'' He breathed deeply in her nape as his thoughts had started to get wild and asked, "What do you think abouting to my bedchamber, My Queen?"


    Seren couldn''t say directly no to the king and replied, "Thank you, Your Majesty! But, I also like the view from my bedchamber. I like the sea and ships floating on it."


    Not paying much attention to her words, he spoke, "Is that so?" He continued to hug her tightly and inhaled her scent. ''My Queen, you are always ready with excuses but rest assured, not long till you will get eaten by mepletely.''


    Seren realized the change in him and felt anxious. Though this closeness felt better still she was scared of it and wished to get away, "Apology Your Majesty, but I would like to have lunch. I am hungry."


    Hearing it, Drayce stopped his intimate act and let her go. "Let''s have a meal then."


    Drayce guided her towards the long rectangr dining table which had two chairs arranged at the short opposite ends of the table with silver food pots arranged in the center with the lids covering them all.


    Drayce pulled out a chair for her and she sat in it, "Thank You, Your Majesty."


    Drayce smiled and went on his side of the table where Orien hurried to pull the chair out for his King. When Drayce and Seren were standing by the window, the loyal servant stood by the door with his head lowered, not minding his King''s intimate act.


    As instructed by Orien, the two servants entered the bedchamber and started to serve the food for Drayce and Seren. It was the first time when Seren was having a meal with Drayce alone. Before it was at Crystal Pce when the Greatdy had apanied them so it didn''t feel this strange. She again had to eat while lifting her veil up but she knew she had no other way and she couldn''t avoid having a meal with the King.


    Drayce could see through her and said, "Feel at ease, My Queen, and enjoy the food."


    Seren nodded quietly and felt d that Drayce was sitting away from her unlike how close they sat while having lunch at the Crystal Pce.


    Drayce could understand her struggle of lifting the veil all the time and eating while she was being careful not to lift it much. Drayce acted normal as if it was not a big deal and she should not feel hesitant either.


    He started the conversation, "My Queen, I heard you have visited your study today."


    "Yes, Your Majesty," she replied and added her exact thoughts, "It''s such a good ce to be at."


    "I am d to know that you liked it."


    "Thank you so much for allowing me to go there," Seren said.


    Drayce looked at her for a moment and said, "My Queen, as I told you before, this pce and this entire kingdom belong to you now and you don''t need to get anyone''s permission to go anywhere."


    "I will keep that in mind, Your Majesty," she said.


    Drayce felt pleased that she had started to ept her status and position as a queen.


    They continued to have a meal while talking in between. Drayce finished his meal early while Seren was slow because of her veil and she had to eat everything carefully. Drayce wouldn''t have minded eating slowly with her while apanying her but he didn''t wish his Queen to starve and said, "My Queen, will you mind if I go out for some time. There is some important matter I have to take care of. Once you are done,e out and my knight will guide you to my study."


    ''Is it because he thinks I am too slow and I am wasting his time?'' she thought and was about to say she was done eating, she heard Drayce, "No one wille inside unless my Queen calls for someone. You can take that veil off and eatfortably."


    Seren looked at him in surprise as she concluded, ''So he is going so that I can eatfortably.''


    "Will it be fine with you, My Queen if I leave first?" Drayce asked again, as he made her feel that he didn''t want her to feel bad for leaving her alone and he first needed her permission to leave.


    "Yes, Your Majesty," she replied.


    Drayce stood up as Orien followed him out. Once the door was closed, Seren felt at ease and removed her veil. ''As Lady Tyra said, he really cares for me.'' A pleasant smile painted on her lips, unknown to her.


    She ate peacefully while enjoying the view outside of the window. Once she was done, she came out of the dining room where Orien and yer were standing outside. Both greeted her and yer instructed, "This way, Your Majesty."


    yer guided her way towards the study which was on the left side of the pathway from where she had reached the King''s residence.


    -----


    Next chapter in only 10 mins

 Chapter 229: Study The Human Body

    <h4>Chapter 229: Study The Human Body</h4>


    While walking towards the study, Seren came across the huge double wooden door that had a dragon carved on the door which upied the entire door from top to bottom and had gold color highlights at various ces sat that carving.


    Though she already passed that door, its image was in her mind as that door looked bigger than any others and different too. ''Is that some kind of special chamber?'' She thought and continued to walk ahead.


    Soon after they reached in front of the door where captain Rulf was present along with another knight. He opened the door for them and yer led Seren''s way inside King''s study room.


    Entering the study, Seren''s eyes were left wide open as she didn''t expect the study room to be this big. It was bigger than her own study which she already found vast enough. It was a spacious partitioned room having interiors made of sturdy redwood. It had a dome-shaped ceiling and a circr chandelier hung in the center.


    Seren saw Drayce sitting in the chair behind his work table where he was talking to one tall man who faced his back to them but from his uniform, she could guess he was a knight. Beside him was standing Jasper.


    "Your Majesty, please have a seat," yer instructed as he gestured to her to sit on the cushioned wooden couch in the study as he knew his king was busy to do so.


    Seren nodded but she was busy looking around while yer went to his king, where the important discussion was going on.


    Though Drayce saw Seren, he didn''t go to her as he didn''t wish to disturb her from observing his study with curiosity. Her bright purple eyes were taking a note of everything.


    Seren''s eyes moved towards the backside wall that moved high up to touch that dome-shaped ceiling having bookshelves attached to it till the top and filled with numerous books. ''Does he even read all these books? I can never read all these even if I spend my entire life reading them,'' She thought and noticed the wooden poles in the bookshelves had a cloth g hung to it with a sun-like Megaris royal crest drawn on it.


    When she was busy observing it, Drayce''s eyes were busy observing her as he heard what his knight was talking to him.


    "Your Majesty, the rebels in the northern territory has been captured and punished ordingly. We had strong proof that they were linked to Thevailes so there was no way they could deny it," the knight informed.


    Drayce nodded, "You did well, Azer. Good that you are back now. I believe you have done justice with Thevailes'' Marquis Godfrey Percy and did not disappoint the old man."


    "Yes, Your Majesty. Those scavengers had a nice treat," Azer replied as if it was nothing.


    After dealing with Marquis Percy to send him to the gate of hell, Captain Azer returned to Megaris but in his King''s absence, he had to take care of other things going on in the kingdom as he handled everything along with Jasper.


    "Good," Drayce said and stood up as he went to his Queen.


    Azer turned to look at his yer and greeted by bowing, "Commander!"


    Seeing their King going to their Queen, Jasper spoke, "Let''s go out as our presence is nonexistent for our king."


    The other two smiled as it was the truth. Before leaving they had to greet their Queen and they all turned to look at her, "Your Majesty!"


    Seren just looked at them while she heard Drayce, "My Queen, he is captain Azer Brayden. One of my knights."


    Azer bowed to her again, "Captain Azer Brayden Greets Your Majesty."


    Seren looked at the knight who looked of simr age to others present in the room, including Drayce, and epted the greeting with a light nod.


    Drayce looked at the three and they understood that they had to leave now and turned to leave.


    Reaching closer to the exit, they heard their king, "My Queen, did you have a good meal?"


    Jasper rolled his eyes as he stepped out of the study, and mumbled in a low voice, "I don''t remember he was ever this sweet with us."


    Thud!


    The door of the study was closed with a loud sound on its own behind Jasper''s back and he said again with a light frown, "Always shows off his powers."


    Inside the study, Seren looked at the suddenly closed door which made a loud sound before closing. It startled her and she heard Drayce, "It was the wind, My Queen."


    Seren nodded quietly but she was not that silly to know that there was no wind and he must have used his powers.


    "My Queen, I have arranged one more study table for you so you can read books while beingfortable," Drayce informed and looked at one wooden table with a chair behind was arranged at the right side wall from his own study table and from where he could see it clearly while doing his own work.


    But the young Queen had another thought in mind and said, "I can also read them in my study, Your Majesty. My Presence here might disturb your work."


    His queen was sure smart and he sighed inside, ''I should have locked that study to not let anyone enter it. Why does she even need a separate study room when she can just use mine and be in front of me all the time?''


    "I will take those books with me..."


    "My Queen," Drayce interrupted her and offered her consoling smile, "While you read those books, you might need my help to understand them better."


    She looked at him as she blinked a few times. She had read all the books on her own till now and she was smart enough to understand them on her own. Before she could say a word more, Drayce spoke, "If you are tired by sitting in the chair, you can also use this couch to sitfortably."


    This man had already made a n and there was no way she would insist on going against the king. She just nodded as she was forced to show her gratitude, "Thank You, Your Majesty."


    "I will show you the books," Drayce said and led her way towards the table. "Have a seat."


    Though unwillingly, Seren sat in the cushioned chair behind the table.


    Drayce picked up one book from the pile of books from her table and put it in front of her, "My Queen, this is the first book you have to read carefully. If there is anything that you don''t understand, you can ask me."


    Seren nodded and held the book in her hand while Drayce returned to his work table to go through the pile of scrolls kept on his table.


    Once Drayce moved away, she looked at a book that was brand new and as if no one even had touched it. It had a hard brown cover with abel that had the book''s name written on it- [Human Body]


    ''Human body? I have never read such a book before,'' she thought and kept it on the table as she opened its cover.


    There was a bold heading at the top of the page again the same as the book name- [Human body]. She carefully started to read it like a studious girl.


    [Humans are divided into two genders- Male(Man) and (Female) Woman]


    There were rough sketches of a man and woman below it covering the rest of the page, wearing the clothes in Megaris style to represent that gender.


    ''What''s there to know about it. I already know it,'' she thought and turned the page to read further.


    Seeing the next page, her eyes were left wide open as the next moment she closed the book in shock. ''Why is that woman not wearing any clothes?'' she panicked.


    Drayce noticed it and smiled lightly as he continued to work. Though he was busy, his attention was also on her Queen. He was sure, today he would witness the most amusing side of his queen when she would end up getting shocked after what she would see and read. It was just a start.


    "My Queen, is there any trouble understanding the book?" Drayce asked, maintaining serious expressions.


    Hearing it, she looked at Drayce and thought, ''Why would you give me such a book to read? So ill-mannered. And why would one draw a naked woman?''


    "My Queen, let me help you," Drayce was about to stand up Seren said immediately, "N-No, Your Majesty. There is no difficulty that I need your help yet."


    "Fine!" Saying, he continued sitting in his chair and resumed his work.


    Seren looked back at the book and then looked at Drayce, "Your Majesty, do I really need to read this book?"


    Drayce looked at her with an assuring gaze, "Yes, My Queen."


    "Why?"


    "So that My Queen can understand why a man and a woman are different. Aren''t you curious, My Queen?" He asked, sounding as gentle as he could.


    Seren nodded and held that book again.


    ======


    Request to all my lovely readers-


    As you all know, this book is participating in the webnovel''s WSA contest. To do better in that contest and win any reward, I need all of your support as I believe you all love this novel. This is thest and important month when all the novels will get evaluated for the contest.


    We need to go up in the trending and also in the golden tickets ranking. To help the novel get up in the trending rank, you can gift the novel as per your capability. It will not just help novel go up in trending but it will also add golden tickets to the novel as any gift onward 500 coins gives golden tickets to the novel.


    I am thankful for having all of your support and loving my work that gave me the confidence to keep writing a fantasy novel. After writing a contemporary romance for almost three years, it is my first attempt at writing fantasy romance. Though I had a doubt whether I could do it better or not, all of your support helped me erase all those doubts and I could continue writing it. Though writing fantasy is a big challenge and difficult for me, I am truly enjoying writing it and wish to continue this lovely journey with you all. All the credit goes to all of your support and lovelyments that always encouraged me and made me realise, writing fantasy novel was a good decision.


    Thank you so much. XOXO

 Chapter 230: Unintentional Seducing

    <h4>Chapter 230: Unintentional Seducing</h4>


    Holding that book, Seren was about to open it again but then she peeked at Drayce to check if he was looking at her. She was already embarrassed seeing that naked woman in the book and Drayce''s presence around made her even hesitant to read it.


    Seeing him busy with his work, she opened that page again where she had seen a naked woman''s sketch and immediately put her hands on it to cover that woman''s body as she closed her eyes.


    Though drayce was busy with his work, he could sense her every movement and smiled lightly while trying hard to not look at her. He was sure if he kept looking at her, she would not read that book. He acted as if he was not aware of what she was doing.


    Seren slowly opened her one eye to peek at the picture as she slowly moved her fingers down to let that sketched woman''s face visible to her. Once the face was visible, she opened her other eye and looked at it.


    The face has lots of arrows pointed towards its various parts to name them- eyes, nose, lips, head, hair, and so on.


    ''Is it even something to study about? Who doesn''t know we have eyes, nose, and everything mentioned here. What''s there to study about from books?''


    Seren frowned and continued to slide her hands down the picture from its neck shoulder and then further down to the thorax region where the first thing her eyes caught was the sight of two visible rounds on the chest with each having a dot in the center and the sketch showed its proper shape.


    ''This...Umm...I have these rounds on my chest too,'' she thought and subconsciously moved her right hand towards her chest while the left one still covered the picture below the thorax region.


    She touched her chest and the only thing she felt was her round peeks as she nodded in satisfaction, ''They are sure so round,'' and focussed on the picture to read the names written with the arrow pointed towards it as she read in her mind. ''Chest, breast, nipple,...." She continued to read.


    When she was busy looking at the woman''s chest in the sketch and then touching her own topare them, Drayce happened to look at her. This woman was touching her chest to feel those round peeks and didn''t know she might end up seducing a devil.


    Drayce closed his eyes and exhaled to calm himself down, ''Let her study....don''t look at her��'' he repeated in his mind and resumed his work. ''I better not look at her or she will get to learn everything today itself from not just a book but with actions.''


    Unknown to what she had caused one man, Seren continued to read as her hand moved further down the picture to uncover the stomach of the woman while her other hand moved down from her own chest to her own stomach.


    ''My stomach and waist seem thinner than this woman,'' she thought and continued to move down her hand along the picture. She looked at the ce between the thighs of the woman in the sketch which was not exactly visible as the woman in the picture was standing but one could see exactly how it looked in a standing position.


    Seren didn''t move her hand down her stomach but instead lowered her head to look at the part between her thighs which had multipleyers of clothes. ''Why do they have to draw it. It feels embarrassing,'' she thought and looked back at the picture to study further.


    Drayce, who was watching her though he thought he wouldn''t, saw her moving her hand to her stomach and gulped. He was sure now she would move it further down and exhaled.


    ''Don''t look at her...Don''t look at her,'' he chanted in his mind and frowned at himself, ''When I thought it will be amusing to see her, it is turning into torture for me. She is unintentionally seducing me.''


    He saw her looking at her own body but she didn''t move her hand down. He sighed relief and smirked, ''I will be the one to touch her. She doesn''t need to do it.'' He continued to stare at her for a while when she was busy, ''I wonder how sweet she will taste. How much she will like it when I will go down on her. I am sure her already sweet voice will sound like the best melody when she will��."


    Just then Seren looked at him and disturbed his wild thoughts.


    She was done reading about that naked woman and was ready to move on to the next page but saw him staring at her. She blinked a few times to know if he wanted to say something to her while Drayce felt like caught off guard.


    He immediately collected himself and asked as he cleared his throat, "I-I hope there is no difficulty, My Queen."


    "No, Your Majesty," she said and asked, "But, do you wish to say something to me, Your Majesty?"


    ''Yes, I want to ask you toe to my bed so I can teach you better than the books,'' he thought as he looked at her in a daze.


    Seeing him not answering, she called him again, "Your Majesty,...."


    It pulled him out of his thoughts again and he replied, "It''s nothing, My Queen. You can continue."


    Seren nodded and moved on to the next page.


    Drayce picked up the ss of water from his table after removing a silver lid from it and emptied out the entire ss of water. ''Weather sure is so hot these days.'' he thought and then realized with a light frown that it was not the weather but his body. He sighed, ''Only this woman can turn me like this.''


    Once Seren flipped the page of the book, she saw there were a number of images that covered the development of a baby girl into a woman. All those images covered both sides of the pages of that book as they were arranged in horizontal rows.


    The first image was a naked baby and then they continued to progress with the girl from the age of one to five years old, then ten, fifteen, twenty, thirty, and with ten years of age difference in the next images till thest image showed the old naked woman which held the cane and bend forwards in her spine.


    With those pictures, the book had a piece of information written about the changes a woman''s body goes through at that particr age. Seren could rte to everything and continued her silent thought process in her mind.


    ''Hmm, I was like this when I was ten..ter��'' she looked at theter pictures when it showed the development in the breast size, ''I remember it getting changed to round. It hurt too and Martha had to apply ointment on it. Why does one need to have them round? It makes my chest feel heavy even and that inner silk cloth I have to wear all the time to wrap them is so suffocating. I wish to never wear it but Martha forced me to.''


    Frowning at having those two rounds on her chest, Seren suddenly remembered something and looked at Drayce who was busy working. She eyed his chest as she thought, ''Men don''t have round chests. That day I saw His Majesty''s chest was t and hard like a rock. So fortunate."


    Drayce sensed her looking at him and looked at her. She immediately reverted her sight from him and looked back in the book. He smiled and continued his work as he was waiting to get more shocking reactions from her.


    ''Seems like she is yet to reach there,'' he grinned wickedly.


    Seren flipped to the next page to read in detailed information about the woman''s body where her eyes caught- Monthly Cycle.


    She frowned again, ''Other than the round chest, one more troublesome thing.'' Thinking she continued to read about it. ''By the age of fifteen, every girl gets it but I got itte. Lady Tyra said so. I wish it were evente or I had never got it. I wish there was a way to never get it. So painful and ufortable. Lady Tyra said it will stop in three to five days. It''s the third day and it hasn''t stopped yet. At least there is no pain now.''


    Drayce looked at her as she was silent for a long time and was reading with a focus. He smiled and looked back at the parchment in his hands, ''It seems like a calmness before the storm.''


    Just as he thought, the next moment there was chaos at his Queen''s table.


    "Ah...umm!"


    Thud!


    Screech!


    Drayce looked at her and saw his Queen was standing at the table, covering her mouth to stop herself from screaming in shock as she breathed deeply. Her chair was moved back with a screeching sound as she stood up so suddenly. The book she was holding a while ago was lying on the floor.


    ''Seems like she finally reached there,'' Drayce thought and stood up from his chair as he walked towards her.

 Chapter 231: You Can Study Using My Body

    <h4>Chapter 231: You Can Study Using My Body</h4>


    He didn''t talk to her immediately as he wished to let her mind process over what she saw and calm down herself on her own. He picked up the book from the floor as Seren looked at him with her eyes filled with shock and embarrassment.


    Holding a book, he went towards Seren''s study table and put the book on her table as he stood at the right side of her table, "What happened, my Queen?" He asked softly, though he had already guessed it.


    Still, her hands covering her mouth, Seren finally looked at him as she had nothing to answer.


    Drayce moved his hand towards her and moved her hands away from her mouth, "To speak, My Queen needs to move these hands away."


    She looked at him feeling embarrassed to her bones and said, "Y-Your Majesty, I don''t want to study this book."


    Drayce acted nonchntly, "May I know the reason, My Queen?"


    "This book��" she stopped not knowing what to say and asked, "H-Have Your Majesty read it?"


    "Of course I did," Drayce agreed, "How can I give any book to My Queen without going through it first?"


    It shocked her even more, "Then... how can your Majesty give such an inappropriate book to me?" she asked in a low voice.


    "Inappropriate?" Drayce questioned, "May I know what is inappropriate about this book, My Queen?"


    "It has naked man and woman in it," she replied.


    "So, what is inappropriate about it?" he asked and it shocked her as she thought, ''Is His Majesty always so shameless and ill-mannered?''


    Drayce continued, "Without seeing those pictures, how is My Queen going to learn about the difference between a man and a woman?"


    Seren felt speechless as she had no other way to know it but she sure didn''t want to read that book, "Do I really need to know the difference. Isn''t it enough that I can tell I am a woman and Your Majesty is a man. I can also tell it about others too."


    ''Smart woman! Knows to put a statement to defend her side. Though she was imprisoned, the king of Abetha couldn''t suppress her from speaking in her defense. That day she was so amazing when she defended herself from the curtain incident during the engagement ceremony.''


    Drayce was busy praising her but he knew she was notpletely right. But her statement made sense in her defense as she didn''t know the reason why she had to know the difference. He sure didn''t want her to get scared when they will be consummating their marriage.


    "Your Majesty, Do I really need to read it?" she asked again, hoping he would decide in her favor.


    "Unless my Queen knows the difference between a man and a woman, we can''t consummate our marriage," he replied.


    It puzzled her even more as she stared at him for a few moments, ''What does it have to do with consummating marriage?''


    "My Queen, if you don''t wish to feel scared during the process of marriage consummation, I will rmend you to read this book," Drayce said with a stern expression as he didn''t wish her to find her way out of it.


    "B-But that naked man��"


    "It is just a generalized figure sketch to represent man and not any particr man who exists around us. If My Queen wished to have a particr man to study over him, I wouldn''t mind if you use me."


    "Huh?" It puzzled her, ''Use him? How?''


    The way she looked at him, he knew what she was thinking and exined, "My Queen, if you are ufortable looking at that man''s figure sketch, I can take my clothes off and you can study using my body."


    It was something she had never expected him to say and almost ended up choking on her own saliva.


    Cough! Cough!


    He grinned inwardly and asked, "Are you okay, My Queen?''


    She nodded, "C-Cold air caused me to cough."


    "Should I remove my clothes, My Queen?" Drayce asked as he already moved his hands towards the buttons of his waistcoat.


    Seren''s eyes left wide open as she eximed in a shock, "N-No, Your Majesty. I..don''t wish to trouble you...."


    "It''s not a trouble, my Queen," he said casually, as if taking off his clothes in front of his Queen was not a big deal for him, which was a fact. He had already undone one button and his hand moved towards the next button.


    Seren immediately left her ce toe closer to him and held his hand to stop him. "I understand Your Majesty wishes me to study everything nicely. I give my word that I will read all these books. Your Majesty doesn''t need to trouble himself with it," she said in a hurry before he could undone the next button.


    Drayce didn''t insist as his lips had a light smirk. Seeing her like this was so amazing and he couldn''t take his eyes off her innocent purple eyes. For the first time, she had held his hand on her own though the reason was not anything pleasant, still, it felt good.


    Seeing his fingers let go of the button on his waistcoat, Seren looked at the top button which he had already undone, and moved her hands to button it back, ''What if he changes his mind again.''


    Not knowing her reason to button his waistcoat, he felt so d that she was doing it on her own. He got the feeling that this woman was truly his wife and he could only stare at her, ''It will feel even better the day when she will unbutton my waistcoat instead of the button it back.''


    Once she was done with fixing the top button, Seren moved back and lowered her head to bow, "Your Majesty, do not worry. I will read all these books."


    "I believe so," Drayce said and Seren moved her head up to look at him but he was not there.


    "Huh?" She looked at his work table and he was already sitting in his chair while holding the parchment. "When did he go there?" She realized he had used his powers and she sat back in her chair. She looked back at the book while pouting behind her veil and finally picked it after a few moments of staring.

 Chapter 232: Its Not The Devil, But You

    <h4>Chapter 232: It''s Not The Devil, But You</h4>


    Seren opened the book again and even before she could see the picture of a naked man, she covered it with both hands and shut her eyes just like how she did with the picture of a woman.


    Being a woman herself, when she couldn''t even see a naked woman''s picture so easily, then seeing a naked man''s picture was highly impossible for her to ept.


    ''Not just him but all the people in Megaris seem to be so ill-mannered and had received poor teaching. How can they make such a book and even force others to read it,'' she frowned inwardly with her eyes still closed and cursed in her mind, ''ill-mannered, impudent, insolent��'' She repeated all kinds of synonyms associated with shamelessness, the people in Megaris had.


    She opened her one eye to take a peek at the book first to make sure she had covered the picture entirely and only then she opened her other eye just like before. She looked at Drayce who was busy and then looked at the book. Exhaling out as if she wasmitting a great sin she mumbled, "Martha forgive me for disrespecting your teaching."


    Drayce''s sharp ears caught it and a light smile was painted on his lips but he managed to hide it in case she looked at him by any chance she wouldn''t be able to see him smiling.


    Seren moved her fingers down to expose the face of the man in the sketch. Just like the sketch of a woman''s figure, it had arrows pointed towards the various parts of the face.


    ''Head, eyes, nose,'' she continued to read and stopped with a light frown as she thought, ''Isn''t this all should be simr to a woman''s body other than not having a round chest? Why does he want me to see a naked man''s picture too? So ill-mannered that he even wanted to take his clothes off in front of me to show his body.'' She sighed deeply.


    Drayce could hear her sighing again and again and smirked, ''Seems like she is cursing me.''


    Seren continued observing the face in the picture as her sight observed the man''s lips. She stared at it for a moment as if it reminded her of something and then looked at Drayce, especially his lips.


    ''His lips are better than the man in this picture,'' she thought and continued to look at Drayce who was busy working and going through the parchments.


    Seren looked back at the man''s sketch, the rest of his body from below his face was still covered with her hands. She couldn''t help butpare it with Drayce''s face, ''Now I think about it, not just lips but his entire face is far better than this man in the sketch.''


    Seren subconsciously turned to look at Drayce as if she was in a daze and couldn''t help but be like this. She made herselffortable by moving her one hand away from the picture and rested it on the table at the elbow and her face rested on her palm. The more she looked at him, the more this young Queen was getting mesmerized by the beauty of the man in front of her.


    Seren forgot about studying the man''s sketch figure in the book and instead started studying Drayce''s face. Her sight observed his jet ck long hair, ''His hair looks so shiny and so dark. I never saw anyone having such dark hair before.'' She observed his dark and finely curved up at the end eyebrows, ''They make his red eyes look even more intimidating...ahh...his eyes. I never saw anyone with red eyes before just like no one has purple eyes like me. His eyes are so pretty. Even his nose is so beautiful and makes his face look so sharp.''


    Her sight moved further down and stopped at his thin lips. As if her sight got stuck there, she couldn''t move it away and remembered those moments when he touched her lips with his. Subconsciously, she gulped and licked her own lips as if she was thirsty and her heart started to pick up the pace. The next moment the flower mark on her forehead started to shine lightly as if the light rays had swept past it.


    She was unaware that Drayce could sense her every movement and could even hear her raising heartbeats. The whole time while she was enjoying the treat of his handsome face, he was aware of it but didn''t disturb her, thinking she can always study using his body.


    "My Queen," he called her without looking at her.


    It startled her and the hand she was resting on the table at her elbow to support her face in her palm, slipped down the edge of the table and she felt like a thief who got caught. The skin of her elbow felt a little burning as it was harshly rubbed against the border of the table but she couldn''t even show her pain.


    "Y-Yes, Your Majesty?" she asked, hiding her elbow behind the table and rubbing it with her other hand.


    Drayce finally looked at her, "My Queen, I have already offered you to study by using my body. It''s still notte. I can always undress for you."


    ''Did he...Did he just notice I was staring at him?'' she panicked. "N-No, Your Majesty. I was just��."


    "Have some water. You must be tired by reading that book for a long time," Drayce instructed.


    She looked at the ss of water kept on her table and immediately got her hold on it. Listening to what he said was the only solution she had to hide her embarrassment. Moreover, she was actually thirsty after the special treat of the handsome face of the man sitting in front of her.


    While drinking water, she thought, ''Why am I embarrassed and scared like this? Is looking at someone''s face a crime?''


    Drayce was looking at her drinking water in haste and said, "Take it slow, My Queen or you will choke yourself up just by drinking some water."


    Seren heard him and slowed down but her hands were still shaking and her heart was still beating faster as he had caught her staring at him.


    "Take a deep breath, My Queen," he instructed and Seren did the same.


    Drayce wouldn''t have stopped her from looking at him but her gaze constantly fixed on him was affecting him. The way he could hear her heart beating faster, he knew she was being seduced and almost had an urge to go to her and do what might make her feel better but he dropped the idea as it was not the right moment to do so. In the end, he ended up disturbing her.


    She was just at the face of that man''s figure sketch and when she would go further down, he was not sure what she would do. What if she ended up staring at something else.


    Drayce stood up from the chair, "My Queen, I am heading out for some time. I hope you won''t mind."


    "No, Your Majesty. Please, go ahead," she replied after gulping the water inside her puffed-up cheeks.


    Drayce went out and she thought, ''Did I offend him by looking at him? Is he upset?'' she stared at the closed door where Drayce had just left. ''I think he won''t be upset if I finish reading this book.''


    Emptying the entire ss of water, she exhaled a few times and thought about resuming her study but just then she realized she had taken her hands away from the picture of a naked man and didn''t look at it. First, she put her hands to cover him and only then looked at it.


    ''Now it''s fine,'' she assured herself.


    Like an obedient student, she focussed and started studying the man''s sketch in the book.


    ------


    Meanwhile, Drayce stepped out of the study and went towards the corridor to rx himself.


    "What made His Majesty so stressed and ufortable?"


    Drayce heard a familiar voice but didn''t care to look at the person.


    Jasper and yer who were nearby, came to him seeing him so distressed, and stood next to him.


    yer asked nothing while Jasper questioned him seriously, "What happened, Dray?"


    Drayce frowned, "That devil."


    "What did he do now?" Jasper asked.


    "Trying toe out again," Drayce replied.


    With a light nod, Jasper instructed, "Show me your eyes."


    Drayce turned his face to look at him and Jasper looked into his red eyes. After a moment of staring, Jasper spoke, "yer, did you see it?"


    As if yer understood what Jasper said, he replied firmly, "No!"


    Jasper nodded in agreement andmented, "I didn''t see it either."


    Feeling puzzled, Drayce looked at the two, "What are you two talking about?"


    Jasper smiled lightly, "Your eyes, Dray. They are red and there is no sign of that darkness which is seen when your devil is trying toe out."


    Drayce frowned and turned his face to look outside of the corridor, "You two must be blind or my eyes must have turned to normal after I left my study."


    Jasper looked at yer, "As usual you will act as his loyal knight and will say nothing, right?"


    yer cleared his throat and looked away, "I am not sure what you are talking about."


    Jasper sighed, "As expected," and looked at Drayce, "Is Her Majesty still inside your study, Dray?"


    "Hmm, she is studying," Drayce replied coldly.


    Jasper, who had already understood what was happening with his friend, finally said, "It''s not the Devil inside you, Dray, but that''s just you. It''s you who is getting attracted towards Her Majesty and when you think you can not control yourself, you try to justify it by ming it on the devil inside you."


    Drayce gave him a displeased re and said coldly, "So you mean I was the one who bit her. Do you mean I am the one who wants to harm her?"


    Jasper shook his head and said gently, "Calm down first. If you get angry, the devil inside you wille out and you will lose this precious friend of yours."


    Drayce did so and heard Jasper again, "Last time when you bit her, I agree that it was the devil that was out of your control but this time it''s clearly you. You should stop ming your desires on that Devil."


    Drayce said nothing and Jasper looked at yer, "Will you at least speak now?"


    yer, who felt hesitant at first, finally spoke, "I think Jasper is right, Dray."


    Feeling d that yer had finally said something, Jasper got back to Drayce, "Though that devil is inside you, we know him better than you, Dray and we can feel when he is about to get out. Right now there is no such sign."


    Not knowing what to say, Drayce looked at his two friends who nodded to assure that it was the truth.


    "It''s fine to be like this, Dray. She is your wife so you don''t have to find excuses to hide what you feel. Even if you find it difficult to hold back, it''s fine too. Just ept it instead of hiding behind the Devil," Jasper said.


    Seeing his puzzled-looking friend, yer couldn''t stop and spoke even without Jasper asking him to do so, "I agree with Jasper."


    Drayce kept silent for a few moments as he continued to stare outside of the corridor. After a long silence, he said, "I will go back to my study. Don''t bring any work for me."


    Jasper smiled teasingly as the two bowed to him before he left, "Yes, Your Majesty!"


    Once he left, Jasper looked at yer, "Did he understand what we said?"


    yer nodded lightly, "Looks like it."


    "For the first time I am seeing him like this or he is always so confident," Jaspermented.


    "Except for when it''s about his mother," yermented back.


    Jasper nodded, "Hmm, that matter still affects him badly though he never shows it."

 Chapter 233: Unintentionally Has Hurt The Pride Of All Men

    <h4>Chapter 233: Unintentionally Has Hurt The Pride Of All Men</h4>


    After Drayce left the room, Seren resumed her study. She had studied the man''s face in the sketch afterparing it with her handsome husband and ended up seducing him unknowingly.


    She moved her hands down to expose the neck of the man in the sketch and again couldn''t help butpare it with Drayce.


    ''His neck is so long and even has that snake tattoo on it. It looks so nice. I even liked that tattoo on his neck. Why don''t I have one...Ahh, I have these scales and a flower on my forehead already. That snake looks good on his neck only��.his neck��'' It reminded Seren when in the boat she sat in hisp and she could smell that different and pleasant scent from him. ''His neck even has a nice scent...that scent makes my heart beat faster��"


    Smiling lightly she moved her hands further down towards the chest of that man''s sketch and she frowned, ''This man doesn''t have a chest like His Majesty. His Majesty''s chest felt good when I touched it and even felt his heartbeats��'' Her mind dived into the memories from that night when Drayce had asked her to undress him. How hesitant she was butter she couldn''t take her eyes off of his chest.


    Being immersed in the memories from that night, Seren forgot her study and again sat like before with her elbow resting on the table and face resting on her palm. A pleasant smile painted on her lips as she stared ahead nkly while those memories yed in front of her eyes.


    Suddenly the door of the study opened and Seren saw the handsome man she was thinking about entering the study and felt like it was a dream. Smiling, she continued to look at him till Drayce walked towards his study table but she didn''t stop staring at him.


    The moment Drayce entered the study, he saw her staring at him in a daze. He continued to walk towards his work table which was exactly opposite to the door while the woman, who was sitting at the work table kept on the right side of his work table which was perpendicr to it, continued staring at him even though he walked past the front of her work table and sat on the chair behind his own work table.


    Drayce thought she would stop looking at him now at least but he could still sense her gaze on him. ''Only if she knew what she was doing and why. I can hear her heart beating louder than ever,'' he sighed and pinched his nose bridge helplessly as her every action was only adding to what he was feeling.


    No one dared to look at him even by mistake for more than a moment but his wife was the one who stared at him without caring about the consequences. It was a different thing that the consequences she would be facing would be different from others.


    Seeing her not giving up on staring at him, he finally looked at her and noticed her sight was not fixed on his face but was rather fixed at his chest. She was no less than a pervert but the only difference was she was doing it unintentionally.


    "My Queen!" Drayce called her.


    She finally moved her gaze up from his chest to his face and found that pair of red intimidating eyes staring at her and it brought her back to her senses. This time she calmly moved her hand back from the table which was resting at her elbow and slowly put it down to sit straight on her chair.


    "Yes, Your Majesty!"


    "Till where have you reached in studying that book, My Queen?" He asked gently, but his intentions were to stop her from staring at him.


    "Till your chest...Umm...I mean the chest of this man," she immediately covered up her blunder.


    Drayce had already heard her but didn''t pay attention to it. He didn''t wish to embarrass her when she was studying and maintained a calm and cold face.


    "My Queen, make sure to read everything carefully becauseter I will be asking you questions to know what you have understood," Drayce informed.


    She blinked a few times and thought, ''I am not a fool to not understand after reading anything. I have read even more difficult and heavier books than this. Martha never asked what I understood but seems like he doubts if I can understand it or not.''


    Seeing her not answering, he asked again, "Understood, my Queen?"


    Seren immediately nodded to that cold and strict sounding voice, "Yes, Your Majesty."


    Drayce resumed his work and decided to not pay attention to what she does. He was sure after this she would read something and her reaction might make him go crazy like how she had affected him till now. He had no other option but to act cold to hide what he was feeling.


    Seren moved her hand down further and saw the man''s t stomach with a navel region. ''His Majesty''s stomach looked finer than this that day when I saw it. This man looks to not have proper body shape,'' she thought and slowly peeked at Drayce to see his stomach which was half visible, and the lower half was hidden behind his work table.


    Not being able to see it, she consoled herself, ''No need to see. I have even seen it without clothes. I can tell His Majesty has it better than this man,'' she assured herself and shifted her focus back to the book.


    Drayce knew what she was doing and slowly exhaled through his mouth and breathed deeply. ''This woman will surely make me go crazy soon.''


    Seren moved her hand further down to expose the next part only to get puzzled by what she had seen. "Huh?"


    Drayce heard that ''Huh'' and felt like blocking his mind from hearing anything from her further. He knew why she reacted like that.


    She moved her handspletely from the picture and stared at what she was seeing between the man''s legs.


    ''Did the artist draw something wrong?'' she thought and flipped the page to check the naked woman''s picture. ''It looks so different.'' She moved back to where she was and stared at the man''s picture for a moment, ''Is it some kind of body deformity? Why does it look so weird? Do all men have such deformity?''


    She then looked at Drayce and her sight moved down only to be obstructed by his work table that hid the lower half of his body behind it. She turned her head a little to her left to see if she could still manage to see him from the side of the table but heard the voice which disturbed her.


    "My Queen, have you finished reading the book?" He asked, not looking at her but could still sense her every movement.


    Seren immediately resumed her straight sitting position and replied, "Not yet, Your Majesty."


    "Once you finish reading that book, I will take you somewhere," he informed.


    "Where, Your Majesty?" she asked.


    He finally looked at her, "You will know when we go there."


    She could only nod but then thought to ask, "Your Majesty!"


    "Yes, My Queen?"


    "Your Majesty, you said you have read this book? Are you sure there are no mistakes in this book?" she asked.


    "There is no mistake, My Queen" he replied calmly, looking at her questioning and puzzled eyes.


    "Umm...Ohh...So, do all men really have this body deformity?" she asked curiously.


    "Deformity?" Drayce repeated and realized what she meant. But before he could answer, she asked again, "Do you also have such deformity, Your Majesty?"


    It turned Drayce utterly speechless and he could only look at his young Queen in disbelief. The most important thing in one man''s life which made different from women, this young Queen had called it a deformity. She had unintentionally hurt the pride of all the men. He had expected her to feel shocked or embarrassed but he had not expected her to call it a deformity. The shocking reaction he was expecting from her and the one he was hoping to enjoy, didn''t happen.


    Drayce breathed deeply as never in his entire life had he felt this helpless, "My Queen, that is not a deformity. This is how a man and a woman are different."


    Seren thought for a moment and looked back at the picture. She observed what was there that woman didn''t have and looked back at Drayce.


    Before she could ask something weird, Drayce spoke, "My Queen, you should read the next pages to get the right answers."


    Swallowing her questions back, Seren looked back at the book and flipped the next page. Just like the images that showed the development of the woman''s body, this time there were multiple pictures that showed the development of the man''s body. It had images of a baby boy to an elderly man.


    Seren studied those images whileparing them with the images of a woman''s body. She saw the images showed the changes in man''s body as they showed it developed with age. The deformity she found was there since the image of the baby and itsted till the elderly man.


    ''So they have it since birth,'' she concluded, ''But why like this? It looks so ufortable,'' she sighed pitying all the men, ''Poor people.''


    ====


    Do check the novel cover in thement section.

 Chapter 234: Resentment

    <h4>Chapter 234: Resentment</h4>


    While putting down the pride of all the men existing in the world, Seren finished reading about the development of a man''s body and understood this deformity was what made a man different from a woman.


    ''So, all along His Majesty was talking about this deformity that differentiates man and woman,'' she closed the book as it was finished.


    Today she had learned about the development of a man and a woman''s body and how they are different. She still had so many questions in her mind that what was the need of making them different like this. She looked down at her round chest, ''Just like these rounds are ufortable for me, that deformity must be ufortable for His Majesty.'' She looked at Drayce with pitiful sight.


    Drayce sensed her gaze on him and looked at her which made him ufortable, ''Why does it look like she is feeling bad for me? What exactly did she read there? I have checked the book and it had only the basics of the human body that she must understand.''


    "Your Majesty." her calling pulled him out of his thoughts and he asked, "Are you done reading the book, My Queen?"


    "Yes, Your Majesty," she replied and looked at the book stack on one side of her study table. "Which one should I read next?"


    Drayce kept the scroll in his hand aside and replied, "First, My Queen should tell me what she has understood from this book."


    To her, he looked like a strict teacher and she frowned inwardly, ''He still doubts my smartness.''


    Seeing her silent, he spoke, "I am waiting to get an answer, My Queen."


    "I understood how a man and woman''s bodies develop with age and how a man and a woman are different...."


    "And how are they different, My Queen?" Drayce asked, maintaining a straight face.


    Seren cleared her throat first as she somewhere felt embarrassed talking about it. In her mind, she can talk about her round chest but telling it to him was a bit ufortable. Also, between her legs, she felt she would uncover herself in front of him.


    "Yes, My Queen?" Drayce waited for her to answer.


    Looking at him how he was so serious and cold, she answered, "A woman doesn''t grow a beard and mustache with age while a man does. A woman has a round chest while the man has a t one. A woman doesn''t have deformity at her lower abdominal part while a man does."


    Seren answered like the best student of her teacher. She was of course so smart but here her smartness was just the kind to make any man speechless by calling their pride a deformity.


    Drayce heard her clear and confident answer that showed she said nothing wrong. Everything was fine but the moment she said thest line, Drayce pinched his nose bridge as he mumbled with his gritted teeth, "Deformity again?"


    Seeing him like this, Seren felt worried as if she had forgotten to answer something and looked at the closed book, "I don''t think I have missed anything," and looked back at Drayce, "Did I miss something, Your Majesty?"


    Drayce looked at her as he let go of his nose bridge and opened his eyes. "My Queen, you should not call it a deformity."


    She felt puzzled, ''To me, it looked like a deformity and I even felt bad about it,'' she thought and asked, "Then?"


    Drayce breathed deeply to calm himself down from how helpless he was feeling to exin it to her. "My Queen, those two rounds grown on your chest," he straightaway looked at her chest.


    Seren felt like he could see through her clothes and slowly lifted her hands to cross over her chest. "What about it, Your Majesty?"


    "Should I call it a deformity too?" Drayce asked.


    It surprised her and she lowered her head to look at her round chest, ''These two rounds? Deformity?'' she then looked at Drayce, "All the women have it."


    "Just like that, all the men have what you refer to as a deformity, My Queen. It''s a clear insult to the existence of each and every man," he said, sounding calm but cold.


    ''Did I just offend him by calling it a deformity? Seems like it,'' she thought and lowered her head, "Apologies, Your Majesty. I will be careful to not call it a deformity."


    Drayce calmed down as he saw her apologizing. He could understand that It was not her fault but seeing her calling it a deformity, the pride of a man was hurt. If she had grown up knowing all these things naturally like others, she would have not said it like this and must have epted it naturally without any question.


    Drayce stood up and went to her study table and she looked at him feeling a little scared, ''Is he going to punish me for offending him?''


    Just as she thought, he stood at one side of the table and offered her his hand, "Let''s go, My Queen."


    It surprised her, "W-Where, Your Majesty?"


    "As I said earlier I will take you somewhere so it''s time now," he replied.


    ''I hope he is not taking me away to punish me,'' she thought and epted his hand. Just as she stood up, Drayce observed her to check if she was dressed warmly. She was only wearing a winter coat but it was not enough for where they were going, she needed moreyers of clothes.


    Drayce pulled her closer, "Hold tight!"


    It didn''t give Seren any time to understand and she immediately held by circling her hands around him tightly and the next moment they were in the Queen''s bedchamber where Eva and Marie were busy arranging the room while Lady Tyra was busy instructing them. "Make sure to maintain a temperature higher than what we need. Her Majesty is not used to the cold."


    The three felt the strong gust of wind in the room and the next moment saw their King and the Queen were inside the room and that too in an intimate position where Seren was hugging him tightly and his hands were also surrounding her.


    They immediately lowered their heads and Greeted, "Your Majesty��"


    "Put on some more warm clothes on her so My Queen won''t feel cold outside," Drayce instructed Eva and Marie as he looked at Seren who moved away from him feeling a little weak. "Are you fine, my Queen?"


    Seren nodded and meanwhile Lady Tyra instructed Eva and Marie to do what their King had just asked.


    "Please, this way, Your Majesty." The twodies escorted Seren to her wardrobe room as Drayce saw Seren entering the other room.


    "As per Your Majesty''s instructions, the ce has been evacuated," Tyra informed, "Is your Majesty heading there at this moment?"


    Drayce replied with a light nod and asked, "Tyra, by any chance have you seen the flower on my mother''s wrist emitting a light?"


    "Yes, Your Majesty," she answered honestly, not knowing what he was going to ask further.


    He turned to look at her, "When?"


    Tyra didn''t know how to answer it as everything was entangled in a way to be not able to exin it at all, "Apologies, Your Majesty. But I seem to not remember it��."


    "As you said before it only shines for the soulmate but it never shines for King Theron, right?" Drayce asked.


    With her head still lowered, Lady Tyra gulped as she left out a helpless and disappointed sigh. "Yes, Your Majesty!"


    "Then was it for my biological father as he was her soulmate?" Drayce asked.


    Lady Tyra felt like having a huge burden on her chest and didn''t wish to answer it. Drayce had asked numerous questions to his grandmother and Lady Tyra but whenever it came to his mother, both didn''t wish to answer him anything.


    "I don''t like to wait, Tyra," he spoke. Though she was his nanny and he considered her someone close to him, when it came to his mother, nothing mattered.


    "Yes, Your Majesty. It shined only for him," she replied.


    Drayce scoffed, "But you and my grandmother still im that she loved the previous king and considered him as her only soulmate."


    "It''s the truth, Your Majesty."


    Drayce scoffed, "Isn''t it enough to show she only loved my biological father. If you have realized the meaning of that sudden glow on the flower mark, isn''t it enough to know that she had those intimate thoughts only about him? She never thought about King Theron but only forced herself to believe that she loved him?"


    "Your Majesty, Previous Queen believed in deciding her fate on her own the way she wanted and didn''t wish to give in to her destiny. Her decision was to only love her husband, King Theron, who loved her equally though her destiny said her soulmate was someone else," Lady Tyra exined.


    "But in the end, she gave in to the one who was meant for her," Draycemented.


    "It was the situation that made her do it. For that, no one can me her, not even King Theron," Tyra countered and added, "She always believed she only loved King Theron and we all believe the same."


    "Very well! I would rather like to hear she loved King Theron rather than him who couldn''t be with her but left her with his child," Drayce said as his red eyes were filled with resentment.


    "We can''t talk about him like this. He is not someone we can offend...." Tyra referred to Drayce''s biological father.


    Drayce raised his hand to stop Lady Tyra from speaking further. He didn''t wish to hear about that person who he had never seen but resented since the moment he understood why his mother had left him.

 Chapter 235: Hot Water Spring

    <h4>Chapter 235: Hot Water Spring</h4>


    "Have you seen that flower on her forehead glowing?" Drayce asked.


    "Yes, Your Majesty," Lady Tyra replied, knowing he was asking about his Queen.


    It surprised Drayce as he had seen it glowing only in his presence and when he and Seren were in an intimate situation, but Tyra saw it glowing even in his absence because when he saw it, they were always alone.


    "When was it?" Drayce asked.


    "In the morning when Her Majesty left her chamber to go to the garden, she stopped at the pathway connecting to Your Majesty''s residence," Lady Tyra answered.


    At that time Lady Tyra had noticed the flower on Seren''s forehead glowing and could understand what was happening with her Queen, but she disturbed her by calling her as she was sure the young Queen didn''t know what she was doing.


    "And what do you think is the reason that flower glowed at that time?" Drayce asked. Though he had already guessed he wished to make it sure from Lady Tyra.


    "At that time, Her Majesty seemed to be thinking about Your Majesty and��."


    "And?" he waited for her to continue.


    "She seemed to miss, Your Majesty," Lady Tyra replied in a decent way but she meant to say her Queen was getting attracted towards where her soulmate was.


    ''So she has started thinking about me and missing me,'' Drayce grinned inwardly and said, "Understood."


    He went out towards the balcony of Seren''s room and stood by the railing. ''So she loved this view of the sea and ships sailing on it. Soon she will like the view of mountains from my bedchamber more,'' a wicked smile was painted on his lips.


    After a while, he heard a sweet voice, "Your Majesty!"


    Drayce turned to look at her, whose sweet voice always felt like a melody to his ears.


    Seren was wearing a different winter coat this time which had a furry hood attached to it at the back of her neck and that hood was ced over her head, covering it. Her delicate palms were covered in the olive green-colored woolen glows that matched with the furry hood. Even a matching delicate scarf was wrapped around her neck. Altogether she looked like a cute doll and Drayce couldn''t help but find her adorable, in fact, she looked cute with those bright purple eyes staring at him like a cute little kitten. She was truly so innocent and this is what attracted him more towards her.


    Smiling pleasantly at the cute-looking kitten in front of him, Drayce went to her and stood up facing her. "My Queen, you might feel cold outside, where we are going at this moment. If you can''t bear it, make sure to tell me."


    "Yes, Your Majesty," she nodded and thought, ''Where exactly is he��.?''


    Drayce hugged her and the next moment they disappeared from the balcony even before Seren could finish the sentence in her mind. What was left behind was only the strong gust of wind.


    --------


    In a moment they reached the ce where Drayce wished to take Seren with him. The moment they reached, a strong gust of cold wind touched Seren''s nose and she buried it in Drayce''s chest with her eyes shut tightly and held him tighter.


    "My Queen, it''s a little colder here because this part is closer to the mountains covered with snow," Drayce informed. "The wind obstructed by the mountains moves in this direction after turning even colder."


    ''Mountains covered with snow,'' was the only thing that interested her and she immediately peeked her face out to see around as she wished to see those mountains even more closely. She let go of Drayce and looked around. They were standing on the vast green field surrounded by tall trees which were not dense but allowed the entirend to be brightened up by the sunlight. The mountains were still nowhere close to what Seren had thought.


    She pouted under her veil, "Mountains are not close anymore," and looked at Drayce, "Can''t we go to the mountains. I never saw snow."


    "We will but not now. If I take you there now, My Queen, you won''t even be able to breathe there."


    "Is it?" she felt surprised.


    "This is the normal temperature of Megaris but you still feel cold. If we go there now, even these warm clothes won''t help you. My Queen first needs to get used to the weather here," he exined.


    "Understood, Your Majesty."


    "Are you fine in this much cold weather?" He asked to make sure.


    She was covered in a thickyer of warm clothes so it didn''t feel that bad. "It''s fine," she replied, rubbing the tip of her nose over that thin fabric veil with the glove-covered hand.


    Drayce understood it was because of the cold wind. "Stay still," he instructed her and moved his hands towards the scarf wrapped around her neck. Drayce pulled it up till her nose and settled it in a way to cover her nose so that the scarf won''t move down.


    "Is it better now?" he asked.


    Seren felt warmth around her tiny nose and nodded, "Yes, Your Majesty."


    "We are here to visit a hot water spring on this hill," Drayce informed.


    "Hot water spring? Why?" she asked as she was expecting she didn''t have to go into that hot water spring when she was already cold and wished to stay away from water either it was cold or hot.


    As if he sensed her thoughts, Drayce smiled and replied, "So that my Queen can understand better what she has read in the book today."


    It startled her. Before she could ask anything Drayce held her hand, "Let''s go."


    Seren walked along with him for a while and soon they heard various voices. After crossing a small distance across the hilly area, a mild flow horizontally spread waterfall came into their sights. The water slowly flowed down crossing the rocks towards the ground creating a shallow water bed. Behind it, the faraway hills covered with snow were visible.


    It was a pretty sight to Seren''s eyes. Cian had taken her to show waterfall on herst outing in Abetha but it was different. The water from that waterfall fell down high up from the peak of the mountain and nothing was visible beyond it, but this one was different.


    "It''s pretty," shemented and her eyes moved towards the voicesing from the water bed in front.


    Before she could ask anything, a knight came there and bowed, "Captain Azer, Greets Your Majesty King Drayce and Queen Seren!"


    The two looked at him and the knight informed, "Your Majesty, everything has been arranged ording to your instructions. Today only the kids up to the age of five are allowed to be in this hot water spring. As their mothers are not allowed, we have appointed a few pce maids to look after them."


    Drayce nodded and Azer left. Seren recognized that knight who she had seen in Drayce''s study when she went there after lunch.


    "My Queen, don''t you wish to go closer to the water?" Drayce asked.


    Seren looked at that shallow water bed of clear water that shone brightly under the sunlight and the mild vapors could be seening out from the water. A number of kids were ying in that water.


    Seren walked closer as Drayce apanied her and soon she realized those kids were naked. "Your Majesty. Those kids are not wearing clothes. It''s��."


    "They are just kids and it''s fine. Everyone ys in the water like this when they are kids," Drayce exined.


    As they walked even closer, the pce maids noticed them and greeted them after bowing.


    "My Queen, this hot water spring is said to have medicinal water that increases one''s immunity towards the various diseases and even heals the injured body faster. Soon there will be winter so everyone living aroundes here to soak in this water so they can be stronger in the freezing temperature of winter," Drayce exined.


    Seren understood and nodded with a slight nod as her eyes noticed something. There were kids up to the age of five ying in that hot water. It was shallow water that hardly reached the knees of those kids. From the faces of those innocent kids, all looked the same. It was hard to differentiate between the girls and boys as they all had long hair and simr bodies butter Seren could differentiate them from their lower body parts.


    Drayce nced at the silent young queen standing next to him and realized for what he had brought her here, she finally grasped it.


    Just as he was busy praising her, Seren moved her head towards the man standing next to her as his chest was the first thing that came into her sight. She didn''t even bother to look up at his face but instead moved her sight further down from his chest as she lowered her head a little to take a good look at his body.


    Before her sight could move further down his stomach, Drayce immediately turned to face her and held her at the shoulder to make her look at him, "My Queen!"


    She looked at him, feeling surprised by his sudden movement that disturbed her from taking a look at his lower body part. Though he was wearing clothes she couldn''t help but look at him.


    "My Queen, do you now understand why I have brought you here?" He diverted her attention.


    This woman was boldly going to observe his manly part over clothes in broad day sunlight when the knights were present around and even the pce maids.


    "Y-Yes, Your Majesty. I can now identify man and woman from that defor��.." she stopped before saying that word or she was sure she would anger him, "Umm...Apologies, Your Majesty...I understood now."


    "Good," he said and warned. "One more time if my queen calls it a deformity, it will force me to show my queen what it can do to you," and released her shoulders gently. His deep red eyes looked scary that showed he meant it.


    She felt scared and nodded, "Understood, Your Majesty," but heard her again, "That looks weird and ufortable."


    Drayce sighed, "Do those rounds on your chest feel ufortable, My Queen?"


    She immediately nodded, "They do," and asked, "Don''t you feel ufortable, Your Majesty?"


    Drayce exhaled, ''Only if she was aware of what she was asking,'' he thought and replied, "I do but I have a way tofort it."


    "How?" she asked.


    "My Queen can be afort to me and also, I canfort where my Queen feels ufortable," he replied in a serious tone.


    ''Again he is talking aboutfort,'' her heart skipped a beat as that fort'' word was the scariest word to her now and she immediately changed the topic, "Y-Your Majesty, did you y in the water like this when you were a kid."


    "Hmm," he nodded, not teasing her much.


    Seren observed how happy those kids looked while ying and their cheerful voices made it even more evident. "No one took me to the waterfall. Only in summer, Martha used to put me in the water tub and I yed in that water with my toys."


    "It''s fine, my Queen. You can do it now even with me," Drayce said.


    "Huh?" she blinked a few times and a thought came to her mind, ''With him? No clothes?'' the realization shocked her and she straight away rejected, "I don''t like to be in the water now as I have grown up. Your Majesty can go ahead."


    "My Queen, soon winter will start and you have to soak yourself in the medicinal hot water on this hill."


    Being naked in the water and in an open ce, felt embarrassing, "No need, Your Majesty��."


    "You don''t have to do it in this water pond. We have different ones for the royals and the best ones for the King and the Queen," he interrupted her, knowing what must go on in her mind. "There, no one wille and see you when you will be soaking in the water��." he said and the rest he finished in his mind, ''...of course only I am allowed to see,'' and grinned inwardly imagining them together soaking in the water.


    "Then, it''s fine, Your Majesty," she agreed.

 Chapter 236: Is It Necessary To See Wifes Face?

    <h4>Chapter 236: Is It Necessary To See Wife''s Face?</h4>


    "My Queen, would you like to visit around if you are not feeling too cold?" Drayce asked, as his motive for bringing Seren to the hot water spring was fulfilled.


    "What''s here to visit other than this hot water spring?" Seren asked as she moved her sight from the spring to Drayce.


    Drayce looked at her, "The hot water spring that is meant for us, the King and the Queen," Drayce answered and asked, "Would you like to visit it?"


    She stared into his eyes for a moment which didn''t let her guess what was in his mind, but her clever mind was fast enough to conclude something. ''Hot water spring meant for us? That means he will ask me to soak in hot water to increase my immunity.''


    "I think I am a bit cold today, Your Majesty," Seren replied immediately, hoping he wouldn''t insist on her.


    Drayce had nothing such in his mind as for him; it was not yet the time. He wished her to know more things andter understand what he would do without having any weird thoughts about his actions and not to feel scared.


    Drayce could see through her and agreed, "As you say, My Queen."


    Just like they left the balcony of Seren''s bedchamber, they returned to the same ce simrly.


    Seren was again exhausted with this process.


    Holding her tightly after reaching the balcony, Drayce enjoyed hugging the little kitten like he always did; he could never get tired of her soft body, "Soon you will get used to it, My Queen."


    Seren breathed deeply and looked up at Drayce, still being in his warm embrace, "Your Majesty, don''t you feel tired after teleporting like this?"


    "When I learned about this ability, at the start, I used to feel tired, but now I don''t. That''s what I said, just like me, you will get used to it too," Drayce replied, looking into her hazy eyes.


    Seren nodded as she understood, "It''s too exhausting," and put her head back on his chest as if she felt like she had no energy left in her.


    Drayce lifted her in his arms and took her inside the bedchamber. Marie and Eva immediately bowed to him, "Greetings, Your Majesty!" The two felt worried seeing their Queen in King''s arms.


    "Should I call for the Royal Physician, Your Majesty?" Marie asked.


    "Prepare something warm and healthy for her to drink," Drayce instructed as hey Seren on the bed.


    "Yes, Your Majesty," The two servants understood their presence was not needed and left.


    Drayce covered her with a nket and looked at Seren, who had closed her eyes and tried to breathe normally. He held her hands and rubbed them with his palms.


    "My Queen, you had to go through it twice in a short time, and you are already weak due to blood loss. Also, you were affected by cold air outside, that''s why you are feeling more exhausted than before. You will be fine soon."


    Seren opened her eyes to look at him and nodded. His red eyes held the care and worry for her while his hands held that soothing warmth that made her feel better. No one other than Martha had ever made her feel like this. She couldn''t help but stare at him as if he would disappear from her sight, although her eyes felt hazy to open them.


    As if Drayce understood the way she earnestly looked at him, he assured her. "You can close your eyes, My Queen. I am not going anywhere."


    Holding his hand that was rubbing her palm even over the woolen glove, she closed her eyes. No matter how she acted, at the end of the day, she was always the one who wanted him around her.


    Soon Marie returned with the soup prepared for her Queen. "Your Majesty,...."


    "Keep it here," Drayce said, signaling towards the wooden bedside table.


    Marie quietly put that wooden tray on the table and left after bowing as she didn''t need to be instructed to leave. She was smart and understood what their king was up to.


    Drayce helped Seren sit on the bed and arranged the pillow at the backrest for her to sitfortably while resting. Drayce held the bowl of soup with a small wooden dish that perfectly fit the bowl''s base in his hand, and he was ready to feed her. He stirred the soup with a silver spoon and blew on it. Seren smiled lightly behind her veil as she had never expected him to do all this for her.


    She was still in a daze while not feeling satisfied enough, no matter how much she looked at the caring man in front of her. She didn''t even realize he had offered her soup in a spoon for her to drink.


    "My Queen, you need to open your mouth so you can drink this," he said and pulled her out of the daze.


    "Ah...Your Majesty... I�� can do it. I am not sick," she said and was about to get the bowl and spoon from him.


    "My Queen, you are exhausted because of my negligence. I didn''t expect you to turn so weak. You should give me a chance to make up for it so I won''t feel badter," Drayce countered, pulling out an apologetic expression.


    Seren felt hesitant as she was not used to someone feeding her other than Martha, who did the same whenever Seren was sick. But there was an issue that Drayce had totally forgotten, and Seren had to remind him.


    "Your Majesty, this veil...I can''t...take it off in front of you."


    Drayce didn''t know what to say now. This veil was even stopping him from taking care of his wife now. He felt like taking it off the very moment but then looked at her apologetic eyes and controlled himself.


    Drayce put the bowl of soup back on the tray and stood up. "I am heading out. If my Queen needs anything, you can call the servant."


    Seren nodded lightly, and Drayce left. Seren felt bad, too, but she could do nothing. The least she could do was not fall sick and trouble others, so she quietly ate her soup.


    Seren called for Marie after finishing the soup. Marie looked at Seren and understood her Queen was not fine. Though she couldn''t see her entire face, her eyes were enough to say it all.


    "Your Majesty, are you feeling better now?"


    Seren nodded quietly and continued sitting while resting her back at the backrest of the bed and looking outside the windows of her room where the sky was losing its brightness and the darkness of the night would soon take it over.


    "Your Majesty, is something troubling you?" Marie asked worriedly.


    Seren looked at her, "Marie!"


    "Yes, Your Majesty?"


    "Is it necessary for the husband to see his wife''s face?" Seren asked; the sadness was evident in her eyes and voice.


    "Your Majesty, we can''t put it like apulsion, but it''s more like one would always want to see someone''s face they love, care for, and would spend their entire life with," Marie answered.


    Seren understood and felt even worse. She heard Marie as she knew the root of this worry. "Your Majesty, His Majesty must want to see how his wife looks when she is happy or sad or angry. He must want to see how his wife looks, and it''s normal for anyone to wish for that," Marie paused for a moment as she gave some time to Seren to process what she meant.


    "Your Majesty, may I ask you something?" Marie asked.


    Seren nodded, and Marie asked, "If his Majesty had his face covered, wouldn''t you be the same and had wished to see him? Wouldn''t you be curious to see the one with whom you will spend your entire life?"


    "If it had concerned his life, I would have epted it," Seren replied.


    It puzzled Marie, "What do you mean, Your Majesty?"


    "The man who sees my face will have the misfortunes befall upon him, and it will destroy both of our lives," Seren replied.


    Marie didn''t expect this and felt speechless. "Your Majesty, as you have married His Majesty who himself possesses supernatural powers, I am sure there will be a way out of this. We can discuss it with Lady Tyra. She is someone who knows everything which some of the great schrs might even fail to know."


    "And you, Marie?" Seren asked as she looked at her. At this moment Seren didn''t look like an innocent young woman but her eyes looked intimidating as if she could see through the person and there was no way the person could lie to her.


    Marie felt caught off guard but realized their Queen was not someone ordinary. Marie could sense the strong energy from her Queen and understood she could see through everyone.


    Marie lowered her head, "I.. am the same, Your Majesty, but I am nothing aspared to Lady Tyra."


    Seren could sense the energy from anyone who was not an ordinary human being. The energying from Marie was too weak and felt so harmless that Seren never bothered to think about it much. Till now she at least realized Marie was someone she could trust, just like how she trusted Martha all her life.

 Chapter 237: Scared To See Him Hurt

    <h4>Chapter 237: Scared To See Him Hurt</h4>


    5 chapters mass release today


    ----


    "I am tired. I would like to rest," Seren instructed.


    Marie could sense the sadness in her Queen''s voice and felt bad for her.


    Sereny down in the bed and Marie helped cover her with the nket.


    "Rest well, Your Majesty!" Marie left Seren alone.


    Once again the entire bedchamber was quiet and Seren could only stare at the ceiling. She still remembered how Drayce''s expressions changed the moment she said she couldn''t take off that veil. The anger was evident in his eyes but he suppressed it. As Marie said every husband wished to see his wife''s face, then she realized Drayce being a King could not even see his wife. He never insisted on taking off her veil but instead respected her wish. He cared for her but she always ended up hurting him.


    ''He is a good man. What if something happens to him when he sees my face? I can''t let him get hurt. But he can touch my veil and what if he takes it off even after I tell him the reason. He doesn''t look like he feels scared of anything...and...I don''t want him to get hurt...that man in the past who had seen my face, he died brutally��''


    Seren imagined the incident from the past when she was around seven years old. One man disguised as a guard had entered the tower and had seen Seren''s face when Martha removed that veil from her face when she cried to take it off for at least some time. When Martha was busy making food for her on the ground floor of the tower, Seren sneaked out to the garden. There was a change in that man as if something had possessed him. If Martha had not arrived on time, that possessed man looked like he would harm anyone. After that, the man''s mutted body was hung on the outside of the tower''s wall and after that, no one ever dared to step inside the tower.


    Seren felt scared remembering that incident and sat up in the bed, ''I can''t let it happen with him. I need to find a way so he will give up on seeing my face.''


    --------


    Drayce returned to his study where Jasper and yer were already present. The two loyal subjects greeted his king and Drayce sat in his chair without even replying to them. From the intense look in his eyes, the two could guess something must have happened to anger their King.


    "Your Majesty, is there anything that troubled you?" Jasper asked while yer stood quietly as usual.


    Though yer chose to be quiet, he was also worried for Drayce but he knew Jasper will do his job of asking him.


    "Leave me alone for a while," Drayce instructed and leaned back in his chair as he closed his eyes.


    The two understood something had really affected their king and he wished to be alone. Not pestering him for anything, the two bowed and left the study quietly.


    After a while when his two friends left, Drayce opened his eyes and looked like he was lost in oblivion.


    ''Is she still notfortable showing her face to me? Does she feel insecure about how she looks and think I might not like her? I have told her already that I am fine with however she looks, doesn''t she trust my words yet?''


    Drayce could only sigh disappointedly as all he wanted was his wife to trust him and see how precious she was to him.


    ''Maybe it will take some more time. Can''t me her for not trusting me so easily given her prisoner life,'' Drayce continued to console his angry mind, ''I will wait for the day when she will remove that veil on her own and show her face to me. I believe one day she will and that day wille soon.''


    Once he was calm, a light smirk painted on his lips, ''Not like that veil can stop me from doing what I really want to do. Just wait for a little more.''


    -----


    After having dinner and talking with her servants for a while, Seren got into bed. In the cold weather of night, it was not possible for her to go out. The bed was the ultimate heaven for her as it was the only warm ce that made her feel less cold. Her lessons about the royal family and the pce rules and etiquette got postponed again as she was tired after returning with Drayce. Lady Tyra had asked her to rest and they could begin their teachings the next day.


    Seren was sleeping alone in the bed and as usual, she was not able to fall asleep. She sighed inwardly, ''It''s always so cold in the night even when I cover myself,'' she clutched her nket and closed her eyes as she was forcing herself to sleep.


    Not being able to fall asleep, she stared at the huge ss windows that showed the starry sky outside and she missed someone''s presence and thatfort, ''I don''t think he wille tonight. I angered him and he must hate me now,'' she thought as the sadness covered her eyes. ''I wish I never had to wear this veil. I hate wearing it all the time.''


    Though Seren always disliked wearing the veil, this time she was not only upset but angry about it. Though she wanted to never wear it, this time that wish was stronger to take this veil off as she had just upset someone who she had slowly started to consider an important person in her life.


    Just as she thought he wouldn''te and was busy feeling sad over her situation, she felt the mattress of her bed pushing down as someone sat on it and there was a movement in the bed and the next moment a strong arm surrounded her at the stomach. Unknown to her, a smile painted on her lips.


    ''It''s him,'' she thought and couldn''t stop smiling pleasantly under her veil. Her purple eyes couldn''t contain the happiness she was feeling at this moment.


    Soon after she felt his hot breath brushing her nape and he had just inhaled her scent as the tip of his nose touched her skin. She didn''t feel scared but instead had goosebumps all over her skin and her heart started beating faster as he held her closer in his embrace.


    Drayce could feel everything happening to her and even her rising heartbeats. But he did nothing further as he knew, if he had started, there was no way he would want to stop even if she would beg him. Better be in control and let her know more about it. Once she understood everything and would be ready for it, he was sure to eat her entirely.


    "Good Night, My Queen," Drayce wished.


    "Good Night, Your Majesty," she wished back, not being able to contain a smile on her lips.


    Seren finally feltfortable and fell asleep as he continued to hold her. Soon the atmosphere in the room turned silent as the King and the Queen fell asleep apanying each other''s rhythmic breathing.

 Chapter 238: The Royal Family Of Megaris

    <h4>Chapter 238: The Royal Family Of Megaris</h4>


    The next day Seren woke up and felt the bed empty. She immediately opened her eyes and there was no one. Drayce was gone but she didn''t feel sad. She was happy that he was not angry with her and came to sleep with her the previous night. She reached out her hand to touch the spot he was sleeping on.


    ''It still feels warm. He must have left just now,'' she thought and continued to caress that empty ce gently as if she could feel him. She didn''t know why but she liked it when he was closer to her and sleeping with him was bing her habit.


    Seren got ready with the help of the servant and had her morning meal. It was finally the day when Lady Tyra would exin to her about the Royal family of Ivanovs. Seren was excited to know more about Drayce and his mother and she believed this time at least she will get to know something more about the previous Queen.


    Everything was arranged inside Seren''s study where Seren sat in her chair behind her study table and her servants stood to one side. There was a wide spread thick cloth stretched at the wooden stand which was ced exactly in front of Seren''s study table and Lady Xena uncovered it by removing? the white silk cloth covering it.


    Lady Tyra stood next to the stand while Lady Xena stepped back.


    "Your Majesty, This is the family tree of the Royal family of Ivanov," Lady Tyra informed.


    Seren looked at the chart where everything was written in bold letters and arranged nicely so that she could read it all while sitting in her chair.


    Lady Tyra started to exin. King Drayce is the sixth generation of the Ivanov family who is ruling this kingdom. Lady Tyra exined about all the five kings before and how the family continued. What caught Seren''s interest was when Lady Tyra started exining about King Theron and Queen Esther and their kids.


    "King Theron''s first wife was the previous Queen, Queen Esther. After three years of Marriage with Queen Esther, King Theron married Lady risa who we met that day near theke."


    Hearing it, something clicked in Seren''s mind and she ended up asking though she knew it was normal for any king to have multiple wives. That night Drayce said he would never have another wife and she would be the only one for him. This made her ask the question.


    "Lady Tyra, why did King Theron marry Lady risa? Was he not happy with the previous Queen?"


    "My Queen, it''s normal for any King to have more than one wife," Lady Tyra answered.


    "That I know but��.Is it necessary..to��" Seren didn''t know how to put it in words or why she was even asking it.


    Lady Tyra and other servants thought that their Queen was feeling worried that their King would also have other women as his wives. Though it was the normal custom to marry multiple women, it was evident for the current wife to feel jealous and worried. But it was not the case with Seren as she didn''t understand the feeling of loving her husband and feeling jealous over other women approaching her husband.


    "Your Majesty, even after three years of marriage, Queen Esther could not conceive and King Theron needed to have his next generation that would rule this Kingdom. After Lady risa married King Theron, she conceived and gave birth to the first prince, Prince Keiren, and the daughter, First princess, Princess Taisie."


    "Then shouldn''t Lady risa be the Queen and the eldest Prince Keiren be the King?" Seren asked the obvious question as it was followed in all the royal families across the continent.


    As per her knowledge about all the royal families from the continent, she was sure about it. The eldest son always became the crown prince and after the death of the king, that crown prince was the one to be the king. But in Megaris, the previous king was still alive and the eldest prince was not the one who sat on the throne.


    When Seren studied about the royal family of Megaris before, she always had this thought about why the younger prince became the king and there was no answer to it. Given the achievements of the young king of Megaris, King Drayce, in the book it was mentioned that he was also called as a devil''s son. Seren thought it must be because he had achieved a lot and must be so cruel while fulfilling his duties towards his kingdom.


    Lady Tyra looked at Seren as she didn''t expect her to ask this question so soon and rather expected her to know the rumors about this kingdom and the king already. ''Would it be fine to tell her everything now? Will she be able to understand the situation at that time and not take anything the wrong way?''


    "Your Majesty, there were some unfavorable situations in the past because of which everything had turned out like this. Being merely a servant, I am afraid I am not qualified to address the past incidents of the royal family. But I believe, Your Majesty will soon get the answers from the right person."


    "Understood!" Seren replied.


    Though Seren was always curious about everything, she had a habit of not insisting on anything if the person didn''t want to talk about it. She had developed this habit after spending years with Martha who never answered her anything and she always ended up putting an end to her curiosity by keeping quiet.


    Lady Tyra was grateful that the young Queen didn''t insist and continued to exin. "Though Queen Esther couldn''t bear a child for King Theron, she was still the Queen. King Theron loved Queen Esther so much that he didn''t wish anyone else to be his Queen. Having a child with her never concerned him and he went against the custom to keep her as the only Queen of Megaris. He married Lady risa so he could shut others who pestered him for having an heir and once he did it, others would stop meddling in."


    ''Previous King seemed to care about his Queen just like His Majesty cares for me,'' Seren concluded.

 Chapter 239: Need To Be A Responsible Queen Of Her King

    <h4>Chapter 239: Need To Be A Responsible Queen Of Her King</h4>


    Lady Tyra continued, "When the first Prince Keiren was three years old and the Princess Taisie was a year old, Queen Esther gave birth to a Prince, His Majesty, King Drayce."


    ''Ohh! So His Majesty is three years younger than the first Prince,'' Seren concluded in her mind.


    "His Majesty is the only child Queen Esther had given birth to." Lady Tyra skipped all the details in between and continued, "After His Majesty was born, King Theron had two more wives. That day by theke we met Lady Yavia and Lady Saira."


    Seren nodded in an agreement.


    "When Queen Esther was carrying His Majesty inside her, King Theron married Lady Yavia whoter gave birth to two Princesses, Second Princess Coral and the third Princess Onyx."


    Seren nodded as she saw Lady Tyra moving towards the other names on that royal family tree picture.


    "Lady Saira was Queen Esther''s firstdy in waiting and her loyal servant. King Theron married her just after Queen Esther left."


    ''Left? Died?'' Seren thought? ''Last time Lady Tyra said she was gone but didn''t tell me what happened exactly. I am sure she won''t tell me now either. Never mind.''


    Seren heard Lady Tyra say, "Lady Saira gave birth to the third Prince Galien And the fourth Princess Ayira."


    Seren looked at the family tree as she repeated those names in her mind, ''First Prince Keiren, Secon Prince Drayce, Third Prince Galien, First Princess Taisie, Second Princess Coral, Third Princess Onyx, Fourth Princess Ayira.'' Once she was done she thought, ''I wonder if his brothers are good to him like brother Cian and his sisters are not bad like mine?''


    "There are few other concubines who the king married but don''t have kids with and it was not necessary to add them in this chart. Your Majesty will know them when you will start handling the Royal Harem," Lady Tyra informed.


    "Incharge of the Royal Harem?" Seren asked.


    Lady Tyra nodded approvingly, "Yes, Your Majesty. The Queen is in charge of the entire Royal Harem and everyone has to obey her. As your Majesty is now the Queen of Megaris, from now on the Royal harem is your responsibility."


    "But I have never done it and I don''t know what to do. In fact, I have never even visited the Royal Harem of Abetha''s Royal family," Seren informed.


    She had been living inside the tower and even being a princess, she had never got to see a Royal Harem. Lady Tyra could understand her situation and tried her best to assure.


    "It''s fine, Your Majesty. I believe Your Majesty will learn everything soon and will be able to handle all the Queen''s responsibilities just like how the Great Lady and Queen Esther had handled it when they were in charge of it."


    Seren was still hesitant and she heard Lady Tyra again, "Your Majesty, just remember, you only need to know how to differentiate between right and wrong and need to see through the sly ones. Moreover, your words are the decree for all the Royal Harem members so one would dare go against you. Even if you kill someone unfairly in front of everyone, no one will say a word."


    Seren looked at Tyra feeling shocked over herst line and she could see Tyra was not joking. The young Queen who had not even killed a fly in her life, how could she even imagine herself killing a person.


    "I...I can never do it," Seren said.


    Lady Tyra agreed to it. "I know, Your Majesty., I was just letting you know the extent of power you hold and you don''t need to be wary of anyone. You are the rule in the Royal Harem. Even His Majesty, King Drayce can''t meddle in the matters of the Royal Harem. What Your Majesty decides, will be the rule there."


    Seren held her breath for a moment as every word Lady Tyra said, felt so heavy to her innocent soul. She felt like suddenly the strongest power was put into her hands that she didn''t know what to do with. All the royaldies will obey her words, that was a big deal. She could only imagine Queen Niobe ruling the Royal Harem of Abetha and no one ever dared to say a word in front of her.


    ''Will I be like Queen Niobe? What if I don''t want to do it? I can never be like her. I will just stay away from everyone.''


    Seeing her lost in thoughts, Lady Tyra assured the young Queen, "Your Majesty, do not worry. I will always be with you to guide you."


    Pouting under her veil, Seren asked hesitantly, "What if I don''t want to do it and as a Queen, I decide to stay away from it?"


    Lady Tyra could understand why her Queen was hesitant and replied calmly, "Then Your Majesty, you will let down His Majesty and the throne on which you will apany him as a Queen of this kingdom."


    "Will I?" she asked.


    "Yes, Your Majesty. The King and The Queen are two strong pirs of the kingdom where the King handles the external matters while the Queen deals with the internal matters that is Royal Harem. When His Majesty works hard to bring peace, justice, and prosperity to this Kingdom then it is the Queen''s responsibility to support him. I believe Your Majesty won''t move away from her responsibilities and let down His Majesty."


    Seren cared about nothing as she wished to stay away from everyone and the unnecessary attention but Tyra''s words about letting down Drayce had affected her decision greatly.


    ''He cares for me. I can''t let him feel disappointed in me,'' Seren thought, not knowing why she even cared about what he would think of her.


    "Fine. I will do it," Seren agreed.


    Lady Tyra smiled pleasantly at her, "Thank you, Your Majesty."


    Lady Tyra signaled Lady Xena to take that wooden stand away. Lady Xena and two otherdies in waiting came forward to follow the instructions.


    Once the wooden stand was gone, Lady Tyra looked at Seren, "Your Majesty, there are few books ced on your table. After reading it, Your Majesty will understand how the Royal Harem works and it will help you understand the responsibilities of the Queen.


    Seren looked at the stack of books ced at one side of the table and the thought came to her mind, ''I am yet to finish all those books His Majesty has asked me to read, and now more books have been added to them. Seems like I will spend my entire life in Megaris reading all these books only,'' she sighed, ''It was the same in Abetha too.

 Chapter 240: Visiting The Royal Harem

    <h4>Chapter 240: Visiting The Royal Harem</h4>


    "Your Majesty, though we n for you to take charge of the Royal Harem officially after the wedding ording to the Megaris'' customs, would you like to visit the Royal Harem now? Lady Tyra asked.


    "Should I?" Seren asked as she was not sure what she should do.


    "It would be better if your Majesty visited the Royal Harem. It''s been a few days since Your Majesty has arrived here and the Royal Harem is curious to see their Queen," Lady Tyra replied.


    "Fine then," Seren agreed unwillingly.


    Lady Tyra looked at thedies in waiting, "Inform Royal Harem that Her Majesty would be arriving there."


    Lady Xena nodded and instructed the other two Ladies in waiting what to do. In a while Seren left to visit the Royal Harem along with Lady Tyra as her royal servants followed her. The Queen''s carriage was ready for Seren at the exit of the residence. Seren and Lady Tyra sat inside the same carriage while other servants followed them in other carriages as the Royal Pce was spread across a vastnd, no residence was closer to each other. Especially the residence of the King and the Queen were isted from any kind of crowd around.


    Soon the Queen''s carriage reached the Royal Harem, where as instructed by Lady Tyra, all were informed about the arrival of their Queen and were ready to wee her. No man was around the Royal Harem as it had female royal guards wearing a uniform meant for the female guards, simr to the male guards - red and ck uniform with a goldcrest on it.


    The carriage entered a huge double-side wooden gate and rode along the road wound towards the widespread Royal Harem building. Seren and Lady Tyra stepped out of the carriage as the other royal servants helped them get down.


    Getting down, Seren looked around and saw so many women wearing royal clothes and having smiles on their faces, standing at the main entrance of the building as everyone was curiously looking at her. Not just thosedies but even the servants were looking at their new Queen whose face was covered with a veil. All they could see was the young woman wearing Queen''s clothes, having long golden-red hair and a pair of purple eyes which looked pretty to a few while few felt wary of that different eye color.


    Seen looked around.


    Inside that huge double side wooden gate and behind those tall walls was this huge front garden with the fountain and behind that, there was a structure of Royal Harem.


    Lady Yavia and Lady Saira immediately came to greet their Queen while others bowed to her from where they were standing.


    "Greetings, Your Majesty!"


    Lady Saira spoke, "It''s good to see you here, Your Majesty. We all wee you to the Royal Harem."


    Seren epted her greeting with a slight nod and Lady Tyra asked the other two in a strict voice, "Where is Lady risa? Isn''t she aware that Her Majesty is visiting and she should be present here?"


    "Lady Tyra, Lady risa is dealing with the servant who has caused some trouble," Lady Yavia replied while Lady Tyra looked at Lady Saira as she didn''t get a good feeling about it. Lady Tyra was sure, the first concubine must be busy showing her authority to the poor servant and punishing her severely


    Lady Tyra could only sigh and looked at Seren, "Your Majesty, this way please," she signaled her to walk towards the main building of the Royal Harem.


    Seren followed Lady Tyra''s instructions and continued to walk towards the set of horizontally long staircases that led their way to the front corridor of the building and then the inside of it. Reaching the corridor after climbing those five steps, Seren looked around on her either side where that long corridor was well decorated with curtains floating along with the light breeze, and many vases were ced along the path carrying a bunch of fresh flowers. She walked inside and crossed one more wooden double door, before entering the central hall of the Royal Harem.


    The central hall had a big throne kept exactly opposite to the entrance, at the opposite wall. Seren understood it was meant for the one who was in charge of this Royal Harem. The hall had long inside corridors attached to each wall which were open and showed the doors to the various bedchambers. The paintings hung on the wall, the antiques, vases and flowers, beautiful curtains all added to the femininity of the Royal Harem and looked pleasant to the eyes. Seren was yet to be aware that even if the Royal Harem looked pleasant, she couldn''t say the same thing about the women receding there.


    "Your Majesty, this Royal Harem is the residence of all the women married to the men of the royal family and to all the princesses born to them. Few of the royaldies are from the Megaris while few are married from the neighboring kingdoms," Lady Tyra informed.


    Just then they heard the noise that disturbed the Queen''s peaceful visit.


    "Whip that servant nicely so she won''t dare to be this clumsy even after her death," came the loud and authoritative voice of a woman.


    Everyone looked at the source of the voice and saw Lady risa walking towards the central hall by crossing the corridor. A young servant was being dragged by two female guards while another guard was holding a whip in her hand.


    They stopped in front of the throne in the central hall and Lady risa was about to walk towards the throne. An older woman kneeled in front of Lady risa blocking her path and pleaded in her crying voice, "Please forgive her, Lady risa. I beg you. She is still young. I will teach her a good lessonter."


    Lady risa looked fearful and replied coldly, "You should have taught your daughter before bringing her to the Royal Harem as a servant."


    "I beg you, Lady risa. If her body gets bruised deeply with the whips, no one will marry her," the olderdy continued to beg, but there was not a tinge of sympathy in Lady risa''s eyes.


    "Why does a lowly creature like you need to get married, huh? Only to give birth to more disgusting lowly creatures like you? Get out of my way. Today I will set a good example for everyone to see what will happen if you can''t do your work properly."


    "Please��"


    "Get out of my way or I will increase a hundred moreshes of whips in her punishment," Lady risa warned.

 Chapter 241: Challenging The Authority

    <h4>Chapter 241: Challenging The Authority</h4>


    Unwillingly the older servant moved aside and looked at her daughter who was already covered inshes of whips and her servant uniform showed the blood oozing out of her skin wherever that whip had hit her. The girl looked exhausted and in pain that she kept kneeling on the ground after being dragged in front of the throne.


    Seren observed everything quietly to know what was going on while Lady Tyra kept quiet to let her Queen know the inside reality of the Harem. On her first day of the visit, she had got to see it.


    Lady risa was about to head towards the throne, not knowing who had arrived inside the Royal Harem. Before she could sit on it, Lady Tyra called her out.


    "Lady risa, You have forgotten to pay your greetings to Her Majesty, the Queen of Megaris."


    Lady risa didn''t sit on the throne and walked towards where Seren and Lady Tyra were standing.


    Lady Tyra raised her one eyebrow in a question as she said in a strict voice, "I believe, this time around Lady risa remembers the right way of greeting Her Majesty."


    Lady risa smiled and ignoring Tyra she bowed lightly to Seren, "Greetings, Your Majesty. Good to see you here. Please befortable and don''t let other things bother you."


    Not reacting, Seren only looked at her as she had understood this pretty-looking older woman was sly like a fox.


    Lady risa looked at Seren but being the lower half of her face covered in a veil and her eyes carried no particr emotion, it was impossible for her to guess what was going on in Seren''s mind.


    "What is going on here, Lady risa?" Lady Tyra asked.


    "Do I need to answer you, Lady Tyra, when you are just a mere servant?" Lady risa countered.


    "Not me but the real in charge of this Royal Harem, Her Majesty wishes to know what is happening here," Lady Tyra replied.


    Lady risa smiled mockingly, "That her Majesty can ask me herself. You don''t need to waste your breath, Lady Tyra."


    "I don''t wish Her Majesty to waste her breath over useless stuff so I am being helpful. Would you like to exin now?" Lady Tyra asked.


    Though Seren didn''t ask Lady Tyra what was happening, she was curious too. She wanted to know why that young servant who looked around her own age was whipped so brutally.


    That servant broke one tea cup from the most precious and treasured set," Lady risa replied and looked at the servant who was holding one tray and had followed Lady risa to the central hall.


    The servant understood what Lady risa meant and immediately came to them.


    Lady risa picked up one cup from the tray and signaled towards the broken pieces of another cup. "This was a rare tea set which my mother had brought from the west when she traveled there. It has been with me for so many years but this servant broke one cup due to her clumsiness."


    Seren looked at the remaining four cups in the tray and picked one of them. She observed the cup silently to know what was so precious about it.


    "For this, is she getting whipped like this?" Lady Tyra asked again.


    "Yes, and she deserves it. The one who can''t handle precious things like these and break them deserves to get whipped no matter who that person is. It had memories of myte mother in it and as she had spoiled it for me, she deserves more severe punishment. I won''t spare anyone. We don''t need clumsy servants here��.."


    Smash!


    Everyone heard the sound of the tea cup smashing on the floor and shattering into small pieces. It was the cup that Seren was holding and now it had turned into broken pieces.


    Lady risa looked at Seren in disbelief. She was just talking about punishing the one who will break it and this young Queen broke it right away. What was she trying to do?


    Seren didn''t even look at the shocked Lady risa and picked up another cup from the left three.


    Smash!


    Next moment everyone saw Seren letting it go from her hand and the tea cup smashing on the floor. Now only two cups were left in the tray. Before Lady risa could even react, one more cup was on the floor and was converted into tiny pieces.


    Smash!


    Everyone was shocked to see what their Queen was doing. She had not uttered a single word since the moment she had arrived here so no one understood what she was trying to do. Lady risa held the power in this Royal Harem. Though Seren was a queen, she was too young to face the strong and crafty woman like Lady risa. Was this young Queen asking for trouble?


    Seren again silently looked at thest cup left in the tray and was about to pick it up, when Lady risa called her. "Your Majesty, what are you doing?"


    Not answering her, Seren picked up thest cup from the tray and let it go from her hand.


    Smash!


    Everyone looked at the young in disbelief as no one ever dared to act like this with Lady risa. She didn''t even answer what Lady risa had asked her. Among all, Lady Tyra and Seren''s servants were the happiest seeing how their Queen managed to affect Lady risa without even uttering a single word.


    Once thest cup in the tray was broken, Seren looked at the one that Lady risa held in her hand.


    Lady risa immediately moved her hand to her back to hide thatst cup and asked, "Why did you do this, Your Majesty? Didn''t I say it has memories of myte mother?" Lady risa asked, trying to suppress her anger and annoyance.


    "I wanted to see those memories. As I couldn''t see them while I was observing it, I thought I might be able to see them once they are broken," Seren replied.


    "What?" Lady risa eximed. She had no words to counter.


    Seren being a Queen, no one could dare to even think about punishing her. A while ago Lady risa said she will punish anyone who will break her treasured thing but Seren was not included in that and neither did Lady risa had expected Seren to do this. Lady risa thought this young Queen will only get scared after seeing the brutal scenario in front of her and will be wary of her.


    Lady risa wanted to show Seren her power and scare her, but everything went opposite of what she intended.


    Seren looked at Lady risa''s hand which was holding and hiding thest cup left and said, "I think one cup should be enough to treasure all those memories."


    Lady risa gritted her teeth and clenched her grip on the cup as she could say nothing. This young Queen had openly challenged her authority, the one who had been in charge of this Royal Harem for the past eighteen years since Queen Esther has gone.


    ------


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 Chapter 242: Hurtful Memories

    <h4>Chapter 242: Hurtful Memories</h4>


    "Your Majesty, please save my daughter."


    The older female servant who was begging Lady risa until a while ago for her daughter, immediately hurried towards the young Queen the moment she saw how their Queen had shut Lady risa and begged for her daughter.


    Seren nced at the crying servant but her eyes held no emotions for her. She then looked at the young injured servant who was lifelessly kneeling after gettingshes from the whip.


    Seren just looked at Lady Tyra. As if Lady Tyra could understand what her Queen meant, she nodded and looked at Lady Xena, "Get that servant to the physician."


    Lady Xena nodded and Seren turned to leave. She didn''t wish to stay in the ce which reminded her of the simr memories from the past. She was unusually quiet and continued to walk out of the central hall as her servants followed her.


    The otherdies in the Royal Harem too followed her out to respectfully see off their Queen. They wanted to talk to her but what she had done a while ago with Lady risa in her unique way, made everyone feel wary of this Queen. She looked silent but they were intimidated as they couldn''t see through her due to that veil. The rumors about her had reached everyone and it added to their fear.


    Seren sat in her Carriage after the servants helped her and everyone bowed to the Queen till the Royal carriage left the Harem''s main door.


    Lady Tyra looked at her, "Your Majesty, apology for letting you witness such a scenario in Royal Harem on your first visit."


    Seren said nothing and continued to look outside of the carriage''s window silently. The memories from the past shed in front of her eyes when she was hardly seven or eight years old. It was the King''s birthday and like every year Martha took her out of the tower to be a part of the birthday celebration of the King of Abetha. It was just an excuse to allow her to be out of that tower and see the people around which happened every year.


    No one talked to her. They stayed away from her calling her a witch while she quietly saw all the princesses, who were the same age as hers, ying with each other happily. She was always alone.


    By any chance, if she got the opportunity to y with them, it always resulted in her being tricked into something by her half-sisters and creating an even worse image of herself.


    Among all those annoying princesses and the daughters of the servants around their ages, there was one little girl who used to approach Seren and y with her. She was the daughter of one of the royal servants.


    The images from that hurtful day were still engraved in her mind vividly. Martha had left her to y with other girls of her age on her own in the ying area, meant only for the princesses.


    "Third Princess, will you y with me?" the little girl of the same age as Seren, smiled at her.


    Seren nodded hesitantly. She knew this girl named Rene who had approached her on previous asions too when Seren came out in the pce and the two started ying with their dolls. Seren looked at the doll in that girl''s hand which looked prettier as she was dressed like a royal princess. Seren being a princess she didn''t have such a pretty doll but the daughter of the servant had it.


    "Your doll is so pretty, Rene," Seren said, observing it.


    The girl smiled brightly, looking at her doll, and said, "Isn''t it? The First Princess gave it to me."


    It was something surprising for Seren as in her eyes her half-sisters were always mean to her and they were good to this girl to give her such a doll. The heart of little Seren sank in and she pouted slightly under her veil.


    "Do you want to y with it, Third Princess?" the girl asked.


    Seren immediately nodded and the girl passed her the doll. When Seren held the doll, she felt there was something wrong with one hand of the doll and looked for it. Just as she touched it, the hand came off. Seren''s eyes were left wide open and she looked at the girl who herself was shocked to see it.


    "I didn''t do it," Seren said.


    The girl turned calm and said, "It must be broken already. I will ask my mother to fix it."


    "I..am sorry," Seren apologized.


    "Third Princess, you don''t need to apologize. It''s��."


    "You broke my doll?" The two heard the loud voice of a girl, a few years older than her.


    That was the First Princess Giselle. She looked furious and came to Seren and the servant''s daughter.


    "F-First Princess��." the girl stood up immediately, seeing Giselle so furious.


    "How dare you break my doll?" Giselle asked while all the other princesses and servant''s daughters gathered around them feeling curious about this scenario.


    Poor Rene shivered, "First Princess, you gave this doll to me��."


    "I gave you to y with it for a while but not to break it. Do you know how precious this doll is? You lowly servant can''t even afford to look at it. I pitied you and gave it to you but you broke it," Giselle sounded even more furious than before.


    The little girl immediately kneeled, "A-Apologies, First Princess��."


    "Your apology can''t fix it. You need to get punished," Giselle dered.


    "Yes sister, punish her nicely so next time no one will dare to touch our things," Second Princess Mieramented as she looked at Seren.


    "Servant, bring the whip," Giselle ordered.


    Seren, who was already scared, felt bad for the girl and said, "I...was the one who broke it. Don''t punish her."


    Giselle smirked, "Oh, so it''s you, witch?"


    Seren ignored what she called her as she was used to hearing everyone calling her a witch and said, "It was already broken but that hand happened toe off when I checked it."


    "You liar. Though you are the one to break it, this servant girl will get the punishment. We can''t hit one princess," Giselle grinned as she looked at the servant who brought the whip. Giselle got the whip and the next moment everyone heard the sound of the whip shing the body of a little girl, who cried out in pain.


    Just then the mother of that girl arrived there after knowing what was happening with her daughter.


    She immediately kneeled next to her little daughter and faced Giselle, "Your highness, please forgive her. You can hit me instead."


    "Get away from here or I will hit her more. Don''t forget my mother can punish your entire family for offending me," Giselle warned and swung a whip at the little girl which hit her again.


    The poor mother could only cry seeing her daughter in pain and the next moment everyone heard the loud angry voice that startled them.


    "Stop hitting her. I told you it was me who broke your doll." Seren was angry.


    Giselle didn''t stop and insteadughed at angry Seren. "This is what she deserves for daring to y with a witch and forgetting her duty of apanying only me and my sister."


    ''So this is the reason this little girl is being punished, just because she wanted to y with me,'' Seren concluded and it angered her even more.


    Just then Giselle hit the girl once more and she heard Seren shouting at her, "I told you to not hit her."


    Everyone around felt scared seeing her angry but Giselle didn''t seem to care. "Sister, I think you should stop," Miera said but Giselle didn''t listen. By then Queen Niobe and Martha too arrived there and saw themotion.


    Martha hurried towards Seren but it was already veryte. Just as Giselle wanted to hit the girl once again, the bottom of Giselle''s clothes caught fire that shocked everyone.

 Chapter 243: [Bonus Chapter]Guilt From The Past

    <h4>Chapter 243: [Bonus Chapter]Guilt From The Past</h4>


    Seeing her dress had caught the fire, Giselle dropped the whip from her hand as she screamed loudly and ran around, all over the ce. Martha was closer to her and caught her only to push her in the fountain''s bottom ring which was filled with water.


    From a distance, Martha could feel Seren getting infuriated and she was ready for it. She knew before she would hurry to her, someone would be put on fire as she could sense the intensity of her power which was stronger than ever and it appeared out like this only when she was angry beyond control.


    Queen Niobe who was shocked, hurried to get her daughter out from the fountain as the servants too were pulling her out while Martha already hurried towards Seren to stop her from causing any further harm.


    Reaching the angry girl who was standing alone as everyone ran away from her in fear, Martha kneeled in front of the girl and looked into her eyes filled with rage. She hugged her gently then patted and caressed her back. "My Lady, calm down. Please calm down."


    Getting that warm hug, Seren calmed down immediately and Martha looked at her. Tears rolled down Seren''s eyes as she didn''t know what to do. She had no control over what she had done just now and felt lost.


    "It''s my fault to leave you alone here, My Lady. I won''t let it happen again."


    Seren said nothing but hugged back Martha and cried. The clouds were gathering up in the sky as raindrops started to fall. "Mydy, you can''t cry. Stop crying."


    It was impossible for the hurt little girl to control her emotions so she couldn''t stop crying.


    Everyone moved away to not get soaked in the rain while Martha carried Seren towards the corridor to protect her from getting drenched.


    Just then one of the servants came there and informed, "Her Majesty had asked the Third Princess and you to be present in the Queen''s throne hall."


    Martha nodded and the servant left.


    "Mydy, stop crying. This is not the time of year for the rain. If you do so, it will cause inconvenience to the people in the capital. I told youst time, didn''t I?" Martha asked gently.


    Seren nodded as she remembered this unseasonal rain will affect the crops and farmers and there won''t be any food for a year. It will affect the businesses and will cause loss to so many people and they will starve.


    Seren stopped crying and the two went to the Queen''s throne hall where Queen Niobe was sitting on her throne, carrying gravely serious expressions.


    "Exin what happened?" Queen Niobe ordered the servant who was there at that moment.


    The servant''s daughters who were with Giselle exined what happened and also Miera was there to take her sister''s side. Giselle was scared to her bones after that incident, so much that she went unconscious.


    Everyone said the same thing which implied that it was that servant girl''s mistake for breaking Giselle''s doll and the Third Princess meddled in between to the extent that harmed the First Princess.


    Queen Niobe red at Martha, "Isn''t it your responsibility to take care of her? Will you let that witch harm everyone like this? Now my daughter, will she harm me next time? Do you want to put all our lives in danger?"


    "Apologies, Your Majesty. His Majesty, King Armen, asked an audience with me so I had to leave her," Martha replied.


    Queen Niobe knew this servant never left the side of the Third Princess and always stuck to her like glue. As she had gone to meet the King himself, Queen Niobe could say nothing to her.


    Queen Niobe looked at Seren. "You have hurt my daughter for the sake of a mere servant. Being a princess of this Kingdom, it won''t be good to punish you but that servant who made you harm my daughter, she will have to bear all the punishment."


    Seren shivered with fear. "No��"


    Martha held Seren closer to interrupt her from talking, "My Lady, Her Majesty is right."


    Seren looked at Martha in disbelief and felt helpless. How could Martha take the side of the wrong person?


    "Mydy, we should always respect Her Majesty''s decision. She is always right," Martha added. She knew Queen Niobe won''t stop and there was no use in letting Seren argue with her.


    Seren looked at the woman sitting on the throne carrying the same cold expressions and heard her, "Punish that girl with fiftyshes of the whip."


    Seren clutched onto Martha''s clothes and Martha stopped her from talking any further. The poor girl was taken to the middle of the hall and one servant holding a whip stood beside her.


    Martha bowed to the Queen, "Your Majesty, His Majesty had asked us to return to the tower and not bete."


    Queen Niobe nodded and Martha immediately took Seren away from there, not letting her turn back to look at the center of the hall. While leaving, Seren heard the sounds of the whip and cries of that girl and her mother. Walking further away, those sounds disappeared and Seren could only feel helpless. Since that day she had decided to not make any friends even if someone approached her. After that incident, no one ever dared to approach her either as they were terrified of the other two princesses.


    The next time Seren stepped out of the tower to attend another social asion in the pce, she didn''t see that girl who got punishment from the Queen.


    Once Seren asked Martha, "What happened with that girl, Martha?"


    "Not sure, My Lady," Martha replied.


    After that Seren never asked about her. After that, she never saw her ever again and she believed that girl must have died. For so many days Seren was upset with Martha for taking Queen''s side when she dered the punishment for Rene but over time she forgot it.


    ''Rene!'' Seren whispered that girl''s name in her mind as she could still remember her face as she looked at her, smiling ear to ear.


    Today''s incident reminded her of Rene when she saw that injured girl and this time she didn''t wish to let it happen again. In the past, she was a powerless kid who they ignored but now it was not the same. By helping this girl, Seren could ease her guilt of not being able to help Rene at that time and ended up meddling into other''s matters when she always preferred to stay away from it.


    "Your Majesty, we have reached."


    Lady Tyra''s voice pulled Seren out of the past incident and she realized the carriage had stopped inside her residence and the Servants were waiting to help her step out of the carriage.

 Chapter 244: Brave Hidden Tigress

    <h4>Chapter 244: Brave Hidden Tigress</h4>


    After finishing the Royal court matters, Drayce went to his another study which was on the same premises as the Royal Court.


    This study room was meant for the king if someone wanted to meet him and for discussing any particr matter individually with him, also in case ministers or any other subjects from the kingdom wished to have an audience with him.


    More than a study room, it was his official workroom while the study in his residence was solely reserved for him and a few close ones who he allowed to enter.


    Currently, Drayce was talking to the head of the merchants in the city and a few ministers. Jasper had to go out for a while and once he returned, he was desperate to tell something to his King.


    Once the head of the merchants and the ministers finished their talk and were dismissed, Jasper went to Drayce. Before he could say a word, Drayce looked at him, "Seems like you have something interesting up your sleeves?"


    "What if I say it''s about Her Majesty?" Saying he offered a teasing smile to Drayce.


    Drayce''s eyes brightened up at the mention of his wife, "What about her?"


    Just then yer entered the study and bowed, "Your Majesty, minister��."


    Drayce raised his hand to stop him and continued to look at Jasper, "Continue."


    Jasper chuckled and looked at yer, "Everything else can wait for our King when ites to Her Majesty."


    yer said nothing and Drayce frowned, "Are you going to say it or do you want to lose your tongue?"


    "Don''t be so harsh. Those courtesans love it when my tongue��."


    Cough! Cough!


    yer coughed at what Jasper was about to say and Drayce pinched his nose bridge and mumbled, "Such a shameless Royal Adviser I have."


    Jasper ignored what Drayce said and looked at yer, "Such a pure soul we have here. You shoulde with me and I will introduce you to the best courtesan. It''s not good for a healthy man like you to hold back for so many years."


    yer shot him a re and looked at Drayce, "Your Majesty, I will be back once our Royal Adviser is done talking useless stuff."


    Jasper smiled widely seeing his annoyed friend. Before yer could leave, he spoke, "Still so shy huh? There are so many women who are dying to get a single nce from you and here you are saving yourself uselessly."


    yer stopped and gave him a death re, "Once you are done, meet me at the sword training court," and left.


    yer''s intentions were clear that he was not going to spare him this time. A line of sweat appeared on Jasper''s forehead.


    "Are you going to say it or do you want to have one sword training session with me too?" Drayce warned.


    "Well, I will but first Your Majesty has to promise to save me from yer," he tried to negotiate.


    "Who asked you to mess up with him? Don''t you know how he is?" Drayce countered.


    "I think good for him and want him to rx a bit but..."


    "I will think about it," Drayce interrupted him as he was in a hurry to hear about his wife.


    Jasper felt relieved and narrated the entire incident that happened in the Royal Harem. Jasper was not just the Royal adviser but he was aware of everything that happened in the pce. He had a knack for getting everything from others and most of the time, the news followed him on its own given his strong resources inside the pce.


    Drayce smiled pleasantly at what he got to know about his Queen. ''As expected, she is not a scared kitten but a brave hidden tigress,'' he concluded.


    Seeing him smiling, Jasper asked, "Are you that happy to hear it, Your Majesty?"


    Drayce nodded and Jasper asked again, "So can I expect you to save me from that angry man?"


    Drayce nodded.


    Feeling relieved, Jasper informed, "This is the time to meet the knights and the soldiers who have returned from Thevailes border."


    Drayce stood up and came out of the study as Jasper followed him. The yer was standing outside. He didn''t spare a nce at Jasper and bowed to Drayce.


    "What were you about to say when you came inside?" Drayce asked him.


    "Minister Ruben asked for an Audience with Your Majesty but as Your Majesty was busy, he said he will returnter," yer informed.


    Drayce nodded and yer said, "The horses are ready."


    The three got on the horses and were about to ride towards the quarters of the knights but Drayce suddenly pulled the reins of the horse even before the horse could take a few steps ahead.


    Jasper and yer looked at him surprisingly and asked, "Is everything alright, Your Majesty?"


    Drayce was busy hearing something and said, "You two go ahead," and rode his horse towards the residence of the King and the Queen.


    "Seems like he had heard something," Jasper said.


    "Must be about Her Majesty," yer added with a slight nod.


    "I hope there is nothing to worry about."


    "If it was, he would have asked us toe with him or would have ordered us to do something,"


    Jasper nodded in agreement and heard yer, "Let''s go to the training court."


    Jasper again felt his palms turn sweaty. Before he could reject he heard yer, "I believe you won''t like getting dragged there while everyone witnesses it."


    "When did I say no?" Jasper retorted and the two left towards the training court.


    -----


    Seren returned to her residence after visiting the Royal Harem. She was unusually silent and her servants noticed it. She chose to go to her study as she needed to keep herself busy. Seren sat in the chair behind her study table while others stood up to the one side to attend to her.


    "Get a tea for Her Majesty," Lady Tyra ordered to Lady Xena and turned to Seren, who looked like she was in a daze, "Your Majesty, are you still thinking about the incident that happened in the Royal Harem?"


    Seren shook her head, she looked unusually quiet.


    "Then, may I know what is bothering Your Majesty?" Lady Tyra asked.


    "It''s nothing, Lady Tyra. I am just tired," Seren replied, clearly not wishing to talk about anything else.


    Lady Tyra didn''t insist.


    Just then Eva entered the bedchamber carrying a stack of books, "Your Majesty, His Majesty has sent some books for you."


    It reminded Seren that she was yet to read the books that Drayce had asked her to but the previous day they left for the hot water spring so she couldn''t read any. She had given her word to Drayce that she would read them all.


    "Keep it here," Seren instructed, not willing to go back on her word.


    Eva kept the books on the study table while Seren only looked at them. She was not in the mood to read anything but needed some peace for her mind after she recalled the hurtful memories from the past.


    Lady Xena brought tea for her and served it.


    "I would like to be alone," Seren said and everyone left the study.


    Seren looked at the tea but she didn''t wish to drink it. She stood up from her chair and thought about going to the greenhouse attached to her study.


    On the way, her sight followed the long slender wooden box on the shelf. Without a second dy, she went towards the box, opened it, and pulled out the flute kept inside it.


    She put the box back on the shelf and carried the flute with her to the greenhouse. The atmosphere inside the greenhouse was pleasant enough to make her feel better. She went towards the swing hanging in the center of the greenhouse and sat on it.


    ''It feels much better here.'' She stared at the sea which gave her the illusion that the greenhouse was surrounded by seawater.


    Seren looked at the flute in her hand and felt so attached to it as if it was calling her to y it.


    ''It''s been so long since I yed it. Not sure if I can y it nicely now,'' she thought and held the flute in front of her veil-covered lips. The moment she did it, the veil converted into ayer of energy instead of a piece of fabric which didn''t hinder her from ying the flute.


    She closed her eyes and the next moment everyone inside the Queen and King''s residence heard the sweet melody of the flute being yed. It was surprising for everyone as no one ever had seen anyone ying the flute here.


    "It''s Her Majesty," Lady Tyra said and others remembered that the previous day Seren had told them that she knew how to y the flute.


    Seren, who had yed the flute only with the intention of giving it a try after so many years, unknown to her, she got immersed in it as if that flute, and she was one and she was the master ying the flute.


    No one had ever heard such beautiful and pleasant-sounding music from the flute and couldn''t help but get immersed in it while leaving whatever work they were doing. It was as if the entire residence was enchanted with that musicing from the flute which touched their souls and felt the atmosphere turned heavenly beautiful that even the birds and trees seemed to move along that music from the flute.

 Chapter 245: The Melody From The Past

    <h4>Chapter 245: The Melody From The Past</h4>


    Other than all the servants in the residence, there was one more person whose sharp ears didn''t fail to catch the musicing from the flute. It was a familiar melody that he had heard when he was a kid and he could never forget it.


    In the past when Drayce''s mother was still with him, he once heard the same melodying from the flute somewhere. At that time Drayce had insisted his mother get a flute and y it for him but unfortunately, his wish was left unfulfilled.


    Drayce rode the horse towards the Queen''s residence as he was sure from where this music wasing from. Immersed in the memories from the past, he rode as fast as he could and even forgot that he could just teleport there.


    While riding, his ears were still focussed on the music and he didn''t even spare a nce to anyone who bowed to him on the way. No one existed for him but that music.


    Drayce''s horse stopped inside the surrounding walls of the residence and the moment he stepped down from the horse, everyone bowed to greet their King but when they lifted their heads to look at him, he was gone and there was nothing but the strong gust of wind left behind.


    Drayce reached the floor of Seren''s bedchamber where all her servants were standing outside of the study along with Lady Tyra.


    Seeing Drayce they all bowed but he looked at no one and strode towards the study from where that music wasing from. Lady Tyra signaled everyone to leave and they all followed her.


    Drayce slowly opened the door, not willing to disturb the person who was ying the flute. He stepped inside the study but no one was there. He followed the music and went towards the greenhouse, not making even the slightest of sound.


    Reaching the door of the greenhouse, he saw Seren sitting on the swing and was immersed in ying the flute with her eyes closed. Several colorful butterflies from the greenhouse had gathered around her and were moving in a circle forming a whirl, which reached the dome-shaped top of the greenhouse, making it look like a colorful painting on the ss.


    Her entire self was emitting visible energy as she was elegantly ying the flute. She looked like a goddess, whom nature was ready to greet. She looked so immersed in her own different world that she was not even aware of what kind of effect she had caused by simply ying this flute.


    Drayce couldn''t help but continue looking at her in a daze. The view in front of him was so enticing that one could not take their eyes off it.


    His wife was not an ordinary person, even the music yed by her had turned everything into a pleasant dream. A dream that looked too good to be true.


    After a while, Seren finally stopped ying the flute, not being aware that someone had been here for a long time, admiring her and the music she yed. The moment she stopped ying, all the butterflies around her dispersed all over the ce, and the energy emitting from her disappeared in a moment.


    Finally feeling at peace, she opened her eyes, only to see Drayce, who was standing in front of her but there was some distance between them.


    Not knowing what to feel about it as he had seen her ying the flute, she stood up silently and bowed to him, "Greetings, Your Majesty."


    Drayce was still looking at her calmly which worried her, ''Did he not like that I had touched what belonged to his mother? Have Imitted a mistake? Is he angry about it? Have I just reminded him about sad memories from the past? Lady Tyra said his mother couldn''t y it for him. Have I hurt him?''


    When she was busy thinking all this, Drayce stepped towards her and stood facing her which worried her even more and she lowered her head.


    Drayce raised his hand to tuck the loose strands of hair behind her ear as he called her, "My Queen."


    Seren looked at him. His eyes carried gentleness and affection only meant for her.


    ''He is not angry,'' she concluded by reading the emotions in his eyes and heard him praising her, "My Queen, I did not know you can y the flute so beautifully."


    She felt happy that he praised her as her eyes turned bright with it, "Did you like it, Your Majesty?"


    Drayce nodded, "You should y it often."


    "Thank you, Your Majesty." She felt unexinable happiness hearing his praise.


    "Did you like it here, My Queen?" he asked again and she immediately nodded, "Yes, Your Majesty."


    Drayce held her hand and took her towards the ss wall of the greenhouse and looked outside. "When I was a kid, I used to spend an entire day here."


    "Did you like this ce too?" she asked.


    "More than the ce I liked the person who used to be here," he replied.


    Seren understood who he was talking about. ''Will it be fine to mention about his mother?'' she wondered.


    Just as she thought, she heard Drayce, "My mother. Everything here still reflects her existence. Everything is still the same."


    Seren was still holding that flute in her hand and realized she had touched his mother''s things without his permission. "This flute��I"


    As if he understood what she meant, he said, "You can take it as a gift from my mother."


    "Thank you, Your Majesty. I will make sure to take care of it always," she assured, knowing how precious it must be for him after knowing the entire story from Lady Tyra.


    "But, in exchange, my Queen has to y it for me whenever I ask you to."


    "Yes, Your Majesty," she agreed easily.


    He was always so good to her and took care of her but she could never do anything for him, so she thought she could do at least one thing for him.


    After a short pause, Drayce asked, "My Queen, may I know who had taught you this particr melody?"


    "No one," she replied.


    It surprised him, "No one? Then have you learned to y the flute on your own?"


    "Martha had taught me how to y the flute but this melody came out on its own," she replied.


    "Maybe you must have heard it somewhere?" Drayce suggested.


    "Not sure but as long as I remember, I never heard or saw anyone ying flute in front of me other than Martha, who always yed a few simple melodies," she replied.


    Though Drayce had so many questions in his mind, he didn''t insist on her remembering it. He was sure she was away from the rest of the world to know anything from outside the tower she lived in, but ying this same melody on flute without listening to it even once, raised a lot of questions in his mind.


    "Do you wish to stay here, My Queen?" he asked.


    "No, I have to read all those books sent by Your Majesty. I should go to my study," she informed him.


    Drayce cleared his throat as a light smile was painted on his lips but he didn''t wish to tease her about anything right now. He didn''t wish to make her conscious about anything so soon.


    "Let''s leave then," he suggested and the two left the greenhouse.


    Seren went towards the shelf to carefully keep that flute back in its ce while Drayce sat on the cushioned sofa kept in the study, a few feet away from her study table, as he observed her.


    Drayce remembered the sight from earlier when Seren was ying that flute. A lot of questions were raised in his mind, for which he still had no answers.


    ''What is her true identity? She sure did not look like the woman who I had known all this while. How can she y the same melody that she never heard of and I had heard a long time ago? I have searched for every musician who is an expert in ying the flute but no one could ever y this one melody. That woman in the forest��.."


    Drayce remembered those memories from the past when he heard that flute melody for the first and thest time in his life. He and his mother once went to the forest to get some rare wild berries that she loved to pick on her own. Apanying her was Drayce''s favorite activity to do.


    "Mother, these berries are so sweet," little Drayce said to his mother.


    "Do you like them?"


    "What mother likes, I like it too," he replied happily.


    "But we are not here to get berries only. We need to get some rare herbs that can be only found in this forest," she replied.


    "Yes, mother," he agreed and started to search for the herbs that his mother always used to search and he was aware of how to find them.


    While searching, he stepped a bit far away from his mother. Just as he realized and was about to return back, little Drayce heard the sound of the flute that made him stop in his tracks. He liked that pleasant melody and followed the sound without thinking much about it.


    After a while, he saw a woman in a beautiful long white dress sitting on the fallen tree trunk and was ying the flute. She was sitting with her back facing him and he couldn''t see her face. All he could see was her long red hair moving along with the breeze and her entire body emitting strong energy. Birds and butterflies gathered around her and even the animals around turned calm and looked dazed by the musicing from the flute.


    "Dray, what are you doing here?" His mother called him and he turned to look at her. "Mother, who is that woman?" he questioned.


    "Who?" his mother asked.


    "The woman ying the flute?" he asked and looked at where that woman was sitting but there was no one. "There was a woman��"


    "She must have left?" his mother replied.


    Drayce nodded disappointingly and asked, "Mother, did you hear the sound of the flute?"


    "Yes, I did."


    "I liked it. Can mother y it for me?" he asked, his innocent eyes, full of hope.


    "Anything for my son," she said, smiling pleasantly.


    The sound of the wooden box closing brought him back to his senses and he looked at Seren who was walking towards him.


    ''She looked the same as that woman when she was ying the flute. Is there any rtionship between the two?'' he wondered.

 Chapter 246: I Dont Like Lies

    <h4>Chapter 246: I Don''t Like Lies</h4>


    Keeping the flute back in its box, Seren turned to go towards Drayce who was sitting on the cushioned sofa next to the study table, resting his hand at the hand rest and was busy wondering about his Queen and her existence.


    Seren felt his intense gaze on her and she felt awkward but little did she know that he was just immersed in his deep thoughts. With slow steps she walked towards him, not knowing what he was thinking and why he was staring at her.


    She stood in front of him at a distance and thought to say something as she couldn''t bear with the way that pair of red eyes was staring at her.


    "Your Majesty, is there something you want to say?" Her voice was low and hesitant.


    It pulled Drayce out of his thoughts and he offered her a light smile. He patted the ce next to him on the sofa, "Have a seat, My Queen."


    With a cautious mind, she walked towards the sofa and sat at the other corner of it while leaving enough space for one more person to sit between them.


    Drayce observed her cautious behavior. ''Wasn''t she justfortable with me when we were in the greenhouse? Why is she suddenly so distant again? I don''t remember doing anything to scare her,'' He frowned inwardly and asked, "Is someone going to sit here between us, My Queen?"


    "Huh?" Seeing how displeased he looked, she immediately shook her head, "No, Your Majesty"


    He narrowed his eyes, "Then why not sit here when I clearly patted the ce next to me?"


    "Ah! I thought it''s morefortable like this," she replied immediately. She couldn''te to say that the way he looked at her, almost scared her.


    He still had those same cold expressions on his face and said in a firm voice, "I remember, My Queen feeling sofortable when every night I sleep holding her."


    It startled the young Queen as suddenly embarrassment took over her, "I��" She had no words to retort as what he said was the truth.


    Seeing her flustered, he smirked, "Or should I think, My Queen likes to be closer to me only at night and likes to snuggle in my embrace?"


    "That''s not��.what��" again her mind went nk at his domineering self and she heard him again, "I am at fault."


    "Huh? N-No, Your Majesty��."


    Drayce immediately moved closer to her and leaned towards her. In reflex, she moved back as her back leaned on the hand rest of the sofa and her startled-looking eyes blinked as she tried to figure out what he was doing.


    He held her by the chin to not let her move away from her face, "It''s indeed my fault, My Queen, to not make you get used to my presence and having me closer to you during daytime."


    She felt speechless with not getting any meaning out of his words and only stared at him but that closeness reminded her of the moments on that boat when she was close to him just like this. Her eyes moved to his lips subconsciously.


    "Should I make my Queen used to it?" he asked as his thumb traced her veil-covered lips.


    Her innocent heart melted right away the moment he touched her lips and looked at him as if she was anticipating something. Last time she had touched his lips and she liked it and felt her heart picking up the face at the memory of it.


    He smirked teasingly, "My Queen''s tiny heart is always so noisy." He had already noticed her gazing at his lips and asked, "May I ask what my Queen is thinking about?"


    She finally moved her sight from his lips to his eyes, "Nothing, Your Majesty!"


    "Lies? I don''t like lies," his tone was full of warning as his face moved closer. She could feel his hot breath fanning against her skin even under the veil.


    She gulped under his gaze and replied honestly, "That day on the boat��" she stopped.


    He didn''t stop staring into her eyes and asked, "What about it?"


    She didn''t know how to say it but she had as he was almost scaring her, "When His Majesty did that��."


    "What?" he asked, not willing to back down.


    Not having the words to exin it due to the embarrassment, what she did next was unexpected for Drayce. Her face covered that little distance left between them and repeated the same thing she did the other night; she touched her lips with his and parted away and said, "This."


    Though Drayce was surprised, his heart was jumping with happiness and he said, "My Queen, you sure are so bold."


    Seren felt as if she hadmitted a sin and spoke, "I didn''t mean to do it, Your Majesty insisted on it."


    He had nothing to guard against her innocence which made him crave for her even more and asked, "Out of all the things, why did My Queen remember only this?" He could finally feel at ease that she didn''t remember the biting incident and asked, "Did you like it when I did it, my Queen?"


    She remembered his words- ''I don''t like lies.'' Then, thought about what Martha said - ''Lying is a bad thing.''


    She nodded, "Yes, Your Majesty."


    Drayce grinned inwardly and just as he thought to do something, he frowned and rubbed his ears.


    It puzzled her, wondering if she had done something wrong again and heard him, "Those two started again," and looked at her, "My Queen, I have to leave. Something came up."


    Seren could only nod and Drayce pecked on her lips as he closely gazed into her eyes, "We will continue itter."


    She nodded lightly and Drayce moved back. He stood up and Seren did the same to see him off. Drayce looked at the books kept on her study table, "Till my next visit, I believe my Queen would have finished reading at least one book."


    "I will, Your Majesty."


    Just as she lowered her head to bow him lightly, she felt the strong gust of wind and he was already gone.


    -----


    Drayce reached the sword training ground where he was weed by the noise of two swords nking.


    His Guardian knight and the Royal Adviser, both were indulged in a sword fight, where one was angry and aggressive while the other one was calling for Drayce.


    When Drayce was busy with Seren, he heard Jasper''s voice calling him again and again, "Dray, save me from this beast. Dray, where are you? You promised me."


    Drayce didn''t care about it as these two fight like this often when he had to help Jasper. Hearing him calling him again and again, he was sure he wouldn''t quiet down until he reached there and had to leave Seren.


    Drayce stood by the border of that wide square-shaped sword battleground and pinched his nose bridge. His two friends were acting like kids even though they were the Royal subjects and represented him, the King of Megaris.


    yer looked aggressive and from the look of it, Drayce was sure this time he didn''t look like showing any mercy on Jasper. His sword moves were ferocious while Jasper could only manage to dodge them.


    "What are you doing yer? Are you even my friend?" Jasper said between the loud noise made by their swords nking together.


    His words didn''t affect yer as if those words didn''t fall on his ears.


    "Damn Dray, where are you?" Jasper Cursed. Though Drayce was a king, they were friends too.


    While busy dodging and protecting himself from yer''s ferocious attacks, Jasper didn''t see Drayce standing at the other side of the ground.


    yer continued attacking as Jasper had to kneel on the ground to stop his sword with his as he held it over his head. Finally, Jasper''s sight caught Drayce standing at the other side of the ground and he shouted loudly, "Why are you just standing there? Didn''t you say you will save me?"


    "He didn''t kill you yet to save you," Drayce replied.


    "Are you waiting for me to die?" Jasper asked while moving and dodging yer''s attacks. He covered the distance closer to Drayce and said again, "If I die, you will be the one at loss, Dray."


    Drayce didn''t budge as he just stood there to let Jasper learn his lesson to not say vulgar things to yer, who hated it.


    "Fine, let me die. When you will be busy with Her Majesty and then busy with looking after your little devils, I will see from above who will look after the kingdom in your absence."


    Hearing it, Drayce seriously thought for a moment and Jasper''s words did make sense.


    "Enough yer!" Drayce ordered.


    Hearing it, the sword that was about to attack Jasper, stopped in midway even before it could touch Jasper''s sword. Though Drayce was his friend, yer always obeyed his words as a king. One word from Drayce was enough for him as a Royal Decree.


    yer immediately put his sword back in the scabbard and bowed to Drayce, "Your Majesty!"


    Jasper was happy as usual and went to Drayce as hemented looking at yer, "What a loyal knight!"


    yer red at him, "Next time I won''t go easy on you."


    "Do you think you were going easy on me until now? It was my skilled swordsmanship that saved me till now."


    "Really?" yer was ready to pull his sword out again but Jasper hurried towards Drayce and mumbled, "He is getting ferocious every passing day. We need to get him married or it will turn worse. He doesn''t even visit the courtesan house when I ask him to��."


    "Have you decided on dying today itself?" Drayce interrupted him.


    Jasper felt wronged, "Can''t you see I am just worried about him?"


    "If he drags you back to the battleground, don''t expect me to save you. You have already disturbed my visit to the Queen."


    "Did I call for you at the wrong moment?" Jasper asked curiously.


    Drayce looked at him with a warning gaze, "Next time I will be the one with the sword instead of yer."


    Jasper immediately bowed, "Apologies, Your Majesty."


    Drayce looked at his lowered head and ordered, "You are not visiting the courtesan house for one month."


    Feeling shocked, Jasper looked at him, "Dray, this is unfair��.."


    Drayce red at him as he touched his sword handle and Jasper bowed his head again, "I can''t dare disobey Your Majesty."


    yer caught up to them and the three walked out of the battleground.


    "Your Majesty, should we continue our visit to knight''s Quarters?" Jasper asked.


    Drayce nodded and they left to the Knight''s Quarters.


    ===


    There will be one more mass release after 1st November if we maintain our position in the #5 golden ranking. Keep voting.

 Chapter 247: Asking About The Veil

    <h4>Chapter 247: Asking About The Veil</h4>


    After Drayce left, Seren went to her study table and looked at the books kept on the table. "I wish these are some good books like I used to read in Abetha and not the ones with a naked man and a woman. So uncultured!"


    Seren sat in her chair and just then others, who were standing outside her study while enjoying the flute music, entered the study.


    Everyone bowed to their Queen.


    "Your Majesty, that was such a beautiful melody," Lady Tyra said and others agreed to it too as they looked happy to know their Queen could y the flute so beautifully.


    Seren looked at them, "Was it good?"


    "Yes, Your Majesty. We have never heard anyone ying such a beautiful melody," Lady Xena, who used to be calm, quiet, and was more attentive towards fulfilling her duties towards the Queen with all her dedication, finally smiled pleasantly as she said it.


    One could see how much she loved it.


    "Lady Xena is right, Your Majesty," Eva said excitedly like a little girl, "I wish we could hear it often."


    Seren felt happy, seeing how delighted everyone was. Though they were her servants, it was the first time she did something on her own and everyone was praising her. It definitely felt good!


    Lady Tyra observed the tea they had arranged for Seren before leaving the room was cold and instructed, "Arrange tea and snacks for Her Majesty."


    Eva and Marie nodded and left.


    Lady Tyra looked at the threedies in waiting and instructed again, "Visit the Royal Harem and remind everyone the rules and inform them who is in charge of the Royal Harem now."


    Lady Tyra''s voice was strict andmanding. Though Lady Tyra was a mere royal servant in the eyes of Royals, no one could easily dare defy her. She was the head of all the Royal servants and had even served the greatdy and the Previous Queen. Lady Xena and the other two were thedies in waiting for the Queen who were Queen''s representatives, responsible for attending private and personal matters, running errands, and handling general correspondence.


    "Rest assured, Lady Tyra. Till Her Majesty''s next visit to the Royal Harem, all will be aware of it," Lady Xena replied firmly as there was no way she would let anyone take their Queen so lightly.


    Lady Tyra nodded and the threedies in waiting left to do their duties.


    "Your Majesty. Is there anything else I might help you with?" Lady Tyra asked once everyone was gone.


    Seren, who was about to open the book and start reading, suddenly stopped as Lady Tyra''s question had reminded her of something.


    "Lady Tyra, can you cast magic spells?" Seren asked.


    It startleddy Tyra but sheposed herself, "Why do you ask, Your Majesty?"


    "My Nanny Martha could cast magic spells but I never sensed any energy emitting from her but I could sense it from you. I can see iting from anyone who is just not any ordinary human."


    "Your Majesty. I am old now so I am as good as an ordinary human being," Lady Tyra replied as she knew there was no use of hiding it and asked, "Your Majesty had asked this so I believe there is another reason for it. Is there something that concerns Your Majesty and wishes to discuss with me? Your Majesty can trust me."


    Seren till now understood that this woman in front of her was trustable and Marie had vouched for her. If she was not good, His Majesty wouldn''t have appointed her to take care of his Queen. Moreover, she was Drayce''s nanny so in her eyes, shepared all the nannies to Martha and believed they are always good to the one who they had raised.


    She didn''t run around the bush and asked, "His Majesty wished me to remove this veil."


    "Is there any issue with removing the veil, Your Majesty?" Lady Tyra asked.


    Seren turned serious, opposite to how vulnerable she looked all the time. It was something important to her and she couldn''t take it lightly.


    "Lady Tyra, just like others, you must have heard about me and what kind of life I had been living in Abetha."


    Lady Tyra nodded, "Yes, Your Majesty. But rest assured those things don''t matter to us. You are our Queen, the Queen of Megaris."


    Seren was relieved to hear it and said, "They say I am a witch''s daughter and I am cursed. I know it''s the truth because I have seen enough of what kind of disasters I can cause. I don''t wish to harm anyone ever but things keep happening."


    "I understand, Your Majesty," Lady Tyra said softly and asked, "May I know what is the concern rted to this veil?"


    "Though His Majesty wishes me to remove this veil, I can notply with his wish. If I remove this veil and let His Majesty see my face, it will put his life in danger."


    Lady Tyra had already guessed that there must be a reason why Seren wore that veil all the time and never showed her face to anyone. She was sure it was not because she thought she was ugly and had those scales on her body. In Lady Tyra''s eyes, those scales on Seren''s body in fact looked beautiful. Her rare purple eyes never failed to amaze her which showed her pure and innocent soul. No wonder their King had chosen her.


    "What kind of danger, Your Majesty?" Lady Tyra asked.


    "My Nanny said, I can never let any man see my face or that man and I, both will have disaster fall upon us."


    Lady Tyra believed it and asked, "Your Majesty, if you don''t mind can I touch that veil?"


    Seren nodded and Lady Tyra went towards her. Lady Tyra observed the veil. Though it looked like an ordinary thin cloth, Lady Tyra had always known it was not the case. She raised her hand to touch it but all she touched was the thinyer of the energy and the next moment a realization struck her.


    ''This...This energy is not a normal one but...who is this powerful person who has cast a spell on the veil? Is Her Majesty''s nanny that powerful to have such a power? It can''t be.''


    Lady Tyra retracted her hand and came out of her shocked realization. Composing herself, Lady Tyra asked, "Your Majesty, may I know who had put this veil on you?"


    "My Mother," Seren replied normally, not knowing what kind of turmoil was going on Lady Tyra''s mind.


    "Are you sure, Your Majesty?"


    "As per what I heard from my nanny Martha, it''s my mother," Seren assured.


    Lady Tyra could only look at that thinyer of energy covering the lower half of Seren''s face which appeared as a veil. Thisyer of energy was preventing anyone from seeing her face or getting a clear idea of how even the exposed upper half of her face looked. Anyone who would see her could only remember her purple eyes and nothing else. This energy was strong.


    So many questions upied Lady Tyra''s mind as things were not as simple as she thought. This Young Queen who was known as the cursed daughter of the witch was not simply that but something more than one could imagine.


    ''If the person who had put this veil on Her Majesty is her mother, then her mother is someone powerful. If she is so powerful, then what was the reason that she had to keep her daughter in hiding. Couldn''t she protect her daughter on her own being the owner of such power?'' Lady Tyra wondered.


    Seeing Lady Tyra suddenly turn silent, Seren called her, "Lady Tyra."


    Lady Tyra got back to her senses as she herself was puzzled by this veil and this strong energy. She couldn''t even touch the veil in spite of being a master of some powers.


    "Your Majesty, even though I am not able to understand anything clearly, I will try to figure it out." Lady Tyra assured. "Till then Your Majesty can follow what her nanny has instructed."


    Seren agreed to it as she was worried about hurting Drayce.


    Given the strong energy protecting this young Queen''s face, Lady Tyra was sure there was definitely a strong reason to not let anyone see her face. Though Drayce was not an ordinary person, she didn''t wish to put Drayce in any kind of danger till she was sure of what kind of curse this veil was protecting this young Queen from.


    Seren again had something on her mind, "But how can I stop His Majesty from seeing my face?"


    It was something worrisome for Lady Tyra too. How could he not want to see his wife''s face? She had guessed already that till now Drayce had not seen her face but one day he would want to even if they tell him it might put his life in danger. The Young King sure was very stubborn and never cared for his life.


    Lady Tyra thought for a while and said, "If Your Majesty asks His Majesty to not see her face, he will never force it. He is a man who would respect the wishes of the ones, who he cares for."


    Seren nodded as Tyra was right. Not even once Drayce had insisted she remove her veil. She heard Lady Tyra again, "Soon I will try to understand what it is."


    Seren could feel theforting from her words and nodded.


    Just then Marie and Eva arrived at the study with tea and snacks. Lady Tyra had to leave now as she had other important matters to take care of being the head of all the Royal Servants.


    "Your Majesty, I will take a leave now. Call for me whenever you need my assistance," Lady Tyra bowed.


    Seren nodded approvingly and Lady Tyra looked at Eva and Marie, "Take care of Her Majesty."


    The two servants nodded and Lady Tyra left.


    Just as Eva served the tea, her sight followed the stacks of books on Seren''s study table.


    "Your Majesty, what are these books?" Marie asked casually while Eva giggled.


    Marie looked at her and asked, "Why are you giggling?" Even Seren looked at her curiously.


    While bringing the books to Seren''s study, Eva had taken a look inside one book and she knew what it was.


    "Because of the books Her Majesty is going to read," Eva replied and lowered her head, looking at Seren, "Apology, Your Majesty."


    Seren, who was yet to go through the book, looked at Eva, "Have you read it?"


    Eva gulped as a sudden blush covered her lowered face, "In servant quarters...they read it secretly...so...I happen to read it too��." Eva was utterly embarrassed.


    "What is in it?" Asking Seren opened the book as she read the title inside, "Lost Princess and Kind Prince."


    "Is it a fairytale?" Seren asked, "What is so embarrassing about it. Martha had read it for me when I was a kid and faced difficulty in sleeping."


    Eva cleared her throat, "It''s not a kids'' story��..Your Majesty...It''s for adults."


    "What is the difference?" Seren asked and looked at Eva curiously.


    Marie, who had understood it by now, looked at Eva, "You young girls.'''' She referred to all the young, curious servants.


    Eva pouted and looked at Marie, "Sister Marie, don''t tell me you have never read it."


    Cough! Cough!


    Marie felt a little embarrassed and said, "It was long back��."


    "Now sister Marie is married so she doesn''t need to read it," Eva interrupted her, smiling teasingly.


    Marie gave her a narrowed-eyed look and instructed, "Go check Her Majesty''s afternoon meal preparation and see if everything is going fine."


    Nodding, Eva left while Marie looked at curious Seren. "Your Majesty, You should read that book so you will understand how the rtionship between man and a woman works and the meaning of what Her Majesty feels towards His Majesty."


    Seren nodded and opened the book.

 Chapter 248: Reading The Story

    <h4>Chapter 248: Reading The Story</h4>


    Seren finally opened the book and neatly spread it across her study table as she gotfortable in her magnificent chair.


    It was a story about a beautiful princess who once got lost in the wild forest when she came out with her friends to visit the waterfall, on the hillside. Suddenly a group of rebels attacks them and the Princess runs away from there to save her life as the rebels wanted to kill her to get revenge on the king.


    In her attempt of running and saving her life, the Princess escapes without any direction in the forest.? She tries her best to escape and protect herself but s she still ends up being caught by the rebels.


    Blinded by their revenge and not showing any mercy on the poor, delicate princess, the rebels decide to kill her.? Thinking her life is going to end this way, the princess loses all hope but then suddenly a handsome man appears there, who saves her life.


    This handsome man was then revealed to be a prince but he didn''t disclose his identity to her.


    Like a true gentleman, he safely takes her back to her pce.? The princess being extremely thankful to him makes a promise to meet him again.? The prince is actually from the neighboring kingdom, who secretly travels to visit this kingdom.He, therefore, tells her the truth of belonging to the neighboring kingdom, still not disclosing his true identity.


    The princess expresses her wish to meet him again and the Prince agrees to it.


    ''He is a good man as he had saved this princess,'' Seren thought as she looked at the sketches drawn along the written story lines. In the picture, the princess was a pretty woman and the Prince was a handsome and tall man.


    ''Still, His Majesty is more handsome than this prince," Seren concluded as to her no one could bepared to Drayce.


    Once the Prince and the Princess were apart from each other in their own kingdoms, they started missing each other and kept thinking about one another. Their wish and craving to meet each other as soon as possible kept growing with every passing day.


    ''They just met once. Why do they miss each other so much?'' Seren''s thought of criticism started as she was devoid of knowing such normal human emotions.


    ''I sometimes miss His Majesty because I have been with him for a long time now. But why do I even miss him? His Majesty is always in the pce,'' she frowned at herself but then thought, ''But having His Majesty around makes me feel protected. I can''t even fall asleep when His Majesty is not around.''


    She read further.


    The Prince and Princess couldn''t fall asleep as they keep seeing each other in their dreams as they wish to meet each other again. Both of their hearts beat faster at the memory of those moments they spent together when the prince escorted the princess to the pce.


    ''My heart also doesn''t feel good when I remember the moments when his Majesty is with me. This princess is just like me. But this prince, does His Majesty, feel the same as this prince? Does His Majesty''s heart also doesn''t feel good when he remembers about me?''


    She continued reading while trying to rte the princess in this story with herself and Drayce.


    One day finally the Prince again returns to Princess'' kingdom and manages to sneak into the pce and also in her bedchamber. It surprises the Princess butter she feels happy to see him. The Prince tells her how he missed her and wishes to be with her and the princess says the same thing to him.


    Seren could imagine them vividly as along with exining in writing, there were images too. The Prince and Princess standing by the window while expressing their feelings as the bright moonlight shines in the sky behind them. The two looked happy as they looked into each other''s eyes and held one another''s hand.


    Seren turned the next page and there the Prince and the Princess were close as their lips were locked with each other.


    ''What are they doing?'' Seren thought as unknown to her a pink blush covered her face. Feeling a little anxious, she immediately closed the book.


    Marie, who was in the room while serving another cup of hot tea to Seren, looked at the flushed face of her Queen. Though the lower half of her face was covered with a veil, her eyes were enough for Marie to understand why her Queen suddenly turned like this.


    "What happened, Your Majesty?" Marie asked.


    Seren looked at Marie, "N-Nothing."


    "If your Majesty wishes to ask something, do not hesitate to do so," Marie offered.


    Seren nodded and Marie offered, "Have this tea, Your Majesty. It will help you rx."


    Seren epted it. Having a few sips of the tea she opened the book again. This time Seren was curious to know what the Prince and the Princess were doing.


    She continued reading.


    [The Prince gazed into the Princess'' eyes as he couldn''t bear to be away from her. The princess felt the same which was evident in the way she looked at the Prince. It was the longing she felt for him from all these days.]


    [The Prince stepped closer to the Princess while still staring into her eyes and pulled her closer by holding her at the waist as there was no distance left between them. He caressed her cheeks with one hand and leaned his face closer to hers. The princess felt shy as the pink blush covered her delicate skin. The Prince''s eyes were fixed on her delicate rosy lips, he neared his lips towards hers and the next moment the princess felt Prince''s warm lips touching her soft ones.]


    [Princess felt her heart beating faster turning her surroundings quiet as if she was a deaf person as all she could focus on was the gentle and warm sensation she felt on her lips.]


    Seren stopped reading as she remembered when Drayce did the same with her. She could still feel that soft and warm touch on her lips and subconsciously touched her own lips over the veil. Seren felt her heart picking up the pace just by remembering it and found herself feeling exactly what the princess in the book was feeling.


    She read further and the next picture didn''t just show the lips of two people touching gently each other but it was more.


    It looked like the Prince was tasting the princess''s lips like it was something tasty to eat for and it even showed their tongues peeking out of their mouths. Though it looked weird to her, she felt curious and wanted to read more. Just like any normal human being, the curious instinct to such things had started to fill her mind and she continued reading further the part which exined this picture as her heart started to continue picking up the pace.


    [The Prince found Princess''s delicate lips the most delicious thing as he sucked and nibbled her lips. The Princess didn''t stop the prince as she circled her hands around his neck and tiptoed tofortably kiss him back. The Prince pry opened the princess''s lips as he slid his tongue in her cavern and the Princess weed it. Both of their tongues rolled in sync as the two immersed themselves into an entirely different world. Both of their hearts were beating faster as their breathing turned heavy. As the carnal desires tried to take over them, the Prince stopped before he could do something that he should not.]


    "Why did he stop?" Seren mumbled with a light frown.


    Marie heard her Queen had said something and asked, "Yes, Your Majesty?"


    "Nothing. I was talking to myself," Seren replied feeling disappointed over why the prince had stopped. While reading she could feel, she liked to read it and then remembered she too felt the same when Drayce was close to her.


    She remembered Drayce''s words when they were on the boat and what he said about doing with her lips. "I want to taste these lips. I want to suck them and bite them till they get swollen and turn red. I want to taste your tongue till it goes numb."


    Remembering these words, Seren felt her heart was not in her control and she felt strange. ''Will I feel the same as this Princess when His Majesty��.?'' she couldn''te up to think any further.


    Seren looked at Marie who was standing silently to the one side. "Marie!"


    Marie looked at her attentively, "Yes, Your Majesty."


    "Does your husband touch your lips?" Seren asked straightforwardly as Marie was the one who offered to answer if Seren had any queries.


    Cough! Cough!


    "Why do you ask, Your Majesty?" Marie asked, evidently embarrassed.


    Seren put the book in front of her that showed the picture of the Prince and the Princess in the story, who were indulged in an intimate passionate kiss.


    Marie had read such books too and she knew why Seren was asking this question. Her face turned red but she had to answer her Queen. "Yes, Your Majesty."


    "Do you like it?" Seren asked again.


    "Y-Yes, Your Majesty," Marie answered hesitantly. Under the name of helping her Queen, her own private matters were getting disclosed.


    "What do you do then?" Seren asked, not knowing she was burying poor Marie under the mountain of embarrassment.


    "I-I do the same?"


    "Hmm!"


    Seren then looked back in the book and realized something, ''Is it why His Majesty insists on removing the veil from my face? Is His Majesty intent to do the same as he had said before?'' Will it feel good?'' She gave an approving nod and thought, ''It really felt good. His Majesty has such beautiful lips that I can''t stop staring at them and wanting to touch them. I wonder how it will feel when��..wait��.I can''t remove this veil.'' Seren frowned at the veil and again looked at Marie.


    "Marie, is it necessary to do this?" Seren asked.


    "Huh?" This was sudden for Marie. In her opinion, it was not even something to ask about but the innocent Queen needed to get an exnation.


    "Your Majesty, this is a way to show love and affection towards each other," Marie replied.


    ''Love and affection?'' Seren thought and resumed reading that book.


    ---------


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    The readers who will cross 15K coins support for the novel by the end of this month, will be added into the novel as a part of it- as any character in the novel or anything which is important in the plot.

 Chapter 249: This Is What They Do On The Wedding Night

    <h4>Chapter 249: This Is What They Do On The Wedding Night</h4>


    Seren continued reading where the Prince and Princess got married and how both the kingdoms were happy with the marriage setting. The prince brings the princess to his kingdom after a grand wedding.


    Then the story moved towards the setting of the wedding night where the princess was being prepared for it by her servants. The princess looked beautiful in the pictures drawn where she is sitting on her wedding bed.


    "Wedding night?" Seren remembered, "This is what His Majesty was talking about. Now I will know what they do on the wedding night." she muttered to herself.


    Marie, who heard her Queen mumbling, once again got buried in embarrassment and prayed in her mind for her Queen to not ask her any more embarrassing questions where she had to disclose her private information.


    Before reading further, Seren looked at the pictures where it showed the prince approaching the Princess and how they started their intimate act. In one picture it showed the Prince was about to remove the robe that the princess wore.


    Seren skimmed through the images, that ended with the Prince and Princess in bed indulging in an intimate act where they both had no clothes on them and the princess'' face was all flushed which showed a tinge of pain on her face as the Princey on top of her parting her legs away.


    Seren gulped as a shiver passed through her spine to give goosebumps all over her skin.


    ''What are they doing?'' she thought and decided to read the story to understand it. She could feel her heart beating faster as she felt anxious seeing those pictures. Though she didn''t understand anything, as a natural instinct she found it something to be wary of.


    Marie, who was standing at one side a little away from the study table, noticed her reaction and passed a ss of water to her Queen, "Have some water, Your Majesty."


    Seren epted it quietly as after seeing all the intimate pictures, her throat felt dry and the anxiousness made her feel fuzzy.


    With her hands trembling, she flipped the pages of the book to read further. She read each and every line carefully as it was full of erotic stuff where it exined the bodily reactions of a man and a woman.


    Seren felt her cheeks heating up and her body felt weird. She read a few lines that she couldn''t understand what it meant.


    [He entered her gently as she felt the crisp pain that made her cry as the tears rolled down her eyes. She felt her inside full as he continued to move slowly, caring for her if she was hurt.]


    ''What is it? What did he do? Did he bite her?''


    Seren suddenly had so many questions. It was an adult book where normally anyone would know what those lines meant and there was no need to show in pictures what was happening. Those pictures only showed a man wrapped between a woman''s leg as he kissed her and caressed her body.


    [Soon she feltfortable and assured him that she is alright and he moved with all his might to make her wither under him. After a long time, both reached the peak of their ecstasy and he copsed on her. Both of them were panting heavily with their eyes closed as their sweaty bodies still remained entangled with each other.]


    Seren, who was already affected by seeing those pictures and reading the description, opted to drink more water as she thought, ''What exactly did they do to feel like this? But why am I feeling like this? Suddenly everything feels so hot. I am no longer feeling cold.''


    Seren felt her breathing was still shallow even after finishing reading all this and she was feeling something strange in the lower side of her abdomen as if there were butterflies inside her. She clenched her legs together and didn''t feel alright at all.


    She touched her cheeks which felt like they were burning with heat and closed her eyes as she instructed, "Marie, I need more water."


    Marie refilled the ss with water and Seren drank it. She felt a little better and decided to stop reading. It was already too much for her to understand what was going on in the book and why she was feeling so strange suddenly.


    Just then Eva returned to the study and bowed to Seren, who looked dazed. She looked at Marie and Marie shook her head signaling her to not ask anything, and Eva was smart to understand. She could rte Seren''s condition to when she had read such a book for the first time and Even Marie could understand it very well.


    "Lunch is ready," Eva informed Marie.


    Marie looked at her dazed Queen and said, "Your Majesty, would you like to have lunch? It will make you feel better."


    Seren nodded but then looked at Marie. Marie didn''t get the right feeling about it and she waited for her Queen to talk as she held onto her breath, being ready to bury her under embarrassment once again.


    "Marie, did you do all this on your wedding night?" Seren asked, looking at her as her eyes anticipated to get the answer from her.


    Eva kept quiet as she looked at Marie with her own cheeks turning red.


    "Y-Yes, Your Majesty," Marie replied.


    Seren just nodded but to Marie, she was sure her Queen was up to asking something more. She had enough of feeling embarrassed for a day and said, "Your Majesty, food might get colder. You should head for lunch."


    Seren quietly nodded, as she needed to get out of what she was feeling. It was strange that she didn''t like it but at the same time, she anticipated something which she couldn''t understand.


    Seren removed her winter coat as it was making her feel hotter and walked out of the study to go to the dining room. Food couldn''t make its way down her throat as he chewed each bite for long, still immersed in what she had read in the book.


    After lunch, she read the rest of the book where it showed the journey of Prince and Princess''s life as a husband and wife, It was filled with a lot more erotic scenes from time to time and how they loved and respected each other. They even had kids and lived happily after as a family.


    Seren finally finished the book but she had so many things in mind and needed to get answers to it. The biggest question was, will she be doing the same thing on her wedding night? She couldn''te up to imagine herself and Drayce liked that and felt even more anxious about her own wedding night.


    -------


    Drayce had returned to his study after visiting his knights, who had returned after aplishing an important mission at the Thevailes border under the leadership of Azer.


    Along with yer and Jasper, Azer too followed Drayce to his study.


    Azer, being a vicemander of knights and had trained under themander of the knights, yer, was one more trustable and capable knight for Drayce.


    Azer was of simr age as his King andmander but was the youngest amongst them. Drayce had kept all young and capable people working with him since the day he became a king and each knight was personally selected by him and yer. Even before he could be a king, he had his own group of knights whom he had prepared to be on his side when he would be the King. yer, Jasper, Azer, and Rulf were part of it.


    "Azer, I am granting your troupe a week off. Go back home and rest," Drayce offered.


    "I will send my troupe home," Azer assured.


    "Including you," Drayce reminded.


    "I don''t need rest, Your Majesty," Azer replied.


    Before Drayce could say a word, Jasper spoke, "Don''t follow your celibatemander. Go home and get married. I have heard your fatherining that you are refusing to get married."


    Azer kept his head lowered and Jasper said again, "I can understand that yourmander has no one waiting for him at home, but you have. Go home."


    yer cast a death re and Jasper said, "Did I say anything wrong? You have an empty huge home but you need to get someone who can fill that emptiness."


    "I like it that way," yer replied, coldly.


    Jasper sighed and looked at Drayce who replied, "Let him be."


    yer had his own scars from the past but he always chose to hide it and Jasper always attempted to make him more lively but all his attempts always went in vain. yer was nothing but a deep-rooted cier in the sea that no one could move.


    Drayce then looked at Azer, "You should meet your family."


    Azer couldn''t disobey his King''s word and nodded, "Yes, Your Majesty," and took a leave.


    Once Azer left, Jasper informed, "Your Majesty, the wedding preparations are going on just as nned and the invitations have been already sent out since past few days."


    "Hmm!"


    "Your Majesty, the opera house would be ready when you would need it."


    "Hmm!" Drayce nodded again as a light smirk was painted on his lips.


    "This is it for today. Your Majesty should head out for the afternoon meal."


    Drayce agreed and looked at his two friends, "Today apany me for lunch."


    It surprised the two, "Your Majesty, we can''t��"


    "I am asking as your friend," Drayce instructed and walked out of the study.


    The King never had a meal with his subjects at the same table but Drayce preferred to break this rule once in a while. He was the king and no one would dare to object to it.


    "Seems like he is happy about something," Jasper whispered to yer as they followed Drayce to the dining room.


    "Hmm," yer nodded in agreement.

 Chapter 250: King Armen And His Past

    <h4>Chapter 250: King Armen And His Past</h4>


    When it was still noon in Megaris, the sun had already bid farewell to Abetha. Standing by the window of his study while staring at the empty tower where he could see the lighting from themp glowing out from the room where Seren used to stay, King Armen was in some deep thoughts.


    After Seren and Martha left, the tower was empty but King Armen had ordered for that tower to be taken care of. It was getting cleaned every day and everything had been kept just as it was.


    The memories of visiting that empty tower shed in front of his eyes. After Seren left, the next day King Armen entered the tower and visited the empty bedchamber that belonged to his daughter. It was the ce where she had spent seventeen years of lonely and imprisoned life. When she was here, he couldn''t enter the tower, and now that he was there, his daughter was gone, leaving nothing but emptiness behind.


    He tried to feel her presence while looking around inside her bedchamber. That bed, her study table, and the books arranged on the shelves were the ones that he had sent her. He picked up one book and opened it as he found his daughter had scribbled something inside it.


    His eyes caught one specific thing that she had written her name ''Seren'' at the right corner of every page of that book. Not a single page was there where she had not written her name. King Armen went through other books and he found the same thing.


    ''Why has she written her name on each page of every book?''


    King Armen tried to think but he could not find any answer. Since that day he had asked to take care of everything that belonged to his daughter and not to change even a single thing in her bedchamber.


    When King Armen was busy remembering his visit to the tower, Cian entered the room, "Greetings, Father."


    It pulled King Armen out of his thoughts and he looked at his son as he epted the greetings with a light nod.


    Before greeting his father, Cian had noticed like all other times his father was looking at the tower where Seren used to live.


    "Is father missing her?" Cian asked.


    King Armen nodded, "But it seems like I don''t have a right to do so."


    Cian didn''t deny it and instead added, "Maybe none of us has that right. When she was here, we couldn''t cherish her. Now that she has left, we don''t deserve to do so."


    King Armen nodded, agreeing to what his son said.


    "Father, is there something that is bothering you?" Cian asked.


    "When I visited her bedchamber and went through the books she had read, I saw she had written her name on each page of all those books. I was wondering why."


    "She must be scared of forgetting her own name," Cian answered.


    It surprised King Armen and Cian exined, "There was no one who called her by her name."


    This hurt King Armen badly as his eyes turned moist. Not a single word coulde out of his mouth.


    Cian looked at the wooden stand ced close to his father''s study table which had a painting of a woman. It was mostly covered with a silk cloth but today it was uncovered showing the beautiful and elegant royal woman in the portrait.


    "Were you missing my mother?" Cian asked who was familiar with every habit of his father


    King Armen sighed, "Your mother, Cassiel if she was alive, all this would have never happened."


    "Do you still love her father?" Cian asked.


    "She was the one I have loved the most but it''s sad that she left me so soon," King Armen answered.


    "I thought father had always loved Seren''s mother more," Cian replied.


    "I won''t deny, I do love Seren''s mother but somewhere your mother was the reason I fell for her." King Armen replied.


    Cian paused for a moment and said, "Father, you have never told me how you met her mother and why all of this happened with Seren. Where is her mother now? Will father ever tell me about it?"


    King Armen inhaled deeply and stared at the tower. When Cian thought his father wouldn''t answer, he heard him after talking.


    "After your mother was gone once she gave birth to you, I was devastated. I loved her so much that I never thought I would ever have another woman as my wife. Her sudden demise broke me and I had turned into a weak King who forgot his kingdom just because his wife had left him. Your grandmother handled everything in my stead. Soon she fixed my wedding with the princess from Othinia, your current mother."


    "Though I was unwilling, I had to do it for the sake of the kingdom as it was all my fault to neglect my duties as King after your mother passed away. For the strong alliance of two kingdoms, I had to marry her. Niobe always respected that I only loved your mother and never let it affect her. She was a good wife and a Queen who handled everything along with me and became my strong support."


    "Then why did father never love Queen Niobe?" Cian asked.


    "I tried to be a good husband but I couldn''t love her the way I loved your mother. Niobe was aware of it and never said anything to me. I am grateful to her and the way she took care of everything and even looked after you like her own son, I can never say anything to her."


    "It is indeed unfair to her," Cianmented.


    "I know. I have been so unfair to her and I am the reason for turning one great woman into a cold-hearted person," King Armen said and looked at his son, "If ever you find your mother has done something wrong, never say anything to her. If you ever wish to confront or punish someone, you can punish me instead. I will ept whatever it is."


    "Is father referring to what happened with Seren?" Cian asked, straightforwardly.


    "I know you will find it out soon," King Armenmented.


    "I was nning to soon discuss it with you," Cian informed.


    "As I said, you can punish me in her stead. She is a Queen of this Kingdom so you can''t punish her openly and it''s not easy. Moreover, I will never allow you to."


    "May I know why?" Cian asked.


    "Because she has sacrificed a lot of things for me and also for this Kingdom. The reason why this kingdom is so strong is in spite of my negligence she was the one to build it when I was at the worst phase of my life. When she married into the Ilven Royal family, she had only me, who neglected her while remembering myte wife but she neverined. She treated you as her own son and to look after you, she didn''t even n to have her own child even after the three years of marriage with me. Everyone criticized her and thought she was not capable of having a child but she paid attention to no one but you. After she had two daughters, everyone asked her to have her own son as you were not her own blood, but she never thought like that. Her love towards you is genuine."


    "I know father," Cian replied, "I am grateful to have her as my mother, but��."


    "I know what you want to ask. Her anger towards Seren is all because of me. She was the one to sacrifice herself selflessly for our family, for this kingdom, and epted the fact that her husband doesn''t love her. She never got that affection from her husband but some other woman received it. I am the one at fault. I had hurt her pride and had disappointed her gravely."


    "But in all of this, an innocent person got hurt," Cian said.


    King Armen could only sigh helplessly and heard his son ask, "Father, how did you meet Seren''s mother?"


    "It was during the time when Niobe was carrying Miera and in the next few months, she was about to give birth. One day when I had gone hunting before winter, the rebels had attacked our troupe. It was a trap that we fell into and I was severely injured and went unconscious. I woke up after two days only to find out that one woman, who was taking care of me. When I managed to see that woman''s face in my half-unconscious state, all I could see was that she looked like your mother and I almost thought Cassiel hade back to me."


    "Did she look like my mother?" Cian asked.


    "Notpletely but in some way she resembled your mother, the way she talked gently and that pleasant smile she carried on her face all the time, it reminded me of your mother. When I regainedplete consciousness, I realized she was not your mother. Thanking her, I left and returned back to the kingdom but couldn''t forget that one week I had spent with her. I used to think about her and wished to see her again. I knew it was because I had started seeing your mother in her but it was difficult to stop myself. Maybe I was young and reckless."


    "Do you regret it, father?" Cian asked.


    King Armen shook his head, "I don''t regret it as I loved her. Just like your mother, she was a great woman but when I think about Seren, I end up ming myself for that recklessness."

 Chapter 251: [Bonus Chapter]Cursed Her To Make Her Suffer

    <h4>Chapter 251: [Bonus Chapter]Cursed Her To Make Her Suffer</h4>


    "Who was she? From what I can understand, she was not an ordinary human being," Cian asked.


    "Sierra! Her name was Sierra," King Armen informed. "Even after one month of returning back to the pce, I couldn''t forget her. I went back to the forest where I had spent a week with her while she was taking care of me with the help of Physician Erich Winfield and Celia."


    "That''s how father knows him," Cian concluded.


    King Armen nodded, "And the Celia I mentioned is the one who looked after Seren."


    "Martha?" Cian asked, surprised.


    King Armen nodded again, "She is one more person who had to sacrifice her life because of my recklessness."


    Cian had nothing to say about it as he stood there silently to hear further.


    "When I went to that hut, no one was there as if no one ever lived there after I left. I didn''t wish to give up and kept going there once a week. I searched for Erich and found him but he too didn''t know who that woman was and where she had gone. He said she disappeared after I returned to the Pce. As if my wish was granted, during one of my visits, I saw her standing outside of the hut and looking around as if just like me she was also there to see that ce. After that, I didn''t allow her to disappear and kept visiting her once a week. I didn''t know who she was or from where she came but she used to be there every time as per the schedule we had decided to meet."


    "Those frequent meetings slowly converted into love and affection for each other. I liked to be with her and the same was the case with her. Though she never told me who she was, I didn''t care and ended up falling for her. When I thought we would always be together, everything changed. She disappeared suddenly, never to return again. I kept visiting that ce for months but she never appeared and never did she say that she would nevere back. Thest time I saw her was when she came to the pce that night and handed me our daughter, Seren."


    "She left after telling me what had happened and disappeared never to return again. All I had in my hand was the baby whose face was covered with a veil and I was not allowed to see her face."


    Cian thought about something and asked, "Then the rumored woman who came to the pce that night carrying Seren, was really her mother?"


    King Armen nodded.


    "Then was she really the way they had described?" Cian asked, referring to everyone calling her ugly and scary witch.


    "When she came to hand over Seren to me, she was changed. She was not the one I used to meet but I could recognize her. Through the warmth in her eyes and her soul, I knew it was her," King Armen replied.


    "Where is she now? Who are the people chasing Seren?" Cian asked.


    "Even I don''t know where she went. And about the ones who are chasing Seren, it''s better for us to not mention them," King Armen replied.


    Cian didn''t insist and asked, "Didn''t you search for her, father?"


    "I had to break all the connections with her for the sake of Seren''s safety. Before leaving Seren to me, she had instructed me to never search for her or it will put Seren in grave danger."


    Cian exhaled as this all seemed so messed up to him and knowing it all at once, was surreal and a lot to take.


    "Father, I wish to know something."


    King Armen gave him an approving nod.


    "Last time father said Seren holds a power that someone is after and can bring disaster if they get their hold on it. Then why didn''t you train or have someone train her to use those powers properly to protect herself? If the power she holds is that strong and Seren could have learned to use it, she wouldn''t have to live like this."


    "She can not use those powers," King Armen replied.


    It surprised Cian as he had seen what Seren could do when there are drastic changes in her emotions. Little did he know it was the power of curses she bears and not the actual power residing inside her which King Armen was talking about.


    "And why is it like this?" Cian asked, curiously.


    "Seren is nothing but an empty vessel to carry that main, dangerous power. She can never use it. That''s why we needed to protect her. If she had fallen into their hands, she would have only suffered. Keeping her locked inside the tower was far better than what she must have suffered."


    "But that power where she could burn something, creating rainfall and that flower blooming, what is it?" Cian asked.


    "Those are not the powers I mentioned, those are curses which are meant to put her to suffering. Flowers are blooming everywhere with her happiness, she has inherited it from her mother."


    "Father, I don''t understand all of this. Why is it like this?" Cian asked, feeling sad for his little sister.


    King Armen exined, "Her mother was not supposed to fall for me and let alone have a child with me. She was being punished for this sin and therefore they were meant to kill her child. Sierra wanted to protect her daughter at all costs and she had therefore passed the power she holds to her daughter. The one who possesses that power, cannot be harmed by them. So all they did was put curses on Seren to let her suffer. They can kill Seren only if she uses this power but Seren being a child, how could she use it and they, therefore, had no chance or the means to kill her."


    "As a child, she couldn''t use it but now she is an adult��"


    "Her mother herself locked those powers inside Seren to protect her and to not let her use them. Because the day Seren would use it, they will be able to find her and it will give them a reason to kill her. That''s why currently she is nothing but a vessel who is carrying that power inside to save her own life. Her mother never intended anyone to be a master of such strong power and she was not sure if her daughter could ever handle it being a half-human. By this means of locking the power and hiding Seren, who holds it, Sierra is protecting her daughter as well as this world by not letting them get hold of that power."


    "So it was never about Seren or her mother but it was always about that power inside Seren?" Cian concluded.


    "Yes, they wanted to covet that power which Sierra was protecting. Acquiring it from her when she was at her lowest and had something to lose, was the best opportunity for them."


    "Now what will happen, father?" Cian asked, feeling worried for Seren.


    "Everything went opposite to what her mother had decided. No one thought she would end up getting married," King Armenmented.


    "But father you said you don''t know what her mother is��."


    "Martha knew and she was the only way ofmunication. Martha once told me that they nned to take Seren away to some other ce before shees of age and before they will track the powers inside her. I could not object to any decision made by her mother and followed what was needed for Seren''s safety. Hiding her inside the tower was not enough. She was needed to be hidden in a more secured ce"


    "I hope now that she is with King Drayce, as per what we have decided and what he had promised, he would protect her being her husband," Cianmented. "I hope she will get all the happiness and love she could never get here. She will be loved and will learn to love."


    "She cannot," King Armen said, which startled Cian.


    "What do you mean, father?"


    "She is cursed to never fall in love. She would never understand such emotions."


    "This is ridiculous," Cian eximed and then realized he had behaved inappropriately in front of his father. "Apologies, father."


    King Armen didn''t mind it and said, "It is indeed ridiculous."


    "Why did they have to do this. Were all those curses she had not enough to add this another cruel curse?"


    "It is to stop her from using those powers and be a master of it," King Armen replied.


    It was getting so confusing for Cian. "What does it have to do with her feeling those emotions?"


    "She can use those powers only to protect someone whom she truly loves. If that day everes, she will be the master of that power. That curse is to stop it from happening as they don''t wish her to master it. They want it for themselves."


    Cian was so upset with it. "But she is married now and what about King Drayce? Does he even know that she can never love him?"


    King Armen shook his head, "He was the one to insist on marrying her despite knowing lots of things about her. I couldn''te up to tell him about what I just told you. I can only hope he will be understanding of her. I needed to protect her and I did what I am supposed to do. You can call me selfish but I won''t mind it."


    For the first time, Cian saw the image of a father of one daughter inside King Armen, where one father wouldn''t hesitate to be selfish for his daughter''s sake.


    Cian could do nothing about it and asked, "But why did father keep her away from himself and never showed that he loved and cared for her? It had nothing to do with protecting her secretly."


    "When she arrived in the pce and her mother left, I wanted to keep Seren with me, but��."


    "But what father?"


    "Your mother, Queen Niobe''s approval was necessary to let it happen without any hurdles. Afterall she was the Queen but moreover, she was my wife, who must have been gravely hurt after seeing I have a daughter with another woman when she was being patient with me for all those years and in spite of having two daughters with me, I didn''t show her any affection. When I talked to her, though she and her pride were hurt, she said nothing but requested something that I had to obey."


    "What was it, father?" Cian asked.


    "I should never show any fatherly love to Seren and should never treat her like my daughter. She should be no one but only the third princess of this kingdom in the name. She allowed Seren to stay here only till she became an adult."


    "And father easily agreed to it?" Cian asked in disbelief.


    "I did?" King Armen replied, "It was not just because she asked me to but I did it as we all, this entire kingdom, owes her a lot. I did it considering the sacrifices she had made and the pain she had to go through because of me. I could do at least this much for her sake. Moreover, it was not a good idea to let Seren mingle with others so agreeing to it was not a big deal. She was meant to be hidden inside the tower under the protective spell."


    Cian sighed and said after a long pause, "I only know that between all the actions of adults, one child has suffered."


    King Armen could say nothing but be quiet as what his son said was the truth.


    "But I am d that despite all of this, you never treated her like others and always cared for her like a true elder brother. You are kind like your mother."


    "How can I not? She is my sister," Cianmented. He remembered what he was there for. "Father, I had heard we got a wedding invitation from Megaris."


    King Armen nodded, "You have to go there to attend the wedding."


    "And father?"


    "It''s not the right time to face her," King Armenmented and returned to his chair as he instructed, "Make all the preparations to leave for Megaris."


    "Yes, father."


    After discussing attending the wedding in Megaris, Cian left while King Armen continued to sit in his chair as he remembered Seren writing her name on each page of her books. He closed his eyes in pain and mumbled.


    "Seren. Such a beautiful name my daughter has."

 Chapter 252: Ways To Make Her Feel Better

    <h4>Chapter 252: Ways To Make Her Feel Better</h4>


    Seren continued reading the other books sent by Drayce and as she had promised him before, she needed to read them all. She realized all the books had a simr kind of content that made her turn red with embarrassment. The only thing that was different was the settings and the plots of the stories. The first one she had read was about the Prince and the Princess while the other one was about the Duke and his lost love. The third one was about an ordinary merchant and his struggle to get the woman from the higher status, their love and longing.


    Though she found it interesting to read about the different stories and how they turned into a happy ending, all those books were filled with the erotic stuff that troubled the young Queen, making her feel strange.


    "Your Majesty, you have been reading since morning. It''s almost evening. You should rest now?" Lady Xena said as she felt worried about their Queen''s health.


    "I am almost done," Seren informed as she finished thest page of the book.


    She then rested for a while till the dinner was ready for her but again, just like lunch, not a single bite could go easily down her throat. All she felt was uneasiness and could only think about what she had read in the books. Why they all wanted to do the same thing with each other saying they love the person and why they felt good about it.


    Not being able to eat much and feeling anxious, she left the dining room.


    Seeing hering out of the dining room so soon, and the food was as it is in her dish, Lady Xena asked, "Your Majesty, you ate nothing. Was the food not as per your liking?"


    "I don''t have much appetite today," Seren replied and went to her bedchamber.


    Seeing her so lost, Marie followed her and offered, "Your Majesty, would you like to soak in warm water before sleeping? It might help you rx."


    Seren thought for a moment and agreed, "Fine!"


    Her mind was lost and nothing felt good so she finally thought to follow what Marie suggested.


    Seren sat in the warm water tub with her hand surrounding her folded knees and stared nkly ahead. As her mind was filled with what she had read in the book, she couldn''t stop but rte it with all those moments when Drayce was closer to her and acted so intimate.


    She closed her eyes and those images shed in front of her - When he touched her lips with his and his hot breath brushing against her skin. When he sucked the skin on her neck, leaving it all painted in red. The way he slept with his warm hard chest transferred its warmth to her back and his hands surrounding her stomach, which made her heartbeats unstable. When he bit her and drew out the blood, it was so painful at that time but now remembering that pain, a light gasp left her lips and she clutched her folded knees to her chest to suppress what she was feeling.


    ''This doesn''t feel good. What should I do?''


    She felt lost as she failed to realize why her body was reacting that way. Not being able to feelfortable while soaking in hot water, she stepped out of it. Marie and Eva helped her get ready in her nightclothes.


    "Your Majesty, is there anything that is troubling you?" Marie asked while Eva quietly listened to them.


    Seren looked at her through the mirror of her dresser and wanted to say she was not feeling good and it felt strange but she swallowed her words, "I think I am tired after too much reading."


    Marie understood her Queen didn''t wish to say it as she could guess what was happening to her. "Your Majesty, once His Majesty wille to apany you, you can tell him whatever you want. He might help you."


    Seren looked at her again to know why she said it and Marie said, "Your Majesty might feel good andfortable when His Majesty is around."


    Seren thought for a moment and realized she really could sleep nicely when he was around and nodded to what Marie said.


    Once Seren was settled in the bed to sleep, Marie and Eva left. Seren couldn''t sleep as she continued to stare at the window while sleeping to her one side and curling herself into a ball.


    ''So ufortable it is,'' she frowned and clutched the nket to her chest as nothing could make her feel better.


    In a while, she felt someone''s presence in her bedchamber and held her breath. She knew that was Drayce and he had finallye to apany her like every other night.


    Seren gulped and clutched the nket even tighter in her hands, almost burying her nails into that soft fabric. She felt anxious and her heart started beating faster with every step Drayce took closer to the bed. It was not how she felt on his arrival the night before. Tonight she felt something different and anxious about his presence around her.


    When Drayce entered his Queen''s bedchamber, as always he saw her sleeping in her bed with her back facing the door. Just as he took a few steps ahead, he heard his Queen''s heart getting all noisy and even heard her inhaling deeply and letting it go slowly.


    Drayce could guess the reason for it all but he was sure his Queen was not aware of what was happening to her.


    "My Queen, are you asleep?" Drayce asked as he stood next to the bed.


    Seren shut her eyes tightly and clutched the nket firmly, she acted as if she didn''t hear him. A night before she was worried that he would leave her but now she was not even responding to him.


    Drayce was sure she was not asleep. Not minding her, he got into the bed and covered himself with the same warm nket.


    Seren felt the side of the bed sinking and knew Drayce got into the bed. She shrank her body as if she wished to move away from him but she couldn''t move even an inch as if her body was frozen due to how anxious she felt.


    Just as Drayce shifted closer to her and she felt the sudden warmth on her back, she immediately moved away from him and sat up in the bed as if her body got electrocuted by his touch.


    Drayce sat up and looked at her, who was sitting clutching the nket in front of her chest with her head lowered down.


    "Are you alright, My Queen?" he asked.


    Seren didn''t turn to look at him and just shook her head implying she was not fine. As lying was a bad thing to do in her opinion, she couldn''t help but be honest.


    Drayce satfortably and said, "Look at me, My Queen."


    Hesitantly she turned her head to look at him, who was sitting to her side while facing her. She couldn''t dare sit facing him and simply looked at him.


    "May I know what is wrong?" He asked.


    "I am not sure," she replied and turned her head to the other side to not look at him anymore.


    "When we talk, you should look at me, My Queen," he said gently but underneath his gentle words, it sounded like he was warning her. "Sit facing me," he instructed. He was sure only this way would work on her and she would obey. There was no way he would let his wife suffer when he was with her.


    Seren did so and sat in the bed while facing him but couldn''t dare look at him.


    "Now tell me what happened?" Drayce asked.


    Seren remembered his warning of asking her to look at him when they talk and immediately followed it, "Seems like I am tired after reading for too long."


    "And?" Drayce asked, looking straight into her anxious eyes.


    Seren had no words to speak any further as she herself didn''t know what it was that she was going through and only stared at him nkly.


    "Take some time, think, and answer," Drayce instructed.


    Under the intimidating gaze from the pair of those red eyes, Seren thought over what she was feeling and lowered her head before she could answer him. Everything she felt, she summed up into a single line.


    "I don''t feel good."


    Drayce stared at her lowered face for a moment and instructed, "Give me your hand, My Queen."


    It puzzled her and she looked at him only to see him offering his hand to her. Seren let go of the nket from her hold and put her trembling hand into his. The moment she felt the warmth from his palm, she again felt strange and wished to retract her hand but Drayce held it firmly, making her give up on it.


    He caressed the back of her palm with his thumb as his sight didn''t move away from her while she was looking at her hand to see what he was up to. The next moment she saw him moving her hand towards his face and the memory of what he did with her finger thest time shed in her mind. She remembered that feeling which made her shiver.


    She looked at him, who was still staring at her as if he wished to see every bit of her changing expressions and the shocking realizations she would get.


    She felt like his sight could see through her soul and it affected her greatly. That pair of red eyes was surely dangerous for her innocent mind to keep it sane.


    Drayce moved her palm closer to his mouth and kissed into her soft palm as he looked at her face to see her reaction and then again kissed the inside of her wrist. As expected her hand trembled even more and her eyes carried the shock of what she felt. It was a simple action but it managed to affect her body that was filled with so many desires she was never aware of.


    "Does it feel good?" Drayce asked as his warm and soft lips brushed over the inside of her delicate wrist.


    Not just her hand that was being kissed, but she felt like her entire self had just melted with what he had just done. She didn''t know how to answer him and only stared at him and her hand that was still closer to his face, still shivering. She felt the butterflies in her stomach.


    "You didn''t answer, my Queen?" he asked, moving his thumb along the inside of her wrist.


    Her face turned red like cherry as embarrassment covered her face. "I-I am not sure, Your Majesty."


    A light smirk was painted on his lips as she was avoiding answering him. Without any warning, he moved closer to her face and stopped just an inch away and she looked at him closely whose eyes were fixed at her veil-covered lips.


    She gulped and was ready to feel the expected. He touched her veil-covered lips with his and asked while still being there as his lips brushed against hers, "And this, My Queen? Does it feel good?"


    Seren didn''t know how to answer as this man had turned her brain into a mess with this much closeness. She wanted to speak but could still feel his lips closer to hers.


    She moved back a little and answered the same, "I...am...not sure...Your Majesty."


    Her voice was low and broken as if it was so difficult for her to even speak.


    Drayce didn''t move back but instead started into her puzzled eyes as the light wicked smirk was painted on his lips.


    "Rest assured my Queen. I have other ways to make you feel good."


    Seren observed his expressions and that smile and she didn''t get a good feeling about it. She felt like jumping out of the bed and running away from him but the question was, can she even do it? The answer was clear no as she knew without his permission it was not possible.


    "W-What do you mean, Your Majesty?" she asked, feeling anxious to her bones.


    "Something that will make my Queen feel better," he answered and pulled her closer to make her fall in his embrace as her hands rested on his shoulder to support herself on her knees while his hands wrapped around her waist.


    ------


    Dear readers, the golden ticket rank went down to #6. Vote to get back to #5 as I said there will be a mass release after 1st November.

 Chapter 253: Giving Her Some More Time

    <h4>Chapter 253: Giving Her Some More Time</h4>


    6 chapters today.


    ----


    "Something that will make my Queen feel better," he answered and pulled her closer to make her fall in his embrace as her hands rested on his shoulder to support herself on her knees while his hands wrapped around her waist.


    Seren looked into his red eyes that carried a heated gaze and she felt like she would melt under them anytime soon. Her face was only an inch apart, as she felt his minty hot breath brushing her cheeks, her hands couldn''t push him away but she tried to look through his soul through his eyes.


    Drayce smirked lightly, seeing those puzzled twinkling eyes, that he pulled her even closer as there was no distance left between their bodies, as they felt the heat emitting from each other. Drayce was not surprised that she felt warmer than ever and her heart was going crazy with its pace. Her breathing turned shallow as she had to gasp a few times.


    Gazing into her eyes and feeling the warmth from each other, Drayce moved his one hand along her slender and curvy back. He couldn''t deny that she was blessed with a nice alluring body which always made him crave for her. It was a relief for his hungry soul that she had to be covered in warm and thick clothes during the day which hid her body underneath and it didn''t torture him anymore. But every night in that silk nightdress, he could see and feel her nicely. He was surprised at himself that he was still holding back. Maybe his care for her was stronger than the desires of his body.


    "My Queen!" he called, his voice sounding husky and seductive to her ears.


    "Mhm?" she responded in a daze.


    Through her nightdress, she could feel the warmth of his palm on her back and realized him moving his hand along her slender back leaving the tingling sensation on her skin that made her gasp and she tightened the grip of her hand at his shoulder on his silk robe.


    Not answering, Drayce moved his one hand to her face, keeping his other hand on her back to hold her steadily. He brushed away the loose hair strands from her face, but he intentionally brushed his fingers along her earlobe and then along her slender neck while his sight fixed at where his fingers moved, causing her to shiver.


    Her eyes fixed at his face, Seren waited for him to talk but he said nothing and instead moved his gaze to her ear. Seren could feel the warmth on her skin where his fingertips touched and could feel it even after his fingers had moved away.


    He looked back at her and asked, "My Queen, does it feel good?"


    Her mind was so messy to understand even a simple question, "Huh?"


    "Does it feel good when I touch you?" Drayce asked again.


    She stared at him as the answer to his question was not clear to her as these new feelings and how different her body was reacting, were all so new to her.


    ''It feels so strange. I feel hot, it''s too hot...My heart? Is it good to feel like this? I never felt this before. So strange it is��."


    "My Queen, you didn''t answer," Drayce spoke, while looking into her puzzled and full of doubt eyes.


    Taking the advantage of the loosened grip of his hands on her, Seren pushed him away who didn''t move even an inch but she moved back, away from him, as that''s what she wished for. Staying closer to him was making her feel high on what she was already feeling and it scared her.


    Drayce didn''t hurry to get her and instead waited for her to say something.


    Seren looked at him for a moment and thought, ''Will he do the same thing with me as what I saw and read in those books today? But...it looked so weird�� No clothes, how can I be without clothes? She looked at his body, who was sitting on the bed, waiting for her. She imagined him without clothes based on the images she had seen in the books.


    ''I can''t see him without clothes here...This is all just so weird...I don''t want it��So weird...so hot...I am thirsty...''


    Instead of letting herself flow in what she was feeling, she was scared of these new kinds of foreign feelings.


    Drayce sensed the fear in her and called, "My Queen, is there anything wrong?" His voice was gentle and assuring.


    She lowered her head and clutched the nket back at her chest as if she was undressed already and said, "I..am...thirsty��"


    Drayce noticed her trembling hands that were clutching the nket in front of her chest. He could see she was confused and scared at the same time.


    Drayce stepped out of the bed and fetched some water for her as he thought with a deep sigh, ''Maybe she needs a little more time.''


    "My Queen, have water," Drayce offered while standing by the bed, closer to her.


    Seren epted the ss of water as her hands never stopped trembling. She had a few sips of water while lifting her veil a little up.


    Once she was done, Drayce got the ss of water back from her. When he returned to the bed, she was still the same.


    "My Queen, I won''t do anything that you are scared of," Drayce assured and she finally looked at him only to hear him say, "Calm down and go to sleep."


    Even if she was scared and wary of him at this moment, she always trusted his words and nodded. Drayce held the corner of the nket, "Let me help you cover."


    Seren obedientlyy in bed as her eyes were fixed at his handsome face which looked gentle to her unlike how intimidating it looked to her a while ago when she was closer to him.


    Drayce got into the bed andy on his back while facing the ceiling and said, "Good Night, My Queen."


    Seren, who was sleeping in the same position but maintaining a distance between both of them, turned her head slowly to look at him, "Good Night, Your Majesty."


    Drayce closed his eyes while she stared at his face.


    Drayce was aware of it but he didn''t open his eyes but his mind was busy thinking about her and her actions. He tried to reason out her behavior.


    ''If it was any other woman, she would have felt a need to get closer to a man. She sure was so affected and needed me but she chose otherwise. I thought after reading those books, she will understand and will allow it but instead she is scared. Can''t me her. She is so young and everything is new to her. She must be confused about what is going on with her. I should give her more time. Maybe taking her to the opera will help.''


    Drayce didn''t open his eyes and chose to sleep, as he didn''t wish to get closer to her as that would only worsen the situation.


    At midnight, when Drayce was in a deep sleep, Seren happened to wake up. She was so used to sleeping closer to him that sleeping away from him felt like she was missing something.


    Seeing him in a deep sleep, she shifted closer to him and tried to be as slow as possible in her actions. As he was sleeping facing the ceiling, she only slept closer to him, curled in a ball, while not disturbing his sleep.


    The next moment, Drayce turned to face her and held her in his embrace. Startled she was about to move away but saw his eyes were closed which implied he was still sleeping and moved in his sleep so she stayed like that to sleepfortably in his warm embrace and closed her eyes.


    A light smile was painted on his lips as he held her closer and let her sleep. It was a relief for him that she still foundfort with him and was not totally reluctant.


    --------


    The next day went the same for Seren. Drayce was gone by the time she was awake. She had a few more books to read and she did so reluctantly, which made her exactly feel like the previous day.


    She was still dazed with reading all those erotic things, when in the evening, Lady Xena informed her, "Your Majesty, You have to get ready."


    Seren looked at her questioningly as it was the evening when the sun had already hidden behind the hills and the sky was covered in the darkness. Then what was the need for her to get ready?


    "His Majesty is taking Your Majesty to the opera house," Lady Xena informed, her expressions and words were formal like always.


    "Opera House?" Seren repeated. "At night?"


    There was no change in Lady Xena''s formal expressions as she had been strictly taught to do so while Marie and Eva had the blush covered on their cheeks.


    "Yes, Your Majesty," Lady Xena assured, "We have been instructed to make you ready for it"


    Seren didn''t give much thought to it and agreed. Along with Lady Xena, Marie and Eva followed Seren to her wardrobe room.


    Lady Xena pulled out the prettiest-looking delicate dress for Seren. Seren paid no attention to it as she was busy in her own world, cursing over reading the books, ''Why do I have to read them? They all are so weird?''


    Eva and Marie gave an approving nod to Lady Xena about the dress she had chosen for Seren. They prepared her nicely in that dress and even had her hair set in the prettiest way possible. Her appearance was so good that it was impossible for anyone to not wish to see her face.


    These Servants who were with her were so curious to see her that Marie could imagine how much their King must want to see his wife too. She felt bad for their King and wished everything to be resolved soon.


    Seren was finally ready and stepped out of her bed-chamber wearing warm clothes over her delicate and pretty dress.


    She heard Marie, "Your Majesty, once you reach inside the Opera house, you won''t be needing these warm clothes. You can take it off if you wish to. It will feel morefortable."


    "Hmm!" Seren nodded calmly as she in fact hated these heavy warm clothes. It was a relief that she could remove them and enjoy the opera show.


    ------


    Dear readers, these next three days I am busy with a few things that''s why taking time to update. I have been invited to interact with the students from the "National University of? Singapore" and "Nanyang Univerity of Technology" about my journey as an author and I was busy preparing for it.

 Chapter 254: Opera House

    <h4>Chapter 254: Opera House</h4>


    The royal carriage of the King of Megaris was waiting for Seren at the exit of the residence. Once Seren came out of the residence building, she saw Drayce was standing next to the carriage and he was talking to yer. She hadn''t seen him since the previous night and seeing him suddenly, she felt as if her breath was stuck in her chest. She exhaled through her mouth and inhaled deeply to calm herself.


    Drayce sensed her presence and turned to look at her while yer stepped away and went towards his horse. The moment their eyes met, Seren felt her heart skipping a bit and for reasons unknown to her, she felt her entire body shiver under his gaze. She had never felt this way with him but things were changing and she didn''t know what was happening with her.


    Drayce continued to look at her as she continued to walk towards him with her slow and steady steps while the servants didn''t follow her. On the way, she felt like her knees were losing their strength and she might copse.


    ''Why is he staring at me? He makes me feel nervous.''


    She continued walking and once she reached there, Drayce offered her a light smile. She pulled out a light smile as well though under her veil, whether she smiled or not, no one could see.


    Drayce offered her his hand, "Shall we, my Queen?"


    Seren nodded and epted his hand. She stepped onto the small stool and climbed into the carriage as Drayce helped her. Once she was settled, Drayce stepped inside as well and sat opposite her.


    The carriage moved as only four knights apanied it. yer and Azer were ahead of the Royal Carriage while the other two knights were riding behind it.


    Inside the carriage, Seren tried her best to be calm in Drayce''s presence where he could closely observe her movements.


    Drayce could see she was feeling nervous and spoke, "My Queen, you can rx. It''s just an opera house we are going to."


    Seren nodded lightly and looked outside the carriage which was moving out of the pce. Once they reached outside the pce and rode on the city roads, Seren observed outside. It was evening and all the shops and businesses were getting closed. Those who saw the Royal Carriage immediately bowed to it and no one dared to look at who was sitting inside. She had not stepped out of the pce to know the city. Thest time she saw it was when she arrived in the capital for the first time, it was night too, and couldn''t get to see anything closely.


    ''I wonder how this city looks closely during the day,'' just as she thought, she heard Drayce, "My Queen, I will soon take you out to visit the city."


    Seren looked at him surprisingly, ''Can he read my thoughts now?''


    "I had nned to but after staying away from the kingdom for months, I had so many things to deal with that are rted to the kingdom and can not be neglected," Drayce exined.


    "I understand, Your Majesty," Seren assured politely.


    There wasplete silence inside the carriage till they reached the Opera House. Seren was unusually calm and Drayce didn''t know how tomunicate with her and make her feel at ease. He was not familiar with how to deal with women as it was his first time letting any woman step into his life other than his mother. He preferred to give her time and let things take their course on their own.


    The carriage stopped in front of one nice-looking piece of architecture that indicated what this structure was meant for. Drayce helped Seren to step out of the Carriage after he stepped out first.


    One man wearing noble-looking clothes immediately came towards them and bowed, "Greetings, Your Majesty, King and Queen of Megaris. This Opera House is blessed to have you here."


    Drayce epted the greetings with a slight nod while Seren looked at the unique structure of the Opera House. At the top of the square-shaped structure, it had a dome-shaped structure that was made up of ss. The entire building had sses fixed everywhere that made it shine with the multiplemps around.


    The man said, "This way, Your Majesty," and walked ahead.


    Drayce looked at Seren who was busy admiring the building structure even in the night, "My Queen, it will look even better from inside of the Opera house."


    Seren stopped looking around and realized it was time for them to go inside. She walked along with Drayce as the knights followed them. The man from the opera house stopped in front of the huge wooden door and opened it for the King and the Queen to enter.


    "Your Majesty, please step inside."


    Drayce looked at Seren as he walked and she followed him. Once they reached inside the man led their way further through the corridor while the knights stayed outside, to guard it as no one was allowed inside the Opera House when the King and the Queen of Megaris were the guests.


    They reached one more door where the man opened it for them but didn''t enter inside. He simply bowed, "Your Majesty, I hope you would like the y," and closed the door once Drayce and Seren stepped inside.


    Once the door was closed, Seren looked around and it was a huge hall with a stage at one side which was brightened up with numerousmps that looked as clear as it was the day. Comfortable cushioned chairs were arranged in ascending order from the stage in a semicircr pattern. It was simr to what she had seen in the Opera house in Abetha but it looked grand.


    When she was busy observing, Drayce had taken out his outer robe and hung it on the wooden stand as he saw his Queen observing everything. Seren walked ahead and then realized there was ss in front of her which was parting the entire hall from where she was standing.


    ''Seems like this part of the hall is reserved for the Royal''s only. Though it was separate in the Abetha too, they didn''t have a ss wall in front,'' she felt puzzled.


    Drayce stood behind her and said, "My Queen, let me help you remove your coat," and moved his hands towards her shoulder.


    While her sight still fixed ahead, Seren let him remove her coat.


    The moment Drayce removed the coat, his sight paused at Seren''s back. Her dress was deep V- neck and with her hair tied at the back of her head, he could see the half of her slender backbone visible through her delicate skin. The dress even had a wide neckline that ended up at the end of her shoulders, letting him take a nice view of her neck to shoulders. The one who had chosen this dress for her was sure nning to make him go crazy for his wife.


    -----


    Dear readers, as I had informed before, tomorrow I am traveling back to my home after so many months to celebrate the festival with my family. It is 12hr long journey so there might not be a chapter. As I promised, from 4th onward, there will be more chapters and even a mass release. Thank you for understanding my situation.

 Chapter 255: Dirty Play

    <h4>Chapter 255: Dirty y</h4>


    Exhaling out lightly, Drayce moved away from Seren. Seeing the way she was dressed, with her bare back tempting him, he could not trust himself that he would not do anything with her.


    He went to the wooden stand and hung Seren''s coat on it. Just as he turned to face her, Seren happened to turn around as well to ask him something. Drayce felt stunned, seeing how alluring she looked in that delicate fabric dress. It perfectly fitted her body, showing off her feminine curves that were enough to seduce any man. That sheer fabric took the shape of her delicate figure till her waist, while her shoulders were left wide open, allowing his eyes to feast on the sight of her delicate cor bones. Long sleeves covered her slender arms, and matching gloves covered her palms. From the waist, the dress red into a full skirt with its hems reaching till the floor, covering her feet entirely.


    "Your Majesty, why is this ss here?" Seren asked, not noticing where Drayce''s eyes were looking.


    Her gentle voice pulled Drayce back to his senses, luckily before his thoughts could go wild. He looked into her innocent eyes which showed she was not aware of what wicked thoughts he was having about her.


    He sighed inwardly at himself and asked as he stepped towards her,? "Did you say something, my Queen?"


    "I was asking why is this ss wall here?" Seren replied.


    "So that no one can see us here," Drayce answered. "We can see through this ss but people on that side can''t see us."


    Seren nodded as if she understood.


    ''It must be because he is a king and I am a queen and others are not allowed to see us,'' she concluded. She then realized the entire opera house was empty. "But no one else is here."


    "Tonight, it is reserved for only the two of us so that no one can cause any disturbances," Drayce replied.


    "I understand." Seren asked nothing further.


    "My Queen, let''s have a seat," Drayce said as he gestured at the wide cushioned couch kept near the ss wall. In front of it was a wooden center table that had snacks and fruits ced on it along with decorative ornaments and candles.


    Seren looked around to appreciate the entire ce. She found the ce pleasant��it was indeed well-decorated and warm enough that she was not feeling cold at all. She noticed the two fireces on the opposite walls that were keeping the ce warmer.


    Seren walked towards the couch with Drayce leading her way, helping her get settledfortably. He sat next to her while leaving only a little space between them. With a light movement, Seren slowly shifted away from him which Drayce noticed but didn''t mind. He wished her to be atplete ease.


    Just then, music started to y and the red curtain on the stage started to move. A man''s voice could be heard narrating in a clear voice what the background story of the y was about. Once the curtains werepletely drawn, the first set of actors dressed in extravagant suits appeared in their lines of sight.


    It was the story of a nobleman falling for ady servant in his household but his family didn''t approve of him marrying a lowly woman. It showed their struggle and the kind of love they had. In the end, they ended up marrying each other and living happily ever after.


    It was the second time for Seren toe to an opera house. Back in Abetha, when she went with Cian, she really enjoyed that y of a little girl who lost her pet, and this time, she was equally excited about this y as well. But little did she know that it was going to be exactly the opposite of what she imagined it would be.


    As soon as the actors entered the stage, her entire attention focused on them. Drayce looked at his fascinated wife through the corner of his eyes before returning his focus on the y.


    "My Queen, just as you have read in those books, I wish that you watch this y carefully."


    Her gaze not leaving the stage, Seren agreed without minding his words too much, "Yes, Your Majesty."


    The scene started with the setting being inside the nobleman''s chamber where ady d in servant clothes brought tea for her master. His eyes full of love for the prettydy servant were fixed on her every movement while the woman was silently doing her job. Even without words, it was clear that the young nobleman liked her, but thedy servant never looked at him even once and had her head lowered all the time.


    The story progressed further, showcasing the growing feelings between them with every little encounter until it came to the part where the nobleman confessed his love to the woman and she epted it because she felt the same.


    Seren sighed inwardly. ''It is the same in all the books I''ve read so far. The man says he loved her and then the woman agrees and��.well...'' Seren realized something. ''Will they do the same thing here too?''


    Just as Seren thought about it, the man indeed kissed the woman. Seren''s eyes were left wide open with what was going on the stage: a man and woman were sucking each other''s lips passionately as they held each other closely. Though Seren had read about the act in the books, seeing it live felt ufortably awkward. She immediately lowered her head to not look at it but then heard Drayce say something beside her.


    "My Queen, you have given your word that you will watch it clearly and carefully."


    "Your Majesty, this doesn''t look good��"


    "What doesn''t look good?" Drayce asked coldly.


    "What they are doing," Seren answered timidly.


    "They are performing a y for everyone to watch. There is nothing bad about it," Drayce countered. "This is what every man and woman in love do. Raise your head and take a look." Drayce''s voice wasmanding as he knew only then would she listen to him.


    Seren lifted her head up hesitantly and looked at the couple who were about to indulge in an even more intimate act beyond just kissing. Seren inhaled deeply to hold her ground, intending to keep her promise to watch the entirety of the y.


    Since their seats were nearest to the stage, she could clearly see the tiniest details of the performance��the expressions of raging desire on their faces, as well as how passionately that man assaulted the woman''s lips and tongue while she didn''t look like she was reluctant nor disgusted. Instead, she was responding just as fiercely back to the man. The opera house was filled with soft moans and heavy breathing sounds.


    Seren exhaled lightly to keep her heart calm as she clutched her dress with the hands which were resting on her thighs. She remembered Drayce''s words��of what he wished to do with her lips??��and seeing the scene in front of her, her mind was filled with the image of Drayce doing the same with her.


    ''So is this why His Majesty wants me to remove my veil? Will doing that feel good? That woman seems like she is liking it...''


    Through the corner of her eyes, Seren took a peek at Drayce who was sitting the same way as he had at the start, calm andposed. His strong back was leaning against the backrest, looking rxed with his one leg folded over the other one. One of his hands was resting on the armrest of the couch while the other one was resting on his folded leg, and his gaze never wavered away from the stage.


    ''He looks unflustered, as if such a sight is something somon it no longer affects him. Does hee here to watch such dirty ys often?''


    Unlike him, Seren could feel her chest thudding wildly, and it was as if her body was starting to feel hotter and hotter with each passing second. With the help of her willpower, she managed to pull away her gaze from Drayce and looked back at the stage where she saw that the story had progressed into a more intimate scenario.


    The man had begun undressing the woman, taking off her outer robe while kissing at her neck and the woman had entwined her fingers into the man''s hair, pulling his head closer as if asking him to move faster.


    ''Isn''t it shameful to look at others when they are doing all this? What kind of y is this? This is udylike! Martha would have been terrified at this sight! I wish I could run away from such shameless people.''


    But then, the man''s actions suddenly reminded Seren of what Drayce had once done with her neck. The memory from that night made her gasp as she realized something��the sensation of his lips on her skin, it indeed felt good. She looked at Drayce again and imagined him doing it with her again, and the next moment, she had goosebumps all over her body and the hot difort in her body grew.


    Clutching her dress even tighter, she shook her head lightly to stop thinking about it. ''Why am I thinking about it? I should not recall such things.''


    With renewed determination, she looked back at the stage where the man had now removed his inner shirt and was removing the silk cloth wrapped around the woman''s chest.


    After reading the same things in the book, Seren was not much surprised as by then she had understood the man and a woman would be naked soon. But still, it was too much to watch them like this. The experience was iparablepared to the ones written in the books.


    "Y-Your Majesty��"


    "Hmm?" Drayce asked as he looked at her.


    The moment their eyes met, Seren felt her soul leaving her body. His red eyes looked a little drunk, yet the hunger in them was raging, as if he wished to capture her within them. Her body, which already had goosebumps, felt weaker and hotter under his gaze but she managed to ask.


    "I-Is it fine to watch them without clothes...?"


    "It is fine and I wish you to watch everything without feeling hesitant or awkward. Only then will my Queen understand what happens between a man and a woman."


    Drayce''s words were firm and overbearing, not leaving room for discussion.


    "I understand, Your Majesty," Seren replied a little weakly as she breathed deeply, deciding to not say a single word further.


    ''I have read everything and I just need to watch it. It''s fine,'' Seren consoled herself and focused on what was going on the stage once more.


    The man had taken the woman to his bed and climbed onto her body. The woman reached out to kiss him as she looked needy for his touch. In response, the man kissed the woman but his hands moved towards the woman''s breasts as he kneaded them roughly. The woman could only arch her back as it looked like she liked it.


    After reading the same thing in the book every time, Seren used to look at the round peaks on her chest and used to wonder if it truly felt good to make the women in the books want it more. She always questioned what was so good when a man touched a woman. Whenever Drayce touched her, she always felt her heart getting wild and she felt scared inside due to her strange reaction. It was something unknown that was why it terrified her. Though deep down, she had to admit she felt good too, however, the sense of feeling scared was more prominent than anything else whenever Drayce touched her.


    Soon, the scene on the bed grew more frantic. The man captured that woman''s round peaks in his mouth. He sucked and licked them harshly with his hands still kneading them. The opera house was filled with the moans of that woman lying in bed growing louder and louder as if her body was demanding more from that man. As the man continued to taste her round plump bosom, the woman moved her head up and her chest lifted up with her toes curled and digging into the mattress. She looked like a mess with her long ck hair spread on the pillow, but she looked as if she still wished for more.


    Seren gulped as her heart was picking up pace. Though she was hesitant to watch it before, now her gaze was stuck at what those two were doing. She almost forgot that Drayce was sitting next to her.


    The man''s body moved further down and down till he reached between the legs of that woman. He removed the lower clothes and left the womanpletely naked and dived in between her legs. The moment he tasted that woman''s sacred ce between her legs, the woman let out the loudest moan while calling out for the man.


    "Ahh...My Lord...Ahh��"


    The man had no intention to stop and instead held the woman''s thighs tightly as he licked and sucked on her while the woman''s body shuddered greatly with what she was feeling.


    The man only stopped to insert his finger inside the woman.


    "My Lord! Ahh!"


    Seren, who was watching it all with her eyes wide open in shock, was so engrossed she had forgotten everything else but the man and woman on the bed. She didn''t wish to stop watching as she clutched her dress and clenched her thighs together, feeling a tingling sensation at her lower abdomen. That woman''s loud moans were affecting Seren''s sanity. It was as if she was feeling the same pleasure as what that woman on the stage was feeling at this moment, though no one was even touching her.


    Seren saw how the man was using his finger and tongue over that woman. She thought nothing about what and why that man was doing it as she was only focused on watching it.


    "My Lord...Please...Ahh!"


    Soon, that woman''s cries and moans turned softer after calling out for the man once more. Her body had turned limp, as if she had be tired to the bones, and that man had stopped what he was doing between her legs.


    At that very moment, Seren exhaled out loudly, as if it was not that woman but her who had gone through that intimate experience, and now she could finally rx. She could still feel her body was feeling weird and had turned ufortably hot.


    After a shaky sigh, she again looked at Drayce who was the same as before, as if he felt nothing regarding the scene they were watching. Drayce looked at her and Seren immediately looked away.


    Drayce picked up the ss of juice from the table and offered it to Seren. "Have it, my Queen. Your throat must be dry."


    Seren felt shocked as what he had said was the truth; her throat was dry. She reached out her hand to get a ss of juice from him. The moment her fingers touched his, she felt like a strange current passed through her body. She gasped and retracted her hand.


    Drayce gave her a questioning look. She again reached out for the ss of juice, but this time, she made sure she wouldn''t touch his fingers.


    Seren had a few sips of the juice before returning her attention towards the stage where the man had finally removed his pants and waspletely naked. Seren finally looked at the part which she had addressed as deformity before.


    In the storybooks, they never showed it, and neither did she expect to see it here. With her breath stuck inside her chest and with her eyes wide open, she stared at the man''s asset.


    ''It...looks so...so...''


    She couldn''t find a word but didn''t wish to call it weird.


    Drayce got the ss of juice from her hand and put it back on the table as he knew she was shocked. He was d that she didn''t call it a deformity out loud.


    Seren saw the woman was still lying in bed, breathing heavily and looking at the man as if she was waiting for him. While the man was kneeling between her widely opened legs, he held his manhood in his own hands, stroking and massaging it gently as if he was making it ready for something.


    ''What is he doing?'' Seren questioned as she didn''t have a good feeling about it.

 Chapter 256: It Feels Uncomfortable

    <h4>Chapter 256: It Feels Ufortable</h4>


    While the man was readying his manhood, the woman who was lying limp on the bed had her eyes fixed on what his hands were doing. The man caught the desire in her gaze and stopped moving his hands. Instead, he leaned closer to her and held her hands, guiding her to hold his manhood in her hands. The moment she held it, the second she wrapped her fingers around it, the man groaned in pleasure. As if in fascination,? she continued to move her delicate palms along his length, making the man groan louder as he encouraged the woman to move her hands faster.


    The man then leaned down and kissed the woman. He said something to her again, but Seren no longer paid attention to the dialogue exchanged by the couple. Her sole focus was on what exactly would happen next. In the books she''d read, during such a moment, they would describe how the woman''s face would flush and she would look like in pain while the man simplyy between her legs. She wished to know exactly what the man would do to give his woman pain.


    ''Will he bite her or is there something else?''


    Just as Seren was expecting to see what she saw in the books, the woman sat up and yfully pushed the man away before taking the manhood into her mouth. Seren''s eyes widened as her body shuddered. She couldn''t stand the sight of it.


    ''I-Is he trying to choke her?!''


    The man hissed and let the woman continue the strange act of choking herself. His hands even held the back of her head. After a while, he caressed the woman''s long ck hair, gesturing her to stop, and made her lie on her back as he moved on top of her.


    Seren noticed the man moving his hand down as the woman had already let go of his manhood. She saw him position himself at the woman''s part between her legs and Seren held her breath. This was it. She would finally clearly know what exactly should happen next.


    ''Why is he��?"


    The next moment, she got her answer as the woman cried loudly, "Ahh...My Lord!''


    Seren saw the man''s long and thick asset entering the woman''s most delicate part, making her cry in pain. Seren almost jumped up from her seat as she covered her mouth with her hands, and her purple eyes seemed to pop out of her eye sockets. She had never expected it to be like this.


    ''Did I just see something wrong? Are my eyes okay?''


    She rubbed her eyes yet nothing changed. It was still the same scene of the man''s asset entering the woman to its fullest.


    ''This��This looks painful...''


    Looking at how pained the woman''s expressions were, Seren could not help but be frustrated, but the man didn''t seem to notice the woman''s pain and did not stop moving back and forth.


    Finally, she got the answer to those lines in the book where it said, ''He entered her which made her feel sharp pain.''


    Seren looked at Drayce to see if he was shocked, or was at least bothered seeing that woman in pain but just like before, Drayce was sitting unaffected, as if there was nothing unusual happening at the stage. Perhaps, it didn''t even interest him.


    Since Drayce didn''t mind it at all, Seren felt like she should also calm herself. She only decided to look at the stage once more when she heard the pained cries of the woman change into loud moans. It surprised Seren. This woman looked like she was in a hell lot of pain mere moments ago, yet now she looked like she was�� enjoying herself?


    The woman''s face was flushed, yet bliss could be seen on her face as if she liked what that man was doing with her. Exactly like what Seren had read in the books.


    The entire ce was filled with the woman''s loud moans of pleasure, the man''s heavy breathing and grunting under his breath, the rustling of the bedsheet, the creaking sounds of the bed and the pping of flesh against flesh.


    Seeing how the couple were indulging in an intimate act and how they were enjoying it, Seren could feel her body was heavily reacting too. Especially when she saw the man lifting that woman up to make her sit on hisp, facing him and the two of them moving in sync, Seren felt something moist between her legs, exactly what she felt all the time when she was reading those books. Back then, it made her feel ufortable, and this time, it was even stronger.


    Trying to control her haggard breathing and heartbeats, Seren clenched her hands against her dress and pressed her thighs together, trying to make herself feel better in the area between her legs, but nothing was helping her. She did not even realize that her face had turned red as she was gasping lightly.


    Drayce, who could always hear her heart pounding faster, looked at her when she started gasping heavily. Her ears had turned red, and although he could not see her cheeks, he was sure they were red too. She had clutched her hands around her stomach tightly and lowered her head while gasping for air. He also noticed how her legs were pressed tightly together as her toes were curled to dig into the carpeted floor.


    The sight of his wife like this was both mesmerizing and arousing.


    "My Queen, are you fine?" Drayce asked, though he knew she was not fine at all.


    Seren shook her head lightly. "It...feels...so ufortable��" she replied in between heavy gasps. She looked in pain.


    Drayce had expected her to be affected but not like this. It looked unusual to him, as if someone had drugged her. He picked up the ss of juice and was about to offer it to her but then he stopped midway. Feeling doubtful, he smelled the juice and then had a sip.


    He frowned upon tasting the juice and then kept it back on the table. He didn''t have time to think much over it as taking Seren out from there was the priority.


    "My Queen, we need to leave," Drayce instructed but Seren looked like she didn''t hear him. She had shut her eyes tightly, and she was leaning down while clutching her hands around her stomach.


    Drayce stood up and brought Seren''s winter coat over her shoulders. The next moment, her body curled like a ball was lifted in his arms. Seren held onto him tightly, as if the warmth from his body was making her feel better.


    Without a word, Drayce carried her out of the room. The door opened on its own as Drayce used his powers. The moment the exit door opened, all the knights present outside saw their king carrying their queen and immediately lowered their heads.


    "I am returning first," was all they heard from Drayce, and the next moment, they felt a strong gust of wind.


    The king and queen were gone.

 Chapter 257: Her First Time

    <h4>Chapter 257: Her First Time</h4>


    Inside Seren''s bedchamber, there was a sudden strong gust of wind before two figures appeared out of thin air. Marie and Eva, who happened to be present at the entrance of the bedchamber while waiting for their queen to return, realized that the king and queen had appeared within the bedchamber. They hurried to close the door of the bedchamber and left as if their skirts were on fire.


    Drayce carried Seren to her bed. He was about to put her down when she clung to him so strongly as if she didn''t wish to let him go. Draycey down along with her on the bed and wordlessly watched his wife who had buried her face in his chest, inhaling his scent as if she was intoxicated.


    Seren had not realized they were no longer inside the opera house. In fact, her mind had long been empty of thought, and she was acting on instinct.


    ''This feels good...''


    She only wished to keep him close. The closer, the better. His warmth feltforting, and his masculine scent�� she wanted to��


    Drayce held her closer and said in a low voice, "My Queen, you won''t feel better like this. You have drunk a juice that contains another fruit which is not appropriate, turning you like this."


    His words had no effect on Seren. Drayce needed to get her back to her senses. Although he wanted things to happen between them, she should be aware of what was going on with her. She had to be of clear mind so she wouldn''t take hister actions as something not eptable for her. He didn''t wish for her to feel that he took advantage of her condition and forced himself on her.


    "My Queen, did you understand what I said?" Drayce asked, but there was still no reply from her. The woman in his embrace seemingly cared for nothing else but getting her fill of his touch and manly scent. It was both frustrating and adorable; he could only let out a smile.


    "My Queen, if I remove your veil, you will feel even better."


    As if something had pinched her hard, Seren immediately stopped snuggling into his embrace.? Thest bit of sanity in her eyes made her let him go as she covered her veil with her two hands.


    ''Even in such a condition when anyone will lose their minds, she still knows what she cares the most��this veil." Drayce sighed helplessly, but in a situation like this, this veil was helpful to him.


    With her clouded mind a little clearer, Seren sat up with both her arms circled around her folded knees. She buried her face in the crook of her arms as she tried to get ahold of herself. However, each second proved to be a struggle. Her gasps for breath were heavier, and her eyes had turned teary.


    ''It feels so bad...Ahh...It''s too hot...But I can''t let him remove this veil...I can not let him get hurt...I don''t want him to die...I can bear with it��'' Seren continued to think as finally tears rolled down her eyes. She tried to control what her body was feeling, but it was of no use. Her mind and body were in conflict��what her body was feeling was more prominent than what her brain was trying to suppress.


    Drayce sat up in bed next to her and observed her trembling shoulders.


    ''Such strong self-control.'' It amused him, how hard she was trying to go against her body''s desire.


    "My Queen, I know you are not feeling well. But I can help you," Drayce offered.


    "I-I am fine, Your Majesty," she replied in a weak voice, her face still buried in the crook of her arms. Her entire body was shivering and her feet were rubbing lightly against each other with her toes curled and buried in the mattress.


    "My Queen, it will turn worse soon. Let me help you," Drayce insisted. He knew she would have to give in to him soon but he wished to get her approval while she was still sane. "Trust me, it will be fine soon."


    Seren lifted her head a little, only enough for her to take a peek at him from the curtains of her long hair that had be a mess from lying on the bed earlier. Her intoxicated eyes stared straight at him as she asked in a quivering voice, "H-How?"


    Even saying a single word was difficult for her as the effect of the spiked juice was spreading inside her body


    Drayce gave her a deep, assuring look. "Do you trust me, my Queen?"


    "I..do��" she managed to say between her gasps.


    "Then, will my Queen allow me to help her and do something with your body?"


    She didn''t fully get his words but she somehow understood what he''s implying. For several seconds, she only stared back at him, not knowing what to say. Given her body''s situation, she wished to say yes and ask him to cure her as soon as possible, but something in her mind was resisting the idea.


    As if Drayce had understood what she was thinking, he assured, "I won''t do anything that will hurt you or do something that my Queen will not want."


    Still refusing to answer, Seren tightened the grip of her hands around her folded legs, trying herst effort to bear what she was feeling.


    "I won''t do what that man had done with a woman in the end. I won''t give you pain," Drayce continued. "Can you trust me with this? I only want to help you."


    There was only silence from her side. Drayce knew that her drink contained a strong aphrodisiac, and he could only imagine how terrible her body must have been feeling at the moment. He wanted to reach out for her and embrace her, to at least make her feel a bit better, but he decided to continue respecting her wishes.


    It had to be her choice.


    Finally, words filled with reluctance and embarrassment could be heard from that small trembling body.


    "H-Help me... Please!"


    Drayce felt a pang of pain in his heart upon hearing the pain from her pleading voice. The person who had made that juice for them, Drayce would make sure that person would lose his hands once he took care of his queen.


    Swallowing his anger, Drayce schooled his expression as he reached out to his wife. His hand stopped midway as he didn''t know how to start it with her. He didn''t want to be in haste and neither wanted to scare her, but he wanted her to be out of misery as soon as possible. After a moment of hesitation, he reached for her arm still embracing her folded knees. However, as soon as his finger touched her skin, her body jerked lightly.


    "My Queen, look at me," Drayce instructed softly.


    This time, although her movements were slow, Seren obeyed what he said as she was in need of help. Moreover, his words sounded trustworthy to her. After living with him for so long, she was sure he would not hurt her.


    "I won''t remove this veil," Drayce assured her once again, knowing it was this concern that she was most scared of.


    His words had a positive effect on her, and she finally let go of all her defenses.


    From the look in her eyes, Drayce understood she had truly given him power over her body, surrendering control to him. He raised his hand to caress her cheek over the veil. It was a gentle touch, one meant for someone cherished by her man.


    Mere warmth from his palm felt soforting to her that she released her hands that were circled around her knees.


    Seren could only trust him. He was a man of his word, and she had no reason to doubt him...right?


    As she tilted her head closer to him, she heard him say, "You will be fine soon," and it sounded like the sweetest luby to her ears.


    Her focus was already shifted towards the touch that her body was craving for.


    While his hand caressed her cheeks, which he knew she liked, Drayce leaned closer to her. His face was just an inch away and Seren''s sight moved from his red eyes to his tempting lips, but she could only lick her own lips in response. For the first time, she found his hot minty breath so nice while mingling with hers. The way his breath brushed against her skin made her throat feel dry.


    "My Queen, you need to lie down," Drayce whispered, sounding as gentle as he could, guiding her toy in bed while moving along with her, with his hand at the back of her head and the other holding her at the shoulder.


    Seren didn''t resist and allowed herself to be pushed back until her head hit the pillow while her gaze was stuck to his handsome face the whole time.


    Once she lookedfortableying in bed, Drayce hovered above her, allowing himself to fully appreciate that pair of purple eyes full of need, seemingly begging him to give in to their bodily desires. Even though he knew nothing about his wife''s face, those eyes alone were enough for him. Drayce had long been enchanted by Seren. Her eyes were the first thing that made him curious about her, and even so, he had never seen them as beautiful as they were right now. Just a look from her was enough to seduce him.


    Drayce gulped and closed his eyes for a moment to calm himself. It was not the time for him to let his needs consume him. This time, for her sake, he had to restrain himself.? What worried him the most was if he were to lose control, his devil would be out, and he would be forced to break his promise to her. He didn''t want her to hate him.


    For now, he only wished to take care of his wife and her needs.


    "It will be over soon," Drayce assured, both for Seren and as a reminder for himself. He then leaned down to peck on her veil-covered lips. He could never stop that temptation even if it was over the veil. As his lips brushed against her lips, Seren gasped lightly and she almost had an urge to kiss him back, but she could only hold back and wait for him to help her. With that simple brushing over the lips, their bodies so close only their clothes were keeping them apart, her body waspletely lit on fire. She could only keep in a moan. She was trying her best to hold back, and her hands were clutching onto his clothes tightly as if any more pressure would let her rip them apart.


    Drayce''s eyes noticed the flower on her forehead emitting a mild light ray, and now, he was sure about his prediction about it. He lightly pecked on her forehead and moved down towards her neck to dive in gently.


    The moment his warm and moist lips touched her skin, a light moan escaped Seren''s lips as she clutched even tighter onto his clothes, causing the buttons at his chest area to loosen. After taking his sweet time kissing her neck, Drayce pulled away to hold her glove-covered hands. He held her hands in front of his mouth and removed those gloves by pulling them with his teeth. His eyes were staring into hers as he did that, looking on as the desire in her eyes burned brighter and brighter.


    Seren did not realize it herself, but she was starting to pant lightly as her body responded to his temptation. What he was doing with his teeth made something inside her quiver in anticipation. She watched him the same way he watched her, with hunger and excitement, noticing every little action of his that only caused the desperate need inside her to grow.


    Throwing her gloves away, he moved her finally bare hands to pin them on her sides as his fingers entangled with hers. With a little teasing grin, he lowered his head once more to continue sucking and nibbling on the skin of her neck, leaving a trail of kisses towards her fine corbones and her wide open shoulders.


    Seren let out a soft moan in response. She had been craving this for so long. Whenever she read this in the books, she would remember that time when Drayce had done the same before. Now that her desire was finally being fulfilled, her body kept asking for more. Her upper body lifted on reflex, as if to offer herself for a more frantic touch. Unknown to her, the light moans that were making their way out of her throat were turning into loud seductive cries.


    Drayce could feel how sensitive her body had be and she would not resist whatever he would do to her but...he could never take advantage of her. Drayce stopped and looked at her, who looked back at him with a creased forehead, unhappy that he had stopped. Her gaze was enough for him to understand that she was more than just ready.


    "My Queen, I will do... something," Drayce said, his voice hoarse and at edge as he tried to swallow his burning desire. "Befortable. Soon, you will feel better."


    At this point, Seren was barely conscious, her mind already overwhelmed and clouded by the need of her body. She simply whimpered for his touch, wanting his lips on her skin once more. She didn''t wish to understand anything else. She only wanted him to make her feel better.


    With deliberate slowness, Drayce let go of her hands and allowed his rough fingers to gently trace her smooth skin, from her wrists, up to her forearms, before circling towards her shoulders and then moving inwards as if to savor every delicate line of her body. One of his hands moved along her upper body, feeling those curves under that soft fabric of her dress as he eyed them with admiration.


    His hands then moved towards the hem of her dress to pull it up. If it was any other time, he would have just torn her dress andpletely ate her up like a predator, but this was different. This moment wasn''t for the two of them, but only for her. He only wished to be gentle with her while he prayed for his devil to not show up.


    Seren''s body felt as if his burning touch was leaving a trail of liquid fire on its wake, and it was consuming all of her, and what little rationality was left in her mind. She did not even stop him even when he had started to pull her dress up. She wanted him to do something as soon as possible. Her breathing had turned ragged, and her moans had gone wild. Her brain had turned into a mess, and there was nothing else but craving left behind.


    Once the hem of the dress was up, her slender legs came into his sight, and they were perfectly visible to him due to the light from themps inside the bedchamber.


    Drayce felt as if he was about to lose it all. His heart could no longer keep calm, and even his own breaths were starting to get ragged as well. He forced out a loud exhale, urging himself to stay rational and not let the wild thoughts take over his mind.


    ''Focus!'' he inwardly rebuked himself. ''Focus on what you need to do.''


    Seeing the condition Seren was in, he knew there was no need to ask for her permission and he removed her undergarment, to which she didn''t resist at all.


    As soon as he pulled the undergarment off her feet, he threw it away. Drayce didn''t look at where he should not without her permission and went back to look at Seren''s face. She had her eyes shut, as if fully ready to feel what he would do to her. Unknowingly, her body had already anticipated what was toe.


    "My Queen��?" Drayce called out to her with light pants. When she finally opened her eyes to look at him, he swallowed in an attempt to wet his dry throat. "Are youfortable, my Queen?"


    Seren was beyond understanding what it meant to befortable and just looked at him with the eyes begging for more. Drayce regretted not being able to kiss her when she was looking at him like this.


    Looking into those eyes filled with need, Drayce moved his hands along her thighs slowly before his right hand made its way towards the area between her closed legs which she parted in response.


    Just as his hand reached the sacred ce between her legs, Seren gasped and held her breath. Her reaction amused him as he moved his long fingers along her intimate folds, only to hear her moaning seductively. Her body shuddered wildly under his touch, and he was forced to swallow his own desire once more.


    Drayce noticed she was already wet, and it was nothing surprising for him given her condition. The lightest touch already had her responding like this. He looked forward to seeing every bit of her reaction the more he touched her.


    Looking into her eyes, as if he could read and feel what she was feeling, Drayce no longer wavered and answered his wife''s silent plea with his rough fingers. He parted her wet folds and circled his fingertip around her most sensitive part. A loud sultry whimper apanied her arching back.


    "Y-Your Majesty��" she let out in a breathless manner as she clutched onto the bedsheets.


    Drayce didn''t stop and continued to show utmost care on her most sensitive part. Her body was quivering under his attention, and no words could make their way out of Seren''s throat. Only indistinct moans of pleasure escaped her lips. With each passing moment, the fire inside her was engulfing every inch of her body. She had no other outlet than to clutch onto the bed sheet harder and arched her back with her curled toes buried into the mattress.


    Though Drayce appeared calm at the surface, there was a dangerous turmoil inside him, urging him to forget everything and take her as he wished. His wife had surrendered herself at his mercy. There was nothing but his conscience stopping him.


    ''I promised her��''


    Drayce moved his drenched finger towards the entrance of her womanhood and slowly inserted it inside her.


    Seren''s eyes widened at the sudden intrusion, but to her body, it was a sweet weed shock. It felt strange and new to her, but at the same time, it felt as if her body was screaming at her that this was exactly what it wanted...and it wanted more.


    To divert himself from his own needs, Drayce had given his entire attention to each of her reactions, and he caught the surprise and the hunger in her eyes as he felt his finger getting sucked inside by the warm folds of her flesh. Not leaving the sight of her face, he continued to move his finger in and out of her, watching with thirst and fascination as he made his wife climb towards the peak of ecstasy.


    When Drayce felt she was finally nearing her climax, he moved his finger even faster. She looked overwhelmed with whatever was happening with her body, all those foreign feelings, engulfing her but didn''t know how to be free from them.


    Sensing her confusion, Drayce leaned closer to her ears and whispered in a seductively hoarse voice. "Seren, let it go."


    It was the first time he had called her name and it felt good. He had repeated her name countless times in his mind since the day he got to know her name and didn''t even see her. He couldn''t deny he liked her name and wished to say it again and again. He was looking forward to the day when she won''t treat him like any stranger and ask him to call her by her name and how he would say it without ever getting tired.


    Seren had heard him clearly calling her name even though her brain was beyond being able to process anything. She didn''t know what exactly it caused her but hearing him say her name and instructing her to let it go, made her get closer and closer to the peak of her release.


    Drayce finally heard her calling for him onest time as her body arched in bliss.


    "Your Majesty!"


    She felt like she was floating in the air while moving down towards a pitless valley. She did not know how long it was, but her wits only returned after her widely shuddering body calmed down. Shey in bed with her eyes closed, panting heavily to catch as much air she could.


    It seemed that she had lost consciousness.


    Drayce let out a shaky breath as he closed his eyes as well. Only now did he realize that his entire body was covered in sweat, telltale signs that his internal battle over his own needs had been more difficult than he initially thought. It could not be helped. He was a man and he had pleasured his wife, the only woman who had affected him in a way no other had done before.


    He didn''t hurry to pull away and watched Seren rx. It looked like she would not wake up anytime soon. Though the aphrodisiac was strong, she had a very little quantity of that juice so this much was enough for her.


    This was her first time feeling such a thing and that too was under the influence of something inappropriate. She looked exhausted and had already drifted to sleep. Drayce slowly removed his finger drenched in her juices, and he thought he heard her calling for him under her breath, but perhaps he was simply hearing things since she''s already in deep sleep.


    Drayce never wished her to have the first such experience of her life to be under the influence of something where she will lose her rationality. He always wished her to ask for it when she was sane and give herself to him willingly. But now, there was nothing he could do, and wondered how she will think about it and react when she will wake up the next day.


    Making sure she was in a deep sleep, Drayce was ready to go out as his red fiery eyes showed he was going to kill someone.

 Chapter 258: Punishment

    <h4>Chapter 258: Punishment</h4>


    After watching Seren''s peacefully sleeping figure for a couple more minutes, Drayce felt reassured to leave her bedchamber. As he left, barely concealed rage could be seen on his handsome face.


    Very soon, his knights conducted the orders given by him and three men could be found kneeling in front of Drayce while he sat on a cushioned wooden chair. His red eyes carried a murderous gaze as he looked down on their pitiful forms.


    "Y-Your Majesty, please forgive this ignorant foolish subject of yours!. It was truly not intentional!" one of the three men pleaded. He was the same person who had weed the King and Queen of Megaris at the opera house and had arranged everything for them.


    Drayce did not say a word, yet his cold re and dark expression alone made a sobbing mess of the three.


    Jasper, who was standing next to him, spoke in a stern voice, "Anything that involves harming our King and Queen, even if it''s unintentional, is considered a crime against the crown."


    The man from the opera house didn''t dare raise his head to look at anyone. He felt his body shivering from having King Drayce, the devil himself, sitting in front of him. Everyone knew the King of Megaris was a cruel person by nature. If someone were to offend him ormit a heavy crime like treason? The punishment was surely an inhumane one, the kind where death would count as a sweet release. He had already started to see his future where he would be skinned alive and left starving here in the underground dungeon, and when he was on the cusp of life and death, his dying body would be thrown in the cage of wild wolves where those beasts would shred his body into the pieces, not even leaving bones behind.


    "Y-Y-Your Majesty, p-please allow this fool to exin what happened," the man finally managed to say when he gathered enough courage. His voice was shaking so much, he had to try twice for his words to soundprehensible.


    In response, he got nothing but silence from his king.


    After what felt like torture, he finally heard the noble standing beside the king say, "Whatever you say, think of it as yourst words. Don''t think you will be spared."


    The man swallowed his cry, trying his best topose himself. Even if he would not be spared from death, at the very least, he had to make sure his family as well as the other people from the opera house would not be implicated.


    "Y-Your Majesty, that kind of juice is served to all the esteemed guests, be they nobles or royals, who visit the opera house at night time. It is famous among couples and has be a specialty service of our trade as everyone demands it. I thought Your Majesty must know about it too. It was not out of bad intentions. It''s been served to all the royal and noble guests for a long time," the man exined to the best of his abilities.


    "How negligent!" Jasper raised his voice, making the three men tremble in fear. "Do you think your ignorance would excuse your mistake? Shouldn''t you be more thoughtful while serving anything to the king and the queen, the rulers of our great kingdom? The fact that they graced your establishment with their presence is already an honor that could go down for several generations! How dare youpare our king and queen to their subjects and decide to give it to them without telling them what it is?!"


    "We are wrong! Apologies, Your Majesty! We deserve to get punished!" said the man as he was sure there was no use in denying the wrongdoing though it was without bad intentions.


    Jasper looked at Drayce, who had remained silent the whole time, letting the man beg uninterrupted. However, no matter how calm he appeared to be, his eyes showed he was angry, and this anger wouldn''t go away anytime soon.


    In fact, the crime was indeed not serious, as even someone like Jasper had heard that kind of juice was indeed offered in that kind of ce as part of the trade. Though the servers from the opera house were negligent in not informing them of the spiked drink, the knights were also to be partially med for not checking this sort of detail. Drayce was not a ruthless tyrant who would normally punish someone severely for a mistake like this. But this time, the matter blew up because the one affected was Queen Seren, and Jasper was sure these three men would not go unscathed.


    Heavy silence enveloped the room as everyone waited for Drayce to decide on their punishment.


    "Send them as soldiers on the Thevailes border and instruct the general in charge to put them in the frontlines. Let them know the responsibilities of protecting the kingdom," Drayce instructed. "They will not be allowed to return to the capital unless they earn sufficient military merits, or theye back as corpses."


    Though he was angry because of what happened with Seren, he was also a king and could not kill those who hadmited unintentional crimes which didn''t cause any real harm. At the same time, he couldn''t let them go unpunished for their irresponsible service towards the royalty.


    The threemoners who had never even held a sword in hand could only sit there helplessly. No one would dare oppose their king''s decision. It could be said that they were given a second chance at life since their king did not kill them with his own hands or pass the order to kill them directly. If they somehow managed to survive the battlefield in the future, they would be allowed to return to ckhelm.


    "Thank you for your benevolence, Your Majesty!"


    "We will serve the army well!"


    Punishing them could no longer calm Drayce. He stood up and departed from the dungeon, leaving everything to Jasper and yer who were aware of how angry Drayce was. Both young men were equally surprised and relieved that his devil didn''t show and kill those three men right there and then.


    When Drayce returned to Seren''s bedchamber, he looked at the sleeping face of his wife and his anger faded the longer he stared. He got on the bed and scooped her into his embrace. Only then could he be at peace and sleep with a calm mind.

 Chapter 259: Recalling The Previous Night

    <h4>Chapter 259: Recalling The Previous Night</h4>


    When Seren woke up the next day, it waste in the morning. The sun was high in the sky and had already brightened up the entire capital. Her head felt heavy and her vision was blurry despite blinking a couple of times. Her mind was empty of thoughts, but out of habit, she looked to her side to see if someone was there but the other side of the bed was empty. A little rity came into her mind.


    Drayce was not there with her.


    Just then, she heard the familiar female voices which politely greeted her every morning.


    "Good morning, Your Majesty!" Marie and Eva bowed towards her.


    Still in a daze, Seren didn''t respond as she kept lying in the bed. She cradled her throbbing forehead. ''Why is my head hurting like this?''


    Marie, who had already expected something must have happened between her king and the queen the previous night, stepped towards the bed and asked with worry, "Your Majesty, are you not feeling well?"


    "My head hurts," Seren replied weakly.


    "I will get something for Your Majesty to cure the headache," Marie informed and looked at Eva, who left after understanding the wordless instruction.


    Seren tried to sit and Marie hurried to help her. "Let me help you, Your Majesty."


    Marie even ced pillows to support Seren''s back as she sat up in the bed. She then heard Marie''s voice again. "I will get water for Your Majesty." She closed her eyes for a bit as she listened to the sounds of Marie moving around. She must have gone towards the water container ced on the table in the bedchamber.


    When she opened her eyes again, Seren noticed that she was wearing the same dress she used on her outing from the previous night instead of her nightgown.


    ''Why am I wearing the same dress��? Wait...when and how did I return? I don''t remember returning to the pce...''


    She tried to recall everything from the previous night, but with little sess.? Thest thing she remembered was that she suddenly started to feel ufortable...


    "Your Majesty, please have some water." Marie returned with a ss of water.


    It broke the flow of memories for Seren. She looked at the ss of water and felt unusually thirsty as if she had not drank water for so long. Once she emptied the entire ss of water down her throat, only then did she feel a little better.


    "Your Majesty, would you like me to help you get to the side chamber?" Marie asked as she noticed her queen didn''t look so good.


    Seren shook her head, and she pressed her temples with both her hands when she realized the small action worsened her headache. Just then, Eva hurried back to the bedchamber with a small wooden tray in her hand, carrying a small white bowl filled with the liquid medicines on it.


    Eva bowed to her queen and then looked at Marie. "Lady Tyra had this prepared already."


    There was hardly anything that could be hidden from Lady Tyra and knowing about their queen''s situation was nothing unexpected.


    Marie picked up the bowl from the wooden tray and offered it to Seren. "Your Majesty, this medicine will help you get rid of the headache."


    Seren epted the bowl while Marie and Eva turned around so that their queen could finish the medicine after lifting up the veil on her face. Seren finished that bitter medicine in a moment as all she wanted was to get rid of that deadly headache.


    Once she finished it and Marie epted the empty bowl of medicine from Seren, the servant took a good look at her appearance once more. The concern could be seen on the servant''s face. "Your Majesty, would you like to sleep some more?"


    Seren wanted to shake her head out of habit but stopped midway as she cradled her head again. "Just prepare a bath for me."


    Marie and Eva nodded and left to prepare the bath. Once it was ready, Marie informed her, "Your Majesty, it''s ready."


    At this moment, all Seren wanted was to soak in the hot water, clear her mind and rx her tired body. She pushed her body out of bed, but just as her foot stepped on the ground to stand, Seren felt herself lose bnce. Luckily, Marie was quick to hold her. "Your Majesty, you can rest for a while more and I will call for a royal physician."


    "No need. I just need to have a bath," Seren said. She steadied herself and slowly took steps ahead towards the side chamber where her bath was prepared.


    Though Marie and Eva felt worried, they had to listen to their queen and simply decided to assist her to the bath. While walking, Seren realized her thighs ached a little and her entire body felt weak, somewhat reminding her of the time when she was sick. ''Did I walk for too long?''


    Not having any clear answer, she went to the side chamber where Marie and Eva helped her remove her clothes and then helped her get into the hot water tub. Once Seren was settled inside the bathtub, she instructed, "Leave me alone for a while."


    Leaving their queen on her own in such a condition didn''t feel right to Marie. "Your Majesty, you are not well so we can''t leave you alone like this."


    "I am fine. Trust me," Seren insisted.


    As mere servants, they didn''t dare contradict their queen''s orders and had to agree. Despite their reluctance, they had to bow and leave the side chamber. "If there is anything, please call for us, Your Majesty. We will be standing by the door."


    Seren didn''t reply. She simply listened for the sound of their fading footsteps. After she was sure she''s alone, she then rested her back against the wall of the bathtub and folded her knees in front of her chest, looping her arms around them as she watched the ripples on the hot water with her every movement.


    ''How did I return and why do I feel so strange? There is surely something that I can''t recall.'' Seren knocked the back of her head against the wall of the bathtub and closed her eyes.


    "Seren, let it go!"


    The moment Seren closed her eyes, a memory of a man''s voice suddenly caused her to open her eyes in shock.


    ''What was that? That voice...my name��?''


    Seren closed her eyes again and tried to recall whose voice it was. This time, she could hear it clearly.


    "Seren, let it go!"


    "It''s... His Majesty''s voice," she concluded after a while. She was confident she did not make a mistake, but then she realized something strange. He was calling her by her name. ''Why did he call me like that?''


    Seren''s entire body trembled as those words stirred something in her foggy memories. Drayce''s hoarse voice had a seductive sort of charm in it, and it was as if the way he called out her name was telling her something she should not have forgotten.


    Seren tightened her grip around her knees and buried her face in it, her eyes shut tightly as she allowed her mind to recall the memories ofst night. Images slowly surfaced, starting from the moment the performance began, towards the moment before she felt an aching difort while watching that erotic y. More images flooded as she recalled everything vividly, even those parts that only ended up burying her under a mountain of embarrassment.


    She recalled the words Drayce said to her after they returned to her bedchamber. She even remembered what they did after that. She felt surprised by her own reactions and behavior when she was craving for his touch and how he helped her relieve herself of her aches.


    The moment she recalled exactly how he helped her, she opened her eyes and peeked at the ce between her legs which was under the water. She didn''t wish to believe a single thing that happened between her and Drayce.


    She buried her face in her wet palms. ''''Why? Why did I act like that? It''s so embarrassing! How am I going to face him?''


    She remembered that strangely satisfying feeling she experienced the previous night which she had never felt before and questioned herself about what exactly it was. After reading so many books and watching that y, she could understand why those women acted like that because she could now rte it with what she had experienced.


    Her entire face had turned red as if all the blood in her body was flowing to her face. Her heart was beating faster, and her breathing had turned rapid as her mind kept recalling what happened inside her bedchamber. Her entire body shivered and had goosebumps all over even though she was sitting in the warm water.

 Chapter 260: Do You Know What Happened To You Last Night?

    <h4>Chapter 260: Do You Know What Happened To You Last Night?</h4>


    Seren''s body remained unmoving as she submerged everything aside from her head in the hot water, wishing she could hide in the bathtub forever and nevere out again. She couldn''t get out of the embarrassment she was feeling after remembering the previous night''s incident. She was too engrossed in her thought, she did not even realize the hot water had turned cold.


    Outside the side chamber, Marie and Eva stood in worry. Even after so much time had passed by, their queen didn''t call for her servants.


    "Her Majesty is taking too much time. I know she ordered for us to leave but..." Eva paced as she stared at the door. Despite her worry, she dared not enter the bath and disturb their queen.


    "I will check," Marie assured the younger Eva.


    "What if you are punished?"


    "Our Queen is benevolent. Besides, Her Majesty is truly acting strange and we only wish to make sure all her needs are satisfied."Marie entered the bath though she herself was conflicted about whether to go against the order given by their queen or not. However, she truly cared for Seren''s wellbeing. Even if she received punishment for this, she alone would shoulder it, and Eva could remain behind to serve Her Majesty.


    Upon entering the side chamber, Marie saw that the young queen was still sitting inside the bathtub. She had buried her face in the crook of her folded arms that were wrapped around her knees. Her shoulders and arms were trembling ever so slightly, her fragile-looking form evoking pity on her servant.


    "Your Majesty!" Marie gasped as her mind was filled with countless questions. "What is wrong? Let me help you out of the bath. Your Majesty, you are freezing!"


    There was no reply from Seren so Marie stepped closer to the bathtub and called again, "Your Majesty?"


    After a few more calls, there was finally movement from the queen. Seren slowly lifted her head and spoke out weakly, "Marie?"


    The servant sighed in relief. "Do you need any help, Your Majesty?"


    Seren looked at the woman as if she was the answer to all her questions. "Do you also feel embarrassed after your husband touches you and gives youfort?"


    Marie finally understood why Queen Seren was like that. The previous night, the King and Queen of Megaris had visited the opera house and thinking about the way they returned with their king carrying his wife in his arms, she was sure something strange must have happened to this young queen.


    Marie lowered her head for a while. "To answer Your Majesty, when I was newly married and still not familiar with anything, I was also embarrassed, butter on, I got used to it."


    "Later?" Seren gave her a questioning look. "Does it happen often?"


    Marie was once again stunned by the queen''s straightforward questions. No royaldy��no, not even the nobles or themoners would dare voice out these questions to anyone aside from their own mothers or sisters. How innocent was this queen to keep exposing her private life to her servants without any hesitation?


    "Y-Yes, Your Majesty," Marie replied as she hid her own embarrassment. "You have also read in books, haven''t you?"


    Seren remembered that in the stories in the books, they showed the man and woman used to do such things every night, and sometimes even in the day. She felt worried as this was all so embarrassing for her. How would she ever get used to it?


    Marie could understand how Seren must be feeling at this moment. She offered the younger woman aforting smile. "Your Majesty, you should not worry much about it. It is the way a husband and wife show their love for each other. As time passes, you will start liking it."


    ''Liking it?'' Marie''s exact words caught Seren''s attention as what she was trying to hide till now finally came to the surface. ''I sure liked it when��'' However, Seren couldn''t make herself say it out loud, much less inside her mind. She could only sigh helplessly.


    "Your Majesty, the bathwater is already cold. It''s not good for you," Marie reminded.


    Only then did Seren realize that her body was already shivering.


    "Let me help you get out of it," Marie said as she called for Eva, who entered the bath and picked up the bathrobe kept on the table.


    Seren stepped out of the bathtub with Marie''s help. After drying her body with a towel, Eva helped put on the bathrobe on her. Marie and Eva readied Seren and once she was out of the room, both Lady Tyra and Lady Xena happened to enter the Queen''s bedchamber.


    "Good morning, Your Majesty," they greeted as they bowed.


    Seren epted the greeting with a light nod.


    "Your Majesty, how are you feeling now?'' Lady Tyra asked.


    Seren''s face turned red under her veil as she knew Lady Tyra must be aware of everything. "I am fine, Lady Tyra," Seren replied.


    --


    It was almost noon and Seren had herte morning meal quietly inside the dining room. Once she came out of the dining room, she met Lady Tyra once more. It seemed like the olddy was waiting by the door the whole time.


    "Your Majesty, King Drayce has invited you to his study," Lady Tyra politely informed her.


    All the colors on Seren''s face faded away. "Invited to his study?" she repeated hesitantly. Here she was trying to find out a way to note across Drayce anytime soon, but the first thing after she barely calmed herself was to face him.


    "Yes, Your Majesty. Allow me to guide your way. There has been some dy, but His Majesty is still waiting for you," Lady Tyra informed.


    There was indeed a dy since her day startedte. Even the food had to be prepared once again because Seren had woken upter than usual due to the effect of the spiked drink. As Drayce had been waiting for her for hours, there was no way she would disobey his order.


    Just like before, Seren''sdy servants had apanied her to the connecting pathway between the King''s and Queen''s chamber. From that point, Seren walked alone until yer weed her at the other end of the pathway.


    "Please this way, Your Majesty," yer said while having his head lowered in front of the queen.


    Seren nodded lightly and followed yer. Once they reached the King''s study, yer opened the door for her. After she entered the study, the door behind her was closed.


    The first thing she noticed was the handsome red-eyed king sitting in his chair as he kept the scroll in his hand aside and raised his head to meet her gaze. It was not the first time she was seeing him, but her heart felt flustered the moment their eyes met. Drayce looked unusually handsome and attractive, enough to mess with her senses.


    When he looked back at her, she felt as if everything around had stopped. The world was silent and all she could hear was her loud heartbeats. She stayed rooted in ce while holding her breath as if waiting for her world to restart.


    Seeing his queen standing in a daze, Drayce stood up from his chair. He was about to stand up the moment she entered but he stopped himself once hey his eyes on her. Noticing her vague reaction, he chose to remain seated to observe her. It worried him how his kitten would take in what happened between themst night.


    Soon, his ears caught the sound of her heart beating faster, causing his worries to fade. A smirk graced his handsome face.


    ''She sure knows how to drive me crazy,'' Drayce thought as he approached Seren.


    Though he was making his way towards her, she merely remained where she stood, not moving her gaze away from him as if she was enchanted by something. Even when he stood directly in front of her, she neither showed any sign of difort or fear.


    Drayce couldn''t help but feel happy that his wife was attracted to him, to the point she couldn''t control herself from acting like this.


    "My Queen?" Drayce called out with a light smile.


    It pulled Seren out of her daze and immediately lowered her head. "G-Greetings, Your Majesty."


    Drayce looked at her lowered head and instructed, "Please have a seat, my Queen."


    Seren just nodded lightly, not daring to look at him again. She was embarrassed with her actions, especially as she recalled how boldly she was looking at him mere seconds ago. She could not wrap her head around her reaction. Initially, she thought she would not even have the courage to face him as she didn''t know what he thought of her after the previous night.


    That incident made her fear how he would view her now. As ady, she was embarrassed about what happened. How about Drayce? Was he embarrassed too? Or did he think of her badly because she was unable to control herself? She wanted to first gauge how he would treat her and then apologize for showing such an unsightly side of her, yet she seemingly lost all reason and did not even lower her gaze in front of him.


    Drayce led her way towards the cushioned couch in the study. He sat on the chair with a high backrest meant for him and signaled her to sit on the couch opposite to it.


    Seren wordlessly sat down with her head lowered. She had decided to herself to not look at him for the meantime, lest she acted discourteously again.


    With his hands ced on both handrests of that chair, and his one leg folded over another, Drayce sat tall as he looked at the quiet woman. "My Queen, how are you feeling now?"


    Hearing his voice, her ears suddenly turned red and another round of embarrassment covered her body.


    ''Why am I like this?!'' she panicked inside as she replied, "I am feeling fine now."


    He was merely asking her how she was feeling. She knew that she was not sick and that her body was affected by something different; the thing was, asking about it was causing her embarrassment to uncontrobly spiral upwards.


    "Good to know," Draycemented, ignorant of her internal dilemma, and asked in his usual tone, "My Queen, do you know what happened to youst night?"


    ''Why is he asking about it again when I said I am fine? So embarrassing!'' Seren frowned inwardly as she clutched the skirt of her dress in her hand. "I am not sure, Your Majesty."


    Drayce stared at her for a while as the memories from the previous night shed in his mind. The way she looked at him with her eyes filled with a need to satisfy her, the way she reacted to whenever he touched her, and then the part when she finally experienced a kind of pleasure that she had never before. He wondered what she thought about, whether she was scared of this novel experience or if she had understood and epted this new kind of intimacy with him.


    Drayce shook his head lightly to get? those memories out of his mind. If he was not careful in controlling himself, he might have snapped as those images were enough to make him devour his innocent wife right then and there. "My Queen, the previous night, I had told you that there was one inappropriate fruit mixed in that juice which caused you to feel like that."


    Seren recalled Drayce mentioning itst night and nodded. "I remember it." She paused for a moment and continued in a low voice, "Apologies for causing inconvenience to Your Majesty."


    Drayce felt displeased at her apology, but he controlled his reaction. He did not want her to misunderstand. "My Queen, there is no need to apologize. It is in fact a husband''s duty to help his wife. Though it was my fault for not looking into the situation carefully despite being the one who brought you there. I am to me yet it is you who had to suffer.? It might be a mistake on my part, but if there is one thing I am d about what happened, it is that I was given a chance to help you."


    ''Help me? That was an embarrassing way of helping,'' Seren thought. She then slightly loosened her grasp on her skirt as she hesitated. "From now on, I will be careful of what I drink and will not let it happen again."


    Again, Drayce felt displeased. As Seren kept her eyes down, not looking at him, she couldn''t see the displeasure on his face. ''What does she mean? That she didn''t like what we did? Why does it look like she didn''t want it again? Was it not enough to make her feel good?''


    Being polite and using ambiguous words had proven to not work with his innocent wife. That was why Drayce asked her in a straightforward manner.


    "My Queen, did you not like what you felt when I helped you?"

 Chapter 261: [Bonus Chapter]Gift For Her

    <h4>Chapter 261: [Bonus Chapter]Gift For Her</h4>


    "My Queen, did you not like what you felt when I helped you?"


    Seren felt her heart, which was already unstable, ready to jump out of her chest with this sudden question. She clutched her dress once more in an attempt to calm herself. Inside, she was groaning about why he kept on asking her these kinds of ufortable questions.


    "Your Majesty, what I mean to say was that it''s inappropriate to drink something that will turn someone like that. That is why I said I will be careful," Seren replied to rify her previous im as she could feel it was the reason he sounded unhappy.


    "The question Ist asked is whether my Queen liked what she felt when I helped her," Drayce repeated gently, but even a blind person could sense the coldness and annoyance behind those gentle words.


    Seren had goosebumps all over her body, and this time, it was because she felt a little scared of him.


    "I-I��" she started hesitantly. As memories ofst night lingered in her mind, she decided she might as well reply honestly. "I liked...it."


    "Hmm?"


    This time, her voice was firmer. "I liked what I felt, Your Majesty."


    It was as if all the weight inside her chest suddenly escaped her.? What she was trying to deny all along hade out, and it gave herplicated feelings.


    Hearing his wife admit that not just once but twice, a satisfied smile painted itself on Drayce''s lips. He had not called her here to embarrass her, but as things had progressed this far, he didn''t wish to let go of this chance tomunicate with her with honesty and rity.


    "My Queen," he started with a hint of a smirk on his handsome face, "would you like it if we do it again?"


    Those words made her widen her eyes. Seren felt like she had heard something shocking and didn''t know what to say.


    "My Queen, look at me and answer what I had asked," Drayce instructed.


    Gulping, Seren slowly raised her head to look at him. Her breathing was shallow as she pondered over her answer.


    "Your Majesty," she said slowly, "I said I will be careful to not drink something like that again so there won''t be any need of your help."


    Drayce frowned inwardly but didn''t show it on his face as she was looking at him. He didn''t wish to scare her. Maintaining the calm expression on his face, he thought, ''So she thinks that only drinking that kind of juice can cause her to feel like that.'' He grinned inside. ''Then as her husband, it''s my duty to make it clear to her.''


    Seren stared at him, not knowing what he was thinking. She was left guessing whether he was angry at her or was not satisfied with her answer.


    "My Queen, you can feel the same way without even drinking such juice," Drayce rified. He saw her beautiful eyes widen at his statement. It only made him want to continue ''making things clear'' for her. "Then what will you do? Will you not ask me to help you?"


    ''Without having such juice? How?'' She stared at him nkly, disbelief obvious in her eyes.


    As if Drayce understood what she was thinking, he stood up from his chair and went towards the couch where she''s seated. It caused her heart to pick up its pace. Slowly, ever so slowly, he leaned towards her with his hands resting on either side of her head, palms pressed on the backrest of the couch, caging her body within his strong arms.


    He moved his face closer and said in a low voice, "My Queen, you look curious."


    Seren shrank back against the backrest of the couch, but not a single word came out of her throat. She found him too close for herfort, and having him this near to her was making her thoughts go wild.


    Drayce leaned in such a way his lips almost brushed against her ear, whispering in a low husky voice, "My Queen, I can make you feel the same without having that juice. Trust me, you would want me to help you again and again and again."


    After making his once-ignorant wife study all those erotic stuff and after letting her watch that intimate y, Drayce''s seduction sessfully worked on her. Especially after pleasuring herst night, Seren had already turned sensitive to her bodily needs that she was not fully aware of, and neither was she aware of how to deal her way out of them. It did not help that Drayce was fanning the mes inside her, being close to her and teasing her this way. It could only make her feel frustrated with those buried aches.


    Drayce noticed the goosebumps on her skin and realized that even this kind of teasing was enough to get his sweet wife aroused. He smirked and took the chance to capture the lower soft part of her earlobe with his lips and tugged it lightly with his teeth.


    Seren shut her eyes as a soft moan left her mouth. She barely heard him say, "My Queen, do you realize now that drinking that kind of juice is not needed?"


    Her rational side wanted him to move away faster as she had no wish to have a repeat of what happened the previous night. She didn''t wish to be embarrassed again by asking him to help her.


    With her eyes popping open, she hurried to say, "I-I understood, Your Majesty!" She swore she felt Drayce''s lips curve into a smile next to her ear. ''Does he enjoy teasing me?''


    Drayce moved back and peered closely at her puzzled eyes. Since he got what he wished to know, he moved his body back, only to sit next to her on the couch.


    Seren couldn''t question why he sat next to her instead of going back to his chair.


    She heard him again. "I am d that my Queen has started to understand it now, so on our wedding night, my Queen would be prepared for it."


    Just as Seren thought she could rx, Drayce dropped another shocking statement on her. ''Wedding night? That means what that man and woman did in the end?'' She gulped and felt her throat going dry with anxiety.


    Drayce could see through her. "Don''t be scared, my Queen. I will take care of you."


    He might have sounded confident, but Drayce was inwardly sighing. ''Not like I can do anything until youe of age.'' This part, Drayce didn''t exin it to her.


    His assuring words did not reassure her. Instead, it only added to her growing anxiety, but Seren could say nothing as she did not want to see him displeased once again.


    Wedding night. Those words made her reflect on the things that happened to her so far. Now, she knew what they did and she had no way out of it. ''Marie said I will like it and will get used to it but that looked painful. I do not understand. Why do people want to feel pain andter say they like it?''


    Her mind was filled with embarrassment as her thoughts raced. The most dominant among them was her fear of getting hurt.


    Seren was too deep in her thoughts, she barely managed to hear Drayce speak beside her. "My Queen, I have something for you."


    It pulled her out of the chaotic world inside her mind. Her eyes followed? Drayce''s line of sight, as he was looking at the small wooden box kept on the center table in front of the couch.


    He reached for the box and opened it. "I have called you here to give you this." He pulled out a delicate piece of jewelry from inside. "Give me your hand," Drayce instructed as he looked at her.


    Seren lifted her left hand but heard him again, "The right one."


    This time, Seren put forward her right hand, the hand with scales on it. Drayce gently held it to put that jewelry on her hand.


    Seren was surprised, but it was not unexpected. Starting from the day before their wedding ceremony was held in Abetha, Drayce had been giving her gifts. Only, she did not assume he had brought something for her again.


    She didn''t ask what it was or why he was giving another jewelry to her as she didn''t wish to show she was somehow happy about it. She never received the presents from anyone other than her brother and her nanny Martha, while all the gifts sent by the King of Abetha never meant anything to her.


    She observed how carefully Drayce was putting that piece of jewelry on her wrist. Her eyes caught the red oval-shaped stone attached to it. It was a thin gold chain with that tiny red stone hanging onto it.


    Once Drayce settled that delicate bracelet on her wrist, he nodded, as if to say it suited her. "This red stone here is a magical stone which will provide you warmth if you are cold."


    His words surprised Seren. ''Is there even such a wonderful thing?'' But the next moment, she remembered about the magic pills Martha gave her. ''Nothing is impossible with magic.''


    Drayce continued, "My Queen, after wearing this, you won''t feel cold and won''t have to wear ufortably thick clothes when going outside. It will take time for you to adapt to the weather in ckhelm. Make sure to wear it all the time."


    Seren stared into those red eyes which were filled with care for her. "Thank you so much, Your Majesty."


    Drayce just nodded lightly in response. "In the next two days, we will have a grand wedding ceremony ording to Megaris''s royal customs. Guests not only from the nobility and officials of our kingdom will be present, but also representatives from various kingdoms are also invited. From Abetha, someone will being to attend the wedding to represent the goodwill of the Ilven Royal Family."


    Such good news brightened up her eyes as she thought cheerfully. ''From Abetha, someone wille? Is it Brother Cian? What about Martha? Will she alsoe?'' They were the only two people she wished to see.


    Seeing the sparkle in her eyes, Drayce could see how his words made his wife burst into joy, and jealousy swept over his mind.


    ''Her brother? Should I just send him back even before he enters ckhelm?'' He sighed inwardly. ''I wonder when she will react as happy as this while thinking about me.''

 Chapter 262: Crafty Devil

    <h4>Chapter 262: Crafty Devil</h4>


    Ignorant of her husband''s growing jealousy, Seren continued to daydream about the tales she would share once she meets her brother. After all, now that she finally experienced living outside her tower, there were many things she had tried doing for the first time. She would no longer be only a listener to his travels outside of Abetha, but as Queen of Megaris, had grown into someone with a story to tell as well. If Martha would be visiting too, Seren could even bring her along to the greenhouse in the Crystal Pce to view the wonderful sight of exotic nts inside.


    On the other hand, Drayce did not know that Seren was also thinking of her nanny, thus, all his jealousy and annoyance solely targeted the Crown Prince of Abetha. It took him a full minute to calm himself.


    "My Queen," Drayce called out to get her attention. Only after he was sure she was listening did he continue. "This stone will not start showing its effect immediately. It will need to adjust to your body temperature first before it will start warming your body."


    Seeing how serious Drayce looked, Seren decided to think about her brotherter and focused on observing the bracelet her husband gifted her.


    "How long will it take?" she asked as she could not wait to take those heavy winter clothes off of her fragile body.


    "By tomorrow morning, it will start working," Drayce informed her.


    ''Well, it''s not bad. I can even wait for a few more days if this stone can truly help me cope up with this cold,'' Seren thought. Her spirits visibly lifted, she then showed her gratitude to Drayce. "Thank you so much, Your Majesty. I will always keep it with me."


    "Mhm!" Drayce made a sound of agreement as he gazed into her bright eyes, seemingly trying to see through her thoughts.


    Seren smiled under her veil. Unfortunately, such a sight was something Drayce couldn''t see, but from her bright eyes, he could guess how she sincerely liked his gift.


    Her line of thought started to head towards a direction he would have frowned upon.


    ''Now I can sleep nicely even during the nights when this cold won''t let me be. I won''t need His Majesty by my side to feel warm. No more embarrassing moments I would have to face!''


    Just as Seren cheered in her world, she heard Drayce say, "But my Queen, you can''t keep wearing it during the night."


    As if a bucket of cold water was poured on her, she looked at him. "Can''t wear it at night? Why?" she asked as she internally cried, ''But it''s the coldest during the night!''


    Drayce replied while maintaining a straight face, "That way it will work effectively during daytime when you have to go out. I am sure my Queen wouldn''t enjoy wearing a heavy winter coat over your borate royal clothes while going outside."


    Seren sure didn''t like to wear the fancy attire meant for queens, but they were still bearable since her servants always choose the simplest dresses in her wardrobe. Putting a winter coat on top of them, or even wearing those thick high-necked long-sleeved clothes with skirts dragging till the floor, would surely feel like she''s carrying heavy baggage all the time.


    She tried rifying again. Perhaps, she heard Drayce wrong. "If I wear it at night, it won''t be effective in the daytime?"


    "My Queen, you can feel warm in the room in another way. You need to let this crystal regain its effectiveness by keeping it away for a while," Drayce replied, his sharp gaze fixed on that red crystal. Knowing her thoughts, how he wished to take it back�� and he almost regretted giving the bracelet to her��but the next moment, he remembered the reason why he intended to give it to her in the first ce. Seren''s health worried him as she wouldn''t be able to stand the cold once winter starts, and he could not be by her side all the time.


    What he said about the crystal was true that it needed to keep it away for a while to regain its effectiveness, but there was no need to keep it away for the entire night. Only an hour would do, but Drayce being Drayce, he didn''t want to miss any chance to get physically close to his wife��which was something she only allowed because she feltfortable in the warmth of his body, allowing her to sleep soundly.


    "Understood, Your Majesty!" Of course, the innocent queen couldn''t see through her crafty devil husband.


    Drayce smirked lightly, and thought, ''What is the need of this crystal at night when I am beside you to warm you up?''


    "My Queen, would you like to go somewhere with me?" Drayce asked. He wished to normalize things with her as he believed that after what they did the previous night, she might be hesitant to spend time with him out of embarrassment. He had work to do, but he could keep everything aside for the sake of his queen who was much more important to him than anything else in this kingdom.


    "Yes, Your Majesty," she replied, not asking where they were heading to.


    There was no way Seren would say no to him, even though he always asked for her consent. She could understand it was something her husband wanted. Moreover, there was no harm in going on a walk with him.


    Drayce stood up and offered her his hand. "Shall we?"


    epting his hand, Seren stood up, and the next moment, Drayce held her closer to his body. "Hold tight."


    Seren''s reflex was strong whenever he said it as she knew what he would do next. She immediately hugged him tightly, shutting her eyes with her face pressed against his chest. A light smirk was painted on his lips before he hugged her back.


    Inside the King''s study, nothing was left but a strong gust of wind.


    Drayce and Seren finally reached where Drayce intended to take her. Though the journeysted for only a moment, Seren again felt a little exhaustion as a consequence of his usage of magic. She continued holding onto Drayce, and he had held her in his warm embrace securely.


    "Are you fine, my Queen?" Drayce asked, lowering his gaze to Seren who still had her face buried in his chest.


    Realizing the ground underneath her feet was steady, Seren tilted her head and tried to catch her breath. The cold breeze blowing left a salty aftertaste in her mouth. She slowly let him go before answering his question. "I-I am fine, Your Majesty."


    However, Drayce still didn''t let her go, keeping her tiny body wrapped in his arms. He then released one arm and made her look at him by holding her face at her chin. "I see my Queen is not as tired as before." Observing her face, he gave an approving nod and said, "Good. Soon, my Queen won''t feel exhausted at all after traveling with me like this."


    Seren nodded slightly and stepped away from Drayce after he let her go from his hold. Taking another deep breath, she finally turned her head to look at her surroundings. However, she had to immediately close her eyes as her hair whipped against her face the moment she turned.


    ''Why is it so windy and where are we exactly?'' she thought trying to get her hair away from her face and especially her eyes so she could see something.

 Chapter 263: A Light Green Butterfly

    <h4>Chapter 263: A Light Green Butterfly</h4>


    The wind blowing around them was stronger than the ones inside the pce grounds. As Seren carefully shielded her face with a hand, the next thing she noticed was the unfamiliar loud sounds which she could recognize after putting everything together. The sound of water sshing. Those were the sounds of the strong water currents hitting something solid.


    They were standing on a wooden dock built at the coastline.


    "The sea!" she eximed as if in disbelief.


    Her eyes widened at the sight of the vast body of water in front of her. It wasrger than anyke or river she had seen, and it stretched towards the horizon as if it had no end. Many huge ships could be seen sailing on the deep blue waters, and nearby, a number of boats and ships were anchored on harbors with people and cargo going in and out of them.


    Seagulls and other birds were flying everywhere while making noises that sounded like they were cheering on the people busy working within the port. The sound of water sshes, the strong salty wind, the noise of people working, and the loud bird calls, everything sounded so harmonious it brought a certain sense of calm to her mind.


    Drayce didn''t disturb his queen as she tried to capture the beautiful experience of the seaside. He only stood back quietly to let Seren fulfill her wish to see the sea and ships up close. Once, when they were standing on her balcony, he caught Seren staring at the sea, expressing her wish to see it closely. There was no way Drayce would not fulfill such a simple wish. He would have brought her here earlier, but he decided to postpone it to let her adjust to the environment in the Royal Pce of Megaris first, intending to bring her hereter. With the red crystal with her, he was sure she would be fine despite the biting cold and strong windsing from the sea.


    After looking around the structure of the harbors as well as the nearby lighthouse, Seren realized it was the view she used to see from the balcony of her pce, the very same ce she always wished to visit.


    ''If this is the view I see from my own balcony, then my bedchamber��''''


    She turned around in the direction of the royal pce. The Royal Pce of Megaris was built on a slope on the side of a small mountain, and she figured that even though she was standing at a much lower position on the other end of the City of ckhelm, she would still find where her bedchamber must be as she was sure this was the view she could see straight from her balcony.


    But the moment she turned around and looked up, beyond the stone structures of the port, all she could see in the distance were the tall walls of the pce. She could barely see the top of the tallest buildings and towers, but since they were much farther than what she initially thought, she could not even begin to guess which one was her residence.


    From her actions, Drayce understood what she was thinking. He hid the grin forming on his lips. "My Queen, from here you won''t be able to see your residence as the pce is quite at a distance from the shore. Those tall walls won''t allow you to see your residence."


    "Oh..." Seren did not expect much, but she found it a pity that it could not be seen from where she''s standing. It did not affect her good mood as she looked back at the sea. Standing on the dock, the refreshing wind blowing against her skin, her eyes continued to take in everything that was happening around her. Despite the bustle and hustle of workers carrying cargo to various ships and sailors shouting orders to theirpanions, Seren found the sight of the sea peaceful.


    However, she did not realize that some of her exposed skin and her ears had turned red.


    "My Queen, you seem to be cold. We should return," Drayce offered.


    "I am fine, Your Majesty," she immediately replied, covering her nose and forehead with her glove-covered hands, rubbing them to warm herself before resuming to look at the gigantic ships docked in the harbor.


    It was a feast for her eyes.? Beforeing to Megaris, she had only seen the sea and ships in books. Never in her dreams had she expected to see in real life, and never had she thought she would see many all at once this close.


    "My Queen, would you like to get on a ship?" Drayce asked.


    Those words caused her to wear the brightest smile. Like an excited kid, she turned to look at Drayce and asked, "Can I?" Her eyes were full of hope.


    "Of course, my Queen," Drayce said as he walked to stand next to her and looked at the ships, "Which one would my Queen like to go on?"


    Seren blinked a few times. For her, any ship was good as long as she could get on one, and now, she even got the option to choose which she could board. She immediately gazed at the dozens of ships docked on the port. Most of them were as big as two-story houses, probably able to house about tens of sailors, while therger and more luxurious ships seemed capable of holding a hundred passengers.


    Not hesitating for a moment, she pointed towards the one that was the undisputedrgest in size.? looked the biggest of all and was decorated nicely. One could not deny, among all the ships around, that one especially looked eye-catching.


    "That one, Your Majesty," she replied.


    Drayce smiled as his Queen chose what especially belonged to him, King Drayce. Drayce had already nned to take Seren on his ship but he had given her the option to choose like always and he was d that she had chosen the expected one.


    "Let''s go then," Drayce said and offered her his hand but Seren looked at him instead of holding his hand.


    He gave her a questioning look and she replied, "I want to climb the ship like how everyone else does."


    Her meaning was clear that she didn''t want to go by teleporting with Drayce''s powers.


    "Fine!" Drayce agreed and she held his hand.


    The two walked towards the part of the port where that ship was parked and the part of the port was extended towards the ship so one could climb the ship by using the wooden staircase set. Just as they reached the extended part of the port, the soldiers around lowered their heads to bow their King.


    Seren noticed this part of the port had no one other than the royal soldiers. Just as she noticed, she heard Drayce, "This part of the port is only for the King and his ship."


    Seren was speechless and continued to walk with Drayce. The things which she always found so amazing and out of her reach, this king owned them all. Never ever had she expected that she would ever be able to get out of that tower in Abetha''s pce and could see what she had always seen only in books. Reading books always made her want to see them but it was out of the question. This all was like a dream to her and she didn''t wish to wake up.


    Seren looked up at that huge ship which looked gigantic while standing closer and made her heart skip a bit as she felt a little scared to think about boarding it. In reflex, the grip of her hold on Drayce''s hand tightened.


    Drayce realized what she was feeling.? "My Queen, don''t be scared. I am with you."


    Seren gulped and nodded lightly. Just as they reached closer to the staircase, Seren noticed yer standing there to wee them. She wondered when he had arrived there.


    ''Wasn''t he outside of His Majesty''s study all the time? Does he have powers like His Majesty?''


    Seren didn''t know Drayce had already nned to take her there and the moment yer finished his job of escorting the Queen to his King, he had left to check the arrangements at the port.


    "My Queen, be careful while climbing the stairs. Don''t let go of my hand," Drayce instructed.


    Seren was ready to step on the wooden staircase which was wide and looked safe to her to climb.


    The moment she stepped on it, she immediately gripped Drayce''s hand as she realized it was not that easy. The wooden staircase was not steady as it moved a little because its top part was attached to the giant ship which was floating over the water and made that staircase not so stable.


    "Don''t worry. I will hold you, My Queen" Drayce assured gently and stepped on the staircase with her. With her long dress, it was not so easy for her to climb the unsteady stairs but she still wished to do it.


    Drayce held her hand carefully and supported her to climb the stairs being all patient with her. Drayce didn''t remember if he had ever climbed these stairs but thanks to his Queen, he finally got to experience it which seems like going to take a lot of time to climb only a few stairs. He was not annoyed at all and continued helping Seren. Once they reached the top of the staircase, Drayce helped her get on the ship.


    It was her first experience of standing on the floating and unstable gigantic transport means and found it difficult to hold her ground. In the end, she had to keep holding onto Drayce to take support which Drayce didn''t mind at all.


    Drayce held her closer while surrounding his hand to her shoulder and said, "You will get used to standing here after some time. Just keep a little distance between your feet and don''t resist in which direction the ship makes you move."


    Seren understood and moved her one foot a little away from the other one so she could stand quite stable. Still holding onto Drayce, she looked around on the ship and couldn''t stop taking note of everything.


    The ship had a huge deck that Seren felt like she couldn''t capture the entire deck in her sight without moving her eyes everywhere. There was a huge wooden pole in the center of the ship and Seren moved her sight up from his base to its top. It looked like the pole was going to touch the sky. The huge curtains were hanging to it which were tied to multiple ropes and those ropes were fixed at the various ces in the ship.


    At one far end of the ship, there was a huge circr wheel that was ced at the higher tform and one had to reach there by climbing the stairs. Ahead of it, Seren noticed a structure that looked like the back of the animal''s head and she was sure it must be a dragon head as everything that belonged to the King had a dragon associated with it. She looked at the other opposite end of the ship which was a narrow tail-like end and had an elevated tform to climb on.


    "I want to stand there and look at the seawater," Seren said to drayce as she pointed towards the railing of the sheep deck which faced opposite to the port and towards the vast sea.


    Drayce nodded and took her there. At this moment it looked like she was not at all afraid or hesitant to Drayce and was doing what she wished to. Drayce noticed whenever he had brought her to show something that she had never seen, she would always turn so excited and look like a totally different person or more like a kid who was not afraid of anything.


    He wished to be with him like this always and wished for that day to show up soon when she would never be scared or hesitant in front of him. He wished to have a normal rtionship of husband and wife with her where they shared everything with each other and hid nothing. He wished her to show all her emotions to him- happiness, sadness, anger, displeasure, and even disobedience. He didn''t mind if she acted all spoiled and even dominated him with her arrogance.


    As they finally reached the outer wooden railing of the ship with the slow steps Drayce let go of her hand and she held onto the wooden railing which was tall up to the middle of her chest. Seren felt her heart beating faster before moving her head ahead and looking out of the ship where the water tides were colliding with the ship. The view was scary to her and she could not imagine what would happen to her if she fell into such dangerously moving water.


    Though she was scared, she was equally excited and happy. She felt like a free bird who was finally out of its cage and couldn''t help but smile widely under her veil. She stood straight and closed her eyes while feeling the cold breeze passing her face and felt like she was not cold at all.


    ''What if I never get toe here again?'' She just wished to imprint all of this in her mind never to forget it.


    Drayce could only stand to the side and look at his wife who was standing with her eyes closed while her long hair moved along the cold breeze. Such a heartwarming sight it was for him.


    Just then yer climbed the deck which had no one but his King and Queen. The entire sheep had been kept empty as Seren wasing there.


    "Your Majesty!" yer bowed and stood at the staircase, not daring to go further ahead. Drayce went to him leaving Seren alone to let her enjoy a peaceful time but his attention was still fixed on her.


    yer was there to inform Drayce about something important and handed him the scroll as he said, "Apology for disturbing you, Your Majesty. But this seems urgent."


    Drayce said nothing and opened the scroll. After going through it, he frowned, "Let him for now. Grandmother won''t like it if her one grandson beheads her another grandson."


    yer wished to say something but he didn''t. He trusted his King and his decision. Just then Drayce sensed something and the color of his red eyes changed to darker ones as he immediately turned to look at Seren.


    yer noticed it and looked at where Drayce was looking at- to where the Queen was standing. But she was not alone. She was ying with a light green color and a man''s palm-size radiant butterfly that was flying in front of her. Seren put forward her hand so it could sit on her palm but before that Drayce pulled out a small dagger from his robe and threw it towards the butterfly.


    The butterfly turned into a light green color, shiny smoke which disappeared in thin air. It startled Seren and she looked at Drayce as her hand was still up which was waiting for the butterfly to sit on it.


    "Take care of her." Instructing yer, Drayce jumped out of the ship immediately.

 Chapter 264: Worried For Drayce

    <h4>Chapter 264: Worried For Drayce</h4>


    Seeing Drayce had jumped out of the ship, shocked Seren greatly and she ran towards the side of the Deck where Drayce had jumped out. She looked for him if he fell into the water but there was no one in the water as if no one had ever jumped into it.


    It scared her. ''Did he drown? This water looks scary.''


    Seren was startled by the butterfly incident but now she was worried about Drayce. She looked at yer who was standing calmly with his head lowered in front of his Queen and didn''t look bothered about his King.


    "Where did His Majesty go? I saw him jumping out of the ship," Seren asked anxiously.


    "His Majesty would be fine, Your Majesty," yer replied calmly.


    yer''s words were not enough for Seren to not worry about Drayce and she felt as if her heart was sinking deep down in the sea. She could not stop worrying about him until she would see him back in front of her.


    "Shouldn''t you go after him?" Seren asked as she looked panicked. She knew the knight''s duty was to be by his king''s side all the time and protect him.


    Though Seren panicked like the noisy waves of the sea, yer was calm like still water.


    "His Majesty has ordered me to look after you, Your Majesty," yer replied.


    "I am fine here. Just go and check for His Majesty," Seren instructed hastily. She didn''t want it to be toote to save him.


    yer was still calm but in his heart, he was happy that the Queen was worried about his King, his friend. Whatever the Queen ordered, there was no way yer would leave her alone. As Drayce was not there, yer knew his responsibility well. If Drayce had left suddenly like this that means there was danger around and he had to protect the Queen if a situation arose.


    yer once again replied calmly, "Your Majesty, we don''t know where his Majesty has gone. But trust me, His Majesty is alright and will return soon. It is not the first time His Majesty has gone like this. I wish Your Majesty to trust in His Majesty."


    Seren could say nothing more and stood by the railing of the deck from where Drayce had jumped. Whatever she tried, she couldn''t stop feeling worried but there was no way she could do anything but trust the knight''s words.


    ''That butterfly? It didn''t look normal the way it disappeared. What was that exactly?'' Seren could not find the answer and only frowned at herself, ''Why did I ask him toe to this ship? I should have just returned after seeing the ships from a distance. If I had returned, he wouldn''t have gone like this. What will I do if something happens to him?'' Her mind turned chaotic with worry for Drayce and so many questions she had in her mind.


    She was scared if something happened to Drayce. If she had not spent time with him and didn''t get to know what kind of a person he was, she wouldn''t have cared even a bit as he would have meant nothing but a stranger to her. But after knowing him, he had be someone important to her and she didn''t wish anything to happen to him.


    ''Please be safe!'' she prayed in her mind.


    ------


    Somewhere far away from the ship, in the dense forest around the city, an angry red-eyed devil grabbed someone by his neck and pressed him against the wide trunk of the tree. Red eyes of the devil had turned to his darkest color as he red at the man and gripped his neck tightly as if to suffocate him.


    The man being strangled was calm as if he was not scared of death. his grey eyes with silver shine in them gazed at Drayce calmly as he smirked lightly. His shiny silver hair was long till his waist and his fair and radiant skin shone brightly under the sunlight. He was tall with a lean physique and wore soft cotton and silk clothes- the inner white long robe taking the shape of his physic which had an outer transparent robe with a silver-gray outline and embroidery.


    Though those were not the clothes worn by the royals, still they were not the kind that ordinary people could ever afford to buy. The clothes added to this man''s extraordinary personality that one could see he was not an ordinary person. The shine from his face like a divine deity, those eyes that showed he was there with a purpose, and those long silver hair, definitely made him look different.


    "I... knew...you will catch..me." The man said with much effort as his neck was being strangled in a strong grip. Still, that teasing smirk didn''t leave his lips as if he had already expected all this.


    "Still, you dared follow us from that forest," Drayce spoke under his gritted teeth, willing to strangle the man in front of him to death.


    The smile on the man''s lips widened even more which only added to angering Drayce. But Drayce controlled himself and asked, "Who are you and why did you follow us?"


    "I..can''t answer...with...my neck being..strangled," the man replied.


    The next moment Drayce released his neck.


    Cough! Cough!


    "You are really so strong...Cough!" The man breathed deeply and was done coughing but his condition didn''t matter to Drayce.


    "Speak!" Drayce ordered coldly as the killing intent in his eyes was still there.


    He would have killed the man if there was really any threat from him to Seren but first, he wished to know why he had followed them, though Drayce was sure the reason was Seren. He wanted to know if this man was one of them who wished to harm Seren for the powers locked inside her. If it was the case, he wished to know them all and kill them at once. He could never let his wife be in any kind of danger.


    The man was not scared at all and looked at Drayce yfully, "More than knowing about me, aren''t you curious to know about that woman?"


    Drayce narrowed his eyes at him and the man said again, "I suppose that woman is your wife and you still don''t know about her. If you had known, I am sure you wouldn''t have taken her out like this."


    It was the truth that Drayce was not aware of anything about his wife, especially the fact that her father was hiding from everyone and which had changed Seren''s life.


    "What do you know?" Drayce asked coldly.


    The man moved his neck here and there to crack it a few times and said yfully, "To know more about her, I need to know her first and only then I can tell you something. If you agree to it��.."


    "Trying to get closer to my wife?" Drayce hissed under his greeted teeth as he gripped the man''s neck again. Without even giving him a chance to say a word, Drayce threw him high up by using his extraordinary powers that the man disappeared from his sight very soon and Drayce looked at the faraway mountain peak where no one could even dare to go even.


    Drayce smirked and disappeared from there as well. What was left behind was the strong gust of wind.


    With a strong gust of wind, Drayce appeared at the deck of the ship. It pulled yer and Seren''s attention. yer had already turned around to leave as he knew his presence was not needed.


    Seeing him back finally, Seren hurried towards Drayce and hugged him tightly while wrapping her both hands around him and burying her face in his chest.


    This reaction startled Drayce as he didn''t expect this from Seren. He was about to wrap his hands around her, Seren pulled back and stood two steps away from him.


    "A-Apologies, Your Majesty...I..was just��." She didn''t know how to exin.


    Drayce could understand her and covered that two steps distance between them and hugged her. "Did I worry you, my Queen?"


    Seren, who feltfortable in his warm embrace and felt her anxiety disappearing, nodded lightly, "I thought Your Majesty had fallen in the sea."


    Drayce smiled pleasantly, realizing that she was worried about him, which means she cared for him. Such a pleasant feeling it was. The way she immediately hugged him the moment he returned, he already got what he wished for.


    "Nothing can happen to me, My Queen," Drayce assured as he kept hugging his worried wife.


    ------


    Thud!


    Cough!


    Faraway, high up at the peak of the snow-covered mountain, a tall figure fell, making the impression of the figure into the white snow.


    The man lying on his back t and his hands and legs opened wide open while facing the sky, smiled teasingly instead of getting angry at how he was thrown like this without even getting a chance to say a word in his defense.


    "That red-eyed man, he sure is so powerful but he can''t stop me getting closer to that woman. I need to know if she is the one," he talked to himself and closed his eyes. Inhaling deeply, he spoke again, "So cold but feels nice. Seems like I will love this ce."


    ====


    Dear readers, soon there will be aic version of all the important scenes in the novel which will be avable to read for the top fans of the novel. I have hired an artist to make it happen and hope to see the first chapter ready in the next few days. What you read, it''s time to see it in the drawing.


    Also, once all the scenes are ready, I will print it as aic version and will send it to a few selected top readers with some novel-rted goodies.

 Chapter 265: Inside The Ship

    <h4>Chapter 265: Inside The Ship</h4>


    Once Seren was calm, Drayce let go of her from his hold and asked, "My Queen, are you feeling good now?"


    Seren nodded and looked up at him, "What was that butterfly?"


    The way that butterfly disappeared, Seren was sure it was not just a butterfly but something else was behind it.


    "It''s nothing much. In Megaris sometimes you mighte across unusual things. But my Queen, you don''t need to worry. I am always there to take care of you," Drayce replied, gently caressing her head and fixing the loose hair strands which were moving along the cold breeze.


    "Was it here to harm us?" Seren asked, worriedly.


    "No one can harm us even if they want to. It was just a curious thing which wanted to know you, My Queen."


    "Me?" Seren asked, feeling surprised.


    "You are new here and many of such unusual things will get attracted to you, willing to know you. But make sure to stay away from them and call for me if you find something suspicious," Drayce instructed.


    Seren agreed, "I will, Your Majesty."


    Drayce gave an appreciative smile, "Good!"


    Drayce didn''t wish to hide anything from her that concerned her security. Instead of hiding, it was better to make her aware of any danger that will help her. Drayce knew his wife was one smart woman and she would understand everything better.


    "My Queen, would you like to see the inside of the ship?"


    "Inside? Is there something?" Seren asked looking around the deck and wondering from where one can get inside part of the ship.


    "There is much more to see. Allow me to show you," Drayce said and held her hand as he walked towards the one side of the Ship where it had one door to the elevated structure which had stairs to climb upon it.


    Drayce opened the door using his power and entered inside while holding Seren''s hand, "We have a staircase to go down from here," Drayce informed and helped Seren climb down that circr set of the staircase which wound its way towards the chamber meant for Drayce.


    The stairs ended up in the small corridor which had one more door. Though they were inside the ship, there was enough sunlighting inside from the ss windows in the ship and even had venttion holes to get fresh air inside the corridor and rest parts of the ship.


    The door opened on its own as usual and Drayce walked inside the chamber first while still holding Seren''s hand as she continued to follow his leads. The moment Seren entered that Royal-looking chamber inside the ship, her eyes left wide open as to think why one would have such a chamber in the ship as it was not the one''s residence. But then realized this ship belonged to the King of Megaris so this all arrangement was for him.


    "When I travel somewhere on a ship, I stay here," Drayce answered the unspoken questions from his wife.


    "Oh!" was what she said and continued to look around the chamber.


    "My Queen, feel free to look around as this also belongs to you now," Drayce informed.


    She looked at him in surprise but then recalled what Drayce always said to her that this entire kingdom belongs to her as well as she was the Queen."


    "Thank you, Your Majesty," she said and walked around that huge chamber inside the ship.


    The first thing that came into her sight was the study area which had ss windows next to it to brighten up the ce. There was a cushioned couch, tea table and lots of drawer chests with a few antiques kept here and there. The entire floor had a carpet over it. It looked more like a chamber in the pce. Seren went towards the windows and looked outside only to see a vast sea ahead and could closely feel those waves hitting the boat and making it move.


    "Did you like it, my Queen?" Drayce asked.


    "Yes, Your Majesty," she replied and then looked at the staircase next to the study table which moved above it and ended up high, "What is there?"


    "Why don''t you go and check it?" Drayce suggested.


    Seren immediately agreed and walked towards the staircase as she heard Drayce, "Be careful."


    Seren stopped and Drayce held her hand to help her climb the staircase as her long dress made it a little difficult for her. When they reached upstairs, she saw a huge bed in the center of the wooden floor and had a nting ss ceiling above which allowed one to see the clear sky while lying on the bed.


    She walked towards the bed and looked up at the ceiling as she saw the clear blue sky and the birds flying up high.


    "This is beautiful," she mumbled but the next moment she was lifted up in the pair of strong arms which startled her. In reflex, she held onto him, "Y-Your Majesty."


    Drayce put her in the bed and informed, "It looks better when you see it while lying on the bed," and hey beside her.


    Seren could say nothing and looked at the sky while lying quietly on the bed. She had never experienced this as all she had was the tower''s closed chamber which had only a few windows that allowed her to see outside. Even if she had stepped out of the pce once in a while, she never got the chance to look at the sky like this in a peaceful way.


    "It''s��." she felt at a loss for words to describe what she was feeling. Though she was lying in the bed, it gave her an illusion as if she was floating in the air high up closer to the blue sky.


    Drayce, who was lying next to her, while holding her hand with their fingers entangled, turned his head to look at her. It never failed to surprise him how happy Seren felt whenever she got to see something new and Drayce had decided to give her everything that she had never even imagined.


    "It looks even better at night. The starry sky is even mesmerizing from here?" Drayce added.


    Seren also turned her face to look at him, "Really?"


    Drayce nodded, "Hmm! If my Queen wishes to see it, we cane here at night also."


    "I would like to watch it," she said, not knowing what the red-eyed King was thinking.


    "Sure! Whatever my Queen wished for," Drayce replied as a light pleasant smile painted on his lips while still staring into her eyes which were looking at him without blinking even once.


    Drayce too didn''t stop looking at her as they bothy there calmly looking into each other''s eyes as if they were searching for their world inside them. The hand holding each other had their fingers entangled while Drayce moved his thumb to caress it gently. Seren felt a shiver across her body only with this much touch from him but she didn''t pull out her hand.


    Just as the air around them seem to be heating up, there was a loud sound of a bell ringing again and again which disturbed them. Seren immediately looked away and asked, "What is this sound?"


    "My Queen, you must have seen a huge bell hung in this ship," Drayce asked.


    "Yes."


    "Every ship had such bells. Before leaving the dock, the ships ring their bells to let others know they are leaving," Drayce exined.


    "Understood, Your Majesty," Seren replied and sat up, "I think we should leave."


    Drayce sat next to her and agreed to leave. He didn''t wish to keep her outside of the pce for long after what they came across today. They reached the pce and Drayce left Seren in her chamber, "You must be tired, My Queen. Make sure to rest well."


    Seren nodded. Making herfortable in the bed, Drayce left. Reaching his study, he ordered his personal attendant, "Orion, ask Tyra to be here."


    "Yes, Your Majesty," he replied and left.


    Soon after Lady Tyra arrived at the King''s study, "Greetings, Your Majesty."


    Drayce instructed Lady Tyra to have a seat as she sat on the couch opposite to Drayce''s high backrest chair.


    Lady Tyra was sure if Drayce had called for her, then there must be something really important and from his gravely serious expressions, she was sure about it.


    "Your Majesty, is there something that is troubling you?" Lady Tyra asked.


    Drayce nodded, "Today I came across someone with strong powers. He was after the Queen," Drayce replied.


    It shocked Lady Tyra. "Did that someone enter the pce? I didn''t sense anyone crossing our shield around the pce."


    "It was when I took her to the ship," Drayce replied. "I am sure he didn''t dare cross that shield and waited for her toe out of the pce."


    "Did you catch him, Your Majesty?"


    "Yes!"


    "Can I see him?"


    "He must be buried under the snow somewhere far away," Drayce replied as his sight passed across the faraway mountain peaks which were visible from his study.


    "Did you let him go, Your Majesty?" Lady Tyra asked in surprise.


    "He didn''t seem that dangerous and I don''t wish to keep anyone around who eyed for my Queen. Moreover, there was no need to kill him."


    "Is he among those people who are searching for her Majesty?"


    "Doesn''t seem like it. He just sensed her powers and followed us from the forest outside of the Abetha," Drayce informed.


    "Did you get who exactly he was?" Lady Tyra asked.


    "That''s why I have called you here. He is the kind to tame the wild beast which surrendered in front of the Queen when she came across them in the forest. The energy emitting from him is stronger too though it didn''t seem the threatening kind. I wonder what kind of creature he must be?"


    "Must be a high elf," Lady Tyra informed confidently. "But which kind of high elf, that I can tell only after knowing more about him."


    "I had the same doubt but as I never came across such elf, I was not sure. But from what I know about them, he must be a moon elf," Drayce added.


    "Then we should be more careful. Moon elves are known to be curious about knowing whatever catches their attention. They seem friendly but are very bold. I will rmend your Majesty to avoid taking her Majesty out of the pce for a while," Lady Tyra suggested.


    "That can not happen," Drayce said coldly as he didn''t like the thought of keeping Seren devoid of seeing the world outside. "She will go wherever she wants to. That elf or whoever it is, I will take care of it."


    Lady Tyra had nothing to counter the King''s words. "I believe in Your Majesty''s ability to protect her Majesty."


    Drayce said nothing while Lady Tyra spoke, "The day after tomorrow it''s a wedding. Almost all the arrangements have been done."


    Drayce nodded as the two discussed a few more things rted to the wedding.


    --------


    At the night, Drayce arrived at the Queen''s chamber to apany his wife. Drayce''s sight noticed the slender figure covered with the nket. As he stepped ahead, he noticed the red stone bracelet kept on the bedside table.


    Drayce smiled lightly, realizing how obedient his wife was. He smirked yfully, ''I believe she will like getting warmth from her husband more than that lifeless stone.''


    Drayce climbed the bed and slid under the nket that Seren was covering. He was sure she was not asleep yet and the moment he got into the bed, he could already hear her loud heartbeats.


    After what they did the previous night, he was sure she would be distant to him in the night and he didn''t mind it. After all, everything was so new to her and such reaction was obvious from her. He decided he should give her more time to adjust to these new things.


    Drayce moved closer to her and back hugged her cold body to take her in his embrace but the next moment he felt her body tense.


    "My Queen, the next two days would be tiring for you as you would be busy with the wedding preparations. Rx and sleep. We are not doing anything tonight."


    Seren who was acting as if she was already sleeping, finally gave out a sigh of relief and rxed her tensed body.


    Drayce inhaled her scent at the crook of her neck and said, "Good Night, My Queen."


    "Good Night, Your Majesty," Seren replied as she closed her eyes.

 Chapter 266: Wishing To Protect Someone Is Not A Crime

    <h4>Chapter 266: Wishing To Protect Someone Is Not A Crime</h4>


    The next day Seren woke up and Drayce was gone. Her servants anddies in waiting came to her chamber as they were waiting for her to wake up.


    "Good Morning, Your Majesty," the servants greeted.


    Seren looked at them and was surprised to see her threedies-in-waiting presents in her bedchamber too. Every morning, it was always Eva and Marie who came to her room and helped her get ready while herdies-in-waiting cameter after arranging other things for her like her morning meal and nning for her entire day''s schedule.


    "Good Morning," Seren greeted them back and asked, "Is there anything special today?"


    Lady Xena smiled, "Your Majesty, not today but it''s tomorrow. The royal wedding."


    With the mention of the word wedding, the sleepiness she was feeling went away. ''I forgot about the wedding. Tomorrow? Finally, it''s there.''


    "Your Majesty, from today we will have to take care of you to prepare you for the wedding," Lady Xena informed.


    Seren just nodded lightly and heard Marie, "Your Majesty, we have prepared a bath for you."


    Nodding Seren stepped out of the bed and picked up the bracelet that was kept on the side bedside table. She wore it and was ready to be taken care of by her servants. Once she had a bath and had her morning meal, Lady Tyra entered the Queen''s chamber.


    "Good Morning, Your Majesty," Lady Tyra greeted as a few servants carrying trays in hands which were covered with long silk clothes, entered the Queen''s chamber. The trays were arranged in front of Seren and the servants uncovered them by lifting the silk cloth.


    "Your Majesty, there are few wedding dresses for you and the jewelry. Please Select which dress you would like to wear and which jewelry you would prefer with them.


    Seren looked at all those trays and she could only look at them. ''All the dresses are red in color and are folded. How am I going to decide which one? This jewelry? It must weigh more than my own weight. Is it important to select? Does it matter what I wear? All this looks the same."


    "Your Majesty," Lady Tyra called her which pulled her out of her puzzled state.


    "Your Majesty, the servants will help you look into the dresses, and you can decide which one you want," Lady Tyra informed.


    Seren could only nod and the servants started working as per Lady Tyra''s instructions. Seren looked through all the dresses carefully but could not decide which one to get and looked at Lady Tyra. "All looks fine that I can''t decide."


    Lady Tyra smiled, "Your Majesty, just think about the one which had caught your eyes at first nce."


    Seren looked at the dresses and then she knew which was the one where her eyes stayed for long. "That one." Seren pointed towards one dress.


    Lady Tyra understood then said, "Now jewelry."


    Seren looked through the jewelry and her sight fixed at the one set which had the red stones simr to the bracelet Drayce had gifted her. She pointed towards it and it was decided what she would wear. Other than just dresses and jewelry, she had to select a pair of footwear and a few other things.


    "Your Majesty, I believe you would like to know what and how we conduct the wedding in Megaris and what you have to do tomorrow," Lady Tyra asked.


    Seren gave her an approving nod and Lady Tyra exined everything to her. After a long information session about the wedding, Seren could finally rx and could prepare herself for the wedding.


    Just then there was a loud screech sound outside in the gallery which pulled Seren''s attention. It was one of the few things that could manage to make her smile though no one could see her smiling due to her veil.


    Seren immediately hurried out towards the gallery as her servants followed her.


    "Dusk!"


    Seren saw the majestic eagle sitting at the railing for her balcony and went towards him, "Where have you been for so many days?" she asked knowing he would not be able to answer her. Before he could even react, she saw a few wounds around his w and even one of his wings didn''t look good.


    ''What happened? Why are you injured?" Seren asked worriedly.


    The young Queen who didn''t even talk much to her servants, she always had so much to talk to this bird. The King and the Queen both were the same when it came to Dusk.


    Seren didn''t notice there was something in Dusk''s ws which he wished to show her. Lady Tyra who reached there saw what was in his ws and narrowed her eyes at him which Dusk ignored straight away.


    "Your Majesty, the royal physician will take care of him once we inform him. Please rest assured and return to the chamber. It''s not good for you to stand out in the cold when tomorrow it''s your wedding," Lady Tyra suggested.


    Though Lady Tyra talked to Seren who was busy looking at Dusk''s wounds, her eyes were narrowed at Dusk to whom she was asking to leave.


    Dusk kept ignoring Lady Tyra and continued looking at the gentle queen who cared for him. Seren''s sight finally noticed something in Dusk''s w.


    "What is it?" Seren asked.


    Dusk unfolded his strong w. A gold-colored single flower was left on the surface of the balcony''s railing which shined brightly, emitting rays from it. Though it was detached from the nt, it still looked lively and fresh.


    "Such a pretty flower." Seren smiled brightly under her veil and looked at Dusk, "Is it for me?" Seren asked and Dusk pecked on her hand.


    She was about to touch it, but Lady Tyra spoke, "Your Majesty, you should not touch random things. Especially those who don''t look ordinary."


    "When Dusk has brought it for me, then I don''t need to worry about it," Seren said and picked up that flower even before Lady Tyra could stop her. "Your Majesty��."


    "It''s fine Lady Tyra. See nothing happened to me," Seren looked at worried Lady Tyra. "We should keep such a pretty flower in my chamber. I will do it personally."


    Lady Tyra could say nothing as she could only re at Dusk who acted as if she was not present there.


    Dusk, you should treat your wounds. Do you want me to help you?" Seren asked.


    Before dusk could react, again Lady Tyra spoke, "Your Majesty, we have lots of preparation for the wedding. I will inform the Royal Physician to treat him."


    "Thank You, Lady Tyra," Seren said and looked at Dusk, "You better go and treat your wounds first."


    The next moment, Dusk fled away with a loud screech sound like an obedient kid.


    Just then Seren''s sight followed the city down there and she noticed that the entire city looked colorful like it was a festival. "Why is the entire city decorated?" Seren asked.


    "It is the wedding of the King and the Queen of Megaris so it is no less than a festival," Lady Tyra informed. The entire pce is also decorated and all so many guests from all the kingdoms will start arriving soon today."


    "Guests?" Seren remembered Drayce telling her about someone from Abetha is alsoing to attend the wedding. "When will the guest from Abetha arrive?" Seren asked.


    Lady Tyra smiled lightly, seeing how eager her Queen was to see someone from her family, and felt happy for her.


    "Your Majesty, they should arrive today like every other guest. Once they will be here, we will inform Your Majesty."


    Seren could only agree to it as there was nothing she could do but wait. Everyone got busy while after the sunset, Lady Tyra got the chance to return to her chamber in the servant quarter floor of the Queen''s residence.


    She closed the door as someone was already present in that room who entered from the window. Someone was sitting in the chair in the darkest corner of the room where only his feet were visible in the moonlight entering the chamber through the window.


    Lady Tyra looked angry as she stepped towards the chair, "How dare you give that flower to her Majesty? Did you forget your ce?"


    "I forgot nothing, Tyra," the man replied as he tapped his one foot lightly on the floor repeatedly which made no sound.


    "Then why?" Lady Tyra turned angrier as her voice raised, "Why did you give that flower to Her Majesty that was meant to give your mate? If His Majesty would get to know it, you won''t be alive."


    "I have no one to give that flower to. It is right to give it to the woman who cares for me. She is my master and it is fine to give it to my master as a gift for a special day in her life."


    Lady Tyra chuckled. "Who are you fooling?"


    "No one," he replied calmly.


    Lady Tyra continued, "Trying to get that flower is like facing death. Were you ready to face death just because you are grateful to your master? One gets that flower to please their mate and to establish a stronger bond even though they have to risk their lives. Not anyone can get it."


    "You can think whatever you feel right, Tyra. That flower also gives protection from evil things and I wished to protect her even if I had lost my life while getting that flower. I have no other intentions when she is a human. Moreover, the mate thing applies only when the receiver is aware of what that flower means so there is nothing to worry about," he was still calm as if Lady Tyra''s words meant nothing to him.


    "You better keep in mind that she is just your master. Don''t ever have another thought in your mind," Lady Tyra warned.


    "Rest assured, Tyra. Wishing to protect someone is not a crime. I know my ce very well," he replied.


    "Good to know." Lady Tyra finally calmed down, "How are your wounds? Were you poisoned while getting that flower?"


    "Hmm!" he nodded "But I am fine now."


    "Let me try a spell so you can heal faster," Lady Tyra suggested.


    "No need," he stood up from the chair in the dark and the next moment a majestic eagle fled out of the window of Lady Tyra''s room.

 Chapter 267: Siblings Talk

    <h4>Chapter 267: Siblings'' Talk</h4>


    The sky was already dark by the time Seren found a chance to rest from the entire day''s busy preparation for the wedding happening the next day. Only now was she able to fully understand how much effort it was to organize a royal wedding. Her wedding ceremony in Abetha was small and simple inparison, nothing like the one she would be having tomorrow; also, back then, everything was taken care of by Queen Niobe without taking her choices into consideration. However, she herself was a queen now, and all her decisions matter.


    Although she remained in her residence the entire day and Lady Tyra was there to guide her about what would happen during the ceremony, her schedule barely allowed her to breathe. It was fortunate that herdies-in-waiting made sure her evening was free, giving her time to rx before the grand ceremony.


    Seren wondered if the delegatesing from the Kingdom of Abetha had already arrived at ckhelm and if that person was her brother. When Lady Tyra was about to leave the Queen''s chamber earlier, Seren asked her if there was any news, but the old woman only shook her head. Seren could only continue to worry.


    ''What if it is not Brother Cian, but an ordinary diplomatic official?''


    Just as she gave up hope of seeing her brother, Lady Xena came knocking on her chamber. "Your Majesty, the official delegates from the Royal Family of Abetha arrived a while ago. His Majesty King Drayce asks you to receive them as guests if Your Majesty is willing."


    Seren immediately asked, "Who has arrived from Abetha? Do you have any idea?"


    Seren was asking as she was not sure if it was her father or brother or whether both hade for the wedding. If it was only her father, she was not sure if she wished to see him anymore.


    "That I am not sure of, Your Majesty. I simply conveyed the exact message that had been passed to me."


    Seren felt hesitant over what to do. In general, a king would not leave his own kingdom; sending over a kingdom''s crown prince as a delegate was already a clear indication of friendship. However, there were cases of kings in history visiting over when kingdoms have a strong bond of an alliance, especially in the case of two royal families having marital rtions.


    If the one waiting for her was her brother, this was what she exactly wished for, but what if it''s her father...


    ''I can''t let go of the chance of meeting my brother. If it''s King Armen, I will just return after greeting him."


    After taking a deep breath, Seren urged herself to leave theforts of her bed. Lady Xena was ready with a warm outer garment in hand for her to wear over her clothes. Though Seren no longer felt cold after wearing that bracelet with a red stone gifted by Drayce, she still needed to wear warm regal clothes for the sake of appearance.


    Along with Lady Xena and otherdies-in-waiting, Seren left to meet the guests from Abetha. The meeting was arranged in the gazebo inside the garden of the King and the Queen''s residence. Praying that it was not her father but her brother, Seren swallowed her anxiety and walked on the marble path of the garden which led towards the gazebo. The path was brightened with the numerousmps hanging along the way, brightening the surroundings so that one could appreciate the beauty of the garden duringte-night walks.


    When the gazebo came into sight, thedies-in-waiting apanying her stepped aside and stood in ce as if to indicate that they would no longer proceed with their queen. Only Seren continued to walk ahead until she noticed the tall figure standing inside the gazebo who had his back facing her.


    It was a familiar back.


    Seren climbed thest few steps of the gazebo, and as if hearing her footsteps, the tall figure turned around to look at her. The moment Seren saw that handsome face with sapphire blue eyes, a wide smile painted itself behind her veil as she ran towards that person like a child.


    "Brother Cian!"


    Cian smiled brightly at the sight of his sister. The next moment, he found her in his arms, hugging him tightly as if he was the most precious thing to her. Cian was pleasantly surprised by her show of familial affection, contrary to the civil treatment he was expecting between royals. He hugged her back and patted her head.


    ''My sister has changed.''


    A pair of red eyes watching them from a distance narrowed at this exchange, and their unhappy owner clenched his fist tightly, his knuckles inevitably making cracking sounds. Someone standing beside that man cleared his throat.


    "Your Majesty, it is good to see Her Majesty happy to reunite with her brother," Jasper immediatelymented, reminding Drayce that the person his wife was hugging was family and he need not feel so bothered about it.


    Drayce loosened his fist, and the two men standing next to him, Jasper and yer, gave a collective sigh of relief. These two had been around their king for so long, they could always immediately sense the change in Drayce''s emotions, allowing them to act ordingly to take preventive measures to avoid unnecessary problems.


    "Yesterday, Her Majesty was worried about our king when he jumped out of the ship. It was the first time I had seen her react so strongly, she even ordered me to go after him. When His Majesty returned, Her Majesty could not stop from doing the same with His Majesty," yer added, sounding as if he remembered the ship incident by ident and merely wished to chat with Jasper about it.


    "You mean our friend got a hug from his wife on her own will?" Jasper asked, his exaggerated tone making it sound as if the discovery was truly shocking.


    Of course, their king was not amused by their antics.


    "Is it wrong if my wife hugs me?" Drayce asked coldly. Without another word, he turned around to leave the ce and let his wife have some alone time with her brother.


    The king''s aid and knight followed behind him,? not hiding their smiles at their king''s possessive actions.


    Inside the gazebo, the Ilven siblings didn''t know their act of familial affection had brought out such a reaction from the King of Megaris. They were upied with happy thoughts regarding their reunion.


    After she had calmed herself, Seren let go of her brother and looked up at him with her purple eyes shining brightly. Though Cian could not see what was under her veil, he knew that his sister was smiling like him at this moment.


    "How have you been, Seren?" Cian asked as he carefully studied her appearance, trying to see if she got thinnerpared to back when she was under Martha''s care. Although she was not adorned in heavy jewelry, she was wearing thick clothes that were more elegant andvishpared to her dresses back in Abetha, and it seemed like she was more energetic toopared to thest time he saw her. He had also noticed that quite a distance from them, several women who seemed to be Seren''s subordinates were waiting for her.


    "I am fine, Brother. I am so happy to see you here," Seren replied.


    Seeing her sound so cheerful, Cian felt assured that she was not troubled in Megaris, definitely living a life much better than when she was in their home kingdom. It seemed that the King of Megaris kept his promise.


    Cian held her hands and took her to sit on the chairs arranged around a wooden table. Just as they sat down, Cian spoke, "It''s colder here in Megaris, and I am worried because your body is frail. Have you managed to adjust to it?"


    "It was bad at the start, but now I am getting used to the cold" She raised her right hand and showed the bracelet around her wrist. "His Majesty gave me this so I won''t feel ufortable due to the cold."


    Cian looked at the red stone attached to it and he was surprised when he recognized it. "King Drayce gave this to you?"


    Seren nodded gently, unaware how big a surprise it was for him to see that stone on her. As a Crown Prince who had traveled around the continent, he had knowledge of how truly precious and rare that stone was.


    Cian could not help but say, "Then I am sure he really cares for you a lot."


    Seren felt a little hesitant but could not deny this truth and nodded. "That''s true."


    Cian observed his sister''s face. Though he could not see it entirely, he was sure she was blushing. It surprised him even more after what he heard from his father ��ording to him, Seren was cursed to never fall in love with anyone and that she would nevere to know such feelings.


    ''Are my eyes ying tricks on me with shadows because it''s nighttime? Or is my sister truly shy like any ordinary girl in love? What about that curse? Could it be that there is a mistake in what Father said?'' Cian wondered as he stared at his sister. He decided to probe. "Do the people of Megaris treat you well here?"


    Seren nodded. "They do. Everyone here is nice."


    "What about King Drayce?" Cian asked.


    "His Majesty cares for me the most. He lets me do what I want and never gets angry at me," she replied casually, and then all of a sudden, as if a thought urred to her, she turned excited and looked at her brother. It was as if she wanted to spill out every experience she had ever since she arrived in the City of ckhelm. "There is a huge beautifulke here in the pce, muchrger than the one we have in Abetha. His Majesty once took me on a boat ride and we went to meet his grandmother, the Great Lady Ivanov, the one I''ve read about in the books. Oh, and yesterday, His Majesty brought me to the city port and let me see his ship. I saw the sea for the first time! It was muchrger than the river we have beside the royal pce, and there were many ships on the water as well! It was so beautiful, especially that ship I got to see! Once, we also went to a hot water spring and��"


    The excited young woman suddenly stopped after remembering why Drayce had taken her to visit the hot spring.


    "And?" Cian prodded. He was pleasantly listening to his overly happy sister, enjoying the rare asion of her talking nonstop and in so much excitement, and he had no wish for her to stop. The way she talked, there was no hesitation nor fear inside her, and that meant her happiness in this ce was real. It seemed like he had no need to worry about her anymore.


    "And...and I have my personal study room and even a greenhouse here," Seren changed the topic. "I wish I could show them to you but no one other than His Majesty is allowed in the Queen''s residence."


    "It''s fine as long as you are happy. I am satisfied simply hearing how you spend your time in this kingdom," Cian assured before asking, "Other than this, is King Drayce good to you? Has? he ever hurt you?" Cian didn''t want to ask, but the caring brother inside him could not stop to check if she was fine, knowing how innocent his sister was.


    This reminded Seren of when Drayce had bitten her and it hurt a lot, but now when she thought about it, she didn''t me Drayce for the pain. She thought it was a mistake from his side since after that he never did it again.


    "His Majesty has never hurt me. Instead, once, I med him falsely for hurting me but he didn''t get angry. Instead, he took care of me," Seren replied.


    Cian could see his sister genuinely liked her husband, and the way she talked, she looked like a mature woman who valued her man. "Good to know that you are happy with him."


    "Huh?" Seren looked at her brother surprisingly. ''Happy? Am I happy with him?''


    Cian could see through those innocent-looking eyes. "From what I have heard so far, you now have the freedom you never had, a ce that has epted you and another person who sincerely cares for you. I can assure you that you sound happier here than you have ever been back in Abetha. Don''t you think I am right?"


    Seren thought about what her brother said, and all the time she spent with Drayce shed in her mind. After all, ever since she had left her tower, the times her husband had left her side were few and far between. It seemed like all her precious memories, his presence was always there. Except for a few incidents at the start of their marriage, she was always happy whenever she was with Drayce, to the point that she even yearned for him to always be around her. She missed him when he didn''t show up early at night and felt worried if he wouldn''te to her.


    "I think... I am happy." Seren admitted.


    What more could a brother wish for? "And I am happy for you."


    Seren nodded absentmindedly as a strange yetfortable warmth spread inside her chest. After a while, she asked, "Martha, my nanny, how is she? Is she still in the pce?"


    Cian studied her expression before answering. "She has left the pce, but she is living well. You have no need to worry."


    "Why?" Seren could not help but crease her forehead. "Did His Majesty ask her to leave?"


    "No." Cian felt a small heartache upon hearing her refer to their father that way. "Father wished for her to stay, even offering for her to work in the main pce, but she refused. It was time for her to go to her people. Even though she left, Father ensured that all her needs are being secretly taken care of."


    "As long as she is living well," Seren mumbled. "I miss her. I wish to see her."


    "If you ever decide toe to Abetha for a visit, I will surely take you to meet her," he assured.


    "I don''t��" The hesitation in her voice caused her to trail off, but she knew she needed to let her brother know her true feelings, even if it sounded rude. "I don''t want toe back."


    Cian let out a sad smile, and he could only sigh inwardly. "I understand. No one is ming you, and no one will force you to do anything you do not want to. All we want is for you to be happy."


    The heavy atmosphere lifted as the Ilven siblings continued to talk about the things that happened to them ever since Seren left. After a while, Cian said, "It''s gettingte and your grand wedding is tomorrow. You should return to your chamber to rest."


    Realizing it was indeed gettingte, Seren reluctantly agreed. There were still many things she wished to say, but time was not on their side, and thus, she left with a heavy heart. Cian could only look at her retreating back as she walked away.


    --------


    When Seren returned to her chamber, she found Drayce inside, standing by the ss window and looking at the vase near her bed. It was the vase holding the golden flower gifted to her by Dusk.


    Seeing their king waiting for his queen, the cleverdies-in-waiting quietly left as they closed the door behind Seren.


    "Your Majesty," Seren greeted him.


    While touching that golden flower, he turned to look at Seren. "My Queen, how was your meeting with Prince Cian?"


    "It was good, Your Majesty."


    "I see my Queen is happy," Draycemented.


    "I am, Your Majesty," she replied casually. Seeing her husband continue to caress the flower without speaking, she decided to break the silence. "That flower, Dusk gifted it to me."


    "Gifted it to you?" Drayce muttered. "He never gifted me anything."


    Seren felt nervous over that discovery and said awkwardly, "It''s our wedding tomorrow... so perhaps he gave it to me as a wedding gift?"


    Drayce raised his brow. "Wedding gift?" he sighed deeply. "Then you sure can keep it."


    Knowing his pet, he agreed that it must be a wedding gift, but he was curious about the origins of this golden flower as it didn''t feel ordinary. But it didn''t look like anything that would harm his wife either. Moreover, since this was given by Dusk, he was sure his pet would never bring anything that would potentially harm his master. He put the flower back in the vase, not willing to spoil the gift meant for his wife.


    He strode towards Seren and observed her veil-covered face. "Seems like wedding preparations have tired you."


    "A little," she replied.


    "Tomorrow will be an even more tiring day. You should sleep early," he said as he helped her take off the warm outer garment she was wearing. He even removed the red stone bracelet from her wrist as there was no need for it with him beside her.


    Before Seren could take a step towards her bed, she was being lifted up in his pair of strong arms and was carried towards the soft mattress. Seren was getting used to it and didn''t resist. Instead, she held onto his shoulder and made herselffortable in his arms.


    He put her in bed and covered her body with a warm nket. Even when he climbed by her side and slept while holding her, his wife no longer acted strange.


    Things were finally changing and she was gettingfortable with him. With that thought in mind, a gentle smile formed on Drayce''s normally expressionless face.


    ====


    On Coming Wednesday, theic version of the first chapter of the novel would be out.

 Chapter 268: Finally, The Day Of Wedding

    <h4>Chapter 268: Finally, The Day Of Wedding</h4>


    6 chapters today.


    -------


    The official royal wedding between His Majesty King Drayce and Her Majesty Queen Seren of Megaris.


    It was said to be the grandest celebration not only within the Kingdom of Megaris but in the entire continent. Although the wedding ceremony itself would be celebrated within the royal pce and only selected guests could personally witness the union, the merrymaking extended outside and enveloped the entire ckhelm City in a joyous mood.


    Despite the chilly morning breeze, the atmosphere within the capital was warm. The streets were lined up with colorful flower petals, and the residences and shops had put wreaths of flowers and red ribbons on their doors and windows. The crowd was filled with smiles and awe as bards sang about the tales of their powerful king as well as the love story of the royal couple. In the za and along the seaport, music and celebratory cheers could be heard as well. The boats and ships on the harbor had also all put up full masts on the gs bearing the royal crest of Megaris.


    Within the pce grounds, ephemeral fabrics of white and crimson hues could be seen hanging, secured in ce by ss crystals not only on the facade of the buildings but also along the garden walkways and pavilions, causing some of the onlookers to be reminded of the scenery of flowers blooming in the middle of spring.


    Countless carriages were being received inside the royal pce sincest night. As it was the royal wedding of the strongest kingdom in the continent, not only the members of the royal family and local nobles were invited, but also many foreign guests and diplomats were invited from all over the continent. All the royal delegates from the other kingdoms had arrived at the pce the previous night, and the luxurious arrangements prepared for theirfortable stay caused many to be in awe. After all, it was the wedding of the King and Queen of Megaris, and the arrangements made were no less than the high expectations befitting the imposing manner of the strongest kingdom.


    That morning, Seren had to wake up before daybreak for her own preparations. The moment she opened her eyes, as expected, the space beside her was empty.


    "Good morning, Your Majesty!" Lady Tyra greeted Seren, and soon, all the servants assigned to help her out for her special day entered the Queen''s chamber.


    "Good morning, Lady Tyra," Seren greeted back calmly, but inside, she felt her anxiety rising because she knew what day was today.


    Her wedding day.


    It was not like she was getting married for the first time, but there was a big difference between the wedding ceremony then and the wedding ceremony now.


    The wedding she had in Abetha was simply an agreement, where her kingdom had symbolically given a princess away to a husband who was practically a stranger, and her wishes were never taken into consideration. She had no idea what she should be doing, and no knowledge of what to expect.


    While the Seren back then worried for her own bleak future, the wedding she would be having today made her worry for an entirely different reason.


    Seren had been like a bird given wings the moment she left the walls of the Royal Pce of Abetha. Just a few weeks she spent within Megaris had changed her, letting her grow and mature in many ways. As a young woman, she had also been made aware of what it truly meant to get married. Before the wedding in Abetha, all she was thinking about was using that chance to run away somewhere far away, but now, she knew there was no need to escape. Her mind was filled with thoughts about the responsibilities after the wedding itself.


    As Lady Tyra instructed the other servants what to do, Marie and Eva prepared the bath for Seren.


    A special bath was prepared for the young queen. It was part of the local tradition for the bride to wash herself with herbal ointments said to bless the woman to be wed with fortune and happiness. The tub was filled with warm water with flower petals floating on its surface. Fragrant essence was mixed with the water, causing the entire side chamber to be filled with its sweet scent.


    "Your Majesty, please step into the bath so we can start washing you," Marie said as she stepped out of the side chamber.


    Seren could smell the delicate fragranceing off her servant as she left her bed and followed Marie to the side chamber. The pleasant scent caused her chest to tighten, and she had to take a few deep breaths to calm herself. She silently allowed her servants to remove her nightgown before she lowered herself into the bathtub. Eva began washing her hair while Marie helped herther her skin.


    Only the sounds of the water sshing could be heard echoing inside the chamber. Seren was always used to being silent, but today, her silence was different. EvenEva and Marie noticed that her eyes, which were normally calm or curious, were filled with anxiety. The young queen looked deep in thought, the kind of deep thinking that they bet brought a frown on her face.


    "Your Majesty?" Marie probed. "If you are troubled with anything, can you share with us what worries you?"


    It pulled Seren out of her thoughts. "Nothing important."


    "Are you thinking about the wedding, Your Majesty?" Marie asked as she wished her queen to talk it out instead of being so silent. It was her wedding day, and she should be happy like any other bride.


    Seren nodded lightly in response.


    "It''s normal to be anxious as it''s not just any ordinary event but something really important in one''s life," Mariemented in a soothing voice.


    Again, Seren just nodded in response to show she understood.


    "Your Majesty, you just have to follow what Lady Tyra had exined yesterday. For the rest, leave it for yourdies-in-waiting to handle them for you. Also, His Majesty will be there to take care of you."


    "Hmm!" Seren responded. She knew what Marie said was correct, but she could not help but worry.

 Chapter 269: Anxious Bride

    <h4>Chapter 269: Anxious Bride</h4>


    Once Marie and Eva finished washing her, they helped her step out of the bathtub. They dried her body first before adding anotheryer of sweet ointment on her skin. Eva passed a bathrobe to Marie as she heard her say, "Eva, do check if everything is ready outside."


    Eva nodded and left while Marie helped Seren put on the bathrobe. As she did so, she spoke in a tone like that of an elder sister, "Your Majesty, I understand why you are so anxious. But trust me, you don''t need to."


    Seren finally looked at Marie who offered her a gentle smile. "Your Majesty, just remember His Majesty cares for you. He will be good to you."


    Seren finally said something. "I understand." After a while, she added softly, "Thank you."


    There was no one else with who Seren could share what she was thinking. Despite her not saying anything, Marie could understand her deepest worries.


    The older woman smiled again. "It is my pleasure and honor to help you, Your Majesty."


    On their wedding day, other girls would have at least an older woman in her family to guide andfort the bride, but this bride had no one. First, she was a foreign princess who had no family or friends around, and due to the fact that she was now the queen, she had to be distant from others around her, be they other royals or noblewomen. It went without saying how her servants treat her. It was a relief that with Marie, things were different.


    "Shall we start getting dressed, Your Majesty?" Marie asked.


    Seren was ushered next towards the wardrobe room where everything she would be wearing��from her ceremonial crimson wedding gown to the assortment of jewelry and hair ornaments, to the delicate pair of shoes��were ced neatly, just waiting for the bride to put them on. Lady Xena and the otherdies-in-waiting were dressed fashionably as well, as they would be witnessing the wedding ceremony as well. Despite the obvious exhaustion on their faces, showing they had been awake for hours already, they smiled brightly as they started to ready their queen for her important day.


    Time seemed to be suspended inside the side chamber as Seren surrendered herself to the hands of thedies. Her nervousness was somehow lessened hearing their voices as they gossiped about the excitement of the people about the royal wedding, as well as some stories about the guests who had entered the pcest night.


    While thedies could help her dress and do her hair, they could never help Seren to put on makeup on her face due to the veil, which some of them found a pity. Today, on this special day, they could only settle on putting little makeup on her already mesmerizing purple eyes. Truth to be told, it was obvious on what little skin was visible��her forehead, temples, and areas around her eyes��that Seren''s skin was fair and delicate. One could see this young woman needed no makeup on her lustrous skin. Some of them were even thinking that if the veil were to be removed, their Queen Seren must be the prettiest woman in all the kingdom. However, they kept those thoughts to themselves. No one asked Seren to remove her veil and merely continued their job.


    "Your Majesty, you look lovely!" Thedies cheered after fitting Seren into her bridal gown.


    Under their expert touch, Seren found a lovely bride staring at herself in front of a full-length mirror. The ceremonial wedding gown was a bright crimson brocade gown with golden motifs on its linings. Her slender body was framed by a tight bodice, yet it also enhanced her womanly figure with its sweet neckline, floor-length skirt, and puffed bell sleeves. The inner gown was a sheer white garment enveloped by a rich red fabric, where a cape of simr design was delicately attached to her shoulders.


    Her long red hair was now parted in the middle and loosely braided behind her back, and multiple golden essories were attached to it, exuding regal elegance. Even her jewelry was made to bring out the red in her hair, and therge fiery red jewels shimmered against her white skin.


    Though her appearance was not as mboyant and luxurious as the one she had back on her wedding day in Abetha, Seren found this image of a graceful bride in gold and red much to her liking. It caused a small smile to appear under her veil. Sadly, it was a scene no one could see.


    As she stepped out of her chamber, she found that there was a morning meal arranged for her before she left for the throne room, where the wedding ceremony would be taking ce. Seren sat down with the intention to eat, but she could only stare at the food on the table. She didn''t feel like eating anything and felt full already with all the anxiety she was feeling.


    Before leaving Seren to have her meal on her own, Lady Tyra noticed her situation. "Your Majesty, please eat something. This day will be hectic and tiring, and breakfast might even be the only chance for you to eat a full course meal for the day. I believe Your Majesty won''t want to feel weak, or worse, faint in front of many people."


    Seren nodded slightly and Lady Tyra left along with others. Seren decided to follow what Lady Tyra said. She didn''t wish to be a reason for the inconvenience as she knew her body was not strong in the first ce, and it probably would be even weaker in the cold weather of Megaris. She removed her veil, taking a deep breath as she stared at the food.


    ''I really can''t eat. I think if I eat, it will make me feel sick.''


    She chose to have soup. At the very least, she needed something to warm her tummy. However, even with soup, she only had a few spoonfuls which she forced herself to swallow with much effort. She realized, whatever she tried, she could not eat more and decided to stop.


    Once she stepped out of the dining room, none of thediesmented about her nearly untouched meal. Seren was directed to the drawing-room to wait and leave with the king on the royal carriage.

 Chapter 270: A Handsome Groom And A Beautiful Bride

    <h4>Chapter 270: A Handsome Groom And A Beautiful Bride</h4>


    Inside the King''s chamber, his personal servant, Orion, was helping his king get ready together with two other servants after Drayce had a bath. yer and Jasper, the King''s personal knight and his royal adviser were already present there. The two young men were dressed in a sharp fashion, with yer wearing ceremonial clothes meant for themander of the royal knights, while Jasper was donning a formal attire bearing the crest of the Candace Family, which meant he would be attending as the young lord representing Duke Candace..


    Jasper looked at Drayce who was almost ready in the groom''s attire. He could not help but let out a happy sigh. "After hearing of Your Majesty''s sudden wedding in Abetha, I was regretting not being able to see Your Majesty''s special day. Now, my eyes and my soul can rest in peace��"


    yer''s remark caused the young aide to pause. "You sound like you''re dying."


    Drayce just smiled lightly while Jasper looked slyly at yer, "Speaking of someone dying, weren''t you also too ill to stand that time? Finally, you can apany our Majesty on his important day in a good condition. You must be feeling happy, huh?"


    "It''s an important day for His Majesty so how can I not?" yer replied coldly. "At least, I am able to witness both of His Majesty''s weddings, unlike a certain someone."


    Jasper was about to retort when he saw Drayce turn around as he adjusted the cufflink on his sleeve. His servants had all stepped away, indicating that their king had finished getting dressed.


    "Such a handsome groom," Jaspermented and yer gave an approving nod.


    The tall royal was wearing the traditional long robe of a groom in ordance with the style of Megaris, which was crimson with borate gold designs embroidered on the expensive fabric. The crest of the Ivanov Royal Family could be seen on the jewel in the center, clipping his cape in ce over his broad shoulders. His attire was simr to the one he wore back in Abetha, but this one was more borate; after all, this groom''s attire was created with the grand wedding in mind, and the royal tailor took special care as he was allowed more time to work on the royal wedding clothes. Drayce''s long jet ck hair was brushed aside to hold in ce the ceremonial crown made of pure gold and embedded with jewels rested on it.


    As he stared at his two friends, his face with well-carved features looked cold, but his red eyes held visible warmth and excitement in them despite him pretending to be casual. Both Jasper and yer smartly decided not to point that out.


    After having a short meal, it was time for them to leave for the wedding venue. Drayce, Jasper, and yer walked together, with the two young men only a step behind their king while all the other knights and servants followed behind.


    On the way down towards the entrance of the residence, Jasper said in a low voice to Drayce, "Dray, not even in my dream would I think you would ever get married. But you proved me wrong and kept my hope alive of seeing little devils around."


    Drayce smiled lightly. "Don''t worry. Your wish would be fulfilled sooner orter."


    Soon, their entourage reached the entrance between the Queen''s and the King''s residence. Outside therge double doors, the decorated royal carriage could be seen waiting for the groom and the bride to be brought to the Grand Pce, which was where the wedding ceremony would be held.


    Drayce did not have to wait long as Seren and herdies-in-waiting were merely waiting inside the drawing-room by the entrance. Drayce, who was facing the carriage, sensed that she had stepped out of the room and turned to look at his queen.


    ''My Queen.''


    Though Drayce had seen Seren before as a bride, he would not mind getting his breath knocked out again a second time. The purple eyes held his gaze, and he was unable to look away.


    During their wedding in Abetha, Drayce was more excited to see her reaction after she realized the identity of her husband-to-be. That wedding was done in such a hurry, and amidst people, he had no affinity as well, that it was more like a formality for him towfully take Seren away.


    This time, it was different. The two of them had gotten to know each other, and he was a groom waiting to see his bride in his own kingdom, their union something to be witnessed by the people important to him. It was more meaningful not only to him but for both of them.


    Though Drayce could not see her entire face because of the veil, the young woman in front of him looked mesmerizing in that red wedding dress. Her purple eyes were like the rarest of gems, looking at him with such tender warmth, it made him forget there were people around them. Seren looked like a crimson flower who had bloomed, no, a flower fairy who had graced thends...No, even those words seemed unable to fully exin the beauty of his wife at this moment.


    Sharing knowing nces with each other, Jasper and yer left their hypnotized friend alone and moved towards their symbolic white horses as the two of them were meant to lead the wedding procession of the royal carriage.


    The moment Seren saw Drayce waiting for her by the entrance, the anxiety inside her chest seemingly exploded, and it was as if her legs were going number and number with each step she took towards him. She did not want to miss a step, nor did she want to step on her skirt and fall t on the floor. But her knees were shaking, and it was taking a toll on her body to stay upright.


    Inhaling deeply, she continued to walk towards her husband, trying her best to not look at those piercing red eyes of his, but she could not deny that the man in front of her was looking devilishly handsome. It was difficult for any woman to not look at him. Though thedies stopped a few steps away, she was sure that if she were to turn around, all herdies-in-waiting and servants had their gazes pinned on her husband.


    But this handsome man''s eyes only sought for her. Of that, she was sure as well.

 Chapter 271: You Are Beautiful

    <h4>Chapter 271: You Are Beautiful</h4>


    Seren finally reached him, and they were so close she only needed to raise her hand to be able to touch that handsome face. Seren gazed up at him while he stared down.


    Her purple eyes met his fiery red ones.


    "My Queen," he said, his voice a low croon to her ears, "You are beautiful."


    "Thank you, Your Majesty," Seren replied, her voice breathless. Such a simple exchange of words, yet it seemed so magical to her.


    Drayce offered her his hand. "Shall we, my Queen?"


    As exined by Lady Tyra a day before, Seren was aware that she had to go to the wedding venue with Drayce in his personal carriage. She could see from the open doors that the royal carriage was decorated with beautiful white flowers and red ribbons, showing that it was for the bride and groom.


    Seren epted his hand and stepped towards their ride. The servants arranged the small stool for her to climb up while Drayce helped her to get inside the carriage. He even assisted Seren with the heavy skirt and the cape of her bridal gown, helping her settle it inside the carriage. Once she was fine and seatedfortably, Drayce climbed in and sat facing Seren.


    Although the king''s carriage was thergest in the pce, it was still a rtively small enclosed space, especially for the two people sitting inside. Seren felt like the moment she sat down, her legs lost all strength, and she worried that she would not be able to stand upter once they arrived at the Grand Pce. She sat with her gaze lowered, not daring to look at her groom, while Drayce smiled lightly at the rare sight of her shyness.


    As the royal carriage moved, the wedding procession had officially begun. The sound of horns could be heard outside and led by the royal knights on their horses, followed by the other knights and servants, their carriage moved on the wide pce roads. Seren looked outside the window and observed that both sides of the road were decorated with flowers, crystals, and fabrics of white and red, along with the rest of the pce. The entire way was paved with decorations. The patrolling guards saluted as soon as the wedding procession passed by them, and some of the less important guests who were not allowed into the wedding venue due to the seating capacity cheered.


    It was as if everything was lifted straight out from the fairytale books she had read in the past.


    The procession only took several minutes. The royal carriage soon stopped in the front steps of thergest and most important building inside the Royal Pce of Megaris, the Grand Pce.? From what she could see through the window, from the entrance of the Grand Pce up towards the double doors of the throne room, beautiful wedding decorations that reminded her of the flower gardens in the Crystal Pce paved the way.


    Drayce stepped out and helped Seren to get out of the carriage. Stepping out, Seren was greeted by the sight of an archway with luscious green ivy nts growing on it, decorated by white lilies in full bloom, reminding Seren again of the beautiful gardens raised by Drayce''s grandmother. The red carpet on the floor had scattered petals on it, and they looked freshly plucked, even emitting a familiar sweet fragrance that somehow made Seren calm down.


    The sunlighting from the windows caused the small crystal gems on the decors to shimmer, and Seren could not help but gasp at the beautiful decorations.


    ''It looks magical.''


    Royal knights dressed impably in ceremonial uniform saluted the royal couple as they passed by them. They were all lined by the sides, standing in ce up until the end of the hallway, which seemed to be the entrance of the throne room. The huge double doors made out of heavy redwood were closed at the moment. However, it did not look imposing at the moment, as it seemed like a portal to another world. White lilies and red wildflowers decorated the arched gateway along with ivy nts. Seren could even hear harp music seemingly floating from beyond the doors.


    ''So this is the throne room that Lady Tyra was talking about yesterday,'' Seren concluded as she looked around curiously. She had never entered the Grand Pce before, as she never had the chance to touch any official affairs of the kingdom yet. At most, she had seen this building from a distance when Lady Tyra toured her around the pce grounds. She knew this was where important kingdom issues were brought up and decided upon by officials and high-ranking nobles; she also knew this should be where Drayce spent most of his time as a king, granting audience to his subjects.


    Two familiar men could be seen on either side of the door. It was yer and Jasper, Drayce''s most loyal men. She then heard Drayce, who was still holding her hand after helping her step out of the carriage, say, "My Queen, it''s time."


    Seren nodded and the double doors opened.


    "All rise! His Majesty King Drayce Ivanov of Megaris and Her Highness Princess Seren Ilven of Abetha have arrived!"


    The moment the door of the throne room opened, it was as if all the eyes within the kingdom gazed at the delicatedy in red in holding hands with the fearsome young king.


    The sight that weed her was astounding.


    The entire throne room could be said to be the most extraordinary architecture Seren had everid her eyes on. Made of pure white marble from the floor to the dome, not even the designs of her own residence couldpare. Beautiful crystal chandeliers illuminated the extremelyrge hall, and the arched windows partially covered by long velvet curtains were half-drawn, allowing sunlight to bring in natural light. In front of the red-carpeted aisle, a golden altar in the form of a dragon could be seen, and above it, there was an inky ck banner with a golden crest symbolizing the sun stitched on it. The entire throne room was decorated with delicate green ivy nts and white lilies, turning the hall into onerge indoor garden.

 Chapter 272: Blessings From The Great Lady

    <h4>Chapter 272: Blessings From The Great Lady</h4>


    On either side of the aisle, rows of chairs were arranged to face each other, where the most authoritative figures among the guests were assigned to sit ording to their rank and hierarchy. There were high-ranking territory lords of Megaris, members of the royal family, and diplomats representing the royal families from other kingdoms among them. Behind those rows of chairs were grandstands, carved seats made of marble running along the entire wall, and even those seats were filled with nobles and rich merchants with attires that would make anyone aware that they were foreigners from other parts of the continent.


    Though Seren had experience with crowds as she had attended several important asions back in Abetha with the king''s permission, those were normally banquets with less than a hundred attendees, and she would only make an appearance and quickly leave once the social gatherings began. Also, although her arrival would always cause murmurs to follow, she was never the center of attention, like with her sister''s engagement ceremony. Even at her own wedding back then, there were less than twenty witnesses to the ceremony itself.


    However, the throne room was filled to the brim�� she could not even make herself begin to count...


    Seren inhaled deeply to calm her nerves, and Drayce could feel her hand trembling on top of his own. Still, Seren walked with grace and poise under the pressure of the gazes fixed at her from both sides of the pathway leading towards the altar. Her grip on Drayce''s hand tightened a little and she heard him say in a low voice, "My Queen, rx. It''s nothing."


    Seren nodded and continued walking down the aisle, trying to focus on the sweet lilting music of the harp ying in the background. She also found greatfort in the fact that Drayce was holding her hand.


    It was the first time for the people of the kingdom to see their queen. Even though it had been roughly a month since she came, few had ever met her, and they were limited to the royal servants and the women from the royal harem who hade across her on the day after her arrival.


    Seeing the veil-covered Queen Seren, most of them remembered what they had heard about the young woman so far. Some had heard rumors, while others received concrete reports from their subordinates about the mysterious foreign princess.


    Though many had questions in mind, no one dared voice out their thoughts after how Drayce had made clear to everyone about her status during the first royal court session after he returned to the kingdom. By now, almost every official of Megaris had heard about her, about how she was raised in Abetha and even about her curses. For the high-ranking officials sitting near the aisle, they could clearly see the scales on her body that they had only heard about. Some of their wives and daughters frowned seeing how their king was holding her scaly hand.


    However, they were nobles, and nobles were known for their abilities to hide their true thoughts. If their king didn''t mind the ugliness of his queen, then they were smart to keep their mouth shut. At least on the surface, they could openly show that they ept this woman as the Queen of Megaris. Not like they had other options, knowing how dangerous their devil king was.


    After crossing half of the distance from the door to the altar, Seren heard a familiar voice.


    "Seren!"


    Seren immediately found the little girl who was excited to see her. Beside her, her father, Duke Wimark, was signaling her to keep quiet.


    ''Rayjin is here!'' Seren smiled at the little girl, and that helped her rx a little. She continued walking forward and she noticed that on the second row, her brother Prince Cian was standing along with Prince An and Prince Lenard of Griven. The first row seemed to be dedicated to the members of the Royal House of Ivanov, and she recognized some of thedies seated there. However, there were many she did not know, especially the males.


    When they reached the altar which was elevated from the ground level, Seren noticed Drayce''s grandmother, the Great Lady Theodora, sitting on the foremost seat in the front row, and she was smiling at the royal couple.


    Her brother, the Great Lady, Rayjin��


    Seeing these familiar faces made Seren feel like she was not among strangers anymore and could be at ease. Before reaching the steps leading up to the altar, Drayce did something outside of the ceremony and took Seren towards the Great Lady. It caused Seren to be startled, but she understood why Drayce did what he did. Lady Theodora was the oldest one in the royal family and getting her blessing was symbolic and important to the entire kingdom.


    "Greetings, Grandmother," Drayce said while Seren bowed her head a little. It was rare for the Great Lady to appear in public, especially to show her face in the Grand Pce as she had long isted herself from the affairs of the kingdom and anything rted to the pce. She was not only a Queen Dowager but someone who had yed an important part during the rule of three kings. Now, she broke away from her living in istion to witness the wedding of her grandson.


    The Great Lady stood up from her chair with the help of her staff and looked at the royal couple with a pleasant smile on her aged face. "You two young ones look really good together. My blessings are always with you."


    Both Drayce and Seren paid their respects as younger generation members of the family. After greeting the Great Lady, Drayce and Seren climbed the steps leading to the throne tform where the altar was ced. An elderly man stood waiting before them to perform as the master of ceremonies of the grand wedding.


    As they stood in front of the elderly man, Drayce still didn''t let go of Seren''s hand, and it caused some of the guests to realize how the king truly felt about his queen.

 Chapter 273: [5th Bonus Chapter]Heartfelt Promises To Each Other

    <h4>Chapter 273: [5th Bonus Chapter]Heartfelt Promises To Each Other</h4>


    The master of ceremony was a stern-looking old man with a thin body and straight silver hair pulled back in a ponytail. His long beard was all silvery-white as well, and it reached the middle of his chest, making him look to be in his early orte sixties. He was dressed in a pure white long-sleeved attire and holding a long staff with the insignia of a dragon, and Seren realized that the man should be a high-ranking priest of some sort.?It was something she did not expect, as she thought someone from the royal family would be in charge of the wedding vows, like how King Armen was the one who wedded her and Drayce back in Abetha.


    ''Megaris has no state religion, but I remember that the royal family worshipped the dragon?''


    As expected, her brain went wandering, which was something that happened back in Abetha as well. The High Priest then nodded at the young couple and raised his staff, announcing the start of the wedding ceremony. An aged yet dignified voice echoed within the hall.


    "We have all gathered here to witness the union between the descendant of the dragon and the chosen phoenix," the High Priest spoke in a serious manner. "ording to the written texts of the predecessors, before the kingdoms formed, a mighty ck dragon once ruled thends��"


    Listening to the High Priest''s words, Seren and Drayce simply stood facing each other with Drayce holding both of her small hands between his, looking into her beautiful mesmerizing eyes as if peering into her soul. After a while, the High Priest reached the part of the ceremony where they would be exchanging the wedding vows.


    "Drayce Ivanov, will you have Seren Ilven to be your wife, to live together respecting the values entrenched in the sacred vow of marriage? Will you love her,fort her, honor and keep her in sickness and in health, and rule the bountifulnds of Megaris together with fairness in mind, for as long as you both shall live?"


    "I vow in the name of the dragon," Drayce replied with a firm determination in his red eyes, "forsaking all others, to remain faithful to her for all of eternity, loving only her and her alone even beyond death."


    As he spoke those words, his red eyes never left Seren''s face, as if he was conveying with his gaze the depth of his emotions that he could not properly put into words. Seren could only stare at him with wide eyes, and her gaze softened as she silently epted the sincerity in those words.


    Drayce''s voice was not loud, but everyone within the throne hall heard his words. Though the high-ranking officials of the royal court of Megaris had heard a simr deration before, it was only within their circle and was not spread into the general popce. It caused everyone to be taken aback, especially those older guests who had experienced the vicissitudes of life.


    ''Isn''t His Majesty making an oath that he will only have a single woman in his whole life?''


    It was something unprecedented for a king to make a vow. After all, kings were expected to have many direct descendants to allow them to choose the best heir. Kings and nobles also use marriage as a way to hold onto power and keep bnce within their respective kingdoms. Such a resolute vow from the King of Megaris caused various reactions among the guests��some were dismayed, others were envious while a handful wore smiles of approval. Prince Cian Ilven of Abetha was among those smiling.


    The High Priest kept his surprise as he turned and repeated the vow for the bride.


    " Seren Ilven, will you have Drayce Ivanov, to be your husband, to live together respecting the values entrenched in the sacred vow of marriage? Will you love him,fort him, honor and keep him in sickness and in health, and rule the bountifulnds of Megaris together with fairness in mind, for as long as you both shall live?"


    Her heart was racing inside her chest, seemingly ready to jump out of her ribcage. Seren took a moment before answering it. She too only looked at those fiery red eyes which were waiting for her answer. At this moment, those words from the High Priest were not just ordinary words, but a vow she would follow till the end of her life. It was the first time in her life she found a person she could trust with all her heart. This man, the man who promised to protect her and had never failed to live up to his promises, was no longer just a stranger to her.


    "I vow in the name of the phoenix," Seren responded, and that answer was enough, but she still shyly added under her breath, "as long as you want me, I will remain by your side for all eternity, Your Majesty."


    Hearing those shy words which were only meant for him to hear, Drayce felt an unbelievable warmth spreading across his chest. He wanted to embrace his sweet wife right there and then andugh for the entire crowd to witness his joy. It was as if happiness was bursting inside of him. A broad grin painted itself on Drayce''s lips as he knew she just didn''t say those words for the sake of saying it. She said it after much consideration. It was not just any empty promise.


    It was Seren''s heartfelt promise to him.


    "The groom and the bride can exchange the rings," the priest announced.


    Orion and Lady Xena brought the rings for the King and the Queen of Megaris respectively in golden trays decorated nicely with flower petals. These were the same rings the two exchanged back in their first wedding, and they symbolically exchanged them again this time under the eyes of their hundreds of witnesses.


    Drayce picked up his ring and put it on Seren''s finger. He found her hand cold to touch, and he slightly rubbed her skin in a sweet gesture, as if to say she no longer needed to be nervous. Seren was aware of what she should do and followed the suit. She put his ring on Drayce''s finger.


    Afterward, it was the moment for the groom and the bride to kiss. In Abetha, Drayce carried it out by kissing her on the back of her scaly hand, as at that time, he didn''t wish to further scare the young woman who was married to a stranger.


    However, this was his kingdom, and ording to the customs here, this was something they could not escape from.


    One of the things Seren worried about the wedding ceremony was this. She was aware of the ceremony propers, both from what she had read about Megaris'' weddings in the books she read a few days back as well as from what she got to know from Lady Tyra yesterday. The kiss was even more symbolic than the exchange of vows, as it was a gesture representing the union of the dragon and phoenix under the blessings of the heavens, earth, and people. To avoid it was not only a scandal but also an omen of misfortune that would cause the natives of Megaris to feel repulsion towards her.


    Seren didn''t want that to happen. She had tasted the feeling of freedom and had known what it was like to be treated with respect. She didn''t want to go back to the days where she was scorned by people for bringing misfortune to their lives.


    ''But my veil��Martha said...''


    She knew that to carry out this symbolic kiss, she had to remove her veil in front of these people. Something which she would never allow to happen.


    As everyone waited for their king and queen to kiss, Drayce looked into Seren''s shaken eyes. He saw the anxiety in them, and all he could do at this moment was ask her to trust him with his gaze. She saw his hand moving to her veil, and she froze, not knowing what to do.


    ''I trust His Majesty��'' she chanted to herself over and over again. ''But Martha said no man should see my face��''


    She decided to dodge. Scorn and hatred were things she was long used to, and it was a small price to pay if she could keep her curse at bay. However, as Drayce slowly reached out to touch her veil, he also moved his face closer to her.


    In a voice so low that only she could hear, she heard him say��


    "Trust me!"


    ====


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 Chapter 274: Wedding Kiss and Coronation

    <h4>Chapter 274: Wedding Kiss and Coronation</h4>


    3 chapters today


    -----


    Seren swallowed the fear eating her insides and felt him slightly lift her veil at her chin up to the bottom part of her lips. The surprising thing was, her veil allowed him to touch it and even lift it. That proved he didn''t have any n to remove itpletely, or else, that enchanted veil would have never allowed him to touch it.


    When he moved up that veil, he used his rough callused hand to tenderly cup her face, partially covering the bottom part, thus other than him, no one could see Seren''s mouth.


    Pink lips that looked as delicate as flower petals in blossom.


    His lips lightly brushed over hers, so gentle it felt like a dream, yet those lips of his stayed like that over hers for several seconds.


    Cheers erupted from the crowd, yet none of those sounds could drown out the thunderous racing of Seren''s heart. Seren''s breath was stuck inside her chest at that featherlight kiss on her lips.


    Their first real kiss.


    Drayce had given her a peck on her lips before, but it was always over her veil. This time, there was no barrier. His lips had touched hers. She felt her heartbeats skipping, no, galloping beats��she would likely go crazy if it stayed like this for long.


    Hot breath fanned across her moist lips as Drayce''s lips slowly parted away from hers, and as he moved his hand away, he let the veil slide down back. Only then did the sounds within the hall reach Seren. There was a loud sound of pping across the entire throne hall, and the elegant harp music was reced with festive sounds of trumpets and drums.


    The grinning Drayce looked at flushed skin on the visible parts of his wife''s face with great satisfaction. Her earlobes had turned red as well, allowing Drayce to guess how shy she must be feeling at this moment. Her veil-covered cheeks must be blushing at the moment.


    Drayce knew Seren didn''t want to remove her veil. He had tried to persuade her many times ever since they had met, yet her reaction told him that her veil held a secret he was not privy to. Yet.


    Although he did not understand why, there was no way he would ever force her to do what she never wanted to. If she wanted to keep wearing this veil and not show her face to anyone, then he would always respect her wish. Thus, he decided topromise during this time.


    Doing this was necessary to keep the reputation of his wife in front of everyone, and it would also help diminish the rumors spread by those who thought of her as an ugly creature just because she had scales and covered her face with a veil. Drayce showed them all that whatever they thought about his wife, to him, she was precious and he wholeheartedly loved her.


    Once the loud pping calmed down, the High Priest moved to the next part of the ceremony. The coronation of the new queen.


    "People of the Kingdom of Megaris, those who revere and are governed by the descendants blessed by the mighty ck dragon," the High Priest started as he raised his staff, causing everyone to go silent once again, "witness the descent of the new phoenix the ck dragon had chosen for thisnd!"


    At this point, Drayce stepped away from the altar, leaving Seren standing in front of the High Priest on the pedestal.


    "Seren Ivanov, is Your Majesty willing to take the oath of the phoenix?"


    Seren lowered her head. She had yet to regain her wits from that kiss she shared with Drayce, but she knew she had to try her best to speak without faltering at this moment. Lady Tyra had also exined this to her. As a new monarch of Megaris, she should not let herself tremble.


    "Yes, I am willing."


    The High Priest continued, "Will you to your power causew and justice, in mercy, to be executed in all your judgments?


    "I will."


    "Will you solemnly promise and swear to govern the people of Megaris, including the ancient families and tribes within, from the territories past and future, ording to their respectivews and customs?"


    "I solemnly promise to do so."


    Seren remembered what she knew about Megaris so far. As a militant kingdom, the Ivanov Royal Family favored strength and had a long history of war and conquest. As such, they incorporated many old kingdoms within theirnd, causing its massive size to have people with different cultures and ways of living. That was the reason why the high-ranking nobles of Megaris hold the titles of ''Territory Lords'', and most of them had independent ways of ruling theirnds. The reason they bow down to Drayce was because of his strength and skill. As his partner, she too would carry certain expectations on her shoulders, as she wouldn''t be a mere royal in name, but a queen with power and authority.


    The High Priest then waved his staff over Seren''s bowed head in a gesture of blessing her.


    "Receive this crown and remember with majesty and power that though you may be clothed with royal authority, you must never forget that righteousness and kindness reign above you. You are the phoenix who will shed warmth to thisnd. May you represent life and good fortune for the years toe."


    Orion came towards the altar carrying a delicate crown in a golden tray. Unlike the crown of the king which was a heavy crown made of gold andrge gems, the crown of the queen was a slim and exquisite silver tiara filled with pale blue diamonds. Just as the dragon represented the king and the phoenix the queen, their crowns also symbolized bnce. The golden crown was the sun, and the silver tiara was the moon.


    Drayce looked at the crown which was once something his mother owned, and now, it was being passed to his wife along with the responsibilities that came with it. Though he never got the chance to see his mother wearing it, he was looking forward to seeing his wife wear it.


    Orion halted his steps before Drayce, and the young king picked up the silver crown and gently ced it on Seren''s head. It fitted perfectly as if to indicate its eptance of the beautiful head which was nowid on as its new owner.


    Drayce then offered his hand to Seren. She took it with a firm grasp, and the two of them faced the crowd, standing together as they listened to the voice of the High Priest.


    "With this, we have be witnesses to the sacred union between Drayce Ivanov and Seren Ilven. With the powers vested in me as the High Priest of the Ancient Church, I now pronounce His Majesty King Drayce and Her Majesty Queen Seren the dragon and phoenix who would usher the next golden age of the mighty Kingdom of Megaris!"

 Chapter 275: These Are My People Now

    <h4>Chapter 275: These Are My People Now</h4>


    After the High Priest formally recognized the union of Drayce and Seren, with Seren now officially crowned the Queen of Megaris, it was the time for the royal wedding parade where the King and the Queen would travel around the capital city in an open carriage. This would also be Seren''s first official appearance as the Queen of Megaris in public, causing the curious citizens of ckhelm to line up the streets for the rare chance of seeing their revered king and his chosen queen.


    Drayce guided Seren''s way while holding her hand, helping her to climb down the stairs of the throne tform. Amidst the pping and festive music, the young king and queen walked down the aisle to exit the throne hall. Many of the wedding guests looked at the royal couple with praise and well wishes, some of the females even eyeing Seren with envy.


    Seeing his sister being the center of attention for a good reason, getting all this respect and love from people now that she had be the queen of the strongest kingdom and the wife of the most powerful king in the continent, Cian could not help but feel relieved. He wished that their father was here as well to witness this turn of event in his pitiful sister''s life. His eyes turned moist at the thought of how his sister spent the past few years living like a soulless doll, andparing the frail image to the confident bride walking elegance, he could not help but hide a few happy tears.


    Unfortunately for him, the best friend of the groom who was standing next to him had noticed it. A teasing grin spread on that elegant royal face. "It won''t look good if the crown prince of a kingdom sheds tears publicly when he is in an allied kingdom. It might cause an irreversible diplomatic issue."


    "Tears?," Cian scoffed, "I think you should check your sight, Prince An."


    Cian was initially not close enough to be on joking terms with An. As fellow princes, they were more acquaintances than anything. But for some reason, ever since that time they escaped from Hatha''s pursuit, An started to treat Cian more casually.


    "Then why do I see your eyes moist?"


    "I have traveled for days nonstop and didn''t get a proper sleep so it''s affecting my eyes," Cian replied coldly.


    "I believe you," An said as his grin broadened.


    Lenard was originally watching the King and the Queen of Megaris just like everyone else, but he turned to An and decided to intervene just in case his brother says something that might piss off the Prince of Abetha. He diverted the topic towards his brother''s friend. "I never thought I would ever see such a day. I always thought that the throne of Megaris would only have a king and not a queen under his reign."


    "You never know when things will suddenly change," Anmented. "Life is truly full of surprises."


    As one of Drayce''s closest friends who knew him well, An never thought that the man who only loved the sword would ever fall for a woman. They thought that even for political reasons, Drayce might not yield to marry, even if it was to produce an heir, and would probably pass on his crown to a nephew in the future. An was sure that even yer had the same thoughts, but they were proved wrong by the existence of the young woman named Seren Ilven.


    ''I am not sure if it is Seren who got lucky, or if it''s Dray��'' An could not help but muse as he stared at the happily married man escorting his wife outside of the throne hall.


    When Drayce and Seren came out of the Grand Pce, a shower of flower petals were thrown their way. Seren then saw the splendidly decorated open carriage waiting for the next part of the wedding celebration. The body of the carriage was made in the form of a golden dragon and red phoenix in flight among clouds and was attached to six beautiful white stallions. In the lead, several royal knights headed by yer were lined up, while there was a troop of royal knights organized behind the open carriage. It was both a marvelous and imposing sight.


    A knight opened the door of the carriage and Drayce helped Seren to sit inside before apanying her by sitting next to her. As it was an open carriage, everyone could perfectly see their King and Queen. It was Seren''s first time riding such a carriage, and she thought that being scrutinized by countless people would make her nervous.


    ''What if the sight of my scales scare them?'' ''What if the people don''t like me?'' such thoughts passed her mind. However, with her husband never letting go of her hand, it seemed like there was no reason for her to feel that way.


    Cheers could be heard the moment the sound of a horn signaled the start of the wedding parade. Those inside the pce grounds who could not enter the wedding venue finally got their chance to see the newly wedded King and Queen of Megaris. Along the way, many threw flower petals, and while the nobles all bowed to them, themoners kneeled on the sides of the road.


    Soon, the procession left the gates of the pce and entered the city proper. The cheers that erupted were many times louder than the ones she experienced within the pce. It seemed like Seren had worried for nothing. Every citizen was eagerly waiting to get a glimpse of their new queen, and they highly respected their king.? The number of people that had gathered on both sides of the road seemed to indicate that the entire city hade to watch the wedding procession. Some of them were even watching from their windows, and others, from their rooftops. As the people bowed as the carriage passed by, it caused a human wave among the cheering crowd.


    "That is our new queen, Her Majesty Queen Seren!"


    "Oh, that''s the King and Queen!"


    "All hail His Majesty King Drayce! All hail Her Majesty Queen Seren!"


    "Congrattions on the wedding!"


    "Please continue to bless the kingdom, Your Majesty!"


    It was the first time for Seren to witness such a scene. To have people ept you�� A soft smile lingered under her veil.


    ''I wonder if a king and queen receive this kind of treatment all the time.'' She had never participated in any public event as a member of the Ilven Royal Family, and had little idea of how monarchs were treated by their subjects outside of the pce. ''Even though I was a princess, I have never joined a parade in Abetha.''


    It was as if all negative emotions melted under the well wishes being thrown her way. The eyes of the people looked at her and her husband with awe and respect, and while there were some who looked at her with curiosity, no one showed obvious disgust or hostility.


    ''These are my people now��''


    The capital of Megaris wasrge, and while the procession stuck on the major roads, it still took hours before the carriage finished its route. Seren was a little tired, but she knew the day was still not over. After finishing the parade, the carriage returned to the royal pce for the next part of the wedding celebration.


    The wedding banquet. The newly wedded couple now had to head to the ballroom where all the royals, nobles, and other important guests were waiting to interact with the bride and the groom.


    As soon as Drayce helped Seren get out of the carriage, they were received by their respective servants. Drayce had to temporarily let go of his wife''s hand as they had to rest and refresh themselves a little before they entered the ballroom.


    Herdies-in-waiting escorted Seren towards a separate room for her to change out of her ceremonial red bridal gown and into a luxurious white and red gown with crystal decorations that resembled the pureness of the first snowfall. The fabric was lighter and easier to move in, its skirt ring out from her tiny waist in a way that the crystals shimmered with each of her movements. The braid of her hair was brushed as well, and now her long reddish hair fell behind her back inrge curls. When she looked at herself in front of the full-length mirror, Seren noticed that the gown she was wearingplimented the dainty silver crown sitting on top of her head.


    When Seren met the waiting Drayce outside of the banquet doors, she realized that the young man was now dressed impably in his favored ck attire with golden motifs and his sword attached to his waist, which highlighted how devilishly handsome his face was and fully brought out the dignity of a king in him.


    When their gazes met, Drayce offered his hand to the fair maiden like a gentleman.


    "Shall we?"


    The sweet harp music ying in the background stopped when the herald announced Drayce and Seren''s arrival to the banquet. All the guests mingling inside the ballroom paused whatever they were doing to wee the king and the queen who had just arrived hand in hand.

 Chapter 276: Just Follow My Lead

    <h4>Chapter 276: Just Follow My Lead</h4>


    Drayce and Seren had the highest positions among the people inside the ballroom, and thus, everyone had to pay their respects to them. As such, when? Drayce and Seren finally sat on their thrones overlooking the crowd, one could feel the excitement of the people below regarding the order of greeting the King of Megaris and his new queen.


    "Are you fine, my Queen?" Drayce inquired as he looked at the delicate woman sitting next to him. He was worried by how tired she must be feeling after the wedding ceremony and procession that took ce after. It made him wonder if he could say something to excuse her from all these formalities��


    "I am fine, Your Majesty," she replied while looking back at him.


    "Tell me if you want to rest. I can meet these people alone on our stead."


    "I can handle this much, Your Majesty," she insisted. "Please do not worry. I am sure you are tired as well."


    ''Is she worried about me?'' Drayce smiled inside. "I am used to meeting people, my Queen. This is nothing."


    Seren simply nodded as she turned to look at the man who was approaching them. Lady Tyra had informed her yesterday that for the banquet, it would test her ability to deal with diplomacy, which was an important aspect of being a queen. From now on, every word and action from her could affect the stance and affairs of the kingdom. What the wisedy advised was for her to remain calm at all times, as she had no need to worry with Drayce by her side.


    ''The man walking towards us has the insignia of the Ivanov Family on his brooch,'' Seren noticed. However, the man looked too young to be Drayce''s father and she knew her husband had no uncle. ''Since he''s first to approach us, then he must be the direct descendant next in line for the throne...which reminds me, only Drayce''s grandmother blessed us but not his father.''


    What Seren did not know, King Theron had attended the wedding ceremony. He was among the males seated in the first row inside the throne hall. However, the middle-aged man left just after the High Priest anointed Seren as the new Queen of Megaris. The former king had long isted himself from the matters of the kingdom and anything rted to Drayce, but he had to attend the wedding only to keep the face of the Ivanov Royal Family in front of the guests from the other kingdoms. Still, he only did the bare minimum and stayed long enough for the ceremony proper itself.


    The man who was approaching them was King Theron''s first son and Drayce''s elder brother.


    "Keiren Ivanov greets His Majesty the Dragon and Her Majesty the Phoenix of Megaris," he said in a pleasant tone, wearing an amiable smile that did not quite reach his eyes. "Congrattions on your wedding. May I offer a toast to bless your union?"


    Seren looked at the tall man who greeted them. By now she understood he was Drayce''s elder brother, but there was no simrity between them that would indicate they were siblings. Though Seren and Cian were half-siblings, they had certain simrities��like the shape of their eyes as well as the bridge of their noses.


    However, the man in front of her had wavy dark brown hair and equally dark eyes, with a face that seemed more ruggedly handsomepared to Drayce''s devilishly good appearance.


    After greeting the king and the queen for the sake of formality. Prince Keiren went to his grandmother, Great Lady Theodora to talk with her. He did not even stay to make idle talk with the royal couple. More than a wedding, his goal was to meet the guests attending the wedding and build rtionships with them that coulde in handy in his future ns.


    Next, the diplomats from the other kingdoms came to their thrones after the prince, and then after them, the high-ranking nobles of Megaris also gave them their well wishes. It somehow made Seren dizzy as she could not remember so many names in one sitting.


    Then, before she realized it, it was time for the dance to start and the first dance was always for the King and the Queen.


    Drayce looked at Seren and offered her his hand. "Shall we, my Queen?"


    Seren hesitated for a while before epting his hand. "I...have never danced before."


    Drayce only looked at her and she repeated in a low voice, "I don''t know how to dance."


    Only then did Seren realize that Lady Tyra seemingly missed something in her preparations��the dancing part. As a royal, Seren was expected to have been taught how to dance as part of her education as a princess, and thus, Lady Tyra neglected to assign her dance lessons before the wedding day.


    Drayce smiled. "Leave it to me. You will do fine."


    Seren hesitantly epted his hand and stood up. Everyone''s attention was on the king and the queen who stepped down the throne tform and reached the middle of the ballroom.


    Drayce and Seren stood facing each other as Drayce held both of her hands and looked into her puzzled purple eyes. He took a step closer to her, put her left hand on his shoulder, and moved his right hand to the back of her waist. His left hand then held her right hand; her tiny palm met his palm while their fingers inteced with each other.


    "Just follow my lead, my Queen," he said gently, not letting his gaze wander away from those pair of prettiest eyes he had ever seen.


    Seren nodded slightly, saying she trusted him. To her, this much closeness and the way they were standing seemed way too intimate in public. She could feel the warmth of his body on hers. Her heart, which was unstable due to the anxiety of not knowing how to dance, was now affected by this closeness with him.


    "Are you ready, my Queen?" Drayce asked. "Rx. Just follow me." That pulled her out of her wavering thoughts.


    Seren nodded lightly. The music started and Drayce slowly moved his feet as his hands guided her body to move along with him. She was so light that it was not difficult for him to do so. As they moved, the soft skirt of Seren''s gown fluttered behind her like a soft dream. It caused many of the onlookers to sigh and remark at the beauty of their dance. All the while, the two were looking into each other''s eyes as if they were lost in them. The entire ce seemed to be empty, having no crowd around them. It was just the two of them, seemingly floating in each other''s arms.


    Unknown to them, a light smile was painted on Seren''s lips while she was looking into those red eyes which looked back at her full of affection.


    The magic ended the moment the music stopped. Once their dance was over, the apuse of the guests pulled Seren out of her daze and she only fully realized what happened then. The first dance was over and they had already stopped with her still in his embrace. Drayce smiled and pecked on her forehead, showing his affection for her in front of everyone.


    ---


    Other than the bride and the groom, the happiest person inside the ballroom was Cian. The bride''s brother could not express his happiness in words, and he could only gulp the wine in his ss to express his feelings. He was sure that if his father was here, he would also be equally happy seeing his daughter marry a man who truly cherished her.


    The orchestra then started ying the next song, and as sweet music filled the ballroom, other couples joined them in the middle of the room. Just as Drayce was about to lead Seren back to their thrones to rest, Cian came to them and bowed.


    "Can I have my sister for a while, Your Majesty?" Cian asked Drayce.


    "She is tired so make sure to not take too much time," Drayce said and stepped away without another word. It was his way of permitting Cian.


    Cian looked at his sister with a light smile and offered her his hand. "Can I have the honor of this dance, Your Majesty?"


    Seren let out a softugh as she epted his hand. "Calling me Seren is fine, Brother."


    The song being yed was gentle and soft, and the two merely swayed to the music. Cian could not help but respond to her with a teasing tone, "I won''t dare as my sister is a queen now. If I show any hints of disrespect, I may not be able to return to Abetha."


    "Brother, for you, I want to remain as Seren," she countered, pretending to be mad. Unfortunately, the smile on her face was hidden under her veil. She knew that meeting her brother would be rare after this, and she was cherishing this moment to have a chance to talk with him like this.


    Cian paused for a moment as he observed his sister who looked changed now. Before, she used to only respond when asked questions, but now, she had started talking more and expressing her opinions. She could even tease him now.


    ''So this is what the true Seren is like.'' Only when she''s free and happy could her true character show. This time, he hoped that nothing would ruin her happiness.


    There were many things he still wanted to tell her, but he summed them up in a few words to express them best.


    "I am happy for you, Seren. I wish you to always be happy like this. I wish you to get everything that you deserve."


    Seren felt the sincerity of his well wishes. She knew that from the very start, he was the person who wished for her happiness the most.


    "Thank you, Brother," Seren replied as she blinked back the happy tears in her eyes. "Thank you foring here. Thank you for being my brother."


    ====


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 Chapter 277: My Wife Is Beautiful

    <h4>Chapter 277: My Wife Is Beautiful</h4>


    After the dance with her brother, Seren left the centerstage with grace andposure despite fearing that she''d be asked to dance by some other important figures. She would be too ashamed to face anyone if she were to step on the foot of an unlucky nobleman. Luckily, her fear did not happen. It might have to do with a certain red-eyed king ring at any male attempting to get near his wife, regardless of their age and intentions.


    Seren was then surrounded by the wives and daughters of high society. Luckily, Lady Tyra and herdies-in-waiting apanied Seren the entire time, thus interacting with them was not too bad. The noblewomen introduced themselves to her one by one, trying to impress her with either the influence of their families or the status of their husbands.


    After all, anyone with a brain knew that King Drayce was someone hard to approach, but his queen was different. They had yet to test the waters, but having Queen Seren''s favor on their side would surely bring great benefits to them. Seren had nothing much to talk about and she could only nod to what thedies were saying, whether it be praise about the wedding or anything else.


    While flocked by these women of high society, Seren seemingly sensed a little girl hurrying towards her side. Rayjin, who was boredly listening to adult conversation, finally got a chance to sneak away from her father''s side without giving Duke Wimark a chance to stop her.


    "Seren!" Calling her name, Rayjin ran towards her and hugged her. Everyone who heard her address the queen by her name was startled, but seeing that the young queen did not mind it, they returned to their conversations.


    Seren patted the little girl''s head while looking down at her. "Rayjin!"


    The little girl was smiling brightly while looking up at Seren. "You look so pretty, Seren."


    The little girl''s innocence brought a wide smile on her lips as she replied, "And you look the prettiest."


    "Thank you," Rayjin grinned happily. She even twirled around to show off her dress and hair. "My mother chose my dress for me."


    The others were shocked with how the strange girl was acting casually in front of their Queen when others would not even dare look her straight in the eyes.


    Seren sensed their strange gazes on Rayjin. "Rayjin, why don''t you introduce yourself to thedies?"


    The little girl did a perfect curtsy before everyone. "Daughter of Duke Wimark of Griven, Rayjin Wimark, greets everyone."


    "Greetings, a youngdy from the Wimark Duchy."


    "Oh, she is the granddaughter of the King of Griven."


    "She''s a princess of the Cromwell Royal Family."


    Thedies could only smile and greet her back as this little girl was a princess and just be quiet about her faux pas. Seren excused herself from the circle ofdies and walked away with Rayjin. Herdies-in-waiting silently followed behind them.


    "Let''s go to Dray. I haven''t talked to him yet," Rayjin suggested.


    Seren looked around and found Drayce busy talking with the diplomatic party from Griven. Both the First and the Second Prince were there with Duke Wimark. It seemed like just as Rayjin ran away from her father, it coincided that Drayce came looking for the duke.


    Seren thought it''s not good to disturb them and was about to bring Rayjin elsewhere when Drayce looked at her. His gaze conveyed that she should listen to what Rayjin said.


    After looking at the little girl''s expression again, Seren decided to approach the men''s group while holding Rayjin''s hand. Along the way, everyone bowed to Seren as she was officially the Queen of Megaris now.


    "I hope Rayjin did not trouble you, Queen Seren," An smiled after giving her a small bow.


    "She did not," Seren replied as she patted the little girl''s head, looking at her affectionately.


    Rayjin rushed towards Drayce and hugged his leg like she always did back in Griven. "Dray! I told Seren she looks pretty. Isn''t she pretty?"


    "Not just pretty but my wife is beautiful. She always looks beautiful," Drayce replied casually, not knowing his words would affect the young queen and make her blush. Seren felt a little embarrassed but did not dare say a word.


    "In this white dress, she is looking like a snow fairy," Rayjin continued to exim and Drayce nodded as he nced at the blushing face of his wife. Even though it was half-covered with a veil, the rest of her face and bodynguage allowed Drayce to sense her emotions.


    The entire banquet would continue on tillte into the night, but it was not needed for all the guests to stay and enjoy the celebration.? It was the same of the King and Queen of Megaris, as they informed everyone they would be retiring early so the nobles could continue mingling on their own. Drayce was busy exchanging pleasantries with some of the guests who were leaving early as well, while Seren already found herself escorted by herdies-in-waiting back to her chamber. Seren was exhausted, both in mind and in body, and she preferred to rest for a while. She told herdies-in-waiting to leave her on her own for several minutes.


    Once she had a little rest, herdies-in-waiting returned to her side to prepare her for the wedding night.


    "Allow us to undress you now, Your Majesty."


    "Let me undo your hair."


    "We will keep the crown safely into this jewelry box for now, Your Majesty."


    Seren was aware of why herdies-in-waiting were preparing her again in a different dress and why they were taking so much effort in making her look good. As the women helped her out of her ballgown, no one noticed the growing anxiety on her veil-covered face.


    After another wash and series of fragrant oils, Seren was dressed in a simple white silk nightgown, and the fabric felt smooth and cold against her skin. She thought that was it, but thedies put on anotheryer of clothes on her??��a heavy red long robe with gold embroidery on its wide sleeves. The robe had sleeves long enough to drown her hands, and it was the kind of loose garment that needed to have a gold-embroidered belt tied at her waist. Her long hair was brushed, and only a few hair strands were left dangling to frame her face as the rest was tucked at the back of her head, secured with a gold hair essory.


    Once Seren was ready, thedies-in-waiting led her out from her wardrobe room to her main chamber. Stunned, Seren looked around the chamber which looked totally different from how it was this morning

 Chapter 278: Brides Chamber

    <h4>Chapter 278: Bride''s Chamber</h4>


    The bride''s chamber had been prepared for the wedding night. The curtain surrounding her bed was changed into a gauzy red fabric that covered the mattress itself, and she could see red and white flower petals scattered on top of the bed. The vases inside her room were filled with pretty freshly-plucked flowers, and instead ofmps, a number of scented candles were used to light up the chamber. The soft lights gave a totally different feeling than the cozy and warm one she was used to.


    ''It doesn''t feel like my room anymore,'' Seren could not help butment. The anxiety inside her chest continued to grow.


    "Your Majesty, this way please," Lady Xena said as she guided Seren''s way towards the bed.


    Seren quietly followed Lady Xena as the woman drew the red gauzy curtain to one side, while her closest servants, Marie and Eva, could only look at the nervous queen helplessly.


    "Please make yourselffortable while waiting for His Majesty.," Lady Xena gestured for her to sit on the bed, on the side that faced the door of the chamber.


    Seren did as she was instructed. She wondered if it would be fine to climb up the bed and perhaps hide under the covers, but seeing the expectant look from herdies-in-waiting, she simply sat at the edge of the bed with her gaze fixed at the floor. However, she could not calm herself. Her hands that were resting on her thighs were clutching the bottom part of her robe. She could hear her heart beating faster than ever before, but she tried her best to appear calm andposed in front of her servants.


    Once Lady Xena made sure everything was prepared nicely, she looked at Seren again. "Your Majesty?"


    "Yes?" she gulped.


    "Do you need anything else?"


    Seren nced at the empty bedside table. "Water?"


    Lady Xena did not even have to say anything as Marie hurried to fill a ss of water and hand it over to Seren. "We will leave you alone now. The King will be here shortly."


    Seren nodded, permitting them to leave. Herdies-in-waiting left while Marie stayed back after sending Eva away.


    Marie kneeled in front of Seren, who was staring at the floor with the full ss of water still in her hand.


    "Your Majesty?"


    Seren only looked at her quietly while Marie put her hands on Seren''s trembling ones to ease her.


    "Your Majesty, don''t worry. Everything will be fine," Marie assured. "Drink the ss of water for now. It will surely help make you rx."


    Seren nodded lightly while Marie had no more words to console her. She wanted to continue to make the queen feel at ease, but she was a mere servant, and staying here longer would be breaking the rules.


    "I will take a leave now," Marie said, only to get a small nod from her queen. She stood up and bowed to Seren. "Have a good night, Your Majesty." She closed the door of the chamber behind her when she left.


    The noise of the door closing sounded infinitely loud for some reason, and it highlighted the fact that Seren was left alone.


    Wedding night.


    Her hands were trembling as she lightly lifted her veil to take a sip of water, but she could only wet her lips but not swallow the cold water inside the ss. She was too nervous, some of the water spilled on her hand. It felt like if she were to force herself, she might only make a mess of herself.


    Slowly, she put the ss on the bedside table and returned to where she was originally seated at the edge of the bed. The chamber was too quiet, allowing her to hear nothing but the loud racing of her heart.


    She was waiting????��waiting for him toe to her.


    Her hands clutched her robe tightly while her ears tried to sense the movement outside of the door, trying to guess if someone was already approaching her chamber. Obviously, that someone she was expecting was Drayce as it was their wedding night.


    ''Footsteps? Am I really hearing them or am I hallucinating?''


    Unless one was wearing heavy steel armor and marching in ce, it would be impossible for her to hear anything beyond the door. The Queen''s chamber was designed to be a peaceful and well-secured ce, after all, and the hallway was carpeted. However, she swore she could hear footsteps outside of the bedchamber which were getting clearer with each passing moment.


    ''Is it him? Is it really him?'' she questioned in her mind and closed her eyes as she exhaled out deeply to calm her nerves. ''I think it is him.''


    The door of the chamber opened and Seren contemted whether she should look at him or not.


    When Drayce opened the door and entered the chamber, the first thing he noticed was Seren who was sitting at the edge of the bed. Even from a distance, he could hear her crazy heartbeats. He could have appeared inside the chamber the way he always did, but this night, he decided on walking normally and entering the chamber to help her nerves. He had already expected her to be like this��nervous and anxious��and he knew that he needed to be more careful and patient tonight than ever before


    The door behind him closed slowly and he took a few steps forward. Seren let out a shaky breath at the sound of the footsteps approaching her, and she opened her eyes but kept her gaze on the carpeted floor. After several more deep breaths, she finally lifted her gaze and looked at the handsome young man who was quietly looking back at her.


    Drayce had changed into another set of clothes as well��a heavy ck robe simr to Seren''s red one, and it also had the gold embroidery on its wide sleeves. His red eyes stared at her, but even as she stared back at him, those fiery red eyes wouldn''t tell her what was going on inside his mind.

 Chapter 279: Promise To Fulfil A Wish

    <h4>Chapter 279: Promise To Fulfil A Wish</h4>


    Seren stood up and lowered her head to bow to him. "Y-Your Majesty��" She didn''t know what to say further.


    Drayce stepped towards her and stood a mere feet away from her. With him within an arm''s reach, the sound of her heartbeat was clearly making its way through his ears, letting him know how scared she was at the moment.


    "My Queen," Drayce called her while looking at her lowered head, "look at me."


    Inhaling deeply, Seren obeyed his words. Under his intense gaze, she felt her throat going dry. His presence alone was making her knees weak.


    "May I know what my Queen is thinking?" Drayce asked softly.


    "Nothing, Your Majesty," she replied simply as she was not sure herself what she was thinking.


    "Are you nervous?" he asked straightforwardly.


    ''Do I have to answer that?'' Seren gulped, blinking a few times while looking at him. There was no doubt that her nerves were stretched so thin, to the point they were about ready to snap, but no word coulde out of her mouth.


    "Be honest with me," he instructed.


    "A little...I guess..." she replied hesitantly after clearing her throat and lowering her head again. Her lips and throat had turned so dry, she had to gulp a few times to moisten them.


    After quietly observing his wife once more, Drayce turned around and stepped away from her.


    His action puzzled Seren, as that wasn''t what she knew should happen next in the books she had read. It did not even take a second for panic to start filling her brain.


    ''Did I say something wrong? Did I upset him? Is he leaving?'' She felt her heart sinking. In a moment, her mind was filled with many thoughts of what she had possibly done wrong. ''Is my response rude? Does he not like my appearance? Maybe the fragrance of the oils is overwhelming?" However, a tiny voice inside her also wondered, ''But why am I disappointed if he is leaving?''


    Just as she asked herself, she heard the sound of water pouring into a ss which pulled her out of her thoughts. He did not leave her chamber; he was standing in front of her bedside table, and it seemed like he had drunk the ss of water she ced there earlier.


    Drayce was now pouring water on the ss, refilling it, with his back facing her. She heard him say, "My Queen, in Megaris, we follow one custom where on the wedding night, the husband promises his wife to fulfill one wish of hers."


    This was something she had heard before in passing. Seren did not respond as she contemted if Drayce would truly fulfill one of her wishes.


    Drayce returned to Seren with the ss of water in hand. He did not drink the water this time but brought it for her.


    "Have this, my Queen," Drayce instructed as he offered her the ss of water.


    Seren quietly epted it as she truly needed it. She had a few sips, and when she was done,? Drayce took the ss of water from her hand. It was a strange sight, as from what she understood, her husband...was serving her? No, it should be that way. Wasn''t it her role to take care of small things like this for him?


    Not knowing what to do, it was toote for Seren to turn him down and simply let him take the ss. The anxiety of the night was getting on her nerves, and she felt like, despite all her preparations, she had no idea what to do.


    "Think about what wish of yours you want me to fulfill," Drayce instructed as he returned the ss on the bedside table.


    The moment he ced the ss on the table, he heard Seren''s soft voice from behind him say, "I want Your Majesty to never remove this veil from my face."


    Drayce smirked as he had expected it already. Since the start, she had been always adamant about one thing: never removing her veil. Even at this point in time, it didn''t take her much to throw away the chance of having her other wishes fulfilled for the sake of this veil.


    That night, the delicate purple-eyed woman in a wedding dress sat on their bed as her husband turned around, observing her with a grin on his handsome face. The soft candlelight flickered against his tall form, and she warily watched his reaction.


    "So," he drawled, his voice wicked and maic, "I can''t see my wife''s face even on my wedding night?"


    Seren didn''t know how to reply as all she wanted was for him to never see her face.


    "Your Majesty has promised to fulfill my one wish," Serenmented, securing the veil that covered the lower half of her face with slightly trembling hands.


    He stared into her mysterious rare purple eyes. "May I ask, why such a wish?"


    She stared back at him. "Your Majesty might not like to see... ugly things."


    Drayce wanted to scoff. If he cared for appearances, he would have married himself.


    He could only smirk as he stepped towards her. "But, my Queen, I never had a liking towards pretty things."


    Upon seeing himing towards her, Seren stood up, thinking of backing away from the bed, but the next moment, she already found his tall figure looming over her. Her eyes widened in surprise and fear.


    ''Isn''t he the one who promised to fulfill my wish?'' Seren thought. ''Did my wish anger him?''


    Drayce moved his hand under her anxious gaze and he traced the lower edge of her veil. "Why is it about this veil? My Queen doesn''t want me to see her face?" he asked.


    Seren gulped as she nodded. "I don''t want Your Majesty to see my face," she repeated his words.


    "So it is about not seeing my Queen''s face. What your wish is for me to not see your face," he concluded, slowly enunciating each word to make sure she could hear his words carefully.


    Seeing Seren nod again, Drayce peered into her purple eyes without another word.


    The silence within her chamber was causing Seren to wonder if she had ruined their wedding night, but she urged herself that she did nothing wrong. Her husband asked for her wish, and she simply told him her answer.

 Chapter 280: Call Me By My Name

    <h4>Chapter 280: Call Me By My Name</h4>


    "Fine!" Seren heard him speak after what felt like hours to her.


    Seren was about to thank him, but Drayce spoke again, "But I have one condition as this wish stops me from seeing my wife''s face."


    "What is it, Your Majesty?" Seren wished to hear what it was as she was ready to do anything to stop Drayce from seeing her face.


    "Call me by my name," he replied.


    It startled Seren so much, she nked for a moment. "Name? Your name? H-How can I say Your Majesty''s name?"


    "Is that not fair as I am not allowed to see my wife''s face?" Drayce replied. A light smirk was painted on his lips. "Or is my Queen fine with removing this veil?"


    That threat caused Seren to step away from him, feeling scared that he might really pull the veil away from her face.


    ''It sounds strange to call him by name, but I think it is not a bad deal anyway.'' She didn''t look at him when she replied hesitantly, "I... agree with what Your Majesty asked for."


    "Very well!" A satisfied smile donned his face. "Then, I would like to hear my Queen say my name."


    She looked at him with her brow furrowed, feeling puzzled at the expectant look he''s wearing. "Now?"


    Drayce nodded. "Hmm, now!"


    ''It''s just his name. Since he himself allowed me, then there should not be any issue,'' Seren thought as she cleared her throat.?Drayce perked up as he waited to hear her call him by his name instead of his title.


    "...ayce��Ivanov��" Seren said in a voice so low that without Drayce''s enhanced hearing, he would not clearly catch it.


    "I could not hear it," Drayce remarked with an impatient look.


    Seren tried again, and this time, her voice was clear. "Drayce Ivanov."


    "Why are you calling me by my full name? Dray! From now on, you will call me Dray," Drayce instructed.


    Seren nodded with great reluctance.


    "Yes, Your Majesty," she said, only to get a questioning look from him and she corrected herself, "I...mean��Dray!"


    "It definitely sounds better." He gave an approving nod and continued with his promise, "I swear in my name as a king and your husband, I give my word that I won''t attempt to see my Queen''s face till the day she consents to show herself to me."


    Although she followed his condition, seeing him make a sincere vow, agreeing to such an absurd wish, she could only look at him in shock. As Marie told her before, not being able to see his own wife''s face was a sad thing for any husband, as one would always desire to see the face of the person they chose to spend a lifetime with.


    She also remembered what Marie asked her back then????��How would she have felt if it was the other way around if she could never see His Majesty''s face, the face of the man she married? Seren thought about it and felt fortunate that she could see Drayce''s face, but she couldn''t help but feel upset over not letting him see her true appearance.


    But it was not a choice she made for herself. It was a shackle she had to live by. To hide her appearance was a must.


    ''I care for him. I can not let my curses harm him.''


    "Anything else, my Queen?" Drayce asked, which helped her get back to her senses.


    "N-No, Your Majesty, I mean, Dray," she replied and realized she was yet to thank him. "And thank you for granting my wish." She bowed her head to show her gratitude, but just then, she heard something shocking.


    "Your wish is for me to not see your face," Drayce said, his tone yful, "but that doesn''t mean I can''t remove this veil."


    Seren looked up at him with her wide-opened eyes. ''Isn''t that one and the same? Is he going back on his words?!'' Her eyes tried to see through that pair of red eyes, but she could not understand what he was thinking.


    Before she could even say a word of protest, everything went ck. The candles burning inside her bedchamber were put out all at the same time, and the long curtains drawn to one side were released from their knots and were pulled by an invisible force topletely cover the windows, effectively stopping the moonlight from entering the bedchamber.


    The bedchamber was covered in darkness, except for one single candle at the farthest side of her room, thus allowing barely enough light to see only the shape of the things they looked at. Seren could not see anything in the dark other than the vague outline of the tall figure standing close to her, as well as the light reflected on that pair of red eyes that seemed to be shining in the dark. The darkness seemingly enhanced all her senses aside from her sight, and she could hear his soft breathing.


    This time, Seren did not feel scared of his red eyes glittering in the dark, but she was anxious about why Drayce suddenly used his powers to turn this bedchamber into a dark ce.


    It did not take long for Seren''s eyes to adapt to the darkness. Though Drayce''s face was not clear, she could see him stepping closer to her. No, it was more appropriate to say she could feel him stepping closer, as every part of her body seemed more sensitive due to the darkness.


    She could sense his hand moving to her face. As he touched her cheek, his fingertip slowly tracing down to her chin, Seren realized what he was about to do????��he was about to remove her veil.


    "Your Majesty��"


    "My Queen," he interrupted her, "did we not agree that you will call me by name?"


    "I did agree...Dray�� but you promised that my veil????��"


    His voice was gentle but carried the hint of warning. "I have promised to not see your face. I said nothing about removing this veil."


    Faster than she could react, the veil from Seren''s face was already gone.


    The shock caused Seren to freeze, her mouth agape. ''How could he take it off? Martha said no one can remove it! Then how...?''


    Drayce, who could sense her emotions through her glittering purple eyes, replied to her unspoken question, "I could always remove it but I waited for this night."


    Seren was speechless. ''Is it because he has powers?''


    "Such a weak spell doesn''t hold the power to stop me," he replied again to her unvoiced question.


    ''Yes, the spell is weak but my curse is not!'' she panicked internally. ''What to do now?''


    "My Queen, I can see in the dark????��"


    "No!" Only then did Seren''s body react from the shock. Her hands immediately covered her face to hide it from him. She was screaming in her head as Martha''s warnings continued to repeat itself over and over again.


    Drayce continued to speak as if he didn''t realize she was in near tears. "��but rather than seeing using my eyes, it is more proper to say I can sense my surroundings the same way wild animals see things in the dark. I can see you standing in front of me, and I know which part is your eyes, which part is your ears, which is your nose, but I cannot see the details of your face."


    Only then did Seren calm down. Drayce held her hands that were covering her face. "Worst-case scenario, I can close my eyes. You don''t need to hide anymore."


    Seren let him remove her hands that were covering her face, and there was silence for a moment. Seren didn''t know what to do while Drayce was staring at her. He wanted to touch her face. Though he could not see her face clearly, he could at least touch it without any obstacle like a veil and feel it to imprint it in his mind.


    As he snuffed out thest remaining candle,plete darkness enveloped the couple. Drayce let go of her hands and moved his hands closer to her face. Seren could sense all his movements and stood still to let him touch her. She had already taken away his right to see her face; she did not wish to stop him from other things.


    His rough fingertips gently touched her cheeks and brushed against her soft skin. His touch was as light as a feather, as if he was afraid she would break if he were to add a little more force. As if he was in a trance, his fingertips traced her delicate features, from her forehead to her nose, to her cheeks, they kept tracing each line and curve before stopping at her lips.


    Seren did not shy away from his touch. She could feel her heart skip a beat the moment his fingertips touched her lips, and her lips parted away little with a mild gasp. Her entire body was immediately covered with goosebumps, and a shiver passed through her spine.


    ===


    Soon theic chapter will be ready to read. The readers who wished to read it, kindly follow the criteria. Soon, I will dere the list of who got ess to theic chapters.


    There will be MASS RELEASE of 8-10 chapters on 14th. So keep voting golden tickets to get into top 3.

 Chapter 281: Seductive Touches

    <h4>Chapter 281: Seductive Touches</h4>


    In contrast to his wife, Drayce appeared to be in deep concentration, focusing on nothing but the sensation under his fingertips, seemingly savoring every inch of her face like an unexplored treasure. Her skin, initially cold, had started to warm under his gentle touch.


    ''Is my Queen blushing?'' he wondered. Was it the rosy kind of pink on her cheeks, or a deep red that spread till her ears? However, his wife''s appearance remained covered by shadows, and he could only imagine what she would have looked like under his seduction.


    How enchanting she must look, with those gem-like purple eyes staring up at him with shyness and innocence...


    His hands settled to cup her delicate face with both his thumbs caressing her cheeks. He then leaned down, moving his face closer to nt a kiss on her forehead. With his eyes closed, his lips still lingering on her skin, he could not help but inhale her sweet scent.


    In reflex, Seren closed her eyes as she felt his warm and moist lips pressing against her forehead. Her hands wanted to reach out to grab onto Drayce, but her chest was pounding so loud after that soft kiss, her entire body went weak and would not follow her brain. She could only continue clutching her robe as she listened to her own heartbeats.


    Drayce tilted her face up a little as he rested his forehead on hers. With his eyes still closed, he touched his nose against hers and rubbed their tips gently. He slowly moved his face, his cheeks and lips brushing gently over hers, taking turns as if all he cared for in the world was to simply feel her skin to skin. His movements were slow and gentle as he took his sweet time.


    Such simple touches of seduction from him were not only embarrassing to his poor innocent wife, but also highly stimting. With each passing moment, her heart was ready to jump out of her rib cage. His touches, mixed with his hot minty breaths, were causing her to gasp and making her mind dizzy. Perhaps soon enough, her soul would even leave her body.


    "My Queen��"


    Finally, Drayce stopped his mouth over her lips, his own lips barely a hair''s breadth away, waiting to taste them. With deliberate slowness, he captured her lips into his before sucking them ever so softly. It was something new and unfamiliar????��both were sharing such a wetnguid kiss for the first time and it felt good not to stop at all. Mesmerized by the desire slowly spreading within him, Drayce continued to enjoy her soft lips, sucking and nibbling at them gently as if he was tasting the sweetest thing.


    Seren did not resist either. Though she didn''t know what to do, she loved what he was doing, and she was giving all the reins to him, letting him lead her. She had only read about kissing in books, and she realized that mere words were insufficient to perfectly describe the moment itself. Getting to experience it firsthand with a man she cared for was not bad at all, even as unknown bodily desires were taking over her mind.


    It did not seem so scary anymore. She finally let go of the robe she was clutching as she no longer felt anxious. All she wanted was to live in this moment and be truly here to explore this unfamiliar shared experience.


    One of Drayce''s hands moved towards the small of her back, and he pulled her closer, not even leaving an inch of space between their bodies. His other hand settled at the lower back of her head, his fingers intecing with her long hair, and used it to keep her head in ce and deepen their kiss.


    Seren wanted to moan, but she swallowed it in the heat of the moment. It was as if every bit of strength in her body was leaving and she held onto him, grabbing the side of his waist, clutching at his robe with thest bit of strength she had left.


    Drayce would have smiled at her encouraging response if he was not immersed in their kiss. Like her, it was as if all unnecessary thoughts had flown out of his mind. All that mattered to him was the present, that moment, the kiss they were sharing. It was what he had desired for so long.


    His innocent wife no longer feared him; she didn''t resist, neither did she feel hesitant. She had epted him. The time he had given her, the patience he had as he waited for her, the energy it took to allow her to understand things????��all of those felt insignificant to the kiss. This moment was truly worth waiting for.


    Drayce let go of her lips that were moistened with his saliva and looked into her eyes without moving his face back. Their heads were so close, his hot breath and her shaky one mingled together. The long kiss had left both Drayce and Seren breathless.


    "Are you fine, my Queen?" Drayce asked in a low and hoarse voice as his lips still brushed over hers, not willing to part away from them.


    Seren breathed deeply. She wanted to speak, but it was as if her voice had left her. She could only nod to say she was fine, and thankfully, her husband caught the gesture.


    As he controlled his heavy breaths, Drayce let out a chuckle. "Tonight, I n to do more things with you, my Queen." His hoarse voice showed he was trying to hold back and control himself from not doing anything harsh with her. "Will you be fine?" he asked.


    It made her heart skip once more, and she could feel her face growing hot. She was sure her face had turned red, which was luckily not visible in the darkness. By now, she knew the exact meaning of ''more things'' he nned to do with her and embarrassment took over her. Seren didn''t know what and how to answer him.


    ''Can''t he just do it without asking me any question?''


    Sensing that his lovely bride seemed unwilling to answer, Drayce held her face steady and tugged her lower lip in his teeth in a yful manner, only letting it go after pulling it a little roughly. Startled, Seren moved her face a little backward, suspecting his ns of biting her.


    Due to the darkness, Seren imagined the sly grin that this dangerously handsome man was probably wearing right now. It gave her mixed feelings. Even his rough actions physically hurt, they were also seductive, making her feel pleasure together with the pain. It made her scared of the foreign feelings she had inside her.


    "You did not answer me, my Queen," he said the moment he let go of her lip.


    She looked into those glittering red eyes in the dark and heard him say, "Will you be fine even if I do more?"


    Seren had no other option but to respond to him. She nodded again, albeit hesitantly. Although she was not sure what she was getting pulled into, one thing she was sure of, he would never harm her.


    Getting her silent approval, Drayce smiled and then kissed her forehead. His hand that was holding her at the waist moved towards the belt of her red robe. He tugged at one of the ends of the belt, and the next moment, the knot on it was undone.


    Seren inhaled deeply to calm her nerves as she knew he would remove her robe now. She felt d that it was dark and they couldn''t see each other clearly, or else, it would have been awkward for her and she might have instantly regretted giving her approval.


    She felt his hand moving at her shoulder area, his fingers brushing along the crook of her neck to remove her robe. Seren gulped and let the robe slide down her shoulder before falling into a heap at her feet. Even though there was no cold wind, Seren shivered now that she was exposed in her white silky nightgown which clung to the shape of her curves, allowing Drayce an eyeful of her womanly figure even in the darkness.


    Seren might not have strengthened senses, but she swore she could feel her husband''s gaze on her.


    "My Queen, won''t you help me remove my robe?" His voice was gentle yet there was a tinge ofmand in the way he spoke. She knew he would be displeased if she were to respond with a ''no''.


    Despite her embarrassment for getting her robe removed, she nodded lightly and used her slightly shaking hands to search where the belt of his robe was knotted. She was not able to do it smoothly like her husband. Drayce could see in the dark so it was an easy task for him, but this already embarrassed and anxious young woman was clumsy. As her hands groped around, it was obvious that she did not know how to proceed next.


    Despite the hesitation in her movements, Drayce said nothing and waited for her to undo his belt on her own. It took her a minute to find the belt, and another to run her hands along it to find the knot, careful to not make any mistake like ripping out the fabric with all the tugging. After a few more fumbling, her trembling hands finally found the main knot on his robe and undid it the same way Drayce had done with her robe.


    Seren let out a shaky breath of relief. "Your Majesty????��"


    He cut her off. "We are forgetting something, aren''t we?"


    Hearing his displeased voice, she immediately realized her mistake. "I mean��Dray��?" Hearing him not say anything, she let out a sigh of relief. "Dray, will you turn around?"


    Not asking why, Drayce obediently turned around, with his back facing her. Seren could not see his tall frame, so she could only use her hands as she touched that strong back and those wide shoulders in the dark. She moved her hands towards his neck area to pull his robe down slowly. However, the moment her fingertips touched his skin, it felt hot enough to burn, and she moved her hands back as if she was electrocuted.


    Drayce sensed her panic and asked, "Is there any issue, my Queen?"


    "N-No," she replied

 Chapter 282: Melting Into A Kiss

    <h4>Chapter 282: Melting Into A Kiss</h4>


    Seren moved her hands back to his robe, and this time, she was being more careful not to touch his skin. She pulled that heavily embroidered robe down from his shoulders and arms, which then fell at his feet in a heap.


    However, there was something she did not expect. Unlike her, he was not wearing any upper garment inside. Under his robe, Drayce only had his pants on. And she realized this fact the moment his robe fell on the floor.


    Seren gulped. She had seen his bare back before when she helped him remove his clothes once, but at that time, she was still ignorant and she didn''t feel what she was feeling at this moment. Back then, she had no knowledge of the things between husband and wife, and she was not as sensitive to his existence as she was now. Her feelings and thoughts this time were moreplicated as well. She somehow found herself picturing the image of his upper torso based on how she had seen it before.


    ''I want to touch his back.''


    In the past, she did not even want to have this man in the same room as her. Now, not only did she want to see his body,? but she also wished to touch it and feel those lines on his back to know how they feel. Her outstretched hand had almost touched him when she got her wits back, but she retreated thinking it might not be the right thing to do for a properdy.


    "It''s done," she said in a small voice.


    Though Drayce was not looking at her, he knew what she was up to. When her hand had retreated, he felt displeased but he foundfort in the fact that she at least had thought of touching him. It was progress, and it was enough for him now. After all, discounting that time she was drugged, it was their first night to be intimate with each other. He was sure she would be more open andfortable given ample time. In the future, a day woulde when she would do what she wanted to do and he would be lucky to be on the receiving end of her passion.


    With a silent sigh, Drayce turned around to look at his wife who had lowered her head a little, seemingly embarrassed to look at him. He found her reaction somewhat funny, as regardless of which way she''s looking, she could not see him.


    ''Still, a long way to go,'' hemented. Drayce could only continue to be patient with her. He gently held the hands she pulled back and tugged them gently to have her close the small distance between them. He then ced her hands on his chest, with one of her palms pressing above his own wildly beating heart. She seemed surprised and wanted to pull her hands back, but he did not let her. She no longer struggled as she did not dare disobey his wish.


    "My Queen, you can touch me whenever and wherever you want."


    Seren felt his muscr chest under her cold palms and did not know what to do. Did he not know how indecent his proposal was? How could she willfully touch his body? She had yet to even understand why she wanted to touch him!


    "You don''t have to feel embarrassed. Isn''t this how husband and wife should treat each other?"


    Seren silently considered his words. Her mind was telling her that she should act like a properdy, yet her instincts were saying otherwise. After a while, her body rxed and she surrendered from trying to hold back, letting her hands roam around his rock solid chest.


    ''It feels good, and even his heartbeats feel good.''


    Drayce let go of her hands and lifted her body in his arms. Startled, she let out a yelp as she held onto his broad shoulder with one hand while the other one rested against his chest.


    Drayce carried? Seren towards the center of the bed while looking intently at her even in the dark. He could see her wide-eyed gape, and she could see how her long hair fanned around the pillows as he ced her down.


    He found the sight endearing. This darkness inside the room didn''t matter to him as he could vaguely see her figure and features. Although he found it a pity he could not fully appreciate her appearance, it was enough that he could kiss her now without any obstacles.


    After putting her down on the bed, he hovered over her with his arms supporting his body, careful not to put his weight on that delicate figure. Her one hand was still around his neck while her other hand was at his chest.


    "Are youfortable?" he asked.


    Seren nodded lightly. Just as she was about to pull her hands back from his body, Drayce lowered his face to hers and kissed her with more vigor.


    Earlier, they had shared a long slow kiss that made her lose her breath, but this time, he wanted the kind of hot torrid kiss that would leave her body yearning for more. The moment he captured that moist mouth, it was as if mes had been ignited inside their bodies.


    Seren forgot about everything else????�� what she was doing and where she should be touching????�� as she melted into that kiss. It was as if Drayce was pouring all the passion he had long withheld inside him. He sucked and nibbled and bit her lips, with much more intensity and desire than ever before.


    All of a sudden, something warm and wet invaded her mouth. Her mind had nked out, and she let out a soft moan as her body responded in kind.


    She felt Drayce''s tongue sliding into her mouth and she was taken aback. She didn''t know what to do because his tongue suddenly probed into her mouth. It did not feel bad but, but she was not sure if it felt good????��no, her body was responding and it was as if another moan wanted to escape her mouth. Yet, she didn''t know how to respond.


    ''Since he put his tongue in, then do I��?''


    She had read about kissing in the books, but reading and facing it for real were both different things.


    Sensing herck of reaction after her initial moan, Drayce stopped and their lips parted a little. In the heat of the moment, he forgot that his wife was still exploring unfamiliar territories. She was the kind of person who was wary in nature, and she would freeze at every unexpected scenario.


    He looked at his shocked wife, prompting her to breathe. Once she was a little less tense, he asked, "Do you want to continue?"


    "Yes...I..." Instead of nodding, this time she replied this way, while still catching her breath.


    "You need to do what I am doing," he instructed gently. "Stick out your tongue a little. Do it slowly if you like. You do not need to think, just follow your urges."


    She felt puzzled and heard him again, "Trust me." After a few seconds, Drayce sensed her opening her mouth, and the tip of her tongue was stuck out a little.


    He smiled, ''Such an obedient wife.''


    "Remember, if you experience anything unfamiliar and do not know how to react, just do what I am doing with you," he said as he touched the tip of her tongue. Seren immediately pulled her tongue back in reflex as it was such a strange curious experience, though it felt really good.


    "You didn''t like it, my Queen?" he asked, staring into her lightly glittering purple eyes.


    "I��just��" She couldn''t find a better way to word her thoughts. It wasn''t that she liked it, but she did not dislike it either.


    He caressed the side of her face with his hand like he was coaxing her. "Focus on how it makes you feel, and nothing else. This is something you and I will enjoy. Trust me."


    She just nodded. She could not say she found it good but needed time to get ustomed to it.


    "Shall we?" he asked.


    Seren gulped and stuck her tongue out a little like before. Drayce lowered his head once more and tasted that sweet tongue, rolling it along with his own, before deepening their kiss into a passionate one, their tongues tangling in an intimate dance. Just a tiny action from her, yet it was enough to send his senses in an overdrive.


    Drayce groaned as he felt her responding to his fierce kiss, and with each second passing by, he felt his control over his desires slowly, ever-so-slowly, starting to slip out of his control.


    ====


    Answer to reader''s questions.


    Q- What areic chapters and why are they avable for only selected readers?


    A- Author is paying thousands of dors from her own pocket to the artist to convert the novel chapters intoic art so that all of you can get clear visuals of the novel. That is why there is a criterion of readers who will spend at least 40K coins on novels overall, will get free ess toic chapters.


    kindly go to the top fan list of the novel to check the number of coins you have spent on the novel.


    Do check thement section to see the sample panel of theic of 1st chapter.

 Chapter 283 - I Will Hurt You

    <h4>Chapter 283 - I Will Hurt You</h4>


    Sharing such a long, deep, and sensual kiss with Drayce was such a genuinely wonderful experience, even Seren did not want to stop. But soon, she realized that the intoxication was fading and her tongue was starting to go numb. Unlike her partner, she was getting tired already, and she wanted to pull back to gasp for breath. The grip of her hands tightened on his wide shoulders, inevitably scratching his skin with her nails, as she tried to signal him to stop.


    Drayce did not feel any pain at all. It could barely count as a scratch for him, but the moment he felt her hand weakly pushing him away, he understood it was time for him to let her go. Although he was enjoying the moment, Drayce knew that he could not afford topletely abandon himself to his desires. The whole time, he was being mindful of Seren''s each and every action, the way her body responded to him, and the music of her enticing moans.


    ''Am I kissing her too harshly for her liking?'' he wondered.


    When he stopped and pulled his face away, his wife''s heavy gasps filled the chamber, sounding like she was saved from being suffocated and she was trying to get as much air she could.


    Drayce felt worried; he was already being careful, but it seemed he had miscalcted how demanding his actions must be for his delicate wife.


    "Are you fine, my Queen?" he asked, not trying to hide the worry in his voice as he caressed her cheek. He moved his body a little to create more breathing space between them.


    Seren could not respond to him as she felt dizzy because of the suffocation. She needed time to regain her strength. She could not feel her tongue to even answer him back. Unfortunately, due to the dark, Drayce could not see her face clearly, or else, he would have understood that there was nothing to worry about. At most, he could tell how physically demanding the kiss must have been for her as she did nothing but try to catch her breath, her chest heaving up and down.


    Once her breathing returned to normal, Drayce gave out a sigh of relief after inwardly cursing himself for not being considerate to his delicate wife. He should have paid more attention to curbing his own desires!


    This reminded him of what he had forgotten about himself for the past few days��the devil inside him. What if the devil came out and his hunger for her hurt her? What if his self-control slipped and something unexpected happened, causing him to go back on the words he had given the King of Abetha?


    Drayce felt his chest tighten at the thought. He knew the chance of that happening was high. His fragile wife could not resist against him if he were to be taken over by the devil inside him. It seemed like he himself was one of the dangers that he must protect her from.


    "My Queen, we should��"


    Just as he thought of giving up on the ns they had for the night, Seren''s low voice cut him off, "I am fine."


    Perhaps it was due to the darkness, or it was the intimacy they had just shared, but Seren felt like she could strongly sense Drayce''s rush of emotions. She could feel his worry for her, and she knew that he was also being considerate of her the whole time.


    "You do not have to lie��"


    "But Dray, I really am fine," she said, then added as an afterthought, "I just needed to breathe."


    She was not lying when she said she was fine. Though things heated up unexpectedly between them, and the long kiss suffocated her, their kiss gave her good feelings��no, to be precise, she enjoyed it and wished to have more of it.


    ''Dray!''


    Though she had called him by his name a few times already, there was always a tinge of hesitation in it, but this time, his name came out of her mouth so naturally, it caused Drayce to escape from his dark thoughts. He felt his name never sounded so good before. He looked into her glittering purple eyes that showed she truly meant her words. The flower mark on her forehead was still glittering lightly even after she almost suffocated. It made him think that she was expecting something from him, but he had already decided to stop here in the fear of hurting her.


    ''I do not want to risk hurting her.''


    Seeing her husband not reacting, Seren stared into his red eyes in an attempt to read his thoughts. Now that Drayce had calmed down as well, his eyes had seemingly no emotion in them; the living mes they represented seemingly turned to red ice, as if his emotions were frozen as well, but she felt it was not the case.


    ''Is he still worried about me?'' she thought. The look in those dull eyes felt painful to her, and not knowing what had gotten into her, she dared to move her hands towards his face. His face was cold to touch, the lines of his jaw sharp. She caressed his cheek as she spoke in a gentle yet firm voice.


    "I am fine," she repeated.


    Drayce froze at what Seren did. Like what she suspected, he was being silent because he was inwardly berating himself once more, fighting with his inner desire while worrying for the safety of his wife. Onepse of judgment, and he knew he would regret it. However, as Seren continued to caress his cheek gently and affectionately, his resolve started to falter. The way she looked at him and her gentle words showed she did not mind his actions. It was an act of affection towards a loved one.


    ''Is she not scared? Does she think what I did was eptable? I misjudged our situation!'' Drayce didn''t know what to think of her sweet gesture. He was torn between the happiness of getting eptance from her and the fear about the possibility of him hurting her.


    "Are you sure?" he asked, still not feeling confident about himself.


    "Yes," came the confident reply from her, and Drayce''s eyes noticed the glitter in her flower mark getting stronger.


    He regretted not being able to see her face. He wanted to see her expression when she was showing affection to him�� how that willingness looked on her face when she wanted him. ''Is her willingness the effect of this flower and soul bond or is she epting me for real?''


    Drayce closed his eyes for a moment as he tried to restrain what''s going on inside him. He was confused and torn, yet he remained hopeful. He rested his forehead against hers as he spoke with his eyes still closed, "My Queen, will you promise me something?"


    "Yes?" she asked, still caressing his cheeks.


    Drayce moved his face back. "If you feel like I am about to hurt you, you have to stop me."


    "I know you won''t hurt me," she said simply. Her gentle words, her touch on his cheeks, both were full of affection that Drayce did not wish to turn her down.


    "I will hurt you," he said softly. "Since I have hurt you once, it will likely happen again."


    Seren remembered a particr memory of him once losing control. Though that time scared her, it was never repeated again. She also remembered Marie''s words of encouragement about the things between a husband and wife. Recalling all the times she spent together with Drayce strengthened her confidence in him. "I know you won''t deliberately hurt me, and that''s enough."


    ''Why? Why does she have tofort me, to urge me to continue, when I am trying to stop? Has she forgotten how I had hurt her before? Has she forgotten the fear she showed me before? Is she not scared of pain? It would have been easy if she had pushed me away like before. This night is something I am looking forward to, but now that I realize my self-control is not as strong as I thought, I am scared for her. What if that deviles out and I won''t stop even if she tries to fight me off?''


    Seren was staring at him, perhaps trying to know why he was silent again. She relented to him, "I promise, if I feel you will hurt me, I will stop you."


    ''Now, the main question is if I have the willpower to stop when she tells me to stop.''

 Chapter 284 - [Bonus ]Other Intimate Things

    <h4>Chapter 284 - [Bonus ]Other Intimate Things</h4>


    His wife still didn''t know that they would not consummate their marriage tonight, and Drayce had to clear it to her. Since they were already talking, he might as well exin now. Even if he did n to stop before things escted, he didn''t wish her to feel left out and question herself why he had stopped. It would be terrible if she were to think she did something wrong.


    "My Queen, I want to tell you something."


    "Hmm?"


    Drayce inhaled deeply before informing her, "Though we are being intimate like this, we will not consummate our marriage."


    It puzzled Seren as to what he meant by this, and her earlier worries were returning to her. ''Did I upset him? Did I forget to do something? Did I say anything wrong? Does that mean that I have ruined our wedding night?''


    Feeling dejected, she could only firm herself and pretendposure. "Fine!"


    Drayce noticed the glittering in the flower on her forehead was gone, and he realized that his wife had taken his statement the wrong way.


    "My Queen, it''s not about you but about me," he rified before the misunderstanding worsened. "I have given words to your father that we won''t consummate our marriage till youe of age. It means till you turn eighteen years old, we cannot go further than this. So we have to wait till then."


    Under the royalws of Abetha, Seren remembered that girls in her kingdom could only be legally married after they turned eighteen. It was not aw set by King Armen, but by the Ilven Family''s ancestor, the founder of the kingdom. The fact that King Armen allowed her to be wedded to Drayce when she had note of age could be said to be questionable, but there was a loophole in thew since for the rest of the continent, such a system was not practiced by other kingdoms.


    Seren was just relieved that she had done nothing wrong to upset him.


    "I understand," she replied.


    Seeing they had cleared the misunderstanding between them, a relieved smile appeared on Drayce''s lips. He held one of her hands that was cupping his cheeks and kissed the center of her palm, sending a? sweet shock to her senses.


    "But," Drayce said, in a low tone that sounded somehow teasing, "we can still do other intimate things."


    His hoarse yet seductive whisper did wonders to her tight nerves that she gave up on calming them, knowing it was futile. If she touched his lips at this moment, she would clearly realize that her previously serious husband was now grinning slyly.


    ''Other things��?'' She was about to ask him to exin, but it was as if he had read her mind and told her the answer the very next second.


    "My Queen, do you remember what we did after you drank that spiked juice from the opera house?"


    Seren remembered it even if she didn''t want to. It was the first time she had such an experience in her life. How could she even begin to forget it?


    "Do you remember, my Queen?" he asked again, as if to say he wished to hear her say her response aloud.


    "I...do��" she replied in a low voice as embarrassment took over her. Not that she did not like it. In fact, at this moment, she was somewhat expecting something simr, but she could not stop feeling shy and embarrassed since it was brought up.


    "There are a number of intimate things that can happen between a husband and wife, and we can do those, but the actual consummation????�� what you saw between the man and the woman in thetter part of the y????�� we will not do that. Do you understand what I mean?" Drayce asked in a tone that emphasized the importance of this part. As he was not confident about not losing himself to the devil, he needed to make it clear that she would have to stop him.


    "Yes," she replied.


    "If I seem...to cross the line, you should not let me do it," he instructed. "You need to stop me."


    "I will."


    Her replies were brief and concise, but there was firmness in them. She understood that since Drayce was cing much importance on these things, she should not let him down.


    ''My wife sure has grown up now,'' Drayce thought as he leaned down to give her lips a soft peck. He could not resist giving her a kiss, but he held back and merely let their lips brush lightly for a moment as he didn''t wish to suffocate her this time. She epted it and kissed him back just as softly.


    His hand traveled to her shoulder to pull the straps of her nightgown down her shoulder. Seren realized that Drayce would now start doing the ''other intimate things'' he mentioned, but she found that contrary to expectations, she didn''t mind what he was doing. Instead, she felt attracted to what he was doing, as if there was something within her suppressing the nerves and anxiety of the unknown that she should be normally feeling at this point.


    She gasped a little when Drayce let go of her lips and moved down to her neck with featherlight kisses, his lips tracing along her jawline, causing numerous waves of pleasure to pass across her entire body. A strange current enveloped her body as he ravished the soft skin on her neck before heading further down to her chest.


    Soft moans left her lips, and she tilted her head to give him more space to relish the graceful arch of her neck. As Drayce continued to leave a trail of hot kisses on her corbones, her hands involuntarily moved to the back of his head, her slender fingers tangling themselves with his hair.


    It ended up encouraging her husband to taste the sweet delicacy in front of him. His red eyes were already burning with desire, and his hands worked on pulling her dress straps down her shoulders. It exposed the top part of her chest and her soft bosom,? wrapped in finely embroidered silk chest band, was visible.


    Drayce stared at her chest with his eyes filled with appreciation and lust. When she noticed he had stopped moving, Seren found that his head was directly above her breasts and it dawned on her that he was tantly staring at them. It caused her to feel a strange mix of excitement and embarrassment as she knew what he would do next. She held her breath as she felt him moving her dress further down to fully expose her chest band. Though it was dark, she knew he would see the shape of her round peaks clearly; she felt highly embarrassed about letting them be seen and touched by a man.


    As her nightgown was loose, to begin with, it didn''t take much effort for Drayce to pull it further down and to her waist. He let out a shaky breath as his sight did not fail to notice her curves. Her body was more beautiful than what he imagined, and it was his to explore and conquer. When he looked up at her face, he found her looking back at him. Though it was dark, it didn''t seem like the two were bothered by it, not even needing light to understand each other''s feelings. Though she was not saying or doing anything to stop him, Drayce was sure she was plenty embarrassed at this point.


    "We need to take this off," Drayce said as he pulled at the nightgown. Though he was informing her, he was not truly asking for permission, and thus, he didn''t wait for her reply as he moved her waist up a little with his hand.. With his other hand, hepletely pulled the nightgown down in one swift motion, leaving his wife in nothing but her undergarments.

 Chapter 285 - I Will Make You Like It Even More

    <h4>Chapter 285 - I Will Make You Like It Even More</h4>


    8 chapters mass release today. Pre-Christamas gift from me to you all.


    -----


    The moment she felt all the silk slip off her body, Seren''s hands flew to cover her chest. No man had ever seen her in her undergarment, and the situation made her incredibly self conscious despite the darkness. She could see the fire in his red eyes re out all of a sudden. Her smooth legs clenched together as if she could cover herself from being devoured by his gaze.


    Tossing her nightgown aside, Drayce leaned back to get a better look at his wife who was trying to hide herself. His eyes slowly appreciated her body, moving from that sweet curve of her shoulders down towards her slender waist, and then her t tummy, and even lower...


    "Do you still need to hide from me, my Queen?" Drayce asked as he slowly ran his finger along her delicate and slender hand that was covering her chest. His gaze remained fixed at her face as he sported a sly grin. Even in the dark, he could see the embarrassment engulfing her.


    Understanding his implied meaning, Seren hesitantly moved her hands away, fully showing him her chest bound with a thin white silk. Drayce had already found the knot of her chest band and was working his fingers on pulling it. The next second, Seren felt the tight wrap on her chest loosen. Drayce pulled her chest band away while moving his hand below her back to lift her a little, making it easier for him to remove that band.


    Despite the windows remaining closed and the temperature within the room unchanging, Seren could swear she felt a cold breeze brush across her uncovered chest the very instant her silk band was removed. She wanted to cover herself again. A part of her resisted, wanting to calm herself, but despite her attempts, she felt anxiety over her naked body being exposed to her husband''s gaze, even though her mind had long known it wasing.


    Knowing he was gazing intently at her body, Seren shivered.


    Drayce tossed her chest band somewhere in the direction of her nightgown on the floor. He leaned down close enough for him to whisper in her ear in a seductive voice. "My Queen, soon, you won''t feel cold anymore."


    The anxious young woman gasped, her body shivering this time, not because of the cold, but because her husband''s lips brushed against her sensitive earlobe. It sent a strange tingling sensation throughout her body. Even before she coulde out of it, she felt a rough yet warm palm covering one of her soft breasts, and it kneaded it gently, causing a soft moan to leave her mouth. Her hands that were resting on sides grabbed his broad shoulders, not to push him away but to hold on to him.


    Drayce''s ears captured that soft moan, further encouraging him to give her bountiful chest the attention it deserved. He could not wait to taste those soft round peaks which felt even more tempting the more he touched and yed with them. Neither too small nor toorge, just perfect to fit in the cup of his hands.


    He watched Seren''s expression with fascination, knowing this was the first time someone had ever touched her this way. He wanted to learn which action of his brought more colorful reactions from her, whether she liked it better if he kneaded her soft peaks, or if he pulled and twisted those buds on top, or perhaps she would enjoy it if he were to suck on it.


    Lowering his head, he captured one bud within his mouth, and he heard her let out a loud cry that sounded painful but pleasurous at the same time.


    "Dray!"


    The moment she felt something hot and wet was ying with her mounds, she could not help but call for his name over and over. She could no longer think straight. Her breathing had turned heavy and all thoughts and anxiety within her mind were long forgotten. There was nothing but the pleasure of the flesh left behind for her to enjoy. It certainly felt better than what the books had described.


    Drayce did not stop until those sensitive buds had turned hard after all his careful attention. When he lifted his head, he found that Seren had closed her eyes and was trying to breathe through her mouth. Her body had be warmer, and a thinyer of sweat could be felt on her smooth skin. He could see her body was of the sensitive kind, and she would react strongly to whatever he would do with her. It would not be surprising if he was to find her already wet deep down there. Her reactions to his touches were tempting him to do more, as he was certain that her body was truly enjoying what he was doing.


    While Drayce''s hands were working on her soft mounds, he lowered his head again to capture her parted lips. In between the kiss, while still not letting go of her soft peaks, he asked in a low and hoarse voice, "Do you like it, my Queen?"


    Seren was overwhelmed with all the new sensations she felt. She could not understand what he was asking. She didn''t even know whether she should concentrate on kissing or at what he was doing with her bosom.


    ''So embarrassing. It''s so embarrassing!'' was all she chanted in her mind as she was not in the right state of mind to answer him.


    "Answer me, my Queen," he said in a littlemanding voice before diving down to kiss her again. He found it hard to let go of her soft lips, but after some time, he had to pull away with a ragged breath to suppress how aroused he was.


    Seren gasped for air as well. She found it a little unfair that he was asking her a question, yet he was also sealing her mouth with a kiss. However, none of her protests ever made their way out, as all she could do was let out moans the moment he would stop kissing her.


    When he asked that question again, she swallowed a moan to let herself respond, not daring to disobey thatmanding voice that sounded needy at that moment. "I��liked...it..." Her words sounded more like a whisper against his lips.


    "I will make you like it even more," he replied before giving her another long sensual kiss, trying to capture each of her moans while his hands worked magic on her bosom, kneading them a little harsher this time, tugging at those sensitive buds with his fingers.

 Chapter 286 - Do I Make You Feel Good?

    <h4>Chapter 286 - Do I Make You Feel Good?</h4>


    Even though Drayce was kissing her, he could still hear the sound of her moans that were suppressed by his lips. Her back was trying to arch under his heavy body, as if trying to get away from those erotic touches because she wanted it but her body didn''t know how to bear it.


    Drayce was panting heavily in need after letting go of her lips.? He then moved back to her perky peaks which were waiting for his attention. This time, he harshly yed with them, sucking and biting them, taking a turn on each with his hands, trying to get a feel of every inch of it. His tongue swirled around those stiffened buds, alternating between sucking and tugging them with his teeth.


    Meanwhile, Seren''s hands moved involuntarily to the back of Drayce''s head, pulling him even closer while arching her back at the same time, lifting her chest up to let him savor her body more. Seren had never felt this kind of exhrating pleasure that could make her forget her rational thoughts. It was as if there were needs she didn''t know she had that were being fulfilled with everyp of his tongue, and it was as his every gesture was meant to bring her to higher heights. She was left breathless, a beautiful mess, under his spell.


    If Drayce was still somewhat in control of himself, he would have realized that his actions wouldter turn her fair skin into a mess of colored patches. However, Drayce was already half drunk in desire at this point, and the only thought within his mind was to slowly enjoy the treasure in front of him.


    His body moved further down, leaving a trail of kisses on her soft skin until he reached her t stomach. At this point, Seren was squirming so much, she clenched her thighs together in resistance to her aches. If Drayce could see what he had done on her delicate skin, he would have a satisfied smirk on his lips. His hands slid along her shapely form, only to hold her at the curve of her waist to keep her steady while his fingers slowly found their way toward her lower garment.


    Seren''s mind had gone nk. Her body was reacting on its own beyond her control, especially when Drayce started to go down. All she could do with thest bits of sanity she had left was to clutch onto the bed sheet and press her lips tightly to not make any more embarrassing sounds. Her body betrayed her when it got alerted that his fingers were trying to remove her lower undergarment.


    "Dray...?" She knew it was not yet time to stop him and neither did she truly wish to stop him, but still, she could not help but call for him out of concern.


    "Yes, my Queen?" Drayce asked, still immersed in biting and sucking the skin of her abdomen as he continued to move further south. "Do I make you feel good?"


    Seren didn''t know what to say or why she even called out to him. Drayce then used his teeth to nip the soft side of her small waist, causing her to gasp a little louder.


    "Ahhh�� Dray��"


    He had learned by now that his wife liked it best if he was to y a little roughly. He was sure she was trying to suppress her moans, but he knew soon he would make her cry in pleasure loud enough to fill this chamber.


    Using his teeth, Drayce pulled out the knot on thest piece of the garment covering her most private part and started to move it down slowly with his fingers, tugging on both sides while he continued to leave kisses across her hip.


    "Dray!" she yelped, and in an instant, her hands moved down to hold on to her lower garment. Before, to help her relieve herself under the influence of the spiked juice, he had touched her between her legs, but still, it was not something she could ept without feeling nervous. She was sane at this moment unlike how she had lost her mind that night. She felt like she was not yet ready to go further.


    Drayce could understand her fear, but there was no way he would stop. "We are doing something different today, my Queen," he said. He could hear how crazy her heartbeats had turned.


    Seren was aware of what ''something different'' meant, but she could not make herself ept it. "N-Not��there..." she managed to mumble.


    Drayce smirked as she looked as cute as a scared kitten unable to jump off from a high ce. Her bright purple eyes looked more anxious than before which wavered at the sight of him.


    "My Queen, there is no reason for you to be nervous. Do you not trust me? You have enjoyed what we have done so far.? You will like this even more than my kisses."


    Seren had no words to say to that. With a shaky breath, she willingly surrendered her body to him once again. His red eyes gazed at her face while she felt his hand slide under her already loosened undergarment, making her gulp. She felt his fingers making their way towards her wet folds, causing her to clench her legs around his hand, but that futile resistance could not stop him. His fingers slid along the length of her womanhood, feeling that drenching wetness inside her soft folds.


    "Aahh��ahhh..."


    Seren found herself unable to suppress those sounds which she found weird when the woman in the opera house was making them. Those indecent sounds were among the triggers that caused her to start feeling hot and ufortable back then, as if those sounds of carnal pleasure were causing something within her to awaken. The moment his fingers explored her folds, she let out a tiny whimper, and when his finger yed with her soft spot, she could not help but let out a sweet little cry.


    "Aaaah! Dray...."

 Chapter 287 - Because You Want Me Here

    <h4>Chapter 287 - Because You Want Me Here</h4>


    Her legs that were trying to clench against his hand gave up after receiving such a pleasurable surprise. They parted on their own, giving him more freedom to touch her intimate spot.


    Drayce, whose eyes were focused on her reaction, could clearly understand how good she was feeling under his attention.


    "Do you still want me to stop, my Queen?"


    Seren, who was upied with what was happening with her body, had already lost her mind and subconsciously let go of clutching onto her undergarments. Her hands held onto him, burying her nails into his skin. There was nothing but pleasure inside her mind. How could she answer him when she didn''t even hear the question?


    Drayce stopped ying with her womanhood, only to get a yearning look from his wife after she regained her senses and caught her breath.


    Drayce did not give in to that heart-tugging sight. "Do you know why you are already wet here?" he asked, indicating the ce between her legs as he once again moved his fingers.


    Feeling his fingers working their magic again, she let out a pleased hum, but she shook her head to answer his question.


    Drayce leaned down to her ears. "Because you want me here, my Queen."


    Seren gulped as she focused on his words being whispered in her ears. However, it was difficult to keep her wits while trying to keep up with what he was doing with his finger. What he said was the truth and she knew it. She knew she wanted him and wanted him to relieve her from her aches.


    Not waiting to get a reply from her, Drayce continued, "When I will lick and suck you there, you will feel even better."


    He had earlier run his tongue along her earlobe; Seren could almost imagine how better it would feel down there. She had seen the male actor doing it with his partner in the y, and she remembered her more intense reactions, showing how strongly her body enjoyed it.


    He increased the pressure of his fingers between her wet folds, making her mind go crazier. As if his actions were not teasing enough, he even? asked, "Do you still not want it?"


    Seren was already feeling so high that she could not bear the thought of him stopping again. She wanted him to do it, to make her relive what she felt that night.


    "Ahhh...I��want... uhhh��it..." she said between her shaky breathing.


    This was what Drayce wanted. He smirked in satisfaction. "As you per your wish, my Queen."


    He pulled down her undergarment that she had given up holding on and tossed it aside, making his wife stark naked under him. With half-lidded eyes, she looked at his slightly visible figure in the dark. She had decided to let go of her qualms andpletely surrender herself at the mercy of her husband.


    From the moment he entered the bridal chamber, those slender legs of hers were something Drayce had paid special attention to. They invoked the strong feelings he had of that night when Seren had drunk that spiked juice��reminding him of that sight of her lower body bared for him to feast on as he pleasured her. When he was studying his wife''s figure before he snuffed out the candlelights, he had already been eager to appreciate those legs not only with his eyes but also his hands.


    Now that the long-awaited chance hade, his red eyes seemingly burned brighter in anticipation. Caressing the sides of her thighs, his hands moved further towards her ankles. He moved back a little and lifted her leg.


    Seren could not understand why he suddenly lifted her leg. It was not what she remembered the man did in the opera house; she was expecting Drayce to do what the man next did with the woman, which had something to do with her intimate part. In the dark, she tried to focus on what he was doing and found him caressing her feet with his fingers. The next moment, her eyes widened as she felt her big toe being sucked within the hollow of his wet and warm mouth.


    It felt good in a ticklish kind of way, but it was her foot and how can he just��?


    She tried to pull her foot away but Drayce''s grasp would not let her move it even an inch. He bit her toe a little and sucked it. One of his hands continued to caress her leg while the other one held her ankle. Since she already agreed to have things his way, she readily gave up and let herself enjoy that seductive action. If it was not dark, it would have been an erotic sight to see the way he looked at her and how she was reacting to her toe being licked and sucked.


    Based on how she was squirming on the sheets, Drayce could see how much she was liking the stimtion ????��her clutching the bed sheet and arching her back, no longer even bothering to muffle her moans.


    ''My Queen is so sensitive to everything.''


    Letting go of her feet, Drayce pulled her legs apart, tracing her bent legs up to her knees with a seductive touch while trailing kisses along the inside of her thighs. When he moved towards her wet intimate part, she allowed him without any resistance. However, he did not hurry to touch her most intimate ce; rather, he teased around it first. Drayce was patient, willing to savor every moment of this precious night.


    Seren''s skin was highly sensitive to his touches. She could feel the way his rough fingers seemingly branded themselves on her body, and she shut her eyes tightly as he neared the sacred ce between her legs.


    Though Drayce could not see that ce amidst the shadows, her sweet scent was luring him in. He was sure it must be beautiful, just like the rest of her, and would make him devour her at the first sight of it.

 Chapter 288 - Her Scent Is Addictive

    <h4>Chapter 288 - Her Scent Is Addictive</h4>


    ''There wille a time when there will be nothing about her that will remain unseen,'' he thought to himself. This was only their wedding night, and it was not the only night they would be spending together like this from now on.


    As moved closer, he felt her body stiffen. He coaxed her, "Rx, my Queen."


    At the sound of his voice, Seren could only let out a breathy ''mmm'' like an obedient wife, her messy mind no longer able to process his words properly.


    Drayce lowered his head, and the next moment, Seren felt his warm and moist tongue invading her womanhood while his fingers were parting her wet folds.


    "Aahh��!"


    A wild moan left her mouth as she arched her body. She tried to clench her legs together, but Drayce had expected that she would thrash around like this and held her body down to keep it from moving around too much. To her, it felt too much and too good that she didn''t know how to react to it. It was as if all the blissful sensations of her body were captured on that one sweet spot, and it was driving her crazy. She tried to move her body away from him, pinning her feet on the mattress, but there was no way she could match his strength.


    "Dray��ahh��that feels��ahh!"


    Drayce continued to use his mouth to taste her insides, feeling the soft texture of her folds with his tongue,? exploring her womanhood again and again and again as if he could not have enough of her taste. He continued to lick and nibble while swirling his tongue around her most sensitive spot.


    ''Her scent is addictive.''


    Seren continued to feel that sweet and seductive assault of his tongue and could not stop herself from making all kinds of lewd sounds that she once thought to be weird. She could not even lower her voice, as she felt that only through her loud whimpers and needy cries could she release the seething pleasure that had enveloped her body.


    While his tongue was working on her, Drayce did not forget to look at her reaction. He wanted to make sure she was enjoying this pleasurable deed, and wanted to stamp the memory of this night on her body. It was a pity he could not see her face clearly, but he was sure her expression must be a sight to behold.


    For now, the way her body was wildly reacting to his advances was enough for him. Her loud moans were like music to his ears. Seeing, feeling, hearing, and tasting his woman was an indescribably intoxicating experience.


    Seren felt the pressure building in her core, simr to what she felt that night, while Drayce continued to have his way between her legs. Her rational mind was no longer in control of her body. Out of reflex, her hands moved to his head, intertwining her fingers through his soft hair.


    While ying with her sensitive spot, Drayce inserted his finger inside her, making her body shake as she let out a low cry. "Dray��!"


    Her hands that were settled at the back of his head jerked in response to his sudden invasion.


    He let her settle down from the shock of having a foreign thing enter her body by swirling his tongue around her swollen sensitive spot and licking her folds in between, making her feel higher than ever. As he moved his finger deeper, he felt her soft inner walls tightening around it, trying to suck it inside. She was so wet and aroused that she was ready to wee him.


    Drayce inserted one more finger as he was sure she could take it. At this, Seren let out a heavy gasp, as if her breath was stuck inside her chest. It was just too much for the inexperienced youngdy, but at the same time, she didn''t want to stop him.


    In response to her encouraging reaction, he increased the pace of his fingers, making her move along with each stroke, subconsciously chasing after her own sweet release. She remembered that feeling and she wanted to feel it again????�� this time, she was sane and not drugged.


    In her mind, there was nothing else aside from the sensation of his fingers pumping in and out of her. Her eyes were shut and her lips parted, gasping and moaning at intervals. Both her hands were grabbing his hair, her back was arched, and her toes curled in response to the tension building in her core. She could not understand how he was able to stimte all these sensations within her body, but she wished it would never stop, that it would only go on and on.


    Sensing how her insides were contracting, Drayce could feel she was almost at her peak. He continued the movement of his fingers inside her while he moved closer to her face. When his wife was at the most erotic moment, how could he miss hearing her seductive moans? Her heavy pants? How dare he miss her cries of pleasure?


    Drayce captured her already parted lips, lightly tugging at her lower lips as he called out her name in his low, seductive and hoarse voice, "Seren!"


    The muddle-headed woman looked at him with her half-opened eyes. She could no longer understand anything, but something about the way he said her name caused a bit of sanity to return to her.


    ''My husband��''


    Her name, it sounded so good to hear him say it. It caused her insides to clench tighter around his fingers, and it made her on the brink of her tipping point. The feeling she felt that night��she''s close to it.


    While staring deeply into those desperate purple eyes, he increased the pace of his fingers, creating a lewd sound of flesh gliding across her wetness, sending multiple vibrations at her sensitive spots.


    "Ohhh��that��ahh��Dray!" she called out for him as she looked at him with her needy eyes. Drayce had started to lose his rationality the more he looked at her.. His own eyes had started to change their color as he panted with desire.

 Chapter 289 - You Are Only Mine

    <h4>Chapter 289 - You Are Only Mine</h4>


    He leaned down to whisper in her ears, "Seren, I want to be inside you. I want to????�� "


    "Dray��ahhh!"


    Her loud cry interrupted him, and before he could say another word, she found her sweet release and copsed back to the bed, her body covered in a thinyer of sweat. By the sound of her wild pants filling her chamber. it was as if she had exhausted years out of her life.


    While taking her time getting back to her senses, Seren thought that Drayce was doing the same. Since she had closed her eyes, she did not know what was happening with the man straddling her, who was looking at her intently with eyes no longer the shade of a living fire, but a dark reddish color that was closer to ck. With each passing second, the color turned even darker, as if the shadows within the chamber were corrupting those red eyes.


    Her eyes snapped open when she heard the sound of cloth ripping. She sensed Drayce sitting between her legs. Before she could understand what was happening, Drayce leaned over her as he pinned her hands harshly on the bed.


    "You are only mine," he said in a low raspy voice. It had a mysterious yet dangerous charm to it and coupled with his dark red eyes, something about Drayce seemed to have changed.


    His words puzzled Seren. After all, they were husband and wife. Of course, she was his. He didn''t need to say it this way in this context. But he was aggressive and that somewhere scared her.


    She was still catching her breath, and thus, unable to say a word. But without waiting for her response, Drayce kissed her roughly. She let out a strangled noise as her mouth crushed against his, his kiss not slow and sensual, but rough and violent, as if he was trying to punish her with a kiss, not even caring if she could breathe or she''d be hurt.


    "Mmf!" Seren could not speak a word as the intimidating man continued to ravage her lips, causing her pain as he bit her soft lips to the extent of bleeding them. Seren felt herself tremble. ''What did I do wrong? Did I anger him? Why is he like this?''


    His harsh action scared her, and she remembered what Drayce had asked her to do earlier. If he were to ever hurt her, she had to stop him. But how? With an already exhausted body, Seren had no way to protest against his strength, nor could she say a word to bring him back to his senses. Let alone speak, she could not even breathe because of the harsh kiss which was making her dizzy due tock of oxygen.


    For a moment, she thought that he would not let her go even if she had to suffocate and die right here. She could taste the blood, her own blood, as he continued to kiss her with ferocity. She was then struck with terror when the next moment, she felt something hard and long rubbing over her private ce.


    rm bells rang inside her brain. She knew what it was and she remembered that Drayce had told her they could not consummate this marriage yet. Since she had given him her word, she needed to stop him if he ever lost control over himself. Just as she felt that hard part????��which she was sure was his manhood��was about to enter her, she found an opportunity to bite his lips.


    "Ugh!"


    Drayce groaned angrily as he pulled back, his hot breath seemingly burning intensely as it brushed against her face.


    "A-Apologies��I��" she stammered as she tasted her own blood on her mouth. She had no choice! She had to do it since she had to help her husband keep his promise. A king''s word was worth more than gold, and thus, he should never go back on his words. Although she did not understand what was happening, by the way things were escting so suddenly, she was sure they would both have regretster.


    In the darkness, those dark red eyes glittered dangerously, staring down at her small frail body with wicked intentions. She could not help but tremble once more.


    "Dray��?"


    However, he did not respond to her. He even lowered his head, pressing his hard body closer to her. She knew he was about to capture her lips back, and his manhood was rubbing on her lower region, about ready to thrust inside her.


    She shut her tear-filled eyes as the pain on her lips throbbed.


    "Dray, stop��" She opened her eyes to look into his and begged, "Please stop��please��"


    Drayce paused. No, he stopped. He truly stopped. The dark color of irises started to lighten, as if the shadows were receding away from the light of the living me, turning his eyes back to the familiar red eyes that looked at her with passion and gentleness.


    Seren seemed to recall this exact same change in his eyes before when Drayce had tried to be intimate with her and ended up hurting her.


    ''It''s not him,'' Seren concluded.


    Seren cupped his face in her hands and asked, "Dray��are you fine?"


    Drayce did not respond. He simply sat frozen as he just came back to his senses and he recalled what he had nearly done��he was about to break his promise. More than that, he made her fear him. Guilt took over his mind as he helplessly looked at her watery purple eyes. ''I almost made her cry.''


    "Dray, talk to me." She sat up as well and caressed his cheek.


    He closed his eyes for a moment. He took in a deep breath before opening them to look at her again. "A-Are you fine?" he asked, and without her answering, he smelled the blood on both of their lips.


    "I��Did I hurt you?" He panicked at the realization. He reached out to touch her lips, gently wiping away the blood.. His voice was full of guilt. "I��am��sorry��"

 Chapter 290 - I Made You Bleed

    <h4>Chapter 290 - I Made You Bleed</h4>


    "It doesn''t hurt at all." She pulled out a light smile to not let him feel bad about it. His fingers were still on her lips, and he could feel her small smile under his touch.


    Drayce shook his head. "I knew I would hurt you. We should not have continued."


    "No, you didn''t hurt me," she countered, trying tofort him. "You stopped before you did."


    "I made you bleed!"


    "I am not hurt," she repeated. "You just kissed me a little harsher."


    She was sure there was a reason why he lost control, for he trusted that he would not deliberately hurt her. Although he was not saying anything, she could feel the other side of his personality showing up once in a while, and something inside her made her able to distinguish between them.


    Sensing the stubbornness in her voice,? Drayce decided to focus on making sure Seren was fine. He would have to temporarily put away his worries about that devil who ruined his wedding night.


    "Are you really feeling fine?" Drayce asked. "Did I hurt you elsewhere?"


    "Don''t worry, I am fine," Seren replied and asked, "And you?"


    The moment she said those words, she felt his manhood pulsating against her womanhood. She could feel her face burning up as she waited for him to answer.


    Drayce quietly looked at his wife, peering into those crystal clear eyes that reflected what she was feeling at the moment. This was their wedding night, and yet it was imperfect. He might be the king with unrivaled strength and wealth, but the things that he truly cared for were not within his reach. Not only could he not see the appearance of his dear wife, he had also harmed her and they could not consummate their marriage like any other newly wedded couple.


    ''How can I salvage our wedding night?'' he thought with a frown. He would have opted to stop now, knowing how exhausted Seren must be at this point, but his body had an urge he could not ignore. A sudden thought entered his mind. Since it''s their wedding night, he too deserved to get at least something, maybe with a little help from his wife.


    "I am not fine at all, my Queen," he replied after much consideration.


    Seren felt worried after hearing his response. He was the strongest man she had evere across and if he was saying he was not fine then he must be really hurt.


    "Where are you hurt?" she asked worriedly. "What should we do now? Do we call the royal physician?"


    "You can make me feel better, my Queen, the way I have made you feel better," Drayce replied. He would have loved to tease her, but he had no choice but to directly jump straight to the point as he felt he was in desperate need of his release. His body was going crazy with the arousal he felt. If not for the words he had given, he would have ravaged his alluring wife by now.


    Seren was willing to do anything that would make him feel better. "How? What should I do?" she asked, though, at the back of her mind, she was aware that she was asking for something that would embarrass her more. The condition they were in was enough to alert her senses.


    Drayce moved his hands below her back and made her sit closer to him while he sat on his knees in front of her.


    "You need to help me, my Queen," she heard him say, "Will you?"


    Conscious about what woulde next, she answered with a gulp, "I will��but��I don''t know how to."


    "I will guide you." As he said that, he held her hands and ced them around his erect manhood. A satisfied groan left his mouth the moment he felt those soft and delicate palms holding his most sensitive body part.


    Seren was startled by this sudden move from him, even though she somehow expected it. Reading those books had surely helped her understand the things that happen between a husband and a wife.


    It was throbbing under her featherlight touch��and maybe it was her mistaking things, but she felt it growrger?


    She was amazed to feel how smooth and firm it was, but she could not find the right words to describe it. It felt wild and alive, and at the same time, it was burning hot against her cold palms. With his length, she could not cover his manhood entirely even though she''s using both of her hands. She didn''t find it bad or weird at all. In fact, it made her curious and oddly excited, as if she had been looking forward to feeling it the whole time without her realizing it. Any feeling of embarrassment and shyness had dissipated at this point.


    Drayce''s hands covered her tiny palms that were wrapped along his own needy body part and he guided her hands to move up and down, slowly and gently at first. He hissed as he felt his manhood react to her soft touch.


    "Just do it like this," he instructed between his gritted teeth, his voice turning raspy at the feeling of her hands moving along his manhood.


    Like an obedient wife, Seren continued to do exactly as he told her to do. After she got used to his preferred pace, he let go of her hands, leaving her to do it on her own. Though she could not see his face to check how he was feeling, from the way his manhood throbbed under her grasp and from those guttural groans apanying his heavy breathing, she felt she was doing it right.


    Drayce wished to kiss her but her lips were hurt and he could only be quiet about it.


    Before she knew it, his groans were sounding wilder, like he was in pain. Out of worry, she asked, "Am I doing it correctly? Does it hurt?"


    "It feels good instead," he replied and put his hands again on hers, guiding her hands to move faster as he could no longer dy his release. Though her wrists were hurting, Seren continued to increase the rhythm of her strokes.


    A loud, rough grunt came from Drayce as she sensed him throwing his head back. His body was shuddering and his hands clutched on the bed sheet beside his folded knees. A warm translucent liquid suddenly shot out, and she felt it spreading across her chest, abdomen, and even on her hands that were still wrapped around his manhood.


    Stunned, Seren froze on the spot. She didn''t know what to do, and thought it was no longer throbbing nor as hard as before, she still held his erect part in her hands.


    It took Drayce a moment to collect himself from the pleasure Seren had given him. Afterwards, he cupped his wife''s cheeks and closed the distance between their faces. His forehead rested on hers and his hot breath fanned against her cold skin.


    "You did well, my Queen," he praised her before wrapping his arms around her delicate body. His heaving chest pressed against her wet and sticky bosom.


    Once Drayce hadpletely calmed down, he pecked on her forehead gently and held her hand. She didn''t know what to do with them as she could still have that warmth on her hands. It was something expected, but as usual, she felt that reading was totally different from experiencing it for real.


    "My Queen, we need to clean you," Drayce informed her after a while.


    Seren could only nod. After finally getting out of what she had just done and the way she helped him, she felt like everything was a dream. The usual her would not be as bold nor as willing to do those things????��it was embarrassing but satisfying as she did it for him.


    Drayce moved his hand to one side with his palm up, and soon, her veil came flying towards his hand. He needed to help her clean but was also aware of the promise he had made to her. Drayce tied that veil back around her head, making sure it covered the lower half of her face.. Once it was secured, themps and candles in the room lit up again, and even the curtains moved to the side on their own to let the moonlight outside enter the bedchamber.

 Chapter 291 - Wild Fantasy

    <h4>Chapter 291 - Wild Fantasy</h4>


    The brightness was so sudden, Seren nearly screamed despite herself. She did not expect him to suddenly light up themp and candles without telling her. Instinctively, her hand tried to cover her chest and she clenched her legs together, as if she could really hide herself from letting him see her naked body. She also shut her eyes, not even daring to look at Drayce????��she knew he was naked too and she was not ready to see him like that. In the cover of darkness, she was able to somehow ept her nudity, but for him to be able to scrutinize each and every inch of her body under the light�� She could not stay calm at all!


    Drayce smirked at her reaction but did not say anything further to tease his wife. He climbed out of the bed and pulled the robe that was thrown next to the bedside table. He then rang the small bell on the bedside table to call for the servant standing outside the bedchamber. Within the royal residence, there was always a servant prepared to attend to their royal needs regardless of the time of the day.


    They heard the servant standing outside of the door knock. "You called, Your Majesty?"


    "Arrange hot water in the bath," Drayce instructed.


    "Yes, Your Majesty," the servant replied.


    Drayce walked towards his robe that had fallen on the floor. He picked it up and wore it as he didn''t wish to embarrass his wife since she was trying her best to not look at him.


    Through the corner of her eyes, Seren could see what he was doing. She saw him put on his robe, standing with his back facing her. He was busy tying the belt of his robe.


    When he was about to turn around, Seren averted her gaze and pinned her it at the mess they made on the mattress. She kept her eyes lowered while listening to each of his footsteps as he walked towards her. Seren felt anxious about being seen naked, and she did her best to hide her body, even curling her body to a ball with her hands tightly wrapped around her. The sticky feeling on her skin bothered her, but she paid more attention to the fact that she could seemingly feel his hot gaze studying her body.


    "My Queen, no need to hide yourself. This won''t be the only night we will be spending together as husband and wife, and it will not be every night that I will turn off the lights. On those nights, you will get to keep your veil on. Though it is dismaying that I cannot see your face, I can make do with appreciating your body," Drayce said, unabashed as he stepped towards her.


    His bold words only added to her embarrassment. Of course, Seren didn''t deign to give him a reply.


    It happened that the servant standing outside the bedchamber had returned to inform them, "Your Majesty, the bath is ready."


    Drayce did not talk and simply scooped Seren in his arms to lift her.


    "Dray!" she let out a tiny squeak. Although she was startled to be carried in his arms, she still refused to remove her hands covering her chest. Both of their skins were sticky with sweat and something else, and to have their bodies pressed together like this was making Seren''s face burn red, even her veil was unable to hide her shyness.


    "I will help you clean yourself, my Queen," Drayce informed her before striding in the direction of her side chamber where the bath was located.


    "I-I am capable of washing myself," she protested in a weak voice.


    "I believe my Queen is truly capable. So next time, you can help me wash myself in the King''s chamber," Drayce said with a light smirk, not giving in to her adorable protest.


    After carrying her inside the side chamber, Drayce first checked the temperature of the water before gently cing her on one side of the tub. Seren let out a soft cry as her tender skin hit the water, and she realized she was aching on certain parts of her body.


    "Wait here," Drayce said and stood up to get a washcloth for her. Not even once did she look at him as she focused on her futile effort of covering herself, not minding the stickiness on her hand, chest, and stomach caused by Drayce''s release.


    Drayce returned with a fresh washcloth among the things arranged near the tub. Though Seren did not see any of her servants, she found that everything she needed for her bath had been arranged on one side.


    "I will be washing myself together with you, my Queen," Drayce said in a teasing tone. "I suggest you close your eyes as I will be removing my robe now."


    Seren closed her eyes before he could even finish his sentence, causing him to grin again. Only after she felt her husband join her inside the bathtub did she hesitantly open her eyes. The water reached his waist, and thankfully, it was murky with the oil essences and flower petals mixed together with the water, thus she could not clearly see his lower regions.


    Drayce came towards Seren, kneeling in front of her as he caressed her shoulder, tracing her corbones and the marks of his kisses along the way. With a satisfied smile, he dipped the washcloth on the hot water and squeezed the extra water after taking it out.


    "My Queen, how can I wash you like this?" he asked gently, but theter part of the question had a tinge of warning in it. "We won''t be leaving this chamber if you do not take your hands away."


    Sensing that hidden warning, Seren slowly moved her hands away, exposing her soft mounds to his eyes. However, she could not meet his gaze and kept her eyes on anywhere but her husband.


    Drayce grinned inside, seeing how easy it was to convince her.? At the same time, an errant thought came to him, causing his mind to wander.. ''Will a daye when my obedient wife will protest my words? Once she gains confidence in herself and realizes how much power she holds over me, will she take control over our marital bed?. Won''t it be heavenly if my wife dominates me and makes me obey her in a way no one else can ever do?"

 Chapter 292 - Need To Control The Devil

    <h4>Chapter 292 - Need To Control The Devil</h4>


    While Drayce was dreaming about that day toe, Seren was puzzled why he stopped and had gone silent all of a sudden. Just several moments ago, he was eager to take care of washing her.. ''Should I just get the washcloth from his hand and wipe myself?''


    She slowly lifted her gaze to look at him, only to discover those red eyes staring at her in a daze. The moment their sights met, it pulled Drayce out from his wild fantasies and he cleared his throat. "Let''s clean up." He didn''t wish her to know what he was thinking.


    Drayce gently washed her body with the cloth, starting from her neck going downwards towards her chest. At first, he was smug at how the trail of kisses looked like him marking his territory on her body, but upon closer inspection, he noticed how badly bruised her white milky skin was. The pink and red marks were eptable, but there were some that were purplish.


    ''Was I too rough?'' he thought, but the next moment, he concluded, ''I don''t think so. My wife is just too delicate.'' The more he moved the washcloth down, the more he realized that the patches of bruises on her skin were getting worse. Should he feel happy that it was his doing or feel bad about it?


    He looked at her expression while wiping the area below her neck and could not help but ask, "Does it hurt, my Queen?"


    She looked at those worried-looking eyes and replied with a firm, "No."


    He believed her????��or rather, he wanted to believe her as he wouldn''t be relieved if it was the opposite. He moved his hands down to her bosom and heard her let out a sharp hiss. He retracted his hand and asked, "What happened?"


    "It stings a little?" she replied with her brows furrowed a little.


    "Where?" he asked.


    The moment he asked, she cursed herself in mind, ''Why did I have to show it''s stinging? How can I answer now?''


    Seeing her not answering, he asked coldly, "I asked where."


    Drayce sounded a little angry, but whether it was due to Seren''s silence or because of himself, no one could know.


    Seren didn''t know how to exin or what word to use. She just lowered her head, covered her soft peaks with her hands crossing each other, and answered, "Here." She shut her eyes in embarrassment.


    "Let me see," he said and held her hands to pry them away from hiding her chest. Under the soft lighting from themps, his sight found the pink buds of her breasts.


    What should have been a pair of beautiful rosy buds looked swollen and bruised against her pale white skin. Drayce promptly recalled how harsh he had been with her when he was enjoying them earlier.


    With eyebrows knitted together, he said, "Why didn''t you stop me when you''re already hurting?"


    "It��It did not hurt at that time," she replied hesitantly. How could she pay attention to pain when she was overwhelmed with the pleasure brought by his mouth? At the thought of this, her face blushed.


    "Hmm!" was what Drayce replied. He continued to clean her gently and would stop whenever he saw her knitting her brows in pain. Seren had to swallow all the embarrassment as she knew this stubborn man in front of her would not listen to her. Soon, he finished cleaning her and himself. He then told her to close her eyes as he left the tub. After drying himself and covering himself with a clean robe, he then let Seren open her eyes again. He dried her too before wrapping her in a robe as well.


    He lifted her in his arms and carried her back to her bedchamber. Parting the gauzy curtains away, he ced her in the middle of the bed. Smelling the fresh sheets, it seemed like her servants came in to change them while the royal couple was in the bath.


    He knew that despite the thick and warm nket, his wife would be feeling cold. Drayce pulled her in his arms, scooping her in his warm embrace. "I hope you are not feeling cold now."


    Her husband''s thoughtfulness never failed to surprise Seren. She did not even say anything, yet he noticed she was feeling a little cold after their bath. With this man with her, she didn''t need to tell or ask for anything; he always paid attention to her behavior and reactions, never failing to notice even the tiniest thing about her. Despite her never speaking out about her needs, he took care of her in the best way possible. His concern for her warmed her heart.


    For Seren, it was bing a normal thing to sleep with him like this, and after what they did tonight, there was no need to feel hesitant about being intimate with him. She let her head rest on his arm as she faced him. Looking at his adorable wife affectionately, Drayce tucked the loose strands of her hair behind her ears and caressed her cheeks over her veil.


    "It must be an exhausting day for you. You should sleep now," he said softly.


    The wedding ceremony in Megaris was more trying for her than the wedding ceremony they had in Abetha. Excluding the hours it took to prepare, the grand ceremony, the parade, and the royal ball took the entire day, and afterwards, what Drayce did with her took away the remaining strength in her.


    Seren nodded and closed her eyes. All her energy had been sapped away at this point, and she moved closer to Drayce to bury her face in his chest. She liked to sleep like this as she felt protected in his embrace.


    Drayce gently hugged her fragile body and allowed her to sleep peacefully; however, he himself was not able to sleep. He stared at the dark sky through the huge ss window of the chamber. The darkness seemed to represent what he was trying to hide, and his worries resurfaced in his mind????��in particr, the devil inside him. Like he had always feared, he lost his self-control and had been about to hurt Seren more than he already did. If not for her begging for him to stop, he would not have regained himself. It was torturous for him to imagine what that devil would have done to his delicate wife.


    ''I need to keep him away from her. I need to control him, or else, he will definitely hurt her again. He was angry at her for letting me touch her." Drayce gritted his teeth. "That devil. If only I could kill him once and for all��''


    ======


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 Chapter 293 - He Is Hiding Something

    <h4>Chapter 293 - He Is Hiding Something</h4>


    Dear readers, at the end of chapter 290 some part was missing where Seren helps Drayce. Kindly clear the cache in the app and read it again. It was updated after a few hours of chapter uploading so there might be few readers who must have felt something was missing and could not read it.


    --------


    Just as the first rays of sunlight touched her face, Seren woke up and found the ce next to her empty. She felt a twinge of sadness as she looked forward to seeing his face first thing in the morning. Sincest night was special, she didn''t expect him to leave her alone in bed, but thinking about it again, it was nothing unusual. Drayce leaving early happened all the time, except for a few unusual situations.


    Filled with disappointment, she turned her head to look at the window, only to see Drayce in his robe standing there, staring nkly outside. He looked deep in thought. The soft morning light highlighted the high cheekbones and the sharp jaw of his handsome face, reminding Seren that her husband''s appearance was nothing short of a beautiful piece of art. It was a sight she didn''t think she''d get tired of.


    However, though they had spent a lot of time together ever since she left Abetha, not even once had she seen Drayce wear a mncholic face like this.


    ''What is he thinking about? How long has he been standing there? Did he even sleep?'' Just as she racked her brain trying toe up with answers, Drayce turned his head to look at her and caught her staring.


    "How is your sleep, my Queen?" He then slowly walked towards her.


    Seren blinked back her daze as she watched his tall form covered by the morning light''s halo. His long ck hair was messy, and she briefly recalled how she tangled her fingers into those silky strandsst night. Only after he sat at the edge of the bed did she get her wits back. "What were you thinking about, Your Majesty?"


    Drayce gave her a questioning look before answering in a somewhat teasing tone, "What could this Majesty be thinking about? Hmm, I wonder�� I think I was fondly remembering the scene of my Queen saying my name again and again while I was making her feel good. Shall I assume that my Queen likes to call me by name only then?"


    Seren felt like burying herself somewhere but she understood he said it because she didn''t call him by his name. She pulled her nket up to cover her face and hide herself.


    Drayce chuckled, "Are you embarrassed, my Queen?"


    Seren did not reply.


    "If you continue hiding yourself, I will be tempted to do it again��to make my Queen say my name again and again, even if the sun has risen," his sweet words carried a tinge of warning that Seren didn''t fail to notice.


    She peeked out of the nket, only her eyes visible while everything below her nose was still covered by the nket. She looked like an innocent kitten and Drayce didn''t know what to do with her. Something about her precious pair of eyes caused a wide pleased smile to be painted on his lips. He could not help but appreciate how adorable his wife was acting.


    Drayce leaned down and pecked on her forehead. "Good morning, my Queen."


    "Good morning��" she replied, neither addressing him as His Majesty nor saying his name. He didn''t want her to call him by his title anymore, and saying his name was only embarrassing for her after Drayce mentioned how she called his name again and again when they were intimate.


    "Since my Queen is not ready toe out from that nket, then I have no other choice but to get inside it." Drayce lifted the nket up and apanied Seren again. Now, Seren could not hide from him. Drayce did not let go of the chance to cuddle his wife.


    He scooped her in his embrace and hugged her tightly, resting his chin over her head before closing his eyes. The entire time, he had been restless and worried, but the moment he hugged her and inhaled her sweet scent, all of the worries guing his mind seemingly disappeared.


    Although he was not saying anything, somehow, Seren could sense what he was feeling at the moment. She herself didn''t know how, but recently, she had started to feel his emotions. It made her wonder if it was because of that soulmate thing they shared due to the flower mark on her head; however, she couldn''t be sure.


    "Is there something troubling you, Dray?" she asked.


    Hearing the concern in her words. Drayce froze. He felt his heart skip a beat. He didn''t expect her to worry about him, and neither did he expect her to ask it this way????�� calling him by his name so lovingly.


    He repeated her question in his mind once again????�� ''Is there something troubling you, Dray?''


    He wished to imprint it in his mind as he truly felt like she was his wife, like she was someone who truly worried about his well-being and was not saying those words out of courtesy. For the first time, he got that sense that she considered him someone important in her life, not by force but willingly.


    "You are not answering me. Are you truly troubled?" she asked once again, seeing him remain silent.


    He let go of her and looked at those beautiful eyes which were filled with worry for him. "I am fine, my Queen."


    "But I feel like something is troubling you. I want to ignore it, thinking it''s my imagination, but I can''t stop feeling like this. Besides, you are also not acting like your usual self," she added.


    Drayce stared at her for a while, wondering how to answer. The two of them had many interesting interactions ever since they met, and thus, he knew what his wife was like, perhaps more than she knew herself. Although she was kind, she was never the perceptive kind. In fact, shecked the experience of dealing with people. She had been learning ever since she left her old life, but she barely started opening herself to him. Why would she show sudden sensitivity to his emotions?


    His gazended on the flower mark on her forehead. ''Is this the reason she can sense my feelings? Is this the reason she gave into me and epted me? The feelings she has for me, are they all because of this flower?''


    Heavy sadness covered his heart at the thought. He wanted her eptance for him to be something out of her own free will. He then looked at her curious eyes again and realized that she was patiently waiting for him to talk.


    ''Whatever it is, she is my wife and we will be fine. I don''t care about that flower. I can never let her go away. She is just mine,'' Drayce thought. He put a light smile on his face. "I am a king so there are always many things for me to worry about. But let''s not talk about work. We are still on our wedding bed and we should take some more time to enjoy it."


    Seren noticed the change in his eyes that showed his wicked intentions. He wore a smirk that showed she was in trouble. Just as she thought of getting away from him, she was already turned on her back and Drayce was on top of her.


    "Are you trying to run away from me, my Queen?"


    Trapped under him, Seren could not move even an inch with her hands pinned on either side of her head. She tried to give an excuse. "It''s morning and the servant will being inside anytime soon��"


    "With me here, will anyone dare enter without being called?" Drayce countered as his gaze roamed across her face. Her face was covered with a veil, but the previous night he had touched her face and he was now trying to rte it with the shallow impression of the lower half of her face in his memories.


    He was not one to care for beauty, but he could not help but say, "You are beautiful, my Queen."


    ''He did not even see my face but he is calling me beautiful?'' she thought.


    Drayce had more to say, as if in answer to her thoughts, "No matter what, to me, it is you, my wife, who is the most beautiful."


    Just like how he never cared for beauty, Seren too never cared about appearance, much less expected to hear anyone praise her looks. Moreover, given the scales on her body that she herself never wanted to get rid of, she was sure that everyone must think she is ugly. But this man was different. He found her beautiful, never caring about the scales or how she truly looked.


    "Thank you," was the only thing she could say after being praised by her husband.


    His sight stopped at her lips and he asked, "Are your lips still hurting?"


    She nodded. "A little."


    Drayce thought of kissing her, but as she said she was hurt, he could not make himself do it. He pecked on her forehead instead. "I hope you will forgive me for hurting you the previous night."


    Now that Drayce had mentioned it, she wanted to ask something that bothered her. "That was not you, right?"


    It startled Drayce, but he quickly got back to his senses. "Why do you say so, my Queen? Other than me, no one will dare touch you."


    "I-I just felt like you were different," she exined hesitantly.


    "Whenever you feel I am different, you have to stop me. If you can''t, you have to run away from me," he said. By the tone of his voice, he obviously ced much importance on this.


    "Why?" she asked.


    "My Queen, I can not exin everything to you now, but I hope you will do as told."


    Seeing the concern in her eyes, he added, "I do not want you to get hurt.".


    The little romantic atmosphere that was created a moment ago hadpletely disappeared. There was only tension in the air, as if Drayce was�� afraid. He asked again, "Will you, my Queen? Will you promise me?"


    "I promise," she assured.


    Drayce let her go and sat on the bed. "I need to leave now. Will you be fine on your own?"


    Seren nodded and spoke, "I will not be alone. My servants will be here to help me."


    Drayce got out of bed. "Today, you are officially starting your duties as Queen of Megaris. Prepare to attend the royal court today. After the morning court, I will be granting a private audience to each of the royal delegates from the other kingdoms. You do not need to meet everyone, but as the Queen of Megaris, you will have to at least see off a few guests along with me. Tyra will guide you."


    She nodded again. The door of the chamber opened on its own and Drayce walked out without looking back. Seren watched his retreating form until he disappeared from her sight. Only then did she get back to her senses.


    ''He is hiding something.'' She was sure about it.


    Afterward, her servants entered the chamber to take care of their queen.

 Chapter 294 - I Want To Get Rid Of The Devil

    <h4>Chapter 294 - I Want To Get Rid Of The Devil</h4>


    The moment Drayce stepped out of Seren''s bedchamber, the pleasant expression on his face disappeared and it changed back to a cold one. His gaze hardened with each step he took, masking the worries hounding his mind from observers'' eyes. When he reached the King''s chamber, he went straight to his royal bath. Orion had served him for a long time, and he could arrange for the needs of his king even without orders from him.


    Leaving his robe on the side, Drayce stepped into the hot waters of the indoor pool and lowered his body until the water reached mid-chest. He closed his eyes as he sat back, resting his back against the wooden wall with his arms spread leisurely on the wooden tform behind him. Strained silence enveloped the side chamber as he kept that posture, and even his breathing could be barely heard over the noise of his thoughts.


    Since the previous night, things had been difficult for him. Though he didn''t show much concern in front of Seren after the devil inside showed up, the worrisome issue never left his mind.? Now that he was alone, he no longer needed to hide everything behind a smile.


    ''I tried my best to not let hime out, but he seems to be getting out of control these days. In front of her, he seems to be stronger, to the point I cannot control him.'' All these thoughts caused frown lines to appear on his forehead. ''How dare he try to im her and call her his? She is mine and I will do my best to keep him away from her. She doesn''t need to know him. It will only scare her. After countless efforts, she is finally starting to trust me. I can''t let him ruin everything.''


    Despite having made such a deration, Drayce''s thoughts continued to linger on the scenesst night.? He remembered what the devil was trying to do with Seren the moment he took over his body.? His eyes snapped open as he clenched his fists. It scared him to think what he could have done to Seren if she did not manage to stop the devil in time. The way she begged for him to stop him rang in his ears.


    "Dray, stop...please stop��"


    ''How ironic that I am trying to protect her from others when I myself am the biggest threat to her.''? He felt pain remembering how her voice trembled as she called out his name. At that moment, he promised himself that this situation should never happen again. This problem had to be immediately addressed, in one way or another. Drayce made a decision.


    ''Only He can help me get rid of this devil. I need to find Him. I have no other option left. Even if I hate Him the most, for her sake, I need to.''


    Drayce came out of the bath donned in a bathrobe, his long hair dripping wet over his shoulders. Orion along with his other servants hurried to attend him.


    "Ask Tyra to see me in my study, now," Drayce informed them after he was dressed.


    "Will you be meeting Lady Tyra after your morning meal, Your Majesty?"


    Drayce shook his head. He could not even think about eating at this point as he first wished to see Lady Tyra. Orion nodded as he sent one of the servants to call for thedy.


    Soon after Lady Tyra arrived in the King''s study, Drayce entered the room.


    "Good morning, Your Majesty," Lady Tyra greeted with her head lowered. She didn''t have a good feeling about this meeting.


    Once Drayce sat in his chair, he looked at her. "Have a seat."


    Lady Tyra sat on the chair nearest to his desk. "May I know why Your Majesty has called for me?"


    "I want to meet someone and I need your help to know where I can find him."


    "May I know who His Majesty is referring to?" Lady Tyra asked.


    "The Devil," Drayce replied without dying it for a second.


    Lady Tyra nearly lost herposure. "Your Majesty, you mean��"


    "The one whose blood is running in my veins," Drayce cleared her doubt.


    Lady Tyra found herself speechless. The Devil was an existence beyond the understanding of humankind????��meeting Him was not something that would happen as any person wished. Moreover, all these years, not even once had Drayce shown any willingness to know about his biological father. As someone who had watched him grow up within the royal pce, Lady Tyra knew how much he hated Him. What could have prompted this change of mind?


    "Your Majesty, may I know why you wish to see Him?" Lady Tyra asked.


    "Just tell me where I can meet him," Dryace countered as he red at her, not willing to answer any of her questions.


    "Your Majesty, though I am aware of His existence in this world, I am not sure where you can meet Him," the olddy exined, shaking her head. "The only one I know to have seen Him is the previous Queen."


    "Are you saying it''s impossible to meet Him?"


    Lady Tyra pondered for a bit. "All I know is that He arrives when someone calls for Him."


    "Call for him?" Drayce repeated. "How?"


    Lady Tyra shook her head again. "Your Majesty, it would be better if we do not mention Him. You must have heard a thing or two about the myths about Him. His arrival is a bad omen, and his presence indicates that a disaster will being our way, so pray that we will never have the need to call for Him ever, or it will only bring one to sacrifice what is precious to them."


    "I am not going to call Him but I will find Him," Drayce informed firmly. "Even if He desires, I will not let Him step foot in this pce!"


    Lady Tyra didn''t say anything to contradict his statement. "He is your father. He might�� change His rules for you."


    "No need to call Him my father. All these years, I have never considered having one." Drayce looked cold and unfeeling on the outside, but underneath his mask, therey a disappointment that he had buried in his heart for so long. ''He who never even looked for His child after he was born and could not protect him from abuse even once, so what if he has great might and powers? Is it worth calling Him a father? He just needs to pay me for carrying His blood in my veins!''


    "Your Majesty, I want you not to hide anything from me. It''s for your sake," Lady Tyra said worriedly.


    Drayce did not mince his words. "I want to get rid of that devil."


    "Your Majesty��"


    "I know what you will say, but he is not me," Drayce interrupted her, "and he is dangerous for her."


    Lady Tyra understood now why Drayce was worried and why he had suddenlye up with such an absurd idea. It was all for Queen Seren.


    "I understand, Your Majesty. I will try to find out how you can meet Him," Lady Tyra assured. She knew at this moment Drayce would not listen to anything she would say. She wanted to make him understand what he was asking for, but perhaps at ater time, once he was calm enough not to be swayed purely by emotions.


    Meeting the Devil. No one knew His real name and hardly anyone talked about Him, a mysterious existence shrouded by darkness and fear. It wouldn''t be an easy feat to know His whereabouts.


    "Don''t make me wait too long," Drayce ordered.


    Lady Tyra nodded and left after bowing to the young king.

 Chapter 295 - Am I Beautiful?

    <h4>Chapter 295 - Am I Beautiful?</h4>


    The servants Marie and Eva were the first ones to enter the Queen''s chamber after Drayce left. When they looked at their queen sitting in the bed, looking dazed, they could not help but wonder what she was thinking about.


    "Good morning, Your Majesty," Marie and Eva greeted together.


    It pulled Seren out of her thoughts and she looked at the two women standing in front of her. "Good morning."


    "Your Majesty, would you like to sleep for some more?" Marie asked as it was expected for a woman to rest tillte after the wedding night.


    "No, I would like to have a bath," Seren replied.


    While Marie and Eva went to the side chamber to prepare a bath for their queen, Seren picked up the red stone bracelet from the table and wore it out of habit. After tightening the loose belt of her robe, she climbed out of the bed and went towards the particr window where Drayce was standing when she woke up. She looked in the direction he was looking at earlier, but there was nothing special to be seen.


    She wondered what he was looking at so intently. What was he thinking at that moment?


    She was sure something was troubling him and she wished he would share his worries with her. Even when he came to tease her and looked at her with a pleasant smile, she could still feel that a part of his mind was somewhere else.


    ''I wonder if the problem is rted to me, and if it is, why does he want to hide it? Is it about how he changed the previous night? He was scary but��he doesn''t need to hide it from me.'' She sighed deeply and continued to stare outside the window.


    After a while, her servants returned to the bedchamber. "Your Majesty, your bath is ready."


    Nodding lightly, Seren followed them to the bath. Just as they reached the door of the side chamber, Seren paused mid-step before telling them, "I want to be alone."


    The two servants could only nod and stayed outside as their queen entered the bath. As usual, everything she needed was already arranged inside.


    As she was heading towards the bathtub, Seren turned to look at the mirror hung at the wall of the chamber. Seeing her veiled appearance in the mirror, she pushed back her long hair over her shoulder, exposing the sides of her delicate neck. Afterward, she loosened the knot of her robe and pulled down the top part with her slender fingers, revealing her corbones and the top part of her chest. Her neck was covered in colored patches. When she further lowered her robe, the sunlighting from the ss windows allowed her to clearly see the situation of her chest and stomach. Due to those bruise-like marks, her fair skin was barely visible.


    She didn''t think that the marks were bad or ugly; rather, they reminded her of how she got those marks. A sudden blush covered her face. She removed her veil and touched her cheeks which donned a pretty scarlet shade.


    She remembered Drayce''s words that he said to her this morning????�� "You are beautiful, my Queen."


    Seren calmly observed her face, her fingertips lightly brushing across the delicate features that only she and her nanny had seen.


    ''Am I really beautiful?''


    She didn''t know what she should think. ''Other than Martha, no one has ever told me that I am beautiful. But I know Martha always said it to make me feel good, and she had watched me grow up, so she''s biased. Brother Cian said it once in a while but he is my brother and he just wants to make me feel good. Others? No one has ever seen me without a veil. How can others say I am beautiful when no one has ever seen my face?''


    She touched the blue gold scale at the right corner of her forehead before tracing towards the right side of her neck.


    ''But I have scales, and people look disgusted whenever they see my skin. Back in Abetha, no one even dared to look me in the eye after seeing these scales on my skin. I never heard what the people in Megaris have to say about these scales, but I think it''s because they''re probably too scared. Saying anything bad about their Queen can offend the royal family.


    ''I look ugly and disgusting, right? Beautiful maidens should have white unblemished skin, just like all the royaldies and daughters of nobility that I have met... But my husband called me beautiful. Why? Is he like Martha? He didn''t see my face but he still praised me, unlike others. If he gets to see me, will he change his mind and think I am ugly?''


    Her thoughts were chaotic. Before this, Seren was never concerned about how she looked. After all, she was always in her tower????�� how her hair was done, what clothes she''s wearing, how her skin looked, none of them mattered because no one could see her anyway. She used to ask Martha once in a while if she was ugly but it was because she wished to know why others called her ugly. She did not really understand how society defined beauty and had a vague understanding of what qualified as one. But now the reason was different ????�� she was concerned if she was really ugly.


    She looked at the scales on the back of her palm. ''Do these scales really make me look ugly?'' She caressed them with her other hand. ''But I don''t mind them. They are what identifies me as a witch, the only thing that connects me to my mother, and I don''t want to give up my identity. I don''t want to hide these scales. I won''t change what I have been like for all my life.'' She finally looked at herself with a determined look. ''If to be ugly is to embrace my identity, then I don''t mind being ugly.''


    Serenpletely let go of her robe, causing it to fall on the floor, and stepped toward the bathtub. She gingerly stepped inside the now lukewarm water and made herselffortable inside, lowering herself till the water briefly covered her shoulders before leaning against one side. Although she still felt stinging pain when her skin touched the water, it didn''t feel as painful as during the bath she shared with Drayce.


    The reason she didn''t let Marie and Eva help her was obviously because she didn''t want them to see her body covered in bites and bruises. Although they would probably keep quiet, she would have felt embarrassed for her body to be scrutinized. Besides, she didn''t want them to think Drayce was being cruel to her.


    ''Since when did I start to be concerned about what others will think about him?'' Seren sighed but then thought it was the right thing to do.


    She then started cleaning herself with a soft cloth. She looked down at her chest; she was sure her skin wouldn''t return to its usual color anytime soon. Just as she raised her leg up a little, she noticed there were also bruises on her calves. As she checked further, there were bite marks on the inner side of her thighs as well.


    Each revtion of the marks on her body seemed to refresh her memories from the previous night.. Her body shivered as she remembered how much she liked his touch. She finally got the answer to one of the questions she used to ask herself after reading those adult books????��why would one want to get hurt and why would they like it?

 Chapter 296 - Young Queens Fragile Heart

    <h4>Chapter 296 - Young Queen''s Fragile Heart</h4>


    It felt like her face was hotter than the water as she remembered each and every move Drayce made as he pleasured her, and she did the same. Though it was causing her face to flush in embarrassment, what they did the previous night sure felt good. She felt that if they were truly to repeat that��she would no longer find being intimate with him scary.


    Seren took her sweet time cleaning herself while remembering specific moments from the previous night. Soon, she stepped out of the bath and wore a bathrobe without calling for her servants.


    When Seren stepped out of the side chamber, she found that herdies-in-waiting and servants were waiting for her. Lady Xena and otherdies-in-waiting paid their respects to her.


    "Only Marie will stay with me in the wardrobe room, and others can wait here for a while," Seren instructed in a firm voice. The Queen, who never spoke much and sounded soft-spoken most of the time now had an authoritative tone in her voice.


    Though some were confused, the clever ones had an idea why their queen was sending them out; however, no one dared question her order.


    Lady Xena bowed lightly and said, "Your Majesty, we have prepared the dress you need to wear for the morning court. If you do not like it, please let us know."


    While Seren brought Marie to get dressed, everyone remained in her main bedchamber.


    Marie had a guess why Seren must have sent others away. "Your Majesty, let me dry your hair first."


    Seren sat on the wooden stool in front of the mirror while Marie started drying her hair. Later, Marie brought out a luxurious deep blue dress that looked more formal than the ones she usually wore on a daily basis. She held it in front of Seren. "Your Majesty, is this fine for you to wear? We decided to match it with pale blue jewelry that will go well with your crown."


    The dress had long ruffled sleeves and a high neckline, leaning more on the conservative style. She thought it was a befitting choice as it was exactly the type of clothes that could hide the marks on her neck. Seren nodded and stood up so her servant could help her wear her clothes.


    As she removed the bathrobe, Marie''s eyes could not help but see the bruises on her skin. ''No wonder Her Majesty��''


    She was sure this was the reason their queen asked the others to leave. It was equallyforting for Marie that Seren didn''t feel hesitant in her presence, trusting her even after knowing she was not any ordinary human.


    "Your Majesty, are you fine?" Marie asked. "Do you want me to request some healing ointment from the royal physicians?"


    Seren shook her head and answered Marie''s unspoken questions, "They don''t hurt at all."


    Marie no longer spoke as she helped Seren wear her clothes. Once the Queen''s body was all covered up, Marie called for the otherdies toe inside. As Seren was yet to start officially handling pce affairs, getting Seren ready was one of Lady Xena and otherdies-in-waiting''s biggest responsibilities.? On her first appearance in the royal court, their queen needed to perfectly present herself as the Queen of Megaris.


    After doing her hair and putting the crown on her head, Seren was ready. Just as she stepped back into her bedchamber, they heard a knock on her door.


    A servant informed after paying respect to her, "Queen Seren, His Majesty King Drayce has asked for your presence to join him for a morning meal in his residence."


    Herdies-in-waiting led her way towards the connecting passage between the King''s and Queen''s residences, and as usual, yer was waiting for her on the other side of the passage. He then took her towards the dining room.


    When the door opened, Seren found an unexpected yet familiar figure standing by the window with his back facing her. Her veil-covered lips curved into a pleasant smile as she hurried towards him. It happened that he was turning around upon hearing her approach.


    "Brother Cian!" she said as she stood in front of him.


    Cian gave her a brief hug. "King Drayce has invited me here to dine."


    Seren didn''t expect this surprise, but she was happy. "I am happy to see you here."


    "I believe King Drayce knows how to make my sister happy," Cianmented and Seren only blushed.


    Cian wanted to pat her head, but since she''s wearing a crown, he opted to affectionately pat her face instead. "You seem to be looking more and more beautiful."


    "Thank you, Brother Cian." The smile on her face widened. "What are you looking at?"


    Cian looked at vastnd covered with pine trees and faraway mountain ranges. "Though I don''t like the cold, I have to admit that the winter in Megaris is exceptionally beautiful."


    Seren nodded in an agreement. "Yes, it is."


    Just then a sweet voice interrupted them, "Seren!" A little girl came running towards Seren and hugged her legs.


    Seren looked down at the little girl and patted her head. "Rayjin."


    Looking up at her, Rayjin offered her a wide smile. Seren saw three other men entering the dining room: Prince An, Prince Lenard, and Duke Wimark. From a distance, all three bowed to Seren, "Good morning, Your Majesty."


    Seren epted the greeting with a light nod, and just then, another person entered the dining room. Seren looked at the tall handsome man wearing his symbolic ck clothes with gold embroidery on it. Though she had seen him before like this, she could not take her eyes off of him. The more she was getting to know him, the more she was feeling attracted to him.


    In the presence of others, this young queen boldly stared at her husband as if she was in a daze.


    Cian noticed his sister and could only smile mildly. ''No wonder they say young girls have fragile hearts which they could not get hold of.''


    While Cian was trying to keep his face neutral, the three representatives from Griven sensed the neer''s entrance and immediately avoided looking at Seren to prevent misunderstandings. They all looked at Drayce who looked delighted inside but had the same cold expression on his face. It caused the room to be unusually silent.


    Only the ignorant Rayjin who did not understand the mood between the young couple was confused by the situation. "Seren?"


    Rayjin''s call pulled her out of her daze, interrupting her from staring at her dear husband.. When she realized what she had just done, Seren could not help but feel a furious blush crawl on her face.

 Chapter 297 - Pair Of Brothers-In-Law

    <h4>Chapter 297 - Pair Of Brothers-In-Law</h4>


    Seren immediately averted her sight from Drayce.? Embarrassment took over her while Drayce acted as if he didn''t notice it, pretending nonchnce to not make her feel more embarrassed.


    The others in the room were experienced people as well and chose to remain quiet despite witnessing this young queen stare at her husband in a daze.


    "Seren, I want to y with you today." Happy to have her attention again, Rayjin asked with a bright smile, "When you''re freeter, can we y?"


    Rayjin''s excitement broke the awkward atmosphere inside the dining room. It was a relief for Seren that the little girl was there as her savior.


    "Yes," Seren agreed. She was sure she didn''t need to take anyone''s permission to decide on what to do during her free time. As they said, she was a queen and she could decide everything on her own.


    The little girl smiled widely as she got what she wanted. But just as everyone thought that they would be proceeding to have their morning meal,? no one expected Rayjin to say something that would further embarrass the young queen.


    "Did you know? I wanted toe to your residence so you could give a tour of your ce yesterday, but you left the banquet before I could ask. I''ve never been to your chamber and I''m sure your bed must be sofortable and many times bigger than mine! I initially wanted to give you a surprise visit and sleep together with you, but Father said you were already asleep so I should not disturb you."


    Rayjin''s innocent words triggered Seren''s memories of the wedding night. Though she opened her mouth to reply, she didn''t know what to say. Under the pressure of the guests'' gazes, she even felt that she would soon be buried under a mountain of embarrassment.


    Coming to her rescue, Drayce stepped forward and lifted Rayjin in his arms. "You did well listening to Duke Wimark. She was tired after the long wedding ceremony so she retired early to her chamber. If you behave well for the rest of the day, then tonight, you can sleep together with her."


    "Really?" Rayjin asked.


    "Hmm!"


    "Your Majesty, my daughter is a willful kid. You don''t need to listen to her every demand," Duke Wimark said.


    Drayce looked at him. "It''s fine, Duke Wimark. I am sure Seren also wants to spend more with her."


    Seren looked at Drayce in shock. ''Did he just say my name in front of others or was it my imagination?''


    Drayce looked at her. "Am I right, my Queen?"


    ''No, he didn''t call me by my name. I must have heard him wrong.''? However, she did not voice out her true thoughts, and replied with a "Yes, Your Majesty." As they were in front of other people, Seren didn''t feel it right to call him by his name.


    Drayce looked at Prince Cian. "I believe Prince Cian isfortable with our kingdom''s hospitality."


    "Indeed, Megaris has shown particr care to me and my delegation," Cian replied. "It''s a massive improvement from my previous visit a couple of years ago, which shows our kingdom''s alliance has truly be stronger." He then gave a knowing nce between the royal couple, paying special attention to the conservative choice of clothing that his sister wore today. "I believe all is well in your end? King Drayce has not forgotten the words you have given? my father, right?"


    Drayce smirked a little, his tone proud. "If not, I believe Prince Cian would not be able to see his sister this soon. Perhaps you''ll wait for a few more days."


    The three delegates from Griven understood what they were talking about. Seren only realized their implied meaning after she saw her husband''s smug expression. The others could only helplessly shake their heads, not knowing how to react to the meaningful exchange of words between Drayce and Cian. The princes and the duke from Griven could only pity the young woman caught in the middle of the two.


    Seren didn''t expect them to discuss her like this in the open, and the embarrassment she had earlier returned. Seeing her husband and her brother talk like this, she regretteding here. She didn''t know what to say or how to behave.


    "Good to know that King Drayce values the words he had given," Cian said, having an expression of satisfaction on his face.


    Seeing that Drayce was about to reply, An could no longer bear it and decided to join them. "You two royals should know better than anyone where to stop. Especially, you, you rascal of a husband. How can you not see your royal wife''s difort?"


    "She will get used to it," Drayce replied as if he wasn''t bothered.


    An looked at Cian. "You do not have anything to say against this?"


    "My sister is too timid. To live with such a man, she needs to get used to it," Cian replied. He faced Seren, sporting an expression of a stern elder brother. "Sister, you are now Queen. Be bolder, and be more fearless. Do not wear your heart on your sleeve. I can''t let my sister be dominated by anyone."


    "Poor soul," An sighed as he threw a look of pity on Seren''s way. "I''ve felt it before, but you two have some simrities and of the bad kind. It''s lucky that you pair of brothers-inw live in different kingdoms and won''te across each other too often, or else Her Majesty will have to suffer like this every day."


    "Worry about yourself," Drayce countered. "Duke Wimark and Marquise Kayden are searching for your betrothed. From what Ist heard, isn''t your woman lingering in the southern borders of Megaris?"


    An pretended disinterest. "You people don''t know when to give up."


    Ignoring him, Drayce looked at Duke Rhys Wimark. "Any new update?"


    "We are expecting to find them soon," the Duke replied.


    Drayce looked at An with a sarcastic smile. "Another joyous asion to celebrate soon."


    "Indeed, that''s really great news," Cian added as he gave him a teasing smirk.


    "Since he''s the first son, I wish my brother would get married before me," Lenard added. "That would be perfect in the eyes of our royal parents as well."


    An red at his younger brother. "If you are dying to get married, then do not drag my name into it. Not like I am stopping you. Who says the second son can''t marry first?"


    Everyone knew how much An was against getting married and others didn''t wish to let go of a chance of teasing him.


    "Don''t be angry at him. Prince Lenard is simply worried about his elder brother who might end up with no wife," Cian teased again.


    An offered him a mocking smirk. "Prince Cian, I heard the search for the crown princess of Abetha came to an end. Should I congratte you for the strengthening of the rtionship between Abetha and Othinia?"


    Cian''s expression darkened as he scoffed. "That''s just spection. Don''t let your sources give you wrong information."


    "But what''s the issue? I heard the Princess of Othinia is among the most desirable princesses across the continent," Prince Lenard wondered out loud.


    "Brother Cian, are you getting married?" Seren asked before Cian could reply. She was surprised but happy to hear it.


    "No, Seren," Cian replied. "Don''t listen to them."


    At this moment, the atmosphere inside the dining room looked like that of a family and not of a host and his foreign delegates.

 Chapter 298 - A Small Wish Finally Granted

    <h4>Chapter 298 - A Small Wish Finally Granted</h4>


    As their group was conversing on one side, Orion entered the dining room along with the servants carrying the food trays, and they hurried to arrange the drinks and dishes on the long table. Normally when dining, everyone should have been seated and food was arranged in front of them. However, the royals and nobles inside were not the type to bother much with etiquette.


    Realizing they had no intention to stop, Orion then cleared his throat as he informed them, "Your Majesties, esteemed guests, please enjoy your meal while they''re still warm."


    The servants pulled the chairs out for everyone to sit. As the one with the highest position, Drayce''s seat was on the head of the table, while Seren sat to his right. Seated next to her should have been Cian, but he gave way to the adorable Rayjin who requested to sit beside Seren, and so the Prince of Abetha gave up his seat for her and moved to the next seat.


    On Drayce''s left hand, An, Lenard, and Duke Wimark sat ording to their status, with An closest to the head and the Duke the farthest.


    After receiving information about who would be dining with the King and Queen, the royal kitchen had prepared an array of food that were not only local to Megaris, but also some dishes native to Griven and Abetha. Most of the dishes prepared were the ckhelm City''s seafood delicacies, partnered with fragrant rice and vegetables that were imported from the central region.


    During the morning meal, everyone talked about the guests who came to the grand wedding, trying to understand the current stance of the various attendees as well as the shifts among the power bnce around the continent that were caused by the marriage alliance between Megaris and Abetha.


    While Seren was initially listening, she realized afterwards that she could not follow the conversation well. Since she did not know the names of many of the people mentioned, she mostly focused on entertaining Rayjin instead. The twodies were busy in their own world, Seren mostly helping Rayjin to pick and taste the foreign dishes that the little girl found unfamiliar. When the desserts came inter, Rayjin was the happiest because she spotted a familiar shortcake which was a fad in the capital of Griven.


    After the meal, Rayjin initially wanted to leave her father''s side and stick around with Seren for the rest of the day. However, Drayce and Seren had to go to the royal court; she would only be free in the afternoon. It was the first day of Seren meeting the royal court after being officially announced as the Queen of Megaris.


    "But? I want to be with Seren the entire day today!" Rayjin said. "Can''t I follow her? I promise I will stay really really quiet!"


    "Rayjin, Her Majesty has important things to do. Once she is free, you can see her again," An said. He knew the temper of his little niece, and it would be bad if she were to dy the official duties of the royals in another kingdom. Though Drayce and Seren might not mind, the other nobles attending the royal court would surely throw a fuss.


    Rayjin pouted and looked at Seren with a displeased expression. Seren patted her head before caressing her soft cheeks. "It won''t take long. We can have a tea party in the gardens in the afternoon, and I will ask the royal kitchen to prepare your favorite shortcake. How does that sound?"


    "Fine," Rayjin agreed, but her voice still sounded a little downcast.


    "You are here for the first time. Don''t you want to tour my pce?" Drayce asked. "There is a beautifulke here that you might like."


    "Ohh, I likekes! Uncle An once told me it''s a very prettyke," Rayjin said and looked at Seren as she added, "Just like Seren."


    Cough!


    An choked at thest line and looked at Drayce before it could cause any misunderstanding. "Theter line, she added that herself. I just said it''s a prettyke."


    "Seren is also pretty so I said it like that," Rayjin exined as she felt wronged at the way his uncle reacted. "Is it wrong?" she asked innocently.


    Drayce shook his head. "You are not wrong, Rayjin. Before, this pce had only one pretty thing, and now we have two????��thatke and Seren."


    Seren no longer followed what the discussion was about the moment she heard her husband say her name again. This time, she was sure it was not her illusion.


    Rather than surprise, she felt warmth spread in her chest. She could not help but smile under her veil. She liked him saying her name????�� the same name others call her, buting from him, it felt different, more melodious to her ears.


    Drayce looked at her and found her staring at him. "Do you want to say something, my Queen?"


    She shook her head and looked at her empty te as a little disappointment took over her. ''Why did he call me ''my Queen'' again? Since he already dropped my title, can''t he just be consistent and use my name when talking to me?'' she frowned inwardly.


    Before their group went about their own ways, Drayce turned to look at his friend. "An,? since you know my ce like the back of your hand, I hope you can show Prince Cian and Duke Wimark around the pce. I will let my knights apany you so you can move around with ease."


    Though An was a frequent visitor of the Royal Pce of Megaris, he was still a prince from a foreign kingdom. Without Drayce apanying him, the royal guards would restrict him from moving around too much within the pce grounds.


    "Using me for freebor again? Tsk." An grumbled a bit, but in the end, he left with the rest.


    Once they left, Drayce looked at his wife. "Shall we, my Queen?"


    Seren nodded and stood up. The couple left for the royal court followed by several royal knights, with yer and Azer in the lead. While walking through the vast corridor, Seren found her eyes looking at the door of a particr room that had a dragon carved on it. She already noticed it the first time she visited the King''s residence, and she had some guesses in her heart about what this room must be.


    ''The King''s bedchamber.'' She had a strong feeling that she couldn''t be wrong.


    Drayce noticed where she was looking and told her, "My Queen, are you curious? Soon, I will give you a tour around the King''s residence."


    Seren just nodded and continued to walk with him.


    The royal carriage was waiting at the entrance of the King''s residence. Drayce helped Seren to get inside the carriage. He preferred riding a horse on normal asions, but since she wasing with him to the Grand Pce, he chose to apany her inside the carriage.


    It was the first time Seren would meet with the royal court. As far as she could remember, she had never attended a royal court session even in Abetha. Even if she did, she only had blurred memories from her childhood; she was not sure if it was from the Royal Court of Abetha.


    While they were riding the carriage, Drayce looked at the quiet Seren.? It made him wonder if she was excited to see the royal court. "My Queen?"


    She threw a casual nce his way, but he could see the displeasure in her eyes.


    "Did something happen to upset you? When we were talking before the meal, in particr?"


    "No, Your Majesty," she replied.


    Drayce stared at her for a while and moved a little, leaning towards her, close enough for her to feel his breath. "Lies, huh?"


    Seren moved back on instinct as that intimidating pair of red eyes scared her, but they were inside a carriage. There wasn''t much space for her to move until her body was cornered against the wall of the carriage.


    She looked away. "I-I am not sure what Your Majesty is referring to."


    "I could clearly hear you sighing deeply. And did you forget my name, my Queen?" he asked.


    She shook her head. "You are not saying my name either."


    For the first time, Drayce got a sense of defiance from his wife�� and he liked it. He moved back to his original position and those red eyes seemed to sh as he looked at her. "So, my Queen wants me to call her by her name," he concluded.


    She looked back at him, trying to be brave, but she was not someone used to voicing out her true thoughts. She was still hesitant, but she wanted to ovee it. "Isn''t it fair since you want me to call you by your name too?"


    He chuckled as he liked that she was learning to demand what she wanted. "Fine. From now on, I''ll call you by your name�� Seren."


    Though she wasn''t showing it, she was happy, and there was a light smile on her lips. Unfortunately, it was covered by her veil, and her husband was missing out.


    "Thank you, Dray," she replied, "But in front of others, I would like to call you by your title."


    Drayce agreed, "Fine. I will do the same."


    Finally, another milestone was reached in their marital rtionship. It might have been a small thing to other couples????�� having decided when and how to call each other to show intimacy????��but for these two, it was a hurdle that took a while to cross. And because it was a step forward in their rtionship, both were happy inside.


    Seren was someone who cared little for prestige and titles, and for people she liked and cared for, she always wanted them to address her by name. Hearing it from her husband gave her a more intense feeling of belonging,? which made her like her name even more.


    On the other hand, Drayce always wanted to call her by her name, but from the initial conditions of their interaction????��when they got married as strangers and how Seren was distant and wary of him????��he preferred to maintain that distance unless she herself allowed him to call her by her name. It was a small wish, to want her to ask him to call her by name, and that small wish was finally granted.


    Afterwards, the royal couple alighted from the carriage and entered the Grand Pce, where all the ministers and pce officials forming the royal court were waiting for the King and Queen to start the morning court session.

 Chapter 299 - Meeting A Father-In-Law

    <h4>Chapter 299 - Meeting A Father-In-Law</h4>


    After entering the Grand Pce, Seren glimpsed around the hallway, appreciating its royal splendor with the decorations of their wedding removed. The Grand Pce could be considered the ''face'' of the entire royal pce, as this was the ce where the king met his subjects for the important affairs of the kingdom. Without the red fabrics and flower ornaments, this particr pce gave off a more imposing and solemn atmosphere.


    When the couple halted outside therge double doors of the throne hall, a herald announced the arrival of the King and Queen of Megaris as soon as the royal guards opened the doors.


    "All rise! His Majesty King Drayce and Her Majesty Queen Seren of the Royal House of Ivanov have arrived!"


    All the members of the royal court stood up from their seats the moment the announcement was made and lowered their heads towards the King and Queen.


    As they made their way towards the throne in front of the hall, many eyes were trained on Drayce and Seren, more particrly on the new queen. They were used to seeing Drayce''s cold expression, and what they were curious about was the type of person Seren was.


    Drayce and Seren soon reached the base of the elevated tform on the other side of the hall. Jasper and yer followed them up until this point, as above the elevated tform was a ce only for the King and Queen.


    Seren blinked when she realized that above the tform, there was only a single throne, not two thrones arranged side by side. However, it wasrger and longer than the throne Seren was used to seeing in the Royal Pce of Abetha or during their wedding ceremony yesterday. It was more like a golden couch engraved with a dragon and a phoenix in flight, and two adults could fitfortably on it.


    Seren had a guess in her heart. ''Is it meant for the King and Queen of Megaris to share together? That''s��unique.''


    It wasmon practice in many kingdoms in the continent to have two thrones when a king has a queen, and for some kingdoms where queens do not share the sovereignty of her husband, they were even allocated a smaller throne on the side, indicating that her attendance was merely ceremonial and she had no rights to make decisions.


    Megaris could be said to be unique, as their queens could possess and wield sovereign powers separate from her husband. There were even times in history where queens could overrule the decisions of their spouses with the support of the royal court. For Megaris, they generally disregard bias for gender, only supporting the party for the interests of the kingdom, and it was this kind of mentality that allowed Megaris to be the strongest kingdom in the continent.


    This unique tradition was symbolized by the spacious throne��the King and Queen of Megaris sitting together meant that they were equals ruling together, no one higher than the other. It meant that as long as one of them was present, his or her orders were absolute. At the same time, it also indicated that if she''s otherwise upied, the Queen was not required to attend the sessions of the royal court, and the King could sit on this strange double throne on his own.


    Drayce offered his hand to Seren as he stepped first on the elevated tform. "My Queen!"


    Breaking out of her thoughts, Seren epted his hand dly as they climbed those few steps hand in hand. Drayce heard her say, "Thank you, Your Majesty!"


    As soon as Drayce and Seren sat on the spacious throne and turned to look at their subjects, the ministers and high-ranking officials in attendance all paid them respect by bowing with their right fists mped to their left chests.


    "Your loyal subjects greet His Majesty the Dragon and Her Majesty the Phoenix who protect Megaris!"


    Drayce responded to them with a light nod while Seren quietly observed them without any reaction. Ever since she arrived in the royal pce, Lady Tyra had educated her from time to time about the protocols of the royal court and how she should act as Queen. However, there were many things she needed to learn and several weeks of lessons were not enough to understand them all. Being quiet was the best way for her to go through most of the things that she was not used to. Everything was new to her and the best she could do was to calmly stay by Drayce''s side as a queen and not let him down.


    Seren looked at the grand sight of the royal court, at those faces both familiar and unfamiliar to her. Many of them were people she had spoken to for the first time yesterday during her wedding banquet, and she remembered feeling the ingrained pride and dignity each of them carries as the pirs of the Kingdom of Megaris. However, seeing their lot bow before her all at the same time gave her a profound feeling. While sitting on the throne, overlooking their lowered heads, she could feel the true power a monarch holds, a ruler whose every move could cause ripples and waves throughout the kingdom.


    Power and responsibility��they bore a heavy weight.


    In order to calm her rising nerves, Seren took a small breath to steady herself and used that chance to look around. For the first time, she was seeing the throne hall used for its normal purpose, and that was to convene the officialsposing the royal court in order to address the concerns of the kingdom.


    Even without the wedding decorations, the entire throne hall was still the grandest architecture inside the Royal Pce of Megaris. The entire hall was made of expensive marble and furnished with furniture, sculptures, and ornaments of the highest quality purchased from all over the continent. Beautiful crystal chandeliers illuminated the hall, as the windows were covered by long velvet curtains. It gave off an intense scent of luxury; however, the inky ck banner with a golden crest symbolizing the sun stitched on it seemed to embrace the people within the hall, making it seem like a mysterious existence was looking down on the people seated. Instead of amazement, it mostly made people feel oppressed.


    Compared to the magical fairnd and festive vibe the throne hall gave off during the wedding ceremony, the current atmosphere was grave and imperious, reminding Seren of the solemnity she often felt from her father whenever he faced his subjects back in Abetha. The difference was that while King Armen was a dignified king, the ministers under him were not under his absolute control, and thus they gave off a morex feeling. On the other hand, Drayce was known for being overbearing, and the ministers in his royal court rarely openly go against him. Therefore, the atmosphere within the royal court of Megaris was more of quiet awe and respect.


    Below the throne, only the two rows of grand chairs arranged facing each other were upied. For the daily morning court sessions, only the high-ranking ministers, the most authoritative figures with important roles within the royal pce were present this time. Because of yesterday''s event, all the dukes were in attendance as well, though theirplete attendance was a rare urrence since they mostly reside not within ckhelm City but in their respective territories.


    There were only two young men who had no assigned seats. One was yer, themander of the royal knights, and the other was Jasper, the king''s aide. They stood at the base of the throne tform, one on each side.


    Jasper cleared his throat. "For this day''s session, the first item on the agenda is to report your identities and your affiliation to Her Majesty Queen Seren, as well as a brief scope of your work."


    All the important officials came forward depending on their rank and introduced themselves to their queen with bright smiles and respectful words. Some of them did it to show their respect to? Queen Seren, and few did it considering the potential benefits they could get from the Queen if they managed to pull her on their side. Many of the old and experienced ministers simply went through the motion as a mere formality.? It could not be med that they didn''t consider Seren important because for them she was no one but a naive princess imprisoned her whole life, someone who had no knowledge about politics, military strategy, or administration; she was simply a ceholder, a queen with no reputation or skill.


    Whatever motivation they had in mind, based on the expressions on their faces, these nobles looked delighted to see the Queen who will rule their kingdom along with the KIng.


    After the introductions concluded, Seren let out a shaky sigh. These names, titles, and jobs�� she had to familiarize herself with them and memorize them by heart. Though she didn''t know anything now, she didn''t want it to stay this way. As such, she would slowly work her way into understanding how the internal structure of the royal pce worked first, before slowly integrating knowledge about the nobles of the capital and thenter the various officials working on the territories.


    From the second item on the agenda onwards, Seren no longer needed to interact with the officials and merely listened in her seat.? The usual royal court session resumed its pace, starting with listing the different concerns of the day that needed to be brought up to Drayce''s attention, as well as the progress of the issues brought up in the past court sessions. Their topics ranged from the civil aspects of the kingdom up to the military ones, including the current public safety within each of the territories, the status of the industries supporting the economy of the kingdom, and the current military situation at the Megaris-Thevailes border.


    Not only that, since winter had officially started, it was discussed that the uing months might be the coldest months that Megaris had experienced for thest hundred years. Thus, there was worry about the sufficiency of the food kept in storage of each territory, and if there would be a need to open the kingdom''s national granary.


    Seren was listening to everything carefully, and though she was unfamiliar with the specifics, she could understand the general trend of what they were talking about. Though she was an imprisoned princess, she was neither illiterate nor ignorant, only inexperienced. For the first time, she felt that the King of Abetha did at least one thing good for her�� sending her many books and forcing her to read them all through Martha. He didn''t keep her illiterate, and although shecked proper education, she still had a foundation and could rte to the points of discussion within the royal court.


    The royal court sessionsted an entire morning. It had been an eye-opening experience for Seren, and it reminded her of Drayce''s troubled look when she woke up.


    ''As a king, he truly has many things to worry about,'' she could not help but think.


    After the King and the Queen left the royal court, Seren remembered that their next destination should be granting an audience to each of the delegates sent by the royal families of the other kingdoms.


    However, aftering out of the Throne Hall, Jasper rushed to their sides to inform Drayce, "Next, we have to go to the Obsidian Pce, Your Majesty."


    Drayce stopped in his tracks and Jasper spoke again, "Lady Tyra has already arranged for the foreign delegates to have your audience tomorrow, and His Excellency has also allowed your visit. The Great Lady is there and she wishes to see Your Majesty there."


    Hearing his grandmother''s name, Drayce could only agree to this sudden change of ns and walk forward with Seren. Though Drayce was unwilling to visit the former king, he didn''t show it on his face as Seren was with him. He didn''t wish her to witness something upsetting when it''s been just a day when she became the Queen of this kingdom and had truly epted him as her husband.


    Seren was aware of whom the Obsidian Pce belonged to��the previous king and Drayce''s father, Theron Ivanov. It had been more than a month since Seren arrived in the royal pce, but not even once had she seen Former King Theron and neither anyone had ever mentioned anything about him except for when Lady Tyra exined to her about the royal family of Megaris. Even during the wedding, she was not introduced to him.


    ''Did he note to the wedding ceremony yesterday? I wonder what kind of a person he is. Does he look like Dray?'' Seren had many questions in her mind, but at the same time, she felt hesitant to meet the previous king because he was her father-inw and she was not sure if he would wee her knowing she was a witch''s daughter.. But since she heard Jasper mentioning the presence of the Great Lady, she could feel at ease.

 Chapter 300 - Cold Father And Son

    <h4>Chapter 300 - Cold Father And Son</h4>


    The royal carriage reached the Obsidian Pce in no time. Behind the huge gate made of wood as dark as charcoal, there was a picturesque residence that looked straight out of a painting. It was smaller than the King''s pce, but it had a more quiet artistic style that blended the style of Megaris'' architecture with a more ancient design. She saw the servants assigned to Obsidian Pce working on the gardens, and they seem unusually focused on their jobs. They worked quietly, which was a starkparison to Seren''s own female servants anddies-in-waiting.


    Seren and Drayce stepped down the carriage and they were weed by a middle-aged man who seemed to be King Theron''s personal attendant, apanied by two more servants.


    "Greetings, Your Majesty King Drayce and Queen Seren. Wee to Obsidian Pce."


    Drayce responded with a light nod and the servant led their way inside the residence. Seren felt the massive difference between this ce and the other pces she had visited so far. Despite the servants busying about, it was really quiet, the kind of quiet a library normally has. She could guess that Former King Theron enjoyed tranquility and solitude. From that, she had a guess about his personality.


    They entered the grand drawing room of the residence where one middle-aged man was sitting in a high backrest armchair made of dark mahogany wood. The white-washed room wasrge,rger than any of the drawing rooms Seren had seen, as if several rooms were joined together for it, and it was lit with natural lightinging from the floor to ceiling windows with a view of the garden. Opposite the man, a familiar silver-haired woman was sitting in another high backrest armchair�� Great Lady Theodora Ivanov.


    Seeing Drayce and Seren, the olddy smiled pleasantly while the man next to her did not bat an eye. ording to etiquette, it was normal to only receive a single guest at a time, unless there was a tea party where acquaintances representing different families enjoy their leisure time together. That was the reason why among the aristocracy, it was considered rude to simply drop by someone else''s ce without informing them beforehand, either by letter or by sending an attendant.


    The Great Lady''s appearance in the Obsidian Pce at the same time as Drayce and Seren''s visit was no coincidence. She was there because she knew she had to be present to make it possible for this estranged pair of father and son to meet. She was the only person these two always listened to, and they followed her wishes to at least sound civil to each other.


    "Greetings, Grandmother," Drayce said before looking at the other. "Greetings, Royal Father."


    Drayce bowed to them and Seren followed the same.


    Seren dared not look the man straight in the eyes.? King Theron Ivanov had the appearance of a handsome middle-aged aristocrat with long wavy dark brown hair and equally dark eyes. His presence was neither domineering norrge, and if Seren was not expecting to see him, she wouldn''t even notice him sitting in the drawing-room because anyone''s gaze would turn towards Great Lady Theodora, whose beauty did not fade with age.


    However, the moment the man turned towards Seren''s direction, it felt like his gaze was a sharp de pressed against her neck. Though the old king was neither smiling or frowning, that unusual sharp coldness surrounding him was intimidating, and it reminded her to be more careful not to make any mistakes.


    ''Now I know why Dray is like this, cold and sometimes scary,'' she concluded as she took a peek at the elderly man, only to meet with his eyesight. Seren immediately averted her sight.


    ''He is really scary. But�� he does not look like Dray at all. Rather, he looks exactly like an older version of Prince Keiren. Seems like Dray took after his mother.''


    Jasper also entered the drawing-room together with another servant with a tray in hand. He greeted? King Theron as well, "Greetings, Your Excellency." When King Theron looked at him, Jasper continued, "King Drayce and Queen Seren have prepared a gift for their first visit."


    The servant came forward and Jasper lifted the red silk covering the round wooden tray. On it was a rectangr box that looked like a case. "This is a hardwood tobo pipe imported from Abetha, and it is one of its kind as it is finely carved by a grandmaster artisan from the central region."


    Upon the old king''s approving nod, his servant came forward and epted the gift on his master''s behalf. Bowing again, Jasper left with the servant.


    Drayce did not react to the exchange as he was not the one to prepare this gift; he was sure Lady Tyra was the one to arrange it and send it through Jasper.


    "Have a seat, Dray and Seren," the Great Lady instructed.


    The two sat on the same couch next to each other. Silence enveloped the room afterwards. Seren did not know where to look, and thus, she kept her eyes on the floor like a meek little girl waiting for interrogation.


    "Seren," the Great Lady called out to her.


    She raised her eyes. "Yes, Grandmother?"


    "Befortable here. This ce doesn''t belong to a stranger but your father-inw."


    "Y-Yes, Grandmother. I amfortable here," she replied hastily.


    "If Esther was here, it would have been morefortable for you to meet your inws," the Great Ladymented.


    "I doubt."


    A deep yet apathetic male voice cut through the air like a de, causing the Great Lady''s smile to stiffen. The voice belonged to no other than her son, Theron.


    "Oh, shush. We have just gained a lovely new addition to our family," the old woman chastised. She then sighed. "My age is catching up to me. Our family needs to have more chances like this. We should have your wives and Keiren join us as well next time. A family reunion sounds nice."


    Drayce looked at the Great Lady. "Grandmother, having you and Seren is more than enough."


    The Great Lady sighed at how these two could not stop acting stubborn. "I would like it if today you two show respect to my efforts."


    Both the old king and the young one could only be quiet like obedient kids in front of the wise woman who they both loved.


    The Great Lady knew her son, Theron, and grandson, Drayce, would never meet each other on their own ord, thus she wished to create an opportunity for them to meet. It was not only for the sake of these two, but also for Seren, the daughter-inw of the family and now the Queen of this kingdom. She should at least be given a chance to meet her father-inw. If the Great Lady had left it on Drayce, she was sure Drayce would never bring Seren to meet Theron, so she had to n for this meeting with the help of Lady Tyra.


    The Great Lady looked at Theron''s aide and the middle-aged man understood the meaning of it. He gestured for another servant toe forward, and he was holding a tray in his hand covered by silk cloth.


    Theron''s aide exined, "As a gift upon first meeting, His Excellency had arranged this gift for Queen Seren." He lifted the silk cloth covering the tray. There was nody-in-waiting apanying Seren to ept it on her behalf, so the servant kept the tray on the center table in front of Seren so she could see it.


    There was a jewelry set studded with rare gems and looked exceptionally beautiful.


    The entire time, Theron remained expressionless, not even once looking at Drayce or Seren ever since they sat down.


    "Seren, I hope you like it," the Great Lady smiled.


    Seren nodded and gave thanks, while the cold man sitting next to her was the same as his father. These things didn''t matter to him, but he could not tell Seren to not ept it as he was sure this gift was arranged by his grandmother.


    In a timely manner, the servants brought the snacks and the freshly brewed tea, causing the strained atmosphere within the drawing-room to somehow ease up. However, the situation remained stiff, as only the Great Lady was actively leading the conversation.


    After finishing her third cup of tea, the Great Lady could no longer bear it and asked Seren, "Which reminds me, I have brought seeds of rare flowers with me today. You ought to know, I help maintain Theron''s garden. He loves watching flowers, but he''s no good at taking care of them. Since the weather outside is good today, would you like to join me to do some gardening, my dear?"


    "I would love to, Grandmother," Seren replied.


    "Very well then." The Great Lady stood up and looked at Drayce. "Apany your father till we return."


    Drayce could not say no to his grandmother and let his wife apany his grandmother.


    "Come with me," the Great Lady said as she led Seren away. Herdy-in-waiting followed them carrying one wooden box in her hand.


    The two royaldies soon reached the garden, and instead of going to the flowerbed, they went to the side where a few y pots were arranged on the stands in rows. They were filled with fresh soil, obviously prepared beforehand. Great Lady Theodora stood in front of those pots as herdy-in-waiting opened the wooden box she''s carrying.


    The old woman picked up a few seeds in her hands and looked at Seren. "Do you know what these seeds are?"


    Seren stared at those small white seeds with faint ck lines, but they were not something she could recognize. She shook her head. "No, Grandma."


    "These are the seeds of flowers that Drayce''s mother loved. After she left, I have tried to germinate these seeds so many times here but they never sprouted and my attempts failed every time."


    Seren didn''t know what to say and heard the Great Lady continue speaking, "Will you try for my sake this time?"


    Seren was taken aback a little, but she could not disobey grandmother''s request. She nodded and put her hands forward to ept those seeds. After epting a pair of gloves from a servant, Seren nted those seeds in all the y pots. Once it was done, Great Lady Theodora spoke, "Thank you so much, Seren."


    "It was nothing much, Grandmother," Seren replied.


    She didn''t understand why the Great Lady had asked her to do so and took it as simply helping her grandmother. After all, raising a nt would depend on many factors, like the type of soil used, the amount of water the seeds needed, and favorable weather conditions, among many others.


    The Great Lady smiled as she had her own reasons to ask Seren to do it.

 Chapter 301 - A Devil Favours A Witch

    <h4>Chapter 301 - A Devil Favours A Witch</h4>


    While Seren and the Great Lady were busy outside, the pair of father and son left behind in the drawing-room had no will to talk with each other. The tense atmosphere remained for about five minutes before someone broke the silence.


    "Just to make it clear, my Obsidian Pce is not receiving guests," King Theron spoke in the same apathetic tone he used earlier.


    "Neither am I that bored of life toe visiting here willingly," Drayce replied ndly.


    The old king continued to look at the garden view outside of his windows, while Drayce was the same. None of them wished to look at each other.


    "I thought the next chosen queen of this kingdom will be someone of worth, but just like me, it appears you have failed too," the old king spoke in a voiceced with regret.


    His words were clear that the previous Queen of Megaris was not a woman of worth, and neither was Seren. He sure had heard about what kind of life Seren had lived in Abetha.


    "The man who could sacrifice his wife so easily has no right to determine who has worth and look down on others. There is no other woman as dignified and as admirable as my mother who paid arge price for her kingdom. I will have you know that the wife I chose is as pure as fresh snow, many times better than the scheming courtdies and ambitious noble daughters you so favored."


    The old king scoffed. "Person with such a judgment is the King of Megaris? Pure as fresh snow? Can purity feed the hungry during winter? Can it end the war? Delusional and idealistic fool! "


    "Then why did you make such a person the king of this kingdom?" Drayce countered.


    King Theron red at Drayce. "That you need to ask your father. If not for him, why would I hand the throne to someone without the Ivanov bloodline, a bastard whose veins carry the Devil''s blood?"


    "That Devil is the one you asked for help when everything was about to be destroyed." Drayce red back at him as his red eyes looked furious. "I never asked to be the king of this kingdom! If it was not for Grandmother��"


    "Hah! You dare call her grandmother when you''re not even rted by blood. How shameless!" The old king sneered. "If you don''t like being a king that much, then go to your father and ask him to dissolve that agreement. I will make my son Keiren, the legitimate heir of the Ivanovs, the King of Megaris and give him back what originally belongs to him."


    "Your son?" Drayce scoffed. He tried to be calm but there was a storm inside him and stood up. "My father was the one who saved this kingdom that once belonged to you Ivanovs. It is now mine, and what is mine will remain mine. Mark my words, your son will never sit on my throne."


    King Theron looked at the young king standing in front of him. "And you say you don''t want that throne."


    "I did not care for it in the past, but now I want it. I have someone to protect and I will show you no one else but my wife deserves to be the Queen of this kingdom."


    The old king let out a humorlessugh. "A devil favors a witch. Nothing surprising."


    "Better than a human who tortures the innocent," Drayce countered.


    "Innocent? Are you referring to yourself? You speak as if your hands are not coated with blood. Why is a devil like you preaching about fairness and morality? There are times when one must harm even the innocent for the greater good of the people."


    "Humans move for benefits and interests. Even a man like you had given up his wife once the proper price was paid, but you''re trying to justify it by pretending to be a victim. I prefer to be a devil than a human with a fickle heart."


    "Devil? Are you so proud of your bastardly background? I am d someone like you is not my real son."


    "And I am fortunate that I am not your real son, that your cowardly blood doesn''t run through my veins��"


    "What''s going on here?!"


    The two heard the sharp voice of an olddy and immediately kept their mouths shut. Great Lady Theodora could hear their angry yells even though she was a certain distance from the drawing-room. At least on this merry day when they just had a new daughter-inw in the family, she expected these two to at least act cordial and behave in front of her, to not openly show the conflicts within the family, but they just disappointed her.


    The old woman looked at Seren who had clearly heard the end of their conversation when they entered the drawing-room. She was silent but the Great Lady was sure she had some questions in her mind.


    Drayce looked at Seren to tell her, "My Queen, it''s time for us to leave," and then looked at his grandmother. "Grandmother, if you wish to talk to her, you are always wee in the Queen''s Pce." He looked like he had lost his patience and didn''t wish to stay there even for a moment.


    Great Lady Theodora could only nod and briefly hugged Seren. "I will visit you in your residence soon, my dear."


    Seren nodded and left with Drayce.


    After they saw the couple''s carriage leave outside the ss windows, the Great Lady looked at her son. "You are still the same."


    "Mother, he is not my son and I request you not to try to make him a part of my family," Theron said coldly.


    "Between adults, kids are the ones to always suffer," the Great Ladymented. "You should reflect on what you have done. If you feel guilty, even a little, then stop acting like this."


    "As King, what I did was to save this kingdom and the numerous lives of my subjects."


    "And as Queen, Esther did what she could," Great Lady Theodora countered, to which Theron had nothing to say.


    He stood up. "Mother, you should rest." He then turned to leave.


    "My son," the Great Lady called out, and despite not wanting to, Theron stopped.


    The Great Lady continued, "You say you no longer think about her, but I know since she left that you are trying to grow the flowers she liked but could never do it."


    Theron froze in his ce and heard his mother continue, "I have nted her seeds again in those pots. This time, I am sure you will get to see them bloom."


    Theron didn''t say anything and left, leaving the Great Lady inside the now empty drawing-room.


    Her once dignified voice now trembled with sadness. "I hope before I die, I get to see my family together."


    "All will be fine, mydy," herdy-in-waiting consoled the older woman. "Just give them time."


    =====


    Dear readers, thest date to get aic version of the important novel scenes is 31st December.. On 1st-2nd Jan I will dere the list of the readers who got it. [Criteria- 40k fan value points]

 Chapter 302 - She Sat On My Lap

    <h4>Chapter 302 - She Sat On My Lap</h4>


    The atmosphere within the royal carriage was strangely quiet as it left Obsidian Pce. Drayce was a man of few words, and among the many times Seren had shared a carriage ride with him, a majority of them were spent in silence. However, the silence this time was different�� one could sense an unusual coldness around Drayce, giving one the notion that he was covered in thorns and it was dangerous to disturb him.


    Her husband stared nkly at the passing view outside the window. He was obviously upset and angry, but Seren did not know how tofort him. She could only look at him and wonder about what she overheard from the drawing-room.


    ''Just like me, he doesn''t get along with his father.'' Seren sighed at their simrity. ''But I wonder how bad their rtionship is. What happened in the past? How could it have gotten to the point that King Theron could say that Dray is not his son and vice versa? Could it be true or was it an outburst of anger like how I don''t ept King Armen as a parent, but more as a warden? But��it''s impossible that they are not blood-rted. What kind of king would not hand the crown to his heir? If Drayce is not his real son, Prince Keiren should have been made king instead of Drayce��so it must be that their father-son rtionship grew bad after Drayce was crowned. To call his son a devil, it seems like there''s a blood feud between them. There are so many things that are difficult to understand. Ahh��but one thing is clear: that their rtionship has grown so bad, even Grandma finds it impossible to fix.''


    Drayce sensed her gaze that was stuck to him from the start. He could see the curiosity in her eyes, but he had no intention to exin. "Just ignore whatever you have heard there. Nothing good wille out of thinking about it."


    Seren nodded as she tried to suppress the questions in her mind. She didn''t want to further upset him. She only caught thest part of their conversation, and she had little understanding about the Ivanovs. In fact, she was clueless not only about the rtionships within the royal family but also with the high society of Megaris. Although she was unused to gossip, she realized that she should pay more attention in the future since it pertained to understanding her husband and the family she married into. Drayce appeared greatly affected by whatever the father and son talked about. Maybe in the future, he would open up on his own, and until then, she could only wait.


    They soon returned to the Grand Pce to grant an audience to the delegates from the other kingdoms, along with some of the important personages who came to the wedding ceremony. It didn''t take much time and the King and Queen were free just in time for lunch.


    "Your Majesty, the Great Lady has invited you and the Queen to the Crystal Pce. I have already cleared your schedule for the rest of the afternoon," Jasper informed the young king, knowing that when it came to the Great Lady, Drayce would never turn her down. "She has also extended invitations to the delegates from Abetha and Griven as well, and they are all waiting by theke. Shall we set off now?"


    Drayce nodded and while something clicked in Seren''s mind. ''Should I ask Grandmother about why Dray and his father are like this? Will it be fine to ask her once I visit her in the crystal pce? I hope grandmother won''t think that I am being nosy.''


    The royal couple rode the carriage once more towards therge ancientke with crystalline waters. Inside the gazebo, they saw the same group they had their morning meal with. An, Lenard, Cian, and Duke Wimark were all conversing with each other, while Little Rayjin was looking at the floor made of pure ss, enjoying the view of the colorful fishes swimming in the water.


    The moment she saw Seren, she ran towards her. "Oh, Seren! The gazebo has ss flooring! I can see the fishes! Many colorful fishes! Have you seen those colorful fishes?"


    Seren nodded at the excited girl. "I have."


    "They are so pretty!" eximed the little girl, smiling from ear to ear. "There are baby fishes as well. Come with me, I''ll show them to you! They are swimming in this area��"


    Seren went with Rayjin while Drayce turned towards the group of men.


    "It has been a long time since Ist visited this gazebo, and the view remains breathtaking. Looking from here, everything feels so peaceful," An said and looked at Cian. "I say, this has to be one of the most beautifulkes in the entire continent."


    Cian was used to traveling around and he agreed to An''s sentiment. "Indeed. I will even believe it if you are to im that the reason why the royal pce is built in this area is due to this ancientke."


    Upon seeing Drayce approach them, everyone except An gave him a bow. Drayce raised a brow. "Why are you all waiting here instead of heading straight to the Crystal Pce? Grandmother must be waiting for you."


    Drayce knew his grandmother was fond of An and thought of him as a grandson as well. During their younger days, An used to spend a lot of time in the Royal Pce of Megaris.


    "The Great Lady was with us just a while ago," An told him. "We were touring the gardens when she saw us from her carriage. When Rayjin heard you would being as well, she insisted that she wants to ride with you and your wife so the Great Lady said she''ll go ahead first."


    Everyone then left for the Crystal Pce. Drayce and Seren of course had a boat for themselves and Rayjin apanied them.? The four men sat in another boat.


    As their boat moved away from the gazebo, Rayjin squealed as she leaned over the edge, excited to see the fishes swimming near the boat. Her eyes widened when she noticed the colorful bottom of theke covered with nts and pebbles.


    "It''s so pretty," Rayjin said and stretched her hand to touch the water.


    "Rayjin, water is cold. Don''t touch it," Seren instructed. "Don''t lean too much as well. What if you fall into theke?"


    Rayjin, who was sitting next to Seren, nodded and obediently sat back on her heels. She continued to stare at the water.


    Drayce looked at his wife who was sitting opposite him and said, "Rayjin reminds me of when you visited thiske for the first time. I remember you enjoying the boat ride."


    Seren remembered that time and her lips curved into a smile. "It sure was exciting.? I have never seen water as clear as thiske, and it was my first time seeing what the world underwater looks like."


    Just then, she heard Drayce continue, "I believe now you understand the meaning of all the things I said at that time."


    Seren''s face was covered in pink blush as it didn''t take her time to remember everything. She frowned at herself. ''How silly I was.''


    "Do you?" Drayce asked again.


    "I do," she replied.


    "What are you two talking about?" Rayjin asked suddenly.


    Seren didn''t know what to say and Drayce answered, "We were talking about the first time Seren visited thiske and rode this boat."


    "Ohh," Rayjin said and looked at Seren. "Were you happy like me?"


    Seren nodded as she straightened Rayjin''s hooded winter coat and asked, "Aren''t you feeling cold, Rayjin?"


    Seren recalled how cold she felt when she was here for the first time. Thankfully, she no longer had to worry about it as she wore the stone gifted by Drayce whenever she headed out.


    Rayjin rubbed her glove-covered hands. "It''s really cold." She then looked at Seren. "Didn''t you feel cold when you first came here?"


    "I did," Seren replied. She pulled Rayjin closer to her and put an arm around her to provide her some warmth.


    "Then what did you do?" Rayjin asked. "Did you bring a nket?"


    Seren stared at her for a moment.


    What did she do? She sat on Drayce''sp and let herself be wrapped in his warm embrace.


    Seren gulped and looked at Drayce who was also looking back at her while carrying a light smirk on his lips.


    "She sat on myp and held me tight to feel warmer," Drayce answered Rayjin''s question.

 Chapter 303 - Warmer Than Blanket

    <h4>Chapter 303 - Warmer Than nket</h4>


    "She sat on myp and held me tight to feel warmer," Drayce answered Rayjin''s question.


    "Really?" Rayjin asked. "It''s too cold. Can I sit on yourp too?"


    Drayce nodded and picked up the shivering little girl. "I don''t want you to freeze here."


    Although Rayjin was dressed warmly, she was still a little girl with a constitution more delicate than an adult''s, and the temperature on top of theke was lowerpared to thend. Drayce made her sit on hisp and wrapped his arms around her.


    Seren smiled under her veil as she found this view so adorable��the tiny figure of a girl with a gigantic figure of a man, a perfect picture of the soft and gentle side of an iron-blooded male. One thing Seren understood was that Drayce though looked cold and scary most of the time, he was not afraid of showing how much he cared for those truly important to him.


    As she watched the two in front of her, she was reminded of all the times Drayce had treated her with sweet kindness. Long before she had learned of his identity, he had been there to help her, and ever since they had been married, he had been patient and indulgent with her, never neglecting to show her his concern for her wellbeing.''


    ''I am important to him,'' Seren concluded, ''and he is also important to me.''


    Her heart felt overwhelmed with the thought as she felt happier than ever. For the past month, the young queen had never been sad, causing the greenery within the royal pce to remain vibrant and lush, despite the entrance of winter. And her sudden realization brought her an intense feeling of happiness, causing the flower-bearing nts and trees on thekeside to bloom at their prettiest. Various colors seemed to ripple in the air, and the waves passed through the blooming flowers, causing anyone lucky enough to witness the sight to think how magical everything looked.


    On the second boat, the men from Abetha and Griven were in awe, particrly Duke Wimark and Griven''s Second Prince, who had nothing but praise at the beauty surrounding them. Cian was both proud and joyful as he appreciated the miraculous ability of his sister once more. Ever since he arrived in ckhelm City, he had been observing his sister, and the longer he stayed, the more he was convinced that his sister was nothing but happy in Megaris.


    "I believe you now trust my friend," Anmented on the side.


    "I do and I am happy for my sister," Cian replied.


    As they passed through the familiar waterway surrounded by a dense row of trees on both sides, the breeze above theke turned even colder. Though Seren was wearing her red stone bracelet, she still inevitably rubbed her hands gently.


    "Sit here," Drayce said. He patted the empty ce next to him before offering her his hand.


    Without a second thought, Seren epted his hand and stood up. The boat wobbled a little as she sat next to him, but she wasn''t afraid because the boat steadied itself. His arm then surrounded her shoulders and pulled her closer to him, his hand rubbing her arm to make her feel better.


    Seren blushed as she realized that those from the second boat could see them. However, she could not deny how she was growing to like being near her husband.


    "Seren, I don''t feel cold anymore," Rayjin said as she made herselffortable on Drayce''sp, even putting her head on his chest as she hugged him. "Isn''t Dray warmer than a nket?"


    "Seren knows it better than anyone," Draycemented as he continued to rub his wife''s arm. He turned his head to look at her. "This is just the beginning of the winter months for Megaris. I wonder how you will cope once we''re in the middle of winter and the entire capital is covered in snow. I will need to take care of you properly."


    ''Take care of you properly.''


    Seren didn''t know what to say so she decided to keep quiet. She could now understand the exact meaning of his words. She simply leaned against his body to make herself feel warm. After all, he was the one to offer it to her, and she never liked the cold anyways.


    The three of them were quietly appreciating the view from within the boat. Unlike the other boat that had an oarsman rowing their boat, their boat had no servant to attend to their needs, and Drayce was using his abilities to move the boat. In fact, there was even a distance between the two boats because using his power caused the boat to move in a faster yet more stable manner. No one felt surprised as everyone knew Drayce''s abilities. Even Cian was no longer shocked at this point.


    When they were traveling the waterway, Drayce''s boat had begun to slow as he wished to lessen the cold brought by the blowing wind felt by hispanions. Soon, the boat behind caught up to them. The group of men now had a closer view of the lovely scene where Drayce had Little Rayjin sitting on hisp like an adorable little monkey while his right arm was wrapped around his sweet wife. It was a picture of a perfect family.


    Lenard could not help but tease Duke Wimark. "If I am not that little girl''s uncle and I didn''t know who her parents are, I would have mistaken her for the daughter of the King and Queen of Megaris."


    Even An let out a helpless chuckle. "Only Rayjin can dare act however she wants with Dray."


    "It''s because His Majesty allows her to. My daughter is fortunate to be loved by both the King and Queen of Megaris," Duke Wimarkmented, but even he felt like doubting his own existence. He had obviously doted on his precious little princess a lot, but the treatment he received whenpared to Drayce��s! It hurt his heart!


    Cian chuckled but said nothing. He could see howfortable his sister was with her husband and what he saw was a sight to behold. Years from now, he could see his sister having her own family. Perhaps it was a daughter as pretty and lively as Rayjin, or perhaps it was a little boy as smart as his sister. He could not wait to return home and inform his worried father about how happy Seren was and how she was living the dignified life of a queen in Megaris.


    His sister, who the people of her home kingdom hated and despised, was now a wife loved by her husband and a queen respected by her people. It all felt dreamy to him as he never thought he would ever see this daye.


    ======


    Dear readers, after dealing with serious health issues for the past three months, now I am covid positive. Due to bad health, I have decided to take a break from writing for the month of February and focus on my health to get itpletely better.


    I will resume writing from the 1st March and I hope I will get betterpletely by then. I will give more chapters to make up for this wait. I hope you all will understand as there is nothing I could do but rest at this moment.


    The next plot will reveal about Drayce and His mother and birth father which I am excited to write but have to restrain myself for now.


    As much it is hard for you guys to wait for the update, it is equally hard for me to stop myself from writing when all I want is to write this beautiful story that keeps ying in my mind.


    See you all on the 1st March.

 Chapter 304 - Brothers Opinion

    When everyone reached the other end of theke, only Drayce and Seren were able to keep their awe in check. The Crystal Pce was the residence of Great Lady Theodora after she stepped down from the affairs of the pce, thus, not many were granted the chance to step inside. Rather than akeside vi, it looked more like a fairnd???? straight out of a painting�� with those hanging gardens with flowers in full bloom due to Seren''s ability, along with several water fountains and pavilions, it made the pce look harmonious with nature.


    Soon, they disembarked from their boats and the Great Lady''s servants weed their group. They were able to appreciate the view of the gardens as they were guided towards the drawing room where the owner of the pce was waiting for them. They all greeted her with reverence before taking their own seats.


    The white-haired Great Lady was happy to see this group of young people and said, "After a long time, Crystal Pce is finally having many guests again. This lonely ce has suddenly turned lively."


    "If it made Grandmother happy, then I think we should all visit here more often," An said looking at the elegant olddy.


    "That would make me happy. You all are always wee to visit," the Great Lady replied with a kind smile. She then looked at Rayjin who was looking around with her curious eyes. "Youngdy, seems like you like this ce, hmm?"


    Rayjin looked at the olddy and nodded shyly. She heard her father say, "Rayjin, why don''t you introduce yourself to the Great Lady? She is His Majesty''s grandmother, the former Queen Theodora Ivanov"


    Rayjin did a polite curtsy. "Daughter of the Wimark Duchy of Griven, Rayjin Wimark, greets Great Lady Theodora Ivanov."


    The Great Lady smiled as she stared at the adorable Rayjin. "What a lovely name for a lovelydy."


    "Thank you, Great Lady," Rayjin replied.


    Great Lady Theodora chuckled at her expression. It was obvious that she was a lively girl, and pretending to be a mature adult did not really suit her. "I am not a greatdy for you. Even your Uncle An calls me a grandmother. You should also call me the same."


    Rayjin looked at her father who nodded to show his approval. Rayjin looked back at the Great Lady. "Thank you, Grandmother."


    The Great Lady then turned her gaze towards the rest of the group. There were faces she was not familiar with, like Cian and Duke Wimark, but she had both seen them from the wedding ceremony and knew their identities. "My Crystal Pce rarely hosts guests, and I hope you do not find my hospitalitycking"


    The men replied in kind.


    "It is our honor to visit your residence."


    "Thank you for inviting us here, Great Lady Theodora."


    The Great Lady gave a light nod and continued, "Prince Cian, I would like to extend my personal gratitude to the royal family of Abetha for letting your sister marry my unruly grandson. Your family has truly blessed Megaris for allowing our people to have such a good queen."


    "King Drayce had earned it on his own. I did nothing," he referred to how Drayce helped Abetha and then in exchange asked for Seren. "But I am happy that my sister married him. Once I return to my kingdom, I am sure my father would beforted to hear how well my sister fared in Megaris."


    "d to know it. You can rest assured that the Ivanovs do not treat Seren as a foreign princess, but as a precious part of our family. I say this with confidence and my name in line."


    "It must be her destiny to be here."


    While these two conversed, others mostly listened to them. Seren was d that her brother thought highly about Megaris and her husband.


    "Grandmother, if you are not yet done hearing Prince Cian''s thoughts about me and our kingdom, then perhaps the rest of us should head out for our midday meal," Drayce said with a small frown on his face. He knew why his grandmother was being so talkative.


    "Oh, you. Why are you being like this? Is it bad to know if the brother is delighted or disappointed after sending his sister to a faraway kingdom to marry a stranger? You do not understand how worried her family must have been," the Great Lady countered and looked at Cian. "Am I wrong?"


    "Not at all. In fact, we were truly concerned about how my sister is being treated, after all, she does not send letters back to let us know her situation here and we are ignorant of her affairs. But now, I am assured. I am happy to have someone like Great Lady Theodora guiding my sister in her role as a queen, and I am equally happy with the way my sister''s husband treats her as his wife."


    Drayce could say nothing as he didn''t expect this stubborn prince of Abetha to praise him openly. It was fine if he was mocking him but getting praised felt awkward.


    As his best friend, An would not let this opportunity pass. "Don''t you know Dray is allergic to praises?"


    Cian smirked seeing Drayce looking not sofortable. He replied to An, "You have told me, but I still wish to check it personally."


    This caused the drawing room to be filled withughter. Rayjin was not listening to what these adults were talking about, and was gazing at them with confusion at this point. Since everyone seemed to be in a great mood, she could not help but ask, "Grandmother, can I look around your pce?"


    "Of course, you can, but first we need to have our meal," the Great Lady instructed.


    Their group all went towards the dining hall, with An still poking fun at Drayce''s expense.. The Great Lady was happy with the kind of warm atmosphere around her????�� it felt like family.

 Chapter 305 - Expecting Grandkinds

    As usual, Seren was busy looking after Rayjin while eating. The Great Lady could see Seren had changed and she was not as reserved as before. She looked at her grandson who looked back at her knowing what his grandmother was thinking. She gave him an approving nod,? the pleased smile on her aged face saying he did well in taking care of his wife.


    The way Seren was raised in an imprisoned atmosphere where her existence was scorned, it would have been normal for a girl like her to not trust anyone, and it was evident in her early behavior that she was wary of others. She was a quiet woman who never made demands for herself, like a doll who merely observed the world but never felt she was part of it. When the Great Lady first met her, she saw how Seren paid more attention to nts than to the humans around her, but she was no longer like that and the Great Lady believed it was all because of the care Seren received from her grandson.


    After finishing her meal and seeing Seren was also done with hers, Rayjin could no longer wait to roam around the Crystal Pce. "Seren, I am done eating. Can we go now? I want to see the garden outside. Uncle An said it has lots of beautiful butterflies."


    "It''s the start of winter here, Rayjin, so you might not be able to see butterflies," An said.


    Rayjin pouted. "But I want to see them."


    "Rayjin, there are other interesting things in the garden. We can have a look at them," Seren consoled her. "I can bring you to see Grandmother''s greenhouse. It is really warm and beautiful inside, much more beautiful than the hanging gardens outside."


    "Really? Then let us quickly go there!" Rayjin already forgot everything about manners and immediately jumped down from her chair with a bright face.


    Seren could only let out a helpless smile at the energetic little girl and looked at the Great Lady. "Please pardon her rudeness. I will now excuse myself to show her around."


    The Great Lady was not bothered by such a small thing and gave an approving nod. The two left with Rayjin''s excited squeals echoing within the hallway.


    "Seren seems to be good with kids," the Great Ladymented.


    Drayce remained silent as he knew his grandmother''s intentions. An replied in his stead, "That''s true, Grandmother."


    "She will be a good mother," the Great Lady added.


    Drayce looked at his grandmother and finally responded, "She is still too young."


    Cian didn''t expect to hear that from Drayce. Because of the promise Drayce made to the King of Abetha, Cian knew it wouldn''t happen any time soon, but the way Drayce said it, it showed how much he cared for Seren.


    The Great Lady agreed with Drayce, but she wouldn''t say that and said in the tone of the elderly,? "Of course, I know she''s still not of age. When did I say you have to give me my great-grandkids right away? In the future, I expect to have plenty of them!"


    "Rest assured, Grandmother. There will be little devils ying around us," Anmented, again, in Drayce''s stead.


    "I won''t mind a few more angels like their mother," the Great Lady added grumpily. "I am getting old and don''t have much energy to chase around little devils!"


    Drayce ignored the two as he quietly finished his meal. What those two were talking about was not going to happen till he controlled the devil inside him as he didn''t wish to hurt Seren. In front of her and her safety, everything was just secondary to him.


    After finishing their meal, the Great Lady and her guests came out of the dining hall to return to the drawing-room. Duke Wimark looked around but could not see anyone along the way aside from the servants. He could not help but sigh towards Lenard, who was walking beside him at the edge of the group. "I wonder where my daughter is. I hope she is not troubling Her Majesty too much."


    Lenard patted his brother-inw in the back. "We should have let servants follow to assist them."


    "How about we look for them? Perhaps they are in the hanging gardens outside," the Greatdy said. Everyone followed her to the garden that seemed to be integrated with the Crystal Pce itself, and it was filled with blooming flowers.


    "It''s surprising to see flowers in full blossom in such cold weather," Duke Wimarkmented. It made him wonder if he should try to raise these kinds of flowers for his duchess to enjoy in their garden.


    "There are winter flowers, but still, I agree with what you said. It is not always like this in winter, but this ce is blessed with someone''s arrival, thus we have the luck to see this sight," the Great Lady said with pride. Her words were clear that she was referring to Seren''s presence.


    While walking through the garden, they didn''t find even the shadows of Seren and Rayjin.


    "Have you seen the Queen and the littledy with her?" the Great Lady asked one of the female servants tending the garden.


    Before the servant could answer, Drayce raised his hand to stop her from speaking and focused his senses. He looked like he heard something and it was something surprising.


    Without a word, Drayce walked away from their group, causing those left behind to stare at each other with bewilderment.


    An understood his friend best and told their group, "Seems he found them." He then asked everyone to follow the young king.


    Drayce was so immersed in what he''s heard that he forgot he could teleport instead of walking like a normal person.


    Seeing the direction they''re heading in, Great Lady Theodora exined, "Seren must have taken Little Rayjin to the greenhouse."


    Drayce entered the greenhouse quietly. Standing at the entrance of the dome-shaped ceiling part of the greenhouse,? what he saw in front of him was something he did not wish to disturb. Just as others reached there, he raised his hand, signaling them to be quiet.


    Everyone was initially chatting animatedly as they followed behind him, but as they saw his gesture, they all stopped at the entrance of the greenhouse. Though the ss dome was full of rare and exotic flowers, their gazes were not on those nts but on the view in front of them.. They could not take their eyes off the breathtaking sight.

 Chapter 306 - You Look Like A Goddess

    When Seren and Rayjin came out of the dining hall after having a meal, Seren felt it was not good to keep little Rayjin out in the cold. Despite the midday sun shining overhead, the cold wind blowing from theke from time to time still caused Seren to shiver. They only stayed in the hanging garden for only a short while before she took the little girl to the greenhouse behind the pce where the temperature was maintained.


    "Where are we going, Seren?" Rayjin, who was holding her hand, asked.


    "Remember what I told you earlier?"


    Rayjin touched her chin as she tilted her adorable head. "The greenhouse?"


    "Smart girl," Seren replied. "Yes, we are going to Grandmother''s greenhouse. It''s really pretty and I am sure you will like it more than you like the hanging garden."


    The Crystal Pce had two main gardens, the hanging garden at the front and the one on the back of the pce where the greenhouse was located. However, when viewed from the boat, the entire pce seemed to be onerge garden in itself and many garden areas were interconnected. The path made of cobblestone connected all the gardens, and one could simply follow it to leisurely appreciate the wonderfulndscape.


    Rayjin soon saw arge dome-shaped structure with transparent walls and a roof. She let out an excited squeal. "Is that it? That ss building?"


    Seren nodded. "That is the greenhouse where we grow rare nts."


    "But why are the nts inside the building and not outside in the open?" Rayjin questioned.


    "Because there in that greenhouse, what we grow are nts which are not used to the cold temperature here in the North. Many of them need to grow with warmer weather conditions since the seeds were from nts taken from the South or the kingdoms in the central regions. Also, there are some rare ones that you would not find anywhere else, only in this greenhouse, so they will receive more care than ordinary nts."


    "Oh!" Rayjin sounded amazed. She liked beautiful things, and never really paid attention to the particrs of flowers and nts. "I would like to see them. Are there also butterflies inside?"


    "Last time, I saw lots of them. Normally, you see them in spring because only in spring do these flowers bloom, but I am sure this time too we can see them. See? Even from where we are standing, we can see the colorful flowers" Seren replied as she pointed at the ss walls.


    "Waah! It''s really warm here! I think I can take off my winter coat!" Rayjinughed as soon as the two entered the transparent dome-shaped structure.


    "Careful, Rayjin! Don''t run around too much, or you might break something."


    "I will behave well, Seren!"


    Seren merely smiled as her gaze followed the girl who looked like a butterfly herself, flitting from one flower pot to another, admiring their beautiful shapes and fragrances. Everything looked more beautiful under the bright sunlight entering through the ss roof, and the refreshing scent of sweet flowers and earthly soil made the atmosphere within the greenhouse more rxing.


    Seren had already been here before, but even so, her eyes didn''t stop taking note of each and every nt. The same went for Rayjin as they walked further inside. Rayjin''s attention in particr was at the top of the dome ceiling until they reached the central part of therge greenhouse.


    The middle of the ceiling had flower pots hanging in the likeness of thick curtain vines, and the style was something Rayjin had never seen before. She felt as if one big sneeze from her, and there would be a shower of colorful petals around her.


    "It''s really beautiful�� but where are the butterflies?"


    Seren looked around, unable to bear the sight of Rayjin''s disappointment. She was someone who loved to garden, and she had knowledge about these colorful winged insects. ''In the wild, they normally go into hibernation or they migrate to warmer ces during the cold season. But this greenhouse is warm all year long, and I think Grandmother raised butterflies in captivity. Though there shouldn''t be many, there should still be some since autumn had just ended.''


    "Seren, so I can''t see butterflies?" Rayjin asked again.


    Seeing her sad face with a cute pout, Seren patted her head. "Even I wish we could see lots of butterflies here."


    Just as she spoke those words, they saw a small butterfly flying towards Seren. Seren lifted her hand and it sat on her palm.


    "Ahh! A butterfly! It was hiding from us!" Rayjin eximed happily. The butterfly sitting on Seren''s palm had wings that were ck on the edges, and the middle had a gradient of bright red to deep orange and then sunny yellow with dainty white spots. It looked so much like a delicate painting that it was difficult to take one''s eyes off of it.


    "Seren, gently, gently! I want to see it closer," Rayjin said as she pulled at her sleeve and Seren lowered her hand to let Rayjin have a better view of the winged insect. As if it realized that the two females were harmless, the butterfly didn''t fly away but let the two admire its beauty.


    "Ah, it''s so pretty. I''ve never seen one this close before. They always fly away whenever I try to catch them," Rayjin said as she tried to touch the butterfly. However, the butterfly seemed to know her intention so it pped its wings, dodging her finger, and yfully hovered around her hair, causing the girl to let out a ticklishugh.


    "I hope this butterfly calls out its friends so we can see all of them," Seren said, only to see lots of butterflies of various colors and sizes gathering around them.


    "Whoa! It really did call them! They are here!" Rayjin eximed happily while jumping a little from one foot to another, pping her glove-covered tiny palms in the air in an attempt to catch one.


    Seren was surprised to see a swarm of butterflies in this cold season. She was only expecting to see a couple or three, but it seemed like dozens of them were ying around them, their wings of various gradients of blues, reds, and violets looking like a ssh of rainbow color amidst the greenery around them. She smiled brightly and turned around to see all of them gathered around her. Just as she turned, the butterflies changed their path and turned in the opposite direction to match Seren''s movement.


    "Seren, they are following your movements!" Rayjin called out in wonder.


    Seren felt doubtful and wished to check it. She turned around the opposite way, and again, the butterflies changed their direction to match her movement. Seren walked a few steps away and they followed her there.


    "See, I told you!" Seren heard Rayjin say as she herself was sure now.


    "You are right, Rayjin," Seren agreed.


    Rayjin was now deeply impressed. "Try something else."


    Seren raised her hands and lightly waved them like she was holding a wand and conducting some kind of music. The butterflies followed the movements of her hands and followed them, seemingly dancing together to a music only they could hear.


    Rayjinughed excitedly while Seren could not help but giggle at the magical sight. Just like Rayjin, she found the unexpected situation fascinating. She had tended her own garden in Abetha for years, yet this was the first time she was seeing something like this. Though she was almost an adult now, there were so many things she had never experienced in life, let alone what she was witnessing now was something mesmerizing to anyone lucky enough to see it.


    The sounds ofughter, squeals, and giggles spread across the greenhouse. The two girls were immersed in what they were doing without caring for anything else. Seren spread both arms on her sides and turned around in a circle as all the butterflies gathered above her head, dancing along with her in the center of the dome, surrounding her like they found the sweetest flower in existence.


    The stunning sight was so breathtaking, even the naughty Rayjin forgot to y. She stood with her mouth open in awe, her eyes fixed at the sight of the colorful butterflies seemingly worshiping the flower fairy in their midst.


    "Seren�� you look like a goddess."


    ====


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 Chapter 307 - Melodious Giggle

    Drayce could sense Seren''s presence anywhere as long as she''s within the royal pce. With his abilities, he was confident that there was no need to ask her whereabouts to anyone.


    The moment he extended his senses to find his wife, he was caught unaware by the sweet sounds of innocentughter. One of the voices, he recognized as Rayjin''s voice, but the other was both familiar yet unfamiliar to him. That melodiousugh filled with innocence caused a ticklish tingle within him, and he didn''t wish to miss hearing it even for a second.


    The very instant he heard herugh, nothing else mattered to him. He continued to follow the source of that music, walking towards the greenhouse in a daze, only to be weed by a sight so beautiful, it should not exist in the mortal realm.


    Under the soft rays of sunlight filtered through the hanging vines, his wife looked like the incarnation of the Goddess of Spring as she turned slowly in circles, butterflies of various colors following her movements like obedient little fairies dancing in delight. What he liked the most was the melodiousughter of his wife.


    ''So this is what happiness sounds like.''


    Wealth? Power? Authority? None of them mattered to his wife.? The simplest matters were something no gold in the world could buy, and these were the things that made her happier more than anything else????��to be surrounded by nature without any worries, ying to her heart''s content. Not just Drayce, but even the others felt like their souls were purified by the ethereal beauty in the middle of the indoor flower garden. They could not take their eyes away from it, wishing deep in their hearts that they could preserve such a wonderful image.


    The impact of the sight was stronger for Cian, who had known Seren her whole life. Aside from Martha, he was the person who could be said to have watched Seren grow from being a little girl curious about the outside world to a quiet young woman who already gave up hope from receiving goodwill from the people around her. Most of his visits inside her tower, they would have afternoon tea in her garden. On very rare asions, he witnessed his sister causing flowers to bloom.


    It had been seventeen years, yet he had never witnessed anything like this. He could not help but think that if the people of Abetha saw what his sister truly is, they would be ashamed to call her a witch. They would surely be filled with deep regret. How could a witch be this mesmerizing? How could something so beautiful be anything short of holy? To him, she did not look any less than a true goddess.


    It was Rayjin who brought everyone''s soul back to reality. Seeing Drayce and the rest by the entrance, she bounced on her feet towards them, eximing in excitement,? "Dray! Father! Uncles! See what Seren can do!"


    Seren waspletely immersed in ying with the butterflies, making them move the way she wanted, and only when she heard what Rayjin said did she feel a sense of embarrassment. She immediately lowered her hands as she looked at Drayce. The melodious sounding out of her mouth stopped, as if the sound was stuck in her throat, and all the butterflies dancing around her dispersed, as if the magical connection built between them and Seren was broken.


    Seren didn''t know what to do or what to say, as she was unprepared for the sudden presence of Drayce. She was startled because she did not notice his arrival. At the same time, she''s feeling self-conscious to be caught dancing like a child.


    ''Ah, Ipletely forgot everything while I was ying with those butterflies. I even forgot to look after Rayjin!'' shemented.


    Just then, her gazended on the audience standing at the entrance of the greenhouse. The duke and the princes of Griven, her own brother,? Grandmother, and her servants.


    Ahh! It made her feel even more embarrassed! If it weren''t for her veil, she was sure everyone could see her face turn as red as a tomato.? She was a queen who should always maintain her image, but now here she was, ying with butterflies while giggling like a little kid. In front of the revered Great Lady no less! Even Rayjin seemed to have more etiquette than her.


    Drayce approached her and stood in front of her. She felt her face flush even hotter as she lowered her head. "Apologies????�� "


    "You don''t need to apologize," Drayce interrupted her. "It was a beautiful thing to see my wife so happy."


    Seren didn''t know what to say, but she was notforted. She stood silently with her hands anxiously gripping her skirt as she saw the Great Lady and the othersing towards her.


    "Grandmother." She bowed her head, looking apologetic.


    "Why do you look as if you havemitted a crime? You should feel proud to be able to show us such beautiful magic," the Great Lady assured her with a kind smile of a doting elder. "My old soul feels blessed after seeing something divine. I look forward to the next time you show us such a scene. You should do it more often."


    "Yes, Seren! You should be very very proud! I liked it a lot!," Rayjin eximed, her eyes full of expectation. "Can you do it again one more time? Please?"


    Seren looked at her helplessly. She didn''t wish to disappoint the little girl, but at the same time, she herself didn''t know how it all happened. She had no idea why those butterflies suddenly came to her. All she did was to say her wish out loud and it happened the next moment.


    ''That couldn''t be it, right?'' She looked at her hands in a daze.? ''I am sure that I don''t have any ability to create magic with simple words. Though I am a witch, I am not capable of using magic like that, or else, I should have long escaped my tower after the countless times I wished to leave. So how did it happen?''


    Drayce followed her line of sight and held her hand. "It''s all fine."


    =====


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 Chapter 308 - Ability To Connect With Nature

    "Seren, can''t you do it again?" Rayjin asked.


    Before Seren could answer, An spoke up, knowing that his niece might throw a tantrum if things weren''t handled well. "Rayjin, those butterflies are gone now. They have been dancing for a while, and they must be tired. Let us leave and let them rest, alright? How about youe with me and explore the other side of the Crystal Pce? Grandmother said there is a pond there filled with water lilies and lotuses, and that the view of the snowy mountains are spectacr from the garden on that side. Didn''t you say you want to look around? How can you look around if you only stay in the greenhouse?"


    Rayjin felt like everything her uncle said made perfect sense. "I almost forgot," she let out a determined sound. "Let''s go to the other side! Seren, let us???? go��"


    Duke Wimark lovingly pinched his naughty daughter''s nose to chastise her. "Her Majesty is also tired. Let her rest. Do you think she is like you who has energy to run around all day?"


    Rayjin made an adorable pouting face, but no longer insisted. Instead, she decidedly ignored her father and made a beeline towards An, raising her arms and asking to be carried.


    With a helplessugh, An picked up the little girl in his arms and walked towards the entrance of the greenhouse. Duke Wimark and Lenard followed behind them after excusing themselves from Drayce and the Great Lady.


    Cian was about to follow them, but he could not make himself leave as he looked at his sister in amazement. As his father said, he also believed that his sister was not a witch, but someone more extraordinary. However, he had little knowledge about what that entailed, and did not expect that his younger sister''s capability was more than he expected.


    He remembered what his father said to him before about Seren possessing strong curses on her that restricted her from expressing her emotions, but? the power to make flowers bloom and affect the nature around her was not a curse but something she inherited from her mother.''


    After today''s encounter, Cian could see it was the truth. Though he had no idea who she was, since she''s someone King Armen could love alongside Queen Niobe, then her mother must be someone really extraordinary.


    He approached his sister who still had a puzzled look and patted her head. "I will join the others. Take your time, sister."


    Seren nodded. Cian then turned towards the two Ivanovs with a small bow. He left the greenhouse, leaving his sister under the care of the Great Lady and Drayce.


    The young queen looked at her husband and then down to their interlocked hands. He was holding her hands, simultaneously caressing both backs of her hands with his thumbs.


    "I don''t know how it happened. I didn''t mean to," she said.


    "It''s alright. It was beautiful. As Grandmother said, we would like to see it often. Just do what makes you feel happy," Drayce assured.


    Seren nodded lightly and heard the Great Lady take over one of her hands, "How about you spend some time with me here, Seren? My old bones prefer the warmth of the greenhouse during cold days like today. Won''t you apany me, hmm?"


    Seren blinked at the olddy''s wizened face, and then she looked at Drayce to know his opinion.


    He smiled lightly at her. He liked how she cared for his opinion, and it was the typical wife behavior who would not do anything before taking her husband''s permission. Deep in his heart, he was rejoicing; her small subconscious action meant that their rtionship truly progressed.


    However, Drayce would not let his preference override her decisions. They were husband and wife, not master and servant. He wanted Seren to decide everything for herself, to have her own opinions. For things like this, she needed to make a choice on her own. Before their marriage, her whole life was arranged for her, and she was dependent on the decisions that others made for her. That was no longer the case now.


    "You are free to decide on your own. But I do feel like you will be happier to spend time with Grandmother," Drayce replied to her unspoken question.


    Seren was happy with his response, as if she heard exactly what she wished for. She indeed wanted to spend some time with Great Lady Theodora. After visiting the Crystal Pce for the first time, she had always wanted to return and spend peaceful time with the elderly Ivanov. Though she rarely interacted with the Great Lady, she felt strangelyforted in her presence.


    "I will leave you with Grandmother then," Drayce replied and he let go of her hand. "I will take my leave. Excuse me for now, my Queen, Grandmother."


    Seren nodded,but his grandmother raised the cane in her hand and shook it in his direction. "I expect no eavesdropping, young man!"


    His grandmother was aware of Drayce''s sensitive hearing ability, and she was also aware that he could choose to not hear something if he wanted to.


    Seren didn''t know why the Great Lady said those words, but she didn''t voice out her confusion. Drayce left after giving a nod to his grandmother.


    Once Drayce left the greenhouse, the Great Lady took Seren to sit on one of the benches on the side. The olddy swept her eyes around her greenhouse, humming a little as she fondly appreciated how beautiful her indoor garden looked. Seren thought that she would be interrogated by the olddy, but after realizing that the olddy merely wanted her to apany her, Seren was able to visibly rx. She too admired the beautiful flowers, and the two of them sat infortable silence.


    "Don''t be surprised with your abilities, dear," the Great Lady said after a while. "You have such a beautiful blessing, being able to connect with nature."


    Seren let out a sigh. "Grandomether, before this, I was only able to make flowers bloom."


    "Indeed. You know that when you are happy, you can make flowers bloom. But who says that is all you are capable of? Then, it should not be so surprising to find out that you are capable of doing other things, right? "


    "But this had never happened before��these butterflies��"


    "Isn''t it because beforeing to Megaris you have never truly tried controlling your? powers?"


    Seren again looked at her hands. When those butterflies were moving along with the movements of her hands, she felt like there was some kind of energy being emitted from her fingers.? She could not see that invisible force of energy, but she could feel it.


    ''Seems like Grandmother is right. I have never tried controlling it before.. Back in Abetha, everyone feared me, and that made me not want to try to explore my abilities.''

 Chapter 309 - [Bonus ]Drayce Doesnt Carry Ivanovs Blood

    "Do you wish to visit the flower you own?" the Great Lady asked.


    It took a moment for Seren to realize what the Great Lady meant and she agreed, "Yes, Grandmother."


    Seren assisted the olddy as they went towards the only nt that was kept isted within the greenhouse. They had to climb a few stairs to reach the table in the middle of the tform, where a white y pot held a single nt.


    The Great Lady smiled as she patted Seren''s hand that was holding her arm. "I am sure that nt and its flower? missed you."


    Seren blinked. "Can they truly feel emotions?"


    "Of course, my dear. Even ordinary nts can feel if they are loved or if they bring joy to the ones around them. nts are more sensitive than you think, and when the nt is divine like that one, they feel lots of emotions like that of a human child, especially the onesing from their owner," the Great Lady exined.


    "So, it can feel all of my emotions," Seren concluded.


    Great Lady Theodora nodded as they reached the Ashrin nt. She admired therge red flower with petals appearing like tongues of me. The golden swirl-like energy in its center seemed to pulsate, as if calling out in joy at Seren''s arrival.


    "Seeing the flower at its prettiest form, I believe these days you are nothing but happy." The Great Lady looked at Seren, her lips carrying a light teasing smile. "I also believe my grandson is the reason for your happiness."


    Seren could not deny it, but she also could not boldly admit it. She simply lowered her head. Thankfully, her veil covered cheeks, and no one could see the pink blush spreading on her skin.


    The Great Lady didn''t tease her anymore, not willing to embarrass the young queen who was new to everything happening in her life. She decided to change the topic of their conversation.


    "Don''t you have anything to ask after what you heard in the Obsidian Pce this morning?" the Great Lady asked.


    Though Seren wanted to ask many things about the incident, she did not expect the Great Lady to bring up the topic on her own. She wondered if the Great Lady could read her thoughts.


    Seeing her surprise, the Great Lady spoke, "I can guess it as any wife wants to know more about her husband, especially the things bothering him. It is normal to worry, and it is normal to care."


    Seren nodded as she replied, "I do have a few questions to ask, Grandmother. You do not have to answer if you feel my questions are ufortable."


    Great Lady Theodora touched the dainty petals of Ashrin flower that were emitting the energy and permitted Seren, "You can ask me anything you want, my dear."


    Seren let out a shaky breath as she pondered which question to ask first. "His Excellency King Theron and my husband seem to not get along well. Can I ask what happened that soured their rtionship?"


    "And why do you feel like their rtionship has been soured?" the Great Lady asked idly, still ying with the petals of that single red flower.


    "King Theron told His Majesty that he is not his son and His Majesty retorted the same. We are royals, and we are all taught discipline and manners from an early age. Even so, it is rare to see anyone in a shouting match like that, much less to hear that kind of exchange. To disown your own son, only when a father is truly enraged would that happen."


    "Though those words were said in anger, what they said is the truth," the Great Lady exined, which only puzzled Seren.


    "What do you mean, Grandmother?"


    "My son, Theron, and my grandson, Drayce, they are not real father and son," Great Lady Theodora replied in a firm voice. There was no hesitation in her voice while saying it as if it didn''t matter to her. "It is a secret of the Ivanov Royal Family, and it is only right that you are to be made aware of this as his wife."


    Seren could only look at the olddy in shock.


    Drayce was not King Theron''s son? He''s the illegitimate son of thest queen? Then Drayce was a��


    Amidst the turmoil of her mind, she heard the Great Lady continue, "It is the truth, Seren, but there is another truth????��that Drayce will always be my grandson though we don''t share the same blood."


    "B-But��then..how��" Seren didn''t know what exactly she should ask.


    If it was the previous time, when Seren only knew that a woman gets pregnant only after marrying a particr man, she would have refuted the Great Lady; since Queen Esther married King Theron, then Drayce must be their son. But now, Seren knew how babies were made,? and she could note up to think how it happened. She felt scandalized, and wondered how something so improper happened towards Queen Esther, the verydy she heard nothing but good things about.


    "Drayce''s father is someone else and there is a long story behind it," the Great Lady said, but her tone implied that she had no will to tell that story. "I hope you are not disappointed to know that Drayce doesn''t carry Ivanov''s blood in his veins."


    "It doesn''t matter," Seren replied. To her, Drayce himself as a person was the only thing she cared for.? She married Drayce the person, not his title nor his name; everything else pales in importance. He was the only person who, despite being a stranger, cared for her more than her own family. He respected her wishes, treated her the best, and gave her the freedom she wanted all along.


    "May I know who His Majesty''s father is?" Seren asked.


    "He is someone we can''t talk about," the Great Lady answered, shaking her head.. "Just know that my grandson''s extraordinary powers came from Him, and He is capable of turning this entire world upside down."

 Chapter 310 - Wants To Know Drayces Past

    "He is someone we can''t talk about," the Great Lady answered, shaking her head. "Just know that my grandson''s extraordinary powers came from Him, and He is capable of turning this entire world upside down."


    Seren understood she should not ask about that person and asked, "What about his mother, the previous queen? How could she��?"


    The Great Lady showed a sad smile, but her reply didn''t really satisfy Seren''s curiosity. "She was a nicedy who I loved like my own daughter. Esther, such a pure soul, but she was an unfortunatess. She had to sacrifice a lot for this kingdom��"


    After a few minutes of silence, Seren asked, "Where is Queen Esther now?"


    "We used to think she was no more, but your presence here and this flower mark on your forehead had given us a hope that she is not gone but present somewhere in this world," the Great Lady replied.


    Seren touched the flower mark on her forehead and asked, "This flower mark?"


    The Great Lady nodded. "As I saidst time, only the owner of this flower can pass it to someone else. As you are the current owner of this flower, that means Esther hade across you and made you an owner of this flower. Given your age that you are just seventeen and Esther had left us even before then, it means she is still there somewhere but doesn''t wish to return here."


    Seren shook her head. "I don''t have any memory of meeting any woman who could be Queen Esther. Other than Martha, my nanny, I was never close to anyone, let alone a female outside of my family. I just know I had always seen this mark on my forehead. I even thought it was a birthmark."


    "Then you must be a baby at that time, that is why you cannot remember meeting her. Though I am not sure what her reason must be to pass this flower to you, it seems like it is your destiny toe to Megaris."


    ------


    Note- the below part in the square bracket got repeated. I will have to ask the tech team to remove it. apology for the inconvenience


    [The Great Lady showed a sad smile, but her reply didn''t really satisfy Seren''s curiosity. "She was a nicedy who I loved like my own daughter. Esther, such a pure soul, but she was an unfortunatess. She had to sacrifice a lot for this kingdom��"


    After a few minutes of silence, Seren asked, "Where is Queen Esther now?"


    "We used to think she was no more, but your presence here and this flower mark on your forehead had given us a hope that she is not gone but present somewhere in this world," the Great Lady replied.


    Seren touched the flower mark on her forehead and asked, "This flower mark?"


    The Great Lady nodded. "As I saidst time, only the owner of this flower can pass it to someone else. As you are the current owner of this flower, that means Esther hade across you and made you an owner of this flower. Given your age that you are just seventeen and Esther had left us even before then, it means she is still there somewhere but doesn''t wish to return here."


    Seren shook her head. "I don''t have any memory of meeting any woman who could be Queen Esther. Other than Martha, my nanny, I was never close to anyone, let alone a female outside of my family. I just know I had always seen this mark on my forehead. I even thought it was a birthmark."


    "Then you must be a baby at that time, that is why you cannot remember meeting her. Though I am not sure what her reason must be to pass this flower to you, it seems like it is your destiny toe to Megaris."]


    -------


    Great Lady Theodora''s words caused Seren to let out a helpless sigh. "Forgive me, Grandmother. I wish I can lend you help about Queen Esther''s whereabouts, but aside from the fact I grew up isted from people, I know nothing about myself????��about my abilities, this mark on my forehead, or my mother. I had only been told that I was being hidden. Who I need to even hide from, I do not know..."


    "What is there to forgive? Sometimes, not knowing anything is for your own good. I am sure that''s why your father never told you anything. But trust me, no secrets are kept hidden forever. You will get to know everything when the right time hase," the Great Lady consoled her.


    Seren looked at the Great Lady. "And when will that timee?"


    "I wish it won''te so soon. The kind of secrets that are kept heavily guarded, when they are revealed to the world, they normally bring disaster and heartbreaks to one''s life. Even if you don''t want it, you will be forced to ept the reality of things," the Great Lady replied with a wistful expression, her tone seemingly implying how many such instances she had experienced in her old age. However, instead of sadness, pain, or anger, there was only serenity in her gaze. "My dear, live your life the way you want it. Be happy when you need to be happy, and be sad when you need to be sad. Do not worry about the future that is beyond your control. No one can avoid what is written in one''s destiny, whether it be boon or bane."


    Seren lowered her gaze as she kept those precious words close to her heart. What the Great Lady said made sense to her. She was living a prisoner''s life till now; perhaps it was a coincidence, or perhaps it was fate, but she got the chance to live a life of freedom, something which she had never imagined she would get to experience. It would not be worth it if she were to ruin this, worrying about finding the answers to all the questions guing her mind. No one had ever answered her. Whether it was to protect her or for some other reasons, at this moment, she could only wait till everything was revealed.


    "Will I not get to know about His Majesty''s past and about his mother?" Seren asked after a while. She was curious to know more about him, especially after seeing his other side, the scary part of him which he was trying hard to hide from her.


    "You are his wife so you deserve to know it," the Great Lady replied.


    Seren felt happy hearing the old woman''s response.? "Then, does this mean that His Majesty is aware of everything about his parents?"


    The Great Lady nodded. "Of course, he does. The past which had hurt him the most, he needed to know the reason behind it."


    "Who told him?" Seren asked.


    "I did!"

 Chapter 311 - Not Scary But Gentle And Caring

    "I did. I could not bear to see him suffer, doubting himself and wondering about why he had to experience such a childhood. My grandson��he was desperate to get answers, and I wished to put an end to his suffering. s! I should have done more for him��"


    ''What kind of suffering? What treatment?'' Seren could not imagine a strong person like her husband suffering or even being put at a disadvantage. She wanted to ask, but hearing the old woman''s sigh, she could not bear to let her recall what seemed to be a terrible memory.


    However, she heard the Great Lady continue, "Soon, Dray will leave the royal pce for some time and won''t return for a day or two. At that time, you should apany this olddy instead of staying in your pce, and I will tell you that story."


    Seren agreed. "I look forward to spending more time with you, Grandmother."


    The Great Lady offered her a smile. "Let''s go out then. I am sure my grandson is getting impatient to have you returned to his side."


    Seren also smiled under her veil. She assisted the Great Lady down from the stairs, and the twodies soon left the greenhouse.


    "Where are our guests?" the Great Lady asked the servants standing outside.


    "They headed towards the western gardens, probably to sightsee by the water lily pond, Great Lady," one of them responded.


    Seren and the Great Lady then made their way towards the other side of the Crystal Pce. There, inside the gazebo by thekeshore, they saw everyone seated with freshly brewed cups of tea arranged on the table in the middle.? Only Little Rayjin was standing near the edge of the gazebo, seemingly enjoying the faraway view of snow-covered mountains.


    Drayce, of course, sensed their presence. He turned to look at Seren in particr and felt relieved to see his wife. Rayjin also realized their arrival and came running towards the young queen.


    "Be careful, Rayjin. You might hurt yourself," Seren said when she saw how this little girl ran hastily towards her, despite being covered in those heavy winter clothes. As someone who suffered from the unfamiliar weather of the North, Seren knew it was not easy to move while wearing them, much less run under their heavy weight.


    "Seren, I love this ce! There are flowers here, unlike at home, no flowers are blooming," Rayjin said matter-of-factly. "Can we stay here to y?"


    "Of course, we can y in this garden. I don''t think Grandmother will mind."


    "And tomorrow as well?"


    Seren didn''t know what to say. She looked at her father, Duke Wimark, as she could not decide for Rayjin.


    "Rayjin, we cane here again in the future," Duke Wimark exined.


    The little girl blinked innocently. "Why do we have toe here again when we can stay?"


    "Because tomorrow, we will be departing back to Karlin to see your mother. It will take some time to get back to the capital. Don''t you wish to see the little baby the moment it is born?" Duke Wimark asked.


    Rayjin looked at her father. "I want to but when is the babying?"


    "Soon, perhaps in the next few days if everything goes ording to estimation. I hope we can return before then as we won''t want to miss it," Duke Wimark told her, aware that his daughter would understand the importance of her sibling''s arrival in the world. "Your mother will be sad if we are not by her side when the babyes out."


    Rayjin pouted but she no longer insisted. She looked at Seren with wide, pitiful eyes. "I need to go then. I will miss you, Seren."


    Seren let out a softugh as she fixed the winter cap on Rayjin''s head. It was lopsided due to her hasty running, and of course, the little girl didn''t realize it. "You cane here again afterwards. The Royal Pce of Megaris will always wee you. "


    "But when will that be?" Rayjin asked with a pout. "Father is always busy, and Mother will probably be busy taking care of the baby too. My uncles��"


    "When Dray has his own kids, I will bring you here," An intervened with a wide grin. "I am sure you want to y with them, don''t you, Rayjin?"


    Drayce threw a cold re towards An, which the prince deliberately ignored. The others merely smiled but said nothing. On the other hand, Seren did not know where to hide. But Rayjin was excited to hear that suggestion. "Oh! Uncle An is so smart! I can also bring my baby sibling to y with us! When will Dray have a baby?"


    "That you should ask Dray," An replied, unrepentant as he continued to make fun of his friend. He knew that in front of Rayjin, Drayce would not dare say anything threatening or do something like pulling out his sword to swing his way.


    Rayjin ran towards Drayce and held his hand as she excitedly looked up at him. "When will you have a baby?"


    Drayce kneeled in front of the little girl, allowing him to talk to her face to face. He gently patted her head. "It will take time. Seren has just arrived in Megaris, and she is still adjusting to her new home.? She will also need to travel here and there to see our kingdom. With a baby, she will have difficulty doing those things."


    "True. My mother can''t go anywhere because of the baby in her stomach. She didn''t evene to the wedding even though she was eager toe here," Rayjin said, pulling out a sad face, but then her face resumed its smile. "Don''t have a baby so soon. Till then, I will be your daughter. When the babyes, you won''t love me like this."


    "That is not true. You are special to me," Drayce assured her. "I will love you still, even if I have a child. You will be their older sister, so you must behave well till then."


    His words made Rayjin''s smile bloom brightly, happier than ever, and she hugged him tightly. Seren looked at how well Drayce treated Rayjin and how much she loved him. It made her feel funny,paring the man kneeling in front of the child and the man painted in the books she had read in the past.


    The Drayce Ivanov she had read in the books about the King of Megaris was cruel and merciless, a king who only knows how to conquer territories to expand his kingdom and a swordsman feared by his enemies on the battlefield. That Drayce Ivanov, her husband, she had grown to know was nothing like that.. Instead, he was a gentle and caring man who had never hurt anyone without a reason.

 Chapter 312 - Wifes Slave

    After spending the rest of the afternoon with Great Lady Theodora, everyone left the Crystal Pce using the same boats they came with. On the way back, the sun was about to set, causing the crystal clear waters of theke to look like a majestic sea of orange mes. Its beauty seemingly rose, despite the obvious drop in the temperature above water. Rayjin and Seren sat even closer to Drayce, snuggling to take advantage of his body''s warmth.


    At the other end of theke, they soon spotted the gazebo that marked the end of their trip. Their group stepped out of their boats and stood inside the gazebo, looking ready to return to their own lodgings to rest. Drayce carried the little girl in his arms who refused to separate from him due to the cold.


    "Seren, I want to sleep with you tonight. Can I?" Rayjin asked with a yawn. After ying around the entire day, she was already out of energy.


    "Of course, you can," Seren agreed and the little girl smiled happily in response.


    "Your Majesty, she might trouble you," Duke Wimark said.


    "Rest assured, Duke Wimark. She is not a trouble," Seren said, "In fact, I would love to spend more time with her since she will be departing tomorrow."


    Duke Wimark could not say anything when the young queen put it that way, but he''s worried if Drayce was fine with that as they were a newly wedded couple.


    Drayce understood his dilemma and said, "No one can defy the wish of the Queen of Megaris. Not even me."


    It was his way of saying he would always agree with what his wife wished for and he had no issue if Rayjin stayed with Seren in the night.


    Duke Wimark understood and permitted his daughter to be with Seren for the night.


    "We have a wife''s ve here," An teased.


    "You will be better than me at it," Drayce countered.


    "Agree! Can''t wait when Prince of Griven will surrender himself to a woman," Cian added.


    "And, I will wait to see how the Princess from Othinia makes you dance on her fingertips," Lenard added.


    "You should be ready to dance as well. You are going to marry my other sister," Cian teased.


    With all this teasing, the atmosphere lightened while little Rayjin didn''t know what these men were talking about.


    Since that moment, Rayjin didn''t leave Seren''s side even for a moment. The little girl knew she was about to leave Megaris the next day and had a little time left to spend with her. Upon returning to the Queen''s residence, Marie helped Seren to change her clothes while Eva helped Rayjin change into the morefortable clothes which were already arranged for her by her father. They treated the Queen''s guest with particr care, even asking the royal kitchen to prepare the best meal said to be loved by children from Griven.


    The twodies, Seren and Rayjin, had a meal together inside the Queen''s residence, chatting about anything under the sun, from Rayjin''s experiences ying with the children of nobility to the lessons she was tutored in at the behest of her mother, the Duchess of Wimark. On the other hand, Seren told her about the interesting folktales she read in the books before, as well as some knowledge she had about gardening. They greatly enjoyed their alone time.


    "Did you enjoy the meal, Rayjin?" Seren asked.


    "Yes! It was as tasty as the ones made by my mother! Especially that sweet jelly cake they prepared for dessert. My mother makes that for me whenever I behave well during my tutor lessons," Rayjin answered, grinning as she rubbed her tummy. "I feel so full now."


    "Are you sleepy now?" Seren asked.


    "I am but I want to y with you more," Rayjin said as they walked towards the Queen''s chamber, with her holding Seren''s hand.


    "Are you not tired after ying all day?"


    "I''m not tired!" she eximed, but she was betrayed by the yawn that followed immediately after. The little girl let out an unwilling pout. "I don''t want to sleep yet. Besides, Uncle An told me before that it''s not good to sleep right after eating."


    When they reached the Queen''s bedchamber, Rayjin immediately looked around as soon as they entered the door. Unlike the generally grand yet minimalistic appearance of the residence, the Queen''s bedchamber looked cozy, mainly decorated with wooden furniture and thick fur carpets, and the browns and reds gave off a temperate earthy atmosphere. Under the yellow light from the nightmps, the appearance of Seren''s room looked warmer than it was during the daytime.


    "Your chamber is so big andfortable!" Rayjinmented. "Ah! The carpet is so soft, walking with shoes off must be nice!"


    Seren only smiled and said, "Let''s go to bed now. You can talk more while wrapped in a warm nket. Though it is warmer here, it is still cold, isn''t it?"


    Rayjin nodded as she considered that her sleepwear wasparably thinner than her clothes earlier. "It is." She then squealed as she ran towards the bed and jumped on it. "Wah! So soft!"


    Serenughed as she walked towards her bed. Marie and Eva helped cover them under the toasty warm nket andter added more wood to the firece to make the chamber warmer. While lying in bed side by side with Seren, Rayjin told her more of the things she did in her daily life. Seren listened to her tales while gently stroking her head.


    "...and you know, the baby kicks inside my mother''s stomach. It feels so good when the baby moves."


    Seren turned her head to look at Rayjin''s half-lidded eyes. She was slightly curious as she remembered the round tummy of the Duchess. "Does it really feel good?"


    Aside from Rayjin''s mother, she had never seen any pregnantdy up close, and there was never an opportunity for her to have any chat with someone about it. Whenever she went to attend any important banquet in Abetha, anydy, be they a noble ormoner, would run away from her, not even letting themselves be in close range with her, especially after that fire incident with the First Princess.


    On the other hand, her nanny, Martha, was never the type to talk much or tell tales, as she mostly focused on simply serving Seren. It was this little girl who was the first one to discuss these things with her.


    Rayjin nodded happily and Seren continued to ask, "Doesn''t it hurt your mother when the baby kicks?"


    "Once, I scolded the baby as it might hurt Mother, but Mother was happy when the baby kicked and said it''s a good thing. She said I did the same when I was a baby too."


    "Oh!" was all Seren said as she looked at the canopy of her bed. She could not imagine having a big belly, much less having a baby inside that belly and that baby will even kick. ''Must be painful,'' she thought, continuing to look at the ceiling in a daze.


    Meanwhile, Rayjin fell asleep at the lull in the conversation. Seren smiled as she looked at the little girl who was talking animatedly just a few moments ago and was now in deep sleep.


    ''Running around all day must have really tired her.''


    Seren fixed the nket properly over Rayjin''s shoulders,fortably lying on her side,? facing the little girl who looked even more adorable while asleep. Unknown to her, a pleasant smile had appeared on her lips as she could not stop stroking? her head. While in deep sleep, Rayjin continued to hold Seren''s other hand and didn''t let it go.


    After a while, Seren felt the mattress behind her sink and she realized Drayce had joined them in bed. This man always came so sneakily that she could never know when he had even entered her chamber. Seren didn''t turn to look at him as Rayjin was holding her hand and she was worried that her movement might wake her up.


    Soon, his warm muscr body touched her back and his equally muscr arm surrounded her waist. She felt his hot breath brushing against her ear and nape.. She gulped, as her body froze under his touch.

 Chapter 313 - All Your Nights Will Belong To Me Only

    "So, you like kids," Drayce said in a low whisper.


    Seren, who was stuck between the little girl on one side and the young man on the other, replied in a soft voice, "Not sure about other kids, but I like Rayjin. She is a sweet and lovely girl."


    "Just like you," he said.


    Seren didn''t know what to say to this sudden praise from her husband. She was not used to hearing someone praising her. She heard him continue talking in that low seductive voice of his.


    "Don''t worry, our kids will be the same as their mother, sweet and lovely and kind."


    ''Our kids?'' Seren shivered. Just a while ago, she remembered thinking how painful it would be to have a big belly with a baby inside, and with Drayce bringing that up now, she wondered if she would be forced to bear that kind of pain too.


    Seeing her remain silent, he asked, "Don''t you want kids��Seren?" He intentionally said her name in a seductive whisper.


    With her heart beating faster with just the thought of them having children, Seren replied in a shaky voice, "I-I��did not say that..."


    Drayce tightened his grip around her and pulled her even closer, closing what little distance there was between them. He hummed as he let his lips graze her ear, "So, do you want kids?"


    "Doesn''t everyone have them?" Seren replied again, not answering him directly as yes or no. At this point, her heart was pounding inside her chest, and she was afraid that Rayjin would wake up from it.


    "I am asking about what you want, Seren. Tell me. Do you want kids?" he repeated. "Yes or no, hmm?"


    Though having a baby inside her body seemed painful to her, every married woman would go through that, right? It should not be that bad, and if their future kids would be like Rayjin, then why would she not want one, someone who could call her own other than just Drayce in her life? Suddenly, the idea of having her own family felt good to her. She then went and pictured herself like other married women who had their own children��not just one or two��happily shopping together, dining together, and ying together the same way she saw ordinary families do. Then, she would never be alone ever, right?


    After a short pause of hesitation, she replied, "Yes!"


    This yes from her meant a lot to him. It showed him more than her eptance to the idea of motherhood, but to their future�Cthat she wanted to spend more years together with him and build their own loving family. A warm smile painted itself on his lips. Seren felt his hand moving down towards her belly and he caressed it gently as if to tell her how precious her words were to him.


    She heard him say in a husky voice, "In a few months, we will be holding youring-of-age ceremony, and you will be an adult.? You will truly be my woman then."


    A shiver ran across her spine. His seductive whisper was making her heart run wild, and before she could calm herself, she felt him turn her around and he got on top of her. His intense-looking eyes gazed into her hesitant and shy ones. Seren''s one hand was still being held by Rayjin, and though she felt her body thrum because of her husband, a part of her mind was scared the little girl would wake up and see them.


    "Dray, we��"


    She was cut off when his hand went to her veil. He closed his eyes before pulling away that veil, and the next moment, his needy lips sought for hers. After the kisses they shared the previous night, finally, the couple kissed again. Such a simple thing to do but they had to be cautious about it as Drayce wanted to ensure that he kept his promise of not seeing her face.


    He sucked and nibbled her lips gently, and Seren responded to him with equal sweetness. She liked it, and just like him, she didn''t wish to stop either. Using her free hand, she grabbed the hair at the back of his head and pulled him closer. A soft whimper escaped her mouth as she enjoyed the taste of her husband''s lips.? She tried her best to swallow the sounds she''s making for Rayjin''s sake, but it was difficult to hide how much her husband was affecting her.


    After a while, both stopped as they gasped for the air. Unfortunately, Drayce could not open his eyes to see his wife�Cher alluring face with her eyes in a needy daze as well as her moist rosy lips gasping for air. But Seren was not restricted like him, and she could see his handsome face and his perfect lips still a little wet from their kiss.


    After regaining his breath, Drayce put the veil back on her face, and only then did he finally open his eyes. His red eyes seemed to represent living mes as he looked into her eyes. He could feel that his wife was ready to surrender to him. She wanted more.


    "Shall we continue?" he asked.


    She was about to nod but then she felt the sleeping Rayjin tighten the grip on her hand which brought her back to her senses.


    "R-Rayjin will wake up," she said in a shaky voice.


    Rayjin was the reason Drayce had stopped with just a kiss. He asked, "Then, shall we go to my chamber?"


    ''His chamber?'' It was such a tempting offer to her as she was curious to know how his bedchamber looked. She had walked past the dragon-carved door in the King''s residence several times, and if it were any other night, she would have nodded, but Rayjin''s presence made her not ept this tempting offer.


    "If she wakes up and doesn''t find me around, she might feel scared. It''s an unfamiliar ce for her," Seren replied.


    Drayce understood Seren was right and moved back toy beside her once again. He hugged her tightly. "Our kids won''t be allowed to enter your chamber at night. All your nights will belong to me only"��he buried his face on the slender curve of her nape��"understood?"


    Seren could only nod lightly to the demand of this possessive man.? She then heard him say against her skin, "Good night, my Queen."


    "Good night," she replied with a pleasant smile on her face as she realized how easily he listened to her. When he said that ''No one can defy the wish of the Queen of Megaris. Not even me'' she didn''t think much of it, but now she realized that he meant each word of it. The most powerful king in the continent, who would have thought that he would listen to everything his wife said? The smile on her face could not be brighter.


    ''So this is how it''s like to be loved by someone.''

 Chapter 314 - Greeting With A Kiss

    The next morning Seren woke up and saw Drayce was not by her side in bed. She looked at the window where he was standing just like the previous morning, staring outside while looking into deep thoughts.


    ''I know as a king he must have a lot more things to think about, but I wonder what troubles him the most to turn him like this- so calm at the surface but inside there seems to be a storm.''


    Drayce sensed her gaze at him and looked at her, "Good Morning, Seren."


    She smiled pleasantly as hearing him calling her name was the best thing she could experience the early morning, "Good Morning, Dray," she said looking at him as if he was her most precious dream that she did not want to disappear from her sight.


    Though Drayce could not see her smile, bright purple eyes were enough for him to understand what she was feeling at the moment. He went to her and sat at the edge of the bed.


    Seren sat in the bed facing him.


    "May I know the reason why you are happy?" Drayce asked as he tucked the loose strands of her hair behind her ear.


    Seren touched her face with her hand to check if her veil was not on her face so that he could see her smiling. ''Veil is still here then how did he know I was smiling?''


    "These pretty eyes of yours are the reflection of your soul that allows me to see how you feel," Drayce replied her unspoken question, "and this veil can not stop me from doing so."


    Seren understood and only looked at him. Drayce neared his face to hers and pecked on her lips lightly as he stayed like that for a few moments. It was nothing surprising for Seren and she stood still.


    "What are you two doing?" A sweet voice disturbed the two.


    Seren moved back immediately as she was worried Rayjin had seen them while Drayce was calm and looked at the little girl who was rubbing her sleepy eyes to get them clear.


    "I was wishing her a good morning," Drayce replied and held Rayjin''s hands, "You should not rub your eyes like this."


    "But they won''t open nicely to see clearly," she countered, feeling annoyed at her heavy eyes.


    "Give it some time. They will be fine," Drayce instructed and Rayjin nodded, "Okay!" and sat up in the bed, next to Seren.


    On the other hand, Seren was relieved that Ryajin didn''t ask anything more and her attention was diverted to something else.


    Drayce caressed the little girl''s head, "Good Morning."


    Rayjin smiled pleasantly, "Good Morning, Dray."


    "You two can get ready. I will head back to my chamber," Drayce said as he stood up.


    Drayce left Seren''s bedchamber. Once the door closed, Rayjin looked at Seren. Seren offered her a light smile that Rayjin could not see and she patted her head, "Good Morning, Rayjin."


    Rayjin got on her knees and pecked on Seren''s lips, "Good Morning, Seren."


    Seren was taken aback and heard the little girl, "Now I know why Dray wished you Good Morning like this. It feels good."


    Seren didn''t know what to say to this innocent girl and thought to ignore it. Just then the door of the chamber opened and the servants Marie and Eva entered the chamber.


    "Good Morning, Your Majesty!" Wishing Seren, they looked at the little girl, "Good Morning, Your Highness!"


    The two greeted them back and soon Marie and Eva helped them with the bath and Seren''sdies in waiting, prepared her in a nice dress.


    Once twodies were ready, they were directed to have breakfast in the dining room. Seren and Rayjing enjoyed their meal together.


    Once they stepped out of the dining room, Lady Xena informed, "Your Majesty, Royals from Griven and Abetha are waiting for you."


    Seren nodded as Herdies in waiting guided her way while Rayjin turned silent. Seren looked at the little girl who was walking quietly while holding her hand.


    "What happened, Rayjing," Seren asked.


    Rayjin looked at her, "I am upset."


    "May I ask why?"


    "I have to leave today but I want to spend more days with you," Rayjin replied as her tiny lips turned into a cute pout.


    Seren caressed her hand and said, "You cane here again, or I can visit you in Griven one day."


    It excited the little girl, "Really?"


    "Hmm!"


    "That will be even better. Then I will show you everything that we talked about."


    "I would love to," Seren agreed.


    In the carriage, Seren and Rayjin reached the guest''s residence where thest guests of the wedding, the four Royals from Griven and Abetha were waiting for them.


    Rayjin and Seren stepped out of the Carriage and walked towards the group of Royals waiting for them. Rayjin went to her father and uncles while Seren went to her brother.


    An picked Rayjin in his arms, "Good Morning, Young Lady. Did you enjoy the stay with her Majesty?"


    Rayjin nodded happily, "I enjoyed it a lot," she then pecked on An''s lips which surprised him and he heard her, "And good Morning, uncle An."


    "What is this new way of wishing me a good morning. You never did this before," An said.


    "Dray wished Seren liked this and even I did too. But, her lips felt better than yours. Now I know why Dray wished her like this," Rayjin replied without any restraint while others felt speechless.


    Seren now understood why Rayjin pecked her on the lips and said good morning to her. She realized they had taught her the wrong thing by mistake. She turned utterly silent as her privacy was being exposed in front of her own brother and her husband''s friends, while Cian smiled seeing his sister all embarrassed. All these small things were assuring him that she was having a good marital life.


    An looked at Drayce who was only calm, "Can''t you restrain yourself a bit in front of a child?"


    Drayce cleared his throat and looked at Rayjin, "You should not greet anyone like this."


    "Why?" she asked.


    "It''s not what a gooddy should do," Drayce answered, not having any other way to answer it.


    "Oh!" was what Rayjin said and then she heard her father who wished to change the subject before his daughter would say anything appropriate, "Did you sleep well?"


    "Yes, father. I loved sleeping with Seren. She smells like flowers. Dray is fortunate to sleep with her while I have to leave," she pouted her lips as she said something shocking again.


    Everyone looked at Drayce and then to Rayjin, not knowing what to say while Seren could only feel more embarrassed.


    "Dray, next time I should better keep you with me," An warned he was not sure what his niece had witnessed.


    "It was nothing," Drayce answered him.


    "Can''t wait for the next time for something to be there," An countered.


    Rayjin caught a few words from what An said, not knowing what they were talking about, "Next time?" she looked at Drayce, "Next time I will be the one to hug Seren when we sleep with her. You did not leave any space for me to hug her. I only held her hand."


    She had such using expressions on her face that Drayce could only agree with her, "Fine!" While others enjoyed the King of Megaris being submissive to the little girl''s demands when she was unintentionally exposing his private things.


    Seren who was buried under the mountain of embarrassment with each word from the little girl and her husband could not do anything to stop it, she wondered, ''When did she see us? Wasn''t she sleeping so soundly till the morning?''


    Little did Seren know that when she was in peaceful sleep in her husband''s embrace who back hugged her, Ryajin happened to wake up in the middle of the night. She saw Drayce sleeping behind Seren and he hugged her. Rayjin felt envious and moved closer to Seren to sleep in her embrace like a baby, holding her hand even tightly.


    "I think this much talk is enough to embarrass Her Majesty. We should leave now," Lenard said and others agreed.


    Rayjin stepped out of An''s arms and went to Drayce as she held his hand, "Dray, soon have lots of babies so I cane here to y with them." Her eyes were full of hope to return there again.


    Drayce could only nod again and patted her head, "Be good in the journey."


    Rayjin nodded and went to her father.


    The carriages were ready for them. Cian patted his sister''s head who looked sad that her brother was leaving, "I am d to see you are happy here. I can be at peace now."


    "Do visit again, brother," Seren said as her voice turned emotional.


    "I will," Cian agreed and finally went to Drayce. Cian bowed to him, "Your Majesty, thank you so much for taking care of my sister and treating her well."


    "She is my wife," Drayce replied only this much but his tone carried the underlying meaning that Cian understood. She was his wife so there was no need to thank him. It also showed that, as she was his wife, she was solely his responsibility and others should stay away from her.


    Cian only nodded slightly as he could see this domineering King was possessive of his belongings whether it was a thing or a person. But he was happy that he was such a good husband to his sister and wished for nothing more.


    Finally, the Royal carriages from Griven and Abetha left as Seren waved her hand to her brother who looked at her through the ss window. Her eyes turned moist seeing her brother leaving.


    Drayce stood by her side to apany her till the carriages disappeared from their sights.

 Chapter 315 - Taking Charge Of The Royal Harem

    Today is my birthday, so 3 chapters to celebrate it with you all... XOXO


    -------


    After the delegation from Griven and Abetha left the Royal Pce of Megaris, it was time for the couple to separate and attend to their individual duties. Drayce had to head over to the Grand Pce to oversee important royal court matters while Seren had to start her duties as? Queen in the royal harem, which was being controlled by Lady risa till now.


    The Queen''s royal carriage soon reached the Vermillion Pce. Lady Tyra and the rest of herdies-in-waiting apanied Seren to visit the royal harem. Unsurprisingly, the entire harem was ready to wee her this time, unlike her previous visit where no one seemed to wee her presence. Everyone had witnessed the kind of affection the King of Megaris had for the Queen.


    With Drayce''s reputation, no one would dare to mess up with his queen. Of course, at least on the surface. The politics in the pce was never simple, and there were many crafty ways to show dislike or hostility to anyone. Especially for the people who formally entered the pce under the grace of the former king, the shift of power held no exceptions, but there were still people who didn''t want to give up on the power they once held.


    Lady Xena helped Seren to get out of her carriage. In addition to the female guards in red and ck uniforms lined up, all thedies in the harem were standing at the entrance of the Vermillion Pce to wee her.


    "Wee to the Royal Harem, Your Majesty," Lady risa beamed as she weed her with a perfect curtsy, carrying a practiced smile few could detect to be fake. The rest of thedies also curtsied in front of the Queen. Their beautiful appearance and manner could all be said to be nothing short of elegant.


    Seren simply nodded as Lady Xena guided her way inside the main building. "Your Majesty, this way please."


    With Seren and her group in the lead, the concubines of the former king and the other members of the royal harem entered the main building.


    This was not the first time Seren had entered Vermillion Pce, but she still found the decorations within the main building to be pleasing to the eye. It ought to be because the main residents in this pce were females, every painting and figurine along the way were chosen with great care. The aesthetic was still mainly minimalistic, which seemed to be the general preference of the people of Megaris, but the inside of the pce��from the soft color choice of the curtains and carpets to the antiques and flower vases��showed a more feminine vibe.


    They reached the central hall which had a throne ced at the opposite side of the entrance. Now, Seren recognized that it seemed to be a replica of the throne room in the Grand Pce, albeit on a smaller and less luxurious scale.


    Lady Tyra then gestured for Seren to walk forward. "Your Majesty, please have a seat."


    After Seren sat on the throne, Lady Tyra turned to look at thedies standing in front of the throne. The olddy studied everyone''s reactions as the Queen, the official owner of this throne, finally took her ce. However, even for her, it was hard to spy the true feelings of the smiling females who had trained themselves to always look perfect in order to survive the infighting within the harem.


    King Theron''s First Concubine, Lady risa, in particr, had the warmest smile on her beautiful face despite inwardly gritting her teeth that a young girl from another kingdom, a witch, had taken her ce.


    After everyone settled within the central hall, Lady Tyra announced, "As you all know, regardless of seniority, the queen of the reigning king is always in charge of all the affairs of the royal harem. From now on, everything that will happen within the walls of the Vermillion Pce ought to be reported to Her Majesty Queen Seren. From small things like the approval of the budget to grow new flowers in the garden to managing disputes between youdies,? things will be decided by Queen Seren. Any act of disobedience would not be appreciated. Anyone, regardless of their status, is bound to get strictly punished ording to the rules of the royal harem.? Within the royal harem, the order given by the Queen is absolute��even His Majesty''s influence is lesser here��and I highly doubt His Majesty would even bother intervening in the first ce��"


    While Lady Tyra was making her announcement, Seren studied the people looking at her with either curiosity, awe, or veiled envy. Seren''s attention was captured by one girl in particr. It was the same female servant who got a beating from Lady risa on the day of Seren''s first visit to the royal harem. The girl looked happy as she was smiling at another girl wearing more luxurious clothes next to her. She seemed to like her new master who seemed to be of the same age as her. Looking at the two, Seren could see they were on good terms. Seren found herself relieved that the servant girl was safe and content now.


    Seren noticed a few more new faces, ranging from shy young girls which she guessed to be the youngest princesses of the Ivanovs, as well as a handful of boys no older than ten, still clinging to their mother''s skirts. Of course, there were no adult males. From what Lady Tyra told her, the royal harem was the ce where the wives and concubines of all the kings stayed in addition to the other unmarrieddies belonging not only to the main branch but also to the side branches of the Ivanov Family, like daughters of King Theron''s deceased brothers. Princesses from other kingdoms used for diplomatic marriages were also sent here, regardless if they were favored by the king.


    The only males��the princes born from the wives and concubines of the king��would be allowed to stay within the harem together with their mothers until they reach a certain age, where their father would either grant them a separate side pce as his own residence or if unfavored until he bes old enough to train as an apprentice knight and join the military.


    Lady risa had one pretty-looking girl next to her who looked like her. The youngerdy had the same long flowing dark hair and blue eyes, and she seemed to be only around Seren''s age, give or take a few years.


    Seren concluded, ''She must be her daughter, Princess Taisie.''


    On either side of Lady Yavia, there were two young girls and one could see they were princesses as well. Compared to their mother, they seemed to inherit more of their father''s appearance, with dark brown hair and equally dark eyes. ''Princess Coral and Princess Onyx. Difficult to tell which one is the older one and which one is younger.''


    She then looked at Lady Saira. The girl standing next to her was exactly the master of the servant girl she savedst time. Upon closer look, she too looked simr to the former king.


    ''She must be Princess Ayira.''


    After Lady Tyra concluded her opening remarks, Lady risa expertly took the reins of the affair and pped her hands to get everyone''s attention, seemingly perfectly exuding the air of someone used to being a leader.


    "Lady Tyra is as great and meticulous as usual, and it surely brings joy to Her Majesty to have you by her side."


    Lady risa''s expression seemed to be praising the olddy, but a few sensitivedies knew that was not the case. The First Concubine seemed to be hinting that Seren was ipetent without Lady Tyra, causing a fewdies from her side to hide their smiles. However, this was part of the pce sophistry, which Seren was not used to and thus, she had no reaction.


    Lady risa continued, "Your Majesty Queen Seren, as we,dies, are overwhelmingly pleased and honored by your visit, each of us has prepared wee gifts to our Queen. We hope you do not find offense in our meager gifts."


    Lady risa was the first one to gift the Queen. She stepped forward together with her daughter, Princess Taisie.


    Lady risa''s servant followed her with a wooden tray in hand. On top of it was a well-crafted wooden box. Lady risa bowed before the Queen as her servant opened the wooden box to disy the set of gold jewelry sitting inside. "Your Majesty, this is a jewelry set I have specially ordered to be created for you. The rare gems embedded are imported from the west in your honor. I chose them thinking of Your Majesty''s beauty."


    ''My beauty? But I''m wearing a veil��and the gems aren''t even the color of my eyes��''

 Chapter 316 - Gifts For The Queen

    ''My beauty? But I''m wearing a veil��and the gems aren''t even the color of my eyes��''


    Seren felt her choice of words was odd, but since it was a gift, she could only nod while Lady Xena epted the gift from the servant who was holding it.


    Princess Taisie came forward and presented her gift next. "Your Majesty, I thought of you and chose a gift that I knew would honor your beauty as well."


    What she had prepared was a thick waterfall ne made of gold. It reminded Seren of the kind of deathly heavy ne she wore during her first wedding and her neck seemingly tingled at the horrible memory. Though she personally disapproved of this kind of extravagant design, she epted it with grace.


    After that, it was Lady Yavia''s and her daughters'' turn. Their gifts turned out to be precious jewelry as well, just like Lady risa and her daughter.


    When Lady Saira and her daughter Ayira followed her to show their gifts, Seren''s eyes showed a genuine fondness for the first time.


    "Your Majesty, I got to know you like ying the flute." The olderdy pointed at the finely crafted wooden flute inside a rectangr box. "As you can see the phoenix engraved on the body, this flute is specially crafted for you, the Phoenix of Megaris. I hope you can y it in your spare time."


    There were no gems embedded in it, and it was made of wood, not even expensive jade. Even the engraving was nothing spectacr, not even gilded with gold, only a few deep strokes on the wood that seemed to be arge bird in flight. Seeing the simple wooden flute, the other royaldies thought it was a lowly gift for the Queen, especially considering that everyone in the harem had spent hundreds if not thousands of gold to buy something expensive to catch the eyes of Queen Seren. They started talking among themselves, but Lady Saira didn''t bother with it as she only looked at the Queen.


    "I appreciate the thoughtful gift, and perhaps I can invite you in the future to hear me y it," Seren said, which made everyone shut their mouths.


    Lady Saira bowed an elegant curtsy as she said some humble words in response. When her daughter stepped forward next, the servant girl��who was happy to see the Queen who had saved her before��excitedly opened the gift in appreciation of what herdy had prepared for the Queen.


    Princess Ayira bowed to Seren. "Your Majesty, this gift I have made myself. It might be simple, but I hope you will like it."


    There was a purple silk scarf neatly folded in the middle of the wooden tray. The young princess picked it up and gently unfolded it to show Seren her craftsmanship. "I kept it purple to match it with Your Majesty''s pretty eyes." She then pointed at the embroidery on the scarf. Starting from the edge, delicate flowers and lively butterflies were seemingly drawn like a painting. If one were to see it from a distance, they might even think real butterflies had decided tond on the scarf. "I came to know that Your Majesty is fond of flowers and butterflies so I have personally embroidered them on the scarf."


    "My Lady had spent many sleepless nights preparing this for you, Your Majesty," the servant girl spoke up, causing many of thedies near them to gasp. Unless asked a question, it was never appropriate for a servant to talk when the royals were talking, but the servant girl could not hold it back.


    "Apologies, Your Majesty!" Princess Ayira looked at Seren, thinking she might decide to punish her servant for being rude. "A-And it was not a big deal, Your Majesty. I am happy to create this scarf for you. I apologize in her stead, so please forgive my servant."


    Seren did not even notice the servant''s mistake as she was looking at the embroidery on the scarf with amazement. Even if she did, she would not pay attention to it, as she did not care much about pce etiquette.


    "It''s pretty," Seren said.


    She understood how difficult and time-consuming the process must have been as she could never seed in embroidery, no matter how long her nanny Martha tried to teach her. Princess Ayira''s servant was right. To make embroidery on such a big scarf��such fine work, to boost��it must have taken lots of time and effort to do so.


    Hearing the Queen''s praise, the two young girls in front of her, Princess Ayira and the servant, could not help but feel happy inside. Wide smiles could be seen painted on their lips.


    "I am honored, Your Majesty," Princess Ayira said as the two bowed before their queen.


    Afterwards, otherdies approached Seren as well with their own gifts. Hearing the introductions of some, it surprised Seren to know that many of thedies here were lesser concubines of Former King Theron, unofficial wives with no titles due to theirmoner background and that the handful of little boys were in fact Drayce''s younger brothers. Seren did her best to memorize their names as everyone presented their gifts to the Queen, and when the gift-giving affair finished,? Seren''s servants carried those gifts back towards her carriage.


    Lady risa once again took the reins of the situation as she casually dismissed thedies of the harem to leave the central hall. Knowing that Lady risa meant to turnover her responsibilities to the new queen, everyone politely excused themselves.


    "Your Majesty, should I tell you more about the affairs of the harem? Perhaps we can talk about it over tea," Lady risa smiled as she invited Seren to her residence. Her demeanor seemed a hundred times friendlier than before. "The central hall, s, you will get tired of this throne once the novelty wears off. Sitting on that throne means that there is a problem within the harem you need to solve. Believe me, for usdies, having to keep ourselves within the confines of a study with paperwork is pretty suffocating. Personally, I prefer to work inside my chamber, where my study is in the private garden attached to my chamber."


    Seren did not decline the invitation as it was a good chance to get to know the harem, and Lady risa being the one to handle it before she came, she was sure she would get to understand more than what the documents contained. To get to know the haremdies, it had to start from Lady risa. Though Seren was not interested in the politics within the royal harem, as she had decided to stand by Drayce as a proper wife, she needed to fulfill her corresponding responsibilities as Queen as well.


    Lady risa guided her way towards her chamber while casually talking about things that Seren already knew, like the difference between the titled and untitled concubines, as well as who were the unmarried Ivanov royals staying within Vermillion Pce. Still, Seren listened well to each of thedy''s words.


    Before entering the chamber, Lady risa stopped and looked at Seren''s servants, including Lady Tyra. Her expression looked hesitant at first, as her gaze seemed to imply she had to say something she didn''t want. "Apologies, but may I request you,dies, to follow my servants for refreshment in the nearby drawing-room? I wish to speak privately with Her Majesty about sensitive information onlydies of the Ivanov Family are privy of."


    Lady Tyra could not oppose this and looked at Seren to ask if she wasfortable on her own. Seren nodded lightly, saying she would be fine.. Seren and Lady risa then entered the First Concubine''s chamber while Lady Tyra and herdies-in-waiting were directed to a nearby room.

 Chapter 317 - Witch And A Devil, Such An Unholy Pair!

    As Lady risa continued her half-hearted apology on the side, Seren observed her chamber that seemed to deeply reflect the luxurious taste of the olderdy. The decorations werevish, showing a heavy preference for gold and gemstones as blue as her eyes. It made Seren idly recall that the jewelry set she received earlier as a gift also had blue gemstones. On one side, there seemed to be a shelf disying all sorts of fancy jeweled antiques and animal hunting trophies.


    Crossing that huge chamber with several side chambers, Lady risa guided her way towards the balcony, which extended towards a garden. "This way, your Majesty."


    Descending a few steps from the open balcony, they reached a small private garden with a small gazebo in the center, surrounded by ornamental nts and beautiful flowers that surely bloomed due to Seren''s abilities affecting the entire pce.


    Lady risa''s servants pulled out the chairs for them as the twodies sat opposite each other around the circr wooden table. Afterwards, the servants arranged freshly brewed tea and small snacks for them.


    As soon as the servants served the teacups in front of them, Lady risa raised her hand to instruct them to step away.


    "Please have a taste of my favorite tea, Your Majesty," Lady risa offered with a sweet smile.


    Seren nodded lightly and picked up the teacup to warm her hands, but didn''t drink.? She then heard Lady risa say, "Your Majesty, I sincerely wish you to be a great queen��"


    Seren looked at her and heard her continue, "��unlike the previous queen who could not keep the glory of her title."


    The way she talked, it didn''t seem appropriate to Seren, but she didn''t know what exactly had happened to queen Esther and why Lady risa talked about her like this.


    Seeing the young queen remain silent, not asking anything, Lady risa covered her mouth with a gloved hand, looking apologetic once more. "Don''t take me wrong, Your Majesty. I just want you to do well. Doesn''t matter what the previous queen has done. I hope you are aware of everything so you will be careful, not repeating the mistakes done by the previous queen. Such unworthy woman, bringing shame to the Ivanovs and the kingdom��"


    Seren could no longer keep her mouth shut. "His Excellency, King Theron still didn''t make any of his wives Queen even after the kingdom lost her.? To keep the Queen''s throne empty for thirteen years, it shows how much King Theron valued Her Majesty Queen Esther''s worth."


    Lady risa froze, nearly spilling the hot liquid on her hand, as she didn''t expect Seren to say those words in such a firm manner. She was expecting her to ask what happened with Queen Esther, but the opposite happened. She thought this little witch was stupid, but she realized she underestimated this new queen. With a stiff smile, she swallowed this indirect insult that said King Theron loved Queen Esther and only her, and that her mistakes meant nothing to him. It also suggested that King Theron didn''t consider Lady risa as qualified or worthy enough to be the Queen of Megaris.


    ''Are you saying I amcking? That I am less than that lowly woman?!'' Lady risa immediately steadied herself as suspicion settled in her mind. ''Is this little witch already aware of what happened in the past? Only Drayce would have told her this ugly secret, but does he trust her this much to tell her everything? I don''t think so. She is still new, and he has not even known her for a few months.''


    With a pretty yet sad smile, Lady risa said with a sigh, "My husband, Theron, sure is a great man with a big heart. Don''t you think so?? To still respect his wife despite not deserving it and handing over his throne to the young bast��I mean, the young Drayce who doesn''t carry his blood. But of course, His Majesty is a dragon showing great capabilities despite his young age. There is surely merit in my husband''s decision, as His Majesty is a great swordsman andmander in the battlefield��"


    Seren stared at her, trying to understand what she was trying to do. Since the start, Seren had no good feelings about thisdy. After all, the impression she had of her on their first meeting by theke was bad.


    Lady risa let out a delicate gasp. "Oh! Your Majesty, are you not aware of the fact that King Drayce doesn''t carry the Ivanov bloodline? Apologies! I hope you are not disappointed to discover yourself married to someone who is not from a royal bloodline."


    "I believe a man''s worth is determined by his actions and not the blood he carries."


    "You are truly kind, as expected of our Queen!" Lady risa nodded with a smile, hiding her disappointment that this young queen sure knew how to talk back. She didn''t give her a chance to humiliate herself.


    Seren continued as she had an idea of Lady risa''s true intentions. It somehow reminded her of the different treatment she received from the people of her homnd. The people of Abetha looked down on her due to her having half of her mother''s blood, the same way Lady risa seemed to look down on Drayce.


    "After knowing my husband, I am d that I got to marry a man like him. He is a king not only by title, as he himself embodies every value a good ruler should have. The entire continent is aware of how capable he is as a king. He made this kingdom stronger andrger than ever, even if one browses through the history of the continent.? Every kingdom is wary of Megaris because of him. His Excellency''s foresight is truly amazing to appoint my husband as a king."


    Lady risa could only agree to her words, but her sly mind could not be at peace. "Your Majesty, aren''t you curious whose blood your future kids would be carrying?"


    Seren gave her cold look and Lady risa held herself back, "Don''t take me wrong, Your Majesty. I do not mean to offend. I-I, yes, I am merely being an overly curious woman. Apologies for spewing nonsense. It is undeniable His Majesty is a great king. He truly is, yes, but what I mean is��Am I not considered your mother, and you my daughter? As we are one family, I am being curious about you and my future grandchildren. Is it wrong to care for our family?"


    Seren''s response was calm.


    "My kids will of course carry the glorious blood of their father. Doesn''t matter the origin of it."


    Lady risa nodded. "Such a broad and benevolent heart you have, Your Majesty. His Majesty sure is fortunate to have you as his wife," she praised. "I hope your kids won''t look at their father''s title that everyone calls him��the Devil''s son��and like you, they will love him with such broadness."


    Though Seren was always curious about Drayce and his past, she didn''t wish to hear anything from this craftydy. The way she spun her words made her feel��angry. Yes, Lady risa was making her feel anger, something she didn''t even feel towards the people who talked badly about her back in Abetha. She would wait till her next visit to the Great Lady. She was sure that her husband was not what they call him to be, and even if he was, then he was not any scary monster that they think of him.


    "I believe our kids will love their father as much as their mother does," Seren replied to shut Lady risa''s annoying mouth.


    "That would be great," Lady risa said. Despite her efforts, even the fake smile on her face could not hide her displeasure now.


    Just then, there was a loud screech in the sky, causing both Seren and Lady risa to look up. It was Dusk who made a beautiful dive andnded at the railing of the garden gazebo.


    d for his arrival, Seren stood up and went to him. She as usual caressed the feathers of his head. "Didn''t see you around for two days. Where were you?" she asked, knowing he would not even answer.


    "Seems like King Drayce does not trust us. To even send his pet to keep an eye on Your Majesty��" Lady risa said as she red at the majestic eagle.


    "This shows how much he cares for me," Seren said and looked at Lady risa. "Isn''t it?"


    Lady risa could only nod, schooling her expression once more. Still, she was upset inside as she discovered it was not easy to deal with this little witch.


    "Did Dray send you here?" Seren asked, caressing Dusk''s head.


    Dusk pecked on her hand. Only then did Lady risa''s attentiontch into something.


    ''Dray? So she is already calling him by his nickname. They are already intimate this quickly?'' Lady risa was aware that only a few people could call Drayce by that name, and those were the ones he valued more than anything, people who had been by his side for years and proved worthy of his trust. This young queen was added to them now.


    ''How did I forget? She is a witch.'' Lady risa looked at the scales on Seren''s forehead. ''Witches are the epitome of vileness and deceit.? They are meant to be crafty. It is my fault to think she''s just some innocentmb. Witches sure are not easy to deal with though they are young,'' she smirked.. ''Huh. A witch and? a devil, such an unholy pair!''

 Chapter 318 - Announcement

    Dear readers, after dealing with serious health issues for the past three months, now I am covid positive. Due to bad health, I have decided to take a break from writing for the month of February and focus on my health to get itpletely better.


    I will resume writing from the 1st March and I hope I will get betterpletely by then. I will give more chapters to make up for this wait. I hope you all will understand as there is nothing I could do but rest at this moment.


    The next plot will reveal about Drayce and His mother and birth father which I am excited to write but have to restrain myself for now.


    Kindly don''t buy a privileged subscription for the month of February.


    You will be charged 5 coins to unlock this chapter but don''t worry. Once I am back on the 1st of March, I will rece this announcement chapter with the novel chapter. The system won''t allow me to keep it free and below a certain word count.


    As much it is hard for you guys to wait for the update, it is equally hard for me to stop myself from writing when all I want is to write this beautiful story that keeps ying in my mind.


    See you all on the 1st March.


    The rest content is repetitive to be able to publish this chapter.


    --------


    Dear readers, after dealing with serious health issues for the past three months, now I am covid positive. Due to bad health, I have decided to take a break from writing for the month of February and focus on my health to get itpletely better.


    I will resume writing from the 1st March and I hope I will get betterpletely by then. I will give more chapters to make up for this wait. I hope you all will understand as there is nothing I could do but rest at this moment.


    The next plot will reveal about Drayce and His mother and birth father which I am excited to write but have to restrain myself.


    Kindly don''t buy a privileged subscription for the month of February.


    You will be charged 5 coins to unlock this chapter but don''t worry. Once I am back on the 1st of March, I will rece this announcement chapter with the novel chapter. The system won''t allow me to keep it free and below a certain word count.


    As much it is hard for you guys to wait for the update, it is equally hard for me to stop myself from writing when all I want is to write this beautiful story that keeps ying in my mind.


    See you all on the 1st March.


    The rest content is repetitive to be able to publish this chapter.


    --------


    Dear readers, after dealing with serious health issues for the past three months, now I am covid positive. Due to bad health, I have decided to take a break from writing for the month of February and focus on my health to get itpletely better.


    I will resume writing from the 1st March and I hope I will get betterpletely by then. I will give more chapters to make up for this wait. I hope you all will understand as there is nothing I could do but rest at this moment.


    The next plot will reveal about Drayce and His mother and birth father which I am excited to write but have to restrain myself.


    Kindly don''t buy a privileged subscription for the month of February.


    You will be charged 5 coins to unlock this chapter but don''t worry. Once I am back on the 1st of March, I will rece this announcement chapter with the novel chapter. The system won''t allow me to keep it free and below a certain word count.


    As much it is hard for you guys to wait for the update, it is equally hard for me to stop myself from writing when all I want is to write this beautiful story that keeps ying in my mind.


    See you all on the 1st March.


    The rest content is repetitive to be able to publish this chapter.


    --------


    Dear readers, after dealing with serious health issues for the past three months, now I am covid positive. Due to bad health, I have decided to take a break from writing for the month of February and focus on my health to get itpletely better.


    I will resume writing from the 1st March and I hope I will get betterpletely by then. I will give more chapters to make up for this wait. I hope you all will understand as there is nothing I could do but rest at this moment.


    The next plot will reveal about Drayce and His mother and birth father which I am excited to write but have to restrain myself.


    Kindly don''t buy a privileged subscription for the month of February.


    You will be charged 5 coins to unlock this chapter but don''t worry. Once I am back on the 1st of March, I will rece this announcement chapter with the novel chapter. The system won''t allow me to keep it free and below a certain word count.


    As much it is hard for you guys to wait for the update, it is equally hard for me to stop myself from writing when all I want is to write this beautiful story that keeps ying in my mind.


    See you all on the 1st March.


    The rest content is repetitive to be able to publish this chapter.


    --------


    Dear readers, after dealing with serious health issues for the past three months, now I am covid positive. Due to bad health, I have decided to take a break from writing for the month of February and focus on my health to get itpletely better.


    Due to bad health, I have decided to take a break from writing for the month

 Chapter 319 - Going To His Mother

    Dear readers, I know you all have spent 5 coins on the previous announcement chapter. To make up for it, I have given 5 coins worth of free content in this chapter. Though it''s 11 coins worth chapter, it will cost you only 6 coins.


    ====


    Tea time with the First Concubine in her private garden had been a highly unpleasant experience, yet Seren went through it with quiet grace. With Dusk''s presence, Lady risa was also smart enough to understand this was Drayce warning her that she was being watched, and thus, the middle-aged concubine resumed her amiable smiling face and began to tell Seren about work-rted matters of the royal harem and the Vermillion Pce.


    After realizing she could learn the rest once she got to read the rted documents from Lady risa''s office, Seren decided to leave. Though Lady risa''s mocking didn''t affect her trust in her husband, she found it no longer necessary to pretend to be friendly with the woman.


    "Thank you for the tea, Lady risa," Seren said as she stood up from her seat. Despite not liking the older woman, Seren was raised to be a royal with good manners.


    When Seren told her she had other things to tend to, Lady risa also did not pretend to make her stay. "It is my pleasure to be at your service, Your Majesty."


    In fact, she wished Seren would hurry out of the Vermillion Pce. The young queen''s indifference and confidence about Drayce and her position left a bitter taste in Lady risa''s mouth.


    After receiving a gentle pat on the head, Dusk let out a croon before flying away from the garden. When she stepped out of Lady risa''s chamber, Seren saw Lady Tyra and herdies-in-waiting just outside the door, ready to escort her back to her carriage with the documents taken from Lady risa''s office.


    Seren then left the royal harem after thedies of the harem bid her farewell. Most of them were hoping that the new queen would treat everyone fairly well, as many of them had been targeted by Lady risa''s bad temper at least once before.


    Once Seren returned to her residence, she took some rest inside her bedchamber. Thinking about how from today onwards, her schedule would require her to talk to nobles and royals like Lady risa, people with des behind their smiles, she could not help but start to miss those idle days she only needed to tend to her flower garden.


    ''Being a queen is really not easy. It is only the first day�� How much busier is Dray since he''s a king? How does he do this every day?''


    Seren''s thoughts were interrupted by a knock on her door. Lady Tyra, who had left her to arrange the documents inside her study, returned to the Queen''s chamber.


    Marie opened the door to check who it was. "My Queen, it is Lady Tyra. Should I tell her you are still resting?"


    "Let her in," Seren replied as she left theforts of her bed and sat on the lounge chair. The old woman entered the chamber and gave her a curtsy before approaching.


    "Your Majesty, I have something for you." Lady Tyra handed over a small wooden box to Marie who gave it to Seren.


    Seren opened the box, and to her surprise, there was something she recognized inside that box, an item holding a gift that she had forgotten about. There was a brooch that had a familiar golden rose in it. It was not an engraving of a rose��rather, the head of the rose with golden petals was preserved in ss-like clear amber.


    "Isn''t this the flower that Dusk gave me on my wedding day?" Seren asked, observing how that flower was fixed on that brooch.


    "Yes, Your Majesty. This flower is not ordinary, but a magical one. It will give you protection from evil things. That''s why I wish you to keep it with you always."


    Seren studied the flower brooch with appreciation. That day, she was in a hurry to even look at it properly and simply ordered her servants to put it in a vase. "This looks like a rose but now that I''ve carefully seen its petals, it''s different."


    "Your Majesty, this flower is called Danshi. It''s a kind of lily rose," Lady Tyra informed her.


    "Danshi, such a nice name. But I have never seen a lily rose in this colour and it shines like gold," Serenmented as she studied the shine emitting from that flower. "This glows because of magic?"


    "That is why it is a divine flower," Lady Tyra told her, "and only Dusk could get it."


    Seren moved her gaze from the flower to Lady Tyra. "Why only Dusk?"


    Lady Tyra didn''t wish to tell Seren the exact meaning of giving this flower to someone, so she just told her just a part of it. "Dusk��His Majesty''s pet is not an ordinary hunting eagle. He belongs to a near-extinct species of divine bird. This particr flower grows at the dangerous peaks of the snow-capped mountains in Northern Megaris and is not something that anyone can reach. Due to its rarity, its existence and effect were only known by a select few, his species being one of them. The flower had be a symbolism of sorts to the male birds of his species in particr. They give this flower to a person they want to protect�� and they can do it only once in their lifetime."


    It surprised Seren. "Only once? Why did he give it to me? That kind of loyalty to the wife of his master��He should have given it to someone who needs to be protected." Sheughed a little and continued to speak, "He should have given it to a female of his species. It would have been put to better use, right? Can''t wait to see him fly around the pce with his female eagle while carrying a rose in his beak."


    To this, Eva and Marieughed a little as they imagined that but Lady Tyra''s expression did not change as she sighed inside. ''That silly bird.''


    Seren realized something. "Hmm, this flower''s appearance seems to be the same for the past two days? There is no change in its freshness and there are no signs of its petals wilting."


    Lady Tyra nodded and exined, "Since it is a divine flower, once it blooms, its state will always be the same, preserved for as long as its innate divinity sustains it. It will only wilt the day when one who has gifted you this flower ceases to exist."


    Seren looked at Lady Tyra as she understood the meaning of it. The one who had gifted this flower was Dusk. As long as Dusk exists, this flower exists too.


    "Thank you, Lady Tyra. I will always keep this flower with me," Seren smiled, "and I wish for it to never wilt, for it to remain fresh and beautiful for eternity."


    Seren was visibly moved by Dusk''s gesture. She liked the smart and thoughtful eagle a lot, but she never understood until now how important herself was to Dusk that he chose to give her this flower with a protective attribute. She too would never want a day toe when Dusk would not be around her.


    -----


    Night had fallen, and during this time, Seren would normally be in bed, buried under the sheets and ready to retire for the night. However, herrge andfortable bed was currently empty.


    The young queen, d in her nightgown and covered by a thick robe, was standing by the window of her room, staring outside in a daze. She wanted to stand on the balcony, but she was sure that she would not be able to withstand the cold night breeze on her own.


    "He must be busy with his work," she murmured with a sigh. "Maybe he fell asleep already��no, I think he is justte��"


    She was waiting for Drayce toe to her chamber. She was sure he woulde as there had not been a single night where he left her to sleep alone.


    Just then, there was a strong gust of wind behind her. Even before Seren could turn around, a strong pair of arms surrounded her stomach. A tall man hugged her from the back and whispered in her ear, "Are you waiting for me, my Queen?"


    Seren was caught off guard and turned frozen. There was no way she would admit that she was waiting for him. So embarrassing!


    "Y-Your Majesty!" she said to greet him.


    "Huh? Do I need to remind you of my name again?"


    "I think I need to do the same?" Seren countered.


    His breath felt warm against her ear. "I love to call you my Queen as it gives me a sense that you are mine and mine alone."


    Seren turned quiet as she felt her heart do a flip at those intimate words.


    Drayce continued, "Sometimes, I love to address you as something else as well."


    It puzzled Seren as she had only heard him calling her either my Queen or Seren. "Something else?"


    "Little kitten!" he replied with a low chuckle. "When did I start? Ah, back when I heard an innocent little girl trying to scare others by saying, "I am a witch and I can burn you!"


    Seren''s eyes widened at his admission. Her mind tried to recall if such a thing ever happened with Drayce. "I-I never said those words in front of you!"


    "But my ears caught you saying it a few times." His arms wrapped around her tightened a little. "Seems like you love to call yourself a witch."


    "That is what I am."


    Silence suddenly enveloped the two. The atmosphere felt strange, but those words were her honest thoughts. Seren felt like she said something she shouldn''t have and lowered her gaze.


    "Seren, my little kitten, my sweet wife, my Queen," Drayce said in a slow yet firm manner as he entangled his fingers with hers, still holding her in his embrace. "Whoever you are, you are mine."


    With her feeble back pressed against his hard chest, Seren felt a sudden warmth spreading within her heart. Even her breath had turned shallow as she tried to keep her emotions in check. No one had ever treated her as sincerely and as preciously as him.


    The young pair of husband and wife stood infortable silence, seemingly listening to each other''s heartbeats like they were the most wonderful music to their ears. After a while, she felt her husband move.


    "I will be going away for two days," Drayce informed her.


    Seren nodded. She remembered that Great Lady Theodora had already mentioned this to her. The old woman even offered for her to stay in the Crystal Pce during those two days.


    "Where are you going?" Seren asked as she felt him resting his chin on her shoulder.


    "The ce where my mother disappeared from my life." There was a brief silence as Drayce hesitated to continue. "Once a year, I visit that ce on the anniversary of her disappearance." Another pause, and then he added softly, "Many people believe she''s dead, but I never gave up searching for her. I never gave up waiting for her to return to me."


    Seren moved her fingers, slowly rubbing her thumb over his. Her voice was as soft as his. "What if she''s not��?"


    She felt his hand shiver under hers. His voice was slightly muffled as he buried his face into her hair. "I have always believed she is still alive, that''s why I wait for her every year on the same day and same ce��and now that I found you, that belief has grown even stronger."


    He meant the flower birthmark on her forehead. She wished she could help him in finding his mother, but as Great Lady Theodora guessed, Seren must have been a newborn infant when she met Queen Esther.


    "Why did she leave?"


    Seren was always curious about what exactly happened to Queen Esther. Her curiosity was further strengthened after meeting King Theron.


    Who was Drayce''s real father? Why did the former queen abandon her son in the royal pce and not bring him away with her?

 Chapter 320 - Am I A Bed Warmer For You?

    She could not help butpare it to her own situation��but with her, it was different. While her mother''s whereabouts were unknown, Seren was at least put under the care of her birth father.


    "I am sure when you visit the Crystal Pce, Grandmother will answer all of your questions. Let''s not waste our time on it as I have to leave the next morning." After saying all this, Drayce picked her up in his arms and then took her to bed.


    Seren was startled by his sudden actions, but it was not like she didn''t expect this. She let him carry her and he gently ced her in bed. Seren was getting used to this, to the point she could even guess what Drayce would do next.


    Hey on his side next to her with one of his hands on her waist, while the other was supporting his head so that he could take a good look at his wife. Drayce craved to see her appearance. He would be away from his wife for two excruciatingly long days and he could not even see her face to keep it in his memories. All he could do was to imprint the look of her precious purple eyes in his brain.


    "Will you miss me when I''m away, my Queen?" he asked while tracing the soft curve of her waist, up towards her shoulders. He soon reached the border of her veil from her ear, and then her nose, before stopping when his fingernded above her soft lips.


    Seren did not even need to nod as Drayce saw the answer in her eyes. He continued to murmur in a low, seductive voice, "What will you miss about me?"


    Now, this was something Seren could not answer easily. ''What will I miss about him?'' she thought.


    "I''ll miss�� your warmth that allows me to sleep peacefully," she replied.


    Drayce chuckled. "So I am some sort of bed warmer for you?"


    "No, not like that. I just feel safe and peaceful when you are next to me," she exined quickly, which made him chuckle harder.


    "Then I should stick to you all the time," he concluded with a light smirk.


    ''All the time?'' She almost took it literally and said, "Night time will be fine."


    "So you don''t want me during daytime anymore?" he teased with a feigned wounded look.


    The soft lights of the nightmp allowed Seren to see theughter in his red eyes. He seemed to be enjoying his time teasing her. With a pout he couldn''t see, she turned to her side to face him and hugged him, burying her face in his chest, not willing to respond to his yful antics.


    Drayce hugged her back and stopped teasing. As his hands wandered around her back, hemented, "Why are you so soft? I feel like crushing you in my strong grip."


    Seren didn''t react as this was the best she could do from protecting herself from the teasing. Drayce caressed her head. "Are you sleepy?"


    She nodded lightly. All she wanted was to be in his embrace and sleep peacefully after having an entire day going through her duties as a queen that she didn''t like even one bit.


    "Sleep then," he said as he gently kissed the top of her head.


    She raised her head in surprise, and even without speaking, Drayce could guess the question forming inside her pretty little head.


    Drayce merely smiled. It was not necessary to do intimate things every night. Sometimes, it could be just silent and peaceful like this. "Sleep. I''ll be gone by the time you wake up. I''ll try to be back as soon as possible."


    Seren nodded lightly and slowly closed her eyes.


    ---------


    When Seren and Drayce drifted to sleep, a certain someone, who was thrown towards the highest peak of the farthest mountain, had just gotten back to the forest near the Royal Pce of Megaris. A beautiful and elegant creature with silvery appearance��it was the moon elf, and he had returned to the spot in the forest where his pets were waiting for him.


    Seeing? the two huge beasts that looked like tigers, he strode towards them and caressed their lowered heads. It was disorienting how the scary-looking beasts appeared like tamed kittens bowing before their master.


    "So you two have finally found me, huh?" the moon elf chuckled as a smirk painted itself on his delicate lips. "Seems like you two missed me."


    The two giant tigers rubbed their heads against his palms as if saying yes to him, but just then, the moon elf continued to speak in an amiable tone, "Or are you two searching for a new master, hmm?"


    The two tigers stepped back a little. They could not even look straight in the eyes of their master, as if they were thieves that got caught in the middle of the act.


    The moon elf chuckled again with a teasing smile on his lips. "You are my pets. What more can I expect from you? What I like, you two go for the same."


    The two tigers felt relieved seeing their master smiling and heard him continue speaking, "But we first need to know more about her."


    The two pets made a nodding motion to show they agreed to his statement.


    "I am tired," he said in a wistful manner. "Let''s arrange a nice temporary lodging for us to stay in."


    The moon elf moved his fingers. All of a sudden, there appeared a small and quaint cottage surrounded bypound walls andnterns hanging at the porch of the cottage.


    He looked at the cottage and held his chin for a moment, as if examining an artwork. "It looks so nd. It is something we''ll be using for a short term, but we need to add more decorations since we''ll be staying inside."


    Another flick of his fingers, and there appeared various nts with beautiful flowers in full bloom, making that ce look lively. It was an image straight out of a fairy tale book. As he and his pets walked past thepound wall which was hardly two feet tall and made of wooden tes, the moon elf arranged a pile of dried grass on one side and said to his pets, "That''s for you two."


    The two tigers immediately went towards it andy on it like tired kids.


    Seeing them act like that, the moon elf sighed, "Who told you two to follow me this far?" Once again, he looked around the ce. He moved his fingers as if tapping something in thin air and continued talking to himself, "Now this ce is invisible to others." He then went inside the cottage brightened up with thenterns andy on the soft bed inside.


    He stared at the ceiling and mumbled, "Why do I feel like I will get to meet that maiden again soon?"


    =====


    Announcement-


    Dear readers, the printed hardbound, high-quality copy of the one volume of novel is being ready. Other than the winners from thest time, I have decided to gift it to others as well. The readers who will gift at least one castle to the novel, will get a printed copy delivered to their homes with some cute goodies. As soon as you gift the book our moderators will contact you and confirm your gift.. They will ask for your delivery address please coordinate with them.

 Chapter 321 - [Bonus ]Worried About His Safety

    When Seren woke up the next day, Drayce was already gone. She stared at the empty ce in her bed, and this time, there was no one in the room standing next to the window.


    ''Did he leave already?'' She immediately sat up in bed, only to be greeted by her servants.


    "Good morning, Your Majesty."


    "Where is His Majesty?" she asked though he had told her he would be gone by the time she woke up. Still, what if he was having his morning meal and maybe she could join him before he left?


    "His Majesty King Drayce left the pce early in the morning," Marie informed her.


    ''He said he will be back in two days. It''s fine. I will wait for him,'' Seren consoled herself. She had no idea why, but she felt empty inside thinking about the fact she could not see that red-eyed man in the next two days.


    When sheter entered the dining hall, despite the wide array of delicious dishesid on the table, Seren was barely able to take a bite. She didn''t feel like she had an appetite as thoughts of Drayce kepting to her mind. She realized this was the first time the two of them were separated after their marriage.


    ''I wonder if he had his morning meal?''


    Somehow, she managed to eat without tasting the food. Thinking about the workload waiting for her for the day, she knew she needed to conserve as much energy as she could. Once she stepped out of her residence towards the carriage, she saw a familiar man in armour standing beside it.


    ''yer?''


    It surprised her as being the guardian knight of the King of Megaris, yer should have apanied the King when he left the pce.


    ''Why is he here? Then who went with Dray?'' she wondered, reigniting the worry she''s feeling for her husband although she knew Drayce was more than strong enough to protect himself.


    Seeing the young queen approach the carriage, yer gave her a knight''s salute. "Calhoun Sanders, Commander of the Royal Knights, greets Her Majesty, Queen Seren Ivanov."


    Seren epted his greetings, "You may rise."


    Seren wanted to ask why he was there instead of going with Drayce, but before she could open her mouth again, Lady Tyra who was just behind her spoke, "Your Majesty, Sir Sanders will be escorting you for the next two days, as per the decree issued by King Drayce."


    Seren understood Drayce was the one who appointed yer to stay by her side, but she still didn''t agree with this idea. She was inside the pce and she was safe under the protection of the royal guards, while Drayce had gone outside. He should have been apanied by his most trusted knight.


    ''Did he take other knights with him?'' she wondered. ''Yes, that must be the case. The people here would have stopped him from wandering about on his own, right?''


    Seren forced herself to smile, though no one could see that behind her veil. "I will be in your care today, Sir Sanders."


    "It is my honour to be at your service, Your Majesty," the youngmander replied as he courteously gestured for her hand.? After helping Seren climb inside her carriage, yer then climbed onto his own horse which walked in front of the carriage.


    Because Drayce was away, Seren did not attend the day''s session of the royal court and headed straight towards the Vermillion Pce. yer stayed outside the gate of the pce as men were not allowed to enter the dwelling of the royal harem.


    Seren did not spend a long time inside either. She merely did a cursory check on the situation inside the harem, spending some time to chat with thedies regarding theirints and needs to check the authenticity of the documents provided by Lady risa. Maybe it was luck, or perhaps the woman avoided her, but Seren also did not see even a shadow of the First Concubine during her brief visit.


    Lady Tyra, who was sitting with her inside the carriage, informed her of her schedule.


    "His Majesty asked me to clear your schedule of meetings with the nobles until he returns. For now, I have sent some of the more important documents you must review in the Crystal Pce ahead of time, so you can read them at leisure during your stay," the old woman exined.


    Seren blinked. "Will that be all right? I thought that now I am officially crowned the Queen, I will be working day in and day out."


    Lady Tyra smiled at her. "It is because you are the Queen, you can do whatever you want, Your Majesty. Megaris is not so weak that the kingdom will be affected by you taking a day or two off."


    Seren could only nod. In fact, she was a little happy when Lady Tyra said those words. She might have read many books in her life, but the duties of a Queen required dealing with the pce people with awareness and experience, which she was bothcking. In her next schedule, she only had to go to the Crystal Pce and stay there with the Great Lady till Drayce returned to the pce.


    Great Lady Theodora was a sweet and wise woman, and Seren enjoyed the old woman''s presence. Drayce trusted his grandmother as well, and he knew in his absence that Seren wouldn''t feel lonely with his grandmother around her to look after her.


    The Queen''s carriage silently drove towards theke, as Seren had to ride a boat to go towards the Crystal Pce.


    When they reached the gazebo at theke, Lady Tyra bowed and informed the young queen. "Your Majesty, other than Sir Calhoun, Marie will apany you to the Crystal Pce. I and yourdies-in-waiting will stay behind to prepare for your return."


    The nobledies and the servants behind Lady Tyra all gave Seren a bow as they saw her off.

 Chapter 322 - What Kind Of A Person She Was

    yer held the boat prepared for them steady while standing at the wooden tform so that the two women could get inside easily. Marie climbed the boat first and she helped her queen get inside by offering her hand.


    Seren noticed that this time there was a ferryman on one end of the boat who was ready with the oars in his hands. Not everyone had powers like her husband to move the boat on its own on the water.


    Seren sat on one side while Marie sat opposite to her. Once the two women were sittingfortably, yer climbed the boat and signalled the ferryman to start moving the boat.


    Marie helped Seren cover herself with a thick coat for warmth though the young queen was already wearing the bracelet given by Drayce. The temperature had considerably dropped above the surface of theke, and it would only be colder with the wind blowing against the boat as the boat travelled towards the Crystal Pce.


    Soon, their group reached the Crystal Pce. Great Lady Theodora was at the dock, waiting to wee the young queen to her residence.


    "Wee, dear," the Great Lady greeted her.


    "I am back, Grandmother," Seren replied with a happy sparkle in her eyes. "You should have waited inside the drawing-room where it''s morefortable for you."


    The old woman beamed at her. "Oh, you sweet child. I live by theke, and I am used to the cold. This is nothing."


    Seren had lunch with the Great Lady, and the old woman was quite happy to have someone she could share her passion for gardening about. They mostly talked about some secrets for rearing flowers, but Seren could not help but be distracted.


    Since the moment she arrived at the Crystal Pce, there was only one thing in her mind she wanted to ask the most��the story behind Drayce and his mother, Queen Esther. She had many questions in her mind, but she dared not raise them as she did not want to dampen the enthusiasm being shown by the Great Lady.


    After finishing their meal, Great Lady Theodora asked with a satisfied smile, "How about taking a short walk in the garden?"


    Seren nodded, sensing the subtle change in the Great Lady''s mood. "I would love to, Grandmother."


    Just as Seren and the Great Lady came to the hanging garden, the olddy instructed the servants following behind them, "No need to attend us."


    The servants understood that the Great Lady wanted to be alone with the young queen and obeyed the orders.


    "This way." Great Lady Theodora led the way for Seren. The young woman silently apanied the olddy with a cane, matching her slow steps.


    A few minutes had passed before the Great Lady broke thefortable silence between them.


    "You look like you have many things in mind. Are the Queen''s official duties and responsibilities troubling you greatly?" the Great Lady asked.


    "No, Grandmother. I have yet to actually start, and I''m still in the middle of understanding my role. Lady Tyra and mydies-in-waiting are doing their best to help me in my preparations," Seren answered, feeling grateful that many people had been supporting her.


    "Then, may I know what is troubling my dear?" Great Lady Theodora asked, her words were gentle and caring.


    Seren gripped her thick coat closer to her body as she hesitated. "I��I am not sure if I should say it."


    The Great Lady watched her with a tender gaze before smiling like a doting elder. "It is always better to say your worries out loud instead of keeping it inside. What can happen? If you try to face your troubles, you may or you may not get a satisfactory result, but at least you acted. It is better to regret doing something than to regret not trying even once."


    Seren lowered her head as she repeated those words in her heart. "You are right, Grandmother."


    "Then tell me what it is," the Great Lady probed. "Perhaps I can be of help."


    "I��" Seren hesitated, thinking how to properly voice out her worries. Since she was a quiet person by nature, she often struggled to voice out her thoughts. "I just�� I wish to know about what happened with the previous Queen. Why did she leave? And why did the previous King say that Dray is not his son?"


    Her voice was getting softer and softer with each word as she could understand the seriousness of those royal secrets she was trying to know.


    "Hmm!" The Great Lady gave a little nod. "That is quite a long story to tell, my dear." She turned towards the little gazebo by the water lily pond. "Let''s sit there as this olddy''s legs won''tst standing that long."


    Seren let out a quiet sigh of relief. She wasn''t confident that the Great Lady would agree to spill the secrets of her family so easily. However, now that the old woman would open up to her, Seren actually felt nervous.


    The two royaldies entered the gazebo and sat side by side on a long bench that was facing the still waters of the lily pond. Beyond, one could see the crystal clearke reflecting the tall rugged snow-covered peaks on the other side of theke.


    The Great Lady''s gaze seemingly softened as she opened her mouth.


    "Perhaps, I should begin by telling you about Esther��"


    The old woman had a mncholic smile on her aged face when she mentioned the name ''Esther''. Her gaze seemed not to be on the scenery in front of them��rather, it was like she was reminiscing memories with equal sadness and fondness. Even though many years had passed, she still missed someone precious to her heart and she had not yet gotten over losing that person.


    "What kind of person is Queen Esther?" Seren asked.


    Seren had caught vague glimpses of the woman from the memories she had when she touched the things used by the former Queen.

 Chapter 323 - Memories Of The Precious Person

    Seren had caught vague glimpses of the woman from the memories she had when she touched the things used by the former Queen. From those scattered glimpses, she could tell that Queen Esther was a gentle and kind person who loved her son the most. Seren regretted the fact that she could not clearly see her face or hear her voice, and all she could catch was the innocent voice of a little boy who could not stop admiring his mother.


    "Esther, ah, she was a wise and kind Queen, a loving mother, and a woman who loved her husband the most. You will always see her with a smile on her face, no matter the situation, and that was her strength��facing the good and the bad with a smile. Even if she were to defy her destiny, she would never lose her smile, as if she was telling the people around her that there is nothing to fear and all will be well. Esther was that kind of woman."


    Seren was curious to know more as she listened to her grandmother describe the woman who seemed to be amazing beyond expectations. Seren paid attention to each of her words while the old woman remained immersed in her memories of the past.


    "I still remember the day I met her for the first time. She saved me, the Queen of Megaris, from the rebels who attacked in the guise of bandits when I was travelling around the western territories for the summer..."


    A certain day less than three decades ago, the then younger Queen Theodora Ivanov had finished visiting the noble households of the western aristocrats and was about to return to the capital city of ckhelm. After leaving a particr western city, her entourage took a short break by the riverside after passing by a forest in order to rest the horses.


    "The sun is brighter than usual today. This summer finally feels like a real summer."


    "You are only saying that because it''s daytime. Wait till nightes, and you will beining about the freezing cold again."


    "Stupid girl, of course I''m talking about daytime! Can you see the sun during the night? Can you? Can you? I''mparing today''s weather from yesterday''s��"


    The servants were talking uninhibitedly among themselves outside of Queen Theodora''s carriage, which would have surprised many people if they were to find out about this. The Queen was famous for her proud and strict disposition to people of high society, but towards her own people, she was lenient and carefree, to the point she even saw them like her own family and treated them as such. She would not stop her servants from gossiping as long as they did their work; in fact, she even enjoyed listening to some of the juicy stories passed around them.


    Just then, the knight who was leading the entourage rode beside the carriage and called out courteously, "Your Majesty, we will be taking a short break by the river. The horses are good with the cold but are fatigued by the unusual heat, and we will need to let them rest for an hour."


    The woman, who was sitting inside the carriage with a book in hand, heard it and slid the window open to the side. Queen Theodora Ivanov was in herte thirties, yet her radiant skin and delicate features made her look like a young maiden who had just blossomed into adulthood.


    "I trust the Captain''s judgment." Her voice was elegant as she spoke, bearing a hint of the proud royal ent unique to the Ivanovs. "You may stop the carriage by the river."


    "Thank you, Your Majesty," the captain of her knight brigade smiled, "and pardon for the inconvenience such a dy will cause on our schedule."


    "There is no such thing, Sir Alexis. Besides, to be outside in such fine weather is a good thing, don''t you think?"


    "Indeed, Your Majesty. I will excuse myself as I should instruct my subordinates to set camp now."


    The stunning woman who looked younger than her actual age smiled brightly as she watched the captain of her knights ride his horse back towards his position at the head of the entourage.


    Seeing the sunny weather outside, Queen Theodora kept the ss window open to let in the fresh air inside the royal carriage. Her long brown hair moved along that pleasant breeze as her dark brown eyes shone brightly seeing the greenery around.


    As soon as the knight brigade gave the signal that the area was clear, the royal entourage stopped by the river to rest. Queen Theodora stepped out of her carriage to enjoy the view of the river with herdies-in-waiting around her to tend to her needs.


    Not even a quarter of an hour since their group set camp, there was a sudden attack by a group of men with their faces covered in masks. Despite being alert, it took the escorts by surprise as there was no attack when they were travelling through the forest, but it happened in an open space like the river area. "Bandits! We are being attacked by bandits!"


    "Protect Her Majesty the Queen!"


    "Captain, more men are emerging from the river! They seemed to have followed our route��"


    Despite the chaos, Sir Alexis stayed beside the Queen. He was calm as he assessed the situation. "Your Majesty, the attackers are more in number than our brigade. They appear to be too skilled to be mere bandits. I am afraid these are remnant rebels from one of the fallen territories that His Majesty has just conquered. Doesn''t seem like our men willst for long. Please do not leave my side."


    "Get me a sword," the Queen instructed in a firm manner, and no one questioned the Queen.


    The Kingdom of Megaris was a militant kingdom, and a great majority of its noble families earned their peerage through their war achievements. In particr, Queen Theodora was the eldest daughter of one of the generals of the kingdom. Not only was she trained on how to use a sword, but she could also even rival some of the knights with her prowess.. If she were not chosen to join the royal harem at an early age, she would have probably decided to swear an oath of knighthood.

 Chapter 324 - Price To Be Paid As A Queen

    Herdies-in-waiting handed her a sword while they also drew their own weapons, ready to face any attacksing their way and protect their queen.


    More knights gathered around Queen Theodora because protecting her was the priority. Unfortunately, however skilled the royal knights of Megaris may be, the attackers outnumbered them on a ratio of five opponents to every person, and it would be impossible to win against them without casualties on their end.


    Sir Alexis gritted his teeth. At this point, it was a burden to be protecting the unarmeddies and servants of the Queen. He also had to keep his eyes on Queen Theodora and could not fully focus on attacking the enemies. As the leader of her royal knight brigade, he had to make a choice for the safety of the Queen.


    "Vice Captain!" he roared to one of his men. "Bring Her Majesty back towards the forest and hide! We will do our utmost to keep them here. If you can bring Her Majesty back to the city, that will be for the best��"


    "Your Majesty, please follow me," the Vice Captain of the brigade said as two other knights joined them. Queen Theodora was unwilling to leave, but she knew she was the primary target of the attack. After they found a chance to break through the encirclement of rebels, the Queen and one of herdies-in-waiting quickly followed the knights.


    Seeing the Queen escaping with knights, the leader of the rebels shouted at his men, "The Queen is escaping! Do not let her get away!" he yelled.


    Just as he was about to follow her, Sir Alexis blocked his way. "You will be staying here with me!"


    "Archers!" the leader instructed, and one arrow suddenly hit the leg of the Captain of the knights. Sir Alexis was then attacked simultaneously by three swordsmen, allowing the leader to slip past him? and follow where the Queen of Megaris went.? Several rebels were able to catch up to the leader due to the archers targeting the legs of the royal knights.


    "Your Majesty, be careful," the Queen''sdy-in-waiting said as she looked at the uneven forest path covered with dried leaves and twigs. Both Queen Theodora and the nobledy were wearing cumbersome skirts and heeled boots, and their clothes were causing them trouble whenever their skirts got caught in the bushes.


    "I am fine, Bethy. You be careful too," Queen Theodora said as she decidedly ripped the lower part of her skirt so she could run faster. She no longer cared about appearances, as her life was of utmost importance.


    However, their group had yet to run far when the rebels following them caught their traces and were able to guess the path they were taking. The rebels, who were more familiar with the terrain, surrounded them in no time.


    "There is no use of running away, Queen Theodora," the leaderughed.? There were ten enemies, and there were only three knights on her side; both parties knew they had trapped the Queen.


    "Do you know what would be the consequences of what you are doing right now?" the Queen asked.


    The leader chuckled and approached them in a leisurely manner. "Are you talking about the consequences of this?"


    He casually waved his sword and the Vice Captain of the brigade lunged towards him in response. Unfortunately, the knight did not notice that not far from him, there was an archer hiding behind the trees and an arrow buried itself deep into his head.


    Queen Theodora saw the knight''s lifeless body fall on the ground and anger enveloped her. How much she wanted to kill this man in front of her but it could only be her wishful thinking at this point.


    Only two knights were left to protect the Queen of Megaris, and there was onedy-in-waiting who looked about ready to sacrifice herself in order to buy time for her queen to escape. Queen Theodora gritted her teeth and asked in a low voice, "What do you want?"


    The man chuckled. "Isn''t it obvious by now that we are here to take your life?"


    "If I surrender to you and let you keep me hostage, will you let my people leave?"


    The rebel casually waved his sword."Oh, are you faking kindness now,dy? Toote. See, just because you did not give up earlier, you have caused the deaths of your innocent subjects. Royals, huh? Always hiding behind your ves, feeling all powerful, thinking your lives are more important, more valuable, just because you have wealth and power. But don''t you think it is funny? In front of death, people are equal, regardless if they are innocent or not."


    "You rebels don''t even hesitate to kill people despite knowing they are innocent," Queen Theodora retorted.


    "Then stop hiding behind them and surrender yourself already," the rebel leader said. "Don''t worry, Queen of Megaris. I will not give you a quick death. You will enjoy a slow, torturous kind of pain, and maybe that way you will regret being a wife to a husband who knows nothing but to disturb peaceful nations just because you bloodthirsty people love war."


    Queen Theodora knew that it was impossible to converse with this man. This rebel must truly be a remnant of a fallen kingdom that was now a territory of Megaris. War was not an issue of who is right or wrong; it was a sh of benefits and interests. In order for Megaris to continue to grow stronger, they would have to swallow the kingdoms that shared their borders.


    Was her husband, the King of Megaris, evil for conquering newnds? Perhaps to the victims, he was nothing short of a demon, but to the people of Megaris, her husband was a war hero.


    ''Perhaps this is a price I must pay as an Ivanov.''


    Queen Theodora threw her sword aside. "Fine! I will surrender. Let them go." She walked towards the leader bravely.


    "Your Majesty, no!" Bethy, herdy-in-waiting, tried to stop the Queen.


    "It''s fine. Stay down," the Queen warned her. "Remember, you promised to let them go."


    The leader chuckled as he saw the Queen finally giving up and he took a step forward towards her. "That can''t happen. These ves have to pay for the price of serving you hypocritical royals as well."


    Just as he said those words, he did something shocking��the leader pierced his sword through Bethy''s stomach. The pale face of thedy-in-waiting turned towards Queen Theodora as she mouthed for herdy to run.


    "No!!!"


    The Queen hurried towards Bethy who had fallen on her knees after the leader pulled his sword out of her stomach.


    "Tears? You are crying? Yes, you hypocrite. Cry all you want.. That pain of seeing someone die, imagine us ordinary people feeling that over and over again just because you royals thought it is fun to wage war."

 Chapter 325 - An Unknown Saviour

    "You are monsters!" Queen Theodora yelled.


    "Perhaps, but remember, we are monsters that Megaris created."


    The remaining two knights were captured and injured by the rebels as well so they could do nothing but helplessly watch the leader of the rebels humiliate their queen.


    The leader looked at his subordinates. "What are you waiting for? Let the Queen see more deaths before she herself faces it."


    Just as his subordinates were about to behead the two knights who were forced to kneel on the ground, two daggers flew from behind the trees and pierced the hearts of the rebels who were about to behead the knights.


    "Sneak attack! Everyone, defend yourselves!"


    "Damn, our archer is probably dead and we didn''t realize it."


    The rebels turned alert as they gripped their swords, ready to face this sudden attacker.


    The leader held his sword in front of him as he looked in the direction from where those daggers were thrown from. "Come out if you don''t want the Queen of Megaris to die."


    A person in a hooded cloak appeared from behind the trees whose face was covered with a strip of cloth. One could not tell if the neer was male or female, but he was considerably short among the people gathered in the forest.


    Looking at the person with a seemingly thin physique, the leader of the rebels realized it was not a royal knight, but rather an unlucky passing busybody, probably a young hunter with an inted sense of justice.


    "Hey, kid! Don''t you love your life? Are you sure you want to meddle in our matters? Doesn''t seem like this is any of your business."


    "It is not, but you still have to let them go," replied the voice muffled by the cloth covering his mouth. It was not a rough manly voice and neither was it delicate like a female''s, further convincing the leader that this busybody was probably an adolescent boy.


    "ying hero, aren''t we?" The leader of the rebels, a tall and robust man,ughed as he removed the cloth covering his face, revealing his scarred face sporting a cruel smile. "And why do you feel like I will listen to you?"


    "I can only say what I want. It is up to you to listen or not," said the neer without an ounce of fear.


    "I wonder what you got up your sleeves to be so brave in front of us."


    "I am sure you would not like to know," the neer replied, his tone indifferent to the danger the grown men pose to him.


    "Then let''s see what you got," the leader said. He stepped towards the neer, brandishing his sword with the intention of attack.


    The young hunter pulled out two long daggers, the type used to skin animals of the forest, from under his cloak and fought the leader head on. The neer''s attacks were fast, but the skills of the leader of the rebels was nothing to scoff at either. Not to mention that the leader of the rebels had survived a war and thus had more fighting experience, he was also physically stronger, and thus his attacks were getting heavier with each passing second. They were not easy to handle, but the neer didn''t give up and remain steadfast in defense.


    When he saw an opportunity to counterattack, the young hunter managed to wound the leader in his leg by shing one long dagger in his thigh.


    "I will kill you, you meddlesome kid!"


    The injury angered the leader, and his subordinates marched to help him. This weak-looking new person was not easy to deal with, and the leader figured that an unknown element like him might jeopardize his mission of killing the Queen of Megaris.


    "Damn this. Kill that woman! Kill everyone! We don''t need to leave an eyewitness!"


    While this young hunter was dealing with the leader, could the Queen and her two knights remain idle? They also grabbed their swords back and fought against the other rebels with all their might.


    While dealing with the leader and his men, the neer could surprisingly afford to look at Queen Theodora who happened to be staring at him at that moment. The neer''s gaze seemed to be telling the Queen to run away, but Queen Theodora did not bother with that unspoken warning and brandished her sword towards one of the remaining rebels. The Queen had no intention of running anymore. This young hunter who had nothing to do with this was helping her with his life at stake; wouldn''t she really be a hypocrite as the rebel imed if she was to leave now, especially if there was now a chance that they could win?


    With the young hunter keeping the leader and a handful of his men plenty upied, the Queen and her knights managed to take down the remaining rebels, but by then, the three of them were exhausted. The leader, who was still not ready to give up, pulled out one metal instrument from his pocket and blew air into it, causing it to emit a bird-like sound.


    Heughed. "None of you are going to live! Finally, I can avenge myrades! Queen of Megaris, die! I want you to die!"


    It did not take long for more rebels to appear. Seeing a number of them with bloodsoaked bodies, Queen Theodora''s tired body grew icy cold in fear. It seemed like Sir Alexis and the other knights, herdies-in-waiting and her servants, all of them were no longer living. Was her entire entourage wiped out? Was this truly the end? Will she die by the rebels'' hands?


    Surrounded by the rebels, Queen Theodora, the two knights and the young hunter could only gather to protect each other''s backs. However, they were exhausted, not to mention the knights were injured earlier. It was a hopeless situation. Desperation gripped the Queen''s heart, and she felt sorry for her people.


    While trying to catch her breath, the Queen whispered to the cloaked hunter, "You have nothing to do with all this. I will try to divert their attention and you should run away. Don''t look back and focus on surviving."


    The neer didn''t answer as he eyed the rebels surrounding them. He was sure they could not win against them now and sighed inwardly.


    Just then, they heard the injured rebel leader shout, "What are you waiting for? Kill them all!"


    The rebels stepped towards them with the killing intent, brandishing their swords to stab the trapped group. A secondter, screams could be heard��-


    The most surprising thing was that those screams came out of the rebels'' mouths.


    Each and every rebel on that encirclement were thrown out in the air as if they mmed against something heavy, and their limp bodies fell on the uneven ground several feet away from the Queen''s group.

 Chapter 326 - Not A Man But A Woman

    "What? What just happened?"


    Everyone looked at the young hunter as that invisible energy force came from him.


    "You, kid! What did you do?" the rebel leader yelled in rm. The hand holding the sword was trembling. "You are not a hunter! Who are you?!"


    Queen Theodora and her knights looked at the neer in shock as well.


    "Didn''t I tell you before that you might not like to learn it?" the neer replied in an indifferent tone. "This is myst warning. If you don''t want to die, then leave. I don''t wish to get more blood on my hands."


    "Do you think you can scare us with these tricks?" The leader of the rebels didn''t wish to back down and strode towards the neer as he signalled his remaining subordinates with something. The neer''s attention was on the leader who was stepping forward with his sword.


    The neer raised his hands towards the leader and swirled his fingers with the palms facing each other. There was a formation of energy floating in the air that ordinary people could not see. At that moment, the leader had just raised his sword with the intention of hacking the cloaked youth in half, but the next moment, a strong invisible force hit the rebel in the chest, hard enough to make his entire body fall on the ground and slide several feet away.


    "Hyaaa, die!"


    Only then did people realize that one of the surviving rebels had approached the cloaked youth. The rebel would have been sessful in hurting him with his sword, but before the cloaked youth was faster than him by a split second and was able to dodge the deadly sneak attack. If the cloaked youth was half a breath slower, his skull would have been cracked with that sword sh.


    However, the attack did notpletely miss. The sword hit the edge of the hood and nicked the cloth wrapped around his face, leaving a thin bloody scratch on his cheek.


    "Y-You��!"


    Long luscious hair with a golden shade like honey spilled out of the hood and a delicate face was exposed when the cloth covering it fell on the ground, catching everyone by surprise.


    "You are a girl?!" the rebel screamed.


    All this time, they thought the cloaked busybody was a young hunter, probably in his mid tote teens based on his thin physique. Who could have imagined that the skilled person fighting on par with the rebel leader was in fact a girl who looked so young, she did not seem to have had hering of age yet?


    "It is a girl?"


    "I can''t believe that''s a girl."


    "Who is she? Are there warrior tribes nearby?"


    "But that power she used to send the leader flying��"


    "Who are you?" the leader shouted after he stood up.


    As the neer was already exposed, she didn''t care about hiding herself anymore. Her tone was still indifferent, though now people could hear that her voice had a certain musical sound to it.


    "Why do you keep asking? It is not like it will change things."


    The honey blond girl was annoyed with how her identity as a female was exposed and that they had seen her face. She red at the remaining rebels with a devilish smirk one should not see on such a fairy-like face, but it did tell people that she was done ying. Once more, she raised her hands and moved her fingers.


    The next moment, all the rebels in the vicinity had their bodies were thrown away, some of the unlucky ones colliding against trees and some smashing against rocks with a strong force that they were left incapacitated if not dead. Those who were left half dead dared not make a sound, hoping that the evil incarnation would hurry and leave without killing them.


    By now, they had understood that the blond girl was not human. They remembered the legends of old, especially about the Kingdom of Megaris, where many indescribable tales were floating about.


    But the question was if this girl was this powerful, why was she fighting with them physically with daggers instead of using her powers? Was she ying with them for some sort of entertainment?


    Once she got rid of everyone, the girl with honey blond hair turned to look at the Queen of Megaris. The girl was pleasantly surprised that the royal woman was looking at her with admiration instead of fear.


    She hurried towards the Queen who was kneeling on the ground because she was injured and exhausted. Her expensive clothes were torn and bloody and her face was pale, but at this point, the grateful smile on Queen Theodora''s face made her beauty shine.


    "Thank you for saving us."


    The girl kneeled in front of Queen Theodora and fussed over her worriedly. "A-Are you fine, Your Majesty?"


    The Queen didn''t move her gaze away from that youngdy even for a moment as her moist and pain-filled eyes observed her every movement and expression.


    "You are hurt," the blond girl said as she noticed that the Queen''s hands were bloody from holding the sword. "We need to stop the bleeding��"


    "Your Majesty?" Hurried footsteps could be heard rushing over. "Thank the spirits you survived, Your Majesty! I would have killed myself if this youngdy did not appear to save you��"


    Sir Alexis was nearly half-carried by another knight as they approached the group. Behind him, there were only a handful of knights as well, all bearing various kinds of injuries. It could be seen from their ruined armours, ragged breathing and limping feet that they had been through a difficult fight. However, they were knights sworn to protect the Queen and even if they were hurt, they had to go to the Queen and protect her at all costs. These surviving knights happened to arrive the moment the blond girl''s identity was exposed.


    With his crippled leg, the knight managed to reach the Queen and kneeled in front of her. "Your Majesty, are you fine?" His voice was filled with worry for his Queen.


    Queen Theodora slowly moved her gaze towards the knight and asked, "Others?"


    The knight helplessly shook his head.. "Not many knights survived, and those who did are severely injured. The rest are all��"

 Chapter 327 - The Crown Prince Theron

    Royals were carefully educated from a young to be able to handle, if not hide their true emotions, especially in front of their subjects. It was a matter of pride and a show of strength as the people who ruled the kingdom. Thus, when the survivors saw the Queen''s tears rolling down her cheeks, none of them was able to raise their heads to meet her pained gaze.


    Queen Theodora''s shoulders shook as she silently grieved for the people who had served her for years. A while ago, she''d been listening to theirughter and silly squabbling over the sunny weather, and in a blink of an eye, everyone was gone. Even her favoritedy-in-waiting, the smart and loyal Bethy, was not spared and was killed in front of her very eyes. At this moment, Queen Theodora did not look like a regal queen, but an utterly shaken and weak woman.


    The young blonde kneeling in front of her could only silently lend her strength, holding her in her arms as it looked like the Queen could pass out any moment now given her injured body and the emotional damage she just had received.


    "Your Majesty, please get a hold of your grief. I am sure they all left without regrets knowing that you are able to survive. Their sacrifice was not made in vain," Sir Alexis said worriedly and assured her, "I will arrange for their bodies to go back to the pce with us, and we will be able to hold a funeral for them."


    Queen Theodora did not react to her knight''sforting words. She merely held the hand of the blond girl and mumbled, "Don''t leave," before losing her consciousness. Luckily,? the blond girl caught her in her embrace.


    The knight looked at the blond girl. "I am Alexis Lumen, the guardian knight in charge of protecting Her Majesty Queen Theron Ivanov. I would like to extend my sincerest thanks to you for saving Her Majesty. Unfortunately, I might have to take advantage of the youngdy''s kindness once more as our party is greatly damaged by this attack. I will need your help to take our Queen back to the safety of the nearest city and seek medical attention. Will it be all right, youngdy?"


    Looking at the severely injured knights standing awkwardly behind the crippled Sir Alexis, the blond girl nodded.


    The knight was about to lead the way when the blond girl stopped him. "Wait!"


    The captain of the knights looked back at her and saw her pick up a piece of cloth that had fallen on the ground. It was the same cloth she used to cover her face. Without saying a word, she wrapped the cloth around the knight''s injured leg in an attempt to prevent it from bleeding further.


    Sir Alexis gave her a knight''s salute. "I will bring the carriage to the edge of the forest. Please bring the Queen and wait for me there."


    The blond girl nodded and she carried the Queen while the other knights escorted them towards the outermost part of the forest. While they waited for Sir Alexis, the blond girl checked the Queen''s pulse which had weakened due to the bleeding. Thankfully, her injuries did not seem serious despite the bleeding, and it was probably the shock of the attack that mostly caused the Queen to pass out.


    She pulled out a small cloth sachet from her pocket and mumbled, "I normally use this to treat the injuries of small wild animals. It should be able to help you as well, I think." She pulled out a small and thin wooden vessel from inside which was filled with an aromatic green paste. She applied it on the Queen''s visible wounds, mostly on the torn web of her hands and the stab wounds on her arms.


    Soon, their group heard the sound of wheels hitting stone and horses neighing. Sir Alexis returned with the carriage and stepped down from it to help the blond girl put the Queen inside the carriage.


    "Youngdy, I will have to trouble you for a while as there are no females around to assist the Queen. Please get into the carriage and be with Her Majesty till we reach the nearest city. We also do not know if there are remnant rebels, and as you can see, none of us here are in a condition to properly wield a sword"


    The blond girl looked at the injured Queen and didn''t have the heart to refuse the request. With a sigh, she climbed inside the carriage and sat on the seat opposite the unconscious queen.


    Though heading straight to the city of ckhelm was the best choice for the Queen''s condition, it was still quite a distance from the ce of the attack. It would have been dangerous for the Queen to travel without any immediate treatment.


    Sir Alexis opted to go back to the western city they had just passed as it was the nearest city to them. The city also was home to the Holles Family, a count family headed by one of the ministers working in the royal pce. Not only could they provide physicians to treat the Queen and the injured knights, the Holles Family could also mobilize the other local nobles of the western territory to help investigate the attack.


    "T-The crest of the royal family!"


    "Isn''t that the carriage of Her Majesty the Queen?! Didn''t they leave for the capital this morning? Why did they return?"


    "Look at the royal knights! Oh my, everyone is covered in blood!"


    "Hurry, call the physicians!"


    The Holles Family was in an uproar when they came to receive the royal carriage. As Minister Holles was in the capital, it was his son, the young lord, who took charge of the situation and immediately arranged for physicians to be brought in to see the injured. He also sent a messenger to hurry and report the news to the royal pce. Then, he personally brought his own men to visit the site of the attack by the river to recover the dead bodies and scout the area for any survivors. Unfortunately, regardless of whether they belonged to the Queen''s party or the rebels, all of them were cold corpses by the time the young lord arrived.


    Soon, the entire city had be aware of the attack and the condition their Queen was in. Even the nobles from neighboringnds had heard of the news and hurried over bringing with them their own men to provide assistance to the Queen. As for themoners, they prayed for their Queen to get better soon. Many of the people were rmed by the attack, and some abled men even volunteered to help the nobles in patrolling the city just in case rebels were to target the Queen again.


    The most skilled physicians in the city and nearby cities were called to treat the still unconscious Queen. Amidst the chaos caused by the attack, one particr girl silently stayed by the Queen''s side, not even leaving for a moment, much to the relief of Sir Alexis. After all, he could only trust the person who saved the Queen; it was still unknown whether the attack was perpetuated solely by the rebels or if there was a mastermind behind it.


    The urgent message had already reached the pce. Her husband, the King of Megaris, was enraged and immediately ordered for a troop to be dispatched towards his Queen. Hearing about the attack, Crown Prince Theron Ivanov volunteered to head the troop and bring his mother back to the royal pce.


    The King was furious to hear about the attack, but he was able to calm himself and make a decision with his wife''s condition in mind. "We do not know the situation of the Queen. If her health is not stabilized for travel, I will allow you to temporarily stay with her until she recovers enough to safely go back. Take good care of your mother in my stead, Theron."


    "Do not worry, Father. Leave everything to me."


    As the royal pce boasted to have the most prominent physicians in the entire kingdom, the King also ordered for them to apany the Crown Prince. Prince Theron brought the Head Royal Physician with him and they rushed towards the territory of the Holles Family.


    Byte evening, the Crown Prince reached the city. He and his men made no stops as they rode on their horses from ckhelm, not even to eat or rest.


    When the Crown Prince arrived in the estate of the Holles Family, he also did not bother with the pleasantries. Without dy, he went straight to where his mother was arranged to stay. He found Queen Theodora lying unconscious on arge bed inside a room that smelled of herb concoctions. A youngdy with honey blond hair was apanying her, holding her hand.


    ''I don''t recognize her. She is not my mother''sdy-in-waiting. Is she ady of the Holles Family?''


    The Crown Prince paid no attention to her and went to sit at the edge of the bed.


    The youngdy was busy with her own thoughts. Earlier, before the physicians left, she heard that the Queen''s life was not in danger anymore and that all she needed was adequate rest. With the guards provided by the Holles Family, it could also be said that the Queen and her knights were safe and no longer needed her protection. Now that the most dangerous situation had passed, it made her wonder if it was all right for her to continue staying by Queen Theodora''s side.


    Because she was torn between leaving and staying, she didn''t realize someone had entered the room and had approached the bed of the Queen. The moment the Crown Prince sat at the edge of the bed, she returned to her senses and looked at him.


    It was a young man with an unmistakably proud air surrounding him, to the point that if he was to stand in the middle of a crowd, despite not speaking a word, all eyes would inevitably turn to him. His features were sharp, and he looked dirty and travel-worn, yet his cold handsome face��those dark eyes and brown hair��that resembled Queen Theodora''s gave away his identity.


    The youngdy shot up from her seat in a hurry. She lowered her head knowing it must be a royal from the Queen''s family.


    Though she stood up, Queen Theodora didn''t let go of her hand, and even in her unconscious condition, she gripped it even tighter.


    Seeing that, the Crown Prince waved his hand and instructed curtly, "Keep sitting."


    He didn''t wish for his mother to feel any difort. If she wanted to keep holding the hand of this unknowndy, it was fine for him.


    With her head lowered, the youngdy returned to her seat while the Crown Prince observed his mother.


    "How is she now?" the Crown Prince asked the physician who hurried over when they saw him entering the room. "I have brought with me the Head Royal Physician��"


    "Your Highness, there is nothing much to worry about," the Head Royal Physician replied as he entered the room as well.? "I was talking with the physicians of the Holles Family to understand the situation better. I have also checked the pulse of the Queen. They did a good job of looking after Her Majesty."


    The physician from the Holles Family nodded. "Her Majesty is just exhausted and shocked due to what happened. The wounds were not too deep and were already treated beforeing here which prevented blood loss. This youngdy here did well by treating Her Majesty''s wounds immediately after the attack urred.


    The Crown Prince nodded as he looked at the youngdy whose appearance he had yet to clearly see. Only one side of her face was visible to him and that too was partially covered by the loose strands of her hair.


    ''My mother''s savior? So she''s not a daughter of the Holles Family. Why is an outsider allowed inside the Queen''s room? Did Sir Alexis put her here?''


    He could have thanked her for saving her mother but he didn''t. He did read from the report that one woman saved the Queen, but he was yet to get the entire detail of the attack firsthand as the heavily injured Sir Alexis Lumen, the guardian knight of the Queen and the captain of her knight brigade, was already resting since it waste in the night. Though this youngdy was said to have saved the Queen, she was a stranger and he would not trust her blindly.


    The Crown Prince stood up and turned to look at the physicians. "Take care of my mother. I will return tomorrow morning."


    "Rest assured, Your Highness."


    The Crown Prince strode towards the door where his knights were standing outside with grave expressions. As knights who had sworn service under Prince Theron, they knew his temper well. He was a sentimental man, though no one could have guessed it because he almost never showed his emotions on his face. Seeing his cold expression that showed neither anger nor sadness, they knew that even though it waste, Crown Prince Theron would not rest.


    Before leaving the room, the Crown Prince took one more look at the youngdy who saved his mother, whose back faced him. She was sitting silently, not saying a single word even though the physicians were all bowing politely in the presence of royalty.


    Her clothes sure didn''t look like that of ady hailing from a noble family.? She was not even wearing a dress, but sturdy clothes that made her look like a hunter or forager used to wandering in the forest. However, she didn''t look wild or rough; instead, her long honey blond hair which was tied behind her neck with a simple ribbon made her look somehow elegant and mysterious.


    Averting his gaze, the Crown Prince gestured for his knights to follow as he left the estate of the count''s family. On the way to the river, his aide was already giving him an update of the investigation done by the young lord of the Holles Family.


    Theron was not satisfied that nothing was found about the background of the rebels.. He had to personally inspect the entire matter and punish those who dared to harm his mother, the Queen of Megaris.

 Chapter 328 - Inspection Of The Incident

    Crown Prince Theron went to inspect the entire incident, following the route the Queen''s entourage took to check if there were clues left behind by the enemies. He found the guards of the Holles Family patrolling the riverbanks, and also went to visit the side of the forest where the Queen was reportedly cornered by the rebels. As it was deep into the night, there wasn''t much to see. The corpses of the rebels were also collected by the western aristocrats, awaiting identification in the city.


    After talking with the men in charge to see if other rebels were found, the Crown Prince left half of his royal knights at the site to continue with the investigation, and only then did he return to the count''s estate.


    "Your Highness, Sir Alexis Lumen, the captain of the Queen''s knights has awoken. When he learned that you had arrived, he requested that you grant him an audience," one of the royal physicians informed Prince Theron just as he returned to the room provided for him by the count''s family.


    "Lead the way to his chamber," the Crown Prince told him.


    The royal physician was visibly flustered. He particrly eyed the tired and travel-worn appearance of the Crown Prince. "Y-Your Highness, forgive this old man for being rude, but please retire for the night. I know you are impatient because the Queen was harmed, but you have travelled straight from ckhelm without rest or food and even went to investigate outside. You must not neglect your health. Please rest for tonight. I will tell the servants to send you a warm meal in your room, and inform Sir Lumen that you will meet him in the morning."


    The Crown Prince only repeated his words with indifference, "Lead the way to his chamber."


    "A-As you wish, Your Highness," the royal physician relented with a sigh. He brought the young man to another room and told the servant outside the room, "Please inform Sir Lumen that His Highness Prince Theron hase to see him."


    The servant hurriedly bowed and rushed to open the door, announcing the arrival of the Crown Prince.


    Seeing the Crown Prince hade to see him, the injured knight tried to sit but the Crown Prince stopped him. "Don''t move. You are injured."


    Sir Alexis obeyed the prince, as he truly looked to be in severe pain due to his injuries.


    "How are you, Alexis?" Prince Theron asked as he observed the injuries of the knight.


    "They say I will recover enough to move well in a few weeks, Your Highness��" The captain of the knights lowered his head. "Apologies that I failed to properly deal with the rebels and Her Majesty ended up harmed due to my negligence."


    The Crown Prince only nodded to it, epting his apology. Of course, he would receive punishment because a royal got hurt, but from what Prince Theron gathered so far, Sir Alexis had performed in his full capacity as a knight. Given the overwhelming number of enemies, it was a miracle there were survivors.


    "Can you exin to me what exactly happened, in particr, who is that femalemoner and how she appeared to save my mother?"


    The captain of the knights nodded as he breathed deeply. He narrated the entire incident to the Crown Prince��from the time they left the city, how they passed through the forest safely, only to be ambushed after they took a break on the riverbank by the rebels hiding underwater, how the Queen was forced to retreat back towards the forest and how she passed out after hearing of the tragic oue of their group��but he skipped the details where that young woman seemingly did something that no human was capable of.


    Sir Alexis was still conflicted over whether what he had seen was the truth as he arrived at thest moment and felt like he was hallucinating because of his serious injuries and blood loss. He needed to confirm it first and only then could he confidently say anything to the Crown Prince. Moreover, the Queen was there. He had sworn fealty to the Queen and was waiting to get Queen Theodora''s opinion once she got better to decide which parts to report.


    "Rest well," Prince Theron said as he stood up to leave. "Whether you will be punished or rewarded, I will leave everything to my mother."


    The captain of the knights lowered his head. Though the Crown Prince did not say it outright, telling him that his oue would be left to the Queen''s discretion meant that the royal family was not ming him for the tragedy.


    Prince Theron returned to his room to clean himself up, and afterwards, he received the warm meal sent to his room by the royal physician. Although it was already past midnight, he went ahead to convene the royal knights in another room.


    "What is the situation?" the Crown Prince asked, his expression equally cold.


    "Your Highness, based from the��"


    From what the Crown Prince got to know from the investigation of the knights, the Queen''s knights were outnumbered, about five enemies per person, ounting for the servants anddies-in-waiting. However, the number of corpses found were considerably lesser than that number. Some rebels did not continue attacking after the leader headed towards the forest and left via the river.


    A small troop of soldiers provided by the western aristocrats was already dispatched to find them, and half of his royal knights had joined the search. Prince Theron could not wait for the morning to arrive so he could join the knights.? For now, he would let those bandits live on this continent for a few hours longer.


    "Your Highness, there is no need for you to go after them personally. Those rebels are also injured and won''t be able to escape far. The nobles are eager to make an aplishment and be in the good graces of the royal family. With ourbined force, the soldiers will catch all the remaining rebels in no time."


    The Crown Prince reluctantly agreed.. He could only wait for the soldiers to bring those brazen bandits to him so he could behead them all at once.

 Chapter 329 - [Bonus ]Dont Have A Name And Family

    The next morning, the Crown Prince received word that Queen Theodora was finally awake. Without even finishing his morning meal, he went to see his mother and make sure she was fine.


    When he entered the room, the Head Royal Physician was helping the Queen drink a bowl of herbal medicine while the youngdy with honey blond hair was standing in the side.


    He greeted his mother and then waited for her to finish her medicine. While waiting, his eyes found themselves ncing at the youngdy standing beside the bed. Only her side profile was visible to him.


    Once the Queen finished her medicine, the Head Royal Physician bowed and stepped out of the chamber.


    Prince Theron asked, "Mother, how are you now?"


    In a seemingly tired voice, the Queen replied, "I am fine, son."


    The youngdy, the only other person in the room, realized she needed to let the mother and son have some private time. In fact, she had decided to leave this ce as the Queen was fine now and return to her usual life in the forest, away from the bustle of the city and its people.


    "Excuse me, Your Majesty? As you are fine and your safety is guaranteed here, I would like to take my leave and go back home," the blond girl said.


    Before the Queen could answer, the Crown Prince spoke up, "You are not allowed to leave."


    Those words shocked the youngdy and she nced at the prince. "May I know why?"


    "This incident has many suspicious points. Other than the royal knights, no one should have known the route the Queen is taking, and your coincidental presence in that forest is also a matter of investigation. We are yet to verify who you are. We are not sure if you are sent by them��who knows if you are a spy sent to gain the trust of the Queen by saving her?" the prince answered straightforwardly as he turned to face the youngdy in question.


    The moment their gazes met, the Crown Prince felt like he would be drowned in those pretty caramel colour irises. There was no fear in those eyes. In fact, she seemed��offended? Indignant? He found it fascinating that a youngdy who seemed yet to havee of age could appear unintimated in front of the Crown Prince of Megaris, a feat not even the proud daughters of the high nobles could sessfully pull off.


    Was she truly innocent or was she stupidly unafraid that her scheme would be exposed?


    "Those rebels have nothing to do with me. I just happened to pass by chance and tried to save those who were in trouble. When I stepped forward to stop those men, I didn''t even know Her Majesty''s identity," the blond girl replied, "and I would have done it for anyone, even if the one in trouble is amoner."


    The youngdy had been silent the entire time ever since she arrived in the estate of the Holles Family, and this was the first time she had spoken this long with anyone. Despite that, she spoke with eloquence, looking confident in what she said. She didn''t look hesitant or timid in front of the Crown Prince while defending herself. She looked more like she was done with her job and merely wanted to leave.


    The Crown Prince felt like he could trust her words, and from what evidence his men had gathered so far, what she said was the truth��but he didn''t want to give in easily. It was hard to believe in pure coincidence and goodwill. There was no reason for him to lower his vignce, especially since he was the Crown Prince, and his mother, the Queen, was attacked. Until things came to light, everyone was under suspicion.


    "If you are innocent, we will know that soon, and I will reward you handsomely for the trouble," the Crown Prince replied coldly. "Till then, you are not allowed to leave the estate or I will have to send my soldiers after you and drag you back here."


    The Queen found herself quietly enjoying the exchange of words between the two. As a mother, she knew her son best and understood his personality was just like this, hard on the outside but soft on the inside. In truth, he wasn''t hostile towards her saviour. Seeing the way her son had lost hisposure a moment ago when he met gazes with the blond girl, the Queen could only hide a knowing smile.


    She finally thought to end their conversation and said to the youngdy, "Dear, I am thankful that you saved me but there are some rules that we can''t overlook and every subject of this kingdom has to obey them. Let the Crown Prince do his job. I am sure he will apologize for his rudeness once he''s sure that you are innocent."


    The youngdy could not deny what the Queen said because it sounded reasonable. She was just a little annoyed to be suspected. She nodded, only to hear the Queen continue speaking, "Which reminds me, I wish to know more about my saviour. I don''t even know your name. May I know your name?"


    "My name?" the pretty blond blinked her caramel-coloured eyes as she mumbled, looking conflicted over it. "I��I don''t have one."


    "Pardon?"


    "I have been alone for as long as I could remember, and from my earliest memories, I have always lived alone deep in that forest, Your Majesty."


    This surprised the mother and son pair. It also enlightened the Crown Prince as to why they could not find any information about this youngdy.


    "You don''t have a family?" the Queen asked.


    The youngdy shook her head.


    "Such a pretty young woman lives in the forest, hiding from the world all this while?" the Queen said while guessing some things about this mysterious and secretive-looking young woman.


    To this, the young woman nodded hesitantly. "I do trade some of the items from the forest within the city merchants once every few months��"

 Chapter 330 - Esther Hidden Or Secret

    "How did you even survive alone?" The Queen''s voice sounded a little sorry as she imagined what childhood she had. "This cannot be. How can we let my saviour remain nameless? Let me give you a name."


    The youngdy looked at her, not knowing how to feel about it. After a while, she slowly nodded.


    The Queen smiled at her fondly. "As you have been hidden from the world, and to me, you are like a secret that I need to unravel, I''ll name you Esther."


    "Esther?" the youngdy mumbled to herself.


    The Queen nodded. "Hmm! Esther! That means ''hidden'' or ''secret'' in the Old Tongue. There are also other meanings to it, and I believe you will prove those meanings right as time passes."


    The Crown Prince frowned inwardly seeing his mother easily trusting a stranger who didn''t have a family, much less a name. ''What if it''s her n of hiding her real identity? Howe someone does not have a family? Not even a name? Ridiculous! She is definitely here on purpose to take advantage of my kind mother. I need to keep an eye on her.''


    The Queen had already noticed that the youngdy was still wearing the same clothes from yesterday. She even still had bloodstains on her clothes. Seems like while everyone was busy looking after their Queen, no one inquired about this youngdy''s needs.


    The Queen called for a servant. When the female servant entered the chamber, she instructed, "Arrange a separate chamber for Esther and help her settle down. She is my person."


    The servant bowed and looked at the blond girl with a courteous expression. "Miss Esther, please follow me." She then led the way for the blond girl now called Esther.


    Since the Queen of Megaris called her as ''my person'' then treating her well was a given.


    Once the blond girl left, Prince Theron spoke in a somewhat reprimanding voice, "Mother, you are too kind. You shouldn''t easily trust strangers."


    Queen Theodora smiled lightly and said, "I know living in the pce has made you careful about the people showing goodwill to you, my son, but sometimes we must trust our own judgment about people''s hearts. I won''t interfere with the investigation, but she will be in my care. I truly believe she has nothing to do with the rebels. Won''t you trust your mother''s instinct? You ought to know I have been ying with the pce people far longer than you."


    Prince Theron could not deny what his mother said. Still, he remained stubborn. "But if I find evidence that she is among them, then I won''t hesitate to kill her."


    "Then I won''t stop you either," Queen Theodora assured.


    "Mother, please continue resting. I will excuse myself now."


    Queen Theodora permitted him to leave, and the Crown Prince left with a renewed sense of conviction.


    Sometime after the Queen had her morning meal, a servant knocked to inform her that Miss Esther wishes to visit her.


    "Esther, is that truly you?" Queen Theodora eximed in delight. She nearly did not recognize the person who saved her as the youngdy lookedpletely different. It was as if the moment she shed her simple hunting clothes to wear a pretty dress, her atmospherepletely changed. She seemed to be freshly washed, with her long honey blond hair done in a neat braid and tied with a white ribbon.


    "Yes, it is I, Your Majesty," Esther replied calmly.


    The Queen let out a? pleasantugh. "If I do not know you, I would have thought of you as ady of nobility."


    "Thank you for thepliment, Your Majesty," she replied with a certain grace that seemed inborn.


    The Queen looked at the servant who brought Esther inside. "You may leave us now."


    The servant bowed and left, and the Queen gestured for Esther toe closer to the bed. "Come here. I have something to talk about with you."


    Esther went closer and assisted? the Queen to sit upfortably, with her back resting against the headrest of the bed.


    "Thank you, dear. Have a seat."


    Esther sat on the chair next to the bed, keeping her silence as she waited for the Queen to talk. She watched the pale face of the woman who had an appearance as cold as her son''s, but had a warm motherly gaze in her dark eyes. It was those same eyes who had witnessed her abilities, yet instead of fear or wariness, they held nothing but gratitude and pity for her.


    After Esther had escorted the Queen and her knights to the city,? there was only one thing in her mind and that was to leave this ce beforeplications ur, but because she was a bit greedy, she lost that chance as now she was ced under suspicion by the Crown Prince��and sadly, it wasn''t an unreasonable suspicion. As she thought about it deeply, she could have leftst night, but she didn''t want to leave without the Queen regaining her consciousness. She didn''t want to leave without seeing her kind gaze for thest time.


    ''I was being greedy,'' Esther could not help but berate herself. ''Perhaps, it had been a long time since thest time I was among people I liked.''


    "As you said before, do you really live alone?" the Queen asked.


    Esther nodded.


    "Since when?"


    "It''s been so many years that I don''t remember now," she replied.


    "How about your parents?"


    Esther shook her head which showed she didn''t have parents.


    "Oh, you poor child. Why do you live alone in the forest? Why didn''t you move to the city? Or if you find a city too bustling, perhaps a quiet vige?"


    "After living alone for so long, I am more used to it."


    "Hmm!" The Queen didn''t wish to pressure her by asking so many questions during their first conversation and thought to take it slow. This young woman would open up to her slowly on her own, and that was for the best.


    "What do you think abouting with me to the pce?"


    Esther raised her lowered head to look at the Queen and she heard her continue, "Not like my son will let you enter so soon," the older woman smiled. "Once hepletely finds your background clean,e live with me.. I owe you my life and I promise to help you live a better life."

 Chapter 331 - [Bonus ]Repaying The Kindness

    Esther still didn''t answer her. Sensing her hesitation,? the Queen made a gesture that she understood the girl''s dilemma... "Perhaps, are you reluctant because of your extraordinary abilities?"


    The blond girl let out a faint smile, which told the Queen that she guessed right. "I believe you prefer to live alone because you wish to live a quiet life, and the fewer people you contact with, the lesser the chance your abilities will be exposed. However, my dear, after helping the Queen of Megaris, it will be impossible for you to go back to your hermit-like living. There will be many people curious about you. Even at this point, I believe it is not only my son trying to find out about your background. So, since it is impossible for you to keep yourself hidden, isn''t it better for you to be by my side, where they cannot touch you?


    "Moreover, don''t you want to try staying among people instead of hiding all by yourself in the forest? We can have meals together, oh, and if you have hobbies��do you like painting? Needlework? ying instruments? Wait, you wield a short sword, don''t you? You can be my sparring partner. Doesn''t spending time that way sound better for a young person like you? Sounds appealing, isn''t it? Why don''t you give living with me a try?"


    Esther was still silent and the Queen didn''t know what was going on in her mind. She could only sigh.


    "As I owe you my life, as a rule of the Ivanovs, I have to repay you, and my life is not cheap, you know? I simply do not want my saviour to live an unhappy life. Such a wonderful and kind girl you are, I wish to repay you by giving you a good life."


    Queen Theodora then reached out to gently squeeze Esther''s hands.


    "I will stop here and will no longer persuade you. You know your situation best. If you need something else, you can tell me��and no, you cannot say you need nothing and then disappear from my sight. Do not ask me to let you go without being given a chance to repay you. If you won''t let me repay you, my conscience will never let me rest, and I will never be able to live a peaceful life. Do you want that to happen, hmm? That I be an ingrate who does not know how to repay your life-saving grace?"


    The caramel eyes of the young woman closed themselves as she let out a long shaky sigh. She would never want anyone to suffer because of her. When she opened them, there was tenderness in her resigned gaze.


    "I agree to stay with you," Esther said slowly, "but one day I will leave, and at that time, I hope Your Majesty won''t stop me."


    The Queen let out a delightedugh as she squeezed the youngdy''s hands again. "Thank you, my dear. I won''t stop you but��do me a favour, that the one day you are referring to should note before five years."


    ''Five years?'' Esther thought with curiosity. ''I have been wandering everywhere for so long, five years is not much for me. In fact, it''s just the right length of time��''


    Queen Theodora felt truly d Esther agreed to what she said. The Queen had thoughts about keeping her by her side since the moment she regained consciousness and found this youngdy next to her.


    She had countless questions about who this youngdy was and why she was living in the woods. She also remembered that this youngdy possessed powers, and since she was not an ordinary person, she must have troubles of her own. She truly wanted to keep Esther by her side, and she was d it worked out perfectly.


    Queen Theodora studied the smiling young woman, and she felt a certain kind of intimacy with her. It was a strange yet funny thing because despite being a total stranger, Esther gave her a sense of familiarity.


    Queen Theodora appeared more rxed after she had gotten Esther''s promise that she would remain by her side. The Queen then invited her to have lunch together in her chamber.


    Esther was aware of the immense difference between their social status��the distance between royalty andmoners was like heaven and earth, so she did not dare ept it. Moreover, the woman in front of her was not just any ordinary member of the royal family, but the mother of the Crown Prince and the one and only queen of this kingdom.


    "This�� I? dare not ept such an offer, Your Majesty," Esther replied. The fact that she wasbelled the Queen''s person had already somehow spread within the estate, and when she was on the way to the Queen''s room earlier, she had already been on the receiving end of envious stares.


    "Oh, dear. Of course, you can and you should. You are my saviour and I am indebted to you. You don''t have to think about our status," the Queen insisted.


    Esther could only reluctantly agree to it. "But�� only this once. Even for nobles, it is an immense honour to dine with the Queen. I am but amoner. After this, please treat me? like any of your other subjects, Your Majesty."


    The Queen merely smiled. "Fine!"


    ------


    Meanwhile, Prince Theron was busy handling the matter of the attack. Because of the relentless pursuit of the royal knights and the soldiers provided by the western aristocrats, it only took them half a day to catch all the rebels who were still alive. Many of them could not run far due to their injuries, while the others were caught because the borders of the western territory had already been blockaded by the guards the moment news of the attack was reported to their territory lords. Among those who sustained heavy injuries, most were caused by the powers used by Esther when she was trying to protect the Queen inside the forest.


    "Send them to ckhelm," Prince Theron instructed his knights. "I want them locked in the underground torture chamber for several nights. Make the trial public, and schedule the execution upon my and my mother''s return."


    "I have received your orders, Your Highness!"


    As everything was settled, Prince Theron wished to inform his mother about this personally. He called one of his trusted knights to pass a message to Queen Theodora that he wished to have ate midday meal with her.


    ''How long has it been since thest time we ate together?''


    Even though they were both living in the Royal Pce of Megaris, he hardly got time to spend with his mother due to his busy schedule as the Crown Prince of this kingdom. He remembered that when he was younger, he often looked forward to them eating together in her garden. He was reminded that as her son, he shouldn''t neglect her despite his schedule. Now that they were outside the pce and things were nearly wrapped up, he could take some time off to stay with her.. She was injured, almost did not survive the ordeal; he didn''t wish to leave her alone and wanted to use this time to be with his mother to take care of her as her son.

 Chapter 332 - Nervous Around The Crown Prince

    After receiving the message from the Crown Prince''s knight, a servant hurried towards the Queen''s chamber. "Your Majesty? May Ie in?"


    "You may enter."


    The servant entered the room and saw her fellow-servants together with unfamiliar faces arranging a table inside, setting tes and utensils for two. She bowed towards the beautiful woman sitting on the bed. "Greetings, Your Majesty! I havee to ry that His Highness Crown Prince Theron wishes to eat lunch together with you. Should I have the dining hall arranged for you or do you wish to eat in your room?"


    Queen Theodora could not be happier that her only son finally got time to spend with her.


    "Arrange everything that Prince Theron likes to eat," she happily instructed one of the servants arranging the table. "We will eat in this room."


    Along with the royal physicians, Prince Theron also brought a handful of the Queen''s personal servants from the pce since the initial report said that none of thedies serving his mother survived the attack. These servants were aware of the likings of the royal family members since the royal kitchen was under the supervision of the Queen.


    Lunch was quickly arranged inside the Queen''s room, and the tes and utensils inside were set for three people.


    After learning that not only would she be sharing a meal with the Queen of Megaris, but also with the Crown Prince, Esther felt it would not be appropriate to continue with the meal, not only due to the difference in status but also because as an outsider, she didn''t wish to intrude on a family meal. Furthermore, in Prince Theron''s view, she was someone suspicious. His impression of her might further drop if she were to act like an uninvited guest when he wanted to spend some alone time with his mother.


    "Your Majesty, it would not be appropriate for me to join you for the meal. How about we two have it together next time?" Esther proposed.


    "Why would it not be appropriate? Because my son is joining us?" the Queen asked.


    Esther nodded. "I think His Highness wants you to have alone time with him, Your Majesty."


    "It''s fine, Esther," the Queen assured.? "Also, he won''t say anything if you apany us. I know my son best. He''s being stubborn now, but once he confirms your innocence, you would find him far more thoughtful and warmer than even me. I wager he would be so grateful to you for saving my life, he won''t even blink twice to reward you again, in addition to what I have already offered you."


    After realizing that Queen Theodora wasmitted to having her stay for lunch,? Esther could not find another excuse again and simply nodded in resignation. However, if Prince Theron happened to say something objecting to her presenceter, she would excuse herself and grab that chance to leave regardless of what the Queen has to say.


    The servants had just ced thest tter taken from the kitchen when Prince Theron arrived at the Queen''s chamber. Compared tost night when he was wearing dirty travelling clothes, he was dressed in impable dark clothing with golden hems and a crest of the Ivanov Family sewn on his cloak. His cold expression looked considerably milder as well, and it was due to him seeing his mother able to leave bed already. The olderdy was sitting in front of a dressing table, and she no longer looked pale despite her wounds.


    After he greeted his mother, his wandering gaze noticed a certain blond girl standing beside the Queen with her head lowered just like other servants in the presence of the Crown Prince.


    Prince Theron almost did not recognize her, but her long honey blond hair was too peculiar, and it stood out among the reds and browns that were the mostmon hair colour in this part of the continent. It was a telltale sign of her identity, letting him know who she was despite her well-groomed appearance that could rival any of the nobledies he had met in his life. Though she was standing with her head lowered, there was a grace in the way she stood. One could not say she was just a wanderer from the forest.


    ''Is she truly amoner?'' he could not help but wonder. The mild curiosity in his eyes didn''t go unnoticed by the Queen.


    Prince Theron helped the injured woman walk towards the dining table. Just as they reached the table, the Queen looked at the youngdy who was standing silently on one side.


    "Esther, why are you still standing there? Why are you not joining us?"


    Esther inwardly sighed. In her mind, she was denying that this was a good idea, especially since the Crown Prince did not even acknowledge her existence, but she had to obey the Queen and thus, she forced herself to approach the table with a grateful smile.


    The Queen looked at her son who didn''t look surprised by what his mother said. He didn''t object and simply helped his mother sit on the chair at the head of the table.


    "Won''t you say anything?" she asked him in a low voice.


    "Knowing what mother''s temperament is, this is nothing unexpected," he said as he sat on his own chair.


    When Esther reached the table, the Queen gestured towards one chair. "Have a seat, my dear."


    Esther reluctantly did so as one servant pulled out the chair for her. She was seated exactly opposite to Prince Theron and it made her feel even more awkward. Not like she was scared of him; she was strong enough to protect herself and was not feeling scared at all, but there was something about the presence of Prince Theron that made her feel a little nervous.


    ''Maybe because he is the Crown Prince? He has the proud dignity suitable as the heir of Megaris. Even though he is still young, he will soon be someone with the highest status in thisnd, whom everyone in this kingdom will have to bow to��yes, it makes sense. Commoners wouldn''t even dare look into his eyes.''


    This was how Esther consoled herself because if not for this, she could not find another reason for her nervousness around him.

 Chapter 333 - Favour From Son

    The Queen gestured for the servants to uncover the tters, and soon, the room was filled with the aroma of vored meat in gravy along with piping hot mushroom soup and some baked loaves that seemed to be fresh from the oven. The side dishes were as many as five, and all of them seemed to be heavily spiced to cater to a certain someone''s preference.


    Prince Theron noticed that everything was what he liked to eat in the royal pce. After he swallowed the first bite, he turned to the Queen who was enjoying the soup. "Seems like Mother is expecting something from me."


    Queen Theodora smiled pleasantly. "I don''t need to please you to expect something from you, but as you have predicted on your own, I won''t let this chance slide."


    "What Is it, Mother?" he asked.


    "Just because you are insisting on it." Her dark eyes seemed to be twinkling. "I n to keep Esther by my side as a royal servant."


    Prince Theron sighed inwardly. "We are yet to finish the investigation."


    "You need her to not leave your eyes until you finish your investigation anyway. Why does it matter where she stays? Don''t tell me you are nning to keep her in prison. I won''t allow it," the Queen warned.


    "I will not imprison her, but I cannot allow someone with an unknown background to stay in your residence, Mother."


    "Esther saved me."


    "She indeed has but��"


    Esther felt ufortable to be caught between the argument of this stubborn pair of mother and son. Although no one was raising their voices and both of them sounded so calm, like they were chatting about how delicious the food was, it appeared like neither Queen Theodora nor Prince Theron nned to budge on their views.


    Esther would have left? the dining table if she could, but she had no other option but to stay and be quiet, pretending she did not exist to not get any unnecessary attention from the Crown Prince which would add to his well-intended but useless suspicion.


    Feeling helpless in front of his mother, Prince Theron''s eyes caught sight of the blond girl sitting in front of him. She was eating quietly, not even making a sound with her cutlery, and she funnily was making her movements so small, he almost smiled��it was as if she was showing him that she was making efforts to turn herself invisible, and for him not to mind her. He was about to avert his gaze but his keen eyes caught something.


    As he continued to look at her, Queen Theodora also followed her son''s gaze and she noticed what her son did.


    Esther could feel their gaze on her and could only feel more nervous inside.


    Prince Theron looked at his mother who also looked back at him. The thing they noticed was the way she was eating��yes, it was quiet, but if one were to think about it, wasn''t that part of the pce etiquette? Not only that, but the blond girl knew how to use each of the cutlery, which spoon to use for the soup and which was used for the side dish, and she did so gracefully, with all the manners that a royal was educated to have. A mere? wanderer raised in the forest couldn''t have known all this.


    It made Prince Theron more doubtful about her true identity, while Queen Theodora turned even more curious about her. However, regardless of her background, the Queen was further convinced that this youngdy was not in collusion with the rebels who attacked her.


    At the dining table, both mother and son kept quiet about this newfound discovery.


    "Mother, the royal physician said your body is strong enough to travel back to the pce. For your recuperation, would you like to stay here in the countryside or return to the pce tomorrow?" Prince Theron asked.


    "That is great news. I can''t wait to return, and I am sure your busy father would personally fetch me if I intend to stay longer,"? his motherughingly said to disperse the strange mood within the room. "Prepare to leave tomorrow."


    -----


    The next morning, the royal entourage was ready to leave for the city of ckhelm.


    A certain girl with honey blond hair could be seen approaching the carriage, escorted by one of the Crown Prince''s knights. In her hands was a small hand-sewn bag that carried her personal items. After the talks of her eptance in the royal pce as a servant was finalizedst night, Esther requested that she be allowed to return to her house in the forest to gather her things. Prince Theron had no choice but to allow her, but ordered his most trusted knight to apany her just in case she tried to run away.


    "Is that all you have?" Seeing her arrival, Prince Theron still had mixed feelings about her, but he could not help but be confused because her bag was at most a satchel that could carry a day''s change of clothes for ady.


    Esther nodded. "This is everything important to me."


    The Queen also felt sorry seeing the small bag. "You must have really lived a hard life, my dear. Do not worry. Once we are in the pce, I will have everything arranged for you."


    Queen Theodora then instructed Esther to sit with her inside her carriage. There was supposed to be a royal servant apanying the Queen to take care of her, but Queen Theodora preferred to have Esther with her.


    As the capital city of Megaris was not far and being escorted by the royal knights made their group had no need to stop along the way, they reached the city by noon. Themon folks joyfully weed the return of their Queen and Crown Prince. Despite the curtains covering the windows of the carriage, Esther could still hear the cheers of the subjects of the kingdom.


    Soon enough, they entered the Royal Pce of Megaris. As Queen Theodora''sdies-in-waiting were dead after the attack, there was a need to find new ones.. For the meantime, only the royal servants were reced, appointed by the King himself, to take care of everything for the Queen.

 Chapter 334 - [Bonus ]She Is Not An Ordinary Woman

    The Queen''s carriage stopped in front of her residence, and all the servants and knights, both new and old, had lined up to wee Queen Theodora back. When Esther stepped out of the Queen''s carriage first, her appearance surprised others as they didn''t know who this young woman was.


    Esther helped Queen Theodora step down the carriage while the servants who returned with the Queen joined the other servants and told them about the identity of this young woman.


    The one in charge of the royal servants, whose eyes didn''t leave the body of Esther the moment she appeared, stepped forward to greet the Queen.


    "Your Majesty, I am pleased to see you back in good health. Everyone has been worried about your safety."


    "Good to see you, Tyra," Queen said as she gestured for the woman to straighten herself. She then turned to Esther and gestured.? "This smart and reliable woman here is Tyra Ivanov, and she is the head of all the royal servants in this pce. This is Esther. From now on, she will serve me. I will leave her under your care."


    "You praise me too much. Rest assured, Your Majesty. I will look after Miss Esther well," Lady Tyra said. She exchanged gazes with the young woman as if the two had recognised something about each other.


    "Mother, I will excuse myself now. I have to visit Father in his study to report about the incident. Please rest well, and I wille to visit you again tonight after I am done with work."


    "I know you are busy as well, Theron. You don''t need toe��"


    "I am your son. Please allow me to worry about you, Mother."


    The Crown Prince pointedly looked at Esther before leaving. His cold gaze was seemingly warning her, "Don''t you dare pull anything funny, or else."


    Esther quietly lowered her gaze until the Crown Prince left. The Queen went to her chamber since the King sent word that he would being over as soon as he was done with his meetings, while Esther was guided towards the servant''s quarters at the ground floor of the Queen''s residence.


    Lady Tyra personally went with Esther as the Queen had specifically asked her to assist the youngdy settle in the new ce.


    "Miss, please follow me," Lady Tyra said and Esther quietly followed her.


    Esther found herself admiring the Queen''s pce. They walked along the hallways filled with paintings of beautifulndscapes, and after passing by several rooms, they stopped at a certain door. The servants walking along the same hallway were eyeing the neer as by then they got to know she was the one who saved the Queen and were curious about her.


    "Most of the servants shared rooms, but as you are Queen Theodora''s person, I am allocating you a separate room. I hope you will find it to yourfort and soon mix well with the other servants," Lady Tyra exined as she opened the door of the room.


    Esther nodded lightly and followed Lady Tyra inside the room.


    Lady Tyra closed the door and turned to look at the youngdy. This time, there was a change in the way she looked at Esther.? The next moment, Tyra kneeled in front of her with her head lowered and both hands touching the ground.


    "Your Eminence��"


    Her actions surprised Esther, but she understood this woman��she had recognised her real identity.


    "Get up," Esther instructed her in an ordering tone while interrupting her from saying her name.


    Lady Tyra didn''t dare look up. The contrast in her actions and words from how she treated Queen Theodora and Esther was jarring. While she treated Queen Theodora with respect as well, it was still grounded on the fact the Queen had a superior status than her��on the contrary, the feelings she had for Esther was more reverence for existence much higher and powerful than herself.


    "I dare not be impudent, Your Eminence!"


    Seeing the stubborn woman, Esther no longer insisted. "How did you recognize me? I do not remember ever meeting you."


    "Your Eminence, the strong aura of energy surrounding you gave away the fact that you are not an ordinary human, but when we were walking, I noticed the mark on the back of your neck that only our kind can see��-a three-cornered knot with no beginning and no end, interwoven around a circle, symbolizing eternal spiritual life. It is an ancient symbol that belongs to only you and you alone, Your Eminence," Lady Tyra replied with her head still lowered. "I...This lowly one is a descendant of Leeora. When I was about to finish my apprenticeship, my grandmother once showed me a portrait of yours and that image is still engraved in my mind up to this day."


    Her hurried words seemingly echoed inside the silent room. However, Lady Tyra dared not say another word in the presence of Esther, and she continued to wait for the youngdy to speak without moving from her kneeling position.


    "Though you have recognized me,? I am no longer the same person that you knew about. I am amoner of this kingdom, and you have to treat me like one," Esther instructed. The way she talked was opposite to how polite she was with Queen Theodora. In front of this woman who seemed to be twice her age, her voice emitted power and authority.


    "I-I will be a sinner of our kind, Your Eminence!" Lady Tyra said.


    "Not obeying my order is also a sin," Esther countered and instructed. "Get up."


    Lady Tyra, a proud servant of the Ivanov family of Megaris, stood up with trembling knees, but chose to keep her head lowered.


    "Look at me," Esther instructed again.


    Lady Tyra obeyed her order and seemingly felt all the power in her body be drained the moment she saw those caramel-coloured eyes. She heard Esther say, "I won''t stay here for long. Till then, just treat me like any other of the Queen''s servants."


    Lady Tyra swallowed and nodded reluctantly. "I��I will obey your orders, Your Eminence. If you need anything, you can trust me that I will fulfil it even if you ask for my life."


    Esther nodded and heard Lady Tyra sigh, as if trying topose herself. "I will arrange the things you will be needing then, Your Eminence. I shall excuse myself now."


    After giving her a low curtsy, Lady Tyra left.


    Esther looked around the room. There was a bed, a dresser, a desk and a table with two chairs. It was smallerpared to the guest room provided by the count''s family, but it was still iparablyrge andvish for amoner, befitting the good treatment royal servants receive under the care of the Queen.


    She went towards the window and pushed it open. In front of her room was a nice view of the water fountain and one of the flower gardens of the Queen. She observed the greenery outside and then closed her eyes to do something. With her fingers swirling, they soon emitted energy and a flower with a y pot appeared on the window sill. It was a beautiful red flower that seemed to be shining on its own��an Ashrin flower.


    With delicate fingers, she touched the leaves of the nt and mumbled, "I wish to find someone who will need you more than me. But when you help that person, make sure they end up together so that they may never be apart."


    ------


    After the King of Megaris dismissed his day''s affairs to visit the injured Queen Theodora, Prince Theron went straight to his own study together with his knights. Though he had just travelled towards the western territory and back, he had to continue the work he left behind in the pce. Despite being busy, he didn''t appear to be feeling tired.


    Prince Theron sat at his desk and perused the documents that needed to be read. After a while, a certain knight entered his study.


    The first thing the Crown Prince asked was about the mysterious youngdy, instead of asking about the rebels.


    "When you went with her to her home in the forest, what did you observe?" Prince Theron asked.


    "Your Highness, it was nothing special. It was a small and simple cottage made of wood surrounded by a fence to keep out wild animals. She has a small vegetable plot in the backyard, and there''s a stream nearby as a source of water. Seems like the girl has little contact with the world outside the forest as she imed. Aside from containers of salt and other spices which she must have traded several months back, as well as sturdy clothes that seemed a few years old, everything she used and needed can be found in her home. She seemed like she''s truly living in seclusion."


    "Hmm��" Prince Theron? leaned back in his high back chair as he straightened the thoughts in his mind. "Try to investigate more about her. Not like she has fallen from the sky. There must be someone rted to her who will tell us about her. Talk to the merchants in the city where she bought salt and spices. Look for missing daughters of the nobles in the kingdom that match her appearance and age. Try looking from other kingdoms as well, especially those fallen kingdoms that my father conquered." He nced at his knights. "There is no such thing as coincidence in this world.. If it appears to be so, it only means weck information."

 Chapter 335 - Wants To Know About The Young Woman

    After dismissing his men to do their respective tasks, Prince Theron cleared up the documents that needed his immediate attention. As soon as he was done, he left his study and brought two of his knights towards a certain area at the rear of the royal pce. Near the army barracks, a small squat building seemingly sculpted out of a rocky hill could be found.


    The grey building itself held prison cells with narrow windows for those people held under suspicion of light offences or those who were currently under investigation but were highly likely innocent, while below the building, there were three floors built underground��the uppermost for themon criminals, the second level for the torture chamber and at the deepest level was the dungeons where the most heinous prisoners were kept.


    The prison guards outside the entrance saluted upon seeing the Crown Prince.


    "We greet His Highness the Crown Prince!"


    Prince Theron gestured for them to rise. "The rebels?"


    One of the guards responded, "They are currently in the torture chamber, Your Highness. Let me escort you there."


    The guard led the Crown Prince to a certain iron door, knocked a certain pattern and opened it with a set of keys. As soon as the door was opened, the Crown Prince was greeted by a set of stairs leading underground, manned by another troop of prison guards.


    As soon as Prince Theron stepped into the stairs, the iron door behind him was locked again, and another guard led him downstairs where he was met with another iron door as soon as he reached the end of the hallway. As the ce where only criminals that threatened the royal family and the peace of the Kingdom of Megaris were held, it was to be expected that the security of this dungeon was strict.


    The moment Prince Theron and his knights reached the second level underground, they could hear the mournful screams of several men echoing throughout the stone walls. There was no need for the Crown Prince to guess that those cries came from the rebels who were enjoying the royal treatment provided by the prison guards in charge of the torture chambers.


    These criminals no doubt deserved death by execution for the crime of attempting to assassinate the Queen, but before they received the punishment they deserved, there was a need to pry their mouths open to make sure that not only the attackers, but the other criminals��be they the mastermind or aplices��be captured as well.? Prince Theron was sure foul y was involved, as the route and schedule of the Queen''s return to ckhelm were confidential. It was impossible for these rebels to harm the Queen of Megaris without inside help.


    ''Is it the high nobles of the western territory trying to weaken the royal faction? Or maybe, the consorts of my father? Are they trying to get rid of the Queen so they could be promoted from being ordinary concubines?''


    Other than that, Prince Theron had one more purpose: to get more information about that youngdy called Esther, if they knew her and if she was sent to be part of a doubleyered scheme just in case the river ambush fails.


    There was no change in the young prince''s cold expression as he approached thergest torture chamber on that floor that was currently empty. The Crown Prince sat in the chair kept in the centre of open space while the two knights escorting him went to talk towards the prison guards. They then brought the rebel leader inside thergest chamber and threw him on the floor in front of the Crown Prince. He looked down at the bloodied leader with a gaze that showed no sign of kindness or pity for him.


    "You foul prince!" The leader of the rebels had his hands chained together, and his legs were broken. He could barely keep himself seated up as he red at the brown-haired royal.? "If you think we are scared of you, then let me tell you that you are mistaken. This is not the end! Even if you kill me and my men now, more of us willeter and take revenge for us. We will make sure that you Ivanovs pay the price of destroying our kingdoms with your lives! Mark my words!"


    Prince Theron didn''t react to the man''s curse words. It was as if he was not even bothered at all, as if what that rebel leader said was nothing but useless gibberish to him. After receiving a kick from one of the prison guards, causing the leader to finally shut up, Prince Theron finally opened his mouth to ask, "All I want to know is who is that young woman who acted to protect the Queen."


    The rebel leaderughed and acted to spit in his direction. However, one of the Prince''s knights pped his mouth and the leader fell limply on the stone floor. He continuedughing like a crazy man.


    "Why are you asking me? Are you curious? You are, aren''t you?" the rebel leader taunted. "Even if I know, why would I tell you, the son of that mad king? Exactly because you are interested in knowing about her, I. Won''t. Tell. You." The manughed again, despite his mouth being filled with blood after losing a tooth from the knight''s p.


    Seeing that the leader of the rebels was not afraid of offending him, the Crown Prince, it seemed like the moment they were caught��or perhaps the moment they hatched this n��they had already thrown away their lives. These rebels were not afraid of dying.


    Prince Theron looked straight into his eyes with a mocking gaze. "If you think I can''t make you talk then�� there are other mouths who will answer me, even if not willingly."


    Even before Prince Theron could finish his sentence, his two knights dragged two more rebels who seemed even more gravely injured than the rebel leader. They look half-dead as if with one wrong push, they would be breathing theirst.


    "You have heard what the Crown Prince has asked your leader. I believe we don''t have to repeat it to you again," said one of the royal knights.


    Those two neers looked at their leader and said nothing about what the Crown Prince had asked.


    The knight signalled one of the prison guards, who then brought a hot branding iron that had a long handle like a stick with a t surface on one end, currently glowing red due to extensive heating. Without waiting for anyone to say more, another set of prison guards came forward and held one of the rebels.? The prison guard holding the iron branding stick ced the t end of the stick on the rebel''s torso, exactly on the part where a deep wound could be seen bleeding open.


    "Ahhhhh!"


    The roasted smell of skin burning filled the torture chamber, and everyone fell silent as they listened to the rebel screaming as loud as he could.


    The guards let him go and the rebel fell on the stone floor with a powerless sob. His entire body could be seen convulsing, and he was foaming in the mouth. The guard with the iron branding stick went to a nearby coal furnace and heated the t end of the iron branding stick. As soon as the t end started glowing red, he walked towards the second rebel who was utterly terrified after he saw what happened to hisrade.


    Before the guard could reach that terrified rebel, he started yelling,? "If it''s just about the girl, I will tell! I will tell you! I won''t ask that you let me live. Just kill me swiftly after! As long as you promise to not torture me and grant me a swift death, I will tell you about the girl!"


    The rebel leader felt angry, but he could only gasp through his bloody mouth. "You��how can you give up? Are you really begging the dogs of the Ivanovs? These men destroyed our kingdom! They are the dogs of those who killed our families! And yet you are begging them?!?"


    That rebel felt guilty in front of his leader and lowered his head, but he was not willing to go through more pain for someone who he didn''t even know.


    The knight looked at the guards and they took the leader away who was discouraging the rebel who was willing to confess. The knight then looked at that rebel and said, "I promise you I will give you a swift death if you tell us the identity of that woman. But if I find out that you are lying��" The gaze of the knight was threatening as he took a step towards the rebel.


    "No��I will tell," the rebel said immediately. "I will tell you what I know. Please keep your promise!"


    The guards no longer approached the sobbing rebel. The rebel then looked at the Crown Prince. "We��we don''t know her��I promise! She has nothing to do with us! She appeared out of the blue and started fighting with us. If not for her, we might have seeded��"


    "I want the truth," the Crown Prince said coldly, not believing the rebel''s words.


    "I-I am telling the truth, P-Prince Theron!" the rebel cried out, seeing that the Crown Prince didn''t believe him. "She''s really not someone with us! I wouldn''t be lying now since I want to just die. I don''t know who or what she is, but��but she definitely possesses some wicked tricks."


    This pricked Prince Theron''s interest, and he asked, "What tricks?"

 Chapter 336 - Not A Human

    The rebel gulped as he recalled the scene that day.


    "First, she was fighting with two short swords, butter on, when we were about to win and kill the Queen, that woman did something��something not human! Believe me, I am not lying! I also doubted my eyes! But I cannot doubt the pain my body felt after what she made us fly into the air��? All of us were pushed back without anyone touching us and we were injured after we hit the rocks and the trees nearby��"


    The knight growled, "Do you think we are here to listen to nonsense from you?!"


    "Sir Knight! Believe me! It''s not nonsense. I am telling the truth. I am really telling the truth," the rebel cried as his body shook. "I-It didn''t happen only once! She did the same again with our leader. First, I was thinking that perhaps I was seeing things after I was thrown by the remaining knights, butter, I was sure it was her doing. She��she is not an ordinary woman. S-She''s probably not human! Believe me, Sir Knight! Crown Prince, believe me! I can even describe what I saw in detail��like how I even saw her eyes shining differently��like yellowish, no, gold! Yes, they shed gold! When she did that, she looked scary��Crown Prince, sir, you can ask the others if you don''t believe me�� She is not one of us��She truly is not one of us! If she was, then we would not have ended up here like this..."


    Prince Theron stayed quiet as he watched the rebel break down in tears.? The knights and the prison guards merely looked at their prince, awaiting his next instructions.


    The rebel thought the Prince still didn''t believe him so he continued, "Crown Prince, sir, you can also ask the Queen! Yes, if you still don''t believe me, you can verify my words from the Queen herself. She is a witness too."


    However, even after hearing thatst part, Prince Theron didn''t react to him as if his words didn''t hold any value. The young prince merely stood up and left therge torture chamber. His knights followed him, while the prison guards dragged that rebel back to another cell. The man struggled from their grip as he shouted, "I am telling the truth, Crown Prince of Megaris! She is not an ordinary human! You promised to kill me swiftly if I tell you the truth! Don''t go back on your words and kill me now! I don''t want to be tortured anymore. Please, just kill me now��please��"


    It was as if his shouts fell on deaf ears as the Crown Prince gestured for the prison guard to unlock the iron door leading towards the upper floor.


    "Crown Prince! I really am telling the truth��"


    After the heavy iron door mmed behind him, he could no longer hear the pleas of the rebel. With quiet yet steady steps, he ascended the stairs and left the dungeon. Though Prince Theron didn''t react to what the rebel said, in his mind, he had already decided to verify the truth? with his mother.


    As one of the direct descendants of the royal family of Megaris, he had been educated from young about the history of the kingdom. ording to the books, the original territory of the Kingdom of Megaris used to be small, barely the size of a duchal territory in the northern parts near the Barren Regions. As resources were scarce, the kingdom started expanding its territory until it was able to swallow a huge part of the eastern coast of the continent, and then it officially built its capital city, ckhelm, as its center of power. It was thriving due to its ess to the sea, mainly trading with the kingdoms from the central and southern part of the continent.


    In the legends of old, Prince Theron had learned that the originalnd of Megaris used to have extraordinary beings, and when it expanded, the other creatures living in the nearby forests and the waters blended among the human viges and cities. That was the reason why the Royal Family of Megaris had a religion which worships mythical creatures��the King was seen as a dragon, and the Queen a phoenix, as it was said that the royal bloodline was blessed and protected by these mythical beasts.? It was hard to believe whether they were true stories or myths.


    ''Could it be true?'' His thoughts wandered as he eyed the distant snow-capped mountain peaks visible from where he''s standing. ''Could it be that she''s not human?''


    If that was the truth, if Esther was really an existence beyond his understanding, then that meant she was innocent��that she had truly helped save his mother out of pure kindness, that she was a benefactor with a life-saving grace, and that he owed her an apology for his rudeness.


    ''A precious friend of the Ivanov Family.''


    Without him realizing it, the Crown Prince of Megaris let out a sigh of relief.


    ------


    Since it was Esther''s first day in the royal pce, she was asked to rest and make herself familiar with the other servants. The next day, she was called by the Queen and Lady Tyra personally fetched? her in her room to lead her way towards the Queen''s chamber.


    "Your Eminence, please follow me," Lady Tyra said after she entered her room.


    "Wait!" Esther stopped her.


    With her head lowered, Lady Tyra asked, "Yes, Your Eminence?? Do you have any instructions for me?"


    Esther inwardly sighed. "As I have told you before, I am amoner here so you should help me keep my identity secret. You should not address me as ''Your Eminence''."


    "My sincerest apologies��"


    "And you also need to talk casually while looking into my eyes," Esther instructed in an authoritative voice.


    "I dare notmit such sphemy��"


    "Do you dare disobey me?" Esther said a little coldly as this was the only way to make Lady Tyra understand.

 Chapter 337 - Serving The Queen

    "Do you dare disobey me?" Esther said a little coldly as this was the only way to make Lady Tyra understand.


    "I-I apologize for my mistake, Your��I mean, Miss Esther," Lady Tyra corrected herself.


    There was no reply from Esther as she only stared at Lady Tyra as if she was still not satisfied with her reply.


    Sensing the silent but intimidating aura around Esther, Lady Tyra levelled their gazes.? Esther nodded in satisfaction. "This is how you should look at me, with your head a little high up. Yesterday, it was all right to have to call me ''Miss'' as I was here as a guest. However, I do think you simply call the other servants by their first names, don''t you? Tyra Ivanov, you are a member of the royal family, albeit a distant rtive, and you are the head of the royal servants. Just look and address me as your subordinate."


    Lady Tyra''s entire body shook, but in the end, she had no choice but to resign to her fate. She nodded and said again, "Her Majesty must be waiting for us. Let us go��Esther."


    The youngdy with honey blond hair happily followed behind Lady Tyra while wearing a set of working clothes embroidered with the crest symbolizing the Queen of Megaris.


    Since she had walked the way once, the hallway leading to the Queen''s chamber was already familiar to Esther. She also recognized the faces of the other servants she met along the way, and they also gave her cheering smiles. Everyone was friendly to her; not only was she the saviour of the Queen, but it was also difficult to dislike someone as kind and gentle as her.


    When they reached the Queen''s chamber, Esther greeted the Queen the way the other servants were taught to do so. She lowered her head and gracefully lifted a part of her skirt.


    "Greetings, Your Majesty."


    There was a pleasant smile on the Queen''s face when she saw the blond girl wearing clothes tailored specifically for her. "Good to see you, Esther. From what I heard from Tyra, you have been getting along with the other girls in the pce. Is your room to your liking? I believe you are finding yourself morefortable here in the pce than in your forest cabin."


    "Yes, Your Majesty. Thank you so much for taking care of me," Esther replied with a grateful smile. "Everyone has been very kind to me."


    "Don''t mention it. You deserve it," said the Queen as she continued, "Esther, I want to assign you the role of my personal servant, but that would mean that you will have to follow me around everywhere, even when I meet other people. Will you be alright with that kind of job? Or do you wish to do something simpler, since this will be the first time you will be working in this kind of environment?"


    Everyone knew that the Queen''s personal servants were all killed in the attack, and thus, new ones were being screened and appointed by Lady Tyra among those lower-ranked servants who had been loyal to the pce for years.


    Esther was touched by the Queen''s regard. She was aware that things like assignment of roles only needed to be passed down through Lady Tyra, as a Queen''smand was absolute. However, the Queen herself was giving Esther a choice, which proved how much she valued the blonddy.


    Queen Theodora chose Esther to be one of her personal servants partly because she thought it was a good reward to the person who saved her, but mostly because of her curiosity. The Queen knew that if she had Esther as her constantpanion, she could grow closer to this youngdy and know more about her. Queen Theodora always thought there was something special about Esther, and she wanted to know why she felt that way towards her.


    Esther did not contemte for long. Since she entered the royal pce and decided to stay by the Queen''s side, there was no reason for her to reject the Queen''s offer.


    "It''s my privilege to serve you, Your Majesty," Esther replied politely.


    "A good decision!" the Queen said happily.


    Lady Tyra, who was standing next to her, nodded like Esther''s response was something to be expected of amoner, but deep inside, her heart silently breaking. The mighty existence next to her was a kind of person with a status where everyone was bowing down to her, yet here��


    ''Her Eminence held the power to make everyone in this kingdom serve her, but she is now acting like an ordinary person who is happy to have the privilege and honour of serving another, one with a status lower than hers,'' Lady Tyramented, ''s! I am a sinner to have no way of stopping this madness!''


    Queen Theodora turned towards Lady Tyra. "I will leave dear Esther to you. I believe you will teach her everything that is needed. How long will it take for her to serve me in my chambers?"


    "Rest assured, Your Majesty," Lady Tyra forced a smile. "She is a fast learner. She can start apanying you by the end of the day."


    "Great!" said the Queen.


    "Follow me," Lady Tyra instructed Esther to which she nodded. She followed her towards one of the side chambers attached to the main room.


    Lady Tyra had taken Esther to the Queen''s wardrobe, where countless clothes, jewelry and shoes were disyed in racks and shelves. The head of the royal servants made her familiar with everything that Queen would need to wear, depending on the asion, the weather and who she would be meeting, in addition to the Queen''s personal preference. After that, she also even exined the Queen''s daily routine to her, starting from when she wakes up until the time she retires for the night.


    Lady Tyra did not even look tired as she thoroughly exined the meticulous details to her about the routinary duties of the Queen''s personal servant. After exining everything about the Queen''s chamber, Lady Tyra then? took her towards the Queen''s study. Esther spent half of the day with Lady Tyra while listening about the pce rules and regtions that the servants must follow. Esther was absorbing everything instructed to her, even faster than Lady Tyra''s initial expectation.


    After lunch, Queen Theodora called for Esther to apany her for a walk through her garden. As it was summer, though the flowers were no longer blooming, many of the fruit-bearing trees were ready for harvest.


    The Queen smiled at her. "Today is your official day working as my person, and this is your first task. How are you feeling, dear? Are you nervous?"


    Though it was given for the personal servant to follow the Queen, as it was Esther''s first day in the pce and she was still new, the Queen wondered if she would be all right to be seen in thepany of the Queen. After all, eyes would always follow royalty wherever she goes and whatever she does. The Queen remembered that many of her deceased servants were adorably nervous during their first days at work, especially when the Queen chanced upon a royal and they were unsure of the pce etiquette.


    "Thank you for your concern, Your Majesty," Esther replied with a bright smile. "I am honoured to apany you in your walk."


    The Queen smiled fondly at her and they took a stroll towards the line of trees beside the rose garden. The sky was partially cloudy, thus there was no need to use a hat or bring a parasol. Just as the Queen was enjoying the refreshing breeze of the pleasant summer day, one of the royal guards announced the arrival of Prince Theron.


    "Tell him toe to join me here outside," the Queen told the guard. "It is a pity to sit inside the drawing-room in such good weather."


    Hearing that the Crown Prince would being, Esther felt uneasy while the Queen was happy to have her son visiting her. She even had a weird thought that perhaps, the attack was a blessing in disguise because prior to it, her son had been way too absorbed in his Crown Prince duties to even see his mother. She knew that his son was an adult with his own life, but it still made the Queen somehow lonely.


    The moment Prince Theron reached the garden, the first thing his eyes noticed was the youngdy standing just two steps behind his smiling mother.

 Chapter 338 - Prince Therons Attemt To Know The Truth

    Those dark eyes of the Crown Prince held no hostility towards the youngdy��which was something that made her sigh in relief. However, although it was a massive improvement from his initial impression of her, there was still not a hint of goodwill in them as well.


    Prince Theron averted his suspicious gaze from Esther and looked at his mother. "Greetings, Mother. Should you be walking like this outside already?"


    "Oh, dear. You are just like your father. Although I am d to have you here, there is no need to nag me, young man. I am not so frail to be put on bedrest for something so trivial. It wasn''t as if this is the first time I have experienced an assassination," said the Queen with a tender motherly look. Despite her scolding tone, it could be seen on her beautiful face that she was happy to receive her son''s concern. She then took her son to walk towards a nearby gazebo in the garden. "Are you visiting for long? Why don''t we have tea together?"


    "I can stay for an hour."


    Esther remembered her role as instructed by Lady Tyra for situations like this. Without saying a word, she let herself be separated from the royals and immediately sought out the other servants waiting on standby, telling them to bring in freshly-brewed tea and snacks preferred by the Crown Prince.


    By the time Prince Theron and the Queen sat on the chairs inside the garden gazebo, Esther had returned dutifully to await for the tea and snacks to arrive from the kitchen. She stood outside the gazebo, pretending like she''s non-existent just like the other newly-arrived servants lined up in a neat row.


    "How are you now, Mother?" Prince Theron enquired.


    "As you can see, I am fine. There is even no need for me to wear bandages, and I''m only keeping them for appearance''s sake. Though, I am sure you didn''te here just to see your mother, hmm?" Queen Theodora countered as she smiled teasingly.


    Prince Theron didn''t deny it as his gaze singled out Esther from the row of servants standing outside the gazebo and then looked back at his mother. "I also wanted to check on you, Mother, as you were hurt."


    As usual, nothing went unnoticed by the Queen as she knew her son well. Not minding it, she answered, "Thanks to the herb Esther applied on my wounds, they were not infected and recovered faster than if I were to rely purely on our royal physicians."


    A servant from the kitchen arrived, bringing with her? the requested tea for the mother and son pair. Just as the servant was about to enter the gazebo, Queen Theodora said, "Esther, I would like it if you serve us tea."


    Esther, who was standing with her head lowered, was initially surprised but took it in a stride. "As you wish, Your Majesty."? She got the wooden tray from the other servant, the tray containing freshly brewed ck tea in a teapot, containers for honey and milk, and a pair of delicate teacups and saucers.


    She walked towards the table at the center of the gazebo with her head still kept low like other servants. However, it could be seen even by an outsider that each and every step taken was smooth and practiced, as if she was not carrying anything in the first ce, and the movements of her hands held a certain elegance. It was something that no neer should have been capable of pulling off. There was not even a hint of nervousness or clumsiness in the way she set the table.


    Prince Theron''s eyes took note of her actions closely. If ever, her movements somehow reminded him of Lady Tyra, who was a senior member of the royal family and one of the people with the best royal etiquette in the pce��she was in fact the Crown Prince''s etiquette teacher when he was a child. Such grace had to be something cultivated since young, if not inborn due to her bloodline.


    There was something about her that made his thoughts wander, which was something he never foresaw happening. It made him wonder if it was because her face had a vague resemnce to someone, but then again, he could not remember anyone among the nobility of Megaris with eyes like hers, eyes with the color of melted caramel��


    Prince Theron felt the tips of his fingers brush against the back of her hand, and his hand flinched at the gesture. It caused his whole body to stiffen, and it caused Esther to react the same. However, she was quick to pretend nonchnce and continued filling his cup with hot tea.


    Only then did Prince Theron realize that he, the Crown Prince of Megaris, had been ogling a servant to the point he didn''t realize she had already finished setting the table and was now pouring tea on his teacup. His mother already had hers filled, and was now quietly sipping tea with a vague smile.


    After serving him tea, Esther ced the teapot back on the table and stepped back to stand behind the Queen. She was sensitive enough to realize there was a reason why Queen Theodora called her out specifically. Afterwards, another servant entered and ced biscuits and cookies on the table as snacks and left the gazebo to stand outside.


    After having another sip of tea, Queen Theodora ced her cup down "Aside from checking up on me, what are you here for, Theron?"


    As the person who raised him, Queen Theodora was aware that her son had refrained from interrogating her about the attack to give her more time to rest. However, her son was never a patient person; he must want to know the details of the incident from her perspective, not as his mother but as the victim and a surviving eye witness. She was sure he had already gotten the ounts from Sir Alexis and his fellow knights, but he still made time toe to the Queen''s residence as he wanted to verify something unbelievable that he had heard.


    "I want to know what exactly happened that day when rebels attacked the royal entourage," he said.


    Esther, who had been standing calmly the entire time, suddenly felt her heart skip a beat. ''What if the Queen tells him about what I did? What will happen then?''

 Chapter 339 - Questioning Her Ability?

    In contrast, the Queen was calm. "I am sure you must have gotten your answer from Alexis."


    "I wish to know what happened after Mother ran from the riverbank, specifically the part in the forest. Please do not leave out any details on the part of when and how you were? saved," Prince Theron stated as he nced at the blonddy standing behind the Queen.


    The Queen nodded, but it could be seen that her eyes seemingly lost luster as she recalled the deaths of her trusted people. "After Alexis asked me to escape into the forest, I ran there with Bethy along with three knights. A number of rebels, their leader included, were able to follow us after relying on their archers to get away from the main group. Oh, I forgot to mention, but I was already wielding a sword by then. We tried to fight with all we had, but we were unable to lose them. I am not sure if they already prepared men in advance in the forest, or if they knew the forest trails and thus were able to take advantage of the terrain, but it did not take long for us to be surrounded. I thought I could use myself to bargain for them to let the others go, but they had no intention of letting anyone survive. s, just as one of my knights died and Bethy received the leader''s attack that was meant for me, Esther appeared."


    At that point in the story, Esther was struggling to keep herposure. She took a peek at his face, but it was expressionless, and there was no way for her to find out what he was thinking. When Prince Theron caught her eyes, she immediately lowered her head once more.


    Esther was inwardly praying for the Queen to not tell her son anything. ''Will he even believe it? Even if he did, then will he ask me to leave? But I have given my words to the Queen that I will stay with her and can''t leave before five years, and I can never go back on my words.''


    Just then, she heard him ask a question. "And how did��Miss Esther fight so many rebels to save you? It''s a little difficult to believe she handled the rebels when you were outnumbered and our knights could not even stand up to them."


    Queen Theodora did not answer immediately. She first enjoyed her cup of tea, even taking a biscuit out of the snacks prepared. After emptying her cup and finishing the biscuit, only then did the Queen answer. Her eyes showed a hint of excitement as she reminisced that part of her story.


    "I thought that she was a skilled hunter, perhaps a passing apprentice knight about to have an de or a budding mercenary of some sort. She appeared out of nowhere and fought with them with two short swords��or was it long daggers? I was initially worried, but after seeing her skills pushing back the leader, I was pleasantly surprised. She gave me hope. I thought that with such a skilled person keeping check on them, I can use that chance to escape with my people."


    "Really?" he said as he idly sipped the already lukewarm tea. His dark eyes still held suspicion as they observed Esther.


    The Queen nodded and chuckled at a certain memory. "Initially, everyone thought that she was a young man. She was wearing this hideouslyrge robe and her face was covered, but Esther fights so well��even better than amon royal guard��that no one imagined she is, in fact, a female. Having such great fighting skills at such a young age, and as ady to boost, I can only feel proud of her."


    "I wonder how good her skills are," the Crown Prince muttered, but? his words sounded sarcastic.


    The Queenughed a little. "I bet she can even give you a tough fight." Behind her pleasedughter, she was trying to suppress what she was hiding from her son.


    Hearing his mother''s deration, he only nced at a fragile-looking youngdy who seemed younger than him and wondered if she could even stand in front of his attacks if they were to fight for real.


    He dropped that thought and asked, "The rebels said that she did something extraordinary to beat them all��that she made them fly into the air."


    The Queen gestured for Esther to refill her teacup. She took her time appreciating the scent of the hot tea before replying, "I told you that her sword skills are no joke. She could easily beat them."


    Just as Queen Theodora knew her son, Prince Theron also knew his mother well. He already felt that his mother was not telling the entire truth.


    "This is not about her sword skills, Mother. I heard something else," he countered.


    The Queen looked at her son nonchntly. "Something else?"


    Esther gulped as she felt his gaze linger on her again for a moment.


    "Those rebels, they said she used some tricks that hurt them. Every one of those grown men. They imed that they were thrown in the air as if some invisible power pushed them away, and the force was strong enough to injure them to the point no one could get up after that attack."


    Before her son could say more, the Queen cut him off with a kind of scoffingugh as if she had heard an incredulous joke. "My son, do you really believe what they said?"


    "Is that not the reason why I am here, Mother? Investigating, verifying each of the statements given, and looking for evidence��those are my responsibility," he countered calmly.


    "My son," Queen Theodora shook her head as she sighed, "Those rebels must have either had their memories altered after receiving a head concussion at that time, or their manly ego must have hurt after being defeated by a single woman and they made up such a story to save their faces. Sir Alexis was there. Did he not tell you what happened? Did he also mention what those rebels had told you?"


    "He did not," he responded. "Sir Alexis reached there after the rebels were already defeated so mother was the only person I could ask. About the other two knights who survived, they are still unconscious due to serious injuries."


    "I will say don''t trust those rebels'' words. Anyways, what is important is that they attacked your mother but your mother survived and is now safe. Shouldn''t you thank this youngdy?" the Queen asked in a patronizing tone.


    "Letting her stay by my mother''s side, the side of the Queen of Megaris is already a perfect show of gratitude for her life-saving grace," the Crown Prince replied coldly.


    ====


    Dear reader it''s sad to inform you all, our lovely moderator of this novel, N009 has passed awayst night. You all could have seen her in thements (with the user name N009) and she always replied to you all when you had any queries. Let''s all pray for her.. Wherever she is, may her soul rest be in peace.

 Chapter 340 - Feeling Intimidated By The Prince

    "s! Always so cold despite having a soft heart! I would have liked it if you were a little more honest like your mother instead of being cold and arrogant to outsiders like your father," the Queenmented but the Crown Prince didn''t seem to mind it.


    "I only need to show the real me to those who deserve it," the Crown Prince said as he looked at Esther. "Is she deserving?"


    Esther was listening to his sarcastic tone without showing any reaction. Although Prince Theron didn''t like her even a bit, she could feel it from the way he was talking that he was merely a cautious person. Say, if Esther was not staying with his mother and had probably simply received some other reward for saving the Queen, he would have probably treated her as air.


    ''Well, I am here because I like the Queen and she likes having me around as well. Whether or not you are the nicest prince of this kingdom, it has nothing to do with me. I am here only because I gave your mother my word,'' Esther grumbled in her mind. ''What matters is how the Queen and the other people in her pce treat me.''


    The topic shifted to some random matters rted to the nobility, and soon enough, their brief teatime was finished. The Crown Prince said, "I still have a meeting to attend. I will have to take my leave now, Mother."


    "I won''t be seeing you off, then." The Queen nodded and the Crown Prince stood up. Just as he was about to leave the garden gazebo, he stopped walking and paused by the entrance, causing both the Queen and Esther to stare at his broad back.


    Prince Theron did not even turn around as he spoke in a low tone, "Do not ever think of betraying my mother''s trust. If you do so, you will very much regret the day your little mind hatched that n. I will make sure? you will be in so much pain, you will be begging me to end your life."


    "Theron!" The Queen sighed at the way he talked to her saviour, while Esther only lowered her head. She wanted to say something, but she wished for him to leave as soon as possible. Keeping her silence was the best response in this stifling situation.


    As she listened to his retreating footsteps, Esther could not help but let out a sigh. She found the situation somehow ironic. Although this young prince was perhaps one of the most capable fighters alive in this kingdom, he was just an ordinary human. On the other hand, she was someone with powers he could not even begin toprehend��yet here she was, feeling intimidated by the aura this human had around him.


    ''I wonder why��''


    After the Crown Prince left, Queen Theodora looked at Esther. "Don''t mind my son''s words. He is just being overprotective of his mother. That boy, really��"


    "I understand his concerns, Your Majesty," Esther replied. "You have a good son."


    Prince Theron was still suspicious of a few points that didn''t match based on his investigations, but he trusted his mother''s words about the ambush that happened in the western territory.. The statement of her personal knight, Sir Alexis, corresponded with the Queen''s statement as well, denying the authenticity of what the rebels confessed about Esther''s strange abilities.


    However, the Crown Prince had to temporarily drop those unverified concerns now and submit a final report on the oue of his investigation to his father. After all, only his mother knew the entire story, and it wasn''t like he could point out his mother was hiding something. ording to Sir Alexis, he only reached the forest to rescue the Queen after the rebels were defeated already. The two gravely injured knights who could have added information passed away due to the serious injuries they had, so the only eyewitness left was his own mother and rebels. The rebels'' words could not be fully trusted and had to be taken with a grain of salt.


    ''My doubts are still not cleared,'' he thought as he signed the end of the document containing the result of his investigation. ''I will have to continue monitoring that girl until she proves herself deserving of my mother''s trust.''


    Though he epted his mother''s testimony, it was only on the surface. He still refused to believe that her meeting his mother was pure coincidence. After all, how could it be that a? strange young woman who imed to live in the forest just happened to be a really skilled fighter, yet at the same time moved with practiced royal etiquette?


    Several dayster, the King of Megaris summoned Esther.


    The King had been very busy due to the situation in the western region of the kingdom, but he still made sure to visit his wife ever since she returned. Only today was he free during the daytime, and thus, had the spare time to reward the servant who saved his wife.


    The King and the Queen were having tea when Esther came to them. She greeted them with a perfect curtsy. "This servant greets Your Majesty the King and Your Majesty the Queen."


    "You may rise," said the handsome middle-aged man wearing an aloof expression that strongly reminded Esther of the Crown Prince.


    She could not help but be silently amazed at the resemnce. If Prince Theron were two or three decades older, he could probably be seen as the King''s twin brother. ''Now I understand what the Queen meant.''


    "This is Esther, and she is the one who saved me that day," Queen Esther introduced the blond girl to her husband.


    The King looked at the youngdy and nodded. "You have saved my wife, the Queen of this kingdom. I would like to reward you."


    Esther bowed gracefully to the monarch of this kingdom and said, "Your Majesty, there is no need as the Queen had already rewarded me handsomely."

 Chapter 341 - Granting A Wish For The Future

    "Child, do not refuse me," the King said in a voice that would not allow refusal. His voice was gruff and loud, like a general givingmand to an army, yet his eyes held warmth as he held the hand of his wife on the table. "You have done a great service not only to the kingdom, but also to our family. We, Ivanovs, do not normally let ourselves be indebted to another, but we value sincerity and friendship, what more a life-saving grace. Speak, what do you want? In the name of? the King of Megaris, I will grant you anything you desire as long as it is not about asking for the throne or bringing harm to this kingdom."


    "Thank you, Your Majesty, but I desire nothing. When I saved the Queen, I didn''t do it for any reward and neither did I save her because she is royalty. It wasn''t much effort, and I would have done it for anyone. I need no reward," Esther replied politely with her head lowered in front of the King and the Queen.


    For the first time since she arrived, a hint of a smile could be seen on the face of the expressionless king. "Fine. You desire nothing��at least, not now, but if in future you need anything,e to me and I will unconditionally grant your desire."


    Esther knew that this was the King making apromise so she just epted it. "I will surely do so. Thank you, Your Majesty."


    Slowly, Esther got ustomed to the pce life and continued her responsibility as Queen''s servant. It wasn''t easy as there would always be some unexpected mishap happening, but Esther found it kind of fun to be surrounded by people. Queen Theodora also made good use of her promise to her back when they were in the Holles Family. During her spare time, the Queen did not forget to bring Esther along to try different kinds of hobbies and entertainment that one could not enjoy if one were living on their own in the forest.


    From time to time, Prince Theron and Esther came across each other. Sometimes, it would be in the hallways when he came to visit his mother, and there were also times where they chance upon each other during her break when she''s loitering in the gardens to rx.? Esther always tried to act as if she didn''t exist, but Prince Theron would not have that and would make sure to approach her. She would then have no choice but to greet him, only for him to just nod at her and then leave. Most of the time though, she would find him staring at her.


    Those dark eyes��It made her kind of worried if he was truly just being cautious of her, or if somehow, there was another reason behind those stares.


    Prince Theron called for his knights who were assigned to investigate Esther, but they returned empty-handed.


    "It''s been a month now, but still there is no information about her?"


    "Apologies, Your Highness. We had tried all means we could think of. We tried contacting not only the noble families which had reported to have missing daughters, we also tried checking the merchants to purchase information about any person in this kingdom who shared the same appearance as Miss Esther, but there is still nothing about her," one of the knights answered, trying to hide the disappointment from his voice over their failure.


    Another knight added, "The diplomats from other kingdoms are also helping us discover if Miss Esther is perhaps a spy, but we have received no feedback from them yet. It will probably take another month for any significant information to be unearthed."


    Prince Theron sighed, but it was not like he was totally disappointed. He had been observing that Esther girl for a month now, but so far, there was nothing suspicious about her aside from her background. She was working normally like other servants and was taking care of his mother well. She also did not make contact with anyone outside of the Queen''s residence��in fact, it was as if she was content with her current lifestyle. If only he had information about her past, or even just her family, and made sure she was not a criminal, he would have beenpletely relieved to leave his mother in her capable hands.


    Several months flew by, and soon, the entire Kingdom of Megaris was in a festive mood. The year would be ending, and for the people of ckhelm, it meant one thing��the annual festival where the entire city would celebrate the end of the year with three days'' worth of food and music. On the first day, the pce would normally open its doors to host a royal ball to invite all the nobles of the kingdom, and on thest day, there would be antern-viewing parade from the central za towards the port of the capital, where passengers from all walks of life could ride decorated ships whilenterns and fireworks were put on disy.


    "Esther, starting tomorrow, enjoy your break. You haven''t gone much around the city, have you? You''ve been here in ckhelm for a few months already, but you rarely leave my residence." The Queen smiled as she gestured for Esther to let her finish talking. "Go out with everyone and celebrate the year-end festival. Most of the servants leave the pce and go to the city to celebrate it. It''s your first time celebrating it, so you must make happy memories. I want you to go out and celebrate it with your friends."


    "Your Majesty, but I have to be with you��"


    "Don''t worry about me. I always host the royal ball, and it is enough to have Tyra here with me," the Queen said and looked at Tyra, "Send her out with other servants. Do not let her persuade you to make her stay."


    Lady Tyra almostughed at the Queen''s reproving voice. "Yes, Your Majesty.. I will make sure Esther will enjoy the festival."

 Chapter 342 - Enjoying The Festival

    By now, Esther was on good terms with the other servants who were working along with her under the Queen. Not only the other royal servants, she was also friends with the Queen''sdies-in-waiting, who treated her like an adorable younger sister. After all, Esther was easy to get along with, and she was kind no matter who she talked with. Thesedies were also excited to show the yearly festival celebration to Esther.


    On the evening of the first day of the year-end festival, Esther found herself wearing a pretty dark blue dress that was gifted to her by the Queen. It wasn''t made of expensive silk butmon cotton, as the Queen knew Esther would use that as an excuse to refuse it, but it was made with delicate details by the royal tailor. Her long honey blond hair was loosely tied with a ribbon of the same colour. The otherdies with Esther all praised her when they found the blonde finally wearing something that wasn''t the pce uniform.


    After gushing over each other''s appearances��and teasing about the boys they would likely charm tonight��the group ofdies were finally ready to leave the pce and enjoy the festival.


    "Esther, this kind of grand celebration is only held once a year, where we girls can take a break together and still get additional pay, so we must not miss it! We must y to our hearts'' content! I am sure you will like it too," one of the girls said excitedly as they walked out of their quarters. The other girls also started chiming in with their expectations for the night.


    "I want to see the performance in the za! They say that Miss Nightingale, that famous singer from Griven, is invited to perform tonight."


    "Oh, what I''m looking forward to is the dance afterwards!"


    "The dance? Why? did you get invited by some unluckyd to be his partner? Is it Arkus, that handsome gardener, or that Warren boy, the young apprentice knight from the other night?"


    "No, no, stop! No one invited me!"


    Sweet femaleughter could be heard as their group reached the carriages arranged by the Queen''s order to carry her servants out of the pce. While riding the carriage, Esther observed the streets of ckhelm, the capital city of Megaris, which was brightened up with seemingly countlessnterns. Music could be heard on the main streets, as different performances could be spotted. Stalls and shops with fancy decorations offering curious items and food could be seen as well. It was as if the entire city was shining with life, keeping the darkness of the night away.


    As she normally stayed within the Queen''s residence, Esther only saw this city from the pce, more specifically from the window of the Queen''s chamber. For the past month, the Queen didn''t leave the royal pce grounds, and as herpanion, neither did she. Although she did visit the city proper on her own before during her breaks, it was only because she needed to purchase some things, and didn''t stay longer than an hour before returning to the pce. This was truly the first time she would be enjoying the outside world.


    The carriages took them to the centre of the city.? The za was filled with people dressed nicely. Because the people were gathered on the roads, no carriages could enter because they were blocked by the crowd. The streets nearby were full of stalls of food as well as different interesting items that small merchants were selling as trinkets. Groups of artists were performing some acts on a built stage, and the bystanders were rewarding them with money after giving them thunderous apuse. The festive crowd looked so lively��from the young children running about with toys in their hands, to the young couples enjoying the performances, and even the families lining up to buy food from the stalls��that it brought a radiant smile to Esther''s beautiful face.


    "Esther, are you not going to dance?" one of the girls asked after dancing in therge dance area designated in the za for a round. "Oh,e on��"


    Esther found herselfughing as her fellow servant pulled her to the middle of the za, where the other servants looked like they were having fun. She was unfamiliar with the music ying, so she merely held her skirt and twirled like the other girls dancing with her. Unknown to her, she was already having a great time.


    After another round of dancing, their group finally left the dance area with bright smiles on their pretty faces. Esther could see that even though they were tired of dancing, they were still all pretty energetic as they teased each other about who stepped on someone else''s toes.


    One of the girls pped her hands. "All right, I''m starving. Let''s first buy trinkets from the stalls here so we don''t have to return again. After that, shall we eat and then go lightnterns?"


    "Lanterns?" Esther asked curiously.


    Another girl exined, "What she meant are floatingnterns. It is a year-end tradition where you write your wishes for the iing year on thenterns and you either let it float on the water to be carried away into the sea, or you let it fly and reach the sky."


    "We will have to go to the harbour area for that, so we normally do thatst after ying here in the za," one of the older servants added.


    Esther blinked. "I heard that it was done on thest day?"


    The older servant nodded. "Yes, and it would involve the royal family. The King and Queen, along with the royal princes and princesses, would start sending out their floatingnterns first. After that, everyone else can follow suit. It was like that several years ago, but there were too many people crowding together in the river harbour and it caused some security issues, soter on, the royal family extended the tradition for the entire three days to avoid having casualties. The royal family would still do it on thest day, but for usmoners, we normally do it on the first or second day."


    Esther understood and thanked them for exining. Of course, the group of girls continued to tease each other as they walked around the za. Esther took that chance to mostly observe and enjoy every single thing that came into her sight, things that she had been missing out on for the years she spent hiding in the forest.

 Chapter 343 - [Bonus ]Princes Arrival At The Festival

    On the other hand, a certain young prince had alsoe out of the pce disguised as an ordinarymoner. It was Theron Ivanov, the Crown Prince of Megaris, who ditched the royal ball thrown by his mother after showing his face once at the start. He looked relieved as he sessfully escaped the wall of fawning maidens waiting to snag the chance of dancing with him.


    The year-end festival was the only chance in a year when Prince Theron could forget that he was a prince and pretend that he had no responsibilities. He especially found it to his liking that if he was to dress as another person, nobody could recognize him and he could blend in with themon people to enjoy the simple yet fun celebration outside.


    However, even though he was wearing clothes befitting amoner, not one of the people in the streets would believe that Prince Theron was a realmoner. One could not disguise the confident yet elegant strides his long legs would make as he walked, nor the icy cold expression on his handsome face that could attract all the fiery gazes of the women��both single and married��towards his strong tall build. His simple clothes could not cover the strange charisma he had, and wherever he walked, the people around him were sure to be gawking. Many young maidens would even giggle and talk among themselves how Prince Theron was surely some young lord of a noble house who would sweep them off their feet like in the romance novels they read in their pastime.


    When Prince Theron reached the central part of the za, his sight didn''t fail to catch a certain person with unique hair colour. Under the light of thenterns, her honey-blond hair seemed to be shining softly. It caused the Crown Prince to stop in his tracks and stare at her.


    For the first time since they met, he saw Esther smiling. No, she wasn''t just smiling. She was alsoughing, having fun amidst the crowd as if she did not have a care in the world. Her face seemingly embodied what happiness is, and she glowed with it. She was just so beautiful, so perfect in that moment that��


    "Your High��I mean, Young Master, is there something wrong?"


    Seeing the Crown Prince suddenly stop in ce without making a sound, his guardian knight, Sir Galien, could not help but call him out.


    Prince Theron got out of his daze and continued walking forward without answering his knight. However, while walking, not even for a moment did his sight leave Esther even though many people were passing between them.


    Only then did Sir Galien notice why the Crown Prince was acting strangely.? "Young Master, are you not suspicious of Miss Esther now?"


    Prince Theron cleared his throat awkwardly and said, "We keep eyes on someone when we find them suspicious." He then continued walking, albeit his pace was a little faster now.


    The robust-looking knight, who was only five years older than the Crown Prince, smiled meaningfully and caught up to the young man. He said in a low voice, "We also keep an eye on someone when we find them interesting."


    The Crown Prince heard it but acted as if he didn''t. He noticed Esther stop before a stall, and she picked up a piece of jewellery in her hand. She looked like she liked it, but just then, another female about her age dragged her away. He was close enough to catch a bit of their conversation.


    "��Esther,e fast! They are famous artists performing a folk dance from my hometown in the North��"


    Esther put the jewellery back and allowed the other woman to drag her along with her.


    After a while, a certain someone walked towards the stall and bought the same exact piece. His knight could only silently shake his head at the stubborn prince who didn''t want to admit the obvious truth.


    "Young Master, why don''t we go view the performance as well?" Sir Galien asked what was already going on in the Crown Prince''s mind.


    Prince Theron nodded and Sir Galien, who was also dressed as amoner, cleared the way for the young prince. He stopped some distance from where Esther was standing. The knight stepped aside and said while gesturing to the prince to step ahead. "Young Master."


    The Crown Prince stepped forward, in a second,? he was standing behind Esther.


    Esther sensed the presence of someone familiar yet unweed. It caused her feet to freeze in ce. When she turned her head to look behind her, she saw the handsome face of the person she wanted to avoid the most. His dark eyes seemed to be holding depth she could not fathom. He was standing so close, there was hardly one step between their bodies.


    Since she recognized him, her body moved and started to curtsy. It was instinct now that whenever she saw royalty, she had to greet them as a servant. She unconsciously took a step back but bumped into someone.? In such a crowded ce, it was impossible to maintain a distance.


    With her eyes wide, she was about to attempt another curtsy, but before she could do so, Prince Theron gestured her not to continue by cing his finger on his lips, asking her to stay quiet.


    Esther noticed that the Crown Prince was wearing a simple brown dress shirt and dark pants, which was something somon almost one out of every ten men in the za was wearing the same attire.


    ''He came disguised as a peasant,'' she realized.


    She nodded in understanding, and the prince signalled her with his finger to look forward where the performers were dancing. Esther obeyed without a word as she understood that the Crown Prince didn''t want anyone to know his presence there. Esther, who was initially freely enjoying this festival with her newly made friends, found herself unable to ignore the young man standing behind her.. Her body was as stiff as a statue as she watched the folk dance quietly.

 Chapter 344 - You Are In Danger

    When the performers concluded the folk dance, apuse and cheers could be heard from that part of the za. Some even threw flower gands towards the dancers, and then the crowd started to disperse. Esther realized that the Crown Prince was no longer behind her and he had left the area. Only after making sure he was truly gone did she feel relieved and allowed herself to breathe.


    Just then, her senses captured a faint yet strange dissonance in the air. Her eyes observed around to find something. The expressions on her face changed and she moved away from her friends to search in the direction of that dissonance.


    "Prince��The Prince is here��Is it for him?" she mumbled as worry enveloped her mind. "Wait, why am I worried for him? I don''t care about him��but what if it''s truly here to hurt him? The Queen, she would be sad if something happened to her son. Yes, I''m worried for Her Majesty��"


    However, although she knew the general direction of that strange dissonance, it felt faint and she was unable to pinpoint where it wasing from. She started searching for the Crown Prince among the crowd, but since people were starting to gather, it was not easy to do so.


    Thentern celebration was about to start, and people were heading towards the harbour.


    Suddenly, the royal servants of the Queen noticed that Esther was not with them.


    "Where is Esther?"


    "She was just here beside me a while ago."


    "Oh, no. We must have lost her in the moving crowd!"


    "Let''s search for her. She''s not familiar with the area, and it would be sad if we continue lightingnterns without her."


    "Let''s separate into groups of threes and look around the za area first. I will personally head towards the harbour, just in case, Esther heads straight there. We can meet back in the carriages after an hour. We won''t go back without her or Her Majesty will punish us all."


    Thedies grouped themselves and started searching for Esther.


    On the other hand, Esther was starting to wander away from the crowd. She thought the source of the strange dissonance was heading for the part of the harbour where people would be lighting up their floatingnterns, but the longer she followed it, she realized that the people walking around her were lessening.


    ''Where is it going? It is going opposite of where everyone is going. Am I mistaken? Maybe��maybe it is not here to harm anyone.'' Just as she had those thoughts, she noticed a familiar young man walking towards what seemed like a small pier quite a distance from where the popce gathered in the river.


    It was precisely Prince Theron. He didn''t go to where everyone was going, but rather, he was going in the opposite direction of the crowd��which also seemed to be the direction of the source of the strange dissonance. Behind him, there was another young man, who she recognized to be one of the knights normally apanying him.


    ''Only a single escort? I don''t think that knight can buy enough time for the Prince to run away.''


    Esther ran towards them as she was sure whatever she sensed wanted to hurt the Crown Prince.


    At her level, her instincts were sensitive enough to warn her that the source of that faint energy was hostile towards the Crown Prince, even though it was yet to show killing intent. Esther had pledged to live like an ordinary human and never to use her powers, but when it came to saving someone''s life, she could not help but use it.


    ''First the mother, now the son. It seems like I have a karmic connection with the Ivanov Family.''


    Although the pier was far from the main area where the crowd gathered, it was still a public ce, and there were still plenty of people in the surroundings. If there would be a need to attack, she had to be careful so that others could not get injured. She began to run towards the Crown Prince when she saw him standing at the edge of the extended wooden tform standing above the water,? which looked like an ideal spot to watch as the people released their floatingnterns.


    Soon, several brightnterns could be seen going up towards the sky, while more could be seen floating above the river, twinkling like stars against the ck surface of the water.


    Sir Galien could not help but ask, "Young Master, do you wish for me to go and purchase antern so you can light one as well?"


    "I can make my wish on the third day," the Crown Prince said softly, as if his words were being carried by the wind. "I am only here to watch. Isn''t this spot perfect? No one is here to disturb me and I can admire the darkness lit up by the wishes of my people. I prefer it like this."


    His guardian knight bowed his head as he admired the sentiments of the future ruler of thend. The two still didn''t know what wasing to them.


    ----------


    "Ouch! My shoulders��"


    "Hey, look where you''re walking,ss!"


    "I apologize!"


    Esther was running along the riverbank, and she sometimes bumped into the crowd walking the opposite way, but she was in too much of a hurry and could only throw an apology towards them without stopping. Her instincts were screaming at her to hurry. Only after she reached the connecting bridge of that small pier did she notice that the strange energy had grown considerably stronger. The source wasing towards the small pier as well.


    "Your Highness!" she called as she ran towards the end of the extended tform.


    Prince Theron and his guardian knight were both startled by her shout. They turned towards the source of the voice and saw the youngdy with honey blond hair at the other end of the wooden tform running towards them. Her delicate face looked anxious and scared, as if someone was chasing behind her.


    Sensing something was wrong, Sir Galien drew his sword from its scabbard and stepped in front of his liege. Prince Theron did not move and only looked at the empty space behind the youngdy running towards him. There was nothing there, but the expression on her face seemed to imply otherwise. She was ncing behind her as if she was seeing something they couldn''t.


    "Your Highness, you are in danger!"


    Esther was about to reach their side of the wooden tform, and the knight thought she was the threat to the Crown Prince, but suddenly, they witnessed something inexplicable.


    Esther was falling forward��no, it was as if she was thrown into the air by something unseen behind her,? as if she happened to be blocking its path from letting it reach the Crown Prince. The impact was so strong that even though the Crown Prince caught her body, he too lost his bnce and fell on the wooden tform. However, Prince Theron was experienced inbat and immediately used that force to roll his body and managed to end up standing on his feet, cushioning Esther from the brunt of the force.


    It was so sudden neither of the men knew how to react. Esther then left the Crown Prince''s arms and firmly stood in front of them. Before the two young men could gather their senses, they felt it too, the invisible attack. The unseen force pushed all three of them back even though Esther had experienced the strongest hit.


    The Crown Prince caught her again, and this time, he held her firmly in his embrace. He could feel her weight leaning against him, and if he were to let her go, she would fall to her knees. "You��what''s happening? Are you injured?"


    Esther appeared exhausted. Panting heavily, she opened her eyes and looked at the empty space somewhere in front of them. "Y-Yes, Your Highness. I will keep it upied, so you should run away from here." Her head then turned as if she was vigntly staring at something.


    The Crown Prince and his guardian knight followed her gaze but they could see nothing.


    "What is it?" Prince Theron asked her. He looked around to look at an escape path the three of them could take, but they were at the edge of the small pier and that invisible attacker was blocking the only way back towards the riverbank.


    Before she could answer anything, her eyes widened and she held the Crown Prince tightly, as if to protect him with her body. Once again, there was a strong unseen force that attacked the three of them.. Sir Galien lost his bnce and fell on his back, but the ones who received the core of the attack, Esther and Prince Theron, were thrown in the air�� and fell into the river.

 Chapter 345 - She Is Someone We Cant Reach

    Ssh!


    "Y-Your Highness!"


    The knight scrambled to his feet the moment he realized he was alone on the wooden tform.


    "Your Highness, can you hear me? Your Highness? Miss Esther?"


    Sir Galien was torn between calling the attention of the patrolling city guards and diving into the river himself. He was aware that the Crown Prince knew how to swim, and he should be able to resurface on his own. The knight could not understand what had just happened, and after waiting for several excruciatingly long seconds, he realized there was no change in the dark waters of the river.


    ''Perhaps His Highness swam to the riverbank to avoid the invisible attacker?''


    However, that part of the river was dark, and it was impossible to see anything clearly beyond what a normal person could see under the soft light offered by the moon.


    The knight called for the Crown Prince once more. "Your Highness, please answer me if you''re safe!" But still, there was no response.


    Just then, his nose picked up an unwanted familiar scent. The scent of blood. As it was nighttime and he was on a small pier, the lighting was poor. He could not see where the blood was. His heart started to beat crazily as he kneeled on the tform and groped around the damp wooden boards. With his bare hands, he felt something wet and sticky near the area where the Crown Prince was standing, and he was able to verify if it was truly blood when he touched it near his nose.


    It worried him to think it belonged to Prince Theron. If he was truly hurt, the Crown Prince would be unable to swim back after falling in the river. It made him wonder if the young miss knew how to swim, but then the knight remembered she received the brunt force of the attack too.


    ''I need to inform the city guards and the pce!''


    Sir Galien was crazily waving his sword as he walked, warily eyeing both the river and the tform where he was standing, unsure whether the unseen attacker was still standing somewhere. Some of the people nearby even though he was doing a sword dance and were delighted.


    However, when they saw his appearance the moment he reached the riverbank, they were terrified. Under the streetlights and thenterns some of them were carrying, they saw the knight had blood sttered across his clothes. Because of that, he did not even have to look for the city guards; a squad of city guards who were patrolling the riverbank approached him.


    Although Sir Galien was wearing the clothes of amoner, he still kept his token that signified he was a royal knight. The knight informed the city guards about what happened, and then he ordered some of them to report to the royal pce. He brought the rest of the city guards to go on a rescue mission for the Crown Prince.


    By this time, the royal ball inside the pce was still in full swing. The King and the Queen were shocked with the news, and it didn''t take much time for it to reach the ears of all the nobles in attendance, who also offered their personal troops to help in the search. Themon people of the city were all aghast to see the troops of soldiers deployed towards the river.


    Morning came, but there was still no information about the Crown Prince and Esther.


    Inside the Queen''s chamber, Queen Theodora could not rx even for a moment as she anxiously waited for news of her son.


    She was unable to eat her morning meal, and she kept pacing back and forth inside her chamber. Herdies-in-waiting were worried for her health, but they were unable to do anything to calm the Queen.


    "Is there still no news?"


    "No, Your Majesty. But rest assured. Is there not a saying about how no news is good news?" one of the Queen''sdies-in-waiting consoled her. "The Crown Prince must have hidden himself somewhere to avoid the attacker. He will surely return safe and sound."


    Afterwards, Lady Tyra arrived at the Queen''s chamber. The Queen looked at her with renewed hope. "Tyra��you��"


    Before the Queen could say more, Lady Tyra nodded lightly as if in response to what the Queen wanted to say. She deliberately eyed thedies-in-waiting and servants inside the room.


    "You all wait outside," Lady Tyra instructed.


    Everyone silently left, closing the door behind them to give them privacy. Once the two women were alone, the Queen hurriedly asked, "Tyra, can''t you search for him by using your means?"


    "Your Majesty," Lady Tyra sighed, "the person who is with Prince Theron, she is much more capable than me. Prince Theron will be back safely. Trust me."


    "You mean Esther? She is more capable than you? You are not lying just tofort me, are you, Tyra?" the Queen asked, though she had already witnessed Esther''s capability. The Queen knew Esther was strong, but her anxiety was growing with each passing moment. "From what Sir Galien reported, it was a sneak attack and he didn''t even see who attacked them or how the attack was made. What if��what if it is done by an unholy creature? What if Esther can''t stand it? If she is truly capable, then they should have been back by now. Why is there still no news?"


    "Your Majesty, I understand your worry but I will only say we should trust Esther." Lady Tyra was silent for a bit, but then she added, as if in hesitation, "She is not someone who can be defeated even by an unholy creature."


    Seeing how sure Lady Tyra was, Queen Theodora looked at her suspiciously. "Are you keeping something important from me, Tyra?"


    Lady Tyra let out a wry smile as she opened her hands as if to say there was nothing to be done. "Your Majesty, I cannot tell you everything, but please believe me when I say this is not harmful to you, our royal family and our kingdom. Esther��She is someone who doesn''t deserve to work as a servant here. She is someone that we could not even afford to employ, a person who one could not see or catch if she doesn''t show up on her own. That is how capable she is."


    "What are you withholding? Why can''t you tell me?"


    "I am bound, Your Majesty. You know how important promises are to my kind. I have to stay true to my words," Lady Tyra vaguely replied with a lowered head. "However, I assure you, she is someone who will never harm anyone and will even go lengths to protect strangers around her, what more the Crown Prince who she is personally acquainted with. So, Your Majesty, I wish you to not worry and wait for them to return."


    Knowing there was no point in further pressing the woman, the Queen could only let go of her suspicions and try to believe her words.

 Chapter 346 - Helping The Weak Human

    In a forest outside of the capital city of ckhelm, in a deste riverbank somewhere downstream filled with tall boulders, a fragile-looking young woman was dragging an unconscious man out of the water. Under the soft light of the moon, it could be seen that his handsome face was abnormally pale. Blood could be seen seeping through his drenched shirt, and his body was losing heat by the second.


    ''I need to heal him, but I can''t use my powers or they will find us,'' she said in her mind. ''If only the Prince''s life was not at stake, I would have shown them who they are dealing with��but I need to prioritize his safety. I can''t put him in danger.''


    Esther had to wake him up so they could immediately move from the riverbank and hide deeper into the forest. She first checked his pulse and it looked weak to her. Even his breathing was almost non-existent, and it looked like his lungs were filled with water. She pressed his chest hard, and he did not even groan.


    ''Will it be fine if I��? He is a prince, so it should be all right as long as I keep him alive. But what if he feels offended once he learns that I��?'' She sighed. ''He is unconscious and won''t remember it anyways. I have always wondered before, how can these humans who dominate this continent be so weak? If only I can freely use my powers��"


    Sighing helplessly, Esther decided to apply traditional resuscitation means that she learned during one of her travels before. She ced Prince Theron on his back on a rtively t part of the ground, careful not to bump his head against the rocks. After checking his breathing once more, she elevated his head, slightly tilting it to clear the airway for what she was about to do next.


    ''You weak human, you are making me do this. Don''t me meter!'' She let out a shaky breath as she leaned down closer to his face. The moment their lips touched, she could swear that she felt like the unruly young man''s face crumpled.


    "This��ugh, I should be the one to feel offended when you don''t even know who I am!"


    However, perhaps it was just her imagination because the young man didn''t show any response when she pressed her hand over his chest. She had to lower her head and breathe air into his mouth once more.


    ''This is how it''s done, right? It is my first time doing this to someone. Last time, I have only watched the vige elder do this to that young son of the fisherman. It seemed easy when he did this�� This prince, why are you not breathing��?''"


    After several more frustrating tries, the Crown Prince finally coughed out water and gasped for air.


    Cough! Cough!


    Esther looked around to check if she could sense the dissonant energy nearby. As the Crown Prince was coughing loudly, she was worried they would hear him. Not like she could shut his mouth as coughing was a given and a good sign of his recovery from nearly drowning to death.


    Fortunately, no one seemed to be around where they were hiding. Esther turned her attention back towards Prince Theron. She rubbed his chest to ease the coughing and asked in a low voice, "Can you hear me? Are you feeling fine, Your Highness?"


    With heavy-lidded eyes, the Crown Prince of Megaris looked at his saviour. Esther. It was Esther again. Even though she was drenched from head to toe as well, which would have made any person look pitiful, in his eyes��she was glowing, as beautiful as the silver moonlight shining down on her.


    ''What is she saying?'' he could not help but wonder. The young woman was asking him something, but his ears were ringing and he could not hear her voice. Only her worried face came into his sight, and her lips moved but he could not make out the words. He wanted tough at how silly the situation was, but he could not find any strength. He closed his eyes again.


    Esther gaped in shock. "What? Why did you close your eyes? Wake up! Wake up, Your Highness! We have to move away from here before they find you."


    There was no response from the Crown Prince and she sighed helplessly again. ''Seems like I need to drag him somewhere on my own."


    Her gaze went towards the blood on his dripping wet clothes. It was only then she remembered that he was injured, his right shoulder and the side of his waist in particr.


    ''He has lost too much blood already.''


    However, they had to get away as far as they could from the river first, and only once Prince Theron was in a safer location could she try to dress his wounds. Using strength beyond that of amon knight, Esther easily pulled his body up. She first helped him sit and then afterwards, she put his arm around her shoulder and she circled her arm around his waist. She made him stand and looked at his low hung face.


    ''If I am just an ordinary youngdy, I will not be able to do this. You human prince, you should be d that I am with you��It seems like I have an ill fate with the Ivanovs, or maybe they really are an unlucky bunch of humans��"


    Her gaze suddenly sharpened. She sensed that dissonant energy approaching and it reminded her that she needed to hurry. She dragged the Crown Prince from the river bank and decided to enter deep into the woods. For a moment, she thought of using her powers to erase their tracks, but she dropped the idea the next moment.


    ''I need to keep my powers suppressed, or they will sense it.''


    She walked fast like a seasoned hunter, walking the dangerous forest path filled as if she''s walking on a t road. Her feet didn''t even make a sound, and she didn''t even disturb the branches nor the leaves that covered the forest floor, choosing to step on therge rocks to prevent anyone from tracking her and the Crown Prince.. Though it was incredibly dark, with Esther''s abilities, there was no problem as she could see her surroundings as clear as if it''s daytime.

 Chapter 347 - Entering The Suspecious Place

    Esther felt like she had gone deep into the innermost part of the forest. It had already been an hour since they left the riverbank. Aside from the noise of insects and the random sounds made by small wild animals, the forest was quiet. She looked around for any ce where they could hide but nothing came to her sight. After walking some more distance, she found an old redwood tree which looked biggerpared to the trees of its kind rooted beside it, its size standing out evenpared to the other trees nearby.


    ''This tree seems a little suspicious, but I do not have the leisure to check now.''


    Esther kept walking forward. She desperately needed a ce to hide the Crown Prince so she could just leave him while she went and deal with whoever was following them.


    As the old redwood tree was suspicious, Esther thought of walking around it and hiding the Crown Prince on one of the smaller trees behind it, but all of a sudden��-


    Crash!


    The ground gave way, and both Esther and Prince Theron fell into a pit��no, it was toorge and too long to be simply called a pit. It was a tunnel that was leading them somewhere deep underground. Esther held onto the Crown Prince tightly to keep her with him, as it would truly be a problem if they were separated and he was tossed into the hard ground with his injuries.


    Fortunately, a thick mound of dry leaves cushioned their fall. Collecting herself, Esther immediately checked the situation of the Crown Prince who remained unconscious throughout the entire ideal. The bad news was that the fall caused his injuries to rupture, and his bleeding worsened.


    ''You are a healthy young man. This type of injury, you should be able to bear with them for a little longer, right?''


    Despite theck of light, she was able to check if he sustained additional injuries. Aside from a couple of scratches, he was the same. His breathing was faint yet stable, so he should still be somewhat fine. After making sure he was still alive, Esther stood up and found herself in a tunnel connected to another underground room.


    She no longer lingered and brought the unconscious prince with him as she left the tunnel and followed the source of light. She found herself inside an underground chamber that seemed to resemble a tidy cabin where a person could lodge. The walls and the floor were covered with wooden boards. It looked like whoever lived here took care of this ce well, but the room was empty aside from an oilmp, with only a single door on the opposite side of the tunnel''s end.


    "What is this ce?" she mumbled under her breath.


    As if in response to her question, she heard a raspy female voice. "As you have made your way here, I will assume that you are not an ordinary human."


    Esther looked at the source of the raspy voice and saw the door of the room open. Someone was standing by the doorframe.


    An old woman with her back bent was holding a wooden cane in her hand. She was dressed in arge dark dress that was clean despite looking shabby with years of wash. Her grey hair was neatly tied behind her head, and her spotted wrinkly face showed she was quite advanced in age. The frown on her face and that pair of blurry grey eyes showed she had identified Esther as an unweed curiosity.


    "Who are you?" Esther asked.


    "As you are the one to barge into my home, shouldn''t I be the one to be asking you this question, youngdy?" the old woman countered as she walked towards her sudden guests.


    Esther stepped back and put down the unconscious young man back near the mouth of the tunnel. Using her body, she blocked that woman''s way from going towards the Crown Prince.? "What are you nning to do?"


    "Why are you so vignt? I only want to look. Is he not in terrible shape?"


    "I need to make sure you are not a threat." Esther was still unsure whether this entity was harmless to them, or if it had any ill intention. "We did not mean to enter your home. I think we need to leave your ce now. You are not going to stop us, are you?"


    "I am no one to stop you, youngdy, but I am sure you would not want this man with you to suffer and die when you could treat him first before leaving this ce." The old woman moved her gaze towards the man lying on the floor unconsciously.? "Go on. Treat his wounds first. I will suggest you bring him inside, but since you do not trust me and I do not trust you either, you can treat him here in the tunnel."


    Esther knew it as well, but she was being more careful than usual with this person as she had seen so many mysterious and unbelievable things in her life. Some seemingly harmless entities were actually traps with sinister intentions, and other ugly or terrifying lifeforms were actually kind existences that were misunderstood due to their appearances.


    However, with the Crown Prince''s life on the line, Esther needed to take risks.


    Esther continued to observe the old woman. "You don''t seem to be a human, but you don''t have any elemental powers likemon forest creatures either."


    "And you also don''t seem to be a human but someone with unbelievable powers. It''s really difficult to sense your energy, but my intuition is telling me you are more powerful than anyone I have ever met. Are you suppressing them?" the woman asked.


    Esther looked at the old woman coldly. "As you know I am not a human, then you should behave and forget whatever schemes you have in mind. Help me treat this man, and I will reward you."


    The old woman chuckled. "Ordering me when you are in my home? How rude." She nced at the young man on the floor. "Seems like he is someone important to you."


    Esther nced at his unconscious form, and she slightly rxed when she saw the steady rise and fall of his chest.? ''Not to me, but to a certain kind human whom I can''t bear to see be hurt if something happened to her son.''


    =====


    Dear readers, this month we are in winwin.. To reach the unlock target, I expect you all to unlock at least a few privileged chapters so we can reach there.

 Chapter 348 - Changing The Clothes

    With the old woman gone, Esther could finally rx a little, although she did not dare lower her guard in this strange ce. She looked at the unconscious man whose face was almost white due to blood loss and realized that now she had the means to heal him, she should start treatment right away. It would be terrible if his condition worsens.


    She put the wooden box to the side as she kneeled on the floor, the damp skirt of her dirty dress pooling around her as she leaned forward towards the mattress where Prince Theron wasying. She first decided to remove his clothes, and again moved her hands to touch his undershirt. Since the garment was torn and coated in blood, and the old woman already provided a change of clean clothes, Esther simply decided to rip his clothes off his body.? She had a little trouble doing so as she was physically stronger than the strongest human alive.


    The sound of tearing fabric echoed within the silent underground cabin.


    After Esther removed his undershirt, the young prince''s naked upper body came into her sight. Contrary to expectations, his strong muscled chest was riddled with scars, many stab wounds that seemed several years old.


    ''I wonder how many times has this weak human teetered on the abyss between life and death. How many of these are wounds from battle? How many came from assassinations?''


    It took her several seconds to realize she was lightly tracing the lines of his chest muscles. Though it felt awkward, she decided to erase what she did from her memory and proceeded to look at his open wounds. There was arge gaping wound on his left shoulders near the corbones, while there was another one on the side right of his waist just above his hip bone. Both of them started bleeding heavily again after Esther and Prince Theron fell from the pit.


    She needed something to press against one of his wounds to stop the bleeding while she cleaned the other. She went towards the shelves and the wooden cupboard where the old woman said their basic needs were kept. Inside the wooden cupboard, she found a stack of neatly-folded clothes and took a few clean towels with her. She then took a bowl for mixing herbs, along with other necessities.


    After pressing the clean towels against his wounds to temporarily stop their bleeding, she then proceeded to a small stove in the corner where she proceeded to boil water. With practised movements, she then started cleaning his wounds with warm water.


    Her hands were adept like a seasoned apothecary as she mixed the herbs in the bowl after grinding them into a paste. One would even think she''s a young apprentice physician if they see how skillfully she applied the herb paste on his wounds. When she finished treating the wounds, she then covered them with the bandages she found from the wooden cupboard.


    "I have been treating animals in the forest for so many years, but this is the first time I have treated a human. Oh, the Crown Prince is not the first. His mother was first. Queen Theodora was the first human I treated, so he counts as the second human but the first male I ever treated."


    Now that treatment was over, she needed to put on clean clothes on him but��that would mean she had to take his pants off as well. Sighing deeply, she could not help butment, ''I am sure he will behead me if he realizes I am the one who changed his clothes. His temper is not good in the first ce, and I am sure he hates me like we were enemies in our past lives. It''s even annoying because I have never done a single wrong thing to him or his family. What does he even take me for?''


    After a few more moments of grumbling, she still decided to dress him��after all, wouldn''t he be cold if she left him alone like that? She first covered him with the quilt that was lying at the foot of the mattress and covered him with it. Without looking at his lower body, she moved her hands under the quilt and reached his waist. She carefully groped around to unbuckle his belt and unbutton his pants before pulling them off his long legs. Once it was removed, the corners of her lips curled into a smile of triumph, as if she had achieved an incredibly important feat.


    From the wooden box, she unfolded the clothes given by the old woman. They were baggy robes and looked easy to put on. With his body properly bandaged, she quickly managed to put those clothes on Prince Theron, making sure she would not move his body and reopen his wounds. After cing his body on the clean, dry side of the mattress, she covered him with a quilt and decided to change her clothes.


    She looked around the room to check if there was any ce where she could change her clothes. However, the entire cabin was a singlerge open area and there were no divisions so there was nothing that she could use to hide her body while changing. Though the Crown Prince was unconscious, he was a man and she found it awkward to change the clothes in front of him. What if he happened to regain consciousness at the worst possible timing?


    Esther looked at the door where the olddy had gone in and remembered her words to not disturb her, but in this scenario, she had to. With slow footsteps, she went towards the door, only to hear the old woman''s warning from behind the door the moment she twisted the doorknob.


    "Didn''t I tell you not to disturb me? Seems like you want me to throw you out of my home!"


    Esther immediately closed the barely opened door and wondered why that old woman was inside a pitch-ck room.


    She heard the old woman''s raspy voice again. "Don''t even dare to step out of that room. I have sealed the pit where you entered, and this ce is protected so whoever is chasing you won''t find you two. But if you are stupid enough to step out��"


    Esther quietly nodded, understanding what the old woman meant.. The seal would probably disappear if she moves out of its area.

 Chapter 349 - A Good Man With Soft Heart

    She moved away from the door and looked at the other door leading towards the tunnel. She recalled the old woman''s words to not go out of the room, but she wanted to test whether she was pulling any tricks on them. After making sure there were no changes on the unconscious man, she decided to head for the tunnel. She tried to open the door leading out, but she could not. ''Seems like that old woman has really sealed it. I can only open it using my powers but I do not want to risk it and put ourselves in unnecessary danger.''


    Esther quietly turned back and went for the corner of the room farthest from where the Crown Prince was lying, but in truth, it wouldn''t really matter for he would see her whichever corner she chooses. She kneeled down next to him and looked at him with narrowed eyes, "If you dare peek at my body while I change, I do not care if it is an ident, I will pull out those eyes of yours. I won''t care even if you are the prince of this kingdom."


    Seeing that the young man was not reacting, she nodded to herself.? She stood up and chose a corner with her back turned towards Prince Theron. Before removing her dress, she turned her head and looked over her shoulder once more to make sure he was still unconscious.


    Feeling relieved, she quickly changed her clothes��the fastest she had ever changed clothes in her memory��and returned to where the Crown Prince was lying. She checked his pulse and his temperature by touching his forehead. ''Pulse is a little weak but should be fine by tomorrow. His temperature is still lower than normal.'' She covered him properly with the quilt and went to the furnace to add more wood to it, raising the temperature of the room. She then cleaned up everything she borrowed from the old woman, as well as the blood off the floor, and put away the dirty bloody clothes they were wearing when they came in.


    After that, she looked for a ce for herself to sit. The floor was made of wood, but it felt cold probably because the room was underground, so she sat at the one side of the mattress with her back leaning against the wall. Since she needed to keep monitoring the situation of the Crown Prince, staying like this beside him was the best option she found.


    Before closing her eyes, she looked at him and thought, ''You weak human, you must have umted fortune for several lives to have me serve you like this. Don''t you dare let your condition worsen, or I''ll leave you here in the care of that old woman''


    She tried to make herselffortable before leaning down again to check his pulse. For the first couple hours, she continued the lonely tiresome task of checking that his condition was stable.


    Since she was only wearing a baggy robe that was not even her size, Esther felt cold but she could only rub her hands together for warmth as there was nothing that she could use to cover herself. She also could not sleep as she had to keep watch in case any danger arose, or if the condition of the Crown Prince was to suddenly change for the worse. Not only that, as she had no idea what to think of the old woman, she had to continue and keep her guard up.


    As hours passed by, her mind wandered to the one who attacked Prince Theron, that being that emitted strange dissonant energy.? She had always had strong senses, yet she could not properly pinpoint its source until thest moment.


    ''And why would such a supernatural being want to hurt Prince Theron? Is it a personal grudge or did someone hire it? Seems like the Ivanovs have dangerous enemies. Using supernatural beings cannot be the work of someone ordinary. Even a human noble would have a hard time convincing such beings to cooperate with them. If the person behind this attack is a human, not only is he a person of great wealth, he must also have a connection with them, perhaps as a descendant of a house with a long, ancient history, able tomunicate with these beings.''


    Esther recalled the moment Prince Theron got hurt.


    On that small pier, Esther was using her body to protect him from those dangerous attacks which could have cost him his life. After the second energy blow, there were small metal weapons that flew in their direction. Unlike with the invisible energy, Prince Theron was familiar with sneak attacks and sensed those ded weapons.


    She would have never expected that Prince Theron would turn around to protect her from those metal weapons, and it ended up hurting him. As a result of the collision of powers from both sides, they fell into the river. Everything happened so fast, that probably only Esther and the attacker knew what transpired.


    Of course, Esther needed no saving, and in fact, what he did only worsened the situation. That did not mean that she would me him for his noble act of trying to protect her. She was even impressed by how fast the Crown Prince reacted to the sneak attack.


    Esther eyed his sleeping form.


    "You are only a weak human, but you sure stand out from your kind. You are not afraid of protecting others at the cost of your life. For you to act like that for me who you never trusted, your mother is right in saying you have a soft heart. Silly man, those things could not hurt me even if I stand doing nothing. Only weak humans like you can be hurt by it."


    After a while, Esther felt the Crown Prince stirring.


    She was still sitting with her back against the wall, eyes closed, but her senses were heightened as she guarded against the pursuers outside and the suspicious old woman in the other room. That was why she was able to immediately capture the weak groansing from the young man lying on the mattress.


    Without dy, her eyes opened and she leaned close to check on Prince Theron. He was gasping for air, groaning in pain, and his body temperature was even dropping, his skin almost felt like an icy corpse. The furnace was already at its limit in warming up the room, and she had even covered him with the only thick quilt avable to them. She didn''t know what else to do now.


    Esther held his hand and thought of rubbing their hands together so it might relieve some of the coldness and make him feel better, even if just a bit. As if sensing the warm hand touching his, Prince Theron held her hand tightly. It was more like he was unable to bear with the pain, and was now trying to seek help orfort from another, or perhaps because he was feeling cold and the warmth of her hand somehow helped ease the coldness.


    Esther held his other hand with her free hand and then let him squeeze her hands. She observed the frown lines on his forehead and the cold sweat dotting his skin. She realized he was in much more pain than she initially thought. However, among the herbs provided, there was nothing that could relieve him of pain, and the chill in his body must be making it more difficult for him to bear. Seeing his pale and pained face, she sighed as she made an abrupt decision.


    ''Just this once�� It is for the sake of your mother who will be sad if you die.''


    She freed her one hand, moved the quilt aside and got inside the thick warm cover. She shifted closer to his body while still holding his hands. With the help of her body''s warmth, he seemed to feel better. His breathing became stable, and the creases on his face smoothed out. He was even gripping her hands tighter as if telling her to press their bodies closer. Esther frowned, but soon enough, she realized that the injured man was in pain and he was only subconsciously reacting to her due to her body''s warmth.. With an unhappy grumble, she turned to one side and faced him�� and then she pressed their bodies together, leaving no distance between them.

 Chapter 350 - Perverted And Ungreatful Man

    With the help of the direct heat from Esther''s body, it did not take long for Prince Theron to stop his restless tossing and groaning in his sleep. The shivers on his bandaged body eased, and his shallow breathing had returned to normal. As Esther continued to hold him close, her eyes could not help but appreciate the handsome sight before her.


    A well-sculpted face, a slender and sharp nose, thin lips that were slightly parted and those thick eyshes which were still fluttering a little as if he was on the verge of waking up��the profile of his face from the side still didn''t lose its trademark royal charm, even though the skin was pale from the severe blood loss of its owner. As she continued to observe each and every line of his face she noticed how much his face resembled his mother''s more than his father''s. The cold elegance in it was a male version of Queen Theodora''s appearance, although the brown colour of the Crown Prince''s hair and the strong line of his manly jaw surely came from the Ivanov bloodline.


    Esther let out a shaky breath. ''What am I doing? I must have gone crazy after that unexpected night swims in the river.''


    Now that the Crown Prince was at ease, Esther wanted to return to her initial position against the wall. However, just as she was about to move, the unconscious young man''s hand squeezed her hand, and this time, his grip was not from a man in pain��it was gentle, seemingly intimate like a lover''s caress.


    Esther gulped as she felt her heart beating a little faster.


    ''How can I be flustered due to��?'' Her body shivered as she denied what her thoughts were telling her. ''No, I shouldn''t be surprised. This is a normal reaction because I am a female, and it is my first time to be this close to the opposite gender, even though he is only a weak human male.'' She grumbled under her breath as she narrowed her eyes at the cause of this all. ''This human is a pervert even when he is hurt.''


    She was about to move away again, but he held her hand tighter. He even had the audacity to turn to his side and face her, as if testing the limits of her patience.


    "What are you doing?! Don''t move! Your wounds will��"


    Before she could finish, his arm reached out and wrapped around her waist, treating her body like his personal pillow.


    Esther was trapped in his arm.


    "Y-You��! You cannot be serious! You have to be awake and are taking advantage of my kindness!"


    She unconsciously raised a hand, wanting to p him into oblivion, but then it paused mid-air when she realized that the young man was still truly asleep. She could obviously free herself, but she changed her mind as he seemed to be sleeping morefortably nowpared to earlier.


    ''Ugh, this insolent human!''


    She let out a shaky frustrated sigh and simply pretended that being treated like a pillow did not bother her.


    Prince Theron continued to sleep peacefully while the sulking young woman in his arms stayed wide awake for the rest of the night, not even closing her eyes as she took full responsibility for protecting him.


    Although they were underground, Esther had counted the hours and knew that morning hade. Esther thought that her pillow role was finally over and she could free herself from him. She slowly moved his hand away from her waist, trying hard not to wake him up, but she swore she saw a light smile hanging on his lips just for a moment.


    ''Is he awake?'' Esther peered closely with a frown on her face. ''Was I mistaken? He still seems to be in deep sleep. Perhaps, he smiled in his sleep because he is dreaming about something good?''


    She was about to get up from the mattress, but all of a sudden, she felt a tugging force on her hand, causing her body to fall on top of a certain young man instead of falling back into the mattress. She nearly put her hands on the bandaged part of his chest out of reflex, but thankfully, she was mindful of opening his wounds again and thus she was able to put her arms on the sides of his upper body to break the fall.


    "Who gave you permission to sleep beside me?" an icy cold voice echoed within the cabin.


    Esther raised her head and met gazes with a pair of dark eyes that shone with a dangerous glint. He was expressionless, but the way he looked at her, she felt like she hadmitted a terrible crime and was being questioned about her guilt.


    "I��Your Highness��You were feeling cold��" She wanted to exin why she slept next to him, but for reasons she could not understand, her words were failing her. It was as if all rational thoughts in her head were wiped out as soon as those dark eyes gazed at her.? ''Why am I always so flustered when ites to this human��?''


    Even though she was stuttering and tripping over her words, Prince Theron did not say anything more. He simply observed her face closely, and it was impossible to tell what he was thinking.


    The awkward scene was timely interrupted by the sound of a door opening, and Esther took that opportunity to move away from the young man and jump back to her feet. She arranged topose her expression, but the guilt was still written all over her face.


    The old woman with a cane stepped inside the room and looked at the young couple with disapproving eyes. "It''s not good to be adventurous when you are hurt."


    Knowing that there was a great misunderstanding about what the woman witnessed, Esther felt flustered but she decidedly didn''tment over it. "Once he is able to move, we will leave."


    "Good. I don''t like guests in my home," the old woman replied as she eyed the young prince who was trying to sit.? From the frown lines and sheen of cold sweat on his forehead, it was obvious he was still in deep pain, but he seemed to be unbothered by it.


    "Where are we?" he asked while he observed the bandages on his body, as if trying to recall the events that transpired the night prior.


    "We are in a forest outside of ckhelm," Esther replied. "We are currently hiding in this underground cabin to heal your injuries after falling into the river."


    Before Prince Theron could ask more, the old woman tapped her cane on the wooden floorboards., "Yourdy friend forgot to mention you intruded into my home, and I was gracious enough to let you rest for the night. It is morning already. I believe I won''t see you overstay in my home." It was her way of saying that they should leave her home today.


    Esther frowned and mumbled, "This old woman��"


    "Thank you for letting us stay in your home. We will leave as soon as possible," Prince Theron assured.


    He was a smart person, and from a quick nce over the situation inside, he could understand the general gist of what happened while he was unconscious. He fumbled over his clothes, but then he realized he was no longer dressed in his peasant clothes for the year-end festival, but rather, in unfamiliar robes simr to the old woman''s. He then decided to take off one of the rings in his hand and gave it to the woman.


    "It is not much, but I hope you will ept this as repayment for the kindness you bestowed us even though we are strangers."


    Though he was the Crown Prince of Megaris and as such, he did not need to lower himself in front of amoner, Prince Theron knew that he should show his gratitude to the person who helped them.


    "This young man seems wise. I wish the young woman with you is the same," the old womanmented as she threw a re over at Esther.


    Esther narrowed her eyes at her and looked at her own fingers, ''I wish I could just use my powers and punish her a little. She doesn''t know who she is dealing with.''


    The old woman chuckled and as if reading what was on her mind, she said, "Save it forter, youngdy." She then walked towards the door leading to the tunnel. "I have to go out. If you are hungry, feel free to eat whatever you can find here. Prepare something on your own. You are unweed guests; don''t expect me to serve you as your host."


    Once the old woman left, the prince looked around the ce. There were no windows, and the entire ce that was made of wood smelled heavily of damp earth. His guardian knight was nowhere to be seen. Prince Theron recalled the conversation they had earlier, and he figured out that something else must have happened after Esther and him fell into the river.


    It seemed the two of them were only able to escape danger due to the help of the old woman, although the woman was unwilling to do so in the first ce.


    "So, this is an underground ce?" the Crown Prince probed as he tried to understand the situation.


    "It is," Esther replied and looked at his shoulder and waist where his clothes had bloodstains. Seemed like his wounds opened when he tried to stand up. "Don''t move," she instructed.


    He looked at her questioningly as she was talking casually to him.


    Esther realized her mistake. "I mean, Your Highness. Your wounds seem to be bleeding again. Please do not move while I dress your wounds."


    Seeing her worried face, he only nodded and stayed seated on the mattress.


    "I will have to get fresh bandages and make a new herbal paste," she said after checking the extent of bleeding.


    Prince Theron observed each and every movement of hers. Even though she had her back on him, she could feel that his gaze didn''t leave her for even a moment.


    Her actions piqued the Crown Prince''s interest. She was graceful and quick at what she was supposed to do like she was a skilled person who had done this many times. She pulled a fresh set of clothes from the wooden cupboard, brought a wooden box filled with herbs, prepared to boil water, among many other things. After her preparations were done, she sat facing the prince to dress his wounds.


    Unknown to the Crown Prince, his gaze made her unbelievably nervous.


    ''Is he still suspicious of me?'' she frowned inwardly.. ''I should have left him in the water then. Ungrateful human!''

 Chapter 351 - Permission To Remove Clothes

    Letting her displeasure aside, she started her work all the while avoiding meeting his eyes. She tried her best to be calm under that intimidating gaze that was observing her closely.


    With hesitation, she said, "Your Highness, you need to take off your clothes."


    Not replying to it, he seemed to mull over a discovery. "You are the one who changed me into wearing this robe."


    She gulped as she averted her gaze from him. "Indeed. Your clothes were ruined and��"


    "Then it should not be an issue to remove them again," he interrupted her.


    She looked at him with her eyes wide with shock, as if she could not believe what she just heard.


    He continued, "My shoulder is injured and I can''t move my arm."


    Hearing those words, she frowned inwardly as her hands clutched the lower part of the robe she was wearing, screaming inside her head with frustration.


    ''This human! While holding me like a pillow, your hand didn''t hurt but now��what a perverted man he is. Taking advantage of me��I, the great��.'' she sighed. ''But I am nobody now.''


    Seeing the young woman''s dazed appearance, Prince Theron asked, "Aren''t you going to treat my wounds?"


    ''This human is really testing my patience.''


    With all the willpower she could summon, Esther managed to calm herself, albeit she was tempted to punish him for being cheeky. She finally let go of her clothes that had crumpled under her clutch and eyed the blood-stained robe on his body. There was a knot in front of his stomach that he could easily untie with one hand, and since the robe was fairly loose, even though he had a shoulder injury, it would not take him much effort to push the sleeves off his shoulders. Prince Theron was just annoying her, wanting her to serve him like a handmaiden.


    Afterposing her expression to one befitting a royal servant, Esther moved closer so her hands could reach to untie the knot.


    "Why are you an arm''s length away?" hemented with a t tone. "I''m an injured person, not someone with a contagious disease."


    Esther almost rolled her eyes at him, but she did obey him and scooted even closer. She was close enough that through the V-shaped opening of the robe, she could see a little glimpse of his muscr chest. She could feel her ears turning hot, but thankfully, her long blond hair was hiding her red ears.


    ''Why am I getting flustered again?!'' she could not help but criticize herself. Not like she had not seen his chest before��she even had the chance to appreciate his muscles and trace her fingers over his chest�� but she only dared to do so because he was unconscious at that time. Remembering what she did while that very man himself was wide awake and staring at her now was equally awkward and embarrassing.


    Prince Theron''s gaze was unrelenting, fixed at her every action, most especially the various emotions seemingly flitting across her face.


    Under his cold gaze, her usually steady and nimble hands shivered a little as she began to untie the knot of the robe. She then got on her knees because of the difference in their heights even though the Crown Prince was just sitting on the mattress. She pulled at the shoulder part of the robe, partially removing one side of the robe to expose his right shoulder and arm. As expected, the wound on his shoulder had opened due to his movements after waking up and the cloth bandage waspletely drenched in blood.


    She frowned at the sight of the wound bleeding again, already forgetting the frustration and hesitation she was feeling a moment before. With focus, she removed the soiled bandage slowly, being careful not to tear at the parts where scabs were forming. With a washcloth, she gently cleaned the wound, and generously applied the herbal paste. Afterwards, she started wrapping fresh bandages around his shoulder. Once it was done, she gave out a sigh of relief but then realized how close she was to the man''s face. She was so concentrated on her task, she did not realize how near she was leaning towards his body.


    The entire time, Prince Theron was staring at her face intensely with those pair of dark eyes.


    Upon meeting that cold gaze seemingly capable of freezing her soul, she immediately backed away, putting herself at an arm''s length once more from his body.


    "I-it''s done, Your Highness."


    "That''s just the shoulder injury."


    "Ah, yes��then, next��" She looked at the second wound, the one on his waist. His cold gaze was making her more nervous than she already was, and shemented in her mind, ''Why is he staring at me like this? I was even being extra gentle when cleaning his wound, even though I was tempted to vent out my annoyance and make him suffer a bit. What is he even thinking? It''s so hard to understand what goes on in his mind. His mother is easy to read; why am I having troubles with her son? Are my senses getting dull?


    Collecting herself once more, Esther proceeded to treat his second wound. But then, she had to further undress him, and that would mean he would be half-naked in front of her. She gulped and said, trying hard to not meet his eyes, "Your Highness, would you mind if Ipletely pull the robe off from your upper body?"


    Prince Theron smirked coldly. "I don''t remember you asking my permission when you removed my clothes in my unconscious state. Why are you acting so shy and polite? Not like you have not seen me without clothes on."


    Esther had the strong urge to wipe that smirk off his handsome face. ''This human! The more I try to be polite, the more he gets on my nerves.'' She silently gritted her teeth and swallowed her anger. Forcing out an insincere smile on her face, she put on a deeply apologetic expression.? "If His Highness finds that offensive, then this servant is willing to receive punishment for treating your wounds."


    Prince Theron pursed his lips but said nothing. Esther felt a little satisfied knowing he wouldn''t punish her over something so silly. She then continued her work and pulled the rest of the robe further down which settled around his waist. Since he was now sitting, the pressure on his waist had caused the wound topletely open. She sighed at how much it was bleeding and quickly worked to remove the soiled bandage which hadpletely turned red at this point.


    ''It must be hurting a lot. This wound is quite deep, only a hair''s breadth away from almost reaching the internal organs.''


    Esther started cleaning the wound while ncing at the young prince from time to time. For some reason, he was looking away this time instead of ring down at her like she expected. She realized that it must be because even though she was trying to be gentle, cleaning this deep wound was extremely painful for him, and his face could not hide it this time. He was still trying to maintain his dignified image. Esther was somewhat amused.


    ''If it''s painful, is it not natural to let out a groan or a cry? Why are you trying to be brave? None of the people you wanted to impress are here.''


    When she pressed the herbal paste onto the deep wound, his body inevitably flinched. She saw that there were beads of cold sweat dotting his forehead, but even so, the Crown Prince did not let out a singleint about the pain.


    ''He is really trying to pretend nonchnce. Good grief.''


    Esther could not help but blow on the wound to ease the pain which surprised him and he looked at her like she''s crazy for treating him like a little child. She only smiled at him in response.


    That beautiful smile made him gulp and he turned his face away again. "Why are you taking so long? Just wrap it up." He could feel his heart beating loud in his ears, and he didn''t like it. He didn''t like it one bit.


    ''Why is this strange woman affecting me like this?'' he frowned.


    Esther''s smile eased as she looked at him. "If Your Highness had only slept quietly instead of using me��-" She could not continue further under his questioning gaze and changed what she was saying, "I will continue applying the herbal paste now. Please bear with it, Your Highness."


    Both Prince Theron and Esther did not say a single word while the young woman finished dressing his second wound. Once his waist was wrapped properly in clean bandages, Esther leaned back and was about to say something, but then a strong grip on her hand pulled her and she felt a pair of soft and warm lips touching hers. Her eyes widened in shock, and she pushed the man away in the chest.


    ''W-What are you doing?!" she eximed loudly. The young woman stood up in a panic and her hand covered her lips while the other wiped them, like she could not believe what had just happened.


    On the contrary, the injured man had an expression of extreme pain as he held his chest where she pushed him. He had both an expression of incredulity and smugness, but there was also relief in his eyes, as if he had received an answer to a question that badgered his mind.


    "So it was not the dream," was what she heard him mutter under his breath.


    "Y-You! What��what do you mean?" she asked, forgetting to talk formally at this point. "Why did you do that? Why��"


    Esther was frustrated. She wanted to wash her face, no, she wanted to turn back time. How dare he do that to her? So what if he''s a prince? That was something only a rascal would do! Shouldn''t he give her a proper exnation and apologize for his unruly action?


    Prince Theron calmly rubbed his chest as he gazed at her flustered face. Unlike Esther, his mood was sombre, as if he was talking about something not scandalous.


    "I have a dream. It was a strange dream. I��I was conflicted if it was really a dream or not, after all, it was about this particr youngdy who put her own lips on mine and was leading the kiss, over and over again. But now, I have confirmed that it was not a dream, but something that truly happened," he replied in a tone as if he''s telling her about someone else''s story.


    Esther realized what he meant. She closed her eyes, trying to keep her anger in check as she tried to exin. "It was to save your life��Your Highness." She said thest words with gritted teeth.


    "Are you sure it was to save my life and you were not taking advantage of me as I am the Crown Prince of this kingdom?" he asked, raising one eyebrow in a question, his gaze full of doubts.


    Esther felt likeughing at this human, ''Why would I take advantage of this lowly creature��this human is going ahead of himself!''


    "Your Highness, you almost drowned after falling into the river. What I did to you was not to take advantage of you but to help you regain your ability to breathe after swallowing plenty of water. I am sure you are confused as it is not a treatmentmon here in Megaris, but an unorthodox one I learned by ident from a distant ce. However, I believe if you verify this with one of the royal physicians, they will vouch for my actions, which was the only option to keep you alive. If saving your life is a sin, please go ahead and punish me." Although her words sounded civil, her gaze was mocking.


    ''What punishment?'' she chuckled inwardly. ''At this point, I should even be rewarded!''


    However, Prince Theron nodded, unaware of her thoughts.. "Punishment? There will be one for you."

 Chapter 352 - Never Go Back On My Words

    ''Humans are so petty. That''s why it''s good to stay away from them.'' Just as she had that thought, he continued saying, "Other than being bold and unruly, I didn''t know you can be even ungrateful."


    "Ungrateful?"


    "Shouldn''t you be thankful as I have saved your life? If not for my actions, your frail body would have been the one with these wounds."He gestured to his injuries, his expression seemingly saying, ''I sacrificed myself for you so fall on your knees at once and cry out about how heroic I am!''


    Esther didn''t know whether tough at his misunderstanding or at his expectant face. It was only now she was reminded that although he often acted cold like his father and seemed mature for a prince, Theron Ivanov was a young man at the prime of his youth. Queen Theodora was only in herte thirties, then that would mean the young prince was at most twenty. Under his icy res and expressionless face, he was still a hot-blooded youth who enjoyed receiving praise and getting good impressions from their peers.


    She wanted to tell him that ''Such weak attacks can only harm humans and they won''t even scratch my skin. You should be the one on your knees to show me gratitude for saving you'' but she chose to keep her pretences. She needed to stay by Queen Theodora''s side for five years as she had promised, and not even a year had passed. She had to continue hiding her identity.


    With a practiced polite smile, Esther lowered her head and did an elegant curtsy with the skirt of the baggy robe she''s currently wearing.


    "Oh, Your Highness, this lowly one is truly grateful! Thank you so much for saving my life!"


    Prince Theron smirked at her mocking act. "We royals always feel indebted to people who save our lives, but ordinary people like you��" He let out a deliberate sigh while shaking his head.


    Esther understood he was not content with just her insincere ''thank you''. No, even if she were to pretend she''s really thankful, she felt that mere words were not enough for this rascal of a prince because he seemed to be scheming something. She pretended to go along with his whims. "As Your Highness has saved this poor life, I owe you a debt for this life-saving grace. Your Highness can ask me anything and I will try to fulfil it as long as it is within my capability.''


    Prince Theron''s smirk turned yful, confirming her guess, and he seemed to be enjoying her expression which showed how unwilling she was to say those words.


    Esther, themoner whose fame shot up within the entire kingdom for her act of saving the Queen of Megaris. She was rewarded entry to the royal pce and had thus be a person of interest among people from all walks of life, from the humblemoners who idolized her, to the royal knights who looked at her strength favourably, and then to the nobledies who liked her after interacting with her whenever they visited the Queen. She was extremely capable and kind, and she''s well-liked by almost everyone in the pce.


    However, despite her easygoing appearance, she always seemingly had her walls up, especially when it came to Prince Theron, and he could not ignore it. Although her manners were perfect, she was not like the other royal servants who would submit to him thoughtlessly. No, she would only pretend to be subservient. This young woman had her pride which she could not leave aside. He found it amusing though he didn''t show it on his face. He didn''t know why but he liked to tease her and see such a side of her where she outwardly obeyed his orders but she must be cursing him inside her mind. Such a refreshing person brought colour to the Crown Prince''s stifling pce life.


    Prince Theron nodded as he epted her promise. "Fine! I will keep that in mind. I hope you will remember your words."


    "Though I am amoner, I never go back on the words I give. So Your Highness can rest assured," she replied with a humble tone.


    "Very well."


    A meaningful smirk shed across his lips, but it was gone so fast Esther doubted if she saw it right.


    Esther felt worried. ''This human rascal is really��ugh! Is he nning something weird? What is he scheming now? Looks like I need to be careful and do my best to avoid him in the pce once we return.''


    The entire underground cabin was awkwardly silent. Esther wasfortable with silence, so there should have been no issue�� if only a certain young man remained unconscious. However, she wasn''t so lucky. Not only was that young man awake while sporting an expression that seemed like he was scheming something troublesome, he was also deliberately and openly staring at her face.


    "Your Highness, you must be feeling hungry. I will prepare a meal for you," Esther said as she wanted to keep herself busy and stay away as far as possible from this perverted prince.


    Prince Theron nodded, permitting her and was about to stand up��


    "What are you doing?!" Esther eximed when she saw him move. Realizing she raised her voice in front of royalty, she then hurriedly lowered her voice. "I apologize, I mean, Your Highness should not move and continue resting, or else the wounds will open and bleed again, especially the one on your waist.


    "I am fine."


    He was about to leave the mattress again, but Esther was having none of his pretentious nonsense. The herbal paste was only for treating infection and temporarily preventing bleeding; it had no herbs that relieve pain. The fact that he was already sitting was a feat in itself, and if Esther had her way, she would even give the stubborn prince a sleeping concoction so he could peacefully sleep to recover from his injuries.


    "Your Highness," she said, trying to sound as polite as she could, but inside she was starting to lose her patience, "this is not the pce and there is no need for you to keep up appearances. You just need to focus on recovering so that we can return to your family. I am sure the entire capital is already in an uproar with you missing."


    "Then, what are we waiting for? We should go back now."


    Esther willed every bit of patience she could squeeze out of her body and forced a smile. "If you try to walk in your situation, it will not even take five minutes before you pass out. May I remind Your Highness we are deep inside a forest outside of the capital? I do not even know where exactly we are, or how far we are from the official roads. Outside, where can we get supplies in abundance like we do here? Do you want me to pack more of the old woman''s clothes to cover your wounds and use up all her supply of herbs? What, you will pay with another of your rings?"


    At the end of her speech, she realized she forgot her status again as a servant and her words turned into a rebuke. She took a backstep and lowered her tone, softening her stance. "Your Highness, I request you to continue resting. At least eat something first so you will regain more strength to move around."


    Contrary to her expectations, Prince Theron did not get angry with him. Perhaps on another asion, he would have frowned up her trying to tell him what to do, but what Esther said madeplete sense to him. He didn''t want to be a burden and thus, he kept himself seated on the mattress without another word.


    Esther let out a small smile, relieved that at least he knew when to listen. She then started searching around the shelves and drawers for whatever ingredients were avable to cook. At first, she thought there would only be bread or dried meat, or perhaps forest berries, but she found vegetables and even rice in one wooden container. Although she was living in secrecy, she seemed to be trading resources with the nearby viges.


    ''This old woman is well-prepared with food,'' Esther thought and went to the firece carrying everything she needed to cook. She found the y pot to cook the meal and cleaned it with water, thinking that with the ingredients she found, she could make a simple porridge. She started a small fire, and put the pot filled with water on top of it.


    While she was busy preparing food, Prince Theron was observing her. Just as she was skilled in treating injuries, he noticed the youngdy was also adept in housework. Being a prince, he had never been to the royal kitchen��or any kitchen for that matter��and thus, he had never seen anydy cooking in front of him. Seeing Esther busy and dedicated to her work amused him.


    Soon, the food was ready and Esther served it in one y bowl for Prince Theron. She carried it to him and put it on the mattress beside him. "Your Highness, I made you a porridge for breakfast. There are no tables or chairs here, so I''m afraid you need to eat like that. Please bear with it for now."


    He looked at the midsize t y pot, then at the mattress that was on the floor, and hummed in agreement. It didn''t matter much to him; in fact, he was used to eating like this on the ground whenever he was travelling outside on a horse.


    "Please enjoy your meal." After saying those words, Esther was about to stand up and move away, but he looked at her with a puzzled expression, causing her to pause. "Do you need anything else, Your Highness?"


    "Where are you going?"


    His question puzzled her. "Um��I will wash the things I used to cook?"


    "You can do thatter."


    "But I need to let you have your meal in peace��"


    "How can I eat with my injured hand? Did Lady Tyra neglect to educate you? Is this the way you have been taught about your servant duties in the pce when a royal is sick?" he asked with an expression that deserved a beating. Esther closed her eyes to keep her temper in check.


    ''Now he wants me to spoon-feed him. This human��ugh! If only he knew I could make every prince like him kneel in front of me and make them work like a servant,'' she frowned inside and sat back. "Apologies, Your Highness.. Let me help you eat."

 Chapter 353 - Are You Poisonous?

    Esther sat on the floor in front of the young prince with a resigned expression.


    With exaggerated slowless, she picked up the spoon and stirred the hot porridge to cool it down. She even blew on the spoon full of steaming porridge before feeding him like a nanny feeding a young child. However, Prince Theron received her mocking actions with a grin, and he too opened his mouth with exaggerated slowness, making sure he kept eye contact with her while doing so.


    Contrary to what Esther was feeling, Prince Theron was enjoying the situation. He himself didn''t know why he was acting like that, but he was happy to watch her struggle to keep herposure.? Perhaps he truly did not want to let her be away from his sight, but annoying her ought to be thergest factor for his actions.


    After eating a few spoonfuls, Prince Theron asked, "Are you not going to eat?"


    "I am not that hungry yet," she replied calmly and held the spoon in front of him, urging him to continue eating.


    The Crown Prince held her hand, causing her to be puzzled. She opened her mouth to ask what his problem was, but the next moment, it was stuffed shut with porridge as Prince Theron put that spoon into her mouth.


    "You should still eat. I don''t want you toin of hunger and then say you won''t be able to take care of me because you feel weak."


    Esther frowned inside while gulping the food down her throat. ''You are just worried about yourself!''


    Although she did her best to keep hold of her expressions, the sh of annoyance in her eyes could never go undetected by him. He smiled, knowing she must be definitely cursing him for being self-centered.


    Esther then looked at the spoon which entered her mouth a moment ago. She could not feed the Crown Prince with the same one anymore; after all, she was just a servant and amoner.


    "I will get another spoon, Your Highness." She was about to get up but Prince Theron held her hand. She gave him another tired look, but this time, his question stumped her.


    "Are you poisonous?"


    Puzzled, Esther could only shake her head.


    "Do you have a contagious disease?"


    Again, she shook her head.


    "Then it''s fine as long as you are not. As someone said before, we are not in the pce so there is no need to keep up appearances. There is no one to impress here, and it''s troublesome to waste the owner''s limited supply of water by washing two spoons."


    Just then, the door leading to the tunnel opened. The old woman returned home, and at the sight of the uninvited guests, a frown formed on her wrinkled face. "Indeed, only this young man has a conscience. You two have troubled me enough."? She was carrying a bag with her and emptied its contents in one woven basket. "I have brought fresh fruits. You can have some of them."


    "Thank you," Prince Theron said.


    Esther red at the prince. ''I have been taking care of him sincest night but not even once had he thanked me. Ungrateful human!'' Then, she looked at the old woman.


    The old woman sensed the deathly reing from her direction, and instead of ignoring it, she levelled Esther with a re of her own. "Finish that meal before it gets cold. I don''t have more rice for you two here." Afterwards, she took some items into her bag and went back inside her own room.


    Prince Theron looked at Esther. "The owner is right. She doesn''t have things in abundance here like in the pce, so we must not impose on her kindness."


    ''Kindness? With that attitude? You even gave her your ring! You can feed an entire household for a year if you convert that into gold coins!''


    Suppressing her anger, Esther could only keep her grumbles to herself while she continued to feed him and herself, in turn, using the same spoon.


    Once they finished the porridge, the old woman came out of her room and tapped the cane she was holding on the wooden floorboards. "Unless you people are criminal fugitives of the kingdom, there doesn''t seem like there is anything dangerous outside for you. There are royal soldiers in the forest and they seem to be searching for you two."


    It was given that when the Crown Prince himself was missing, search parties would be sent out to look for him everywhere. Perhaps, not only the royal pce but even private soldiers of the noble households in ckhelm were being mobilized to help.


    Esther stood up as she knew what was in Prince Theron''s mind. "I will go out and bring them here."


    He was not sure if he should let her go. "No, I will go with you."


    "It''s not good for you to move your body, Your Highness."


    "It might be dangerous��"


    Before Prince Theron could say more, the olddy spoke up, "Listen to her, young man. What, you think with your body''s condition, you are fit to move around and protect her? You can''t even stand. You will be a burden." Her wrinkled face was grumpy. "This young woman has managed to bring you here on her own while you were unconscious. She is much more capable than you think."


    Prince Theron didn''t mind her words and looked at Esther. "Will you be fine?" His eyes showed worry in them.


    ''Is he worried for my safety or worried for himself about who will look after him? Does he think I will leave him behind?'' Esther smiled and replied, "I have been living in the forest all my life, and I can easily find the traces of the royal soldiers. Don''t worry, Your Highness."


    Prince Theron reluctantly permitted her and she turned to leave for the door.


    "Don''t use the tunnel where you came in. There is another way next to it to go up easily," the olddy informed her.


    With a nod, Esther left.

 Chapter 354 - Prince Theron Searching For Esther

    Esther didn''t return even after more than an hour so Prince Theron felt worried. With gritted teeth, he staggered to his feet, using a random stick as a cane to support himself.


    "You should wait for her," he heard the olddy''s voice from behind the door of her room. His movements must have been too loud because it was still difficult for him to stand, catching her attention.


    "I can''t," Prince Theron sighed. "You have my gratitude for letting us stay the night. I bid you farewell."


    "As you wish," the olddy responded.? The Crown Prince no longer hesitated and left.


    Aftering out of the underground cabin, Prince Theron''s unsteady body was weed by harsh sunlight through the thin foliage of leaves. Based on the position of the sun, it must have been around noon time. He looked around the forest, and there were no signs of anyone. If soldiers were around then they should be here with Esther.


    With the assistance of the wooden stick, he decided on a direction at random and followed an animal trail he chanced upon, walking without pause despite the fact that his wound at the waist was hurting. After walking for who knows how long, the Crown Prince finally heard a familiar voice call out.


    "Your Highness!" the voice called out in joy. "Prince Theron is here! We found His Highness!"


    That was Sir Galien, the guardian knight of the Crown Prince.


    Seeing his knight and the soldiers running towards him, Prince Theron''s expression became cold. Though he should be happy seeing his people, he was feeling dismayed as his eyes searched for someone who was not there.


    "Esther, where is she?" he asked with a frown.


    "The Queen''s servant? The Miss has guided us toe this way. She must have been left behind when we came running��" Sir Galien checked the periphery, but other than the soldiers of the search party, no one else was around.


    "Where is Miss Esther?" the knight asked.


    Everyone searched for her but she was not found.


    It worried Prince Theron and he ordered the people to continue searching for her. A strange anxiety covered his mind though he didn''t know why he was feeling like that. He also started walking around to help search for her.


    "Your Highness, just let the soldiers search for the young miss," Sir Galien said, preventing the Crown Prince from joining in. Pleasee with me to the edge of the forest as you are heavily injured. We have already contacted the pce and a royal physician will be arriving with a carriage. They will be here soon."


    Prince Theron ignored what he said and continued walking as his eyes sought for a certain blonddy. The wound at the side of his waist started to bleed again, but he did not seem to care.


    "Your Highness!" Seeing how the prince ignored him, the knight could only helplessly follow behind him.


    His wound was hurting and he felt tired. Prince Theron looked at his waist which was stained with blood, and the stain was only growing with each step he took. He pressed on the wound with his hand and continued walking, silently bearing all the pain he was feeling. All he wanted was to see her safe and sound.


    ''Why?'' She was just a servant and he didn''t have to be worried for her but he did. There was no reasonable answer for that ''why''.


    After some time, he heard a familiar female voice filled with worry.


    "Your Highness, what are you doing?!"


    Prince Theron looked at the source of the voice and it was her. It was Esther. He found Esther.


    She was standing at a distance on his right, looking all tired as if she came to him running without stopping. ''What happened?'' was all he could think about as he walked towards her with slow unsteady footsteps.


    Esther noticed he seemed to be dizzy with fever and that his wound opened up again. His clothes were drenched in blood around his waist, and even his hand that was covering the wound was covered in blood. She hurried to go towards him��she could tell that if she didn''t do so, he would continue walking towards her.


    "Your Highness, why are you walking like this? Why aren''t you��"


    To everyone''s shock, Prince Theron wrapped his arms around her as if he was relieved to see her, interrupting her from the rest of her words.


    "Y-Your Highness��" She didn''t know what to do and felt him standing with his entire weight leaning on her. He was losing his bnce. She hugged him back to hold him tight while the knights ran towards them upon realizing that the Crown Prince went unconscious.


    "Get the litter to carry His Highness''s body here," Sir Galien instructed one of the soldiers. After a while, the prince''s unconscious body was ced on the litter prepared to be carried by two royal knights until they left the forest.


    On an empty clearing outside the forest, a temporary camp had been set up by the soldiers. Esther looked at the pale face of the Crown Prince and she felt her heart skip a beat, feeling worried about his situation. She immediately held his wrist and checked his pulse. "His pulse is weak."


    Fortunately, the carriage from the pce had arrived and the royal physician did not dy to attend to the unconscious young man. He also checked the Crown Prince''s pulse as he heard Esther''s worried voice, "Physician, sir, His Highness''s pulse is really weak from blood loss and he''s feverish from overexerting his body. This is thergest wound on his body that needs immediate attention.." She was pressing on his wound on the waist with her hand to stop the bleeding.


    Seeing signs of infection, bringing the Crown Prince back to the royal pce for proper treatment would be the best option. However, there was no time for him to get into a carriage as they needed to stop the bleeding first, or else he might die on the way. The royal physician signalled his apprentice who passed him cloth bandages and a more advanced medicinal paste than the one Esther prepared underground. Once it was done, they fed a liquid herbal potion to the prince before urging the knight to carry him inside the carriage.


    The royal physician entered the carriage as well because he needed to look after the prince while Esther stayed outside frozen, not knowing what to do. It was the first time in so many years she felt scared about someone, scared for another person who could lose his life. She didn''t expect things to turn out like this. She didn''t expect him to walk and search for her without caring for his injuries.


    ''Why did he do it? Didn''t he care for his life? I went away because I sensed that dissonant energy fromst night lingering nearby, and I needed to get rid of that thing to protect him. What will I say to Her Majesty if something happened to him?'' She looked at her hands. ''I could not use my power so as not to attract anything towards us.. Is it toote now? I thought he would be fine after meeting his knight.''

 Chapter 355 - Investigating Esther

    "Miss Esther, please get inside the carriage as well. We need to leave now," the knight, Sir Galien, said in a hurry.


    The urgency in his voice pulled her out of her thoughts and she obediently sat inside the carriage. Inside the carriage, the royal physician was quietly looking over the prince, while Esther stared at them with a distressed face.


    "How is His Highness? Will he be fine?" Esther asked after a while.


    The royal physician initially didn''t want to answer her, but looking at her expression, he sighed. "His fever is high, and worse, the Crown Prince has lost a lot of blood, putting him in danger."


    ''I got rid of that dangerous thing. Will it be fine to use my powers on him now?'' Esther thought and raised her hand but even before she could do anything, she felt pain in her hand and realized that she could not use her power. She moved the sleeve up of her arms a little and there was a serious burn mark just above her wrist. She probably got it while dealing with that creature who chased after Prince Theron. She covered the mark with her sleeve immediately.


    ''I will have to wait before being able to use my powers again,'' she decided and looked at the royal physician. "He will be alright till we reach the pce, right?"


    The royal physician nodded, though he looked worried, making Esther wonder if there were otherplications about the prince''s health.


    After they reached the royal pce, the Crown Prince was transferred to his chamber where the Head Royal Physician along with the other skilled physicians of the city were present to treat their prince. The worried King and Queen were present there as well.


    After checking on her son, Queen Theodora went to see Esther, who was then put into a separate room to be checked by another physician for any signs of injury. With her was Sir Galien, the Crown Prince''s knight, along with other pce officials in charge of the investigation, asking her questions about the things she could remember about the assassin who attacked the Crown Prince.


    The entire Kingdom of Megaris was in a state of chaos after its Crown Prince had gone missing, and now that he was found, the pce officials could finally focus on investigating the mastermind behind the attack. Sir Galien had already given them his statement about the prince sneaking out of the royal ball to join the festivities in the city, up to the part about how they were attacked in the small pier by the river. Now, it was the turn of the second important witness to tell them what happened so they could continue their investigation.


    Esther exined to them about what happened the best way she could. She had to be mindful when answering the questions as both Sir Galien and Prince Theron had seen her running towards them with the intention of protecting the prince. The troublesome question was how she, a royal servant serving a different royal, got to know about the attack on the prince. In the first ce, the only ones who should have known that he slipped out of the pce were the Crown Prince himself and his knight.


    As expected, the things they asked went along with her guesses. She told them the truth about how she noticed the Crown Prince in the za, and then,ter on, spotted him again when she was identally lost in the bustling crowd on the way to thentern event.


    "Miss Esther, who was the one to attack Crown Prince Theron?"


    "I don''t know," she answered. She wished to keep her answer to the minimum about this part of her statement.


    "Then how did you know someone was going to attack the Crown Prince? Why did you run to save him instead of calling the attention of the city guards?" Sir Galien, who had seen it all, asked her.


    "I panicked," she exined with a lowered head. "I was separated from the otherdies, and was in the part of the riverbank with sparser people. Then, I saw someone suspicious��he''s wearing a hooded robe with a weapon in hand, and then I noticed he was going in the opposite direction of the crowd. It made me suspicious so I followed him, and then only then did I notice that he seems to be aiming for His Highness, who was standing on the pier. My apologies. I should have called for the guards, but my first thoughts were to run towards him and call his attention��"


    One of the investigating officialsforted her, "You were actually really brave, Miss."


    "Indeed, the fact that you acted to save the Crown Prince wasmendable, although it was not the best decision to make."


    The other people in the room shared the same thoughts. There was no need for Esther, a servant, to apologize as she was the one to try to save the prince, not even caring for her life. In fact, Sir Galien should have received punishment for being unable to protect his liege, but it was postponed due to Prince Theron''s disappearance. If anyone were to be med, it was him, the Crown Prince''s guardian knight, for failing to do his duty.


    While the officials tried to make Esther describe the appearance of the attacker, Sir Galien silently pondered on one side. He had seen the youngdy trying to save the prince and how she even prevented those unseen attacks from hitting the prince. Sir Galien was puzzled about what that attack was. It reminded him of something he had heard from the rebels who attacked the Queen a few months back. Back then, they imed that Esther had used some kind of invisible force to knock them away.


    Sir Galien got a little suspicious and asked the youngdy a question, "What was that strong force that hit us? Do you know what kind of attack it was?"


    Esther acted confused. "Apologies, Sir. I was in such a hurry to save the prince that I don''t know what happened exactly. All I remembered is that before we fell on the river, there were metal weapons flying towards us, and Prince Theron saved me from them instead."


    "What about the earlier attacks? Did you not feel anything? You were the one to be hit by something first, causing you to fall towards His Highness," Sir Galien insisted.


    Esther put on a pondering look. "I felt like someone was behind me and pushed me. I remember falling on the ground. I must have hit my head because for the rest I don''t know what happened."


    Before Sir Galien could ask more, they heard amanding voiceing from the direction of the door.. "Enough! She has answered your questions, and you are still not satisfied, hmm? If she said she doesn''t know, then she doesn''t know."

 Chapter 356 - Black Magic

    That was Queen Theodora who had been watching what was going on for a while. She knew Esther was in a tight spot, and there must be something she didn''t want to say in front of these officials. For Queen Theodora, she trusted that whatever information about the attack the youngdy might be keeping, she must be withholding it for a reason. Esther was a special existence; it was enough that Esther was her son''s saviour.


    Everyone bowed before the Queen. She walked towards Esther and asked, "Are you hurt somewhere?"


    With her head lowered in front of the Queen, Esther answered, "No, Your Majesty."


    Queen Theodora looked at Lady Tyra who apanied her. "Take her back to her room."


    Afterwards, the Queen left with herdies-in-waiting, while Esther left with Lady Tyra towards the servant''s quarters in the Queen''s residence.


    Once they reached Esther''s room, Lady Tyra closed the door and lowered her head in front of Esther. "Your Eminence, you don''t look good,"


    Esther rxed her expression as she looked at the olderdy. "I went to deal with what was trying to hurt the Crown Prince."


    "What kind of entity is it, for you to be troubled so?" Lady Tyra asked, feeling worried.


    "The only thing I am sure of is that it isn''t one of our kind. If it were, I would have recognized it even with a hiding spell, but it felt like the magic used is different in nature to what our kind uses. Someone capable of using dangerous spells of the destructive kind," Esther answered and she pulled her sleeve up, showing the olderdy the burn mark on her skin. "I took it lightly."


    Lady Tyra gasped in shock. She knew the true identity of Esther, and an attack that could hurt her��"Do you need healing, Your Eminence?"


    "No need. It will return to normal on its own," she answered.


    "May I see it?" Lady Tyra asked and Esther lifted her hand and put it on the olderdy''s open palm. Seeing the burn mark on her hand just above the wrist, Lady Tyra silently studied it for a while. "If it could manage to hurt you to this extent, then it must be an energy attack, but I do not feel any elemental energy like fire or spiritual energy from a supernatural being. And looking at this wound, it looks like it used��"


    "ck magic," Esther answered with a nod.


    "A wizard?" Lady Tyra frowned. "Those humans who practice ancient spells?"


    Esther hummed in agreement. "Humans of this continent have little to no affinity with magic. At most, they could only imitate the abilities of supernatural beings, and thus, ck magic is born, magic that defies nature. Only those humans with ancient lineages have abilities to wield ck magic, and these kinds of people from old families are always hidden from society since they dislike ordinary people. Only someone with incredible wealth and a high position in the kingdom could afford to hire them."


    "Looks like with this information, we can narrow down those who want to hurt the Crown Prince," Lady Tyra sighed.


    -----


    The atmosphere within the pce was gloomy. Despite the efforts of the royal physicians, the Crown Prince''s health continued to worsen.


    After resting for a while, Esther had already resumed her duties as the Queen''s servant. Queen Theodora skipped her meals as she was worried about her son, and even at the persuasion of her husband, the King, she could not even think about eating.


    When she saw Esther enter her chamber, she wanted to ask about the identity of who harmed her son but she managed to stop herself because she knew that it was moreplicated than it seemed. Lady Tyra had already told the Queen about the situation, so there was no need to ask more. For now, all she wanted was to see her son safe and sound.


    Though Esther had resumed her work, her mind was stuck on how the Crown Prince was doing. From Lady Tyra, she got to hear about thetest situation of Prince Theron, but he had yet to regain consciousness. The fact that even with the best treatment from the pce, his health still didn''t improve, it made her feel worried.


    ''Using my abilities inside the pce should be safe,'' she thought with renewed determination. ''However, given his situation, he must be surrounded by people all the time. I cannot sneak in easily. How can I get there without raising suspicions?''


    Just as she had that thought, Queen Theodora told her servants to prepare to visit the Crown Prince''s residence. She wished to see her son after hearing no good news for an entire day. She wanted to stay by her son''s side for the night.


    Just as Queen Theodora was about to leave, only bringing Lady Tyra with her, Esther spoke up, "Your Majesty, please allow me toe with you to visit the Crown Prince."


    Entry to any royal residence was restricted, and as Esther was a servant of the Queen, she would not be allowed to go to the residence of the Crown Prince on normal days, much less with the situation now with the security tightened.


    The Queen nodded and both Lady Tyra and Esther followed her. Once they reached the Crown Prince''s chamber, the royal physicians bowed to her in greeting outside the door. She then found that her husband,? King Esteban Ivanov, had personally visited their son as well, that was why everyone was outside.


    Inside, they only saw two men standing beside the bed, King Esteban and the Head Royal Physician. Both of them had dark expressions on their faces. Queen Theodora quickly approached her husband. "How is our son? Any improvement?"


    The middle-aged man had a fatigued look on his face as he shook his head. "They say it all depends on Theron''s willpower now."


    "W-What do you mean?" she asked with her shaky voice as her eyes turned teary.


    The Head Royal Physician lowered his head before the Queen. "We have done everything we can, Your Majesty. We can only pray for Prince Theron to wake up on his own. If His Highness doesn''t wake up by morning��"


    "W-What do you mean? What are you implying? Oh, my son! My Theron!"


    The Queen went towards her son and stared at his pale face. Sitting on the edge of the bed, she gently caressed his head, no longer caring about appearances or keeping her emotions in check. No word came out of her mouth and only tears rolled down silently down her cheeks. Her husband had no idea how tofort her, and could only silently rub her shoulders in an attempt to calm his queen.


    Esther nced at the unconscious prince and remembered the scene by the river when he attempted to save her, in effect putting his life in danger. ''This human, he didn''t have to save me.''


    Unable to watch the sobbing queen, Esther closed her eyes. However, she could still see the face of Prince Theron, how annoying he looked as he demanded that she change his clothes, how he stubbornly searched for her without caring for his wounds��and? how relieved he looked the moment he saw her, as if he found something precious.


    ''Why��Why did he have to do it for me?''

 Chapter 357 - Saving The Prince

    Chapter 357 - Saving The Prince


    Esther looked at Lady Tyra with a meaningful gaze, which the older womanunderstood.


    Esther wanted to help the Crown Prince but it would be impossiblefor her to make a move with many people around.


    The royal physicians werealways by Prince Theron''s side, and there were servants on standby inside thechamber as well.


    Esther would nd it dicult to heal him without themnoticing it.


    Given their situation, those of their kind would normally refrain from usingtheir powers in front of normal humans, even to those they trusted.


    It was thesame case for Esther. She found it somewhat eptable to have the Queen beaware she''s not ordinary, but she didn''t wish to aunt her powers to others, asit would highly likely give away her true identity.


    Not only that, the moment her abilities were made public, there would be agreat change to her current status. It would not be surprising if thedies she''sfriends with now would think of her as a bad personter on, or pretend to benice but would avoid her.


    Humans tend to feel scared of people who aredierent from them, more so when ites to people with powers. and sheneeded to keep her identity hidden to fulll her promise to the Queen��that shewould stay by her side for not less than ve years.


    King Esteban gently wiped away the tears from his wife''s face to console her."He will wake up. I believe he will wake up. He is our son and he won''t give upso easily.


    "With red-rimmed eyes, Queen Theodora looked at the King. "I am scared...Ourson...what if by morning...?""Nothing will happen. You should stay strong. He would not want to see hismother crying like this."


    His words didn''t manage to console her as an anguished mother''s heart wasnever rational in the rst ce.The King sighed as he turned to his wife''spanion.


    "Tyra, take my wife toher chamber to rest."Lady Tyra nodded and approached the Queen.


    "Your Majesty, let us go back."


    "But Theron..."King Esteban urged her once more, his tone rmer this time.


    "I will call for youas soon as he wakes up. Go rest."


    The Queen could not ignore the King''s order although he was her husband.With great reluctance, she stood up and left the chamber with Lady Tyra andEsther.


    ------Queen Theodora continued to silently weep even after returning to herchamber, and Lady Tyra did her best to console her. Esther didn''t know what tosay as she was just waiting for the moment when she could go back to theresidence of the Crown Prince.


    Late into the night, Queen Theodora nally got tired from crying and fell into arestless sleep. Only after the entire Queen''s residence quieted down did LadyTyra manage to have a private talk with Esther."Your Eminence, are you nning to go to the Crown Prince?"Esther nodded. "I have no other option.""Will you be alright with using your powers in the pce?" Lady Tyra asked.


    "Unlike in the forest, there are more eyes here..."


    "Though I have decided to not use them, it seems like this royal family wantsme to go back on my decision again and again."


    Lady Tyra lowered her head in front of Esther.


    "Your Eminence, not just theroyal family but even I will be grateful to you if you will take action yourself tosave the Crown Prince. I have watched Prince Theron grow up, and he is aperson with a heart as good as Her Majesty. This kingdom needs him...and Ibelieve Her Majesty will be truly heartbroken if the worst happens to that poorchild."


    Esther smiled. She did not need persuasion, as she had intended to save him themoment she heard that his condition wasn''t improving."Wait for me here and look after Her Majesty."


    After saying those words, Esther left the Queen''s chamber and made her wayout of the Queen''s pce through the doors at the back used by the royalservants.Esther had already been staying in the Royal Pce of Megaris for severalmonths, and she was aware of which routes to take to avoid the patrol of theroyal guards.


    It did not take her long to reach Prince Theron''s residence, whichwas of course more heavily guarded than usual.


    It seemed like the King hadordered for the knights to be more vignt; after all, the fact that the CrownPrince was injured made him a perfect target for those people with sinisterschemes against him.


    However, the King couldn''t have factored that his orderswould be useless in front of someone like Esther.Standing outside of the Crown Prince''s residence, the young woman yedwith her ngers and invisible energy emitted from them, spreading slowlyacross the residence.


    Several secondster, silence enveloped the ce.


    Everyone, from the guards to the servants, and even the physicians presentinside the residence, had all drifted to sleep.Esther walked inside the residence without any restrictions. Along thehallways, she found people unconscious on the carpeted oor, and she couldonly murmur an apology as she walked past their bodies.


    She quickly reachedPrince Theron''s chamber, where she found the royal physicians asleep as welldue to her spell.


    Esther went towards the bed and chose to sit on the edge of themattress.


    She observed Prince Theron''s pale face with the help of the lighing from the bedsidemp.''He looks like he''s dying...''


    Not only was his skin sickly pale, but his lips were also dry and chapped.


    Therewere purplish bruises under his eyes, and his breaths were so weak andshallow, his chest seemed to be not moving at all.


    The young man hadseemingly lost the youthful and hot-blooded energy he had been exudingbefore, and it was painful to see how his once charming face had turned intosomething struggling to keep ahold of life.


    ''How could he turn out like this so fast? Is his injury really this terrible or...?''


    Just a day before, he was a proud young man whose presence was enough tomake her feel intimidated, to the point she even deemed him annoying forbeing able to make her feel that way. Earlier, she was still cursing him for beinga rascal, and now, she was even thinking it''s alright for him to continue being arascal as long as he would just wake up..''


    It has been so long since someone has made me feel like this...


    ''With a determined look on her face, Esther ced her hand on his forehead andclosed her eyes. Invisible energy slowly trickled out of her palm, yet unlikebefore, this energy was as gentle as water. After a while, she opened hercaramel-coloured eyes and worry could be seen in them.''


    His life force is weakening with every passing second.


    The physicians are rightto say that if he doesn''t wake up by the morning, he really won''t be waking up.


    An ordinary healing spell will not be able to save him.


    '' Esther sighed helplesslyand stared at his face. ''I should have started healing youst night.


    I shouldhave risked it.


    I didn''t know...


    Am I toote? But...


    I can''t let you die.''Esther closed her eyes again and tried to think of a way to prolong his life.


    Herpowers were rted to the energy of nature, and if she was going to save theyoung prince, it was the same as opposing nature since it was akin to pulling adying person from the arms of death.


    She could not think of any ordinary way��''Unless I share with him my own life force.''


    Esther opened her eyes and looked at the pale young man with a troubledexpression.


    She could not recall any instance that someone of her kind had everdone such a thing such as sharing their lifeforce with another, but sheremembered seeing it done once in an ancient scroll.


    Sharing her lifeforcewasn''t dicult but...


    ''Will it be possible to share a part of my soul with this weak human? Can hebear it?''After a few more moments of hesitation, Esther let out a shaky sigh.


    PrinceTheron would die if she does nothing, but if she were to give him a part of hersoul, then the possibility of him living through the night would be higher.


    Itwas worth the risk.


    "This is the rst time and possibly the only time that something like this willever happen in the history of this continent.


    I do not know if you can survivewith this, but I had no other way to save you.


    At least, with this, the chances ofyou living will be higher."Esther cupped his face in her hands and lowered her head. His skin felt icy cold,and even his lips felt like ice against hers.


    The moment that Esther let out abreath, it was as if time stopped.


    A strange white haze seemingly escaped herlips as she poured in a part of her soul into him.

 Chapter 358 - Shared The Part Of Soul The With Him

    Chapter 358 - Shared The Part Of Soul The With Him


    Warm.Esther only pulled away when she felt warmth under her touch.


    She realizedthat Prince Theron''s face no longer felt cold against her hands, and his once-pale cheeks were now ushed with life. His breathing had be stable, andwhen she lowered her hand to touch his chest, she could feel his heartbeatsgrowing stronger.A weak smile made its way into her tired face.


    ''You survived.''


    Once she was sure that the young man was no longer on his deathbed, shehurriedly left the Crown Prince''s residence.


    The moment she stepped out of thebackdoor, the magic spell she had put to make everyone sleep dissipated,causing the people inside to regain their senses.


    Most of them were puzzled atrst, but it was as if there was a leftover spell that made them forget about howthey all lost consciousness.


    No one knew what happened and they just resumedtheir work, not realizing that more than an hour had passed by without themknowing.


    ------When Esther returned to the Queen''s residence, she headed straight to herroom in the servant''s quarters instead of going back to the Queen''s chamber.Her eyes were slightly unfocused, and her ngers were trembling, which madeher realize the consequences of cutting o a part of her soul.


    She felt incrediblyweakened, and she was certain that this feeling wasn''t just her imagination.''I hope I will not regret my actions tonight...''


    Just then, there was a knock on her door and as expected, it was Lady Tyra.


    When the older woman entered her room, she found Esther sitting on her bed,looking a little tired.


    "Your Eminence."


    She bowed before Esther.With a light nod, Esther epted it with her normal nonchnce.


    She hid hershaking ngers inside the wide sleeves of her clothes and continued to sitsilently.


    Lady Tyra asked, "Your Eminence, how is Prince Theron?""He will wake up by morning," Esther answered.Lady Tyra felt relieved. "Thank you so much for saving him, Your Eminence."Esther didn''t react and Lady Tyra took that chance to observe the youngdy.Despite Esther trying to hide her condition, Lady Tyra felt that something wasunusual with her. "Your Eminence, you look tired. ""I just need a good night''s rest."Lady Tyra felt skeptical as she slowly approached Esther, who looked like awilting ower at the moment. "Pardon me, Your Eminence, but may I see yourhand?"


    Esther did not stop Lady Tyra, and as soon as her wrist was touched, Lady Tyrarealized what was wrong.


    "Your Eminence! Your life force��"Esther nodded to what Lady Tyra was about to say.Lady Tyra was shocked. "


    Sharing your life force with a human! I have neverheard of it! Even for our kind, it is rarely done, and it''s mostly done amongthose with close familial bonds. Your Eminence, to a human... sharing the samelife with a human..."


    Lady Tyra trailed o hesitantly at the end. She was touched that Esther madesuch a great sacrice for Prince Theron, but she could not believe that she waswilling to go that far for the young man.


    As far as she could recall, Estherwasn''t close to the Crown Prince.


    Did they be close due to the attack?Esther closed her eyes helplessly.


    "There was no other way to save him."


    "I understand, Your Eminence," Lady Tyra said with hesitation, "but I amafraid this is the rst time one of our kind ever shared a soul with a human.What are the possible consequences...?"


    Esther sighed.


    "Even I don''t know. What matters is that he survived, and thathe will continue living well from now on."


    "However, to keep a part of your soul..."


    "As long as I keep my distance from him, it should be ne. Let us leave it up tofate."


    ---------Even before the sun rose from the east, the people within the residence of theCrown Prince were already wide awake, bustling with joy upon hearing thegood news rsthand from the royal physicians attending to the prince.


    "Prince Theron is awake!"


    "His Highness has woken up?! Truly? Share the news to everyone!"


    "Oh, the spirits have blessed the young dragon of the kingdom!"


    The royal physicians who were initially in a depressed mood were revitalizedthe moment Prince Theron started to stir from sleep, surprised at the suddenimprovement in his health.


    It was a wee surprise, since the young princewas able to ovee the crisis they predicted.


    The fact Prince Theron survivedwas truly a miracle!"Your Highness, can you hear me? How are you feeling?" the Head RoyalPhysician greeted him.


    Prince Theron did not respond and only closed his eyes again, as if he was stillhalf asleep.


    However, the fact that he was able to regain his consciousnessmeant that the worst had already passed, and from now onwards, his healthwould recover smoothly.


    The Head Royal Physician looked at his apprentice. "Inform the King and theQueen that the Crown Prince has woken up."


    The apprentice happily epted the task and hurried out of the chamber, whilethe Head Royal Physician checked Prince Theron''s strong pulse once again, andthey also used silver needles to check the vitality of his blood usingacupuncture.


    Making sure there was no longer any danger to the CrownPrince''s life, the Head Royal Physician ordered everyone to step back andsimply let the prince continue resting.


    After receiving the news of their son''s situation, both the King and the Queenhurried towards the Crown Prince''s residence as soon as they could.


    Theyarrived almost at the same time, and the royal couple entered the CrownPrince''s chamber together with a smile.


    Everyone inside the chamber greeted them upon their entrance, but QueenTheodora only had eyes for her son who was lying in the middle of the bed.


    TheQueen sat on the chair ced beside the bed, while the King opted to remainstanding behind her, gazing down on the injured prince.


    The Head Royal Physician happily informed King Esteban regarding the statusof Prince Theron''s health.


    "Your Majesty, the Crown Prince is out of dangernow. He has recovered from his fever, and all he needs to get better is to restproperly and take medicines to let his wound heal."


    Hearing the noise around him, Prince Theron slowly opened his eyes and gazedat the person by his bedside.


    He looked at his mother whose eyes were wet withunshed tears.


    He noticed how terribly pale and haggard she looked, as if shedidn''t get to sleep for nights.


    "Mother...?"


    he uttered with a hoarse voice.


    Queen Theodora didn''t know what to say to him as happiness had engulfed herentire being.


    She could only smile as the tears from her eyes nally fell downher face.


    Prince Theron ced his hand on his mother''s and said in a softer tone, "I amne, Mother. Apologies for worrying you."


    "Oh, this child! Don''t say that. I am your mother. Can I not worry for my onlyson? I am happy that you are ne now," she replied while wiping her tears withthe handkerchief on her free hand.


    "If you are truly sorry for causing trouble,then you must remember to have a meal with me and your father once you getbetter."


    The young prince squeezed her hand.


    "Of course, Mother. Of course."


    Prince Theron''s gaze moved around the chamber as it sought for a certainperson with honey blond hair but that person was not there.


    It caused him to letout a frustrated sigh, which caused the people around him to misunderstandand thought that it was a sign he needed to go back to sleep.


    The Crown Princedid not bother to correct them.


    Thest memory he had before losing consciousness was Esther runningtowards him in the forest.


    It was inevitable that he wanted to see her, but as aprince, he knew it was not appropriate for him to ask about his mother''sservant the moment he woke up.


    It would only bring unwanted attention to herand he didn''t wish for that to happen.


    Everyone left to let him rest, and only his personal servants stayed on standbyjust in case he needed anything.


    Prince Theron stared at the ceiling as heseemingly remembered something.


    The silhouette of a familiar woman leavinghis chamber.


    A soft voice that sounded like a gentle wind.


    Words that didn''tmake sense.


    "...I do not know if you can survive with this, but I have no other way to saveyou. At least, with this, the chances of you living will be higher."


    These words kept ringing within his mind, and he could not dierentiate if itwas a product of his imagination or reality.


    It reminded him of the kiss theyshared when she saved him from drowning.


    It would not be the rst time shedid something to him while he was unconscious.


    If it was a dream, it was truly strange nonsense, but if it was something thattruly happened...


    He had a strong urge to have her stand in front of him and ask her the truth.


    ''I want to see you...Esther.''

 Chapter 359 - Waiting For Her

    Chapter 359 - Waiting For Her


    After visiting her son, Queen Theodora returned to her residence.


    Inside theroyal carriage that was heading back towards the Queen''s residence, twowomen were seemingly lost in their own thoughts. After a while, the Queenlooked at Lady Tyra. "The improvement in my son''s condition, does Estherhave to do something with it?"


    Lady Tyra could not deny this im of the Queen.


    "Yes, Your Majesty. It was herwho saved the Crown Prince.""Hmm, that young girl, how much will my family owe her? She has saved bothmy and my son''s lives.


    It feels like no matter how much I try to repay her, it willnever be enough," the Queenmented with a smile. "I wonder how we canreward her...


    "Lady Tyra said nothing as she wished to refrain from talking more aboutEsther.--------When the Queen reached her residence, she immediately called for Esther."Your Majesty, I believe she is cleaning your chamber at the moment. Shall Icall her down?" one of thedies-in-waiting asked.


    "Never mind. I''m going back to my room."


    For saving her son, the Queen earnestly wished to thank Esther.


    When she cameinto her chamber, Esther and the other servants stopped what they were doingto greet her. She gestured for everyone but Esther to leave. Sitting in her chair,Queen Theodora looked at her young servant with a sincere smile.


    "I wish to show you my gratitude, but it feels like no matter what I do, it willnever be enough. Rather than a friend of the Ivanovs, you are like the guardianof my family," the Queen teased.


    "Tell me. Do you desire anything, Esther?"


    Esther realized that the Queen knew what she had done.


    She politely refused.


    "You don''t need to thank me, Your Majesty. Anyone in my ce would havedone the same to save the Crown Prince of this kingdom."Queen Theodora shook her head. "Do not be so eager to refuse my oer. I don''tknow how to repay you this time. If you have any wishes, let me know. I willfull whatever it is."


    "Thank you for the kindness, Your Majesty, but I don''t have any such wish,"Esther replied.The Queen nodded. "I was expecting this from you. If not now, in future, if youever need something, you cane to me and I will grant it without anyquestion."It would be burdensome for Esther to continue refusing, so she epted it thistime. "I will, Your Majesty."------


    In a span of one week, the Crown Prince was able topletely recover, to thepoint that he was able to walk on his own and resume his duties in the pce.


    Even the injuries in his shoulder and waist disappeared and only healed scarsthat looked like years old were left to prove their existence.


    To the royal physicians, it was nothing short of a miraculous recovery. It wasmagical, and rumours about how Prince Theron inherited the blessings of thefounding dragon worshipped by the Kingdom of Megaris became very poprnot only within the pce but the entire capital city of ckhelm as well.


    Noone knew the real reason why the Crown Prince was able to escape death whenthe physicians predicted he wouldn''t wake up the next morning, and how in aspan of one week, it was as if he was never injured. The small piece of Esther''ssoul that she shared with him was the reason for it.


    During that week of recovery, Prince Theron stayed within his residence, as hisparents strictly told him to not move around until the royal physicians nishedobserving his condition and gave him their approval.


    Most of the time, he spentit either in his study or in the drawing-room to receive guests. Many aristocratsand other members of the royal family came to bid him well wishes andbrought gifts to cheer him up, but the one he truly wished to see never visitedhim. Every time his mother came to check on him, Esther never apaniedher."How are you feeling today, son?" Queen Theodora asked, looking at the youngman who looked better than ever before.


    He was donned in formal tailoredclothes that seemed to imply he was heading out.


    It was the rst time he wasallowed to leave his residence as only today did the royal physicians agree thathe was healthy enough to resume his ocial duties as the Crown Prince.


    "Strong enough to even join the knights in their morning training, Mother," hereplied.


    The mother and son pair were inside the drawing-room.


    Aftergesturing for his servants to serve tea to his mother, his eyes instinctivelysearched for a certain blonddy among herpanions.


    ''She was the one to save me. How can she note even once during this weekto see me?'' he frowned inside.


    Seeing him in a daze, Queen Theodora asked, "What are you thinking about?"


    "Nothing, Mother," he replied quickly, dodging his mother''s curious gaze,before asking with a frown, "Are mother''s servants toozy to apany you?I see only yourdies-in-waiting doing their work."With a small chuckle, Queen Theodora asked with a meaningful smile, "Is thereanyone you are talking about in particr?"


    "No one," he denied. "I just noticed you have fewerpanions than usual,Mother."


    "Is that so? Next time, I will make sure to have a couple of my favouriteservants with me then," the Queen assured as the meaningful smile on her lipswidened.


    "Oh, which reminds me, I will be throwing a banquet next week tocelebrate your recovery. The invitations had already been sent out. Be sure tostay for the entire duration this time."


    Prince Theron chose to ignore thest part. "Is it necessary?"


    "Hmm," the Queen nodded.


    "The entire kingdom was worried about theirCrown Prince so it''s time for you to ocially let everyone know that you aresafe and sound. Not only will it alleviate the concerns of our citizens, it will alsobe a warning to whoever plotted against you that such attacks can''t hurt usIvanovs."


    ??? ????? ???????s ??? ?????s??? ?? .

 Chapter 360 - [Bonus chapter]Caught Red Handed

    Chapter 360: [Bonus chapter]Caught Red Handed


    Still, Prince Theron was not convinced.


    "As long as I returned to attending theroyal court sessions and meetings with the ocials, seeing that I am healthyand strong, the same message would also be delivered."The Queen raised a brow. "I have talked to your father about this.


    Thiscelebration is symbolic in many ways.


    We must show the enemies that we darethrow a banquet because we can aord to be arrogant, and that we do not fearthem. In fact, we are baiting them to react.


    Also, it''s only right to reward yoursaviour in front of everyone for what she had done for our family. She has savedmy life as well as your life.


    The Ivanovs owe her at least this much recognition."Prince Theron understood who his mother was referring to and only then didhe reluctantly agree. Soon after, the Queen left and Prince Theron went towardsthe window of the drawing-room that overlooked the garden. He stared outsidenkly.Blurry images ashed in his mind. For the past week, he had been consistentlyhaving a recurring dream every night. The setting of the dream was alwaysinside his chamberte into the night.


    He would be in his bed and wake upfeeling someone''s gaze on him, only for the night visitor to leave before hefully opened his eyes. He was not sure who it was as he never saw the face, butdeep in his guts, he knew that it was Esther. No, perhaps it was more like heyearned for that person to be Esther.


    ''Sadly, even in my dreams, you won''t even let me see you.''


    Afterwards, he left for the Grand Pce to meet his father in the throne room.As the Crown Prince, there were many things he had to deal with, from helpingwith the investigations to his attack to the routinary work as the heir to thethrone, which involved talking to territory lords about smaller issues abouttheirnds that did not need the attention of the King. It was already nighttimeby the time he returned to his residence.


    When he nally retired to his chamber, a royal physician came to him andoered him the medicine that he needed to take. Although it was announcedthat he had recovered, the royal physicians were careful to nurse his body backto full health, that was why they gave him nutritious tonics and medicine thatwould ease him to sleep every night.


    "Your Highness, your medicine."


    The royal physician held the wooden tray infront of him that had a bowl of herbal potion.The Crown Prince picked up the bowl and looked at the royal physician whoalways waited till he nished his medicine.


    "You can leave," he ordered.


    "Once you take your medicine, Your Highness��"


    "I will hand the bowl to a servant after I nish it. You can leave now," theyoung prince instructed in a rm voice.


    Once the man left, Prince Theron stared at the bowl with a frown.


    Afterwards,he poured the medicine into a nearby ower vase, called for a servant to get thebowl and went to bed. His chamber was dark as themps were all put out, butthe curtains of his window were purposely drawn, allowing soft moonlight tosomewhat brighten his side of the bed.He felt like he was crazy, but he could not help but be suspicious.


    The samedream every night? That never happened to him, therefore, he could not helpbut be suspicious. But then, his rationality told him it was impossible for thatyoungdy to sneak into his residence that was thoroughly surrounded by abrigade of royal knights.


    ''What if it''s not a dream?''


    Prince Theron closed his eyes and evened out his breathing, but this time, hewas waiting for a certain young woman toe.


    Her soft voice that soundedlike gentle wind still lingered in his ears, saying words that up till now didn''tmake sense to him.


    ''I want to see you...''


    By midnight, the door of his chamber slowly opened, causing his body to go infull alert.


    With light footsteps, someone entered his bed-chamber but theyoung man remained silent and waited with bated breath for his night visitor toreach him.


    He sensed the right side of his mattress sinking a little, andafterwards, someone touched his wrists, as if to check his pulse.Prince Theron opened his eyes and looked at the young woman who looked athim with equal shock.


    She let go of his wrist and was about to move away butPrince Theron held her hand and pulled her back, causing her to fall beside himon his bed, their bodies facing each other."So it was not a dream," he murmured while gazing into her beautiful carameleyes.


    His voice brought her back to her senses and only then did she realize herhands were resting on the rm chest of the young man. Although his handsomeface was serene under the moonlight, she could feel his racing heartbeats underher palm, which surprisingly mirrored hers.


    In a split second, many questions arose in her mind. ''


    Why is he not sleeping?That sleeping spell puts everyone to sleep, then why is he awake?


    Why am Inervous? Why is he nervous?


    Why��


    ''"May I know the Lady''s reason for sneaking into my bedchamber like this?" heasked, his dark eyes seemingly holding hers hostage.


    "I-I..."


    Under his intimidating eyes, she could note up with a proper reply.


    It was as if all forms of thought ran away in fear from those dark eyes, leavingher mind stark empty.


    His hand did not leave her wrist, and one even snaked around her waist. N


    otletting her move even an inch, he asked with a sly smile, "Do you know thepunishment for this?" His dark eyes seemingly glittered, as if they enjoyedseeing her ustered, like a thief who got caught red-handed.

 Chapter 361 How Would You Like To Get Punished?

    "I-I am here to check your condition, Y-Your Highness," she replied as she nervously licked her lips.


    "Then why sneak in like this and not visit me during the day?" he cross-questioned.


    "I was busy the entire day with my chores and only during this time I got freedom to��"


    "A young woman entering a man''s room on her own in the middle of the night. So bold and forward, aren''t we?" he asked, interrupting her. He knew she didn''t have any bad intentions, but he could not help but be like this. It was fun to tease Esther, because Esther herself knew she was in the wrong.


    "I-I was just worried." She nervously licked her lips again. "I didn''t mean to offend you��"


    "But you already have." A devilishly handsome smirk painted itself on his thin lips. "What punishment shall I give you for offending this prince?"


    Though Prince Theron had many questions for her, at this moment, he decided to let them pass. He could always satisfy his curiosity at ater time. For now, he wanted to simply live in the moment.


    To have this elusive littless in his arms, having her for himself without worrying about the eyes around them, when would he ever have a chance like this again in the future? Prince Theron had waited for Esther for an entire week, but she never showed up. Now she was finally here, he wanted to cherish each and every second he had with her.


    Esther didn''t know what to do. She was ufortable being held by a man this close, but she wasn''t sure how to react. She vividly remembered how she pushed him away back in the underground cabin, and although he didn''t say anything, she was sure she had hurt his chest back then.


    ''How much of my strength should I use to push him away? Even if I shared a part of my soul with him, he''s still a weak human at his core. What if it hurts him? Then he will be surprised because his injury will disappear in a blink of an eye. He will know for sure that I caused such a mutation to his body.'' She sighed helplessly.


    "Please punish this servant as you deem fit, Your Highness."


    "I am yet to punish you for what you did with me in the forest," he said in a tone like he''s telling her a story, "and now again, youmitted another wrongdoing. Seems like you love to overstep your boundaries with me. Tell me how I should punish you."


    "My punishment?" she mumbled.


    "See, I am being generous, allowing you to atone on your own," the young man said in a teasing voice. "Would you rather I call my knights and hand you over to the pce officials, letting everyone know about your night visit to my chamber? Would you like to answer questions like how you entered my residence, and exin to them why you sneaked inside the Crown Prince''s bedchamber? You must know that regardless of your reason, you will be deemed an immoraldy. I wonder how Mother will react��"


    On the mention of Queen Theodora, Esther felt she was in deep trouble. "No, please don''t tell Her Majesty."


    The smirk on his lips widened. "Then, how would you like to get punished?"


    "I��don''t know��"


    "Do you want me to decide it for you?" he asked nonchntly, as if he was doing favor to her.


    She didn''t know what he had in mind, but in the end, she nodded hesitantly. She didn''t have a good feeling about it but it was toote to go back now.


    "Very well," he said. His eyes that seemed as dark as the night sky peered into her mesmerizing eyes, and those irises the color of melted caramel showed exactly how flustered she was to hear her punishment. "Don''t worry. Your offenses are not heavy enough for you to be put in prison."


    She gulped and asked softly, "Then?"


    "An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth," he replied. "This is a famous saying from a small nation in the western region of the continent."


    Esther didn''t understand what he meant and blinked a few times trying to process it. "I do not get it, Your Highness."


    This time Prince Theron didn''t answer her with words. He held her tightly at the waist and rolled her over in the bed as his body hovered over hers, pinning her under him.


    "Y-Your Highness!" she eximed, only to feel his rough finger tenderly touch her soft lips.


    "Shh! I haven''t done anything yet."


    "B-but��"


    "If someone does something wrong, that person should be punished by having the same thing done to them, that''s what the saying meant. Don''t you think it is fair and just?" he said with a warning gaze. "The one receiving punishment has no right to protest against the very thing she herself did to another."


    Esther gulped and Prince Theron continued to speak slowly, taking his time to appreciate her beautiful face.


    "You are guilty of taking advantage of the Crown Prince of this kingdom while he was unconscious. You undressed the Crown Prince without consent and saw his naked body. You dared share the same bed and sleep next to him. You also did something that you should not do with these lips of yours��" He slowly, ever-so-slowly caressed her lips with his thumb.


    "Tonight, it should be my turn."


    Each of his words caused Esther''s face to feel hot with embarrassment, but thest line scared her and she moved her hands towards the cor of her dress, clutching the opening of her work clothes in rm.


    The Crown Prince wanted tough loudly as he didn''t have such a n��he was not the type of rogue to remove ady''s clothes��but her panicked reaction amused him. Those eyes the color of melted caramel made him realize that this frustratingly elusivess was nothing more than an innocent young girl.


    He lifted his hand to gently move some loose hair strands away from her face. "Hmm, let us not rush things. Tonight, let us settle with one punishment��the punishment for what you did to me with your lips."


    His hot breath fanned against his lips, causing her body to heat up even more. When she saw him leaning closer, Esther shut her eyes immediately and pressed her lips in a thin line.

 Chapter 362 I Would Prefer If You Cooperate, My Lady

    Prince Theron chuckled at her adorable reaction. He touched the tip of his nose with hers. "When you took advantage of my lips, I am sure I didn''t cause any inconvenience to you. You were free to do what you wanted. Don''t you feel bad for me?"


    Esther didn''t react to his teasing and continued to keep her eyes and mouth close. Her appearance made Prince Theron think of a silly bunny in front of a hungry wolf, thinking that by closing her eyes the wolf will go away on its own.


    He yfully bumped his nose against hers again. "If you insist on causing me inconvenience then we can proceed with the next punishment. The uniforms of the royal servants are tailored to be easy to put on and take off, for the sake of work convenience. Taking off your dress won''t be that difficult for me."


    As if to prove his point, he teasingly caressed the smooth line of her corbone with a finger. Startled, Esther immediately opened her eyes and her pressed lips loosened.


    He looked at her intensely and ordered in a low and husky voice, "I would prefer if you cooperate, mydy."


    Esther felt like her entire mind was captured by the hunger in his gaze, and his seductive voice was easily melting her flimsy resistance. She watched him lower his handsome face, and his lips slowly touched hers, his hot breath brushing against her face like an addictive drug. Her heart skipped a beat the moment his lips caught hers in a passionate kiss and��and for some odd reason, her body was urging her to respond in kind.


    Her mind nked. She had touched his lips before, but the kiss they have shared so far had never felt like this. Back then, she did it to save his life. This time, there was a sense of tension, of urgency, of burning desire.


    It felt different. It was different. She didn''t wish to admit it, but it made her feel good.


    The moment their lips touched, Prince Theron found himself turning greedy. What started as him slowly sucking and nibbling those soft lips of hers turned into a fiery dance for dominance. Her warm mouth made him groan as he imed her lips again and again, hungry and intense, demanding equal passion. He remembered the touch of her lips though he was half-conscious at that time in the river, and again that time underground.


    Unknown to him, he had imagined in his mind how it would feel to properly kiss this youngdy, obsessing over her for those seven days he had not seen her, and now the moment was here, he realized his imagination held no candle to the real thing. Kissing Esther was everything he dreamed and more.


    Esther felt the urgency in his movements, and she could only clutch onto his arms and moan in response. The taste of him silenced all her thoughts. It was as if time no longer mattered as she let the man savor her lips.


    It was the first time for her to be intimate with a man like this.


    As soon as their mouths parted, only then did Esther return to her senses. Both she and the Crown Prince were gasping for much needed air, and as she met his dazed eyes, she felt lost. She didn''t know what to do. She didn''t know what to say��so she decided to stay still and wait for what Prince Theron would do next.


    Prince Theron looked at the young woman pressed under him, who looked more alluring after the kiss they had. Her eyes were half-lidded and unfocused, her honey blond hair an attractive mess against his pillow, and her wet lips were partially opened, as if tempting him for one more sweet kiss. As much as he wished for more to happen between them, he knew he had to stop here. He didn''t want to be the kind of prince who forced their servant against her wishes. He didn''t want that kind of one-sided rtionship between them. Closing his eyes for a moment to calm himself, he let out a loud exhale and peered into her beautiful eyes.


    "For today, this much punishment should be enough. The rest, we should save up forter."


    Subconsciously, Esther nodded to what he said, as if she would say yes to whatever he would say.


    Seeing her still dazed, he asked with a sly smile, "Do you want to get more punishment tonight?"


    That smile brought her back to her senses and she moved to push the Crown Prince aside, but he had already moved back a little to give her space to sit up.


    She climbed down his bed and bowed to him in a hurry. "I-I will��I should take my leave now, Your Highness!"


    She was about to turn away but Prince Theorn stopped her. "Wait!"


    She looked at him with a wary gaze, only to hear him say, "My knights are guarding outside. Do you think you can go through that door without them noticing you?"


    "Rest assured, Your Highness. For the entire week��" She abruptly stopped and almost bit her tongue to curse herself. She was about to admit she had beening to see Prince Theron every night for the past seven days. "I mean, I will be fine. I have my own means. Good night, Your Highness."


    She left in a hurry through the door while Prince Theron could only stare curiously at her retreating back.


    "It seems all those dreams were real. I wonder how no one noticed her for an entire week. Are they not doing their work properly?" Prince Theron mumbled and stepped out of his bed. He went out of his bedchamber, only to find his two knights asleep while standing in their ces by the door.


    The shock it brought him made him unable tough or cry at the scene. This had never happened before. He could not get mad now because the one sneaking into his chamber was ady he liked, but what if there was an assassin taking advantage of this gap of security?

 Chapter 363 Planning To Punish Her

    After escaping the Crown Prince''s pce, Esther returned to her room within the servant''s quarter in a hurry. She could not believe that Prince Theron had caught her, and what happened after��


    ''Did we really��? We��?" She was flustered, but she was soon ovee with anger. "I cannot believe that I allowed that to happen!"


    Esther paced around her small room, her hand subconsciously tracing her lips before nervously pulling at her fingers and then the sleeves of her dress, only to find herself touching her lips again. She groaned.


    "I am the one who saved his life, but instead of thanking me, he wants to punish me for it. Ugh! He must be delusional to think I have feelings for him! I had to check on him after sharing my soul with him since I am not sure about any negative consequences he might bear. It was the first time a human received a life force from my kind, and I only wished to make sure it would not put him in any potential danger. But he��he took advantage of me��That immoral Crown Prince! How dare he?! He doesn''t even know who I am! Ugh! I''m more than a century older than him! How could dare he��-"


    The memories from what Prince Theron did with her shed in front of her eyes and her face turned red. The loud sounds of her heartbeats seemingly flooded her ears.


    She shook her head, as if trying to forcefully erase the memory from her head.


    "Why am I remembering it? Next time, no, no��there is no next time! If he ever tries to pull that kind of stunt again, I will put a trapping spell on him and freeze him for hours!" this reminded him about something, "Wait��my spell? That sleeping spell should have put everyone to sleep, why was he awake? Shouldn''t he be also affected by the sleeping spell every night I visited him? Then why was he awake tonight?"


    She thought for a while and had a guess. "Is it because a piece of my soul now resides in his body, my spells are not effective on him?" She groaned as she realized that must have been the case. "That must be the reason, or else, there is no way my spell won''t work on a weak human like him."


    ---------


    The night after Prince Theron caught Esther, he waited for her toe to him again in his chamber. Just like he did the previous night, he threw the medicine that should have helped him sleep in the nearby flower vase and pretended to retire to his bed. Perhaps because he was anticipating Esther''s visit, it was as if time was slowly crawling towards midnight. However, Prince Theron remained patient as he tried to listen to the sound of footsteps outside.


    He waited for a long time, but she didn''t appear even after midnight struck. He waited for half an hour more, yet the door to his chamber did not open. He stood up and went to check outside if his guards were sleeping.


    Seeing the Crown Prince emerge from his room, the knights standing outside his door bowed to him. "Your Highness!"


    They were obviously alert and very wide awake, and it somehow disappointed Prince Theron. ''Is this the reason she didn''t appear tonight?'' He then walked away to check on the other knights in the hallways and saw that everyone on guard duty acted normally.


    The escort knights following behind him felt puzzled. Seeing the Crown Prince taking a stroll at this hour of the night was unheard of in his routine.


    "Your Highness, is there any issue?" one of the knights asked.


    Prince Theron frowned. "Why are you all awake?"


    "Huh?" His question puzzled the knight, causing him to throw a confused look at hisrade, only for him to receive a simrly confused shrug. "What do you mean, Your Highness?"


    Prince Theron stopped walking and closed his eyes to push down the disappointment and the frustration he was feeling. He didn''t reply to the knight''s question and simply turned around to return to his chamber.


    Getting back to his bed, he tossed and turned as he found it difficult to fall asleep. His mind was a mess. All his thoughts were about why Esther did note tonight when she came to see him every night for the past one week.


    "Could something have happened to her? Did she encounter trouble?" He frowned and then other thoughts crossed his mind. "Did I scare herst night after doing that with her? What if she does not care about me now?" He let out a sigh of frustration. After trying but failing to get a wink of sleep, Prince Theron gave up and went to stand by the window to look outside towards the night sky.


    After opening the window, he took a deep breath of the fresh cold air to calm himself and distract his mind, but it didn''t help much as another thought came into his mind. ''She is the reason I can''t fall asleep. She deserves to get punished for this.''


    A faint smirk of satisfaction could be seen hanging on his lips at the thought of what her next punishment would be like.


    -------


    Days flew past in a blink of an eye. The Crown Prince had resumed all of his official duties, and with his busy schedule, there was not a chance for him to go anywhere else aside from the Grand Pce and his residence. Wearing his usual expressionless face and working efficiently like normal, no one noticed the growing frustration building up within the Crown Prince. He had waited for Esther for an entire week, but after the night he caught her, she never came to see him again. He only caught a glimpse of her whenever he came across his mother, but she didn''t dare look at him, much less speak privately with him. He could only keep his frustration to him and ignore her as well, but deep inside, he was feeling determined to properly punish her as soon as an opportunity arises.


    ''Ignoring the Crown Prince is a very grave offence.


    The day of the banquet to celebrate the Crown Prince''s recovery arrived. Although the celebration itself would start in the evening, countless carriages bearing family crests of each and every nobilitying in attendance started entering the Royal Pce of Megaris hours prior.


    The entire pce was lively due to the arrival of the guests, which were mostly the titled nobles attending the event with their families. The Queen mostly only invited high nobles and close acquaintances whenever she threw balls and parties, and it was rare for lower nobles and merchants to be granted a chance to enter the royal pce. Since this time everyone with a reputation was invited, the banquet to celebrate the Crown Prince''s recovery was a good chance to socialize and befriend noble households. It was also an opportunity for them to show off their daughters to Prince Theron, who was yet to be designated his Crown Princess.


    Everyone expected him to favour one of the lovely maidens within their families. As soon as they were nominated to be a potential bride to the Crown Prince, then it would bring honour and riches to their families. Better yet, if one of the nobledies in their families were chosen to be his consort who will rule this kingdom along with the Crown Prince when he bes the next king, then as the family of the Queen, their families would only be slightly below the Ivanovs when it came to prestige.


    The entire banquet hall was filled with excited guests, a great majority of them being well-dressed youngdies with appearances as pretty as flowers in full bloom. The King and Queen had already arrived, chatting with the high nobles in attendance, and the banquet was in full swing. However, everyone was visibly waiting for the Crown Prince to show up. Soon after, the royal guard announced his arrival.


    "Crown Prince Theron Ivanov has arrived!"


    ---


    A tall young man with an unmistakably proud air entered the hall. Dressed in an impable ensemble of ck and gold, he gave off a strong charisma that even with just him standing in ce, the eyes of everyone would inevitably be pulled in his direction. His cold, handsome face��especially those dark eyes that seemed to resemble the night sky��caused the expectant faces of the females inside the hall to redden, and some even had to fan themselves to calm their excitement. Since the Crown Prince was known to not enjoy celebrations, added to the fact that he rarely socialized with those outside of his work, his face was rarely seen by the nobility who had no business within the royal pce, that was why the reactions of the guests were explosive.


    Entering the banquet hall, Prince Theron walked straight towards his parents. The King and the Queen of Megaris were sitting in the chairs behind a long rectangr table at the opposite side of the hall, facing the guests, and there was an empty seat beside the King reserved for him.

 Chapter 364 Dear Friend Of Royal Family

    As the banquet had long started, the table was filled with half-eaten food and sses with liquor. While walking, his eyes passed around his mother''s side but he saw that the servant serving Queen Theodora was not the person he wanted to see. Though everyone was excited to see the Crown Prince, he was only expecting to see a certain someone who he could not take off his mind.


    King Esteban lifted a ss towards his son. "You are finally here, Theron."


    "Apologies for myte arrival," he told them after greeting his parents. "This unfilial son had to wrap up some urgent work matters before hurrying here."


    Queen Theodora lifted a brow. "I nearly expected you to not show up."


    Indeed, Prince Theron hadete. Normally, for events held in the pce, anyone who arrivedter than the King and Queen were heavily criticized for theirck of manners. Most people would choose to not attend with an excuse of sudden sickness rather than be an item for gossip for arriving after royalty.


    Prince Theron remained humble. "I would not dare embarrass my mother who took great efforts to throw a banquet for my stead."


    The King and the Queen epted his excuse and the Crown Prince sat in the empty chair arranged next to his father. The picture of the royal family lookedplete as the King sat with his wife to his left and his son to his right.


    "Any of the youngdies here caught your eyes?" King Esteban idly asked as he gestured for a servant to fill up the two sses in front of him with wine, before pushing one of the wine sses in front of Prince Theron. Queen Theodora also looked interested to hear her son''s response.


    "You seem to have drunk too much already, Father," the young man simply said, dodging the question.


    Fortunately, a group of aristocrats representing the eastern territories approached, diverting the attention of the King and Queen. Along with the free-flowing food and music, batches after batches of dukes and marquises, along with their families and vassals, raised drinks in honour of the royal family.


    Despite the number of people trying to start a conversation with him, Prince Theron found his mind wandering. He even found himself spotting a girl with honey blond hair among the guests near one of the balconies and wanted to p himself for being silly. His imagination was running too wild; Esther couldn''t be here since she wasn''t brought in by his mother as her servant. If he were to guess, Esther was in the Queen''s residence at the moment, possibly resting since the Queen was not there.


    After a while, he saw King Esteban rising to his feet, causing the music to pause and the guests in the banquet hall to turn and bow in the presence of the King. Seeing him raise a hand to signal them to rise, they were all curious to hear what the King of Megaris had to speak about.


    "I am grateful to all the people in attendance foring to celebrate the Crown Prince''s good health along with my family," King Esteban started with a voice filled with royal dignity. Murmurs of praise could be heard in the crowd, some saying it was their honour to be invited into the pce.


    The King continued to speak, "I wish to use this joyous asion to reward the one who had saved the life of my son. This great person, some of you must have heard, is also the saviour of my wife, the Queen of Megaris, back when she was attacked by the rebels a few months ago. For saving not only the life of the Queen but also the Crown Prince of our kingdom, the Ivanovs consider this benefactor as a dear friend of the royal family."


    A dear friend of the royal family!


    Coming from the mouth of the King of Megaris himself, it was an honour that could be carried for generations toe!


    The crowd could not help but murmur among themselves regarding the identity of this person. Dodgy eyes could be seen looking around, trying to spot whoever it was that was acknowledged by the King. Those who had no idea about this benefactor had curious looks on their faces, while those who were aware of Esther''s identity were alreadying up with ways to get closer to her.


    Afterwards, the crowd could be seen splitting apart to make way for someone. From somewhere in the area near the balconies, the captain of the royal knights sworn under the banner of the Crown Prince could be seen escorting a certain youngdy with long honey blond hair.


    Dressed in a dark green evening gown with a long trail, Esther walked gracefully towards the head of the table with Sir Galien holding her gloved hand. Her honey-blond hair was braided on one side, falling gently over her dainty shoulder and intertwined with pink and white wild lilies, causing her to look like a fae who stepped out from a magical realm.


    She looked extraordinarily exquisite, and everyone could be seen gaping at her appearance that seemed to overshadow all thedies within the banquet hall. It wasn''t that Esther had the most beautiful face, nor was it that she had the most voluptuous body among all the women present, but there was something about her appearance that would make one think she had no w. From the way she walked to the way she held her head high, she looked more noble and elegantpared to other prestigious family daughters.


    "Who is she?"


    "From which family does she belong?"


    "I had never seen her before in any banquet."


    "Is she a hidden daughter of a noble family?"


    Many people started asking questions, especially those who had never seen her before. Even those who lived in the pce and knew her as the Queen''s servant could not help but doubt their eyes.

 Chapter 365 Becoming A Noble Lady

    Esther had always moved with grace and elegance, but because she was in the background wearing a servant''s clothes and acting lowkey, this was often overlooked by the majority of people. Now that she was wearing clothes befitting that of nobility and the center of attention, it was not surprising that she shone brighter than anyone else.


    Since the moment his father started speaking, Prince Theron had a guess about what''s to happen next. Perhaps it was intuition, but even before Sir Galien sought out Esther, Prince Theron''s eyes already caught her standing somewhere near the balconies. The moment she stepped out of the crowd, he could finally sigh in relief��it wasn''t his imagination that she was here. He had finally found the person he wanted to see the most.


    While the entire banquet hall was buzzing with curiosity and anticipation, Prince Theron could hear nothing but his own heartbeats. He was looking at her in a daze, and he could not help but find his mouth feeling dry and thirsty. He had always known that Esther was prettier than mostdies he knew, but he had never expected that this woman would affect him like this. At this moment, he was both mesmerized and angry��mesmerized because she was the most attractive yet frustrating person he had ever known, and angry because men aside from him were given the chance to admire her lovely face.


    As soon as they reached the Ivanovs, Sir Galien bowed and went to the side, while Esther was left standing in front of the head table. She then greeted the royal family with a perfect curtsy.


    "This humble subject greets His Majesty the King, Her Majesty the Queen and His Highness the Crown Prince. May the dragon and phoenix protecting the Ivanovs continue to bless the Kingdom of Megaris."


    "You may rise, child." The King looked at the young woman with a kind gaze as he was thankful towards her for saving the two most important people in his life, his wife and his son. "From now on, I grant you the title of a baroness."


    King Esteban then gestured for one of the dukes standing near the head table to approach. It was his aide, the trusted advisor of the King, who pulled open a scroll handed by a pce official.


    The King''s advisor read the contents of the scroll. "As per His Majesty''s royal decree, Miss Esther is granted the surname of ''Burton'' and thend title to Sirgiles and Cortane, two of the newly discovered inds in the eastern territory that was managed by the royal family, which from now on will be part of the Burton Barony. She will be awarded three chests of gold, a manor in the southeastern district of ckhelm, along with ten servants to take care of her residence in the capital."


    The King''s advisor carried the scroll towards Esther, who then fell to her knees as she received the King''s decree along with the King''s royal stamp.


    She said in a humble tone, "Baroness Esther Burton is honored to receive the decree of His Majesty the King."


    Esther epted the scroll, and after she stood up, she again bowed before the smiling King and Queen. King Esteban and Queen Theodora both held warm gazes as they received the bow from the Ivanov Family''s benefactor.


    The King smiled. "On behalf of this kingdom and the royal family, I am thankful to you for saving the lives of the Queen and the Crown Prince of Megaris. The Ivanovs would like to reward you for the bravery and kindness you have shown us. From this moment onward, you are no longer amoner but a nobledy with a title of her own. Regardless if you wish to purely manage your territory or if you want to hold a position and work as an official of the pce, you can live your life the way you want. In future, if you have any difficulty, you cane to me or my wife and everything will be taken care of. Remember, you are a friend of the Ivanovs."


    Esther could not help but respond in kind to the older man''s sincere gratitude. As the ruler of a powerful kingdom, it was truly difficult for him to announce that someone was a friend of the royal family. The fact that he disregarded whatever consequences that would bring only proved how much King Esteban valued Queen Theodora and Prince Theron.


    "Let us continue the festivities!" The Kingughed as he gestured for the orchestra to resume the music. He then offered his hand to Queen Theodora, who happily epted it as she too rose to her feet and went to the middle of the ballroom to begin the first dance of the ball.


    After the King and Queen made their way to the dance floor, other nobles also started pairing up to dance. Many of the bachelors were having a great time because of the unusually high number of beauties in attendance; however, to their great dismay, the majority of them were turned down on the spot by the proud young maidens who were eyeing a particr brown-haired young man quietly sitting at the head table of the banquet.


    However, the one feeling the biggest pressure at that moment was not Prince Theron, but in fact the newly titled Baroness Burton. The dance was a great opportunity for the men to approach Esther who they had been eyeing since she appeared.


    "Baroness Burton, I am Oliver Bane, the second son of Count Bane from Lustor," one young noble introduced himself with a smile. "May I have the honor of having a dance with you?"


    Esther didn''t wish to dance with anyone, but rejecting a nobleman straight to his face would surely be disrespectful towards the person, which would likely affect her reputation now she was the center of attention. If she were to fail to handle this well, it would bring her future troubles with the people of high society. She didn''t want to stand out as much as possible.


    asionally missing content, please report errors in time.

 Chapter 366 Dancing With The Prince

    As if to prevent her from epting the first invite, another man also offered the same. "I am Young Marquis Remus Kreedy. I believe your barony would mean you will work as a vassal for my father, who is the territory lord of the eastern territories. Would Baroness Burton like to be my dance partner so we can talk more about our noble houses'' future alliance?"


    While a number of people were interested in her as a woman, more were eyeing the fact that the young woman was publicly acknowledged by the royal family.


    ''If thisdy puts in a good word for me, my future sess will be guaranteed!'' they could not help but think.


    Seeing a couple more men approaching her, Esther didn''t know what to do. They had surrounded her, one trying to outtalk and outperform the other, boasting about their family pedigrees and fighting prowess. Some even told Esther that they wanted to ask for advice and spar after hearing that she''s good with a sword, and they began to schedule meeting with her in the next few days without even listening to her consent.


    Esther found herself unable to pull away from their circle. When she tried to say she was thirsty and excuse herself, three young men jumped in and offered her three different drinks. When she said she was feeling exhausted, a different set of people offered to apany her to the lounge in one of the side halls. They refused to leave her alone. Just then, she heard movement and the group of men stepped aside. Esther saw Prince Theroning towards her.


    ''Things are getting worse!'' Seeing his cold handsome face, she felt her palms turn sweaty as her smile stiffened nervously. ''I should have left as soon as I received the royal decree!''


    After that night, Esther did her best to not recall what happened. However, just the sight of the Crown Prince was enough to trigger a strange mix of feelings inside her chest��recalling how he promised to punish her, there was fear, worry, and even��anticipation. That was why aside from the inevitable chance meetings whenever she apanied the Queen, she tried her best to avoid Prince Theron�� but now, there was no way she could escape this situation.


    Prince Theron stopped in front of her, and like a gentleman, offered her his hand in a courteous gesture. She had no choice but to put her gloved hand on his palm, and then Prince Theron kissed the back of her hand to show the utmost respect for the youngdy. "You look wonderful tonight, Lady Esther."


    "I do not deserve the Crown Prince''s kind praise."


    Esther curtsied to greet him and stood with her gaze lowered as it was not right to look straight into the Crown Prince''s eyes. She was about to retract her hand, but she realized that his grip tightened around hers.


    "Can I have the privilege of dancing with my saviour?" Prince Theron asked, but since he was already pulling her away from the group of nobles, he was in fact not giving her a chance to reject. Not like she would ever dare to reject and disrespect the Crown Prince under the public gaze.


    "I would be extremely honoured, Your Highness," she responded with a sweet smile.


    The Crown Prince and Esther went towards the middle of the ballroom just as thest musical piece ended, and they started dancing as soon as the next music was yed. All the youngdies who were saving themselves their first dance with the Crown Prince and rejected other young men felt extremely envious of her.


    The first daughter of the Hart Marquisdom, the niece of Duke Candace, the youngdy of Count Brayden''s household, the youngest sister of themander of the Royal Knights, the thirddy of the House of Rulf��


    In particr, these young women were the cream of the crop, famous for their beauty and excellence in various arts while having a background of the upper nobility, their families loyally serving the Kingdom of Megaris since its foundation. They were the candidates for the Crown Prince''s future royal harem. From birth, these young nobledies were educated by their parents that they were each other''s greatest rivals, as only one of them would be the next Queen of Megaris.


    However, the moment Prince Theron pulled Esther to be his partner in the first dance, their intuition told them that a newpetitor had appeared. Among all thesedies, one particr young woman was gritting her teeth so hard, she had to cover her beautiful face with a fan to hide her hideous expression. Envy and hate could be seen spewing from her pretty blue eyes.


    "Mother! That little b*tch needs to get her lesson. How dare she seduce the Crown Prince?!"


    Words unbing ady could be heard behind her silver fan. With dark hair flowing down in soft curls and eyes as blue as the summer sky, the youngdy wearing a silver gown reminiscent of an elegant swan had a beauty that could be said to rival Esther''s. The rumoured most beautiful pearl of Megaris, she was no other than Lady risa Walter, the only granddaughter of Duke Walter, the trusted advisor of King Esteban.


    "risa, my dear, calm down," the middle-ageddy standing next to her rebuked. "She is just a passerby with no family and origin. Baroness? How can a newly appointed baronypete with our ducal house? She is only a noble in name, but she is nothing but a lowbornmoner. From what I heard from your grandfather, before bing the Queen''s servant, she''s nothing but a forest scavenger. You don''t have to feel anything towards such a barbaric girl. The ce next to the Crown Prince belongs only to you."


    risa''s sky blue eyes remained fixed on the bodies of the Crown Prince and Esther while they were moving around the ballroom along with the music.


    asionally missing content, please report errors in time.

 Chapter 367 Rest Of The Punishment

    There were other pairs dancing around them, but everyone was overshadowed by the picturesque pair at the centre of the dancefloor.


    It was a beautiful scene straight out of a romance book. Not only was the young prince incredibly charming, but also his partner was among the fairestdies in the banquet. Their appearances were a delight to the eyes, and it was noticeable that those two''s graceful dancing forms were perfect, as if they had practised those steps together countless times before.


    ''I should be the one dancing with His Highness, not you!'' risa shouted in her mind.


    risa''s mother had repeatedly said that Esther lived in a forest and was nothing more than a hunter, but seeing the young baroness firsthand, risa could not believe this fact. The way Esther carried herself and the way she was dancing along with the Crown Prince as if she had been educated to dance from young, one could see she was raised in a noble background. She must have been taught etiquette and other skills like any other proud daughter from a noble household.


    That was why risa had doubts. Her grandfather was a duke, and he was the right-hand man of the King. In terms of authority, it could be said that he was among the most powerful men in Megaris, second only to the royal family. Informationing from Duke Walter could not be wrong. Since he told her mother that Esther was amoner, then this piece of intelligence must have been verified.


    ''Did she learn all this aftering to the pce? No, I do not believe so. It is easy to see if one is pretending to be of noble birth. Besides, they say she''s skilled with a sword. The art of swordsmanship is something you need to master for years. What if she''s a daughter from a fallen noble family? Perhaps her family was stripped off of its title before her generation, and she''s scheming to get her family''s honour back.''


    The youngdy of the Walter family was convinced of her deduction, and her eyes that were already burning with hate and envy now included disgust in them.


    ''If so, it seems like what I heard about the rebel''s assassination of Queen Theodora must be true. She pretends to be a saint, but she''s exploiting the kindness of the royal family. This girl has already started her moves the moment she got the opportunity to get into the good side of the Queen so everything would be easy for her. What an ambitious vixen!''


    She looked at her mother. "Mother, Her Majesty often invites the wives of the officials to afternoon tea parties, doesn''t she?"


    Her mother raised a perfectly plucked brow. "Indeed. The Queen hosts a tea party about once or twice a month. During springtime, she loves to show off her gardens and her greenhouse, so she throws parties on a weekly basis so that people cane to admire them. Do you have anything in mind, dear?"


    "Why don''t you bring me along when you see the Queen? If she sees me often, it will help to win her favour."


    "My dear, as you say," her mother agreed with a satisfied smile.


    Despite being under the jealous gazes from the crowd, Prince Theron and Esther found themselves disregarding the attention, immersed in their own world. Her gloved hand was held in his warm hand, while the other one was resting at his shoulder. On the other hand, the Crown Prince held her gently at the waist as he made her move along with him with ease.


    All along, his dark eyes never left her pretty face and she did her best to not look at him straight, fearing her own body''s response to the hypnotic powers of his gaze. As their bodies smoothly glided over the dance floor, she tried to keep her eye pinned on the gold royal crest stitched on the cor of his ck outer coat.


    Being this close to him reminded her of the intimacy they shared that night inside his bedchambers. A lovely pink blush could be seen spreading on her cheeks.


    "Lady Esther," he called for her, which made her look up at him.


    "Yes, Your Highness?"


    "Why didn''t you show up after that night? Do you no longer worry about my health?" he asked, peering straight into her caramel-colored eyes.


    "Your Highness," she started in a patronizing tone, "You arepletely fine so there is no need��"


    "How do you know I ampletely fine?" he interrupted her.


    "The royal physicians said so��"


    "So since they said that my body is fine, you chose to believe them without checking on me with your own eyes?"


    Feeling nervous under his gaze, she didn''t know how to answer.


    "I waited for you every night," he said, his gaze softening. His tone was not teasing, but sincere and vulnerable, as if he''s disregarding his pride to show her how much he longed for her for an entire week, and that she had been cruel to him for not showing up.


    Esther found her heart racing, and she let out a shaky breath. She didn''t know how to respond, as she didn''t understand her own reaction to what Prince Theron admitted.


    He moved his face closer to hers and whispered in her ear, "Are you trying to avoid the remaining punishment, Lady Esther?"


    That soft lingering whisper, his seductive voice, the way his lips lightly brushed her ears, they gave her goosebumps and she nearly missed her step in the dance. She felt like her breath was stuck in her chest; thankfully, Prince Theron guessed her reaction and timely pulled her body closer to him. She heard him continue speaking, "When are you nning to get the rest of your punishment?"


    With a spin just in time with the music, the Crown Prince moved back and appreciatively studied her flushed face. "I am waiting for the answer, mydy."


    "I-I��Apologies, Your Highness," she mumbled under her shaky breath.

 Chapter 368 Angry Baroness

    "Tonight, I will wait for you once more. If you won''t show up, I would have to barge inside your bedchamber," he said, sounding polite but there was a clear warning underneath his smile. "Since you are now a baroness, you will be treated as a guest and be ced in the side pce. It will be easy for me toe to you."


    Esther frowned inside and lowered her gaze. ''Is he taking advantage of his position? How dare he do this to me when I saved him? This ungrateful weak human!'' She sighed at her helplessness. ''But why am I even letting him control me like this? Why can''t I say no to him? I do not understand myself as well��''


    The two of them remained quiet for the rest of the dance. Just as they bowed towards each other at the end of the music, someone approached them. It was a pretty youngdy Esther didn''t know, but it was someone Prince Theron recognized since they belonged to the same generation. It was risa Walter, a rtive of one of the dukes working under his father.


    "Your Highness," she curtsied with a sweet smile, "may I have the privilege of dancing with you?"


    In other kingdoms, people would have frowned upon ady asking for a man on her own initiative, but in the more liberal Kingdom of Megaris, there was no such distinction between genders. It merely caused Prince Theron to be surprised, but he was not the kind of man to disrespect ady by saying a straightforward ''no'' under the gaze of the public.


    He merely looked at Esther as they parted from each other. "I believe Lady Esther won''t forget what I said."


    Esther nodded and stepped away from them to join the rest of the crowd. She took that chance to go towards one of the farthest tables with drinks, as only after dancing with the Crown Prince did she realize how parched her throat was. Soon, the next piece of music was yed, and luckily, she managed to sessfully avoid the young men who seemed intent on asking her to be their dance partner.


    A middle-ageddy approached Esther and stood next to her while looking at Prince Theron and risa.


    "They look good together, don''t they?" Esther heard thedy say.


    Esther followed the gaze of the woman and nodded. One was d in clothes as ck as the night sky, while the other looked like gentle silver moonlight. Both of their appearances were peerless, and it seemed like while dancing, they were casually conversing with each other. The Crown Prince must have said something funny because a beautiful smile graced the face of the blushing youngdy.


    "My daughter is the next Queen of Megaris," the middle-ageddy continued, causing Esther to look at her with a questioning gaze., "I am sure Lady Esther knows her ce."


    When Esther did not offer any form of response, the middle-ageddy smiled. "I believe you are a smart woman. You understand how important their union will be to the kingdom. After spending enough time in the pce, you must know how things work among the royalty and the nobility. That is why you should not get your hopes up. Simply because the King rewarded you for what you did, it doesn''t make you one of us. A baron is the lowest ss of nobility, still no different from amoner; you''re just a bit luckier. If you wish to continue enjoying the benefits of being adored by the royal family, you better support my daughter and that will secure your ce here. After all, my daughter will be the next Queen of Megaris. If you really want to remain in the pce, perhaps we can reserve a spot to make you one of herdies-in-waiting?"


    Esther offered her mocking smirk. "Your daughter seems to have a bright future, Lady��?"


    "Aurora Walter," the woman responded, emphasizing that she belonged to the high nobility. "I am the madame of the Duchal House of Walter."


    "Oh, are you the Duchess of Walter?"


    "No, I am the wife of thete first son of the Duke��"


    "Then Lady Aurora, do address me as Baroness Burton, as I am neither your acquaintance nor am I a vassal beneath your family. I am reminding you that I am a noble with a title and a rank bestowed by His Majesty, unlike you who married into the Duke''s family." Esther''s gaze was cold and her tone was firm. "Second, I have no interest in who is the next Queen so there is no meaning in what you are warning me about. If your daughter is that capable, then you should not worry about the otherdies here, including me."


    Her response angered the other woman. "You��"


    "Excuse me," Esther said as she turned away from the annoying woman. She left without giving a chance to the otherdy to say anything. Before she stepped out of the banquet hall, she cast ast nce at Prince Theron who was busy attending to thedy dancing with him. She could see him talking to her and they looked inplete harmony.


    Esther departed without giving any attention to those who were trying to approach her. The more she walked, the faster her steps were. She was somewhat angry, but she did not know why.


    ''Why am I angry? Why?!'' Her thoughts were a mess. ''What that woman said does not even matter to me. Why am I letting myself be affected like this? But how dare she tell me to know my ce?! It is she who doesn''t know hers! Does she even know who I am? I can make her and her daughter serve me and even that Duke of Walter who they''re leaning on won''t dare say no to me. Pathetic humans!''


    Esther left the hall through the main entrance and the guards present outside greeted her politely, knowing she was no longer an ordinary servant now but a nobledy favoured by the royal family.

 Chapter 369 Theron Ivanov, What Am I Supposed To Do With You?

    "Baroness, do you need any assistance?" one of the royal guards asked.


    She shook her head. "Thank you. I am just heading back to the Queen''s residence."


    "Let me arrange a carriage for you," said the guard. "We cannot let a nobledy walk on her own in the middle of the night."


    Esther nodded and soon he brought a carriage for her. Esther climbed inside it and left after thanking the thoughtful guard. On the way back to the Queen''s residence, Esther''s gazended on the evening view of the pceke. Under the night sky, its crystalline waters looked peaceful, and she needed fresh air to calm her anger.


    "Stop the carriage," she instructed the coachman.


    The coachman did as he was instructed and stopped the carriage by theke side. Esther stepped out as she felt suffocated with what that brazendy said to her. Her insinuating words continued to pester her mind, even after she left the royal ball.


    "Baroness, I will wait for you here to return from your walk," the coachman said politely.


    "No. You can leave. I will walk the rest of the way," she told the coachman who was hesitant to leave her alone, but since Esther was determined, he had to obey her order and leave.


    This part of the pce was so peaceful and quiet, only the sounds of hooves against the ground from the leaving horse-drawn carriage could be heard. After a while, even that sound was gone. Esther walked along theke until she reached the wooden bridge connecting thekeside to the gazebo in the middle of theke.


    Her footsteps were slow but steady as she leisurely strolled along the bridge. Upon reaching the gazebo, she stood silently while looking at the inky ck water in front of her. The reflection of the night sky could be seen��a nket of darkness illuminated by an elegant crescent moon and millions of twinkling stars. The slightly chilly evening breeze and the beautiful reflection of the night sky on theke made her feel somehow better.


    ------


    After having one dance with the rtive of his father''s advisor, Prince Theron excused himself from having another dance with her. His eyes sought for a certain someone who he saw standing near the table holding drinks and refreshments, but she was no longer there now. He politely rejected the dance invitations from others, using his health as an excuse, and no one insisted knowing the Crown Prince has only recovered recently and his body must be feeling tired.


    Prince Theron returned to his ce at the head table and gestured for his guardian knight toe closer.


    "Yes, Your Highness?" Sir Galien said.


    In a low voice, Prince Theron asked, "Where is Lady Esther?"


    "Your Highness, I have seen Lady Esther leave the banquet hall a while ago," the knight replied.


    ''Our conversation is not finished. How dare she leave like this?'' he thought. He realized something as he recalled their earlier exchange. "Seems like I have scared her again."


    Getting out of his thoughts, Prince Theron asked, "Where do you think she went? Perhaps the maze garden? Is she in one of the pavilions outside?"


    Sir Galien pulled one of the servants to inquire about something. Afterwards, the knight returned to the prince''s side.


    "The Baroness left on a carriage. Most probably, she went back to Her Majesty''s residence," the knight replied. "Do you want me to fetch her back?"


    "No need." The Crown Prince stood up.


    "Your Highness, are you leaving already?" the knight asked in surprise. "The King and Queen have both left. If you also leave��"


    "This much is enough for the guests'' entertainment," he said. In the first ce, he was not even a bit interested in such social events. He left the banquet hall through one of the back doors, avoiding the gaze of the crowd.


    Prince Theron got a servant to fetch him his horse and rode towards the Queen''s pce without his escort knights. For some strange reason, while passing by theke on the way to his mother''s residence, Prince Theron felt an urge to stop and stay by thekeside. He lowered the speed of his galloping horse to a slow trot, and looked at the gazebo in the middle of theke.


    He found a dainty silhouette standing inside.


    ''Could it be��?''


    Unknown to him, he had turned his horse towards the wooden bridge and he climbed off his ride in a daze. He was too far to be sure, and the only source of light in the darkness came from the moon, but his intuition was telling him that the person in the gazebo was the one he was looking for.


    Leaving the horse at the edge of theke, he slowly made his way towards the gazebo.


    ''Esther��''


    The lovely youngdy was standing with her back towards him, looking at theke infortable silence. Under the soft moonlight, her already exquisite appearance seemed to glow, causing the young prince to fall into a daze. Stray tendrils of her honey blond hair moved along with the passing breeze.


    She looked like a serene painting, Prince Theron felt like he could stare at her for hours and be perfectly content to simply watch her. He stood silently at the entrance of the gazebo, not willing to disturb the youngdy.


    Esther felt him approach, however, she continued to gaze at theke and pretended ignorance of his arrival. She knew who it was even without turning around to check. It wasn''t merely intuition to her��her entire body, no, perhaps it was her soul that was strongly reacting to his presence.


    ''Yes, that must be it. Because I gave him a part of my soul��''


    Otherwise, she could not exin why she was acting like this towards a weak human. She closed her eyes as she tried to steady her heart.


    ''Theron Ivanov, what am I supposed to do with you?''

 Chapter 370 You Should Not Do This, My Lady

    The longer Prince Theron watched her, the more he felt something was unusual in the air. It was as if even without her speaking, he could feel there was something wrong with her mood. He finally decided to go closer to her and make his presence known, unaware that the youngdy had long been aware of his arrival.


    Esther could feel himing closer behind her, and with each step, she felt the heart that she was trying to calm turned chaotic again.


    She closed her eyes for a moment. ''Why? Why am I like this?!''


    Standing behind her, the Crown Prince leaned down to ce his face above her shoulder, his chest pressed against her back, with his hands resting next to hers on the railing of the gazebo. His masculine scent and the warmth of his body immediately enveloped her. Esther gulped but remained frozen in her ce as she was being trapped by the Crown Prince.


    "May I know what upset you, mydy?" Prince Theron asked in a low voice.


    "I am not upset, merelyke viewing," she replied, "but may I know why Prince Theron has left the banquet, leaving his future queen unattended?"


    ''Future queen? Who?'' Prince Theron smiled as he could sense the jealousy from her words. It made him recall what happened after their dance. Near the table holding the refreshments, Prince Theron had seen Esther chatting with an older nobledy. Now that he thought back, she seemed to be from the Walter family, the mother of thedy he was dancing with. Seeing how Esther left afterwards, he could guess that some ugly words must have been exchanged to upset her.


    "Are we jealous here?" Prince Theron asked.


    "Why would I be? Your Highness and I are mere acquaintances. Your private matters have no rtion to me. You should pay more attention to them instead of looking for a servant," she said, her tone sarcastic, as it appeared she was truly hurt.


    "To me, that servant is more important than anyone else," he said.


    Esther''s temper red. He did not deny her im of calling herself a servant though she was now a baroness. It angered her that he still considered her a lowly servant, just like that woman she met during the banquet. He was looking down at her. Perhaps, he found her purely for entertainment?


    She turned to face him to show her anger, but the moment she turned, only then did she recall that he was standing very close to her. His face was only about an inch away from hers that she swallowed her words. "I��." Her throat felt dry and she nervously licked her lips.


    Prince Theron''s gaze moved across her face, lingering mostly on her caramel-coloured eyes and moist lips which she had just licked.


    "Mydy, you should never do this," he said, looking into her eyes.


    "W-What did I do��?"


    Prince Theron mimicked her action and licked his own lips.


    Her gaze stuck on his moist lips. To her eyes, they looked more alluring, and she wanted to lean closer. ''What is this man doing to me?'' she cried inwardly as she gulped.


    "You should not lick your lips recklessly in front of me, mydy," he said and covered that inch distance between both of their faces. His lips briefly touched hers and he warned in a low tone, "Or else, this would be the result every time."


    His lips brushed hers before he swooped in to capture them. His hot breath mingled with hers as he kissed her deeply, causing her to faintly swoon as if energy suddenly left her legs. Prince Theron caught the back of her head and her small waist, not allowing her to pull away from him. He ravaged her mouth with raw desire, and as she responded with a sultry moan, he felt himself losing himself, hungering for more.


    When they parted away, Prince Theron let out a low chuckle as he appreciated her wet and plump lips. "This doesn''t count as a punishment; that''s a separate matter. This kiss is simply because I wanted to show Lady Esther how delectable she looks tonight."


    Esther was brought back to her senses by his teasing, and she felt her entire face go hot in embarrassment. Her heart was beating crazily inside her chest, as if it wanted to jump out. Her gloved hands were on thepels of his clothes, and she realized that during the entire duration of their kiss, she was pulling him close instead of pushing him away. She didn''t know how exactly she should react, aside from weakly cing her hands on his chest. Whenever he approached her, she simply could not resist him��but she had no wish to admit it out loud. Not to him or to anyone, not even to herself.


    Esther took in a calming breath as sheposed herself. "Your Highness, it won''t be good if someone sees you with me at this hour and in such a situation." Her tone was gentle yet firm, as if his words didn''t make any difference to her.


    "Instead of worrying about me, shouldn''t you be worried about the rest of your punishment, mydy? Or should I think this is your attempt of sending me away to get away from your much-deserved punishment? Are you scared already?"


    "I��am not scared," she replied, trying to keep herself calm. The memory of herst punishment in his bed-chamber was still fresh in her mind, and even now, it did not fail to give her goosebumps. She did not even want to begin imagining what the next one would be like.


    "Still pretending to be obstinately brave, huh? We will see. I await your return to my chamber to get the rest of your punishment."


    She no longer wished to talk about it and moved away from the handsome man standing in close proximity to her. "Your Highness...I need to go back to my quarters. It''ste."

 Chapter 371 I Will Change My Destiny

    Prince Theron did not stop her as he stayed back in the gazebo. He knew she needed some space. Since she was trying to run away from him, he would let her go. He didn''t wish to force his feelings on her and he was content with the fact she was notpletely pushing him away.


    Prince Theron watched her retreating back with a sombre mood. He wanted to apany her like a gentleman, but if it was found out that he escorted her back to the Queen''s residence, there would have been gossip about Esther. Being the Crown Prince, it would not affect his image much, but things would be terrible for her, a new member of the nobility. People''s eyes were already on her due to the King''s announcement, and he did not want her to be further subjected to harsh pce gossip.


    ------


    Esther walked at a pace faster than a stroll, almost half-running on the way back to the Queen''s residence which was not far from theke. Just as she reached the entrance of the lobby, her fellow servants bowed to her with smiles and sparkles in their eyes. Many of them were her friends, and though there was envy, most of them were proud of the fact that amoner like them earned a title of her own and rose into the aristocracy. It had been hours since King Esteban made his announcement, and by now, the news had spread all throughout the royal pce. Everyone knew she was no longer amoner and servant of the Queen, but a titled noble, a baroness. By tomorrow, this news would have spread around the capital and the nearby cities.


    "Wee back, Baroness Esther," one of the servants approached her just as she was heading towards her room.


    Esther epted her greetings and heard her continue, "Baroness, the Queen had already made a different arrangement for your stay, as you are now her guest, not her servant.. Everything that belongs to you has been shifted to the guest room. Let me lead your way."


    "Wait, I need to check something in my room," Esther said and went to her room in the servant quarters. She went towards the window where her special nt was kept but servants could not see it as she had hidden it with a magic spell. She brought the pot with her and left the room to go towards her new lodgings with the servant.


    Reaching the guest room, she excused the servant and put that nt in the window of that room. She observed the nt nkly as she remembered what Prince Theron had done with her. She could not believe she did not even think of resisting. She was getting affected in ways she could not understand, pulling her to him, and it appears that there was no way she could resist it.


    In the first ce, did she truly want to resist him?


    "Could it be that my destiny has changed, and so did my destined one?" she thought in a daze before staring at the flower mark on her wrist. "If so, this flower mark should have glowed." There was no change in the flower mark on her hand. She checked it again and again. "Why is it not glowing even though my heart is beating and longing for Prince Theron? If he is not my destined one then why��why am I like this with him? Is it because I have shared my soul with him? But even before I gave him a piece of my soul, he could already affect me. I was always helpless in front of him even though he is just a human. It''s getting stronger with each passing day. Why? Are there other factors I am not seeing? Sharing a part of my soul should have no effect on my heart��"


    She lightly traced her lips, remembering how perfect his lips felt on hers, and proceeded to bury her face in her hands. She was terribly confused. "If Prince Theron is not my destined one, then I can''t be with him��I can''t��" She remained silent for quite some time, trying to organize the mess in her head, and then moved her face up from her palms and looked at the flower in the window.


    "You only glowed for him�� only with him! Why? Why are you not glowing now? He can''t be with me. He left me alone after giving you to me as his farewell gift. Destiny? Fate? Is this not fate? Why don''t you glow for Prince Theron when my heart clearly beats for him? Can''t you recognise that I have left my past behind and I have forgotten the one who gave you to me? I no longer love him. I have forgotten him! So why are you not glowing?!"


    ? Esther was emotional as well as angry. Her eyes which were normally the colour of melted caramel were hard and cold, yet the sound that left her mouth was a broken and helplessugh.


    "He left you with me to help me find my soulmate but why did you have to choose him for me? You favour your previous owner who has been nothing but cruel to me. He left after making me fall for him. But now I don''t want to ept the destiny you have written for me." Esther clenched her fists as she red at the Ashrin flower.


    "I won''t ept it. I will change it. I will decide my own destiny!"


    After letting out a shaky breath, Esthery in her bed and stared at the ceiling as she mumbled, "I will change my destiny��"


    Her body felt suddenly exhausted. She closed her eyes and put an arm over her face, but all she could think about was Prince Theron. His handsome face, those mischievous smirks, his dark eyes that refused to look away��


    ''If I truly stray away from the future that destinyid out for me��if I try to pursue what I feel for Prince Theron, will it be fine? Can I think of him like this? What if my true identity��? If the time for me to leavees, won''t it break Prince Theron''s heart? And if I stay��.I don''t age. The humans will likely not notice, but what if I were to stay five more years? Ten more years? Oh, what am I to do? Am I being greedy?"


    asionally missing content, please report errors in time.

 Chapter 372 Reminiscing The Memories From The Last Time

    When Esther woke up the next day, it was pretty early in the morning, with the sun yet to rise from the horizon. She realized that she was still wearing her gown fromst night''s banquet and moved to clean herself. Afterwards, she turned to check the dresser to look for her uniform, ready to start the day as the Queen''s servant once more. However, to her confusion, there were only her normal dresses neatly folded inside.


    ''Where are my work clothes?''


    She rang the bell on the bedside table and a servant entered her room. "Good Morning, Baroness."


    "Good morning," she replied. "It seems like my work clothes are missing."


    "Lady Tyra asked me to pass the message that now the Baroness��"


    "You can just call me by my name," she interrupted.


    The servant smiled but shook her head. "How dare amoner like me address you by anything aside from your title, mydy? Lady Tyra would be furious."


    "We are still friends, regardless," Esther said. "I insist. You should tell the other girls as well."


    "All right��Lady Esther," the servant let out a helplessugh. "Oh, as I was saying, Lady Tyra wants me to let you know you do not have to serve the Queen anymore," the servant informed her.


    Though Esther had already expected it, hearing those words made her feel empty, as she had nothing left to do now. It had been several months since she entered the pce as a personal servant of the Queen, and she had long gotten used to her duties by now.


    "Her Majesty wishes you to apany her for a stroll after her morning meal with the King," the servant informed again. "For your meal, would Lady Esther want me to bring them to you here in the guestroom or would you like to dine in the hall?"


    "I will eat in this room."


    Upon hearing her reply, the servant bowed and left.


    Esther sighed as she kind of missed eating together with the other servants in the kitchen, but she knew she was now a guest of the Queen and it would be rude for her to demand a different treatment. After eating breakfast, she wore one of her better dresses among those she owned and was informed by another servant that Queen Theodora had already returned to the Queen''s chamber.


    "Good morning, Your Majesty," she greeted.


    "Esther," the Queen said merrily. There was a wide smile on her lips seeing the young blonddy wearing one of the dresses she gifted her before. "I hope you don''t mind apanying me for a stroll." There was a teasing smile on her face.


    Esther smiled as she knew the Queen was teasing her and replied with a gentle bow as if showing she was obliged to listen to whatever the Queen wished from her. "Not at all, Your Majesty."


    Queen Theodora looked at herdies-in-waiting, "I would like to visit theke."


    One of thedies nodded and left to arrange for their ride.


    As they walked along the hallway towards the lobby of the residence, the Queen said amiably, "Esther, now you are a baroness. How do you feel? Do you like it? You have your own mansion in the capital and your ownnd in the eastern territory."


    "I am overwhelmed. Thank you for the generosity, Your Majesty."


    "Ah, don''t mention it. What you did is far greater than what we could do for you," the Queen said. "Your residence is ready with the ten servants appointed to serve you. You can go there whenever you wish to. There is also a carriage and a coachman given to you so you can go anywhere whenever and wherever you want. As for the crest of the House of Burton, you may make one yourself or hire one of the royal painters to design one for you, and then you only need to apply it to the Ministry of Internal Affairs for it to be officially recognized by the kingdom. "


    "Thank you, Your Majesty." She could only thank her for the olderdy''s concern.


    The Queen was happy to inform Esther of anything she should be aware of as a noble, but at the same time, her smile held a hint of sadness at the thought of them parting. "I want to keep you with me all the time, but I guess it will be too selfish of me to bind you to my side when you can live a good life of independence and enjoy freedom outside of the pce."


    "I too wish to be around you, Your Majesty. I would like to keep serving you as long as I am here in this kingdom," Esther told her with a sweet smile.


    Her words delighted the Queen. "Do you mean it?"


    "Yes, of course, Your Majesty," she replied. "Did I not promise to stay by your side for years?"


    The Queen sighed. "Oh, sweet child. You are still young, and you shouldn''t waste your good years serving by my side. It is my fervent wish to let you have your freedom and live your life freely, that is why when my husband asked about how to reward you, we thought of raising your status as a noble. We want you to live a good life, a life of your own choosing. Though you appear to have adapted well, being tied here in the pce doing small chores when you have been living unconstrained before must have been hard for you."


    "No, Your Majesty. In fact, I am thankful and honoured to be given the chance of being by your side," Esther exined. After all, Esther would not have followed Queen Esther from the start if she had no good feelings towards the kind Queen.


    The sincerity in her words widened the smile on the Queen''s lips. "Good to know it. Then I will make sure you will be appointed to a task that is suitable for your position as a nobledy. I will have Tyra inform you once we see which positions are avable. Until then, I wish for you to visit your new home. Explore this city and go anywhere you want. You could also head to the eastern territory and develop yournd. From what I heard, the isles given to you are filled with resources."


    "Thank you, Your Majesty."


    "Which reminds me,ter in the afternoon, I will be hosting a small tea party. Ladies from the ducal, marquisate and count houses of the kingdom areing to visit me. I wish you to be there as well, that way you will get to know the people around you. It''s good to have friends when you live in the pce, especially since you are a titled noble now."


    "I will be there, Your Majesty."


    The royal carriage of the Queen was waiting for them at the entrance of the Queen''s residence. Esther helped Queen Theodora get inside the carriage and then followed her inside.


    While talking about the view outside, the two reached theke in no time as theke was not far from the Queen''s residence. After stepping out of the carriage, the two women walked towards the bridge leading to the gazebo with the Queen''s servants following them from behind.


    "With winter almost ending, we can look forward to nicer weather in the uing days," the Queenmented.


    "During the peak of winter, there was not much snowfall in the capital," Esther added to it. "I expect that spring will be warmer too."


    Both continued idly chatting with each other, and soon, they reached the gazebo where someone was already present inside, staring at theke. The young man looked to be in deep thought; he even failed to realize someone else had entered the gazebo.


    The knight standing outside, Sir Galien, greeted the neers. "Good morning, Your Majesty the Queen. Good morning, Baroness."


    Prince Theron heard his knight''s greeting and turned to look at his mother and the pretty woman standing next to her. Esther was wearing a lovely light blue dress, the kind that nobledies wore, instead of her usual servant clothes. To his surprise, he realized that he couldn''t seem to judge whether he liked her more in a nobledy''s dress or a servant uniform�CEsther looked lovely either way, even in simple servant clothes. The sight of her never failed to cause a ripple in his heart.


    "Good morning, Mother," he greeted and he heard Esther also greet him, "Good morning, Your Highness."


    "Theron, may I know what my son is doing here early in the morning instead of tending to your work?" Queen Theodora asked.


    "I was reminiscing the memories from thest time I was here," he replied as his gaze passed towards Esther, who in turn had suspiciously kept her gaze pinned to the ground, avoiding his line of sight. Of course, she knew exactly what he was referring to.


    The Queen found her son''s vague response interesting. "May I know what there is to reminisce about that my son sidelined his work toe here?"


    Esther felt her heart beating faster with anxiety as she was worried that Prince Theron would say something inappropriate in front of the Queen.

 Chapter 373 Cant Wait To Have Her Around

    "Something that I would like to reminisce about again and again," Prince Theron replied, still keeping his words vague.


    "Seems like you don''t wish to tell me, huh?" Queen Theodora said with a raised brow.


    "I believe Mother understands me well," he replied with a small smile.


    "Fine." The Queen didn''t wish to force him so she offered, "Care to join us for the tea then?"


    "Of course, Mother," he said. The Queen gestured for her servants to prepare the small table on the side, and Prince Theron apanied his mother for morning tea. However, Esther didn''t dare sit with them and stood on one side.


    "Esther, what are you doing? Have a seat," the Queen instructed.


    "I am fine like this, Your Majesty," she replied.


    "But I am not, my dear. I have brought you here so I can have tea with a pretty baroness. Will you not listen to me?" she insisted.


    Esther could no longer refuse and sat on the empty chair around that round tea table beside the Queen. Prince Theron was sitting just opposite her. Her eyes met with his dark ones, and his eyes looked at her without any care whether or not the people around them noticed it. Esther immediately averted her sight and looked at the Queen.


    Servants served freshly brewed tea to them and Queen Theodora picked up her cup, smiling as she appreciated the sweet scent of the hot drink. "Esther, as you wished to remain working in the royal pce, your work doesn''t necessarily have to be by my side to wait on me. You are a smart and talented young woman. There are many opportunities in the other parts of the pce and the ministries that will probably suit your skills better. I will make arrangements for you to work which will suit your taste."


    Hearing his mother''s words, Prince Theron felt like the tea in his mouth had turned sweeter. This news was something to be happy about.


    ''So she will still stay here. I will get to see her often then,'' he thought and then smirked. ''Not like I would have left her alone if she decides to fully focus on being a territory lord. For a youngdy, it''s not good to travel around the kingdom on her own.''


    "Thank you, Your Majesty," Esther replied.


    "Till then, you can visit your residence in the capital and check the arrangements if they are up to your liking," the Queen suggested.


    "I will, Your Majesty, though I am sure Her Majesty has given me nothing short of the best."


    While these two were talking, Prince Theron was hatching some other ns in his mind that would make being around Esther convenient for him.


    "Mother, let me personally talk to Chancellor Flynn so he can make proper arrangements for Lady Esther," Prince Theron said.


    "Oh, you will? Very well," the Queen agreed. "That does make things easier. The Chancellor is a thoughtful man and he has a keen eye on talents. I am sure he can find a good position for Esther."


    Esther looked at the Crown Prince who was looking back at her with a seemingly innocent expression. She inwardly felt worried.


    As soon as he finished the tea, Prince Theron said, "Mother, I will have to leave now to attend to my duties. I wish both you and Lady Esther to have a great time ahead."


    The Queen approved and Prince Theron stood up. Before leaving, he bowed a little to his mother and gave a light courteous nod to Esther.


    When he reached his horse by thekeside, he instructed his knight, "Galien, ask Chancellor Flynn to see me in my study."


    "Yes, Your Highness," the knight said. He swore he noticed mischief in the eyes of his liege. He had served the Crown Prince for years, and it was rare to see him acting his age. It made him wonder what his Prince was nning this time.


    Chancellor Flynn came to visit Prince Theron in his study as per the message sent to him by Sir Galien.


    "Greetings, Your Highness. Sir Galien says you called for me?" The tall and gaunt-looking middle-aged man bowed to the Crown Prince. Although he wore luxurious clothes befitting a noble, he wasn''t particrly stylish, and it could be said he wore clothes more forfort rather than fashion. Although he looked like an ordinary schr, the Chancellor of Megaris was the head of the Marquisate of Flynn, and was in fact holding one of the highest and most influential positions within the royal pce, mostly focused on administrative work. However, most of the time, he simply looked like an overworked official due to the nature of his work.


    With a light nod, Prince Theron epted the greeting of the Chancellor and directly came to the point. "Chancellor Flynn, I wish to know if there is any administrative work that can be given to a young nobledy. She knows how to read and write, and is quite meticulous to details. However, since this will be her first time doing administrative work, she shouldn''t be put in a busy office and her tasks must be something that can be done with ease. My mother does not want her overwhelmed."


    "Your Highness must be referring to the new baroness?" Chancellor Flynn thought for a moment and replied, "There is one I can think of."


    "Good." The Crown Prince offered him an approving smile, telling him to proceed.


    "We need a new custodian for the royal library. The royal library is toorge, and it needs people to look after each section, but entering it needs either my approval or the approval of the royal family because it holds many important books and documents from all over the continent, so few officials could use it. The ancient history section of the royal library does not have confidential documents, and it''s not popr because it mostly has books about the history of the continent and some ancient literature books. I believe such work will be fitting for Baroness Burton."


    "Royal Library?" the Crown Prince mumbled under his breath as he thought, ''I visit the royal library often but that section of historical books��" A light sly smirk painted on his lips. ''Well, It won''t harm to go through those books once again.''


    The Chancellor looked at the young prince who was busy in his own world but didn''t dare disturb him. The Crown Prince came out of his sly nning and said, "Go to my mother and inform her about having this vacant position in the royal library."


    "Yes, Your Highness. Then I will excuse myself."


    The Chancellor left while Prince Theron leaned back in his chair as he tapped his fingers on the cushioned handrest. ''Can''t wait to have her around.''

 Chapter 374 The Queen Doting On Esther

    Starting early in the afternoon, carriages bearing crests from different houses of upper nobility arrived at the Queen''s residence. Nobledies respectfully entered the premises with delight and awe, and asmon acquaintances of each other, those who met by the entrance easily made shallow conversations as they were led by the servants towards the back garden. It was public knowledge that Queen Theodora was fond of flowers, and the Queen''s residence had multiple gardens, out of which she loved to stroll in the front garden while often using the back garden to arrange such tea parties.


    Queen Theodora was hosting her first tea party for the year, where thedies from noble families from the rank of a count and up were given an invitation. The Queen had arranged this get together much earlier, but due to the incident that happened with the Crown Prince, the tea party was postponed. Now that her son was finally fine and things in the royal pce had resumed to normal, the Queen no longer dyed hosting the tea party.


    Upon seeing familiar faces upon arrival, it could not be helped that the back garden was filled with chatter andughter.


    "Lady Ingrid!"


    "Bless my heart, is this not Lady Walter?"


    "What a fine day it is today, don''t you think?"


    "Indeed. I cannot wait to meet Her Majesty. It feels like it has been forever since shest hosted a tea party for us��"


    "But where is Her Majesty? There are only her servants around."


    "We came too early. Her Majesty should be arriving soon. I asked one of herdies-in-waiting just a while ago and��"


    All thedies in attendance were excited to see the Queen, especially those with daughters of marriageable age. After what happened in the banquet, many of the nobles started harbouring selfish motives towards the royal family, thus, they looked forward to meeting the Queen as she was the birth mother of Crown Prince Theron, who was of the proper age to get married and yet without a betrothed.


    Because of that, the number of guests who epted the invitation on short notice increased. Many of the madames also brought with them aspanions their female rtives who also have daughters that were of the same age as the Crown Prince.


    This incident caused many of the royal servants to feel shaken, as they had to continually add seats and parasols to the long table arranged in the back garden. Fortunately, Lady Tyra was there to hold the fort, and she made sure that all the guests were seated based on the status of the peerage, with the wives of the dukes nearest the head of the table.


    Soon, Queen Theodora arrived with herdies-in-waiting following her. Esther was walking a step behind her on her right side, which caused many of the eyes initially watching the Queen to turn towards the young woman.


    Among thosedies in attendance, someone was especially unhappy to see Esther next to the Queen. It was Aurora Walter, the middle-ageddy from the Walter family who has a daughter with the highest chance of bing the next Queen of Megaris. The presence of Esther next to the Queen pricked in her eyes.


    All the guests stood up and curtsied before the Queen. "Greetings, Your Majesty."


    epting the greetings with a light nod, Queen Theodora smiled pleasantly. "Good to see you all here, everyone. I hope you were not bored waiting for me." She sat on the chair At the head of the table.


    "Pleasure is ours, as Your Majesty spared her precious time for us," said the Duchess of Candace, who was one of thedies sitting nearest to the Queen.


    The Queen gestured to them all. "Everyone, have a seat."


    Esther stood on one side as usual but then the Queen looked at her. "Someone, bring a seat for Esther as well." She gestured to the ce next to hers.


    After a servant arranged for a new seat, Esther sat obediently, and for her to be on the receiving end of such benevolence from the Queen surprised the guests. Of course, they were aware that the young woman with honey blond hair was now a noble due to the King''s announcement. However, they got used to the fact that whenever they came to visit the Queen, this young woman was always serving them, and they subconsciously looked down on her. Now, she was even allowed to take the ce next to the Queen of this kingdom.


    The nobledies all threw subtle looks at each other, as a majority of them felt it ufortable that a mere servant was now ced on their level. This was especially the case for those who belong to the houses of dukes and marquises, as to have a lowly baroness be seated next to them made them feel they were being insulted.


    However, only those who were sensitive enough could feel the strangeness in the atmosphere. To the undiscerning eye, the tea party looked lively and splendid, with the guests all enjoying themselves.


    "Your Majesty, we have always known about your generous heart, and today, we got to see one more example of your benevolence," Lady Auroramented. Behind her sweet smile and words, there was a bitterness that she managed to hide with perfection.


    Queen Theodora only smiled, and one of the countesses named Lady Ingrid said, "True! Your Majesty sure has a big heart to reward your servant generously, and you even allow them to sit next to you."


    Esther was not bothered by what these women said but she didn''t wish to cause any inconvenience to Queen Theodora.


    The smile on Queen Theodora''s lips widened even more as if their words were a mere breeze to her ears. "Benevolence? Generosity? I am learning from my husband, the king of this kingdom. If you remember, Lady Ingrid, the father of your husband was a mere soldier, but in the past he saved my husband, not caring about his life. My husband showed generosity to him and made him a baron. With thebined military achievements of your father-inw and husband, the House of Bane rose from being a countryside barony to a county. Not just you, the Countess of Bane, we have more such examples here, don''t we? How can I not learn such good things from my husband?"


    Hearing the Queen''s seemingly nonchnt words, there was sudden silence among the guests.

 Chapter 375 Her Own Home

    Hearing the Queen''s seemingly nonchnt words, there was sudden silence among the guests. It was so quiet, even the rustling of the leaves from the trees seemed unusually loud.


    The Duchess of Candace let out a delicateugh and broke this silence. "Oh, that is true, Your Majesty. We should always keep doing good deeds. We should all try to learn from you and the King."


    "For the first time, Lady Esther is joining us for such a party. I believe our guests are pleased to see the dearest friend of the royal family here with us," said the Queen.


    "Of course, Your Majesty. Lady Esther saved you and Prince Theron so she deserves to be here," said onedy.


    As the guests resumed chatting with each other, the servants served tea and snacks on the table.


    "Is the Baroness going to continue serving Her Majesty as ady-in-waiting?"


    As Queen Theodora sipped the tea and enjoyed its aroma, she informed the curious guests, "Esther has been appointed as one of the custodians in the royal library."


    There were mixed reactions among thedies. Some were quite pleased that Esther would not be apanying the Queen anymore, though many were still worried as it was not something good to hear that Esther would remain working in the royal pce, meaning she would still be able to meet the Queen and the Crown Prince. However, they had no choice but to praise Esther in front of the Queen.


    "It''s really a good thing, Lady Esther," praised one of thedies who appeared to be the wife of a marquis.


    Esther could only smile and say a polite word of thanks, as she mostly focused on drinking tea instead of conversing. However, her smile caused the marchioness who praised her to stiffen. Even for a female, Esther''s beauty and elegance were hard to deny, and as one of the only twodies Prince Theron danced with in the royal ball, the guests of the Queen were worried that she would manage to seduce the prince and steal the position that they dreamed for the youngdies of their respective noble houses.


    "��though the reward is enough for her to spend her lifetimefortably in wealth, Esther doesn''t believe in sitting idly and enjoying the wealth. She prefers to be down to earth, which is what impresses me the most about her." The Queen could be heard talking to the duchesses. Her words were seemingly full of appreciation for the young baroness, but those who were sensitive knew they were directed towards thedies who did nothing but idly enjoy the wealth and reputation of their families, spending their days shopping for dresses and jewelry and gossiping around."


    Others could do nothing but agree to what their queen said. Then, the flow of conversation went towards the circumstances within each of their respective families, and many of them started talking about their sons. The firstborn sons were mostly being educated by the lords of their respective houses as their official sessor, while the otherpetent direct descendants had either trained to be a knight or joined the military of Megaris to rack up achievements and earn a title of their own. This caused many of the mothers to brag whileining how their talented sons foolishly neglected the betrothed chosen by their families for them.


    "Your Majesty, it has been some time since Prince Theron hase of age. I wonder, when are we going to see our Crown Princess?" one of thedies asked.


    "Soon. In fact, His Majesty and I were discussing it recently and we too think it''s time for him to get married," the Queen replied.


    This brought smiles to their faces as this was what they wished to hear.


    "When will the selection process start, Your Majesty?" another one asked.


    "I say you should keep your daughters ready," replied the Queen as she knew why they were asking it. "I believe my son will choose the most deservingdy."


    "Of course, Your Majesty. Just like his parents, we all believe Prince Theron has keen eyesight and will select the one most suitable to be his wife."


    A certain quiet youngdy was shaken by this news. Although Esther was d that she was finally no longer the center of attention and was being treated like she was invisible, she felt uneasy hearing that Prince Theron would be selecting a wife soon.


    ''Will he��?''


    Chapter 375 (04/04/22)


    After the tea party hosted by the Queen, Esther left to go to the manor which was rewarded to her by the King, which was situated in the southeastern district of ckhelm, near the the outskirts and away from the bustlingmercial areas of the city. Like the other nobledies leaving the Queen''s residence, she too rode her own carriage, although hers looked simpler than theirs, as it was yet to bear the crest of the House of Burton.


    On the way, Esther observed the crowd in the streets of the city. The capital of Megaris was truly lively and filled with vigorous energy, and not onlymoners, a lot of people who seemed to be nobles could be noticed walking about, visiting shops and boutiques along with their escorts. It could be seen that the city''s inhabitants were living well, especially when shepared it to the more idyllic cities and towns in the western territories.


    It was the same with pce life. Back when she was serving the Queen, she was often taken as apanion whenever Queen Theodora had to meet people or attend to her duties in the Vermillion Pce. Added to the fact that she had to work together with her fellow servants, Esther truly kind of missed her peaceful lifestyle back when she stayed on her own in the forest.


    That was why she looked forward to the residence that the King and Queen of Megaris awarded her. Although Queen Theodora tried her best to keep it as a surprise, knowing how thoughtful the Queen was, Esther guessed that the manor given to her was something chosen with her preference in mind.


    When her carriage reached the peaceful street where the manor was situated, Esther smiled in satisfaction. Her guess was right. Though many nobles would have probably shied away from using it due to its deste location, it was perfect for Esther. Soon, the carriage reached the gate and was greeted by an old gatekeeper. Upon hearing that Baroness Burton was riding the carriage, the old man bowed to greet his new master before letting the carriage enter.


    Past the walls surrounding the manor, there was arge piece ofnd with sparse greenery. Esther could already imagine herself designing theyout, thinking which trees to put and what kind of nts to purchase so that her residence would be filled with flowers and fruits once springes.


    It took her several minutes from the gate to be able to see the elegant white structure that was now her new home. Even from a distance, she could see that it was a beautiful quaint mansion.The carriage crossed a small bridge built over a stream just in front of the mansion. When the carriage stopped in front of the mansion, the servant tending to the garden outside immediately realized that the baroness had arrived. The gardener ran towards the mansion and started calling the attention of the other servants, and soon, a group of uniformed servants waited nervously outside the entrance of the mansion.


    The coachman arranged a stool for Esther to step down as one of the servants who seemed to be the butler assisted her.


    When Esther stepped out of the carriage, all the servants bowed towards her. Aside from the gardener, the coachman and the old butler, all the other servants by the entrance were female.


    "Wee, Baroness Burton."

 Chapter 376 Going To Meet Mother Of Future Heir Of The Kingdom

    "Wee, Baroness Burton."


    epting their greetings, Esther looked around her new residence. The mansion was built on a vast piece ofnd with greenery everywhere, and she could imagine herself idly strolling to appreciate the view in the morning. One could only wish to live in such a peaceful ce.


    The old man in uniform patiently waited for her to study the ce before he spoke. "Baroness, I am William, and I will be the butler in charge of serving you and taking care of your manor from now on. Let me guide you inside your new home."


    Esther entered the mansion with her servants following her. Her butler gestured towards what seemed to be the drawing room.


    "Baroness, please have a seat. I will have tea brought for you. You must be tired after traveling straight from the pce."


    "No, I am fine. I would like to look around the mansion," Esther said as she looked around, appreciating thevish interior of the drawing room of her new residence. Though it was nothingpared to the size and design of the drawing rooms within the Royal Pce of Megaris, still she liked it a lot. It felt like home as it was arranged for her by the Queen, the woman she admired the most.


    "Baroness, let me show you the entire ce then," William offered and Esther nodded. He first dismissed the other servants so they could resume their duties, and then he apanied Esther towards the other rooms.


    As they walked, the butler informed her of the ce once they reached each of the doors. "On the ground floor, to the left of the foyer is the drawing room for your everyday use, and to the right is the formal parlor to receive the guests, and that door leads to the dining room." They walked further and pointed towards a few doors at the back, "There''s the kitchen and that door leads downstairs to the basement where the wine cer, the storeroom and the servant quarters are located."


    They climbed the grand staircase leading to the floor upstairs. On the left wing of the mansion, the butler pointed out to her the empty rooms meant for the guests. On the other side, the first room was meant to be her study. Beside it, there was a well-carved double door that looked more luxurious than the others. The butler stopped in front of it. "This is the bedchamber for the Baroness, and this smaller one is your dedicated dressing room. I already instructed the servants to put your personal belongings taken from the carriage inside. Those chambers to the side are bedchambers for the future." With this, the old servant smiled a little.


    Esther looked at him, curious as to what he meant, and she heard him clear his throat. "I mean to say, after Baroness Burton marries in the future and has children, those rooms are for them."


    Esther didn''t react to his rification and entered her bedchamber. Her chamber was about the size of two rooms, and she could see that it was connected to the side chamber meant for her bath, and the other to her dressing room.


    While getting familiar with her new home, Esther didn''t realize how fast time passed by. Evening arrived, and dinner was soon served to her by her servants. Although there was no need for her to rush on her end, Esther decided to return to the pce by the morning to inquire about her new official duty.


    -----


    Prince Theron received news that Esther went to her residence in the capital. Although he felt the possibility of her returning to the Queen''s pce within the day was slim, he still waited for her to return because he wanted to see her and talk to her. After the night of the banquet, he didn''t get another chance to spend time with her and talk with her alone.


    After many of the pce residents had retired for the night, Prince Theron called for his knight.


    "Your Highness, you asked for me?"


    "Galien, get my horse ready," the young prince instructed.


    "Your Highness, at this hour?" the knight asked. He realized that the Crown Prince was still wearing clothes that looked like he''s heading out, although Sir Galien was sure there was no work left and the Crown Prince should have been ready to retire for the night as well.


    "Hmm! And you don''t need to follow me," said the Crown Prince.


    Sir Galien realized why Prince Theron was acting this way, and he was starting to have a headache.


    "Your Highness, that is impossible. Your parents strictly warned me about letting you leave the pce after you were attackedst time, more so since we have yet to catch the culprit," the knight insisted. "The Baroness''s mansion is almost outside of the city, and the city guards won''t be able to assist you easily if things were to happen. Allow me to apany you."


    Prince Theron smiled lightly. "I thought you were dense to understand such things but I guess I was wrong."


    The knight didn''t react to his liege''s teasing as he followed behind the Crown Prince who was walking in a rush towards the stables. As they climbed their horses, Prince Theron immediately caused his horse to gallop away.


    His voice filled with mirth could be heard over the hooves of the horse.


    "I will pass my message to Duke Kenelm that it is about time for his sessor to find a wife among the pretty youngdies of the kingdom."


    The knight hurriedly followed the prince with a grimace, as what he heard was not what the knight wished for. He had seen how the nobledies shamelessly threw themselves towards the Crown Prince. As a son of a duke, one of his potential wives ought to be among them as well and he felt terrified imagining the future. "Your Highness, please don''t do this. Why do you think I seldom return home and stay all day in the pce? I will do whatever you want but not this."


    "You don''t want to get married? Then who will be the knight for my and Lady Esther''s children if not for yours?"


    "Your Highness��.Did I hear something wrong? Children?Yours and the Baroness''?"


    "If not for the mother of the next heir of this kingdom, do you think I will care to travel thiste in the night?" the prince replied. Without waiting for a reply, he rode his horse at a faster speed.


    The shocked knight could only blink at his liege, dumbly wondering whether the young man who spoke such shameless words was the cold Crown Prince of Megaris, or he was somehow switched out with a rogue.

 Chapter 377 Was It Right To Accept Queen Theodora’s Request?

    Prince Theron reached Esther''s manor in no time. There was no dy on his way; after all, as someone who helped his parents choose the reward for the brave baroness, how could he not know to take advantage of the location of her new residence?


    "Halt! Who goes there?" a man shouted upon seeing the neers.


    The two horses stopped in front of the gate while the puzzled guard came to check who the two men were. Since he originally was someone from the royal pce, just as he approached the neers, he immediately recognised the Crown Prince and his knight.


    "Y-Your Highness?" eximed the gatekeeper, bowing in a fluster.


    "Open the gate," the knight of the Crown Prince told him.


    The man hurried to unlock the gate. "L-Let me send word to the Baroness��"


    However, before he could say more, Prince Theron already made his horse resume its gallop and had it run past the gatekeeper, hurrying towards the mansion proper. Sir Galien could only murmur brief words of apology on the bewildered guard before forcing his own horse to speed up after his liege.


    Upon reaching the mansion, Prince Theron climbed down from his horse and went towards the door of the manor. Probably due to hearing the sound of horse hooves approaching, the light of amp could be seen approaching from the sides. It was the coachman who had just finished his duties of cleaning the horses, and was just returning from the stables.


    He frowned at the sight of the young man and the horse in front of the mansion. "How could there be a visitor knocking at thiste in the��t-the Crown Prince?! Your Highness!"


    The coachman even rubbed his eye to make sure he wasn''t just seeing things. Unlike the gatekeeper, the coachman was a newly employed servant chosen for the Baroness, but he was a rtive of a royal servant, and thus, he had seen the face of Prince Theron from afar.


    When he noticed the knight arriving, the coachman threw whatever questions he had in mind and simply hurried to assist the Crown Prince. After all, he was just a servant and he had no business whether the Baroness had invited the Crown Prince over or not.


    He raised his head and immediately opened the door for him. He didn''t know why the Crown Prince was there, but he was starting to have funny thoughts in his mind. Though this property once belonged to the royal family, now its owner was Baroness Esther.


    ''Oh, there are rumours about the Crown Prince and the Baroness from thest royal ball!''


    However, he didn''t dare voice out his questions to confirm the rumours with the Prince and simply gestured for him to enter, bowing low to show his subservience towards the royal. Prince Theron took the coachman''smp with him. At this point, the coachman could only silently cheer for the happiness of his master the Baroness.


    Prince Theron entered the foyer while his knight, Sir Galien, stayed outside the manor to guard. Since the Crown Prince was here, it was his duty to keep a check on the outside to find out if there was any threating from the outside.


    Although it waste in the night, a handful of servants remained awake to chat since it was their first day serving a new master. They were in the kitchen which was furthest from the foyer, but when one of them noticed a young nobleman entering with amp, she was equally surprised to recognize Prince Theron. She hurried back towards the other servants and whispered in shock, "The Crown Prince is here!"


    "What? Are you daydreaming?"


    "No! The Crown Prince is really here! I saw him entering just now!"


    "How could that be?!" The head maid, who was a middle-aged woman and the oldest of all the female servants, was rmed. She hurriedly made her way out of the kitchen. "Which decent man barges into an unmarrieddy''s home in the middle of the night unannounced? This is a scandal! We must protect our master''s reputation!"


    Unaware of the fuss he caused the servants, Prince Theron only briefly looked around the foyer and walked towards the grand staircase. It was strange, because he felt himself being pulled in a certain direction, just like that night at theke where he could somehow sense Esther''s presence. He didn''t have to ask or say anything to anyone and blindly trusted the invisible string pulling him towards Esther.


    Seeing him going upstairs, the head maid also could not believe her eyes. Lady Esther had retired to her room, and a man was going to enter herdy''s room. This was uneptable!


    "Your Highness, are you searching for something?" the head maid asked in a stern voice.


    Prince Theron stopped in the middle of the staircase and looked at the servant. "Do I need to answer you?"


    Seeing his cold re, the head maid felt unease creep into her body, yet she was someone who truly looked out for the young baroness who seemed to be the same age as her daughter. "Your Highness, you must not do this. This is highly improper! If you truly care for thedy, you must not ruin her reputation like this��-"


    Prince Theron didn''t stay to hear her lecture and continued to climb the stairs. He soon stood in front of a door for a moment and opened it without knocking.


    -----


    Esther could not sleep in this new ce as she had many things going on in her mind. Thus, even though she had put out the light of themp, she was wide awake, standing by the window of her bed-chamber and looking outside at the night sky, reminiscing about the days she had spent in this kingdom so far.


    ''Was it right to ept Queen Theodora''s request?''


    This was a question she had repeatedly asked herself ever since she entered the royal pce, and her moments of confusion only intensified after what happened during the end-of-year festival.

 Chapter 378 I Will Sleep Here Tonight

    ''Did I do it just because she requested me so she can repay my favour or was it my own greed of living among people after so long? Was I tired of living alone?''


    Remembering how she made friends with her fellow servants within the Queen''s residence, Esther smiled fondly. ''Seems like it or I would not have epted her request so easily. And now I am getting used to life here in this kingdom. Did I abandon everything just to see this day?''


    Esther remembered the times she spent serving Queen Theodora, and among them, she especially remembered those times when a certain young prince was present as well.


    ''After living in istion for more than a century, why did I decide to follow these people ande here? Was there any meaning to it? I never had the urge to mix among people before but why this time? It''s almost been a year since I came to the capital, and I still wish to live here and be in touch with these people. What will happen when the dayes that I have to leave? Will I even want to leave?''


    She left out a helpless sigh as she murmured to herself, "Why am I so attached to this ce and��"


    All of a sudden, the sound of her door mming open echoed within her bedchamber. Just as she turned around to see who entered her room in such a rude manner, the reproving words in her mind disappeared, and the hanging sentence she was mumbling earlier finished itself in her mind.


    ''��and why am I attached to this man? Why do I want to be with him? What''s there that keeps pulling me towards him? Could it be that this man is the reason I came to this kingdom?''


    While she was staring at him with those eyes that reminded him of sweet melted caramel, Prince Theron stepped towards the dazed woman, unaware of the bundle of untangled thoughts inside her mind. The moment he saw her, he only had one thing in mind and that was to go to her and hold her in his embrace. His body acted on its own and after leaving themp on a nearby table, he walked towards her and hugged her tightly.


    All the thoughts and questions in Esther''s chaotic mind disappeared the moment she found herself in that warm and protective embrace. She could not help but wrap her own arms around him and hug him back.


    When he decided toe unannounced tonight, Prince Theron was initially nning to tease her as he thought it would be fun to see her flustered. He also thought it would be a befitting punishment since this elusive maiden dared to make him yearn for her dearly by not returning to the pce, but the moment he saw her, his mind forgot everything. He just wanted to hold her in his embrace, like a soldier who had spent years away due to war and had returned home to his sweet wife to heal his weary soul.


    Prince Theron hugged her tightly, as if trying to memorize the shape of her body. Against the dim lighting from themp, he felt like her presence was a dream, but he knew it wasn''t a dream and she was there for real. Tracing the tip of his nose against the soft curve of her neck, he softly inhaled the sweet scenting from her skin, and only then could he calm down. With great reluctance, he let her go and gazed at her beautiful face, his dark eyes filled with longing staring deeply into her caramel eyes.


    Esther snapped back to her senses as soon as he pulled away. "P-Prince Theron, why are you here?"


    "Because I missed you," he replied, not hesitating even a bit.


    Esther had no response to such a sincere answer and felt a loss for words. This man was sure to be straightforward, true to his feelings.


    Esther took a step away from him and said while struggling with words, "I��believe��Prince Theron loves to tease me."


    Prince Theron covered that one step distance, moving closer to her as he slightly bent his body to stare at eye level with her. Her hesitant eyes kept avoiding his gaze, and it caused him to smile inside. "Do you really believe so?"


    She nodded and took a step back once more, but there was no more space behind her and she bumped into the window sill. She gulped as she realized she was cornered. The tall man in front of her had already removed the remaining distance between them, with his handsome face leaning close to hers.


    "Then��do you like my teasing?" His gaze moved across her flushed face as he almost pressed his body against hers. The loose strands of her honey-blond hair moved along the sudden gust of wind that entered through the window, brushing against his face. He caressed those loose strands and tucked them behind her ear, intentionally touching his fingers along the edge of her earlobe as he whispered seductively, "So you like it, mydy?"


    Esther gulped and managed to say, "Your Highness��It''ste��You should return to the pce."


    His yful fingers moved from her ear towards her neck, tracing along the smooth curve as if to appreciate the soft skin that looked more and more crimson with every passing second. He spoke while keeping his eyes locked into hers, "I wouldn''t havee here sote if I had nned to return. It''s your fault for not returning to the pce and making mee herete at night. You havemitted another grave sin for having disturbed a royalty''s sleep. So now you have to make up for it. Yes, you need to add another punishment to your growing list, mydy."


    "Huh?" She didn''t know what he exactly meant. ''Not like I asked you toe here.''


    He let go of her and took a step back. "I will sleep here tonight."


    It shocked her. "Sleep? Here? How can that be��-"


    Even before she coulde out of her shock, Prince Theron already removed his outer robe and put it on Esther''s hands. The man, only wearing his inner shirt and pants, went towards her bed. After removing his shoes, hey on the bed leisurely, as if he was perfectly at home.


    He looked at the woman holding his robe, unmoving like a statue by the window. "Since my sleep has been disturbed, I believe Baroness Esther will help me sleep peacefully for the remainder of the night."

 Chapter 379 Spending A Night In Her Room

    3 chapters today.


    --------


    Prince Theron''s words scared her. ''Help him sleep? What does he mean?''


    She heard him continue, "Baroness Esther, is this how you treat the direct orders of royalty? By wasting time?"


    She red at the man who was resting in her bed. His head was lying on her pillow with his left arm folded and hand tucked at the back of his head, looking so at ease it was as if he was in his own room. The grin on his face was annoying, and she was ever-so-slightly tempted to throw him off her bed with her powers.


    "Your Highness, if you wish to sleep in my residence, I can arrange for your stay in the guest room," she offered.


    With his right hand, he caressed the soft cover of the bed. "But I am already in this room and the bed feelsfortable." He then offered her a questioning look. "Do you dare order the Crown Prince of this kingdom to get out of this room?"


    She let out a quiet sigh and said politely, "No, Your Highness. My apologies. It is my utmost honour for you to find my personal chamber to your liking. I must bid you a pleasant evening now, and will retire to another room to let you rest."


    "Then who will attend to my needs?" he asked, as if he was mortified Esther came up with such nonsense. "I do not like strangers serving me. In this mansion, it seems only the Baroness can serve me."


    "What do you want me to do, Your Highness?" she asked, frowning inwardly.


    "Serve me," he said matter-of-factly. Seeing her still standing by the window, he said with impatience, "How can you serve this prince when you are standing that far away from me?"


    Esther forced herself to steady her breath. ''This arrogant rogue! One of these days, I will really��''


    After calming herself, she went to hang his robe on the wooden stand inside her bedchamber. Just as she went closer to the bed, she heard him speak again, "I am feeling a little hot. You should sit by my side and use a hand fan to��"


    Before he could even finish his sentence, all the windows of the bedchamber flew open, and a strong gust of cold wind seemingly responded to hisint, causing the temperature within the room to drop. Although there was no snow at the start of the year and winter was ending, it was still far from springtime. The Crown Prince could not help but let out an involuntary shudder at the sudden cold.


    Esther looked at the Crown Prince with a pleased smile on her lips, but her eyes carried the mockery. "I think now Your Highness won''t feel hot."


    However, Prince Theron was not one to back away.


    ''Trying to stay away from me huh?'' the prince thought and smirked. "In fact, I think I need to change to a thicker and warmer nket since it is now too cold for me to sleep well. These pillows are too hard as well, and it is notfortable for me."


    His quick wits merely caused Esther to want to roll her eyes at him, but she decided to y along.


    "Apologies. Let me change it, Your Highness." She went closer to the bed to gather up the nket and the pillows, thinking that as soon as she left her chamber, she would turn over the childish shameless prince to her servants and she would escape to another room, but the Crown Prince held her hand in a strong grip and pulled her. She fell on top of the man''s strong body.


    ''I should have known! This shameless rogue keeps pulling this stunt on me!''


    She red at him, but he pretended not to notice and instead said in a low whisper, "No need. You can help warm my body, and you can double as my pillow as well."


    The way he looked at her scared her, but she heard him assure her, "Do not look at me like that, mydy. I swear on my honour that I will not do anything unless you want it. Just sit here on the bed." He let her go, and hesitantly, she obeyed him and sat on the bed. He moved his body and put his head on herp.


    "This is morefortable," he said and closed his eyes.


    Esther felt her chest tighten. For some unknown reason, she could not say no to this, and she also could not make herself push him away. For what seemed like a long, long time, she continued to sit and stare nkly at his head. When sheter returned to her senses, she rested her back against the headboard of the bed, and let him use her thighs as a pillow for the rest of the night.


    -----


    When Esther woke up the next morning, she found herself sleepingfortably in the bed with the quilt covering her. The windows were properly locked, and the curtains were drawn close to not let sunlight in. She looked at the ce next to her but it was empty.


    ''Did he leave?''


    Esther did not realize it, but there was a hint of disappointment on her face.


    After a while, there was a knock on the door and a servant entered her bedchamber. "Good morning, Baroness."


    Esther didn''t know how to ask the servant about the Crown Prince as it was embarrassing enough that they knew a man had spent the entire night inside her chamber. Though they did nothing indecent, outsiders would think otherwise.


    "The Crown Prince left by dawn," the servant answered her unspoken question.


    Esther only nodded and said, "Prepare the bath for me."


    The servant started her work, while Esther continued to stare at the empty ce beside her. ''Why did he leave without even informing me?''


    That day, Esther prepared to go back to the pce, but the difference this time was that she would not enter with the identity of a royal servant, but as a novice pce official working in the royal library.

 Chapter 380 The Devil

    First, she met the queen as a courtesy call, and afterwards, she went to the library where Chancellor Flynn introduced her to the head custodian of the royal library. The head custodian, who was an old schrly man with a timid personality, then started introducing her work to her, and offered to show her the section of historical books in the library that she was assigned to handle.


    The royal library wasrge, a building of its own that was almost asrge as an entire side pce, and there were several floors inside, with multiple shelves epassing several sections of books, from local folktales to special books on governance to books talking aboutmerce and economy. There were other custodians present as well, but they too seemed to be quiet people like the head custodian and merely offered nods of acknowledgement when Esther passed by them.


    After a while, Esther and the head custodian soon reached a part of the library where not a single shadow of a person could be seen. It was extremely quiet, and this early in the morning, only the head custodian''s and her footsteps echoed in the empty section of the library.


    "This is the section of ancient history books," the head custodian told her. Esther looked around, studying her new workce.


    Unlike the other sections, the ancient history books were in the more secluded part of the library, and from the heavyyer of dust collecting on the shelves, it didn''t look like anyone visited here often.


    ''Seems like no one has an interest in ancient history,'' she concluded and looked at one door that was attached to the section of ancient history books. "What is in there, Head Custodian?"


    "Behind that door, there are books about ancient mythology, scrolls about gods and angels and all kinds of supernatural things, those kinds of unpopr beliefs from the small nations and tribes absorbed by the Kingdom of Megaris all throughout the years. As the dragon and the phoenix represent the royal family, other beliefs are considered sacrilegious.


    Since the survivors of the defeated tribes are mostly indoctrinated by Megaris, no one believes in those false idols and godly beings anymore. Only those purely bored schrs read those books so it is an almost abandoned part of the library. We just open it to clean it once in a while. Most of the books and scrolls from older times are so hard to preserve but we are trying our best."


    Esther nodded, indicating that she understood. The older man then gestured towards a certain spot. A table and a chair were ced by the window from where bright light entered the library. It had a view of the mountains from the North.


    "That ce belongs to you now," the head custodian instructed.


    "Thank you, Head Custodian," she replied.


    "I will take a leave then," he said and Esther followed him to see him off outside. When she returned to her section, she looked at the door where the ancient mythology books were kept.


    ''I am eager to know what they have recorded in those books, whether these humans are truly aware of supernatural beings or if they made up a bunch of nonsense.''


    She no longer dyed her curiosity and entered that part of the library. The head custodian did not lie. If she were not informed, Esther would have thought it was an archive of useless documents forgotten by time. The smell of old paper was heavy in the air, and there were more scrolls than books. Almost all of the books had yellowing pages, some even looking so fragile a thoughtless touch would disintegrate the paper.


    The windows were torture to open, as the locks had rust on them because they weren''t frequently used, much less maintained. She had to use a little strength so that sunlight could enter to brighten the room a bit. The room even had cobwebs, looking like it had been several months since anyone entered it.


    Esther went through a few books from the shelf closest to the door, and she almostughed as she realized what they were all trying to tell.


    [God and the angels created by him are good, while every other creature including demons and witches are bad.]


    "Naive humans!" Esther sighed. "Light is always good in their eyes while darkness is always bad in their opinions. They have no idea how much these have strayed far from the truth��-from the harsh reality hidden behind the curtains of light and sacrifices buried behind the curtains of darkness."


    She idly checked the titles of some of the books on the inner shelves, and one particr title caught her attention.


    [Devil]


    She stared at it for a while. ''Is it about��him?''


    Humans could not be med for their ignorance, but as someone who belonged to the other side, Esther knew that demons and the devil were not one and the same. There were several types of demonkind, each with their own characteristics and specialization, while there was only one known devil since the beginning of time.


    ''Maybe it''s a book about demons, but what if it is really about him?''


    With shaking hands, she carefully pulled that book from the bookshelf and cradled it in her palm. It was a book bound in heavy brown leather with a sp-and-catch fastening. Its pages were loose leaves with gilded edges, and the cover had a decorative engraving of an upside-down sword in the centre, with a line of ancient devil runes on its borders.


    ? She inhaled deeply before opening that book. She felt her heart being chaotic, but she handled the book ever-so-gently, terrified that one wrong move and the old book with brittle pages would be ruined in her hands. She slowly turned the leather-bound cover, and on the first page, she saw words written in thenguage of an empire destroyed by war more than a century ago.


    [An unholy creature��the Devil]


    She turned to the next page, and there was a rough outline of a terrifying image of a beast-like human. It was drawn in the fierce and bold style preferred by the civilizations of old, depicting a tall humanoid being with long unruly hair and fierce eyes. The image had long fingers with long nails and sharp teeth, looking more like a monster straight out of a nightmare.


    "He is not like this at all unless he is��"


    "Who are you talking about, Baroness Esther?"


    She heard a familiar voice and nearly jumped in surprise. After letting out a breath to steady herself, she turned towards the source of it.


    Prince Theron was standing by the door, resting his right shoulder at the door frame with his arms folded in front of his chest. His lips carried a light smile and his dark eyes seemed to be shining at the sight of her.


    "Uhh, I��I was just engrossed in reading," she exined as she could not say anything more. She could only pray that he didn''t hear her earlier mumblings.


    "Let me see what you are reading," he said and went to her. He took the book from her hands, and she red at how he was carelessly handling the old book.


    "Careful��"

 Chapter 381 [Bonus Chapter]Marry Me

    "So are you interested in ancient myths and legends?" he asked and then peered at the strange image in the book. "A demon? No, wait, I learned thisnguage before�� it says�� devil? Shouldn''t you read about something good or pretty instead of something that can scare you?"


    "It''s just a book," she countered. "There is nothing to be scared about."


    He chuckled. "What if this devil is real and hees after you?"


    His words startled her and she stared at him in disbelief. Seeing her sudden silence, he spoke in bewilderment, "I am merely jesting, mydy. What happened? Did my words truly scare you?"


    She lowered her gaze and shook her head. "It''s nothing." She took the book from his hand and turned to carefully put it back in its rightful ce. "Your Highness, were you looking for a particr book in this section? I can help you��"


    Before she could finish it, she felt his warm body standing close behind her. He held her hand which was adjusting the books on the shelf. He quietly helped her put that old leather-bound book back, but due to the intimacy of their bodies almost pressed against each other, all thoughts inside her mind flew away. Her heart skipped a beat when she heard him say, "Did I upset you in any way?"


    He could feel that something was off with her mood since the moment he took that book from her to tease her. However, the youngdy he fancied refused to answer him. She just shook her head.


    Esther was trapped between the bookshelf in front and the prince standing behind her. "Your Highness, we are in a public ce��"


    He still didn''t let go of her hand, and instead, he circled both of his arms around her in an intimate embrace. "I apologize if my words offend you. Know that I was just teasing you. There is no such thing called devil so no need to be scared of him. If you think he wille for you, then believe me I will always be there to protect you."


    Esther did not budge. "I am fine," she replied, but he could tell that she was not.


    He turned her around to look at him and peered into her eyes. "If this is about what happened this morning, then I ask for mydy''s understanding. I had important work to attend to early in the morning so I had to leave without waiting for you."


    Esther had already forgotten about that issue, but now he reminded her of it, the disappointment she felt upon seeing her empty bed returned. "You could have informed me."


    "You were sleeping soundly and I didn''t wish to disturb your sleep."


    This man who annoyed her the previous night sounded and looked so different at the moment. He looked gentle and caring. His eyes especially, that affection for her seemed to be spilling out from them, and it was something one could not ignore. She could feel how genuine his feelings were to her.


    "I understand," she replied softly while looking into those warm and gentle eyes.


    Comfortable silence surrounded them, and he lowered his face toward hers. Esther thought he wished to kiss her, but then, he stopped barely an inch away from her face.


    "Do you know how special you are?" he asked.


    She only looked at him feeling puzzled as she felt his hot breath brushing against her face. She shook her head, and he held one of her hands to ce it above his heart. "You are the only woman who managed to move this."


    Esther felt his warm skin and his loud heartbeats under her palm. It was beating crazy fast, and its speed could bepared with her own heartbeats.


    She felt him moving closer and his lips met hers. He kissed her gently, softly, as if she was a precious treasure he could not bear to break. It was a kiss filled with warmth and love, the sweetest of all the kisses they''ve ever shared.


    When they parted, Prince Theron looked at her flushed face.


    "I know this might not be the right ce to say this but I do not wish to hold back anything from you."


    Still gasping for air, Esther stared into those dark eyes with confusion. "Your Highness?"


    Prince Theron''s face reddened as he let out an uncharacteristic shy smile.


    "Esther, I wish to marry you."


    Her entire body froze in shock.


    "I, Theron Ivanov, wish to marry you, Esther Burton."


    Esther felt her mind blown away. ''Marry me? Marry? Me? Me? But we can''t! He is the Crown Prince and I am a mere baroness with no origin. Not only that, I am not even human, to begin with! How can I��? How can we��?''


    "Marry me, Esther," he repeated after seeing her confusion. As if he had sensed her thoughts, he said, "I don''t care about where you havee from, what your family is, whether you are noble ormoner by birth. All I know is I want you, nobody else. I want you to be the onlypanion I will have in my life. I want your face to be the first thing I see by my side from the moment I wake up, and thest face I will see when I retire for the night."


    Seeing his honest confession, Esther could not hold back. "You don''t know who I am, Your Highness. I am not what you think I am. I am far older than you. I am��"


    "I told you, I don''t care," he replied. "Don''t tell me your age." He chuckled yfully. "Even if it''s too much of a difference, I will still marry you. What? You won''t im that you are a hundred years old so that I will feel like I married my great grandmother, will you? To me, you are just Esther, the fascinating youngdy who''s always in my mind and that is enough. My heart knows exactly who you are."


    Seeing him in a teasing mood despite her being serious, she didn''t know what to say. ''Will reality break his heart?''


    "Esther, I will tell my parents about you, about us. I think Mother already knows though," he smiled. "You have nothing to worry about."


    Just as Esther was about to reply, the sound of approaching footsteps broke her chance. Sir Galien entered the room.


    "Your Highness?" Prince Theron''s knight looked at their ambiguous positions and flushed faces, but pretended to not notice anything. "Your Highness, the King has summoned you to his study."


    "Can it not wait? What is it about?" The frustrated prince scowled and pulled his knight out of that room, leaving Esther standing motionlessly in her ce. From where she''s standing, she could hear the knight informing Prince Theron.


    "The messenger mentioned something about the army, so I believe it has something to do with the impending war. This is an urgent summoning, and we must go meet His Majesty at once��"


    Just as Esther came out of the room, she saw Sir Galien leaving, and she knew it was time for the Crown Prince to leave as well. He turned to look at her and said, "I will see you again, mydy."


    Esther could only nod as he left.

 Chapter 382 Leaving For War

    3 chapters today.


    ------


    Prince Theron went to the attached chamber connected to the King''s study where he saw important military officials apanying his father. The meeting was already in full swing, and all those in attendance had gloomy expressions on their faces. Seeing the heavy atmosphere, he understood there must be some disruptive news of national importance. He greeted his father who was sitting at the head table and sat on the empty chair nearest to him.


    "What is the matter, Father?" he asked.


    "We have received news that two nights ago, our military forces had been defeated by the army of Thevailes and they have captured five towns and a city along the border of the western territory," the King informed in a grave tone.


    This surprised the Crown Prince. "How did this happen? How could we only receive news of this after we lost the western fortress?"


    King Esteban sighed. "It only meant that it was an unforeseen full-scale attack of their entire army, not the usual skirmishes those stationed in the borders are prepared for."


    "I still do not understand. Our military had always managed to defeat them and even pushed them back. General Maceo himself was leading the army stationed in the western fortress, and it was impossible for him to lose when he was holding the fort. Even before that happens, he would have requested reinforcements from the other fortresses."


    "You are right Prince Theron," said one of the officials. "From what we received, the General was ambushed and heavily injured, that was why it was his new deputy who had to arrange troops against the siege attack. Unfortunately, he''s still a greenhorncking experience, because he was overwhelmed by the military support Thevailes got from Othinia."


    "Othinia? Thevailes allied with another kingdom?"


    "Yes, Your Highness. A princess of Othinia is engaged to the Crown Prince of Thevailes and was promised to be his main wife. She is the daughter of the King of Othinia''s younger brother. After this arrangement, Thevailes asked for military support from them and here is the result."


    Prince Theron red at the official. "Weren''t we aware of it? Is our kingdom''s intelligence collectioncking? Are you cking on your work, Marquis?"


    "No, Your Highness." The official shivered under the re, but he was a man of the military, and thus, he wasn''t one to cower. "Our spies are working hard for us to collect timely information. Unfortunately this time, Thevailes has decided on this political marriage in haste to get secret help from Othinia. They also stationed their soldiers along the western mountain ranges, eluding the eyes of our scouts."


    The Crown Prince sighed and heard another official report, "Not just that, but we also heard Thevailes had also asked for the help of Abetha and Griven as well. The King of Abetha is still grieving over his Queen''s demise so it seems like he had rejected their request, while as we know, the King of Griven is a pacifist and had decided to stay away from war."


    "This news I received just this morning is still unverified, but I heard one more thing that might affect the oue of our war with Thevailes. There is a rumour going around that as soon as he gets over his grief, the King of Abetha ns to marry the daughter of the King of Othinia and make her the new Queen of Abetha. If this truly happens then those three kingdoms��Thevailes, Othinia and Abetha��will be tied together in a political marriage rtionship which might lead Abetha to side with Thevailes," one more official said.


    Prince Theron imagined such a situation and shook his head. "But Abetha doesn''t have a good rtionship with Thevailes so it is most unlikely."


    "Anything can happen, son," King Esteban told him. "Do not easily turn a blind eye to possibilities. Always be prepared. There are instances where you should never think with rational thoughts, as war is never rational in the first ce. Benefits and interest are all that matters. Do you think Abetha won''t join hands with Thevailes? Or that the King of Griven won''t participate since he wants his kingdom to remain peaceful? It is just that Thevailes did not promise them apensation that will satisfy them. Our kingdom has doubled the size of its territory ever since I have sat on the throne, and not only those who share our borders fear the increasing power of Megaris. With arger territory, therger resources we can wield, and the more people can be recruited into the army, further strengthening the kingdom. It is only a matter of time until the otherrge kingdomse together against us."


    "I will remember your words. It seems I am stillcking, Father." The Crown Prince nodded and looked at the faces of those seated around the table. "We have to direct more military power on the western border. I will personally lead the army."


    Most of the officials refused his suggestion.


    "Crown Prince, the situation at the western border is not good at all."


    "I suggest you wait for the generals from the other fortresses to handle the situation first. After we reacquire the western fortress, then it is not toote to join the war."


    "Your Highness, you are the only heir to the throne. We can not risk your life."


    Prince Theron knew that this group of officials were simply looking out for his safety, but he was still displeased.


    "I am the Crown Prince of this kingdom and it is my duty to risk my life to protect my people," said the Crown Prince and he looked at his father with a determined gaze. "Father, please allow me to go. I know I am still inexperienced, but it is because I amcking that I must go learn from the generals that are already headed there. Like you, I too wish to experience real war on the battlefield. If I go there, it will also boost the morale of our defeated people. Please give this prince your permission, Your Majesty!"


    King Esteban could not say no to his son''s request, not when the young man had said many persuading points. Moreover, he knew his son was right. It was his duty to go there and protect this kingdom. Experiencing the difficulties of war would help him grow mature and wise, and those qualities were things that the future ruler of Megaris should have.


    ''My son has grown up splendidly.''


    The King permitted him with a stern nod and instructed the officials, "Make arrangements for the Crown Prince to leave within the day."


    "Yes, Your Majesty."


    Prince Theron excused himself from the meeting as he had to prepare for departure.

 Chapter 383 Worried For His Safety

    After all the work arrangements on his end were finished, Prince Theron returned to meet his father in the King''s study to receive more detailed instructions. However, Queen Theodora was seated inside when he came in, seemingly expecting him to arrive.


    "Father, Mother." He bowed before his parents. "I guess since Mother is here, you must have received news of my deployment to the western territory."


    "Here I was nning to begin the selection for the position of Crown Princess, but you have to leave for war." The Queen had a heavy expression on her beautiful face, looking at her son who was wearing newly polished armour with his sword hung to his waist. "When are you leaving?"


    "I believe it will take about two or three more hours for the military supplies to be secured," he replied. "However, the troops who will be in the vanguard are prepared to be dispatched as soon as Father gives his speech."


    "Learn well from the generals, my son. Protect ournds, and may you return with victory and great aplishments," she said with a forced smile.


    "I will, Mother," he assured before looking at King Esteban. "Father, I have something to ask from you."


    Both parents grew curious. It was so rare for Prince Theron to request something from his father. "What is it, son?"


    Prince Theron kneeled in front of his father which startled his parents even more. "Father, if I return with the victory, I wish you to listen to my one request."


    "What is this request that seems so heavy you need to act this way?" the King asked.


    "That��" Prince Theron let out a soft smile. "I will tell when I return."


    King Esteban shared a baffled look with his wife. He then cleared his throat. "Fine. I will give you whatever you ask for as long as you achieve some merits during the war. You must not shame the glory of our family, the Ivanovs."


    His wife and son simply threw knowing smiles his way. They were aware that what the King said was pure nonsense, as he was already nning to reward his son simply for going to war. The war against their kingdom''s sworn enemy, Thevailes, was a dangerous one and it could cost his son''s life. Despite knowing the danger, the Crown Prince volunteered to go to war. The King expected nothing more but for his son to return unharmed, regardless of war merits and military achievements.


    ------


    It was her first day assuming official duties as a custodian. Esther should have been familiarizing herself with the new environment, especially the contents of the books in her assigned section of the library, but after Prince Theron''s abrupt exit, she could not focus on anything. She remembered hearing his knight mention ''military'' and ''war''. Although she was trying to tell herself that she must be overthinking things, she could not help but feel worried.


    ''It''s already past noon? I am yet to eat a meal. I wonder if I should ask permission from the Head Custodian, or if I am allowed to simply leave for lunch��''


    As she was heading out, Esther heard people talking in lowered voices. It shouldn''t be surprising, as it was normal for people to converse in whispers within the royal library. However, what caught her attention was that they mentioned Prince Theron. She immediately changed her direction and approached the custodians in charge of other sections who seemed to be in deep conversation, unaware that there was someone else in the vicinity.


    "Prince Theron is leaving for the war? Truly?"


    "I heard the situation at the border is bad and His Majesty didn''t wish Prince Theron to go there but the Crown Prince insisted on going."


    "Everyone is worried about the situation at the border, but I am more worried for the Crown Prince''s safety. He is so young, and it is his first war deployment, isn''t it?"


    "We can only hope for him to return unharmed."


    "Indeed. May the dragon blessing the Ivanovs continue to look after Prince Theron��"


    Esther felt her chest tighten at the mention of Prince Theron leaving for the war. Although he would probably be there on a strategic post, who knew if he had that sudden urge to join the soldiers on the frontlines? What if the enemies target those with high positions to cause confusion among the ranks?


    ''What if someone targets him again?''


    She could not forget the previous assassination by the river. Back then, Prince Theron was about to lose his life, and in the end, she had to share her soul with him to save him. This time, he would be on the border of the kingdom while she would be staying in the capital.


    ''What if something happens to him? I am too far to help. Why did His Majesty allow him to go? Did they forget they are yet to capture the mastermind of that assassination? What if the mastermind takes advantage of this situation and sends a wizard to harm him once more?'' Her mind was filled with worry and anxiety.


    Without realizing this, she went towards the custodians and asked, "Mister, when are they leaving? I mean, when is Prince Theron leaving for the border?"


    She no longer cared what others would think about her openly asking about the Crown Prince''s situation. Rumours about her and Prince Theron had already spread everywhere after their dance at the ball. After what happenedst night, it would only grow worse. She was sure it was only a matter of time before the entire city was filled with stories of the Crown Prince''s night visit to Baroness Burton''s residence.


    "Baroness," one of the custodians greeted in surprise. "I am not sure, but I heard they are preparing to leave within the day."


    As soon as she heard that, she turned away. Esther didn''t even think of asking permission from the Head Custodian as she left the royal library. All her thoughts were on Prince Theron and how she needed to see him before he left.


    ''Are you leaving without even bidding me farewell?''

 Chapter 384 Yes, I Will Marry You

    Esther looked at her right hand which had a simple bracelet of blue beads around her wrist. She removed it and closed her eyes, gripping it tightly in her palm as she murmured something in anguage no human could understand. When she opened her closed fist, there was light emitting from that blue bracelet.


    She needed to search for the location of the Crown Prince, but it would take too long to ask around the royal pce. After sharing her life force, her soul, with him, she could feel his presence if he was nearby.


    After confirming his location, she went straight to his residence. She was relieved since the pce of the Crown Prince was close enough from the royal library, that there was no need for her to ride a carriage.


    At the entrance of his residence, the royal guard stopped her.


    "I need to see His Highness," she said while catching her breath as she ran straight from the royal library without rest.


    "Apologies, Baroness Burton, but His Highness is discussing important matters with his knights. It would not be good to disturb him at this moment."


    "I will wait here," she said and stood outside the entrance of the residence. The knight was bewildered. He could not ask her to enter and stay at the drawing-room, but neither could he ask her to leave as he knew she was the Crown Prince''s rumoured favoureddy.


    An hour passed by but Esther was still waiting by the entrance, as she kept watching various knights and officials entering and leaving the residence.


    Afterwards, a familiar person could be seen exiting the residence. It was Sir Galien and he was instructing a younger knight by his side. "��when we are leaving, yes? Do you understand?" Just then, his eyes noticed Esther standing outside the main door. His eyes widened as he hurried to approach her. "Baroness Esther? What are you doing here? How long have you been waiting here?" He then red at the royal guard who lowered his head in a guilty manner.


    "Sir Galien," she greeted him. "No worries. I have just arrived. Is the Crown Prince still upied with important matters?"


    "Are you here to see His Highness?"


    "Yes," she replied, hoping he would allow her entry, or else thest resort she had left was to make everyone sleep which she did not wish to use in broad daylight. The Crown Prince would surely question why his knights suddenly fell asleep.


    "Please follow me inside, Baroness," Sir Galien told her. Other knights might not be aware of Prince Theron''s affection towards Esther, but Sir Galien had seen how his liege almost turned into an unrecognizable rogue because of thisdy. It could be said that Sir Galien was the sole witness to how their romantic feelings for each other bloomed.


    Esther followed him, and instead of the drawing-room, he led her way towards the Crown Prince''s study which was on the ground floor.


    Prince Theron was giving further instructions to his knights and the military official present there when he noticed Esther entering the study along with Sir Galien.


    "Your Highness, Baroness Esther is here to visit you." Sir Galien knew if it were someone else, Prince Theron would have rejected granting audience to a guest who made an abrupt visit to his home, but as his closest knight, he knew he would definitely want to meet this particr young woman.


    Prince Theron stared at her in a daze.


    Before he could open his mouth to say a word, one of the military officers shared a look with the Crown Prince''s guardian knight and said, "Your Highness, we will start preparing the things you have mentioned. Please call us again if you have additional instructions."


    With that, everyone stepped out of the study, leaving Prince Theron and Esther all by themselves.


    Seeing him d in full armour, Esther didn''t know what to say. She had thought of many things to say beforeing here, but now when he was right in front of her, her mind forgot everything.


    Prince Theron stepped towards the woman he loved dearly and carefully observed her expression. He realized she looked a little tired, and though she was still beautiful in his eyes, her hair was a mess, strands of hair sticking away from her neat low braid tied with a ribbon.


    "Did you run to see me?" he asked as he caressed her hair and tucked those loose strands behind her ears.


    She nodded hesitantly. "I��I wanted to give you something before you leave."


    "What is it?" he asked.


    She put her hand forward, and on top of her palm, there was a bracelet made of blue beads. "This."


    "What is it? he asked.


    "I wish Your Highness to keep it with you always. It is a talisman that will protect you from any danger."


    "Are you worried about me?" he asked with a smile.


    She lowered her gaze from his face and nodded.


    He looked at her lowered face. "May I ask why?"


    She didn''t know how to answer, so she simply asked him a question in return. "Is it not normal to be worried when you''re headed off to war?"


    "Look at me," he instructed gently.


    She obeyed and they locked gazes with each other.


    "Don''t worry about me, mydy. I will return to you because I have to hear you saying yes to my marriage proposal to you. I have to return to this beautifuldy so I can marry her and spend the rest of my life with her."


    Esther could only look at him, unable to form coherent words. How much this man loved her, she could see it clearly in his eyes. It made her heart melt, and for a moment, she wanted to reach out and caress his handsome face.


    A knock interrupted them. A knight had a look of apology on his face as he entered.


    "Your Highness, pardon my intrusion, but His Majesty King Esteban will be saying his war speech in half an hour. It''s time for us to leave and meet the rest of the vanguard troops in the military barracks."


    "I will be heading down in a bit. Prepare my horse."


    "Excuse me then, Your Highness. I shall take my leave."


    As soon as the knight closed the door of his study, Prince Theron looked at Esther, "Won''t you give it to me?" He eyed the bracelet and put forward his own hand so she could put it around his wrist herself.


    Esther sped the bracelet on his wrist, making sure it was secured in ce. "No matter what happens, never take it off."


    "I won''t,'''' he assured and moved closer to ce a soft peck on her forehead. He studied her caramel-coloured eyes, wistfully thinking about the next time he would have the chance to see them again. "I have to leave now."


    She nodded with a forlorn expression, and before he could change his mind, Prince Theron turned to leave. Seeing his retreating back, she felt like he was going somewhere far and not to return to her. She trusted her intuition, and that was why her chest felt incredibly heavy. She called out for him, "Your Highness!"


    Prince Theron stopped and turned to look at her. Her eyes turned moist.


    "My answer is yes."


    The Crown Prince blinked at her with an expression of disbelief. It was the most idiotic expression she had ever seen him make, and it caused her to let out augh.


    "Yes, I will marry you," she confirmed, yet his expression remained idiotic. It made her smile despite the tears starting to fall down her cheeks. "Swear it on your life that you have to return to me, or else I will live like a young widow despite not receiving your vow of marriage."


    Prince Theron found himself hurrying towards her as he was overwhelmed with her reply. He held her in his arms, and carried her around in his embrace as he kissed her, once, twice, thrice. The young man looked so happy, he seemed to be flying. She kissed him back each time as tears rolled down her eyes. She didn''t remember when was thest time her eyes had shed tears for someone else, but this time she could not hold them back.


    After peppering her face with more kisses, Prince Theron finally remembered he still had a duty and he had to leave. Still, a silly grin could be seen gracing his handsome face.


    "I will be back for sure. Wait for me, my love."


    Esther could only nod as she stifled her tears, and he let her go. Offering her onest assuring smile, he turned to leave. Esther could only stare at his retreating back.

 Chapter 385 A Vision And Pleading For Help

    It''s been fifteen days since Prince Theron had left for the war, and Esther had been praying for his safety every moment from the time they parted. Though she was working in the royal library, all her attention was on the most recent news from the western border where Prince Theron was deployed.


    Once in a while, especially whenever she went to meet the Queen, she would hear something like how the military campaign seemed favourable and how Prince Theron was leading an army of his own on the battlefield. They had directly engaged with the enemy forces three times, and had managed to give a tough fight to the enemy despite being outnumbered. Although it would seem like the war would go on for a long time, the good news was at least the army of Megaris had prevented the enemies from acquiring more territories from the kingdom.


    However, Esther was exasperated.


    ''It has been a few weeks, why is he not writing me a letter?''


    As Prince Theron was probably on the move with the army and not staying in a single fort, Esther could not send a letter to him at risk of him not receiving it. However, it would be possible for him to at least write to her, especially after what happened on the day he departed.


    Wasn''t he supposed to keep the romance going? Did she say ''yes'' too soon?


    Esther wasn''t expecting much��no, she didn''t want to receive a letter every day about sweet nothings from a lover, but it wouldn''t be hard for him to at least let her know he was safe. She would be satisfied with a single letter saying he''s at least eating and sleeping well. He didn''t have to tell her about the progress of the war, or his exact whereabouts as that couldpromise the military campaign, but that annoying prince should at least try tofort thedy waiting for him, right?


    ''But why am I not receiving a letter? Did he already forget about me?''


    Roughly a month had passed by, yet there was still no letter from Prince Theron. From what she had heard so far from the pce people, the Crown Prince would not be returning anytime soon.


    Inside her mansion, Esther was standing by the window of her room, looking at the dark starry sky as she usually did. The head maid, the oldestdy among all the female servants, entered her bedchamber bringing with her a set of calming tea. Seeing Esther like this every night was nothing new for the head maid, as all the servants knew the Baroness had trouble sleeping, though no one knew the exact reason why.


    Normally, the head maid would leave quietly after putting down the tea set, but at this moment, Esther''s lonely figure reminded the woman of her daughter and her motherly instincts kicked in.


    "Baroness, are you worried about the Crown Prince?"


    Esther didn''t look at her but she could see her shoulders stiffen.


    The head maid knew it was rude for her to talk to her master this way, but she still continued to speak, wanting to somehow ease the concerns of the troubled youngdy. "It''s been a month and I can understand your worry, Baroness. But rest assured, the Crown Prince will return safely with victory."


    "Thank you, Dara," Esther replied to the sincere words from her servant.


    The head maid left, and after a while, Esther tried to retire for the night. The tea was from the Queen, and it was effective in helping her sleep, but she believed that it would be more effective if only she would just receive a letter from Prince Theron. At least one word from the Crown Prince about his safety would surely do wonders to calm her worried heart.


    After several more minutes of tossing restlessly on her bed, Esther somehow managed to fall asleep.


    ''Your Highness?''


    Startled, Esther blinked, but realized she could not move her body. The fast palpitation of her heart eased when she realized that Prince Theron did not return; rather, she was having a vision through her dreams. It was a vision where she saw something was approaching to harm Prince Theron. The Crown Prince was entering arge tent arranged in an encampment, probably at the current war site. It seemed to be his temporary lodging, as she could see his personal articles ced inside. The young prince removed his armour and a soldier brought a pot of water for him to wash as he had blood on his body after ughtering the enemies.


    Just as he removed his undershirt, Prince Theron noticed the bracelet she gave him had blood as well. He removed that bracelet, Esther could not help but cry in her mind, "Don''t��Don''t remove it��"


    However, he could not hear her no matter how much she tried. He removed the blue-beaded bracelet, washed it with water, and after he made sure it was clean, he hung it on a nail in the middle pole inside the tent.


    "Why��?" she mumbled. "Why did you remove it? You have to put it back. Put it back!"


    As it was a vision, she could sense strange energy approaching the tent where Prince Theron was staying in.


    "No!"


    Screaming loudly in her mind, Esther woke up screaming as well, though it was mostly muffled by her pillow. She gasped for air and her entire body was covered in a cold sweat. She sat up and buried her face in her hands as she sobbed helplessly from the vision she saw.


    "T-That��is that a vision of the present? The future? It was not just a nightmare��It''s��what should I do now?"


    She anxiously looked around and stepped out of the bed. Her entire body was shaking as she went towards the window where she had put that divine flower growing nicely in its pot.


    She touched the delicate petals of that flower with her fingers and closed her eyes. In her mind, words she never thought she would say spilt out.


    ''I know you are there. I know you can listen to me. Please��Please help me. Please help me save him. I will do anything you want, so just this once, help me. For the sake of all those moments we had together, help me��and I will never ask you for anything more.''


    Esther opened her eyes and looked at the flower in front of her. It seemed to glow in response to her thoughts, as if it was trying tomunicate something. It was a sign that the one she was asking for help had listened to her pleas. Esther gave out a sigh of relief and kneeled in front of the flower, lowering her head in a bow.


    "Thank you so much. I owe you this favour, and one day, I will repay you for this kindness."

 Chapter 386 Attack On The Prince

    Just as Esther had seen in her vision, Prince Theron had returned to his personal tent to wash himself after fighting on the frontlines, removing the bracelet from his wrist in the process. He proceeded to clean himself, unaware of the fact that great danger was approaching him.


    Just as he finished washing up and donning a set of clean clothes, he sensed some movement outside his tent. He was sure it was not his knights as they would not approach his lodging so sneakily. Prince Theron got alerted by this and he slowly picked up his sword, making sure that the person outside would not hear his footsteps. He faced the entrance of his tent while gripping his sword tightly to attack the intruder as soon as he entered.


    Prince Theron''s breathing got strained as he listened to the approaching footsteps. Soon, the leather p at the entrance of his tent shifted to the side and a tall figure wearing a long ck robe, his head covered with a hood, entered the tent. His hands were covered in leather gloves, and one of them held a staff with shining crystal on top of it like a sceptre.


    "Anyone outside? Men!" Prince Theron shouted, trying to call the attention of the nearby soldier as he pointed his sword at the intruder''s head. "Who are you? Reveal your identity or you have to face my sword."


    The person in front simply moved his free hand and murmured something, which created invisible energy that the prince could not see.


    "I am warning you for thest time," the prince warned coldly once again, ready to attack the mysterious person in front of him.


    Before he could move even an inch, a strong force of energy collided against his body, making him fly in the air and be mmed to the ground. Hitting the ground was nothing much, but the collision of his body against that energy hurt his internal organs, causing him to cough out blood.


    As the Crown Prince, he was used to being on the receiving end of an assassination attempt. Rather than bing surprised and foolishly trying to get away, he had long learned that being on the offensive and trying to get the attention of nearby people was more helpful on such asions. That was why even though he was hurt, his mind was calm as he tried to find a way to rationally process his next move.


    ''It is familiar.''


    He suddenly remembered the attack he received on that fateful night by the river during the end-of-year festival. It was the same kind of invisible attack he felt after Esther ran to protect him. His eyes started to lose sight.


    "Esther��"


    Even though the world had be slow and blurry in front of him, even though the intruder could end his life any second now, what he felt was regret over dying without seeing her beautiful face for thest time. Think about that woman, it made him smile despite being in agonizing pain.


    Slowly, his movements ceased. His eyes were unable to remain open, but he could sense the mysterious man approaching him. It made him angry, how an unknown person was ending his life so soon and felt it was a pity that he could not keep his promise to Esther to return and marry her. He promised he would spend the rest of his life with her��it was sad his Father and Mother would not get the chance to be grandparents��that his knight''s child could not marry his future daughter��oh, he was sure his daughter would have been as lovely as Esther��


    Someone else entered the Crown Prince''s tent. That mysterious attacker in a ck robe was dragged out of the tent by the neer, and suddenly, there was a silence around Prince Theron.


    As he had already fallen unconscious, the young prince did not even get a chance to see what exactly had happened inside his tent.


    As one of the strongest knights in the kingdom, Sir Galien had a strong intuition of danger, especially when it came to his liege. At that particr time, he happened to find himself walking towards the Crown Prince''s tent and realized that the camp surrounding the Crown Prince''s lodgings was suspiciously empty. As the person with the highestmand in this war, Prince Theron should be on the receiving end of the highest protection. However, there were no soldiers patrolling the area for some reason.


    Trusting his guts, the knight ran towards thergest tent and found Prince Theron lying unconscious on the floor, with blood around his mouth.


    "Your Highness! Men! Men! Call the doctor!" Sir Galien went towards the prince, and soon after, others entered the tent hearing Sir Galien''s shouts.


    The military doctor treated Prince Theron while his knights and soldiers searched around to see who had hurt the Crown Prince. General Maceo, who was working alongside the prince, called for a lockdown on the area, and the soldiers who were nearby were all interrogated. However, they could find nothing and only wait for the prince to wake up and tell them.


    It was only on the morning of the next day that the Crown Prince regained consciousness. Upon asking what happened, Prince Theron answered, "A man in a ck robe entered my tent and attacked me, but I don''t know who it was and I could not even see his face."


    "Your Highness, we have searched around but we could not find any suspicious person entering our camp," his guardian knight informed.


    Prince Theron recalled how he called for the attention of the men stationed outside, and his expression darkened. "How about the guards outside my tent? How many were killed by the intruder?"


    Sir Galien sighed. "Apologies, but their whereabouts are still unknown. We do not know how it happened, but the soldiers who should be guarding you are all missing. We are afraid they''re already��"


    Prince Theron only nodded in understanding and asked, "What''s the situation with thest engagement? Did Thevailes do a night raid? Wait, how long have I been sleeping?"


    "It has only been a day. Please do not worry about the war, for now, Your Highness. It will be bad for your health��"


    "You are dodging the question. It couldn''t be that we were defeated, weren''t we?"

 Chapter 387 Prince Arguing With The Knight

    5 chapters today.


    ----


    "You are dodging the question. It couldn''t be that we were defeated, weren''t we?"


    "Oh, no, no. Everything is under General Maceo''s control, Your Highness. Our soldiers have managed topletely push the enemies out of our territorial border. After yesterday''s strategic attack, our army won back the western fortress and the General is now defending the borders. Since we already won back the fortress, today''s attack is easier for us since we are on the defensive."


    "Good to know." Prince Theron started to stand up.


    The knight panicked and held the prince. "Your Highness, where are you doing? What are you doing? You need to rest!"


    "When my soldiers are fighting, do you think I can rest?" Prince Theron said.


    "There is no need for your presence, Your Highness. The engagement has already started by dawn, and it is noon now. The troops are mostly resting aside for those assigned to harass the enemies with catapults. General Maceo is leading our troops towards victory," Sir Galien informed him.


    "Still��Cough! Cough!"


    Prince Theron coughed blood and felt a crushing pain in his chest.


    "Your Highness? Your Highness! Where''s the doctor? Men, call the doctor to quickly see His Highness!" Sir Galien held the Prince who was about to lose his bnce as he called for the physician.


    Prince Theron was in severe pain. He could barely breathe, and whenever he tried, it was as if his lungs were being pierced by a dagger. The military doctor could only give him some medicine to relieve the pain.


    Sir Galien could not help but hover around the prince and ask, "How is His Highness?"


    "Pardon myck of skill, Sir Kenelm, but I can only at most relieve His Highness from the pain he''s suffering. He has no wounds on his body, but he seems to have internal injuries that would require an operation. I am ill-equipped to help him further on this dirty battlefield. I highly rmend we send His Highness back to the pce as soon as possible. The royal physicians over there can provide him with the best treatment possible in an environment that would help him recuperate. However, please make sure to travel in haste but keep the carriage as stable as possible, or else His Highness''s body would not be able to endure the travel."


    Sir Galien kept in mind what the military doctor said and decided to take Prince Theron back. He went out and instructed his knights to prepare for Prince Theron''s departure as nothing was more important than his safety at the moment.


    Within an hour, their group was prepared to leave. A nondescript yet solid carriage with the fastest and sturdiest warhorses was prepared for the Crown Prince, making sure he could travel while sleepingfortably. It was also taken into consideration that the return to the pce had to be kept from the eyes of the public, as it would surely cause problems with the public if it were known that the Crown Prince was assassinated twice in a span of months. The public outrage was something the royal family would not be able to address well during this wartime.


    Sir Galien sighed. ''Riding directly on the horseback might be faster, but His Highness will not be able to handle it. Internal injuries need immediate attention, but will it be all right to travel for days in his condition? From the western border, it would take several days to reach the capital with a carriage even though we chose the best horses��''


    When Prince Theron was being taken into the carriage, he was roused from his sleep as he was being carried out of his bed. He slowly opened his heavy-lidded eyes and found his knight beside him.


    "What''s going on?" he asked in a weak voice.


    "Your Highness, you are returning to the capital," Sir Galien replied.


    Prince Theron coughed in shock, causing the military doctor attending him to panic. He weakly waved the doctor to leave the tent as he addressed his knight with a scowl. "What? Who said I am returning?"


    Sir Galien bowed in apology. "Apologies, Your Highness. I had to take this decision on your behalf considering your safety."


    "I am fine, Galien," Prince Theron said as he tried to sit up.


    Sir Galien hurried to stop him and said, "Please keep sleeping, Your Highness. The military doctor said your internal organs are damaged and you need to head back to the pce so the royal physicians can give you proper treatment or your life will be at risk."


    "Galien, it''s the physician''s job to worry for nothing��-"


    "Your Highness, I am responsible for your safety, and as your guardian knight, I have the right to decide on things to keep you safe," Sir Galien interrupted the prince.


    Prince Theron knew his loyal knight was generally easygoing, and if the situation wasn''t dire, he would not behave like this. Although he was being rude at this moment by not listening to royalty, Prince Theron could not be angry at him.


    "Galien, I understand your concerns, but you should understand my responsibilities towards this kingdom and my people."


    "Your Highness, I won''t deny what you are saying, but for you to be able to protect our kingdom, your wellbeing needs to be guaranteed first. This kingdom needs you, its future monarch, so you should take care of yourself. What Megaris needs is a strong ruler, not a dead hero. Moreover, there is someone who is waiting for you to return safely. Do you wish to disappoint her?"


    Prince Theron felt speechless. His knight sure knew what to say to persuade him. The man didn''t hold himself back from expressing his honest thoughts.


    "Your Highness, please rest." Sir Galien softened his battle-hardened expression. "I am not saying you should give no importance to your responsibility as a Crown Prince, but at this moment��no, for the sake of the entire kingdom, getting proper treatment is the most important thing. You have already done your best in the past month, and although the war is still ongoing, you have participated in the battles to acquire our territories back. Sustaining a severe injury, even for an ordinary soldier, warrants being pulled out from the frontlines and discharged from serving in the army."


    Prince Theron narrowed his eyes. "I am not severely injured��"

 Chapter 388 Once I Return, I Will Apologize To Her.

    "The military doctor, who has decades of experience working with soldiers andbat-rted injuries, dered otherwise, Your Highness," the knight said sternly. "Please rest. General Maceo and the other officers can handle the rest of the war for sure."


    Both the prince and his knight stubbornly red at each other, none willing to back down.


    This heavy atmosphere was only broken when a soldier sent by the military general brought good news.


    "Your Highness, General Maceo has sent a message to you from the frontlines. The army of Thevailes has retreatedpletely from our territories, back towards the western mountain ranges. We secured the original border of Megaris before the war erupted as well, and a battalion was stationed on each strategic point to defend our territories. The General asks Your Highness to refrain from worrying and focus on recuperating from your injury, as the flow of war ispletely in favour of our kingdom."


    Prince Theron dismissed the soldier, who politely left the two men behind inside the tent. A smiling Sir Galien approached the entrance of the tent and beckoned the men waiting outside to enter. "Your Highness, I believe you have nothing more to say?"


    Prince Theron had no option but to listen to his knight. A litter was brought in to carry the prince, but he refused to be carried out towards the carriage like that. After hearing the military doctor''s warnings and the soldier''s pleas, the Crown Prince finally relented andpromised to walk while being supported by his knight.


    Despite the pain he''s feeling, Prince Theron showed no outward signs of suffering as he left the tent. Because his knight was supporting him with his arm over the man''s shoulder, he noticed the blue beaded bracelet on his wrist. "Galien, did you put the blue bracelet on me?"


    The knight blinked in confusion, only to clear his throat when he realized what the prince meant. He replied with a light smile, "Your Highness, as far as I remember, Baroness Esther has put that on you as her parting gift."


    "Of course, she is the one to do that," Prince Theron snapped, feeling somewhat annoyed by the weird smile on his knight''s face. "What I mean is thatst night, I remember removing it before I washed myself. I don''t remember wearing it back."


    "Your Highness, you must have remembered it wrong. When I found you copsed on the ground, it was already on your wrist," the knight replied confidently. "For you to be confused like this, you might have hit your head hard. More reason for you to see the royal physicians."


    Prince Theron would have kicked the knight if he wasn''t putting all his energy on staying on his feet. As it was, cold sweat was pouring over his forehead due to the piercing pain inside his chest.


    He was sure he didn''t wear it back after removing it. As he tried to remember the events during the night, a fuzzy memory resurfaced. Other than him and that mysterious man, there was someone else who entered his tent, and it wasn''t his knight.


    ''I was about to be killed. Someone arrived at thest moment and saved me.''


    Prince Theron let out a shaky breath. "Galien, before you, was there someone who entered my tent?"


    The knight looked puzzled. "You meant other than the assassin? When I found Your Highness, you were alone inside the tent and the assassin had long escaped. Perhaps one of the missing soldiers entered your tent to see what''s wrong, and he was also unfortunately targeted by the assassin."


    "No. It''s not a soldier. A mere soldier wouldn''t be able to save me."


    ''Was I mistaken?'' Prince Theron thought as they arrived at the carriage. After he was ced inside tofortably lie on a makeshift bed, he looked at his knight who was instructing those apanying them on their trip back to the capital.


    The knight then returned to the carriage to report. "Your Highness, we will be departing now��"


    "Galien, this attack was the same as that attack during the end-of-year festival."


    The knight''s expression turned grave as he lowered his tone to talk to the prince. "Your Highness, you mean that invisible attack that pushed you down the river?"


    Despite not putting it in the official investigation records of that incident, Sir Galien knew exactly the strangeness of that assassination attack; after all, he had also felt the impact of that invisible energy.


    Prince Theron nodded. "I could not see exactly how he did it, but something hit my body, and I was thrown back by the force."


    "Then it must truly be the same attack as the previous time. I will gather more soldiers to escort us. It is possible that since he did not manage to kill you, he would return to finish his task. We need to be more alert while going back."


    The knight then excused himself as he gave instructions to strengthen the security around the carriage.


    On the way back to ckhelm City, Prince Theron could not help but recall that night by the river, Esther rushing towards the small pier in order to save him.


    At that time, there wasn''t only a single invisible attack. Esther was the one to stop the first two attacks on him with her body. Only after experiencing the attack again did he realize how strong and powerful it was.


    A healthy male like him received internal injuries. For Esther''s more fragile body to receive those attacks��


    Prince Theron groaned in shame. It must have hurt a lot, but she didn''t even show a hint of it. Instead, she was focused on finding a shelter for them and nursing him back to health.


    Instead of asking if she was injured, it did not even cross his mind to worry about her and solely focused on teasing her, even treating her like a handmaid. He could not help but feel bad about how terribly he had treated her and how he acted so selfishly at that time.


    ''Once I return, I will apologize to her.''

 Chapter 389 Her Prayers Were Answered

    Despite trying to be discreet, the news of Prince Theron returning to the capital had spread within the kingdom, but along with that was the sad news that he was severely injured. However, the real reason he was returning to the capital was not disclosed to themon people.


    Worry and respect for the Crown Prince could be seen on people''s faces, and stories about his feats in battle could be heard in almost every house and every alley of the capital. Everyone got to know that with the help of his leadership, the army of the kingdom managed to retrieve its westernmost territories from Thevailes.


    When Esther received this news, she couldn''t help but be happy. As she had already seen it in her dream vision, news about his being attacked did not faze her, as she strongly believed that her prayers that night would be answered. It was a great relief that the one she had asked help from reached there on time, or else Prince Theron would not have been able to remain alive.


    Wizards were a dangerous race, and although they were technically humans, they no longer viewed themselves as one. Once they have epted a bounty from someone, it was rare for them to fail their missions unless another non-human were to intervene. To them, killing a fellow human was as easy as squashing an ant.


    Prince Theron was truly unlucky to be a target of wizards.


    The first time, it was her who saved the Crown Prince, and the second time, it was him who she prayed for help. Although it felt bittersweet to owe that one favour, she now had no choice but to repay it one day.


    She kneeled in front of that red flower and closed her eyes.


    "Thank you so much for saving him. I will always remember this kindness."


    -----


    When Prince Theron reached the royal pce, arrangements were already made to wee him as Sir Galien already sent an advance notice of their arrival. The young prince was directly taken to his chamber and other than King Esteban, Queen Theodora and the royal physicians, no one was allowed to see him.


    Esther was silently praying for his well-being as she could not go see him. She had her ways but she decided to wait for the royal physicians to treat him first. The royal physicians were working day and night to treat the Crown Prince and it somehow felt disrespectful to put them to sleep when they were putting so much effort into their work.


    However, from what she overheard from the servants of the Crown Prince''s residence, Prince Theron was in an unconscious state even after his internal injuries were treated. Fortunately, he was recuperating well under the watch of the royal physicians.


    A few days after, Esther finally caught a chance to meet the Queen, who had been mostly elusive as she often went back and forth between visiting her son and her work.


    After greeting her, Esther could not help but ask, "How is the Crown Prince faring, Your Majesty?"


    "Theron is recovering well, dear," the Queen replied with a smile, although the dark circles under her eyes were telling how exhausted she was. "However, the royal physicians are in quite a pinch. They could not deduce how such blunt force injuries were made without having any bruises or indication of attack from the outside. Although they could not understand the cause, my son is miraculously getting better faster than their initial assessment, so it was quite a relief to everyone involved in his treatment."


    Esther smiled as well. "Surely, the dragon and phoenix protecting the Ivanovs have blessed His Highness once more."


    The Queen stared at the young woman in front of her for a while. Her intuition was telling her Esther knew about what happened with her son, but she found it difficult to breach the subject and ask Esther to rify her doubts. Rather than some non-existent dragon, it was more like Esther was her son''s protector and guardian��-not only did she save him and return him from near death, this time too, Esther was probably rted to the miraculous improvement in Prince Theron''s condition.


    ''Is it too much to ask her? Will it be better to pretend ignorance as I''ve always done?'' the Queen could not help but wonder. She was somewhat worried that asking Esther about her secrets would upset the young woman.


    Esther noticed the Queen''s gaze on her and asked, "Is there anything Your Majesty wishes to talk about?"


    Queen Theodora returned to her senses and said, "Ah, I wanted to ask if you wish to apany me to the Crown Prince''s residence. I am going to visit him."


    Esther was delighted to hear the offer, but she controlled her excitement in front of the Queen. "Thank you so much for considering taking me with you, Your Majesty."


    The Queen only gave an approving nod and rode the carriage together.


    Upon reaching Prince Theron''s bedchamber, the Queen went to her son, asking the attending physician about the improvements in the prince''s condition. Esther chose to stand on the side, but her gaze was fixed on the unconscious young man lying on the bed.


    His handsome face was considerably pale and thinner than when shest saw him in the royal library, but Esther could sense that his life force was strong and that his life was not in danger. The one who saved him made sure that even though the prince was attacked by the wizard, his injuries were still within the range that human abilities could deal with.


    Prince Theron''s body should have been able to heal faster if what it received was a normal sword attack; however, it was currently dealing with the aftereffects of being invaded by an energy attack that was evil in nature. Despite having a piece of Esther''s soul residing in his body, the Crown Prince was in the end an ordinary human. That his weak body could stand it was in itself a miracle.

 Chapter 390 Sneaking Inside Princes Bedchamber

    "��when will he wake up?" Esther could hear the Queen ask the royal physician.


    "By tonight or tomorrow morning, the Crown Prince should wake up," the physician replied.


    The Queen gave out a sigh of relief and sat by her son''s side for a while. It also brought a smile to the youngdy''s lips as she could not wait for him to wake and talk to her.


    After staying for a while, the Queen and Esther left the Crown Prince''s residence. The Queen continued to attend to her duties while Esther left to resume her work in the library. After arranging thest of the shelves under her jurisdiction, she found herself going towards the abandoned part of the library attached to her section, the section carrying ancient mythology books.


    It was the same dark and gloomy room she remembered it to be, with thick dust and cobwebs and windows so rusty they barely opened. She searched for a particr leather-bound book from the innermost shelves, the book that seemed to symbolize thest glory from an empire seemingly forgotten by the world, bearing one of the greatest truths the continent had ever known.


    [The Devil]


    After pulling out that heavy book, she brought it out of that dark room and went back to her assigned table and proceeded to read it. Like she did the first time, she handled the cover and the pages with the utmost care, not wanting to destroy thest bit of evidence proving his existence in the human world.


    Esther stared at the terrifying image drawn on the second page of the book. She could not help but let out a bitter smile.


    "Should I pity you? Nobody remembers��nobody knows��"


    Esther continued to murmur under her breath as memories she had long buried slowly resurfaced in her mind.


    "Is it not amusing how the only portrait of you existing in this ce looks so despicable and horrifying? You surely offended the artist in some way. Maybe she''s a female whose heart you broke?" Esther let out a sad smile. "I wonder what you did back then, why you showed people this figure��"


    She touched the drawing, slowly tracing each ugly line with a finger.


    "Humans have short memories. They already forgot what you have suffered, how much you have sacrificed for them. They don''t even know your name anymore, only calling you a devil.


    "The ones living today have no idea you are the reason why they are living well on thesends. None of them remembers how you have sacrificed yourself to protect this continent, how all existence including those divine creatures they worship as gods were only able to survive due to your sacrifice.


    "I wonder��is it worth it?


    "Did you ever regret it?


    "If you were offered the same choice, would you sacrifice yourself again?"


    Esther closed her eyes for a moment. When she opened them again, her eyes regained their rity.


    "Though we could not be together because of your choice, I do not hate you��I never had, and I never will. I thought that after what happened to you, to us, I will never fall for another, but I guess fate is truly fickle. It took a terribly long time, but time does heal wounds. I can now say with confidence that I no longer yearn for you. My heart now belongs to another, and the man I love is here by my side. Though I don''t know what wille out of it or how it will end, but this time, I will not run away."


    She continued flipping the pages of the book and she let out sighs of disappointment seeing how the Devil had been mentioned only as an unholy creature, bringing nightmares to those he visits.


    "I wish I can write another book for you to let everyone know the truth, but I guess things are better left as it is. Humans will only believe what they want to believe. At this point, your reputation is not something a single book can restore."


    She closed the book and put it back in its original position as she mumbled, "I can only hope that one day people will know the real you."


    -----


    That night, Esther could not stop herself from visiting Prince Theron.


    When she saw him in the morning along with the Queen, she knew he didn''t need medicines or physicians. The only help he needed was ample time to rest as he would wake up on his own.


    Call it selfish or greedy, but seeing him for such a brief moment did not satisfy her. She wanted to have alone time with him, as she felt they had been apart way too long for her liking. She had been holding back enough.


    Esther was in her residence outside of the city. With her powers, it didn''t take her much time to reach the Crown Prince''s residence. As usual, she put on the spell that made everyone inside the residence sleep and she went to his bedchamber without any restrictions.


    Prince Theron remained unconscious as Esther approached his bed, the soft light from the oilmps making him look as if he was merely sleeping peacefully. She remembered that her sleeping spell didn''t work on him, and she had a funny thought of checking if he would wake up if she were to snatch a kiss from those delectable-looking lips.


    Sitting at the edge of his bed, she held his hand, gently squeezing it as if to tell him that she was here so he should wake up. The entire time, her gaze observed his pale face. A disappointed smile graced her face when there was no reaction from the young man. She ced her hand on his chest and closed her eyes. She could feel that his body''s condition was fine and felt relieved to confirm what she already knew.


    She touched the bracelet on his wrist. "I had told you not to remove it but you still did. Do you know what could have happened?"


    Her eyes turned moist as she looked at his face again. She could not bear the thought of losing him. When she had that vision, she realized what she would lose if something did happen to him. It was such a shocking realization.


    Imagine, she did what she never thought she would ever do even if she were to die. For this weak human with a tongue of a rogue, she swallowed her pride and begged him to save his life!


    "I need to punish you for this! You��You��ugh!"


    Esther shook her head. She hade to terms about how important this man was for her. She caressed his cheeks gently, and without her knowing it, tears started to pool in her eyes. Yet despite this, her warm gaze never left the sight of his face.


    "I will make sure to catch the one who is trying to harm you and punish them the way they deserve for causing you such pain."


    She leaned down a little and gave him a soft peck on his lips. The tears she was holding back rolled down from her eyes and fell on his cheeks.


    Esther parted from his lips, and when she opened her eyes, she saw a pair of gray eyes staring at her.

 Chapter 391 I Expect More My Lady

    Unknown to her, a sudden warmth spread within the young man''s body the moment she leaned close to him, causing him to wake up. Even before Prince Theron opened his eyes, the familiar lips pressed against his gave away the fact that his beloved was by his side, the very woman who he had in his mind the entire time he had been away in war. For a moment, he thought it was a dream, but when he realized the warmth of those lips felt too real, he opened his eyes, wanting to see her face.


    ''Esther��''


    Prince Theron stared at her in a daze, mesmerized by the beauty of her eyes as he tried to focus his blurry gaze.


    "Your Highness?" the youngdy said in surprise. She didn''t expect him to wake up at this moment, and as she recalled what she had just done, embarrassment flooded her senses.


    Hearing her voice, Prince Theron let out a weak smile filled with relief. He was scared for a bit that he would open his eyes, only to realize the blonddy in front of him was an illusion caused by his yearning. But she''s real��the Esther sitting beside him was real. He could smell her sweet fragrance, and he could still feel the lingering warmth of her soft lips on his.


    Esther smiled pleasantly as she was filled with happiness. She no longer bothered with embarrassment and simply hugged him with her head resting on his chest. She could not contain the smallugh escaping her mouth.


    "You are awake! You are finally awake!"


    "Hmm!" Prince Theron hugged her back.


    She let go of him and raised her head up to look at his face. "Thank you so much foring back to me."


    Prince Theron moved his hand to wipe her tears. His voice was low and hoarse after spending days being unconscious, but his tone was firm when he spoke. "Is that not a given? I had toe back to fulfil my promise to a certaindy."


    "Thank you," was all she could say as there were no words that could fully express what she was feeling at the moment.


    "Hmm? Is that it? Is thanks all I will get in return foring back to you?"


    Perhaps because she was high with relief, Esther failed to notice the yful tone in his voice. She asked with genuine concern, "What do you want, Your Highness? I will get it right away."


    She was about to move back but his hand held her at the waist to stop her. She looked at him, feeling startled, only to see him staring deep into her innocent-looking eyes. "You must continue what you were doing before I woke up."


    Esther felt her entire face heating up, but she decided to feign ignorance. "I am confused. You are still not well, Your Highness. You should��"


    "We are both too smart to y this game, mydy. I am fine. Trust me," he said in a needy voice. He was away from her for more than a month and only he knew how much he longed for her. "I would love it if the fairdy could award this poor soldier with a kiss."


    Esther could not say no to his request. Moreover, she was sharing the same feelings as him. Just as he yearned to return to her, she had waited for his return.


    With a coy nce, Esther looked at those thin lips and leaned down to brush her lips against his. Just a small peck, yet both could feel the air around them rising in temperature. Gulping, Esther moved back and heard his hoarse voice beg for more.


    "I expect more, mydy."


    Esther felt more embarrassed and said hesitantly, "Once you are better��I will��Your Highness��"


    Prince Theron smirked and tightened his grip around her waist. Despite being bed-bound for thest couple of days, he was surprisingly strong enough to roll over and pin her body under him.


    "Now, you believe I am fine?" he asked.


    "This��" It really surprised her as she didn''t expect him to be this strong even after receiving an injury from a wizard''s attack.


    She looked at the beaded bracelet in his hand and noticed it shining a little differently. Though others would not pay much attention to that, but she was the person who gave Prince Theron that bracelet, she knew best how that item worked.


    ''This bracelet seems to have power other than mine. Is it�� him? Did he use his power to save Prince Theron? No wonder this rogue regained his strength in such a short amount of time.''


    While she was busy getting a grasp on the situation, Prince Theron studied her face. "Are you that surprised to see me this well?"


    It pulled her out of her thoughts. "N-No, Your Highness. I am just happy that you are perfectly fine."


    "Then?" He offered her a teasing look which made her cheeks turn red.


    "I��need to go. No one knows I am here," she said.


    "Trying to avoid what I asked you for?" he asked.


    She lowered her gaze as she was feeling embarrassed and shy. She could feel the tension between their bodies, and she knew that if she could not escape her way from his grasp, something more intimate than a kiss might happen next.


    "I��" but no words could make their way out of her mouth.


    Prince Theron''s gaze softened as he relented. "Fine, we can keep it forter when you are ready on your own."


    Esther didn''t know how to respond to this shameless yet thoughtful rogue. She herself could not understand whether she wanted to continue or not, and was a bumbling mess of confusion.


    Prince Theron was about to move away from her but Esther grabbed the part of his robe in front of his chest and pulled him back, making her lips meet with his. She didn''t back down this time and kissed him properly, slowly enjoying the taste and warmth of his mouth.


    Prince Theron kissed her back, responding to her with equal ardour and passion, cradling the back of her head as he too enjoyed her soft lips.


    It was at this moment that this pair of lovers realized how much they loved each other, wanting no other to be their partner for the rest of their lives.

 Chapter 392 I Want To Marry No One But You

    When their faces parted away, Esther was gasping for air. What started as a gentle peck on the lips, this greedy man hovering over her turned into a dizzyingly intense kiss. For a moment, she even forgot her own name.


    Seeing her messy and breathless appearance, the handsome man with a wicked grin asked, "Already tired, mydy? Between us, shouldn''t I be the onecking in stamina after going through such a life-threatening injury?"


    "You have rested for so long, of course, you are filled with energy, Your Highness," she countered. "Seems like the Head Royal Physician''s treatment worked really well."


    He smirked, delighted to see her cheeky attitude. "Really? Then I should confirm how long this energy willst so that I canter heavily reward the Head Royal Physician."


    As he said those words, his fingers brushed along her slender neck, touching the neckline of her dress with the intention of pulling it down.


    Esther gulped as her entire body was filled with goosebumps. Understanding the intention of this perverted man, she immediately held his hand to stop him. "We cannot! I-I, uhh, I need to go back��"


    But Prince Theron was already expecting this. "So soon? We haven''t even done anything yet."


    It was as if the young man could almost see the gears working inside thedy''s brain as she tried toe up with a usible excuse. He found her shy expression extremely adorable.


    "It will take me time to reach home, and I don''t wish my servants to know I have sneaked out at thiste hour of the night," she exined, though it was not even close to the truth. With her powers, she could reach her room in just a few seconds.


    Prince Theron had no choice but to agree. "Fine. If that is what you want. I don''t wish others to gossip about the future Queen of Megaris." When Prince Theron moved away from her, he found her staring at him in shock.


    "Queen of Megaris?"


    He nodded casually as if it was nothing surprising. "I am the Crown Prince, and you will be my Crown Princess. After you marry me, it is only a matter of time until my father passes his crown to me. After the coronation, you will have to sit on the throne by my side."


    "I��never thought of bing a queen. I just��."


    Prince Theron threw her a questioning gaze. "You are such a baffling woman. What did you expect when I proposed to you?"


    "I wasn''t expecting anything��"


    "Do I strike you as a rake, a womanizer? I am telling you now, you are the first and only lover I have."


    "No, it''s just that bing a queen is too��"


    "If you don''t wish to be my Queen, that means you want me to marry another woman. Is that the future you want to see? Me having another woman in my arms?"


    "No! I didn''t say that!" she eximed.


    The way she reacted the moment he mentioned marrying another woman amused him. "Hmm? So you don''t want me to marry someone else?"


    "No��I mean, of course, you can marry anyone, Your Highness. It is normal for kings to have multiple wives so��"


    "You are not answering my question, mydy. Do you want or do you not want me to marry another?"


    Esther''s gaze was shaking as she struggled to keep herself calm. "But�� it is normal for kings��"


    Prince Theron could see she was not saying this from her heart. Instead, there was jealousy shing in her eyes, mixed with disappointment. He didn''t deny her im and said, "I have no ns of marrying another, but if you insist that I will be that kind of king, then I must do as you say. In the future, I have to ept concubines��"


    "I am leaving, Your Highness. Please excuse me."


    Esther was angry inside. She knew he was merely teasing her at this moment, but then who knows what would happen in the future? Humans were known to be fickle, and their emotions could not be trusted. Even if his heart truly remained faithful, what if his duty required him to marry? Once he sat on the throne and was offered to wed a beautifuldy with a background beneficial to the kingdom, would he refuse? Could he refuse? She didn''t wish to listen to his future of having other women around him.


    ? Prince Theron stood up and quickly followed her, grabbing her hand to stop her from reaching his door. She tried to free her hand, but she immediately judged that if she was to apply force, she would hurt Prince Theron. It frustrated her, but she had no outlet to vent it.


    The young man hugged her from behind and whispered in her ear, "Is someone getting jealous?"


    As he could not see her face, she didn''t need to control her expression which showed how upset she was. However, her mouth remained stubborn. "Jealous? I don''t see anyone around here, Your Highness." Her tone was polite yet sarcastic.


    "Hmm, fine, if mydy says so." He tightened his embrace around her. After several seconds, her stiff body slowly loosened up. Only then did he speak again. "Do you trust me, Esther?"


    The way he lovingly said her name made her want to nod, to turn around and embrace him back, but she resisted the urge.


    Prince Theron continued to speak, "As you say, it is normal for kings to have many lovers��but that doesn''t mean kings are not allowed to have only one. Believe me when I say that I wish to marry only this lovely woman in my arms. In the present, there is only Esther Burton, and in the future, there will be Esther Ivanov��there won''t be anyone else but her by my side."


    Such tender words melted the negative feelings flooding her heart. Esther swallowed the bitter words she was nning to say as a gorgeous smile bloomed on her face. He turned her around to look at her and he lightly kissed her forehead.


    "You are the woman I want to cherish the most. Why would I do something that will make you unhappy? Do not doubt my feelings for you, mydy. Can you promise me that?"


    Esther wanted to say something, but she found that she was so happy, she could not get rid of the silly smile on her face. She could only respond with a nod.


    Prince Theron continued, "As soon as possible, I will talk to my father about us. I never had any intention of hiding our rtionship in the first ce. I want to be able to apany you in the open, and I am sure once the royal family has officially announced their eptance of our rtionship, you won''t have to sneak into my bedchamber ever again, and neither will I have to let you go like this. All I ask from you is a little patience."


    Esther nodded and lowered her gaze, as she was still wearing that silly smile she could not get rid of. The thought of marrying him was itself enough to make her feel shy, but his sweet words were making her feel more and more embarrassed.


    "I��need to go now," she whispered under her breath.


    "Hmm," he agreed. She left through the door, and only after she disappeared from his sight did Prince Theron have the same bewildered question from before.


    ''How did she reach my chamber unimpeded? Did she really put sleeping drugs in the food of my subordinates?''


    Out of curiosity, he went out of his room, and just as expected, his knights were sleeping. He sighed and returned to his room.


    "As long as only Estheres for a night visit, it''s fine."


    Hey in his bed, staring at the ceiling while having his own version of a silly smile on his face. He fondly recalled her expression of jealousy, as well as that gorgeous smile afterwards. He started dreaming about how his life would be with her once they are married.


    "How many sons and how many daughters should we have��?"

 Chapter 393 A Marriage Talk

    The news of Prince Theron waking up reached the King''s and the Queen''s ears first thing in the morning. They could not wait to see their son, and after having their meal together, they shared a carriage to head straight towards the Crown Prince''s residence.


    When they arrived, King Esteban and Queen Theodora were led towards the drawing-room instead of the prince''s bedchamber, much to their surprise. The aide informed them that the Crown Prince was strong enough to move around, and was just about to finish his morning meal. It did not even take five minutes before Prince Theron appeared in front of his parents, looking as strong and healthy as ever, as if he never suffered an injury in the first ce.


    He bowed before them. "Good morning, Father. Good morning, Mother. I apologize that I have once again worried and troubled you both. You should have let this unfilial son visit you instead of youing here."


    "Nonsense. It is normal for parents to visit when their son is ill." Queen Theodora stood up from her chair, eyeing him from head to toe. She could not wait to check on her son to see if he was really fine. After wrapping her arms around him, she then held his hand and squeezed it. His grasp was firmer than hers.


    "I am d to see you fine, Theron. But have you truly recovered? Are you no longer hurting? Is it already fine that you are walking around like this?"


    "Yes, nothing is wrong with my body. The physicians repeatedly checked. Apologies for worrying you, Mother," he replied.


    King Esteban stood up from his chair as well. He gave a proud father''s hug to his son. "You never fail to make me feel proud, my son. In your first military campaign, you have brought glory to the family and the kingdom."


    Even though the King was masking his true intentions by mentioning the war, the young prince perfectly understood the relief and warmth hidden in those words.


    "Thank you, Father."


    They all went to sit down, with Prince Theron facing his parents. The Crown Prince beckoned for the servants to leave the drawing-room. As soon as the three Ivanovs were left by themselves, he heard his father start, "I remember you asking me for something if you return with victory. Tell me what you want and I promise you I will fulfil your wish."


    Prince Theron was d that his father broached the subject on his own. "Father, I know mother and you are thinking about my marriage and already have candidates in mind to fill the crown princess position of our kingdom."


    The King and Queen nced at each other with delight in their eyes.


    ''Our son has matured!'' they both thought.


    It was normal for the royal family to designate the future partner of its heirs during childhood, as this was often a result of a political move to either strengthen the unity of the families serving the royal faction, to put a tight leash on the opposing aristocratic faction or to expand the current influence of the kingdom. For the Kingdom of Megaris, a kingdom that put heavy emphasis on warfare and military might, it was even more necessary for the royal family to have enough power to control the nobles and the newly conquerednds.


    When Prince Theron was born, marriage proposals came along with the celebration of his birth. King Esteban and Queen Theodora broke tradition when they announced they would let the first son of the King, the heir apparent of Megaris, choose his own consort in the future. This caused many of the noble households to be hopeful, as there would be many chances for them to impress the prince before hees of age.


    There was a famous saying in Megaris that no matter how good a king was, he could not lead the kingdom to prosperity without an equally good queen.


    King Esteban''s father, and even his grandfather, had ruled Megaris this way��they would choose the most outstanding young woman of the same generation within the kingdom to be the Queen, while the other nobledies who were found to be with outstanding talents or great backgrounds were also epted into the royal harem of the king.


    However, Prince Theron was not one who liked socialization, and from young, he strictly followed his daily routine, rarely interacting with people outside of the royal pce. As the only son of the King and Queen, he focused on his studies and sword training, aiming to be a ruler greater than his father.


    Of course, this dedication delighted his parents; however, this also meant that he had refrained from experiencing a normal childhood. As he grew older, he could be seen as a generally charismatic young man, but although he was polite to everyone whenever he attended official events and royal balls, he was close to no one.


    When Prince Theron reached adulthood and had hising-of-age ceremony, he only danced with the youngdies in attendance because they were daughters or rtives of the pce officials and the high-ranking nobles. He would always excuse himself and leave the events early, not giving thedies a chance to get close to him.


    This behaviour from their son caused not only his parents to worry. This also caused the pce officials to beg the King to decide on a partner on behalf of the disinterested Crown Prince. When his parents tried to raise the issue of marriage to him, he would always find a way to evade it and redirect the conversation to work matters. As good parents to their son, they could not force him and had to dy all the marriage proposals that came for him. It had been a few years since then.


    "Indeed, we have made an updated list of all the eligible youngdies in the kingdom. Have you decided to talk to us about your marriage, my son?" Queen Theodora said with great joy.

 Chapter 394 I Want To Marry Esther

    Prince Theron nodded. "Yes, mother. I am thankful that you are letting me have a final say on my own marriage."


    King Esteban was happy as well and said, "A man should decide his own fate. Should I have my aide fetch the list today? Do you want me to send it to your studyter? I am sure you will like any of the young noblewomen we have on the list. Their backgrounds are impable, and we made sure their reputations are clean as well."


    "Father, I already have ady in mind."


    "Whose daughter is she? From which family?" Queen Theodora asked.


    "She is not a daughter of any noble, Father," Prince Theron said.


    His words made his parents tense with worry.


    ''Not a noble''s daughter? Amoner? Did they meet during the military campaign to the west? It couldn''t be some lowly vige girl, is it?''


    Other thandies from noble families, they could not ept anyone. Even a foreign princess was less desirablepared to a useful daughter of a low-ranking military officer. The Kingdom of Megaris treated women betterpared to the rest of the continent, but that treatment came at the cost of being evaluated constantly by her peers. Talent, wisdom and background��a gooddy should at least have one of them.


    The woman Prince Theron would marry as his main wife was the most important as she would be the future Queen of Megaris. All the nobledies who were part of the selection process as the Crown Princess candidates were those raised by their families with great care, educated about various subjects, ranging from the academe to the arts, and trained to handle the responsibilities of a queen.


    How could a meremonerpete?


    As parents who wished for their son to have a blissful marital life, they wanted Prince Theron to choose thedy best suited for him. Even though she might not be the most outstanding, if Prince Theron chose her, then she would be able to at least be an eptable queen.


    However, if he chose a vige girl��


    Queen Theodora decided to break the strained silence that enveloped the room.


    "Who do you want to marry, son?"


    "Baroness Esther Burton. I want to marry her," Prince Theron answered. "Though she is not from a noble family, she is no less than any of the daughters from such families. I believe Father and Mother think the same."


    King Esteban didn''t say anything, but he looked to be in deep thoughts.


    ? Queen Theodora asked, "Are you sure, Theron?" She had sensed something between the two, but she never thought it had already developed into this situation. On a personal level, the Queen liked and trusted Esther. She was a lovely, smart and diligentdy, and she had saved both her and her son''s lives. But to make her the Crown Princess��


    Prince Theron looked at his mother confidently. "Yes, Mother. I want Esther to be my Crown Princess. Please permit me to have her as my wife."


    "Her background��"


    "Father has granted her the title of baroness. She is now a nobledy so there should not be any issues."


    Though the King had promised to fulfil his son''s wish, he still didn''t want to outright agree to his demand. Being the Crown Princess meant bing the future Queen of Megaris. The Queen had the same authority as the King.


    Though King Esteban looked favourably on the youngdy, she wasn''t clear from the doubts of having a mysterious background. The King needed to check things as it was about the future of the entire kingdom after all.


    On the other hand, Queen Theodora had no issues regarding whether or not Esther is trustworthy. Her hesitation was due to a different reason. Knowing Esther was not some ordinary human girl, she needed to consult with Lady Tyra about it."


    Both the King and the Queen shared a worried nce and then looked at their son.


    Queen Theodora cleared her throat. "We are d that you have found the woman that you feel is worthy of marrying you. Since you are asking for our blessing, give us time to think it over."


    Prince Theron found it reasonable and looked at his father. "I believe Father will keep his promise to me." After that, he stood up and left after excusing himself.


    Once he was gone, King Esteban talked to his wife. "My Queen, what do you think about our son''s demand?"


    "Esther is a gooddy, but this is truly unexpected. I need to talk to her first before we decide anything," the Queen replied.


    "Though we have granted her a title of nobility, we don''t know where she is from nor what her true identity is. Millions of lives will be affected if we make the wrong decision. I will not allow anything, even the smallest possibility, to bring harm to our son and this kingdom," the King expressed his opinion.


    "Character and intelligence, there is nothing to worry about. She had always been good to our family. It''s not like she had arrived here just yesterday. She was by my side for a long and I don''t doubt her. But��"


    "But?" the King asked.


    Queen Theodora didn''t know how to say it to her husband as she didn''t wish anyone to know about Esther''s abilities. "But��well, we are not in a rush. We have plenty of time to think and get to know her more before deciding anything."


    The King agreed with his wife. "I will leave this in your capable hands then." Then he shook his head. "Once they learn of this, the nobles would be furious."


    "I would leave that in your capable hands then," the Queen replied with a smallugh.


    Afterwards, Queen Theodora returned to her residence and called for Lady Tyra.


    Lady Tyra arrived at the Queen''s chamber and greeted her with a bow. "Your Majesty, did you ask for me?"


    The Queen nodded, her face looking somewhat deep in thought. She gestured for the olderdy to sit on the chair opposite hers before dismissing the other inside the room. Seeing her subtle expression, Lady Tyra understood there was something important that the Queen wished to talk with her.

 Chapter 395 Agreeing To Marry

    Queen Theodora directly jumped to the point as soon as they were alone.


    "Today, Theron said he wishes to marry Esther."


    Lady Tyra was too stunned to react. Her first thought was that she had heard something wrong. "Esther? Your Majesty, you mean Baroness Esther?"


    "Yes, Tyra."


    "Is the Crown Prince offering an engagement proposal to the Baroness? You must dissuade him, Your Majesty. There are many daughters of the high-ranking nobles waiting to be his betrothed. Even if Prince Theron fancies the Baroness, I do not think the Baroness will ept his one-sided feelings."


    The Queen responded with something even more ridiculous. "From what I understand, their feelings are mutual. Theron is simply asking for my and Esteban''s blessings."


    Lady Tyra could not believe it. ''Mutual? How can it be? How can Her Eminence marry a human and that to the prince of a human kingdom?''


    For a moment, she imagined a strange future where the beautiful youngdy with honey blond hair was standing side by side with a handsome brown-haired man, and as if pages of a book were being flipped, years would go by where thedy would remain eternally young, while the man beside him would grow visibly older, hair turning whiter and skin more wrinkled with the passing time.


    ''If Her Eminence bes part of the royal family, her every move will be watched by the public. It will be impossible no one will notice the strange things about her!''


    Seeing her dazed. Queen Theodora asked, "What are you thinking about Tyra?"


    It brought her back to her senses. Her throat felt parched at the nonsensical future she imagined. "Pardon, Your Majesty. I am simply shocked by this news. If their feelings are mutual then�� I have nothing to say. What are your thoughts about this, Your Majesty?"


    "I am not sure about it, Tyra." The Queen sighed. "Knowing she is not an ordinary human, I don''t know what to think about it. You are her kind, but you never got married and had always remained in the background. Will it be fine to let this happen? I know she is a good person. If she were only an ordinary woman, I would have given those two my blessings right away��"


    Lady Tyra offered her a stiff smile. "I am not sure what your concerns are, Your Majesty. I think there should not be anyrge issue as there are instances in history when our kind married humans. There will be nothing dangerous about them being together. Baroness Esther��her identity is more special��it would be better if Your Majesty talks to her about it. If you truly be one family, then won''t that mean she would be your precious daughter?"


    The Queen agreed, her expression softening. She truly liked Esther as a person and having her as a daughter-inw was a delightful thing to look forward to. On the other hand, Lady Tyra could not help but worry about the status of her kind being exposed.


    Due to her white powers, Esther didn''t age and she never would, no matter how many years went by. For Megaris to have a queen who would look the same even after one or two decades, people would surely question her.


    ''I am sure Her Eminence had considered this as well.''


    Lady Tyra could only leave this matter in Esther''s hand and ept her decision.


    ----


    Queen Theodora ordered one of herdies-in-waiting to invite Esther to her residence. It did not take long for Esther to arrive there from the royal library after receiving the summon. She was escorted by a servant towards the drawing-room.


    "Your Majesty, Lady Esther Burton has arrived," the servant announced.


    Queen Theodora nodded as she put down the cup of tea in her hand. "Have a seat, Esther."


    Esther sat in the chair opposite to the Queen. She somewhat guessed why the Queen had asked for her since she remembered Prince Theron telling her he would inform his parents about the two. However, she was still bbergasted. She did not expect it to be this soon.


    She heard the Queen speak in a rxed manner, "Theron told us that he wished to marry you."


    Blushing, Esther didn''t know what to say and waited for the Queen to say more.


    "I wish to know what you feel about my son."


    At this, Esther''s face went from pink to red. Queen Theodora found her reaction amusing, but at least, that answered her question.


    "Knowing him, I am sure my son is certain about his feelings for you as well as your feelings for him, thus rather than an engagement, what he wanted is to ask blessings for marriage. What is your take on this?"


    Esther didn''t wish to beat around the bush and said directly, "I wish to marry him as well, Your Majesty."


    "Hmm," was all the Queen said. She studied the visibly nervous young woman. "Do you wish to say anything else��perhaps about your background?"


    Upon the mention of her past, Esther stayed quiet for a while, fiddling with her fingers as she arranged her thoughts. Queen Theodora did not rush her, and instead, continued to enjoy her tea while she gave Esther time.


    Esther sighed and then looked at the Queen. "Your Majesty, I don''t wish to hide anything about myself, but telling humans about the secrets of my kind will bring more harm than good. If you have questions, I will try my best to answer them, but there will be times I might not be able to give you the answer you desire."


    "That is enough. I respect your choice."


    Esther smiled. "You have Lady Tyra by your side. I am sure by now you must have an idea that I am not just an ordinary woman, even by the standards of my kind."


    The Queen nodded.


    "Your Majesty, although I am not human, I have chosen to be one. I have abandoned my past life and I don''t use my powers unless it is truly necessary, more often than not to save a life."


    "Save a life?" The Queen nodded, as if she expected it. "I did have a hunch that you were the one helping my son whenever his life was in danger."


    "Yes, Your Majesty," she replied. "That is me."


    "Why did you choose to save him?" the Queen asked but before Esther could say anything, the Queen said, "I prefer to get an honest answer from you. Is it because you already have feelings for him then?"


    Esther inhaled deeply and answered, "Your Majesty, during the first time, I saved him because of you. I was grateful for the way you have taken care of me because you gave me an opportunity to live normally among people��"


    "Then?" the Queen prodded, seeing the young woman hesitated.


    "Then�� I saved him again because I could not bear to let him go away," Esther answered, and this time, not only her face��even her ears and neck had gone red from embarrassment.


    The Queen smiled. "Do you love my son?"


    Esther nodded with her gaze lowered.


    The Queen chuckled yfully. "Since both of you share the same feelings, then I shall give you my blessings."


    Esther could not help but let out a shy smile as she looked at the Queen whose expression seemed to bloom in happiness. It was as if she would have embraced Esther if not for the table between them.


    "For some unknown reason, I have always been fond of you. I am d to have you as a part of my family. You will be my daughter from now on. I cannot wait for the time you will address me as ''Mother''."


    "Thank you, Your Majesty," was all Esther could say, but the warmth was spreading inside her chest as she cherished the sincerity in those words.

 Chapter 396 Privilege Of The Powerful

    After having the talk with Esther, Queen Theodora met her husband to confide with him about her thoughts on the matter of their son''s marriage. Both agreed on letting their son marry Esther. They called Prince Theron to inform him of their decision on the condition that he should bring Esther to officially meet them for a meal as the Crown Prince''s lover. Prince Theron could not be happier than this and wished to see Esther as soon as possible.


    As soon as his pce duties were done for the day, Prince Theron instructed his knight, "Galien, get my horse ready."


    "Should I send a messenger to tell the Baroness we''reing for a visit?"


    "No need. I wish to surprise her."


    Sir Galien could not help but smile at the excited grin his liege was wearing. It looked silly, and it looked unfamiliar, but it was a weed change. He had served the cold-faced prince for years, from the time he was a boy too mature for his age up until he became an adult who buried himself with work. Ever since Esther came into Prince Theron''s life, the knight had seen more emotion and color on that face than ever.


    Happy for his prince, he immediately followed his order and apanied the Crown Prince towards Esther''s residence.


    Unknown to them, a guest was already currently being received in Esther''s mansion. It was Lady Tyra who had left the pce grounds early on, as she wished to talk privately with Esther, away from prying eyes.


    "Your Eminence." Lady Tyra bowed as soon as the butler left the room.


    Esther was standing by the window of her study, looking at the view outside. Despite hearing the greeting, she did not turn around. The olderdy did not speak a word, and merely quietly watched the youngdy''s back.


    "I am sure something is troubling you, Tyra."


    "Ah." Lady Tyra found herself snapping back to reality. "Yes, Your Eminence. Today��Today, Her Majesty informed me about you and Prince Theron."


    Still looking at the sky, Esther asked, "Then what do you think, Tyra?"


    "I am happy for both of you, Your Eminence. This kingdom is blessed to have you as their next queen."


    Esther turned to look at her, who was still standing near the entrance of the study with her head lowered. "I am sure you have something else to say, Tyra."


    Lady Tyra kept her head lowered. "May I speak openly, Your Eminence?"


    "Don''t hesitate," Esther ordered.


    "Your Eminence, being half human, I am bound to age though it is slowerpared to humans, allowing me to somehow coexist with them�� but Your Eminence is a being with the purest blood among our kind. You have stopped aging upon reaching adulthood more than a hundred years ago. I am concerned��I am concerned about how humans will react to your eternal youth as the years pass by."


    Esther looked at her for a moment.


    "Our kind has a spell that allows us to change our appearances. Have you heard of it?"


    "Yes, I have, Your Eminence."


    "I simply have to make myself look older slowly. Though it is an illusion that works only on humans, it will be enough."


    "Do you��do you n to use that spell long term? Every single day of your stay in this human kingdom?"


    Esther smiled. "Such is the privilege of the powerful."


    ------


    Prince Theron and Sir Galien soon reached Esther''s residence.


    The servants received them with the best treatment possible, no longer finding the Crown Prince''s arrival odd as they were aware of the rtionship between Prince Theron and their master. Although they were yet to hear the news of their marriage, they were already treating the Crown Prince as if he''s the husband of the Baroness.


    The butler led the guests towards the drawing room while he ordered one of the servants to let Esther know that the Crown Prince came to visit.


    When Prince Theron was about to enter the drawing room, he stopped mid-stride upon seeing Lady Tyraing downstairs. The olderdy was equally startled to see him, but the surprise on her face was brief.


    Lady Tyra came to him and bowed. "Greetings, Your Highness."


    Prince Theron epted it with a light nod and asked, "Did Mother send you here?"


    "No, Your Highness. I just came here to meet Baroness Esther as an acquaintance."


    Prince Theron didn''t ask why and allowed her to continue on her way as she appeared to be heading back towards the royal pce. However, instead of following the butler towards the drawing room, Prince Theron directly walked towards the staircase.


    The servants around and Sir Galien shared a knowing nce and decided to simply let the prince be. The knight did not follow behind his liege and rested in the drawing room.


    Just likest time, Prince Theron found in which room Esther was staying despite not asking anyone where she was. The only difference this time was that Prince Theron knocked on the door before entering, unlike the previous time when he barged into her bedchamber unannounced to surprise her.


    "Come in," he heard her sweet voice from behind the door.


    He entered what appeared to be her personal study and saw her standing by the window, staring outside with her back facing him. He walked towards her, and before she could turn around to know who came in, Prince Theron hugged her from the back.


    "May I know what mydy likes so much about staring outside? Why look towards the sky? Do any of the cloud shapes tickle your fancy?"


    Upon recognizing his voice, her body melted into his arms. "The sky makes me feel peaceful."


    Prince Theron looked at the sky and nodded. "It sure does but��"


    "But?" she asked.


    "But once we are married, you will probably forget what the sky looks like," he replied.


    "Huh?"


    "Because you won''t get many chances to calmly stare at the sky," hemented.


    "Why so?" she asked nonchntly, trying to guess what was in his mind.


    "Because you won''t be able to see anything else but me and my body," he answered in a low voice that sounded delectably seductive to her ear. "I will keep you busy with me all the time. Though my bedchamber has a nice view of the outside, the window will always have its windows drawn close during the day, as you would be mostly asleep after getting exhausted by me through the night."


    Esther''s body stiffened as covered her furiously blushing face with her hands, not knowing what to say to this indecent rogue of a man.


    Noticing her embarrassment, Prince Theron smirked and gently kissed the side of her neck. "What happened? Dare to share your thoughts with this prince?"


    "I-I''m, ugh, nothing. I''m not thinking of anything!"


    "Are you sure?"


    "There''s really nothing!" she replied as she tried to regain herposure.


    When she removed her hands from her face, her expression had regained its usual calm, though a hint of pink remained on her cheeks. She asked to change the topic, "May I know why Your Highness is here?"


    "Can''t Ie here to see the woman who will be my wife soon?" he asked.


    "I don''t mean like that��I��"


    "You know the answer. I came here because I missed you," he said, making her face return to its earlier shade of red. Even the tips of her ears had turned red at this point, and Prince Theron could not help but find his future wife adorable.


    He turned her around and made her look into his eyes.


    "Did you miss me, Esther?"


    "I��"


    He pouted. "You didn''t miss me?"


    He tried to make his expression look pitiful, but his handsome face was too distracting. Esther only found herself wanting to stand on her toes and kiss those thin lips of his. "Ugh! Stop teasing me!"


    Seeing her act shy like this made him want to continue, but he refrained himself from doing so and simply gently kissed her forehead. "All right, mydy. I won''t tease you anymore. The reason why I came is to tell you personally that Father and Mother agreed to our marriage. My heart is broken, however, since it seems like news has already reached you first before I did. Lady Tyra��Well��Never mind, I at least get to see you."


    "I am d to see you here as well, Your Highness," she said with a soft smile.


    "Shouldn''t you start calling me by my name, Esther?" he asked.


    "We are not married yet."


    "We are lovers yet you won''t call me by my name?"


    "Your Highness��"


    "I would love to hear you call me Theron from this moment onward," he insisted.


    Esther, not being used to calling his name, felt hesitant.


    "I am waiting, mydy."


    Esther cleared her throat. As a person with a high status among her kind, she was not originally the kind of person who was shy and timid, but for some odd reasons, this annoying prince managed to bring out that side of her. He always made her heart flutter, and his teasing would cause her to feel embarrassed. It made her feel strange yet delighted, becausepared to the more than a century of living spent before she met him, she had never felt as alive as she did with him.


    "Theron."


    He smiled. "I didn''t hear it."


    She knew he was just acting like a rogue again, but she did as he asked. "Theron."


    "What?"


    "Theron."


    "Hmm, I think adding ''my'' before my name would massively improve it."


    She pped his chest and pretended to look angry. Yet she yielded.


    "My Theron."


    "Amazing. My name never sounded so good before," she heard him say while wearing the silliest grin she had ever seen on his face. "Remember, you must call me by my name from now on."


    "I will," she agreed, "Theron."


    "Such obedience deserves a reward," he said and gave her a gentle kiss before she could react.

 Chapter 397 Roumors Of Being A Witch

    Before the selection could even start, the identity of the Crown Princess of Megaris was already determined.


    Baroness Esther Burton, amon-borndy granted a noble title after earning the friendship of the Ivanovs.


    The news shook not only the capital but the entire kingdom, and though there were many voices of dissatisfaction, especially among the highest-ranking nobles, they had no choice but to respect the decision of Prince Theron, more so since he had the full support of the royal family.


    The preparation for the wedding took about three months. Upon receiving the invitations, even the territory lords governing the most distantnds hurried towards ckhelm, not wanting to miss the grand asion of their future sovereigns. As it was the wedding of the heir apparent of the King of Megaris, the invitations were sent not only to the kingdom''s noble households but also to the royal families and distinguished personages from the other kingdoms in the continent.


    Days before the wedding, the diplomatic partiesing in from other kingdoms started to arrive one by one, and as these guests flocked to the capital of Megaris, it caused the city to be especially lively. The local nobles used this chance to socialize with the foreign guests before the wedding day itself.


    Of course, these gatherings meant sharing interesting stories and creating useful connections between the guests. However, most of their conversations centred on a single topic��the mysterious background of the Crown Princess chosen by Prince Theron himself.


    Regarding Esther''s identity, there were many gossip spreading among the nobles, especially those who worked within the royal pce, but no one dared to be vocal about them due to the fact that the royal family favoured Esther. People would only talk about it among family or their closest acquaintances, especially after she was publicly granted a barony by King Esteban himself.


    However, after the rtionship between Esther and the Crown Prince was confirmed, people decided to voice out their disappointment during social gatherings like tea parties and banquets, in particr those nobles hailing from the families with daughters qualified to be the Crown Prince''s main wife. They could not ept the fact that suddenly a woman with an unknown origin had taken that most sought after position meant for the youngdies of their families.


    When the foreign diplomats were invited by these nobles, thedies in attendance did not stop themselves from throwing casual insults towards Esther, though of course they masked their hostility with smiles and banters.


    "Baroness Burton? Is she not a lovely woman? She must have enchanted the prince with her beauty. s, the Crown Prince is an upright young man who had little interaction withdies. The Baroness sure is lucky to be able to attract his attention."


    "Oh? It did take about a year, didn''t it? Wasn''t she the Queen''s maidservant before? She must have loved doing menial chores in exchange for having a chance to meet the prince."


    "What? The Baroness used to be a maidservant?"


    "Did you not know? When I came there, she even poured my tea. Maybe she mixed a love potion every time she poured tea for the prince."


    "Maybe she sprayed something along with her perfume whenever she would apany the Queen and Crown Prince during their walks."


    "Worse, maybe she used some dark spell, or else there is no way Prince Theron would pay attention to a low-born woman like her."


    "I bet she begged the Queen to grant her a noble title because she''s eyeing the Crown Prince."


    "Oh my, that''s terrible!"


    "Maybe not only the Crown Prince, perhaps she also used a spell on the Queen."


    "You make the most hrious jokes, but if you think about it, it makes sense. The Queen has brought her to the pce after picking her up from some faraway forest. I am sure she must know witchcraft."


    "Shush, do not let others hear you."


    "Oh, Countess. We are all friends here. I trust you will keep your lips sealed."


    "But what if she is really a witch?"


    "Then I pity the Crown Prince."


    "Look, there is no other exnation as to why Prince Theron is so into her and sees no other woman. He even turned down the invitation to the birthday celebration of the granddaughter of Duke Walter. I heard he also ignored the thirddy of the House of Rulf when she asked to be granted an audience."


    "Youdies are so funny. Do witches even exist?"


    "s, Madame. I forget you came from Griven. My grandmother always used to say that in ancient times, magical creatures lived on thend where our kingdom was first built. It was the friendship of the dragon and phoenix that allowed the then Patriarch of the Ivanov Family to create the Kingdom of Megaris."


    "True! I heard that legend from my mother as well. ording to her, those witches still live among us but we can''t identify them because they look no different from humans."


    "If Baroness Esther is truly a witch, then what will happen to Prince Theron and this kingdom?"


    Silence enveloped the group ofdies, their expressions iprehensible.


    "Well, we can''t do anything," onedy sighed. "We can only keep our mouths shut and pretend ignorance, or else we would offend the witch who will be our queen."


    The day of the Crown Prince''s wedding celebration finally arrived.


    The entire capital of Megariswas bustling in excitement. Though the wedding itself would be held within the pce and only those given invitations could attend, themon folks could not refrain themselves from joining in the merrymaking and decorated the streets and the piers with red flowers and ribbons.


    Unlike the nobles, the ordinary people were happy with the marriage between Prince Theron and Esther. Esther had been popr among the people ever since she saved Queen Theodora''s life. When they found out that she was chosen to be the Crown Princess, the response of the public was favourable. After all, it was a story out of a fairy tale for someone with a lowly birth to be able to wed into royalty.

 Chapter 398 Want To Tell Him The Truth

    Sir Galien, the guardian knight of the Crown Prince, looked especially neat and proper today as he entered the Crown Prince''s residence. On most days, he would wear a knight''s uniform that favouredfort and convenience more than appearance. However, on this special day, he was handsomely dressed in formal knight''s attire, the crest of his ducal family and medals of his military achievements decorating his chest.


    After knocking, he entered the personal chamber of the Crown Prince who was still in the middle of getting ready. Several servants were helping him into the ceremonial clothes tailored for the wedding. It was the traditional wedding attire for a groom of Megaris, a long robe which was mostly red and ck in colour. The Queen had arranged for his robe to be luxuriously made with borate gold designs embroidered on the most expensive fabric in the kingdom, the sleeves bearing the designs of winged dragons in flight with the sun crest of the Ivanov Royal Family on its centre.


    "Your Highness." He bowed towards the Crown Prince. He then openly stared at the young man afterwards


    "Galien? Why are you here?"


    His guardian knight was currently not on duty, being one of the invited guests under the House of Kenelm. He should be at the Grand Pce, at the venue of the wedding ceremony.


    Seeing the knight''sck of response, Prince Theron frowned. . "What is it?"


    "It''s like a dream," Sir Galien answered in a daze.


    Prince Theron nodded. "It sure feels like a dream. Esther and I��"


    "I was referring to my feelings, Your Highness," Sir Galien said as he smiled teasingly.


    The prince threw a bored look his way. "What about it?"


    "Seeing your reluctance towards the women approaching you, I never thought I would ever see the day Your Highness getting excited on your wedding day." He reminisced about the times he spent following behind the young prince. "Since the day you became Crown Prince, all you did was work. Back then, I was pretty sure that the King and Queen would have to throw women into your royal harem in order to force you to marry... Now, I can feel relieved that our kingdom will surely have a new heir soon."


    "You should worry about providing the next heir to the Kenelm Family. My son needs a knight," Prince Theron remarked, which made Sir Galien silent.


    Prince Theron and Sir Galien were childhood friends, and Sir Galien was raised to be his knight as per the tradition of his family. If Sir Galien wanted to continue his family''s legacy, then he would truly have to pressure himself into finding a wife soon, or else the age gap between their children would widen.


    Prince Theron continued to speak, each word of his jabbing into his knight''s conscience, "You dare mock me? You too never paid attention to any daughter from the noble families. I am now starting to doubt your preference. Perhaps��?"


    "Cough! Your Highness, just like you have cleared my doubts about you, I will make sure to clear your doubts about me as well," Sir Galien countered.


    "What do you mean? You doubted me?" Prince Theron was about to grab his sword from a nearby table, but Sir Galien was more quick-witted. He schooled his expression to feign a polite smile, "Your Highness, I am sure Lady Esther won''t like you to have blood on your hands on this joyous day."


    Prince Theron gave up the moment he heard Esther''s name and heard Sir Galien continue speaking, "I think we should not keep the bride waiting."


    Only then did Prince Theron realize that the servants had long finished arranging his attire. He nodded and Sir Galien followed him out of his chamber as usual, though he was full on grinning at this point


    "You better control that smile of yours or you won''t have any teeth left to show," Prince Theron warned.


    ''No, wait, how could he see me? I am behind him!'' Despite his confusion, Sir Galien quickly wiped the smile off his face.


    -----


    Even more than the groom, the arrangements made for the bride were much more borate and extravagant. The days Esther spent preparing, from getting herbal baths and massages to having countless oils applied to make her skin look more tender, made her already beautiful appearance look even more gorgeous, to the point that evendies would surely fawn over her.


    Queen Theodora had arranged everything for Esther, from what to wear to which ce to stay before the wedding. Esther simply let the older woman do what she wanted, causing the Queen to be the happiest woman in the pce, choosing all the best options she could get for her daughter-inw. The finest wedding gown, the most elegant hairstyle, the rarest flowers, the most famous orchestra��


    As the chosen Crown Princess, the Queen also appointed her with personal servants anddies-in-waiting who took care of Esther''s stay in that temporary residence inside the royal pce.


    Every once in a while, Lady Tyra would drop by, though most of the time, the preparations of the wedding ceremony itself were handled by her and Queen Theodora, causing the two women to be among the busiest people within the pce.


    d in a beautiful red robe with gossamer-like sleeves, her hair masterfully arranged with an elegant diamond tiara, the youngdy with honey blond hair looked more like an immortal fairy rather than a human bride. Everyone in the room could not help but gasp in awe at her appearance, and some even forgot to breathe as they admired her ethereal beauty.


    After the preparations were done, Lady Tyra dismissed all the servants. She had noticed that although it was her wedding day, Esther looked distracted instead of nervous, like she was thinking about something that deeply worried her.


    With no one around, Lady Tyra could talk without restrictions.


    "Your Eminence, is there something bothering you?"


    Esther, who was sitting in front of the mirror, observed her own reflection.


    "Am I being selfish, Tyra?"


    Lady Tyra''s hands shook. "Why do you say so, Your Eminence?"


    "I tried to avoid these thoughts but��I feel like I should have told him the truth." Esther closed her eyes as she let out a sigh. "I will be a part of his life, yet I am not letting him be a part of mine. I can''t stop thinking�� Tyra, he doesn''t know who I am. He doesn''t know anything about the woman he will be marrying. Is that not unfair?"


    Before Lady Tyra could say anything, Esther continued to talk.


    "I tried to tell him once, but he didn''t want to listen then so I simply kept my mouth shut. But afterwards��after that, it''s not like I never had another opportunity but I was getting greedy. I was worried about losing him once he knew who I am��what kind of creature I am. I am scared that he mighte to hate me. I can''t bear to see his disappointment and his anger. I-I do not want his love to turn into hate. I am so scared, and now it''s toote��"


    "Why do you feel he would hate you?" Lady Tyra asked. This made Esther open her eyes, and fear could be seen in those lovely caramel-coloured gems. "As far as I know, Prince Theron, he is like his mother. He would have epted you the way you are, Your Eminence."


    "Do you really think so?"


    "Yes, Your Eminence."


    "Then, I shall tell him before the wedding. That way, I won''t feel like I deceived him."


    "Now it''s not the time, Your Eminence. Once you meet him, the wedding ceremony will begin."


    "Maybe you can arrange for us to meet in a side hall beforehand��?"


    Lady Tyra offered her sincerest smile. "Please, believe me, Your Eminence. Even if you do not trust me, you should trust the Crown Prince. Just like you don''t mind him being an ordinary human, he will not mind your identity as well. It does not matter even if you tell him your background after the wedding. Let things be the way they are."


    "But��"


    "Anyways, you have been living like an ordinary human for years. You went through hardship like a human without using your powers. I can confidently say Your Eminence is more human than me, who freely uses my abilitypared to you. What matters most is the love and trust between you two."


    "But Tyra, I want him to fully know my��"


    Her words were interrupted by a knock on the door. Lady Tyra opened it and a servant bowed. "The carriage is ready. It''s time to leave, Baroness."


    Lady Tyra turned to look at Esther, who was quick topose herself when she realized she had to leave for the wedding now. With a soft smile, she rose from her seat and left her chamber. Lady Tyra and the other servants guided the bride''s way towards the royal carriage that was waiting at the entrance of the residence. They helped her sit inside the carriage, and under the escort of knights, her carriage started to move towards the Grand Pce, where her soon-to-be-husband was waiting for her.

 Chapter 399 The Wedding Day

    The bride''s carriage reached the Grand Pce in no time.


    When Esther stepped out of the carriage, cheers erupted everywhere and she realized that a huge crowd of excited people were surrounding the entrance of the Grand Pce, most of them being royal knights, ordinary nobles and low-ranking pce officials who could not enter the wedding venue itself due to the number of guests. A


    She could also see some of herdy friends from the Queen''s pce waving at her, as well as her fellow custodians from the royal library. After herdies-in-waiting helped her fix her wedding gown, Esther acknowledged these guests with a brilliant smile, causing the happy crowd to cheer even more.


    Afterwards, she was guided towards the ceremonial hall by the knights. Beyond therge double doors of the ceremonial hall, she knew everyone was simply waiting for her arrival. Lady Tyra had already informed her of how the wedding ceremony would go.


    As per tradition, the bride of royalty would be thest to arrive. On the other side of the hall, the groom would be standing before the altar where the master of the ceremony, the High Priest serving the Ivanovs, would preside to bless them in the name of the dragon protecting the royal family.


    The herald announced the entry of the bride.


    "All rise! Her Ladyship Esther Burton has arrived!"


    At the sound of the double doors opening, all the guests looked at the entrance, and many could not help but gasp in awe and admiration, especially those guests who wereying eyes on her for the first time.


    ''How can a human look so enchantingly beautiful?''


    Esther''s appearance in that red wedding dress made many people think they were staring at a divine being who should only exist in paintings and lores of old. The colour red was generally harsh on the eyes, but on her slender figure, the colour red seemed to further heighten her wless features, like the satiny petals of a rose.


    ''So that''s the Crown Princess, the future Queen of Megaris!''


    Her blushing face held a kind of soft and exquisite charm that made her seem like an incarnation of a flower in full blossom, and all the rare and exotic flowers decorating the hall paled inparison to her. No one could take their eyes off her. Some looked at her with envy, calling her an enchantress or witch under their breaths, while others looked at her with awe and respect.


    The moment Prince Theron saw Esther, his breath was stuck in his chest. His jaw almost dropped. If he wasn''t a length of a hall away from her, he would have probably been unable to stop himself from scooping her into his arms this very moment, madly kissing her until her face turns as red as her dress.


    He could not deny his bride was the most beautiful woman to ever walk thends. Seeing her walk towards him with that beautiful shy smile, it felt like a dream to him and he never wished to wake up from it.


    Sitting in the front row and seeing their son''s reaction, the King and the Queen found themselves beaming in happiness as well. Queen Theodora could not contain her joy and said to her husband, "Our daughter-inw looks like a fairy. Our son chose well."


    King Esteban smiled. "Tsk. His father found himself a fairy to wed, howe the son''s taste would be behind? Just like his father, he has eyes for a gem."


    The Queen wanted to roll her eyes, but she did not disagree. "I wish them to be as happy as us."


    "Isn''t that a given when we decided to break tradition? We gave Theron full reins to his future instead of deciding for him. Let us trust his choice."


    With slow and steady steps, Esther continued to walk with grace under the eyes of the wedding guests. She was oddly nervous and excited, and she could not stop the tips of her cold fingers from trembling. In order to keep herposure, she decided to watch the way her long skirt flowed around her legs as she put one foot forward after the other. It was such a funny thing to feel burdened by people''s gazes, when only one gaze really mattered to her.


    Reaching the base of the altar, before climbing the steps of the elevated pedestal, a certain young man approached her to offer his hand.


    A steady hand, a warm hand�� the hand she would be holding for the years toe.


    Esther smiled and looked up at the handsome face of the man who would be her husband from this moment on. His dark eyes seemed to overflow with his love for her, and it made her blush further. Just one nce, and it was as if nothing else in the world mattered aside from the two of them.


    ''My Theron.''


    She gently squeezed his hand, and together, they climbed those few remaining steps. This act from the Crown Prince of personally stepping down to get his bride was particrly touching as it wasn''t part of the ceremony. It only proved to the guests how much he doted on his wife-to-be.


    The young couple stood facing each other in front of the altar. After announcing the purpose of this asion, the High Priest proceeded with the ceremony proper, and soon, he reached the part where the wedding vows would be exchanged.


    "Theron Ivanov, will you have Esther Burton to be your wife, to live together respecting the values entrenched in the sacred vow of marriage? Will you love her,fort her, honour and keep her in sickness and in health, and look after the bountifulnds of Megaris together with fairness in mind, for as long as you both shall live?"


    "I do!" Prince Theron answered, "I vow in the name of the dragon, I will always protect her even if my life is at stake."


    Esther felt her heart turn warmer with his words. For as far as she could remember, she had always been the one protecting others, and only one person, this human in front of her, vowed to protect her. Her eyes turned moist as she put on the loveliest smile she could for him. Every moment they were together, this man never failed to assure her that he loved her more than anyone could ever have.


    The High Priest then looked at Esther and repeated the vow, but this time for the bride.


    "Esther Burton, will you have Theron Ivanov to be your husband, to live together respecting the values entrenched in the sacred vow of marriage? Will you love him,fort him, honour and keep him in sickness and in health, and look after the bountifulnds of Megaris together with fairness in mind, for as long as you both shall live?"


    "I do!" she said firmly and continued, "I vow in the name of the phoenix, along with him, I will bear responsibility for all the hardship that wille his way."


    Prince Theron stared at her with a smile that was both silly and adorable, as if he wanted tough in happiness but couldn''t due to the sacred mood of the ceremony. His eyes conveyed to her that as long as she was by his side, no hardship would be difficult for him to face.

 Chapter 400 Nervous Bride

    After saying their vows came the part where they would exchange rings.


    Two young priests approached, bringing the rings for the couple which they would put on each other''s fingers. When the High Priest finally dered them husband and wife, the guests cheered as it was the moment for the bride and the groom to kiss. The two kissed not just once but several times before so it was nothing new for them, but doing it under many expectant gazes, Esther still felt shy and nervous.


    Seeing his blushing bride, Prince Theron could not help but grin as he stepped a little closer to her and pulled her into his arms. She let out a tiny cute yelp but he leaned down to kiss on her lips to silence her. The kisssted for several seconds, and the cheers of the guests turned into hoots andughter, especiallying from the younger ones. The pinkish skin on her cheeks turned visibly red, and the colour climbed into the tips of her ears in embarrassment. However, instead of pushing her husband away, she decided to simply pretend they were alone so she could relish the sweet kiss.


    There was still apuse and sounds of cheering by the time Prince Theron parted from her lips. With a sly smile, he whispered to her in a low roguish tone only she could hear. "Tonight, you won''t be allowed to passively receive my kiss like this. I expect much more from my wife."


    Esther gulped and lowered her gaze, not daring to look at her shameless husband.


    ''A rogue! He''s not even bothered with the presence of the people around! Saying such bold things to me��I should have known! Ugh!''


    Prince Theron smirked yfully seeing her flushed face and thought, ''My wife is so adorable. Howe she''s this naive even though she ims to be much older than me?''


    When they turned to face the guests, people nearest the newlyweds started exchanging pleasantries with them.


    "Congrattions to the Crown Prince and the new Crown Princess!"


    "May your union bless the kingdom!"


    The two could not stop themselves from thanking them for their good wishes.


    After the wedding ceremony, the wedding guests were led to another ce for the banquet, while the couple had to change their attire for the next part of the celebration which was the wedding parade. As members of royalty, the newly wedded couple had to travel around the city in an open carriage and receive the good wishes of themon folks. The curious citizens crowded on the sides of the main streets to cheer for their next king and queen. The people felt high expectations for Esther because she was born amoner and not from any noble family. This thing made the citizens feel that she was one among them.


    Afterwards, the couple attended the wedding banquet to interact with the guests and the celebrationsted till the evening. As the night went on, the guests slowly started to leave the banquet while the bride was taken to the bridal chamber which was prepared within Prince Theron''s residence.


    Being the new Crown Princess, Esther would now stay in the residence of the Crown Prince where she had her separate bedchamber next to his. This would be her home for the next several years until the time King Esteban passed the throne to his son.


    The servants helped her change out of her ceremonial robe and prepared her to wash herself in the side chamber as it was the wedding night of the prince and princess. Afterwards, they put her into a silk nightgown and brought her back to the bedchamber, where dimly lit scented candles and flower petals were delicately arranged to create a romantic and sensual atmosphere within the room.


    Esther looked at her new bedchamber where she would be staying from this day onward. Though the manor at the outskirts of ckhelm would remain under her name, it would only be treated as one of her properties since she would be living inside the royal pce from now on. Knowing her husband, she might not even get to spend a night away from him again.


    "Your Highness, please sit here," onedy-in-waiting instructed, gesturing towards the bed. Esther blushed as she knew what would be happening next��it was the night when she and her husband would be consummating their marriage.


    With a shaky breath, Esther sat at the edge of the bed. She swore her servants were smiling at her, and she felt even more embarrassed. Fortunately, the servants excused themselves after making sure that the preparations wereplete. They closed the door behind them, leaving the shy bride waiting for her groom.


    Time flew by slowly.


    Esther was nervously fidgeting as she eyed the door, sensitive to the various kinds of sound from the other side of it. In order to calm herself, she had to close her eyes and focus on her breaths. However, her resolve broke after she heard footsteps outside of the door. Her eyes snapped open when the owner of those footsteps stopped outside of the chamber.


    She knew that it was Prince Theron. After sharing a fragment of her soul with him, she could feel his presence even without seeing him.


    The door opened and the handsome young man who was now her husband stepped inside the bedchamber. With her heart hammering inside her chest, Esther lifted her gaze to his dark eyes.


    The Crown Prince closed the door and had just turned around when he locked eyes with her. He felt as if time stopped as he looked at his lovely wife who was sitting quietly at the edge of the bed.


    For the past few months, how many times had he imagined this moment? The reality was even better than all the images he came up with on his own.


    Prince Theron slowly walked towards her, his gaze never leaving her. With each of his steps, she felt her heart picking up pace. If she were human, she might have fainted at this point. Just as he reached the spot directly in front of her, she felt her throat go dry. She gulped and lowered her gaze.


    It was not the first time they were by themselves inside a bedchamber in the middle of the night�� but tonight, she knew the expectations were different.


    ''Why am I acting like a nervous little girl? I have been alive for more than a century, and I am not some naive human who should be scared of something like this��this�� wait, but I have never done this before��?''


    Prince Theron could clearly see her nervousness and he kneeled in front of her.


    Esther was stunned. "W-Why are you kneeling on the floor?"


    "Ssh. I am fine," he said and cupped her hands between his. "But you don''t seem to be fine at all."


    He had seen her fingers trembling while they were clutching the skirt of her nightgown. She might not be conscious of it, but he wanted to let her know everything would be fine. As he held her hands, he found her trembling fingers cold, and the skin on her arms even had goosebumps on them.


    He smiled and said while looking into those caramel eyes, "It''s not like I have held your hands for the first time. Why do you look so nervous?"


    "I-I am not," she replied, trying but failing to hide her nervousness.


    Prince Theron let out a softugh at his wife''s adorable response. He lowered his head and tenderly pressed his lips on her knuckles, trailing feather light kisses on her icy cold fingers.


    "I love you, Esther."

 Chapter 401 Wedding Night

    A very long chapter. Enjoy it slowly.


    -------


    "I love you, Esther."


    Esther found her worries melting upon hearing these words from her husband. The young man had never shied away from showing the intensity of his affection for her, but this was the first time he had uttered those sweet words to her. The way he kissed her fingers was ever-so-tender as if he was silently saying a vow to himself how Esther was a treasure he would cherish for eternity.


    Such simple words, but Esther found herself overwhelmed, her heart filled to the brim with joy.


    There was a time in her life she was ready to do anything to hear these words from a certain someone, but along with her high expectation was the crushing disappointment she got in return. It broke her heart. That was a time she never wanted to recall ever again, and she thought she would never heal from that experience.


    Until she met Theron Ivanov.


    This ordinary human gave her everything that she had ever dreamed of and without asking anything in return. She never needed to beg for his love, and she didn''t need to fight for his affection. It was effortless, natural, as if it was meant to be this way right from the beginning.


    It made Esther wonder if this kind of love her husband had for her was something every human experienced. Thinking about it, she had seen how King Esteban and Queen Theodora interacted with each other. During her stay in the Queen''s residence, she had also witnessed how herdy friends fell for their partners, each of them gushing about their tales of romance in excitement, and at that time, Esther could barely understand why they looked so happy they were literally glowing every time they spoke of their beloved.


    Now�� she could finally understand them.


    Humans were beings of emotions, and they valued the feeling of loving someone the most. Compared to them, her kind could be said to be creatures of logic, as they would always prioritize rationality over emotions if forced to make a choice.


    In her world, Esther had to always abide by the rules, even if it meant shackling herself��but humans, these ignorant mortals who were so much weaker than her, they were free to follow their hearts.


    ''Perhaps, the reason why I chose to live among them is because deep in my soul, I have always envied humans.''


    Esther felt that the best decision she made in her entire existence was abandoning her past and deciding to walk along with her husband for the rest of his life.


    Seeing Esther dazed, Theron could not help but feign an exaggerated hurt look. "s, have I gone deaf? Howe I am not hearing anything said in return?"


    Esther could not help but let out a helplessugh. With moist eyes, she observed his silly expression and leaned down closer to him. Before Theron could realize what she was doing, he felt her soft lips touching his. He was stunned. She had never truly taken an initiative to kiss him on her own prior to this.


    Esther moved back a little and peered into his eyes with a soft smile. "I love you, Theron. Thank you for epting me. Thank you for turning my lonely life into one filled with happiness."


    Her honest confession made his forehead crease, as if he was unhappy. "What are you saying? I should be the one thanking you. Thank you foring to me, for choosing to be a part of my life."


    Esther could onlyugh at him, which caused his expression to ease back into a smiling one. He reached out and gently cupped her face in his hand. Closing the gap between their faces, he kissed her, gently sucking and nibbling her sweet lips. As he did so, the corner of his own lips could not stop from curving due to the joy he was feeling at the moment.


    After that gentle kiss, he pulled back to look at his smiling wife, only to hear her scold him, "Are you going to continue kneeling in front of me?"


    "Other than my parents, you are the only one I will kneel for," he replied.


    Esther wanted to roll her eyes, but she refrained herself from doing so. "Get up now or do you want me to apany you on the floor?"


    "I do not mind. Now that I think of it, the idea doesn''t sound bad but�� what we will do tonight, your delicate body won''t befortable doing it on the floor, mydy," Theron said, only to see his wife''s face turn into the brightest shade of red. "I am sure mydy knows what I mean."


    Esther gulped. "I-I feel thirsty. I think I need to have some water." She didn''t wish to look at her shameless husband, or else she would faint from embarrassment!


    Theron stood up. "Don''t move. I will get it for you."


    While he went to the bedside table to fetch water for her, Esther watched his broad back with increasing nervousness. Her mind was already chaotic, and after the bold statements from her husband, it turned even worse.


    ''What am I going to do? Calm down, calm down. He always likes to say such things. It''s fine,'' she continued to chant in her mind.


    Theron returned and offered her a ss of water. "Here, mydy."


    She epted it with shaking hands and took slow sips from it to calm her nerves.


    Theron regretted teasing her. A while ago, she had already calmed down, but after his confession, she returned to being tense and restless. ''She looks adorable like this but I can''t keep scaring her.''


    He got the ss from her and put it back on the table. He returned to her and offered her his hand. "My Lady?"


    Esther blindly epted his hand and stood up, facing him with an awkward smile, unable to meet his eyes for longer than a second. Her heart raced against her ribcage, and its loud pounding could be heard in her ears.


    Theron studied his wife and gently tucked the loose strands of hair behind her ears. "Esther, this night is important and I wish it to be memorable for you. I don''t want you to be scared. I know why you are anxious but I want you to trust me. Can you do that?"


    Esther let out a shaky breath as she met his concerned gaze with a nod. She knew there was nothing to be worried about, but she could not help her imagination from going wild. To fear her first intimate experience was a natural instinct for any woman, and it was the same for her.


    Seeing her nod, Theron held her chin and tilted her head. He swooped in for another kiss, and this time, it was not a soft or gentle one but a kiss that ignited sparks in the air with passion. With each passing second, he was kissing her with more and more urgency, as if he was trying to satiate his most fervent need with her lips. Esther responded to him with equal intensity as she felt the temperature of the bedchamber turn unbearably warm.


    While kissing her, the prince''s hands traced down her neck and stopped at the neckline of her red robe. He moved his hand further down to untie the knot below her chest and removed her robe, causing the clothing to pool around her feet, leaving her only in a thin sleeveless silk nightgown which clung to the shape of her slender figure.


    Esther felt cold air brushing against her skin, but she could not pay attention to anything else. She could see nothing but desire in her husband''s dark eyes. He pulled her in for another kiss, one hand holding her waist, only the thinyers of silk clothing separating their bodies that were pressed against each other. She could feel the heat emanating from his body, and it made her shiver with expectations.


    After satisfying himself with one kiss after another, Theron finally pulled away to fully appreciate his wife that was left gasping for breath. He moved his sight downward, and his dark eyes gleamed dangerously at how alluring his wife looked in that thin piece of clothing. Esther felt like hiding herself, but with his hand already holding her waist, there was no room for her arms to cover her body.


    "There is no way I will let you hide yourself from me, Esther."


    "I��" Her words stuck in her throat as she saw her surroundings seemingly flip. She felt her feet lose contact with the floor, and only then did she realize Theron had scooped her in his arms and was now carrying her towards the middle of the bed.


    Instinctively, she grabbed onto his robe, almost tearing the fabric off his chest. He gently ced her on the bed, and as her body sank in the middle of the soft mattress, she found herself staring up at him. Not breaking eye contact with her, Theron loosened the knot on his robe and removed it, tossing it elsewhere while baring his naked upper body for her to fully appreciate.


    Esther bit her lips in anticipation. She had seen Theron without a shirt before, but the circumstances were different��this time, she knew he was seducing her, tempting her topletely let herself go. The way he removed it while looking at her so intensely, as if to say he was ready to devour her, made her body yearn for what was toe next.


    She had always known he had a perfectly sculpted body for a man. That firm and warm chest always made her feel secure whenever he embraced her��and now, she only had to reach out her hand to trace those beautiful muscles.


    While she was busy admiring his body, she didn''t realize he was already hovering over her in bed, ready to go further. Their sights met and she found him staring at her with a naughty smirk.


    "Don''t just look."


    She didn''t understand what he meant at first, but the next moment, she found him holding her hand and cing it on his chest. She felt like a thief who got caught redhanded as she didn''t realize how boldly she was admiring his half-naked body.


    She felt that warm and firm skin of his chest under her cold palm. Following her own urges, she didn''t hesitate to touch his muscles, tracing each line like she''s appreciating a work of art. Theron could not help but crave for more, liking what this woman was doing to him, whether it was intentionally or not. All of this was just making him go crazy for her�� and he could not wait anymore.


    Pulling her hands above her head, he dived into the crook of her neck, consumed with desire, sucking and licking her soft skin with relish. A gasp and a moan left Esther''s lips as she felt the hunger in his action. She could feel it��his greed to ravage herpletely. His hot breath against her neck made all the nerves in her bodye alive, and she could not deny she liked it, every nibble, every kiss, as he moved along her neck towards her corbones while tasting her sweet-scented skin.


    She closed her eyes and tilted her head to the side, urging him to continue his wicked deed. Her hands even moved to grab his hair at the back of his head, asking him for more. Her soft moans turned into needy whimpers as she no longer bothered to hold them back.


    Esther panicked a little when she felt Theron pull away, only to see him pulling down the straps of her nightgown down her shoulders, letting the fabric settle below her waist,pletely exposing her plum blossoms for him to worship. Panting heavily, he took a mouthful of her bosom, hungrily licking, sucking and biting each of her pink buds.


    "Aahh��aahhhh��"


    Esther, who was shy before they started, was no longer the same now. Every fibre of her being seemed to be buzzing in pleasure under his ministrations. She liked what he was doing with her body, and she was squirming so much under him, wishing for him to do more. Her reaction was adding fuel to the fire already burning inside Theron. He could feel his hunger growing, even more, seeing how good he was making her feel.


    With a smirk, he stopped what he was doing and moved away. Esther threw a displeased gaze his way, as if silentlyining why he stopped, but she didn''t have to wait long to get her answer.


    Her husband pulled her dress down her waist and removed it from her feet as if to say, ''Such an obstacle.''


    She was fully naked under his greedy gaze.


    Esther immediately clutched her legs together, an instinctive attempt to hide herself and stop him from looking at her most private part. But amidst her panic, something even more obscene made her head go nk.


    Theron was unbuttoning his pants!


    Her face was so hot it was as if her cheeks were burning. She immediately averted her gaze to the side as the young man pulled down his pants, getting rid of the final obstacle between their bodies.


    Smirking at his wife''s reaction, Theron tossed it aside without a backward nce. He moved back towards her and nuzzled at the side of her neck, whispering indecency into her ear.


    "I wish to taste you, Esther."


    Esther gulped. Though she didn''t fully understand what he meant, that seductive and needy voice finally made her look at him. "Won''t you let me, Esther?" His hungry gaze was using her of not letting him do it. He moved his hand towards her lower abdomen and let his fingers caress her thighs. "For that, you need to let me go down here. Won''t you let me?"


    This man was surely a trickster who knew how to y his game. Though he was pretending to ask for her permission, his naughty hand didn''t stop at her thighs�� it already moved towards the ce between her legs, causing her to open her legs involuntarily. All the nerves in her feverishly hot body lit up with the touch of his coarse fingers on her wet folds.


    "T-Theron!"


    She clutched his shoulders with a bewildered look. She had never felt such an overwhelming feeling before in her life. It felt good but it scared her at the same time.


    Theron didn''t stop and instead continued moving his fingers up and down, in and out, as he looked at each and every change on her face. He could feel his stiff manhood throbbing each time she called his name, gasping and moaning in response to what he was doing to her.


    "It feels good, doesn''t it, Esther?" he asked with a raspy voice. "Do you want more?"


    Subconsciously, she nodded��but then her eyes widened after she realized what she had just done..


    "It will feel even better when��"


    She didn''t hear him say anything further as he moved down on her, his head in between her legs, and she felt his mouth rece his hand.


    "Aaaah��Theron��mmm��aahhh��!"


    Her hips began moving on their own, yet he didn''t stop and continued savouring her wet folds, gently savouring her vour and exploring inside while swirling his tongue along.


    His coarse tongue''s sweet torture evoked from her body sensations she had never known she was capable of feeling. She could barely make a coherent thought, much less voice one out. Something new was happening to her body and she didn''t know what it was. That foreign feeling was so good, she didn''t want him to stop, yet it was also too embarrassing she wanted to squirm away.


    "Aahh��no��ahhh��I-I feel like something��"


    Soon after, she felt as if her body was floating in the air. Her brain had turned to mush, and she let out a cry of pleasure as if she lost all sense of sanity. She couldn''t understand what had just happened, but like one grand burst of fireworks, her pleasure reached a height so intense before it plummeted back to the ground.


    She lost all sense of time. She just realized that her body felt tired, her breaths heavy with sweat covering her body.


    Seeing his wife getting her release was the most arousing thing he had everid his eyes on. Theron felt like he could no longer hold himself back from iming her, but he needed to be patient and give her time to get her sanity back. Holding back his urges, he caressed her thighs to calm her. He looked at her panting face which was covered in a thinyer of sweat.


    Reaching out, he moved away the messy hair strands that were stuck to the side of her sweaty face and neck. "Are you fine?" he asked.


    Esther opened her eyes to look at him, but she felt too tired to say anything and simply nodded. He kissed her forehead and caressed her cheek with his hand. After her breathing evened out, he spoke again, "I will do something that might hurt you but��"


    "I''ll be fine," she interrupted him. Since he was being considerate to her then she should be brave for his sake. Not like she was some naive girl who knew nothing about what happens between a man and a woman.


    Getting her assurance, Theron excitedly licked his lips, no longer holding his urges as he positioned himself at her wet entrance.


    "Hold on to me," he said in a voice that was more a growl than anything.


    Esther felt a sharp pain in between her legs and let out a small cry which caused his entire body to freeze mid-thrust. From his taut muscles, the tightened jaws, the crazed craving in his eyes, it could be seen how much Theron wanted to move his body and enjoy himself inside her. Yet instead of satisfying his urges, he temporarily set aside his desire for his wife.


    "Are you in pain? Should I go slower?" he asked with a hoarse voice. Esther nodded as she opened her watery eyes. But no words came out of her mouth.


    Theron felt like she must be in intense pain and felt bad for her. He was about to pull out when he heard her��


    "I-I am fine."


    As if to prove her point, she wrapped her arms around his shoulders.


    "I love you, my husband," she said breathlessly, those lovely caramel eyes urging him on.


    "I love you too, my wife. Please bear with it. It will feel better soon."


    After kissing her forehead, Theron continued to move his manhood, thrusting deeper and deeper inside her each time, making her let out soft cries and whimpers once again. Though Esther sounded like she was still in pain, he subconsciously felt stimted with each cry as he revelled in how it felt inside her wet core.


    Initially, he moved gently inside her to make her get used to him. With each passing moment, he could see how Esther no longer looked to be in pain. Her little whimpers turned to sultry moans, and she started lifting her hips in harmony with his pace.


    Esther was keeping up with his movements and her eyes that were initially brimming with tears now looked at him with fiery desire. He no longer needed to hold back and thus, he moved faster, thrusting deeper, which made him feel better and better, pleasure building up as he heard his wife''s loud moans with each strong thrust.


    But it was not enough for him. He felt like he needed control over her entire body. While continuing to thrust inside her hard, he held her hands and pinned them over her head with one hand while the other held her tightly at the waist. He hadpletely given in to his most primitive desires, and it was as if he had lost his mind, fixating on nothing else but reaching the peak of carnal pleasure.


    Each thrust was fast, rough, and aggressive. Esther could feel something building up again inside her, aching to be released. She didn''t mind his harsh actions and instead matched him with equal fervour. She grabbed the mattress over her head and there was a tearing sound, but neither the husband nor the wife heard it as they were both lost in pleasure, getting closer and closer to their peaks.


    "Oh, Esther��"


    To her ears, her name sounded sweeter than ever the way he said it so desperately. She heard him again between his faster movements, "I''m��I''m about to ��"


    As if in response to him, he felt her body tremble under him, her core tightening around him. With onest thrust, their bodies reached a height of pleasure they''d never reached before together as he heard her let out a loud cry of pleasure.


    "Ah!.. Theron..."


    Only the sound of their heavy, ragged breathing could be heard inside the chamber.


    Theron copsed on top of her and let go of her hands, wrapping his arms around her body. Turning to her side, he buried his face in the crook of her neck and calmed himself down. Esther felt like she had no strength left in her and closed her eyes, not willing to open them again.


    Comfortable silence enveloped the couple. Just as she was about to drift into sleep, she found herself flipped on her stomach and a strong male body hovered over her back. Her eyes widened as she understood what was about to happen��again.


    She tried to stop him, "Theron��I can''t��"


    But she was interrupted by him when he bit her earlobe and said in a naughty tone, "But I can, my love."


    Though she was tired, he was not. Sensing the hardness between her thighs, she could feel he was as energetic as he was before.


    After making sure she was wet again, she felt him enter her. Having no other option, she gave up to his advances. Later on, there was one thing she realized��that it was not going to stop anytime soon.


    Neither of them would be getting any sleep for the night.

 Chapter 402 My Beautiful Witch

    After an exhausting night, the newlyweds did not step out of bed tillte the next day. No one disturbed the pair of husband and wife, and the servants of the Crown Prince''s residence merely waited outside the door ready to serve them once they were called.


    At around midday, Prince Theron stirred awake first. He found himself in a daze, staring at the lovely young woman snuggled into his embrace. As gently as he could, he moved away the stray strands of blond hair covering her face. He then couldn''t resist kissing the tip of her nose. Realizing that his dear wife remained peacefully asleep, a wicked smile made its way onto his lips.


    ''Seems like she is not going to wake up anytime soon. Shall I give her more reason to keep sleeping?''


    As if she had sensed his thoughts, Esther opened her eyes, only to see a pair of dark eyes staring at her with evil intentions in them.


    She gulped and tried to move away but he held her steady by wrapping his arms around her. "Where do you think you are going, mydy?"


    She could clearly sense his intentions and pouted, "Theron, please, no more. I will die."


    He chuckled. "Strange. I have never heard of anyone dying from it." He was ready to hover above her body, but she stopped him by cing her hands on his chest.


    "If you won''t listen, I will move back to my residence outside of the royal pce."


    Prince Theron smirked. "Can you live without me?"


    "If you won''t listen then I have no other options," she countered.


    "We are newlyweds. Don''t you think you are being unfair to me?" His expression crumpled like a helpless victim suffering from a bully.


    ''Such an actor,'' she frowned inwardly. However, she remained firm. "Not even once did you listen to mest night. Isn''t it you who is being unfair to me? I��I can''t even move without feeling ache��down there��" Herst words were almost a whisper, and she averted her eyes from him in embarrassment. It did not stop the pink blush spreading on her cheeks though.


    He held her chin and made her look at him. "Don''t worry, I am just teasing you. You also need to rest your body, or else it won''t feel good for you. And aboutst night, I simply could not stop."


    Seeing his apologetic expression, she was able topose herself enough to smile at him. "It''s fine."


    "But you are also to me," he added.


    "Huh? Me?"


    "Yes, you, my wife. Who asked you to be so beautiful and so seductive in bed? This prince haspletely be your ve," he said with a light grin. It was as if the apologetic expression in his face didn''t exist in the first ce.


    "So looking beautiful is also a sin now?" She rolled her eyes. "From today onwards, I will try to look ugly."


    "But still, that won''t stop me," he said with a sly grin. "Even if you are ugly, or even if you turn out to be a scary witch, you will always be my lovely wife to me."


    To his surprise, instead of blushing, Esther frowned. She looked displeased. "Why do you think witches are ugly and scary?"


    "I don''t know. Because the books say so?" He tilted his head, wondering if he said something wrong. "I was just giving you an example. Even in children''s books, isn''t itmon that witches are described like this?"


    "I wonder what kind of unreliable people started writing those stories."


    "Why are we even talking about this? You don''t have to think about those books. Think about me, or else I will feel jealous." He pulled her closer in his embrace. "Even if you are a witch, you are my witch. My beautiful witch."


    She looked up at him. "Do you even know what you are saying, Theron?"


    "Hmm? Do I?" He only smiled as he rxed his body, nuzzling her neck like a satisfied cat. "I only know that even witchcraft won''t change what I feel for you. What else? Oh, I also know, witch or not, our kids are going to be wonderful, just like their mother."


    "K-Kids?" Esther stammered.


    "My adorable wife," the prince chuckled. "We are married. Sooner orter, we will build our own family. I am sure soon my mother will start pestering you about them."


    Not sensing any response from her, Prince Theron looked up and saw her sombre expression. "What''s the matter? Do you not want to have children?"


    The concern in his voice pulled her out of her shock, and she blushed. "O-Of course, I want to!"


    "Very well then." Prince Theron smiled brightly at the thought of having several small children surrounding the couple in the next few years. "If our firstborn is a girl, I will prefer her to look like you, beautiful blond hair that glistens in the sun, warm brown eyes that reminds me of caramel. Well, even if it''s a boy, I would like him to look like his mother. Though the royal bloodline do inherit good looks, the descendants of the Ivanov bloodline tend to look cold and intimidating. I want our kids to look sweet and beautiful even without effort, just like their mother. I am sure everyone will love them."


    Esther could not help but feel warm as she watched the wistful expression on her husband''s face. His expression held a certain softness she had never seen before while he talked about the future. "As for me, regardless of their looks, I want them to be smart and kind. They should have a good heart like their father as well."


    With a satisfied smile, he left a soft peck on her forehead. "Shall we get up now?"


    Esther nodded and Prince Theron pushed away the thick nket covering his body as he stepped out of the bed. Only then did Esther realize her husband was fully naked.

 Chapter 403 Expecting Grandchildren

    With a gasp, Esther immediately closed her eyes and covered her face with her hands. "Theron!"


    Heughed at her reaction. "After an entire night enjoying this body of mine, suddenly mydy is ignoring it like this? Do you not think it is kind of disrespectful to such a good body?"


    Esther didn''t move, her hands still covering her face. "Please get dressed."


    "But I don''t want to," she heard him say. "My wife is ignoring my body."


    "I am not ignoring it!" Esther countered. "I��am just a little embarrassed."


    A heartyugh reached her ears. "I think we have crossed the limits of embarrassmentst night. Do you wish me to remind you, my dear wife? I remember when your hands��"


    "Stop, stop it!" When she opened her eyes to re at the perverted rogue, she saw Prince Theron already d in his robe and he was tying its waist knot while looking at her with a teasing smile. She felt an odd sense of relief and regret.


    "I am going to my chamber," he said. "I believe my wife needs some privacy."


    ''How considerate,'' she thought and smiled at him. "Thank you."


    He leaned down and pecked on her lips. "See you in a while, my love."


    She nodded and the Crown Prince left to return to his own bedchamber.


    Soon after, female servants entered her bedchamber to serve the Crown Princess.


    They helped Esther have a bath and get ready for the day, while the others cleaned the bedsheets. Those servants could not help but gape when they saw the torn pillowcases and sheet, eximing at how wild the night must have gone for such a thing to ur. Luckily, Esther was already in the side chamber by then, or else she would have been embarrassed about how she had to channel her strength on the pillowsst night in order to not hurt her weak human husband.


    Under the care of the servants, Esther felt her entire body aching the whole time, although soaking in hot water did give her some sort of relief. She wished she could just rest in her bed the whole day as she didn''t wish to go out in such a state.


    She and the Crown Prince had ate afternoon meal together inside her chamber. Afterwards, Prince Theron left to handle some important court matters. Just as Esther thought she would be able to restfortably for the rest of the day, Queen Theodora came to visit the Crown Prince''s residence.


    Seeing Queen Theodora enter her bedchamber, Esther was about to step out of bed to greet the Queen, but heard her say, "No need for formalities. Just keep resting, my dear."


    Esther felt thankful for the older woman''s thoughtfulness and simply sat with her back against the new pillows. But then, she heard the Queen continue, "I am sure my son must have troubled you enough, so being his mother, I will spare you from the trouble of formality."


    With a huge emphasis on the word ''troubled'', blood rushed to Esther''s face. Not just the son, but even the mother didn''t spare her from hearing such embarrassing things. With her head lowered, she struggled to keep herself polite. "Thank you for your concern, Your Majesty."


    "Now that I think about it," the Queen said as she sat on the chair a servant brought beside the bed, "we seem to have a problem that needs immediate attention."


    Esther looked at the Queen with a puzzled look.


    The Queen continued, "It is a problem that my son''s wife is not calling me ''mother''."


    Esther didn''t know how to react. This beautiful woman in front of her was younger than her, their age difference not even just a generation or two away. But as she married her son, she did have a duty to call her mother.


    "I will remember to do so from today onwards, Your Majesty."


    The Queen offered her displeased gaze. "I think I heard something wrong?"


    Esther realized her mistake and corrected herself. "I apologize, Mother."


    A contented smile painted itself on Queen Theodora''s lips. "Oh, I think there is another thing that needs immediate attention."


    Seeing Esther patiently waiting for her to continue, she could not help but raise a brow. "My husband and I are getting old, and if we have to wait long, I am afraid we won''t be able to have enough energy to y with young children. We will have to trouble you with giving us grandchildren before that happens."


    Esther had an urge tough. Prince Theron wasn''t wrong when he said earlier that his mother would ask for this.


    Seeing Esther quiet, Queen Theodora grew concerned. "What happened, dear? Did I say something wrong?"


    "N-No, Mother. I will try to fulfil your wishes," Esther replied.


    "Do not be pressured. This is just my and Esteban''s wish, but of course, everything has its own time." The Queen smiled ear to ear. "Theron had always been a lonely child as he never had siblings to y with. He has cousins and half-siblings, but as you know, in royal families, real familial bonds are a rare sight. Especially with his half-siblings, they had started topete with each other from a young age, and there is no one true among them who doesn''t have underlying intentions against my son. I know the other children were raised that way by their mothers in order for their own benefits, and it''s just a matter of a sh of interest, but seeing my own son suffer due to that at such an early age saddens me.


    "After experiencing such treatment, my son was forced to be an adult even though he was so young then. As soon as he learned what it meant to be an Ivanov, he always had to look over his shoulder and be wary of people. He began to believe that he had no one to trust but himself. Theron had always busied himself in studies andter on work, all in order to prove that he is worthy of being the Crown Prince. He never got the chance to live like other children. I do not even remember him ying the moment he started his studies. I believe that once he has kids of his own, at least through ying with them, he will get to experience that lost childhood."


    Esther felt her mood dampen, her heart aching for what her husband experienced. It reminded her of how Prince Theron treated her when they first met, and she realized he wasn''t particrly hating on her. He was only being protective of the Queen.


    "I understand, Mother."


    "Thank you, my dear."


    The Queen then enjoyed having tea with her daughter-inw as she shared some funny incidents from Theron''s childhood days.


    =====


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 Chapter 404 Am I Barren?

    Months passed by and the newlyweds continued to enjoy their happy married life along with their official responsibilities as royalty. While the Crown Prince continued to perform his duties in the royal court, Esther was learning about administration from Queen Theodora as part of her education as the next queen.


    Pce life had been rtively peaceful for Esther for the first couple of months, though whenever there would be public events or social gatherings, others tended to ask about when Prince Theron and Esther would produce their first heir. It was not a big deal at first, but gossip had a way of exaggerating even the smallest situations, not to mention a sensitive subject regarding the royal bloodline. Many nobles were trying to find fault with Esther in the first ce, thus strange stories started to appear during afternoon tea parties and other parties held by the nobles, andter, they even trickled down to the masses and became the talk of themon folks.


    If Prince Theron was yet to have an heir before he ascended the throne, it would put into question the position of the next crown prince. Without a direct descendant, the next in line to the throne would be his half-siblings from the concubines of King Esteban. With such a tempting situation, it wouldn''t be a surprise if the number of assassination attempts on his life would increase.


    Half a year soon passed by, yet there was still no news of Esther getting pregnant so everyone started to question if she was barren. Though the King and Queen were patient, others didn''t seem to be the same. In particr, the noble households with eligible youngdies in their families were starting to have ideas of Esther''s position.


    Inside the royal pce, the criticism was even more prevalent. King Esteban''s concubines didn''t spare the chance to throw seemingly harmless jabs on Queen Theodora and the Crown Princess when they came to visit the Vermillion Pce to check on the royal harem.


    "Princess Esther, you look especially beautiful today. It''s as only yesterday when you married into royalty, but then half a year passes by before we know it," one of the concubines smiled sweetly. "Though, I have yet to hear any news of you conceiving a child. I already prepared a gift, you know!"


    The otherdiesughed. Another concubine chimed in. "Oh no. Perhaps the Crown Prince is working too hard for the kingdom, he has no time to pay attention to his duties to his wife? Tsk, tsk. I hope we''ll get to see your baby before all our hair turns white."


    Esther kept smiling at the group of middle-aged women who kept pressuring her to conceive.


    Queen Theodora decided to step in. "What is the hurry? Let them enjoy their married life. Once they have a child, it won''t be the same."


    However, these tant women were not going to stop anytime soon.


    "Your Majesty, you are too soft on your child. That is why he grew up too easy going. As part of royalty, it is always about their responsibilities towards the kingdom."


    Esther could not help but frown inwardly. ''What nonsense are they spouting now? Theron, easygoing? Are they blind?''


    The concubines started to talk amongst themselves.


    "My son married just two months back and his wife is already expecting."


    "Oh, why, my firstborn Charles has three concubines, and he has two sons from his first, another son from his second, and thest one will be delivering their baby in the next couple of weeks."


    "Ho ho, as expected of an Ivanov! The males of the family truly have strong stamina."


    "Indeed, that is why it''s really concerning me that Princess Esther is yet to be pregnant."


    "I wonder if there is any issue with the prince or��"


    "Shush! Our Crown Prince is a healthy young man, just like our husband. So that means��" A concubine threw a gaze filled with fake pity towards Esther. "Crown Princess, I know a good physician who specializes in women''s fertility. If you wish��"


    "Enough!" Queen Theodora raised her voice. ''How dare they mock Crown Princess like this?''


    Hearing her voice raised, everyone turned silent. Queen Theodora looked at the concubine who suggested visiting the physician. "If you know such a good physician, you should first take your daughter to him who has not been able to conceive for thest three years."


    The concubine gulped as she smiled. "Y-Yes, Your Majesty. I took my daughter there and we are expecting a positive result."


    "Then talk about it once it''s done," the Queen said in the same raised voice.


    "Y-Yes, Your Majesty."


    With this, the topic regarding Esther stopped as no one dared offend the Queen.


    Esther felt bad for her mother-inw who had to defend her all the time wherever this topic is raised.


    Soon, the Queen and Esther rode their carriage and left the royal harem. Queen Theodora suddenly spoke up, "Ignore them. They always grab every chance to put others down."


    Esther lowered her head. "My apologies, mother��"


    "There is nothing you should apologize for. I know you two are trying."


    "We are but��."


    "Take your time. Children are blessings. They wille when the time is right," Queen Theodora assured. "You must be tired. You should go back home and rest for the rest of the day."


    Esther nodded and put on a rxed expression, but deep inside, she was scared of disappointing the Queen.


    Upon reaching her bedchamber, Esther found herself pacing around, unable to sit still. She could not rest even for a moment, and even though she had already opened the windows, it felt as if no fresh air was entering her chamber.


    ''We have been trying, so why am I not able to conceive? Tyra is a half-blood, and she''s living proof that humans and my kind are able to have children. Is it true that I am barren? If it is then, what should I do?''

 Chapter 405 Wish To Have Kids

    Esther''s mind was in chaos as she was worried about disappointing the people who loved her and protected her.


    When Prince Theron came to her bedchamber that night, he saw her nightgown-d body standing by the window, immersed in deep thoughts. She didn''t even realize his presence in the room, which meant she was worrying about something she could not easily solve.


    "May I know what my lovely wife is thinking about?" Prince Theron asked as he went towards her. "It deeply hurts her husband to be ignored on such a cold night."


    His voice pulled her out of her thoughts and she looked at him. "Oh, I''m sorry. I didn''t hear the door. I just..It''s nothing��"


    He stood in front of her and looked deep into her eyes. "If the crease on your forehead is real, then I don''t think it''s nothing. Tell me, what is it? Maybe I can help?"


    Under his gentle urging, Esther could no longer hide it from him and told him what happened in the royal harem in the morning.


    "Hmm, you should learn to ignore such people. Once you be queen, you have to protect yourself on your own. Don''t think much about it. Mother is right. There is no need to rush. Why are they so impatient? We are both young and healthy. I am sure we will have beautiful babies together," he consoled.


    "We are trying��but��I wonder why I am not yet��."


    "It''s fine��"


    The gaze she gave him was watery. "I-I am worried about disappointing you and Mother. What if I cannot��"


    "Shhh!" he interrupted her. "I won''t be disappointed at all. We are happy together, even if it''s just the two of us, and I think we can live our life perfectly without a third one. We are a family even if it''s just us."


    "But the royal family needs an heir and��"


    He chuckled. "You are thinking too much over a simple thing. So what if we don''t have children? I can still be the next king. As for what happens afterwards, I have half-brothers and cousins and nephews, and though they are lesspetent than me, they will do just fine being the Crown Prince of Megaris. Afterwards, I can just retire and pass the crown to them, then we two can live our life without anyone disturbing us. Isn''t such a future good too? I want to keep my wife only for myself."


    There was not a tinge of hesitation on his face when he said those words.


    She turned silent for a while. "Don''t you wish to have kids?"


    Prince Theron sighed. He reached out for her soft hands and gently squeezed them. "I will be lying if I say I don''t want kids, but I believe in cherishing what I have with me at the moment over those who are not even in my life yet. You are the greatest gift I have ever received in my life, Esther. I shouldn''t be greedy and ask for more. I am happy to spend the rest of my life with my wife."


    Esther''s eyes turned moist and she hugged him with her face buried in his chest. "Why are you so good to me? I don''t deserve you."


    He hugged her back. "No one but you deserves me."


    -----


    It had been more than a year since the Crown Prince married Esther, yet things were still the same. Although she kept a strong facade in front of others, Esther was terribly disappointed in herself and didn''t know what to do.


    Other than her concern over her infertility, there was another problem that was guing the royal pce. King Esteban''s health started to deteriorate, and Queen Theodora and Prince Theron decided to share the workload to somehow ease the older man''s burden. However, the subtle bnce broke on the day the King copsed.


    King Esteban could not attend the royal court, and in his absence, Prince Theron had to handle his responsibilities of ruling the kingdom as regent.


    After several weeks, the still weak King Esteban took the decision of passing on his throne to his son and finally retiring from his royal duties.


    "Father, you will recover as long as your body has enough rest. You don''t have to make this decision. Till you get better, I will handle everything."


    "My son, it''s time for me to spend my days with my wife." King Esteban had a sickly pale expression as he tried to sit up on the bed. "I might have been a decent king, but I am a shameful husband to have neglected her most of the time. This is a good opportunity for me to make up to Theodora. Won''t you let me do so?"


    "Father��"


    "I wish to retire to the Crystal Pce and spend my remaining time with your mother."


    "Don''t talk like this, Father. The Head Royal Physician said you will be fine, and that it''s only due to overworking that you copsed due to fatigue."


    "Then, isn''t that better? Once I get healthy, I can spend more time with your mother and we can travel around the kingdom." The older man smiled as he patted his son''s hand. "Theron, I want to retire from my duties. This body is old now and I wish to not trouble it more. Won''t you let me spend myst moments peacefully?"


    Prince Theron could not deny this request and wish of his father, "I will arrange for you to shift to the Crystal Pce." He said with a heavy heart.


    "Thank you, my son. I know you will be a better king than me to this kingdom and to the people," the King said with a smile.


    As the king had decided to retire from his duties, now it was the turn of Prince Theron to take the throne and be a king of Megaris.


    Queen Theodora was also in favour of her husband''s decision as she wished her husband to rest while she could take care of him.


    Though King Esteban had several concubines, in his heart, his first wife, Queen Theodora always held a special ce in his heart and wished to spend his rest days with her only.

 Chapter 406 Hurting Decision

    Today is the first anniversary of this novel. Thank you everyone for being with me and supporting me to make this novel what it is today...XOXO


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    Prince Theron became a king and Esther a Queen of Megaris. With new positions and power, the new responsibilities came into their hands. King Esteban always knew his first son Prince Theron would be a great king and he could hand over the responsibility of this kingdom to him blindly.


    It''s been a year since they got married and Esther was troubled with not being able to conceive and now this new responsibility of being a Queen of this kingdom was in front of her. From now on everyone would expect more things from her and giving a new heir to Ivanov and the next owner of this throne came out to be the most expected thing from her.


    Esther, who returned to her bed-chamber after dealing with her duties as queen, was thinking about how other women asked her when she will be having a baby. It was more like they were mocking her.


    The most hurting thing was when someone pointed out if prince Theron wascking in anyways that Esther was not able to conceive. She heard the royal haremdies whisper among themselves.


    "Is our Queen really barren?"


    "Who knows if our Queen is barren or if our king iscking in something."


    "King Theron? Do you really think so?"


    "I am not sure but it can be possible."


    Someoneughed, "What if what he looks at on the outside is not exactly on the inside. Maybe he can not perform his husband''s duties."


    "Shh! If someone hears you, you will get all of our heads chopped."


    Lady Tyra, who didn''t fail to notice the distress in Esther''s face, said, "Your Eminence, you should not take their words at heart."


    "It''s not about what they said, Tyra but I wonder why I can''t conceive. I have powers and can do anything I want but why is this the only thing I am not able to do. Am I really barren?"


    "Your Eminence, can I check something?" Lady Tyra asked.


    Esther nodded anddy Tyra kneeled in front of Esther who was sitting at the edge of her bed. "Your Majesty, I wish to try something but I am not sure if it will be sessful. Though you have great powerspared to me, there can be things that you might not be able to find or understand on your own. Can I?"


    Esther nodded and Lady Tyra put forward her hands, "I will need to hold your hands, Your Eminence."


    Esther put her hands in hers without asking any questions. Lady Tyra held her hand and closed her eyes as she focussed on something. After a while, she opened her eyes and looked at Esther.


    "What is it?" Esther asked worriedly.


    "Your Eminence, I would like to ask something."


    "Go ahead."


    "Your Eminence, in the past, was there any incident when you have been tied to someone or there is something like you share a bond with someone?" Lady Tyra asked, feeling hesitant.


    Esther''s eyes wavered as she didn''t expect Lady Tyra to ask something that she never wished anyone to know and wished to forget.


    Seeing the change in Esther''s expressions, Lady Tyra said, "If Your Eminence doesn''t wish to say��"


    "Can it be the reason for this?" Esther asked in a panic.


    Lady Tyra nodded unwillingly and then looked at the flower mark on Esther''s hand, "Is this mark the reason of it?"


    Lady Tyra and all of her kind had always known about Esther from her past and real-life from their ancestors. She had read about Esther having a mark on the back of her neck that only she could have and only their kind could see it but there was no mention of the flower mark on Esther''s hand. Even in any books of their kind, she had never seen or read about that mark which means only Esther had it and that mark had nothing to with the kind Esther belonged to.


    After staying silent for a while, Esther nodded and then she looked at the nt which had only a single flower bloomed at it. Esther twirled her fingers and the magic barrier that kept that nt invisible to others, lifted up.


    "Do you see that nt?" Esther asked.


    Lady Tyra nodded and heard Esther, "This mark is that nt. The one who had gifted me this nt is my soulmate."


    It shockeddy Tyra, "Y-Your Eminence��."


    "I know you have so many questions but for now just know that we were not meant to be. He and I can never be together whatever I do. That''s our destiny," Esthermented and exhaled, "I don''t know why this flower has chosen him for me knowing that he and I can never be together. There is no way it is ever possible. Then what is the meaning of having this bond?"


    Lady Tyra could see the hurt and disappointment on Esther''s face and said, "Your Eminence, there might be a reason behind it. My grandmother always said nothing happens without a reason. Sometimes few are meant to get hurt to be a reason leading to a great cause. Though you two can''t be together, having such a bond might be there to fulfil some kind of destiny."


    Esther only sighed, "I don''t know what to think about it anymore."


    "For now we can conclude that the reason you can''t conceive Prince Theron''s child is that you are bonded with someone else. You are destined to have only his child, Your Eminence."


    Esther felt like the floor under her feet had disappeared and she would fall somewhere deep down. She had never expected things to turn out like this.


    "Your Eminence, are you okay?" Lady Tyra asked.


    Esther shook her head saying she was not okay and said, "It''s all my fault that Theron can''t have kids. I failed him. If I knew about this, I would have never��."


    Seeing such a powerful person broken like this, Lady Tyra felt sad, "Your Eminence, please don''t be like this. You know Prince Theron would never think that way. He loves you and he expects nothing more than having you by his side."


    Esther''s eyes turned moist, "I know Tyra and that is what makes me feel even worse. I don''t deserve his love. I have hidden my identity from him. He trusts me blindly and truly loves me but I can''t even give him a child. If I had known this truth, I would have left this kingdom long back even before letting him fall for me. I am a sinner, Tyra."


    "N-No, Your Eminence. We all have a right to be happy. You chose it for you but I am sure there must be a reason for it which you might not be able to avoid whatever you try. You were meant to be here and meet Prince Theron. Things can not happen with a powerful person like you without any reason. It''s not your fault. Trust me, Your Eminence."


    Esther stayed silent for a while and asked, "What will happen if Theron won''t have a child?" She looked serious as well as worried when she asked it.


    "If Prince Theron never had a child, then his half brothers or cousins or their kids might im the throne after him."


    "Will they wait for Theron to retire?" Esther asked as she had so many doubts in her mind.


    "I don''t wish to scare you but there are so many examples from the history of this continent when others tried to snatch the throne from the existing king."


    "By what means?" Esther asked.


    "I don''t wish to scare you, Your Eminence but they might try to harm the Prince. But I am sure, just like the previous kings, Prince Theron is capable of protecting himself and must have known all these possibilities."


    "Having one child, can it make a big difference?" Esther asked.


    Lady Tyra nodded, "When they can get a throne so easily then why would they wait for prince Theron to retire. After Prince Theron, if he has no child to im the throne, then it''s a good opportunity for them to get rid of him."


    Esther understood and said, "Someone had previously tried to harm him. We need to be careful."


    "Yes, Your Eminence."


    "Also, prepare a list of desirable daughters from noble families," Esther instructed.


    It shocked Lady Tyra but she collected herself and asked, "May I know the reason, Your Eminence?"


    "It''s my mistake if I can''t conceive but I can not let others look down on my husband. I can not let him be misunderstood by others," Esther said coldly with determination.


    "But, Your Eminence��."


    "Just do what I had asked you," Esther interrupted her and stood up as she went to that nt and put on the spell again to hide it.


    "Yes, Your Eminence," Lady Tyra had no option but to agree to it.


    "Also, arrange for me to visit Crystal Pce tomorrow," Esther instructed.


    "Yes, Your Eminence." Lady Tyra left while Esther stood silent as she looked at the flower. She didn''t know what to think about it.


    only one thought came to her mind, ''Was it my mistake to ept this flower from him? I didn''t know it will choose only him as my soulmate. If I knew....'' she closed her eyes, ''Being young and naive is the worse thing in life. I wish I was not like that in the past.''


    She thought about what she had instructeddy Tyra with. Though she had said it with determination, she felt hurt and she knew her decision will definitely hurt Prince Theron more.

 Chapter 407 Assassination Attack

    That night, Esther was waiting for her husband to appear in her chamber as usual. One of his aides came by earlier to inform her that he was still in his office, busy working over a couple of important kingdom-rted matters, and that she should head to sleep without waiting for him. However, she continued to wait for him. She had long gotten used to sleeping in his arms and didn''t mind staying upte to wee him back from work.


    While staring at the dark sky, she suddenly sensed something rminging in the direction of the most important part of the royal pce, the Grand Pce. She sensed a familiar yet foreign energy, the kind that reminded her of the previous attacks made against her husband.


    Esther''s face turned grim as she grabbed the robe hanging nearby. Just today she talked with Lady Tyra about assassination attempts on King Theron, and now, it had already started. Without hesitation, she used her powers and disappeared from her bedchamber.


    -----


    Inside his study, King Theron was signing thest batch of documents piled up on his desk, while his aides hurried about to arrange the signed papers on another table. Only one person was idle inside therge office, and it was his personal escort, Sir Galien, who was now promoted as themander of royal knights along with his liege''s coronation as the new king.


    Just as King Theron turned to his aide to bring in a fresh pot of hot tea, they heard some noise beyond the door as well as the voice of the knight standing outside.


    "Who are you?! Tell your identity?!"


    ? There was a sound of swords being pulled out of their scabbards, but eerie silence followed the scuffle. His face alert, Sir Galien immediately unsheathed his sword as well.


    "Your Majesty, stay here. I will check." Sir Gallien strode towards the door, but even before he could touch the door handle, that heavy door mmed open with a strong force. The knight was knocked off his feet and was thrown several feet behind.


    King Theron stood up from his chair, his hand already grabbing his sword. Entering the study was a man in a hooded ck robe with a long staff in his hand. It was strange attire that he could recognize anywhere, although almost two years had passed since the war against Thevailes. Gut feeling was telling him that although it wasn''t the same person, they were the same kind of people.


    ''The one with a strange invisible attack!''


    King Theron gripped his sword tightly with mmy hands while he looked at Sir Gallien to check if he was fine. His knight was sprawled on the floor unconscious, but he looked alive. He could easily guess that all the guards outside must either be heavily injured or dead because no one wasing inside despite the noise. He returned his full attention to that mysterious hooded man whose entire face was covered, and only his dark eyes were visible, staring at him the way a predator looks at its prey.


    ''He''s here to kill me.''


    Not only King Theron was thinking that way. Even his aides who were pure schrs knew that too. Yet despite not being able to wield a sword, they took the weapons hanging on the walls with brave faces.


    "Protect His Majesty even at the cost of our lives!"


    Just then, the hooded man raised his hands in his direction. King Theron saw an energy spear forming between his hands out of thin air. During the previous attack at the battlefield, he saw the assassin moving his hands the same way, but at that time, he could neither see nor understand what kind of attack it was. He only knew something invisible injured him. Ever since his recovery, he had tried to recall how the attack happened countless times. It had been a puzzle to him ever since, what that man was doing with his hands. But this time he realized what it was.


    ''Magic?''


    Amidst King Theron''s shock, the energy spear was thrown to him with a speed no human eyesight could catch, and the young king instinctively crossed his hands in front of his body. What happened next was something no one foresaw.


    The energy spear reached King Theron, but it was as if it hit an invisible barrier, and it reverted back with an even greater speed towards the hooded man. The strengthened attack hit that mysterious intruder who was thrown out of the study with a crash.


    Prince Theron could not understand what happened. Stunned, he looked at his hands and saw the blue beaded bracelet given to him by Esther giving off a dull glow. Gritting his teeth, he ran towards the door to catch that man, but other than the injured royal guards on the floor, no one else was around.


    "Gather the first and second knight brigades and tell them to search the area. Send the injured to the royal pharmacy," he ordered his aides upon returning to his study. "Lock the gates of the pce until the assassin is found!"


    "As per your order, Your Majesty!"


    Afterwards, he checked the condition of Sir Galien. Though his guardian knight was unconscious, he appeared to be in no life-threatening situation. Soon, the royal knights came to handle the rest of the situation. Since theirmander was unconscious, the vicemander took charge and King Theron returned to his residence under the escort of double the number of knights.


    The young king could only sigh. Despite the strengthened security, he was sure this time too they would not be able to catch that mysterious hooded man.


    After cleaning himself up, King Theron came to Esther''s chamber like he did every night. Even without the assassination attempt, it was an incredibly exhausting day, and all he wanted to do now was embrace his wife and sleep. She was his shelter after where he could rest without worrying or thinking about anything.


    When he entered her bed chamber, King Theron was surprised to find his lovely wife still awake. "It iste. Didn''t I tell you to not wait for me?"


    Esther gave him a beautiful smile. "But I cannot sleep without you, Theron."


    Though Esther had many thoughts in her mind, she didn''t wish to show it to her husband.

 Chapter 408 I Will Never Let Anyone Harm You

    Seeing his wife weing him with a smile, it felt like all the problems weighing his mind disappeared. His shoulders, which were initially stiff after experiencing the attack, inevitably rxed. "May I ask what''s the asion that my wife is smiling at me so pleasantly?"


    Esther slowly walked towards him to help him remove his outer robe. "Do I need any other reason when my husband is in front of me?"


    The smile on his lips widened as he stood facing her. He gave her a gentle kiss on the forehead. "Well, I can''t say I don''t feel the same. It''s such a bliss to have you with me. Just the sight of you makes me forget everything and all the tiredness disappears somewhere."


    He caressed her cheek with his hand, and she ced her hand to cup the back of his hand. "How was your day? Is everything alright?"


    King Theron shrugged. He didn''t wish to tell her about the assassination incident, not wanting to worry her with his safety. "It''s nothing much, just busy with kingdom matters. It is normal for people to dump work on a new king, trying to take advantage of his reign to propose new changes and policies for the kingdom. But I do not wish to talk about work with you. I can finally see you after a long tiring day. Let''s not waste time on boring matters."


    Esther simply agreed, and King Theron let out a small sigh of relief. Little did he know that his queen was the one who protected him tonight.


    As they held hands, King Theron saw her eyeing the bracelet on his wrist. "Don''t worry, as you had told me, I never removed it from my wrist," he said, knowing how much she had insisted in the past to never remove it.


    "You better not or I''ll be upset with you," she replied and said in her mind, ''I will never let anyone harm you. That wizard today, he got what he deserved. Whoever dares to harm you, I will make sure they will vanish from the face of this continent.''


    "What are you thinking so hard about?" he asked.


    "Ah, I am going to see Mother and Father tomorrow," she informed as they walked towards the bed.


    "That''s good. They will be happy to have you visit them," he said. "I would have apanied you but��."


    "You are the King. Of all people, they understand best how you have important matters to attend to," she said, but deep inside, she was d that her husband was troubled with pce work. She didn''t wish him toe with her as she needed to discuss an important matter with the previous king and the queen.


    ''The issue of having direct royal descendants.''


    The Ivanov Family of Megaris, no, even the royal families from other kingdoms also had the tradition of passing the throne to their mostpetent direct heir, a prince who is the child of the King. Some would even go as far as taking a number of concubines to ensure that there would be many royal children who could inherit the crown in the future.


    ''All I know is I want you, nobody else,'' Esther remembered his words when he proposed to her. ''I want you to be the onlypanion I will have in my life.''


    Esther could not help but feel guilt. This man in front of her, she could never think about hurting him, but soon, she would have to ask him for something that would surely hurt him. He would surely hate it, and he might even be angered, but she knew it was for his own good��for his safety as well as for the sake of this kingdom who he vowed to protect.


    The next day, Esther crossed theke and reached the Crystal Pce where the servant weed her and guided her way. When she entered the drawing room, she found her husband''s parents waiting for her.


    "Wee, my dear." the old queen''s face bloomed at the sight of her daughter-inw.


    Esther greeted her inws with a smile of her own.


    "How are you feeling today, Father?" Esther asked as the old king was still dealing with the health issues though he seemed to look better than herst visit.


    As he was no longer troubled with pce matters, King Esteban looked visibly rxed, as if he had put down great weight from his aging shoulders. "I am better than ever after getting to spend my days with my wife." Though he was still not well, his eyes shone with happiness, as if he was content with the current situation and wished nothing more but to apany his wife till the day he breathed hisst.


    Queen Theodora rolled her eyes at her husband. "Then you should get better faster. Didn''t you say you want to travel with me around the kingdom?"


    "Well, it seems I need to taste your cooking once more. That will definitely make my health improve."


    "Oh, Esteban. You and your sweet mouth��"


    "No, you are the sweet one."


    Esther smiled at the bickering old couple. Despite having spent so much time together, they still obviously love each other. The old king might have concubines, but he only cherished Queen Theodora as his wife.


    ''Will Theron be the same after he gets concubines?''


    Seeing her dazed, her mother-inw asked, "Why are you still standing, dear? Have a seat. Just in time, imported flower tea from the west was delivered yesterday. It smells nice, and I thought you''d like it too."


    Hearing Queen Theodora order her servants to prepare tea, it pulled her back to her senses and she sat in the chair opposite the elderly couple.


    The servants soon served refreshments and freshly brewed tea. Once they left the royals on their own, Esther quietly took a sip of the flower tea, but found herself too nervous to taste it. "Father, Mother, I wish to talk about something important with both of you."

 Chapter 409 Her Decision

    "Of course, dear. Say whatever it is," the old queen said.


    Esther let out a shaky breath, and only then did the older royals realize the seriousness of the situation. They patiently waited for Esther topose her thoughts.


    "You two know that it''s been more than a year since Theron and I have been married," Esther said. King Esteban and Queen Theodora stiffened, and it could be seen in their eyes that they were well aware of the topic she was about to bring up.


    Esther continued. "I-I do not wish to wait another year, and have Theron remain childless��"


    Though it was hurting her, she had a solution for theck of a descendant and decided she could not let her family suffer together with her.


    "It''s fine, dear��"


    "Mother, I know you don''t have any objection over it, but I have. I can''t let Theron suffer because of my inability."


    "Oh dear, don''t think like that. You will definitely be able to have a child. Did Theron say something to you?"


    "No, Mother. It''s just me who has decided on a solution."


    "What is it?" she asked worriedly.


    Esther closed her eyes for a moment, and then she stared at her husband''s parents with a determined face. "Mother, Father, I want��I want you to help me convince Theron to have a concubine."


    The elderly couple was stunned. It was nothing new for kings to have concubines but knowing Theron, it was something his parents knew was an impossible feat. They were the people who raised him, and they knew him well enough to confidently say that he would never agree to it.


    "Concubine��Did you talk to Theron about this? How did he respond?" Queen Theodora asked.


    Esther shook her head. "I have yet to tell him about this. I wish to consult Mother and Father first before bringing this up to him."


    The old king, who had remained silent so far, opened his mouth. "My son will never agree to it."


    Queen Theodora agreed. The moment their son chose Esther, they were absolutely sure Theron would never marry another woman.


    "Father, we have to make it happen," Esther said. "The Ivanovs need an heir. The kingdom needs a royal heir. My husband��although he''s not saying it for my benefit, I know how much he wants to have an heir. Theron will only suffer if he remains childless, and I don''t want him to struggle when there''s an obvious solution to the problem."


    His parents fell into silence as they watched the torn expression on their daughter-inw''s face. For a wife to willingly raise the option of her husband getting a concubine on her own, how long had she struggled in silent pain? Yet here she was, swallowing her pride, her eyes filled with determination, asking her husband''s parents to help convince him.


    Neither the old king nor queen wanted to undermine the courage it took Esther to bring this up.


    "You will break his heart," Queen Theodora managed to say after a while.


    Esther let out a pained smile. "I know�� but there is no other way. I want him to have children. Like what Mother saidst time, he might get to experience his lost childhood days once he has children of his own. I do not want to rob him of that happiness."


    The older royals stayed silent for a while.


    "If that is what you think is best, you have our full support," the olderdy said with a sigh. "Talk to Theron first and let us know how he responds. We will try to convince him too, but we cannot promise you we will seed."


    "Thank you, Mother. That is enough. I will talk to him soon," Esther smiled.


    After spending time with them, Esther bid them farewell. Her mother-inw offered to apany her towards the boat tied to the small dock just outside the Crystal Pce.


    "Esther?"


    "Yes, mother?"


    As they strolled around the stone-paved paths of the hanging garden leading towards theke, Queen Theodora gently squeezed her hand.


    "Thank you. I know it must have been a tough decision for you to take but you had to because you cared for Theron," she smiled. "My son is really fortunate to have a woman who thinks about him before herself."


    "No, mother. In fact, I am fortunate to have him. I only want him to be a great king to the kingdom and a happy man whocks nothing."


    The older woman nodded. "Esteban and I had known each other since childhood. When he learned that I was chosen to be his queen, he told me he was really happy because he had liked me ever since young. We have a happy married life, and that''s why when we had Theron, we decided to break convention and let him choose his own wife, so that he could experience the happiness Esteban and I have.


    "But Esteban had to get concubines, not because his feelings for me changed, but because it was out of his duty towards the kingdom. At that time, Thevailes was already in a hostile rtionship with Megaris. The royal family was many times weaker than it is now, and to protect Megaris, he needed to get the full support from the territory lords to make up the numbers of the soldiers and strengthen the kingdom''s army. He had to make political decisions and marry the daughters of a duke and a marquis, as well as the princess from a smaller kingdom that was now absorbed by Megaris. Though he didn''t wish to, he had to because of his responsibility towards the kingdom."


    "Didn''t you feel bad, mother?" Esther softly asked.


    "Of course, which sane woman would want to share her husband with another woman? But as a daughter from a noble family, I have been raised with all these things in mind and it''s nothing shocking for me," she replied. "Moreover, as the then Queen of Megaris, I too had to think about how to make it strong. What''s the use of protecting my heart when it means the people I should be protecting will suffer? So what if I were to share my husband with another if it means keeping my husband and my kingdom safe? If the royal family remained weak, the first to die would be my husband. Wasn''t the choice easy to make if I think of things that way? As I had promised during our wedding, I chose to support my husband."


    Esther let out a shaky breath. "But I see Father still loves you a lot."


    "His love for me never changed. He had to honour his marriages with them but he was still the same with me. He loved me, cared for me and never ignored me. I know Theron will be the same," she assured.


    "I know, mother. As long as he loves me, even a little, that is enough."


    Esther left the Crystal Pce after getting permission and support from her inws about what she nned to do. She felt heavy in her heart, but after hearing Queen Theodora''s parting words, she felt her will renewed��that what she was doing was the right thing to do.


    She looked up at the cloudy sky, wondering how she would face her husband''s iing anger and disappointment once she brought up this topic to him.

 Chapter 410 I Want You To Have Concubine

    Today''s chapters are dedicated to the reader RMehrotra for gifting supergift spacecraft to this novel.


    -------


    Esther returned to the Queen''s pce, lost in thought about how she was going to open the sensitive topic to her husband and convince him without angering him. Time flew by quickly, and when night came, the young queen found herself worriedly pacing between the bed and the window, sometimes sitting on the mattress in a daze and sometimes gazing outside for the unlikely possibility that the carriage of her husband returned early. Even the calming tea her servants prepared for her were ineffective to calm her nerves.


    After having her evening meal where she barely touched her food, she returned to her bedchamber and waited for King Theron to arrive. With each passing moment, her heart and mind were being filled with anxiety.


    The moment her husband entered her bedchamber, she felt her heart flip, but she was able to wee him with a smile. Unaware of his wife''s brewing anxiety, he came to her and without a word just hugged her. She hugged him back, burying her face against his chest as she listened to his calm heartbeats.


    For a moment, she had an errant thought to put all the worries in her mind aside, to postpone bringing up the issue tonight and simply have a peaceful happy time with him. Wouldn''t that be good? She didn''t know what would happen once she raised the issue of having concubines with him, and he looked exhausted from work. Perhaps she should find a better chance��


    "You look tired today as well. Seems like your subjects are adamant on troubling you and increasing your work," she said, still hugging him and caressing his back with her soft palms.


    "They can trouble me as much as they want," he said, causing her to be confused. But he continued, "Nothing is going to affect me when I have such peaceful shelter to get rid of that tiredness."


    Esther slightly moved back to look at his exhausted yet still handsome face. His dark eyes stared back at her with genuine love, his lips carrying a proud smile on them. It caused her tough.


    "I don''t know about your subjects, but you sure managed to tter your queen with sweet words."


    "Sweet words? Well, I have much sweeter words in store for you and you alone," he replied. He pressed his lips against her forehead. He could never get tired of showing his love and affection to her.


    "Anyway, how was your visit to my parents?" he asked. "Is Father well?"


    "It was good. Father looks betterpared to thest visit, and he''s able to walk even without support." she replied. "Mother let me taste a new kind of floral tea while we talked."


    "Oh? And what were you talking about? I would want to believe my dear wife didn''tin about me to my mother," he said.


    Esther felt a little anxious but perfectly hid it as she rolled her eyes at him. "That''s between Mother and I."


    "Fine." Theron didn''t insist.


    "You are tired. You should sitfortably." She dragged him by hand towards the bed.


    "Why do I feel like my wife ns to tire me more by coaxing me and taking me to bed?" hemented teasingly.


    She gave him a narrow-eyed look and removed his robe as she signaled him to get on the bed.


    "As my wife wishes." Theron climbed the bed and sat up, resting his back against the pillows propped against the headboard. Esther was about to go to her side of the bed but he held her hand. "Where are you going?" He then pulled her towards him, causing her body toy on top of him.


    Esther yfully pped his chest and cuddled next to him, his arm on her shoulder as he pulled her close to him. Esther made herselffortable and ced her arms around his waist, one hand patting his muscled abdomen.


    Several minutes went by with King Theron simply idly caressing her long blond hair. "What bothers your mind recently, Esther?"


    Her body froze, thinking that he had caught her despite her efforts of hiding her chaotic thoughts. She lifted her head up and looked at him, only to hear him say, "Do you think you can easily hide anything from me?"


    She felt her heart skip a beat. Her anxiety red, wondering how he discovered the subject of getting concubines, but then she heard him continue, "I do not know what it is exactly, but I can see something is troubling you for a while now. Can''t you share your problem with your husband?"


    Esther lowered her head and took a deep breath. Was there a better chance to open her concerns if not now?


    "Theron?"


    "Hmm?"


    "Do you��Do you remember that time two years back? That time when we were taking shelter in that underground abode of that olddy with a cane?" she asked while trying to calm her nerves.


    "Hmm, of course. How can I forget those moments? They brought me closer to you," he replied with a peaceful smile, continuing to caress her hair gently.


    "At that time, you said you will repay me for saving your life," she continued.


    He chuckled. "Hmm, but why are you raising that now? You are my wife. If you wish to ask me anything, you simply have to say it. There is nothing that I will not give you, even if you ask for my life."


    She shook her head. "I want you to fulfill that promise to me then. This is important."


    "Fine," he relented, though he looked confused, he asked, "Tell me, what do you want so badly that you''re like this?"


    Esther didn''t dare raise her head to look at him.


    "Theron," she started, her breath shaky, "I-I want you to have a concubine."


    It felt like her heart stopped beating as she waited with bated breath for his reaction, but the only response she got was that his hand caressing her hair froze mid-air.


    There was no reply from him. Five seconds, ten seconds, a minute��


    Esther could finally no longer bear it and looked at his face. She found her husband looking back at her with a puzzled gaze, as if he had heard her speak in a foreignnguage he could not understand.


    She gulped at his silence and repeated her words. "I want you to have a concubine, Theron."


    Theron stared down at his wife. His doubts of hearing something strange was cleared, but an entirely new feeling reced it��a mixture of disbelief, disappointment, and something else he could not properly exin. Not even in his dreams did he expect her to say those words to him.


    His wife moved away from his arm to have a proper look at him. "Theron, please say something."


    He tried to open his mouth, but his body was in too much of a shock that it wouldn''t follow his mind. He could only stare at her. But then again, he felt as if there was nothing he could say to her. His mind was a jumbled mess. All he could think was, ''Why?''


    Why did she have to ask this? Did someone coerce her? Which fool dared��


    "Theron��"


    The young king finally forced himself to speak, but the voice that came out of his mouth sounded hoarse and dangerously cold.


    "What did you just say now?"


    Esther panicked. It was as if all the warmth on his handsome face was gone. She expected him to be angry or heartbroken, but not like this, as if he was trying so hard to control himself, hepletely hid all the emotions he had inside him.


    "First calm down and listen to me��."


    "Tell me that I heard you wrong," he spoke in a manner so cold, it was as if a hand made of ice gripped Esther''s heart.


    "No, Theron. What you heard was right," she assured him. "I want you to have a concubine."


    He closed his eyes for a moment and he remained that way for a while, but she could see a pulsing vein sticking out of his jaw, proving how shocked he must be at this moment. "Did��my parents asked you to say this when you went to them?"


    She shook her head. "It''s my own decision," she replied and when he met her gaze, she could clearly see the disappointment and hurt in his eyes.


    "Why?"


    "Because I can''t give you a child and I want��"


    "Did I say I want one?" he wanted to snap, but he held himself back at thest moment, not wanting to raise his voice at his wife. Still, his words came out a little cold as he tried to suppress the emotional turmoil inside him.


    Esther bit her lip in frustration, but she held on. "You never said that but you need to have one. You need to think about this kingdom." She thought he would ease a bit at the mention of his responsibility towards the kingdom, but that only made him narrow his eyes at her.


    "I am doing all I can for Megaris, and I am even willing to risk my life to protect it, but this," he emphasized, "this thing you are asking, is an insult to the one person I cherish more than my kingdom. It will never happen."


    With that, he stepped out of the bed and moved towards the door.


    "Theron!" she called. "Listen to me��"


    He stopped but didn''t turn around to look at her. "I will listen to everything you say but this."


    "You have promised to repay me for saving your life, remember?" she said, grasping at straws as there was no other way left.


    Her husband didn''t even bother to reply and left her bedchamber without another word.

 Chapter 411 Leaving The Palace

    Esther stared at the door with watery eyes. Her entire body felt as if it was thrown in the middle of an iceke during the harshest night of winter. Had she not expected this? She knew he was angry and hurt, but she had to make it happen. A lot of problems could be solved the moment her husband had a child of his own. The only thing that was stopping him was her, right? He didn''t want her to feel betrayed, but Esther already made up her mind that the best option for their future was to share him with another woman. She had already decided to treat his child as if it was her own child.


    ''Once he calms down, he will realize my good intentions. I should give him some time alone,'' she thought and decided not to follow him.


    That night was the loneliest night she had ever since she came to this kingdom.


    The next morning, she went to see him in his bedchamber. It felt unbelievably strange as it was the first time she had to do it. Every morning ever since they were married, she would wake up with him in her bed.


    "His Majesty has left early today," the King''s servant informed her when she came to his residence.


    It was clear that he wished to avoid facing her due to what she said the previous night.


    The entire day, King Theron kept himself busy. When Esther decided to see him in his study, she learned that he went outside of the royal pce to attend to some important matters outside the capital. That night, he didn''t return to his residence and Esther could only continue waiting for him. She had powers and she could go to him anytime she wanted but she wished to give him time. Given the situation, it would not be ideal for them unless he wished to see her on his own.


    Just like this, one more day passed by but not even once did King Therone to her.


    ''I can understand his anger but ignoring me will not solve anything," she thought to herself. When she asked herdy-in-waiting to check, she had confirmed that the King was not meeting with anyone and was simply working through the night in his study at the Grand Pce.


    "Your Majesty, Queen Esther is here," Sir Galien informed him. "Should I let her know His Majesty is upied with work?"


    King Theron didn''t wish to disrespect her in front of his knights by denying to see her when she came to him in the middle of the night.


    "Let her in," he said with a tired sigh.


    When Esther entered the King''s study, Sir Gallien gestured for the aides to leave together with him to give the royal couple private time for themselves. For the past two days, Sir Galien and the other knights were confused as to why their king didn''t go back to his residence.


    He was the type to normally order one of the dukes to leave in his stead whenever there was a need to travel, but yesterday, he took the chance to stay outside the capital for work. It was an unusual situation as it never happened that he never stayed with his wife at night. In fact, King Theron used to always look forward to finishing work so that he could go to her. Seeing what happened tonight, they could guess their king and queen were having a lover''s quarrel.


    Esther stood quietly by the door, watching her husband handle documents as if he wasn''t aware of her presence. On the other hand, King Theron was doing his best to pretend to work, but not even a single word registered in his head the moment his lovely wife came inside his study.


    Not even once did he look at her, even though he desperately wanted to see her and take her in his embrace. He was worried that she would ask him the same thing again and didn''t wish to give her that chance.


    While going through a scroll, he cleared his throat and said in a nonchnt manner, "If you are here to say the same thing, then I have no option but to disappoint the Queen."


    She stood in front of his desk, a few steps away from him. "I am not here for that."


    King Theron felt relieved to hear her response and thought that staying away from her was worth it though it hurt. He finally looked at her, only to hear something shocking.


    "From now on, I n to stay in my residence outside of the royal pce."


    "What?"


    "I want to stay in my manor in the outskirts of the capital until you find it in yourself willing to talk to me."


    Esther looked like she was serious, that she meant every word she said.


    "Why?" he asked.


    "In order to avoid me, you have been neglecting rest. I don''t want you to not return to your residence. Do you wish to continue spending the next nights here in your study? When was thest time you properly slept? Since you wish to not see me, then I better stay away from your line of sight," she said.


    Staying away from him? Not going to happen! "I-it''s not that, Esther. I��"


    "I have decided, Theron. I am a queen who can''t even give an heir to this kingdom. It''s better to stay away from here."


    The young king stood up and went to her. "Why are you thinking like this? It doesn''t matter if we can''t��"


    "But it matters to me, Theron," she said firmly. "I want you to have a descendant even if I am not his or her birth mother. I want a child in our family."


    He felt helpless in front of her. Thest thing he wanted was to not have her around him. "Esther��"


    "I am here to inform you that I am leaving the pce tonight," she said and turned to leave. Her beautiful face looked cold and emotionless, as if she could not feel anything.


    "Esther, don''t do this," she heard him saying behind her.


    Without turning to look at him, she said, "I will be back only if you agree to what I said."


    "Esther��"


    She pretended to ignore his calls as she left through therge doors of the Grand Pce. Her carriage was waiting for her outside and she climbed it despite hearing his footsteps behind her. The moment the carriage moved, the strong front she maintained in front of him broke and tears rolled down her cheeks.


    ''I can''t let you be deprived of that happiness due to my destiny which doesn''t allow me to give you a child.''


    The Queen''s carriage left the pce in the middle of the night.

 Chapter 412 Spending Night Outside Her Manor

    It had only been a day since Esther left the pce, yet her absence had a tremendous impact not only to her husband and her people in the Queen''s pce, but also to the knights and pce officials serving the King. It was obvious that King Theron had been missing her presence, and his sour mood made everyone shaken, to the point they had to be careful of breathing unnecessarily loud during that day''s royal court session.


    Though the young king did his best to focus on his pce affairs, his mind was troubled and couldn''t handle his work with his usual efficiency. His thoughts would always revert back to the conversation he had with his wife, and his face would put on a dangerously cold expression.


    He was angry that his wife was pushing her opinion on him, but at the same time, he was worrying about her. Though the past few days he avoided visiting her bedchamber, he knew she was around, and he wascent that she was safe within the walls of the pce. He could be at ease, but now, he was anxious that she was all on her own on the outskirts of the capital.


    She was the Queen of Megaris! What if she was targeted by people with ill intentions? He knew she brought a knight brigade with her for protection but�� What if she''s not eating well? Was she crying on her own? Was she staring in a daze by the window, unable to sleep at night?


    That night, King Theron finally decided to see her.


    "Galien, get my horse," he instructed.


    Without a question, the guardian knight arranged both his and King Theron''s horses, knowing where his king was intending to go thiste in the night.


    Their horses galloped at a speed that caused many onlookers to turn heads, but they crossed the streets of ckhelm without being stopped and reached Esther''s manor on the outskirts of the city.


    The guard at the gate recognized the King and let him enter, but when he reached the white mansion itself, he was greeted by the royal knight brigade in charge of the Queen''s protection.


    "The captain of the Queen''s guards greets His Majesty King Theron," said the leader of the knight brigade as he and his men bowed to him who was still on his horse. He osted the greeting and looked at the manor that was unusually quiet in the middle of the night. All the windows were dark, not even a singlemp was lit.


    He heard the knight captain clear his throat awkwardly. "Your Majesty, the Queen has instructed us to not let anyone disturb her during her stay, that she would not ept an audience with anyone, even if His Majesty himselfes."


    King Theron understood that she had already instructed her subordinates, expecting his arrival. It made him feel hurt and betrayed. ''How cruel can you be, Esther? You do not wish to see me unless I agree to what you want? Won''t you even listen to what I want?''


    He said nothing to the knight captain and simply climbed down his horse. It was an unbearably cold night as it was near the end of autumn, but he simply went to the tree nearest the mansion as if he could not feel the bitter night wind and sat there with his back resting against the tree, his eyes stuck at the window he knew was her bedchamber.


    ''Are you standing by the window like you always do, Esther? Are you looking at me behind those curtains?'' he could not help but wonder.


    Sir Galien was sad for his king but could do nothing to help. Such a strong man who held the highest position within this kingdom looked to be at his weakest and lowest.


    "You can go back to your posts," Sir Galien told the Queen''s guards and took both of their horses to one side, deciding to apany his king in silence. He did not dare ask his king to return to the pce even though his wife didn''t wish to see him.


    They spent the entire night sitting in front of the mansion. As soon as the sun began to rise, King Theron stood up and got on his horse. He left, not even turning to look back as he rode away.


    "Your Majesty, King Theron has left," her butler informed Esther and received a nod in response. The Queen was inside her bed-chamber, but she dared not stand by the window, afraid that her determination would waver the moment she caught a glimpse of her husband. She was sitting on her armchair quietly. Though she looked emotionless on the surface, she was hurting inside. The man she loved was out there the entire night and she didn''t even go see him.


    A week passed by but Esther didn''t return to the pce. Gossip started to spread that the Queen was not in the royal pce and instead was residing in her private manor in the capital. Everyone started to think that the King and the Queen were not on good terms. The most popr stories circting during the social events of the nobles were that the King had decided to drive Esther out of his sight because she had fallen out of his favor, and that he was disappointed she could not give him and this kingdom an heir.


    The gossip became the favourite topic not only of the nobility, but as well as themon folks, to the point that it reached the ears of the servants in charge of the Crystal Pce. Hearing of the news, the previous queen decided to visit his son and came to the Grand Pce unannounced. King Theron was in his study when his mother came to see him.


    He stood up in surprise. "Mother? What are you��no, wait, have the servants bring hot tea to my study," he ordered one of his aides as he rose from his seat behind the desk. He then gestured for everyone else to leave.


    Queen Theodora sat on the chair prepared for receiving guests and her son sat on the one opposite hers. Soon enough, freshly brewed tea arrived and the mother and son pair were left by themselves inside the King''s study.

 Chapter 413 Agreeing To Get Concubine

    Though King Theron had guessed why his mother was here, King Theron still asked, "May I know the reason for this visit, Mother?"


    "I am sure my smart son can guess it without much effort," she replied.


    King Theron tiredly massaged his aching temples. "My apologies, mother. But I don''t know what I should do either. I cannot make Esther understand that there is no need for me to get a concubine. She refuses to talk to me!"


    "I understand you, my son, but you are only giving importance to your own feelings and thoughts."


    "It''s not like that, Mother��."


    "Do you think she is doing it for herself?"


    He shook his head.


    "Or you think she is only doing it for this kingdom?"


    At that, the young king sneered. "She wants me to have an heir for this kingdom��"


    "The main reason she decided this is you, Theron. Only for you. This is a decision Esther made for your sake, and the other reasons were simply additional advantages that came together with it," the old queen sighed.


    King Theron froze and stared straight at his mother.


    Queen Theodora met his gaze. "She wants you to have your own child, a child who carries your blood and inherits your will, a child who will grow up listening to you and idolizing you the same way you looked up to your father. Isn''t that such a selfless wish? She wants you to experience the same kind of happiness that I and Esteban had while raising you, and have the satisfaction we had when we realized you grew up to be a fine young man.


    "My son, all this time, Esther has been suffering in silence. She might be seen smiling whenever she sees a nobledy show off her baby during afternoon tea or catches sight of her old friends like my formerdies-in-waiting who had children of their own as well, but I had observed the longing in her eyes back then��how she mes herself for not being able to fulfil being a mother of your child, and she continues to do so up to this day."


    The young king tightened his hands into tight fists, his knuckles white as he continued to listen.


    "Besides, knowing Esther, even if she won''t be the one to give birth to your child, she must be willing to ept it as her own. After all, won''t that child be the child of her beloved man? Your son is her son, and your daughter is her daughter as well. Will you rob her of the happiness of being a mother?"


    King Theron closed his eyes as he let out the breath he didn''t know he was holding. "But��"


    "You will be happy, she will be happy, the nagging old nobles will be happy and the people of the kingdom will be happy. Having just one child can solve so many things, and I will be lying if I were to say that Esteban and I do not look forward to having a grandchild before we get too old. A child that will bring happiness to all our lives, you should consider it. Even if you don''t feel the need to have a child, I know you will consider it if it is for your wife''s happiness."


    King Theron didn''t know what to say.


    His mother reached out and gently patted his hand. "Have you tried to know how exactly she felt?"


    "I tried, but she refuses to speak to me."


    Queen Theodora shook her head. "Well, try harder. Just as it is difficult for you to ept her wish, how difficult it must have been for her to decide on it and bring it up to you on her own? She loves you yet she''s asking you to have another woman. Can that be an easy thing for her to do? Which woman would not want to keep her husband for herself? Have you considered her difficulties? She must have fought with herself before bringing that up to you. You are hurting, and she must be hurting too. Do you think she is happy staying away from you? Nonsense! I have known that child longer than you! You must know as much as you yearn for her, she yearns for you as well. If not for your mutual feelings for each other, do you think I would have managed to easily convince your father to bless your marriage?"


    "I��" The young king rubbed his face in frustration.


    "Be wise, my son, and make the right decision. I believe you don''t want her to stay in that manor forever. Instead of pushing her away by not listening to her, you should listen to her and be together."


    After staying until they finished their tea, his mother bid her farewell and left him to think about her advice. Time flew by and before he knew it, his aide was knocking on the door of his study, asking him if he wanted to have his evening meal in the study or in the dining hall.


    The young king was frustrated.


    ''All I want is to have her with me for the rest of our lives. I made an oath to her that she''s the only woman for me, but she''s making me break my oath. But if doing so means losing her��'' King Theron made a painful decision. ''If this is the cost of keeping her with me, I should pay it. If she can''t be with me, then there is no use of living like this.''


    Stepping out of his study, he ordered Sir Galien to get his horse and left towards Esther''s manor, not even bothering whether his knight followed him or not. All his thoughts were on his wife.


    When he reached the manor, the captain of the Queen''s guards informed as usual, "Your Majesty, the Queen��"


    King Theron raised his hand and the knight stopped talking. This time, King Theron didn''t stay outside but entered the mansion without a word. No one dared stop him.


    He went upstairs and stood in front of the door of Esther''s bedchamber. He simply knocked on it and said in a surprisingly calm voice, "Esther, it''s me."


    There was no reply from inside. It was as he expected but his gut feeling was telling him she was awake and listening to him. He didn''t open the door and simply put his palms t against the door, lowering his head to stare at the marbled floor.


    "Esther, remember what I told you before? That you are my wife, and that if you wish to ask me anything, you simply have to say it? I will honour those words. There is nothing that I will not give you, even if you ask for my life."


    There was no response, and he felt like he was suffocating as he spoke the next words.


    "I will listen to whatever you say. Since you want me to have a concubine, then I will get a concubine. All I want is for you to return to the pce."


    He waited for her reply, but still, he got silence in return.


    "I will take my leave then," he said and turned his back on her door.


    Even after he left the mansion, Esther didn''te out to see him off.


    On that chilly night at the outskirts of the capital, two people''s hearts were broken.


    When her husband arrived at the manor, Esther was indeed awake, standing by the window and listening to each word he said, but she did not have the courage to reply to him. Only tears rolled down her eyes as she knew how much she had hurt him and that he was forced to take this decision.


    When he said he was leaving, she wished to open the door and hug him, but she stopped herself. She didn''t wish her tears to shake his decision. She would wait till he epted the concubine into his royal harem and there wouldn''t be any turning back for him.


    "Theron," she sobbed in a low voice, "Theron, I apologize but I am not strong enough to see you with someone else. I cannot wee you with a smile knowing you came back from the arms of another woman after spending a night with her. Let it happen behind my back. Let me y blind for a while and pretend that you are only mine��"

 Chapter 414 Determined To Be A Concubine

    The next day, King Theron informed his mother about his decision. Esther herself had made a list of qualified candidates and chose the granddaughter of Duke Walter as the First Concubine for her husband. risa Walter was not only the most beautiful maiden in the capital, she also had the strongest background as the Walter Duchy was among the wealthiest and most powerful territories in Megaris, which would prove to be strong support for the young king.


    Though Esther was the incumbent Queen in charge of the royal harem, in her absence she had appointed Queen Theodora to handle this matter with the help of Lady Tyra. Everything was carried on ording to the customs of the royal family.


    Before the youngdy of the Walter Family officially entered the royal harem, King Theron asked to see her first as he needed to clear things with her.


    As summoned by the King, Lady risa came to his study with the most impressive dress she had avable in her wardrobe. In order to have the best first impression, she made sure she looked and acted perfectly in front of her would-be husband. Truth be told, Lady risa was considered a maiden well past her prime. It was normal for daughters of nobility to be engaged with a man their families chose, and that after theiring-of-age ceremony, it would only be a matter of time before their marriage would be scheduled.


    However, she had liked King Theron for a long time, and she had convinced her grandfather to decline any proposals made her way unless it came from the royal pce. She was extremely disappointed after King Theron married Esther, but she remained stubborn and kept waiting. She was happy knowing her patience bore fruit, and that she was chosen to be King Theron''s First Concubine. As long as she was with Theron Ivanov, she was fine even if she was not made queen.


    "risa Walter of the Walter Duchy greets His Majesty King Theron Ivanov," she greeted with the loveliest smile she could, the one she had practised in front of the mirror for days, feeling extremely nervous in front of her future husband.


    King Theron put the scroll in his hand aside and looked at her with an expressionless face. "Have a seat."


    With her gaze kept low as per the pce etiquette, she walked towards the chair and sat in it with a perfect posture.


    "Lady risa, I am sure you know you have been chosen to be my concubine," he said, directly jumping to the point. His voice was calm and civil, as if he was simply discussing a work report he had read to his aide.


    However, the youngdy was unaware of this. With a light blush covering her lowered face, she nodded. "Yes, I am aware, Your Majesty."


    "Before you agree to it, I would like to make a few things clear. After that, if you wish to reject this arrangement, the royal family will respect your decision. I assure you on my name that no one will me you for it, and that your reputation will not be harmed."


    In her opinion, there was no reason to reject this offer and simply nodded to what he said.


    King Theron continued to speak with a nonchnt, business-like tone. "For me, this arrangement is simply to produce an heir for this kingdom. This is a transaction between you and me, and there would be nothing more than that. You will be married to me on paper, but you are not my wife. Do not expect things like love or passion or anything more from me. Being a royal concubine and future mother of the heir, you will get the best treatment in this pce and you will find nonecking in the lifestyle you have as a youngdy of a ducal family. But remember your ce. You are just a concubine, one who would give birth to my child, but you will be nothing more than that. Esther will always be the one sitting next to me on that throne. She will always be the queen of this kingdom and no one would ever take her ce as long as I am a king."


    Her mind went nk. It was as if she could still hear his words, yet none of them registered in her brain. With her head still lowered, the youngdy felt as if she was being seen by the man behind the desk not as a person, but as an item, a mere object.


    ''It hurts,'' she found herself thinking.


    She heard him continue speaking, though his tone was gentler, more humane this time around. "My words are callous and rude, and I believe this is far from what the youngdy expects from her future husband. This is why I wish to inform you of this before you sign your life away married to a man who will never be able to give you his heart. No woman deserves that. Do not hurry to answer me. You can go back and think about it."


    Lady risa snapped back to reality. Though his words were painful, she remained stubborn. She wasn''t stupid and she could see that he only has eyes for his first wife, but she wanted to hold on. She wanted to hope. As long as she didn''t give up, maybe, just maybe, she could earn herself a bit of his love.


    "I ept all your conditions, Your Majesty."


    King Theron didn''t expect her to answer right away. He frowned. "Did I not make myself clear? Are you sure you will allow yourself to be reduced to having such a marriage, Lady risa?"


    She nodded and finally dared to look him straight in the eyes. King Theron saw the unyielding determination in those blue eyes. "I have long back given my heart to Your Majesty. Even though you won''t love me, I feel fortunate to be by your side. To be married to the one I have love, this is happiness for me. "


    King Theron could see her genuine feelings for him but there was no way he could reciprocate them. For him, there would be no one but Esther.


    "Fine," was all he said. "You may now excuse yourself. My knights outside will escort you out."


    "I will take a leave then, Your Majesty," Lady risa said with a perfect curtsy.


    She left the study with a heavy heart, but her eyes remained stubborn as she walked away with pride..


    ''This is a choice I made for my happiness. Though His Majesty doesn''t have feelings for me, after I give birth to our child, I believe that I can earn his affection, even if a little. Theron Ivanov, I will make you look at me.''

 Chapter 415 Wedding Night Without Love

    A small, intimate wedding ceremony was held for Lady risa''s entrance to the royal harem, where only a select few from the highest-ranking nobles and the Walter Duchal Family were invited as witnesses. As Esther was yet to return to the pce, Queen Theodora had everything arranged in her absence.


    On that day, the royal harem of Megaris weed a new member, the First Concubine risa Ivanov. The harem had a strict hierarchy, its chief authority being the Queen and female rtives of the King, and below them were the concubines. However, as the one and only concubine of King Theron, the best chamber within the Vermillion Pce was arranged for her and it would be her permanent residence as long as King Theron continued his reign.


    It was the wedding night of the King and his concubine.


    King Theron found himself drinking liquor inside his bed-chamber, gazing at the starless night sky. His handsome face was cold and emotionless, his body lounging on his armchair in lethargy. He had to honour his second marriage whether he wanted it or not, but he found himself having no desire to leave his residence.


    However, duties were duties, regardless of his will. He married for the sake of having children and fulfilling his queen''s wish, so wouldn''t it be pointless if he were to not fulfil a husband''s duty? It was an inevitable task, and the quicker he started it, the faster he could return to his residence to rest.


    Sir Galien knocked on his door. "Your Majesty? Your carriage is ready."


    The young king let out a small sigh. He had only started drinking and was yet to be drunk. However, he knew he had to go now, otherwise, he would lose whatever little motivation he had left.


    After finishing the bottle of liquor, King Theron visited the Vermillion Pce where risa''s personal servant guided his way towards his concubine''s bedchamber.


    Lady risa was sitting at the edge of the bed, nervously fidgeting as she made sure that her silk nightgown clung to her body well and that her hair was well-brushed, falling softly over her smooth shoulder. She wanted her appearance to be perfectly seductive for her husband. Still, it was her first night with the man she loved, and she could not help but panic at the slightest sounds. The speed of her heartbeats reached its peak when she heard the slow yet firm footsteps outside the door, and then when she heard the door open and close, she found herself unable to breathe.


    Her lowered sight noticed the pair of feet wearing ck boots walking towards her and stopped at a distance from her. Hesitantly, she raised her head and gazed up at the man who was standing several paces away from her.


    As she had expected, his handsome face held the same indifferent expression he had back when she met him inside his study. His dark eyes regarded her with interest as if she were a mere object he was forced to study, and even when their eyes met, there were no changes on his face, not even a hint showing he was excited or looking forward to this night.


    This was the man she had given her heart to.


    To him, she was nothing but a woman he married for the purpose of child bearing. It was a transaction out of pure obligation.


    The youngdy had to force herself to keep her smile despite feeling like her entire body was thrown into a frozen river.


    Unfortunately, King Theron caught the disappointment in her blue eyes which she tried her best to hide.


    "I believe you still remember what I had said before our wedding, Lady risa."


    She nodded and lowered her head. "Yes, Your Majesty."


    "I am here because I had to honour our marriage," he said with a low yet unfeeling tone. "I epted you as my wife as per our arrangement, and in turn, you must do your best to ensure your body is healthy enough to have a child."


    Her body seemed so small as he saw her nod once more.


    King Theron closed his eyes for a moment to calm himself. Though he was tough in front of her, beforeing here, he had to fight with himself to enter this bedchamber and proceed with his marital duties. However, the more he stayed inside the bridal chamber that smelled of fragrant incense and flowers, the more he was reminded of Esther and the first night they shared.


    ''To touch another woman��I should have taken a stronger drink.''


    Letting out a soft exhale, he maintained a cold stance and stared at her long dark hair. Its contrast with Esther''s beautiful honey blond colour was making him want to step back and never return from this ce.


    "You cany in bed," he ordered.


    Lady risa let go of the night gown she didn''t realize she was clutching at that point. Though she didn''t expect him to be sweet and tender to her like in her fantasies, she never expected him to act like this. She felt hurt and embarrassed, but she never let a single tear escape her eyes.


    The youngdyy in the middle of the bed quietly. She heard footsteps approaching but didn''t dare look at their source. King Theron put out the candles close to the bed, drawing even the curtains attached to the canopy bed, causing the bed to be dark enough for him to not see the finer features of her body. He then removed his robe, hung it on a nearby chair and climbed the bed.


    With her eyes closed, she felt one side of the bed sink and her husband''s warm body moved close to her. She contemted whether she should look at him. Even if she did, she was scared to see that emotionless gaze of him which made her feel as if she wasn''t a person but an object.


    When she felt his body hover above her, Lady risa unconsciously opened her eyes, only to immediately regret seeing those dark orbs that held not a single shred of affection for her. He wasn''t even looking at her face, but at her body still covered in clothes. He moved directly towards her neck without even bothering to meet her gaze.


    Her blue eyes turned moist though she had expected it this way. His warm mouth touched the soft skin of her neck, and even though she didn''t wish to, she could not stop making a loud mewling sound. She hurried to cover her mouth, feeling embarrassed about it.


    She felt his hands moving her nightgown up slowly, and the tears slowly building behind her eyelids started to fall.


    ''Once it''s done, he will leave.''


    Having expectations hurt, but as a silly woman in love, she thought it would be all right. She had known from the start that her husband felt nothing for her. She knew yet��she still held on to a little hope in her heart that the night would end differently.

 Chapter 416 You Will Always Be The End Of My Journey

    King Theron didn''t ask her if she was fine. No, he didn''t even say a single word all throughout the deed, but he tried to be as gentle as he could be to her. He finished fast, the bare minimum, and he didn''tst long. He pulled away without a sound, not even asking her if she was in pain or if she needed something. He only straightened up the bottom part of her nightgown and covered her body with the quilt. Afterwards, he moved out of bed.


    All throughout, Lady risa didn''t open her eyes, simply letting hot tears roll down from her eyes.


    The young king put on his robe and sat on the chair, massaging his temples. "I will stay here for some time. You can rest."


    Though King Theron felt guilty about his cold treatment of the youngdy, he still wanted to look out for her best interests and decided to stay for a while. Only several minutes had passed since he entered her bedchamber and finished the deed, and he was worried that if he left in a hurry, his concubine would be a topic of pce gossip��that she was unable to satisfy the king as he left her bedchamber only after a short time.


    As he was the King, no one would dare say a word about him, but they would viciously point fingers at her, the new concubine. Though he didn''t love her, he didn''t dislike her as well. He wanted to at least show that he respects her and their marriage.


    King Theron left his seat and stood by the open window, staring at the night sky and wondering if Esther was doing the same at the moment. ''I am sure she must be lonely but didn''t wish to show it to me. I wish I could go to her right away.''


    He spent the next half hour standing there and thinking about his beloved. His lovely wife still didn''t show up in the pce, and he was missing her terribly. He hadn''t gotten to see her for many days. Now that he had fulfilled her wish, she should hurry toe back to him and be together like before.


    After another half an hour, he closed the window since he realized that the evening breeze was entering the chamber and he didn''t want his concubine to feel cold.


    "I am leaving now."


    There was no reply from her, and regardless if it was because she had fallen asleep or if she didn''t want to answer, he didn''t mind it. The moment he came out of the Vermillion Pce and saw Sir Galien waiting by the carriage, he said, "I need a horse."


    Sir Galien knew what it was for and simply ordered the coachman to untie the harness of two horses from the carriage. He also ordered a servant to bring horse saddles and a warm outer coat for the King. A few minutester, two horses were seen galloping away from the royal pce.


    When King Theron reached Esther''s manor, the Queen''s guards bowed towards him without a mention of the Queen not receiving guests.


    He let out a bitter chuckle. ''Seems like she has finally given me permission toe to her.''


    Contrary to expectations, he didn''t enter the white mansion. He went towards the same tree from before and sat with his back resting against it. Likest time, his gaze remained stuck at a particr window of the mansion.


    Sir Galien was confused as to why his king didn''t go inside the mansion when the Queen had tacitly permitted him. If not to see her, then why was he here? "Your Majesty, you should go inside��"


    "I don''t deserve to go to her, at least not tonight," he said calmly and continued looking at the window of her bedchamber. He was sure that particr person was behind those curtains, and though he wanted to see her, he was d for the existence of those curtains..


    ''I want you to know that wherever I go, the end of my journey will always be you.''


    -----


    A flustered butler knocked on Esther''s door and entered with a worried face. "Your Majesty, King Theron is here."


    "Hmm." Esther nodded as she knew he was here. She could sense his presence around the manor.


    "But��"


    "What happened?" Esther asked.


    "His Majesty is staying outside despite no one stopping his entry," the butler informed her. "His Majesty is sitting by the tree outside your window."


    Esther understood. "You can leave."


    The butler left and Esther went towards the window. From the small gap between the curtains, she saw his lonely figure sitting on the grass. She felt emotional as she knew why he was there and had a guess on why he couldn''te to her.


    "Theron��"


    She always knew he loved her more than anything, and she was the same. With each passing incident, she could feel their feelings for each other getting stronger.


    "This too will pass. Nothing will ever separate us," she let out a brittle smile. "I believe. I will continue to believe."


    ----


    King Theron woke up by dawn, not realizing when he had fallen asleep. Just as he was about to stand up, he realized a thick soft nket was covering his body. He smiled as he knew she must havee to see him and covered him with it as her sweet scent still lingered on the fabric.


    For the first time in days, a smile appeared on his face. His wife finally came to him and he could not be happier than this.


    He carefully rolled up the nket and handed it over to his guardian knight, who then handed it over to one of the Queen''s servants. King Theron asked for his horse to be taken out of the stable


    "Your Majesty, won''t you go see the Queen?" Sir Galien asked. He was finally able to let out a sigh of relief seeing the small smile on his king''s face.


    "Once she returns to the pce," the young king said and climbed on his horse. With that same smile on his face, he rode back to the pce full of expectations, knowing his wife would return to him soon.

 Chapter 417 Back To The Palace

    Esther returned to the Royal Pce of Megaris early the next morning. Upon receiving the news, Sir Galien hurried to the King''s chamber to inform his liege.


    "Your Majesty, Queen Esther has returned to the pce!"


    King Theron, whose clothes were being attended to by his personal servants, looked at his grinning image reflected on therge mirror in front of him. ''I knew you would return to me.''


    "Your Majesty, do you want me to inform the Queen that you will being to see her?" Sir Galien asked. "Should I inform the royal kitchen that you will be having your morning meal together?"


    "No need," he replied. Though the young king wished to see his wife desperately, he wanted to let her settle her feelings first. He wished her to take her time ande to him on her own. Knowing Esther, he was sure the wait wouldn''t be long.


    Sir Galien obeyed his orders. After half an hour, King Theron headed towards the Grand Pce to attend to his duties at the royal court.


    -------


    Meanwhile, in the Queen''s chamber.


    "Your Majesty, wee back," Lady Tyra said as she curtsied before the Queen along with Esther''sdies-in-waiting who remained behind in the pce.


    "We are so d to have you back, Your Majesty."


    "We missed you terribly, Your Majesty!"


    Esther epted their greetings with a small smile. "Everyone did well. It''s been hard for you to work in my absence." She then asked Lady Tyra, "The things that I had asked you to prepare, is it ready?"


    "Yes, Your Majesty," Lady Tyra replied.


    "We will leave sometime," Esther said as she looked around her bedchamber that she hadn''t seen for a while now.


    Lady Tyra nodded and turned towards the servants. "Make sure to have everything prepared before we leave." She looked at thedies-in-waiting. "Go attend to your tasks now. I will have a word with Her Majesty first in private."


    After excusing themselves, thedies-in-waiting and servants left the two alone inside the bedchamber. Lady Tyra quietly studied the young queen.


    "Your Majesty," she started after a while, "do you need me to have the servants prepare your morning meal?"


    Esther shook her head. "I have already had breakfast in my manor."


    The older woman continued to stare at her queen sitting on the armchair who looked quite pale and thinpared to when she left the pce. Her caramel-colored eyes seemed soulless, unlike all other times when they shone with warmth and life.


    "Your Majesty, may I ask something?" Lady Tyra asked.


    "Hmm?"


    "If it''s that painful for you, why did you ask His Majesty to have a concubine?," Lady Tyra said. "No one could force you or the King to make such a decision. Even if the nobles are impatient, you have no obligation to take those people''s words to heart."


    Esther sighed. "Those insignificant humans and their opinions don''t matter to me, Tyra. I know, no one can force me and no one would have dared say a word if Theron is to never have a child."


    Lady Tyra kept quiet, lending her ear to the Queen who looked like she wished to share her thoughts.


    "I told you before. I am doing this for him." Esther stared at the palms of her smooth hands, idly opening and closing it as if she''s trying to grasp a fleeting emotion. "It''s my destiny that doesn''t allow me to have a child with him, and I will make sure that it won''t rob him of things that should be his in the first ce. I will never deprive him of experiencing the happiness of having a child. Though this all seems painful now, the day when he holds his own child in his arms, I am sure this pain will be worth it."


    "I understand, Your Majesty," Lady Tyra said.


    After a while, Lady Tyra had the servants return to help the Queen prepare for the morning. As Esther had just returned to the pce, there were many things she needed to oversee, but her supposed schedule was adjusted to make way for her personal visit to the royal harem.


    The Queen''s carriage soon rode towards the Vermilion Pce. The knights escorting the Queen stayed outside the gate, while the female guards in charge of the royal harem took their ce.


    As soon as Esther alighted from her carriage, one of the female guards announced the Queen''s arrival. A small gathering of royaldies weed her at the entrance of the pce,posed of her husband''s young half sisters and unmarried female cousins, all of whom Esther were long used to visiting.


    Except for one.


    A young woman with dark hair flowing down in soft curls and eyes as blue as the summer sky. As the only concubine of the King, she''s standing in the middle of the weing crowd, just behind those carrying the Ivanov bloodline yet in front of the row of royal servants.


    Among the members of royalty, she''s the one with the lowest status, but that status would rise once she carries and gives birth to the next heir of the kingdom.


    ''risa Walter, no, she''s risa Ivanov now,'' Esther thought wryly.


    On her first day of return to the pce, Esther was to visit the new concubine and to wee her with gifts. It was part of the traditional role of the Queen, as she was in charge of the harem as the main wife. Starting from the day she married into the Ivanov Family, she''s expected to take care of her husband''s future concubines and lovers as if they were her sisters.


    Everyone was tense. These people were all aware of the rumours that the Queen left the pce after having a fight with the King. They were quite worried that she would be hostile to the First Concubine. However, contrary to expectations, Esther didn''t act unusual and she remained sweet and kind to everyone. The atmosphere with thedies was quite warm as Esther smiled at them, casually asking about their day while Lady Tyra led their way towards the main building of Vermillion Pce.

 Chapter 418 To The Kings Residence

    With small talk out of the way, the young queen sat on the throne in the middle of the central hall. As per her usual, Esther did her duty to the harem first, asking thedies if there were situations that needed to be fixed or addressed. Afterwards, she had the other royaldies dismissed, leaving only Lady risa in her presence.


    "This concubine greets Her Majesty the Queen," Lady risa curtsied before her with a gracious smile and elegant movements, though what her real thoughts were, one could only guess.


    Esther epted it with a nod. "Wee to the royal harem, Lady risa."


    "Thank you, Your Majesty," Lady risa replied humbly.


    "No need to be so stiff and formal with me." Esther moved out of the throne and sat herself on the head of the table on the side of the hall. She gestured for one of the servants to prepare another seat for the young woman on the opposite side of the table, as if to prove that she wanted nothing more than a friendly chat with her. Soon, small snacks and freshly brewed tea were also prepared on the table.


    After the young concubine took her seat, the Queen''sdies-in-waiting brought the gifts they prepared and ced them on the table, as Lady Tyra announced, "These are all the gifts Her Majesty prepared for the First Concubine."


    "Thank you, once again, Your Majesty," Lady risa said, but she didn''t even take a nce in their direction.


    Esther calmly took a sip of tea while Lady Tyra took all the other people with her outside, leaving the two wives of the King by themselves inside the central hall.


    "Are the arrangements made in your residence to your liking, Lady risa? Please make yourselffortable here in the pce��"


    Lady risa tried to enjoy the taste of freshly brewed tea as she listened, but for some reason, she couldn''t focus on anything but the young woman with honey blond hair. She already expected the Queen''s visit, but found it annoying that Esther had a serene expression on her beautiful face. Perhaps it was jealousy clouding the concubine''s mind, but she even found the sound of Esther''s sweet voice and the way Esther held her teacup unusually annoying.


    "...If you need anything, don''t hesitate to ask for it," she heard Esther offer.


    "It''s my husband''s home so there is no need for me to be ufortable," Lady risa could not help but say. "I believe His Majesty will surely look after my needs."


    ''Does she not know that from the decor of her chamber to the choice of food she eats, all these matters fall under the Queen''s control?''


    Esther stared at her silently for several seconds, and then ced the empty teacup on the table. "Hmm, true. As the King, he has the responsibility to look after everyone''s needs, especially those of his wives''."


    Lady risa deliberately put on a shy smile. "I would havee to visit Your Majesty on my own, but afterst night, I am embarrassed to admit I am not able to do that. His Majesty is��he is too vigorous, and even now, my body still aches."


    Esther merely nodded, her expression still calm. She knew what Lady risa was trying to imply but little did she know that Esther knew the truth��that their husband didn''t even stay with her the previous night and instead went to her, his first wife, his true love.


    "After spending each and every night with him for the past year, I do admit he is a man with strong vigor," Esther replied calmly. "Sometimes, even during the day��"


    Before Lady risa could say anything, Esther rang the bell sitting on her side of the table, calling for the people waiting outside. "Call Lady Tyra in," she told the servant who entered.


    Afterwards, Lady Tyra came in and handed over a small parchment scroll to Lady risa. "First Concubine, this is for you."


    Lady risa epted it and unrolled the scroll. There were dates for the entire month written on it in elegant strokes and she heard the middle-aged woman continue speaking, "Your Ladyship, those dates marked in red, ording to the physician who checked your body the other day, those are the days your fertility is at its peak, and the probability of you conceiving a child will be high. On those days, His Majesty is arranged to visit your bedchamber."


    Lady risa stared at the scroll with an expression that was hard to describe. She looked up when she heard Esther''s voice.


    "I have given Theron a copy of this scroll, and I am urging him to follow it, even if he ims he''s too busy to spare that much timeing here. You will see other dates marked as well, as the royal pharmacy will send someone to monitor your health from time to time. I believe Lady risa has no problems with this arrangement? I am sure you fully understand that this is the best way to guarantee you will fulfill your role as Theron''s concubine."


    Hearing Esther call the King by his name as if it''s the most natural thing in the world, Lady risa felt jealousy envelop her heart. But she quickly collected herself and replied, "Yes, Your Majesty. Thank you for looking after me."


    "These are the precious herbs that you need to have daily so your body will be healthy to bear a child," Esther said as she looked at the gifts on the table.


    "I understand, Your Majesty," was all Lady risa could say.


    Esther finished her tea and said, "Wish to hear good news soon," to which the young concubine nodded lightly.


    With that, Esther dismissed Lady risa from the central hall. She didn''t stay for long and went to her office inside the Vermillion Pce, where she reviewed the reports on the expenses that incurred during her absence in the pce.


    Once she was done with her Queen''s duties, she decided to leave Vermillion Pce. As she entered her carriage, Esther asked Lady Tyra, "Did you ask where is His Majesty?"


    "His Majesty finished the morning royal court session rather early. He is now in his study," Lady Tyra informed her.


    "To his residence," Esther instructed.


    The Queen''s carriage rode towards the King''s pce.

 Chapter 419 Tears Absorbed Into Ashrin Flower

    The number of issues guing the kingdom was the same, yet King Theron managed to finish the royal court session early that day. Seeing him leave the throne room, his subjects could not help but talk among themselves, wondering if it must be because he was eager to go to his new concubine and no one questioned it. They still remembered how King Theron was paying more attention to his wife when he married their Queen.


    Inside his study, there was a pile of scrolls on his work table but King Theron simply could not pay attention to any of it. All he thought was when he would get to see his Queen. She didn''t send him a message that she was returning nor did she say that she wished to see him.


    Just then, Sir Galien entered the study and looked at his dazed King who looked sad.


    "Your Majesty, Queen Esther is here to see you."


    With this King Theron looked at Sir Gailen questioningly, "What did you say?"


    "Her Majesty is here to see you," Sir Gallien repeated.


    Prince Theron stood up from his chair, "Then get her inside right away. Does she even need my permission to enter my study?"


    Sir Galien understood and left to get the Queen.


    Meanwhile, King Theron contemted how to react when Esther came in front of him. ''Shall I just hug her? Or let here to me first? What should I say to her when I see her? Maybe ask- How is she? Then say - I miss her. I can then hug her. It''s been long since I had held her closer. Hmm��seems fine.''


    Just then Esther entered the study. Seeing her in front of him, all his thoughts and the n he had, frozen to note into action. He saw his beautiful wife standing in front of him which seemed dreamy to him and no word coulde out of his mouth.


    Esther walked towards him as he simply looked at her, not letting his gaze move away from her in a fear that she would disappear from his sight. She walked straight towards him and even before he could understand, she hugged him.


    "I missed you, Theron," he heard her saying.


    What he wished to do, his wife did it first. He simply smiled and hugged her back, "I missed you, Esther."


    She felt at ease once she felt his warmth and realized everything was still the same between them. She was scared that he might change as she had hurt him by forcing him to marry another woman.


    She looked at him, "I am sorry for hurting you. I won''t say forgive me but ...."


    "As long as you are with me, no pain canst long. Don''t worry about it," he interrupted her with a smile.


    Seeing him smiling, the tears she was holding back, rolled out as she felt more guilty about how she had hurt him while this man was just ready to forgive her.


    "I will never do anything to hurt you again. If I do, I will think I don''t deserve to be with you and to be loved by you. I will leave..."


    "Shh! Don''t even think about saying it. The only thing that can hurt me is if you are not with me. If you leave me, that day this Theron won''t be the one that you see. I won''t lose only you but I will lose myself. So don''t ever leave me," he said.


    She hugged him back and asked in her crying voice as she buried her face in his strong chest, "Why do you love me so much? It only makes me feel guilty."


    "If you feel guilty, then there are ways to make up for it," he said and she looked at him with a questioning gaze.


    He smirked and kissed her. He parted away shortly and said, "I will like it if you try to make up for your guilt this way."


    Esther lightly hit on his chest, "You can never be serious."


    "I am serious," he said firmly and asked as his thumb touched her moist lips intently, "Shall I ask Gailen to not let anyone enter the study and I would like to spend some time with my wife?"


    She smiled shyly, "Not now. I have a few more things to take care of as I was away."


    "Then, I will take it as my wife is inviting me to her chamber tonight."


    "Maybe," she said and stepped away from him. "I will take a leave."


    Before he could even permit her, she left and he smiled seeing her running away from him. ''Tonight, you won''t have any way to run away from me.''


    Both were relieved that everything between them was fine and there was nothing to worry about.


    ------


    As the king and the Queen were happy together, soon those days of the month arrived when Theron had to visit his concubine.


    That day Esther left to visit Crystal pce and stayed there a few days as she knew her presence in the pce would make it difficult for Theron to go to his concubine.


    Finally, that night came and Sir Gallien came to inform, "Your Majesty, your carriage is ready."


    The king didn''t look like he was even willing to go and heard his knight, "Your Majesty, it would be better to follow what Her Majesty has decided. Once Lady risa has your child, you won''t have to do it again."


    King Theron heard what his knight said and knew he was right. Once he impregnated his concubine, he will never have to do it again and he will be happy with his queen. He stood up and left his study to follow the arrangements.


    For Lady risa, these few nights were no more different than her wedding night when her husband didn''t even look at her and only did what he needed to get a child from her.


    She felt heartbroken but was sure once she conceived and gave birth to a child, things would not be the same.


    ----


    Lady risa missed her monthly cycle. The royal physician was called to check on her as Esther waited to hear the expected news. As much as Lady risa herself, Esther was praying to get good news.


    The royal physician informed that Lady risa was expecting and the entire harem was happy to hear this news as they would see the next heir of this kingdom.


    Esther herself was happy while King Theron didn''t know how to react. All he could think was now he didn''t have to spend another night with Lady risa he won''t feel any more guilty towards his wife.


    If it was Esther who was pregnant, his reaction would have been different and he would have acted as if the happiest person in the world.


    During Lady risa''s pregnancy, Esther made sure to pay attention to her needs and arranged everything best for her that will keep the baby and the mother healthy. While not even once did King Theron go to see his concubine except for the one time when he was forced to go there out of his duty to congratte his concubine.


    The months passed by when Lady risa was happily seeing her belly growingrger and started feeling the movement of the baby inside. She looked like the happiest expecting mother.


    Once Esther came to visit her. As they had the tea, suddenly Lady risa whined in pain, "Ah.."


    It panicked Esther, "W-What happened?"


    Lady risa smiled, "I-It''s nothing. Baby''s movements are stronger."


    It amazed Esther, "Did it move?"


    "Yes," Lady risa said happily and again the baby moved.


    Though risa didn''t like Esther, she knew this Queen was doing her best to take care of her and her baby. She knew Esther would not harm her. Moreover, Lady risa was so happy with her pregnancy that she forgot her disliking towards Esther and weed her goodwill.


    "Here," Lady risa touched her belly as it moved again, "Try touching here."


    Without much thought, Esther stood up from her chair and touched Lady risa''s belly where she told her to. Under her palm, Esther felt the gentle movement of the baby and felt amazed. Smiling widely, she looked at Lady rissa, "It really moved."


    Lady risa nodded happily and said, "I wonder if His Majesty will ever get to feel it."


    Esther could understand what Lady risa was feeling and stayed quiet but she also thought if she felt this happy by feeling the baby''s movement, then how happy Theron would feel.


    Esther returned to her bedchamber and thought about how she could get King Theron to experience what she did that day. Standing by the window, she looked at her palm which just felt the baby''s movement and tears appeared in her eyes.


    "Seems like I am not that fortunate like Lady risa. I can never give him a baby and that happiness," she closed her eyes feeling hurt about her failure towards Theron and mumbled, "I wish if I could��" words stuck in her throat. "Seems like I am not destined to have a child ever...."


    Tears rolled down her cheeks which fell on the flower that she ced in the window. That Ashrin flower absorbed those tears and it shined wherever those fell on its petals.

 Chapter 420 Realizing The Presence Of His Child

    One fine noon, Esther invited King Theron to spend some time together at thekeside once they were free from their official duties. As the two reached the gazebo, they saw Lady risa was there with her servants and was enjoying the pleasant weather.


    She looked at the king and the Queen, "Greetings, Your Majesty, King Theron and Her Majesty, Queen Esther."


    King Theron looked at his concubine who looked changed. Of course, she was as she was now having a round belly that carried their child. He never took a proper look at her before even to notice it.


    Both epted her greetings with a nod and Esther said, "Good to see you here, Lady risa. Why don''t you join us here for tea?"


    "I��." Lady risa nced at the King who looked like he would listen to whatever his first wife would say and agreed, "Thank you, Your Majesty."


    Though Lady risa felt envy seeing them together, she wished to keep bitter thoughts aside for the good growth of her baby and simply epted the reality. After all her baby was the next heir of Ivanovs and the one to sit on the throne of the King.


    As the three sat in the chairs, the servants served them tea and snacks.


    Esther said, "In a month we will be having a little life with us."


    Lady risa nodded while King Theron felt surprised and couldn''t believe these many months passed already.


    "Have you decided the names, Lady risa?" Esther asked, smiling pleasantly.


    Lady risa shook her head, "I would like it if His Majesty decided the name for the baby."


    Esther looked at her husband who only heard the twodies and had no opinion of his own.


    "Theron, you should find a good name for the baby," Esthermented.


    "I will try," was what he said and continued to sip the tea.


    Just then Esther''sdy in waiting arrived, "Your Majesty."


    "Yes, Saira?"


    "The person you have asked for is here and waiting for you, Your Majesty," the servant informed.


    Esther nodded and looked at Theron with a smile, "I have to leave. Please enjoy your tea with Lady risa. It won''t be good to leave her alone in such a condition."


    The man could say nothing as his wife was in a hurry and left. The awkward silence surrounded the two as they saw Esther leaving.


    While walking ahead, Esther closed her eyes and mumbled something as she smiled.


    "Ah��" Lady risa whined a little in pain.


    King Theron Panicked as his concubine was pregnant. "W-What happened?" and stood up from his chair.


    "It''s nothing, Your Majesty," she smiled, "Baby is moving inside��Ouch��" she exhaled and tried to bear it.


    King Theron looked at her belly and didn''t know what to say. As the baby moved again, Lady risa held his hand, "Here."


    King Theron understood what she meant and turned nk as his slightly shaking hand touched her belly. Under his palm, he could feel the strong movements of the baby and heard his concubine asking, "Did you feel it, Your Majesty."


    The shocked King nodded subconsciously at her question and continued feeling the baby''s movements.


    Lady risa could see what he was feeling and felt d. She waited for this moment and it happened. Finally, the king realized the presence of his own child.


    He looked at her, "Does it hurt?"


    Smiling happily, she nodded, "A little but it''s bearable."


    Only he knew how shocked as well as amazed he felt after feeling the baby moving inside the belly.


    To date, he felt nothing about having his own child but now it changed. He had the sense of having his own child. ''My child.''


    ------


    After leaving King Theron and Lady risa together, when Esther reached her carriage, Lady Tyra who was waiting for her asked, "Your Majesty, you nned all this intentionally, isn''t it."


    Esther only smiled, "I am sure he is shocked but happy to feel what he did today."


    Lady Tyra felt a little hesitant but asked, "Aren''t you worried that His Majesty might start paying more attention to Lady risa?"


    It didn''t affect Esther. "As long as he is happy, Lady Tyra. Moreover, she is the mother of his child. She deserves to get his attention."


    Lady Tyra could only agree with her Queen and they left in the carriage.


    ------


    When they finished the tea and spent some time together, King Theron personally took Lady risa back to her residence and even apanied her to her bedchamber as he could not leave his pregnant concubine just like that.


    The pregnantdy felt tired and her servants helped hery in bed.


    "Thank you so much, Your Majesty, for apanying me," she said, catching her breath.


    "Don''t mention it. You should rest," he said and left after making sure she was fine.


    Once he left, Lady risa could not stop smiling, ''I knew it. The day he will see his childing, he will value me.''


    ------


    At night, King Theron went to Esther''s chamber as usual but he looked deep in thought and went to stand at the window of her bed-chamber where the calm breeze made him feel at ease.


    Esther went to him and asked, "What are you thinking about, Theron?"


    Getting out of his thoughts, he looked at his beautiful wife who was standing next to him while looking at him. Then he looked at his own hand that still had the memories of when he felt that little baby inside his mother''s womb.


    "Today, I felt the baby. It was moving," he said calmly but his thoughts looked confused.


    Esther smiled, "Then shouldn''t you be happy and excited. Why do you look so quiet?"


    "I don''t know what to feel about it. All these months I didn''t recognise his existence but today I felt different...I can not say it in words."


    "You will be a father soon. This is a new experience and you are just surprised. Once you have that baby in your hand, I am sure you will feel happier than ever. It''s your own child, Theron and you should look forward to his arrival. That child will bring happiness to all of our lives," Esther said as her eyes brightened with theing happiness in their life.


    King Theron nodded and asked, "Today, you did it intentionally, isn''t it?"


    She looked at him with a questioning gaze and he said again, "Do you still think I don''t know you well? You left me with Lady risa intentionally."


    She didn''t deny it as she did it with good intentions. "I just wanted you to feel the presence of your child and wished you to be closer to him so he will recognise his father once he is out in this world," she exined and asked hesitantly,"''Did I upset you?"


    He smiled lightly and shook his head, "You can never do anything to upset me. I understand why you did it and you did well."


    It brought a smile to her lips and heard her husband again as he smirked teasingly, "Aren''t you scared to leave me with another woman? What if I��."


    "Lady risa is not just any other woman but the mother of your child. She deserves your attention and care at least a little even if you don''t feel anything for her. It''s good to keep the expecting mother happy. Moreover, I know your love for me will never be less."


    King Theron hugged her only as he had no words to say to his thoughtful and adorable wife.


    ''How fortunate I am to have you, Esther.''

 Chapter 421 Memories From Her Past

    "Are you telling the truth that you will fulfil any of my wishes?"


    The young girl wearing a long beautiful white dress was sitting on the rock at the river bank as her feet yed with the water of the river. The sun shined brightly in the sky as the cold breeze yed with her long honey blond hair that was left beautifully open with a few strands moved back to secure at the back of her head with the gold essory.


    With her happily excited looking caramel eyes, she looked at the tall man who was standing a little ahead in the river water, facing his back at her. His dark long hair moved along the cold breeze and the bottom of the royal looking blue robe was dipped in the river water.


    He simply nodded to what she asked.


    "Okay, then I will make a wish," she said looking at the man who didn''t even turn to look at her but instead looked at the clear sky and mountain ahead of him.


    She closed her eyes and made a silent wish as a pleasant smile painted on her lips as if she was wishing for something really important.


    "Okay, done. Did you receive my wish?" she asked.


    The man seemed to be frozen in his ce and did not respond to her.


    Not getting any response from him, the young girl pouted her lips, "You can not go back on your promise okay. You once said if you make a promise to someone, you are abide to fulfil it as it bes their destiny. You can not take away my destiny now. Tell me, did you receive my wish?"


    The man didn''t respond and she could not guess what he was thinking as he was standing with his back facing her.


    "Fine, in case you didn''t receive it, I will say it allowed," she said and waited for his reaction but there was none. "I wish to have a son like you who will be powerful and as kind as you. He will be a glorious one who will protect, love and care for everyone. Just like you, he won''t hesitate to sacrifice himself for others. But he won''t be lonely like you and he will be loved by everyone around him," she stopped and looked at him, "I said it aloud and I know you heard it. Now you have to fulfil your promise. Did you hear me?"


    There was no response from him and she cried out, "Once you said you can not see tears in my eyes and you said you will never let me cry. If you won''t fulfill your promise, I will only cry," her voice turned sad and she looked like she would cry soon, "You can not break your promise��You can not��.Did you hear me or I will only cry...."


    A distant voice was disappearing and Esther woke up in shock. She looked around in her bedchamber in panic and realized she was not somewhere else but in her bed. Her husband was not next to her which means he had left early morning.


    Inhaling deeply she sat in her bed and put her hand on her chest which was beating faster, ''This��Why did I see this? It happened hundreds of years back then why suddenly. Why did he show up?'' she felt anxious as there was no answer to it.


    Just then a servant entered her chamber and bowed to the Queen, "Good Morning, Your Majesty."


    Esther who was disturbed by her dream, got back to her senses, "Good Morning, Saira"


    "Your Majesty, it seems like Lady risa will give birth to a child soon. The royal physician headed to the Vermilion pce after Lady risa had started gettingbour pain."


    Esther nodded and stepped out of the bed as she had to hurry to go there.


    "I will help you get ready, Your Majesty," the servant said and called for others as well.


    They helped their Queen to get ready and already had the Queen''s carriage arranged at the entrance of her residence.


    Just as the Queen''s carriage reached the Vermillion pce, the King''s Carriage reached there as well.


    Both the King and the Queen hurried to go inside and reached outside Lady rissa''s bedchamber. The entire area around it was made vacant and other than Lady risa''s servants, the Royal physician and his apprentices and King and the Queen and their personal servants, no one was allowed to enter.


    From outside of the bedchamber, they could hear Lady risa''s painful cries. King Theron instinctively held Esther''s hand as worry covered his face.


    Esther held his hand and patted it, "Everything will be fine soon. I will go inside and check. You can stay here."


    King Theron nodded and she left to go inside the bedchamber while the King waited anxiously outside.


    Inside the bedchamber, it was filled with the painful cries of Lady risa as she was trying to push the baby out and thedy apprentices were instructing her on what to do while taking care of her. Lady Tyra was already present there to handle everything.


    Esther looked at her worriedly and prayed for everything to be fine. Soon after there were loud cries inside the bedchamber and there were wide smiles on everyone''s faces. Smiling pleasantly while her eyes filled with happy tears, Esther looked at the newborn baby and felt speechless. The happiness she was feeling, didn''t allow her to say a word.


    "It''s a prince, Your Majesty," The royal physician informed.


    Esther walked towards the bed where Lady risa was lying, feeling tired to her bones. Esther held her hand gently and said, "You did well, Lady risa. Congrattions! You are the mother of a beautiful Prince."


    Even though she was exhausted, Lady risa smiled at the genuine words from Esther, "Thank you, Your Majesty."


    Esther looked at the little life in thedy apprentice''s hand who was cleaning him before wrapping him in a soft cloth. "Our Prince looks like his father," Esther said and looked at Lady Tyra to which she nodded happily, "Yes, Your Majesty."


    The royal physician went outside the chamber and informed the king, "Your Majesty, Congrattions on having a Prince. Baby and the mother, both are absolutely fine."


    King Theron, who was anxious and worried till now, felt relieved hearing it and wished to see his child as soon as possible.


    "Congrattions, Your Majesty," Sir Galien wished his liege who epted with a happy nod.


    Esther came outside to wish her husband. She looked at him happily, "Congrattions, Theron. You are a father now."


    With moist eyes, he looked at her, "Then, aren''t you his mother as well?"


    She was the same as him, who was trying to control her tears, "Of course I am."


    King Theron hugged her, "Then I should congratte you for being a mother."


    "Thank you," She said as she hugged him back.


    When everything was set inside the bedchamber and the baby was calm, the King was allowed to enter the bedchamber.


    He looked at Esther, "Aren''t youing?"


    "I have seen the baby. You take your time with him," Esther said as she stayed outside and sent King Theron alone to see his child and then to meet his concubine.


    When King Theron entered the bedchamber, the servants attending Lady risa bowed to him and left the chamber.


    He went to the bed, and asked, "How are you now, Lady risa?" His words were filled with genuine worry for her. After hearing her painful cries while standing outside, his heart was not at ease and he felt worried for her.


    "I am fine, Your Majesty," she replied in her weak and tired voice.


    Lady Tyra carried the baby to King Theron. Seeing a little life, his own child, he felt emotional and happy at the same time.


    "You can hold the prince, Your Majesty?" Lady Tyra offered.


    First, he felt scared to hold such a tiny body in his hands, feeling worried that he might not be able to hold it properly but Lady Tyra instructed him how to. The next moment that little body was in his arms and he could not express in words how he was feeling.


    ''My son!''


    His eyes were moist with so many new emotions at the moment while his trembling lips curved into a pleasant smile.


    Lady risa could clearly understand what her husband was feeling at the moment. She let him admire the baby in silence.


    King Theron walked towards the bed with the baby in his arms and sat at the edge of the bed. He looked at her, "Thank you so much for giving me this happiness," he said.


    "You don''t have to thank me, Your Majesty. I am fortunate to be able to do so," she replied politely while lying in bed.


    "Still, You have given me something so precious. I would like you to ask me anything you want. And I will try my best to fulfil it if it is in my capability," he said. "Please don''t say no to my request."


    Lady risa didn''t even think for a moment as she smiled, feeling content over it as it was the first time her husband had shown affection towards her.


    "Then, I would like Your Majesty to call me only risa instead of Lady risa. It feels like you are calling a stranger," shemented with a light chuckle.


    King Theron smiled, "That''s it?"


    She nodded, "Hmm."


    "Fine, from now on I will call you risa."


    "Thank you for granting my wish, Your Majesty," she said happily.


    By now she was sure that her husband would never love the same way as he loved his first wife but she had given the king what his first wife could not give and she felt content with it. There was a meaning to her existence and she was not just his concubine. She was now the mother of the Prince of this kingdom.

 Chapter 422 Start Of The Worse

    The entire Kingdom of Megaris was celebrating the birth of their prince. The previous King and Queen, who were leisurely traveling in a nearby territory of a family friend, returned to the capital as soon as they heard the news to see their grandchild, the next heir of Ivanovs. There was a grand naming ceremony for the little prince, and all the nobles and important personages of the kingdom were invited.


    As wished by Lady risa, King Theron personally named his son.


    Prince Keiren Ivanov, the direct descendant of the King and the only heir of the Kingdom of Megaris.


    For an entire month, the people of the kingdom were in a festive mood, and even the travelers and the merchants from outside could feel the happiness of the locals whenever they were doing trade with the kingdom�� but it was not going tost long. A disaster was on its way towards Megaris to disturb its current peace and put the strong kingdom through hell.


    Months passed by��


    The unusually hot summer would be ending, and the Kingdom of Megaris would be weing the beautiful season of autumn. However, none of those in the pce could appreciate the cooler temperature nor the lovely sight of falling leaves on the pavement.


    Inside the Grand Pce, King Theron was sitting on the throne with a frown on his face as he listened to the report being read aloud by his aide. He wasn''t the only one frowning. The members of the royal court also had terrible expressions on their faces as they talked about the issues of the kingdom among themselves.


    "You are saying that the ships that sailed with the grain from Othinia went missing? Again?"


    The one in charge of the trade sighed. "Indeed. This is the third time in a row. Sincest month, none of the trading ships were able to arrive in ckhelm, and the investigation team dispatched returnedst night. From the statements of the surviving sailors, the ships were reportedly destroyed by the new whirlpools that appeared on the sea route."


    The Minister of Treasury shook his head. "We have already sent payment on this, and we can no longer afford to buy more in preparation for food stocked for winter. We are still low on budget after the massive spending we made to protect the borders from Thevailes and rebuild the destroyed forts and towns in the west three years ago."


    "The problem was that summer was especially terrible this year, and there was a drought in the South. Many of the rivers are drying up, and even the wells from the viges only turn out sand instead of water. The crops being locally grown in Megaris wouldn''t be enough to feed a city, much less the entire kingdom. We would have to rely on thend trade we have with Griven and Abetha."


    "Abetha won''t be trading with us because they''re withholding supplies for their impending war with Hatha."


    "Then, Griven?"


    "We alreadymunicated with their Minister of Foreign Affairs, and we are trying to establish policies to entice more Griven merchants toe, but due to the gue in the south-eastern border, these merchants are getting afraid to cross borders even if the stored grains they have begin to rot on their own."


    "Tsk. I cannot me them since it''s a strange pandemic. Even the elite schrs and physicians we sent over were unable to find the cause, and they could not find a cure as a result. At most, they could only prevent the symptoms from worsening. Three cities and dozens of towns are already abandoned, and the scared citizens are fleeing eastward, to be more precise, many are heading here to the capital."


    "Oh no, we have to stop them and quarantine them! What if the gue enters the capital? The citizens here would suffer and die! Thousands of deaths were already listed in the official reports from the affected territory lords of the South and West. If we allow them to enter��"


    King Theron had a heavy expression on his exhausted face.


    Whirlpools, gue, drought��


    These were natural disasters that could not be prevented, their aftereffects only addressed so that the damage would be kept at the minimum. If there were pirates and sea robbers, he could send an army to purge them, and if there were only poor harvests, he could simply open the kingdom treasury and buy food supplies elsewhere to distribute to the affected area.


    However, he was helpless when none of the measures being taken seemed to be working.


    People were dying due to the strange gue and theck of water, and to make things worse, the entire kingdom would probably experience a food shortage .


    King Theron could only massage his forehead. "Order all the territory lords and the nobles from the rank of Count and above to convene in the pce within three days. We will have an assembly to discuss how to address these problems."


    "Yes, Your Majesty!"


    However, human effort proved to be useless. Not even a week after the assembly, people living in ckhelm started to fall sick without a reason. Despite the measures taken to stop the gue, it still spread to the North and West, even reaching the capital city of Megaris. King Theron tried his best to handle the situation but there seemed to be nothing more he could do when even the physicians found themselves dying from the disease they were trying to cure.


    The royal pce soon had to open their storehouses to distribute food and supplies to the inhabitants of the city. However, due to the number of refugees exceeding estimates, the order and security within the city started to fall.


    Even the sheltered royals living in the pce could see with their own eyes the effect of the drought. At first, they realized that the water level of the pceke was falling. It didn''t even take a month for it topletely dry up, leaving only muddy pools of water at the bottom. The fishes and other aquatic animals were dead already. Even the water on the grand river where the port of ckhelm was located was considerably low, causing many of therge ships to be unable to sail.


    It was a scarcity of water which never happened in this kingdom since it was founded.


    Seeing her husband tormented by these issues even at night, Esther was also troubled with worry. She couldn''t understand what was happening in her kingdom.


    "Your Majesty, King Theron had gone to see his parents. The old king is not doing well," Lady Tyra informed her. "King Esteban seems to have caught the gue, though it was still in its infant stages."


    Esther nodded and said with a frown, "This is not just a natural disaster, Tyra. There is something more to this."


    "What do you mean, Your Majesty?"


    "Didn''t you feel anything different?" Esther asked.


    Lady Tyra went silent for several seconds. "I did, as if there was some unknown force around but I couldn''t understand what it was," Lady Tyra replied.


    "Everyone looks affected but us two," Esthermented and the reason was obvious that these two were not any ordinary humans.


    "Today, I heard Prince Keiren had a fever," Lady Tyra said.


    Not waiting for a moment, Esther spoke, "Shift to my bedchamber. I will try to keep it safe from whatever it is."


    "I have received your order, Your Majesty."

 Chapter 423 [Bonus Chapter] The Devils Curse

    Outside one of the side pces, King Theron tried his best to be calm. After the pandemic had spread, he had requested for his aged parents to stay within the pce premises rather than the remote Crystal Pce in order to provide them with better care.


    "Father, how are you feeling?" he asked his father as soon as he entered the bedchamber. The room was arranged to have the bed isted from the rest of the room, with the incense carrying the scent of herbs in order to keep the air purified. The physician gave him something to cover his nose, and he wasn''t allowed to go nearer the patient.


    Even from a distance, King Theron could see the weakened old man resting in the middle of therge bed with a pale sicklyplexion, his skin yellowish with blots of purple.


    ''This damned gue!''


    He felt bad for his father and even more for his kingdom that was suffering, and yet, he could not do anything to save anyone.


    "Theron, why are you here?" he heard the man say in a soft yet firm voice.


    "I am your son. Why shouldn''t I be here?"


    "It''s not time for you to worry about me as I am sick anyway. You focus on our kingdom."


    "I am trying, Father, but it doesn''t seem like the situation is going to get better anytime soon," he said helplessly.


    "Call the High Priest," his father instructed out of the blue.


    "The High Priest?" King Theron felt surprised as to what a priest older than his own dead grandfather could do in such a situation.


    King Esteban coughed. "Have you forgotten the lessons of our ancestors? We are blessed by the dragon and the phoenix. When you cannot find a solution as a human, you need to seek help from the holy ones who blessed us."


    King Theron didn''t know what to say. Someone tapped him from behind, and only then did he realize that Queen Theodora was also in the room.


    "Do as your father says, Theron," she simply said.


    Despite his hesitation, he nodded. "All right, Mother."


    Just as he said those words, he heard his father speak again, "You should hurry. You can''t waste any more time."


    "Yes, Father."


    King Theron then returned to the Grand Pce and instructed Sir Galien to call for the Holy Priest. However, his knight returned empty handed.


    "Your Majesty, I went to the temple but the priests there said the High Priest is not in the capital. He had left immediately after he attended the naming ceremony of Prince Keiren and his whereabouts are currently unknown. He might not be in Megaris at the moment. However, the temple received a letter yesterday saying the High Priest will return in a week."


    King Theron sighed. Though he didn''t believe a religious leader could solve these issues, he could do nothing but wait for his return. The young king was desperate, seeing the people around him slowly falling sick without any reason. Though there were no deaths reported in the capital yet, across the kingdom, the number of deaths had reached more than three thousand.


    Just as he stepped into the hallways leading to the Queen''s chamber, about to retire for the night, he heard the sound of a baby crying echoing around. He hurried his steps and entered his wife''s bedchamber, where he saw Lady Tyra holding the crying Prince Keiren.


    "What happened?" he asked worriedly.


    Esther approached him to help him take off his robe. Her husband looked tired but didn''t want to show it. However, he was only tired due to his worry for his subjects, not because he was falling sick. The gue didn''t affect King Theron like it did to other humans because Esther had shared a fragment of her soul with him, keeping him safe and protected.


    "Lady risa is not well and Keiran is feverish so I had him brought here to take care of him."


    "You did well," King Theron said and looked at his son who was still red from crying.


    Esther went towards Lady Tyra and got the little prince from her, rocking him in her arms as she tried to calm him down. A minuteter, the baby started to let out cooing noises and Esther took him to her bed to make him sleep. Lady Tyra excused himself while King Theron approached his wife and son.


    The little prince seemed to be exhausted after crying and felt better in Esther''s gentle embrace that he had already fallen asleep by the time the King sat at the edge of the bed...


    Esther lifted her gaze and saw her tired husband staring at his son with a crease on his forehead.


    "Do not worry. He''s fine now," Esther told him with a small smile. "Tyra told me you went to see your parents. How is Father?"


    "Just like everyone else who got the gue," he replied with a sigh. "I do not know if it''s due to his old age, but Father asked me to call for the High Priest. What can a priest do? Burn incense and offer fruits to the altar? Those precious fruits are better off given to the starving people outside��"


    Esther was surprised. She didn''t feel surprised that the High Priest could help, as she felt that mere human efforts would really be ineffective. What surprised her was that King Esteban suggested using divine means to cope with the situation.


    She heard him continue, "....but he will onlye back in a week. I only hope there is no dy on his end."


    "Since Father believed in him, I think the High Priest can offer useful counsel," she replied.


    "I hope so," he said, though he sounded doubtful.


    "Well, you look exhausted. Let''s sleep. Should I put out themps now?" she suggested, looking at how tired he was.


    King Theron didn''t even have the energy to reply as hey in the bed next to his son. Though he closed his eyes, he was unable to fall into a peaceful sleep, his mind chaotic due to the many worries surrounding him.


    -------


    When the High Priest returned to the capital of Megaris, he headed straight towards the Grand Pce to see the King in his study.


    An old thin man with a long white beard, wearing a pure white robe with long wide sleeves and a cassock that has the symbol of a ck dragon, bowed before the King.


    "This old servant humbly greets the dragon of Megaris."


    King Theron epted his greetings with a nod and said, "Please take a seat, Your Holiness."


    The King left his desk and sat face to face with the High Priest in the area set to receive guests. "I believe the High Priest knows why I have you summoned in the pce."


    "Yes, Your Majesty. When I became aware of what happened in the kingdom, I hurried back as fast as I could," the old man replied with a sigh.


    "My Father believes the High Priest can help me in this situation. Does the temple hold a record of a simr situation urring in the past?" King Theron asked. "I would like to know if there is something we can do."


    The High Priest nodded. "Beforeing here, I have indeed verified the records left by my predecessors and have found out this was indeed something that happened before."


    King Theron''s eyes shone with hope, but he still kept himself calm. "Please exin."


    "Once in every one hundred years," the High Priest started, "natural disasters would fall on the continent. Sometimes, it will affect only a single kingdom, sometimes, a third of the continent. The people of old call this phenomenon the Devil''s Curse, and from the records, it''s been exactly a hundred years since thest curse had fallen on the continent. This time, it has chosen our kingdom."


    "The Devil''s Curse?"


    King Theron had a vague memory of this term, as he had a hobby of reading books since young. But he only thought it was some random name uneducated people only came up with to exin natural disasters.


    "So does that mean there''s a real devil in existence?" The King could not understand it thoroughly and asked more, "And this devil has cursed our kingdom?"


    "The Devil exists, King Theron. In fact, the ck dragon is his symbol. It''s not the Devil who cursed our kingdom but he is the one who will save us. He alone can lift the curse," the High Priest exined. "Many old books are destroyed and human memories are short, so even I could not guarantee his true history, but apparently, this Devil was in fact someone whose name was forgotten, but he made sacrifices to protect thend and the gods of olden times. So to make up for his glorious sacrifice, in order to not let us humans forget his existence, the emperor of the old gods made this curse so that when this curse falls once more, people have to worship the Devil and call for him to lift it up."


    King Theron closed his eyes and let out a shaky breath. He didn''t know what to say to this crazy story. Perhaps his father was muddled with old age if he truly believed the nonsense that this High Priest was saying.


    "So you mean�� we have to worship the Devil and call for him?" King Theron asked though he simply couldn''t believe it. However, he was thinking that doing such a ceremony would somehow lift the spirits and give hope to the ordinary people.


    The High Priest knew this young king didn''t believe him. "Your Majesty, I know this sounds ridiculous but there is no other way. We can call the Devil and solve this curse, even if you believe in him or not."


    King Theron had already tried everything and could not help but agree to thisst resort. It would be good to give people hope, and there would be no harm in trying.


    "What do we have to do?" King Theron asked.


    "Someone of the Royal Ivanov bloodline must summon the Devil," the High Priest replied.


    ====


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 Chapter 424 Preparing To Summon The Devil

    Ivanov bloodline?


    King Theron concluded, "Are you saying that I have to summon this Devil myself?"


    The High Priest nodded. "Indeed. Not only are you the current ruler of the kingdom affected by the curse, but you are also a direct descendant of the founding king. I believe you should be the one to do the summoning, Your Majesty."


    "And what should I do to summon this creature?" King Theron asked. He understood that a summoning would probably involve a ritual or ceremony of sorts, and they had to make certain preparations.


    "That, you can leave it to me, Your Majesty. I will guide you," the High Priest said.


    "Well, where will we be doing it? The pce? The central square? The faster it is done, the better we resolve this issue."


    "No, Your Majesty. We will be conducting the summoning ceremony in the temple. Once the preparations are done, you will be informed toe to the temple," the High Priest replied.


    "Very well," the King agreed.


    As the High Priest left to start making preparations, King Theron wondered if perhaps he too had gone crazy to involve himself in this madness. "But if it can alleviate the fears of the people��"


    -------


    That night, when King Theron went to the Queen''s chamber, his mood was somewhat brightened seeing his son wee him with an adorable coo, even reaching out his chubby hands to him the moment he saw him. Ever since the little prince stayed with Esther, his health seemed to have massively improved.


    As King Theron carried his son who had just fallen asleep in his arms, Esther approached to gently put the baby back in its cradle. "You do not have to worry about Little Keiran. The physician has confirmed that nothing is wrong with his health."


    "How can our son not be healthy when you are with him all day?" King Theron said, caressing his son''s tiny hand. "Perhaps you are the reason that even I can endure this curse on the kingdom."


    "Curse?" Esther repeated with a curious face.


    "Hmm." King Theron nodded and looked at her, who was now sitting on the bed after making sure the little prince was fully asleep. "Today, the High Priest came to see me."


    "What did he say?" Esther asked as she motioned for her husband to sit on the spot beside her. Though she wasn''t sure the High Priest would know the reason for all the unnatural things happening all over the kingdom, it still made her curious if perhaps the old man held a decent clue.


    King Theron sat beside his wife on the bed and idly yed with her hand. "Well, he said it''s some kind of curse that urs every one hundred years."


    "A curse? Like sorcery? ck magic?"


    "Weirdly, it''s a curse from an ancient god but it is called the Devil''s Curse," the young king said wistfully. "The High Priest says there''s this imaginary being who needs to lift this curse��"


    However, at this point, Esther could no longer hear the rest of his words.


    "Devil''s Curse?" she mumbled under her breath. As a being who had existed in the continent for more than a hundred years, she of course knew what that phenomenon is. ''Of course. A century has passed since then. How could I not recognize the signs? How could I have forgotten about this possibility? But�� why? Why is the curse here of all ces? Is this a coincidence or��?''


    "Esther? Are you all right?"


    The Queen snapped back to reality after hearing her husband''s voice. "I-I just realized something."


    "Do you know it?" King Theron asked. "Hmm, I do remember you worked for the ancient history section of books in the royal library before. Have you read about the Devil''s Curse there?"


    She nodded, d that her husband found a decent excuse for her. "Yes, you are right. It''s from those old books and scrolls, but I didn''t think it was the reason. W-What did the High Priest suggest we do?"


    "He said I have to summon the Devil and only then will the curse be lifted," he replied with a bitterugh. "Can you believe this? The royal family are now relying on prayers towards some invisible mighty existence."


    "I think we should follow what the High Priest asks us to do," she replied. There was no reason for her to discourage her husband. Among all the people in this kingdom, no, in this continent, no one could im they were more confident than her when it came to saying the Devil truly existed.


    "I have no other choice," the young king replied helplessly. "All that''s left is to pray and rekindle the hope of our people."


    "Everything will be fine, Theron," she assured, though no one could say if the smile on her face was genuine or not.


    ----


    For the next three days, the King of Megaris underwent a cleansing period under the instructions of the High Priest. He was not allowed to touch meat and alcohol, and he could only drink holy water and wash his body with special oil provided by the temple. Worse, he was not allowed to touch or be touched by other people, causing him to be in a terrible mood that he was unable to even stay in the same bed with his wife or even carry his son. However, he endured all these for the sake of the kingdom.


    News that the King would make his way to the temple to worship the dragon who blessed the kingdom made its way to themon folk, causing many of them to praise King Theron''s virtue and pray as well in their own abodes, creating small altars in hopes that a divine blessing would reallye to them.


    On the day of the summoning ceremony, many people wanted to crowd around the temple that was situated on the outskirts of ckhelm City, but they were kept in check by the guards and no one contested, simply content to watch the royal carriage enter the temple premises.


    As the Queen, Esther apanied the King to the temple, though they came in separate carriages. She didn''t know what would happen. She was in fact even more nervous than her husband, as she knew that the Devil would truly appear today.


    ''It had been so long��''

 Chapter 425 Need A Blood Of Ivanov

    2 bonus chapters are dedicated to the reader "Monica_Ceja" for gifting a castle to the novel.


    ------


    Even excluding the time she spent in the pce, it had been many decades since she hid herself in the Kingdom of Megaris, yet she had never stepped inside the only temple in the kingdom. It was such a reclusive and mysterious ce that the general public only knew they existed, but wasn''t sure exactly how they function as the religion only served the royal family of Megaris. Aside from important events rted to the Ivanov Family, the priests serving the temple never showed themselves in front of the public.


    After passing through a small forest, the royal carriages stopped in front of arge empty courtyard where the royal couple had to alight from their ride and walk by themselves. Both the King and Queen were wearing pure white robes, walking like a pair of immortal beings as they made their way up upon the stone steps of therge t temple built purely out of grey stones. It was a simply decorated yet spacious monument, with each of their footsteps loudly echoing in the hallways. The pirs were simple yet imposing, and there weren''t many drawings engraved on the stone walls.


    Both King Theron and Esther immersed themselves in the quiet and solemn atmosphere of the temple.


    Upon reaching the lobby of the temple, they found the High Priest and his fellow priests present to wee them.


    "The Temple of the Divine wees the Dragon and Phoenix of Megaris," the High Priest said as he and the priests behind him bowed toward the royal couple.


    The priests then guided the King and Queen inside the temple.


    Contrary to the simple and almost empty outer hall, the interior of the temple gave off a morous yet imposing feel. It was the same grey stone walls, yet with every ten steps, one could see marble statues of living gods and mystical creatures from the ancient legends.


    In the centermost hall, they saw an immense sculpture of a brilliantly shining sun made out of pure gold and precious gems. It was a symbol of the highest of all the gods in existence, the very same sun as the crest representing the Ivanov Royal Family,


    The King and the Queen of Megaris bowed in front of the emperor of the old gods and heard the High Priest say, "King Theron, pleasee with me to the ritual chamber." He then looked at Esther. "Queen Esther, you can only apany your husband up till here."


    She nodded. "I will stay here and wait."


    King Theron followed the High Priest towards a different chamber inside the temple which was prepared exactly to perform holy rituals, while Esther stayed in the centermost hall used for worship, staring at her husband''s back with her mind growing anxious.


    All she could do was to pray for everything to go well. Knowing the Devil, she believed he would help the kingdom and its people, that things would return to the way they were before��


    The priests of the temple opened the door for King Theron to enter the ritual chamber. Though King Theron had visited this temple before, it was his first time entering this particr chamber. He took this chance to observe the strange room.


    Unlike the other parts of the temple that gave off an open, wide and spacious impression, the ritual chamber wasparably smaller, though it was still about asrge as the halls used to receive guests of the Grand Pce. Rather thanrge, it was perhaps better to use the word ''tall''. The chamber had a high dome ceiling that seemed to be made of ck obsidian stone, and the rest of the chamber seemed to be made with coppery-like ancient rocks bearing the marks of time.


    In the centre of the ritual chamber, there was a particrly eye-catching circr area elevated from the floor which was surrounded by seven short pirs ced at equal distances from each other. The floor in the centre of those seven pirs had something drawn on it, which looked like ancient writings Theron had seen in the scrolls from the empire that was destroyed a long time ago.


    Compared to the quiet and solemn temple, this chamber felt eerie and heavy. Though there were torches attached on the walls of the chamber, a majority of the ritual chamber still remained dark. This was perhaps due to the fact that there were no windows to the chamber and sunlight could not enter.


    The young king then heard the door close behind him. Other than the High Priest and King Theron, no one was allowed to enter the ritual chamber.


    "King Theron, please stand above the sun symbol." The High Priest signalled him to stand on top of the small circr sign drawn in front of the elevated tform.


    "Remember, you cannot step out of the sun symbol until we finish talking with the Devil."


    He did as he was told, while the old man gave him something before standing on one side, a few steps away from the King.


    A dagger.


    What the old man had handed him was a ceremonial dagger.


    The hoarse voice of the High Priest echoed inside the chamber.


    "Only the blood of a direct descendant of the Ivanovs is necessary as a sacrifice in this ritual. I will be reciting a prayer using the ancientnguage used by the old gods, and Your Majesty only needs to let three drops of your blood fall on the sun symbol where you are standing. Once the summoning ceremony begins, we cannot stop."


    The High Priest gestured towards the circr space surrounded by the seven pirs.


    "The Devil��no, he who guards the living, he whose name the world has forgotten, will appear on that tform."


    Though he was still suspicious if this would really work, King Theron could not help but feel nervous. ''Will something��someone really appear there? This makes me feel like I''m being scammed. Why is someone called a Devil also being called a guardian��''


    "Shall we begin, King Theron?" the old man asked, interrupting his internal panic.


    "Yes, let us begin."

 Chapter 426 Arrival Of The Devil

    2nd Bonus chapter


    ----


    The young king let out a shaky breath to calm himself and held the ceremonial dagger against his arm. ''It doesn''t matter. Three drops of blood? I won''t even mind dying of blood loss if that will save Megaris.''


    The High Priest started chanting an obscure prayer while King Theron stood there with his eyes closed, focusing on the prayer that the High Priest was saying.


    Inside the hall used for worship, Esther could not stop herself from pacing, unable to calm herself, and she continued looking in the direction of the ritual chamber restlessly. She knew, in exchange for help, there was always something that one needed to pay.


    It was a universal truth regarding the all-powerful Devil, an invible rule that restricts him in order to maintain the bnce of the world. As it was impossible to create something out of nothing, it was also against thews of nature to interfere with death without giving up something equal in return.


    For the curse to be lifted, then the Devil would demand payment of equivalent weight. She didn''t know what her husband would have to pay the Devil for his help, but she prayed it wouldn''t be something that requires a sacrifice that would ruin his life.


    The moment three drops of red blood dripped off his arm and hit the symbol painted on the floor, King Theron felt a strange shift in the air. The atmosphere became suffocating. It was as if every particle of dust around him was alive, as if every me from the burning torches were greeting someone''s arrival. Not only was there movement inside the ritual chamber, but also outside the temple and even the entire kingdom itself, they felt as if the entire world was gaining sentience.


    As there were no windows inside the ritual chamber, King Theron didn''t see the clear sky turn ominous with dark clouds and lightning, but he was able to hear the loud thunder raging outside. When he opened his eyes, he saw the High Priest on his knees, bending his body towards the direction of the elevated tform, his eyes fanatical as he looked at the ce between those seven pirs.


    King Theron could hear the old man mumbling in a trance, "...he''sing��the prayer was answered��he''sing!"


    ck smoke engulfed the stone tform��no, it wasn''t smoke, but some kind of dark-colored energy that had the wispy appearance of smoke. The dark energy spilt out of thin air as if it was a living creature before itpressed itself and took the shape of a man''s figure. It was as if a shadow of a man became a living creature, wearing a long robe as ck as the darkest shadows. Though no one could not properly take in the unholy appearance of the man due to the wispy dark energy surrounding him, the first thing that anyone would think of was the word ''perfect''.


    No one, not even the most ignorant person, would ever think he was human.


    In front of the otherworldly figure, the High Priest dared not even lift his head from the floor. "T-The Guardian of the Living! This lowly human greets you!"


    King Theron didn''t know if he should also kneel. He couldn''t believe the summoning ceremony actually worked. In confusion, he simply bowed before the summoned being but didn''t know what he should do next and left everything to the High Priest.


    However, he could not help but take another peek at the Devil. The moment the High Priest mentioned about the Devil, King Theron had his aides look for books in the royal library that mentioned any lore about him.


    The dark being in front of him was the opposite of everything the books described the Devil to be like: horns on his head, sharp teeth with fangs, long razor-like ws and a terrible ghoulish appearance.


    ''Is he really the Devil?''


    His thoughts were interrupted when he heard a slow yet heavy, authoritative male voice echo inside the chamber, causing all the muscles in his body to freeze.


    "Who summoned me?"


    The High Priest threw a light nod to signal King Theron to personally answer the question. Despite trying to not loseposure, his reply was shaky, "I-I did. I, Theron Ivanov, summoned you, Guardian of the Living."


    Although King Theron had his head lowered and couldn''t see the Devil on the tform, he felt the gaze of the unholy being seeminglynd on his body. He could not stop himself from trembling.


    After a short silence of observing the young man, the Devil looked at the High Priest. "The reason?"


    The High Priest answered without his voice shaking this time, "Guardian of the Living, we beseech your help, asking for your almighty self to lift the Devil''s Curse that has befallen our Kingdom of Megaris."


    Silence once again enveloped the dark chamber, and only the sound of flickering mes from the torches could be heard. King Theron and the High Priest sneaked a nce at each other, confused by what was happening.


    Worry was obvious in King Theron''s eyes. ''Can''t he do it? Is this not a solution? What��''


    Once again, the slow and heavy voice of the Devil echoed in the chamber.


    "What will you give me in return?"


    Hope sparked in King Theron''s heart. Remembering his sick father, the gloomy royal court, the reports of the dying people��


    "Anything!" It was his responsibility to answer it as he was the one to ask for Devil''s help, and in excitement, he even forgot his manners and lifted his head to stare at the Devil in earnest. "I will do anything that is in my power to repay you if my kingdom will be saved from the curse!"


    The Devil stared at him.


    "Human, are you sure you can give me what I ask you for?"


    King Theron had nothing to lose now and all he wanted was for his kingdom and people to not suffer anymore.


    "Even if you ask for my life, I am willing to sacrifice it," King Theron replied with grim determination.


    There was silence once again on the Devil''s side. As the two could not see the Devil''s expression as his face was surrounded by dark smoke like energy as if like in shadows, they could only guess what this unholy being was thinking.


    Neither of them counted how long the stifling silence went on, but when the Devil finally spoke, rather than relief, the two humans felt horror.


    "A son."

 Chapter 427 ...So That’s Why He’s Called A Devil...

    This 3rd bonus chapter is dedicated to the reader "Peaches" for gifting Dragon to the novel.


    -----


    ''A son?'' King Theron thought in panic. ''Son? My son? He wants my son? He''s asking me to give Keiren to him?''


    However, the Devil continued to speak in the same slow yet heavy manner.


    "In exchange for saving this kingdom, I will have my son be the next ruler of this kingdom. You, Theron Ivanov, have to raise my son as your own and when hees of age at eighteen years, you will pass your crown to him."


    ''So he is not asking for my son, but asking for me to give up my throne to his son?'' King Theron found himself confused.


    However, the Devil was yet to finish talking. "If you fail to keep your promise, the curse will fall on this kingdom once more, and it will fall into ruins as if it never existed on this continent."


    Making someone else king was not a big deal for King Theron, as for him, saving his kingdom and the people came first. He would willingly give up the throne for them.


    "May I know where this child, your son, is that I need to raise?" King Theron asked.


    "The Queen of this kingdom will give birth to my son," the Devil answered.


    King Theron felt like thunder roared in his ears.


    For a moment, he wondered if he had heard something wrong, but when he tried to open his mouth to verify, not a single sound emerged from his mouth. It was as if even his brain refused to function properly.


    ''I can give you my throne��


    ''I can give you my life��


    ''...yet you demand of me my wife?''


    The Queen of this kingdom was none other than his beloved Esther. This unholy being wanted my Esther to be a mother of his child? Not a single word coulde out of his mouth as King Theron stared at that dark image in shock.


    "If you agree to this, the curse on your kingdom will be lifted at once," the Devil said.


    King Theron felt as if all the energy in his body was leaving him. His body swayed unsteadily and he took one step back to bnce himself.


    "No! Your Majesty!" The High Priest wished to stop him but it was alreadyte.


    The King of Megaris stepped out of the circle with a sun symbol, causing the link between his blood and the magic of the summoning circle to be disrupted. The moment he left the circle, the image of the Devil disappeared.


    "Your Majesty! What have you done? I said you cannot leave��"


    Still in a stupor, King Theron simply stood in his ce without moving despite the High Priest going into hysterics in front of him


    "Your Majesty! I know you are shocked, but if you want to protect our kingdom, you have to��"


    King Theron raised his hand to stop the old man from speaking.


    The High Priest shook his head in disappointment, muttering incoherently under his long beard. After a while, he caught the King mumbling, "There must be another way�� Another way��"


    "Your Majesty, there is no other way! The High Priest from one hundred years ago, and the High Priest from two hundred years ago said the same thing! Only the Guardian of the Living can lift this curse!"


    "...so that''s why he''s called a Devil��he''ll take what''s most important to you��"


    "King Theron! I beg you toe back to your senses! We have to do the summoning ceremony again. You have to do everything in your power to get the Guardian to lift the curse. Unless we lift the curse, nothing will change and this kingdom will go into the ruins!"


    "No, there must be another way to lift this curse. As the King, I am ready to sacrifice myself but never someone else. No one deserves that. Esther is my wife and I will never use her as a shield to carry out my responsibilities. Even if it''s not her, no innocent person should ever be sacrificed even if it''s for the greater good."


    "Your Majesty��"


    King Theron''s dark eyes held malice as he turned towards the High Priest. The old man trembled despite knowing that the anger in those eyes was not directed at him. "I don''t believe there is only one answer to a question, and there is only one solution to a problem. There are always variables, and there must be an alternative way to handle this. As the High Priest, you must know other holy or divine beings. Anyone who can do magic! Find another being to summon! Anything but the Devil!"


    He gripped the old priest on his shoulders and shook him with an adamant crazy look in his eyes. "Help me find another way. Please��please help me find another way��" King Theron lowered his head. "As my father''s dear friend, no, as someone born and raised in Megaris, I know you do not want this kingdom to perish in front of your eyes as well."


    The High Priest stayed quiet for a while and said, "I don''t know any other way but perhaps I know a ce where you can find the alternative answer you are searching for."


    It rekindled the dying me of hope inside the helpless king. "Thank you, thank you�� Where? Tell me where I should go."


    "If you follow the northern road that leads outside of the capital, you will reach a forest with a small rocky mountain. If you travel there on foot for five hours, you will find an ancient temple deep into the forest. My retired master, the former High Priest, looks after that temple, and there are ancient books about the gods which you won''t find anywhere else hidden in its underground archives. You have to go there and gain my master''s approval to allow you to read those books. Perhaps you might find an alternative answer in them, the solution you are seeking for."

 Chapter 428 He Is Trying To Protect You

    "I shall leave then," the King said and hurried towards the door. He heard the High Priest call out behind him.


    "I will have my senior apprentice guide your way as it''s not easy for people unfamiliar with the terrain to find that hidden temple."


    "Thank you for the help," King Theron said sincerely and walked out of that chamber. The moment he stepped back to the hall used for worship, he saw his wife standing near the statue of some goddess who didn''t even look half as beautiful as her, looking at him with worried eyes.


    Seeing his arrival, she hurried to approach him but before she could ask anything, King Theron wrapped his arms around her and held onto her as if he was terrified of losing her.


    Esther could feel his restless emotions. He was clinging onto her like a man who experienced a horrifying nightmare and woke up to realize it wasn''t real.


    "W-what happened?" she asked. "Theron?"


    King Theron didn''t let go of her until his breath stabilized and he was able to calm down. His dark eyes stared into her caramel-coloured ones. "It''s nothing. I have to leave to get help. I will be back soon."


    "What? Why? No, but, where are you going? And what happened inside when��"


    "Shh! Everything is fine," he interrupted her. He let out a shaky breath as he asked her, "Esther, do you trust me?"


    She nodded. "Of course I do, Theron."


    "Then promise me, whatever happens, you will wait for me to return and won''t take any decision on your own. You have to promise me."


    She could feel his disturbing emotions, and his restless eyes showed he was worried about something like there was a problem spiralling out of his control, though he was trying his best to hide it.


    Esther cupped her husband''s face and peered directly into his eyes. "Will you tell me what happened, Theron?"


    "Since you say you trust me, then don''t ask anything," he said. "I will exin things to you afterwards."


    She let out a reassuring smile. "I trust you more than I trust myself."


    "Promise me you will wait for me," he asked earnestly.


    "I-I promise," she replied.


    Only then did he feel relieved. He pulled away from her and straightened himself. "You have to go back to the pce and wait for me until I return."


    "I will do that," Esther replied, "but where are you going?"


    "I will tell you once I return. Promise me that you will first go back to the pce," he said.


    "Yes, yes, don''t worry. I will leave the temple now and go straight to the pce."


    One of the priests then approached the King. "Your Majesty, I will be your guide as instructed by my master. We have prepared a horse for you."


    Esther felt something was indeed wrong. "Wait, you are leaving the temple? You are not going to bring your guardian knight with you?"


    "I want Galien to escort you back to the pce. I will be more reassured that way. Go now, my love."


    Esther nodded and saw her husband leaving in a hurry with that priest. She felt her heart sinking deep somewhere, as if things were going terribly wrong.


    However, she wanted to respect her husband''s wish and wait for him to return to the royal pce.


    Just as she took a step towards the direction where the royal carriage was waiting, she saw the High Priest step inside the hall used for worship. He was standing quietly, watching the King leave the temple with his apprentice.


    As soon as the two disappeared from his sight, he turned towards the Queen and their gazes met.


    She let out a small polite bow and walked towards him. "Can I have a word with you, High Priest?"


    The High Priest gave a meaningful gaze at the other priests in the periphery, and they immediately found themselves rushing out of the worship hall. As the two were left alone, Esther spoke up, "I wish to know what happened during the ritual. Why is Theron so shaken?"


    "I am afraid I cannot answer you, Queen Esther."


    There were many reasons for him not to answer. The Queen made a promise to the King that she would wait for his return to hear his exnation. As a priest, whatever happened during the sacred ritual inside the chamber was something he could not disclose to outsiders. Not only that, the one who summoned the Devil didn''t wish to pay the price asked from him. It would be better for King Theron to be the one to exin this.


    Seeing her stubborn expression, the High Priest sighed. "I beg you to not be too hard on these old bones. I would advise you to follow your husband''s request, Your Majesty."


    "I understand Your Holiness'' wish to follow what the King wants but you forget that I, as the Queen of Megaris, deserves to know the oue of the ritual. I am equally responsible to protect this kingdom."


    "Do you not trust your husband?"


    However, Esther refused to step back. "I trust Theron. I really do. But how can you expect me to remain idle when he has that madness in his eyes? High Priest, how can you expect me to simply wait when he looks like he would march to his death?"


    "But you gave him your word, Your Majesty."


    "On our wedding day, in front of you, I gave the most sincere vow in my life that along with him, I will bear the responsibility for all the hardship that wille his way." Esther looked at him with eyes that looked like she was about to cry. "High Priest, I worry for my husband but he won''t share his burdens with me. I request you to let me fulfil my vow and share my husband''s worries and responsibilities."


    Seeing the young woman plead before him with those tears brimming in her eyes, the High Priest somewhat understood why the King refused to pay the price that the Devil asked for. The love this young couple shared was beyond anything he had witnessed in his old life.


    "I will only say that His Majesty is trying to protect you. He will do anything but sacrifice you," the High Priest replied.


    Esther staggered at the answer she got.


    ''Sacrifice me? Did ''he'' ask for me in return for helping Theron? But why? ''He'' was the one who left me. ''He'' cannot ask for me as we cannot be together.

 Chapter 429 Bear The Devils Child [Bonus Chapter]

    ? This Bonus Chapter is dedicated to the reader "mayka_h" who gifted Dragon to the novel.


    -----


    ''Sacrifice me? Did ''he'' ask for me in return for helping Theron? But why? ''He'' was the one who left me. ''He'' cannot ask for me as we cannot be together.


    ''Wait. Does that mean I am rted to the curse? Am I the one responsible for bringing this disaster to the kingdom?''


    "Your Majesty, I suggest you return to the pce as the King requested," the High Priest said as he looked at the trembling woman. He was about to turn around and leave when he heard her call out.


    "Please wait."


    The High Priest stopped despite not wanting to and looked back at her with tiredness. "Your Majesty��"


    "Please tell me what exactly happened inside the ritual chamber. Did the Devil ask him to sacrifice me and he refused? Will I be taken away? Is the Devil asking for my life? If so, I won''t mind sacrificing myself. Tell me��"


    "You should wait for the King to return," the High Priest said once again to stop her.


    But Esther was adamant. To the point she even grabbed the sleeves of the High Priest, ready to go down on her knees if she had to. She could not bear it if all those innocent lives had to continue suffering because of her. She knew what the Devil''s Curse was. It would destroy the entire Kingdom of Megaris if the curse wasn''t lifted by ''him''.


    Though her husband would remain safe due to her soul fragment, how would the future unfold for him? His family, his friends, and his subjects, all dead. Thend he cherished and protected, ruined beyond redemption. There would be no one left but him and her. Even Little Keiren would perish.


    How could she allow the man she loved more than anything to suffer such a tragedy?


    "High Priest, please, I am begging you, if you care for our kingdom, tell me what I have to do." Her voice, her eyes were both desperate to make everything right. "Whatever the price is, I will do it," she said with determination.


    The High Priest could no longer reject her earnest request.


    "You have to bear the Devil''s child, Your Majesty."


    Hearing the High Priest''s response, Esther felt like the floor under her feet had slipped away. She was so shaken that she was surprised to find herself still standing and not lying on the ground yet.


    Only then did she realize that she had indeed lost her bnce, and it was the High Priest holding onto her arm that kept her upright.


    "Your Majesty!" the High Priest called out in fright.


    Esther slowly staggered back to her feet, trying her best to keep her wits with her. "This��Is this what happened during the ritual? The Devil asked for me to carry his child?"


    "I am afraid so, Your Majesty."


    She could now understand why her husband was like that. If it had shaken her like this then what more Theron? She could not even imagine what he must have felt at that moment.


    ''No wonder he was so desperate. No wonder he asked me if I trust him and asked me to return to the pce. No wonder he made me promise that I should wait for him��''


    "Theron��" she mumbled his name and stared at the High Priest. "W-Where did he go?"


    Since he had already told her what happened, the High Priest deigned it unnecessary to withhold information again from the young queen.


    "The King has gone to find another way to lift this curse."


    Esther''s forehead creased as she mulled. "Is that possible? Is there really a way to defeat the curse without relying on the Devil?"


    "I am sure there is," the High Priest replied just to calm the distressed woman in front of him.


    "What is it?" she asked. Being one of the supernatural beings blessed with a long life, she was aware that curses are never so easy to deal with, what more the more disastrous Devil''s Curse. ''In order to gain something, you have to lose another of equal weight.''


    "That I am afraid I am unable to answer," he replied, maintaining the same calmness on his face.


    "If there is another way, then howe you, the High Priest, don''t know what it is?" Esther asked, her tone rising.


    At this moment, the Queen of Megaris shed off what''s left of the civility she''s trying to maintain, and her true nature started to emerge. In the first ce, Esther was not a human but a superior being much older than the High Priest. The worry she had for her husband made her unable to keep her pretence.


    The High Priest didn''t mind the change in her behaviour and replied calmly, "I only know that there is another way. The reason I do not know what it is- is because, from the written records, no one has ever used that option. The Temple of the Divine has kept vigil for a long, long time, recording and guarding the history and knowledge of humanity for thousands of years, yet no one had ever dared deny what the Devil had asked them. All the past kings of the former affected kingdoms as well as the heroes that emerged with the Ivanov bloodline had epted the Devil''s demand, regardless of how precious these demands were for them.


    "King Theron is the first person who refused to obey the Devil''s demand."


    Her husband''s love for her was so great that he didn''t wish to give her up. Tangled emotions engulfed Esther as she heard the High Priest continue to speak, "Of course, there were others who hesitated to pay the price that the Devil demanded from them. They too tried to search for another way. However, when they learned that the alternative path is meant to punish the summoner who had disrespected the Devil by not epting his demand, they eventually gave in to the Devil''s original demand."


    A frown graced Esther''s face. ''Punishment?''


    Esther wondered what that alternative path must be. If many of the predecessors refused to choose the second option, then wouldn''t that mean that its consequences were worse than the original demand of the Devil?

 Chapter 430 The Other Way To Lift The Curse

    ''I need to find that alternative path even before Theron can find it. I need to protect him. I can''t let him be harmed because of my destiny. It should be me paying for bringing this disaster on him and this kingdom.''


    "Where exactly did he go?"


    "Your Majesty��" However, his voice trailed off seeing the expression on the young queen''s face. Her beautiful face was devoid of emotion, yet it felt like if he were to refuse to answer her, something terrible would happen.


    "I won''t repeat myself a second time," he heard her say in an eerily calm voice.


    The High Priest gulped before hesitantly answering, "King Theron has gone towards the ancient temple north of the capital, which was the original Temple of the Divine. It is hidden in the rocky mountain region in the North, several hours away from ckhelm."


    "A temple on a mountain?" she mumbled. She was about to leave, thinking of using her powers in order to search each and every mountain north of the capital.


    "Your Majesty, take this with you." The High Priest pulled out a yellow gemstone that was hanging in a gold chain around his neck. "This will guide your way. I am sure, with your powers, you will reach there as soon as you have this pendant."


    ''Powers?''


    Only then did she understand that the High Priest had perhaps always known that her identity was not ordinary.


    Not wasting a moment more, she vanished out of thin air right in front of the High Priest. The expression on his wrinkled face showed no surprise at all.


    On the courtyard of the temple, Sir Galien who was waiting by the carriage soon saw the High Priest approaching him. He was clueless that both the King and Queen of Megaris are no longer inside the temple.


    Seeing the highest ranking priest of the temple, the knight hurried to greet him. "Your Holiness? Why are you outside? May I know where the King and Queen are?"


    "They had left the temple," the High Priest replied, not bothering that his words might shock the loyal knight.


    "Left? When? What? I didn''t see them leave the temple��""


    "They exited from the back of the temple. I suggest that Sir Knight, you return to the pce and wait for them there," the High Priest said.


    "Your Holiness! Please tell me where the King and Queen are. I need to follow my liege and his wife and keep them safe!"


    The High Priest let out a small smile at the worried knight. "I don''t know about King Theron, but Queen Esther is someone who doesn''t need anyone to protect her. She will be more than enough to protect her husband."


    However, the knight insisted, "Your Holiness��"


    "Then you shall wait for them to return here," the High Priest said and then he returned back to the temple.


    ------


    With her powers and the stone from the High Priest to guide her way, Esther reached the region where the ancient temple ought to be located north of ckhelm. While it would take several hours for her husband to reach the rocky mountain, she was able to reach it in a matter of minutes.


    In front of her was a lonely temple on top of a rather squat rock mountain, its simple architecture neither of Megaris nor any of the past eastern kingdoms she remembered, as if it was a remnant of people who had long disappeared from the continent. Surrounded by fog, the temple gave off a creepy, depressing atmosphere as it was generally made of dark redwood and ck tiles, and although it was well-maintained, the floors and walls bear obvious visages of time.


    Esther didn''t have to climb the long winding stairs as she simply used her power to reach the top of the stairs.


    Standing outside the closed wooden door of the temple, she did not knock or call out to announce her arrival. She merely stared at the door which opened on its own. The moment she stepped inside, a raspy, feeble voice of an old man weed her.


    "Seems like a person in need has found her way to this forgotten temple."


    Esther looked at the source of the voice and saw the oldest human being she had everid her eyes on. With his back hunched and his pale skin spotted with age, an elderly man wearing a simple brown robe simr in style to the High Priest was sitting on a chair made from stone with a prayer bead in hand.


    She walked towards him and bowed to him. "Your Holiness, please ept my greetings."


    The former High Priest stared at her with squinting eyes, obvious that his sight had deteriorated to the point he couldn''t see her well despite standing in front of him. "What does a being with powers like yours need in this temple?"


    "Your Holiness, I am searching for an answer and I expect to get it from here," she replied.


    "What is the answer you are seeking for?" he asked.


    "I want to know the other way of lifting the Devil''s curse."


    She thought that the old priest would be taken aback, but he only chuckled in response. "Other way? Seems like you don''t wish to give what the Devil asks of you."


    "Certainly not," she replied.


    She had pledged herself to Theron and she loved him with all her heart. She would rather choose the alternative path and be punished instead of doing something that would terribly hurt her beloved man.


    He smiled at her determination.


    "That room there." He lifted a frail bony hand and pointed at a certain door. "Behind that door, you will get your answers. That door opens only for a person in true need. If it denies you entry, you can go back to where you came from."


    "Thank you." Esther bowed to him once more and hurried towards the door. She stood in front of the door, silently praying for it to open, and to her relief, it did.

 Chapter 431 His Soul Will Be Tormented For Eternity

    This bonus chapter Is dedicated to the Reader DespinaNY for gifting Dragon to the Novel.


    ------


    She hurried inside that chamber and found herself surrounded by shelves filled with old tattered books. It reminded her of the abandoned archive of ancient history books in the royal library. Now the question was which book was the one that she needed, but to her surprise, a certain book kept on top of a reading stand opened on its own and flipped its pages as if beckoning her toe closer.


    It was as if this chamber and this book knew exactly why she was there.


    The moment she saw the words on the paper, her heart skipped a beat.


    The words "The Devil''s Curse" were written on top of the page.


    Esther went through the book without hesitation.


    The page started with a brief narration exining what the Devil''s Curse was all about, which was something she already knew, and then it proceeded about the way to lift the curse.


    Summoning the Devil.


    Described on the next page was the preparation needed to summon the Devil, a ceremony which requires blood as a medium. It mentioned how in exchange for lifting the curse, the Devil would demand the summoner pay a satisfactory price, which Esther was already aware of. She flipped the page, skipping the lines about the past demands made, and at the bottom of the page, it was mentioned how there were recorded instances when the summoner refused to obey the wish of the Devil.


    Esther furrowed her brows, as the lines of the book spoke with caution. She anxiously read each word, and the more she read, the worse her feelings grew. While the instructions on the summoning only covered two pages, the alternative path took a dozen. Yet Esther kept reading until she found a certain line.


    [Only when the person who had summoned the Devil surrendered himself to the curse will it be lifted from its previous carrier. Be warned, however, epting to bear the curse does not eliminate it but merely transfers it to the summoner.]


    ''Transfers to the summoner? To Theron?'' Esther mumbled in disbelief. ''Theron will be cursed? I-I cannot let that happen�� If he epts this alternative option, it resolves nothing and his body will be a vessel for the curse. To carry a curse for eternity, how can any human suffer such a cruel existence?


    ''No, no, I cannot let Theron do this. Why would he bear the curse when I am the one at fault? I should be the one to bear this curse as I am the reason this happened in the first ce. I brought disaster to this kingdom. Is there no way to shift it to me?''


    She continued to flip the pages in hopes of finding a way to transfer the curse to another person than the summoner, but all that was noted were the horrible consequences awaiting those summoners who dared to think of taking the alternative path..


    Esther was shaken to her core seeing what exactly Theron will go through.


    "No��If he sees this, he will surely��I can''t let Theron ept the curse! I can''t let his soul be tormented till eternity! This��is cruel��I need to do something before he even reaches here and summons the Devil again. I know he won''t hesitate from sacrificing himself." Her eyes turned moist. "Theron��why do you have to love me this much? I don''t deserve it. If only you know that I am the one to put you in such a situation, that I am the one to be med..."


    Seeing that there was nothing more the book could offer, Esther gritted her teeth in frustration.


    "I will not let you sacrifice yourself for me. I will do whatever it takes to keep you away from this nightmarish future. I won''t let your soul be tormented till eternity."


    Esther came out of that chamber and saw the old priest still sitting in the same chair as before, as if he hadn''t moved a single inch since she came.


    Hearing her footsteps, his murky eyes turned to her. "Did the Lady find the answers she''s seeking?"


    "Your Holiness, I believe you are aware of what is written in that book. Can you tell me if there is any way to receive the curse in the ce of the person who had summoned the Devil?" she asked, hoping to hear something positive.


    "The Lady must be aware that the summoning is in fact a form of a blood sacrifice ritual. The moment the summoner had sacrificed his blood to summon the Devil, he had created a connection between himself, the Devil and the curse. The connection is a chain of thews that govern our world, and there is no way to break that connection unless you destroy our world itself."


    The lights in Esther''s eyes dimmed...


    The old priest shook his head. "Only the summoner himself can bear that curse in his body. If he doesn''t wish to give the Devil what he asked for and also refuses to be the vessel of the curse himself, then the only thing left is to simply wait for the curse to finish its mission and watch the end of the kingdom afflicted by the curse."


    "So there is no way��?" she concluded helplessly.


    "s, being a supernatural being yourself, you should be aware that this is simply nature taking its course. There is no such thing as coincidence, and there is nothing to gain if there is nothing sacrificed. That is thew of this world which no one, not even the Devil himself, can break."


    "I understand," Esther said in a bleak tone as if she had lost her soul. "Pardon for taking your time. I will take my leave."


    Just as she turned to leave, she heard the old priest''s hoarse voice behind her.


    "Always remember, great things happen only through great sacrifice. Though it seems difficult and unfair at the moment, the future holds a deeper meaning that we humble existences simply cannot see yet. In time, you will understand this might be one of the pieces set in ce for the greater cause. We are children of this world, after all, and the world will not make us suffer for no reason."


    Esther didn''t know what he meant and neither did she bother to understand. At the moment, she didn''t wish to think about any future or any greater cause because her present seemed to be in the dark.


    ''What ''greater cause'' is there to look forward to when Theron will be sacrificed along the way in order to get that future?''

 Chapter 432 Determine To Save The Husband

    The moment Esther stepped out of that ancient temple, she mumbled something with her eyes closed, and the next moment, she appeared back inside the current Temple of the Divine at the outskirts of the capital.


    She found herself inside the worship hall of the temple where the High Priest was already present as if he was expecting her arrival. She bowed to greet him.


    The High Priest also bowed in response. "I hope Your Majesty gained an answer from your visit to my master."


    She nodded but disappointment was eminent in her eyes. Neither she nor Theron wanted to give into the Devil''s demand, and she also couldn''t let her husband bear the curse on his body. There was no way to transfer the curse from the summoner to another. Then��


    She let out a shaky breath as she made a decision.


    "I want to summon the Devil."


    The High Priest could understand why she had said it. It was clear that she didn''t wish to lift the curse using the alternative path. No wonder, as no one in history had ever gone that way. The moment they saw the consequences, they gave up and decided to pay the original prince that the Devil demanded.


    However, he had to disappoint the Queen. "Your Majesty, You cannot summon the Devil."


    Esther frowned, her tone cold. "Why can''t I? If I do not summon him, how can I convey that I ept his demand and I am willing to carry his child?"


    "I am not making things hard for you, Queen Esther. I am sure you have read the book about the performance of the ritual." The High Priest exined, "Only those of royal blood, not by name but by birth, can summon the Devil and make a deal with him."


    ''Royal blood?'' Esther wanted to let out a groan as she realized the priest wasn''t mistaken. ''But Theron will never agree to it, and instead he will choose to sacrifice himself. What should I do now?'' Just as she thought herst hope had disappeared, she thought of something and looked at the High Priest, "Royal blood, you say?"


    The High Priest nodded.


    "So�� it is not necessarily Theron, but anyone with royal blood," she concluded, looking hopeful towards the High Priest.


    "Indeed, Your Majesty. Anyone who carries the Ivanov bloodline, anyone who shares the same blood as King Theron, can take part in the summoning," the High Priest replied.


    Her eyes glimmered with strong hope as she ordered, "Prepare for the ritual. I will bring the previous king, King Esteban. I am sure Father will help me."


    The High Priest could only agree to it and nod. Without another word, Esther closed her eyes and vanished into thin air.


    On the other hand, ignorant that Esther had already gone from the ancient temple and back, King Theron was riding at the speed of wind towards the rocky mountain north of the capital, his dark eyes burning with determination to protect his kingdom and his wife.


    -----


    Out of nowhere, a blond woman in pure white robes appeared in the middle of awn within the Royal Pce of Megaris. It was precisely Esther, still garbed in ceremonial white for the temple visit, who walked straight towards a certain side pce by using her powers. The side pce was the temporary residence where the parents of the current king were residing due to the spread of the pandemic.


    Due to the terrible situation of the gue, the number of servants working were less than a fourth of their original number, yet there were still many people walking about at that time of the day, and all of them witnessed the Queen walking all by herself towards the door of the pce.


    "Isn''t that Her Majesty the Queen?"


    "Wait, didn''t she leave for the temple with the King?"


    "Yes! I saw their carriages leave earlier!"


    All were shocked to see her as there would always be prior notice before her or her husband''s arrival, given they''re the two most important people in the kingdom. They hurried to pay her their respects, but Esther walked ahead as if she saw no one. Seeing her expression, none dared to even think of stopping her.


    Just as she entered through the main doors, one of the previous queen''sdy-in-waiting who was rather on friendly terms with Esther ran to greet her. "Your Majesty, why are��"


    "I need to see Mother and Father. Inform them immediately," she instructed, cutting her off. Though Esther was the Queen of Megaris, she still had basic decency and would not dare enter the old couple''s chamber without their permission.


    "Your Majesty, they��"


    "Didn''t you hear me?" Esther gave thedy a cold re.


    "Y-Yes, I will speak to Queen Theodora immediately!"


    The middle-ageddy left to inform her master who had just finished her midday meal and was returning towards the quarantine chamber of her bedridden husband.


    "Mydy, the Queen is here asking to see both you and King Esteban!"


    "Esther? Why is she here? Shouldn''t she be in the temple at this hour with Theron?"


    Queen Theodora entered the bedchamber and told the former king that Esther hade, wishing to speak to the two of them. Worry took over the faces of the King''s parents.


    "Something must have happened to Theron," her husband said. Queen Theodora nodded.


    "Allow her to enter," the worried mother instructed one of her servants.


    Soon after, Esther came, her expression abnormally calm as she dismissed the servants and the physicians inside the customized quarantine chamber..


    Only then did she greet them. "Mother, Father, I apologize foring abruptly."


    Her mother-inw, who was nervously sitting in a chair near the door, could not help but ask, "What happened, Esther? Why are you here instead of the temple? Where is Theron?"


    Instead of answering, the young queen turned towards her father-inw, who was also staring at her, waiting for her to answer.


    "I am here to get help from Father," she replied, her tone still abnormally calm.

 Chapter 433 I Am The One To Bring Disaster To This Kingdom

    "Help?" the older woman asked. "How? What happened?"


    Esther did not hesitate to narrate the entire event to them, from the things that happened inside the Temple of the Divine up until her visit to the ancient temple. She did not even hide what would happen to Theron if he epted the curse in his body.


    The old couple were overwhelmed by everything their daughter-inw mentioned, especially King Esteban who had no idea things would turn out this way when he suggested his son seek the High Priest.


    "Theron? My son? He ns to suffer that curse on his own?" the olderdy mumbled with a pale face, her hands quivering as if she''s on the verge of fainting.


    "Yes, Mother. Knowing him, I am sure he will not hesitate to sacrifice himself. However, I don''t want him to do it. I don''t want him to ept such a cruel fate. No one deserves to go bear such cruelty, and I believe neither do you."


    Hearing what exactly would happen to their son, the older couple''s heart sank. The already sick King Esteban groaned in bed, and it was as if what little energy he had left in his body would disappear. At that moment, Esther no longer hid her powers and helped the old man ease his suffering using a small healing spell. Though it wouldn''t remove the gue, it would somehow alleviate the symptoms.


    Queen Theodora couldn''t even admire what the young woman did as all her thoughts were on the curse and her son. "What help do you want from us? What do you n to do? You must have found a solution."


    "Only someone from the Ivanov bloodline can summon the Devil. I came here to ask Father toe to the temple and do the summoning," Esther replied.


    "Summon the Devil?" the older woman mumbled, while her husband looked at Esther with wide eyes, as if he had already realized what the young woman was aiming for. However, Queen Theodora didn''t notice, as she was already ovee with emotions from the news. "Why do you want your father-inw to summon him? Let Theron return��"


    "Mother, to save Theron, there is only one way," Esther replied.


    "What? What do you mean?"


    This time, the answer came from King Esteban. "She means to ept what the Devil originally asked for."


    Esther nodded. "I have decided to bear his child."


    Though she looked calm and firm outside, she was being tormented by the thought of it.


    "What? Nonsense!" the olderdy eximed. "My son didn''t want to ept what the Devil demanded, that''s why he went to look for another way. He does not want to sacrifice you, his wife! Yet you want to ept it, Esther?!"


    This was the first time Esther had heard Queen Theodora ever raise her voice, and she could not help but bite her lips with frustration. Even the weakened King Esteban was shaking his head, looking at her with disapproval.


    "Mother, Father, please listen to me. if I don''t do it, Theron will no longer be with us. He will be gone, never to return, to be tormented till eternity. How can I allow that? How can you, as his parents, let him suffer such a cruel fate? It is just a child! If it can save my husband''s life from such damnation, what is a mere child? I, his wife, only wish to protect my husband. Please�� I beg the both of you to help me�� Father, please��"


    "But Theron will never agree to it. He will never forgive us if we go against his will," the olderdy said, wanting to protect her son and yet torn to give up Esther in order to satisfy the Devil''s demand.


    "Your mother is right," King Esteban said as he tried to sit up in bed. Thanks to the small healing spell Esther gave him, he had managed to sit upright and speak without coughing. "And I agree with my son''s decision. As the king of this kingdom, it''s his responsibility to protect this kingdom, whatever it takes. Such is the weight of that crown he is wearing."


    "Father��"


    "Moreover," he cut her off, "you must not rob him of his right to protect his wife. You are insulting his love for you. If I were him, I would have also protected Theodora and bear that curse. Any man who uses his wife as a shield is not worthy of being called her husband. Theron would rather die than sacrifice his wife."


    As the previous king who married a wife he loved, King Esteban understood his son''s situation. There would be a desire to protect everything and everyone. One life sounded like a small sacrifice in exchange for that.


    However, knowing the responsibilities of the throne didn''t mean he wanted his son to suffer such a cruel fate. His heart wasn''t made of stone. He, too, was wavering like Queen Theodora.


    "Father, you do not understand. Theron�� it does not end with simple death. That curse, once he epts that curse, what he will experience is something much worse than death. He won''t be alive but neither will he die. To suffer in that state��please��I request you to help me so that I can protect him."


    At that point, she could no longer keep herposure. Her voice was shaking, and a traitorous tear had escaped her control and rolled down her cheek. Esther thought that after telling them everything, they would agree to her n immediately, but they seemed to respect their son''s wish more than anything else.


    King Esteban noticed her pitiful state and he wanted tomend how brave she was, but still, he was firm on what he said before. "If this is his fate then��"


    "What if," Esther rudely cut him off, "what if I tell Father that this is not Theron''s fate?"


    The gaze of the older man grew stern. Even the former queen gaped at Esther.


    Esther continued, "What if I tell Mother and Father that this curse is all because of me? That I am the one who brought this disaster to this kingdom�� then what will Father say?"


    ====


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 Chapter 434 Witch, Destined For The Devil

    These 2 bonus chapters are dedicated to the reader "DespinaNY" for gifting the castle to the novel. XOXO


    -------


    King Esteban and Queen Theodora merely stared at Esther, waiting for her to continue.


    "Father, Mother, I am destined to have the Devil''s child."


    Before anyone could open their mouth, Esther spoke in a low voice.


    "This is my destiny. Having the Devil''s child will happen one way or another. The Devil''s curse falling on Megaris is precisely to force me to fulfil my destiny. If it weren''t for me��if I wasn''t here��" She let out a soft sob. "I can''t sacrifice Theron when it''s all because of me. I should be the one to suffer in ce of him but my destiny is causing him suffering. If only I could bear that curse in his stead, I would have done it but there is no such way��"


    She didn''t know what the older couple were thinking as they stared at her in silence. Were they ming her now? Was there disgust in their eyes? Anger? Hate?


    With a bitter smile, she put out her hand that had a delicate flower symbol drawn on it like a tattoo, allowing them to see it.


    "This flower is called Ashrin, and to carry this mark shows I am the soulmate meant for the Devil��" Her voice trailed off with sadness, and when she raised her head to meet the old couple''s concerned gazes, the weakness in her eyes had already disappeared. "I am willing to bear the Devil''s child, not because I am fulfilling my destiny, but because I want to protect my husband from being sacrificed."


    The former King and Queen of Megaris remained silent as they digested everything Esther said.


    The older man let out a heavy sigh. "You say that it is your destiny��but perhaps, youring to this kingdom is destiny as well. Your meeting our family and marrying my son, it must all be part of this destiny you speak of. The same way, it must be my son''s destiny to sacrifice himself for your sake and the sake of this kingdom."


    "Father, don''t you understand? It is going to be a meaningless sacrifice!"


    Esther''s beautiful face was tainted with distress.


    "Even if he sacrifices himself and prevents me from carrying the Devil''s child, it will be nothing more than him dying the inevitable. Destiny will not let me escape until I fulfil it. Again and again and again, something will happen that will force me to fulfil my destiny.


    "Say, Theron carries the curse today, then next time, another tragedy will befall those around me to force me to fulfil my destiny. We will lose my husband, your son, for nothing. Should I keep watching innocent people sacrifice themselves for me? Who will pay the price next time? Megaris? Another Ivanov? Would you damn our entire family just so I do not have to carry another''s child?


    "I don''t wish more troubles to fall on those I care for, Father. Please help me get rid of everything at once. Help me protect Theron. I am not worth it for him to sacrifice himself. Without Theron by my side, what am I even alive for? If I am not alive then there is no meaning for him to sacrifice himself to protect me."


    She looked at her mother-inw. "Mother, you understand me, don''t you? If you were in my situation, wouldn''t you do the same thing I want to do now?"


    The older woman was unable to answer and closed her eyes. She wanted to say ''no'' to discourage her son''s wife, but she didn''t have the heart to lie in front of the desperation Esther was showing. Queen Theodora knew that deep in her heart, she too would have done anything to protect her husband from bearing such a cruel curse.


    She heard her husband gasp. "No, you��!"


    When Queen Theodora opened her eyes, she saw the young woman kneeling on the floor. The Queen of Megaris, on her knees, bending her back. The sight horrified the olderdy.


    "Esther! Stand up! You shouldn''t��"


    However, Esther ignored the two of them. "Carrying the Devil''s child is a small price to pay if it will keep Theron alive. If Theron is gone, I will follow him, and if both of us are no longer among the living, then won''t his sacrifice be nothing more than a foolish useless farce?"


    Esther let out a bitterugh.


    "What is the use of me possessing powers when I can''t use them to protect my beloved? My existence is worthless if I cannot even save the one I care about and love the most. If only I were born human��If I were human, none of these would have happened��"


    King Esteban frowned as he heard her mumbling. When he turned towards his wife, her expression seemed to say she had known this all along. "She''s not human?"


    Queen Theodora let out a helpless smile. "It is her secret to tell, so I never told you."


    "I am not a human, Father, but��. a witch. The one who is destined for the Devil but can not be with him." Esther replied with a trembling gaze.


    King Esteban looked at his wife who gave him a light nod. He was surprised but not shocked. As the King who had ruled Megaris for decades, he had known many things that normal humans weren''t aware of. Although he never spoke about it, he wasn''t blind, and even among those serving within the royal pce, wasn''t there another witch?


    "A witch��" he repeated.


    She tried to speak, "Father��"


    "Does it matter?" he asked.


    "What?" It surprised Esther.


    "Whoever you are, you are the wife of my son and the daughter-inw of the Ivanovs. Being a witch doesn''t change that. If Theron wishes to protect you then��"


    "Father, I am begging you. Please, please��please�� Please don''t let Theron sacrifice his life! Don''t let your son suffer for nothing!" Large, heavy tears rolled down from her eyes, staining her cheeks and dripping on the floor. "I am meant to give birth to that child. Please let me fulfil my destiny so no one will ever be tormented again. Not just for Theron''s sake, but I am begging it for myself. Please, Father��"

 Chapter 435 Help From Esteban

    Seeing the older man close his eyes, Esther turned towards his wife to plead earnestly. "Mother, what is easier? To let me give birth to that child or let Theron be tormented for eternity? We can prevent him from suffering such a fate. Please I beg you to not let that happen. You understand me, don''t you, Mother?"


    Despite her pitiful sobs, the older couple still chose to remain silent so Esther had no other choice but to grasp at straws.


    "In the past, when I had saved Mother''s and Theron''s lives, both of you had promised to fulfill a wish of mine. That wish promised under the name of the Ivanov Family remains unused even up to this day.


    "As the saviour and friend of the royal family, please grant me my wish to save my husband! I believe that the words spoken by the previous King and Queen of Megaris hold great value and that they won''t go back on their words. Honour and responsibility, are those not what the Ivanov Family represents?"


    King Esteban trembled under the raging emotions seen in those caramel-colored eyes. What little defence he had left inside him had copsed. He heard his wife sigh helplessly and turn towards him. "Esteban, we��I think we should help her."


    "Bu��"


    "We should help her fulfil her destiny," she interrupted her husband before turning to look at Esther. "I am not agreeing with you just because we had given you our words, but as a wife myself, I can understand how desperate you are to protect the one you love. Since you say it''s your destiny, then let it happen. Perhaps��perhaps in the future we will regret this decision, but isn''t it better to regret knowing you did something rather than helplessly watch and do nothing?"


    At that, King Esteban said nothing.


    On the other hand, Esther''s face lit up with relief hearing the woman''s words. "Thank you so much, Mother. We have to leave for the temple at once. We have to start the summoning ceremony as soon as possible before Theron returns."


    Queen Theodora looked at her husband who let out a heavy sigh, with his head still shaking, but she knew that he was already convinced as well. If he weren''t, he would have been vocal about his refusal.


    As the previous king had finally agreed, a carriage was quietly arranged for him while Esther simply disappeared and went back to the temple to check if everything was ready.


    It took the royal carriage time to reach the temple as it was slow due to King Esteban''s sick condition. By the time they arrived in the Temple of the Divine, the sun was almost setting.


    Sir Galien, who was in the courtyard waiting for the King and the Queen, found himself puzzled seeing another carriage arrive. His eyes almost bulged in surprise when he saw the former king step out of the carriage.


    "Y-Your Majesty?!" He hurried to bow and greet him. He then saw a second carriagee in, and this time, the former queen was there. "Uhh��"


    As if shocking him twice wasn''t enough, he also saw Esthere out from the temple to get her inw. He had been in the temple for hours and knew that aside from the priests, no one was truly there.


    Sir Galien even stationed another knight at the other exit of the temple so that he would know when exactly the King and Queen would return to the temple. He was sure he was keeping an eye everywhere��yet��


    ''When did she return? I have guards on the exits��A hidden tunnel?''


    He bowed towards Esther. "Your Majesty, you are back. Is his Majesty inside the temple?"


    She shook her head. "I am taking Father and Mother inside. Please stay here."


    Not knowing what was happening, Sir Galien could only salute and obey the order.


    Esther entered the temple with her inws. The High Priest had already prepared everything before they arrived at the temple.


    "Your Excellency," The High Priest bowed to The previous King and the Queen.


    King Esteban epted his greetings and heard the High Priest, "Please this way, Your excellency."


    The previous king followed the High Priest in his slow footsteps. Though he was sick, with the help of Esther''s power, he could bear his sickness for now.


    The two women stood outside in the hall waiting for the ritual to be done.


    The previous Queen looked at her daughter-inw, "Are you sure about it, Esther?"


    Though her heart was breaking inside, Esther nodded, "Yes, Mother. Nothing is more important than Theron."


    ------


    Meanwhile, when the ritual was being carried on in the temple by the High Priest, King Theron reached the ancient temple. The High Priest''s apprentice opened the door for King Theron.


    Just as they entered the temple, they heard the old Priest, "Seems like once again someone is here to seek the answers."


    The apprentice bowed to the old man and informed the king, "Your Majesty, the old priest looks after this temple."


    The king bowed to him, "Your holiness."


    The old Priest looked at King Theron as he chuckled with a sigh, "I see the fortune of love but clouded by sacrifices. Such a fate."


    The King didn''t have time to understand this and asked, "I am seeking a way to lift Devil''s curse."


    She said the same," the old Priest mumbled.


    King Theron didn''t pay attention to what he said and was in hurry to get what he was there for, "Please tell me where I can find it."


    "That door, go there and I am sure it will let you inside unless you are not toote," the old Priest answered as he pointed towards the wooden door.


    King Theron hurried towards that closed door which opened on its own for him. Just like Esther, he was weed by that opened book as if it was waiting for him.


    He hurried towards the book and finally found the page where it was written about the other way to lift the curse.

 Chapter 436 Ready To Accept The Curse

    In this chapter, kindly read carefully that what will happen to Theron if he epts the curse. That way you will know why Esther couldn''t let him ept it and took a decision on her own.


    ------


    What happens when the summoner doesn''t wish to ept the Devil''s demand?


    The young man''s heart was furiously pounding as he read the nearly faded words written on the paper yellowed with age.


    [Only when the person who had summoned the Devil surrendered himself to the curse will it be lifted from its previous carrier. Be warned, however, epting to bear the curse does not eliminate it but merely transfers it to the summoner.]


    At first, he was worried that it would take him a long time to search for the answer he needed. Upon seeing the contents of the book however, King Theron lost some of the tension on his stiff shoulders and the breath he didn''t know he was holding was released.


    ''There is truly another way��I don''t have to sacrifice Esther��''


    King Theron wanted tough, and despite the fact that a sacrifice was still required, he felt an odd sense of relief after realizing he had found the answer now. He made sure to read the texts carefully, not missing a single word.


    [The summoner has to call for the Devil once more and offer him to be punished for not epting the demand, offering his body and soul as the price to pay for his disrespect. The cmity born out of the curse will thus be carried by the body of he who must be punished, freeing the previous carrier from the curse, and the soul of the summoner will thus belong to the Devil, to be taken to the Realm of Hell.]


    [The soul will remain in the darkness never to see the light, where the soul will be imprisoned in the Cave of Undying mes, chained to the Prison that Swallows Nightmares, to experience despair for the next one hundred years.]


    King Theron let out anotherugh as he moved onto the next page, where he saw detailed illustrations of the punishment described in the texts. In those images, there was the man seemingly imprisoned in a dark ce with his limbs were pierced with barbed chains deep into the bones, his body shackled to a rocky wall where disgusting insects were crawling. The floor was nothing but raging fire, and the feet of the man in the illustration was nothing more than charred bones, and his eyes were nothing but ck holes as he cried tears of blood.


    The soul was undying, so regardless of the torturous methods inflicted on the bearer, death would never be the end. There would be nothing to look forward to, no relief after the soul received its due punishment.


    Pain? The torture awaiting the one who refuses the Devil''s demand seemed beyond the word ''pain'' could handle. It was a punishment that delivered agony and cruelty beyond any sane human could possibly handle.


    That was why King Theron could not help butugh. Perhaps he was being foolish, or maybe he was nothing but a madman at this point��but he was not fazed by the warnings. Despite seeing all those bloody violent illustrations, he didn''t waver from the decision he had taken. He merely moved on towards the next page and written there��


    [Once the timees for the curse to descend on the mortal realm after a hundred years, the body will be freed from carrying the curse. However, though the price of refusal was paid, those that entered his realm can never return. He who belongs to the Devil will remain belonging to him for eternity. As per part of the agreement, the summoner''s body and soul will continue to remain under his possession in hell, neither living nor dead, doomed to never find salvation for the rest of his existence.]


    Eternal damnation, a punishment worse than a death sentence. No wonder none of those who had summoned the Devil in the past tried the alternative path and simply epted the initial demand made to them.


    ''Doesn''t matter, as long as I can save my kingdom and moreover the one I love,'' he smiled bitterly as he closed that book.


    After closing his eyes for a moment to regainposure, King Theron came out of that ancient library into the main hall where he found the old priest and the apprentice of the High Priest were waiting for him.


    Hearing his approach, the old priest turned in his direction with a weak gaze. For some reason, those eyes that seemed unable to clearly see him made him feel ufortable.


    "You look determined to sacrifice yourself," the old man drawled in a slow yet solemn manner. "She was the same. s, fate is truly cruel."


    King Theron didn''t know what this old priest was talking about. He merely bowed his head in gratitude. "I thank His Holiness for allowing me to enter the library. I apologize for the abruptness, but I must take my leave now."


    The old priest merely nodded.


    The young king then turned towards the High Priest''s apprentice. "I thank you for bringing me here, priest. Once you go back to the Temple of the Divine, kindly extend my gratitude to the High Priest as well and let him know I n to do another summoning ceremony as soon as Ie back from the royal pce. For now, we can part ways since I want to first return to my family."


    King Theron turned to look at the darkening sky outside the ancient temple. ''A few hours, at most. After this, I will never get to see my loved ones again. Father, Mother, Keiran, Esther��I need to see them for thest time��. There is no need to let them know what''s going to happen. It will be all right to spend a couple of hours with them and just disappear from their lives��''


    Just as King Theron and the apprentice turned around to leave, they were greeted by the sight of numerous lightning falling all at the same time. The thunder that followed caused even the mountain where the ancient temple was located to shake.


    The hoarse voice of the old priest echoed from behind them.


    "She has truly summoned the Devil."

 Chapter 437 Ready To Carry Her Duty

    King Theron felt an ominous feeling grip his chest as he turned around to face the old priest sitting on the stone chair. "There is someone else who wants to summon the Devil, Your Holiness? That ''she'' you are talking about��"


    "You arete, young man. She was faster than you," the old priest responded simply.


    "Who? Who is she? Who was here before me?"


    Though he was asking these questions, the young king already had an answer in his heart. He didn''t know how it could be possible, but his intuition was screaming at him. Panic engulfed his mind.


    The old priest shook his head. "I know not of her identity, only that she is ady who is ready to sacrifice herself for the one she loves."


    "Esther��she was here��"


    As soon as his greatest fear was confirmed, realization hit him and he ran towards the exit.


    "No, no, no, Esther�� you can''t��"


    King Theron almost jumped his entire way down the winding path that led to the foot of the mountain. He fell on the stairs and rolled quite a few times in the dirt, but he didn''t bother with them and simply stood up again to continue towards his horse in a hurry. He even forgot about the apprentice who was having difficulty trying to follow his speed.


    The moment he reached his horse, he climbed it without second thought and had it gallop as fast as it could, his eyes and mind fixed at the destination he must reach.


    ''Esther��why? You made a promise that you will return to the pce. You said you will wait for me. You broke your promise. Why didn''t you wait? I told her to trust me and wait for me��'' His eyes were red-rimmed, but not a tear was shed as cold wind seemed to cut his face in his hurry. ''Hah��of course, she''s a stubborn woman. I��I forgot who she is��'' Heughed bitterly. ''But you forget I am just as stubborn as you. It is my duty to save my kingdom. As the King of Megaris, as your husband, the only one who needs to sacrifice is me.


    ''Please, please, let me reach there on time.''


    --------


    Meanwhile, at the Temple of the Divine.


    The High Priest and the previous King of Megaris stepped out of the ritual chamber with ashen faces. Especially the old king, he looked miserable, as if he was ready to fall dead at any moment while he slowly made his way to the worship hall where his wife and daughter-inw were waiting. It wasn''t that the healing spell from Esther disappeared from his body��it wasn''t rted to his body at all. What was making King Esteban appear wretched was heavy guilt and shame weighing his conscience.


    Seeing his pale expression, Esther could not help but tremble. Anxiety slowly enveloped her body.


    A while ago, she had heard the familiar thunder, and from the windows, saw the unnatural lightning falling from the dark sky, and thus, she knew that King Esteban had managed to summon the Devil.


    ''Did it not work? Was asking Father to hold the summoning all in vain? Did ''he'' not ept it since it wasn''t Theron who called for ''him''��?''


    "What happened?" she heard Queen Theodora ask in concern as the woman approached her husband. However, King Esteban merely walked away, not even having the courage to look Esther in the eyes.


    The High Priest let out a bitterugh as he faced the young queen, answering in the old king''s stead. "Queen Esther, you are expected to receive a guest in your bedchamber at the strike of midnight."


    After that, he too could no longer bear to stay in the same ce as the woman they had sacrificed and immediately excused himself with a lowered head.


    Esther understood that the summoning was a sess and did not hold him back.


    Her mother-inw held her hand. "Esther��"


    "Rest assured, Mother. I will be fine." She gave the old queen an assuring gaze although her heart was breaking inside. It was aplex feeling. She should be d that she was able to save her kingdom and her husband. She should be thankful ''he'' gave them another chance to ept ''his'' demand. She should be��


    The olderdy didn''t have any words tofort Esther.


    "Mother, you and Father should return to the pce and...and when Theron returns, please��" She closed her eyes, trying to keep her resolve firm. "I believe you will take care of him."


    Queen Theodora didn''t know how they would even face their son and simply nodded to assure her.


    The two women left the temple, and saw the old king standing outside in a daze. Understanding the difficulty her husband just faced, Queen Theodora merely linked their arms together and silently apanied him back to their carriage. It didn''t matter that he was suffering from the gue anymore. Both of them knew that once��that once Esther had paid the price, the spreading sickness would be resolved.


    When the three royals arrived at the temple courtyard, Sir Galien bowed to them. Everyone felt relieved that the reliable knight didn''t ask them anything, although he looked confused, seeing the gloomy expressions on their faces.


    "Mother, Father, have a safe trip back to the pce," Esther said with a forced smile. "Rest assured, Father''s health won''t deteriorate for now and the sickness in his body won''t be contagious for the next several days."


    King Esteban and Queen Theodora felt another pang of guilt. Up until the end, their daughter-inw was showing concern for others.


    "And you?" the olderdy asked. "Won''t you return with us?"


    "I will go to my manor at the outskirts of the capital," Esther replied.


    The old couple''s heart ached for her but they could only agree with her decision. They left together in their carriage, praying for the future that she fought so hard to protect.


    Esther watched their carriage disappear from sight in silence. The passing breeze felt like icy shards were stabbing her skin, yet her expression remained impassive, like a statue.


    Although her face was calm, the turmoil inside her chest was immense. She felt sick in the stomach at the thought of what''s about to happen.


    ''I am sorry, Theron. In the end, I couldn''t keep my promise.''


    Tears slowly rolled down from her eyes. She gently wiped them with the back of her hand, trying to keep bottling up her feelings. She needed to be strong. She was yet to even carry out the price she had to pay��yet the hot tears flowing from her face continued to betray her.


    ''I am sorry��I am so sorry, my love�� I trust you more than anyone in this world, and that trust told me that you will sacrifice yourself for me. But I cannot let you meet such a cruel fate. I cannot leave you to suffer for eternity.''


    ''Things will never be the same between us two after this. I know you will hate me for making this decision in your stead, but I will ept that hate as long as you are safe and in front of me�� I will prefer you hurting rather than losing you forever��''


    ''I have brought nothing but pain in your life when all you have given me is nothing but happiness. This is the price for trying to go against my destiny. You shouldn''t have loved me��You shouldn''t have met me��''


    ''I will never forgive myself for causing you pain. I will never forgive myself for hurting you once again��So please, don''t forgive me��Don''t ever forgive me for hurting you again, Theron��''

 Chapter 438 The Deal Is Done With The Devil

    After some time, Esther turned around to look at themander of the royal knights who had been patiently waiting for her. Her expression had returned to its usual calm, yet it was a kind of eerie calmness that gave the knight difort in his gut feeling��like the calm before a storm.


    "Sir Galien, my husband will being back soon to the temple. I wish you to take care of him and bring him back to the pce. Do not let him know I am at my manor, at least, keep him away for the night."


    Esther turned to leave but Sir Galien called out in a flurry, "B-But Your Majesty, what happened? Why are you going to your manor? I swore an oath to the King and I cannot lie if he asks. I do not think His Majesty will remain put once he finds out you are not in the Queen''s pce." He felt worried that once again something would separate the King and the Queen. Remembering those days when they fought over the issue of having a concubine was a nightmare not only to him but to the entire royal pce.


    "Sir Galien, just remember that this is all to protect Theron. If you truly want to honour the oath of allegiance you swore as his knight, please do as I say," she replied with a gentle smile. Of course, she had to go to her manor. There was no way she would allow another man to step inside the Queen''s chamber in the royal pce where she had spent the happiest and most memorable nights with her husband.


    With great reluctance, Sir Galien bowed his head before her, silently epting her order, but the moment he raised his head, Esther was no longer in front of him.


    "Huh? Your Majesty?"


    He looked around to see where she was but he could not find her. The Queen''s carriage was still there, and he felt another eerie sensation in his guts as he tried to make sense of the situation. No matter how fast she moved, a trained knight like him would not miss her even if she were to run, so howe his Queen disappeared as if she vanished in thin air?


    -------


    Despite forcing the horse to run at its fastest speed, almost causing it to foam in the mouth, it still took hours for King Theron to reach the Temple of the Divine. It was deep into the night when he arrived at the courtyard, where to his surprise, he saw his knight waiting by the carriages prepared both for him and his wife.


    He jumped off the horse with a scowl because this confirmed that Esther truly did not return to the pce


    "Your Majesty��" Sir Galien ran towards him, but even before he could say a word, King Theron ran towards the temple. Sensing something was not right, Sir Galien had no choice but to follow behind his liege.


    "Where is the High Priest?" King Theron asked the priests who he came across in the temple hall.


    Before they could respond, he heard the High Priest''s voice from behind him.


    "I am here, Your Majesty."


    King Theron looked at the High Priest who seemed to be waiting for his arrival. The old man''s forehead creased as he took in the appearance of the King. The pristine white ceremonial robe was now dirty and torn in ces, and his handsome face appeared to be deeply exhausted, covered with sweat.


    What made the High Priest want to shrink back was the madness he could see in those dark eyes.


    "Where is Esther?" the young king asked in a voice that betrayed his tiredness.


    "She is gone," the High Priest replied.


    The madness in Theron''s eyes red. "Gone? What do you mean gone? Where is she?"


    "She has gone to carry out her duty," the High Priest replied vaguely as if there was nothing wrong with what was happening.


    "Carry her duty?" King Theron repeated in disbelief. However, perhaps because he hadn''t gotten any proper rest for the past several days, added to the things that happened during the day, his mind didn''t seem to understand what the High Priest was implying. "I want to summon the Devil now. I informed your apprentice earlier that I will carry out the ceremony again. Is everything ready? I found the alternative path as you said and��"


    "That��Your Majesty, the ritual��it can''t happen now."


    "What? What do you mean? Do I need to do a cleansing for another three days?"


    "No, Your Majesty. That was merely ceremonial, and not an actual part of the ritual itself. What I mean to say is the deal has been epted and even if we do a summoning again, the Devil will no longer respond to us."


    The words that the High Priest said were spoken softly, yet the moment he uttered those words, it was as if the temperature within the entire hall plunged to a negative. Not just the High Priest, even Sir Galien and the other priests nearby felt like they were thrown outside in the middle of winter.


    The cause was the young king standing in front of them.


    "What did you say?"


    "Y-Your Majesty, calm do��"


    "The deal has been epted? Who epted it? Who?!" Perhaps if it weren''t for the distance between King Theron and the High Priest, King Theron would have grabbed the old man. "Is it Esther? Didn''t you say that only the blood of an Ivanov can summon the Devil? Then how did she��"


    Sir Galien promptly stepped between the two. "Your Majesty, please calm down��"


    "Step back, Galien." King Theron red his way before returning his attention to the High Priest. "Answer me!"


    Seeing the fury in those dark eyes, the High Priest decided to convey exactly what happened in the King''s absence, not holding anything back. "...and thus I believe, Your Majesty will honour the words that your father, King Esteban, has given to the Devil."


    "Father? Father did it?" At first, he was shocked. His shock turned to disbelief, and disbelief turned to anger. A deep sense of betrayal sank within his bones. ''He sacrificed my wife��''


    "Please do not me your father. Queen Esther was adamant on it and His Excellency initially didn''t agree to it as well, but the Queen was quite persuasive and in the end, he gave in and listened to her. I am sure the Queen made this decision after considering all the consequences, Your Majesty."


    "The time��what time is it now?" he asked with a trembling voice.


    The High Priest closed his eyes. "It is past midnight, Your Majesty."


    King Theron felt as if his soul escaped his body, and every part of his body ached��his heart felt like it was crushed. At this very moment, he felt like life itself was meaningless.


    Like a wooden puppet, he slowly forced his head to move and looked at his knight. "F-Find out where she has gone."


    "Your Majesty, I heard it when Queen Esther was talking to your parents. She returned to her manor," Sir Galien answered.


    As if holding on to thest bit of sanity he had left, the young king burst out of the temple and got onto his horse.


    ''Esther��.''


    Sir Galien got onto his horse as well and quietly followed behind the King whose back looked terribly small and devastated at this moment.

 Chapter 439 Looked Like Had Lost Himself

    The manor owned by the Queen of Megaris on the outskirts of ckhelm was famed for its sublime beauty. Though it was rtively smallpared to the other properties owned by royalty, the estate in itself was developed by the Queen, turning it into her favourite ce of rxation, and throughout the years, she would often stay there whenever she needed a temporary break from her pce duties.


    Especially during the night, the beauty of the Queen''s manor was said to be otherworldly, breathtaking even, just like its owner. From a distance, the white mansion seemingly resembled the soft silver light of the moon, and the countless smallmps along the pavement and the gardens were like glittering stars that had fallen on thend. The sight left even its servants mesmerized, its beauty giving off a sense offort, calmness and peace.


    But not that night.


    When King Theron reached Esther''s manor, the gate was locked without a guard, and when he forcibly passed through it, he found not a singlemp was lit. It was as if darkness had swallowed the ce, dyeing everything bleak and still. Not a sound could be heard, not even from a single insect or the passing wind.


    Empty, as if not a single living being was around.


    Even the normally soft and gentle moonlight from the full moon felt eerily cold that night. With each passing second, even that moonlight dimmed, as if the moon itself was hiding behind the clouds on purpose, trying to make its presence discreet.


    It was so dark and quiet, it made all the hairs on his body stand.


    King Theron forced his difort at the back of his mind and forced his ride to cross the small wooden bridge ahead that was built over the stream in front of the mansion. Only the sound of the hooves of the horses could be heard in the silence. However, before they could reach the front yard of the mansion, he could feel the distress of his horse. It stopped, wanting to turn back, and wouldn''t move further.


    His forehead creased. "What''s wrong?"


    The horse neighed in fright and the animal nearly threw King Theron off its back. He looked at Sir Galien, and his horse had stopped beside him, showing the same reaction as well. King Theron climbed off the horse and walked on his own, but he was only able to take a few steps forward before he was pushed back by what felt like an invisible barrier.


    "What the��"


    The anger that the King was bottling inside him exploded, and curses so unlike him left his mouth. He raised his arms, trying to force his way in, but he received nothing else but pain with each hit. When he tried to m his entire body against the barrier, it bounced him back and threw him to the ground. The young man didn''t give up despite feeling a dull ache over the fall. He tried to hit the barrier again and again and again, but the pain only radiated through his body as the skin on his hands finally cracked and began to bleed.


    "Esther!" he called out, his voice cracking. "Esther, I''m here!"


    "No, Your Majesty��" Sir Galien hurried down from his horse and tried to stop his king from hurting himself.


    "Let go of me, Galien!"


    "Your Majesty, please stop and calm down!"


    Sir Galien went forward in his stead, and just like his liege, he was pushed back. However, since he didn''t throw his body forward like King Theron, the resistance he felt wasn''t painful. In fact, the invisible energy was gentle, and it seemed like its only purpose was to keep intruders out, not to hurt them.


    The invisible energy barrier surrounded the entire mansion, and it seemed like no one could enter the residence until the barrier was lifted.


    When he returned to his king''s side, Sir Galien found the young man kneeling on the ground. "Your Majesty, the invisible force keeping us out surrounds the mansion. Not even my sword works."


    King Theron looked like he had lost everything. His dark eyes only stared at the white mansion with numb frustration, and he didn''t even react to his knight''s words.


    Sir Galien could not bear seeing his liege look so pitiful.


    "Your Majesty, should��should we return to the pce?"


    Sir Galien wanted to help him stand, but King Theron raised his hand to stop him from approaching and continued kneeling in ce. The knight could only let out a helpless sigh and patiently stood by his side, not speaking another word. He wanted tofort the King, but he didn''t understand the circumstances, and he felt that even if he did, it would be useless. Nothing he could say would remove the terrible pain in those dark eyes. As his knight, all he could do was remain by his side.


    Time passed by slowly, quietly like that.


    King Theron''s eyes remained lifeless. He was neither staring at the mansion nor the ground, but at something, nobody could ever guess. His face held no emotion��there was no anger or sadness or regret��yet it looked as if life was sucked out of his body. Whatever was going through inside his mind, not even his closest knight could know. Perhaps, not even Theron himself knew.


    Sometime before the crack of dawn, Sir Galien felt movement around him. It was the horses that he tied to a nearby tree, because otherwise they would have run away during the night. One of the horses managed to loosen its rope and was idly eating the grass on the ground. Soon, he saw that horse walk forward in search of more grass��and it had strayed on an area that was supposedly covered by the invisible barrier.


    With wide eyes, Sir Galien jumped on his feet and moved towards the barrier. When he raised his hand forward, as expected, he felt no resistance. That meant they could finally go inside the mansion.


    "Your Majesty!" Sir Galien called out. "That force is gone! You can now go inside the residence."


    Hearing him call out several more times, the dazed king finally lifted his gaze to look at the mansion. He too saw the horse that was now standing close to the entrance.


    Without a word, he stood up but due to kneeling for long, his legs felt weak. He was about to lose his bnce but Sir Galien held him. "Your Majesty, careful."


    King Theron bnced himself and his knight let go of him. His dark eyes stared at a particr window of that mansion.


    ��and then he turned away.


    "Your Majesty?" Sir Galien stayed rooted in ce, dumbfounded at the King''s action. "Your Majesty, are we not going inside?"


    He watched as King Theron went towards the other horse and removed the rope tying it to the tree.


    Without even once looking back at that mansion, the King left. Only Sir Galien gave a second look at the mansion before following behind his liege.


    That strong back, the back of the man that was the pir of the kingdom, the knight found it both familiar and unfamiliar. As if the man he was following was still Theron Ivanov, but it was no longer the same Theron Ivanov. As if he had left a part of him behind in that mansion, never to get it back.


    The knight''s intuition was telling him that this time, the King and the Queen had parted ways for real.

 Chapter 440 [Bonus Chapter]But He Is My Soulmate

    By the time King Theron reached the royal pce, it was already sunrise and servants had started their respective duties for the day. The royal guards had just changed shifts, and the knights were just about to head to the training grounds for their morning training. All of them witnessed their king returning on a horse and were surprised to see his handsome appearance in aplete mess. His ceremonial clothes were stained to the point its original color could no longer be determined, and his hair was caked with dirt.


    However, none of them dared meet his gaze. No, none of them could even breathe in his presence.


    Suffocating.


    The King of Megaris held no emotions on his face and he wasn''t doing anything in particr, yet his presence in itself made people feel suffocated.


    Upon arriving at the King''s residence, he went straight to his chamber where his personal servant weed him. "Your Majesty��"


    "No one is allowed to enter," he said simply before mming the door behind him.


    The manservant was covered in cold sweat as he bowed, despite knowing that the King could no longer see him. For a second, he felt as if he had just escaped death.


    When Sir Galien reached the hallway leading to the King''s chamber, he saw the pale-faced manservant shivering outside the door. He felt pity towards the man. "Is His Majesty inside?"


    "Y-Yes, Sir Galien. The King is inside," the servant informed with a stutter.


    Sir Galien was about to knock on the door when the servant panicked. "You mustn''t! His Majesty, His Majesty wishes to be left alone. He ordered to not let anyone enter."


    "I understand."


    Though Sir Galien wished to go to him, at this moment, he chose to respect his king''s desire to be left on his own.


    --------


    Sunlight entered her bedchamber through the small gaps between the curtains of the window.


    With sparse clouds, the beautiful blue sky beyond those curtains seemed more vibrant than ever, as if to say the bad times were over and there were only good days ahead, yet none of those reached inside Esther''s bedchamber, which remained as dark and gloomy as her heart.


    The young woman with honey blond hair was sitting in bed, unmoving like a statue. Her smooth white skin was covered with marks, a painful reminder of the sinful night that passed. She didn''t want to move��no, she didn''t even want to breathe. She wished time would just stop, yet the world continued to move regardless of her will.


    ''Theron��''


    Seeing the sunlight peeking through her curtains, tears formed in her eyes. The short-lived pleasure of the night was over, and with morning came the reality she had to face��the reality that in order to save him, she had to lose him.


    Time would flow, the sun would rise and set, again and again and again, but perhaps for Esther, she would be trapped in a night that would never end. The moment she epted ''him'', she had lost the person most precious to her.


    Her Theron was gone.


    It was still him, the same man she loved, but his heart was left with a scar that would never heal. Her entire body trembled just thinking of seeing him once she returned to the pce. She didn''t know how to face him, or whether she even deserved to face him after bringing him this much pain. Not only did she break her promise to him, but she also would now carry a child not his own. Even if all these were meant to save him from eternal damnation��


    "Don''t forgive me, Theron��You must never forgive me��"


    Her shoulders continued to tremble as hot tears trailed down her face continuously.


    A heavy, low baritone of a man''s voice reached her ears.


    ''Evanthe....''


    It was a voice she both yearned for yet hated at the same time, the very voice of the man who shared the night with her.


    With a sob, she covered her ears with her hand.


    ''Don''t call my name��I beg you��''


    ''Evanthe...''


    The mark on her wrist shone. Esther looked at it with anger, and she used her other hand to scratch it, as if to get rid of it. However, even if she were to inflict harm on her body, it would heal in a matter of seconds.


    It was a mark that would remain on her for eternity. Another reminder of the cursed destiny she was forced to bear.


    ''No more��I have lost so many things because of you��no more��''


    She climbed down the bed but felt like her legs were not her own, telltale signs how they had lost their strengthpletely. Her silent cries turned into full sobs as she cried her heart out. Helplessly, she clutched the white ceremonial dress that was left on the floor, wanting to tear it into pieces.


    ''I don''t deserve you, Theron��I thought I would just go through it as if I can''t feel anything but��but he is my soulmate and��I��I gave into him��and I��felt pleasure.''


    She buried her face in her palms and continued to sob, crying in shame.


    ''I could not stop having those feelings for him��I could not reject him��I could not resist his touch��I am sorry, Theron��I can never forgive myself for this��so you should never forgive me as well��''


    She stared at her hands, and out of nowhere, a small knife appeared in her hand. She held it tightly, and without hesitation, she cut the side of her wrist which had that cursed flower mark. Red blood oozed out of the wound, but it healed immediately and that flower mark remained intact without a single w.


    The bitterugh that escaped her lips sounded more painful than her cries.


    She had tried many ways to get rid of it, not just now but even before, but every time she would fail and this was no different. She remembered the words that someone had said to her.


    ''This flower is a mark of destiny. This mark will remain yours until the destined timees for you to pass it on�� You can only get rid of it when you meet that person who will need it to fulfil their destiny. When that timees, when you meet that person, you will know.


    ''Until that timees, you are the owner of this mark. It will be a constant reminder of who you are and the great cause you represent. Your existence and the destiny you carry are for the future of this world so never try to run away from it. Be strong and be proud, because, with this mark, your existence has be an instrument for the great cause of saving this world.''


    Her younger self didn''t know how she would help protect this world, but she felt the pride to have such a sacred mission. For more than a century, she had been wandering everywhere, trying to fulfil that responsibility, but she could never find anyone she could pass this flower to, the destined one who would need it.


    And now, Esther didn''t even have the will to live, much less find the true owner of the mark.

 Chapter 441 Do You Think So Lowly Of Me?

    Please read everything said by Theron carefully so it will help you get answers in theing chapters and understand him as well.


    --------


    "Thanks to the King''s benevolence, my young son recovered from the gue!"


    "Water has returned to the wells! Our Kingdom of Megaris is saved!"


    "The dragon heeded the call of the King and has blessed the kingdom!"


    "All hail the royal family!"


    "All hail King Theron!"


    It was announced that the worship ritual carried out in the temple was a sess and that the divine dragon protecting the Ivanov Family pitied the suffering people and thus decided to return the water back to the kingdom and cure the gue. No one knew anything about the curse and what exactly happened apart from the High Priest and the royalty present in the temple that day.


    While the entire kingdom was in a joyous mood, the lives of the two most important people in the kingdom were thrown into the abyss of heartache.


    The King didn''te out of his bedchamber for the entire day and the Queen was not even present in the pce.


    Without the King and Queen to hold the reins of the pce, the bewildered court officials had to turn to the only royalty capable of making decisions, Queen Theodora. She got the news that her son refused to leave his chamber and she knew the exact reason why. Though she was worried about her son and her daughter-inw, she was also equally worried for the kingdom.


    Thanks to Esther''s spell, the health of King Esteban became stable and thus Queen Theodora was able to be assured of leaving him to temporarily take over the King''s duties in the royal pce. In the absence of the King and the Queen, the older woman took charge of important matters that needed to be handled.


    Afterwards, Queen Theodora released an official statement that she would act as regent to the King until King Theron resumes his duties. News had spread that after the holy ritual, both the King and the Queen were exhausted and needed ample rest, calming down the worries of both the nobles and themon folks.


    And while the real world continued to move around him, the world of the man locking himself up inside the King''s chamber had remained still and lifeless.


    For the next couple of days, King Theron remained inside his residence, not even seen stepping out of his bedchamber, and only his personal servant was allowed to enter to look after his needs.


    His guardian knight, Sir Galien, would report to the King''s mother from time to time about the King''s worrying situation. After three days, Queen Theodora thought she had given her son enough time to think on his own.


    After taking care of the important matters rted to the royal court, Queen Theodorafinally thought of seeing her son.


    Someone knocked on the door of the King''s chamber. It was the personal servant of King Theron, announcing her arrival to the King. "Your Majesty, the Lady Regent is here to see you. She is currently waiting in the drawing room. Should I bring her up?"


    There was no response from the King.


    When the servant decided to enter his bedchamber, he found the young king sitting on his armchair, looking outside the huge ss window of his room, seemingly staring nkly at the snow-covered mountain in the North.


    "Your Majesty?"


    Realizing that the King was ignoring him, the servant who had been serving him since childhood understood what was in the best interest of his master��that he should let the previous queen meet his son.


    The servant went out and brought in the Lady Regent with him. Queen Theodora entered the chamber, and the loyal servant respectfully closed the door behind him as he left, informing the other servants as well of her orders not to disturb them.


    "Theron?" She called for her son, but he neither reacted to her entry nor her voice. It was the first time since he learned royal etiquette that he didn''t bow or greet his mother, but she didn''t call him out for it. The older woman approached him and quietly sat in the chair next to him that also faced the window but was slightly turned in his direction.


    She looked outside where her son was staring. It was a familiar sight, but there was nothing to be seen there. Perhaps, what he was seeing was not something she could begin to imagine.


    When Queen Theodora came to visit her son, she already had thought of the words of rebuke she would tell him. She wanted to scold him, since he had purposely shut himself despite knowing the weight of his responsibilities to the kingdom, among other things. However, the moment she saw his cold emotionless face, all the words she prepared seemed to have vanished into thin air.


    Queen Theodora apanied him in silence.


    After a while, she spoke softly, "Theron, my son, I know you are in pain. What you are going through is something no man should go through but��but life shouldn''t stop here. You have to face reality and ept what has happened already."


    There was no reply from him, and the olderdy continued, "me us. If you me your wife, you have to me your father and me as well. We are all guilty for what happened and we will ept your anger. You can choose to punish us anyway you want."


    Queen Theodora turned to gaze at her unresponsive son, and her heart broke all over again. Her appearance was neat, but one could not hide the fatigue on her pale face. It was obvious that for thest few days, the middle-aged woman also hadn''t slept well. Though she acted tough outside,she was merely pretending to be strong since no one else but her could carry the current weight of responsibility of the Ivanovs.


    Her son, her daughter-inw, and her husband, the three of them were too overwhelmed by their grief and guilt to even care for other people. However, that didn''t mean Queen Theodora was not feeling guilty as well. It was just that she was forced to be strong for her family.


    "Your father��" Queen Theodora let out a heavy sigh, "The guilt is too much for him to bear that he seems to be giving up on living."


    Herst words were like a wake-up call for King Theron, and he looked at his mother with wide eyes. The voice that came out of his mouth was weak and rough, as if he hadn''t used his throat to speak for days.


    "Father? What happened to Father��?"


    The previous queen met his gaze. "How can your father be fine after doing something he knows will cause you pain?"


    King Theron didn''t know what to say and chose to be silent. His hands, however, were balled into tight fists. He was angry. No, he was furious. The fury he felt inside was burning every bit of him��his body, his rationality, even what goodwill he had within him. He felt the urge to destroy everything and everyone since nothing seemed to matter to him anymore, but he didn''t know how to vent those ugly feelings out.


    Did he me his parents?


    Was he angry at them?


    But what good would telling them that do to him? Would it rewind time? Would that change things? Regardless of how he reacted to what happened, what had been done could never be undone.


    He heard her mother continue to speak, "Your anger is valid and I won''t ask you to forgive us ever for it. But Es��"


    "I don''t want to hear that name!" he sharply interrupted his mother.


    "Fine," she replied, sensing the atmosphere getting tense. Her gaze turned towards sight outside the window. "Just answer me one thing: why are you upset with her?"


    Not hearing a reply from him, she sighed, "Is it because your wife chose to spend a night with someone else, even though you know of the circumstances?"


    The bitterugh that echoed within the chamber sounded more painful to hear than if her son had cried in front of her.


    "Do you think so lowly of me, Mother?"


    A sense of shame flooded Queen Theodora, but before she could say a word, she heard him continue, "I, who have a concubine and had slept with her to get an heir for this kingdom, I have no right to be upset with her just because she��" He snapped his mouth close, no longer continuing his sentence.


    His mother put her hand on his. "Son, I wish to know what is on your mind. Don''t just keep it to yourself. It will only suffocate you."


    "Nothing can help me get rid of this suffocating, Mother. Nothing��"


    "Don''t say that. Mother is here with you. Try to talk to me, and I will also try my best to listen," she told him softly. Her own voice turned shaky due to overflowing emotions. "You know she has done it to save your life��"


    "This is the life she chose for me? What kind of life is this?" he scoffed as he pulled his hand away from his mother. "I would have rather preferred to die than live like this."


    "Theron��"


    "I would rather be a king who sacrificed himself than be a husband who has sacrificed his wife to save his kingdom. I would rather ept being damned for eternity! At least, I would have departed from this world with peace of mind, knowing I protected the ones I loved with my own two hands. But this? Should I be thankful to be alive like this? I can''t even protect my own wife! This shameful life is called living? This is worse than being cursed. I am no different from those good-for-nothing kings in history��"


    "Theron, you are a good king, possibly the best king this kingdom could ever have��"


    "No, Mother," he snapped. "The moment I sat on this throne, I pledged to save my people, my kingdom, even at the cost of my life. I would have never sacrificed any of my subjects, let alone my wife."


    "Theron��"


    "Do you think I am foolish? Do you find my trampled pride foolish, Mother?"


    "No, it''s not that��"


    The young man let out a groan as he covered his face with his hands. "I��I told her to wait for me. I told her to not do anything until I return. But��But I am so foolishly in love with her that I trusted her so much, to the point that I forgot who she really is��I��I, a mere human, can only be protected over and over again. I thought when I married her, I would finally have a chance to protect her�� but I am just a weak helpless human after all"


    Queen Theodora''s eyes widened. "Theron��did you know��how long have you known who she is��?"


    When his dark eyes turned to face his mother, she found them red-rimmed.


    "I am her husband. How can I not know, Mother?"

 Chapter 442 Why Did Her Eyes Changed To Green Colour

    The previous Queen was visibly stunned after hearing what her son said. She had no idea how to react to his confession. She thought that only she and Lady Tyra were aware of Esther''s true identity and that they were able to sessfully fool everyone within the pce.


    Guilt could be seen on her exhausted face as she let out a helpless sigh. All these years, keeping Esther''s secret from her son had be a thorn in her heart. "Can you forgive your mother? I didn''t wish to hide it from you, son, but I thought it was better that you learn of her secret from her own mouth."


    "I don''t me you for not telling me, after all, it is her secret and she trusted you enough to keep it."


    "Theron��"


    "Still, her identity never mattered to me. If she''s morefortable with me not knowing her true identity, then I will do my best to pretend to be ignorant for her sake. But��now everything seems so meaningless."


    The sadness in his voice made his mother unable to look him straight in the eyes.


    "Don''t say it''s meaningless, son. This pain��it will take time to heal, but still, it will heal. Don''t lose hope. The fact that the kingdom''s curse is gone and that neither you nor your wife lost each other, are they not something to be happy about?"


    King Theron said nothing.


    Queen Theodora continued to speak, "She loves you as much as you love her. I know you understand that she did this because she doesn''t want to lose you. Esther��"


    Upon mention of his wife''s name, the young man felt another wave of pain rip through his heart. No words couldfort him. "Mother, I wish to be alone." He then closed his eyes, as if to say this was the end of their conversation.


    The olderdy understood his situation and knew that no matter what she says now, they wouldn''t reach her son. "Fine, but you must remember that I cannot continue acting as regent for long, or else I would not be able to control the royal and noble factions from causing internal troubles. You are still the reigning king of the kingdom and you cannot keep yourself locked up like this."


    Queen Theodora might be his mother, but she was also the Queen of Megaris who reigned over the kingdom alongside her iron-handed husband during a time of continuous warfare. Though she was one who put heavy emphasis on affection, she also ced utmost importance on the duties and responsibilities of the royal family.


    Call her cold and heartless, but she needed to remind her son that being a king meant he had to put the kingdom and his subjects first before his personal troubles. That was the responsibility of one who sits on that throne.


    Once his mother left, King Theron stood from his armchair and went to open the ss window, letting the chilly autumn wind brush against his face. Memories from the past shed in front of his eyes.


    When did he find out that the woman he had feelings for was not an ordinary one?


    It all started from the assassination attack on his mother back when she was still the reigning Queen of Megaris. Yes, from the very beginning, he already had his suspicions.


    Back when he was heading the investigation of the attack, it was confirmed that Esther was skilled with her weapon, defeating tens of opponents without getting hurt. It was an impossible feat unless you are an elite royal knight facing ordinary bandits who weren''t good at coordinated attacks.


    However, those who attacked Queen Theodora were rebels from a fallen kingdom, former soldiers who were able to survive even after Megaris conquered their kingdom. Those rebels were people trained to fight, and not some nobody who had nobat experience. Further evidence of the enemies''bat prowess, wasn''t the knight brigade guarding the Queen almost annihted back then?


    Every person involved in that attack��whether it was the attacker or the defendant��was at least very least injured, and the unfortunate ones even died. Even Queen Theodora received injuries, but the young woman who saved her did not even have a single scratch on her body. At the same time, there was the rebel''s testimony where he imed this woman used some kind of strange power.


    A seed of doubt was already nted in King Theron''s mind then, though he decided to bury that suspicion since it became apparent to him his mother trusted her saviour.


    When she entered the pce, he was suspicious of her motives, and that caused him to always follow her with his eyes. A young woman without a background but confirmed to be good atbat and had the education and ingrained elegance of a nobledy, wasn''t she like an intriguing puzzle waiting to be solved?


    Thus he continued to observe her with wariness, which gradually turned to curiosity andter, attraction. It made him want to continue watching her, wanting to know what else she was capable of.


    And he got exactly that, the chance to personally witness her strange abilities during the assassination by the river during the year-end festival.


    Up to this day, he remembered what happened with crystal rity. It was a strange assassination attempt after all, where invisible attacks were involved. Though he did not see the attack himself, he felt the attack approaching him, causing all the hairs on his body to stand.


    When Esther called for him while running on the pier, there was something that hit her from behind, one strong enough to lift her and throw her body towards him��and he saw her eyes shine green.


    After observing her for so long, how could he not know that Esther''s eyes were the warm colour of melted caramel? But that time, her eyes shone in the darkness like an emerald jewel hit by brilliant light.


    It was for a split second, but he was someone who trusted his own senses. Afterwards, everything fell into chaos and they were again hit by the invisible force and fell into the water.


    Why Did Her Eyes Change To Green Colour?

 Chapter 443 [Monarch Of The White Witches]

    When he woke up in that underground chamber, his doubts resurfaced. That thing about her eyes changing colours didn''t leave his mind, but he thought to give her the benefit of doubt. After all, she was his saviour��but then, just like the incident with his mother, only he received injuries back then.


    The youngdy was uninjured despite receiving the same attack and being thrown into the cold river during winter. Even a little child would have realized that Esther was special at that point. Not only that, during that short stay underground, she served him and treated his injuries like with the skills of a physician and an apothecary. How was she capable of so many things at a young age?


    Wasn''t it easy to guess if someone were to put together all the seemingly outrageous experiences they personally witnessed the ''specialness'' of Esther?


    If not for the fact that he had grown attached to her and could see she was not someone who would harm anyone, he would have felt fear, knowing someone not human was staying so close to him and his family.


    But the one that truly opened his eyes was that time when he was on the verge of death.


    Although he was going in and out of consciousness back then, he was somehow aware of the things happening around him. He could feel the concern of the physicians and the worry in the voices of his parents. He also was aware that death was reaching out to him, that anytime he would be possibly breathing hisst breath.


    Back then, his soul was wandering in the darkness, treading the boundary of life and death. He had epted that the endless darkness would engulf him and take him away, but all of a sudden, light flooded that strange space and something, no, someone pulled him out of that darkness. Someone with glowing green eyes.


    He felt warm energyfortably embracing his body, easing all the pain he was feeling.


    Although he could neither move nor say anything, he could feel someone''s constant presence around him, a presence that felt equallyforting and familiar. When finally he regained enough strength to open his eyes, Esther was the one in front of him. For a moment, her eyes again shed green. It was only for a split second but he knew he was not mistaken.


    But seeing the shocked face of the shy woman, he could not help but mess with her. That night, his feelings for her had grown to the point he could recognize what it was. Love. He wasn''t sure when it began, but he had already fallen in love with this mysterious woman. Yet despite his curiosity, he kept his questions deep in his heart, since he was aware that the youngdy was trying to keep her identity hidden.


    In his heart, he knew he was yearning for her and he wished for nothing else but her��and then he noticed something else��a pure and warm emotion that did not belong to him but somewhat mirrors his. To his surprise, he felt as if he was somehow connected to her and could feel her emotions.


    When Esther was leaving that night, he noticed a mark on the back of her neck. It was an unfamiliar mark on her nape. As a servant working in the pce, she always tied or braided her long hair, and as someone who had been constantly watching her, he was confident it was a mark he had never seen on her skin before.


    Once he got better, strong enough to step out of his bed-chamber, the first thing he did was to search for the mark that had suddenly appeared on her nape. It shouldn''t be a simple birthmark or a decorative tattoo; Theron felt that it was a symbol that would lead him to her background. Though he wanted to ask her directly, his intuition told him the elusive young woman would not give him the answer he desired.


    After days of searching through the ancient books and scrolls in the abandoned archive of the royal library, he finally found his answer.


    [Monarch of the White Witches]


    King Theron learned that mark can only belong to a single being, the most powerful white witch to walk thends. Though there were not many tales about white witches, they were a race of supernatural beings that were able to wield spells aligned with the power of nature. From the bits and pieces, he found from lores, it seemed that this Monarch of the White Witches had been living on the continent for centuries, keeping a youthful appearance that never aged with time. Unlike the other white witches who only have twice the lifespan of humans, this so-called Monarch was made immortal by her incredible powers.


    The pieces of the puzzle called Esther started to fit together and take shape in his mind. This discovery was beyond anything he imagined, but after he was able to calm himself, he understood that this had to be the truth.


    Esther was an immortal, a powerful existence much superior to him, a mere human, and it was out of pure kindness that she became part of his life. She was the reason he and his mother were alive. Knowing her reality, he realized that perhaps he shouldn''t be greedy and aim for someone beyond his status, but��what could he do upon realizing that she too had feelings for him? What if being together could bring her happiness? Was it not a gamble he should take no matter what?


    All his worries about her disappeared, and he wanted to dedicate himself to loving and protecting her with all his might.


    However, circumstances proved that he was someone she protected, not the other way around. After that strange attack in his tent back when he joined the frontlines against Thevailes, he made a vow to himself that it would be thest time Esther would ever save him again.


    A vow that was so easily broken because he was a weak good-for-nothing husband.


    King Theron could not help but let out a bitterugh. It made him wonder if his wife knew that he was aware of her secrets, would she have trusted him more? Would she at least have waited so that they could talk over things like a husband and wife should? Would things have changed? Perhaps not��but he could not help but think ''what if��?''


    He remembered that there was a time when Esther wished to tell him about her identity, but he stopped her. When she told him that he didn''t know everything about her and told him that she was older than him, he already knew what she was about to say.


    He didn''t let her finish and simply made fun out of it to stop her. All he wanted was to live a life like any other human husband and wife. Maybe it was a foolish move, but he simply wanted to relish in the happiness of the present, not caring what would happen in the future.


    While King Theron remained as still as a statue by the window, he called for his personal servant. As his mother reminded him of his duty, he realized that he couldn''t just abandon his kingdom for his own sorrow.


    ''Since I already failed my wife, I cannot fail my kingdom as well.''

 Chapter 444 Praising A King And The Queen

    "You called, Your Majesty?" The servant bowed before the King in a hurry.


    "Inform the Regent and officials that the King has rested enough and will resume charge of the royal court starting tomorrow."


    His personal servant was visibly moved. For the past few days, as the only caretaker of the King''s needs, he was the sole witness of how miserable the King was, to the point that the young man refused to even take a bite of food. Now, King Theron might still not yet be back to his original self, but at least he''s recovering his usual regalness.


    "I-I will immediately ry your orders, Your Majesty!" The servant nodded with a big grin, relieved that his master seemed to be finally fine.


    The next morning, King Theron looked visibly better than the day before, his appearance neat as his servant d him in dark regal clothes that emphasized his outstanding physique and innate charisma, though those familiar with him would notice that his handsome face was somewhat thinner. From a stranger''s point of view, however, nothing seemed to have changed with the King of Megaris they have in their memories.


    Handsome, dignified and strong.


    When King Theron left in his carriage to attend the royal court, no emotion could be seen on his face as his aide apanied him, giving him a brief summary of the situation of the kingdom and everything else he missed for the past few days. However, for some unknown reason, the aide felt that the inside of the carriage felt icy cold, and he could not help but feel nervous and restless.


    ording to the report, as the curse was lifted, the gue disappeared together with the strange natural phenomena that tormented the people of the kingdom. However, just because the root cause was removed, it didn''t mean all the problems disappeared. It would take time for the refugees to return to their hometowns, which meant that security and order within the cities were quite poor at the moment, and it would take days for the trade of food to arrive at the various affected territories. Thankfully, the King''s mother made sure everything was fine even though the King was temporarily not around. Thus, people started praising the previous Queen as ''Great Lady Theodora''.


    The royal carriage arrived at the Grand Pce.


    "Your loyal subjects greet the Dragon of Megaris!"


    Seeing the King enter the throne hall, the entire royal court became lively. Though the Regent took hold of the King''s duties for the past several days, the reigning king himself remained to be the true spiritual pir of the kingdom. The court officials and the high-ranking nobles would remain anxious as long as he wasn''t the one governing thends.


    Now that King Theron was back, it was as if everyone''s shoulders lightened, regardless of which faction they belonged in. Especially now that the strange urrences within the kingdom stopped, the trust and belief they held towards the Ivanov Family became stronger.


    Regardless if they believe it''s due to the blessing of the dragon that protects the Ivanovs, the fact that a miracle urred could not be denied.


    As they weren''t aware of what exactly went down inside the temple, the officials openly praised the King and the Queen for their efforts of saving the Kingdom of Megaris. Of course, as far as they were concerned, the main merit was earned by King Theron, but since everyone knew how much the King treasured the Queen, they also mentioned how the Queen also put the effort into supporting the kingdom.


    No one noticed how his gaze grew iparably cold at the mention of his wife.


    While the officials continued to talk about his and Esther''s care for the people of the kingdom, King Theron felt a twinge of guilt. Among the attendees of the court session, only he knew the truth��that Esther was the sole reason for this curse to disappear, sacrificing her body in order to protect Megaris, and in fact, he yed no role in it. However, no one knew the heavy price she paid, and it wasn''t something he would publicize as well. How much she sacrificed for this kingdom, only his family and the High Priest knew. Though King Theron was upset, it didn''t change the fact that what his wife did deserve the gratitude of the people.


    The flow of the conversation soon turned towards the Queen''s health. "Your Majesty, may we inquire as to the state of the Queen''s health? Your subjects are worried since we heard from the Regent that the Queen had retired to the Moonlight Manor because she copsed after the worship ritual."


    "Indeed, Your Majesty," another official echoed. "We are worried about the Queen. Should we send over the royal physicians to her manor?"


    The King could not let his subjects know the reality and simply answered, "Her body is weak because of the sleepless nights she spent worrying about the people. Because she refused to take proper rest and insisted on working, I have ordered her to rest for a few days. There is nothing to worry about. She only left the pce to recover. "


    The court session then officially started, and King Theron efficiently dealt with the reported issues of the kingdom with his typical calm. However, some of the more sensitive officials felt that something felt off with the King, but they could only keep their spections deep inside their hearts.


    ------


    Ever since she left the Temple of the Divine, Esther never returned to the royal pce, choosing to remain in her residence on the outskirts of the city. With King Theron finally taking charge of the royal court, Great Lady Theodora was free from her royal duties as Regent and felt relieved to leave the pce. She could finally go see and visit her daughter-inw.


    The Great Lady''s carriage rode towards the Queen''s residence outside of the pce, which most people had begun calling the Moonlight Manor due to the mansion''s pristine white colour. She had already sent a message the day before that she''ll be visiting, thus, when the older royal arrived, the Queen''s knight and servants all weed her warmly. She was then informed that the Queen was not feeling well enough to leave her bedchamber.


    On the way towards the chamber, Great Lady Theodora asked the manor''s butler, who was a former pce servant she was familiar with in the first ce. "How is the Queen faring, Well? Has she been eating and sleeping well?"


    The old butler, William, didn''t look cheerful while answering her, "Though the maidservants bring her meals, she barely touches them. Her Majesty hasn''te out of her chamber since she arrived here. Everyone is worried about what has caused her to behave as such."


    The servants of the manor were not aware of what happened in this residence that night. Esther had made sure everyone was put to deep sleep, and that they wouldn''t be able to remember anything strange during the duration of the spell.


    "Hmm," was all that the previous queen could say as her heart ached for her daughter-inw.

 Chapter 445 Kings Message For The Queen

    After knocking and informing the Queen that the guest had arrived, the butler opened the door for her and closed it after the olderdy entered the chamber. He was smart enough to know that the Queen and the Great Lady needed private time, thus no one should be allowed to enter the bedchamber unless their master called for them.


    Seeing the middle-aged woman enter, Esther rose from her seat to curtsy before her mother-inw. "I apologize for having youe up, Mother."


    A simple unadorned dress, a casually put up long hair, a face bare from any cosmetics and a lethargic gaze that couldn''t be covered up with a smile. Seeing the state of Esther, the Great Lady could not help but let out a sigh. Though she at least made an effort to appear presentable, Esther seemed to have spent the past few days treating herself as poorly as her husband treated himself.


    "How are you, Esther?" the older woman asked as she walked towards her.


    Still forcing herself to keep that smile on her face, Esther answered, " I am fine, Mother."


    Great Lady Theodora stared at her, but Esther could no longer bear her gaze and thus she lowered her head. The smile she tried so hard to keep on her face faded.


    The olderdy held her hands gently. "Why is your head lowered, my dear?" Her voice was gentle and caring.


    It took Esther several seconds to answer. "I-I��I do not have courage to face anyone you or anyone else, Mother."


    Her mother-inw could understand why she was saying this. "Why do you say so, my dear? You shouldn''t feel shame. Your choice saved people''s lives. After what you did, not only the royal family, the entire kingdom are indebted to you."


    "Mother��even if you say so��"


    The Great Lady firmly squeezed Esther''s hands, as if passing on strength. "Listen to me. The problem we were facing back then had no perfect solution. Something had to be sacrificed, and you simply chose to carry the burden on your own. What you did needed courage, and it is a sacrifice you made despite knowing the consequences."


    However, Esther kept her gaze down. "I failed my husband."


    "You did not," the Great Lady rebuked. "You sacrificed yourself to save both the kingdom and my son. In fact, I am grateful to you, Esther. Because of you, my son will continue to live. Because of you, the people of this kingdom will continue to live. You are a good wife to my son and the best Queen this kingdom could ever have. We are blessed to have you, so always keep your head high. Never lower it in front of anyone because you did nothing wrong."


    With her moist eyes, Esther finally looked up at her mother-inw. Her pale cracked lips were trembling, and her long eyshes were wet with unshed tears. Her expression carried the sadness and pain that she was keeping inside her heart.


    "But Theron��.he must hate me now."


    "Oh dear, my son is not a fool. He understands the situation and knows it isn''t that you are unfaithful��"


    "Just because he knows and understands, Mother, it doesn''t mean that he''s not hurting. It doesn''t change the fact I have wronged him," Esther sobbed. "I didn''t keep my promise to him. I broke his trust. I snatched away his right to make a choice and simply decided everything on my own. I stopped him from fulfilling his duty as a king. He must hate me, right? I��I am someone he must hate now��"


    "No, Esther, he cannot hate you. He can be upset with what you did but he can never hate you," the olderdy consoled her.


    "Mother��" Hot tears rolled down her pale cheeks.


    The previous queen gently wiped her tears. "You should return to the pce."


    "But��"


    "The Queen''s ce is in the pce, sitting right beside the King."


    She quickly shook her head. "I can''t, Mother. I do not dare face him."


    "For how long will you continue locking yourself here in self me? If you feel like you''ve wronged him, then shouldn''t you try tomunicate with him and seek forgiveness?"


    Esther continued to shake her head like a stubborn child. "Imited a sin that shouldn''t be forgiven. I cannot even forgive myself; how could I make myself shamelessly beg for his forgiveness? No, Mother, I have disappointed him and hurt him. He must not want to see me and I know I deserve this."


    "No, Esther. It''s not what you think��"


    Just then there was a knock on the door, and they heard the butler''s voice, "Your Majesty? Forgive my intrusion, but themander of the royal knights arrived bearing a message from the King for you."


    Esther unconsciously took a step back in panic, her thoughts turning for the worse.


    "Have Sir Galien wait in the drawing room," the older woman answered instead of Esther.


    Once the butler left, she looked at Esther. "You should go down and hear it."


    "Mother, I can''t��"


    "Be strong. I am here with you."


    The Great Lady then called for some servants to help Esther look more presentable, and after putting a little effort on her appearance, she stepped out of the bedchamber with the dignity of the Queen.


    Sir Galien politely saluted the moment the Queen and the King''s mother entered the drawing room.


    "What brings you here, Galien?" the Great Lady asked.


    "His Majesty wishes me to ry a message to Queen Esther that he awaits her return to the pce," he informed.


    Neither an order nor a request, but merely informing his wife that he''s waiting for her. The olderdy internally apuded her son''s choice of words. She looked at Esther to know what her decision was, but a hint of a smile could already be seen on her aged face.


    "I have received his message," Esther answered the knight. "Let him know I��I will return within the day."


    Once the knight left, the Great Lady first forced Esther to eat her first decent meal for days. After spending some time together, the royaldies returned together to the Royal Pce of Megaris.


    ====


    Dear readers, out 25 readers who were receiving the hard copy of the novel, few are yet to send me their addresses. Do note that these are international deliveries for me and I need to give all the packages to the delivery agency at once. I will wait till the end of this week.

 Chapter 446 Queens Arrival To The Palace

    "Her Majesty has returned!"


    "Quick,dies, let us all greet the Queen at the entrance!"


    When Esther reached the Queen''s pce, all the people working in her residence, be it the royal servants or herdies-in-waiting, were lined up to wee her arrival, their expressions filled with relief and happiness upon seeing her alight from the carriage.


    "Wee back, Your Majesty!"


    Esther was renowned for her kind nature, socializing and treating people with warmth despite being royalty, and it made her quite popr and well-loved not only by her direct subordinates, but even by the other people working within the pce. There were many bad rumors about the Queen''s health, and everyone was worried for their queen, especially thosedies who have friendship with Esther.


    Now the Queen was back in the pce, they could finally be relieved. Esther greeted them with her usual smile as well, d to be back to her real home, but she was feeling anxiety deep inside, knowing that her being in the royal pce meant she would have to face her husband sooner orter.


    The Queen''s pce was connected to the King''s pce by a long corridor, and while walking past that seemingly long, empty hallway, her eyes could not help but nce at it, silently hoping to catch a glimpse of even his shadow, but even as she returned to her bedchamber, there was not sign of her husband appearing. She was torn between the feeling of relief and disappointment.


    ''I miss you, Theron. I know I don''t have the right, but I terribly do.''


    She wondered whether he''s busy working in his study or if he''s meeting with officials at the moment, whether he''s thinking of her and missing her too. It was a conflicting feeling, how she didn''t want to see him due to guilt yet she also wanted to run towards wherever he''s in now and fall into the warmth of his arms. Even if he didn''t wish to talk to her, she wished to see him at least once. Even just once��


    However, she wasn''t allowed to even gather such thoughts for long. Mere minutes after her return to her residence, herdies-in-waiting flocked around her due to the pending number of concerns that the Queen had to resolve herself, which piled up due to her days of absence in the pce.


    Some of the easy tasks were handled by Lady Tyra, but for the rest, Esther had to personally make decisions for them. As such, she had to busy herself with her duties.


    Meanwhile, the King received the news that the Queen had returned to the royal pce.


    Not a single change of expression could be seen on his face, and thus, his aides could only guess about the current mood of the King they''re serving. However, King Theron did not order for his schedule to be adjusted and remained at the Grand Pce, busy with his work.


    The day passed by with neither Esther nor King Theron sighting each other.


    It waste in the night when King Theron returned to his residence. On his way to his bedchamber, he sensed a particr pull towards a certain direction and felt his wife''s familiar presence, an ability he had gained ever since that night he escaped death by a hairbreadth, the night where she shared a fragment of her soul with him.


    All the muscles in his body were urging him to follow that invisible pull, but he merely stared at the general direction of the Queen''s pce. In the end, he didn''t cross that connecting bridge that would lead him to her.


    "You can leave, Galien," King Theron ordered as he entered his bedchamber. Only one servant was present to attend to him, the same loyal servant who had been taking care of his needs ever since he returned from the pce.


    These days, the King was so cold that no one around dare say anything to him. The servant thought that after the return of the Queen, there would be a change to King Theron''s behavior, but he was wrong.


    The King dismissed the servant afterwards. He took one of the bottles of liquor prepared on the table and poured it into his ss. After relishing the burn he felt in his throat, his feet then moved on their own and he stood by the window.


    King Theron stared nkly at the starless night sky.


    Ever since he returned from the temple, not even once had he slept in his bed. He could not make himself close his eyes, because the moment he did, images he didn''t want to see would haunt him. Either he would stand by the window or sit in his chair. Sleep was not going toe to him so it was a waste of time to lie in bed.


    After who knows how long, there was a knock on his door, but the King didn''t pay any attention to it. No, it would be more precise to say he was so lost in thought he didn''t even hear it. He was already on his third bottle of liquor for the night.


    The door opened and someone entered the King''s bedchamber. Even when the door closed, the King didn''t move to look over his shoulders. He heard the sound this time, but he still didn''t react despite theck of announcement, which meant it wasn''t a servant or a knight. Nothing around him mattered to him anymore. Even if the one who entered came for his life, he would not even bat an eye.


    His night visitor was Esther, his wife.


    When she came to the King''s chamber, she didn''t allow the servant nor the knight guarding outside his door to inform King Theron as she was worried that he would refuse to see her.


    Sensing his return to his residence, Esther decided toe see him and apologize to him. The words of her mother-inw broke down her defenses, and she knew that despite what happened, her feelings for her husband remained as strong as ever. Even though she could not forgive herself for what she did, she knew she had to do something to at least ease the pain that her husband was feeling.


    The fact remains that it was her who wronged him for betraying his trust.

 Chapter 447 Stay Here For The Night

    Esther looked at the man who was staring out of the window nkly. She could smell the alcohol in the air, and it looked like didn''t even sense her presence, as if he had numbed his mind from thinking or blocked himself from feeling anything.


    "Theron?"


    It was a soft voice, almost a whisper, but King Theron felt as if he was stabbed in the chest upon hearing the sadness in that familiar sweet voice. He thought it was an illusion caused by his drinking at first, but then he realized that the invisible pull in his soul was urging him to turn around.


    Slowly, he turned his head to look at the woman standing in the middle of his bedchamber. Her beautiful eyes were moist and full of guilt. The sight instantly sobered him up.


    It was his wife, the same wife he loved more than anyone else in this world, yet seeing her standing there felt so strange.


    She was not the same Esther who would smile at him the moment their gazes met, and she was not the same Esther who would run into his embrace every time they found themselves alone. This time, she neither smiled nor did shee to him.


    The small distance between them inside the bedchamber made him feel like they were poles apart, destined to never be together.


    His lifeless-looking eyes remained gazing at her, unable toprehend the situation. He didn''t know what to do, and he didn''t know what to say. It was as if his mind was detached from his body, and the raging emotions inside him made his body as heavy as lead. Before he could gather himself and react, her soft voice filled with sorrow reached his ears.


    "I am sorry, Theron."


    Sorry?


    Sorry for what?


    Sorry for saving Megaris?


    Sorry for sacrificing yourself?


    Hearing her apology, a strange emotion spread inside his chest. He could not name what it was, but it was a kind of emotion that made him feel like the world was an empty, lonely ce. He only stared at her for a few more seconds, and then he turned back to look at the starless night sky.


    Esther closed her eyes as her hands trembled. She had already expected his anger, but when it happened, the tears she was holding back spilled uncontrobly, and she could only cover her mouth and try to keep her husband from hearing her sobs.


    ''This is the price I paid.''


    The trust they had between them was destroyed so brutally, and the fact that they love each other only hurt them more.


    Esther came here with the thoughts of telling him the truth about herself, about the reason why she made that decision, about how she wished to apologize for hurting him, but now, not a single word could make its way out of her throat. She could only let out stifled sobs as she grieved over the things she lost.


    ''My Theron is gone.''


    Knowing that staying here was useless, she turned around to leave, deciding to ept this distance between them and his silence as her punishment.


    Just as she reached the door, a cold voice stopped her.


    "Stay here for the night."


    She almost didn''t recognize his voice. His tone was indifferent, frigid like ice as if he was talking to an unpleasant stranger and not his wife.


    Esther knew why he had asked her to stay though her presence must be disgusting to him.


    Both didn''t wish to ept it, but soon, she would be carrying a child in her womb, and in order to preserve the reputation of the royal family, she needed to stay with him.


    For the past few months, both of them had been busy trying to deal with the problems the curse had brought onto the kingdom. Because they were dealing with issues day in and day out, the two of them had never shared a night for some time. In the pce, servants were always aware of when their king would spend the night with the Queen or his concubine.


    Servants were the eyes and ears of the pce, and the moment it was announced that the Queen was expecting a baby, rumours would fly about.


    King Theron didn''t wish to leave any doubts behind. Regardless if he loved her or not, Esther was still the Queen of Megaris. The reputation of the royal family could not be sullied. And although the child was not his, it could not be changed that the child was the result of her sacrifice for the sake of this kingdom. As the King and as her husband, he could not let his Queen''s sacrifice be stained with unwanted rumours.


    After drying her tears, Esther turned around to look at him, but she was still greeted with the sight of his broad back. Not looking at her even once, he sat in his chair that faced the window, leaning back as if to say she should take the bed all for herself.


    Esther understood what she should from his action and moved towards therge, empty bed. From there, she could only see the back of the armchair yet it was as if she could see his lonely silhouette drowning his sorrows with liquor.


    She could not help but me herself and her destiny that was meant to fulfil by hurting the person she loved the most.


    The entire night passed by quietly, neither husband nor wife saying anything to each other. Esther continued to stare at the high backrest chair, while Theron, after finishing off thest bottle of liquor, finally closed his eyes.


    When he woke up the next morning, he found a quilt covering his body. He looked around the room but it was empty. Though she was no longer there, he knew it was her who put this quilt on her. Her lingering fragrance told him so.


    =====


    Dear readers, the second book from "The Devil and Witch" series is out today. New novel is rted to this novel as well so I hope you all will read it.


    The title is - The Devil''s Cursed Witch


    It is an entry for Webnovel''s WSA 2022 contest. You can search it directly in the Webnovel app or you can find it in my profile.


    The COVER of the new novel you can see in thement section.


    I hope you all will support me in this new journey just like you have supported me till now for this novel.


    P.S. Both novels will continue to update together.

 Chapter 448 I Am The Husband Who Sacrificed His Wife

    The next day the news of Esther spending a night with the king reached the previous Queen Theodora. She was delighted hearing it and looked at Lady Tyra who told this to her.


    "My son cares for her. That shows his love for her is still the same."


    "I believe so as well, Yourdyship," Lady Tyra agreed.


    The previous queen could understand why her son must have asked her to spend the night in his bedchamber. Though he might say it''s his duty as a king to protect the honour of the Queen of this kingdom, it was simply out of love for her. It won''t be long before he will forgive her and be with her like before.


    The entire pce was aware of it and they could not help but praise how much their king loved their queen that the day she returned to the pce, he could not stay away from her.


    The month passed by normally when King Theron was busy taking care of the kingdom which still needed his attention. Some of the natural disasters caused by the curse were the serious issues to be solved- like crops were destroyed and there was still a shortage of food, the economy of the kingdom was still a mess like so many businesses shut down, people died and families lost their bread earners as they depended on the help from the royal treasury that was helping people to some extent. When the King was handling the outside matters across the kingdom, Esther was busy handling the internal affairs of the pce.


    Soon the news came which was the asion of joy for the entire kingdom but for two people it was something that would only create the distance between them.


    "Your Majesty, you are expecting a child," the royal physician dered happily after he checked the queen who was not feeling well for the past few days.


    Hearing it, the Queen''s servants standing around could not help but feel joy while Esther, olddy Theodora anddy Tyra were calm.


    "Congrattions, your majesty," the servants wished her wholeheartedly.


    "You all can go out. Let her Majesty rest," Lady Tyra sent them all out.


    The previous Queen rewarded the Royal Physician before he left the Queen''s Chamber.


    Once everyone left, the olderdy went to her daughter-inw. She sat at the edge of the bed where Esther was lying, not knowing how she should react though it was nothing unexpected.


    The olderdy held her hand, "Esther, this was meant to happen and you should ept it."


    Esther closed her moist eyes, "I know mother. I am just worried about how he will react when he��."


    "He is ready for it. He knows it will happen, isn''t it why he asked you to stay in his chamber a month back?" she asked.


    Esther didn''t reply and heard her again, "You should stop worrying about him and look forward to the arrival of this child. Innocent children should not suffer between us elders."


    Esther knew it as well. Whatever happened, the child inside her was her own and she had to give him everything the child needed the most from his mother- the love and care.


    Like a wildfire, the news spread throughout the entire pce. All believed the King and the Queen were blessed by the gods as they helped this kingdom get rid of the curse and saved so many lives. It was the result of their good deeds.


    King Theron received the news as well when he was busy taking care of the important matters. Everyone expected the king to go to his Queen after this news. As a king and her husband, king Theron decided to go to her. After all, he faked spending the night with her just so no one would say anything about her. As he acted at that time to protect her honour then it was the time to take that act till the end.


    King Theron went to see his Queen. The servant announced his arrival to the Queen who was resting but her mind was filled with so many chaotic thoughts.


    She stepped out of the bed and stood up as King Theron entered her chamber. The servant already left as they believed the king and the Queen would like to be alone on such a happy asion.


    As the servant closed the door after leaving, king Theron looked at the woman standing in front of him. After that night Esther left his chamber, they hardly came across each other. No one bothered with theck of affection between the King and the Queen as they knew these two were busy taking care of the kingdom. She looked palepared to how bright herplexion looked all the time.


    ''Is it due to her being busy taking care of her duties or because she is��..?'' he couldn''te up to think further.


    "Congrattions," King Theron said. His voice was devoid of any emotions. If they had not gone through what they had faced in the past months, he would have probably been overjoyed with this news and had hugged her with joy and showered her with his love but��.


    Esther just looked at him and could note up to thank him. Her husband was congratting her to have someone else''s child inside her. How could she ept it when it must have hurt him.


    Her pregnancy reminded him that she could never conceive his child but someone else''s. It made him realize that he was a weak human who was not capable of giving her this happiness. She could always be a mother but not of his child. It made him realize the difference between their status in this nature. She was someone powerful who needed no one and was capable of protecting everyone while he was not even worth giving her such happiness that she waited for long.


    King Theron could understand her silence and spoke after getting out of his chaotic thoughts. "You don''t need to feel sad towards me. Just like how you congratted me for having a child with some other woman, I am doing the same. Just like you are a mother to my child, I will be a father to your child."


    She felt heavy in her chest feeling emotional. Though he talked to her, it was an emotionless talk as if they were talking about some kind of trading.


    "You shall rest," he turned to leave.


    "Theron��." she finally called for him.


    He stopped but didn''t turn to look at her.


    "I know you won''t forgive me��.."


    "Forgive you for what?" he asked calmly and turned to look at her, "You have saved this kingdom by sacrificing yourself. You are a great Queen and we all should be grateful to you. What shall I forgive you for? I have always owed you my own life and now I owe you for saving this entire kingdom." Though his voice was calm, his words were painful for both of them.


    Tears rolled down her eyes, "Don''t forgive me. But I could not bear to lose you and I had to do it. It''s all because of me..."


    "Didn''t you lose me anyway?" he interrupted her.


    "But you are alive and that is enough for me," she said in her choked voice.


    Her tears, the pain on her face, her crying voice, all this still affected him. he still could not bear to see her like this but stopped himself from going to her.


    "If I had gone, you would have only good memories of me to remember, but now��.?" he stopped, "I am the husband and a king who sacrificed his wife to protect himself and his kingdom. There is no meaning to such living. I never asked for it but��you can''t and won''t understand it."


    "No Theron...."


    "This is the truth," he interrupted her, "The pain I am feeling now, is nothingpared to the pain I would have felt bearing that curse. That would have pained my body, but this is hurting me here," he ced his hand on his heart. "This pain here is just unbearable to me."


    Esther could say no more as only tears rolled down her eyes. She knew where she was wrong. She didn''t let him fulfil his responsibility of protecting his kingdom and his own family, his wife his child....


    "What happened has happened. You should take care of yourself," King Theron said and turned to leave."


    He could not forget that she was with a child and couldn''t stop himself from showing care towards her. Though he knew she was stronger to get affected by anything and that child would be born safely as one day he was meant to rule this kingdom. His father, the previous king had given his words to the Devil and whether he wanted it or not, he had to respect those words.


    Esther could only look at him, leaving her chamber.

 Chapter 449 [Bonus Chapter]Not His Child

    In the vermilion pce.


    Lady risa was happily preparing the gifts for the Queen who was now expecting a child. She ordered her servants, "Make sure to have everything without a miss."


    The servant nodded, "Yes, Lady risa."


    Once everything was ready, the main servant of Lady risa looked at her master who was happy instead of feeling worried that if the Queen would give birth to a son, prince Keiren might not be a king of this kingdom which was what her master desired the most.


    "Your Ladyship, are you not worried?" the servant asked while helping her master get ready.


    "Worried for what, Vena?" Lady risa asked as she was observing herself in the mirror to check if she was properly ready.


    "If Her Majesty gives birth to a Prince, then it might threaten the first Prince''s position as the next king of this kingdom," the servant replied.


    Lady risa smiled at her servant''s useless worry. "Don''t worry about it. In Megaris, the king''s eldest son is the one who always sits on the throne and this never changed. Her Majesty is a true Queen and she will follow the tradition of this kingdom. I am happy for her because she is a good woman and deserved to get this happiness of having a child. I can not forget the way she took care of me always and loves Keiren just as I do. More than her I am happy for his Majesty who must be the happiest person to know that he and his most loved wife is finally having a child."


    The servant felt surprised by her master''s thought and said, "You truly have a good heart, mydy."


    "Though I can never be a Queen, I will be a king''s mother."


    Lady risa knew even if her son became the king, her husband loved his first wife the most and she should not dream of bing a Queen. She had epted the reality long back which made her life easier, away from jealousy and hatred.


    "Now hurry up. I can''t wait to share the happiness of those two," Lady risa said as she was ready to leave.


    She reached the Queen''s residence along with her servants while carrying the various gifts for Esther.


    Esther''sdy-in-waiting, Lady Saira informed, "Your Majesty, Lady risa is here to visit you."


    Esther, who was standing by the window quietly since her husband left, nodded at what her servant said.


    Lady risa entered the Queen''s chamber, having a pleasant happy smile on her face.


    Esther suppressed her sad expressions and smiled lightly at Lady risa when she saw her.


    Lady risa bowed to her, "Congrattions, Your Majesty. I am happy to know that we will have one more child in our family."


    "Thank you, Lady risa," Esther replied.


    "These are the gifts I have prepared for you, Your Majesty, I believe they are up to your liking."


    Esther nodded while Lady Saira instructed other servants to carry the gifts and said, "Please have a seat, Lady risa."


    The Queen and the first concubine sat together as the servants served freshly brewed tea to them.


    "Your Majesty, it''s your first time having a baby. Just like me, you must be worried and anxious as well. If you need any help or wish to ask something, I am always here to help you," Lady risa offered, her words were sincere.


    "I will, Lady risa," Esther replied, pulling out a light smile.


    No one could guess what was in their Queen''s mind as she knew her duty as a Queen and never let her inner thoughts be seen by others.


    After chatting happily with the Queen, Lady risa excused herself, "Your Majesty, I will excuse myself so that you can rest."


    Esther agreed and Lady risa left. On the way back from Esther''s bedchamber, Lady risa looked at the King''s residence that was connected to the Queen''s residence. Even after staying in the pce for so long and even after giving birth to the King''s son, she had never been to the king''s residence even once.


    Other than the king''s mother and Queen Esther, no woman was allowed to go on that side.


    ''Today is the happiest day for His Majesty. I should congratte him personally. I am sure he won''t mind if I visited his residence today. I just wish to congratte him,'' Lady risa thought, ''I heard from the servant that he is still in his residence.''


    "You all wait here. I will return after visiting His Majesty," Lady risa informed her servants.


    Once Lady risa crossed the connecting passage of the King and the Queen''s residence, she saw the knight standing at the end of the corridor.


    He bowed to her, "Greetings, Lady risa."


    She epted it with a light nod and asked, "Where is His Majesty?"


    The knight was aware that no woman was allowed to be here except for certain two of them, and said, "Apologies, Lady risa, but I can not permit you to be here."


    "I know the rules, but I am here to congratte His Majesty on such a happiest asion for him. I am sure he would not mind today if I visited him. I will take responsibility. Rest assured."


    The knight could not say no to her as she was the King''s concubine. Though the king only loved the Queen, all had seen how well the King treated his concubine as well and she was even the mother of his first child.


    "His Majesty is in the study," the knight informed.


    Of course, Lady ris didn''t know the way to study. Her gaze passed across that long corridor to check.


    The knight was aware she didn''t know it and said, "Lady risa, the study is on the floor downstairs. The second door on the right." He gestured for her to show the way downstairs.


    "Thank you," she left to go to study.


    No one stopped her as they understood if the knight in the corridor didn''t stop her that means she was permitted to enter the residence. They only bowed to greet her as she found her way towards the study.


    She was surprised that there was no knight or any servant around the study room area but she didn''t mind it and walked ahead. Just as she reached the door of the study and was about to knock on the door with the help of a heavy circr metal ring attached to it, she heard the voices from inside the study and stopped.


    The door was notpletely closed, leaving a tiny crack that was enough for someone to peek inside.


    "Even if I ept that child as mine and raise him, it will never stop reminding me of my failure as a king. I can only ept him just because he was born from Esther''s body. I will ept him just because he is a part of her."


    That was King Theron''s voice.


    "Son, I know what happened was sad. But she is expecting a child. Though it is not yours, you should be by her side and take care of her. She needs you the most now."


    "Mother, I want to��I am not upset because it is not my child but��"


    ''Not�� his�� child,'' Lady risa got the shock of her life.


    She was so shocked that she stepped back as if she had heard something she should never have and didn''t listen to the rest of the conversation between the mother and son.


    She walked away from there in a hurry while her mind turned chaotic with so many thoughts, ''His Majesty loves her so much��How...How can she do this with His Majesty? I respected her and I was happy for her but��. How can she betray His Majesty and hurt him? She loved him then why did she��Was that all fake and did she only pretend it all to be a queen of this kingdom��.How much it must have hurt him��She��How can she��?''


    ====


    Dear readers, Those who have sent me their addresses, I have emailed them back to ask for a few more details rted to your address and your contact numbers. Kindly check your emails, Instagram and Facebook messager.

 Chapter 450 Insolent, Immoral Woman

    After visiting Esther, king Theron returned to his study and busied himself with work to get rid of any disturbing and hurting thoughts. After a while, a knight announced his mother''s arrival.


    The olderdy arrived to see his son.


    "Mother," he bowed to her.


    epting the greeting, she sat in a chair and Theron went to sit in the chair next to her.


    "Did you go see Esther?" she asked.


    He simply nodded.


    "I believe you were good to her," shemented.


    "Apologies for disappointing your mother." He epted that he was not good to her and the guilt was written on his face.


    "I know you are hurt and so is she. The situation she is in, you need to be good to her. You know you have to raise that child as your own."


    He simply nodded, "Even if I ept that child as mine and raise him, it will never stop reminding me of my failure as a king. I can only ept him just because he was born from Esther''s body. I will ept him just because he is a part of her."


    "Son, I know what happened was sad. But she is expecting a child. Though it is not yours, you should be by her side and take care of her. She needs you the most now."


    "Mother, I want to��I am not upset because it is not my child but��" he paused and his mother waited for him to talk.


    "Mother, even if I raise that child, one day when he will know he is not my son and how he was born. When he knows I am the king who saved this kingdom by sacrificing his mother, will he ever think of me as his father? If I am him, I will never forgive such a man."


    "You didn''t sacrifice her. It was her own decision."


    "But I can''t deny the fact that I was ipetent king. When I knew who and how she was, I should have stopped her from doing anything, instead of trusting that she will keep her promise and will wait for me."


    "Till how long are you going to me yourself? If you wish to make up for it, then be good to her. Be her strength when she is already going through a lot. When a woman should be happy with such news, she worries about how it would hurt you."


    He closed his eyes to calm himself and heard his mother, "Think about what I said, son. I know you still love her."


    "I will try, mother.


    ------


    Lady risa returned to the Vermilion Pce feeling shocked over what she had heard from the King and his mother. She found it impossible to imagine and the entire day was in the same shock.


    The same evening, King Theron sent a message to her.


    "My Lady, His Majesty wishes to have tea with you," her servant informed her.


    Hearing it, Lady risa felt shocked. Something like this had never happened before that the king would ever ask her on his own for the tea or to see him for any other reason.


    ''Is it because he knows his most loved wife had betrayed me? Is it because he doesn''t love her anymore and finally realized my value?'' A ray of hope appeared in her eyes thinking finally she had a chance to get affection and love from her husband.


    Lady risa, who had been quiet since she returned from the King''s residence, finally cheered up and looked at her servant, "Make me look prettier."


    The servant nodded and started helping her master.


    Lady risa reached the King''s residence where the king was waiting for her in his study.


    "Greetings, Your Majesty," she bowed.


    King Theron, who was sitting in his high backrest chair around the wooden centre table, gestured for her to sit on the chair next to him. He was never so sweet and affectionate to her so she didn''t feel surprised that he treated her the same. For now, being invited by him was more than enough for her.


    Happily, she sat in the chair as the servant brought tea for them. The servant was about to serve the tea, but Lady risa stopped him, "I will do it."


    Nodding, the servant left anddy risa poured the tea into the cup and offered it to her husband.


    King Theron epted it and continued sipping the tea as he didn''t say a word.


    Lady risa had the tea for herself and thought about how to start a conversation as this silence was making her nervous.


    "Ah, Your Majesty, apologies for beingte. Congrattions."


    "About what?" he simply asked as if he didn''t know what she meant.


    ''There is only one asion that everything is congratting him, still, he is asking why. Is it that he will not recognise that child as his own even if it''s not his? Did he realise she doesn''t; deserve his love?''


    "That��." she tried to speak but got interrupted by him, "My knight told me that you were here before."


    Hearing it she gulped, "I��Your Majesty, apologies for leaving without meeting you. I got to know mother is here so I left thinking not to disturb you two," she pulled out a guilty awkward smile, "It was my mistake ofing here unannounced."


    "Hmm," was his reaction.


    She waited for him to say something but he didn''t. Lady risa got a little confident that she thought it could be a chance to get closer to him and earn his trust.


    "Your Majesty, you don''t look happy about such news when the entire kingdom is celebrating it."


    "What is there to be happy about?" hemented coldly and continued sipping on tea.


    "True," she added.


    He looked at her questioningly which startled her.


    "I��mean��" she inhaled deeply and said, "Apologies, Your Majesty��But when you were talking to your mother, I heard something."


    King Theron was still calm and it boosted her moral thinking she was doing the right thing. Hearing what she said, he should have asked what she had heard and felt enraged about it but he was calm.


    "I know how much you loved Her but she broke your trust. It was fine if she could not be a mother. Wasn''t Keiren her son?" She waited for his reaction but it was still the same.


    She sipped her tea happily, "I am greatly disappointed that she went to another man and betrayed you, Your Majesty. When it hurt and disappointed me this much, I can understand your pain. Though that is not your child, you still have Keiren and we can have many more kids together. I assure you that I am loyal to my husband only. I wonder who that man must be, who she found better than you, Your Majesty and I wonder whose bastard child it must be. I never expected her to be like this. Such a woman doesn''t deserve your love and to be a Queen of this kingdom��Insolent...immoral woman ...."


    Smash!


    The entire wooden tray kept on the centre table, having a tea kettle and cups was smashed on the ground.


    Lady risa was shocked and looked at the King who was enraged and the next moment her neck was strangled in his strong''s hand''s firm grip.


    "Your Majesty��Ughh��App..lo..gies��"

 Chapter 451 You Can Never Be Like Her

    King Theron''s eyes were full of anger as he didn''t lose his grip on her neck as if to kill her by strangling her neck right there and then. Her back was pressed in the chair she was sitting in and his hand was tightening its grip on that delicate neck of her.


    Lady risa got the shock of her life. A while ago when she nced at her husband, he was calm as if she was saying the right thing but just in a moment, he turned into a devil from that calm and cold person.


    "Don''t you dare say a word about her." Finally, he spoke under his gritted teeth.


    "Cough!..Apo..lo��.Ughh.."


    He didn''t let her speak and strangled her neck even more harshly.


    "The selfish woman like you can never understand her who thinks of nothing but to be a queen of this Kingdom and protect it at all cost. You can not understand her at all and you can never be like her."


    Lady risa understood she had taken his silence as his approval and said what she should not have.


    "If you ever say a word about her and her child, if even a word gets out from what you heard from me and mother, I will make sure you and your son will never return to this kingdom."


    ''My son? Not our son?'' The pain she felt in her heart was stronger than the pain she was feeling due to suffocation.


    "If you ever say what you had said to me today and even a single word reached someone else, you will be held responsible and you and your son will pay for it, Lady risa."


    Lady risa? He was calling her just by her name since the day she had asked him to and now in a moment, everything changed. There was not a tinge of hesitation in his eyes when he again called Keiren as ''her son'' only. Tears appeared in her eyes as they rolled down.


    He loosened the grip of his hands but the anger in his eyes was still the same.


    Cough! Cough!


    He let go of her and walked away from her, facing his back at her as if he did not even wish to see her.


    "A-Apologies, Your Majesty...Cough.."


    "What I said just now, I mean it. You and your son both will pay for your mistakes," he said coldly not looking at her even once as if she was not worth his attention.


    "I won''t��."


    "Leave!" He ordered without letting her finish. He didn''t wish to hear anything from her as what she had said before had already disgusted him. He knew she would not dare say a word to anyone.


    Wiping her tears, Lady risa left the King''s study.


    ---------


    The Things continued to be the same as Theron was busy taking care of the kingdom and solving multiple issues after the disaster while Esther was now two months pregnant and was taking care of herself and her duties inside the pce.


    The previous King, King Estebsn''s health worsened in that month and everyone was worried about him.


    Esther went to the Crystal Pce to see him as her inws shifted back to their residence because King Esteban wished to spend hisst days in crystal pce.


    "Father," she bowed to him.


    The weak looking man who Esther had seen once as a powerful ruler of this kingdom was now lying in bed while waiting for hisst days.


    He looked at her with a light smile and raised his hand gesturing her toe closer.


    Her mother-inw asked her to go ahead.


    Esther did so and sat at the edge of the bed as she knew her father-inw wished to talk to her.


    She was embarrassed to face him after that night the curse was lifted from this kingdom but had toe to him before he won''t be in this world anymore.


    "My son is fortunate to have you."


    She heard a weak voice of a man in between his heavy and struggled breathing.


    "Father��.Apologies for bringing disaster to��."


    "You don''t need to��the disaster you call might be the start of something great. Nothing happens without a reason. You must have given us an opportunity to fulfil that cause��" the old man said.


    Esther was grateful that they understood her and were trying to understand the reason despite not knowing what the future held.


    "But, even after my death, I will always feel guilty for betraying my own son and letting his wife sacrifice," said the older man.


    "No father, as you said this was all meant to be. I am sure everything will be fine sooner orter," she assured.


    "I believe so," he agreed. "My son is prideful and has always been strict towards fulfilling his duty as a king towards this kingdom and his family, even if it might cost him his life. Because of this, he might not be easy with you, but trust me he still loves you the same."


    "I know, father," she said as tears rolled down her eyes. "Father, I amte, but can I help you��.."


    The older man shook his head, knowing what she meant. "It''s my time to go now. No use in prolonging this life when it''s filled with nothing but guilt. I believe in my next life if Ie across you and again there is a situation when you have to sacrifice yourself, I will protect you with my life. I owe you this life."


    "Father��You owe me nothing. I will always try to protect my people instead."


    He smiled, "I know you will. You have such a kind heart."


    After she spent some time with her father-inw, the servant announced the arrival of King Theron.


    "I will excuse myself," Esther stood up and went out of the bedchamber but happened toe across her husband who she had not seen for a month now. She lowered her head and stepped aside to let him go further.


    He walked a few steps further but stopped and said, "Wait for me to return to the ce," and left to go to his father''s bedchamber.


    Esther could not believe her ears. ''Did he just ask me to stay so we can return to the pce together?''

 Chapter 452 Another Tough Decision For The King

    When King Theron entered the chamber, he saw his weak-looking father lying on the bed. He had his eyes closed and only opened them when he heard the sound of the door opening.


    "Greetings, Father." He bowed to him.


    "Theron��" the older man weakly called out his son''s name, as if he was longing to see him.


    Knowing his father''s eyesight had already deteriorated to the point he could barely see, he went closer towards the bed.


    His father''s weak voice reached his ears., "My son��Forgive your father."


    King Theron felt sharp pain in his chest.


    The man he had always seen as the strongest pir of this kingdom and the man he always looked up to was now so frail and weak. As a son, his heart ached as he sat at the edge of the bed and held his father''s hand.


    Therge hand that used to be so strong and firm now felt light and feeble, as if it didn''t even have an ounce of energy to hold a spoon. King Theron caressed it and softly spoke, "Father, you don''t need to ask for forgiveness. In fact, I apologize for not being thepetent king that you hoped I would be."


    "You are�� a great king��" the old man responded despite having difficulties breathing. "Never look down�� on yourself�� It was difficult for you��but, I am proud of you, my son��"


    "Father��"


    "Your wife��?"


    King Theron slightly tightened his hold on the old man''s hand. "I know what you want to say, Father. Rest assured. I will fulfill the promise you have made that day. I will make that child the next king of this kingdom and will raise him as an Ivanov. I will honor my father''s words."


    "And�� Esther?"


    "Rest assured, Father."


    The older man smiled lightly, a hint of gratitude in his expression. " I can�� close my eyes�� peacefully..."


    After watching his father fall asleep, King Theron came out of his chamber with a solemn look. He found his wife talking to his mother in the drawing room.


    He bowed towards his mother. "We shall take our leave now."


    Great Lady Theodora didn''t try to make him stay longer. She knew her son was going through a lot of troubles rted to the aftereffects of the curse on the kingdom. Even though it''s been two months since then, the recovery of the Kingdom of Megaris was slow.


    After saying farewell to his mother, King Theron merely looked at Esther and turned to leave. She understood the meaning of his gaze and left after excusing herself from her mother-inw.


    ------


    When they reached the side of theke where their boats were docked, King Theron offered Esther his hand to assist her in getting into his boat. The onlookers were unaware of the situation of the royal family, and found nothing wrong with the King''s sweet behavior.


    Since they saw that the Queen went with the King in his boat, her own servants stayed back and let their Queen go. They would return to the pce proper separately.


    However, none of them guessed the ufortable atmosphere within the boat of the King. The husband and wife were sitting facing each other, but none of them were speaking a single word. There was silence for a long time, and only the sound of the boatman rowing the water could be heard.


    King Theron was staring at the surface of theke with an expressionless face, while Esther sat with her head lowered, her hands lightly gripping at her skirt.


    Esther didn''t know what to feel. Sitting together with the husband she missed for so long, her heart felt indescribably warm, yet she also felt unfamiliar awkwardness in this situation. She felt nervous and hopeful and a little bittersweet about how things turned out this way between them.


    As he had finally taken the initiative and asked her toe with him, she decided to start a conversation with him. "I heard there is still a scarcity of food in the kingdom."


    King Theron looked at her. His dark eyes met her gaze. She couldn''t read the emotions behind them. "Because of that curse, all the crops were destroyed, while those harvested and kept in storage rotted. What we had ordered from outside the kingdoms is still not enough."


    Esther pondered. "It''s also impossible to try to grow crops now. They won''t grow since it will be winter soon. Have you already thought of a solution?"


    His gaze didn''t waver from her. "We will find a way."


    She nodded, feeling d that they were finally talking. It was short and t, but it was better than nothing. King Theron turned his gaze away from her and continued to look at the water of theke.


    When they reached the gazebo at the other side of theke, King Theron helped Esther once again, offering her his hand as she stepped out of the boat. He even took her back to her residence in his carriage before heading towards the Grand Pce.


    He said no sweet words. He didn''t even speak at all, but his actions were enough for her to know that he still cared for her. She could still feel the lingering warmth of his hand on her palm. They might not be close like before, but she knew there was hope to somehow turn things for the better.


    Little did she know that once again difficulties were heading her husband''s way.


    -----


    After visiting his parents'' first thing in the morning, King Theron went to the Grand Pce to meet with the royal court. Although the day had barely started, one could see the traces of worry and exhaustion on his handsome face.


    At the arrival of the King, all the ministers rose from their seats to greet him. Soon after, the royal court session started with the most difficult thing the kingdom was facing at the moment��the scarcity of the food.


    "Your Majesty, this is the current status of this item on the agenda. At the current consumption, the supply of food we have imported from other kingdoms will not be enough tost us for this month. The royal treasury is nearly empty because we already bought food at a higher price than standard. Even if we have funds to buy more grain, no kingdom is willing to give as there is a limit to what they can give. They also need to keep food in preparation for winter and have to look after the needs of their own kingdoms."


    "Your Majesty, this is the reported number of people who starved to death in each of the territories. Although there was a decline in numbers because we opened the royal treasury, it will not be sustainable in the long run, especially since the supply of food is not enough."


    King Theron turned to another official. "Minister of Foreign Affairs, what happened to your visit to Griven?"


    "To answer Your Majesty, the negotiations failed. The gue in the south also spread to the borders of Griven, and although the gue was resolved, the borders between the kingdoms were still closed and they refused to open it and ept open trade with Megaris. They were afraid that if they opened it, the refugees from Megaris woulde flocking in and the gue would return."


    "What of the others?"


    "None of the nearby kingdoms have epted our request now."


    A heavy silence filled the throne hall.


    One minister sighed. "It''s the entire kingdom we need to provide with food and not just a few families. What we need is to import food in massive amounts. I cannot think of another way."


    "People from all over the kingdom are gathering in the capital expecting their king to provide them something but��"


    "Even the grains in our own residences and in the pce are in short supply. Maybe in a month or two, we would be like those people struggling to have a full meal."


    "What terrible timing. Thends are recovering, but autumn is ending soon and no crops will grow in winter soil. Though we are doing our best to make it possible, farmers can''t work with empty stomachs."


    "As of now, we are purely relying on the fish and other seafood caught from the rivers and the coastline territories, but the territory lords of those areas say the yield was less than expected. The poption of fishes seemed to have been less than a third of its original number due to the drought. The whirlpools also destroyed their natural habitat and many fishermen returned with no catch for days now."


    "s! From the batch of supplies they delivered yesterday, they might be enough to feed the original residents of the capital for several weeks��but as for those refugees entering the ckhelm as well as the towns and viges in the west and south��not enough��"


    It was not like King Theron was not aware of those issues, but it seemed impossible for the Kingdom of Megaris to solve this scarcity of food on its own. What he needed was enough food to feed millions of his subjects.


    Just then, one minister opened his mouth, "Your Majesty�� do you remember Marquis Edin of Hatha?" Hearing no response from the King, the minister continued, "I am yet to send the letter of rejection to the proposal the Marquis made."


    Some ministers remembered the proposal that was sent about a month ago. "Yes, Your Majesty. Hatha is in the central area of the continent and although it pales whenpared with the wealth of Abetha, they are capable of sending food to us in bulk since they have been preparing supplies for years in their war against Abetha. If you marry the daughter of Marquis Edin, he promised to supply us grains until the end of winter as he is the Minister of Commerce of Hatha and has a pact with various merchants from the western side of the continent. He also put forth the condition that if we are even willing to supply him soldiers to help fend off Abetha, he would also give us a loan with low interest in order to augment the expenses taken from the royal treasury."


    With this, the entire court became more lively and started to sing the same tune. King Theron had no other option. Growing crops and trying to undo the effects of the curse on thend were beyond his means. It would be toote to merely starve, waiting for the next harvest.


    King Theron knew that even within the royal pce, the supplies of food were starting tock. Prior to this, the dining table of the royal family would have as many as ten courses in a single meal on an ordinary day. However, didn''t he have only three courses this morning, with the portion almost a half of the original? Even the servants were starting to voice out how their families outside the pce were starving, and soon it would reach his own family.


    ''My family!''


    Just like everyone, the Ivanov Family would starve. His son, who was not even a year old yet, and his wife, who needed the most care at this moment.


    He could not let his people starve. He could not let his family starve.


    "Send the Marquis a message that the King of Megaris epts his proposal."


    With this, the sadness and worry on everyone''s faces disappeared, and they praised the decision of their wise king.


    King Theron watched the relief of the royal court without a single change in his expression. No one knew what he was feeling at this moment and no one could guess what was on his mind.

 Chapter 453 Let Him Fulfil His Duty As A King

    Dear readers, In this chapter the ck Dragon I mentioned is the Male lead of the second novel of the "Devil and Witch series". I have recently uploaded it on Webnovel. (Title- Devil''s Cursed Witch). Also, the Wood Elves that I mentioned here are part of the second novel as well and you will see them there.


    1st book - "Witch''s Daughter And The Devil''s Son"


    2nd book- "The Devil''s Cursed Witch"


    -------


    A delegation was dispatched to Hatha, carrying the official document bearing the seal of the King of Megaris, containing the decree saying that King Theron was epting the daughter of Marquis Edin as his second concubine.


    In exchange for that, the Marquis of Hatha would provide food supply to Megaris throughout the winter. Megaris also epted the condition of a loan in exchange for providing military support to Hatha in the course of the war between Hatha and Thevailes.


    With Thevailes failing to expandnd on their eastern borders due to Megaris, they now aimed their swords towards the small kingdom that shared their border in the South, the Kingdom of Hatha. From the intelligence that spies gathered, it appeared that the Kingdoms of Abetha and Griven were already helping Hatha, and if they also get the support from Thevailes''s strongest enemy, Hatha sessfully defending their kingdom would not be an impossible feat.


    The news that the King of Megaris was epting another concubine spread all over the royal pce, and Esther was not an exception to it.


    "Your Eminence, His Majesty agreed to the proposal from Hatha," Lady Tyra informed with a worried expression.


    "I know," Esther, who was sitting in her chair calmly, replied. "It is a good decision as a king."


    "Your Eminence��" Lady Tyra stopped her words, lowering her gaze as if trying to gather her thoughts.


    Esther calmly looked at her. "Say it."


    "Your Eminence, I-I am not sure if it''s true or just what is recorded in books�� but I remember the existence of long-eared beings that have the ability to help thend recover faster and even make nts bear yield overnight."


    Lady Tyra lifted her gaze to check Esther''s expression.


    "From the records, wood elves can turn a barrennd into a fertile one with their powers. Seeds could be saplings with a wave of their hands, and they could talk to trees and make them bear fruit overnight.."


    "What are you implying, Tyra?"


    "From what I heard, after that disaster centuries ago, many of the races had hidden themselves from the humans of the continent and their existence became simply characters from folklore. Nobody had seen them for a long time. But that isn''t the case with Your Eminence. These beings were people who you have interacted with. I believe you are aware they still exist and where they are residing."


    "Wood elves��" Esther murmured as she stared at empty space. "It had been a century since Ist saw one. Everything you said is true. After the cruel massacre that proved it was impossible for those races to coexist with humans, the elves had retreated in seclusion under the protection of a supreme being."


    "That supreme being��are you referring to the ck Dragon?"


    "Hmm," Esther nodded, "and that ck dragon is the one the Ivanovs worship."


    Lady Tyra''s eyes sparkled with expectation. "Then, Your Eminence, since the royal family worships him and the Wood Elves are under his protection, they will not reject us if we ask this favor from them. It will help solve the scarcity of food Megaris is facing at the moment, and of course the kingdom will pay the debt of gratitude as soon as we recover enough to stand on our feet! Your Eminence, if youmunicate with them, this will resolve the issue without His Majesty having to marry��"


    The Queen raised a hand, interrupting Lady Tyra. She remained calm andposed, not being tempted by what the older woman said. "I understand what you are saying Tyra, but I cannot do it. In fact, I don''t want to do it."


    "Why, Your Eminence? His Majesty has to marry another��"


    "What do you think will happen if I intervene in his duties again?"


    Lady Tyra closed her mouth.


    Esther let out a bitter smile. "If I tell Theron I have a way to resolve the food scarcity problem, but you don''t need to do anything because the ck Dragon would not even give an audience to a human, much less negotiate with him even if he''s an Ivanov.


    "What do you think he will feel, Tyra?


    "It hasn''t been long since I made a decision for him, and now, I''m tearing open the wound that hasn''t healed yet and pouring salt by taking over his duties once more.


    "Wouldn''t that strengthen his belief that he''s a good-for-nothing king?"


    Lady Tyra was someone who treated King Theron as her own son. She watched him grow up and understood his temper very well. That was why she could not contradict the things that Esther was saying. She knew deep in her bones that the young king would truly feel that way.


    Esther sighed, "I don''t wish to hurt him again. I know it''s not easy for him to marry some other woman even though we are not close like before. He is simply trying to fulfil his duty of protecting his kingdom using his own means.


    "It is not a perfect solution but it is a human solution, and this time I don''t want to be a hurdle to stop him."


    "But Your Eminence��"


    "Do you know, Tyra? If the punishment for taking the alternative route of the Devil''s curse was merely death, I would have let Theron decide and ept his decision like a faithful wife. He''s a human being and all I needed to do was wait for his soul to reincarnate and meet with him in his next life. But I had to intervene because I didn''t want Theron to suffer eternal damnation, never to reincarnate, to forever wander in ''his'' realm.


    "But this time, isn''t it just marrying another woman? There is no threat to his life and no threat to his soul. It will be selfish for me to stop that. I don''t want my selfishness to be a reason to stop him from fulfilling his duty."


    Lady Tyra studied the calm expression of the Queen. "What if we do not tell His Majesty anything? What he does not know will not hurt him��"


    "My husband is not stupid. He will know I have done something," Esther interrupted her, "because he knows who I really am."


    Lady Tyra''s eyes widened "His Majesty knows? Since when? Did you tell him, Your Eminence?"


    Esther shook her head, a proud smile curving her lips. "My husband is a smart person. It''s not easy to hide anything from him."


    "W-What did he say?"


    "Is there a need to say anything?. He simply loved me in his own way, epting me unconditionally."


    "So the King knows your identity, and Your Eminence knows that he knows, but neither of you talked about it?" Lady Tyra turned curious as she knew Esther was never careless. "It may sound strange, but you two really are a perfect pair for each other."


    That statement made Esther chuckle. "I realized it one time when I caught him staring at the mark at the back of my neck, which was something only those with magic could sense. He thought he was discreet but whenever we were close, he used to touch that mark out of curiosity, thinking that I would not notice. I think after sharing my soul with him, he must have started sensing the power around me just like you."


    Lady Tyra did not know what to say. After all, there had never been a record of such an urrence in the history of their kind.


    "I know what you are thinking, and to answer all your questions, didn''t we live peacefully as husband and wife before the supernatural phenomena started and broke the harmonious life we''re having? Theron, he loved me more than anything. What kind of wife am I to act on my own righteousness, causing him to be hurt again and again? Even if it''s wrong, even if it''s madness, I will wholeheartedly respect his decisions. Let him fulfil his responsibility."


    "Then, we can inform him that such an option is avable and let His Majesty decide if he wants to enlist the help of the Wood Elves," Lady Tyra said with a hopeful expression.


    "Tyra, you know in the world of supernaturals, if someone helps you, there is always a price to pay, a price that is more often than not too much to ask of a weak mortal. I prefer Theron to solve this problem in a humane way. I cannot let him owe a debt to any supernaturals. It''s enough. Let him stay as far away as possible from the rest of our kind and our part of the world. Having me alone by his side has caused him enough damage."


    The Queen was right. Finding no fault with what Esther said, Lady Tyra could only quietly sigh.

 Chapter 454 Pretty, Even With The Big Belly

    With the proposal epted, the delegation from Hatha bringing the first batch of food supply soon reached the capital city of Megaris. The head of the delegation was a pretty young woman that gave off the manner of a quiet and virtuous nobledy. It was Lady Yahvi of the House of Edin, the first daughter of the Minister of Commerce serving the Kingdom of Hatha.


    Shortly after she entered the royal pce, a small private wedding ceremony was held between King Theron and Lady Yahvi.


    On the night of the wedding, King Theron was forced by tradition to visit his new bride. The already drunk king went to the Vermillion Pce with only Sir Galien to escort him to the entrance.


    Entering the chamber of his second concubine, he had a strange feeling of ipatibility. It was a different chamber, yet when he saw her sitting at the edge of the bed in that well-decorated chamber, waiting for his arrival, he remembered that night he married Lady risa. A bitter feeling erupted within his chest.


    King Theron closed the door but instead of going to her, he went towards the table where celebratory wine and fruits were ced. His sight was only fixed on the bottle of the liquor at the centre. He took it and sat on the chair leisurely.


    "I should be a good husband to you, but I am afraid I cannot consummate this marriage."


    The bride, Lady Yahvi, heard the King of Megaris say something any bride should not hear on her wedding night. She only looked at him in disbelief. During the wedding ceremony, not even once did he look at her but she thought it was because this was a political marriage. Not showing affection towards a woman who''s aplete stranger was understandable.


    But to deny the needs of the flesh? Like any other youngdy raised by a noble family, Lady Yahvi was confident with her appearance. In fact, she thought it natural that ady of her pedigree could only be wedded to a duke or a king. That was why she epted her fate when her father ordered her to join the royal harem of the current King of Megaris.


    Of course, beforeing here, Lady Yahvi already ordered her subordinates to investigate the situation of the kingdom and the royal family, thus she had an idea of what to expect in the future.


    Only now on her wedding night did she realize the rumours she heard were the truth.


    The King of Megaris loved only the Queen, his first wife, and he never spared a single nce to any other beauties. Even the First Concubine was nothing but a tool to produce an heir for the throne.


    She heard the handsome young man continue speaking at a leisurely pace, "This is a transaction between your father, Marquis Edin, and I, and we have both fulfilled our obligations written in the contract. Lady Yahvi, the royal family will not mistreat you. You will be provided with everything you need, and if you need more, you just have to ask. You are free to do anything that will not sully the name of the Ivanov Family. That is all I ask."


    His words were cruel to her but she calmed herself and asked, "May I know if Ick��"


    His chuckle interrupted her and heard hisnguid voice say, "Not you, mydy, but it is I. Ick as a husband. It has nothing to do with you. If you ever need anything, you can always ask for it, everything except asking me to do the duties of a husband with you."


    She had nothing to say and there was nothing she could do. Although this was a political marriage, to be not acknowledged by her husband made her feel hurt and bitter. It was a strange feeling since she also told herself to have no expectations since she''s marrying a man as his third wife.


    "You must be tired. Sleep."


    "Your Majesty will not rest?"


    "I am fine, Lady Yahvi," he said, sounding distant and polite, and continued drinking while sitting idly in the chair. This time, King Theron did not have an obligation to produce an heir, nor was this a requirement to fulfil the wish of his beloved. In the first ce, if it was not for Esther''s sake, he would have never even thought of having an heir. He had manypetent brothers and nephews who could be made Crown Prince.


    He was only in this chamber to protect his concubine''s honour. He could do at least this much for her. If he did note or stay for some time, she would have been the core of pce gossip. He didn''t wish an innocent woman to suffer due to his own issues.


    When Lady Yahvi woke up by dawn, the King was already gone. By now, she understood her fate that her husband would never love her, and her marriage was something that was only real on paper. However, it made her smile. It wasn''t such a bad future, living a carefree lifestyle without worrying about politics or producing a child.


    Though, it made her curious. She could not wait to see this particr Queen who held so much power over her husband that he saw no one but her.


    ---------


    The days and months swiftly passed by. With the harsh winter gone and the kingdom fully experiencing the beauty of spring, Esther''s belly continued to grow at a noticeable rate.


    Meanwhile, the face of King Theron was barely seen by the people of the pce.


    Most of the time, he wasn''t even in the City of ckhelm. He used this chance to visit and inspect the various territories in the kingdom to personally see the development of the affected areas.


    The young king became extremely busy setting up his kingdom back on track, paving way for it to resume its previous glory, but it was not something that will finish in a matter of months. Fortunately, things were moving in a favourable direction.


    During these busy months, sudden news struck Megaris. The former King, Esteban Ivanov, passed away, which left the kingdom mourning for a month.


    Due to all this, no one ever questioned why King Theron didn''t go to his wife often. People apuded and were somehow sorry how their king felt responsible towards his kingdom and neglected his expecting wife. However, the result of his efforts was showing up and everyone felt gratitude towards their king. Historians and schrs were even hailing him as the Wise King of Megaris, the best king the kingdom had ever had aside from the founding king. While all the descendants of Ivanov started their rule with a golden spoon in their mouths, King Theron rebuilt everything from the ground up. He basically performed a miracle of his own.


    The King and Queen of Megaris saw each other for the first time in a while thanks to Great Lady Theodora''s invitation. The previous queen called for them to the Crystal Pce as she wanted to celebrate the birthday of her dead husband with her family.


    At that point, Esther was heavy with the child, expecting to give birth within the next few weeks. Normally, the royal physician would advise her to remain in her residence and not move about, but thanks to her non-human constitution, she was not as delicate as human females and had no problems following her routine as Queen.


    When Esther reached theke gazebo, she found King Theron''s carriage by thekeside. She found his tall figure standing inside the gazebo, seemingly about to ride his boat.


    Hearing the sound of people approaching, King Theron turned to look at her, his gaze widening a bit after not seeing her for months. Her long honey blond hair was pulled up in a bun, causing her to look more mature, and under the sunlight, her fairplexion looked flushed pink, causing him to forget how to breathe. Her belly was round and big, but he found her more beautiful in his eyes.


    There were moments when he thought Esther should not go through the pain of giving birth when he had heard the loud cries of Lady risa while giving birth. Though it was a joyous asion, at that moment he felt d that it was not Esther who was in pain and he didn''t mind if they could not have a child but��but she would go through that pain soon. He could not imagine her in pain but there was nothing he could do.

 Chapter 455 His Care For Her

    Theron walked towards her who simply looked at him as she was the same as him seeing him after so long. He was busy all these months while taking care of the various issues in the kingdom and personally visiting all the ces and he hardly stayed in the pce. Just in a few months he looked changed or it was just the fault in her sight or it was because she was seeing him after so long. He was as handsome as before but looked more mature. Seemed the like responsibilities had made him look like that.


    Seeing his pregnant wife, King Theron went to her to help get to the boat and then help her sit. He offered her his hand and she epted it. After so long the servant could see their King and Queen together and such an act of affection from him made them realize that their King loved their Queen still the same despite not seeing each other for so long.


    As they walked to descend the stairs of the gazebo to reach the deck where boats were tied, Lady ris and Lady Yahvi reached there as well. They were also the daughters-inw of the Previous King and the Queen so it was a given that they were invited to the Crystal Pce as well. The little Prince Keiren was there too as he was the grandson of the older couple''s family.


    The two concubines saw their husband escorting his first wife with so much care and didn''t even spare a nce to anyone as if no one but her exists in his world. Lady risa could not help but feel bitter seeing that though his first wife betrayed him, he still cared for her and when she was loyal to him and thought about no one but him, he didn''t even consider her presence around.


    Lady Yahvi didn''t react at all as on their wedding night, King Theron had cleared her of everything that they were husband and wife only in name. Still, she could not help but feel a little hurt.


    Holding her one hand gently and circling his other hand around her to hold her steady, he helped her descend the stairs. Though he said no words, his actions were enough for Esther to understand his care and love towards her.


    As they reached that small deck, King Theron instructed his servants, "Hold it steady."


    The servants held the boat steady so it would not move even a little when their pregnant queen would try to get into the boat.


    "Be careful," King Theron said to her as he held her hand with a firm grip.


    He helped get into his boatfortably though there was another boat prepared for the Queen. Other than her, no one had ever got the privilege of sitting in the King''s boat.


    King Theron helped her sit while he sat next to her this time instead of sitting opposite to her. He circled his hand around her shoulder to hold her as the boat started to move. He was treating her like something so delicate and can not bear even the slightest shock.


    A pleasant smile painted on Esther''s lips as she could not help but feel overwhelmed with his care.


    They reached the Crystal Pce where he did the same and entered the residence together with Esther. Seeing them together and Theron taking care of Esther as he was walking holding her hand, the previous Queen could not help but feel happy about it.


    Lady risa and Lady Yahvi arrived there as well along with Prince Keiren.


    Everyone was guided towards the chamber where the altar was prepared in front ofte King Esterban''s memorial. They all paid respect to him by bowing and offering the liquor.


    Once it was done, they returned to the drawing room. They all looked like one family as the two concubines didn''t show any displeasure on their faces. Little Keiren was being pampered by everyone along with the Queen and the King.


    Lady risa was relieved that though the King had once threatened her and called Keiren as her son only, his love towards their son was still the same. He held his son in his arms and showed the love and care of a father to him.


    On the other hand, Lady Yahvi thought if she would have kids with her husband and if he would love them the same. It''s been so many months and after their wedding night, the King had never visited her. Having kids with him seemed like nothing but her wishful thinking. Though she had epted her fate, she could not stop feeling attracted towards him and expecting something from him.


    That handsome man seemed even attractive when he was distant and aloof to her and she could not help but want to reach out to him. When she saw Esther smiling at him, though they didn''t say anything, she felt envious seeing the way how affectionately their husband looked at her. All his love was only for her- his first wife.


    When this generation was busy together, the previous Queen who was observing them from a distance talked to Lady Tyra, "I am d to see that Theron still loves and cares for her the same."


    "His Majesty sure does but he just doesn''t show it like before," Lady Tyra agreed and continued, "Few months back when our kingdom was suffering from the scarcity of food and His Majesty had yet to decide on eptingdy Yahvi, he once asked to see me in his study. He was worried about Her Majesty and more so because she as expecting the child."


    The olderdy looked at her to know more. Lady Tyra remembered what happened exactly that day.


    Almost seven months back Lady Tyra was instructed to visit the king in his study. As no woman other than the King''s mother and first wife was allowed to enter the king''s residence, it was surprising for Lady Tyra that what happened suddenly for the king to break this rule.


    She went to the King''s study where the King was busy dealing with the endless issues in the kingdom but still among those issues, he never forgot about one person dear to him. His first wife.


    "Your Majesty, did you ask for me?" Lady Tyra asked as she bowed to him.


    "Hmm," he nodded and looked at her. "Lady Tyra, you must be aware of the situation in the kingdom and even in the pce."


    "Yes, Your Majesty."


    "There is a scarcity of food and we will take care of it soon but you have to look after Esther. She is the kind of person who will starve herself for others. But the situation she is in, it''s not good for her and the child inside her."


    "You are right, Your Majesty."


    "Till the issue is solved, make sure to have enough food for her and whatever she likes," he said and signalled her to look at one wooden box that was easy to carry by a single person. "In that box, there are some precious herbs that I have asked from Griven. It will help to nourish her and the baby. You can take it with you and give it to her."


    "Yes, Your Majesty."


    Lady Tyra got the box and bowed to the king, "I will take a leave then."


    He nodded but before she could leave, he spoke, "No need to tell her who has sent these herbs."


    "Understood, Your Majesty."


    When the olderdy heard it, she smiled, "My son��he acts tough but his heart is kinder than even mine can be."

 Chapter 456 ‘A Son…She Gave Birth To A Son…’

    The atmosphere within the Royal Pce of Megaris was especially restless, the air thick with expectations and excitement.


    Queen Esther Ivanov was giving birth to the second royal heir!


    Since early in the morning, her servants were busy running about her residence. The royal physicians were going in and out of her chamber, causing even Great Lady Theodora to feel nervous at the sight of them. The previous queen arrived at the Queen''s pce as soon as she received the news, and she had been waiting outside her chamber for hours.


    King Theron also suspended the morning session with the royal court at the Grand Pce, wanting to stay together with his mother to wait outside the Queen''s chamber, but as his presence made the physicians and servants more nervous, Great Lady Theodora told him to stay put and wait in his residence.


    It was noontime, yet there was no news of the royal prince or princess is being born. Esther had been sufferingbor pains for almost half a day, but the royal midwife was yet to see even the head of the King''s heir.


    Meanwhile, King Theron was restlessly walking here and there inside his chamber while waiting to hear news about his wife. He had repeatedly pestered his knight, Sir Galien, as well as his aides to check on the situation on the other side of the connecting bridge.


    ''Why is it taking so long?''


    It was unbearable for him to think Esther was going through pain for hours. When Lady risa was giving birth to Prince Keiren, it didn''t take this long, probably less than two hours, yet this time the wait was thrice as long and Esther was still suffering.


    Unable to stand it anymore, King Theron left his residence and found his mother just leaving Esther''s bedchamber.


    The previous queen had gone to check on her daughter-inw who was lying in her bed while suffering with the pain. The royal midwife wasforting her with words, urging her to breathe and push, while her servants were wiping the Queen''s sweat with a soft cloth with Lady Tyra holding her hand tofort her.


    "Mother, how is Esther? Is she fine?" he asked worriedly.


    "Why are you back here? Did I not tell you to wait? Esther is fine. It is normal for some women to take a long time to give birth, especially if it''s their first child. You must calm yourself, Theron. The midwife is skilled and the physicians assure that everything is going ordingly," the olderdy replied, sounding annoyed. Truth be told, she felt d that her son was worried about Esther and was looking forward to the birth of the child.


    The afternoon rolled in, and King Theron had put all his work for the day aside and stayed outside the door, even to the point of skipping his meals. Until his wife was relieved of pain, he refused to leave.


    However, even when the sun had set and evening came, all he could hear from the other side of the door was Esther''s painful cries instead of the baby''s crying.


    The olderdy nced at her son, who refused to eat even after he came to apany her in the dining hall after she threatened him to join him in his vigil. Thanks to her action, the King relented and the nervous mood of the servants and the physicians serving the Queen lightened a bit. Being red at by the King all those hours was no joke, and they nearly suffocated to death, fearing that the King would unreasonably me them for the Queen''s suffering.


    "Theron, starving yourself won''t relieve her of pain. Take at least a bite of bread."


    "I don''t feel like eating anything, mother," he replied, continuing to stare at the door of the dining hall, as if his gaze could pierce and see what''s happening outside. "When will this be over?" he asked.


    "The midwife says they are expecting the baby to be delivered soon," she replied.


    "I have been getting the same answers since the morning. If this midwife doesn''t know what to do, we can ask for other midwives��"


    "Oh, shush! I know the wait is stifling, but they are trying their best. Everyone looks forward to Esther sessfully giving birth, but it''s not in their hands. They can''t force the baby out. Esther and the baby have to endure this trial on their own. Esther is a strong woman and her body is healthy so there is no need to worry. She is strong enough to handle this birth."


    "Can''t she just use her power to get the baby out?" he asked, though he knew he was being impatient and silly.


    Great Lady Theodora chuckled. "If it was possible, then she would have done so in the first ce. No sane woman would want to ever endure this kind of pain for no reason. Be patient."


    He only sighed and continued to refuse to eat. Afterwards, he returned to standing outside Esther''s bedchamber, causing the already nervous servants and physicians assisting to be more flustered by his presence once more. His mother had to force him back to his own residence.


    Finally, at the strike of midnight, there was the sound of a baby crying. After what felt like an eternity to everyone, the second prince of Megaris was finally born.


    That was the child of the Devil, an existence who could not be easily born into this world. No ordinary woman could ever bear his child, thus sessfully giving birth was out of the question.


    Only Esther, another unique supreme existence, could be his child''s mother.


    "Your Majesty!" King Theron''s personal servant went running to inform him. "Your Majesty! The Queen gave birth to a son! A son! Congrattions on having a little prince!"


    His servant did not even get to see his facial expression as the King hurried out of his chamber to go and see Esther. At this moment, all he cared about was her.


    "Waaaah! Waaaaah!"


    But before he could even reach the Queen''s chamber, his ears already caught the loud crying sound of a healthy baby, and his footsteps slowed until he came to a stop.


    Standing outside the door of the Queen''s chamber, he could hear neither Esther''s voice nor the noise of the people around him. He could only hear the sound of the crying baby.


    ''A son��She gave birth to a son��''

 Chapter 457 Kind Like Mother And Wonderful Like Father

    King Theron never cared about the Devil''s child. In his head, that child was a fuzzy concept that symbolized the price his wife had paid for the kingdom. He hated what it represented.


    However, actually hearing it cry touched his heart. That it was a miracle of a new life, a blessing that was worth rejoicing, a tiny being that was everything pure and innocent in this world.


    He felt the same as when Kieren was born, and he found the feeling ipatible with the thoughts he had in his head. Could he truly ept Esther''s son as his own? Could he truly treat him as a son in his heart or just for the sake of him being Esther''s child?


    When he entered the Queen''s chamber, they had already ced Esther on a clean bed and the baby had turned calm, covered in a bundle of cloth in the arms of Lady Tyra.


    Esther lookedpletely exhausted, appearing as if she had fallen asleep, but when King Theron approached her, her eyes opened as if she was waiting for someone and that the one she was waiting for had arrived.


    "Theron��" she called out with a small smile.


    With slow steps, he walked towards her, his gaze not moving away from her even for a moment. Her face was pale and her body limp, looking like she had no strength left in her body. He held her hand as he sat at the edge of the bed.


    As they didn''t talk much since that incident, even now he felt short for words. He didn''t know how to express his care for her, other than squeezing her hand. If that incident had not happened and that child was born out of their love, he would probably be the happiest man in the world.


    There was a pain and regret as well as love for her in his heart which were all tangled up together, not letting him say anything.


    Esther simply looked at him with a tired gaze and answered his unspoken question, "I am fine."


    She could somehow understand his situation. The fact that he came to her was more than enough for her. All she wanted was to see him after these long painfully exhausting hours. Seeing him made her feel like the suffering she experienced was worth it.


    Her husband nodded lightly and continued holding her hand while caressing it gently.


    Lady Tyra and the previous queen were initially busy paying attention to the little prince who was having a nap after being calm when they noticed the sweet moment between Theron and Esther. Witnessing the pair of husband and wife, the two older women were relieved, as they had been worried about how the King would treat Esther given the circumstances. The other irrelevant people retreated from the Queen''s chamber at the gesture of the Great Lady.


    Great Lady Theodora carried the baby towards her son, hoping that upon seeing this newborn, his heart would also soften enough to make him feel that he was the father though this child didn''t carry his blood.


    "Theron, won''t you see the little prince?" the olderdy asked.


    King Theron flinched at the voice of his mother, feeling conflicted inside, but Esther squeezed his hand as if to urge him. He nodded with a hesitant look and the olderdy handed over the baby to King Theron.


    ''Warm.''


    That was the first thing he noticed about the small body wrapped up in cloth. The baby in his arms was peacefully asleep, his face a reflection of everything innocent and fragile in the world.


    Such a tiny life, how could he even hate it?


    This infant was the son of the woman he loved and found him as precious as his mother, but at the same time, it was the truth that this child would always remind him of his failure as a king and a husband.


    "I hope he grows up kind like his mother," King Theronmented.


    "And wonderful like his father," Great Lady Theodora said, implying that he would be the father of this child.


    King Theron raised his head due to his mother''s words, but the Great Lady met his gaze as if to say she said nothing wrong. When he turned, he found his wife also staring at him with a gaze that made him somehow ufortable.


    Esther wanted to smile, seeing how his husband was reacting. All her worries melted the moment she saw him hold the baby with a soft expression on his face. No matter what the circumstances were, these two people in front of her were the most precious people in her life. Seeing them together was such a beautiful sight, it brought tears to her eyes. It was part relief to know he was looking at the baby with care and affection, and part happiness because she knew that the future seemed hopeful for their family.


    "We should let Esther rest," the olderdy suggested.


    Though King Theron was worried and wished to stay by her side to make sure she was fine, he agreed to what his mother said.


    He handed over the little prince back to Lady Tyra and stood up. "Rest well," was all he said to her and left.


    The news of the Queen giving birth to a prince quickly spread within the royal pce, and even beyond the pce walls. The people were joyful hearing the birth of another prince, everyone but one person.


    Lady risa, the First Concubine.


    She was aware that the newborn prince was not King Theron''s son, but she could not say it to anyone. Her husband was ready to ept that child as his own, and she had to keep her mouth shut for the sake of her own son.


    Call it a mother''s instinct, but Lady risa could not help but worry��worry that the son of the Queen would be an obstruction to the beautiful future of her Little Keiran.

 Chapter 458 Baby With Red Eyes

    When the baby started to open his eyes, Esther was in bed, resting with the newborn prince in her arms.


    Beautiful eyes as red as rubies.


    As the one holding him, she was first to notice that his eyes were red, causing her breaths to turn shallow. But she wasn''t alone in the room. There was the midwife, the royal physicians and the newly assigned nanny waiting by her side.


    Gasps could be heard within the Queen''s chamber.


    ''I should have expected this.''


    To Esther, those were the prettiest eyes of a baby she had ever seen. She knew the reason why his eyes were red, and it was because he took after his biological father. Now that she studied her son, she realized that those tiny tufts of soft hair on his head were too dark to be brown. It wasn''t quite obvious yet because he''s covered in cloth right now, but his hair was jet ck, different from Esther and Theron''s. She had honey blond hair while Theron, like all the direct descendants of the Ivanov bloodline, had greyish brown hair.


    Gossip was quick to spread within the pce.


    As the Second Prince was the King and Queen''s son, no one dared say anything on their faces but behind their backs, people talked about the peculiarities of the Second Prince.


    ''Why does he have red eyes when none of his parents had irises of such colour?''


    That question badgered everyone''s minds. Red was such a chilling ominous colour��it was the colour of blood and warfare, and it was impossible for any human to have red-coloured eyes.


    The more schrly people could not help but question whether the Second Prince was visually impaired or suffering from a rare disease, but the nobles andmon folk had taken a more religious take, especially since the Second Prince was born after the kingdom suffered from disasters one after another.


    In folklore, only devils were known to have red eyes. A devil''s spawn.


    "I heard the Second Prince''s eyes are red?"


    "Indeed, I am among those servants who helped clean the blood from Her Majesty''s chamber. I swear I saw it!"


    "I overheard the prince''s nanny and ording to her, His Highness the Second Prince''shair is pure ck as well."


    "Did the Queen, perhaps��"


    "Shush! Do you want to be hanged for ndering royalty?"


    It had reached the point that the rumours reached King Theron''s ears as well. He had not gone back to visit Esther after she gave birth, handling the work he had put off for the past couple of days.


    He needed to do something to resolve it before the rumours took a worse turn for Esther and her son, and as he checked the calendar, he issued a decree to the Queen and the high nobles to start preparing for a royal event.


    A grand naming ceremony would be held for the newborn prince within three days.


    King Theron had decided to address the rumors in a way that was most believable for the people. Prior to the ceremony, King Theron personally called for the High Priest to his study, none aware that he had some other reason behind it.


    Prince Drayce Ivanov, the second heir of the King of Megaris and the only son of his first wife, Queen Esther.


    When the High Priest saw the little prince, he brought him to the altar to have him blessed, and all the guests listened to his prayers to the ancient gods, thanking them for giving such a precious gift to the Kingdom of Megaris.


    Many of the guests felt that the current naming ceremony was different from that with Prince Keiran.


    At the end of the ceremony, the High Priest dered, "The Ivanovs are truly the beloved children protected by the Divine. As a symbol of the ck Dragon''s eternal pledge to protect Megaris, the ck Dragon has blessed His Highness Prince Drayce with his own divine powers. This child will be the future of this kingdom! This is a message from the gods!"


    Those words caused an uproar in the crowd.


    The High Priest had no qualms with his announcement, as he felt that in fact, it wasn''t a lie. He was a clergyman who had read ancient records and dedicated his life to the gods since young. Despite being human, he was aware of many things about the world beyond the mortal world.


    Since the Devil himself had decided to put his own son on the throne of the kingdom, the High Priest believed it was a given that this was an act that would benefit the world.


    That was why when King Theron had asked for him, he also agreed with the n he proposed. It would be unfair for the husband and wife to suffer more after making a great sacrifice to save this kingdom and its people. As a High Priest, he should protect that truth for the sake of the royal family and the kingdom.


    ''Your Highness Prince Drayce, I hope you will grow up well,'' that was his only wish as he concluded the grand naming ceremony and returned to the temple.


    Because the High Priest dered it in front of the public, the doubts about the newborn prince being a Devil''s spawn started to disappear. They revered the ck Dragon that protected the Ivanovs.


    It was an easy feat for them to be convinced; after all, wasn''t it the King and Queen''s act of praying in the temple that saved the kingdom from the gue?


    The people realized that the Second Prince was special and they rejoiced that this meant the entire kingdom had received the blessing from the ck Dragon himself. His red eyes and jet ck hair were evidence of a divine blessing from the gods.


    ''The future of this kingdom? You dare say that despite my Little Keiran being the firstborn?''


    However, that announcement of the High Priest raised the vignce to a certain blue-eyed woman living in Vermillion Pce.

 Chapter 459 [Bonus Chapter]Therons Unsaid Suffering

    After the bad rumours about the Second Prince vanished, the Little Dray started to grow up under the care of his mother. King Theron was always busy with his pce work and never even once visited the Queen''s pce during those times.


    It was the same with the First Prince. Little Keiran, now a toddler, was raised within the Vermillion Pce, pampered by the First Concubine, yet he was also devoid of his father''s love and care.


    The King never visited any of his wife''s chambers and neither did he show love and affection to any of his sons apart from just asking about them and their well-being.


    Two years passed quietly like that.


    Inside the open veranda connected to the drawing room of the Crystal Pce, King Theron and Great Lady Theodora could be seen sitting, leisurely drinking tea. The King found time to visit his mother, rearranging his busy schedule for the day.


    The topic of their conversation gradually turned to his sons.


    "Theron, I havee to know that you don''t spend time with your sons," the olddy scolded.


    "My hands are full with kingdom-rted issues, Mother," he replied as if he had prepared his answer beforehand. "Besides, my wives know better than me how to raise children. I don''t want to bother them."


    "Excuses. I know you are busy and I am not doubting that, but be at least a responsible father. You do not need to spend an entire day with them. How about inviting them for evening meals and eating together?"


    "That is burdensome��"


    "Not every day, of course. Even once every two weeks��no, once a month would be good."


    "I��I don''t know, Mother. I mostly have my meals in my study."


    Great Lady Theodora shook her head. "I wish to hear the truth, my son. You can share it with your mother. I know you love them both, so why are you avoiding them?"


    King Theron kept quiet for a while and tried to answer as best as he could. "Mother, in my heart, I care for them, both Keiran and Drayce, but�� I can''t seem to show it. I want to be like Father. I remember when I was young he would visit me in the middle of my studies, and sometimes when he thought I was asleep, he would enter my chamber and check on me. I know��and I want to be a good parent like you and Father�� but I just can''t��"


    "And why so?" she asked. "Is it because of Dray?"


    He stayed quiet for a while and nodded.


    His mother frowned. "Dray is a good child. He''s more behaved than children his age and he''s very smart. His nanny and the servants all adore him."


    Seeing that his mother was waiting for his response, King Theron drank the tea in his cup in one go and sighed.


    "Both my sons are outstanding boys, Dray especially��but every time I look at Dray, it is not him I see. It''s not that I don''t care for him or don''t consider him mine but whenever I see those red eyes, it reminds me that I am not his father. I see him innocently smile, yet all I feel was suffocation, a reminder of my failure and Esther''s sacrifice for this kingdom. How can I continue facing him, Mother? I am eaten by guilt and me myself, and his eyes are not allowing me to forget it."


    "And Keiren?" his mother asked. "He did nothing wrong,"


    "Mother, why are you asking the obvious? What do you think will happen if I show fatherly affection to only one son because he has my blood running through him while I ignore the other one? Won''t it make it like I only consider Keiren as my son? Won''t that nt seeds of jealousy between brothers? The aristocrats would probably start ying sides and the favourite will be supported by a faction, and it would weaken the power of the royal family. Since both of them are my sons, then they both will get the same treatment from me."


    Though the Great Lady didn''t approve of his distant behaviour with both sons, what he said made sense to her. As King, he simply could not openly show favour to only one of the two.


    The First Prince who''s the son of a concubine, versus the Second Prince who''s the son of the Queen.


    For sentimental members of royalty like King Theron and Great Lady Theodora, such a horrible future must be prevented.


    "Have you not forgiven yourself yet, Theron?" His mother idly stared at the rim of her teacup. "No one mes you. No one did, and no one will."


    King Theron also lowered his gaze. "You can say it is my ego as a king or husband or whatever, but what happened at that time had changed everything. I am not the same person now. That desperation to stop and protect my wife from sacrificing herself, that helplessness, I can never forget it all."


    When he said those words, the bitter memories from that night shed in his mind like a vicious nightmare.


    How desperately he rode his horse to go to Esther to stop her. How he could not even enter her mansion. How pathetic he felt, unable to do anything but kneel there helplessly.


    Maybe that night, not only his pride, but his sanity broke.


    That night, he prayed and prayed that time would stop and he could change everything back. But then he realized he was just a human, a weak human who has no power to change fate nor decide his life. He was a good-for-nothing who would only watch, unable to change anything.


    Though he never said it aloud and never expressed it on his face, there was not a single night when the memories from that particr night didn''t haunt him. He had never had a good night of sleep, almost always relying on alcohol and exhausting his body in order to force himself to sleep.


    ��only to wake up in the middle of the night because of a nightmare that he had been suffering for years.

 Chapter 460 Little Drayce

    Four-year-old Drayce was known as a little devil within the Queen''s residence. He was an energetic boy who could run around all day long, exhausting not only the servants following him but also the knights tasked to guard him.


    Looking away from him for a split second was a mistake they painfully learned watching the little prince grow up, as the prince had a penchant of disappearing from their sight afterwards, running off towards who knows where.


    After searching for Drayce who''s missing from his chamber, they once discovered him sneaking inside the kitchen, wanting to bake cookies for his mother. Other times, they would find him outside in the gardens, covered with mud, because he wanted to catch grasshoppers to give to his nanny, or flowers to give to the servants. There was also a time he would spill ink on the carpet, saying he wanted to draw a picture of his family on the floor and show it off to his parents because he missed them.


    People would wonder how such a small kid could pull off such sweet yet naughty antics so consistently, he had been causing massive headaches to the servants cleaning around him.


    Though he was but a toddler, Drayce was a smart yet charming boy, causing his nanny and the Queen''s servants unable to scold him, and only the Queen herself dared discipline him as she was the only one immune to his adorable pouting face.


    On this day, Drayce was in themon garden of the King''s and the Queen''s residence. It was in the middle of summer, and therge trees were heavy with fruits.


    Little Drayce was wandering in the garden with the servants while his mother was busy handling her work in the royal harem. His assigned nanny, Lady Saira, was among those following him. She was originally one of Esther''sdies-in-waiting but was given the responsibility to handle Little Drayce as other than his mother, only Lady Saira knew how to handle this little devil.


    "Saira, I want those berries," Little Drayce said as he stopped in front of one of the berry trees that had bunches of tiny red fruits. His twinkling red eyes were fixed at a particr bunch of juicy-looking berries. He pointed at it. "Those berries! I want those berries!"


    Lady Saira observed those at that bunch of berries that were positioned quite high in the tree. It looked impossible for her or the other two female servants with them to reach them.


    "Your Highness, it''s too high to get them. How about I ask the servants to bring some for you from the pce kitchen?"


    "No! I want only those!" Little Drayce folded his hands in front of his chest and stood there with his cheeks puffed up and lips in a pout, as if saying he would not budge from there.


    Lady Saira kneeled in front of him and smiled looking at that sweet cute face. "Oh, is Your Highness angry?"


    He didn''t budge and turned to look the other way.


    "Fine! Fine! I''ll ask the gardener to get adder so he can get it for you. Can you wait, Your Highness?"


    "Can''t you get them instead?" he asked.


    "I am afraid that I can''t, Your Highness. It''s too high up there."


    "But I want it right now," he said and didn''t budge.


    Lady Saira didn''t know whether she shouldugh or cry. "Your Highness��"


    "No. I don''t want the gardener to get them! If it''s not Saira, then I don''t want��"


    He was interrupted by a sudden ''whoosh'' sound, and before they knew it, a number of berries fell on the grassy ground.


    The two looked at what fell and realized those were the bunch of berries Drayce wanted.


    "Who goes there?" Lady Saira turned to look at the neers and saw an expressionless man with dark eyes and brown hair being escorted by a knight. "Your Majesty?" She hurriedly bowed in his direction.


    It was King Theron who seemed to be returning to his residence, and he was carrying a bow in his hand with Sir Galien standing next to him with a bag of arrows.


    The two were going back to the residence when they heard noise from the garden, hearing the Second Prince asking for the berries.


    King Theron looked at the tree and said, "Galien, give me my bow and an arrow."


    The King had just returned from the opening ceremony of an annually held royal hunt, and his servants were still carrying his equipment. Sir Galien gestured for one of the servants to bring him the King''s bow and a set of arrows and handed them to the King.


    Without hesitation, King Theron aimed at the berries his son wanted and they fell to the ground.


    Sir Galien was not surprised by the King''s skills as he knew his king was not only good with the sword, but he was also talented in archery. Since he learned it from young, he had never missed any target.


    King Theron handed back that bow and arrow to Sir Galien.


    "That was a nice shot, Your Majesty."


    "My sons should get everything they ask for," King Theron said and upon seeing how happy Drayce was to see those berries, he turned to leave.


    He was only able to take a few steps when he heard the voice of a kid calling out to him.


    "Father!"


    "Your Highness, you mustn''t��" But the nanny was unable to stop the prince.


    "Father, wait!"


    King Theron turned and saw the little boy running towards him with the brightest expression on his chubby face. That was Drayce who was happily approaching him after realizing that his father was the one who got those berries for him.


    Though King Theron chose to not interact with his sons, they grew up listening to the stories and feats of their heroic father. In their eyes, King Theron was their idol, the strongest and most amazing man in the world.


    "Your Highness, Please be careful," Lady Saira said as she hurried behind him while holding her long floor-length skirt.


    King Theron saw how recklessly the four-year-old boy was running toward him without looking at the ground.


    ''He''ll hurt himself like this.''


    He sighed and walked towards the little prince, thinking that by doing so the boy would stop running. However, his actions triggered the boy who''s thirsty for fatherly love to run even faster.


    "Father!"


    Given his age, Drayce had started learning basic royal etiquette. He knew that upon meeting the King, he should first bow before him as a greeting. That was why when he neared King Theron, he wanted to stop himself and proudly show his father the things he learned in ss.


    Sadly, when he tried to stop, his foot was caught by his other foot, causing him to stumble forward. King Theron held him in time and scooped him into his arms before he could fall on the ground and hurt himself.


    Drayce, who thought he would fall face first on the grass, suddenly found himself in the warmest and strongest embrace he could remember. Startled, he stared at the familiar face of the man carrying him.

 Chapter 461 He Still Looks Like A Doll

    "Father!" Drayce giggled. "Wah, Father is carrying me! Thank you, Father!"


    He immediately hugged his father, resting his head on the crook of his shoulder as if wanting to enjoy this moment.


    King Theron''s hands trembled after his second son hugged him. Hearing Drayce''s innocentughter, he could not bring up the courage to push his son away. He patted his back and said, "You should not run like this��"


    "I wanted to reach you, Father, before you go away," he replied with a toothy grin, still hugging his father.


    "Hmm," was all King Theron said before he finally put Drayce down.


    "Thank you for the berries, Father," he said, his bright twinkling eyes looking affectionately at his father. "I promise I will share this with Mother!"


    King Throne felt something painful stab his conscience. Red eyes, ck hair��none of those resembled his or his wife''s appearance. A bitter reminder of a scar that would never heal, and every time he would look at him, he would always recall what he represented.


    Yet could he deny that innocence in those eyes?


    ''Whatever happened in the past, it''s not this child''s fault.''


    Thinking along those lines, King Theron felt somehowforted as he awkwardly patted Drayce in the head.


    "I have to go," King Theron said and stood up.


    Drayce, being a good kid, didn''t stop his father and stepped back. He remembered his etiquette and bowed to bid him farewell.


    Though raised with love by their mothers, both Prince Keiren and Prince Drayce grew up without fatherly affection from the King, barely even given the chance to meet him in person. This was a fact known not only by those within the royal pce, but even by the high nobility who knew the happenings among royalty. That was why news travelled twice as fast within various circles as the eyewitnesses could not help their surprise seeing how affectionate the King was to the Second Prince.


    The news of the king showering the Second Prince with love reached the Vermilion Pce the quickest.


    Lady risa''s servant informed her about it, and her beautiful face was suddenly twisted in anger.


    ''How dare you show love to that bastard but ignore your own son?''


    The six-year-old Keiran was sitting beside his mother when the servant came to report, and he asked innocently, "Mother, since Father gave berries to my brother, then I will get them too, right? When will Father get me berries? Is heing today? Will I get a hug too?"


    Lady risa had no answer to it. "This��"


    Seeing her reluctant expression, the little boy''s face crumpled. "I see��Father won''te. He doesn''t love me��"


    "No, Keiran. It''s not like that. It doesn''t mean your father doesn''t love you. He just happened to meet the Second Prince by chance."


    "Then I want to meet him too!" the First Prince insisted. "Why can''t we live closer to my father''s residence so I can get to see him too?"


    His questions were like arrows getting shot at her heart but she could not show it to her son.


    "This residence is good as well. We have a nice garden here," she tried to convince him. "Ah, your friends are here to y with you. You should hurry and fix your clothes so you can y with them. It''s rude to keep them waiting."


    Unlike Little Drayce who only interacted with the people within the Queen''s pce, Little Keiran had many friends from the noble families as his ymates, thanks to the connections of Lady risa with her ducal family.


    Thanks to Prince Keiren''s earnest pleas to his mother, when he went out to y the next time, they chose to do so in themon garden near the Grand Pce, hoping to have a chance encounter with King Theron as well.


    It just so happened that it was also the day when Lady Saira brought Little Drayce to sightsee on theke nearby, as such, both princes came across each other in themon garden.


    Prince Keiren was ying a ball game with his friends when he saw Drayce being escorted by his nanny and servants.


    "Your Highness, isn''t that ck-haired boy your little brother, the Second Prince?" one of the kids asked curiously.


    Prince Keiren did not reply, but his expression looked a bit surprised when he eyed the younger prince.


    ''He still looks like a doll.''


    Drayce was rarely seen by people even within the pce, thus, not many knew his face. However, it wasmon knowledge that the Second Prince was blessed with ck hair and red eyes so it was easy to recognize him at a nce.


    As for the First Prince, there were not many opportunities for him to meet his younger brother. If he were to recall when was thest time, it ought to be during the Queen''s birthday banquet, but even then the little prince briefly appeared before retiring from the event with his nanny.


    "Why is he here? I heard he does not leave the Queen''s residence."


    "Perhaps he''s visiting the King?"


    "Oh, did the King invite him?"


    "Wasn''t there a story about how the King shot arrows and got berries for the Second Prince? Maybe they got closer after that?"


    Though the kids ying with him were in the age range of six to ten-year-olds, they were all raised by noble families thus they had a vague idea in their minds as they cast looks of pity towards the First Prince.


    "But His Highness is yet to even see the King��"


    "P-Prince Keiren?"


    Though Prince Keiren was a good child, his father only showing favour to his younger half-brother didn''t make him feel good. Jealousy arose in his mind, however, he refrained from showing his feelings to the other kids.


    ''Even though we are born from different mothers, we are still both Ivanovs! I must not let them think badly of my family,'' was his young mind''s innocent thought.


    He hurried to school with his expression, pretending to be unaffected. "My brother is still so small and weak so he needs father''s help, but I am older and stronger so I don''t need that kind of help. If I were in that garden too, I would have helped my little brother get those berries as well."

 Chapter 462 Protective Brother

    "Weak? But my mother told me the Second Prince is not ordinary. He has the blessings of the ck Dragon so he is the strongest."


    "Even my mother said the same thing."


    "Strongest? Let me see how strong he is," the youngest among his ymates said as he stubbornly walked towards Drayce.


    "Don''t bother him��" Prince Keiren tried to stop but the other young nobles stopped him.


    "Let''s watch something fun, Your Highness."


    The six-year-old boy went towards Drayce with a goofy grin. "Your Highness Prince Drayce, will you y with us? We are ying kickball."


    ? Before Drayce could answer, Lady Saira spoke sternly, "Which family''s child are you? Do you not know you cannot approach royalty just like this?"


    "Uhh, I-I, I am the grandson of Viscount Rulf. I��I just thought the Second Prince would like to y with us��" he stammered before remembering his goal. "Kickball is fun! I am sure the Second Prince will like it too!"


    "His Highness is still so small." Lady Saira eyed the other children surrounding the First Prince. "He won''t be able to y with big boys like you."


    "Small? Even my brother is like His Highness but he still ys kickball," the kid countered. "Or is His Highness scared?"


    Before Lady Saira could say another word, Little Drayce spoke proudly, "I will y."


    "Your Highness��"


    Drayce raised his hand to stop her. "I can y Saira."


    If it was just these bunch of kids, Drayce probably wouldn''t join them, but then he saw Prince Keiren ying among them. Seeing his older brother, he readily agreed.


    Drayce left with those kids while Lady Saira and the other two servants stayed put to watch on the side.


    "Will the Second Prince be fine, Saira?" one of the maids asked in worry. "He''s not used to being with other people��"


    Lady Saira watched the little prince run with a sombre face. "I do not think it is bad. We should not iste His Highness from his peers. Maybe he can make friends this time?"


    "But when the Queen assigned ymates to His Highness before, weren''t they dismissed only after a day because theymented about his looks? You know kids are so honest they say mean things without realizing it. I am worried it will be the same this time��"


    "His Highness is more mature than his age. I am sure he will handle them well. To date, he always faced them with patience and bear with the teasing. He will be fine," Lady Saira added.


    They watched the children y with Little Drayce running behind the ball along with those older boys. They could hear the voices of boys asking each other to pass the ball and cheering on any sess they got at making a goal.


    Soon after, several of the boys including that grandson of Viscount Rulf started targeting Little Drayce.


    "Your Highness, we heard you are strong. Are you really strong?" one of the kids asked and made Drayce fall on the ground with the excuse of getting the ball from him. Drayce didn''t mind it as it was just a game and he was patient.


    After that, him falling on the ground continued to happen often but Drayce was still calm which those kids didn''t like.


    Prince Keiren, who was on the opposite team, was observing their antics with a frown. He didn''t like to see his brother being mistreated though he felt jealous of him. At the start, he let his jealousy take over him and let the kids trouble his brother, but the guilt inside him didn''t let him just watch it.


    By the fourth time he fell, the First Prince ran to his little brother and helped him get up.


    "Are you hurt?" he asked while checking on Drayce''s hands and feet.


    "I am fine, brother," Drayce replied with a toothy grin.


    Prince Keiren was the splitting image of their father, King Theron, which made his brother just a smaller version of the best person in the world in Little Drayce''s mind. Not only that, on the rare times they saw each other, his older brother would shyly wave at him and sometimes give him sweets from his pocket.


    He liked it a lot when his brother cared for him though they met seldomly.


    "You can stop ying if you want to," Prince Keiren suggested.


    "I am fine, brother. I want to continue ying with you," Drayce said as if the dirt covering his body didn''t exist.


    "Fine, but be careful," Prince Keiren said.


    Prince Keiren approached the three main culprits who were trying to y dirty and warned them, "If any of you makes him fall again, I will make sure to punish you."


    The kids who were messing with Drayce got back to their senses upon getting warned by the First Prince.


    Drayce was happy seeing how his brother was protecting him. He had already forgotten how those kids tried to hurt him, and was excited to y better so he would not disappoint his older brother.


    Thepanions of the Second Prince felt relieved that Prince Keiren was looking after his brother.


    As the game continued, no one tried to y dirty against Drayce and the game was able to finish, with the team of Prince Keiren winning. Prince Keiren then called for a short break since he was feeling hungry, and he went to the other side of the garden where his own servants were waiting. The other boys also followed him.


    However, the three culprits headed by the grandson of the Viscount were isted by the other boys due to them receiving the disapproval of the First Prince.


    What was the reason why the nobles pushed their sons to get close to the First Prince? Wasn''t it to build connections? As the First Prince of Megaris, unless he dies or renounces his right to the throne, it was a given that Prince Keiren would ascend to be the Crown Prince and future King of the kingdom. That was why being his ymate was a privilege for these boys.


    Their parents had repeatedly warned them to always stay on the good side of the First Prince. Now that they made a mistake, their families would surely punish them once they returned home.


    However, instead of apologizing and deciding to do better, these boys redirected their anger to the source of trouble��Little Drayce.

 Chapter 463 Angry Dray, Showing His Powers

    ? "My mother said red eyes are the eyes of scary monsters. Now that I see your eyes, I guess it''s true. Your eyes are red like blood."


    "I am not a monster," Drayce replied as he was about to turn around in the direction of Lady Saira. Since his brother was hungry, he thought of sharing the food that his nanny baked with Prince Keiren. Lady Saira made the best berry pies and he was sure his brother would like them too.


    The two other boys sneered at him.


    "You don''t look like an Ivanov. Doesn''t that make you a freak? A monster?"


    "Right! Why are your eyes and hair so different if you are not a monster?"


    One kidughed. "Are you getting angry? Are you going to hurt us?"


    "Will you really hurt us, you monster?" Theyughed at him.


    One of the boys was a distant rtive of the First Concubine and he made an interesting face. "I even heard his mother was amoner who bewitched the King."


    Those words caused Drayce to halt his step and turn to look at them. His red eyes seemed to gleam a dangerous glint. "Don''t say anything about my mother."


    "What did we say? Are you affected?"


    "He must be. Since he is a monster, then that makes her mother a monster too."


    "I remember the horror story my nanny once told me. It says there exists a monster who can charm people and control them, making them ves that do bad things��A witch, that''s what it is called."


    "Don''t say anything about my mother!" Drayce yelled loudly, the red in his eyes burning like mes in anger.


    The entire garden shook like there was an earthquake.


    "Earthquake!"


    "The children!"


    "Stay away from anything that may topple over!"


    The servants and knights surrounding the area immediately went into action. His servants ran towards Drayce who was burning with anger, while looking at the back of those kids who were running away from him.


    Lady Saira came to Drayce and hugged him though she didn''t know what exactly had happened. "Your Highness? What��oh, we need to go and follow the knights��"


    Drayce calmed down, but the next moment, he went unconscious. His servants were rmed. Lady Saira carried him in her arms while instructing the servants behind her, "Inform Her Majesty about the Prince. We will be returning to the Queen''s pce."


    Others would have called for a royal physician, but knowing that the little boy in her arms was special, she only asked for the Queen.


    The two female servants immediately left to execute her orders while Lady Saira took Drayce back to his chamber within the Queen''s pce.


    The Royal Pce of Megaris was rmed by the earthquake, but due to its short duration, thankfully, there were no casualties.


    Esther was meeting with a group of architects in one of the side pces when the earthquake urred. They were talking about their ns to renovate some of the buildings, but the moment the ground under her feet shook, she called to have the meeting adjourned.


    ''Drayce!''


    She understood what this earthquake was. It was the first time ever that Drayce showed his inhuman powers on a grand scale. Before, there had only been a few small incidents that were only known to her and husband, as well as their close confidantes like Lady Tyra, the Great Lady and Lady Saira.


    Esther left her work and hurried back to her residence. She went to Drayce''s chamber where he was lying unconscious in his bed.


    His mother checked his pulse and gave out a sigh of relief. She caressed his head and looked at him affectionately. Her son had shown such a strong power, and as it was the first time it happened, his young body could not take it. He was too young to bear the effect of such powers, but since his powers react to his emotions, then something must have happened to provoke him.


    Anger.


    From that strong yet brief earthquake, she could sense anger that had the will to destroy everything around him.


    "What happened to Dray?" Esther asked Lady Saira.


    "Your Majesty, His Highness was initially ying with Prince Keiren and his ymates. I am not sure what had happened exactly, but I guess some of the boys said something mean as His Highness looked really angry," Lady Saira replied and asked worriedly, "Is he fine?"


    Esther nodded. "Let him rest for a while."


    Finally, her son had shown his powers so it was given that the news would soon spread everywhere that the earthquake was caused by Drayce. Many would scoff and not believe this at first, but as Drayce continued to interact with more people in the future, more and more of such instances would happen.


    She wouldn''t be able to hide her son''s capabilities unless she hides him from the public eye for several years, but that would be too cruel a fate for him��to hide who he is for the rest of his life. The only way was to make him understand his powers and keep them in control while not denying the future instances where he would manifest his powers.


    ''This continent would once again witness the magic they once denied.''


    A strange report reached the table of the King where several kids from noble families imed that the earthquake was caused by the Second Prince. He simply put the report aside. King Theron had somewhat expected this situation, knowing the identities of Drayce''s biological parents.


    "Where is he?" King Theron asked Sir Galien.


    "The Second Prince is in the Queen''s pce, Your Majesty."


    "Is the Queen in her residence as well?"


    "She is, indeed, Your Majesty," Sir Galien replied. "One of the knights guarding the area also reported that the Second Prince passed out during the earthquake."


    King Theron stood up and left his study in the Grand Pce to head towards the Queen''s pce.


    When he reached the prince''s bedchamber, he found Esther waiting for him inside. Their servants left them alone.


    "How is he?" the King asked.


    "He is just exhausted. He will wake up soon," Esther replied. She was d that he came to check on Drayce and answered his unspoken questions, "The earthquake was caused by Dray. Something angered him, causing his powers to run wild."


    "Hmm." He nodded and looked at the little one lying in bed. It reminded him of that time when this boy clumsily stumbled after running towards him. That tiny body, that warm embrace, the way he giggled as if he wanted to remain a spoiled child in his arms��


    No one would have believed that such an adorable boy was more powerful than even the strongest royal knights in this pce. He didn''t need to be protected at all. After all, he was the Devil''s son.


    "I will make sure he won''t do it again," Esther said, though her husband didn''t me him for anything.


    Nodding, King Theron left while Esther continued to apany her son.

 Chapter 464 You Are Not A Monster

    The new character who is introduced in this chapter "Draven Aramis" is the main lead of the second novel- "The Devil''s Cursed witch". (The Second book of ''Devil and Witch'' series and it is connected to this book as well.).


    Make sure to read ''book 2'' so that in the future plot you can connect the dots in both novels.


    ====


    After making sure that her son remained peacefully asleep, Esther left his side and moved to stand by the window of his room, staring at the departing carriage of her husband with an expressionless face. She was immersed in her thoughts until someone knocked on the door.


    "It''s Tyra, Your Majesty. May I enter?"


    Lady Tyra hurried to visit the Second Prince after she heard what had happened to him from his nanny. When she learned that the Queen was with the little prince, she put two and two together that the earlier earthquake was caused by Drayce.


    After the door was closed behind her, Lady Tyra bowed to her but her attention was already on the unconscious boy. "How is His Highness?"


    Esther watched Lady Tyra go towards Drayce like a worried elder. "You have nothing to worry about. Dray is just shocked."


    "Shocked? What do you mean by that, Your Eminence?" the older woman asked, switching titles as they were alone inside the prince''s room.


    Esther exined, "To be more precise, his body is shocked. He was not hurt, but the sudden outburst of strong power was shocking for his small body."


    Lady Tyra nodded as she gently stroked Drayce''s head, taking note that his cheeks were ruddy and his breathing was indeed normal. Even for someone like her who had served the royal family for three generations, it was difficult to not adore this kid.


    The Devil''s son was so small, yet he could already shake the entire pce with his powers. Such a feat was impossible for Lady Tyra, even if she was at her peak.


    "Time truly is unforgiving. Less than one year left till His Highness bes five years old," Lady Tyra said, a fact that reminded both of them about something.


    "I wish I had the power to stop time," Esther said in a sad tone.


    Lady Tyra said nothing until she approached the Queen. There was reluctance on her face, but in the end, she voiced out her question.


    "Is it necessary for you to leave, Your Eminence?"


    Esther continued to look out the window even though King Theron''s carriage was long out of sight.


    "I have broken the rules, and you know it." A faint sigh escaped her lips. "If I won''t sacrifice then those I cherish will have to pay in my stead. I don''t wish anything to happen to Theron and Drayce. These two are my everything."


    "But this will hurt them," Lady Tyra said.


    "Better than letting them pay for my sins," she countered.


    Lady Tyra lowered her gaze, thus she didn''t see the trembling of Esther''s shoulders as the young woman continued to speak.


    "You know I would have left after that night. I really wanted to but�� but I had to keep Drayce here to fulfil his destiny. I would have originally left as soon as he was born, but that night before leaving, ''He'' asked me to pay for what I owed him for saving Theron''s life once. In exchange for that debt, he asked me to raise his child for a while, to at least leave some memories of myself��".


    At this point, Lady Tyra wasn''t sure whether Esther was speaking to her or just talking to herself. Still, she continued to listen quietly.


    "I stayed. I stayed not because I owed him, but because I am a mother. When I saw that newborn in my arms, I knew then and there I would give up anything for that child. I realized that I am a mother who loves her child and despite knowing it is selfish, I desire to watch my child grow up at all costs. But I cannot ignore reality anymore. I spent four happy years with my son, and now, I have to leave before it bes hard for Drayce to forget me. I am worried though, that his memories of me will bring him unhappiness when he''s older."


    "Your Eminence, you still have a year left. Please do not speak as if you are saying your farewells at this very moment."


    "Yes, I am tempted to leave even right now, but as I said, I am a selfish mother. I want to live with him as long as I can. During thisst year, I have to teach him all I can. I must teach him to control his powers. Once I am gone, I am sure you and Mother will take care of him. Especially you." Esther looked at Lady Tyra. "You have to look after him well as only you can understand his powers and what he will suffer in the future."


    Drayce continued to sleep for hours. When he woke up, he found himself wrapped in his mother''s warm embrace. His mother had the kindest, sweetest face in the world, and he looked at her closed eyes with a sleepy yet happy smile. He snuggled closer to her, using her arm as a pillow.


    Sensing his movement, Esther opened her eyes and smiled at her adorable son.


    "Mother? I am sorry I woke you up," he said, but he even snuggled closer, trying to find the mostfortable position in her embrace. Using his small hand, he tried to pull her closer to him, using her other arm as a nket before burying himself entirely in his mother''s sweet warmth.


    She caressed his head, leisurely using her fingers to move away those shoulder-length ck hair strands from his face. "Dray, how are you feeling now?"


    He shook his head as if not willing to speak and continued holding onto his mother.


    She knew why he was like that and said, "I know you must be shocked by what happened today, but it''s not your fault so you don''t need to hide yourself from me. Mother is not disappointed in you. Mother loves you so much to be upset with you. I am merely asking because I am curious why you used your powers. Won''t my Dray satisfy his mother''s curiosity? Hmm?"


    Hearing her assuring words, he reluctantly looked up with a pout. "Mother, you promise you won''t be upset?"


    "I promise."


    Drayce squirmed in her arms. "Those boys��they said bad things about you��"


    "So you got angry?"


    Drayce nodded, before closing his eyes, as if scared that she would scold him.


    Esther offered him a gentle smile and caressed his soft chubby cheek, causing him to look up. "It''s normal to get angry, but what you need to learn is to never let your anger and powers hurt others."


    "Apologies, Mother."


    "As long as you don''t repeat it, you will remain a good boy."


    "Am I really a good boy, Mother?" The innocent eyes of a four-year-old child were seeking answers. "If I am good, why don''t others like me? Why do they think I am a monster?"


    "You are not a monster, Dray. You are a mother''s sweet child. Everyone is different, and you are slightly more different than the rest. Being different doesn''t make you a monster, though."


    "But no one has red eyes like mine. They say only monsters have red eyes. Even in the bedtime story books��"


    "Who said you are the only one who has red eyes?" she asked.


    It puzzled him for a moment but the smart Drayce picked up those words and said, "So is there someone else as well just like me who had red eyes as well?" He was excited to know it.


    She nodded. "There are others, but well, there is someone. Not only does he have red eyes, but he also has powers too. People also once thought he was a monster, but he proved them wrong."


    Drayce listened with wide eyes. "Ooh, what did he do?"


    "He showed everyone he is a good man," Esther answered. "He used his powers to protect those weaker than him. Back in the old days, humans used to fear and hate people who they don''t understand and he is someone who protects everyone who is hated."


    "People who they don''t understand? You mean people with powers like ours?"


    "That''s right. My Dray is so smart."


    Drayce giggled at the praise.


    Esther continued, "Humans refer to us as ''supernatural beings'' in general, though among ourselves, we think of everyone as just ''people'' of this continent. This continent has many races dwelling in it, and many of them were saved by my him alone."


    "Who is your he?" Drayce asked excitedly. "Is he a hero like Father? I want to see him. I want to see how red eyes look on someone else. When I look at myself in the mirror, I don''t find my eyes scary."


    Esther smiled at her adorable son who would not stop talking when he was curious. "His name is Draven Aramis. He is the King of Agartha."


    "Oh! A hero and a king, just like Father!"


    Esther justughed at how her son was reacting. Her heart felt a twinge of guilt every time she heard her son show idol worship for his ''father'', Theron, which was something normal and expected given his young age.


    "Yes, just like your father, he is a hero and a king. That is why he is not a monster but a protector of all kinds of supernatural beings."


    "Can I meet him? Can we invite him to the pce?"


    Esther pretended to think. "I am not sure. Perhaps if you remain a good boy��"


    "I promise to be a good boy!" he said with a determined expression.


    Sheughed but she no longer teased him. "He is a king, and you know how kings are busy, right?"


    "So I cannot meet him?" he said sadly.


    "At least not now. If it''s in your destiny, one day you will meet him for sure," she said, "but the reason I told you about him is to tell you that regardless of what others say, never think you are a monster. You are just a little different from them. Your actions decide what you are and not a few words said by others. Always be kind to others and help the ones who are in need. Understood?" she asked.


    "Yes, Mother." Little Drayce nodded like an obedient child.


    "What did you understand?" she asked.


    "That I am not a monster but just a little different from others."


    "My Dray is really smart," Esther smiled, causing the boy in her arms to giggle happily.


    Whatever his mother said was right for him, and these words, Little Drayce nned to keep them in his heart.

 Chapter 465 Curious Little Drayce

    In these two chapters, you will get the answers about Drayce''s constitution and the tattoo on his neck.


    ======


    Drayce might be an energetic and curious child, but he was rather obedient when it came to Esther. Whatever his mother asked him to do, he always kept it in his mind, following her words like a good kid.


    For him, his mother ought to be the most knowledgeable person in the world. She could understand issues with a nce, and she knew every answer to his never-ending questions. The guests who asked to be granted an audience with the Queen would often leave the drawing room or the Queen''s study with satisfied expressions, praising the Queen for her wisdom.


    That was why just as Drayce strived to be as glorious as his father, he also looked up to bing as well-learned as his mother.


    Despite his age, Drayce was smarter than the kids a few years ahead of him. Though he didn''t have a private tutor, he had Esther and his nanny guiding him. He could read and write at the age of three, and on his fourth birthday, he requested that he be allowed ess to the Queen''s library, which was a small chamber where Esther liked to keep some rare books she collected, most of the books that held the culture and history of the various kingdoms in the entire continent.


    The little prince would often borrow a book or two and go to his mother''s study often to quietly read them. It was a habit he picked from his mother who loved to read the ancient books in her spare time and then narrate a few things to Drayce which she thought would be helpful for him to know.


    He had be so frequent a visitor that soon, Esther even had a small ce arranged on one side of her study where he had cushioned sitting arrangement with a wooden desk custom-made for him.


    "Saira, ce that map on my table," Drayce instructed. Esther had left for the Vermillion Pce today, thus her study in the Queen''s Pce was currently only being used by her son.


    Without asking any questions, his nanny took and spread that map of the continent on his desk. Little Drayce got on his knees to observe the scribbled names in ck ink on therge map.


    "Where is it?" he mumbled.


    "May I know what Your Highness is searching for?" Lady Saira asked.


    "A kingdom."


    "A kingdom?"


    "Mother told me there is a certain kingdom ruled by a king who is different like me," he said and his tiny finger moved along the map as he mumbled the names of the kingdoms while searching for the one he wanted to search, "Megaris, Duergar, Aarakocra, and Griven are the eastern kingdoms�� Abetha, Hatha, Thevailes are the central kingdoms��umm on the north is a barrennd where no one lives��" His finger moved to the southern part of the continent. "The southern kingdoms of Othinia and Mivesea, the Principality of Moor, and then the western tribes��? Where is that kingdom? Saira, Saira, does this map not include the western kingdoms?"


    Lady Saira leaned forward with a puzzled expression. She''s from a noble family, thus she was also educated about geography. "From what I know, the west is the unchartednds of the barbarians. There are no kingdoms there, Your Highness, and even if there are, they are not acknowledged by the continent."


    "Why��"


    "Oh, is Dray studying?"


    The door of the study opened and Esther entered together with herdies-in-waiting. Despite being a mother, her beautiful face remained young and she looked more like a princess being escorted by her maids rather than a queen.


    After she asked her subordinates to put the papers they were carrying on her desk, she dismissed them before walking towards her son.


    "What are you looking at with so much focus?" Esther asked with a smile, her curiosity piqued. Her son did not even bother to leave his seat even though she arrived.


    Drayce looked at his mother. "Mother, I am searching for the kingdom that you told me about the previous day."


    "Agartha?" Esther asked as she went closer to her son and sat next to him on that cushioned seat. "Let me see." She looked at the map of the continent and pointed at the northern border of Megaris and Thevailes. "Agartha is here."


    Drayce blinked. "It''s not on the map?"


    "It is not. Did I not tell you it is a special hidden ce?"


    Drayce looked up at her face with bright eyes, as if waiting for her to exin.


    Esther decided to satisfy his curiosity. She tapped on the map, tracing the border between Thevailes and Megaris. "You see this mountain range?"


    "Yes, I know!" Drayce answered promptly like a student answering a teacher''s question. "Some call it the Dark Mountains, some the Great Mountain Ranges, Thevailes calls it the Border Mountains while Megaris calls it the Western Mountains."


    "Smart boy." Esther nodded. "Yes, this mountain range divides the east from the rest of the continent. In this map, it looks like it stops as soon as it reaches the Northern Barrens, but in fact, the northern part of the continent has more mountain peaks extending upwards. Sadly, the adventurers and cartographers who draw maps could not travel up north and cross those mountains, that is why they don''t know."


    "But Mother knows!" Drayceughed in wonder.


    "This so-called Northern Barrens is not really a barrennd, just another ce separated from this part of the continent by tall mountains that it''s not easy for humans to travel. That is why no one has ever drawn a map that shows what is on the other side of those mountains.


    "Up north, there are many other kingdoms, and the one you are looking for in particr, Agartha, is surrounded by tall mountains from all the sides thus no humans can reach there with a horse." She put her finger on a certain spot beyond the northernmost territory of Megaris. "Around this part, beyond these mountain ranges, the Kingdom of Agartha is hidden."

 Chapter 466 Only His Mother Can See The Tattoo On His Neck

    Drayce looked at the map. "It''s all white on the map. Is it cold there? Does it snow all year round?"


    Estherughed. "No, it''s simr to Megaris, and it experiences four seasons. Those further north are the ones that are truly cold."


    "When I grow up, I would go there and meet the king who has red eyes like mine," he said and mumbled the name. "Draven��" Little Drayce realized something. "Mother, my name is simr to him."


    "Is it?" she patted his head.


    The little boy wrote the names on an empty piece of paper. "Draven, Drayce��See? They''re simr!"


    "Do you want to know why it''s simr?" Esther asked with a smile.


    Drayce nodded with wide eyes.


    "Because both your names came from ancient runes. Each character of the ancient rune is unique and has a meaning," she answered. "My son deserves to have a name that suits him the best."


    "What is the meaning of my name, mother?" he asked curiously.


    "Your name has the rune for ''Dragon''," Esther answered.


    "Dragon!" Drayceughed as he pped his hands. "Oh, I remember they say I am blessed by the divine dragon. Does that make me a dragon too, Mother?" he asked, feeling excited and showed his neck to his mother. "I even have a dragon tattoo on my neck."


    Esther nodded and touched the left side of his neck as she traced that tattoo.


    On the other hand, his nanny, Lady Saira, who was standing on the side watching the mother and son bond, let out a helpless smile hearing the little prince talk about his tattoo. She always felt amused as Drayce often imed to have a dragon tattoo on his neck, but she never saw it. In her eyes, there was not a single mark or blemish on the prince''s skin.


    However, she found the Queen''s reaction strange. It was like the Queen was seeing something she couldn''t see.


    Lady Saira asked hesitantly, "Your Majesty, is there really a dragon mark?" Seeing the Queen nod, she curiously studied the skin once more. "Why do I never see anything on His Highness''s neck?"


    "Because only I, his mother, can see it," Esther responded.


    Lady Saira was amazed. She had been serving the Queen for the longest time, and by now, she was aware that the Queen was not an ordinary person. She realized it mostly after Drayce''s birth as she had seen Drayce was not any ordinary child and guessed his mother must be someone special as well. Moreover, Esther didn''t try to hide anything about Drayce from Lady Saira as she was his nanny and the one to take care of him always.


    Drayce also touched the tattoo. "So no one will ever get to see it ever, Mother?"


    Esther shook her head. "There will be someone who can see it, I am sure. Once you find such a person, then that means the dragon inside you approves of that person."


    "Ohh! So there''s a dragon inside me? When will I see the dragon? Will ite out of me? What''s his name?" he asked innocently.


    Estherughed, but she gave him a vague exnation, aware that her young son wouldn''t be able to understand her well yet.


    "When there is a need, the dragon inside you will show itself. But you have to try to never let that happen. We live among humans and we need to look and act ordinary like them," she exined.


    "Then��can I call out the dragon secretly? I was to see him. I want to see how a dragon looks," he said and then realized something, "Is King Draven a dragon as well? Does he have a tattoo like me on his neck?"


    "Hmm," she nodded. "He has a ck dragon tattoo on his heart."


    "ck Dragon!" both Drayce and Lady Saira eximed.


    Esther somehow expected their reaction. "Hmm, there is a longplicated story behind this, but he is the ck Dragon that our Ivanov Family worships, though he isn''t a divine being or a god like in the stories from the temple."


    Drayce seemed to understand without really understanding, but he nodded. "Mother, does that mean I am a ck Dragon too?"


    Esther shook her head. "You are a Red Dragon, Dray."


    "Is there a difference because of colour, Mother?" he asked. The curiosity inside him had no limits, and that was why he was always happy to talk to his mother who was patient enough to answer her questions. That little four-year-old child was hungry for knowledge that he couldn''t read from books.


    Esther patted his head. "Yes, each dragon is unique. The Red Dragon is a sign of good fortune and prosperity" she replied. "That is why since your birth, our kingdom has be blessed, and Megaris is growing stronger than ever. Many people thought it was just a coincidence, but it is true that you brought blessings to our kingdom, Dray."


    Drayce let out a happy giggle, hearing such praise. "What about the ck Dragon? What is the meaning of a ck Dragon, mother?" he asked.


    Esther quietly studied him for a moment. ck Dragon was mainly a sign of vengeance and revenge, but the words like vengeance and revenge seemed inappropriate for her four-yea-old son to hear.


    "The ck Dragon is a sign of immense strength and power, a strong will to protect what''s dear to him," she replied carefully.


    "Is it more powerful than a Red Dragon?" he asked.


    "We can''tpare them like this. Both have different strengths and weaknesses and are like the two sides of the same coin," she exined.


    Drayce got to know many things from his mother today. He simply stared at the barrennd in the map where his mother pointed to be the location of the Kingdom of Agartha. He decided that one day he will go there and meet that other red-eyed person.


    ''Dragons are real?!''


    On the other hand, Lady Saira found herself sweating in one corner of the study, wondering if it''s all right for an ordinary human like her to listen to the mother and son talk about these things that she never knew existed in the world.

 Chapter 467 Sensing Unknown Powers

    The next few chapters are about how An and Dusk came into Drayce''s life.


    -------


    With autumn officially ending, the residents of the capital city of ckhelm were busy with preparations for the grand celebration that weed the white winter of Megaris, many of the children especially looking forward to the first snowfall of the season.


    Ever since King Theron and Queen Esther''s reign, the end of the year festival that was usually held for three days became a grander event than it waspared to their predecessor.


    Before, the pce would normally open their doors to host a royal ball to invite the nobles of the kingdom only on the first day, but now, the royal ball would be held for the entire festival period, inviting distinguished guests regardless of their background. It had be so famous throughout the continent that even foreigners from other kingdoms would even attend to enjoy the festival.


    Most of the tourists woulde for the famousntern-viewing parade on thest day, where people from the central za would walk towards the river port of the capital to putnterns bearing their wishes on the river. Some would ride decorated ships in the river whilenterns and fireworks were put on disy.


    Thus, this period was normally when the Queen of Megaris would be the busiest.


    The three-day festival was still a month away, but the Royal Pce of Megaris was already bustling with excitement. As usual, the arrangements of the royal ball were under the jurisdiction of the Queen, and she had just finished meeting the royal tailors in charge of the clothes that the royal family would be wearing for the ball. She had just chosen five adorable outfits each for Little Keiran and Little Drayce, and she could not help but wonder if she was being too much to prepare that many clothes for the boys.


    Lady Tyra entered the Queen''s study after the tailors had left with their designs. "Your Majesty, the King has sent a message for you."


    Esther nodded without lifting her head from the papers she was reading, permitting her to speak.


    "His Majesty will be receiving a delegation from the royalty of Griven, headed by the younger brother of the King, Duke Cromwell. The Duke will be bringing his niece and nephew, the First Princess and First Prince of Griven, together to join the end-of-year festival. His Majesty has asked you to look after the arrangements of the Cromwell royalty when they arrive in the pce."


    Esther lifted her head for a bit. "Prepare the side pce on the first annexe to receive the Griven royal family. I will personally wee them. You can let His Majesty know I will make sure to arrange the best for them."


    Just as she spoke those words, a small head full of silky ck hair popped in front of her desk.


    "Boo!"


    It was Little Drayce trying to scare his mother. He had stealthily appeared within the room when Lady Tyra entered the Queen''s study. He often loved to surprise his mother by teleporting within her vicinity, especially when she was distracted by other people. Of course, the twodies knew the prince was aiming to pull a prank and pretended not to notice him to humour him.


    Esther acted as if she was scared by his sudden appearance.


    "Did I scare you, Mother?" he giggled, his eyes twinkling with joy as he waited to be acknowledged for his sess.


    "Yes, you are so scary," Esther agreed. "How did you know I am here?" she asked.


    "My powers always teleport me next to you whenever I wish to go to you," he replied proudly. "Aren''t I amazing, Mother?"


    "Yes, you truly are." Esther patted his head. "But you must not overuse your powers too much. I do not want you exhausting yourself."


    "It''s fine! I am not tired!"


    Just then, someone came knocking to the Queen''s study.


    "Your Majesty, it''s Saira. May I enter?"


    The woman entered the study while catching her breath, and her gaze was seemingly saying she''s about to report something. But then she saw Drayce standing next to his mother.


    "Finally found you, Your Highness," Lady Saira huffed.


    "Did you trouble Saira again?" Esther asked as she looked at her naughty son.


    Drayce pouted a little, but his guilty face was enough confirmation. "I just wanted to check my powers. This one doesn''t hurt anyone when I use it."


    "It sure doesn''t hurt anyone, but it troubles your nanny who has to run here and there to search for you," Esthermented.


    "Apologies, Mother. Apologies, Saira," he said, but then he looked at Lady Tyra with a curious gaze. "Tyra, do you want to y with me today?"


    "I am afraid she can''t, Dray," Esther answered. "I need Tyra''s help with work."


    "Work?" he asked with curiosity. Though he was young, he knew that the people in the pce were preparing for a celebration. "For the festival?"


    "My son is really smart," she praised. "You guessed right. We are expecting important guests from the Griven royal family for the iing festival so we have to be a good host and treat them well."


    "Griven!," was all he said and stepped towards the bookshelf where his nanny followed to assist him. "Help me, Saira. I will look at the map again and study more about Griven and help Mother with work too."


    With a smile, Esther continued to instruct Lady Tyra about the important things to arrange for the royal guests.


    -----


    ? That night, Esther was roused from sleep when she sensed strange powers lingering in the air. It was faint, as if a trace of a collision of powers, and the more she focused on it, she realized that what she detected seemed to be remnant powers from outside the royal pce.


    ''Is iting from beyond the city walls?''


    She stepped out of her bed and opened the balcony doors, where the fresh breeze brought to her stronger traces of magical powers. Outside the walls of ckhelm CIty, she could see the dark forest on the other side of the grand river that flowed towards the sea.


    Her eyes narrowed in that direction. ''For me to sense their powers despite this distance��''

 Chapter 468 Devine Eagle

    After ncing in a certain direction in the faraway forest, she put on a thick outer robe and disappeared from her chamber. In just a few moments, she reappeared in the dark forest where she felt the source of the strong supernatural energy.


    ''This energy��it''s neither magic nor natural power��it''s a force from the innate talent of an ancient bloodline��''


    A distance from where she was standing atop the trees, she saw a huge sh of light brightening up a part of the forest, followed by a heavy muted thunder sound. It was a familiar sound, a kind of colliding sound she had not heard for more than a century ever since she lived among humans.


    ''A battle!''


    After that thunder-like sound, the forest was calm again and darkness engulfed the area.


    Esther hurried towards the ce of the incident. Though the calm of the dark forest had been restored, the traces of battle�Cthe thick ck smoke and the destroyed trees��were like a lighthouse beckoning her toe close.


    ''Who''s fighting here?'' she wondered as she continued to inspect the area while keeping herself alert for any possible threat.


    She could not sense anyone''s presence, but based on the destruction the battle caused, it was safe to say that even someone like her could be hurt if she put her guard down.


    Walking around the ruined forest, Esther noticed something on the ground. There were feathers spread around which were stained with blood.


    She kneeled down and picked up one feathers to inspect it. It looked like a feather of an eagle, butrger in size with dust-like particles glittering around it, obviously not something that would be left behind by an ordinary eagle.


    She sure knew exactly what it was, and that meant she knew at least one of the involved parties.


    She decided to continue wandering around the battlefield, checking each fallen tree and turning over rocks, inspecting to see if she could find more clues about the situation.


    Just as she thought there was nothing more to see, she stepped away from the ruined part of the forest and discovered something that would have gone unnoticed if not for her sharp eyes.


    At the bottom of one tree, under a pile of dried leaves, there was a faint protective barrier that would prevent ordinary people''s eyes from seeing what''s inside.


    Esther being one of the strongest supernatural beings alive, there was nothing that could go unnoticed by her. She stepped forward and pushed those dried leaves away, only to find a giant bird nest in which she saw an unconscious young eagle bleeding.


    She touched its body and confirmed that it was still alive and decided to bring it away from that ce that very instant. Her intuition was telling her someone had died while protecting this young eagle, probably someone belonging to the same family or race.


    Esther disappeared from there along with that nest. She reappeared inside the royal pce, but instead of bringing the nest inside her own chamber, she brought it inside Lady Tyra''s quarters.


    Lady Tyra had long retired for the night, but the moment she sensed the strong presence of her ruler, the Monarch of Witches, the woman immediately woke up and stepped out of her bed to greet her.


    "Your Eminence��?"


    In response to her greeting, the oilmps inside her chamber were lit up while the curtains moved on their own to cover all the windows.


    Lady Tyra understood something serious was happening. Esther had to go to her room at this hour and she even had to close all the curtains.


    Her gaze then went towards the strange thing that Esther brought. There was a giant nest ced on the wooden table in the middle of her quarters, and Esther was looking at something inside it, her hands moving like she was caressing whatever it was gently.


    Lady Tyra walked closer and looked at the nest. A bird of prey covered in blood was sleeping inside.


    "Is that��an eagle?"


    "Not an ordinary one," Esther said, which made Lady Tyra observe him carefully. Though his wings were coated with blood, it didn''t hide that rare gold shine on its feathers that emitted what seemed to be divine energy.


    "Your Eminence, is this divine beast?" the woman said in wonder. "Do they still exist on the continent?"


    "You are half-right,Tyra," Esther said. "This is a descendant of an ancient divine bloodline."


    Lady Tyra nodded. "My grandmother did teach me that there are no longer ancient beasts in the human world. If it''s a descendant��"


    "This child is a shapeshifter from the Divine Eagle Family," Esthermented. "You grew up within Megaris so you might not be familiar with that race. If I am not mistaken, I have met this child''s family before."


    Lady Tyra frowned. "Why is a shapeshifter here in a human city?"


    "There were remnants of battle outside ckhelm," Esther exined the incident and how she found this eagle. "From what I gathered, this young eagle was not alone. From what I feel, after they kept this eagle hidden, the ones who were protecting him died."


    "But Your Eminence, didn''t the supernatural races hide in Agartha? Even if there is a battle over supremacy among their kind, they shouldn''t have reached as far as ckhelm��"


    "I am sure you know that there are many of us roaming around the continent, some cohabiting with humans, like your parents and yourself, living normal lives in the different corners of the continent while hiding their true identities."


    Lady Tyra nodded.


    Esther continued, "While some of them are like you, the majority are drifters like me. There are also rare cases of some who live in groups or ns outside of Agartha, perhaps as a hidden vige in the mountains or as a mysterious n in the countryside."


    Lady Tyra nodded but she could not help but be curious.


    "However, Your Eminence, among the different families among the shapeshifters, I heard that those descendants of divine bloodlines are their strongest warriors since their inherited abilities are always superior. Shouldn''t someone precious like a Divine Eagle be protected in Agartha? "

 Chapter 469 Is Mother A Witch?

    "Hmm," Esther nodded. "This eagle is still not yet an adult, probably equivalent to a teenage male if converted in human years. If he''s raised outside Agartha, that means he was kept out intentionally by his family."


    "What shall we do now?" Lady Tyra asked. "There is an unwrittenw that our kind would not intervene with internal conflicts within other races��"


    "For now, let him heal. Saving his life is what matters first," Esther responded. "I have used my powers to heal him, but it will take time since his bloodline is notpatible with external powers. If it was a normal injury, it would have been treated right away. We will need to feed him elixirs."


    "I hope he gets better soon," Lady Tyra said, only to hear Esther give instructions.


    "I will be leaving him in your care till he gets better. I have ced an energy barrier on this nest so he won''t be able to fly away in your absence and he won''t be able to transform into his human form unless I allow him to."


    Lady Tyra received her orders without a word, feeling relieved that Esther had already put measures in ce, "It will be troublesome if he transforms into his human form when we are not around, especially now that the royal pce is filled with guests. Even if he escapes as an eagle, if people think of him as a game, they will likely hunt him. It might put his life in danger."


    "Young shapeshifters normally cannot control their transformations until they be adults, and this is especially harder for those with purer bloodlines like this young one."


    After leaving the young Divine Eagle in Lady Tyra''s care, Esther disappeared from her room, only to reappear inside her own bedchamber. She was greeted by the sight of a little devil sitting on her bed pouting his lips.


    The moment he saw his mother appear in the middle of the chamber, he jumped down from the bed and ran towards her. Esther lifted him in her arms. "Why are you here instead of your chamber?"


    "I could not sleep and I missed Mother."


    Esther smiled and carried him towards the bed. "You want to sleep with Mother?"


    His eyes brightened up immediately. "Can I?"


    "Hmm." Esther nodded and put him on the bed.


    "But I want Mother to tell me a bedtime story as well," Little Drayce said as his mother joined him in bed. He hurried to snuggle into her warm embrace.


    Esther caressed his head. "All right. What kind of story do you want to hear today?"


    "I want to know about you, Mother. You never told me what kind of supernatural being you are."


    Esther smiled lightly. "My Dray is suddenly curious about me. May I know why?"


    "Umm��" He felt hesitant as he pressed his lips in a thin line. After a little pause, he looked at his mother with shifty eyes. "I hear people say you are a witch. They make it sound like you are a bad person but I know Mother is not a bad person. Why do they call you a witch? Are you really a witch?"


    "Hmm," she nodded. "I am a witch."


    Drayce let out a tiny gasp. "Then are you a bad person?"


    "Why am I a bad person?"


    "Aren''t witches bad?"


    "Why are witches bad?"


    "Uhmm�� because the books say so?"


    She chuckled at the innocence of her adorable son. "Dray, always remember that not all words that people say are the truth. For example, what''s the color of my hair?"


    "Gold!"


    "If I say my hair is ck, does it make it ck?"


    He shook his head. "It is still gold!"


    "Exactly. That''s the same with witches. Just because they say witches are bad doesn''t mean all witches are bad. You have to trust what you see and experience for yourself."


    Drayce snuggled closer to his mother. "But why do they think witches are bad? You are very kind, Mother. You are the kindest person I know."


    "It''s just that humans are always scared of those they do not understand. In their eyes, they think all the witches are bad. Maybe in the past one witch hurt a human, and after that, the humans got scared thinking all the witches will hurt them as well."


    "That''s unfair!" Little Drayce eximed.


    "Who is good and who is bad depends on their actions, not their identity. People sometimes act irrationally because they don''t understand each other. Even humans have good and bad humans too, isn''t it?"


    "Hmm, so there are good humans and bad humans, good witches and bad witches��"


    Esther nodded. "Smart boy. Among our kind, we call the good ones the White Witches, those who use their powers to protect people, while the bad ones we call them ck Witches since they use their powers to harm those around them."


    "Then Mother must be a White Witch, I am sure," he said confidently.


    "Do you think so?" she asked, smiling pleasantly at him.


    "Hmm."


    "As long as my son thinks I am a good person then it doesn''t matter if I am a White Witch or ck Witch."


    "No one is as good as Mother," he said and hugged his mother tightly with all the love and respect he had for his mother in his heart.


    "But Dray, always remember that not all the White Witches are good and not all the ck Witches are bad. Remember what I said earlier? Who is good and who is bad depends on their actions, not their identity."


    "Yes, Mother."


    His eyes drooped as he yawned, looking as if sleep was getting to him. It was the effect of his mother''sfortably warm embrace.


    Once he fell asleep, shey him in the middle of the bed and patted his head gently.


    "I pray with all my heart that you will note across these bad people too soon, that you will not face difficulties you cannot solve because of them. As my son, I know you will chance upon them someday but I wish you to remain strong and brave.


    "If it''s possible, I wish you to be able to live a life like an ordinary human, the same life that I, your mother, had always wished for myself��but I don''t want you to suffer like I did. I will make sure you''ll be ready to face your fate."

 Chapter 470 Eagle Transforming Into Human

    Almost a week passed by since that incident, and thanks to the elixirs Esther made, the injured eagle was visibly getting better.


    After having her evening meal, Esther appeared inside Lady Tyra''s chamber to check on that young eagle.


    "How is he doing, Tyra? Any changes?"


    Lady Tyra greeted her with courtesy as usual first before answering, "He seems to be recovering faster than we expected. His wings were broken and his ribs fractured so I thought it would take him at least a month to recover with medicine, but the bones have already mended themselves in only a matter of days."


    "That is only for ordinary animals." Esther shook her head. "This one is a shapeshifter, and the blood he carries has a trace of divinity in it. In fact, as a descendant of an ancient divine bloodline, his healing is quite slow. My guess is that his lineage is simr to yours, Tyra��"


    Esther removed the energy barrier from the nest and caressed the wings of that eagle. "Poor child."


    Just as Lady Tyra was about to speak, Esther did something and that eagle flew around the room as if it was trying to flee in panic after being restrained for so long. However, it could not go out as Esther had created a barrier inside that room. Though he was a divine eagle, shapeshifters could not use magic, merely the talent in their bloodline��even an ordinary witch could trap him, let alone Esther.


    "You should transform," Esthermanded that eagle. "Flying around is useless."


    The eagle merely let out a screech, but after some time, it gave up and transformed into his human form. A teenage boy with golden brown hair appeared in ce of the eagle, his slender body covered with only a feather cloak the same color as his hair and short pants.


    Esther was not surprised by his half-naked bare-footed appearance, but Lady Tyra was startled as it was the first she had seen a shapeshifter transform. Not only that, his body was covered with scars that made him look pitiful.


    Under their gaze, the boy shrunk his scarred body into a ball in one corner of the room.


    "Don''t be scared, child." Esther smiled warmly. "We are not humans, but witches. We know what you are, and we won''t harm you."


    With brown eyes tinged with sparkling gold, he looked at the blond young woman and the middle-aged woman who seemed to be patiently waiting for his response. Though he was injured, for the past week, he had observed these two and could see they were not a threat to his life. Still, they were strangers and they forcibly kept him here. He didn''t know where he was nor who these women were. As a child who had gone through a traumatic incident, his reaction was a given.


    Esther slowly approached him and kneeled in front of him. Looking straight into his eyes, she offered him her hands. "Such a beautiful child."


    The boy only stared at her and she said, "Do you know I have a son and he is beautiful like you. Do you want to meet him?"


    The boy didn''t reply.


    Esther simply smiled and asked calmly, "Let me check your wounds. Will that be all right?"


    The eagle did not nod but he didn''t reject it either when she moved her hand towards him. Esther checked the wounds on his hands and his chest. "They are almost healed now. Such a strong child you are."


    Her way of talking and that motherly warmth from her reminded him of the woman he called his mother. Tears welled up in his eyes but he tried to hold them back.


    Esther noticed it and said, "What are you feeling? Are your wounds hurting?"


    The boy shook his head.


    "Can you get up? I think it is morefortable for you to sit on a chair rather than the floor."


    After gently persuading him, they managed to let him sit beside Esther on the bed, while Lady Tyra sat on the only chair in her room.


    Esther asked, "Can you tell me what happened to you?"


    Tears finally rolled down from his eyes and Esther heard his weak voice between the sobs, "They��killed��" He could not say anything further and simply let his tears roll down his cheeks.


    Esther wiped the tears from his cheeks. "Do you have a family or rtives you can return to? A guardian or a friend? Someone you can trust? I can contact them and let them know you are safe so they won''t worry about you."


    He shook his head each time she asked, and he turned even sadder. Esther could guess he was left alone in this world without having anyone by his side.


    "I''m��alone��" he confirmed her doubts.


    Esther and Lady Tyra looked at each other.


    "Until we find something for you and a way to keep you protected, you can stay here," Esther said and the boy looked at her, not knowing how to react.


    "But as long as you are here, you cannot transform into your human form. Understood?"


    He nodded.


    "I am keeping a spell on you so you won''t transform. You must know that until you are an adult, you cannot control your transformation."


    Her words somewhat scared the boy but he nodded hesitantly.


    "Don''t worry. It won''t harm you but you can transform in front of Tyra when you are alone with her. By the way, my name is Esther and she''s Tyra. What is your name��"


    However, her sentence was cut short as Esther sensed something and immediately she forcibly turned that boy into an eagle and put him directly inside his nest.


    "Mother!"


    As soon as she turned around, the smiling face of her son greeted her.


    "Dray, you found me again," she said with a smile.


    She could not do anything about him following her, his strange ability to know her whereabouts. She didn''t know how his powers managed to get him directly to her position. It would be problematic in the future. She needed to find the solution for it soon.


    Unaware of his mother''s thoughts, Drayce giggled. "Yes, Mother. I found you!"

 Chapter 471 Drayces Pet

    He faced Lady Tyra who stood up from the chair to greet him. "Your Highness!"


    Drayce was about to greet her back when his eyes noticed that giant nest next to Lady Tyra.


    "What is that?" he asked.


    "Come here, I will show you something." Esther carried him in her arms and showed him the young eagle whose intelligent eyes were staring straight at him. "We have a little guest here."


    "A big bird!" Drayce said.


    "Do you know what bird this is?"


    "I think��an eagle?"


    "Smart boy," she praised him. "This little guest is hurt so Mother brought him here to heal."


    "Doesn''t he have his mother to take care of him?" Drayce asked as he knew everyone has a family, even birds. Esther shook her head.


    "His father?"


    "Due to some reason, he has lost them," Esther answered.


    "Lost them?" Drayce asked and felt sad for that eagle. "Then what will he do now?"


    "Well, we can keep him with us and take care of him, can''t we?" she asked.


    "Of course, Mother!" he said and then looked at her. "Can I take him to my chamber? I will take care of him. Can we be ymates? He must be lonely here because Tyra is always busy with her work."


    "Hmm, we can do that. I am sure my Dray can take care of him," she said and the little guyughed in happiness.


    The next day, that huge nest was transferred to Drayce''s chamber. Esther had removed the protective spell from that nest as there was no need to stop that eagle from flying but she still kept that spell on him which stopped him from shapeshifting. With all the humans around, it was not a good thing if someone were to know the truth about this eagle.


    ------


    Drayce was happy to have his own pet. The eagle grew fond of him and it would follow him around everywhere he went.


    After that earthquake brought by Drayce, the children of the nobles who angered him continued to spread gossip among their peers about the Second Prince being the cause of the incident. Although the adults thought it was silly, the children mostly believed their friends. Due to this, many refused to be Drayce''s designated ymate, and even those kids following the First Prince avoided the Second Prince within the pce.


    Though they stayed away from him and didn''t dare tease him face to face, they could not stop talking among themselves. Whenever Drayce would y near theke or in the other public areas in the pce grounds, he could hear them talking behind his back but he always ignored them. He had promised his mother that he would be a good boy.


    "Didn''t I tell you he is a monster?"


    "That day I saw his red eyes changing color when he caused that earthquake."


    "It was really him."


    "Stay away from him."


    "I heard that he has a pet now."


    "Oh that bird! It is always with him."


    "I saw him by thekeshore. Shall we see his pet?"


    Drayce was listening to it all but didn''t bother to pay attention. Seeing his reaction, his servants also did not prevent the nobles from approaching.


    A group of kids came running towards him but stayed at a distance. They were familiar faces, and he remembered them to be the kids on his team when he yed kickball with Keirenst time.


    "Don''t harm us. We just want to see your pet," said one kid in a friendly manner.


    Drayce didn''t say no and gestured for his pet toe close. The eagle was flying over theke, but seeing him beckon him, the eagle flew around him and then settled on a tree branch close to them.


    "Whoa! You trained an eagle!"


    "Amazing!"


    "It''s so cool! I wonder if I can ask my father to buy��"


    "What is his name?" one guy asked.


    ''Name? I didn''t give him any yet,'' Drayce thought and looked at the sky. It happened to be the time when the sun was about to set. Something came to his mind and he said, "Dusk! His name is Dusk."


    "Dusk! It is a nice name!" The kids praised and then turned to leave in a hurry as soon as their curiosity was satisfied.


    When they thought they were out of the Second Prince''s earshot, they whispered among themselves.


    "Just like him, his pet is scary as well."


    "Did you see the way that eagle looked at us? I felt like he was going to attack us."


    "That little monster got a monster pet."


    "I told you, his mother is a witch, a scary woman, that is why he and his pet are scary too."


    "Ssh! Didn''t our parents say we shouldn''t badmouth royalty? Especially not the Queen��"


    "But it''s my aunt who called the Queen a witch first. I''m just repeating��"


    "Idiot! You probably heard her say that inside your mansion, right? Only say things like that where no one can overhear you!"


    Drayce, who was always calm no matter what they said about him, suddenly felt his anger rising. But before he could say a word, his pet let out an angry screech before speeding towards those kids, causing the group of noble boys to cry out in fear and let out high-pitched screams. Though he didn''t attack them, the eagle scared the hell out of those kids and they ran away crying for their lives.


    Drayce saw the funny scene of one even tripping over nothing and his anger calmed down. Dusk returned to him andnded on the rock next to Drayce, causing the bird to be on the same height as the little guy''s waist.


    Drayce patted his head. "Did you hear what they were saying?"


    Dusk rubbed his head against that tiny palm as if saying yes.


    "Did you scare them away because of that?" Drayce asked.


    Dusk pecked twice on his hand gently as if to say yes again.


    "That means you too know my mother is a good person."


    Dusk once again pecked on his hand.


    "Even a bird can understand this fact, but those kids��" Little Drayce sighed helplessly.


    Only then did Lady Saira and the servantse running to his side, worried that the eagle was provoked by the naughty kids and would also harm the Second Prince. However, their worries were unfounded since the eagle was calm and intelligent.


    Starting that day, Dusk had be an important part of Little Drayce''s life.

 Chapter 472 Why Are His Eyes Red?

    After Dusk, it''s An''s turn in Drayce''s life.


    --------


    One day before the start of the end-of-the-year festival, many of the foreign guests had already arrived in the capital city of the Kingdom of Megaris. Some of them were used to the lively and liberal atmosphere, while the first-time visitors were all in awe as they witnessed how random nobles, knights andmoners could be seen freely interacting along the way.


    The streets of ckhelm were decorated with flowers andnterns, many of the houses and shops putting up decorations of their own on their doors, and a number of stages for performers and stalls for merchants were prepared on the main streets leading to the za.


    Even though the actual celebration would begin tomorrow, the busiest day was actually the day before since many outsiders woulde flocking in the city. The inns were mostly overflowing with tourists, while those from the countryside would also flood the capital in order to celebrate the festival with their families.


    Thanksgiving for a year of prosperity and good harvest, a celebration of life, which was the purpose of this annual three-day festival. Ever since that disastrous famine and gue five years back, a year withoutck of food became more meaningful for the surviving people of Megaris and was no longer taken for granted. They learned to cherish eaching year in their lives.


    Aside from those living in the countryside, visitors from the other kingdoms had also arrived in the capital to join in the merrymaking. Among them was the delegation from the royal family of Cromwell from the neighbouring Kingdom of Griven.


    The carriages belonging to the royal guests from Griven entered the Royal Pce of Megaris. Duke Cromwell, the younger brother of the current King of Griven, arrived there with his new wife, bringing along with them two children whose identities were not disclosed, but were rumoured to be actually from the royal family.


    The two neighbouring kingdoms, Megaris and Griven, became allied nations during King Theron''s reign. Megaris shared a good trading rtionship with the Cromwells after the gue was resolved and the King of Griven allowed the borders to be reopened, which tremendously helped Megaris resume its activities the year after suffering from the Devil''s Curse. In various ways, King Theron was grateful to them.


    As a sign of friendship, the Queen of Megaris was personally present to wee their arrival, which could be said to be the highest treatment that could be given to a royal guest. The two young princes, Prince Keiran and Prince Drayce were allowed to apany their mother as well, which was of great significance. It could be considered the first time the boys would be doing their duties as part of the royal family.


    A man and woman in their mid-twenties, the Duke and Duchess Cromwell stepped out of thergest carriage, while a young girl and boy stepped out of the other carriage. Little Drayce''s bored expression immediately brightened upon seeing the children, especially since the boy seemed to be about his age.


    "Damien Cromwell greets the Phoenix of Megaris, Queen Esther Ivanov," the man politely said in a manner that was neither servile nor rude, his etiquette impable. "It is our honour to be personally weed by Your Majesty the Queen yourself."


    His wife, the Duchess, also gave a curtsy as she introduced herself to Esther.


    While the adults were exchanging greetings, the two brown-haired children approached the Duke and Duchess. Drayce was watching them and realized both the girl and the boy had eyes so blue they reminded him of the colour of the sea. His mother had taken him to the coastal territory she owned justst summer, and the image remained vivid in his young mind.


    The blue-eyed boy caught him staring, and the two little boys looked at each other without ncing away.


    Duke Cromwell introduced the blue-eyed children to the Queen. Standing together with them, the resemnce was uncanny as he too shared the same eye colour as them. "This is my niece and nephew, the First Princess and First Prince of Griven. When they heard I will be sightseeing in Megaris just in time for the festival, they begged my brother to let them join me."


    The smart-looking girl who seemed to be about seven or eight years old stepped forward to curtsy. "Alvira Cromwell, daughter of the King of Griven, greets Queen Esther Ivanov of Megaris." She then pulled her younger brother, mouthing at him to follow what she had just done.


    The boy was quick to obey. "An Cromwell, the First Prince of Griven, greets the Queen of Megaris."


    Esther smiled at Alvira and An and casually introduced them to the two young boys standing by her side. "Princess Alvira, Prince An, you do not need to be so stiff and formal, after all, didn''t youe here to y and enjoy the festival? These are my sons, Keiren and Drayce. I hope you four will get along during your stay."


    "Why are his eyes red?" An suddenly asked in front of everyone.


    This sudden question from the little foreign prince startled the adults, while Drayce only sighed inwardly. It was nothing new for him to hear.


    "Prince An, you are being rude to my brother," Keiren spoke even before anyone could answer.


    The Second Prince of Megaris having red eyes and ck hair that were different from his parents had been a point of controversy among the upper society. The gossip had spread everywhere, even in the other kingdoms, but after the High Priest dered that Draven had this appearance due to the blessings of the ck Dragon, the controversy somehow died down. Still, not many were aware of this fact, much less believe and ept this as a truth. That was why it was a sensitive topic people would normally not raise within the pce.


    However, a little kid from a foreign kingdom would not be aware that there was such a sensitive issue.


    Duke Cromwell immediately spoke to mediate the situation. "Apologies, Your Majesty. An is still young and yet to learn how to behave."


    Esther didn''t mind it and looked at Keiran. "It''s alright, Keiran. I do not think he meant anything. Prince An is just a curious child."


    Keiren listened to his mother and calmed down, while Esther looked at the little guy with her usual gentle gaze. "Everyone has different eye colours, doesn''t it? Just like Prince An''s and Princess Alvira''s eyes are blue, my eyes are brown, while Keiren''s eyes are ck. It just happens that Drayce''s eyes are red."


    Prince An nodded and mumbled an apology. After that, he looked at Drayce who turned away as if he was not interested in him. An narrowed his eyes at him and looked away as well.


    The guests from Griven were led to the side pce that was arranged for their stay. Now that their duty was done, Drayce left with his brother. As they were leaving, his eyes caught something and it was An talking to his older sister.


    "That red-eyed boy is the Second Prince, right? Hmph, he is not friendly at all. He frowned at me when I looked at him."


    "Well, An, I think it was you who acted not friendly."


    "I apologized!"


    "Psh, and it came out from your nose," Alvira replied. "Be sincere and act like a prince. Did you not see how calm the Second Prince was? You are of the same age but look at you��tsk."


    "Didn''t you find his eyes scary, sister?"


    "I think they are beautiful," she replied.


    "Really?"


    "Hmm," she agreed. "I even think that little prince looks so adorable and wish to pinch his chubby cheeks just like this��"


    "Ahh, it hurts, sister!"


    "Haha, if only I can pinch the Second Prince''s cheeks as well. Oh, wait, if I can, I might take him with us back home so I can have two cute and adorable little brothers. One with blue eyes and the other with red eyes."


    "No! I don''t want my sister to love someone else."


    Drayce looked at Keiren who was walking next to him. Keiren looked back at him. "Hmm? What''s wrong, Dray? Ah, do you want sweets? Sorry, I didn''t get to sneak any in my pockets today��"


    With a smile, Drayce only shook his head and continued walking toward their carriages that would take them back to their residences.


    ''Just like my brother, he has a good sister,'' Drayce thought.

 Chapter 473 Drayce Saved Arlan

    After resting till noon and having a good meal, the energetic prince from Griven wanted to leave the guest''s lodging. It was his first time travelling elsewhere without his parents, as well as his first visit to ckhelm, thus An could not sit still and wanted to roam the royal pce. He didn''t listen to anyone, and in the end, was allowed to go around the pce grounds while others stayed in to rest for a while more.


    An was apanied by his nanny as well as the two servants appointed by the Queen to look after his needs.


    "When we just entered the pce, the carriage passed by this really really beautifulke on the way. I want to visit it!" An insisted, and the servants serving him made arrangements for him to be brought to the most famous scenic spot in the pce.


    When An reached there, he found the little red-eyed prince from earlier ying with arge bird on thekeshore. Both saw each other but none of them approached the other, not even as an act of courtesy. The adults apanying them could only let out apologetic smiles as they at least acknowledged each other''s presence, before returning their attention to their respective wards.


    After walking for a while, An found himself bored since there was nothing to do. His nanny wouldn''t let him approach the water and would not let him run around on his own. He was about to walk back towards his carriage when he saw a group of boys ying in awn nearby. One of the boys saw him staring and whispered to his friend, who gestured to his other friends to look towards him.


    An recognized one of the boys as the First Prince of Megaris who he also met earlier. This time, An approached the other prince and the group of children also moved towards him, allowing them to meet midway.


    "Greetings, Prince Keiran."


    "Greetings, Prince An."


    The eldest princes of the two kingdoms politely greeted each other. Since they were just acquaintances who met for the first time that day, their greetings were quite awkward. Prince Keiren, being the older one, quickly thought of a way to break the weird atmosphere and introduced his ymates to An.


    They all greeted the First Prince of Griven after Keiren introduced him to them. As An was a prince from another kingdom, they were excited to talk to him. Keiren was content to simply watch them interact when he spotted a ck-haired boy from afar. Drayce had crossed the wooden walkway and was now watching them from the gazebo in the middle of theke.


    Leaving his friends behind, Keiren went towards his little brother.


    When Keiren left, the others talked among themselves, causing the curious An to listen to their ramblings with interest.


    "Why does Prince Keiren always act nice to that red-eyed monster?"


    "I don''t know why he still favours his monster brother."


    "What can we do? He does not believe us. Only when he gets hurt will understand that his younger brother is a monster."


    "Shh, talk slowly. What if that monster hears us and brings the earthquake here likest time?"


    "Did you forget how scary he looked?"


    "I still get nightmares of his scary red eyes from that day."


    An tilted his head in confusion. He looked at Drayce who was talking with his brother inside the gazebo. ''Earthquake? Monster? I think he looks like one of my sister''s dolls, though he truly does look mean when he frowns''


    One boy saw An looking at Drayce and said. "Don''t get near the Second Prince. He will hurt you if he doesn''t like you."


    An put his gaze away from Drayce to look at the boy. "What''s an earthquake?"


    The young noble looked at the five-year-old boy curiously staring at him, waiting for his reply. "Earthquake is��it''s when you feel the ground shaking so strongly it sometimes causes things to break or fall or people to get hurt."


    "Oh, so that''s called an earthquake!"


    The boy nodded. "The Second Prince caused an earthquake when he got angryst time. He is not normal like us."


    An''s eyes widened. "He made this"��he stomped his feet on the grass as if to highlight his point��"shake? For real? Is he strong?"


    "Yes! Because he''s a monster!"


    The boys who were present that day to y kickball started to retell the story from various perspectives, the loudest being the three children who bullied Drayce, though, of course, they didn''t mention what they did.


    An stayed quiet not knowing what to say, but he felt like he should hurry back to tell his sister what he learned��that the Second Prince of Megaris is a monster.


    "Ah, it seems that Prince Keiren is calling us!" one of the boys gasped.


    A servant of the First Prince hade to them, telling them to go towards the gazebo. Seeing that a boat was approaching the gazebo, the group of boys became excited as they realized what Keiren wanted to do.


    "Your Highness Prince Keiren, are we going boating?" one boy asked when they entered the gazebo.


    Keiren, who was talking to his brother, looked at his friends. "That is why I called you here." He then looked at Drayce. "Come with us?"


    Drayce shook his head. "Thank you, Brother, but I have my next lesson in half an hour. I will need to go back soon," Drayce replied.


    Though he had lessons, he sure didn''t want to be with those annoying boys or he was not sure what way they would anger him this time. He was smart enough to understand that when there are many important guests in the pce, he should not cause any trouble.


    "How about you, Prince An? Will youe with us?" one boy asked.


    "N-No, I won''t," An directly rejected. His face turned nervous.


    "Why? Are you scared of��"


    "It''s okay if Prince An doesn''t wish to," Keiren interrupted his friend.


    An gave out a sigh of relief. It was true that he was scared of sitting in a boat as his experience was not good with it. A few months ago, he almost drowned in the water after falling out of a boat because he was being naughty. He was yet to recover from that ident, and that was also the reason why his nanny refused to let him get near the water


    The First Prince and his ymates climbed inside the boat that was arranged for them while An simply watched them in envy. Drayce observed his expression but said nothing.


    With the other kids gone, the atmosphere within the gazebo grew ufortable since neither Drayce nor An were talking.


    The pce servant in charge of touring An broke the silence. "Prince An, would you like to see the various fishes in the water? You see, that part of the gazebo will allow you to see them." The servant gestured towards the centre of the gazebo that had ss flooring. Tentatively, An walked there and let out a cute gasp of surprise. The floor was made of transparent ss, and theke water under it was crystal clear as well, allowing him to see the colourful fishes moving underwater.


    "Ohh! This is amazing!"


    He was so amused, his mouth was gaping open as he watched the fishes on all fours. His nanny wanted to scold him because his hands and knees would turn dirty, but the five-year-old prince looked so adorable she decided to simply let him be.


    "Prince An, are you hungry? Should I fetch you some snacks?" the nanny said after a while.


    However, the little prince did not seem to hear her so she simply left him to continue watching the fishes while she left to go get some small snacks from their carriage, guessing that they would probably stay long inside this gazebo.


    An was on the floor, fascinated by the colourful scales of the fishes. There were some who were bright orange, some yellow, and there was one particrly adorable fish with bright blue scales swimming around and around, which made the little prince let out an ''aww''. His eyesight followed it, and along with it his body.


    Without realizing it, An was at the edge of the gazebo, having gone down the wooden steps where the boat would usually be docked, looking at the water as he could not help but watch those colourful fishes up close.


    Drayce looked down at An from the gazebo railing and sighed at this little guy who looked like he had not seen a fish in his life. For Drayce, watching fishes swimming around didn''t feel this exciting.


    He turned to the person apanying him. "Saira, let''s go back home��"


    Just as he thought to leave, his eyes noticed something. That little guy was putting his hand on the water, trying to reach what seemed to be a group of blue fishes that was near the surface. His position looked dangerous, as one wrong move he would fall into the water.


    Drayce looked at the two servants who were busy talking among themselves while neglecting their duty towards the royal guest. He saw the woman who seemed to be the little guy''s nanny walking back towards the gazebo with a basket in hand.


    Drayce frowned and he was about to scold the pce servants assigned to the guest when he heard a panicked yell. An slipped from the gazebo, but before he could fall into the water, he was caught midway. His knees were still touching the wooden steps but his small face was only an inch away from the water.


    An swallowed the rest of his yell as he was too stunned by what happened. Something was holding him midair, and slowly, his body was pulled back towards the ss flooring floating in the air as if he weighed nothing. Drayce felt it was not good to leave the little guy at the dock.


    When An turned his head around, he found Drayce with his hand put forward in his direction, as if he was the one who pulled An back.


    "P-Prince An! It''s dangerous at the edge!" the pce servants called out btedly, unaware of what their negligence could have caused.


    With An''s safety settled, Drayce moved his hand back and turned to leave. While the servants were busy fussing over the little prince from Griven, the boy ignored them. His blue eyes followed that retreating back, still gaping in disbelief.


    "Your Highness? What happened?"


    An''s nanny had just returned to the gazebo with her food basket when she saw the servants surrounding her prince. Her surprised voice caused him to snap out of his daze, and he suddenly stood up and ran towards the shore.


    When An was about to reach the Second Prince''s carriage, he could not see Drayce anywhere. He only found one woman walking towards it. Drayce had left using his powers after saving An from falling into theke. As such, only Lady Saira was actually the one using the carriage. As Drayce''s nanny, such things were no longer surprising to her.


    An caught up to Lady Saira. "Where is the Second Prince?"


    "His Highness has left in another carriage, Prince An," Lady Saira replied politely with a pleasant smile.


    "Where did he go?" An asked. Then, he tilted his head. "You''re his nanny, right? Why do you take different carriages?"


    "He returned to the Queen''s pce in a hurry because he had lessons and didn''t want to bete.. Uhm, I-I feel squeamish if the carriage is moving fast so I have to take a slower carriage," was what Lady Saira said as an excuse as she could not exin to anyone that the Second Prince could travel around the pce in a blink of an eye. The carriage was actually to put on a show.


    "Can I go to where he is? I want to meet him," An insisted with an earnest expression.


    Lady Saira could not deny this request and said, "His Highness has other things to do today, but I will convey your message, Prince An. I will let your servants know his response."


    An smiled as he watched the woman leave. He knew Drayce was the one who saved him and he wished to thank him.

 Chapter 474 You Are Smart

    5 Chapter today as it''s Drayce- An day. The start of their sweet friendship.


    -----


    An returned to the guest residence and excitedly narrated everything to his sister, especially about how Drayce saved him from falling into theke.


    "Trust me, Sister! He has powers but he is not a monster. Monsters don''t save people��"


    "You must be mistaken, An." Alvira frowned, btedly regretting why she followed him inside his room. "How can a little boy like him have powers?"


    "But I feel him pull me from afar��"


    "So what? Is he a witch? A sorcerer? Don''t tell me you believe that dragons and fairies exist too? There is no such thing as magic in the real world. You''ve been reading way too many children''s books��"


    "No! It''s true. You have to believe me! I am not mistaken, Sister," An insisted.


    "Fine, fine! I trust you. Now you should rest. Lack of sleep is not good." Alvira didn''t argue with her brother anymore as she tucked him into bed. She was sure he was seeing things because he didn''t sleep properly throughout their journey


    Lying in bed with a pout, An remembered that incident, how he was lifted in the air on his own and pulled back towards the gazebo. When he looked at Drayce, his hand was outstretched, showing that what happened was his doing and his red eyes looked different. They sparkled like a red gemstone caught in sunlight.


    ''I am sure he is the one who saved me.'' An closed his eyes with the thought of meeting Drayce the next day.


    The next day, the guests from Griven were granted an audience with the King of Megaris. Duke and Duchess Cromwell arrived at the Grand Pce, and while it was only the Duke who went to meet King Theron in the throne hall to talk about politics, the Duchess brought her niece and nephew to a separate drawing room where the Queen personally entertained them.


    The Cromwell family greeted the Queen of Megaris and sat on the cushioned seats. While the Duchess and the Queen talked about interesting things about their respective kingdoms and the festival, An''s eyes were staring at the door.


    He whispered to his sister who was sitting in the chair next to him. "Is the Second Prince noting?" His face looked disappointed.


    Esther was observing him and finally decided to ask, "Prince An, is there something you want to say?"


    An looked at her and then looked at his aunt. The Duchess gave him an encouraging nod, saying he should answer the Queen''s question.


    "Your Majesty, I�� am looking for the Second Prince. I want to meet him."


    Esther smiled. "That''s it? Don''t worry. I will arrange for you and Drayce to meet."


    An smiled happily. "Thank you so much, Your Majesty!"


    As promised, the Queen immediately arranged for Drayce to meet An. An found listening to the adult talk boring, so he was d to be able to leave the drawing room. On the other hand, the princess chose to stay and remain by the Duchess''s side.


    Drayce was with his older brother inside the Vermillion Pce when he was informed that Prince An from Griven wasing. Being obedient to everything his mother said, he agreed to be nice to this prince who said his red eyes were scary.


    Vermillion Pce was where the royal harem resides, and generally, males other than the King were not allowed, with the exception being children. This was also where Keiren resided with his birth mother until he came of age and was given his own side pce.


    As it was the first day of the festival, Keiren had invited his friends and Drayce to his mother''s residence to prepare for the iingntern parade. The kids were making their ownnterns since it was one of the traditions of the festival, where everyone would createnterns bearing their wishes for theing year. On the night of the third day of the festival, they would light thesenterns and release them on therge river that flowed towards the sea.


    In the open area prepared in the backyard of the First Concubine''s residence, tables were set out with random materialsid on them. The children were seated in pairs and groups, enjoying thisntern-making process as they tried toe up with the most creative ideas.


    Drayce was isted with empty chairs around him, sitting on his own away from his brother''s friends where only his nanny was apanying him to make hisntern. Coloured papers were spread in front of him as he was first drawing something on them. When An arrived there, he was greeted by the boys who recognized him, and he exchanged pleasantries with them and the First Prince. However, he was quick to excuse himself from them as the purpose of hising was the little red-eyed prince sitting by himself.


    "Second Prince, finally I found you!" An said excitedly.


    Drayce merely gave him a nce before returning his attention on the papers in front of him. The Prince of Griven continued to talk despite that, "Thank you for saving me yesterday."


    Drayce didn''t react to this and simply said, "Have a seat."


    An was happy that Drayce offered a seat, meaning he weed his presence, and thus he took the chair next to him. Lady Saira and An''s nanny rxed seeing the two boys getting along.


    "What are you doing with these papers? I saw the others folding them��."


    "We are makingnterns," Drayce answered.


    "Why?" An looked curious. "Why not have the servants make them? Why��"


    Knowing his prince''s personality, An''s nanny answered his questions, exining about the tradition of the end-of-year festival.


    "That seems interesting." An grinned. "I want to make one too!"


    Drayce picked up an off-white-coloured sheet and ced it in front of An. "First, you need to draw the design you want on this paper."


    "Huh? But the others are already folding��"


    "Once you start making antern, it won''t be easy to draw your design on the sheets and you will end up tearing the paper you wrapped around the frame."


    "Ohh, makes sense! You are smart!"

 Chapter 475 Making Lanterns Together

    Drayce moved his paint tray towards An and passed him one brush. There were various colors to choose from.


    "What are you drawing?" An asked as he saw Drayce making lines with red paint on the sheet.


    "A dragon," Drayce answered.


    "Why?" An asked. "You like dragons? Oh, right. I remember the symbol of your family are dragons��"


    "It''s not. The symbol of my family is the sun."


    "Huh? But my sister taught me that you call your king a dragon? My uncle also called your father the Dragon of Megaris."


    Drayce patiently answered the talkative boy, enduring because of his promise to his mother. "Because the kingdom is blessed by a dragon."


    "Ah! I remember! The story of the ck Dragon!" An cheered. "But��why is your dragon red?"


    "Red Dragon is the symbol of prosperity and I want my kingdom to always prosper," Drayce replied.


    "That is a nice thought. I think I heard about it during one of my lessons back in my kingdom," An said and then looked for something. "Dragon��dragon��I want to draw a dragon too. Don''t you have a gold colour?"


    "Are you drawing a Gold Dragon?" Drayce lifted his hand and looked at the boy beside him in surprise.


    An nodded as his nanny arranged another wooden tray with mixed paint on it. She skillfully created a gold-coloured paint.


    This time, Drayce was curious. "Why?"


    "My teacher said that Gold Dragons are the kindest dragons and they''re good at making friends. When I light up thisntern, I will pray for us to be friends."


    A light smile appeared on Drayce''s lips. Till now, no one had wished to be his friend. The words of this Prince of Griven sounded genuine. As Drayce had previously learned about the different dragons after knowing he was a Red Dragon, he knew that Gold Dragons are meant to be simple and not pretentious. This overly curious yet frank foreign prince fit the description perfectly.


    They both finished drawing dragons after taking their sweet time.


    "How does mine look?" An asked, showing Drayce his simple drawing.


    "It''s good," Drayce replied, although the ''Gold Dragon'' looked more like a yellow snake. The proud An nced at his Red Dragon.


    "Yours is good as well."


    As the two boys were drawing for some time, yet to even start making thentern itself, Lady Saira asked, "How about Prince Drayce and Prince An resting for a bit before you continue? Would you like to have some light snacks?"


    An nodded immediately. Seeing An willing to have snacks, Drayce put the sheets aside and nodded as well.


    Lady Saira opened the basket she put aside and served them together with An''s nanny. They were fruit tarts topped with slices of fruits with different colours, making them look pleasant to the eyes.


    An took a bite and eximed, "It''s tasty!"


    "Mother made it," Drayce informed.


    "Her Majesty the Queen?" An asked in surprise.


    Drayce nodded, "Hmm."


    "Ohh, she makes good tarts, but you know, my mother makes the best cakes!" An boasted. "My mother is mostly busy with her duties as a queen though so she rarely makes them. But you have to taste it! She''s the best! I love all the cakes she makes. If you evere to Griven, I will ask my mother to make something for us. I am sure you will like it too."


    Drayce simply nodded as he continued to enjoy the tart.


    "By the way, where is your pet bird, Second Prince?" An asked as he swallowed the rest of his food and took a second one from the basket.


    "He is not here," Drayce replied and looked up at the sky. "Must be flying somewhere up."


    "Oh, a ''he''. It''s a male bird." An narrowed his eyes as he looked up in the sky, trying to see if therge bird was nearby. "A pity it''s not here. I want to see your pet. Next time, will you show him to me?"


    "I will."


    Just then, they heard amotion behind them where all the other kids were gathered around something in awe.


    When Drayce and An turned to look, they spotted a magnificent dark bluentern that looked like the night sky sprinkled with glittering stars. One could easily imagine how magical it would look once it was lit.


    "That looks so awesome! I wonder who made it?" An asked as he found the idea artistic.


    "My brother made it," Drayce answered.


    Thanks to Drayce''s good hearing, he knew that it belonged to his older brother. He was happy and wished to see it up close as well, but he didn''t want to go near those kids who would probably do something to anger him again.


    "Really? It''s so big. I want to see it up close. Let''s go��"


    Since An insisted, Drayce could not say ''no'' to him. Drayce looked at his nanny. "We will be back shortly. Stay and make sure the sheets don''t get blown by the wind."


    "Your Highness��" Lady Saira wished to say something as she was worried, knowing that whenever Drayce came across those kids, they would say something upsetting.


    "Don''t worry, Saira," Drayce said and walked towards them with An. He was determined that no matter how much they tease him, he would simply ignore it.


    As they reached thentern, Keiren looked at Drayce. "Dray,e here."


    Drayce and An went closer and saw that beautifulntern had the ck Dragon drawn on its four sides as if it were embracing the night sky. Keiren was proud to have drawn the symbol on hisntern.


    "What do you think?" Keiren asked.


    "I think it''s going to be the bestntern in the parade," Drayce replied happily.


    "True! It''s so big too," An added.


    Keiren was uplifted by everyone''s praise, and he stood up, gesturing for his nanny to carry thentern for him. "I will show it to Mother!"


    The First Concubine, Lady risa, was having tea with the parents of his friends in the garden on the other side of her residence. Some of the children also stood up to follow the First Prince, but the bullies from that kickball incident��the grandson of the Viscount and two of his friends��stayed behind.


    Seeing them, Drayce was about to go back to his table with An, but those boys were older andrger than him and An. They were easily stopped by them.

 Chapter 476 Anger And Fire

    "Prince Drayce! Prince An! Where are yournterns?"


    "We are yet to start," Drayce replied as he tried to move around them.


    "Your Highness, wait! Wait! Won''t you see ournterns? Is Your Highness still angry with us?"


    Drayce was not the kind to fall for their tricks, so he decided to ignore them, but one kid came to An. "Prince An, won''t you see ournterns?"


    "You guys also finished yours?" An asked.


    Since An stopped to entertain them, Drayce didn''t leave him alone and chose to stand by his side.


    "Yes! Well, not all. We have many wishes so we are making manynterns," the kid replied and shared a vague smile with his friends.


    Drayce noticed it and he felt worried that they were trying to pull a prank on An. He was a royal guest of this kingdom, and it might cause trouble for his father if Griven makes a big deal out of this.


    The three boys led them to their table and showed finishednterns that resembled various animals. But rather than thenterns, they picked up their sheets and showed them off to An.


    "What is that?" An asked, looking at one sheet with narrowed eyes.


    The grandson of Viscount Rulf replied with a grin, "Prince An, can''t you see it''s a red-eyed monster? See these scary eyes. I have even drawn horns and ws and these scary teeth."


    He was ''coincidentally'' standing beside Drayce, and the way he was holding the paper, it was as if he wasparing it to the little prince. An eyed Drayce, feeling ufortable with the situation. Young as he was, as someone born within the royal family, An was raised to be sensitive to the intention of the people around him. He understood what these older kids were trying to do, but Drayce was as calm as still water, as if the boy''s words did not affect him.


    "Why would you make such a drawing?" An asked, feeling displeased about it.


    "On thest day of the festival, we will light up thisntern. It will fly up in the sky and we will pray for this scary monster to disappear from here."


    "You guys are really bad," An said and turned to leave with Drayce, but the kids continued to block their path.


    From a distance, Lady Saira was watching their interaction, but since it looked like the kids were talking to An, she remained seated though she was vignt. She knew those young nobles wouldn''t dare mess with the prince of another kingdom. However, when she saw their way being blocked repeatedly, she felt like she should intervene and moved to approach them.


    The kids had their backs on Drayce''s nanny so they don''t know this. They continue to harass the two younger boys. "Why are you in such a hurry, Your Highness? We haven''t shown all our drawings yet. I am sure you will like them even more."


    The other kids brought another sheet. "Guess what this is?"


    Drayce frowned and looked the other way while An replied, "I don''t know."


    "This is a witch, one that eats children at night. Along with that monster, we will pray for this witch to go away as well."


    "You��"


    These kids didn''t dare mention names but Drayce was smart enough to know who these kids were implying to be a witch. His mother was the Queen of this kingdom, but these stupid kids dared insult her. Moreover, as a good son, he would never allow them to badmouth his mother.


    The rage rose inside him as he clenched his fists. Though he could ignore them for that red-eyed monster drawing, it was unforgivable for them to include his mother in their antics.


    However, the kids continued with their harassment, "I have an idea. We should burn thisntern the same way witches are burned in the books. Those vile creatures bring bad things with them, don''t they?"


    "Your Highness, are you mad? Are you going to cry?"


    "Heh, look at him shaking��"


    Whoosh!


    Theirughter turned into screams when all the sheets of papers in their hands caught fire. It scared the hell out of those kids, and they threw those sheets from their hands in panic.


    "Monster!"


    "Ahh! The monster got angry! He wants to kill us!"


    "Fire! There''s a fire here!"


    "Put out the fire!"


    "Your Highness!" One could hear Lady Saira''s panic in her voice.


    However, the angry Drayce was not able to control his emotions. The sheets on the table, the finishednterns, even the wooden trays of paint and the cushions on the chairs��everything that could be burned burst into mes.


    "Your Highness, stay away from the fire!"


    Drayce came back to his senses when Lady Saira put a hand on his shoulder, moving to carry him in her arms so they could run away. Only then did he realize what he had caused.


    Frigidly, he moved his head and saw An, the one who wanted to be his friend, staring at him in horror��like he was truly a monster. He didn''t think twice and pped his nanny''s hand away, running as fast as he could with tears welling up in his eyes.


    The servants were running around in panic, some trying to douse the fire with water, while the others called for help, and thus Lady Saira found herself blocked by their bodies when she tried to run after her prince. Amidst the chaos, no one realized that while they were trying to extinguish the fire, the Second Prince of Megaris and the First Prince of Griven were missing.


    As soon as he saw him run away, An followed Drayce. Since he was an energetic kid, it was easy for him to keep up with the little boy in front of him.


    Momentster, Lady Saira informed the other servants that Drayce had run off. However, she only knew the general direction where he ran but didn''t know exactly where he went since his tiny body was blocked by the trees and bushes when he ran.


    This was followed by another scream because An''s nanny realized she could not see where her prince had run off as well. As the most important people within the group of children were missing, Lady risa as the host of the event had a grim look. The female knights guarding the Vermillion Pce were mobilized to help with the search.

 Chapter 477 Little Arlan Comforting Drayce.

    Unaware he was being followed, Drayce ran until he reached the wall surrounding the entirety of Vermillion Pce, which was covered in thickyers of ornamental vines that perfectly wrapped themselves around the wall, hiding every inch of the stone wall from top to bottom with their leaves.


    When An reached the wall, he was confused because he could not find Drayce anywhere. He was confident that he was not mistaken that Drayce came in this particr spot. How could he have vanished? Was it also��magic?


    ''Unfair! If you use magic to leave, how can I follow you? Oh, maybe he climbed over the wall?''


    Pouting, the little guy walked along that wall, randomly pulling those hanging vines to check if they were sturdy enough to carry his weight. He decided he was going to climb up the wall.


    However, after his third pull, his hand felt like he grabbed mere air. Pushing the vines aside, he discovered that there was a hole in the wall which was beingpletely hidden by these nts. It was a small hole, but it was big enough for a five-year-old boy like him to squeeze through.


    ''Did he go through this hole?''


    An''s disappointment vanished. Without a moment''s dy, he passed through that hole and found himself on the other side of the wall in less than a minute. However, he was covered in dirt, and his hair even had leaves caught in it.


    The little guy looked around but the red-eyed boy he was following could still not be seen anywhere. All he saw was awn with the uneven ground covered with grass. There were unkempt trees and random nts, as well as a path made out of white-colored stones, some big while others were small, but aside from it, the ce was empty


    ''Seems like no onees here,'' An concluded. It seemed to be a part of the royal pce far away from the residences and the administrative buildings, an abandoned area where even servants do not frequent. ''But where is he? Did he note here?''


    While he was wondering if he should head back, he heard the loud screech of an eagle approaching towards the ground. At first, An was scared, especially since he was alone, but when he narrowed his eyes, he recognized that it was Drayce''s pet.


    ''Aha! Found you!''


    Quickly, he followed the direction where the eagle was heading to. Several minutester, he reached a ce where the ground had a downward slope, and at the bottom was a shallow pit full of white rocks both big and small. Some were even so big they should be called boulders instead of rocks.


    His adventurous spirit triggered, An did not hesitate to go down the slope, though he was being careful with his steps because he was sure it would be painful if he made a wrong step and fell on that rocky ground.


    Soon enough, he reached the centre of that huge but shallow pit that was filled with bouldersrger than his body. He could not see where the eaglended, but he was sure it flew towards this part of the pit. After wandering for some time, An noticed a small cave-like ce in between boulders, and if his guess was right, Drayce should be hiding inside.


    An walked closer, and even without entering, he could already see the eagle and the red-eyed boy huddled inside this makeshift hideout. The tiny cave seemed like it could only amodate about two to three adults.


    Drayce was curled like a ball, hugging his knees with his face buried in the circle of his arms. Although he was not letting out any sound, An was sure he was crying.


    The blue-eyed prince said nothing and simply sat beside the crying boy, putting his short arms around his body to hug him.


    Drayce flinched but said nothing, and An also stayed like that without a word.


    After a while, with his face still buried in his arms, a small voice asked, "W-What are you doing here?"


    "Do I need to answer that?"


    Silence enveloped them.


    After a while, Drayce spoke again, "Go away. You''re dirty."


    "Aren''t we both equally dirty? Your hair has a leaf on it as well."


    "You''re dirtier."


    "Am I?" An said in an innocent tone. After a while, he patted Drayce''s head with one hand. "Whenever I cry, my sister hugs me like this and I feel better afterwards."


    "Who said I am crying?" Drayce snorted.


    An sighed as it was obvious this little guy was crying but was acting tough.


    "If you are not crying, let me see your face."


    "I don''t wanna."


    "See, you''re crying."


    "I''m not. My face is just dirty. I don''t want you to see my face dirty."


    An burst into augh. "Fine, you are not crying. You are just sad. Hugs can cure sadness too."


    For the next minute, An continued to hug him in silence.


    Drayce wiped his eyes sneakily and raised his head as if showing he was not crying and asked, "Why did you follow me?"


    An let him go and stretched his arms next to him. "I was worried since you ran off."


    "I am fine," Drayce replied firmly.


    "Hmm, I can see that," An replied sarcastically.


    After another short silence, Drayce asked, "Aren''t you scared of me now?"


    "Huh?" An looked at him. "Why would I be scared of you?"


    "Didn''t those kids tell you I am a monster?" Drayce replied, "And today you saw what I did."


    "Hmm, well, I admit you did surprise me. The paper suddenly went ''whoosh!'' and it''s suddenly on fire. I think that boy''s hand probably got burned��"


    Drayce felt nervous listening to him, but An said something else that Drayce didn''t expect.


    "...but if I were you, I wouldn''t have let them off lightly. I would havepletely cut off their hands for drawing my mother like that and I would have ordered the knights to pull out those tongues which dared to call her a witch. They just openly despised the royal family, and that''s a crime that couldnd them to prison! So what if they''re kids? Pfft, you are a prince, you know? You are the only son of the Queen. Those ill-mannered kids should be properly punished."


    =====


    If you liked this start of the friendship between cute little dray and An, then you can show your love by gifting them. XOXO

 Chapter 478 Because He Is Esthers Son

    This 5th chapter is dedicated to you all for showering the novel with so many gifts. Thank you so much. XOXO


    -------


    Stunned at what he heard, Drayce found his mouth gaping at this innocent-looking prince. He didn''t expect him to say such cruel things.


    Was that really something a four- or five-year-old kid should say?


    An gazed into those red eyes with a smile that was not a smile. For some odd reason, the usually silly prince gave off a rather mysterious vibe. "I like to reward and punish the way they truly deserve."


    Drayce realized this new friend of his was not a simple brat as he initially thought. Thinking about it, he was not wrong to say the punishment should be given to those whomitted a wrongdoing.


    "You said you want to meet my pet, right?" Drayce asked and gestured at the eagle preening itself on his other side of the hideout. "Come here, Dusk."


    The eagle came hopping towards them.


    "Whoa! This��this big bird is called an eagle, right? It''srger than I thought. I have never seen one up close��"


    "He is a special eagle, a very very smart eagle," Drayce boasted. "Mother said he is a rare breed but he''s still young so he will still grow bigger."


    "Really? Does it follow your order? How did you train him��"


    After spending some time chatting, the two felt hunger and realized they needed to go back. With two princes missing, they could already imagine themotion in the pce.


    "What will you tell them?" An asked.


    "The truth," Drayce replied as they walked towards the wall.


    When they reached the broken part of the wall, Drayce entered it first but did not go through it, careful to check the surroundings just in case there was a person on the other side of the wall. This was his secret passage and that rock formation was his secret hideout, and he didn''t want anyone learning about them. If he was alone, he would have teleported back inside Vermillion Pce, but because of An, he had to go back this way.


    No one was around so the two simply crossed that hole. As they walked further, Drayce heard his anxious nanny exim in delight.


    "They''re here! I found the princes!"


    "We found Prince Drayce and Prince An!"


    Soon, the two dirty royals were escorted by the knights towards the residence of the First Concubine.


    "Your Highness, where were you?" Lady Saira was close to tears. "I was extremely worried��"


    "I was just in the bushes, Saira," he replied. They were now inside one of the drawing rooms lent by Lady risa. From the window, Drayce could see that the yard was being cleaned up as the servants quickly managed to put off the fire.


    Prince An''s nanny came running inside the room while catching her breath and felt relieved that she found her prince, albeit he looked untidy. Lady risa also went to check on them, and after she left, Keiren also came to apologize for the incident. Though he did nothing wrong and didn''t fully understand what happened, the First Prince felt bad because the three boys had upset Drayce. He promised him that next time, those bullies would no longer be invited as his ymates.


    Drayce and An were taken by their nannies back to their respective residences. The news of the incident had already reached Esther who was waiting to meet her son in his bed-chamber.


    King Theron also received this news from Sir Galien.


    "Where is he now?" King Theron asked.


    "His nanny took His Highness back to the Queen''s pce."


    "What exactly happened?"


    "The young masters from the House of Rulf, the House of Walter and the House of Faniel imed that the Second Princes got angry at them for showing off theirnterns and caused the fire to hurt them. They also said the Second Prince bullied them often."


    "They dare lie within the royal pce?" King Theron scoffed. "Do they think I don''t know what the Second Prince is like? Something must have happened to anger him or he would not do this without any reason. Warn their families. The Ivanovs are not so soft that we''ll tolerate them shaming a prince. Calm this matter and do not let any kind of negative rumours about the Second Prince spread."


    "I have received your orders, Your Majesty," Sir Galien said. "Are you going to visit the Second Prince?"


    "Esther can handle him. My presence will only make him feel more guilty," the King replied.


    Sir Galien paused for a moment before asking, "Your Majesty, can I ask something?"


    King Theron nodded while resuming his work.


    "May I know why His Majesty always trusts the Second Prince? We are yet to even ask the ount of Prince An and the Second Prince about this incident��"


    King Theron paused his work and looked at Sir Galien. "It''s because he is Esther''s son. She raised him well. Her son will never harm anyone innocent."


    It was his trust in Esther''s principles that made him assured her son would be taught the right things.


    ----


    Esther was patiently waiting for Drayce inside his chamber. Drayce lowered his head the moment he saw his mother seated in the lounge area of his chamber.


    She stared at her son who looked guilty, not even having the courage to leave the doorway. His clothes were untidy, unbing of a prince, though his face was already wiped clean by his nanny. On an ordinary day, Esther would have ordered him to take a bath first before they talk, but this time, a huge incident had happened and thus they needed to have a serious conversation first before sending him to clean up.


    "Sit down so we can talk," Esther said without a change in her expression.


    Her son did so without a word and sat in the chair opposite his mother. Lady Saira bowed and left the room to give the mother and son privacy.


    Drayce didn''t look at his mother while she simply observed him. The atmosphere was extremely tense, and the little prince could not help but fidget.

 Chapter 479 Use Your Brain Instead Of Powers

    This 6th chapter is dedicated to the reader "Monica_Ceja" for gifting Dragon the to the novel. Thank you so much. XOXO


    ---------


    "Do you know what you did wrong?"


    Drayce nodded, only to hear his mother prod, "And what did you do wrong?"


    "I��I should have controlled my anger," he replied quietly.


    "Dray, look at me," she instructed.


    Hesitantly, he lifted his head to look at his mother''s face.


    "I am not angry at you, but I want you to understand what you did wrong. Something like this should not happen again."


    "I apologize��"


    "Your powers should not be used to harm others. Understood?"


    "Yes, Mother."


    "It is normal to feel anger, but you should not let anger control your powers."


    "I will try, Mother��"


    "You said that before but you still failed. I''m disappointed."


    He nodded sullenly.


    "This time, you will get a punishment."


    He looked at his mother, but seeing her stern expression, he could only ept it.


    "For a day, you will not be allowed to step out of your chamber so you can reflect on your mistake, and for one week, you will not be allowed toe to my chamber. No bedtime stories and no sleeping with Mother."


    Drayce looked at her as if he was being wronged, his lips trembling as if he were about to cry. His innocent eyes blinked a few times, trying to withhold his tears.


    However, Esther was not finished. "Since you now use your powers on others that means you believe you are strong enough to not obey me. Then, you can be on your own. You don''t need Mother."


    "N-No mother��I��won''t do it again. I promise I won''t��I won''t��"


    Esther still didn''t soften with her punishment and asked calmly, "Dray, if you didn''t have powers and those kids made you upset, what would you have done?"


    Drayce pondered, but he had nothing to say.


    "Without your powers, would you have acted scared and cried? Would you have fought them like a street thug, throwing punches in their face?"


    He simply looked at his mother, waiting for her to say more.


    "You are a prince, Dray. When you are in a position where you are above people and others look up to you, you will always be judged. What you say, what you do, what you don''t do, people will always have an opinion and these opinions will not always be right. Some will praise you, some will nitpick at your actions, while others will criticize you even without reason.


    "Many people do not know you as a person, and there will be many more who will misunderstand you. So if they say bad things to you, will you keep behaving like this, scaring them away with your powers all the time?


    "Your father, though he is the King of Megaris, do you think everyone only says good things about him? Do you think everyone agrees with his decisions all the time? If they say things that the King does not agree with, do you think your father will unreasonably use his authority and behead them all?"


    Esther waited for Drayce to answer, and this time, the little prince shook his head. Only then did she continue speaking.


    "You live among humans so you need to learn to deal with them as a human. When you grow up, you will meet both good and bad people. Some good people speak bad words, and some bad people will speak good words. Some people act badly because of ignorance, while some people hide their bad intentions by acting good in front of you. As a prince, you have to learn how to differentiate them and handle people so you can properly execute your responsibilities to the kingdom.


    "In the future, will you continue dealing with those whoe your way like this? Will you only use your powers to control them? Will you be a good-for-nothing tyrant without those powers?"


    "No, Mother��I apologize��I will do better��"


    "You need to learn to deal with people using your brain. Power in the hands of a person with no brain is violence, but power in the hands of a person who uses his brain is righteousness. I know my son is smart. I want him to use his brain to deal with them and not purely rely on his powers." Esther gazed into his eyes. "Can you do it, Dray?"


    Drayce squared his little shoulders.


    "I can, Mother."


    "Good. This should be thest time. I don''t wish for this to happen again," she said.


    "I will be careful, Mother."


    "Promise?"


    "Promise."


    Esther finally smiled at him, and only then did Drayce feel relieved.


    "Hmm, since you made a promise and I believe you will keep it, I have brought you a gift."


    "A gift?" His eyes sparkled. "What is it, Mother?"


    Esther called for herdy-in-waiting to enter, and she brought the gift in a wooden case and ced it on the centre table. Drayce looked at it curiously and thedy opened the case. There was a simple wooden sword inside the case.


    Though it was merely a simple sword, Drayce could not help but gasp.


    "A training sword!"


    "You recognize it. That''s good," Esther smiled. "This is a smaller version of the training sword used by apprentice knights who practice swordsmanship. This is made of special wood that is light but sturdy. Normally, children of royalty and nobility will officially start learning the way of the sword when they reach the age of seven, but I realized that you are special so learning early won''t be a problem for you."


    "This sword is for me?"


    "Yes, I have requested this training sword for you, and it''s measured to fit your body. Dray, I want you to learn how to use a sword. When you grow up, I want you to defeat your enemies using the sword and not your powers. I want you to be the best swordsman this continent ever had. Your enemy should feel scared the moment they see you standing with your sword in hand. Even if hundreds of soldiers stand in front of you, you should be able to defeat them as if it''s not a big task."


    His mother''s words were like an absolute decree to him. He picked that small sword from the case and lightly swung it to test its weight.


    Observing it carefully, a brilliant smile could be seen on his face. Anything from his mother was the most precious thing to him. "I will do my best, Mother. I will be the best swordsman!"


    Esther felt satisfied with his reply and said, "You are yet to make yourntern, aren''t you?"


    He nodded, but he''s already busy touching his wooden sword.


    "Put it back inside its case. You won''t be leaving your chamber for a day after all. You will probably start training after the festival."


    Remembering his punishment, Drayce let out a wronged face, but Esther did not mind it.


    "Oh, are you sad? Do you want Mother to leave? Pity, I was thinking that I have free time to help you make yourntern��" she said with a mischievous smile. Drayce immediately perked up.


    Afterwards, the Queen''s servants brought the materials for thentern inside the prince''s room. Along with it, they brought the sheets on which Drayce had drawn the Red Dragon.


    "You drew a dragon?" she asked.


    He nodded. "Prince An also drew a dragon. His was a golden one."


    "Seems like you two are getting along," she concluded. She then pulled out a sheet of paper with a yellow snake-like drawing on it. "Oh, are you talking about this one? It seems his sheet is mixed along with yours."


    "Yes, this is his," Drayce agreed. "Mother, did you know? He doesn''t think I am a monster even after he saw me create fire out of nothing."


    "Seems like my son finally got a friend," she chuckled.


    Drayce thought about it for a while and then nodded.


    "Mother, we should make hisntern for him as well and surprise him."


    "Sure!"


    The mother and son started to leisurely makenterns, bonding together as if the strange incident that had happened in Vermillion Pce that day was forgotten.


    ====


    Important note-


    Among all these 6 chapters, there was a hint about the 3rd novel of "Devil and witch" series. I hope you all could guess it.

 Chapter 480 Drayces Plan Of Punishing The Bullies

    During the first day of the festival, Little Drayce was prohibited from stepping out of his chamber as punishment for the incident he caused.


    However, the little prince didn''t mind staying inside since he was makingnterns with his mother. Even after she left to prepare for the first night of the royal ball, he remained unaffected and simply read a book to help pass time.


    What he truly minded was being prohibited from sleeping with his mother at night. For as long as he could remember, he would sleep in her warm embrace. The longest he''d been separated from her was two nights due to work matters.


    Now, he had to sleep all by himself in his chamber for seven nights��


    After having his evening meal and changing out of his day clothes, Drayce went to the huge window of his chamber and stared at therge tree in front of it. The tall tree had Dusk''s nest kept on its branches. It was so close that he could always see Dusk and talk to him the moment he stared out of his window.


    "Dusk, I cannot go to my mother tonight," he said with a pout, "but I cannot sleep without her bedtime stories and until she holds me close. What should I do?"


    Dusk merely pped his wings. He could not help the young boy with this situation as he was punished by Esther herself.


    Drayce pulled a chair close to the window and sat with his arms resting on the window sill. After venting out about the incident to Dusk, he changed the topic.


    "What do you think about that prince from Griven. Do you like him?"


    To this, the eagle had a response. Dusk nodded lightly and heard Drayce continue, "I like him too. He is my first friend and he doesn''t think I am a monster��"


    While talking to Dusk, telling him his thoughts, Drayce gradually dozed off while sitting, his chubby face resting over his hand on top of the window sill.


    After a while, Lady Saira entered the chamber to check on her ward and found him asleep by the window.


    She carefully lifted him in her arms and ced him on the bed. The little guy looked peaceful and innocent in his sleep.


    With a smile, she covered him with a nket, closed the windows and left.


    -----


    The next day was the second day of the festival.


    With the doors of the royal pce open, the grounds were pretty lively as nobles and people with importance convened together.


    Aside from the royal ball, several events were arranged inside the pce at various ces to entertain not only the guests, but also everyone residing within the pce. Since there were many children among the guests, the Queen held a gathering for the young ones while the adults socialized.


    After what happened yesterday, An was excited to meet Drayce, and Drayce was the same.


    The two princes met inside the garden of the Queen''s residence. An came running to Drayce the moment he stepped out of the carriage and saw his new friend, forgetting his manners as he dashed with his nanny hurrying to follow him.


    Both smiled happily at each other.


    "Did you get punished?" An asked the obvious. He was worried that it was a big punishment.


    Drayce nodded.


    "What is it?" An was curious to know the kind of punishment his friend got.


    "I cannot go to my mother''s chamber for a whole week."


    For children their age, it was a really bad thing. An groaned, "Oh, no. Then how will you sleep? Even my mother punishes me like this." His face turned sad at the memories of his own punishments.


    "Last night, I fell asleep while talking to Dusk," Drayce replied.


    "Ah, good that you have a pet."


    Meanwhile, their nannies who could hear their conversation found it amusing how the two little princes looked like they were having the most serious discussion of their lives.


    An remembered something, "Yesterday, we did not finish makingnterns. I wonder if it''s alright to buy instead��?"


    "Don''t worry, Mother and I madenterns for both of us," Drayce replied.


    "Really?"


    "Hmm. Yours is still the same as the Gold Dragon you made."


    "Really, really? Amazing! Can I see it?" An asked and Drayce agreed.


    The two walked inside the Queen''s residence and went towards Drayce''s chamber with their nannies following them.


    Entering that huge chamber, Drayce took An towards the wooden table where he had kept thosenterns.


    "They are so good," An said excitedly. They weren''trge, only slightlyrger than two handspans, but they were delicately crafted. "The red dragon and the gold one look good together just like us."


    Drayce nodded. "When you light up thisntern tomorrow, you can wish for anything you want."


    "Will ite true?" An asked.


    "Mother says so," Drayce replied.


    "I know what I want to ask for."


    "What?" Drayce asked.


    "I will tell you tomorrow, but you have to tell me your wish as well," An replied.


    "Fine."


    The two young princes decided to spend their entire day together. After asking Lady Saira what they could do, they learned that there was a special gathering for the children of the nobles and important guests. Thinking it would be fun, they got on a carriage and went to the ce where the special gathering was arranged.


    The gathering was held at the meadow outside the Grand Pce, and they could see not only children but their parents and guardians milling around. It seemed more like an outdoor party with entertainment at the sides.


    Eyeing the luxurious building nearby, Drayce asked his nanny. "Is Father attending?"


    "His Majesty won''t be here. The King does not enjoy socializing. Even in other royal gatherings, he will simply make his presence briefly known and leave afterwards."


    "Even though it''s the festival, he''s not having fun?"


    Lady Saira smiled. "From what I heard from Her Majesty, the King prefers to work in his study rather than socialize. That''s what he enjoys doing the most."


    Drayce looked at the quiet distant ce where he knew his father''s study was located. In the past, he would sometimes catch a glimpse of King Theron passing by the windows whenever he walked along the hallway outside the study.


    "Well, who knows, perhaps His Majesty will drop by if he gets tired of paperwork," Lady Saira added.


    Drayce was aware the possibility of that was small. He simply nodded to what his nanny said and walked forward towards the table where sweets were located. His gaze didn''t fail to notice a certain groupposed of three bullies.


    "It''s those guys." An saw them too and asked, "Are you going to let them be without punishing them?"


    Drayce shook his head. "Today, they will get what they deserve."


    An''s eyes brightened up. "Tell me. Tell me!" He turned excited. "Do you need my help?"


    Without a moment''s dy, Drayce nodded.


    "Tell me what to do."


    "First, you have to stay away from me and befriend those kids."


    "That is not a difficult thing."


    "When I signal you, you have to bring them there." Drayce pointed towards the hallway of the royal office building attached to the Grand Pce as an annex. It was the ce of work of the ministers and members of the royal court.


    An nodded and Drayce whispered something in his ears. Once he separated, he asked, "Understood?"


    An smiled. "Piece of cake. Don''t worry."

 Chapter 481 King Punished The Bullies.

    The two nannies didn''t know what these two were nning.


    "Your Highness, is there anything��?"


    "It''s nothing, Saira," Drayce interrupted her.


    After what happened yesterday, she was worried that Drayce would fall into trouble once. Since the little prince was special, she knew that she was powerless to stop him if he really wanted something to be done.


    Normally, as his nanny, she should be punished for all his mistakes, but thankfully, the Queen was generous and never med her, knowing her son was not an ordinary one. Still, Drayce was her responsibility. She didn''t want to see him punished again.


    Afterwards, An easily became part of the group of those bully kids. As he was a prince of another kingdom with a friendly nature, not only did no one mess up with him, they weed his arrival.


    Soon, Keiren arrived with his friends. Ever since he learned how badly those three treated his younger brother, he had decided to cut his ties with them. Initially, he wanted to ignore them, but he allowed those bullies toe close because An had joined them.


    Keiren was looking somewhere so one kid asked, "What happened, Your Highness?"


    "My brother is not here."


    "I saw him going that side," An said. He was pointing towards the annex of the Grand Pce.


    "Oh, I will get him," Keiren simply said. "He must be lurking around to see if he can chance upon Father."


    When Keiren left, his friends dispersed to get sweets for themselves, and An mumbled to let bullies hear, "What is the need to bring him here? What if he burns someone in this gathering?"


    The three bullies echoed his concerns, happy to hear someone else badmouth the Second Prince. No one among them knew that the two princes had be good friends.


    "That''s what we feel too but Prince Keiren doesn''t believe his brother is a monster."


    "Why don''t you prove it to Prince Keiren then? Isn''t it your responsibility as his friends? If I was his friend, I would have protected him from that monster. It''s even worse since they are brothers," An said.


    The three agreed immediately. "What shall we do?"


    "Umm��" An acted as if he was in deep thoughts. "Why don''t you do the same thing you did yesterday? If you manage to anger him��"


    "That''s not a good idea. What if he hurts us?"


    "That monster cannot harm us because he knows it will anger our families and put his parents in trouble."


    "You''re right. Didn''t he only burn the sheets in our hands? Besides, Prince Keiren will be beside us��"


    "Then what are you waiting for?" An asked.


    "We need to get paper and ink to draw," one of the bullies said and went to the royal painter who was making spot sketches of anyone that requested his services.


    He brought two sheets of paper and paint from him. All three hurriedly drew the exact drawings they had made the previous day.


    "It''s done!" they said in excitement.


    "Will youe with us, Prince An?" the leader of the three, the grandson of the Viscount, asked.


    He nodded, smiling lightly. "How can I miss the fun?"


    The four boys happily walked towards the annex of the Grand Pce.


    If the bullies were any smarter, they should have realized that something was wrong when they entered the Grand Pce without any problems. As per protocol, the royal knights stationed at the entrance should have stopped the group of children, but none of them found this weird..


    They hurried towards Drayce in that spacious hallway. "Your Highness!"


    Drayce, who seemed to be roaming, turned to look at them with his usual indifferent gaze. He was openly showing that he was not happy to see them.


    "We were searching for you, Second Prince," another kid said.


    "I am in a hurry. Don''t bother me." After saying that, Drayce turned to leave. He acted perfectly, not even giving away the fact An mischievously winked at him.


    "Your Highness, please wait. We just want to show you something," the grandson of the Viscount said.Drayce let out a sigh of impatience, but stopped for their sake nheless.


    The three boys held the sheet of papers they were hiding behind their back in front of Drayce. "Yesterday, we could not draw them well, but today, we took our sweet time to draw them better. See, there is a red-eyed monster and a witch that eats kids. Doesn''t it look good?"


    Drayce simply nced at it but didn''t react, which made the kids worry about why he was not angry.


    "Second Prince, didn''t we draw this witch well? See, she looks like the mother of this red-eyed monster. That''s why she doesn''t eat him and only other kids. That witch is scary. Tomorrow, we will burn this witch and this red-eyed monster together to get rid of them and free this kingdom from them."


    Drayce remained unaffected, but someone out there was not calm at all, someone who was standing a few feet away behind these kids and heard it all��King Theron, the King of Megaris. Prince Keiren was with his father as well, gaping in disbelief at how these bunch of good-for-nothing young masters had tantly insulted the royal family.


    "Father!"


    Drayce finally ran towards his father whose face was unusually cold, as if his expression alone could turn the air as frigid as the bitterest winter. These kids had called his son a red-eyed monster and his wife a witch that eats kids.


    The three boys felt like the sky had copsed on them when they turned around. Not just the King, but one of the rtives of the bullies, Viscount Rulf, was there as well to witness their offensive act.


    Drayce hugged his father''s leg. King Theron picked him up in his arms and said to his guardian knight, "Galien, make sure the family heads of these kids appear in front of me right away."


    Sir Galien left while the Viscount next to the King was shivering with what his grandson did. He immediately bowed before King Theron. "Y-Your Majesty, I will make sure to punish my grandson!"


    The King didn''t react and turned to leave with his both sons as his other escort knights followed him. The king ordered again, "Send Prince of Griven back to his family."


    The other knight nodded and went to follow his King''s order.


    Keiren, who walked by his father, looked up at Drayce. "I thought you went to see Father so I went to Father''s study."


    "I was about to head there," Drayce replied.


    Drayce turned to look back at his friend who smiled back at him while being escorted by the knight.


    Once King Theron sent his sons away after spending some time with them, he returned to his study where three of his subjects were already kneeling. One was a high-ranking member of the knighthood, another a minister while the third was a rtive of his concubine. They knew after what the children of their families did, severe punishment would follow.


    The King sat in his armchair and looked at the three.


    "I believe you know why you are here."


    The three nodded. Viscount Rulf, who had the highest rank among them, opened his mouth. "We are ready to ept any punishment Your Majesty decides. It is due to our negligence in disciplining the children that resulted in such an incident."


    "Children learn from their mistakes," the King started, causing the three men to feel inwardly relieved, but his next words made them sweat.


    "For the next ten years, those three offenders are not allowed to enter the royal pce, and they are not allowed to interact with any of my sons for any reason. If the punishment is not followed, they will be banished from the kingdom."


    "Y-Yes, Your Majesty."


    "Thank you for your benevolence!"


    "We will follow your decree, Your Majesty!"


    It wasn''t King Theron being kind. In fact, he too wanted to punish their families. However, he decided to be lenient once to set an example for other children of the noble families. It was a warning for the nobles who are good with his first son while they disrespect his second son. As someone who survived pce politics, the King knew these nobles would sooner orter try to turn the two princes against each other.


    Considering those were the kids, King could not punish them physically but this punishment was not a good thing for them when it made them lose the chance of being closer to the princes when they are raised with the goal of serving the next ruler of this kingdom.


    "For you three who failed to teach your children the right manners, the royal family will confiscate an asset in proportion to the offence. You can talk to my aide about the details."


    The news spread everywhere, and after that, no child dared bully Drayce.

 Chapter 482 Wish To Be Friends Forever

    On the third andst day of the festival, An urged Drayce to bring him out of the pce. The prince from Griven badgered him as soon as they met, wanting to roam around the ''central za filled with fun performances'', which was something he quoted hearing from passing servants. Thankfully, this time, their nannies were able to stop them before they decided to sneak out.


    "Your Highness, please wait till evening arrives, and not only the Duke and Duchess bring you there, even the royal family of Megaris will leave the pce ande host thentern parade," An''s nanny exined.


    After spending the entire day together ying in the Queen''s pce, An decided that rather than attend with his family, he would go to thentern parade along with Drayce. Duke Cromwell reluctantly allowed him after getting him to promise that he would behave and not cause trouble for the Second Prince.


    That night, both Drayce and An wore formal clothes as they would be leaving the pce in the Queen''s carriage and would be seen in public. They were riding together with Esther. As the representative of the royal family, Esther would be heading the official start of thentern parade, where she would be the very first to light up herntern.


    When they reached the grand river that crossed ckhelm, the lifeline of the city, they saw a floating tform slightly extended from a port, protected by the royal guards and meant for royal family members only. The First Concubine, the Second Concubine and his older brother were seated on the tform, and they stood from their seats upon the Queen''s arrival.


    "Oh, there''s my sister! Uncle and Aunt too!" An said as he spotted the Duke, the Duchess and Alvira seated near the tform. It seemed to be a special arrangement for nobles and important guests.


    Because he was with the Second Prince, An was given an exception and allowed to stay on the floating tform. Further down the river, he saw a crowd ofmoners standing by the riverbanks, each also holding their ownnterns.


    "Whoa, there''s so many people!" he could not help but exim.


    Drayce merely grinned at his friend''s enthusiasm. Last year, he probably reacted the same way, though not as noisily. This was his second time to be allowed to attend the end-of-the-year festival, and thus, he was no longer surprised.


    Soon, Esther gave a brief wee greeting to mark the start of thentern parade. She ended her speech with a gentle encouraging smile.


    "May our heart''s wish be granted, and may our lives be filled with happiness as we wee the new year."


    With those words, she lit herntern and let it float towards the sky.


    The other members of the royal family also lit theirs ordingly.


    Drayce turned to his friend. "An, let''s light ournterns together.".


    Their nannies passed thenterns to the princes and helped them light them up. Both boys held thenterns in their hands with wonder.


    Lady Saira gestured for them. "Prince Drayce and Prince An, make sure you close your eyes and make a wish before letting thesenterns go."


    The two princes followed what she said, and soon, thenterns floated towards the night sky as the two kids let them go. After the royal family lit theirs, the other people also released their own wishnterns. Somenterns floated up in the sky, while others chose to put theirnterns on the river and let the flowing water bring them downstream.


    Countlessnterns filled the night sky and the dark water of the river, making it look like there were countless shining jewels above and below the onlookers. The world looked like a beautiful painting, with numerous fireflies shining against the dark curtain of the night.


    The two little princes happily pped as they watched theirnterns fly higher and higher up the sky.


    An looked at Drayce. "What did you wish for?"


    Drayce looked back at him. "You first. Tell me what you wished for."


    "How about we say it together?" An suggested.


    Drayce agreed to it and An showed his three fingers as if he was going to count till three. One finger went down, the second finger also went down and as soon as the third finger bent, both said, "I asked for our friendship to be like this forever."


    Hearing the same thing from each other, the twoughed loudly, causing the nearby people to stare at them as if to chastise them. The princes immediately shut up, but every time they would look at each other, they would once again burst intoughter.


    The Queen could not stay long as she had to return to host the third night of the royal ball. The two princes were too young to be left outside the pce, and thus they had to return with her, much to An''s disappointment. He thought Drayce and him could enjoy themoner''s festival he overheard from the servants.


    Upon returning to the royal pce, the Queen left, and they realized it was time for them to part ways as well. The two looked sad.


    "Tomorrow, I will be heading back to my kingdom. I don''t know when''s the next time we can meet again," An sighed. "Can I stay with you for the night?"


    Drayce looked at his nanny. "Can he?"


    Lady Saira and An''s nanny shared a knowing gaze with each other. The two women had also be close to each other since their wards had spent the past two days together.


    An''s nanny smiled. "Will you promise to behave, Your Highness? If you behave like a good boy, I am sure His Grace the Duke will allow it."


    His blue eyes sparkled in joy. "I promise!"


    After asking permission, the foreign prince was allowed to spend the night in the Queen''s pce and y in Drayce''s chamber.


    After a while, their nannies left, leaving the two princes in the chamber to start preparing for their bath and their sleepwear. When they returned to the prince''s bedchamber, they saw the two little princes dozing off by the window, sitting on chairs while resting their heads over their folded arms on the window sill.


    The two nannies could not help but chuckle while looking at them as it was such a lovely and peaceful sight to see. The two picked them up in their arms and simplyid them on Drayce''s huge bed, allowing the pair of friends to sleep side by side.


    -------


    The next day, An was leaving with his uncle, aunt and sister. Drayce was in front of their guest residence with his mother to see them off. Both princes looked sad about parting.


    Esther noticed it and said, "This won''t be the only time you two are meeting. I am sure there will be many more such asions."


    Drayce looked at his mother. "Really?"


    "Hmm." She nodded. "So you should smile and say farewell to your friend and wish him a safe journey. It''s not a good thing to bid him goodbye with a frown. You should do it happily with the thought of seeing that person again."


    Drayce, being the obedient child, smiled and looked at An. "Travel safely. We will meet again soon."


    An nodded with a smile as he too heard what Esther said. They finally parted ways with the hope of seeing each other once more.

 Chapter 483 It Was Time For Esther To Leave

    Drayce would be turning five years old that year, and he didn''t know it then, but it would mark an important change in his life.


    It would be the time for Esther to leave.


    For the remaining months, she spent as much time as she could spend with her son. She yed the zither for him often, and the little prince enjoyed those afternoons when he didn''t have to attend lessons and simply rx while listening to his mother y her favourite instrument. During her free time, they would either tend to the greenhouse that was attached to her study or train in basic swordsmanship together.


    On the rare times she needed to leave the capital, she would bring Drayce to educate him about more practical lessons, such as herb gathering or relevant knowledge on surviving in the wild. They would go to the forests where Esther would teach him how to find rare herbs with medicinal properties, and they also collected wild berries which Drayce liked to eat.


    She used all these ways to spend time with him and create many memories for both of them, which she believed couldst for a lifetime. Deep in her heart, she wished for her son, Drayce, to never forget her. It was such a contradictory feeling because she also wanted him to forget her. She knew that the more fond memories they shared, the more painful it would be for him once she was gone.


    ''I guess this is me being selfish.''


    In addition to spending time with her son, Esther would also often visit the Crystal Pce to have tea with Great Lady Theodora. Once every two or three weeks, the Queen would also be seen dropping by the King''s study or apanying him during his trips outside the pce, causing people to praise the royal couple once more.


    Though King Theron felt his first wife''s change unusual, he weed it without showing any outward change, causing his guardian knight to tease him about his stubbornness.


    Soon, the day of the Second Prince''s fifth birthday arrived.


    Despite it being a special day, the gates of the royal pce weren''t opened to guests. Drayce never liked fancy celebrations, as other than his family members and nanny, he was close to no one and neither did he have friends.


    As soon as he opened his eyes, the best sight ever weed him. His mother was sitting at the edge of the bed, waiting for him to wake up.


    "Mother!" he cheered.


    "Happy birthday, Dray," she said with a smile as the little guy sat up and crawled to get into his mother''s embrace. He hugged her with his small arms encircling her neck.


    "Thank you, Mother." He then looked back at her. "And my gift?"


    She patted his head. "I have kept it in my study."


    "What is it?" he asked curiously.


    "Several ancient books for you to read. Make sure to study them all carefully. In the future, they will help you."


    "I will, Mother. Thank you so much!" He hugged her once more.


    She then pulled out a wooden box. "This one as well."


    "What is it, Mother?" he asked, looking at the box.


    She opened it and showed him what''s inside. There was jewelry on the velvet cushion, a blue gemstone shining in the middle of a delicate gold frame.


    Drayce recognized the ne. "Isn''t this what Mother loves to wear?" he asked.


    Esther hummed in acknowledgement. "But I am giving this to you. When you grow up, give it to ady who really deserves it."


    "Like Saira?"


    "Someone more important." His mother chuckled while shaking her head. "You will understand when you grow up."


    Drayce didn''t know what was so funny, but since that''s what his mother said, he just nodded and epted the gift.


    "Don''t ever lose it," she said.


    "I will never lose what belongs to Mother," he assured.


    A small family gathering was arranged in the Crystal Pce for Drayce''s birthday where other than the King and the Queen, only the two concubines and the First Prince were invited.


    ? The king was waiting at theke for his wife and sons to arrive so they would go together to the crystal pce.


    Drayce and Esther arrived at the gazebo where he ran towards his father and Theron picked the little guy in his arms.


    The king who rarely smiled, curved his lips in a light smile as he looked at his son who clung in his arms happily.


    "Happy birthday, Drayce," he wished.


    Other than his mother, this is the only thing that made Drayce happy and that was to be close to his father like this. It was rare to happen so it was more precious for him.


    "Thank you, Father," he replied smiling ear to ear and hugged his father while circling his hands around his neck and Theron patted his head.


    "Your gift has been sent to your chamber," Theron informed.


    Drayce looked back at his father, "What is it?"


    "Maps of the continent from the old ones to the current one. You will know how this continent was in the old times and how it developed to the current state," Theron replied.


    Though King Theron didn''t spend much time with his sons, he was aware of everything about them. He was aware of what they liked and did not. Drayce always enjoyed looking into the maps and learning about the kingdom. So as a father, he thought it was the best gift for his son who could now understand the maps.


    "Thank you so much, father. I can not wait to read them," he said, smiling happily.


    "Father," Keiren arrived there with his mother and ran to his father.


    Theron patted his head and Keiren looked at Drayce who was in King Theron''s arms, "Happy birthday, Dray."


    "Thank you, brother."


    They walked towards the dock to sit in the boats.


    The king, the Queen and the two princes'' sat in KIng''s boat where both princes sat next to their father and Esther sat opposite them. The two concubines followed in the other boat.


    Even after so many years, things didn''t change. Theron, Esther and the two princes'' looked like one family while two concubines were always there for the sake of having Ivanov after their names. The two were used to it and could not care and feel bad about it as they knew things would never change. Their husband had eyes only for his first wife.

 Chapter 484 Drayces Last Promise To His Mother

    The King and his family reached the Crystal Pce where they were warmly weed by Great Lady Theodora.


    "Grandmother!"


    The two young princes ran towards her without care for manners or the like. Within the Great Pce, away from the public eye, they would openly act like spoiled children to their grandmother who always showered them with love.


    Great Lady Theodora arranged for a small birthday banquet for Drayce in her hanging garden, the area overlooking the crystal waters of theke, and spent a happy family meal together with everyone.


    While everyone''s attention was on the food and the scenery, the Great Lady went towards Esther who had excused herself earlier to freshen up. Instead of returning to her seat, Esther stood on the side while watching Keiren and Drayceugh together, the older one sitting beside the King while the other sat on the King''s knees, as if they were telling their father an exciting story.


    The Great Lady realized something as she saw the dazed expression on the Queen''s face.


    "Is it the time?" the Great Lady asked.


    "Hmm," was all Esther could say as she could not help but feel emotional at the thought of leaving the two most precious people in her life��her son and her husband.


    "Can''t it be prolonged?" the olderdy asked as she knew staying was not an option for Esther.


    Esther let out a heavy sigh. "I wish I could, but I have been dying it long enough. Do you remember, Mother? Back when you first brought me to the pce?"


    The former queen remembered. "You said you''ll stay by my side for five years."


    "It feels like it''s only been yesterday. Has it been eight years? Nine?" Esther bitterlyughed. "I cannot put them in danger. I don''t wish for anything to happen not only to those two, but the entire Ivanov Family, and once again hurt the ones I love. This is a necessary sacrifice."


    The olderdy could only reach out and squeeze her daughter-inw''s hand. "My son and grandson will be in immense pain that I don''t even dare to imagine the future. Even Little Keiren will be hurt, as he truly thinks of you as his mother too."


    The olderdy''s eyes turned moist, her voice shaken, as she imagined the uproar the pce would suffer the next day.


    Esther could only softly smile back. She lifted a hand, and in the middle of her palm was a pure white teardrop-shaped crystal, seemingly resembling a delicately cut diamond, but the way it diffused colors was a telltale sign it was not an ordinary crystal.


    The Great Lady gazed at it, only to hear Esther speak, "Mother, this is a memory crystal. This crystal carries my fond memories of Megaris, from the moment I met you up till present."


    "Why��?"


    "In future, when you think the time is right, when you think he needs it the most, you can give it to Dray," Esther said with a wistful look. "But I know seeing my memories will bring my son terrible pain, so if I can ask Mother onest favor, you can choose to use it for yourself to get answers to my son''s questions."


    Despite her reluctance, the Great Lady epted it for the sake of her grandson.


    Afterwards, the King and his family returned from the Crystal Pce, unaware that something was wrong with the Queen. On the boat ride back, her husband felt that Esther was being too quiet, but he was distracted by Drayce and Keiren who had been demanding their father''s attention since it was rare for them to spend time with him.


    When the Queen and the Second Prince returned to her residence, Esther spent time with Drayce as she wished to spend thisst night with her son. The little prince was excitedly gushing about his gifts, and about his brother and father. He was iming this was the happiest day of his life, and Esther couldn''t imagine what would happen the next day when he realized he could not find his mother.


    As theyy in bed, Esther patted his head as he hugged his mother to bury himself in her warm embrace.


    "Dray, do you remember everything that mother has taught you?" she asked.


    Drayce lifted his head to look at her. "Yes, Mother, but which one are you referring to?"


    "I am talking about your powers and about always being a good person," she replied.


    "Of course, I remember, Mother. I am five now!" he said proudly, as if he believed his age meant he''s a grown-up. "I will not use my powers to hurt anyone and will use them only to save someone. I will be kind like Mother."


    She gave an approving nod.


    "But, Mother, can I not use my powers as long as I don''t hurt others?" he asked "I like being able to teleport anywhere I want."


    "Anything that won''t hurt others is fine," she replied and he smiled brightly as he cheered. "But you have to promise me something else."


    Drayce blinked his red eyes at his mother.


    Esther patted his head. "Whether Mother is around you or not, you have to remember it always. You have to be a good boy who won''t trouble others."


    "I will, Mother. I am Mother''s good son," he promised without hesitation. His young brain was not even puzzled why his mother was suddenly telling him this.


    She put Drayce to sleep and she gazed at her son for a long, long time as she knew it was thest time she was seeing him. Tears welled up in her eyes��she didn''t wish to leave but she had to.


    If only she was just an ordinary human and was not bound by the rules of her kind��if only��


    Brushing her son''s ck hair with her fingers, watching that adorable sleeping face, Esther could not stop her tears from falling. She continued to look at her son, engraving each and every detail of his face in her mind.

 Chapter 485 Will You Ever Forgive Me?

    "I love you, Dray," she whispered before leaving a soft kiss on his forehead.


    After wiping away her tears, Esther called for Lady Saira inside. Her formerdy-in-waiting already had a sorrowful expression on her face as she knew why the Queen had called for her.


    "You know what I am going to say," Esther told her with a soft smile.


    With her eyes moist, Lady Saira nodded. "Y-Yes, Your Majesty."


    "I trust you that you will take care of him like your own son," Esther said.


    Tears rolled down her eyes as Lady Saira nodded. In the end, she had to keep her head lowered as she could no longer stop herself from crying. "I promise, Your Majesty��"


    Esther merely gave her a sad smile before disappearing from her son''s chamber. Only then did Lady Saira allow herself to fully sob. Esther had been a master and a friend to her, and despite their status, Esther had treated her like a sister, to the point she even revealed the secret of her identity to her and asked her to look after her one and only son.


    Lady Saira looked at the little prince sleeping soundly on the bed, who was ignorant of the heartbreak waiting for him in the morning.


    Her crying whimpers echoed within the quiet chamber��


    After leaving her son, Esther appeared inside her husband''s chamber. In the dim moonlight streaming from the open window, Theron''s tall and handsome profile was highlighted in contrast to the darkness of the night. He was in his sleeping robes, sitting on his armchair while staring outside the window with a ss of alcohol in hand.


    He had been the same every night for all these years. Ever since that Devil''s Curse ruined his life and his wife made her sacrifice, the King could no longer sleep without the help of alcohol and even his sleep would be disrupted by nightmares. During the day, the King was his usual dignified andposed self, but at night, away from prying eyes, he was nothing but a shell of his old self��


    Esther stared at him from behind, from where only the back of his head was visible, but she could sense the grief and loneliness surrounding him. Tears appeared in her eyes once more as she knew she was the reason to turn him like this.


    There was a time when she used to call him a rogue as he was a cheeky rascal filled with hope and dreams for their future, but that rogue was long gone and left in his stead was only an empty shell of her husband who''s the sole reason for living were the responsibilities and guilt he chose to carry.


    She was the reason his life turned like this, and no matter how much she wanted to apologize, it would never be enough. Her arrival in his life brought him nothing but pain.


    This was thest time she was going to see him, and she wanted to at least make it a night she would not regret. With a shaky breath, Esther walked towards him with slow yet steady footsteps.


    As if he had sensed her presence, Theron turned his head and gazed at her from over his shoulder. He didn''t know why she was there all of a sudden, but aside from surprise, he felt a bitter longing for his wife.


    Seeing her walking towards him reminded him of those nights years ago, back when they were ordinary husband and wife, back when just the sight of her made his entire heart be filled with warmth


    Would it be fine to hold her and tell her he yearns for her? That even though things had changed between them, deep in his heart, it''s her and only her he wants?


    For the past few months, Esther and he had been spending more and more time together, and although he never showed it and admitted it, he felt as if the colours were more vibrant and the days were brighter with her around him.


    Esther walked closer towards him, their gazes locked on each other, and when she was but a step away from him, she fell to her knees.


    "What��"


    But Theron was forced to swallow his words because of the look in her eyes. Though he didn''t understand why she suddenly kneeled in front of him, his chest felt an unknown heaviness. Her eyes looked at him as if she was not going to see him again.


    "Esther?" he called out.


    Instead of responding, his wife held his right hand between her hands and Theron simply watched her, not pulling his hand away. She held that warm hand against her cheek and closed her eyes for a while as if to savour its warmth. She then looked up at him with tear-filled eyes.


    At the sight, Theron felt his heart clenched in pain. He moved the hand cupping her face to wipe the tear about to fall from her eye.


    Though both didn''t say a word, it was as if these two lonely souls were crying out the pain they had kept inside their hearts for thest several years.


    After a while, Theron opened his mouth.


    "Did something��"


    "Don''t say anything. Let me be just like this," she said, her voice requested in earnest.


    Theron listened to her and caressed her cheeks gently with his thumbs to make her feel better.


    "Theron, will you ever forgive me?" she asked looking into those eyes that showed her tears pained him.


    Theron simply looked at her for a moment. Not answering her, he leaned closer to her as his face neared hers and his lips touched hers.


    Esther closed her eyes as once again tears rolled down them. After so long he was this close to her and she had almost forgotten how his touch felt.


    That small peck on the lips thatsted only a few brief moments felt heavenly to her.


    Theron''s lips parted away but his face was still closer to her.


    She opened her eyes to look at him and heard him, "I was never upset with you to forgive you. Even if I was, I had forgiven you long back."


    Her trembling lips curved into a light smile which showed she was happy to hear it but it pained her to see how much he still loved her.


    He wiped those tears once again and closed that tiny distance between their lips to kiss her.


    Esther once again closed her eyes and felt her husband''s warm lips sucking and nibbling her cold ones gently. She responded to the kiss as so many emotions engulfed her.


    It felt like an eternity since they shared intimacy. Now as they were close, once again they felt that same old fire burning inside their bodies.

 Chapter 486 I Need You Tonight, My Wife

    Theron continued to kiss Esther gently, savouring her slowly as his hands continued to caress her cheeks. He tenderly brushed those tears with his fingers, but they continued rolling down her lovely face, seemingly representing their longing for each other that they suppressed all these years.


    Their lips parted with great reluctance, and Theron looked at Esther who still had her eyes closed as if trying to imprint all this in her mind.


    "Esther, my love��" he whispered against her moist lips. "I missed you��"


    Esther opened her eyes and looked at that pair of dark eyes overflowing with need and desire.


    "I missed you too, Theron." Her voice was soft, barely more than a whisper, but her gentle words felt like the seduction to her husband''s ears.


    Theron leaned forward to close that tiny distance between their faces. The tip of his nose rubbed against hers, and with their eyes closed, their hot breaths mingled together as if they were both making sure this was real and not an illusion.


    "Tell me this is not a dream," he said in a low, hoarse voice filled with need.


    "It''s not," she replied.


    The corners of his lips curved into a light smile as he opened his dark eyes brimming with unshed tears and looked at her face. A delicately beautiful face framed by loose tendrils of blond hair, lovely eyes the colour of sweet caramel, that elegant nose, those familiar pink lips��


    ''She isn''t a dream.''


    He let go of her face and held her hands. The way he looked at her, she knew what he wanted to do.


    Letting him lift her up, Esther stood with his support, only to find herself pulled to sit on hisp the next moment. One of his arms circled her waist while his free hand moved to tuck the loose strands of hair behind her ear. The way he looked at her, his intentions were clear to her but Esther was conflicted.


    Did she ever not want her husband? She wanted him as well, and it never changed despite the years. How could she not when he was the one she loved more than her own life?


    Esther longed for him but��.she was here to bid him farewell. She simply wanted to tie up the loose ends so she could leave with lesser guilt��but if she left after giving him hope that they could be like before, her disappearance would be harder for him to digest. It might break him once again.


    "T-Theron��"


    "Shh, don''t say anything."


    The little strength she had gathered to stop him and resist her own desires melted the next moment as she fell victim to his passionate kiss. One of her hands moved to circle his neck while the other moved along his strong and muscr chest, which felt even firmer and more muscr even after so many years. Her hand roamed his chest, trying to get a feel of his entire body as they kissed.


    Esther let out a satisfied moan as his musky scent drowned her senses. How much had she longed for her husband''s embrace and kiss? Before she knew it, his hand moved along her back while his other hand moved to untie the outer coat of her dress.


    Theron pulled away from her lips, his voice husky with desperate desire.


    "I need you tonight, my wife."


    Seeing her eyes darkened with the same hunger as his, Theron received her wordless consent and he boldly moved his hands to pull that outer coat down her shoulders while plunging in for another greedy kiss, not willing to leave her soft and plump lips unattended even for a moment.


    Their aroused groans and moans filled the chamber as they kissed each other in urgency.


    Theron stopped kissing her topletely remove her outer coat, leaving her with a simple dress that he easily pulled down her shoulders, causing the fabric to settle at her waist. His beautiful wife now was d only in a thin inner garment that clung on to her curvy body, revealing more than enough shape to that pair of dark eyes who could not wait to taste the skin underneath it.


    With her upper body barely covered, his hot breath brushed against her delicate skin, causing her to shiver.


    He appreciated her curvy body with the same anticipation another would have for a gift yet to be unwrapped. "You are as beautiful as before."


    Esther didn''t know how to respond to this and lowered her gaze, somewhat feeling shy by what he said.


    His eyes observed that blushing face as the satisfied smile painted itself on his lips, reminding him of the younger Esther who used to blush at even the silliest teasing from him.


    He held her chin and made her look at him. Her eyes were mesmerized by that nostalgic roguish grin on his lips. As they tried to catch their breaths, Theron brushed his rough thumb over her still moist lips.


    "You are still the same, Esther��My Esther��"


    Those sweet words caused the weight inside Esther''s chest to intensify, causing her to let out a bitter smile. Both of them knew that couldn''t be farther from the truth. She wasn''t the same Esther, just as he was no longer the same Theron. The only thing that remained the same was their love for each other.


    ''Why do you have to love me so much?''


    Before she could dwell on her thoughts, a gasp left her lips as she felt the pleasurable pain of lips suckling the delicate skin of her neck, nibbling and biting and licking as his mouth moved to savour every inch of her skin.


    "T-Theron��" she breathed heavily as she tried to stifle the loud moans escaping her lips. Perhaps so much time had passed since thest time, but every part of her body became more sensitive, her senses heightened, and she felt as if she was nothing but a youngdy who was doing it for the first time with her lover��


    Her words were nothing but a weak whisper to Theron''s ears. He continued what he was doing as his fingers were working on removing the thin straps of her inner garment. He moved to kiss the smooth white skin of those bare shoulders, letting his lips leave a burning trail of featherlight kisses, stopping only to nestle his face in the graceful curve of her neck.


    Her sweet scent he could never forget��


    "You smell as divine as before," he mumbled while continuing his sweet, torturous assault on her body. He was not drunk due to alcohol, as he had long sobered up from it, but he waspletely drunk with the lust and need he felt for his wife at this moment.


    Instinctively, Esther''s hand moved to the back of his head, giving into his masterful seduction and she could stop herself from letting out arousing moans, her hands trying to grasp over his body desperately.


    Even before she could get used to what he was doing, she felt another shock as she didn''t realize when her dress slipped down her chest with her chest band thrown away on the floor.


    "Aahh��mmm��"


    She tossed her head back with her body arched as she felt his warm mouth devouring her soft mounds. He would alternate between suckling them and kneading them harshly with his rough hands. She lowered her gaze to look at him only to meet his dark eyes looking up at her. The sight of him staring back at her as he tasted her mounds without any hesitation was just too arousing. Those dark eyes were sucking her inside them, inviting her on the journey of pleasure that they haven''t felt for so long.


    ====


    Spoiler for you guys in thement section

 Chapter 487 I Want My Husband Tonight

    In Esther''s eyes, her husband was being dangerously unrestrained tonight. She tried to remember why she came to him in the first ce, but as he sucked and nibbled on her soft flesh, all her rational thoughts were overwritten by the pleasure of Theron''s rough handling of her body.


    He desperately wants her and she wants him just as much��it was as simple as that. She could not think about anything else.


    "Theron��" she called for him, grabbing his clothes as if desiring to tear them away from his body. "I want you��"


    He briefly paused, his dark eyes hungrily looking up at her from her chest.


    Her body shivered in equal desire as she told him, "I want my husband tonight."


    This was exactly what he wished to hear. Without dy, Theron scooped her in his arms and carried her towards therge bed in the middle of his chamber. His passionate gaze never left her misty eyes as though it was telling her tonight was going to be a sleepless night, but she was more than ready to wee it.


    Theron ced her on the bed and impatiently pulled the rest of her dress down her legs, leaving her exposed andpletely naked in front of her husband once again. Rather than feeling embarrassed, she found herself stimted by the way his gaze raked over her beautiful body. It was as if she could see his wicked thoughts and her body was responding in heat.


    As he licked his lips, he removed his own night robe and pants before climbing the bedpletely naked, intent on serving and pleasuring his wife.


    Theron''s physique was ravishing, each line and contour of his broad shoulders, strong arms and sculpted chest evidence that he remained fit throughout the years, but his naughty wife merely paid a brief nce at his well-built body and only stared at a particr part.


    As soon as Esther''s eyes caught the sight of his long and hard manhood, she could not pull her attention away. Her body was aching, begging for her to fulfil her desires that she had suppressed all these years. She continued to look at it boldly until he was on top of her. Her delicate body shivered upon feeling the heat of his body all over her.


    Theron lowered his face close to hers. As his hot breath fanned her face, he smirked. "Seems like my wife is being impatient."


    He reminded her of the younger Theron who loved to tease her, but there was more to it. This Theron was still speaking like a rogue, but his eyes looked wilder, more dangerous, and more wicked. For some reason, her body was responding as if she desired this unrestrained Theron even more.


    "I am impatient," she openly admitted, her lips curling up with indecent desire.


    "How brazen!" he said before swooping in to kiss her.


    Just as she liked the intriguing change in him, Theron also liked this bolder Esther as well.


    She could not wait, he was the same.


    He kissed her once again, and this time it was rough and aggressive. He continued to punish her soft lips, tasting them, sucking and biting harshly before pushing his tongue past them to invade her mouth, leaving her breathless and dizzy with lust.


    Esther moved her hands from his shoulder to his neck, wanting to hold him closer to her, but he suddenly pulled away from their kiss and held her hands to stop her, leaving her confused.


    ''What��?''


    Her husband pulled her hands and put them above her head, trapping them with a single hand as he intently looked into her eyes. She didn''t understand what he was up to and moved her head to kiss him, but he leaned his head back to not let her reach him. A devilish smirk graced his thin alluring lips.


    She panted in frustration. ''What is he doing? ying hard to get?''


    The next moment, her curiosity was answered. Her eyes widened when she saw what was on his other hand.


    A long, thin strap of ck leather��it was a belt..


    Theron had been holding it with him since the moment he removed his pants, but his eager wife''s attention was somewhere else at that time thus she never noticed it.


    "Theron��what��"


    "Patience, dear wife," he whispered with a wicked grin and he secured both of her hands with the belt, binding them to the ornate headrest of the bed.


    Esther squirmed, feeling strangely exposed and vulnerable with her wrists tied to the bed, making her feel like she was a prey about to be thoroughly devoured by this man. She tried to tug at the binding, but her husband tightened the belt before warning her.


    "Don''t you dare use your powers to free your hands."


    His gaze carried a clear threat for her to not disobey him. She gulped and nodded to what he said. Helplessly lying naked under him,pletely at his mercy, made her nervous and scared, and each of her senses heightened to the point one tender brush of his finger trailing down her arm caused her entire body to shiver in anticipation.


    Theron slightly pulled back, straddling her hips with his legs to fully appreciate the beautiful body of the woman on his bed. That delicately beautiful face, that pair of caramel eyes looking at him with desire, those moist pink lips that were opened to lightly pant even when he was yet to start taking liberties on her body.


    Her long honey blond hair falling like curtains over his pillow only highlighted how erotic she looked, and those full mounds on her chest, that soft curve leading to a small waist��everything about her was beautiful. That she was lying naked under him,pletely at his mercy, made her appear like the goddess of temptation and desire.


    Unable to resist anymore, Theron leaned forward but he stopped just as their lips were about to touch. He didn''t kiss her and simply brushed lips against hers to tease her. It was a small revenge��he was a petty man and he couldn''t let this opportunity pass without seeing her frustrated face. She was trying to kiss him, but he didn''t let her. Seeing her pout for being denied a kiss felt satisfying to him.

 Chapter 488 Your Body Is Honest, Wife

    This Bonus chapter is dedicated to the reader "Peaches1" Thank you so much for the supergift.


    ------


    Theron dived into her neck to savour the delicate skin of her neck. He inhaled her scent, a scent he had longed for a long time yet smelled just as addicting as the first time and continued using his warm mouth to taste her, leaving visible marks on her skin as though branding her body as his to possess.


    His hands leisurely ran up and down from her chest to her sides, letting his fingers trace along each lovely curve of her body, sometimes brushing lightly over her breasts, at times squeezing them as if he was freely exploring his territory. As he let his hands roam her curves, he found her body both familiar and unfamiliar�� it seemed like her body became more mature, curvier and seductively fuller than what he remembered.


    In response to those arousing touches, Esther clutched the belt that tied her hands and arched her body, tilting her head to make it easy for her husband to kiss her neck and shoulders. She let out soft moans, enjoying what he was doing to her body. Every inch of her skin was on fire wherever he touched her.


    The way his hands travelled all over her body felt different, and it was as if he was lighting up the fire of lust in her. Compared to what she felt with him years back, the way of him roughly handling her body now was greedier and more primal, and this more aggressive husband of hers made her feel a deeper sense of satisfaction.


    She felt it was the same for him, probably because they were away from each other for so long, and their desire which they restrained for years was being poured out all at once.


    "Ahhh��"


    She bit her lower lip with her teeth to stop making another lewd sound, but her body was more sensitive than usual, and her throat could not help but let out muffled sounds of pleasure.


    Theron pulled back to look at her, his dark gaze fixed on her lips. "Let me hear you moan, Wife, or else I will stop."


    She didn''t want him to stop and immediately released her lip from her teeth.


    "More��" she begged. "Don''t stop��Please��"


    "Good," he praised her, and he briefly kissed her as a reward before moving his face back to savour those soft mounds on her chest.


    Theron found that there was a different addition to her usual scent. It was a sweet and milky aroma that made his manhood twitch more violently, and he realized her mounds were bigger and fuller than before. The warmth and softness from her chest felt different, and his savage urges were further stoked.


    His warm mouth savoured each of them with his coarse tongue circling around her perky pink buds. His teeth tugged them while his hands didn''t stop kneading them harshly, leaving imprints of his fingers on them.


    "Don''t��ahhh��Theron, you''re too rough��"


    Despite her saying that, her back arched to get more of that rough treatment, as she gasped and moaned while calling for her husband.


    "Not like that��ahhh��yes��"


    Her legs clenched together as they kept rubbing against the mattress, wanting more but at the same time trying to get away from it. She desperately wanted to get her release, yet at the same time, she didn''t want it to end.


    "You say that, but you feel good," he said, his voice husky with lust. "Your body is honest, wife. You like it rough."


    Theron moved down from her chest to her t stomach, and her heart began to race loudly, her chest heaving up and down with each shallow breath. She looked at him who was going farther down and she could not wait to feel that carnal pleasure that had been denied from her for a long time.


    His warm and needy mouth bit and licked on her soft skin, leaving a burning trail followed by featherlight kisses as he moved downwards. Just as he was about to reach her most private part, he parted her legs but seconds passed without him touching her there.


    The woman felt the frustration of having her pleasure withheld and she looked at her husband to see why he stopped. For a moment, she wanted to reach out to him, nearly forgetting he had tied her hands and she could not even touch him.


    ''Was he nning to torment me like this?''


    Only now did she fully feel how unfair it was that the initiative was all on her husband. He could start and stop on a whim, yet she was deprived of having the chance to enjoy touching him and exploring his wonderfully sculpted body. She could do nothing but wait in sweet agony for his next move.


    In the end, she could not help but squirm under his gaze. "Theron��?"


    Expecting this reaction from her, he looked up at her while he lightly kissed the inside of her slender thighs. It was so gentle she barely felt his lips, but his hot breath fanned against her skin, igniting her senses once more, and she knew then he was tormenting her on purpose.


    "Theron��Please��"


    In response to her begging, he bit the soft flesh gently with his teeth, but he still didn''t touch her where she wanted it the most.


    "Please what, wife?"


    He could clearly see the frustration in her eyes that showed how desperate she was.


    "Please��Don''t tease me��" she said as she licked her lips.


    "Tease you?" he spoke as his hand moved down between her legs, only to briefly brush his long fingers along her wet folds.


    A heavy gasp left her lips as she arched her back, and heard him whisper seductively, "Are you talking about this?" His fingers worked wonders along her wet folds and that soft bundle of sensitive nerves, making her unable to answer him. "Or this?" He roughly pushed his finger inside her.


    No words could leave her mouth. She panted and moaned, her breaths heavy while making those seductive sounds without holding back.


    "T-Theron��uhhh�� I want more��deeper��faster��"

 Chapter 489 I Want You To Please Me, Wife

    Her begging voice was weak in between those cries of pleasure which were caused by his finger filling up inside of her while his thumb was roughly ying with the bundle of her most sensitive nerves.


    "More��please��I need��ahhh! Please!"


    At this point, pleasure had started to build up inside her, but it was torturously slow. It was exactly what Theron wanted her to feel.


    "What will I get?" he asked with an evil smirk as he slowed down his finger that was thrusting in and out of her.


    "Everything��you want��" she replied, her mind already half a mess as her body demanded to feel the peak of pleasure, "...anything��just��"


    "Remember your words, wife," was all Theron said before going down between her legs.


    She gasped loudly as she felt his mouth on her womanhood. Her breath got stuck in her chest the moment she felt his warm and coarse tongue run along her wet folds before ying with her most sensitive part, sending numerous waves of pleasure throughout her body.


    As if to bombard her senses, that single finger, which was still moving inside her, was apanied by one more finger, filling her insidespletely and those two fingers moved in and out in a rhythm.


    "Yes! Ahhh��ahhh��ahhh��"


    Just as her insides clenched to its fullest under that onught of mounting pleasure, her body arching and desperate for release, Theron stopped.


    It was as if her own world stopped as well.


    Esther opened her eyes once again, and this time, she threw an angry cry at her husband. "How could you��you��" She continued to squirm while gritting her teeth in frustration. She looked like would end up crying if he continued to tease her more.


    "Why are you doing this?"


    "It''s punishment."


    "You��"


    With a wicked grin, he looked into those angry caramel eyes. "Want it?"


    She nodded immediately, but his next words made her wish she could punish him instead.


    "Then get it."


    Esther squirmed as he let out the evilestugh she had seen him make. He had tied her hands, so what was he talking about?


    She didn''t want to give in to his devilish tricks and said, "Then free my hands."


    "For what?" he asked, pretending ignorance. As he said this, he left a light kiss on her inner thigh once more.


    "To get what I want!" she replied impatiently.


    "What if I won''t?"


    The anger inside her was rising, as at this moment, her mind was clouded by her desire to satisfy her body''s cravings.


    "Then I will be forced to use my powers," she warned, "and you will be the one to be punished."


    His dark eyes seemed to beughing at her frustration. "Is that so?"


    The moment he said it, her eyes changed their colours to a brilliant sh of green. With a snap, her hands were free, and she pushed her husband on his back, getting on top of him and straddling him in a blink of an eye.


    She offered him a mocking re.


    However, Theron was still wearing that arrogant evil smirk on his face. "You said you will give everything I want."


    She remembered her words, but she was still mad at this annoying rogue who happened to be her handsome husband. If he weren''t someone she loved, she would have pped him silly for frustrating her to her limits.


    He ced his hands on her thighs and squeezed them.


    "I want you to please me, wife."


    Esther understood that all of that teasing and leaving her desperate was for this��because he wanted her to please him.


    Fine!


    She intently rubbed her bottom against his erect manhood, and this time, it was his turn to gasp.


    Her eyes shone green, before he realized what happened, it was him whose hands were tied to the ornate headboard of the bed with his own belt. Having powers had its own perks when one needed to deal with and take control over such a rogue of a husband.


    Though he was surprised, it was within Theron''s expectations as he was the one to challenge her first. The fact that she was openly using her powers in front of him, overpowering him with that proud look on her face, made her appear especially provocative and erotic.


    Not to mention, the fact that his beautiful wife was on top, while he was under her with his wrists bound��was a unique sensual experience for him.


    Feeling him affected down there, she felt the urge to make him feel frustrated as well. However, she was torn between punishing her evil husband and her desire to get her own release.


    Esther leaned forward, appreciating that handsome face that had grown more mature and caressed his lips with her fingers. With the tip of her nail, she slowly enjoyed tracing a trail from his strong jaws, down to his neck and shoulders, which further went down to acknowledge that well-maintained muscr body of his. She used both of her hands to explore and appreciate the hard contours of his chest and abdomen, ying a dangerous game of seduction as she could feel his hard manhood pressed against her bottom twitching violently.


    She could not deny, that Theron was the most handsome human she had ever seen. His body ought to be considered closest to male perfection��tall and strong with lean muscles, a golden proportion of broad shoulders that gradually led to a t abdomen with a trimmed waist, and a V-shaped line further down��


    The fact that this attractive rogue also had a kind heart made her question how any sane woman could not fall in love with him.


    She lowered her face towards him, and as he was about to capture her lips, she tactfully dodged him. Her lips brushed his ears. "Please you, huh?"


    Though that whisper was seductive, and what she was doing while sitting on his body was affecting him greatly, Theron acted as if he refused to y her way.


    "Won''t you?" he asked while closely peering into her eyes.


    She didn''t move back but her hands found their way towards his erect manhood to wrap her fingers around it. "Like this?"


    The veins on his neck tightened and his entire body stiffened. His muscr chest heaved up and down as he intensely stared at her.


    "Maybe you can do better." He looked like he was challenging her.

 Chapter 490 I Want To Ravage The Insides Of You

    Esther squeezed that hardness a little, but he was so sensitive at this point he could not stop himself from letting out a guttural groan. He cursed inwardly but he pretended as though what she did was not enough for him.


    "Do you want me to tell you what to do?" he said with that annoying arrogant smirk. "You have to do it firmly but slowly��"


    Esther red at him a little. They were being intimate after so many years of suppressing their desires. Shouldn''t they get it done on the first round to at least relieve a bit of the tension within their bodies? They could start ying after��but no, this man wanted to continue denying what their bodies needed. He continued to tease her when she was dying here to get him inside her.


    In the past, he was always the one to be impatient and he couldn''t wait to ravage her inside throughout the night, but now he was being so frustratingly patient. She knew she should not take him lightly though.


    ''I will make you beg me, husband. Just you wait.''


    Esther went down on him as his gaze followed her, her hands holding his erect throbbing manhood in them. With his jaw clenched, he did his best to prolong his own release, but the next moment, his cheeky thoughts all disappeared as he felt her warm moist mouth around his erection. He could not help but throw his head back toy on the soft pillow underneath him as he felt her tongue ying with him.


    He twisted his body as his hip moved on its own, but the belt tying him to the bed dug into his wrists as he groaned, "If you do that, I''m going to peak hard��dammit!"


    Hearing her arrogant husband let out such a dirty curse, Esther smirked and stopped the pleasure work her mouth was doing on his throbbing hardness. She moved to look at his handsome face, particrly those angr jaws of his that were trying to stifle another groan.


    Esther watched as his expression openly showed his desire, but her hands remained unmoving along his length.


    "Didn''t you want me to please you?" she teased, continuing to watch him as her thumb gently caressed the crown of his erection.


    Theron hissed, trying hard to hold back his release. With gritted teeth, he forced out his words. "Slow down."


    "What if I don''t?" she asked, the same way he was ying with her a while ago.


    "You will pay for it once I am free," he warned, the muscles on his entire body tense.


    "Don''t you want to let me finish pleasuring you?" she asked slyly, deliberately lowering her head so that her smooth cheek would brush against the head of his manhood.


    Theron harshly sucked in the air at her provocation. His dark eyes gazed into hers.


    "I want to, but inside you," was his bold response.


    His wife''s yful face turned crimson red, and that embarrassed blush wasn''t missed by Theron''s gaze.


    "I want to be inside you and ravage you in every way possible."


    His low voice, hoarse with lust, continued to stir her deepest fantasies, causing her entire body to heat up.


    "I want you to cry my name out loud and beg me to stop��but I won''t��Over and over and over again, I won''t stop till I drain every ounce of energy out of you��.I won''t stop till I see you filled with me to the brim, till you are overflowing with me, every inch of your skin marked in my scent. Tonight, you will think about nothing else but me��"


    Esther was breathless as filthy images of what was toe filled her head. Excitement, anticipation, lust��it was as if his wicked promises had put a spell on her body, and she was left panting with desire.


    This brazen and merciless Theron�� His dark eyes were dangerous, warning her how she was ying with fire, and she should give up or be swallowed whole. He had never talked to her like this before, and surprisingly, she loved the way he was treating her. She revelled in it, enjoying the other side of her husband.


    The next moment, she was pinned under his hard, chiselled body, their positions flipped in bed,


    Without her realizing, Theron had already freed his hands from the belt.


    Her mind went nk. "T-Theron��?"


    "Scared already?" he asked, that evil smirk not leaving his lips even for a moment.


    "I am not��" she said in a soft whimper as if she was consoling herself.


    "Lies. I don''t like them."


    Just as he said that, the next moment, she let out a cry of pleasure. "Ahhh��"


    Without any warning, Theron was already inside her, filling her with his throbbing length in one move, taking her byplete surprise. This sudden intrusion hurt her a little, but it felt so good she arched her back. The grip of her hands tightened on his shoulders, to the extent that her nails dug into his skin. While erotically biting her lower lip, her eyes turned moist as she looked at him.


    Though he looked cold and calm on the outside, Esther knew better. She wasn''t the only one feeling good. Her husband''s restrained expression showed how he was struggling to dy his release.


    His dark eyes looked into her caramel ones, and they felt as if the space around them sizzled with desire. And then he moved. Theron pulled out and repeated the same deep rough thrust, making her moan loudly with each move of his hip.


    "Ahh��"


    "This is to punish you," he growled as he pulled outpletely, making her feel empty, only to thrust roughly once again making her gasp. She held onto his shoulders tightly, causing her nails to leave scratches on his skin with each deep thrust.


    "Ahh��"


    "...to punish you for noting to me sooner."


    "Ahh��"


    "...for keeping me waiting for so long"


    "Ahh��"


    "��for letting me yearn for you every single night."


    "Ahh��"


    "...for every single moment, you stood in front of me looking so achingly beautiful."


    "T-Theron��I am��"


    He cut her off with a crushing, punishing kiss, silencing her until she needed to breathe. Only when his lips pulled away did she get the chance to gasp for air.


    After several more thrusts, Esther finally got used to his wild pace and she managed to speak, "I am��ahh��I am sorry��.Ahh!"


    He did it again, pulling himself out before fully thrusting deeply, and said, "You can''t be forgiven."


    "Then�� please��punish me more," she said with ragged breaths. She wanted more. Such a punishment, she loved it as much as he did.


    "Ahh��ahh��yes��punish me��"


    Theron continued thrusting roughly inside her, holding her hands and pinning them in bed, taking control over her entirely. Her delicate body was pressed under his strong one, his hips moving between her legs while her legs were raised and wrapped around his waist, her ankles crossed behind his back.


    Their intimate sounds loudly echoed within the King''s chamber��her pleasurable cries, his suppressed groans, their heavy pants, the pping of flesh and the rustling in bed. The entire room reeked of the intimacy they were sharing.


    The two bodies indulged in intimate acts the whole night, forgetting time and rest, and they reluctantly stopped after they spent thest energy they had within their bodies, just as her husband promised. Theron''s sweaty body fell on top of hers after thest release. He panted heavily as he buried his face in the crook of her neck.


    "Esther��?"


    Still gasping for air, Esther''s hands moved to caress his back and she hugged him tightly with her eyes closed in contentment. Theron moved toy next to her and scooped her in his embrace. He too closed his eyes, enjoying the feeling of her presence and assuring himself this night was not a dream.


    "I missed you, Esther."


    She heard his quiet whisper over her head. She tightened her hold around his sweaty body, nuzzling her face below his neck and whispered back, "I missed you as well."


    Soon, the two exhausted bodies drifted to sleep.

 Chapter 491 Esthers Farewell To Everyone

    Theron had drifted to deep sleep with a smile of content on his handsome face. He looked like he had not slept this peacefully in years and was finally getting his first good sleep with his wife in his arms.


    On the other hand, Esther only slept briefly as she knew she had little time left. She apanied her husband in bed for thest time till before the break of dawn.


    At the first crack of light on the still dark sky, she felt her heart clench. She knew it was time to leave, and if she wouldn''t do it now, she would never be able to leave. When Theron wakes up and finds her in his embrace, he would once again shower her with love like the old Theron.


    Her intuition was telling her that this night had healed the wounds of their past. Theron would not let her be away from his sight even for a moment, trying to patch up andpensate for the time they''ve lost, and it would only make it more difficult for her to leave.


    She looked at her husband who was in a sound sleep and caressed his cheek gently.


    "It''s good that you are sleeping because my sleeping spell doesn''t work on you and I wouldn''t be able to leave with you awake," she whispered softly, her gaze gazing at the face of the man she cherished more than her own life for thest time. "Trust me, I love you more than you can ever think of, and that is why I have to leave. If there was only an enemy, I would rather stay and face dangers with you by my side, but there what we''re against is destiny. I have now learned that it''s impossible to struggle against destiny.


    "I tried, didn''t I? We tried, but my love��" She let her fingers tenderly brush against his cheek. "But we''ve gotten a harsh lesson in exchange, haven''t we? When I break a rule, I will be forced to give up on what is precious to me or that precious one will suffer. Hurting you once is enough. I will not repeat my mistake. I cannot let you and Dray suffer because of me. You both are precious to me."


    Esther kept smiling, forcing herself to keep her resolve strong, but a single tear betrayed her and fell on her pillow as she watched her husband''s sleeping face.


    "When you wake up��When you wake up and see me gone, I know you will feel betrayed. Since I yed you a fool, you will end up hating me, won''t you? I will ept it. That hatred might help you move on from me. But you have Dray and Keiren by your side. You have Mother, and there''s also Lady risa and Lady Yahvi��you won''t be alone��


    "I am sorry, Theron, but I have to leave. Be strong, all right? Continue being a king beloved and respected by all. But do not overwork yourself and try to cut back from drinking too much liquor��


    "I am yet to leave, but I already miss you. I have so many regrets but I cannot do anything about them. I should not havee into your life in the first ce but��now nothing can be done to change it. I am happy. You made me so so happy, you really did��I-I��"


    Esther took a deep breath, regaining herposure. Once more, she let out a beautiful smile, a smile so beautiful yet heartbreaking that anyone would have thought it would have been better to cry.


    "Thank you so much for loving me even after I keep hurting you again and again. That love is precious to me. Thank you so much.


    "Farewell, my husband."


    Esther slowly freed herself from his hold and stepped out of the bed without making any sounds. She put on her clothes in a hurry with the help of her magic and also corrected her appearance where her messy long hair was tied in a braid. Aside from having red-rimmed eyes, her appearance was wless. She disappeared from the King''s chamber after taking onest look at her husband.


    There were still other people she had to visit other than just her son and husband. After leaving the King''s chamber, she appeared inside the Vermillion Pce, precisely Keiren''s chamber where the young boy could be seen asleep in a messy state. Seeing the nket kicked off his body, even mumbling incoherent words as usual, Esther could not help but chuckle. She sat at the edge of the bed and properly tucked the young boy in bed.


    "Though I did not give birth to you, I think of you as my own son, my first son. I love you as much as I love Dray. Such a good kid, I wish you to always stay strong and healthy. Grow up as handsome and amazing as your father, and remember to take care of your little brother. Dray is naughty, so it will be a lot of responsibility, but you are a good big brother, aren''t you, Keiren?"


    She touched the bracelet in his hand which he always wore. It was ck beaded bracelet with a white jade in the middle which was a token of his identity as a prince of the royal family. It was something that he would keep with him all the time. She put a spell on that jade, a little gift from a mother to her child.


    "The spell in this jade will always keep you protected and immune to any supernatural powers that will try to harm you. Nothing will be able to hurt you as long as you have this with you. As a mother, I can do this much for my son to protect him."


    She nted a kiss on his small forehead and disappeared from his chamber, only to reappear in Lady Tyra''s quarters where the woman was already waiting for her along with someone who was standing in one corner.


    "Your Eminence." Lady Tyra bowed to her.


    Esther epted it with a light nod and looked at Dusk who was in his human form, looking like a healthy youngd, a far cry from his pitiful appearance back when she first found him. He was staring at her with his hands behind his back.


    She went towards him. "Aureus."


    Aureus was Dusk''s birth name. He also bowed before Esther, and she lifted that head and held his shoulder the moment she stood in front of him. "You have been a good child, Aureus. I believe your parents must be proud of you, wherever they are."


    With an embarrassed face, he could not look straight at her. He moved his hands that he was hiding behind his back towards Esther. What he was holding were a bunch of tiny purple flowers that gave off a mild, sweet aroma.


    "Flowers for me?" she asked and epted it with delight.


    "My mother liked these," he informed. "They are called seavenders. I brought them from the coast."


    "They are beautiful," she said with a pleasant smile. "I see your mother has exquisite taste. Even the name she gave you, ''Aureus'', is beautiful." She moved her gaze from those purple flowers to his golden eyes looking back at her.


    The young guy fidgeted ufortably. "Do you really have to go, Your Eminence?"


    Esther admired the simple bouquet as she answered, "You know I have to leave."


    "Can I��Can Ie with you?"


    To that question, she shook her head. "I know that you consider me as your mother, but think about it, don''t you also think of Dray as a brother? How would Dray feel if both you and I were to leave him behind?"


    Dusk nodded in understanding, but his eyes turned moist as once again he was going to lose someone he thought of as family.


    "Once I am gone, Dray won''t be fine at all. I wish you to stay by his side and take care of him like you always do. Someday, a day wille when you too have to leave and go back to your own people. But that''s an issue of the future. For now, stay here. You will be safe as long as you stay with Dray."


    "If that is your order, Your Eminence."


    "My order��" She patted his head. "This is not an order, Aureus. It is simply a mother''s wish. I wish for you to be his trustedpanion and guide him while growing up. Can you do that for me?"


    Dusk nodded with determination. "I will always be by his side."


    She continued, "I have put a spell on you which will protect you till you be an adult. As an effect, you won''t be able to transform into a human form unless Tyra allows you to. Once you are a fully grown adult, it''s up to you whenever you want to transform."


    Thed understood. "Can I show my human form to Dray?"


    "Why are you asking me that? It is solely your decision if you want to let Dray know about your human form or not."


    Dusk once again nodded and Esther showed him an item she was holding on the top of her palm. It was a small crystal ball, its size one to be easily held in one''s palm.


    Dusk looked at her and she exined, "This is a magical crystal which can record images. Since you gave me these lovely flowers, then should I also give you a gift too?"


    She tapped on the surface of the ss crystal with a finger and colourful light could be seen revolving inside. "I prepared a map for you when you be an adult. One day, when you want to return to your kind, you can use the map in this crystal to guide your way."


    "Thank you, Your Eminence��"

 Chapter 492 Drayce Searching For His Mother

    "Such a polite child," Esther said as Dusk epted that crystal which disappeared on his palm.


    "I can imagine that once you reach adulthood, you are going to be such a charmer. Divine Eagles are very popr among the feathered race, and I think your looks are outstanding even among your people."


    Lady Tyra could not help butugh seeing the Queen tease the youngd. "Perhaps by then, Your Eminence, Aureus would have found himself a mate."


    "Oh, that does sound usible," Esther agreed lightheartedly. "Do you remember the tale I shared with you before, Aureus? About those flowers, you give to the one who you want to protect?"


    Dusk blinked. "I remember. You said those divine flowers work as protective charms. Whenever the receiver of that flower is in danger, the giver will know it and he will be able to protect the person."


    "Yes, that tale. It is a symbolic flower for your kind. When you find yourself a finedy in the future, you can also use the map on this crystal to reach the ce where it grows. It is a ce where only an eagle of your kind can reach it though it''s difficult, it will all be worth it if she is your mate, won''t it?"


    "Please stop teasing me, Your Eminence!" Duskined. This caused the two women in the room to chuckle to themselves.


    Having shaken off the loneliness in her heart, Esther turned to Lady Tyra. "Throughout these years, you have been a massive help to me, Tyra. I do not know how much harder my life in Megaris would have been if not for you. Thank you."


    The older woman simply let out a graceful curtsy. "There is no need to thank me, Your Eminence. It is my honour to be able to assist you."


    Esther took Lady Tyra''s hand and squeezed it. As a fellow witch, Lady Tyra could feel the power of the various spells Esther was releasing and wrapping around her body.


    Her heart was shaken. "Your Eminence��"


    "Think of this as my parting gift," Esther said. "You are family too, and you will need to look after my sons. How can I not bless you as well? I will entrust the kids to you so you need to be healthier and stronger than these naughty boys. I believe you will look after them well."


    "I-I will try my best, Your Eminence," Lady Tyra said, feeling heavy in her heart.


    Esther looked out of the window and slowly let go of the woman''s hands. "The sun is out. It''s alreadyte. I have to leave now."


    Before Esther could use her powers, Lady Tyra called out, "Your Eminence?" Esther turned to her, and she continued, "May I ask where are you headed?"


    "Somewhere far but yet close," Esther replied with a mncholic look at the bright sky, "where I will spend the rest of my immortal life with the memories of my loved ones."


    Before Lady Tyra could say a word more, Esther had already disappeared from her sight.


    When Esther left, she didn''t know Drayce had woken up early that day and was impatiently asking for his mother.


    "Saira, I need to see Mother!" he demanded.


    His nanny tried to calm him down. "Your Highness, you shouldn''t trouble the Queen this early��"


    "I had a bad dream and Mother said she''ll hug me to make a bad dream go away!"


    After saying that, the little prince ran out of his chamber. Esther had warned him before about using his powers to teleport by her side whenever he wanted to. He was growing up and needed to behave and get permission from his mother before he wanted to meet her. That was part of the royal etiquette. Drayce, being a good son, listened to his mother and never used his powers to meet her.


    "Your Highness, please change out of your sleeping attire��"


    "No, I want to see Mother first, Saira. Where is she?" Drayce was adamant as he saw his mother was not in the Queen''s chamber. "Is she eating in the dining hall?"


    Lady Saira followed behind him. "Your Highness, listen to me please��"


    "No, it''s too early in the morning. She doesn''t have to work today. Oh, Tyra must know where Mother is!" Drayce said. But Lady Tyra was the head of the Queen''s royal servants, and her residence was in a separate building attached to the Queen''s pce. His mother would be mad if he ran around so early in the morning and disturbed people.


    ''I am allowed to teleport as long as Mother is not my target��'' Drayce thought as he disappeared in front of Lady Saira''s eyes.


    "Your Highness��" she could not help but sigh.


    She knew he must have gone to Lady Tyra and hurried to follow. She didn''t know how to exin to him that his mother was gone, never to return to him again.


    ------


    After Esther left Lady Tyra''s chamber, the atmosphere inside had turned gloomy. No one was speaking as they relished on the feelings of sadness after parting with Esther. From today onwards, not only the royal pce, the entire kingdom would be shaken by the disappearance of the Queen of Megaris.


    Lady Tyra could only sigh as she turned to instruct Dusk. "You should go and stay by His Highness''s side. He will wake up anytime soon."


    Without speaking, Dusk transformed into his eagle form and left Lady Tyra''s chamber through the window, but at the exact same moment, a ck-haired little boy appeared in her chamber.


    Her voice inevitably shook. "Y-Your Highness?"


    Drayce didn''t notice her expression as he looked around the chamber.


    "Mother is not here either. Where has she gone?" he mumbled.


    Drayce stared at Lady Tyra with an anxious look. "Do you know where my mother is?"


    "Her Majesty��" She didn''t know how to say it.


    Drayce looked like he''s about to burst into tears. "I had a bad dream, Tyra. I saw Mother drowning in water. It''s dark there and she is sinking deeper and she disappeared in the darkness. It was scary darkness. I want to see mother," Drayce said as his eyes filled with tears.


    So that was the reason he was so anxious to see his mother as soon as he woke up.


    Lady Tyra kneeled in front of the little prince and held his cold, mmy hands. They were so small, the hands of a boy who had merely turned five years of age. Those red eyes still filled with innocence were staring at her with growing anxiety.


    ''Is it a child''s intuition?''


    She wanted to lie. It would be easier if she lied��but she needed to tell him the truth.


    "Your Highness�� Her Majesty is gone."


    "Gone?" he repeated, looking at her with confusion.


    "Her Majesty has left the pce," she informed him in a soft, trembling voice.


    "Where did Mother go? When will shee back?"


    "I don''t know but she won''t be returning."


    Lady Tyra had no other option but to tell him the truth. He was not an ordinary child who would be coaxed by lies. It might be cruel to say this to a five-year-old boy, but sooner orter, he would know the truth.


    "Mother��won''t return?" he asked, not believing her words. "Why? Why did she leave? Where��? I want to go with her��"


    Tears streamed down his eyes.


    "You cannot go with her, Your Highness��" Lady Tyra said with a sad voice as her eyes turned teary as well. She held his tiny hands firmly as she caressed them with her thumb. "Your Highness, you����."


    Swish!


    Even before Lady Tyra could say a word, both disappeared from the chamber with the strong gust of wind. The two appeared at the mountain cliff above the vast river bed and there they saw Esther standing at the edge of the cliff while staring nkly at the sky where the sunlight slowly started to brighten up the dark sky.


    "Mother��"

 Chapter 493 Plan To Seal Her Soul Forever

    Drayce let go of Lady Tyra''s hands which caused her to teleport with him and he ran towards Esther.


    His voice pulled Esther out of her daze and she looked at the little boy running toward her. She immediately moved her hand and stopped him with her powers.


    Drayce found himself unable to go closer. He was stopped by a barrier of invisible energy, preventing him from approaching his mother.


    "Mother!"


    He tried to push through it but he simply could not. He could not even teleport towards her. His mother was way more powerful than him. Lady Tyra went to him to stop him from pushing himself into that barrier. "Your Highness, you cannot pass it."


    "No! I''m strong! I can do it! Mother! Mother!"


    Drayce didn''t give up as his tearful eyes remained fixed on his mother who was standing on the other side of the barrier. It was an image that would remain in his young memory and would continue to haunt him as he age��the lonely figure of his mother, her long white dress and the loose strands flowing along the wind, her sad face looking at him as tears didn''t stop rolling down her pale cheeks.


    "Mother! Mother��don''t go��" he cried out, somewhat angry at himself for not being able to break through that barrier.


    Esther, who was standing at the edge of the cliff, walked towards her son. She kneeled in front of him, but that barrier remained steady between them, which made him unable to reach out for his mother. Those red eyes of his were begging her to not leave him.


    "Mother��Take me with you��I will be a good boy�� I won''t trouble you anymore��I promise��" he cried with soft sobs, trying to control himself.


    His tiny hand rested on that barrier, wanting to touch her. She put her hand over that barrier directly opposite his tiny ones, but their palms could not touch each other. Esther knew, if she was to remove that barrier and her son clung to her, she wouldn''t be able to push him away.


    Swallowing her pain, she spoke up, "Dray, listen to mother."


    "Mother��I will listen to everything��Just don''t leave me��" he sobbed.


    "Dray, Mother has to leave but cannot take you with me," she said, her own voice choking with heartbreak.


    "Why? Is it because I''m naughty��?"


    The sudden arrival of Drayce shocked her. As a child, he was normally someone who wouldn''t wake up on his own unless she or his nanny would wake him. There should still be about two more hours left before he should be awakened��


    "I-I had a bad dream��" he started huping. "Mother drowning underwater��It''s scary��I don''t want Mother to go��"


    It surprised Esther as she looked at her son in disbelief. ''So he got a premonition? He already saw what I was going to do?''


    As punishment, she had to leave, but she had no courage to keep living without her husband and son. She was a weak woman at heart when it came to her loved ones. If she wouldn''t take drastic measures to keep herself away, she was sure she would return to them sooner orter.


    Being an immortal was like a curse now that she had to keep living without getting back to them. What she had decided herself was to submerge herself deep down the river bed, using a spell where her soul would fall into eternal sleep, never to wake up unless something disastrous happened to pull her back.


    Only a cmity that could destroy the kingdom would be able to wake her up, but as the Devil had already blessed thend of Megaris, it only meant such a cmity would never happen again and she would remain asleep under the river forever. She found this way better than continuing to live without being able to see her son and husband.


    "Mother, don''t go��"


    "Drayce, calm down and listen to Mother," she said firmly this time.


    Drayce listened to her and waited to hear her.


    "Mother has to go. If Mother stays, she will be in pain. Do you want me to be in pain?"


    He shook his head. "I don''t want Mother to be in pain."


    "If you are a good boy, you won''t stop Mother then."


    "W-Will it hurt too much?" he asked.


    The tears that she held back once again rolled down her face. If something were to happen to Dray and Theron, that pain would be unbearable for her. "It will hurt a lot, Dray. Mother won''t be able to bear it."


    "B-But��I don''t want Mother to go away��I don''t want you to leave me alone! Please don''t leave me, Mother!" he cried loudly as he simply could not bear to part away from her. "Mother!"


    "You are my brave boy. And I am not going far from you. Mother will always be with you in the form of this river. Whenever you want to talk to me, you cane here. Though Mother won''t be able to reply, I will be able to hear everything you say."


    Drayce nodded his head but he could not stop crying.


    "Mother never asked anything from you, did I?"


    He shook his head.


    "Then I want something today. I want you to not follow Mother after I leave. You have to stay in the pce and be a good son to your father and be a good sibling to your brother. Be good to your nanny and your grandma, and even if I am not around, you have to remember all the promises you have made with me. You have to grow up into what Mother has always told you. Can you promise me that, my son?"


    Despite his unwillingness, he nodded but could not stop begging her not to go. "Mother��don''t go��"


    "I have to, Dray. I am sorry. I hope you will forgive Mother."


    He continued to shake his head, asking her to not leave.


    "I will always miss you, Dray. You are Mother''s good son."


    After saying that, she removed her hand that was against his tiny palm and stood up. Her dress fluttered as she turned around.


    "No!" It scared Drayce. "M-Mother, please don''t leave...I will be lonely without you, Mother��don''t go��"


    Esther didn''t stop as she walked towards the edge of the cliff.


    Lady Tyra could not stop her tears as well and tried to get hold of Drayce. The little boy continued to cry, but she could not do anything for him but embrace him. She carried him in her arms and held his head pressed against her shoulder. "Don''t look, Your Highness."


    "Mother! Mother! Tyra��Mother is��" he continued to bawl out his eyes as he wrapped his arms around Lady Tyra. The front of her dress was immediately drenched in his tears.


    Standing at the edge of the cliff, Esther looked at Drayce for thest time. Somehow, seeing her son beingforted by Lady Tyra in her arms made her think he''s still like a baby.


    ''It''s better this way. He will at least know where his mother is.''


    She turned her head to look ahead and closed her eyes. All she could hear was Drayce calling her again and again, but she didn''t look at him. She didn''t want to be weak.


    The next moment, she let go of herself and she was free-falling towards that vast raging river, the bottom of the cliff where the water was colliding against the boulders and rocky walls of the cliff, causing therge foamy waves to look terrifying.


    ''I will miss you, my son,'' was thest thought she had before she broke into the surface of the water, slowly, ever so slowly, her body sank to the deepest part of the river where no light could even reach the bottom.


    The moment she fell into the river, the energy barrier she formed using her powers disappeared. Sensing it with his own powers, Drayce scrambled out of the older woman''s arms and ran towards the edge of the cliff.


    "Your Highness!" Lady Tyra followed him to stop him, and she was able to grab him just as they reached the edge. Drayce looked down at the raging waters as he cried even louder.


    "Mother!!!"


    He was about to jump down as well, but Lady Tyra held him tight in fear. Knowing that it was physically impossible for her to resist him, she hurried to remind him of his mother''s words.


    "Your Highness, you cannot go! Remember your promise! You have given your words to the Queen that you will not follow her. You have promised you will do whatever she asked you��"


    Yet he struggled. "Let me go! I want to go to Mother��"


    "If you jump down, you will not be able to find her. She sealed herself with her powers. You will hurt her as you will break the promise you made with her. Do you want to hurt her?"


    "I want Mother!" he cried and soon gave up on struggling.


    Lady Tyra continued to hold him until he had cried himself to exhaustion. She didn''t know what to do after this. Esther trusted her to take care of her son but��


    How was she going to handle the broken heart of the little boy who had lost his mother?

 Chapter 494 I Will Forever Be Esther Ivanov

    When Theron woke up that morning, the day felt particrly lovely and refreshing despite the exhausting night prior. With his eyes still closed and a content smile lingering on his lips, his hands moved about in the space next to him, wanting to pull that soft body against his, but found it was empty.


    He was momentarily blinded when he opened his eyes. His curtains were drawn open, and bright sunlight filled his chamber, yet all those details paled before the sweet scent left on his sheets.


    ''Did she already leave? Must be shy with how crazy we were all night.'' The pleased smile on his lips widened as he looked at the ceiling. ''This is the most peaceful sleep I had after so long.''


    He once again looked at the window and realized it was already quitete in the morning, as the sun was high in the sky. ''Esther must have already returned to her pce, starting her duties as Queen, yet here I am stillzing in bed. Such a responsible Queen this kingdom has.''


    He stepped out of the bed and put on the sleeping robe tossed on the floor to cover his naked body, feeling excited to see his wife.


    ''Will she shyly blush when she sees me?'' He grinned like a silly boy. ''Feels like the old days are back. Oh, how much I missed her.''


    Just as he tightened the knot on his robe, his gaze noticed a shiny object ced on the wooden table beside his bed. He recognised that shiny object��it was a jade hairpin that belonged to Esther.


    ''Did she leave it behind?''


    Theron walked towards the table and was about to pick it up but then noticed there was a sheet of paper ced under it. There was something written on that piece of paper.


    Along with the hairpin, Theron picked up the paper which had delicate handwriting familiar to him.


    It was a letter written by Esther.


    [Theron, my dear husband,


    [When you find this letter, I am probably long gone from your side. These words I have no courage to tell you face to face, so all I can do is pen them down and hope that by the end of my letter, even if you grow to hate me, you will understand that I made this decision for you and our family.]


    Theron''s mind turned anxious after reading the first lines.


    ''What does she mean by ''long gone''. Why would I hate her? Impossible!''


    With his hand shivering while holding that letter, he continued to read.


    [Perhaps I should start by saying that I am a sinner of my kind. My people think I am wise, but all my life I have made many mistakes, and though I do not regret making them, they are sins against the world for they were attempts of defying fate itself.


    [My kind, you can think of us as one of the precious children of the world. The world has blessed us with powers, and thus, we bear responsibilities equal to the magic we wield. We don''t hold liberties over our lives, and are unable to live as freely as ordinary humans, doing whatever we wish. The more powerful a being is, the stronger the shackle of fate put on them by the world. If we break the rules, we shall be ready to ept the punishment.


    [My first sin was to fall for one who I am not permitted to have. As a punishment, I ended up being his soulmate who was destined to never be with him. I was angry and hurt that my own life was determined for me regardless of my will. I didn''t wish to give into my destiny. Thinking I could escape those shackles, I wished to create my own. That was when I came across you. But my destiny followed me and together, we paid the price of my first sin.


    [That was my second sin��to fall for you and drag you into matters way beyond what a human should experience. I should not have expected that I could live the life of an ordinary human with you. It was but a delusion, and as punishment for that sin, I brought suffering not only to you and your family but to the entire kingdom as well.


    [My third sin was breaking my promise to you. For someone of my status, our words are akin to thews of the world itself. My words and promises bind not only my magic but my soul and thews of causality. To put it simply, the moment we give our words to someone, we have to follow them even at the cost of our lives. This is the price we pay for holding the strongest of powers, and I, being the Monarch of the White Witches, ampelled to follow the rule that binds my very existence.


    [Do you remember, my love? I once told you that if I were to ever hurt you again, I don''t deserve to be with you. Those weren''t empty words, but a vow, and here I am��It''s time for me to ept the consequences of those words. I never thought the day wille when I will be hurting you once again.


    [No matter the reason, I broke the promise I made to you. Years back, that day in the temple, you asked me to wait for me. You asked me repeatedly and I promised you that I will wait for you but��.but I went against it. I broke the promise and didn''t wait for you even knowing it would hurt you.


    [Even before I met you, I had broken the sacred rule of my kind, and as a punishment, I had to abandon my entire kind and the people dear to me. As the price for my mistake, I left my home and came to wander the continent, thinking that I''d be living as a vagrant and a hermit for the rest of my immortal life.


    [And once again, I have to abandon the ones precious to me��you and our family. If I don''t do it, you will face a terrible future, one as terrible as the Devil''s curse. I don''t want you and Dray to suffer because of my sins.


    [That is why I must leave, Theron. I know you will hate me for keeping this a secret from you, and I will ept it all. Your disappointment, your anger, your hatred, I will ept them all. But do know that you are not at fault. I was a selfish woman who gave you nothing but pain again and again.


    "Be angry with me. Don''t forgive me. I am your wife, yet I kept you ignorant of the burden I carry. If I were in your ce, I would hate myself too. It was a selfish decision but I do not regret it because this was the best thing I could do for you and Dray��to let you remain ignorant. Just know that, I have and I will always love you. I only want your happiness, even if I keep on hurting you. I sincerely want you to be happy.]


    ''No��no, no, no!''


    Theron''s entire body was shivering in panic and frustration and deep grief that was trying to pull all his senses under. The jade pin in his hand had long fallen on the floor, and he was barely capable of holding onto that thin piece of paper that held what seemed to be his wife''s dying will.


    He wanted to deny it. He wanted to roar in anger that this was unfair, but it was as if all energy fled his body with just the thought of her leaving him.


    ''Do I have to lose her again?''


    He found himself letting out a brittleugh. They were together justst night, and he thought��he thought they were about to restart their lives. That they would make up for the years they missed. Last night was one of the happiest and best moments he had with her�� but these lovely memories were now tainted by her farewell, giving him agony far worse than he ever experienced.


    ''Maybe this is a nightmare? Maybe if I just open my eyes, I will wake up with her in my bed��maybe��you can''t do this to me, Esther!''


    Tears welled up in his eyes as he wanted to tear that piece of paper apart. He wanted to deny reality and burn it.


    He truly wanted to burn it��


    [My love, even though we won''t ever see each other again, know that my heart will always watch over you and Dray. Please continue to live your life without me. It will be hard, but I believe time will heal this pain. I believe in your strength. I believe in you.


    [Thank you for everything that you have given to me, for being a wonderful husband and father, for always being kind and loving to me. I wish I could give you more, but I can only apologize for giving you pain and leaving you like this. I wish..I wish I could stay..But I am sorry��If I could end this immortal life of mine, I would have prayed for me to be reborn human, for us to meet in the next lifetime and love each other the same.


    [My true name is Evanthe, a name I have long thrown away. I hope you will remember me by the name your family has given me, and the name I chose for myself.]


    [I am Esther Ivanov, and I will forever be your Esther.]

 Chapter 495 On Search For His Wife

    The letter ended here. It was as if Theron''s soul had left his body. He must have forgotten how to breathe, because after who knows how long, he felt his chest burning fromck of air. That made him snap back to his senses.


    "N-No��Esther��she��"


    Theron''s shivering hands crumpled that paper into a ball and as his reddened eyes didn''t know what they were searching for.


    ''No, what the hell am I doing?''


    With a burst of energy, Theron mmed his door open and ran out of his chamber ignoring everything else.


    "Your Majesty? What��" Sir Galien saw the King leaving in a hurry, still d in his sleeping robe, and followed him despite not understanding the situation.


    Theron went to the long hallway that connected his pce to the Queen''s residence. His guardian knight had to stop following as other than the King, no man was allowed to cross that corridor.


    Theron quickly reached the Queen''s chambers. Along the way, the servants bowed and greeted him, but as if he could see no one, he stormed Esther''s chamber without knocking.


    "Esther!" he called out, his yell loud enough to echo within the hallways, looking for his wife here and there, but the bedchamber was empty. The maidservants didn''t know what happened and were scared to see the King roaring for his wife in such a crazed manner. They had never seen Theroning here in such a state, wearing clothes unbefitting to be seen by others, his brown hair all messed up and his eyes somewhat red, looking nothing like his usual cold and dignified appearance.


    "Where is Esther?" Theron turned to one of thedies.


    "Your Majesty, please calm��"


    "Where is Esther?!"


    "T-The Queen is missing. No one had seen her sincest night. Even we are looking for her," one of thedies-in-waiting answered.


    Only Lady Saira and Lady Tyra, her trusted confidantes, were aware that Esther left on her own.


    Theron stepped out of the Queen''s chamber and went to the floor downstairs where Drayce''s chamber was located. He opened the door in hurry and entered the chamber, only to find it empty


    "Where is Dray?" he asked one of the servants shivering outside the door.


    He was sure Esther would be with her son. Knowing Esther, she wouldn''t be able to easily leave her son with him being so young.


    "The Second Prince is missing, Your Majesty, and even his nanny is not here as well," the servant replied in a panic. They were also worried about the Second Prince''s whereabouts.


    There was total confusion within the Queen''s pce as both Queen Esther and the Second Prince Drayce couldn''t be found. The most senior of the royal servants, Lady Tyra, was nowhere to be found as well.


    Theron returned to his residence where he found Sir Galien was waiting for him.


    "Mobilize all the avable knight brigades in the pce. Have their captains meet me downstairs," he instructed his guardian knight while he told one of his aides waiting by the door. "Summon Tyra immediately."


    After barking those orders, Theron stepped inside his chamber and hurried to change out into clothes that were easy to move around in, perfect for an outside excursion.


    After a while, the King came out and headed downstairs towards the waiting room in his residence. Seeing the grave face of the king, Sir Galien reported the situation. "The captains of the second to the tenth brigade have been summoned, Your Majesty. As for Lady Tyra, your aide said she is neither in her quarters nor could she be found anywhere in the pce. No one knows where she is."


    Theron listened without a word and continued to walk fast as he needed to personally find Esther. She said in her letter that she was leaving, and he vowed to find her and drag her back.


    Even if she didn''t leave by horseback and used her powers, he was the King of Megaris who ruled over millions of people��he had knights and soldiers to help barricade the kingdom and nearby territories and he had countless subjects to help him search for her. If that would not work, then even if it would take a long time, with his ability to sense her presence, he would not rest andb all thends of Megaris and even the other kingdoms to find his Queen.


    As soon as he entered the room where the knight officials were waiting, he went straight to the point.


    "The Queen and the Second Prince are missing. Get my horse ready. I will personally join the search."


    Sir Galien and the other knights were all shocked. For two members of the royal family to be missing within the pce was an absurd breach of security.


    "Your Majesty, what exactly happened? Is it an abduction? Shall I send an investigator to search for clues in the Queen''s and the Prince''s chambers?" Sir Galien asked.


    Though he was shaken and panicking inside, Theron needed to be calm to find his wife and son.


    "The Queen left on her own ord," he answered briefly. "She should have just left the capital. Since the Second Prince is missing as well, it''s safe to say they''re together."


    Theron then started dividing the knights into groups.


    "The Second Brigade wille with me to search the northern forest outside the capital��


    "The Third and Fourth Brigade will follow the river��


    "The Fifth��


    "Galien, take thest brigade with you and go to the western territory, in thend governed by the Holles Family. Search for her on that mountain where she used to live before she entered the pce."


    "Yes, Your Majesty."


    "We''ve received your orders, Your Majesty."


    Further instructions were given, and soon, the King and the royal knights could be seen storming out of the pce walls on their horses.


    -------


    Was his mother really gone?


    The little ck-haired prince continued to feebly call out for her even though he knew she could not hear him. But maybe��maybe if he kept on calling for her, she''d change her mind. His young heart was still hoping she''de back and tell him everything would return to normal.


    "Mother��"


    His mother had left him, but maybe if he continued to call out��


    Drayce had been crying for so long that trails of dried tears had stained his cheeks and he was having a hard time breathing in between sobs.


    Lady Tyra continued to hug his trembling body which was exhausted from crying. The two were sitting on the ground atop the cliff, their clothes already covered in grass and dirt, but neither of them had the heart nor the will to leave. Lady Tyra wanted to grieve, but she knew that she had to control her emotions and prioritize the prince.


    She wiped her tears and looked at his pitiful face of the boy in her arms. An innocent child yearning for his mother, what could be worse to see than this?


    ''s, fate is cruel.''


    "Your Highness?" She cupped his face in her hands and made him look at her. "Your Highness, please do not forget your mother''s words. She had so much trust in you, and she believed that even in her absence, her son would remain a good boy who will make her proud. You won''t disappoint her, right, Your Highness?"


    His red eyes merely nkly stared at her.


    Lady Tyra continued to speak in a soothing voice, "Your mother��your mother expects you to keep all the promises you made to her."


    He sniffled. "T-Then, Mother wille back? If I am a good boy? If I keep my promises? M-Mother will��?"


    Her chest felt a heavy weight as she replied honestly, "She won''t return, but even so, you shall not disappoint her. Be strong. You have to make her proud of yourself."


    He shook his head. "But I-I want Mother��"


    Lady Tyra didn''t know what to do. She needed to take the prince back to the pce. Moreover, she was worried about what was going on with the King. The royal pce must be in an uproar now. She knew Esther had nned to inform her husband and exin everything to him before she left.


    After realizing his wife''s gone, Theron would probably go crazy. Lady Tyra was a distant rtive of the royal family in the same generation as the former queen, Great Lady Theodora. Together with the former queen, she too had watched Theron grow up from childhood.


    With the King''s temper��


    Her heart sank thinking about what the King and Little Drayce would do from now on, how they would cope with Esther''s departure.


    Drayce was a child but the King��.she could not imagine what it would turn him into.

 Chapter 496 Rumours Of Queen Leaving The King

    An hour passed by, and the little prince refused to move from where they were seated. He continued sitting at the cliff, staring mindlessly at the river where he knew his mother would be. Those eyes were swollen from shedding tears, and his tiny shoulders could be seen heaving every now and then. Though he had somehow calmed down, deep in his heart, he was still hurting, calling out for his mother.


    Byte noon, the little guy had fallen asleep, finally exhausting himself from continuously crying. Lady Tyra, being a powerful witch herself, disappeared from that cliff with Drayce and reappeared inside the Second Prince''s chamber.


    Lady Saira had already returned to Drayce''s chamber after being interrogated by the relevant pce officials. Though she knew the truth, she had to y ignorant, saying she had no idea about the disappearance of the Queen and the Second Prince. She was very worried about Drayce though and would pace around the Queen''s pce, having no choice but to await his return.


    Earlier, she had gone to Lady Tyra''s quarters but there was no one in her chamber by the time she arrived. When she returned to the Queen''s residence, she learned that the pce had already discovered that the Queen had disappeared. What she didn''t expect was that Drayce would also be reported missing.


    After the investigation officials got hold of her, she then asked to meet the King, but she was told that the King had left the pce with the royal knights. She didn''t know what to do and where to go. The Queen leaving was a sensitive issue and she could not just go to anyone with it, and now, the Second Prince had disappeared too. She decided to wait for Lady Tyra or the King to return. For the meantime, she began to fix the bed of the little prince, using that excuse to stay in his chamber.


    "Lady Tyra?" the nanny called out the moment she saw them appear inside the chamber.


    Lady Tyra put Drayce on the bed and heard Lady Saira ask, "What happened? Did��did His Highness find his mother?"


    Lady Tyra nodded and said in a sad voice, "And saw his mother leaving."


    Tears rolled down Lady Saira''s eyes. "Now what shall we do?"


    "Where is His Majesty the King?" Lady Tyra asked. "Did hee to the Queen''s residence?"


    Lady Saira nodded. "The entire pce already knows that the Queen was missing because the King mobilized the knights. I heard from a servant that he left with his knights on horseback," she informed the olderdy.


    "He must have gone to search for Her Majesty. I am afraid he will return with nothing."


    There was a knock on the door, and the voice of the servant reported, "Lady Saira? Great Lady Theodora has arrived and is currently waiting in the Queen''s chamber. She said she''d like to see you."


    Lady Saira was startled, but it didn''t surprise Lady Tyra as she knew the King''s mother was aware of everything about Esther.


    "Inform her that the Second Prince is back," the older woman told Lady Saira.


    "I will be heading out then." Lady Saira wiped her tears and went towards the Great Lady.


    After a while, she returned together with the previous Queen to Drayce''s chamber. Exhaustion could be seen on the Great Lady''s elegant face, but just like her son, her expression was normally cold and dignified, and no one could see through her thoughts.


    The three women could only look at the small guy sleeping on the bed as they could do nothing for him.


    "I will stay here with Dray," the olderdy informed.


    As Drayce had lost his mother, as his grandmother, it was her duty to take care of him.


    ------


    A month had passed by since the news of the Queen''s disappearance shocked the capital. Ever since she was found missing, the King had not stepped foot inside the pce to search for his wife, relentlessly scouring through the territories of his kingdom one by one. For the entire month, Drayce had also not stepped out of the Queen''s residence. He forgot how to smile and hardly said any word. He would mostly sit idle with only his pet Dusk to apany him in silence.


    From time to time, he would spend time in his mother''s chamber and remember her, which would be known by all as his sobs could be overheard by the passing servants. Everyone had a difficult time handling him, seeing the naughty prince be unusually withdrawn. Thankfully, Great Lady Theodora was there tofort him. His grandmother would stay by his side during her free time, since she had reassumed the position of the King''s Regent, handling the matters of the kingdom in the absence of the King.


    No one knew where their king was, and even the Great Lady would only hear news about him from the local territory lords and the knights, but rumours had already started to spread in the capital that the Queen was not abducted��rather, she had left on her own because of the King''s mistake and the King had gone to beg for her forgiveness.


    The Great Lady dered nothing as she simply waited for her son to return. But she could not stop the rumours of the Queen leaving.


    ------


    Theron received a letter from his mother, asking for him to return since she''s finding it increasingly difficult to manage the pce affairs on her own. Such arge kingdom could move without its King and Queen because of the territory lords, but the royal family would risk lessening their authority over the nobility if it was left on its own. He was also receiving messages from the ministers and other pce officials, begging for him to go back to the pce and simply leave the search for the Queen to be handled by the royal knights.


    After more than a month of searching, Theron finally returned to the pce with no positive result. He knew if Esther wished to hide herself, then there was no way he could find her but he still didn''t wish to give up on that hope.


    What if while searching she saw him and changed her mind and then followed him back? What if he found her by chance and convinced her to return with him?


    For the entire time, he was outside the pce, he hardly cared about food or resting and searched for his wife like a madman. He would not even stop at the estates of the local nobles and simply stay at inns in towns or viges whenever night came, or if they were out in the woods, they would set up camp only to rest briefly and would set out at the break of dawn. Even his knights were worried that the King would end up sick. He had lost all the brightness on his handsome face and looked nothing like the King who they had been serving for all these years.


    Theron would have kept searching for Esther till the end of his life, but he had no choice but to return to the pce. He had to return for the sake of his people and this kingdom.


    It waste in the night when the King silently returned to the pce along with the knights. Once he arrived, he locked himself in his chamber, not wishing to talk to anyone.

 Chapter 497 Drayces Anger

    Drayce was having a quiet breakfast all by himself within therge dining hall of the Queen''s pce. His nanny, Lady Saira, was faithfully standing by his side, sighing to herself as she watched over the little prince eat as if he''s not tasting the food.


    Ever since he returned to the pce, the prince had stopped speaking on his own, and he would only respond with short replies if asked for anything. If left unattended, he would merely stay in a daze inside the Queen''s study or the Queen''s chamber, or shut himself inside his own chamber while hugging his pet eagle. Even so, he would only listen to what his nanny or grandmother asked him to do.


    Great Lady Theodora would normally join Drayce in his meals, but she had left the capital the previous day for some urgent matter rted to the kingdom. In the absence of the King, her role as the Regent had to take priority over her role as a grandmother, and thus, Drayce was eating on his own today. Despite her reluctance, she left Drayce knowing his nanny and Lady Tyra would take good care of him.


    "Your Highness, the Great Lady promised to return after a day or two. Till then, please make sure to eat well. Her Excellency would surely scold me if she finds out you''re not finishing your meals," Lady Saira said.


    Drayce''s reply was nothing but silence, though he continued to eat like an obedient child.


    After his morning meal, Lady Saira offered to take him out to visit theke so the little guy would feel a little better. Just as they stepped out of the Queen''s residence, Drayce''s sharp hearing caught the conversation of the passing servants whispering among themselves.


    "His Majesty is back?"


    "Yes, I saw his personal steed in the royal stables early today"


    "I overheard from the guards that His Majesty returnedst night."


    "Did he find the Queen?"


    "Are you stupid? If he had, then Her Majesty would have been here."


    "What are you getting angry at me for? I''m just curious."


    "Me too. I wonder after searching for an entire month if His Majesty got any clue about her disappearance."


    Lady Saira looked at Drayce who abruptly stopped before riding his prepared carriage. "Your Highness, are you alright? Is something the matter?"


    Drayce looked at his nanny. "Father. I want to go to Father."


    Lady Saira was aware that the King was back but she didn''t tell Drayce as she had heard the King had locked himself in his chamber the moment he returned. She felt it was not a good time for Drayce to go see his father.


    "Your Highness, His Majesty has just returned from an expedition. He must be tired and still resting at the moment. This is not the right time to meet him," Lady Saira tried to convince him.


    Drayce didn''t listen and turned around to run towards the King''s residence. Lady Saira could only follow him in panic.


    "Leia, inform Lady Tyra about the situation immediately. Hurry!" Lady Saira ordered the maidservant to follow them as she knew in the absence of the Great Lady, only Lady Tyra had the ability to control the little prince.


    Drayce reentered the Queen''s pce and ran upstairs to cross the connecting hallway between the two residences.


    "Your Highness, please calm down!" she begged but Drayce didn''t listen to her.


    "Halt! You may not cross beyond this point!" one of the royal knights used his spear to block her way as soon as she was about to reach the other side of the hallway.


    Though Lady Saira wanted to continue following the prince, she had to stop as she was not allowed to cross that side of the residence.


    "Let me be quick. I need to bring His Highness back. I will be punished if the Second Prince disturbs the King''s rest." Lady Saira didn''t care about the punishment, but she had no choice but to use that excuse. She didn''t know how the King would react seeing Drayce when he himself must be in a terrible mood. She needed to stop the Second Prince from meeting him.


    "Only the royal family are allowed toe to this side uninvited."


    "Let me stop the Second Prince, please," she begged.


    "His Majesty is not here so the Second Prince will not be able to meet him," the knight replied. "Just wait here till the Second Prince returns."


    "The King is not here��" Lady Saira mumbled in relief. "Then let me take His Highness back. I request you."


    "You will be punished for this," the knight warned her, despite knowing her situation.


    "I don''t mind, but please let me get His Highness back," she requested once more.


    The knight allowed her and thoughtfully gave her the direction of the King''s chamber where they guessed Drayce must be headed.


    "Father!" the little prince called out as he entered the King''s chamber. He looked around but there was no one in that empty bedchamber.


    Lady Saira caught up to him but dared not step past the doorway. "Your Highness, your father is not here. Pleasee back to the Queen''s pce."


    With a sad face, he looked at her. "Where is he? I want to see Father."


    "I am not sure, but I''ll have the servants ask around. For now, let''s go back."


    With great reluctance, Drayce nodded and stepped out of his father''s chamber. As they walked back towards the connecting hallway, he stopped in front of the royal knight guarding it.


    "Sir Knight, do you know where my father is?" Drayce asked him.


    "His Majesty has gone to the Grand Pce, Second Prince," the knight replied promptly.


    "I am going to meet Father," Drayce told Lady Saira.


    His nanny, of course, couldn''t let that happen. "Your Highness, we can��"


    Swoosh!


    The knight and his nanny felt a strong gust of wind hit them, and when they opened their eyes, they found that Drayce had disappeared in thin air.


    Lady Saira panicked. She knew Drayce must have gone to the Grand Pce using his powers. Without even exining anything to the bewildered knight, she crossed towards the other side of the connecting hallway and hurried to ride the carriage still waiting outside the Queen''s residence.


    "To the Grand Pce. Fast!" she instructed the coachman with a face of distress, causing the man to obey without questions. How she wished she too could disappear like the prince and catch up to him whenever he pulled a stunt like this. Sometimes, being a powerless human made her feel helpless when she had to handle the prince who was extraordinary. It was an exhausting affair, but she was someone who didn''t want to let down the trust the Queen ced on her.


    Drayce appeared out of thin air andnded at thergewn outside the front entrance of the Grand Pce, and his sudden appearance startled the royal servants and guards around.


    "What the��"


    "Who goes there��"


    "That boy with the ck hair, isn''t that the Second Prince?"


    His mother had instructed him to not disy his powers in front of others, and aside from the few trusted retainers of the King, only the servants within the Queen''s residence were aware of the special abilities of the prince.


    This time, the little boy had momentarily forgotten his mother''s words as all he wanted was to see his father. He wanted to ask if he found Esther and brought her back. Even if his father had yet to do so, in his young mind, maybe if they would go beg her together, his mother would listen to them.


    Due to the shock of witnessing Drayce''s powers, the guards did not question or stop him from going towards the entrance of the building. In fact, the people near the path he''s taking were slowly backing away from him as if they were staring at a dangerous monster.


    Only after he passed by them did the people let out sighs of relief. Some of the servants even discovered their knees trembling, while the others found the strength to run away, either in disbelief or to spread the news around. Others gossiped among themselves.


    "So the rumours were true. The Second Prince truly wields powers."


    "Is that sorcery? Witchcraft?"


    "I thought my eyes were ying tricks. I can''t believe it''s real."


    "Why are you so shocked? Isn''t he blessed by the ck Dragon?"


    "Yes, I did hear he had even caused earthquakes and fire."


    "No wonderst time, the young masters of the noble families imed that he''s a monster."


    "I''m getting goosebumps just seeing him appear all of the sudden like a ghost. Imagine how scary it must have been to those poor kids. I heard that he''ll hurt you if you make him upset."


    "I wonder if the Queen''s disappearance had something to do with the Second Prince. For a woman to raise a boy who could kill you if you make him upset, she must have spent thest few years in terror. Maybe it''s because she could no longer bear it that her son is a monster that she ran away on her own?"


    "She must feel guilty for giving birth to a monster."


    "Guilty? Are you a new servant? Do you think the apple falls far from the tree? There were rumours about the Queen that she is a witch who enchanted the King."


    "I heard that too. The Queen must truly be a witch to have given birth to such a scary freak."


    "Hush, let''s not talk about this any more unless you want to be beheaded by the royal family."


    "It''s not like anyone can hear us��"


    But in fact, someone could.


    Drayce, who was walking towards the entrance of the building, could hear the low murmurs of the people talking behind his back. As he walked on the stone path surrounded by the greenwn on both sides, each of his footsteps seemed to feel heavier with each usation and hurtful words from those brazen servants.


    Drayce wanted to turn around, to scold them for disrespecting his mother, but he swallowed his anger and walked ahead until he reached the two royal guards standing by the main entrance of the Grand Pce.


    The men bowed before him.


    "Greetings, Your Highness the Second Prince. May I ask what brings you here?" one of them asked.


    "I want to meet Father," he informed them. "Is he in the throne hall?"


    "His Majesty had left for his office a while ago," the guard replied.


    Drayce was disappointed, but he cheered himself up with the thought that at least his father had returned to the pce.


    "Should I have someone escort you to his office, Your Highness?" the guard asked carefully.


    "No need. I know my way."


    His father''s office was not far, just on the other side of the throne hall. This time, he didn''t use his powers to teleport and simply walked, somewhat feeling embarrassed and troubled since he recalled Esther''s warning about him using his powers in front of others.


    On the way to the King''s office, he once again felt eyes on him. It wasn''t just the royal servants. The gazes of the members of the royal court, the guests who came to seek an audience with the King, and even the low-ranking pce officials were on his small body.


    "Why is there a child walking by himself in the pce?"


    "Don''t you recognize him? That''s the Second Prince."


    "That boy with the ck hair? Doesn''t the royal bloodline of the Ivanovs give their descendants brown hair and eyes?"


    "Rumors say the Second Prince is not the King''s son."


    "He truly does not look like an Ivanov. Look at the portraits of the past kings in the hallway, none of them has red eyes and ck hair."


    "Yes, you were from the countryside so you must have not heard, but years ago, there''s a rumour that the Queen betrayed the King, that''s why the King stayed away from her during her pregnancy with the prince. But the King loved the Queen so much and allowed her to stay."


    "How scandalous! She gave birth to someone else''s child."


    "It''s good that she''s gone. How dare she tarnish the royal family with a bastard?"


    "Maybe she didn''t leave on her own. Perhaps she was thrown away by the King, and they''re just saying she left to save the reputation of the royal family?"


    The little prince could no longer take it and he looked toward the group of gossiping guests in anger.


    "Hmm? Is he looking at us?"


    "He looks angry. Hah, would you look at those eyes? Is he going to hurt us?"


    "Ssh! Lower your voice! We''re still in the pce."


    "You''re being nonsensical. We''re so far from him. He couldn''t have heard us speaking about his scandalous mother."


    "I''m not talking about him. He is standing far away. There are servants around. What if they overhear us?"


    "Pfft, so what? That little bastard''s mother is gone now. Maybe she''s dead. The new queen would probably be the King''s second wife, wouldn''t she? Lady risa who has a noble background will probably do better as a queen than that lowlymon-born woman."


    "Well, what can I say? The King''s first wife might be of lowly birth but she''s truly beautiful."


    "All she has is a pretty face, but she dared raise a bastard as a prince. Disgraceful shameless woman."


    Drayce gritted his teeth and clenched his fists. His red eyes turned into a deeper shade.


    "Don''t say bad things about my mother!!!"


    As he shouted those words, the ground underneath their feet started to shake. The pirs and walls of the building showed cracks, and the carpet and the decors caught fire.


    "Aaaah! An earthquake!"


    "Fire! Help! My clothes are burning!"


    "Water! Someone bring water!"


    "Stay away from the ss windows!"


    This time, it was not a short earthquake but a strong one that managed to shake the foundation of the Grand Pce. The men who were talking bad about his mother, their clothes were put on the fire. The furniture and decorations around were not spared as well, as if he wished to destroy everything.


    As the Grand Pce was the most important building in the entire royal pce, there was a huge uproar everywhere with panicked screams from the people.

 Chapter 498 Burned His Wifes Only Portrait

    Meanwhile, inside the King''s office.


    After dismissing his aides, Theron put the report in his hand aside, leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes. There were a number of issues his mother, the acting Regent, had put aside that required his immediate attention. He had returned to fulfil his royal duties as King, but not even work could numb the pain he was feeling.


    Everyone could see Theron''s face was visibly thinner, his eyes sunken and his chin covered with stubble. Many of his subjects were worried about his health, but they were also careful with their words, not willing to incur the wrath of the King who was obviously not in a good mental state. That was also why the morning court session today finished quicker than normal and he was able to return early to his office��nobody wanted to make the King more upset than he already is.


    After a while, he opened a drawer of his desk and pulled out one parchment scroll. Inside it was a portrait of a smiling woman drawn in the vivid likeness of its subject.


    It was Esther.


    Theron nkly stared at the portrait of his wife''s lovely face, the one and only portrait of Queen Esther Ivanov in existence.


    He didn''t know why she never allowed herself to be drawn. Every king and queen always had their portraits painted and hung in the royal pce, but Esther didn''t allow hers to be made. Even back when Theronmissioned the royal painter to draw his family, Esther made an excuse, causing Theron to simply have one made with him and his two sons, because it didn''t feel right to have his other wives in the family painting when the Queen herself was missing.


    Though she never allowed one to be made, once he personally made a request of her, she finally agreed.


    This parchment scroll in his hand held precious memories between him and Esther as he himself was the one to draw this portrait after convincing Esther for months and months. In the end, she gave in after he literally begged her on his knees.


    Such a precious portrait of his beloved, he kept it afterwards in his office where he spends his time the most.


    ''Esther, where are you?''


    His dark eyes were filled with deep exhaustion as his heart continued to ache.


    While he was drowning in his thoughts, he suddenly felt the ss chandelier above him make strange tinkling sounds. This was followed by a stronger vibration, causing him to be unable to find a stable foothold and he had to bnce himself by grabbing his desk. He stood up at the sound of ss windows breaking due to the earthquake. The shaking was so strong, that the shelves inside his office started falling over and the small fragile items like vases and wall decors had long toppled over.


    The door suddenly mmed open as Sir Galien entered in rm, and smoke entered the King''s office along with him.


    "Your Majesty, are you alright? Please leave the building! I will lead the way��"


    The hallway outside was already covered in high mes. It didn''t make sense, but the moment his guardian knight entered, sparks seemingly appeared out of thin air and the insides of his office also caught fire. The wild mes spread in a blink of an eye since many items inside the office were mmable.


    The carpet, the fallen books, the papers on his desk��and the parchment scroll in his hands.


    "No!"


    Theron used his bare hands to put off the fire and stop the portrait from burning. But it was of no use. The moment he sessfully put the fire out, part of the portrait had turned to ashes. The face of the smiling blonde was scorched ck, leaving only the edges at the bottom part of the scroll unharmed.


    Theron felt like he had lost his wife all over again.


    In his shock, he didn''t even realize how badly his hands were burned, still clutching at the remnant of Esther''s portrait, as he stepped out of his office under his knight''s escort. When Theron came out to the hallway, he saw Drayce standing outside, ring at a group of men, and something dawned on him.


    ''It''s you! You caused this!''


    Theron was full of rage, and it was as if his head was about to explode. That boy burned the precious portrait of his mother, the only one portrait he had to remember her by.


    Many angry thoughts ran into his mind as he red at the little red-eyed child who he considered as his own son.


    ''This Devil''s spawn! Everything is ruined because of you and your father! You should have not been born! Is it because that Devil wanted my kingdom that he wanted to put his son on the throne? Why did he even ask for my wife to bear his child? That Devil should have asked for my life to be sacrificed in exchange for lifting the curse! That would have been better!


    ''If not for that curse, Esther would not have broken her promises and she had no need to sacrifice herself. Everything is because of that curse and his evil father! If not for that Devil, Esther would have remained by my side. Why did this father and son have toe into our lives? Why did they have to take everything away from us? His father is nothing but an evil monster and his son is the same.''


    "Guards!" the King shouted loudly in anger. Galien, who was escorting him, was shocked to see the anger distorting the King''s face.


    His voice caught Drayce''s attention, and the earthquake and fire stopped as if they didn''t happen in the first ce. If it weren''t for the damaged pce and the panicking people, people would have thought everything was an illusion.


    "Father��" Tears rolled down the little prince''s eyes as he hurried to go to his father, wanting to seekfort from the ugly words he overheard. "Those bad men, they called the mother��"


    "Lock him up and don''t let him out," the King ordered with a solemn tone, and the royal guards snapped to attention, obeying his orders as if they were facing a great enemy.


    Only Sir Galien tried to speak up for the prince, "Your Majesty��"


    "Lock that monster immediately!" the King ordered again, his roar loud enough to echo in the hallway.


    The guards dutifully executed the King''s order and went to the little prince who was staring at his father in utter disbelief.


    It hurt��it hurt when his father called him a monster.


    Still, Drayce tried to speak while wiping his tears which would not stop flowing. "F-Father..they��mother��they called her��" His words could note out clearly as the sobs increased.


    "Your Highness, pleasee with us to the��" The royal guard trailed off as he looked back at the King and the King''s guardian knight because they didn''t know where to lock the prince.


    The king turned his back and stormed away, leaving Sir Galien to respond to his unspoken question. "Bring the Second Prince to the waiting room next to His Majesty''s office."


    Sir Galien guessed that once the King''s anger abated, he would like to see his son. The royal guards saluted and followed his instruction.


    Sir Galien went to Drayce. "Your Highness, please follow the guards for now. Once His Majesty is calmer, you will be summoned."


    Controlling himself from showing distress, the little prince nodded and followed the guards. With each step he took, he would look over his shoulder to stare at the retreating back of his father who didn''t turn to look at him even once.


    The Grand Pce was in a state of disaster. It was the central building in the royal pce, the most important ce where the ministers, pce officials, members of the royal court, and other notable figures of high status stayed, and also dignitaries and guests of the King were summoned for an audience with the King of Megaris.


    Though there were no casualties aside from those men with the nasty mouths who got burns and bruises as a punishment from Drayce, the work in the entire pce was disturbed. Many documents were burned due to the fire and countless things were broken and shattered due to the earthquake. Fortunately, the main building and the annexes themselves did not suffer serious damages, and it was estimated only light repair work would be needed on the pirs near the source of the incident.


    Knowing that Drayce was the cause of the chilling incident, the guards hurried to bring him to the waiting room and closed the door without letting anyone else in, as the King had ordered to lock him up. Tens of guards stood outside of the door with their bodies covered in a cold sweat.


    Sir Galien entered the King''s office after the royal physician finished treating the King''s burned hands. The knight found Theron looking at the leftover traces of his wife''s portrait, touching it with his bandaged fingers.


    "Your Majesty, about the Second Prince��"


    Hearing him speak in that chiding tone, the still furious king could not hold himself back.


    "Keep that monster locked. Don''t let him out. Don''t even give him water or food. No one should be let in to see him." Theron moved to leave his office. "Let him die there."


    "Your Majesty��" Sir Galien felt speechless, his conscience trembling at those cruel words. That was not the King he knew, the righteous and wise King he swore to serve.


    It was as if��he was a different man.


    Drayce, who was in the next room, could hear his father''s voice clearly. He started crying once more while sitting in one corner of the room with his knees folded in front of him and his face buried in the circle of his arms.


    "Mother��"

 Chapter 499 Prepare Her To Be My Concubine

    Lady Tyra and Lady Saira reached the Grand Pce at almost the same time, and together, they crossed the chaotic surroundings with grim expressions. Witnessing the fear and damage caused by the earthquake and fire, they knew even without asking around that this was Drayce''s doing. Both of their hearts sank, fearing something terrible had happened to the little boy.


    Lady Tyra asked one of the guards to help around outside of the building. "Excuse me. Do you know where the Second Prince is?"


    The guard recognized the oldest member of the royal family. He bowed, guessing their intentions. "Greetings, Lady Tyra. From what I know, the Second Prince is in the waiting room next to His Majesty''s office. However, no one is not allowed to see him, as per His Majesty''s order."


    Hisst statement shocked the two women, and they hurried to enter the Grand Pce after confirming that Theron was staying in his study.


    When they reached the King''s study, Lady Tyra instructed, "Go to the waiting room and ask the Prince what happened. I will meet with His Majesty."


    Lady Saira agreed to do so. The older woman asked to see the King, but the knights stationed in front of the door apologized. "Unfortunately, His Majesty had left."


    "Do you know where he went?"


    The knight shook his head.


    With a defeated sigh, Lady Tyra then went to the waiting room next door and found Lady Saira arguing with the knights outside.


    "��no one is allowed to go meet the Second Prince."


    "I am his nanny. How can you keep the child locked alone? He must be scared."


    "Apologies, Lady, but we cannot go against His Majesty''s order, the knight said politely but firmly"


    Lady Tyra understood they wouldn''t allow them no matter what they say unless the King withdrew his order, so she stopped the nanny and pulled her away. "Come with me."


    Lady Saira quietly followed the olderdy. Once they reached a distance, Lady Tyra said, "I will be able to go to the prince''s side so don''t worry. Until the Great Lady returns, I am afraid we cannot do anything."


    "But it will take at least one day for Her Ladyship to return," Lady Saira sobbed, unable to control the tears from her eyes. "How can we let such a young boy be left on his own? He has just caused such a bigmotion in the pce, and from what I understand from the guards, the King is locking him up like a prisoner. His Highness must be really scared at this moment."


    "Stop crying. He is not such a delicate boy for you to worry like this. We are the only ones on his side so we cannot be weak. Trust me, for now, you have to leave. I will go to him."


    Lady Saira finally agreed, and Lady Tyra stepped towards one of the smaller hallways in the building, and after checking there was no one else around, she disappeared out of thin air. Lady Saira paced around the hallway, waiting for the olderdy to return with good news.


    After half an hour, Lady Tyra appeared before her once more. She had used her power to enter the waiting room where Drayce was locked.


    "H-How is the Second Prince?" Lady Saira asked.


    Lady Tyra shook her head. "He cannot stop crying and calling for his mother. His father''s treatment towards him has shocked him greatly."


    Lady Saira''s heart sank. "What shall we do?"


    "I will try to talk to His Majesty, though I doubt I will be able to convince him. I will send a message to the Great Lady about this incident as well. I hope she will manage to return soon."


    "I will stay here then," Lady Saira offered.


    The older woman left. She requested an audience with the King but she was denied again and again. Half a day passed by, but there was no news and Lady Saira grew anxious.


    "Let me get water and food for the Prince."


    "His Majesty ordered not to do so," the guard replied.


    "I''m begging you. The Prince has been inside for so many hours. He must be thirsty��"


    "Please do not make this hard for me,dy. We cannot go against the King''s order. I am also just doing my job."


    Lady Saira sighed and felt helpless.


    Lady Saira soon found Lady Tyra and informed her of the situation. Lady Tyra could only sigh. "I could not meet the King but I have already sent a message to the Great Lady. Let''s pray she returns early as she is the only one who can talk to His Majesty."


    "When will she be here?"


    "If nothing unexpected happens, probably tomorrow at noon, evening at thetest."


    "We can''t let him be imprisoned for so long without water and food��" Lady Saira said. "I know what to do. Please stay here in my stead."


    "Where are you��"


    "I wille back soon," Lady Saira replied and ran away in a hurry.


    Lady Saira believed that the King cared for Drayce despite the harsh punishment he gave today and that as long as his anger calmed down, a lighter punishment would be given to the little boy. "I��I will personally go to His Majesty and beg him. I cannot let the little prince stay there like a prisoner. The Queen left him to me. She trusted me to take good care of her son. I cannot break her trust."


    Seeing the hope on the youngerdy''s face, Lady Tyra decided to let her try. Lady Saira went to the King''s study and she recognized an official who was one of the King''s trusted aides. She approached the man carrying documents to another office.


    "Excuse me. I am Saira Cloven, ady serving under the Queen. May I ask where his Majesty has gone?"


    "His Majesty has retired for the day and returned to his residence."


    After saying a brief thanks, the anxious nanny immediately called for a carriage to go to the King''s pce. She asked for an audience with the King, but her request was denied.


    Seeing that the King was refusing to meet anyone, she decided to enter the Queen''s residence and try herst means��the connecting hallway between the two adjacent pces.


    ''If I''m lucky, the least will be three months in prison, but if they strictly implement the rules, it will be the death penalty.''


    She had already crossed it once, and that act by itself could already have her fired from her job ornd her days in prison. Now, she was going to do it again and the second offence would not be light. She knew what she was doing was irrational but she had to do it. She could not disappoint the Queen who had trusted her with her son.


    She wiped those tears and let out a shaky exhale to get rid of how helpless she was feeling at the moment. Her light brown eyes, her delicate face puffy red due to her crying, looked ahead with the determination of crossing that hallway and reaching the King.


    As expected, a knight was guarding the other side. It seemed like they already changed shifts, as it wasn''t the same knight from earlier. She wondered what methods she could use to distract him, but to her surprise, she saw the King walking in another hallway.


    "Your Majesty!" she called out.


    She ran with all her might, and she only stopped after kneeling in front of the King. The guardian knight behind Theron moved to stand between her and the King, his sword unsheathed and pointed at her head.


    Sir Galien spoke, "Lady Saira, what are you doing? How dare you be rude in front of the King?!"


    The King looked down at her with clenched fists. He was not in the mood for any nonsense. If he could, he would grab his sword and behead this woman, but since his guardian knight spoke first, he stopped himself from acting out.


    "I-I am here to talk to His Majesty. Please allow me to," she said and looked up with her teary eyes. "Your Majesty, please let the Second Prince go back to the Queen''s residence. He is innocent. He just wanted to see his father."


    ''Father?'' That word angered the King even more.


    Sir Galien once again meddled. "Lady Saira, please get back to your senses. You can be severely punished for this."


    "I know," she said in a crying voice, "but I am ready to receive punishment as long as I can fulfil my promise to the Queen. I promised her I will take care of the Prince. I need to keep my word. I need to take care of him." She looked at the King. "Your Majesty, I beg you to let the Prince go. He is too small to be punished like this. He would be scared there. Let me go see him, or at least, please allow me to attend to his needs. He hasn''t even had anything to drink the entire day. I��I will try my best so that he won''t do it again. I am sure he''s repenting for the trouble he caused, but Your Majesty, he''s still so young. Please let him be grounded in the Queen''s pce. I promise you he won''t be allowed to take a single step outside. I am ready to ept any punishment for going against Your Majesty but please let him go��"


    The King merely scowled at her, not saying anything.


    "Your Majesty can take my life even," Lady Saira continued, "but��but in exchange, please forgive the Prince''s ignorant mistake. He is still young and needs more discipline. He is just upset as he already lost his mother��I promised Her Majesty��-"


    "A promise?" the King repeated as he clenched his fists even tighter.


    "Y-Yes, Your Majesty." Lady Saira thought hearing the promise made with his wife would calm the King, but she didn''t expect his next words.


    "You dare go against the King for that promise?" he asked coldly.


    "As long as I am alive, I will do my best to fulfil it. Nothing can stop me from doing so. I am Prince Drayce''s nanny," she said with determination as she looked back at the King.


    Theron felt angry that a mere retainer was challenging his authority, telling him to change the punishment he had already given. She was the same as the one she served��the Queen.


    "You are relieved from your duty as his nanny," said the King. "Leave the pce at once."


    Though she already expected it, Lady Saira was still shaken.


    "Your Majesty, I am willing to ept my punishment, but at least give me a few days to continue serving the Second Prince. Let me arrange for his stay in the Queen''s residence," she said with determination. "My life''s sole purpose is to serve Her Majesty. Though she is not here, I wish to dedicate my life to the Second Prince. If my being banished from the pce will make his punishment lighter, then I will embrace it willingly."


    ''Just like her,'' the King frowned with distaste, seeing her behaving stubbornly like the Queen. A spiteful thought lingered in his mind.


    "You want to stay here?" the King asked, "and look after that prince?"


    The way he asked that gave Lady Saira an ominous feeling. "Y-Yes, Your Majesty."


    Theron looked at Sir Galien. "Prepare her to be my concubine."


    As if the sky had fallen on Lady Saira, she cried out, "Your Majesty?!"


    "Is that not what you want? You will stay in the pce, you will get to see the Second Prince but within the boundaries of being my concubine." The King then looked at his knight. "If she refuses to ept the King''s decree, put her on trial for the crime of treason to the crown and revoke the peerage granted to her family."


    "Y-Your Majesty��" Lady Saira''s face turned pale. She didn''t expect this oue.


    Theron passed her a cold baleful re and walked past her, leaving her crying on her knees.


    She knew that once she became his concubine, she would not be allowed to move around freely unless the King permits her. Intuition was telling her he would probably have her stay in the Vermillion Pce as an extension of her punishment.


    She would not be allowed to step foot in the Queen''s residence, and she could no longer stay by the Second Prince''s side to look after him��.to fulfil the promise she made with the Queen.

 Chapter 500 I Have Become A Father Worse Than A Monster

    Lady Saira stood up wiping her tears and feeling helpless in front of the King who had ordered her something she didn''t want to do. She cursed herself foring here instead of just staying by Prince''s side and waiting for the Great Lady to return. If she had note here to beg the King, he would not have ordered her something like this but��she just couldn''t stay idle doing nothing to free the prince she vowed to take care of.


    She reached the grand pce where Lady Tyra was waiting for her for so long.


    "What took you so long? Did you manage to meet the king?" Lady Tyra asked.


    With her head lowered and eyes still watery, she nodded.


    "What did His Majesty say?"


    Lady Saira raised her head up to look at Lady Tyra but even before a single word coulde out, the tears made their way out nonstop, making her unable to say a word.


    It worried Lady Tyra, "What happened, Saira?"


    "I am sorry, Lady Tyra," she said in her sobbing voice.


    "You are scaring me. Say something. What did His Majesty say to you?"


    While crying and sobbing, Lady Saira narrated the entire incident which only shocked the olderdy. "What? What are you talking about?"


    Lady Saira cried out, "It''s true, Lady Tyra, Now I don''t know what to do. I don''t know how to avoid it."


    Lady Tyra was utterly shocked. King Theron loved his wife and there was no way he would ept another concubine at such a moment. What was he trying to do this way?


    Lady Saira looked at the other Lady with a hopeful gaze, "Lady Tyra, can you do something? Please ask the king to change this decision. Or..Or just prolong it till the Great Lady arrives. Only she can stop the king. I��I don''t want to be King''s concubine. I want to look after the prince and fulfil the promise I made to Her Majesty. Please find a way. His Majesty was angry and he made this decision only because I angered him. Once I am concubine, I know the King won''t allow me to be the second prince''s nanny.


    "I-I will try to talk to His Majesty," Lady Tyra assured.


    "How is His Highness?" Lady Saira asked.


    "I went to see him and took food and water but he touched nothing. He stopped crying but he is just sitting quietly in one corner. I insisted on eating something but he wouldn''t listen. Seems like he had heard His Majesty ordering to not give him anything. He is hurt and won''t give in."


    "If both are like this, what shall we do?"


    "Both father and son are stubborn. We have to wait for her Ladyship to arrive. Till then, I will go and talk to His Majesty about your matter," Lady Tyra replied.


    Lady Saira wiped her teary eyes and prayed that the King would change his decision.


    Lady Tyra reached the King''s residence where she asked to see the King and this time she was allowed to see him.


    The King was waiting for her in his study as if he had already expected that Lady Tyra woulde to see him.


    She bowed to the king, "Greeting, Your Majesty."


    Even before she could say more, the King ordered, "Tomorrow morning, schedule for Lady Saira and my wedding. No need to make any special arrangements and call for anyone''s presence. Just your presence is enough as you are a royal family member."


    "Your Majesty, I wish you to think about ��."


    "Do you dare challenge my decision, Lady Tyra?" he asked coldly as his gaze looked determined.


    "No, Your Majesty. I��"


    "Lady Tyra, prepare her and if she is still not ready, you know the consequences of going against King''s order."


    "Your Majesty, I just wished you to wait till your mother returns to the pce. It will be better if the wedding happens in her presence."


    "This is an insignificant wedding. No need to trouble mother for this," he countered. "You can leave."


    There was nothing for Lady Tyra to say more and she left.


    When she returned to Lady Saira, she had nothing but disappointment on her face. They had no other choice left but to follow the King''s order.


    ------


    In thete night, Theron was still in his study sitting in his chair in a daze. Sir Galien entered the study, "Your Majesty, it''ste. You should return to your chamber."


    Theron simply stood up from his chair and walked out of his study, his nk gaze stared ahead and he continued walking like a soulless body.


    He reached his chamber where Galien opened the door for him. Entering the chamber he looked around that dimly lit empty chamber. The previous night this same chamber was like heaven to him but now it felt worse than hell. Those memories that he was supposed to cherish, would give him nothing but the pain now.


    With slow steps, like a lost one, he continued to walk and went to stand in front of the window. His eyes which didn''t shed any tears even when he was feeling the worst kind of pain, nkly stared at the sky.


    Galien, who could only look at the king helplessly as he could do nothing to ease his pain, finally asked, "Your Majesty, the entire day you didn''t touch food or water, do you want me to instruct the servant��..?"


    "Did he eat anything?" Theron asked, interrupting his Knight.


    "As per your order, one guard brought food and water for His Highness but he refused to touch anything. He is simply sitting idle in one corner."


    Theron said nothing over it and instructed, "Tomorrow when the mother will arrive, let her meet him and take him with her."


    "Yes, Your Majesty," Sir Galien said and then asked hesitantly, "Your Majesty, why don''t you see him. He might��."


    "You are dismissed," said the king and the knight left.


    Sir Galien knew the king didn''t mean those words when he called his son a monster and it was simply his momentary action in anger. The way he himself did not eat or had water that showed it was because his son had nothing of it. His son was suffering so how could he even think of eating? Sir Galien knew the king still loved his son as much as he did even before this incident.


    After the knight left, the King continued to look at the sky and finally, his chaotic thoughts found their way out.


    ''Esther, today I have be a bad father. I have called our son a monster��,'' Painful smile appeared on his lips, ''Our son? I seem to have lost the right to call him my son the moment I called him a monster. I hurt him, Esther. His innocent eyes were shocked and hurt when he heard me calling him like that. His tears won''t stop. I didn''t allow him to have food and water and locked him. Instead, I have be a father who is worse than a monster to his son.''


    ''Esther, won''t you still return? See I hurt our��no, your son. I called him a monster. He needs you now. Won''t you return to him at least? He lost his father today so you have to return to be his good mother.''


    ''You value promises, don''t you Esther? I am making your servant break her promise with you and she won''t be allowed to be Drayce''s nanny. Won''t you return for the sake of the promise she had made with you? If you won''t return, I will marry her tomorrow and won''t allow her to go to him. Will you let me have another concubine when you love me?''


    ''Please return to me, Esther. Not for me but for Drayce''s sake who is hurt because of me. Come back, Esther. I know you can see everything. You know what I am doing with your son and servant. You have toe back to me. Scold me, hate me, do whatever you want. I won''t mind as long as I can see you in front of me."


    ''I can feel your presence, Esther. I don''t know how but I know you are somewhere close to me but you are just hiding,'' he ced his hand on his heart, ''Here I can feel you. You are not gone, Esther. Please show yourself. Whatever the consequences you have to face due to the so-called sins you say, I will pay for it. I will pay for it with my life and I am ready to get my life damned for eternity only if��only if I can see you even for a day more. Instead of going through the pain when you are not with me, I am ready to face anything after you return to me.''


    Finally, the tears he was holding back, rolled down and he closed his eyes, his face covered in painful expressions.


    ''Come back to me, Esther. I promise I will make everything right and we will live like a happy family. Juste back to me.''

 Chapter 501 The Great Lady Returned

    The next morning, as per the King''s order Lady Saira was being prepared to be the King''s concubine in her quarter. All the servants in the Queen''s pce were aware that Lady Saira was going to be the Concubine. Esther''s otherdies-in-waiting prepared her but thedy who was about to marry the King could not stop her tears.


    All her thoughts were about how the second prince was and how she could go to him. She preferred to be simple and only wore the necessary symbolic things for the bride as it was not a happy asion for her but being forced to follow the King''s order.


    "Lady Saira, I am sorry that I can not help you in this situation," Lady Tyra said.


    "I am not worried about myself, Lady Tyra. I just worry for the Prince. He hadn''t eaten or drank anything since yesterday and I don''t know how he spent his night there alone."


    "I was by his side. He was not alone. Though he is still the same, he is fine. Once the Great Lady returns, everything will be fine."


    "Can we not try to postpone this wedding until the Great Lady arrives. She might stop His Majesty��"


    "I had talked to him but he would not listen to anyone. The preparations have been made and you have been ordered to be present in the ceremonial hall," Lady Tyra informed.


    Having no other option, Lady Saira left to go to the ceremonial hall where only the priest and the king''s knight were present. Theron didn''t bother to show up for the wedding.


    His absence didn''t bother Lady Saira and she simply stood in front of the altar. There were no wedding vows but it was conducted in another way.


    As instructed by the Priest, she bowed to the altar table and then a servant brought a ring for her while carrying in the wooden tray. She had to wear it on her own and then the Priest read the King''s decree that dered that she was from now on King''s concubine.


    The scroll was rolled back and was offered to Lady risa which she epted with a bow.


    Before leaving, Lady Saira talked to the King''s knight, "Sir Galien, can you ask His Majesty if I am allowed to see the Second Prince now?"


    "I will," Sir Galien responded and left.


    Lady Saira closed her eyes for a moment as she could not believe she would have to shift to Vermilion Pce which was meant for the King''s concubine. That was thest ce she would ever want to go but the rules were strict and she had to obey them.


    She was taken to the Vermilion Pce by Lady Tyra where the other concubines and servants were present to wee the new concubine.


    Lady risa was not happy with this incident but she was no one to object to it and she was aware of King''s anger and didn''t have a wish to face it again.


    Lady Saira''s wish to see the Second Prince was denied by the King and she was ordered to not see him anymore. It broke her entirely and she locked herself in her chamber and could not stop crying. Thatvish chamber for the Concubine felt nothing more than a prison to her.


    Finally, by early noon the Great Lady arrived at the pce.


    She got the news about what had happened in the pce and hurried back without a moment''s dy. The olderdy avoided the rest in between as she wanted to return to her grandson as soon as possible.


    Lady Tyra received her and they straightway went to see Drayce.


    As per King''s order, no one stopped the Great Lady and allowed her to see the little Prince. The door opened and the olderdy entered the waiting room of the King''s office where the little guy was sitting still the same.


    "Dray," his grandmother called him and hurried towards him.


    Drayce lifted his head from the circle of his hands and looked at his grandmother with swollen eyes. His throat was dry that he could not say a word, his eyes were so tired already that no tears coulde out.


    She hugged him. Tears rolled down her eyes, "Sorry that Grandma iste." She continued to hug him and caress him gently. She looked back at him and cupped his small face in her hands, "Now Grandma is here, you don''t have to stay in this room. I will take you with me."


    Drayce shook his head. It was the punishment given by his father for not controlling his anger and causing an earthquake and fire. He would not move till his father, the King allowed him to leave.


    The Great Lady understood this and she said, "I am here just because your father has allowed me. Otherwise, the guards would have stopped me. He wants me to take you away from here. Do you understand Dray? Let''s go with me."


    Finally, the little guy agreed to leave. The Great Lady took him to his chamber and took care of his needs. He had a bath and food. He was so tired that he fell asleep soon after.


    Now it was the time for the Great Lady to finally see her son. She was angry and she needed to give him an earful.


    Theron was in his chamber. He didn''t step out since the previous night he entered his chamber. He didn''t go to the wedding. He didn''t have food and water either just like Drayce as if he had given punishment to himself as well. He only continued to sit in his chair with his eyes dried from having any tears in them.


    No one stopped the Great Lady when she entered the King''s residence and straightaway went to the King''s chamber after making sure where he was. She understood her son had already ordered to let her in when she arrived and he was also aware that his mother would be angry at him.


    She entered the king''s chamber and found him standing by the window, staring outside nkly.


    "Theron!" she said angrily.


    He turned to look at his mother but he was unusually calm as if he had already expected it and was ready to hear whatever his mother would say.

 Chapter 502 Therons Last Request To His Mother

    The Great Lady marched towards her son with a disapproving gaze, stopping only when she was a few steps away.


    "Theron, do you realize what you have done?"


    Though her face showed she was angry, her tone carried how utterly disappointed she was with her son.


    Theron only looked at her with emotionless eyes as he had nothing to say in his defence. He was guilty and no words were enough to show regret about his decision, but he had done it for a reason��it was hisst resort to get his wife back to him.


    The olderdy couldn''t stand the silence she got in return. "Were you thinking that if you do this, Esther wille back to you? Was it worth it, Theron?"


    His mother''s words were on point, and she captured the fleeting change of emotions in his eyes. She could not help but sigh.


    "Son, your wife is not an ordinary human like us. Do you really think she''ll return if she hears such things have happened? The rules of her world are different and she has to follow them. Whatever you do, she will not go back on her decision. She has to follow the rules. Don''t you understand it?"


    She thought he would remain stubborn as usual, pretending to be calm under a cold facade, but when his haggard face put on the most heartbreaking smile, her anger faltered.


    "You are right, Mother," he spoke with a bitterugh, as if he''s about to cry. "She didn''te. I can feel her presence around. I know she is nearby but she still didn''t show up."


    Great Lady Theodora''s expression softened seeing her son who was breaking inside. Such a strong man he was when facing the world, but he was unbelievably weak when it came to the woman he loved. Maybe calling him foolish wasn''t far from the truth.


    She could see he regretted what he had done but that regret would not ease the damage he had caused to his innocent son.


    The Great Lady walked closer to him and caressed his hand. "Son, I know you are hurt and nothing canfort you but time. However, I cannot allow you to behave like this. You have to be responsible towards what you have with you rather than fixating on what''s not. Esther trusted that you would take care of everything, that''s why she could leave without worrying. You should not break her trust. That''s how you can show her your love��"


    Tears rolled down his eyes as he stared at his mother.


    "I don''t��I don''t love her anymore."


    As he said those words, the wretched pain in his face was so real, that no one would have believed such a tant lie. Yet he continued to say those words over and over again, as if he was trying to convince himself.


    "I no longer love her."


    "Theron��"


    "If loving her is this painful, I don''t want it anymore."


    "Stop it, Theron. You''re hurting yourself��"


    "No, Mother. The feelings I have for her��isn''t there a saying that love and hate are simply sides of the same coin? Starting today, I won''t love her anymore. I won''t think about her anymore. I had told her once that if she ever left me, I won''t be the same. She will lose the Theron she knew. I can live my life without her."


    The crazy look in his eyes worried his mother. "Theron, don''t say those words. You know you don''t mean them. You have to be a good father to your son as he had lost his mother��"


    "He had lost his father as well. The moment I called him a monster, I lost the right to be his father. I cannot be the same with him either. Isn''t it funny? Both his mother and his father are failures. Just take that boy with you. Take care of him the way his pathetic parents should have."


    "Are you running away from your responsibility as his father?" the olderdy asked.


    "Look at me, Mother. I cannot even take care of myself. Do you honestly think I am in the right state to take care of another? I have lost myself. What can I give him? Every time I see that boy, I remember nothing but pain," he said and looked at his mother with an earnest gaze. "Please, Mother. For my sake and your grandson''s sake, please take him away with you."


    Seeing his desperation, Great Lady Theodora had no choice but to agree in the end.


    "Fine! I would have done it even if you had not asked. Still, you''re doing a really cruel thing to a child. I wished for him to have his father at least during such painful times, but it seems like he has lost both of his parents," she said with a helpless sigh. She knew her son was suffering, but in her mind, Theron should have been strong enough to at least be her grandson''s pir of support.


    Just as she was thinking of leaving, Theron stopped her.


    "I have one more thing to ask from you, Mother," he said.


    "What is it?"


    "I don''t know when it is, but a day wille when he will ask you the reason why his mother left," Theron started to which the olderdy nodded.


    "You have no need to worry. I will tell him why she left, and when that happens, I believe he will be mature enough to understand his mother''s sacrifice."


    "You cannot tell him the truth," Theronmented.


    It puzzled the olderdy. "What do you mean?"


    Theron took a deep breath, letting out a shaky exhale to calm himself first as he knew what he would say next will negatively affect his rtionship with his younger son. It might even reach the point that it may never be renewed.


    His son would harbour hatred for him.


    "Mother, you love Dray, don''t you?"


    "Of course. Why are you even bringing up such an obvious thing?"


    "Then, you want him to hurt less, right?"


    Great Lady Theodora gave her son a suspicious look but said nothing this time.


    Theron took her silence as affirmation. "If you tell him the entire truth, he might think his mother didn''t want him��that she''s forced to have him as a baby�� and he would question whether she truly loved him as her son. He had already lost Esther, but I want him to at least remember her without all those precious memories of her being tainted by the harsh truth. I want him to keep loving his mother the same way forever. I don''t want him to me his mother for even a small thing."


    "Then what would I tell him if not the truth?" she asked.


    "He will eventually know that he is not my son by blood, and then he will try to learn who his real father is. He will have so many questions. What I want is for you to tell him that when that Devil''s Curse fell on this kingdom, I, the King, had sacrificed his mother to save this kingdom. His mother could not bear to stand this husband of hers who sacrificed her and left."


    The Great Lady was horrified.


    "Theron, what are you saying!?" she eximed.


    "Mother, this is thest thing I am asking you. After this, I will not ask you for anything��-"


    "But he will end up hating you," she faltered as a more terrifying thought came to her, "hating you enough to kill you��no, this cannot be done��"


    "Honestly, I will wee death in his hands," Theron said with a lighthearted chuckle. "But I don''t think so. Dray is still the son I raised. I know how kind that child is, and it is precisely the reason I want this to be done. His hate towards me is my punishment for not being able to be a good father to him."


    "Are you still spouting nonsense?" This time, Great Lady Theodora was truly angered. "Instead, why don''t you reconcile with Dray and be a good father?"


    "I called him a monster. What right do I have��"


    "I believe Dray has already forgiven you for calling him like that. After all, he didmit a mistake and you merely said that out of anger."


    "I know, Mother. He is as kind as Esther. Isn''t this a good way for him to learn that the real world is not a ce for kind people?" Theron countered. "Let this hate be his motivation so that instead of crying for his mother, he will work towards bing what he is meant for and what his mother wanted him to be."


    "I don''t understand your reasoning and I don''t know what to say to you even," the olderdy said, anger still written on her tired face.


    "Trust me, Mother. Though not by blood, he is still my son and I know him best. Hiding one truth will make him love his mother more, and the hatred towards me would help him be stronger. It''s killing two birds with one stone. As he is meant to rule this kingdom one day, let him be a stronger person��a king with stronger willpower and heart than me. That way, he will be the greatest king of Megaris."


    "You really are��"


    "If you really care for me, for him, and for this kingdom, please do us this one favour, Mother. Only this hate can help him turn stronger, or else, he will end up thinking about why his mother left him when he needed her most. Remember, he''s still just five years old, and not only his mother abandoned him, but his father also was a good-for-nothing who called him a monster. If she''s leaving, why couldn''t she wait for him to grow up? Don''t make him doubt her. Let all the me fall on me. This is thest thing I can do for him as his father."


    Unwillingly, the olderdy agreed to her son''s wish. That same day, she took the little prince with her to the Crystal Pce.

 Chapter 503 Mistaking As Esther

    Theron didn''t see Drayce leaving with his grandmother, but he didn''t need to see it with his own eyes to know they were no longer in the Grand Pce. Knowing his mother''s temper, she wouldn''t even dy for an hour to bring the little prince to her own residence.


    ''They probably left now��''


    Once again, Theron felt the pain of loss�� he had failed his son, the only one that belonged to his beloved.


    Though it was his own decision to send Drayce away, it hurt him the same way when Esther left him.


    The next few days passed by in a blur for the King. During the day, Theron would carry out his royal duties to the kingdom, and at night, he would drown himself in alcohol. His health was already not fine due to the month-long expedition he spent searching for his wife and now it had started to deteriorate due to him neglecting his well-being.


    One day, he was found passed out inside his study. Sir Galien even had to call for the royal physicians to attend to him.


    This news worried his First and Second Concubines, but his third one, Lady Saira, was more worried that this would further lower her chances of getting the King''s permission to visit Drayce. She was merely his concubine in name, and had no affection for him. In fact, it wouldn''t even be weird for her to feel bitterness to be left sitting idle in the Vermilion Pce.


    However, after he regained consciousness, Theron had declined the visits from his concubine who wanted to check on their husband.


    That night when Theron had retired in his chamber as usual, despite being stopped by the knights, the First Concubine, Lady risa, insisted on gaining entry.


    She raised her voice at the knights. "You dare stop me? His Majesty is not fine. Though he says that he doesn''t want to see anyone, I am his wife and it''s my duty to look after him when he is not feeling well."


    "Lady risa, please��"


    "Stop blocking my way."


    "Your Ladyship, we cannot let you in. Please understand this is His Majesty''s direct order."


    "His Majesty''s health, will you take responsibility? I am a member of the royal family, the mother of the First Prince, and the one in charge of the royal harem! If you dare stop me once again from doing my responsibilities to my husband, I will make sure you will be punished ordingly!"


    These knights had sworn absolute loyalty to the King, but they were feeling torn between following their liege''s order and putting his wellbeing at the forefront.


    Seeing the hesitation on their faces, Lady risa decided to persuade them softly, "Let me go inside. We are both just doing our duties. You will not be faulted for letting me enter. After I visit my husband, I will ept the punishment he will give me for intruding."


    After a couple more attempts, the knights finally gave up as they knew the King was truly not in the right state of mind after the Queen left. They too no longer wanted the King to continue suffering on his own. Even though they were disobeying his order, Lady risa''s presence might change something for the better.


    Lady risa went to the King''s chamber where she found his personal servant standing outside the chamber. The First Concubine gestured for him to stay down and she herself held the knob of the door.


    "Is my husband asleep?"


    The servant looked downcasted. "H-His Majesty is drinking again��I''m sorry, mydy. I wish to stop him but��"


    Seeing the concern on the servant''s face, Lady risa felt her heart clench, but she realized toote that she wasn''t ready to witness the pitiful sight of her husband inside.


    With the help of the dim light within the chamber, she found her husband sitting haphazardly on the floor, resting his back at the footrest of the bed while holding a liquor bottle. His face was sickly thin, and though his eyes were closed, tears continued to silently roll down them.


    His second wife walked towards him and kneeled next to him with her pretty face marred with worry. "Your Majesty?"


    He didn''t reply to her. She wanted to help him up, to at least put him to bed, but he''s too heavy for her. Seeing him stir awake, she continued to speak with a gentle voice, "You are not well. Why are you drinking so much? Let me help you go to bed, alright, Your Majesty? Please get up��"


    He didn''t seem to hear her, much less realize that someone was even sitting next to him. He moved the alcohol bottle once again to his lips, but a delicate hand stopped him from drinking.


    "You should stop, Your Majesty."


    Theron looked at the hand that held his wrist and then looked at the brazen woman who dared stop him.


    Lady risa gulped as she knew she would have to face his anger, but she was determined to not back away. How could she just let her husband harm himself? "Your Majesty, apologies but��"


    "Esther? You came back?"


    Lady risa felt like she swallowed a bunch of thorns upon seeing the silly smile on his drunk face.


    ''He is still thinking about her even though she left him without even thinking about our husband. That ungrateful woman doesn''t know how much he loves her! She doesn''t deserve his love!''


    The tender look in his dark eyes made her jealousy rear its ugly head.


    "Esther, I knew you woulde back to me," Theron said as he looked at the woman trying to help him back to bed. A painfully happy smile appeared on his lips as he rejoiced at the sight of his missing wife.


    "Your Majesty, I am risa��"


    "I missed you!"


    It was as if Theron didn''t hear her at all, lost in his own delusional world. He moved closer to her and hugged her. It startled Lady risa and she didn''t know what to do.


    "I..am not��" But this was the first time her husband ever initiated intimate contact for years. His warmth and manly scent mixed with the smell of alcohol-intoxicated her.


    "I have always believed that you can''t stay away from me for long." He rested his head on her shoulder as his tears started to drench her dress. "I missed you, Esther. Please don''t ever leave again. Promise me��I need you��I need you��"


    Lady risa felt bittersweet, but she steeled her resolve. Though it hurts, she''d let him think she was her if this wouldfort him even if it was just for a while till his condition improves.


    She hesitantly moved her arms to wrap them around his trembling body.


    Theron hugged her even tighter, too drunk to be able to differentiate between his main wife and his concubine. The joy of having his wish for their reunion fulfilled, he could think of nothing else. The thought of having her by his side was enough to blind himpletely in his euphoric state.


    "Esther��" He moved his head back and looked at her. His half-lidded eyes showed him only the smiling face of his wife which was what he wished to see the most. He smiled back at her. "Esther."


    It hurt Lady risa that the warm and loving smile on her husband''s face was directed at her, but it was not meant for her. He had never smiled at her this way��perhaps, it would be more correct to say that he never even looked at her with affection.


    ''I cannot do this anymore.'' Her resolve cracked. Her eyes turned teary and wanted to correct her husband. "I am not Esther. I am��"


    But Theron''s hand caressed her cheek with a touch so gentle, that she seemingly forgot what she was about to say. Before she realized what was happening, his face had already moved close to her. Her mind buzzed with their closeness, and the way he looked at her so feverishly made her lose strength in her limbs��


    He whispered his beloved wife''s name once again, "Esther," before kissing her gently.


    Lady risa''s body stiffened as it was the first time her husband kissed her like this. Though they had spent the night together, it was solely to have a child. He had never kissed her so tenderly, and neither had he shown any sweet gestures to her.


    She should be happy she got to experience this, but��. in his eyes, she was someone else. Was that really something to be happy about?


    Tears rolled down her eyes as she let him kiss her. He expected more than just a kiss and pulled her closer. She wanted to tell him that she was not the woman he desired, but the drunk man didn''t listen to her��no, at this point, her efforts to tell him the truth was pathetically weak.


    Though he had mistaken her for Esther, she wanted to be selfish for once and experience how it felt to be truly loved by her husband.


    In the end, she gave in to him.


    When Theron woke up in his bed the next morning, he found someone lying next to him. For a moment, he thought it was Esther but then when he saw her face, the small hope in his heart left a gaping wound. It shocked him to see his concubine in his bed, but no matter how much he tried to recall what happened the night before, his memories were too blurry and fragmented to be of use.


    He immediately stepped out of the bed and put on his robe. With this sudden movement, Lady risa woke up and saw her husband standing by the bed in his sleeping robe. Realization hit her, and now, she knew she had to be ready to face the wrath of her husband.


    The brown-haired beauty slowly sat in bed while covering her naked body with the nket, her heart beating wildly in her chest.


    Theron turned to look at her, his dark eyes were cold. "What are you doing here?"


    "Y-Your Majestyst night, I came to visit you because I heard you copsed��and you were drunk��" She didn''t know how to properly exin what happened. Her entire body could only shiver in fright.


    Theron closed his eyes briefly to control his anger and then scowled, "This is thest time you will step inside my chamber. The next time it happens, I will banish you from the royal pce."


    With her head lowered and eyes teary, Lady risa nodded.


    "Wear your clothes and leave at once," was all he said before going to his side chamber to wash himself.


    Lady risa expected this. Yes, she didn''t expect anything different from this once the King regained his senses and learned of her identity. She expected, but��but like a silly little girl, she still hoped from the bottom of her heart that maybe there was a chance.


    ''If only I were Esther��''


    She wiped her tears, wore her clothes, corrected her appearance and left the King''s residence.

 Chapter 504 Be My Personal Servant

    Soon, the rumours started that the King finally acknowledged the presence of his first concubine and even had spent a night with her.


    After the King had sent his second son away to be exiled to the Crystal Pce as punishment, everyone started to think that the King hated the Queen and her son, the Second Prince. Rumours began to spread in the pce that Lady risa would be their new queen.


    The Second Concubine, Lady Yavia from Hatha, could not help but feel displeased about the rumours. She was merely there as a chess piece in a business transaction between two kingdoms, but still, she was the third wife of the King. When Esther was Queen, her situation was stable and peaceful and she thought this would be the case till the end of her days, but after the affairs of the Royal Harem became Lady risa''s to wield, she was starting to feel suffocated. If Lady risa truly became the next Queen, Lady Yahvi didn''t even want to imagine how she would survive in this Vermilion Pce under the rule of the first concubine.


    On the contrary, the Third Concubine was quiet. Whatever was going around, it had nothing to do with Lady Saira. She didn''t care who became the next Queen or who handled the Royal Harem.


    It had been a few days since Drayce had left for the Crystal Pce. Ever since her marriage, Lady Saira stayed in her assigned residence, neither interacting with the other concubines nor doing any outdoor activities, merely sending her servants daily to the King to ask for his permission to meet the Second Prince. Though she was no longer his nanny, she still wished to at least meet him one more time.


    When this was consistently refused, she then changed tactics and simply requested for an audience.


    To her joy, Lady Saira soon received news that she was granted permission to meet the King.


    She felt as if half of her goal was achieved as the King had agreed to meet her. Her carriage brought her to the King''s pce, where she was then led to meet him in his study.


    She bowed to the King who was sitting in his armchair behind his desk. "Your loyal subject greets His Majesty the Dragon of Megaris. Thank you for epting my request to see you."


    Theron didn''t even bother to look at her. "Say it and leave."


    She observed how thin and sickly the King looked but then it was not her concern. "Your Majesty, I am here to get permission from you to leave the pce grounds."


    He didn''t ask what kind of permission and she continued, "I wish you to permit me to visit the Crystal Pce and take care of the Second Prince."


    Theron still didn''t reply but the grip of his fingers on the pen tightened.


    Lady Saira didn''t stop. "I will make sure to return every day before sunset. Instead of sitting idly in the Vermilion Pce, even though as the King''s wife and a royal, I am no longer allowed to be his nanny anymore, please allow me to look after him since he is my husband''s son."


    He finally looked at her, his gaze full of hostility. "What a brazen woman! Instead of fulfilling your duty as my concubine, you dare still care about the promise you have made with her?"


    She was taken aback for a moment. The way he looked at her��his gaze filled with anger and hatred��made her question herself. ''What did I even do for him to look at me like this? I was not the one who wanted to be his concubine.''


    "I simply wish to be of some use to the royal family instead of sitting idly the entire day in my chamber," she replied, without any hesitation. "The Great Lady is getting old. It will be easier for her to take care of a child if she has someone like me by her side."


    Theron red at her. No woman had dared act to him with such atrocity, as if she didn''t fear for her life, but this woman��it was all because she used to be Esther''s subordinate and she had learnt this attitude from her previous master.


    "You want to put yourself to some use," he repeated her words. "Good! Then, I will give you work."


    It startled her and she heard the King calling for his personal servant. The servant who was standing outside the study entered inside. "Yes, Your Majesty? You called for me?"


    Theron looked at his servant and instructed, "From this moment onward, all of your duties as my personal attendant are passed onto the Third Concubine. Prepare the chamber beside mine to be her new lodging. She will be personally attending to my needs from now on." He looked at the shocked woman whose blue eyes showed how shocked she was. "And I believe she will serve her husband with utmost loyalty as she had done with her previous master."


    "Y-Your Majesty," she tried to say, "no woman is allowed��the rule of the King''s pce��"


    "I am breaking that rule for you. You should be happy," he interrupted her as he offered her a mocking gaze and looked at his servant. "Instruct my fourth wife on her chores."


    The servant who himself was shocked, simply nodded getting back to his senses. "Lady Saira, this way please."


    Her blue eyes turned moist as this man in front of her was being unreasonable with her again and again without any reason. For what was he punishing her like this? Was it because she was his beloved first wife''s subordinate? Was it even something to be punished about?


    "Your Majesty...please��"


    "Leave!"


    The King''s coldmand echoed within his study and Lady Saira had no other option but to obey him.


    The chamber next to the king was arranged for Lady Saira and the King''s servant had instructed her entirely about her duties as King''s personal servant.


    It was the first time ever the rule in the king''s residence was broken and it surprised everyone. Most thought the king was lonely and he preferred to keep Lady Saira next to him because she must remind him of his first wife while some thought he kept her there to take his anger on his first wife out on her beloved servant.

 Chapter 505 Demanding For The New Queen To Be Appointed

    Despite her reluctance, Lady Saira attended to the King''s daily needs like she was his personal servant rather than one of his wives. She began the very day she had been ordered by Theron. The personal servant of the King dutifully exined to her about her duties. She would be attending to the King from dawn��from waking him up, preparing his bath, choosing his clothes, arranging meals and overseeing the cleanliness of his bed-chamber, up to serving him until he retired for the night.


    However��


    Theron never slept in his bed. He would always drink heavy liquor and fall asleep in his chair, leaving the empty bottles and stained carpets in a mess. Lady Saira could do nothing but suffer in silence, generally ignoring the King unless she received his direct orders. What she truly felt was a mix of despair and anger��his well-being didn''t concern her, and she did do anything more than what she had been told to do.


    She could not help but resent the King for keeping her from fulfilling her promise to her previous master, and till the end of her life, she would not forgive this man.


    As she wasted away in the King''s pce, not even once did Theron pay attention to her. He treated her as if she didn''t exist, the same way he treated the ordinary servants around him.


    A month after that night he shared a bed with Lady risa, shocking news dropped from Vermillion Pce, delighting the entire Kingdom of Megaris. It was incredibly happy news for the royal family, and everyone was happy but the King.


    The First Concubine, Lady risa, was expecting her second child.


    Theron couldn''t care less. He never wanted to have another child, and that night was a mistake. But now, he had to pay for it.


    The King''s closest advisor was talking to him in his study about the situation within the kingdom.


    "...because of this, the noble families are convinced that Your Majesty favours Lady risa and they are expecting her to take the position of Queen. After all, she would be giving two heirs to the royal family and she is also the birth mother of Prince Keiren, His Majesty''s eldest son, the sessor first in line to take the throne. Since they are confident that the position of crown prince belongs to the First Prince, then Lady risa is meant to be the next king''s mother, and only she deserves to be the Queen of Megaris."


    Theron scoffed. "Deserve?"


    "I am sure His Majesty is aware, that the nobles are unhappy with Queen Esther being ofmon birth. They are actually in favour of her sudden disappearance. Since Lady risa is expecting a second child, it makes her more deserving especially since among your current wives, she has the most prominent background. Moreover, the members of the royal court are supporting this due to the Walter Duchal Family''s influence.


    "Even now, they are preparing to demand for Lady risa to ascend the position of Queen and pass this proposal during the next royal court session. On the other hand, Lady Yavia''s family, the Edin Marquis Family of Hatha, is displeased with this because the King has been treating the Second Concubine poorly while the First Concubine is loved enough that she''s now expecting another child. They might threaten us with breaking the trade treaty with us. We can not lose the support from them as the kingdom is still in need of various supplies after the poor harvestst winter."


    "What do you suggest?" the King asked.


    The advisor thought about it and replied, "It''s fine to make Lady risa the Queen and��"


    "That is not possible," the King interrupted him.


    The advisor knew this would be the oue and then suggested, "Then, His Majesty needs to get rid of their assumption that the King only favours the First Concubine."


    Theron red at him and the advisor who tried to keep himself calm as he continued, "It will solve the issue with Lady Yavia''s side as well because we can not lose their support for the sake of the kingdom. It will send the message that all the concubines are fairly treated for His Majesty. If your other concubines gain your favour, it will lower Lady risa''s authority over the royal harem. We cannot let her dominate over your other wives."


    Theron scowled at his adviser who remained calm.


    "Either you give a single wife power or you share that power among all your wives��there are only two ways, Your Majesty. I hope you will think about it. I will excuse myself then."


    The King dismissed him afterwards.


    Feeling frustrated over these things, Theron leaned back in his chair with his eyes closed.


    After a while, Lady Saira entered the King''s personal study and informed him politely, "Your Majesty, your meal is ready."


    Theron didn''t bother to look at her as he headed towards the dining hall, Lady Saira following him like a servant.


    Throughout the meal, not a single bite could make its way down his throat. He didn''t want someone else to be his Queen, and neither did he want to acknowledge his other concubines.


    Thud!


    nk!


    He mmed his hand on the dining table and the spoon in his hand fell down to the floor.


    It startled Lady Saira and the other servants in the room, but seeing his dark expression, none of them dared say anything.


    "If only I could remove all the annoyance in my life��" He red at Lady Saira, and she understood she was included in the annoyance of his life.


    She lowered her head as it was not her fault. He was the one to bring her into his life when she never asked for it.


    "Get out of here!" he shouted in anger.


    Lady Saira didn''t wait for a moment even and left the dining hall right away. Her behaviour angered the King even more��that this lowly servant of his didn''t even bother to beg his forgiveness and left just like that. The next moment, each and every item on the dining table was thrown on the floor.


    Standing outside of the dining hall, Lady Saira heard the King''s thrashing but she controlled herself from feeling anything. She hated and feared him, but she didn''t want him to see that. The woman couldn''t help but miss the Queen.


    ''Your Majesty, if you were here, the King would never act like this. I am sure it would hurt you to see him waste away. I am sorry that I am powerless to do anything. Your absence has destroyed everything precious to you, Your Majesty. You have left behind wounds in our hearts that may never heal...''


    Crash!


    The door of the dining room mmed open and King Theron stormed out with an icy face.


    "Have Tyra see me," he instructed coldly and walked ahead. "Do not follow me."


    Lady Saira stayed rooted to her ce and watched the King leave with aplicated gaze.


    -----


    Lady Tyra arrived at his personal study as per the King''s order.


    She bowed to the man who was busy signing documents on his desk. "Your Majesty, did you ask for me?"


    "Arrange consummation dates for the Second Concubine," was all the King said without lifting his head from work.


    Lady Tyra was aware of the matters inside the pce, so she could understand the decision made by the King. That didn''t mean she was not worried about his unstable state.


    Though she was concerned, she felt like it would backfire on her if she voiced it out. All she could say was, "I have received yourmand, Your Majesty." The King then dismissed her.


    Once she left, Theron put the parchment he was looking at down. Because of his tight grip, part of the document was crumpled, taunting him of his frustrating decision.


    ''I choose the lesser evil.''


    In the reign of King Theron Ivanov, there would only be one Queen and that was his first wife. No other woman could ever take that ce, and he vowed this in his name.


    ----


    When Lady Tyra stepped out of King''s study, she saw the Third Concubine standing outside like a doll without a soul.


    Lady Tyra went to the younger woman. "You look pale. How have you been faring?"


    "I am fine," she replied, pulling out a light smile.


    The middle-ageddy patted her shoulder. "I know it''s been hard for you, but please bear with it. Though he is taking his anger out on you, trust me, things will get better. Your presence around His Majesty matters a lot. It might sound offensive to you, but I amforted that at least he has a trustworthy person like you by his side."


    "I will try to be a good servant," was Lady Saira''s curt response as she didn''t wish to talk more about her situation.


    Lady Tyra didn''t insist on it either and left as she had to carry out the order given by the King.


    ------


    The night when the King had to visit his second concubine, Lady Saira went to inform him that it was time to leave. "Your Majesty, the carriage is ready for you."


    As expected, she saw the lonely-looking man sitting in his chair, and tonight, he was drinking more than usual. The empty bottles scattered on the table and floor were twice his normal amount.


    Without saying a word, the man stood up with teetering steps. Though his face was devoid of any emotion, his dark eyes looked like that of a tortured animal. Lady Saira could see how this was hurting him inside.


    ''It''s not my ce to worry about him.''


    She shook her head, scolding herself in her mind, and hurried to follow the King who was walking slowly in a daze, as if he didn''t know where he was heading to. She kept with his pace and continued to walk behind him in that quiet hallway while maintaining a distance that was meant to be there between the King and his servant.


    Once the King left in his carriage, Lady Saira returned to her chamber that was next to the King''s chamber. She sighed helplessly and was ready to retire for the night.


    ------


    A few hours passed by when she heard a noise outside her room, rousing her from sleep.


    "Your Majesty, be careful." It was Sir Galien''s voice.


    As she had worked as an attentive nanny to Little Drayce ever since he was a baby, she had grown ustomed to waking up even with the slightest noise. She stepped out of the bed and corrected her appearance in a hurry to head outside.


    In the hallway, she saw Sir Galien and another knight supporting the drunk king, helping��no, almost dragging him towards his chamber. She went to them to offer her assistance.


    "Greetings, Lady Saira." Seeing the concubine, Sir Galien and the other knight gave her a brief bow as she opened the door for them. Before she could say a word, the King recognised her presence and ordered, "Prepare the bath for me."


    His slurry voice held disgust in it, as if he could not wait to wash his entire body. Lady Saira hurried towards the side chamber to prepare the bath while Sir Galien put him in the main chamber.


    After a while, Lady Saira returned as she looked at the King who was sitting in his chair, his posture crooked as he reclined in it. "Your Majesty, the bath is ready."


    Hearing that, the drunk king tried to get up from his chair with Sir Galien helping him stay on his feet. As they entered the side chamber, Theron let go of his knight''s support and dragged himself towards the stone pool and stepped inside with his clothes still on his body. He was obviously intoxicated, but he had at least enough sense to support himself as he slowly lowered his body into the hot water with his back against the edge of the pool.


    Sir Galien and Lady Saira quietly looked at the King who had closed his eyes. The knight''s expression showed that he was hurting as well to see the King��who was more a friend to him than a master��in such terrible condition. On the other hand, for the first time since she was forced into servitude, sincere worry for the King appeared on Lady Saira''s face.


    ''He will catch a cold if he remains in the pool in his drunken condition.'' She looked at Sir Galien. "We cannot leave His Majesty as he is."


    Sir Galien understood it as well. "Let us give him several minutes. Maybe the water will help sober him. I will personally get His Majesty out."


    She nodded as the two stayed within the quiet side chamber. After a while, the King fell asleep in the pool and Lady Saira called for the other servants so that they could help carry the King back to the main chamber. The servants did so, and they also changed the King out of his soaked clothes into his sleeping clothes that Lady Saira had given to them.


    Once everything was done and the servants left, Sir Galien came out of the King''s chamber. He approached Lady Saira who was standing outside the chamber all this time.


    "Lady Saira, I have a request."


    She looked at the knight with a puzzled gaze.


    "May I request that for the rest of the night, please stay by His Majesty''s side and watch over him?" said the knight.


    Lady Saira could not say no to it and quietly entered the King''s chamber. She sat on one of the chairs in his lounge and kept an eye on the restless figure sleeping on thatrge bed.

 Chapter 506 Tonight, Fulfil Your Duty As My Wife

    As informed by the royal advisor, at the next royal court session, the proposal of choosing the next Queen of Megaris was put on the agenda. With each passing day, the voices of the nobles grew louder and louder, with the majority of them supporting Lady risa''s legitimacy to ascend to the position.


    However, when news of Lady Yavia, the Second Concubine, expecting a child spread everywhere, the united front of the faction backed by Duke Walter began showing signs of fracture.


    Some of the royal court members supported Lady Yavia who was expecting the King''s child as a possible candidate as well, especially considering the weight of having the Kingdom of Hatha backing her.


    In the next royal court sessions, the infighting worsened, and it became obvious there were three camps--those who favour the First Concubine, those who vouch for the Second Concubine, and the neutral parties. With divided interests involved, the King could reject the proposal with more ease.


    "Queen Esther''s whereabouts are unknown, but she is still alive. As long as she is alive, that title remains hers and eyeing her crown will be considered treason," was what the King dered, his statement a warning to his royal court subjects pushing for the interests of his other wives.


    With the opposing sides unable to gain leverage between the First and Second Concubines, they instead kept each other in strict check, and thus, the issue of having a new queen had reached a stalemate.


    -----


    Once again, Lady Tyra was summoned to the King''s study, and this time, the older woman received quite a shock from the King''s order.


    "Greetings, Your Majesty--"


    "Arrange the consummation dates for the Third Concubine," she heard the busy king say as he perused over work.


    Lady Tyra felt speechless. For a moment, she was unable to respond, but after giving it some thought, she could understand his reasons.


    "Yes, Your Majesty," she said. "I will send the schedule to you in the afternoon at thetest. Is there anything else?"


    She heard the King add, "No need to tell her about this."


    It surprised Lady Tyra once again, but she could only agree to it without asking any questions.


    As she stepped out of the study, her eyes looked at the quiet woman standing outside like a doorman. ''This will be good for her. It will protect her and her position. It proves that His Majesty cares for her though he shows otherwise.''


    Lady Tyra made conversation with her as usual, but as per the King''s order, she didn''t mention anything about the King''s intentions to Lady Saira.


    -------


    One fine night, Lady Saira came in bringing a fresh batch of liquor to the King''s chamber. Theron was drinking as usual while sitting in his armchair that faced the window. She made her presence scarce, simply putting the new bottles on the table near him. Just as Lady Saira was about to leave him on his own like every night, she heard him speak.


    "I didn''t allow you to leave yet."


    Lady Saira froze in ce but then asked, "Is there anything His Majesty needs?"


    The King didn''t answer, and instead, put the ss in his hand back on the table without finishing it. "Help me get to my bed."


    Lady Saira didn''t think much and went to him. But when he stood up, she felt something was off because he looked perfectly fine walking without her help. She observed the empty bottles on the table and the clean carpet underneath. Compared to how much he drank every night, she found them less than half the usual.


    Hesitantly, she held onto his arm to help him walk even though she knew he didn''t need it.


    ''Why is he behaving like this?'' She had that passing thought.


    They walked to therge bed and she helpedy on the sheets. Once he settled in bed, she pulled the nket over him and bowed to him.


    "Good night, Your Majesty." She was ready to leave but he held her hand to stop her.


    "I haven''t permitted you yet," she heard his emotionless voice say.


    She looked at his hand on hers then at those pair of dark eyes peering at her with a profound gaze.


    ''Something is really off.'' Not knowing what to say or ask, she merely stayed, neither pulling her arm away nor questioning his intention. ''Why is he acting so strange? Is there a special asion tonight rted to Her Majesty--''


    But then, she heard something so shocking, words that she thought she''d never get to hear entire life.


    "Tonight, you have to fulfill your duty as my wife."


    His words were devoid of any emotion, as if he was just ordering her to fetch another round of drinks. Yet those simple words caused her thoughts to be in chaos.


    She lowered her head, as she tried to calm herself. "Y-Your Majesty, I..." She didn''t know how to refuse him.


    She knew he didn''t feel anything for her, and he didn''t need to be a good husband to her. He only loved his first wife and being with others only made him feel disgusted. She knew she was nothing but a servant; there was no necessity for them to be intimate like a real husband and wife. He had to spend the night with Lady Yavia due to political reasons, but that wasn''t the case for her.


    He didn''t have a reason to spend the night with her. No one even would care if she would spend her entire life as a lowly servant, and truth be told, she wouldn''t mind it either. But if their night happens to bear fruit and she bes pregnant with his child, her quiet life would change--


    "Do I need to tell you about a wife''s duty?" His sharp words cut through her panic.


    She calmed herself as she took a deep breath. "Your Majesty, there is no need for you to force yourself on something we both know you do not wish to do. My family and I don''t seek any favor from Your Majesty, and there is no political pressure on you unlike how it was with your other wives. I am content with you treating me as a mere servant. Please rest for the night, Your Majesty. You must have been more exhausted than usual."


    He sat up in the bed and scoffed. "Do you think a king only sleeps with his wives because people tell him to? Even if you are not my wife, do you think I can''t sleep with my servant if I feel the need? Are you such an ignorant woman?"


    Of course, that wasn''t the case. History had a long record of ordinary servants turning into mistresses and concubines after spending a night with a king. In fact, as long as one was unmarried, as long as one was a subject of a kingdom, no sane woman would dare deny her king''s advances unless she''s asking for trouble, much less Lady Saira who was legally wedded to one.


    She felt anxiety creeping into her mind. "Y-Your Majesty...I wish you to reconsider."


    "Do you dare say no to your lord husband, the King?" he said in a tone that showed his growing temper.


    She gulped and shook her lowered head.


    The next moment, she was on his bed. It only took him a strong pull for her to be facing him, looking into his intimidating eyes that gazed at her without any tender emotions. Before she could react, her delicate body was already flipped in bed with a strong muscr body hovering over her.


    Theron stared into that pair of scared blue eyes without much thought. He only remembered that tonight was one of the dates rmended for consummation on that document given to him by Lady Tyra. Seeing how scared and unprepared Lady Saira looked, he felt a small amount of satisfaction that Lady Tyra had not informed her about anything as per his order.

 Chapter 507 Why Theron Had Kids With Saira

    When Lady Saira woke up the next morning, she was flustered to see the unfamiliar canopy. Her panic grew when she realized she was in the King''s bed and only then recalled what happened the previous night. She looked at the ce next to her but it was empty. The King was neither in bed nor anywhere inside his chamber and she felt relieved.


    ''I need to get out of here quickly.''


    She covered her naked body with the nket and stepped out of the bed with shaking legs. A certain part of her body was in pain but she bore with it and got her clothes strewn on the floor. Wearing them as fast as she could, she then went to the messy bed to set it right but then she found the stains of blood on the bed sheet.


    ''Dear spirits, he would be disgusted if he were to see this.''


    She pulled away theyers that were stained and collected them in a ball. She fixed her appearance and walked out of the chamber carrying that bedsheet, only to find one of the King''s aides standing outside the chamber as if he was waiting for her.


    The aide bowed to her and she gave him a hesitant nod.


    "Lady Saira, His Majesty ordered me to inform you he will be away from the royal pce for the next two days. He has permitted you to take time off as in his absence you don''t have any work to do. Your Ladyship is allowed to go anywhere you please--and he told me to ry to you his exact words."


    "Ah? T-Thank you...I mean, I am grateful to His Majesty''s generosity."


    Lady Saira felt like this was the best thing anyone had said to her since the Queen had left. She could not help but feel relieved that she didn''t have to face the King after what happened between them.


    She returned to her chamber and looked at the bundled sheets in her hand. She could not help but recall the previous night. ''Doesn''t he hate me? I thought he was doing it to vent out his anger on me but...but he was nothing like that. He didn''t say a single wordst night but it was as if...as if he cared for me. Was it because he was drunk that he forgot he hates me?''


    She shook her head. ''Forget about it. As he has given me permission to go anywhere, I will just go and meet the Second Prince.'' A smile painted on her lips, despite feeling pain in her body. ''I will be fine after I soak in hot water for a while.''


    After Lady Saira washed her body, she took out a piece of paper, as she would need to first inform the Crystal Pce of her visit. It would be quite rude to drop by just in case there were other guests, and it would be disappointing if it happened that the Great Lady and the Second Prince were away when she arrived.


    Just as she started, there was a knock on her door and when she opened it, Lady Tyra was waiting outside.


    "Good morning, Lady Tyra," she greeted her. "What brings you to the King''s pce? His Majesty is not here--"


    "I am aware. I came to see you. How are you today?" Lady Tyra asked. Her intention was to check on her as she knew what happened the previous night. "Have you eaten?"


    "I am fine, Lady Tyra. I am actually about to have my meal after finishing some stuff."


    The younger woman didn''t think about bringing up what happened as in her opinion, her spending the night with the King was by mere coincidence. The King was probably frustrated and had a sudden desire to have a woman. She didn''t need to tell anyone.


    Lady Tyra didn''t press the issue and said, "Is that so? I am on my way to the Crystal Pce so I thought to see you before heading there. Do you have anything you wish to give to Dray? I can hand it over in your stead."


    "The Crystal Pce?" Lady Saira''s eyes brightened up like a young girl who just got her favourite thing.


    Lady Tyra nodded and heard the younger woman ask, "Can Ie with you? I mean, I was about to send a message that I would like to pay the Second Prince a visit. If you don''t mind it, please let me apany you."


    Lady Tyra smiled. "Of course, you can. Rather, formally speaking, you are of a higher status than me, Lady Saira. It should be me apanying you."


    The two women left to go to the Crystal Pce. Before leaving, Lady Saira got Drayce''s favourite berries from the royal garden.


    Upon reaching the Crystal Pce, Lady Saira first greeted the Great Lady who had now be her mother-inw, but her eyes were ncing at the door from time to time, seeking the Second Prince.


    "Your Excellency, may I ask where is--"


    Just as she was speaking, an adorable little boy entered the drawing room.


    "Your Highness!" Lady Saira''s face lit up with a bright smile.


    "Saira!" the boy blurted out in pleasant surprise. He had only been expecting Lady Tyra today, and was shocked to find out that his nanny hade along. "You finally visited me but what took you so long? Did you not miss me? Do you not love me anymore?"


    Great Lady Theodora let out a delicate cough. "Dray, did you forget what I told you about Saira bing your stepmother? You can no longer call her by name."


    Little Drayce was taken aback, and when he approached the Third Concubine, his face had a big pout.


    Lady Saira kneeled in front of him and tenderly rubbed his head. "It''s only been months but Your Highness seems to have grown taller."


    "Of course, Grandmother made me eat and sleep a lot! I would have eaten more though if Saira--if F-Fourth Mother was here..." He pouted again.


    "I know Your Highness is upset with me but I had difficultiesing over here. I am sorry.''


    He let go of the pout and said, "Grandmother told me that Father married you and you can''te here."


    Seeing him no longer pout, Lady Saira felt d and could not help but hug the little prince as her eyes turned moist. "Things are better now, Your Highness."


    Drayce let her hug him and then Lady Saira offered him the berries she brought. "Since I''ve made you wait, will you forgive me if I give you these?"


    "You remembered!"


    "Of course. How can I forget your favourite? They''re freshly plucked. " Drayce finally let out a brilliant smile and ate the berries as Lady Saira fed him. "I will be here the entire day to y with you."


    "Really? Then we can y in the garden."


    With her eyes moist, she nodded.


    After Drayce and Lady Saira excused themselves from the drawing room, only the Great Lady and Lady Tyra were left behind to sip tea. They talked as they watched the two ying from the open veranda.


    "...Is that what happened? Finally, my son did one good thing out of so many regretful ones," the olderdymented. Lady Tyra had given her a rundown of the situation in the pce.


    "But Lady Saira is not aware of it. His Majesty asked me not to tell her. Also, she doesn''t know it''s His Majesty who had asked me to bring her here to meet Prince Drayce."


    "As expected of my son." The Great Lady nodded. " After his reckless decision of marrying her, thinking it will bring Esther back, he is slowly fixing the consequences."


    "His Majesty must be feeling guilty towards her," Lady Tyramented.


    "It''s not just guilt."


    "What do you mean, Your Excellency?"


    The Great Lady smiled. "My son unreasonably vented his anger and grief out on those two, so it''s obvious there would be guilt. The thing is, they were both painful reminders of Esther. Seeing them would have been painful for Theron. That and his guilt made him send Dray to me but he could not send Saira away because she was his rightful wife by then. He could choose to ignore her for the rest of his life; however, as you know, the pce life is hard on those wives ignored or unfavored by the King.


    "If she were to lose his protection, no one would be surprised if her corpse would be discovered the next day due to an ''ident''. Saira is someone Esther has left behind--he wouldn''t let that happen."


    Lady Tyra understood. "I see. He decided to have kids with her because he cannot let others look down on her who was precious to his beloved wife."


    The Great Lady''s eyes continued to follow the pair ying in the garden.


    "He is just protecting what my daughter-inw cherished. In the end, everythinges from his love for Esther.


    ------


    Lady risa gave birth to a daughter, the First Princess of Megaris, while Lady Yavia delivered female twins roughly a month after, bringing surprise to the kingdom that three princesses were suddenly born at almost the same time.


    When Lady Saira was expecting her first child, she was sent back to the Vermilion Pce, but she was his only wife allowed to enter the King''s residence, which showed that among his concubines, despite having the poorest background, she was the one most showered with his favour.


    Even after Drayce became the King of Megaris and Theron shifted to the Obsidian Pce, the arrangement remained the same. Among his wives, only Lady Saira could freely enter his residence as she always made sure everything was taken care of in the pce ording to the King''s needs. Though the King never talked to her, she continued her responsibilities without expecting anything from him. The previous king had withdrawn from society and she just apanied him in silence, supporting him from a distance.


    King Theron never took another queen. It was as if he was telling the people, ''Everything in the world could change, but the love he had for his first wife would never.''

 Chapter 508 Does Drayce Hate His Father?

    Delicate tears rolled down Seren''s veiled face as she listened to the tragic secrets behind the royal family, her gem-like purple eyes unable to pull away from the bitter smile on Great Lady Theodora''s aged face.


    None of them seemed to have realized that the sun had long set and the greenhouse had turned considerably dark as they tried to find silentfort in each other''s presence. Themps left behind by the thoughtful servants casted dim shadows on thedies'' faces.


    Although the olddy narrated the story as if she was aplete outsider to the tale, it was apparent that the pain she had buried deep in her heart was ever-present. Though decades had passed since then, perhaps the wounds of the past remained in all the people affected, unable to truly heal.


    The current Queen of Megaris looked at the white-haired woman sitting in front of her and reached out to hold the Great Lady''s wrinkled hand. "Grandmother, are you fine?"


    Both women had teary eyes. Seren was so concerned by the fact the always-elegant and seemingly cold-faced grandmother was crying, that she neglected to think about why there was no rain even when she herself was crying as well.


    The olddy wiped her tears with a handkerchief and nodded. "I am. Perhaps my age is catching up to me, and I am simply getting sentimental. This is all in the past and I told you this story in hopes that the questions you had in mind are answered."


    "Yes, Grandmother. Thank you so much for trusting me and telling me everything."


    "You are my grandson''s wife. You deserve to know all these."


    After a while, the Great Lady regained her lostposure and only then did she call for her servants to go in. Due to the sensitive nature of their conversation, the two royaldies were left alone inside the greenhouse with no attendant in sight. As per the Great Lady''s instructions, no one was to disturb them.


    "We''ve sat in the greenhouse for so long. Shall we head back inside the pce? It is much warmer inside," Great Lady Theodora said as she stood up with the assistance of her cane. Seren quietly nodded and stood up, feeling a bit of awe at how the olddy was able to control her emotions so well, she seemedplete back to normal.


    The Great Lady then turned to the servant nearest to her. "I know it''s a bit early but is our evening meal ready yet?"


    The servant dutifully bowed. "Yes, Your Excellency. Shall we escort you to the dining hall?"


    "Lead the way."


    Great Lady Theodora and Seren walked side by side back towards the main residence of the Crystal Pce, both seemingly lost in their own worlds.


    Even after they entered the dining hall and the servants brought in the dishes, the two female royalty did not let out a word. Time passed by in silence as both sipped on their drinks, neither talking nor touching their food.


    After a while, the Great Lady asked, "Do you want to say something, Seren?"


    Seren put down the ss in her hand and stared at the juice inside. "I...I feel bad for Dray''s parents. They loved each other so much but they had to part ways. I wish there was a way for them to be together... Dray will also be happy to have both his parents back..."


    "We can only wish," the Great Ladymented.


    "I wonder...is it possible to at least bring Dray and his father together? His Excellency had a reason at that time to send Dray away, but now, Dray is already a great king--what he wished to see his son to be. Why can''t they fix their rtionship? Can we not tell Dray the entire truth?"


    The Great Lady gently shook her head. "People are not so simple, child. Their actions and words are not distinct like ck and white, and some people cannot be honest with themselves, much less others. Do you think I haven''t tried to amend their father-son rtionship? Theron is my only son and Dray is as precious to me as my real grandchildren. As a family, I wish nothing more than for them to reconcile, but I am afraid that I will die of old age first before that happens.


    "So many times, I thought about telling Dray the truth, but I remember about my son and feel like this is an issue that can only be resolved if those two stubborn men would let go of their pride. But Theron doesn''t want to. He wants to remain as the viin--no, in fact, he felt like it was proper he became the viin in Dray''s eyes.


    "The hatred the two had between them was what kept them moving forward. Pain is destructive, Seren. If your pain does not destroy you within, it will make you act to harm others. Both Theron and Dray are in deep pain, and those two chose to vent that out to each other. It would have been better if they could let go of that pain, but I know they think of their pain as thest remaining reminder that Esther existed in their lives. They chose to embrace that pain because they chose to still hold onto Esther.


    "Theron doesn''t hate Drayce, but as a habit of acting bitter for so many years, it''s be part of his life. I am afraid, Seren, afraid that if I were to convince my son it''s already enough--that it''s all right to let his pain go--he would lose his reason to live. It''s like...at this moment...hurting Drayce was Theron''s sole reason for living."


    Seren found the situation hard to understand. She''s barely started interacting with people, and such aplex rtionship was beyond her currentprehension. She carefully considered her words.


    "His Excellency doesn''t hate Dray but," Seren paused, "I wonder, does Dray hate his father?"


    Seren asked as she could not guess it from the past that the olderdy told her. There was no mention of Drayce''s feelings towards his father after he was sent away.

 Chapter 509 Dont Let Drayce Become The Next Theron

    "Perhaps you should ask your husband himself." The Great Lady poked at the food on her te as she thought for a bit. "When he was around twelve year old, he asked me the real reason why his mother left and I had to lie to him. At that time, he was angry beyond anything I''ve seen him��he truly hated his father, and perhaps if not for me, blood might have been shed, but then, as Dray grew up and understood the responsibilities of the king, I believe he understood his father wasn''t as evil as he pretended to be."


    Seeing the Great Lady try to at least eat a little, Seren did the same though she could not taste her food. As she listened to the olddy, she kept thinking about how hurt Drayce must be when all this happened. No, up until now, he must have been masking his pain with his outward coldness.


    "Dray is a smart person, and after all these years, he would have realized how Theron supported him in the shadows," her grandmother said. "Dray had probably long realized Theron sent him here to live with me for his own good. All those years, he made sure Dray would receive all kinds of education despite being hidden from society, allowing him to gain skills that would make him fit to fight for session.


    "I am sure you must have heard that there is an academyposed of the best knights and greatest schrs from the kingdom alliance where they trained royals and nobles from all over the continent in the way of the sword and various subjects, but only the heir of the generation of each family is allowed to be a part of it.


    "At that time, there was a great controversy within Megaris. Even though Keiren was older and the rightful heir by birthright, Theron had ordered for Dray to be sent to that academy despite him not being the official Crown Prince. It showed he was preparing Dray to be the next king of Megaris.."


    "Dray has good parents," Serenmented as she never experienced anything like that in her life. Rather than support, what she had was neglect. They said it was protection, but in a sense, the King of Abetha had simply thrown her into a prison in the form of the tower, never even thinking twice about how taking away her freedom had made her feel less like a human and more of an object abandoned by its owner.


    The Great Lady eyed Seren for a bit before shaking her head. "Are they? Maybe they used to be, but as far as I''m concerned, Dray had lost both his parents at the same time. Both Theron and Esther made many wrong choices. They''re both quite a stubborn pair, and I say, that was one bad trait Dray learned from them.


    "You know what a good father would have done? After Esther left, he could have stayed with his five-year-old son and been at least a present father to him, but no, he chose to wallow in his pain and pushed away everyone that loved and cared for him."


    At this point, rather than being upset, the Great Lady had an expression of discontent, like she thought her son had failed to live up to her expectations. The olddy pulled her table napkin to her lips, showing she was done eating.


    On the other hand, Seren had barely touched her food. A sudden image popped in her head as she thought of the previous king. "Grandmother��does the First Prince hate Dray? From what I understood, Prince Keiren cared for Dray."


    Thinking of her eldest grandson, the Great Lady felt like she''d be having a headache.


    "Hate is a strong word. I think it''s more proper to say he felt betrayed. s, he used to be such a sweet, bright child," the olddy said, but there was a hint ofint in her voice. "During their childhood, only Keiren woulde to visit the Crystal Pce to y with Dray. Did you know it was Keiren who taught Dray how to ride a horse? They were such a loving pair of brothers. He truly cared for his younger brother, but after Theron made Dray the Crown Prince and sent him to the alliance academy, things went downhill��


    "I am not sure how much grasp you have of the pce politics, Seren, but at that time, no one doubted that Keiren would inherit the throne. Not only was he the first born prince, but Keiren was also so much like Theron in his younger days��he had the appearance of an Ivanov and he excelled in everything a prince should learn, be it swordsmanship, horseback riding, archery, administration,merce, history, even painting��oh that child! Not only that, he''s even such a charmer, and in every gathering he attends, he''s always surrounded by nobles because he''s such a kind young man.


    "It must have been a great shock to him when Theron chose to make Dray the next king. They think Theron favoured Dray because he''s the Queen''s son when it was supposed to go to the eldest one. His mother, risa, had raised Keiren to be the next king and that became Keiren''s dream. He had never done anything that would disappoint his father, yet his birthright was denied from him. Imagine how it would have felt to him? It was normal for Keiren to think it was unfair to him when he didn''tck anything and he was the eldest one.


    "The seed of injustice was born when Dray was the one to be chosen to go to that academy, and perhaps that seed had grown to something that made their brotherhood beyond repair after all these years. That child would not even visit me anymore��perhaps Keiren''s became disappointed with the entire royal family��But then, Including Keiren, no one knows the sacrifices made by Theron and Esther to save this kingdom and what promise they had made to the Devil."


    "It''s really sad to know," Serenmented.


    "Not like Drayce wanted to be a king but he knew about the promise being made with his biological father which could not be broken. If he had been given a chance, he would have left to search for his mother instead of sitting on that throne."


    "Doesn''t Dray know his mother is in that river?"


    "He sure knew but he didn''t wish to give up on her just because she left him. All these years, that same day he would search for her or more like hoping that she would show up at that river," The olderdy sighed and then looked at Seren, "But because of you, now he knows his mother is out there somewhere and not in that river. You gave us hope."


    "Because of me?" Seren asked.


    When Esther jumped in that river, at that time you were not born. ording to your birthday mentioned in your family register, you were born a few months after that particr day. That mark on your hand belonged to Esther. Other than her, no one can pass that mark to you. That means she is out there and hase across you. I am not sure the reason why she chose you to pass this sacred mark, but I believe there must be a strong reason for it."


    "I only know this mark has been with me since I was born. This is what my nanny told me."


    "Who knows what happened in the past but I hope one day we will get answers to all these questions."


    Seren nodded, "I too wish to get answers to the questions of my own life. I wish one day I will get to see my mother as well. I want to know why she left me and why I had to live in hiding till now."


    "I am sure you will," The olderdy assured and said again, "Seren."


    "Yes, Grandmother?"


    "What Theron''s fault was- to love Esther more than he should. All he did was to love her unconditionally despite whatever the situation they were in. For him, there was no one but her. And as we know, too much of anything always turns into a poison whether it is a food we eat of the certain emotion we have- love, hatred, jealousy- it can be anything."


    Seren simply looked at the olderdy to understand what she was trying to say.


    "What I mean to say is, though Drayce is not Theron''s biological son, he is still more like Theron. Maybe because he had grown up thinking of him as his father."


    Seren agreed, "When I heard the past, I felt the same."


    "The love Drayce has for you is the same as Theron had for Esther. Just like Theron, Drayce won''t be able to bear it if he won''t have you by his side. He will turn into another Theron."


    "Love? Me?" Seren mumbled.


    The Great Lady nodded, "That is why make sure whatever happens, stay by Dray''s side. Don''t make the mistakes that Theron and Esther hadmitted. Don''t let him be another Theron. It would be painful for him."


    "Grandmother, though I don''t understand what exactly I should call ''love'' but I care for Dray. I won''t leave him as long as he won''t ask me to. I will always be with him."


    A pleasant smile appeared on the olderdy''s face as she heard it. "I believe you will."


    ====


    Bonus chapter dedicated to reader "Peaches" for gifting Dragon to the novel. Thank you so much.

 Chapter 510 Plan To Abduct Seren

    Somewhere in the woods, in a secret hideout underground, a group of mysterious figures were standing around inside a stone hall that was lit up with oilmps. All of them were wearing ck hooded robes that were bothrge and long, hiding not only their appearances but their body shapes as well. Arge fire was burning in the middle of a raised stone tform, causing the hooded figures to cast flickering shadows on the walls.


    "It has been a month since we hatched the n, and things have gone smoothly so far. With the King of Megaris leaving the pce as expected, we can start moving to get that new queen."


    The voice of a woman came from the hooded figure whose hands held a long wooden staff which had a shining ck orb at the top of it.


    "Is it truly going smoothly? Did we fail to get an understanding of her strength? What if she is powerful like the previous queen? Are we by ourselves enough to deal with her?" a male voice asked this time.


    The woman let out a chuckle. "Did you justpare that little girl in a veil with that witch, Evanthe? Surely, you must be joking."


    The hooded man let out a cough. "I am merely being careful, though, of course, the possibility of that is none. It''s good that Evanthe has gone missing, and her son has brought something useful to us. That witch''s presence wouldn''t have made this easy for us��"


    "You''re rambling," a gruff voice cut him off. Another man, who had the same kind of long staff as the woman, stepped forward as he stared at the others. The man and woman wielding long staffs were the leaders of this mysterious group. His gruff voice echoed within the underground hall.


    "Our spies, the humans we have nted in the pce as servants, have observed that new queen, and from the various tests we performed with her hair and her other belongings, we can confirm she has powers but cannot use them at will. We have also verified the collected information from her homnd: that something powerful is residing inside her and that her father kept her hidden for the same reason. We need to make use of that power hiding inside her. The augury done by Zaria Lynx told us this queen will be pivotal for our cause to seed."


    The female leader bowed as if to acknowledge his statement, and then she looked at the particr hooded person who seemed to be shorter than the rest. "I believe the intelligence you have brought from the pce about the new queen ispletely true."


    "I guarantee it with my life," the short figure responded, and that person spoke with a muffled female voice, as if she was masking her real voice. "I have been observing her while working in the Queen''s pce and I can assure you that what we have heard about her, all those rumours are true. You have performed the test yourself from her items and strands of hair I brought."


    As there was no question as to the ability of the woman with staff, the male leader spoke up, "Then, we willunch the n now. We will take her away and keep her with us. If she agrees to join our cause of her own volition, all the better. If not��then we have gained a weapon. With this, then there is no one to stop us from going to Agartha and getting rid of their king. Last time, he was able to defeat us, but this time we have prepared a lot of surprises for him."


    The other leader gripped her staff. "Once that Draven Aramis falls, there will no longer be anyone to protect those brazen subjects of his."


    "I have been waiting for this opportunity for so many centuries," someone among the group spoke.


    "I''ve lost count of how many generations of human kings I''ve conspired with to take down Agartha. I''ve also lost count of how many failures we experienced. I hope this time that Devil King will like the surprises we have in store. We will be more prepared than ever."


    "I do hope if we get any weakness of that Draven Aramis," said one of them with his gritted teeth.


    "There will be. Everyone has a weakness and we will find it out. Our spies are there in Agartha and I do hope they will bring good news for us sooner orter."


    Hearing that robed figure''s words, the female leader remembered something. "Speaking of surprises, I remember there was one time you failed your mission. Were you able to find that hatchling we missed two decades back?"


    "Are you talking about that Divine Eagle? After we returned from killing the mother, someone took away that child."


    "How shameful," she sneered.


    The robed man defended himself. "I sensed his powers but could not track its traces afterwards."


    "That means someone had hidden him well using their powers."


    "The fight happened in the forest near the capital city. Do you think Evanthe was involved?"


    "Weck information, as you know we cannot go near ckhelm back then, or else she would have discovered us. We do not know if she''s involved, or if other beings interfered. But at least we know that the young Divine Eagle is alive."


    "Yes, as long as he remains alive, surely he won''t forget to find the people who killed his mother. Even if we don''t look for him, he will look for us. That Divine Eagle has the purest blood of ancient divine beasts among all I''ve met, even purer than his mother''s. If we get him on our side, those haughty Divine Eagles will bow down to him due to the supremacy of his bloodline. They are a big part of the strength of Agartha. That child is supposed to be the one to rule over that n��we can either have him ughter them, or have himmand them to betray Agartha."


    Someonemented as he clenched his fists. "I cannot wait to see that insolent Morpheus begging for his life."


    Thud!


    "Tonight is the only chance to conduct our n," the woman said as she knocked her staff on the stone floor. "ording to our sources, King of Megaris, Drayce Ivanov, won''t be returning for two days at least. He is not here to protect his wife. In his absence, no one is there more powerful than us to protect that little witch. Do not make a mistake. Understood?"


    "Yes," all of them said together.


    In the darkness of the night, several hooded figures were seen leaving the underground hall, before they themselves blended and disappeared among the shadows.


    ====


    Important note about the plot-


    Dear readers, from this point onward the links between both the novels of the ''Devil and Witch'' series will start to join. Those who are reading the second book- "The Devil''s Cursed Witch" are aware of who is Draven Aramis and Morpheus, mentioned in this chapter.

 Chapter 511 Seren Surrounded By Mysterious People.

    Even after Seren retired to the guest room that night, her mind was still filled with Great Lady Theodora''s words. The story of their predecessors, King Theron and Queen Esther, the past behind the current Ivanov family, the broken rtionships surrounding her husband��all these made her feel like she''s experienced another lifetime.


    It wasn''t her own story, but she felt herself sympathizing about the experiences of these people who had made their own decisions and had properly lived their own lives. It made her curious how amazing and scary ''love'' is. Didn''t that ''love'' that brought happiness also brought pain to the members of the royal family?


    As shey in bed, her thoughts gradually drifted to Drayce.


    ''He said he would return in two days. One day has passed, now one more day to go.''


    A light smile painted on her lips under her veil. ''I learned a lot about him, and I cannot wait for him to return.'' She looked at the space next to her in bed. ''Without him, everything seems empty��''


    Realization hit her. ''Am I missing him already? Seems like it.''


    She closed her eyes in anticipation to see her husband soon. ''Maybe he will miss me too and return early?''


    Some time near midnight, the cold evening breeze picked up into a gale, causing the rustling leaves of the trees around the Crystal Pce to shake along with their branches. Along with it, an unknown energy silently crossed the barrier set around the Crystal Pce and entered the pce grounds.


    Seren, who had already fallen asleep with a single dimmp on the bedside table, felt restless and tossed in bed. When she opened her eyes, she found the silhouette of a familiar person inside the guest room. Her eyes widened when she noticed the man walking out of her room.


    Even though she could only view that person from the back, she could not mistake this person. A delighted smile blossomed on her face as she sat up, her body no longer feeling drowsy.


    "Dray, when did you return?"


    Maybe she spoke softer than intended because he didn''t seem to have heard her. He didn''t answer, neither did he turn to look at her, and closed the door of the chamber behind him.


    "Dray?" she called out, puzzled. ''Is he going to go to a separate room? He must be tired if he just returned. Isn''t it better to sleep in the same bed as me?''


    She stepped out of the bed in hurry to follow him, wondering if he didn''t realize she''s awake. She even forgot to wear her footwear and followed him barefoot.


    When she left the guest room, she found the hallway was empty. It took her eyes time to adjust in the darkness and realized her husband was at the other end, about to take the left turn leading to a different hallway. There was already too much distance between them. It didn''t surprise her as she knew Drayce could move fast using his powers.


    She ran to catch up to him. "Dray, wait, where are you going?" However, the distance between them was increasing instead of the other way around, and if not for him asionally stopping, she might have already lost sight of him.


    "Dray?" she called out again, but the man didn''t seem to hear her and continued to walk, making her run behind him.


    Though she couldn''t see his expression, Seren found herself worrying about him, especially after remembering everything Great Lady Theodora shared with her. He must have been feeling miserable during this time of the year every year, as his birthday was also the time his mother left him.


    As she followed him, she didn''t realize she had left the main residence of the Crystal Pce and was walking in the garden barefoot. At one point, she stopped to catch her breath and felt the uneven ground under her bare feet. Realizing she was merely d in a thin nightgown and was starting to feel cold, she felt like giving up but she could not.


    ''Dray is not acting normal. He must not be feeling well. I want tofort him��''


    She looked at the man who finally turned to look at her. They were standing at the shore of theke, the pale moonlight softly illuminating his lonely-looking tall physique.


    His red eyes seemed to be dimmer than what she remembered, but he''s still as devilishly beautiful as a man fresh out of a royal painting, and the moonlight seemed to emphasize his broad shoulders that trimmed down to what she knew was a sculpted torso. His cold handsome face held an expression of sadness as he gazed back at her.


    Seeing his face, Seren felt relieved. This confirmed her guess that Dray, her husband, must not be feeling well. Her decision to run after him without giving up was not for nothing.


    "Dray, shall we head back in? It''s cold out here��"


    Her husband shook his head. She started walking towards him, only to see that the man had already climbed inside one of the boats docked by thekeside.


    ''Where is he going? Why is he not taking me with him? Is there anything wrong? It is not a dream, right?''


    She knew Drayce was not the kind of person who would leave her like this, especially when she''s calling out for him. She couldn''t help but question this strange scenario. She pinched her arm, and with that hurting pain, she confirmed this was not a dream.


    ''Something is wrong with Dray. I need to see what is going on. Why is he not talking to me?''


    An errant guess shook her core as she was reminded of the story of Queen Esther.


    ''The Queen��the Queen left without exining anything to Dray for his own good. Did he also visit me because something happened and he''s not exining anything for my sake? No, that can''t be. But why is he leaving? I can''t let him leave like this��what if he doesn''t return too?''


    She ran towards theke but the boat Drayce was riding had already left. In her panic, Seren untied another boat docked nearby and pushed it into the waters. Just as she was about to get the oars, the boat moved on its own and followed Drayce''s boat.


    ''Is Dray controlling this boat as well?'' she questioned and continued to sit quietly as her gaze was stuck on the tall figure of the man in the boat in front of her.


    ''He never acts like this with me. I wonder what happened?''


    The boat continued to move across theke, leading to a different water channel than the one she''s familiar with that led back to the main grounds of the royal pce. As they passed through a thick fog in eerie silence, goosebumps appeared on her entire body.


    Only then did Seren feel a foreboding feeling as she rubbed her arms for some warmth.


    She didn''t know how long it was, but when his boat stopped, they were already on the other side of theke which had nothing but dense trees. It was a forest with trees so huge and dense, even the light of the moon could barely prate their crowns, causing the ce to be covered entirely in darkness.


    Seren saw her husband step out of the boat and walked towards those dense trees. When Seren''s boat stopped there, she also did the same despite staring at that dark forest with hesitation.


    ''Dray is there. It should be fine,'' she convinced herself and followed the path that the man took.


    With the help of the moonlight, Seren could at least see where she''s stepping on, but she could no longer see the silhouette of the man she was following.


    "Dray?"


    Her voice echoed within that forest, but there was no reply.


    Seren was tempted to return back to thekeside and simply wait by the boat, but when she heard the sound of his footsteps, she was able to control her growing fear. Although she couldn''t see him, she could follow him by the sounds he''s making.


    After walking for a while, she reached a particr circr area devoid of trees. In the center of the meadow, a tall man stood while looking at the night sky. As if he had heard her arrival, he turned to look at Seren, and the next moment, he disappeared in the form of smoke as if he was nothing more than an illusion.


    "Wha��Dray?" she eximed in shock and ran to the middle of that meadow, checking if there''s a hole in the ce where the man disappeared. It was tnd covered in grass. She looked around in fear. "Dray, where did you go?"


    There was no answer to her question, but soon, she saw figures in ck emerging out of the woods.

 Chapter 512 Want What Is Hidden Inside You

    There were five people in hooded robes, the two in front holding wooden staffs while the rest stopped at the edges of the meadow. There seemed to be more people hiding in the darkness of the woods, and although she didn''t know how many there were, she could tell they had surrounded her.


    "W-Who are you all? Where is Dray, my husband?" she panicked. Her eyes immediately tried to find a familiar person among them, worried that they had captured Drayce.


    "Your husband was never here. It was an illusion you followed," she heard a woman''s voice reply, and it came from one of the two figures holding a staff with a ck shining orb over it.


    "Illusion?" Seren mumbled, and despite her fear, she felt a hint of relief that her husband was safe. The woman did something with her fingers which emitted the smoke and once again Drayce''s handsome image was created in front of Seren.


    "It''s really an illusion?" Seren said as she could not believe it was not him. He looked so real.


    "Are you interested? If youe with us, I can personally teach you. It''s a magic spell which if used on a person, it shows them an illusion of the one they are yearning for the most," the woman exined in a friendly tone and flicked her fingers again, making that illusion disappear into white smoke.


    Seren felt afraid with the situation, but since the people in robes were showing no hostility, she was able to calm down a little. With puzzled eyes, she looked at the woman who spoke.


    "Why did you lure me here? What do you want?"


    "You," the woman answered straightforwardly.


    "Me?" Seren asked in disbelief.


    "To be precise, we need your help."


    "I don''t think I have anything��"


    "What is hidden inside you will be a great help to us," the woman cut her off.


    "What is it? I don''t think anything that is hidden inside me. You seem to be mistaken," Seren countered.


    "Maybe, maybe not. That is why you need to leave with us. We will help you find out. Don''t you think this is a fortunate encounter for both of us? We will help you and you will help us. I believe you will cooperate with us since we will mutually benefit."


    ''Cooperate?''


    She didn''t even know these scary people, and they wanted her to cooperate. Even though the woman sounded friendly, Seren wasn''t an idiot who would willingly follow suspicious strangers. She looked around to see if she could find a way to escape, but she was surrounded by those robed people from all sides.


    "Your name is Seren, right? You can call me Zaria," the woman said as she approached. "We do not wish to hurt you. In fact, we want to be friends with you. However, we don''t have a lot of time for introductions so you first need toe with us. If you think you can escape, then you are wrong. But still, if you want to try, then I will give you a chance."


    The mysterious woman called Zaria seemed to have guessed her intentions already.


    Upon her signal, a few robed figures moved to one side, making a way for this young woman to run away. Seren didn''t think much and ran away with all her might. She continued to run in that darkness, not having a sense of direction.


    ''I need to get out of here.''


    She continued to run till she was thoroughly exhausted, but she was still inside the dark forest. She looked around and saw nothing but dense trees. She didn''t know where to go.


    "Are you tired already?" she heard the voice of Zaria behind her and Seren turned to look at her.


    "Why��why are you��?" Seren asked, catching her breath. She felt like she would pass out soon.


    "We really have no intentions to harm you, Seren. We just want to make good use of your hidden powers. I am even willing to teach you how to use them. Don''t you want to know how to control your powers? I don''t want you to remain ignorant forever," the woman answered. "I am showing you enough goodwill, aren''t I?"


    "I don''t want to�� I want to go back home��" Seren countered as she tried to straighten her body.


    The womanughed. "It''s not up to you to decide."


    "And neither will I let you decide," Seren said.


    Seren tried to force out her anger so she could just start a forest fire, but this mysterious woman in front of her was so calm and friendly to her that she was not stirring any of her extreme emotions. The only thing that woman did was to tire her out.


    ''Was letting me run part of her n? I can''t seem to feel my legs.'' She controlled herself and tried to sound firm, "I won''te with you. If you really have friendly intentions, we can meet in broad daylight. I will wee you in the pce��"


    "Oh,dy. You seem to have severe trust issues. For our friendship to blossom, you have to start trusting the other person first," the woman said as she finally used her staff. She let out a spell incantation that emitted dark energy in the form of a rope which moved towards Seren. It bound her body and lifted her in the air.


    The moment Seren was captured and tried to struggle, a particr brooch on her dress emitted an invisible pulse and a certain someone out there who was resting on one of the trees inside the royal pce in his human form opened his eyes in shock.


    ''She''s in danger!''


    That brooch contained the divine flower Dusk had given to Seren, and if any foreign power touched it, it would trigger the protection spell on it and he would feel it.


    His golden eyes shone brightly as his dark eyebrows knitted with a frown. The next moment, a pair of majestic wings that shone like gold spread open and the person rushed away towards the direction of the Crystal Pce as that powering out from the flower in the brooch led his way and only he could sense it.


    It was the flower Danshi that Dusk gifted to Seren on her wedding day with the intention of protecting her always.


    ====


    Note- This flower Danshi, its name is derived from the name of the reader "DnIsha". Danshi means the Lily rose.


    =====


    This chapter is dedicated to the reader "Peaches" for gifting the novel DRAGON. Thank you so much for the gift.

 Chapter 513 The Divine Eagle, Aureus

    Seren felt like she had fallen into a horrifying nightmare she couldn''t wake up from. After she was captured, that woman called Zaria had cast several spells on her, ones that made her unable to use any strength in her body, even urging her to fall asleep, but she was resisting those all using pure willpower.


    As she was being carried by these mysterious hooded people towards who knows where, she feared that no one would realize she''s gone until it''s toote, that no one would ever find out where she''d disappeared to��that she wouldn''t be able to return home.


    ''Dray, I''m sorry��'' She couldn''t help but imagine how he''d react once he returned, only to discover that she was missing. ''I only wanted to see you sooner��I didn''t know��I should have noticed the signs�� What if, what if he thinks I ran away from the pce? That I abandoned him? I don''t want to go away��''


    Warm tears rolled down from the corner of her eyes and as if responding to her fears, a sh of lightning appeared in the night sky. The woman leading those hooded figures halted in her steps, causing the entire group to stop. Rumbles could be heard overhead, the initially quiet sky filled with stars now covered by thick thunderstorm clouds.


    Zaria had collected all known intelligence about this young queen, and she was aware of the ominous tales circting within this woman''s homnd. The sudden shift in the originally fine weather only meant it was caused by this young queen.


    She turned to look at Seren who was hanging powerlessly in an upright position midair, her hands and feet stiffly bound together by invisible chains. Those purple eyes flinched with fear upon meeting her gaze.


    "My dear new friend, shedding tears will only make things harder for both you and me," the woman said calmly.


    She was aware that stirring up any emotion inside this little witch would cause trouble. It was best to exhaust her, both physically and emotionally, and that was why she opted to tire her first rather than anger her. She also cast a spell that would continue to eat away at Seren''s physical stamina, inevitably causing her to feel weaker and weaker as time passed by as a precaution.


    Just as she wondered whether she should use a sleeping spell on her, what seemed like a sh of golden lightning was thrown their way.


    "What��"


    Zaria and the others sensed the strong power approaching them and dodged out of the way out of reflex, but it was neither lightning nor an attack aimed at them. It was a golden figure moving at such speed others mistook it for lightning, and before they could understand anything, the tall figure got hold of the bound woman.


    A pair of strong arms wrapped around Seren with a firm grip as that energy binding around her broke, and those majestic wings with golden steel-like feathers stirred the air around them to disturb the flow of magic.


    "Halt!"


    The robed woman let out a loud shout as she felt one of her spells forcibly dissipate, causing her to raise her staff and activate one of the hidden spells she cast around Seren. With the veiled woman in the centre, a bizarre ck fog appeared around the area like a dome, causing a strange fluctuation in the air that made the neer stop in his tracks.


    His golden orbs red at the hooded figures below. He wanted to flee as fast from them as he could, but he knew it would no longer be possible as he could sense the strong ck energy surrounding this ce connected Seren to the hooded figure holding a staff.


    Realizing the danger they''re in, his hands firmly gripped around the frail woman who''s trembling in his embrace, holding her like she weighed nothing, while his majestic wings continued to p slowly as if warning them to note closer.


    With foreboding calmness akin to the eye of a storm, everyone looked at the full form of the winged person holding their captive in his arms. It was a young man with hair and eyes the colour of liquid gold, his bare upper torso painted with simple runic lines that showed his lineage��a shapeshifter from the feathered race. His wings were surrounded by a strong pulsating power emitting the gold-like radiations,


    "Oh, what a surprise, an unexpected guest," the woman called Zaria eximed as she let out a sound of fascination. "I didn''t know this witch had such a handsome youngpanion. If we knew you wanted toe, we would have invited you along with us, our Divine Eagle friend."


    She turned to look at one of herpanions. "Isn''t he the lost child we were searching for?"


    That robed figure replied with a gruff voice. "I am sure it is him. Look at those pathetic untrained wings that are wasting away their divine power. Such inefficiency. Only the descendant with the purest bloodline of his generation could afford to be such a wastrel."


    Zariaughed. "With such a child hiding his identity to avoid us, it is understandable he has never had the freedom to be in his true form, much less put any effort into using his divine power properly. I believe this child never got to meet an adult shapeshifter to teach him the ways of his barbaric tribe."


    The young Divine Eagle red at them. At this moment, all he had in his mind was to protect Seren. He didn''t know who these mysterious people were and why they were taking Seren, but looking at those hooded figures, a forgotten memory shed in his mind. The day he lost his mother, mysterious hooded people attacked them and their magic gave off a strange dissonance that irritated his senses, simr to what he''s feeling from them now.


    The more he observed them, the more convinced he was that they belonged to the same group.


    "I seem to remember you saying his mother''s dying words were his name," the woman said in a conversational tone to one of the hooded figures. "I recall it''s a pretty name��"


    "Aureus," the gruff voice said.


    The moment he heard them talk about his mother and mention his real name, seething anger rose in that pair of golden orbs. All he wanted was to kill them all but��


    "Who��?" a weak voice asked him. He lowered his head to look at that veil-covered face. Those half-lidded purple eyes were looking up at him with confusion and fear.


    He realized it was not the time to get angry and lose his mind as he needed to protect Seren.


    "Who are you?" she asked more firmly this time as she tried to get away from him.

 Chapter 514 Questions About His Mother

    Seren didn''t know this man and he was holding her like this. All she knew was that she could not trust anyone. She had already been fooled by Zaria not just once, and it would be pretty stupid of her to not be wary of another stranger.


    Seeing her restless and scared, he answered, "I am Aureus. I am the King''s friend and here to save you."


    She didn''t know why but she felt like she should trust him. But earlier, wasn''t she fooled by an illusion in the form of her husband? What if this was an attempt to make her lower her guard?


    "Let me go��"


    "Your Majesty, Lady Tyra felt you leaving and had mee," the young man said as if to prove he''s her ally. "I promise you I will do my best to bring you back to Dray."


    Dray. He called her husband Dray.


    Hope blossomed in her heart and she ceased struggling. Moreover, she had no energy left in her. She would have to just risk it all and trust this stranger, wishing in her heart that he would truly help her get back home.


    Seren nodded before closing her eyes, resting her head against his shoulder, not an ounce of energy left in her.


    "Our young queen''s body seems to have used up all its energy. It will be pretty dangerous for her if you try to forcibly brave through theyers of magic in this ce. She will not die but she''ll be close to death if ck magic enters her body in that state," Zaria said as she observed the two. "Why don''t youe down so we can have a proper talk like civilized people?"


    "As long as I am here, you won''t be able to touch her," Aureus warned her.


    "Child, Aureus, we are not your enemies. All we want is cooperation from you and this young queen. I am sorry to find you have a bad impression of us because we''re using such unconventional means to meet her, but we have no will to harm her," the woman exined in a calm voice. "Why don''t youe with us together with the young queen so we can all have a good conversation? I am sure you have many questions��"


    "I will have my answers but not from people like you," he snapped. "Not like this."


    "Oh, dear. Life is all about grabbing opportunities, child," the woman chided. "Some chances, you only get to have once. I am sincere in my offer. Come with us. I promise neither you nor her will be harmed."


    But the young Divine Eagle refused to budge. He even sent an attack on the bizarre ck energy surrounding him, as if trying to create a hole for him to escape from.


    One of the hooded figuresined, "This is why I don''t like talking with kids. Just attack him, beat him till he bes half-dead. Why are we wasting time like this, Zaria?"


    "Such violence shouldn''t be targeted at someone you want to befriend, sorcerer," the woman responded as she turned her attention back to the Divine Eagle. "Aureus, don''t you want to go back to your people? Don''t you want to find out from where your mother was, why did she leave her own homnd? Don''t you want to hear why your mother,the most powerful offspring of your n in her generation, became a homeless wanderer forced to live in such a pathetic state?"


    Despite her tempting words, the shapeshifter remained stubborn.


    "If you want us to talk, then let us go first. I will return to talk to you alone."


    "I am afraid that won''t be possible," Zaria said as she tapped her staff on the ground, causing the billowing ck magic in the air to grow darker, "and you must have already understood by now, yes? You havee here on your own so you must now go with us. I am sure you can sense that energy barrier around us and won''t be foolish to think you can leave without my permission. Your body, despite being covered with divine power, will be torn to shreds. Can you imagine how yourdy friend will fare if you leave with her?"


    Aureus had already sensed it but there was no way he would stay here and let them take Seren with them. He was thinking if there was anything else he could do, but he heard the woman continue speaking.


    "Really, such a waste," the woman said as she shook her head. "If you willinglye with us, not only will we tell you the truth about your mother, we will even help you avenge her from the treatment she got from your people. I give my word that you will be able to use your divine bloodline to your fullest, you will even be on par with a true divine creature like that ck Dragon. I am sure you must have heard about the Devil, the ck Dragon, from your mother."


    Of course, Aureus had heard of him. His mother had once told him a story in passing, about how that ck Dragon formed a kingdom and became a king recognized by all the supernatural beings on this continent. Such valuation would be impossible if not for the dragon''s overbearing strength, as most races were too proud to bow before anyone weaker than them.


    The name of their king, Draven Aramis, was not something he could forget. It was a story from a long time ago. Back then, he wanted to ask why his mother left instead of staying with their own kind. Why didn''t such a powerful king protect them after his mother imed to be close to the king as his loyal subject?


    Aureus never got to know, because he never got to ask his questions. Whenever his mother would reminisce about her past, she would always have a sad look on her face. His young self couldn''t bear to ask why his mother left her home, why there was a need to run from the Kingdom of Agartha and why he had to live in hiding with her��


    ====


    Bonus chapter dedicated to reader "Mayka" for gifting Dragon to the novel.

 Chapter 515 Master And The Pets To The Rescue

    Somewhere within this same forest where the Divine Eagle was trying to protect someone precious to him, a lovely quaint cottage made out of wood and red bricks, surrounded bypound walls, its beauty seemingly straight out of a fairytale book, glowed under the blessings of the soft moonlight. Two wild beasts were resting on the porch of that beautiful cottage, looking like they were pets rather than guards of their master.


    Although from the outside these beasts looked like dangerous and wild oversized tigers, they were rather more intelligent animals. Being the pets of a powerful being, they had some special abilities and one of them was being sensitive to magic. Magic of nature, like one of their owner''s, would merely alert them that a supernatural being was nearby, but at this moment, they noticed a foul smell that made them raise their hackles.


    The presence of ck magic growing thicker in the air made them aware of the presence of dangerous beings. ck magic was inherently created for the sake of destruction and harming others. Regardless of intentions, practitioners of ck magic were hostile threats to their owner.


    The tigers turned restless and stood up from their resting positions. Both creatures simultaneously looked in a particr direction within that dense forest. Thick thunderstorm clouds gathered above a certain area of trees, letting out a sh of lightning in a warning.


    Roar!


    Therge tigers roared together, forcing their master toe out with azy yawn.


    "I know! I know! I have sensed it already. Must you two be so noisy and disturb my sleep?"


    Their master, a long silver-haired elf, stepped out of the cottage and looked towards where his pets were staring at. With them feeling restless and defensive, he found it impossible to continue resting inside his newly built residence.


    "Such strong ck magic? Hmm, not just one? Feels like a group of troublesome beings are doing some shady business nearby," the elf mumbled to himself. "If it''s those guys...They seldom show themselves nowadays. I wonder who is being targeted there. To use such strong ck magic that would leave traces of their activity, the opponent they are fighting must be someone extraordinary."


    He looked at his pets. "Shall we go and check? After so long, I do feel like stretching my limbs. It''s nice to mess up their schemes. We don''t have bad blood but they''re not likable people anyway."


    The pets simply looked at their master and he grinned at them. "Fine, let''s go then."


    The silver-haired elf disappeared from his doorsteps while the two tigers followed him with a speed that made them not visible to ordinary eyes. The way they moved like the wind, the long distance was not difficult to cover in an instant.


    The elfnded on top of a huge boulder from where he could see what was going on inside that open de in the middle of the forest. From the ruinednd, overturned rocks and broken trees, it appeared like it wasn''t a naturally formed circr space but rather an oue of the ravaging ck magic that formed the shape of a dome.


    Though the ck magic made it difficult for humans to see what was happening inside, the elf merely needed to apply magic to enhance his eyes to prate that wall of ck magic. Inside, a group of ck-hooded figures reeking of ck magic were on the ground, while a young man with golden wings was flying above them, holding a frail figure of a woman in his arms.


    The two parties were neither attacking nor defending, seemingly in a standoff.


    The elf''s sharp gaze noticed the reddish-gold hair of the woman in his arms and it didn''t take him a time to understand who she was. ''What is she doing with these people?''


    It was easy to guess things based on the expression of the winged man but the elf continued to observe the situation with narrowed eyes.


    ''A shapeshifter from the Divine Eagle n, that mysterious purple-eyed woman''-- he then looked at that hooded woman with staff in her hand-- ''and that group of supernatural beings and humans headed by a powerful ck witch.''


    Through the raging wind surrounding them, the elf barely heard the conversation going on between the two parties, but still, he had a general idea of what was going on. These people in ck hooded robes were abducting that Divine Eagle and the woman in his arms.


    When the two tigers were about to reach their master, the elf gestured for them to tread slowly as they approached. Though he was quite a distance away from the de, he wanted to be careful. It would be problematic if his pets gave away his presence to the ck witch.


    "Shall we help them or remain a bystander?" asked the silver-haired elf.


    Just like their master, the two tigers recognized Seren and immediately their tails started wagging like dogs.


    The silver-haired elf frowned. "Don''t forget I am your master or both of you won''t have those tails on you anymore."


    The two tigers immediately stopped wagging their tails and looked at their master, their eyes seemingly silently asking him to help the purple-eyed woman.


    "I was going to anyway," the elfmented. "Until I get to know that woman, she can go nowhere." The elf then looked at the group of hooded figures as he thought of the best way to meddle in this fight. "I haven''t fought in a long time, and I have no intentions to start one with those troublesome beings. That ck witch''s magic core is no less than mine, maybe even stronger, and among those with her, there seemed to bebatants like me. Even if that Divine Eagle fights, it''s impossible for us to deal with them but...they are not expecting a variable like me. I can create opportunities for those two to escape from here."


    The silver-haired elf studied the raging ck winds shaped like a dome that imprisoned both parties within that circr de.


    "This ck magic barrier is what stops those two from escaping. If I forcefully break this barrier, an all-out fight will happen and it will be disadvantageous to me and that Divine Eagle. The most I can do is weaken it for a few seconds." He patted the heads of both his pets. "I will deal with that witch, you guys go distract the rest. The moment I shoot my arrow, the barrier will be unstable. Be sure you are in their vicinity. Attract their attention but do not engage inbat. Run away the moment they start attacking."


    The two tigers left after epting his instruction, while an elegant ck long bow and a handful of strange runed arrows appeared in the silver-haired elf''s hands. The arrow seemed to be created from a piece of wood, yet it glowed with soft light, surrounded with some kind of enchantment that gave it an ability to pierce even steel.


    The silver-haired elf held that bow and arrow and pointed the shaft towards his target--- the woman with staff, the powerful ck witch. As he aimed at her head, the flickering energy surrounding that arrow turned more solid as his eyes remained on the witch.


    ''She probably won''t die with this but I am sure it will weaken the spell for a while.''


    The elf remained in that position like a statue as he waited for the best opportunity. After a while, he saw where his pets were prowling. Seeing them ready, he didn''t wait to shoot the first arrow.

 Chapter 516 Injured Aureus

    Whoosh!


    In a blink of an eye, that reinforced arrow wrapped with the elf''s magic passed through that dome-shaped barrier and had almost pierced the hood of the ck Witch when her staff moved to block the sneak attack.


    The arrow burst into splinters the moment it hit her staff.


    "Enemy!" the woman yelled.


    The moment the arrow passed through her magic barrier, the dissonant magic on the arrow alerted the ck Witch and she was fast enough to dodge that arrowing towards her. From this, it could be seen that either her intuition was sharp or that she was someone experienced in battle and never let her guard down in any situation.


    Even before the others could react to her, two majestic tigers appeared from the forest, roaring together with a sonic attack, pulling their attention towards them.


    Meanwhile, another set of arrows was shot at the ck Witch, but she was adept at hitting them away using the staff in her hands. As that witch turned in the direction of the unexpected meddling archer, she didn''t realize that her momentarypse of concentration resulted in the barrier bing unstable.


    Aureus, who was holding Seren, had noticed that silver-haired elf the moment he had shot the first arrow. Being the feathered race, his eyesight was sharper than most supernatural beings and with his divine bloodline, it was even possible for him to spot anyone even in the pitch ck darkness.


    ''The barrier weakened!''


    All he knew was that this unknown elf had done something to help him and he didn''t wish to miss this chance. The moment he saw the raging ck winds that would tear his flesh apart show signs of instability, Aureus used all his strength to boost his wings, wrapping his divine power around his body as he fled upwards to break through that barrier.


    Bloody cuts appeared on his skin as he neared the ck wall as the destructive magic merely weakened, but did not disappear. It made him cut a sorry figure, but with this, he confirmed that both he and Seren could survive. The moment he was about to pass through that barrier, hisrge wings surrounded Seren''s entire body, hiding every inch of her as much as he could so that that ck energy barrier would not be able to injure her severely.


    Once the young shapeshifter forced his way out of the barrier, his majestic wings were no longer golden but coated in blood. Still, he fled away with all of his remaining strength while he nced at the elf now running away towards the forest.


    Meanwhile, the two tigers had also done their work of distracting others and retreated from the de. The moment they saw the Divine Eagle sessfully fly away, they ran away in separate directions.


    The hooded woman lifted her staff as she threw a spell toward the escaping Divine Eagle, but at that time, her barrier stabilized and rather than the winged man, her spell hit the ck wind. Letting out a curse, she ended up missing both the targets of this operation and the sharpshooter who interfered midway.


    "The main group, follow me to recapture that witch and that eagle! The rest, kill that sharpshooter!"


    Without hesitation, the hooded figures who were supposed to engage with the tigers separated into two groups. Some of them emitted ck magic simr to the woman, while the others showed signs of sorcery. One group ran in the direction of the boulder, while the other tracked the fleeing shapeshifter and witch.


    Aureus was struggling in the sky. Though he was able to force his way through that weakened ck magic barrier, his body was heavily injured in the process. The divine power he wrapped around himself had dissipated. Somehow, his pathetic condition could still manage to continue fleeing, but he knew he wouldn''tst for long.


    Every inch of his body was bleeding, and even his wings were covered in blood, his feathers coloured in red rather than gold. With every p of his wings, blood continued to spurt out from his injuries. The destructive nature of the ck magic that had entered his body was ravaging his insides, causing more damage to his internal organs with each passing second.


    "He''s slowing down."


    Zaria, the powerful ck Witch, could guess his situation as she continued to follow them with a few of her subordinates. Tracking wasn''t her forte, but since there were traces of ck magic in the body of her target, the Divine Eagle could not escape her pursuit.


    "Throw as many curses as you can at that injured child," she ordered. "Only use a weight spell, a fatigue spell, and a slowing spell, and let them stack on him. Do not throw any offensive spells since we need both of them alive. He won''t be able to make it far."


    Meanwhile, the ck Witch was preparing to cast a high-level spell on her own, a trapping formation that could capture the shapeshifter and the witch from the sky. As soon as she''s able to make direct contact with them, she could use teleport on those two even if it meant leaving her subordinates behind.


    ''What''s most important is for us to capture them before more unexpected factors show up.''


    Aureus felt the ck magic spells being thrown at him and tried his best to evade them. However, with each passing second, his body was turning weaker. Even his own consciousness was turning blurry.


    "If only I can get rid of this ck magic from my body."


    He clenched his jaws as he held Seren tightly, in fear that he might lose his hold on her body.


    Just then, his blurry gaze noticed something silver. It was the hair of someone who was moving at the speed of the wind, and after several seconds of forcing magic into his eyes, Aureus identified the person��it was their saviour, the archer who shot those arrows.


    After shaking off another ck magic spell thrown his way, Aureus noticed that the elf seemed to be slowing down before speeding up, only to slow down again. He seemed to be gesturing at him with his bow�� a signal for him to follow the elf.


    Not having any other option, Aureus fled in the direction where that elf was moving, squeezing thest of his strength and leaving his pursuers behind as far as he could. Because he suddenly changed direction, there was apse in the pursuit which allowed him to put more distance between him and the hooded figures.


    ''I can''t��I can no longer��''


    Aureus tried his best not to lose his consciousness but��


    He dropped from the sky.

 Chapter 517 Black Magic Harming Their Bodies

    Fortunately, the silver-haired elf seemed to be expecting this as he caught the two falling bodies in a timely manner with the help of his magic. And with the two cloaked in his magic floating beside him, the elf ran at twice the speed he initially did in another direction.


    As the trees whizzed past them, the Divine Eagle held onto his blurry consciousness, still holding the unconscious Seren in his arms, despite not having the strength to do anything else.


    Their group stopped at one random ce which looked nothing special to Aureus. It was just a bunch of trees, like any other trees in this dense forest. There didn''t even seem to be boulders or a path in this area, onlyrge trees, shrubs and wild grass.


    But then, the scenery changed when the elf did something with his hands. There were no trees, and instead, there was a small brick cottage surrounded by apound wall.


    Only after they stepped past that wall did the silver-haired elf let out a sigh of relief.


    "Hah...that was dangerous...I haven''t had that much fun in a long time," the elf muttered under his breath as he turned towards Aureus in surprise. "You''re still awake? I will give it to you. Your willpower is astounding."


    The elf then flicked his hand and brought his two guests to the porch of the cottage.


    "They won''t be able to find you here as long as you keep quiet," the elf informed him.


    Despite that reassurance, Aureus didn''t feel safe. He opened his mouth to say something but he cked out the next moment.


    When Aureus woke up, he found himself inside the cottage. At first, he panicked but when he found Seren still sleeping in his arms, he managed to calm himself down. He didn''t know how long it had been, but he warily looked around to check if it was a safe ce. It was a simple lodging without much furniture or items inside, as if the ce had merely been built.


    On one side, he saw the silver-haired elf taking something from a shelf. He turned around and saw the golden eyes of an eagle ring at him. "Really impressive. It hasn''t even been half an hour since you passed out. This is a safe ce for you. No one can see through this barrier I had set, not even that powerful ck Witch. Rest here till they leave."


    Aureus found himself on a bed, and though he wanted to put Seren down, he felt wary to be in the presence of the elf. He was their saviour but...


    In the end, he chose to warily watch the silver-haired elf move about while still holding Seren in his arms. She was someone really precious and he could not trust someone else with her.


    "Why don''t youy on the bed? That will be morefortable for both of you," the elf suggested.


    In response, his bloody wings spread to hide her from his gaze.


    The elf only smiled lightly and was about to say something when his expression changed. His pointed ears twitched as he heard noises from beyond the wall. He signalled for Aureus to stay quiet. Several minutester...


    "Is this another false trail?"


    "The other trails are false, and this is thest one."


    "The blood from that Divine Eagle stopped here."


    "Where did they go?"


    "We''re running circles. Perhaps we should spread out."


    "Did they teleport away?"


    "Ipetent fools! Search the woods once more. If we fail to find them, that witch will make sacrifices out of us."


    Only after the elf sensed their footsteps and voices going away did he gesture to Aureus that they could speak again. Still, the young shapeshifter remained silent and on guard, though it looked like he was struggling in great pain.


    The elf simply watched him held in his groans, aware that the young man was suffering from internal injuries. Their silence game continued up until Aureus vomited ck blood.


    The elf sighed. "I''m not really a kind person but you look really pitiful. Fine, fine, I''m not that heartless..."


    He went towards Aureus and Seren. In reflex, Aureus held Seren closer with his wings tightly wrapped around her to hide her. His heavy-lidded eyes were warning that elf to stay away.


    "Is it fun to escape only for you to die?" The elf crossed his arms over his chest. "You are both tainted with ck magic. You know what that means? It''s poison, the most painful kind in existence."


    Aureus bit his lip because he could not deny the elf''s words.


    "You need help," the stranger continued. "I shouldn''t be the one begging you because I am not the one in need of help, but at this rate, your stubbornness will kill not only you but also that woman you are protecting. If you are in pain, can you imagine what it''s like for someone like her who''s physically weaker than you? You should feel fortunate she''s unconscious."


    Aureus could feel how Seren''s body had turned cold, her breathing feeble. At the thought of her dying, he finally let down his guard and looked at the elf for help.


    The elf coughed. "You could start by folding away your wings. I know this is pretty much obvious, but if I intended to hurt you, I could have just watched that whole thing as a bystander. I don''t even need to lift a single finger."


    At that, Aureus obediently moved his wings away, and finally, the woman in his arms was visible to the elf. His golden eyes trembled upon seeing her true situation. Seren indeed looked poisoned. Patches of ck veins like spreading branches could be seen on her pale skin. The elf crouched beside her and reached out his hand to touch one of the patches before closing his eyes.


    A sharp, cutting power came out of the elf''s body, and this caused Seren to let out a pained cry as blood stained her lips. Aureus was about to attack the elf when--


    "If you move, she dies."


    Each second felt like years to the young Divine Eagle as he watched Seren vomit ck blood like he did.


    With his eyes still closed, the elf spoke, "I am sure you noticed, but I am forcing the ck magic out of her body by injecting the natural magic of the world inside her. The sh between the opposite attributes must be truly painful, but this is the only way to save her since I am no healer. You should really feel fortunate she''s unconscious."


    With help of his strong powers, the elf got rid of the ck magic left inside both of their bodies.


    Aureus passed out in the middle of his treatment because even he himself could not withstand the pain, but when he woke up, he realized that he felt much better after the elf got rid of the ck magic.


    "I guess it''s nice to be young. You''re resilient," the silver-haired elf said when he noticed him wake up. After receiving so much help from this stranger, Aureus finally felt it would be fine to trust him.


    The elf who was sitting near the firece pulled out two tiny bottles and threw them over to him. "Have one for yourself and give the other one to her. They''re basic elixirs meant for drinking. It won''t heal your injuriespletely, but it will help deal with the damage caused by ck magic to both of your bodies."


    Aureus epted them with a grateful look. He looked at Seren''s veil-covered face and hesitated. He knew that her veil was not meant to be removed. When he reached out without expectations, he realized he could touch the magical fabric so he lifted it just enough for the bottle to reach her lips. Since she was unconscious, he raised her head a little to help her drink that elixir. Only after making sure she drank it all did he have one for himself.


    Seeing that, the elf merely raised a brow. After a long bout of silence, he raised his hand and did something with his magic. Beside the bed, a stack of dried grass appeared and a long piece of soft animal hide hanging on the wall flew on its own, spreading itself on that stack of dried grass, turning it into a makeshift bed.


    "Don''t just sit on the bed. Let that female restfortably on the bed and you take that one on the floor. Both of you need sleep," the elf said and walked towards the door. "I will keep watching outside. You can leave once the female wakes up."


    Aureus did not reply but neither did the elf expect a reply from the stubborn little eagle. As closed the door behind him, he mumbled under his breath, "My little pets, I hope you are fine."


    Inside the cottage, Aureus looked at the sleeping arrangement made for them by the elf. The elf was right, he also needed to rest. However, he realized the bed was covered in ck blood. After several seconds of hesitation, Aureus shifted towards that makeshift bed with Seren. Hey her on it as he observed her weak and pale-looking face. She looked like all of her energy was drained out.


    He searched for something to cover her, but all he saw was the hide folded nearby that seemed to be that elf''s cloak. It had the elf''s scent on it and Aureus felt ufortable using such an article on her body, but there was little choice. Still, he hesitated. His beast instinct was not approving of it for some reason.


    Seeing Seren toss about, seemingly seeking for warmth, he realized he could just wrap his wings around her again, as his soft feathers were warmer and morefortable than anything else as long as he didn''t wrap them in divine power.


    Aureus didn''t think much and used that cloak to clean the blood off his wings. He theny next to Seren as he pulled her in his warm embrace, wrapping his wings around her small body, leaving only her face visible against his chest so she could breathe.


    As he closed his eyes with that frail body in his strong arms. He forgot that pain his body was still feeling and a soft smile lingered on the corners of his lips.


    "I was able to protect you."


    ===


    A/N- The readers who have sent me their addresses, I have sent them the printed copies of the novel a few days back. Once you receive them, kindly let me know. ^_^

 Chapter 518 This Temper Runs In Your Kind

    At the Crack of Dawn, Aureus opened his eyes. He could not sleep but only had his eyes closed. He was exhausted due to attacks of strong ck magic on him and his body wished to give up to rest but he could not and fought with it.


    How could he sleep when the one he wanted to protect was still unconscious and he was not sure if they had passed the danger? Though this elf had helped them, he still could not trust him entirely. He didn''t wish to trust anyone until he took Seren back to the Crystal Pce.


    Seren''s delicate body pressed against his warm body and his majestic wings wrapped around her, her body no longer felt cold to him and he was sure she could make it back to the Crystal Pce.


    ''We shall leave from here. Once I take her back, I will have Lady Tyra heal her. I am sure she can.''


    Despite still feeling weak, he stood up and carried Seren in his arms and stepped out of that cottage. A few hours had passed by and he was sure that the ck witch and herpanions must have left by now. He had to return to the crystal pce even before sunrise and someone woke up to notice his presence in the pce or find Seren missing. No one was aware of his real identity other than Lady Tyra and Queen Esther.


    Just as he stepped out of the cottage, he saw the silver-haired elf was busy with two tigers which were much bigger than any normal tigers showing they were not just ordinary animals. Moreover, Aureus could sense the invisible energy emitting from their bodies that gave sense to them from being the race of the beasts.


    "You two did well." Aureus heard that silver elf talking to his pets as he continued to caress both of their backs with each of his hands.


    Aureus had seen these two tigers roaring and diverting the attention of those mysterious people wearing robes and now he understood it was the doing of this elf and he was probably praising them for their help.


    The elf sensed Aureus'' presence and said without even looking at him, "Leaving already?"


    Aureus nodded, "Thank you for your help. We no longer wish to trouble you more."


    "We? She seems to be still unconscious to express her opinion," the elfmented, as he turned to look at him while his two pets remained on either side of him.


    The elf looked at the woman in his arms who he was more interested in and then looked at the shapeshifter as he noticed his appearance- those golden orbs and armour like gold colour wings.


    He could guess Aureus was a young shapeshifter and he was of the purest kind divine bloodline that made him more powerful than others of his kind. It was rare to have the one with such purest bloodline. Even if both or even one parent had such a bloodline, it was rare that It was passed to their child as well.


    "Aureus!" The elf called his name.


    Aureus was sure he didn''t tell his name yet to this elf and looked at him questioningly.


    Sensing his thoughts, the elf replied, "I heard your conversation with them. We high levels have good hearing senses and for the one with powers like me, it''s not a big deal."


    This elf was surely boasting about himself. "High elf? I thought you were a moon elf."


    The elf smiled yfully, "Good that you are curious about me. You can say I am both. But how? That I don''t think I need to tell you."


    Aureus didn''t react as he didn''t look that curious either but heard the elf again as he chuckled with a mocking smile, "Your name, seems like it was given based on your appearance due to your bloodline that divine powers but sadly you don''t know how to use them to their fullest. Tsk! Such a waste of divine power when you can''t even use them to protect yourself...." the elf looked at Seren, "...and the one important to you."


    His words reminded Aureus of the simr words the ck witch said and he frowned, "Doesn''t concern you."


    "You and your temper remind me of someone named Morpheus."


    Aureus felt like he had heard this name. ''Mother? Did I hear it from my mother? So familiar name''


    "Morpheus?" Aureus asked, feeling a little curious.


    "Someone of your king and the one I always disliked," the elf replied, not minding to hide his personal feelings, "Maybe such a temper runs in your kind."


    Aureus didn''t have time to argue with this elf. The next moment he opened his wings and flew away while the elf didn''t try to stop him.


    "I wonder where that red-eyed man fromst time is? Isn''t he her husband? I hope he won''t kill this shapeshifter after finding him out with her. This shapeshifter seems to care for her more than it''s needed."


    The elf had seen how the entire time he was trying to protect her, not leaving her even for a moment. Even inside the cottage, that shapeshifter decided to sleep with her instead of leaving her alone.


    The elf sighed and moved his attention to his pets who were looking at him with a displeased gaze as if ming him for something.


    "Let her go this time. It''s not safe for her here. Once she is fine, you two will have a chance to go to her but...." he red at them, "Don''t forget, I am the only master you have."


    The two tigers wagged their tails as if they agreed with him.


    Aureus returned to the Crystal Pce where he found everything was quiet and no one was around. Only if Lady Tyra was here, things would have been better but now he had to sneak Seren inside to her room quietly and then leave to get Lady Tyra here so she could take care of Seren.

 Chapter 519 Drayce And Aureus

    Meanwhile, somewhere far from the capital, deep inside the forest by the riverside, Drayce was resting under the tree near the river bank. His sleepy face looked exhausted and restless as if he could not sleep at all. Feeling restless, in his sleep, his hands clutched his ck long robe which had its gold embroidery shone under the moonlight. It was midnight and he woke up suddenly feeling anxious and an ominous feeling surrounded his mind.


    His red eyes were painted with worry and his gaze looked unsteady while his heart was beating faster with the growing anxiousness.


    ''It feels the same as the nightmare I had the night before mother left me. Does it mean I am closer to finding her? This time will I be able to reach her?''


    He stood up, as he held his sword and looked at the vast river bed in front of him. He had dived into the various parts of the river and reached their deepest bottoms but he could never find her. He knew his mother had submerged herself into the river and ording to Lady Tyra, even if he went deep down the river, he would never be able to find her. But being a son, he just could never give up on searching for her.


    Recently he got to know his mother hade across Seren, he was sure at that time his mother somehow could not do as she nned and so this time he didn''t bother to jump inside this part of the river and simply roamed around hoping he could find any of her traces by using his powers.


    When he was a child, he would always reach her and this time he was trying his best to reach her by using his powers but he failed every time. Finally feeling exhausted from using his powers for the entire day and half of the night, he decided to rest but this sudden ominous feeling woke him up.


    ''I should not stop here. Seems like mother is in some kind of trouble or there is no way I would get such a feeling. I need to look for her.''


    He continued to focus on his powers while travelling along the river but even after hours passed by and it was about to be dawn while he exhausted himself more, he could not reach his mother.


    ''I can do it. I just need to try harder.''


    He decided to give ast try with all his might and closed his eyes but instead of being able to use his powers, he saw Seren''s face. She looked in pain and called out for him.


    He opened his eyes in shock, ''I was mistaken, It was not for mother but Seren. She is in danger.''


    He cursed himself for mistaking it for his mother. Hours passed by since he had that ominous feeling and it worried him if he waste like how he waste when in Abetha she was suffering on her own.


    With this, he disappeared from there the next moment and appeared at the crystal pce as he knew Seren was supposed to be there. The entire pce was quiet as it was still dark and everyone was still sleeping.


    He tried to search for her energy that he could always sense but there were no traces of it.


    ''Why can''t I sense her powers?''


    He walked inside the pce to find out where she must be and searched through all the guest rooms as fast as he could, using his powers to move at the speed of lighting but she was in none of them.


    Something clicked in his mind, ''I know where she can be.''


    He appeared in front of one room which belonged to him and where he had spent his childhood. But even before he opened the door, he heard a certain movement from inside the room and he got alerted. If she was in this room, then he could sense her powers even from the outside of the room but he could not.


    He opened the door with a bang to not give the person inside the chance to be alert but only to see something shocking.


    A tall man with gold-colored wings had his arms around Seren while she was in bed and looked like he was about to lift her. Even before he could lift her even an inch, the red-eyed angry man disappeared from his ce and only appeared with strangling the winged man against the wall with a loud sound that created light vibrations.


    "Who are you?" Drayce asked as he red at the winged man pinned at the wall while his neck was being strangled to death.


    Aureus looked at Drayce and didn''t try to struggle or get out of his hold. With his choked voice, he answered calmly, "I am a friend."


    He knew the way Drayce was possessive towards Seren, this was given and it would take a lot to convince this devil.


    Drayce didn''t pay attention to his answer as if it didn''t matter and neither did he trust it. "Where were you taking her? What did you do to her? Who sent you?" he asked coldly under his greeted teeth. His eyes turned into a darker shade as if his devil form was about toe out. The veins on his hands and neck visibly tightened.


    Aureus was aware of all Drayce''s sides and he knew he needed to calm him first. If his devil form came out, then not only him but everyone around would be hurt if he sees what happened with Seren. Being by Draven''s side for so many years and owing his mother for saving his life, Aureus cared for Drayce and thought of him as someone important to him.


    "Dray!" Aureus called him out gently while feeling that the grip of this devil might crush his neck soon, "I... have saved her... and... brought her back...Trust me..."


    Drayce was still not ready to hear as his anger had taken over him and the devil inside him wanted to kill this winged man who dared touch his wife.

 Chapter 520 Calling Out For The Darkness Inside Him

    Drayce hurried to Seren who was lying in bed and was calling for him in her unconscious state.


    "Seren," he called her as he held her delicate hand in hers. Her veil-covered face looked restless and her eyes had tears rolling down the corners of them.


    "Dray, powerful ck magic has been used on her. Though I had given her one elixir, she still needs your help," Drayce heard the winged man who was tied to the wall behind him.


    Though Drayce heard it, he didn''t even look at Aureus as all his concern was Seren. In his eyes, this winged man was nothing but a stranger who could have hurt his wife. Just by holding her hand, Drayce could feel her body was cold and her pulse was unsteady and weak.


    "Her pulse must be weak and her body cold. Her body still has traces of ck magic. If it has harmed me like this, she is too weak to be able to bear it. Help her before that ck energy affects her core." Aureus didn''t stop talking even though he was being ignored. He was just desperate to save her, "Dray, I know you don''t like to use your dark powers but only that can help her now. Your mother taught you when you were a kid. Call out for him and help her." There was a desperate plea in Aureus'' voice.


    Though Drayce still didn''t reply to him, he knew this winged man was right. He wondered how he knew about his mother and what she had taught him but this was not the right time to ask this.


    Drayce put Seren''s hand down as he looked at her pale face, ''Hang in there. I will make everything right.'' He raised his one hand and held it a few inches up from her chest. He closed his eyes while his fingers spread as if trying to suck out something from her body.


    With his eyes closed, Drayce focused on the darkness inside him which he always kept buried. He called for the one who he didn''t like to see at all. ''I know you are there. I know you can hear me and you can see what is happening. Come out and help her. She needs us...she needs you...she needs your powers...'' Drayce focussed but there was no response from the darkness inside him as if it was buried somewhere deep down which was not easy to find.


    Drayce''s forehead creased upon not getting any response. When he needed that dark part of him the most, it was trying to hide from him. ''She is my...our mate,'' he said with much effort as it was difficult to call her the mate of the darkness inside him which he himself hated. ''She is our mate. We need to help her.''


    Still, there was no reply and Drayce felt annoyed, ''If something happens to her, I promise I will bury you inside me forever to never let youe out. If possible, I will separate you from me and kill you. Come out!'' Drayce was being impatient.


    Aureus could see that nothing was working and said, "Give him something that he wants. It might bring him out."


    Both were aware that his darkness only showed up whenever Drayce was in grave danger and only Drayce knew there were other times when he showed up...whenever he was intimate with Seren.


    "Think about what your mother would have done. Remember the day when she helped you call him out," Aureus repeated, trying his best to guide Drayce.


    Drayce decided to do what the winged man had said. He clearly knew what the darkness inside him wanted and called him for thest time, ''Erebus!'' This time Drayce used his name to call him out.


    "Erebus, listened to me for thest time. Forget about what I had said till now and listen to what I am saying now,'' Drayce inhaled deeply, "Help me get that ck magic traces out of her and I promise I will let you be with her as long as you won''t hurt her. When you are with her, I will note between you and her and let you treat her like your mate. Juste out and save her.''


    As if it was what the darkness inside him wanted, it started showing up as Drayce could feel his entire being, his soul was being drowned in the darkness. His hand that he had held above Seren''s chest shook and stiffened along with his entire body as the surge of strongest power passed through his body...The power of darkness that was stronger than any kind of power in this world.


    The veins on Drayce''s hands and neck visibly bulged out as they looked like the mesh of dark and thin roots of the tree entwined together. Instead of blood, it looked like the darkness was running through his veins and as it was directed towards Seren''s body. The darkness seeped out of his fingers like dark smoke and was getting absorbed into Seren''s body.


    The next moment she gasped heavily and her entire body shook wildly as if something was hurting her and the inside of her body. The newly entered darkness searched through each and every cell of her body to capture even the tiniest trace of ck magic inside her and the process seemed to be painful for her weak body.


    After all, it was not easy for anyone to let such a strong power reside inside them. It was only Drayce that could handle it and let it reside in his body like a vassal. Other than him, only his father could control that dangerous darkness and his son had inherited the same ability from him along with inheriting that threatening darkness from him.


    Soon that power of darkness absorbed all the ck magic traces from Seren''s body. It left her body as it returned to where it had appeared from. It returned to Daryce''s body with those mesh-like veins disappearing slowly as if that darkness was going back to its hideout.


    Drayce''s body rxed as he inhaled deeply and opened his eyes which changed their colour from darker to their original red colour.

 Chapter 521 How Do You Know My Mother?

    Drayce squeezed Seren''s cold hand and let out a sigh when he saw warmth returning to her body. Only after he made sure that there was absolutely no trace of ck magic inside her did he feel relief.


    Aureus who had watched the entire thing happen also rxed upon seeing his friend''s relieved expression. Now, he didn''t care what Drayce would do to him, aware that no matter the initial misunderstanding Drayce wasn''t unreasonable enough to bepletely hostile to him.


    ? Unfortunately, Drayce had no idea that the winged intruder--the young man with golden eyes-- was the same person as his eagle ''Dusk'' who had stayed by his side for more than twenty years.


    Drayce let go of Seren''s hand as now he had another important business to do--to punish the one who had hurt his wife. He would start with this winged man now.


    Drayce stood up and turned to look at the intruder who was tied to the wall. The gentle look that he had in his eyes while looking at his wife had changed to a fierce one with growing fury, causing the red in his eyes to look like fire.


    Aureus calmly gazed back at him, and under Drayce''s glowering scowl, he broke the energy binding around him and stepped away from the wall. It shocked Drayce to see the intruder could break it with such ease.


    "If I want to harm her or if I want to run away, I could have aplished both while you were busy healing her--no, even before you enter this chamber," Aureus said as he looked at the furious man in front of him.


    "Who are you?" Drayce asked again. If he could break such a strong energy binding, that meant he was not any average supernatural being.


    "I told you I am a friend but you won''t trust me. All I can hope is that you remain sane enough until I exin my side of the story. First, listen to what exactly happened, then you can judge whether you want to believe me or not. I am willing to tell you everything. You don''t need to bind me and torture me to get things out. Once she wakes up, you can hear her side of the story as well and you''ll know I am not lying."


    Hearing the young man who looked even younger than him speak in such a strangelyposed fashion, Drayce managed to control his impulse to attack him. He knew when it came to Seren and his mother, that he always lost his calm, but strangely, he was more sober than he expected. Perhaps it was because he didn''t feel any hostility from him.


    However, if this winged man tried to pull any stunt, Drayce would kill him right away.


    Aureus himself was struggling with the injuries and the small traces of ck magic inside him, but he faced Drayce with perfect dignity andposure. He stood straight in front of the devil without showing any weakness on his face.


    "I discovered an unidentified group of ck-robed people taking your wife away from the Crystal pce, heading north-bound deep within the forest outside the city. When I realized that she was in danger, I decided to go and rescue her before they sessfully escaped. The leader of those mysterious people was a witch, a ck Witch, who possesses the destructive-type ck magic you found inside your wife''s body. Though I intervened, I could not defeat her and nearly got captured as well. Someone came to our rescue and that is how we were saved and able to return here to the Crystal Pce. We had barely arrived when you came in through the door."


    Drayce listened to his exnation without a single change in his expression. He dryly asked, "Who saved you?"


    This winged man managed to easily break his binding, speaking volumes about his strength. ording to his story, a ck Witch more powerful than him was in charge of this scheme. Drayce couldn''t think of anyone in the vicinity who wielded that much power.


    "A High Elf appeared and created an opportunity for us to escape. That elf also gave us a healing elixir and helped drive out most of the ck magic that entered our injuries, but it seems like it was not enough. We underestimated the effect of that witch''s ck magic."


    "That witch, where is she now?"


    Drayce was wondering if he should try looking for traces of ck magic to verify this man''s im, but at the same time, he was hesitant to leave his wife''s side.


    Aureus shook his head. "Perhaps she''s still looking for us, who knows? She is a powerful being. From what I sensed, it seems like only your mother could defeat her and....another one is you who inherited her powers."


    Drayce suddenly stiffened.


    "How do you know my mother?"


    Drayce felt suspicious as earlier this winged man also knew what his mother taught him when he was a child. Rather than pure wariness, a little hope also blossomed within his heart. What if this man had met his mother during the past few years? What if this man was someone his mother''s person? Didn''t he already find out that his mother had met Seren when she was an infant? Maybe...


    It was not like Drayce trusted this winged man, but he could not help himself. He needed to know. He needed to know everything that concerned his mother.


    As someone who watched Drayce grow up, Aureus felt the change in the man''s attitude towards him. He could only internally sigh. "I owe Queen Esther, your mother, for saving my life when I was a child. You can say she was my benefactor--she took me in, and she hid me from my enemies. She was like a mother to me, and in return to the second life she gave me, I would do anything to protect the people dear to her."


    His words seemed genuine to Drayce.


    The winged man continued, "I suppose you are wary but I am no stranger. You might have never seen me before but I have been in this royal pce for a long time. I had witnessed your childhood. Before your mother left, she asked me to look after you like a brother. I saved your wife as an extension of her request since she''s part of your family as well."


    "How can I trust your words?" Drayce asked.

 Chapter 522 Chose To Trust The Winged Man

    "You don''t need to trust me if you don''t want to, but the fact you''re asking me that already proves you at least believe some of my words. You would have outright attacked me if you think I''m your enemy. If you want to keep me here to clear your doubts and suspicions, I am willing to stay, and if you want me gone, then I will go away. But for now, you should call Tyra to help take care of your wife."


    "Tyra knows you?" Drayce asked with surprise.


    "Other than your mother, she is the only other person aware of my existence in this human kingdom," Aureus answered but then��


    Cough! Cough!


    The winged man had a distorted face as he coughed out ck blood before falling to his knees. He tried to hold back from showing his weak side in front of Drayce, but he could no longer hold out anymore with the ck magic inside him acting like poison to his divine energy.


    Drayce looked at the winged man who imed to be his wife''s savior with an emotionless gaze, and the next moment, he saw him copsing on the floor and losing his consciousness.


    Several secondster, Drayce stepped towards him and kneeled on one knee. He could see the numerous scars on the man''s body, but his attention was focused more on the strong divine power he could sense from this stranger. Precisely because he''s injured and weakened, the power inside him was like a horse without reins, rampaging out as if to protect its master out of instinct.


    Drayce put his fingers on the man''s wrist to check his pulse which was weak, just like how it was for Seren. There were indeed traces of ck magic inside him, and if what he felt was urate, the damage this man received was ten times worse than Seren suffered through.


    ''A shapeshifter from the feathered race��


    ''Since he has divine powers, then he''s a divine beast��


    ��I wonder which n he belongs to?''


    Drayce wanted to trust this winged man as he had mentioned his mother and he could sense no evil intentions from him. Still, it was not easy to gain his trust. For now, he decided to help him. As for other things, he could decideter. Though he was sure that this winged man was powerful, Drayce was confident in himself that he was much more powerful. Suppressing him shouldn''t be an issue as long as he concentrated on using his powers on him.


    ''I can also ask Seren when she wakes up.''


    As Drayce remembered the story the man shared, he decided to help this winged man. If everything was true, then he indeed was his wife''s savior. It would be unbing of him to ignore the problems in his body.


    After checking on his wife once more, Drayce had Aureus moved to one of the empty chambers nearby where Drayce called out for the darkness inside him just like he did for Seren.


    "Erebus, I need your help once again. This person was someone our mother had saved once. We should save the one that she protected."


    This time, Erebus appeared without any dy, as if saying their mother''s name was more than enough to bring him out.


    Drayce did what he did with Seren to that winged man, and after some time, all the ck magic traces inside Aureus were sucked out by Drayce''s dark powers.


    Drayce looked at the unconscious winged man who didn''t look like who would wake up anytime soon. The remnants of that ck magic was poison to those with an attribute from nature due to the sh of the opposing attributes. If Drayce had not helped, those remaining traces could have permanently affected the magical core inside his body and it could have been deadly for him.


    Drayce had read about these shapeshifters and divine beasts in the ancient literature books that his mother had left for him. He had also heard about them from his mother''s bedtime stories. From what his mother said, divine beasts were the strongest supernaturals, and they were trustworthy who never had any ill intentions towards others, befitting the divinity in their bloodline. They mostly acted as the protectors and warriors of those more peaceful races.


    As someone who mostly only moved within Megaris, Drayce had never met a divine beast. He recalled that the divine beasts had retreated from the human kingdoms and had hidden away from the people of the continent, their ns choosing to reside inside that mysterious kingdom called Agartha along with the other races.


    "Agartha," Drayce mumbled, "that mysterious kingdom of those existences equally feared and respected by humankind. I wonder when I will be able to find my way there. Mother once said it used to be her home, a ce she could never return to due to her grave sin. I need to know where Mother''s homnd is. Maybe the people there can help me look for my missing mother��"


    He stepped out of that room to go back to his wife as his thoughts were stuck at the kingdom he longed to see.


    "...and Draven Aramis, the King of Agartha," he wondered. "What kind of person is he, the only other person I know who has the same red eyes as mine?"


    -----


    Drayce returned to his wife and chose to be by her side.


    Time hade and gone, and soon, the servants woke up to start their daily tasks. Some of them were made aware of Drayce''s unexpected presence as he instructed them to keep an eye on the person lying in bed inside the room next to his.


    Great Lady Theodora was also informed of Drayce''s arrival, and without knowing about what happened the night before, she hurried to his room thinking of having him join her for her morning meal.


    ? "Dray, howe you are back without��"


    The olddy with a cane lost her smile the moment she entered.


    Drayce found his grandmother looking at Seren. "Why does she look so weak? Is she not well?" She observed the bloodstains on her clothes along with her pale face. "What happened? Who hurt her? Shall I call a physician?"


    The Great Lady walked towards the bed where Sereny immediately.


    "There''s no need��" Drayce told her what happened and also mentioned to her about the shapeshifter in the room next to his.


    Great Lady Theodora listened without interrupting, simply sitting on a chair next to Seren while holding her hand. "Are you sure she is fine?"


    "Yes, Grandmother. She will wake up soon," he assured.


    She looked at Drayce and asked about the one who imed to save Seren. "Is he really not a threat?"


    "For now, we can say it''s fine. I have ordered a servant to summon Tyra to hurry to the Crystal Pce. Once she arrives, we will know whether what he said is true or not."


    "Those people, ording to him, who tried to abduct Seren, why would they��?" The Great Lady had so many questions in her mind as she felt bad looking at Seren''s situation.


    Just the day before, they were having a good talk and now��she was lying here unconscious after going through something terrible.


    "I cannot imagine what would have happened if she was not saved��."


    "I would have killed them all," Drayce said. "It''s notte yet. After I hear more from Seren''s story together with the clues from that winged man, I will find them and make them pay for what they did to my wife."


    The Great Lady didn''t oppose this. "Should we also mobilize the royal knights? We need to know if they''re aiming for Seren herself or you, and your wife was just dragged to this. It''s better than waiting for their next attack. I don''t want her to be in any kind of danger anymore�� but from what you told me, those robed individuals are well versed in ck magic. Though you are powerful as well, you cannot take them lightly. There is no invincible existence in this world. Make sure to be careful, Dray."


    "Rest assured, Grandmother."


    Something clicked in her mind. "How did you heal them? It''s not easy to deal with powerful ck magic. Don''t tell me��" The old woman was aware of many things that humans shouldn''t know as she always had Lady Tyra with her who herself was a witch.


    Drayce''s expression darkened. "I had to call for him. Only his darkness could absorb that ck magic." He didn''t look very happy about it, but he had no other option.


    "You did well," was all the olddy said as she knew Drayce didn''t like to talk about it.

 Chapter 523 Lady Tyras Arrival

    As soon as she received the urgent summon from the King, Lady Tyra hurried towards the Crystal Pce despite it being so early, the sun had barely brightened up the sky.


    Being summoned by Drayce, a person who shouldn''t be within the capital, out of the blue made her feel that an unforeseen incident must have happened, or else, the servant acting as a messenger would have informed her of the reason why she was being called to the distant residence of the King''s grandmother.


    Upon reaching the Crystal Pce, she first came across Great Lady Theodora. "Good morning, Your Ladyship."


    Seeing the serious expression on the olddy''s face, Lady Tyra could not help but ask, "Did something bad happen? Is it because of the Queen? Where is Her Majesty?" Her intuition was telling her it was definitely about Seren.


    "Something bad did happen," the Great Lady finally replied. "You should firste and see Seren. Dray is here. He will exin what happened to you."


    Great Lady Theodora and Lady Tyra went to the room belonging to Drayce, where Seren was currently resting.


    The moment the two women entered the room, the sight of Drayce sitting at the edge of the bed greeted them. From his appearance, it seemed like the man had no intention of leaving his wife''s side.


    "Greetings, Your Majesty," Lady Tyra said as she bowed to the King.


    Drayce epted with a nod while Lady Tyra looked at the weak-looking Queen, wondering why she looked so pale. Though, she was more surprised to see Drayce returning to the pce in just a day, unlike in the past years when he would always stay away for about two to three days.


    "What happened to Her Majesty?" she asked.


    Drayce told her the entire incident from his perspective--starting from the moment he saw his unconscious wife and the winged stranger, as well as how he had to use his dark side to save these two. He also informed her about what that winged man told her, about how Seren was abducted. He then brought up how the shapeshifter imed to know his mother, Queen Esther, as well as Lady Tyra.


    After telling Lady Tyra those things, Drayce started to voice out his doubts. "The winged man is in the chamber next to ours. You must go see him and tell me his identity. I want you to confirm whether he''s telling the truth."


    Lady Tyra nodded. "From what you''ve told me so far, I have an idea of who that person is and he is indeed a friend of ours. A young man with golden eyes and divine power."


    "Yes, that''s him."


    "I do know him--that man should be the young Divine Eagle who Queen Esther saved in the past. But I will see himter; first, I would like to know if Her Majesty is alright."


    Drayce nodded and stood up from the bed and let Lady Tyra approach the still unconscious Seren. The old woman held Seren''s hand and closed her eyes.


    The use of strong ck magic on the young queen worried Lady Tyra. Being a witch herself, she was aware of its consequences if traces were left behind in a body.


    ck Witches and White Witches.


    Though there was a difference between them, they belong to the same race, thus, they knew their counterpart the best, being creatures with opposing natures from each other. ck magic was known for its destructive property, and many had mistakenly thought that ck magic was dangerous for its offensive nature; only those who had personally battled against ck magic practitioners knew the truth--that the deadliest part of ck magic was not its nature, but its purpose.


    ck magic was not the magic of death and neither was it the element of darkness. After all, both darkness and death are still a part of nature.


    It was dangerous because it was magic that shouldn''t exist in the first ce.


    A kind of magic created against thews of the world.


    It was practiced to overturn the bnce of nature.


    ''A taboo.''


    That was why normal supernatural beings struggled to fight against ck magic practitioners. It was because ck magic suppresses natural magic. To those who considered themselves ''children of the world'', ck magic--a kind of power created out of greed--was poison to them.


    Though Drayce had confirmed he had gotten rid of the remaining ck magic from Seren''s body, Lady Tyra could not help but want to check it on her own to make sure. ck magic could be in the form of a hidden curse or a slow-acting poison. Sometimes, not only would it endanger the body but also the victim''s soul. In recorded history, there were instances in the past where the minds of the victims could even be manipted by the ck magic practitioners...


    After following Esther for a long time, she had gifted Lady Tyra with various spells that could be used against their natural enemy. Before the previous queen departed, some part of her powers and knowledge as the Monarch of the White Witches were imparted to Lady Tyra as well, helping her see through and deal with the difficult things rted to white magic or ck magic despite her being half-human.


    After a few moments, the old woman let go of Seren''s hand as she sighed in relief.


    "Queen Seren''s body is cleared of all traces of ck magic." She looked at Drayce. "Your Majesty did well by using his powers, or else, we can''t imagine what would have happened."


    She stood up from the bed.


    "At this point, she''s just asleep due to the shock of what she experienced, but her body had no problems. We don''t have anything to worry about Her Majesty," she assured.


    "May I go see the Divine Eagle, Your Majesty?"


    Her expression said that she was worried about him and could not wait to go see him.


    "You can follow me," Drayce said and he led the way for Lady Tyra, leaving his wife to his grandmother. Just as she entered the chamber next door, the old woman hurried towards the bed and saw unconscious Aureus lying in the bed. Her eyes turned moist seeing him like that as she sat on the bed and held his cold hand.

 Chapter 524 Drayce Finding Out Aureuss Identity

    Seeing Lady Tyra''s behaviour, Drayce could guess that this shapeshifter was not lying. In fact, judging from the way Lady Tyra reacted, he could guess he was someone important to her, someone like family and not just a simple ''friend''.


    Just like what she did with Seren, Lady Tyra also made sure that Aureus'' body was clear of ck magic as well.


    She looked at Drayce with moist eyes, her gaze filled with gratitude towards the young king. "Thank you so much for saving him, Your Majesty."


    Lady Tyra could not help but be thankful to Drayce. She had raised Aureus for the past twenty or so years, and he was like a real son to her. As much as she cared for Drayce, she cared for Aureus the same way.


    Drayce didn''t even know Aureus but he still chose to save him despite being suspicious of him.


    "He imed to have been saved by my mother in the past," Drayce said as an exnation.


    Lady Tyra nodded. "Thank you for believing in him. His name is Aureus, a shapeshifter who has divine power in his bloodline. Queen Esther had saved him when he was young, and since then, he had been staying here in this kingdom," she told him vaguely, aware that Drayce was yet to recognize Aureus'' other identity. For a while, she was tempted to tell Drayce the truth, but she hesitated because this wasn''t her secret to tell--she should let Aureus make a decision about it.


    Drayce frowned. "If he''s someone on our side, howe you never introduced him to me? I would have recalled him if I had seen him or sensed his powers even once, but that is not the case."


    "That only proves how powerful Queen Esther was, Your Majesty," she answered. "Your mother has put a powerful spell around Aureus to suppress his aura and his divine powers. Even his scent had been hidden. This was done in order for his existence to not be traced by anyone weaker than Queen Esther. It was to protect him from the ones who were after him."


    "The ones who were after him?" Drayce questioned.


    "Years back, your mother found the young shapeshifter in the forest outside of the capital city. From what she understood of the remnants of the battle, the shapeshifter''s mother was killed by those people and they were after Aureus too. Those people seemed to be powerful practitioners of ck magic. After finding out about his situation, Her Majesty had reached out to save the orphaned Aureus and took him in to protect him."


    Drayce thought for a bit. "From what Aureus said, the robed figures wanted to abduct him as well when he arrived to save Seren. Chances are high that the ones who killed his mother and those who targeted my wife are the same people, or at least belong to the same group," Drayce concluded.


    "That can be the case. Her Majesty Queen Seren has strong powers inside her that these mysterious people might be coveting, and it is the same with Aureus. From what Queen Esther told me,pared to the other Divine Eagles she had met before, Aureus was the one with the purest bloodline. That meant that his powers are unparalleled in his generation. It would not be a surprise if they are after Aureus for his divine powers."


    Drayce felt that madeplete sense. With this newfound information, he was able to at least determine the goal of the enemies. "Once he and Seren are awake, we can get to know more details. If those hooded figures are truly the same people, then both my wife and this shapeshifter will be in constant danger unless we get rid of those people."


    "Indeed, Your Majesty. It would be better if we get rid of them before they try something else again," Lady Tyra added.


    Drayce had a look of deep thought. Lady Tyra didn''t disturb him and patiently waited for him to organize his thoughts.


    "Where does he live?" Drayce asked. "I think it should be best if he stays inside the royal pce for now."


    Lady Tyra paused for a moment as she could not lie to the King upfront and then answered, "He lives within the capital, Your Majesty. As he is of the feathered race, he puts a lot of value on his personal freedom and prefers to be on the move."


    Drayce looked at Aureus for a few moments as if he was thinking about something while Lady Tyra''s heart started to feel anxious. Drayce was someone smart. Though he looked calm, there was always something going on in his mind. The old woman was sure Drayce would find out about Aureus'' other identity--the only question was how long it would take.


    The young king walked towards the bed with his gaze pinned on the unconscious man with golden hair. He reached out his hand and moved the cape decorated with small feather-like ornaments on it that were covering his shoulder from the base of his neck to a little below his shoulder. Just as Drayce moved those puffs of feathers away, he got the answer to the question that lingered in his mind after he confirmed his identity from Lady Tyra.


    Aureus was wearing a small red pendant around his neck, the very same one he had given to his precious eagle, Dusk, and along with that, there was a purple stone which Seren had given to him back in Abetha.


    Lady Tyra felt like her breath stuck in her chest as she understood Drayce finally found out the truth.


    "Your Majesty, I can exin..."


    Drayce looked at her with an unfathomable gaze.


    "Do not tell him," was what Drayce said and turned to leave. "You can stay by his side."


    Lady Tyra didn''t know what to say as she saw the King leaving. She didn''t know what would happen now. Would he me them for deceiving him for so many years? What would happen to Aureus?


    Would the man Aureus had considered to be his younger brother ask him to leave?


    ====


    Reader Peaches, thank you for the gift and for always supporting the novel. ^_^

 Chapter 525 Nightmare

    Around noon of that day, there was some movement in bed and Drayce realized Seren was finally stirring awake. He hurried towards the bed from the lounge chair he was sitting on the other side of the room.


    "Seren��"


    Drayce stopped when he realized his wife was not awake but was restless in her sleep. Her face held a painful expression while her body was covered in a cold sweat.


    ''Nightmare!'' he concluded and sat at the edge of the bed. He reached out to hold her hand that was gripping the nket covering her, only to get shocked as soon as their skins touched. Her hand was hot like she was running a high fever. Drayce immediately pulled the nket away from her and touched her neck and forehead. Her entire body was burning with a high temperature which didn''t look normal at all.


    Drayce tried to wake her up but she didn''t respond at all and continued to stir as if she was in pain, as if something or someone was hurting her badly.


    "Is anyone there?" he called out to the servants waiting beyond the door.


    The next moment, a female servant entered the chamber. "Yes, Your Majesty, you called?"


    "Prepare the bathtub with cold water immediately," he instructed.


    The female servant rushed out and it didn''t take long for her to bring another servant with her. They hurried to the bath attached to the bedchamber and finished the task as fast as they could.


    Just as they stepped out of the side chamber, Drayce carried Seren to the bath and put her in that tub of cold water. Even after letting her body rest in the cold water, he could still feel that high temperature of her body against his palms.


    ''Why is she having such a high fever? Is it the side effect of her body suffering from the ck magic?"


    While he was busy thinking about the situation while looking at her restless sleeping face, he didn''t realize that the cold water in the bathtub had turned warm. In just a few moments, he found himself shocked when he noticed the now lukewarm water.


    ''What is happening?''


    "Servants!" he called��no, he roared, and one of the servants replied from outside of the side chamber.


    "Y-Yes, Your Majesty?"


    "Bring more cold water and call for Lady Tyra!"


    Drayce was suddenly anxious as he could not understand what was happening with his wife, and Lady Tyra was the only one who he could rely on for answers.


    Soon, more servants came in, bringing with them buckets of cold water, adding them to the bathtub while scooping out the now hot water. But nothing was enough.


    Several minutester, Lady Tyra arrived along with his grandmother.


    "Oh dear, what happened?"


    "Your Majesty, what''s the matter?"


    The anxiety in the voices of both Lady Tyra and Great Lady Theodora brought Drayce''s bloodshot gaze towards them. It was to be expected he had been silently suffering in helplessness, unable to figure out how to help his wife.


    His grandmother walked towards the bathtub where Seren was lying in. Her wrinkled hand flinched the moment she touched Seren''s forehead. "This��how could this be?! At this rate, she''ll be convulsing if her fever doesn''t go down!"


    "I don''t know what happened, Grandmother. Her temperature suddenly red without warning and it''s not going down," Drayce replied, his red eyes clouded with worry, as he continued to hold onto his wife''s hand. From the start, he never let go and monitored her vitals, yet her temperature refused to go down.


    "She seems to be having a nightmare but she is still not waking out of it."


    He looked at his wife''s face which still had the same painful expression she had since earlier, and despite looking normal earlier, she now looked dehydrated. Her skin looked visibly pale��almost translucent white��and even her lips looked cracked and chapped.


    "Is this the side effect of ck magic?" he asked as he turned to the only person who could answer his question, Lady Tyra. The old woman shook her head.


    "It can''t be, or else Aureus would suffer through the same or worse since he has divine energy, which meant his body was more sensitive to ck magic. Moreover, I have never heard such side effects," Lady Tyra said as she went closer towards the bathtub. "May I, Your Majesty?"


    Drayce moved away and allowed Lady Tyra to touch the young woman. She checked on Seren andmented, "I am not sure what she is seeing in her dreams, but it is surely caused by the things she''s experiencing. The only way to break this strange fever is to wake her up and escape her nightmare."


    "No matter what I''ve tried, she''s not waking up, as if she couldn''t hear or feel me," Drayce replied as he watched the unconscious woman sitting, her body half-submerged in the water inside the bathtub. "Since she won''t wake up by simply calling her��"


    His red eyes looked determined to try what he had in mind. He leaned down towards the head of the bathtub while Lady Tyra stood up to make space for him.


    "What do you n to do Dray?" the worried Great Lady asked, seeing his serious and grim expression.


    He didn''t answer his grandmother, and instead, he held Seren and made her lie in the bathtub from her sitting position. Her face slowly submerged in the water as he continued to push her down.


    "Dray!" the olddy called out to him with anxiety, but she stopped herself when she saw Lady Tyra calmly watching the entire thing without a word, trusting the King''s actions.


    Moments after her face went under the water, Seren started to show signs of suffocation, bubbles appearing on the surface of the water, yet she still didn''t wake up. Those inside the side chamber could see her struggling toe out of the water, but Drayce continued to push her underwater, his hand on her chest to not let her surface out of the water. Soon after her body started to move her hands and legs, she finally opened her eyes.

 Chapter 526 [Bonus Chapter]I Want To Be With You

    The moment Drayce saw those panicking purple eyes, he immediately pulled her out of the water.


    With a heavy gasp, she coughed violently, fighting for breath to make up for theck of oxygen.


    Cough! Cough!


    "Seren?" Drayce gently called her name as he scooped her in his embrace. He immediately got her out of the bathtub, not minding that his clothes too were drenched with water.


    The veiled woman didn''t know what was going on as she continued to cough violently, and Drayce simply waited till she calmed herself, affectionately rubbing her back to help her ease down. The two elderlydies felt relieved to see Seren finally awake. Though what Drayce did was unconventional, it worked to wake her up without hurting her.


    Drayce carried Seren out of the side chamber and took her back to the bed when he realized her body was no longer hot; instead, she was now shivering. He carried her delicate body in his arms and joined her in bed, at the same time, wrapping the nket around her dripping wet body.


    In her husband''s warm embrace, Seren felt better and slowly got back to her senses.


    Drayce looked down at her face which was buried at the top of his chest. "Are you feeling better, Seren?"


    She didn''t reply and instead looked around to see where she was. From what shest remembered, she was being abducted by a mysterious group of people and a winged man came to her rescue.


    "You are safe and back to the Crystal Pce, Seren," he answered her unspoken question.


    She looked up at Drayce. "I am not dreaming, am I?"


    "You are not," he replied.


    Getting assurance from him, tears rolled down her already moist eyes. "They...they tried to take me away..." She started to cry.


    "I know, I know... Sshh... there''s no need to cry. Soon, I will punish them. But now just know that you are with me. You are safe here with me."


    She hugged him back and continued to cry, the sounds of her sobbing getting louder with each passing second. "I...was scared...I was so scared. I didn''t want to go...I thought I won''t be able to see you again..."


    "You are not going anywhere. I won''t let anyone take you away," he guaranteed, sounding as gentle as he could be and wrapped his hands around her cold and wet body tightly, assuring her he was there to protect her.


    Lady Tyra and Great Lady Theodora looked at each other with a smile and decided to leave. They could ask about her situationter. For now, they knew it was for the best to leave her alone with Drayce.


    After the two old women left, the ck-haired man continued tofort his crying wife until her sobs turned into sniffles.


    "Do you feel better?" he asked.


    Her response was a small nod.


    "You need to change out of your wet clothes. After that, we can talk," he suggested and she nodded once again like a kid. She had so many things going in her mind and didn''t put a finger on what she should first think about. She decided to listen to what Drayce said.


    Once she was changed into new clothes, Drayce covered her in another set of fresh nkets, keeping herfortably warm. The servants had also brought freshly brewed tea for her. While she was having tea, Drayce sat next to her on the bed.


    "Are you feeling warm now?"


    She nodded and wondered if Drayce was aware of what exactly happened to her.


    "I want to hear what happened. Tell me everything you can remember," he said since she was finally sober and finally able to talk.


    Seren narrated to him the entire incident from the previous night, about how she followed an illusion in the form of Drayce that sheter learned was created by that mysterious woman, how she ended up meeting them in the forest and how she tried to escape till she exhausted all her energy.


    "...and then someone appeared out of nowhere but I don''t know what happened after that. All I remember is that he had a pair of golden wings and I was lifted up in the air by that person."


    "Hmm..."


    Drayce could see Seren''s side of the story rted to what Aureus told him. Now that he no longer suspected Aureus, it was easier to link the clues of the incident based on the details of their narrations. After hearing everything she had to say, Drayce felt that the one who might hold the greatest clue was the one that helped Aureus and Seren escape from there.


    "Do you remember someone else helping you?" he asked.


    The young woman looked puzzled. Seren was unconscious by then so she had nothing to share about him.


    She shook her head. "No, I passed out after being saved by the winged man. I don''t even know how I am back here. Did youe to rescue me, Dray?" she asked.


    He had a bitter expression on his face as he caressed her head. "I am sorry that you had to suffer all these in my absence and I didn''t evene to help you. I failed to protect you."


    She could see he was feeling guilty. "Please don''t say that. I am d that you are safe, that you didn''t need to get involved. I am d that I returned and I can finally see you...I..." She inhaled deeply to calm herself as she felt a wave of emotions she didn''t understand. It felt like any moment now, she was going to cry. "I was scared I won''t be able to see you again after they took me...I didn''t want to go away from you...I want to be with you...I don''t..."


    Tears rolled down her eyes once again. He hugged her gently. "I will never leave you alone and unprotected like this again. This is my mistake. I underestimated the situation and failed to understand how seriously endangered you are," he said and then thought about his promise to Seren''s father.


    ====


    Note-


    Dear readers, In the month of September we are participating in winwin. If we make it to #3 rank in winwin, we will get a BADGE for the novel and you all will get it as well. We are at #4 rank right now. If you all wish to get a badge, then I wish you all to unlock as much as privileged chapter possible to get to #3. I hope we can do it this month.

 Chapter 527 Are You Flirting With Me, My Queen?

    Drayce could now understand King Armen''s struggle to protect his daughter.


    ''King Armen had protected her all her life. I seemed to have judged him too quickly. Being a normal human, he had done everything in his capacity to ensure her safety, even though it restricted her freedom. It would have not been easy for him to protect his daughter from those powerful beings who he can''t even deal with. Knowing he can''t defeat those powerful people, he preferred to hide his daughter instead or he would have lost Seren long back. He must have felt helpless all these years. I failed to understand his worries.''


    Once Seren had calmed down once more, he looked at her and wiped away the tears from her eyes. He had one more thing left to ask her.


    "I have one more concern."


    With her reddened eyes, she looked at him, waiting for what he had to say, and he asked, "Remember how you woke up inside the bath? I was waking you up because you were having a nightmare. Can you tell me what it was about?"


    Her body shivered, subconsciously reacting to the one memory she didn''t want to remember. Still, it was Drayce who asked. She had no heart to refuse him.


    "I was surrounded by fire. Huge mes... dangerous fire...they were everywhere. Those mes were like a prison, and it was as if I was in the middle of hell. There was no way out, no way to escape the mes. I didn''t want toe near the mes, but even though I wasn''t on fire, my entire body felt like it was burning...It was so painful..."


    "Fire..." Drayce mumbled.


    She lowered her head. "But..."


    He watched the expression on her face. "But...?''


    "I wasn''t alone. A woman appeared out of nowhere. I don''t know who she is, but she seemed to know me. She looked at me like I owe her something...As if she wanted something from me...She looked like she was in pain too...I tried to talk to her but...then I was awake."


    "Can you remember anything else about your dream? Don''t miss any details, even the smallest ones."


    Seren looked reluctant but she quietly nodded and closed her eyes for a while. "The dream only had the fire and that woman...there wasn''t even a sound. I couldn''t hear even the cracking of the mes. About the woman, I can''t tell her age, but she''s wearing strange robe-like clothes, simple yet elegant, like the ones you see in the temples during ceremonies. She has long brown hair and green eyes..."


    ''A green-eyed woman?'' Drayce thought. ''The way Seren''s body reacted and her temperature were so abnormal, that dream cannot be meaningless. Seems like I need to find that green-eyed woman. It might lead to the mystery of Seren''s life.''


    He caressed her cheek and pecked on her forehead. "You should rest. You have exerted yourself a lot."


    She nodded as she did feel tired despite just waking up, but then she asked, "That person who saved me...is he here in the pce?"


    "He is here. He is the one who brought you back here. But he is resting because he was severely hurt. Once he is awake, we can meet him."


    Seren agreed and Drayce helped hery in bed. He covered her with a nket but then Seren held his hand. He looked at her with a puzzled expression, only to hear her say something that he didn''t expect.


    "I missed you, Dray."


    She meant it. Though he was gone only for a day, she already missed him, and after that incident, she realized how important he was to her and how much she wanted to be with him.


    An uncharacteristic gentle smile appeared on the handsome man''s face and he leaned down, leaving a peck over her veil-covered lips as he whispered against them. "I missed you as well, my Queen."


    He could feel her lips widen into a smile as he peered into her beautiful purple eyes closely. He whispered again, "You should rest. Not good if I were to exhaust you when you are already so tired."


    Seren understood what he meant and blushed. "I will rest," she mumbled against his lips.


    Drayce moved back to not mess up with her in her weak condition. "Close your eyes. I will remain by your side, and be the first person you see when you wake up."


    Seren nodded and closed her eyes, feeling safe with Drayce by her side. Because her husband was here, she knew everything would be all right.


    After a few hours when she woke up, her eyes searched for Drayce, feeling worried what if he was not around but...


    A smile painted on her lips when she saw Drayce sitting in the chair and going through a few parchments. She didn''t call for him, instead continued to look at him silently as if trying to imprint his image in her mind.


    Her eyes continued to observe his handsome face which and how focused he was on his work.


    ''Just a one day and I already missed him like I haven''t seen him for ages. How much I look at him, can never be enough.''


    "If you continue to look at me like this My Queen, I might think you want me to apany you in the bed." She heard Drayce who was busy working but knew she was looking at him without ncing at her even once.


    His unexpected response startled her but she got back to her senses and asked calmly, "Will you, Your Majesty?"


    Drayce''s hands that were holding a parchment, froze and he looked at her in surprise. He didn''t expect his wife to flirt back with him. He wonder if she even knew that she was flirting with him.


    He put the parchment down and stood up to go to his wife who continued to look at him boldly. He sat at the edge of the bed as he looked at her veil-covered face which was beautiful to him even if he could not see her face entirely.


    "Are you flirting with me, My Queen?"

 Chapter 528 Has She Fallen For Me?

    Seren innocently blinked at her husband''s words.


    "Flirting?" she asked.


    Drayce gazed into her beautiful eyes. "What you said just now is referred to as flirting."


    "But��I said it because I wanted you to��" she stopped, feeling a little shy.


    "... to apany you in bed?" He finished her sentence in her stead.


    She nodded hesitantly while peering at his face.


    It made him smile at how she didn''t try to hide her thoughts. "Shall I then?"


    She nodded immediately but��


    As if on cue, her stomach growled in hunger, betraying her in front of her husband. Seeing his amused expression, she felt like hiding herself.


    "I think it''s better if you eat first." Drayce could not help but smile at her embarrassment.


    Seren didn''t say ''no'' and nodded lightly to show her agreement. Drayce called for a servant and had them bring over a meal for her. Momentster, they arranged porridge and a small serving of side dishes on a footed tray so that Seren couldfortably eat in bed.


    Once the servants left, Drayce looked at his wife. "Eatfortably. You can remove your veil since I will be sitting in the lounge." He gestured at the armchair where he was going to sit.


    She looked at him, feeling puzzled. ''Remove my veil?''


    Drayce knew what she was thinking, so he replied to her silent question. "I won''t look at you. Rest assured." He then walked towards the chair where he sat with his back facing the bed. "Make sure you eat well."


    A small smile blossomed on Seren''s face. She removed her veil and started eating, knowing she didn''t have to worry when he had given her his words.


    Meanwhile, Drayce resumed his work��or rather, he tried to, but he could not make himself focus on the parchment in his hand. His wife was in the same chamber as him, and she was now without her veil. Though he wasn''t openly showing it on his face, his curiosity was piqued. He could feel his heart beating faster at the thought of finally seeing her face without her veil.


    ''I wonder how she looks.''


    He had a strong urge to turn and look at her face but��He took a series of deep breaths to calm his thoughts, and he managed to stop himself from doing something that would break her trust in him.


    ''I will wait,'' he told himself. ''I will wait till the day she allows me to see her of her own volition.''


    Not knowing what was going on inside Drayce''s mind, Seren continued to eat peacefully while peeking at him from time to time. Once she was done, she put her veil back on her face and servants were called in to clear the footed tray.


    After a while, Seren stepped out of bed and went towards Drayce. She peeked at the parchment in his hand and it seemed to be a document regarding the security around the royal pce. Knowing she was nearby, he acknowledged her presence by silently tilting his head towards her. She responded by sitting in the empty chair next to him.


    "Did you have a good meal?" he asked as he put down the parchment.


    She nodded and then asked slowly, "If it''s not much of a bother��That man��I mean, the winged man who saved me��"


    "Do you want to go see him?" Drayce asked, knowing his wife well. She was a kind person and would not ignore anyone''s good grace to her.


    She nodded. "Is it fine?"


    "Of course, you can see him," Drayce assured and stood up. "I will take you to him."


    Seren seemed surprised. "Aren''t you busy?" She deliberately nced at the parchments on the table.


    Drayce merely offered her his hand to help her stand up. "I am never too busy for you, my Queen."


    When they reached the chamber where Aureus was being kept, they saw Lady Tyra sitting on the chair next to the bed. The young man with golden hair was still unconscious.


    Seeing the royal couple, Lady Tyra stood up to greet them with a small bow. She then looked at Seren with a concerned gaze. "How are you feeling now, Queen Seren?"


    "I am fine, Lady Tyra," Seren replied and walked towards the bed. She looked at the young man lying in bed. Due to the stressful situation that night, she didn''t get a good look at her saviour''s appearance. She could mostly remember that he had the most beautiful golden wings. "Thanks to him, I am able to return to the pce. Did we figure out who he is?"


    "His name is Aureus, Your Majesty. He is a friend of the previous queen, Queen Esther," Lady Tyra vaguely answered, not going into details.


    Seren was surprised but then she recalled that the man introduced himself when he saved her. "No wonder he told me he''s the King''s friend." As she said those words, she didn''t realize that Drayce flinched beside her. "Is he still not well? Is he badly injured?" she asked, feeling worried despite not seeing any visible wounds or bandages on the man.


    Lady Tyra sighed. "The impact of ck magic is more severe on himpared to yours, Your Majesty, and the internal injuries will take time to heal. It will take more time for him to recover."


    "It''s all because of me," Seren mumbled. "It is because he saved me."


    "Your Majesty, do not me yourself. The ones at fault are those who harmed both of you. Do not worry much," Lady Tyra tried to assure her.


    Seren studied the unconscious man for a while, but then one could see she looked more and more puzzled the longer she stared.


    "Is something wrong?" Drayce asked.


    "Nothing, it''s just��" Seren hesitated. "I swear I saw wings. He swooped in to save me and we were flying��"


    "You didn''t see anything wrong, my Queen," Drayce rified. "This man has wings, but they have taken a different form now. You can see that cloak-like thing over his shoulders as well as those scar-like tattoos on his face? Those are symbols of his n. He is a shapeshifter from the feathered race."


    "A shapeshifter?" Seren repeated. She had read about them in story books but she had always thought they were a myth.


    Drayce briefly exined to her about shapeshifters the way they were described in the books left by Esther to her son. But he didn''t tell her who Aureus really was��their pet eagle, Dusk.


    "Lady Tyra, please take good care of him. I hope he gets well soon so that I can thank him," Seren said. The more she looked at him, the more she felt subconsciously attached to this shapeshifter as if she already knew him.


    "Why do I feel like I''ve already met him?" she mumbled under her breath.


    Drayce and Lady Tyra only looked at each other, debating whether they should tell her the truth now or dy it until she had sufficient time to recover from the shocking incident with the hooded figures. Drayce then shook his head towards the olderdy; he decided that it was better to leave this matter to Aureus himself. After all, this was his secret and whether he wanted to tell his identity to them or not should depend on his will.


    "Shall we leave and let him rest?" Drayce suggested, which brought her out of her thoughts.


    Seren nodded and followed Drayce out of the room, not without taking onest look at the unconscious shapeshifter.


    As they closed the door behind me, Seren sighed. "Grandmother must also be worried because of me."


    "She was, but I already had the servants inform her you''re better. She must be d and relieved that you are fine," Drayce replied as they walked along the quiet hallway. "She came to see you a few times but you were sleeping."


    "I think I should go see her.".


    Drayce had no reason to stop her. "She is in the hanging garden out front."


    "How did you know?" Seren asked as she remembered Drayce was by her side all the time.


    "I can hear her talking to her servant," Drayce replied.


    Only then did Seren remember the olddy telling her before about Drayce''s sharp hearing senses. "You can hear her at this moment, right?"


    Drayce nodded. "Grandmother must have told you lots of things about me."


    "Hmm, she did," Seren said and held his hand.


    It surprised Drayce as he looked at their hands swinging along with their footsteps. Her fingers were entangled with his and he could feel her squeezing his hand when he looked at her.


    Within those purple eyes, he could see the change in the way she looked at him. Her gaze was softer, gentler��


    Even before he could say a word, she tugged at his hand so that they would stop walking. She then let go of his hand and wrapped her slender arms around him, leaving him speechless.


    What happened to his wife?


    It was a strange yet weed change. Ever since she woke up, she didn''t miss any chance to show her affection towards him. She had never done all these things on her own before. Was it the effect of the incident where she was scared by those who nned to abduct her? Did this make her realize his importance in her life?


    "What happened?" he asked as he hugged her back, enjoying the warmth of having her in his arms. Somewhere inside him, he knew the reason but still asked.


    "I just felt like hugging you," she replied. Seren had grown up without much interaction with people, that''s why she''s never been vocal and mostly struggled to share her honest thoughts through words, and she''s morefortable using gestures and actions to show her sincerity. "You are a good person, Dray, and I am d that I am with you."


    Not just with her actions, but even her simple yet honest words made the young man speechless. A gentle smile appeared on his normally cold face as he was happy with everything she was doing��her actions when she held his hand and hugged him, her sweet words when she said she missed him, especially when she said she didn''t want to go away from him and wanted to be with him. He liked every bit of it.


    ''Has she finally fallen for me? Is it love she is feeling, or just gratitude that she has safely returned? I wish it is the former��I really wish it is the former��''


    ===


    Note Regarding plot.


    I have shown the past in detail for you all to know what exactly happened but there are things that Grandmother and Seren don''t know though it was shown that the Grandmother was narrating it to Seren.


    For example- they don''t know about Dusk being a shapeshifter.

 Chapter 529 Guilty Slayer

    4 chapters, dedicated to reader "Peaches". Thank you for the supergift. <3<3


    -----


    With his mind filled with hopeful thoughts about the possibility of his wife starting to have a real affection for him, Drayce felt as if the fog of sadness he didn''t know he had surrounding his heart was slowly being lifted. His shoulders rxed as he continued to hug her small slender form while breathing in the sweet smell of her hair.


    Whatever the reason was, Drayce liked the way his wife was treating him since she woke up.


    Once she felt content with the hug, Seren raised her head to look at him. From the gentle curve of her eyes, he could see that she was smiling at him. She seemed happy. "My Queen, would you like to go back to our chamber and continue further?"


    Though Seren could not clearly understand the meaning of his words, she had a vague idea based on the glint of his eyes and immediately let him go. Her face was blushing as she looked away. "I think we should visit Grandmother. I want to personally let her know I''m fine."


    Drayce no longer pursued the topic. Still, as they walked, a smirk could be seen on his normally cold face. He enjoyed teasing Seren��the way she always reacted to him was quite a sight to see.


    The couple reached the garden in no time where they saw the Great Lady talking to her servants. They overheard her instructing them about the new nts they have nted in the hanging garden and telling them which nts they should move over to the greenhouse.


    The moment she saw Seren, Great Lady Theodora ceased what she was doing and turned to the neers with a wide smile on her lips. She excused the servants and went to hold Seren''s hand.


    "My dear, how are you feeling now?" the olddy asked and she gently squeezed it. "Why did you leave the bed? Shouldn''t you continue resting?" She threw a ming gaze at Drayce. "Dray, why did you allow her to walk when she should be in bed?"


    "I am fine, Grandmother. I wanted to see you." Seren squeezed back the Great Lady''s warm hand. "Apologies for worrying you."


    "Oh, dear, no. Why are you apologizing? I should be the one to apologize that you had to go through something terrible while you were staying here with me. I failed to protect you," the olddy said with an apologetic tone.


    Seren used both of her hands to cup the Great Lady''s hand as sheforted her. "Grandmother, please don''t feel bad. I am fine and in front of you now."


    As he watched his wife and grandmother talk, a servant came to inform him that his guest, Lord Jasper, had arrived at the Crystal Pce as per his orders.


    Drayce had been expecting Jasper to arrive, as he had summoned him through yer while Seren was unconscious. He left the two women to talk in the garden and went to the drawing-room that had an open balcony attached to the garden.


    Inside were his most trusted subordinates, the King''s aide and his guardian knight.


    The two men stood up from their seats and bowed to Drayce as soon as they saw him enter through the open balcony. "Greetings, Your Majesty!"


    Drayce gestured for them to sit down as he took a seat for himself. yer was unusually quiet, while Jasper looked agitated.


    As soon as Jasper arrived in the royal pce to start his day, he found yer waiting for him in his office with the King''s immediate summons. From the knight''s brief recount, Jasper had been informed about the breach of security within the royal pce. He also learned that while such a terrible incident urredst night, yer, who had been given the role of the Queen''s escort, had been unaware of it all.


    Jasper kept on ncing at the view outside the balcony, where he could see the Queen talking with the King''s grandmother.


    "Seems like Her Majesty is fine now," Jasper started while checking on Drayce''s expressionless face.


    yer nced in the direction of the female royalty outside and felt relieved to see the Queen looking uninjured. As themander of the royal knights, he was feeling guilty after learning what happened the previous night. He failed to keep his duty and failed to protect the Queen in the absence of the King, his friend.


    Draven nodded to what Jasper said. "Nothing to worry about."


    "Your Majesty, I am awaiting your orders," yer spoke up. "Three brigades of royal knights are ready to be dispatched to search the forest around the Crystal Pce. I will lead the search��"


    "No need for it, yer. Our knights won''t be able to find them," Drayce replied.


    "Even if we don''t find them, we can look for traces."


    Drayce still turned him down. "Those are dangerous people with powers humans can''t handle."


    "Your Majesty, I chose our elite knights for the search."


    "More reasons for them not to go. I don''t wish to put them in unnecessary danger. I will take care of it on my own."


    "But��"


    "yer," Drayce pressed, "you can stop ming yourself. Those are not the ones that can be dealt with by humans. It was not your fault that they sneaked in. I should have been more careful with my wife''s protection."


    Jasper sighed deeply. "The same thing I have been trying to tell him but this stonehead doesn''t want to listen. I bet the only thought in his head now is how to ughter the enemies. He will only stop feeling guilty after he finds the enemies and kills them."


    yer didn''t deny it as he could not wait to get hands on those who tried to abduct the Queen. He could never forgive them for harming her greatly.


    Though Drayce was not ming him as those were someone he could not deal with, Drayce could not let go of the fact that he failed to fulfil his responsibilities as a knight of the royal family. Drayce had clearly trusted him to protect his wife, and yet he was unable to do so.

 Chapter 530 Aureus Awake

    Drayce could understand yer''s feelings well. After all, wasn''t he also guilty of the same thing? Though he looked fine on the surface, he was feeling quite angry that he allowed Seren to be hurt in the first ce. Worse, he wasn''t there when she truly needed him.


    "I will be heading to check the forest in person tonight. You can apany me."


    yer could not be more grateful than this and nodded immediately.


    "That man who ims to have saved Her Majesty, is he awake?" yer asked.


    "Not yet. He is severely injured," Drayce replied.


    "Are you sure we can trust him?" Jasper asked. "I need his description to verify his identity. May I go see him?"


    Drayce didn''t even have to think about his response. "No need to investigate. We can trust him. He is someone my mother trusted as well and Lady Tyra can vouch for his identity."


    Though he assured them with his mother''s reference, Drayce himself trusted Aureus, no, Dusk. Though in a different form, he had been by his side for more than two decades and had seen all facets of his life.


    Somewhere deep within him, he felt a sense of betrayal that his friend had turned out to be a shapeshifter, someone powerful, and had hidden the truth from him, yet at the same time, the time they had spent together and the trust they built along the way was something that could not be easily shaken up.


    ----


    That evening, the young man with golden hair finally stirred in bed. When he regained consciousness, he was weed by the sight of Lady Tyra sitting on one of the chairs inside the room. She was bent over with her face buried in her hands, her body trembling as if she was crying.


    Though Aureus felt a dull pain all over his body, seeing the trembling of those frail shoulders, he tried to pretend he wasn''t hurting.


    Just a single look at the olddy and he could guess she must have stayed by his side out of worry for him. Though she was always strict with him, he knew there was no one who cared for him as much as she did. She treated him like her own son.


    "Tyra��?" he called her with a raspy voice that pulled her attention to him.


    The olddy turned to look at the source of weak voice, and the next moment a relieved smile graced her lips. Her reddened eyes blinked back her tears as she hurried towards the bed.


    "Aureus, you��"


    However, the next words were stuck in her throat and she could do nothing else but cry. Tears continued to roll down her eyes as she hurried to touch his pulse and check his condition. She never showed how much he meant to her, but now, she simply could not stop her emotions seeing him awake. Ever since she found him unconscious, not even for a moment could she be at peace.


    Aureus could understand what she was feeling and answered her unspoken question, "I am fine, Tyra."


    With her trembling lips curving into a brittle smile, she simply nodded, not being able to say a word.


    -----


    Drayce soon received the news of Aureus being awake. An hourter, after Lady Tyra confirmed that Aureus was fit enough to meet others, she asked him to visit the King first. She knew they must have things to talk about.


    Aureus was familiar with theyout of the Crystal Pce, and there was no need for him to be guided towards the drawing room of the pce where he would be meeting Drayce. When he reached there, Drayce was not alone.


    Seren and the Great Lady were sitting on two chairs beside him, while Drayce''s two subordinates, yer and Jasper, were also present and standing behind Drayce.


    It was weird for Drayce to pretend as if he had no idea that this Divine Eagle was his pet, and he felt bothered over how to deal with it. Fortunately, he was good at maintaining his calm and thus he was able to respond formally when Aureus bowed to him to greet him with perfect manners.


    Drayce epted it with a light nod, while others present in the room silently observed the young man with golden hair, those unaware of his identity guessing whether he was truly a friend and not a foe.


    Other than those who had seen his winged form, the people who heard what happened found it hard to believe that those mythical beasts like a shapeshifting eagle existed in reality.


    Aureus nced at Seren who was looking at him curiously with those beautiful purple eyes of hers filled with nothing but innocence. He felt relieved to see her all fine. If something had happened to her, he didn''t know what he would have done.


    "How are you now?" Aureus heard Drayce say.


    He looked at him and replied, "My body ispletely fine. Thank you so much for helping me and saving my life, Your Majesty. I owe you for this."


    "You have saved my wife so you don''t owe me anything. I can only show my gratitude to you," Draycemented.


    "Your mother is my saviour and I would do anything to save those that are important to her. I was merely doing what should," Aureus replied politely.


    Drayce didn''t counter that, and after he had confirmed some details about the hooded figures from the shapeshifter and his wife, he turned to ask Aureus, "What do you n on doing after this?"


    "I n to find out more about those who tried to abduct Her Majesty the Queen. During that incident, I got to know they are the same ones who harmed my mother," Aureus replied calmly but his golden eyes showed how enraged he was.


    "As our enemies are the same, it will be helpful if we work together. Since they made a big move, they would have left traces. It won''t take much time to find them. I don''t wish to spare any of them for harming my wife," Drayce dered his intentions.

 Chapter 531 Seren Initiated The Kiss

    "I will be d to work together with Your Majesty," Aureus replied.


    "You can stay in the pce till then," Drayce offered despite knowing there was no need, as in his eagle form, his pet Dusk would always be in the pce premises anyway.


    "Thank you so much, Your Majesty, but I shall refuse your kindness. I have my ce. I will simplye when you need my presence," Aureus replied, his tone implying that he''s about to excuse himself.


    Jasper then stepped in to escort him out. "I am the King''s aide. Allow me to lead you out. Where do you stay exactly, Mister Aureus? I shall have a carriage arranged for you, and I''ll have one messenger be ced by your side."


    But the young man with golden hair shook his head. "I live in a cave at the top of one of the mountains on the northern side of the capital. Your arrangements would be inconvenient and unnecessary."


    "Top of the mountain? Those peaks that are covered by clouds all year round. Isn''t that ce too far?" Jasper asked curiously.


    "Not for me," Aureus replied. "I shall leave then, Your Majesty."


    "Fine then, as you wish," Drayce agreed to his wishes. "How do I call you when I want to meet you?"


    Aureus stood silently for a moment. "The whistle you have with you, Your Majesty, the same one you use to call for your pet, you can use that to call for me. I wille if you blow three short whistles on it."


    Drayce didn''t even ask him how he knew about the whistle. As Aureus bowed and walked to leave through the door, Seren hesitantly spoke up, "Are you not going to fly, Aureus?"


    Aureus turned to look at her while others looked at her as well. She was simply curious to see the pair of wings she had seen before going unconscious in the arms of her savior.


    She sensed everyone''s gazes on her and then realized what she had done. "Apologies��I was just��"


    The next moment, a pair of golden wings showed behind Aureus, fully stretching them to show them off as if he knew what she wanted from him. She looked at his wings like a kid got to see something really amazing. Not just her, but even the rest looked at him the same way, except for Drayce and Lady Tyra who had seen his winged form before.


    With those wings pping behind him, his entire body emitted the golden shine that made him look divine.


    "They are so huge," Seren mumbled as she smiled.


    Aureus bowed to her lightly, and the next moment, the Divine Eagle flew out of the window, his fast speed causing his form to disappear from their sights within a manner of several seconds. What was left behind was just a strong gust of wind.


    "That was amazing," Jasper mumbled as he looked at yer. "Isn''t it?"


    yer simply nodded while Jasper''s excitement matched with that of Seren''s.


    ------


    After the sun had set and darkness covered the sky, Drayce dressed himself in simple practical clothes that would allow easy movement within the forest to search for evidence that would lead him to those mysterious people.


    "Are you leaving somewhere?" Seren asked, seeing him getting ready as if he''s heading out.


    Drayce nodded as he hung his signature ck clothes with the gold embroidery on a nearby rack. The long outer robe he used whenever he''s on official duty was gone, leaving him dressed in a pure ck undershirt covered by a body-fitting vest of the same style and sturdy fitted pants with the dark boots made of thick hide on his feet. He tied the belt with a simple scabbard at his waist and then turned to look at his wife who had a concerned look in her eyes.


    "I will leave to investigate those hooded figures," Drayce replied as he walked towards his wife who was standing a few steps away from him. From her eyes, he could see her anxiety upon hearing his n for the night.


    "I don''t want you to go. I don''t want you to be hurt," she said as she saw himing towards her.


    "Don''t you know how strong your husband is?"


    "But they''re dangerous people, and you''re heading on your own��"


    Drayce stopped in front of her. He could understand her worry. He held her hands gently and spoke, "They are dangerous but you should not underestimate your husband, my Queen."


    His words reminded Seren about who Drayce really was. He was the son of the Devil and his mother was one powerful witch as well. From what Grandmother told her, Drayce was blessed with extraordinary powers because he inherited much of his parents'' talents.


    "I know��but I can''t help but worry. I just don''t want you to be hurt."


    "I promise, I will return with not a single scratch on me even if I have to face those people," he assured. "Besides, I am going there to investigate, to understand who they are and estimate their true strength. Since they''re a group, then it''s highly likely those who came to abduct you are only a fraction of their strength. I will go purely for reconnaissance so that I will be able to get rid of them in one swoopter on."


    Her anxious eyes looked into his pair of determined eyes. "You have to keep your promise."


    "I will," he assured and then asked as a teasing smirk appeared on his lips. "In exchange for keeping my promise, what do I get? I will be more motivated if I get a reward from my wife."


    Seren didn''t think much as she had now started to understand the meaning behind that teasing smirk and his words. She tiptoed and left a soft peck on his lips as her hands gripped onto his arms for support.


    Itsted for only a brief second, but Drayce felt his heart shake. Her eyes were closed, that''s why she didn''t get to see the surprise in Drayce''s open eyes.


    ''She initiated a kiss��?''

 Chapter 532 So Bold And So Perfect

    His sweet little wife embraced him on her own, and now she even initiated to kiss him. To say his heart wasn''t moved would be a lie.


    ''It would have been perfect if not for this damn veil.''


    When she moved away, Drayce looked into those beautiful purple eyes as he neared his face to hers.


    "This much is not enough, my Queen."


    Though surprised, she didn''t back away and let him nuzzle their nose together. She then felt his hand move towards her cheek and touched the veil covering her face. It scared her for a moment�� that he would remove her veil and see her appearance�� but she immediately rxed upon seeing him close his eyes before he removed the fabric of her veil from her face.


    The next moment, their lips met and the warmth of his mouth melted away all the fear she was feeling. She trusted him that he would not go back on his words. His warm lips captured her soft ones slowly, and he took his sweet time to suck and nibble on them as if he''s cherishing the taste and texture of her lips, pulling her into a long, loving kiss.


    Seren closed her eyes as her hands clutched onto his clothes and she kissed him back with the same sweetness. Her response delighted him as she didn''t look hesitant even a bit and kissed him back wholeheartedly.


    He tilted his head slightly to the right and enjoyed the sensation of rose petals against his lips. The kiss was passionate but unhurried, deep yet reverent, with his tongue softly teasing hers as she let out a satisfied moan in response.


    Drayce was as gentle as he could be with her; she was still recovering and there were many things to worry about first before they could have time to enjoy each other. Though the kiss was full of affection, he kept himself in check. He loved her and worried for her more than anything else.


    After what seemed like a long yet short time, the pair of husband and wife parted their lips from each other, though they kept their faces still close as they both gasped for air. Drayce still had his eyes closed but Seren took this chance to observe that handsome face of her husband.


    Because he had his eyes closed, his thick eyshes were visible to her, and she had the urge to touch them. That sharp nose that perfectly bnced his face, his thin lips slightly parted a little and still wet due to their kiss, his radiant skin and that well-carved jaw that showed off his masculine charm��everything about him was so alluring to Seren.


    Though she had note across many people in her life, she had seen enough from both the royalties and nobilities from Abetha and Megaris. She bet that this man in front of her was the most handsome one she could evere across in her life.


    Trying to calm himself with his eyes still closed, unaware of what his wife was doing, Drayce''s hand that was holding up the fabric of her veil was about to put it back to cover her face when��


    His hand was stopped by Seren. She held his hand as she continued to look at his handsome face which was now startled by her action, not knowing why she stopped him. He wondered if this meant she was finally allowing him to see her face, but her next action shocked him.


    Seren leaned towards his face and kissed him once more.


    Her hand let go of his and both her arms circled his neck as she tiptoed to kiss him better. She captured his lips back and continued to savor them the way she liked it, and Drayce was happy to allow her to takeplete charge of this kiss.


    Seren would never have guessed that her actions were making her husband fall for her more. He wondered what more shocking things he would be facing one after another.


    His hands moved to her back to support her tiptoeing body. She just did not just y with his lips but imitated the kind of kiss Drayce had always pulled her into. She used her tongue to tease his, and Drayce responded in kind, smart enough to let her have her way as he enjoyed her taking the dominant role this time. He obediently opened his mouth and let her y with his tongue as needy groans left his throat.


    Her small tongue made slow circles as she tasted his coarse one, and together, they rolled in an intimate dance without a tinge of hesitation.


    ''So bold and so perfect!''


    Drayce could not help but praise her in his heart. They stopped after a while when Seren could no longer hold her breath at all. Drayce panted heavily just like his wife and rested his forehead on hers. "Do you wish to continue this in the bedroom, my Queen?"


    While breathing just as heavily as him, she asked, "Do you still have to go out, Your Majesty?"


    Drayce could not help but smile at this. She didn''t say ''no'' but she didn''t directly try to stop him.


    "I wish I would not have to go but there is no other way. My wife''s safetyes first."


    "I will be fine," she assured. "With you by my side, I believe they won''t dare harm me."


    "I know, but they are dangerous people who I cannot allow to stay in my kingdom. As a king, it''s my responsibility to get rid of all kinds of threats to my people," he exined.


    "I understand," she said and then Drayce put that veil back on her face so that he could finally open his eyes and see his wife.


    He held her chin and made her look at him. "Do not be upset. Once I find them, we will have time to continue this."


    Seren nodded and said like a responsible wife, "Come back safely."


    "I will. You shall go to sleep. I will be beside you by the time you open your eyes in the morning." He pecked on her forehead and then left. Seren silently watched him leaving with her hand over her chest, trying to calm her racing heart.

 Chapter 533 Such A Dedicated Lover

    Under the guidance of dim moonlight, Drayce headed to the designated meeting ce outside of the Crystal Pce where his guardian knight, yer, was waiting for him d in a simr ck garb as him. Shortly after, Aureusnded in front of them, his golden appearance strikingly bright in the darkness inparison to the two.


    For the sake of investigating the identity of those hooded figures, these three men would be forming a reconnaissance group.


    "You can fly and lead the way towards the route the enemies took. I and yer will follow and search the ground for traces," Drayce instructed.


    Aureus was aware of Drayce''s teleporting power and Drayce knew he didn''t have to exin anything to Aureus about anything. That meant he didn''t have to purposely slow down for them.


    The pair of majestic golden wings behind him opened once more as the young Divine Eagle flew in the direction of the forest where he saved Seren. Drayce put his hand on yer''s shoulder. "Are you ready?"


    yer nodded, and the next moment, the two men disappeared from the outskirts of the Crystal Pce, leaving nothing but a strong gust of wind behind.


    A secondter, they appeared on the other side of theke where the two men found an abandoned boat on thekeside. It was the very boat Seren took when she followed Drayce''s illusion. From there, Drayce looked up at the night sky where he saw Aureus'' golden form still flying ahead.


    Once again, Drayce and yer disappeared from there, and after a few more stops, they finally reached the vast de where those mysterious people had captured Aureus and Seren.


    The empty circr ce surrounded by trees still bore traces of rocks and soil upturned.


    "This was the ce where I saved the Queen," Aureus told them as hended behind the two.


    The de still had traces of ck magic that was used there. Drayce and Aureus could easily sense the destructive nature of the magic, while yer could only look around the ce that bore traces of a fight no human was capable of. With his limited eyesight, he tried to inspect the ce to find anything that could be useful.


    Drayce observed the ground. "This isn''t a single cast spell. From the leftover traces, I am sure there was a trapping formation ced in this part of the forest, once that would require them nting enchanted medium in advance. They seemed to have prepared for this abduction for a long time. They had been lingering in this forest for a while, but we had no clue."


    "They have managed to hide themselves well. Their leader was more powerful than me, and after tasting her powers, I can say it was not a difficult task for them to evade your senses," Aureus replied.


    yer saw something on the ground and picked it up. To an untrained eye, it looked like a twig, but the experienced knight recognized it to be a broken body of an arrow. It was due to the nock of the arrow-- a small finely carved nock made of white bone--still attached to the end of the stick.


    He brought it to Drayce. "Your Majesty, I found this remnant of an arrow that seems to belong to them. In our kingdom, arrows don''t have such a nock since we use wood."


    "It has carvings on the body." Drayce held the broken arrow and observed the nock. "The symbols are in the ancientnguage ''Eltharin'' spoken by elves. Though it was simplified in Arcanenguage, seeing how the person has still used the ancient version, that means they have an elf which is around a thousand years old."


    Aureus, who was busy inspecting the ce, caught the word ''elf'' and saw the broken arrow in Drayce''s hand. "Your Majesty, remember when I told you someone interfered with the ck Witch? That elf was an archer. This belongs to that elf who helped us escape the barrier made of ck magic. He is not the enemy but someone who helped us."


    Drayce did recall Aureus telling him about that savior, but it surprised him to find out that not just any elf but an elf with seniority was roaming so close to ckhelm. If his guess was not wrong, that savior might as well be the same silver-haired elf he had dealt with days back.


    "You said you have gone to his ce--" Drayce stopped speaking as his ears caught something and his hand gripped on his sword. But before he could even take it out, he heard someone speak.


    "Do you think you can deal with me with a mere sword?"


    Everyone looked at the silver-haired neer who had a casual smile on his elegantly handsome face. The man with pointed ears walked leisurely towards them with both hands folded behind him, and his long hair moving along the night breeze as if it was materialized moonlight.


    Drayce recognized him at first nce-- it was the very same elf who followed Seren. yer also gripped the handle of his sword, ready to deal with the neer while Aureus was calm but alert at the same time. He knew this elf so he was somehow sure there was nothing to worry about.


    "Are you looking down on me by only pulling out your sword? I bet you have more in you to show," the elf continued as he continued to walk towards Drayce.


    Drayce''s hand let go of the handle of his sword and threw a meaningful gaze at yer to instruct him that it was fine.


    The elf stood in front of Drayce, "So, this time you n to fight or once again throw me in the mountains. But let me tell you it is of no use."


    "Before deciding what to do with you, I would like to know who you are, elf," Drayce asked in a dignified manner. "Why did you follow us here from Abetha?


    "Why else? I got curious about the powers residing inside your wife," the elf said without any hesitation. "Last time, did I not tell you already? If you want to know who I am, then in exchange, I would like to know your wife as well."


    His red eyes held a darker hue. "There is nothing to know about her. Stay away from her. I already have enough to deal with to protect her."


    "I might be of help. You don''t know why she is in danger, do you?" the elf asked with a yful smirk spreading over his face.


    Drayce had a vague idea from the clues he gathered so far.


    Seren''s father, the King of Abetha, didn''t tell him the entire thing and only expected him to suppress the essence of his daughter''s power with the help of the strong power Drayce himself possessed. He did find it odd that the older king did not tell him the identity of those people who were after Seren or why exactly they were after her. Drayce took it that her father must have decided it would be safer to withhold some crucial information.


    "I don''t wish to know what she has inside her. All I need to know is that I have to protect her. If knowing about the power inside her can put her in danger, then I have no interest in it."


    "Such a dedicated lover," the elf smirked. "I hope you will find who you are looking for, but if you care enough to listen to my words, then let me tell you that those people are not real threats to your wife. The ones you need to fight are much stronger than you can imagine."


    "What do you mean?"


    The elf crossed his arms over his chest. "You cannot expect me to tell you stuff without gaining anything in return."


    "Name your price," Drayce said with a cold tone.


    "I already told you. What I want is to know that mysterious power inside your wife."


    "Then there is nothing for us to talk about," Drayce said in dismissal. "We would like to continue our search."

 Chapter 534 Hideout

    "As you wish. But I am sure soon you will seek for my help, and when that timees, you can pay a visit to my humble lodging," the elf said and looked at Aureus. "He knows where I stay."


    Drayce decided to ignore the elf and turn his attention back to search for any clues left in this ce. "Since they set up such a formation, that means they must have been observing the movements within the pce for some time. Their hiding ce must also be within this forest. We need to search for it."


    "I do not think we will find them even if we go to their hiding ce. By now, they must have fled from ckhelm," Aureusmented.


    "We need to gather as much intelligence as we could," Drayce said as they continued to search further. "We cannot afford to miss even a single detail."


    As the group moved around the vicinity, the elf apanied them like a shadow. Drayce offered him a questioning look to ask why he was sticking around.


    The elf replied to him with a bored look. "What?"


    "Why do you follow us, elf?"


    "Stop acting like it is all about you and your wife. ck magic practitioners are a scourge to our kind. Even without you, I would try to look for them. I don''t find it necessary to ask for your permission to investigate their whereabouts."


    Drayce didn''t bother to question him anymore. Though he wasn''t sure if he was truly an ally, he at least knew this elf was not hostile to him, at least, at this moment. He then proceeded with his search.


    After a long time, they finally found traces of ck magic that weren''t on the escape route Aureus took when he was saving Seren. It was actually leading towards one of the rugged peaks in the northwest. As their group drew closer to the mountain, the darkness inside Drayce started to react strongly.


    "Let''s move faster," he said as soon as he determined the direction.


    Soon enough, even Aureus and the silver-haired elf started to show visible disgust on their faces, as the path they were taking did not merely bore traces of ck magic, but as if there was a swamp formed from strong ck magic in the air that''s causing them to feel dissonance as beings of nature.


    "I think it''s nearby," Drayce said as they stopped somewhere in the middle of the forest. "The ck magic is so thick here that it''s hard to use powers of other attributes in this area. We need to manually search. Spread out ande back in five minutes."


    The elf merely crossed his arm when he saw Drayce''s eyes on him. "I''m not part of your group. I''ll just stay here."


    After a while, the three men returned to where the elf was standing empty-handed.


    yer looked around the trees once more. "Your Majesty, if there is no cabin on the surface, there is a high chance that it is an underground hideout." He tapped his feet on the ground at random ces while walking. After some time, he finally felt something and pulled out his sword from the scabbard and tapped its handle with force on the ground.


    Thud! Thud!


    "I think we found it," yermented and others approached the spot he hit.


    "We need to find the entrance and enter the proper way so nothing inside would be destroyed," Drayce suggested.


    "Leave it to me, Your Majesty."


    yer, being the master of such things, knew best where to look for and it didn''t take him much time to find it. The entrance to that underground hideout was at the base of one of the massive trees that weremon in this part of the forest. Itsrge roots were all over the ground and spread everywhere in a haphazard manner.


    Between thoserge roots, at the base of the tree, there was a wooden door that was covered by tall grass. If no one would especially look for it, one would have thought it was just a rotten nk of wood that had fallen out from the tree.


    "Your Majesty, I found the entrance!" yer called out.


    The elf looked at it as he mumbled, "Seems like this ce is of no use for them as they even removed the magic spell hiding that door."


    yer opened that door, and the three supernatural beings flinched as they felt the thick onught of ck magic being emitted from the hole. It was better for Drayce due to his darkness attribute, but it was especially nauseating for the shapeshifter and the elf.


    The way down was pitch ck, and yer, being an ordinary human, needed to light a torch to see underground. Seeing the three men not doing anything, the knight was about to take out one of the items he prepared for tonight when his king gestured for him to not move.


    As the four men stood at the entrance of the hideout, Drayce raised his hand. The next moment, a fire appeared on the torches that were hanging along the walls leading underground. It wasmon sense that such a ce would have such an arrangement already, especially since this ought to be a hideout used by those hooded people.


    With their way illuminated, yer brandished his sword in front of him and was first to step on the stairs leading underground.


    "Your Majesty, please allow me."


    Being the King''s guardian knight, it was his duty to face any danger before his liege and Drayce did not stop him from fulfilling his duties.


    Acting as the vanguard, yer was fully alert as he went down first while Aureus followed behind him in an even more cautious manner, knowing he needed to be able to react fast to protect the human in front of him.


    Still, at the entrance, Drayce nced at the elf who seemed intent to follow them as well.


    "Your Majesty, after you," the elf said with a teasing smirk as to annoy Drayce more but the young king chose to ignore him. They walked down the stairs, and after determining there were no traps, followed the small passage that opened into a grand hall. It had a firepit in the centre, seemingly like a ce where rituals were being held.


    "Are these ruins of an older kingdom?" yer asked.


    The wise elf observed the ce and shook his head. "Though the architecture is from a few centuries back, the stones are quarried from nearby and the ce seems only about less than five decades old. Look at the traces on the pirs. Seems like the ce is only for them to gather, a meeting ce, and not their headquarters."


    "Sir Elf, are you implying they did not find this ce but they have built it long back?" yermented.


    "That is indeed the case."


    "For them to create a hideout rather than hide within the city, that meant they had other activities within ckhelm that involved other supernatural beings several decades ago. Seren was not their initial target as she came to this kingdom recently. Their target was something--or rather, someone else," Drayce said and looked at Aureus. "You mentioned you and your mother had an incident two decades back?"


    Aureus had a look of deep thought before voicing out his guesses.


    "If I am not wrong, this might be to get me. My mother and I had been living in istion, moving around from one ce to another, for as long as I could remember. We were probably running away from them for a long time and were finally caught here. After they lost me, they built this ce knowing they will find me when I return here someday. When Her Majesty the Queen arrived in the kingdom, they found another target."


    Meanwhile, something else caught the elf''s attention. There was another narrow corridor hidden behind one of the pirs. If it was not for his fine sight, it would have been difficult to discover it because it seemed to perfectly blend among the shadows. He walked towards it and observed the entrance of that narrow corridor.


    ''It is protected with a powerful illusion formation so that supernaturals with less keen eyesight won''t be able to see it.''


    As there were no torches along that corridor, the elf used a magic spell to generate mes that floated in the air in front of him. With a source of light, he carefully strolled to the end of that narrow corridor.


    A prison cell. Metal bars were attached to the stone wall and behind those was a small room that was barelyrge enough to hold a person. The other side of the wall had iron chains fixed in it as if someone was being kept captive there with their limbs shackled to the wall.


    The prison cell''s door was unlocked.


    The elf entered the small cell and kneeled down as his attention was caught by certain dark patches on the stone tiles. With his finger, he touched the ground and checked it by rubbing it between his fingers. The smell in the air confirmed his guess.


    ''It''s blood. The blood of a being with a divine bloodline. Who did they keep captive here?''


    The elf''s eyes caught something else and he picked it up from the ground. He could not believe what he saw. Even before he could get out of his surprise, he sensed the othersing his way and immediately hid it.


    ====


    A/N- Dear readers, if you are reading the new book "The Devil''s Cursed Witch" kindly vote your golden tickets to it instead of this one for this month. It is in WSA contest and needs it more.


    I will make sure to update both novels regrly.

 Chapter 535 Found The Golden Hair Strand

    Drayce and others reached the prison cell. Not bothering to look at them, the elf said, "When they escaped, they had brought their captive along with them. Must be someone important, since if it''s just a nobody they wouldn''t bother to keep that captive alive. From the fresh blood, it seems like they have moved that person maybe an hour or two ago. If you had started investigating in the morning, you could have caught these bastards since they seemed to have left by sunset."


    Drayce kneeled on one leg next to the elf and touched the blood on the ground as well. "You are right. It''s fresh."


    "That''s strange. Shouldn''t they have run as soon as their mission failed? It''s been an entire day since the incident, so why wait till the evening to leave?" yermented as he too touched the blood.


    What the elf had observed, Drayce had observed as well. He noticed the illusion formation at the other end of the narrow corridor. He looked at Aureus. "The leader was a ck Witch, right?"


    Aureus nodded.


    Drayce asked. "Is everyone in that group ck magic practitioners?"


    "I cannot confirm, but that seems to be the case."


    "How powerful is shepared to the rest of her group?"


    "She''s several leagues better than them. I was shocked to see how her ck magic could be so strong. I''m afraid she''s as powerful as your mother."


    Drayce stood up and stepped out of the small cell. "Seems that ck Witch, their leader, was hiding someone here, keeping it secret even from her subordinates. That exins why she had to hide the captive using an illusion formation and why she waited for the group to leave before moving that captive at ater time. She probably did it when no one was with her, waiting till she could be alone to move the captive in secret."


    "You can feel it, right? The captive was a supernatural being," the elf added. "One with a powerful divine bloodline."


    Hearing those words, Aureus felt a strange emotion engulf him. "Someone with a divine bloodline...?"


    "Don''t hope," Drayce warned the winged man. "It''s better to not have expectations at this point. There are a number of divine beasts roaming thesends."


    The elf nced between Drayce and Aureus. "Well, no matter the identity of that captive, he or she is no better than livestock at this point. The blood of a divine beast is top-tier medium any ck magic practitioner would go crazy about," the elf exined.


    "Is this why they needed me and my mother?" Aureus said through gritted teeth. He found it disgusting and evil, how they could ruin lives just for the sake of their blood.


    "Not just you, but..." The elf looked at Drayce. "Your wife would have ended up the same if they got her."


    Drayce had already imagined it even before the elf said anything. He could not help but let out a shaky breath to calm himself.


    Aureus shivered. He did not even want to imagine what would have happened if he had failed to save Seren. ''I would have offered myself to them to let her go. Even if it would mean I will be their ve for a lifetime. I cannot let them hurt her. I had already lost my mother to them. I will never let them get to her as well. She is special to me...She is...''


    "There is nothing more here. Let''s leave."


    The elf''s words interrupted Aureus'' thoughts. The elf who had stood up was staring at him, his gaze carrying the meaning that he knew what was going on in Aureus'' mind.


    The elf sighed and walked out from the suffocating corridor. Since there was nothing more for them to find out, their group eventually stepped out of that underground hideout.


    "Since you said that the captive was recently moved out, then they could not move fast due to the captive''s injuries, right? They must be nearby. We should search for them," Aureus said as his wings opened wide, ready to fly up the night sky. His body swiftly left the group without waiting for anyone''s reply.


    As his form disappeared, only his voice was left behind. "Wait for my signal if there is anything..."


    The elf had his hands on his waist as he stared at the now empty sky. "I have something to show you."


    Drayce knew he was speaking to him. "I almost thought you were going to hide it."


    "You don''t miss anything, do you?" the elf said and put forward his hand in which something appeared in between his fingers.


    It was a long fine string which was shining gold like an enchanted item. Drayce picked that string up and it didn''t take him time to realize what it was.


    "Is that a strand of hair, Your Majesty?" yer asked.


    Drayce nodded. "And it probably belongs to someone who is just like Aureus, someone with strong divine powers."


    "Possibly a female one," the elfmented.


    The two looked at each other as they both had the same thought in mind.


    "It might be his mother," the elf finally spoke up.


    Drayce tightened his hold on the hair. "You think she''s still alive?"


    "You''re young so you don''t know, but in my almost thousand years of existence, I''ve only seen a handful of divine beasts with bloodlines so pure, their hair are permanently colored gold," the wise elf said as he shrugged. "Those with pure bloodlines are so rare, they''re treated like royalty in their own ns. They will receive maximum protection from their warriors. There are only one or two born in several generations, you can hardly count on your fingers their numbers who are still alive. If not for his mother, what are the chances the ck Witch can capture another divine beast at the same level as that young Divine Eagle?"


    "So it''s really Aureus''s mother?" yer said.


    "The possibility is high."


    Drayce agreed to it and then said, "For now, keep this a secret from him since we are not sure if it''s truly his mother. We cannot afford having him turn reckless and do something which he should not." Drayce looked at the sky where he could see a golden dot roaming around like a firefly. "I don''t want him to be any kind of danger."


    The silver-haired elf and the knight agreed, and silence enveloped them as they waited for Aureus'' return.


    "Your Majesty, may I ask a question? Why do you think that ck Witch hid her captive even from her subordinates?" yer asked, as he was not knowledgeable about supernaturals.


    "Because ofck of trust," Drayce responded.


    The elf exined it further to the puzzled human.


    "ck magic practitioners practice ''survival of the fittest''. That ck Witch might be that group''s leader, but it''s possible she''s just a mid-level leader, or there are others who have the same rank as hers. People like her don''t like to reveal their true strength or the source of their strengthened powers even to their allies or those belonging to the same circle as them. That witch is probably being careful and keeping that captive secret, using her blood whenever she needs to use a strong ck magic spell. It might be due to that captive''s blood that they were able to form a trapping formation so strong even I could not easily break that barrier with my most powerful spelled arrow."


    After sometime Aureus returned as he could not find any of the traces of that ck witch or any of her acquaintances.


    Aureusnded in front of the other three who were waiting for him, "I could not find anything. I think they have managed to hide again or have gone somewhere far."


    Given her powers, it won''t be difficult for her to go somewhere far but I am sure that the ck Witch would return. They are stubborn creatures and don''t like to get defeated. She will return soon," the elfmented.


    "By then we will be ready and this time she will pay for what she has done," Drayce added. "They all live separately and only gather at such a hideout whenever they have to n something."


    "Your Majesty, that means they are scattered and living inside this kingdom, most precisely inside and around ckhelm but are good at hiding. To date, no one managed to catch His Majesty''s attention, which means they are best at hiding." yer was aware of Drayce''s capability of catching any supernatural power.


    "Or they too are using some kind of strong spell to hide the aura of energy around them," the elfmented.


    "This is very likely possible. To date, I believed nothing could hide my sight but I don''t believe the same now. There are stronger spells that can deceive my eyes even," Drayce said.


    He was amazed at what kind of spell his mother had put on Aureus that more than two decades had passed by but not even once he could sense anything off with his pet other than thinking he was way smarter for being just an eagle. He was not just any shapeshifter but a rare and divine one with the strongest bloodline.


    ''How powerful of a supernatural my mother exactly was to be able to hide Aureus'' so well?'' he could not help but wonder.

 Chapter 536 You Are Connected To The King Of Supernaturals

    Investigating the traces of the mysterious hooded figures took the group an entire night, and soon, it would be dawn. Drayce looked at the still dark sky and remembered he had promised Seren that he would be in front of her when she wakes up.


    "We are yet to conclude our search but it''s better for us to continue again at night," Drayce spoke as his gaze flicked around the forest.


    "Looking for them is not an affair you can finish in a night or two anyway," the elf said as he too looked around the dark forest. "Aside from destruction, stealth is also one of the features of ck magic that makes them difficult to deal with. They are hiding their existence very well, to the point none of us knew they''re around until they moved in the open."


    yer turned to Drayce. "Your Majesty, we can deploy our soldiers to search around this entire forest. As you mentioned, we need to gather as much information as we can. I believe our men can help us see if there are clues we missed."


    "No use using our numbers advantage," Drayce countered. "It''s not even easy for us so clues that involve magic won''t be caught by soldiers. And if those people meet our soldiers by chance, it will only lead to casualty on our side."


    yer backed off, a little disheartened that the enemies this time were beyond human means.


    "I will try to find out more on my side," Aureus said. "I can search during the daytime."


    Drayce looked at him. "Do not move alone. You know you can''t defeat them, and not only that, you are one of the targets they are trying to catch. If you go search for them, it''s like you are offering yourself to them."


    "But I can''t be idle. I need to avenge my mother," Aureus countered as his eyes showed he would not back down. "It is what I have to do��no, this is something I must do," he said with determination. There was another concern guing him, one he could not voice out in front of this group. ''They mighte back for Seren. I cannot let her be in danger again. It''s better to catch them first instead of waiting for them toe to her.''


    "Good. I will be with you in that case," the elf said in support of the young shapeshifter before Drayce could say anything. "I was going to search for them on my own, but having the help of a Divine Eagle will make things easier and more efficient."


    Drayce gave a long hard stare at the determined face of the winged man, and in the end, he sighed internally. Given how stubborn Aureus seems, prohibiting him could not stop him. "Fine! But don''t put yourself in unnecessary danger."


    It surprised Aureus that Drayce was showing goodwill towards him. ''Is it because I saved his wife?''


    The elf spoke towards Aureus. "You know where I live. Come to me once you are ready to set out and we can continue our search."


    Aureus nodded.


    Drayce turned his attention to the elf. "I do not trust you yet, Moon Elf, but��"


    The elf scoffed at him. "Who are you calling a Moon Elf? Are you looking down on me, young man?"


    Drayce narrowed his eyes at the silver-haired elf. "To speak with such arrogance towards your kind, then are you a High Elf?"


    The elf simply crossed his arms in front of him, refraining from saying anything.


    However, Drayce found his suspicions confirmed by that silence. "From what I heard from my mother, the entire n of High Elves was ughtered, and only one descendant remains. Are you that descendant, the one saved by the King of Agartha?"


    A sly look of interest passed through the elf''s face. "Before answering you, I would like to know who your mother is. Looking at you, I thought you are the offspring of those roamers or hermits hiding in the human kingdoms, kind of like me who is powerful enough to survive outside of our people''s protection, but for you to have all this information and familiarity of affairs, it seems like your parents have quite a status among the supernatural beings."


    "My mother indeed has a high status," he replied.


    "May I know her esteemed name?" the elf asked.


    "Esther Ivanov," Drayce replied.


    "Hmm," the elf muttered. "Ivanov is the royalty of this human kingdom. I never came across anyone with the name Esther. It makes me wonder if she is someone I know but if she''s young or if she used an alias��"


    "She had been living among humans for a while, and from what I know, she cut off rtions she had with any supernaturals so not many must know of her."


    "Is that so? But if she''s of high status��hmm��Can I check something?" the elf asked.


    Drayce offered him a questioning gaze and the elf answered his silent question, "Your hand."


    Drayce looked at his hand and then looked at the elf. Thinking it wasn''t much, heplied.


    The elf held his hand and closed his eyes for a few seconds. Feeling the gentle probing power of nature surrounding him, Drayce already understood what this elf was trying to do�� he was looking inside him to check the kind of energy core he had.


    When the elf opened his eyes, it clearly showed that he was surprised.


    "What did you see?" Drayce asked, as if trying to test the elf.


    "Something that you already know. I was just making sure of it for myself," the elf answered vaguely.


    "Now you should answer what I asked," Draycespoke.


    "I am a High Elf," the man with silver hair said, "but technically speaking, I am of mixed blood. My mother was a Moon Elf while my father was a High Elf. However, for elves, it''s the dominant power in our blood that determines our n."


    "No wonder I thought you were a Moon Elf."


    The elf smiled and said again. "Of the ughter you mentioned, I should have been there had I not been a sharpshooter assigned to a different mission��" He then changed the topic, as if he did not want to dwell on it. "Thest surviving descendant with pure High Elf blood is someone else. That kid is living with the King of Agartha."


    "The King of Agartha?" Drayce repeated and asked, "You speak of Draven Aramis?"


    The elf didn''t feel surprised at all. "Is there anyone else who ims that title aside from him? You must know how prideful, no, arrogant us supernaturals are. We will not bow down to anyone weaker than us. I am sure your mother warned you about him and our world."


    Drayce had a serious look on him. Even though it had been decades, he still remembered the look his mother had when he spoke of that man. "My mother was the only connection I had with the world of supernaturals."


    "Was?" the elf probed with a raised brow.


    "Something like that. Let''s head back now," Drayce said before the elf could ask him more about his mother.


    It was the first time Drayce had talked to a stranger about his mother, and though he wanted to know more, he decided to stop. The elf seemed to have no ill intentions, but he needed to get to know this elf first and test if he was truly trustworthy. Afterall, the elf was after the powers residing inside Seren.


    The elf smirked and asked no more. Just as they decided to turn back towards the direction of the pce, the elf said something in passing.


    "Hmm, how curious," the elf started. "Young man, did your mother ever tell you that the power of darkness inside you resembles the powers that the King of Agartha possesses? The resemnce is uncanny to the point it seems to be the exact same power."


    Drayce stopped and looked at the elf with a questioning gaze. "What do you mean?"


    Not just Drayce but yer and Aureus also threw the same look on the casually smiling elf.


    "I said it clearly and I don''t have intentions to repeat myself," was all the elf said.


    Feeling annoyed, Drayce simply continued leading their group back towards the pce. After a while, the elf spoke again.


    "Did your mother ever mention to you that Draven Aramis is of the Dragon race?"


    Drayce replied without turning to look at him, "She told me that he is a ck Dragon and I am a Red Dragon."


    "How curious," the elfmented once more, and his manner of speaking was making Drayce ufortable. "Both of you are Dragons, and both of you have the same powers of the darkness attribute. Don''t you think it''s curious?"


    "I don''t."


    The elfmented, "What makes me more curious is the exnation as to why he is a ck dragon while you are a red one. I have been alive for a long, long time, but other than him, you are the second person with this kind of darkness attribute that I havee across and I doubt if there is any other."


    Aureus decided to intervene. "Why is that curious? Don''t members of elves have simr powers within their respective ns? What is wrong with dragons having powers of the same attribute?"


    "Young eagle, you should know, though elves within the same n have simr powers, the essence of their magic is different. Think of it as a signature to identify the owner of the power." The High Elf turned his attention back to Drayce. "In your case, you have no difference when ites to the power of darkness inside you. I know because I''ve met the King of Agartha in person. It is so unusual to have your essence to be so simr."


    "What are you trying to imply by bringing this up, elf?" Drayce snapped.


    The elf raised his bare hands in front of him as if to say he meant no harm.


    "Nothing. I am merely stating an observation. However, I am convinced that you are connected to Draven Aramis, given your powers are like they are the sides of the same coin. The reason? I have no answer to it. I can only assure you that my judgment can never be wrong."


    The elf then made an exaggerated bow as a show of courtesy.


    "It''s time for me to head back to my pets who must be waiting for me."


    The elf then disappeared as if he was the swiftest wind, leaving Drayce with many questions in mind.

 Chapter 537 Getting Good With Words

    Seeing Drayce remain in a daze despite the silver-haired elf being long gone, yer called for him. "Your Majesty, shall we head back? Dawn is breaking."


    Drayce briefly closed his eyes before nodding. He then looked at Aureus who offered him a light nod as he stretched his wings behind him, leaving the King and his guardian knight by themselves in the still dark forest.


    After taking onest look at their surroundings, Drayce put a hand on yer''s shoulder and both of them disappeared from the forest. They appeared in front of the Crystal Pce in just a few moments.


    Drayce patted yer''s shoulder as he eyed the quietke. "Make sure to rest. After teleporting twice and staying awake for an entire night, your body must be exhausted."


    "I will." yer bowed to him. "Good night, Your Majesty."


    "Good night," Drayce replied and left to go back to his wife.


    When he reached the chamber where Seren was, he found himself feeling relieved to see her still sleeping soundly. Drayce went closer to her and found her without a trace of fear or fatigue despite what happened the previous night.


    He sat at the edge of the bed and caressed her head. After what that elf had said, his mind was a mess. The King of Agartha and he was connected?


    ''How are we rted? Howe Mother never mentioned it? That elf has no reason to lie to me about something I can sooner orter confirm��so was Mother keeping something from me? From her stories, she sounded like she''s someone really close to that man, Draven Aramis.


    ''Is that elf just mistaken, or is there truly something she never told me?''


    With countless chaotic thoughts going around his head, Draycey down in bed next to his wife who remained in deep sleep despite his movement. He turned to rest on his side, allowing him to watch over her peaceful form. The sight of her was so rxing for him that his mind started to let go of those chaotic thoughts the more he stared at her.


    His hands moved to caress her cheek over her veil as he continued to watch over her. He could not help but move closer to pull her in his warm embrace. His arm wrapped around her body with her face resting at the crook of his neck. Her sweet scent tickled his nose. He closed his eyes, and as he matched his breaths to her calm rhythmic breathing, it made him feel calmer than ever.


    ''Just like this��if only every moment can be just like this��''


    Time flew by, and soon, morning came. Outside the windows, the sun had brightened up the sky. When Seren opened her eyes, she found herself wrapped in a familiar scent and warm embrace.


    ''Dray��?''


    With her face against that firm chest, she could hear the heartbeats of the man who was holding her.


    ''When did he return?''


    Seren moved her head up to look at the handsome face of her still sleeping husband. A light smile painted on her veil-covered lips as she appreciated the weed sight of him.


    ''He kept his promise that he would be next to me when I wake up''


    It was the first time she was seeing him sleeping in as it was normal for him to leave her side once the morning sun was up. She wished to cherish this rare moment and tried not to move as much. However, sheter realized that even if she moved, Drayce remained unresponsive in his sleep.


    ''I wonder howte he returned. Seems like he is very tired.''


    She observed his sleeping face closely, and she found it curious that no matter how much she looked, she felt like she would never get tired of his face. That handsome appearance could never fail to make her heart skip a beat.


    ''Why does he have to look so good? It seems unfair that he makes my heart beat faster like this without doing anything.''


    She smiled at her silly thoughts and then moved her head back to where it was before and closed her eyes to enjoy the quietfort they shared.


    ''If I leave bed, his sleep will be disturbed. I can sleep a bit more like this. Being close to him feels even better.''


    -----


    At the breakfast table, the Great Lady found herself sitting at the head of the table with the seats for the guests empty. Even after the servants had prepared everything, neither the King nor Queen came to join the olddy in her meal.


    Great Lady Theodora looked at herdy-in-waiting. "Dray and Seren, are they not up yet?''


    "They seemed to be still sleeping, Your Excellency," thedy replied.


    The Great Lady smiled lightly. "Hmm, let them be."


    -----


    Drayce woke up after some time and realized he had slept in, waking upter than usual. From the sunlighting through the open windows, the day had long begun for most people.


    "Did you sleep well?" he heard the woman in his embrace ask him as she moved her face up to look at him.


    "I did." He noticed her eyes didn''t look sleepy at all. "Have you been awake for long?"


    She nodded. "But it felt good to stay like this."


    "You are getting good with words," hemented.


    "Shall I not be?" she asked.


    Drayce stared at her for a moment. Ever since he returned and they startedmunicating, he noticed that Seren had changed a lot��she was no longer as quiet and as guarded as before. Rather than simply listening to the things he said, she would now respond to him, even taking a more active role in conversations.


    "I didn''t say that."


    Seren''s beautiful purple eyes seemed to be smiling at him. "How wasst night? Did you find anything?"


    "Not much, but we did have some discoveries that could be helpful. Like I promised, I did not put myself in danger. You have nothing to worry about. We will catch those people sooner orter," he assured.


    "I believe you will," she replied.


    He pecked on her forehead. "It''s time to get up."


    She agreed as Drayce helped her get up and both of them got out of bed.


    "Grandmother must be wondering why we woke upte. We missed eating our morning meal together."


    Drayce chuckled. "Rather, I believe she must be happy to know we are still in bed."


    "Why?" Seren asked.


    "She must be looking forward to seeing her great-grandchildren soon," Drayce replied with a teasing smile.


    Seren felt her face turned hot just at the mention of this. By now, she understood the matters between husband and wife and knew the meaning of his words.


    "I��I think I should freshen up and not keep Grandmother waiting."


    She immediately ran away towards the attached bath of that bedchamber, leaving her husband unable to hold back his amusement.


    Drayce could not help smiling at how adorably she reacted. Though the lower part of her face was covered with a veil, he could see how embarrassed she was from how red her ears and the rest of her face was.


    ''Not till you turn an adult on youring of age, my Queen��wait, not even then. I want to enjoy years with my wife without her worrying over children. I am not ready to share her with anyone so soon, even if they''re of my own blood. Grandmother has to wait for a long time.''


    While the King and Queen of Megaris were spending time in the distant Crystal Pce, other people like Lady Tyra had returned to the main grounds of the royal pce. More so for Lady Tyra, she could not be away for long as she attended to her duties as the most senior trusted servant of the Queen, especially so in the absence of Seren.


    After she had her morning duties fulfilled, the olddy went to her chamber to take a break, where she found a young man with golden hair waiting for her. Ever since that incident with the mysterious people, they didn''t get to have a proper talk as Aureus had been unconscious for long and then he left once he was awake.


    Lady Tyra was not surprised by his presence the moment she entered her chamber, She found the young man standing by the open window, looking at the view outside as if he hadn''t heard her arrival.


    "Were you waiting for long?" Lady Tyra asked as she closed the door.


    Aureus turned to look at her and shook his head. "I saw you leaving in the boat so I left ordingly."


    Lady Tyra went to stand in front of him. "What is your n?"


    "About what?" he asked.


    "About revealing your identity to the King and the Queen," Lady Tyra exined.


    Aureus met her calm gaze as he thought about what he truly wanted. All these years, there were many times he imagined the scenario of telling the truth of his identity to the man he treated like a brother and a friend. However, even now, he still hadn''t made up his mind.


    "Dray��" he started. "Did Dray not suspect anything?"

 Chapter 538 I Feel Nothing

    "Whether he suspects or not, that is his part. You need to think about what you have to do. Don''t you want to tell him the truth?"


    Unlike Drayce, Aureus was someone whose honest emotions were visible on his face. The olddy could clearly see the doubt and worry reflected in the young man''s eyes. "I don''t know�� I am sure it will shock him, but I do not wish for him to think I was deceiving him all along."


    "His Majesty is not an unreasonable person. He will be surprised, but he will understand your situation as long as you exin," Lady Tyra assured him.


    Aureus didn''t reply to her and turned back to look at the scenery outside of the window. Lady Tyra let him brood over his thoughts, acknowledging it wasn''t an easy decision to make, but she was thinking about something else.


    "Are you perhaps worrying about how Her Majesty the Queen would react to your identity?"


    Aureus once again chose to remain quiet. However, at the mention of Seren, he felt his chest turning heavy and he let out a heavy exhale.


    Perhaps it was the intuition of a woman, but Lady Tyra found herself frowning at his silence.


    She continued, "Are you worried that once you reveal your identity, you won''t be treated the same anymore and won''t be able to go to Her Majesty like how you used to do as Dusk?"


    This time, her words hit him hard and all his worries that he was trying to suppress somewhere in his mind finally surfaced.


    Aureus looked at her hesitantly and asked, "Do I really need to reveal myself? Can''t I be just like this? I don''t mind spending the rest of my life as a pet��"


    Lady Tyra sighed upon seeing his shaken form.


    ''What I was worried about all along indeed happened.''


    "Wake up, Aureus," Lady Tyra called out in a manner that made him stiffen, "you are not an ordinary animal and neither are you an ordinary supernatural being. You are a proud member of the Divine Eagle n, the descendant with the purest bloodline of your generation. Spending your life as a pet, ignoring your reality to escape, is giving injustice to your existence."


    His golden gaze was shaking, but Lady Tyra remained stern in front of him. He was showing what he was actually feeling at this moment, especially so about how much he wanted to be around Seren.


    "If she learns the truth��if��" He briefly closed his eyes. "I don''t see any other way to remain close to her."


    Lady Tyra felt hurt to see him like this but she could not allow him to have such thoughts. "Why do you want to remain close to her? She is someone else''s wife��not just anyone, but the wife of the man you think of highly like a brother."


    "I know, I know. I never denied this. I ept her as Dray''s wife but��am I�� am I not even allowed to be around her? Just to be able to see her and look at her, I am satisfied with that. When she talks to me about her thoughts and feelings, thinking I cannot reply to her��this much is enoug��"


    "Aureus!" Lady Tyra eximed. "I don''t approve of this. You are a divine beast who needs to return to your people one day. Being a pure-blooded descendant, you need to continue your bloodline. You need to have a mate and you need to��"


    "I don''t n on having a mate," he interrupted her, "and I don''t care about going back to my kind or continuing this bloodline. For as long as I am concerned, I am someone who never existed for them. Not having me didn''t affect them and such will be the case going forward. I like this life, and I am satisfied with what I have. I wish to continue my life like this."


    Lady Tyra sighed inwardly. Drayce was already aware of Aureus'' true identity, and he would no longer be treated as his pet now. It would be impossible for Drayce to allow Aureus to remain close to Seren as before.


    ''How do I exin it to him now?''


    Drayce told her not to tell Aureus that he was already aware of his identity, wanting to leave it to him to decide whether he wanted to reveal himself or not.


    ''If Drayce ever gets wind of what Aureus feels for Seren, he will never even let himy eyes on her.''


    She looked at him with her worry-filled gaze, hoping that she could at least get him to listen to reason.


    "Aureus, it''s up to you to decide whether you want to reveal yourself, but you cannot let His Majesty know about what you feel for Her Majesty."


    Aureus put up a small smile on his face upon seeing the concern she had for him, but it was impossible for him to hide the pain he was feeling. "I feel nothing, Tyra."


    Hearing such an obvious lie, Lady Tyra''s eyes turned moist. She thought she would be relieved to hear him remain rational, but instead, she felt hurt to witness him trying to mask his real feelings.


    The one she considered as her son had fallen for someone who could never be his.


    It was unfair. It was truly unfair.


    "Aureus, I don''t know what to say," she said in a shaky voice.


    "You don''t need to say anything. I will be fine," he assured. Though the situation was painful, he found itforting to have Lady Tyra supporting him. She was truly worried for him like a real mother would, and somehow, that helped ease the ache in his heart. "I am sorry for making you worry for me. But rest assured, I will be fine."


    Lady Tyra could only nod to what he said, and after a while, she heard him say, "I will take a leave now."


    By the time Lady Tyra opened her mouth, the young man had already transformed into his eagle form and flew away.


    -----


    After having their morning meal together, Drayce and Seren had a short chat with Great Lady Theodora to bid her farewell since the royal couple would be returning to the main grounds of the Royal Pce of Megaris.


    "I will miss your presence, Seren," the Great Lady said as she held Seren''s hand.


    Seren gently tightened her hold on the olddy''s wrinkled hand. "I wille visit you again, Grandmother."


    "That would be really great," the Great Lady said and raised a brow at her grandson. "I believe you won''t n to keep her only for yourself and allow her to visit this olddy."


    Seren also turned to him with a gaze that was seemingly saying, "Can I?"


    Drayce smiled at his grandmother. "If my wife wants to be here, I won''t dare stop her."


    The Great Lady was taken aback by this casual reply from her overly possessive grandson. She expected him to say that he wouldn''t send her often because he was not free to apany her on most days, or something along those lines.


    In disbelief, the olddy looked at Seren. "Did you hear that, my dear?"


    The young woman''s eyes curved to show her amusement. "Yes, Grandmother. I will make sure to visit you as often as I can then."


    "Though I am assured that he won''t go back on his words, but��"


    "But what, Grandma?" Seren asked while Drayce too waited to hear what the old woman had to say.


    "Seren, mark my words, when your husband agrees to your wishes easily or is ttering you more than usual, that means he has an ulterior motive. Be vignt, my dear."


    "Ulterior motive?" Seren repeated and looked at Drayce as if to ask if this was true.


    He cleared his throat before answering, "Grandmother is teasing you."


    "Am I?" the Great Lady asked, a not-so-innocent smirk gracing her elegant features.


    "Grandmother, those ulterior motives you speak of are merely efforts of your filial grandson trying to fulfil your wish," he replied.


    The talk between the two Ivanovs only confused the innocent queen. Seren wished they weren''t talking so vaguely. "Your wish, Grandmother?"


    "One of Grandmother''s wishes is to have you visit her often," Drayce answered before his grandmother could say anything to his innocent wife.


    Great Lady Theodora merely smiled, not denying what Drayce said and then let them leave.


    After boarding their boats and reaching the other side of theke, Drayce escorted Seren to the Queen''s residence, leaving her under the care of her servants. He then left for his own pce to clean himself up before starting his day.


    When he reached the Grand Pce, Drayce found yer waiting for him by the entrance. The knight bowed towards him and then he inquired as they walked together, "Any news about him?"


    Following behind the King, yer promptly responded, "No news yet, Your Majesty."


    "By this time, he should have been here," Drayce said as he nced about the open grounds.


    "As soon as I see any signs, I will inform you, Your Majesty," yer replied as the two walked towards the King''s study.

 Chapter 539 Where Is Dusk?

    After finishing the royal court session, Drayce left the Grand Pce and headed back to the Queen''s residence so he could eat his midday meal with his wife. After that incident when Seren was almost abducted, he wanted to be around her as much as he could.


    Meanwhile, Seren had been resting inside her chamber. She was about to resume her royal duties but Lady Tyra asked her to rest and continue recovery, her paperwork temporarily put away and social activities postponed for ater time. She was starting to feel bored after being put on bed rest, but her mood was instantly lifted when ady-in-waiting came to inform her that the King would being to eat together with her.


    She found herself feeling excited to see him even though she was with him in the morning. At the thought of seeing him, she could not help but feel happy and her lips curved into a sweet smile that unfortunately, no one could see. Still, her sparkling purple eyes were a clear reflection of her current mood.


    "Your Majesty, may I ask what you are happy about?" one of her personal servants, Eva, asked as she arranged freshly-plucked flowers on one of the vases.


    It startled Seren who was standing by the window of her room.


    "Happy? Do I look happy?"


    "Yes, Your Majesty," Eva said with a gentle smile of her own. "Your eyes are showing that you are happy about something. Did you see something you like outside the window?"


    Seren cleared her throat awkwardly. "Might be because the weather is nice today."


    Eva also looked outside the window. "Hmm? The weather, though the sky is clear, I think it''s quite windy today. Or rather, it''s getting cold as winter approaches. Do you like cold weather, Your Majesty? I thought you don''t like the cold because you came from the central regions where I heard it''s considerably warmer."


    Seren stared at her servant who was around her age and didn''t know what to say. This servant of hers didn''t seem convinced by her exnation. It''s understandable because Eva was one of the people who knew her choice of thick and warm clothes whenever there was a need to step out of her chamber.


    "I��" Seren closed her mouth as she opened it.


    "What else could it be, Eva? Her Majesty is happy because His Majesty will be here to join her in her meal," Marie, who was tidying another vase in the room, could not help butment.


    Seren felt like a thief who was caught red-handed. Eva smiled at her with a side nce. "Oh, now I get it��"


    Seren pouted under her veil. "Are you two teasing me?"


    "We dare not, Your Majesty," Marie immediately said. They both bowed their heads before the Queen, but Seren could see them trying to stifle their giggles.


    This made Seren shake her head. Though these two women were lower than her in rank, this kind of casualness between them was something she liked. She wasn''t upset, but it made her feel less embarrassed if they wouldn''t tease her anymore.


    Seren cleared her throat. "When will his Majesty arrive here?"


    The two servants could clearly see what they said previously was right, but they chose to not point that out.


    Just then, the servant outside announced the arrival of the King. The door of the Queen''s chamber opened and Drayce entered inside while Eva and Marie left with their heads lowered.


    Seren''s eyes brightened the moment she saw her husband. Drayce walked straight towards her as if he could see nothing else but her.


    Drayce only stopped when he was merely a stride away from her. "Were you waiting for me, my Queen?"


    She nodded and he asked, "Did I make you wait for long?"


    She shook her head and then thought, ''Why is he asking as if he knows how I feel? Is it not odd to feel like I haven''t seen him for a while even though it''s only been a few hours? I can''t help but long for him each moment, as if... as if I want him next to me all the time. But it''s not possible, right? He is the King, the busiest man in the kingdom��''


    Seeing her distracted, he raised his hand to caress her cheek over her veil. "What are you thinking about?"


    It pulled her back to her senses. "Ah��I was thinking about��Dusk, yes, Dusk" She was relieved she immediately found a decent answer. It was not a lie either as before he arrived, she was thinking about where their pet had disappeared.


    "Dusk?" Drayce asked, a bit startled to have her bring him up.


    "I haven''t seen him for a while now so I feel a bit bothered. Last I saw him, I think it was before I left for the Crystal Pce�� had it been two days back?" she said while ncing at the window. She looked worried. "I know he''s been roaming freely in the skies all the time, but he never disappeared for this long. He would oftene to me for snacks or drop by the tree outside at least once a day. Have you seen himtely, Dray? Is he fine or is he in some kind of trouble?"


    There was no way Drayce would let her remain worried and said, "He must be having fun outside." He pulled out the tiny wooden whistle attached to his waist belt and blew on it. No sound came out, but Drayce put it back since it had served its purpose. "I have summoned him. He will be here soon."


    "Is that whistle something Dusk can hear?" she asked curiously as she was sure she heard nothing.


    "It is." He held her hand to take her out to the balcony. Seren followed him and asked again, "Is it the kind of whistle that only animals can hear but not humans?"


    He nodded. "My Queen sure is observant."


    As they stepped out onto the balcony, a chilly autumn breeze weed them as they walked towards the railing. Not long after that, a majestic eagle came flying towards them andnded on that wide stone railing.


    "Dusk!" Seren eximed happily and hurried to go closer to him. "You really came. Where have you been? Do you know how much I missed you?" She raised her hand and caressed his head.


    Dusk rubbed his head against her palm and the two behaved the same as they were before. Nothing changed for Seren as she was not aware of Dusk''s true identity, and neither did anything change for Dusk though he knew he was deceiving Seren. This was his decision; he wouldn''t regret it as long as he could remain close to her.


    On the other hand, Drayce stood quietly on the side, looking at his wife who was happy to see their pet. He was sensitive enough to keep the shapeshifter''s secret for him. Drayce said nothing to his own wife and let her remain ignorant. To him, nothing mattered more than her happiness and safety. He knew Aureus would not harm her, thus he chose to be a bystander.


    "...Did you miss me?" Seren asked the eagle and he pecked on her delicate palm gently in agreement.


    "See, you did miss me but you still didn''te to see me for days. You don''t even know I was almost abducted."


    Dusk simply tilted his head at her; however, he was observing her to make sure she was fine and was not hurt anywhere. After he left her to Drayce, he didn''t even get to see her properly, much less be able to talk to her. Only in his eagle form could he do it openly.


    ''She lookspletely fine. Seems like Dray''s powers protected her well.''


    "Dray, why are you just standing there? Won''t you pet him? You haven''t seen him too after so many days," Seren said, unaware that her remark caused the two males to be taken aback.


    Without a change in his expression, Drayce walked toward them and then looked at Dusk. He raised his hand and patted the eagle''s head. "You worried her by not showing up."


    Dusk in response rubbed his head against his palm. Such an act made Drayce relieved; it was an endearing habit this eagle had for more than two decades now.


    "Don''t do it again," Drayce said and Dusk pecked on his palm.


    Seren was happy to witness their usual way of interaction. "He listens well to whatever you say. I hope he will always listen to me as well."


    ''I listen to everything you say,'' the eagle thought. ''You are the only one I would do anything for.''


    Drayce turned from his wife, who looked a little envious, towards Dusk. "You need to listen to whatever she says. You can disobey me but not her. Understood?"


    Dusk pecked on his palm and Seren was amused to see the eagle being so smart and obedient. She chided their pet, "Now that you agreed then you are not allowed to disappear for long. You have toe to see me every day at least once, then whatever it takes or wherever you are."


    Dusk nodded lightly to show he agreed to her request which made her happier.

 Chapter 540 Want To Hug Dusk

    "You are such a sweet pet. Let me hug you and squeeze you--" Seren stepped forward with her arms open for a hug, but Dusk swiftly dodged, flying a bit beforending back on that wide stone railing of the balcony.


    It was instinct. Dusk could feel the sudden change in Drayce''s gaze. Deep in his conscience, he knew it was not a good thing to let her touch him more than required as he was deceiving Seren. If by chance one day his identity were to be revealed to her, he didn''t want her to recall acting so intimately and regret those innocent touches after realizing she was doing all these with a man, and not just an animal.


    Seren looked at the eagle, feeling puzzled that he dodged, and then looked at Drayce. "I wasn''t going to really squeeze him. Did I just scare him?"


    Drayce moved his gaze from his pet to his wife. "Birds don''t find hugsfortable. If you wish to have a pet that you can hug, we can get you a dog or any other small animal."


    "Umm...I will think about it," Seren said and then looked at Dusk. "Fine, I won''t hug you."


    ''Not like I mind, but we just can''t. You are someone else''s wife,'' Dusk thought.


    After she talked to him for a bit more, she allowed Dusk to leave while she walked back inside with Drayce to have their meal.


    On the way to the dining hall, Seren said, "Dray, I have been thinking...I think I want to get a cute cat as my pet."


    "A cat?"


    "Aren''t they such adorable yet elegant creatures? Dogs are too energetic for me. When I was younger, I did have a cat... I can hug a cat when I want to and even sleep with my cat since cats love to sleep. It will feel nice to have a soft and fluffy cat in my arms. Imagining one--"


    Drayce gave her a side nce. "Are you trying to give my ce to a mere pet, my Queen?"


    His response puzzled the naive woman. "Why would you say that, Dray? I won''t..."


    "Then, even if you have a pet, it won''t be allowed to stay on your bed and sleep with you. Only I can apany you in bed. Though I won''t feel as soft and fluffy like it, you need to get used to holding me in your arms," Drayce interrupted her.


    Seren stopped walking, which made Drayce stop as well, and he turned to look at his wife. Before he could say anything, she spoke as he nced at his tall and strong body.


    "I have a problem. I doubt my thin arms can hold you, Dray."


    Drayce understood what she meant. "Then, I have a solution. I will be the one to hold you in my arms."


    Seren smiled under her veil. "I never said I don''t want to."


    Once again, those flirting words...


    Drayce held her hand and pulled her into his embrace, holding her tightly against his body. "Are you tempting me, my Queen?"


    She offered him a questioning gaze. "For what?"


    "For me to take you back to your chamber instead of going to have our meal."


    She looked bewildered and immediately shook her head. "I didn''t do anything."


    This time, Drayce didn''t buy it. "Are you really not aware, my Queen?"


    She cleared her throat hesitantly, as she squirmed in his arms. "That...I suddenly realized you are not calling me by my name, Dray." She was quick to change the topic.


    "Does it bother you?"


    "No, not really..."


    He lowered his head such that his mouth was touching the lobe of her delicate ear. "It''s because when I call you ''my Queen'', it reminds me that you belong to me and me alone...that you are mine..."


    Seren shivered as she felt his hot breath against her skin. "Oh, uhh, t-then when would you call my name? I like it when you say it. No one calls me by my name."


    Drayce moved his face closer to hers, such that she could clearly see the intensity of his gaze.


    "How about tonight?"


    Seren''s body stiffened in his hold, a blush spreading over her veiled face as she realized his intentions. She gulped and said, "I think I am hungry...Shall we go and eat?"


    Drayce took a step back to take a better look at her embarrassed squirming. "What am I going to do with you, my Queen? You speak as if you''re bold, but when ites to the act itself, you turn into a scared kitten. Do you love to check my patience?"


    She felt like being used and shook her head. "No, I... I didn''t mean to, Your Majesty."


    She went back to calling him from his name to his title, which means she was trying hard to pretend to be brave.


    He chuckled and pecked on her veil-covered lips. "I am merely teasing you. You are allowed to flirt with me, but I am not allowed to tease you, hmm?"


    She felt relieved to see the tenderness in his gaze. "I won''t do it again--"


    "I didn''t say you can''t," Drayce cut her off, "but you better be aware that I am only letting you go just because you are not yet of age. A time wille when you will have to think twice before flirting with me."


    "I-I understand..."


    Drayce let her go, allowing her nerves to calm down, and the royal couple finally reached the dining hall where the two shared afortable meal together.


    -----


    After having a fulfilling meal with his wife, Drayce had to reluctantly return to the Grand Pce to attend the rest of his schedule for the day. Riding on horseback on the way, he sensed something. Drayce looked around towards the sky and heard yer ask in a low voice, "Is he here?"


    Drayce nodded. "Would you like toe this time?"


    "If Your Majesty wishes me to," yer replied.


    Drayce turned his horse so he could look at his knight. "I am asking you as your friend, not your liege."


    yer immediately nodded. "Yes, Dray. I would want to meet him as well."

 Chapter 541 Your Mother Helped Me

    "Since he must be there, we need to leave horses behind," Drayce suggested. The two sped their horses towards the Grand Pce where the other knights took away the horses.


    Drayce talked to Jasper who was waiting by the entrance, about to escort him back to his study. "Handle the paperwork for now and put aside those requesting an audience at ater time. I need to leave the pce."


    "What? You can''t! Where are you sneaking off to--" Jasper was about to nag at him, but then realized something and changed his tone. "I mean, Your Majesty, how long will you be gone?"


    "My friend is here," Drayce replied vaguely, aware his trusted aide would understand.


    "Ah, like every year," Jasper said with a nod. "Rest assured. I will take care of everything as usual."


    Drayce looked at yer who was ready to leave with him.


    "Wait, are you taking him with you, Your Majesty?" Jasper asked.


    "He is yer''s friend as well," Draven replied.


    "And what about me? I am his friend as well..."


    "But you need to take care of work. I will let him know that you were dying to meet him," Drayce said with a sarcastic tone.


    "Dying? That''s too much of an exaggeration. Fine, fine, I''m used to being treated like a poor ve. You two can leave now so you can hurry back," Jasper agreed as he imagined the pile of work left for him to finish in the King''s study.


    The three men went their separate ways, with the King''s aide heading back to his office while the King and his guardian knight went inside one of the empty chambers before disappearing.


    Drayce and yer appeared on top of a cliff outside the city of ckhelm. It was the very cliff from where hest saw his mother. At the edge of the cliff, a familiar tall figure could be seen standing while looking at the cloudy sky.


    Brown hair flowing past his broad shoulders, the statuesque figure of a man d in luxurious blue clothes that showed a style of another kingdom turned around the very moment he sensed the arrival of Drayce and yer. A pair of eyes with the deepest shade of sea blue turned towards them, and the owner of those eyes weed them with a smile.


    "My friend, you are quick to know that I am here."


    A hint of a smile could also be seen on Drayce''s lips.


    "My powers can sense your presence and you know that, An."


    An Cromwell, the Crown Prince of the Kingdom of Griven, raised a brow. "That, and also because you were waiting for me knowing I will be here at this time."


    "That too," Drayce agreed. "I wished to get over dealing with annoyance at once so I can be free soon."


    "Free to go back to your wife?" An asked, a teasing smile on his face as he let out an exaggerated sigh of disappointment. "They say after one gets a wife, one forgets their friends. You are proving this saying to be true."


    "I don''t mind it," Drayce said as he walked to stand next to him near the edge of the cliff.


    An looked at the other man who was yet to say a word. "Good to see this annoying friend of ours noting on his own. I didn''t expect him to bring you here this time."


    yer joined them near the edge, standing on the other side of An. "Sometimes, he knows how to act reasonably."


    An patted yer on the shoulder, as ifmending him for his hard work. He then turned his attention back to the ck-haired man. "Well, how was it? You seemed to have finished your search early this time. Did you find anything new?"


    "I had to return in a day due to circumstances," Drayce replied, "and I think I had been looking in the wrong direction all these years."


    "What do you mean?" An asked.


    Drayce exined to him about how Seren had that flower mark on her wrist that belonged to his mother and even told him why he had to return in just a day.


    An was surprised to know all these revtions. "Then, it is good news. Congrattions on finding a lead on your mother."


    Drayce agreed. "I hope to find her soon."


    "Even I want to thank her for making my life easier," Anmented as decades-old memories surfaced in his mind. "If Queen Esther had not visited me in the past, I don''t know what I would have done. No one believed a four-year-old kid at that time but she did. She believed me and even helped me. I didn''t know it was thest time I would be seeing her."


    "Did you find out why my mother came to your kingdom at that time? I am sure she was not there only to see you. After that night, she returned to the pce but she didn''t tell me she met you," Drayce spoke.


    "I still couldn''t find it. At that time, other things caught my attention. The same night, the little girl who was betrothed to me disappeared as well along with her grandfather. I remember my father sending soldiers to search for them. I totally forgot about your mother''s visit, and there was also the promise I made to her. Aside from you, I didn''t tell anyone about her visit."


    "Can there be any rtion between Her Majesty''s visit to Griven and the disappearance of your betrothed?" yer asked after a while.


    "There must be. Intuition is saying it''s too much to be a coincidence. I am trying to find out more, but as you know, it''s been decades." An shrugged. "There are no clues left."


    "My mother is a meticulous person. She won''t leave anything behind. We can get answers only if we directly ask her," Draycemented.


    "True, but well, we need to have you find Queen Esther first. I hope we can."

 Chapter 542 When Esther Met Arlan

    More than two decades ago, within the Kingdom of Griven..


    It had been days since An and the delegates of the royal family of Griven returned to the capital city of Karlin after enjoying the end-of-the-year festival in Megaris. It was before the time Esther had left her family behind.


    For some unknown reason, on that particr night, the Queen of Megaris hade to the Royal Pce of Griven secretly using her powers.


    Young An was sleeping in his bedchamber, but he was not sleeping well and having a nightmare. He often had nightmares at night, but no one paid special attention to their content as they brushed it off as products of a child''s imagination.


    Esther appeared in the prince''s chamber and found him turning restlessly in his sleep. "Poor child. Are you troubled with bad dreams? Should I help you out a bit?"


    She went towards him, sitting at the edge of the bed so she could reach out and put her hand on his forehead. The moment her fingers touched his skin, she flinched.


    The shocking discovery made her doubt what she found out.


    ''Is it really what I think it is?''


    With her hand reaching back to touch his forehead once more, the young prince gradually turned calm. However, not even a secondter, the boy opened his eyes.


    ''My sleeping spell didn''t work on him?'' Esther somewhat expected it after she had a glimpse of his nightmare; however, the fact that her power didn''t really work on the young boy was still a matter that was hard to believe.


    An could not believe that Esther was there. He blinked a few times. "Am I dreaming?"


    Esther smiled and shook her head. "You are not."


    Though he was confused and shocked awake, the well-mannered young prince immediately sat up in the bed and lowered his head. "The First Prince of Griven greets Her Majesty--"


    "It''s fine. You don''t need to greet me," she interrupted him. "This is not an official meeting."


    The little prince nodded obediently and looked around, looking for someone else. "Is Dray--I mean, Prince Drayce here?"


    She smiled. "He is not."


    "Then, uhm, why is Your Majesty here in my bedchamber?"


    "I had some important work in Karlin so I thought of visiting my son''s friend as well," she exined.


    "Important work?"


    She nodded. "Yes, boring adult concerns a child like you need not think about. Well, enough about that. I saw you seem to have trouble with sleep. Why don''t you tell me what kind of bad dream you saw? I might be able to help you."


    "Umm...that..."


    The young boy felt hesitant as no one took his nightmares seriously ever. He was also embarrassed as he had to show this side of his to a Queen of another kingdom. All he had learned was that the Princes should be strong and they should not have any weakness.


    "You can tell me," she assured as she moved to sit on the bed, her casualness allowing An to rx.


    "Your Majesty, I have the same bad dream over and over. It is always me on my own, surrounded by darkness. It''s...It feels scary and I want to escape it so I will run and run but..."


    "But?"


    "A shiny giant snake the colour of gold wraps around me and doesn''t let me move even if I cry and beg it to let me go...and..."


    "Go on. I am listening," she said as she gently held his tiny hand in hers, caressing it in a calming manner.


    "And then I will realize that the giant snake has the scary head of a monster."


    "A monster? Since it''s a snake, shouldn''t the head be of a snake''s?"


    "I may be wrong but...but I think it looks fiercer than a snake. Like the head of a dragon that I had seen in the books...I am not sure but I have not seen such an animal before. It has scary red eyes the size of my head and it feels like it would eat me..." An''s entire body shivered.


    "Why don''t you call it a dragon if it has the head of a dragon?"


    "Uhm, because from the books, the dragons look majestic and proud and divine...but this one looks scary like a snake..."


    Esther caressed his head. "What if you misunderstood it? Perhaps it''s not the body of a snake that wraps around you, but the dragon''s tail?"


    An had an expression of awe as he recalled his dream. "Oh! Your Majesty, you might be right! That shiny golden thing wrapping around me to capture me, I now remember it does not feel like a scaly snake, but the tail of an animal. Yes, it doesn''t hurt when I''m captured and I could feel it''s warm and alive...so it wasn''t a snake monster but the tail of a dragon..."


    "So you''re scared of this dragon?" she asked.


    He looked at her hesitantly. "Y-Your Majesty, do you not believe me as well?"


    She offered him a gentle gaze. "I do believe you, but I think you should try not to feel scared. If it''s a recurring dream, don''t you think it probably has an important message that it''s trying to tell you? Try to look into your dream. You should try to face that animal, regardless if it''s a snake or a dragon, instead of feeling scared. After all, it is just a dream and you can always wake up from your dream. Try to be brave since you know everything will be gone once you open your eyes."


    "I will try, I guess..." the little guy said as he chewed on his lips.


    "Hmm, how about we do it like this? I will give you something that will help you be brave so you won''t be scared when you have that bad dream again," she said.


    "Isn''t there a way to not see that bad dream again?"


    "Of course it''s possible, but," she emphasized thest word, "instead of running away from your fears, I believe it''s best for one to first try to fight and win over what scares them the most. You are a prince, Prince An, the firstborn prince of the Cromwell family, the one next in line to inherit the throne of your kingdom. You will highly likely seed your father and rule over Griven in the future. Would your people want to be ruled by a cowardly king who cannot even face what scares him in his dreams? Then how would you protect your kingdom?"


    "You are right, Your Majesty," the little prince agreed.


    Esther smiled upon seeing the me of determination in his eyes. "Do you have anything that you always carry around in your body regardless of the asion?"


    An pulled out the chain hanging around his neck from under his nightwear. It was a gold ne that had a green stone embedded in the middle. "This is a royal family heirloom and I am not allowed to remove it even in my sleep."


    "Good choice!" Esther said and closed her eyes as she held it in her palm. Something shone over the pendant and she opened her eyes. "I blessed your heirloom. This will give you the strength to fight with whatever scares you."


    The young An held it closely, curiously checking if anything had changed. "Thank you so much, Your Majesty!"


    "Won''t you give me anything in exchange?" she asked with a meaningful smile.


    "Ah, I will," he said. "What do you need in return, Your Majesty? Uhm, I''m still young so I don''t get an allowance--"


    Esther''sughter made him blush. "Then in exchange, I need you to keep a promise."


    "A promise?"


    "A promise that you would not tell anyone that I came to see you."


    "Not even my parents?"


    "You cannot tell even them," she said.


    "If that''s what you want, then I won''t," the little prince agreed.


    "I have to take my leave then," she said and stood up. "Close your eyes."


    An obeyed her. After a while, he asked, "Can I open my eyes now?"


    There was no reply so he tentatively opened one eye to peek around, and when he saw Esther gone, he opened his other eye. No one aside from him was there inside his chamber.


    He stepped down from the bed and searched everywhere, from the curtains to the under of his bed, but there was no one else. If not for the slight warmth from the green stone pendant in his chest, he would have thought that the arrival of Esther Ivanov was also a dream.


    That night from the past was still engraved in An''s mind as it had changed his life. He could forget anything but the Queen of Megaris, Esther Ivanov. The day of her disappearance was important to him as well because he wished to meet her at least once and thank her foring to his rescue when he was scared and didn''t know what he should do.

 Chapter 543 I Will Punish Her

    A pair of deep sea blue eyes were lost in thought at the decades-old memory.


    "As your mother said, ever since that day, I no longer feared the recurring nightmares that used to bother me at night. It''s still the same darkness but I could dominate my dreams and learn to control what happens inside them. The next night I had that dream, instead of letting that golden creature tie me with its tail, I got hold of its tail and took control of it. Now, it''s nothing more than my pet."


    An chuckled as he boasted, a proud smirk on his lips.


    "And it is all thanks to your mother. Perhaps I would have gotten over it yearster on my own, but the childhood trauma and the mindset of having no one believing me would have made me a different person."


    "She just gave you encouragement and you managed to ovee your nightmares with your own strength."


    On the side, yer made a sidement, "What a violent child, to pull the tail of a dragon and beat it to submission. Despite hearing this many times, it doesn''t change my initial impression of you..."


    "Says the guy who earned the nickname ''yer''. Psh." An then returned his attention to Drayce. "Well, I have both mother and son to thank. If it was not for you, Dray, I would have never understood what those dreams were."


    "For that, both of us should thank my mother, as everything I know are things I learned from her."


    An pulled out a pendant hidden under his clothes. The gold chain had been changed to fit his adult self, but the green stone Esther blessed remained the same. "I still keep it with me at all times, but not because it is a family heirloom, but as a memory of the only woman who believed me when even my family never did."


    An nodded as he enjoyed the wind blowing against his face on top of the cliff. As he eyed the raging river at the bottom, he seemed to have thought of something. "How is your father, His Excellency?"


    "Must be somewhere out there as usual," Drayce replied without a change in his expression.


    "Despite how you two openly dislike each other, it''s funny how simr you are to each other as well. Both of you are doing this every year, not giving up on your search for your missing mother. Such a stubborn pair of father and son," Anmented.


    "Are you done?" Drayce asked drily.


    "Hmm! Perhaps? This is quite an improvement. Don''t you think so, yer?" he nudged his other friend. "I should celebrate the fact that at least Dray didn''t get angry this time when I called him and King Theron father and son."


    Drayce scowled at him, to which he responded with a cheeky grin.


    After a while, An heard Drayce saying something under his breath.


    "The longer I sit on the throne as a king, the more I think I understand him."


    His voice was so quiet that if it weren''t for the other men not speaking, they wouldn''t have caught those words.


    An decided to change the mood. "That''s good to know. As the saying goes, only those who bear responsibilities can understand the weight of carrying them."


    Drayce simply nodded and decided to drop the subject. "What about your girl? Did you manage to get any clues about her and her grandfather?" Drayce asked.


    An almost choked as he raised his hand on a dismissive gesture. "Who''s my girl?"


    "Aren''t you looking for them because she ran away despite being your betrothed? If she''s not your girl, then what is she?"


    "A criminal who undermined the authority of the royal family," An spoke. "Sooner orter, I will catch them,"


    "Yes, and the moment you catch them, that means we will be receiving an invitation toe to Griven and attend your wedding," yer, who had been quietly listening to them, reacted.


    An raised a brow at the knight. "I will only hold my wedding after yours, my friend."


    "That will never happen," yer countered.


    An chuckled. "Precisely. That''s what I meant to say."


    yer turned to look at the grinning prince. "Do notpare your situation with me. I am an orphan with no family so I have aplete say over my own marriage, but you are the Crown Prince of your kingdom. Do you think the royal family will sit back after you found her? The moment you bring back your betrothed, you have to marry her and honour the promise between both families."


    "Not if I be king first," An scoffed. "Besides, who told you that I am searching for her to honour a promise that I did not consent to? She''s a sinner, both her and her grandfather. Even if she doesn''t want the marriage, how dare they ruin the trust our family had in them? Are they looking down on us Cromwells?


    "In the first ce, her family is the one to break the marriage alliance. They need to be punished so there is no reason for me to honour it. I will bring them back to face the consequences of dishonouring the Royal Family of Griven. I will make sure they both--that girl and her grandfather--will be buried next to each other."


    Drayce gave him a side-eye. "Don''t let your emotions rule you even before you meet her. Don''t you wish to learn first about her circumstances?"


    "Nothing will change even after that. An offence is an offence."


    "I will be the first tough at you if you fall for her at first sight."


    "She can be the prettiest woman in the world, but you know beauty is not enough to sway my heart. Nothing can sway it." An looked at Drayce with a patronizing gaze. "I am not like you."


    "We will see," was all Drayce could say in response.


    An felt somewhat insulted by his friend''s nonchnce. "Disregarding the fact that her guardian chose to bring her away at the risk of their family''s honour, I do not believe she can be better than thedies I meet in high society. How many years had it been? Do you think that a girl who is living in hiding and must be wandering in a poor state can grow up as a properdy? What can she even be like? If she''s to take after her grandfather, then I''m sure she''s the immature and reckless kind, a good-for-nothing girl who must be regretting being born in that family for her condition. Maybe she''ll thank me for putting an end to her miserable life as a fugitive."


    "Then I will pray for you to never find her. Poor soul is better off away from violent and cruel people like you."


    "Cruel? Violent? Are you talking about me? May I remind you who among us three earned the nicknames ''yer'' and ''Devil''s son''?"


    The King''s guardian knight looked at him with an annoyed gaze. "Those who don''t know the real you are fools. You can drop your sweet prince act in front of us."


    An put out a pure and benevolent smile that could rival that of a saint, one that he would often wear when he''s among aristocrats as if he was the kindest man to roam thends.


    "You are bing unnecessarily talkative, yer, my friend."


    "It''s an inevitable result after being around friends who have a bad influence on me," yer replied.


    "Well, you don''t need to feel bad about those fugitives. I will just punish them ording to thew without being cruel. I can''t help it when dying is their destiny," An said with a shrug.


    "Do whatever you want," Drayce stopped the two from arguing. "But if that girl is the reason my mother came to your kingdom, then I will have to meddle in."


    "I will spare their lives until you get useful information from them."


    Those words concluded that matter.


    Seeing the sun visibly lower in the sky, Drayce realized how much time had passed. "Aren''t you dropping by the pce this time as well?"


    "You ask the same question even though Ie here like this once a year." An shook his head as if he was tired of repeating himself. "I came to see my friends. Coming to the royal pce means my own people will know I am here. I do not feel like having an official meeting and being bothered with all those fussy delegation stuff. Do you want rumours to spread about how the Crown Prince of Griven appeared in both pces of two kingdoms within the same day? Let''s not let them know."


    "As you wish," Drayce agreed.


    "Well, since that''s decided, shall we disguise asmoners and go to a tavern? It''s been long since we had drinks together," An suggested and his two friends agreed. The next moment, the three young men disappeared from the cliff.

 Chapter 544 Asking About Purple Eyed Woman

    The sun had set when the three friends entered one of the taverns on the outskirts of the capital most frequented by mercenaries and adventurers who weren''t locals of the city. It was better this way as there were less chances ofing across someone familiar.


    The group luckily found an empty table despite the rowdy crowd.


    In addition to them wearing hunting attiresmoners use, their appearances were changed to have the mostmon features--their skin somewhat darker, their hair an ordinary brown colour--for them not to stand out. Though for Drayce, he could not hide the colour of his eyes so he had to sit on the chair facing the wall with his back to the crowd.


    Since most people inside the tavern were either too busy with their own affairs or too drunk to care for others, he did not need to worry that the colour of his eyes would give his identity away.


    An looked at yer as soon as they sat down. "You lightweight, don''t you dare drink as much as we would. I do not want to be seen hauling around a drunk man."


    yer would normally ignore such provocation, but perhaps the atmosphere within the noisy tavern made him feel more rxed, he could not help but retort, "I am not a lightweight. I merely limit my drinking to a single bottle since I am technically still on duty as a knight."


    "Pfft. Excuses of the guy who can''t hold more than two bottles of liquor."


    An looked at Drayce. "He still thinks he can fool us. He insists he doesn''t remember, but he went crazy drunk that one time he went over his limit. It was so hrious!"


    Drayce waved for a server to approach them. "Being a lightweight doesn''t make him less of a man."


    yer frowned at his two friends. Drayce''s response did not make him feel good--it meant even he himself acknowledged that yer could not hold his liquor.


    Just then, a young man who was serving tables approached them.


    "Bring the strongest drink you have," yer ordered instead of his two friends.


    The server left after confirming their order while An chuckled at the annoyed knight. "Oh, I know that beer the server rmended. It''s famous in the South and twice as strong than the locally brewed one."


    It did not take long for the server to return with three huge wooden mugs filled with frothing beer and a te of roasted meat.


    Thud!


    An pushed a mug towards yer. "I bet on only one mug."


    "I bet on one and a half," Drayce said after consideration.


    "I bet on two," the server said as he observed yer''s cold face. "Yell for me when you need the second round of drinks." The young man left as he hurried to attend to the other customers.


    An''sughter rang out while hitting the table with his hand. "Did you hear that? Did you? Would you like to say anything, my dear lightweight friend?".


    "What would he say? Even a stranger can predict his drinking ability," Draycemented.


    yer said nothing and grabbed the huge wooden mug filled with beer An pushed his way. He was obviously affected by his friends'' teasing remarks and started gulping with the intention of emptying that mug in one go.


    "Take it easy, yer," Drayce said but yer didn''t look like in the mood to listen.


    "He has always been stubborn even when he was a teenager. Instead of maturing, being an adult only made it worse." Anmented as he took a big gulp of his beer. "Oh, that''s refreshing! It''s stronger than I remember." He then took a big bite of the roasted meat, eating in a carefree manner simr to the mercenaries around him.


    Drayce merely shook his head as he drank his own beer.


    ? Thud!


    yer mmed his empty wooden mug on the table and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. Without looking at hispanions, he turned towards the busy server. "Hey, one more round of drinks here!"


    His manly voice was loud enough for him to be heard even over the noise of the crowded tavern. The server ran towards their table with three more mugs in his hands. Drayce and An were not surprised and the two merely shrugged at each other.


    yer picked up the second mug and heard the server cheer for him. "Mister, you can finish it. I am sure." The young man then looked at An and Drayce with a cheeky smile. "I will wait for my reward for winning the bet." With a chuckle, he left before the two could say anything.


    An raised a brow at Drayce. "That cheeky punk. When did we agree to give him anything?" Even though he sounded like he wasining, An was grinning, as if he was enjoying the casual interaction he couldn''t experience due to his real identity.


    "You won''t be poor even if you give him a bag of gold coins," Draycemented as he continued to drink.


    "Oh, you think both of us would lose the bet?"


    Drayce looked at yer who was trying to finish the second mug, but he seemed to struggle even downing a third. "I am yet to lose the bet."


    "I can''t be the only one losing," An frowned and looked at the knight whose face had turned all red. He could not help but cheer.


    "Come on. You can do it!"


    "Finish all of that."


    "Be a man and drink it all!"


    As hisst ditch effort, An threatened him, "If you don''t empty that mug, I will drop your drunk ass in a brothel and pay those beautiful women to serve you well tonight!"


    As if those words truly intimidated yer, he didn''t stop gulping even though he felt like he would throw up soon.


    Thud!


    yer mmed the empty mug on the table with a force enough to dent the surface. His face was so red it looked like a tomato, and with his half-lidded eyes, he started huping. It took him several seconds to find the real An among the five blurry figures in front of him.


    "Don''t... you... dare..." he struggled to speak in between hups.


    Thud!


    This time, it was yer''s head that mmed against the wooden table. He hadpletely lost consciousness.


    "You did well! Hah, I am so proud of you!" An almost fell out of his chair inughter. "How could such a strong knight be so weak when ites to drinking?"


    "And yet you still forced him," Drayce countered as he munched on the roasted meat. He had finished the first mug of beer.


    "As if I was the only one. Don''t forget you didn''t stop him--you wanted it too," An said as he took a gulp of his beer. He yfully patted yer''s shoulder, but the man wouldn''t wake up. "He is always so furious whenever we mention brothels to him. I wonder why he is like that." He smirked at Drayce. "Do you think he is fine down there?"


    "He is absolutely fine," Drayce assured him.


    An offered him a questioning gaze, his tone using. "How would you know?"


    "As if you really doubt him. He is our friend so don''t you know already?"


    "Well..."


    Just then, the server came to them with more mugs and picked up the emptied ones. "Mister finished two mugs! I won the bet. Does this mean I get a reward?"


    An sighed and pulled out a pouch of coins. "I am the guest here. Why am I paying? That man there," An looked at Drayce, "can give you more than this."


    Drayce didn''t wait for the server to say anything and handed him another pouch of coins.


    The young man didn''t expect to get a reward like this as he was merely expecting a tip of one or two bronze coins. He immediately bowed to them. "Thank you so much, gentlemen! Please tell me if I can do anything for you."


    An carefully studied him. "Hmm? Anything?"


    The server cleverly nodded while Drayce pondered quietly as he knew An''s habit well. Coming to a tavern outside of the city was not only for the drinks, but it was the ce where arge number of random peoplee and go. Regardless of its rumour or news, a tavern was the best ce to get to hear what was happening around.


    The server hid the pouches in his pocket as he stood in attention. "Yes, misters. I hear a lot of stories from the customers I serve. Do you have anything you''re particrly interested in?"


    An acted as if he was thinking something and then spoke, "Nothing really stands out. We are just a group of bored men. You can tell us anything interesting thates to mind."


    The server thought about what he could tell. By looking at the behaviour of the three, he guessed these customers were a group of friends, probably easygoing nobles in disguise who wanted to rx away from the eyes of society.


    "Ah! This should be interesting. A couple of days ago, I think? Suspicious people came here when the tavern was at its busiest. Like tonight."


    "Oh, really?" An acted like a gossip-loving nobleman. "What do you mean suspicious?"


    "They give off this vibe like they don''t belong here."


    An gave him a displeased look. "Hey, you. What is so suspicious about random people like us? Do you find us suspicious as well?"


    The server let out an awkward chuckle. "Of course not, mister. I can identify gentlemen easily. I find nothing suspicious about you three."


    An offered him an appreciative nod. "You sure are so smart."


    "Thank you," the server said as sighed in relief and went into gossip mode. "So, what I mean is that those people didn''t seem to be mercenaries or locals. They are suspicious because they keep asking about news of a purple- eyed woman."

 Chapter 545 Wouldnt Stop At The Kiss

    An subtly nced at Drayce, understanding what he had to do.


    "Oh, they do sound suspicious! This is exactly the kind of gossip I want to hear." An let out augh as if he didn''t particrly believe the server but was egging him on to say more. "But purple eyes? Does that kind of eye even exist aside from books? I don''t think anyone has that eye colour."


    "Seems like the gentleman is not aware of the rumour," the server said.


    "What rumour?"


    "That our new Queen has purple eyes, a sign that she is a witch."


    "Well, I really wouldn''t know," An said with a shrug. "Lowly people like us shouldn''t gossip about royalty. I don''t want tond myself in prison."


    The server chuckled. "Oh, don''t take me wrong, mister. The people love the Queen chosen by the King himself and since she''s a foreign princess, the people are mostly curious about her. Rumours are saying she''s quite a beauty. Which is also the reason why I find those people suspicious."


    Drayce held back his anger as he knew getting information was important and he could not reveal his identity.


    "That makes them suspicious, really?" Anmented as if he could not believe it.


    "Mister, if they inquire like that about the royal family then it is obvious they don''t belong to this kingdom," said the server.


    "That makes sense," An nodded.


    "Not only that, they looked different...I cannot point out exactly how, but well, they were taller than regr people so the moment they entered any establishment, they would no doubt catch people''s attention...Umm..." The server stopped as he realized the three, though seated, seemed unusually tall as well. "Apologies...I just felt they were different."


    "Anything else particr about them?" An asked.


    The server scratched his head hesitantly. "Not sure if it counts but..."


    "Just say it."


    "Though both of them were wearing travel-worn robes, their attire was odd."


    "What about it?"


    "They were dressed too lightly, mister. Winter hase. In such cold weather, why would they not wear anything more?" The server made a strange face. "Back then, I remembered that I was wondering if they don''t feel the cold. They didn''t look bothered at all. I don''t think it''s that they couldn''t afford to buy clothes because I saw them carrying gold with them."


    "Were the gold coins they paid the same as this kingdom?" An asked.


    "Yes."


    "Seems like smart ones to not give out their identities," An mumbled. "How many were they? Those who asked about our Queen?"


    "I don''t know if they have morepanions, but those I served were two people."


    "You say this happened a couple of days ago?"


    "Hmm, now that I think more about it, I think it''s just yesterday?" The server pondered. "Yes, I''m sure it''s yesterday."


    "Well, young man, you sure told us an interesting story. How about you give us one more te of roasted meat?"


    "Oh, of course, mister!"


    As the server left, An looked at Drayce who looked deep in thought. "Do you think those were the same ones who abducted your wife?"


    Drayce shook his head. "I don''t think so. They had nned for her abduction enough to create aplicated setup, that means they were already aware of Seren for some time. There is no need for any of them toe out and inquire about general news of her like this."


    "Then? Who can it be?"


    "We will find out," Drayce said with a determined gaze. "We should go back. My wife is alone."


    After hearing suspicious people were asking news of her, he felt the urge to never leave her side to grow stronger. He could not wait to go back to her.


    "Sure!" An agreed and the two stood up, leaving a single man still in his seat. "yer, wake up...aish, I don''t really want to carry this drunk." Despite hisints, he helped yer by putting his arm over his shoulder to make him stand. "This is your knight. As his liege, shouldn''t you be carrying him out?"


    The next moment, everything inside the tavern froze as if time had stopped. Drayce took yer from An.


    "See you soon," An said and by the time everything inside the tavern returned to normal, the three of them disappeared, merely leaving their payment on the table.


    Drayce and yer returned to the Royal Pce of Megaris, where Drayce left yer in his room inside the knights'' quarters. Once he made sure that yer was fine, he returned to his wife''s chamber, not even bothering to freshen up and change his clothes.


    He removed his outer robe and boots and threw them aside, leaving only his inner shirt and pants on his body as he moved towards the bed


    Unknown to him, his shoulders rxed the more he observed his sleeping wife. He lifted the quilt and got under it as he could not wait to get her in his arms. He wanted to hold her and make sure she was still there with him.


    ''No one could take you away from me.''


    Seren woke up upon sensing the movement in bed. She found herself being pulled in a familiar warm embrace, causing her initial panic to disappear. She opened her eyes and lifted her head up to look up at her husband''s handsome face. She could smell the hint of liquor on him. "You are back?"


    He gently caressed her soft hair and made a sound of affirmation in his throat.


    Seren felt something was strange. It was unusual for him to drink, and even more unusual was for him to look at her like this. His red eyes were always filled with care and affection for her, but tonight, there was something more. It looked filled with worry.


    ''Is it rted to my abduction?'' she wondered. She could not help but voice out her concerns. "Did something happen?"


    He shook his head, but the arms wrapped around her tightened.


    She was not convinced. "When did my husband learn to lie to me?"


    Drayce almost smiled at the way she sounded like she''s whining to him. These past few days had really been an eye-opener to him with his wife starting to show more and more of her other sides to him.


    Thus, he decided to be honest.


    "I was worried," he said, "worried about things, like what if I won''t see you here? What if I turn away for a bit, and in my distracted state, find you taken away from me?".


    It was exactly how he felt while leaving that tavern. The hooded individuals who abducted her, the people the King of Abetha was wary about, the suspicious people from the tavern, regardless of whether they were the same group of people or not, the fact that they were interested in Seren made him feel like danger is lurking everywhere.


    "You worry for nothing. I will always be here, waiting for you," she replied while offering him a smile under her veil which reflected through her eyes.


    Drayce smiled back as he continued to caress her cheek over her veil.


    "What are you thinking about?" she asked after a while.


    Drayce took in a deep breath to calm himself, and he briefly closed his eyes to let himself be immersed in her sweet scent. There were many things on his mind, but he wasn''t sure letting her know would be of help.


    ''The things I can tell her...''


    He knew he had to tell Seren about his other side. Though she was aware of its existence, he needed to have a proper conversation with her about it. Not just his dark side, but there were other threats after her that she should know. Ignorance would make her guards lowered, yet at the same time, he didn''t want her to overly fear for her own safety.


    He opened his eyes to look at her, his gaze meeting her beautiful purple eyes that were waiting for his answer.


    ''Not yet.'' Drayce didn''t want to scare her at this moment and diverted her attention. "I was thinking about this." His thumb caressed over her veil-covered lips.


    A light blush covered her face under his eyes holding a suggestive gaze.


    His lowered voice sounded in her ears. "But if you are sleepy...?"


    Seren immediately shook her head. "I...am not sleepy."


    Just as she said that, the entire chamber was covered in darkness, all the lights of themps inside put out.


    Seren was startled but not surprised, and she calmly waited for her husband to make a move. She found his hand removing the veil from her face. For a second, she wondered if she would ever get to know how Drayce could remove her veil. If it was because he was her husband...


    ''But isn''t the job of this veil to stop anyone from seeing my face? Does this veil trust my husband that he won''t look at my face?''


    As she was distracted, thinking about her veil, she didn''t realize she was alreadyying t in the bed and her Drayce was on top of her.


    "You are not allowed to think of anything else when I am with you," Drayce said, as if he could guess what was going on in her mind.


    "I...Apologies...Umm..."


    Her lips were sealed by his before she could say more. His warm lips captured her soft ones while his hot alcoholic breath brushed against her delicate skin.


    The way he kissed her was different from before. It was a little rough and demanding, making her unable to keep up with him.


    Sensing how he was trying to im her, one thing was for sure--things between them wouldn''t stop with just a kiss.

 Chapter 546 Want To Know His Dark Side

    Drayce was showing impatience as he moved to dominate her sweet mouth, showing through this kiss both his passion and concern, as if Seren would disappear from his arms if he were to loosen his hold on his wife for a bit.


    Ever since he learned of her abduction, though he appeared calm on the surface, the truth was he had been anxious about losing her. He could not even let himself think of her being hurt. That scene where Aureus brought back to the Crystal Pce an unconscious Seren was such a shock to him he could not erase it in his head.


    The pain of losing someone was something he was deeply familiar with. He had lost his mother, and with her gone, had also lost a loving father. He could not afford to lose another beloved.


    Drayce didn''t know when it began, but his wife had be so precious to him that he did not even want to think of losing her. She had be everything to him, and somewhere inside him, he had this strange feeling that Seren was the reason for his existence.


    ''Mine...''


    He harshly sucked and nibbled on her lips, immersed in enjoying her soft moans, as one of his hands moved to cradle her head and kiss her better while the other held her hand and entangled her fingers with his.


    Seren tried to keep up with him, but he was simply too dominating that for a moment she wondered if his other side showed up.


    "Dray...?" she tried to call him but Drayce sealed her lips once more and slid his tongue inside her cavern, not letting her say a word..


    Seren gave in to temptation and kissed him back just as passionately. She didn''t care if it was Drayce or his other side--to her, he was her one and only husband. She responded with intensity to his kiss, her hands that were holding onto his shoulders moving to circle around his neck.


    Soft moans continued to leave her throat as his alcoholic breath mixed with her sweet one. Seren didn''t know why, but she liked it instead of feeling reluctant with the change. The dominance he''s showing in the way he savored her, she liked every bit of it.


    Those needy groans from his throat were like tempting music to her ears. It reminded her once again how much he wanted her, leaving her breathless.


    When their lips parted away, she felt his head fall on the side of her neck.


    Panting to catch her own breath, her hand moved to caress his head. The strands of his long ck hair felt nice in between her fingers.


    Hidden by the darkness of the chamber, with his head turned away from her, there was something Seren wasn''t able to see-- that other than his desire for her, her husband''s eyes held something else.


    The fear of losing her.


    "Dray?" she called for him when the silence between them extended longer than she expected.


    He pulled his head back from her neck and pulled away from her, deciding toy on his side with his eyes closed. He caressed her cheek with his thumb, enjoying this rare moment where he could touch her without her veil.


    "Seren..."


    "Hmm?" She could feel he had something to say.


    "Will you be scared if I change suddenly when I am like this with you?" he asked.


    She wondered why he was saying this out of the blue. "Did something happen?" she asked.


    Drayce didn''t know how to tell her that he had made a deal with his dark side, about how he would let her be his mate and he would not meddle once he showed up but...it was a hard decision, apromise, that he had to do in order to save her.


    What if his other side hurt her? Was saving her meant putting her in another dangerous situation?


    Drayce sighed. "What if, what if I change like on our wedding night and won''t return even if you call for me?"


    As she pondered on her reply, the silence within the dark chamber felt especially nerve-wracking to Drayce. And then when she spoke--


    "But Dray, isn''t that you as well?"


    Drayce shivered upon hearing the confidence and trust in those words. He didn''t know how to respond. It was him, but at the same time, wasn''t. He wondered if Seren could say the same thing once shepletely understood his other side.


    "In a sense," he started, "but that me is worse and can hurt you."


    "You call him a side of you--that means he''s still you. Since he is you, I believe he won''t hurt me. I know you will never hurt me," she said, admitting herplete trust in him.


    "I cannot assure you he won''t," Drayce said.


    "How would you know? Isn''t it too early to make a conclusion unless I get to see your other side properly."


    Her words puzzled him, and it made him wonder if she even knew what she''s saying. "You want to see my other side?" Drayce asked, but somewhere, he felt unsure as he didn''t wish her to know the darkness inside him.


    Draycemented, "He is my darkness. I worry that--"


    "Dray," Seren called out to interrupt him, "shouldn''t I meet him if he is a part of you?"


    It took him several seconds to respond.


    "Do you mean it?"


    She grabbed one of his hands and squeezed it, her voice sounding confident as she responded, "I mean it. I want to meet him. That night, though he was going to hurt me, I felt like he gave up on his own and let me call you. I felt like he was just angry but he didn''t really want to hurt me."


    "Is that true?"


    He could feel her nodding. "Maybe, I can try to get familiar with him."


    "Are you...interested to know more about him?"


    "That sounds wonderful," she said, and it was as if he could imagine her smiling in the darkness.


    "There''s a single soul inside my body," Drayce informed her, "And from that, two consciousnesses are born--me, the human side and other, we call him Erebus."


    "Erebus," she repeated. "What does it mean?"


    "It means ''darkness'' in the runguage. My mother was the one to name him," Drayce said.


    "Darkness..." she muttered. She had many questions in mind about this so-called dark side of her husband, and just as she wondered which one to voice out first, she felt Drayce tighten his hold on her body.


    His lowered voice sounded tempting as he asked, "Shall we continue if you are sure you won''t be scared?"


    Seren shivered, and it was as if all of her confused thoughts were wiped away the moment she felt his lips trace the shape of her ear. Her heart started to race and she let out an affirmative sound.


    Her reaction brought a smile on his lips. "I see my Queen getting excited at the thought of being intimate with me."


    He remembered how she immediately said she was not sleepy when he asked her earlier and how her gaze looked at him with anticipation.


    "Should I not?" she asked and raised her head to kiss him. For some reason, Drayce felt her impatience through that kiss, like she could not wait anymore.


    Drayce kissed her back and the two continued where they had stopped previously.


    Leaving her gasping for breath after another round of passionate kisses, Drayce then moved his attention down to her slender neck. He could not wait to have a taste of his wife. It felt like an eternity since he had done it. As he sucked and licked the delicate skin of her neck, sweet moans escaped her mouth with her hands grasping the back of his head.


    Responding to her moans, Drayce''s hand untied the knot of her nightwear and the robe opened to expose her delicate curves under the thin fabric of her sleeping gown. He simply could not wait to get rid of it. He trailed the kiss on her exposed shoulders and moved the straps of her sleeping gown down, leaving her chest exposed to him.


    Her sultry moans were getting louder as she enjoyed the pleasure of his touch. As she focused on each and every of his touch, she didn''t even realize that her clothes had been removed from her body and she was lying naked under her husband. Her senses only returned when he momentarily pulled away to sit in between her legs.


    Her body felt very hot as she waited in anticipation under the curtain of darkness. However, several seconds passed by without any movement from her husband. Something felt off to her.


    "Dray?" she called for him. She could not see him due to the pitch ck darkness, but she could feel him staying abnormally still like a statue..


    He still didn''t respond, but the next moment, she heard the sound of clothes ripping. Those were not her clothes as she was not wearing any, but the clothes of the one sitting between her parted legs. Going by the sounds, she could sense that Drayce had torn his shirt and thrown it away down the bed.

 Chapter 547 Brave Seren

    "Dray...?" she called, her voice a bit shaky and panicked this time.


    There was no way her sweet husband would not reply to her even after she called him twice.


    ''Is it him? Erebus? When did he show up? Had it not been Dray till now?''


    With that thought, she felt her heart skipping a bit, and though she didn''t want to admit it, she suddenly felt scared. She had decided to face the dark side of her husband, but she could not help but feel anxious. The absolute darkness inside the chamber added to her fears, and the fact that she could see nothing clearly made her want to stop.


    She asked with a slightly trembling voice, wanting to pull away and sit up, "Dray... is it you?"


    But before she couldpletely pull her legs back, she felt the tight hold on her ankles and she was forced to remain on her back with her legs parted. She tried but could not get away.


    Now, Seren was sure that it was not Drayce but Erebus.


    Even before she could say anything, she was pressed under the naked body of her husband. Though the body was the same, the actions felt like they were of a stranger as Drayce never treated her roughly like this. He would always coax her with his words and make sure that she wasfortable, but nothing like that was happening with the man hovering over her body.


    She pressed her hands against his chest to push him away, her panic rising, not knowing what else to do. But the man didn''t even respond to her.


    "Dray?" she called once again, yet rather than saying anything, his response came through action. Both of her hands were held by his and pinned above her head.


    She could feel how hot his body was and could even feel the hardness against her most private part-- as if it wanted to get inside her, just like their wedding night.


    ''Dray would never do it without getting my consent. This has to be his dark side. Did he show up because we were talking about him?''


    Seren was now sure, but by that time, she felt him move his face to her neck. His breath was hot against her tender skin, and as she felt his warm mouth touch that sensitive part, she could feel his teeth grazing against her skin, as if he was ready to bite her while iming her at the same time.


    Since calling him ''Dray'' received no response, she decided to say out loud the name given to his dark side.


    "Erebus?"


    His body froze in shock.


    A chill ran through her body upon receiving this reaction from him. Seren had her guess confirmed, and thus, she knew she had to stick to her earlier words.


    ''He is still Dray, the other side of my Dray, and I don''t need to be scared of my husband.''


    She took a deep shaky breath, trying her best to be brave and suppress her fear.


    She felt him move back and it felt as if he was looking at her. Before she knew it, she freed her hands from his hold and moved to cover the lower part of her face.


    His pair of red eyes shone in the darkness, but they looked more like crimson jewels rather than a person''s eyes. It looked like those eyes were simply observing her without emotions.


    ''How curious...''


    They were the same set of beautiful red eyes, the same shape and the same shade of red, but unlike the gaze of her Dray that was full of love and affection for her, this one held an aloof and bone-chilling feel to it.


    ''Like I''m looking at the eyes of someone not human.''


    After some hesitation, Seren moved one of her hands towards his face. She stared into those shining red eyes without breaking their gaze. Swallowing her anxiety, she touched his cheek with her fingers.


    "Erebus, it''s you."


    The next moment, the shine in those eyes disappeared which caused her heart to skip a beat.


    "Erebus?" she called anxiously in that darkness.


    "Seren," Drayce called out to her.


    "Dray, is it you now?" she asked, somewhat confused to hear him respond in such a gentle tone.


    He ced his hand over her hand that was cupping his face and lightly nted a kiss on her palm. "It''s me."


    "I..I thought Erebus took over your body. Was I wrong?" she asked.


    "You are not wrong. He showed up," Drayce said in the same gentle voice.


    "Then why...I mean, I called him earlier but he didn''t respond...." She didn''t know what to think about such a strange encounter.


    Drayce chuckled. "Seems like you scared him."


    "Huh? But I did nothing? We did not even get the chance to talk," Seren countered.


    "Are you sure it''s not because my wife is scary?" he teased. He caressed her cheeks gently. "He probably didn''t expect you to call his name. My Queen is so brave..."


    "I am always brave," she said confidently.


    "Really? Let''s test that then," Drayce smirked and pulled her into a passionate kiss.


    ''There is no need for me to worry anymore.'' Drayce was d that Erebus didn''t harm her and Seren was able to handle his other side without a problem. Now, he''s convinced that he didn''t have to hold back from being intimate with his wife, worrying over his other side showing up and harming her.


    "Dray..." She was taken aback by this sudden passionate attack from him. "Wait--"


    "I can''t," Drayce replied and continued to ravish his wife.


    Though they could not consummate the marriage yet, both knew how to please each other and satisfy their needs.


    Those soft mounds, he could not help but squeeze them, and he listened to her alluring response in return to him capturing one sweet bud at a time, sucking and nibbling and tasting them to his heart''s content.


    "Dray...aah..."


    He loved to hear her sultry moans that were encouraging him to do more.

 Chapter 548 Lets Feel It Together

    He continued to go down on his wife. Just as he reached in between her thighs, Seren tried to clench her legs together though was already expecting it. She had experienced it with him before and she loved how it felt, but still, the thought of having him pay attention to her most intimate part embarrassed her. But because she knew exactly what he was going to do next, the greater her self-consciousness grew.


    Drayce held her thighs and spoke as he peppered them with light kisses, "Strange. I swear I heard you say a while ago that you are always brave."


    Seren squirmed under his teasing. "I am but�� this is too embarrassing��ahh, Dray!"


    The smirking Drayce moved his long fingers through her wet folds, and he did not stop until only her seductive moans could leave her mouth. She closed her eyes as she gave upplete control of her body to her husband, waiting for him to go further as she knew he would not stop with just his fingers.


    "The way you are making such lewd sounds, I don''t feel it''s embarrassing for you, my Queen," he continued to tease, and as he lowered his head, his warm and coarse tongue made its way through her wet folds.


    "Mmm��!" Seren immediately covered her mouth with her hands because of what Drayce said.


    "Let''s see how long you can stop it," Draycemented before continuing to please his wife.


    "Wait, Dray��" she called out the moment she realized what Dray was up to. Not like she wanted to stop him, but her body was humming with great desire, the anticipation of what she experienced in the past was starting to cloud her thoughts, pushing back whatever embarrassment lingering at the back of her mind.


    His warm tongue once again licked through her wet folds, making her gasp loudly. His tongue continued to y with her most private part, licking and sucking those wet folds and ying with her sensitive bundle of nerves.


    "That''s too much��ahh��ahh��your tongue��"


    The pleasure was building up inside her like waves, and Seren felt like she was close, so close to reaching the peak when��


    "Dray��?"


    Her husband stopped. She was a shivering mess, covered in sweat and gasping for air, but the reason came back to her because Drayce pulled back and left her hanging on a cliff.


    "Hmm?" she heard hisnguid voice say as if pretending innocence. She felt him moving his face away from where she needed him the most.


    "Why��Why did you��stop��?"


    Amidst her frustration, she found his body moving upwards, just enough for him to reach out and for his hand to hold the curve of her back. Before she could understand what was happening, she found herself sitting up, straddling him in a kneeling position, with both her legs on either side of his waist and her bottom on his thighs.


    She instinctively held onto his shoulders and wanted to ask what he was doing, "Dray what��"


    But she couldn''t finish what she was saying. Her lips were sealed with his as his hands made her sitfortably before circling around her waist. Her delicate body weighed nothing to him, and he found it amusing to make her move the way he wished.


    She circled her arms around his neck and continued to deeply kiss him, but then, her body started feeling that heat once more when his hands moved to her bottom. She felt his hardness rubbing against her womanhood.


    "Ahh��haa��Dray��" she moaned between that heated kiss.


    He stopped kissing and whispered against her lips, "I wish to feel it together with my wife. Shall we?" He moved her body again, causing their intimate parts to grind against each other, the shot of pleasure making her gasp loudly.


    Seren could not deny that this felt indescribably good��that his hot, hard and pulsating manhood would feel so good like this��and wondered how it would feel once it entered inside her. With what Drayce was making her feel, her thought knew no bounds.


    If Drayce were to consummate their marriage at this very moment and fully im her body as his, she knew she would not stop him.


    "Shall we?" he asked again as he continued to grind her against him, driving whatever rationality left in her away.


    "Yes..ahh��yes��" Seren could only gasp as she followed what he was trying to make her do. With his hands guiding her, she started to move in sync with his pace as the two continued to kiss passionately.


    "Haa��Does it feel good, my Queen?" Drayce asked in a low and seductive whisper against her swollen lips.


    Seren whispered back, "It feels�� good��ahh��"


    Her body felt really hot, the inside of her core clenching and begging for its release.


    Drayce didn''t have to guide her now as she was doing it on her own. His hand moved to the back of her head as his fingers entwined with her loose hair and he pulled her into a harsh kiss, their bodies grinding against each other, both seeking to reach the peak of pleasure.


    "Dray��" Her entire body was tensing up as she tried to tell him she could feel somethinging, not knowing how to word it. "I think��I''m��I''m��"


    Drayce understood what she meant as he moved faster than before while holding her in ce, and he too felt that his release wasing.


    "Seren, I��"


    After sharing one more kiss, the couple found their release together. The warm fluid spread over both their bodies but no one cared. All they knew was that they felt like they''d reached heaven together.


    Her body had gone limp and he hugged her, letting her body rest against his body as they both tried to catch their breaths.


    Drayce wrapped his arms around her tightly with his eyes closed as he tried to even out his breathing. Once he was no longer panting, he asked, "Are you fine, my Queen?"


    She didn''t respond immediately as if she had been thoroughly exhausted. "Hmm," was all she could say, clinging onto him like a baby.


    "Are you tired?" he asked, caressing her bare back.


    "A little," she replied in a small voice while burying her face in the crook of his neck.


    Drayce suddenly realized that her body should be currently weaker than normal. It had not been long since her abduction, and she was still recovering from being harmed by ck magic. It was not a good idea to exhaust her but��he forgot��


    He gently ced her properly on the bed. He then got her veil and put it on her face before lighting themps inside the chamber.


    "You can rest. I will clean you."


    The exhausted woman simply nced at his naked form and closed her eyes as if she could not wait to sleep. Drayce cleaned both of them before getting into bed with her. He realized his clothes were torn so he didn''t bother wearing anything and got into bed and simply covered their bodies with the nket. He then pulled her into his arms and closed his eyes, a small smile lingering on his handsome face.


    Nothing could make him feel more at ease than having her in his arms.

 Chapter 549 Without Clothes

    Seren found herself waking up in her husband''sfortably warm embrace. Not bothering to open her eyes, she further snuggled into those arms like a baby, as if wanting to go back to sleep but...


    "Good morning, my Queen."


    Hearing Drayce''s manly voice, still slightly hoarse from sleep, made her smile under her veil. It was the kind of sound she''d want to hear first thing every morning. She opened her eyes, wanting to greet him back, but she forgot that thought when the wonderful view of his bare muscled chest weed her.


    That should have been normal given the difference between their physiques...but, to her surprise, she realized she was snuggling her face against his naked body with her hands even feeling him up.


    "Are you finally awake?"


    She heard his voice again, his tone with a hint of amusement, and immediately, she retracted her hands and moved her face up to look at the expression donned by the owner of that chest.


    As expected, he was staring at her as if he was holding back a smile, and she blinked at that handsome face, somewhat distracted before she found her gaze trailing downwards from his face towards his chest.


    Recalling the fact that the man in her bed was naked, Seren was so flustered she tried to escape from his embrace.


    "W-Why are you not wearing clothes?!" she asked, as if using him of something wrong he did.


    He could no longer keep his smile, and an amusedugh escaped his naughty lips. "Is my wife the only one allowed to sleep without clothes on?" His gaze deliberately moved down from her face to her bare chest, mirroring what she did to him earlier.


    As their movements caused the nket to move down a little, she realized something and moved her gaze down to look at herself. Realization hit her, seemingly causing all the blood in her body to rush to her head.


    "Ah!!!" She immediately yanked the nket to cover her bare chest. "W-Why am I not wearing clothes?"


    The sun was already up, and the curtains were drawn, allowing the sunlight to brighten the entire bedchamber. It made everything clear for both of them to see--the clothes were strewn about, their mutual nakedness, the love bites on their skins, everything.


    Though they had been intimate before, they did it in the dark and she was more used to seeing her body during her morning bath. For him to see her like this and vice-versa in broad daylight, she was yet to get ustomed to such experience.


    "Why? Is it so surprising?" he asked, as being naked didn''t matter to him.


    He moved closer to her and wrapped his hand around her waist, pulling her close enough to have their naked bodies pressed against each other.


    The flustered woman eximed. "D-Dray! What are you doing?!"


    Her reaction didn''t stop him. Instead, a yful smile appeared on that handsome face, showing how much he was enjoying this moment with his adorable wife.


    "To think of it, I realized just now that I have never seen my wife without her clothes on. How disgraceful for a husband. Seems like we need to remedy this failure of mine."


    The way he looked at her, she was sure he was up to no good and she tried to push him away, hoping that would change his mind. "D-Dray, it''ste... We slept for a long time...You need to go, or else you will bete for the court session--"


    "I am the King. Who would darein even if I amte?"


    "Still, I...I need to get up," she insisted, trying to get away from his hold. To be naked in the darkness was her current limit--as a dignifieddy, she''s yet to prepare her mentality for something as obscene as to be seen naked with Dray during the daytime.


    Drayce didn''t wish to force her to do what she didn''t want and eventually let her go. "Fine, but you should get more ustomed to this level of intimacy with me, my Queen. Next time, I won''t let you go so easily."


    ''Next time, I won''t be naked anymore,'' Seren corrected him inside her head, but on the surface, she obediently nodded to what he said.


    But since Drayce could see through her, he simply smiled. Her innocence could never hide her cute little schemes.


    "Stay in bed longer if you wish to. I will get up now," he informed her and stepped out of bed without waiting for her response.


    Seren let out a squeal as she immediately looked the other way. She didn''t have the guts to look at her husband''s naked body.


    "I don''t mind if you look at me," Drayce said as he picked up the torn clothes he had thrown on the floorst night.


    "But I mind," Seren replied while still looking the other way.


    "Then next time you have to stop him from tearing my clothes. If you won''t,ter I won''t wear any."


    "Fine," she agreed, and as she waited for him to bid her farewell, or at least ask a servant to bring a robe to cover his body, she found herself confused to hear no other sound from him.


    She peeked at him with one eye open to check what he was doing but found her chamber empty.


    ''Did he leave already?''


    She looked around carefully, and upon making sure she was on her own, Seren gave out a sigh of relief.


    -------


    Drayce and Seren started their work that day with improved moods, which was so obvious in the way they treated their subordinates that those people too were affected and became more spirited. The people of the pce were in a happy mood, and such was the case until the two royals had their midday meal together in the King''s residence, only to receive unexpected news as soon as they stepped out of the dining hall.


    yer bowed to them, seemingly having waited for a while for the King and the Queen toe out. "Greetings, Your Majesty the King and Your Majesty the Queen. Pardon my rudeness, but I bear urgent news from the Obsidian Pce."


    Drayce paused without a change in his expression. yer continued to keep his head low as he informed them, "His Excellency King Theron has returned to the pce with an injury on his royal body."


    "What? How could that be?" Seren asked immediately. Her mind jumped to her recent abduction, and she felt agitated, wondering if those hooded people targeted the previous king too. "What happened?"


    There was a momentary worry shing in her husband''s red eyes, but it disappeared just as quickly, as if the news didn''t matter to him.


    yer''s response luckily denied her wild spection.


    "His Excellency left his knights behind and wandered off their camp in the forest when a wild boar attacked him--"


    "Make sure the royal physicians do their work properly," Drayce interrupted yer as if he didn''t wish to hear more and looked at Seren. "My Queen, shall we?"


    "But Dray, are we not--"


    "Don''t worry about it," he cut her off and gestured for them to start walking.


    Despite her reluctance, she quietly walked with him in that hallway and nced at Drayce once in a while. Before getting the news, he was happily talking to her, but now, his silence made her feel ufortable. He felt cold and distant, his face bearing a cold expression that made her not dare talk to him.


    She could feel that though Drayce implied that he didn''t care for his father, deep inside him, the news of his father''s injury bothered him.


    They finally stopped at the hallway connecting the King''s Pce and the Queen''s Pce. Seren gathered her resolve and looked at him. "Dray, are you sure we should not go visit His Excellency?"


    "My Queen," Drayce started, his eyes staring at something in the air, "you must have heard about my past from Grandmother. Do you think I still need to be worried for such a man, to the extent of going there personally when it''s not even life-threatening? He''s a swordsman like me. His body is strong despite his age. Do you want me to go there and fake concern?"


    Seren didn''t know what to say to him as she knew he was upset with his father. It was a difficult decision to not side with Theron without offending Drayce, and at the same time, it was hard on her conscience to side with Drayce as she knew the truth of their past. She felt sincere worry for her father-inw and felt bad for him, knowing how much pain he had gone through.


    "I understand," was all Seren could say and turned to leave.


    While walking in the hallway, she wondered if there was a way to reunite these father and son who had grown distant from each other despite their real feelings.


    The news of King Theron being injured had reached everywhere within the Royal Pce of Megaris, even to the distant Crystal Pce of Great Lady Theodora.

 Chapter 550 [Bonus Chapter]Reckless Theron

    The previous king''s three concubines hurried to see their husband where they were received by the Head Royal Physician who assured them that their husband was not in any mortal danger. Other than Lady Saira, no other concubine was normally allowed to visit the Obsidian Pce, but on such asions like this, none of the knights stopped family members from arriving.


    The Great Lady hurried to the Obsidian Pce as fast as she could to see her son, and it was Seren who received her at the entrance.


    Seeing the Great Ladye bearing a concerned look on her aged face, the young queen bowed to her. "Greetings, Grandmother. The others are waiting inside and looked so restless that I offered to receive you."


    The olddy''s smile bore no real warmth. "Is my son in a terrible state?"


    "The physicians assured us they''re doing their best..." Seren said as she escorted the olddy inside, "...but Grandmother, is it fine for me toe without my husband?"


    "I knew Dray would not bring you here, and neither would he ask you to go on your own, so I thought it''s better if you visit this pce with my authority. That way, Dray won''t stop you," the olddy informed her their hurried steps echoed within the hallway. "Dare he say anything if I want you to apany me?"


    "Thank you so much, Grandmother." Seren wished to visit her father-inw but didn''t know how to make it happen when Drayce clearly showed he didn''t wish to send her to the Obsidian Pce.


    Seren could somewhat understand Drayce''s line of thinking. On her first visit to her father-inw, the older man didn''t wee them, and Drayce and him even got into a verbal fight. Her husband must not want her to go there to face something simr again. But Seren didn''t mind if her father-inw showed bitterness toward her after knowing he was a good man wearing a mask.


    The three concubines could be seen waiting outside the King''s bed-chamber, all looking pale and worried. The moment they saw the Great Lady, they bowed to her and as well as to the Queen.


    The Great Lady had no patience for their greetings and immediately gestured for them to stay put.


    "Has the physician allowed guests to enter?" she asked the knights stationed outside.


    "Yes, Great Lady. The treatment is over. However, His Excellency remains unconscious."


    The knight guarding the door opened the door for his liege''s mother. As the olddy entered, Seren contemted over whether she should follow the Great Lady or stay outside with her mothers-inw.


    The olddy turned to look at the hesitating young woman. "Aren''t youing to assist this olddy, dear?"


    Seren nodded immediately and followed the Great Lady. As Seren was not familiar with her father-inw, she was hesitant to intrude when even his wives were waiting outside.


    Inside the chamber, the Head Royal Physician was wiping blood off his hands, having finished treating the previous king. There were three other younger physicians with him, and they bowed to the Great Lady as soon as they saw her.


    "How is he?" She walked towards her son''s bed and let out a worried sigh at the sight of her unconscious son.


    "His Excellency King Theron''s life is not in danger. Fortunately, although the injury in his torso is deep, none of his internal organs were damaged. It has been taken care of and all he needs is to be nursed back to health.


    The two women felt relieved hearing those remarks. However, with her worries ayed came the olddy''s anger.


    "How can he be so careless? A boar? In his youth, he could even handle three tigers or three bears, let alone a single boar. Is age getting to him? Don''t tell me he''s on his own without a weapon? So unlikely of him tomit a mistake not even a knight''s squire would make," the Great Ladyined as she was sure about her son''s capabilities and found it difficult to believe a boar could hurt him.


    The Head Royal Physician left after instructing his apprentices to stay to observe and nurse the unconscious royal.


    "I want to be alone with my son." Ordering the physicians and the servants to leave the chamber, the Great Lady stopped the only knight permitted to be present in the chamber. "Galien, you stay!"


    The middle-aged knight flinched but immediately responded, "Yes, Your Excellency?"


    "Exin to me. How did this happen?" she demanded.


    The knight fell on his knees as he shouted, "Your Excellency, I failed to protect my liege! Please punish me!"


    The olddy shook her head with a sigh. "I am asking you what happened. If you seek to be punished, wait for your liege to wake up as only he has the right to punish his knights.So tell me. Even though he''s been wallowing in liquor day in and day out, those muscles on his body are telltale signs he still trains his swordsmanship. No ordinary wild animal could have hurt him. I want the truth."


    Seren''s eyes brightened as she realized that this middle-aged knight was one of the important people in her grandmother''s story. Sir Galien Kenelm, King Theron''s guardian knight and his most loyal person. He was to his father-inw what yer was to Drayce.


    Sir Galien decided to tell his liege''s mother the truth.


    Late in the night, the guardian knight realized that his liege was not in his tent and he had even left his sword behind. Aware that Theron had been drinking even before nightfall, the knight left camp to search for him in that forest. After some time, he eventually found his master but then saw something unusual.


    Theron was standing at a distance, seemingly absent-minded--or that was what the knight initially thought, until he heard the sound of snortinging not far from where his liege was. Arge wild boar was preparing to charge over, seemingly targeting Theron.


    The knight would have left the man and animal alone, aware that Theron could easily kill a boar even with his bare hands, but the more he looked at Theron, Galien realised he had no intentions of dodging the attack of the wild animal and even ignored the venomous snake closer to him, ready to attack.


    Not thinking twice, Sir Galien hurried and pushed his liege aside to ughter the venomous snake. No one would have expected that the wild boar would choose that opportunity to attack the man who had lost his bnce.


    Though Galien eventually killed the boar, Theron did not even attempt to dodge the sharp tusks of the wild boar''s initial assault, leaving his torso badly injured and heavily bleeding by the time Galien got rid of the animal.


    "It was my fault that His Excellency got hurt so please exact punishment in his stead, Your Excellency. At least, let me stay in prison until my liege wakes up," the knight pleaded.


    Hearing the entire incident from the knight, the olddy knew it was not the knight''s fault but her son being reckless. She excused the knight and sat at the edge of the bed, staring at her son who seemed restless even in his sleep.


    As the person who raised him, how could she not guess his intentions?


    "When will you stop being stubborn, Theron? She won''te back to you. Why do you keep pulling stunts that harm you this way? Will you only understand it when you are on your dying breath that she won''te to save you?" Great Lady Theodora was speaking in a calm manner, but the sorrow in her voice could not be hidden. "Didn''t you say you hated her? That you had given up on her? Then why do you keep on searching for her every year?


    "My son, why can''t you just give up?"


    Though no tears fell from the olddy''s eyes, her eyes were red-rimmed. Seren could only offer her a handkerchief. Witnessing this, she could not help but feel sorry for this pair of mother and son.


    ''Queen Esther, will you truly never return to see your husband and your son ever?'' Seren wondered.


    After a while, Seren went out of the previous king''s chamber with theposed Great Lady. She looked at her daughters-inw who were eager to have their chance to check on their husband.


    "Only Saira will stay here. You two can return to your residences," she referred to Lady risa and Lady Yavia.


    Lady risa tried to oppose, "But Mother..."


    "You are aware that Theron did not permit any of his wives to enter the premises of the Obsidian Pce aside from his third concubine. When he wakes up, it''s better for you to see him with his permission, " the Great Lady dered. "


    The two concubines could not disobey their mother-inw and quietly left. In their hearts, they could not help but feel envious of Lady Saira. Though Theron considered Lady Saira as nothing but a servant, she was fortunate enough to be able to be around their husband.


    Once the two concubines left, the Great Lady softened her expression and turned towards Lady Saira. "I will leave him to you."


    Lady Saira promised to give the Crystal Pce constant updates of the previous king''s health, and only then did the Great Lady and the young queen leave.


    On the way out, Seren could not help but ask, "Grandmother, can I ask something?"


    The olddy smiled lightly and already predicted what the young queen was going to ask, "Why is Saira still allowed in the Obsidian Pce?"


    "Yes, Grandmother."

 Chapter 551 Why Does He Keep Her Around

    The Great Lady smiled upon hearing Seren ask such a question. Seren might have initially been naive and ignorant, but now, she''d begun to pay close attention to theplicated rtionships within the Ivanov Royal Family, even actively seeking to understand them more, which was a good sign towards her development as a queen.


    "What do you think must be the reason?" the Great Lady asked instead of answering her.


    Seren fell into silence as she didn''t expect her grandmother to ask her a question instead. She thought for a moment and gave a hesitant reply. "Because Lady Saira is someone important to the previous queen."


    "And why do you think so?" the Great Lady further inquired.


    "Umm..." Seren lowered her head a bit. "If we hold a person important to us then anything rted to them also bes important for us."


    "Is it?"


    Seeing the olddy''s encouraging look, Seren nodded. "Like what is important to Dray is also important for me, then that should also be the case for His Excellency and his first wife. Since the Third Concubine is dear to the previous queen..." She looked at her grandmother who was slowly walking with her. "Doesn''t Grandmother also value everything that is important to Dray?"


    The Great Lady offered her an approving smile. "You are right, dear." The twodies continued to stroll along the hallway with the olddy''s slow pace in mind.


    "You know, Esther didn''te from a noble household, and even after she rose from being amoner, there were no known people sharing the same blood as her aside from her own son. Thus, she had no one else but the ones who came into her life after she came to the pce. Drayce, of course, is a given, and then there was Saira who was her most trusted confidante aside from Tyra and me, and with her serving by her side the longest, it was Saira who had spent the most time by Esther''s side.


    "Her son, she loved him more than anyone, and Saira was her favouritedy-in-waiting, someone Esther trusted the most enough for her to leave her precious son in her care. You could say that among those in the pce, the people who were constant reminders of Esther were these two. Though he and Dray had be estranged throughout the years, he kept Saira close to him.


    "Like I told you before, taking her in as a concubine was a reckless mistake of his, and he needed to take responsibility for what he did due to Saira''s weak political background. Though he acts as if he cared for nothing in this world anymore, he still has his conscience alive."


    "Hmm," Seren nodded as if saying she understood.


    "But there is a greater reason as well," the Great Lady said.


    "Because Lady Saira''s existence reminds His Excellency of his first wife, Grandmother?"


    "Indeed. If you think of it, isn''t it pitiful? My son seeksfort in Saira''s presence and has granted her and her alone the privilege to be inside his residence where he kept everyone out. Though he doesn''t recognize any of his other wives, Saira still holds a special ce in his heart simply because she was a person belonging to Esther."


    Seren thought for a while. "I don''t think it''s pitiful, Grandmother. Rather, I think it is admirable. I cannot imagine how deep those feelings His Excellency have been holding on for so long for the previous queen. Their rtionship sounds like something that could only be found in books."


    "That is the case when love is real." The Great Lady chuckled. "So you and Dray. Both of you are creating a connection that is both real and magical between yourselves, and this too would deepen with time. Even now, you probably have no idea how important you are to him."


    Seren smiled lightly behind her veil. "Maybe I know."


    The Great Ladyughed a little. "Oh, I would be very pleased to hear that is the case but..."


    "But?" Seren asked, wondering why Grandmother paused as if to tease her.


    "...but, when will you start calling Esther your mother-inw? Instead of calling her the ''previous queen'' all the time, why don''t you directly address her as ''mother''?"


    Seren felt speechless. She had never met the previous queen and all she knew about her was from what others told her. Seren wondered if it was even fine to address her in a more intimate manner. For her, she felt inadequate, like she''s yet to earn her right to call Esther Ivanov her ''mother-inw''.


    "Umm, I am not sure. I never met her so..."


    "Maybe you have, but you don''t remember. If I''m to be honest, she''s been like your beacon of light who led you to find the one meant for you," the olddy replied.


    Seren felt puzzled, but sheter recalled one of the things Great Lady Theodora mentioned before.


    The olddy spoke. "I told you. That flower on your forehead is the same as the mark on Esther''s wrist."


    "Yes, Grandmother. I remember," Seren replied. She never gave much thought to that flower mark even after hearing the past from the Great Lady. She had been curious about it when she''s younger, but she never really treated it as anything more than an ordinary birthmark.


    "Only one person can have that particr mark and as she passed it to you. She had helped you find your way to Drayce who was meant for you, your soulmate. She must have somehowe across you, but your circumstances don''t allow you to remember that encounter. Such a pity."


    Seren pondered over those words. She wished that truly was the case. If it were, then wouldn''t that mean she could help her husband locate the previous queen''s whereabouts? "Maybe...," she started, "maybe my nanny has answers to your doubts, Grandmother. But she stayed back in Abetha, then so I can only ask her in person. Should I write to the King of Abetha and request her to be sent here?"


    "It would be lovely if she''s able toe, but if you''ve thought of this, maybe Dray has already considered it. Why don''t you bring this up to him first?" the Great Lady said, and by then, they had reached the gates of the Obsidian Pce where their carriages were waiting.


    "Will Dray go to Abetha?" Seren asked.


    "It will depend. As you know, it is difficult for kings to leave their posts, let alone travel far and enter another kingdom unless there is war or other equally important concerns. Well, officially that is. There are other ways to go around it," the Great Ladymented. "Do you want to go as well?"


    Thinking of going back to her homnd, Seren felt her chest tighten. The view from the tall lonely tower, a singlepanion to attend to her needs, knights stationed outside to ''keep her in'' in the guise of keeping outsiders out, the snide remarks and hurtful murmurs on the rare chances she showed her face in society...


    "I have no fond memories of the pce and my life there was not one I''d want to be reminded of but...I want to see my brother and my nanny. I dearly miss them, especially my nanny, Martha. I haven''t seen her since my wedding day."


    "Regardless if you meet her when you visit your homnd or if you summon her to Megaris, make sure you meet her as that woman likely holds the secrets to your life."


    "Maybe she will answer me at least this time. She never told me anything."


    "Sometimes the one we want to protect, keeping them in the dark is better. She has raised you well to be such an adorable woman so don''t me her. "


    Seren was grateful to her nanny for being by her side. She considered her more a family than her father or her step-mother.


    As they walked closer to their carriages, Seren finally asked the question that had been guing her conscience since earlier. "Grandmother, do you think Dray will note to visit his father?"


    The Great Lady offered her a consoling smile. "Don''t worry about them. Those two are fine with the way they are with each other."


    Seren could only nod her head in response, but in her heart, she still wished for Drayce toe to visit his father.


    The two royal women then left the Obsidian Pce in their respective carriages.


    ------


    Seren was reading a book while waiting for Drayce inside her bedchamber when one of herdies-in-waiting, Lady Xena, knocked and delivered a message to her.


    "Your Majesty, a messenger from the Grand Pce hase. The King wishes to inform you that he will be retiring to bedte tonight. He seeks your understanding and tells you to not wait for him and go to sleep without him," herdy-in-waiting informed.


    "Is that so?" Seren mumbled.


    "His Majesty must be busy dealing with the public''s reaction to what happened to the previous king, so he''s still busy with work. Rest assured, Your Majesty."


    Even after herdy-in-waiting excused herself, Seren decided to continue with her reading, but soon enough, she could not cover up the yawns escaping her mouth. Shey down in bed and told her personal servants that they too could retire for the night.


    After making sure the firece inside the chamber had enough wood to keep the temperature warm throughout the night, the servants left after wishing their queen a good night''s sleep.


    However, their well wishes had no effect.


    Seren could not sleep at all even as she turned and tossed in bed. Her mind was preupied with thoughts about her husband. For the entire day, she had been waiting to see him, wanting to somehow persuade him once more and try to improve the rtionship he has with his father.


    However, she had been unable to meet Drayce ever since then. She wanted to make sure if he was fine.

 Chapter 552 Good Night...Father!

    Late at night, inside the Obsidian Pce, the ce froze--from the rustling of leaves outside, to the knights patrolling the area-- as if time had stopped. Someone entered the Obsidian Pce and headed straight towards the bedchamber of the previous king.


    The door of the bedchamber opened without a sound, and the intruder walked towards the bed of the unconscious man covered in bandages.


    A pair of red eyes were fixed on the terrible sight of the man lying on the bed. There was no need to bother with the royal physician who was appointed to keep watch on the patient''s health nor the servants assisting him on the sides.


    Inside that chamber, only Drayce was capable of moving. The rest were all under the effect of his spell, and no one but him would know what was going on around them.


    Drayce continued to stare at the man lying in bed, the man he used to consider as his father. Before he realized it, he found himself sitting at the edge of the bed. With a silent sigh, he remained in ce, knowing the injured man would not wake up due to the spell he had put.


    "How long are you going to continue this y? Mother won''t be happy to see you like this. Though you failed as a husband and had hurt her, she still loved you. At least for the sake of sacrifices she made for you, you should not let her down."


    As he gazed at the pale face of the injured man, his eyes could not help but catch the sign of wrinkles he had never noticed before. Even the trademark brown hair of the Ivanovs now had several strands of gray hair.


    Though handsome and still fit, Theron Ivanov had visibly aged from the man in Drayce''s childhood memories. The past shed in front of the young king''s eyes, back when he was a mere boy running around the gardens near the Grand Pce.


    Back then, he couldn''t wait to be an adult. How much his young self adored his father, the wise king, always wishing to be like him when he grew up. Though Theron was distant and always busy, he wasn''tcking in his sons. He did not dote on him, but still there were many memories of their interaction.


    Whenever he had a chance, Theron would show care for him as if he was his own son, because he treated both Keiren and Drayce equally.


    Drayce could remember his father lifting him in his arm on those rare asions the busy man spent time with his two sons. His young self would also often sit on his father''sp, acting cozy with his father in his warm embrace. Though Theron would often wear a cold expression on his face, even a child could see the warm affection in the eyes of the younger Theron whenever he saw his sons...


    Everything, Drayce still remembered everything clearly, and for a while, he put away the bitter memories they had after his mother left.


    ''Though I am not your real son, you are the only father figure I have in my memories. If it weren''t for...'' Drayce closed his eyes for a short while, unable to continue his line of thought. ''Don''t be hurt like this. Though I hate you, I cannot see you hurt like this. In the end, you are the one my mother loved. You are still my...''


    Drayce sighed, his eyes filled with worry for the older man. He sat there for a while more and then fixed the nket over him. He stood up to leave and just as he approached the door, he turned to look at the unconscious man for thest time.


    "Good night..."


    He stopped, as if a part of him was reluctant to say the next word, but at the same time, holding it in was simrly not easy.


    "...father."


    The door of the chamber closed behind Drayce, and the next moment, the unconscious man opened his eyes, those dark brown orbs fixed at the closed door of his chamber.


    Theron''s eyes were brimming with tears, and he turned his face to stare at the ceiling, trying to keep those tears at bay. But he failed. Tears rolled down from the corners of his eyes, and then he merely sighed before closing his eyes once more.


    Drayce was not aware that Theron was immune to his sleeping spell because Esther had shared a part of her soul with her husband. Even Esther''s more powerful sleeping spell didn''t affect Theron, much less one Drayce casted casually, and this was something she never got a chance to mention to their son. Thus, Drayce never would have expected that the injured man he visited in secret would be aware of his true sentiments.


    -------


    When Drayce stepped out of the gates of the Obsidian Pce, beyond the line of sight of the knights on guard duty, yer was waiting for him with two horses in tow. Upon the young king''s return, both got on the horses and left. Then and only then did the frozen time inside the Obsidian Pce return to normal.


    On the way back to the King''s residence, yer asked, "Why do you always sneak in to check on your father like this whenever he is not well? This time, it would have been better for you to meet him personally and check. There are many tongues waggingtely about how cold-hearted you are to your own family."


    "Should I care what others say?" Drayce spoke without much change to his expression. "Besides, whenever we meet, only bitter words spill out of our mouths. It can''t be helped. I don''t want to say anything that would anger him when he needs a good rest to recover fast."


    "Do whatever you want." yer sighed. "If families treat each other like this, then I should be thankful I never had one."


    "Why don''t you make your own family?" Drayce casually threw back.


    "I am fine like this." yer shrugged. "If I build a family, won''t I be unable to work as your sole guardian knight?"


    "Are you using me as an excuse? Be honest and say you cannot find a woman who will fit your temperament. Maybe I should search someone for you?"


    "You talk as if you searched high and low to find a bride for you. Don''t trouble your royal self for me." yer muttered, "You were lucky to meet Her Majesty."


    "Then, I shall trouble Jasper."


    As if Drayce had said something really wrong, yer eximed, "Don''t you dare, Dray."


    Drayceughed. "Don''t you trust his choice?"


    Jasper arranging a marriage partner for yer? He could already imagine the man stacking up papers upon papers filled with the details of countless young women that he considered eligible for marriage. Rather than a marriage proposal, it would probably feel like a business transaction of sorts.


    "You know the answer to that," yer responded with a frown. "I am better alone than being in a mess brought by him."


    "Then--"


    yer cut him off. "Aren''t you going back to your wife, Your Majesty?"


    Drayce sighed and no longer troubled his friend who was always against this topic.


    ------


    Since it was already quitete in the night, Drayce went directly to the Queen''s residence rather than his own. He found his wife already sleeping when he entered her chamber. He removed his outer coat and boots, merely leaving the inner shirt and pants still on. Without dy, he climbed onto her bed and got under the nket with his wife. She had her back facing him and he scooped her closer to him but the moment he did that, Seren turned around to face him.


    It shocked him. At first, he thought he had somehow woken her up, but he changed his mind when he looked at her face. "Weren''t you asleep?"


    She shook her head. "I could not."


    He caressed her long hair. "Why? Is anything troubling my wife?"


    She again shook her head and asked, "Where were you?"


    Drayce could not lie to her, so he tried to be vague. "I went to see someone important."


    "Your father?" she asked, but from her gaze, he could see she knew the answer already and the question was just a formality.


    "How did you know?" he asked.


    She smiled under her veil. "Just!"


    Drayce chuckled with her reply. "My wife is getting smarter."


    Her eyes curved into smiling ones that showed she was pleased, "I am d that you went to visit His Excellency."


    "Hmm," was all he said and nuzzled her hair, thinking their conversation was done.


    However, he heard his wife speak after a bout of silence, "Dray?"


    "Yes, my Queen?"


    "There is something I want to say."


    Drayce pulled back a bit to stare at her purple eyes, wondering what this could be about.


    "Is there a problem?"


    "Umm...no, it''s not a problem. Just...This mark on my forehead is given by your mother, right?"


    "Hmm." He nodded.


    "I was thinking... is it possible for us to visit Abetha to see my nanny? Or if not, can we summon her here in Megaris? My nanny is a special person, and since she''s the one who raised me since I was an infant, no one would know me better than her. She might know how I got this mark and she might know something that will help us find your mother."


    Drayce had already thought about that, but he was aware that her nanny was not in a good condition, that was why she allowed Seren to part from her without fuss. Summoning that woman here would probably not be well-received, and he had an inkling that if Seren was to find out something was wrong with her nanny, it might hurt her...but he needed to find his mother.


    "Soon, we would be leaving for Abetha," Drayce told her.


    "Really?" Her eyes brightened up. She hadplicated feelings about returning to the kingdom that threw her away, but the thought of seeing her nanny excited her. "I can finally see my nanny. When are we going?"


    "I happened to remember we received an invitation for the wedding of the Second Princess of Abetha," he informed her.


    Hearing it was her half-sister''s wedding didn''t excite her even a bit as all Seren could remember was the treatment she received during the engagement celebration. She pressed her lips into a thin line. "As long as I can see my nanny and Brother Cian."


    Drayce could guess why she was like this but didn''tment on it, and instead, hugged her tightly, hoping to help ease her mood with his embrace. "It''ste. We should sleep."


    Seren didn''t say a word and chose to obey her husband. Once again, her husband showed that he was a kind person. Which brought a question to mind.


    ''Don''t know why they call him a Devil? If he is a Devil, then I guess Devils are better than humans,'' she could not help but think as she closed her eyes.

 Chapter 553 Capturing The Shapeshifters

    The next day, Drayce and Seren parted from each other after having their morning meals together. While Seren went off to the Vermillion Pce to visit the royal harem, Drayce departed for the Grand Pce, where aside from handling the matters rted to the kingdom, he had other affairs he was strictly paying attention to.


    It waste in the afternoon when the King wrapped up work and dismissed his other aides, leaving only Drayce and yer inside the King''s study. While they were waiting for someone to arrive, Drayce took that chance to mention to yer about the piece of intelligence mentioned by the young server in that tavern they visited on the outskirts of the capital with An.


    "How dare they inquire about the Queen in such a manner?" yer looked visibly displeased to only hear this news now. "If you two had not provoked me to drink, I could have started investigating then and there. Perhaps by now, we could have caught this suspicious pair."


    "Calm down. Do you doubt An''s tactics? When ites to intelligence-gathering, let alone leading conversation, even if it''s through torture, do you think he falls behind you?"


    "Not that but..." yer sighed. "Next time, I won''t fall for both of your tricks."


    "You need to learn to rx, yer. It''s not like we expected to hear such crucial news at that time," Drayce countered and looked at the scenery beyond the window of his study. Someone was fast approaching his study from the sky. Humans would see nothing more than a sh of light due to its speed, but those with keen eyes like Drayce knew that light was in fact a person. "He is here."


    Just then, the ss window swung open and a blond man with golden wings smoothly entered Drayce''s study, bringing along with him a gust of wind. After he folded his majestic wings behind his strong back, he walked towards the two men.


    "Wee, Aureus."


    "I greet His Majesty the King of Megaris."


    After exchanging simple greetings, Aureus stood next to yer. Drayce remained seated behind his desk.


    "Did you find anything about those two?" he asked.


    The Divine Eagle nodded. "I have confirmed that they are not humans but supernatural beings like us, though I am yet to verify which race they belong to since I dare not get near them. I didn''t take action since I am yet to confirm their strength, and since they''ve been loitering in public areas, engaging with them might scare the people around. They are still in the outskirts of the capital though, and show no signs of leaving anytime soon."


    "They will likely remain in ckhelm until they personally confirm if the Queen has purple eyes and will try to enter the pce soon," Draycemented and asked. "Do you know their current location?"


    Aureus nodded. "They stayed at an inn in the central district, but I think they''ll try infiltrating the pce today to see Her Majesty. Should we wait for them toe? If the two of us are going, I believe we can capture them without rming anyone else."


    Drayce stood up from his chair. "yer, you can stay here."


    "But--"


    "We are not sure if that pair are working on their own or if they have otherpanions they''re yet to meet up with. Guard the Queen''s pce while I''m gone. I and Aureus are more than enough to deal with those two," Drayce said and yer had no choice but to listen to him.


    Just as the knight left, Drayce and Aureus departed from the study as well. Aureus flew out of the window while Drayce vanished out of thin air.


    The two men agreed to meet at the highest spire of the pce, and remained there as it had a decent view of the residence belonging to the King and Queen. Since they weren''t sure what race those suspicious people were, they were prepared to have a tight surveince of this part of the royal pce. Any living being that approached it would be all under suspicion.


    As they waited, they soon saw yer arriving at the entrance of the Queen''s pce.


    Time passed quickly, and before they knew it, they spotted the next group to approach the Queen''s pce--it was a pair of brown eagles.


    Aureus flinched, his intuition telling him thoserge birds were not ordinary animals, but beings from his kind.


    Drayce also spotted those flying eagles in the sky. "So both of them are shapeshifters from the feathered race."


    "Hmm, since they do not know the living arrangements within the royal pce, they are still searching for Her Majesty''s residence--"


    But Drayce would not allow people of unknown backgrounds toy eyes on his wife.


    "To the forest," was all he said before he disappeared from the spire. Before Aureus could react, he could sense the faint aftermath of an explosioning from the north, at the part of the deste forest far from the pce grounds. Aureus flew away in that direction at a speed invisible to human eyes.


    On the other hand, the moment Drayce appeared near those two eagles in the sky, he grabbed them by the throat before teleporting them away. The capture happened so fast, neither shapeshifter had a chance to react.


    Drayce then mmed them on the ground the very instant they were surrounded by thick foliage of trees, not even holding back his strength, causing their bodies to form craters underneath them.


    "Reveal your original forms," Drayce instructed them.


    Realizing that the man in front of them was the owner of a power stronger than them, the two shapeshifters from the feathered race immediately transformed in their human forms as they warily put distance between them and Drayce.


    Both men looked like they''re in their mid- tote- twenties, their attire simr to Aureus--the same bare chests and white runic tattoos, the only difference being the color of their hair and feathered capes were in shades of brown rather than gold.


    One of them stepped in front of the other and asked, "Who are you?"


    "This is my kingdom. Shouldn''t I be the one to ask that question?"


    Hearing that, the shapeshifters understood he was the king of this kingdom.


    King Drayce Ivanov, also known as the Devil King of Megaris.


    As they began their search for the purple-eyed woman who was apparently this man''s partner, they had also heard a lot about the King of Megaris. Since the moment they entered this kingdom, people would not stop talking about their king, and regardless of the gossips being a song of praise or criticism, there was one thing that was inmon.


    Both sides agreed he was a Devil.


    The two shapeshifters thought he earned that nickname because this human king was a merciless tyrant, simr to the human kings they have fought in the past. Little did they expect that the current King of Megaris was not human.


    Seeing that the man was one of their kind, they would have normally tried to resolve this through conversation, as they didn''t wish to offend anyone while they were in the middle of a mission. However, the man in front of them was emitting hostility towards them, thus, they had no choice but to be on guard.


    ''Who is this man? How can he overpower the two of us?''


    ''How can a supernatural rule over humans when humans hated us to the point of driving us out of our original homes?''


    ''Has the continent changed so much? Howe none of the spies ever mentioned this before?''


    ''Which n does he belong to? He doesn''t look like an elf, and that strength must havee from a bloodline--''


    The two then noticed that pair of red eyes ring at them.


    ''Red eyes?''


    There was only one person they had seen eyes of that colour, and that was their king, the King of Agartha, Draven Aramis.


    ''Is he rted to His Majesty?''


    ''Is he a Dragon as well?''


    They felt so shaken at this unexpected meeting, and their minds furiously worked, wondering if they stumbled on a secret they shouldn''t have discovered. Otherwise, how could no one in Agartha not know the existence of a supernatural being bing the ruler of a human kingdom?


    "Who are you and what are you doing in my kingdom?"


    Hearing Drayce speak pulled them back to their senses.


    Regardless if this man was truly a Dragon or not, the shapeshifters were loyal to their mission. They didn''t wish to reveal anything as both of them now understood one more thing--since this man was the King of Megaris, then their target, the Queen said to have purple eyes, must be his wife.


    ''He''s hostile to us. Could he have somehow found out we were investigating the purple-eyed woman?''


    "We mean no harm, King of Megaris," one of the shapeshifters answered. "We are mere wanderers visiting new ces within the continent. We did not know this is your territory. Pardon us for offending you."


    They didn''t want to tell Drayce anything about their mission nor the Kingdom of Agartha, but at the same time, they did not wish to form an antagonistic rtionship with this King of a human kingdom. They knew that in the current continent, Megaris was renowned for its powerful military force. Since they didn''t know whether he was on the side of humankind or the side of Agartha, this man could be a potential threat to their kingdom.


    "I don''t have time to waste with you. Better answer what I asked, or I won''t mind killing both of you this very moment," Drayce warned them. "Don''t think you can escape from me."


    The two shapeshifters didn''t budge though they knew they wouldn''t be able to beat this man in front of them.


    "Why go that far, King of Megaris? We are not enemies. Let us go and part ways from each other," one of the shapeshifters spoke, "But if you truly wish to kill us, then we can only me our bad luck."

 Chapter 554 Divine Eagle Is A King Of His Clan

    ? Drayce could see these two were loyal to their master and would not say a word even if he had to kill them, but he still wished to try. Although they''re not hostile to him, what if they were enemies who would eventually bring harm to his wife? Then they were better off dead.


    ''Should I threaten them one more time?''


    He pulled out his sword from its scabbard, his red eyes shing to show his intentions of killing them. However, the two shapeshifters flinched--they did not respond to his sword, but rather, to Aureus'' arrival.


    The moment the young man with golden wingsnded on the ground next to Drayce, the two men''s bodies seemingly moved on their own and fell to their knees. Pure shock could be seen in their eyes, as if they were witnessing something impossible.


    "A g-g-golden Divine Eagle?" one of them mumbled, while the other one spoke, "Is it really gold, or am I hallucinating?"


    "You are not hallucinating," Aureus spoke as his wings folded behind his back.


    Realizing the golden feathers on his wings, those gold-colored eyes, and that hair shining so bright it could rival the sun was something real and not an illusion or trick of eyes, the two shapeshifters immediately lowered their heads to properly pay their respects to him.


    Aureus trembled upon seeing the devotion in their actions, and before he could ask anything, someone else spoke, "They are showing respect to the Divine Eagle who is no less than a god for them."


    Drayce and Aureus turned to look at the neer, and they were not surprised to see a familiar silver-haired elf.


    "What do you mean by ''no less than a god''?" Aureus asked, baffled by that statement.


    The elf moved his gaze from those two shapeshifters to Aureus. "Are you not aware how important your existence is to your kind, the n of Divine Eagles?"


    Aureus was puzzled. One had to understand that he grew up living a nomadic life with his mother, thenter as an orphan pitied by the previous Queen of Megaris. If he was truly an important existence, then that would make it seem like the life he was living was a lie.


    "Let me exin to you," the elf said as he walked closer to them and stood in front of Aureus. "I believe you do know that not only the feathered races, the beastmen in general, strictly follow hierarchy based on the purity of their bloodlines."


    Aureus nodded. "I know. For the Divine Eagle n, those with golden feathers are the most powerful, followed by the gray, brown and blue colors."


    "Right!" the elf replied. "This is an absolute rank. Golden eagles are akin to royalty, gray eagles are nobles." He then looked at those two kneeling ones. "Brown eagles are like knights who aremonly turned into spies and informants, while blue eagles are likemoners. However, as divine beasts are superior to ordinary beastmen, even the lowest blue eagles have the strength of an average warrior because of their divine power."


    Not only Aureus and Drayce, even the two surprised shapeshifters were listening intently to this elf who seemed extremely knowledgeable about the feathered race.


    "In each generation, only one golden eagle can be born in the Divine Eagle n. That means that you are not only the one with the strongest divine power, but you are also the one with the purest bloodline. Since Golden eagles are like their royalty, they are bowing to you as one even though they do not know you yet."


    "You say in each generation...that means there is another golden eagle who is currently their king or queen?" Aureus asked with a bewildered gaze.


    "There is no golden eagle in the current n," one of the brown eagles spoke.


    "Thest one left more than a century ago." Based on their reaction, the elf seemed to know more than the eagles expected. He then turned his attention back to Aureus. "Your mother was thest golden eagle of the n."


    "My mother?"


    The elf nodded. "Isn''t that to be expected? Unless there are anomalies, a pureblood giving birth to a pureblood is a given. It is not wrong for them to bow to you as you should be their current king."


    Aureus tried to calm himself, and asked the elf a question that bothered him. "You sound like you''ve met my mother. Did you know my mother?"


    The elf raised a brow. "Don''t tell me Myra never mentioned me to you? Hah, I''m offended. We belonged to the same side. Seems like, Myra also left Agartha after I did."


    Hearing that name, all three Divine Eagles froze.


    Drayce, who had been quietly listening to the entire time, spoke up. "That means these two belong to Agartha and someone from there had ordered these two to search for my wife."


    Aureus had been shocked by this sudden revtion, but he got back to his senses when he heard Drayce''s words. Seren''s issue was more important, and for now, they needed to know why these people were searching for her.


    Drayce asked them in a low voice, "Who ordered you? Is it a higher up from your n?"


    Neither eagle reacted, as if his question had fallen on deaf ears.


    "Who ordered you to search for Seren Ivanov?" This time, Aureus took over the interrogation. "Answer me. If you are kneeling in front of me, that means you have submitted to me."


    The two eagles shared a look and nodded, as if they made a decision.


    "My Lord, there seems to be a misunderstanding," one of them spoke up in rification. "We are not particrly targeting the Queen of this kingdom. We are merely informants dispatched under the orders of the King of Agartha to search for a purple-eyed woman."


    "Why?" Aureus asked.


    "That we don''t know. We do not question the King''s orders."


    Before Aureus could force them, the elf came forward. "Do not be too harsh on them. These two are probably not lying. Even leaders such as this young king do not exin things to their subordinates, much less that arrogant Draven Aramis." The elf yfully nced at Drayce''s direction. "Incidentally, I see one arrogant king in front of me as well."


    Drayce chose to ignore him and the elf continued to speak.


    "Draven Aramis is annoying, but he''s not unreasonable. Whatever is his reason, I hope both of you can solve it peacefully. Better if you two meet each other in person," the elf suggested.


    Drayce had already heard about him from his mother and she always told him good things about him. It was reasonable of them to talk and find out the reason.


    ''Agartha...'' Drayce looked at Aureus. "Do you want to go and see your homnd?"


    Aureus felt his heart shake. "I guess I do."


    Hearing that, the two kneeling men eximed with excitement, "My Lord, pleasee to Agartha with us!"


    "The n will surely rejoice to have you back home!"


    Aureus stared at them withplicated feelings. He had so many questions in his mind. Why did his mother leave her homnd? Why did she not return to her kind and allow herself and her son to be put in danger? Why did she have to live like a poor wandering vagrant when she was the most powerful being among their kind, someone who could have lived afortable, luxurious life? Why didn''t these people know of his existence? Did she hide her son from them?


    And who were those hooded individuals after him and his mother?

 Chapter 555 They Went To Enemy Kingdom

    Drayce stared at the pair of shapeshifters.


    "The woman you are searching for is my wife, but your people are neither my friend nor my foe. The dignity of the royal family cannot be so easily sullied. I will give you one chance.


    "Go back to your kingdom and inform your king that I, Drayce Ivanov, the King of Megaris, is officially demanding an exnation for his actions. Depending on his answer, I will decide whether or not Agartha and Megaris can have a non-hostile rtionship."


    Draven Aramis and the Kingdom of Agartha.


    A king whose name was never recorded in history and a kingdom that could never be found on any official map.


    Drayce was sure there must be a serious reason for the king who had kept himself and his kingdom hidden from the humans to be suddenly looking for Seren. His wife''s life was no less than a mystery and there might be a chance that he would get few answers about her from Draven Aramis.


    There were no coincidences in this world, and life is but destiny unfolding for everyone��-that was what his mother used to tell him.


    Aureus looked at the unresponsive eagles. "You two can return to your kingdom and inform your king what His Majesty had just said. I wille visit soon."


    Though they were disappointed that the young Divine Eagle would not be apanying them back, the two shapeshifters respected his decision. They stood up and paid proper respects towards Aureus, not neglecting the elf and Drayce as well, sensing the other two had to have important identities as well.


    Once the two brown eagles left, Drayce found Aureus wearing a sombre look.


    "What are your ns?" he asked, causing the younger man topose himself.


    "First, I will visit Agartha. Let me act as an envoy to test the waters and understand the people of that kingdom. Once I return, then we can more properly n your meeting with the King of Agartha."


    Drayce had the same thoughts. For him, Seren''s safety was his priority. He would not easily let himself leave her side. While Aureus was gone, he needed to make sure first that his absence would not put Seren under any threat, and only then could he leave her alone.


    "When do you n to leave?" Drayce asked.


    "Today, but before that I need to inform Tyra."


    "Fine!"


    Bowing to him lightly, Aureus flew away after ncing at the elf.


    Within the forest, only Drayce and the silver-haired elf were left. "Elf, you seem very interested in the affairs of my people. I do not believe it''s by chance you have made your way here��"


    "Yorian," the elf interrupted. "My name is Yorian. Stop calling me ''elf''."


    Drayce raised a brow. He had realized it before, but not only was this elf nosy, he was also quite whimsical. He seemed to have forgotten he never introduced himself, so there was no way Drayce would have known his name.


    "So Yorian," he said, emphasizing the elf''s name, "what you told about the Divine Eagle n, you sound like you were already aware of everything about Aureus and his mother."


    Yorian didn''t deny it and simply crossed his arms over his chest.


    "Why didn''t you say anything before?"


    The elf smirked. "Why would I say important intelligence for free? You don''t wish to let me get what I want but you want me to tell you everything?"


    Drayce ignored his remark as he was sure he would not agree to his demands. "I believe you are sure the strand of hair we found belongs to his mother."


    "Hmm," the elf agreed. "That hair sure belongs to a female of the Divine Eagle n, and there had only been one such female for the past thousand years."


    Drayce remained silent for a while. "Have you found any clues about the ck Witch and her followers?"


    "I have."


    "Where are they?"


    "s, you are once more trying to gain information for free," the silver-haired elf called Yorianined. "Fine, I will tell you this one since it''s useless anyway. Their tracks indicate they have left this kingdom. It might or might not be their real tracks though, as I find it difficult to believe that those ck magic practitioners will give up so easily."


    "Where are those tracks headed?" Drayce asked.


    "I wonder if you will be happy or sad to know it," the elfmented.


    Drayce made a guess. "An enemy kingdom?"


    High Elf Yorian, being a wanderer of this continent, often heard about major human affairs, such as wars urring between the kingdoms. "I believe your kingdom is not on good terms with Thevailes."


    Drayce could guess what could happen and heard the elf saying the same.


    "Since you like free stuff, let me tell you something that ismon knowledge among beings my age," Yorian said. "In the past, this group of ck magic practitioners belonged to those who sided with humankind, leading to the massacre that shook the world of supernatural beings.


    "Young king, these people are experienced ughterers of the battlefield. You can imagine what can happen if they fight against your kingdom''s human army. As an elder, I advise you to tread carefully and not make hasty decisions."


    "Seems like they are meant to meet their end in my hands."


    "Ah, youth and ego!" Yorian pitifully shook his head at him. "You speak so arrogantly because of your powers, but it is not wise to believe you are invincible. You do not even know your enemies yet, their real numbers and strength. Unless you erase ck magic in this world, it won''t be that easy to touch that ck Witch. My advice is for you to separate Myra, that child''s mother, from that ck Witch first. Though you cannot destroy your enemies yet, you can opt to weaken them."


    Drayce had already thought about it. Right now, he still had many things to juggle in his hands.


    First, the secret of his wife''s past. For that, he needed to meet her nanny. Only she could lead him to the person who had appointed her to look after Seren, possibly Seren''s birth mother, and he was sure that person would have all the answers he needed.


    Through that, he would find clues about his mother, because she should have met either the nanny or her birth mother when she passed her flower mark to Seren.


    Afterwards, he had to meet the King of Agartha and find out why he was after his wife.


    After these immediate concerns were dealt with, he still needed to look for that green-eyed woman who Seren saw in her dream and then talk to the King of Abetha about the reason he was protecting Seren.


    Drayce could not imagine how many secrets would be revealed when he finished treading this path.

 Chapter 556 Leaving For Agartha

    Drayce returned to the royal pce, while the silver-haired elf called Yorian disappeared among the trees. Despite the goodwill consistently shown by the elf, Drayce still didn''t trust him enough to allow him to see his wife.


    With how mysterious people were after her powers, it would be more prudent to keep her away from strangers, especially supernatural beings.


    After Drayce returned to the King''s study, he summoned yer to return. The knight hurriedly left the Queen''s residence as soon as he got his message.


    "Your Majesty." yer bowed to the King sitting behind his desk and asked without dy, "What happened? Did you catch them?"


    Drayce nodded.


    "Where are they? Did you put them in prison, Your Majesty? Let me start the interrogation as soon as--"


    "You can rx, yer," Draycemented, staring at his knight who looked impatient to get information. It was an expected reaction against those who were deemed to bring harm to the royal family.


    yer took a deep breath. "Pardon my rudeness."


    "They are not a threat to us," Drayce said and narrated everything that transpired to yer.


    As someone who had never heard of Agartha, yer somehow found it difficult to believe it, but since they came from Drayce''s mouth, he did not doubt the truth of his words. "So, such a hidden kingdom really exists. Folktales weren''t unfounded, just that they had severed themselves from our world."


    Drayce nodded again and yer collected himself. "How are we going to proceed from now on? We don''t know their intentions yet."


    "We will wait for Aureus to return from Agartha first," Drayce replied.


    yer looked at his friend for a moment and asked, "You seem to trust this Aureus a lot. Is it because he is someone cared for by your mother?"


    Drayce didn''t expect his knight to ask this question. For a moment, he studied yer''s serious expression. He then had ate realization--ever since Aureus appeared, he had taken him with him every time they had to look into suspicious matters. He even instructed Aureus to find out those two suspicious shapeshifters. To anyone with observant eyes, it would appear Drayce trusted Aureus more than yer; after all, for the past few days, Aureus was doing everything that yer had been doing for him before.


    The shapeshifter had seemingly taken over the role of Drayce''s right-hand man.


    "Are we jealous here?" Drayce asked with a light smirk.


    yer scoffed. "You are thinking too much, Dray. I just don''t want to risk anything by trusting a stranger just because he helped us once or twice."


    "Hmm, you are right, but we can trust him. So rest assured," Drayce replied.


    Drayce''s trust in Aureus was not just because of his mother but Drayce trusted his pet who had been with him for more than two decades. Though he was in his beast form, Dusk''s loyalty shouldn''t have changed. After all, his eagle had been his partner for years.


    Even though Aureus had been deceiving him by hiding his identity, it did not change the fact that he was on Drayce''s side. Furthermore, Drayce could understand his reasons for keeping his secret.


    Seeing the young king''s firm decision, yer could only step back. "I trust your judgment, but I am yet to be convinced of his loyalty. Pardon me for I won''t be able to trust himpletely yet."


    "Fine." Drayce knew his knight wouldn''t be unreasonable. "Only time will prove his trustworthiness in your eyes."


    Just then, someone knocked on the door. His personal servant, Orion, entered the study and bowed.


    "Greetings, Your Majesty."


    After receiving his greetings, Drayce allowed Orion to speak. "Your father, His Excellency King Theron, has gained consciousness and the royal physicians announced that His Excellency ispletely out of any serious harm."


    It was a relief for Drayce and he could finally breathe easier. Of course, he didn''t show it on his face and simply gestured for his servant to leave if his report was done.


    After the servant left, yer raised a brow at Drayce. Although his friend tried to hide his emotions whenever it came to his father, yer could see through him.


    "Do you n to go meet him now?" yer asked.


    Drayce shook his head. "As he haspletely recovered, let him rest. Paying a visit there would do nothing but aggravate his health."


    yer sighed. "I wonder, when would you put an end to this?"


    "Maybe never," Drayce replied dryly and resumed his work.


    -----


    Aureus had secretly left a note asking Lady Tyra to meet him in her quarters as soon as possible. As he was about to leave for Agartha that very day, he wished to wait for her to bid her farewell, but he could not simply demand for her presence when she too had affairs to take care of.


    However, the moment the olddy saw the note, she dropped whatever she was doing and headed to her quarters. Aureus in his human form, seated on the only chair in the room, was waiting for her when she arrived.


    "Did something happen that you wanted to see me right away?" Lady Tyra asked.


    Aureus did not hesitate.


    "I am going to Agartha."


    The olddy, who was about to brew tea on the table, almost dropped the teapot in her hand. "Agartha? Why all of a sudden?"


    Aureus narrated to her the entire incident.


    Lady Tyra understood his decision, though she was somewhat upset at the thought of him leaving for his homnd. It was her own selfishness, but she wanted to prevent him from going. What if Aureus would no longer return to Megaris once he found himself among his people?


    Despite that, she smiled at him in encouragement.


    "You belong there so it''s only right if you go there."


    Aureus could hear the sadness evident in her voice. As if he could understand her worry, he assured her, "I will merely go to see my people, perhaps get some elders to tell me about my mother''s past, but I will return once I finish."


    Lady Tyra felt inwardly relieved and asked, "You have that map with you?"


    Aureus put his palm forward and there appeared the small crystal orb given to him by Esther which had directions leading to Agartha.


    The olddy curiously studied the item. "Her Majesty knew you would need it one day. She sure thought about everyone dear to her."


    Aureus agreed, grateful for the previous queen''s considerations, and then kept the orb back inside his body. "I will leave then. I need to find out why they are looking for Seren as soon as possible."


    Aureus didn''t bother to mention Seren with her title. As Lady Tyra was aware of his feelings for her, he didn''t miss the opportunity to say her name which he found the most beautiful name to say. In his mind, he had said it countless times, but never had many chances to say it aloud.


    "Aureus!"


    "What?"


    "...Nothing," she sighed in the end. Lady Tyra was taken aback that he called their Queen with her name, but she didn''t have the heart to nag him.


    ''As long as he doesn''t say it in front of others.''


    The heart of a mother hurt for the one she thought of as her son and didn''t want to take this small happiness away from him.


    "I will go see her before leaving," Aureus informed her and Lady Tyra sighed. She took a small pouch from her hidden drawer, one that had a witch''s potion she personally concocted, and handed it to him.


    "Be safe."


    Aureus nodded and left through the window after transforming into his eagle form, the small pouch tied around his neck.


    -----


    Seren was taking a stroll in her garden. As it was early winter, many of the trees were bare and she expected the garden to be the same. However, to her surprise, she caught sight of some shrubs adorned by pretty pink blossoms in full bloom.


    "I do not remember nting these. Are these nts new?" Seren asked Lady Xena, herdy-in-waiting while looking at the beautiful flowers.


    "Yes, Your Majesty. The Great Lady had sent them here just yesterday. These are called Camellia and they have varieties that bloom in fall, and some even intote winter. They are said to be the previous queen, Queen Esther''s, favourite flowers."


    "They are beautiful," Serenmented.


    "This garden used to have a lot of them but after the previous queen was gone, all of them died. The Great Lady tried to nt them here again and again but never seeded. Imagine the gardeners'' surprise because this time they didn''t die and instead bloomed with countless flowers overnight."


    ''No wonder. I remember there were so many of these nts in Grandmother''s garden. She must be growing them so she could nt them here,'' Seren thought and then said, "It''s good to have flowers that bloom even in winter. I would like it if this entire garden had more of these flowers."


    "I will pass the message, Your Majesty," Lady Xena assured her with a smile.


    With her mood improved, Seren continued to walk towards one of the garden gazebos. ''Should I make a bouquet of camellias and send it to his room? Dray must like these flowers as well. It will remind him of his mother.''


    Just as she reached the gazebo, an eagle came flying towards her andnded on the railing of the gazebo.


    "Dusk!"


    Seeing him, Seren hurried her steps, a smile visible through her gaze.


    Dusk had a passing thought as she approached.


    ''Will she act the same when she knows my real identity? Will she still be this delighted when shees to me?''


    Seren caressed his small head. "Howe you are here? Were you flying in the sky then spotted me and came here?"


    It was the truth. Dusk searched for her while flying so he rubbed his head against her palm to say ''yes''.


    "Smart bird," Serenmented happily.


    However, Dusk''s feelings contrasted hers.


    ''I will be going away for a while. I know you will be fine because when Dray is with you, there is no need for me to worry, but...but I can''t help it. It seems like I can''t stop worrying for you.''


    These were the words Dusk could never say out loud.


    Not knowing what the eagle was thinking, Seren continued to enjoy the sensation of his soft feathers through her fingers. "So adorable you are."


    ''You as well,'' Dusk replied in his mind.


    The servants brought the tea for her and arranged it on the table inside the gazebo. "Your Majesty, please have some hot tea as you rest."


    Seren caressed Dusk''s head for thest time and said, "I will have tea now. So sad that you can''t drink, or we would have it together."


    Dusk felt sad as well that he couldn''t even have simple tea with her. He rubbed his head against her palm, as if to brand the memory of that mild warmth into his body, and only then did he spread his wings.


    Seren didn''t stop him and watched him soar high into the sky.

 Chapter 557 Staring At Husband

    The next day, Great Lady Theodora arrived at the Obsidian Pce to visit her son. Theron''s aide and servants hurried to wee her at the entrance.


    "Is my son awake?" the Great Lady asked as she walked inside with the aide in tow. "This early in the day, he should be having his meal in his room, I think? Get servants to unload my carriage. I had mydies pack medicinal herbs that can help--hmm? What''s wrong with your expression?"


    The aide felt hesitant to answer as he was sure the Great Lady would not like it.


    "His Excellency is not in his chamber... but in the practice grounds."


    "What?"


    As expected, the Great Lady was perplexed, almost losing her dignified appearance as she turned around to face the aide.


    The aide wiped away his sweat. "We tried to stop him but he took his sword and--"


    Listening to the man, Great Lady Theodora could not me him. She knew her son was reckless but she didn''t expect him to go to this extent.


    Practicing sword in an injured condition, surely he was asking for scolding from his mother at such an old age!


    With a deep breath, the Great Lady regained herposure and walked towards the practice grounds with slow steps. It was not far from the entrance; in fact, it was next to the main garden of the Obsidian Pce. The aide followed her with a relieved sigh.


    Even before the practice grounds came into the Great Lady''s sight, she could hear the sharp sound of a sword shing through the air. As a swordsman in her youth, she could tell that this was not the kind of sound a mere warm-up exercise could bring about. The one brandishing the sword was truly putting effort in each of his swings.


    Inside the vast empty area, she could see her son standing in the middle, swinging an ordinary long sword with measured precision and strength, moving his body as if he had no injury to start with.


    ''Aish, this boy! He has always been so stubborn, and despite the years, he is still the same. A mother can only feel helpless in front of such a child.''


    Just then, her gaze noticed that the grounds had another presence in them. Someone was standing at the side of the practice ground, and that person''s gaze was stuck on Theron. The Great Lady chuckled and instructed the aide behind her, "You can leave. Make sure a physician is on standby outside."


    The aide bowed and left while the Great Lady walked towards the spectator at the sidelines. It was the Third Concubine, Lady Saira, who was observing her husband. She was so lost in her own thoughts that she didn''t notice someone wasing toward her.


    Great Lady Theodora found it amusing that even though she was standing next to the youngerdy, the woman still failed to sense her arrival. She followed her line of sight and sighed in appreciation.


    Theron was now executing the first three movements of the royal family''s famed swordsmanship, efficiently switching from offence to defence techniques. His serious expression, coupled with his handsome face, was such a sight to behold.


    Though he was a middle-aged man, Theron still looked younger than the men of his age, and if a stranger were toy eyes on him, they would think he was at most in histe thirties. Only a few strands of gray on his brown hair were the signs of his ageing.


    His body appeared strong and fit like that of a knight, and it was due to his dedication to the sword. Even after he passed the throne to Drayce and basically locked himself in the Obsidian Pce, he never stopped practicing the sword.


    Apart from drinking himself to sleep at night, Theron would basically spend all his time in the practice grounds. On rare asions, he would rx in his garden, and if he was in the mood, he would go hunt in the forests north of the capital with his knights, never to return for several days.


    One of the reasons his body was able to remain active despite his age and abuse was because Esther had shared her soul with him.


    "He still looks as handsome as before, isn''t it?" the Great Ladymented out loud.


    The woman beside her nodded in a daze. "Hmm. He still is." But then, she immediately realized what she had said and turned to look at the Great Lady. She bowed her head. "M-Mother...Good morning..."


    The Great Lady helped her up. "Good morning, Saira. Are you enjoying watching your husband train?"


    Lady Saira, who already felt like a thief caught red-handed, immediately shook her head. "I dare not have such thoughts, mother. Please do not tease me..." She didn''t know what else she should say.


    All these years, Lady Saira had simply acted like a subordinate of her husband, a steward who handled the affairs of his residence, and never had she shown any such feelings towards him


    Now, she felt like her innermost thoughts were being exposed.


    The Great Lady chuckled at her daughter-inw squirming under her gaze, acting as if she hadmitted some grave mistake. "Why do you look so guilty? Did youmit a sin? Is staring at your husband a sin?"


    Lady Saira didn''t know what to reply and simply said, "I was carrying water to His Excellency."


    The Great Lady nodded and said, "I am d that at least you don''t hate him now."


    Lady Saira felt more guilty when she heard it.


    There was a time when she hated her husband. For the longest time, she resented him because he made her concubine against her wish and made her break her promise to the previous queen. To be a member of the royal harem was nothing short of being imprisoned.


    But as years went by and she witnessed Drayce''s growth, she realized her hostility against Theron was unfounded. The man was too broken to be the target of her hate.


    It gave her a new goal.


    Since she could not serve Drayce as her nanny anymore, then taking care of the man her Queen cherished should also be considered paying back the goodwill shown to her by Esther.


    Unlike Lady Saira who was able to respect and ept Esther''s departure, the previous king continued to long for his wife who would never return to him. He continued to live in the past, unable to take a step forward, as if his own time had frozen.


    Thus, she epted serving him as though she was her servant, a silent supporter of sorts. Though Theron never acknowledged her presence around him, she continued to do her duties like a servant.


    Lady Saira didn''t know how and when...but somehow, she came to fall for this man who didn''t belong to her.


    "Your presence was the only thing that made me assured that he would be fine for I know you would take care of him," Great Lady Theodoramented.


    "Thank you for trusting me, Mother. I only did what I should. At least, I could take care of one of the two men most precious to Her Majesty."


    "She would be d to know of your loyalty."


    "For that, she needs to return here. His Excellency is still waiting for her. I wish she would return and put an end to his suffering," Lady Saira said as her gaze moved back towards the man who had long stopped worrying about his own life.


    The old woman could see how much Lady Saira cared for Theron. "If she returns, you won''t be allowed here and you won''t exist for him anymore."


    Lady Saira smiled lightly, but the sincerity in that smile could not cover the bitterness in her eyes.


    "No one exists for him but Her Majesty. I merely wish for their happiness. They deserve to be happy together," she replied lightheartedly as if she had asked herself this question countless times before and arrived at the same conclusion. She honestly shared her thoughts with her mother-inw. "If Her Majesty returns, I will be able to put my worries down and finally live life for myself. I look forward to spending more time with my son and daughter."


    "My son is fortunate to have you," The Great Lady held her hand and caressed it gently. "Do you know why he allows you to be around him?"


    Lady Saira nodded. "Because my presence keeps reminding him of Her Majesty."


    She was aware of reality and never deluded herself into thinking that her husband felt anything for her.


    "You are right but there is something else," the Great Lady said.


    "What else could there be, Mother?" Lady Saira asked as she could not think of anything.


    "Because he is aware of your loyalty towards Esther and knows you would never be greedy from what he could offer you."


    "His Excellency has given me more than he should when he was not even obliged to do so." Lady Saira referred to having kids with Theron. "Though I failed to understand his intentions at that time, Iter I understood he did it for me. He is a man who didn''t like to show his thoughts, but I know he cared for me and that is enough."


    The Great Lady smiled at the kindness of her daughter-inw and then looked at her son. She remembered she came here to scold her son. "I am too old to be waiting like this. Call him and let him know of my presence."

 Chapter 558 This Is How Servants Are Treated

    Lady Saira smiled at the olddy''s casualness and walked ahead while the Great Lady remained at the sideline.


    "Your Excellency, you have a guest," the younger woman called out as she carried with her a wooden tray in her hand that had a pitcher of water and a ss.


    However, Theron was so immersed in his practice that he still didn''t notice that someone was calling out for him.


    "Your Excellency?" she called out once more, this time a bit louder.


    Theron stopped but didn''t turn to look at her. He only looked at his sword as his finger ran along the t side of the steel de.


    It was nothing new for Lady Saira and she informed him, "Mother is here to see you."


    Theron turned to look at where his mother was standing and heard Lady Saira again, "Please have a drink first, Your Excellency."


    Theron took the ss of water from her but not even once did he look at Lady Saira. He emptied the entire ss in one gulp, and after Lady Saira got it back from him, she handed him a small towel so he could wipe his sweat.


    Inside the Obsidian Pce, Lady Saira was not only Theron''s wife, she was also his butler, his attendant, and his maidservant.


    Once again, he epted the towel without a word and wiped his sweat with it. After handing over that towel back to Lady Saira and putting his practice sword back in the stands, he approached his mother.


    Theron slightly bowed in the presence of the Great Lady. Before he could say a word, he heard his mother scold him.


    "Are you a child, Theron? Will you keep me worrying for you till the day I die?"


    Theron understood why his mother was like this, but he pretended ignorance of the matter.


    "I am fine, Mother. There is no need to worry."


    "How dare you hold a sword when you are injured like this?" the olddy scolded, hitting the ground with her cane to show how displeased she was with her son.


    Theron did not even show remorse on his face.


    "It''s but a small injury. It doesn''t even hurt. You worry for nothing, Mother," the man countered as he escorted her out of the practice grounds, matching his pace with her slow steps.


    The Great Lady sighed. "At such an old age, you make your mothere to see you like this instead of youing to me. Such a filial son I have."


    Thereon realized he had not visited his mother in a while and could not talk back to his mother.


    "I will try to visit often," was all he could say.


    While walking, the Great Lady said, "Did the seeds I and Seren nted germinated this time or was it the same as before?"


    "There are seedlings," he replied dryly.


    "Is that so?" A small smile adorned her aged face. "Shouldn''t you be happy that this time those seeds are not dead? It''s been twenty years since you tried your hand at gardening and you always failed."


    Theron didn''tment on it and heard his mother say, "Let me take a look at it."


    Silently conceding, they both walked towards the part of the garden where a row of y pots could be seen arranged in a tidy manner. Small sprouts could be seen growing in the lightly damp soil. Seeing them filled with vitality, the old woman let out a pleasantugh.


    "Wonderful! Soon, you will see beautiful flowers blooming here."


    Theron remained quiet at her side, and his mother turned to him. "I have sent camellia nts to the Queen''s residence. I look forward to once again witnessing the sight of that ce blooming with these flowers. Like in the past." She was referring to the days when Esther was with them.


    The pair of mother and son then walked towards the gazebo close to them. Even without them saying anything, Saira approached them with the other servants, bringing freshly brewed tea for them. Since Theron had yet to have his morning meal as well, Saira had the servants ce warm dishes in front of the man. After serving tea for them, the younger woman left without a word.


    Seeing her retreating figure, the Great Ladymented as she enjoyed the warmth of the tea, "Is she not a thoughtfuldy? She has been by your side for two decades. Will it hurt if you acknowledge her at least once?"


    Theron had a sip of tea and replied, "This is how servants are treated."


    The Great Lady sighed as he watched him eat without a change of expression. She didn''t know what to say to her stubborn son. She changed the topic, "Since Seren stepped inside this pce, everything seems to be returning to normal. Things that have been stuck for years have finally started to move."


    "Mother, are you here to praise the new Queen of our kingdom?" Theron asked as if she didn''t matter to him.


    "Don''t forget she is your daughter-inw as well," the olddy said in a strict tone. "Had she ever done or said something to you that offended you? From what I heard, not only did you not look even a bit weing to her, you did not even give her a chance to get to know you. That innocent child had finally brought happiness to your son''s life. The least you could do is show basic respect."


    "Happiness?" Theron scoffed a little. "Is there such a thing? I am afraid of him being delusional like how I was once because of his mother. He might end up hurt just like me."


    The Great Lady didn''t like what she heard and asked in a displeased tone, "And why do you think so?"


    Theron brought down the spoon and fork in his hands, as if he had lost his appetite. "That flower mark!" he said and looked at his mother. "She has the same mark just like what she had on her wrist." Theron preferred to never say his wife''s name and always addressed her as ''she'' whenever she was mentioned. "Mother knows who she was and this new queen is known to be her kind."

 Chapter 559 Grandkids Together

    "Don''t pay attention to the rumours. She is not what they say," the Great Lady countered.


    "I hope so," he said and decided to merely have tea, leaving his meal barely touched.


    Just then, a servant arrived and informed Theron about the arrival of his eldest son. As a lord of a territory, Keiren was outside the capital and he came to visit his father as soon as he heard the news.


    "Your Excellency, Prince Keiren is here to visit you."


    Theron simply replied with a nod which the servant understood. As the servant left, Great Lady Theodora''s mood lifted that she would see her grandson whose face she seldom sees within the royal pce.


    A handsome brown-haired man in histe twenties in travel-worn hunting gear was led to the gazebo by the servant. It could be seen that in his hurry, First Prince Keiren did not even stop to fix his appearance and went straight to the Obsidian Pce upon his return.


    "Keiren greets Grandmother and Father," he said with a relieved smile, knowing that things were less serious than expected if his father was healthy enough to meet guests in the garden. "Please pardon my unruly appearance."


    "Nonsense. Keiren, good to see you back," the Great Lady said smiling pleasantly. "Have a seat."


    Keiren sat in one of the empty chairs around that circr wooden table inside the gazebo. The servant who escorted them poured him a cup of tea before leaving the royal family to enjoy their time.


    The Great Lady pushed some of the snacks towards her eldest grandson. "Looking at you, you travelled straight without eating or resting. Come, eat some food."


    "Grandmother, please do not treat me like a child anymore," Keirenughed and he looked at his father. "How are you, Father? I heard the injury you received was severe."


    "I am fine," Theron replied and asked, "How is Trent? I heard that you allowed some mercenary groups to use one of your cities as a base?"


    "Flourishing, of course. It is favourable to simply focus onmerce, buying whatever materials they gain from hunting, while the people find more means to earn," Keiran replied.


    As he was the brother of the ruling monarch, Keiren was granted the Duchy of Trent where he had been serving as territory lord. It was a bountiful region in the west where he also served as the protector of the borders.


    Theron simply gave a light nod and continued to drink tea. His mother and his son proceeded to have a conversation of their own, aware that Theron''s personality had always been like this. He was already satisfied knowing that his son was doing well.


    After some time, the servant returned to announce the arrival of more guests.


    "Your Excellency, the princesses are here to visit you. Should I bring them to the drawing-room?"


    Even before Theron could react, his mother spoke up, "What a beautiful day it is that I am seeing my grandchildren together!" She looked at the servant. "Bring them here in the garden and arrange tasty snacks for them. Did all foure?"


    "Yes, Your Excellency."


    Theron simply sighed and let his mother do what she wanted. Soon, several servants came to arrange more chairs inside the gazebo. Not long afterwards, more snacks were put on the table as well.


    In a while, the servants escorted four beautiful youngdies to the gazebo, looking as dainty as flowers in their pretty dresses.


    The blue-eyed Princess Taisie, the First Princess and Lady rissa''s daughter.


    Princess Coral and Princess Onyx, the dark-haired Second and Third Princess given birth by Lady Yavia.


    Princess Ayira, the youngest princess and the shy daughter of Lady Saira.


    The four princesses bowed and greeted their grandmother, father and eldest brother.


    As Great Lady Theodora told them to join them at the table, the princesses happilyplied, in turn inquiring about their father''s health, to which he simply replied like how he did to Keiren.


    "Just rumours. I really am fine," and that was the end of that topic.


    He then posed a brief question about their individual affairs.


    "Royal father, I got praised for my horse riding skills."


    "I am currently learning archery from the captain of the archery unit."


    "The tutor mentioned I have an eye for trade andmerce."


    "I am interested in learning to paint."


    It was always like this. Theron never talked much, but he was always aware of what was going on with his children. He was the kind of father who never showed much affection to any of his kids, but they knew that nothing they did would escape his eyes. They were used to the silent treatment from their father, content to simply know he cared enough to meet them.


    Theron simply sat there while the prince and princesses chatted with their grandmother. Though he was not part of the conversation, he was inwardly content to watch them talking and smiling.


    From their talk with their grandmother, he was learning what else was going on in their lives.


    But the more he looked at them, the more he felt the warmth in his chest disappear.


    His children.


    One was missing, and that was his second son.


    Just then, the First Princess asked, "Did His Majesty note here to see Father?"


    The olddy felt conflicted to answer about it as she was not sure what she should say. It was an open secret to everyone, not only the royal family, that this father and son never got along well.


    Keiren noticed his grandmother''s conflicted expression and answered, "He must have visited Father even before we did."


    "We thought we would get to see him here," Taisie said and looked at her other sisters, "didn''t we?"


    The Second and Third princesses nodded while the youngest one kept quiet.


    "Dear sisters. You forget the time. The royal court session should have started. He should be in the Grand Pce now, his ears bleeding from listening too much to the officials''ints," Keiren lightly rebuked his sisters, not wanting the atmosphere to remain serious. "You should know that as the King, he is the busiest man in the entire kingdom."


    Theron stood up, "You all can spend time with your Grandmother," he then looked at his mother, "I will take a leave."


    His mother didn''t stop him and he left.

 Chapter 560 The Youngest Prince

    Theron stepped out of the garden with the intention to head back to his chamber and wash up; afterall, he had gone straight from swordsmanship training to meeting his family. Just as he was about to enter the foyer of his residence, his eyes caught sight of a luxurious carriage without the crest of the royal family leaving the entrance, having finished dropping off its passenger.


    ''Did the knights allow some other guests?''


    With a frown, Theron strode inside his home and before any of the servants could say anything, his eyes had already caught sight of someone he did not expect.


    A young man not yet of age, looking more like a schr than a knight despite his short hair and crisp white uniform, was standing in the middle of the foyer together with the smiling Lady Saira. He had all the characteristics of those born with the Ivanov bloodline--an excellent appearance with brown hair and eyes--though unlike his father and eldest brother, who had ruggedly handsome looks, his appearance was like a pretty boy, more on the gentle side thanks to his mother.


    Ruven Ivanov, the only son of Theron with his Third Concubine and the youngest prince of Megaris.


    "Your Excellency, the Third Prince hase to see you from the Royal Academy," he heard the servant exin. That exined the unaffiliated carriage, because within the best learning institution of the kingdom, the Royal Academy of Megaris, those of royal blood were not permitted to use their true identities until their graduation.


    Theron simply looked at his youngest son who was talking with his mother. Upon seeing Theron''s arrival, the young man politely disengaged from Lady Saira before walking towards him. Lady Saira didn''t follow her son and simply stood at her ce to let the father and son talk.


    Ruven bowed to his father. "Greetings, Father."


    Theron epted it with a nod and asked, "How have you been?"


    "I am well, Father, but news reached me that you were injured..."


    "It''s nothing," he interrupted his worried-looking son, displeased at having to repeat himself once more. "I am fine."


    Seeing his expression, Ruven didn''t know what more to say. "Ah, I am d that you are fine, Father."


    "How is your training going on? Are you studying well?" Theron asked.


    "Yes, Father."


    "Hmm," was all Theron said and he was about to turn away when he recalled something. "Your siblings are in the garden."


    He then dismissed his son but Ruven called out for him. "Wait, Father."


    Theorn stopped and looked at his son. Ruven didn''t wait for his father to say something and immediately pulled out a small pouch from his pocket. "I have brought a gift for you."


    Theron stared at the small pouch on his son''s hand and heard him say, "These are seeds of the camellia flowers that Father likes. I thought you will be interested in these improved seeds from the research of the botany instructors in the Royal Academy. The flowers blooming on these nts are even prettier than the regr camellia flowers we see here in the capital and their blossoms alsost longer."


    "You can hand it over to the servants," Theron simply said before leaving.


    Lady Saira came to her son as soon as her husband left their line of sight. She smiled at him. "Such a thoughtful gift. You remembered your father has been trying to grow these nts for so many years?"


    Ruven did not answer, his eyes fixed at his father''s retreating back.


    Lady Saira noticed her son looking at his father and patted his head. "You know, your father is not very talkative..."


    Ruven turned towards his mother and smiled, "I know, Mother."


    In fact, there was no need for Lady Saira to console her son.


    Theron being a man of few words was a fact everyone knows. Not only to his wives, he also never interacted much with his children, and growing up, the princes and princesses had be used to their father''s distant behavior. But still, none of his children resented him for that.


    In fact, they felt d that Theron never forbade them from approaching him, and thus, all his offspring always tried to find ways to approach or impress their father.


    "Give it to me," Lady Saira said as she looked at the pouch.


    "Father said to give it to the servants," Ruven said as he eyed his mother with a somewhat displeased gaze.


    Saira understood what her son was trying to imply but she smiled. "You don''t have to meddle in adult matters. Give it to me."


    Unwillingly, Ruven handed it to his mother. He knew his father never treated his mother as anything more than a servant, but his silly mother was content with it, even embracing the identity.


    He heard his mother say, "Just remember, your father is always right. We have to live our lives in peace and I would like you to not disturb it by any means."


    "I won''t," Ruven assured as he didn''t want to argue with his mother.


    His mother had always taught her children to be polite and be content with whatever they got. Despite them being direct descendants of the royal family, her son and daughter were raised to not have ambitions for the throne. In fact, Lady Saira made sure both her children were well-mannered and good to everyone, intending to have their futures unrted to the pce.


    Fortunately, Prince Ruven and Princess Ayira didn''t fail their mother; her son and daughter both turned out like their mother.


    Ruven then headed towards the garden gazebo to greet his siblings. To his surprise, their grandmother was there as well.


    "Oh, isn''t that our brother?"


    "It''s Ruven!"


    The Great Lady, who was surrounded by her grandchildren, noticed the neer and the smile on her thin lips widened even more.


    "Greetings, Grandmother."


    "Ruven, you are here as well. What a lovely day for this olddy," Great Lady Theodora eximed.


    "Grandmother, you do not look like an olddy at all," Ruven said and he hugged his Grandmother before sitting on the chair ced next to Keiren.


    The olddyughed. "Such a sweet talker. I wish your two brothers could talk sweetly just like you."


    "I never said Grandma is an olddy," Keirenined with a smile.


    He then ruffled the short hair of his youngest brother. "How have you been?"


    Ruven twitched his nose as his brother never missed an opportunity to mess up his neatlybed hair. "Not good with messy hair."


    Keiren chuckled. "Let me fix it for you."


    Ruven immediately leaned away while swatting his hand. "I can see your evil intentions, Brother."


    "You are judging me way too quickly," Keiren let out an exaggerated sigh and only then Ruven could rx and straighten his back.


    "Have you been studying well?" Keiren asked. "Wait, you should be in your sses today? Did you ditch toe here?"


    Ruven sighed a little. "Father and Brother are the same. You two only want to know if I am studying well and if I am getting better with the sword."


    "You are a prince and it''s your duty to uphold our reputation. An Ivanov cannot be anyone less than outstanding. Even if you are currently under another identity, once you graduate, they will learn who you are and your performance in the academy will be the talk of the people."


    "You and Second Brother are there to fill the quota of sword prodigies. Can''t you be a little more lenient to me?"


    This time, Keiren offered him a displeased re as he was always strict about Ruven studying well and not cking at all."


    Ruven gulped as he was somewhat scared of his eldest brother though he sometimes took liberties with him.


    "I have been training well...really..." they heard him say in a low voice.


    "You better," Keiren said, not intending to be soft with his youngest brother.


    "Are you two done?" their grandmother asked in a tone that caused the two to keep their mouths shut.


    Keiren nced at Ruven. "I have something for you. See me in my mansionter."


    After that, Keiren bid farewell to his grandmother and siblings.


    With their strict eldest brother leaving, this left the princesses free to act the way they wished with their youngest brother.


    "Ruven, good to see you back!"


    "Did you bring what I told you to in myst letter? You didn''t forget, right?"


    "Yes, for me as well."


    The three older princesses spoke almost at the same time, while the youngest one, Princess Ayira, tried to hide herughter at their antics. Ruven was the only one who had the freedom to spend time outside the pce, thus his older sisters would normally have him run errands for them.


    "I did. I did. Can I get space to breathe?" Ruven said while being surrounded by his sisters.


    Given Ruven''s kind personality, coupled with the fact that he was younger than his sisters aside from Ayira, made him a person loved and doted upon by his siblings. His sisters were free to trouble him with anything while they were wary of their two older brothers, always behaving and acting prim and proper in front of them.


    Once he dealt with his older sisters, Ruven then turned towards his youngest sister to chat with her. The youngest of the Ivanovs, Ayira looked like a pretty doll, her sweet shy smile a reflection of her quiet personality. Her older brother could not help but pat her head.


    While she watched such a heart-warming sight, the Great Lady also had the same wandering thoughts as Theron earlier.


    ''If only Dray was here...''


    Drayce was always good with his younger siblings, but ever since he rose to the throne, it was rare to see him interact with them as a family.

 Chapter 561 Loving Elder Brother

    Before leaving the Obsidian Pce, Ruven sought out his mother once more and found her leaving instructions to the gardeners. As soon as he approached, the gardeners tactfully excused themselves, leaving the mother and son pair to have some private time.


    "Are you leaving?" Lady Saira asked with a smile. She reached out to straighten the slight wrinkles on his uniform. "Did you have fun with your siblings and grandmother?"


    "Hmm," the young prince responded with a nod. "Shall we head back to Vermillion Pce with Ayira, Mother?"


    "You two can go ahead. I have always kept your chamber ready for use and our servants will take care of whatever else you''ll need," Saira lovingly informed her son.


    The children of the royal family were mandated to live in the Vermillion Pce until their adulthood, and for the seventeen-year-old prince, though he was more a man than a boy now, his official residence was still the Vermillion Pce. Currently, he was the only male allowed in the royal harem, aside from the King. However, as he had been living in the dormitories of the Royal Academy for years, his chamber was mostly unupied except for times like this.


    Hearing his mother''s response, Ruven offered her displeased gaze.


    "Mother, are you not going to keep mepany when your only son has returned after so long?" He looked at various servants present around them, busy with their work. "Doesn''t seem like this ce cannot function if you take half a day off."


    Lady Saira understood what her son meant and said, "I don''t have to stay here for long. It''s morning. After I finish some work, I wille to you."


    Ruven sighed. "I hope your husband can see your dedication."


    She threw him a scowl, but her face was too kind for it to appear even slightly threatening. "Do not address your father like this."


    Ruven didn''t wish to trouble his mother and quickly apologized. "We will wait for you then, Mother."


    Lady Saira nodded and reminded him, "Don''t forget to first visit His Majesty."


    Ruven nodded and turned to search for his little sister, only to find out she left ahead of him. He could not help but sigh in disappointment and rode his carriage on his own.


    His chamber within the Vermilion Pce was as he remembered, the paintings and sculptures he collected free of dust and well-maintained, and the ce was neat and tidy as his mother had said. He felt d to see the familiar faces of the servants and the servants were also happy to serve the youngest prince who they also cherished a lot.


    Once Ruven freshened up, donning a new set of luxurious clothes, he called for a servant to prepare a carriage once more. He needed to visit his second brother, the King of Megaris.


    As he was about to leave, he heard a gentle knock on his door.


    "Brother, may Ie in?"


    Ayira, his youngest sister, came to his chamber. During the gathering earlier, their three older sisters had monopolized the flow of conversation, leaving the timid princess unable to get a chance to chat with Ruven.


    He smiled at her as he gestured for her toe in. "You know I have brought something for you that''s why you are here, aren''t you, little sister?"


    Ayira sweetly smiled as she nodded. "What did you bring for me?"


    She was one who did not vie for people''s attention, but she was the type of girl who loved receiving gifts. She could not help but glow with expectations of her brother.


    Ruven pulled out a small box wrapped in a silk cloth. Just by looking at it, Ayira''s pretty blue eyes brightened up and she immediately went towards her brother, eager for him to hand her his gift.


    "What?" Ruven asked nonchntly.


    Ayira looked at the box in his hand. "This is for me?"


    "Did I say it is for you?" Ruven teased.


    Ayira''s face turned sad but then Ruven held her hand and put the box on her upturned palm. "If not for you then who will get it? We only have one kid in the family who loves these sweet candies.


    "I am not a kid," she pouted.


    "My bad." He pulled the box back. "Then should I give this to someone��"


    Ayira grabbed it from his hand. "Ah, I am not an adult either. I am just fifteen."


    Ruven let her take the box and said, "I am going to visit our Second Brother."


    "Must you go now? I thought we could see Her Majesty the Queen together," Ayira informed as she opened the box of candies. "I received a summon from her."


    "For what reason?" Ruven asked as he watched her eyes twinkle, seemingly hesitating whether she should eat one now orter.


    She shook her head distractedly. "Not sure."


    "Hmm, tell me what the Queen is like ?" Ruven asked as he picked one candy and stuffed it in his mouth.


    She threw a frustrated look at him before eating a piece of candy as well. "Umm, I didn''t get to interact with her much but she seems to be a good person. Mother likes her."


    "It''s Brother Drayce who chose her. To be able to snag his attention, she must definitely be an amazing woman," Ruven said.


    Ayira agreed to it and both of them went out of his chamber.


    Riding a royal carriage this time, Ruven left for the Grand Pce. Just as his carriage departed from the gates of the Vermilion Pce, it happened to meet a particr carriageing from the opposite direction, heading towards the ce he just left.


    He recognized the phoenix crest on it. Noticing that the curtains were drawn open, he immediately stuck his head out of the window to check the person sitting inside the opposite carriage, but he missed the timing and he could only see the reddish gold hair which caught his attention.


    "Tsk, I could not see Her Majesty," heined as he moved back to his seat.


    It was the Queen''s carriage which was going to the Vermillion Pce.


    -----


    Inside the King''s study in the Grand Pce, yer announced the arrival of the Third Prince. "Your Majesty, Prince Ruven is here to seek an audience with you. He is currently in the waiting room."


    Drayce was aware of his youngest brother''s arrival. He simply flipped the documents in his hand to side with nonchnce as he said, "Send him in," without lifting his head.


    yer left, and after a while, Ruven entered the study. He saw his brother was busy working and quietly walked forward and saluted him like a knight.


    "Ruven Ivanov greets Your Majesty the King of Megaris."


    Drayce rolled back the scroll in his hand as he asked, "After going to the Royal Academy, did you forget how to greet your family?" Only then did he finally raise his head to look at him.


    Ruven straightened his body and smiled. "Do I not getpliments for showing off the etiquette I learned from studies, Brother?"


    Drayce preferred it when Ruven called him ''brother'' instead of calling his title when they were alone.


    "You''ve grown brazen." Drayce stood up from his chair and walked towards his brother. As he stood up in front of him, he realized how much Ruven had grown taller. He almost caught up to his height. "How have you been?"


    "I am good. Thanks to you, I can pursue what I like." His expression slightly dimmed. "If only Father and First Brother would also support me like you do and not force me to train in swordsmanship��"


    Drayce caressed his hair gently with the warmth of loving older brother. "Do what you like."


    "You are the best brother!" Ruven eximed happily and said "I have a gift for you" and held out a small scroll in front of Drayce.


    Drayce took it and pulled out a rolled canvas from the cover. "I hope it''s much better than the previous ones."


    "I am sure it is," Ruven said. "It took me a week to finish this painting. The details are��"


    As he listened to his youngest brother''s proud remarks, Drayce unrolled the canvas.


    It was a drawing of a vast dandelion field surrounded by mountains, with a view of a clear blue sky with birds flying freely. A proud Red Dragon was standing in the middle of the painting, its head lowered towards the flowers.


    Drayce could not help but appreciate the effort his brother put into his artwork.


    Contrary to expectations, the youngest prince of Megaris was more interested in the arts rather than learning swordsmanship and warfare. Ruven loved to draw and paint the most, and he was really good at it.


    However, with Megaris being a kingdom renowned for its military might, there were many expectations on his shoulder as a person born with the Ivanov bloodline.


    His family was aware of his talent, but they thought it was a mere hobby of his, nothing serious. Especially Theron and Keiren, these two men looked forward to Ruven''s future achievements in the military after he graduated from the Royal Academy. Drayce was the only one who supported what Ruven truly liked.


    "...I hope it''s as close to what you see in your dreams, Brother," Ruven said.


    Drayce observed it closely. "The colors are well-bnced, but next time, you should try drawing this dragon with less dark colors. And the scales should be like this��"


    "For that, Brother has to tell me in detail, better if you can sketch a draft so I can draw it exactly the same as in your dreams."


    "Later," Drayce said, and just then, yer knocked again bringing another news. "Your Majesty, Prince Keiren has arrived to see you. Should I also allow him in?"


    Draven nodded, while Ruven''s face turned anxious. "Brother, roll it back. If our eldest sees it, he will nag me to focus more on my sword training."


    Drayce smiled and started to roll back the canvas just as Keiren entered his study.

 Chapter 562 Envying Younger Brother

    Keiren entered the King''s study and bowed to him. Though Keiren was an elder brother, Drayce was a king and his position was higher than Keiren''s. Keiren being the lord of one of the territories of the kingdom, he had to report to the king with the updates.


    Keiren bowed to the king, "Keiren Ivanov greets Your Majesty the King of Megaris."


    Drayce epted it with a light nod and went to sit on his chair while Keiren looked at his younger brother who smiled at him awkwardly as if he was guilty of something. Though he had the support of the king, he was always wary of his older brother who was strict with him.


    Drayce never backed Ruven when it came to Keiren and let Keiren deal with him the way he wanted. Drayce didn''t wish to meddle in between his two brothers who showed their affection to each other in their ways. Drayce knew Keiren cared for Ruven just like how he used to care for him when he was young.


    But��everything changed when Drayce sat on the throne.


    Drayce gestured to both of them to sit but Keiren preferred to stand as he didn''t seem like he wanted to have a long chat session with the King. He put the scrolls in his hands on the Desk in front of Drayce and informed, "These are the reports from the territory," and started to exin more of it to the king like a responsible subject.


    Drayce didn''t ask him much; he was already aware of his brother''s activities and what he was up to these days. He simply heard what he said and nodded when he finished.


    Keiren''s eyes didn''t fail to notice the canvas roll that Drayce had stuffed inside its cover and put on the desk as if it was nothing important but Keiren knew his younger brother well.


    As Keiren had finished reporting to the King, he looked at Ruven, "Had fun while colouring your hands?"


    Ruven felt the chill run through his spine and said, "Color? What colour," he put forward his hands with his lips curved into an awkward smile, "My hands are clean."


    "So clean that they don''t even look like you had picked up a sword in a while," Keirenmented.


    Ruven felt like he was caught this time and looked to Drayce to save him but Drayce acted as if he heard nothing and didn''t know what the two were talking about.


    "See me at the sword training ground in ten minutes," he heard Keiren and tried to say, "B-But, Elder brother��."


    Keiren didn''t wait to hear his excuses and looked at Drayce, "I will take a leave, Your Majesty," and turned to leave after Drayce gave him an approving nod.


    Ruven immediately turned to his second brother, "Your Majesty��."


    "His Majesty would like it if his younger brother trained to be good with the sword," Keiren who had turned to leave, stopped andmented before Drayce could say anything to Ruven''s pleading.


    Drayce looked at pitiful Ruven who was going to suffer under their elder brother and said, "Brother Keiren is right. Go and do your best."


    Hearing it, Keiren left while Ruven''s hopeful face looked like he would cry any moment. "Brother Drayce��"


    "You need to learn to fight for what you want. Don''t always hide behind me. Go do your best. There are always so many ways if one is determined to do it," Drayce interrupted him.


    For a moment Ruven thought his second brother who he called as the best brother a while ago, now somewhat looked mean like his first brother.


    "You both just love to bully me," Ruven frowned and turned to leave, not bothering to bow to his brother. Drayce didn''t mind even. For him Ruven was his sweet little brother.


    Ruven stepped out of the King''s study and mumbled in a low voice, "I am dead today."


    Drayce heard it and smiled. He went through the scrolls Keiren had brought to him. Once he finished, he stood up from his chair and went out of the study where yer saw him and asked. "Your Majesty, the training ground?"


    Drayce nodded and yer followed him. yer had heard the conversation between the brothers and it was nothing new for him to know. The moment he saw Drayce out, yer knew the King was going to enjoy the suffering of his younger brother under their dominating older brother.


    They got on their horses and left towards the sword training ground where the other two had already left. When Drayce and yer reached there, they stood at a distance so their presence would not affect the other two.


    Ruven was ready in front of his elder brother who looked merciless in front of his small figure.


    Keiren looked at him and singled him to look somewhere. There was a stand where they saw one sword.


    "That sword is made by the best swordsmith in the kingdom. If you dodge or defend my five attacks, I will give that to you," Keiren informed as he pulled his sword out of the scabbard.


    "Five? Isn''t it too much?" Ruvenined and also pulled out his sword.


    "Do you want me to make it ten?" Keiren asked coldly as he didn''t look like he would show any mercy on his brother even if he had to beg on his knees.


    They both were ready while Drayce and yer soon heard the nking of swords and his brothers indulge in sword fights where one was dominating the other.


    "Five attacks?" Drayce mumbled which yer heard and said, "I don''t think it''s possible."


    "As long as Ruven won''t give up," Draycemented as they witnessed Ruven failing to dodge or defend the first attack and his elder brother''s sword was pointed towards his throat. "Elder Brother is just testing him."


    They were ready for the second round where Keiren mocked Ruven, "That''s it? You could not even handle such a weak move from me?"


    Ruven, who acted as if he was being bullied a while ago, now had angry expressions on his face as if he could not wait to defeat his brother. "Four rounds are yet left."


    As yer watched them, he noticed Drayce''s eyes were following his elder brother''s every move. No one could deny Keiren was really good with the sword and there was hardly anyone who could defeat him and Ruven was really pitiful to fall into his hands.


    "You still fancy the way the First Prince uses his sword?" yer asked.


    Drayce nodded. "He looks exactly like father when he is holding his sword. Perfect bnce and each move looked so graceful but deadly for the opponent."


    Drayce observed him more and then remembered the days from their childhood when Keiren and he used to get along and Keiren was the best brother to him. Those voices from the past rang in his ears and the shback yed in his mind.


    ''Dray, hold your sword like this��No, Dray. Your footwork is wrong. You will lose your bnce��Don''t be in haste��Grip your sword tightly��Dray, you are doing good. Just like that, try to attack me��Oh, you are good, Dray. You will be better than me soon��''


    There was a smile on Drayce''s lips and yer asked, "What are you thinking about."


    "I envy Ruven," Drayce replied.


    "Then, why don''t you go and join them?"


    Drayce sighed. "I wish I could."


    "You don''t help Ruven intentionally," yermented.


    Drayce nodded, "Not everyone is fortunate to have an elder brother who dotes on him this much. Let Ruven have that privilege."


    As the two were talking, the two brothers in the sword practice ground were at thest round of their bet. Ruven looked tired while Keiren still looked the same and didn''t lose even an ounce of energy.


    "That''s it? I expected better from you," Keiren mocked him again.


    Ruven was turning angry and this time instead of waiting for his brother to attack so he could defend, Ruven attacked his brother. But the end was worse than the previous four rounds when Ruven was defending.


    Keiren simply stepped aside and his younger brother was on the ground and found his elder brother''s sword pointing at his throat once again.


    "Impatience! Unreasonable anger! Lack of nning and judgment! Clumsy moves!" Keiren said as he still kept his sword pointed towards his brother, making him unable to move from the ground "Do you want me to point out more? The artists are said to be calm creatures but I don''t see that in you. Sword? Art? I see you are good in neither of them."


    "Do you envy this?" yer asked as he saw how Keiren mocked Ruven so badly.


    Drayce nodded, "Even if it was worse than this."


    Keiren moved his sword back and put it back in his scabbard, "You are not worth getting that sword," and turned to leave.


    Not like Ruven was interested in sword training but he could not take mocking from his elder brother. He looked at that sword kept in the stand and stood up while catching his breath, "Another chance. I need another chance so I can get that sword from you, brother."


    Keiren observed his tired brother, "Train well then. Doesn''t seem like in this condition you can even lift your sword properly." There was a clear mocking in Keiren''s eyes and had no sympathy for his brother.


    "Fine! In my next visit, I will defend your moves and be ready to give me that sword," Ruven agreed.


    Keiren offered him an evil smirk, "I hope you can at least manage to dodge a single attack, Let alone all five," and left.


    Ruven stomped his foot, "Just you wait, Elder brother."


    Keiren continued to walk facing his back to his younger brother and smiled pleasantly hearing his brother''s determined words. But then he saw Drayce and yer and that smile disappeared from his lips as if it was never there to grace his lips.


    He acted as if he didn''t see Drayce and walked away.


    "Was the first prince smiling?" yer asked in disbelief.


    Drayce nodded as he smiled as well, "Elder brother got what he wanted."


    "To make the third Prince practice more?" yer asked.


    Drayce nodded, "He knows Ruven so well to know what works on him."


    "Sly Ivanovs!" yermented.


    "You should also learn that from us," Drayce said and turned to leave. He didn''t stay back to console his younger brother.

 Chapter 563 Help From Princess Ayira

    After Seren finished her work in the Vermillion Pce, she had to return to her residence for some important matters. As such, after having her midday meal, Princess Ayira had toe see Seren in the Queen''s pce to answer the Queen''s summon.


    The Queen''sdy-in-waiting escorted the young princess to the Queen''s study. When she entered the study, Ayira saw Seren not sitting in her chair behind her desk, but rather, in the lounge area of the room where a luxurious couch and severalfortable seats surrounded a table. That made her less anxious.


    She immediately curtsied before the Queen.


    "Ayira Ivanov greets Her Majesty the Queen of Megaris."


    Seren silently observed the fifteen-year-old princess, the youngest of her husband''s siblings. Her appearance, rather than the elegance expected of a royal, was oozing with shyness and nervousness. It was a rather adorable and refreshing sight to see, especially since Seren had just met the First Concubine, Lady risa, in a meeting earlier.


    She had seen Ayira many times before, but she never had the chance to interact with her closely. Seren could see how much the Fourth Princess resembles her beautiful mother.


    "Have a seat, Princess Ayira," Seren instructed her calmly. On the table, fresh tea had been prepared for the two of them.


    Ayira felt her nervousness return as it was the first time she was interacting with the Queen alone. She had a good impression of the Queen after her visits to the Vermilion Pce. Seeing how fairly she dealt with the matters inside the royal harem, not to mention her own mother spoke well of Seren, Ayira knew there was no reason for her to be scared.


    ''But still, she is the Queen.''


    With her head lowered, Ayira chose to sit in the chair directly in front of Seren. Seren could see that the young princess was nervous and smiled behind her veil.


    "Princess Ayira, Lady Tyra mentioned to me that you can y musical instruments."


    "Y-Yes, Your Majesty."


    "ording to her, you y the zither best. In fact, your skill is on par as the musicians we hire on our royal balls."


    Ayira shook her head, her eyes on the untouched teacups on the table. "Lady Tyra is praising me too much!" She then realized the pitch of her voice had risen, and so, she swallowed her anxiety and tried to speak slower this time. "I mean, Your Majesty, I can y the zither but not sure if it''s good enough like Lady Tyra imed..."


    Seren wanted her to befortable with her and spoke, "You can look at me, Princess Ayira, or do you feel scared of me because I have these scales on me?" As if to highlight her point, she raised her right hand to show off the snake-like scales on her skin.


    Ayira immediately shook her head and looked at Seren straight in the eye. She then flinched and lowered her head again.


    "N-No, Your Majesty. I dare not...You are the Queen...so..." Ayira felt loss for words as she felt like she had offended the Queen.


    "Then do look at me when you speak."


    Only when the young princess peeked at her veiled face did Seren speak again.


    "How about you taste the tea first? I personally brewed it for you. It might help you feel morefortable."


    "Y-Yes! Thank you, Your Majesty! I''m honored--"


    Several minutester, Ayira was able to rx her stiff shoulders as she finished the cup of freshly-brewed tea along with several tasty cookies.


    Seren found it a good chance to start their conversation. "Do you know why I summoned you?"


    "No, Your Majesty." Ayira smiled timidly. "Did I do something wrong?"


    "I called you here because I need your help."


    "Help?"


    Seren nodded. "I want you to teach me how to y the zither." She nced at Lady Tyra who was quietly standing on one side. "Lady Tyra told me that you can help me best."


    Ayira felt puzzled. "But, Your Majesty, you can hire any teacher, and any renowned musician will respond, evene running at the chance of teaching you--"


    "See, if I hire a teacher, His Majesty will know it," Seren said with a sparkle in her purple eyes. "I don''t want His Majesty to know it."


    It puzzled the young princess even more as she could not understand the situation. Hiding music lessons from the King? Was there a need? She knew his brother''s personality, and he would not be mad even if he learns his wife wants to y an instrument--


    Lady Tyra looked at the princess. "Princess Ayira. Rest assured. Once you sessfully teach Her Majesty the zither, don''t you think it will be a pleasant surprise for His Majesty?"


    Seren had sincerity in her eyes as she stared at the youngerdy. "I promise to be a good student to you."


    Ayira still felt hesitant and heard Seren again, "Won''t you help me?"


    ''Will she y the zither for my Second Brother?'' It did seem like a thoughtful surprise. Ayira nodded lightly. "I will help you, Your Majesty."


    Seren was pleased to hear her agreement. "If you do not have any ns for the day, shall we start right now?"


    Seren could not wait to learn it as soon as possible.


    On one side of the study, Esther''s zither was ced in the study the same way the previous queen had left it. A cushioned sitting arrangement was made in front of it where the two people could sitfortably.


    "Oh, this zither...?"


    Lady Tyra acknowledged her guess. "Since its former owner isn''t here, it belonged to Her Majesty now."


    Ayira carefully sat on the cushioned arrangement while her student sat next to her. To her surprise, she found out that despite the years, the musical instrument seemed brand new, as if time had not aged the wood. The strings were also still in perfect tune.


    "First, shall I do a performance?" Ayira said as she plucked a string, the movement of her fingers elegant. With the zither in front of her, she felt less nervous, trying to imagine how she often yed for Lady Saira. "I will y something so Your Majesty can see how it''s yed."


    Seren nodded as she was excited to hear the youngerdy''s music. Ayira yed a simple yet beautiful tune which made everyone present--from Lady Tyra to thedies-in-waiting-- mesmerized by the melody.


    The longer Seren observed how graceful the young princess was as she yed the zither, the more she praised her in her mind again and again.


    Once she stopped, there was pping from Seren and her servants.


    "That was beautiful," Seren praised and the servants chimed in to praise as well.


    "Thank you, Your Majesty," Ayira said in a polite tone as she bowed to her lightly.


    After that, Ayira started to teach Seren the basics of a zither, and the young queen paid great attention to each of her words, trying not to miss anything that Ayira said.


    The first day of the sssted for an hour. Ayira was happy with how fast the Queen was learning, and for a moment, both forgot the differences in their status and started to interact like young girls who were friends.


    After realizing the time, Ayira spoke, "For today, this much should be enough. In our next lesson, I will test how much you remember. Then, you need to choose a simple song to practice and we can focus on that. I am sure it won''t take long for Your Majesty to be able to y it well."


    "That, I will look for an appropriate music sheet." Seren then yfully bowed to pay her respects to Ayira as her teacher. "In a few days, please teach me well enough to y at least a chord."


    "If Your Majesty keeps practicing, it is more than possible to even do the melody."


    "I will be in your care."


    By then, the servants brought a new set of tea and snacks for the two royaldies. Once they finished it, it was time for Ayira to leave. "Thank you for the tea and snacks, Your Majesty."


    Seren apanied Ayira when leaving the study. As they passed the front of the Queen''s chamber, they saw Drayceing towards them. Both flinched, as if something pricked their conscience.


    Seren didn''t expect him to show up at this hour as he would usually be in the Grand Pce, busy with the kingdom''s affairs.


    For a moment, she felt nervous. She worried if he caught the sound of the zither and that made hime to check. She threw a wondering look at Lady Tyra as she was sure Lady Tyra had put a spell around the study so no sound would escape the room.


    "Ayira?" Drayce said, surprised to see his youngest sister with his wife.


    Ayira felt her palm turn sweaty. The Queen had ordered her to not tell her brother anything about their secret music lessons. She didn''t know what to say once her brother asked for the reason for her being in the Queen''s residence.


    Unfortunately, her fears materialized the very next moment.


    "Why are you here?" Drayce asked.


    Seren felt a wave of anxiety, fearing that he would discover the truth, but just then, Ayira stepped forward and hugged her brother.


    "Brother, I am upset with you!"


    Ayira was Drayce''s most cherished sibling, not only because she was the youngest, but also because she had always been the sweetest towards him.


    It was somewhat to be expected given her position and personality. Though, she only had the liberty to act spoiled with the King and Ruven--Keiren was an exception because she was scared of the eldest one.


    Drayce patted her head and asked, "Upset? May this poor brother know what he did to upset his little sister?"


    Seren felt shocked at the sight. She didn''t expect Draye to be like this with his siblings.


    During her wedding ceremony, she had witnessed him interact with the First Prince, Prince Keiren. She thought just like with his eldest brother, Drayce must be distant with the rest as well.


    In fact, had she ever seen anyone in this kingdom act like this with this King? This man who everyone feared to the point they called him a Devil?


    However, Seren was yet to witness Ruven and Drayce''s interaction and she didn''t know she would be getting another surprise.


    "Brother didn''te to visit me in the Vermillion Pce and I missed him." She pouted like a little girl. "Are you telling me that since you are married, you don''t miss me at all?"


    Drayce chuckled, "How can that be? I even brought a gift for you from myst trip."


    She looked up at him as her innocent eyes blinked a few times. "Really? Where?"


    "In my study," he replied.


    "Let''s go then," Ayira said as if she could not wait to get her gift.


    Drayce patted her head and looked at Seren. "My Queen, do you want toe with us?"


    Seren nodded and the three walked towards the King''s residence with bothdies on his either side.


    On the way, Drayce''s ears caught something and smiled. He nced at Seren. "You are going to meet my younger brother."


    Seren had heard that the Third Prince had arrived in the royal pce, but she was yet to get the chance to meet him.


    "Prince Ruven?" she asked.


    "Hmm," Drayce nodded and they continued to walk.

 Chapter 564 She Has Pretty Eyes

    When Drayce and his group reached his personal study, yer opened the door for them without announcing their arrival. Drayce entered the study first and witnessed his younger brother pacing here and there restlessly while mumblingints under his breath. The moment he saw Drayce, his dark eyes lit up and he immediately hurried toward him.


    "Brother! Our Eldest Brother bullied me today. You need to help me��"


    "You should learn to handle your things on your own," Drayce replied and walked towards the lounge area to sit on the couch.


    Ruven followed his brother to the couch and immediately sat next to him, not realizing that Drayce had brought others with him.


    "Brother, you need to practice the sword with me. You are the one most familiar with his swordsmanship aside from Father so you can tell me how to beat Eldest Brother," he sounded like aining child. "I''m so annoyed right now. He brought a sword for me but didn''t give it to me��"


    "He wants you to earn it," Drayce replied.


    "That''s why I want you to train with me! Teach me a few nice moves so I can defend his attacks."


    "Few moves? You think cheap tricks will work on him?" Drayce gave him a displeased look.


    Ruven pulled out an awkward smile. "Well, I mean, I am still learning the royal swordsmanship, but it''s not that easy to master our family''s sword. And not only that, it''s not like I can bridge the gap between our eldest''s more than a decade worth of practice��it''s not easy to receive his attacks with basic swordsmanship techniques��"


    Drayce turned serious. Though he fully supported Ruven with what he liked, that didn''t mean he could not see Keiren''s perspective. He knew Keiren was merely being strict with their younger brother not simply because he wanted Ruven to do what a prince should do, but also because of safety concerns.


    "Ruven, listen to me," he pressed. "Our brother insists that you take up a sword seriously because you are a prince."


    "I know because the reputation��"


    Drayce interrupted him, "Because as a member of the royal family, your life will always be in danger."


    At those words, Ruven shut his mouth.


    Drayce continued with a serious tone. "What if you only have a single knight as a guard and you''re surrounded by tens of enemies? What if there''s an ambush? You need to learn how to protect yourself when someone attacks you. An assassin won''t care whether you are a beginner with the sword. They will even be grateful because that makes attacking you easier for them��"


    Ruven lowered his head, but Drayce was not yet done.


    "...and not just yourself. Think about our sisters. What if you are attacked while on an outing with them? What if an enemy is able to break through your knights? You will need the strength to protect the ones around you. Or at least, be skilled enough to defend them until reinforcementse. If you can''t even protect yourself, how will you protect others? What you need is proper swordsmanship foundation, not tricks on how to defend our Eldest''s half-hearted sword."


    Hearing such a long scolding from his brother, Ruven realized he was in the wrong. He understood there was no use in buttering his brother.


    Thinking about killing enemies in the future, Ruven shuddered. But that was reality. As a prince, though he had no ns to meddle with the kingdom''s politics, that didn''t mean others wouldn''t use him for their own interests.


    "Umm, I understand but, I know I won''t be good at it." He looked up at his brother. "Will you practice with me?"


    "I will have yer help train you. Themander of the royal knights can teach you better than me."


    Ruven could not say no. His gaze flickered towards the stern-faced knight. He knew yer was one of the most renowned swordsmen in the kingdom and to learn under his tutge would help him grow tremendously. However, he could not help but sigh.


    "...I guess thank you, Brother."


    He also didn''t want to disobey Drayce who was always lenient with him. With him being all serious like this, Ruven had to listen to him.


    Meanwhile, Seren and Ayira were still standing by the door, not willing to disturb the brothers'' conversation.


    Drayce looked at them. "Why are you two still standing there?"


    Only then Ruven looked at them and realized that thosedies within the study weren''t the King''s aides or attendants.


    "Ayira is here, and thedy is��?"


    There was someone else next to his sister. The woman was a little taller than his little sister, the lower half of her face covered with a veil. Aside from her beautiful pair of purple eyes, the only notable feature that could be seen on her face was a blue-green colour patch at the right corner of her forehead.


    Queen Seren Ivanov.


    Her trademark purple eyes and veil gave out her identity. Though Ruven had been staying in the Royal Academy, he was able to receive news from the letters of her mother and the stories spread by his instructors and ssmates. He had heard many rumours about their current Queen, but he didn''t mind them since his brother chose her to marry him.


    "That''s your sister-inw," Drayce spoke as the two women walked towards them.


    It pulled Ruven out of his daze and he quickly stood up. "Sister-inw��I mean��Y-Your Majesty��" He wanted to make a good impression, but the sudden encounter with her made him unable to decide how to talk to her.


    Would she like it if he showed proper respect and courtesy? Or perhaps, it would be better to be casual since they are now family��?


    Seren smiled at him under her veil. Though he could not see it, her eyes showed she was pleased to see him. "Prince Ruven, you can call me whichever is mostfortable for you."


    Ruven didn''t know how to respond exactly as he was still at a loss for words and just agreed. "Ah, thank you, Your Majesty��I mean sister-inw��I will call you sister-inw, will that be fine?" Seeing her nod, he then rxed. "Oh, please have a seat."


    Seren walked to sit on one of the chairs while Ayira sat on the one next to hers. By then, Ruven returned to the couch and moved closer to his brother to whisper to him.


    "She has such pretty eyes."


    Drayce simply smiled, fully agreeing with it. His wife had the prettiest eyes any woman could have. It was not simply due to their unique colour; her innocent and kind soul reflected in her eyes made them enchantingly beautiful.


    An awkward silence momentarily enveloped the study, making Ayira fidget. "Right, Brother, you said my gift is here? Where is my gift?"


    Drayce pointed towards his desk and she immediately went there.


    ''Papers, papers, so many stacks of papers��oh, is it this one?''


    There was a circr wooden container the size of a tray, and she had to hold it with both her hands. It was her favourite candies, the same ones that Ruven gave her earlier. She let out a squeal, before immediately covering her mouth in embarrassment.


    Ruven made a passing remark. "I gave you candies as well, but howe your reaction isn''t the same? This is unfair."


    Ayira waved the container towards her third brother. "See, Brother Drayce brought lots of it, unlike you."


    He sighed. "You will get fat from eating too many sweets so I bought a small box, but it seems like Brother wants our sister to turn fat like a little piggy."


    "Even if I turn into a fat piggy, I will be the cutest fat piggy in the kingdom and will be Brother''s favourite." She then looked at Drayce. "Right, Brother?"


    Drayce chuckled at their exchange. "Eat as much as you want."


    Ruven sighed at the two and looked at Seren who seemed fascinated with what was happening. It was her first time seeing her husband behaving carefree with his siblings, and it showed that the affection was not one-sided. She felt like she would enjoy simply sitting here just like this, watching their interactions and listening to their chatters.


    Seren also noticed that Ayira was usually so quiet and talked less. She had observed her in Vermillion Pce on her visits and even when she summoned her to teach Zither. But in the presence of her second brother Drayce, this quiet girl looked carefree.


    Because of his siblings, Seren was getting to know more about Drayce. She could not help but feel amazed seeing another new side of him.


    "Sister-inw, apologies that I could not be present at the wedding. I do not know if you are aware but I am in myst year at the Royal Academy. That time, we had the examinations going on for the entire week and I could not leave," Ruven said. "After that, we had an excursion outside of the capital��"


    "It''s fine." Seren replied. "I am d that you had a chance to return."


    "...but I sneaked out though," the prince admitted. "I will probably get an earful from the disciplinarymittee once I return."


    "They dare scold a prince?" Seren asked.


    "Sister-inw must be unaware, but royalty needs to hide our identities in the academy to make it fair and morefortable for the people within. As far as they''re concerned, I''m a son of a countryside viscount."


    "Fascinating��"


    Seren now found itfortable to talk with others even if she had never met them before, unlike how she used to be reserved before. After bing the Queen, she had started to change.

 Chapter 565 You Are My Husband And Mate

    After they talked for a while, Drayce asked Ruven, "Since you are free now, why don''t you start training with yer?"


    Ruven immediately stiffened and stood up, his expressionplicated. Drayce called for yer who was standing guard outside the study.


    Just as the knight entered the study and bowed to the King and the Queen, he heard Drayce inform, "Take my brother to the sword training ground and have a spar to brush up his defensive skills."


    "Yes, Your Majesty," yer agreed and he left with the sighing Ruven.


    After changing into morefortable clothes, Ruven met yer in the middle of the open area far from observing eyes. As yer was his brother''s knight and someone he was familiar with, he thought he would go easy on him. He didn''t know how wrong he could be.


    "Sir Calhoun! Wait��ack!"


    "Please stand up, Your Highness."


    "��it''s unfair that you tried to trip me!"


    "You need to observe everything about your opponent."


    "No! Just teach me how to receive attacks!"


    "Observation skills are necessary before you can think of blocking or parrying a sword."


    yer was strict. Not only was this the case for Ruven and the knight order under hismand, yer never even went easy on Drayce whenever they had a spar. All the knights under him were scared of him whenever they had to train as yer would not spare anyone from his strict training.


    Meanwhile, back in the King''s study, Ayira also left after eating about a third of the candies she received from her brother.


    Only Seren and Drayce were left inside his study. Drayce patted the empty ce on the couch and gestured for her to sit next to him. Being an obedient wife, she immediately stood up and sat next to Drayce.


    He circled his arm around her shoulder and looked at her. "What are you thinking about, my Queen?"


    "Umm��I never saw you interacting with your siblings so I didn''t know you were so close to them. I am happy to find out you have a good rtionship with them."


    "Of course, they are my siblings and we are family so how can I not be close with them?"


    His reply made her feel strange. From what she had read from history books before, it gave her an impression that royalty cared little for blood ties, much less when those royals are half-siblings. That was why she felt fortunate to have a brother like Cian who showed goodwill and concern for her. Except for Cian, her other siblings didn''t treat her well.


    She wondered if she was close to her sisters, would they be like Drayce and his siblings, teasing and bantering with each other?


    Seren then thought about something and asked, "What about the other three princesses? Are you also close with them?"


    Drayce nodded. "I am. When I was still a prince, I used to even bring them out to eat and go shopping in the city in disguise. Just that my other sisters are all grown up now and only Ayira remainsfortable acting like a spoiled baby."


    "You also brought gifts for them?"


    "I have already sent those to them," Drayce replied. "And if you are curious, no, they''re not candies."


    "What about your eldest brother, Prince Keiren?" Seren was curious about how the two got along with each other. From what she heard, after Drayce became the King, the two brothers maintained nothing more but the rtionship of a king and his subject.


    "We have grown apart," Drayce replied.


    "Why? Because you became the king and he didn''t?"


    Drayce let out a wry smile.


    "He should have been the Crown Prince, as the eldest descendant of the Ivanovs. By birthright, he should have been handed the throne. Not only that, hecked in nothing��he''s good with administration,merce, politics, even in military strategies, and he''s popr with the nobles and the wealthy merchants.


    "He''s been groomed by his mother since young to take over the crown. Imagine how heavy the expectations were for him. When my father officially announced that I''ll be the Crown Prince��my brother didn''t even get to have a fighting chance��"


    A flicker of sadness flickered in his red eyes.


    "If he became the king, he would have been a good king just like Father."


    "You didn''t want the throne either, right?" she said.


    "Hmm, but I had to as��" Drayce stopped as he could not make himself say that his father had made a deal with the Devil and sacrificed his mother. "...I cannot let my mother''s sacrifice go to waste. She sacrificed herself to protect this kingdom so I need to protect it as well."


    Seren nodded as she understood it. She leaned closer to her husband and rested her head on his shoulder. With her hand resting on his chest, she mumbled, "You can''t even tell him why you epted the throne."


    "Hmm," was all Drayce could say.


    "Can I ask something?" she asked, being cautious after seeing him stay quiet.


    "What is it?"


    Seren didn''t raise her head up to look at him as she could not ask him while looking into his eyes. What if he didn''t like to talk about it?


    "Umm..that night when Erebus showed up��," but then she stopped.


    Drayce felt puzzled, wondering why she was suddenly bringing him up out of nowhere. He lowered his head to look at her, making her look back at him. "What about him?"


    She cleared her throat. "About that��You once said that if he showed up and tried to hurt me, I have to call you and you will show up."


    Drayce nodded but his forehead creased. "Why? Did he appear without me knowing?"


    She shook her head. "No, no, he didn''t. I simply have a question. What I want to ask you is��remember that night when he showed up recently? I was not sure what was happening as you were quiet. I called for you many times. When he was about to hurt me, even then I called you but you didn''t show up. But on our wedding night, you returned immediately when I called you. Why was it like that?"


    Drayce didn''t expect her to ask him this today of all days. He thought his wife would not notice it as long as he showed up again and his dark side disappeared without harming her. He sighed inwardly as he knew he had to tell her about the deal he had made with his dark side in order to protect her from the consequences of the remnant ck magic inside her body.


    Drayce caressed the end of her shoulder gently. "There is something that I have not told you, my Queen."


    "What is it?" she asked, as she felt the anxiety grow inside her. The way he looked at her, she could feel that it was not something that Drayce was happy about.


    Drayce fell silent for several seconds.


    "You probably have little to no memories of what happened after you were abducted, but when Aureus brought you back to the Crystal Pce, your body was tainted with the remnant ck magic of that witch''s spell��"


    Drayce continued to tell her what happened after that and how he had made a deal with Erebus so he would agree to help her.


    "...As I have given my words to him in exchange for saving you, I cannot go against it. From now on, whenever he shows up, I will give himplete rein over my body, and so even if you call for me, I won''t be able to take back control unless he gives it back of his own ord. You are his mate. That''s why��"


    "Mate��?" She felt anxious hearing this word. "What do you mean by that?"


    Drayce slowly twirled her hair around his fingers as he exined, "You are my wife but also my mate��to be more precise, you are the wife of Drayce and the mate of Erebus."


    Seeing her obvious confusion, he further rified, "This is a result of my choice of preferring to live like a human. A single soul, but there are two identities within me: the human self and the dark self. I have separated my darkness from my human self, and along with that were the majority of my powers.


    "So for my human side��or you can say the part of me that I inherited from my mother�� takes you as my wife, while my dark side takes you as his mate."


    Seren was still mostly unfamiliar with the concepts of supernatural beings. She tried to put it into simpler terms. "Is the difference in how you address your spouse?" she asked.


    Drayce nodded but then shook his head. "Simr, but that''s putting it too simply. Mates are more than a human''s concept of spouses. Where humans marry as a matter of choice or convenience, having a mate is a matter of destiny��it''s apanionship blessed by the world itself."


    "Hmm, I think I understand," she said. "You are both my husband and mate."

 Chapter 566 Did He Trick Me Into Making A Deal?

    Seren didn''t find anything odd about it. She was already married to Drayce and his dark side was him as well so it didn''t matter if she was a wife or mate.


    "Furthermore, the mate bond is sacred and it cannot be broken. It is something that binds your souls together," Drayce added.


    Seren had never heard of something like this and it amazed her. "So Erebus and I are bound forever? When I married you, I became his mate as well?"


    Drayce nodded. "Except for my mother, you are the only person in front of whom he wishes to show his presence."


    A question emerged in her mind. "Your mother has left for two decades. Are you saying that ever since then, Erebus never showed up?"


    "He did appear from time to time, but it''s not for anyone but me. To protect me wherever there is something that is threatening me or something that angers me gravely."


    "That means he shows up to protect you?"


    "This body belongs to him as well so it''s like protecting himself," he answered idly, "but as you know, I also do not have a good temper. When someone crossed the line and dared to say something offensive about my mother, Erebus would also show up. She is his mother as well so it was obvious for him to get angry along with me."


    "Seems like both of you love your mother."


    "Hmm," Drayce agreed. "The only word said by him that I remember is ''Mother''. In the past, he often showed up in front of Mother and our mother loved him the same way she loved me. She taught me how to control him andmunicate with him when I was determined to not ept him."


    As he said this, he let out a sigh.


    "When I was young, my anger had caused too much trouble for our mother. I hated how I could not control my power as it would always end up hurting others when mother always told me to never hurt anyone. More like, I was desperate to be like other kids and not be called a monster."


    "After your mother left, it was probably a difficult time for you��"


    "It was, but then, I realized she had taught me enough to let me survive without her. As she knew she would leave me one day, she made me aware of my true existence and my powers."


    Seren remained silent for a while as she digested the things she was hearing from her husband for the first time. On the other hand, Drayce continued to idly y with her hair, allowing her time to think.


    She then asked, "Can youmunicate with Erebus and understand his thoughts?"


    Drayce let out a sound of affirmation. "Whenever he shows up, I can read his thoughts��or rather, share our thoughts. When I need him, I can call for him like how I called him to help you get rid of the ck magic. Mother had taught me how to."


    Seren was trying her best to understand everything. As she processed everything that Drayce had told her, something came to her mind and her forehead creased in displeasure.


    "What happened?" Drayce asked, startled by her sudden mood shift.


    She looked at him with a gaze of dismay. "Am I understanding it correctly? To save me, you have to make a deal with him."


    "Yes."


    "And then you said that I am both your wife and his mate."


    "Exactly."


    "Then, if you had not made a deal, would he note to help me? Doesn''t he care for me? Why did he need anything in return to save his own wife?"


    Drayce blinked at her in disbelief. Even he had not thought about things that way as he always considered Seren as his, only belonging to him. It was only his responsibility to help her and he was ready to pay any price. He didn''t consider Erebus to share responsibility for her.


    ''Did Erebus trick me into making a deal with him? Had he been expecting me to call for him and offer him a deal just so he could have an excuse to use our body?''


    Even if he had not made a deal, Erebus would have marked her in the near future, but by making a deal with Drayce ahead of time, it made it easy for his dark side to the surface as now Drayce would not show up even if Seren calls for him.


    "You didn''t answer me," she said, prodding the silent man.


    Drayce stared at his wife and wondered if her tiny brain was not as tiny as he initially thought. Perhaps she was smarter than he gave her credit for.


    "You raised a valid point. When Erebus shows up next time, you need to confront him," Drayce replied.


    His serious expression made her tilt her head. "Won''t he be angry?"


    "He won''t. You are his mate so he would treasure you and listen to everything you say. Didn''t he disappear the moment you called out his name?" Drayce asked.


    "Hmm, he did as if I said something that scared him."


    "That means you can control him, Don''t give in to his demands if you don''t want to. Make him do what you want," Drayce encouraged her as he thought, ''Erebus, you tricked me into making a deal. I won''t let things be easy for you then.''


    "I will," Seren agreed.


    Drayce chose to not bepletely honest with her about the mate bond. He didn''t mention to her that there was a process involved��the first phase involving physically marking her as a potential mate��as he thought it might scare her.


    He had bitten her once before and this made her afraid of him at that time.


    ''I will exin it more once the opportunity arises.''


    He believed things would be fine as it is for now. After all, creating a mate bond between them was something that Drayce could not stop from happening.


    There was something else that displeased him�� that he had to share Seren with Erebus.


    Soon, there would be a time when his dark side would mark her and consummate the bond. Though that dark side was a part of him, when it came to Seren, he treated it as totally different from him.


    Seren didn''t know what was going on in Drayce''s mind and she asked, "How do you know all these? Did your mother teach you the matter about mates?"


    "She left plenty of books for me to read, and one of them talked about mates. Tyra is also there to tell me various things."


    "Lady Tyra is really so helpful," Serenmented.


    Seren was satisfied with spending a good time with her husband. Not only did she have a chance to see him interact with his siblings, they also had a meaningful chat afterwards. It made her feel like they took a step forward in their rtionship.


    As such, her curiosity grew. She wanted to know more about the other world where her husband also belongs.


    "Dray, is it possible for me to read those books ��the books your mother left for you?"


    He agreed without hesitation. "I will send it to your study."


    Seren returned to her residence with a smile. As she had finished her work for the day, she was free to spend her time reading her husband''s books.


    Not long after she went back to her study, she heard a knock. Her most trusteddy-in-waiting brought several books sent by Drayce.


    ''The books are handmade?''


    Seeing the stitched covers and the elegant but consistent handwriting within, Seren could guess that these books were personally made by the previous queen for the sake of educating her son. These contain informationing from personal experiences and knowledge of Esther.


    ''They cover a wide range of topics.''


    Seren felt thrilled. Not only what Drayce told her about mates, she was also curious about various things that she heard from the Great Lady when she was narrating to her the past of Drayce and his mother.


    ''Dragons! I want to read more about dragons. Dray is the Red Dragon and that person I forgot the name is a ck Dragon. I wonder if there are other types of dragons.''


    Other than Dragons, Seren was curious to know about the race of witches. ording to her nanny, she was the daughter of a witch; Drayce''s mother was a witch as well.


    With those thoughts as motivation, she started to go through the books which were about various supernatural beings. To her surprise, humankind was simply one of the newer races living on the continent. The other supernatural beings��the elves, the shapeshifters, the witches and so on��had civilizations even before kingdoms like Abetha or Megaris even existed, and thus, they bore longer histories and lores.


    ''These books only cover basic introductions about their cultures.''


    She noticed there was not much record about Dragons. From what Esther said, only one known Dragon existed on the continent, and that was the ck Dragon - Draven Aramis.

 Chapter 567 Prophesy About The Red Dragon

    [At the start of Time, the Heavens and the World gave birth to the races.


    [While the World had many mortal children, the Heavens gave birth to the strongest beings. They were blessed with divinity, and they were called deities, the divine beings who oversee the bnce of heaven and earth.


    [Among the descendants of the gods, the creatures with divinity on their bloodlines allowed to roam the mortal world, the Dragons are the strongest.]


    ''How can they be the strongest when there is only one known Dragon, the ck Dragon?''


    There were only a few sentences about the ck Dragon, but there was an image drawn on the page, as the previous queen had personally seen the beast form of Draven Aramis. The record addressed him to be the most powerful supernatural being alive, and among those in the continent, he was the only creature who carries the purest divine bloodline.


    ''So other than him, Dray is the only other Dragon? But Dray had not revealed himself and his mother made this book for him so there was no mention of his name.''


    She continued to look at the image of the ck Dragon. "I wonder how Dray looks in his beast form. Has he ever transferred into a Dragon?"


    In another book, there was information about the Kingdom of Agartha. It was fascinating to discover the existence of that kingdom which was never mentioned in any map of the continent.


    She immersed herself in reading, not realizing how much time had passed until she discovered it was nighttime. Fortunately, her servants were prudent and they silently lit themps inside her study in order to not disturb her reading.


    Seren stretched a bit as she flipped to thest page of the book. It was a yful poem that spoke of the might of Dragons. At first, she was smiling as she read the rhyming lines, but the more she read, she gradually lost her smile.


    ''It sounds like...a prophecy?''


    [For when the Child of Darkness wore scales of Red


    Hising will shake the shackles of the Condemned


    Heed the Call, the Oath of the past wille to an End]


    Seren was surprised to read thest lines. There was nothing written about Red Dragon but this prophecy.


    It was as if Drayce was meant to be born with a grand purpose.


    "Child of Darkness..Scales of Red..."


    Seren continued to mumble, repeating the words from those lines.


    ''Since this part of the book talks about the Dragons, this should refer to a Red Dragon, right?''


    [...shake the shackles of the Condemned]


    If it was something rted to Drayce''s birth, Seren wondered if it talked about the Devil''s Curse that almost destroyed Megaris.


    But that did not exin the confusion as she read thest line.


    [Oath of the past]


    In Great Lady Theodora''s story, she mentioned Esther leaving because she broke a promise, but that was already a finished business since the previous queen already paid the price. As such, thisst line didn''t make sense to Seren.


    ''What kind of oath? Is there something that is yet to happen?''


    She thought for a long time and then decided, "I will ask Dray if he knows the interpretation of this part."


    After that, she took a small break before grabbing the book that talked about witches.


    [The Witch Race]


    Given that Esther herself is a witch, she took considerable care about the details written in each page.


    [Witches are creatures who specialize in curses, formation and spells. They are beings who understand the underlying rules of the world beyond the natural elements, and thus, are able to somewhat peer into the truths of the world and gain control of them.]


    [Several millennia ago, as civilizations progressed, so did the covens. Two factions were formed between this race--those who specialize in spells are called White Witches, while those who specialize in curses are the ck Witches.]


    The book then proceeded to describe the White Witches. It was mentioned they have many covens, each controlled by the most senior witch, but above them all stood an immortal who they refer to as the Monarch.


    ''This should be Drayce''s mother...''


    It also mentioned the mark of the Monarch of the Witches was called the Witches Knot. Seren observed the structure of that symbol.


    A three-cornered symbol with no beginning and no end, interwoven around the circle. Seren read about the symbol.


    [The meaning of this Knot ismonly considered to signify the three forces of nature: water, fire and earth. The single line is said to signify the oneness of the spirit and the spirals represent growth. The gaps in the spirals symbolize the stages of life: life, death and rebirth.]


    Seren could not help but be amazed, wondering if this meant that the Monarch had an ability to somewhat control those concepts.


    ''Shouldn''t that make her one of the strongest in the entire continent?''


    She then read what made witches different from the other supernatural beings. For one, witches are a race that are majorly female, and though males are born, they are a minority called warlocks. Not only that, their powers weren''t set at birth--their powers grew the more experienced they became.


    [A witch''s power depends on three things: medium, knowledge and imagination.]


    [In order for spells to be casted, they needed to know and understand thews of magic and call them forth through incantations, in addition to using mediums.]


    Curses are malicious spells meant to harm others. Orthodox spells are magic casted to imitate, bend or change nature. Runes and sigils can be engraved on items for them to possess magic, like amulets.


    Summoning...Possession...Rituals...Potion-making...Scrying...


    After reading about the witches and the kind of powers they hold, Seren could not help but frown.


    "If my mother is a witch, that means she must specialize in at least one of these abilities, but why don''t I have any of it? I don''t know any spells and I cannot perform any kind of magic."


    Was her ability of making flowers bloom fall under the orthodox spells? Was her medium her emotions?


    Seren became so engrossed that she even had her night meal inside her study, and she continued reading up until the third time her servants checked on her that evening, telling her it was almost midnight. When she finally returned to her chamber, to her surprise, Drayce was already present.


    He was standing by the window, deep in thought.


    ''I wonder if Aureus had reached the Kingdom of Agartha. I do not know how long it will take him to find out why they are looking for Seren.''


    He then looked at something in his hand. It was the brooch made by Tyra which had the golden lily rose preserved inside the amber.


    ''This flower...Aureus has given this flower to Seren...''


    Frown lines appeared on his forehead, but he could only sigh to himself in return.


    "Dray, were you waiting for me?" Seren asked as she walked towards him in a hurry.


    She was surprised to see him but was happy as well, wanting to ask questions that piled up at the back of her mind while she read his books.


    When she came close, she saw the brooch in Drayce''s hand. "Isn''t it beautiful?"


    Drayce saw the smile in her eyes. She looked at that brooch as if it was something she liked a lot.


    "Hmm." He nodded.


    "It''s the flower that Dusk gave me as our wedding present. Tyra made it into a brooch as it''s not an ordinary flower but something magical. That way I can keep it with me always," she informed him wistfully, but then she opened up her palm. "I did not realize I forgot to put it on me today."


    Drayce wanted to say that she doesn''t need to keep it, but seeing her feelings about this gift, he gave it back to her. "Keep it safe then."


    She carefully caressed it before putting it in her pocket. "Were you waiting for long?"


    "I didn''t. I am just a few minutes earlier than you."


    She felt relieved as she led him to sit with her on her bed. "Dray, in one of your books, I read a poem about Dragons. The lines looked more like a prophecy, especially about thest ones. Is it about the Red Dragon? I mean about you?"


    She repeated the lines to him, and he shrugged as he sped his hand around hers. "Not sure, but I felt the same when I read them. Mother left that book but she didn''t mention whether it was her who wrote that poem or if it was something from another person. I remember her simply smiling at me."


    "If it is about you, then I am trying to figure out the meaning of thest line. It feels like it''s about the future. I do not feelfortable when I read it. I hope there is nothing to worry about..."


    Her purple eyes were tinged with worry. Seren felt like the previous queen wouldn''t have added that in the book for no apparent reason; it should never be taken lightly.


    He offered her an assuring smile as his thumb caressed the back of her hand. "You worry too much, my Queen. It''ste. Aren''t you sleepy?"


    As if on cue, she yawned. "I will change into my night dress."


    "Your servants are not around. Do you want me to help you?"


    It was a simple question he asked with no other intentions, but Seren immediately stepped away from him, releasing her hand from his grasp.


    "No, I can do it on my own," she said, immediately dashing towards her wardrobe.


    Drayce smirked at his adorable wife. "Even though my concern is genuine, this little kitten''s brain is being naughty these days."

 Chapter 568 Searching For Purple-Eyed Child

    In the realm inhabited by divine beings called deities.


    Hundreds of heavenly pces seemingly made from the most delicate white jade and grandest precious materials could be seen in the clear blue sky, residences giving off majesty and dignity amidst the golden sunlight and white clouds��


    Outside one such pce a beautiful woman in white dress was standing at the beautiful bridge from where she could see the mountains covered in white fog and water from the river was covering the ground below only to fall down the mountain to turn into a waterfall.


    Her long copper brown locks fell in waves on her back that were moving along the breeze. Her eyes were shut, her face glimmered with divinity and was nothing less than a perfection. Her voluptuous body was covered in a long elegant white dress that touched the floor under her feet, hiding them entirely.


    She was much prettier than any human, elves or even angels as everything seemed to fail inparison to her.


    A goddess.


    She was a goddess, her entire persona radiating glorious divinity, and one could see she was someone powerful even among the pantheon of gods.


    After some time, a female wearing a in robe appeared amidst the clouds, and she bowed before the woman in a white dress.


    "This humble servant pays her respect to the Sovereign."


    The woman slowly opened her eyes. She didn''t turn to look at the neer and simply said in a calm voice, "Did youe bearing good news, Petra?''


    Petra, who had her head lowered, replied with an apologetic tone. "Forgive my ipetence, my Sovereign. Though we found their trail and almost caught them, they managed to escape at the nick of time. Since we found their newly built hideout empty, all we could do was to destroy it. In their group, one was human and my brethren managed to harm her. I am sure she won''t survive."


    The woman in white, the goddess called Isis, had a sneer on her beautiful face, as she said in distaste, "A human?"


    "Yes, to be exact, it seems like they had taken in a human female under their wings. Being a human, she could not easily run away from us."


    Isis smiled, her expression looking holy despite the darkness in her deep gaze.


    "Getting help from a person hailing from the weakest race? Seems like they are at their worst."


    "They don''t seem to have any other way, my Sovereign," Petra agreed. "They must be clutching at straws at this very moment."


    "And the child?" Isis asked.


    Petra lowered her head once more. "Forgive me. We could not find that child. She was not with them and we are still in the process of looking where exactly they had hidden her."


    "Such beautiful eyes," Isismented with a smile, her face bearing infinite benevolence as her beauty caused her surroundings to brighten. "Those purple eyes that are like a set of the loveliest gemstones but��that child is meant to die in my hand. Such a pity."


    "Though it''s been only a few days in our realm, since they escaped to the mortal realm, almost two decades should have passed since that incident. That child would have awakened once she came of proper age, and when the timees she turns into an adult, whatever means they put on her body would dissipate. There would be no way they would be able to continue hiding the essence of her powers. Not just us, but those existences in the mortal realm would sense her powers and want to have it. For as long as she''s alive, they will go after her. She won''t be safe anywhere, and that way, our people could find her more easily."


    Isis listened without a change in expression. "What an unfortunate child. Once I get that power, that child will die in my hand��"


    All of a sudden, the divinity surrounding the goddess fluctuated, the golden light briefly darkening as her beautiful face lost itsposure.


    "My Sovereign, what happened?" Petra asked in a panic.


    Isis felt a tug on her power, as if something had shaken it, but then it disappeared just as fast as it came.


    ''That seal!'' The goddess had a shocked expression on her face. ''To think that I will feel the existence of that seal once more��did something��?''


    "My Sovereign?" Petra asked again.


    The goddess didn''t answer as she straightened her body, smoothing her expression back to her dignified self. Yet despite her attempts, the divinity surrounding her body continued to fluctuate as if to mirror her agitation.


    ''Since I can feel that seal again, it means she has returned to the world.'' Panic rose in her mind. ''What a tenacious soul��to think you''ll be able to be reborn once more��''


    Petra was still waiting for Isis to answer her. From the manifestations affecting their surroundings, Petra could tell something was not right with her master. "My Sovereign, what��"


    With a deep frown, Isis finally spoke to her servant, "You focus on finding Sierra''s child."


    Petra immediately bowed. "Yes, my Sovereign. I will send more of my brethren to the mortal realm to find that purple-eyed child."


    "You can leave," Isis said with a dismissive tone, as if she could not wait for her to leave.


    Petra left and Isis closed her eyes briefly, trying to suppress her anger.


    ''First, I need to make sure that I am not mistaken. I am yet to find that purple-eyed child and now this. If that Primordial is truly reborn, I cannot let that child and here across each other. Before that��before that, I have to get that power from that child. Only then can I have sufficient power to fully deal with her. I will make sure her soul vanishes entirely this time, never to reincarnate again.''


    As Isis was alone now, she decided to focus and find that seal''s presence but...even after so many tries, she failed again and again which angered her.


    ''This time now one can protect her from me.''

 Chapter 569 King Samer Of Thevailes

    The northwest part of the continent, the Kingdom of Thevailes.


    Though generally known as a kingdom of knights, Thevailes, a nation surrounded by mountain ranges on its western and eastern borders, was also hailed as the Land of Rocks. The capital city of Thevailes where the Royal Pce was located was built in majesty on the side of a mountain.


    Yet despite the name, rather than the brown of the earth, the capital of Thevailes was white--from its people, to the buildings, to the snow that would fall the greater majority of the year; thus was the reality of the North.


    Despite it being the middle of the night, the North''s young king was sitting on his throne.


    Pale skin that would make one think of a child of winter, deep-set eyes the colour of the lightest gray, short tinum blond hair almost a silvery whitea���-they were characteristics of the Vailes royal bloodline.


    With thick dark brows to bnce his handsome face, the man in histe twenties sitting on the throne had a strong charismatic appearance. d in a pure white military garb, only the ck undershirt and the luxurious golden epaulettes on his shoulders broke the monotonous colour of his white royal coat lined with a silver emblem.


    In the forefront of the dark grand throne hall lit up with ominous blue mes, his charismatic appearance shone like a beacon of light.


    King Samer Vailes, Ruler of the North and the King of Thevailes.


    His light gray eyes were fixed on his kneeling knight who was updating him about matters that he ordered in secret, and his trusted subordinate did not fail him, handling everything without letting others know.


    Contrary to Megaris whose knights wore ck, the knights of Thevailes had a white uniform that would allow them to easily blend in the snow. From the crest on his outer coat, it could be seen that this knight was an officer with a high rank.


    Sir Rechard, Captain of the Royal Knight''s Second Brigade.


    "Your Majesty, our sources say the possibility of Keiren Ivanov siding with us is quite high as long as we push our negotiations forward," the knight informed with a polite tone.


    Samer''s thin lips curved into a smirk as his eyes glittered with amusement. "Of course, he would, Rechard. Other than us, no one can help him to take his brother down the throne."


    The knight agreed, "After all, with the nobles hesitating due to the royal family''s absolute authority, he could not rely on inside supporters. It was no secret that he was humiliated when the throne was given to his younger brother instead of him. He would be feeling more pressured now that his brother has married. The moment Megaris gains a legitimate heir, Keiren Ivanov would lose qualifications to inherit the throne unless he causes a civil war."


    "He shall be a useful piece. While we wait for our army to expand and umte resources for the next war, we will focus our attack from the inside to weaken, if not break, the authority of the Royal Family of Megaris."


    "Your Majesty is wise," the knight praised. "Should we initiate contact with the prince the moment he returns to his duchy? Though he initially refused our offerst time, his brother''s marriage should have shaken his resolve--"


    As they continued to talk, the atmosphere changed. It felt like the air inside the throne hall became abnormally still, giving a different vibe which alerted the two of someone''s arrival.


    All of a sudden, ck smoke appeared near the steps of the elevated tform of the throne. A figure in arge ck robe, his head covered in a hood, appeared inside the throne hall out of nowhere.


    The knight immediately pulled his sword out of his scabbard and pointed it towards the intruder. "Who dares be insolent in the North? State your name--"


    Thud!


    The body of the knight flew towards one of the pirs supporting the side of the throne hall by an invisible energy. Pinned against the stone pir behind him, the knight resisted in vain. Before he could say a word, he could feel his throat constrict and he suddenly could not say a word.


    nk!


    At this point, unable to breathe, the knight passed out and the sword in his hand fell on the marble floor.


    The entire time, the King of Thevailes said nothing, his leisurely posture sitting on the throne not even changing, as if he was not even a bit surprised or agitated by what he witnessed.


    Even though the intruder showed outright violence in front of him, he was not scared. His gray eyes calmly looked at the mysterious individual, waiting for his next actions.


    The hooded intruder moved the hood of the robe back and revealed a peerless face.


    It was a woman. She looked like she was in herte twenties or early thirties, a mature beauty with long dark locks and deep brown eyes that would make any sane man captivated by her looks. However, rather than her appearance, any person''s first impression of her would be about her strongmanding presence, which showed she was not someone to be taken lightly, possibly meaning she''s a person of high status or an important identity.


    "King of Thevailes, you are as the rumours say," she said in a voice that seemed kind and friendly, contrary to her earlier action. "You sure are not easy to threaten."


    The corner of Samer''s lips curved into azy smirk. "Is there any reason for me to feel threatened? If you hade with intentions to kill me, with your ability, I would be dead before I even realized your arrival. The fact that I am alive means you came to me for a different reason."


    Everything about her screamed that she was someone highly dangerous, but Samer was not afraid of death. If he was, he would have never shown his ambitions of conquest to the other kingdoms which caused many enemies to aim to assassinate him. For a militant like him, not even the possibility of him losing his life would intimidate him. At most, he would simply pity that he was unable to expand his kingdom''s territory during his reign as a king. That was all there is to it.


    ''The ability to manifest out of thin air, is that something a human is able to do?'' Samer could not help but be interested. ''Or is she perhaps someone from the lores of old, the rumoured existence beyond humankind? If I have a troopposed of people like her, it will be impossible for my army to lose...''


    The woman smiled at him.


    "Very well, King of Thevailes." She introduced herself to him, "I am Zaria Lynx. You can simply call me Zaria."


    "I believe I don''t have to ask anything and you will directly tell me your motives," Samermented, not intending to call her by name. His fingers lightlypped the armrest of the throne as he waited.


    "Acting cold to an ally is not a good attitude, human. After all, I am here to help you to defeat the King of Megaris."


    Samer simply stared at her for a while for her bold im. Hezily rested his elbow on the armrest, his head tilted a little to rest his fingers at the temple of his head. "And how will you do so?" His tone was t as if her answer didn''t excite him at all.


    The ck Witch found the human king''s arrogance amusing, but as someone whose age numbered in the thousands, she was used to dealing with people like him, people who thought they had the right to look down on everyone else. Thus, she yed along with his ego, speaking to make him feel that she was saying something important.


    "I know his weakness," Zaria answered.


    Still, Samer remainedposed and not a tinge of excitement showed in his eyes. He continued to sitzily on the throne. "And what is it?"


    "His wife, Seren Ivanov," she replied.

 Chapter 570 Curious About The Purple Eyes

    Samer chuckled mockingly. "I thought you woulde up with something really interesting but who doesn''t know this piece of intelligence?"


    "Drayce Ivanov heavily dotes on his wife, more than even what you can imagine. You can use her to get him down. Moreover, she is one beautiful woman. I am sure, Your Majesty King of Thevailes appreciates adding another beauty to your harem. Can you imagine how distraught your enemy will be to have his woman forcefully taken away from him?"


    Samer scoffed, "I think you should leave if you have nothing more to offer."


    Zaria shook her head, "I guess you have epted your defeat from Drayce Ivanov, Your Majesty."


    "Defeat? If you speak that way, intruder, I do not think it is my goodwill you will earn," Samer replied as if he didn''t particrly care about it anyway. "Convince me. Why are you so confident that you can help me defeat him?"


    "As his sworn enemy, you know the King of Megaris is not an ordinary human," she said with a confident smile, "and with him being an owner of various supernatural abilities, unless you have the same on your side, you cannot defeat him."


    "You believe one man is enough to change the flow of war?"


    "I do not believe, Your Majesty, I know," she emphasized thest word. "As I am also a being capable of wielding such powers, I know how a single person can overwhelm even a hundred troops. I can lend you my powers so you can defeat him."


    She then looked at the knight who was still pinned against the pir. While Samer and the ck Witch were conversing, he was able to regain his consciousness, but he could not free himself regardless of what he tried. Suddenly, his sword on the floor moved and fled at a speed towards the knight with the intent to kill him but it stopped just an inch away from his throat.


    Zaria looked back at Samer. "Your Majesty, do you need more proof of my ability? Will it be fine if I kill not only your knight but perhaps the brigade where he belongs? Since these are royal knights, they ought to be your kingdom''s most elite fighters, aren''t they?"


    Samer didn''t answer but asked, "Why do you seek my cooperation when you have such powers?"


    "Does that matter, Your Majesty?"


    "If I were to wield you as a weapon, should I not understand what kind of weapon you are?"


    "Knowing the fact that the King of Megaris is my enemy should suffice. As they say, the enemy of an enemy is a friend. I have a grudge to settle with him so would it not be sweet revenge to have him lose everything he cherishes? I simply want to help his enemy defeat him and snatch away what belongs to him..." Her gaze turned sharp as shepleted her line, "...including his wife."


    Samer chuckled. "You can keep his wife. As long as I can kill him and incorporate his vastnd into the only empire on the continent, other things are useless." His light gray eyes were filled with the determination to defeat Drayce.


    "So tell me, intruder, what will you gain from it?" he asked as he smirked. "Don''t try to fool me by saying you have a grudge. Even if you have, I do not believe it is the main reason. Tell me the truth."


    "I will get to strengthen the magic I use. It is not only humans who have greed," she exined. "If you agree to help me, I will use my powers to help you take over his entire kingdom. In exchange, you cannot refuse me from taking people who are by his side, for they will help me grow my powers. I think this is an attractive offer."


    The young man with silvery white hair raised a thick brow as he tried to understand her demand. "And what if I try to use them for myself?"


    "Your Majesty, you are a human. What I will get from them will be useless to you."


    Samer thought for a bit. "I guess one of those people you say you need is his wife?"


    "Precisely, one is the Queen of Megaris," Zaria agreed, telling the truth despite hiding the rest of the details. She believed there was no need to bepletely transparent since she merely needed Thevailes as a tool to distract Drayce. She continued to speak, "Once I get what I want from her, I will give her to you. You can keep her as a trophy or trade her for someone with the good exchange. But I am sure, Your Majesty would not like to let go of such beauty. You need to remember she had caught the eyes of someone like Drayce Ivanov."


    As she said those words, her dark eyes glimmered with a meaningful look. She was trying to tempt him by using the wife of his rival. Once he set his mind on her and wanted to have her, even if Thevailes was unable to defeat Megaris, there was no way Samer would back down from fighting with Drayce on a personal level.


    "You can keep or kill her, I don''t care," Samer showed no interest in her provocation.


    Zaria didn''t pester me and said, "I will return again in a few days. I hope by then Your Majesty will give me a favourable response."


    Samer didn''t reply to her but his gaze moved towards his knight who was pinned against the stone pir.


    Zaria understood what he meant, and the next moment, the knight broke free from his restraint.


    The very second she lifted the spell, the knight dove to the ground to pick up his sword and lunged towards her, ready to cut her throat, but--


    "Step down!"


    Sir Rechard obeyed the King who ordered him to stop without hesitation, while Zaria admired the knight''s loyalty. "Apologies, human, but I had no other way to have a quiet talk with His Majesty in your presence. As we might be future allies, I will take this chance to show you my goodwill. I believe this won''t happen again."


    The knight red at her but put his sword back in its scabbard as he halfheartedly epted her apology.


    "I will take a leave now." Zaria vanished in thin air but herst words echoed within therge throne hall. "Oh, I remember, isn''t His Majesty infamous as a collector of beautiful things? I believe you would love the purple eyes of the Queen of Megaris. The most beautiful eyes on this continent."


    Samer found it absurd how this woman called Zaria was adamant on making him fancy the Queen of Megaris. Where his ambitions lie, it was in conquest--to be named the founding emperor of an empire.


    Though, hearing about her being the owner of purple eyes, he suddenly felt curious about her. He looked at his knight. "Didn''t Drayce Ivanov marry some princess of Abetha?"


    "Yes, Your Majesty. In exchange for helping Abetha rescue their Crown Prince, the King of Megaris asked to marry the King of Abetha''s youngest daughter, the Third Princess. It was quite shocking news for the people of the continent."


    Samer rubbed his chin. "If it''s the youngest, I think it was rumoured that she was cursed so her father imprisoned her."


    "Yes, Your Majesty. The entire Kingdom of Abetha hated the princess and they were happy when she left. No one understood, be it the other royal families or the nobles of Megaris, why the King of Megaris married the princess who her own father doesn''t acknowledge."


    "Then she must truly be a beautifuldy to blind the senses of that wicked man, Drayce Ivanov. How fascinating. I will retire to my chambers now. Ask someone to have her portrait sent to me in the morning."


    "Well, Your Majesty..." For the first time, Sir Rechard had a look of embarrassment. "It has been said that no one had ever seen her face so no one knows how she looks. Aside from her eyes, the only feature people could see were the snake-like scales on her skin. That was the main reason why it was rumoured that she''s cursed--the other reason being that her birth mother was an ugly witch and she inherited her appearance."


    "Do you, in your right mind, believe that some ugly woman can seduce the King of Abetha who has ady from the Nefertiti Royal Family as a wife? Wasn''t Niobe Ilven said to be the most beautiful woman of her generation?"


    "They said it''s precisely because the princess''s birth mother is a witch, so she must have cast some spell to bewitch Armen Ilven...So she is said to be a witch''s daughter. A witch just like her mother. They say this princess must have enchanted the King of Megaris just as her mother did with the King of Abetha."


    "Witch?" Samer repeated. "So that devil married a witch? Interesting!" He thought about it and then ordered, "Get every information about her. Let me see what is so special about her that Drayce Ivanov married her."


    "Yes, Your Majesty!"


    As the knight epted the order, Samer thought about thest words Zaria said.


    "Purple eyes? I have never heard of anyone having such a color of their eyes."

 Chapter 571 Spar Between Drayce And Slayer

    Early in the morning, Seren was listening to herdy-in-waiting give her a rundown of her schedule for the day while her maidservants helped set her long hair in a beautiful long braid, fixing delicate essories that went along well with her dress.


    Just as Seren hade out of the side chamber, the door of the main chamber opened to let in a grinning Eva.


    "Your Majesty�� good morning!"


    Eva looked excited, as if she could not wait to say something, but she was panting so hard her cheeks were flushed.


    "Why are you so excited about, Eva?" Lady Xena, Seren''sdy-in-waiting, asked. "Didn''t you leave for the royal kitchen for the Queen''s meal?"


    "Y-Yes! That''s why��when I heard the news��I ran all the way back!"


    "Dear me. Do calm down. Breathe��"


    But Evaughed as she tried to catch her breath. "Your Majesty! Did you know what I heard on my way back? Some knights were talking about His Majesty the King and Sir Calhoun. They are going to have a sword spar in the training grounds!"


    Other than Seren, all the other women inside the chamber turned excited as well, though they did attempt to control themselves in front of Seren.


    "Is that something special? Practicing with a sword, isn''t that what they do?" Seren asked. In her opinion, though it sounded interesting, it should be amon urrence.


    Although she was unfazed, Seren was curious to see how Drayce looked when he used his sword. She was sure he must look more handsome than he already was.


    "Your Majesty, it is not every day we get to see His Majesty and Sir Calhoun sparring," Eva informed excitedly. "Both are famous in the kingdom for their swordsmanship, but even till now, there''s controversy on who is the real best swordsman in Megaris."


    The other women chimed in.


    "Some say it''s the King, but some im it''s the Commander. His Majesty inherited the royal swordsmanship that focused on overwhelming strength, but Sir Calhoun''s swordsmanship focused on efficient techniques, something he personally created and honed himself in the battlefield."


    "Those who got to see them sparring against each other all imed that they witnessed the pinnacle of the sword."


    "That''s why whenever it''s rumoured that the King and the Commander would exchange swords, except for those on duty, all the knights in the pce run to the training grounds to watch it."


    Eva was almost jumping on her toes. "Even though I have heard everyone praise them, I have never watched it in person. It must be really exciting to watch them exchange swords��""


    The group of women continued to talk and praise those two swordsmen, and Seren enjoyed listening to them chat. It was a weed change, because back when she had just arrived, the servants were wary of their behaviour in front of the new queen. The longer they got to know the master they served, the more they realized how lenient and kind Seren was, and this made the general atmosphere in the Queen''s Pce warm and happy.


    "How about we all go there and watch?"


    Just as she said those words, pin-drop silence filled the entire chamber. All the women gave their Queen a wide-eyed look, their mouths gaping open as if she had said something shocking.


    Seren blinked, feeling somewhat embarrassed to see their reaction. "Are we not allowed to go there?"


    Marie was first to get out of her shock. "Of course, Your Majesty. If you want, you can go there."


    "Fine then. Let''s go," Seren said.


    "All of us?"


    "Yes, I want you all to apany me."


    Though she was still calm, herdies-in-waiting and servants almost jumped towards the door in glee.


    Marie threw a smile at the excited group. "But, Your Majesty, how about your morning meal?"


    "I can have itter," Seren said as she walked towards the door.


    Behind her veil, a beautiful smile was hidden as she too was excited to see Drayce sparring with someone.


    Even as they climbed their respective carriages, Seren could hear them giggling and talking about the spar between yer and Drayce.


    Their group were eventually led by a high-ranking knight to the army barracks at the rear of the royal pce.


    Contrary to expectations, the training ce where the spar wouldmence was not an open field with plenty of space, but a t stone building with an empty space in the middle. There were rows of seats arranged downwards like a grandstand on the sides, a railing dividing it from the practice space; however,pared to the middle part, it was obvious that the structure of the building showed preference to thebatants rather than the audience.


    At the bottom, the middle part looked like abat arena. It was spacious enough to fit about a hundred people practicing their swords all at the same time.


    The enclosed training grounds had both the knight''s and guard''s quarters adjacent to it so they could train there every morning before they started their duties.


    By the time Eva had shared the news of the spar with the Queen, the entire practice grounds were already teeming with knights and royal guards that were off duty. There were also some officials and pce servants who hurried to spectate the moment they overheard others spreading the word.


    Most of them were on their feet, hanging out by the railing rather than sitting on the tiered seats, eagerly waiting for the two men in the middle of the arena.


    It was a novel experience for Seren.


    Even earlier, the moment she alighted her carriage, she could already hear the rowdy noise by the spectators, as if they were cheering for their champion in apetition, despite not yet entering the building.


    She could also see a lot of people hurrying inside, some even gesturing for theirpanions to hurry up. Be they royal knights or guards, at this moment, they all had expressions simr to young boys.


    Though this was something that wasn''t particrly extravagant, it was the first time Seren experienced this kind of heated atmosphere. Back when she had just arrived at the Royal Pce of Megaris, Lady Tyra had toured her around and when they passed this ce, she got the impression that the strictly guarded pce was a ce where everyone followed the rules.


    Yet, a scenario she thought she could only see amongmoners in the market had unfolded in front of her. The ce was noisy and unruly, but for some reason, she did not find it bothersome.


    Seren and her subordinates who never got the chance to see this before were all in awe.


    Seeing her arrival, more of the high-ranking knights moved to escort her through one of the huge doors in that stone structure.


    "Your Majesty the Queen!"


    "Please follow the Vice-Captain and his men, Your Majesty. He will lead you to the most ideal viewing position."


    What they heard from the outside was nothing aspared to what they saw inside.


    ''Too crowded!''


    As the railings were surrounded by standing men, Seren could not see beyond it. Fortunately, the knight vice-captain guided her way towards the stairs which led their way towards a partitioned sitting area at the frontmost part of the arena, where she could easily look down and see the people on the open space of the training grounds.


    As she walked up the stairs, Seren could see Drayce and yer on either side of the arena where they were preparing for the spar.


    When she arrived at her destination, the young queen realized she was not the only royalty there; the four princesses were there to cheer for their Second Brother as well. The youngdies hurried to curtsy in front of her.


    "Greetings, Your Majesty."


    "You may dispense formality."


    After sharing brief greetings with them, Seren turned her attention back to her husband. Only then did she notice that the person standing by Drayce''s side wasn''t his aide, but rather, his younger brother, Prince Ruven.


    ''Did he not return to the Royal Academy? Is Prince Ruven skipping sses today as well?''


    The two Ivanovs were still talking to each other by the time the King''s attendant, Orion, handed an ordinary steel longsword to Drayce.


    ''Dray looks like he''s in his element.''


    Compared to his usual cold and dignified appearance in his royal robes, the swordsman Drayce appeared more humane and easier to approach. d in a simple white top with only a leather pauldron to protect his shoulder, one could see hints of his trained body through his shirt, because there were no decorations to distract the viewers from admiring his tall physique.


    As if he sensed her admiring gaze, Drayce turned in her direction and she froze. She didn''t know why she reacted that way. It was strange.

 Chapter 572 I Am Not Scared Of Your Supernatural Ass

    Acting ignorant, Seren then looked at yer''s side who also had his sword handed to him. His steel sword was shorter with a basket hilt, and she overheard the knights calling it a broadsword.


    From what she picked up from their conversation, the broadsword has a slightly better base when ites to the distribution of force, allowing it to move a little bit faster than a two-handed longsword. Due to this, many of the knights cheered for him, not only to support theirmander but also because he already had an advantage when it came to the choice of weapon.


    As Drayce and yer walked towards the centre of the arena, the training grounds looked like it was divided into two parts as half cheered for Drayce and the other half cheered for yer.


    Seren noticed that most of the knights cheered for yer instead of the King, and the ones who cheered for the King were the royal soldiers and the servants. Of course, that didn''t include the pce officials and royals, though, among them, Ruven was the one most visibly excited. As Ruven stayed at the outer edge of the arena near where the training weapons were stacked, he was beside some of the knights cheering for yer. Even though Seren was far too far to hear what was happening, she could guess that Ruven was arguing with them over who was going to win.


    ''He looks like he''s having fun, though.''


    As Seren observed the knights cheering for theirmander without caring for the King, she could not help but grow curious.


    Seren looked at the knight who had escorted her there and stood there to guard. She remembered he had introduced himself to her earlier.


    "Sir Rulf?"


    "Yes, Your Majesty? Do you need something?"


    "I have a question," she started. "Aren''t the knights scared of the King? The way they are cheering for yer and mocking the other side is a little bit��"


    Sir Rulf answered as if this wasn''t the first time someone asked this question. "Your Majesty, I am sure you are aware, our king is called the Devil of Megaris by our enemies." Seeing her nod, he continued, "But if you are to ask the knights who is the true devil��they will say it is Sir Calhoun Sanders. Yes, I do not dare lie, Your Majesty. The knights are more scared of Sir Calhoun than His Majesty the King."


    It shocked Seren. "Howe?"


    Sir Rulf gave an awkward cough.


    "His Majesty never interfered with the matters of the knights and hadpletely left it all to Sir Calhoun. That means, no one can afford to offend ourmander and go against him as ourmander is more ruthless than the King." He then lowered his voice so that the otherdies wouldn''t hear. "No one wants to go through the hellish torture that ourmander calls training when he is pissed. Thus, we always pray for ourmander to be in the best of moods every single day."


    While Seren was talking to Sir Rulf, in the middle of the training grounds, Drayce and yer faced each other, offering mocking gazes to each other. No one could hear what the two were talking about amidst the noise.


    "So, you ready to get defeated?" yer asked. In their every spar, they were not a king and his knight but a pair of swordsmen so there was no need for formality.


    "I think it''s time for you to let down your knights once again," Drayce countered. After all, this wasn''t their first time exchanging swords in public.


    "We will see. I hope you won''t feel bad to be defeated in front of your wife."


    "That moment won''te, but even if I lose, she won''t mind," Drayce replied as his finger ran down the t side of the sword. "I will use only an adult human''s strength as today''s handicap."


    "I am not scared of your supernatural ass," yer countered. "Bring it on!"


    "No need. I can embarrass your human ass even if I give you a second handicap."


    If others had heard their exchange, they would have been dumbfounded. Everyone knew they were friends, but this was at some other level of friendship with the King.


    Meanwhile, Seren asked Sir Rulf about how this sparring match came about, and whether there was some special reason for this to happen. After all, being King meant that he was so busy, his schedule was mostly determined even months prior.


    Sir Rulf replied, "No, Your Majesty, I don''t think I could say there was a particr reason. It''s just that��"


    Sir Rulf started to narrate what happened the previous day.


    Inside the training grounds, yer was teaching swordsmanship to Ruven as per Drayce''s order, but given Ruven''s unstable foundations, he was not able to stand even the academy''s advanced sword courses, much less the specialized one-on-one training with yer. As expected, he whined all the time.


    "Sir Calhoun? How long do I have to repeat this stance? Can''t we take a break?"


    sh!


    "Until your blocking is no longer a mess, Your Highness."


    Thwack!


    "Aack��wait, stop! Stop! Stop hitting me!"


    Thwack! Thwack!


    At first, yer was still able to swing his sword at Ruven, but it didn''t take long for him to use the t side of the de to hit his shaking arms and legs, the same way instructors would to hit trainees with a baton.


    "I am still a royal prince! How can you be so cruel to me?" Ruven eximed after he fell on his back for the nth time. If he was on his own, he would have loved to simplyy on the ground.


    "Please pick up your sword, Your Highness. On the battlefield, letting go of your sword means death."


    Despite the grumbling, Ruven obediently grabbed his sword once more and crawled back to his feet. "But we''re just training. You already saw that I can''t block your attack, yet you still go forward with your attack. What if you hurt me?"


    "When I exchange swords with a sparring partner, I don''t spare anyone, even the King," yermented as he continued to destroy Ruven''s pathetic attempts at receiving his attacks.


    "I am sure the King, my brother, must have defeated you all the time, Sir Calhoun. You must be seeking revenge through me, right? I knew it. There are ulterior motives for you hitting me. After all, the Second Brother is the best swordsman in this kingdom."


    yer held the same emotionless expression, his attacks ruthless. "Why don''t you ask the King how many times I had defeated him?"


    "Not possible. No one can defeat my brother," Ruven continued to argue.


    "Believe what you want to believe, Prince Ruven, but focus on training."


    Ruven was not ready to back down. "Are you avoiding talking about your defeats, Sir Calhoun?"


    He knew his brother was the most powerful and no one could ever stand a chance to defeat him. He believed, even if one searched the entire continent, no swordsman stronger than his brother could be found.


    yer simply scoffed and continued to attack Ruven to teach him how to defend himself.


    "Your Highness, do not look at where you think I am swinging my sword."


    "What nonsense��"


    "Look at the de of the sword itself. It is the de that will hurt you. So you need to know exactly where it is in order to begin receiving it. That is the first step to blocking or parrying��"


    "I know that, Sir! The sword instructors taught that in the academy!"


    "Then, why aren''t you doing it?"


    "It''s because my hands and eyes aren''t coordinated, obviously!"


    As they continued to train, Drayce arrived there to check on his younger brother''s progress. After having that nice conversation with his wife about Erebus, Drayce headed back to the Grand Pce but then remembered it''s been hours since he left Ruven in yer''s capable hands.


    Ruven did not even notice the neer''s arrival. His entire body was drenched in sweat and covered in dirt from falling to the ground countless times. He looked so exhausted, it was surprising he was yet to copse.


    "Your Majesty, you havee," he heard yer say as he put the sword in his hand back on its sheath. Only then did Ruven realize his brother was there.


    Ruven trudged towards him with shaky legs, using the sword like some sort of cane to help his bnce. "B-Brother��"


    That was all he could say as the rest of his words refused toe out because he was too tired.


    yer gestured for one of the squires at the side, allowing him to give water to Ruven.


    While eyeing his brother who looked half-dead, Drayce asked yer. "How was it?"


    "Not so good, but as long as he doesn''t give up, he will show progress," yer replied. Ruven looked at him as if he was looking at his mortal enemy.


    "Brother, Sir Calhoun said he defeats you all the time when he spars with you and he is better than you."


    Drayce raised a brow at that im and turned towards yer to ask what this was about. Though yer didn''t say those exact words as Ruven intended to cause conflict, yer didn''t mind it and instead said, "Isn''t it true?"


    Drayce knew his brother must be exaggerating but he didn''t mind it as well. A strange urge topete rose within him as he smirked at yer. "Why don''t we prove my brother wrong?"


    "I am sure we will end up proving him right," yer countered. "How about tomorrow morning?"


    Drayce agreed and this was the oue of their previous day''s talk.

 Chapter 573 Admiring Handsome Husband

    When Seren heard that, she was torn betweenughing and sighing. She felt like both her husband and his knight are no more than kids parading as adults. Even worse than Ruven. They probably just wanted a reason to escape work and y.


    Meanwhile, a sudden silence enveloped the training grounds as the two swordsmen began to take their stances with their swords pointed at each other. A strange hush came over the crowd. Everyone was holding their breaths��


    And the air exploded as both men lunged at each other at the same time.


    ng! ng! ng!


    The following flurry of movements caused the stunned audience to roar into happy cheers.


    The royal knights were fervently praying for yer to win. If theirmander wins, he would be in a good mood for the next couple of days��maybe even weeks�� and spare them from his hellish training. Perhaps, he would even allow them to have a small party in their barracks, where they could share a drink or two as long as they wouldn''t be on active duty the next day.


    The group that supported the King, though less in number, was no less in terms of loudness. It was partially because the royals and nobles in attendance were unable to cheer out of keeping dignity, but the servants and guards had no such reservations. Especially those who had never yet seen the royal swordsmanship passed on within the Ivanov Family, the two-handed sword used by Drayce gave off a bold and imperious feeling with each swing; it was as if he couldpletely overpower and dominate any battlefield as long as he had a sword in hand.


    Seren was obviously on her husband''s side, but more than praying for him to win, her mind was stuck at her husband who was moving valiantly with his sword. It was as if nothing could stand in his way, and he could cut all obstacles in front of him.


    She had always wondered how in the story books she read, manydies would fall in love with a hero after seeing him fight. Wouldn''t it be disgusting or scary to see someone ughtering another person in front of you?


    ''Now, I know. It''s real.''


    If the man was even half as handsome as her husband, and if their sword skills were a third as good and as beautiful, then it was possible.


    Drayce was the epitome of those valiant heroes who could move a woman''s heart. Because of him, Seren could understand how possible it was for a man to look so attractively handsome when he fought with a sword.


    At that moment, she forgot she was surrounded by a crowd. She forgot she was watching a sparring match. All she could see was her husband.


    On the other hand, the subordinates of the Queen had eyes sparkling with interest towards themander of the royal knights.


    Sir Calhoun Sanders. Although ofmon origins, his skills and military aplishment had earned him a knighthood and became one of the most trusted people of the King of Megaris.


    He was an aloof man, yet he was popr in an unconventional sense. Loyal and steadfast, a person of mystery, a handsome man who had never even spared a single nce to any of the noble daughters who tried to catch his attention.


    All he knew was his duties as the King''s guardian knight. The sword of the King. The yer of Megaris.


    Precisely because of his rigid attitude, girls and women alike fantasized about him.


    ''Imagine if a man of such dedication falls in love with me��''


    Other than Marie, the other women in Seren''s entourage were all unmarried and could not help but eye yer with adoration. Their sparkling eyes were fixed at yer but they could only praise him in their minds. As the Queen''s servants, they had to support the one who the Queen supported and there was no need to even think about who that is.


    Swoosh!


    The whistling sounds of des cutting through the air continued to echo within the training grounds.


    For those who never wielded a sword like Seren, they could only admire how rapid the changes were urring. One moment, yer was on the defensive, and then the next, he was overwhelming Drayce. But the second the spectators blink, Drayce seemed to have gotten back the upper hand.


    Both swordsmen looked equally strong and no one could guess who would be the winner. Half an hour passed by like that. Meanwhile, the spectators, both men and women alike, who understand swordsmanship began analyzing the spar, trying to gain enlightenment from the movements of the two amazing swordsmen.


    "Would you look at Brother''s footsteps? He disperses the recoil by spreading his legs every time Sir Calhoun does a downward sh��"


    "I don''t know if it''s just me, but look at the way he''s swinging. It is like he''s baiting him to attack. I think if Sir Calhoun dug up that opening, he would fall into a trap."


    "s! That was a nice block!"


    "Brother is awesome!"


    "His knight isn''t so bad as well. He dodged the counterattack quickly��"


    Listening to the people talking nearby, it was then Seren found out that the princesses were all trained in the sword as well, albeit none of them were too interested in pursuing a military career.


    ''Ah, despite being females, as members of the Ivanov Family, they need to learn how to fight as well.''


    Didn''t Great Lady Theodora mention that she too was a famed sword genius in her youth? If she wasn''t selected to be the queen back then, she would have joined the ranks of the royal knights. Not to mention, Queen Esther was very skilled with the de as well, as she personally dealt with the enemies who tried to harm the Great Lady during their first meeting.


    "Whoa!"


    The gasps and cheers brought back Seren''s attention to the spar.


    Drayce''s sword had cut the back of yer''s shirt. It was a long cut and his muscr back was exposed. While the males were cheering for Drayce, the majority of the females had their eyes and mouth wide open.


    Seren turned to look at her entourage. Thedies-in-waiting and female servants immediately controlled their expressions, though no one could hide the blush caused by their excitement. Obviously, those single young women fancied yer.


    "Waah! Good job, Commander!"


    Another round of roars and cheers erupted as yer quickly avenged himself. He did the same to his opponent, though rather than the back, his sword shed Drayce''s shirt from the front. yer chuckled at the King whose chest and stomach were exposed.


    Now, it was time for Seren to join the ranks of gasping women. To her embarrassment, her servants were throwing amused nces at her.


    However, that was just the beginning.


    The crowd went wild when Drayce and yerpletely tore their shirts and threw them aside as those remnant fabrics clinging onto their bodies were proving to be more of a hindrance, leaving the upper half of their body exposed. People could not help but admire their strong muscr and well-toned bodies covered in sweat.


    Seren felt her cheeks heating up; thankfully, her face was covered in a veil. Thus, she boldly observed Drayce''s body. She could not help but drool over it in her mind, her heart beating fast as she admired his beautiful physique.

 Chapter 574 Loves Seeing Him Shirtless

    Seren could hear everyone cheering loudly for those two.


    "Go, Your Majesty!"


    "Perfect execution of royal swordsmanship!"


    "You can do this, Commander!"


    "Sir Calhoun!"


    As if they had let go of their shackles, the two men''s movements became more intense. One could see the strong lines of muscles tightening with every swing they make. Each brandish of the sword went faster and faster until��


    Shatter!!!


    Silence reigned inside the training grounds as everyone seemingly froze in shock. Unnoticed by the crowd, the practice swords in their hands already had multiple cracks in them from their long bout, and no longer able to bear theirst attack, both of their swords broke into half.


    "T-The result of the sparring match is�� a draw!" one of the high-ranking knights announced.


    It was an anticlimactic development.


    The excitement-filled environment gave quite a round of apuse, but it was visible that their energy was lower than how it was minutes ago. Most of the knights and guards had disappointment covering their faces.


    "Such a pity, it''s a draw��"


    "I really thought Commander was going to win this match."


    "What are you saying? Thest attack came from His Majesty the King��"


    As the swords broke, the match was ultimately a draw and they didn''t get any winner. The two factions started to argue with each other. Despite that, they could not deny that it was fascinating to see these two skilled swordsmen exchange moves.


    "These weak swords saved you today," Draycemented as he looked at yer.


    "Same goes for you," yer countered.


    Both of their aides brought clean towels for them so they could wipe their sweat. Ruven, who was acting as Drayce''s aide, looked at yer. "If not for the breaking of the sword, the result would be your defeat, Sir Calhoun."


    "Those swords saved your older brother from the embarrassment of defeat instead," yer countered, not caring that he spoke rudely in front of a royal. Ruven was Drayce''s brother, and given they were sparring as friends at this moment, there was no need for formality.


    "Talk for yourself, yer. Do you know who''s truly saved? Your men. Look around. Those swords saved your knights from getting tortured under your defeated self''s foul mood. I am sure they are the happiest people at this moment."


    ncing around, the smiling knights who happened to meet his gaze immediately lowered their heads or looked away, as if they were afraid their reaction would upset theirmander.


    yer silently sighed. "They ought to thank me. The harder they train, the higher their chances of survival are on the battlefield. Even swords turn rusty with disuse, what more people."


    "Poor knights," Ruven mumbled under his breath.


    yer caught those words and looked at him. "Your Highness, if you are not returning to the Royal Academy, I will see you here tomorrow first thing in the morning."


    Ruven awkwardly cleared his throat as he thought about what was better��going back to the Royal Academy or suffering under yer. Every inch of his body was still aching from the training he had with yer the previous day.


    "Umm, I am sorry to disappoint you, Sir Calhoun, but I have to return to Royal Academy. I remember there is an important lecture that I cannot afford to miss in the afternoon." He then looked at where Seren was standing. "Ohh, even Sister-inw is here. I should greet her!" He immediately escaped the arena to go towards where his sisters and Seren were standing.


    yer and Drayce simply stared at his retreating back as they walked to the sidelines. The people in charge of the arena started cleaning up the broken sword shards while the crowd began to disperse.


    "He is not bad, but your brother is not truly interested in the sword," yer told Drayce. "It is hard to learn when your heart isn''t in it."


    Drayce agreed. "He doesn''t need to be a high-level swordsman. After training him to block and parry, we can leave him to do what he wants to do. Can''t leave him to the point where he can''t even protect himself."


    yer agreed and then spoke, "You can get off my face now. Don''t say you are not dying to go to your wife."


    "And I know you are dying to torture your knights. You are nothing but sexually frustrated and take it out on them."


    "Fuck off!" yer gritted his teeth and left to go to the group of high-ranking knights, who were not aware that theirmander''s mood was really foul and they were going to get tortured.


    The young king chuckled at the way he replied. ''It''s good to see him lose his calm.''


    Drayce then found that Ruven had reached his wife. Ruven, who sessfully evaded yer''s clutches, seemed happy to chat with her.


    "Sister-inw, did you enjoy the spar?" Ruven asked.


    "I do but it seems like you enjoyed it a lot as well," she replied.


    "Of course, when Brother Drayce is sparring, how can I not?" he replied with a grin and said, "By the way, Sister-inw, I will be returning to Royal Academy today."


    "So soon?" she asked.


    "I wish I could stay longer but�� The semester is still ongoing, and only the official letter of the head of the house could request a student to take a leave of absence. Since I left of my own volition, I am going to get punished once I return."


    "I hope they don''t punish severely."


    "Umm, it''s fine. Not like it''s the first time I am getting punished."


    "Are you still here?"


    They heard the dignified voice of Drayce and turned towards him. Seren''s gaze was boldly stuck at her husband''s exposed body.


    "I was about to leave," Ruven nimbly replied and hurried away after bidding a quick farewell to his sisters.


    Once Ruven left, Drayce walked towards his wife''s bold gaze.


    "If I knew my Queen loves seeing me shirtless, I would not have kept you waiting for so long."

 Chapter 575 Faking Wounds

    Those teasing words brought Seren back to her senses and she moved her gaze from his chest back to his smirking face.


    "I-I was just..." Luckily, her blushing face was covered with a veil. She didn''t know what to say and then chose to gain back herposure. Once her husband was near enough, she noticed the small injuries on Drayce''s body. "Dray, you are hurt."


    Drayce wanted to say it was nothing but he loved the way she looked worried for him.


    "Does it hurt?" she asked as she observed those cuts on his arms and chest, as well as therge bruises at the side of his stomach.


    "Hmm, it hurts," he agreed.


    With a displeased gaze, she then looked around them. "Then why are you just standing here? Let''s first treat your wounds."


    "Will my Queen herself treat it?" he asked, acting as if it really hurt.


    She felt hesitant as she thought he needed to see a royal physician. "Umm, I can but I am not that good..."


    "It''s fine." He then held her hand and took her away with him under the gazes of the remaining crowd.


    It was a popr rumour that the young king doted on his wife, but these were mostly spread by the servants working in their respective pces since the two kept their personal lives quite private. Not to mention, for the ordinary people in the pce, the reputation of the Devil of Megaris made it hard for them to reconcile it to the image of a normal husband, much less a doting one.


    The King who never looked at any woman before, refusing even the responsibilities for the sake of the royal bloodline, married not for political reasons but for love. He wasn''t even hesitating to openly show his affection towards his new wife.


    ''I don''t have much time,'' Drayce thought and found a quiet corner in the knight barracks where he took confused Seren. After making sure no one was watching, he then held her firmly and their bodies disappeared from the shadows.


    With a strong gust of wind, the two appeared inside the King''s bedchamber.


    Though startled, Seren was no longer surprised. Her body had somewhat adapted to his power and didn''t feel that exhausted after teleporting. Seren looked around the unfamiliar ce and she could guess what ce it must be.


    "Is it your chamber?" Seren asked.


    Seren already thought that the Queen''s chamber wasrge and spacious, butpared to the King''s chamber, it could be considered quaint and mediocre. His stone chamber was an extremely grand and luxurious room that took up an entire floor, with a personal study, a small gallery, several side rooms of important documents, rare books and his collection of weapons, among other things, attached to the main bedchamber. Despite the masculine earthy colors of the furniture, rather than a ce to rx in, it gave a sense of its owner''s disy for his domineering collection of weapons and hunting trophies.


    It was the first time Seren entered the King''s chamber, and after seeing him nod, she wanted to take a proper look around--


    But then she remembered why they left the training grounds. She had to treat Drayce.


    "Your wounds, we need to--"


    "Let me wash myself first," Drayce interrupted her as his body was sweaty and covered in dirt after the intense match.


    Seren nodded while Drayce asked, "Would you like to help me bath?"


    ''This man would never let go of an opportunity to embarrass me.''


    "Ah, no. I believe Your Majesty can do it faster without my help. Shall I call for your servants outside to attend to you?"


    Drayce saw her flushed face. He let out a soft ''tsk'' as he thought, ''still so shy,'' and called out for his servants to fill in the bath.


    After Drayce went to the side chamber to soak himself, Seren took that chance to observe Drayce''s chamber.


    Unlike Seren who merely epted her room as it is since she came to Megaris, without changing its decorations up to her taste, this wasn''t the case for Drayce. The interior of his chamber showed hints of his personality and bits of his past.


    ''So he collects not only swords, but spears and bows as well.''


    She looked at the items on the shelves and the walls, trying to rte them to Drayce, wondering what stories each of them held.


    ''And his bed, this is the bed where he sleeps...well, ever since we married, I remember him sleeping with me every night.''


    Her face turned pink behind her veil. She then wandered towards the mirror and imagined him standing in front of it. When she passed the window, she could picture him standing in front of it, solemnly looking at those distant mountains.


    Meanwhile, by the time the young king came out of the square-shaped pool made out of volcanic rocks, his personal servant Orion was there to serve him. After realizing that his master had unknowingly disappeared, the man hurried back to the King''s residence and was informed by his fellow servants of the King''s whereabouts.


    Orion quickly handed him a clean towel. Drayce epted it and as he wiped himself dry, he looked at his body where he had cuts and bruises earlier. All the wounds had disappeared, causing him to frown.


    ''Howe they heal so fast?'' Drayce clenched his jaws.


    His body''s recuperation ability, he cursed it for the first time. He was nning to enjoy teasing his wife while she treated his wounds, but now, everything had turned to ashes because they had all healed on their own already. This was why he left the arena in a hurry, knowing he didn''t have much time, but still...


    He realized something. ''Him. It''s him. He must have understood my intentions and healed my wounds. He wants to stop me from having some good time with her,'' Drayce thought and then warned in his mind, ''Erebus, don''t act so smart. When she called for you, you weren''t even daring enough to face her. Stop messing with me, or else, I will forget my promise with you.''


    He wrapped another towel around his waist and then looked at his attendant. "Give me your dagger."


    Orion always carried a dagger with him. He pulled it out and handed it over to the King without asking a question. Drayce pulled that sharp dagger out of its sheath, and the next moment, he used it on himself. He duplicated the exact cuts on his body he got from the spar.


    There was not a tinge of hesitation or pain on Drayce''s face as if he was immune to pain.


    His servant was shocked to see him going this far, but he dared not question the King.


    After appreciating his ''masterpiece'', Drayce then handed the dagger back to Orion. "You must remember the cements of the wounds on my back."


    Orion nodded. "There were two."


    Being the personal servant of the King, he took note of even the smallest details rted to his master. Realizing his intentions, Orion epted the dagger from the King and watched him turn around, openly showing his back to him.


    Orion didn''t hesitate as he was one of those close to Drayce who was aware of the reality of his master. He immediately replicated the cuts yer made on Drayce''s back.


    "Get the medicines needed to treat these wounds and hand them over to my wife in my bedchamber."


    Orion bowed and left using the servant''s door to follow the orders of his master. Though his master didn''t need his wounds to be treated, Orion could guess the reason for his actions. He had never expected his cold master to have a romantic albeit silly side as well.


    Cleaning the flowing blood just enough so his wife wouldn''t suspect, Drayce went out of the bath with nothing but a towel wrapped around his waist. He was sure Seren wouldn''t be able to tell that they were freshly-made wounds.

 Chapter 576 Tending To The Wounds

    When Drayce returned to his bedchamber, he found his wife done inspecting the ornaments of his room, her slender form standing by the window and staring at the meandering mountain ranges at a distance. She had seen the same view from his study before, but she discovered that the view from his bedchamber was even better.


    "Do you like the view from here?"


    Startled by his voice, Seren looked over her shoulder. She didn''t notice when Drayce came back to the chamber, much less that he was already standing behind her.


    "Ah, yes," she replied, feigning calmness as she turned around topletely face him."It''s beautiful."


    "Then I won''t mind you staying in my chamber to keep enjoying the view."


    If Seren was not looking at his face, she would have thought he said those words with genuine intentions, but seeing the mischief in his red eyes--not to mention that sly smirk on his lips--she could guess his real motives were not as genuine as he sounded.


    She immediately backtracked. "I enjoy the view from my chamber better."


    He moved closer to her, cornering her against the window. "Why do I feel like my Queen is getting smarter now?"


    "I..." Her flustered gaze immediately noticed the wounds on his half-naked body, and it gave her reason to stop this wolf who looked like he would eat her whole. "Your wounds...Dray, we need to treat your wounds."


    Drayce frowned at his wounds. Not like he minded them but if he prolonged their treatment, his wife would see those wounds healing on their own, and all his effort would be wasted. He immediately moved away from her. "You are right, we need to treat these wounds. You almost made me forget the pain I am feeling."


    As if on cue, there was a knock on the door. "Your Majesty. I have brought medicine to treat your wounds."


    "Come inside," Drayce instructed.


    Orion opened the door and entered the King''s chamber with his head lowered. He put the wooden tray carrying a small bowl of herbal paste on the table at the center of the lounge area before excusing himself.


    As soon as the servant was gone, Seren immediately walked past Drayce and went to sit on the couch. She picked up the small bowl of herbal paste and gestured at the half-naked man.


    "Come, sit beside me."


    Drayce, being an obedient husband, walked towards her and sat on the couch as she had instructed him. She turned towards him, ready to apply that paste on his wounds, but her eyes narrowed as she noticed something. The cuts appeared fresh, as if they had been made mere minutes ago.


    "Why did you sit in the water for so long?" she chastised him. "Instead of looking better, the wounds opened, and they look worse than they should."


    Drayce cleared his throat awkwardly. "I won''t do it again."


    His wife almost caught his trick, and he felt relieved that she med it on him soaking in the water.


    ''Why does she have to be observant today of all days? I have to be careful while fooling her.''


    Seren picked up a little paste on her forefinger, deciding which among the cuts on his chest should she start, while Drayce''s gaze was stuck to his wife who was focused on tending to his wounds.


    She gently applied the paste to the longest on the left side of his chest and said, "It will hurt a little."


    It reminded Drayce something and he immediately turned on his acting skills. The moment her finger pressed against his skin, he visibly flinched as if he felt pain. However, he did not say a word, merely pressing his lips together, as if he was pretending that was not the case.


    Seren looked at him with a worried gaze. "Does it hurt a lot?"


    With a little painful expression on his face, Drayce shook his head. "It does not hurt."


    However, the moment Seren applied the paste to another cut, he let out a pained groan.


    "I will be more careful. You do not have to pretend it doesn''t hurt." Seren, being kind and naive, trusted him and then lifted her veil a little and blew on his cut like a mother would to a little child. "There. This should help with the sting. Does it feel better now?"


    Drayce nodded immediately.


    Seren continued to do the same--blowing on his wounds frequently as she applied the herbal paste on each and every visible cut.


    Drayce''s eyes remained fixed at the lovely sight as the view in front of him was the best he could ever imagine--his wife tending to his wounds carefully, earnestly trying to ease his pain by blowing on them.


    He was so immersed in the satisfaction that Drayce didn''t realize when Seren had finished applying the herbal paste on all the cuts on his chest. "I think I got all of them covered. I saw you had more wounds on your back. Turn around so I can take care of them too."


    Drayce discovered that he liked following his wife''s instructions, and with a wide grin on his lips, he turned around obediently. He craved for such care and affection from her, and for a moment, he had a wicked thought--that he would not mind getting hurt again and again if she would remain this considerate towards him.


    Meanwhile, Seren applied the paste on his wounds, but along the way, her touch would slow as her gaze lingered on his wide muscr shoulders and well-toned back. As Drayce could not see her, she was free to look at his body as much as she wanted. Her movements were slow and it was taking her more time to tend to his back aspared to his chest and stomach.


    After taking her sweet time, she calmed herself down and said, "It''s done."


    Drayce turned to look at her who hid her pervert intentions from a while ago really well, looking back at him all innocent like always. Her husband stared at her for some time without a word, which made her feel like she was caught red-handed.


    Seren cleared her throat. "Is there any wound I missed?"


    Drayce shook his head. "I think you got them all."


    Seren put the bowl of paste back in the wooden tray and wiped her hand to the soft cloth kept beside it. Despite keeping her eyes down, it was as if his gaze were boring holes in her. She could not stand his silence that was making her feel like he had known her thoughts all along and wanted to leave as soon as possible.


    "I will take a leave then." She was about to stand up but Drayce held her hand and pulled her back to sit on the couch.


    However, their bodies were pressed together, and she started to act flustered, her mind making excuses.


    "Dray, let go. Don''t hold me too close or else the paste would be wiped--"


    But her husband held her firmly and he put his finger on her lips over her veil to stop her from speaking. Looking at that pair of intense-looking red eyes, Seren felt her heart skipping a bit. "Dray..."


    "My Queen enjoyed looking at my bare body while I never got to see anything of her. Isn''t it unfair?"


    Seren gulped, sensing his intentions. "What...do you mean?"


    Drayce didn''t answer as his gaze moved from her face to her neck and down towards her clothes. His eyes were fixed on thoseyers of fabric covering her body.


    ''I-Is he nning to undress me in broad daylight?''


    Anxiety covered her mind as she fervently hoped her guess was wrong.

 Chapter 577 That Woman Is Scary

    Drayce moved his hand to the neckline of her dress, intending he would remove her dress.


    She held his hand immediately, "Dray, it''s not night."


    "Doesn''t matter, My Queen," he said as he observed her flushed face with a sly smirk ying on his lips, "We have already been intimate many times for you to feel shy now. I have touched you everywhere already and you enjoyed every bit of it then why are you shy now?"


    "I...." she closed her mouth as soon as she opened it. He had touched her but had not seen her. "I amfortable in the dark."


    He offered her a questioning gaze, "So you n to never let me see you?"


    "That''s not what I mean..."


    "Then what do you mean, My Queen," his hand yfully moved to slip aside her dress from her left shoulder but...


    "Ahh..." she whined in pain as she held his hand in ce.


    It startled Drayce as he looked at Seren''s face, full of painful expressions.


    "Seren, what happened?" he asked worriedly.


    With her eyes closed and clenching his hand, she replied, "It hurts." Tears rolled down her eyes the next moment. An intense pain engulfed her entire body.


    It panicked Drayce. She was fine till a moment ago and suddenly..."Where...Where are you hurting?"


    She let go of his hand and pressed at her heart, with her eyes shut tightly. "My heart...it hurts.. That woman...she is angry..."


    Drayce carried her in his arms and took her to his bed. He put her on the bed gently but the next moment she curled into a ball with her hand pressing her heart and whining in pain.


    "Orion!" Drayce called loudly.


    "The door opened and the servant entered the chamber. He kept his head lowered but he heard the Queen''s painful voice.


    "Yes, Your Majesty?"


    "Call for a Royal Physician and ask Tyra to be here immediately."


    "Yes, Your Majesty," Orion immediately left, sensing the urgency of the matter.


    Lady Tyra was fortunately at the Queen''s residence when she got the message from the king. She hurried towards the King''s residence where Orion guided her to the King''s chamber. She saw Drayce sitting at the edge of the bed holding Seren''s hand who was crying in pain. Panic was written on his face but he tried to be calm for the sake of his wife.


    "Your Majesty...."


    "Hurry and check on her," Drayce stood up to give space to Lady Tyra but just then Seren stopped whining in pain.


    Lady Tyra sat at the edge of the bed and looked at Seren who opened her eyes and looked back at her.


    "Your Majesty, where is it hurting?" Lady Tyra asked.


    "It''s fine now," Seren replied.


    She was stunned at how in just a moment that intense pain disappeared. A while ago, she was not just in pain but was terrified due to something.


    Seren sat up in the bed as Lady Tyra helped her. Lady Tyra held her hand and closed her eyes to check on her. After a while, she spoke with confusion, "Everything seems fine."


    "I feel fine now. But I don''t know why suddenly I felt that pain."


    "You talked about a woman when you were in pain," Drayce said and Seren didn''t know what to say. She sure had seen that woman and this time she felt terrified of her.


    "Your Majesty, please tell us everything," Lady Tyra caressed her hand, "It can be of help."


    Seren looked hesitant, "I saw that green-eyed woman again but this time...she was angry...she was surrounded by zing fire and wanted to kill everyone. Her anger, that killing instinct I could feel it all and it was so terrifying. That woman is...scary..."


    Lady Tyra and Drayce heard it and looked at each other as both had no idea what was happening to Seren. But they needed to find out.


    Just then Orion entered the chamber and informed, "Your Majesty, the royal Physician is here."


    "Let him in," Drayce replied. He knew it was something that the royal physician could not solve but as he was called, it was fine to let him check on Seren as a normal check-up.


    The royal physician bowed to the king and greeted him. He was led to the bed to check on the Queen.


    "Your Majesty, what exactly happened?" the royal physician asked Drayce, "she felt the pain in her chest."


    The royal physician checked her pulse and did what he should but to him, everything seems fine.


    "Your Majesty, there is nothing wrong I see but Her Majesty seems to be a little weak. I will rmend some herbs that will help her nourish her body."


    Drayce nodded and the royal physician left after instructing Seren on taking a rest.


    Lady Tyra looked at Seren, "Your Majesty, I heard you missed the morning meal. I will ask servants to arrange it for you."


    Seren could not say no as she could not deny she was starving and after going through intense pain, all she knew was that she wanted to fill her empty stomach first as she felt weak.


    Lady Tyra left while Seren looked at Drayce who came to sit by her. "Apologies for making you worried again."


    "It''s fine. I am d that I was with you when it happened," he caressed her cheek gently to make her feel better, "We will find out what exactly is happening and then it will be all fine. We will find that woman as well despite wherever she exists"


    Seren''s expressions changed to worried ones, "That woman seems to be scary. We should stay away from her. No need to find her."


    Drayce moved closer and hugged her to calm her down. ''Seems like this dream has scared her too much,'' he thought and said, "It''s the second time you saw her, Seren. Dreams about her cause you pain and I can''t see you suffering like this. If you see her, that means there is a meaning to it and we need to find out."


    Seren raised her head to look at him, "No Dray, I felt what she was feeling. It was so clear as if I was the one feeling everything. All I felt from her was rage and vengeance and she just wanted to destroy everything. She had a strong killing instinct as if she wanted to spare no one. What if we find her and she tries to harm...?"


    "Nothing can harm you when I am with you, Rest assured." He hugged her back and continued tofort her.


    "Dray!" she called him while leaning her face against his chest.


    "Hmm?"


    "You called me Seren just now. Can you say it again?" she asked, not letting go of him.


    Drayce smiled lightly and lowered his face to peck on her head, "Seren."


    "Again."


    "Seren."


    "Once again."


    "Seren."

 Chapter 578 Seeking The Help From Elf

    Leaving Seren to rest, Drayce went to his study to talk to Lady Tyra. He was troubled with why Seren was seeing that stranger woman in her dreams or vision and why she had to suffer that pain.


    "Your Majesty," Lady Tyra bowed to him who was waiting for him in his study.


    Drayce sat in his chair and singled Lady Tyra to sit.


    "Tyra, we need to find that woman," Drayce spoke.


    "I agree, Your Majesty. If Her Majesty is going through this, then there is a meaning to it and we need to find it out."


    Drayce nodded, "I can not leave her alone and after her abduction, it''s even mandatory for me to not leave her side."


    Something came to Lady Tyra''s mind, "Your Majesty, why do you think someone from far away suddenly is searching for a Purple eyed woman who is none other than Her Majesty."


    "I thought about it and I think just like how Seren sees that green-eyed woman, someone is there who must be seeing Seren as well. It''s highly possible that we can find that woman in Agartha. I don''t believe it''s simply for no reason they are suddenly showing them to us."


    Lady Tyra agreed, "Aureus has already gone there. I am sure he wille with some useful information. I wonder if he reached there. I heard Her Eminence say that it''s not easy to cross those mountain ranges even for the supernatural to reach Agartha."


    "Aureus is powerful. He will find a way. I have specifically asked him to look for any possible suspicious green-eyed woman."


    "About going to Abetha to attend the second Princesses wedding, what do you n, Your Majesty?"


    "King Armen had arranged this wedding when he knew that it''s Seren''s birthday when we would be there. He was cautious about when she would be of age. I wonder if he had intentionally nned it like this so Seren would be in Abetha during her birthday."


    "That can be possible. He must have reason to do so or the father who was protecting his daughter with everything he could, he would not risk her letting her go back there," Lady Tyra added.


    "We have to prepare to leave in a few days."


    "I hope by then Aureus can be back. Given the situation, it would be better to have someone with powers by Her Majesty''s side other than You, Your Majesty."


    "I don''t think he will be back by then but��." something came to Drayce''s mind, "There is someone that I can keep with us. He is knowledgeable and powerful as well. His knowledge will help dealing with these things."


    "The elf who helped Aureus and Her Majesty?" Lady Tyra asked.


    "Hmm. Though I still don''t trust himpletely, I have to get help from him."


    Lady Tyra cleared her throat awkwardly, "There is one more person but��."


    "He doesn''t know anything about it. We should let it be the way it is. When the timees, he will know it on his own. We should not disturb his quiet life. There must be a reason why the master had hidden him for so long."


    Lady Tyra could not help but agree.


    Drayce stood up, "Take care of Seren. I will go look for that elf Yorian."


    Lady Tyra nodded and Drayce disappeared from her sight in thin air.


    Drayce appeared at the mountain where Aureus had already told him before leaving, where he could find the elf Yorian.


    As said by Aureus, Draven was faced with boulders and looked like it was the end of the way on the mountain.


    "Spell of deceit which can hide any figure and scent. He sure seems so capable," Drayce mumbled.


    "There was nothing to doubt about but you overthink."


    Drayce heard the voice and soon the view of boulders disappeared, only to rece with the view of the cottage with a boundary wall tall up to his knees, two huge size tigers sitting on the stacks of hay, the burned wood blocks that created smoke as one metal pot hung over it and a familiar elf sitting in front of them on a wooden chair around a circr table and was sipping the freshly brewed tea.


    "In cold weather, drinking freshly brewed tea seems to be the best idea," the elfmented as he smiled at Drayce.


    Drayce walked towards him and heard the elf again who smirked slyly, "I was expecting you to visit sooner orter but you are earlier than I thought. I wonder what is the reason that left you with no option but me"


    Drayce stopped a few steps away and said, "I need your help to protect my wife."


    the elf raised his brow, "And why do you think I would do that?"


    "To get you to know about what made you curious about my wife."


    Yorian chuckled, "I was asking for the same thing but you bluntly refused me again and again," he then gave him a questioning look, "Seems like something had happened that you decided to give in to me."


    Drayce simply looked at him while the elf said, "Unless you tell me anything, how can I be of any help? What I can assure is that I don''t mean harm to your wife. Now it''s up to you to decide whether to trust me or not."


    Drayce somehow trusted him. If that elf wanted to harm Seren or had any wicked intentions due to the powers hiding inside her, he would not have allowed Seren and Aureus to leave. Given the condition the both were in, this elf would have easily dealt with them.


    "Fine," Drayce agreed.


    "Then you can have a seat," said the elf as out of nowhere one more chair appeared there in front of the circr table.


    Drayce sat on the chair as the elf served him tea in a cup. Drayce exined to him what was happening with Seren and what the elf had sensed about his wife was right.


    "She would be turning eighteen soon and I am worried that those her father was trying to hide his daughter from, would find her soon."


    "Hmm!" was what the elf said and continued to drink. Though I didn''t scy into your wife''s powers without her consent, I feel like what is hiding inside her is totally opposite to her body''s elemental constitution. I felt that strong power when I came across her that day."


    "Scrying? I didn''t know high elves or moon elves have that ability."


    "My mother was a Priestess of the moon elf n so I have inherited some of her abilities. Priestesses are rare and have various abilities than the rest of the n," the elf exined as he continued about Seren, "If that power is free from the seal, it can harm her body severely due to different elemental constitution. I must say the one who hid that power inside her is nothing but cruel to an innocent girl."


    Drayce''s calm expressions changed to worried ones, "How can we deal with it then. If I am not wrong, hering of age is rted to lifting that seal and leaving that power free."


    "Either we have to take that power out of her body or she must learn to use it by letting her body ept it as her own. Which won''t be easy at all, most precisely almost impossible. There are supernaturals who have mastered another element other than the one in their constitution. But it''s really rare. I hope your wife is from that rare poption."


    "She has no idea how to use any of the powers. More like she is powerless and her powers only show up ording to her emotions."


    "Hmm, that beautiful view of flowers blooming everywhere she steps in. What a blessing for a person to have such powers," the elfmented.


    "You talked about her elemental constitution. If I am not wrong it is earth," Drayce asked.


    "Hmm, just like yours is darkness, she is earth," the elf said and then chuckled, "Darkness and Earth? What kind of pairing is it?."


    "Whatever it is, it''s the best one," Drayce said confidently.


    "Darkness goes with everything as the end of everything is always darkness," the elfmented. "And it''s the most powerful of all kinds of powers that exist in this world. Other than you, only one person has the same constitution as you."


    "King of Agartha, Draven Aramis?" Drayce concluded.


    The elf nodded, "Hmm, I told you he and you are simr in certain ways."


    "There can be more than just us two," Dravenmented as he gazed at the elf as if to test him.


    Elf smirked as he poured more tea into his cup, "Are you talking about that friend of yours? The first prince of Griven?"


    Drayce simply looked at the elf Yorian. Drayce knew his constitution was of Darkness and this elf didn''t miss it. It was easy to guess elemental constitution if they are of the earth, fire, water, or air but Darkness? This was something that could not be guessed so easily. This elf sure was not ordinary.

 Chapter 579 As Long As She Is Happy

    Seeing Drayce''s serious expression, the silver-haired elf could not help but throw him a look of pity.


    "Poor child," Yorianmented, his tone patronizing. "Troubles seem to seek you persistently, and yet you intend to handle them all on your own? It''s going to be difficult for you."


    Drayce frowned at being addressed as a child, but given his position where he was asking for this esteemed person''s help, he had no choice but to let it go. "That is why I am here to get help from you."


    "Hmm," the elf sighed. "Well, it will seem ill-mannered of me to turn you away when you are sincerely asking for my assistance. Anyway, there is no reason for me to not agree as our enemy is the same. Moreover, you agreed to let me know what I am curious about, yes? I believe a king such as you will keep his word."


    Drayce nodded. "I won''t go back on my words as long as you won''t cause any harm to my wife."


    "That I won''t," Yorian assured and then enjoyed his hot tea for a while. After he put down the empty teacup, he said, "Since that ck Witch has gone to Thevailes, soon, you will be facing additional troubles from that side."


    "I have already ordered to strengthen the security at the border. More soldiers have been drafted in order to defend Megaris if Thevailes dares to break the ceasefire treaty."


    "I believe you are not naive to think that you only have to face ordinary soldiers from Thevailes."


    "Once that happens, I will personally step in to take care of it. If the King of Thevailes doesn''t wish to fight in a human way, then I see no reason why I should not level the ying field."


    The elf sighed. "Tsk, once again so many lives will be lost in a fight between human royalties."


    "I have my ns," was all Drayce said to end the matter. "Anything more you have found about that witch other than knowing she has gone to Thevailes?"


    "Unfortunately, Ick the means to spy on them with their group being an entire kingdom away, but I will let you know if I discover their tracks back in Megaris. After all, I am keen on finding my old acquaintance who she is hiding and using for her benefits."


    Drayce understood who he was talking about and agreed. "Let me know what I can do to help rescue her."


    "If we manage to separate Myra from that witch, then it would be easier to catch her and interrogate her about the rest of the ck magic practitioners. Afterall, without the source of her strong ck magic ��a divine eagle''s blood��she would have topensate for it using human sacrifices of equivalent value, and that would be difficult to pull off in a short span of time."


    "Hmm."


    ----


    Drayce returned to the royal pce, and by then, Seren was awake. He thought she must be resting but his wife was inside her study and no one was allowed to enter without her permission, not even Drayce.


    "Your Majesty, the Queen said she is fine and there is no need for you to worry. However, she refuses to see anyone for the meantime as she does not wish to be disturbed. I would send word to your aide once she opens her doors," Lady Xena, one of the Queen''sdies-in-waiting, informed Drayce who was in front of his wife''s study.


    Though puzzled, Drayce nodded and left without contention.


    This was a first for the young king. As Seren didn''t allow anyone to see her, even her own husband, that meant she must have a reason. Though she was his wife, she was a person with her own mind, and it was right to give her privacy. But he could not help but wonder what she was up to, to not permit him to enter her study.


    ''As long as she is fine and enjoying herself.''


    Drayce returned to his residence where he found yer waiting for him in his own study. The knight formally greeted Drayce in a knight''s salute, his expression stern as usual.


    The King sat in his chair behind the desk. "Is everything happening ording to the n?"


    "Yes, Your Majesty. The military general will be here soon to discuss the proposed measures."


    "Before leaving for Abetha, I need to visit the border. This time, there is arge possibility it is not something that the army can handle with just the soldiers'' capabilities."


    yer understood what Drayce meant. "The arrangement to leave for Abetha, everything is being prepared as you have ordered. About going to the border, be at ease that no one will know it."


    -------


    Inside the Queen''s study.


    "Your Majesty, you are amazing. In the short time you''ve been learning, you are already capable of ying simple tunes withoutmitting a single mistake," the young Ayira praised Seren.


    Seren smiled behind her veil. "Thank you, but it''s still not good enough. I need to improve more so that I can be confident enough to not make any mistakes even when I am in a nervous state."


    This caused the youngest princess to be impressed at the Queen''s dedication. "For that, it is simply a matter of practice. You are already excellent at ying the zither."


    With the music lesson finished for the day, Ayira only left after she had tea and snacks with Seren.


    Lady Xena came in as soon as the princess was gone. "Your Majesty, the King sought to meet you about an hour ago but I did as you have instructed," thedy-in-waiting promptly informed her.


    "Did he ask why I was refusing to meet people?"


    "His Majesty said nothing."


    "Thank you, Xena. That will be all," she said in relief and then went back to sit on the cushion on the floor in front of the zither. Since she had free time for the rest of the afternoon, she decided to practice some more.


    After a while, Lady Tyra arrived there. She greeted the Queen and said with concern, "Your Majesty, you should not exert yourself much."


    "I am fine, Lady Tyra," Seren responded as she plucked the strings, letting out a yful tone ring in the air. As soon as the sound faded, she caressed the zither with a nostalgic look. "There is something I wish to try and I also want you to tell me if it is right, of course, only if you have time to spare."


    "Your Majesty, it is my honour to listen to your music."


    Lady Tyra didn''t know what Seren meant but she agreed to stay and waited for Seren to y the zither.


    Seren''s hands gently caressed the wooden top of the zither once more, and she closed her eyes as if she was trying to focus. Under her veil, a light smile appeared on her lips as if she had found something, and with her eyes still closed, her fingers moved the strings of the zither.


    Soon enough, the study was filled with a beautiful peaceful melody that seemed to paint the beauty of nature to the listeners'' ears,and not only Lady Tyra, even her servants who had been inside the room the entire time felt surprised. During the Queen''s lessons, she had only been able to y the simplest folk songs taught by Princess Ayira. To witness their Queen ying unfamiliar music on the zither so skillfully was something beyond theirprehension.


    Among them, Lady Tyra was more than shocked. The olddy almost staggered as she could not believe what she was hearing.


    ''This��howe Her Majesty knows this melody?''

 Chapter 580 Preparing For The Worst

    Once Seren stopped, everyone pped and showered her with praise. Lady Tyra could not help but be curious, "Your Majesty, this melody..."


    "Isn''t it good?" Seren asked her, her eyes curved with pride.


    "Ah, yes. It is beautiful, Your Majesty," Lady Tyra said as she swallowed the words she was about to say.


    The next several days passed by peacefully with Seren busy learning the zither without Drayce''s knowledge. On the other hand, Drayce was upied as well with the potential problems that would ur at the border between Megaris and Thevailes and was in a meeting day in and day out, discussing military arrangements with his generals.


    The day before leaving for Abetha, Drayce and yer disappeared from the pce, only to appear at the westernmost territory of the kingdom, at the fortress on the first line of defence against Thevailes, by using his power of teleportation.


    Standing at a hidden ce, he observed the wall dividing the two kingdoms. ''Till I return from Abetha, I need to set a barrier in case Thevailes attack.''


    It was the first time ever Drayce had decided to use his powers in the situation of war as the opposing kingdom might do the same. The barrier was going to set was only to stop the other side from crossing the border and hold them back till he returned.


    He closed his eyes and focussed as the invisible power set the barrier at the border. Once they were done, the two returned to the pce.


    Jasper, who had been away from the capital and handling the other political matters, was finally back.


    He came to the king''s residence and entered the King''s study, only to be weed by the strong gust of wind.


    "Woh, is there a storm inside the study?" Jaspermented as the strong gust of wind made him move back.


    Drayce looked at him and simply sat in his chair.


    He bowed to the king, "Greetings, Your Majesty."


    "Have youpleted the task given to you?" Drayce asked.


    "Of course, Your Majesty. By the way what errand you two were running?" Jasper asked, as he smiled yfully at Drayce.


    "Went to secure the fencing so that neighbouring dogs won''t sneak inside when I am away," Drayce answered.


    "Only securing the fencing and no dog hunting? tsk," he then looked at yer, "no wonder this guy here looks gloomy. Your Majesty should have let him do some hunting."


    "When the timees, he will," Drayce replied, "If you are done, you can report."


    Jasper understood the time for being talkative was over, "Then, Your Majesty, let me report to you about my work." Jasper exined to him his findings and then informed him about the news rted to the Kingdom of Thevailes.


    "Your Majesty, there is news that the King of Thevailes would be visiting Othinia, Mivesea and other small kingdoms during our visit to Abetha. Othinia is already supporting Thevailes due to King Samer''s mother''s ties with Othinia royal family. Now because of Othinia other small kingdoms around Othinia will also support Thevailes. That way, Abetha and Griven would be the only two capable kingdoms on our side in the southern part of the continent. If we let him continue this, then Thevailes will take over the entire southern part."


    "Hmm," was what Drayce replied.


    "Seems like he is adamant about getting the support of all those kingdoms and cornering our alliances. That King Samer is bing more ambitious day-by-day. He doesn''t understand the mercy Megaris keeps showing them after their shameful defeats."


    "We will deal with him once we return from Abetha."


    So many things wereing at once for him to tackle them all together. Thevailes would attack soon, Seren''s birthday which is said to change things for her and put her in danger and her current situation when she gets those painful events.


    Just then, Orion entered the study. "Your Majesty, I am here to remind you that Her Majesty has invited you to her study."


    Drayce nodded and stood up to leave. When he reached outside the study, the servants greeted him and opened the door of the study for him.


    Just as Drayce entered the study, he saw his wife standing in front of him, waiting for him while smiling at him. Though there was a veil, her beautiful eyes showed she was smiling because she was happy to see him and also she had a reason to invite him there.


    He was curious to know what his wife was doing in her study for the past few days while spending hours in her study and not allowing anyone to visit her during that time.


    The door behind him closed and Seren walked towards him and held his hand, "Dray, thank you foring here even though you are busy these days."


    "It''s nothing. How can I not be here when my Queen has asked me to? I can''t dare go against my Queen''s wishes," he said with a yful smile.


    "Umm..No ttering me today. Just have a seat. I have something for you," she said and dragged him towards the zither. She singled him to sit on the cushioned arrangement made in front of the zither, opposite to where the one who yed the zither would be sitting.


    Without asking any questions, Drayce sat there while Seren went to sit in front of zither as she was going to y it. Seren offered him a smile and said, "Though I am not that good yet, I hope you like it."


    Drayce stared at her quietly, ''So these past few days she was learning how to y the zither. There was no teacher assigned to her which means....hmm..Ayira... that was the reason why Ayira visited the Queen every day these past few days. Drayce was sure Seren was up to something but he didn''t expect that she was learning Zither.


    Seren''s fingers touched the strings of the zither which pulled Drayce out of his thoughts. The next moment he heard the familiar melody and Drayce was shocked to hear it. Just likedy Tyra, he was shocked as well.


    ''Who taught her this?''

 Chapter 581 Surprise For Drayce

    Drayce had so many questions in mind but for now, he focussed on that familiar melody which he loved to hear when he was a kid. Memories from the past surfaced in front of his eyes when just like this he used to sit on the other side of the zither, opposite his mother while she yed this same melody for him.


    With so many emotions creeping into his heart, he continued to look at his wife whose delicate fingers were moving elegantly on those strings. He didn''t know what to say or do and kept quiet. She had been preparing this for him in secret��he had no words.


    Suddenly in the middle of the melody, Seren missed the right track and stopped. She looked at him with an apologetic gaze as she was yet to finish it.


    Drayce smiled and stood up only to sit on her side of the zither, next to his wife. Seren shifted a little to give him more space so he could sitfortably in front of the zither.


    The next moment she saw her husband ying the same melody exactly from where she had stopped. His fingers moved swiftly and effortlessly on those strings as she heard that beautiful melody. She could not help but fall in awe of her husband. He was best with his sword and he was even skilled with the zither. How many things about him she still didn''t know and how many sides of him she had yet to witness.


    ''So handsome, so elegant.''


    He looked handsome whether he yed that sword which brings violence or whether he yed this zither which makes others feel at peace.


    ''My husband is best with whatever he does.''


    After a while, finally, Drayce finished the melody and looked at his wife whose gaze was stuck at him all the time as if it was glued to him. He could not help but smile at her.


    "My Queen, are you going to only stare at me?"


    It brought her back to her senses and she awkwardly cleared her throat, "I��I was just mesmerized by the beautiful melody��"


    "Or by how handsome and good your husband is?" Drayce interrupted her only to make her feel like a thief caught off guard.


    "Umm.. That.. I was saying you y the zither really well."


    "Thank you, my Queen, for the praise and also for giving me an opportunity to y it for you."


    "I just missed it in the middle��"


    "Intentionally!" Draycemented as if he could see through his wife''s little lie who was really bad at lying.


    Seren lowered her gaze as she pouted under her veil. ''He caught me!''


    Drayce gently tapped her tiny nose tip with his index finger, "But I liked that you missed it. That way I could y it for you."


    Hearing it, her expression changed from sad to happy ones, "I really wanted to see you y. Thank you for fulfilling my wish."


    Drayce simply smiled in response and then asked, "May I ask who taught you this melody? It was created by my mother for me. Other than her only I know it. Tyra is there but I know she can''t y the zither."


    Seren knew he would ask this question but when the time came she felt a little hesitant, "Will you believe me if I tell you something which is not normal?"


    "I will always believe you despite whatever you say," he assured.


    Seren exined to him how she saw the memories of him and his mother on the first day of her introduction to this study and whenever she touched anything that belonged to the previous Queen.


    "I don''t know why and how it happened but I believed that it was you and your mother. I could not see both of your faces. It was just a woman''s hands ying the zither and a kid''s back who was happy to hear the melody and praising his mother. Also, there was that flower mark on her wrist, the same as on my forehead."


    Drayce heard it and he believed her, "That is indeed me and my mother." Drayce could still remember those days from the past and it was how Seren described them.


    Seren continued, "Later I tried to focus on those past memories by touching this zither so I could learn what your mother used to y. Surprisingly, whenever I focused, I saw what I wanted to. I learned from how your mother''s fingers moved on the string and continued to practice it. I am still not that good but��."


    "You yed it really well. It reminded me of my mother," he patted her head gently, "My Queen is so smart to learn it like this."


    "There is something else as well," Seren said with a little hesitation.


    "What is it?"


    "It''s your birthday gift," she said and waited for his reaction.


    Drayce felt surprised once again as he had not expected this. Since it was the day his mother left him and it was the most hurtful day of his life, he never remembered his birthday and refused to celebrate it. Unlike other kingdoms, Megaris never celebrated their king''s birthday since the day Drayce sat on the throne.


    "I know you never celebrate your birthday and you don''t even allow others as well but��I��thought it would be fine��I didn''t even know your birthday��but when grandmother told me the story��I��got to know it��" The more she talked, the more she started to feel awkward as if to think if she had upset her husband. ''Did I upset you?'' Her voice was low as if only she could hear it.


    "You did well. I liked the gift," Drayce said with a smile which assured her that it was fine. "Really? Are you not upset?"


    "I am not. How can I be upset when I get the chance to see my beautiful wife ying the zither? I should be thankful instead."


    Seren finally felt relieved, "Though it''ste, I still want to wish you," and smiled under her veil, "Happy birthday, Dray."


    "Thank you, My Queen."

 Chapter 582 Surprise For Seren

    The next day, the Royal Pce of Megaris was in a busier state than usual with their preparations for the young king and queen setting off together for the Queen''s homnd, the Kingdom of Abetha.


    Seren''s servants prepared everything for her, and it was decided that three of her servants were apanying her��her headdy-in-waiting Lady Xena, as well as her maidservants Eva and Marie. Eva and Marie had been to Abetha before when they went to bring their Queen to Megaris and were the most familiar with the things that would make the trip morefortable for Seren.


    Especially since Drayce had nned a surprise for his wife that she never could have expected.


    That morning, Seren met Drayce outside of her residence where the carriage was waiting for them to take them to their destination. He was d in an all-ck travel attire with the crest of the royal family on his cloak, reminding her of his looks back in the early days of their marriage. His handsome appearance was simple yet imposing, and Seren could not help but smile as she remembered how scared she was of the red-eyed stranger back then.


    ''So much has changed��''


    Meanwhile, Drayce helped her climb inside the royal carriage and then followed her to sit opposite her. Their servants along with their luggage were on another carriage. The escort knights then rode their horses, positioning themselves both at the front and rear of the carriages.


    And then, the carriages started moving.


    Some timeter, Seren realized she could smell the salt in the air, and she could not help but look outside the window. Their entourage reached the port city at the coastline territory of Megaris, rather than the familiar road of the southernnd route that would pass through Griven.


    Seren stared at the blue waters that sparkled under the sun. "Dray, why are we here?"


    He smiled lightly. "Guess?"


    The carriage happened to stop at that moment, and from where Seren was seated, she could clearly see a familiar ship anchored on the pier, one she recognized to be the same one she visited before, a magnificent sea vessel that belonged to Drayce. The servants and knights were carrying their stuff towards the ship.


    She looked back at Drayce with an expectant gaze. "A-Are we��going by ship��perhaps?"


    Drayce nodded. "I thought my Queen would like to travel by ship."


    "Of course, I would!" She turned excited as it was something she had only imagined in her dreams. It was akin to experiencing the same adventures as the characters in those books she''d read. "I can''t wait to travel by ship. How good it must feel to travel on water. In the books, the main characters always have��"


    Drayce simply listened to her excitedly ramble on like a little girl. It was such a rare sight to hear her speak so much, and he didn''t want to disturb her. A light smile pulled at the corners of his lips as he enjoyed gazing at his adorable wife.


    "��oh, I apologize," she said, seemingly realizing that Drayce hadn''t spoken a word for a while. "I got too happy and dyed us from boarding��"


    "We have plenty of time. Do not worry." Drayce offered her his hand. "Shall we go out then?"


    As they stepped out of the carriage, all the people stopped their actions and bowed to the King and Queen.


    As Drayce led her way towards the ship, yer came to them and bowed. "Your Majesty, the sailors have just finished loading the cargo, and the knights are in the middle of checking the vicinity. ording to the ship captain, we are expected to depart in half an hour."


    While Drayce and yer were talking, Seren''s head was tilted up the entire time, looking at that huge ship. Its size was so massive she found it difficult to capture the sight of the entire ship in a single nce. The smile on her face didn''t leave even for a moment; unfortunately, this beautiful smile was hidden behind a veil.


    "My Queen, shall we?" Drayce asked after yer excused himself.


    She nodded and the two walked towards the wooden gangway, the bridge connected to the port used to climb aboard the ship. Waiting for them on the bottom of the gangway was Jasper, who was there to confirm the final arrangements before the King and Queen left. He bowed to greet them.


    "Have a safe and nice journey."


    "I believe that in my absence, as usual, you will take care of everything."


    Jasper scoffed. "I believe that others are already thinking I am the real King of Megaris since the one supposedly sitting on the throne leaves everything for me to handle."


    "Go ahead and sit on that throne then."


    "Forgive me for my bold words, Your Majesty, but for the sake of my health, I rather stay as far away from that thing. I would like to live long in peace instead of dying young, buried by the weight of that throne."


    "Sure. You have to live long for everyone''s sake," was all Drayce told him as he patted his shoulder, his red eyes seeminglyughing. Given the King''s good mood, his trusted aide could only inwardly grumble in discontent. Jasper moved to one side to let the King and the Queen walk ahead.


    Drayce held Seren''s hand and helped her walk on the angled gangway, matching her slow pace patiently as they climbed towards the ship.


    Only the sounds of the waves sshing against the ship could be heard, as everyone��from the sailors to the servants and the knights, both from the port and those on the deck of the ship��stopped whatever they were doing. It wasn''t that they waited with bated breath for the Queen to board the ship; most of them were gawking in disbelief, watching how their king, the Devil of Megaris, was treating their queen so tenderly. The rumors about the King''s love for his wife had long spread among themon folks, still it was different personally witnessing how affectionate the King was to the Queen.

 Chapter 583 Enjoying The Ship Ride

    Seren had already boarded this ship before so though she was curious about their journey, she didn''t have to be told about the basics again. She saw the sailors on the ship were almost finished preparing the ship to sail and most of them were fixing some ropes; in fact, there were many ropes that were tied to three tall wooden poles ced at specific distances within the ship.


    On the white sails attached on the mast was the dragon insignia symbolizing the King of Megaris, as well as the sun crest that symbolized the Ivanov Royal Family.


    As the sails fluttered along with the strong wind, Seren noticed that some men had climbed those huge wooden poles using thedder-like ropes, with a handful standing high up at small horizontal wooden poles attached to those long ones.


    "That looks dangerous. Won''t they fall down?" Seren asked.


    "They won''t. They are used to climbing the shrouds--those standing rigging attached to the mast--and they have been doing this for decades, they can even do that with their eyes closed," he answered as he observed her gaze.


    "My Queen, see those curtain-like fabrics? Those are sails and there are four of them. Once all those are unfurled, the wind will help propel the ship," he exined to her what those men were doing with the ropes and what those huge white fabrics were meant for. Seren was of course impressed by her husband''s vast knowledge.


    "Hmm, I think I have read about those in one pirate book. I remember that the pirates aimed to destroy the main mast or something so the cargo ship can''t escape," shemented as they both walked the stairs on the ship that led to the tall tform which had arge wooden wheel.


    Her purple eyes lit up once more. "Dray, do you know how to sail? Have you tried steering this wheel?"


    Drayce smiled and led her closer to the helm of the ship. He made her stand in front of it and put her hands on the handle of that wheel and then ced his hands over hers. "How about today, my Queen experiences how to be a ship captain?"


    It shocked her and she turned her head to look at him. "I...can''t..."


    "You can, my Queen, when I am with you," he said as he tilted his head a little to look at her.


    She gulped at the thought of it as this was a huge ship and not a small boat. Even if it was a small boat, she had no sailing knowledge; she knew she would never dare try steering any kind of marine vessel.


    While she showed great reluctance, yer appeared beside them with his head lowered. "Your Majesty, we are ready to leave."


    "I will take a charge then," Drayce replied.


    yer understood and walked down the stairs of that elevated tform and went to the man who was waiting for him.


    "Captain Bt, His Majesty will take care of your work for a while," yer informed him.


    Bt, the captain of the royal ship, was a middle-aged man with a robust build, his weathered face showing much of his experience as a veteran sailor.


    The captain nodded, as if that was something he already expected. "I will look after other things then," he said and looked at his men who had secured everything perfectly.


    "Pull the anchors! We are leaving!" the captain said in a loud voice and everyone cheered just like how they cheered before every journey.


    Seren heard hismand and the cheers that followed, and she could not help but look at the other side of the ship. A group of sailors were letting out loud shouts while pulling a mechanism with thick iron chains, and she guessed they were pulling the anchors up, as the captain ordered.


    Seeing them making noises, she asked, "What are they doing?"


    "It''s their usual way of cheering before the journey," Drayce answered and asked, "Are you ready, my Queen?"


    "Ready for what...?" and she found the wheel in front of her moving. Her hands that were holding those handles were pressed firmly by Drayce''s hands, and with his guidance, their hands helped keep the wheel steady, as the breeze from the sea continued to y with her loose hair strands gently.


    The nervous feeling of going back to Abetha was reced by the feeling of thrill as the ship started to move slowly. It was as if the pounding in her heart was in sync with the happy cheers of the sailors. With a smile, she continued to hold the handle tightly, making sure that her feet were firmly nted on the wooden floor. She heard the sound of bells ringing which she knew was a signal to say that the ship had sessfully left the dock.


    "Whoa! Have we really moved the ship?" she asked, barely able to keep her excitement down.


    Drayce chuckled as he tightened the grip on her hands and moved the wheel further to slowly guide the ship away from the dock.


    "Do you believe it now, my Queen?" Drayce asked like a whisper to her ears in that breezeing from the sea.


    She nodded happily. "We really did it!"


    Leaving the King and the Queen alone, others simply focused on their work. The captain of the ship didn''t have to worry as he knew their young king could do the captain''s work really well as it was not the first time he had taken charge of a ship.


    Sailing along the calm waves of the sea, the huge royal ship silently coursed through the waters following the designated sea route. Seren turned her head to look at the dock which was getting farther away from them and then looked ahead which had nothing but the vast blue sea in front of her.


    The strong salty wind, the sound of water sshing, the sight of seagulls flying everywhere, everything was amazing. It still felt all like a dream to her.

 Chapter 584 I Will Decide After Consummation

    The strong salty wind, the sound of water sshing, the sight of seagulls flying everywhere, everything was amazing. This all still felt like a dream to her.


    "Are you enjoying yourself, my Queen?"


    "Yes. I never thought I would be doing this."


    "With me, you will get to do everything that you dreamed of, and even those you never thought of."


    Seren smiled from ear to ear under her veil as this happiness could not be contained too easily. His words were assuring and she knew he would do everything he had promised to her.


    Acting coy to his previous words, she asked, "But how will you decide on the things that I had never dreamed of?"


    "I just need to do everything that would make my Queen happy. And it''s so easy to make you happy," he replied.


    "Easy?" she raised her brow.


    "You are still like a child my Queen that I wish to give all the happiness in the world to make that child inside you happy."


    She pouted under her veil as ifining, "I am a grown-up woman."


    "That I will decide on after we consummate our marriage once you are of age," he answered with a light smirk.


    A light blush covered her cheeks as she tried to figure out how to change the topic. Something came to her mind as she looked at the sea.


    "Uhm, Dray...?"


    "Yes, my Queen?"


    "I read that the sea has storms, and sometimes, ships can''t handle it and it sinks." She gulped. "Do storms appear in this sea at this time of the year? What if we face a storm?"


    "I can take you safely anywhere. You know I can..."


    "What about others? Will we leave them to die?" she interrupted him.


    "In that case, I might take the entire ship away from the storm."


    "The entire ship?" she eximed and turned her head to look at him, who was standing behind her. Her eyes stared at him in disbelief. "Can you really do that?"


    He looked at her with a light yful smirk on his lips. "Do you want me to show you right now, my Queen, so you can believe me and be rest assured if we ever face a storm?"


    "Right now?" She could not even begin to imagine how that would unfold and shook her head in denial. "No, no, uhm, not now. To move something this big would surely exhaust your powers. Save it for when it''s needed."


    "As you say, my Queen."


    She sighed in relief and looked ahead once more, delighted by the peaceful sight of the sea.


    After letting Seren enjoy it for a while more, Drayce asked, "You must be tired of simply standing here."


    "Umm, a little."


    "We can leave it to the captain and you can enjoy watching from the deck. We can arrange seats with shade or we can have some snacks. We can even roam the other parts of the ship."


    "That seems like a good idea."


    Drayce guided her way down the stairs. At the bottom of the stairs, they met the captain of the ship who paid them a polite greeting before positioning himself behind the wheel.


    On the deck, Drayce noticed that yer was talking to a familiar man. "My Queen, let me introduce you to someone."


    Seren followed his gaze and saw an unfamiliar silver-haired man. She had never seen him around and he didn''t look like he was a servant or a knight from the royal pce. He also wasn''t dressed as a sailor.


    "Who is he?" Seren asked as they walked towards him.


    "A friend."


    As they walked closer, she noticed he was a bit different. The first thing anyone would notice was his outstanding appearance. His face looked so beautiful, if not for his build, based on his face alone, one would think he was a woman. Not to mention, his silver hair that shone under the sun looked like liquid silver--it was eye-catching precisely because its owner looked like a young man and not an elderly grandfather.


    "He is a bit... different?" Seren said, curiosity coloring her voice.


    Her hunch was further strengthened when his pointed ears caught her attention.


    ''He doesn''t look like an ordinary human? I think he looks more like those characters in fairy-tale books...''


    Before Drayce could answer, Yorian turned to look at them while yer bowed to them. Seren continued to look at this strange man, and when she realized she could sense the essence of his powers surrounding him, she confirmed his strangeness.


    ''It is because he is not human.''


    "I am different because I am an elf," she heard Yorian answering her question in Drayce''s stead.


    "E-Elf? Truly?" Her purple eyes stared at him in wonder. Although she did suspect he might be one, it was still surprising for him to openly admit he was a creature she had only read about in fairy tales and the handwritten books Esther left behind for Drayce.


    "Yes, Queen Seren," Yorian confirmed.


    She looked at Drayce to which he nodded. "His name is Yorian and he is a High Elf."


    "Oh!" was all she could say, her eyes brimming with curiosity, and she was surprised to hear Drayce talking to the elf casually.


    "Finally, you are here."


    "Seems like I made you wait."


    "Not really. When my wife is around, I can hardly think about other people."


    The elf chuckled at the man''s shamelessness. "Seems like it."


    Seren didn''t know what to say or react to thisment as she felt a little embarrassed. There was no stopping her husband when he wished to show his affection to her.


    Seren had so many questions about the elf and wished to know why he was with them but refrained herself from asking it. For now, she was still wrapping her head around the idea that she was seeing an elf for real.


    ''An elf! A High Elf! I wonder if I will get to see more of the supernatural beings written in Queen Esther''s books...''


    Yorian gazed at the still bewildered Seren. "I believe that while we travel together, we will get to know each other well."


    "Huh? Yes," she replied as his remark left her a little surprised and then she looked at Drayce who offered her a light nod, saying it''s fine.

 Chapter 585 Yorian Curious About Drayces Origin

    As per Drayce''s order, a table with a set of chairs and a shed were arranged on the deck of the ship for Seren. Seren''s servants also arranged tea and snacks for her while she enjoyed watching the calmness of the vast sea. With the beautiful weather and the soothing sounds of the ocean waves, she was experiencing a truly idyllic journey via ship.


    After some time, Seren turned towards her three servants who were standing by her side, waiting on her needs. "You three should sit as well."


    "We are fine, Your Majesty," Lady Xena replied as it was not proper for them to sit with the Queen.


    "The chairs are empty anyways. If you keep standing here, I won''t feel fine either. Just apany me and enjoy the view with me."


    Lady Xena could not say ''no'' to her twice and took one chair while she gestured to Eva and Marie to sit down as well.


    "Have you three ever travelled by ship?" Seren asked curiously.


    "I have, but that was a merchant ship, and it was only to go to the ind territories east of the coast. That ship was much smaller than this. His Majesty owns the biggest ship in all of Megaris," Lady Xena replied.


    "This is my first time, Your Majesty. Though, I have been on a boat ride before as I often visit my mother in my hometown. It''s on the other side of the river that passes through the capital," Marie answered.


    "It''s the first time for me as well to be on the ship," Eva said. "I was born and raised in the capital, and so was my family, that''s why there hadn''t been a need for me to use a ship before. I have always watched them from a distance and wondered how it would feel to travel by one."


    "It''s the first time for me as well," Serenmented.


    It surprised the servants. Seren was a princess of Abetha, and given that it was a kingdom famous for theirmerce, it was kind of expected that even ordinary nobles of her kingdom own ships.


    "Do the Royal Family of Abetha not prefer to use ships to travel around, Your Majesty?" Eva asked.


    "We do, depending on the circumstances, but I never had the chance to even see a ship closely. My life was different there from how it is now," Seren replied as her eyes lowered to the empty teacup in her hand.


    The three servants had heard before that the King of Abetha had kept his third daughter locked inside a tower, and they also heard various spections about the reason why. They could only feel bad for their Queen as after knowing her, they could see there was nothing ominous about her. Though her appearance was a mystery and the scales on her skin were strange, she was a good person.


    Meanwhile, Drayce was talking to Yorian while standing at the railing near the bow of the ship.


    "...so it will be hering of age," Yorianmented, "which would highly likely bring change to her existence."


    Drayce nodded. "I don''t know what exactly would happen, but they seemed to be worried about her uing birthday. This time, I will make sure to get every bit of information from her father, but from what I guess, even he doesn''t have aplete understanding of the situation."


    "If hering of age is a crucial event then those who have been secretly protecting her might show up."


    "I am guessing the same. We might get to see them," Drayce said, and somewhere in his mind, he was expecting to see a certain important woman in his life.


    If his mother had passed such an important mark to Seren, that meant she was trying to help or protect her. This also meant his mother was among those who would appear to protect Seren if she were to fall into danger. Call it intuition, but he had a feeling that this trip to Abetha would not be a peaceful one. Many things that troubled him for a long time would probably be addressed. Not only for Seren, but this journey might bring about a significant change for his life as well.


    Yorian turned his face and nced at the part of the deck where Seren was talking to her servants. "Will you be fine with it if I try to scry the mystery of her powers?"


    Drayce followed the direction of his gaze, his expression softening the moment his eyesnded on his wife. He didn''t answer immediately and heard Yorian again.


    "I know her power is of the earth attribute, but as I said before, I am curious about the other strong power inside her. I have told you before that it can harm her as it is of another element. You think I am being nosy, but you cannot deny that it will also be a great help to your wife."


    "For that, I will have to ask her permission. If she agrees, only then..."


    "As long as you agree, I don''t think she would mind," Yorian countered. "I see shepletely trusts you."


    "Still, she has her own mind and thoughts. If she feels even a little ufortable, I won''t allow it."


    "Sure."


    "Well, aside from your mysterious wife, I also find myself growing curious about another thing," the silver-haired elf chuckled, his expression somewhat provocative as he deliberately looked at Drayce from head to toe. "You know, I am also curious about you."


    Drayce merely raised a brow at Yorian, who continued to voice out his concerns without holding back.


    "Particrly, about how you are born in a human family. Though you say your mother is a witch, you have powers other than what you can inherit from your mother. You have a bloodline of that of a divine beast, but as far as I know, the previous King of Megaris, and even his ancestors, are pureblooded humans."


    "I will suggest you to give rest to your curious mind," Draycemented dryly.


    He was not willing to tell him anything. The secret about his birth was hidden by his family for so many years and there was no way he would ever disclose it to the world. Even though his mother had saved this kingdom, it was better to keep them ignorant of the truth. Afterall, though her sacrifice was for the greater good, the means were quite scandalous from the perspective of humankind. The ungrateful people would refuse to understand it, and instead, wouldn''t hesitate to nder her. For his mother''s sake, he would take this secret to his grave.


    Yorian simply offered him a smile, epting his decision. His gaze wandered around the people loitering around the deck as hemented, "Megaris is such a strange human kingdom. Their king is not ordinary and neither are the people around him." His gaze stopped at yer, who was busy keeping watch on the men on ship, his stare even more threatening than the captain''s, causing none of the sailors to ck while doing their job. "For example, that young cold knight of yours."


    Drayce frowned. "Keep your eyes off of him."


    "What if I am interested in knowing him?"


    "Try it. He will dly separate your head from your shoulder," Drayce warned.


    Just then yer happened to look at these two and found them staring at him. yer didn''t mind as he slightly bowed to them and continued his patrol.


    "Such a dedicated and loyal friend you have," Yorianmented.


    "One needs to earn such people by showing the same dedication and loyalty."


    "I shall try it then," Yorian said as he continued to observe yer.


    "Keep your eyes in check. If you step beyond the line, you might get to try picking up your eyes that had rolled around the deck with your very own hands."


    Yorian chuckled. "Your remarks are entertaining, King Drayce."


    "They are clear facts."


    Yorian didn''t argue and got back to serious conversation. "What kind of Dragon are you?"


    "Red."


    "I have seen the ck one and now I get to meet the red one. Being a wanderer is truly the best, as I get to experience lots of fun things. I must say I am excited to see your true form."


    His remark reminded Drayce of something and he asked, "What kind of person is the ck Dragon, King Draven Aramis?"


    "Proud, arrogant, merciless," Yorian sighed as he looked ahead at the white foams forming on the surface of the sea as he remembered some things he didn''t want to remember.


    Drayce listened silently. The High Elf Yorian seemed to have no good opinion about the King of Agartha while his mother always told him that Draven Aramis was a good person.


    "Well, those are the things one feels when they meet him for the first time," Yorian continued, "but in my eyes, that powerful man is nothing but a pitiful soul who hides his suffering behind a mask, carrying heavy burdens for thousands of years even though it is not his responsibility in the first ce.


    It made Drayce more curious about the King of Agartha, Draven Aramis.


    ===


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 Chapter 586 Admiring

    While enjoying tea, Seren listened to the various stories herdy-in-waiting, Lady Xena, experienced as she travelled around the kingdom. Lady Xena was a nobledy of a marquis house, and given her interest inmerce, she had many entertaining bits of knowledge about various ces, not only within the maind Megaris but in the inds of the coast as well.


    An hour idly passed by with them sitting under the shade, and soon, Seren felt the need to stretch her legs a little. She was about to stand up when it just so happened that she spotted Drayce talking to Captain Bt on one side of the deck, the two men walking towards the frontmost part of the ship.


    Just as she was admiring her husband, she saw him jumping at the edge of the ship--


    "What--"


    --only for his feet tond with ease at the railing on the bow, his body steady, akin to that of a cat''s immacte bnce.


    Seren could not help but gasp in surprise, but as Drayce held long binocrs in front of his face, seemingly looking ahead to check something from a distance, she swallowed the rest of her words.


    ''I thought he was jumping off the ship!''


    Seren felt worried for a moment, her heart racing at the thought of her husband falling off the ship. After all, the ship swayed together with the waves, but the longer she watched him, the more she was convinced that there was no real need for her to worry about him.


    ''Look at how easy it is for him to stand.''


    He kept perfect bnce without holding a rope, even though from time to time, the ship would rock due to the surging waves.


    Under the bright sunlight, Drayce''s tall form looked more like an artwork than anything, his form-fitting ck clothes and equally ck hair fluttering along the strong wind, but nothing could shake him out of focus. And as arge wave sshed near the bow of the ship, causing water droplets to sprinkle into the air like diamond dust, it made him appear like that of a god of the sea, emitting a divine aura around him.


    ''So handsome!''


    Her femalepanions said nothing at the Queen''s distracted state. When they realized how Seren''s gaze was stuck on Drayce, they merely shared meaningful gazes with each other, though they failed to hide the smiles on their faces. Seren noticed their reaction and forced her eyes away from Drayce as she felt a little embarrassed. She didn''t know why she always acted like this whenever she saw him. She simply could not stop herself from staring at her husband.


    With her blush thankfully hidden by her veil, Seren stood up. "I will walk around a bit." Her servants stood up as well to apany her on her stroll but Seren stopped them. "I wish to be alone. You three can do whatever you prefer."


    Though they listened to her order, none of them left the deck of the ship. They merely stood in their ces, their eyes following her as they could not be careless while serving the Queen. They wanted to make sure they were ready to respond to her at a moment''s notice.


    Seren walked towards the side of the ship, stepping close to the railing as she found herself growing curious at the seemingly peaceful waters. She had read various books before that sometimes, schools of fishes would swim along a ship.


    "Your Majesty, be careful."


    She heard the familiar voice and looked to her right side. It was yer who spoke. The knight bowed to her and then pointedly looked at the tangled ropes on the wooden floorboards near her feet. Seren followed his gaze and only then noticed why he stopped her.


    "Let me clear it for you." yer approached her and kneeled on one knee, pulling away the ropes to clear the ce for Seren.


    Seren simply stared at the knight collecting the bunch of the ropes, wondering at how silently he moved. She did not hear his footsteps; she didn''t even realize he was nearby. Not that she found it ufortable.


    Other than Drayce, she didn''t interact with any man within the royal pce outside of work and didn''t feel the need to do so. She preferred to stay away from them as much as possible, but with yer, she didn''t find his presence any different from her own servants. It was as if he was just meant to be nearby, like that of a person''s shadow.


    ''Maybe because he is close to Dray, I don''t find his presence bothersome. I don''t mind having him around me.''


    Meanwhile, the Queen''s servants waiting nearby felt excited upon seeing yer at such close range. Though they often see the King''s guardian knight whenever Drayce and Seren were together, as people who were trained by the strict Lady Tyra, they had enough decorum not to ogle at him within the pce. However, those young women felt more rxed this time since they were all outside the pce on a trip together.


    Especially for a pce servant, given the difference in their status, the young Commander of the Royal Knights was like a faraway mountain that they could see only from a distance.


    Marie was chuckling to herself as she patted the shoulders of the two women younger than her. "If you two are interested in Sir Calhoun that much, why don''t you just go and talk to him?"


    Xena, who had always been calm and well-behaved, the exemr of a nobledy, immediately shook her head like a little girl. "No need."


    It was Eva, who was the youngest, who looked like she grew more brazen with Marie''s teasing., "S-Shall I?"


    "Go ahead," the two permitted.


    Just as Eva took a step forward, she gulped and froze as she realized what she was about to do. "I...maybe next time."


    "Both of you are so cowardly," Marie teased.


    Xena didn''tment while Eva mumbled in protest "You married woman cannot understand us single women."


    "Shall I ask your grandmother to set you up so that you will be married soon?"


    "No, I am happy like this."


    Drayce lowered the binocrs in his hands when his ears caught the sound of his wife''s voice. He turned to look in the direction of her voice and found Seren and yer were together, his knight on his knees and collecting the ropes on the floor. With yer around to keep an eye on her, there should be no idents on board so Drayce turned his head back and resumed his work to check the surroundings of the ship with the binocrs.


    ''All clear.''


    As they were in the middle of the sea, where the weather is vtile and subject to change and strange incidents like pirates orrge creatures could appear without warning, it was a safety precaution to check for any possible dangers from time to time. He resumed talking to the captain who was handling the ship wheel.


    They talked about weather, direction and the expected changes on the determined seat route. Although there was a separate navigator, Drayce opted to personally oversee this to ensure that his Queen would have a smooth journey.

 Chapter 587 Seren And Slayer Talk

    Meanwhile, yer had cleared the ropes from the floor. "Please watch your steps, Your Majesty. The floorboards are slippery."


    "Thank you, Sir Calhoun."


    Seren thought that yer would leave after that, but to her surprise, the knight remained kneeling on one knee by her feet.


    With his head lowered in front of the Queen, yer spoke quietly, "Your Majesty...?"


    "Yes, Sir Calhoun?"


    "I wish to apologize for not being able to protect you when you were staying at the Crystal Pce," yer answered.


    That incident was still affecting yer. To think that in his presence, the Queen was abducted when Drayce had clearly trusted him to look after his wife''s security, it greatly wounded his conscience. Though the enemies were supernatural beings, he could not stop ming himself for not being able to do anything.


    Worse, he didn''t even know she was abducted until she returned. So careless and clueless!


    Seren looked at the apologetic man. To her, Calhoun Sanders had always looked so strong and proud, but now, he looked so fragile with his head lowered to seek an apology from her. The knight''s pride must have truly hurt at his failure to keep his promise to his liege.


    "Sir Calhoun, you don''t need to apologize," Seren started, her voice soft. "I don''t doubt your sincerity, ability and will to protect me. The means the enemies used were beyond expectations, so it was not your fault. They weren''t even humans to begin with. If they were ordinary humans, I believed they would have faced your sword even before reaching me."


    "Your Majesty, it does not ease my guilt. I failed to protect you. me me for failing my responsibility..."


    "Sir, if there is anyone to me, it should be me. It is I who left the safety of the Crystal Pce. I fell for their trick and followed the illusion thinking it was Dray. If I weren''t so stupid, I should have doubted about how my husband could suddenly appear in the middle of the night and why would he lead me to a dark and dangerous forest."


    "Your Majesty..."


    Seren continued to speak, "But I do not choose to wallow in self criticism. It was a good lesson for me, and I won''t repeat the same mistake again."


    "Your Majesty, you are my saviour. You saved me when I was going to die. This knight gives you his words that if you ever face danger in the future, I will protect you even at the cost of my life. Just like I stand for the King, I will be loyal to you and protect you like you are my own liege."


    Seren didn''t know why he said she saved his life but responded in kind, "I believe you will, Sir Calhoun. Dray always says what belongs to him belongs to me as well--that includes this kingdom and its subjects. So his loyal knight is my person as well and I will dly let you protect me. Just like my husband trusts you, I trust you the same."


    yer was overwhelmed by her words. "Thank you for giving me another chance, Your Majesty."


    Seren offered him a light nod, her soft smile hidden behind her veil, as she watched him stand up with a more confident look.


    "Please enjoy the view. I will leave you alone then."


    Seren permitted him and she continued her way to stand near the edge of the ship, her hands resting on the railing. yer bowed and left without a word, not willing to disturb her peaceful time.


    yer went towards the starboard side of the ship before moving towards where Drayce and Captain Bet were. He did not climb the steps towards the helm but rather, grabbed one of the ropes connected to the first mast supporting the sail of the ship, and used that to swing his body like that of an experienced sailor. His actions were smooth as if it was nothing much for him. Hended on the base of the mast by Drayce''s side while still holding onto the rope in one hand.


    yer said nothing as he continued to look ahead, seemingly content to stand beside his liege. Drayce pulled the binocr away and put his hand on his knight''s shoulder.


    "Feeling better now?" Drayce asked.


    yer had expected Drayce''s sharp senses to clearly capture the entire conversation between him and Seren despite the noise of the wind and waves.


    The knight took in a deep breath. "But still, I won''t bepletely fine unless I get their blood on my sword."


    "Won''t be too long," Drayce replied. He knew yer would not forget his failure to protect the Queen even though there was nothing he could do.


    "By noon, the waves would be rougher. The journey won''t be as smooth as now," Drayce informed him.


    "Her Majesty looks fine so far, but it is possible she will get seasick once the sea bes rough. Unfortunately, we cannot even confirm until it happens since this is her first time travelling by sea."


    Drayce was aware of it as well. "Let her be for now. Once she feels sick, I will have her stay in the cabin on the lowest deck."


    The best cabin location for those worried about motion and seasickness was the one midship on a low deck, and those rooms were precisely the lodging prepared for the royal couple.


    "Where is the elf Yorian?" yer asked as he couldn''t see him around.


    Draven gestured for him towards a certain direction. There was a growing dot in the distance, an ind far though still somewhat visible from the ship.


    yer understood but he was a little shocked. "He went to that ind? Your kind sure are crazies."


    Drayce chuckled, "Want to be one?"


    "With my King adamant on being human, then I should be happy with what I am already--a human," yer said, putting pressure on thest word as he offered a mocking smile to Drayce.


    Drayce sighed. "Good for you."

 Chapter 588 Want To See The Stars

    As if on cue, the silver-haired elf appeared on the ship where Drayce and yer were standing. The two men could not help but look down towards what Yorian was carrying in his arms.


    "Not like we won''t provide you with meals here that you went to get food for yourself," Draycemented as he looked at the bunch of freshly-plucked coconuts.


    "This is not for me, but for the one who will be seasick soon," Yorian answered as a few more things appeared in his hands out of thin air. "These as well."


    Drayce jumped down from the base of the mast as he spoke, "My wife sure is collecting the people who would take care of her even before she asks."


    That statement was meant for both yer and Yorian.


    "As a senior, it is only natural that I take care of the younger generation," Yorian rified. "I would do the same to you, but you aren''t as pleasing to the eyes as your wife."


    Meanwhile, yer said nothing. He had no inclination to give unnecessary exnations, and with Drayce, he never had the need to do so.


    "I never doubted your intentions," Drayce countered as he looked at those fresh coconuts. "You are of some use. It was good to bring you along."


    "I can do more than just getting the coconuts, that''s why you brought me here," Yorian countered. "Tsk. Not really pleasing to the eyes."


    "Well, can''t deny it," Drayce said and he looked at his wife who was starting to look a little unwell. "yer, you can help him with this," Drayce spoke and left to go to his wife. He held the rope, and with one swift move, the young kingnded next to his wife.


    Thud!


    The sound of his boots on the wooden floorboards made Seren look at him. Though she wore a veil and thus her pale lips could not be seen, her swaying body was telling him she was starting to feel woozy. He walked closer to his wife. "Are you not feeling well, my Queen?"


    "I am fine but��but I think my head feels a little heavy��a little ufortable��"


    Drayce closed the distance between them and hugged her gently to support her upright body. "You must be feeling seasick."


    "Seasick?" she asked while resting her head at his chest.


    "Hmm!" He gently caressed her head. "Though, it is good that it is a mild one. Others would feel nausea or worse, even vomit. It must be because it''s your first time travelling by ship. It gets better once you are used to the swaying of the ship. How about you rest inside for the meantime?"


    "I think I should."


    Drayce held her hand and guided her way towards the cabins under the deck floor. They entered the door attached to the elevated tform which had a staircase to go inside the ship. As they reached the cabins, Drayce informed her, "I kind of expected this to happen so I had the cabin next to mine prepared for my Queen. It is the ce where you will feel the least movement. Everything you need��"


    "Can''t I stay in your cabin, Dray?" Seren asked as she continued to follow him.


    Drayce stopped and looked at her. "Of course, you can. I thought you might like to have your own cabin so��"


    "I would like to stay with you. And thest time when I visited your cabin on the ship, I already had a n of staying there."


    "Let''s go to my cabin then. If you need something, I''ll get it there for you."


    Seren nodded as the two went to Drayce''s cabin. As she entered the room, she noticed everything was the same as the one in her memories��clean, fresh, and beautiful with a touch of mystery. The cabin smelled like fresh wood which helped calm her senses, the growing difort inside her head slowly fading.


    Just behind, the ornate desk was another set of stairs that led towards the bedding ce.


    Drayce was about to lift her to carry her to the bed but she stopped, "I can walk. I am not that sick, Dray."


    Drayce offered her an using gaze, "Now you don''t want me to lift you."


    "It''s not that. But don''t treat me like I am so weak. I feel like I am always a burden to you as you always have to take care of me," she replied as she held his hand, signalling him to walk on the stairs.


    He walked with her, "I love to do anything for you. It''s not a burden at all. But, I will do as you wish."


    "Thank you," she said and continued to walk. The moment she reached there, her gaze followed the nt ss ceiling above the bed. Thest time she had seen it and wished if it was a night and she could see the stars from here.


    Seeing her silent, he asked, "What happened, My Queen?"


    "I am curious to see the stars in the night from here. Last time you said, it looks beautiful in the night," she said and walked towards the bed as Drayce helped her climb it.


    "I can make you see the stars even in daytime," he said, a teasing smirk painted on his lips. "If you wish I can��"


    Cough!


    A Light blush covered her cheeks as Seren understood what Drayce meant. She quickly corrected him, "I will wait for the night so I can see the stars in the sky from this ss ceiling."


    "Well, then night it is," Drayce covered her with the quilt and made her sleepfortably. "Doesn''t matter to me if it''s night or a day as long as I can show you stars."


    Seren felt like there was no escape for her from his teasing and pulled the quilt over her face to hide her embarrassment.


    Drayce chucked at her adorable action. "My Queen, you will suffocate yourself."


    "Uhm, I am fine," came her voice from under the quilt.


    "You will feel more sick like this."


    "Then stop teasing me."


    "Fine, I won''t."


    Seren moved the quilt down only till her eyes as she peeked at him.


    "I will ask your servants to get something for you to eat and drink. You will feel better."


    He looked serious and she finally let go of the quilt. "But you don''t like it if female servants enter your ce."


    Inside the King''s residence in the pce, no women were allowed other than those who were permitted. It was the rule set by the previous king Theron and Drayce followed it as both were the same in this matter.


    "It''s fine, if it''s for you, my Queen."


    Seren shook her head. "But I am not fine."


    "Then shall I be your servant for a day if you don''t mind?"


    "Umm, I can do everything on my own. So no need."


    "But I want to be," he insisted.


    Seren thought it wouldn''t be much so she agreed, "Fine."


    Drayce immediately felt excited. "My Queen, you must be feeling ufortable in such a heavy dress. Let me help you change into a lighter one so you can restfortably."


    Seren understood the evil intentions of her husband. "I am veryfortable in these clothes. I am just thirsty at the moment. I want to drink something," and held the quilt tight so he wouldn''t take it out.


    "Fine. I will help you change at night. For now, I will bring something for you to drink and eat."


    Drayce stood up and left while Seren let out a sigh of relief, "He is so cunning," and closed her eyes as her head felt a little dizzy.


    ====


    A/N- Dear readers, I am meeting my parents after one year. This week I have nned a small trip with them to spend time with them, so there might be less updates. Once I am back, I will make up for it. <3<3

 Chapter 589 Change In Drayce

    Seren was provided with food and drinks which would help her feel better and suffer less from seasickness. Later, till the evening, she was resting in Drayce''s cabin. When her eyes opened, she found it was already dark and the cabin was lit with themp. She looked around the cabin but Drayce was not there.


    ''How long did I sleep?''


    She turned toy on her back from her one side only to see the nted ss ceiling and her eyes left wide open.


    ''So beautiful!''


    She continued to look at the dark sky which had a tinge of deep blue to it because of those numerous shining stars and a bright moon.


    ''No wonder Dray said the sky looks beautiful at night from here!''


    A pleasant smile painted on her lips and she continued to watch the beautiful view ahead while lying in bed.


    ''It would have been even better if Dray was here. But where is he?''


    She sat up in bed and climbed down. She wanted to go to Drayce. When she stepped out of the cabin, no one was there and she climbed the stairs to go to the deck. The ship was not moving like it was in the noon and it seemed a little stable. To be more precise everything seems peaceful.


    When she reached the deck, everything was silent as the deck had less number of sailors and they were mostly working quietly. Whoever saw her, they bowed to her quietly and lowered their heads as Seren continued to walk ahead on the deck. Other than a pleasant breeze, the sound of sea waves filled the atmosphere and made her feel calm.


    She spotted Drayce with yer and Yorian who were standing at the bow, looking ahead quietly. Even captain Bet was now quite unlike how noisy he was during the day while instructing the sailors.


    The quiet and pleasant atmosphere must have affected everyone the same as they preferred to quietly enjoy this peaceful surrounding. Drayce sensed Seren''s presence and turned to look at her. Others followed his line of sight and realized why he suddenly turned around and turned their heads back to resume what they were doing.


    Drayce turned around to go to Seren as he observed her. Under the moonlight and on that pleasant and beautiful night she looked beautiful. Though he could not see her face, those pretty eyes, long hair and that slender figure in a light purple dress that matched the colour of her eyes made her look like a divine being.


    ''Is it the effect of this night or she is really a goddess herself?'' Drayce could not help but wonder but then shrugged. ''Whoever she is, she is mine. And it won''t ever change.''


    Drayce walked towards her but suddenly he stopped as if something had happened. His eyes changed colour to a darker shade and Drayce found himself trying to suppress it.


    ''How can it be?''


    His forehead had furrowed lines and he rooted to his ce, with his fists clenched as if he was trying to resist something.


    ''He can not show up like this. He never did but why now? Why is he trying to show up?''


    Seren smiled lightly under her veil as she saw Drayce wasing to her but then saw he stopped suddenly. She didn''t know what happened and continued to walk towards him while Drayce was busy fighting with his dark side to suppress it.


    ''Erebus, are you rebelling now? Do you want to scare her by showing up now like this? Go back!''


    Just then Seren reached him, "Dray?"


    Hearing her voice, suddenly Drayce felt he didn''t have to resist Erebus and he had backed off already. ''Such a coward but can''t stop rebelling, huh?''


    "Dray, what happened?" Seren asked as she saw his troubled expression just a moment before. His eyes were on her but she could see something else was going on in his mind.


    Drayce, she knew was someone who would not stay quiet upon seeing her and would have reached her even before she could take a step ahead.


    Drayce got back to his senses, "It''s nothing," he offered her an assuring smile as he closed the distance between them to stand facing her, "Are you feeling better now?"


    She nodded, "Maybe because the ship is not moving so roughly now."


    "Hmm, the sea is quiet tonight to let us have peaceful sailing."


    "It''s really so peaceful and nice here," shemented as she looked around and then looked at the moon which reflected the seawater. "Let''s see the moon in the water. I wonder how it looks in the waves of the sea."


    She was about to walk towards the ship railing but Drayce held her hand, "We can see it better from somewhere else."


    Seren looked back at him and then looked at the bow of the ship as to her it was the ce that was at a higher level in the ship than any other ce at the doc.


    "Fine," she agreed and was ready to go towards the bow but Drayce held her by the waist and pulled her closer to him, pressing her delicate body against his.


    "Dray...!" she eximed as others were there but before another word could leave her mouth, she was already high up in the air from the doc below her feet. In a blink of an eye, shended at the crow''s nest at the main mast. It was the nest-like part built at the top of the main mast of the ship from where one could see at a faraway distance in the sea.


    Seren who held onto Drayce for her dear life, finally felt a floor under her feet but didn''t let go of him the moment she realized where they were. Standing at such a height scared her to death.


    "Dray...This is scary," she hugged him tightly and shut her eyes.


    Drayce hugged back her gently as he smiled slightly at how she clung to him. "Don''t be scared. As long as I am with you, you are safe."


    Seren definitely trusted his words but that fear took over her mind. "I don''t want to fall down."


    "You won''t. Trust me. The reflection of the moon in the water looks better from here. Didn''t you say you wanted to see it?"


    "I did, but not like this."


    "Just look at it once. See there is a wooden railing around this nest. You can stand holding it like standing on the balcony."


    As Drayce insisted, Seren agreed and finally let him go. She slowly turned around while holding his hand for support as she was not used to the waving of ships. She still found the hold of her feet on the floor so unsteady and at that the fear brought the worst out of her.


    Drayce held her at the shoulder from the back to support her and made her stand facing the moon as he slowly retracted his hand. Seren stood there holding the railing of the nest and continued to look at the view ahead- vast sea and the beautiful reflection of the moon.


    "Sea looks beautiful at night," shemented and waited for Drayce to talk but there was no reply from Drayce.


    "Do you also like to see it, Dray?" she asked again but there was still no reply from Drayce who was standing just behind her. Though there was a small gap between their bodies, Seren could clearly sense his presence just behind her.


    Upon not getting a reply from him, she was about to turn around but before that, a pair of hands surrounded her waist from behind as the strong muscr body pressed against her delicate back.


    It startled her but she smiled and put her hands over Drayce''s hands that surrounded her waist. "You didn''t answer me, Dray. Do you like to see it as well?"


    In reply, she got the hold of his hands tightened around her as if trying to merge her in his body and hot breath fanned at the crook of her neck.


    Seren was taken aback. It was nothing unusual for her but Drayce would never be this quiet and he would never ignore her question. He was the most attentive kind of husband who would answer even the silliest question of his wife.


    "Dray?" Seren called as she felt there was a change in how she felt Drayce''s presence with her. This change? she knew what it was.


    ''Erebus? Did he show up again?''

 Chapter 590 Trying To Be Brave

    Seren''s body stiffened at the thought of Erebus showing out of a sudden. Thest time he disappeared when she called for him but now he was back. Seren didn''t know what to do or say.


    Just as she was collecting her thoughts, a gasp left her lips as she felt a pair of warm lips sucked on the skin of her neck.


    "Dray?" whisper left her lips as she could note up to call him by the other name. She didn''t know how Erebus would react if he got to know she had recognised him.


    ''Will he disappear again if I call his name? I...I want to see how he looks in his other form. I had only seen those dark eyes. Will he talk to me if I try to make him talk? I want to know what''s in his mind and why he shows up like this and then disappears?''


    "Ahh!"


    He bit her lightly and licked her skin with his coarse tongue. His intentions were clear; he wanted more. Seren was determined to not give in to him and as Drayce said that she could control him, she was ready to do it.


    "Do you like to bite me that much? It hurts, you know?" Seren said, still not letting him know that she identified him.


    As if her words worked on him, she found he had stopped.


    "Will you say something? I am the only one talking and you said nothing," Serenmented.


    She found his body stiffened at this. Drayce had told her that Erebus never talked. The only word he had ever said was- Mother. Seren wanted to try her luck and make him speak.


    "What happened?" Seren asked and felt him loosening his hold around her.


    ''I want to see him. I want to see how he is reacting to what I said.'' Taking advantage of the loosened hold, Seren slowly turned around and faced him.


    Seeing her turn around, he took a step back which gave Seren an opportunity to observe him. She looked at the handsome face of her husband. The face and the body were the same but the aura around him was different. Drayce gave out a sense of brightness while Erebus was a darkness.


    His dark emotionless eyes watched her as she observed him boldly. It was impossible for her to see through him or guess what must be in his mind.


    ''He can not hurt me. I don''t have to be afraid. Though he is not Dray, he is my husband as well.''


    Seren took a step closer to him while he took a step back. ''He was the one to show up and tried to be closer to me but now when I am doing the same, what is he afraid of? There is no reason for him to be scared of me, then what is he worried about?''


    She didn''t mind his action and instead took a step ahead once again and he had no ce left to move back as the railing of the crow nest stopped him. As she was close and was looking at him straight in his eyes, there was finally some change in those dark irises as if he was puzzled as well as shocked by her action.


    Seren moved her one hand up and touched his cheeks gently, her fingers caressing it to feel if it felt the same when she did it with Drayce. Touching him felt the same but somewhere it still gave her a feeling that he was not Drayce. She didn''t know why or how but she could differentiate them even with her eyes closed, simply by being at their sides.


    ''Is it because I am their wife?''


    She felt his body stiffen under her touch as his eyes observed her closely. It was the first time both of them were seeing each other clearly and under the dark starry sky and that pleasant moonlight, it felt intimate.


    ''I thought I would be scared but...I feel like to be closer to him...I want to be with him...'' Seren''s eyes didn''t leave his eyes even for a moment as she felt like those dark, emotionless eyes could suck her soul. She felt a need to be closer to him than she could be.


    As she continued to caress his cheek, she spoke in a low and gentle voice, "I want you to say my name."


    Even though he heard her, he simply stared at her nkly. To her, he looked like a harmless being who was simply lost and she wanted to tame him.


    "Can you?" she repeated. "I am tired of hearing my Queen, Your Majesty. At least you should say my name." She was careful not to call his name as she was worried he would disappear the moment she showed she had recognised him.


    He didn''t look like he would say her name and instead pulled her closer by holding her hand that was caressing her cheek and his other hand moved to the small of her waist. His emotionless dark eyes flickered as he looked at her intensely. He freed her hand and moved his hand to the veil that was covering the lower half of her face which scared Seren.


    ''Does he know he can''t see my face? Is he aware of the promise Dray had made to me?'' She found his hand about to remove her veil which panicked her and she almost cursed herself for acting recklessly, not knowing what could be the consequences if she didn''t distance herself from Erebus.


    "You can not....uhmm..."


    Her veil was gone but his eyes were closed as he kissed her. Seren was shocked but felt relieved that he had closed his eyes. For a moment she thought if he was Drayce but then....the way he kissed her was different from how Drayce did.


    Drayce would always be gentle at the start tofort her but Erebus was always rough and intense while kissing, not allowing her to even breathe. As if he kept forgetting she was a human and needed to breathe.

 Chapter 591 Liked It Rough And Wild

    Erebus kissed her roughly. It was urgent, frantic even, using his teeth in a manner that hurt her delicate lips, as if he was trying to savour her as quickly as he could. Though it wasn''t the kind of kiss she was used to, Seren didn''t mind this rough intimacy with Erebus.


    In fact, she rather liked it. A different kiss from the same man she married, and she liked that wildness, the sense of unfamiliar familiarity from him. She let her body be pressed against hispletely as she tiptoed and her arms circled around his neck so she could kiss him with morefort.


    Though he was not Drayce, he was still her husband; he didn''t feel like a stranger to her but someone who belonged to her and to her alone.


    In response to her, his hand around her waist held her firmly to support her weight, while his other hand roughly clutched the hair at the back of her head, angling her face the way he wished.


    ''Mine! My mate! Only mine!''


    His unruly lips and tongue were leaving her breathless as if the beast inside him wished to devour her entirely. The moment his warm, moist and coarse tongue imed her mouth, muffled moans left her throat, the sounds buried by the passionate way he kissed her.


    Seren did her best to keep up with him as she found his influence on her growing. She ached to go as rough and wild as he was being to her.


    Rough and wild--now, this was a preference she would have never thought she''d enjoy.


    After their long kiss filled with passion, Erebus let her lips go. His lips left a trail of seductive kisses on her flushed face, across her jawline and down the smooth curve of her neck. Her moans were like music to his ears, as if she was encouraging him. His mate was responding to him the way he wanted.


    But it wasn''t enough. It was just the beginning. He wanted more, wanting to im her even before Drayce could.


    "Aahh..."


    Erebus moved to the sweet spot between her neck and corbones, sucking onto the delicate skin, his teeth grazing it lightly, leaving marks as they moved up towards the sensitive spot just below her ear.


    Seren opened her eyes as she let out another soft cry. How desperately she wanted to call his name. She wished to let him know that she had recognized his presence and that she had already epted him, but she didn''t wish to disturb this moment with him.


    A part of her was afraid. Afraid that he would flee. Afraid that he would hide once more, just as he did before. That was why she didn''t want to gamble. She wanted him to continue and she got what she had asked for.


    "Ahh..."


    As his lips left another trail of kisses on her sensitive neck, her hands clutched onto his hair at the back of his head, pulling him closer. She wanted it rough, and she knew Erebus would be rough on her. What had happened to her she didn''t know, but she didn''t care what would happen next. She just wished to give herself to him.


    Understanding her intention based on her reaction, an evil smirk painted on his lips as his dark gaze fixed at the right side of her neck where he wished to mark her. Without hesitation, his teeth settled on her skin. A pair of sharp canines were ready to pierce through that delicate spot.


    Just as his sharp teeth grazed her neck, it shocked Seren to feel that slight stinging pain--


    "Erebus!" she called out his name in fright, which made him freeze.


    He understood he was caught. Though she might have not known what he was about to do, she recognized him and he panicked. He retracted his teeth from her skin the next moment. Her body had stiffened as well, and neither of them moved, standing together like a pair of beautiful stone sculptures.


    Seren btedly realized she had called his name out loud, and now, she felt regret at the thought of him leaving like the previous time.


    "Erebus?" she called him again, this time with a hint of hesitation, and she waited for him to reply.


    The man holding onto her didn''t move for a while, and Seren wondered whether there was a chance Erebus stayed despite her recognizing him.


    After a short silence, her husband finally moved. With his eyes kept closed, he put her veil back on her face, the enchantment on the fabric causing itself to be tied on its own.


    Seren did not move the entire time, simply staring up at his face, waiting for him to respond. The moment he opened his eyes, she was greeted by the sight of the most familiar pair of eyes to her, a pair of bright red eyes.


    She recognized that Drayce was back. As expected, Erebus had once again hidden himself without replying to her.


    ''Was it because he found out that I caught him? Is he feeling shy...?''


    Drayce''s red eyes stared at her veiled face; however, because the lower part of her face was covered, he could not see how swollen her lips were. Her lower lip was even hurt, showing a tinge of bleeding.


    Seeing how he was looking at her, a sudden feeling of guilt enveloped her and she could not understand why but her conscience was making her feel as if she betrayed her husband.


    ''Is Dray angry at me?''


    Drayce moved his hand and tenderly caressed her cheek without saying a word to her. He seemed unaffected at the surface, but deep inside, he was enraged though he knew there was no need for him to be enraged. Erebus was him, a part of him, and he had a right over their wife as well... but for him, Erebus was another being, another man for him to share his wife with.


    Till now, Erebus would only appear whenever Drayce was in need of any help. On normal days, he would quietly keep himself buried akin to slumber, but now, he was bold enough to show himself and take over their body. He even had the audacity to disturb Drayce''s moments with their wife.


    Erebus had started to grow greedy, greedy for his mate, and nothing else mattered to him.


    Drayce''s gaze moved to the two faint dots on Seren''s neck which was proof that Erebus had attempted to initiate a mate''s marking on her.


    ''That Devil!'' Drayce clenched his fists.


    "Dray...?" Seren called him in a low manner, her eyes looking up at him as if she was the one who did something wrong.


    He moved his gaze from her neck to her guilt-ridden eyes as he offered her a calm and gentle smile. "Are you alright?"


    Seren nodded and didn''t know what to say. She was aware that the man she kissed was not Drayce but she still went ahead with it.


    Drayce chose to keep his anger in check as he didn''t wish to scare Seren. It was not her fault. In fact, it was not anyone''s fault as Drayce was aware what happened was bound to happen, but it would take him time to ept it. He had been patient and careful towards Seren while Erebus kept being rough with her, and this was precisely what he disliked.

 Chapter 592 Guilt And Trust

    "I apologize that he had hurt you," Drayce said.


    "He didn''t hurt me��Umm��" She licked the hurt part of her lip. "It''s fine."


    Drayce caressed her cheeks gently and fixed her hair. "I will try to keep him in check next time and won''t allow him to hurt you again."


    Seren felt even more guilty about the kiss. How was she going to exin to her husband that she enjoyed the kiss, that she liked the rough and wild passion that Erebus embodied? Though Drayce was pretending to be calm, she had known him enough at this point to understand that he was unhappy about the situation and decided to talk about itter. If she sided with Erebus now, saying she wanted it as well, it might cause him to be upset.


    ''We can talk about it when the time is right.''


    She had only one way to resolve the situation as she knew no word could work and she was afraid to say anything wrong at this moment. After all, Drayce was the one she cared for the most and she would never wish to hurt him in any way.


    Seren moved to hug Drayce, circling her arms around his waist with her head resting against his solid chest.


    As expected, her move worked on him and he immediately wrapped his arms around her to hug her back. Her small body was a perfect fit in his arms, assuring him that she was his and only his.


    After a moment offortable silence, Seren looked up at him and Drayce looked down at her.


    "Can I ask you something?" Seren asked.


    "Hmm?"


    "Is Erebus aware that no one is allowed to see my face? Does he know you have made a promise that you won''t look at my appearance either?"


    "He knows. He can see through me and is aware of everything that I say and do. He follows the promises I have made then, whatever it is."


    "That means he knows everything we do," Seren said as embarrassment took over her.


    Drayce did not deny it.


    "Before you came into our lives, there was no need for me to keep anything from him and I never stopped him. But it seems like now I have to start doing it," Drayce answered as he thought, ''No wonder he could not stop himself whenever I was intimate with Seren. How could I neglect such an important thing? He obviously sensed what I was doing. I have to find a way to keep things from him going forward.''


    "You said he follows every promise you made, but before, he tried to break the promise you made with the King of Abetha," Seren countered as she recalled how on their wedding night Erebus had almost broken that promise by consummating the marriage.


    Drayce answered honestly, "He was just agitated thinking I was going to do it so he wanted to be the first one."


    However, Seren was not convinced. "You say he could see through you and knows what you are up to, but you didn''t n to consummate the marriage that night, right? So why was he agitated?"


    Drayce froze for a moment as she asked something which he didn''t wish to admit to himself.


    Seeing him suddenly go quiet with his body stiff, she probed, "What happened?"


    A tinge of guilt appeared in Drayce''s eyes as he gazed into her purple ones. "Will you be upset if I say I was tempted to break that promise and consummate our marriage that night?"


    What he said shocked Seren as she never thought Drayce had such a thought in his mind. She recalled how he reminded her again and again that they could not consummate the marriage and she had to stop him if he did.


    "I am not upset," she responded after a while. "I��I guess I am a little surprised to hear thising from you."


    Drayce continued to move his hand along her back as he replied, "It''s just that I wanted to at that time and that urge was very strong though I knew I should not do it. Erebus had sensed it at that time and before I could, he wished to im you."


    "I still believe you would have stopped even if you wanted to do it. I know you value your words. Moreover, you care for me. Even if it wasn''t for that promise, even if I were of age when we married, you would not have done it without my consent, right?"


    Seeing her trust in him, he felt a little guilty. Fortunately, he was determined to keep the promise he had made to the King of Abetha.


    "Can you see through him just like he can see through you? Can you see what''s in Erebus'' mind?" Seren was curious to know. Whenever he appeared in front of her, he never spoke and he was always expressionless. She could never even begin to understand him.


    Drayce shook his head. "I cannot. He has always hidden himself from the world andter started to hide from me as well. He learned to keep his mind isted from me to stop me from looking into him. Maybe it was my fault as I was adamant on isting my dark side, and he simply let me be since we both didn''t wish to needlessly interact with each other."


    Seren didn''t know whether she should feel sad about it. But she was now curious about Erebus. She wished him to open up and not hide himself at least from her, from his wife...his mate. Maybe there woulde a day when Drayce and Erebus would ept each other and the three of them would live peacefully and in harmony.


    "Do you want to go down from here?" Drayce asked, pertaining to the crow''s nest. The evening breeze was starting to blow stronger, and he was worried that she was getting cold.


    But Seren shook her head. "Just for a while more, let''s stay here." She pulled his hand and made him stand next to her as she wrapped her hands around his one arm. "I want to enjoy this beautiful view with you."


    "Aren''t you cold?"


    "I have you to shield me from the wind," she said in a yful manner.


    Drayce stood by her side quietly as he could clearly see Seren''s attempt to make him feel better. She was turning into a more free-spoken person with each passing day, and she had even learned to tease people. She was not that same naive, quiet Seren who didn''t know how to express herself and he was growing to like his wife more and more.


    Her purple eyes gazed at the moon.


    "It''s beautiful, isn''t it?" she asked as she leaned her head against his shoulder.


    "It is," Drayce answered calmly, his eyes on her.

 Chapter 593 Mates And Bond

    Drayce brought Seren down to the deck after they spent some time in the crow''s nest at the top of the main mast.


    Her husband idly fixed the part of her hair messed up by the wind. "You are yet to have a meal, right? Would you like to have it on the deck or inside the cabin?"


    "I have been inside the cabin the entire day. I would like to be outside now."


    Drayce agreed, and soon, a rtively simple meal was arranged for her, with the sailors helping by putting a wooden table and chairs on the upper deck of the ship. Just as her servants were cing thest of the dishes, Drayce excused himself. "My Queen, have a good meal."


    She didn''t expect him to leave. "Are you not having a meal with me, Dray?"


    "I am not hungry yet," he answered.


    "Umm, fine."


    Seren no longer insisted and simply watched Drayce leave the upper deck towards the main deck, stopping to stand at the bow of the ship with his hands behind him.


    After some time, yer noticed Drayce quietly gazing afar and approached his liege.


    "Did something happen?"


    Drayce shook his head a little and continued to stare ahead with a nk look.


    "That means something did happen," yer concluded.


    "It''s nothing much," Drayce shrugged.


    "Was it the other you?" yer asked and Drayce turned his head to his right, throwing a puzzled gaze at his knight.


    yer met his gaze squarely. "Seems like I am right. Other than him, no one can bring out such aplicated expression to your face."


    Drayce sighed and looked at the peaceful waters in front once more, not denying yer''s im.


    "What did he do this time?" yer asked.


    Drayce clenched his fists at what would have happened if Seren did not call out Erebus'' name.


    "He tried to mark my wife."


    "And? You know sooner orter, he would have done it," yer replied.


    As Drayce''s most trusted man, Drayce had honestly shared everything about him to his knight, and thus, despite being a mere human, yer knew of Drayce''s other self and what Seren meant for both of them.


    "But now it''s not the time," Drayce said as he shook his head. "Don''t you know how marking andpleting the bond works?"


    "I know. I remember it''s mentioned in one of your mother''s books."


    "I have not given that particr book to Seren yet as I don''t want her to feel scared. But it seems like I have to tell her and warn her. She deserves to understand what ''marking'' and ''mates'' meant to us."


    "It would be better that way but I also think you worry too much," yermented.


    "It''s not for nothing. The moment he marks her, then she will bepelled toplete that bond with him. I cannot let it happen before shees of age."


    "Or before you have her first?" yer said as he looked at Drayce in his eyes.


    Drayce looked away as he corrected, "Because he will scare her. He keeps hurting her. I can not allow him to do that again."


    "Hmm, I understand. But you cannot stop him, you know that."


    "I cannot, but Seren can. I will make her understand why she should not allow him to mark her yet. It is better that way. If we consummate our marriage first, then she won''t have to suffer through the process of marking. It is a painless way to directlyplete the bond."


    "I think I remember this. You mean the survival phase of the mate bond?"


    Drayce nodded. "Though I am sure she will survive the marking as she is not an ordinary person, I still don''t wish to put her in danger or have her go through any kind of suffering. It is more reassuring that they directlyplete the bond the moment he marks her."


    "So you are not against him...having her...just that you want it to go in a better way for her."


    "Even if I don''t want to give her to him, I cannot stop her from bing his mate. It is physically impossible. Well, it''s also for her safety. The power of bond will protect her."


    "You truly love her a lot, to put only her safety first and the restter. In the past, I never thought I would live to see this day."


    Drayce could not deny his friend''s im, "Nothing matters but her."


    "I don''t think he will be reckless. You look down on your other self too much. Think about it: Till now he had so many chances to be with her but he kept himself hidden. He must care for her as well."


    "He better or..." Anger rose in his red eyes.


    yer put a hand on Drayce''s shoulder, lightly patting him. "Also, you shouldn''t look down on your wife as well. I believe that since she could handle both of you till now, she could do it even better in the future. You should trust her. Women are not as weak as we think they are."


    Drayce lightly brushed off his friend''s hand. "I know. She can control him. I am sure she can continue doing so."


    "Then rest your worries aside."


    Drayce was a Dragon, a divine beast. The number of divine beasts in the continent were so few, one could rarely find them among the supernatural beings in existence. As such, having a mate was of utmost importance to them, and the bond they shared between their mates was stronger than the other beastmen; Dragons in particr were known for their possessiveness. It was also protection that was given to the mates, as not just any woman could be a mate to a divine beast.


    The bond between mates was not merely a sacred vow between a pair of lovers, but the testimony of magic that meant the female chosen by the male had the ability to continue the male''s bloodline and that their souls would be entwined for as long as they lived.


    The bond process was divided into three stages. The first was the male marking his female, a testament that showed the male chose that female among all the other females. The second was the survival phase where the marked female had to prove herself worthy by surviving the marking, which would normallyst for a few days.


    Those days could be said to be a trial of life and death for a female, as not everyone can bear the marking of a divine beast, especially a powerful one, and even after the female survived, the pair would yet to be proper mates. Only after the third phase, the consummation, would the mate bond bepleted.


    Drayce didn''t wish for Seren to go through the survival phase. If they consummate the marriage first, then Seren and Erebus could just go ahead with the first and third phases. Though the thought of letting Erebus have her broke Drayce''s heart, he had no other option but to ept it. He could only hope that his other self would treat Seren better--at the very least, he should learn not to hurt her.


    While the two men were engrossed in conversation, Seren''s gaze would flit towards her husband from time to time, causing her to eat without tasting her food. Even though he pretended to be fine earlier, she could sense he was not. He acted normally in front of her, but she could tell he remained upset and she needed to take care of it.


    ===


    A/N- The process of bond formation had exined in detail in the second book "The Devil''s Cursed Witch" between main leads Draven and Ember. Those who had read it in the second book might find it repetitive though it''s exined in short here, but it is for the readers who are yet to read the second book.

 Chapter 594 Turn Around

    After Seren had her meal and spent some time on the deck, Drayce came to her, "Wind is getting strong. You might catch a cold. Better stay inside and rest."


    Seren could not say no to him as she didn''t want to be a reason for his worry during this journey. Moreover, it waste at night and sleeping was better.


    "Uhm, will you be apanying me or do you have to be here on the deck?"


    "I don''t have to be here. We can go for rest," Drayce informed as he guided her way back to the cabin, holding her hand in his.


    The servants didn''t follow them as they only watched the couple leaving the deck. When they reached the cabin, Drayce took her upstairs towards the open bedroom with a nted ss ceiling.


    "Stay here."


    Seren stood by the bedside while Drayce went towards the wooden chest ced on one side. He opened it and pulled out the set of the nightdress and carried it to Seren.


    "You can change into these ones. I''ll wait downstairs. I have some work to do in the study." Drayce ced the nightdress in Seren''s hand and was ready to leave.


    It surprised Seren as Drayce would always wait for such chances but he was leaving. She could see he clearly had a lot on his mind and might be still upset because of Erebus.


    "Dray!" she called him.


    Drayce stopped and turned to look at her, "Do you need anything else, my Queen?"


    His voice and his gaze were gentle as if to show he was perfectly fine but Seren being familiar to him for a while now, could see what he was trying to hide.


    "Hmm," she nodded.


    "What is it?"


    "Help. Your help to change my clothes," she replied without a tinge of hesitation.


    Drayce was taken aback by this sudden demand from her. She always avoided this same thing and now she was offering it to him on her own.


    "Are you sure?" he asked.


    She nodded, "I am. This ship moves a lot and makes it difficult for me to work with ease. Moreover, I think I am feeling a little dizzy due to seasickness so I need your help...."


    "I won''t be just helping you change the dress," he interrupted her, his red cold eyes full of warning for her.


    She stared at him for a moment as he looked different from his usual self. Though he was caring towards her, he looked intimidating as if something had changed inside him.


    ''Is it really because of Erebus...because he was intimate with me?'' a woman''s instinct was telling her she was right about what she was thinking.


    "It''s fine," she replied, after getting her analysis about him done. It was a time to make him feel better, to make him realize she was his and she valued him the most.


    Drayce stared at his bold wife for a moment and then walked towards her. He could see through her attempts and thought to go along with them to let her know every one of her attempts towards him mattered, her every step towards him was counted.


    He stood facing her and picked up a set of night dress from her hands. The next moment the lid of the wooden chest opened on its own and Drayce tossed the folded night dress back in it.


    "You won''t need them for a while."


    Seren could guess his intentions clearly but stood firm. After all she was the one to offer herself to him. ''It''s alright!'' she consoled herself.


    Drayce looked straight into her beautiful eyes as he could clearly see her trying to be brave despite feeling nervous. But he said nothing and simply moved his hand to her face and his thumb caressed her cheek over her veil.


    "I will wait for the day when you will also allow me to see your face without this veil. I want to see all of you, Seren."


    Seren''s gaze finally wavered at hearing about the veil but she didn''t oppose him, not wanting to upset him. She felt his hand slowly move down while his fingertips brushed along her neck and settled at the broad neckline of her dress which clearly showed her slender neck and those beautiful corbones along with the fair and delicate part of the top of her chest.


    A gasp left her lips as she felt the tips of his fingers leaving a trail of heat along her skin.


    "Turn around," she heard him say.


    Seren did what he asked, but her heart was beating faster as if to think if she had dug a hole for herself to bury in it. She found Drayce moving her hair over her right shoulder and his fingers untangling the knots at the back of her dress to loosen it up. With each pull on thoseces, her heart would feel like jumping out of her chest.


    Slowly her dress started to loosen around her chest and once it was done, his hands moved towards her shoulders to pull it down. Just as her dress started to move down the chest, Seren wanted to hold it but Drayce held her hands while still standing behind her.


    "Do not cover yourself." She heard him warn and let go of her hands.


    He then pulled her dress down which pooled around her feet. The cold breeze touched her bare delicate body which was left only in the thin white cloth of chest band wrapped around her mounds and white short loose pants like frilly undergarments long up to her midthigh.


    Drayce eyed theyer of goosebumps on her delicate skin as his hands move to undo the knot of thin white fabric on her back. It just took a single pull to one of the parts and it came undone. Seren wanted to hold it but still remembered his warning in a calm but authoritative voice and gave up on the idea.


    The long thin cloth was wrapped twice around her chest before tying the knot. Drayce removed it and it fell on the floor, apanying her dress. Seren felt the need to cover herself but then found his fingers lingering around her waist, finding their way to remove thest remaining garment on her. She gulped and waited for him to continue, her breath turning shallow at those light touches from his fingertips, enough to make her anticipate something more.


    Just as thatst piece of clothing apanied her clothes around her feet, Seren could not be calm at all. She froze and didn''t know what to do. Just as she thought he would do something or woulde closer to her, she felt him moving away from her as he took steps back.


    Seren turned her face to the side and looked over her shoulder, only to feel him staring at her bare form silently while standing behind her. She didn''t know what he was up to. As if his gaze was piercing through her skin as it moved down from her head to her neck, bare back, slender curvy waist and those beautiful bare legs which she had clenched together and one rubbed against others as if to hide in embarrassment.


    After a short silence, she heard him again, "Turn around."


    Seren''s heart skipped a beat at his order. She had to face him, all naked and he would observe her boldly.

 Chapter 595 Focus Only On Me

    Seren''s palms turned sweaty as she felt like moving faster and hiding under the bed and note out without wearing clothes. She didn''t expect things to move like this. All she thought was he would help her change clothes and they would end being intimate but the way he was making it happen was embarrassing.


    ''It was better if he came to me right at this moment and took me to bed, instead of observing me like this. So Embarrassing!''


    "I want to see you, Seren," she heard him again.


    Seren closed her eyes briefly and exhaled through her mouth to calm herself and get rid of that embarrassment. Gathering every bit of her courage, she slowly turned around to face him, her fingers fidgeting with each other and her gaze was lowered. She had no courage to look into his eyes that observed her nakedness boldly.


    "Hands on side, Seren," he warned.


    She stopped ying with her fingers and put her both hands aside slowly which made her feel like even thest shred of cover was being lifted from her.


    The pair of red eyes observed his beautiful wife under that lighting from themps inside the cabin and the moonlighting from the nted ss ceiling. Her fair skin looked radiant and fresh like petals. From her lowered face, that slender neck, his gaze leading to the most delicate and beautiful part of woman''s body- her beautiful chest blessed with soft, round and perfect bosoms which he had only felt under his hands in the dark.


    Her t stomach which he had kissed and licked so many times and the curve of her waist which he had felt with his hands whenever he held her closer. That pair of beautiful legs which straddle him during theirst make out session and he could not wait to get to the ce hiding between them, could not wait to ravish with all of his might.


    ''How can she be so beautiful?'' was what he could ask as more he looked at her.


    She looked like a living dose of aphrodisiac which could make him go insane at just a sight of her.


    Though she was not looking at him, Seren could feel his gaze on her, taking his sweet time, observing every inch of her and then she found the pair feet on the wooden floor, walking closer to her only to stand facing her. Close...so close that she could smell his scent, the warmth his body was radiating, making the air around rising in temperature.


    His hand moved to her chin and he made her look up at him, "You are beautiful, Seren," she heard him say and surprisingly this night he was calling her name every time instead of calling her ''my Queen.''


    His red intense eyes showed how much he was affected and how much he needed her. His wife was beautiful and it was a sin to hold back and not worship her.


    He leaned his face closer to hers as his lips brushed against her veil covered ones. "May I?" he whispered against her lips as he looked into those wavering, puzzled but expectant eyes.


    She didn''t want to know what exactly he asked the permission for but she just nodded lightly while looking back into those red eyes as if they had enchanted her.


    His other hand moving along the curve of her waist, slowly found its way towards her chest and squeezed that beautiful and round mass of flesh, making her moan against his lips.


    "Dray..." her hands clutching on his robe, as to stand steady against what he was doing to her.


    He squeezed it roughly once again while looking into her beautiful eyes, "Yes, Seren?''


    Feeling those rough and arousing movements against her sensitive mounds, she gulped and licked her own lips under her veil, her throat suddenly felt dry.


    Drayce looked down towards his hand that was ying with that soft flesh and looked back at her, "Beautiful and delicious."


    Not like he was touching them for the first time but he was seeing them for the first time and the way they looked under his palms, they felt so perfect.


    "Ah! Dray...?"


    "Hhm?"


    "You are a little rough."


    "Doesn''t it feel good?"


    "Ah, Umm..but..." she swallowed her words as his hands became rougher and she could not help but moan.


    "Not enough!" he groaned a little and stopped what he was doing.


    Seren looked at him feeling confused as to why he had stopped but then watched him removing his outer robe under her curious gaze. His red eyes warning and preparing her for what she could face. The outer robe was dropped on the floor and he then started to unbutton his shirt as he watched her following the movement of his fingers as his body was getting exposed to her anticipating gaze.


    He removed his shirt which apanied his robe on the floor while Seren felt eager to touch him. His exposed body was just a few inches away from her and under this heated atmosphere, it looked worth touching and feeling it. Her hands as if they had minds of their own, they moved to touch his firm and strong chest. Her cold palms felt the heat under them the moment she touched it and started to explore it.


    She had seen it before but then she was treating his wounds but now....wait...his wounds? Not even a tiny trace of it was left.


    "Dray...Your wounds...they are gone..."


    He put the finger on her lips, "It''s not the time to think about mere wounds."


    Before she could say more, the next moment her naked body was lifted in his arms and he ced her on bed. She was not surprised as always the end of everything was meant to be in bed. Drayce climbed the bed only to hover over her as he faced her.


    "Focus only on me, Seren," he warned, her name rolling so naturally from his mouth.


    Pinned under him, she simply nodded as her heart picked up the pace at the way he looked at her, at the way his strong and burning body pressed against her cold and naked one.

 Chapter 596 Watching The Stars

    Drayce pecked on her veiled-covered lips gently as he looked into her puzzled and somewhat scared-looking eyes. "Don''t be scared. I will only do what we always do."


    She nodded lightly, calming her nerves. Maybe being naked for the first time in front of him made her feel self-conscious. Moreover, that hunger in his eyes was warning her, making her feel nervous.


    Drayce moved down with his gaze observing every inch of her skin closely, as if he wished to engrave it in his mind how his wife looked without clothes. His gaze crossed her neck and reached her chest but before that, she tried to cover herself with her hand, out of natural instinct.


    Drayce caught her hands before she could cover herself and looked at her, "I told you, hands on side but you seem to forget the instructions, don''t you, Seren?"


    "I��just��" she could note up with anything.


    Drayce freed his one hand, holding her both hands he moved it to the top of her head with his other hand as he moved a little away from pressing her body under him.


    "Dray, what are you��.." she saw his free hand move to one side and soon a thin waist belt of his robe, lying on the floor, came flying to his hand. It scared her as she didn''t get the good feeling about it.


    Drayce tied her hands to the ornate headrest of the bed, which made her panic. "Dray, why are you tying me? I��"


    He was done by that time and the poor soul under him didn''t even get the chance of resisting it.


    He looked at her, "Do you remember on our first visit to Grandmother''s Crystal Pce what I told you?"


    In a panic, she shook her head. "I..Don''t remember." Her mind was all chaotic to be able to even think about anything. He had said so many things and she could not point out even a single one of them.


    "At that time I said- I wish to tie you to my bed and give you pain with pleasure."


    Seren blinked a few times, ''He did really say that. But��at that time, I didn''t understand it.''


    "Do you remember?" Drayce asked.


    Seren nodded, "I do."


    He leaned down to resume his previous position, pressing her under him. "That is what I am going to do."


    "Dray�� No need to tie me��"


    His gaze narrowed at her, "You don''t get to say no to me."


    She swallowed the rest of her words as she could do nothing but only listen to him, ''Why is he so different today? He always listened to me.''


    As if he sensed the fear inside her, he closed his eyes for a moment and opened them to offer her gentle gaze, suppressing how displeased he still was about what Erebus did with her.


    He offered her a gentle smile. "Trust me. You will like it."


    Seren finally felt as if her Drayce was back and nodded to what he said. He offered her a light assuring smile and moved down, to resume what he was going to do, love and explore that beautiful naked body of his wife which he got to see for the first time.


    His gaze stuck on her beautiful mounds, those pink perky buds which looked delicious. He could not wait to take them in his mouth and ravish them as much as he wished. Before he could do it, he looked at her.


    "Eyes on me."


    Seren watched him groping her mounds and ravishing them with his warm mouth as she could not help but let out loud moans. Being naked was embarrassing enough and now he wanted her to watch him and what he was doing.


    "Dray��"


    "Hmm?" he replied but just out of instinct; in fact he had no ount of noticing what she wished to say and continued his act of loving his wife, while making her moan louder with each passing moment.


    As he further moved down, Seren felt more self-conscious while Drayce enjoyed that smooth fair skin under his touches, licks, and bites, leaving trails of visible marks on that unblemished skin, letting out satisfied groans.


    Her hands gripping tightly the belt that tied them as she wished they were free and she could stop him from moving further down. How much she felt good about what he was doing, that embarrassment of letting him see her most private part, could not leave her mind.


    "That''s enough, Dray," she said, panting heavily and trying not to react much.


    Drayce moved his gaze towards her, his red eyes hinting her that he won''t stop at whatever it takes. Instead, he moved back and his hands ran along her tightly clenched thighs and moved to her knees, with the intention of parting them away.


    "Let it go, Seren," he warned as his fingers caressed her knees softly.


    Seren gulped as she clearly knew what he meant. With her hands tied, she had no way to refuse him.


    "You were the one to tempt me, bravely refusing my warning. Now you can''t be a coward, do you?"


    Seren quietly let loose her legs and saw him parting her legs away, folding them at the knees, opening them wide, as his eyes tauntingly moved from her face to the ce between her legs.


    Seren felt like hiding somewhere as she watched him boldly looking there where she didn''t want him to but the next moment embarrassing thoughts left as she squirmed in pleasure.


    "Uhm��"


    While watching him, she didn''t know when his hands moved to her wet folds and his fingers already started ying with her. He watched those delicate pink folds as he could not stop feeling them with his fingertips.


    "You are so beautiful, Seren," she heard him but none of his words registered in her mind as all she could feel was that sweet sensation she was feeling under the gentle and slow touches of his fingertips.


    His heart beat wildly inside his ribcage as he saw that sacred ce and couldn''t wait to taste it and watch his wife''s delicate body writhing under him. In the dark, till now, he never got to really see how she looked whenever he made her feel good.


    His face leaned closer to her womanhood as his mouth reced his fingers and he felt her body jerk wildly the moment his unruly tongue yed with her. His eyes moved up to look at her, and saw how her body reacted to his advances, it was a sight to see.


    ''She is so sensitive! So beautiful to see!''


    She tasted delicious as usual and he didn''t wish to stop anytime soon. His mouth ravished her roughly, his eyes gazed at her intently making her feel high as loud erotic moans left her veil-covered lips.


    Only if he could see her face entirely, he would have known it was more beautiful than anything he could ever see. But her eyes, he could see her through her eyes, which were like a clear reflection of her soul.


    His fingers invading her inside roughly, he moved up to see her. He wished to look into those beautiful and how they look when she gets to reach there, high and floating.


    "Dray..." he heard her call him in a light whisper the moment he faced her, but his fingers continued to do their work on her.


    She could feel she was going to be there soon. Her throat felt dry and she licked her lips under the veil. "Dray...."


    "Seren?"


    "Please?"


    "What do you want?" he asked as he moved his fingers even faster.


    "F-Free my hands, please...Uhmm..Please..."


    How could he not listen to her at this moment? Her hands came undone in a moment as Drayce used his powers to untie the belt and free them. The moment her hands were free, Seren held onto Drayce as she lifted her face and crashed her lips with his though the veil kept them separated.


    She asked him to free her hands because she wanted to touch him, hold onto him and kiss him but this veil...for the first time she felt having this veil was really annoying.


    Even Drayce felt displeased with this veil but this was not the time. To make her feel better, he pleasured her down there with the skillful movement of his fingers and whispered against her lips.


    "This is how you make me go back on the promise I made with your father. I simply can''t wait any longer to have you, to im you mine." He watched her reaching there and how beautiful her eyes looked.


    She didn''t know what he meant as all she knew was she was there high and floating in clouds as her body copsed on the bed, her eyes staring at the nted ceiling above towards that starry sky, feeling all content and satisfied.


    Drayce withdrew his fingers which made her jerk a little and she looked at him.


    "I don''t care what promise you have made to the King of Abetha. All I know is my husband is a king and he should not go back on the words he had given to anyone."


    "I won''t."


    "You promised to be with me always and you have to keep that as well."


    This made him smile, "I will always be with you. No one can ever take you away from me."


    She smiled back at his assurance and saw him smirk yfully, "Did you see the stars?"


    "I can see them now even?" she avoided the exact meaning of his words.


    he offered her a narrowed eyes look, "You have learned to dodge my question?"


    "You know the answer already," she countered.


    "I don''t. Maybe I should try again and find the answer by myself."


    His fingers once again moved towards the ce between her legs but she held his hand to stop him. "No more. I did see them...the stars...what exactly you mean..."


    Feeling satisfied, Draycey back next to her and looked at the sky.


    "It''s as beautiful as you said. The sky looks so beautiful from here," shemented.


    "Hmm, I am d you liked it."


    Both continued to look at the sky quietly, while the sounds of sea waves filled the silence in the cabin. Soon her eyes felt heavy as she yawned.


    Drayce pulled her in his arms gently as he let her sleep and the quilt covered them both on its own. She felt warmth and snuggled to sleep peacefully.

 Chapter 597 You Have To Please Me

    The next morning when Seren woke up, her gaze was weed by the sight of her handsome husband. His gentle gaze was observing her sleep face while his hand was moving along her bare spine under the quilt as his fingertips gently brushed her skin.


    "Good Morning, Seren," Drayce greeted.


    She smiled while clearing her gaze. That smile was the result of hearing him calling her name and she could not help but say, "Such a wonderful start of the day."


    "Did you have a good sleep?" he asked.


    "Hmm!" she nodded, "Did you?"


    He shook his head, "I didn''t."


    "Why? Are you not well?"


    "How can I be well when my naked wife is next to me and so close. It would be a shame if I could still sleepfortably."


    Seren understood what he meant and also realized she was still naked under the sheets. Slowly her hand moved to hold the quilt tightly in front of her chest as she offered him an innocent gaze.


    Drayce could clearly see through her but had no intentions of doing anything with her as the torture of entire night was enough for him.


    Her gaze followed the tattoo on his neck. She always saw it but never raised a question about why he had this tattoo on his neck or if he simply loved to have one.


    "Dray, this Tattoo, do you like to have these drawn on your body?" she asked as her fingertips ran along that tattoo."


    He shook his head, "I was born with it."


    She was a little surprised but then thought it should be normal as he was a Dragon. "It looks like a Dragon. First time I saw it in my first vision about you, I could only see its face because of the cor of your robe. I thought it was a snake head butter when I got to see it entirely, I understood it''s instead a Dragon. Is it because you are a Dragon?"


    Drayce nodded. "You are right but there is something about it."


    "What?"


    "Not everyone can see it. My mother was the only one who could see it and you are the next one."


    "You mean other than two of us, no one can see it?"


    "Hmm! And that was the reason I was shocked when in that marketce you pointed out this tattoo on my neck."


    "I pointed it out because the same tattoo I saw on the red eyed man in my vision and that is how I understood you were that same man."


    "Seems like destiny was bringing us closer somehow by showing us to each other," Draycemented.


    Seren agreed, "Maybe it was the work of this flower mark on my forehead. Grandmother said it helped me search for my soulmate."


    He smiled at her discovery, "Smart guess, My Queen."


    "But what does it mean that only I can see this Dragon tattoo other than your mother?"


    "This Dragon part and darkness part of mine is given by my mother''s soulmate who is my biological father and that is why she could see it. About you, you being my soulmate you can see it. Mother once said, if I ever find a woman who can see this tattoo, that means she is mine and I should never let her go."


    "So that''s why you were after me," Seren said with a little frown.


    Seeing her frown, he caressed her cheek gently, "That is not entirely true. I was after you even before I knew you could see this tattoo. There was something that kept pulling me towards you and made me curious about you as well. It was as if you were meant for me. Someone I had to protect at all cost, someone I wished to cherish and love and so many things that can''t be described in words."


    His words calmed her down. "At that time I didn''t know who you were and who was the one helping me. Despite trying to run away, you didn''t stop me and instead helped me run away."


    "I could understand your desperation to have freedom. That was an entirely normal act from you."


    She offered him a gentle gaze, "You were always so understanding towards me even when we didn''t know each other. You helped me run away, brought me back when I couldn''t and....wait....I have something to ask."


    He replied with a questioning gaze and she spoke, "You im to not see me without clothes ever, then howe my dresses were changed and my body was cleaned after both of my failed attempts of running away? Who changed my clothes and cleaned my body covered in mud? No one knew other than you about my attempts of running away. Then, how did you not see my body?"


    "At that time, I didn''t," Drayce answered honestly.


    "How? Did you do it using some magic tricks and you didn''t have to see me?"


    "If my body can be cleaned and clothes can be changed with magic, then I would not have bothered soaking myself in water daily to clean my body and waste time on wearing clothes."


    "If not magic, then how? Did you clean my body and change my dress with closed eyes...or maybe in the dark?"


    Drayce shook his head.


    ? "Did you ask those nurses in my room to change it or any servants from the pce of Abetha?" she asked again. Her eyes were full of hope to get the right answer to this mystery.


    Drayce once again shook his head. He pecked on her head and stepped out of the bed, "It''s morning and time to get up."


    Seren immediately sat up in bed as she red at him, "Wait, first tell me how did you change my clothes and cleaned my body?"


    Drayce, who picked up the clothes from the floor, turned to look at her and smirked as his gaze observed her naked body, covered only till her waist, "Beautiful view, My Queen."


    Seren followed his gaze and looked down at herself. She immediately covered her chest with a quilt, feeling flustered, "Dray, don''t change the topic. Answer me what I have asked."


    Not answering, he put the clothes in his hands aside on the chair and went to get a new robe for himself from the wooden chest.


    "Dray, did you not hear me?" Seren was getting impatient as she wanted to know that grave mystery when he had already discarded all the possibilities she could figure out.


    Drayce got the new robe and started to wear it as he looked at his wife, "I will tell you when you will do something that will please me."


    She blinked a few times, "Please you?"


    He nodded, "Please me."


    "Okay, what do you want me to do?" she immediately agreed as she knew Drayce could never make anything difficult for her. Not like he would ask her to jump down the ship in that cold water.


    "That''s up to you to decide, My Queen." He finished wearing a robe, corrected his appearance and was ready to leave.


    "At least give me any hint of what is there which can please you," she asked, before he could leave.


    "A wife should know how to please her husband," he replied and picked up his sword from the stand.


    "A wife?" She mumbled and remembered incidents from story books about what wives did to make their husband happy. She immediately got the answer, "Do you want me to cook a meal for you? Wives always cook for their husbands to make them feel happy."


    "Cooking?" Drayce looked at her with one eyebrow curved up in a doubt, "My Queen''s cooking skills, I am somewhat familiar with them."


    Cough!


    Seren awkwardly cleared her throat and realized she sure didn''t want to burn this entire ship with her dangerous skills.


    "Then what can I do?"


    "As my Queen is getting smarter these days, I believe you will once again prove yourself smarter," he walked towards the stairs as he instructed, "put on the clothes. It''s cold," and finally left with a wicked smirk on his lips.


    Seren was left sulking at how he put a condition in front of her and didn''t even tell her what to do. "How am I supposed to know what can please him? He is so mean and just wants to trouble me. I am not going to talk to him."


    Drayce''s sharp hearing senses didn''t fail to hear her annoyed self-talk. His innocent little kitten now knew how to get angry at him and express her displeasure clearly.


    ".....I hate him...I...I really do..."


    ''But I love you, My queen.''


    With a wide grin on his lips, he left the cabin to go to the deck of the ship.

 Chapter 598 How Do You Please Your Husband?

    3 chapters...


    -----


    Drayce headed up towards the deck of the ship, where he found the captain of the ship instructing the helmsman about their journey along with a navigator. Captain Bt was busy talking with his crew, and only realized Drayce''s approach when he sensed some of the sailors on the deck growing quiet.


    As the Drayce climbed the elevated tform of the quarterdeck, Captain Bet and his men bowed to the King.


    "Good morning, Your Majesty."


    Drayce epted his greeting with a light nod. "How are things?"


    "The crosswind is picking up, and it''s even getting stronger. Seems like sea waves would be rough on the ship for the next hour or two. Our men are preparing for any iing surges, but we cannot do anything about the ship swaying."


    Drayce nodded and nned to personally check the situation of the sea up front. He picked up the binocr from the captain and headed towards thergest mast of the ship. From the strength of the wind causing his coat to p wildly, he could see what the Captain said was true; the journey wouldn''t be as smooth today.


    With a nimble jump, Drayce held on to the rope connected to the main mast as he nned to go to the crow''s nest. Holding rope was simply for show. Jumping straight to the upper part of the mast was not a given, and he would need to climb up the rope shrouds but Drayce directly jumped up high, holding rope only for the sake of it. The one who knew the real Drayce, they were aware he needed no rope to climb that high.


    Just as he reached the crow''s nest, instead of the sailor in incharge of the lookout, the elf Yorian was present there, looking ahead at a distance with a thoughtful expression..


    Drayce gave the sparkling surface of the sea a quick nce before speaking, "Seems like you have taken interest in sailing."


    "Sitting idle is not my thing."


    "Nothing surprising, knowing how curious you can be."


    The elf smiled yfully and said, "There will be rain by nighttime."


    Drayce didn''t deny his im. Though the sky was clear for now, the aggressive wind and rough sea were indications that a storm might appear. "Looks like it."


    "Why don''t you just use your powers and get this journey done quickly?" the elf asked.


    "There is no fun in that. Living the life of humans facing challenges is much more interesting," Drayce answered.


    "But at the back of your mind, you always know you can get past those troubles by using your powers. Even if things get too much, there is no sense of desperation for you. So it''s not entirely a human''s way of living."


    "It''s not my fault to have such powers," Drayce replied, "and it''s a blessing that there is a fallback for me. I have someone to protect and I can rely on my powers if the situation goes drastically wrong."


    Comfortable silence fell onto the crow''s nest for a while.


    "I heard from the captain that we will be docking at some port city in Griven," the elfmented out of the blue.


    Drayce threw a nce his way. "Are you now curious to see my friend?"


    "Can''t deny it. You are at fault for having interesting people around you." As Yorian said that, his gaze passed at the stern of the ship where yer could be seen checking on the other knights patrolling the ship.


    "You can be curious about An but stay away from him," Drayce warned as he saw yer leaving his men to go to the captain standing by the ship''s wheel.


    "I find myself more curious about him. This human sure is interesting," Yorian said with a smirk.


    "He is not interested in men," Drayce countered as used the binocrs to look at the situation of the sea ahead.


    Yorian chuckled. "Who knows, he might allow me to be curious about him."<novelnext>  </novelnext>


    Drayce put the binocr aside. "I won''t mind if my knight gives me an ancient elf''s head to keep among the strange things I have collected."


    "Always talking about killing. Humans sure are scarily violent."


    ----


    After Drayce left, the sullen Seren put on her clothes and went to the cabin which was prepared for the Queen. Her servants helped her get ready before serving her a warm meal.


    "Your Majesty, the wind outside is strong today so we have been instructed to stay inside the cabins for our safety," Lady Xena exined after bidding farewell to a sailor who informed them of the situation.


    "No wonder the ship is too shaky today," Serenmented as she nced at the dishesid in front of her.


    While eating, what Drayce said remained in her mind. She could not help but look at her three servants, and out of them, she chose Marie who was married.


    "Marie, I want to ask you something," Seren said as she put down the cutlery in her hands.


    "Yes, Your Majesty? What do you wish to know?"


    "How do you please your husband?" Seren asked without any hesitation.


    Marie was caught off guard to be asked such a question while the other two almost choked, with the nobledy gaping while the younger servant tried to stop herself fromughing. Just like Seren, Lady Xena and Eva felt curious about Marie''s answer as well. Though they didn''t know what prompted their queen to ask this, they felt excited at the thought of prying into Marie''s private life.


    "Y-Your Majesty, why do you ask?" Marie asked, as she cleared her throat.


    "No reason. I just want to know what a wife can do to please her husband," the young queen answered as she resumed eating, as if her question didn''t make her married servant think about embarrassing things.


    She tentatively chose to reply with the safest answer. "Well, one of the things I do is to make a nice meal for him..."


    "Meal? When do you cook for your husband when you are always in the pce with me?"


    "Your Majesty, I return home on the weekend of everyst week of the month."


    "Oh, right! Then?"


    "Then?" Marie felt hesitant. "He is pleased because he likes the meal I cook for him."


    "That''s it?"


    "Hmm!" Marie nodded while the two less naive women standing beside her threw her a teasing look.


    However, Seren nodded as if Marie said the exact things she wanted to hear. "That''s what I was thinking about as well. In those story books, I read that even a queen cooks a nice meal for her lord husband."


    Eva cleared her throat as the teasing smile on her lips widened. "Your Majesty, won''t you ask Marie what they do after enjoying a tasty home-cooked meal?"


    Marie threw the younger woman a silent re while Lady Xena felt her cheeks turn red.


    Seren gave her servant a serious look of contemtion. She imagined that the best way to aid digestion after eating a hearty meal would be to take a leisurely stroll outside. Would something that simple please her husband?


    "What more do you do, Marie?"

 Chapter 599 Did You Not Hear Me?

    Marie cleared her throat as she replied, "Umm, we go to bed, Your Majesty��"


    "So you sleep?" Seren concluded. It did somehow make sense in her mind; after all, after working everyday, being back home would be Marie''s only chance to rx.


    Marie nodded quietly, not willing to expose her privacy once again to her queen. But Eva didn''t give up as she tried to hide her giggling.


    "Your Majesty, Your Majesty," she said with a naughty smile, "do you really think they just sleep when Marie meets her husband? After a separation of almost an entire month? Will you also only eat and sleep when you meet His Majesty after a month-long wait?"


    Seren stopped eating once more, blinking innocently after hearing those words. As she looked at Marie throwing dagger-like res at Eva, she thought to herself. ''If Dray were to stay away from me for that long��I don''t think I''ll be satisfied. I would want to spend the limited time I have with him doing other things. Those two days he was away, I already missed him so much, what more a month."


    "Eva, you sure are getting so bold, don''t you?" Marie forced smiled at her fellow servant, her narrowed eyes showing irritation at Eva''s mischief.


    "Me? Bold?" The younger servant pretended not to understand. "I was just trying to get more information for Her Majesty on how a wife pleases her husband."


    "You��"


    "Eva is right," Seren interrupted her. "Then what do you do in bed��"


    Cough!


    "Your Majesty, we do what you are thinking about," Marie answered with a burning face.


    "Oh��" Seren said with understanding. "I cannot cook or I will burn this entire ship. So I need to know what more I can do to please Dray."


    Now they understood why their queen asked this seemingly out of the blue. She wanted to please her husband.


    Marie sighed inwardly at her helpless situation and decided to help out the younger woman. "Your Majesty, if I may be honest, what pleases your husband is a matter of preference. You need to observe his likes and dislikes, and only time can help you with that. If I may be blunt, well, you can try to take initiative of things when you and His Majesty are in bed. It might please him, and even if not, at least you will know."


    Seren thought about it and then asked, "Will it really work please him? Don''t men like to be in charge��?"


    "It always works on my husband," Marie answered promptly, causing the other women inside the cabin to chuckle at her expense.


    "Fine, I will try," Seren said as she thought with determination, ''I need to get the answers to what he did about me and my clothes back then in Abetha.''


    The three women looked at their queen who was lost in her world. They could note up to imagine this young queen of theirs would try to dominate their domineering king.


    All three of them shook their heads and tried to get rid of the embarrassing thoughts.


    ��


    For the next few hours, Seren and her servants remained inside the Queen''s cabin, and though it was the most stable area within the ship, those inside could still feel the swaying of the wooden floorboards underneath them. The young queen couldn''t even enjoy tea as the drink would spill as soon as it entered the cup, and thedies serving her had to keep the fragile items like ss and porcin off the table and into the cupboards for safekeeping.


    These women could only imagine how worse the situation was aboveboard.


    Drayce didn''t show up in front of Seren even when noontime came, and she started to feel worried.<novelnext>  </novelnext>


    She stood up from bed, holding onto the footboard in order to keep herself steady, "I am going to the deck."


    "You must not, Your Majesty!" Lady Xena called out. "It''s not safe to go out. The sailors said that the wind is too strong even for them. We can''t even stand properly here��"


    "Indeed. Please, Your Majesty, let''s just stay put," Marie agreed. "The King and the sailors must be busy taking care of things, and our appearance will not only endanger our lives, it will also add to their burdens."


    Despite her reluctance, Seren understood their worries and stayed back in her cabin. Outside, they could hear the noise of the strong wind hitting the windows as well as the rough waves striking the side of the ship. The women had no choice but to stay seated while holding onto something to keep themselves stable. Even amidst the roars of the sea, they could hear the loud voices of the sailors giving instructions to each other.


    The entire day passed by chaotically, and while everyone was busy with their tasks, Seren had no choice but to stay inside her cabin with only her thoughts aspany. She had dismissed her servants to rest in their own quarters, and they only came back when it was time for her evening meal.


    However, the roughness of the sea got even worse when night came, and rain started pouring down as if to say a storm hade. Seren could see the situation outside from the small ss window inside her cabin.


    As she had not seen Drayce the entire day, her mind was filled with worry about his safety. She didn''t expect that she would get to personally experience such a dangerous journey, thinking storms like this would only happen to the unlucky characters she read in books. Worse, in those books she read, a ship experiencing a storm would always be followed by a shipwreck.


    ''No, I should not have negative thoughts.''


    Though she was aware of Drayce''s abilities, as a wife, she could not stop feeling worried for her husband.


    A sh of light suddenly erased the pitch ck darkness outside the window, followed by the roaring sounds of thunder. Seren felt as if her heart was in her throat.


    Without saying a word, Seren stood up, causing her servants who were cleaning the almost untouched evening meal to look up at her with puzzled gazes.


    "Your Majesty, do you need something?" Lady Xena asked.


    "Nothing. You all stay here and do not follow me," Seren ordered in an authoritative tone.


    The three women could not obey this order of the Queen. It would be against their duty and loyalty to let her go alone. "But, Your Majesty��"


    Seren red at the three. "Did you not hear me?"


    The group of women froze in their ces, unable to react after seeing her like this for the first time. Seren had never acted so strictly with them. They could only watch her open the door and leave the cabin on her own.


    "But it will be dangerous for Her Majesty��"


    "Let''s follow Her Majesty even if she doesn''t want us to."


    "Yes, we canter ept the punishment for not listening to her. Her safety is of utmost importance."


    The three women hurried after the queen, despite themselves trying their best to keep their bnce.


    Seren climbed the set of circr stairs while holding onto the railing, and soon, she reached the door leading to the deck. From the other side of the door, she could hear the threatening noises of nature mixed along with the shouts of the sailors giving instructions to others.


    When Seren opened the door, she was weed by the strong gust of wind which made her take a step back. Her entire body was almost pushed with the force and she would have fallen down the stairs had she not grabbed onto the doorway.

 Chapter 600 Waiting For The Show Of Power

    Seren gaped at the chaos on the deck; it was as if the world had turned upside down. The rain was so heavy and the darkness of the night. it was almost impossible to see anything beyond several feet in front, yet still, the brave sailors were doing their best to handle the ship in such a terrible storm.


    She held onto the doorway for a moment and chose to step out even as her body immediately got drenched in the rain. Just then, a passing sailor nearby saw her and panicked.


    "Your Majesty, it''s dangerous outside! Please stay in your cabin!" the man shouted as he held one rope tightly, trying to keep the sail of the mast from unfurling.


    Seren heard the sailor but she ignored his warning as her eyes only searched for her husband. Because of the low visibility caused by the nighttime and the rain, she could not find him and walked ahead.


    "Your Majesty the Queen, please return!"


    Drayce, who had been overseeing the sailors with the help of his superior eyesight that could pierce through the rain, stiffened despite being at the quarterdeck. His sensitive ears caught the words shouted by the sailor, and his gaze hurried towards the image of his wife shivering under the rain.


    "Bt," Drayce shouted loudly to the captain who was holding onto the ship''s wheel together with the helmsman. "Take charge!"


    "Yes, Your Majesty!"


    After handing over his work to someone else, Drayce disappeared from the quarterdeck, only to appear in front of his wife. He held her immediately in worry that she might slip down the wet floorboards and hurt herself. Even as it was, her clothes were already soaked and her body was cold.


    The servants who had reached the door, trying to catch up to her, happened to see her with Drayce and felt relieved. However, an annoyed sailor saw the hapless women trying to step onto the deck and could not help but usher them back, "Please stay inside,dies."


    "But Her Majesty..." Marie tried to speak but the sailor interrupted her.


    "His Majesty is with the Queen. He will bring her back."


    The servants agreed and let the sailor close that door.


    "Seren, what are you doing here?" Drayce asked. "Let''s go back to your cabin--"


    She looked up at him, her face drenched in rain, her shivering hands holding onto his arms. "I was worried for you."


    "You know you don''t have to."


    "But still, I could not stop. You didn''t show up the entire day as well..."


    "Apologies for worrying you, my Queen. Let me take you back first."


    "And you?"


    "Once everything has calmed down, I''ll be with you."


    Just then, the sailor on lookout at the crow''s nest shouted. "A huge wave ising in!"<novelnext>  </novelnext>


    Even the most experienced among the sailors froze upon hearing that shout. The captain immediately shouted to give new instructions, ordering the other sailors to leave the deck, and those who couldn''t to make sure to tighten the ropes on their waists.


    While humans were doing their best to get the ship out of the storm safely, Yorian was standing at the starboard of the ship, his feet firmly glued to the wooden floorboards, as if nothing could shake him, and he was calmly staring at that roaring sky and growling sea. He looked like he was worrying about nothing, and the chaos around him didn''t affect him.


    "Mister Yorian, a huge wave ising!" The captain yelled as loudly as he could, worried that the guest of the King didn''t hear the earlier shout due to the rain. "Please step back and find a safe ce--"


    The elf turned his head to the captain shouting from behind the wheel and offered him a smile. "You worry for nothing, CaptainBet!" He said in a casual tone, and then turned his attention back to the sea. "I am just waiting to see someone''s disy of powers."


    Drayce immediately called loudly for yer who was helping the sailors along with his knights. "yer!"


    Hearing his liege''s voice, yer wiped the water from his face and looked at the King.


    "Take care of, Seren!" Drayce ordered.


    yer dropped the work he was doing without dy and ran towards the King, managing to swiftly cross the distance despite the slippery floorboards and the swaying of the ship.


    With arge wave rushing visible to the eye, Drayce had no time to get his wife back to the cabin as he urgently needed to get the ship safely out of it. There was only one way to do it---using his powers.


    yer reached them and Drayce informed his wife in a hurry, "Stay with yer."


    "W-Where are you going?" Seren asked, unwilling to let him go.


    "Don''t worry. I will return in no time," he said and passed her to yer.


    yer merely hesitated for a split second before wrapping an arm firmly around the Queen''s shoulder, knowing that he needed to hold onto her tightly in order for the two of them to remain on their feet. "Apologies, Your Majesty."


    Seren didn''t mind as all her thoughts were focused on Drayce and she held onto yer''s strong arms while her gaze followed Drayce who jumped towards the bow to stand at the frontmost ce. Beyond the rain, all of those on the deck could see that enormous waveing towards them, ready to swallow their ship whole.


    Yorian had already expected this happening, his eyes holding great expectations.


    "Doesn''t look like you need my help. I will enjoy the power show then."


    The elf had leisurely stayed rooted in ce, crossing his arms as he watched Drayce''s heroic figure at the bow.


    The young king, with his eyes closed, slowly raised his arms that were on his sides towards the sky, his open palms emitting powers...


    Soon everyone on the ship turned quiet as if time had stopped. All the sailors, knights including the captain and each and everything on the ship stopped moving as if they were frozen.


    Only Seren, yer and Yorian could see what was going on. yer and Seren were familiar with this kind of power of Drayce while Yorian felt nothing surprising.

 Chapter 601 Light And Darkness

    Everyone on the deck of the ship turned quiet, and even the sound of the howling storm seemingly silenced as if time had stopped. Neither the sailors nor the knights realized they had stopped moving��their eyes wide with fear, their bodies like a frozen statue��as the overwhelming might of the enraged sea about to kill all those on the ship.


    It was only natural for them to feel fear; afterall, humankind were but pitiful creatures in front of nature.


    Only Seren, yer and Yorian did not feel desperation at this life-threatening moment. yer and Seren were familiar with how Drayce''s power works, while Yorian knew what a fully grown Dragon was capable of, and thus, wore a hat of a spectator enjoying a show.


    A dark glow was being emitted from Drayce''s body, tendrils of smoke-like ck aura surrounding him, the strange sight growing with each passing second. From his body at the frontmost part of the ship, the strong pulsing magic rushed out with him in the center, embracing the people and the entirety of the ship, and along with the movements of his hands raising towards the sky, the body of the ship shook, only for it to be raised upwards, the sea vessel slowly leaving the surface of the water.


    ''T-The ship is flying!''


    Seren could not believe what was happening, and she would have fallen on the floor had it not been for yer''s arms keeping her steady. Her eyes wide with disbelief were fixed on the wave that failed to drag them down to the bottom of the sea.


    As the ship flew higher and higher, the threatening wave missed its chance to destroy the ship, barely touching the keel of the vessel before sshing back into the sea. It roared as if in grievance before returning back to the dangerous sea waters, one wave after another, but none of them could ever reach therge ship flying in the air.


    Drayce opened his eyes, his red eyes shing in the same darkness that his body had emitted. As deep as the abyss, as dark as the night, those eyes stared at the storm continuing to rampage on the sea, yet his profound gaze held a certain firmness to keep the extremelyrge vessel afloat.


    His eyes shed continuously between red and ck, and in those orbs surfaced a kind of darkness which showed the existence of endless powers inside him. Though he was straining himself to use this much power in this manner, the determination to carry out this task remained unchanging in his gaze.


    And as she witnessed these all, Seren trembled, partially due to the cold but mostly due to shock.


    A day before, he had told her he could take this entire ship with him on the rare chance any danger would befall them. At that time, she found it a little funny, though she was somewhat doubtful if she would ever get to witness what sounded like her husband''s bragging. Not even in her wildest dreams would she imagine that she would get to see it so soon. She still found it hard to believe despite seeing his miraculous feat with her own two eyes.


    ''How powerful!''


    Once the flying ship finally gained enough momentum, its body stopped shaking, and it was kept so steady anyone would think they were traveling on tnd on a stormy night.


    "...Your Majesty?


    "...Your Majesty!"


    Someone seemed to be calling out to her.


    "Huh?"


    Seren blinked, realizing btedly that she had forgotten the existence of the knight holding onto her.<novelnext>  </novelnext>


    "Your Majesty, let me escort you inside," yer offered, trying his best to use his sturdy frame to shield her shivering body from the fierce winds.


    "N-No, I am fine," she rejected despite her teeth chattering from the cold. "Let me be here."


    As the ship was no longer shaking, she could manage to be steady on her own two feet. She let go of yer, her eyes returning to the impressive sight of her husband at the bow of the ship.


    Though she could only see his back, she could feel that something was different about Drayce''s powers.


    ''The same, but there is something else. Something more. As if��as if its quality has changed?''


    Drayce was powerful; there was no doubt about this. However, if she was topare the strength of his powers she had felt before, the usual Drayce''s power was pitifully weakpared to what she was feeling from him at this moment.


    Darkness.


    The absence of light.


    If Drayce''s usual darkness was thefort of the night, then the darknessing out of his body now was the absolute darkness that could engulf all creatures of the world in fear. Seren was not even the target of his power, but she could not help but shiver due to its caress.


    More powerful than anything she had ever felt.


    Danger. Terror. Destruction unrivaled in the world but��but she somehow felt a strange connection to it. It didn''t make sense, but intuition was urging her that that threatening darkness belonged to her, and she only had to reach out and embrace it��


    ''This kind of darkness is��Erebus?'' Though Seren was surprised, she was not shocked. ''Yes, I can feel his presence, but I can�� feel Dray as well? How can they both be present at the same time?''


    Light and darkness.


    Light drives away darkness, and darkness extinguishes light. Each of them gives meaning to the other, but they should not be able to exist together.


    ''Yet Dray and Erebus��?''


    It was the first time she could feel this bizarre situation. It did not make sense, yet it also made perfect sense. She could feel the essence of their powers which contradicted each other but still coexisted with harmony. Drayce''s powers held a pure, peaceful and bright essence while Erebus'' was deep, destructive and infinite. If put together, Erebus'' powers should have been more dominant over Drayce''s. Light should not be able to survive in absolute darkness.


    ''Yet they are in perfect bnce right now? Does this mean both of their consciousness can exist at the same time?'' she wondered.

 Chapter 602 My Husband Is A Miracle

    As she observed more, Seren was at awe upon realizing how Drayce and Erebus worked together.


    ''The power that froze time for the people ising from Dray and the one that is used to lift this gigantic ship from the sea ising from Erebus.''


    It was a novel experience, equally astounding and mesmerizing. How could a single person be this incredible? Her heart could not help but race at the thought of what he could do with such great powers. If he were to use his powers to dominate people, forget about the Kingdom of Megaris;, all the kingdoms of the entire continent would fall at his feet. He could conquer thends unimpeded. He could be the sole ruler of thergest empire humanity had ever known...but she knew Drayce was not greedy for such things.


    Under Drayce''s impable control, therge sea vessel continued to soar in the night sky, avoiding all the dangerous roars of the sea. After some time, Seren noticed that she could no longer hear thunder. The rain had somehow eased, until nothing but a drizzle remained. It seemed that her husband had brought the ship away at an adequate distance from the eye of the storm.


    Drayce''s raised arms started to lower to his sides, and slowly, the heavy shipnded back into the rtively calm sea water with arge ssh. The impact was greater than expected, and Seren almost missed her bnce, but yer immediately held her body and kept her upright.


    "That was really entertaining," Yorianmented as he apuded like a satisfied audience appreciating an opera performance.


    Drayce didn''tment and slowly opened the eyes he had closed earlier. They were fiery red in color, the darkness in them was gone. He was back to his normal self.


    Along with the release of his magic''s hold on the ship, the frozen time of the people onboard also disappeared, and it was as if everything came back to life. The once quiet deck turned into a chaotic one and some of the crewmen were even flinching, expecting to be hit by the huge tidal wave, only for them to realize a few awkward secondster that nothing happened to them.


    There was no storm, there was norge wave, and they were not in danger. It was as if they woke up and realized what they had experienced was nothing but a nightmare.


    As if on cue, yer let Seren go and lowered her head in front of her to bow to her. "Apologies for having to touch you without your permission, Your Majesty."


    With the Queen refusing to return to the safety of the cabins, he had no choice but to hold onto Seren to keep her safe. Even the most experienced sailors would have difficulty keeping their bodies upright during that storm. When even these muscr men would roll on the slippery floor despite their skills, what more could be expected of the frail but stubborn young woman.


    Seren didn''t mind it as she knew without yer she would have been hurt badly. Worse, she would have possibly fallen into the sea if not for him. "Thank you for protecting me, Sir Calhoun."


    "It''s my duty, Your Majesty," yer replied and didn''t leave her side, intending to stay until the King took her back to the cabin.


    Drayce announced, "The storm has passed. You all can rx and release the sail." He then said to Captain Bt, "Take care of everything."


    Captain Bt found the sudden disappearance of the rain strange, butpared to his bewildered crewman, he knew that there was no need to question their king. He regained hisposure and began barking orders to the sailors.


    Knowing the captain would have no problems dealing with the aftermath, Drayce walked back towards his wife. yer then bowed to the royal couple and excused himself to check on his own men.


    At this point, Drayce only had eyes for his wife. He wrapped his arms around her delicate shivering body, pressing his body close to her wet skin to share his warmth with her. "Are you alright, my Queen?"<novelnext>  </novelnext>


    She nodded while letting her head rest against his firm chest, yet her cold body covered in a drenched robe was telling him otherwise.


    The people on the deck pretended not to notice the King and Queen and simply convinced themselves to work faster. It waste in the night, and aside from those on night duty, most of the sailors running around the deck wanted to hurry and return to their own warm quarters to rest. Some crewmen unfurled the sails, some checked on the damaged parts of the ship, while others got rid of the umted rainwater onboard.


    Amidst the busy men running all over the ce, the unmoving figures of the King and Queen of Megarispletely stood out like they were in a world of their own.


    "I will take you inside now. Change out of these drenched clothes. I don''t want you getting sick," he whispered after some time.


    This time, Seren agreed without hesitation, a perfect example of an obedient wife. Drayce took her back to the Queen''s cabin where her worried servants were waiting for her. "I have to go back to the deck to take care of things. You will be fine with your servants, right?"


    "Don''t worry about me. Go ahead," she replied and let her servants take care of her once her husband left.


    "Your Majesty, are you alright?" the servants asked with a worry.


    "Yes, I am. Don''t worry," she assured as her servants helped her change from that drenched clothes to clean and dry ones.


    Till then Eva brought the freshly brewed tea for her. "Apologies, Your Majesty. The things in the kitchen are a little messy so it took a time to make tea."


    Seren was sitting in the bed as her servants covered her with thick nket and even put the copper censer filled with burning coal close to the bed to make her feel warmer.


    "It''s alright, Eva. You three have a tea with me as well," Seren instructed as she made herselffortable in that warmth. "Do not say no."


    Those three could not disobey their Queen and sat in the chair and Eva brought extra tea cups for them.


    As they sipped on tea, Eva said, "It was so dangerous till a while ago and I thought we would be drowned in the sea. I wonder what miracle happened suddenly that everything is calm now and we are fine."


    "That''s true," Marie added, "Whatever it is, miracle or not, I am happy that we all are safe."


    Seren heard them while sipping that hot tea and a small smile painted on her lips. ''Miracle?'' she thought, ''My husband itself is a miracle.''

 Chapter 603 Cursing Wife

    By the crack of dawn, the door leading to the Queen''s cabin opened.


    An exhausted Drayce appeared inside the cabin after changing into dry clothes, and without hesitation, he joined the peacefully sleeping woman in bed, contentedly wrapping himself around his wife. Sensing his warmth, Seren snuggled deeper into his embrace without a word before returning to sleep.


    By the time she woke up hourster, strong sunlight had already illuminated the cabin through the small ss window, making her aware that it was probablyte in the morning. The surprising thing was, though she woke upter than usual, Drayce was still sleeping by her side, holding onto her like a body pillow.


    A gentle smile tugged her lips as she observed the lines and shadows on his sleeping face, his already handsome angr features further enhanced by the stream of sunlight.


    Drayce was an early riser, always leaving bed before sunrise, thus, someone like Seren who loves to sleep in never got the chance to see him like this. This was a rare chance to admire his handsome face without getting embarrassed that she was staring too much.


    ''His brows, those long eyshes, his perfect nose, those sultry lips...ah, it''s simply a work of art! How can a man be this beautiful? Even his skin looks good under the sunlight...''


    Seren had a strong urge to caress his face, but she didn''t follow through as she didn''t have the heart to wake him up.


    ''Seems like he overexerted himself and used too much of his powersst night. I should let him rest for as long as he needs.''


    He looked so peaceful and at ease that she dared not even change her position, not moving even a little, worried it would disturb his sleep. Though this made her muscles tense ufortably after some time, she found herself distracted by the handsome sight of her husband.


    Drayce continued to sleep like that for another hour, and Seren greeted him with a smile in her gentle gaze the very second his eyes opened.


    "Did you sleep well, Dray?"


    His sleepy eyes blinked slowly, the haze of sleep still heavy in those red orbs, and she felt like her entire being was getting sucked into them. A wild thought shed in her mind, and she hurried to reel her thought in.


    "Hmm?" he replied in a husky voice and held her body tighter, closing his eyes once more.


    "Do you still want to sleep?" she asked, as she felt tinglish at the side of her neck where Drayce was snuggling his face.


    "...A little bit more?"


    Seren found herself amused; this powerful man was behaving like a husband wanting to be somewhat spoiled by his wife.


    She patted his head, enjoying the feel of the strands of his ck hair in between her fingers. "All right. I need to get up so I will leave you to sleep..." she tried to say, but in response, he only held her tighter and let out a grumpy groan.


    "Stay with me," he said, not willing to let her go.


    Seren almostughed as she obedientlyid by his side.


    ''He is acting like a child yet I don''t dislike it.''


    Behind her veil, she was smiling so widely, her cheeks almost hurt, and she relished the pleasant emotions she felt at this moment.


    She was important, she was needed, and she was loved.


    After enjoying some more sweet time together, Drayce finally kissed her forehead and let her go. "Good morning, my Queen."


    "Morning, Dray."


    Her warm gaze was stuck on his face.


    "Why are you staring? Are you mesmerized by how handsome I look?"


    She giggled. "Hmm, something like that? Who knows..." She touched the random hair strands from his face and moved them behind his ear. "You are really handsome, Dray."


    The corner of his lips lifted at her praise, causing his normally cold appearance to appear somewhat gentler. "Am I?"


    "Yes, you are."<novelnext>  </novelnext>


    "Do you like my appearance?"


    "I do."


    "As long as my Queen is happy with my looks."


    Seren paused her hand that was ying with his hair, causing Drayce toin, "Why did you stop?"


    "Well..." she hesitated. "You are a good-looking man. Surely, you''ll feel disappointed once you see the face behind my veil and find that my appearance is not attractive to your eyes."


    "Does it matter? I have already given my heart to you. No matter how you look, you are mine, and that is the only thing you need to remember."


    "Handsome and a sweet talker. What am I going to do with you?" shemented, feeling overwhelmed with his words.


    "I can do sweet things as well," he said, as his bright red eyes gave her a meaningful look.


    She immediately sat up in bed and changed the subject. "Dray, it is fine for me to walk around the deck today, right? Yesterday, I was cooped up inside the cabin the entire day and it was kind of suffocating."


    "Just in time. We are scheduled to dock today in Port Hope ," he informed as he rolled in bed toy on his back.


    "Where?"


    "Port Hope. Formally, the name is Azures Ind, but the locals just call it Hope Ind or Port Hope. I''m talking about a small inhabited ind where ships and merchant vessels which pass through this sea route normally stay. Years ago, it''s merely a camping ce for tired sailors, but it gradually developed into a port town. We can roam around the market if you feel like getting down from the ship."


    "An ind?" Her eyes brightened up. "I would love to go there."


    He nodded and sat up on the bed. "Get ready then. I will check where we are now," Drayce said as he stepped out of the bed. Just as he reached the door, he turned to look at her. "My Queen?"


    "Huh?"


    "Have you thought about what you will do to please me so you can get answers to your questions?"


    "I have yet to decide what to do." She helplessly shook her head. Meeting his amused gaze, she blinked a few times, making a face like an innocent kitten. "Can you give me a hint about what you like?"


    He smirked yfully, saying a cheerful, "I believe you will get it right," before leaving.


    "What? Am I a mind reader to know what you like? Dray! Come back!" she said loudly but her words were not answered.


    "Hmph, how dare he run away?" She frowned. "He really is so stubborn."


    Drayce, who was chuckling outside the cabin, could not hide the amusement in his eyes. The grin on his face refused to leave even after he climbed the spiral stairs and opened the door to the deck. "Not more than you, my Queen."


    It just so happened that yer was standing right outside the door. He heard Drayce and sighed after seeing the man was alone. "Eavesdropping again?"


    "Listening to your wife cursing at you is not considered eavesdropping. In the first ce, she cursed so I could hear it." Under his knight''s unimpressed stare, he clicked his tongue. "Tsk, a single soul like you cannot understand it."


    "Such a showoff," yer sighed but fell in ce a step behind Drayce like a dutiful escort knight as they headed towards the quarterdeck where the captain was.


    "How long till we reach Port Hope?" Drayce asked.


    "The weather is nice, so we will be there in an hour or so," the captain answered.


    Thanks to the favorable tailwind caught by the sails, their ship reached the ind in under an hour. Seren was excited to leave the ship and step onto firmnd, and as they neared the ind, her enthusiasm grew.


    An ind!

 Chapter 604 A Young Black Witch

    An ind!


    One part of the ind was covered in greenery, while there was a long beach on the other. Boats and ships smaller than theirs were docked on the harbors, and an advance party had been sent before their approach in order for the knights to check the area before they arrived.


    After the ship lowered its anchor and the advance party gave a cue, Drayce helped Seren down the wooden gangway. The town chief was there to greet them, but the group merely passed themselves off as wealthy nobles working for the royal family of Megaris in order to not cause trouble for the residents and other travelers. After all, if they were to learn that royalty hade, Seren wouldn''t be able to enjoy the atmosphere of the port town.


    As she looked around, she found the ce much more rowdier than the pier in ckhelm. There were merchants and their ships, fishermen and their boats, sailors as well as adventurers and mercenaries milling about the docks. It was very lively.


    However, what Seren liked the most was the fact that people merely threw curious nces their way before returning to whatever they were doing.


    "Is it fine for us to stay here?" she asked. "This won''t dy our trip, will it?"


    "This is part of our schedule so don''t worry. Unless one is in a hurry, traveling by ship without stopovers is not good for anyone. We have to restock some supplies as well as let the sailors rest. Moreover, since the ship had faced a storm, there will be some repair work to be done," he exined.


    "Then how long are we staying here?"


    "For a day. We will leave tomorrow morning."


    As they conversed, the couple walked together followed by their retinue. Their stay was arranged in the best inn within Port Hope, which was close to the shore, and they were also given the room at the highest floor from where they have the perfect view of the sea.


    After having a simple meal and changing into morefortable clothes, they decided to stroll around the market, bringing only a single knight, yer, and onedy-in-waiting, Xena, with them.


    As they walked among the crowd, Drayce suddenly felt something and halted in his tracks.


    Seren stopped as well and looked at her husband who had his brows creased as if he was searching something among that crowd.


    "Dray, what happened?" she asked.


    Drayce didn''t answer her as his sharp gaze tried to search each and every corner of the street.


    ''Such a strong power and the power of darkness at that? I had never felt the power of that attribute before, other than mine. Who could this be?''


    Seren didn''t disturb him and simply followed his line of sight. ''Something feels strange here. Is it why Dray has stopped? What kind of power is this? Is there another supernatural being in this ce?''


    Drayce''s gaze stopped at a certain figure turning towards the corner of a small alley, that person in question walking swiftly. He sensed that the power of darkness wasing from that figure.


    "Wait here with yer," Drayce ordered in a hurry and hurried to follow that figure. ''If I can sense that person''s powers, that means that person can sense mine as well. That exins why that person is running away.''


    He quickly reached the corner of the alley where that person disappeared, but as he reached another intersection, he found it empty. ''Where did that person run off to?"


    Fortunately, Drayce could still sense that dark energy lingering in the air, but he had to move fast as the traces of that dark power were disappearing quickly.<novelnext>  </novelnext>


    ''Is this ce not safe for Seren? I should return by her side��but I think it is more efficient to confirm the identity of the owner of this dark energy.''


    Drayce focused for a while, and as soon as he caught the trail, he followed the leftover traces into another alley.


    He then disappeared out of thin air, only to appear in front of the mysterious figure, almost causing them to crash into each other.


    Drayce''s gaze observed the person standing in front of him who looked baffled.


    It was difficult to guess if the person was a man or a woman. Height-wise, the person could be a tall woman or a short man, their body more on the slender side, and the person was d in a tight robe and pants, the kind of clothes men wear. The person''s head was even wrapped with multipleyers of fabric, a particr manner of dressing favored by males in the southern region of Megaris.


    Because everything about this person was covered in cloth from head to toe, they looked far too suspicious to be ignored. Only a pair of hazel eyes were visible under their headwrap, and at this moment, those eyes were shaking in fear as they stared at Drayce.


    "Who are you?" Drayce asked, but the person took a step back. Drayce warned, "Do not try to run away."


    The person froze in ce, but their eyes wandered around as if to find a chance to escape.


    Just then, Drayce''s ears caught something, and he heard familiar voices letting out cries a few streets away.


    "Your Majesty!"


    "Are you hurt?"


    Those were yer''s and Xena''s voices, and Drayce could not ignore what he heard. Wherever he would go, as long as she was within the range of his powers, his attention would always follow Seren''s movements.


    Taking advantage of his distraction, the person in front of him began to flee. Drayce shed by that person''s side, but the person was slippery and was able to somehow twist their body in a nimble manner, and was able to escape his hold. He aimed to grab that person''s shoulder, but that person dodged and his hand was only able to grab the cloth wrapped around his head like a turban.


    A woman!


    The mysterious figure was a young woman with messy long reddish blond hair, but before he could see her full face, she covered it partially with her hand before jumping over a wall of a nearby building. She moved so quickly and agilely, her movements were on par with the most elite royal knights.


    Drayce didn''t follow her as for now he needed to go back to Seren and he was sure he would catch this young woman sooner orter. ''Such a strong dark energy�� Well, as long as she poses no harm to Seren, there is no need for me to pry into a stranger''s life.''


    Drayce hurried back to Seren, worried about what happened to her in the span of minutes he was gone. When he reached her side, he was relieved to discover it was nothing serious��just random children ying and running haphazardly in the crowd and bumped into her.


    ? After they returned to the inn to rest some timeter, Drayce''s mind could not help but wonder about that mysterious young woman with dark powers.


    ''She looks young, possibly in her early twenties, but then again appearance does not equate age for supernatural beings. But for someone with such strong powers to be in a faraway ce like this, I wonder what you are up to, ck Witch?''

 Chapter 605 What Are White And Black Witches

    Inside their room, after dismissing their servants, Seren approached her husband and helped him out of his coat. "Earlier in the market...Why did you suddenly run off? Is something the matter, Dray?"


    "Trivial stuff. Don''t think about it," he replied, not willing to worry his wife.


    "But didn''t you leave to follow that strange power?" she asked as she made herselffortable on the bed.


    Drayce, who was putting his sword away, looked at her in surprise. "Did you feel that as well, my Queen?"


    "Hmm." She nodded. "It is powerful yet strange. Other than you, I have never sensed such strong powers from anyone. But then again, aside from when I was abducted, I have note across many supernatural beings."


    Hearing her, Drayce was reminded of Aureus and realized the essence of his powers was still suppressed by his mother''s magic spell whenever Aureus was in his beast form. This was the reason Seren couldn''t feel the existence of his divine powers despite being so close to him.


    Seeing him go quiet, Seren probed, "Who was it? What kind of supernatural being is it? An elf? A witch? Did you manage to talk with them?"


    Drayce walked towards her and sat next to her at the edge of the bed. "First, tell me if you are hurt somewhere."


    Seren turned to face him with an impatient gaze, aware he was trying to change the subject. "What are you talking about? No, I am not hurt. Now tell me, who did you go after?"


    Seren wasn''t normally the type to ask a lot of questions, but after the things she had gone through--from Drayce''s powers, to the stories about Esther as well as meeting Divine Eagle Aureus and High Elf Yorian--the supernatural world had piqued her interest.


    She was curious to know who could be so powerful that it even got Drayce''s attention.


    "She seems to be a young ck Witch," he answered.


    "A ck Witch?" Her eyes widened. "They are evil creatures! Why did you go after her, Dray? What if something had--."


    "I am stronger than you know. Nothing will happen to me." Drayce''s caught one of her hands and squeezed it. "And not all ck Witches are evil."


    "But the one leading those who abducted me is a ck Witch, isn''t it?"


    Drayce narrowed his eyes as he recalled that dangerous incident, but then shook his head. "It just happened that one of our enemies is a ck Witch, but she doesn''t represent everyone belonging to her kind. The ''ck'' among witches is different from the ''ck'' among ck magic practitioners. The ''ck'' in a ck Witch refers to the elemental attribute of darkness."


    "But still..."


    "I also possess the power of darkness. Though my mother is a White Witch, my elemental attribute is darkness which I got from my birth father. Does that darkness make me evil as well?"


    Seren immediately shook her head and sped his hand. "Anyone can be evil but you, Dray. I know you can never be evil."


    "Same for the ck Witches. We can''t just generalize that all of them are evil just because they have the power of darkness. It depends on the intentions of that person how they want to use that power."


    "I understand..." she sighed. "Does that mean everyone who holds the powers of darkness belongs to the same race or...? I don''t know what to ask exactly..."


    Drayce understood her confusion. "Let me exin to you. It has to do with the creation of supernatural beings."


    Seren''s eyes brightened as she listened to him speak.


    "ording to legends, when the world was created, many races were born, but the race said to be blessed the most by the favor of the pantheon of the heavenly realm are the witches, the ancient seekers of truth. Thus, the progenitors of the witch race were given powers by the pantheon, and these powers are divided into white and ck, light and darkness.


    "Those who received the blessings of the Primordial Gods became the first White Witches, meanwhile, those bestowed the favor by the Keeper of All Darkness became ck Witches. So based on the kind of powers witches possess, they are divided into white and ck. White Witches are born with the power of light, while the ck Witches are born with the powers of darkness."


    "That I understood, Dray, but that ck Witch who tried to abduct me, she was terribly dangerous. We don''t even know if there is any rtion between her and the ck Witch you saw today--"


    "You are not wrong about her, but just because she is evil, does not mean the entire race of ck Witches is evil. Isn''t it the same for humans? Some choose to bew-abiding citizens, while othersmit criminal acts. The one who abducted you, she was corrupted by her greed and opted to use evil ways to increase her powers. Rather than simply relying on the power of darkness, she dabbled into the taboo ck magic."


    "Evil ways? Taboo?"


    Drayce carefully drew circles on her palm as he exined, "To tell you the truth, the power of darkness is more powerful than the power of light. ck Witches are thebat force of the witch race, as their powers are destructive in nature, aspared to White Witches who focus on schrly studies like magic spells, potion-making, healing, scrying, among others.


    "Witches like exploring the truth of the world the most, and in order to understand magic more, they need to grow stronger. The stronger their powers, the more their intelligence grows, the more they understand the truths they sought.<novelnext>  </novelnext>


    "The thing is, there is a more efficient alternative way to increase the strength of the power of darkness--and that is through using life as sacrifice. It is a taboo, but some witches still opt for this evil way in order to grow their magical powers in a shorter time.


    ? "Because ck Witches are more prone to fall to temptations of evil, this is what makes others wary of them. In turn, this affected the others who also have the attribute of darkness. Others became scared that one day, they too would opt for evil ways and harm others."


    "And they really do that...I mean opting for evil ways to increase their powers?" Seren asked.


    "Hmm! We cannot control someone''s greed for power, just like that ck Witch who you came across. My mother told me before that nobody was safe-- even White Witches turn to ck magic as well when they be desperate for strength, and this too will corrupt them and turn them into ck Witches."


    "Really? That''s too awful. They already have powers but still want more." She sighed. "I don''t think I can even understand what kind of mindset they have. All I know is that I want to live peacefully."


    Drayce patted her head. "You are my innocent and adorable witch."


    It was the first time Drayce called Seren a witch and she smiled, "Never in my dreams did I expect I would like hearing someone call me a witch. You are the first."


    She remembered how upset she used to feel whenever people would despise her and call her a witch as an insult, but it was different with Drayce. This special man said it in a way that made her understand he epts her for what she is.


    "Then, I will often call you like that, my Queen."


    "Why don''t you call me by my name instead? Hmm? Hmm? Please...?" She blinked her eyes like an adorable kitten, deliberately acting cute to make him do what she wanted.


    He chuckled lightly. "Who taught you to act like this?"


    "Act like what?"


    "To act cute like this."


    "Is it cute? Am I cute?" she asked and tilted her head to one side, slowly blinking her lovely purple eyes again. "So will you call me by my name, Dray, hmm?"


    Drayce could not help butugh loudly, and Seren found her heart racing. For the first time, she saw him genuinelyughing like this...and he''s way too handsome!


    With a glimmer in her eyes, she did it again, tilting her head to the other side. "Will you, Dray? Will you?"


    "Haha!" He was so tempted to pinch her cheeks. "Fine, my Seren. I will call you by your name."


    She was happy to hear her name smoothly roll off his tongue. "Now, that''s better. Also, I discovered what I have to do to make you listen to me."


    "What?


    She blinked her eyes. "I have to act cute."


    "You are cute even without trying to be one. You don''t have to do anything as I promise to obey my wife''s words. I do whatever my wife says since whatever my Seren says is always correct."


    She offered him a sweet smile which he could feel only through her bright eyes and she hugged him.


    After enjoying their midday meal together, he asked Seren to rest. Drayce left the inn to search for that young ck Witch who he came across in the alley. Though he didn''t want to barge into another person''s affairs, especially since that person wasn''t hostile with him, Port Hope was still part of the Kingdom of Megaris. He needed to find out what was going on this small ind.


    For such a powerful ck Witch to be here, there must surely be a reason. The only coincidence was that he discovered her.


    What if she belonged to the same group who abducted Seren? What if she was hatching an evil n using the people of this ind as a sacrifice?


    After all, many of those who came here were travelers, and with these many strangers on the ind, public order was quite poor and having one or two missing person cases was normal.


    Though Drayce had assured Seren that not all ck Witches are bad, when it came to the safety of his wife, he could not trust anyone so easily. That tinge of doubt, he could not get rid of it.


    "yer, protect her. I will be back soon," Drayce instructed before disappearing.


    yer asked no questions, aware that Drayce would tell him things he needed to know in due time.

 Chapter 606 Searching For Black Witch

    Drayce went back to the alley where he lost the ck Witch.


    The ind was small, and he could have used his powers to appear before her no matter where she was hiding since he already branded the essence of her power in his memory. However, she must have used some unconventional means to hide her presence and he could no longer detect her.


    With no other choice, he had to track her in a less efficient way. He went to the same alley and climbed the same wall, jumping over it exactly like how that ck Witch did it. Being a supernatural being with the same dark attribute, he could still sense those fading traces from when she was flustered by his discovery.


    He continued to track her with the help of those fading traces of dark energy, though there were several times he found it hard to decide which way to go. Whenever there was a fork in the road, he had to rely on his intuition.


    Maybe the ck Witch had stayed for a long time in Port Hope, or perhaps she knew Drayce woulde after her and wanted to mislead him, but her traces were all over the ce. Like that, he continued to move in and out of multiple streets and buildings. As the town proper was merely developed along the coastline, it didn''t take long for him to reach the other part of the town empty-handed.


    ''We need to find her, Erebus. That is the only way to make sure that no harm will befall Seren. We have to ensure she is not a spy sent by our enemies.''


    Soon, he backtracked the way he came from.


    In the end, his own power led him towards one inconspicuous inn among the many small buildings at the outskirts. It was a simple and ordinary structure made of wood-- to be more precise, a shabby one isted from the other inns, seemingly catering towards those travelers who could not spend much money on their lodging. Looking at it, he could guess there were not many customers in that inn as he did not even see a single person go in or out from the moment he arrived.


    ''Big Barry''s Inn''


    Beyond the swinging door was a tavern where no proper woman would prefer to stay. Like most inns, the first floor was an area for drinking and eating, while lodgings would be offered on the other floors.


    But in this particr inn, seated on one of the tables were drunk men who brought hired women with them, and they were short of acting as if they were in a brothel. What kind of decent people would behave like this publicly and in the middle of the day?


    ''That young witch didn''t look like the sort who sells her body. Could she be the owner of this inn?''


    No one paid attention to him. There were no errand boys or servers to wee him, and the drunk men had a world of their own. Drayce walked towards the person behind the bar, an old man who looked to be the innkeeper since he was sitting with a small book in hand. He was scribbling on it, seemingly calcting the money he had.


    Skritch, skritch...


    "Food or lodging?" the old man asked with a gruff tone without even looking at Drayce, as if he was not bothered by whoes and goes out of this inn.


    ? "I am here to search for someone."


    "This ain''t an information guild, son."


    "The person I am looking for is a woman."


    "What? Did somess cheat a night out of you?" the old manmentedzily as he put his little finger inside his ear to relieve an itch. "So many useless peoplee here to have some fun and no one stays here for long."


    Drayce ignored his behavior and put down a piece of silver in front of the man. "She is a young woman with reddish blond hair and hazel eyes. Do you have anyone in mind with this description?"


    The old man was about to drive the young man away, but he changed his mind at the sight of the silver coin.


    "Ain''t no such woman here," the man replied after snatching it and continuing his work. "I don''t have time to pay attention to what kind of women those filthy men bring with them. If you are in need of a prettyss to warm your bed, then you can go to the first square from the right. Many of them woulde flocking to a young man like you."


    "Are you the sole person working in this inn?"


    "What? You think this ol'' Barry, can afford to hire anyone with what I earn?" The old man guffawed, his broken yellow teeth showing. "Son, I''d be lucky if those drunkards don''t run off and forget to pay for their drinks. Ugh, I''m on the verge of bing broke!"


    Drayce realized his mistake.


    ''That woman was hiding her identity so if she wasn''t the owner of this inn, then she must be a guest. Also her clothing, she must be disguising as a man.''<novelnext></novelnext>


    His eyes narrowed in suspicion.


    ''She sure has something up her sleeves to stay in such a shabby ce in disguise. As if to hide from someone. Forget about witches who prefer istion, supernatural beings find even normal humans intolerable, what more this kind of scum? Something''s going on with her.''


    Drayce pushed another silver coin. "Then, what about a man with a short slender build who keeps his entire face covered whenever he goes outside?"


    Innkeeper Barry''s hand froze mid-writing and finally lifted his head to look at the stubborn young man, but even before he could say a word, he was taken aback by his appearance.


    ''Money bag--no, wait! I''m screwed! It''s a nobleman!''


    A pair of red eyes were looking down at him, and though the young man wasn''t ring, it gave the innkeeper an impression that he was holding on to thest shred of his patience. That domineering handsome face, dignified manner of speaking, not to mention his bearing and those lowkey luxurious travel clothing gave away his high ss background. Barry immediately stood up from his chair.


    "Ah, Sir, Young Master, Young Lord, I apologize for acting rude--"


    Just a couple days ago, a neighbor unluckily met a temperamental noble who ordered his men to trash his inn because the innkeeper disrespected him. His inn might be on the verge of bing broke, but it''s still earning him a decent amount of copper coins so far!


    ''His eyes are red in anger, ain''t it? Huh? Red eyes?'' the man thought in panic. ''Dammit. They''re truly red! Didn''t the bards and sailors say only the King of Megaris has red eyes but...why would the King be here at such a shabby ce, asking for some shady person? Must be someone else. Red eyes can''t only run in the royal family, right?''


    All these happened in a sh. The old man changed his tone to a respectful one and spurted out everything in one breath. "My Lord, there was indeed such a man who stayed here in my inn. Now that I think of it, he did look suspicious. He never ordered for food to be brought to his room, and he never brought a woman with him--"


    "Is he upstairs?" Drayce asked, his dignified voice enough to give that man a chill.


    "H-He had left the inn already. About... about an hour ago!"


    "Where did he go? Any idea?" Drayce asked.


    "No, my Lord. Once someone leaves this inn, we don''t care about who goes where."


    "Which room did he stay in?"


    "Let me show you, my Lord!" The man guided his way inside the inn. Crossing a corridor with a few doors, they reached the end of it and the man opened thest door. "This was the room."


    Drayce stepped inside the room, and as he expected, the traces of her magic were the thickest in this ce. ''It must be because before I arrived on this ind, there had been no need for her to hide her power.''


    He searched around the empty room. He had no doubt that the witch would leave after erasing anything that could be used against her, but he still wished to look out for some clues. His gazended on the ordinary bed in the room. On the floor near its feet, he found some kind of dirt.


    He kneeled on one leg and picked up withered leaves among bits of soil. Drayce briefly recalled her carrying a leather pouch in her hand. She was grabbing onto it firmly, not willing to let it go at any cost, giving Drayce a chance to snatch her head wrap off because she couldn''t fend him off properly.


    Though the leaves crumbled the moment he pinched them, the vein on the leaf and the stinging grassy scent gave off the nt''s identity.


    Nightshade, a highly poisonous herb banned by the kingdom.


    ''It is one of the rare ingredients used to enhance the effective range of casting ck magic. When used on humans, it counts as an illegal drug where a small amount induces hallucination, and arge amount can affect the heart and act as a slow poison to a person''s heart.''


    Drayce, being the son of Esther, a witch with vast knowledge, he was well-versed in medicine and poisons as well..


    ''Why is she carrying these herbs for? For some evil means?''

 Chapter 607 Watching The Sunset

    Drayce stood up and looked at the old innkeeper. "You say he left an hour ago?"


    "Yes, my Lord. He brought a satchel with him and paid for his lodging. SInce he''s a traveler, it''s highly likely he''d be leaving this ind within the day, if he hasn''t boarded a ship yet."


    ''I need to ask the port master for the record of the ships or boats that have left the ind within the past one hour. If that witch is still around, I will be able to sense her powers the moment she lets down her guard, and if she has left, I should at least know her possible destinations.''


    Drayce stepped out of the room after making sure there were no other clues. The old man followed him like an obedient dog. As Drayce was about to leave the inn, Barry asked, "My Lord, anything more I can do for you?"


    In response, Drayce merely threw at him a small pouch which the man caught immediately. After looking at those silver coins inside, the old man raised his head to look at the generous nobleman, only to find no one was there.


    -----


    Drayce went to the port where his ship was docked and the repair work was ongoing in a shipyard. As yer and his brigade were appointed to protect Seren in the inn, Sir Azer Brayden, the Vice-Commander of the Royal Knights, was taking care of keeping an eye on the ship together with his men.


    The knight immediately bowed to the King upon seeing him. "Greetings, Your Majesty. What brings you to the shipyard?"


    Drayce exined to Sir Azer what he needed to do. SIr Azer understood the situation and excused himself to ask the port master, while Drayce climbed his ship and stood inside the crow''s nest, using his keen eyesight together with the binocrs he borrowed from a sailor to keep an eye on the people along the pier, as well as those ships sailing in the distance.


    Despite his inhumanly sharp eyesight, he was unable to spot anyone fitting the ck Witch''s description. He could not help but sigh, thinking it''s also possible that the witch changed her manner of dressing to fool his eyes.


    After finishing the given task, Sir Azer returned to the ship as fast as he could. Drayce, who had seen him approaching from high up, climbed down to the deck where he met up with the knight.


    He bowed to Drayce. "Your Majesty, I retrieved the information you asked for."


    Drayce nodded and Azer continued, "Three ships have left the port in the past one and a half hours. The first ship left exactly one and a half hour ago--a cargo ship belonging to the Golden Hawk Merchants headed to the port city of Selve in Griven. The next one, which was also a cargo ship but to the Eastern Trade Coalition, left half an hour after the first ship and it was headed for the southern territories of Abetha. Thest one was a longship belonging to a small merchant and left half hour ago, its destination also the port city of Selve.


    "The first ship is of no use but the other two have a high chance," Drayce said as he mumbled. "Abetha and Griven?"


    "Yes, Your Majesty. And when I asked around, I found a match on the small slender man who had his face covered. The crew on the pier especially remembered him because they said the man paid a hefty silver in order to board the vessel that was about to leave the dock. From what they said, they swore he was seen on the longship leaving for Griven."


    "Understood! You did well," Drayce said as he saw Captain Bting towards them.


    "Greetings, Your Majesty."


    "How''s the repair work going? Any major damages?"


    "Our ship is the best in the kingdom; how could it be harmed by such a storm? With half of the port''s shipwrights working on the minor repair work of the underside, it will bepleted by time the day ends."


    Drayce nodded and dismissed the two as he returned to his wife. On the way back to the inn, he still had that ck Witch in mind.


    ''If that ck Witch had indeed gone to Griven, then I hope shees across An. Before leaving ckhelm, I did send out a formal correspondence to the Royal Family of Cromwell that I will be making a stop in Selve. Knowing him, he would volunteer to leave the capital to receive the King and Queen of Megaris.


    ''An, I hope you doe across her so in our next meeting I can get clues about her from you.''


    -------


    Seren woke up from her nap and saw she wasn''t alone. Lady Xena was in the room with her, sitting in one chair doing some idle embroidery.


    The young queen sat up in bed. "Xena, why are you here? Didn''t I ask you, Eva and Marie, to take a break and have fun for the day?"


    Startled, Lady Xena immediately put down the needle and cloth in her hand, and the young woman approached the Queen. "Your Majesty, did you sleep well?"


    When Seren nodded, Lady Xena smiled at the unhappy look on the younger woman''s face. "Apologies, Your Majesty, but the three of us cannot take a break all at the same time. Even an ordinary noblewoman is required to have a single maid following her side all the time, what more the Queen? If outsiders were to hear Your Majesty has to put on her clothes on her own, the royal family of Megaris will be ridiculed. At the very least, one of us should be here to attend to you. As yourdy-in-waiting, it''s not right for me to leave your side."


    Seren could not argue over this.


    Lady Xena continued, "Besides, I don''t mind. As a noble, I have plenty of chances to travel. Let''s give Marie and Eva this chance to enjoy the ind on their own."


    At that, Seren was finally convinced. Herdy-in-waiting helped her freshen up, and when the two women went out of the guest room, they found yer standing outside the door as a guard. Seren understood he was there on Drayce''s order. That meant Drayce was not present in the inn.


    "Greetings, Your Majesty," yer said as he gave her a knight''s salute.


    Seren epted it with a nod and asked, "Where is my husband, Sir Calhoun?"


    "His Majesty has gone out, but he did not mention where. He will probably be back by evening," he informed.


    "Oh." She looked around the quiet corridor of the inn. "Did he mention anything else? I want to go out and explore the rest of the town."


    "I will protect you, Your Majesty," yer said with his head still lowered in front of her. His meaning was clear that she could go out if she wished so, and he would apany her as her escort guard.


    Seren thought about it and said, "Then I''ll be in your care, Sir Calhoun."


    Seren left for sightseeing along with Lady Xena. Despite covering their bodies in ordinary traveler''s cloaks, the three of them were pretty eye-catching as they left the inn. The two young women in particr were followed by numerous male gazes. yer followed behind the two with a sharp air, causing those curious gazes to immediately lose interest.<novelnext></novelnext>


    The roads of Port Hope had a pretty simpleyout, thus, the knight''s gaze lingered on the alleys and the people walking past, observing everything around carefully, keeping check on any possible kind of danger.


    On this ind where many travelers gather, he could not afford to be careless. Worse, there was also that invisible threat hanging due to the supernatural beings targeting the Queen...


    Seren bought many unusual things from the shops--from locally-made handcrafted items to rare products from the sea--and Lady Xena had the shop owners deliver them straight to their ship. After satisfying her curiosity, Seren left the town to take a stroll on the beach side of the ind.


    The sand was soft under her boots, and with each step, her foot would sink down and leave footprints, causing her to giggle like a little girl as she yed around kicking sand. Lady Xena was stunned, as the Queen had always had a quiet and sophisticated air around her when she was with people, but out of the public''s eye, she seemed to not mind simply enjoying the beauty of the beach with a heart as pure as a child''s.


    Soon, thedy-in-waiting helped Seren collect small seashells buried in the sand.


    After some time, Seren stood on the coast facing the glittering blue water, simply enjoying the salty breeze tossing her hair and skirt around. She had seen the sea from the port near ckhelm before, but it was a pier meant to receive ships and boats, and not a peaceful beach like this where the sandy shore meets the sea. The only noise were the calm sea waves and calls of the seagulls in the distance.


    "I wonder how it feels to step in that water and let those waves touch our feet?" Seren mumbled.


    "My Queen, why don''t you try it to know?"


    She heard the familiar voice and immediately turned around to see Drayce standing behind her a few steps away.


    "Dray? When did youe?"


    Her husband walked towards her and held her hand while Lady Xena and yer tactfully stepped back to give the couple privacy.


    "Will it be fine for us to y in the water?" Seren asked, her purple eyes shining excitedly.


    Drayce stopped in front of her and dropped to a single knee, taking her by surprise. "Dray, what are you doing?"


    "My Queen, you have to remove your boots so they won''t be soaked in water. Let me help you."


    She stepped back. "Ah, I can do that on my own. You don''t need to--"


    Drayce wordlessly stared at her and she realized he was not going to listen no matter what she said. She gave in and let him do what he wanted, obediently staying still as she let him remove her boots for her. She watched this handsome man doing such a menial task for his wife.


    This proud king who bends in front of no one was kneeling in front of her.


    An ordinary man, an ordinary husband, caring for his wife.


    Once he removed the sturdy leather covering her dainty feet, the grains of the sand felt cool and fine against her soles, and she couldn''t help but wiggle her toes as she enjoyed the sensation of standing barefoot on the beach. She watched him put them aside, and when he removed his boots as well, he ced them next to hers. Drayce stood up facing her.


    "Now, we are ready."


    Her sweet husband held her hand and led her towards the direction of the water. As they approached the ebbing tides, Seren felt thrilled.


    "Cold!"


    The moment she felt one wave ssh over her feet, once after another, she let out gasps of awe, her eyes shining like a little girl''s. She giggled as another wave came over, as if she was experiencing something amazing. She watched with wide eyes as the sand and small pebbles under her feet slowly slid away with the water as it went back to the sea.


    "The water feels so good, Dray!" she eximed, smiling widely under her veil.


    Seeing the genuine happiness in those purple eyes of hers, Drayce sped her hand firmly and pulled her deeper into the water until they were standing with the water sshing against their calves.


    One hand on her skirt, Seren held onto his arm with the other, somewhat fearing the waves would knock her into the water, but that smile on her face never disappeared.


    "It feels better than what I could ever imagine," shemented as a cool breeze blew past them.


    "With you by my side, it feels better than what I had ever felt before," Draycemented back as he lightly squeezed her hand.


    As they stood in the midst of the water, the sky gradually changed colors, starting with hints of orange thatter dyed with hues of red. The lovely view of sunset on the beach, apanied by peaceful clouds and birds flying as if to return to their homes...


    "I never thought I would be able to see this," she mumbled.


    "I already told you, with me you will get to see and feel things that you never even thought about."


    She smiled and nodded, holding onto his arm even firmly as if to feel his presence a little better.


    Drayce gently freed his arm from her hold and instead used it to wrap her shoulder and pull her closer to his chest.


    ''Feels even better,'' she thought with a satisfied smile.


    The King and Queen of Megaris stood together quietly, immersed in the beauty of nature while wrapped in each other''s arms.

 Chapter 608 Can I Scry Into Your Powers?

    The next morning, the royal couple and their retinue came to the docks early to leave Port Hope. Drayce helped Seren board the ship amidst the liveliness of the port, the sailors scrambling about to make sure all the cargo were in ce and the people were all ounted for.


    Drayce and Seren stood side by side at the bow while observing all the bustling both in the ship and on the port. Seren asked, "Will we be stopping at another ind afterwards?"


    "Indeed. We will take another stopover on Turtle Ind after two days if the weather is good, and then afterwards we will enter the territorial waters of the Kingdom of Griven."


    "Griven? Oh, I wonder if I can meet Rayjin?" But then she remembered that the little girl would probably be with her parents in the capital, not in some distant coastal territory. "How many days will it take for us to get to Griven?"


    "About five or six days from now. If we are to stay overnight on Turtle Ind, from there it will take two to three days more to reach the city of Selve in Griven."


    "So from the capital of Megaris it takes about one week to reach Griven via the sea?" she asked.


    "Hmm, and from Griven, it will take about another week to reach Abetha, though we will be making stops at ports like this."


    "Megaris to Abetha will take roughly two weeks."


    "Yes, but only if the sea is calm and the wind is in our favor. Still, it''s faster than taking thend route given that it''s already winter."."


    "Understood."


    The ship''s anchor was raised under the instructions of Captain Bt who was standing behind the ship''s wheel at the quarterdeck, while Seren and Drayce simply enjoyed standing at the railing, observing the heavy iron chains being pulled back into the ship.


    Once again, there was a sound of a bell ringing at the port just like in Megaris, which indicated the ship was leaving the dock. All the sailors made cheering sounds as therge ship unfurled its sails from the masts, and Seren looked at them acting merry, some even bursting into sailing songs and sea shanties. A wide smile spread on her lips seeing that cheerful atmosphere.


    "Who could have guessed these sailors were dealing with a life-threatening storm two nights before?" shemented.


    "Seems like my Queen is really enjoying all this."


    "Of course, I do��uhm��except for feeling sea sick. I hope I won''t feel that bad again."


    "We should travel more often so you will get more used to this."


    For a moment, the crying face of Jasper, Drayce''s most trusted aide, shed in Seren''s mind. She could only offer a brief silence out of pity for him, but the thought of traveling with her husband was too good a notion for her to not ept.


    After the rowdy people somewhat settled down, Seren looked around the ship. "I haven''t seen Mister Elf in a while." She remembered thest time she saw him seemed to be the night when Drayce saved the ship.


    "Are you talking about me, Your Majesty?"<novelnext></novelnext>


    The voice caught her attention and she turned to look at the silver-haired elf walking leisurely at the bow of the ship.


    "Ah, yes. I was just wondering as I had not seen you around, Mister Yorian," she replied.


    "Thank you for looking out for me, Your Majesty. You might have missed me because I was resting away from the humans," he said, "but it will make me d if you call me simply by my name."


    This came out without a context for Seren��one moment he was telling her something, and the next second, he changed it to something else. "Uhm��Name?"


    "Though I am about a thousand years old, Your Majesty can''t deny I look younger than your husband, can you?" He smiled yfully, and without giving her a chance to deny it, he said, "....and my name is Yorian, just Yorian."


    Seren pondered over what he said and then realized he really does look younger than Drayce''s age. The elf had the appearance of a human male in his early twenties. "Well��" She looked at Drayce to know his opinion.


    "It''s up to you," Drayce replied as he wished for her to learn to make decisions on her own. It was also necessary for her to learn to interact with others, knowing when to ept or reject people''s goodwill to her. After all, as Queen, she would be subjected to more situations like this in the future.


    She looked back at the waiting elf. "Fine��Yorian."


    "Thank you, Your Majesty," he smiled at her politely. "There is something else I have been meaning to talk with you. Is it all right for you to spare me a bit of your time to satisfy my curiosity?"


    "Yes, I don''t mind," she said as she fully faced the elf, her purple eyes firmly meeting his gaze. "What are you curious about, Yorian?"


    A straight back, chin slightly tilted up, eyes that were solemn and unflinching��it was an elegant and dignified appearance that those who knew the Third Princess of Abetha from a few months ago wouldn''t have imagined she was capable of.


    The old Seren used to appear quiet and withdrawn, uneasy with conversations but pretending to be unbothered, but the past three months had changed her to a confident individual capable of taking matters on her own even when she was facing a powerful person. She didn''t look like a person sheltered under her husband''s wings.


    Staring at his Queen, Drayce felt a burst of pride as he quietly took a step back, giving space for the two to have this much dyed conversation.


    "Your Majesty, I believe you must be curious about the hidden powers inside you," the elf jumped directly to the point without wasting time.


    Seren didn''t expect him to talk about that. She felt a little hesitant, but she did not outwardly show her feelings. "I am."


    "So do I," the elf replied. "I wish to know what kind of powers you hold and what you are capable of."


    Seren looked at him a little warily. Until today no one had raised this issue, not even her own husband. All her life, her powers were treated as a curse and her nanny had refused to tell her anything about them, even forbidding her from trying to explore magic. All she knew was that she had a dangerous power locked inside her and evil people were after her to get that power.


    Why was this elf suddenly interested in the powers she couldn''t even use?

 Chapter 609 Her Decision

    "Don''t be scared, Your Majesty. I don''t mean you any harm nor am I greedy for your powers. I am simply, for theck of a better word...curious."


    With herck of response, the elf continued, "The world is a mysterious ce, and the more you know, the more you realize how little you understand. I do not believe in coincidence, Your Majesty. The fact that our fates let us meet means that there must be a reason our paths crossed.


    "Knowledge about things you do not understand can prepare you for the dangersing your way. You should also need to know about your own powers. You might need them in the future."


    "I don''t know how to use magic," she said warily, "and I....I don''t n to use my powers either. I am fine with how things are at the moment."


    Though she appeared calm, one could sense in her choice of words that she had no interest to pursue this topic.


    Magic--it was both a gift and a curse.


    As a daughter of a witch, Seren had lived a life of hiding precisely because of her identity. She grew up ignored by her family and disdained by her own people for the powers she had no control over. Not that she med them. When she had idently used her powers in the past, they always caused harm to others and it made others hate her. That was why she had epted the poor treatment they had of her that was unbefitting a legitimate princess born into the royal family.


    But everything had changed now she became the Queen of Megaris. Her identity was of the ''wife of the King'' rather than ''daughter of a witch'', and she was epted and respected by the people like a normal human being. Her life with Drayce was going fine, and she wished for nothing more. She had no wish to use her powers and harm others, repeating the vicious cycle she experienced in Abetha.


    "You seem scared, Your Majesty," Yorian said, his gentle tone like that of an old man cajoling his grandchild. "You seem to have had many bad experiences, hence your reluctance. I am not saying that you should disregard them, but...can you allow me to speak more on this matter? All I ask is that you listen. In the end, I will respect your choice."


    After letting out a shaky sigh, Seren gave him a firm nod. As she waited for him to talk, she reached out to the man she trusted the most, her hand grabbing onto Drayce''s arm. Her husband pulled her closer to him, cing his free hand on her hand, gently caressing it tofort her.


    "Your Majesty, why do you think the world gave birth to beings capable of wielding magic?" Yorian started, and he continued to speak, not needing anyone''s response. "Why do some have wings to fly, while others have tails to swim? Why can one use Fire while others manipte Water, and there are those who have neither?


    "It is all a matter of bnce and harmony. The strong and the weak, the hard and the soft, the light and the darkness, life and death. Those who possess powers are no less fortunate than those who have nothing--because those who are more capable are given the responsibilities of protecting the ones that need protection. Those who are weak, on the other hand, have responsibility to support those who are helping them, but at the same time, they too want to grow strong so that they themselves can ensure their own survival.


    "Having powers itself is neither good nor bad--it is up to the intention of the one who holds that power. To deny epting their existence is merely running away from reality.


    "Instead of being scared of using your powers, focus on understanding them so that there will be no reason for you to be scared. Just like a knife, magic is but a tool that can hurt if left in the hands of an ignorant child, but it can save lives if given to a guard.


    "Your Majesty, think of how you should use your powers not only to save yourself but also to save those around you who are in danger. I believe you won''t want to stand on the side, feeling helpless and incapable of doing anything aside from waiting to be saved.


    "That stormy night, King Drayce was able to protect everyone in this ship because he knew exactly how to use his powers." The elf then gestured at the lively sailors milling about on the deck of the ship. "Weren''t you d that he sessfully saved all these people?"<novelnext></novelnext>


    Seren remembered one of the earliest incidents of her use of powers.


    The daughter of a servant who used to y with Seren died after getting punished because she broke the doll of the First Princess. Seren still felt bad about that day as it was her fault and just because she used her powers identally in anger, it made everything even worse. She would never stop ming herself for her death. Even her cat, she died and she could do nothing to punish the culprits which were obviously her siblings and cousins.


    Seren nodded hesitantly to what Yorian said.


    "Thank you for your wise words, Yorian."


    The silver-haired elf felt d that she had casted off her bias against her own powers. "If you don''t mind, Your Majesty, may I scry into your powers so we can get more knowledge about it?"


    Before answering, she once again looked at Drayce, her eyes filled with questions. They seemed at a loss, and they were asking him what he thought and what she should do.


    He caressed hand and offered her aforting gaze. "My Queen, it''s up to you to decide. If you don''t wish to then no one can force you. You don''t need to worry about being able to use your powers to protect others as I am there. I will protect you and everyone around us. You only have to think about what you want, others don''t matter."


    "Yes, Your Majesty. I don''t mean to force you at all. You can decide however you feel right. I will ept that decision," Yorian assured.


    Seren nodded and lowered her head as she pondered over this issue.


    ''There is no harm in knowing about my powers. Whether to ever use them or not, I can decide when the timees. Also, I cannot always depend on Drayce to protect me when there are evil people like that ck Witch. I need to learn to face her if shees after me again. I will make sure to teach her a lesson for trying to take me away from Drayce.''


    She looked at Yorian with determination in her eyes. "I would like to know more about my powers."


    The small smile on Yorian''s lips widened as if to tell her she made the best decision. "You are really brave, Your Majesty. I know making such a decision is not easy for you."


    Seren looked at Drayce who offered her a reassuring smile that seemed to say, "You made the right choice," and then he looked at Yorian. The two men nodded at each other. Drayce was allowing Yorian to scry into Seren''s powers as she herself gave her permission.


    Yorian looked around the ship where people were everywhere, the sailors busy doing their work and the knights keeping a check on things, some even helping the sailors doing menialbor. "We will need a quiet ce for that so we have to wait for the right time."


    Drayce and Seren understood and left all details rted to this matter in the hands of the wise elf.

 Chapter 610 Need To Learn More

    4 chapters


    ----


    The next two days passed by quietly. With her body adapting to the sea, Seren felt less seasick as their ship coasted on the peaceful waters of Megaris and she was able to spend more and more time on the deck. Just as Drayce said, they took a brief rest on Turtle Ind, theirst stop before entering the Kingdom of Griven''s territorial waters. Seren enjoyed roaming the ind along with her husband and servants.


    Meanwhile, Drayce tried to search for traces of the ck Witch on this ind as well. If that young witch boarded the merchant ship headed for Griven, then he was sure the ship she was traveling in docked on this ind to restock on supplies.


    Not to his surprise, he found traces of her magic, but the person herself was no longer on the ind. Drayce asked around the inns for a person matching her description, and his discovery left him without a tinge of doubt.


    ''She boarded the same ship she arrived in. That means she''s headed for Griven. An would arrive ahead of time to prepare the wee arrangements for my arrival. He would surely notice her. Even if she tries her best to hide, it would be difficult for her topletely evade the eyes of the owner of thatnd.''


    After they left Turtle Ind, their ship sailed without stopping towards Griven, and thanks to the rather temperate weather in the south, their smooth journey allowed them to reach the Port City of Selve right on schedule.


    "Is that Selve?"


    On the afternoon of the third day after leaving Turtle Ind, Seren who was standing at the bow of the ship with Drayce saw the makings of a massive porting in sight.


    "Hmm," Drayce nodded.


    From afar, she could already see the tall lighthouse on the coast, guiding tens of ships and sea vessels towards the thriving port city that was protected from severe storms by a series of craggy but navigable cliffs that jut out of the sea.


    "It looks as grand as the port in ckhelm," shemented.


    "It is," Drayce agreed. "The Kingdom of Griven is surrounded by water on all sides except for the borders it shares with Megaris. Though Griven is not a militant nation like us, you could say they have heavily invested in seafaring and they are the strongest kingdom in this continent when ites to naval power. Even our Megaris falls short of them when ites to maritime warfare; fortunately, the current royal family is more focused on sustaining peace and encouraging its people''s growth than aiming to increase their borders.


    "However, just because they do not like warfare doesn''t mean their army and navy are weak. If someone tries to disturb the peace of their kingdom, they show no mercy to stamp out the source of trouble. It''s the kind of kingdom where one benefits from being their friend while enmity with them will bring you to doom."


    Seren had never been interested in military affairs and warfare, and thus,cked knowledge in this area. What she knew of Griven were things limited to what she read onmerce books and her personal interaction when she met the Cromwell Royal Family after she married Drayce.


    "Last time when we visited their capital, I really found it to be a peace-loving kingdom. The King and even Crown Prince An seemed to be kind and easygoing. If the rulers are this kind, then--"<novelnext></novelnext>


    "Kind?" Drayce smirked at her choice of words. "Did you forget what I previously said, my Queen?"


    Seren remembered he said that they show no mercy if someone tries to disturb their peace. "Well, if someone harms them, isn''t it normal for the King to show no mercy when ites to protecting their kingdom?"


    Drayce then btedly realized that Seren did not receive proper education as an heir to the throne. "It''s more a matter of upbringing. The Royal Family of Cromwell wouldn''t havested this long with a legacy of kindness. You would not want to know how cruel their family can be and what is buried behind that mask of kindness and peace."


    "It''s hard to believe that after seeing Prince An," shemented.


    The Crown Prince of Griven was probably the most sociable person she had ever met. He was great at conversations, and even if the other party was as cold as Drayce, he was still able to create a warmfortable atmosphere. He was a far cry from the snobby nobles of Abetha who were arrogant to deal with despite having a lower status than him.


    "An? See how he is when someone gets on his bad side. He will make even theiring generations regret it," Drayce exined. "If people call me the devil of the battlefield, then he is the devil straight out from hell."


    Seren found it hard to believe his words. In front of her eyes, she could see that smiling man doting on his adorable little niece, Rayjin, spoiling her with candies and dolls as he yed with her. She could also remember how thoughtful and easygoing An was when Seren was introduced to his parents, the kind King and the sweet Queen of Griven, as well as to his older sister and younger brother.


    With that beautiful face and warm personality, she could not even use the word ''cruel'' in a sentence with his name on it.


    Drayce observed her disbelief and said, "My Queen, always remember- Only the best evil can disguise themselves as perfect and wless Good."


    "Understood!" she said, finding wisdom in his words. "But howe he is your friend when he is that scary?"


    "He will always be a friend--no, a brother to me. One doesn''t have to be perfect to be epted by people; you only need to be real and sincere."


    Seren agreed as she knew they were best friends. "I still need to learn more to understand people."


    He patted her head gently. "Rest assured, my Queen. You will eventually learn more as youe across various people. You are brave and smart and you are already doing good. I believe you will be the best Queen Megaris will ever have."


    "Even better than your mother, the previous Queen?" Seren asked, as she looked at him expectantly. His every word mattered to her.


    "Yes! When we find my mother, I bet even she will say the same thing," he assured her.

 Chapter 611 Thank You For The Praise

    A pleasant smile graced her lips under her veil. As they neared the port, more of Selve became more visible to her eyes. On the part of the docks where their ship was headed, she spotted arge group of people wearing fancy clothes, surrounded by men in blue uniforms. She understood they were the weing party arranged by the royal family of Griven, ready to receive their guests from Megaris.


    The elf, Yorian, approached the couple as he also stared at the bustling port of Selve. He was wearing a cloak with a low hood to cover his eye-catching hair and ears.


    "Finally, I am going to visit the other of your kind, King Drayce."


    "I believe it will help sooth your curiosity and help you add an entry to your ever increasing archive of knowledge."


    "Mmm, looking forward to it," was all Yorian could say as his extraordinarily keen eyesight singled out the Crown Prince of Griven in the crowd even from such a long distance. "Definitely looking forward��"


    Finally, the ship arrived at the port and arrangements were made for everyone to disembark from the ship.


    At this moment, the entire pier area was controlled with tight security by both the city guards and the royal soldiers brought by the Crown Prince so others wouldn''t be able to cause any disturbances to the esteemed guests.


    As representative of the royal family, An himself was present at the port to wee the arrival of the King and Queen of Megaris. Moreover, the guest was his dear friend, so there was no way he would not wee him personally.


    Behind the handsome prince was a troop of knights led by his guardian knight, Sir Imbert Loyset, and further behind them was Duke Selve, the territory lord, and the other high-ranking nobles from the port city.


    The gbearer of Megaris was first toe down, with themander and vicemander of the royal knights, yer and Azer, leading the way for the King and Queen of Megaris.


    The ck-haired young man d with a cold expression, d in a dignified royal robe bearing the crest of the Ivanov Royal family, was escorting a veiled woman in a luxurious violet dress which made the color of her purple eyes pop out.


    Those waiting below them could only wait in bated breath as Drayce helped Seren walk down the wooden gangway to descend from therge ship.


    "Wee to Griven, His Majesty the King and Her Majesty theQueen of Megaris," An greeted as soon as their parties met face to face. While An, as representative of his family, only needed to give a perfunctory bow, everyone else around them respectfully bowed to the rulers of their neighboring kingdom.


    "Prince An Cromwell, it is a pleasure to be here," Drayce responded formally. "We will be taking advantage of your kingdom''s hospitality. Give my regards to the King of Griven."


    Seren lightly curtsied as a greeting while the two men exchanged pleasantries. She could not help but observe the smiling face of the handsome Crown Prince of Griven and found it hard to believe what Drayce had hinted to her about An.


    ''Can he be really dangerous like what Dray said��even more than Dray? It''s hard to believe. Seems like the biggest lie I have heard but I know Dray had no reason to lie to me. I really need to learn to see through people.''


    "I hope the journey didn''t trouble you much, Your Majesty," she heard An talking to her.<novelnext></novelnext>


    "A little but it was adventurous," she replied.


    "Adventurous? I must hear more of thister," he replied and looked at Drayce. "Seems like we have a new guest, or rather, should I say a friend?"


    Drayce knew An had already noticed Yorian. Hearing those words, the hooded Yorian stepped forward from standing behind the King and the Queen as part of their retinue.


    Sensing the non-human identity of the robed man, An gestured for the other members of Griven''s weing party to give them privacy. The tactful nobles and knights obediently moved away without a fuss.


    "Kind and friendly on the surface but wicked and dangerous inside," the elfmented about An without any fear on his face. His eyes as if they were trying to see through An.


    An smirked yfully, "Thanks for the generous praise, elf."


    Drayce smirked at their strange exchange, while Seren could do nothing but stare at them in curiosity. ''Even the High Elf had such an impression about Prince An. What gave it away? How could Yorian say Prince An is dangerous in a single nce? Nothing about his outward appearance implies that. Now, I can''t help but be curious. Maybe Drayce can rify my doubts.''


    Only then did Yorian bow to him. "High Elf Yorian greets Your Highness Prince An."


    "Yorian? Nice name," the prince casuallyplimented as his keen gaze studied the High Elf. "Wee to Griven, Mister Yorian."


    "Thank you, Prince An," Yorian responded as he lifted his gaze to observe this mysterious prince who seemed to be hiding himself deeper than he thought.


    "I hope you enjoy your stay in Griven."


    "I will," the elf replied.


    "Shall we go?" An said as he returned his attention back to Drayce.


    Drayce nodded as their group followed An. It was a majestic sight to see the gs of Megaris and Griven lifted up side by side, not to mention the uniformed royal knights of both kingdoms marching one after another gave off an imposing atmosphere that caused all the onlookers to hold their breaths.


    A beautiful grand carriage was arranged for Drayce and Seren, and the royal couple were guided to the best arrangements the City of Selve could offer, the estate of Duke Maxil Selve, the territory lord in charge of the south. The prosperous city had been named after the duchal house of Selve as their family had been loyal vassals to the crown,ruling this southern territory by the sea, ever since the founding of the kingdom.

 Chapter 612 Serious Discussion

    Traveling through the busy streets of a trading center like Selve would have been slow had it not been for thebined force of the royal knights and the men arranged by Duke Maxil. However, their carriage ride was particrly smooth thanks to the strengthened public order, a merit that showed the importance Griven had put in receiving the guests from Megaris.


    The estate of the House of Selve showed off the great wealth umted by the family for generations. In Seren''s eyes, the architecture of the manor strongly resembled the Royal Pce of Griven, the buildings made of white marble with hints of gold, albeit the scale were considerably smaller and less luxurious than the one found in the capital of Karlin. From the casual words of An who acted as host to them, he mentioned that several generations ago, the Queen of Griven came from the House of Selve and she remodeled the Selve manor after she retired from politics.


    "Our Selve Family is honored to be in the presence of His Majesty the Dragon and Her Majesty the Phoenix of Megaris."


    After exchanging pleasantries with the Duke who warmly weed them to his home, Drayce and Seren were then guided towards their chamber. A banquet had been prepared to honor their arrival, but only Drayce attended as Seren opted to rest after the three-day long journey.


    Late in the evening, when she woke up, she found her husband was yet to retire for the night. After freshening up and having a small meal, she stepped out of her chamber, wanting to look around. Herdy-in-waiting, ever-prepared to attend to her needs, had already asked the servants of the Duke to ask for the King''s whereabouts


    "Your Majesty, the maids said the King is in the garden."


    While walking along the pavement leading outside, Seren spotted her husband together with An and Yorian. They were inside the floating gazebo in the center of arge pond, leisurely sitting on cushions arranged on the wooden floor rather than on chairs.


    Several feet away from them were three knights, yer and Azer from Megaris, and Imbert Loyset from Griven, and from their looks, standing at the bottom of the steps leading to the gazebo, they must have chased away other people from the area.


    Seren wondered what they were talking about and then found them looking at her as if they had sensed her presence even from a distance.


    Drayce stood up the moment he saw his wife and disappeared from his ce. Because only An and Yorian were present, he didn''t mind casually using his powers in the open, and the three knights had served their lords for so long, they didn''t feel surprised at all.


    The young king appeared in front of Seren who was a little taken aback seeing him disappearing and reappearing in front of her without any warning.


    The Queen''sdy-in-waiting bowed to him and took a few steps back. Even she was no longer surprised as she had grown ustomed to the King''s supernatural abilities.


    "My Queen, did you have a good rest?" Drayce asked, looking at her with a gentle gaze.


    "I did," Seren replied. "Did I disturb your conversation with them?"


    "Not at all, my Queen. And even if that''s the case, you are always allowed to disturb me."


    She smiled at his response and asked, "Anything serious?" She found no outsiders around the garden so she thought the group of men must be talking about highly sensitive matters.


    "Nothing serious but would you like to join us?" he offered.


    "Will it be fine?" she asked hesitantly.


    "Of course, it is." He offered her his hand. "May I escort my lovely wife?"<novelnext></novelnext>


    This time, Drayce didn''t use his powers and led her way towards the gazebo like a gentleman.


    As the royal couple approached, the knights acting guard bowed to them. An and Yorian stood up from the cushioned sitting arrangement and bowed to greet her.


    Drayce made her sit next to him and only then did the other two sit down as well.


    "I hope I am not disturbing you," she said hesitantly as she looked at two men on the other side of the low table.


    "Not at all, Your Majesty," the prince replied, while the elf said, "In fact, your arrival is time. We were talking about you, Queen Seren."


    "About me?" she asked, feeling a little surprised, throwing a puzzled look at her husband. Drayce simply gestured for her to continue listening to Yorian.


    "We were talking about the powers hidden inside you, Queen Seren. The moon is full and there is no one here to disturb us. I think it''s a good opportunity to delve into the mysteries of your powers."


    Though Seren had agreed to this, she didn''t expect it to happen so soon. Once again, she looked at Drayce who only said, "If you are willing."


    She thought about it for a moment. "I am willing. What should I do?"


    The silver-haired elf brightened, his eyes sparkling like starlight in the dark. "You don''t need to do much, Queen Seren. You just have to let me hold your hands. Everything else is up to me."


    ''Holding hands?'' She thought that other than Drayce, no man had held her hands��well, except for yer who was protecting her during that stormy night, but that was under the direct orders from Drayce. She wondered if this was appropriate.


    "It''s alright, my Queen," Drayce said as he could see through her thoughts.


    She nodded and allowed Yorian. "Fine. I can do that."


    Yorian offered her a reassuring smile that said she made the right decision. He then adjusted his seat to face the empty ce next to him. "The moonlight is best on this side. Queen Seren, can you sit here so it will be morefortable for us?"


    This time, she didn''t have to get Drayce''s permission. She moved and sat facing Yorian.


    "Well, then, may I ask that we be given a little space? King Drayce, Prince An, you don''t need to go far. Just standing at the edge of the gazebo will do. It''s more efficient to scry if no other variables will affect my powers, and you two��"


    Yorian didn''t have to say more as both men left their seats to stand at a suitable distance.

 Chapter 613 Blazing Hell Fire

    The elf then put his hands forwards towards the young woman in a veil. "Please ce your hands in mine, Your Majesty."


    Seren obeyed without a word.


    "Now close your eyes," Yorian instructed.


    As she did so, Yorian also closed his eyes.


    Several seconds passed by without a change, and Drayce and An thought that was to be expected, but all of a sudden, they felt a slight fluctuation in the air. For a moment, they thought that the body of the silver-haired elf and the veiled woman glowed as if embraced by moonlight, but the next second, it disappeared as if everything was but a mere mirage.


    There was no runic circle appearing out of thin air, and there was no change in their surroundings. The only thing that was different from when they started was that Yorian''s brows were creased and Seren mirrored his reaction, as if the two of them were connected by something none of those watching could understand.


    Both the elf and the young queen were as still as statues, immersed in a different world only they could see.


    The first sign of movement came from Seren. From behind her close eyelids, tears had formed before gently escaping her eyes and her grip on Yorian''s hands tightened. Yorian squeezed her hands in response, as if tofort her.


    "zing Hellfire..."


    The elf mumbled before opening his eyes. They looked bloodshot and dim, highlighting the difficulty of scrying that thoroughly exhausted the magic reserves of a mighty being like him. His back was drenched in cold sweat, but no one noticed this as all attention was on Seren, who still had her eyes closed.


    "Your Majesty, you can open your eyes now."


    Seren let out a gasp as her eyes shed open, her gaze unfocused as if she''s still caught in the fine line between dream and reality. It took her some time to regain herposure and look at the exhausted Yorian. She didn''t understand what happened, and for her, it felt like merely a second had passed.


    Realizing that the elf had seeded, Drayce and An reentered the gazebo.


    As Seren wiped her tears, Drayce returned to her side and passed her a ss of water. It was unknown when he left to get it, but she gratefully epted his thoughtful act and had a few sips to quench her thirst.


    "Are you alright, Seren?" he asked, calling her by name which she found moreforting.


    She nodded and put the ss on the table.


    "Your Majesty, please have some sweets. Sugar will make you feel better," An offered. Seren didn''t reject this and had a few bites. She could not deny the sweets melting in her mouth made her feel more energized.


    Meanwhile, Yorian silently watched her eat, his expression somber as if he was struggling to voice out his thoughts. In the end, Drayce had to ask.<novelnext></novelnext>


    "When you said ''zing HellFire'', what do you mean by that?"


    The elf held his chin, covering his mouth with a finger as he pondered.


    "I am confused," Yorian started. "I feel conflicting powers inside the Queen''s body, and I cannot understand how such an imbnce could exist without her dying."


    At thatst word, it was as if the air inside the gazebo froze.


    The elf continued, "Far more mysterious was that I discovered that the power which is locked inside Queen Seren is Hellfire, a zing power so dangerous and destructive, it should not exist in this world. Even I only heard of it from the legends passed on by my ancestors."


    "I have never heard about it," Drayce said with a dangerous scowl, his hand gripping tightly onto his wife''s trembling hand.


    "It''s something that no mortal should know about."


    "Stop acting coy and tell us what it is," Drayce snapped, losing hisposure at the elf''s lighthearted attitude towards an issue that could cause the death of his wife.


    "Hmm?" The elf let out a light sigh and said, "Calm down, calm down. I guess it''s a good time to tell you an old story." He then nibbled on one of the sweets ced in front of Seren, as if in silentint that he was also exhausted but no one did not even bother to offer him anything. "After this, you might appreciate my archive of knowledge a little more as other than me, I bet no one can tell you this at this moment."


    Seeing the elf being annoying once more, Drayce gave in, "I look forward to being awed, and I will make sure to praise you for the abundance of knowledge you have, oh wise elf."


    The elf smiled yfully but then turned serious.


    "Tens of thousands of years ago, back when the world was young and the realms weren''t separated as they are now...during a time where humankind was but a small race barely surviving on some remote corner and the continent was ruled by children of magic, there was a great war. It was not a war between ns, neither was it a war between kingdoms, but a war... between worlds.


    "The heavenly realm and the underworld, a cataclysmic war between gods and demons.


    "During that war, when the demonkin were on the losing side, the King of Demons released a power which was buried in the deepest pits of the underworld. Even for demons, it was taboo to touch that power so dangerous it could also ruin hell. But the King of Demons was not ready to ept his army''s defeat and released that dangerous power, not realizing not only could that taboo harm the heavens, but all the three realms.


    "Upon touching that taboo power, Hellfire, the zing mes went out of control and turned the once deste underworld into a sea of hellish fire, which was said to have be its permanent state. Destruction spread so fast to the extent that even the strongest gods, the Primordials, could not stop it and could only temporarily keep the Hellfire at bay in the underworld."


    "Then?" Seren asked.

 Chapter 614 Is That Woman A Goddess?

    The elf continued, "There is no such thing in the world which cannot be controlled or subdued. Nature has its own way of keeping bnce. Among the pantheon of gods, there was a certain god who held the ability to control that power. That someone absorbed that Hellfire to protect all the three realms, sacrificing themselves to be the prison of that destructive power.


    "For as long as I can remember, there has been a debate among my kind about what is the strongest attribute in existence. Some im it is the power of light, others say that the strongest of power is of darkness, but as far as legends go, this hellfire is no less than those two. In terms of their destructive nature, darkness is absolute destruction, while hellfire is the extreme end of light no less destructive as darkness."


    Seren was aghast. "Are you sure what you saw inside me is hellfire? Maybe it''s just ordinary fire."


    "Your Majesty, elves have a lifespan of a thousand years. I have seen my fair share of magic with the fire attribute, and believe me when I say nothing among thembined hold a candle against the Fire I saw inside you."


    "T-Then what should I do?" Seren asked as she felt scared to have such dangerous powers inside her.


    "Queen Seren, if there is one good news I can share, it is that this power is locked--no, sealed inside you. That means you cannot use it. You are of the earth attribute, and if this power, this hellfire was not sealed, it would have been dangerous for you."


    That news made her feel even worse and she felt her body tremble.


    "You should tell her the solution, not scare her." Drayce threw a re his way while he continuedforting his wife.


    The elf didn''t mind it. "Is it my fault the truth is scary? I am merely speaking facts, and it is best that the Queen understands the reality of her situation." He then returned his attention to Seren. "The person who did this to you, I don''t know their intentions, but it was a cruel thing, what they did to you."


    "The one who did this to me?" she mumbled. ''My mother?''


    "The only way to protect yourself from the effects of this power is to keep this power locked forever, which is impossible as your body can''t seal it for long. Imagine your body as a ss cage and the power inside you a growing beast. Sooner orter, your body will break--fine, fine, stop ring at me, King Drayce! I promise I am not scaring your wife! I am exining. Exining!


    "Another method, well, since someone put that hellfire inside the Queen, that means we can take it away from your body as well, but I cannot do it. I do not have the ability, but..." the elf stopped "...but if we theoretically discover a means that we can use to separate this hellfire from the Queen''s body then..."


    "Then what?" An asked as he was getting impatient.


    "If we can take this hellfire out, we will need another vessel to seal it in, and it''s highly impossible to find someone like Queen Seren. Queen Seren could be a vessel because she is not an ordinary human and why she is not ordinary, we are yet to fully know why. The thing is, if we do find a way to get this power out of her body and we are unable to get a new vessel to hold it, then, the legends will be legends no more--it will be reality. Hellfire will break out and destroy the mortal world but other realism as well."


    "So there is no solution, is that what you are saying?" Drayce asked with his eyes turning dangerously dark.


    "The only way...if we cannot seal it and we cannot transfer it...then, we can strengthen the vessel," the elf concluded. "Other than mastering her own earth element, she needs to master this anomalous fire element as well. That is the only way she can keep this power inside her without letting it hurt her, and the only solution that I think is most reasonable."


    Seren felt like her head would burst open. Mastering not one, but two elements?


    "I have not even performed a single magic spell in my entire life and you are talking about mastering the elements. I cannot even feel the powers inside my body. I am just a useless witch who has no ability to perform any magic."


    "Witch?" the elf said as he smiled before giving Drayce a knowing look, to which the man refused to react.


    The elf continued to speak, "I don''t me you for thinking like this, Queen Seren. You have been restricted from using magic and your powers have been suppressed. I am not sure why they had sealed you like this..."


    "Whoever did it meant to hide the essence of her powers, effectively hiding not only her but also her own powers and what is hiding inside her," Drayce replied. "If what you say is true, they probably want to hide the existence of this hellfire, but from whom, that we are not sure of. But, as she wille of age soon, it will be impossible to hide it. The current seal on her powers will unravel once her magic reaches maturity. Once she bes able to use her own powers, it might affect the presence of the other power inside her."


    "That is possible. Harmony in the body is just as important as the harmony outside. Once her earth element is no longer suppressed, its nature will trigger the fire element hidden inside her. Fire conquers earth. Once that happens, her body will be destroyed. We need to first train her to use the earth element such that at the very least, she must be capable of basic control once she is of age."<novelnext></novelnext>


    Seren was in deep thought as she said, "As you said, ording to the legend, that hellfire was absorbed by a god, that means this power belongs to that god...could she be a woman? A goddess? That woman in my dream always looks at me as if I had coveted something that belongs to her. If she is...then, could this hellfire be the reason I get those dreams? The reason why I see that destructive fire all the time?"


    The three men heard Seren''s mumbling, and her words clearly made sense. Drayce and Yorian shared another knowing gaze.


    "That is a good prediction on your side, Queen Seren. Though we cannot be sure, we cannot deny the possibility as well."


    "What if that woman in her vision is the owner of these powers? What if we find her and ask her to take the hellfire?"


    "If that woman is the one who once protected the world, then it should be easy for her to get rid of this hellfire from Queen Seren''s body. But then, one had to consider that in the first ce, how did the hellfire originally controlled by that goddess make its way to the Queen''s body? No, even before that, it''s crazy if you think that we mortals are getting involved in the affairs of the heavenly realm."


    "About that woman...I guess we can ask her herself to rify our doubts. We have an idea where she is but we are yet to get confirmation. We need to hear Aureus'' report once he returns from Agartha."


    Yorian sighed. "If...If you get to find that woman...that goddess from the legends...then, she is powerful beyond any supernatural being walking in the mortal realm, and I must say...this is dangerous."


    The initially easygoing elf had a rare look of concern as his gaze flitted between the married couple.


    "If all these predictions are true, our lives might be in terrible danger. Though I do not know what happened in the realm of deities, even the weakest among those divine beings, the angels, are more powerful than the supernatural beings of the mortal realm. Even the divine beasts are merely descendants of those who came from the heavenly realm.


    "If you are to imagine what kind of atrocious incident must have happened for Queen Seren to end up having this power locked inside her, a power is considered taboo in all three realms--now, I''m not sure if my being curious is bane or a boon..."


    Drayce heard it all andmented, "I have a feeling that we will get answers to everything soon. Like an invisible hand is pulling all pieces of the puzzle together."


    The elf nodded and said, "Seems like soon I too have to return to Agartha. I wonder how much has changed after a century."


    "I n to pay a visit as well. I need to have a word with the King of Agartha to make things clear. And maybe he holds more information that can help us understand the situation," Drayce informed.


    The elf agreed. "Once we safely get over the event of Her Majesty''sing of age, I believe it is a good time to visit Agartha."


    "Can I join too?" An spoke as he looked at Drayce. "I wish to see one of our kind as I am tired of seeing only you."


    "Same goes for me," Drayce countered. "You can be of help."


    "Anytime."


    Drayce looked at his wife who had be visibly upset, merely listening to their conversation without a word, and rubbed her shoulder with his hand that was wrapped around her.


    "Don''t worry, my Queen. No matter what trouble we face, we will face it together. I promise you that I will always remain by your side. Do you trust me?"


    She nodded quietly as she finally raised her head to look at him. Those solemn red eyes were all the reassurance she needed.


    Meanwhile the elf mumbled, "Seems like this won''t remain only limited to the mortal realm and supernaturals. Are we going to deal with deities now? Are two realms or maybe all three realms going to get entangled this time? Shall I be worried or be excited about it?"

 Chapter 615 Mocking And Conversing

    Drayce took Seren back to their chamber and put her to sleep as she was feeling restless after learning those shocking revtions about the hellfire sealed inside her. Despite Drayce''sforting presence, she needed the help of his spell to fall asleep.


    The Crown Prince of Griven and the High Elf were left inside the gazebo.


    "...So Prince An, from what I understand, you have never tried wielding your power?" Yorian asked, as the two enjoyed the fragrant local liquor in front of them.


    "There was no need to use it. It is enough to deal with human problems the human way, you know?" the prince casually replied, while holding that small cup of wine in his hand, which he emptied down his throat with relish.


    The elf raised a brow. "So you never use it?"


    "Sometimes, I guess, when there is a necessity for me to cross a long distance--"


    Yorian grumbled as he too downed his drink. "Then don''t say you don''t use it..."


    "Against other humans, that''s what I am referring to." An smirked as he looked straight into Yorian''s eyes. "Going to meet a friend and being spotted by an ancient elf does not count."


    Yorian let out a yful grin, understanding that An must have spotted him in his most recent visit to Megaris. "Sharp sight, I must say."


    "Not quite, just enough for that spell of deceit around your cottage to not stop it," An countered. "But, I must say, I liked your pets. Do they have pups?"


    "Both of them are males, and even if I give you newborns, it''s hard to raise them into spiritual creatures with intelligence," the elf boasted.


    "Is that so? I should visit them once. Who knows they might want to change masters, hmm?"


    "Animals are more loyal than any other creatures, Prince An, but yes, you can try your luck."


    As they exchanged light banters, Drayce came back to the gazebo and the two men looked at him with easygoing expressions. An poured liquor into Drayce''s cup, and the young king did not hesitate to drink it in one gulp.


    "How is she? Scared?" An asked as he refilled his own cup.


    "Of course, but for now, she is asleep," Drayce replied.


    "Well, that''s to be expected. She did hear pretty heavy stuff tonight." An leisurely observed the serene surroundings, idly thinking how the moonlight reflected on the pond sets a spectacr mood. "What other things do we have to talk about?"


    "ck Witch."


    "Isn''t she in Thevailes at the moment? What about her?"


    "It''s not that ck Witch but another one, a young one at that," Drayce exined.


    "Young one? Where did youe across her?" An felt it was kind of funny how Megaris seemed to be teeming with supernatural beings, while he had not even seen a single one in Griventely. "Is she a spy sent by that ck Witch who abducted your wife...?"


    "Zaria Lynx, her name is Zaria Lynx," Yorian intervened. "Using her name will make it easy to know who you are talking about."


    "Well, I don''t wish to but it seems like I need to," An said. "So, what about this other ck Witch? Where did you catch her?"


    "In Port Hope. I came across her by chance and I followed her, but I could not catch her."


    "Oh? A mere witch managed to escape from the clutches of a mighty Dragon?" An said in amusement, a devilish smirk hanging on his lips. "What an interesting ck Witch. Seems like I need to find her and reward her."


    "You sure have to so we can know what she is up to and what she is doing among humans. From what I had gathered, she arrived here in Selve yesterday."


    "She''s in Griven?" An asked in surprise. "Howe I didn''t sense her presence? I came to the cityst night, so at the very least, I should have felt traces of her magic."


    "Her strength is not ordinary. I sensed strong dark energy from her when I met her, and if she has no powerful skill, she would not be able topletely hide herself from my tracking. The fact she managed to disappear under my surveince meant she is no ordinary ck Witch," Drayce exined.


    Meanwhile, the elf squinted his eyes at the prince. "Fascinating. I wonder what spell she used. Prince An should have been able to sense her powers when she arrived in Selve, unless she had been using high-ranked stealth spells nonstop...I''m getting curious..."


    Drayce poured liquor in his empty cup. "Perhaps she left as soon as she arrived. If she arrived during daytime, she could be anywhere in Griven by now. It is also possible she boarded another ship and had left for another ind or neighboring kingdom."


    "Well, we couldn''t have left via sea. For the past two days, no ship or boat could leave the docks due to the stormy weather. The weather cleared up justst night, but so far, the restrictions for departing sea vessels were yet to be lifted for security reasons of your arrival."<novelnext></novelnext>


    "That means she must have been here in Selve when you came. It is possible she left before you arrived here, highly unlikely given such a small time gap, or..."


    "Or?" n prodded.


    "Or your powers are getting useless," Draycemented with a frown.


    Before An could say anything, the elf stepped in. "Or, there might be a third option."


    "What is it?" the two young men asked.


    "What if she''s like Queen Seren in a sense? What if there is the presence of another power other than her own dark attribute magic inside her? It is a mere guess on my part, but if another power contradicts her dark energy, then it is possible one could not feel her essence," the elf answered.


    "Are you saying she is another divine being''s scheme?" Drayce asked.


    "No, of course not, I am merely exploring possibilities. It doesn''t need to be the handiwork of a god. It can be anything, but I think it is some kind of powerful spell which keeps the existence of her powers hidden."


    "So what do I need to do to recognize that she''s not human?" An asked as he scoffed. "Are you saying this Red Dragon can sense her but not me?"


    However, the elf had an exnation prepared for this question.


    "Because King Drayce''s mother is a witch, it makes him half a warlock, thus his ability to sense a fellow witch is more urate than others."


    "And how would you exin yourself? Are you saying you have witch blood too?"


    "My mother was a powerful priestess from the Moon Elf n. I happen to have inherited her strong spiritual abilities."


    "Well, you do look like a priestess..." An chuckled.


    "If you are praising my peerless appearance, then I graciously ept your ttery, Your Royal Highness," Yorian countered.


    "Are you two done mocking each other?" Drayce interrupted them. "Returning to the issue, that ck Witch is carrying nightshade with her, and the possibility of her collecting other poisonous herbs is quite high. We need to know what she was nning to use them for. If she uses them for some evil scheme, then we need to stop her."


    "I will find her, don''t worry," An assured. "Even if I can''t sense her powers, I can surely find any person--well, unless she used an invisibility spell the entire time. But as long as she interacts with anyone in this city, be it a sailor or a passerby on the streets, I''ll be able to find her. Those who deal with dangerous and forbidden things are not spared in my kingdom."


    A beautiful smile like that of an angel''s spread across the prince''s handsome face.


    "Seems like the soil of this kingdom will taste the blood of a ck Witch soon."


    "Always ready for violence," the elfmented. "Just remember, not all ck Witches are evil. There were lots of them who fought along with us to protect our kind against humans. Many had lost their lives while fighting their own kind. It just happened that a great majority of them became obsessed with power like Zaria, giving them such an evil reputation."


    "I don''t have anything against ck Witches in particr. Even humans, I don''t generalize them as evil either, elf. Don''t forget, the people I will rule in the future are human beings," An pointed out. "As long as she doesnt do anything wrong, I won''t kill her, but if she does something in my kingdom, then I will prove my previous words right. She will get the most cruel death and I will publicize it such that no one from her kind would dare step in thends of Griven."


    As he spoke those words, An''s expression was solemn, opposite of his typical yful one, and his eyes showed the dark side hidden inside him.


    The elf sighed as he stood up. "I believe you two friends must have a lot to talk about so I''ll excuse myself."


    The pair didn''t stop him and silently watched him disappear back into the manor..


    Drayce picked up his cup of drink and emptied it. "What are you up to these days? Anything interesting?"


    "Nothing much, I was just enjoying hunting a beautiful deer."


    "Deer?" Drayce passed him a questioning gaze.


    The prince gave him a profound smile as he toasted him to drink. "Hmm! Deers are beautiful animals, aren''t they?"


    "If you say so," Drayce said. This time, it was him who served the next round of drinks for the two of them.

 Chapter 616 Only Married Woman Are Allowed

    The next morning, Seren had been informed that their departure was scheduled in the afternoon and decided to explore the market of the port city to escape the nobles who had been trying to get an audience with her.


    Drayce and An had already disappeared, their whereabouts unknown, as they decided to search for the traces of the ck Witch. That was why the local nobles had been targeting the Queen of Megaris, who was the only royal inside the Selve Estate.


    As such, under the protection of Drayce''s two knights, yer and Azer, Seren slipped away from those ambitious gazes together with An''s guardian knight and herdy-in-waiting.


    Inside the market, Sir Imbert Loyset was acting as guide to the group disguised as nobles and escorts.


    "I wonder what I should buy from here?" Serenmented.


    "Your Majesty, though Selve is a port city, it is known for its craftsmanship literature as the current city lord, Duke Selve, is famous for his love of the arts. From here, you can buy various beautiful crafts and even books from other kingdoms could be found here," Lady Xena informed the younger woman.


    Seren found herself curious how different the market in Selve waspared to the capital, Karlin, and they continued to walk along the crowded street, unaware that they had long be the center of attention.


    Though they were wearing clothes without the crest of the Ivanov Royal Family, the sight of a veil-covered woman with purple eyes walking with four escorts caught the eyes of the sharp-eyed people in the market, but they were soon drawn away upon noticing the three strong men carrying swords with them.


    Those who were aware of the arrival of the King of Megaris could guess these neers must be those esteemed guests from Magaris, and those who were not aware thought these were probably part of the entourage of the Crown Prince. The merchants and shop owners were quick to cater to their needs, but the passing nobles dared not disturb their shopping trip, worried that rather than favor, they would earn the ire of these people.


    Along the way, Seren bought various things, ranging from local snacks to earthenware to beautiful fabrics. When she came across an essory shop and found hairpins that looked familiar to her, it reminded her of the first gift she received from Drayce.


    It was the butterfly hairpin her husband bought her when they stopped in Karlin on their way to ckhelm. A smile graced her lips with that memory and she asked, "Xena, I had such a hairpin with me when I arrived at the pce for the first time. Do you know where it is?"


    "Yes, Your Majesty. It is kept in your wardrobe room."


    "When you make my hair after our return, make sure to use that hairpin."


    "Yes, Your Majesty."


    Seren looked at another shop beside the one selling essories. "Seems like it is a book shop."


    "Yes, Your Majesty. Would you like to visit?" Xena asked.


    Seren nodded and the two women walked inside that bookshop which seemed bigger than it looked from the outside. They discovered that it had quite a few customers already as it was a famous book shop. yer chose to follow them inside the shop while the other two knights stayed outside to stand guard.


    The young queen became curious to see which books were considered popr by the locals, ncing at the customers who were browsing books around her. It was rare formoners to know how to read and write, rarer for them even to be able to afford to read books at leisure, thus, the majority of those inside were visibly well-dressed, signifying their wealth and status as either nobles or rich merchants.


    Seren walked along those huge bookshelves, passing by books rted to sciences, then administration,merce�� hundreds of books divided into multiple sections. As the two women walked deeper into the shop, they soon heard a group of young women giggling to themselves. Their whispers gradually became clear to Seren when she reached the other side of the shelf across those girls.


    "...This is thetest romance story."


    "I heard it''s better than thest one we read."


    "Do they have more romantic scenes?"<novelnext></novelnext>


    "Yes, yes, the steamy ones? So many of them." The girls giggled together once more, poking fun at each other about which scenes from thest book they liked the most. From the small gap from the shelf, Seren peeked at what book they were talking about and decided to buy it too.


    Lady Xena realized the Queen''s intentions. Once those girls left, Seren and herdy-in-waiting went on the other side of the book shelf, and even without Seren telling her to, Lady Xena picked all volumes of that book series for her master.


    As the one who had been by her side the most, the nobledy had started to understand her master really well. Being considerate of Seren''s shyness and curiosity, she did things without needing her explicit orders.


    Meanwhile, yer was keeping eyes on them from a distance, merely keeping eyes on the surrounding people, scanning them with the gaze of a hawk. Upon seeing the Queen''sdy-in-waiting carrying a number of books, he was about to head towards them to help her, but the woman shook her head at him, telling him not toe close, which caused him to raise a brow in question.


    The two women then walked deeper inside the shop, walking to avoid the shelves where most people gathered, causing them to reach a section where not many customers went. Seeing the deste shelves, Seren''s curiosity was piqued, making her wonder what kind of books were considered unpopr, but just as she took a few steps in that direction, one female attendant who had been rearranging books came to block their path.


    "My Lady, are you going to that section?" she asked, treating the veiled young noblewoman with genuine concern.


    "Yes, is something the matter?" Lady Xena replied on behalf of Seren.


    The attendant looked hesitant. "Let me tell you��that section��women from noble families, they don''t go there. It''s not appropriate��"


    This only strengthened Seren''s curiosity. "What is there? Are those books different from other books? Are they something taboo? If you do not sell them then why do you still keep them in your shop?"


    "My Lady, it''s��well, youngdies who are not married��you can say it''s��"


    "Those two women, why are they allowed?" Seren pointed towards a pair of noblewomen, who looked to be in theirte twenties to early thirties perusing books on one corner.


    "Ah, those women are married, mydy and��"


    "So married women are allowed to go there?" Serenmented.


    "Yes, mydy,"


    Lady Xena stepped forward. "Who told you that mydy is not married?"


    The attendant looked at Seren once again. Though her face was veiled, from the visible details of her appearance, it was obvious she was yet to reach her twenties.


    "Apologies then."


    "We are going towards that section."


    "Yes, of course. Please let me know if you need any assistance."


    The female attendant apologized as she allowed the two young women to enter that restricted section. yer, who had been shadowing the two, decided to stay away. After a quick nce at some of the titles on the spines of the books, he had a vague understanding as to why the attendant stopped them.

 Chapter 617 Embarrassed In Front Of Slayer

    As Seren walked to check the books on the shelf, she heard the hushed conversation between the pair of customers huddled on the corner.


    "...so your husband is still into that mistress of his?"


    "Nowadays, he visits her even more often, spending days on his alleged ''business trips''. Before, he used to return after a single night..."


    "Tsk. That swine. How dare he treat a pearl such as you this way? If I were you--"


    "...He used to be so sweet when we wedded but seven years have passed so I think he wanted someone young..."


    "That is why I brought you here. Didn''t our friend say we can find a useful book here on how to keep your husband with you?"


    "What kind of book?"


    The woman scanned the rows of books and showed a particr one to her friend, flipping the pages in front of the other woman. "This kind of book."


    Her friend gasped. "W-What is this?! What kind of--"


    "Don''t be shocked. This is what that mistress uses to please your husband, that''s why he won''te back to you."


    The woman loudly gulped. "Will this really please my husband?"


    "Right, and now, you need to find which among these will please your husband more so he won''t go to other women.''''


    "B-But, this looks..."


    "It''s better than seeing your husband spend nights with his mistress while you pine in loneliness in a cold empty bed," the other woman said and ced that book in her hand. "You better buy this, study this and do everything to keep your husband the happiest man on thisnd! That way, no matter what prettyss bats an eye his way, he will be too smitten with you to look away!"


    Her friend nodded quietly and embraced that book as if her life depended on it. Only then did Seren and herdy-in-waiting realize they were so immersed in eavesdropping that they almost forgot to breathe.


    For Seren in particr, the words ''pleasing your husband'' caught her entire attention. Back in the ship, Drayce had asked her to please him. This was the perfect opportunity to learn what she needed to do!


    She looked at herpanion and said in a low voice, "So that book will tell me how to please my husband?"


    Lady Xena shuddered before nodding hesitantly. She could guess what that book must be about. "Seems like it, Your Majesty."


    "Then we should get it," Seren said, and the other woman could merely agree wordlessly. She didn''t stop Seren as she knew the Queen had no governess or older female rtive who could provide her guidance about private matters such as this, and neither did she have a friend or peer she could ask. It was best for Seren to get answers to her questions this way rather than lowering herself to such an embarrassing situation where she had to ask the only maidservant of hers who was married...


    Keeping her thoughts to herself, the blushing nobledy picked another copy of the book the two women got. She handed it to Seren and turned away to hide her expression.


    "What is it about--" Those purple eyes widened the moment she flipped the pages. "This..."


    Seeing all those explicit images of a couple being intimate, she mmed the book close the next moment.


    The pair of blushing women looked at each other and Seren asked, "D-Did you pick up the right book, Xena?"


    "Y-Yes, Your Majesty. This is what those two women were talking about...about p-pleasing her husband. Weren''t you also curious about it?"


    Seren gulped, and she btedly understood why that female attendant stopped her from going to this section. "But, this..."<novelnext></novelnext>


    "I think you should buy it, Your Majesty. It''s less...less shameful...Better reading than asking others, yes?" Lady Xena suggested while her cheeks had turned tomato red.


    Seren thought about what those two women said and asked with a serious look in her eyes. "Xena, if I don''t please Drayce, do you think he will go to other women as well?"


    "N-No, Your Majesty. His Majesty loves you a lot and has eyes only for you."


    "That woman, wasn''t she implying he lost interest because they had been together for seven years? Her husband was sweet at first..."


    "His Majesty is different from other men, Your Majesty. Rest assured, he--"


    "Still, I cannot take a chance. What if he...N-No, I can''t let it happen. We should get this book."


    Lady Xena didn''t insist on assuring Seren as getting that book would not change the King''s feelings for his Queen. She knew their King would never betray the Queen, as to him no woman existed but his wife.


    The pair then walked out of that section to head for the shopkeeper manning the counter. Given thedy-in-waiting needed to pay for the books, yer would normally follow behind Seren. But this time, Seren did not leave Lady Xena''s side, that was why yer approached them with the intention of helping the young woman carry the books.


    "Lady Xena, please hand them to me. They must be heavy to carry."


    Lady Xena looked taken aback, and Seren hesitated between allowing the knight to do a gentlemanly act or leading him away. Both were worried that yer would see what kind of books they were buying which they didn''t want. They exchanged a firm gaze and then Lady Xena gave a gracious smile to yer.


    "Much thanks but allow me to do it, Sir Calhoun. Please stay with Her Majesty," the young woman suggested as she took a step forward. "I alone am enough--ah!"


    Thud!


    She bumped into a woman who walked out of nowhere, causing the books in her hand to drop on the floor.


    "Apologies!" the woman shot quickly before turning away, leaving the shop in a hurry.


    ? Meanwhile, yer''s outreached hand stopped midway as Lady Xena was quick to regain her foothold. "Are you alright, Lady Xena?"


    "Ah, yes. I am fine," she replied and looked at the books on the floor...where a particr book was dropped with its pages open, which those two didn''t want him to see.


    yer followed the two horror-stricken women''s lines of sight, and with an impassive face, the knight immediately kneeled down to pick up all the fallen books into a neat pile. His expressions did not change the entire time as if he had seen nothing and stood up, holding those books in his arm.


    The Queen of Megaris and herdy-in-waiting dare not meet the knight''s gaze.


    "I will pay for these books. Please wait for me here," he said and walked ahead to line up.


    Seren and Lady Xena looked at each other, unable to say a single word to each other as embarrassment engulfed the both entirely.


    yer returned in a while and handed the bag filled with books to the Queen''s servant.


    "T-Thank you, Sir Calhoun," Lady Xena said as she tried to hide the red in her cheeks, while Seren felt somewhat grateful she was wearing a veil.


    "Should we continue shopping?" yer said and the two women nodded quietly before following the knight. However, after this incident. Seren no longer had the will to walk around the market and she decided to return to the Selve Estate.

 Chapter 618 Black Witches Still Lives In Agartha?

    On the other hand, three handsome men wearing ordinary-looking cloaks were roaming in the harbor area of the city. Drayce, An and Yorian were on the search for the ck Witch around the city, but after hours of searching, they could not find a single trace of her in Selve.


    "I wonder how fast she ran. Did she know I have been chasing her? How did she manage topletely hide her essence from us three?" Draycemented with a furrowed brow.


    "She is a smart one. Either she was used to living the life of a fugitive who knew not to leave traces, or she was rmed that you''de after her and made sure you would not be able to track her. The moment she reached here, she probably hurried out of the city," Yorian replied.


    "If she is secretly doing something, then she won''t stay among the crowd. We should look for her in the nearby forest or mountains, ces where people normally avoid," Drayce suggested.


    An frowned, "I don''t like that an unknown variable exists in my kingdom. She might be able to escape today, but I will keep a tight monitor on her possible whereabouts."


    "Indeed. She is too suspicious to be left alone. We have to catch her to make sure she is not up to no good, and if she is rted to Zaria Lynx, we cannot leave her alive," Drayce remarked as he eyed the busy crowd.


    Yorian scoffed, "Both of you always talk about killing and all. Calm down. We supernatural beings have the right to go anywhere. Don''t act like the entire continent belongs to humankind."


    "We?" An raised his brow. "You mean you and that witch?"


    "Yes, because I consider both of you as human scums," the elf said as he rolled his eyes. "You young ones are so ungrateful. You consider other supernatural beings as a threat, as if we are any different from humans. Morals do not work that way. Judge one based on their actions--actions!--not their identities."


    "Then why are you searching for her if not for the same purpose as us?" An shrugged.


    "Of course I want to know if she is of any harm and if she belongs to Zaria''s side, but the greater reason is that I want to understand her situation. As a senior of our kind, I need to know if that young witch needs any help. What if she is running and hiding because she is troubled by humans? I can help her and send her among others of her kind who are still residing in Agartha."


    "Agartha?" Drayce looked surprised. After he learned of Zaria Lynx''s identity, the elf had also told him what she did to the residents of Agartha. "After ck Witches caused massive damage to Agartha, do they still live there?"


    This made the elf scowl. "Do you not listen? Not all ck Witches are wicked, the same way not all humans are wicked. ck Witches are witches too. Of course, they live in Agartha. Those who were innocent chose to remain living there.


    "Maybe it is because you are raised among humans, you do not know the importance of Agartha to our kind. Agartha is not just a homnd to us, it is our safe haven. It is a ce where various races, despite our obvious differences, live together in harmony. Even humans, despite the wrongdoings of other humans, are allowed to live there as long as they do not disturb the peace of the kingdom."


    The younger men''s reactions were that of surprise.<novelnext></novelnext>


    "Humans and ck Witches?"


    "The King of Agartha does not mind having them as his people?"


    The elf had a self-satisfied look seeing their disbelief.


    "Though other people initially opposed it, King Draven Aramis weed them as he would never punish the innocent. He might be one arrogant Dragon, but he''s wise unlike you two. Because of his impartiality, those innocent ck Witches have a ce called home, where they are afforded a peaceful life even though their numbers are so few they barely count as a single vige."


    Drayce admired the King of Agartha; it shouldn''t have been easy to make such a broadminded decision after Agartha suffered massive losses. On the other hand, An crossed his arms over his chest, finding amusement at the elf''s jab.


    "The King of Agartha sure is generous. Those witches are fortunate that I am not the king there or their existence would have vanished from this continent."


    Yorian sighed. "That''s a worrisome outlook, Prince An. I only have one request. If you do happen to catch this ck Witch, do not let your bias cloud your eyes. Every life is precious, and death should not be dealt lightly. Try to know her circumstances first. Though I will not fault you for killing her for breaking thews of your kingdom, sometimes, being lenient can bring you good fortune."


    "I am fortunate enough, and I at least do not need to depend on one ck Witch to bring me more fortune, elf," An replied with a raised brow, "but as you are being so sympathetic towards her, before punishing her, I will let you meet her."


    "Thank you for the generosity, Your Highness Prince An," Yorian replied, sarcastically.


    An smirked in response. "Not a big deal."


    Drayce almost rolled his eyes at these two and then said, "An, don''t do anything recklessly."


    The Crown Prince of Griven shrugged. "Don''t worry. I am not as unreasonable as this ancient elf priestess thinks of me."


    "This priestess is pleased to hear that, oh reasonable prince," the elf shot back as the three men made their way back to the Selve Estate. They had to prepare to leave for Abetha.


    When they reached the Selve Mansion, yer and Azer met them at the rear entrance. The group then separated, with the elf leaving for who knows where while An spoke to the Duke to bid farewell. Azer stayed behind to deal with the preparations for their departure while yer followed the King inside.

 Chapter 619 Will You Go To The Other Woman?

    "What did my wife do today?"


    "The Queen roamed the market in disguise."


    "Did she enjoy herself?" Drayce asked.


    "Yes, Your Majesty," yer replied.


    "Did she buy a lot of things?"


    "Yes. They had already been sent to the ship."


    "Hmm, seems like she loves buying new things. I''m d she found herself a hobby, but I wonder if she''ll ever get to use them all in her lifetime," Drayce idlymented, remembering she also bought a lot not only in Port Hope but also in Turtle Ind. "What did she buy this time?"


    "I merely acted as the Queen''s escort guard, Your Majesty," yer replied, dodging the question. However, Drayce knew him well enough to understand something was up.


    "Oh, so our Commander Calhoun Sanders is too busy protecting my wife from people, he didn''t have enough energy to spare to pay attention to what she bought. You should pay attention so when you try to court ady--unless you are interested in men--you will know what ady likes."


    ? yer sighed heavily and replied tly, "Understood, Your Majesty."


    His reply was a bit off and Drayce stared at him, hard. "What''s the matter? You are not arguing with me when I raised the topic of you courting a woman. You didn''t say your standard answer of ''it won''t happen'' and didn''t get angry when I teased you for being interested in men...Suspicious."


    "I refrain from arguing with my lord," yer smoothly said as he continued walking behind Drayce.


    "Well, that sounds boring to me."


    "I swore fealty to the King to serve you as your sword, and entertaining you is not part of my oath, Your Majesty."


    Just then, they reached the guest room provided for the King and Queen of Megaris, and it happened that they met the Queen''sdy-in-waiting in the hallway outside, as she was bringing in tea for Seren. Upon seeing yer, her entire body turned tense due to the earlier incident in the bookshop. Fortunately, she was quick to regain herposure. She quietly bowed to the King to greet him and didn''t look at yer.


    Since Drayce entered the chamber, Xena remained outside as she didn''t want to enter without either royal''s permission. For a brief moment, an awkward atmosphere settled between the King''s knight and the Queen''sdy-in-waiting. Unable to bear it, the woman hurried away back towards the kitchen, bringing the untouched tea with her.


    yer removed his gaze from the retreating woman''s back and stayed outside the door to stand guard.


    When Drayce entered the chamber, he saw Seren sitting on the bed, seemingly lost in thought. She was visibly startled by his arrival, and even with her veil covering her face, he could see that she seemed unlike her usual self.


    "My Queen, did you enjoy visiting Selve''s market?"


    "I did," Seren replied and then wondered, ''Did yer tell Dray about the book we bought?''


    The man walked towards her, sensing the anxiety in her pretty eyes. He sat at the edge of the bed. "Is something bothering you, my Queen?"


    She pressed her lips into a thin line. "Umm..."


    "You can tell me."


    "Dray, if...if I fail to please you, will you go to another woman as well?" she asked, her eyes looking into his questioningly.


    Drayce was taken aback for a moment as he didn''t expect her to ask this but then let out a smile. "Why do you ask this, my Queen?"


    "Just answer me first," she insisted.


    "If I go to another woman, will it bother you?" he asked.<novelnext></novelnext>


    Seeing him not directly answering with a ''no'', even asking her such a question, made her upset. "I guess it''s a useless question to ask a king..."


    Her eyes dimmed as she turned her head away.


    "You don''t want me to?"


    She shook her head and her eyes looked like they would start leaking tears soon. For some reason, this made Drayce amused, and the urge to tease her emerged.


    "But after we married, do you remember? I asked you about having a child, and you said, I quote, ''Can''t other women do that for you?''"


    Seren remembered how silly she had been at that time, ignorant of the weight of her words. She felt embarrassed, wishing she could go back to that time and reprimand her past self.


    "I don''t want you to go to another woman."


    Despite the sincerity in her voice, Drayce didn''t soften yet as he needed to get answers to his questions. "Why? Why don''t you want me to go to another woman?"


    "I will be sad if you go to another woman."


    "Why?"


    "I...It''s just that...I do not want to imagine you caring for any other woman but me. I don''t want you to be close to anyone like you are with me. You can only share your bed with me. I won''t like it if you..." At that, she stopped speaking as she felt a sudden pain in her chest. Before she realized what''s happening, imagining Drayce in the arms of another woman caused tears to escape her eyes..


    "If I what?"


    Seeing him acting like this made her more upset. Was he having fun seeing her cry?


    "I...I don''t know how to exin."


    "How can you persuade me if you won''t tell me your thoughts?" he remarked. "Isn''tmunication between husband and wife important?"


    Seren had no counter to that. "I just don''t want you to be with someone else, it''s as simple as that. I shall be your only woman. If you get another wife or a mistress...I feel hurt if I think about you caring for another woman...and...I don''t know...it feels painful. I don''t want you to. Is that reason not enough?"


    She didn''t know how to properly word her emotions, but she tried her best to express what she meant. She then moved to wrap her arms around her husband as tears continued to roll down her eyes.


    "You won''t go to another woman, right?"


    Drayce smiled lightly and embraced her back, drying the tears from her eyes. "I do not know why or how this issue cropped up, but be assured that I won''t find another woman, be it as a mistress or wife, for as long as I live. For me, you are the only woman, my Queen. My past, my present and my future, there is no one else but you."


    She moved her head back and looked at him. "You mean it?"


    "Hmm, so do not ruin your eyes." Drayce tenderly wiped the leftover tears from her eyes with his thumb. "I mean every word I said to you."


    "Truly?"


    "Why do you doubt me, my Queen?"


    The couple shared a couple more sweet words to each other until Seren totally calmed down. Only then did Drayce say, "Shall we go? We have to leave for Abetha."


    She nodded, saying "I am ready," as he helped her get out of bed.


    Afterwards, the King and Queen of Megaris were once again surrounded by Prince An, Duke Selve and the other local nobles, who had to give them well wishes as per custom, escorting them to the pier area to formally see the royal guests off.

 Chapter 620 You Should Read The Book

    When it was announced the ship was ready to leave the Selve port, to Seren''s surprise, she watched An getting on the ship as well.


    "Is Crown Prince Aning with us?" Seren asked.


    Drayce nodded. "He loves to travel by sea instead ofnd."


    "It sure is exciting," she agreed, while observing An.


    While climbing the ship, An''s gaze met with the gazes of the King and the Queen of Megaris. He offered them a light nod and continued to walk ahead with his two knights following him.


    Drayce had to leave Seren with her servants as he had things to handle on the board. It was not good to tire her by making her walk along with him on that huge deck.


    "Will you be fine with the servant?" he asked before leaving her.


    He needed to know if she needed him. There was no way he would leave her when she wanted him by her side. He could leave any other work to be with her only.


    "Don''t worry about me. Go ahead," Seren assured.


    Leaving Seren in the care of her servants where they attended their master on the deck as they made her sit in the chair under the shade.


    Drayce went to captain Bt where An was talking to him.


    "...this sturdy ship sure could stand that storm, Your Highness."


    "I am sure it could," An replied, but he knew it must be Drayce who would have done something, without letting others know.


    "Your Majesty," Captain Bt bowed to Drayce the moment he saw him.


    An turned his head to look at his friend who just arrived there, "So you got time toe to me? Or I thought I would be talking to Captain Bt only the entire journey."


    "Don''t be heartbroken if it happens. I believe Captain Bt can be a goodpany for you," Drayce replied as he looked at the Captain, "What''s the situation?"


    "Everything is going ording to the n, Your Majesty. If the sea is calm, we can make it to Abetha in a week with one stop at Squeed Ind," Captain Bt replied.


    Taking the information of other things, Drayce and An left Captain Bt to do his work. As they stood up at the bow, Yorian was also present there as if it was his most favorite ce on the entire ship to be at.


    Yorian greeted the two with a light nod and heard An, "Seems like our ancient elf friend is enjoying the ride by the sea."


    "Can''t deny it, Prince An," Yorian replied with a friendly smile andmented, "I thought Prince An would stay back to search for the possible threat to hisnd."


    An smirked yfully, "I decided to give some more time to that ck Witch to rejoice the remaining days of her life," he offered him a sweet smile, "See I am not that cruel as you think I am."


    "I believe you, Prince An," came the sarcastic remark from Yorian.


    Just then they heard yer instructing the knights and they looked at him. Sir Imbert Loyset, An''s guardian knight was also with him while Azer was with the other knight of An who was also a vice captain of Griven''s knights just like Azer.


    "Seems like our knights go along really well," Draycemented.


    "Why won''t they when their masters are good friends?" An replied, "Especially yer who don''t make friends other than us two, seems quite friendly with Imbert."


    "Hmm!" Drayce agreed as looked at the knight Imbert Loyset, who was of simr height and strong built like yer. His dark short hair, that sharp pair of dark irises observing everything around carefully, wearing blue and ck uniform of Griven knights and that long sword in its scabbard hung to the right side of his waist was adding the intimidating and aloof Aura to him just like yer.


    "Having loyal and strong knights is like a blessing," Draycemented to which An agreed, "True! Imbert and yer are simr breeds that''s why they go along really well," he then looked at Azer and his other knight, the vice captain Rafal Ahren, "and these two are learning from their captains really well."


    Drayce nodded, "Azer is dangerous on the battlefield just like yer."


    "Same goes for Rafal. Sometimes I find him more dangerous than Imbert," An said as he observed his young knight, tall, strong and though he was talking to Azer, his gaze was focussed around as a habit of every knight.


    ---<novelnext></novelnext>


    Meanwhile Seren was sitting in the chair under the shade and her gaze would wander around her husband and his friend. But whenever she and Xena happened to see yer, they would avert their gazes away to not meet with his gaze. Both of them were still embarrassed in front of the Guardian Knight of the King and didn''t know how to resolve it so they would no longer feel embarrassed.


    Seren and Xena shared knowing gazes to each other. As Marie and Eva were not around, Xena finally spoke though she herself felt the same as Seren. "Your Majesty. I think it''s fine. Sir Calhoun must understand these things...that why we bought that book."


    Seren simply sighed as she pressed her lips in a thin line. She herself could not bear to open that book yet entirely and...


    Xena tried tofort her, "Your Majesty, though Sir Calhoun saw what''s in the book, he acted as if it was nothing and even bought that book for you. If it was something wrong, then he would have not allowed us to buy it, right?" As a good Lady-in-waiting it was her duty tofort the queen and guide her in the right direction.


    After a short pause Seren replied, "Hmm, you are right."


    "Then, rx and just focus on why you bought that book, Your Majesty."


    Seren blinked a few times as she mumbled, "Why did I buy that book...." It was more like a question for Xena.


    Xena cleared her throat, "Your Majesty, didn''t you want to please His Majesty?"


    Seren nodded.


    "Then you should read that book and think what you can find useful andfortable for you and how you can please His Majesty by using it," Xena suggested.


    "I can not dare open that book. I worry anytime Dray would appear and I get caught."


    "Hmm, that is right. What we can do next time is just like what we did when you were learning Zither. We won''t allow His Majesty to visit you when you are reading that book."


    Seren gulped, as her puzzled eyes looked at herdy-in-waiting questiningly. "Will that be alright?"


    "Of course, Your Majesty. And His Majesty would never go against your wishes, let alone barging in your chamber without your permission."


    "That is true," Seren finally agreed and once again looked at her husband who was still talking to An, ''I wonder what they are talking about?''


    Her gaze observed An as well who happened to look at her, sensing her gaze in his direction. Seren immediately averted her gaze away as if she was not looking in that direction at all. Whenever she looked at An, she tried to observe him carefully to find out anything odd about him which would prove Drayce''s im about his friend was true.


    She was more curious about An now as he felt like a mystery to her.


    ===


    MASS RELEASE ALERT and SURPRISE(About Dusk/Aureus)


    Dear readers, the 2nd book "The Devil''s Cursed Witch" is participating in the DOUBLE GOLDEN TICKET event which starts from today -20th Dec and ends on 8th Jan. We have to make sure we win this contest and there will be a nice REWARD I have nned for you all with a nice SURPRISE.


    Q- How to help novel win it?


    A- Vote all your "GOLDEN TICKETS" to "The DEVIL''S CURSED WITCH" novel from today till 8th Jan, so we can make use of it to win the event. Every golden ticket voted during event will be counted double in number.


    For Ex- if you vote 1 GT, It will be counted as 2 GTs.


    If you gift CASTEL which is 16 GTS worth but it will turn into 32 GTs


    Reward for readers-


    1)Mass release for both novels of "Devil and Witch" series with important events in the novel covering up.


    2)Also, another SURPRISE (About Dusk/Aureus) which will be revealed only after we win the contest.


    The novel with most number of GTs during the event will win the contest and I really do wish us to win. We can do it. <3<3

 Chapter 621 Arriving Abetha

    The Crown Prince of Griven could feel the gaze on the back of his heading from the direction of the Queen of Megaris. Though he was pretending to not have caught her peeking, with his senses, it was impossible for the woman to hide the fact that she had been observing him. An could see that a few months ago, her gaze held nothing but passing courtesy towards him, and now, those purple eyes held an unmistakable interest in them.


    "Did you tell something not so good about me to your wife?" An asked Drayce.


    "Teaching her with the best example avable," Drayce replied.


    "Teaching? What?" He narrowed his eyes on the young king. "What did you exactly tell her that she looks at me with such a suspicious gaze?"


    "Told her not to be deceived with sweet talk and pretty faces."


    "Hah. Of all people, you use me?" An let out an exaggerated sigh of disappointment. "Now she will think of me like some kind of monster cane out of me anytime."


    "Don''t worry, even if you are truly a monster, my wife can handle it. Let her observe you."


    "She will learn nothing from simple observation. The only menace in this ship are those seagulls being noisy above us. Do you want me to show her something serious so she can��"


    "Don''t you even think about it."


    "So protective and yet want to teach her."


    "She will learn slowly. We are not in a hurry."


    For the following week, their journey went by smoothly. The ship stopped at Squeed Ind on the third day, and then they sailed straight for the southeasternmost city of Abetha, the port city of Baycall.


    From a distance, a vast port came into their sight. The familiar architectural style of her homnd and the g on some of the sea vessels reminded Seren that she had truly returned. Where Megaris prefer simplicity and sturdiness and Griven beauty and creativity, most of the buildings and structures of Abetha were grand and towering, the heights of the structures meant to economize space as themerce of the kingdom caused the poption and institutions within each city to be highly dense. Even from afar, Seren could see the towers and spires looking like sharp swords stabbed on the ground.


    The tallest of them all was the lighthouse which came into sight even before she could see the details of the port city. Given it was daylight, it was not lit up to guide ships and sea vessels, but it was still eye-catching enough for those in the ship. As they approached the harbor, it was noticeable that not many ships were docked and none was allowed to enter or leave as all activity on the port area had been suspended to ensure the security of the area for the arrival of the King and the Queen of Megaris.


    "This city is��?" Seren, who was standing with Drayce at the bow, asked. Though she was a native of Abetha, she had little knowledge of its geography.


    "The city of Baycall. It''s pretty much simr to the city of Selve in Griven."


    "It looks twice asrge. The docks could possibly fill hundreds of ships. I wonder how bustling the pier looks on a normal day," shemented.


    "Being in the center of the continent, Abetha is acimed to be the wealthiest kingdom, not only because it is blessed with all kinds of natural resources but also because they export a lot of goods to other kingdoms and this port ys a big role in it as a transport hub. After all, journeying by the sea is faster than bynd when ites to foreign trade."


    Seren understood, but as much as she was awed by the beautiful sight, a part of her could not help but feelplicated. She didn''t know how to feel abouting back to her homnd��to the kingdom which was more like a prison to her than anything else.


    She felt more like a stranger stepping foot in an unfamiliarnd.


    Family? She never felt their warmth, except for the two people who treated her well�� her nanny and her older brother.


    Her purple eyes could not help but sweep the sight before her. In her head, she could not even remember the city of ''Baycall''. This beautiful port, she never even knew its existence. She never got the chance to step foot in this ce. While she might have a lofty status as a member of the royal family, she was nothing more than a girl hidden in a tower who could only dream of seeing the sea. Her only reference of its beauty came from when she read a story about pirates.


    "Martha, do we have a sea in Abetha? If I go there, can I see the ships and port described in this story?"


    "We do, and they look just like in that story."


    "Whoa, I want to see it! The book says the sea is arge, very, veryrge mass of water��so vast you cannot see the end! And, and those giant ships! Are they really asrge as a house?"<novelnext></novelnext>


    Her nanny could only smile at her enthusiasm.


    "The princess in the story yed on the seashore. I also want to y outside like this princess. She said the waves hitting her feet tickled. I want to experience that too. Can we go out? When will you take me to sea, Martha?"


    "We cannot, my Lady."


    "Why? Can''t we go at least once? I promise to be good today."


    "We really cannot."


    "Please, Martha."


    "My Lady, it''s time for you to have your midday meal."


    "Martha��did you not hear me��? She left��she never listens to me��"


    Seren''s eyes turned moist as she remembered those ordinary wishes she had as a child. Looking back, only now did she realize how small and simple those wishes truly were. She never got to fulfill them as a child, and now that she was about toe of age, the sorrow of those times reminded her of the many things shecked growing up.


    Countless thoughts and emotions rushed to her along with those memories as the ship got closer and closer to the port, yet not a single one of them she could get hold of.


    Her homnd, was it truly home? The people and the ce which she had left behind�� the umtion of heartaches and bad memories��all those, she had to face them again.


    Drayce looked at his wife who seemed to have turned emotional. He put his hand around her shoulder and rubbed it gently tofort her.


    After she leaned against his shoulder, Drayce looked ahead, his eyes taking in the approaching sight of the city as he thought about his mother.


    ''Mother, I wonder if you are there. Will I get a chance to see you? I wish I could simply appear right next to you just like how I used to find you in the past.'' His chest felt overwhelmed with the thought of finally being able to see his mother. Hope, even if in vain, at least finally there was hope��


    As they neared the harbor, the city of Baycall became more visible to their eyes. On the part of the pier where their ship was going to be docked, there was arge group of Abetha royal soldiers, their blue-ck uniforms giving out their identities. They were here to wee the royal guests from Megaris.


    Soon, the ship arrived at the dock and the arrangements were made for everyone to disembark from the ship. Just like in Selve, the entire pier area was controlled with tight security by both the city guards and the royal soldiers brought by the Crown Prince of Abetha, Prince Cian, to stop others from creating any disturbances for the King and Queen of Megaris.


    Prince Cian himself was present as the head of the weing party, the representative of the royal family of Abetha, to escort the King and the Queen of Megaris who would be soon traveling towards the capital. The handsome Crown Prince wore a dignified ceremonial attire, cutting quite a dashing figure amidst the uniformed knights. Though he looked expressionless at first nce, one could see the joy and expectation in his sapphire-blue eyes. More than receiving the royal guests from Megaris, Cian was happier about the fact he was first to meet his sister the moment she arrived. His head was full of ns, wishing to spend as much time with her within the limited time she would be in Abetha.


    Behind Cian, there was a troop of knights led by his guardian knight, Sir Eliot Rainier, and right behind them were the local nobles led by the territory lord of Baycall, Duke Savaric.


    The g bearer of Megaris was the first one to disembark the ship, with themander and vicemander of the royal knights, yer and Azer leading the way for the King and the Queen of Megaris.


    Afterwards, a second entourage, smaller but not any less luxurious came down, with the Crown Prince of Griven leading his own knights and subordinates.


    Drayce held Seren''s hand and escorted her without fault. Except for Cian and his knights, for the others, mainly the duke and the smaller nobles, this was the first time they would be witnessing such important royals from different kingdoms stepping foot in their humble city. Especially for most, they could not help but give a second look at the young woman whose face was covered with a veil.


    ''That''s the Third Princess��no, the Queen of Megaris?''


    ''She''s just as the rumors say!''


    ''Purple eyes! Snake scales on her skin!''

 Chapter 622 Wifes Slave

    All of them felt a little wary to see her veiled appearance but no one dared show it on their faces. After all, those chosen to be part of the weing party were experienced leaders and merchants--their fortunes would have long been ruined if they did not know how to control their real emotions.


    Though these people wore polite expressions, their gazes curiously followed the figures of the King and the Queen of Megaris, especially taking note of how gently the red-eyed king was escorting his wife. What had been engraved in their hearts for the past seventeen years, that fear and those doubts about her would not just disappear so easily overnight.


    Her Majesty Queen Seren Ivanov after all was still the same Princess Seren Ilven, the illegitimate daughter of the King, the cursed third princess of this kingdom, said to be a witch and an omen of disaster.


    Seren could feel her heart beating faster with each and every step she took down the ship. She didn''t feel this strange when she visited the other port cities, but perhaps this was her own kingdom, her own people, she could not help but feel a mix of emotions. There was nervousness and anticipation, but also unease and a little dissonance as she felt like she was entering a foreignnd filled with unknowns.


    Before she realized it, the grip of her hand holding onto Drayce''s arm tightened. Drayce rubbed the back of her palm with his thumb to make her feel better.


    "Just look at your brother. See how delighted he is to see you," Drayce whispered to her ear.


    Seren lightly nodded, obediently fixing her gaze on her brother who was looking at her with a warm weing gaze. She let out a shaky breath, as if trying to untangle her emotions along with the air, and put on a smile.


    ''Even if it''s just Brother Cian, it is worthing to Abetha.''


    She felt better seeing her brother. However, this change was not noticed by many since she was wearing a veil. Only those closest to her could see the sparkle in her eyes. She was pleasantly surprised to see her brother waiting for her arrival and could not wait to tell him about the things she had experienced and learned since theyst met.


    "Wee to Abetha, His Majesty the King and Her Majesty the Queen of Megaris," Cian formally greeted as they came face to face. "Your respectable selves havee a long way to honor my kingdom with your presence. I hope your journey has been enjoyable."


    "Thank you, Prince Cian," Drayce replied, exchanging some more polite words with the delegation while Seren remained silent at his side, simply smiling at her brother affectionately. Despite her veil, Cian understood her mood and smiled back at her. If it was the old her, she would have run to her brother''s arms right away, but now she was a queen and she needed to maintain a certain image in public.


    Of course, Cian also understood that private matters should be set aside for now. At this moment, they were the Crown Prince of Abetha and the Queen of Megaris, not a pair of brother and sister. He treated Seren with the respect deserving of a queen.


    After exchanging pleasantries with Drayce, Cian then turned to wee the representatives of Griven. Though it was unexpected to see two kingdoms casually arriving in a single ship, it only further showed how close of an ally Megaris and Griven were. .


    Cian looked at An to greet him. "Wee to Abetha, Crown Prince of Griven, Prince An."


    "Thank you so much for your warm wee, Prince Cian," An replied but Cian''s gaze noticed the strange person next to the prince. At first, he thought it was a woman, but in fact it was an extremely beautiful man with odd silvery hair, wearing a hood that made him look like a suspicious figure.


    What kind of subordinate dares stand side by side with royalty?


    "This is Yorian, a friend of Drayce and mine as well," An answered what Cian was going to ask.


    "Wee to Abetha, Mister Yorian." Despite his strangeness, Cian politely greeted him to wee him.


    "I am honored to see the Queen''s brother. It''s a pleasure to meet you, Prince Cian." Yorian bowed courteously with a light smile on his lips.


    With the exchange of pleasantries finished, Cian escorted the group of guests from the pier towards their ride. Several carriages were arranged for them, with the King and the Queen having one for themselves while Cian and the knights rode on horseback. Drayce apanied Seren inside the carriage, choosing to sit next to her.


    He caressed her hand. "Are you feeling fine now, my Queen?"


    She exhaled through her mouth. As for whether it''s a sigh of relief or not, even she herself had no idea.


    "Don''t pay attention to others. You are a Queen and no one will dare openly offend you. If anyone dares, they will see their heads rolling on the ground."


    Seren looked at him, feeling touched to see him acting this protective towards her, but she didn''t want him to harm anyone for her sake. In fact, the people staring at her earlier weren''t as bad as those in the Royal Pce of Abetha. Though there was fear and curiosity, there was no animosity or disgust in their eyes.


    "I am fine now. You don''t have to trouble your sword for those unimportant people. They are not worth the attention."


    Drayce didn''tment and simply caressed her hand holding onto his arm once more. He knew for someone to get the attention of his sword would probably cause some strain between the rtionship of Megaris and Abetha, but he would not mind killing anyone who would offend his wife. Remembering hisst encounter with the members of the royal court of Abetha, he had a feeling that a few heads would roll down on the ground of the pce on this visit.<novelnext></novelnext>


    As they had experienced a long journey, everyone was tired and needed to rest. The royal entourage was guided toward the estate belonging to the territory lord of Baycall, Duke Savaric. Grand arrangements were made for their brief stay at the Sevaric estate. ording to Cian, they were merely nning to spend a night in Baycall before leaving for the capital city of Abetha the next day.


    After a nice meal and resting for a while, Seren decided to meet her brother. Previously, she met him as the Queen of Megaris, but now, she wished to meet him as his little sister. Seeing how Drayce''s siblings acted with him, especially how well he treated them back, doting on them even, Seren was envious.


    She realized that she had hardly gotten any chance to be spoiled by his older brother. This was a realization she had because there was a reference ofparison with her husband and his family members.


    Cian had always been busy as the sole male among the direct descendants of the King of Abetha, and the number of times she spent time with her brother in the garden of her tower could be counted on her fingers. Even then, due to her quiet personality, it was mostly Cian entertaining her with his stories. After he was assigned to the Northern Frontier, she thought her brother had forgotten her and she would have truly felt alone if not for Martha.


    That day before her wedding when Cian brought her to y outside of the pce was the most precious day she had with him. The memories from that day, she still held dear to her heart.


    Her servant had passed her message to Prince Cian that his sister wished to meet him. As if Cian was waiting for this moment, he immediately replied to her message and both were arranged to meet in the garden of the Sevaric estate for tea.


    Seren was about to go to the garden when Drayce entered their chamber. The servants happened to have finished preparing her and tactfully left the couple on their own.


    He observed his visibly delighted wife. "My Queen is so excited to meet her brother?"


    She observed herself in the mirror for thest time to make sure everything was fine. "Should I not be? I also have a sibling, an older brother who cares for me."


    Drayce understood his wife. He didn''t miss the longing in her gaze whenever she saw him with his siblings. "Of course, you should be. I am d that you got to meet him once again, my Queen."


    Seren walked towards Drayce as she looked into his eyes, taunting., "Also, he is the only person who always calls me by my name, Seren." She turned to leave.


    Drayce understood she had just called him out for not calling her by her name. He looked at his wife who was about to go out the door. "May I escort the lovely Seren to see her brother?"


    Seren acted as if she didn''t hear him but she sensed that her husband followed right at her heels but she pretended not to notice. The servant of the Duke who was in charge of leading her to the garden didn''t know how to react seeing these esteemed guests act like this. As she walked forward within the hallway, the Duke''s servant and herdy-in-waiting were about to run after her but Drayce raised his hand, genturing them to not not follow her.


    He caught up with his adorable wife. "Seren, walk slowly. You might trip on the carpet. The skirt of your dress is too long."


    Seren once again acted as if she didn''t hear him and continued walking ahead, holding the long skirt of her dress firmly with her hands.


    "Do you know the direction towards the garden, Seren?"


    "How about you hold my arm so I can escort you to your brother, hmm, Seren?"


    "I say, my Seren is trying to outrun me, but she still walks with grace. As expected of my sweet, lovely Seren."


    Drayce continued talking about various things by calling her by her name but not even once did Seren respond to him.


    Behind those two, a single knight was following them, the sole witness to such a sight. yer was following them but made sure he maintained a reasonable distance from that couple. He sighed, throwing a pitiful gaze at his friend who was on the way to bing his wife''s ve...


    ''Well, not bing. He is already his wife''s ve. I must inform the knights to clear the way so others won''t see the Devil King from Megaris acting like a nobody in front of his wife or else gossip would spread to damage his image.''


    ===


    A/N- Kindly vote all the golden tickets to "The Devil''s Cursed Witch" till 8th of january. There will be a MASS RELEASE if DCW gets at 3rd ce in Double GT event.


    We are at 4th ce at this moment so, please vote and send your gifts to DCW to get the 3rd ce.

 Chapter 623 Jealous Of Brother

    Dear readers, do read theplete announcement at the end of the chapter.


    ====


    In the end, Seren reached the rose garden of the Sevaric Estate with Drayce leading the way for her, as for some odd reason the hallways along the way had been suspiciouslycking any person she could ask directions for. The entire time her husband followed her, he had been trying to coax her and make up for not calling her by her name, but she remained steadfast in ignoring him.


    Only she knew she had been smiling secretly at her husband''s sweet attempts.


    When the garden came into view, she found her brother was already waiting for her past the rose hedges, standing near the arrangement of tables and chairs ced on the beautiful greenwn.


    "Brother!" she called happily and hurried ahead.


    Cian caught sight of her at the same time she did and smiled at her, his gaze doting. Seren had walked several steps forward when she realized Drayce didn''t follow her and she stopped to turn around and wait for him to catch up to her steps.


    She was puzzled when she didn''t see him moving. "Why did you stop?"


    "You can go ahead," Drayce replied.


    "Are you noting?"


    "You are meeting your brother after so long. I don''t wish to meddle in you two''s reunion."


    "No, it''s fine..."


    "If Ie to join you, the conversation probably won''tst more than ten minutes before I bring you away. Will you be fine with that?"


    She sure didn''t want that. "Ah, alright. I will go on my own."


    Seren turned around to go towards her brother. Meanwhile, Drayce crossed his arms over his chest, intending to watch her be seated before leaving the pair of siblings to enjoy themselves when he saw something that made him narrow his eyes.


    The moment his wife reached her brother, Drayce found his wife jumping into her brother''s outstretched arms. This caused the gentle smile on his lips to morph into a stiff one. Especially upon hearing Seren''s voice filled with happiness--


    "Brother!" she eximed as she tightened her arms around his torso. "I missed you, Brother."


    Though somewhat surprised by her enthusiasm, Cian hugged her back, enjoying this rare moment of his normally quiet little sister openly showing affection. "I missed you as well, Seren."


    It happened that when Drayce''s stiff smile had turned into a frown, a hand patted his shoulder as if to console him.


    "Don''t tell me you still feel jealous seeing your wife in the arms of her own brother. Don''t be so petty."


    Drayce shrugged the hand off his shoulder, his gaze still fixated on his wife who was talking cheerfully with another man, not himself.


    "Tell me that again when you see your mate jumping in her brother''s arms, An."


    "Mate? Not wife?" An chuckled. "Seems like jealousy is taking over your human side that it unleashed that beast inside."


    Drayce closed his eyes briefly to calm himself, and when he opened them, he turned around to leave. An smirked and followed his friend, only toe face to face with yer who looked as cold as usual.


    "I thought it was suspicious you''re not shadowing Dray. What kept you busy?" An asked as the three walked together, with yer purposely keeping himself a step behind.


    "Trying to keep one wife ve away from people''s eyes," the knight replied.


    Drayce frowned at this remark. "When you are in love, you don''t mind being her ve, and doesn''t matter what others think. You two will understand what I mean when you yourselves found your other halves."


    "At least not in your wife''s home kingdom. You are still a king and how you act affects the image of Megaris. Even if you don''t care about strangers, you need to maintain your dignity in front of your inws at the very least," yer countered.


    "Let them know how capable their daughter is to turn this invincible devil into her ve," Drayce replied with pride as he continued to walk ahead.


    yer could only sigh. He was raised as amoner and normally cared little for courtesy, but he had at least a bottom line. As a knight, he had a duty to preserve the honor of his king but that king was currently being irresponsible.


    An chuckled as he patted yer''s shoulder tofort him. "Your liege is totally ruined. Don''t waste your breath on him."


    "Makes me wonder if I was in my right mind to agree to be his guardian knight," yer said, which, of course, was meant for Drayce to hear.


    The young king gave him a side nce. "Do you want me to relieve you of your post?"


    "If you keep acting this way again openly, I will turn over the transfer request myself," yer said.


    "Why transfer when you can retire? That way you can go manage that piece ofnd you''ve long been neglecting and take care of that estate that you don''t even pay attention to. Better yet, ept the marriage offers sent your way and choose a finedy to help you manage your household."


    "That estate, you can take back. I never asked for it."


    "I can''t let my personal knight be shabby and poor."


    "I don''t mind being one."


    "Both of you can stop now. My ears are hurting," An stopped them.


    -----


    Meanwhile, the pair of Ilven siblings finally pulled away from each other. Cian nced in the direction of Drayce''s retreating figure and asked, "Seems like your husband is not pleased to leave you here."<novelnext></novelnext>


    Seren followed her brother''s gaze, and as she watched Drayce disappearing from her line of sight, and smiled. She looked back to her brother. "Brother, I have many interesting stories to tell you this time."


    "Truly? I freed up my entire day to apany you. I can listen to them all with no worries," he replied and guided her way to the table overflowing with cakes and pastries. He pulled a chair out for her in a gentlemanly manner and let her sit.


    "...and you know, Brother, I learned to y the zither--"


    Seren enthusiastically told Cian a y-by-y of things she experienced for the past month, except for the things rted to supernatural beings and her abduction. She didn''t wish her brother to worry about her. Moreover, these things were hard to believe unless a human had personally experienced dealings with the supernatural world, and it would be better to let Cian remain ignorant of things beyond his control.


    The entire time, Cian yed the role of a good listener, asking questions here and there, content to simply enjoy tea as she shared things that left a deep impression on her.


    ''She has changed.''


    The old Seren would never initiate conversation; she would reply when asked a question, but aside from that, their past interactions would mostly be her nodding or shaking her head, or simply staring as if she hated how others could not just read her mind.


    But the current Seren...she was ady overflowing with the energy of youth, finally acting her age, cheerfully telling stories about how she spent her days. Happiness was clearly reflected in her beautiful eyes.


    ''Could this be her real personality?''


    "...it was scary on the ship that night because of the storm, but fortunately, we somehow made it out alive and everyone was safe. I hope next time I board a ship, I will never experience going through a storm again. But aside from that, I enjoyed the journey. I never thought I would ever get to see a ship up close, much less ride one."


    "It''s a pity I never got to bring you on board one, but it''s good to know you had fun."


    "Yes, I never thought it would be that fun. That''s one thing less on the list of things I want to try."


    "Hmm? List? What more do you want to try doing?" he asked.


    "Umm..." Seren''s eyes seemingly glinted with excitement. "Swordsmanship!"


    It wasn''t that he was looking down on his sister, but to think his frail sister who would twist an ankle at the slightest mistake would want to try wielding a weapon. "You want to learn how to use a sword?"


    She nodded fervently. "In Megaris, everyone, regardless of gender, seems to know how to use a sword. Even the skills of the previous queens were either fit for knighthood or had earned them military merits. I know it''s toote for me to start, but I want to learn a few defensive moves so I can at least protect myself and not be a burden to others around me."


    "You should definitely learn then, but promise to not overexert yourself during training. Since your body is not trained, you will be easily prone to injuries. However, as long as you are determined to learn, I believe you will be good with the sword as well."


    "I will surprise Dray once again," she remarked with a cheer.


    Cian noticed that for every two or three of Seren''s sentences, he heard her add the name of the King of Megaris--and his sister hadn''t seemed to realize this yet.


    He smiled lightly, covering it behind a teacup, and asked, "How does King Drayce treat you? Is he treating you better than when you just got married?"


    "Dray? More than better. He treats me the best." Her purple eyes brightened up as if she found an interesting topic to talk about. "He always listens to everything I say. Even if I trouble him or annoy him, he puts up with me. He lets me do whatever I want and never stops me, and you know, Brother, if something out of ce happens to me, he is the first to fuss around me to check if I''m fine." She giggled a little. "Sometimes, I feel like he is my nanny."


    Cianughed a little as well. "That''s good to know. I am d to see both of you are happy together."


    "Hmm, we are."


    The sky had started to turn dark by the time the Ilven siblings finished their talk. For the course of the day, they didn''t just stay in the garden to have tea. They also had a light meal together, and afterwards, they strolled around the garden before heading to the nearby orchard within the Selve Estate.


    "How are your feet? Do you wish to go back to your chamber and rest?" Cian asked.


    Seren looked at the sky and nodded, "It''ste. I guess we should head back."


    "Let me escort you then."


    Cian took his sister back to where she was staying, and after leaving her with her servants, only then did Cian withdraw from her chamber.


    ===


    A/N- A surprise Art gift for the readers to view in advance.


    1)Aureus and his mate couple art.


    2)An and His mate couple art.


    3)yer and His woman couple art.


    Q- How to get ess to the Art?


    A- You can see them in private channels of discord meant for the readers who are eligible for it. ELIGIBILITY is the gifts for the second novel.


    1)Dragon gift- Aureus and His mate art.


    2)Supergifts- Includes all three arts and any other arts rted to the novel made afterward.


    All the art will be avable in January but you can get a glimpse of Aureus and his mate''s art at this moment if you are eligible.


    Discord link- https://discord.gg/FeBvNrBbkn


    When you arrive at the server, do let me or the admin know the reason.

 Chapter 624 I Want To Stay In My Tower

    The next morning, the Crown Prince of Abetha escorted the royalty of Megaris and Griven for the capital city of his kingdom. It was going to be a two to three day'' journey, with theirrge group takingfortable stops at the homes of different territory lords along the way. The journey went smoothly, and before they realized it, they were entering the gates of the capital of Abetha.


    Unlike other kingdoms, the capital city of Abetha didn''t have a different name from the kingdom itself, and this had to do with its not-so-humble origins. ording to records, in the past, Abetha used to be a mere merchant city of a fallen empire that had gradually gained independence.


    When the royal entourage reached the Royal Pce of Abetha, grand arrangements were made to wee the King and the Queen of Megaris who arrived there along with the Crown Prince of Griven. They were able to enter unhindered, and a long assembly of uniformed knights with their ceremonial swords raised filled their view, starting from the gates up until they reached the pce.


    Their carriages soon stopped, and it could be seen that the hospitality of Abetha was quite borate, showing the highest form of respect for these esteemed guests. The weing party was personally led by King Armen and Queen Niobe, and all the important personages of the pce��from the administrators to the ministers, along with other members of the Ilven Royal Family, like Seren''s cousins and their close rtives��were present.


    From their expressions, especially the young ones, they were obviously eager to see Seren and her husband, wanting to know how they were doing after their rushed marriage. Most of them wanted to know if the rumors they had been hearing were true��that the King of Megaris treated his Queen exceptionally well.


    From the entourage, the first to move was Cian. He climbed off his horse and went towards his parents, standing by the side of King Armen to whisper a few words to his father. Everyone else''s eyes were fixed at thergest carriage which was meant for the King and the Queen of Megaris.


    Two royal knights in their mid twenties wearing the ck uniform of Megaris went to their King and Queen''s carriage. From the medals and ribbons on their chests, one would know these two men were the highest ranking knights under the King of Megaris, themander and vicemander of the royal knights.


    yer opened the door of the carriage while a servant had already arranged a stool below the door.


    A man too beautiful to be real was the first to step down the carriage, his long midnight ck hair particrly eye-catching under therge golden crown on his head. This was not the first time some of them had seen the young king, but back then, Drayce had juste back from the battlefield, and his bloodlust was particrly strong, especially after he had thrown the royal court of Abetha in turmoil. In their heads, his figure was etched as a person of domineering belligerence. Rather than his appearance, their focus was on this devil''s tyrant-like personality.


    Today, under the eyes of the people, Drayce Ivanov came with a dignity befitting a ruler of a nation. His scarlet eyes were as red as the rubies on his crown, yet rather than the freezing coldness the weing party expected, what they saw was an unbelievably soft expression on his face as he turned his head to the side to escort the personing down after him.


    When he offered his hand to the person climbing down the carriage, a delicate hand epted his support, the blue-green scales at the back of the hand clearly visible for everyone to see.


    A young woman with a delicate figure, wearing a silver tiara and a luxurious robe preferred by the eastern kingdoms, came into the crowd''s sight. With a veil covering her face, only her purple eyes could be seen, and it was an appearance both feared and hated by many. When she stepped out of the carriage, though her movements were graceful, many of the onlookers had to lower their heads or turn away, unable to bear the sight of her return.


    After Drayce helped Seren down, the couple turned to look at the King and Queen of Abetha who were quietly waiting to wee them. Though he tried to hide it, King Armen looked pleased to see his youngest daughter, and at his side, Queen Niobe wore a polite smile that carried the dignity of a queen.


    "Wee to Agartha, King Drayce and Queen Seren," King Armen greeted. "I hope the Dragon of Megaris has been well since we''vest met."


    "The past few months had been my happiest, King Armen," Drayce replied, neither arrogant nor servile, his words and tone acknowledging that he treated Abetha as an equal to his kingdom, and that the rtionship of the two kingdoms were closer than mere allies.


    "That is the best news I havee to hear."


    As the two monarchs exchanged pleasantries, King Armen nced at Seren, wishing to study her quiet appearance, wanting to check if she had gotten thin or if she showed signs of ill, but to his surprise, she met his gaze with a tranquil look.


    "It was by King Armen''s grace that we are able to enjoy this good fortune," Seren remarked, her voice steady and clear, a far cry from her past self who was unable to join even the simplest conversations among nobility.


    Shock seemed to ripple among those who heard her, and in King Armen''s eyes, the worry in his eyes faded, reced by relief.


    "You two must be tired due to the long journey. We have made ample arrangements for your stay inside the pce. A wee banquet has been prepared tonight. Please have a rest first," Queen Niobe interjected to break the silence. "Lord Eudes, may you lead the King and Queen of Megaris to the guest pce?"


    The King''s aide, Lord Eudes, was ready to guide their way but��


    "Dray, I wish to stay in my tower."


    Everyone heard Seren speaking casually towards her lord husband, even wrapping a hand around his arm.


    Dray? Did they just hear her call her husband in such an affectionate way in public? They all looked at the couple in surprise. No one wanted to believe that the King of Megaris cherished this witch who they hated with all their might to the point he would let this social blunder slide.


    However, they were bound to be disappointed. Drayce turned to look at his wife and he moved her hand up, only to put his other hand over hers and caress it affectionately. "Whatever you wish, my Queen." Drayce looked at the Queen of Abetha. "Queen Niobe, I would like our lodging arrangements to be as my Queen wants. Please arrange for both of us to stay in her tower."


    At this moment, Seren''s attention was at how Drayce called her. It was the first time ever Seren found the importance and weight to the words he used to call her ''My Queen''. It sounded ordinary to her since she was used to it, but this was not the case for these people. It showed everyone how important she was to him, and for the first time, she didn''t wish toin about him not calling her by her name.<novelnext></novelnext>


    "That tower might not be asfortable as the guest pce for King Drayce," Queen Niobe replied. As she was the one in charge of the affairs within the pce, she knew best about the difference between these two ces.


    "I will befortable anywhere as long as my Queen is by my side. Rest assured," Drayce countered.


    Seren had no word to stay. Initially, she wanted to ask Drayce to stay in the guest pce arranged for them, and she alone can stay in the tower so she could reminisce about her past, but she swallowed her words because of what he said. She felt over the moon, to be the object of his affection, and she could see the envy in the eyes of some of the women in the crowd.


    In the end, Queen Niobe had to look at her husband for his opinion.


    "As per your wish, King Drayce," King Armen agreed.


    Only a few people seemed happy to see the King of Megaris showing tender affection to their princess��King Armen, Prince Cian, among others.


    Though Queen Niobe smiled. "Then, I ask that the King and Queen of Megaris enjoy a stroll around our garden while I ask the servants to make proper arrangements. Lord Eudes, please guide our esteemed guests."


    Lord Eudes bowed before the two. "King Drayce, Queen Seren, do you wish to apany this old man for a stroll? However, if you wish to rest or freshen up, I can also escort you to the guest pce to temporarily stay until Queen Seren''s tower is arranged."


    Drayce first looked at Seren. "What do you say, my Queen?"


    She nodded to what Eudes had offered.


    Drayce looked back at the old man. "We shall rest first then."


    At this point, people would be blind if they were unable to realize the situation. Despite not wanting to believe it, the infamous King of Megaris, the feared Devil King, followed every word his wife said.


    Has she bewitched her husband? Were witches truly scary creatures capable of bewitching even the most extraordinary men?


    No one could voice their thoughts out loud, and those women, regardless of age, could only envy her.


    After that, they did not immediately leave as they waited for An to exchange a few words with King Armen. Though he was of less importance than the King and Queen of Megaris, the Crown Prince still came as a representative of the Cromwell Royal Family, not to mention he was the brother of King Armen''s future son-inw. No one was surprised to see Prince of Griven with the Royals from Megaris as everyone was aware of the friendship between Drayce and An.


    Soon, their way was guided towards the guest pce.


    Cian also followed them as he walked with Prince An whose stay arrangement was also made in the same guest wing as the royalty from Megaris.


    "Your face cannot suppress the happiness you are feeling at this moment, Prince Cian. Why so fussy? Smile if you want to smile," Anmented.


    "Not everyone is good at putting on a pretty smile on their faces, Prince An, though that smile most of the time is nothing but a mask."


    An smirked. "Rest assured, you are among the few lucky people who are spared from that mask."


    Cian faked a sigh as he said sarcastically, "Such a relief."


    ====


    A/N- New month started. Kindly vote all your golden tickets to "The Devil''s Cursed Witch" as Double golden ticket event is still ongoing for this week.


    Mass Release will be there if we reach 3rd spot in the event.


    Gifts are also weed to support the event.

 Chapter 625 Wont Go Easy On Her Father

    The guest pce where Drayce and Seren were led to was a part of the royal pce Seren had never been to in the past, and as she took in the sight of the unfamiliar ce--to think she had spent seventeen years without even seeing the entirety of the pceplex where she was raised-- she could not help but feel aplicated emotion.


    The chamber initially arranged for them was a luxurious one, suitable for royalty to stay in, and nothing could be faulted--from the decorations catering to the taste of Megaris to the hospitality extended to their personal servants and knights--but as Seren looked at thevish arrangements more grand than she expected, she found herself feeling...empty.


    Home? The ce where she was raised? It wasn''t within these white marble pirs or furnished walls, the thick fur rugs with furniture carved in fragrant wood; it was within those cold stone walls made of dark gray bricks and bare floors with only the simplest interiors.


    That was where she belonged, inside that tower where she had spent her life living like a captive.


    She walked towards the window and stood looking outside. From where she''s standing, she could see the carriages and the people mingling about, and farther out was a meticulously tended garden. Drayce silently stood by her side, and he gently ced his hand around her shoulders. Aware she was feeling emotional, he offered her his silentfort.


    After some time, the young woman let out an audible sigh.


    "Are you alright, Seren?" he asked.


    She rested the back of her head against his chest while her eyes continued to stare outside. "I would have not been fine if you were not with me."


    He rubbed her shoulders gently. "d to know it." He continued to draw small circles on her thin shoulders as he added, as if an afterthought, "May I know why you want to stay in your tower?"


    Several seconds passed by before she answered, her tone strangely calm.


    "In this entire kingdom, that tower is the only thing I recognize, the only familiar ce to me. Strange, isn''t it? But everything else is foreign to me."


    "Hmm, I don''t think it''s strange. You grew up there, so it is normal to stay in the ce you are most familiar with." He leaned his face closer to her ears. "And I like that I will get to know more about you. That tower is part of your past, and it is something that belongs to you. Though I don''t know how you spent your childhood, I believe we have ample time for me to get to hear your experiences during the duration of our stay. I am sure you have good memories in that tower, and starting today, we can create a couple more memories worth remembering in that ce, don''t you think so?"


    "Hmm." She nodded. "I wonder how my nanny, Martha, is doing. I didn''t see her when we arrived. If she was in the pce, I am sure she would have been the first one to wee me but...seems like King Armen has sent her away as she was not of any use after I left."


    Drayce didn''tment about her misunderstanding. Thest time he saw Martha, she was gravely injured and looked like she would not make it, give or take a month. That was the reason he didn''t allow the older woman to apany Seren, and though it was a selfish decision, maybe cruel even to some, he made it with good intention--he didn''t want his wife to witness losing a person she treated like her family.


    Fortunately, neither did the woman want to go to Megaris, and thus, they had a silent agreement to let Seren remain ignorant of her nanny''s deteriorating health. Both didn''t want to see Seren hurt. It was better to let fate go its course without letting her know of the painful truth.


    ''I wonder if she found a means to live,'' Drayce thought and heard Seren continue saying, "Later, shall we go around to ask about her? Do you think it''s fine to ask King Armen about her whereabouts?"


    If he were to be asked, Drayce would no doubt say the only person Seren could ask about her nanny was King Armen. Only that man could tell them if she was alive, and if she was, where she went. That witch was the sole person he trusted to protect his daughter; there was no way King Armen would let her go just like this.


    Moreover, the day of Seren''sing of age was fast approaching, and it was bound to happen soon after the wedding of his second sister. Drayce had a guess this was an intentional move made by King Armen to make sure Seren would be in Abetha the day she bes an adult. If the King of Abetha made such ns ahead of time, then he must have surely arranged for this witch to be nearby as well.


    And if Martha were to protect Seren, then maybe she hadrades with her. Drayce was holding onto a thread of hope that his mother was among them.


    ''Mother, I am looking forward to meeting you. I don''t wish to be disappointed this time.''


    "Dray? What are you thinking?"


    "Hmm?"


    "You didn''t answer me."


    Drayce stared at his wife who had tilted her head to look at him.


    "I will help you find your nanny. Rest assured."


    At his answer, Seren let out a sigh of relief.<novelnext></novelnext>


    After taking an ample rest and having a meal, the aide of the King of Abetha informed Drayce and Seren that the arrangements were finished and they could not shift to the Third Princess'' old residence. Their carriage stopped at the main entrance of the tower, and they were greeted by the familiar sight of the gate with a bell attached to the tall boundary walls surrounding the tower.


    When Seren stepped out of the carriage with Drayce'' help, she was unable to remove her eyes from the stone tower. For some odd reason, her chest throbbed. Though its appearance seemed to not have changed, it gave her a lonely feeling. This tower must have missed its owner as well.


    Pce servants opened the gate for them and Lord Eudes personally guided their way inside. yer and Azer followed behind the royal couple, along with the Queen''sdy-in-waiting.


    As they entered the gate, Seren noticed that the small garden she tended herself was in a good condition. It appeared that even after she left, a gardener had been assigned to take care of the nts. Because it was winter, many of the flower bushes were bare, but a couple of winter nts had flowers in full bloom...


    Meanwhile, Drayce''s mind was elsewhere, remembering thest time when he stepped foot in this ce. Back then, the Third Princess of Abetha had been targeted with malicious intentions and forced herself to hide inside her tower, and his busybody self had to argue with her father and brother to allow him to get her out.


    At that time, his head was filled with thoughts of saving her and he was ready to shed blood for that. A rare amused smile appeared on his face as those memories showed how crazy he was for a girl he had never met.


    Was it fate? All he did was to follow his instincts, and back then, the urge felt stronger than even his rational mind. And now, he was d that he listened to his instincts.


    Seren caught Drayce''s smile. "Is something funny, Dray?"


    "Just some silly things I am d I did."


    "What do you mean?"


    "Will tell youter. Let''s go inside first."


    Since her husband said that, Seren let it go and she resumed appreciating the small green haven around her. Then her gaze eventually froze upon seeing an empty plot ofnd near the pebbled path they were treading on. A particr tree should be standing there, one which she was scared to look at but...


    "Where is it?"


    "What, my Queen?"


    "There''s supposed to be a tree in that spot," she said, her voice somewhat low.


    Lord Eudes, who was leading their way, turned to see what she was referring to. He then let out a sound of understanding. "Queen Seren, that tree was pulled out just a while ago."


    "Why?"


    "King Armen''s orders. His Majesty didn''t want to remind you about some bad memories."


    Seren felt conflicted upon hearing the old man''s exnation. Though she indeed dreaded the memories evoked by that particr tree...she also didn''t wish to be pleased by the actions of the King of Abetha.


    Lord Eudes suddenly felt a gaze that made him lower his head in front of her. "Your Majesty?"


    "It was just a harmless tree. Is there a need to cut it?" Her voice was cold and her eyes showed how displeased she was, causing the old man to wonder if the person in front of him was the same Third Princess he used to know.


    Eudes felt speechless, but he bowed servilely. "Apologies, Your Majesty."


    Seren ignored him and continued walking towards the door of the tower and Drayce quietly followed her despite his confusion.


    However, regardless of the reason, he found himself amused to see her confident strides. His timid-looking wife had learned how to have a temper and she didn''t mind showing it whenever she wanted to. She was on the right path of bing a queen where her actions and words could intimidate others.


    He almost wanted tough, imagining the next few days. ''She is not going to go easy on her father.''

 Chapter 626 Serens Gratitude Towards Drayce

    Seren soon climbed the tower and reached her chamber. Much to her surprise, she found everything she had left behind was still kept the same.


    ''I thought they would throw everything out the moment I leave this ce but...everything is still here.'' She went to her bookshelf and each and every book was ounted for, not a speck of dust in ce. She went to her wardrobe and her clothes were intact, the fabrics seemingly washed just a few days prior. On the corners, there were no cobwebs, and the other random items were still on her table. In fact, it looked like this ce was being looked after nicely, kept well-maintained for a long time, and not just a ce cleaned today.


    "What happened, Seren?"


    "I thought they would throw my things out," she admitted. "I even expected them to burn everything, thinking they''re evil items belonging to a witch but...my chamber looks as if I never left."


    This was surely King Armen''s handiwork again. By now, Drayce understood how that man was the type who treasured the belongings of his daughter without saying anything.


    "Isn''t it a good thing?"


    "It is."


    "Won''t you introduce me to this ce?" he asked, changing the subject. "How did you spend your time here?" he asked.


    Seren let out a shaky breath and approached her husband to pull him close.


    "Hmm, all these books, I have read them at least twenty or thirty times from cover to cover, to the point that I remember each and every line within their pages, even the page number." She pointed towards the wooden desk and chair on the side. "That is where I used to study and..."


    Seren continued to exin how she passed her boring days to him, from reading to gardening to daydreaming, with Drayce quietly immersed in the images painted by her soft voice, imagining the lonely sight of a little girl living in her own quiet world.


    ----


    With the King and Queen of Megaris resting in the Queen''s old bedchamber, their servants also settled down in their respective rooms inside the tower. The tower had plenty of empty rooms, more than enough to house not only the direct servants of the couple but even the royal knights. The chamber that belonged to Martha was given to Seren''sdy-in-waiting, while the two maidservants were assigned to the empty rooms next door so it would be easier for them to attend to their master''s needs.


    Meanwhile, yer and Azer were given a single chamber to share on the floor below. Both the knights were tired and needed to freshen up and rest as well.


    The two men were changing out of their ceremonial uniforms into a morefortable one when a sigh echoed within the room.


    "What are you sighing at?" yer asked.


    "I was thinking about the situation a few months ago, back when we came to Abetha for the first time. At that time, our kingdoms had nothing to do with each other and now we are allies."


    "That is not something you will sigh over like this."


    "Well, I am in fact thinking about Her Majesty and the situation she used to be in. Can you imagine what kind of state she grew up in as a princess?" At that, he ced his sword in the stand.


    yer was busy unbuckling the straps of the leather gloves in his hands. "Everyone has their own destinies. Her Majesty''s destiny led her to our King."


    "Hmm, she is the luckiest woman in the world to be chosen by His Majesty," Azer said as he started to remove his leather gloves as well. "By the way, Commander, when will you be someone''s destiny?"


    "First you worry about yourself. If your father once morees to meining about you not agreeing to get married, I will drag you to your wedding hall myself." He threw the heavy leather glove at Azer''s stomach. "Got it?"


    "Ah, yes." The lower-ranking knight ced the heavy glove on the bedside table, slightly rubbing the part of his torso where he was hit hard. "I mean, Commander, please protect me from this marriage thing. I don''t wish to get married. Father is just..."


    "Yeah? I see you catching glimpses at Lady Xena frequently. I shall tell your father you found someone."


    Azer looked like a cat whose tail was stepped on. "What! N-No, Commander. You got it wrong! She is like a sister to me. I admire her for being so good at her work. I just look at her thinking how you and she will look together. I think you should--"


    "One more word, and I will make sure you won''t get to rest even for a moment as long as we are in Abetha." yer threw his shirt aside as he red at his vicemander before leaving towards the side chamber for a bath.


    Azer, who dared not say a word more, finally gave out a sigh of relief. "I almost dug my own grave."<novelnext></novelnext>


    -----


    After talking for a long with his wife and getting updates about her past, both Seren and Drayce had a bath and changed into a fresh clothes. Drayce straightaway went to the Queen size bed which was enough tofortably amodate the two people and hey on it.


    "Seems like you are tired, Dray," she said as she walked towards the bed.


    He shook his head, "I am just trying to get a feel of your life here," he then held her hand and pulled her on the bed, only to make her fall on his body, "Ah, Dray." She tried to get up but he held her firmly, "...and trying to feel how will it feel to be in this bed together with you."


    "This bed is a little smaller ...."


    "Enough to amodate both of us. If not, you are free toy on me like this, the entire night."


    "Won''t it be ufortable?" she asked.


    "It sure will be but I am sure my Queen will manage tofort me."


    Seren understood he was talking about something else and immediately moved away from his body toy next to him, as she smiled under her veil.


    "Thest time I came to this chamber, I didn''t have time to pay attention to anything."


    "The time when you saved me from here?" she asked.


    "Hmm, at that time all I had in mind was to get you out of here as soon as possible."


    She turned her head to look at him, "Thank you foring to save me, Dray."


    He turned his head to look back at her, "You don''t have to, Seren."


    "Let me say it, Dray" she insisted and Drayce as usual obeyed his wife''s wishes.


    She continued, "Thank you for marrying me and taking me away with you. Though I was nothing but a nuisance back then, thank you for being patient with me, for epting me when everyone had long back given up on me. Thank you for being there with me when I really needed someone to understand me, listen to me, guide me. Witch or not, thank you for considering me a human and taking care of me. Thank you for never giving up on me. Thank you for being my home, my shelter. Thank you for being my husband...."


    She had many more things to thank him for, but it was not easy to say it all. "Thank you for everything, Dray."


    Drayce turned to his one side to face her and pecked on her forehead. "Thank you for being born. Thank you for surviving though it was difficult and thening into my life, Seren."


    Seren simply looked at his eyes while his eyes noticed something, "The flower on your forehead is shining, Seren," and he looked at her with a teasing gaze, "Are you craving for me, at this hour of the day?"


    Seren gulped and moved away, "N-Not at all. This flower mark is strange. Don''t pay attention to it."


    He offered her gaze full of doubts, "Are you sure?"


    "Of course, I am sure," she sat up in the bed, "In fact I am hungry. This flower must be indicating that I need to stuff my stomach with a food."


    Before Drayce could say a word, she pulled the rope next to the bed to ring a bell to call for the servant.


    Drayce continuedy in bed while he enjoyed his wife''s flustered reaction as if she was caught red handed. But he chose to not tease her. There was something else that came to his mind after he remembered the that day once again when he saved Seren.


    ''Dusk....Aureus, he was here when Seren hid herself inside her wardrobe after she was scared and she was there for two days. Why didn''t Aureus transform into his human form and saved her? He is a divine beast who could have passed through that spell barrier, then why? Why didn''t he help her himself and instead chose to wait for someone to help her? Was it so important to hide his real identity over Seren''s life?'' Draven frowned inwardly as his red eyes looked displeased. He needed to get answer from Aureus when he would return from Agartha.

 Chapter 627 Cultural Shock For The Innocent

    Seren woke up the next morning in her husband''s arms. It was a strange feeling to wake up in her old room, with Drayce sleeping by her side on her childhood bed, holding her like a body pillow.


    Staring at the man sleeping soundly next to her, she could not help but notice the hint of fatigue on his handsome face.


    Even though Drayce wouldn''t admit it, he had been exhausted after their long journey of more than two weeks. The travel itself was of little concern, but he did overexert his powers during the night of that storm, and afterwards, there was his relentless search for the suspicious ck Witch, not to mention as the King of Megaris, he still had to deal with the people of high society.


    Seren softly gazed at his peaceful sleeping face.


    ''This might be one of the best memories I have in this tower--waking up with Dray by my side. I never thought a day like this woulde.''


    "Good morning, Seren," she heard Drayce say after he stirred awake some timeter.


    She smiled behind her veil. "Good morning, Dray. Did you sleep well?"


    He nodded before leisurely pulling her closer to him. "Have you been awake for long?"


    "Not really."


    Drayce nted a soft kiss on her forehead. "What were you thinking about?"


    "That I should make a couple more good memories here with you."


    "Hmm, we absolutely must," he agreed, and after nuzzling his face on her hair, he informed her, "Today, we will have to meet the King and the Queen of Abetha. Will you be fine?"


    "It is merely giving formal greetings, isn''t it? That much, I can do."


    "Good."


    "But, I don''t want to have a private meal with them if they invite us to one," Seren was aware of the formalities between royalty and she could expect what toe. If it was a banquet with other people, she could still tolerate it, but to share a meal with only King Armen and Queen Niobe...


    "Sure. As you wish."


    After they got ready for the day, their morning meal was arranged in the tower garden as per Seren''s wishes. Back in the days, she was used to having her morning meal with her nanny while enjoying the beautiful view of that small garden. She wanted to reminisce about those memories again.


    When the couple reached the garden, Seren was surprised to see An along with Yorian waiting for them. She didn''t know these two would be apanying them on their morning meal as well.


    She threw a puzzled nce at her husband who was right next to her. "They are curious about your tower so I invited them for a meal. I hope you don''t mind."


    "It''s fine," she responded and they walked ahead towards their guests.


    "Good morning, Your Majesties."


    "Good morning," she replied cordially and heard An add, "I hope we are not being a bother here."


    "Of course not, Prince An. I am merely worried that you might find this humble ce not to yourfort."


    "There is no need for that, Your Majesty. This garden is lovely. In fact, I find its serene atmosphere quite agreeable," An replied.


    "Seems like the King of Abetha paid special attention to this ce," Yorianmented as he looked around. "Many of the nts in this garden would not thrive without appropriate care."


    Seren could not deny the obvious--that even in her absence, this ce was well-maintained. A number of the flower-bearing nts she raised were difficult to tend, some particr about the water in the soil and some sensitive to changes in temperature. Yet all of them were obviously healthy; everything was how she had left it... but she chose to be quiet.


    An turned towards Yorian. "So, have you already finished sightseeing around the entire royal pce?"


    "I had nothing to do yesterday." Yorian didn''t deny it. "In case you n to attack the Royal Pce of Abetha in the future, I can provide you with some insights."


    "I look forward to your report, elf."


    As they chatted, they walked towards the part of the garden where the servants had arranged a table with chairs for them.


    Drayce pulled a chair out for Seren and helped her sit while others took their ces.


    After the servants served their meal and they started eating, An spoke up. "Dray, about the summit this time, you must have received the invite already before you embarked on this trip."


    "Hmm."<novelnext></novelnext>


    "This time, Samer Vailes will be attending for the first time since he has been crowned the King of Thevailes."


    "That is within expectation."


    "We wille across him after so long. Any thoughts?"


    "As long as he behaves, then I will treat him as a fellow king," Draycemented and continued eating.


    "A summit?" Seren asked as she didn''t recall Drayce mentioning anything about this.


    "A gathering held in Mivesea," Drayce replied, "and we both are going."


    "I am going as well?" she asked in a surprise.


    "Hmm! After your sister''s wedding and dealing with a few more important matters, we will be heading to Mivesea, but since it''s still about a month away, we can take our time and travel through thends of Abetha and Othinia along the way. From Mivesea, we will return by ship to Megaris."


    Her eyes shone at the thought of traveling around and asked, "What exactly happens at this summit?"


    "Mostly deciding the general direction of development between kingdoms, a means to show off the achievements of the reigning monarch, and forming or strengthening alliances between nations, those kinds of affairs," Drayce exined with a nonchnt tone. "However, this is an assembly meant only for kings or heads of nations, and it only happens once every three years or when one of the participating kingdoms crowns a new ruler."


    Seren, who was yet to finish her education as a queen, was quite flustered by what she heard. "Umm, won''t it be dangerous for rival kings to be present at the same ce?"


    "All the kings and their envoys have to follow certain rules. During the duration of the summit, the participants keep their rivalry to themselves. This summit is the most important assembly between the highest-ranking people in the continent--none of those attending would be stupid enough to offend another kingdom and risk raising the banners of war for nonsensical reasons like private grudges.


    "If someone breaks the rules, the other kingdoms will either put diplomatic pressure like refusing ess to trade routes with them or economic sanctions like putting higher levies on imported goods, or worse, iste that kingdom from attending the next summit.


    "No sane king will attempt to sabotage the summit and turn the entire continent against them."


    Seren let out a mouthful of air. "This summit sounds frightening. Do all kings have to attend it?"


    "Theoretically, but not necessarily. If the reigning king is unable to attend, he may send his official sessor or the first in line to the throne to attend it," Drayce then looked at his friend. "An is attending the summit in his father''s stead."


    "Hmm!"


    "For Abetha, I heard Prince Cian ising to participate in the summit," An remarked.


    This brought a smile to Seren''sn lips as she said happily, "That means Brother Cian would being with us?"


    Drayce nodded without a change in expression, but deep inside, he could not help but feel jealous over her reaction. He was sure she would remain glued to her brother''s side all the time.


    An threw a teasing smile his way. The young king offered him a t re and then looked at his wife. "Seren, why did you stop eating? You should eat more."


    "Ah, I am still eating. I am just happy that my brother will be apanying us to Mivesea."


    Drayce no longermented as seeing her happy was everything to him.


    Just then, An''s eyes nced at the side, as if sensing something interesting was happening. An smirked before moving his gaze back to Drayce.


    Drayce had followed An''s gaze earlier and saw two knights were being rowdy to the point even some of the servants were also ncing their way. Azer was attempting to strike a conversation with An''s knight, Imbert, but the young knight looked colder than an iceberg, refusing to entertain him.


    An sighed and said to Drayce, "Your knight is going to be heartbroken."


    Hearing that cryptic remark, Seren stared at An with a confused look, while Yorian lowered his head, a vague smile tugging at the corner of his lips.


    Drayce red at An. "Watch your mouth. You should refrain from giving a cultural shock to the innocent people around you."


    An awkwardly cleared his throat as he understood Drayce was referring to Seren and changed the topic, "The local food of Abetha sure tastes amazing. Especially their sweets. These honey biscuits are my favorite."


    Seren, who didn''t understand what was going on, pushed the dish of biscuits towards An. "Please have some more, Prince An."


    "Thank you, Your Majesty," An replied as he felt relieved that the naive queen didn''t understand what he had said before.

 Chapter 628 Agreeing To Have A Meal

    Their group had an enjoyable meal within the garden, with Seren mostly listening to An and Drayce talking about the affairs of their kingdoms and Yorianmenting in between, seemingly interested in human politics.


    After she finished her meal, Seren left these men alone as she went to check on the nts in her garden. She found herself stopping in front of the empty plot where marks of a tree being uprooted remained.


    A maple tree.


    The tree that used to be in the middle of her garden was arge maple tree that she used to personally prune once a year. Though there were other trees in her garden, this particr tree was thergest, the oldest and the most beautiful, and it was also the first tree one could see from the gate.


    She stared at the ground which was covered with fresh soil. Give it a few days, it would be covered in weeds, erasing thest traces of its existence.


    ''I remember my nanny saying this tree was nted here even before I came. Was it necessary to remove it? Though it brought back memories I would rather forget, I still feel it was not necessary. I would have been at most a little ufortable but it would have been fine. That tree had no fault in anything.''


    After some time, footsteps could be heard as someone approached her. "What are you thinking about, Seren?"


    Seren turned around to face the source of the familiar voice and replied, "Brother Cian, good morning."


    "Is it good? You look bothered."


    Even though she wore a veil, one could see the crease on her forehead.


    Seren gestured at the empty plot ofnd. "I was thinking about the tree that was removed. I feel like it would have been better if the tree was spared."


    "That tree was an instrument used against you. You copsed and became unconscious for days afterwards��"


    "Those who conspired against me are in the wrong, and the tree is innocent. It would be good for me to learn to face my fears."


    Hearing her stubborn words, Cian smiled. "That''s good thinking, Seren. Though I wish you won''t ever experience simr things again, life is unpredictable. I wish you face what scares you instead of hiding."


    "This would have been a good chance to try, but the tree is already gone."


    "Hmm, that''s sad but don''t feel too bad. That old tree was dying and it would have been removed sooner orter," he consoled, "but as you have thought about facing your fears, how about not denying to have a meal with our father?"


    Seren looked at her brother, wondering if the reason he came to her tower was to persuade her. "That is a different thing."


    "Is it scary?"


    Seren shook her head, but said nothing.


    "Do you still hate our father?"


    Again, Seren did not respond.


    Cian stared at his little sister, feeling a bit helpless. There were things he knew but couldn''t say; however, if there was one thing he hoped to achieve, it was for King Armen and Seren to be given a chance to narrow the distance between them.


    For a second, he wondered how to convince her to see their father.


    "I am not here to force you, but Seren, you are no longer a mere princess. You are the Queen of Megaris, a person with status and rank, and every move you make, every word you speak, will be evaluated and interpreted by others to suit their needs.


    "You are no longer a child but ady with her own title. You need to face people even if you don''t like them. You need to be stronger. You need to show everyone how wrong they were about you��that the Queen of Megaris is not a timid girl but a woman worthy of being the ruler of thergest kingdom in the continent.


    "What do you think? Isn''t meeting our father a rather small affair to be scared aboutpared to the weight of the crown you bear?"


    Seren was unable to meet his gaze. "Well, I am not sure��if I want to see him��"


    Cian sighed and tried to persuade her in another way. "Yesterday, there was a banquet hosted to wee you and your husband, but you two didn''t attend. The excuse was reasonable��that you were tired from your journey��but what do you think was the reaction of those who attended when they found out the guests of honor were absent? Fortunately, Prince An attended the banquet and socialized in your stead."


    Seren was someone who didn''t care about people''s opinion of her��or rather, she had grown numb to their masked hostility that she forced herself to not care. Seeing herck of reaction, Cian continued.


    "Think of it this way. If once again you refuse to ept this invitation, what do you think people will say? That Megaris looks down on Abetha? It will leave a bad impression not only to our parents but also those who have ears in the pce. People will think the Ivanovs are petty and immature and look down on you and your husband. It is not that I am saying your emotions do not matter, but I do not want your judgment to be clouded by emotions. As a Queen, you have responsibilities and a reputation to uphold��"<novelnext></novelnext>


    "My Queen can do whatever she feels is right."


    The pair of siblings turned towards the cold-sounding voice. A hand was ced on Seren''s shoulder.


    "She doesn''t have to prove anything to anyone."


    Seren moved her head up to look at her husband whose gaze softened as he offered her an assuring smile. "Do as you feel right."


    Warmth spread across her chest, knowing Drayce wholeheartedly supported her, regardless if she acted petty or immature. It was a kind of trust she wanted to be worthy of.


    Her purple eyes flickered as she pondered.


    "Brother Cian is right as well."


    Drayce affectionately rubbed her shoulder. "I agree that Prince Cian has a valid point, but in the end, what you want is more important. I am fine with whatever you chose. If you don''t wish to have a meal with your father, the King of Abetha, then no one will force you. You are the Queen of Megaris. You don''t have to worry about measly formalities."


    ''Queen of Megaris��'' she inwardly sighed. ''I want to be a good queen. As my brother said, I should not let my emotions cloud my judgment. For the sake of the rtionship between Megaris and Abetha, I need to act responsible��I should��''


    She looked at her brother. "I will ept the invitation of the Royal Family of Abetha."


    Drayce and Cian shared a knowing gaze with each other as if they were expecting this.


    "Are you sure about it, My Queen?" Drayce asked with admiration in his eyes.


    "Hmm, I should at least fulfill my duty as the Queen of Megaris."


    "As you wish then."


    Irrespective of political view, Drayce and Cian both wanted Seren to meet her father. It was progress for her to share a meal with him. and it would be better if she were to talk with him.


    Though it was too much to expect that the father and daughter would reconcile within a single day, the fact that they have a chance to interact could improve their rtionship. Having a few moments together might make them understand each other better.


    "Brother, I heard you will being with us to Mivesea," Seren asked, changing the subject.


    "Yes, I will be attending the summit in our father''s stead, and I have already received a letter saying that Giselle has given birth to a healthy little girl so I am thinking of paying them a visit as well. Do you want toe?"


    Seren briefly remembered that her oldest sister was pregnant but didn''tment on it.


    Meanwhile, Drayce stood by Seren''s side without interrupting them. Drayce believed Cian''s intentions were good, and he approved that he was trying to act like a bridge between her and the rest of her family.


    "Her daughter is your niece as well. Aren''t you happy?" Cian asked, though he knew the truth. It was just his attempt to make Seren feel that things have changed now. As the eldest, he hoped that his younger half-siblings could improve their rtionship.


    "I don''t know her well enough to be happy about the birth of her daughter," Seren said coldly, but there was hesitation in her tone, as if she was forcing herself to say words she didn''t mean.


    Though there was no bond between sisters, the birth of a new family member was always a joyful asion within a family. How could Seren not be curious and happy at the birth of her first niece?


    "That''s true, but let''s see if you feel the same when we see her daughter," Cian spoke.


    "Me? Will I get to see her daughter?" Seren asked. She had seen her sister''s son but it was from a distance. After all, when even the adults were wary of her, it was impossible that they would let them anywhere near a witch like her.


    "Why not? I don''t believe our sister will not let you see her child."


    "They won''t even allow their kids to approach a witch''s shadow, much less let them be seen by her. Better for me to not expect anything," she said with a bitter tone. "As I said, I don''t know the First Princess that well to call her a sister."


    "Fine, as you wish. For now, I guess I should be d that you agreed to have a meal with Father.


    ''Meal with our father?'' she thought, ''Not my father at least. It will be my first ever meal with the King of Abetha.''

 Chapter 629 Where Is My Nanny?

    In the afternoon, the royal meal was arranged for the King and the Queen of Megaris with the royal family of Abetha. Seren and Drayce were led to the main pce where inside thevish dining chamber everything was arranged where only Ilven family members were present.


    King Armen and queen Niobe weed the guests. Miera was there as well along with Cian. Drayce was holding Seren''s hand as he could clearly hear Seren''s heartbeats which were getting louder with her each step closer she took to see her father and rest of the family.


    It would be the first ever meal she was going to have with her family and her emotions and thoughts were conflicted over how to feel and what to think. All she was focussed on fulfilling the responsibility of the Queen of Megaris.


    After exchanging the greetings, they sat across the grand wooden dining table which was full of various delicacies from Abetha. King Armen sat in the main chair of the king, to his right sat the queen and second daughter Miera while to his left sat Cian and Seren. Drayce sat at the other end of the rectangr table exactly opposite to king Armen and Seren was sitting to his right side.


    "Seren, thank you for agreeing to have a meal with us," King Armen said politely as he looked at his silently sitting daughter with affection.


    Now he didn''t need to hide his daughter from the world and didn''t need to stop himself from talking with her. Finally, he could have the first ever meal with his daughter which he always wanted to have.


    Seren looked at her father and then lowered her head politely, "Thank you for inviting us, Your Majesty."


    King Armen could clearly see there was not a tinge of affection in her eyes for him. It was not her fault. Her father being a weak human he could do nothing much for her but to hide her and make her spend her life as a prisoner. King Armen didn''t mind her behavior, he had no right to do so.


    As they started the meal, Miera who was sitting opposite to Seren, looked at her, "Seren."


    Seren looked back at her to know why she called and heard Miera again, "Good to see you back here. You are looking good."


    Seren would have thanked politely if it was any other person but she simply nodded lightly and focussed on the meal.


    Seeing Seren calm andposed, Miera could not be quiet and spoke, "I believe your servants in Megaris are not scared of you. The way they have prepared you with nice clothes and jewelry, it must have taken a lot of time for them to do that."


    Cian offered Miera a displeased gaze and was about to say something but then Seren talked which stopped him.


    "Maybe because they are yet to see my scary face due to this veil,"Serenmented. She looked calm andposed as if Miera''s words didn''t affect her.


    King Armen looked at his second daughter, "Miera, you should watch what you say."<novelnext></novelnext>


    Miera pulled out an innocent face. "Father, I was just trying to know how things are there for my sister."


    "It''s fine, King Armen. I have long been used to suchments," Seren spoke, "Your Majesty can keep feigning ignorance like always. I would like it that way," Seren said calmly but her words were like a sharp dagger piercing his heart.


    Queen Niobe interrupted, "Miera, you should focus on eating. It''s going to be your wedding, you should refrain yourself from talking useless."


    "Apologies mother, I didn''t know being concerned about my younger sister can be useless," Miera looked at Drayce who was quiet and didn''t meddle in siblings talk as he believed his wife could handle it. "King Drayce, I hope my naive sister is not creating any troubled for you like how she used to in Abetha."


    Drayce''s red eyes looked at her calmly as if he was not bothered by that remark about his wife and said, "I wish her to create troubles as her husband is more than capable enough to take care for everything. But she is always perfect in behaving as a Queen of the strongest kingdom of this continent and doesn''t give me a chance to take care of any of the trouble. As we are here, maybe Seren can learn from her older sister on how to create unnecessary troubles. I believe the Second princess can guide my wife till we are here."


    Drayce''s words made Miera smile awkwardly as she realized what Drayce meant. No one said a word as she deserved it. She looked at Seren once again who was eating quietly.


    "Eating with this veil on, must be annoying, isn''t it Seren?" Miera tried to change the topic, by trying to be sweet.


    "I got used to it as how I got used to having you and few others in Abetha for so many years," Seren replied, clearly calling everyone annoyance and then looked at her brother which she didn''t wish to include in that annoyance from Abetha.


    He offered her an assuring gaze to tell her that he understood what she wanted to say.


    "Seren, I hope you liked the meal," Queen Niobe said as she wished her daughter to stop embarrassing herself.


    "Queen Niobe sure had arranged a nice meal but it doesn''tpare to what my nanny used to make for me," Seren replied bluntly. "I wish I would rather eat the meal cooked by her in the kitchen of the tower."


    Niobe maintained calm expressions, "In the next meal, the royal kitchen will try to meet the expectations of what you like."


    Seren didn''tment and continued eating and then asked, "I would better like to have my nanny back here till I am here," she looked at her brother, "Where is she?"


    Cian looked at his father, "You should ask this to father, Seren."

 Chapter 630 Her Birth Date Is Different

    Seren didn''t wish to talk to her father but then looked at him, who was the only source to lead her to her nanny.


    "She is living in the outside forest of the capital with her oldpanion. She wished to leave so I epted her wishes," King Armen answered.


    "She must have been tired of the prisoner''s life as well. I am d she could finally be free," Serenmented and resumed eating.


    King Armen once again epted the bitterness from his daughter and spoke, "I will send a message for her toe to the pce."


    "No need. I will personally go meet her. Just like me, she must not be willing to be back to this prison," Seren replied.


    The sudden silence enveloped the dining room where no one could say anything. Drayce was calm as he loved how his wife had learn to not hold herself back and continued eating with a light smirk on his lips.


    Cian and King Armen quietly epted her words, Niobe was calm as if no words could affect her while Miera looked at her father expecting him to say something but he said nothing.


    "Father has to keep you like that because you always caused troubles whenever you were out," Miera finally said as she could not be quiet.


    King Armen looked at his second daughter. "Miera...."


    "I wonder why you were not put in prison as well. I was not the only one creating troubles always," Seren said, not letting her father talk. She didn''t need anyone to defend her.


    "I didn''t harm anyone ever," Miera countered.


    "But still you and your elder sister managed to kill my childhood ymate," Seren then looked at Niobe, "Her Majesty was not so lenient towards a girl who simply broke her daughter''s doll. I wonder why the rich royals were being so petty as it was nothing but a mere doll."


    "Servants are needed to teach lesson or there won''t be any difference between royals and peasants," Niobe replied.


    "While teaching lessons, one''s life is to be considered precious as well," Seren countered.


    "You are young. You will learn while you grow as queen."


    "I don''t wish to grow into such a queen."


    Seeing how Seren was talking back to her mother, Miera spoke again with a frown, "You should talk to mother with respect."


    Seren looked at her elder sister calmly as if to show she was nothing but being a nuisance. "Princess Miera, you should learn to not meddle in when one queen is talking to another queen," and she looked back at Niobe, "seems like Queen Niobe needs to teach her daughter etiquettes once again."


    Miera felt intimidated by the way Seren looked at her and that cold voice of hers. Seren was never like this but she was now changed.


    "I will make sure to teach her," Niobe spoke as she looked at her daughter, "Miera, you should talk to the Queen of Megaris with respect. She is not your sister but a queen now."


    "I will mother,"


    Cian thought to interrupt all this. "Seren, I will take you to Martha soon. She will be happy to see you."


    "Thank you, brother."


    She only addressed Cian with the family rtion while she treated others like strangers.


    Though the lunch was suppose to be happy family time, it ended up not so happy but it was not totally unexpected either. King Armen was d that he got to have at least one meal with his daughter and he wished to spend more time with her around.<novelnext></novelnext>


    ----


    After lunch, Seren returned to the tower with the servants assigned to look after her while Drayce and Cian went to King Armen''s study


    Inside the King''s study, King Armen sat in his chair while Drayce and Cian sat in the chairs opposite to him around the wooden center table.


    "King Drayce must be aware why I had to keep the wedding of second princess this month," King Armen started the conversation.


    Drayce nodded, "Seren''s eighteenth birthday ising this month. I am aware of the dates."


    "The date mentioned in the family register is not her real birth date," King Armen replied.


    It surprised the other two and king Armen exined, "The date which is registered is the day when she arrived this pce for the first time, but in real she was born a few days before."


    "When is it exactly then?" Drayce asked.


    "Two days after the second princess'' wedding."


    "Father, then do we have to shift the arrangements of her birthday to the real date from what we have initially nned."


    "No, the arrangement will be the same. She is the queen of Megaris so we will have to make it a big event. The day of her real birthday, we have to take her somewhere as we don''t know what change it would bring to her."


    "Somewhere?" Drayce asked.


    "The arrangements for that have been made as well. The ones who have been protecting her till now, they will be present there," King Armen replied.


    "Who are they?"


    "I am not sure either...but....I think her mother can be there," King Armen trailed off thest words. The woman he had loved dearly, he would face her again after eighteen years. Though she was not the same as she used to be, it was still her.


    Drayce sat quiet as he heard it. ''It means that day mother can be there as well.'' His heart suddenly picked up pace with this thought. ''Just a few days and finally I might be able to see mother.''


    "King Drayce, what are you thinking?" Armen asked.


    Drayce got back to his senses. "Where exactly we will be taking Seren on that day?"


    "We will know it the day before. I only received the secret message and we need to follow that."


    "I believe it''s not someone trying to deceive us," Drayce showed concern.


    "No. I am sure it''s them who are protecting Seren," King Armen assured.


    "Father, I hope there is nothing dangerous thates in Seren''s way," Cian asked worriedly.


    "I will take care of everything thates to harm her," Drayce spoke instead of King Armen.


    He knew his wife was not an ordinary being and he needed to be prepared to protect her all the time. After she came of age, it was going to be even more difficult for him and her.

 Chapter 631 Teleportating With Cian

    3 chapters


    ---


    After Cian and Drayce came out of King Armen''s study, Drayce asked the prince, "Where exactly in the outskirts of the capital does my wife''s nanny live?"


    "Would King Drayce like to see Martha''s ce before we take Seren there?" Cian asked, immediately understanding why Drayce asked that question.


    "It would be better. I don''t want her to experience another carriage ride when she is yet topletely recover from the fatigue after our long journeying here."


    Though Cian had never visited the woman, he had heard of the particrs from his father. "I will guide you then, King Drayce. Ask me whatever is needed to ease your use of abilities."


    Drayce lightly nodded at the quick thinking of the Crown Prince of Abetha. "Just say the direction andndmarks near her ce."


    Cian brought him to a particr hallway of the pce overlooking some small hills with gentle slopes extending a long way into the distance. Cian pointed at the forest surrounding one of the hills. "It is in the middle of that forest around the second hill from the left."


    Drayce''s sharp gaze observed the faraway hill as he said, "Prince Cian, brace yourself."


    The young king had gripped Cian at the shoulder. Even before Cian could react to what he said, their two figures disappeared from the hallway, only to appear at the top of the second hill.


    Given that his body had been trained since young, Cian easily regained his bnce despite the sudden shift of the ground under him. He stood firmly in ce, and only the widening of his eyes showed how shocked he was to personally experienceDrayce''s teleportation magic.


    "I believe Prince Cian is not so weak to feel exhausted with only this much," he heard Drayce speak in a rather easy manner.


    Cian didn''t reply to him, his eyes wandering at their surroundings. He realized they were no longer inside the pce, and he was somewhat tempted to pinch himself to make sure it was real. ''So he can really do this.''


    "Your sister can bear with it so I guess you can," he heard Drayce continue.


    Cian schooled his expression to appear tranquil, wishing to maintain the dignity of a prince. "I am alright, Your Majesty."


    "Good to know. Now you can direct me where they are," Drayce said, and soon, with the help of Cian, they reached the ce where Seren''s nanny and the mysterious old physician with a temper, Erich Winfield, lived.


    In the middle of the woods, there was a small clearing where a quaint thatched house surrounded by a fence stood.


    The two royals stood at a distance.


    "This is where Martha resides," Cian spoke. "She lives here with Physician Winfield."


    Drayce observed the quiet house, the reared animals in the yard and the logs neatly arranged on one side. If Cian didn''t say anything, he would have thought the ce was a house of a woodcutter or hunter.


    "How is her nanny doing?" Drayce asked. From what he predicted thest time he saw her, she would not make it past three months.


    "Terrible. Her health is failing and she''s almost unable to leave bed, but Physician Winfield keeps on trying, searching high and low for rare medicinal herbs and preparing new medicine for her."


    Seeing Drayce raise a puzzled brow, Cian answered his silent question.


    "Martha asked my father not to meddle with their lives so we are not spying on them. This is what I got to know from the apprentices that work with him. Most of the high-grade and rare herbs he used were purchased with the help of the pce and the royal physicians."


    "Wait here," was all Cian heard in response and the ce next to him suddenly became empty. ''Where did he go?''<novelnext></novelnext>


    Cian looked ahead towards the thatched house, but he could not see even the shadow of the young king. His gut feeling told him Drayce must have gone inside and Cian decided to wait.


    After some time, Drayce reappeared just behind him like a ghost. Cian sensed him and turned around as his reflexes were sharper than most knights.


    "We need to bring my wife here as soon as possible. Her nanny''s situation is so dire, I would not be surprised even if she stops breathing at this very moment," Drayce said with a dark look on his face. He understood Seren well enough to know how much the old woman was like family to her. She would be devastated if Martha dies.


    "I wonder if Physician Winfield will allow her to meet her nanny," Cian expressed his concern.


    "He will, and even if not, I will see how he won''t," Drayce said, and the next moment, Cian felt the strong grip on his shoulder once more. The two men disappeared from the forest, only to reappear in the same hallway of the pce overlooking the rolling hills.


    Cian once more had to make sure his expression would not show his struggle to regain his bnce.


    "King Drayce, I would appreciate you informing me before pulling these stunts," he said after he steadied himself.


    "Oh, so here you are. I was wondering where the two of you had gone. I am a little upset you did not invite me to your outing," An said as he came to them.


    He had overheard Cianining earlier, so he patted the man on the shoulder as a gesture of feignedfort.


    "Prince Cian, you might be unaware, but the closer you are to this guy, the less aftereffect you will feel. He holds your sister as close as he can to protect her when he teleports but that doesn''t seem like the case with you."


    "I am fine with just this much closeness, Prince An," Cian countered, while Drayce followed up with a, "You can do that for Prince Cian, An. I only have space for his sister."


    This caused An tough. "You''ll never know if the brother feels asfortable to hug as his sister unless you try it."


    "I am giving you the privilege to try that with my wife''s brother."


    Cian had an incredulous expression as he stared at the two with growing annoyance. He could understand An--he was long used to the prince''s easygoing antics--but to think even Drayce was acting this way. These two were tossing him at each other as if he was not standing in front of them.


    "I am notfortable with either of you," Cian frowned and left without turning back.


    An let out an amused chuckle when Drayce spoke, "You could have sent him away without annoying him."


    "There is no fun in that. Cian is quite a levelheaded guy and it is amusing to see him pissed from time to time."


    That made Drayce recall something that made him smile. "His sister is no less amusing, I guess. Today, she left everyone speechless with her temper."


    "Good to know." An then changed the subject. "Where have you been?"


    Though Drayce was not afraid of using his powers in front of others, he seldom used magic involving people not close to him. Yet he used teleportation on Cian this time. If An was not concerned that an unexpected problem has urred, he wouldn''t have sought out Drayce and Cian as soon as they returned.


    Drayce exined what happened to him.


    "Hmm, you should take your wife to see her nanny then."


    Drayce had the same thought, and after a brief chat, the two men went their separate ways.

 Chapter 632 Sick Martha

    Drayce returned to the tower and found Seren walking in the garden, observing the beautiful winter flowers in full bloom.


    "Dray, you''re back! What did you and King Armen talk about?" Seren asked the moment she saw him, betraying the fact that she had been impatiently waiting for him to return all along.


    "About youring birthday."


    Seren''s forehead creased. "What about it?"


    Drayce exined everything to her as there was no point in hiding the truth from her.


    "The day of my birth��" she spoke, seemingly unhappy about her situation. "I hope the day of my birth won''t cause any troubles if it is that important."


    Seeing her look downcast, Drayce attempted to change her mood. "There is another thing. I also got to know where your nanny is."


    "You did? Where is she? I want to meet her," Seren said immediately, her purple eyes shining.


    "Want to go right away?" Drayce asked with a grin.


    "Yes. Please take me to her."


    Without further ado, Drayce pulled her into his arms as she felt everything around them froze. The pce servants of Abetha were around and Drayce didn''t want to shock them by disappearing into thin air.


    The moment Seren regained her senses, both she and Drayce appeared in front of a simple-looking thatched house in the middle of a forest.


    Seren was now used to being teleported so it didn''t affect her as much as it first did. She immediately got hold of herself and her eyes immediately started looking around for her nanny.


    She turned towards her husband, and seeing him nod, she walked towards the thatched house.


    A young man gathering firewood from the piles of logs was the first to notice her approach. He was dressed in simple neat physician robes, his appearance indicating he was still an apprentice, and he was about to turn away the female stranger when he happened to see who was behind her.


    The apprentice found a familiar red-eyed man who was none other than the King of Megaris. He nced at the woman again and realized she was dressed more extravagantly than ordinary nobledies.


    ''Then this veiled woman must be a rumored Third Princess of Abetha who married the King of Megaris a few months ago, thedy raised by my master''s friend, Miss Celia.''


    He immediately put aside the wood in his hand and bowed towards the approaching guests. Just as he was about to speak, an irritated voice of an old man came from behind the other side of the house.


    "What the��how long does it take you to fetch wood? Are you a snail?! You know that the temperature has to be kept consistently��"


    It happened that an old man with a grumpy expression came walking around towards the young man. A strong stench made of various herbs came from his body, and he seemed to be preparing some kind of medicinal paste when he too realized the presence of neers.


    Recognition shed in his eyes, and his cranky mood somewhat disappeared.


    The old man was precisely Erich Winfield, the physician who once saved yer''s life. He was startled but not surprised to see these guests at his doorstep.<novelnext></novelnext>


    Though he was not interested in others, it was impossible for him not to hear about the Second Princess''s iing wedding when it was all the rage in the capital, the topic of idle talk be it the apothecaries he deal with, the patients he saved or the herbalists and merchants he trade medicine with.


    To think this couple will return to Abetha in order to attend some wedding��


    Seeing the old man stare at her without saying a single word, Seren remained standing in front of the small wooden gate, at a loss if her arrival was weed or not. She didn''t know if it would be proper to enter inside another person''s home despite being stared��no, red at like that.


    In fact, Erich Winfield was not ring. He just had that kind of face that looked perpetually unhappy, not to mention he was someone who never bothered with what other people thought of him.


    ''But these two young people are different.''


    The old physician walked towards them, and to his apprentice''s surprise, he lowered his head in a show of courtesy.


    "Greetings, Your Majesty Queen Seren, King Drayce."


    He opened that small gate to allow them to enter.


    Drayce stood by his wife''s side as both epted the greetings.


    "My wife wishes to see her nanny, the woman you call Celia Voss," Drayce informed.


    Erich looked at Seren, causing her to flinch. There was no animosity or disgust in his eyes��the scales on her skin didn''t bother him��but the way he gazed at her made her somewhat nervous.


    ''Who is this man? Why is my nanny living with him?''


    Meanwhile, Erich found himself recalling some dustden memory from a long time ago. This was not the first time the physician had met Seren, and he had seen her briefly during her wedding, but this was the first time he could see her appearance up close.


    Though only her eyes were visible because of the veil on her face, Erich had a vivid memory about the woman who gave off a simr aura as her, Seren''s mother who had met in the past.


    ''This is the little girl Celia spent seventeen years taking care of. s, she''s like a daughter to her.'' Due to his considerations, he spoke politely to the young woman. "Pleasee inside, Your Majesty."


    Seren was grateful and followed behind him. "Thank you so much, Mister��?"


    "You can call me Erich," he said.


    "Mister Erich, I wish to see my nanny, Martha. Is she inside?"


    Before Erich could answer her, someone appeared at the door of the thatched house. The old man almost jumped in fright and hurried to her side. "Celia! Why did you leave bed? How did you��"


    A middle-aged woman in ordinarymoner clothes was weakly standing, supporting her body by e leaning against the doorframe.


    Though her hair had more silver in them and her body was so thin, she seemed to have lost half of her weight, it didn''t take time for Seren to recognise her nanny.

 Chapter 633 Hope For Miracle

    Seren also hurried towards her side, and the woman weakly smiled at her as she waved the physician away, silently telling him she could stand on her own.


    "My Lady, you have returned."


    Seren gripped her hand, and her heart trembled when she realized how frail her nanny had be. Pale and thin, lips looking paper white��Seren could almost see the veins on the back of her nanny''s hand.


    "M-Martha, what, how are you? W-Why do you look��what��?"


    "I am fine, mydy, ah, no, Your Majesty," came the weak but pleasant voice of the woman. Though it was obvious she was unwell, her gray eyes were filled with warmth now that the two of them had reunited.


    Seeing Seren had brought Martha happiness, but seeing Martha had brought Seren heartache.


    "No, you don''t look fine at all, Martha."


    Seren''s eyes turned moist as she could not believe her nanny turned into this miserable state in only a matter of months. She tightened her grasp on her nanny''s hand and asked, "A-Are you sick? Hurt? Tell me."


    "A little sick, somemon illness. Nothing much, just that I do not have much appetite these days," Martha replied as she didn''t wish to worry Seren. "You should not have been here, Your Majesty. This humble ce doesn''t suit you." "Doesn''t matter as long as I can see you, Martha. If you are not well, we should get you to see a physician. Come with me to the pce. The royal physicians will make you better."


    Martha softly chuckled, "Your majesty, do you see him, that old man? Even the Head Physician in the pce treats him like a senior. Erich Winfield is the best physician alive. No one can help me better than him."


    Seren looked at the old man with suspicion and asked, "If he''s the best, then why are you in this state? Mister Erich, what is wrong with my nanny?"


    Cough!


    Cough!


    Before Erich could answer, Martha coughed and her expression looked pained. She didn''t look like she could even stand properly. As if expecting this, Erich Winfield quickly wrapped her in his arms to keep her steady and his apprentice ran towards them to help as well.


    "Martha��-"


    Cough! Cough!


    There was no reply from her nanny other than persistent coughing, and she heard Erich Winfield talk to his apprentice, "Take her inside. Quick!"


    The young man carried the sick woman inside the house, and Seren followed behind them like a shadow. The apprenticey Martha on the simple bed covered with a thin mattress and clean sheets.


    As the two physicians began to check on Martha''s situation, Drayce came to Seren and rubbed her shoulder tofort her. She looked at Drayce with teary eyes. "She wasn''t like this when I left. She was so strong and healthy. Martha�� Martha is��Why is she suddenly sick?"


    Drayce did not know how to reply.


    The couple silently watched as Erich Winfield tried to administer treatment, giving her a bowl of concoction, which caused her coughs to disappear. However, upon checking Martha''s pulse, he could not help but let out a deep sigh.


    Seren looked at him with a worried face. "Is��my nanny alright?"<novelnext></novelnext>


    Her voice was somewhat hoarse, as if she was on the verge of crying, but she didn''t want to shed tears when their reunion should have been a happy asion.


    The old physician didn''t know how to answer her as the truth would only hurt the young queen. He simply turned towards his apprentice. "Quickly bring the medicine I prepared today and continue making the paste that I was making earlier. We need to apply it on her wound��"


    "Wound?" Seren gasped in shock. "Martha is injured? Where is she hurt?"


    "I will exinter, Your Majesty. For now, Celia''s treatment should be my priority."


    Those words made Seren reluctantly obey and Drayce offered her an assuring gaze, encouraging her to calm down. She nodded, but a feeling of helplessness burst within her, causing the tears she had been withholding to almost escape her control.


    The apprentice brought the bowl of medicine and was about to hand it to his master when he heard Seren say, "Please, let me do it."


    "Your Majesty��"


    "Let her do it," Drayce said and he looked pointedly at the old physician.


    Erich Winfield stood up to give way to her. The apprentice then handed over that medicine bowl to Seren while he left the room once more to prepare the other medicine meant for Martha''s wound.


    Seren sat at the edge of that small bed, and the more she looked at her nanny''s pained expression, the blurrier her sight grew.


    Tears, she didn''t want to cry, but it was impossible to keep her sadness at bay, and soon, her sadness began to trickle down her cheeks.


    The woman who has always protected her, the only person who stood up for her and remained by her side throughout the years, the sturdy wall that shielded her from any harming her way��her strict but warm nanny, that woman was now lying in bed, gasping for breath as if the act of inhaling was bringing pain to her.


    That strong woman who showed no signs of weakness was now reduced to be the weakest being Seren had ever seen.


    Seren was scared, so very scared, that the moment she blinked and opened her eyes, Martha would no longer be breathing.


    Erich Winfield silently added a pillow behind Martha so that Seren could feed her medicine with more ease. Thinking it would be better to let Seren spend private time with her nanny, Erich Winfield turned to leave.


    "I will return with the other medicine."


    He went towards his apprentice who was preparing the herbal paste.


    Only Drayce remained in the room aside from Seren and Martha. He thought of leaving as well, but he remained in ce so that he could offer even the smallestfort to her by being by her side.


    Seren could not stop crying as she started to feed medicine to Martha with a small wooden spoon.


    Drayce noticed something as he looked at his wife affectionately feeding the older woman with the concoction. His dark eyes glimmered as they hoped for something, a miracle.


    It must be Martha''s destiny to be saved by the one she had dedicated her life to.

 Chapter 634 Dont Want Her To Be A Healing Tool

    Seren fed her all the medicine in the bowl, her movements slow but steady.


    "Please get better--hic--get better, Martha," she sobbed, losing control over her emotions like a little girl, and the sounds of her sobs and pleas echoed inside the small space of the thatched house.


    "Drink all your medicinesa�"hica�"your medicines, alright? You must, you must eat well, and grow strong and be better...please, Martha..."


    Seren used to have no one. The only constant she had growing up was Martha. How could she not be scared to lose her nanny, the only person she used to call her family?


    She could not believe the heartwarming reunion she expected would turn into one of farewell...


    "Get better...you can''t...you can''t leave me...please...?"


    Once Seren finished feeding her the medicine soup, Martha had fallen asleep. Erich Winfield reentered the room with a bowl of freshly made herbal paste.


    Seren stood up to let him do the work, but didn''t leave. She wanted to know where and why her nanny was hurt. Martha was normal when she saw herst. Something must have happened after her wedding.


    "Please wait outside, Your Majesty," the physician said after some consideration. "I will call for you once I am done."


    "I-I want to stay here," Seren insisted as she feared that the moment her gaze left the woman, Martha would stop breathing.


    Erich Winfield looked at Drayce, who replied, "Let her stay to watch. I will wait outside." He offered Seren aforting hug. "Don''t be afraid. I will wait outside."


    She nodded and Drayce left.


    The old physician unfastened the strings of Martha''s top garment before lifting the hems to expose her waist, and Seren saw there was a bandage wrapped around her abdomen.


    For a moment, Seren''s breath hitched, her mind wondering whether Martha had been stabbed by some unknown enemy, but there was no blood seeping through the bandages, and she was able to let out a small relieved sigh.


    Erich Winfield skillfully unwrapped the bandages, she saw crusted green herbal paste on Martha''s stomach.


    When the old man cleaned that area with a clean cloth, it exposed a small part of Martha''s skin on the left side of her stomach. On it was a pinkish patch of damaged wrinkled skin, as if something bigger than a fist had once seared her.


    It was a burn scar.


    "This? How did she get hurt like this?" Seren eximed, unable to hide her shock. Her eyes were stuck at that palm-sized burn scar, and even though she knew little about injuries, she could tell it didn''t look good.


    The scar looked ringly red, as if she had been burned not that long ago, maybe at most a day ago, and severalyers of skin were severely damaged.


    "I am not sure. She didn''t tell me," the physician answered as he proceeded to wash the remaining traces of old paste with clean water.


    "Mister Winfield, how can you not know?" Seren asked with her voiceced with impatience. "This burn looked like it happened just--"


    "It happened even before you left the pce and she came to live with me. She was already injured then," he informed.


    "But that''s more than three months ago!"


    "I believe she had been suppressing her injuries even before your wedding, Queen Seren."


    A brief memory suddenly shed in her mind. There was a time when Martha left for a few days--that was around the time she first met Dusk, who brought her meals to the tower---and when her nanny returned to the pce, she did look quite unwell.


    Seren had only realized now that this injury might be rted to that incident.


    "She did look weak...but I...hah, I should have noticed..." Seren mumbled with a pained chuckle. "I''m sorry, Martha. You must have been injured then, but I didn''t...I..."


    "She must not want to add to your burdens with you already having your hands full with your marriage and departure happening," the physicianmented.


    "Still...I prided myself as the one closest to Martha, but I was ignorant of her suffering."


    Seren''s mind filled with guilt, and once again, tears began to pool in her eyes.<novelnext></novelnext>


    "I was so into my own issues that I failed to notice my nanny''s situation. My brother told me Martha left the pce with you the same day I left for Megaris. The injury would have festered by then. If she had only received immediate treatment...


    "How...how could I be so ignorant? I am at fault for not paying attention to her when she acted abnormally quiet. I...I thought she was just sad that I was leaving..."


    "No use regretting what had happened. Even if Your Majesty knew it, the situation would still be the same," the man said as he received a fresh roll of bandages from his apprentice who just entered the room.


    No word could make it out from her mouth as she choked back her sobs.


    The room suddenly became quiet, and only the sounds of Erich Winfield''s movements could be heard.


    "Will she be alright?"


    "Even I cannot tell, as this burn scar has strange properties that leaves even me baffled. We can only keep on trying."


    Once the physician finished treating her injury, he affectionately covered the unconscious woman with a warm nket. He then stood up and gestured at the veiled woman. "Should we head out? We need to let her rest, Your Majesty."


    After that, he gestured for his apprentice to follow him and the two of them left.


    Seren hesitated and went to her nanny first. She sat at the end of the bed and held Martha''s hand. As she closed her eyes, silent tears rolled down her face.


    "I should have paid more attention to you, Martha. I didn''t know you were injured. I am sorry."


    Seren continued to murmur apologies as she tightly held the sick woman''s hand.


    Once she got hold of her senses, she wiped the tears from her eyes.


    "Get better soon. This time...this time, I will be the one protecting you. I will take you with me to Megaris, and I will make sure you live a good life. I will not let you suffer anymore."


    Drayce, who was waiting outside, saw Erich Winfield and his apprenticee out of the thatched house.


    "How is my wife''s nanny?" Drayce asked.


    "There is no improvement," the man said with a helpless tone. "At most, I can help lessen Celia''s pain but..."


    Drayce observed his exhausted face. This old physician was an arrogant man, his temper unmatched among his peers, and despite him having saved countless patients'' lives, he would not bat an eye for a person''s suffering. His only aim was to heal injuries and save lives, as for the process, it didn''t matter to him.


    But for this woman called Martha, who he also called Celia Voss, he behaved as if he would not even let her suffer the smallest aches. It meant this woman was more important to him than he was letting on.


    "I believe your efforts of treating her won''t be wasted," Drayce consoled.


    "I wish the same, but as a physician, I know the limits of how the current medicinal knowledge is not enough to deal with the situation of her body. That she is enduring it well was already worthy of praise. I can only hope for a miracle."


    "Maybe there will be one," Drayce said while the physician treated his statement as empty words offort.


    In a while, Seren also came out of the thatched house and Drayce could see his wife''s eyes were swollen from crying so much. He felt bad for her but at the same time, he felt d that she shed tears.


    There was a reason why he felt d but he didn''t wish to tell anyone about her ability. He didn''t want her future to be where she would be forced to act as a healing tool for everyone.


    A person''s life and death was determined by fate, and an exception could only be made when one had a lucky encounter.


    Seren went to Drayce''s side. Her husband tenderly dried the lingering tears from her long eyshes. "Are you alright?"


    She nodded and heard him continue, "Shall we head back to the royal pce? You cane to see your nanny again once she is awake."


    Seren and Drayce left after thanking the old physician and his apprentice for taking good care of Martha.


    After entering the woods, out of anyone''s sight, Drayce held Seren close and the couple disappeared, quickly returning to Seren''s tower within the Royal Pce of Abetha..

 Chapter 635 Wedding Day

    5 chapters


    Finally, the much anticipated day of the wedding between Princess Meira Ilven of Abetha and Prince Lenard Cromwell of Griven had arrived.


    Once again, the Royal Pce of Abetha was bustling with the wedding preparations which had started a week before.


    All the side pces were at capacity with the influx of esteemed guests, and even the personal manors of the noble families within the capital were even opened to give room to some of the guests with lesser standing.


    In fact, given the status of the couple to be wed, the celebration should have been luxurious but not grand; afterall, though both of them were royalty, neither the bride nor the groom were first in line to the throne of their respective kingdoms.


    However, the initial lineup of wedding guests not only involved the royals and high nobles of the Kingdom of Griven, even the King and Queen of Megaris had personally graced the asion, causing more foreign dignitaries and important people to ept the wedding invitation, their leaders personally attending instead of simply sending envoys with wedding gifts.


    It was a hard-toe-by situation where royalty from three strong kingdoms were attending. Some of the rich merchants with reputations even fought tooth and nail to get a chance to enter the wedding hall inside the royal pce.


    This kind of atmosphere was not only felt within the pce proper. Even the residents of the city were in a festive mood. Though Princess Meira was never nice to Seren, she was beloved by the people, the youngest princess birthed by the Queen, and was renowned for her beauty and grace in high society.


    It should also be noted that because of the flood of guests and their subordinates from outside the capital, many of the inns and entertainment establishments were bustling with activities, causing the streets of the capital to be especially lively.


    The day before the wedding, the Royal Pce of Abetha personally weed the arrival of the Queen of Griven. Queen Julien Cromwell wanted toe weeks prior to help out with the arrangements for Prince Lenard''s wedding, but due to conflict of schedule, she had to send her first son, An, ahead of time to prepare in her stead.


    Fortunately, she was able toe just in time before the wedding, and during the wee banquet held in her honor that night, Queen Julien mostly spoke with Queen Niobe about the wedding to be held the next day.


    ? The princess''s wedding was arranged in the grand hall of the main pce. Just an hour after the sun had risen, the earliest guests had started to arrive at the grand hall. As time passed by, more and more guests came, and soon, lines of luxurious carriages flooded the entrance to the pce.


    Thanks to Queen Niobe''s foresight, the knights of Abetha in their blue ceremonial uniforms escorted each newly arrived personages to their respective seats, effectively enforcing order and discipline despite the variousplicated rtionships amongst everyone inside the grand hall.


    When most of the invited guests were seated, a handsome man escorting a veiled woman entered through the aisle in the middle, causing a sudden hush to spread inside the grand wedding hall.


    ''Oh, that young couple is wearing crowns on their heads.''<novelnext></novelnext>


    ''Is that the King and Queen of Megaris?''


    ''What a mysterious couple.''


    The guests rose from their seats and paid their respects to these foreign monarchs, as per custom. Some of the guests who had never met Drayce and Seren were full of curiosity, while a number of those who have, most notably the members of the royal court and their rtives, stared at them with wariness.


    ''I wonder what the Queen was thinking to invite the witch back to the kingdom. I hope she won''t be insane enough to ruin her sister''s wedding ceremony.''


    ''This foreign king, if not for him, our king would not have lost face in front of the court back then. It''s not like Megaris is the only ally Abetha can get to end the war.''


    However, of the wives and daughters of local nobles in attendance, what they wished to see was how their cursed princess was doing while living with the Devil King himself.


    King Drayce Ivanov of Megaris was d in his ck signature attire, a seemingly simple but dignified dark clothes lined with gold at the helm, wearing arge crown over his ck hair and a royal cape over his broad shoulders.


    Though his face was like an artist''s masterpiece, his appearance causing manydies to blush behind their fans, his expression was cold as ice, his red eyes hard like rubies, beautiful butcking emotion, as if the people around him were not worthy enough to grace his sights.


    Even though they were a distance from him, some of the more sensitive people shivered, feeling like they were facing a monster hiding in a human skin. This was especially so for the rtives of the Queen, who were throwing hostile gazes towards the veiled woman holding onto his arm.


    Oblivious to the reaction of the people around her, Seren walked by her husband''s side with her head raised. It was a first for her-- to be able to walk proudly under the eyes of the people who despised her in the past.


    For her current self, even thousands of their stares meant nothingpared to the doting look of man tenderly holding her, and it was his opinion that mattered the most.


    The newly crowned Queen of Megaris, Seren Ivanov, a queen shrouded in mystery and ill repute. This was the first time people from outside the kingdom had witnessed her appear in public after her coronation, as she was rumored to be so elusive, even the wives of the officials and nobledies of Megaris had hardly seen her shadow.


    At this moment, the young woman was wearing an exquisite light violet gown with a ring skirt of a darker hue, the colorplementing her beautiful purple eyes that resembled amethyst gemstones. The white stones embedded in the Queen''s tiara on her head reflected that purple color as well, the beautiful essory on her reddish brown hair making her look like avender flower fairy.


    Though her face was covered with a veil and snake-like scales were visible on her skin, the way she moved with elegance made many people forget those ws.

 Chapter 636 She Has Tamed The Devil Of Megaris

    One had to take note that though Seren was dressed in a rather simple manner, jewelries rtively in-looking with small gemstones aside from her tiara, it was only because Seren was being considerate of the bride, not wanting to take attention for herself.


    However, who among the guests were not reputable people? How many of them were not collectors of rare gemstones and expensive jewelries?


    Many of those in the crowd in fact noticed that the modest studs on the Queen of Megaris skirt were actually real diamonds grinded into dust, and those keen-eyed merchants were awed to discover that the unassuming ornaments on her hair were antique relics from the empress of an empire that had fallen centuries ago.


    The doubts about how she was treated in Megaris were cleared, not only because of how she was dressed but also when they observed how Drayce treated her as they sat on the seats meant for them.


    ''I thought it was just rumors, but they do seem quite affectionate with each other.''


    ''She has tamed the Devil of Megaris!''


    ''I have interacted with the King of Megaris before during wartime, and I cannot imagine a day wille where I see him smile without bloodlust!''


    Because of the scandalous reputation of Seren, the marriage between her and Drayce was a favorite pastime of people during social events of high society, even though months had passed.


    Rumors had spread that the King of Megaris heavily doted on his wife, promising to not take another woman in his life, and at first, many people scoffed at this idea.


    It wasmon for rulers to have many women in their harem to ensure the royal bloodline, and not only was the King of Megaris impably handsome, he was still young.


    Not to mention, his predecessor, King Theron, was also said to have initially loved his queen to the point that he looked at no other woman, yet in the end, did he still not take more wives? Though after her death, none of his other wives ascended to be his queen, it was still a fact he bedded other women.


    ''Well, it is still too early. What if, simr to the previous queen, the witch too bes unable to bear a child?''


    ''Give it a few more years, maybe the King of Megaris will lose interest and add younger, more beautiful women to his harem.''


    However, these malicious words, those people could only keep to themselves.


    Soon, King Armen and Queen Niobe of Abetha arrived, together with Queen Julien of Griven,ing together to represent the families behind the bride and groom. They walked the aisle, followed precisely by Cian and An, and their other close rtives. All the guests bowed towards them to pay their respects.


    As the one officiating the ceremony, King Armen remained standing on the pedestal at the end of the grand hall, while Queen Niobe and Cian sat in the smaller thrones ced further behind. The royals from Griven sat in the sitting arrangement made for them on the right side of the throne, with the Queen of Griven and her son being at the frontmost seats.


    "His Royal Highness Prince Lenard Cromwell of Griven has arrived!" a royal herald announced.


    As therge double doors opened, the groom entered with a steady gait. It was a young man with the bluest eyes, looking six to seven points simr to An, wearing the yellow gold ceremonial groom attire of the royalty of Griven.


    Prince Lenard Cromwell, the second son of the King and Queen Griven, and the man of the hour of today''s wedding ceremony.<novelnext></novelnext>


    He then stopped after reaching the step at the bottom of the raised pedestal, looking dashing in his dignified clothes as he waited at the end of the aisle for his bride.


    A nervous expression then appeared on his face as soon as the music within the grand hall changed.


    "Her Royal Highness Princess Meira Ilven of Abetha has arrived!"


    The sight of a blushing bride weed the guests.


    In her youth, Niobe Nefertiti was acimed to be the most beautiful woman in the continent, and as someone who had fully inherited the angelic blond, blue-eyed features of her mother, Meira''s beauty was undeniable to all.


    Wearing a mboyant wedding dress made ofyers of different hues of blue, she indeed appeared like a goddess that had graced the mortal world, the delicate and rich-colored fabrics representing the favored blue color of the royal family of Abetha.


    Yet despite all the extravagance in her attire and the stylish jewelry she adorned, the thing that made Meira''s beauty stand out more was the smile of pure happiness gracing her red lips.


    Though this was an arranged marriage with a political agenda, a decision made by their parents for them, it was obvious that for Princess Meira, this was a wedding she wanted with the man she had feelings for.


    Maybe it was simple attraction, maybe it was yet to develop into love, but still, the way her eyes brightened at the sight of the man waiting for her at the end of the aisle touched the hearts of many guests.


    As for Prince Lenard, the moment his gazended on his bride, his entire face turned crimson red. This made An almostugh out loud, and his mother had to pinch his arm so that he would remain well-behaved.


    Even Seren could not help but form a small smile under her veil seeing the happiness emitting from her older half-sister.


    ''Every woman deserves to find apanion whose eyes light up the moment he sees her.''


    As she had this thought, Seren took a sneaky peek at the man sitting by her side. When Drayce met her eyes, she hurried to look away, a small blush heating up her cheeks.


    As the music yed by the orchestra changed once more, Meira made steady steps on the aisle while holding arge flower bouquet, her eyes not leaving Lenard''s.


    The bride and groom then stood on the bottom step of the tform, facing each other. Meira offered a shy smile to her groom before lowering her head as he returned a shy smile of his own.


    It was hard for Lenard to take his eyes off of his beautiful blushing bride, and he almost did not hear his father-inw''s words as he presided over the wedding ceremony.


    ''So this is what it looks like to be blessed with a loving family.''

 Chapter 637 Envy For Fathers Affection

    As the groom and bride took their wedding vows, Seren could not help but nce at Queen Niobe and Queen Julien.


    The Queen of Griven was a sweet woman, a motherly figure who could smile easily, and at this moment, it was not surprising to see her overwhelmed with emotions. From where Seren was seated, she could see the warmth in her eyes as she stared at her daughter-inw. It was the same look she had for her real daughter, Duchess Alvera Wimark.


    What truly surprised her was the expression on Queen Niobe''s face.


    ''She is...crying?''


    It was not crying per se, but Seren could see a tear escape the normally cold-faced woman''s eye. Her love for her daughter was apparent in the way she softly gazed at her.


    Seren was tempted to look at King Armen''s face, wondering if he too wore a soft expression as he looked at his beloved daughter, but for some unknown reason, Seren chose to lower her head and stare at the marble floor.


    "--and now, you may kiss the bride!"


    The King of Abetha dered the couple husband and wife, and the loud sound of ps and cheers filled the entire grand wedding hall.


    The bride and groom were escorted to the banquet hall after a change of clothes. By the time they arrived, the hall was crowded with guests.


    A ball was arranged to celebrate their union, and the preparations made, from the food, the performances and the entertainment, were no less grand than the actual wedding ceremony.


    The new pair of husband and wife were in the center of the dance floor as the King of Abetha announced the start of the ball. There was cheering and apuse from the guests as the first dance of the happily married couplemenced.


    Seren observed them glide around the dance floor, and seeing the young couple unable to pull their eyes away from each other reminded her of her wedding ceremony in Megaris. It was the kind of dreamy wedding she thought only existed in books, and she could not help but remember how nervous yet happy she was to dance with Drayce amidst the well wishes of the people.


    Afterwards, the groom escorted his bride towards the King of Abetha, as it was time for her to have a dance with her father.


    As Seren watched them take to the center of the dance floor, seeing her lovely sisterugh brightly under the doting gaze of their father, Seren felt something she didn''t want to feel. A dull ache in the chest. A stinging at the corner of her eyes.


    ...Envy?


    There was sadness and longing in her eyes as she gazed at the pair of father and daughter. She did not feel even an ounce of affection for this man, and she refused to ept him as her father but...no matter how much she denied it, he was still her birth father.


    It was fine if there was noparison, if King Armen was the kind of heartless man who showed no tender feelings towards his family, if she didn''t witness him care for her second sister. But that was not the case. King Armen obviously loved and cared for his other children.


    Cian, Giselle, Meira--


    ''But not me,'' Seren smiled bitterly. ''I have been abandoned, hidden, neglected... because my father does not want a daughter like me.''


    Seren thought that after so many years, her heart had hardened enough to not be affected, but somewhere deep inside her, she still craved for a father''s affection.<novelnext></novelnext>


    Indeed, she was grateful for the food and the shelter and the existence of her nanny. She was still publicly acknowledged as his daughter, but King Armen was more a patron, a benefactor, rather than a parent figure to Seren.


    She didn''t even have a single memory of him holding her in his arms, or even giving her a fatherly hug. When she was a child allowed outside the tower once in a while back then, she could only see him from a distance.


    From the start, she was never part of his family. She was but an outsider.


    King Armen did not even dance with Seren when she was wedded to Drayce.


    ''Oh...''


    Not only did Seren not have a mother, she also had no father. To feel a parent''s love...it was all wishful thinking on her part.


    Drayce sensed the change in his wife''s emotions, seemingly guessing the reason for the change. He caressed the back of her palm with his thumb, gently consoling her without saying a single word.


    Soon after, the music changed to the next song, prompting the start of the next round of dance.


    With a charming smile, Drayce offered his hand to Seren like a perfect gentleman, his next words with a hint of yfulness.


    "Shall we dance, my Queen?"


    Before Seren could say anything else, Drayce nted a kiss at the back of her hand, and whatever negative thoughts in her mind vanished as she epted his hand.


    Those who wanted to dance immediately decided to postpone it the second they saw the King and Queen of Megaris leave their seats, looking like a pair of lovebirds no less than the bride and groom.


    A slow song was then yed by the orchestra, the royal couple danced in perfect harmony with the music, as if they were used to dancing together often. An uncharacteristic warm smile graced Drayce''s impassive face, and from the way he looked into his wife''s eyes, to the manner his hand held her small waist, everything about him dered his affection for his wife.


    "Look at that perfect face, and that body...Ah! So handsome."


    "Why does that witch get to have such a good-looking man while my fiance looks like a toad?"


    "Thank your parents you are arranged to wed the second son of the Viscount. What about me? My husband is twenty years older than me."


    "I''m so jealous..."


    There were manydies, both married and unmarried, who had their eyes on this ck-haired, red-eyed king. Though he looked intimidating and his reputation was no less scary, no one could deny this devilishly handsome man had the best appearance among all those in attendance.

 Chapter 638 Only My Wife Has My Attention,”

    Of course, many were also eyeing the Crown Princes of Abetha and Griven whose looks were also exceptional, but the King of Megaris gave off an unusual mysterious charm that made many women curse the heavens why such a man chose the witch to be his wife when there were many better options for him.


    Once again, somedies were unable to refrain from speaking out of envy, thinking that the witch must have enchanted this Devil King to have tamed him to such an extent. She must have been terribly powerful to even control such a man renowned for his fearsome reputation in the battlefield.


    At the end of the song, Cian approached the young couple. "May I have the honor of dancing with the Queen of Megaris?"


    Drayce nodded lightly and passed Seren to her brother. Dancing with Cian would help improve her mood.


    As Cian and Seren moved along to the next music, Cianmented, "You have be a better dancer than before."


    "Have I?" she asked, feeling ttered with the praise.


    He nodded. "Seems like you practice a lot with your husband."


    She giggled. "What are you saying? Not like we dance daily. We are both too busy for that. I am just talented enough to make fewer mistakes with every dance."


    "Well, can''t deny that my sister is a talented person."


    The siblings continued to exchange quips as they danced. Though Seren would look at her father or her sister once in a while, being with Cian eased her disturbed feelings and she tried to not pay attention to it.


    Meanwhile, Drayce was standing on the side with An apanying him, sharing a ss of drinks. "Hmm, this is a miracle. I don''t see you getting jealous now."


    "She needs a distraction," Drayce said vaguely, and An followed his gaze where King Armen was chatting with his second daughter. An was smart enough to guess what he was implying.


    "King Armen cares for his third daughter more than he is letting on," Anmented. "If only she knew."


    "I know but it will take time for the differences between them to be resolved."


    An shrugged before putting down the empty wine ss on a passing attendant''s tray. He then took the chance to observe the other guests and chuckled lightly.


    "Eh, as expected, you are still the crowd''s favorite even though you are already married. Don''t be surprised if any of thedies approach you, pretending to have tripped or something, to get your attention."


    "Only my wife has my attention," Drayce replied. "In fact, you better be worried about yourself. Can''t you see the noblewomen flocking your mother along with their pretty daughters? I won''t be surprised to hear Queen Julien handing you a new list of potential wives and concubines. Maybe you will be married even before you find your Queen."


    "Queen? She will be resting in her grave the day she bes my Queen," An said, and an evil smile graced his lips at the thought of his missing betrothed. "And don''t worry about those bothersome women. I know how to take care of them."


    "Threatening them with something important to them is fine, as long as you don''t kill them. Their families cane handy at times."<novelnext></novelnext>


    "Do you still have to teach me this stuff? I know more than you how effective it is to make their families withdraw their proposal the moment I grab their weakness. No matter how sneaky they hide their misdeeds, I am able to get my hands on them."


    Just then, a youngdy approached Drayce and An. She looked to be of simr age to Seren, maybe a year or two older.


    With a shy expression, she curtsied and introduced herself as a daughter of some noble family, her soft voice pleasing to the ears as she attempted to initiate small talk.


    An praised her for her courage inside his mind. It must have taken her a long time to gather enough courage to approach them despite breaking etiquette. If she seeded, she would be awarded for her courage, but the moment the youngdy approached them without a governess or an acquaintance to introduce them, she had already earned the ridicule of high society.


    He could not help but help her out of pity. "Your Majesty, I think the fairdy is hinting that you invite her to dance. What do you say?"


    Drayce didn''t even spare her a nce as he wanted to reject her right away, but then, he saw Seren walking back to their seats. She had finished dancing with her brother.


    "Instead of me, why don''t thedy ask for my wife''s permission to dance with me?"


    Seren and Cian had just left the dancefloor when she saw one of her cousins talking to Drayce and An. She was near enough to hear what Drayce said, and though she was d that he didn''t say ''yes'', she was a little angry that he didn''t reject her cousin right away.


    But then, her mood recovered when she realized he had given that right to decide.


    ? "Ang? Why are you alone? Where is Aunt Sonya?" Cian, who was escorting Seren back, asked with a look of disapproval. How could he not guess what this little girl was up to?


    Their cousin, who was dressed rather provocatively with her shoulders exposed, gave a perfect curtsy towards them, acting contrastingly demure.


    "Mother is chatting with her friends. I sneaked away to say ''hello'' to Brother and Sister."


    She made it sound as if she and Seren were close and affectionate to each other.


    Seren deliberately looked around herself, as if to check who her cousin was referring to. "I don''t see any woman around us for you to call a sister."


    "Of course, I am referring to you, Seren."


    Seren gave her a deep stare before turning towards her brother.


    "Brother Cian, is it just me or is the young generation of Abetha forgetting royal etiquette these days?"

 Chapter 639 Claimed And Enchanted By A Witch

    Ang looked embarrassed at what Seren said. Cian could only silently sigh. She clearly didn''t acknowledge her as a rtive.


    Ang immediately corrected herself. "Apologies, Your Majesty Queen Seren. I am a little dull. Please do not be mad that this cousin of yours carelessly made a mistake because it has been a long time since I have seen you��"


    It was obvious that thisdy was a properdy raised by a noble house. Even though her words sound nice and polite, her words hide a hidden dagger in them. If an outsider were to hear their conversation, it would make Seren sound like a viin bullying an innocent little girl.


    "Do I even know you? Which sister or cousin are you of mine?"


    She felt utterly embarrassed. "I-I am Ang Ilven, Your Majesty, daughter of His Majesty the King''ste younger brother��"


    All of a sudden, a number ofdies who Seren recognized to be Queen Niobe''sdies-in-waiting approached them. From what she remembered, thesedies too were either her cousins or other distant rtives from the paternal side. When Niobe Nefertiti was crowned queen, as a political move to keep her husband''s rtives in check, she took the women of the family under her faction and earned their loyalty.


    They stood by Ang and bowed to Seren. "Your Majesty Queen Seren, apologies if our little cousin had upset you."


    "We will make sure to educate her well."


    "Your Majesty must be tired from dancing. Why don''t you first rest in one of the side halls?"


    Seren said nothing as she simply narrowed her eyes on them. Did they think she was stupid?


    She could clearly see the young unmarried women in the group were interested in her handsome husband, and to her, they looked nothing more than that vixen the two women in that Griven bookstore were talking about.


    The vixen who stole that woman''s husband.


    They were attempting to separate Drayce and Seren so that they could find an opportunity to interact with her husband. She could not bear the thought of any of themying hands on her husband, let alone dancing with him.


    She felt like standing in front of her husband like a shield, not even letting any of them take a look at her husband. He belonged to her and her alone.


    In a span of a second, many ugly thoughts appeared in her mind which made anger rise inside her. Her purple eyes had started to flicker with negative emotions.


    Drayce and An realized that things were starting to spiral out of control, and before she could unintentionally cause harm, Drayce stood next to Seren. His hand gently sped her shoulder and he pulled her closer to him in an embrace.


    "As I said, only my wife can decide for me," Drayce said.


    His actions and words got Seren back to her senses.


    "The King of Megaris is indeed a romantic," one of thedies praised. "s, he must be the epitome of a perfect husband."


    "Indeed, indeed."


    "Your Majesty Queen Seren must also be an exceptional woman to be paired with such a perfect man."


    "Of course, how can the woman His Majesty King Drayce choose not be kind and virtuous? The Queen of Megaris ought to be benevolent, generous and broadminded, a woman alldies should look up to."


    "Indeed, indeed."


    "Then, Your Majesty Queen Seren would not refuse our silly sister''s wish to have the honor of dancing with the King of Megaris, right? Our Ang has always looked up to the strongest swordsman in the entire continent, and you won''t deny the greatest gift she''ll ever have in her lifetime, will you?" someone next to Ang said, and she looked at Seren with a sweet smile. "What do you think, Your Majesty?"


    Clever words twisted with hidden agenda. No, at this point, it was not even hidden. Seren gritted her teeth at their audacity of eyeing her husband, but before she couldsh out, she found Drayce''s hand gently rubbing the side of shoulder to calm her. She realized that many curious gazes were watching them and she needed to control her anger.


    A voice without a hint of her real emotions escaped her mind.


    "Well, I sure don''t mind if this little girl admirer dances with my husband."<novelnext></novelnext>


    ? Smiles appeared on their faces, some even trying to hide theirughter. They felt they were worried about nothing. What queen of the strongest kingdom? She''s but a naive girl not even of age who had not seen the world, an idiot easy to deal with.


    Drayce felt a little confused as he expected his wife to reject it and he clearly didn''t wish to dance with any other woman.


    "But��" they heard Seren again, "Are you sure your sister will be fine to touch something which is imed and enchanted by a witch. What if misfortune befalls her and she turns into ugly one. She might end up getting scales on her beautiful skin just like mine. Are you sure you want to risk it?"


    Her words made their eyes widened in fear.


    "Oh, what am I even saying?" Seren let out a sweet chuckle as she deliberately caressed the scales on the back of her hand. "Ignore what I said. Go ahead. Dance with my husband. As youdies said, my husband is the greatest gift any woman can ever have..... in her lifetime."


    The way she dragged thest word caused goosebumps to appear on the skin of thedies within earshot��as if to say that lifetime might be cut short.


    Ang visibly shivered, her mind running a hundred thoughts about Seren''s ill reputation.


    As if to fuel her imagination, Seren added, "Well, go dance. I am giving you this precious opportunity. Maybe the enchantment on him will rub off�� oh, why are you gazing at me like that? Maybe you have grown to admire my benevolent heart too? I don''t mind adding a newdy to attend to my needs��"


    Drayce, An, and even Cian, found themselves staying silent as they watched thedies grow paler and paler with each passing second. Though Cian was starting to feel bad for their rtives, he mostly felt proud Seren could handle things on her own now.


    "Apologies for taking your precious time, Your Majesty King and Queen of Megaris."


    "Please excuse us. I hear my mother calling for me."


    The group ofdies bowed and immediately left as if their skirts were on fire. Seren''s words left a serious impact on them. Soon, none of them could be seen within Seren''s line of sight.


    "You scared them, my Queen," Drayce spoke, the amusement in his voice undeniable.


    "All these years, they feared me as a witch. How dare they conveniently forget that the moment they see you? Hmph, they better behave or else this scary witch might truly curse them."


    Drayceughed at her resentful words, while the other two smiled seeing the Queen of Megaris being openly possessive of her husband.


    "So my Queen, about that part where you say that I am yours, that I am enchanted by you, that I am the greatest gift��-"


    Seren''s eyes suddenly widened as dyed embarrassment engulfed her.


    To think she said Drayce is hers in public! Even in front of her brother!


    "I-I��"


    "I felt it''s far from the truth. I think the greatest gift of my lifetime is you, and not the other way around."


    Seren was so embarrassed she could only look away. She was grateful her veil could hide the furious blush on her cheeks.


    An looked at Cian. "Too much sweetness here that I don''t think I can eat any more sweets at this banquet."


    "I will ask to prepare something really spicy for us," Cian replied, agreeing to it.


    Drayce and Seren ignored them and continued to throw affectionate nces at each other.


    ====


    A/N- These 5 chapters Sunday mass release is to show my gratitude for voting the golden tickets to "The Devil''s Cursed Witch" during the Double Golden Ticket event. Thank you so much for the support. Even though we could not top the event, your support meant a lot. <3<3

 Chapter 640 Time To Meet A Son

    At the base of the hill where the old physician Erich Winfield lived, a strange fluctuation of energy suddenly spread.


    Everything around the thatched house froze as if time had stopped. From the movements of the forest animals, to the branches swaying along the wind, even the old physician and his apprentice who were tending to the herbal nts in their backyard, all of them were like life-like statues unable to move in their ces.


    But there were exceptions.


    Out of nowhere, two figures d in white hooded robes appeared outside the fence of the thatched house.


    One figure lifted her hood, exposing her beautiful face with caramel-colored eyes. It was a beautiful woman with honey blond hair, her temperament noble, revealing the fact that she was ady with an umon background.


    Meanwhile, herpanion was also visibly a woman, but her lowered hood hid her features. Only the back of her palms with snake-like scales were visible through the long sleeves of the white robe she was wearing.


    The woman with honey blond hair looked at the thatched house.


    "I can sense Celia''s energy stronger than before. Seems like she is recovering well."


    With their surroundings still as a painting, the two entered the yard and headed for the door without care.


    A beautiful, melodic voice came from the woman with snake-like scales.


    "I can sense it as well, Evanthe, but it''s hard to believe this human physician can find anything to make her better. We know her injury is caused by an offensive divine spell of the highest rank, and nothing in the mortal realm should be capable of healing her."


    Evanthe, the woman with honey blond hair, made a gesture in the air and the door to the house was opened by an invisible force. "That I know, Sierra. Wouldn''t our doubts be cleared once we see Celia herself?"


    The other woman, Sierra, said nothing in response.


    The two walked inside the house where they found Celia, the woman with the alias of Martha, lying on the small bed in the first room.


    Sensing the arrival of the mysterious guests, Martha opened her eyes and turned her head to look at them. She was about to move so she could sit and greet the two but Evanthe stopped her.


    "Stay like that. No need for formality. You are not well," Evanthe said before walking to her side.


    "I am well enough to be able to sit, Your Eminence," Martha said as she sat up with a lowered head. "Apologies that this humble servant can only greet bothdies like this."


    Evanthe sat at the edge of the bed and looked at the visibly struggling woman. "Yourplexion looks better than how we saw you thest time."


    While Evanthe spoke, Sierra stood on the side, carefully observing Martha as well.


    Martha nodded. "I feel much better."


    "Shall I check on you?" Evanthe held her hand in hers before closing her eyes. Martha sat quietly, and for some time, not a single sound could be heard inside the room.


    After a while, Evanthe opened her eyes and she looked at Martha with a gaze filled with surprise. She then turned towards herpanion. "You should check as well, Sierra."


    Sierra sensed Evanthe must have discovered something and approached the injured woman. Evanthe stood up and made space for Sierra to sit. Sierra''s scaly hand held Martha''s hand as well.


    "Another divine power is flowing through your body, and it is helping you heal, Celia," Sierra informed her, which shocked Martha.


    "Can the medicine given by Erich have such an effect?" Martha asked.


    "It can''t be," Evanthe answered. "There must be another source."


    "Did you eat or drink something unusual since west saw you?" Sierra asked.


    "Nothing as such," the injured woman replied after some thought.


    "Can I check your wound?" Sierra asked.


    Martha lifted her top and undid the bandage around it. "Erich did say that it''s healing well."


    Once she removed the bandage, they found that the burn truly didn''t look as terrible as before.


    "How did this happen? The divine power behind this injury came from a celestial being of a higher ss than me��my power is not strong enough to heal it. Only a high-ranking angel or a deity with stronger divinity than that being has an ability to heal your injury, but those kinds of aloof existences would not descend from the divine realm unless��it''s her?"


    "Who?" Evanthe asked, her curiosity piqued.<novelnext></novelnext>


    "That existence whose power is sealed within Seren''s body," Sierra answered.


    "But didn''t you say that deity no longer exists?"


    "She doesn''t, but her power does," Sierra looked at Martha. "Seren came to see you?"


    Martha realized she didn''t inform them about Seren''s visit to her and said, "She was indeed here a few days back."


    "Did she do something?" Sierra asked.


    Martha tried her best to recall the events of that day.


    "Apologies, I was not in a good situation that day and could not remember anything. I was unconscious the rest of the day and didn''t even get the chance to talk with her. From what Erich told me, she stayed by my side for some time and even fed me medicine. He said the poor girl ended up crying the entire time."


    Sierra grasped a clue. ''Tears of a Phoenix.''


    "It must be her tears. Seems like having that divine power locked inside her had given her few other abilities as well," Sierra exined.


    Evanthe agreed. "It is possible. In fact, I don''t think there is another exnation aside from that. That Fire sealed inside her could be said to be the master of all mes, thus an injury caused by an inferior elemental power would be easy for it to deal with. Since it has been residing inside her for so long, it''s natural for her body to be able to use it to some extent."


    "It should not be this way," Sierra spoke.


    "What do you mean?"


    Sierra then chose to withhold herself from saying more than she should. "If she is able to use that power then her earth element will sh with the fire element and it will harm her body. Though I am d she saved Celia, we need to stop it. Till we find the proper vessel for that power, we need to keep it dormant inside Seren."


    "But in two days it will be her eighteenth birthday. We are yet to discover how to deal with it despite searching high and low for a solution for years. Can we solve this in just a couple of days?"


    A heavy silence enveloped the three women inside the thatched house.


    "I think I have a way," Sierra spoke and the hooded woman looked at Evanthe.


    "What is it?" Evanthe asked.


    "Your son. I didn''t raise this before because I was being considerate of you and I was not aware Seren had already started using that dangerous Fire magic but��"


    Evanthe closed her eyes at the mention of her son. There were countless debts to be paid, yet she could not even begin to think where to start.


    "To prevent that Fire from harming Seren, we need his help�� and yours as well," Sierra said, her tone apologetic. "Both of your elements are inferior to that Fire, but together, you two can help suppress its power. His Darkness and your Water must work together to temporarily suppress it until we find a proper new vessel."


    After a long pause, Evanthe let out a defeated sigh.


    "Seems like the time to face my son hase."


    Neither Sierra nor Celia gave a remark on what Evanthe said. They had nothing to say about howplicated her emotions must be as a mother.


    Sierra returned her attention to Martha and changed the subject. "You have been enduring such pain for a long time, and your perseverance has been rewarded. If you were a normal human instead of a White Witch, you would have died the same day. You have been a strong woman, Martha."


    "It''s nothing, Lady Sierra. I am fortunate to be able to be of some help to you."


    "Sierra," Evanthe called out, her expression lost in thought, "I''ve been meaning to ask this since thest time, but isn''t it against thews of this world for the heavenly realm to harm beings in the mortal realm. Won''t those who ambushed Celia be punished?"


    "The Heavens are impartial, They treat all Children of Creation equally"��Sierra recited the line with a bitter tone, like a mantra she used to hold dear��"but as eyes can be blinded, even the eyes of those above us can be covered if one knows the rules enough.


    "The one behind the attack is cunning. The protection is meant to shelter mortals, but it is partial to the weak humankind. For supernatural beings, there are exceptions.


    "They can im a White Witch tried to harm them and they acted in their defense. Celia''s situation is difficult to exin without leaking our own secrets so our being elusive is good for them as well."


    Evanthe sighed hearing it as there was nothing they could do.


    ====


    A/N- Till 28th Jan there might not be any chapter of any novel as Author is travelling to the other city for important matter.

 Chapter 641 Mothers

    "Well, at the very least, one good thing happened-- that Celia''s injury is no longer a concern," Evanthemented before reaching out to squeeze Martha''s hand. "You have gone through a lot, Celia, and I cannot even put into words how thankful I am for everything you did for us and our children."


    "It''s nothing much, Your Eminence. I vowed to follow Lady Sierra in this lifetime, and her goals are my goals as well," Martha replied with a smile. She then proceeded to wrap bandages around her waist once more before pulling back her clothes down. "To be able to serve her daughter is an honor as much as it''s a duty for me."


    Martha turned to face the woman whose appearance was hidden by her hood. "Though I am merely your daughter''s nanny, she is like family to me as well. As long as I can protect her, I don''t mind losing my life."


    The loyalty in her eyes was unwavering, and Sierra could only let out a sigh. As for what it''s for, only she herself knew.


    Evanthe thought to lighten up the atmosphere. "As long as Dray is with her, Seren should be fine. It was fate that brought them together when we needed someone''s help the most."


    "Fate," Sierra spoke with a hint of bitterness. "I wonder what kind of fate is written for those two. What they would face... I can''t help but feel worried."


    "Rest assured. We must put our trust in our children," Evanthe assured. "Though young, they are stronger than they seem."


    Sierra no longer spoke.


    "I wanted to ask if the preparations for Seren''s birthday are done, my Lady?" Martha asked, changing the subject.


    Sierra nodded. "I have sent a message to Armen. He will follow our n."


    "You will be meeting your daughter as well," Evanthe remarked as she looked at herpanion. Even though Sierra''s face was hidden by the hood, Evanthe could somewhat feel the conflict of emotions she was having.


    "What are you thinking about, my friend?" Evanthe asked while Martha also looked at her in worry.


    It took a long time before Sierra spoke.


    "I...I am not sure how she will react when we meet," she admitted with a helpless sigh. "When she finds out I am her mother, that I am the woman whose reputation made her live as an object of people''s disgust and fear, that I am the cause why her father made her spend her life like a prisoner... I don''t even know if she will even consider me her mother. Let alone acknowledge me, I don''t think she would even want to see me."


    "She will understand why you did that..."


    "I don''t expect her to understand. I am the one who sealed that power inside her and turned her life into hell. It''s better that she never learns of the truth. Moreover, my appearance...she might not want to ept an ugly creature as her mother. I will only end up disgusting her."


    There was a silence inside the thatched house which Evanthe broke, "We both are guilty for hurting our children and leaving them to live on their own. But, it hurt us as much as it hurt them. Regardless of our reason, they are people with their own thoughts and feelings--we can only ept what they give us in return, whether it be eptance or rejection."


    Sierra raised her head, and though she could not see it, Evanthe could feel her gaze on her. "Why don''t you speak for yourself? If your son epts you back and asks you to return with him, will you?"


    Evanthe turned silent. Return. It meant to return to the Kingdom of Megaris, to the pce where she used to belong.


    Returning to that ce was not just about her son--there was someone else, someone whose pain her guilty conscience feared to face the most.


    Theron Ivanov, her husband, the man she loved the most yet the same man who she had hurt again and again. He was the man she longed to see the most, but she had caused him too much grief, she dared not even forgive herself for doing so, no matter the reason behind her actions.<novelnext></novelnext>


    Simply the thought of her husband was enough to make her eyes turn moist everytime she was reminded of him.


    A while ago, Sierra had been unable to respond but now it was Evanthe''s turn. After a long bout of silence, she finally spoke, "I can''t go back with him. We have more things to do regarding the power hiding inside Seren."


    "Are you using it as an excuse to not go back to your husband?" Sierra questioned.


    "If not for Seren, I would have remained buried under the darkness of that river. It is the cost that I have to pay for the sins Imitted. I cannot go back to my family. Esther Ivanov no longer exists in this world. My sole reason for living is to protect your daughter."


    "It''s been more than two decades. I think you should be allowed to go back to your family and your people. This much time is enough for your sacrifice..."


    "Enough. We should first focus on Seren''sing of age," Evanthe interrupted her. She knew it was not so easy to go back as if nothing had happened.


    Sierra didn''t pester her, and after they bid farewell to Martha, the frozen time resumed for all those in the vicinity of the thatched house hidden in the forest.


    ---


    After rejecting her father''s offer to dance, Seren left the wedding banquet and returned to her tower together with her husband. However, she remained unusually quiet throughout their carriage ride back, and sensing her mood, Drayce respected her need to be alone.


    "Rest well, my Queen," he said after escorting her inside her chamber. "I will be back before you know it."


    Once Seren was in care of her servants, Drayce left as he still had other important things to do.


    Her servants helped her change the clothes into morefortable ones and helped her freshen up to get rid of her tiredness. Seren remained unresponsive when herdy-in-waiting attempted to converse, and in the end, her servants tactfully moved about quietly, making sure they would not do anything that could bother their master.


    By the time Drayce entered her chamber, he found Seren all by herself, standing by the window while looking at the view of the starless night sky outside.


    Drayce walked towards her, and as he stood behind her, he tenderly wrapped his arms around her fragile body. "What are you thinking about, hmm?"


    She casuallyid her head against his shoulder. "Nothing."


    Drayce didn''t buy it. "Thinking about your father?"


    Seren stayed quiet for a moment before replying, "Yes."


    "What about it?" he asked.


    Seren felt a little hesitant to answer. It wasn''t that she didn''t trust her husband, but it was not easy to put her thoughts into words. Yet she realized that if not now, she might never get the courage to honestly confess her feelings about Armen Ilven.


    She took a deep breath, her eyes still on the night sky.

 Chapter 642 I Love My Wife Being Petty

    "I never thought of the King of Abetha as my father. He never treated me like a daughter, and I never had a single memory of him showing fatherly affection to me. To me, he''s more a name, a title of a person, but never a father," she said without a change in her expression, as if she was narrating someone else''s story. "Does that disappoint you?"


    She merely felt Drayce''s arms tightened around her, silently encouraging her, telling her everything was fine.


    Her voice broke as she continued to speak.


    "I know there must be a reason why I was treated differently. I''m no longer an ignorant child. I understood that he wanted me to keep me hidden but��but could he not show me he loves me as his daughter? Even if secretly, even a little, could he not show that I am of some importance to him?"


    As she reached this point, her voice started to quiver, as if she was trying her best not to cry.


    "If he didn''t want me, why even allow me to enter the pce? He could have let me live the life of amoner outside, blissfully unaware of my roots, living a simple life. But no, I was brought up to the pce as an infant and then neglected thereafter.


    "Not only didn''t I have a mother, I also didn''t have a father. I only have Martha to care for me, and everyone else hates me. Others questioned my existence in the pce. Well, I also question why I am locked up here like a prisoner.


    "Am I really his daughter? I feel like I am nothing but some orphan whimsically raised by King Armen like a pet. The tower is my cage and my nanny the caretaker."


    Augh escaped her lips, sounding more sorrowful than a cry.


    "What''s unfair is that I see how he treats his other children. Today especially, I��"


    Seren closed her eyes for a moment, and the image of her Second Sister dancing with King Armen shed before her. The warmth in his gaze as he stared at his newly married daughter, the beautiful smile on her sister''s face��


    "Is it wrong for me to still feel jealous to see him shower my siblings with affection? Is it wrong for me to expect something from him? And is it wrong to reject him when hees to me?"


    As her voice started to rise, her shoulders began shaking.


    "It''s toote. Toote for him to act this way," she said as she bitterlyughed. "Maybe I do want him to show affection, but at the same time, I do not want to ept it. If he wants to neglect me, he should consistently ignore my existence. Why is he��? Why am I��? Haa, I can''t understand why I am like this. Am I wrong to be like this?"


    "You are not wrong, Seren," Drayce finally spoke. He gently caressed her arms, trying to calm her down. "Why do you think you are in the wrong? Do you think your own feelings do not matter?"


    "No, it''s just��"


    "Our emotions are neither good nor bad. The things we feel tell us more about ourselves and those around us. It means there is always a reason, even if you do not understand them," Drayce said in a matter-of-factly manner, his tone allowing her to regain herposure.


    "Yet for me to feel that way towards the King of Abetha��"


    "You can''t change that he is your father even if you want to deny it. Expecting something from your own father is not wrong either," he said, cutting her off. "When you rejected him, I supported your decision. You are angry and upset with him, and I understand that. You have to know though that people get angry and upset only about those we think are important to us. Only the important people in our life can hurt us because we can ignore others who don''t matter. You are hurt, because you have expectations. Your father failed to meet your expectations and you have a right to be upset with him."


    Seren could not deny what Drayce said. Others who had hurt her didn''t matter to her and she forgot her anger about them, but the King of Abetha��


    "You are right, Dray. Maybe deep inside, a part of me still holds expectations of my father."


    "So don''t think much and be more honest to yourself. If you want to talk to him, then go ahead, and if you want to reject him, you are free to do that. My wife can do whatever she wants and acts the way she wants. The rest, I will handle it for you. Even if you end up angering or offending people, you have your handsome husband to back you up."


    Thatst line caused an unexpected chuckle to escape her lips. "I won''t do anything useless as I am a queen now."


    "Oh so you know you are a queen?" He kissed the top of her head. "You are a queen, a powerful queen. I am not saying you misuse your power��I know you won''t ever do that��but know that if someone offends you, the entire Kingdom of Megaris is behind you. Let''s see which insane buffoon dares make you upset. So, you don''t need to hold yourself back and give people what you think they deserve. Understood?"<novelnext></novelnext>


    A small smile tugged at the corner of her lips. "I will keep that in mind."


    "Well, I see you are already doing it, my Queen. These days, you are making me feel proud of you."


    "When did I?"


    "During the meal with your family, and even today at the banquet, when you dealt with annoyance in an amusing way."


    She turned around to look at his smiling face. "Were you proud? I thought you would think I am being petty."


    The smile on his handsome face broadened. "I love my wife being petty. Keep doing it."


    Seren mirrored his smile behind her veil. "Then I won''t stop being petty."


    With her mood finally stabilized, she thought about something and asked, "Dray, can I ask you something?"


    "Yes, my Queen?"


    "If your mother happens toe across you one day, what will you do?"


    The question startled him. Drayce studied her lovely purple eyes, and seeing she asked it out of pure curiosity, he could not answer her right away.


    What would he do once he finds his mother? He never thought about it clearly. He only wanted to find her��it was that singr goal that kept him going for years ever since she disappeared.


    Would he ask her why she left him? Maybe ask why didn''t she take him with her and leave him by himself? Didn''t she love him? Missed him all these years?


    What was she doing all these years? Didn''t she wish toe and see him at least once. How could her heart be of stone, to not want to see her own son?


    There were countless questions he kept in his heart, but��above all, what was important was to find her first.


    Drayce decided to be honest with Seren.


    "I never thought about it. All I wanted was to search for her."


    "Won''t you ask her toe stay with you?"


    "I won''t," he said. "If she coulde back, she would have done it on her own. There should be no need for me to ask."


    Though his tone was light, Seren could feel how conflicted her husband was. A moment ago, it was him consoling her and now he himself looked like he needed constion.


    Both of their situations regarding their parents were scarily simr.


    Drayce had never seen his birth father while Seren had never seen her birth mother. His mother left him though she loved him, while her father never loved her though he was around her.

 Chapter 643 Leaving For The Safe Place

    With Second Princess Meira''s wedding over, the new bride had to bid farewell to her homnd. From now on, she was no longer a part of the Ilven Royal Family, but the Cromwell Royal Family.


    Amidst cheers and tears from family and friends, she left with the royal entourage headed by the Queen of Griven. Though An arrived in Abetha with Drayce andpany, they would be parting ways for now as he would be apanying his people and returning to his kingdom.


    The day passed by in a blink of an eye, and Seren had been informed that the preparations had beenpleted for hering of age. She needed to go outside the royal pce, to a special ce arranged for her, and this was passed to her through a secret missive sent by King Armen through his most trusted knight, Sir Berolt.


    ording to the letter sheter on destroyed, King Armen had made the arrangements for her to leave in the darkness of the night. It was imperative she arrive at that special ce on the day of her birth, so that on the exact time she was born, marking the eighteenth year of her life, she would be protected.


    For protection and safety, words that described her life as a prisoner in the tower.


    Seren let out a quiet sigh.


    Currently, she was together with Drayce and King Armen, heading towards a discreet exit leading out of the pce walls. She didn''t know how to feel as she stared at the back of the man d in ordinary clothes. It was the first time she had seen King Armen wearing something not befitting his status, and it must have also been the first time she had interacted with him this closely.


    Though she remained quiet, she overheard from his conversation with Drayce that King Armen himself was going to leave with them as some ''messages'' were being sent to him and he was the one who knew where they were going.


    They passed through a secret underground passage of the pce where at the other end ordinary-looking carriages were waiting for them.


    Other than her husband and the King of Abetha, there were other peopleing with them. Two of them were herpanions'' most trusted knights, yer for Drayce and Sir Berolt for King Armen.


    There was one more person apanying them who was of great importance�� the silver-haired High Elf, Yorian. Drayce had vouched for Yorian''s identity and capability, that he wouldn''t bring any harm but will be of help to Seren. Thus, King Armen trusted Drayce and allowed the elf to apany them.


    "Take care of the things till I return," King Armen talked to his son who came there to see them off.


    "Rest assured, Father. The kingdom is in good hands," Cian replied before looking at his sister who was standing with her husband. "Take care, Seren."


    "I will, Brother," she replied and Cian looked at Drayce who offered him an assuring nod.


    Afterwards, they sat in the carriages and left the capital through the thick forest at the rear of the pce. With thatnd belonging to the royal family, no one would notice their movements easily.


    Besides, even if something unexpected were to happen, the presence of Drayce and Yorian made King Armen more confident about his daughter''s safety.


    Inside the carriage, Seren was sitting quietly with her husband.


    Drayce caressed her hand. "Are you scared?"<novelnext></novelnext>


    "A little," she answered honestly. There was no need to lie to her husband. "I am not sure what is so special�� or should I say scary?��about me reaching my eighteenth birthday."


    "It will be over before you know it."


    A bitter smile appeared behind her veil. "Why can''t my birthday be just an ordinary celebration like any other girl whoes of age? Pretty dresses and good food and music and dancing�� Why does it have to be like this? I feel like a fugitive running in the night��like, like I did something wrong��"


    Drayce circled his arm around her shoulder and rubbed it gently tofort her. "You did nothing wrong, and on your officialing of age, you will get to receive an ordinary albeit extravagant celebration."


    "I mean��"


    "Do not worry about anything else. As long as I am with you, there is nothing to worry about. Think of this just as an exciting outing."


    "I know, but��all my life, I only want to live an ordinary life like that of otherdies. I don''t want to worry about what the next day would bring me, whether I would be the target of some mysterious beings."


    "It will happen. I promise. There will be a day when you won''t have to worry about things aside from what to eat next or where to go next. We will have a peaceful life." His words were calm and reassuring. "Do you trust me?"


    "I do. I trust no one but you," she replied and wrapped her arms around his waist, burying herself in hisforting embrace. "Did the King Armen say where he is taking us?"


    "Somewhere safe, a ce guarded by the ones who want to protect you," he replied.


    "Who are those? Why do they want to protect me?"


    Drayce had the answer at the tip of his tongue, but he hesitated to tell her theplete truth at this moment. He didn''t know how to tell her that she might get to meet her birth mother soon.


    ''Will it be fine to tell her this when King Armen didn''t say anything regarding this?''


    "There are people who want to protect this world," he started vaguely, "and what is hidden inside you can bring harm to this world. So these people are the ones who wished to keep the peace of this world the way it is. For them to achieve their goals, protecting you is a priority."


    Drayce felt her sighing against his chest as he heard her mumble, "I hope this hellfire inside me can be removed so I can be at peace."


    "We will search for a way," he assured her once again.

 Chapter 644 Cave Behind The Waterfall

    Their ordinary-looking carriages continued to travel through the darkness of the night. After hours of traveling, the two carriages stopped.


    Seren, who fell asleep while leaving her head on Drayce''s shoulder, was jolted awake. She rubbed her eyes and asked, "Have we reached our destination?"


    Drayce had been listening to the conversation outside, and replied, "Not yet, but we have to get down the carriage."


    He helped her climb down the carriage and she saw that they were no longer in the forest. They were at the bank of arge river, with nothing but thenterns on their carriages to light the way.


    It was still deep into the night, the moon somewhat shrouded by the clouds, and she found a single boatrge enough to carry their group floating silently on the ck waters.


    Just then, King Armen came to them, his expression tranquil as usual.


    Seeing Drayce holding onto his wife as if she was about to fall, he could not help but ask, "What happened? Are you alright, Seren?"


    Seren immediately straightened herself.


    Calling her by her name, she was not used to it. Growing up in the pce, there were not many times they interacted. On those rare asions they did, she could only see him sitting on the throne, never getting the chance to talk to him. In fact, her nanny Martha had more conversations with the King of Abetha than her.


    ''And on those off chances he talked about me, he refers to me as ''Third Princess,'' she recalled.


    Seren indeed wished the King of Abetha would call her by her name, but that was in the past. It had been more than a decade. Now that he was doing it, she found the sensation strange. She felt conflicted over how to react in front of him. It would have been better if he acted like before, as if she was nothing but a painting on the wall.


    "I am fine, King Armen," she replied politely.


    King Armen had no expectations that she would call him father so he epted her reply.


    "We will have to travel by boat now," he informed to which she simply nodded.


    Their group boarded the sailboat without anyone exchanging a word.


    As it was very dark, Drayce helped Seren settle in that boat. There was a small cabin at the center of the boat where Drayce led her to stay, while the rest stood outside.


    There was no need for further instructions as Sir Berolt had already arranged everything regarding this trip. Not only was the boatman a skilled and trusted person, he was also unaware of the real identities of his passengers--there was only a mission for him and that was to reach the group''s destination.


    The boat continued to quietly sail through the river.


    By the crack of dawn, the boat finally stopped at one ce. Seren had fallen asleep hours prior, and the sudden jolt of the boat woke her up. Hearing the loud rushing sound of water, she moved the curtain of the cabin aside and peered outside.


    Their boat had stopped in front of a massive waterfall.


    Seren realized this must be their destination and headed out of the cabin. Drayce sensed her presence and reached her side.


    "Is this not the ce?" she asked after she observed how their group had serious expressions on their faces, as if they were waiting for something. She saw King Armen nodding to his knight but she didn''t know what it was for.


    However, before Drayce could respond, the most magical thing happened in front of her.


    The curtain of falling water in front of the boat split in the middle and shifted aside like fabric, exposing therge mouth of the cave hiding behind it. Seren was stunned.<novelnext></novelnext>


    She was barely able to get back herposure when their boat moved once again, intending to enter the cave. For a moment, it gave her an image that they were entering the gaping mouth of a beast.


    "W-Why are we going inside?" she asked Drayce, scrambling towards him as she found the experience scary.


    Though the cave wasrge and spacious, the atmosphere inside was cold and eerie. The sound of water dripping from the rocks above their heads echoed repeatedly in the air, and aside from the couple ofnterns attached on their boat, everything else was shrouded in darkness.


    "This is the route to our destination," Drayce informed her in a quiet voice, his expression showing hints of...nervousness and hope?


    However, Seren did not see this as her attention was diverted by the sight of the curtain of water closing behind them.


    "Drayce, I''m scared..."


    Seren held onto Drayce firmly. Despite knowing she should be safe, she could not stop her instinctive fear--she could not stay in such a closed and dark ce where she could see nothing. The sound of flowing water and the echoes of dripping magnified her fear.


    Thenterns hanging on their boat were the only source of light, and it didn''t feel enough to her.


    Drayce wrapped his arms around her tofort her. With her head pressed against his chest, she could hear his steady heartbeats. "It''s alright. There is nothing to be scared of. I am here."


    As their boat moved further within the long cavern, following the current of the winding underground river, time passed without them knowing.


    Soon, fireflies appeared in the distance, and only after approaching them did Seren realize they were torches. The deeper they entered, the more torches lit the waterway.


    Only when Seren realized there were more people inside and they were not alone did she feel relieved to return to the cabin.


    Small dry snacks had been prepared inside the boat for its passengers, and after some time, Seren started to feel hungry. She nibbled a little, only enough to satiate her hunger, and after that, she proceeded to observe the rock formations along the way.


    With her getting used to the cold damp air and the dimness of the underground river, her curiosity red, and she spent the passing time studying her surroundings. There were many forks and tunnels they had to navigate, and along the way, she saw unfamiliar nts and odd-looking stones, as well as small animals like bats and reptiles.


    After an unknown amount of time, they reached the end of the river which was another huge cave.


    It didn''t seem like a natural rock formation, but something that had been rearranged with the help of magic.


    "Is this the ce?" Seren whispered to Drayce.


    "Seems like it," he replied and found King Armen going to their side of the boat.


    "King Drayce, Seren, we have arrived. We will be entering this cave."


    Drayce nodded and they stepped down the boat. As soon as their group had disembarked, they heard the sound of footsteps approaching from the direction of the cave.


    ===


    A/N- Only for the month of March, all the 17 privileged chapters are for 100 coins. The highest privileged tier is 100 coins only.

 Chapter 645 Someone Who Can Stop His Powers

    It belonged to a person who was not unfamiliar to them. Seren could not believe her eyes when she saw the middle-aged woman walking towards her.


    Under the flickering lighting from the fire torches, Seren could clearly see the smiling face of her nanny, Martha, the woman who was so sick a few days back she could barely stay standing upright.


    "Martha!"


    The young queen seemingly forgot everything else as she hurried towards the woman like a little girl running towards her mother.


    "Martha, what are you doing here?" Seren reached out to her and held her hand, squeezing it tightly as if to check whether this is real or not. "Have you recovered well? Is it right for you to be here? Shouldn''t you be resting?"


    "I am fine now, Your Majesty," the middle-aged woman replied.


    Seren studied her face and body and realized Martha''splexion did improve. "You do look fine, but are you sure you shouldn''t be resting?"


    "Yes, Your Majesty," Martha replied and looked at others as she bowed, "Greetings, Your Majesties. I hope the trip was not difficult for everyone."


    King Armen gestured for her to rise and asked, "Are you alone? Where are the rest?"


    "Others will be here soon," Martha informed him, keeping a silent sigh to herself upon seeing the vague expectations in the man''s normally calm gaze.


    King Armen merely nodded, and no longer inquired. Though he appeared unflustered on the surface, in fact, he might be the most nervous amongst all the people on the boat.


    Among the ''others'', there was someone who he had not seen since the day she left the newborn Seren with him.


    Sierra, his dearest Sierra.


    Though her appearance was changed, still she was the woman he deeply loved. Though King Armen was a man who knew his responsibilities, who cared more for the bigger picture than his own desires, in the end, he was but a mere man, a person with his own selfishness.


    Coming here was not only for Seren''s sake, but also for himself��he wished to see Sierra, to talk to her, even though he knew that as a mere human many of his questions would remain unanswered.


    "Till then please follow me. You all must be tired with the overnight journey," Martha said before leading the way for them. As they entered thatrge cave, the neers realized that countless strange runes were etched on the walls and the surface of rocks inside, and there were a number of entrances and smaller tunnels connected to that huge cave.


    Drayce and Seren walked side by side, holding each other''s hands, and soon, Martha made them enter one of the tunnels where a man-made chamber could be found on the end. Inside, there was a bed-like stone tform which had a thin mattress spread on it, and on the side, there was a stone table with fresh water and fruits prepared to wee the tired travelers.


    Drayce made Seren sit on the mattress as he offered her water. After drinking, she asked, "How long do we have to stay here? I don''t know why, but I am feeling anxious."


    "It should not be long, perhaps a day or two at most. Once your day of birth passes and we learn what changes will ur after that, I believe we can return back to the pce," Drayce replied as he sat next to her.


    She leaned her head against his shoulder. "You didn''t sleep for the entire night. You must be tired. Why don''t you rest while we wait?"


    "I am fine. Instead, you should sleep some more. You only slept for a couple of hours." He made her lie on that mattress but Seren could not close her eyes.


    "Martha said the others will be here soon. These people who protect me in the shadows, I am anxious to know who these people are."


    "We will know once they arrive. While they''re yet toe, get as much rest as you can, and I will wake you up when it''s needed."


    Seren nodded and closed her eyes.


    ��-


    For the next few hours, the cave was quiet as everyone went their individual ways to rest.


    Drayce, who was resting by Seren''s side, woke up the moment his sharp ears caught certain sounds outside of their stone chamber. He realized it had been only more than an hour since he fell asleep, yet despite that, he felt more awake than ever.


    Footsteps and voices��


    They belong to King Armen and Martha. It sounded like the woman was leading him somewhere.<novelnext></novelnext>


    After some time, he realized he could no longer sense their presence. He tried to extend the range of his senses through his powers, yet he still could not hear any sound, not even their footsteps, as if something was stopping his senses from capturing their existence.


    His red eyes narrowed at a certain realization.


    ''Did the ''others'' arrive?''


    The tips of his fingers trembled, and he let out a shaky breath as he pressed his arm over his eyes.


    ''Is she really one of them? To know how to block my powers like that without me sensing the energy core of the other party, there can only be one person capable of doing that who is also familiar with me.


    ''Only she can do it, my mother.''


    Drayce had a strong urge to go out and check the powerful being who blocked his senses, but he clenched his fists and stopped himself.


    ''What if it''s not her?


    ''What if I am mistaken?


    He let out another shaky breath.


    ''I have to be patient. I am sure if my mother is truly here, then we will meet even if I don''t seek her. For now, I must focus on my wife.''


    ��


    In one of the stone chambers, a handsome middle-aged man with shoulder-length brown hair could be seen pacing, and none of his usual calmness could be seen on his deep blue eyes.


    It was King Armen who was unable to rest the more he thought of the woman he was impatient to meet.


    When Martha came to see him, the man instantly regained hisposure, as if the agitation he was feeling was nothing but a ruse.


    She bowed to him wordlessly and King Armen understood. He also followed Martha wordlessly as she guided his way through the seemingly endless tunnels.


    As the two of them walked, King Armen noticed that the more they walked, the less torches there were on their path, yet despite that, the cave was bright. Only then did he notice that the ceiling of this part of the cave had few random holes that allowed the morning sunlight to enter.


    Martha led his way towards another tunnel, and when they entered, he realized the end was not a chamber like the ones allotted to them.


    Instead, it led to a forked tunnel with three routes, and Martha led him to the third one without stopping. The path inside was dark as there was no sunlighting inside, and the woman had to take one of the torches attached to the forked entrance to light up the way.


    King Armen didn''t know how long they had been walking, and he was too nervous and excited to care. When they finally reached the end of that pathway,Martha stopped in front of the door and stepped aside, as if to say King Armen must proceed without her.


    The man nodded as thanks, his appearance calm and dignified, but inside he was not. Only he himself knew how worked up he was, as if his stomach was in knots.


    With a deep breath, he reached out to open the door, only to find two women wearing white robes waiting for him. They were both sitting on a stone tform, one a youngdy with honey blond hair and the other a woman with her appearance hidden behind a lowered hood.


    King Armen recognized both of them. One was the previous Queen of Megaris, and the other one whose scaly skin was visible through her robe was none other than the mother of his third daughter.


    King Armen first greeted the woman with honey blond hair. "It has been a long time, Queen Esther��"


    "Call me Evanthe, King Armen," she interrupted him.


    King Armen nodded. "...then, Lady Evanthe."


    His blue eyes flickered as he stared at the other woman.


    "How have you been, Sierra?"

 Chapter 646 Are You Afraid To Face Our Daughters Hatred

    "Just as you have seen me thest time," replied the woman whose face was kept hidden under the hood.


    Armen stared at the hooded figure for some time without moving. An uncharacteristic stillness settled within the stone chamber, as if each of the three people inside were lost in their own thoughts.


    As someone who had sat on the throne for years, weathering all sorts of situations and schemes, Armen was long used to never letting his true emotions surface on his face. He had always been steady and calm, his expression the kind where no one else but him would know his real thoughts.


    ''I should have known...''


    Sierra was this kind of woman. Her reply held no particr emotions, casual as if they had nothing to do with each other. An insurmountable wall had been ced between them even before he could do more.


    He hid the bitterness in his heart as he spoke as if her response never bothered him. "I was expecting you toe to visit our daughter at least once but you never did."


    There was no me, merely a statement of fact.


    "You know why I could not," came her equally calm reply.


    "There is nothing absolute in this world, Sierra. We have been protecting her for years. You could have found a way."


    "This is not a good time to talk about the past, Valen," Sierra said, her voice growing firm as she addressed him in his old alias. "We have more important things to discuss."


    Armen held back what he wanted to say. He had to understand, to give in, to give way, as always. With a nod, he found himself a seat and faced the two women with an impassive face.


    "Yes, you are right. After using our daughter as a tool for saving this world, we still have more important things to discuss."


    There was a bout of silence but then Sierra spoke to defend her choice, "It was to save her life as well. If not for that power inside her, they would have killed her the moment theyid eyes on her. I did it to save both our daughter and the world. Someone has to make a choice, and it happened that I had to make it."


    Armen nodded, his expression still calm.


    "A mere human like me finds it difficult to understand the ''important'' things of your world," he said, his tone somewhat like that of an old man talking about the vicissitudes of life, a storyteller talking about another person''s life experience. "Perhaps it is because humans are innately greedy and selfish? "If I had the foreknowledge that I was going to have a daughter and her life would be nothing but living hell, I wouldn''t have--"


    He stopped what he was going to say, and lifted his head to stare at the ceiling.


    "I wonder if this too is destiny, or repercussions of my choices. I have chosen to follow your words, yet I have also chosen to love that daughter of ours. The pain these choices caused to Seren, I have only myself to me."


    Sierra''s hands that were resting on her thighs clutched on the fabric of her robe. This was the only indication that his words affected her, and even with her outstanding temperament, she could not stop herself from reacting.


    On the side, Evanthe casted her a worried gaze, but said nothing.


    "Anyways, what do we have to do now?" Armen changed the topic.


    "Evanthe will exin it to you," Sierra replied, her voice quiet as she opted to be a bystander in this discussion.


    Was Valen wrong to cast doubt on her choice? It was hard to say who was wrong and right in their situation. Maybe in his eyes...


    Sierra silently sighed in her heart. It was a burden she had to carry--the past that no one knew, not even Armen, and because of that past, she and her daughter were getting punished like this.


    Evanthe was d to take over the conversation. In a matter-of-factly tone, she started "In this underground river, we have made preparations for when the sealed power inside Seren..."


    The blond witch continued to exin the course of actions they would be taking, as well as the dangers they had to look out for.


    The King of Abetha quietly listened to their arrangements. Rather than calling it a discussion, it was more a situation where they were informing him about what to expect on Seren''sing of age. As a powerless human, he had little part in the actual situation itself.


    "I will follow your arrangements," Armen stated after Evanthe wrapped up the conversation.


    Just as he was about to leave, he heard Sierra speak up. "No need to tell Seren who I am that I am her mother."


    The man paused midstep, and after several seconds of hesitation, he turned around to give the hooded woman a t stare. "Do you think she doesn''t want to meet her mother? Or are you afraid you wouldn''t be able to stop your conscience once she starts to expect something from you?"


    "Let the things long buried remain buried, Valen. That child has begun a new chapter of her life with her husband, and we should not let her past continue to shackle her."<novelnext></novelnext>


    There was no fluctuation on the King of Abetha''s expression as he studied her hooded figure. His gazended on her exposed hands, and Sierra shifted to hide her skin under her sleeves.


    "Are you scared she would judge your appearance? That she would me you for the disgust and hatred she has been receiving her entire life?"


    Armen''s brutal words were aimed to hurt her, but he himself was hurting as well.


    "Are you scared to face your daughter''s hatred, Sierra?"


    There was no reply from her. He scoffed, his eyes turning cold. "Don''t run away from reality. We know we both deserve our child''s hate."


    The grip of her hands tightened on her robe, yet she refused to let out a single response.


    Fate. Destiny. Sacrifice. Beautiful concepts that brought nothing but pain to him and the people around him.


    Was saving the world worth it?


    Armen was about to leave, but in the end, he looked at the quiet woman once more. Even though he resented the choices she made, in the end, Sierra was someone he himself could never hate. This woman sacrificed her daughter, but she too made sacrifices of her own. He could not bear to see her wallow like this in pain.


    "Sierra," his voice was soft unlike how bitter it sounded before, "Just remember that your appearance changes nothing."


    Seeing herck of response, he continued.


    "You are still the same woman I loved, and beauty was never the reason I fell deeply for you. Our daughter, she is not the kind of superficial person you fear. She''s young, but she is not unreasonable. If you don''t trust me, at least trust Celia who personally raised her.


    "Seren is not ady who will judge a person from their appearance. She might feel bitterness towards you for abandoning her, but she won''t hate you for your appearance."


    The man departed, hisst words a stab to her wavering conscience.


    "There is no bettering-of-age gift for that child than to let her meet her mother. You can afford this much, after seventeen years of missed birthdays. Do not hide from our daughter, Sierra."


    The hooded woman''s entire body trembled as a single tear stained the front of her clothes.


    His bitter words didn''t affect her as much as his genuine words of assurance. It was evidence that the feelings he had for her remained true, even up to this day.


    ''Does hope still exist in your heart, Valen?''


    Both Valen and Sierra knew there was no future where they would be together. It was Fate.


    A love that cannot be.


    Maybe, deep in her heart, a small me of hope existed as well; otherwise, Sierra would not feel this kind of gut-wrenching pain.


    All that was left for them was to protect their precious daughter.


    There was no room for selfishness, only responsibility...right?


    With King Armen gone, the tears Sierra had been holding back rolled down from her face, drenching the front of her robe.


    Evanthe walked towards her and ced aforting hand over her shoulder. She could understand Sierra''s pain. She was no different from her; she too had failed as a parent and she too would have to face her child as well.


    Seren was a neglected child who never felt her mother''s love, while Drayce was a child who experienced love, only to be abandoned afterwards.


    Between Sierra and Evanthe, these two mothers, whose sin was worse? Who caused more pain to their child?


    ====


    A/N- From 6th to 17/18th march, there won''t be any chapter.

 Chapter 647 I Dont Feel Cold At All

    When King Armen came back to his assigned chamber, Drayce was able to sense his return. He began to calcte in his head, wondering about the distance where his powers were blocked as well as whether he should converse with King Armen about the ''others'' he had gone to visit.


    ''Their reigns coincided at some point. Surely, King Armen knows the appearance of Queen Esther Ivanov of Megaris. So if I ask him whether he met a woman who looked like my mother��but what if she used a spell to change her appearance? He would not be able to recognize her��''


    Amidst his thoughts, Seren stirred in bed, causing Drayce to divert his attention back to his wife. He could only let things go. If his mother had trulye, he would get to know sooner orter.


    "Good morning, Dray," she said as the first thing she saw the moment she opened her eyes was him. However, it took her some time to realize they were in an unfamiliar ce.


    "Good morning, Seren. Did you rest well?" he asked, his fingers gently brushing her hair away from her face. He smiled down at her, lookingpletely fine, as there was nothing that bothered him mere seconds ago.


    The young woman nodded and sat up as she stretched.


    "How long have I been asleep? Were you able to sleep?"


    Drayce yfully poked her forehead, not answering her. "You sound impatient. Are you perhaps hungry?"


    She threw an annoyed re his way as she wrapped her hands around his guilty finger.


    "I''m not. Just that, I don''t feelfortable." Though the chamber was not small, the fact that there was nothing but rocks around her felt constricting. "How long are we going to stay here, doing nothing inside these stone chambers, not knowing who and why they brought us here? Maybe we should ask Martha."


    Her eyes held both worry and impatience in them.


    "Soon, we will know why you have been brought to this ce. Be patient and do not worry about anything."


    Since Drayce seemed to trust King Armen and the people ''protecting'' her, she said nothing more and simply nodded.


    After everyone freshened up, Martha came to them, leading them to a different stone chamber where rather simple meal had been arranged for them. All the passengers of the boat were present, but there was still not a hint of even a single shadow of the people ''protecting'' Seren.


    There were six tes set on the table, but only four of them ate: King Armen, Yorian, Drayce and Seren. The two knights escorting them refused to eat with them, insisting on standing guard inside the dining room, despite Martha telling them there was nothing for them to do inside that cave.


    Yorian and Drayce talked while Seren focused on eating despite herck of appetite.


    "King Drayce, I have been feeling the energy of supernatural beings since earlier. Did you feel them as well?"


    Drayce nodded. "At least one of them is powerful enough to block my powers from reaching them."


    "Oh, is that so? Were you able to check what race they belong to? I sensed someone using a water attribute magic. It was familiar and felt like��"


    Just then, they heard Martha speak. Seren happened to have finished her meal.


    "Your Majesty Queen Seren, if you are done eating, may I trouble you to follow me?"


    Drayce looked at them, only to meet Martha''s gaze. "Of course, Your Majesty King Drayce muste as well."


    Drayce turned towards Yorian, who nodded to say that he should go and they could continue talkingter. He then made a silent gesture at yer, telling him to stay put and there was no need to follow them.


    King Armen did not say a single word as he watched the young couple follow Martha out of the dining room. He was aware where these two were headed.


    ''It was finally time for these two to meet their mothers.''


    He wished everything would go well.


    King Armen saw Martha led their way towards a different passage connected to the huge cave. It was not the same one he took to meet Sierra and Esther. He wondered where they were taken.


    ''Maybe the ce prepared to suppress that cursed power.''


    Drayce and Seren silently walked down the long, empty pathway seemingly carved out of the cave wall. The further they walked inside, the darker the ce seemed. Fortunately, Martha was carrying a torch with her, and Seren had been holding onto Drayce''s hand firmly the entire time; otherwise, she might have been unable to stop the terror in her heart to resurface.<novelnext></novelnext>


    A cold, cramped ce, shadows everywhere��


    Soon, they reached the end of that pathway, causing Seren to let out a small relieved sigh. However, she celebrated too soon. Rather than their destination, the small dome-shaped room was more like an antechamber leading elsewhere.


    Seren observed that ce carefully. Other than havingmps, the ce was empty. Also, this stone antechamber felt cold and dry, as if this part of the cave system was far from the river.


    To her surprise, Seren, who didn''t like the cold, was not shivering. Was it her imagination? Rather than a chill, the cold felt��forting?


    She btedly realized it had been a long time since sheined about the cold. Even during the boat ride yesterday, she didn''t feel chilly, which was a direct contrast to how she felt whenever she rode a boat on the crystalke back in the Royal Pce of Megaris.


    At first, she attributed it to her getting used to the climate of ckhelm, but that did not seem to be the case. It was abnormal how the oncefortable warmth of Abetha seemed distressing these days, and she was starting to long for the crisp cold evenings of Megaris.


    ''Is something wrong with my body?''


    "Your Majesty, you have to wear this before going ahead," she heard Martha say as she handed a thick folded fabric towards the young woman. It was a winter coat.


    Drayce took the coat from Martha and gestured for Seren to extend her arms. "Let me help you."


    He helped Seren wear the coat, even pulling the fur-lined hood over her head and securing it with a knot under her chin. Martha also prepared a pair of long boots for her. Drayce kneeled to help her put on those boots and Seren dly epted the help from her husband.


    As she looked at her kneeling husband, she asked, "Why do I feel like I''m dressed like the knights meant to patrol the northern regions?"


    She was referring to the thick cloaks she had seen others wear back in Megaris, those heading for the expeditions of the snow-capped mountains further north. They were considerably bulkier than ordinary winter coats.


    "You might not be wrong, my Queen," he said with a hidden smile and secured the boots with theces.


    Drayce also wore a coat. Only after she had made sure the couple was aptly dressed did Martha guide their way once more. She led them towards a door that appeared out of nowhere on the other end of the antechamber. "Please go ahead, Your Majesties."


    The moment it opened, bright light could be seening out from the other side of the door. Drayce and Seren walked through the door and the door disappeared once again into the stone wall.


    It startled Seren. "We can still leave this ce, right?"


    "It''s fine," Drayce reassured his wife, and then they took a good look around their surroundings.


    Blindingly white, as if they had stepped into a white canvas.


    It was an ice cave.


    Drayce and Seren found themselves in the middle of arge cavern, the ground covered with ankle-deep snow and the wallsyered with frost. Icicles could be seen hanging from the ceiling, and surprisingly, what they thought was sunlight were actually small stones emitting glows attached on the walls. They gave off no warmth, only pure illumination.


    ''Enchanted items?'' Drayce rubbed Seren''s hand gently and checked the red stone bracelet in her wrist, the jewelry he gave her to protect her from cold. "Are you feeling cold?"


    Seren shook her head. "It''s surprisingly bearable? In fact, I feelfortable." She decided to tell Drayce her guess. "I think I got used to the cold after staying in Megaris for thest few months."


    "It can be possible."


    Seren tilted her head. "But I realized it didn''t seem normal. It''s one thing to not be bothered by the cold, but I feel like��like I''m in the middle of summer. I no longer feel cold no matter how I''m dressed. It is strange, like I am running a fever, but my body temperature is normal."


    Drayce stayed quiet as he gently squeezed her hand. He was thinking something but didn''t wish to say it to her. ''Seems like that Fire sealed inside her is starting to act up already without us noticing.''


    "What are you thinking, Dray?"


    "I was thinking it''s good that you are adapting well to the cold."


    Just then, the door appeared on the wall once more, and two figures entered that ice cave, two women wearing white hooded robes.

 Chapter 648 Facing The Mother

    Drayce and Seren studied the two women who entered the ice cave, out of which they could only see the appearance of one as the other had her face hidden under the hood.


    The robed figure to the left was a beautiful woman with caramel-colored eyes and long honey blond hair. Seren observed this young protector of hers who seemed to be in her twenties, but her attention was diverted by the stiffening of the man beside her.


    Drayce''s reaction surprised Seren.


    "Dray, what''s wrong��?"


    However, the young king was unable to hear her words. All his senses were on the woman with honey blond hair.


    Standing in front of them was the previous Queen of Megaris, looking exactly the same as she did twenty years ago.


    There was not a single change in her appearance, as if time had stopped for her. A gentle-looking face, an elegant posture, it was the same woman in Drayce''s memories.


    The only difference was that her clothes were of an adventurer''s rather than of royalty, and her head no longer wore a crown. Her long hair was tied at the back of her head with a single white ribbon, just like the way she liked it whenever she had no outsiders to meet as a queen, as if she found wearing fussy hair essories in her own home rather unnecessary.


    There was no mistake. This woman was his mother, Esther Ivanov.


    Drayce wanted to open his mouth and say something, but his body refused to move. The words he wanted to say escaped his mind and all he could do was stare.


    This was not how he thought he would be once he saw his mother. However, he could not control his agitation.


    The pair of mother and son looked at each other without a word.


    ''She recognized me, right? Even though I was a toddler when she left, my appearance is too unique for her to not know I am her son. No one else has red eyes like mine, Besides, she came here for Seren. She must know who Seren married��''


    Countless thoughts continued to rush into his mind, but still, not a single word came out of his mouth.


    Meanwhile, just as Drayce had his entire attention on her, Evanthe was the same. She tried not to show it on the surface, but the very second her gazended on her son, she felt her knees go weak. However, she was mentally prepared for the situation, and none could see the turmoil in her heart.


    It was somewhat better for Sierra, as there was no need for her to pretendposure. Under her hood,plex emotions continued to silently brew on her face as her gaze took in the sight of the young woman wearing a veil.


    ''Seren, my daughter��It would have been better if you looked more simr to your father. But I''m d, I''m d you grew up well even without me.''


    Among the four, Seren was the calmest.


    She sensed there was something wrong with her husband, and realized that he must have recognized the protector with blond hair.


    She carefully observed them both, and she realized their bodies were emitting heavy energy around them.


    ? ''Strong.''<novelnext></novelnext>


    Given that they were her ''protectors'', Seren already expected these two women to be not ordinary. However, what she didn''t know was that they were on par, if not stronger, with her husband''s power.


    She had met quite a handful of supernatural beings��there was Lady Tyra, Marie, and even her own nanny, Martha, but they felt so weakpared to Drayce. Even Yorian''s strong aura felt weakpared to these women.


    And now, not just one but two beings appeared, their strength probably on the same level as her husband? Maybe stronger?


    Fortunately, the energying from them didn''t seem evil to her. In fact, it''s the opposite, simr to the power she felt from Aureus.


    Was it divine power?


    When she came across Zaria Lynx, the nature of her darkness-attributed magic felt evil and made her restless. ording to Drayce, it was because the witch was a ck magic practitioner.


    Though Drayce''s attribute was also darkness, and Erebus was the personification of that attribute, his power too never felt evil to her.


    ''Hmm? Why does she look familiar? I''m sure I have never seen her before though.''


    The more she looked at them, the more Seren felt she had met the woman with honey blond hair before.


    ''Maybe it was because she has been protecting me? Maybe I have met her in the past?''


    Seren then nced at the mysterious hooded woman; however, she realized there seemed to be a problem with the other''s body. Though her energy was strong, her aura felt��murky, iplete even, and Seren could not put her finger on it.


    ''How strange.''


    The woman with honey blond hair broke the tense silence by curtsying in front of Drayce and Seren.


    "We are honored to be in the presence of His Majesty the Dragon and Her Majesty the Phoenix of Megaris. Please call me Evanthe," the honey blond hair woman greeted with a polite smile, "and mypanion is called Sierra."


    Drayce looked at his mother with a surprise. ''Evanthe?''


    She didn''t introduce herself with her name Esther but the other name, Evanthe. He had heard this name before. Evanthe, the Queen of Witches from Agartha.


    ''Is she the one Yorian mentioned before? The most powerful White Witch, the Queen who rules the entire Witch Race?''


    "Are you the ones who made the King of Abetha bring me to this ce? The ones who are said to be protecting me?" Seren asked, which pulled Drayce out of his thoughts.


    Evanthe moved her gaze from her son to Seren, her daughter-inw to be precise. "Indeed, Your Majesty. Pardon for the inconvenience this trip might have caused you. Please have a seat so we can talk more properly."


    Seren looked at her husband who had not spoken a single word thus far. "Dray?"

 Chapter 649 Scales, Just Like Mine

    Drayce got hold of the emotional turmoil and saw the worry in the eyes of his wife. He put his hand on hers which was holding his arm tightly. "Let''s sit down first."


    At the gesture of Evanthe, chairs made of ice sprung up from the snow in the middle of the ice cave. Seren and Drayce side by side, while the other two sat opposite to them.


    Serent nervously nced at Drayce. He sensed this and patted her hand. "Rx. We are merely going to talk, and you can always speak out if you wish to."


    Senen nodded and then looked at the two women. When she nced in the direction of the mysterious woman, she noticed that the hand peeking out of her long sleeves had scales on them.


    ''Scales, just like mine? Is she��?''


    "Ladies, I do not wish for small talk. Please give us an exnation on what exactly is going on. What would happen to Seren once shees of age?" she heard Drayce asked, sounding somewhat��polite?


    Drayce put his personal matter with his mother aside. It was time for some serious talk about his wife''s safety.


    Evanthe nodded. "First, we want to apologize to Queen Seren."


    Seren raised a hand in a dismissive matter. "Please don''t. I understand this trip is necessary."


    Evanthe let out a sad smile. "Queen Seren, the apology is not for that. It is for everything you had to face since the moment you were born. The fault for your sufferingsy on our shoulders."


    Those words confused Seren, but she didn''t say anything, waiting for Evanthe to say more about what she meant. However, her gaze was unable to leave the other woman called Sierra, as if she wanted to ask her something but was hesitating.


    Sierra could feel that inquisitive gaze on her and realized she should say something as well. She had been quiet the moment she faced her daughter, and it was quite irresponsible of her.


    ''I guess Evanthe has the stronger willpower between us.''


    It was quite impressive how Evanthe was able to behave normally, unlike her who was unable to regain herposure, letting her anxiety and feeling of guilt envelop her mind.


    Sierra hid her hands inside her sleeves. She felt like a sinner to her daughter.


    "We also wish to apologize in advance for what you will be facing in theing days, Queen Seren," Sierra finally said, her soft voice like music in the air, "and King Drayce, we are grateful that you protected the Queen well. Your presence has eased the troubles we have been facing on our side."


    Seren could not stop looking at this woman whose face she could not see. ''This voice, why does it sound so familiar? Shall I ask her if she is��? What if she is not?''


    She heard Evanthe speak again, which pulled her out of her thoughts.


    "As you might have guessed, this ice cave has been prepared for you for for the danger you will be facing on the day of youring of age," Evanthe started. "Queen Seren, you have divine power hidden inside you. This power is separate from your innate powers that are locked. Not only is this foreign power destructive in itself, it also poses great danger to you once ites into conflict with your innate power."


    "I heard the same from someone," Seren said, which didn''t surprise Evanthe at all. She got to know the arrival of someone knowledgeable with Drayce. Yorian, Evanthe''s old acquaintance.<novelnext></novelnext>


    "I am sure you did," Evanthe simply said and continued, "The attribute of your innate power is of the earth element, while the foreign one is a divine power of the fire attribute, one we call hellfire.


    "Your body is the vessel of this hellfire. In order to protect you, your own powers are locked to prevent you from using it. Fire breeds on Wood, and Wood is of Earth. If you were to use your powers, then the divine power that doesn''t belong to you will grow stronger, fueled by the Earth, and it''s harmful for you as it will exceed your body''s limit."


    Seren directly asked, "How can I get rid of it? Since I am a vessel, that means the hellfire has been ced before inside me after I was born. That should mean it is possible to be removed from me, right?"


    Evanthe took a long, hard look at the young woman.


    "It is possible in theory; however, unfortunately, we have no means to do that. For now, we don''t have a way to get rid of it from your body without you dying. All we can do is to keep the status quo��that means keeping it suppressed inside you, so there will be no sh of powers inside you.


    "The danger of youring of agees from your innate power. The moment you turn eighteen, you be an adult, and your magic will be mature. Your power will try to surface, and along with it, the hellfire. What we need to do is to control them."


    "How will we do that?" Drayce asked calmly, as he looked straight at his mother''s eyes.


    "I will use my magic to suppress the hellfire inside her as I have the water attribute which will help suppress it along with this ice cave. About her innate power, King Drayce will have to suppress it."


    "I will do whatever is needed," Drayce agreed to his role.


    Seren was disappointed to hear the hellfire inside her would continue to stay inside her body. She knew that as long as this foreign power was kept inside her, then her wish for a peaceful life was impossible.


    Evanthe''s gaze softened as she stared at the veiled young woman, but she continued to exin the situation.


    "King Drayce and mypanion would work together, and we will teach you the spellter. It is rather simple, so King Drayce will have no issues learning how it works.


    "For the time being, Queen Seren, starting now till the time the two powers regain their bnce, we ask that you stay in this ice cave. It might be about a day or two long, depending on how quickly we can find the bnce.


    "The most dangerous time for the Queen is at the strike of midnight, the moment marking the eighteenth year of your life in this world, the exact time when you were born. The fluctuation of your power as it epts the baptism of nature will be the strongest then.


    "The hours that follow, your mature magic core will gradually stabilize, and then we will be able to reinforce the seal that suppresses your innate power. By then, the divine power will in turn also calm inside you and won''t resurface again, unless you trigger it by your own earth magic. However, like I mentioned, we will strengthen the lock on your innate power, so both powers will remain dormant.


    "Do not be scared, Queen Seren. We will do our best to protect you��"


    "I am not scared," Seren cut her off.


    Seren matched Evanthe''s gaze, and the White Witch saw the sh of anger in those purple eyes.

 Chapter 650 Who Is My Mother?

    "All I want to know is, why did you put this strange foreign fire inside me? Earlier, you apologized to me, saying that this is your fault. Then that probably meant you or whoever you represent put this hellfire in me, didn''t you? Tell me.


    "What is your purpose? Is my birth mother the one who put it in me? If it''s someone else, did she give her approval? If you im to know me from birth, then you should know what exactly happened to me.


    "Are you my mother, Lady Evanthe? Or is it thedy sitting beside you?"


    As Seren asked that question, her gazended on the quiet Sierra, but the woman made no reaction to her outburst.


    Seren didn''t know why, but she felt a sense of familiarity both from Evanthe and Sierra. It was not a resonance of power or anything like that. It was purely intuition she had about these two women--though she had no memory of it, she had met them before.


    ''And Lady Sierra''s hands...''


    Since young, Martha''s had always casted a spell on Seren''s skin, causing snake-like scales to appear on the back of her hand and parts of her face. Her nanny never fully exined why, only mentioning it was to keep unnecessary people away, but seeing Sierra''s hand, Seren had a guess in her heart.


    ''Because my birth mother has the same scales. Was it to keep our connection?''


    Evanthe sensed where Seren''s gaze was and could see through what possibly might go through her head.


    "No, I am not your mother, Queen Seren," Evanthe answered calmly.


    ? In her heart, she continued, ''I am your mother-inw though.''


    Seren Ivanov was the daughter-inw of Esther Ivanov, but this was not the time to expose their real rtionship. Evanthe could not even acknowledge her own son, how could she have the heart to tell the truth to her daughter-inw?


    Not now. Not when an important turning point of her life was at the door.


    "Then?" Seren intended to ask Sierra the same question but was interrupted by Evanthe who could clearly sense the nervousness of her friend who was not ready to expose the truth.


    "Queen Seren, I do understand you have plenty of questions about your past, but please hold on to them until the dangers havee to pass. This is not a good time to be distracted."


    Sierra felt relieved that Evanthe had stopped Seren but she didn''t know her daughter could be the synonym to the word ''stubbornness''.


    "It''s just a simple question. Am I not allowed to know the woman who had brought me to this world?" Seren insisted. Her tone alone, it didn''t look like she would back down.


    Sierra quietly answered, "Apologies, Queen Seren. There are things that we cannot say and questions we cannot answer. Our goal is to protect you and that is where our prioritiesy. Please understand our difficulties."


    Seren looked at that woman in disbelief. The grip of her hand tightened on the skirt of her dress. "You want to protect me but don''t wish to tell me a single thing."


    The anger inside her had started to affect the power inside her and the other three were rmed by that change.


    Drayce, in particr, felt the change the most. Seren ought to be the woman with the best temperament he had ever known. It was easy to frighten her, but not to anger her. That hellfire inside her must be somewhat affecting her emotions, causing her to lose her temper easily.


    Drayce wrapped his arm around her and caressed her arm to soothe her emotions."Seren, calm down. We will learn the truth in time, I promise. For now, just listen to them. We want to get over this day, right?"


    Seren red at her husband. The moment she looked into that pair of worried red eyes, the indignation inside her heart started to disappear.


    Before, it was her who would tame the beast inside him with just her gaze, but now, the situation had flipped-- it was him who would tame the raging beast threatening her rationality.


    Seren faced the two women once more. "I apologize for my behavior. I will do as you all say."


    She felt weird, as it was uncharacteristic of her to lose her temper over a disagreement. In fact, Evanthe and Sierra were not saying they could not give her the answers she wanted, just that the timing was not good.


    It was unpleasant to be kept ignorant, but she understood it was a sensitive time. Maybe once she learns the truth,plications would arise that was why these two women were pleading for her to be more patient.


    ''I have waited for seventeen--no, eighteen years. I can wait for a couple more days.''


    She closed her eyes briefly and opened them, only to see the blond young woman giving her a relieved smile.<novelnext></novelnext>


    "Thank you for your understanding, Queen Seren," Evanthe said. "Since it''s still early, you can step out from this ice cave. King Drayce, we will have Martha seek you out to teach you the spell for the ceremonyter. The two of you must return to this cave at least an hour before midnight. It is best for us to start monitoring your condition before your powers awaken."


    Seren nodded while Drayce stood up as he offered his hand to Seren. She epted his hand and stood up as well. The door emerged from the wall once more.


    Drayce gazed at the two women, but in the end, he said nothing and merely offered them a light nod before leaving.


    Once the couple left, Sierra felt her body go numb and weak. She copsed back on the ice chair as she let her body lose its tension.


    "That child, that child will never be able to forgive me, Evanthe," she whispered in a voice so soft, no one could tell what emotions were hidden in it. "I...I don''t think I will be able to acknowledge our rtionship. I don''t know what to do. I''m a coward."


    "I am no different from you," Evanthe chuckled, but when she raised her hands, one could see that there were deep fingernail marks on her palm.


    It was because despite her business-like demeanor earlier, she had been digging her nails into her skin in order to forcefully keep herposure through pain. She was not as strong as she seemed on the surface.


    "Did you see my Dray? I''m so proud of him. I''m so proud...My son...I thought he will..." Evanthe let out a bitterugh. "I forget he is no longer the innocent five-year-old kid who smiles so adorably, clinging onto me like I''m the best woman in the world...My son, he must already hate me."


    "He might understand your circumstances, but Seren, she...I don''t think she can. I have hurt her too much. Martha had told me how she treats Valen. Even if she learns of the situation, she will probably keep me at a distance as well."


    Evanthe put her hand on her shoulder to console Sierra. "This is not the time to break down like this. Get a hold of yourself. What have you been protecting for so long? Know that this is the price of protecting this world. You can''t just be careless and let your emotions take over to spoil our ns."


    Sierra could only nod. After some time, she let out a sigh and patted the hand Evanthe had put on her shoulder. "You are right. It''s fine even if she hates me. As long as I can protect her, I don''t mind being a bad mother to her."


    Evanthe sat down on the seat beside Sierra, thinking about something.


    Sierra raised a hand, and the ice chairs Drayce and Seren used dissolved back into nothingness. "What are you thinking about?"


    "I saw it again."


    Sierra understood without the other needing to exin. "Did you have another vision of death?"


    Evanthe stared at the empty space in front of her. "And I can''t help but be restless."


    "If you are truly worried, you should have gone to Agartha and checked the situation yourself."


    "Why would I? To waste my time? Even if I go there, there is nothing I can help with. It''s the destiny that is written to be fulfilled."


    Evanthe lifted her head and stared at the sun stones used to illuminate the ice cave. They were precious magical items crafted by the Sun Elves of Agartha, stones that emit light but not heat. Their golden color reminds her of the golden hair of one of her old friends. She idly wondered if those people in Agartha had been well.


    "If I visit there," she said with a nostalgic smile, "I am afraid something worse will happen here and we will be at the losing end. We cannot take a chance and risk Seren''s safety. Last time, they almost caught us and Celia ended up hurt. If we are not together then..."


    "But that vision is still troubling you, isn''t it?"


    "As it should. That kind of vision is the world letting me see a fragment of a destined future. An ominous situation will happen on the day of mourning in that kingdom."


    "It is bad timing that Seren''sing of age and that day happens to fall on the same day."


    "Do you truly think so?" Evanthe let out a bitterugh. "You know as much as I do, Sierra. Is there such a thing as coincidence in this world?"


    Sierra kept her mouth shut. After a while, she added, as if as an afterthought, "Draven Aramis is powerful, and he is not alone. Don''t you trust those you''ve left behind?"


    "I am afraid that this time it''s him who will be harmed." Evanthe stood up and raised her hand, proceeding to begin reinforcing the spell on the ice cave. "A turning point. Indeed, tomorrow is a turning point, not only for Seren but for the people of Agartha as well."


    "Don''t worry. We have been taking care of her for almost two decades. We have been doing our best and will continue to do so to protect Seren and that power inside her from falling into their hands."

 Chapter 651 She Is Your Mother As Well

    After Seren and Drayce stepped out of that ice cave, they found Martha waiting in the antechamber. Seren and Drayce removed the fur-lined coats and handed them back to the older woman.


    Martha no longer led them as Drayce told her he had already memorized the path. She merely bowed as they headed back to where the others were.


    With Drayce holding a torch to light the way, the pair of husband and wife walked the long dim passage, lost in their own thoughts.


    Seren spoke after some time.


    "It was strange but I felt like I knew both of them."


    "You must havee across them," Drayce replied calmly.


    "From what I know, I have always been inside the tower since when I was a newborn baby. I wonder if they ever came to the pce secretly, or if I saw them whenever I sneak out to the market with Martha."


    "As they have been protecting you, they must have been shadowing you, guarding you in secret for many years. Maybe you caught a glimpse of them by ident."


    "True."


    After that, silence enveloped the two once more. Only their steady footsteps echoed within the passage.


    Seren recalled her husband''s unusual behavior earlier, and even now, his quiet tension didn''t go unnoticed by Seren. As they walked, she reached out and squeezed his left hand, the hand not holding a torch.


    "What is bothering you, Dray?"


    Drayce heard it and looked at her with a tranquil face. "Do I look like I am bothered?"


    She shook her head. "But I can feel it."


    He offered her a light smile, not letting her see through him. "How can I not be bothered and worried when it is something rted to my wife?"


    "So you are worried about me?"


    "Isn''t that a given?"


    She nodded though she still had doubts. "If something else is there, you can trust your wife and tell her your worries. I may not be able to help, but I can at least listen."


    "I must say my wife is not only getting smarter at dealing with people but is also getting sharper in observing others," hemented with a light chuckle, squeezing her hand back.


    "Umm, it''s not that I''m smarter or sharper," she said, her purple eyes soft as she gazed at her husband. "It''s because of you, Dray. You are not others. And though my eyes and thoughts tell me otherwise, my heart says that you are not fine."


    As they reached outside after crossing that secret pathway, everyone was there- King Armen Yorian and the two knights. They looked like they were waiting for the two and only then Drayce realized they were gone for long.


    Drayce walked Seren towards the stone chamber, "You should rest."


    Seren nodded as she didn'' wish to be in same ce as her father and didn''t want to look into his eyes which showed worry for her. She simply was not ready to ept it yet and feared that she might get angry at something as she was being so sensitive to anything these days.


    She had started to feel some kind of change inside her and she knew it was not her but something strange was happening with her to make her lose her temper so soon. Initially she thought she was mistaken and it was the effect of getting abducted and she was being over sensitive but somewhere she knew, she was wrong. Today, the way she lost her temper in front of the two of her protectors, she was rmed about herself and needed to think over it.


    Leaving her to rest inside, Drayce came out. King Armen was waiting to talk with him.


    "How was it? What happened there?" King Armen asked as he wondered if Sierra revealed herself to their daughter though he doubted it already.


    Drayce exined to him the n of keeping Seren inside the ice cave which King Armen was already aware of.


    "Anything else other than this?" King Armen asked.


    Drayce gazed at the king for a moment before replying, "She didn''t get to see her mother."


    King Armen understood, "I see." As expected of Sierra who said that she didn''t wish to reveal herself to her daughter. She lost this chance and he didn''t know how she would make up for it.


    After King Armen and Drayce talked for a while. Yorian and Drayce walked away as they needed to talk about something important and their previous talk was left unfinished as well.


    "Who did you meet inside?" Yorian asked, it was normal question but his curious gaze showed he was waiting to know something interesting.


    "What do you think?" Drayce countered.


    "Someone was there, who, I am somewhat sure of. A person whose familiar energy I sensed thought she tried to hide it," Yorian answered and observed Drayce who was trying his best to be calm andposed.


    "Queen of Witches," Drayce answered to satisfy the curiosity of this elf who he was sure that aware of the things already, "the one you said before, someone named Evanthe."


    "Someone who is your mother as well," Yorian said, only to make Drayce look at him.


    Yorain chuckled, "You should not be surprised to think I know it. If you connect the things which we have talked about till now, there are so many things which point towards that conclusion."


    Drayce simply nodded, "Yes she is there. She is one of Seren''s protector."


    Lorain looked at the secret ways carved in the wall of cave, "She seems to know I am here as well. Now I wonder when she would let me meet her."


    "Maybe soon. We will need your help as well."


    Yorian nodded, "That is why I am here," and then looked back at Drayce, "Doesn''t seem like you two had mother son talk."


    It didn''t affect Dryace, "We don''t have time for that now. Seren is the priority."


    "True. But I wish everything between you two goes well," Yorian said with genuine concern, "just know that Evanthe''s life was not so easy and she had to carry the burden and pain of so many things," he sighed, maybe it''s the price to pay for being one powerful being."


    Drayce didn''t say anything on it as he simply stared towards the water around the rocky surface. He didn''t know what exactly he would talk about when it was time for him and his mother to talk about the things between them.

 Chapter 652 She Is Your Mother?

    It waste noon and still there was a time before Seren to be sent to that icy cave. The time was passing by in silence as everyone was just quiet and was immersed in their own thoughts for the night toe.


    Seren, who was sitting on one of the rocks surrounded by the water, was looking at her reflection in it. Her veil covered face, her purple eyes and those scales. Though those scales were not real and it was her one choice to keep them, she could not help but rte them with the scales that other women had on her hands or maybe on her entire body.


    Not just those scales but there was something else that was making her feel something about that woman, there was a certain pull she felt towards her- uncanny resemnce she felt but what exactly she could not figure it out.


    ''Those scales on her hands, is she the said witch who brought me to the pce? That must be her as there is no one with the scales and she is the one protecting me. She is a witch but the energying from her was pure and divine as if she was much more than I could see her, though it energy core broken or something hindering it. Did something happen to her to turn her and her energy distorted like this?''


    "What are you thinking so deep, My Queen?"


    She looked at the man who was standing behind her. He walked towards her and sat next to her on that big size rock.


    Seren looked at him with calm gaze as she asked, "Dray, do you think that woman who didn''t show us her face to us is my mother?"


    "I am not sure." Drayce didn''t know what more to say though he had the same doubt. But if that woman was not ready to reveal her identity then he should not confirm anything.


    "I...I have this certain feeling which is making me think about her all the time. I feel like I have some connection with her."


    "If you are feeling it, then there must be something."


    "But that woman won''t tell me, right?"


    "Maybe we should wait till this night passes by."


    Seren agreed, "I have no other option but to wait." She looked around, "I don''t see the Elf, Mister Yorian."


    "He must have gone to meet them."


    "Them? Those two women?"


    "Yes."


    "They know him?" Seren asked.


    "I am sure one of them knows him at least."


    "Who?"


    "The woman named Evanthe."


    "Is she from Agartha as well, just like Mister Yorian?"


    Drayce nodded only to hear his wife, "No wonder she seems to be so powerful. If I am not wrong, she is a witch, right?"


    "Hmm, a White witch, the strongest of all," Drayce replied.


    "Strongest of all? That means she is a Queen of witches?" Seren asked as she looked at Drayce who looked unusually calm, answering her whatever she said. "Yes."


    "Queen of Witches?" Seren mumbled as she thought about something, "You say there is only one Queen of witches. Your��mother was a Queen�� as well��" Seren''sst words came out as a whisper to herself. She could not believe what she had just concluded and only looked at Drayce who was calmly looking ahead towards the narrow water passage of that cave from where they entered this ce.


    Seren didn''t say a word and sat quietly. She herself could not digest this sudden fact so she could not imagine what must have been going in Drayce''s mind. There must be so much he wanted to talk to his mother but he was calm��calm for her sake as the important night was about to be there.


    "You are right. She is my mother," she heard Drayce say, but didn''t know how to respond to it.


    She recalled their time with the White Witch Evanthe and realised how these two- a mother and a son kept their own emotions aside and simply talked about her safety and protecting her. Moreover, that woman was her mother-inw who gave birth to her husband.


    Unbelievable!


    She finally held his hand in hers gently and looked at him, "Are you alright?"


    He looked back at her and nodded, "I am. Don''t worry."


    "Because of me, you didn''t get to talk to her."


    He shook his head, "In fact because of you, I could see her. Maybe you were the reason that she was not in that river and was protecting you all along."


    "Though I am happy you could see her but not sure I should be happy that she had to spend these years protecting me instead ofing to see her son."


    "Don''t me yourself for it. Not like she was busy protecting you but she could note to me because of her own reasons," he assured, caressing her hands with his, "But soon we will talk."


    "I hope shees back to Megaris with you."


    "With us," Drayce corrected her, "but I don''t expect this much from her. As long as we can stay in touch, I am fine."


    Seren nodded and then thought about King Theron. She wondered what would happen if these two came across. She knew Drayce wouldn''t be happy with it as he was not aware of the entire truth of what exactly happened back then and it was not King Theorn who sacrificed his wife. She could only pray that one day Drayce would know the truth and everything between him and King Theron would be fine.


    "Can I tell you something," Seren spoke.


    "Yes?"


    "When I came across your mother and the other woman, I could feel the strong pure white energy around them. I know they are also supernatural beings but that was something different about it which I can''t exin exactly as I have note across many strong supernatural beings. You and Yorian are the strongest of all I came across but those two had something more to them. And that ck Witch, who abducted me she was also strong but I don''t wish to talk about her all felt was the evil aura around her. And it''s not about just sensing their powers but I can sense their intentions as if I can see through their hearts."


    "Is it?"


    She nodded, "Like I can see you have a strong dark power energy aura around you but I know you have a good heart but I could sense the opposite about that ck Witch who abducted me. About that mysterious woman you came across on that ind, you said she was a young ck Witch but I didn''t sense any evil in her. She seems to be someone with a good heart. And I can feel this only towards those who have powers. I can''t sense this towards ordinary humans. Also, Mr Yorian, I didn''t feel any evil intentions from him, that was why I let him scry into my powers."


    He looked at his wife for a moment, "Though you can not use your powers, there are things you can still do and nothing can stop you from connecting to it."


    "Such as?"


    The first thing that came to Drayce''s mind was Seren''s tears but he didn''t wish to tell her and, "Such as you can see the kind of energy someone possesses whether it''s good or evil or how strong their powers are."


    "Is it good?"


    "It is. This way you can identify good and evil people around you. The aura of energy also shows the intentions of that person or you can say you can see through their hearts."


    "This seems to be a good thing," she agreed.


    ===


    A/N- Only two days left till the Privileged subscription is 100 coins. From 1st April, it will go back to previous value of higher coins.

 Chapter 653 Evanthe And Yorian

    Just as Drayce guessed, Yorian went to meet Evanthe.


    Martha led the High Elf to a chamber where the Queen of Witches was waiting for him.


    When Yorian entered that stone chamber, his gaze was weed by the familiar back view of a woman with long honey blond hair. Though they had note across each other for more than a century, it was impossible for him to not recognize the most powerful witch to walk thends.


    In fact, the moment their group had entered the underground river behind the waterfall, he had sensed the aura of her power on some of the spells casted along the way.


    Since then, he had decided to be patient and not seek her out, knowing the White Witch would call for him when the time was right.


    Caramel eyes met his blue ones, holding nostalgia in them. It had been a long time since Evanthe had met an old friend.


    Yorian courteously bowed like a gentleman.


    "I find it unfair that every time I see you, I still cannot see through how strong your powers are. It''s a little upsetting, as if the growth of my powers was nothing but a lie in front of you."


    Evantheughed as she gestured for him to sit down on one of the chairs. "Still aspetitive as ever."


    The elf straightened himself, his smile easygoing. "My long life will be boring without spicing it up with a littlepetition."


    "I see you still follow your mother''s philosophy."


    "How have you been, Evanthe?" Yorian asked as he sat down.


    "Just as you can see," she replied calmly. "Good to see you after so long."


    "I shall say the same," he said. "I can see once again you are here to protect a person. You take your responsibilities a little too seriously."


    "Such is the life of a supernatural," She walked towards the chair opposite his and sat down. "It was a pleasant surprise to meet you like this. I see once again you have found something to interest your curious mind."


    He waved a hand andmented, "Habit of a bored supernatural like me."


    Evanthe understood. Her elf friend truly had nothing to do with his life but explore the vast world. Most times, he himself would seek trouble just to entertain himself, forging connections with individuals destined to carry heavy burdens out of a whim.


    "How did you be acquaintances with the King of Megaris?" she asked.


    He didn''t reply immediately as he stared at her, those blue eyes of his trying to see through her thoughts. "Do you want me to pretend that I don''t know about your rtionship with King Drayce?"


    "I will prefer it that way."


    "As you wish." He shrugged. "To be honest, we became acquainted because of his wife. That little girl is way too special for me to ignore."


    Evanthe smiled. "I guess this too is destiny. I am d that you joined their group. Having you with us will ensure less unexpected trouble will disrupt us. We will need your help tonight. I am willing topensate you with a treasure of equal value."


    "I cannot say no to my old friend," he agreed. He then briefly told her his experiences from roaming the continent.


    "Have you returned to Agartha after that war?" she asked after a while.


    "I haven''t," he replied, "but I didn''t know you had left as well."


    "Things turned out like that."


    Yorian sighed. "Because you had to protect others."


    "A sin is a sin as long as you break the rules. Doesn''t matter the intentions."


    "I can''t deny this, as this is how things work for us," he said with a wry smile. "I don''t think you merely called me to reminisce about the old days. Are you worried about something else?"


    "I have been having a vision for a while now and it''s rted to Agartha."


    Yorian was aware high-ranking witches could get a glimpse of the future, and chances were high that those visions were omens of death or disasters.


    "Don''t tell me another war is about to erupt?"


    Evanthe shook her head. "In this situation, war would have been a lesser evil. A cmity will befall Agartha on the day of mourning."


    Yorian was surprised. He then calcted the days. "That''s tomorrow?"


    "Yes, Seren''sing of age and the day of mourning falls on the same day, and I cannot leave things here to go to Agartha to oversee the situation."


    "What did you see exactly? How can a cmity fall on Agartha?"


    "The death of a being carrying divinity in his blood. That person is a spiritual pir sustaining the kingdom, and his death will bring massive harm not only to his loved ones, but to the kingdom as a whole."


    "For that person''s death to affect Agartha that much, don''t tell me it''s about Draven Aramis."


    "I cannot deny it."


    The two remained silent for a while, and Evanthe smiled bitterly. "As always, we cannot do anything to stop it."


    Yorain sighed. "One''s destiny cannot be changed."


    "If it was possible, I would have stopped so many of my visions froming true."


    "How can I help you? We cannot prevent his death even if we go."


    "Once we take care of things here in Abetha and make sure Seren is safe, either you or I should head back to Agartha to stabilize the situation."


    "Let''s do that," he agreed. Seeing the worry on her face, Yorian asked, "You can''t even leave despite knowing the danger Agartha will face. Are the enemies targeting Queen Seren truly dangerous? Can I ask who exactly we are going to face?"


    "I suppose, you must have scried about that child''s identity."


    "I did, and I only found the existence of hellfire inside her, nothing about the people who sealed that inside her or the enemies hunting her. The one who has twisted her destiny to that extent is truly a cruel person. I cannot help but pity that young girl."

 Chapter 654 She Is A Daughter Of Deity

    Evanthe closed her eyes, her heavy sigh resounding within the chamber.


    "There are things I cannot say, but know things ended up this way in order to both protect her as well as that power inside her," Evanthe exined. "Given the sealed hellfire inside her, you must have long guessed our fight is not against the supernatural beings of this world, but against the divine beings of the heavenly realm."


    Yorian grimaced. "I am not sure what happened and how the matters of deities reached the mortal world, but I will help you with everything I can."


    "Thank you, Yorian," Evanthe said with sincerity. "Fortunately, in the mortal world, the powers of divine beings are restricted, otherwise, there is no way we can fight them. Despite that, this is still going to be an extremely dangerous mission. All we can do is to hide Seren until we find a solution."


    "The true solution is only one."


    "I know."


    "Then we have to find it before that power starts hurting her and we won''t be able to protect her anymore."


    "We are running out of time, but despite our efforts, we could not find a vessel we can transfer that power to. Even if we did find one, we also do not know the proper way to do it."


    "The one who ced that power inside her, that being must know how to transfer it."


    Evanthe helplessly shook her head. "We fear it might harm her instead. That power has adapted to her body and forcefully taking it out is like putting paper over a fire and praying it won''t burn. What we need is to seek help from the master of that fire, the true master of all mes in existence."


    Yorian was dumbfounded. "You mean, the Deity of Fire from the legends? Your enemies are also from the heavenly realm. Why would a divine being like her help you out?"


    Evanthe let out a vague smile. "It is quiteplicated to exin. For now, we need to find her."


    "Are you implying she descended on the mortal world?"


    "ording to an acquaintance, that deity suffered a tribtion and was reborn as a human. However, we don''t know where she is."


    "If she has truly been reborn, then she is destined to find her way back to regaining her powers. One''s power is linked to their soul after all."


    "My only concern is whether that deity reincarnated with her memories. If she is an ordinary human in this life, living ignorantly among the countless humans spread across the continent, it is like looking for a needle in a haystack. We are at our wits'' end. I hope we can find her reincarnation before that power harms Seren."


    Yorian stayed silent for a while before he asked, "When I scried into Queen Seren''s past, I found out that she is not just an ordinary supernatural being. She has no beast bloodline in her body, but she has divine power. For her to have divine power as well, could she be a descendant of someone from the heavenly realm?"


    "You are right," Evanthe admitted. "She is a daughter of a deity."


    "No wonder I could not determine her race��" Yorian could not help but ask, "That human, Armen Ilven, is her birth father. I felt the resonance in their blood. Doesn''t that make Queen Seren a half-human, half-god��a demigod?"


    Evanthe helplessly sighed. "With her own power sealed along with the Deity of Fire''s power, you could think of her as a mere human being. Even after we find a vessel to transfer that hellfire, she will remain mortal until she awakens her divinity and ascends."<novelsnext>please visit </novelsnext>


    Yorian wanted to ask more, about demigods and awakening divinity, but his intuition warned him that prying into heavenly secrets might bring harm to him. He changed the subject. "How can I be of help tonight? Do you have a specific role for me to y?"


    "I am not sure how exactly the situation will turn out. Though we castedyers of istion spells around the vicinity of the cave, we do not know the extent of the abilities of those from the heavenly realm. You are both a warrior and a priest; you could both attack and defend. Just standby and respond to unexpected incidents during hering of age."


    "I will."


    ��---


    Time passed by in a sh.


    Since they were underground, they could not tell the time but when dinner had been served, those inside the cave realized that night had fallen.


    After their meal, Martha informed Drayce and Seren. "It''s time for us to leave, Your Majesties."


    Hearing that, King Armen had aplicated expression on his face. He had been told earlier he was not allowed to apany his daughter. After all, he was but a powerless human and couldn''t do anything to help.


    Martha saw his reluctance. "Your Majesty, do not worry. Trust that we have done the best we can."


    King Armen nodded, his gaze not leaving his daughter who didn''t spare him a nce even once. He lowered his head before Martha.


    "Your Majesty��"


    "Please." At this moment, the man bowing was not the dignified King of Abetha, but the worried father of Seren. "Take care of her."


    "We will, Your Majesty."


    Drayce talked to yer before leaving. "We might be gone for an entire night or more. Don''t worry about it and wait for our return."


    "As per your order, Your Majesty."


    yer bowed to his King. Though he wished he could go with him, to be of some help, he knew the things his liege would face were matters beyond what human beings could handle. Rather than help, he might even be a burden.


    Seren and Drayce were led to the ice cave once more where Sierra and Evanthe were waiting for them. Martha stayed outside just like before, and only the young couple entered that ice cave.


    Seren held onto Drayce''s hand before entering the cave as she could not help but be nervous, though she didn''t know how exactly all this was going to affect her quiet life.

 Chapter 655 The Goddess Of Water Married A Human

    Beyond the world of mortals was the realm inhabited by divine beings.


    Some call it the abode of the gods, others the holy kingdom, but regardless of what the heavens was called, the heavenly realm was depicted as the most beautiful paradise in existence.


    In the heavenly realm, there was no concept of night and day. Surrounded by a sea of white clouds, the hundreds of immortal pces and holy temples in the clear blue sky experienced the eternal grace of the sun.


    In one of the pces, a goddess with a peerless appearance was strolling around a garden filled with sacred trees and immortal herbs, flowers blooming everywhere, each emitting divine light and fragrance that could increase a mortal''s fortune and virtue. Even a single de of the mostmon grass in this garden was not ordinary and had been cultivated for at least a thousand years, nourished by divine energy of the heavens.


    This garden belonged to Goddess Isis.


    At this moment, the beautiful goddess was standing in front of a rose bush, but one could see the flowers were not simple. Each rose petal emitted a different color of light, making it look like a flower made of crystals.


    Her delicate hand was mindlessly caressing the roses.


    Around her, colorful birds were flying, singing happy melodious songs as if to praise the beauty of the world. The sweet sound of water could be heard flowing from the small fountain at a distance.


    It was a peaceful scene.


    Soon after, an angel arrived in the garden, and she bowed to the goddess after folding her wings behind her.


    "This humble servant pays her respect to the Sovereign."


    A gentle voice reached the bowing angel''s ears.


    "Have you prepared everything, Petra?"


    Isis''s voice was calm as she continued to y with those crystal roses. From her expression alone, no one could tell the deity was getting restless.


    An important day had arrived--the day the seal on Sierra''s daughter would begin to unravel.


    "Everything is in order, my Sovereign. I came to inform you that my brethren had assembled and we will be departing in an hour," Petra replied with her head still lowered.


    "Make sure to not harm any human. Do not disturb the orders of the mortal world. Thest time, that human turned out to be a White Witch so I was able to make you escape punishment."


    "Thank you for your generosity, my Sovereign." Petra felt guilty about her mistake. "This servant will make sure I will not cause trouble this time."


    "If youmit an act that will disturb the order of the mortal world, the pantheon will not spare you. Each time you negatively affect a mortal, your divinity will decrease. Divine beings can only touch divine beings--be they human beings or supernatural beings, do not harm the children birthed by that world. You can only touch Sierra and her daughter."


    "I will keep your instructions in mind, my Sovereign. I..." Petra had something in her mind, but she hesitated to say it.


    Isis sensed her mood and asked, "What is it, Petra?"


    "The reason we mistook that lowly White Witch as a human is because her identity was hidden from us by a spell. If that spell could fool our angels then the one who casted it must not be a mere supernatural being of that world. I have reason to believe that that spell was not casted by Sierra."


    "You mean another divine being is by her side?" Goddess Isis asked.


    "Indeed, my Sovereign and..." She stopped her words, not sure whether to say her guess or not.


    "Hiding anything from me won''t do any good to you, Petra." Isis'' voice remained calm, but there was a warning in it which was enough to scare Petra.


    "My Sovereign, I personally descended to the mortal realm before, and I felt traces of a vaguely familiar divine power after they sessfully escaped. I am your strongest servant but even I feel palpitations from those traces, meaning the divine being protecting them in the shadow has superior strength and status than me. The one helping Sierra is someone using the divine power of the water attribute."


    At that, Petra sealed her mouth shut, further lowering her bow. She was a mere angel. Though she was of the highest rank, the gods and goddesses of the pantheon were the true masters of the heavens; she dared not speak nder of a divine being higher than her.


    The divine being she was suspicious of was the one Goddess Isis hated the most.


    Goddess Isis'' hand froze.


    Divine power of water?


    Someone more superior than a highest-ranked angel?


    The Deity of Water!


    The divine power surrounding Isis fluctuated, and a breathter, the lovely rose under her delicate hand disappeared into nothingness.


    "Evanthe is interfering?" Isis mumbled, her eyes glowing dangerously golden.


    Petra was aware of her master''s anger and spoke nervously, "I believe so, my Sovereign."


    "She will not stop crossing my path, will she?" Goddess Isis let out a devastatingly beautiful smile, but rather than awe and reverence, one could feel bone-chilling coldness at the sight of her beautiful face. "Seems like what I did to her previously was not enough for her?"


    "What shall we do if wee across the Sovereign of Water?" Petra asked.


    "She is not a supernatural being of the mortal realm as well. You are free to harm her."


    Petra felt her palm turning sweaty as she could not imagine being able to harm someone like Evanthe. "B-But she..."


    "She had lost her status as the daughter of the Heavenly Emperor long back. She was exiled and even though she still counts as a divine being, the pantheon rejects her existence. She is no longer part of the Primordials now. In the mortal realm, her real strength should be just that of an angel," Isis said.


    The goddess finally turned to look at Petra, as if something had picked up her interest.<novelsnext>please visit </novelsnext>


    "His Majesty the King of Heaven made a decree back then. Though we are not allowed to deduce her life in the mortal world after she left the heavenly realm, I have reasons to believe that you know what she has been up to so far."


    Petra shivered in fear at being caught red-handed. "A-Apologies, my Sovereign. When I found traces of her powers while following Sierra, I became curious to know if that was really her."


    "So, you only followed her after that and not before that?"


    Petra understood she could not hide anything from her master. "Forgive me! I was just curious to know what she was doing after she was exiled. But...I didn''t look into her life often. Only twice did I break the rule."


    She fell on her knees in front of Goddess Isis.


    "I have sinned! Punish me, my Sovereign!"


    Goddess Isis had a gentle, even doting, expression as she looked at the trembling angel.


    "My little Petra, you have been loyal to me for so long. Do you think I will punish you for a small mistake of satisfying your curiosity? Immortality is dull and monotonous, and I will not find fault for you having a harmless hobby."


    Petra''s trembling stopped as gratitude filled her heart.


    "Thank you for your generosity, my Sovereign!"


    "Hmm, thousands of years should have passed in the mortal realm since she was exiled. Why don''t you entertain me, my servant? I am curious to know what kind of pitiful existence that arrogant Goddess had been reduced to."


    Petra felt relieved to hear Isis'' amusement and spoke humbly, her head still lowered while kneeling.


    "After the Sovereign of Water was exiled to the mortal realm and her divinity was stripped off her, she roamed thends as a witch...


    "The second time I deduced her situation, I found that she empathized with the supernatural beings and created a kingdom with them."


    Goddess Isis lifted a hand to cover up her smile.


    Pitiful, so pitiful! Ah, Evanthe. Your life had been so amusingly pathetic!


    In the eyes of the deities, the supernatural beings were inferior beings akin to savage beasts, only slightly more preferable than the ant-like humans.


    Petra continued, "When I next checked, she left that kingdom and mingled among the humans."


    "Humans?" Goddess Isisughed. "How befitting. She is indeed worthy of living with those humans. Such a disgrace to the heavenly realm! Such a disgrace to the Heavenly Emperor!"


    Seeing that she made her master happy, Petra could not help but say more, "And she married a human, some young king of a human kingdom."


    This shocked the goddess.


    "She married a human!"


    "Indeed, my Sovereign," Petra replied, "and the human she married is the reincarnation of that human boy who caused her to get punished by the heavens."


    It was an even bigger surprise for Isis. "Fate truly loves to y tricks."


    "Yes, my Sovereign. But the Sovereign of Water no longer has memories of her life in the heavenly realm."


    The musicalughter of the goddess filled the garden, causing the birds around her to merrily chirp in harmony. It was as if the sunlight became more dazzling, and the mood more delightful..


    "The most cherished daughter of the Heavenly Emperor, the loveliest flower of the pantheon, the one who was meant to be worshiped as the Mother of All Creation until the end of time seems to be living a blissfully satisfied life as a lowly witch and humble wife to a human!


    "s, if she is happy with her current life, then we should bless her wishes." Isis shook her head, but amusement danced within her eyes. "I wonder how disappointed the Absolute must be with his daughter."


    Petra slowly lifted her head, d and relieved that she could finally make her master happy. She heard her master continue speaking.


    "How I wish that woman will regain her memories and see how she has turned into a lowly creature, bringing shame to the heavenly realm. She could only have an illusion of happiness because of her ignorance. What a disgrace."


    The goddess smiled at Petra.


    "If youe across her, don''t hesitate to harm her. Though she is punished by losing her divinity, she is still a threat."


    "Yes, my Sovereign."


    Bowing her master, Petra left while Isis had that evil smirk on her face.


    ''After I let that Evanthe leave so easily, I never thought I will get another opportunity to get back at her. Evanthe, you arrogant Goddess, you should have stayed away from the matters of heavens but seems like you have not learned enough from yourst mistakes. I wish I could return you your memories if not for the rules of heavens which stops me from doing so. But I wish you to regain them and realise how you have shamed your father, the heavenly Emperor. After this, there is no way back for you here. Not your father nor the King can help you now."


    ===


    A/N- A novel In An and his runaway betrothed has been released on webnovel app. The third book of "Devil and Witch" series. Once again and Dragon and Witch- a young ck witch, who I have mentioned before in this novel.


    Title- The Devil''s Betrothed.


    It is the entry for WSA 2023 contest. I wish all of your support once again as this can be thest WSA I am participating in. Let''s get a Gold this time, I believe we can. <3<3


    You can find the novel in my webnovel author profile or you can simply search the title in webnovel app.

 Chapter 656 He Looks Like His Father!?

    When Drayce and Seren entered the ice cave, only Evanthe was present inside, waiting for them. She weed the two with a light smile and Seren could not help but observe her with a keen gaze.


    This woman in front of her who introduced herself as her protector was the mother of her husband, her mother-inw, Esther Ivanov. The woman greatly cherished by Great Lady Theodora and the disreputed queen who had sacrificed herself in the dark for Megaris.


    Aside from admiration, Seren suddenly found herself growing cautious like any young wife would when facing her inws. She recalled their first meeting, how bold and careless she acted earlier, even raising her voice and questioning her mother-inw tantly.


    ''Did I make her unhappy? I did sound rude...''


    "Please have a seat," Evanthe gestured to the two.


    Seren sat on one of the ice chairs, but Drayce remained standing while looking around the ce. He could feel that the temperature had dropped by several levels from earlier. Every breath he took would emit fog in front of him.


    Evanthe looked at him and answered his doubts. "We did some calctions after seeing Seren earlier and adjusted the strength of the spells. Everything is in order and there won''t be any leak of her powers with the current state of the barrier."


    Drayce nodded and simply made sure that the thick coat Seren was wearing was fastened properly. Even with his sturdy body, he was somewhat ufortable with the bone-chilling coldness inside the cave, what more his fragile wife.


    Evanthe went to him. "Martha found you earlier, didn''t she? As she must have exined to you, you will have to rely on Erebus when the timees."


    Drayce agreed. "I know."


    "Darkness is the strongest attribute when ites to stealth. It can hide the presence of other elemental attributes. This is what kept Seren safe so far, because your magic has been inevitably shielding her till date.


    "Tonight, the two powers inside her will produce a phenomena ordinary darkness could not cover up so your power has to be at its peak to avoid idents."


    "I understand...Lady Evanthe."


    Though he replied in a calm manner, their strained interaction made his mood low. He had almost instinctively called her mother, just like the obedient little Dray would in the past.


    Evanthe could see that little conflict on his face but she pretended otherwise.


    As the mother and son were conversing, Seren could not help butpare their looks.


    ''He doesn''t look like his mother. His eye color, the shape of his eyes, even his hair--his features are nothing like her...um,? His nose maybe? It''s a little sharper than hers but kind of simr.


    ''Oh, I see... his worried expression resembles hers. They both like to pretend that nothing is wrong, that everything is fine, but their fake calmness looks so unnatural, people simply agree even though they are not convinced.''


    Then she realized something.


    ''If Dray doesn''t look like his mother then...his father? Does the Devil look like this?''


    Her eyes widened a little as she entertained herself, imagining meeting her father-inw who no one dares talk about. She wondered if he looked like her husband.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    The Devil ought to be immortal and never aging like Evanthe. Would he look like a young man too?


    ''Father and son must look alike then, maybe like twin brothers if ced side by side?''


    "Seren, what are you thinking about? Are you ufortable? Are you feeling cold?" Evanthe asked, her voice gentle and caring which reminded Seren of the way Drayce always spoke to her.


    "No, no, I am fine," Seren replied, startled to be suddenly spoken to. She then looked around and wondered where the other white-robed woman was.


    "Are you looking for Sierra? She has other things to do, so she won''t be with us tonight," Evanthe answered Seren''s unspoken question.


    Seren stopped looking around and nodded. For some unknown reason, she felt disappointed. Wasn''t Sierra her protector too? Why would she leave on the night they said she would be in great danger?


    "Lady Evanthe?" Seren asked, her tone polite. "Can I ask what I am going to do? You have been arranging things with Dray, but never mentioned what I need to do. I mean, do I just wait here the entire night?"


    "Indeed," the woman replied. "Your body is a vessel, and we have made ample arrangements to make sure nothing will go wrong tonight. All we need to do is wait.


    "The moment your mortal body turns eighteen years of age, the seal on your innate power will temporarily unravel. Think of it as a sign of your magic maturing along with you bing an adult.


    "However, since your attribute is earth, then it will also strengthen the fire inside you. After suppressing them for long, their eruption will be strong. The problem is that you cannot control it, and chances are high they will collide with each other. The King of Megaris and I are here to control them in your stead."


    Seren stayed quiet. After a while, she asked, "Umm, when exactly was I born? At the strike of midnight?"


    "An hour after midnight to be precise," Evanthe replied. "It is just that we n to begin casting spells on you starting from midnight as an act of caution. Better to be overly careful than regret itter."


    Seren nodded, thinking these protectors of hers had been truly working hard for her sake. She wanted to ask more, but she pressed her lips into a thin line.


    Would it be fine for her to keep asking questions?


    Though Seren''s expression was hidden under the veil, Evanthe could guess her thoughts from those beautiful eyes of hers.


    Evanthe sat in the chair opposite to her. "If you have anything else to ask, I will do my best to answer them. We have time to spare until we begin anyway."


    It was Evanthe''s effort to make Seren feel at ease. If they were to stay inside the cave without doing anything, she might end up more and more anxious, which would be detrimental to their mission of protecting her.


    Seren looked at Evanthe with a hesitant gaze. "Can I? Earlier..."


    "As long as it''s something I can answer," Evanthe continued with a light smile.

 Chapter 657 Need To Keep Her Emotionally Stable

    Drayce, who had been walking around the icy cave to check the runes on the walls, nced at his wife and his mother. His mother was taking care of his wife so he didn''t have to worry and focused on determining whether there could be some runes he could help strengthen.


    He also extended his powers outside, checking on the situation within a mile from the underground cave. This time, his mother had not restricted his senses from reaching out, and he found that aside from Yorian and Martha, there were no supernatural beings nearby.


    "Where was I born?"


    It was the normal question to ask, right? Seren had heard she was brought to the royal pce by a witch.


    "In one of the forests outside of the capital of Abetha," Evanthe replied.


    "Were you there when I was born?" Seren asked again, and this time, Drayce grew more interested in their conversation. His wife was being smart with her questions; she was asking something which he wanted to hear.


    "Yes, I was there," Evanthe answered.


    Drayce started to calcte things in his head.


    ''Seren is eighteen, but Mother left the pce more than twenty years ago. That means for two years, she must have been elsewhere. Does that mean she had never been sealed, submerged in that river? An attempt to make me think she''s dead? Was that a lie to console a child to make him think his mother was staying close to him?''


    Seren continued to ask questions.


    "Was my mother...was she happy when I was born?"


    This question actually made the young queen nervous. There was both fear and anticipation in her eyes. She wanted to believe there was a difficult reason she had been abandoned so... so at the very least, she wondered how her mother felt.


    "Yes, she was happy," Evanthe replied. "She was happy to see her child born healthy and beautiful."


    Seren felt like Evanthe was not being honest. "If I was beautiful to her, why did she instruct my nanny to never allow anyone to see my appearance? Why did I have to have scales on my skin? Why was I not allowed to remove this veil on my face?"


    "You were so beautiful that you needed to be hidden from the world," Evanthe answered, but of course, Seren would not buy it.


    "So beautiful that even my own family can''t see my face? Not just them, but even my husband cannot? Aren''t you powerful? Is there no spell for you powerful people to mask my appearance? I don''t care if you make me ordinary or ugly--either way, I know people who care for me will continue to care for me no matter my appearance."


    Evanthe could understand her anger, but there were a few things this young woman might not like to hear about herself, especially in rtion to how she was cursed. She might grow scared about herself and the people around her.


    This was a question Evanthe could answer, but the timing was off. Not tonight, when her mind needed to stay tranquil. Hearing the truth would only disturb her state of mind and make her feel even worse about herself.


    "This question, I will answer in another time," Evanthe said.


    Seren no longer insisted as Evanthe did forewarn that she would answer only if she could. However, though Seren understood, she could feel once again frustration and anger brewing inside her.


    She took a deep breath to calm herself, even closing her eyes in order to make sure she had a good grip on her emotions. She then looked at Evanthe once again and asked, "This mark on my forehead, what about this?"


    Seren knew the truth behind it from Great Lady Theodora but wanted to know more from Evanthe.


    "I gave you that flower mark," Evanthe answered. "To be more precise, I passed it down to you."


    "Why?" Seren asked.


    "This mark is meant to aid you in finding your soulmate."


    This was the same as what she had been told before.


    "Why? I mean, why do you feel like I needed this flower mark?"


    "Given your circumstances, to help you find your soulmate, the one who would protect you..." Evanthe replied, keeping the rest of the part only to herself, ''...and to help you find the destined one who would break your curse.''


    "So I found Drayce," Seren concluded, to which Evanthe nodded.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    "Indeed, and he is the one who has been protecting you ever since you two met."


    "All these..." Seren felt lost for words, "...only to protect me? You don''t even want to tell me who I am being protected from."


    Evanthe nced at Drayce. Though he was not well-informed about who she was being protected from, he had an idea about the enemies they would be facing. Only, he chose to keep his wife ignorant as well.


    Seeing her growing restless, Drayce went to her side and sat next to Seren, sping a hand around hers.


    For a moment, Drayce wondered whether he should tell Seren. Beings from beyond this world were the ones plotting to harm her. The most powerful beings no one from the mortal realm could face head on.


    However, Drayce knew his wife would grow scared once she heard the truth. It would affect her state of mind, which might causeplications once the powers inside her erupt.


    Seren leaned close to Drayce, allowing herself to calm down. She didn''t like how she was getting emotionaltely-- her temper would re out of her control from the smallest triggers.


    "Is it wrong for me to know why I have to experience the things I went through? Simply knowing is bad? They won''t even tell me who my mother is and what happened to her? Is she even really alive?"


    Tears rolled down from her eyes as she rested her face against his chest. Drayce rubbed her back gently and spoke. "It''s not wrong, but tonight is not the right time when you are not emotionally stable. Haven''t you been feeling easily irritabletely?"


    "I do and I hate it."


    "It is rted to that foreign power inside you. That is why, once this night passes safely and your emotions be more stable, they will answer your questions."


    "I know, I know but--"


    "Thoseing after you are not ordinary supernatural beings. They are more powerful than us, that is why we need to make sure you remain in a stable state to increase our chances of sessfully getting through tonight by even a sliver."


    "So powerful? More powerful than you?" she asked in disbelief.


    "You might think I''m the most powerful, but that''s only because you have not known many ancient beings yet. My potential is good in the mortal world, but in the end, I''m also still young and yet to reach the peak of my strength. There are many powerful existences we might not even know yet, and unfortunately, the ones who are after you are part of them.


    "That is why we are being careful. Sometimes, not knowing is better depending on the circumstances. All we need you to do at this moment is to remain calm. If you give into your unstable emotions, it will only make it more difficult to control your powers.


    "Your power is connected to your emotions. You should know this better than anyone."


    She slowly nodded. Wasn''t the reason the people of Abetha despised her because she had harmed others everytime she lost control of her anger?


    "But... you will tell me after this, will you?"


    "I give you my words. How much I know, I will tell you everything."


    Evanthe observed the young couple.


    ''Their rtionship seems better than expected, and I can see Drayce sincerely loves her but...Seren, this child, her feelings for him are only...''


    Evanthe let out a silent sigh as she nced at the ice cave, calcting the flow of time. She was indeed with Sierra when she gave birth to Seren, that was why there were many secrets she was burdened to keep.


    ''Sierra, will it be fine to tell your daughter that one of the curses she has is that she is bound to never fall in love?


    ''Once she gets to know her own mother had personally cast this curse on her, will she even want to understand your reason?


    ''Though Seren looks like she is in love with Dray, there has been no signs of your curse being broken, that should mean this child does not feel the same way Dray feels for her.


    ''Who shall I pity more--your daughter whose heart will never beplete, or my son who does not know that what his wife feels for him is merely reliance and gratitude?''

 Chapter 658 Magic Circle

    Inside the silent ice cave, time seemed to crawl slowly.


    Drayce told Seren to rest as there was still roughly less than an hour till midnight. He wanted her to remain rxed as her emotional state would y an important role in her own safety.


    Seren tried to sleep, but at most, she could only close her eyes with her head resting against his chest. With his arms wrapped around her, the tense muscles on her shoulders loosened. His warm concern seemed to seep through their clothes, allowing her to put her anxiety at bay.


    She was nervous about what was toe, a mix of frustration and fear brewing inside her. However, listening to her husband''s steady heartbeats somehow kept all those negative emotions at bay.


    Seren had never thought waiting could be this agonizing.


    Nothing had truly started, yet she was growing more physically and mentally tired with each passing second.


    She could not wait to leave the ice cave and go back to her tower��no, to leave Abetha and go back to Megaris.


    Evanthe had half of her attention on their surroundings, half on Seren. She had her senses extended outside the cave, and a hint of worry could be seen on her brows.


    ''Sierra ought to have arrived at the appointed location. I hope she can manage to divert them long enough until those two powers inside Seren are sessfully suppressed,'' Evanthe thought.


    She continued to sit quietly in meditation but inwardly sighed at the sight of the young couple who were both obviously on edge.


    ''These poor children. They are paying the price of being born to mothers like us.''


    As midnight approached, Evanthe stood up from her ce and went to the couple.


    "Can you feel anything?" she asked Drayce.


    "Nothing for now. She had fallen asleep, fortunately," he answered. "It''s time?"


    "It is almost midnight. Her powers should begin showing signs of surfacing," she replied and turned to look at the barrier she had set. "I will take a final look at the runes. If you feel any change in her body, call for me."


    Drayce nodded and watched his mother move along the walls of therge ice cave, sometimes touching the frost in order to modify or strengthen the spells around.


    Minutester, Drayce felt Seren stir restlessly in his arms.


    "Seren, you awake?" he asked as he rubbed her arms tofort her.


    "It feels too hot," she murmured as she opened her eyes, and Drayce noticed the lines of sweat appearing on her forehead.


    He touched her forehead and she felt hot, like she was having a fever.


    "I want to remove this coat," Seren said. She pulled away from him as she could not wait to get rid of the thick garment.


    Drayce helped remove the winter coat and realized her entire body was covered in sweat. He could even see the lines of sweat trailing down on her neck.


    "Why am��? I need water��so thirsty��" she said, and just then, Evanthe appeared beside them holding a crystal goblet filled with water.


    Seren hurried to ept it. The thirst was unbearable. She drank the entire goblet of water and felt like water never tasted this refreshingly good.


    "Can I have more?"


    Evanthe waved a hand, and the goblet was filled to the brim again.


    "Are you feeling better now?" Evanthe asked after the young woman finished the second cup. It was a mystical water gathered from a spiritual mountain, blessed by the fairies and purified by Evanthe''s own powers. As the thirst Seren was feeling was not normal, ordinary water would not help her quench her thirst.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    Seren lowered her veil. "I feel better now but�� my body feels too hot��"


    Drayce and Evanthe shared a knowing look as they knew they should begin suppressing her power. They heard Seren ask, "Is this because of that fire elemental power inside me?"


    "Yes," Evanthe answered. "As the moment of your birth is almost upon us, it is beginning to surface."


    "And what about my real power, the earth magic?"


    "It is also surfacing but its existence won''t trouble you in any way as it is your innate attribute."


    "Will I continue to feel like this? It doesn''t feel good at all. As if, as if something foreign is spreading around my body. I��I don''t like it."


    "Just bear for a while, Queen Seren. We will take care of it. Everything will be fine. We are here to help you, but in the end, you yourself also have the strength to suppress them as long as you believe in yourself. Trust yourself just like we trust you."


    Though she found it difficult to believe, Seren could only nod.


    Drayce offered her aforting smile. "Don''t worry. We are here for you."


    Seren nodded once more, but as minutes went by, her difort grew. Earlier, if her feeling was simr to her basking under the midday sun in the middle of a desert, then now, it was as if she was standing in the middle of a burning house.


    Drinking the mystical water was no longer effective. She was starting to feel pain.


    It was so intense that even Drayce, who was holding her in his arms, felt the scorching heat from her body.


    Evanthe reached out to touch Seren''s wrist and said, "It''s time. Bring her with you."


    The blond woman led the way towards the center of the cave, where blue light suddenly bloomed at the wave of her hand. The temperature inside the cave further dropped, and ayer of frost appeared over Evanthe''s and Drayce''s bodies.


    However, it evaporated the moment it reached Seren�� it did not even have a chance to form, much less melt.


    Drayce held Seren, not minding his own difort. "Can you walk?"


    She nodded. "I can."


    Just as she said that, intense pain racked her body once more. Drayce did not let go of her as the couple slowly walked towards the center of the cave.


    Seren saw that what Evanthe had activated was a blue magic circle emitting visible white light. Concentric rings and squares were inscribed within it, and at the corners of each ring were small abstract symbols simr to the ones she had seen from her husband''s old books.


    "Make her sit in the center," Evanthe told Drayce as Seren didn''t look like she could even stand properly. Her entire body was sweating badly and her muscles were trembling; it was obvious in their eyes that Seren was trying her best to hide her pain.


    Drayce did as his mother said. He had Seren sit cross-legged in the center of that huge magic circle.


    The moment Drayce stepped out of thergest circle, the blue lines on the floor deepened in color, and Seren felt a refreshingly cold energy invade her body, surrounding herfortably, alleviating the pain brought by the growing fire magic inside her. She could feel this energy that belongs to Evanthe.


    Her water magic was strong but gentle at the same time.


    She heard Evanthe speak from the side, "Take a long, deep breath and let yourself rx. You will not be in danger. Do not resist my water magic. Allow your body to absorb the energy from the magic circle."


    Seren did as she was told. She closed her eyes and allowed herself to be immersed in the refreshing chill brought by Evanthe''s water-attribute magic. She soaked in it, relished it, but as time went by, she realized that the hellfire inside her was slowly gaining dominance. Evanthe''s magic circle was still not enough.


    ''Maybe I need to focus more.''

 Chapter 659 Deity Of Fire Triggered The Change

    Evanthe started to calcte the flow of time with her eyes closed. Midnight had already passed, and she could feel the seal suppressing Seren''s innate powers were loosening.


    She opened her eyes and looked at Drayce. "It''s time. As nned, I will suppress the hellfire , and you need to take care of her innate earth magic."


    The two of them positioned themselves on opposite ends of the outer magic circle--Evanthe on the north, with Drayce standing on the south. The abstract symbol under Evanthe''s feet turned deep blue, like the color of the ocean, while the symbol under Drayce darkened until it became as ck as the abyss.


    Evanthe''s gentle voice floated into his ears.


    "Match the growing strength of the Earth little by little, just enough to suppress it, and maintain it for as long as you could. Do not unnecessarily overexert yourself at the beginning, King of Megaris."


    "Understood, Lady Evanthe."


    Seren could hear their conversation but she paid them no heed. She simply focused on calming the heat inside her body with the help of water magic.


    Meanwhile, both Evanthe and Drayce raised their hands in the direction of the circle''s center where Seren was seated. Blue and ck energies, representing water and darkness, began to envelop the veiled woman''s body.


    Time passed by slowly once more...


    With the additional help of Evanthe''s magic, Seren started to have more control over the intensifying heat.


    On the other hand, Drayce felt he didn''t need to call for Erebus yet. The current situation could be controlled by his own power of darkness-- the rate of the seal unraveling was steady and manageable for the current him. .


    "Her time of birth has arrived. Be prepared," he heard his mother say as he felt the depth of the two powers within Seren double. Drayce''s expression turned more solemn as he carefully matched the strengthened earth magic.


    Just as Evanthe said those words, another wave of intense pain spread across Seren''s body. Her body was covered in perspiration once more, and even the ice on the ground underneath her began to crack.


    Her body felt like it was literally burning.


    She opened her eyes in rm.


    "Lady Evanthe! It...it doesn''t feel good again. M-My body...I feel like I''m being burned alive..." Seren said, her voice sounding weak and she looked so fragile, as if she was struggling to keep her consciousness.


    "Hold on, Queen Seren. The pain is only momentary. It will pass soon," Evanthe replied as she started to pour more magic into the circle.


    ''This is the limit of my current power, yet it looks like it''s still not strong enough. Still, this is within my and Sierra''s expectations. Seren will suffer, but her life won''t be in danger. It seems like hellfire cannot truly be controlled by anyone other than its true master.''


    "King Drayce, how is the situation in your end?" Evanthe asked.


    "Her earth magic is under my control," he replied, doing his best to not make any mistake. He noticed his mother was starting to look exhausted. "What about the hellfire?"


    "I can still match it," she replied and thought, ''for now.''


    Both Sierra and Evanthe had tried to make ns to cover any eventualities, but still, no one could predict the oue of Seren''sing of age. They could only hope nothing would go wrong.


    Half an hourter, instead of the two powers subsiding in strength, they grew by leaps and bounds, causing the magic circle to have another crack.


    Seren suddenly fell limp on the ground. She was unconscious.


    "Seren!" Drayce called out in panic. He was about to step out from his position when Evanthe red at him.


    "Don''t let it affect yourself. Don''t stop using your magic," he heard his mother order strictly. "The sudden growth of both elements merely exhausted her body, but her life is not in danger. The moment you stop, your wife will suffer an injury."


    "But--"


    "Continue and focus, Drayce Ivanov!"


    Drayce reluctantly agreed, but his worried gaze did not leave his unconscious wife. He could only swallow his worry, not expecting what was going to happen next would shake all three of them.


    With Seren fainted, Evanthe expected that the intensity of the fire- and earth-attribute powers inside her would begin to weaken. After all, her time of birth had long passed, and her innate earth power had already sessfully matured.


    She was wrong.


    Under their bewildered gazes, the unconscious young woman started to emit a stronger power. The power of fire inside her continued to grow and grow, even surpassing her earth magic--


    Whoosh!


    A strange domineering fluctuation came from Seren''s body. It made both Drayce''s and Evanthe''s hearts palpitate, as if a mighty existence beyond their imagination was about to awaken.


    Drayce looked at his mother. "What is happening?"


    "I am not sure. It should not be like this," Evanthe said with a worried tone. "Let''s continue--"


    Crash! Crash!


    Her words were cut, and the next thing they knew, both Evanthe and Drayce felt immense pain as their bodies were mmed against the enchanted walls of the cave. They were thrown away by the strong shock wave caused by the outburst of powersing from Seren.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    The impact was so strong that for a moment, Drayce grew dizzy.


    By the time he steadied himself, he witnessed Seren''s unconscious body floating above the broken magic circle.


    At this moment, his wife didn''t look like herself. No, she didn''t even look human.


    She looked like an immortal from the legends, floating in the middle of the ice cave while surrounded by raging fire. Thergest mes behind her had taken the shape of a bird with majestic wings, but its form was indistinct, somewhat distorted, and he could not tell what kind of bird it represented.


    For a moment, he was mesmerized, but he quickly got hold of his wits.


    "Lady Evanthe, what--"


    However, he saw the older women being in a daze. He reacted intuitively.


    Drayce flew up from the ground to return standing atop the broken magic circle. The light being emitted by the circle flickered, as if it was about to stop functioning.


    This sudden eruption of hellfire had destroyed not only the magic circle but also the multipleyers of barrier set around the ice cave. A handful of them were still working, but because most of the barriers were meant to protect the ice cave from external forces, they were rtively weaker when the ''attack'' came from inside.


    Seren''s energy was leaking out of the cracks.


    "Seren!"


    He knew it was the time for him to use his strongest power. He closed his eyes momentarily, and when the next opened them, they were the color of pitch ck, and the whites of his eyes had a mesh of dark veins on them.


    Erebus had taken over their body.


    Magic of purer darkness escaped his fingertips, and he used his powers to mend the barriers, closing the cracks and strengthening the energy within the runes. At the same time, he unleashed his strength to separately control the two powers within Seren.


    On the other side of the cave, Evanthe was in a daze not due to shock... but grief.


    When the shockwave of Seren''s eruption hit her, a different scenery appeared in front of her eyes.


    A familiar ce, a familiar person, a situation happening on the other side of the continent.


    "Morph...this can''t be..."


    Tears rolled down from her eyes. A dear friend of hers was stabbed in the heart by a divine weapon and he was dying.


    The ominous vision of death she had been seeing the past few nights came true. Someone was going to die, and that was Divine Eagle Morpheus.


    She was unable to pull herself away from the vision of his death, until she heard a voice calling out to her...


    "...ther!"


    "...Mother!"


    "Mother!"


    It pulled Evanthe out of her grief, and she realized that she had been stupid to ignore the current situation. She did not even notice that her son had called her ''mother'', or that Erebus had reced Drayce at this moment.


    She got hold of herself and flew up as well.


    While she struggled to regain herposure, she used her powers once again to take over the suppression of the power of fire inside Seren.


    However, parts of what she saw in Agartha continued to torment Evanthe.


    Other than Morpheus dying, she had seen something else as well.


    An enraged youngdy covered in mes, a ferocious phoenix spreading fire from behind her, a soul-stirring divine power and a situation simr to the current Seren.


    ''Who is that girl? Is she rted to what''s happening to Seren? If I am not wrong, she might be the one to cause this sudden eruption of powers.''


    Realization hit her.


    ''That girl...is she the reincarnation of the deity we have been looking for?!''


    In her current state, Evanthe found it difficult to tame this raging fire magic as she was close to her limit. Though she was a powerful witch, she was still a being of the mortal world--the divine power of a deity was not something she could directly suppress with her strength on her own.


    ''If she''s enraged, and she triggered this change in Seren...''


    There was nothing Evanthe could do, helpless to change anything. She could only shed tears and hope for a miracle to happen on the other side of the continent, in the kingdom of Agartha.


    ''Unless the reincarnated deity calms down, Seren''s situation won''t stop as well. I hope Draven deals with her before it''s toote!''

 Chapter 660 Petra Searching For Seren

    The stars sprinkled on the night sky shimmered faintly like crystal dust. It was a tranquil night for the creatures of the forest, the moon partially hidden by the clouds, and only the rustling of leaves and sounds of crickets could be heard.


    With a brief sh of light, tens of well-toned, pale-skinned youths with white feathery wings appeared over the forest. Though d in soft armor and holding various weapons in their hands, each of their expressions were serene and holy, their beauty wless, not a single strand of hair or feather out of ce.


    On this seemingly ordinary night, a group of angels sessfully descended on the mortal realm.


    However, their appearance did not catch the notice of any creature of the forest. Their arrival was quiet, and none of the animals could see them. They were protected by divine power, making them as if they both exist and not at the same time.


    Their formation was orderly in front of the most beautiful angel standing in front who was holding a golden harp.


    It was Petra leading the loyal servants of the Goddess Isis.


    "Spread apart, but do not go too far that the others can no longer sense you. We must remain vignt. The Sovereign has warned us. This time, we cannot disappoint the Sovereign and return without finding that child," Petra instructed, reiterating the n they had made beforehand.


    Petra then closed her eyes briefly, before gesturing for her brethren to follow her lead.


    Soon, the group of angels reached a particrly deserted forest. It was devoid of living things aside from nts, but they could feel a faint trace of divine energy of the earth attributeing from this ce. If they were to arrive anyter, this faint trace would have been gone.


    "The trace ends here, but I feel another nearby. They must have made several fake trails to deceive us," one of the angels behind hermented. "Shall we disperse and scout the other trails separately, Petra?"


    "We must stay and act together," another angel remarked. "They might be scheming to divide and conquer us."


    "Let us simply follow another trail," Petra decided. "Tonight, no matter what they do, they won''t be able to suppress those powers inside that child. Be it the Deity of Earth''s inheritance or the Deity of Fire''s hellfire, both of them are bound to show their presence. Time is on our side."


    Petra and the other angels continued to follow the second trail with traces of divine power of the earth attribute. Petra casually looked at the sky and calcted the flow of time.


    "The promised time is near. Everyone, stay sharp. We do not know what those banished ones are scheming this time."


    One of the angels could not help but say, "We are following this trail for a while. It feels like this might be the real trail. The child is not kept in one ce to hide but is currently on the move."


    "Could they be fleeing in the night?"


    "Those protecting her are not foolish. They should be staying, hiding, in a single ce at such an important moment."


    "Indeed. Once that child''s powers burst and affect the mortal world, then the gods of the pantheon will notice her existence. They have hidden that child for so long, they would not want that to happen."


    "But do you not find this suspicious, brother? Even if we are guided by the Sovereign, how easily we are able to sense this faint trace of Earth, as if it is a cleverly ced bait to divert our attention."


    Petra''s eyes narrowed as she felt her brethen''s words made sense. They had been following this trail for a while now, but they still could neither reach the end nor did the trace disappear. It would always remain faint enough for their senses to capture, no matter how fast or slow they moved.


    "Halt!"


    Petra ordered, causing the angels behind her to stop in unison. They were like soldiers of a well-trained army, moving and stopping as if they shared a single body.


    Moments passed in silence, and soon, the trace of Earth they were following disappeared.


    Still, the angels continued to wait for Petra''s next instructions.


    Midnight came and went, and even the time of that child''s birth had slipped by but the forest remained silent, not a single fluctuation of divine energy could be felt.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    Petra''s expression turned grim.


    ''Did they escape?''


    She tried to recall if she missed anything earlier, but just then, she felt a very faint fluctuation of powering from the direction they came from.


    "Brothers and sisters, over there!"


    It was as if time did not exist as the angels moved so fast, only a single beam of light could be seen of their remnant images..


    Petra''s expression was solemn.


    ''This time, I can finally please the Sovereign. Sierra and her daughter have caused enough troubles, and now, I can see the end of this long pursuit.'' Petra thought as she prepared to attack whoever woulde barring their way.


    The source of that energy fluctuation was a barren hill, but Petra and those with her immediately realized it was but an illusion spell.


    Just as the group of angels attacked to destroy that illusionary barrier, all they found in the end was a white-robed figure standing in the middle of the barrennd. The woman''s appearance was hidden by her hood, but the magic of the earth attribute could be felt on her body.


    Aside from the white-robed figure, there was no one else in the vicinity.


    Even in the dark, the angels could see the scales on her hand. It didn''t take a time for Petra to realize who it was.


    ''Sierra, the banished Deity of Earth?'' she chuckled inwardly. ''Then that should mean her daughter is nearby.''


    "Why have you shown yourself? Are you no longer hiding, Sierra?" Petra asked as she gestured for the angels to surround the white-robed figure.


    Sierra neither moved nor said anything.


    "You are no longer a goddess now but a lowly witch, so you shouldn''t be offended that I address you by your name, right?" Petra said, her tone serious, only to see Sierra raising an arm.


    But even before she could do anything, Petra had plucked a string on her harp and Sierra was subdued by the divine power of the angel.


    "Are you trying to run away, Sierra? And here I was thinking of asking you about how your life has been after losing your precious divinity? Has it been good living as a mortal?"


    "Why ask me when soon, you and Isis will get to experience it yourself?"


    "Watch your mouth, mortal! How dare a lowly being like you call my master''s name so casually? To dare besmirch the name of my goddess, are you asking to be punished by the heavens again?"


    A chuckle escaped the robed figure. "Do you think I care?"


    "When ites to your daughter, I believe you do," Petra replied. "Where is she?"


    "Do you think that if you ask, I will answer you, angel?" Sierra mocked. "Use your mighty strength to figure it out. Why rely on a lowly witch?"


    Petra gritted her teeth, but she really could not find traces of divine powers aside from thoseing from herpanions. Not only was the vicinity barren of humans, not even the presences of supernatural beings could be captured.

 Chapter 661 Sierras Efforts

    ''This banished woman is distracting us! Our original position must have been correct. She must have led us farther from her daughter!'' Petra concluded.


    She felt angry at herself for letting herself be fooled. Though she had indeed considered this possibility, she believed that Sierra would opt to stay by her daughter''s side, doing her best to protect her. But her choice was wrong.


    ''Who gave her courage to leave her daughter? Who is protecting her daughter then? Evanthe? No, she alone cannot suppress those two powers. A mere witch, even if she is the most powerful one, cannot deal with a low-ranking angel, much less the divinity of two deities.''


    "Can''t find her still?" Sierra asked in a mocking voice.


    While Evanthe, Seren and Drayce stayed in the underground ice cave, waiting for the moment of Seren''s birthday to arrive, Sierra was outside to divert the attention of those angelsing after her daughter.


    Evanthe and Sierra knew that they could not deal with the superior strength of divine beings, thus, they made several ns in order to guarantee Seren''s safety.


    Though they made sure the ice cave would iste Seren from the rest of the world, they feared that the deities would have the means to find her in the mortal world, that was why Sierra volunteered to act as bait if ever they truly appeared.


    And indeed, angels were able to infiltrate the mortal world without rming the gods and goddesses of the pantheon.


    Not only were they able to descend secretly, they were also able to determine the general area where Seren was located. They were able to roam unhindered, as if the eyes of the gods above had been temporarily blinded.


    Being her birth mother, Sierra had the same elemental attribute as her daughter, though hers did not have divinity in them. Earlier, she was able to partially duplicate the aura of Seren''s essence.


    It was sufficient to fool others who didn''t know Seren and make them follow her, duping them into thinking they were tracking Seren. However, it would only work as diversion.


    Sierra seeded, and she did not fear being discovered now.


    Seren had alreadye of age.


    Dawn was nearing, and by now, her daughter''s powers would have finished maturing. The most dangerous moment of both the Earth and Fire magic inside her erupting together had passed so Sierra had nothing to worry about.


    She firmly trusted that Drayce and Evanthe would have sessfully suppressed those powers together. The backgrounds of both mother and son were not simple. Seren would be safe with them around.


    "If you don''t want to tell where that child is, then do not me me for what I would do to you next. As you are a being neither from the heavenly realm nor the mortal world, our kind have no reservations about harming you."


    "Suit yourself, angel. I fear none of the gods you serve--why do you think the threats of their servants would?" Sierra taunted with an arrogance that made it seem she truly did not fear death.


    Furious, Petra raised her hand to y her harp once more when--


    "Petra! It must be that child!" one of the angels eximed.


    Several leagues away, they felt an outburst of divine power.


    Fire!<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    It was hellfire!


    Being from heavenly realm, they were familiar with this energy.


    Sierra was shocked as well.


    ''No! What happened? It should not have been like this. We have prepared everything to control Seren''s power. We have considered all angles. An unexpected factor must have made things go wrong.''


    ''Is Seren safe? Is Evanthe safe?''


    Petra let go of Sierra. "In the end, you could not hide her. Do you think the means of lowly creatures like you could really hide a power that does not belong to this world? Repent on your sins, witch, and see how I drag your daughter back to where she belongs."


    "No!" Sierra panicked.


    Petra smirked as she signaled the angels to leave, and the next moment, all of them disappeared from the barren hill. However, she was still unable to move. Petra did not release the divine power restricting her movement.


    Sierra felt helpless as she knew none of those in the ice cave could stand against the divine beings in a head-on confrontation. Neither Yorian''s, Drayce''s nor Evanthe''s powers were their match.


    She was once a goddess and she knew exactly the difference of the strength between the supernatural beings of the mortal world and the divine beings of the heavenly realm.


    Yorian was but an elf, although he was an experienced warrior who was sharp enough to find opportunities to defeat an enemy in the battlefield. However, his strength could only be considered strong among supernatural beings. He could at most dy time like her, and would not be able to hurt an angel.


    Evanthe was once a powerful goddess, but she had been banished from the heavens. Not only did she lose her divine powers, she also had no memory of her past life. With her trying to suppress that hellfire, she probably would be helpless against the iing enemies.


    Drayce might be a mighty Dragon, a divine beast who could go against an angel, but he was still too young. Maybe he could stop one or two, but he could not deal with a group of angels.


    Not to mention they had to personally deal with Petra, the most favored servant of Isis and a high-ranking angel...


    Sierra crushed one of the orbs in her pockets, sacrificing one of the few treasured items she had kept from her old life in order to disperse the divine energy Petra used to subdue her. She had only two of these items, and now, only one remained.


    Once again, Sierra felt helpless as she didn''t know how she could stop them. When she was able to regain the use of her powers, she disappeared from the barren hill...


    To go back to her daughter...


    To save her.


    ==


    A/N- In chapter 639, at the end some part was missing where King Armen asks Seren to Dance with him but she rejects. If you wish to read it, then go to the app setting and clear the CACHE to be able to read that updated chapter again. The missing part is at the end of the chapter.

 Chapter 662 Powerful Angels

    Tens of holy figures with white wings appeared above a forest on a mountain, their arrival causing the darkness of the night to seemingly fade away. Despite arge river being in the vicinity, the temperature above the trees was ufortably high.


    The air was hot and humid, as if an active volcano was nearby and about to erupt. The oppressive heat was enough to bring difort to the group of divine beings.


    A sharp glint appeared on Petra''s eyes as she looked down.


    ''This power��Finally found you, Sierra''s daughter!''


    The strong outburst of divine power of the fire element had caused an earthquake. Cracks appeared on the ground, scaring the forest inhabitants and exposing the intricate tunnel of caves underneath.


    Petra and herpanions sensed the hot, destructive power brewing within the mountain, but it was as if a cold, freezing power was restricting it��or attempting to, to say the least.


    Only then did the rest of the angels realize that the purple-eyed child they were seeking for was hiding deep underground.


    Petra, who was in the air, raised her hand, silently ordering the angel to split into two groups. One would surround the mountain, while the other prepared to charge together with their leader towards the underground cave.


    A smirk of anticipation spread across her lips as she noticed how the uncontroble power continued to fluctuate.


    ''It is just as the Sovereign expected! They could no longer hide the child from us!''


    Petra observed the cold power trying to suppress it.


    ''Divine power of the water element? As expected, it''s that banished deity. To think she can still wield a little, even after she had been stripped of her divinity. But this level is not enough to match even the lowest-ranked angels.


    ''Hah, Evanthe, how far have you fallen? For the once proud daughter of heavens to sumb to this level of strength��If I didn''t realize you have been helping them from the shadows, I would have thought another angel was tampering with my mission.''


    "Petra, what are we waiting for? Shouldn''t we head down?" one of the angels wielding a bow asked.


    "There is no need to hurry for now. I can sense several auras hiding inside the mountain."


    "Then, the more we should hurry and leave. We cannot dy the Sovereign''s affairs."


    "The power that erupted would soon calm down. It is better if we seed in our mission without a single casualty."


    "But if we give them more time to prepare, a battle might ur andplicate things."


    Petra chuckled.


    "Worry not.They won''t cross the bottomline, or else, they will be exposed to all the gods in the pantheon who are already displeased at how the former Deity of Earth coveted the hellfire which belongs to heaven."


    "Our descent is also breaking the heavenly rules," the angel said. "If we stay longer��"


    "Rest assured," Petra said, as she raised a hand, plucking several strings of her harp. A low, solemn sound covered the area, causing time to freeze within that invisible domain. "The Sovereign had lent me her divinity to cover the eyes of heavens. Whatever happens here won''t be known by anyone, unless a stronger power than our master interferes."


    She raised her hand and signaled the angels next to her.


    "Capture the child!"<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    A female angel wielding a sword came forward and used her power to break the rocky ground, causing that face of the mountain to copse.


    Within the ice cave, Drayce and Evanthe had been busy suppressing Seren''s powers when they felt the cave shake, before part of the ceiling copsed, bringing about a rain of rocks. Several divine powers suddenly erupted from above, causing their bodies to be thrown away as glowing figures with wings swooped down from the broken ceiling.


    Seren was still unconscious, floating in the air while surrounded by a sea of mes.


    "They found us!"


    Without a second thought, Evanthe disappeared from the rubble and reappeared between the intruders and Seren, clearly intent on confronting the tens of figures who stared at her as if looking down at an ant.


    Drayce, who had just extricated himself from the broken rocks, red at those white-winged beings d in soft armors. Though they were mere youths, their bodies exuded a dangerous feeling, but since they were also emitting pure white light, it made them look like righteous war gods.


    Angels!


    "Of course we found you, Evanthe," Petra said as the anglesnded on the broken ground.


    At this point, thebination of the angels'' divinities and the hellfire within Seren had caused the ice within the cave to melt into puddles of water.


    "Do not resist us, witch," Petra said. "This child belongs to the heavenly realm, and we havee to escort her to where she belongs."


    It sounded so nice to the ears, but everyone within the cave knew that Seren would suffer the moment these peopleid hands on her. What escorts? They were enemies!


    Drayce''s eyes had returned to their usual red color, and due to his earlier exertion, his body felt heavy as lead. He was not injured, but more a bacsh for using a strength his body was not used to. After all, though he often wielded his power throughout the years, they were mostly simple magic. He had never used as much power as he did tonight even if hebined all those times he used his darkness magic in the past.


    As the enemies had found them, there was no use in suppressing Seren''s power. Drayce retracted his power suppressing Seren''s innate earth magic, intending to stand side by side with his mother and resist these angels.


    Drayce went to his mother''s side, but the two of them seemed feeble against the tens of angels who looked down on them. Even though they were yet to attack, Drayce could feel that he and his mother''sbined strength paled to theirs.


    Powerful!


    Drayce had never met existences this powerful!


    Just their aura was enough to fill his heart with worry.


    All he had in mind was to protect Seren, but these angels who arrived were much more powerful than his estimation. If a fight truly urred, not just his wife, even his mother would probably be in danger.


    ===


    A/N- A novel on An and his runaway betrothed has been released on webnovel app. The third book of "Devil and Witch" series. Once again Dragon and Witch- a young ck witch, who I have mentioned before in this novel.


    Title- The Devil''s Betrothed.


    It is the entry for WSA 2023 contest. I wish all of your support once again as this can be thest WSA I am participating in. Let''s get a Gold this time, I believe we can. <3<3


    You can find the novel in my webnovel author profile or you can simply search the title in webnovel app.

 Chapter 663 Angry Erebus

    "Leave that child alone," he heard his mother warn those angels.


    "This child''s mother''s folly had put her in this situation. It was her who brought this fate to her own child. me her mother, not us."


    "You would have killed her anyway," Evanthe retorted.


    "Wasn''t dying in the hand of our goddess a better option for that child than suffering as a vessel? Death wille to her. Let her enter reincarnation early to wash away the sins she and her mother bear. Do not prolong her suffering. It''s her destiny."


    "You are not worthy of deciding her destiny."


    Petraughed. "Then, lowly witches like you are worthy?"


    The angel did not even have to pluck a string of her harp. All she did was raise a finger in their direction, and Evanthe felt suffocation she had never felt before. It was as if the world itself waspressing around her body, and she could only choke at its weight.


    Evanthe winced in pain, while Petra had a refreshing smile on her face, her tone mocking as she spoke with a sigh.


    "Destiny is truly fickle, even people of your status could not resist. In the past, I would not even dare raise my head in front of you. You don''t know what joy your situation brings me, witch. Your past self was so arrogant, so boundlessly arrogant, not only I hated you."


    Past self?


    Evanthe had no idea what the angel was talking about and heard her continue.


    "It''s a pity that you can''t remember anything and we cannot break the rule by telling it to you. Perhaps you can ask Sierra; afterall, she had been punished for breaking the rules once. I believe she would not mindmitting another offense."


    Evanthe tried to break free but she could not.


    "Seeing you helpless like this? Such a beautiful sight to see."


    At first, Drayce was d for the dy, thinking it good that the enemy was conversing with his mother, giving him more time to umte strength and think of ways to escape. However, his heart ached hearing the angel repeatedly taunt his mother.


    Erebus was the same.


    ''How dare they humiliate our mother?!''


    Before he realized what was happening, his eyes turned pitch ck.


    A mass of darkness floated in front of him, and not even a split second after, the pitch ck ball formed of the purest magic flew towards the angel mocking Evanthe.


    Boom!


    The strong collision between Petra and Drayce''s attack caused the other angels to be pushed back. The attack also loosened the restriction binding Evanthe, causing her to be sted off as well.


    Of course, Drayce caught his mother, and he put her behind him.


    The power of darkness against the power of light.


    Not just ordinary magic with a darkness attribute, but divine power!


    Supreme Darkness?<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    There was only one kind of divine power with darkness attribute of this purity��and it only belonged to Him, the one they dare not talk about.


    The attack was strong, but it merely surprised the angels. It was not enough to injure them. Petra easily got back to her senses and looked at the young man stepping in front of Evanthe. His pitch ck eyes red at them.


    However, Petra did not feel threatened. Rather, she felt wary, wondering if the one who possessed the darkness, the true owner of it, was interfering with her Sovereign''s affairs.


    Why would Hee to the mortal world to meddle in the matters of the gods? Did He really break His vow?


    ''A warlock?''


    Petra had been so focused on Evanthe and the hellfire''s vessel behind her that she had neglected the man with them.


    ''Wait, no, this bloodline��a Dragon? No, it''s not pure enough. A half-Dragon? How could there be a Dragon in the mortal world? Did He��?''


    "Who are you?" Petra asked.


    ''For someone with a Dragon bloodline to appear at this moment, could it be a conspiracy against the pantheon? Is He rebelling? Is the Sovereign aware of this?''


    While her suspicion grew, Petra and herpanions went into an offensive formation, intending to attack Drayce. Though they were surprised that a Dragon was protecting Evanthe and Seren, they were not frightened when they realized that Drayce was weaker than them.


    Drayce didn''t answer her, but another mass of darkness appeared in front of him, ready to attack the angels again.


    Evanthe looked at her son''s back with aplicated gaze.


    ''Erebus has be stronger due to his anger.''


    No one could understand her son''s both sides better than her.


    ''But even so, he cannot fight against these angels. He is not yet powerful enough. If only we had more time��Oh, Sierra, our ns are ruined. Even if you, my son and I unite, it is impossible to resist, much less win against these many angels.The moment the hellfire calmed down enough for them to approach, Seren will be taken by them.''


    Erebusunched an attack, but this time, the angels were prepared and able to dodge. Three of the angels holding bows sent a rain of light arrows towards him, causing an explosion that made the cave be further destroyed.


    The ceiling had long copsed, and from above, one could see shes of white and ck light, and each collision of power caused the mountain to break apart.


    However, though Erebus was fighting with his life on the line, he was only dealing with three angels. Petra and the rest of the angels were merely watching them fight, and outside the underground cave, Evanthe could see that there were more angels waiting on standby around a sacred barrier, making sure there would be no possibility of escape for them.


    Soon, blood could be seen trickling down Erebus'' nose, and when a fourth angel��a winged woman holding a sword�� joined the fray, Erebus started to show signs of defeat. He was not going tost for long as he was alone against many.


    Just as Evanthe had recovered enough to cast a long range spell, her son was thrown with a great force from the opposite direction, making him collide against the wall of the cave.


    Erebus had coughed out blood.


    ===


    A/N- From 6th to 17/18th March, there won''t be any chapter.

 Chapter 664 Seren Using Hellfire

    "Erebus," his worried mother called out to him, unlike how she was calling him by his title till now. She squeezed out a healing spell whichnded on his body, but it was not strong enough to heal all his injuries. With his energy exhausted, the ck in his eyes faded, and his eyes turned crimson red.


    "He is fine," Drayce said and looked at those four angels who were mocking them with a smile, looking down on them. He wiped away the blood trickling down his mouth. "We have to protect Seren--"


    "Now I think about it, this child is resonating with your powers as well, Evanthe," Petramented. "A half-warlock, half-Dragon..."


    Evanthe could only re at her. She didn''t want them to know Drayce was her son, but it seemed like the truth could no longer be hidden.


    "That look in your eyes," Petra scoffed. "Well, don''t worry. Since he is your--"


    Swoosh!


    There was another outburst of power, and this time, it was from Seren which shocked everyone.


    Seren, who had been unconscious for some time, had awakened. Her eyes shed between purple and gold, her fury causing the sea of mes wrapping around her to encircle the remnants of the cave.


    The tens of angels screamed.


    Burning! Their wings, their bodies, they were burning!


    Though angels were powerful, that was only against supernatural beings. There was a strict hierarchy between the purity of divinity.


    How could the divine power of angels be purer than that of a deity?


    There was a reason why the pantheon feared the vengeance of the Deity of Fire. Hellfire was the most destructive divine power in existence!


    "Dray, you have to stop your wife."


    "What--"


    "They came here in secret and are trying to evade the eyes of the gods, that''s why they did not dare attack you all together--otherwise, themotion would rm the other gods. However, if they are harmed, it will pull the attention of heaven towards Seren. They must not know her existence, or else, she will get us in even more trouble.


    "If she kills those angels, not only an army of angels, even gods will descend to catch her!"


    Drayce felt his blood grow cold.


    He could barely fight four angels...so if an army came...


    With a determined gaze, he wrapped himself in darkness and flew towards his wife.


    "Seren, stop!"


    She didn''t look like herself, and it was as if she had not heard him.


    "Seren,e back to your senses! You have to stop! Can you hear me?" he asked while dodging the sea of mes surrounding her body.


    No matter how he called out for her, there was no reply from Seren. All he could sense from her was strong killing intent.


    She wanted to kill those angels!


    Despite his reluctance, Drayce had no choice but to help them survive. Otherwise, they would truly perish at this rate.


    He tried to spread the power of darkness in front of Seren, attempting to block her vision and distract her. However, his weakened state could not even harm the angels; how could it defeat the hellfire?


    His attempt only afforded the angels a slim chance to extinguish the fire on their bodies, but the fire continued to chase them and cage them within, causing them to scream more miserably.


    Drayce''s calls fell on deaf ears.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    Since he was unable tomunicate with Seren, he decided to go through the dangerous hellfire surrounding her.


    Even if the fire were to burn him, it would be worth it! At this moment, nothing mattered but her. He could not let her be taken away!


    Drayce tore through the sea of mes, his steel-like will ignoring everything else but his wife. He wrapped his arms around her furious form, repeatedly shouting her name as his hand cupped her cheek.


    "Seren, please! I know you are there. Wake up! Listen to me. You have to stop! You cannot kill them!


    "Seren!"


    As her furious eyes met his, Drayce was stunned with a realization.


    It was not that he managed to endure the pain caused by his body burning. There was no pain in the first ce.


    ''The hellfire... I don''t feel it?''


    From afar, he could feel the scorching heat of the mes. The air was dry and hot, but the mes themselves were not harming him. It was surprising.


    "Seren? Seren?" He thought this must be Seren''s arrangement. Even though she was not fully conscious, she must be controlling the hellfire to not harm him. "Please, stop. I''m fine. You saved us. You have done enough."


    As if those words held magic themselves, the sea of mes stopped attacking the angels. Although all of them were injured, thanks to Drayce''s intervention, none of them died.


    However, as Seren let go of those angels, each of them fell on the broken ground, their wings scorched ck and unable to fly.


    The strongest of them all, Petra, was the only one able to feebly remain on her feet, but even she looked quite ragged, the holy light around her body flickering to nonexistence.


    The injured angels looked at Seren in fright.


    Sierra, who had just arrived outside the barrier and witnessed Seren''s attack against the angels, was shocked as well.


    "I-Impossible. This child could control hellfire?" A shiver ran down Petra''s spine. ''How can this be? Is she free from her curses?''


    The existence of the Half-Dragon, a pawn probably nted by that existence who rules the darkness, already gave Petra the urge to retreat. Since the purple-eyed child could also wield the power of hellfire, then it would be beyond her ability to bring the child away without a massive fight.


    This matter would blow out of proportions. It would be impossible to hide it from the eyes of the gods, and Petra dared not expose her secret mission to the pantheon.


    The consequences of failing her master''s order would pale to the anger of the entire heavens!


    "Brothers and sisters, retreat!" Petra ordered.


    As half of the angels stayed outside the cave to guard the perimeter, they were unscathed by Seren''s fire. They immediately swooped down to carry the crippled angels who faced Seren''s attack.


    Petra stretched out her rtively uninjured wings, and her gaze hardened as she stared at Sierra who was standing outside the barrier she casted to shield them from the pantheon''s eyes.


    "Do not think you have won. Protect that child every day, every hour, every minute of her life...Do not let her leave your sight for even a second, for you will never know, that might be thest time you will ever see your precious daughter."


    With a chuckle, a soft light wrapped around the angels, and they disappeared as if they never existed in the first ce.


    ==


    A/N- Dear readers, I am aware that the current plot might not interest you as our MCs are weakpared to enemies, the unsolved mysteries, no romance andedy. But do note that we are leading to the end of plot and to get the answers of all the questions we had till now. Please bear with this current plot though you might find it uninteresting as it is the time for the viins to show up and mark the plot.


    After that soon, we will go back to our Drayce and Seren''s sweet moments and you will know whether Seren is in love with Drayce or not. And we will have one happy ending.

 Chapter 665 Deity Of Fire Is In Agartha

    Along with the Angels'' disappearance, the protective barrier separating the mountain from the rest of the world also ceased to exist. Sierra hurried towards the people within the destroyed cave.


    Seren went unconscious once again after that hellfire disappeared. Drayce carried his wife in his arms, and Sierranded next to Evanthe.


    Sierra went to her knees beside her daughter, and the first thing she did was to check on Seren''s body.


    Sierra opened her eyes in disbelief and shock. "How can this be?"


    "What happened?" Evanthe asked. "Is her life in danger?"


    "The seal of her essence is intact, and the energy in her core is dormant. She should not be able to use her innate earth power, much less the Deity of Fire''s hellfire," she replied with doubt.


    "Then what was that just now? You have witnessed it too, Sierra," Evanthe asked. "Was the curse...?"


    Evanthe felt anticipation. Seren used her power to protect Drayce! If that meant one of Seren''s curses broke-- then finally, her son wouldn''t be the only one in love.


    The hood was hiding Sierra''splicated expression, but both Drayce and Evanthe could hear her sigh.


    "It''s still there. She did not use this power on her own."


    "Then?" Evanthe asked.


    Drayce felt his worry grow as he looked at Seren''s unconscious face. He held her closer.


    "She is back. The Deity of Fire," Sierra replied, her tone filled with a mix ofplex emotions. "As the true master of hellfire, something must have happened to her, awakening her powers, which made Seren reflect that Deity''s actions as the two are connected. It is a fortunate coincidence that the angels thought Seren is the one who caused it."


    "If the Deity of Fire awakened, then this is good, is it not? She will surely seek to regain her own power, and Seren will no longer be burdened by the dangers that hellfire will bring her in the future. Those angels would no longer target her too once the hellfire is gone from her body."


    Sierra agreed. "Rather than wait for that deity to find us, it is better we actively search for that deity."


    As they spoke, Drayce carried Seren in his arms and their group left the ruined cave, heading towards the direction where they felt Yorian''s essence.


    Due to the earthquake caused by Seren''s outburst, Yorian and Martha led their humanpanions elsewhere on the forest near the foot of the mountain, a distance away from the ice cave where the angels had a confrontation against Drayce and Evanthe.


    As it was still within the barrier casted by the angel Petra, Yorian took on the role of protecting the humans from the shockwave caused by the fight.


    King Armen was anxiously waiting against a tree. When the earthquake stopped, each passing moment became more and more difficult to bear while wondering what was happening with his daughter and Sierra.


    When he saw Drayce carrying the unconscious Seren in his arms, he hurried towards them. The group could see that Drayce was covered in blood, and Evanthe''s and Sierra''s robes appeared tattered as well, as if they had gone through a terrible fight.


    "What happened? Is she hurt?"


    "She is fine, just unconscious," Drayce replied.


    Martha stepped up. "We have prepared another hidden location nearby. Follow me."


    Soon, their group went underground once more, and they found a tunnel of caves in the mountain next to them, only that these stone passages were musty and earthy, the air damp with the smell of bats.


    Deeper inside, there were a handful of stone chambers simr to the ones in the underground river. Drayce carried Seren towards one stone chamber so he could make her restfortably. Martha followed him to help Seren change into cleaner clothes.


    "Are you...fine?" King Armen asked Sierra, his face showing concern.


    "The Queen of Megaris is no longer in danger. You can now be rest assured, King Armen," was all Sierra said, ignoring his question.


    This was the first time the knights saw these two robed women. At first, they were wary, but they lowered their guards when they realized King Armen and Yorian treated them with respect.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    Yorian went to Evanthe to ask her about the situation. Sierra and Evanthe both exined what happened to both King Armen and Yorian.


    "Now what?" Armen asked. "We have to find that deity?"


    On the other hand, Evanthe excused herself from the group and went to a separate stone chamber. Yorian followed her.


    "You should be happy you prevented them from taking Queen Seren away, but you don''t look well. Is there a problem?"


    Evanthe quietly nodded, allowing herself to put down the strong front she had been putting on since the fight started. Her shoulders sagged as tension left them, and she let out an exhausted sigh.


    "What happened?" the elf asked as he sat beside her on the bed.


    "The vision, it came true," she answered, and when she looked at him, her eyes were red with tears.


    Yorian held his breath. "Who did we lose?"


    "Morph," she replied and the tears she was holding back streamed down her pale cheeks.


    "Divine Eagle Morpheus?" Yorian said in shock.


    Evanthe nodded.


    Yorain sighed helplessly. Then, he remembered something. "That child, King Drayce sent that child to Agartha."


    "Who?"


    "That young golden eagle, Aureus. We sent him there as an envoy of Megaris. To think he lost family as soon as he found them, that child must be devastated."


    "Drayce aware of Aureus'' identity?" she asked.


    "Yes."


    Evanthe wiped her tears. "Why did you send him there? Seems like we have so many things to talk about."


    Yorian nodded. "There are things you should know. I was waiting for this night to pass by. And after this, I will leave for Agartha. Do you wish toe with me?"


    Evanthe nodded as once again tears rolled from her eyes.


    "I need to see my friend for thest time," Evanthe replied and then remembered something, "That woman...."


    "Who?" Yorian asked.


    "That woman I saw along with Morpheus being stabbed, she...Fire...No that was hellfire..." Realization struck Evanthe as she wondered how she could be too slow to get it. Pain of losing her friends blinded her ability to see other things.


    "Hellfire?"


    "Yes, Yorian, that was hellfire," she looked at him with conflicted gaze, "the deity of fire is in Agartha. She was angry and her powers looked awakened the same time Seren showed the presence of that power. She is the one we have been searching for. We need to go there."


    "Are you sure?"


    "Yes, I am. I will exin it to Sierra and we will soon leave for Agartha once we make sure Seren is fine," she replied with a determined gaze.


    "Alright. I will prepare for us to leave," Yorian agreed, as he trusted Evanthe''s judgment.

 Chapter 666 Vows By The Devil

    As the time on the mortal realm passed slowerpared to the time on the heavenly realm, the entire night''s worth of time that the angels spent on the mortal realm were mere minutes to Isis. It didn''t take much time for Petra to return to the residence of the goddess, heading straight to report without even minding her appearance and injuries.


    "My Sovereign, I seek your punishment!" Petra kneeled in front of therge red throne the moment she saw her master. Her voice and expression were full of guilt. She was a sinner, a failure who once again could notplete the task given to her.


    The atmosphere within therge hall turned terrifyingly cold.


    Isis, who was already livid upon realizing that the Deity of Fire had awakened, could no longer withhold her anger upon hearing those words. Her divinity dangerously swirled around her as if it would explode at the slightest touch.


    After several seconds of heavy silence, Isis lifted her gaze away from the mystical bronze mirror floating in front of her and the divinity around her body somewhat calmed.


    "What happened?"


    Her gaze narrowed at her servant who looked to be in a bad state. Traces of battle could be seen on her soft armor, and it was shocking to see her like this. Who could hurt a powerful angel like Petra in the mortal realm? Even if both Evanthe and Sierra, those fallen goddesses, were to team up and attack, their strength would at most be on par with the lowest-ranked angel. Petra did not go down alone��she even brought tens of high-ranked angels for this task.


    A sudden realization hit Isis as she sensed the power that caused harm to her servant.


    ''Hellfire? I can sense hellfire. How can that be?''


    "My Sovereign," Petra''s voice pulled Isis out of shock. "I have failed to bring the purple-eyed child."


    Isis asked with her voice raised, "Did you meet the Deity of Fire? Did she manage toplete her core?"


    "N-No, my Sovereign. We didn''te across the Deity of Fire. It was that purple-eyed child, Sierra''s child. For some reason, she managed to awaken that power and wield it to fight us. We were powerless against her."


    "That could not be! She''s an inferior being, a half-blood! She shouldn''t be able to wield divinity the way us divine beings could. Besides, her magic is of earth, not fire, and isn''t she cursed to be unable to use any divine power? Did she manage to break the curse? Did she find someone she would want to protect? No��"


    Once more, the golden divinity surrounding her body began to swirl dangerously, causing even the throne where she was sitting to crack. Her perfectly beautiful features began to distort in anger.


    "Why is everything going against my ns? Why��-"


    Petra was terrified to see her master angry. "My Sovereign, please calm��"


    "You! You failed me again and again. You could do nothing but return to me crying over your failures. It was my mistake to trust you with such an important matter. Do you know what will happen now?"


    Petra trembled under that cold gaze and could only lower her head, touching her forehead against the floor. "P-Please forgive me, my Sovereign."


    "Does your ipetent self deserve forgiveness?"


    "I deserve your punishment, my Sovereign, but I beg you to spare my brethren. All of them are seriously injured as we speak, and it is my fault as theirmander to not only fail our mission but also have our people suffer heavy casualties. I was negligent in determining the strength of the enemies."


    Isis sneered at her. "Negligent, you say?"


    Petra dared not raise her head as she spoke softly, "My Sovereign, the Lord of Darkness is helping the purple-eyed child."


    Isis had already guessed it as she faced the same thing. The power of Darkness was hindering her from seeing the situation with the Deity of Fire as well.


    "Was He there?" Isis asked.


    "No, my Sovereign, but I saw his pawn."


    "His pawn?"


    "There was a young Dragon protecting Sierra''s daughter. The Devil is the first Dragon birthed by the world, and all Dragons are his people," Petra replied. "If not for this young Dragon''s interference, we would have been able to get the purple-eyed child before she could manifest the Deity of Fire''s hellfire."


    It shocked Isis. "How could He have a pawn in the mortal world?"


    "Not just that, but this pawn is a half-Dragon, half-warlock. His essence is simr to Evanthe as well."<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    "Having powers of both darkness and water attributes?"


    "Y-Yes, my Sovereign."


    At this point, Isis found herself amazed, shocked and confused, unable to fully digest the new information Petra revealed. She closed her eyes for some time. Her ns all fell through, and worse, an unpredictable factor had appeared. She felt lost on how to handle the situation.


    After a while, she opened her eyes and looked at Petra, "Do you think that pawn you said is their child, His child with Evanthe?"


    Petra dared not immediately agree. To be honest, that young Dragon was extremely simr to the Devil''s��his red-eyed and ck-haired appearance, not to mention the purity of his power of darkness��but she felt scared to make that im. If this information were to be known by others, the heavens would be in turmoil.


    "I..I am not sure, my Sovereign��but, if we think about it, how can a person possess both the powers and the essence of those beings unless that person is birthed by them?"


    "How old is this Dragon?"


    "He is nothing but a child, not even three decades old."


    Isis once again closed her eyes.


    "To think you will discover the hidden child of that fallen woman and the Devil."


    Petra could only swallow silently, remaining on her knees with her head touching the floor. Instead of bringing good news to her master, she could only bring bad news for her, adding to her troubles.


    Isis mmed her hand against the armrest, causing a crack to appear on the throne she was sitting on. Her bearing was no longer that of an elegant goddess, but that of a volcano about to erupt. She was muttering under her breath, her words filled with uncertainty.


    "...but after that, He has long disappeared, and not only the gods of the pantheon, even my husband, the king of heaven, is not sure of his whereabouts. He is not allowed to interfere in the matters of both the heavenly realm, that includes keeping touch with divine beings, even banished divine beings.


    "How could Evanthe find Him? Besides, she should not have any memories of him. Does she still remember Him even after she was exiled from heaven? Or that Devil reached out to her after she was sent to the mortal world��?"


    Petra refrained from making any sounds, fearing to interrupt her master''s loud contemtion. However, Isis'' attention eventually went back to the kneeling angel.


    "Weren''t you keeping track of Evanthe after she left the heavens, Petra? How did you miss such a huge thing?"


    "I..I merely checked on her a few times, my Sovereign. I did not keep track of her per se as the Heavenly Emperor forbade us to know Evanthe''s whereabouts and I still did it with a guilty conscience. In those few times, there was no sign of the Lord of Darkness around Evanthe."


    "This is huge," Isis sighed, "we need to let the King know about it. If the Devil had broken the rule and even had a child, he would be punished along with that woman. I will make sure that Evanthe and her pawn will be punished for it. That child should not have been born."


    "Not born?" Petra could not help but echo. "Did the Heavenly Emperor��?"


    "Petra, this is a silent agreement among the gods of the pantheon. I am only telling you this because despite your ipetence, your loyalty is unquestionable. Other than Him, there can be no other who possesses the power of absolute darkness, and only that way can we gods be safe and can dominate all the realms. We cannot let it change. I am sure the King will take action upon knowing this news."


    "Is this the will of the Heavenly Emperor, my Sovereign? Wasn''t the Lord of Darkness one of his most trusted beings, second only with the King of Heavens?" Petra asked.


    Isis looked down at the foolish angel. "Has the Absolute ever meddled in the affairs of the heavens after he went into istion?"


    "The Heavenly Emperor never showed himself again after giving all rights to govern the three realms to the King of Heavens. Forgive my ignorant question, my Sovereign," Petra answered.


    "My dear Petra," Isis started to exin, "you ought to know that the three realms exist thanks to the efforts of the King of Heavens and the pantheon to manage the bnce. The presence of the Devil, while He is a benefactor of all living beings, is one who destroys this bnce.


    "Ever since He became the Darkness, He became an existence as powerful as the Heavenly Emperor who is the Light. With the Heavenly Emperor going into seclusion, His strength now bes a threat to the bnce of the world and our very existence.


    "That is why the Heavenly Emperor made the Devil give a vow to never meddle in the affairs of the heavenly realm, allowing us, the pantheon of gods, to rule over all the realms.


    "Do you understand the seriousness of the situation now, Petra? We cannot let the existence of darkness threaten the rule of the pantheon. Both the Devil and that Deity of Fire, we have to keep them under our toes in order to preserve the current peace. Neither of them are allowed to grow their powers��they can only serve us but not the ones to rule us."


    Petra lowered her head, "I understand, my Sovereign."

 Chapter 667 ....She Has Returned!

    Quiet tension enveloped the second underground cave.


    After the fight with the angels, Evanthe, Sierra and Drayce were terribly exhausted. Not only were they injured, they had squeezed out their powers to thest energy. Their overallbat ability was pitiful with only the elf Yorian to protect the group until they recovered.


    Meanwhile, Seren was even in a worse situation due to the outburst of hellfire, and though her body did not show signs of damage, no one knew what her true state was before she woke up.


    Since they had to be careful of their enemies, they decided to stay in that cave for a day more. Moving to a different location would have made more sense, and with that being the obvious choice, if more angels were to descend on the mortal realm, they would probably set an ambush in their routes of escape. No one would think they were near the copsed ice cave.


    Staying underground would be safer for the meantime.


    The two knights took the responsibility of scouting on the surface. Donning clothes of hunters, whoever saw them would think they were merely chasing prey deep in the forest. As humans, even if there were divine beings who spotted them, they would not find their presence suspicious.


    Yorian, on the other hand, took the role of guarding the ce, keeping an eye if there were any movements either from divine beings or other supernatural beings.


    An entire day passed by quietly.


    When morning arrived, there were still no other attacks from the enemies. It seemed all the angels fled back to the heavenly realm.


    Sierra went to the stone chamber where Evanthe was resting.


    "How are your injuries?" At this point, Sierra had changed to a new set of clean robes, but her appearance remained hidden by a low hood.


    "Nothing that won''t heal in another two or three days." Seeing Sierra standing without saying a word, Evanthe asked, "What''s wrong?"


    "Seren is still unconscious..."


    Evanthe had a thought and chuckled. "What? You don''t dare visit her on your own? You still need me toe with you?"


    Though Sierra did not respond, Evanthe knew her long enough to understand her reluctance. Not wanting to tease her more, she stood up. "Alright. Let us check on Seren."


    The two went to the stone chamber where Seren was resting. They were not surprised to see that Drayce was with her.


    With their arrival, Drayce stood up from Seren''s bedside and made a way for them to check on her. Evanthe could not help but silently sigh. Her son''s face was pale, and he looked like he didn''t close his eyes even for a moment the entire night. He could not be med. How could he rest when his wife was obviously not fine?


    Sierra sat at the edge of the stone bed and held Seren''s wrist. She closed her eyes for several minutes. "It is still the same. Since her body had suffered from a power which did not belong to her, she will naturally take a little more time to recover. We could only wait."


    Evanthe looked at Drayce. "We will stay by her side. You should rest."


    "I am fine," he replied politely, making his intentions clear of not leaving his wife''s side.


    Evanthe didn''t insist and passed a bottle of potion to Sierra. "You can give this to her. It will help her body recover faster."


    Afterwards, Evanthe offered another bottle to Drayce. "Take one as well."


    Drayce was going to reject it, but before he could, Evanthe spoke, "Don''t be stubborn. You are currently in a weakened state. At least, you need to have the strength to escape with your wife in case there is another attack."


    Drayce epted it without a word and drank it, not wanting to be an inconvenience if enemies were to truly seek them once more.


    With Sierra''s worries soothed, the women left the stone chamber of the King and Queen of Megaris.


    There was a man waiting for them outside the door, pacing with uneasiness, only to pause upon seeing them exit the chamber. It was King Armen.


    He went to Sierra, and Evanthe tactfully excused herself, leaving the two by themselves.


    "She is still unconscious?" he asked. When he saw her nod, he probed, "What will happen once she wakes up?"


    "We are not sure. We have to wait for her to wake up first. Till then, we can only pray that her pursuers do not return," Sierra answered.


    The middle-aged man massaged his temples. "I understand. I reckon you will note with us? Once we go separate ways, will you follow our daughter back to the pce? Will you also follow her back to Megaris?"


    However, he saw her shaking her head. He felt dismayed by her response.


    He could not help but remark, "Her pursuers will sooner orter figure out her identity as the Queen of Megaris. With her identity out in the open, it will be easy for them to find an opportunity to target her once again. Won''t Seren need your protection and guidance? Since you two already met, why don''t you--"


    "Celia will apany her as before and I will keep visiting once in a while to check on her. Rest assured," Sierra answered.


    Though Armen trusted Sierra, after hearing what happened inside the ice cave, he did not want to be recklessly optimistic.


    "Can Martha fend off angels? Could Seren return to her daily life without worries? Those beings already saw her and King Drayce. Maybe we should hide her elsewhere, somewhere with no people--"<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    "There is no need. The divine beings of the heavenly realm are prohibited from interacting with mortals, and those angels descended secretly. They will not employ the help of any human or supernatural being to search for Seren.


    "The only way they can seek her is through their own people or other divine means like treasures to grasp the essence of Seren''s power or that hellfire. We can trust the power of darkness that her husband possesses. As long as he stays by her side, his power can suppress her essence and stop them from finding her."


    "Can a single supernatural being shield her on his own against angels and deities?"


    "Her husband is not someone ordinary either. Otherwise, I will not feel assured to leave her on her own. He happened to inherit the powers of both his parents. What he simply needs now is time to master them well," Sierra replied.


    Sierra knew Drayce''s father was the Devil himself, and his mother, though no longer the Deity of Water, was the strongest witch in existence. As the offspring of those two, his ability against divine beings could not be ignored.


    "I have no other option but to trust your decisions," Armen said with a deep sigh. Being human against otherworldly beings sure didn''t feel good. He might have power and authority as a monarch, but neither his army nor his wealth could protect his loved ones.


    Sierra soon went to find Evanthe in her chamber. The blond woman looked immersed in her thoughts.


    "Are you leaving soon?" she asked, aware that Evanthe wanted to leave due to her visions.


    However, Evanthe shook her head. "I am nning to leave for Agartha once everything with Seren is settled."


    "Are you sure?" Sierramented.


    "My vision hase to pass. My presence there would not change a thing. I know what to prioritize." Evanthe said those words with a defeated tone,her eyes turning moist. "I wish I could escape as I do not wish to talk about the past with Dray as well... but given the situation here, I don''t think I can leave right away."


    "Hmm," Sierra agreed. "Chances are high that despite both parties acting discreetly, yesterday''s incident must have alerted the heavenly realm. This time, not just one goddess, but the entire pantheon of gods woulde after Seren. If they find her, we won''t be able to protect her."


    "Are they that cruel to harm a child?" Evanthe asked.


    Sierra looked at her friend for a while as she thought, ''Evanthe, you also once suffered that cruelty from those heartless gods. You are fortunate that you cannot remember how callous those beings are.''


    "Sierra?" Evanthe called out to her, seeing her go silent.


    "In their opinion, they are the righteous ones while we are evil. They follow those so-called heavenly rules, and breaking them is the same as doing evil. For them, Seren'' existence itself is a sin, and given the dangerous power hiding inside her, they will do anything to take it back, even if it involves sacrificing her," Sierra answered.


    "Things will change for the better."


    "What do you mean?"


    "I know where the Deity of Fire is," Evanthe told her, which shocked Sierra.


    "A-Are you sure?"


    Evanthe exined to her what she saw in her vision, before saying, "She must be in Agartha. What happened with Seren, the reason why that hellfire went out of control, it had something to do with that deity being in Agartha."


    Sierra stumbled on her feet as her eyes turned moist. She mumbled a name and something else which Evanthe could not hear.


    ".... she is back?" Tears rolled down Sierra''s eyes as a light smile painted on her lips. "She has finallye back."


    "Sierra, what did you say?" Evanthe asked.


    The hooded woman got back to her senses, but her heart felt lighter than it was moments ago. She did not expect to hear news of a friend she had once lost. That person, she was as dear to her as a sister, simr to Evanthe.


    "I said, at least one of us must go seek her out," Sierra lied.


    Evanthe agreed. "I already talked to Yorian about this. Do you think it is fine if we ask him to return in our stead?"


    "I am not sure either. Your elf friend is trustworthy, I believe? We can have him meet her first, and if Yorian can arrange for the three of us to meet, that would be great. It is best we personally meet her as soon as possible and understand her situation."


    "Are you implying we cannot ask her to take back her power from Seren?"


    "There areplications," Sierra exined. "Since you had a vision of the Deity of Fire''s awakening, then the gods must be aware of it too. She is not safe as well, and there might be many gods alerted by her awakening who will take action against her. If we seek her out without prudence, we might implicate ourselves. We already struggled with one, we cannot afford to have the entire pantheon find us."


    Evanthe understood and said, "That means it is safer to have Yorian act as vanguard. We can decide once we have more information. Still, with us knowing the deity''s whereabouts, we have hope to save Seren."


    ====


    Note- the next chapter "The King of heaven" is the same chapter 419 in the second book "the Devil''s cursed witch" If you had read there, do not unlock it here.


    I had to do it for the readers who don''t read both the books but I needed to introduce king of heaven to them as well.

 Chapter 668 The King Of Heaven.

    Dear readers this chapter is same as the chapter number 419 of the second book "The Devil''s cursed witch." If you have read this one, then dont read that chapter. It is for the readers who don''t read both books so they can know about this part as well. If you have unlocked both, then do not worry about wasting coins. I willpensate you by giving free content ining chapters worth those coins.


    ====


    In the heavenly realm, amidst the rolling sea of white clouds, there was a particr floating ind so massive it was like a world of its own, eclipsing the vast sky.


    It was and of nature, withkes and rivers, marshes and forests, all thriving with vitality. The scenery of divine beings in white robes, angels singing praises, some even ying musical instruments, was a wee addition to the perfect harmony of the ind.


    On this paradise nketed by immortal misty the most breathtaking as well as the most important pce of the heavens, the high temple where the ruler of the three realms resides.


    Sitting on therge throne within the grand hall of the temple was a powerful being shrouded in blinding radiance, his very existence giving out heavy pressure even without making a single movement. It was as if he was the reincarnation of the sun, and each and every living being could only prostrate in front of him in reverence.


    A figure of a man in pure white clothes could be vaguely seen behind the shroud of brilliance, but aside from his long silvery white hair, nothing of his appearance was visible.


    This powerful deity was none other than Grianor, the King of Heavens and the Lord of Light.


    At this moment, Grianor had sensed something familiar yet strange, causing his divine gaze to briefly sweep across the mortal realm below his domain.


    The heavy gaze of the King of Heavens thennded at the deity standing at the step below his throne.


    "Solon," he spoke towards the minor god, his normal voice like thunder to the ears, "did you feel that power?"


    The incident in the mortal realm, about how the power of hellfire appeared and grew out of control, as well as the awakening of the sealed Primordial, the Deity of Fire -- such argemotion wouldn''t be possibly hidden from the gods of the pantheon, not to mention the King of Heavens himself.


    The worry that Sierra had came true. The existence of her daughter, Seren, and her dear friend, the Deity of Fire, had caught the attention of the entire heavenly realm.


    "Indeed, Supreme Lord. No matter how long, existences like us cannot forget such a familiar power," the God of Knowledge, Solon, replied.


    As a god, Solon had a rather ordinary appearance, resembling a youth with a rather schrly figure. He appeared both young and old at the same time, giving a sense of dizzying dissonance. However, his eyes were his most peculiar trait--they were as dark and as deep as the abyss, and each of them seemed to hold a universe within.


    The King''s eyes narrowed at his confirmation. "The essence of hellfire..."


    Solon had a rather curious expression as he voiced out his confusion, "Supreme Lord, it should not be possible for hellfire to appear in the mortal realm. Isn''t it preserved in the underworld after it was taken away from the Deity of Fire? Could it be that someone entered the underworld and disturbed that dangerous power?"


    The expression on the King''s face turned grave. "Send someone to the guardians in the underworld."


    "Yes, Supreme Lord."


    Solon respectfully withdrew from the grand hall, and upon his return, he brought bad news for the King.


    He faced Grianor with a worried face. "Supreme Lord,, something worrisome has happened!"


    Grianor''s silence prompted him to continue, "The hellfire locked in the underworld, it''s no longer there!"


    The King of Heavens stood up from his throne in shock, and this gesture caused the temple to shake. "What are you saying, Solon?"


    "It is gone! No one knows where it is, or how long it has gone missing. The two divine guardians in charge of watching over it are missing as well."


    No one could see the expression of the King of Heavens, but the suffocating aura his body emitted were telltale signs of his anger.


    "Summon the pantheon! Howe no one knows about this? Investigate it and find where the hellfire is!"


    "I heed your orders. I will arrange for this matter to be investigated, Supreme Lord." Solon assured. "However, for the meantime, shall we send down angels--no, a Celestial to the mortal realm? I worry about this being who currently wields the power of hellfire."


    If the most destructive divine power fell to the wrong hands, all the three realms would be in danger.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    Solon patiently waited for the King to speak.


    ''There is only one person who can wield the power of hellfire...,'' the KIng sighed, ''its one true master.''


    Solon looked at the King as he had the same thought as the king, "Supreme Lord," he could not help but say, "do you think the Deity of Fire is back?"


    "Seems like it, Solon. We all know, no one among the gods or demons is capable of wielding that power. Only she, as the first being birthed by fire, can control that destructive fire."


    Though Solon was worried about the hellfire falling in the wrong hands, the possibility of the Deity of Fire getting her power back brought himfort.


    ''It is only fair and just for that hellfire to return to its real owner. Such is fate. However, for her to get a new lease of life, I hope the future that awaits her will be bright. The unfairness she had once suffered, she must not go through that again.''


    "Solon?" the King called for him.


    The minor god looked at the King, who was known for his righteousness.


    "Supreme Lord, I will send some of my people to descend on the mortal realm. I seek your permission to do so. However, I believe that if it is truly the Deity of Fire whoes to possess that dreaded hellfire, then the pantheon has nothing to worry about. You know as well as I, she might not have the best temper, but she has the purest of heart. The past, when she... s!"


    Solon no longer mentioned it, and changed the subject.


    "Besides, that power is a hidden danger we merely temporarily suppressed with the help of the underworld. Once ites out again, it will threaten all three realms. No one but her can truly control it."


    The King of Heavens sat back on his throne as the radiance surrounding him fluctuated along with his emotions. He remembered a certain deity as dear to him as a younger sister, but nothing was the same now.


    "Though it belongs to her, if she cannot control herself from being affected by the corruption of that hellfire, then the past will repeat itself. Sacrificing a deity, keeping that absurd power suppressed in the underworld, such a cruel choice I will make over and over again for the safety of all living beings in the three realms."


    "Maybe we can give her another chance," Solon suggested.


    "She left with a vow of revenge for what happened to her, Solon. An oath of a deity cannot be taken lightly. If she returns, her revenge will bring harm and destroy the peace. Even if she has the ability to control that hellfire, the pantheon can no longer trust her. You know she was punished, her powers taken away from her, because her actions threatened the heavenly realm."


    "Supreme Lord, things may not always be what it seems," Solon sighed.


    As the Lord of Light, Grianor was a being of principles, a god who upholds righteousness and morality, that was why he understood the good sentiments of the God of Knowledge.


    However, regarding the crime of the Deity of Fire, he could not remain impartial.


    "Does the truth matter in the face of danger?" he spoke solemnly. "As one of the Primordial Gods, the Deity of Fire would not be judged and punished so harshly if not for her giving into the darkness. She had been corrupted by that hellfire. The gods exist to safeguard all the realms, and we cannot allow anyone to harm the living beings, whatever the circumstances are."


    Solon lowered his head. "With her sins punished, her reincarnation should be now free of guilt."


    The King of Heavens agreed. "However, if she returns seeking revenge for the past, then she will have to face the wrath of the pantheon. Heavens won''t spare her."


    "I understand, Supreme Lord," Solon bowed to the King. "I will look into the situation personally."


    The King nodded and Solon left. The radiant being sitting on the throne appeared particrly lonely in the middle of the massive temple.


    ''I have no wish to go through the pain of punishing you once more. I hope your soul finds peace in this lifetime, and that we each go our separate ways.


    ''I wish you to never return to heaven ever again.''

 Chapter 669 Mate Bond With Erebus

    As soon as the sun reached the highest point in the sky, the knights of the King of Megaris and King of Abetha returned to the underground cave to report the situation on the surface.


    After discussion, their group decided to start heading back to the capital of Abetha as soon as possible. Seren was still unconscious and it was still not safe for her body to be teleported with Drayce. The knights arranged for a new boat to pick them up from a different part of the river, and while Martha and Yorian would apany Seren, her protectors Sierra and Evanthe would stay in the shadows as they did before.


    If nothing were to go wrong, the group should be able to reach the capital after sundown and secretly enter the royal pce with Armen''s help.


    Before leaving, Drayce wished to talk to his mother. With her avoiding him, he knew that this might be hisst chance to see her again. Evanthe was aware of his thoughts. She somewhat envied Sierra, especially how lucky her friend was to be free from having such a difficult talk with her own child.


    The blond witch waited for her son in the open area outside of the stone chambers.


    As he reached there, Evanthe turned to look at him. Her caramel-colored eyes were filled withplex emotions, guilt being the most prominent, as she stared at the man standing in front of her.


    Two decades lost. Her little boy had grown up so much��


    There was a stretch of silence before Evanthe finally asked. "I believe you have something important to talk about."


    Seeing her expression, Drayce got hold of his emotions and nodded.


    "I wish to know what more I can do to protect Seren."


    Evanthe let out an inward sigh of relief, but along with it, a twinge of disappointment spread across her heart. She had been mentally preparing herself for his me, his anger, perhaps even disgust against her.


    However, she was able to put her worries aside upon realizing her son did not wish to talk about the sensitive questions regarding their past.


    Drayce continued, "Those we are fighting are otherworldly beings and I realized my powers are not strong enough to protect my wife. I don''t wish Seren to suffer through that hellfire again. Rather than us protecting her, it ended up with her protecting us. I do not want a repeat of that to happen. There has to be a way for me to grow stronger in a short amount of time."


    Evanthe could understand his worry.


    "I am d that you asked this." She pondered for a bit. "At this moment, though we are yet to know exactly how the power of earth and hellfire will affect Seren, it is safe to say both powers have grown many times stronger.


    "What protects her from being discovered is the attribute of your magic. Hence, not only do your power of darkness need to match the two powers inside her, you also have to be always around her. As much as possible, do not leave her side for more than a day."


    "I will do that."


    "When I say you, it''s not just you. It includes Erebus," Evanthe said, which made him look at his mother with confusion. Deep inside, he could understand what she was hinting at but didn''t want to ept it.


    "I know you are aware of his importance. For your wife''s sake, you should stop suppressing him," she said.


    "What I want to strengthen is my own power��"


    "You are not enough," she cut him off. "Do you not want to protect your wife? Not even that, do you not want to protect yourself? Is your pride more important than your safety?"


    He threw a puzzled look at his mother, wondering why she pointed out the need to protect himself. However, he did not linger much on that issue. It did make sense to him that with divine beings targeting his wife, his life would also be put in danger.


    "You know it well that the power of darkness was yours to wield��until you made that choice of wanting to stay human, causing your soul to give birth to Erebus, and along with his birth, the greater part of your magic belongs to him. The fastest way for your power to grow is to stop suppressing Erebus."


    Drayce frowned, and just as he was about to respond, Evanthe raised a hand to stop him.


    "Listen to me. Erebus is the personification of your power, but deep in your heart, you reject him and alienate him. How can he grow when you never let him show up? Even the sharpest sword grows dull if kept sheathed. You wish to grow stronger in a short frame of time? ept your other side. Allow Erebus to protect Seren. Only when you willingly give him freedom will you haveplete control over your power."


    "I will try to," Drayce replied, but reluctance could be seen on his face.


    "You know the best way to protect Seren?"


    His red eyes flickered with caution. His intuition told him what she was about to say next was not something he''d like to hear.


    "A mate''s bond."


    Drayce turned grim. He was aware that one day it was going to happen�� that Erebus had to be mates with Seren�� but knowing and epting were different things.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    "You understand the importance of a bond, don''t you?" Evanthe asked, seeing her son''s unwilling face.


    "I�� understand."


    Mates.


    Drayce might be Seren''s husband but he needed Erebus for her to be their mate. For supernatural beings, being mates was not merely a vow of love but a union of souls. The bond between them would be a sacred agreement, blessed by the world itself, and this would mean that as long as they live, Seren would be their one true mate. Once their bond was initiated, Drayce and Erebus would be able to feel where their mate was, and the bond would also allow them to know if she falls in danger.


    However, for Erebus to mark her and to own her body, Drayce could not help but feel aggrieved.


    "Once Seren bes your mate, this will allow both of your magic powers to grow."


    Evanthe put forward her hand, and on her palm, an ancient-looking scroll appeared.


    "Learn this and teach it to your wife after the mate bond besplete. This is a unique spell created two thousand years ago during the Dark Ages of the continent, back when the world was embroiled in constant wars. For divine beasts, the death of their mate also signals their own, that was why this spell was created as an additionalyer of protection for their beloved. It is a secret spell that allows mates to rapidly improve their energy core by nourishing their mate''s power through the magic of the mate bond."


    Once again, what Evanthe provided was meant for when Seren and Erebuspleted the mate bond. Why did it feel like his mother cared more about Erebus?


    Drayce clenched his fists but his face remained calm. His wife was the only woman in his life, yet his own mother was telling him he needed to share his wife with another. So what if Erebus was his dark side? He was still not Drayce.


    Nothing went unnoticed by his mother, but she could not afford to be soft-hearted. Some things had to be done in order to protect the ones you love. At most, she could give him time to process and ept her suggestions.


    In a while, Drayce looked into his mother''s eyes with a determined gaze.


    "I will do everything that is needed to protect her. Rest assured."


    "I know you will," Evanthe said. She felt relieved with his choice. That ancient scroll turned into a formless light that flew from her palm towards Drayce and was absorbed in his body. The details of the spell immediately appeared in his mind.


    "Remember, teach it to Seren after she and Erebusplete their mate bond," he heard his mother say.


    He simply nodded.


    As he felt there was nothing more to talk about, Drayce turned to leave.


    Evanthe could not help but stop him. "Dray?"


    Her voice caused Drayce to pause in his tracks. She called him by his name instead of addressing him by his title?


    He felt like it''s been eternity since he heard his mother saying his name. As far as he was concerned, he had only heard her mention Erebus'' name, never his own.


    A bittersweet sensation erupted in his chest. In the past, he always looked forward to the mornings and the evenings, loving it whenever he heard his mother''s sweet voice waking him up or putting him to sleep. Even after so many years, the longing he felt was the same.


    "Dray, don''t you want to ask anything else?"


    Her question made his mouth grow dry, and he could only take in a deep breath to calm himself.


    "I want to," Drayce replied but he didn''t turn to look at his mother. The moment he did, he was afraid he would turn emotional. "But this is not the time, I guess."


    "I understand," she replied. After several seconds, her sweet voice once again reached his ears, "I��I amforted you grew up well, strong and healthy and wise. I will strive to ensure the matters of the heavenly realm will affect your current life as little as possible. There is a chance things will be over soon, for you and your wife. Till then, take care."


    As soon as Evanthe and Sierra figured out the circumstances of the Deity of Fire, then it would not be long for Seren''s role as a vessel of hellfire to be over. Without the danger of hellfire, then Seren would no longer be targeted by the gods. She could finally live a normal life together with her husband.


    ''I can only pray that they do not target Dray because of his rtion to the Devil��''


    Drayce nodded and he left to go back to his unconscious wife. The pair of mother and son separated with both their hearts filled with worry over the future.

 Chapter 670 Regret

    "Are you sure Seren doesn''t need your protection by her side?" King Armen asked when it was time for them to board the boat waiting by the riverbank.


    The hooded woman by his side, Sierra, replied, "Martha will take care of her. Our presence will only endanger her. Given the situation, staying away will be safer for everyone. We wille to her side when the need arises."


    "I have given a number of high-ranked vitality potions I personally concocted to Martha. They will be of great help to Seren''s body. Do not worry about her health," Evanthe added.


    Armen no longer persuaded them, seeing he could not change their minds. "Then, are you leaving Abetha?"


    "We n to go on a search for another vessel for the power hiding inside Seren," Sierra replied, keeping things vague.


    It made Armen feel hopeful. "Is there really--"


    "We are not sure about anything yet," Sierra replied.


    Evanthe turned to look at her son. Drayce had just left the underground cave, carrying the unconscious Seren in his arms towards the boat. The blond woman tenderly smiled at the sight.


    "Make sure to not leave her side for long."


    Drayce nodded to what his mother said, "I will."


    "We have exined a few things to Yorian. Remember to listen to what he says," she added.


    Drayce opened his mouth, wanting to say some words, but in the end, he could only nod before climbing the boat with his wife. Soon, the boat left the shallow waters and began to move downstream. The people on the boat could only stare at the two robed women left on the bank of the river.


    Sierra and Evanthe wordlessly gazed at their children who were going farther away from them.


    After putting Seren on the makeshift bed inside the only cabin of therge boat, Drayce stared at the figure of his mother growing smaller and smaller with each passing second. There were many things to talk about, but neither of them could voice their true feelings at the moment.


    ''Maybe when we meet again.''


    Some time that night, Drayce and the others finally reached the outer walls of the Royal Pce of Abetha. With King Armen making ample preparations beforehand, their group entered through the secret passage without anyone knowing about it.


    Drayce brought Seren back to her chamber in her tower with Martha and yer apanying them.


    As Drayce ced the unconscious Seren on the bed, his gaze observed her. The worry he had for his wife was evident. She had been unconscious for two days now.


    Afterwards, Martha fed Seren one of the bottles of vitality potions that she received from Evanthe. She could understand Drayce''s worry.


    "She will wake up soon. Her pulse is normal, and there is not a single injury on her body. You can put down your fears, Your Majesty," Martha exined, not expecting any reply from Drayce, she bowed to him. "If you need anything, please let me know."


    After that, she left the chamber.


    Martha found two young women in sleeping robes outside. It was precisely Marie and Eva who were woken up from the sound of Seren''s door opening. Their master had been gone for days and returned in an unconscious state. They dared not ask the King for an exnation, that was why they could only stay outside in worry.


    Martha looked at Marie, quickly realizing that the younger woman was a witch. Marie also discovered that the identity of the middle-aged woman was not simple.


    "Your queen simply needs rest. You should go back to your quarters," Martha told them.


    "You are?"


    "I am called Martha, a servant of your queen back when she was still a princess."<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    Eva eximed. "Her Majesty has told us about you! You are her nanny! Greetings, Miss Martha."


    Given that a nanny had a higher position than them, mere maidservants, Marie and Eva listened to Martha''s instructions.


    -----


    Within their bedchamber, Drayce sat next to Seren with her hand firmly gripped in his. He stared at his unconscious wife, his gaze filled with worry and confusion. He was at a loss about her current situation, and he was reluctant to obey what his mother told him to do.


    If he decided to keep Erebus at bay, how would the future turn out for Seren? Would he regret dying the inevitable because of his own selfishness?


    All he had in mind at this moment was to escape, to take her with him somewhere far, far away, where all these troubles about angels and gods could not reach them and never return.


    He closed his eyes and spoke to his other half in his head.


    ''You can hear me, right? You heard what Mother said as well.''


    Though there was no sign of response, Drayce knew that Erebus could hear him. Drayce let out a tired sigh.


    ''You know it well why I always stopped you from being close to Seren. I don''t want you to hurt her. My wife...our mate, she is the most precious person in our life. Since this is for her sake...Erebus, all I want is for you to be good to her. She is going through a lot. Once you take over our body, be aware of what your actions can cause her. Do not let our woman be hurt. You have to be patient with her. You understand what I mean, don''t you?''


    Despite the silence, Drayce knew he was listening to him. ''I will trust you. Do not fail me.''


    When he opened his eyes, the sight of his sleeping wife caused his heart to ache. His heart hurt for her and for himself as well.


    ''As long as you are safe...''


    Hey down next to her in bed, scooping her delicate body into his arms.


    He caressed her cheek gently with his palm, the memory of that disastrous fight against the angels flooding him with guilt once more.


    ''Because I am weak, you will have to go through something that you don''t deserve to go through. It''s my fault...all my fault. I was foolish and reckless to try living as a human and dividing my soul in order to escape reality. Rather than epting my darkness, I ran away. This is the price of my mistake.


    ''Along with me, you have to ept him as well. me me, my Queen, for I have wronged you.''


    With a bitter smile, he kissed her forehead, before holding her tightly in his embrace as if not willing to let her go away from him even for a moment.


    ''I want to keep you for myself, but I can''t. I have to share you-- share you with my other half, with the scary darkness within me.''


    ====


    A/N- Dear readers, when I say our Male Leads are Devils, it''s not just for saying but they all are in fact Devils. They have power of Darkness which originates from the main Devil. Just like him they are the dragons as well.


    You all know Drayce is Devil''s son but what about others? Howe they are Devil''s as well? We will know it in their stories that how others are rted to the Devil.


    That being said, ining days I am releasing our 3rd Devil novel which is about An and his runaway betrothed (Dragon/Devil and a Witch).


    All three novels of the "Devil and Witch" series will run together and will end together ining months.

 Chapter 671 Destiny

    When Cian learned that King Armen had returned to the pce, his shoulders visibly loosened in relief. The affairs of the kingdom itself were not hard to handle, but it had been difficult for him to deflect people from inquiring about the King''s whereabouts. Even when Queen Niobe asked him, he could only tell her to ask King Armen himself after he returned.


    The Crown Prince of Abetha hurried to find his father in the King''s study.


    Seeing the King''s exhausted expression, Cian grew concerned. "Did something bad happen, Father? How is Seren?"


    "Things went as nned, and though there were mishaps, we managed to protect your sister," Armen replied, "but she is currently unconscious. No one knows when she will wake up. Since that is the case, try to prevent people from seeking an audience with the royals of Megaris."


    Cian understood before proceeding to inform his father of the most important matters within the past few days. "The alliance summit that was supposed to be held in Mivesea has been shifted to Othinia."


    Armen offered his son a surprised gaze. "Why?"


    "A great storm wreaked havoc on the southern regions of Mivesea, and the pirates from the west took this chance to cause some trouble. The royal family have their hands full. It will take time to get the situation stable, thus the host kingdom changed to Othinia."


    "Is Giselle safe?"


    "It''s nothing much, Father. The capital ispletely safe. The northern regions of Mivesea are safe. However, the waters of Mivesea are currently dangerous, cutting off the sea routes, limiting other kingdoms'' ess to reach Mivesea."


    King Armen creased his brows. "Why do I feel like it''s not something normal? I have been gone for merely three days. The alliance needed to receive a majority vote for this to pass. For the host kingdom to change so abruptly��"


    "I feel the same, Father," Cian agreed. "I feel like they are using this as an excuse to move this summit to Othinia."


    "Do you have an idea why Othinia is desperate to have the summit in their kingdom?"


    "The undercurrents point that this is the scheme of Thevailes. The King of Thevailes is the nephew of the current King of Othinia. From ourtest intelligence, his mother, the Queen Dowager, is apanying him to visit her brother."


    Armen mused. "That mother and son are plotting to use the summit as an excuse to visit and strengthen their rtionship with Othinia."


    "The Queen Dowager of Thevailes probably felt that after losing thest war, Othinia had been distancing themself from Thevailes. It is scary how much strings she''s pulling behind the scenes to benefit her son."


    "It is not surprising what a mother''s love can do. Your mother has been supporting you in the shadows as well," Armen remarked. Niobe initially wanted to arrange Cian''s wedding with the daughter of the King of Othinia in order to pull the kingdom into their side.


    "Mother worries too much. I will ask her not to," Cian said politely.


    Armen nced at his only son. "It is impossible for you not to marry, Cian. You are the Crown Prince of this kingdom. What your mother is doing is both for you and our subjects��if we sessfully gain Othinia as an ally, not only will you have more power, it will also cut the threat that Thevailes poses to Abetha."


    "I understand, Father, but there are other means to deal with this future trouble."


    "Maybe you should try meeting the princess of Othinia first before you refuse."


    "I would like to focus on strengthening our kingdom, Father," Cian declined once more, his tone firm but polite.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    "Know you need a Crown Princess to ascend the throne."


    "Father, you can be the ruler of Abetha for another decade. I am in no rush."


    King Armen no longer pestered him about the issue. "I hope you can convince your mother to drop her idea. Her wishes cannot be taken lightly."


    "I will keep that in mind, Father."


    King Armen nodded but then asked, "Do you have a youngdy in mind that you would like to have as your main wife? Otherwise, I cannot fathom why you refuse the princess''s hand so stubbornly."


    "There is no one," the prince replied calmly.


    "Hmm, I do hope you find someone. Getting into a political marriage is not always so pleasant."


    Cian didn''t know what to say. He originally thought the King sided with the Queen, agreeing to him having a political marriage. Was his father asking him to find a woman of his liking?


    Not to mention kings, it was nothing new for noblemen to have multiple wives and concubines.


    Cian then excused himself, thinking of visiting his sister as soon as morning came. She hade of age and he was yet to hand over his gift to her.


    ��-


    With Seren unconscious, Drayce didn''t leave her side, not evening out of their chamber for meals.


    The next morning, Drayce had yer deliver some of his work to the tower. Most of them were documents from his trusted aide, Jasper, informing him about the situation of the royal court, while others were from the army stationed on the western border. However, he could not concentrate on their content. His gaze would often wander towards his sleeping wife. A sigh escaped his lips.


    In the end, he put down his work and stood by the window, looking outside in daze. His handsome face appeared as calm as usual, and no one could tell how deeply immersed he was in various thoughts.


    Never had he been this troubled by anything in his life. With his inhumane abilities, together with his status as King of Megaris, his life had been pretty much smooth sailing.


    However, this was something even a powerful person like him had no control over- Destiny.


    Must he give in?


    After some time, he sensed the movement in bed and turned around to look at his wife. She was stirring awake.


    Drayce sat at the edge of the bed before pulling her hand onto his. "Good morning, my Queen. Did you sleep well?"


    Her purple eyes fluttered open, staring at the ceiling as if she didn''t know where she was. Her gaze slowly moved towards the man smiling at her. It took a while for her to recognize her husband.

 Chapter 672 I Saw A Winged Man Was Stabbed

    A weak voice came out behind the veil. "Dray?"


    It was as if all his worries disappeared the moment she called for him. "Seren, how are you feeling?"


    She was in a state of confusion. "Is this dream? The cave..."


    "It''s not a dream. We have safely returned to the pce," he told her, squeezing her hand in reassurance.


    "The ice cave... What happened?" she asked.


    "You don''t remember?"


    She closed her eyes momentarily as her head hurt. "I...I don''t know. It''s just that..."


    "How about we postpone this talk forter? You should eat something first," he suggested to which she agreed.


    Drayce called for the servants. Three women heeded his call: Martha, Eva and Marie. While Eva and Marie were helping Seren change to morefortable clothes, Drayce pulled Martha to the side.


    "She doesn''t remember anything," he quietly told her.


    Marthe went silent, ncing at the young queen with worried eyes. "Maybe it was a great shock for her. Once she calms down, maybe her memories will return."


    "I prefer they won''t," Drayce said. "My wife cannot even ignore an injured bird. Imagine how she will feel if she remembers how she attacked those angels. She almost killed them. Even if they were enemies, even if it was not deliberate, Seren will be burdened by guilt."


    "We can only hope for what is best for her."


    Seren was served a light meal in bed, and after she finished, she dismissed her servants, leaving only her and Drayce in her chamber. With her body resting against the headboard, she silently gazed at her husband who was busy at work, waiting for him to notice her.


    Drayce finally went to her side.


    "How are you feeling?" he asked.


    Her purple eyes met his red ones. Her brows were creased, as if she wanted to ask a question but didn''t know how to say it.


    Drayce tenderly put some stray strands of hair behind her ear. "What are you thinking about?"


    "Uhm, what happened in that ice cave?" she asked, gazing at him as if searching for answers.


    Expecting this, he chose to answer her with a lie--the first lie he had ever told her.


    "You became unconscious due to the magic shing inside you. Afterwards, the enemies found our hiding ce, but your protectors managed to repel them and they escaped in defeat."


    "Defeated the enemies? Do you know who they are?" she asked, her gaze begging--no, burning-- him to tell her the truth. These enemies, they were the main cause for her seventeen years of imprisonment.


    Drayce caressed her hand to calm her first before answering, "Angels."


    "Angels?"


    "Angels are divine beings who serve the deities."


    She could not believe it. "Deities? Why? What do they want from me? Have I offended them by any means?"


    "No, you didn''t." He offered her a reassuring gaze. "The power of hellfire inside you belongs to the heavens and they are after it."<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    "Heavens?"


    Seren was so shocked, her eyes grew wide.


    "Don''t be scared. Chances are high they will not go after you again. We might soon have a way to remove this power from inside you. Everything will be over soon."


    She lowered her head, pondering over the things she heard. "Aren''t deities invincible? How did you manage to defeat them?" She had a doubtful look in her eyes.


    "Your protectors are powerful, don''t you know? Besides, I was with you the entire time. Are you looking down on your husband''s strength?"


    Seren still had suspicion in her eyes as she mumbled, "Was that all a dream?"


    "What dream?"


    She gulped and her lowered gaze moved to meet his. "You know that green-eyed woman in my dreams? I saw saw her again." Her grip tightened on Drayce''s hand. "She was angry. She was so angry, it was scary."


    "You don''t have to be scared--" he tried to console, but Seren shook her head.


    "Dray, it was scary because this time I don''t think it was a dream. Something inside me tells me it was real. It was like, like we were connected? I was feeling her anger and seeing the world through her eyes. I...I saw a winged man. I think he belongs to the same race as Aureus. He was dying, her fire burning him. There was a knife stabbed in his heart. That winged man..."


    Tears were rolling down her eyes, her emotions in turmoil. She did not know that winged man''s identity, but it hurt her just thinking of him.


    Drayce hugged her to calm her down while he himself had questions in mind.


    ''Yorian said the Deity of Fire was awakened, and this was rted to someone''s death in Agartha. Seems like the hellfire allowed Seren to resonate with that deity.''


    Remembering he had Aureus to that mysterious kingdom, he could not help but be concerned. ''I hope Aureus is safe.''


    "What you saw...my mother had seen it too."


    She moved her head back to look at Drayce.


    Drayce wiped her tears. In the end, he could not bear to deceive his wife and chose to tell her the truth. He had no wish to betray her trust, and he also chose to believe that his wife was stronger than she looks.


    He narrated to her what exactly happened in the ice cave, about how her powers were awakened as well along with the Deity of Fire. He also apologized for his earlier lie and described how her outburst caused the angels to flee in terror.


    "...so we will know once mother visits Agartha. If the Deity of Fire coordinates with her, removing this power from your body is only a matter of time. Everything will be fine then, and those angels won''t bother us again."


    "I-I don''t know. That woman is really scary," she mumbled. "Will your mother be fine meeting her? What if she hurts them?"


    "It is hard to say, after all we do not know what kind of person she is. Maybe she is different from what you imagine. I believe Mother will take care of it. That deity should not be hostile against us since we are giving back her powers."


    Seren nodded to his coaxing and buried herself in his embrace, relishing in his warmth to make herself feel better.


    ===


    A/N- If you are reading all of my books and wondering where to vote, then please do vote Golden Tickets and Powerstones to new novel "The Devil''s betrothed" as it''s in WSA 2023 contest.


    Ining months our ''Devil and Witch'' series will end with all three books of it. I wish us to celebrate the end of the series by winning Gold award in WSA 2023 contest.


    I hope you all enjoy An and his run away betrothed as much as you enjoyed Dryace and Seren and support it. <3<3

 Chapter 673 Memories Of Opera House

    ?


    Upon getting the news that Seren regained her consciousness, King Armen and Cian came to see her in her tower. They found her taking a leisurely stroll in the garden with Drayce. Cian paid his respects towards the couple before smiling at the young queen.


    "How are you, Seren?" Cian asked, pleased to see his sister awake. "Why are you not resting? Should you be outside like this?"


    Seren chuckled. "I am fine, Brother. I need to stretch my limbs after being in bed for so long."


    She turned towards the middle-aged man standing behind Cian. The King was silent, but his gaze was observing her from head to toe. She lightly nodded towards the man. "Greetings, King of Abetha."


    "I hope you are feeling fine, Seren. Anything you need, feel free to ask for it."


    "Thank you for your concern, Your Majesty," she said, before turning her attention back to her brother, indicating that she was done exchanging pleasantries with the older man.


    Armen inwardly sighed but chose not to mind it.


    "Seren, since you came back, I believe you haven''t had the chance to enjoy the capital yet. How about we go out today? Do you have a ce you want to go?"


    "I would love to visit that farm west went to. ckhelm is too cold to grow berries so it''s been long since Ist tasted them."


    Cianughed. "The season for harvesting berries has ended, and you have to wait for next year for a fresh batch. I do have some made into jams. Order your servants to get them from my residence."


    "You can decide where to go then."


    Seren needed something to divert her mind from thinking about that Deity of Fire. Martha had made her drink another bottle of vitality potion so the side effect of her power outburst had been eliminated.


    She looked at Drayce. "Would you like toe with us?"


    He offered her a smile. "I follow wherever my Queen goes."


    Despite all the stress piling inside her, his words made her smile. "Alright." She turned back to her brother. "When are we leaving?"


    "If you have nothing to do, we can leave right away. By the way, it is already noon. Have you eaten? If not there is this famous restaurant��"


    The presence of her husband and the enthusiasm of her brother made warmth blossom within Seren''s chest. It gave her hope that soon everything will be truly fine.


    Cian arranged for the three of them to leave the royal pce with a proper escort, riding carriages bearing the crest of the Ilven Royal Family as well as being guarded by a team of elite knights. This time, they did not disguise themselves as nobles but went out with their real identities as royalty.


    Seren and Drayce sat in one carriage while Cian sat in another. Their magnificent entourage, with royal knights in blue uniform protecting them from both the front and the rear, caused the people on the streets to give way and bow towards the carriages to pay their respect, despite not knowing which royalty were passing by.


    Since his sister and her husband were yet to have their midday meal, Cian yed host and took them to The Golden Sea, the current most famous seafood restaurant within the capital of Abetha, a favored ce for gatherings by the young socialites. It was so expensive that only wealthy merchants and nobles could afford to dine inside, but at the same time, it received countless praises from its patrons, that there had never been an empty table since it started its business. Even people of status had to ce a reservation in advance if they wanted to eat in this luxurious restaurant.


    Of course, that was for nobility. The treatment for royalty was different��as soon as the person in charge learned that royals wereing, he emptied all three floors of the building.


    No one was allowed to enter the restaurant as the knights spread around the perimeter of The Golden Sea.


    When Seren, Drayce and Cian stepped out of their carriages, the restaurant owner himself weed them at the entrance. He was an amiable-looking nobleman.


    "Patrick Hayes pays his respect to His Highness the Crown Prince. I am also honored to be in the presence of the King and Queen of Megaris. Wee, wee! The Golden Sea wees the arrival of such esteemed guests!"


    This was not the first time Cian met the man. "Viscount Hayes, I did not expect you to personallye to greet us."<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    "Your Highness, as soon as I heard from the overseer that you areing, I dropped all matters at hand and hurried to wee you��"


    The three followed the owner while he led their way inside the grand hall of that restaurant.


    Seren gaped at the interior of the building, and even Drayce himself found himself admiring the splendid arrangements within.


    It was as if they had entered an underwater pce straight out of the legends. The hall was spacious, the tiles covering the floor made out of white-veined blue marble, reminiscent of the sea waves. The ss chandeliers were adorned with pearls, and every silverware and dish te was delicately made to resemble creatures from under the sea. There were sculptures of mermaids on every corner, and there was even a gold-ted mermaid fountain in the middle of the lobby spewing water from a vase.


    It was worthy of the name ''The Golden Sea''.


    A huge luxurious table decorated with luminous pearls awaited them on the third floor, where they had a view of the entire restaurant.


    After seating Seren, Drayce sat next to her while Cian sat opposite to them. The servers then came to them with aperitif first, and the viscount himself stayed by their side to wait on them, asking for their preferences.


    "Can I ask for fruit juice for my wife?" Drayce asked when he saw the white wine ced in front of Seren.


    "Of course, King of Megaris," the owner said. "Server, change the Queen''s drink!"


    "This is a beautiful ce," Seren said with bright eyes. It was not only the ce, but also the experience. To be choosing her own food, this was a first time for her!


    "It is," Cian replied. "I have eaten here before. I rmend we try their ms and lobsters. What do you think?"


    "Ohh, let''s get them then," she said, feeling amused. "So, who did you eat withst time?"


    "Some friends." Cian enjoyed the refreshing aperitif, the white wine meant to stimte one''s appetite, as he looked at his sister. "Seems like the King of Megaris has never taken you out to a fancy restaurant before." His gaze moved to Drayce which had a hint of teasing in it.


    Seren eyed Drayce as well. Indeed, he had never taken her out to eat in any ce in ckhelm. Her gaze was using him silently.


    Drayce pretended not to see it and looked at Cian. "Not to a restaurant, but she had been to the grand opera house in our capital."


    Seren immediately averted her attention from Drayce at the mention of the opera house. Sudden embarrassment engulfed her as she remembered the oue of her first visit. Luckily, she had a veil to hide her blushing face.


    "That she had watched one with me as well," Cian countered but��


    "I made sure to show her something better than showing her kids story y," Drayce threw a naughty grin at his embarrassed wife who refused to look at him. "after that, she learned useful things."


    Cian understood what he meant from the way Seren was reacting.


    "That''s so thoughtful of you, King Drayce," Cianmented, with a knowing smile.


    "I was just being a good husband to my wife, Prince Cian," Drayce replied casually, as he enjoyed the drink as well.


    Seren felt like hiding herself. These two tantly shameless men! How could they talk about such embarrassing things not only in front of her, but also in public?


    Drayce was shameless��this she already knew�� but what happened to her brother? Was this still the same Cian she knew?

 Chapter 674 Would Be Consummating A Marriage

    ?


    The chef prepared a ten-course meal for them, showing off his best culinary skills at the behest of the owner. From soup, to appetizers, to sds, to the main course, each and every dish ced in front of them was a feast to their senses.


    "My Queen, why are you so quiet? You didn''t like the food?" Drayce asked.


    "No, they taste heavenly," she immediately replied, not wanting them to know the two men sitting with her were the reason she was quiet. "I am just enjoying the food here. The taste suits my pte."


    "Seems my sister still likes the food in Abetha better," Cianmented. "I doubt the royal chefs from Megaris are less skilled than ours. Food from your homnd is still the best. Should I send some local chefs to Megaris, Seren?"


    "No, Brother, I��" she struggled to exin, while Drayce spoke, "She prefers her husband over food."


    Seren looked at Drayce with a displeased look, as if asking him to stop embarrassing her in front of her brother. However, she turned to re at Cian upon hearing his next words.


    "As long as my sister won''t starve and everything is up to her liking," Cianmented.


    "I make sure she doesn''t starve," Drayce replied.


    Seren wanted to cover her face. These two��were they still talking about food or��?


    It was fine if they were only mocking each other, but why was she dragged into their conversation every single time? She could not properly eat due to embarrassment.


    Observing the smirks on their faces, she was so tempted to stab these two men with a fork.


    Seren could not do anything about her husband, but she had a good way to stop her brother and change this entire scenario.


    "Brother, all your younger sisters are married now. As the most eligible bachelor of the kingdom, I am sure so many youngdies are lining up to marry you," she said. But before he could answer she continued, "When will it be your turn?"


    The smile on Cian''s face stiffened. "I am not in a hurry. I have to handle more important matters��"


    Drayce interrupted him, "I heard Queen Niobe has been exchanging correspondence with the Kingdom of Othinia. Perhaps the future Crown Princess of Abetha will hail from one of the daughters of the Nefertiti Royal Family."


    Seren looked at her brother. "A princess of Othinia? That looks like a good marriage arrangement." She was not going to let him off as he was the one to start the series of embarrassments for her.


    "I am not going to agree to it."


    "Why?" I think it''s good."


    As the new Queen of Megaris, Lady Tyra made sure part of her education involved knowing the important figures of the continent.


    "Othinian women are renowned for their beauty and brains, especially since their kingdom has the most educational institutions in the continent. I am sure the princess Queen Niobe chose for you is more than just a pretty youngdy. Moreover, the alliance with Othinia will benefit greatly to Abetha. Better to get Othinia on your side than letting them side with the Kingdom of Thevailes."


    Cian sighed and red at Drayce. "King of Megaris, no matter how busy you are, as a newly married couple, pay attention to your wife. You must not be spending enough time with my sister that she still has enough time to look into critical political matters of this continent. How can you bear to have such boring stuff catch her attention?"


    "Brother��"<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    Drayce shrugged at Cian. "You have my word��once we return to our kingdom, I will keep her so busy her attention would never stray away from me. Also, you forget, she had juste of age."


    This reminded Seren that with her eighteenth birthdaying to pass, she was considered an adult by society and��she knew what Drayce was implying. She had been so engrossed with the angels and hellfire that she forgot about it.


    She and Drayce would be consummating their marriage��soon.


    Seren gulped and stayed quiet, not even realizing the conversation had shifted to the birthday banquet arranged for hering of age ceremony.


    Drayce and Cian exchanged smiles seeing her lower her head in embarrassment. All their attempts were to make her forget everything that happened with her in the past few days and divert her attention to something else.


    When dessert was served, the topic returned to Cian''s potential bride.


    "Still, Prince Cian, I think you should think about the marriage offer from Othinia," Drayce said.


    "I don''t support political marriages," Cian replied. "Today, I gain favor from them, and tomorrow, I have to return their favor��that kind of maniption, I rather stick to a business transaction between equals. Having a foreign princess as a wifees with a great risk��especially if she shows bias to benefit her homnd rather than the kingdom she married into. If it is about gaining and consolidating power, I prefer to marry a daughter of a local noble instead."


    Seren stared at her brother. "You speak of bias, but are you not showing prejudice as well? How can you decide what that princess is like when you don''t even know her? Not every princess is like that." She looked at Drayce. "Am I right?"


    Drayce nodded. "Maybe Prince Cian would get the chance to visit his potential bride when we go to Othinia for the summit."


    "Othinia? Wasn''t the alliance summit to be held in Mivesea?" Seren asked.


    Drayce exined to her why it was in Othinia and she understood. "Then it''s good. Brother should use this opportunity��"


    "It''s not going to happen, Seren." Cian countered. "I am not going to let myself be matchmade with any princess."


    Seren Sighed, "I hope brother won''t have to eat his words."


    "Rest assured," Cain replied with the confidence.


    The three had a quiet meal, once again talking about there is a birthday banquette arranged to celebrate Seren''s eighteenth birthday.


    "I don''t want any celebration," Seren countered.


    "You are a queen of one kingdom now, Seren. You need to get used to it," Cian tried to make her understand.


    She looked at Drayce who assured her, "You have to bear it for a while, then we will celebrate it our way."


    Seren nodded while Drayce knew he was yet to do something for his wife on her birthday. She had learned Zither to y that same tune from his childhood days as his birthday gift, how could he not do anything for his lovely wife.

 Chapter 675 Lifeless Land

    ?


    After enjoying their meal, the three left The Golden Sea restaurant with satisfaction. As they stepped out of the building, Cian asked his sister, "Is there a ce you would like to visit, Seren?"


    She thought about it and answered, "The waterfall where you took me tost time."


    The Crown Prince of Abetha immediately informed their escorts of their next destination. Their carriages headed for the outskirts of the capital. They left the bustling streets, and the more they traveled, the sights of the buildings and houses became lesser and lesser, until there were only vastnds meant for growing crops left on both sides of the road.


    "Why are these farms empty? Shouldn''t there be people tending to these fields?" Seren mumbled when she noticed the scenery outside the window.


    Drayce stared outside. "Isn''t it because it''s winter?"


    Seren shook her head. "It is unusual. Abetha''s winter is mild unlike in Megaris. I heard Brother mentioning before that the farmers would normally switch from grains to nting root crops and other hardy vegetables that can resist the cold."


    Seren''s gaze noticed something. "Isn''t that��?"


    Drayce instructed to stop the carriage. Seren and Drayce stepped out of it and so did Cian.


    "Is something the matter?" Cian asked as he went to his sister. When he followed the direction of her gaze, he noticed a certain silver-haired person standing in the middle of the deste field.


    "Mister Yorian? What is he doing there?" Cian asked.


    Drayce walked towards Yorian, leaving the siblings behind. Meanwhile, Seren crouched, gently touching the wilted grass on the side of the road.


    "Why isnd barren, Brother? So lifeless and��" She didn''t know why but she felt concerned about thisnd.


    As far as she knew, Abetha''snd was renowned for its fertility all year round. Being in the central region of the continent, the climate is temperate with no snow even in winter, not to mention the kingdom owns thergest river of the continent, an eternal water supply to the fields.


    In general, the surrounding area of the capital produced highest-quality farm products that were even exported to the other kingdoms. The richnd of the kingdom should never face any issue with producing crops.


    Cian massaged his temple with a sigh. "That is a question hounding the Minister of Agriculture as well. I think it was around a month or two ago when the royal court learned of the issue. No matter what the farmers sow, the seeds do not develop sprouts, and even if we put saplings, they wilt in a matter of days. Even weeds are finding it difficult to thrive at this point. Up till now, we are still investigating the reason."


    Seren asked, "Is it a drought?"


    Cian shook his head. "How can there be drought when we are right next to the Grand River? The river has to dry first, but that is not the case.


    She heard her brother continue, "Why don''t you go wait inside the carriage? I will also go see what Mister Yorian is doing here. Maybe he knows something."


    Cian nodded at his knights, silently ordering them to tighten the security. yer also stayed behind to guard by the Queen''s side.


    When Drayce reached Yorian, he saw the elf had a frown on his handsome face. "What are you doing in the middle of a field, Yorian?"


    The elf had long sensed their arrival and was not surprised to see the red-eyed king. "Can you feel it, Your Majesty? Thend, it is as if its soul is gone."


    Drayce nced at their surroundings, but in his opinion, the barren field was simr to the many empty swaths ofnd he had seen in Megaris. He made a guess, "Maybe this year''s winter is the coldest they have yet to experience."<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    The elf shook his head. "It is different. I have wandered around this kingdom in the past, so I can tell. Touch the soil. There is no frost, and the color shows how rich and fertile it is. But because thend has no soul, it is impossible for thend to give birth to new life."


    "You are implying there is an invisible hand behind this?"


    After encountering supernatural and divine beings one after another for the past few months, Drayce would no longer be surprised if a new source of trouble were to appear at this moment.


    "Even we are wondering the same," a voice remarked as Cian joined their group. He continued, "The real problem lies in the fact not only thend around the capital bing infected by whatever this, but also the farnds of the surrounding territories and it is spreading as we speak. If Mister Yorian has an idea about the situation, I would like to ask for guidance so that my people can take measures to deal with this problem."


    While the three men were conversing, two of them felt a fluctuation of energy and they looked at thend under their feet. The only human among them followed their gaze.


    "What is happening?" Cian mumbled while Yorian and Drayce looked at a certain someone.


    ��-


    When Cian left Seren, she did not stay in the carriage as her brother suggested. Her purple eyes continued to gaze at the barrennd, and unknown to her, she took a step ahead.


    "Your Majesty?" yer called for her but she looked like she didn''t hear him and continued on until she left the road, her heeled shoe stepping on the crusty, dry soil. yer followed her behind her, not willing to go against her wishes but also ready to steady her if ever she lost her bnce.


    As he nced at the ground, checking for rocks that might hinder the Queen''s walk, his eyes widened.


    Weeds were growing under her feet!


    Seren walked on that lifelessnd, looking all dazed and in pain. She herself didn''t know what she was doing, but every patch ofnd she stepped on started to turn green as if the deadnd wasing back to life. It was a magical sight as the greenery began to spread, revitalizing even the seeds that were unable to sprout.


    From yer and the other escort knights, to the coachmen and the servants, everyone was shocked at the otherworldly sight. Seren looked like a goddess gracing thend of the mortal world, her slim figure emitting a soft, warm glow that brought reverence and awe in their hearts.


    Some people of the pce recalled the other identity of the Queen of Megaris��she was the Third Princess of Abetha, the witch capable of making flowers bloom!


    Drayce and Yorian were not shocked but worried.


    "You need to stop your wife, King Drayce," Yorianmented.


    Drayce had already disappeared from his side and reappeared in front of Seren. "Seren, stop."


    Hearing his voice, Seren got back to her senses. She blinked her eyes, unaware of what she did. She looked at her husband with confusion. "Dray?"


    "Are you alright?" he asked as he held her hand.


    She nodded. "Why are you��? But I felt like I was��." As she nced around, only then did she notice the greenery with her as the center. "This?"

 Chapter 676 She Is Now A Deity Of Earth

    ?


    "You caused this, my Queen."


    "Me?" she looked at him in a shock. "I used magic?"


    "Yes. You unknowingly used your innate power of the earth element. I had to stop you."


    "I used a new magic, not just about flowers blooming��" she mumbled under her breath, her eyes bright with joy. "Why did you stop me? Thisnd, I can make��"


    "Seren, calm down. You cannot use your own power yet. Don''t you remember what my mother exined to us before she left? Using one magic will trigger the other, and our enemies will find us if the hellfire inside you is triggered again."


    Seren understood, but her heart ached as her gazended on the deste field. Her instincts were telling her she could bring thend back to life, and it was her responsibility to take care of thisnd.


    "Please listen to your husband, Queen Seren," Yorian remarked as both he and Cian approached them.


    Seren helplessly nced at the vast deadnd. "Is there no way?"


    "We will find a solution," Yorian replied.


    "Don''t feel bad, Seren. We will soon take care of this," Cian assured her. "Mister Yorian promised to aid our kingdom."


    "Thisnd seems to be suffering from misdeeds of the people who dared hurt the one they should not have," Yorian mumbled, which didn''t go unheard by Drayce. He then understood what Yorian was referring to.


    Seren was the daughter of the Deity of Earth. With her mother losing her divinity,Seren, despite being a mere demigod, was the one to inherit her sovereignty over the power of earth. Unless someone else filled that throne, even if she didn''t want to, the only child of the former goddess was the next Deity of Earth. Her powers would develop as she hade of age.


    Today''s incident was the first indication of it��Seren could sense the pain of the earth as if it was her own.


    "What can we do about it?" Drayce asked.


    He could not let his wife me herself for being unable to heal the earth and carry the burden of millions of lives.


    Cian was curious to know as well. These days, he was hearing so much from his sister and father that he felt the world was no longer the same world he knew and understood. Though he was not outwardly showing it, Cian''s interest about the world of supernatural beings was growing stronger by the day.


    For Cian, elves were nothing but creatures mentioned in children''s books and folktales, yet now, he was even conversing with one. For the same reason, he wanted to interact with this ancient elf who ims to have lived for thousands of years.


    While the three men were talking once more, Seren decided to go back to the carriage. Along the way, one withered nt in particr caught her attention. It was a shrub barely reaching her waist, and she could not help but reach out.


    As soon as her finger touched the nt''s yellow and dry leaves, their color started to turn a vibrant green, regaining life��


    Swoosh!


    The branches ignited, but before she could move away, the entire nt caught fire.


    Drayce hurried towards Seren and pulled her away. His own power snuffed out the mes, leaving only the smoke and the scorched remains of the nt. He held his scared wife in his embrace. "Are you hurt, my Queen? Your hand��"


    She looked at him with moist eyes. "That nt, I wanted to save it."


    "It''s alright. It was going to die anyway. You don''t have to feel bad," he tried to console her.


    "We should head back first," Cian suggested, looking at his sister.


    Drayce agreed and they returned to the pce. Leaving Seren in the care of her servants, Drayce went to see Yorian and Cian in the Crown Prince''s study.


    The three men sat facing each other in the lounge area of the room.


    Drayce asked Yorian, "Did you figure it out?"


    "We are yet to think of a permanent solution," the elf replied.


    Cian sipped on the hot tea prepared for them. "Mister Yorian exined a couple of things to me. Now I can understand why my sister is always so happy whenever she is in her garden or when I bring her out to theke, surrounded by nature. She is practically nature herself."<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    Yorian agreed, "I''ve witnessed your sister''s miracle. Fairies could do something simr, but not on arge scale like Queen Seren''s. That beauty of flowers blooming everywhere is one of a kind. We cannot let it fade. This thousand years'' soul cannot be devoid of seeing that beauty again."


    "Is there a way we can allow her to use her earth magic on its own?" Drayce asked. "Should I try suppressing it?"


    "I am not sure but we can try," Yorian replied. "Ideally, your power of darkness can suppress another power of equal or lesser strength. Queen Seren is a unique case with two elements that are originally ipatible and impossible to exist together. You have to be careful, King Drayce."


    "If it''s going to work then I will try," Drayce said.


    Yorian looked at him for a while before answering, "But King Drayce, heed my advice. You need to be at your strongest when you use your powers."


    Drayce understood the meaning. To be at the strongest of his powers, the elf meant Erebus.


    Though Yorian was not aware of Erebus'' existence per se, he was experienced enough to clearly see Drayce had reservations about his own darkness, as if he was trying to suppress its full power.


    There was only one time when he found Drayce''s strength almost rivaling the King of Agartha''s��back when the young king saved the ship from the storm in the sea.


    "I will," Drayce assured him.


    Yorian said, "Talk to Queen Seren first and ask if she agrees to our little experiment, though I am sure she would be happy to hear there is hope."


    "Alright."


    Yorian then turned to Cian. "I ask that Prince Cian find a location not privy to people''s eyes, and hopefully one we can damage if an idental fire urs."


    "That is easy. The royal pce has many such ces, but it won''t harm Seren, right?" Cian asked, feeling worried. "If an ident happens��"


    "Rest assured, Prince Cian," Yorain smiled. "Your sister is more than what she seems. Besides, I do not think her husband will allow her to partake in anything that will endanger her."


    Cian didn''t deny that im.


    Yorian returned his attention to Drayce. "I am suddenly reminded. If we seed, perhaps we should also use this chance to make her master her own power. We talked about this before. She was eighteen years dyed in training. It''s better she starts using earth magic properly instead of keeping her ignorant, leaving herself more vulnerable to idents."


    Drayce smiled at the thought of Seren freely wielding her own power. He could almost hear her blissfulughter. He was ready for whatever it takes. After discussing some more, they left Cian''s study.


    On the way back, Yorian said with a knowing smile, "There is an even better way to connect with her powers, something only you can do to help her control it effectively."


    Drayce sighed. "I know."


    "Bond between mates is the most miraculous thing," Yorian said. "You cannot avoid certain things even if you want to, King Drayce."


    Drayce could only be quiet as he continued to walk in silence.


    ====


    A/N- In the month of June, there might not be any chapters.


    Reasons-


    1) I need to bring the plot of third novel in the same time line with first two books of the series and then I can write all three of them together. No one will get spoiler from one book from another and they can be finished together.


    2) It would be easy for me to write and match all the incidents happening simultaneous in all novels.


    3) I do not wish to keep you waiting for updates and I am sure you all are not happy with once week updates.


    4) I promise to give mass release on the 1st July and then continue all three novels together. It will be interesting to read things being rted to each novel.


    5) Those who are reading 3rd book, they can keep meeting Drayce and Seren in it and see them interacting with An''s naughty runaway betrothed.

 Chapter 677 Previous Deity Of Earth

    ?


    It was the day of Seren''s birthday ball, arranged by Queen Niobe to celebrate theing of age of the Third Princess of Abetha. Though her real birthday had already passed, ording to the date registered in the family records, Seren Ilven was born on this day eighteen years ago.


    Grand preparations were made long ago, ensuring that the evening ball''s splendor eclipsed that of the Second Princess'' wedding; afterall, Seren also had the identity of Queen of Megaris. By right, hering of age was a magnificent event that should demonstrate the dignity of both the Ilvens and the Ivanovs, as well as the Kingdoms of Abetha and Megaris.


    That morning, Seren had woken up earlier than usual.


    Drayce had left the tower at the crack of dawn and just returned, intending to wake his wife up and eat their morning meal together, but he found her outside in her garden, watering her nts in a daze.


    Since the previous day, she had been like this, and Drayce knew the reason.


    He went to her and stood next to her. "Are you still thinking about the issue with that farnd?"


    Seren was startled, but after realizing it was Drayce, she slowly nodded. She put her watering pot aside and looked up at him, her gaze clearly showing how concerned she was.


    "Do not worry. We are going to solve it," he replied with a light smile.


    She offered him a puzzled gaze, "How?"


    "Using your powers, my Queen, what else?"


    "But I cannot��you saw what happened with that nt."


    "Yorian and I had a conversation trying to figure out a way on how we can solve this. Believe in yourself, and believe in us. We will find a way together."


    "I hope I won''t end up burning everything."


    "You won''t. Don''t you trust me? Even if something does happen, I will be right beside you and stop your power from getting out of control."


    Seren remained reluctant, but in the end, her instinct as the next Deity of Earth ruled over her fears. "How are we going to do it?"


    Drayce exined to her everything that he and Yorian had nned.


    "...I will take care of it. You just have to trust me, understand?"


    "I will try." Her purple eyes shone with hope. "Can we start right now?"


    Drayce found her excitement adorable.


    "How about tomorrow? Tonight is youring-of-age ball, and I believe that Queen Niobe will be looking for you soon to talk about the details of the royal ball. Your servants will be pretty busy all day dressing you up."


    "I don''t want to go to a ball."


    "I know, but you still have to attend what your family prepared for you. This is youring-of-age party, something that happens only once in your life. Besides, I will have the greatest honor of being able to dance with the loveliest queen in all thends. Will you rob me of this opportunity?"


    "You��"<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    "Even though it is a royal ball thrown in your honor, it doesn''t mean you have to stay the entire night. After we dance, I will make sure to take you away with me."


    "Alright," she sighed, "but I do not need an entire day to prepare. I can start in the afternoon, and Martha can make decisions along with Queen Niobe on my stead. We can try practicing this morning."


    "Then��" He held her body closer, both arms wrapping around her small waist, taking her by surprise. "Have you eaten, my Queen?"


    "Huh?" Her cheeks blushed with that sudden closeness. "I-I have, uhh��"


    Seren''s thoughts wandered in rtion to hering-of-age ball. She had neglected a fact and was only reminded by Drayce''s actions��that she was now an adult by society''s standards.


    Drayce raised a brow at her reaction. "I asked because I am bringing you somewhere, my Queen, but why do I feel like you��"


    She put her hand over his mouth, grateful that her growing blush was hidden under her veil. "Let''s go. Let''s go practice!"


    Drayce smiled yfully. "Alright, we will keep that for tonight." He then asked, "Are you ready?"


    As she nodded, the two disappeared from the garden and appeared in the middle of a forest.


    Seren was not affected by the teleportation and asked as she looked around, "Where are we?"


    "In the forest north of the capital of Abetha. This ce is prepared for you to use your powers. It''s also shielded to stop outsiders from sensing your powers."


    From the cover of the trees, the couple saw Yorianing towards them along with two familiar figures in white hooded robes. They were precisely Evanthe and Sierra.


    "What are they doing here?" Seren asked with wide eyes.


    "I am not sure either," Drayce replied as he was equally surprised.


    Once they reached the two, Drayce asked, "Lady Evanthe, Lady Sierra, I thought you had left for Agartha."


    "There is no rush," Evanthe replied. "How can we leave without making arrangements first? We need to make sure everything is fine and that Queen Seren''s presence will remain hidden for the span of time we are not by her side. We worry that unexpected factors will appear now the seal is lifted."


    Drayce understood and felt more relieved to try their n under the guidance of these two women.


    Evanthe looked at Seren whose gaze was observing the hooded woman who never showed her face. "Queen Seren, your body appears unaffected by teleporting with your husband. It''s a good sign. It means that your body is slowly adapting to the existence of magic."


    Yorian also spoke up, "Originally, I am going to be teaching you, Your Majesty, but with Sierra here, she is a better fit since you are both of the earth attribute."


    Sierra, being the previous Deity of Earth, no one was more appropriate than her on how to wield divine power of the earth.


    It pulled Seren''s attention back towards the hooded woman.


    "So shall we start?" Yorian asked.

 Chapter 678 I Did It

    Chapter 678 I Did It


    The elf led them into the cover of trees where he came from, and as soon as Seren stepped past a certain line, a small de appeared in her line of sight. Their group were inside a protective barrier created by Yorian, which was a stronger version of the one he used in his own cottage back in Megaris. The formation was further enhanced by Evanthe''s witch runes.


    "Queen Seren, please stand over here," Sierra said as she gestured towards amon shrub..


    Seren stood in front of the bramble. It was a very ordinary forest nt, neither healthy nor wilted, though some leaves were yellowing.


    "What do you know about magic and energy core, Your Majesty?" Sierra asked as she sat on arge rock beside the nt.


    Seren felt somewhat nervous. "Only what I read from the books that Dray''s mother left behind."


    From what she understood, supernatural beings would awaken their powers at birth, and begin training how to control them at an early age. Most would take months to have basic control, and some years, depending on their innate talent. She was worried that by the time she could properly use earth magic, all thends of Abetha would have long be barren.


    Sierra asked a few more questions, and through Seren''s answer, she got a general idea of the young queen''s magic knowledge.


    "Your Majesty, why don''t you touch the yellow leaf of this nt and tell me the emotions of the nt?"


    "Uhm, shouldn''t I start with my energy core��? From what I read��"


    Sensing Seren''s worry, Sierraforted her. "Trust me. Do not think too much. You need to let go and rely on your instincts. Feel the emotion of the nt, and allow yourself to do what you feel is right."


    Meanwhile, Evanthe was also instructing Drayce.


    "Although you yourself can try to suppress the hellfire, it is safer to first attempt it with the help of Erebus," she exined. "You needpletemand of your power of darkness to suppress only the hellfire and not affect her innate power."


    "I understand."


    Since they were attempting to do something that was never done before, for his wife''s safety, Drayce swallowed his pride and called for Erebus. A dark glow surrounded his body, the red color of his eyes darkening until they were as ck as night.


    Erebus nodded at his mother before standing behind Seren. He ced his hand on the small of her back, closing his eyes in order to heighten the precision of his control over his own power.


    When Seren touched the leaves of the bramble, she felt her heart shake. It was as if in front of her, there was no nt but a pitiful, timid child silently asking for help. Something inside her wanted to reach out, but the image of the farm nt bursting into mes made her shrink back.


    "It''s alright Seren, you can try again," she heard Sierra''s soft voice in her ears. "I know you are worried about hellfire being used, but don''t you trust your husband?"


    Seren found herselfforted by the warmth of the hand touching her back. She was again reminded that she was not alone, that her husband was supporting her with all his heart. They had done their part, and now, she needed to do hers.


    She closed her eyes again, more determined this time.


    Sierra continued to speak, "Earth is a part of nature. Just as the wind blows, the water flows and the fire burns, earth grows. Earth is the power of life, the power to create beauty, to make the world a home that can embrace all creatures.


    "Imagine a painting in your head, and think about how beautiful this nt you can make using your imagination as a brush and your mind as the canvas. You would want that yellow leaf to turn a vibrant green. You would want its stem to grow strong and thick. You would want its leaves to be more abundant. This is about the beauty you can create.


    "Grant that painting life, Seren."


    This time, Seren put her worries aside. She forgot about the eruption of hellfire, forgot the looming danger of the angels, forgot about Sierra and Drayce. There was only that ordinary forest nt in her mind, that timid child asking for help. She wanted to make it beautiful��


    Rustle!


    ''I did it.''


    Even without opening her eyes, Seren knew she seeded. She could feel the emotion of the nt cheering, and there was no heat under her fingers. She opened her eyes and could not believe the small bramble in front of her was the same nt from earlier. It grew by several inches and the green, healthy leaves swayed in front of her, as if waving their thanks.


    Her heart was overwhelmed with emotions. She turned around to look at Drayce, who had also returned back to himself. Her glistening purple eyes smiled at him.


    Drayce patted her head as he was proud of her.


    It was the first time ever she could use her power at her own will, and it felt wonderful. It was as if she was suffocating and was only able to breathe fresh air for the first time.


    "Shall we practice a little more, so Her Majesty can be more confident?" Yorian proposed to which Seren nodded.


    On her next try, they changed Seren''s practice target to nts that were close to dying, simr to the ones she witnessed in the farm. After another sessful attempt, they made her use her power on one lifeless part within that de, which was mostlyposed of rocks with little fertile soil. Grass grew in abundance, turning the clearing into a lush nket of green.


    Seren was more than satisfied with the result."Can I now use it to revive those farms? Those crops��"


    "You can, Your Majesty," Sierra responded, "but I advise you to let nature take its course."


    "What do you mean, Lady Sierra?"

 Chapter 679 Serens Anger

    Chapter 679 Seren''s Anger


    "Thend experiences four seasons for a reason��thend could not always bear abundant harvest for eternity. It needs to breathe and rest as well. The Kingdom of Abetha''s situation was a special case, and blessed by healthy crops all year round. Things cannot remain like this after those foolish mortals hurt the Deity of Earth who gave them this blessing. They need to learn to respect her, but not only did they forget her grace, they even spurned her child. This is a punishment they deserve."


    "Is there a need for this? I don''t want thend and the people to suffer��"


    Sierra exined, "Queen Seren, I understand you have a kind heart, but good intentions do not always yield the best results.


    "You are a demigod, daughter of the Deity of Earth, and the inheritor of her divine throne. Your need to think of consequences first before you act, since your identity is no longer that of a simple human king''s daughter. This is not only for your sake, but for those humans to understand that their actions can hurt them in the end and it''s not good to be ungrateful towards the one who provides for you.


    "The humans of this kingdom had taken the blessing of thisnd for granted just because it was always flourishing due to the presence of god residing here. It is your presence that ensured thends would remain forever fertile. Since they spurned you away, it is only proper the blessing on thisnd goes away as well. Besides, it will also allow thend that had tirelessly worked hard for the past decades to breathe and rest.


    "As long as the humans learn the value of the earth and take care of it,e the season of spring, thends will regain their vitality once more. This too is part of nature."


    The joy that Seren was feeling faded away. They didn''t want her to revive those barren farms? Didn''t that mean that her training was for nothing?


    Seren found herself asking, "Lady Sierra, I have a question. I have stayed in Abetha for seventeen years, and from what I recall, thisnd has been flourishing for four decades already. Howe you are saying I am the reason for thisnd to lose its blessing?"


    Sierra stayed quiet for a moment but then replied, "The grace of the previous Deity of Earth was on thisnd."


    "You mean my mother?"


    Sierra nodded but only to be faced by another question, "Didn''t King Armen meet my mother after the death of his first queen, that means hardly a year or two before my birth? Are you suggesting my mother knew King Armen way before then?"


    There was a sudden silence as Sierra didn''t know how to answer it. The unspeakable truth, the twisted destiny of her past, how could she voice them out to her daughter?


    "Queen Seren, you have outdid our expectations on today''s training. Why don''t you rest for the meantime?" Evanthe intervened, casting a nce at Drayce, as if asking him to convince his wife.


    "Seren, you look tired."


    "Once again, I am getting silence in return," Seren chuckled. "Do not tell me that the King Armen who imed to love his first wife the most and was devastated after her death, was having an affair with my mother, the Deity of Earth, which killed that poor woman? No wonder Queen Niobe hates me that much��I am a constant reminder that that man loved another woman who was not the first queen."


    "King Armen has always been loyal to his first wife and he still is," Sierra finally said, only to be mocked by Seren. "Oh, he had a daughter with my mother out of wedlock but he is still loyal to his first wife? Am I getting the meaning of loyalty wrong here?"


    Seren''s words were turning bitter and anger started to rise inside her.


    "Seren, calm down." Drayce caressed her hand. "We can talk about itter. How about we go for a stroll?"


    Seren took a deep breath to calm herself and walked away with her husband.


    Sensing their need for privacy, Yorian also excused himself, leaving the two robed women by themselves.


    Evanthe put hand on Sierra''s shoulder. "Things will be easier if you tell your daughter the truth."


    Faint sobs could be heard from under the hood. "I-I�� just want her to know that her father has always been loyal. He never did anything wrong. I was the one in the wrong. He has made countless silent sacrifices all these years, but misunderstandings have piled up and I��I don''t know��He doesn''t deserve this��"


    "Look at you, protecting your man," Evanthe teased to ease the atmosphere. "This baggage, you do not have to carry all on your own. Your children might both be adults now, but in their hearts, they are still children longing for their mother."


    "Evanthe, enough��"


    "You cannot acknowledge your daughter but deny the existence of your son. That is not fair."


    "No. I have alreadymitted that sin of being greedy. What is not fair is to disturb his already peaceful life and put him in danger. Protecting Seren''s life is already tough, and if I add him�� Let him continue thinking his mother is dead."


    "You have paid for those sins. There is no need to be stubborn��"


    "I can not let him know I am his mother and let Armen know that I am��," she sighed helplessly in her heart, "I should not have been greedy and returned to the mortal world only to fall for the same man as I could not stop myself. I should not have, I was better off as a dead person in their lives."


    A little time passed by before Seren returned to the de. Drayce was by her side and was doing his best to not let her explode with anger. With the seal on hellfire undone, its effect on Seren was like seeing two people in one body, one having the temper of a volcano on the verge of eruption.


    "Since we seeded, shall we stop training and return to the pce now?" he asked.


    Her purple eyes looked at him. "Was I too harsh earlier?"


    "A little, but I believe Lady Sierra understands where you areing from."


    She looked in the direction of two women and began to feel bad. "Should I apologize? I am being ungrateful towards those who did nothing but protect me from my enemies. I am the same as the people of thisnd��I am taking my blessings for granted. I am not valuing their presence and help, only thinking about my side and my pain."


    "It''s normal."


    "I think I need to apologize to them."


    Drayce''s squeezed her hand. "Do as you wish. As Lady Sierra said, ''Allow yourself to do what you feel is right''."


    Seren squeezed his hand back before heading towards the two robed women.


    "How are you feeling now, Seren?" Evanthe asked.


    Seeing Evanthe''s smile, Seren felt even worse. Even after her constant rude behavior towards them, they always forgave her.


    "I am here to apologize, Lady Sierra. I should not haveshed out against you like that."


    "It''s alright, Seren," Sierra said, her expression unfathomable under her low hood. "Let''s forget about those matters and focus on helping you properly use your powers."


    "I will. Thank you for helping me."


    "It''s our duty."

 Chapter 680 King Theron Is Waiting For You

    ?


    There was an awkward silence within the de which Evanthe got rid of with a shakyugh.


    "Ah, I forgot to give you this." A small vial appeared on her palm and she gave it to Seren. "This potion should help you stabilize your emotions from the effect of hellfire."


    Seren epted it and drank it. "Thank you."


    Seren then looked at Evanthe with a hesitant gaze. "I wished to speak to you about something, Lady Evanthe, just the two of us?"


    From her gaze, Evanthe understood something and casted one spell. "No one can hear us."


    "Uhm, Lady Sierra��"


    "It is fine. What you tell me, I will tell Sierra as well after, so having her with us relieves me of trouble."


    Seren nced at Drayce who was chatting with Yorian. "Uhm��I know you are Drayce''s mother and my mother-inw."


    As she said the word ''mother-inw'', Seren felt herself grow nervous, and after realizing how she behaved earlier, became more and more embarrassed. Her mother-inw, the Queen of Witches, was a high and mighty person, admired and respected by many, but Seren had been nothing but thoughtless, childish and rude to her and herrade.


    Which idiotic daughter-inw would unt her terrible side to the one woman she ought to impress? Her, Seren, she did exactly that.


    Evanthe simply offered her a gentle smile. "I am not surprised."


    She lowered her head a little. "Apologies for my terrible behavior."


    "Are you apologizing to your mother-inw now?" Evanthe asked with a lighthearted chuckle.


    With her head still lowered, Seren nodded. "I was being an improper daughter-inw."


    "Then do you want me to punish my improper daughter-inw?" Evanthe asked and looked at her friend. "What do you say, Sierra, shall I?"


    Sierra frowned inwardly as her friend. "Do not bully a child."


    "As if I would." Evanthe''s caramel eyes warmly gazed at Seren. "You have apologized, that means you know your mistake. It is admirable for a person to owe to their wrongdoings, especially when it came out of anger. If you think you are an improper daughter-inw, then that would make me an even more improper mother-inw, right? In fact, I believe my son is fortunate to have you. You are a lovely child, Seren. Never think otherwise."


    Her purple eyes shone with relief. "Thank you, Lady Evanthe."


    "Shouldn''t you call me ''mother'' then?"


    Seren shook her head. "Pardon me, but I can only address you that way after Dray calls you that as well."


    Evanthe understood her daughter-inw was being thoughtful, indirectly telling her to resolve her heart''s knots with her son.


    "Soon, maybe," was all Evanthe could say.


    Seren felt hesitant a little but could not help but ask, "Will you return to Megaris after your immediate affairs are done, Lady Evanthe?"


    Evanthe turned silent.


    Seren continued, "There are people who are still waiting for you, and there is someone whose life seemed to have stopped��"


    Evanthe let out a tired sigh and shook her head, telling Seren she no longer wished to speak of this matter.


    "I know what happened back then," Seren told her, causing Evanthe''s face to grow pale.


    "Does everyone��"


    "No one knows except for me and Great Lady Theodora," Seren said. "Please, Lady Evanthe, you have toe back. I know how it feels to grow up without a parent. At least my husband, he still has a chance to have both his father and mother, unlike me. What Drayce knows is far from the truth, which only created a rift between father and son."


    "What do you mean?"


    Seren exined everything to her and Evanthe''s eyes turned moist.


    "You have toe back and make everything right, Lady Evanthe."


    Evanthe was quiet as she had not expected things to turn like this between her son and husband.


    Seren spoke again, "Lady Evanthe, you are a supernatural being, and for a long-lived individual like you, a hundred years to pay for your sins will sh by in a blink of an eye, but the one who is waiting for you, a lifetime of regret and pain. His Excellency King Theron cannot wait that long. Two decades have passed, and for a human, two decades can be their entire life. Your husband is still waiting for you."


    "You really are��a lovely child."


    Evanthe''s voice was heavy as she excused herself, leaving Sierra and Seren alone.


    Sierra suddenly spoke, "Do not be fooled by Evanthe''s smiles. Though she puts her responsibility above all, in the end, she is but a wife who could not forget her husband and a mother who longs for her child."


    Seren looked at Sierra. "Do you think my mother longs for me?"


    "I believe she does," Sierra answered.


    Seren simply stared at her for a while. "I should�� practice some more."


    Before she could leave, Sierra asked, "Why do you still keep these scales on you when you can choose not to?"


    Seren stopped and looked at the woman, her gaze passing the skin on her hand. "These scales, along with my veil, are the only things my mother gave me other than my life. As I am not brave enough to give up on this life she had given me, how can I give up on these? I am known as a witch''s daughter and these scales are part of my identity. How can I abandon what I have been living with for so long?"


    "I understand," Sierra replied. Seren walked away from her to go back to Drayce.


    Under their guidance, Seren practiced till noon. The de had turned into a wild garden of sorts, with grass as tall as their waist swaying back and forth with the wind..


    "That''s enough for the day," Sierra said as she could see Seren was tired. "You did really well, Seren. I am aware that you have affairs for tonight. We can continue your practice when you have free time tomorrow or the day after. I believe this evening is bound to be an exhausting night."


    As soon as Seren and Drayce returned to the pce, Seren was then surrounded by her servants and attendants from Queen Niobe''s side, intending to prepare her to attend the grandesting-of-age ball thrown this season.

 Chapter 681 Birthday Celebration

    ?


    When evening came, the entire Royal Pce of Abetha was bustling with guests attending theing-of-age ball of the Third Princess of Abetha and current Queen of Megaris, Seren Ivanov.


    Esteemed guests, ranging from high-ranking officials to local nobles to envoys from other kingdoms, idly mingled within the luxuriously decorated grand hall, enjoying drinks and socializing while awaiting the arrival of the star of the ball.


    At this moment, the King and Queen of Megaris were yet to leave the princess''s tower.


    Drayce entered his wife''s chamber, d in a dignified attire of ck and gold with a fur-lined cloak over his broad shoulders. Seeing the handsome king silently admire the young woman in front of the dresser mirror, the servants hurried to make sure her attire was perfect before excusing themselves.


    "Are you ready, my Queen?" he asked, standing a few steps away behind her.


    Seren looked at him through the mirror before turning around, the floor-length skirt of her peach-colored long sleeve gown flowing gracefully along with her movement.


    With her shoulder exposed, the fitted bodice red out at the natural waistline to form a full skirt. Her long hair was partially braided, dusted with diamonds and delicate essories in the shape of small golden suns, the sun being the symbol of the Ivanov Royal Family. The golden tiara on her head was amissioned masterpiece especially crafted for this once-in-a-lifetime asion.


    Simply by standing, Seren gave off an aura of sweet elegance, her usual sophisticated look enhanced by the soft touch and dreamy tone of her attire.


    "You are beautiful, my Queen," he said as he walked towards his wife. "Your beauty takes my breath away."


    Seren smiled under her veil, her purple eyes twinkling, trying her best to not to show her nervousness. "You cannot see my face but still say I look beautiful. What a sweet talker!"


    "Of course, however you look, my wife is always the most beautiful in my eyes," he replied and offered her his hand like a gentleman. "Shall we?"


    She nodded and the two left to go towards the carriage prepared to fetch them. With each step, she could not help but let out a shaky breath. It was the first time the royal family threw a social gathering for her. It was not ast-minute arrangement like her wedding, but one where the Ilven Royal Family put painstaking care in order to make her shine.


    In the past, the Third Princess had always been a social pariah, an outcast in the background. On those rare events where her attendance was mandatory, she had to face all those people who did nothing but curse her. However, everything changed now she was a queen. Even the carriage and the knights escorting them was the finest the royal family could offer.


    The door of the grand hall opened, and the herald announced the entrance of the King and the Queen of Megaris.


    "Her Majesty Seren Ilven-Ivanov, Queen of Megaris and the Third Princess of Abetha, has arrived! King Drayce Ivanov of Megaris has arrived!"


    As the birthday celebrant and the star of the ball, Seren''s name was announced first, followed by her husband.


    The crowd could not help but appreciate the sight of the beautiful couple descending down the grand staircase, the handsome young red-eyed king escorting the veiled purple-eyed queen whose figure and movements exuded feminine grace. People lowered their heads, thedies curtsying, to show their respect.


    The pair stopped towards where the Royal Family of Abetha were waiting for them at a raised pedestal at the bottom of the staircase. Seren stared at King Armen, Queen Niobe and Prince Cian. The three of them were d in luxurious attires in deep, vivid blue, which was the color representing Ilven Royalty. A picturesque family. A family she never belonged to.


    Though they did nothing wrong, standing next to them, Seren felt faint bitterness in her heart.


    As the father of the celebrant and the one with the highest status within the hall, Armen announced the start of the royal ball and toasted the guests, speaking briefly about how joyful an asion it was that his youngest daughter had nowe of age. The royal orchestra then began ying music in the background.


    "Happy eighteenth birthday, Seren," King Armen said afterwards, smiling proudly at his daughter.


    "You have my thanks... King Armen."


    It was the first time she hesitated to call him a king. Though she wanted to deny it, Seren was beginning to understand that perhaps��that perhaps she had been misunderstanding Armen''s love all along. That few days'' trip in the underground cave was an eye-opening experience for her. It was the longest time she had spent with the King of Abetha. She had observed his attitude all along, and she remembered how that witch, Sierra, had spoken for him as well.


    She did not want to ept it, but she was starting to have a soft side for her father.


    "I hope you enjoy tonight''s ball, Queen Seren," Niobe wished her well. The middle-aged woman surprisingly did not sound insincere.


    Seren politely replied, "Thank you, Queen Niobe. This party you hosted is wonderful."


    Cian smiled at her pleasantly, even theatrically bowing to her. "Happying of age, Your Majesty Queen Seren."


    Seren raised a brow hearing it. "Thank you, Prince Cian, but I prefer that tonight, you treat me as your dear sister and not a foreign guest."


    "As you wish." The smile on his face widened as he reached out to kiss the back of her hand. "You look beautiful, Seren."


    "Thank you, brother."


    Cian gestured for them to proceed to the open space in the middle of the ball. "Go, go, you two. No one can dance until the star of the ball dances first."


    As soon as new music started ying, Drayce led Seren in the center of the dance floor.


    All the eyes in the grand hall were on the handsome man moving elegantly, leading his wife to glide gracefully along with the pleasant orchestra music. Everyone was holding their breaths up until the end, as the beautiful pair finished their dance with a delightful bow.


    Afterwards, other couples came forward as well. Cian took this chance to dance with his sister. While dancing, he noticed Seren was looking in a particr direction again and again. He thought she was looking at her husband, but to his surprise, she was ncing at King Armen and Queen Niobe, who were also dancing at this moment.


    Her thoughts were written on her face.

 Chapter 682 Dance With Father

    Chapter 682 Dance With Father


    "If you want, you can always talk to Father," Cianmented.


    "Huh?" It pulled her attention back to her brother, her eyes showing insecurity. She shook her head. "There is no need."


    "He is our father. You don''t have to be hesitant with him."


    Seren looked down, not saying anything.


    Cian squeezed the hand he was holding as he spun her around. "What is stopping you from voicing what you want?"


    The young queen nced up, her eyes slightly moist. "I''m��scared��"


    "Just do as you feel right. There is nothing to fear. Our father, he will wee you with open arms. Trust me when I say he cared for you, he always has. Just that he could not show it openly."


    "Why? Why could he not?" she asked, her voice cracking.


    Cian noticed and didn''t want her to cry, "Shall we have a chat once this is over? I don''t think this is the best time to talk about matters of the heart. People will think I bullied you when they see the Queen of Megaris crying while dancing with me."


    "I won''t cry, and even if I do, I don''t care if they see me."


    He chuckled. "Do you want them to think I mistreated you? Worse, maybe they will gossip that your husband mistreated you and you are crying, venting out with your brother."


    She immediately shook her head. "Fine, we will talk after this."


    Time passed by as everyone enjoyed the music and food. Drayce and Seren stood next to each other near one of the food tables, watching others dance. Prince Cian was currently dancing with Queen Niobe and both looked happy together.


    As Seren stared at the blond woman, she realized she hardly ever saw this woman smiling.


    The way she smiled at Cian, it was genuine, her gaze filled with motherly love. Like Seren, Cian was also Niobe''s stepchild, yet no one would question how the Queen of Abetha doted on his only son.


    Back then, Seren wondered why this woman treated her differently, but then��as the truths were unfolding and she herself was now someone''s wife, she felt like she could understand Niobe.


    When Niobe joined the royal harem, she was aware the King loved the first queen. She was willing to take a step back, wanting to earn his love. As Armen''s second woman, she epted Cian as her own and even gave birth to two daughters. Her family was perfect.


    One could only imagine how painful it was for Niobe to learnter that her husband had an unknown mistress. He even acknowledged the illegitimate child he had with her. To her, Seren represented a danger that could ruin her perfect family''s happiness.


    "...my Queen."


    Seren gave Drayce a nk look. She was lost in another world and did not realize he was speaking with her.


    Drayce tilted his head in the direction of the King of Abetha. "I was saying, the next music is thest dance music the orchestra will y for tonight. I believe you have another person in mind to be your partner for the final dance."


    Seren had already left his side even before Drayce could finish his sentence. His red eyes were filled with gentleness as he watched his wife bravely face her fears on her own.


    The young queen stood in front of her father who was taken back when she came for him. "Seren, I hope you enjoyed��"


    "Can I dance with you��.Your Majesty?" Once again, she could note up to call him father.


    The middle-aged man was shocked, but he immediately recovered his senses. A smile of pure joy painted itself on his lips, the kind that Seren had never seen before. It was as if till date, this was the first real smile she had seen him make.


    "Shouldn''t it be the other way around?" he said and offered her his hand. "May I have the pleasure of dancing with the most dazzling woman in this ball?"


    Seren''s hand was cold, but when she ced it on his palm, she felt tender warmth blooming inside her, causing her eyes to turn moist. The pair of father and daughter walked towards the dance floor and they had their first dance together.


    Many people in the crowd were stunned. It was their first time seeing King Armen dancing with Seren.


    Cian and Niobe had just finished dancing and were walking towards the refreshments table. When he noticed the pair, Cian could not help but smile at the touching scene. He noticed his mother was looking at them as well, her gaze neutral like always, not letting anyone guess what she was thinking.


    "Mother, if you keep staring at them like that, people will misunderstand you due to your poker face. At times like this, it is best you honestly show what you are feeling," hemented. "I know you are happy for father."


    She simply nced at her son, her expression still impassive. "As long as he is happy." She said nothing further and simply took a sip of wine.


    She was guilty for acting cold towards her husband all these years since the moment Seren arrived at the pce, but she could not be med��he was the one who changed her like this. Deep in her heart, she didn''t truly hate Armen, and neither did she hate Seren. She was just�� jealous. If only he had been more honest to her, it would have been difficult, but she would have epted how much he loved his other woman and her daughter.


    No matter how much she tried to deny it, she loved this man, and her feelings would always be the same even if loving him caused her pain.


    Thest dance of the day was over, Armen and Seren bowed to each other like a good dance partners.


    "You dance really well, Seren," he praised.


    "Thank you,...Your Majesty."


    King Armen brought her to Drayce and left them alone.


    Drayce held her hand which was shivering after what she did. It took her a lot of courage to go to her father.


    "You did well, my Queen," and continued to calm her.

 Chapter 683 Birthday Gift

    Chapter 683 Birthday Gift


    Once the important part of the ball was over, Drayce whispered to Seren, "My Queen,e with me."


    She looked at him to ask where but he simply held her hand and walked her away with him.


    Just as they stepped out of the hall from the other exit instead of the main one, she whispered back, "Where are we going?"


    He stopped and held her, "Hold on to me."


    She did and they disappeared from there in a moment only to appear somewhere far and at an unknown ce. Seren looked around and all she could see was they were somewhere high up on the mountain. Gentle breeze, beautiful grassy fields under her feet, starry sky which seemed so close because the full moon was looking so big. She had never seen it so closely.


    In front, a water flowing down the cliff and at the base of that waterfall the moon reflected in the water. As she continued to look around, she noticed there was a beautiful cottage behind, having huge widows and beautiful white curtains moving along the wind, surrounded by beautiful flowers and greenery.


    In the moonlight, everything looked beautiful and dreamy.


    She turned to look at the man who simply let her observe everything and dive into the beauty of this ce. Her bright eyes gave away what she was feeling.


    "What is this ce, Dray?" There was a wide smile on her veiled covered face.


    "Did you like it?"


    "Yes? It''s beautiful. Where are we?"


    "The ce where we are going to spend your birthday night. Just the two of us and this beautiful ce."


    She could not be happier than this. A beautiful ce, a night and just the two of them. "You did well."


    "I am sure I did," he pulled out a small wooden box from his pocket. "This is for you."


    She opened it and saw a beautiful red stone pendant in it, with the gold chain. "For me?" she looked at him, "It''s pretty."


    he was holding onto it for so many years. She knew how important his mother was to him and how precious anything rted to her was for him.


    "Twenty years ago when my mother left me, before leaving she gave it to me. She said I should give it to someone who is special to me. And you are that special person for me, Seren."


    "Thank you so much for considering me so important, Dray."


    She felt happy as well as emotional. it was something given to him by his mother and he was holding onto it for so many years. She knew how important his mother was to him and how precious anything rted to her was for him.


    "I should have given it to you earlier but I was waiting for the right time," he picked it from the box, "let me put it on you."


    Seren allowed him to and then watched that beautiful radiant red stone pendant hanging in front of her chest. She held it in her fingers, caressed it as if trying to feel it.


    He moved closer to her, his hand moved at the back of her waist, getting rid of any distance and he looked closely into her eyes, "Happy birthday, Seren."


    "Thank you so much, Dray," she smiled under her veil, her hands resting on his chest, gently caressing it, showing her affection to him.


    To think of it, it''s been days since they had any intimate moments as there was always something going on but now they finally got the time alone, and everything was so perfect around, both could feel what they wanted.


    Looking into the pair of those most beautiful eyes he had ever seen, Drayce''s face moved even closer, only a thinyer of the veil covering her face was separating his lips from hers. She could feel his hot breath fanning against her cold skin, his body expecting an intimacy in return from her.


    His hand caressed her cheek and that veil slowly slid down while Drayce had closed his eyes and captured her lips into his to which she responded in a kind.


    She closed her eyes as well and savored that gentle kiss from her husband. Not just him but she realized how she had missed it and now craved it. It felt as if the time should stop at this moment and they should stay here, just like this forever. No one to disturb them and no one to take away this peace from them.


    His hand moved at the back of her head, his long fingers entwining into her long hair, he took her into a passionate kiss, making that quiet ce to fill with the soft moans of hers. Seren circled her hands around his neck and tiptoed to be able to kiss him while his other hand held her at the small of her back, supporting her to stand steady.


    When they stopped all breathless, Drayce didn''t open his eyes and he rested his forehead on hers. The fingers of his hand gently moved along her face as if trying to create an image in his mind of how she must be looking after this intense kiss.


    His thumb touched her parted moist and soft lips as she gasped for air, his fingers moving along her flushed and hot cheek and slowly to her entire face. He had touched her face several times before but each time it felt different and was not enough.


    Seren looked at him who had his brows knitted a little, trying to get her appearance in his mind. She felt good but at the same time sad for him and at his efforts that he had not seen her face but he was trying to create her image in his mind.


    He neverined about anything and simply gave into her wishes.


    She held his hand in hers and gently pecked on it. Drayce didn''t open his eyes but he knew it was the time to put her veil back. But before he could, Seren hugged him and buried her face in the crook of his neck. Drayce opened his eyes and hugged her back. She was there without her veil but he could not see her.

 Chapter 684 Want To Get Rid Of The Veil

    <h4>Chapter 684 Want To Get Rid Of The Veil</h4>


    Seren continued to hold onto Drayce as her mind drifted to some thoughts.


    ''Our lives cannot continue like this. I need to find out about how to get rid of this veil. At least my husband needs to know how I look. There must be a way...''


    As she didn''t move for a long time, Drayce felt worried and asked, "Are you alright, Seren?"


    She nodded and said, "Veil."


    As if that veil had its own mind, it slipped out from Drayce''s hand and flew towards Seren to fix itself on her face.


    She finally moved her head back and looked at him. "I am sorry, Dray."


    In response he simply smiled and tucked those loose hair stands behind her ears. "You don''t have to."


    "Can we sit there?" she asked.


    He held her hand and they walked towards the cliff which had a single blossoming tree and underneath there was a wooden bench which faced the starry sky with a big size moon in it and the view of a waterfall with the river below.


    Both of them sat on the bench, looking at the moon. Drayce circled his hand around her and she rested her head on his shoulder.


    "Dray?"


    "Hmm?"


    "Will you be upset if I ask you to do something?"


    "Do you think I will?"


    "Umm, you won''t but��"


    "You can say it. Whatever it is."


    "I was wondering if it would be fine for you to wait for a while more to��"


    "Hmm?"


    "....to consummate our marriage��" she trailed off thest words.


    "It''s fine with me."


    He epted it so easily and she could not help but lift her head from his shoulder and look at him, "A-Are you sure?"


    He smiled lightly, "Are you not?"


    "No I mean, I am eighteen and�� now you can��"


    "I would prefer it when you would say ''we can'' instead of ''you can''."


    Seren felt speechless but then decided to make her side clear. "Uhm, it''s not like I don''t want to. Trust me I��really want to��" her face covered in a light blush, "I��I just want to do something before it and for that I need time."


    "You can take your time," he said and raised a brow, "But may I know what you mean by yourst statement?"


    "I can not tell you yet," she replied and thought, ''I cannot tell you because I don''t want you to be disappointed if I won''t be able to remove this veil ever. I don''t want to give you a false hope. If showing you my face can harm you, then I will never remove it. When tomorrow I meet those two women, I will ask them.''


    "As you feel fine," he said and she resumed her resting position, "Thank you."


    In response he simply caressed her hand gently.


    "Are we in Abetha?" she asked, not knowing where they were.


    "Hmm."


    "How did you find this ce?"


    "Your father told me."


    "Father?" she eximed and looked at him again, "How?"


    "As we are not in our kingdom, your father was worried that I might not be able to do what I want while being here. He said there is a ce where you, his daughter might like to go."


    Seren was still shocked, "I can not believe it."


    "I epted his offer and I am d I did."


    "I did not expect father to��."


    "I believe this ce holds some good memories for him that''s why he suggested it."


    She thought about something, "Maybe it''s the ce where my mother and father must have had some memories they cherished."


    "It can be."


    As there was silence again, Drayce said, "Did you realize you called him ''father'' and not by his title?"


    Seren realized he was right. "I did. Maybe a part of me always wanted to say this word ''father'' and today I could not stop it."


    He squeezed her hand gently, "You did well."


    As they sat there for a while enjoying the view ahead, Drayce spoke, "It''ste. You should rest. Tomorrow you have to train again on how to use your powers."


    Seren nodded and asked, "Are we going to sleep here?"


    "Hmm, I think tonight this ce is better than the tower."


    "Doesn''t seem like a bad idea."


    Both walked inside the beautiful cottage lit with the nightmps inside. It had a beautifully decorated bed in the center and other needed things.


    She looked down at herself, "I can not sleep in this heavy dress."


    "Of course, My Queen. Let me help you take it off," he immediately walked by her side as if he could not wait to remove that dress off of her.


    She cleared her throat, "What am I going to wear?"


    "I like you better without anything," and he started to help her. "Since that night on the ship, I have not seen you without clothes."


    Though Embarrassed, Seren didn''t say no to his help as there was no way she could sleep in that heavy dress.


    After he helped her take off the dress and she was left in the chemise.


    "I can sleep in this."


    He raised a brow, "Are you sure?"


    "I am very sure. Just remove your clothes already ande to sleep." She immediately removed her sandals and went to the bed and got under the sheet before this man changed his mind and remove that chemise off of her.


    Drayce removed his boots and put both of their footwears on the side. Seren realised how irresponsible she was to let him do it. The king was touching the footwears to keep them on side.


    But soon her attention was diverted as she watched her husband removing his clothes one by one and putting them on the chair next to him.


    She felt her cheeks heating up once more as a helpless sigh left her parted lips, ''He is so beautiful to look at. I can not help but stare at him. In this dim light, he looks like his skin is shining.''


    ''I feel like I should take advantage of his body and....wait...why my thoughts are so rotten these days? Hmm, It''s all because of that book I bought on that ind to know how to please a husband. More than pleasing him, I feel like I would be pleased if I gets to touch him. Shall I?'' she felt her throat went dry as her gaze savoured the beauty of his well toned body.


    Drayce was aware that his wife''s gaze was stuck at him and let her observe him. He removed his belt and walked towards the bed, still keeping that pants on.


    Seren who anticipating a lot, felt disappointed when he didn''t remove his pants but controlled herself from not showing it to him. Drayce got into the bed and pulled her closer to him.


    Holding her in his warm embrace, he looked at her. "You better control the naughty thoughts in your mind, my Queen. I might make theme true for real."


    "I��" she shut her mouth the moment she opened as she knew she would end up saying something wrong. "Good night, Dray."


    "Good night, Seren," he pecked on her forehead and both preferred to sleep while feeling at peace with each other.

 Chapter 685 I Want To Get Rid Of This Veil

    <h4>Chapter 685 I Want To Get Rid Of This Veil</h4>


    3 chapters


    ----


    The next day, Seren and Drayce went to that same hidden de in the forest where she trained the previous day. When they arrived, Sierra, Evanthe and Yorian were talking amongst themselves.


    ''Once I finish training for the day, I will ask them about this veil. I am sure they can tell me why I have to wear it and how I can get rid of it.''


    "What are you thinking, Seren?" Drayce asked when he noticed her stop midstep.


    "Nothing much. Just thinking about the training," she lightly replied, before walking towards the center of the circle marked for her.


    Hours went by in a sh. With Drayce suppressing the power inside her, she became more proficient in handling earth magic. The duration between her revitalizing the wilted nts to their best state became shorter and shorter with each attempt.


    "You did well today, Seren," Evanthe praised to which everyone agreed.


    "Can I now use my power to save thend?"


    "You can, but you have to wait."


    Seeing her crease her brows, Evanthe added, "Don''t forget. The humans need to repent for their mistakes. King Armen will let you know once it''s time."


    Seren already had this conversation with them before, and she knew she could not change their minds. She simply said, "I wish to speak with both of you. Will it be fine?" She referred to two white-robed women in front of her.


    "Please, feel free to talk," Evanthe assured her with a smile. Meanwhile, Sierra was feeling somewhat nervous. Her gut feeling told her what her daughter would ask was among those sensitive questions she was reluctant to answer.


    "Just the three of us. Please."


    Drayce and Yorian understood that the young queen was asking them to leave. Seren looked at Drayce with an apologetic gaze, to which he offered an assuring smile, as if saying it was alright and walked away with Yorian.


    As soon as the men left the de, Evanthe asked, "What do you wish to talk about?"


    "You didn''t put a separation spell."


    "Drayce understood you don''t want him to hear our conversation. He already isted his and Yorian''s senses. You can trust him," Evanthe replied.


    A pair of purple eyes flickered with hesitation, before staring straight into the witch''s gaze. "I want to remove my veil."


    Just as she said those words, there was a sudden silence around her. Not only the two witches grew silent, even the wind seemed to have disappeared. Evanthe then looked at Sierra, her gesture implying this was not something she could decide on, but Sierra could.


    Seren looked at the hooded woman whose face was not visible. It was impossible to guess what the woman was thinking at this moment.


    A shaky breath escaped Seren. She was losing her temper easily these days, and she didn''t want to repeat it. However, their evasiveness got on her nerves. She wanted to remainposed, but they were making it difficult for her.


    The existence of her veil was something important to her, and she needed to get a real answer, not silence or apology.


    "I understand you wish to protect me, that is why you keep secrets from me. I understand you must have a valid reason and it''s probably to protect me. But if you keep me ignorant of everything, how can I know which things about me are dangerous and which are safe? Can ignorance be the answer to everything?''


    Evanthe had aplicated expression, but still, she said nothing.


    ''I hope you understand it''s really important to me," Seren continued. "My nanny told me it''s to protect me. But how? Can''t there be alternatives? Why does my mother want to keep my face hidden? I''ve heard before that removing my veil will incur a disaster. What kind of disaster? Why is it only to a man who will see my face? Does that mean for as long as I live, my face will remain a mystery to Drayce, my husband? Will I forever have to keep him blind to my appearance? I feel it''s unfair to him. I have turned eighteen now and��"


    She hesitated a little to say it.


    Evanthe offered her a reassuring gaze, prompting her to continue.


    "...and it can be a new page for both of our lives. I hope you understand what I mean��I-I want him to see my face when��we start that new page��" At this point, her voice was growing small. "Maybe if I understand the truth, I can find a way to let Drayce see my face without causing any harm to him��"


    As there was still silence, a heavy ball of disappointment weighed the young queen''s heart. She thought once again her questions would be unanswered but��


    "I will tell you," Sierra said, causing Seren to let out an involuntary gasp. The hooded woman continued,? "But��I hope you won''t hate your mother after that."


    "I won''t," Seren spurted out immediately. Answers! They were finally giving her answers! "What happened had happened. I��I just want to make things right for me and Dray."


    "Alright!" Sierra said and started to exin. "That veil is enchanted to prevent a curse from affecting the men around you. If any man sees your face, he will go crazy for you and will harm you and himself. Both of your lives will end up as disasters."


    "Crazy? Disaster?" Seren could not make sense of it. "What kind of disaster will happen?"


    However, the hooded woman did not directly answer her. Instead, Sierra began to exin about a certain goddess. "In the heavenly realm, there exists a pantheon of gods, but their authorities are not only limited to the elements of nature orws of the world. There is a certain goddess who was born from the human heart, the Deity of Desire, who gave you a gift��a gift of unparalleled beauty, or to be more precise, a corrupted blessing of ''beauty''. Females won''t be affected but a single nce of your face has the ability to corrode the rationality of men, gradually turning them into nothing more than obsessive fanatics.

 Chapter 686 Secret Behind The Veil

    <h4>Chapter 686 Secret Behind The Veil</h4>


    "This means that any man, regardless of who he is, would go crazy for you, coveting your beauty to the extent of ending both of your lives. That man will see nothing but you, his entire world will revolve around you, and you will never be able to get rid of him unless both of you die."


    Seren was about to speak, but Sierra cut her off.


    "It will begin with admiration, and that man will pamper you, giving in to your every need and want. This will evolve to devotion and then obsession, and it will be torture for him to leave your side. He will think of you, nothing but you, every minute and every second of his life, to the point he will neglect everything else��his family, his friends, his vocation, his dreams, even his body''s basic needs. Unless he dies from theck of food and sleep, he will transform into a mindless being that will keep pursuing you until your death.


    "A single nce. That is all it will take for a man to be damned for the rest of his life," Sierra warned. "Do you understand your situation now, Queen Seren?"


    Seren was dumbstruck upon learning the truth.


    ''No wonder��no wonder they insist I keep this veil��''


    She had no care about her appearance, and neither did Drayce. Even if she was ugly, her husband would continue to remain by her side. But the truth made her lose hope.


    How could she allow Drayce to lose his mind? How could she let him be a shell of the man he used to be? What use was beauty when her wish would bring harm to her husband?


    The helplessness in her heart morphed to fury.


    "Why?" she asked as her body trembled in anger. "Who is this goddess to me? Why did she do it? What did I do wrong��"


    "So that you can never wield that hellfire hidden inside you."


    "I don''t understand." Seren shook her head, her voice growing hoarse. "What is the rtionship between these two things?"


    "The power that originally belonged to the Deity of fire, that hellfire inside you, it is an irond rule that someone of the earth element will never be able to use it��- but there is an exception." Sierra exined. "There is nothing absolute in the world, and the most powerful exception to every impossible thing is the power of the heart. Humans call it true love.


    "This Deity of Desire does not want even the smallest probability of you gaining control of hellfire, a power that could threaten not only the pantheon of gods but all three realms.? This curse will make you never find your true love. With all men who see your face falling into a crazy obsession over your beauty, then there is no chance for them? to fall in love with you and you with them."


    Seren lightly touched the fabric of her veil. "My mother put this veil on me to prevent that curse from happening."


    "Indeed."


    "Is there no way to lift this curse? Won''t I be able to show him my face ever?"


    Sierra let out a heavy sigh. "Even the goddess who casted it cannot remove her own curse. Only true love can lift it."


    "True love?" Seren looked at her and then said, "Drayce, he��he loves me��"


    "Does he like you, or does he love you?" Sierra asked, "What about you? Do you feel the same for him?"


    Seren looked at the woman in confusion. "A husband and wife are supposed to love each other."


    Her answer caused Sierra to fall silent. Even Evanthe did not know how to react. Under their judgmental gaze, Seren felt small.


    Sierra''s voice broke the silence of the de. "Do you know what it means to love someone?"


    The young woman nodded. "Dray, he is important to me, the one I cannot live without��"


    "Can you differentiate between the feeling of being grateful and being attached? Can you guarantee that you don''t simply enjoy the way he adores you? Can you ensure it is not simply you starving for affection because for the first time in your life there is a person who cares for you and prioritizes you?"


    "What do you mean? You mean I don''t love my husband?"


    "I am not saying that." Sierra let out a deep sigh. Even though her face was hidden under a hood, Seren felt the woman''s gaze on her body. "Your Majesty, I only wish to help you identify what you feel, whether or not it''s love, whether or not it is admiration or infatuation, young love or true love which is meant for a lifetime. There are people who fall in love and feel they can never exist without that person, but they fall out of love after time. Will this be the case for you?


    "Do you know Drayce Ivanov as a person? Do you understand his thoughts or heart? Do you trust him? Even if your answer is yes to these questions, that does not mean you love him. Your husband is the one who gave you everything you dreamed of, and more. Freedom, he gave you freedom.


    "Then, are your feelings a mere extension of the gratitude you feel for him?"


    "I��" Seren inevitably staggered, taking a step back as if Sierra''s questions delivered a heavy blow. "Why do you doubt the love I feel for him?"


    "I am not saying anything for sure because I can''t tell whether it''s true love that you have for him. I am simply stating doubt because��" Sierra stopped as she clutched her robe in her fist. Perhaps, this was the opportunity to be honest with her daughter. "...because your mother had put a curse on you to never fall in love."


    "Never fall in love?" Seren mumbled as she took her time to process what she heard was right. This time, her tone was a little higher, hysterical in disbelief. "Cursed to never fall in love?"

 Chapter 687 Cursed To Never Fall In Love

    687 Cursed To Never Fall In Love


    Sierra wanted to reach out to her daughter, but stopped herself after seeing the betrayed look in those purple eyes. Evanthe put her hand on her friend''s shoulder and rubbed gently, as if giving her courage to go on. Knowing Sierra, this conversation was difficult for her, and from Seren''s trembling figure, the truth was also hard for her to ept. However, this was something the young woman needed to learn sooner orter. The truth might be harsh, but keeping her ignorant was indeed a little cruel.


    Sierra''s steady voice reached Seren''s ears.


    "Your mother was the first one to put a curse on you, but that goddess didn''t trust her, and ced a second one on you��"


    A bitter and helplessugh escaped Seren''s lips. "My mother cursed me? My mother did��?" For what? To make me a perfect vessel?


    Sierra continued in a low voice, "When your mother put that power inside you, she simply intended to protect you from the heavens. Queen Seren, you are a demigod, a child born between human and deity who neither belongs to heavens nor to mortal realm. You are someone who is not supposed to exist.


    "Despite your mother''s efforts to hide you, your existence became known by those deities. To assure the Deity of Desire that the power of hellfire will never be yours tomand, your mother had to put that curse on you, but that goddess was not satisfied. Before your mother could run away with you, she casted that curse on you. Not only was there the curse of corrupted beauty, she also gave you the curse of three emotions, where if you express any of your negative emotions, be it anger, sorrow or fear, the people around you will be harmed. That cruel deity��"


    "Calm down, Sierra." It was as if the dam blocking the raging river exploded into debris, causing Sierra''s words to flood out, allowing her to say out loud the secrets she had long kept stifled in her heart. Evanthe held her scaly hand and gave it aforting squeeze. "Take a deep breath."


    Seren was shocked and she kept shaking her head, burying her face in her palms. ''So I cannot fall in love? All along, what I felt for Dray��I��'' An intense, overwhelming mix of emotions like confusion and dread caused Seren to feel dizzy. She could not breathe. She could barely stand upright. She could not hear the voices of the robed women, as if hearing sounds underwater. Tears rolled her eyes, and suddenly, the bright midday sky started to darken, ominous gathering together as if a storm was brewing. Drayce quickly noticed the situation and guessed the source of it was Seren.


    He hurried to return to the de, but just as he was about to approach his wife, his mother raised her hand to stop him. He didn''t know what they were talking about and why suddenly there was this change in Seren''s emotions. He had witnessed her curse at work before, and understood that only if it was triggered by an extreme emotion would it manifest to the outside world.


    "Queen Seren, calm down. I know it''s too much to take in, and anyone in your ce would feel the same, but you must calm down��"


    With her teary eyes, Seren looked at Evanthe, but no word coulde out of her mouth. Her mind was a nk. She could not understand her own feelings. She did not even realize she was sobbing. Countless questions remained at the tip of her tongue, but she was overwhelmed with a sense of helplessness she could not fathom. It was as if she was drowning in her emotions. By the time her sense of hearing returned, Seren realized she could hear the sound of raindrops hitting the ground and the trees. It was raining, the heavy rainfall drenching her body in a matter of seconds.


    Evanthe raised her hand, forming an invisible force to protect themselves from the rain. She reached out to hug her daughter-inw, but Seren struggled out of her arms, still shaking her head like a child. Evanthe''s eyes turned moist as well. "Stay strong, Seren. There is no problem in this world that cannot be solved. You havee so far. For now, calm down. There might be a way for you and Dray��"


    Seren could not stop crying.


    Drayce didn''t care for anything else now, except his wife. He didn''t care what they were talking about, and only knew that his wife was hurt. His wife mattered the most to him, and he needed to be by her side. Just as he reached his wife, Serenunched herself into his familiar embrace. She tightened her arms around him, crying her eyes out without a word. Drayce quietly kissed her head before patting her head.


    Only the sound of rainfall and thunder could be heard in the forest.


    "I am taking her back," Drayce informed his mother to which Evanthe nodded. Dryace and Seren disappeared from that ce, leaving the two women in the de. By the time Yorian returned to their side, he found both Evanthe and Sierra motionless and in a daze.


    "Shall we go?" the elf suggested, unable to offer constion to either woman.


    The three disappeared from the forest as well, leaving that de empty, as empty as Sierra''s heart.


    Drayce and Seren appeared within Seren''s bedchamber inside her tower. When their feet touched the stone floor, Seren attempted to leave his embrace, but he had no intention of letting go of his drenched wife. "Seren?" he called for her, but she didn''t dare look at him. She merely cried, as if trying to drown away the overwhelming helplessness inside her. She could not ept the fact that she cannot feel for him the way he felt for her. She could not ept that all she felt for him was gratitude and attachment. She could not ept��that she does not love Drayce.


    ===


    A/N- If you are reading all of my books and wondering where to vote, then please do vote Golden Tickets and Powerstones to new novel "The Devil''s betrothed" as it''s in WSA 2023 contest.


    Ining months our ''Devil and Witch'' series will end with all three books of it. I wish us to celebrate the end of the series by winning Gold award in WSA 2023 contest.


    I hope you all enjoy An and his run away betrothed as much as you enjoyed Dryace and Seren and support it. <3<3

 Chapter 688 Need To Find The Young Black Witch

    688 Need To Find The Young ck Witch


    Seren eventually calmed down after crying for a long time. Martha then came in to help the young queen change into a dry set of clothes, but neither she nor Drayce asked Seren the reason for her tears, sensing her need to have time and space. After Drayce put Seren to sleep, he found Martha waiting outside the door of the bedchamber. "Your Majesty," she greeted the King. "What is it?" Drayce asked.


    "Her Eminence and Lady Sierra are leaving for Agartha. Before that, they wish to see you. They say you know where to go."


    Drayce went silent for a while. "Take care of Seren," was all he said before he disappeared from the tower, only to appear at the hidden de in the forest where Seren trained to use her divine power of earth. The ground was muddy due to the earlier rain, but the sky had already cleared up. Not too far from the de, there was a small cabin that was a replica of Yorian''s rustic cottage in Megaris. Yorian, Evanthe and Sierra, all three supernatural beings were waiting for his arrival at the front porch. Evanthe smiled at her son lightly and asked, "How is your wife?"


    "Not so well. Resting at the moment," he replied, his tone emotionless. "I heard you are leaving for Agartha."


    Evanthe nodded, gesturing for him to sit with them at the lounge area on the porch. She spoke after Drayce found himself a seat. "Queen Seren has learned how to use her powers, and Yorian can continue guiding her with the magical knowledge shecks. There is no need for us to watch over her for now."


    "I understand."


    The red-eyed ck-haired young man looked calm on the surface, but Evanthe could see her son was somewhat distracted. So much must be going on inside in his head, but he was not saying anything.


    "Has she told you?"


    Even though her question was vague, Drayce knew she was referring to the cause of Seren''s sorrow. "She didn''t," he replied.


    "So you don''t know yet."


    He shook his head, his eyes filled withplicated emotions. The most prominent was the helplessness he was feeling, as well as anger��anger that his wife was shedding tears for reasons he was ignorant of. Evanthe nced at Sierra, but with the hooded woman keeping her silence, she reluctantly continued, "I can exin it to you, so when you go back to her��"


    "No need," Drayce cut her off. "If she wants me to know, she will tell me on her own." Since Seren requested to talk alone with these women, then the conversation she had with them probably involved a topic she didn''t want Drayce to know. He respected her wishes though he was worried for her.


    "As you feel right. I trust you will take care of her," Evanthe said. "There is something else I wished to talk about."


    "What is it?"


    "Yorian mentioned that you two hade across a ck Witch during your travel and only you alone saw her."


    Drayce nodded. "Indeed. I was hoping to talk about it, but never had the chance till now to talk about it. I have never met a ck Witch for as long as I remember, but in the past month, I have met two. There was Zaria Lynx who targeted my wife, as well as this younger witch who I met in a remote ind. I learned from the Crown Prince of Griven that Thevailes has been acquiring precious herbs in huge quantities, and this younger ck Witch also happens to possess deadly banned herbs when I found her. They must be rted."


    "I am worried about that as well. A ck Witch mingling with humans is often not a good sign," Evanthe agreed. "Although, I heard from Yorian that you found one of Zaria Lynx''s hideouts in Megaris and got clues of someone we need to save."


    "Aureus'' mother?"


    "Hmm," she agreed. "The hair strand Yorain showed me, it sure indicates she is still alive. I wonder if that young ck Witch can help us find Zaria Lynx''s new hideout."


    "We need to first confirm if that young ck Witch is with Zaria," Yorian said. "Shall I try tracking her after Queen Seren''s training ends?"


    "What do you think about her?" Evanthe asked Drayce. "Only you actually got to observe her up close."


    "She is strange, that''s for sure," Drayce replied. "She ought to possess the strongest energy core among all the witches I''ve met, aside from you, but she never used magic, not even once. Even when I nearly caught her, her reaction��was way too human. Instead of using her magic, she preferred to run away like any ordinary human in trouble. Witches always rely on their powers like a human relies on breathing to keep living. But this witch, she neither attacked nor defended herself using her powers."


    "Do you mean to imply��that she probably does not know she''s a witch?" Yorian said. Drayce agreed. "And I don''t feel she is associated with Zaria Lynx''s people. From what I understand, it was the pce of Thevailes that had been gathering those ingredients for her use, and paying human merchants and smugglers is more than enough for that. There is no need to send out a witch to personally buy such a small amount in a faraway ce. Even if that young witch needsherbs for her personal use, she could just transact with Zaria or the manpower under her." "That is possible," Evanthe said, a little distracted. Her eyes met his gaze."Can you tell me how she looks?"


    "She managed to hide her face, but from what I can tell, her physical body is young, at most in her twenties. She has long reddish blond hair and hazel eyes."


    Something shed in Evanthe''s eyes, and she chuckled, "For such a young witch to escape from a powerful being like you, without even using magic, she seems like an interesting youngster. If I were you, I would have made such a seedling with good potential a subordinate."


    "I have more important things to do than disturb the life of an unfamiliar witch."


    Evantheughed at how he reacted to her teasing. Drayce looked at his mother''s wide smile��it was an expression she often had when he was a child.


    "Take care of your queen." was all she said in response, "and yourself as well."


    "I will."


    "It''s time for us to leave."


    The two women in white robes disappeared from the cottage, as if they were mirages blown away by the wind.After some time, Drayce bid the silver-haired elf a silent farewell before returning to Seren''s side. On a mountain far from the capital of Abetha, atop a jutting cliff edge overlooking the city, the two robed figures appeared.


    The hooded Sierra turned towards her pensive friend. "That young ck Witch, is it the same child you hid two decades ago?" Sierra asked, breaking the silence between them. Evanthe stared at the sky while standing at the mountain cliff. "I am worried what you are thinking is right."


    "You didn''t say that in front of Drayce."


    "I don''t want to add to his worries."


    "Do you believe thatthe new Queen of WItches will bring problems to him?"


    Evanthe chose to respond to Sierra''s question with silence.


    "I can only hope it''s not her and that child is still hiding somewhere," Evanthe said after some time. "At that time, I made sure to hide her birth from the entire witch race. No one should be able to sense her essence. I was surprised that both Drayce and Yorian could sense it."


    "It is reasonable. Drayce is your son and he inherited a part of your power. There is bound to be resonance of some sort, and it weakened the concealment of that young witch. As for Yorian, rather than magic, isn''t it his sensitive spiritual power? You told me before how Yorian''s maternal bloodline came from a line of powerful priestesses."


    "If the concealment spell has such loopholes, I wonder ifZaria would have special means to find her."


    "Nobody has found that child for more than two decades. That means your spell worked. There is indeed a small chance of her being found, but you should not overly worry about a possibility we do not even know exists."


    "Should we leave things up to fate? Do not be optimistic. If Zaria finds her and controls our race using that child''s authority, even our own freedom will be restricted, unable to wander freely."


    "Then, do you want to seek out that child?"


    "If that young witch is indeed the new Queen of Witches, then I should head out to confirm it. There is no such thing as coincidence in this world. For Dray and Yorian to spot her, then it meant her secret will soon be likely discovered. That child needs to be protected, not just from Zaria, but from something even more dangerous than an ambitious witch."


    "You shoulder too much burden, my friend. Let us tackle things one at a time. First, let''s reach Agartha and see the reincarnation of the Deity of Fire," Sierra suggested to which the other witch agreed.

 Chapter 689: What If I Can Never Love You?

    Drayce returned to the tower after meeting his mother and found Seren still asleep. Drayce looked at her swollen eyes..


    "Crying for a long time has tired her. I wonder, what did they talk about for her to be this upset?"


    Leaving her in the care of her nanny, Drayce left the bedchamber to attend to official matters. His knights were waiting for him in the small garden gazebo of the tower. He sat on the outdoor trellis chair while yer and Azer stood in front of him to report.


    "Your Majesty, given the change of venue, we have a week to spare before leaving for Othinia for the kingdom summit. Since Your Majesty and Crown Prince Cian are leaving together, the Pce of Abetha has taken responsibility for all the preparation of your trip."


    If the summit was held in Mivesea as nned, their convoy would have to leave earlier, but shifting the event to Othinia not only dyed the summit, it also lessened the distance they needed to travel. Drayce had enough time to deal with the situation surrounding him.


    yer continued to report, "I received the missive from Captain Bt this morning. The ship docked t at the port city of Baycall had departed, and if they met no storms in the territorial waters of Abetha, they would reach Othinia in four or five days. They will stay there till the end of the summit, so Your Majesty can opt to use the ship to journey back to Megaris."


    While yer was reporting, the ancient elf with a hood covering his ears could be seen approaching the gazebo. Drayce looked at him and asked, "Have they left?''


    Yorian nodded. "Let''s pray that the next time we meet, the Deity of Fire is with them."


    "I believe they will seed."


    The elf absentmindedly nodded. "I am suddenly reminded, Your Majesty, but you might have to give your wife an advance warning. The King of Abetha is nning to conduct a worship ceremony to please the Goddess of Harvest, which I think should be this kingdom''s equivalent of the Deity of Earth. It should be announced in the next royal court meeting."


    Drayce nodded. "Time for them to know what they have done wrong. After this, my wife will nevere back to this kingdom unless it is her personal wish."


    "There really is no need. She is no longer a person of this kingdom. From now on, the grace of a deity shall befall Megaris."


    "Humans will only regret not valuing her when deprived of what they took for granted."


    ��-


    It was around dusk when Seren woke up and she found her husband reading a book, sitting by her side on the bed.


    Seeing her stir, Drayce idly stroke her head. "Are you awake, my Queen?"


    She was about toin that hunger woke her up, but the next moment, she was reminded of her conversation with Sierra and sadness appeared in her eyes.


    It wasn''t unnoticed by her husband and all he could do was to smile at her to assure her that everything was fine.


    Seren sat up in the bed and hugged him.


    He hugged her back and asked, "Are you feeling better?"


    She nodded but didn''t say a word more. Drayce wanted to ask her what happened, but seeing her pitiful appearance, he stopped himself. Remembering she had not eaten anything since morning, he ordered for food to be served. Once she had a decent meal, her servants helped her freshen up. Drayce then invited her for a stroll.


    The couple could be seen walking in the garden under the moonlight. Seren remained quiet the entire time, obviously physically present, but her mind was elsewhere. Drayce gently squeezed her hand.


    "My Queen, did you know that burdens feel lighter when shared?" His manner of speaking was low and unhurried as he continued. "I am concerned about what made my wife upset, but I also respect your decision if you don''t wish to share your troubles. If you want, after this, I will no longer speak of it."


    Seren paused in her tracks and Drayce turned to look at her. Her hesitant purple eyes stared into those red ones. "Dray?"


    "Hmm?" Sensing her reluctance, he kissed her forehead. "Do not force yourself. I can wait."


    They resumed their stroll when suddenly, Seren asked, "What if I won''t be able to love you ever? What will you do?"


    Drayce squeezed her hand gently and smiled at her. "I will love you enough for both of us to share."


    His words made her heart flutter, but at the same time, added to her guilt.


    ''My husband is so good to me. Isn''t it love? Since he loves me, I can show him my face, right? But�� but what if it''s not the case and he is merely fulfilling his husband''s duty. Being kind is not the same as being in love. I don''t know what true love is, so how do I know if what Dray feels is true love?


    ''Moreover, what about me? Even if he truly loves me, but�� but if I don''t have the same feelings, then still I can''t show him my face. For us to break that curse of corruption, both of us need to love each other truly. What I feel�� there''s gratitude��and feeling of indebtedness��I like how he makes me feel��he makes me happy��but is this love?


    ''Until I am sure of my feelings, I will wait to show him my face. I will take that chance. If I cannot, I will just tell him the truth then I will follow what he decides.''


    "Careful! You almost tripped," she heard him say, preventing her from walking straight into a bush. "What are you thinking so deeply about, my Queen? If you want, we can return to your��"


    A surge of emotions came through Seren and determination shed in her eyes. "I thought I should keep it to myself for a while but I decided to tell you as this concerns both of us. You are always honest with me so I wish to do the same."


    "I will be happy if you share your concerns with me."


    Seren held his hand in hers and caressed it with her fingers. While doing so, she exined to him the conversation she had with Sierra and Evanthe, about the curses she bore as well as the matter about removing her veil, about how seeing her face endangered their lives.


    Hot tears rolled down from her eyes as her voice cracked.


    "...I am curse to never fall in love. I am afraid I won''t be able to give you back the love you have always given me. Maybe��maybe you will never get to see my face because of my inability to love you back and I don''t know what to do about it. If I show you my face, both of us might ruin what is between us now.


    I��I don''t want to harm you��I don''t want to lose you...I am fine with us like this but you��if you want more��Please forgive me��"


    Drayce wiped her tears and wrapped his arms around her trembling body. Light sounds of her sobs filled their surroundings.


    Drayce desired to see his wife''s appearance��which husband didn''t?��and he didn''t care whether she was beautiful, ordinary or ugly. She would still be Seren Ivanov, the one and only woman he chose to be his.


    Although he knew his love for her was real, that might not be the case for her. The curse on her doesn''t allow her to love. Drayce knew curses cannot be taken lightly, especially a curse casted by a god.


    If seeing her face would cause him to lose his own will, it was the same as him dying. How could Drayce allow himself to lose his right to stay by her side for a simple glimpse of her face? How could he not know Seren would grieve if such a futurees to pass? If the obsession of the corrupted him harms her��


    ''I cannot put her life in danger. I cannot let her suffer. If keeping this veil on can keep her safe, I will never see her face. I can live with that. What matters is our happiness��that she is with me and we are happy together.''


    "Thank you for telling me the truth, my Queen."


    She hugged him tightly. "Are you not upset?"


    "To say I am not will be a lie," he replied after some time. "Rather than upset, maybe it is more proper to say it''s�� regretful? However, such is life. There are things beyond one''s control. I am greedy for you, but I am reasonably greedy. Having you by my side is enough. I am curious to see how you look but I can live with my curiosity.


    I never gave much importance to your appearance in the first ce, otherwise I wouldn''t have married you, would I? We can continue our life happily like this."


    A fresh round of tears began to flow down from her eyes.


    "Thank you, Dray," she said with her crying face buried in her chest. "That night, I stopped you as I was thinking of finding a solution to lift this veil and then we can��" She stopped as didn''t want to embarrass herself more.


    Drayce chuckled. "That''s so thoughtful of you, my Queen."


    "Now we have to��this veil��." She trailed off once again, as talking about marriage consummation was not something she was used to.


    "It''s alright. We are husband and wife no matter what happens," he said before his tone turned teasing. "Shall I feel bad for our children that they won''t be able to see their mother''s face as well or shall I feel good that if I cannot see, then they can''t either?"


    With the mention of children, her cheeks turned red. Fortunately, her veil covered it up. "Stop teasing me. I am still so young to have children. I ��want to enjoy my time alone with my husband for now. I don''t want to share you yet."


    "Shouldn''t I be the one saying those words," Drayce asked with a chuckle, "that I don''t want to share my wife?"


    "I am greedier than you," she replied, sighing to herself in his embrace. "I want all of your attention and love."


    "You already have."


    He tightened his hold around her and they stood there for a long time, enjoying thefort and warmth of each other''s arms.

 Chapter 690: My Daughter Is Not A Witch

    The next day, there was a royal decree issued by the King of Abetha that caused an uproar within the royal court. Written in this decree, to address the strange drought on the farnds, the entire kingdom would perform a worship ceremony to please the Goddess of Harvest, the Deity of Earth, and the Third Princess of Abetha would conduct the final step of it.


    As expected, the ministers and officials opposed the King''s decision.


    "Your Majesty, please issue a new decree!"


    "Your Majesty, we plead that you reconsider! Why would you involve an outsider, a ruler of another nation, in the matters of Abetha? She is the Queen of Megaris! The other kingdoms will look down on us!"


    "We understand and praise your decision to conduct a ritual to lift the spirits of your subjects, but once this decree is made known, the people will not be pleased with this situation."


    King Armen, while sitting in his throne, simply nced at his ministers.


    "Retracting a royal decree will harm the King''s prestige," his trusted advisor, Lord Eudes, began to berate the protesting officials.


    "Your subjects feel that involving the queen of another kingdom undermines the King''s prestige more than retracting that decree."


    "You simply don''t want the Third Princess to be a part of the worship."


    "She is no longer a citizen of Abetha. Not to mention��"


    "Not to mention what?" King Armen asked, his tone severe, causing that minister to swallow his words.


    Another official began to speak. "We all know the Third Princess is not ordinary��"


    However, under the re of that princess''s father, he dared not openly call her a witch.


    "What do you wish to say?"


    "Y-Your Majesty, please forgive this lowly official. We don''t want to offend you, but as you may be aware, the Third Princess'' existence is ominous and her reputation��is not well-received by the people. Her participation in such a sacred ritual can bring disaster and��"


    "Ominous? Disaster?"


    The King of Abetha''sughter silenced the throne hall.


    All the ministers were taken aback by such a reaction from the always dignified king. The mocking smirk on King Armen''s face made the ministers feel humiliated, as if the King found them to be a bunch of fools.


    "Have you all ever wondered why thends of Abetha are fertile all year-round? Regardless of season, be it the hottest summer or the bitterest winter for the rest of the continent, our kingdom is able to grow bountiful crops. My subjects, ask your parents��no, let us not go too far. My ministers in their twilight years, tell me, has ournd always been this blessed?


    Eudes, you will be turning sixty-seven this spring. Tell me, in your youth, has Abetha always been this prosperous?"


    "No, Your Majesty."


    King Armen continued, "Back in the days, although ournd''s yield was good, it was not to the point of a miracle where our people never hunger even in winter. Our summers were always temperate and our winters were never too cold for crops, to the extent that the people had all forgotten praying to gods. Commerce flourished, but religion was neglected.


    When did thend begin to lose such a blessing of abundance? Think about it. Minister of Agriculture, tell your fellow officials."


    "We received the firstints three months ago, so it should have begun about four months ago, Your Majesty."


    "And what event happened during the middle of autumn?" King Armen asked.


    Some officials appeared to be enlightened, while others showed expressions of confusion and disbelief.


    King Armen scoffed at them. "If you have not made a connection till now, then such a muddled person should be stripped off your position. Indeed, the ominous Third Princess who you all deign a witch is in fact rted to the reason why our kingdom was flourishing. You schemed to send her away, and now youin that ournds have be barren? Your shamelessness knows no bounds.


    "Without her blessing thends, with the arrival of winter, it is natural that our fertilends have lost their protection from the cold. We will see a reduction on the yield, and farnds will be unusable till spring. That is the meaning of winter for the rest of the continent. Of course, that would also mean that the kingdom will close outside trade and our economy will incur losses.


    We need to preserve our granaries to safely tide over this winter, otherwise,our people will starve fromcking food supplies.


    "It is already winter, yet most of the territory lords had not amassed food for winter and must already be fighting over buying supplies from other territories who prepared. Those who own farnds, I believe the merchants have been harassing your vassals, demanding the fulfillment of your contracts."


    The truth in the King''s words left many speechless and dumbfounded.


    "Your Majesty, are you implying that��?"


    "My daughter is not an ordinary human, but she is not a witch."


    "But Your Majesty, you kept her locked��she had hurt people�� If not for her being a witch ��."


    "I have my reasons to keep her away. Do I need to exin my family affairs to you people?" The King of Abetha red at them. "But I am d I kept my precious child away from you all whose greed and ck hearts know no bounds."


    "Your Majesty, please do not insult us! We may have the worst impression of the Third Princess, but that was also because her actions had brought harm to people! She would not be called a witch for no reason. The fire, the storms, the earthquakes��"


    "My daughter is not a witch. If anyone ever dared call her that again, then pay the price of disrespecting royalty. Moreover, even if she is now a queen of another kingdom, she will always remain a member of the Ilven Royal Family and the Third Princess of Abetha."


    His voice was firm as he continued, "Know that, even after what you all had done to her, my daughter, such a good-hearted person, wishes to help our kingdom tide through this winter. That is why she is needed to be in this ceremony. Also, unless the subjects of this kingdom who criticized her sincerely apologize for their wrongdoings, then it will never be their fortune to enjoy her blessing."


    All these years, Armen tolerated these brazen people as he had no means to protect his daughter. He kept quiet for her sake and bitterly epted the cruel words from these people. All he could do was to choose the lesser evil, to have her live in that tower till her mother finds another way to protect her.


    Now, there was no need for him to worry, and so there was also no need to tolerate these ungrateful people.

 Chapter 691: Seren Reviving The Land

    The King''s decree was passed throughout the kingdom. Aside from the official copies of the decrees sent over by royal messengers, hundreds of carrier pigeons were also released from the pce in order to hasten the dissemination of information.


    ording to the contents of the royal decree, the subjects of Abetha had lost the favor of the goddess who oversees thend. This neglected goddess, in her disappointment, took back the blessing of abundance she gave to the people. In order to get her favor back, the children who enjoyed her grace must prove their faith to the Deity of Earth once more.


    The preparation of the worship ceremony wasunched not only in the regions near the capital, but in all territories of the kingdom where in each farm, people were ordered to set altars and pray to the Deity of Earth, asking for her forgiveness due to their abuse and negligence of thend. They promised to take care of the earth and always worship her.


    Each town and city had built a small temple where they worshiped the said goddess.


    On the morning of the third day since the decree was passed, Seren and Drayce left the Royal Pce of Abetha.


    A group of knights and royal guards escorted their carriage towards thergest farnd at the outskirts of the capital. Their arrival was timed together with the King and Queen of Abetha, and once they arrived at their destination, Seren saw a vast crowd of people respectfully kneeling to wee them.


    Be they noblemen ormoners, they were equal as subjects of the royal family.


    The worship ceremony started with King Armen, acting as the priest, presiding with a speech before offering prayers.


    Meanwhile, Seren stayed inside her carriage with Drayce and Yorian.


    Soon enough, the ceremony was nearing its end. The crowd watched as the veiled princess stepped out of her carriage supported by her husband. Currently, Seren was d in pure white robes, giving her an ethereal presence under the people''s reverent gazes.


    Seren gazed at the barrennd, and being the current Deity of Earth, she could not help but want to revive thatnd this very moment.


    "Your Majesty, today we��" The elf was about to guide her towards the tform where the King of Abetha had prepared an altar, but before Yorian could say more, Seren walked towards the farnd on her own.


    "Seems like you have to be ready, King Drayce," Yorian said, as he guessed the intentions of the deity who knew nothing but to care for the pitifulnd.


    She crossed the boundary of the farm and everyone watched her slowly walk towards the middle of the barrennd. There was something different about her which no one could point out as ordinary humans could not see it. However, through the eyes of the supernatural beings, there was an aura of divine energy surrounding her. She shone like the brightest star had descended on the mortal realm.


    The ignorant people in the crowd wondered what she was going to do, and they didn''t need to wait long to get their answers.


    The dry, cracked ground started to change in color, a trail of green followed wherever she put her feet on, and this spectacle continued to move along with her steps. Seren paused in her steps and after closing her eyes, a miracle happened.


    The barren farm turned into a sea of green. Deep, rich green des of grass spread outwards, with the veiled woman as its center.The trees that were dying on the nearby orchard began to show vitality, and the seeds that didn''t sprout, the saplings that didn''t grow, they emerged and multiplied in a frenzy.


    Those who were confused or doubted the King''s words began to sincerely feel awe at the marvelous feat of the ''ominous witch'' .


    How many humans could proudly say they witnessed magic in broad daylight? This was a phenomenon that would be recorded down in history and passed onto future generations!


    Time passed by, and by the time Seren opened her eyes, as far as her eyesight could reach was a beautiful thriving paradise. The crowd cheered, and some of the farmers bawled their eyes out in happiness . Drayce, who had been using his powers to protect her from hellfire erupting, hurried towards her. He knew using her powers to this extent would take a great toll on her body.


    He supported her swaying body. "Are you alright?"


    She leaned against him. "Just�� a little tired."


    Drayce carried her in his arms back to the carriage and told their escorts he wished to leave. If not for the crowd, he would have just disappeared with her in the middle of the field. When he closed the door of the carriage, he thought of teleporting once more, but sensing her weakened body, he decided it would be better to go back via carriage.


    Cian came to them.


    "I will take her back," was what Drayce said.


    "Father ordered me to escort you," Cian said and left on horseback along with the carriage.


    After King Armen burned the incense offering to the altar, he ended the worship ceremony by thanking the blessing of the Deity of Earth. The crowd then began to spread the miracle they witnessed.


    "So the Third Princess is not a witch, but a priestess serving the Deity of Earth?"


    "She is someone sent by the heavens for the prosperity of our kingdom?"


    "All these years we were thinking wrong of her."


    "Was she the reason our farms had experienced abundance all year-round?"


    "...and we just sent her to another kingdom?"


    "How could the royal family allow this to happen?"


    "Does that mean Megaris will get to enjoy the deity''s blessing from hereon?"


    "What will happen to Abetha now?"


    Murmurs of criticism and sighs of regret could be heard from the crowd.


    When Seren returned to the royal pce, Drayce immediately put her to bed and forced to rest. Even though she imed to be fine, he could not help but feel worried. Yorian and Cian asked permission to see Seren, and they were allowed into her bedchamber after Seren refused to sleep.


    "Mister Yorian, Brother Cian," she greeted.


    The elf bowed to her and said, "Queen Seren, I am here to give you something and also check on you. Please allow me."


    She was sitting on bed, resting her back on the pillows piled against the headboard. Drayce was on the bed as well with one arm wrapped around her shoulder.


    Yorian smiled after checking her pulse. "I say, this is good news. Your body has adapted to you using your powers, Your Majesty. I worried for nothing."


    "Is everything alright?" Drayce asked.


    "Yes. She shouldn''t overexert herself like she did earlier, but as of now, there shouldn''t be a problem with minor daily usage. Of course, her vitality would be reduced every time she usesrge-scale magic. This potion Evanthe prepared for her would do the trick."


    Drayce helped her drink the potion.


    "Thank you," she said, already feeling her exhaustion being washed away.


    Yorian then pped his hand. "Another good news. Seems like you have sessfully changed the views of the people of this kingdom about you, Queen Seren," Yorian said with a smile.


    Contrary to their expectations, there was no change in Seren. "I did it for the sake of that pitifulnd. What the people thought of me is none of my concern."


    She looked cold and hard, not a hint of gentleness in those purple eyes. She was not forgiving by nature. Suffering all these years, it wouldn''t be erased by any apology. Neither forgiven nor forgotten.


    After all, she was a human by heart. An eighteen-year-old girl, no matter how mature, could always choose to be petty.


    She looked at Cian. "I am sorry, brother. I didn''t mean it about you."


    "I understand, Seren," Cian replied, his tone apologetic. "After all you experienced, even after suffering from prejudice, you still chose to help the kingdom. Your choice, whether it is for the people or thend, the Kingdom of Abetha will always be indebted to you."


    "You should rest," Drayce suggested, to which Seren agreed.


    ====


    A/N- In the month of June, there might not be any chapters.


    Reasons-


    1) I need to bring the plot of third novel in the same time line with first two books of the series and then I can write all three of them together. No one will get spoiler from one book for another and they can be finished together.


    2) It would be easy for me to write and match all the incidents happening simultaneous in all novels.


    3) I do not wish to keep you waiting for updates and I am sure you all are not happy with once week updates.


    4) I promise to give mass release on the 1st July and then continue all three novels together. It will be interesting to read things being rted in all three novels.


    5) Those who are reading 3rd book, they can keep meeting Drayce and Seren in it and see them interacting with An''s naughty runaway betrothed.

 Chapter 692: Meal With Daughter

    In theing days, thend of Abetha started to prosper like before while Seren kept visiting different parts ofnd, using her power to flourish the deadnd, exhausting her human body by using a divine power. She didn''t do it for the sake of the people of Abetha but did it for thend as her heart hurt for it as if she was the one to suffer and could feel the pain of thatnd.


    Entire kingdom started to praise the third princess and realized what they thought about her before was all wrong. They have made a mistake by mistreating her and as a result she had gone to the other kingdom, the princess who seems like a goddess to them now.


    Once she finished her work of healing thend, they had to leave for Othinia in theing days.


    In the Morning when Drayce and Seren came down the tower and were walking in the garden, yer came to Drayce, "Your Majesty, Prince An had sent a letter for you. Seems like a reply to yourst letter."


    Drayce epted it and spoke as he read, "The royal entourage of Griven has already left for Othinia a few days back."


    "We will have to leave as well, Your Majesty," yer said.


    Drayce nodded. "The change in the summit ce and the schedule has given us more time to be here. But it seems like we can not dy it anymore if we have to reach there on time."


    "Prince Cian had already started the preparations for it and he said we can rest assured about it."


    Drayce nodded and looked at Seren who was quiet, "Is there anything you wish to do here before we leave?"


    She looked a little lost but then said, "Not sure��Umm.. Maybe I can have tea with the Queen of Abetha."


    Drayce understood andmented, "My Queen sure can decide the right things on her own now."


    Just then, one of the knights of Armen passed them a message.


    "Your Majesty, King and Queen of Megaris, king Armen wishes to have morning tea with you," he informed Seren and Drayce.


    Drayce didn''t reply as he left it to his wife to decide.


    "We wee King Armen," Seren replied.


    The knight left and after a while, King Armen arrived there. He was not alone but Cian was with him as well. Seren felt relieved to have her brother around as she was still not sofortable with her father and would be hesitant to talk.


    A morning meal was prepared by Megaris'' servants and arrangements were as usual made in the garden. As they sat at the breakfast table, King Armen had aplicated expression on his face.


    Cian observed it, "What happened father?"


    Seren and Drayce looked at the King as well and heard him, "I never thought I would be able to have a meal with Seren here. In the past, countless times I thought about it but could never do it. I could hardly evene inside the gate of the tower premise."


    Seren heard it but didn''t know what to say, her own emotions conflicted wanting to say why he didn''t do it then but she knew the reason. A promise made to Niobe in order to be able to keep his daughter in the pce.


    "I hope you enjoy the meal made with Megaris cuisines," Drayce interrupted that silence.


    "It sure looks tasty," the King said, "I am fortunate to be able to eat it again. Last time I remember I visited Megaris decades ago when I was a young Prince and was allowed to explore the continent. During that time I even met the previous King of Megaris, Esteban Ivanov and the Crown Prince Theron Ivanov."


    "Have you met them, father?" Seren asked in amusement. She never knew it. After knowing the story of her inws, she had always been curious about them to know more.


    Armen was taken aback for a moment as she called him a father which sounded so natural. He smiled at her and talked while looking at her, "I did. The Crown Prince even introduced me to various ces in the capital and was a good host to me. If not for the distance, we might have been good friends just like King Drayce and Prince An."


    "How was His Excellency back then?" Seren asked.


    "He had all the qualities of a next leader of the Kingdom. I learned a lot from him. He was...." King Armen continued to tell them about the Theron from the past and Seren could rte it to what great Lady Theodora told her about her son.


    Seren looked at Drayce who was listening to it, his expressions solemn but one showed he wanted to know about the man who he used to call father.


    Seren put her hand on Drayce''s and offered him a gentle smile but then said something nice and teasing. "More I hear about your father, the more I find you two so simr. I can surely tell why mother fell for His excellency."


    Drayce smiled in reply. He could not deny his father was a great king who had to face brutal situations as a king and had to sacrifice a lot.


    As they finished their meal, Seren talked to her brother while King Armen was talking with Drayce as they walked along the garden.


    "King Drayce, I will always be grateful to you for taking care of my daughter and giving her everything she deserves."


    "I am d to have her in my life," Drayce replied.


    The king simply smiled as he could see how much this young king loved his daughter.


    "You will be leaving for Griven. I believe you will take care of the issues that Cian is also after."


    "Thevailes and banned herbs," Drayce assured, "do not worry about it."


    "I can rest assured knowing this continent to be in capable hands and we can live peacefully without having to face any more wars."


    "We will try our best to end things without leading to any more wars," Drayce assured again.


    Meanwhile Cian and Seren.


    "So finally you made up with our father," Cianmented.


    "You can say that, brother," she replied, "I don''t wish to waste any more time. Not sure when I will be able to be back here."


    "You sure have grown up. I am so proud of you." He patted her head.


    "What are you going to do about Queen Niobe''s n of having to introduce to the Princess of Othinia during the Summit," Seren asked.


    "I am sure, I will be busier to have time left for any more meetings."


    "She is a royal and you can not disrespect the Princess by not meeting her in an arranged meeting while in her own kingdom."


    "I might spare a few minutes," he replied.


    "Who knows, you might like her."


    "Political marriage is the reason that I have already rejected her despite however she must be. So there is no scope for any other things."


    "We will see."


    "Sure."


    The King and the Prince of Abetha left, having hearty talk with the Seren.


    Now Seren hadst thing to do before she leaves Abetha- a visit to Queen Niobe.

 Chapter 693: Story Of A Prideful But Hurt Queen

    In the afternoon, Seren paid a visit to Queen Niobe, joining her for tea in the garden of the Queen''s residence. They made themselvesfortable inside the gazebo, surrounded by lush greenery and the breathtaking disy of flowers in full bloom.


    For the past two decades, none of the pce gardens ever had a single blossom on them, aside from the garden belonging to the Third Princess as well as those rare instances where Seren''s positive emotions would cause flowers to bloom all of sudden.


    However, with Seren blessing thend as he Deity of Earth, her divine powers negated the ''curse'' within the capital of Abetha, returning them to their original state. Flowers could naturally bloom once more depending on their rightful seasons.


    The queens sat around a beautiful tea table after greeting each other respectfully, civil like strangers, rather than as mother and child. After the servants served them tea and snacks, they stepped aside to let the two women have the privacy they wanted.


    "I believe Queen Seren had a good time while spending time here in Abetha," Niobe said with grace.


    "It was surely better than the time I had spent here before," Seren replied, her words cutting despite her voice being polite. She didn''t intend to mock Niobe, but she was telling the truth.


    "I am d to hear that. I must say, going to another kingdom sure made you mature."


    "I won''t deny the im, Queen Niobe. I am d I could leave this kingdom and see a clear picture of the outside world. I can understand the people better and see things through more clearly."


    "Experience is the best way to be a wise person," Niobe replied as she sipped on the honeyed tea.


    Seren nodded and said after a short silence between the two, "Queen Niobe, would you like to hear a story?"


    "What kind of story?"


    "A story which I can clearly understand now, just to show you an example of how I can understand things now."


    "Is that so? Then, it is only proper for me to listen."


    Seren offered the woman a light smile. Unfortunately, it was hidden under her veil.


    "It is a story of an extraordinary royal princess. Not only is she renowned for her beauty, but she is intelligent, excelling both in the arts and dealing with high society, capable and wise, the most desirable woman worthy of ruling a kingdom even on her own. Some say, it was a pity she was born a female, for with her qualities she would have made an excellent ruler on her own.


    "Outstanding young noblemen and chivalrous princes from every kingdom sought to ask her hand for marriage, offering her promises of a life of luxury and power. Invitations and proposals had flooded her doors, but at hering-of-age ceremony, she made an unexpected announcement. It was her choice of a husband.


    "Of her many capable suitors, she rejected them all in favor of a scandalous marriage to a man who showed no interest in her, a young king who was grieving over the demise of his beloved queen after giving birth to their only child."


    With thest statement,Niobe''s hand which was holding the teacup flinched. But that was all. She was a woman who had trained to control her emotions all her life. She didn''t show anything on her face.


    Seren continued as if she did not notice this, "That princess decided to marry that particr king, surprising everyone, even her own family. No one knew the reason. That kingdom was neither the strongest nor the wealthiest, and its king was mediocre. She was not even forced to marry under pressure nor was there of any political significance.


    "It was her own choice."


    At that, Niobe merely sipped on her tea.


    "Once married, she tried her best to be a good wife, a good queen and even a better mother.


    "Even after having wedded a wife, this young king would not stop grieving for his deceased first wife. The princess, now the new queen of another kingdom, understood her husband''s sadness and respectfully gave him time to mourn. She loved her husband unconditionally and did her best to support him.


    "She took care of his kingdom, showering even her newly gained stepson, never treating him as if he was not her own blood. She didn''t have her own child till the prince was old enough and sacrificed her youth. A selfless wife, but was she really selfless?"


    In response, Niobe simply stayed quiet.


    Seren shook her head. "She might have been kind, but she too was human with a heart. She was not selfless. In return, she hoped to earn the affection of her husband, that the grieving king would look at her and love her sincerely. She waited and waited and waited for a long time.


    "However, even after she had a child with him, she never gained his heart. She then epted her fate and understood that her husband''s heart would only belong to his deceased wife. Aplete defeat. After all, how could one fight against the precious memory of the dead? In the king''s heart, his first wife would forever remain pure and perfect.


    "However, just as this queen was about to put down all her expectations, epting her fate that her husband would never open his heart and love another�� an ugly witch appeared and handed over a child to her husband. It was his ill begotten child with another woman."


    The grip on Niobe''s hand on the tea cup tightened, but aside from her lips growing pale, she did her best to keep her emotions in check.


    "It was a blow to the Queen''s pride��and at that moment, her heart broke all over again. So long she waited for the King to love her, but she failed to gain his affection. Yet now she learned that the King betrayed her trust and hurt her pride by having another woman, even having the audacity to conceive a child with her.


    "Rage. Betrayal. Grief. Humiliation. One could only guess what the Queen felt at that moment, but she loved the King so much that she quietly wept and wallowed in pain. She had her own dignity and pride, and she would never let anyone see her weak side�� after all, she had always been a strong, proud woman.


    How could she let a third woman create a rift between her and her husband?


    "However, things had changed. She was no longer the same warm and loving wife she once was. She had to protect herself as well her own family and reputation, but the naive hope she once had that she would be loved back had disappeared.


    "Her husband''s betrayal, she needed to take that anger out on someone, and who else should receive her wrath and hatred if not the reminder of his infidelity, the illegitimate princess brought to the royal pce?


    "Her existence was a painful reminder of what she did not gain, her unclear background a symbol of humiliation for the royal family. She hated the child. She wanted that child gone. She could not tolerate the sight of that child, and many times, she attempted to send that child away.


    "That child was a subject of hate all her life. Her life might not be targeted, but she was almost driven to insanity by her stepmother. That princess grew up never understanding what she did wrong to others, why she never received love from her family nor why her life was so miserable, she was basically living as a prisoner in her own homnd.


    "The Queen finally seeded to send her away through marriage, cutting off ties with her because she never considered that child a part of her family. That princess left the kingdom, not expecting to live a good life, better than she could ever dream about. She was blessed with happiness, surrounded by people who saw her as she is and did not judge her baselessly.


    "That child�� I guess, sometimes, she wondered if the Queen was truly happy after sending her away��"


    Seren stopped as she poured tea in her cup and offered, "Would you like more tea, Queen Niobe?"


    The shaken queen could only quietly put her cup down and Seren filled it with another round of tea.


    "Queen Niobe, I have one question."


    Without hesitating, Niobe straightaway looked into Seren''s eyes. "Feel free to ask, Queen Seren."


    "Who do you think is the most pitiful person in this entire story?" Seren asked.


    Niobe had a sip of tea and answered calmly, "That child, of course, who was hurt in the matters between adults."


    Seren observed the older woman for a while. She could not help but think highly of Niobe''s elegantposure. She was truly a strong woman, worthy of admiration.


    "I think you are wrong, Queen Niobe," Seren spoke.


    Niobe offered a puzzled look and Seren answered her unspoken question.


    "The most pitiful person in this story was the Queen who could never get her husband''s heart despite her sincerity. All her sacrifices and efforts were for naught, and maybe she will always remain devoid of his love. What can be more painful, more pitiful than not being able to gain what she wanted the most��the King''s heart?"


    Niobe''s blue eyes did not stray away from Seren''s purple ones. Even though they were clearly shaken, Niobe held still. Her pain, she would never say it out loud, and it would never be shown. Her pride would never allow her to.


    "What more," Seren continued, "the illegitimate princess married off to another kingdom discovered her worth, and she has nothing but gratitude for the Queen for sending her away."


    "d to know that child found her happiness," Niobemented, a faint albeit sad smile gracing her beautiful face.


    "Now that child has be a wife herself, she can understand theplicated emotions of the Queen. She doesn''t detest the Queen for making her a target of her anger but instead feels sad for the Queen that her presence caused pain to her.


    "That child is fortunate, as her husband dearly values her and vice-versa. She cannot even imagine the pain she would feel if her husband was to ept another woman in his life. Maybe, she too would turn as cruel as the Queen."


    At that, Seren put down her teacup.


    "The child won''t forgive the Queen as that child had suffered her entire life and neither did the Queen have the intention of apologizing, but she doesn''t hate the Queen either, for the Queen''s pain was not of her own making. Instead, the child wishes to apologize to the Queen on her mother''s behalf."


    Seren''s purple eyes held a sheen of tears.


    "Queen Niobe, these words will never bring back time, and it might never heal the broken pieces of your heart, but for causing you pain, as the daughter of those who trampled on your pride as a wife, a mother and a queen, please ept this child''s sincere apology."


    Niobe froze in ce.

 Chapter 694: A Good Mother

    Seren returned to the tower where her husband awaited her outside, seated amidst his knights on the outdoor chairs within her garden. From the bits of conversation she overheard as she approached them, they were discussing the uing journey for Othinia. Their group would be leaving the next morning.


    Seren walked towards her husband and her retinue tactfully stayed back. The knights also left after they bowed to the Queen, allowing the couple to converse in private. Drayce rose from his chair to wee her. Though he could not see her smile, the joy in her eyes was unmistakable.


    As soon as Seren was near enough, Drayce held her in his arms and lowered his head to meet her gaze. "Seems like the talk went really well."


    She nodded. "I now feel relieved and free of guilt." She nestled her face into his embrace and asked, "Dray, though you told me before you won''t, but I want to say it again."


    "Hmm?"


    "I will be devastated if you ever ept another woman in your life. On that very day you betray my trust, I will leave you and you will never see me again."


    Drayce chuckled and tightened his hold around her. "Very well, I will keep that in mind."


    He didn''t have to assure her again and again. There was no need for as his heart was hers and hers alone. To him, only one woman existed in his world��his wife, his Queen, Seren Ivanov. No one else could ever fill that role.


    ��--


    In the garden of Queen Niobe''s residence, the Crown Prince of Abetha arrived.


    He saw his mother quietly standing by the railing of the gazebo and approached her with measured steps. He had long been aware that his sister hade to have tea with their stepmother and he knew the reason of it very well.


    Cian entered the gazebo and walked to stand next to his mother, but Niobe was too lost in her own thoughts. She was gazing vacantly at the flowers in full bloom. She didn''t even realize his arrival.


    To her surprise, she felt a warm hand covering her own resting on the railing of the gazebo. She nced at the hand and then its owner.


    "Cian."


    Her son smiled at her, gently asking the Queen, "What are you thinking so deeply about, Mother?"


    She returned her attention back to the greenery and replied. "It''s nothing much."


    Cian followed his mother''s gaze.


    "Mother."


    "Yes?"


    "I always wanted to say something but didn''t know how to begin. Today, however, it feels like the right moment."


    "What is it?"


    There was silence for a moment before Cian spoke with sincerity, "I have always wished to thank you for being a good mother to me. For raising me to what I am today. For nurturing me despite your own struggles. You have been a great mother, and please do not ever forget how amazing you are."


    Cian detected a slight tremor in his mother''s hand that he was holding. He was not lying when he said those words. They were his genuine feelings. He knew his mother''s love towards him was real, and she always wished the best for him. Cian might not be a son who came from her womb, but he was the son she raised with painstaking effort and unwavering devotion.


    Niobe stood in silence, dignified and elegant as ever, her face tranquil despite her shaken heart.


    The recent conversation with Seren had already left her emotions in turmoil, and now even her son��why was it that all of a sudden everyone seemed intent to see her shedding tears?


    Niobe was a proud woman, never allowing anyone to see her be fragile and vulnerable. Not now, not ever. In her mind, a strong woman would not easily shed tears.


    All these years, despite being betrayed and ignored, despite enduring in silence, she never shed a single tear. It was quite a contradiction, because now she realized that her efforts were not for naught, under Seren''s and Cian''s words of affirmation and kindness, her eyes began to turn moist.


    ''So this is what it meant to shed tears of happiness.''


    But, still, she was Queen Niobe Ilven, the lofty Queen of Abetha, and she refused to let her real emotions be seen.. She held her tears back.


    After taking a deep breath, she spoke, "You are leaving for Othinia tomorrow."


    "Yes, Mother. The preparations areplete."


    "Have you thought about meeting the Princess of Othinia?"


    "Mother, I have made it clear that I don''t want a political marriage," he said with an apologetic tone.


    There was silence for a while before Niobe spoke again, "Cian, you must think that your mother is too ambitious, isn''t it?"


    "No, Mother, I know you worry for me."


    "I won''t deny that I am ambitious," Niobe spoke. "I am so ambitious that I even feel it proper that my son should rule the entire continent."


    "Ruling over such a vastnd will overwork me to death, Mother." Cian chuckled lightly. "Besides, I prefer how things are. To follow your wish, the continent will first be plunged into a great war and countless people will suffer unnecessarily for decades toe."


    "I know," Niobe replied, acknowledging his words. "What I wish to convey is that despite my own ambition, thest thing I would ever want is for you to be in a loveless marriage."


    Cian turned his head to look at his mother, taken aback by her statement.


    Niobe met his gaze directly. She looked deeply into his eyes and said, "Cian, men of your stature get married for only two reasons. One is when they have found a person they fancies, and the second, when there are political benefits to gain. You are not only the Crown Prince of Abetha, you are the sole heir of this kingdom. The royal bloodline of the Ilvens will continue through you.


    One day, you have to choose a woman to marry."


    Cian attentively listened to his mother''s words, a disy of a filial son.


    Niobe continued, "You are in your mid-twenties, yet you do not show a single interest in any noblewoman. It does worry me that you keep ignoring the subject of your marriage; afterall, the subject of a Crown Princess is sensitive. Still, it does not matter if you get a lover. In the end, you will end up marrying a woman.


    "Isn''t it better that it is a woman you at least have ties with? Even if there is no love, the two of you will have respect for each other. If there are political gains after marrying her, then that is a blessing. However, before worrying about all those, you must first interact with a woman who has the potential to be your lover."


    Cian fell silent as his mother was right.


    "That is why, I took the initiative to select someone suitable for you. That doesn''t mean I want you to outright marry her, but I want you to consider her when you make your decision. When you go to my homnd, try to get to know about this princess in person. If you find yourself liking her, we can think about giving a marriage proposal.


    If not, then I will introduce another person who I think will be a good match to you."


    Her words struck a chord within Cian, forcing him to acknowledge her wisdom.


    "I will try, Mother, but I cannot assure anything. I am going to Othinia for the kingdom alliance summit, but there are several important things I need to do as well. I might not get the time to spend at leisure."


    "I am d that you at least did not say ''no''."


    Cian smiled. "It''s hard to say ''no'' to you, Mother, when you are so good at reasoning out things."


    A hint of a smile, faint like a ghost, curved Niobe''s lips. It had been so long since she had smiled for real. Perhaps, thest time Cian remembered it was in his childhood. The circumstances that gued the Queen had seemingly eroded her capacity to smile.


    In that moment, multiple memories shed from his childhood days with his mother�� when she was ying with him, running after him, teaching him, scolding him, feeding him food, trying to coax him when he was sad, among countless others.. Niobe had been there for him every step of the way and he was grateful.


    "Where did your thoughts wander?" he heard his mother ask and it brought him back to his senses.


    Cian shook his head. "Nowhere significant."


    Mother and son settled around the table, delving into a discussion about the uing summit. Being knowledgeable in politics, not to mention before bing the Queen of Abetha, she was a princess from Othinia, the daughter of the previous King, she could guide her son well.


    She could provide him with resources to help him in his affairs, after all, despite being in another kingdom, she was a rtive to the current Othinian Royal family. She did not let her original foundation go to waste.

 Chapter 695: Sensing The Presence Of Black Witch

    The next day, Megaris'' delegation was ready to leave Abetha Royal pce to head to the Kingdom of Othinia for the summit. Prince Cian was apanying them with the royal troop of Abetha as he was the one to represent Abetha in the summit.


    All the arrangements were made, and they were ready to leave in the morning. The King and the Queen of Abetha were present to see the guest off. Armen held his daughter''s hand and patted with his. "Take care on the way."


    "Yes, father," she replied with a light smile on her lips as she held her father''s hand.


    She looked at Queen Niobe who was standing next to her father. The woman''s expressions were the same, calm and dignified. "Queen Seren, I have arranged the gifts from Griven for you. I hope you do enjoy it."


    "I will, Queen Niobe."


    The Queen offered a light nod and said, "The question you asked yesterday that you wondered if the Queen in that story was happy after sending the child away."


    Seren looked into her eyes and realized she had asked this question and replied, "Yes, I wonder."


    "I think she was not happy as she still didn''t get what she longed for all her life," Niobe answered.


    Seren offered her a gentle smile which was hidden behind her veil. She then looked at her father who was busy talking to Drayce and Seren didn''t know what to say to Queen Niobe. It was between her father and Queen Niobe and those two needed to handle it.


    The carriages were ready. yer approached Drayce, "Your majesty, we received a message that the Royal troop of Griven is in Abetha and they are traveling from northern territory. They are visiting different ces so it''s highly possible that we will reach the capital of Othinia, the city of Nefer, on the same day as Griven delegation."


    Drayce nodded and he helped Seren to sit inside the carriage. The Royal troop of Megaris as well as the royal troop of Abetha led by Cian, left the Abetha royal pce.


    The journey was going to be more than two weeks long. After a few days of travel while letting Seren explore the new ces on the way, they entered the territory of Othinia.


    Seren observed the territory and realized Othinia was blessed with greenery. She used to think only Abetha was blessed, but Othinia was on another level with green, dense jungle and the vegetation was denser, thriving in vitality with countless wildlife.


    After passing through the southern jungle their journey was going to continue for another week until they reached the capital of Othinia, the city of Nefer. In between they halted at many ces and explored this kingdom.


    Seren was amazed by the beauty of this kingdom, culture, and people. The terrain and architecture, the society in general was different from Megaris and closely rted to the Abetha but the difference was so significant as if she entered an entirely different world. The kingdom of Othinia was fascinating and remarkably different.


    Othinia was and where water shapes the very essence of its existence, with rivers andkes intertwining to create a breathtaking natural wonder.


    "It''s a beautiful kingdom," Serenmented.


    "It is," Drayce replied as he watched his wife enjoying traveling with him.


    "You must have been here before," Serenmented to which Drayce nodded only to hear his wife ask, "Official or unofficial visit?"


    Drayce smiled as his wife was getting smarter. She was aware of how her husband used his powers. "Most of the time unofficial visits."


    "More like sneaking into a foreign kingdom," shemented.


    Drayce chuckled, "You can say that, my Queen. I and An, loved to explore different ces and learn different things. It was just to improve our knowledge about this continent and nothing else."


    "Next time you go on exploration, you should take me with you," she said.


    "I will."


    She discovered various different things, where festivals could be seen almost every other day, and where it wasmon for women to wear tunics and pants. Many even bare the skin of their arms and no one would find it indecent.


    On this trip, she discovered the concept of floating markets, where goods were sold from boats.


    While passing through the cities along the way, experiencing the authentic Othinian lifestyle through their stays at the houses of noble families, trying out dishes and enjoying local performances during the night banquets, she also found the nobles of Othinia to be far more open-minded and easygoing, extremely warm but at the same time proud of their rich heritage.


    Traveling through various cities, she could see the people wearing sets of gold jewelry not only on their necks and hands, but even on their hair, arms, waists and ankles. Their attires were colorful, the fabric of their tops silks and satins with printed motifs.


    However, the skirts of the women were unlike the balloon skirts favored by those in the Griven and Abetha, but rather long wrap skirts. The fabric around their bodies emphasized the fine curves of a woman''s body and they looked so elegant andfortable as they walked down the streets.


    ''How beautiful. Thosedies don''t look shy, but confident in themselves. Is this kingdom liberal with women?''


    It reminded Seren about Queen Niobe and her prideful, confident and elegant behavior, a true definition of strong woman.


    Meanwhile, the men''s garments had prominent embroidery on them, seemingly more fashionable than their counterparts from the other kingdoms. Some had headscarves like hers, while others wore short-sleeved coats or vests, or shirts with long loose sleeves to cover their arms, which ought to befortable for traveling under the sun.


    ''Everything here looks so colorful and bright. Extremely pleasing to the eyes.''


    When they reached the city of Nefer, it was already midnight, and the city was quiet, other than having patrolling guards on the streets. They reached the Othinian royal pce.


    As their carriages approached the entrance, they were greeted by arge sandstone gate, intricately designed with ornate carvings that depicted tales of the kingdom''s history. nking the entrance gate wererger-than-life stone guardians, representing legendary warrior figures from the kingdom''s folklore.


    To announce an important person''s entry, drums were the preference of Othinia. Troops of Othinian royal soldiers, d in uniforms of forest green and silver, stood on both sides of the road wielding green-colored gs to wee them.


    The royal crest of the Othinian Royal Family appeared to be a horned beast surrounded by fangs, representing an ancient hero who, ording to the legends, united thends devastated by warring tribes in the past.


    The Royal Pce of Othinia looked like a grand war temple where wild animals could prowl around.


    The first Prince of Othinia, Crown Prince Rhaine, came to personally wee the King and the Queen of Megaris. Due to the sensitive identities of the summit''s attendees, in order to not offend the monarchs and their heirs, only the direct descendants of the King of Othinia had been given the role of host to wee the guests from afar.


    Arrangements were also made in that vast pce to ensure each participating kingdom lodged in separate mansions with simr grandeur as the residences of the Nefertiti Royal Family themselves.


    Drayce stepped out of the carriage and helped his wife to step out. The moment Seren stepped out of the carriage, her senses alerted her about something and she gripped Drayce''s hand.


    "Dray��"


    "I know, my Queen," he offered her an assuring gaze as he understood what she had sensed because he didn''t miss it as well.


    Understanding that they should not talk about it, Seren turned calm.


    "Rhaine Nefertiti wees His Majesty King and Queen and the delegation from Megaris."


    After sharing the greetings, the Prince of Othinia personally led their way inside the guest mansion and left after making sure the King and Queen of Megaris werefortable with their arrangements of stay.


    Once the Prince left, finally Seren could talk. "Dray, did you sense it, the strong essence of power of darkness?"


    "I did. It''s simr to what we sensed on Azures Ind."


    "Does that mean that ck witch is here?" Seren asked.


    Drayce nodded and looked at Yorian who entered the guest mansion. When Drayce and Seren entered the mansion, Yorian was still outside and trying to sense something more.


    "Did you find anything?" Drayce asked the elf.


    Yorian nodded, "It''sing from the guest mansion next to us."


    "We need to find out which kingdom''s delegation is staying in the next mansion?"


    yer, who was there, immediately stepped out and soon returned with the information. "Your Majesty, the delegation of Griven is staying in the next mansion."


    It puzzled the other three. An, why was he having a ck witch in his mansion?


    Drayce looked at tired Seren. "Let''s rest for now. First thing we will do in the morning is to meet An and find out why the ck witch is staying in the Griven guest mansion."


    Seren nodded and she went to rest with her husband while Yorian went out to look around.


    ===


    Note- The readers who have read from chapter 167 to 170 of 3rd book (The Devil''s Betrothed), can avoid reading next chapter unless you want to read it from Seren and Drayce''s POV of seeing Oriana with An.

 Chapter 696: Arlans Aide

    The next morning, Seren and Drayce had a meal and were ready to go downstairs.


    "Your Majesty, Prince An is here," Azer informed.


    Drayce nodded and the knight left. Seren looked at Drayce, "Dray, I can sense the strong presence of the darkness, it''s like the person is nearby."


    "We will know once we go downstairs," Drayce assured.


    The door to the drawing room opened and the King and Queen of Megaris looked at a certain someone who was standing behind the chair An was sitting on. That person happened to look at Drayce and Seren as well and looked shocked.


    The person standing behind An''s chair was wearing man servant''s clothes though she was a woman. Drayce recognized her and seemed like she had recognized Drayce as well, the shocked expressions on her face were the proof of it.


    Seren and Drayce were sure that this person was a ck witch they came across on the Azures Ind. She had her head wrapped in a dark cloth and Drayce was sure it was to hide her long hair. On that ind when he happened to pull her headwrap, he clearly saw her long red-blond hair. Her hazel eyes, Drayce was sure they were the exact same pair of eyes.


    Moreover, that aura around her, they knew it was her.


    But why was she in a disguise of a man and why was she with An? Was An not able to sense she is a ck witch? If An had known about her, given his hatred towards the ck Witches, he would have killed her. Was she deceiving An?


    Seren shared a known gaze with her husband to which he assured as if asking her to stay calm. He gently squeezed her hand to calm her. The two approached An who stood up and looked happy to see his friend.


    Drayce and Seren paid attention to An for now as they needed to know more about this person standing behind An.


    "You reached here earlier than expected," An''s voice disturbed their train of thoughts.


    "The journey was smoother than I thought," Drayce answered as he led his wife to sit on the sofa opposite An, "but were youte?"


    "When you have a troublemaker with you, dy is bound to happen," An answered as he sat back


    Drayce''s gaze kept moving between An and that ck witch to observe her. Drayce asked again, "Troublemaker? I am sure Imbert got rid of them even without you needing to lift a finger."


    "Some troubles can not be dealt with Sword," An answered with a teasing smirk.


    Drayce watched the ck witch pursuing her lips at An''s remarks. He could understand the things between An and this ck witch were not as simple as it looked.


    Meanwhile Seren kept observing this ck Witch as well. From her sense about the aura surrounding this ck Witch, Seren could sense she was not evil and felt relieved.


    Finally Drayce asked, "I see someone new. A new attendant?" and looked at her.


    Drayce could see she felt a little wary of him and he was sure she had already recognised him. She had seen his face when he almost caught her on that ind. He found her lowering her gaze and doing her best to not look at him. Before Drayce could tell anything to An, he needed to find out about this witch first. If she was a threat to An, he would not blink an eye before killing her.


    He heard An, "I envied you for having that clever Orion guy as your personal aide, so I got one Orian for me."


    ''So her name is Orian. She is really deceiving An and everyone by disguising herself as a man.'' Drayce concluded and spoke, "Sadly my aide Orion is not here to hear about your envy."


    An smiled and looked at Seren, "Your Majesty, I hope your husband entertained you well? Did you have fun?"


    Seren moved her attention to An from that ck Witch, "Yes, it was fun. I got to see various ces in Othinia. It''s a beautiful kingdom with different tastes in aesthetics."


    "True," An agreed.


    They continued to talk where Seren could sense that young witch''s gaze on her and wondered why she was staring at her. Just like others was she looking at the scales on her face and wondering why she was wearing a veil?


    Yorian had entered the drawing room a while ago but stayed quiet. From a distance he was observing that young ck witch standing behind An. He already heard this witch was An''s personal aide and so many questions arose in Elf''s mind just like Drayce. One of them was- Can An really not tell she was a ck witch?


    Just then he heard An talk, "...where is that priestess?"


    Yorian was used to such remarks from An and spoke with a smile on his face, "Are you talking about me, Prince An?"


    An looked at the elf, "What happened to your ears, Yorian?"


    Yorian had changed his long pointed ears into human-like ones to disguise himself as a human. "Wearing hoods in warm weather is ufortable so I have to disguise them."


    The weather of Othinia was much warmer than that of Abetha and Griven.


    "Doesn''t suit you," An remarked, seeing those human-like ears.


    "I don''t like them either," Yorian replied and then looked at the young witch who was looking at him as well but lowered her gaze the moment Yorian looked at her.


    "I see someone new with you," Yorian kept his gaze on the witch.


    "Seems like you people are still muddled from the long journey to be interested in my new aide."


    "This child wasn''t with youst time in Selve," Yorian countered.


    "I said this earlier, but Orian is new."


    Yorian exchanged the meaningful gaze with Drayce. They were somewhat sure that An was not aware that his new aide was a ck Witch and she was disguising herself as a woman, deceiving the Prince tantly.


    As they talked for a while, the friends decided to go out. Drayce looked at his wife, "My Queen, would you like to apany us outside?"


    "I would prefer to stay inside. You can go ahead," Seren declined politely, with the intention of letting the pair of friends catch up.


    "Alright," Drayce pecked on her forehead, "I will be back soon."


    Seren watched them leaving and her gaze was at An''s aide who followed them as well. Xena, who was next to Seren, asked, "Is anything troubling you, Your Majesty?"


    Seren shook her head. ''I hope Drayce would find out why she is here and why she is hiding her gender. I hope she has no bad intentions towards Prince An.''


    Just then Martha arrived there. Seren looked at her, "Martha,e here quickly."


    Martha hurried towards her, "Yes, Your Majesty."


    Seren looked at the retreating back of that young ck witch, "Do you see that young servant behind prince An?"


    Martha looked at the servant, "What about him, Your Majesty?"


    Seren looked at Martha with a surprised gaze, "Martha, do you not sense anything from her?"


    Martha observed that servant once more and shook her head, "No, Your Majesty? What''s the matter?"


    Seren moved closer and said in a low voice, "She is a ck Witch?"


    Martha was shocked and looked at that young servant once more but she could not sense anything. Martha was a white witch herself. Whether it was white or ck, she could sense the presence of any witch but here she simply could not.


    Xena was now used to hearing and seeing strange things since she started serving Seren so she didn''t find it odd and just looked in the direction of that ck Witch.


    "Are you sure, Your Majesty?" Martha asked.


    "Yes, Martha. Even Drayce and Yorian assured me about it."


    "Then how can I not sense anything from her when I am a witch?" Martha asked with worry.


    "There must be a reason. I think Prince An can not sense it either. We will talk about it once Drayce returns."


    Martha nodded and followed Seren upstairs. Due to the long journey and how she had exhausted her powers while using them to flourish thend of Abetha, Seren was feeling a little weak. Just as she reached her chamber, she felt dizzy. Martha and Xena supported her immediately.


    Once they made sure Seren wasfortable in bed, Xena spoke, "I will inform his Majesty." Xena hurried to go out.


    Meanwhile in the garden, after Drayce and An were teasing each other, Yorian asked, "Prince An about your new aide?"


    "What about him?"


    "Isn''t he too young to work as your aide?" The servant was walking at a distance behind them so she could not hear what these men were talking.


    "He is doing fine with his work," An answered.


    Drayce and Yorian briefly looked at each other confirming that they knew something An didn''t.


    "Oh, that''s good then," Yorian said with a light chuckle.


    "Is a peasant worthy of much attention from you two?" An asked, his tone displeased.


    Just then Cian arrived there. He greeted them and they talked about the summit and the issue of the banned herb like ck nightshade being raised in the summit.


    "Did you get any clues Prince Cian," Drayce asked.


    "Probably nothing more than what you know," Cian replied.


    "Being a rtive of the Nefertiti Royal family gives you more advantage here. We look forward to exchanging information with you," Anmented.


    Queen Niobe was Cain''s mother and she was the Princess of Othinia, a daughter of the previous King of Othinia. She was a powerful woman not just in Abetha but had strong rooting in her maternal kingdom as well. There were so many powerful rtives that were ready to help Cian because of their strong rtionship with Queen Niobe.


    They all knew how much Queen Niobe cherished her son though he was not her biological son. She had long paved the way for him to strengthen his ruling in future.


    Cian looked at Drayce, "Thevailes delegation should be arriving today by noon."


    Drayce looked to be in deep thought. He had heard the King of Thevailes had asked an artist to draw Seren''s portrait and he wondered what was going on in his mind. For now, all he knew was to keep Seren away from everyone''s attention.


    "That witch called Zaria, do you think she wille with that madman?" An asked.


    "I doubt but if she did, it would be thest day of her life," Drayce said in a cold tone.


    Yorian spoke up, his expression grave, "You better not underestimate her. She does not work alone, and she has no bottomline when ites to achieving her goals. There is a reason why a witch like her can run rampant after creating chaos in Agartha. If you deal with her without preparation, she will surely take lives as bargain chips.


    If she is indeed with the King of Thevailes, I am afraid that thousands of ordinary people will die in the crossfire."


    Drayce was aware of it as well. Though he was angry, he had to be rational.


    Just then yer came forward which interrupted their talk. "Your Majesty, pardon my rudeness," yer called out as he approached Drayce. "Lady Xena sent a message that Her Majesty is not feeling well."


    Drayce''s expression turned serious and he was about to disappear from his spot when An grabbed his arm. "Take it easy."


    The young king calmed down after his friend stopped him. This was not Megaris where he could openly use magic, and neither were they in a deserted ce or an enclosed area. If he were to use magic out in the open, under the gaze of outsiders, he could forget about living as a human for the rest of his life.


    Drayce was not overreacting in his worry. His wife had undergone a great ordeal beforeing to Othinia, and it was unknown how badly affected her health was due to this.


    "Let us talk againter," he told An before walking back towards the mansion building.


    Cian and Yorian followed him too, leaving only An and his retinue in the garden.


    When Drayce reached there, Seren was lying in the bed.


    "What happened?" he asked Martha who was by Seren''s side.


    "Her Majesty suddenly felt dizzy and fell unconscious. It seems to be the effect of a long journey." Martha answered.


    Drayce sat by his wife''s side who had her eyes closed. He caressed her head and looked at her with a worried gaze.


    Yorian asked to see the Queen and he entered the chamber as well. Yorian was always allowed to pay attention to Seren now as he was one of the trusted people of Drayce. After Drayce''s mother herself vouched for him and the way he helped them always, his actions made it clear to him. He treated Seren like a child.


    Martha made space for him. The elf held Seren''s hand and closed his eyes, while Drayce waited patiently to hear him.


    "Queen Seren''s body is yet topletely recover from all the damage caused by using her power to heal thend," Yorian informed, "and this long journey for more than two weeks had made it more inconvenient for her." He looked at Martha, "You still have the elixirs given by Evanthe?"


    "Yes. Her Eminence asked me to use it when we are in grave need. She suggested letting Queen Seren''s body heal on her own with time so she will get used to it instead of relying on elixirs all the time."


    Yorian didn''t deny it as what Evanthe said was right. "For now, just give her half of it. She needs it."


    Martha agreed. Just then, Eva entered the chamber, "Your Majesty, Prince An''s aide is here and he wishes to see Her Majesty. Prince An said he is a physician and asked permission to let his servant check on Her Majesty."


    Drayce looked at Yorian to which the elf nodded.


    "Send him in?" Drayce said and stood up from the bed.


    An''s aide, the ck witch disguising herself as a man. Why did she want to check Seren? They needed to know her intentions to be around them.


    The door opened and a young servant entered the chamber. Her hazel eyes looking at the Queen lying on her bed. She bowed to the king and walked towards the bed.


    Yorian let go of Seren''s hand and looked at her, "You are a physician?"


    "I am trained under Erich Winfield," she replied.


    The moment she said Erich''s name, they looked at each other. They were all surprised to know it.


    "You know Erich Winfield?" Drayce asked, still having so many doubts about this young witch.


    Only if his mother was here, things would have been easier to know this witch''s intentions. For now they could only be quiet and observe her.


    "Indeed, Your Majesty," she replied politely. "I am Orian, one of his apprentices."


    Drayce and Yorian once again looked at each other. Yorian spoke, "Go ahead."


    The young witch went to the side of the bed where Seren was lying with her eyes closed. She reached out to check the pulse on the young queen''s wrist, and there was shock and confusion in her eyes.


    The moment the young witch touched her, even Seren felt something strange and opened her eyes only to find this young witch staring at her in confusion, but lowered her gaze the next moment, making Seren feel suspicious of her.


    Seren wondered, ''When she touched me, I felt her energy. Did she feel the same when she touched me? Can she feel I have divine power? Will this witch be greedy for my blood now ande after me?''


    Seren found this witch holding her scaly hand and she was observing those scales. She looked at Drayce and Yorian who were quietly observing this witch, so Seren didn''t say anything either.


    The young witch kept Seren''s hand down and asked as she looked at her, "Your Majesty, have you been exhausting yourself a lot?"


    Seren nodded and Oriana spoke again, "Has your body always been sickly, Your Majesty?"


    The Queen shook her head.


    "Do you suffer from diseases, or does your family have hereditary problems in health?"


    Seren shook her head once more.


    "What about��"


    This young witch kept asking her many questions like a proper physician and Seren answered them all.


    "...I see. Your pulse is weak. Fortunately, it is not anything rming. It is merely fatigue. You need to sleep and eat well on time, Your Majesty," Oriana said. "I suggest you stay indoors for the next few days.


    Also, I will have to ask your servants about your diet and the medications you drink. That way, I can check if there are conflicting ingredients and see where you need more supplements to help you recover faster."


    "Thank you," Seren replied.


    "Do not mention it, Your Majesty," Oriana smiled at her lightly and then stood up.


    She turned towards Drayce with her head lowered. "Your Majesty, please allow me to prepare medicines for the Queen."


    Drayce didn''t agree right away. She had so many doubts about her and he feared she might harm his wife. If she was someone Zaria had sent and her intention was to approach them using An, then they had to be careful.


    He only looked at her coldly but then Yorian spoke, "I am sure His Majesty means yes."


    Drayce threw a displeased look his way, but the elf offered him an assuring smile, seemingly saying ''do not worry''.


    "Thank you. I will need ingredients and assistance to prepare medicine. May I request someone who knows the Queen''s daily routine well?"


    "You will be provided with everything you need," Drayce replied. "Martha will assist you."


    Hearing Drayce''s response, the young witch looked delighted as if it was what she wanted. Martha led her way out and the young witch followed her happily.


    Once they left, Drayce looked at Yorian, or more like red at him, "Why did you allow her?"


    "King Drayce calm down. Didn''t you see. That witch was looking at Martha again and again since the moment she entered the room. The person that interests her is none of us but Martha. Her eyes turned happier the moment you said Martha will assist her."


    Drayce thought about it and realized Yorian was right. He ignored these things as his mind only paid attention to his wife''s safety.


    "She is a witch and she must know Martha is a witch as well because witches can sense each other''s presence," Drayce spoke.


    "But Martha can not sense she is a witch," Seren informed.


    "Are you sure?" Drayce asked.


    Seren nodded and exined them what happened a while ago when Martha failed to sense that witch.


    "So we were right," Yorian spoke, "Just like Martha, even An can not sense she is a witch."


    "What shall we do?" Drayce asked, "If we inform An, he will kill her without even bothering to know her reasons."


    Yorian nodded, "Let''s not infrom him for a while. For now, the important part is, we need to know why she was seeking for Martha." He then sighed and looked at Drayce, "Shall I make it easy for us?"


    "Please do." Drayce agreed immedietly.


    Yorian smiled mischievously, "Eavesdropping is a bad thing but sometimes it can be forgiven," and he left the chamber.

 Chapter 697: Dragons Mate Is A Witch

    Yorian was standing outside the room where Martha and Oriana were preparing the medicine for Seren. He was curious to know what this young witch had to do with Martha when they were meeting for the first time itself.


    "Miss Martha, my master mentioned you to me." Yorian heard Oriana talk. "When I told him I aming to Othinia, he told me I might get to meet someone he knows. She goes by the name of Martha, the nanny of the Queen of Megaris, but her real name is Celia Voss."


    Martha''s voice could be heard, "Is he living well?"


    "Master is doing well in Griven. He is currently attending to a patient, though I believe he will once again journey around the continent to continue helping poor people once he resolves that patient''s health problems."


    "Good to know."


    There was a silence for a while inside the room when finally Yorian heard something useful.


    "There is something I need to talk with you about, Miss Martha."


    "What is it?"


    "Not now as it''s a personal matter that is sensitive in nature. Maybe, when you are free from work?"


    "Alright. I will let you know."


    Yorian frowned inwardly, ''Seems like I have to wait a little more to learn what this little ck witch is up to.''


    After preparing the medicines, Oriana and Martha returned to Seren''s chamber where Oriana offered the prepared medicines to Seren. Drayce was reluctant to let Seren eat the medicine prepared by this ck witch but he trusted Martha who was with her while preparing medicines.


    Oriana left Seren''s chamber while Seren looked at Drayce who patted her head, "You shall rest. I will be back soon."


    Seren nodded and closed her eyes while Drayce stepped out of the room only to find Yorian outside, "Got to know anything?"


    "Not yet, but she said she has something important to talk to Martha," Yorian answered, "We might know it soon."


    Drayce and Yorian returned to the Drawing room where Cian enquired about his sister, "How is Seren?"


    "Asleep" Drayce replied as his gaze passed by Oriana who was standing on the sidelines. He then looked back at An. "I need to discuss something with you."


    The way Drayce looked at him, An understood it was a private matter only for their ears.


    "Imbert, Orian, return to our guest mansion."


    "Yes, Your Highness," Imbert replied. Oriana paused hesitantly, "Your Highness, can I talk to Miss Martha for a while? I have a message for her from Master Erich."


    An looked at Drayce who offered him an approving gaze. "Alright, but after that return immediately."


    "Yes, Your Highness." She left to meet Martha.


    Yorian looked at the retreating back of the young woman and said, "You pair of friends can chat nicely. I will stay behind."


    "I have important matters to attend to regarding what we talked about earlier. I will update you two when I get something useful," Cian said as he bowed lightly and excused himself.


    The Crown Prince of Griven and the King of Megaris disappeared from their ces under the gazes of those left behind inside the drawing room.


    ��


    Outside Martha''s room, Yorian was standing, waiting to hear something important.


    As the conversation between two women started, finally Yorian got to hear something important which made his pointed ears twitch in excitement.


    "About a month ago," she started, "Master and I prepared a certain ancient concoction which includes the use of one banned herb��.ck nightshade��" her voice seemed hesitant.


    ''Finally she mentioned that herb,'' Yorian thought.


    "Continue," Martha instructed.


    "This medicine, the end result should be a vibrant green concoction. However, every time I prepared it, the liquid would turn ck. In the past, I had always sessfully created many concoctions but when I use ck nightshade, there seems to be some issue with me. Master said the ck magic can be the reason."


    Yorian could sense the nervousness in the young ck witch''s voice as he heard her more.


    "Trust me, Miss Martha, I don''t even know what ck magic is. All I want is to concoct my grandfather''s medicine. I want to get rid of this issue. Master said you can use magic too. Do you perhaps know what the reason is and how to solve it?"


    "Come and sit beside me," Martha instructed, "Put your hands in mine."


    After a silence for a while, Oriana''s anxious voice could be heard from the inside of the room, "What happened? Is something wrong with me? W-what happened?"


    "Wait here," Martha said.


    "But��"


    Yorian found Marthaing towards the door and he knew the reason, ''Seems like Martha found out Oriana is a ck witch.''


    Martha was surprised to see him there, "Lord Yorian?"


    "I heard everything. Do you need my help?" the silver-haired elf asked.


    "I wasing for you. I��I need you to check something. I am not sure��"


    "Maybe you are not wrong either," the elfmented. The two of them entered the room and found Oriana jumping to her feet, seemingly surprised to see Yorian.


    Yorian could see her scared. "Be seated, child. You don''t have to be scared of me."


    The young witch didn''t dare move and she heard Martha, "This is Lord Yorian. You can trust him. He can answer you better than I can."


    The young witch still looked at him warily but the ancient elf didn''t mind her vignce.


    "Alright, let me show you something," Yorian said and put his hand forward.


    Oriana let out a gasp when an object appeared out of thin air. It was a beautiful silver longbow, its craftsmanship the most exquisite she had ever seen. It gave off a muted glow, like the softest moonlight at night, and as he did something with his fingers, a simple wooden arrow appeared out of nowhere as well.


    However, it was obviously no ordinary arrow, its shaft giving off a dangerous vibe, causing goosebumps to appear on Oriana''s arms.


    She was stunned silly, not blinking until those things disappeared with a flick of his hand.


    "H-How did you��"


    "I believe you can do something like this as well."


    Yorian''s voice was pleasant to hear, neither mocking nor proud, and seeing his steady gaze, Oriana felt he might be trustworthy too.


    "Not exactly like this, but a small magic trick with the wind," she answered.


    "Do you want me to answer the questions you are seeking?" Yorian went straight to the point.


    "Can you?"


    "Of course, I can," he said."Can you see my ears?"


    Oriana''s gaze moved out of reflex and gasped when she noticed the pointed elf ears poking through his long silver hair.


    "I am an elf, and elves are the race with the longest lifespan," he said. "If a being like me who has been alive for thousands of years does not have answers to your questions, then I believe you will remain ignorant for the rest of your life."


    Until her bewildered gaze, Yorian sat beside her on the couch. "Put your hands in mine."


    Though hesitant, she did it anyway.


    Yorian closed his eyes and looked into Oriana''s power. He knew she is a ck witch but��there was something more.


    ''Am I seeing it wrong? A ck witch with such a powerful core? Such a core, only that specific witch can have.''


    He opened his. "I need to check something else as well," the elf said. "Can you show me the back of your neck?"


    "For what?" Oriana asked, feeling ufortable about it.


    "Trust me if you wish to get answers," he replied.


    Hesitantly, Oriana turned around, her back facing him.


    "I just need to check a mark on your nape so don''t be scared," he assured her.


    The back cors of her attire could not hinder what Yorian wanted to see. It was a pale smooth skin.


    ''Empty as expected,'' Yorian observed. ''It has been hidden by a spell. I can not unseal it but I see through it.'' He closed his eyes and mumbled something.


    Just as he opened his eyes, they were met with the view of a symbol shining at the back of her neck.


    ''A circle and a four-cornered knot. This symbol��This child ought to be this generation''s Queen of Witches. However, not only are her powers sealed, even her identity is hidden. This child is not even aware of what she is.''


    "You can turn back around now," Yorian instructed.


    Oriana looked at him with a gaze full of questions.


    "Do you really want to know about yourself?"


    "Yes."


    "Do you know that this means there is no going back?"


    Oriana''s eyes flickered before determination set in. "Please, Lord Yorian, tell me what you discovered."


    "You are not human."


    Hearing it, she clearly looked shocked. "Not human?"


    Yorian continued, "...among those beings who can use magic, there are countless races in this continent, normally unseen since that side of the world is well-hidden from human eyes. You, Martha and I belong to that side of the world.."


    "What race do I belong to?" Yorian heard her ask.


    "You are a witch."


    -----


    After an hour, Drayce returned to the guest mansion and went to his study after checking on his sleeping wife. Inside the study Yorian was already waiting for him. He had nice long chat with the new found young ck Witch, exining to her about her existence. Once she was gone, Yorian was waiting for Drayce to return.


    "Seems like King Drayce had a nice talk with his friend."


    "Something like this," Drayce replied and asked, "So what did you find out about her?"


    "She is not just a ck witch but a new Queen of Witches, the one who can control entire race of witches at hermand."


    Drayce was stunned to hear it. His mother was the previous Queen of witches and a new Queen was there and she was a ck witch at that.


    "So An''s mate is a ck Witch?" Drayce said, looking like in a disbelief.


    "What?" Yorian eximed. "Prince An''s mate?"


    Drayce nodded, "His Dragon has chosen her a mate."


    "So Gold Dragon''s mate is a ck Witch?" Yorian chuckled. "Why does it feel so satisfying?"


    Drayce frowned, "It''s not a good news for now. An doesn''t know she is a ck witch."


    Yorian nodded but said, "If his Dragon has chosen her as his mate, there is nothing he can do."


    Drayce could only sigh helplessly as he knew his friend very well. It was sure not a good thing when he doesn''t know who he had chosen as his mate.

 Chapter 698: Is There Another Black Witch?

    "She is after the ck nightshade," Draycemented and asked, "Did you find out why?"


    Yorian affirmed, "Indeed. She requires it to stabilize her grandfather''s health; he''s grappling with dementia."


    Astonished, Drayce eximed, "She''d risk her life, even resorting to smuggling a prohibited herb, all for her grandfather? Are we certain there''s no ulterior motive?"


    Yorian replied with conviction, "None whatsoever. Trust me, King Drayce.I had a good talk with her after I told her she is a ck witch. The witch who is not even aware that she is a witch, what could she n to do with such a dangerous herb?


    She just had a difficulty in making medicine with that herb as her ck magic power was interfering with it by neutralizing the poisonous effect of that herb. She now needs to learn how to control her power so it won''t affect that herb and she could make the medicine without any difficulty."


    Drayce, while grasping the situation, cautioned, "Yet, she remains a ck witch. We must remain vignt. Considering she''s a reigning witch queen, youprehend the implications."


    "Absolutely," Yorian affirmed. "I''ll maintain a close watch."


    "I''m heading to An," Drayce dered. "I''ll broach the topic of the herb with her once more and gauge her intentions."


    Yorian chuckled softly, "What more could she do beyond acquiring more of the herb? If she intends to continue crafting medicine for her grandfather, her current stash of five stalks won''t suffice."


    Drayce mused, "By observing her actions, we''ll gain insight into her character."


    Yorian observed, "King Drayce''s concern for his friend runs deep, even prompting tests upon a his potential mate."


    Drayce responded firmly, "I cannot stand by if he''s with the wrong woman. Though his Dragon may have chosen her, their bond isn''t sealed. And we cannot ignore her status as a ck Witch��the very type An detests."


    A sly smile crept across Yorian''s face. "Proceed as you see fit. I''m quite eager to witness her maneuvers. She''s quite the captivating witch."


    Drayce shot a pointed look at the elf. "Mind your boundaries."


    Amused, Yorian chuckled softly, enjoying Drayce''s protective stance regarding his friend''s interests.


    -----


    Drayce went to Griven''s guest mansion and appeared inside An''s study where An was standing by the window of his study, looking outside. Drayce stood by his side and followed An''s line of sight.


    The newly arrived delegation from another kingdom moving towards one of the guest mansions in that vast pceplex. The grand royal carriages, the knights in white-maroon uniforms, and their gs with a giant crest of a white tiger indicated which kingdom they belonged to.


    The Kingdom of Thevailes.


    "Finally, your dearest friend is here, Dray," An said,ughing in sarcasm.


    Drayce''s eyes narrowed at a particr carriage, the one that belonged to the King of Thevailes, King Samer Vailes.


    An continued, "You have to be careful in case he brought that witch with him. You have to look after your wife."


    Drayce understood he was talking about the ck Witch, Zarya Lynx.


    "I can''t sense the presence of any other ck Witch here," Drayce spoke as his eyes continued to follow that carriage leaving their sights.


    "Any other ck Witch? Is there anyone already here?" An asked, his tone serious.


    Drayce realized what he had said but kept his calm. "I misspoke. I meant, witches in general. You must have already sensed Seren''s nanny, Martha, as well as her personal servant, Marie."


    Drayce sure could not tell him the other ck Witch he was talking about was Oriana, his chosen mate.


    "Oh. I thought there was already a ck Witch in this pce," An said, which almost made Drayce swallow in guilt. An continued, "If there is, we should go capture her and deal with her right away. Even if it''s not Zaria herself, we can ask her what their side is scheming. After all, I don''t believe they don''t have a purpose for moving the summit to Othinia."


    Drayce signed inwardly. ''Here he goes again. Hearing ck Witch''s presence, all my friend could think about was capturing and tormenting them.''


    Drayce simply nodded and watched An turning to look at the door of the study. Someone wasing to the study and their sharp senses had already taken the notice of that person. An''s gaze as if he had not seen that person for a long time.


    "That look in your eyes gives away your feelings," Drayce spoke, his intention obvious.


    An red at him. "And what about now?"


    "You can try but you cannot hurt me. You better save that for your enemies."


    The knock on the door interrupted their banter.


    "Your Highness, it''s Orian. I brought tea for you," the voice announced.


    The door opened and the woman disguised as a young man, Oriana, entered the study. Drayce''s gaze remained stuck on her as if to observe her. She seemed flustered seeing him there.


    An looked at Drayce as if silently saying, ''You should spare that staring for your woman.''


    Drayce offered him a mocking smirk, as if replying, ''Did it offend you as if I am staring at your woman?''


    ''My possession.''


    ''Whatever.''


    These two had developed this skill of silence talk over their years of friendship, the two Dragons could connect really well.


    Drayce and An sat in the chair as Oriana served them tea.


    Drayce took the tea cup from the tray in her hands, his gaze lingering on her for a white, shifted to An. "Prince Cian met with his mother''s rtives and found a new lead about the ck nightshade ntation."


    Scatter!


    The tray in Oriana''s hands almost shook, but there were no other changes in her expression. The corner of Drayce''s lips curved in hidden smirk as if he got what he was expecting from this Witch.


    An epted his tea cup as well. "Hmm, he sure works fast. I am sure he will return with something useful."


    "He set for us to meet tonight to talk about his findings," Drayce added, his sight never leaving Oriana even after she bowed and turned to leave. He had surely touched the topic that interests her and he got the reaction he had expected.


    ''Let''s see what does she ns to do tonight,'' Drayce thought.

 Chapter 699: He Saw My Face

    As darkness enveloped the kingdom of Othinia, the guest mansion of the Megaris delegation echoed with an air of anticipation. Within the confines of King Drayce''s study, a man with crimson eyes gazed intently toward the distant guest mansion of Griven.


    "King Drayce, you appear resolute in observing her actions tonight," remarked Yorian, stepping into the study with a discerning look.


    "I need to ascertain her true capabilities," Drayce responded tersely.


    "Even devoid of her supernatural abilities, she is remarkably capable even as a mere human," Yorian countered.


    Casting a sidelong nce tinged with irritation, Drayce retorted, "Your interest in her appears to exceed necessity."


    Yorian chuckled softly, unabashed. "me her for being interesting; she''s genuinely captivating." Before Drayce could interject, Yorian added, "Much like your own mother."


    At the mention of his mother, Drayce''s fiery gaze softened into a reflective, somber look.


    Unperturbed, Yorian pressed on, "Your mother was no shrinking violet. If you wish to know your mother, then just enjoy the antics this young witch pulls off. She seems harmless so you don''t have to be on guard all the time."


    Before further words could be exchanged, a voice broke the momentary silence, "Your Majesty, Prince Cian has arrived."


    Prince Cian gracefully entered the study, offering a respectful bow to King Drayce just as An materialized beside him. Their assembly centered around the pressing issue of the illicit cultivation of banned herbs within Othinia, particrly the most dangerous one- The ck nightshade.


    "The sources here in Othinia that my mother provided me with, they are proven to be really useful," Cian affirmed, extending a batch of documents to Drayce, who sat ensconced behind his ornate desk.


    Leafing through the papers, Drayce remarked, "Despite her residence in Abetha, Queen Niobe undeniably wields influence across her birth kingdoms."


    An nodded in agreement, asserting, "She has earned her reputation as the most formidable queen on this continent for a reason."


    A sense of pride flickered across Cian''s face. "My mother''s objectives align closely with ours. She''s been vigntly tracking the illegal cultivation of these poisonous herbs and anticipates ourplete eradication of these illicit ntations."


    Drayce leaned forward, determination evident in his voice. "For the stability of this continent, it''s imperative that we act."


    A somber silence settled among them before An continued, "During tomorrow''s summit conference, we''ll address this grievous issue. However, I suspect Samer wille prepared with countermeasures, given the royal family of Othinia''s implicit support of these activities."


    "As long as we can prevent further alliances, that should suffice for now. Putting aplete halt to herb production is our primary goal. Once achieved, we''ll leave them no choice but to abandon this illicit venture. Holding them ountable won''t yield any positive results as..."


    Their discussion continued at length.


    Meanwhile, Seren, weary of resting in bed, yearned for a breath of fresh air. Apanied by Marie, they descended the stairs. Seren observed several servants emerging from a specific room, directing two others carrying delicate-looking antiques.


    "What are they up to?" Seren inquired.


    "They''re setting up a vast hall on the side, showcasing rare Othinian antiques. More are being arranged, so Your Majesty can explore them tomorrow," Marie exined.


    "How intriguing," Seren remarked with interest.


    "His Majesty is well aware of Her Majesty''s preferences. Given your delicate health, he orchestrated this arrangement to provide you with a source of enjoyment," Marie added."Let''s take a closer look," Seren dered, but Marie interjected with caution, "Your Majesty, considering the hour..."


    "It''s fine. A brief glimpse won''t hurt. I''m eager to see what Dray has prepared," Seren replied, her anticipation evident as she proceeded, with Marie trailing behind.


    Servants bowed respectfully as the veiled figure of the Queen of Megaris passed by, parting ways to grant her passage. Recognizing her presence, the supervisor overseeing the arrangements instructed the staff not to disturb the Queen before excusing himself.


    Upon entering the room, Seren found herself surrounded by the warm glow of numerousmps illuminating the meticulously arranged space. She meandered along the adorned walls, captivated by the intricate paintings bathed in the soft light.


    Cough! Cough!


    "Your Majesty, are you alright?" Marie inquired, concern coloring her voice.


    "I''m fine; just a bit of a dry throat," Seren responded, attempting to suppress any further coughs.


    Noting Seren''s fragile state, Marie urged, "Your Majesty, let''s return to your chambers. I insist on..."


    "It''s nothing serious; you worry too much," Seren reassured, offering a gentle smile.


    "In that case, allow me to fetch you some water," Marie responded, receiving a nod from Seren.


    Once Marie departed, Seren''s gaze gravitated toward the collection of antiques that dominated the vast hall''s center, sprawled in apparent disarray. The assortment included sculptures, weaponry, armor, pottery, musical instruments, religious artifacts, and more.


    Yet, amidst this eclectic array, one piece beckoned her��a striking full-length mirror. Encased in intricately carved, rare wood, the mirror sparkled with embedded gems and delicate gold filigree, radiating an aura of grandeur.


    "I''ve never beheld such a captivating mirror. Shall I take it to Megaris?"


    Her slender fingers traced along it and then she looked at her own reflection in the mirror. She looked around and there was no one.


    A glimmer of curiosity danced in Seren''s eyes, prompting her to remove her veil and peer into the ornate mirror.


    Observing her beautiful face, her gaze settled at her own eyes as she thought, ''I think I do look beautiful. Martha said I am in fact pretty so I must trust her words.'' Her thought wandered to Drayce, ''When once I manage to get rid of that curse, and could show my face to Drayce, I wonder how he will react. Will he find me beautiful? Umm��maybe��"


    Suddenly, a chilling presence shattered her introspection and her eyes widened in shock.


    There was a figure standing near the window, d in dark clothes, hiding their face with ck clothes, only eyes visible. That pair of eyes was clearly staring at her face as if the person was bewitched while looking at her.


    Turning around, frightened Seren immediately shouted, "Who are you?" and put her veil back to hide her face.


    The figure seemed to get out of the daze and immediately turned around to run away through the window.


    Before Seren could fully process the encounter, she felt the fleeting embrace of a powerful arm. Yet, in an instant, the mysterious figure had vanished into the night, leaving Seren awash with a whirlwind of confusion and unanswered questions.


    "D-Dray, he saw my face," she panicked.

 Chapter 700: It Was A Woman

    As Seren''s faint whisper of panic escaped her lips, Drayce gently pressed his finger against them, shaking his head subtly, signaling for her silence.


    Confusion flickered in Seren''s eyes, yet she yielded to Drayce''s silent plea, finding sce as she embraced him. In his presence, she had not nothing to fear.


    "It''s alright," he whispered reassuringly.


    Just then Marie arrived there with a ss of water. No one had heard Seren''s panicked scream as the door to that chamber was closed. Only Drayce''s sharp senses that always followed his wife, heard her.


    "Let me take you back to the room," Drayce murmured, guiding Seren to her chamber. Holding her close for a moment longer, he said, "I''ll return shortly. There are matters to attend to, but know that I''ll be by your side soon."


    "I am fine now. Do not worry," Seren replied, her voice steady with resolve.


    Drayce returned to the study. The reason he stopped Seren from saying anything and didn''t try tofort her by telling her the identity of the intruder was because- the moment Drayce disappeared from his study, he knew An would feel worried and his senses would follow him to know what''s going on. If they talked about the intruder, An would hear it and would find out about Oriana.


    Drayce could block his friend from reaching them but it would only raise suspicions as An''s action of using his power would simply be out of concern for his friend.


    When Drayce wasforting his wife, a certain elf was standing by the window of the study, watching a delicate figure d in dark clothes running towards the guest mansion of Griven while carefully hiding herself from the guards.


    A soft, internal chuckle echoed within him. ''Ah, the sneaky little mouse.''


    Meanwhile An who had heard Drayceforting his wife who seemed to be scared by something, felt relieved. He also informed Cian who was puzzled to see Drayce disappearing all of a sudden that he had gone to Seren. Drayce returned to the study, assured them there was nothing to worry about and they soon finished talking about the issue of poisonous herbs.


    After Cian and An took their leave, Yorian turned his attention to Drayce with a yful smirk. "So, King Drayce, what are your thoughts on our elusive little mouse, Oriana?" A hint of amusement colored his tone.


    Drayce''s eyes held a glint of respect. "She possesses an umon courage, a true mischief-maker. It''s no surprise An keeps a vignt watch over her."


    Arching an eyebrow, Yorian probed further, "Do you pity your friend for having such a wild spirit as his mate?"


    "She is his chosen mate and his person to worry about," Drayce replied but after a short pause he spoke again, "She seemed to be in dire need of that herb to risk her life like that again and again."


    "I have told you why she needs it," Yorian said, "Thankfully Prince An had not caught her till now. But I worry that she will keep putting herself in trouble again and again."


    Drayce leaned back in the chair, "Then we shall just help her with what she wants and she will stop creating trouble for herself and An."


    "Would you supply her with the herb she seeks?" Yorian questioned, gauging Drayce''s intent.


    "The old man won''tst long. We can provide her that herb for a few years of his life''s worth supply,"Drayce replied, his voice devoid of sentiment.


    Yorian chuckled softly, observing, "Your concern for Prince An''s well-being inadvertently benefiting that spirited young witch."


    Drayce offered no further remarks, choosing instead to return to his wife, aiming to dispel any lingering apprehensions clouding her thoughts.


    Upon entering their chamber, Seren swiftly dismissed the attending servants. Once alone, she regarded Drayce, who settled beside her on the bed. "Is it safe to discuss this now?" Her words carried a cautious undertone.


    Drayce''s smile was tender as he gently sped her hand, offering a reassuring pat on her head as if to praise for- even if she was scared due to intruder, she understood his request and kept quiet instead of being hasty.


    Catching a distant look in his eyes, Seren gently prompted, "Dray?"


    "It wasn''t a man who saw you face, but a woman," Drayce disclosed.


    Startled yet somewhat relieved, Seren shifted to face him directly. "A woman?"


    Meeting her gaze with understanding, Drayce exined, "Hadn''t you sensed that familiar shroud of darkness about her?"


    Caught in a whirlwind of emotions and still grappling with her recent fright, Seren admitted, "The moment was fleeting, and fear clouded my senses."


    With a soothing touch, Drayce reassured her, "It''s understandable. But know this: since our intruder is a woman, the looming curse no longer threatens anyone." Hisforting gaze anchored her, offering sce in the midst of uncertainty.


    "Who exactly was that woman?" Seren inquired, curiosity evident in her tone.


    "It was Oriana who sneaked in," Drayce revealed calmly.


    Astonished, Seren questioned, "Oriana? But what drove her to such lengths?"


    "I set a subtle trap to gauge her intentions, and she inadvertently walked right into it," he replied with a hint of intrigue.


    Confounded, Seren pressed, "And why would you do that?"


    Drayce unraveled the intricacies of his actions, detailing his motivations and concerns to her attentive ears.


    Catching onto his underlying sentiment, Seren ventured, "You n to help her... it''s because she''s Prince An''s mate, isn''t it?"


    He raised a brow, "Can I not be generous for no reason?"


    "You can but not when ites to hical things," Seren continued to exin, "You would not care about one old man dying due to health issues thates with age as sooner orter he will die and for that you would not break thew.


    But as you know her intentions are not wrong and she would stop at nothing, you are helping her so her actions won''t put Prince An in a tough spot who is aggressively against these banned herbs."


    Drayce''s smile broadened, and he affectionately tapped Seren''s veiled nose with his fingertip. "Ah, my Seren is getting smarter by the day."


    yfully, Seren rubbed her nose, retorting, "I was always smart. It''s just that I can understand a little better now."


    "You sure knows me better." His eyes twinkling with mirth, Drayce drew her close, swiftly maneuvering to pin her beneath him.


    The sudden move nearly elicited a startled gasp from her. "Dray?"


    Captivated by her widened eyes, he murmured, "Yes?"


    "I felt genuinely frightened today and it''s not right to bully me like this," Seren murmured, a hint of yful protest evident in her voice.


    "Am I bullying you?" he queried, his voiceced with curiosity.


    She responded with a soft hum of affirmation.


    Drayce''s eyes deepened with intensity, a smoldering gaze locking onto hers. "Then, don''t you like the way I bully you?"


    Caught in the weight of his insinuation, Seren''s eyes momentarily sought refuge behind her long, flutteringshes, a blush hinting at her cheeks.


    Drawing nearer, his voice a velvety whisper, he murmured, "We are yet to be there when you will know what true bullying is."


    The subtle shift in his tone sent an involuntary shiver down Seren''s spine, the gravity of his words not lost on her.


    With a slight pull back, Drayce''s lips curled into a teasing smirk, clearly amused by her reaction.


    "Can you not tease me," she said in a low voice. Though used to such teasing from him, she could not help but feel embarrassed everytime.


    With a mockingly innocent nod, he responded, "Alright, no more teasing." Yet, as the words left his mouth, darkness enveloped the room, punctuated by his whispered promise, "because I n to bully you."


    Seren barely had a moment to process his words before her veil vanished, reced swiftly by the unexpected press of his warm lips, her words were sealed before they would make their way out.

 Chapter 701: Arlans Mate Is A Pervert

    The following morning, Seren awoke to a sky already illuminated by the sun''s rays. Blinking sleep from her eyes, she nced beside her to find an empty space. A sudden realization flushed her cheeks crimson, prompting her to quickly shield her face beneath a plush nket. Before she could fullypose herself, a familiar voice broke the silence.


    "Good morning, Seren."


    Reflected in the mirror, a tall figure elegantly dressed adjusted the buttons of his tailcoat, his eyes meeting those of his newly awakened wife. He couldn''t help but notice her fleeting embarrassment.


    Peeking out from beneath the nket, Seren murmured, "Good... morning," her voice soft and slightly muffled.


    Turning away from the mirror, Drayce approached the bed, taking a seat beside her. "Did you sleep well?" he inquired.


    With her gaze still partially obscured by the nket, Seren simply hummed in response, seemingly reluctant to part with her protective cover.


    He chuckled softly, "Are you attempting to suffocate yourself, my Queen?" Extending his hand toward her, he attempted to gently remove the nket from her grip, but she clung to it tightly.


    Raising an eyebrow inquisitively, he remarked, "And may I know the reason for hiding? Could it be that my wife is still feeling a tad embarrassed about our previous night?"


    "I...I am not," Seren stammered, attempting to defend herself.


    "Hmm, learning how to lie?" He teased, noting her unconvincing response.


    Caught in her lie, Seren found herself momentarily speechless, unable to formte a retort.


    Amused by her evident difort, Drayce chuckled again, his eyes twinkling with mischief. "You''re remarkably easy to tease, you know." With a yful glint in his eyes, he once again attempted to pry the nket from her grasp. "If you''re looking for a way to feel suffocated, I assure you, there are more enticing methods."


    Yet Seren remained steadfast, refusing to release her grip on the nket.


    Leaning in closer, Drayce whispered seductively into her ear, "It seems my wife still has much to learn about pleasing her husband."


    Confused, Seren blinked several times, trying to decipher his meaning.


    Drayce gently directed his gaze towards her clenched hands that held the nket. "Merely using your hands won''t suffice," he suggested with a hint of yful suggestion. "Perhaps you''d be open to exploring other methods?"


    Seren suddenly recalled the book she had purchased during their ind visit, intended to guide her on how to please her husband. Regrettably, she had never found the opportunity to delve into its pages, almost allowing it to slip from her memory entirely.


    With a probing gaze, Drayce asked, "Would you like me to instruct you, my Queen?" His intent stare made her feel somewhat uneasy.


    "No," she replied hesitantly, "I''ll figure it out myself."


    Undeterred, Drayce continued his yful banter. "If you remain hidden beneath this nket, I might just join you to offer a more personal lesson."


    The mere thought made Seren worried, reluctant to repeat the events of the previous night in broad daylight. With a newfound resolve, she let go of the nket, deciding to act obedient. Drayce helped her sit up.


    "I overslept," Seren murmured, her gaze drifting toward the window.


    Gently tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear, Drayce reassured her, "You can sleep as long as you desire. Who would dare object?"


    A faint smile graced Seren''s lips as she observed, "You are ready. Are you heading somewhere?"


    Nodding, Drayce exined, "I intend to join An for breakfast and discuss some pressing matters."


    "In that case," Seren replied, "you should proceed."


    "There''s another matter," Drayce began, catching Seren''s attention.


    "Oh?" she prompted, curious.


    "Given your visit to the city today, Yorian intends for Oriana to apany you. We need to better understand her and her mysterious abilities. Her sudden appearance and decision to walk among humans, despite being a Queen, raise questions."


    "I see," Seren replied thoughtfully. "I have no objections to her joining me."


    Drayce hesitated momentarily before adding, "However..."


    Prince An''s likely resistance didn''t escape Seren''s foresight. "He won''t readily agree," she anticipated, preempting Drayce''s unvoiced concern.


    "Prince An won''t allow it so easily," Seren said, even before Drayce showed his concern.


    He nodded with a smile. "Seems like my Queen already knows what to do." She smiled back under her veil, "I will be there before I head out."


    Drawing closer, Drayce gently kissed her veiled lips. "Your intelligence proves invaluable," he remarked affectionately.


    Unfazed, Seren returned his gesture with a quick peck. "I appreciate thepliment. Now, if you''ll excuse me, I must hasten my preparations to ensure I arrive there before you leave for the conference."


    With a nod of understanding, Drayce left Seren in the care of her attendants. Upon descending to the foyer, he found Yorian awaiting him, and together they made their way to the Griven guest mansion.


    "Seren will be there," Drayce informed.


    ----


    It was the first day of the summit officially being started, graced by the presence of delegates from all the kingdoms. During breakfast, Drayce and An had discussed important matters for the first day.


    As they had almost finished breakfast, Yorian nced at Drayce who offered him an approving gaze.


    Getting the lead, Yorian looked at An, "Prince An, can I borrow your aide for the day?"


    "What for?"


    "To apany me around the city."


    An was clearly not pleased to hear Yorian''s request. " You don''t need such a skinny boy to protect you, Mister Yorian. He''s just as unfamiliar with the streets of this city as you are. Shall I lend you one of my knights instead?"


    The smile on Yorian''s lips only widened. "You jest, Prince An. I''m nning to go around the markets of Nefer to enjoy the local customs. I want him to apany me because he''s such an interesting and brightd. Surely, you don''t want to kill this child in boredom inside the pce while you''re away?"


    An did not respond.


    The elf continued as he looked at Oriana who had disguised herself as a young boy, "What do you think, Orian? Do you want toe? I know a thing or two about herbs, and I''m sure I can introduce some of the local herbs we find to you."


    Oriana was inwardly jumping in joy, but could only respond with, "As long as His Highness permits me." Her eyes were sparkling with expectations, causing An''s annoyance to intensify.


    The elf added, "I give you my word that your aide will be back to you by the time today''s conference ends."


    An was about to say something, but Drayce spoke up, "They will be apanying Seren. Do not worry."


    As his friend said it, An had to reluctantly agree. He was about to warn Oriana when he noticed something amiss with her.


    ''Is she��blushing?'' The young woman''s gaze was fixated in the direction of the door.


    An followed her line of sight, the target of her heated gaze was the purple-eyed woman walking towards them.


    ''What the��''


    ck-jawed, his eyes went back and forth between Oriana and Seren. Oriana was misty-eyed, her lips slightly parted and her breath shallow, her heartbeats loud like a beating drum. She appeared enchanted, unable to pull her gaze away from the young queen.


    Like a young man seeing his first love��?


    An didn''t know what to say.


    Drayce happened to notice the same and his cold re swept both Oriana and An.


    Oriana was unaware of the attention she garnered, especially the displeased look from Drayce and An both. The extent of jealousy both men possessed was beyond one''sprehension.


    Drayce could not bear to have anyone staring at his wife like this, not even a woman was allowed. On the other hand, An was furious to see the woman his Dragon had chosen as his mate was blushing to someone else, even if that someone else was a woman, it was simply not eptable. Had disguising as a man messed up with her senses?


    Drayce left his seat, moving towards his wife to block her from Oriana''s fervent gaze.


    An also stood up, prompting the end of their meal. With clenched fists, he slowly forced out a name.


    "Orian?"


    It pulled her attention towards him. "Y-Yes, Your Highness."


    "You are not going anywhere today," An dered.


    "Huh?" She finally got back to her senses. "What��"


    "You are not going anywhere today," the prince repeated, his tone stiff.


    Seren, who saw this, looked at Drayce in confusion to which he didn''t react as if what An did, was the right thing to do. Jealousy in his eyes was evident.


    "Prince An, a person of your status must not easily take back your own words," the elf interrupted, earning a re from the prince but he didn''t give up. "Orian is obviously excited to apany us in touring the city. Must you make him upset?"


    Before An could say more, someone beat him to it,


    "Is Orianing with us?" Everyone heard the sweet voice.


    Seren didn''t know what was going on but stepped aside to look past her tall husband and spoke, ignoring his cold expressions.


    She walked ahead, "It''s greatto have Orian with us when we go out in the city. The new supplements he rmended works well. Even Martha praised him. I n to reward him, but I don''t know what he wants. I hope Prince An will let us borrow his aide for today."


    Though Drayce was reluctant as well, he could not upset his wife and signal An to agree. An could not say ''no'' to Seren, not under the gaze of her husband.


    He could only give up. "My aide will be under your care, Your Majesty."


    Seren looked at her husband, "Well then, are you heading for the conference?"


    Seeing her cheerful, those cold expressions on Drayce''s face melted away as that cold face of his was just an illusion. "We are. Be careful when you go into the city," Drayce replied with a warm smile. "yer will be with you."


    "Thank you, Dray."


    Meanwhile, An gestured to his knight Rafal to step forward. "Go with Orian. Make sure he stays away from troubles."


    Then he warned Oriana, "Remember to behave."


    When An was warning Oriana, Seren whispered to Drayce, "He is so protective of her. I wonder if he will never allow her to go anywhere."


    "It''s good that my Queen behaves and is not a troublemaker like An''s mate or I might have been the same," Drayce replied and looked at Seren, "Though she is a woman, you should maintain her distance."


    Seren chuckled, "At this rate, you won''t ever let me have any friends."


    "As long as that friend is not a pervert," he said coldly, still remembering how Oriana was looking at his wife a while ago, he could even hear her heartbeats loud and clear.


    Damn it! That woman had seen his wife''s face when even he had not seen it and now seems to have taken a liking to his wife due to her beauty. In his opinion, An''s mate was a pervert. What if she was his friend''s mate and was a woman, his wife was only his to look at.


    Not having any choice, Drayce and An left to attend the conference while their mates had left to visit the city, not knowing a trouble was waiting for them soon.

 Chapter 702: Another Attack

    It was the first day of the kingdom alliance summit. Representatives of every kingdom had arrived at the royal throne halls of Othinan royalty. The throne hall was the mark of their imposing cultural architecture,rge and ornate facades, with intricate detailing and decorative elements that reflect the cultural and artistic influences of the time.


    The focal point of the conference hall was the long, elevated dais at the far end of hall, especially the ten people seated on the ornate, high-back thrones. The dais was reserved for the highest-ranking leaders of the continent, and the people upying this elevated tformmanded attention and respect with their mere presence.


    Behind these figures stood their most trusted officials, performing the role as aides, advisors and scribes to the contents of their meeting.


    When Drayce and An arrived at the throne hall, they came across another young king wearing a pristine white royal attire nced at him, that pair of light gray eyes seemingly smiling.


    It was a devilishly handsome man with short silvery blond hair and pale white skinmon among Northerners. He was wearing a ck ear stud, his long fur-lined cloak sped by a jewel-embedded sp resembling a fierce white tiger.


    Samer Vailes, the newly crowned King of Thevailes.


    Though enemies, at this moment they had to act with respect to the situation. They offered each other greetings and walked forward to take their own ces.


    The King of Othinia sat on the throne and started his weing speech for the guests. Meanwhile, Drayce and An exchanged knowing gazes as they waited for the main part of the conference to start. Presence of Samer Vailes somehow gave them a sense of crisis as if something was not right.


    Drayce had been following his wife''s presence wherever she moved in the capital city. Till now he found nothing unusual and could even see her enjoying her trip in the city.


    Along with words said by the people in the conference hall, his ears were focussed on the sweet voice of his wife.


    "This city seems more crowded than Karlin." It was Oriana''s voice.


    "It''s because in Griven, its political capital and its economic capital are different. While for Othinia, Nefer is both its political as well as economic capital. All the businesses and big merchants of the kingdom are here and thus, the more people there are."


    "Thank you for answering, Your Ma��I mean, mydy."


    "It''s alright."


    Hearing his wife''s response of exnation to Oriana, Drayce smiled. His wife, though locked in a tower for all her life, had studied well about this continent and the politics. She was smart.


    Seeing him smiling, An offered him a questioning gaze as if saying, ''Are you that happy to see your enemy here that you are smitten by him now?''


    Drayce chuckled inwardly as he replied through his gaze, ''I have you to be smitten with. Samer Vailes doesn''t stand a chance in front of you.''


    An narrowed his gaze, ''You are giving me chill. I shall ask Seren to pay more attention to you.''


    Drayce smiled back and focussed on what his wife was doing.


    "Orian,e here," he heard Seren''s sweet voice again and thought, ''Seems like she is at her shopping spree again. I shall extend the area of her pce when we return so she can keep buying things without worrying for space to keep them.''


    "This is a gift for you, Orian."


    "F-For me?"


    "I gifted one to Xena as well."


    "Thank you, mydy. B-But I am a man. What would I do with it?"


    Again, that pair of purple eyes appeared to be smiling.


    "You can give it to a woman important to you," Seren said. "Take it."


    Smile on Drayce''s lips widened, ''My wife sure has a kind heart, always caring for the people around her.''


    Drayce continued to focus on the conference as well, as the topics were moving to the serious matters in the continent now.


    It had been about three hours since the conference started. A tense atmosphere permeated the grand conference hall, a stark contrast to its rather civil and diplomatic air moments ago.


    The cause of this was two youngest kings in attendance, the King of Megaris and the King of Thevailes.


    As the conference proceeded, Drayce began to show signs of restlessness.


    ''Why can''t I hear Seren anymore?'' He extended the extent of his power but he could not feel Seren''s presence anywhere as if something hadpletely broken his connection with her. ''Where did she go? Yorian and yer are with her but��.''


    Though his face appeared calm on the surface, his eyes showed he was distracted, and it was An, as the person seated nearest him, who was first to notice this.


    Before An could ask him what''s wrong, the King of Megaris stood up from his chair in front of all the attendees inside that grand conference hall. Everyone stared at him with varying levels of surprise and curiosity, which he merely shrugged off with a, "Record it that my kingdom will abstain votes to all the raised concerns for the rest of the day''s agenda.


    I will affix my signature when the conference resumes tomorrow. I have to go somewhere. Apologies for leaving midway." Drayce then threw a look at An who was sure something bad happened.


    Through his gaze, Drayce assured him to stay seated and he would be back soon. An did so and merely watched his friend leave the grand hall. His gaze swept over Samer who offered him a light smile in response. An''s intuition was telling him that Samer was aware of what troubled Drayce, and his intuition had never wronged him.


    ��-


    Drayce materialized at the ancient temple, the very ce where he hadst sensed the profound connection with his wife. Worry and anger etched across his face, mirroring the emotions that had driven him to the temple. As he arrived, Seren and a group of others emerged from its mystical depths.


    Rushing towards Seren, he enveloped her in his arms, her petite form colliding with his muscr frame. Holding her tightly, he released a sigh of relief, as though he had been suffocating until this moment, and her presence allowed him to breathe again.


    "Are you alright?"


    Seren, recognizing that he had picked up on something amiss, reassured him, "I am alright, Dray. You can rx."


    Relinquishing his embrace, he peered down at her. "What happened?"


    "King Drayce, we should make haste and depart from here," Yorian interjected, "I''ll exin everythingter."


    Drayce nced at Seren, silently signaling for her to prepare. "We are teleporting."


    She nodded, fortifying herself with her powers, and in an instant, both of them vanished from the scene.


    Upon arriving at the guest mansion, Drayce gently ced Seren on the bed, his concerned gaze scrutinizing her body to ensure she had not sustained any injuries.


    She chuckled, "I told you I am fine. You worry too much."


    He returned his gaze to her, his expression serious, "When it''s about you, I can''t let my guard down." Now assured of her well-being, he inquired, "What happened?"


    Seren began recounting the incident, "Upon entering the ancient temple, group of wizards suddenly appeared and attacked us. Mister Yorian and yer protected us, along with Oriana, who wielded her power."


    "Oriana?" Drayce questioned, "Is she able to use her power now?"


    Seren shook her head, "It seemed instinctual, and surprisingly, she tapped into divine power rather than the power of darkness."


    This revtion stunned Drayce. ''She''s a ck witch; how can she possess divine power?''


    "Are you certain?" he asked.


    "Yes. You can confirm it with Mister Yorian when he returns. It appears she has the divine attribute of an air element."


    Drayce felt perplexed. The enigma surrounding this Young ck Witch was deepening with each revtion. Apart from him, only An, a fellow supernatural being, possessed both powers��the Power of Darkness and divine power. They were both Dragons connected to the Devil. But Oriana? How did shee to wield both these powers?


    "I need to speak with An. He must be concerned about Oriana," Drayce dered.


    "Don''t worry about me. We need to attend to Oriana. She has unleashed her powers," Seren reassured.


    Drayce gently kissed her forehead and departed, leaving her attended to by her servants. and departed, leaving her attended to by her servants.

 Chapter 703: Slayers Abilities

    Drayce materialized in An''s study just as the Prince''s concern for Oriana reached a critical point. An, teetering on the edge of abandoning his study to pursue Oriana, was saved from taking that precipitous step by Drayce''s timely arrival.


    With a measured tone, Drayce proceeded to narrate the events at the temple to An. However, he strategically omitted certain details about Oriana, specifically her pivotal role in safeguarding against the wizard''s threat. Drayce painted a reassuring picture, assuring An that Oriana was unharmed and under the vignt protection of Yorian and yer.


    An, in turn, updated Drayce on the developments in the conference following his departure. Regrettably, the oue was unfavorable in their battle against the smuggling of banned herbs. The alleged culprit, the King of Thevailes, managed to evade any connection to the illicit activities. The destruction of evidence and the support from the Othinian King proved to be formidable obstacles.


    Mid-conversation, Rafal and Oriana made an entrance into the guest mansion. As soon as they learned of An''s presence, they hastened towards the drawing room. Rafal bore visible injuries, a testament to the struggles they faced, while Oriana, though appearing somewhat disheveled and paler, seemed otherwise unharmed.


    The unexpected sight of the King of Megaris left both the knight and the attendant taken aback, prompting them to bow in respect.


    An''s scrutinizing gaze swept over Oriana, as if determined not to miss any detail, marking a moment of intense scrutiny.


    Drayce offered him a meaningful gaze as the two had silent talk. ''I told you she is fine.''


    An gazed back. ''Will you trust my words when it''s about Seren and won''t check on her?''


    ''So admit that she is as important as you the way Seren is important to me?''


    An frowned, ''I don''t like it if someone else hurts my possession.''


    Drayce scoffed inwardly, ''You will make me sick with those same words.''


    "Your Highness, we have returned from our city trip," Rafal''s words drew their attention.


    Upon delivering their report to An, Oriana and Rafal were ready to departed. Despite Rafal''s reluctance, Oriana insisted on overseeing his treatment.


    Drayce patted Rafal''s shoulder as if praising him for protecting others, but Drayce''s intention was different. Rafal was affected by ck magic attack and by making a physical contact with him through patting, Drayce absorbed that ck magic from Rafal''s body. An noticed it and silently thanked his friend.


    After addressing crucial matters with An, Drayce made his way back to the guest mansion, where Yorian and yer awaited his return. Seren had also joined them in Drayce''s study this time, taking a seat beside her husband on the plush couch while yer and Yorian upied positions opposite them.


    "Wizards attacked today, attempting to abduct Seren," Drayce began, his arm protectively encircling his delicate wife''s shoulders, pulling her closer. He paid no mind to the presence of Yorian and yer.


    Seren, typically reserved about public disys of intimacy, didn''t resist Drayce''s gesture. She understood that his concern for her safety outweighed any reservations about being affectionate in front of others. She leaned into him, epting his reassurance.


    "Yes, that''s what urred," Yorian confirmed, "and judging by their formidable power, it suggests a more sinister force is pulling the strings."


    "Zaria Lynx. Who else could it be?" Drayce asserted. "The King of Thevailes may be aiding her."


    "I share the same suspicion," Yorian concurred, "I have not sensed her presence around yet that means she is concealing her presence really well if she is really here."


    Drayce nodded, "I tried it as well, but could not sense it. We can only get to know if we manage to infiltrate the guest mansions of Thevailes."


    "It might take a dangerous turn as Zaria will sure catch it. She is way more cunning and careful," Yorianmented.


    "But we might have to take a chance. It''s about Seren''s safety. We have to take measures before they n another attack," Drayce replied.


    "Then we will need someone who can enter the guest mansion of Thevailes and would not raise any suspicions. Also, smart enough to get information about Zaria."


    "We will n something soon. I cannot let that witch to have another chance to harm my wife," the pair of red eyes turned resolute, "If we fail to execute proper n, I will personally enter the guest mansion of Thevailes and get that witch out despite whatever consequences we have to face. My wifees first and the matter of this continentter."


    "I can only agree to it," Yorian said, turning his attention to Seren. "Your Majesty, for your safety, it would be prudent to remain within the guest mansion unless apanied by King Drayce."


    "I agree," Seren responded, a hint of guilt flickering in her eyes. "I don''t wish to jeopardize the lives of others along with my own. Today was dangerous enough, and if not for Oriana''s use of her powers, it could have been far worse."


    Drayce, offeringfort, gently rubbed her arm with his warm palm and turned back to Yorian. "Seren told me that Oriana possess divine power?"


    "Yes, King Drayce," Yorian''s countenance grew more serious as he continued, "Her true nature is not as it appears. We must delve deeper into her powers. Her divine powers seem to have been overshadowed by the attribute of darkness to not be seen easily," Yorian added, emphasizing the need for understanding. "She appeared utterly shocked as well.


    We must rify everything about her and help herprehend."


    Drayce turned his gaze to yer. "Summon Oriana here."


    "Of course, Your Majesty," yer affirmed, departing on the errand.


    Yorian, maintaining eye contact with Drayce, continued, "Today, I witnessed yer''s innate abilities firsthand, confirming my suspicions about him."


    Drayce''s expression darkened. "How did he react?"


    "He seems uninterested in exploring his true identity. During the skirmish, he fought like any other knight," Yorian replied.


    Drayce sighed, a weight of concern evident on his face. "We must shield him from such incidents. His existence must remain concealed. As for those wizards, did they manage to escape?"


    "Yes, they fled, having witnessed their failed attempts against yer. I understand your efforts to keep him hidden, but I had no alternative at that moment except to get the help from his extraordinary abilities."


    "One day, he will have to acknowledge his identity. This incident, we can consider it as a start of it," Drayce added with a tinge of resignation.

 Chapter 704: Greedy Wife

    Seren, perplexed by the conversation, turned her gaze to Drayce. "Is there something about Commander Sanders that I''m not aware of? Is he not human?"


    "He is indeed human," Drayce reassured her.


    "Absolutely, I''ve never sensed any supernatural aura around him," Seren confidently affirmed, her own newfound abilities aiding her perception. "Unless his existence is concealed, simr to Prince An."


    "yer is human, blessed with a unique bloodline that belonged to a human race annihted by dark magic practitioners in the past. His presence poses a threat to those who practice ck magic, and they would attempt to eliminate him if his identity is revealed," Drayce exined.


    "Annihted Does that mean he''s the sole survivor of his race?" Seren inquired.


    "We''re uncertain, but from what I know, it appears that way for now," Drayce replied. "My master discovered him when he was a child and kept him hidden from the world."


    As Seren began to piece together the situation, she posed another question. "How does he pose a threat to ck magic practitioners?"


    "His unique abilities render their ck magic ineffective against him, and he has the power to counteract and defeat them, even kill them easily. If he proves immune to their magic, they would undoubtedly view him as a formidable adversary and seek to eliminate such a threat," Drayce borated.


    Seren appeared somewhat perplexed. "But aren''t those magicians supposed to be stronger?"


    "Well, let me rify," Drayce began. "Picture the most powerful ck magic practitioner, like the wizard you encountered in the temple today. He''s casting his most potent spell, giving it his all to attack yer. However, yer is immune to the magic, effortlessly advancing with his weapon until he swiftly ys the wizard in the blink of an eye.


    It''s not just immunity; his bloodline allows him to kill these wizards with minimal effort. The blood in his veins poses a grave threat to their existence.


    "These wizards devote their entire lives to mastering ck magic, yet someone like yer can eliminate them effortlessly, akin to stepping on ants. His bloodline not only grants him immunity but also bless him with formidable physical strength, enabling him to excel with any weapon in his hands. There''s a reason he''s known as the yer on the battlefield."


    "Understood," Seren replied, her mind processing the information. Then, after a moment of contemtion, she posed another question, "Dray, you possess the power of darkness. Does that mean your abilities are ineffective against Commander Sanders, and he can potentially harm you?"


    Drayce chuckled softly at her inference. Her smart mind had started to work on the different aspects of the information.


    "The ck magic practitioners I mentioned, like those wizards, are human beings resorting to evil means to wield ck magic. In contrast, individuals like me, born with inherent attributes of darkness and the supernatural by birth, encounter a different dynamic. While yercks the ability to harm me, it''s given that even my power of darkness is ineffective against him.


    It''s not inurate to say he is immune to any attack stemming from the attribute of darkness."


    "This is quite intriguing," Seren remarked, but a subtle shift in her expression hinted at an underlying thought. "Does that mean your divine attribute can harm him?"


    Drayce nodded. "Yes, the divine power can, but not the attribute of darkness."


    Seren wore a satisfied smile, her eyes gleaming with curiosity. "So my husband remains invincible." Pride colored her voice, reluctant to ept the idea that her formidable husband might be powerless against someone.


    Drayce chuckled. "Even without my divine power, do you doubt my ability to defeat him with a sword?"


    "Well, you could, but Sir Sanders is formidable. Why take unnecessary risks? I prefer my husband with powers capable of vanquishing evil in the blink of an eye," Seren admitted.


    Drayce raised an eyebrow. "So, you wouldn''t want me if I were a mere human?"


    Seren released an awkward chuckle, "Oh, I didn''t mean it that way." She admitted with a tinge of guilt, "I would love you even as an ordinary human, but having powers isn''t a bad thing, right?" She blinked innocently, attempting to validate her point. "It allows you to protect me.


    I get scared of those bad people." Suddenly, she transformed into a cute and innocent young girl, adding, "Is it wrong to expect a little more from my husband?"


    Drayce yfully pinched her nose over her veil, his eyes filled with affection. "Acting cute won''t hide your greed, my Queen."


    Noticing he wasn''t upset, she smiled, "I am greedy, but only for you."


    "You two can continue. I won''t be an eyesore," Yorian dered, standing up. Ufortable with the affectionate exchange, he added, "I''ll be there when Oriana arrives," and vanished from the study.


    Seren felt a bit awkward. "I forgot Mister Yorian was here."


    "Ignore him," Drayce advised, redirecting her attention to him. "So, you''re greedy for me, my Queen?"


    She cleared her throat awkwardly. "Shall I not?"


    "How greedy are you?" he teased, his gaze filled with desire.


    Seren gently moved back, creating a bit of distance between them. "We are in the study," she reminded him.


    Drayce, undeterred, pulled her back closer, his hand enveloping her waist. "So?" he questioned, unfazed.


    Seren realized she had limited options and attempted to redirect his attention, preventing the situation from escting when it wasn''t even nighttime yet. "Dray, you spent quite some time with Prince An. What did you two discuss?"


    He leaned in closer, his face inches away. "Forget about him."


    Seren, moving a bit further back, insisted, "No, I want to know. Did you discuss more about him and Oriana being mates?"


    Drayce raised an eyebrow, a hint of yfulness in his eyes. "Trying to distract me, my Queen."


    She offered an awkward smile. "Is it working?"


    He sighed, releasing her from his hold to address her curiosity. "We did talk about both of them."


    "What was the discussion about?" she inquired.


    "We discussed the unique scent of our mates, which is specific to each of us," he exined.


    "Is it?" Seren''s eyes sparkled with interest. The subject of mates had always intrigued her, especially in anticipation of her encounter with Erebus. "We never talked about it. Tell me more, Dray."


    "He is affected by Oriana''s scent, and I had to exin to him why and how," Drayce shared.


    "I don''t know about it either," Seren admitted. "I am your mate, right? I mean, even though we don''t have a bond yet, Erebus considers me his mate."


    Drayce nodded. "You are the only one for us, wife and mate."


    "Then, how do I smell... I mean, my scent, how is it?" Her eyes glimmered with anticipation, eager to hear something magical.

 Chapter 705: Mates Scent

    "You exude the aroma of snow and the delicate plum blossom," Drayce replied.


    "Snow? Does it even have a scent?" she inquired.


    "Indeed, it does. Once we return to Megaris, I''ll allow you to experience it," he promised.


    She nodded and continued, "As for that flower, I''ve never seen or heard of it before."


    "It''s a variety of flowering tree that thrives exclusively in the northern wilderness of Megaris, rarely found anywhere else on this continent," he exined.


    Curiosity shining in her eyes, she inquired further, almost as if she were questioning her own scent, "What do they smell like?"


    "They emit a sweet, flowery fragrance with a hint of fruity notes," he replied, leaning closer to her nape to take a deep breath. "It''s a beautiful andforting scent."


    Pulling back with a content expression, he looked at her only to hear him ask with a serious student like expression on her face, "Is there a reason why my scent resembles snow and that particr flower?"


    He nodded, his gaze fixed on hers. "I personally adore the scent of the Plum Blossom, and my Dragon side has an affinity for snow."


    Seren''s eyes widened as understanding dawned on her. "So, does that mean Erebus enjoys snow?" At least she was getting to learn something about Erebus.


    Drayce nodded once more, his eyes locked with hers. "A mate''s scent is meant to providefort to their partner. Your scent is unique to us and bringsfort to both of us."


    "Why do you have such an affinity for that particr flower?" she asked, intrigued by his choice. In her opinion, it was an unconventional selection, given that most people favoredmon flowers that were easily seen and appreciated by others.


    He exined, his hand gently caressing her cheek as he gazed deeply into her eyes, "They are tenacious yet fragile flowers, symbolizing purity and resilience.


    That''s what I needed the most." Drayce caressed her cheek as he gazed into her eyes, "I had darkness inside me so I must have sought for the one so pure, who won''t be corrupted by my darkness, and her sweet fragrance leading the way for me out of that darkness. A white plum blossom and a snow, as pure as one can feel it.


    I hated the darkness inside me, maybe that is why I longed for purity," he answered and repeated, "You are the light to the darkness inside me, Seren."


    "It''s incredibly beautiful to hear." Her voice was a tender whisper as she looked deeply into his eyes, her hand inching closer to caress his cheek, "There is no darkness inside you, Dray. I''ve told you before, you and your heart are the purest I''ve ever encountered."


    A faint smile graced his lips as he replied, "Still, we cannot ignore the presence of Erebus, my darker side."


    Seren offered apassionate perspective. "Perhaps he isn''t as you perceive him to be. To me, he seems like a lost child in need of care and attention. You need not be wary of him thinking he might hurt me. He won''t, I can tell."


    "How are you so sure?"


    "Because in the end Erebus is you and I know you won''t hurt me ever," she replied, her gaze showed she meant every word she said.


    Drayce felt a sense of relief that Seren held a positive perception of Erebus, "I''m d to see you''re not afraid of him."


    She shook her head, her expression determined. "In fact, it seems like he''s afraid of me. Whenever I sense his presence, he retreats."


    Drayce chuckled softly, his relief deepening. "That''s good to know. It means you can tame him effectively, and he won''t pose a threat to you."


    Resolute, Seren dered, "The next time I encounter him, I won''t let him escape."


    Drayce reassured her, "As long as you feel safe with him, and it feels right to you. If not, you can call for me, and I''ll be there."


    Seren returned to their previous topic, her curiosity piqued. "So, when you mentioned that my scent is exclusive to you, does it mean that only you perceive my scent like that flower while others experience it differently?"


    Drayce exined, "To others, you may emit the scent that your body naturally carries, but to me, it''s akin to that particr flower and the season that brings mefort."


    She pondered this for a moment. "Rayjin once mentioned that I smell like flowers," she recalled, then questioned, "So, is scent really crucial for mates?"


    "It acts as a catalyst to expedite the bonding process once the beast marks his mate. Once marked, they have no choice but toplete the bond," Drayce answered. "Not only me, but you will also experience the same and won''t be able to resist my scent."


    Seren responded with a hint of yfulness, "Your scent? You do smell quite nice..."


    Drayce corrected her with a knowing smile. "Not the scent you''re experiencing now. The one I''m referring to is the scent you''ll sense once I mark you. Since you''re not a beast woman, you won''t be able to perceive that scent just yet."


    Seren understood and said, "Then, I look forward to discovering what you smell like."


    Drayce hesitated for a moment before replying, "For that to happen, Erebus needs to mark you."


    With aforting gaze, she assured him, "I''ve read about it. I think it will be fine. Don''t worry."


    Understanding that the bonding was inevitable, Drayce resolved to gradually introduce Erebus to her so she wouldn''t be frightened when the time came.


    Changing the subject, Seren''s eyes sparkled with curiosity as she asked, "I forgot to inquire, how does Oriana smell to Prince An?"


    Drayce replied, "She smells like honeysuckles in summer."


    She pondered this for a moment and remarked, "So, Prince An''s human side favors honeysuckles, and his beast side associates with summer."


    "You''re absolutely right," Drayce confirmed.


    "I can''t help but notice that Dragons seem to have a preference for different weather." Seren mused aloud, "Now I am curious about ck Dragon, the king of Agartha. What weather does he like?"


    Drayce responded, "There''s a chance we might meet the King of Agartha, at some point. Then you can ask him yourself."


    he seemed concerned, "Can I really? I don''t want to trouble him."


    Drayce reassured her, "You''re free to do as you wish. I''ll be there to support you."


    Her smile hidden behind her veil, she hugged him affectionately and teased, "You do enjoy spoiling me, don''t you?"


    Drayce smiled warmly and held her close, cherishing the feel of her soft body against his.


    There was a knock on the door.


    Drayce let go of Seren and said, "You can enter yer."


    yer entered the study, his gaze lowered, "Your Majesty, Prince An''s aide will be here soon. I have sent message that we need her help to treat Her Majesty."


    "You did well. An won''t be able to say no even if he doesn''t wish to part with his mate," Drayce smiled only to hear Seren, "You are using me to trick your friend."


    "I am doing it for his own good," he assured.

 Chapter 706: Young Woman With Windmill

    After the first day of the summit came to a close, Cian retired to his guest mansion and changed his formal summit attire for the more typical noble garb to disguise himself. Though he couldn''t help but fret over Drayce''s sudden departure from the conference, he held firm in his belief that the formidable king would handle the matter swiftly.


    It was almost certainly rted to his sister, the only person capable of diverting that king''s attention from even the most critical affairs.


    "Your Highness, everything is in order. We''re prepared to leave through the pce''s rear passages. Your cousin has already ensured a clear path for our departure," Eliot, Cian''s guardian knight, informed.


    Two freshly groomed Othinian horses stood ready behind the guest mansion, waiting for them. As Cian departed the pce, he was apanied by his guardian knight, Eliot Fletcher, the son of King Armen''s own guardian knight, Sir Berolt Fletcher. Eliot bore a striking resemnce to his father, possessing the same tall, robust frame, short ck hair, and piercing light blue eyes.


    His appearance clearly showed his lineage of belonging as belonging from the family of knights.


    The pair rode through the city, making their way towards its outskirts, where a secret messenger awaited them with crucial information regarding the hidden storage sites for banned herbs and the locations of ntation.


    Cian and Eliot eventually halted at the base of a mountain that featured a vast, deste expanse covered in knee-high dried grass. Numerous tall boulders were scattered around, offering ample cover for anyone seeking concealment.


    "He should arrive shortly," Eliot assured Cian.


    Cian nodded in agreement and continued to survey the area, a ce he had often visited as a child. In his early years, when he apanied his mother, Queen Niobe on trips to Othinia, his older maternal cousins would take him on explorations, and this particr spot held special memories for them. It was here, on the vast expanse near the cliff, that they used to revel in the joy of flying kites.


    ''I wonder if anyone still frequents this ce,'' Cian mused. ''It appears rather deserted now.''


    Eliot noticed his master lost in thought and inquired, "Is something on your mind, Your Highness?"


    "Just reminiscing about old memories," Cian replied with a wistful smile. "While we wait for him to arrive, let''s take a stroll around."


    Cian took a step forward, and Eliot followed closely, his senses tuned in for any potential threats. As they traversed the area dotted with scattered boulders, Cian''s gaze wandered to the distant opposite side. To his surprise, he heard the sound ofughter and cheerful voices.


    Few young children and young women were ying in the vicinity, attempting to fly kites. Their attire marked them as members of noble families. As Cian moved a little forward, he could discern their conversations.


    "We''re all going to fly kites today. Let''s see whose kite soars the highest."


    "Mine will. I''ll outfly all of yours and send it soaring beyond your reach."


    "I''m flying the kite today," one of the children chimed in. "Sister, you have to help me. Huh? Where''s my elder sister?"


    "She''s probably wandering about, as usual. Allow me to assist you instead."


    They engaged in good-natured banter and enjoyed themselves while preparing tounch their kites.


    Just as Cian and Eliot both sensed a subtle movement to their right, they instinctively tightened their grips on their sword handles and turned their attention in that direction. Their eyes fell upon a young woman at a distance, lost in her own world, walking though the field, with each step apanied by a faint tinkling sound from the essories she wore.


    It was this subtle sound that had initially drawn their attention.


    "It appears to be someone from that group," Eliot observed, choosing to keep his sword sheathed. Cian followed suit and focused his gaze on the young woman.


    In the vast field, bathed in the radiant golden light of the sun, she stood out like a divine presence. Her attire followed the traditional Othinian style, consisting of a graceful peach-colored top and a long skirt that almost grazed the ground. Delicate jewelry adorned her head, tracing the border of her hair crown and adorning her neck.


    However, what truly captured Cian''s attention were the colorful silk thread bangles gracing her delicate wrists.


    In her hands, she held a windmill that appeared to be of her own creation, crafted from long dried leaves securely fastened to a wooden stick using a sharp, dried spike. Her long, deep brown hair framed her face, creating an air of mystery about her. Cian was momentarily tempted to reach out and brush her hair aside to reveal her visage more clearly.


    His gaze traveled down to her slender waist, partly visible through the gap between her top and skirt. Although a sheer scarf draped over her shoulder and flowed around her skirt veiled some of it, there was little left to his imagination.


    Never before had Cian found himself so entranced by a woman, unable to tear his gaze away from her.


    Eliot didn''t miss the change in Cian''s demeanor and discreetly averted his gaze from the captivating woman, his attention shifting to the task at hand. He scanned the surroundings, searching for any sign of the person they were awaiting, leaving Cian to appreciate the woman''s beauty undisturbed. It was the first time Eliot had ever witnessed Cian in such a state.


    "Sister, my kite..." the young boy''s mncholic cry reached Cian''s ears, followed by more words that were drowned out as Eliot spoke.


    "Your Highness, it appears he has arrived," Eliot remarked, spotting the approaching figure threading his way between two small boulders.


    Cian swiftly regained hisposure, his countenance returning to its customary calm and collected state.He turned around to go back to the business for what he was there for, leaving the thought of that young woman behind as if it meant nothing.


    Together, they walked back to their previous concealed position behind the boulders. The neer bowed respectfully before Cian and greeted, "Your Highness."


    Eliot inquired, "What information have you brought?" as he epted a piece of paper from the man, who proceeded to exin their findings.


    After listening attentively for a while, Eliot handed the man a pouch of silver coins and dismissed him. Once the informant had disappeared from view, Eliot addressed Cian, "Your Highness, please remain here. I''ll ensure that no one has noticed him or followed him."


    Cian nodded as he watched Eliot hurried off in the direction the informant had departed. The faint, distant voices of those flying kites reached his ears, but now, concealed behind the boulders, he could no longer see them.


    He decided to get out and see what was going on. However, just as he turned to depart, a figure rushed towards him with lightning speed from other side of the boulder, colliding with him and sending them both tumbling to the ground. The collision urred so quickly that Cian had no time to steady himself. All he knew he heard trickling sound of the jewellery before the collision.


    He found himself entangled with a soft and delicate body, and as he looked upon the person, rather than appearing flustered, she seemed poised to get back on her feet. Her long hair cascaded over his face, enveloping him in a sweet musky fragrance. Without sparing him a nce, she appeared focused on the sky and made her hasty departure, leaving behind parting words.


    "Apologies, but I am in a hurry."


    Cian, still on the ground, watched her retreat, her hands diligently lifting her skirt to facilitate her rapid escape. It dawned on him that this was the same young woman he had noticed with the windmill. He remained lying on the ground and closed his eyes, attempting to summon a mental image of her face. He recalled the moment when she had been trying to stand up.


    Her initial look of bewilderment had been reced by one of urgency, their eyes meeting for a fleeting moment before she stood up. In that brief instant, he had glimpsed a pair of stunning brown eyes that sparkled like stars in the broad daylight.


    A faint smile graced Cian''s lips as he rose to his feet, his gaze following the young woman as she sprinted in pursuit of something he now recognized as a kite. He stepped out from behind the boulders and watched that group at a distance, cheering for this young woman.


    The loudest cheers came from the young boy who had earlier called for his sister''s assistance. "Sister, you''re the best! I know you can catch it!"


    Cian was engrossed in watching her exert herself across the vast field. She halted midway, her breathing in ragged gasps, but her sharp eyes showed her determination. Despite the hindrance of her long dress, she made a dash toward a massive boulderprised of sturdy rocks and began climbing it which seemed easier for her as if she was used to it.


    She hurried towards the top and caught the string of that kite.


    A resounding cheer erupted from the group, and they rushed to congratte her.


    Eliot, who had observed the entire scene, was equally impressed and approached Cian. "Your Highness, the path is clear. Today, we can proceed to the designated hideout where your cousin''s men are waiting."


    Cian nodded and departed with Eliot, sparing onest nce at the remarkable woman, a gentle smile lingering on his lips.


    As they mounted their horses, Cian let out a slight groan, catching Eliot''s concern.


    "Your Highness, have you injured your hand?"


    "It''s nothing serious," Cian replied, attempting to soothe the sudden pain in his wrist with his thumb.


    He hadn''t even realized he was hurt initially, but now the memory resurfaced. When he fell, the woman had inadvertently grasped his hand, and when she tumbled, his hand had been pressed against the sharp rock on the ground, causing it to hurt.


    Ignoring the pain, he rode towards their destination, letting the image of that young woman with a windmill to disappear at the back of his head.

 Chapter 707: Plan To Keep Arlan Away

    As ordered by Drayce, An''s aide Oriana, arrived at their guest mansion. After they talked with her, they realized this young witch was not just unaware of her being a witch but she was also unaware of having divine powers. They discussed for long and came to the conclusion to call her again in the night so Yorian could scry through her powers thoroughly by using his lineage as a Moon elf.


    After Oriana left, Yorian talked, "King Drayce, it''s the second time in a day we have whisked away Prince An''s aide, keeping in him dark that why she is being summoned here frequently. We have asked her to visit us in the night as well, do you think Prince An would allow it given how possessive he acts towards her."


    "I have a way, do not worry," Drayce assured. "An has invited us for an evening meal. After that I will find a way to keep him busy till you finish scrying into Oriana''s powers."


    "I fear, he might just appear here out of nowhere and find out what we are up to," the elf said, "Not like we fear him, but it might put your friendship with him in trouble."


    Drayce chuckled, "After sharing a few punches, that friendship will get back on track," Drayce said as if it was nothing serious, "But I won''t let it escte it to that point. You can just focus on your part of the job."


    Yorian nodded.


    In the evening they departed to the guest mansion of Griven for the dinner banquet. As the mansion was not far and was merely separated by the singlepound wall, they preferred to go walking.


    Drayce and Seren walked together with Yorian by their side while yer and Azer followed them.


    "yer," Drayce called for him while walking ahead.


    "Yes, Your Majesty," the knight replied.


    "After the meal, we have to make arrangement to take An away from here and I might need your help to keep him busy," Drayce exined.


    "We can keep him busy with the drinks," yer spoke, knowing his friend as much as Drayce did.


    "I was thinking the same. I will suggest drinking after a meal. I am sure he would love to go to the Tavern as we are together here."


    yer understood what he had to do, "I will ept the invite and join you two for the drinks."


    Drayce offered an approving nod and added, "At the tavern, we have to keep him busy for long. I might be gone in between for some time."


    "I will find a way to keep him," yer assured.


    They finally arrived at the Griven guest mansion. Imbert and Rafal weed the esteemed guests and led their way towards the rear of the mansion as the preparations were made in the open, where an outdoor arrangement was made in the middle of the rear garden of the mansion.


    The entire ce was well decorated with numerousmps lighting up the ce, making it look more beautiful than it already was.


    When they finally reached the ce, they spotted An and walked towards him, his personal aide, Orian, was next to him who was staring at Seren like in a daze. Though the aide was a woman in the disguise of a man, Drayce was clearly displeased to see how Orian was looking at Seren.


    An and Drayce exchanged displeased nces as both their women looked eager to speak with each other, and the way Oriana was staring at Seren, it was something that both men had to frown upon.


    They both could clearly hear Oriana''s loud heart beats when she saw Seren and even her face was blushing. Was it even normal?


    At that Seren was looking back at her as well and smiling which was apparent through how her eyes were curved.


    "How are you, Orian?" Seren asked.


    "I am good, Your Majesty, I hope you are feeling much better with the new medicine I made for you."


    "Yes, they are working really fine. It''s good to have you as my physician."


    "It''s me being fortunate to be able to treat a greatdy like you."


    The pair continued to talk as if others didn''t exist and made the two men standing with them incredibly jealous.


    ''Can''t you take care of your woman and stop her from ogling over mine?'' Drayce''s brows creased.


    ''Mine is a pervert but you should keep yours away from her so she won''t have anyone to ogle at.''


    ''Who was the one to invite us over for dinner?'' Drayce countered. ''You should have kept her locked away before we arrived.''


    An silently agreed through his gaze. ''I should have done that.''


    The conversations halted when thest guest appeared. It was Cian, the Crown Prince of Abetha.


    "Brother, finally you got time to meet us?" Seren said, a littleint in her voice.


    On the other hand, Drayce and An were relieved that finally Seren and Oriana stopped talking and should thank Cian for his timely arrival.


    Cian looked at his younger sister with a loving gaze. "I was busy with some important stuff and��"


    As the brother and sister conversed, Oriana''s gaze was focused on Cian''s face, shifting to Seren''s once in a while.


    Of course, her behavior did not go unnoticed. An clenched his fists. ''The sister was not enough for her, and now, she is staring at the brother as well.''


    Drayce looked at him, his gazeughing at him. ''You sure got a perverted one.''


    An red back. ''I will get rid of her pervertness soon.''


    It was An''s other aide, Neil, who fortunately broke the tension.


    "Your Highness, food will be served shortly," the aide said. "Shall we invite the guests to have a seat?"


    An began ying his role as host and ushered his guests to take their seats on the circr dinner table in the middle of the decorated garden.


    The chairs were arranged around the circr table. Drayce, dutifully pulled the chair out of Seren and helped her seatfortably.


    The servants waiting nearby began to lift the lids covering the fancy dishes. What they served were authentic Othinian delicacies, together with servings of native food from Griven. After filling their respective goblets with fruit juice and wine, these pce servants tactfully left the vicinity, leaving only the most trusted aides and knights of royalty within the garden.


    "How is the investigation going on, Prince Cian?," Anmented. "You disappeared after the summit conference for your secret investigation."


    This reminded Cian of the encounter with that young woman but heposed himself and replied. "I came across Sir Alexander during the investigation so I believe Prince An already heard the details from your most loyal hound."


    "Your group was attacked," An said in tacit agreement.


    "We took care of it. I trust Sir Alexander made sure to wipe out the rest of the trail."


    "He did. But next time, be more careful. As a prince of another kingdom, you should be more discreet with your actions though this is your mother''s homnd."


    "Thank you for the wise words, Prince An," Cian said.


    When Seren heard their exchange, she could not help but ask, "Attacked? Were you hurt, Brother?"


    "I am fine. It was just a minor attack."


    Because of Seren''s reaction, this caused Oriana, who was staring at the prince''s handsome face, to also observe his body. It was the kind of scrutinizing gaze that made a certain prince very, very unhappy, as her eyes impudently trailed from Cian''s face to his neck, then to his broad shoulders, then down on his arms��


    Snap!


    That certain prince''s thin thread of patience snapped.


    Throughout the meal, An had his eyes on her and none of her actions were missed by him. His expression was dark, his food barely touched, and he had to drown his growing frustration with wine.


    Drayce, who was watching his friend''s distress in relish, had to hide the smile on his face.


    ''Do notugh.'' An red at him. ''Have you forgotten how foolish you look being jealous of your wife''s brother? You could not even ept a simple hug between siblings. What right do you have tough at me?''


    ''Youugh at my foolishness, Iugh at yours. It is only fair.''


    ''Something is wrong with these Ilven siblings. How dare they both attract my aide?''


    ''Is it their fault? Your aide is a pervert. She seemsfortable with either gender. Neither siblings did anything to get this kind of attention from your aide.''


    An swallowed his anger. He could not refute. He could only swallow another goblet of wine while engrossed with the thought of teaching his aide a good lesson.


    Drayce mused inwardly as he looked at Cian, he found the way to keep An away for long. ''Apologies, Seren. But I have to use your brother today.''


    When their meal was over, Drayce spoke to An as he had nned, "Let''s have drinks tonight. It''s been a while since we had it together."


    "How about a tavern? The atmosphere in the pce is pretty stifling."


    An''s reply was within Drayce and yer''s expectations.


    "Fine with me," Drayce spoke as he intentionally looked at yer.


    An threw a grin at yer, who was standing several feet behind the young king. "That means you are off duty tonight, Sir Knight."


    "As you say, Your Highness," yer replied with a bow.


    An rolled his eyes, beforeining towards Drayce, "He is going to make me sick with all his polite formal talk."


    Drayce chuckled. "We will make him drink tonight and get him to start cursing you."


    "Make him drink? He can''t even stand one fill of it. I don''t want to carry his sorry ass back."


    Seren stopped An as the men were about to head out. "Prince An, since you and Dray are going out, I would like Orian to attend to me. I hope you have no objection."


    An looked at Drayce to which Drayce offered him a light nod. He agreed, "As you wish, Your Majesty." He gave Oriana a deep stare, whose face visibly brightened.


    Drayce and Seren shared knowing gazes as the two looked at Yorian who was ready with his n already.


    Cian suddenly spoke out, "You enjoy your outing. I will take my leave now."


    "Are you not interested ining with us?" Drayce asked. Cian was going to be a big help, then how could he let go of him.


    Cian did not enjoy drinking, be it expensive wine ormoner beer. He was someone who grew up in the military, and he led a somewhat disciplined lifestyle. "I still have some important matters to attend to. I have to leave to continue with the investigation."


    "Be more careful," Draycemented. "Do not engage them head on."


    "I will," Cian bowed to them before turning to leave.


    Before Drayce cold say more, someone else beat him to it.


    "Wait, Your Highness!" That was Oriana and everyone to looked at her sudden reaction.


    She lowered her head immediately and spoke, "Apologies for speaking without being allowed to��but I have to say something to Prince Cian. May I speak my mind?"


    The others had no special reaction to her statement, aside from An. Surrounded by people, he could only swallow his anger. His aide was getting ahead of herself, acting so tant in front of him. Did she forget who she belonged to?


    "What is it?" Cian asked.


    "With your right hand hurt, I rmend that you not hold a sword for a while. It will get severe."


    Surprised by her words, all eyes were on the prince''s hand.


    "Brother, are you hurt? Where? Why didn''t you tell us?" Seren panicked.


    Cian was surprised at what Oriana said. He was sure that, other than his knight, no one knew about it. He threw a cating look at his sister. "It''s nothing but a bruise."


    An and Drayce shared gazes. ''We didn''t smell any blood.''


    "From my observation, it shouldn''t be a simple bruise, but a slight fracture in your hand. I noticed it when you were holding the spoon. Although it seems minor at the moment, it will worsen with neglect and cause damage in the long term if left untreated," Oriana exined.


    "It''s nothing much��"


    "Brother, you have to get treated," Seren said in a worried voice. "You shouldn''t go outside for any investigation if you can''t hold a sword."


    "Seren��"


    "I won''t allow it. You have to listen to me. Nothing is more important than your own safety."


    Seeing her worry-filled eyes, Cian had to give up. "Alright. As you say."


    "Why don''t you get treated by Orian first? Then you can go with Dray. You should not bury yourself in too much work," Seren said as Drayce had already told his intentions just a while ago.


    Drayce smiled as his wife had made it easy for him. Though she was worried for her brother, she didn''t neglect their n which was equally important.


    Helpless, Cian could only nod once more. He remembered how he got hurt and for the first time getting hurt felt sweeter.


    Oriana treated Cian''s injury and they headed to the Tavern.


    Seren and Yorian took Oriana with them to Megaris guest mansion where Yorian had arranged to scy into her powers.


    ===


    Note- For the readers who are yet to read the 3rd book. To know what happens when they all went to tavern and where exactly Yorian and Seren took Oriana, read chapters 192 to 196 from the 3rd book- The Devil''s Betrothed. Do not miss the fun in the tavern. Those chapters won''t be repeated here.

 Chapter 708: Willing To Consummate

    After sessfully escorting the drunk An back to his guest mansion and ensuring that yer, who was drunk with just one fill of alcohol, made his way back to his room after, Drayce finally returned to his awaiting wife.


    Drayce appeared drained, not physically but mentally, thanks to the exasperating banter of his two intoxicated friends. Their audacity in questioning his manhood due to his dy in consummating the marriage left a deep furrow on his brow.


    If An and yer were not his friends and were not drunk, he would have strangled both of them to death.


    Seren, who had been patiently waiting for his return, observed his somber demeanor. She gracefully rose from the bed and approached him, concern etched across her face. "Dray, what happened? Are you alright? Ahh... Dray..."


    In the blink of an eye, it felt as though her body had been propelled through the air at the speed of lightning, and she found herself pinned beneath Drayce''s robust form on the bed. The transition from standing by the door to lying in her own bed was bewildering, but the more pressing matter was understanding the source of her husband''s discontent.


    He fixed his intense gaze upon her, firmly holding her hands above her head while his other hand began to trace the contours of her figure. "Dray, what''s going on?" Her voice barely rose above a whisper, her perplexed eyes searching for logic in his.


    Drayce continued to study her beautiful eyes, his dignified toneced with frustration. "My ability as a man has been called into question."


    "W-What do you mean?" Seren tried to wrap her head around the situation, her thoughts racing. "To me, you''re the finest man, the strongest, and the wisest."


    Drayce addressed her doubts directly, his voice firm, "My inability to consummate our marriage."


    Her eyes blinked rapidly, embarrassment washing over her beautiful face. She swallowed hard, her heart fluttering erratically. "Do... you want to?" she asked nervously, her voice trembling, "Tonight?"


    She couldn''t remove her veil, and the desire to reveal her face to him might remain unfulfilled for now. There was no reason to dy further.


    "I''m dying to," he confessed, his voice hoarse with desire.


    His body pressed against hers, the sensation of her softness beneath him fueling the smoldering fire within him. He had restrained himself for far too long, and each passing day had be a torment. The provocation from his drunk friends was merely the catalyst he needed to surrender to his desires.


    "Then... we should," she said shyly, her words finally escaping her lips.


    Drayce swallowed heavily, his breaths turning ragged as he gazed at his willing wife.


    However, she was still weak, her delicate body still recovering from the aftermath of the outburst of her that dangerous power sealed inside her.


    Could he, in this moment, be rational and tender towards her? After all, he was a man driven by desire, and she, a delicate woman.


    He shut his eyes, his longing intensifying, aware of the beast lurking within, his darker instincts threatening to emerge. Erebus, his inner demon, would exploit any vulnerability in his state of mind.


    "Dray," a gentle voice called out to him.


    He reluctantly opened his eyes and met Seren''s gaze, the darkness in his eyes receding. Seren noticed the transformation but wisely chose not toment, understanding the root cause �C his inner darkness that she would eventually have to embrace. She patiently awaited his words.


    "Seren" he began, his voice tinged with uncertainty, "I''m afraid you won''t be able to endure me."


    Seren felt a surge of worry at his words, but she ced her trust in Drayce. "I... believe I will manage."


    "You haven''t fully recovered," he tried to reason with her. "Your body is still weak."


    "I feel well enough," she responded, locking eyes with him, her determination unwavering.


    He continued to present his case, struggling against his own desires. "I have warned you."


    "I heard you," she reassured him, her resolve firm. "I''m not afraid."


    In an instant, the room plunged into darkness, apanied by the distinct sound of clothes being torn. Seren found herselfpletely unclothed beneath Drayce, a sudden esction that caught her off guard. Unlike their usual pace, Drayce preferred to be slow and gentle with her, ensuring herfort at every step.


    Something was amiss; he seemed different now.


    Before she could draw any conclusions, her veil vanished, and her mouth was forcefully sealed by a pair of overly aggressive lips. Her hands were once again pinned above her head, rendering her powerless beneath Drayce''s weight. It was clear that something had changed.


    Erebus. It had to be him.


    Though Seren had never been afraid of Erebus, she couldn''t help but feel a sense of dread at this moment.


    Would it be Erebus, not Drayce, who would consummate their marriage? Would Drayce feel hurt if it were to happen this way? Was Erebus going to im her as his mate tonight, marking her in a manner she hadn''t anticipated? The books had exined the process of marking as a beautiful gesture between mates, but this didn''t feel like it. She hadn''t given her consent for Erebus to mark her yet.


    It should have been Drayce who consummated their marriage, while Erebus could mark herter. Although she had never voiced it to Drayce, Seren had resolved to treat both sides equally, not wishing for Erebus to encroach upon Drayce''s rights as her husband, while Erebus could exercise his im over his mate.


    These thoughts swirled in her mind as the relentless force on top of her devoured her mouth. Normally, she might have relished this rough intimacy, much like their previous encounter on the ship, but not this time. Right now, all she yearned for was Drayce.


    Erebus released her mouth and descended to her neck, causing her to gasp loudly as he forcefully sucked on her skin without any mercy. A shiver coursed down her spine.


    "Is he going to mark me?" she wondered with trepidation. "I need to stop him."


    "You cannot mark me without my consent," Seren dered loudly, despite her ragged breathing that he had left her with.

 Chapter 709: A Talk With Erebus

    Erebus''s body froze, his face still buried in her nape, his heated breath brushing against her delicate skin.


    "You''re not allowed to flee. We need to talk," she insisted, refraining from using his name, as he often preferred to evade her when she did.


    His hands slowly released their grip on her, and he heard her firm voice once more, "Let go of me and listen to what I want to say."


    In the darkness, the tall figure retreated, and Seren finally felt a sense of relief as she could breathe morefortably. Although she couldn''t see him in the absence of light, she could discern his dark silhouette on the bed, sitting between her widely parted legs.


    In the darkness, she couldn''t help but wonder if he could see her nakedness. It wasn''t Drayce but Erebus, a different presence altogether, and it made her feel vulnerable.


    Seren cautiously moved backward and settled against the headboard, pulling the sheet to cover herself. She was now certain it was Erebus; had it been Drayce, he would haveforted her and offered reassurance.


    With Erebus finally present instead of vanishing into the shadows, Seren contemted how to broach the subject.


    "I''m grateful that you''re here and willing to listen to me," she began, her words met with silence from his side. Even in the dark, she sensed his gaze upon her, causing her to clutch the sheet tightly to her chest.


    "I want you to understand that, just like Drayce, you are important to me as well. I desire to be your mate; I truly do."


    A subtle shift in the energy surrounding him signaled that her words were having an impact, as if they resonated with his own desires.


    "But you needn''t be so impatient and take what you desire without my consent, as if I would have refused you had I known it was you," Seren continued, her voice gentle and reassuring. "I would never reject you; there''s no need to hide from me."


    Once again, silence hung in the air, leaving Seren to wonder if her message was truly getting through.


    "I''m uncertain if you fully grasp my words," she ventured. "What I want you to understand is that I wish for Drayce to consummate our marriage first, without your interference. I want to be wholly his wife and experience his love in its entirety. Afterward, I''ll willingly consent to bing your mate.


    When you mark me and im me as your mate, I give you my word that Drayce will not interfere neither I will call for him. I will belong to you alone."


    As expected there was no response from him. He only reacted when she said she was willing to be his mate. It showed how much it mattered to him but he needed to respect her wishes.


    "I promise to treat you exactly as I would Drayce," Seren continued, her voice unwavering. "I am cursed not to feel love for anyone, and I cannot define what I feel for Drayce. But Imit to feeling the same way for you. I will care for you as your mate, just as I would care for Drayce as his wife. You are equally important because you are him, and he is you."


    Seren peered at the dark silhouette before her, still as a statue, leaving her to ponder his thoughts. She knew he was intelligent, evidenced by his maniption of Drayce into making a deal that allowed him to have her as his mate.


    Though she had decided to confront Erebus one day that if Drayce had not made that deal, was he not going to help Drayce save her when he had chosen her his mate. But she realized now was not the time to address her lingering bitterness. It was an opportunity to demonstrate her sincerity toward this mysterious existance of Drayce''s dark side.


    She was determined to get to know him, to encourage him to open up so that their lives could be more harmonious and meaningful.


    Seren left the sheet covering her and boldly moved closer to him, positioning herself on her knees to face his towering silhouette. Her hand gently rested on his bare shoulder, and she sensed the tension in his muscles beneath her touch. Yet, he remained unmoving, his hands refraining from reciprocating.


    ''Is he truly that obedient when I mentioned needing my consent?'' Seren wondered, her frustration growing as she couldn''t see his face and read his expressions.


    Her hands traveled from his shoulders to his face, exploring along his neck, and she felt his throat tighten as if he had swallowed heavily. A contented smile graced her lips; she was reassured that her touch was affecting him, despite his stillness.


    "I meant every word I said," she whispered, inching her face closer to his. "I want to be your mate, and you don''t have topete with Dray for my affections. I can ept both of you."


    In the dark, Seren awaited some response, desperate to discern Erebus''s thoughts and emotions, hoping that her words had managed to reach his heart.


    She sensed the change in his breathing as it grew heavy. Not waiting for him to respond, Seren gently pecked his lips and spoke softly, "But you need to learn to listen to me, to understand my wants and thoughts. This way, we can be together more harmoniously."


    She closed the distance between their lips once more, nting a kiss that conveyed her sincerity, a testament to her willingness to ept him without fear.


    He responded eagerly, his hands encircling her waist, pulling her naked body against his firm, bare chest. His other hand found its way to the back of her head, cradling it as he engaged her in a passionate, rough kiss reminiscent of their encounter on that memorable night aboard the ship.


    Seren didn''t shy away; instead, she savored the fervor, allowing his passionate mouth to steal her breath, rendering her tongue numb and her mind incapable of coherent thought.


    When he finally released her, she felt as if the world had been turned upside down, her limp body leaning against him as if she had lost all her strength.


    "Erebus," she whispered weakly, her desire to say more evident in her ragged breath. "You..."


    A pair of gentle hands enveloped her, caressing her bare back with a soothing touch. Seren''s body stiffened as she discerned the distinction in this gentler contact. It was Drayce, for only he possessed the ability to provide suchfort.


    "Dray?" Seren whispered against his chest, her voice barely audible.


    "Are you alright, Seren?" Drayce inquired, masking the turmoil in his voice.


    Erebus had stolen precious moments with his wife and taken advantage of her, and though Drayce felt a surge of anger, he managed to suppress it. They were both naked, and he could well imagine what had transpired.


    "Hmm, I am," Seren replied weakly, encircling her arms around his waist in a tight embrace.


    Drayce reciprocated the hug, and an unusual silence enveloped them for a while. Eventually, Drayce broke the quietude with a cautious question, "Did he hurt you?"


    Seren shook her head, her voice still faint but filled with determination. "He didn''t, but I could talk to him."


    "What did you talk about?" Drayce inquired, his tone asposed as possible.


    Seren proceeded to exin what she had said to Erebus, emphasising her desire to be his wife first and rest of the conversation that he was not allowed to mark her without her consent.


    Drayce''s grip tightened around her, as if wanting to meld her into his body, never to let her go. She belonged to him, and that realization brought a profound sense of relief andfort.


    Despite Seren''s willingness to ept his dark side and her bravery in controlling it, Drayce found himself unsettled by the thought of sharing her with that inner beast. His emotions wereplicated, torn between relief and an inexplicable unease.


    "Dray, I think he understood me and didn''t try toe close to me," Seren began, her voice reassuring. "He''s not as scary as I used to find him. He''s actually quite obedient to me."


    "That''s good to know," Drayce responded, his hand gently patting her head. "You are truly brave, my Queen. I never realized it."


    "You don''t need to worry about me when ites to Erebus," she assured him. "You don''t have to battle him either. I can handle him, and he won''t harm me, I''m certain."


    Drayce''s concerns remained, and he questioned her certainty. "How can you be so sure he won''t hurt you just because he listened to you today? Don''t forget, he is my beast side."


    "I''ve told you before," Seren replied with conviction, "it''s because Erebus is a part of you. My trust in you is boundless, like the vast sky itself."


    Drayce found himself at a loss for words, humbled by his wife''s eloquence. He released her from his embrace and leaned in to kiss her, the room still shrouded in darkness.


    After the brief, affectionate kiss, Seren asked shyly, "So, shall we... continue... what we..."


    Drayce tenderly caressed her cheek, gently tucking her hair behind her ear. "Not tonight. I don''t want it to be this way when my mind is unsettled."


    Seren understood that Erebus''s sudden appearance had likely unsettled Drayce.


    Using his powers, Drayce retrieved her veil and carefully tied it back over her face. The room''s candles andmps were rekindled, allowing them to finally see each other. Seren, despite being naked, felt relieved to have the assurance of Drayce''s presence. She needed to know that he was alright.


    Drayce offered her an assuring smile. "I''ll help you get into another dress."


    He rose from the bed, and Seren''s worried gaze followed him. She could sense the turmoil within him. Drayce returned shortly, now dressed in his own attire, and assisted Seren in putting on a fresh nightdress.


    Once Seren wasfortably nestled in bed, she snuggled into Drayce''s arms.


    "Dray."


    "Hmm?"


    "I want you to understand that you, my husband, are the most important person in my life. No one can ever rece you."


    "I know," Drayce replied, holding her closer and cing a gentle kiss on her head. The reassurance from her words brought a sense offort, and theyy together in the warm embrace of their love.

 Chapter 710: Mysterious Group

    After the conclusion of the second day of the conference, Drayce and An made a decision to explore the city, aiming to create a better experience for Seren, who had endured a harrowing attack by wizards the day before.


    As they settled into the carriage, Seren voiced her wish, "I wish brother Cian could join us."


    "He''s preupied with important matters to attend to," Drayce replied.


    Seren''s expression shifted with concern. "His hand is injured, and yet he ventures into foreignnds for investigation."


    "He''s under the protection of Queen Niobe, his mother. There''s no need for concern," Drayce reassured.


    Seren regarded him with surprise, prompting Drayce to borate, "Queen Niobe isn''t merely a figurehead; she wields considerable power. Once the beloved princess of this kingdom and the daughter of the previous King, she still exerts influence here andmands formidable allies. Despite residing in Abetha, she holds sway over political affairs in Othinia.


    Her top priority is safeguarding her son, and anyone foolish enough to threaten him invites their own demise."


    "Is her influence truly that significant?" Seren interjected.


    Drayce affirmed with a nod, "Even under King Armen''s watch, she remains a formidable force. Your father, the King, finds himself powerless against her sway in the royal court of Abetha."


    "I''ve always sensed her strength, but I hadn''t grasped its full extent," Oriana admitted.


    "She''s a shrewd political operator, capable of foreseeing the continent''s future. Unlike other queens content with familial bliss, she harbors ambitions. Undoubtedly, she has high expectations for her son and has invested heavily in his upbringing. Though Prince Cian isn''t her biological child, he''s inherited her qualities, poised to be a formidable leader of Abetha.


    He''s more than capable of defending himself," Drayce remarked.


    "You hold Queen Niobe in high regard," Seren observed.


    "If not for her past transgressions against you, I would have respected her without reservation," Drayce admitted.


    "That''s all behind us now. Everything is well," Seren replied. "I harbor no ill will toward her, and neither should you. I''m grateful for the love and care she bestows upon my brother. Hearing about her from you, I realize there are admirable traits to learn from her."


    "Hmm," Drayce acknowledged with a thoughtful nod.


    ----


    Meanwhile, Cian had ventured into the forest with a select few trained knights. Acting on a lead, they had discovered that a significant quantity of banned herbs was being smuggled through a hidden passage in the forest, destined to be loaded onto ships and transported via waterways.


    His party remained concealed in the forest at a secret location, keeping a vignt watch for any signs of activity that could lead them to the source of the illicit herbs.


    "Stay cautious," Cian warned his knights. "We cannot afford to lose them today."


    "Yes, Your Highness. They should be arriving soon," Eliot affirmed. "Our intelligence seems reliable this time. We''ll apprehend them and gather all the necessary information."


    Time passed, but there was no sign of the smugglers using the secret passage through the forest.


    "They should have arrived by now," Eliot remarked, exchanging a concerned nce with his subordinate.


    "Captain, I''ll investigate," one of the knights volunteered. Before he could depart, another scout arrived with urgent news.


    "Captain, the smugglers are under attack by an unknown group," the scout reported.


    "What?" Eliot eximed, while Cian approached the scout. "Where?"


    "Not far from here, just beyond that small wooden bridge we crossed earlier," the scout informed.


    "Who are these attackers?" Cian inquired.


    "It''s uncertain, Your Highness. They could be bandits or simply opportunistic robbers targeting unsuspecting travelers," the scout replied.


    "This secret passage is not meant for such encounters," Cian mused. "All of you, remain here. Eliot and I will investigate."


    "Yes, Your Highness," the knights acknowledged in unison.


    Cian and Eliot followed the spy, who led them to the scene of the confrontation. There, they witnessed a group of mysterious assants mercilessly ughtering the smugglers. These individuals wore dark clothing and obscured their faces with cloth, revealing only their eyes.


    "Their swordsmanship is remarkable, reminiscent of the rigorous training in traditional Othinian styles," Cian remarked.


    "They''re definitely not your run-of-the-mill robbers," Eliot concurred. "They seem to belong to someone with considerable influence tomand such skilled operatives."


    "We''ll observe and assess the situation," Cian decided, and they continued to monitor the events unfolding before them.


    After dispatching all the smugglers, a tall swordman approached a particr figure,pared smaller to him and addressed them, "Leader, we''ve eliminated everyst one of them."


    "Hmm. Secure the carriages and burn the herbs. Ensure nothing remains," the leader, whose voice revealed her gender,manded, her words reaching Cian and Eliot''s ears.


    "A woman?" Cian and Eliot uttered simultaneously, exchanging puzzled nces with the spy, who mirrored their confusion. "A woman... leading them?"


    Cian''s gaze lingered on the departing leader as she mounted her horse, the group setting off with the carriagesden with herbs.


    "They''re intent on destroying the herbs, indicating opposition to their use," Eliot observed. "But who would dare defy the King of Othinia, who openly supports this smuggling?"


    Cian pondered the same question. "Someone formidable, unafraid of the King''s power."


    "Your Highness, if our goals align, they could be valuable allies," Eliot suggested.


    "Not yet. Let''s observe for now," Cian replied, turning to the spy. "Follow them discreetly and report back their whereabouts."


    As the spy departed, Cian and Eliot approached the fallen bodies. "Check for survivors and examine their attire," Cian instructed, beginning his own examination.


    "In typical circumstances, one would capture them alive for interrogation to uncover the main source," Eliot remarked, continuing his task.


    "Unless they''ve attempted it before and found no answers. They dispatched them swiftly, suggesting familiarity with such raids and opting to eliminate all witnesses, taking only the herbs to destroy," Cian surmised.


    They returned to others and Cian instructed them on what to do before leaving.


    Riding the horses, Cian didn''t take turn to the city instead the opposite direction.


    "Your Highness, are we not retuning to pce?" Eliot asked, willing to know what his liege nned so he couldbe prepared.


    "We will, but before that I wish to visit certain ce," they rode ahead and Eliot realised Cian was riding towards the ce from the day before by the hillside where they were waiting for their spy.


    They reached the ce where like the day before, no one was present. Cian as if expecting something, his gaze wandered around but there was no sign of anyone.


    Eliot observed his gaze and looked around as well but there was no sign of anyone. He didn''t dare ask anything either.


    "Let''s go back," Cian said and turned his horse to return to the city.

 Chapter 711: Another Occurance

    After returning from the market, Seren talked to Drayce.


    "Something is not right between Prince An and Oriana. She was unusually quiet and was not interested in anything as if she wanted to go away from us all," Seren said, "I tried to make her feel better but��"


    "It''s normal for her to feel left out when the one she followed was ignoring her," Drayce replied.


    "Prince An, why would he do this? That poor girl," Serenmented, "Even when brother Cian tried to offer her a simple sugar candy, Prince An used his power to make it fall on the ground. He didn''t even let her touch it."


    "He was jealous."


    "Jealous?"


    "Of your brother," Drayce exined, "How can a man ept someone else pampering his woman."


    "Then why doesn''t he pamper Oriana himself instead of keeping distance with her?" Seren was clearly displeased, "If Prince An acts this way, I won''t mind my brother taking care of her or instead take interest in her. She is a lovely girl."


    "Calm down, my Queen. An is dealing with his own issues and it''s not easy for him either," Drayceforted, "but I can solve at least something for her as you are feeling that bad for her."


    "What?"


    "She saved you from those wizards so she deserves to get a reward."


    "What if she asks you to help her go away and then she leaves Prince An?" Seren voiced her concern.


    "Then, I have to help her. Saving my wife deserves whatever reward she wants."


    "But she is Prince An''s mate��she��"


    "That''s between him and her and me rewarding her is about us," he interrupted her. "Now rest for a while. You must be tired."


    Putting her to rest, Drayce left to go to his study.


    "Your Majesty, Orian will be here soon."


    Drayce offered him a nod and entered his study.


    After a while yer informed Oriana''s arrival to Drayce. Drayce lifted his gaze and watched Oriana enter his study. Under his gaze she sure looked wary of him.


    She bowed, "This servant pays his respects to His Majesty the King of Megaris."


    Drayce epted her greeting with a nod. "Dispense formalities. Have a seat."


    Though in her eyes she was a servant, Drayce knew the truth. This woman in front of him was of higher status, she was the queen of the witch n. Drayce was a wizard so she was his Queen as well.


    "I am honored, but doing so is disrespectful to you, Your Majesty." She preferred to stand.


    Drayce didn''t insist and got to the point. "You must be wondering why I called you here."


    She kept her head lowered. "Yes, Your Majesty."


    "I have called you here to grant you a reward for protecting my wife when those wizards attacked her inside the Ancient Citadel of Nefer," Drayce replied, his gaze trying to see through her true thoughts.


    "I need no reward for it, Your Majesty. I admire and respect Her Majesty. It was an honor to be able to protect her. Even if it happens again, I will do the same, without expecting any reward."


    "Do not be so quick to refuse. If not for you, they would have seeded in their scheme."


    "I cannot take credit for what happened. Those wizards aimed to hurt all of us, and what happened next was an ident out of sheer desperation."


    "That desperation is the key to unleash that power so credit definitely goes to you."


    Oriana remained unyielding.


    "Still, I will ept no reward."


    Drayce stared at her for a while, and a ghost of a smile lifted the corner of his lips. He had no real understanding of this young witch''s personality, but it appeared that once she made up her mind, she was not someone to be swayed easily.


    This kind of stubbornness, why did it remind him of a certain prince?


    "Don''t you think refusing my goodwill is more disrespectful than sitting down?" he asked. "Though you do not want anything now, if you ever feel you need something from me, say a word and it will be granted."


    Oriana was about to open her mouth to reject again but Drayce beat her to it.


    "I am speaking to you not as the King of Megaris, but as the husband of the woman you saved. I owe you a debt of gratitude, and I do not like owing people. Take your time to think of your reward. If you reject it for the third time, I will think of it as if the debt has been repaid."


    Oriana shut her mouth and didn''t know what to say.


    "You may leave," he told her.


    "Have a pleasant evening, Your Majesty. This servant will take his leave."


    Oriana bowed and left. Yorian appeared in the study and sat in the chair, "How did it go, King Drayce."


    "She seemed to not realize the power of royal favor," Drayce replied.


    "She is a simple minded person, but soon she will realize what can ask from you," Yorian said, "Let her struggle on her own for now."


    Drayce nodded only to hear Yorian again, "King Drayce, do you really n to give her ck nightshade if she asks as her reward?"


    "Should I not?"


    "It''s a banned herb and as every other human ruler, you are against its use."


    "Not when it can help save someone''s life," Drayce replied.


    "I do not think Prince An thinks the same as you?"


    "An is not wrong either," Drayce spoke, "If we spare one person then everyone wille up with an excuse and ask for it. It''s always better to let one person die than put entire humanity in danger. I agree to give it to Oriana because we have verified she has no malicious intentions and she can keep it a secret."


    Yorian chuckled, "To me it''s more like you are sparing your friend from having more headache if his mate ends up pulling out more dangerous stunts to get her hands over that herb."


    "That''s not wrong either," Drayce agreed.


    -----


    In the quiet of the night, Drayce returned to the chamber to rest alongside his wife. As he entered, Seren''s attendants departed, informing him of Seren''s already secured slumber.


    "She must have exhausted herself at the market," he mused silently, proceeding to exchange his attire while thoughts of Seren lingered in his mind.


    ''She is still weak. It''s good thatst night nothing happened. I have to be careful and not be blinded by my desires until we return Megaris. She deserves the utmost care and attention.. I will ensure she receives it and that our intimacy is a cherished experience for her.''


    Once dressed, Drayce returned to the bed, slipping in beside Seren, whoy with her back turned to him. He moved with care, his motions deliberate to avoid disturbing her rest.


    However, as he settled beside her, a sense of distress emanated from Seren''s sleeping form. Drawing closer, Drayce gently ced his hand over hers, only to find her skin unnaturally warm to the touch.


    rmed, he sat up, turning her onto her back. In the soft glow of themps, he noticed beads of sweat glistening on her brow, her body radiating an unusual heat.


    "Seren," he called out, his voiceced with concern, "Seren, wake up."


    There was no response from Seren, as if she was lost in the depths of her slumber. It brought back memories of a simr experience she endured after her abduction, when Drayce had to immerse her in cold water to wake her up.


    ''Seems like the same thing is happening with her.''


    Summoning a servant, Drayce instructed her to gather the household staff and procure more water for the bath.


    Carrying Seren in his arms, Drayce guided her into the bath, but to his dismay, the water rapidly heated. Anticipating the urgency of the situation, Drayce had already dispatched a message to Yorian.


    Yorian materialized in the chamber to find Drayce carrying Seren, her body and garments soaked from the water. "What has happened?" Yorian inquired.


    "Follow me," Drayce responded tersely.


    In the interim, Marie returned with news, "Your Majesty, the servants are bringing more water."


    "No need," Drayce replied briskly before vanishing from the chamber, Yorian trailing behind.


    They materialized at theke behind the guest mansion. Drayce gently lowered Seren into the cool waters, holding her close as theke embraced her.


    "Is this the same phenomenon affecting Queen Seren as before?" Yorian questioned.


    Drayce nodded gravely. "The owner of the fire element must be facing turmoil as well. Whenever she suffers, Seren endures the same."


    The water surrounding Seren''s body began to heat up, mirroring the intensity of her fevered state. Drayce swiftly shielded himself with his powers, ensuring the scorching temperature wouldn''t harm him.


    "Seren, can you hear me? You must wake up," Drayce pleaded, his voice filled with urgency as he continued to call out to her.


    Yorian, who had ventured into the water, felt the rising temperature and hastily shielded himself as well. Approaching Seren, he carefully examined her, probing her body while holding her wrist. After a tense moment, he opened his eyes and delivered his assessment.


    "The other power within her is unstable, causing this turmoil. We must awaken her quickly, or it may inflictsting harm upon her."


    Drayce sighed inwardly, knowing what he must do, though it pained him deeply. With a heavy heart, he made the agonizing decision to resort to the same method that had roused Seren from her previous affliction.


    Gently, he allowed Seren''s face to be submerged in the water, while Yorian stepped back, ready to assist. As Seren''s body began to struggle against theck of oxygen, Drayce held her steadfastly beneath the surface, refusing to relent until her eyes fluttered open, her consciousness returning.


    True to expectations, Seren''s eyes blinked open, herplexion pallid with exhaustion. Without hesitation, Drayce lifted her from the water, cradling her close as she coughed violently. He soothed her, patting her back gently to aid in expelling the water from her lungs.


    In a swift teleportation, they returned to the chamber, with Yorian in tow. Drayce tenderlyid Seren upon the bed, wrapping her in a thick nket to ward off the chill that now gripped her weakened frame.


    "Dray," Seren''s voice trembled, her eyes glistening with tears. Drayce enveloped her in his arms, offering sce. "Everything is alright, Seren," he reassured her.


    "I saw that terrifying fire again," she confessed, her face still drained of color.


    "I know," he murmured soothingly, holding her close. "Try to calm down. We need to change your clothes before you catch a chill. We can talk about itter."


    She nodded in agreement, and Drayce entrusted her to the care of her attendants while he sought out Yorian.


    "What have you discovered?" Drayce inquired, his expression grave.


    Yorian''s demeanor was somber as he responded, "The other power within her is bing increasingly unstable and fiery with each passing day. I suspect it''s linked to the awakening of the deity of fire, who must be grappling with her own uncontroble powers. If this trend continues..."


    "What?" Drayce pressed, a sense of urgency gripping him.


    "It could inflict significant harm upon Queen Seren''s body," Yorian exined. "We are fortunate she possesses the body of a demigod, which affords her some resilience. However, the nature of the hellfire element she harbors raises concerns about her ability to withstand it over time."


    "What should I do?" Drayce asked, his concern evident.


    "We must await Evanthe and Sierra''s intervention with the deity. Once they locate her, I''m confident they will assist both her and Queen Seren. In the meantime, we must be prepared for these recurring incidents. Ensure you remain by her side as much as possible."


    "I will," Drayce affirmed.


    "Your power of darkness could provide some protection against the effects of hellfire," Yorian suggested. "Simr to how you once used it to suppress the hellfire when Queen Seren wielded her own power of the earth element to survey thend."


    Drayce understood the task ahead, but he knew it was far from a simple solution. The ultimate challenge remained in purging Seren''s body of the dangerous hellfire, a task that seemed daunting in itsplexity.

 Chapter 712: Intruder

    On the third day of the conference, Cian left the conference half way, leaving the rest of the matters to be handled by his ministers. He had received an important lead on that mysterious group led by that woman and had to leave, not waiting for the conference to be over.


    "Your Highness, your cousin has sent another message," Eliot informed when Cian sat in his carriage and read paper that was already ced inside his carriage secretly."


    "Let''s go to the guest mansion first," Cian ordered.


    They had to change into clothes to disguise themselves into ordinary nobles before leaving and Cian needed to get some important documents from his study.


    When he reached the guest mansion, Cian spotted themotion inside the foyer, where all the servants and guards had gathered along with knights inspecting the disaster ured part of the foyer.


    "What''s going on?" Cian asked, his cold, dignified voice resonating inside the foyer.


    His personal aide hurried to exin, "Your Highness, all of a sudden there was a strong wind and this ss window shattered. We do not know if it could even happen."


    Cian observed the foyer. Every part of it was as it is, untouched except for this one window while other windows and even their curtains looked untouched.


    "Investigate it," Cian offered and walked upstairs to go to his chamber to change the clothes.


    While standing in front of the mirror, Cian''s mind was drifting to that mysterious woman, the leader of that group. He had observed her when she was fighting using her sword. The reason she caught his eyes at that moment was, she was small and frailpared to other robust swordsmen but she was more skilled than them.


    Though he was not aware that person was a woman, her swift moves and skilled swordsmanship was praise worthy. It was only a shock he got when he heard her voice that confirmed she was a woman.


    ''Today, I will find out who that woman is. She must not be ordinary to go against the King himself. Must be a woman from the family that is against the King. They can be of great help in eradicating the entire ntation of banned herbs from thend of Othinia.''


    When he stepped out of the chamber, on the way to the study, Eliot reached Cian.


    "Have you investigated?" Cian asked.


    "Yes, Your Highness. We gathered the statement of the witnesses and it seems like there was no intruder in the first ce."


    The moment Cian entered his study, he stopped in his tracks. He suspiciously nced at the surroundings before walking towards therge desk. Something seemed off, and only realized what it was when he felt a breeze enter the room.


    ''The window is open?''


    He went towards the desk and observed each and every item ced on it. Others would see nothing strange, but Cian who would notice even the slightest differences in how his things were arranged.


    His fingers touched the ink bottle, adjusting it slightly to be perfectly perpendicr to the stack of papers ced next to it, the minor change causing his brows to furrow. He touched the brush of the quill pen and it was wet with ink, as if thest user tried to clean it in a hurry.


    "Eliot," was all Cian needed to say.


    Seeing his liege frown while inspecting his own things, the knight immediately looked around the study to find clues of anyone barging in. He even checked outside the window, but the ground below was empty, and the grass and bushes showed no signs of being trampled. There were no signs of people jumping out.


    "I see no clues, Your Highness," Eliot said, aware of what was going on his prince''s mind.


    ''Someone surely has entered the study,'' Cian was sure and instructed his knight, "Give me a list of the people who came in and out of the mansion this morning, or anyone sighted by the gatekeepers nearby," Cian ordered. "All the servants had been informed prior that no one is permitted to enter the study without my permission. It means someone deliberately sneaked in.


    This might be rted to the window incident."


    "I will get the information, Your Highness," the knight said with a salute.


    It did not take long for the knight to return to the study. "Reporting to Your Highness, none of the servants left to run errands this morning due to the window incident, and other than Prince An''s aide, no outsider visited the mansion in your absence."


    "Prince An''s aide?" Cian asked, startled. "You mean Physician Orian? What did hee here for?"


    "He brought medication for your hand injury. Your attendant says he left after handing over the medicines."


    There was a doubtful look on Cian''s face, but then he let out a smirk. "He seems to care too much for a small injury of someone not his master."


    "He came here just before the incident of window shattering happened," the knight added. "Shall we bring him here for interrogation?"


    "No need," Cian informed.


    The knight didn''t question his leige''s decision and asked, "Your Highness was hurt yesterday again. Since Griven''s physician is suspicious, shall I ask for a new physician toe and check?"


    "I am fine," he rejected. "We have to leave for the investigation today. King Drayce and Prince An will join us this time."


    Cian started to deduce the actions of An''s aide. That aide came here when the servants were most busy, especially busy having their meal after their master had left. That aide was smart enough to choose the perfect time but was the reason to sneak in his study, to search exactly what.


    ''I need to keep an eye on Prince An''s aide. Maybe discuss it with King Drayce before that aide turns into an adversary. There is always something suspicious about him as if he is trying to hide something.''


    Cian left the pce to meet An and Drayce at the spot of their meeting outside the pce.


    "Today we will make sure to find all of their whereabouts and ntations and in theing days, we will leave them to have leftover ashes only," Draycemented while riding the horse.


    An simply nodded, as if he was immersed in some other thoughts.


    "Are you thinking about Oriana?" Drayce asked.


    An nodded without any hesitation, "She is worrisome. I can''t tell what trouble she would bring upon herself in my absence."


    "Do not worry. As you wanted, Seren had called for her and will keep her by her side till you return to the guest mansion. Seren will make sure Oriana won''t put herself in any danger."


    "I will have to thank Her Majesty," An spoke.


    "You might get an earful from my wife."


    "Huh? What did I do?"


    "She is displeased with the way you are treating Oriana these days, especially in the market yesterday, you clearly ignored her. Could you not see how sad she was?"


    "I know," he replied calmly, "But you already know what is going on with me."


    "That I can understand but not my wife. All she knows is that she cares for Oriana and you are the man who is hurting her," Drayce informed, "She is even nning to expose Oriana''s identity as a woman to her brother and let Prince Cian have her."


    "What?" An eximed as he stopped riding, his eyes turning between flickers of red and gold, his hold in the reins tightened, his knuckles turning white.


    "Calm down," Drayce reached closer and patted his shoulder, "My wife is just sensitive towards the one she cares about."


    An tried to calm down and spoke, "Please tell Seren to not worry much."


    If it was not Seren and someone else, An would have lost his politeness and had cursed the person many times. But he could not be disrespectful towards his dear friend''s wife.


    "She won''t. She knows, Oriana is your chosen one," Drayce assured.


    Cian reached there in time and the three along with their respective knights left for the investigation.


    They reached one of the isted hidden ntation part and their storage ces.


    "I will inspect on those storage. We might get important proofs about people involved in it," An said and walked away with his knight, leaving Drayce and Cian together.


    "This ntation seems to be the biggest one out of others we know," Cianmented.


    Drayce nodded as they secretly made their way towards the ntation field, "I need to check other than ck nightshade, what other herbs they are cultivating."


    Cian nodded and followed Drayce, only to hear him say, "Be careful Prince Cian. They are poisonous herbs."


    Cian nodded and continued to walk. Meanwhile he spoke, "King Drayce, today Prince An''s aide had sneaked into my study. I wonder what is his deal."


    Drayce didn''t look surprised as he continued to do his work and spoke casually, "She must be there to get the hints about nation of ck nightshade."


    "What?" Cian eximed in suppressed voice.


    "Don''t worry about her intentions. I assure you, she harbours no ill intentions and simply needs it to treat her grandfather by using it as a medicine," Drayce informed. "In fact, I would like if you can arrange good amount of well preserved ck nightshade and give it to me so I can hand it over to her."


    Cian was speechless for a moment. Once he gathered his thoughts, he spoke, "I would not question your judgement and would not hesitate to fulfil your request, King Drayce, but...why are you addressing that aide ''She''? That aide..."


    "��is a woman," Drayce answered his doubt, "and she is no threat to us."


    "Does Prince An know it?"


    "If he was not aware of his own personal aide being a woman, I would have disowned him as my friend forck of his intelligence."


    Cian chuckled, "No wonder he is so possessive of his aide. In the market, I felt like he wanted to kill me right there for talking with her." Cian could not help but mused, "Seems interesting."


    Drayce finally looked at the Prince, "Prince Cian, I would like you to keep caring for her and wee any help from her."


    Cian was taken aback. Instead of asking him to stay away from his friend''s belonging, Drayce was asking the opposite.


    "King Drayce, are you trying to use me to make that stubborn Prince realise something? Aren''t you worried he might see me as his enemy."


    "I am sure you can handle it, Prince Cian," Drayce spoke and turned to resume his work.


    "Alright, I will see what I can do," Cian assured and smirked inwardly, ''It would be fun to mess with that stubborn and overly proud Prince.''

 Chapter 713: Brave Or Silly

    After required investigation and nning the next step, Drayce returned to Megraris guest mansion while An and Cian returned to their own respective mansion by the evening.


    Upon entering the mansion, his wife''s sweet voice braced his ears. From what he could hear, it appeared that Seren was talking to Oriana and the elf Yorian. He remembered, on An''s request, he had made Seren call Oriana to stay by her side so An could rest assured about his mate who was skilled in putting herself in trouble.


    "...and who is this Lady Evanthe and Lady Sierra? Why do you hold them in such high regards?" It was Oriana''s voice.


    "Lady Evanthe is my mother-inw, the most powerful White Witch and the Queen of your race." He heard Seren reply.


    "Oh!"


    "...and Lady Sierra��"


    Drayce halted in his steps, seemingly focused on what his wife would say. There was a long pause before Seren could answer. Drayce could feel the emotional turmoil in her.


    "...she is my mother, a witch as well."


    From the tone of her voice, Drayce could discern the sadness in her voice. He wished there would be a day soon when Sierra admits it to her and Seren could call her mother without any restrain.


    "But Lord Yorian said you are not a witch, Your Majesty. Howe your mother��" Another of Oriana''s questions he heard.


    "It''s aplicated matter," was all Seren said and there was silence.


    Drayce reached the door of the room where the servant standing outside, knocked on the door and announced his arrival.


    When he entered the room, he watched Oriana standing up and bowing to greet him, Drayce epted her greetings and went to his wife. After overhearing the part of their conversation, especially the part of Seren mentioning her mother, it worried him but Seren looked fine to him. It was a relief.


    That pair of purple eyes squarely met his red ones. "You left in the morning and returned in the evening. You seem to forget about your wife, Your Majesty."


    "An and I decided to contribute to Prince Cian''s investigation."


    "Did you find anything?"


    "We did," he informed her, "but I wish to inform you that you should persuade your brother to take care of his hand. He is way too careless."


    "What? What happened now?" Seren eximed.


    While these husband and wife were talking, forgetting others around them, Oriana was trying to find a chance to excuse herself, but she had to wait to not interrupt the couple''s conversation.


    Yorian offered her an assuring nod, as if telling her to wait for a while.


    "I will go check on him." Seren stood up.


    Finally, Oriana found a chance. "Your Majesty, I should head back to my master. I will take my leave then."


    Seren looked at her. "No, wait, I mean, you areing with me to check on my brother. You are his physician."


    Oriana could not reject it. "His Highness Prince An must have returned as well. I have to first go and inform them."


    "I will send a servant to inform Prince An. Do not worry," Seren offered and Oriana could not reject.


    "Let''s go, then," Seren said. She was ready to leave, but Drayce held her hand to stop her. "I have just returned yet you''re already leaving me? Let Oriana do her job first. You can go to your brother after you spend some time with me."


    "But��"


    "In your presence, he will only try to hide his injuries to not let you worry about him," Drayce interrupted her.


    His words made sense to Seren and she gave Oriana an apologetic look.


    "No worries, Your Majesty. I will head to your brother first."


    Getting an approving nod from Seren, Oriana left.


    "Are you trying to create trouble for poor soul, King Drayce?" Yorian chuckled. "Do you think she can handle your overbearing friendter?"


    Puzzled, Seren eyed her husband before looking at the grinning elf. "What are you talking about?"


    "Do not pay attention to him, my Queen," Drayce said. "You should pay attention to your husband who missed you the entire day."


    "You don''t want to tell me. You are trying to change the topic. "


    "Am I sessful then?"


    "You have to tell meter."


    "Sure."


    Drayce held her hand and the couple departed the room, leaving Yorian shaking his head, thinking about Oriana. ''That poor child.''


    As they stepped out, Drayce stopped and instructed Marie, "Send a message to Griven guest mansion that Orian has gone to the guest mansion of Abetha to treat Prince Cian''s injury," and left with Seren.


    "Dray, what are you trying to do with Oriana?" Seren asked worriedly as they entered their chamber.


    Drayce made her sit on the couch and proceeded to remove his clothes as he walked towards the wooden stand, "My Queen, would you mind if I took your brother''s help to make my friend a little jealous?"


    Seren now understood her husband''s intentions. "Uhm, not that I mind but you might put my brother in danger. I see Prince An is over possessive. If it angers him, my human brother might not be able to stand the wrath of a Dragon."


    Drayce removed his dark robe and hung it on the wooden stand, left only in his dark pants, his torso exposed to his wife''s eyes. He walked towards her who suddenly had her eyes glued to his exposed body.


    "Prince Cian can handle him," Drayce reached her, "Do not worry."


    Seren seemingly forgot what they were talking about, nodded involuntarily.


    "Drayce leaned over her, his hands resting on the back of the chair, "Did you hear what I just said, my Queen?"


    "Huh?" she moved her gaze from his half naked body to his face as she raised her head up. "Did you say something?"


    The smirk on his lips widened to see how every time his wife was mesmerized seeing him like this. "I was saying how about you help me bathe and you nodded."


    "Did I?" She felt puzzled. Was she lost to this extent to not know what he was talking even?


    "Hmm," Drayce nodded and held her hand and guided her to the bath. What left behind was Seren''s confused voice echoing inside the bath.


    "...Dray, I don''t remember I said yes to it. Weren''t we talking about my brother?..."


    "...Wait, don''t put me in water��"


    "...Don''t remove my clothes��"


    "...Dray, you tricked me��"


    ----


    Meanwhile at the guest Mansion of Abetha.


    "Your Highness, physician Orian is here to treat you," Eliot informed Cian, who had just changed into fresh set of clothes.


    Cian raised a brow as it was evening and that aide should be with her possessive master, Prince An.


    "Her Majesty, Queen Seren has sent him," Eliot added.


    "I will be there," Cian assured.


    ''I am sure it''s not my sister but her husband''s idea to trouble his friend. These two friends are up to wasting my time. Never mind, I will get to know more about this woman. She dared to intrude in my study. Brave or rather silly.''

 Chapter 714: Piece Of Jewellery

    Late into the night, after troubling Seren both in the bath and on the bed, Drayce found himself cradling his tired wife, who slept soundly in his arms. Though her slumber was deep, sleep evaded him entirely. The previous night, Seren had suffered from the fire element power within her, and now he fretted that tonight might bring a repeat of that ordeal.


    His concern for his wife eclipsed any desire his own body had for rest.


    Suddenly, a sense of intrusion flooded his awareness, stirring him from his vigil. ''What is he doing here at this hour?''


    He nced at Seren, reluctant to leave her side but knowing he must. With careful movements so as not to disturb her, he began to rise, but Seren, sensing his motions, opened her eyes to gaze at him.


    "Are you unable to sleep, Dray?" she inquired, her voice heavy with sleep.


    "My Queen, something came up, and I must leave for a time," he replied softly.


    She rubbed her eyes, striving to clear her vision. "What''s happened?"


    "I am uncertain. I will inform you upon my return. Do not worry," he reassured her, cing a tender kiss upon her forehead. "I''ll return shortly."


    Seren nodded and Drayce left the chamber only to hear him instruct her servants, "Stay by Seren''s side and inform me if there is anything. I am in the study."


    ''What happened? He sounds worried,'' Seren wondered, ''I shall wait for him.'' She sat in the bed and watched Eva entering the chamber.


    "What brought you here at this hour��" Drayce began as he entered his study, only to be cut off by the sight of An carrying Oriana in his arms. An''s expression was one of panic, and the unmistakable scent of blood permeated the air��a blood that was not the result of any injury.


    "Bring her with me," Drayce instructed, leading An towards an unused guest room on the same floor.


    An gentlyid Oriana on the bed, his own clothes damp and stained with blood from carrying her. Drayce sympathized with An''s inner struggle, knowing that the beast within him stirred at the scent of its mate''s blood, awakening primal instincts.


    "Wait inside my study," Drayce directed An. "Seren''s servants will take care of her."


    Despite his concern for Oriana, An agreed and obediently stepped out, relieving Drayce to see his friend retaining hisposure amidst the turmoil.


    Stepping out of the room, Drayce instructed the knight present, "Summon Martha and any avable servants of Seren''s."


    The knight hurried off, and soon Martha and Marie arrived. "Your Majesty," Martha acknowledged.


    "Oriana is here. Take care of her," Drayce instructed urgently.


    Martha''s expression reflected her concern as she hastened into the chamber, with Marie following closely behind.


    Remaining outside, Drayce waited until Martha emerged from the room. "Your Majesty, she is stable. We will attend to her needs."


    With a nod, Drayce left and returned to the study to find An, providing him with fresh clothes to rece his bloodstained attire.


    Meanwhile, in Seren''s chamber, the knight arrived and informed the servants that Drayce had left with An and would returnte.


    Seren''s concern deepened, prompting her to step out of her chamber. "Eva, where is Martha?" she inquired, recalling Drayce''s summons for her servants.


    Eva conversed with the knight briefly before leading Seren towards the guest room, where Martha and Marie were attending to Oriana''s needs.


    "What has happened to her? Is she injured?" Seren queried, her gaze drawn to Oriana, whoy unconscious while being gently tended to and changed into fresh clothing.


    "Your Majesty, she is experiencing her monthly cycle," Marie exined.


    "Then why is she unconscious?" Seren questioned, noting Oriana''s pallor, which hinted at more than just menstrual difort.


    "I believe there may be underlying issues with her health," Martha spected. "It seems more than just her usual cycle; we''ll have a clearer picture once she wakes up."


    Seren''s thoughts raced, connecting the seriousness of Oriana''s condition with Drayce''s urgent departure with Prince An. ''It seems that''s why Dray has gone out with Prince An, and he appeared quite serious and worried.''


    Yorian arrived at the scene and was granted entry into the room. "I heard something happened to our young witch?" he inquired, to which Martha nodded in confirmation.


    Approaching Oriana''s bedside, Yorian assessed her condition, checking her pulse thoughtfully. "Her energy flow does seem disrupted, doesn''t it?" he heard Martha remarked.


    Nodding in agreement, Yorian pondered aloud, "I wonder what she might have consumed to affect her body like this. The feminine energy flow has been greatly disturbed."


    "We can inquire once she regains consciousness," Martha suggested, her tone reflecting both concern and determination.


    Yorian chuckled softly, his expression reflecting a mix of amusement and skepticism. "As if she would willingly divulge anything," he remarked, gently tucking Oriana''s hand under the nket. "I''ll return once I''ve gathered more information."


    With a respectful bow to Seren, Yorian exited the room, leaving Seren and Martha to await his findings.


    "Please keep me informed of what Lord Yorian discovers," Seren requested before taking her leave.


    An hour passed before Drayce finally returned to his anxiously awaiting wife. Eva respectfully bowed to the king before departing the chamber.


    "I went to check on Oriana," Seren informed Drayce, her toneced with concern. "Is everything alright with Prince An?"


    Drayce settled beside her, preparing to offer an exnation. "He is a little troubled because of his mate these days, or shall I say his beast side is troubled."


    Puzzled, Seren furrowed her brow. "I don''t understand."


    Drayce proceeded to elucidate theplexities of An''s dual nature, exining how his beastly instincts shed with his human consciousness, particrly in the presence of his mate. Now that Oriana was bleeding, An''s beast saw it as an opportunity to mate, unaware of the distinctions between human and beast female.


    "...and so we must keep Oriana here until her bleeding ceases, ensuring An can maintain control over his beast," Drayce concluded, his gaze meeting Seren''s as he awaited her understanding.


    Seren nodded, absorbing the gravity of the situation. "Dray, you possess a beast side as well. So when I have my monthly cycle each month, do you experience the same struggle? Yet, I''ve always seen you maintain suchposure as if you are never affected by it."


    Drayce''s smile softened, his eyes reflecting a depth of understanding. "It would be wrong to say I am not affected whenever you bleed. It''s just that I am better at controlling my beast side because he is me and part of my soul but An''s beast is not him but another soul living in his body. That is why it is difficult for him to control his beast.


    Moreover, I am a warlock as well and the powers I got from my mother helps me to live like a human and suppress my beast instincts"


    "Then what would happen to Prince An. Not like he can keep Oriana away always."


    "He must to learn to control. There''s no alternative," Drayce replied with conviction. "I have faith in him. It is his first time to face it.It''s just a matter of time till he learns to deal with it."


    "Must be difficult for him."


    Drayce nodded and informed, "An doesn''t want us to tell Oriana that he is the one to bring her here. He doesn''t want to let her know that he is aware of her identity as a woman."


    "But how will we exin her presence here?"


    "Yorian will handle it. Oriana trusts him implicitly."


    "I hope everything between them turns out well," shemented. "It will. I trust my friend," Drayce assured.


    -----


    Inside the dimly lit room in the guest mansion of Thevailes, a woman draped in a dark dress sat regally, savoring a cup of tea with an air of elegance.


    A fellow woman entered the room, addressing her respectfully, "Sister Zaria."


    "What have you discovered?" Zaria inquired, her demeanorposed yet curious.


    "The individual who wielded divine power within the temple, thwarting our wizards'' attempt to abduct the Queen of Megaris, is none other than a personal aide to Prince An of Griven," the woman reported.


    "Are you certain?" Zaria questioned, taking a contemtive sip of her tea.


    "Yes, Sister Zaria. Just this morning, a simr disy of divine power urred at the guest mansion of Abetha, causing minor chaos by shattering arge ss window. Our sources confirm that Prince An''s aide was present at the scene," the woman affirmed.


    "Hmm, yet another possessor of divine power," Zaria mused aloud. "I must investigate this individual personally."


    "The aide is currently residing at the Megaris guest mansion," the woman added, catching Zaria''s interest.


    "It appears the aide has fallen ill and was escorted to the Megaris estate by Prince An himself," the woman continued. "Remarkably, this aide also serves as a physician and frequently tends to Queen Seren''s health."


    "Fascinating," Zaria remarked with a wry smile. "It''s unusual for the King of Megaris to permit another''s aide to attend to his wife. Quite unlike the possessive ruler we know."


    "Indeed, Sister Zaria. This aide seems to have garnered significant ess to the Megaris estate, often seen in close proximity to Queen Seren as if he were their own trusted servant," the woman borated.


    "Consistently in the Queen''s presence?" Zaria pondered aloud, pouring herself another cup of tea. "creating an opportunity to bring that aide to Thevailes guest mansion. I want to see him personally."


    "Yes, sister Zaria," the woman nodded and left.


    "Why do I feel like there is something interesting about that aide?" Zaria mumbled and continued to drink her tea with mused expressions on her face.


    ----


    In thete hours at the Abetha guest mansion, Prince Cian found himself unable to sleep, fully engrossed in his work. Despite theteness of the hour, he immersed himself in his tasks, pouring over the contents of the day''s summit and meticulously preparing for the uing conference.


    Eliot, one of his trusted knights, entered the study, prompting Cian to nce up from his work. "Why are you not resting, Eliot?"


    "I have rested, Your Highness," Eliot replied respectfully. "I am here because our spy has uncovered a new lead, and there is a message from your cousin regarding the mysterious group led by the woman."


    Cian''s interest was immediately piqued, and he turned his full attention to Eliot as he continued. "ording to the information provided by your cousin, today''s incident was not the only one. Smugglers carrying those herbs have been targeted before by that group, and your cousin is also trying to find them.


    Tomorrow, another group of smugglers transporting the herbs will be traveling via a different route. It''s likely that mysterious group will strike once again."


    Cian nodded thoughtfully. "This time, our objective is not only to apprehend them but also to safeguard the herbs."


    "Safeguard the herbs?" Eliot questioned, seeking rification.


    "Yes," Cian affirmed. "We must ensure to have portion of those well preserved herbs."


    "For what purpose, Your Highness?" Eliot inquired.


    "The King of Megaris has requested it, and we are obligated toply," Cian exined, his tone resolute.


    "Understood, Your Highness."


    "You may go and rest now," Cian instructed Eliot. "Tomorrow, we will need to depart the conference halfway as well. It will be a busy day."


    "Your Highness, you should also consider getting some rest," Eliot suggested, expressing concern for his prince''s well-being.


    "In a little while," Cian assured him, his mind already consumed with thoughts of the mysterious woman who had crossed his path.


    As Eliot exited the room, Cian leaned back in his chair, the image of the skilled fighter upying his thoughts. "She''s remarkably skilled. It''s evident she has trained in swordsmanship since childhood, particrly in the ancient Othian techniques, which not everyone is allowed to learn. But what drives her to confront smugglers and defy the Othian royalty? Is she not afraid of the consequences?


    So courageous, indeed."


    "She must be from a noble family opposed to the Othian royalty, or perhaps she seeks revenge for some past wrong," Cian spected, contemting the woman''s motives. "Her purpose can''t simply be just to fight for the sake of humanity by putting herself in grave danger often. No one is that noble. Tomorrow I will find out."


    He wrapped up all the documents and opened the drawer to put them inside but his gaze fell on something that he had kept in the drawer since that day he saw her- the woman with a windmill.


    When she collided with him and fell over him, the gold jewelry she wore on her head fell and stuck with his clothes. He wished to return it to her, but he had to leave for his mission and didn''t have time to mingle with some random unknown woman. His mission was more important.


    ''Maybe, I will find her again and return it to her,'' he put it back along with the documents and left the study.

 Chapter 715: Reward

    On the fourth day of the conference, Drayace had left to attend it. During the conference, as usual he came across King of Thevailes, Samer Vailes, but this time Drayce''s attention was caught by something else. There were traces of ck magic on Samer which took him by surprise.


    The conference continued but Drayce''s mind was swirling around why Samer had traces of ck magic on him and why was he suddenly so reckless to let it be shown.


    ''Is that witch trying to show her presence now, intentionally?''


    After the conference was over, Drayce returned to the guest mansion and shared this finding with An and Yorian. Yorian assured him to discover more about it and keep a watch on the guest mansion of Thevailes.


    ----


    In the evening, while Drayce was speaking with Yorian inside his study, the King''s attendant announced the arrival of an unexpected visitor.


    "Your Majesty, Miss Oriana wishes to see you. Do you wish to grant her an audience?"


    Drayce and Yorian looked at each other in surprise.


    "Send her in."


    After a while, a woman with long reddish blond hair wearing a simple yet elegant white dress entered the King''s study. Drayce almost did not recognize her. For the first time, he was seeing Oriana in a woman''s attire, and unlike her sneaky and mischievous form of a boy, she looked like a prim-and-proper youngdy.


    ''Idiot An is missing on things,'' Drayce sighed as he heard her greet them. "Good evening, Your Majesty," and then she looked at Yorian, "Good evening, my lord."


    Drayce offered her a light nod and asked, "You can state the purpose of your visit."


    Oriana nced at Yorian''s direction. The elf smiled at her. "I shall leave you two to talk."


    "It''s alright, Lord Yorian. Please stay," Oriana said before returning her attention to the red-eyed king. "Yesterday, Your Majesty offered to reward me for saving Her Majesty."


    Drayce observed the determination in that pair of eyes. "Hmm, seems like you have finally made a decision, Oriana."


    She seemed to be surprised by the way Drayce called her, he used her real name. "I have made my decision," she informed.


    Drayce could guess her intentions but this is what he had nned and was waiting for her toe to him. To his surprise, she was there earlier than he had expected.


    "Tell me, what is it you desire?"


    "Your Majesty, as you mentioned, you''ve agreed to grant any of my request within your power. What I seek is something well within your capabilities," Oriana began, her voice measured yet resolute.


    Drayce maintained hisposure, silently urging her to continue.


    "I require ck Nightshade, the banned herb, to treat my ailing grandfather. Following that, I need your assistance in facilitating my safe disappearance, ensuring I''m never found," Oriana concluded, the weight of her words hanging heavily in the study.


    An heavy silence followed, with Oriana''s gaze shifting tentatively between the two men, both unreadable.


    "And whom or what do you intend to escape?" Drayce''s voice pierced the silence.


    "No one, Your Majesty. I simply wish to pay my entire attention to treat my grandfather and spend as much time with him as he is old. As I am a royal servant, I won''t be allowed to leave so I need your help to get away from here without any trouble."


    Drayce scrutinized her, attempting to discern the truth amidst her carefully constructed facade. ''Valid motives intertwined with skillful deceit,'' he mused inwardly. ''Can''t me her. An is to me for hurting her and making her want to run away from him. But that doesn''t mean I will go against my friend and send his mate away from him.


    "I can surely grant both of your wishes as a reward for saving my wife, but��." Oriana looked at him anxiously only to hear him say, "I was wondering how are you going to pay for scaring my wife the other night when she was looking around the antiques in the room?"


    Oriana visibly tensed at his words, her thoughtsid bare by Drayce''s pointed inquiry. Sensing her disquiet, he continued, "Did you truly believe an intruder could trespass within my territory undetected?" he frowned inwardly while he thought, ''and even dare see my wife''s face which even I have not seen yet.''


    "I-I offer my sincerest apologies, Your Majesty. It was never my intent to cause distress to Her Majesty. The situation unfolded beyond my control. If you deem it appropriate, I am prepared to extend my apology directly to Her Majesty," Oriana interjected, her voice trembling with remorse.


    "Do you truly believe a mere apology suffices to soothe her fear?" Drayce countered sharply, his gaze unwavering.


    Bowing her head contritely, Oriana murmured, "Then I am prepared to ept any punishment Your Majesty deems fit."


    Meanwhile, Yorian, a silent observer, exchanged a meaningful nce with Drayce, silently probing his intentions. Drayce, in response, offered a subtle nod before redirecting his attention to Oriana.


    "Since you took your sweet time thinking, I would also like to take a time before granting your wishes," Drayce said, referring to her rejecting his generous offer twice. "You must fulfill what I told you before."


    Oriana raised her gaze and looked at him. "What do you mean, Your Majesty?"


    "Reveal your identity as a woman to An. Only after that I will think about granting your wish," Drayce replied, his tone firm andmanding as if it was not a choice but his decree for her.


    Though An was aware of her true identity, Drayce wished them both to stop ying hide and seek and not to make things difficult for each other.


    Oriana''s countenance shifted, betraying a hint of reluctance. "Your Majesty, I..."


    "Once you disclose your identity to An, I will provide you with a substantial supply of the herb you seek, sufficient to aid your grandfather for the remainder of his days," Drayce interjected firmly. "As for your second request of assisting you in your safe departure, that shall be granted once you reveal your status as a ck Witch to An."


    Oriana stood rooted to the spot, her mind swirling with uncertainty. ''These royals are never trustworthy. This King didn''t have any intentions of helping me to begin with but he can''t give up acting as a generous King. Generous? A liar and pretentious instead.''


    Despite Oriana''s outwardposure, Drayce sensed the silent storm brewing behind her calm fa?ade, he could feel her silently casting curses his way. Suppressing a smirk, he watched her with a knowing gaze.


    "Take your time to consider my offer. Inform me once you''ve fulfilled the condition," Drayce instructed, his tone unwavering.


    "Yes, Your Majesty," Oriana acknowledged with a formal bow before gracefully exiting the study.


    As the door closed behind her, Yorian broke the ensuing silence."King Drayce, for the sake of your friend, aren''t you putting yourself in danger?"


    "I am acting in the best interest of both of them. In time, they wille to appreciate it," Drayce responded confidently.


    "But do not forget, Oriana is the Queen of Witches, and you, a warlock. Should she reim her power and ascend to her rightful throne, she will hold authority over you as your Queen. If she decides to take a revenge on you, you may find yourself unable to defy her," Yorian cautioned.


    "We shall cross that bridge when wee to it," Drayce replied calmly, his demeanor unwavering in the face of uncertainty.


    Yorian chuckled, "It would be amusing to see a powerful Dragon being punished by the Queen of Witches."

 Chapter 716: Impatient Samer

    Under the cloak of night, Cian made his return to Abetha guest mansion, his countenance heavy with displeasure. Once again, his pursuit of knowledge regarding that mysterious woman and her group had ended in frustration. Before they could even approach the rendezvous, the smugglers had met their demise elsewhere, leaving no trace.


    By the time news reached them, the band herb had been incinerated beyond recovery.


    ''They are way too familiar with each corner of this kingdom that it''s difficult guess from where they would appear and where they disappear.''


    Feeling vexed, Cian sought sce at the mountain cliff, a ce of childhood memories. There, he gazed into the distance, half-hoping to glimpse the woman with the windmill, yet she remained elusive. His mind churned with questions: to which noble family did she belong? How could he hope to find her without a single lead?


    The sole tangible clue, a piece of jewelry, taunted him with its silent mystery.


    "Eliot," Cian called for his loyal knight.


    Entering the study, the knight responded, "Yes, Your Highness?"


    Handing over the jewelry, Cian instructed, "Investigate this. Discover if it holds any significance or belongs to a particr individual. You may enlist the aid of my cousin''s men."


    epting the task, Eliot nodded solemnly. "Yes, Your Highness," he affirmed before departing.


    Alone once more, Cian approached the window, his thoughts heavy. ''Why am I so consumed by the desire to find her?'' he pondered over. ''I''ve even resorted to searching the hillside. What am I even doing?''


    ----


    Within the grandeur of Thevailes'' guest mansion, a woman glided into the King''s study. "Good evening, Your Majesty," she greeted with a respectful nod.


    The silver-haired monarch regarded the witch, gesturing for her to take a seat.


    Zaria settled into the chair gracefully. "It seems King Samer managed to capture King Drayce''s attention today."


    Samer met her gaze with a knowing smirk. "The shift in his demeanor upon seeing me confirms the sess of our n. But why reveal your presence to him by allowing him to sense traces of ck magic on me?"


    "So that he will bepelled to seek me out. In doing so, he''ll need to send someone within these walls," Zaria exined, her eyes alight with calction.


    "Are you targeting Prince An''s aide through him?" Samer inquired, his curiosity piqued.


    "Given the delicate rtions between Thevailes and Megaris, direct interactions are unlikely. Thus, he will bepelled to employ an intermediary. We shall merely present him with the opportune moment," Zaria rified. "Tomorrow, I will ensure that an aide toe to us, allowing me to assess his divine capabilities."


    "And what is your n thereafter?" Samer pressed, his interest keen.


    "Having another individual with divine lineage at our disposal only strengthens our position. My current source of such blood, the shapeshifter, she is nearing her end. Acquiring the Queen of Megaris has proven challenging. Until she is within our grasp, securing another reliable source is needed."


    "Do as you see fit, so long as it serves Thevailes," Samer instructed.


    "It most certainly will," Zaria affirmed confidently. "Once we summon Prince An''s aide, the King of Megaris will inevitably take the bait and send them to us again. That gives me ample time to cultivate a friendship with the aide."


    "There''s a risk of exposing yourself to them," Samer cautioned.


    "Theyck the means to identify me. Even if they do, there''s little they can do while we''re here in Othinia," Zaria countered. "King Drayce''s powers are inherited from his mother, the Queen of Witches. But he is a warlock and his power is pale inparison to those of us witches. Furthermore, he doesn''t have an ability to stand against the ck magic created by me, a ck witch.


    He can''t stand the chance to win against the power of darkness."


    Samer swirled the wine in his ss, contemting. "Do you have a n to capture the Queen of Megaris?" he inquired.


    Zaria smirked. "Impatient, are we, Your Majesty?"


    "Just curious to gaze into those rare, captivating eyes," Samer replied with a yful smirk.


    "Perhaps you''ll have the pleasure during the closing banquet of the summit."


    "It won''t be as satisfying as beholding them up close, undisturbed by prying eyes," Samer mused.


    "Fear not, King Samer. Though we''re restrained within Othinia, once they depart the capital, they will fall into our grasp. You can trust me, for this time, I possess something even more potent, something no supernatural force can shield her from," Zaria assured him.


    "I''ll await the fulfilment of your promise," Samer replied, his anticipation evident.


    ----


    Fifth day of the conference.


    As orchestrated by Zaria, An''s aide Oriana was beckoned to the guest mansion of Thevailes under the guise of lending her aid as a physician to a distressed servant. With Drayce and An absent, and Yorian off on a clue-hunting mission, no one hindered Oriana''s journey there.


    Zaria swiftly discerned that this young aide possessed not only divine abilities but was also a ck witch, and to her revtion, the very Queen of Witches she had been tirelessly seeking.


    Upon Drayce and An''s return from the conference, news of Oriana''s visit to Thevailes'' guest mansion incensed An and left Drayce apprehensive about Zaria''s intentions. After a tense exchange with Oriana, they devised a n to dispatch Oriana alongside An to Thevailes'' mansion the following day, albeit after much argument, solely in Drayce''s interest.


    Drayce sought sce by Seren''s side, recounting the events to her.


    "I am sorry, Dray. I was not aware when Oriana went to the guest mansion of Thevailes. If I had known before, I would have stopped her," Seren said apologetically, knowing how dangerous it could be for Oriana.


    "It''s not your fault, my Queen," Drayce assured, "Oriana is willful and has a strong sense of her duty. Even if her enemy is sick, she would keep her enmity away and fulfill her responsibility as a physician."


    "Prince An must be furious. Did they quarrel again?" Seren inquired.


    "It concerns her safety so ofcourse he is angry, but we have another n. Tomorrow An and Oriana will both go to the Thevailes mansion."


    "Why?"


    "To ascertain Zaria''s presence," Drayce answered solemnly.


    At the mention of Zaria''s name, Seren''s body tensed. Memories of her abduction still haunted her, and the mere mention of Zaria sent shivers down her spine. She feared this witch would tear her away from her beloved husband.


    "Even if she is present, she will never reach you, Seren," Drayce reassured her tenderly. "What happened in the past will never be repeated. She will nevery a hand on you."


    Seren embraced him tightly, seekingfort. "I trust you. I never want to be separated from you."


    Returning her embrace, Drayce whispered, "I know."

 Chapter 717: Cian Meeting A Mysterious Woman

    Clink! nk!


    In the heart of the dense woods, the sh of metal echoed through the trees as two groups engaged in a furious battle.


    "Your Highness, that mysterious group is in conflict with the smugglers. It seems today fortune favors us," a knight whispered, their steps stealthy as they closed in on the source of themotion.


    Cian''s eyes gleamed with determination. Today, escape was not an option. Alongside capturing the smugglers, he intended to uncover the woman who led this mysterious group. Enough of this hide and seek now.


    Drawing closer, Cian''s party took cover behind the boulders, observing as the shing swords suddenly fell silent. Before them, the mysterious group found themselves surrounded by additional smugglers, des pointed menacingly.


    "It appears the smugglers have turned the tables on them this time. They''veid a trap to capture this group and their leader," a spy murmured, barely audible over the tension.


    Cian saw it unfold before him. "Repeating the same trick won''t suffice. These smugglers are not ones to be deceived repeatedly," he dered, rising tall and firm, hand firmly grasping his sword hilt.


    "Your Highness, shall we intervene?" one of the knights inquired.


    In response, Cian advanced, de already unsheathed. The knights, understanding their liege''s resolve, followed suit, prepared for battle. They could hear the leader of the smuggler group warning the captured group.


    "...you think you could fool us again? How presumptuous," the leader of smuggler groupughed. "We have been nning to capture you for a long time and make you pay for all those losses you caused us. Each one of you is going to die while we feed you those poisonous herbs and let you know the taste of those precious herbs before you die."


    "Try it?" A woman''s voice challenged the man.


    Even from a distance, Cian''s gaze locked onto her, a figure cloaked in defiance, ring at her enemy. Though her face remained obscured by dark cloth, her eyes spoke volumes, fearless and unyielding. Gripping two short swords, she stood prepared for battle, fully aware of their outnumbered status. She was the sort who would rather break than bend.


    "A woman?" the man taunted, his words dripping with disdain. "No wonder you''re dwarfed by these burly men. I''m curious what beauty lies beneath, to muster such audacity," he jeered, motioning to his cohorts. "Unveil her face. If she is a beauty, she''s mine for the night. If not, she''s open to any takers."


    Cian watched with growing displeasure as one of the men approached her, intending to carry out the order. Yet, before he could intervene, a pained cry echoed through the forest.


    "You''re not even worthy of even touching the hem of my garment," the woman spat, withdrawing her sword after slicing the man''s hand. There was a unusual pride in her voice and her gaze as if the people in front of her were not even worthy of her single nce.


    Such a prideful woman!


    Impressed by her defiance amidst dire circumstances, Cian couldn''t help but marvel at her courage. Yet, he couldn''t shake the sense of impending danger looming over her slim chances of survival.


    The smuggler leader, towering and imposing, seethed with fury. "You act brave despite your imminent defeat, you little slut? Seems like you want me to personally uncover your face."


    She raised her swords in her defence, but the next moment one of herrades fell to the ground, a smuggler''s de piercing his body, snuffing out his life, taking her by surprise.


    "Stay in your ce, or your people will suffer the consequences," the leader warned her, a threat that forced her to restrain herself. It was evident she harbored deep concern for herrades.


    "Leader," one of her men interjected, "protect yourself. We''re prepared toy down our lives for you."


    Her resolve wavered. As a proud leader, how could she allow her people to perish? She reluctantly sheathed her sword and remained silent, torn by the weight of responsibility.


    "Leader, you can''t��Ugh!" Another of her men fell victim to a swift and fatal blow. Though rage burned within her, she held herself back, forced to watch as the smuggler leader approached, intent on revealing her face.


    But just as a man reached out to uncover her, a sudden groan of pain pierced the air. The hand poised to touch her face bore a deep gash, a small dagger having struck with lethal precision, sliced open his wrist.


    "Darey a hand on her again, and you''ll find your entire body in pieces," the dagger''s owner dered, fearlessly advancing towards them. His gaze locked onto the pair of beautiful eyes peering through the dark cloth concealing her face.


    "Kill them all, but spare her for me. Even half-dead, she''s worth my attentions," the smuggler leader raged, his fury matched only by the agony of his injury.


    In the ensuing chaos, another sh of swords erupted as Cian''s knights surged forward, joining the fray. Now, three groups faced off amidst the tumult of battle.


    "Your Highness, watch your nk. They outnumber us," Eliot cautioned, poised forbat.


    "Leave that leader to me," Cianmanded, his focus split between engaging any adversary that crossed his path and the woman whose every move captivated him. There was an inexplicable allure to her fighting prowess, a graceful dance amidst the chaos that held his attention like the finest of arts.


    In the midst of battle, he noticed her stealing nces his way, observing him with a keen eye as if pondering his presence and intent. The gap between them gradually closed as the bodies of fallen foes littered the ground, theirbined skill beginning to turn the tide in their favor.


    They sessfully defeated the smugglers group despite being lowered in numbers.


    As instructed by Cian, the leader of the smugglers was left for him to deal with as Eliot captured him for his liege. Finally when all was over, Eliot brought him to Cian and the woman standing next to him, pushing that leader to kneel in front of them.


    "You will regret what you did today," that leader growled in a defeat and anger, seeing how all his men were either captured or were dead. "You don''t know who you are going against by doing this."


    "Shut up," Cian said in azy tone as if his words were giving him earaches, "When faced with death, you scums have nothing new to say."


    The woman regarded Cian, curiosity glinting in her eyes. Though uncertain of his identity, she sensed he posed no threat, allowing him to take the lead as events unfolded.


    "Who are you?" The leader''s question mirrored the woman''s curiosity.


    "Shouldn''t you be pleading for mercy instead?" Cian countered, his tone even, yet his gaze conveyed a profound disdain, as though regarding the man as little more than a mere insect to be squashed beneath his heel. His aura of authority made it abundantly clear��he was no ordinary individual.


    "Do you know why you''re still breathing?" Cian inquired, his voice carrying a weight of ominous implication.


    "If you think I will give you any information, then you are mistaken," the leader said, "I would rather die."


    Cian chuckled softly, a disy of how he perceived the leader''s stubbornness as folly. "Your death wish shall be granted, indeed. But before you depart this world, allow me to impart some wisdom to you, so perhaps in your next life, you''ll refrain from repeating your mistakes."


    "What do you mean?" The leader''s tone betrayed his growing unease at Cian''s ominous words.


    "In battle, regardless of your opponent''s gender, even if she is a woman, they are warriors worthy of respect, not objects for your amusement," Cian exined calmly. In one swift motion, the tip of his sword pierced just above the man''s left corbone, eliciting a cry of agony.


    "You rather kill her right there with your sword like a warrior than humiliating her with your nasty words." The sword slowly made its way further deep as Cain continued to speak, "Remember this in your next life time if you even deserve one," and pierced that sword further deeper till it reached his heart and man took hisst breath.


    As if nothing happened, Cian put his foot on leader''s shoulder, pushing him away and withdrawing his sword swiftly from his body. The lifeless body of the man copsed on the ground while his men, whoever was left alive, were left scared to see the end of their leader who was supposed to be strongest of them all.


    The woman found herself surprised by Cian''s words, a flicker of appreciation glimmering in her eyes. It was evident that this man held genuine respect for women, yet she remained vignt, unwilling to let her guard down.


    "Who are you?" she inquired, her voice steady despite the curiosity that gnawed at her.


    Cian returned her gaze, his demeanorposed and steadfast. "I could ask you the same," he replied calmly.


    "I fear you may not receive an answer," she conceded.


    "My response remains unchanged," he countered, unwavering in his resolve.


    For a moment, silence hung between them, each refusing to yield ground to the other. They knew well that neither would relent in their quest for answers.

 Chapter 718: Finally Unveiled Her Face

    Cian peered into her familiar eyes, a flicker of recognition dancing on the edges of his memory. Were these deep brown orbs a figment of his imagination, or had he truly encountered them before? The uncertainty lingered, casting a shadow over his thoughts.


    Had the figure before him been a man, Cian might have instinctively pulled away the dark cloth veiling the face, but etiquette dictated otherwise with a woman. Despite his curiosity, he maintained a respectful distance, unwilling to breach her privacy without consent. It wouldn''t be morally right to unveil her face without permission, especially considering she wasn''t his adversary.


    "There were spies tailing our movements," she revealed, her voice breaking the silence. "It seems they were dispatched by your faction."


    "And your awareness allowed your group to evade us on several asions," Cian deduced.


    "Why are you tracking us?" she inquired, her tone probing. "What''s your objective?"


    "The same as yours," he responded evenly. "To eradicate the presence of dangerous herbs from this continent."


    "Undertaking such a noble cause implies you''re no ordinary individual," she remarked astutely.


    "I could say the same about you," Cian countered, noting a subtle shift in her demeanor, suggesting a hidden smile beneath the concealing fabric.


    "Thank you for your assistance today, Young Lord," she acknowledged, bestowing upon him a title of respect, hinting at his prominence. "However, from this point forward, our paths diverge."


    "Agreed," Cian consented, realizing the necessity of maintaining secrecy. He couldn''t afford to reveal his true identity as the prince of another kingdom, ndestinely conducting a covert mission within foreign kingdom. "But before you depart, I have a favor to ask."


    "Proceed," she encouraged, awaiting his request.


    "I require some of those herbs you seized today, specifically the ck nightshade. The rest can be disposed of as usual," Cian requested, his tone firm yet respectful.


    The doubt crept into her eyes the moment Cian made this demand. "And what do you need it for?"


    "There''s a young physician who needs it to treat her grandfather," Cian exined earnestly. "She requires this herb to concoct a specific medicine."


    "How can I trust that''s the true reason?" she probed further, her gaze unwavering.


    "To earn your trust that I oppose the use of these herbs, I''m willing to let you apany me on the eradication of those ntations that are difficult to find," Cian proposed.


    Her eyes seemed to brighten with the offer, but she quicklyposed herself before speaking,"Do you think when I can dare find these smugglers and destroy their ns, I am not aware of those ntations and I can not destroy them on my own?"


    Cian''s lips curved into a light, yful smirk. "If you were aware, given your boldness and courage, you would have eradicated those ntations long ago instead of targeting small groups of smugglers and exhausting yourself repeatedly. You strike me as someone who prefers elemintaing an adversary at once."


    In response, she silently scrutinized him, as if trying to discern his true intentions. This young man possessed a knack for understanding people even in brief encounters, and he was clever enough to negotiate without losing his advantage. Now she remembered his fighting skills - he was exceptional with a sword, impressing her despite her own proficiency.


    Finding someone worthy of praise was rare for her.


    "You''re not from Othinia," shemented astutely.


    "You''re correct," he admitted. "You can easily guess it from my appearance that I am not Othinian," he added, noting the racial disparities between Othinians and Abethans. "But I doubt you can guess my exact origins."


    "Because you were clever enough to use the Othinian swordsmanship instead of that from your own kingdom," she observed. "How did youe to learn this style, considering it''s strictly reserved for Othinian high nobles and royals?"


    "Are you suggesting you''re from one of the high noble or royal families?" Cian arched a brow.


    "I might be. You''re free to draw your own conclusions," she replied casually, wary of revealing too much to this astute man who could easily uncover her identity if she wasn''t cautious. "But how did you learn it?" she redirected the question.


    Both of them appeared like they were present there for a casual chat rather than dealing with the dangerous matters.


    "There is someone who is skilled like you in Othinian swordsmanship. She taught it to me when I was a child andter I practiced it on my own as I found it really interesting," Cian exined.


    "A woman taught you?" she inquired, her curiosity evident because there were handful of women who could truly master it.


    He nodded in confirmation.


    "She taught you well. Must be remarkable woman."


    "Certainly," he agreed, a sense of pride and respect shining in his eyes as he spoke of the woman who had taught him - his mother, Queen Niobe. Her unwavering determination had always been to ensure he excelled in all endeavors.


    Returning to the initial topic, Cian reiterated, "I need that herb."


    "That may not be possible," she responded firmly. "We''re eliminating it to safeguard this continent from chaos. No one will have ess to it. I won''t bend the rules for anyone, even if it means some may suffer from health issues."


    Cian anticipated such a response from her. She was a woman of unwavering determination, a true leadermitted to following the rules.


    "You didn''t outright deny it, which means there''s a possibility," he countered.


    "I was simply being polite towards the person who saved our lives," she replied without hesitation.


    Realizing that pushing further would only lead to conflict between their factions, Cian decided to step back. She wasn''t entirely wrong, and if their roles were reversed, he would likely do the same, unwilling to trust a stranger with ess to such a dangerous herb.


    "Alright, maybe I could acquire it on my own," Cian conceded. "We''ll take our leave. I trust your group can handle these remaining pests," he added, gesturing toward the few smugglers who survived.


    She simply nodded, and Cian signaled to Eliot that they were ready to depart. His men turned to leave, relinquishing custody of the captives to the other group.


    Offering her a light nod, Cian turned to depart, harboring the thought that their paths would cross again, and then he would surely uncover the truth about her. But just as he took a step away, chaos erupted.


    "You wretch�� you killed our leader�� Ughh��"


    Thud!


    Everything happened in a blur. Cian''s sword had swiftly pierced the body of one of the captive smugglers who lunged to attack the masked woman. His reflexes were so sharp that the man barely had a chance to touch her before losing his life.


    "Are you alright?" Cian turned to the stunned woman, who clearly hadn''t expected this turn of events.


    But then, Cian was even more stunned than the woman in front of him was.


    The dark cloth covering her face had been pulled away by the smuggler, leaving her face exposed before him. Cian felt as though time stood still, rendering him immobile.


    She nced back at Cian who once more saved her life, but as her gaze met his shocked one, she realized the cloth covering her face had slipped, hanging to the side of her face. Hastily, she retrieved it and covered herself, but it was toote.


    ''The woman from that day, the one with the windmill... it''s her,'' Cian thought, incredulous. She had seemed like a carefree young girl then wandering in the field, but now she stood before him as a fearless warrior.


    In a sh of moment, memories from that day shed in front of his eyes. That beautiful woman who capture his attention just at a single nce, the one who ran to capture the kite and even ended up colliding with him, hurting his wrist, the one who had been disturbing his sleep the every single night, urging him to find her at all costs.


    ''Who is this woman?''


    Cian couldn''t help but ponder her true identity, the question echoing in his mind.

 Chapter 719: Teasing A Brother

    Covering her face properly, she stepped away from Cian, keeping a distance between them. Her eyes showed wariness towards him as he had now seen her face.


    "I hope we won''t cross paths again," she said, her tone curt, and turned to leave without waiting for Cian''s reply.


    She signaled her people to continue their work and finish it, while she departed with a few of herpanions following closely behind. She didn''t even offer a word of gratitude for him saving her life once more.


    Cian could sense drastic shift in her demenaour and her clear displeasure at having her face revealed to him. It seemed as though she was trying to distance herself as much as possible.


    She must be someone whose identity could not be revealed at any cost.


    Cian signaled to his own people and departed as well, his mind still grappling with the mystery of the woman''s identity.


    ----


    Drayce returned to Seren after his visit with An, where he and Oriana had ventured into the guest mansion of Thevailes to confirm the presence of Zaria.


    Seren was anxiously awaiting his return, and as soon as he entered the chamber, she hurried towards him. "Dray, what happened? Did Prince An and Oriana manage to confirm if that witch Zaria is here?"


    Drayce hugged her gently, trying to soothe her nerves. "Calm down, Seren. There''s no need to be so anxious and afraid of that witch."


    "First, tell me if it''s her or not," she urged.


    "She is here," Drayce finally answered, noticing Seren''s body stiffen in response.


    "An and Oriana confirmed it. It''s Zaris, who has disguised herself as Lady Rosetta and is currently by King Samer''s side," Drayce confirmed, gently caressing her cheek as he looked into her eyes. "But you don''t have to worry when I''m with you. And remember, An and Yorian are there as well, not to mention yer. We can all protect you, even if she brings an army of wizards."


    Seren hugged him tightly. "I trust you. I just don''t want you to be harmed because of me."


    "Seems like I failed to showcase my full potential to my wife if she''s worrying about me," he chuckled. "Dragons are the most powerful supernatural beings in the human realm. They can''t harm me, and there''s no way someone from another realm would aid these insignificant practitioners of ck magic."


    She looked back at him, her concern evident. "As long as you remain unharmed."


    "I will. Now, let me tell you something funny," he offered, hoping to divert her attention.


    "What is it?" she inquired.


    "Today, An had to draw Zaria''s portrait to show it to Yorian for identification, as Yorian had seen her before. An is a skilled artist, and he drew everything in detail, capturing even the smallest features like any other artist would."


    "Is she beautiful? I heard witches are known for their beauty as well," Seren asked curiously.


    "She might be, but that''s not what I meant," he rified. "What I found amusing was Oriana''s reaction. She was burning with jealousy. It was evident that she couldn''t handle him drawing Zaria in such detail."


    "What details?" Seren inquired.


    "Feminine details," he replied, lowering his gaze below Seren''s neck and below.


    Seren cleared her throat awkwardly. "Well, Prince An is at fault then. Any woman would feel jealous."


    "Then she should be mindful of not making my friend jealous by being too close to your brother," Drayce said in defense of An.


    She narrowed her eyes at him. "Isn''t it you who asked my brother to be closer to Oriana to make Prince An feel jealous?"


    Drayce chuckled lightly. "Well, I wonder where your brother is."


    "I feel like he''s been quite busytely. I''ll check on him," she said, concern evident in her voice. "I hope he won''t put himself in danger."


    "The King of Othinia has invited him for a meal with his family, but your brother has yet to ept," Drayce exined.


    "Isn''t it bad to keep a certain king waiting?" Seren asked, her worry deepening.


    "Prince Cian knows what he''s doing," Drayce assured her.


    "He''s just trying to avoid meeting the Princess of Othinia," Seren frowned. "He should at least meet her and not draw the wrath of royalty upon himself."


    "My Queen has started to think like a Queen now. Good to know," Drayce teased.


    "I am thinking as a sister," she retorted.


    "Sense of responsibility always stems from caring for your loved ones," hemented.


    "That''s a nice statement," she smiled. "I ept it, Your Majesty."


    ----


    In the evening, Seren had invited Cian to share a meal with her. Despite his busy schedule, the Prince couldn''t refuse and arrived punctually at the guest mansion of Megaris.


    As they gathered around the table, Seren initiated the conversation. "Where have you been upied these days?"


    "Attending to important matters that demand my attention," he replied casually.


    "When do you n to ept the King of Othinia''s invitation for a meal?" she inquired further.


    "Soon," he assured her.


    "How''s your investigation progressing? Have you made any progress with the mysterious group?" Drayce asked, showing interest.


    Cian nodded. "Today, I encountered them and even had a meeting with their leader."


    "The woman you mentioned," Drayce queried, "Did you discover her identity?"


    "Not yet."


    "A woman?" Seren was intrigued.


    Drayce borated on the subject, prompting Seren to express her admiration. "Wow, quite an impressive woman."


    "Indeed," Cian concurred, inadvertently catching Seren and Drayce''s attention with his simple remark.


    Seren chuckled. "Looks like someone is quite fascinated by that woman," she remarked, ncing at Drayce. "Wouldn''t you agree?"


    "Hmm," Drayce nodded in agreement.


    Cian sensed the teasing undertone from the husband and wife but chose not to refute it. It was true��he was indeed fascinated by that woman.


    "Tomorrow, I''ll pay a visit to the King of Othinia," Cian dered finally.


    "That''s a wise decision," Serenmended. "Afterward, let me know what kind of person the Princess of Othinia is."


    Cian didn''t want to disappoint his expectant sister and simply nodded in agreement.


    "She should be better than the woman who''s already charmed you," Seren teased again. "If not, we''ll have to find that mysterious woman for you."


    "You''re quite talkative today, Seren," Cian remarked like a strict older brother.


    She giggled at her brother''s serious demeanor. "Why shouldn''t I be?"


    "Who can silence my wife?" Drayce chimed in, looking fondly at Seren. "Feel free to speak your mind."


    Cian sighed at the loving banter between the couple and returned to his meal.


    "Brother, do you at least know the name of that woman?" Seren asked curiously.


    Cian shook his head in response.


    "That''s a shame. But I do know the name of Othinia''s princess. Would you like to know?" she offered.


    "No need," Cian declined, then turned to Seren. "You''re still recovering. You should eat more."


    "I always thought brother would prefer some delicate, pampered, beautiful princess raised with a care and not the woman who is skilled with sword and seems wild...."


    Cian raised a brow, warning her to continue.


    "Ahem, I better eat more," Seren immediately lowered her head and started eating, not daring to say more.


    Drayce patted her back, "Eat slowly or you will choke," and passed a displeased re to Cian as if asking him how dare he threaten his wife.


    Cian ignored him and focussed on meal, as if saying she was his sister and he could always discipline her.

 Chapter 720: What Is It, If Not Love?

    After Cian departed, Seren and Drayce returned to their chamber.


    "Today, Oriana returned to the Griven guest mansion," Seren remarked.


    "I was the one who suggested she return," Drayce informed her.


    Seren was surprised. "Didn''t we keep her because her scent was driving Prince An crazy? She''s still bleeding, won''t it affect the Prince?"


    "Let him be troubled and get used to it. It''s not like he can send her away every time she bleeds," Drayce replied as he settled Seren in bed. "Don''t worry about them. An can handle it."


    Seren nodded, then noticed the corner of Drayce''s lips. "What happened? How did you get hurt?"


    "Just a friendly fight between me and An," Drayce shrugged.


    "Did he hit you?" Seren''s displeasure was evident.


    Drayce nodded.


    Seren''s expression turned even more disapproving. "How could he...?"


    "Stay calm," Drayce soothed, gently caressing her cheek. "It was my fault. I provoked him. It was about Oriana and her safety, where I took a risk. It only shows how much she means to him if he''s willing to consider hitting me for her sake. If I were in his position and he had endangered your life, even if he had good intentions, I might have done the same to him."


    Seren gently touched the almost imperceptible bruise with her finger. "Does it hurt?"


    Drayce chuckled and shook his head. "These minor scratches hardly feel like injuries."


    "Doesn''t your injury usually heal quickly?" she inquired. These days after spending time with Yorian, she was getting to know more things about the divine beast and one of them was their faster healing abilities.


    "It does, but since it was inflicted by another Dragon, it seems to be healing slower," he exined.


    "Alright," Seren nodded, then a thought urred to her. "Then why didn''t the injuries you sustained during the sword fight with yer heal? yer isn''t a Dragon or supernatural. I remember how much pain you were in when I was treating them."


    Drayce almost choked at the mention of his wife''s memories and how he had deceived her at that time, simply to relish being cared by her and seeing her concern for him. "Well..."


    "Be honest with me," she demanded, her gaze conveying both doubt and warning.


    Drayce knew he was in trouble with his wife now. "They did heal when I soaked in water, but..."


    "But?" Seren pressed, her tone tinged with suspicion.


    "I created them again beforeing to you," he confessed reluctantly.


    "You..." Anger shed in Seren''s eyes. "You hurt yourself and lied to me."


    "I... I''m sorry, my Queen. I was just..." Drayce attempted to exin, but Seren pushed his hand away and rose from the bed.


    "Do not speak to me," she dered, her voice cold.


    Drayce hurried towards Seren, grasping her shoulders to make her look at him. It was the first time she had been angry with him, and he knew it was entirely his fault for lying to her for his own amusement.


    "I am sorry, Seren, for lying to you. I won''t ever do it again, okay?" His words were earnest, spoken with a sincerity. The King of Megaris, who never regretted anything or apologized to anyone, now resembled a penitent sinner begging for forgiveness.


    But Seren didn''t yield, turning her face away to avoid his gaze.


    "Seren, tell me what I must do to earn your forgiveness. I will do anything you ask," he pleaded, his voice filled with desperation as he sank to his knees before her. "I deeply regret it."


    She nced down at the man kneeling in front of her. "What do you regret?" Her voice was cold, her tone cutting.


    Drayce gave a sigh of relief as she finally spared him a nce. "I regret lying to you. I won''t ever lie to you again."


    "Wrong answer, Drayce Ivanov," she retorted, her words sharp as she averted her gaze once more.


    Drayce was taken aback. Wrong answer? Wasn''t she angry because he had deceived her?


    "Tell me what I can do so you won''t be angry with me anymore," he pleaded, desperation evident in his tone. "I can endure anything but seeing you upset with me. I am at fault, and I promise you I won''t ever upset you again."


    Seren remained silent for a while, and Drayce anxiously awaited her response.


    She finally turned to look at him again. "Do you know what you did wrong? I''m not just talking about lying to me; that''s a separate issue."


    He shook his head, his expression earnest. "You can tell me, and I''ll make sure never to repeat it."


    "Harming yourself to create those injuries," she replied, her voice tinged with hurt. "How could you do that? Didn''t you think about how I would feel? Thest thing I ever want is to see you hurt for any reason."


    Drayce now understood her point of contention. She was upset because he had hurt himself. "I''m sorry. I won''t do it again."


    Seren didn''t reply; instead, she turned her gaze away, her eyes glistening with moisture.


    Drayce noticed her tears and immediately stood up, enveloping her in aforting embrace. "I''m sorry, Seren. I won''t do it again, alright?"


    She remained silent, her emotions evident in her teary eyes.


    He gently made her look at him, her eyes still moist. "I''m sorry. I know no matter how many times I apologize, it won''t be enough. But please, forgive me this time."


    "It must have hurt when you made those scars again," her voice trembled, on the verge of tears.


    "It didn''t hurt. That''s why I did it. You know I''m not human, right? It didn''t hurt at all. Please don''t cry," he reassured her, his voice gentle.


    She buried her face in his chest, her tears soaking his shirt. "Still, you''re not allowed to hurt yourself for any reason. I''ll be angry and won''t talk to you."


    "I won''t. I promise," he hugged her tightly, seeking to reassure her.


    But a thought nagged Drayce. They said she was cursed and couldn''t fall in love, so what was this feeling if not love?


    "Seren, why do you feel so hurt when I am hurt?" he inquired softly.


    "I don''t know. I just can''t stand to see you in pain. It makes me want to cry," she replied, her voice muffled against his chest.


    Drayce felt the urge to ask if she thought she had fallen for him, but he held back, not wanting to remind her of thecurse she bore. She had shed enough tears already before.

 Chapter 721: Meeting The Princess Of Othinia

    On the seventh day, after the conference concluded, Cian made his way to have a meal with the royal family of Othinia. He was personally escorted by the first Prince of Othinia, Crown Prince Reuben Nefertiti.


    Arriving at the main pce, Cian was greeted by the entire Nefertiti family. Memories flooded back to him as he stepped into the grand royal pce where he had yed as a child, under the reign of his grandfather, Niobe''s father. Back then, he had been treated like a treasure by everyone here as Niobe, his mother, doted on him.


    These childhood connections had proven invaluable during his current mission.


    As they entered the King''s pce, Cian was met by the King and Queen, along with the King''s other two sons.


    "Greetings, Your Majesty, King and Queen," Cian greeted them with a polite bow.


    "Prince Cian, it''s our pleasure to have you here. Please, take a seat," the King said with a warm smile, gesturing towards a chair. "I trust you''ve been well looked after by the royal family."


    "Of course, Your Majesty," Cian replied, taking his seat.


    "You should still address me as your uncle, just as you did in the past when you were a child," the King suggested kindly.


    Cian responded with a polite smile. "I dare not, Your Majesty, as your status is that of a King."


    "That doesn''t matter. We are family, after all," the King insisted.


    Cian understood the King''s intentions �C to maintain their familial bond withing prospectus of marriage, but he had no such n yet.


    While he harbored no ill feelings towards the King, who had treated him well in the past and was Niobe''s cousin, he couldn''t easily disregard the difference in their positions.


    "I will try," Cian simply replied, and then the King said, "Though you have not visited here often in thest decade, you must still remember my other sons."


    "I do," Cian affirmed, ncing at the other two sons and offering them a polite nod, which they reciprocated.


    The King turned to his wife. "Where is Ayira?"


    "She will arrive here soon," she answered, signaling to her attendant, who promptly left to convey the message.


    ''Ayira?'' Cian repeated in his mind. ''Seems like a Princess of Othinia.''


    The King''s aide informed them that arrangements had been made, and everyone proceeded to the grand dining room. A magnificent rectangr dining table dominated the center of the room, adorned with a stunning chandelier hanging from the ceiling.


    The entire room was adorned in the opulent style of Othinian architecture, characterized by the abundance of gold, a reflection of the Othinians'' fondness for the precious metal deeply ingrained in their culture.


    The King took his ce at the head of the table, with the Queen seated to his left and one prince beside her. Cian sat opposite them, nked by Crown Prince Reuben and the youngest prince, Nics.


    Just as everyone was seated, a neer entered the dining room. Cian, engaged in conversation with Reuben, caught the soft jingling sound of bells adorning jewelry.


    "Apologies, Father, for beingte," a sweet voice echoed through the dining room.


    Cian wished to catch a glimpse of the familiar voice''s owner, but his view was obstructed by Prince Reuben and Nics sitting beside him. It wouldn''t be appropriate to lean forward or back to get a better look.


    "It''s alright, Ayira," the king said with a gentle smile. "Have a seat."


    "Thank you, Father," came the reply. A beautiful woman, dressed in traditional Othinian royal attire, approached.


    With the soft jingle of her jewelry, Cian finally spotted her as she made her way to the chair. His blue eyes widened in surprise.


    As she settled into the seat beside her mother, Ayira''s gaze met the eyes of the unfamiliar figure seated opposite her. It felt as though the ground had shifted beneath her feet. Though his eyes betrayed his surprise at seeing her, his demeanor remainedposed, prompting her to gather herself as well.


    When two thieves found themselves together, even by ident, an unspoken agreement to remain calm and conceal their true nature prevailed.


    "Ayira, allow me to introduce you to our guest," the King began. "This is Prince Cian Ilven of Abetha." He turned to Cian. "And she is my daughter, Princess Ayira."


    With a practiced calm, they exchanged polite nods of greeting, as if they were meeting for the first time.


    "We shall begin," the King announced, signaling the start of the meal, as the servants had already served the food.


    Cian''s mind grappled with the incredulous coincidence he was experiencing. The ordinary noblewoman with a windmill, the courageous leader of that mysterious group, and now this well mannered and obedient princess of Othinia �C they were one and the same. How many identities did this Princess truly possess?


    Meanwhile, Ayira did her best to calm herself. She had more to hide under the rug than this prince, and she hoped he would keep his mouth shut �C a belief she held firmly, based on theirst encounter. She knew him to be a man of morals, not one to bber indiscreetly.


    "Prince Cian, when youst visited my family with your mother, Ayira was just a few years old. I remember she had just started talking," the King remarked. "So you must not have any memories of her."


    Cian nodded, acknowledging the King''s observation. Indeed, he had no recollection of the princess. "Later, I was preupied with studying and training, so I couldn''t visit here often. However, I dide to Othinia to pay my respects to the previous King before his passing."


    "At that time, we couldn''t meet as I was busy attending to the kingdom''s affairs that my uncle had entrusted to me before he passed away," the King exined.


    "I am aware of it," Cian replied.


    Ayira stole a nce at Cian, noticing how different he looked from their encounter in the forest. Now, he exuded the unmistakable aura of a prince, and even in ordinary clothes, his regal bearing was evident.


    Simultaneously, Cian''s gaze met hers, leaving her to wonder what thoughts were swirling in his mind. To him, she looked like an entirely different person. In the forest, she had been d in dark clothes, wrapped from head to toe, exuding a readiness to fight, far from any semnce of womanly charm. Now, she was the epitome of feminine allure, a sight that was impossible to ignore.


    Her deep brown hair was styled in a long braid, adorned with tiny essories. From head to toe, she was adorned with delicate Othinian-style jewelry, her clothes elegant and beautiful. She still wore those silk thread bangles on her delicate wrists, the same ones that had caught his attention when he first saw her. There was not a trace of wilderness about her now.


    "Prince Cian, as you are here after so long, how about Ayira gives you a tour of the pce to help refresh your memories?" the Queen suggested. "My sons are still upied with the guests who are here for the summit."


    Cian nced at the Queen. "As long as Princess Ayira wouldn''t mind," he added, turning his gaze towards her.


    The Queen chuckled softly. "Of course, she wouldn''t mind," she said, looking at her daughter. "You''ll have to show the Prince around."


    "Yes, Mother," Ayira replied politely, assuming the role of the perfect obedient daughter.


    Cian couldn''t help but wonder if she was truly the same woman he had encountered before. She seemed adept at adapting to any situation.

 Chapter 722: Cian And The Princess

    After the meal, Ayira and Cian were left alone so Ayira could show Cian around the main pce, the central part of the Othinian pce situated on vastnd. The two figures walked around the beautiful garden of the pce where no one was following them. As per the queen''s orders, the two were left alone.


    "So you are the Prince of Abetha?" Ayira began, finding no need for the formalities of addressing him as they had already met in informal situations.


    "And you are a Princess of Othinia," Cian replied, as he continued to walk with her on the garden paths.


    She nodded lightly andmented, "Being a Prince, invading the secrets of another kingdom and carrying out secret missions, shall I say it''s praiseworthy?"


    Cian smiled lightly at her remark and said, "Being a Princess, going against her own father and invading his secrets, is not less praiseworthy either."


    She turned her face to look at him, prompting him to look back at her. His blue eyes were calm, refusing to reflect any of his thoughts. Finally, he asked, instead of waiting for her to take the initiative every time, "Aren''t you afraid of getting caught and punished by the king? Why take a risk?"


    "I am, but I am sure I will never get caught," she said casually, "Trying to do something better for my kingdom where I was raised is what I am supposed to do as a princess. I cannot stop others from doing wrong, but I can try to make it right on my side."


    "Hmm, I appreciate the thought," he replied.


    "I can ask you the same," she said, "Why take a risk in another kingdom? Aren''t you afraid?"


    "I can answer the same as you did," he replied, and both chuckled together.


    They were both sure they had the same goal and didn''t hesitate to take a risk to fulfill it. They continued to walk for a while in silence, not knowing what more to say.


    Then, breaking the quiet, Ayira addressed Cian once more, her tone serious. "Prince Cian, there''s something I wish to discuss."


    He looked at her, "As you have called me by my title, it seems like it''s something really serious and important to you."


    She nodded and continued, "You are well aware of why we are together here like this."


    "I am," he replied and waited to hear her.


    "Our families wish for us to get married, but I do not wish to," she said straightforwardly, her tone serious this time.


    Cian could see her eyes had determination, and she had already made up her mind. "I understand."


    Seeing him so calm with her direct rejection when she didn''t even give him a chance to share his opinions, she was surprised, "Won''t you ask why?"


    "I believe you must have a strong reason as you are a person with a goal in mind," he replied, still calm as if he felt nothing of her rejection.


    "I find myselfpelled to tell you the reason because I believe you deserve to know it," she said.


    "As you wish."


    "If I choose to remain in Othinia and dedicate myself to the welfare of my kingdom, then my spouse must be Othinian to align with mymitment. I have no intention of leaving thisnd. I will either not marry at all or marry an Othinian, as I am determined to fulfill my duties to thisnd and its people," Ayira exined, awaiting Cian''s response.


    However, he simply listened, maintaining hisposed demeanor as he absorbed her words.


    "Also, I already have someone I n to marry," she continued.


    This statement from her, finally made him look at her, though he maintained the same calmness as if nothing could shake him.


    "I n to marry him, and he will support me in what I n to do," she added, showing that she truly trusted the man she spoke of.


    "I wish you joy and prosperity, then," Cian responded evenly.


    "Thank you. I hope you understand now. When the matter of marriage is raised, I believe you would reject it. As a prince, you cane up with any reason, and no one will question it," Ayira remarked, to which Cian simply nodded in agreement, his demeanor unwavering.


    "How about we rest in the gazebo by thekeside? We can converse further there," Ayira suggested.


    Cian agreed, this time following her as she led the way. He raised his gaze and watched her walking ahead, his gaze as if it was thest time he would see her and thest time they would be together like this, even if it was for the short time.


    They reached the gazebo, and Ayira had already instructed the servant to bring tea for them. As they sat in the chairs, Ayira asked, "I heard from my mother that you used to visit here when you were a young kid. You must have lots of memories here."


    Cian gaze fixed on the serene expanse of theke ahead, seemingly dived into the past. "This is where my mother and I used to sit, and she used to tell me different stories from the history of Othinia. I listened to them with interest."


    "Aunt Niobe?" she said, to which Cian nodded.


    "I have been hearing about my aunt since I was young. She is still said to be the best Princess this kingdom has ever had, so brave and smart that even the previous King used to seek advice from her. Every girl here is raised by her example, and the tales of her intelligence and bravery are narrated," Ayira spoke with respect toward the woman.


    "I was raised looking up to her, and my goal has always been to be a better princess than her. Last time when she was here, I learned a lot from her. She is a great woman with every single finest quality."


    "She does," Cian agreed.


    As tea arrived, their conversation flowed. "Prince Cian, I hope you don''t mind lingering here a while longer. If we depart too soon, my parents might suspect I didn''t offer you proper hospitality," Ayira said.


    "I can stay a while longer," he assured her.


    With no one nearby, Ayira broached a sensitive topic. "When do you intend to set fire to the ntation?"


    "That''s not information for you to know, considering you declined my proposition," Cian replied, alluding to her refusal to provide him with the banned herb in exchange for information about the ntation.


    Ayira offered a wry smile. "I hadn''t realized the Prince, who appears as calm as still water on the surface, harbors grudges."


    "Perhaps I trust in your ability to gather the information on your own," he replied evenly.


    "Thank you for your trust, Prince Cian. But given our time constraints, how about I provide you with the herb during my next raid on the smugglers?" Ayira suggested, eager to find a solution.


    "I don''t believe in renegotiating a rejected deal," Cian replied calmly, savoring his tea.


    Ayira understood that this man was not going to back down, as she had been adamant at that time. "Alright, I didn''t know you were a prince and whether I could trust you. It was dangerous to hand over that herb to just anyone."


    "And I praise you for that, Princess Ayira. I am d you didn''t fall for the temptation of the information and didn''t just trust a stranger."


    "Then��"


    "I can obtain that herb on my own," Cian said, "and I believe you can gather the information on your own when an outsider like me can obtain it so easily."


    Ayira didn''t insist further, as she was a woman with pride as well. "I understand."


    "I''ll be handling the matter in two days, so you''ll have that much time to join in a noble cause. I trust you''ll be there to participate," Cian informed her.


    Ayira pondered his words. Was he praising her abilities or issuing a challenge? She couldn''t quite discern.


    Setting his cup down, Cian announced, "I must take my leave now. It was a pleasure meeting you, Princess Ayira."


    Ayira nodded, and they both rose from their seats. Cian bowed politely before departing, leaving Ayira to watch his retreating figure. ''If only he were Othinian,'' she mused to herself, ''I might have considered marrying him. A man like him could greatly assist in my endeavors.''

 Chapter 723: Should I Capture Him?

    On the eighth day of the conference, when Drayce had gone to attend, Seren was ready to wee the guestsing to meet her in the early noon. Among all the royals who had arrived at Othinia for the summit, only the King of Megaris had brought his esteemed Queen with him.


    The visit had been arranged beforehand, but Seren was unwell, so it was dyed. Finally, Princess Ayira of Othinia was permitted to meet Seren, sent by her mother, the Queen of Othinia, to wee her and present her with gifts.


    Seren awaited this special guest in the drawing room, special because she was a possible marriage prospect for her brother. Seren was eager to know what kind of person this princess was, as Queen Niobe had personally chosen her for her son. There was no way Queen Niobe would choose just any random princess for her son.


    "Your Majesty, the Princess of Othinia is here," Eva announced.


    Seren permitted, and soon the Princess, along with her twody servants, was guided inside the drawing room.


    Seren observed the beautiful woman, whose mannerisms and the way she carried herself with pride reminded Seren of someone.


    ''It''s as if she is the younger version of Queen Niobe. No wonder the Queen has chosen her. A woman full of pride and courage, I can see that in her. She would definitely make a perfect pair with my brother.''


    Little did Seren know that this Princess had already rejected her brother and showed she had no intentions of getting married to someone who was not Othinian.


    "Greetings, Your Majesty, Queen Seren," Ayira greeted with a polite bow.


    Beforeing here, she had gathered information about Seren, so seeing her face veiled didn''t surprise her. ''As rumors say, she sure has the most beautiful pair of eyes. Rare ones. Must be someone special to catch the attention of the King of Megaris,'' Ayira wondered as her deep brown eyes observed Seren, offering her a smile.


    "Please have a seat, Princess Ayira."


    "Thank you, Your Majesty." Ayira sat in the chair and informed, "These are some gifts my mother has arranged for you. She believes you would like them," and signaled her servants to uncover those trays.


    Seren looked at them as a formality of epting them. "They are precious. Thank you so much."


    Seren and Ayira continued to talk for a while, where Seren found Ayira admirable and liked her even more for her brother.


    Finishing the conversation while enjoying the freshly brewed tea, Ayira was ready to leave, and Seren escorted her out of the drawing room.


    Just then, Drayce had returned after finishing the conference and spotted his wife with a neer. The servant had informed him that the Princess of Othinia was here, so it didn''t take him a moment to realize who she was.


    Drayce approached them, and Seren spoke, "Dray, this is Princess Ayira."


    Drayce nced at her, and the Princess bowed to the red-eyed man. "Greetings, Your Majesty."


    Ayira had only heard about him, but finally got to see the man who was most feared and known for his red eyes. She couldn''t help but muse - both husband and wife had such rare and almost nonexistent colors of eyes, definitely made for each other.


    Drayce epted the greetings with a nod and heard Seren say, "I will escort the Princess out."


    Drayce nodded and watched his wife happily walking with the Princess, her excitement as if she was already with her sister-inw. ''She gets excited over things so soon.''


    "It was a pleasure meeting you, Your Majesty," Ayira said politely and left, while Seren returned to Drayce.


    She clung to his arm and looked at him with eyes full of excitement. "So, what do you think about my sister-inw?"


    "You should better ask your brother and Princess Ayira what they think about each other. My opinion doesn''t count."


    "Umm, but still," Seren insisted.


    "She seems to be a good match for him. You can trust Queen Niobe''s choice," he replied and walked upstairs while holding her hand.


    "I was thinking the same. When ites to brother Cian, we can surely trust in Queen Niobe."


    -----


    Just before sunset, Cian found himself engaged in a confrontation with the smugglers. This time, he managed to seize the banned herbs even before Ayira''s group could arrive.


    "Your Highness, all the smugglers are apprehended, and we''ve secured the herbs. What are your orders?" Eliot inquired.


    Cian paused, cleaning his sword which bore traces of blood, a faint smirk tugging at his lips in anticipation of what was toe.


    His ears perked up at distant sounds, signaling the arrival he had been anticipating.


    "You have your answer now, Eliot," Cian remarked casually, drawing Eliot''s attention to the approaching group of armed individuals d in familiar attire.


    "They''re here," Eliot confirmed.


    "Have you set aside the portion of herbs I instructed?" Cian inquired before turning to face the approaching group.


    "Yes, Your Highness."


    As the figure, shrouded with a cloth covering her face, stood before Prince Cian, she spoke in aposed tone, "seems like, discovering my real identity made it easy for you to track my actions and even beat me to it," her deep brown eyes meeting his, devoid of anger.


    Only her eyes were visible, yet Cian could imagine the expressions ying across her face at this moment. His smirk widened as he responded,"If I fail to take advantage of such a precious discovery in my own favor, then that would be disappointing."


    "So, you obtained the herb as you desired?" she remarked, not feeling angry at his tant admission.


    "And now, I await your participation in the noble cause I intend to undertake tomorrow night," he replied.


    It was a clear challenge for her to find out the locations of ntation which he knew but she didn''t.


    epting the challenge, she replied confidently, "Certainly. You''ll find me there."


    "Then, as usual, I trust you''ll handle these smugglers and as for the herb, consider it as a gift from me," Cian dered, ncing at Eliot, who affirmed, "We are ready to leave."


    Cian turned his attention back at Ayira, "Have a good time burning those herbs," offered her a light nod and walked away with his people.


    The pair of deep brown eyes followed him as she addressed herpanion, "Harvey."


    "Yes, leader," the man replied promptly.


    "What are your thoughts on him?" Ayira inquired, her gaze lingering on the retreating figure of the prince.


    "He appears quite capable and courageous, whoever he may be," Harvey responded, his eyes following Ayira''s gaze.


    "Should I capture him and make him work with us?"


    "That would be a significant addition," Harvey replied, his voice tinged with excitement.


    Ayira looked at him with a displeased gaze as if herpanion answered wrong, frown appearing between her brows, "If he is that capable, will he even let me capture him?"


    "Perhaps if the leader reveals herself to him. He is a man afterall��" Harvey suggested tentatively.


    Ayira''s frown deepened. "That won''t work on him. He is not like those men," and walked ahead, "Let''s finish what they started," shemanded her followers, directing them to handle the smugglers and destroy the herbs.

 Chapter 724: Banquet

    After returning to the guest mansion once the sky had darkened, Cian changed into a new set of clothes. He had been invited to the guest mansion of Megaris for a banquet dinner arranged by his sister, and only close ones were invited, including Prince An and his retinue.


    Cian had to ensure the herb remained safely concealed, as it was a banned substance and couldn''t be discovered. Apanied by Eliot, he made his way to the Megaris guest mansion, which was adjacent to his own. They were directed to the rear garden of the mansion, where the arrangements had been made.


    The garden was adorned with numerousmps, illuminating the area and highlighting the lovely blossoms growing within, creating a pathway leading to the banquet area.


    Upon arriving, Cian found An and his knights already present, along with An''s personal aide, Oriana. Seren, who had been engaged in conversation with other guests, hurried over to him upon spotting him.


    "Brother, I heard you went to see an opera today," Seren immediately asked Cian.


    "Yes, I did."


    "Was it good?" she inquired, sounding like an excited child.


    "I suppose so, but you can also ask Prince An. He was there too," Cian replied, ncing at An. "How did you find the y? Did you enjoy the ending?"


    "I''m not sure," came the reply from the Crown Prince of Griven.


    "My apologies, I understand your attention might be elsewhere," Cian chuckled, his gaze briefly shifting towards Oriana, conveying his meaning.


    It made Drayce smile. His brother-inw was being bold these days to take liberties with An. In the past, their roles were reversed, with the serious Cian being the target of An''s antics. Drayce could not deny that he enjoyed this kind of Cian as well.


    Cian had visited the opera house but his purpose was different and not entertainment. The person who provided him with the leads of smugglers, visited him in the Opera house in secret. That was how he could raid the smugglers and get hands on the herbs. It happened that An was there as well along with Oriana.


    An raised a brow in challenge. "I wonder if Prince Cian went there to watch a y or spy on me?"


    "Latter one seemed more interesting to do." Cian replied with a smirk. He then ced his attention back to his younger sister. "You can ask Orian as well. Prince An brought him along to the opera house."


    An frowned the moment Cian mentioned Oriana. He clearly disliked Cian''s interest in his aide.


    "Orian, how was the y in the opera house?" Seren asked her.


    Oriana was first startled, but then her expression brightened as she gushed, "It was really good, Your Majesty! We watched a y called Kairos. The song performances raised goosebumps on my skin. They''re that good. You should watch it as well."


    "Really?" The Queen then turned to look at her brother, her pout hidden by her veil. "You didn''t take me with you, Brother."


    "You have a husband. It''s his responsibility to take you to the Teatro Nefer, one of the finest opera houses we have in the continent," Cian replied as he smirked at Drayce.


    Seren''s displeased and using gaze targeted the red-eyed man standing next to her.


    "My Queen, those are for kids. Once we return Megaris, I will take you again to the opera house in ckhelm."


    Hearing those words, Seren''s face immediately flushed. She hoped that others didn''t know what her husband meant, but her brother sure was aware of it.


    As the evening progressed, the yful banter between them continued, each one teasing the other in turn.


    By the end of the banquet, Cian had already informed Drayce that he had obtained the herb. An departed early due to an important summit scheduled for the next day, while Cian remained at his sister''s behest.


    Seated around a table adorned with sses of wine, Cian inquired, "King Drayce, how do you intend to transfer those herbs to Oriana? It''s not safe for her to carry such a quantity."


    "She already has a few stalks of the herb with her, and no one has ever detected them. Even An is unaware," Drayce replied calmly, taking a sip of wine.


    "That''s impressive, but with so much of it��I worry it might implicate Prince An if she''s caught. After all, she works for him," Cian remarked.


    Drayce nodded. "She can conceal it well; she is one of us."


    Cian understood the implication. "A supernatural?"


    Drayce affirmed, "Indeed."


    With that assurance, Cian felt relieved. These supernaturals had their own methods.


    "Brother, today I met Princess Ayira," Seren interjected, catching his attention. However, he remainedposed.


    "No reaction, brother?" Seren queried. "Don''t tell me you didn''t like her. She seems like the perfect match for you��"


    "She has no intentions of marriage, especially not with someone who isn''t Othinian. She wishes to remain in this kingdom," Cian rified, addressing his sister''s assumptions.


    Surprised, Seren asked, "Did she confide this to you personally?"


    Cian nodded, and as expected, his sister''s expression turned somber. "Brother, it''s alright��"


    "Seren, calm down. There''s no need to console me. It''s not like I knew her or we had anything going on. She and I are just strangers," he exined, trying to reassure his sister.


    Seeing her brother soposed and unaffected, Seren felt relieved. "Then, brother, you can focus on that mysterious woman, and we will find her for you."


    Cian struggled to make his sister understand without revealing Ayira''s secret to anyone. "Let''s not talk about finding a woman for me," he said gently. "I will marry once I see a little niece or nephew ying in the pce of Megaris."


    Seren''s face, hidden behind her veil, flushed with embarrassment, while Cian looked at Drayce, who responded, "Whenever your sister is ready." This only served to deepen Seren''s embarrassment.


    Cian sessfully diverted his sister''s attention and stood up. "I shall take my leave. It''ste, and you should get some rest," he advised, then left.


    Once Cian departed, Seren turned to Drayce. "Why do I feel like Brother Cian was trying to avoid the topic of his marriage?"


    "He might not be interested at the moment," Drayce replied casually, not inclined to delve further into the matter.


    Cian returned to the guest mansion and headed straight to his study instead of going to bed. He had some work to finish before he would set out to burn the ntations the next day. After a while, when hepleted his tasks and was about to stow the scroll away in a drawer, a piece of jewelry once again caught his eye.


    He pulled it out and examined it, his gaze serene, his thoughts inscrutable. After pondering it for a moment, he returned it to its ce. ''I shall return it to her when we meet again,'' he stood up and exited the study.


    ----


    Deep in the night, while Drayce and Seren slept peacefully, wrapped in each other''s embrace, a sudden knock jolted them awake.


    Drayce, a light sleeper, opened his eyes, sensing a familiar energy outside the door. Gently cing Seren aside, he rose and opened the door. Yorian stood before him, his presence indicating something serious.


    "Who is it, Dray?" Seren asked, joining him at the door. "Mister Yorian?"


    "Apologies for disturbing your sleep, Your Majesty," the elf said, his toneposed but his expression grave.


    "What''s the matter?" Drayce inquired.


    "There appears to be an issue with Prince An. I urge you toe and see for yourself," Yorian replied.


    Drayce nodded and turned to Seren. "My Queen��"


    "I will apany you," she dered, concern etched on her face.


    Drayce didn''t object, and the three of them vanished from the room, reappearing in An''s chamber.

 Chapter 725: Night Of The Mission

    Finally, the day of the crucial part of the mission arrived. In the evening, Cian, Drayce, and An departed from the pce of Othinia in disguise, apanied by their knights. In the forest, midway to their destination, members of An''s dark forces joined them, led by Alex himself. Cian''s trusted spies and men working for him in Othinia were also part of the group.


    Cian rode alongside his men, while Drayce and An remained together.


    "Your brother-inw is quite remarkable, Dray," An remarked.


    "What makes you say that?" Drayce inquired, not surprised by An''s observation.


    "He possesses a formidablework in this foreign kingdom. He can acquire any information and, if the need arises, he could sway the course of this kingdom''s rule with his secrets and allies. I wonder if his influence extends beyond Othinia into our own kingdoms as well. This Prince of Abetha is not to be underestimated," Anmented.


    Drayce chuckled. "He is indeed far more capable than he lets on. King Armen kept him away from the capital, and all he did was serve in the military from a young age. The knowledge and connections he amassed during that time are beyond imagination. If he ever decides to fulfill Queen Niobe''s dream of seeing him as the emperor of this continent, he''s already on the path."


    "Do you think he will?" An asked. "I have no desire for bloodshed, nor do I wish to see him as my enemy."


    "It doesn''t appear that he shares Queen Niobe''s ambitions. But he has ensured that he is nevercking in power, should one of us or Samer Vailes attempt to seize control of the continent. It seems Prince Cian was greatly rmed by Samer''s attempts to conquer the central part of the continent. As long as Prince Cian stands, Samer can only dream of taking over Abetha.


    It might even result in Abetha dominating Thevailes instead. King Armen himself may not be aware of the man he has shaped his son into by keeping him away," Drayce remarked.


    "Alex mentioned something intriguing happening with Prince Cian recently," An added.


    Drayce nodded, just as one of the knights informed them, "We are approaching."


    As they slowed their horses to a halt, everyone became alert as they approached the ntation. Leaving their horses behind, they gathered in the darkness to n their sneak attack. One by one, they silently took down the guards of the ntations under the cover of night.


    However, their task was not without difficulty, as the enemies soon became aware of their presence, and both sides engaged inbat.


    After oveing the toughest obstacles, An and Drayce remained behind, allowing others to handle the ongoing battle.


    "I don''t want their souls to feel unjust in death, thinking they perished fighting against a dragon," An remarked, as he and Drayce ascended the stairs of a security post to observe the ongoing fight below, including Prince Cian''s involvement.


    "Let''s enjoy watching my brother-inw''s skills," Draycemented.


    "Isn''t he utilizing the dual-sword ancient Othinian style?" An observed.


    "Given that he''s Queen Niobe''s son, it''s quite obvious," Drayce replied.


    "Indeed. If anything that makes him different from us, is that he is a human. Or he was a tough fight against us."


    Drayce noticed something and pointed it out, "Seems like someone else is eager to join the fray."


    An watched as a new group of individuals entered the vast ntation field, "Isn''t that the mysterious group Prince Cian has been tracking?"


    "It appears so. Alex must have already briefed you on the details," Drayce remarked, observing the mysterious group aiding Cian.


    "Indeed. I did mention Alex informed me of something intriguing," An replied, his gaze fixed on the neers providing assistance to Cian.


    "Alex is indeed a valuable asset," Drayce acknowledged. "There''s little on this continent that he doesn''t know. He''s worthy of leading your dark forces."


    "Agree," An replied, his eyes fixed on the mysterious figure d from head to toe, utilizing the same dual-sword ancient Othinian technique as Cian. "She appears to be the leader."


    Drayce hummed in agreement, continuing to observe her closely.


    Meanwhile, amidst the chaos of the battle, Cian caught sight of the woman unmistakably and continued to dispatch enemies. As he witnessed her fighting alongside him, a thought consumed his mind: This woman was undeniably wless.


    After finally defeating all their foes, the mor around them ceased. Cian turned to Ayira, who spoke, "I am relieved I arrived in time."


    "How could you not, when you''ve been following my every move since I left the pce?" Cian remarked, not surprised by her presence but still allowing her to apany him.


    She was not surprised by knowing this Prince was aware of actions but he still let her follow him.


    "You provided me with the mission time. Why waste my time and resources attempting to locate it myself when I can simply follow you?" she chuckled as she removed her face covering, allowing herself to breathe more freely after the strenuous battle, and wiped the sweat from her forehead.


    Cian swallowed hard, his gaze fixated on her face, which appeared beautiful to him even in her sweaty and fatigued state. What was wrong with him, he couldn''t help but wonder.


    Once more, he heard her voice, "You challenged me to join the mission, and here I am."


    Cian couldn''t help but smile lightly at Ayira''s straightforwardness. He had intentionally informed her of the mission time, and she hadn''t disappointed him.


    Just then, two figures approached them. Ayira quickly covered her face upon noticing them. One had red eyes, and the other had blue. ''They didn''t see my face, did they?'' worry etched across her features. ''It''s nighttime. In the light of torches and the moon, they probably couldn''t see me, right?''


    Unbeknownst to Ayira, the two individuals she was concerned about were Dragons with keen sight, capable of easily discerning her face.


    Turning towards them, Cian addressed the pair, "Enjoyed the show?"


    "We couldn''t resist," An replied.


    Ayira caught sight of the red-eyed man''s face and felt her breath catch in her chest. ''The King of Megaris... he didn''t see me, did he?'' she fretted silently, stepping back and slowly slipping away to avoid detection.


    Cian noticed her departure but made no move to stop her.


    "Interesting," An remarked, observing the woman as she left.


    "As intriguing as your aide, Orian," Cian retorted, earning a re from An.


    Meanwhile, Drayce continued to watch Ayira, pondering, ''So the Princess of Othinia has another identity. Brave enough to oppose her own father. I wonder how Seren will react if she learns of this.''

 Chapter 726: Seren Loves Gossips

    Drayce returned to the guest mansion where Seren was waiting for him.


    "What took you so long?" she asked, almost clinging onto him, not minding the presence of servants.


    "Did you miss me?"


    "Hmm, a lot."


    He smiled gently at her. "I waste because I made an interesting discovery for you to be entertained."


    "Gossip?" Her eyes sparkled, making Drayce wonder if his wife truly didn''t want to miss anything. Trapped inside that tower, she could not contact the outside world, but now she was making up for it all. Hearing gossip was her most favorite pastime, and so many times he heard her servants entertaining her with all kinds of gossip they knew. Drayce didn''t mind as long as it made her happy.


    "Hmm, an interesting one," he replied calmly.


    The man who never liked to pry into others'' private matters, let alone talk about them, was now ready to gossip for the sake of his wife.


    "Tell me, fast. What is it about?"


    He lowered his voice and asked, "Do you want the servants to hear about gossip that involves your brother?"


    Her eyes widened as she replied in a low voice, "My brother?"


    Drayce nodded, only to have his hand gripped by delicate palms as the owner of them dragged him away towards the staircase.


    Chuckling inwardly, Drayce followed his wife, letting her drag him. Just as they entered the room, she closed the door in a hurry and turned to him, "Tell me now."


    "What do I get in return?"


    "Tonight, I will do anything you want me to," she replied boldly.


    A wicket smirk braced his lips, "Are you sure?"


    "Yes, tell me now," and walked towards him, helping him remove his outer dark robe.


    "I met that mysterious woman today," Drayce replied and began to narrate everything that happened.


    "That woman seems very brave. Perfect for my brother. If not the Princess of Othinia, I will ept her as my sister-inw," Seren replied as she hung the robe on the wooden stand, "What do you think about my brother''s feelings towards her?"


    "He is surely interested in her, but she is not interested in your brother," Drayce replied, clearly drawing the conclusion from Cian and that woman''s interaction.


    "Not interested?" Seren eximed, "Are the women in Othinia blind or do theyck brains? How can they not see a capable and handsome man such as my brother? These women... How can another woman show disinterest in my brother?"


    "How do you know it''s another woman and not the same one?" Drayce raised a brow yfully.


    Seren paused for a moment and then spoke, "You mean the princess and that woman��"


    "Yes," Drayce assured her.


    "Now what shall we do?"


    "Leave it to your brother."


    Seren could only agree to it and spoke, "Today, I got to know from Mister Yorian that Oriana went to Zaria to ask her to be her teacher, and Zaria agreed to it."


    Drayce nodded and walked towards his worried wife, "She did."


    "Zaria is a bad woman, what if she hurts or takes advantage of Oriana?" Seren asked.


    "Do not worry. Oriana knows what she is getting into. She has seen the world and knows it well enough to deal with others. She won''t allow Zaria to take advantage of her," Drayce assured.


    "Mister Yorian said the same thing, but I can''t help but worry. And what if Prince An gets to know about it?"


    Drayce pulled her into his arms and hugged her, "My Queen, you seem to care about everyone these days. I am afraid you will ignore me."


    She chuckled lightly, "I won''t. I just know you are capable enough to not let me worry about you."


    Drayce felt pleased to hear it and said, "An has another thing to worry about rather than prying into what Oriana is up to. He is doing his best to keep her away."


    "What happened now? Didn''t she stop bleeding already?"


    "This time, the reason is different," he exined, "Oriana is nning to reveal her identity as a woman to him, and An is doing his best to stop her."


    "Isn''t it good if she reveals it and they can ept each other?"


    "He wants things between them to remain as they are. He said he can''t ept her as a woman in his life, and neither can he send her away. All he can do is keep her with him as his servant."


    "But why?"


    "He didn''t tell me, and he doesn''t intend to reveal it to me."


    After they talked for a while more, they headed to the dining room for dinner, and it waste. Yorian appeared there and apanied them.


    "These sweets look delicious," the elf picked up a cookie before sitting in the chair, "I hope I''m not disturbing you two."


    Drayce raised a brow, "If I say yes, will you leave��."


    "Mister Yorian, thank you for joining us for dinner," Seren interrupted, offering a smile to the elf under her veil.


    "Queen Seren, you are so kind and well-mannered," the elfmented and picked up another cookie.


    "My Queen, beware not to be taken advantage of for your kindness. There are sly people around who can easily fool others."


    "King Drayce is absolutely right, Queen Seren. You should heed his advice and keep such people away. If you fail to do so, I am here to help you."


    "He shall be the first one you should send away," Draycemented.


    "I doubt she will when I have something interesting to tell her," Yorianmented as he looked at Seren, "Something really interesting about your newfound friend."


    "Oriana?" Seren''s eyes lit up, "Tell me what it is."


    Drayce, who was happy before, now felt displeased that his wife would forget about everything whenever there is gossip.


    "Maybe King Drayce might not like me here��."


    "He won''t mind," Seren interrupted quickly, "tell me about Oriana?"


    Drayce, a ve to his wife''s wishes, would never go against them and kept quiet, only to witness his wife paying attention to the elf and the news he brought.


    "Tonight, Oriana finally revealed to Prince An that she is a woman," Yorian answered calmly, but Seren''s reaction was totally opposite.


    "Really? When? How? What was Prince An''s reaction? Where are they now? Are they happily roaming in the garden?


    Probably being close like a lovely couple in those stories?....." and so on. Her list of questions was unending, as if it were a story in a book and she couldn''t wait to get all the information at once.


    "My Queen, calm down," Drayce patted her head.


    "Nothing like that has happened," Yorian replied, "After she told him, they both went their own ways. It seems like Prince An wants her to continue pretending to be a man and remain as his personal aide."


    Seren pouted her lips under her veil, but heard Drayce, "My Queen, An must have a reason. But you do know she is his mate, and it won''t be long until you see your wish of seeing them together fulfilled."


    Seren nodded and stayed silent while eating quietly.


    "What are you thinking?" Drayce asked.


    "Umm��you said there will be a royal ball in a few days after the summit is over? I was thinking, "How about I take Oriana with me as mydy-in-waiting?"


    "We cannot disclose her identity to others," Drayce spoke.


    "It won''t. Just like me, I will make her wear a veil. I am sure Prince An would be happy to see her in a woman''s clothes for the first time."


    "Queen Seren, you are full of mischievous nning," Yorianmented and stood up as he picked up another cookie, "I will take my leave then."


    Once he left, Seren looked at Drayce, waiting to hear him say, "Do as you please."


    "Thank you, Dray."

 Chapter 727: Samer Eyeing Seren

    Two dayster, the summit concluded, and on the thirteenth evening, the Royal banquet, hosted by the Othinian Royal family for the foreign delegates, was underway. Drayce and Seren, adorned in their regal attire representing the Kingdom of Megaris, stood prepared for the event. Drayce, ever patient, awaited Seren''s arrival at the foyer, affording her ample time to prepare.


    Yorian approached Drayce, his expression one of concern. "King Drayce, your dear friend King Samer will be attending the banquet. His attention might be drawn to your wife."


    Drayce''s response was curt, his tone colder than usual. "I view it as the Kingdom of Thevailes embracing a blind king for the first time."


    "Spectacle, indeed," Yorian remarked with a hint of amusement.


    At that moment, Seren descended the staircase, capturing Drayce''s unwavering attention. As she reached him, he wasted no time in offering his praise. "You look beautiful, my Queen."


    "Thank you, Dray," she replied warmly, light blush covering her cheek under the veil. So many times he had said the same thing but every time it felt different and new to her.


    Yorian, with a teasing smile, gestured towards a veiled woman standing a few steps behind Seren. "And who might this other enchantingdy be?"


    Seren introduced her, "She is Oriana."


    Yorian chuckled yfully as if acting like he didn''t know that was Oriana, "No wonder she captivates, even with wearing a veil."


    Drayce shot Yorian a warning look. "Perhaps you should redirect your gaze to more appropriate matters."


    Yorian, unaffected, chuckled seeing him warning him on his friend''s behalf. "Prince An shall reward you for being such a good friend." He then looked at Oriana, "You are truly beautiful. Be careful at the ball," he advised before departing the foyer.


    As evening draped its veil over thend, elegant carriages began to line up outside the royal ballroom. Delegates from the ten kingdoms, along with high-ranking nobility, gathered within the grand hall of the Royal Pce of Othinia. The lords anddies adorned themselves in extravagant attire, each outfit a reflection of their kingdom''s rich culture and heritage.


    Upon Drayce and Seren''s entrance into the ballroom, a gentle murmur rippled through the crowd. Their presence naturallymanded attention, not only because of their status as the King and Queen of the most powerful kingdom on the continent but also due to other intriguing factors.


    Drayce, with his striking red-eyed appearance, drew curious gazes, though some whispered disapprovingly about his tardiness, being thest to arrive among the attending kings. Little did they know, this king was patiently waiting for his wife to get ready.


    Meanwhile, Seren''s presence sparked whispers fueled by rumors��she was the infamous cursed princess of Abetha, cast aside by her family and wedded to the equally notorious Devil of Megaris.


    Undaunted by the scrutiny, Drayce gantly escorted his wife down the grand staircase of the ballroom. Gradually, the gathering crowd began to approach them, offering greetings and salutations. Yet, Drayce''s gaze scanned the room, seeking out a particr king amidst the mingling guests.


    As the crowd dispersed, Drayce''s eyes finally settled on a familiar and weing figure. An stood before him, ready to exchange pleasantries, but his attention seemed captivated by the veiled woman standing behind Seren.


    An had already recognized Oriana, his focus unwavering as he paid no heed to the royal couple standing before him.


    "Are we obstructing your view?" Drayce quipped, yfully attempting to redirect his friend''s attention away from the veiled woman.


    "Hmm," An replied nomittally, offering some passing remarks before his gaze drifted back to the veiled figure beside Seren.


    Seren stepped aside, pretending to hug her husband''s arm a little closer to her, though her real intention was to stop blocking An''s view of his mate. Afterall she had made all these efforts so Oriana and An could be together as a man and his cherished woman and not as a Prince and his servant.


    She even went ahead and introduced the two with Oriana given the fake name ofdy Ria Burton and position of Seren''sdy-in-waiting. An continued to act as if he didn''t recognise Oriana.


    Just then, Cian arrived, having been abandoned by An the moment he caught sight of Oriana in the room. "Prince An, abandoning me without a word? To think you''d even patiently wait for your turn to greet these two," Cian said, his tone civil despite the yful glint in his eyes as his gaze swept past Oriana, "is there an urgent matter that requires your attention?"


    An met Cian''s gaze squarely. "I believe it''s Prince Cian who has pressing matters to address. Perhaps you should focus on your own affairs rather than meddling in mine."


    As if on cue, Cian nced in the direction of the people gathered near the far end of the hall, a vague smile hanging on his lips.


    The presence of Princess Ayira Nefertiti of Othinia captivated Cian from the moment she entered the room. d in traditional Othinian princess attire, she exuded an unmatched beauty, a stark contrast to her bold and untamed demeanor outside in the wilderness. Here, she embodied the epitome of royal refinement, apanied by one of her brothers, the second prince of Othinia.


    As others gradually dispersed, leaving only King Drayce and Queen Seren of Megaris, with An lingering by their side due to Oriana''s presence, a silver-haired king approached them.


    "Good evening, King Drayce," he greeted warmly, his gaze momentarily captivated by Seren''s stunning purple eyes. "Your Majesty, Queen Seren."


    Just as he had heard, this woman truly had the most beautiful eyes and even her presence felt pleasant. The way she looked at him, he could guess she was wary of him and it made her eyes appear even more beautiful like an innocent kitten. That portrait he had, could not capture the true beauty of her eyes. She must be a true beauty.


    He felt like removing that veil from her face and taking a look at her beautiful face.


    Drayce, ever vignt, stepped forward, subtly obstructing Samer''s view of Seren, and returned the greeting. "Good evening, King Samer."

 Chapter 728: Samers Resolve

    Samer, as if had expected this from Drayce, had a yful smirk on his lips. His snow blue eyes not giving away his thoughts, masking them behind that pleasant looking handsome face of his.


    However, Drayce was not the one to be deceived by those fake pleasant expressions on Samer''s face.


    If An and Samer couldpete in pretending, both could be a toughpetitor of each other.


    "Seems like King Drayce prefers to keep his wife from mingling with royalty from other kingdoms," Samer remarked, his smile unwavering.


    Drayce locked eyes with Samer, his gaze unwavering. "My wife doesn''t appreciate unwee scrutiny from strangers. As her husband, it''s my duty to ensure nothing distressing befalls her." Though his tone remainedposed, there was a subtle edge to his words, a hint of underlying threat.


    "As a queen, Her Majesty may need to limate to such attention. After all��"


    "She doesn''t need to if she doesn''t wish to," Drayce interjected firmly. "No one can coerce or presume to instruct the Queen of Megaris. She is free to engage in what pleases her and disregard what does not."


    ncing back at Seren over his shoulder, Drayce addressed her directly. "My Queen, you may wish to indulge in the delightful treats arranged for the guests."


    Seren, standing quietly behind her husband, using his protective presence as a shield against as if being protected from the enemy, responded graciously. "Thank you, Dray," and turned to Oriana. "Ria, shall we?"


    As the two women departed, An voiced his concurrence. "I agree with my friend''s sentiments. As rulers of our kingdoms, our wives should not be constrained by forced pleasantries."


    Samer and An had exchanged pleasantries upon their arrival at the banquet, negating the need for further formalities. Samer offered a smile to An. "From the way you speak, Prince An, it sounds as though you''re ready to take a wife and have her stand beside you atst."


    An matched Samer''s slyness with a genial smile of his own. "Perhaps you''re right, King Samer. But for now, I''ll refrain from concerning myself with another man''s wife and the obligations she carries."


    "In Thevailes, we believe in extending our attention to all our esteemed guests," Samer replied smoothly, attempting to diffuse any tension.


    "That being said, I wonder why King Samer is alone and has not brought his wife with him to her own maternal kingdom?" An asked.


    Before Samer could respond, Drayce interjected with a pointed remark. "Perhaps so King Samer can divert his attention to someone else''s wife."


    Maintaining hisposure, Samer swirled the wine in his ss before offering an exnation. "My wife visited here justst month and preferred not to endure another journey so soon," he then straight looked at Drayce, "After all, we are only human and fatigue from long travels is quite natural. Besides, my wife is of delicate constitution for a simple human."


    Drayce and An exchanged a knowing nce, understanding the subtle jabs beneath Samer''s words. Samer was subtly mocking Drayce''s supernatural abilities, insinuating that Drayce''s strength stemmed from something beyond mere human capabilities and that''s why he was powerful King. That Zaria Lynx must have sure spilled the beans.


    Keeping calm, An responded with a hint of sarcasm, "Then, king Samer can only me the universe for being unfair for making someone stronger over others."


    Samer chuckled, acknowledging the underlying meaning. "King Drayce, perhaps you should reward Prince An for being such a devoted friend."


    Drayce arched a brow, ncing at An. "This isn''t the first time I''ve heard such a suggestion today. Someone else mentioned you should reward me for being a loyal friend to you."


    An mirrored Drayce''s expression. "Was there such an insinuation?"


    "You can probably guess the reason," Drayce replied cryptically.


    An easily deduced that Yorian must have been the one behind the suggestion, and it involved Oriana.


    "Well, that''s what the true friend shall do," An added.


    Both conversed with each other as if Samer didn''t exist there.


    Someone else approached to talk with King Samer and he busied themselves in talk, not minding the show off from the two friends. Soon he might end up snatching away this peace andfort these two friend shared.


    Just as the music shifted, signaling themencement of the much-anticipated dance, all eyes turned towards the center of the ballroom. Given that the royal ball was hosted by the Nefertitis, it was only fitting that the first dance belonged to the King and Queen of Othinia.


    "Where are they?" An and Drayce wondered aloud, scanning the room to locate Seren and Oriana. They observed the two women enjoying the delicacies, but as the announcement for the royal dance echoed through the hall, Seren and Oriana sensed the attention on them. Without dy, they returned to Drayce and An''s side, preempting any potential invitations to dance.


    True to n, An extended his hand to Oriana for the dance. Though initially hesitant, Seren''s encouragement spurred Oriana to ept his invitation. They took to the dance floor as the first dance concluded, inviting the guests to join in the festivities.


    "My Queen, may I have this dance?" Drayce asked, his voice gentle as they ensured An and Oriana were upied, free from any concerns.


    As they moved in sync on the dance floor, Seren couldn''t shake the feeling of a lingering gaze among the crowd. Sensing her unease, Drayce drew her closer, his touch offering reassurance. "Pay no mind to it. Keep your focus on me," he murmured softly.


    Seren nodded, finding sce in the crimson depths of his eyes. They conveyed a silent promise of protection, reminding her that she was safe in his embrace.


    Samer standing on side with his trusted knight next to him, heard him, "Your Majesty, are you sure about it?"


    Samer nodded, "She is worth having next to me."


    "It would bring another war?" the knight spoke.


    "Aren''t we preparing for it already?" Samermented, his eyes following Seren who was dancing with Drayce.

 Chapter 729: The Man She Wishes To Marry

    As Cian conversed with a few guests amidst the melodic strains of music and the graceful twirls of dancing couples, Prince Adrien, the second prince of Othinia, approached him. With a courteous exchange of greetings, the prince inquired, "Prince Cian, I trust you are relishing the festivities."


    "Indeed, Prince Adrien," Cian affirmed, casting a nce toward Ayira, who offered a respectful bow. "It''s a pleasure to see you again, Prince Cian," she added softly.


    Returning the nod, Cian shifted his focus to the second prince, who remarked, "I notice you''re without a dance partner this evening, Prince Cian."


    "Tonight, I''ve chosen to engage in conversations with fellow royals rather than indulge in entertainment," Cian replied with a genial smile.


    "Amendable choice, Prince Cian," Prince Adrien concurred. "It''s not often we have the opportunity to mingle with royalty from across the continent in one gathering."


    Cian agreed with a nod.


    The second prince turned to his sister, suggesting, "Ayira, shall we be gracious hosts and invite Prince Cian to partake in the entertaining himself?"


    Ayira''s gaze wandered sneakily amidst the crowd before she turned back to her brother and queried for the sake of replying him, "What do you have in mind, brother?"


    With a yful chuckle, Adrien nced at Cian and proposed, "Prince Cian, perhaps you could invite my sister for a dance."


    "Brother, Prince Cian likely has more pressing matters to attend to with the guests��" Ayira began, her words trailing off.


    "Princess Ayira, may I have the pleasure of this dance?" Cian interjected smoothly, extending his hand towards her.


    At the Prince''s prompting, Ayira acquiesced, taking his hand as they made their way to the dance floor.


    Initially, Cian hadn''t nned on dancing with her, but the second Prince''s suggestion presented an opportunity he couldn''t pass up. Other than just the memories of sparring, negotiations, and disagreements with her, dancing with her would be yet another indelible memory for him before he depart Othinia and might never meet her again.


    "You appear to have been in search of someone," Cian remarked as they reached the dance floor, turning to face her.


    Returning his gaze, Ayira replied with a hint of amusement, "Prince Cian, your powers of observation are quite astute."


    Cian drew nearer, positioning himself a step ahead, his hand settling at the small of her back while the other gently sped hers. The callouses on her palms spoke of rigorous sword training, a testament to her dedication.


    Studying her exquisite features, Cian exined, "It''s a habit of mine. As a Prince, I shall be alert with the sneaky people around."


    His words were directed towards her and she didn''t fail to understand it.


    She offered him a sarcastic smile. "That is a good habit, but can be annoying to others whose sneaky actions have nothing to do with you."


    With a soft chuckle, Cian countered, "Rather than finding it irksome, shouldn''t Princess Ayira be grateful for the reprieve from her brother''s scrutiny? Now you''re free to resume whatever covert activities were upying your attention."


    Her gaze, which had been scanning the room, returned to meet his. In such close proximity, she felt as though his calm gaze sought to prate her very soul. Briefly unsettled, she couldn''t help but feel wary, realizing that this man possessed an uncanny ability to discern her intentions.


    Scary!


    Ayira recognized the need to maintain a cautious distance from Prince Cian, aware of the potential risks if she revealed too much to him. With a subtle maneuver, she turned her face away, subtly adjusting her positioning to create a slight physical space while still maintaining the rhythm of the dance.


    A faint smirk yed at the corner of Cian''s lips as the music drew to a close. Guiding Ayira back to her brother, who was engrossed in conversation, Cian returned her to his care with a courteous nod.


    "Prince Cian, allow me to introduce you to my friend," the second Prince said, gesturing to the handsome man beside him. "Edward, meet Prince Cian of Abetha."


    Edward responded with a knowing air. "The Crown Prince of Abetha. A figure of renown," he remarked, extending a weing bow to Cian.


    "Prince Cian, this is Edward, the eldest son of Marquise Corbyn," the second Prince continued with the introductions.


    Cian acknowledged Edward with a nod of greeting.


    Edward looked at Ayira and greeted her as well to which she offered a nod with a light smile on her lips.


    As Cian''s gaze drifted over Ayira, he sensed a certain familiarity between her and Edward. There was a subtle shift in her demeanor, a fleeting nce that spoke volumes, reminding him of her earlier words:


    ''I already have someone I n to marry.''


    Cian''s intuition rang true, confirming his suspicions about Edward. As the scion of the wealthiest and most influential family, Edward wielded significant power in the kingdom, with his father holding a close rtionship with the King of Othinia.


    A capable young man native to Othinia, he was poised to inherit his father''s mantle, along with the considerable authority it entailed��a prospect that seemingly met all of Ayira''s criteria.


    Despite Ayira''s usual caution, her eyes betrayed her thoughts in Edward''s presence, a telltale sign of her fondness��an urrence rare for a woman as guarded as her. In contrast, Edward remainedposed, revealing nothing of his own sentiments.


    "Princess Ayira, if you''re not weary from our previous dance, may I have the pleasure of another with you?" Edward extended the invitation.


    Unlike her response to Cian, Ayira epted Edward''s offer eagerly, taking his hand as they departed for the dance floor. Observing them depart, Cian''s earlier deductions solidified.


    "Edward is a trusted friend of mine, akin to another of Ayira''s brothers," the second Prince remarked. "She defers to him more often than to me, as he is also her mentor."


    "Mentor?" Cian inquired.


    "She''s trained in swordsmanship by him, hence the title of ''mentor,''" Adrien rified. "Edward is among our most skilled swordsmen, well-versed in the ancient Othinian techniques."


    ''So she learned her skills from him.''


    Acknowledging this inwardly, Cian watched as they danced, the second Prince offering him a ss of wine. epting it, his gaze flitting back to the couple intermittently, he found them in perfect synchrony. Unbeknownst to him, he consumed the wine in a single gulp, feeling a burning sensation not in his throat, but in his heart.


    "Prince Cian, that wine is rather potent. Take care to savor it slowly," Adrien cautioned, offering him another ss.


    Cian nodded and savoured it slowly this time, while gaze would wander towards the dance floor once in a while.

 Chapter 730: Dont Pry Into My Privacy

    Drayce and Seren were ready to leave the royal banquet after a while, as she didn''t feelfortable staying with the strange gazes, especially that particr gaze always following her.


    "Dray, would it be rude if we leave early?" Seren asked. "Will it offend the Othinian royal family?"


    Drayce shook his head. "You are the queen of Megaris, and you can offend whoever you want, even the entire continent."


    "Umm... I don''t wish to take advantage of being the wife of the most powerful king, but I really wish to leave this ce. I don''t feel good here," she replied honestly.


    "Let''s leave then," he agreed as he offered her his hand.


    Seren epted his hand but then looked around to search for someone.


    "She is with An," Drayce answered her unspoken question.


    Seren looked back at him. "Are you sure about it? I brought Oriana here under my responsibility, so I can''t help but be worried."


    "Trust me, they are together," he offered her a meaningful look, "...and they are having quite a good time?"


    Seren''s eyes widened. "Already?"


    "She is his mate. How long do you expect him to be patient?" he replied.


    "How do you know? I mean..." she realized something��her husband''s sharp hearing senses��and immediately extended her hands to cover his ears. "It''s rude to listen to someone like this."


    Drayce found her adorable as he looked at her, not removing her hands from his ears. "My queen, you shouldn''t act so adorable in public. You might attract more attention."


    Seren realized they were still inside the banquet hall, and her gesture of covering Drayce''s ears had drawn quite a number of gazes and smiles.


    She awkwardly pulled her hands back and heard Drayce say, "I didn''t listen to them intentionally, but when you were looking for Oriana, I just extended my hearing senses for a moment and grasped the situation. When you''re here with me, I don''t need to extend my senses to pry on others."


    She offered an awkward nod under those gazes and said, "Can we leave now?"


    Drayce held her hand with a gentle grip. "Let''s leave."


    "Do you always keep your ears on me and listen to what I talk about?" she asked.


    "Hmm, not always. Only when I feel you need to be under my watch and you might be in trouble," he replied, a smile gracing her lips. "Or sometimes when I miss you in the middle of my work and want to know what you''re doing."


    "That means you hear what I talk about," she said with a displeased tone. "I have no privacy."


    "No, my Queen. I don''t intend to invade your privacy... I just..."


    "Promise me you won''t listen to my conversations with others, unless it''s absolutely necessary," she spoke. "Not even when you miss me. That''s not a reason to pry into my privacy."


    "I''ll keep that in mind," he agreed as usual to whatever his wife wished for. "If I miss you in the middle of work, I''ll just stop working ande to you."


    She looked at him with a disapproving gaze. "You''re a King, you can''t just do that."


    "I''m a husband too, and I certainly can do that," he replied. "Or would you prefer I invade your privacy?"


    "Alright, as long as you don''t eavesdrop on my conversations with others," she agreed finally.


    Drayce knew there would be times he''d miss his wife and wouldn''t know what she was doing. Visiting her seemed far better than listening in on her.


    Meanwhile, Seren felt relieved recalling the naive conversations she had with her servants. She hoped Drayce hadn''t heard them all. Perhaps in the future, she would have private talks with her servants again, her only outlet for her thoughts, and she didn''t want Drayce to know about them.


    Though he was her husband and deserved to know everything about her, but just like every person, she had a right to her privacy and would not want certain things to be known by him.


    The two departed, observed by a pair of snow-blue eyes. He had watched Drayce and Seren and found the Queen of Megaris not simply beautiful but adorable. Her innocence and the way she interacted with her husband piqued his curiosity, and he yearned to know more about her.


    As he was about to finish his wine, he nced at the ss in his hand. "This wine has suddenly lost its vor," and set the ss back on the table. Standing up, he signaled to his knight that they were departing.


    Stepping outside the banquet hall, he saw the Megaris royalty''s carriage already leaving. He instructed his knight, "Inform Zaria Lynx to see me," then took his seat in his own carriage.


    The knight nodded, and the carriage of the King of Thevailes also left the banquet.


    In his study, Samer waited for a certain ck witch. A woman entered and bowed to the King. Despite Zaria''s status being well above any human''s, she understood the importance of showing the necessary respect to the King.


    "It seems His Majesty has encountered the enchanting beauty," Zaria remarked before taking a seat.


    Samer gave her a serious look, not responding to herment. "When will you fulfill what you promised me?"


    Zaria chuckled. "Impatient? It seems I was not mistaken in offering you a woman with the most beautiful eyes."


    "I expect results soon," he pressed.


    "We are already prepared with our n, Your Majesty," Zaria assured. "Once the Megaris entourage leaves the Othinian pce and reaches our designated location, I assure you she will be in our hands."


    "What about King Drayce? Are you confident you can overpower him?" Samer asked, skepticism evident in his tone.


    The smirk on Zaria''s lips widened. "I''m going to use something against him that will render him powerless. He''ll face a force not of this realm, one that no earthly supernatural can withstand."


    "Do what you must, but I demand results," hemanded coldly.


    "It won''t be long," she assured. "They are leaving Othinia tomorrow, and we are ready for them."


    Samer gave her a nod, only to hear Zaria again, "Also, once you capture Queen Seren, consider taking control of the entire kingdom of Megaris."


    He raised an eyebrow at her suggestion. "After he loses his wife, he''ll certainly wage war."


    "Yes, he will, but he won''t be capable of fighting," Zaria rified. "The power I intend to use on him will weaken him significantly for an extended period. You can seize this opportunity to order your forces to attack Megaris."


    "Is this why you advised me to have our military forces on standby?" Samer inquired.


    She smiled. "My preparations are never without purpose."


    "Then I''ll leave the execution to you."


    Zaria nodded, then added, "King Samer, I''m curious about your lineage, about your ancestors."


    "Our family founded this kingdom, and we''ve continued the legacy," he replied nonchntly.


    "Is there aplete record of your ancestors?" she probed further.


    "Every royal family maintains a record of its lineage, noting names and achievements. Why this sudden interest in mine?" he questioned, curiosity piqued.


    "I was wondering if you''d be interested in learning magic," she proposed.


    Scoffing and raising an eyebrow, Samer retorted, "Are you trying to make me one of your minions, like those ineffectual wizards who can''t evenplete a simple task?"


    "You could surpass them with your capabilities," she suggested.


    "I have no interest in bing your minion. I''d rather you serve me, and run brands for me," he stated tly, his eyes devoid of any desire to learn magic. "When I have a powerful witch like you by my side, why do I need to be like you?"


    "You seem to possess a natural affinity for darkness, despite being human. Such cases are rare," she observed. "That''s why I inquired about your lineage."


    "My lineage is exactly as I''ve described," he responded, his tone firm. "You should focus on our n instead of trying to turn me into something I have no interest in."


    Zaria chose not to press further. "As you wish, Your Majesty."


    Once Zaria left, he leaned backzily in his chair and remembered the story he had heard about his ancestors from his grandmother when he was a child but he always took it as the words of an old woman who was losing her mind with age.


    ''Our first ancestor descended from the sky from another realm. We are different from other humans, Samer. Do not be like your father and try to find your true potential. One day, you will be above what you can see and understand. Try to pry beyond it.''


    He shook his head, trying to shake those words from the old woman, ''Grandmother sure had a knack for weird imagination.''

 Chapter 731: Comforting A Brother

    The next day, following the royal banquet, the guest mansion in Megaris bustled with activity as everyone packed for their impending departure from Othinia. Drayce was preupied with wrapping up official matters post-summit, deeply engrossed in discussions with his ministers. Meanwhile, Seren visited the Queen of Othinia, where she also encountered Princess Ayira.


    Upon seeing Ayira, Seren felt a twinge of regret for her brother; the princess showed no interest in marrying him. Seren could only hope her brother would find someone else capable of capturing his heart again.


    In the afternoon, once Drayce was finally free, he joined his wife. Seren sat quietly, watching her servant meticulously pack her belongings, particrly the numerous items she had purchased in Othinia. Besides a penchant for gossip, Seren had a deep-seated love for shopping.


    Opportunities for such leisure were rare, usually limited to sneaky outings with Martha from the pce, during which she had to disguise herself to avoid public recognition.


    With Drayce, she indulged in the freedom to roam and purchase anything that caught her eye.


    Observing his wife''s acquisitions, Drayce inquired, "My queen, are you certain this is enough? Do you not wish to shop more?"


    Seren surveyed her purchases, slightly perplexed. "Umm, I think this is sufficient for now. We can always shop more on our way to Megaris and explore some additional ces."


    Drayce simply nodded in agreement, while the servants exchanged knowing smiles. They wondered what the queen would do with all these items and if she''d even remember them. Ultimately, it meant more carriages for transport and added weight to the ship. But their king sure loved to spoil their Queen. Not like they minded it as their queen was a lovely woman who deserved to be spoiled.


    The servants departed, granting Drayce and Seren some privacy. Seren brought up a recent interaction. "You called for Oriana before she left our guest mansion?"


    He affirmed with a nod. "Yes, I gave her the ck Nightshade she requested. Yorian also taught her how to send magical messages using her powers, enabling her to stay in contact with us even after our paths diverge."


    "That was wise of you. Hopefully, Oriana will stop taking risks and find happiness with Prince An."


    Drayce nodded and settled beside her, suggesting, "Perhaps you''d prefer to visit your brother?"


    His suggestion took her aback. "What''s happened?"


    He quickly reassured her, "Nothing''s wrong, calm down. We''re departing tomorrow and will be parting ways with him, so I thought you might want to spend some time with him."


    "You''re right, Dray," she agreed, standing up. "I''ll go visit him."


    As she stood, Drayce yfully pulled her back, causing her to sit on hisp "You always forget your husband, don''t you?"


    Quickly, she gave him a peck on the lips. "Not at all. I''ll be back soon."


    Drayce let her go, offering, "Let me escort you."


    Upon reaching the foyer, they encountered Oriana rushing in.


    "Your Majesty," Oriana bowed, panting slightly.


    "Is everything alright, Oriana?" Seren inquired with concern.


    Oriana hesitated, aware of Drayce''s presence, but ryed her message nheless. "Your Majesty, Prince An requests another meeting with Lady Ria."


    Drayce smirked at his friend''s attempt of trying to trouble his mate while Seren inquired, "Do you want Xena to help you get ready again?"


    Oriana quickly declined, "N-No, Your Majesty. I''ll inform Prince An that Lady Ria is too tired and busy assisting with your packing, hence unavable for another meeting. Please reply with the same if you are asked about it again by Prince An."


    "Understood," Seren nodded in agreement.


    "Thank you, Your Majesty. I must leave now," Oriana said, rushing out as if pressed for time.


    Seren, puzzled, murmured, "Why is she so anxious? Didn''t she enjoy her time with Prince Anst night?"


    Drayce chuckled, "Perhaps you should ask Lady Xena to prepare everything for Oriana. She''s likely to return."


    Seren looked at him, puzzled, "What do you mean?"


    "If An is determined to spend more time with Oriana, even if it means her disguising as Lady Ria, he won''t easily relent. I expect Oriana will be back and will get ready to see him again," Drayce exined, the yful smirk still on his face.


    "Prince An really enjoys making her life difficult," Serenmented with a frown and summoned Xena.


    "Yes, Your Majesty?" Xena inquired upon arriving.


    Seren instructed, "Prepare a beautiful dress and jewelry for Oriana again. When shees back, get her ready as you didst night."


    "Yes, Your Majesty."


    Seren arrived at Abetha''s guest mansion in her carriage, with Eva by her side. The servants there, too, were bustling in preparation for their departure.


    Upon inquiring about her brother, Cian''s personal aide informed her that "His Highness is in the study," and offered guidance upstairs. Seren, however, chose to proceed alone. "No need," she interjected, "I will go by myself from here." With that, the aide respectfully acquiesced to her wish.


    Approaching the study alone, Seren found the door ajar and overheard Cian speaking with his knight, Eliot. "...Make sure it reaches Princess Ayira."


    Entering the study, Seren observed her brother holding a piece of jewelry, his gaze seemingly lost in thoughts of its owner. Cian, noticing her arrival, was greeted with her remark, "That looks beautiful. Is it a new purchase, brother?"


    Eliot, acknowledging Seren''s presence, bowed and stepped aside, while Seren approached the desk to examine the jewelry more closely.


    Cian rified as he carefully ced the item in a cushioned wooden box, "I just found it somewhere and am now returning it to its rightful owner."


    "Princess Ayira?" she inquired.


    Cian nodded affirmatively, secured the box, and handed it to Eliot. The knight epted it, bowed to them both, and then departed.


    Seren, taking a seat, observed her brother. As a prince, he always carried an air of distinction, but today she noticed an unusual weariness in his eyes, marring his typically radiant and handsome features.


    "Brother, what''s wrong with your eyes? Did you not sleep well? Is something troubling you?" Worry was evident in her voice.


    Cian nced at his sister, trying to ay her worries. "I just had a bit too much of a strong wine yesterday. That''s probably why."


    Seren, however, was not convinced. "But my brother always maintains his limits at such events."


    "The wine from Othinia was exceptional, I couldn''t resist," he tried to exin.


    Seren, sensing the unspoken truth, shifted the topic. "I saw you dancing with Princess Ayira yesterday. How was it?"


    Cian''s response was dismissive as he leaned back in his chair, eyes wandering to the window. "It was just a dance, nothing special."


    The air thickened with unspoken emotions. Seren, after a pause, broached a sensitive topic. "Brother, you truly liked the Princess, don''t you?"


    "It''s nothing serious. Don''t worry about it." His acted calm, tried to ease her worry.


    A silence fell, filled with unvoiced sympathy.


    Eventually, Seren stood and approached the other side of the desk. Cian met her gaze with a questioning look, only to see her extend her hand toward him.


    He raised an eyebrow, and she responded by nudging her hand a bit more, silently urging him to take it.


    With a soft sigh, Cian epted her hand and stood up. Before he could question her intentions, Seren''s arms gently wrapped around his waist in aforting embrace, her small figure hugging him warmly.


    Cian was initially startled by Seren''s sudden gesture offort, but then he reciprocated, wrapping his arms around her. "Are you doing this because we''re about to part ways again?" he asked.


    Shaking her head against his chest, Seren replied, "No, I wanted tofort you."


    Cian found himself speechless for a moment, taken aback by his younger sister''s mature and caring gesture. "I''m fine, Seren," he tried to reassure her, "But if your husband sees us like this, I might not be."


    Seren looked up at him. "Dray isn''t like that? He is the one to ask me to visit you."


    Rather than challenge his sister''s unwavering faith in her husband, Cian simply agreed, "Alright, as you say." But it was indeed surprising that he was the one to send Seren here.


    Cian recalled the initial tension with Drayce when Seren and Drayce were newlyweds. He had sensed Drayce''s jealousy, especially when Seren showed happiness around her brother. Over time, thankfully, Drayce had warmed up to him, allowing Seren to spend time with him.


    Not knowing why her brother was silent all of a sudden, Seren spoke, "Brother, you''ll find the right person, even if it isn''t Princess Ayira. You''re the most handsome and capable man; any woman would be lucky to have you."


    Cian smiled at her efforts to console him. Sisters often see their brothers in the best light, and he was touched by her words. Gently pecking her forehead, he expressed his gratitude, "Thank you for trying tofort me."


    "Did it really help?" Seren asked, noticing his smile.


    "It did," he caressed her head gently, "Thank you, Seren."


    Seren, finally releasing him, suggested, "How about we have dinner together this evening? We''ll be parting ways tomorrow."


    Cian agreed warmly, "I''ll be there."


    After Seren''s departure, Cian continued to work in his study. After a while, Eliot re-entered the room, the wooden box still in his possession. Cian eyed the box, listening to his knight''s update. "Your Highness, Princess Ayira isn''t in the pce, and her close servants are also absent. It seemed unwise to hand it to just anyone; it might spark unfounded rumors about you two��"


    Cian responded with a calm resolve, "It''s alright. Just keep it for now."


    Eliot obeyed hismand. "Any other orders, Your Highness?"


    Cian''s expression turned serious. "Find out if she''s gotten herself into more trouble," he instructed.


    With his orders received, Eliot departed. Cian picked up the box from the table and peered at the jewelry inside. "Seems like returning to her isn''t in your destiny." He closed the box thoughtfully and summoned his personal aide.


    "Your Highness," the aide greeted, bowing.


    Cian handed him the box. "Pack this with my personal belongings."


    The aide took the box and left with a bow, leaving Cian to his thoughts as preparations for departure continued around them.

 Chapter 732: Schemers

    In the evening, Cian arrived at the guest mansion in Megaris to have an evening meal with his sister. Upon reaching the foyer, he was greeted by Seren and Drayce.


    Cian bowed to the king of Megaris. "Greetings, Your Majesty," he said, and offered a light nod to his sister, who reciprocated with an affectionate smile.


    "Prince Cian, I believe you enjoyed the authentic Othinian wine to your heart''s content," remarked the king.


    Cian, understanding the implication, responded politely, "I did enjoy it."


    "It''s quite obvious when the view in front is quite enjoyable," Drayce smirked lightly, his words loaded with meaning. He was referring to the moment Cian watched Ayira dance with another man, her disy of affection like that of a delicate, properdy.


    Cian frowned inwardly. "King Drayce, I thought your attention was solely on my sisters, but it seems I was wrong."


    "Just like you, Prince Cian, I am ustomed to keeping an eye on my surroundings. Sometimes it is for guard, and sometimes��" Drayce''s smirk widened, "...it is to enjoy someone''s misery."


    Before Cian could respond, Seren intervened, sensing the tension between the two. "Alright, the meal is ready. We should head to the dining hall before it gets cold."


    Both men agreed, while Seren let out a helpless sigh. These two men, both important to her, never missed a chance to irritate each other.


    Just then, someone arrived in the foyer, instantly drawing everyone''s attention. The neer, breathless and appearing rushed, caught their eyes.


    "Oriana, are you alright?" Seren inquired with concern.


    Oriana nodded, panting slightly. "Apologies, Your Majesty. But I once again seek your help."


    Seren nodded in understanding. "Xena will assist you with everything. You may go upstairs."


    Oriana bowed and hurried upstairs as if her life depended on it.


    "Is your friend causing trouble again, King Drayce?" Cian asked, eyeing Oriana''s hurried ascent.


    "They seem to trouble each other often. Nothing new there," Drayce responded nonchntly, only to be met with a frown from Seren. "Dray, can''t you tell Prince An to be a bit more considerate of her? Sheplies with his demands while he merely ys games with her."


    "Don''t worry, he''ll soon face the consequences of his actions and once again, stay away from her," Drayce assured.


    "What do you mean?" Seren questioned.


    "Just some beastly matter," Drayce dismissed casually, "Let''s not keep your brother waiting."


    They all proceeded to the dining hall. As they savored the delicious meal, Seren asked, "Brother, what are your ns now?"


    Cian replied casually, "I''ll return to Abetha and resume my duties as Crown Prince."


    "No, I meant regarding Princess Ayira."


    "That''s an irrelevant question, Seren. I have no involvement with her," Cian stated firmly, "You can rest assured."


    "Umm, how about I find you a more suitable woman?" Seren suggested tentatively.


    "You should focus on King Drayce and your future," Cian replied calmly, the voice of a responsible brother. "I''m preupied with significant matters and have no immediate ns to marry. When the timees, I''ll let you know."


    She nced at Drayce, who offered her a reassuring gaze. "Alright. I will wait for you to tell me then," she agreed.


    Cian nodded, and then Seren brought up another topic. "That Duke Edward, is he a suitable match for the princess?"


    Cian''s response carried a hint of coldness. "Othinian royalty is none of our concern. Whether he is suitable for her or not isn''t our business. She is an adult and capable of making her own decisions."


    Seren looked at Drayce again. Clearly, her brother was not pleased with the situation.


    "Seren, he''s a good man. Princess Ayira chose him for a reason," Drayce interjected, "As your brother said, we shouldn''t concern ourselves with the affairs of the Othinian royal family. You can let go of your worries."


    Seren pressed her lips in a thin line and stopped talking about it. Whatever she tried, the worry for her brother would not leave her mind. How painful it must be to not be able to have a person who you truly liked but instead was forced to see them with someone else. Especially the person like her brother who never felt like this before and when he did, it was not meant to be.


    They finished their meal in peace and left the dining room. Upon reaching the foyer, they found Oriana already there, poised to depart. She was dressed elegantly like a noblewoman, her lower face veiled, projecting the image of refined grace.


    "So, Lady Ria, are you prepared?" Seren teased Oriana.


    Oriana, though slightly awkward, bowed to Seren. "Thank you for your help, Your Majesty."


    "Don''t mention it," Seren replied, and Oriana left after respectfully bowing to them.


    "Brother, what do you think about Oriana? She may not be noble, but she''s a good woman," Seren asked.


    Drayce looked at his wife, a hint of disbelief in his gaze, but remained silent.


    "She''s suitable for Prince An. I only regard her as my physician," Cian replied, then turned to Seren, "You can stop worrying about me. I mean it," his tone was reassuring, "I''m alright and will soon be busy with my duties. There are more pressing matters at hand, and our father needs my assistance."


    "I understand, brother," Seren responded softly.


    "I''ll see you tomorrow before I leave," Cian assured her, and embraced her in a gentle hug. Turning to Drayce, he said, "You don''t mind, do you?"


    Drayce raised an eyebrow. "If I say I do, would you stop?"


    "Of course not. She is my sister before she became your wife," Cian stated.


    "I pray you find yourself in a simr situation, then we''ll see how you handle it. I wish your future wife has multiple brothers," Drayce said with a smirk.


    "Then let''s hope it''s Princess Ayira. She has many brothers," Seren chimed in teasingly.


    Cian patted her head, "Get over it, Seren. I must take my leave now."


    After Cian left, Seren turned to Drayce, "He doesn''t show it, but he''s still holding onto feelings for Princess Ayira."


    "Leave it to destiny. If they''re meant to be, they''ll find their way together," Drayce remarked.


    "What do you mean by Prince An would be in trouble?" Seren asked.


    "She will be in her fertile days and just like how he had gone crazy when she was bleeding, he will face the same."


    Seren giggled, "It will be amusing to witness."


    "It seems King Drayce takes pleasure in his friend''s misery," Yorian interjected as he appeared. "Prince An won''t be pleased to know it."


    "Lord Yorian, isn''t it fitting she has an upper hand when our stubborn Prince An is forced to retreat?" Serenmented.


    "Well, I can''t deny I enjoy seeing Prince An troubled as well," Yorian added, "Only Oriana can bring that stubborn and arrogant prince to his knees."


    "I was wondering, I read Witches can control their monthly cycle and can have it as per their will. Why don''t Martha teach her how to do it so Prince An won''t be troubled by it and they won''t face what happened a few days before?" Seren proposed.


    "No need," Drayce and Yorian said simultaneously, surprising even themselves. They exchanged knowing smirks.


    "Why not?" Seren pressed.


    "Let him suffer a bit more and get ustomed to it," Drayce suggested with a grin.


    "He deserves to suffer for tormenting an innocent witch and for hisck of honesty," Yorian added.


    "But she isn''tpletely honest with him either," Drayce pointed out.


    "Then let them both learn the hard way," Yorian concluded with a yful chuckle.


    Seren shook her head in disbelief. "You two are cunning schemers."


    "You''ve yet to see the true schemer, An Cromwell, in action," Drayce said. "For once, he''s the one in distress, so let''s just enjoy the spectacle."

 Chapter 733: Pleasing A Husband

    In the night, Seren rested in Drayce''s arms and spoke. "It''s been a while since Oriana left as Lady Ria to meet Prince An. I wonder how they are doing?"


    "My Queen, are you genuinely worried or just looking for gossip?" Drayce inquired.


    "Umm, maybe both," she replied.


    Just then, suddenly, all themps everywhere turned off, making Seren stiffen. "What is this? Dray, it''s not you."


    Drayce used his powers, and then all themps around them turned on. "It was An."


    "Hmm? Why did he use his powers all of a sudden? Aren''t they in the garden of their guest mansion?" she asked.


    "There must be a need. My Queen, will you focus on me instead of their affair? I assure you Oriana will return unharmed. An would not do anything inappropriate with her or take advantage of her. He has moral lines," Drayce assured, knowing his wife''s love for gossip was costing him her attention.


    "Umm, alright," she said and turned her head to look at him. "I feel like kissing you then."


    Drayce raised an eyebrow at her sudden change as he lowered his gaze to look at his adorable wife. His hand gripped her waist and pulled her up over his body so she would be face to face with him. He closed his eyes. "Go ahead then."


    Seren chuckled lightly and spoke, "Don''t open your eyes. I am removing my veil. You are not allowed to look, regardless of what I do, unless I permit you to open your eyes."


    Not knowing what she was nning, he agreed. "I won''t."


    Seren removed her veil and observed the handsome face of her husband. "Dray, do you know what?"


    "Hmm?" he replied without opening his eyes.


    "You are really so handsome that it''s impossible to tear my gaze away from you. It was like this even when I was wary of you. Though scared, my gaze would end up following you, my heart felt attracted to you all the time."


    His lips curved into a smile. "And?"


    "And I feel like I want to keep you for myself all the time, next to me, never letting you go away. I want to keep looking at you, and I know I won''t be tired of it. You are so beautiful to look at. I don''t even like when other women look at you. It makes me angry."


    "Why so?" he asked, his eyes still closed.


    "Because you are mine. My husband, and you should only belong to me. Only I can look at you and others should just close their eyes," she replied, her hands resting on his firm chest, her fingers tracing the contours of his face, her voice turning authoritative. "Always remember, you are mine and mine alone."


    It almost tempted Drayce to open his eyes to see how she looked when dering her rights over him. With a soft smile on his lips, he nodded, "I will always remember that I belong to no one but to my Seren."


    It was the first time she had expressed her true thoughts to him in this way, and he couldn''t have been happier.


    She traced his lips with her fingertips gently and spoke, "Your lips feel so good whenever you kiss me. I feel like you should kiss me all the time."


    "I will make sure to do it every chance I get," he assured her.


    Seren leaned her face closer to his, her lips lightly brushing against his. She even stuck out her small tongue and traced his lips with it, tasting them as if they were candy. She hummed in response, "So soft and perfect."


    Drayce was stunned by his wife''s boldness today, but he decided to be patient and see what more she was up to.


    She sucked and nibbled his lips gently, then deepened the kiss, mimicking the passion she had learned from Drayce. Though his eyes remained closed, he reciprocated the passionate kiss his wife offered. He was ready to enjoy this new, bold side of her.


    Seren''s fingers moved to his chest, parting away the night robe he was wearing. Her face burning in the crook of his long neck, her lips and teeth began to suck and bite his skin, just as he often did to her. This elicited groans from his throat and made him swallow hard. His entire body was alert, anticipating what his wife was about to do with him.


    She leaned back, sittingfortably while straddling his sleeping form, and pulled the ties of his robe to undo it. Drayce felt as her hands boldly wandered over his chest, her soft lips nting feathery kisses all over his exposed body, leaving every inch of skin sensitive to her touches.


    When and how did she learn this?


    His hands clenched the sheets, trying to hold himself back and not pounce on her. He felt her moving further down his body, her hands exploring until they stopped at the border of his pants. The inability to see what she was up to made Drayce even more alert to her movements.


    "Seren, what are you doing?" he finally asked.


    "Trying to please my husband," she replied, unbuttoning his pants. His arousal was evident, hardened from what she had been doing, leaving him helpless under her tantalising actions.


    He felt her hands moving his pants down and exposing his manhood, her hands gently held it the way she always did but Drayce could not see her.


    Drayce had not expected her to do it on her own ord, without him even taking an initiative and lead things between them too far.


    He was stunned was an understatement.


    Her both hands stroked it gently, making all the muscles on his body tense up, the groans leaving his throat turning louder.


    "Seren," he hissed, "You...."


    His next words were swallowed back as something more shocking happened. Drayce felt a small and warm mouth covering the tip of his errect manhood, leaving him in utter disbelief and feeling the pleasure he had not felt yet.


    Her warm tongue licked the tip of it boldly and even drew the circles around.


    "Seren...what...are you...." he managed to utter the words through his gritted teeth, his hands gripping the sheets and his toes almost trying to dig in the mattress.


    "Trying to please my husband," she repeated her answer, "Isn''t this how wives please their husbands?" and focussed back on what she was doing.


    "You should not do it when I can''t assist you," he spoke in worry, "It might be too much for you to handle."


    "I will be fine as I am the one to take control," she replied boldly.


    Her next actions made him gasp heavily as she tried to take all of him in her mouth. No hesitation in her action but utter confidence.


    "Oh Seren..." his chest heaved heavily, his body dealing with the waves of intense pleasure she was bringing him, unable to control himself.


    "Hmm?" she hummed while enjoying having him in her mouth and seeing how good she was making him feel, she could see what she was doing was right.


    Unknown to her, she realised, it was not just him but she was enjoying it as well. It was a different kind of intimate experience, being able to draw out such reaction from him made her feel overpowered.


    Drayce regretted that he could not see her. How she must look while taking all of him in her mouth and what kind of expressions she must be making. Was she enjoying it as well?


    "Does it feel good, Dray?" she asked.


    "It does. Only if I could watch you doing this," he spoke, holding his breath.


    Seren moved, her actions mimicking what she had read in that book but more like she was driven with how Drayce reacted to it. She could understand what made him feel better and continued with sucking his errect manhood with all she had.


    Drayce''s hands moved to the back of her head, guiding her to his convenience but at one point when he thought he was going to lose it, he spoke, "Seren you should stop."


    "Why?" she asked.


    "I... won''t be able to hold back anymore... if you continue to...." Each word came out with a restrain as Drayce was almost at his limits.


    "Don''t hold back then," she said and continued, "I want to see you at your limits."


    "You might not like it..." he urged.


    "I like everything about you," she replied, "Don''t hold back."


    Not being able to keep up, finally Drayce let himself go, his head thrown back in the pillow, he groaned and grasped loudly as he relished being swallowed in his wife''s mouth till her throat, his entire body tensed with intense, unexpected pleasure, then turning to rx.


    But the next moment, the feeling of that intense pleasure was reced with the worry about Seren.


    He used his powers and turned off all themps in the room, making it dark as she was not wearing a veil and opened his eyes and sat up in bed. Not waiting for a moment, he pulled her in his arms.


    "Seren, are you alright?" In the dark he could not see her expressions and it frustrated him.


    "I am alright, Dray. Just that, I was almost chocked and could not swallow it all," she answered innocently.


    Drayce didn''t know what to say. He held her in tight hug. "You don''t have to do it. You don''t have to get chocked, alright?"


    "But I liked it," she replied while being pressed against his chest.


    Another shock for Drayce, and he cupped her face in her palms, "Seren, you are not forcing yourself, do you?"


    She shook her head, "I truly loved it. Seeing you like that, I would want it every day."


    Speechless Drayce could only hug her tightly. He had told her to learn how to please him but it was more like teasing her and he had not expected she would really go to this length.


    "Did you like it, Dray? Did I manage to please you?" she asked, her face snuggling against his chest.


    "You did, you did really well," he replied and leaned his face closer to pull her into a kiss. Her lips still moist, her mouth still had his own taste in it but he didn''t mind it. His heart overwhelmed with what she did, made him want to pour all his emotions through that intense kiss, a testament that how much he loved her.

 Chapter 734: Its Time

    The next day, it was finally time for the Megaris delegation to leave. After meeting the King and Queen of Othinia, the Megaris delegation was ready to departed. The Crown Prince of Megaris, Prince Reuben, came to see them off. Cian also arrived to bid his sister farewell.


    "Take care on the way," Cian said.


    "I will," Seren replied, then asked, "Are you going to stay here longer?"


    He shook his head. "I will leave at noon after spending some time with my cousins."


    Seren knew he was referring to his cousins who had secretly helped him under orders from Queen Niobe.


    "Take care as well," she said and sat inside the carriage after Drayce helped her in.


    Cian offered a light bow to Drayce. "Have a safe journey."


    Drayce replied with a nod, "You as well," and then sat in the carriage.


    The Megaris royal troop left the Othinian royal pce. From the window of the Thevailes guest mansion, a pair of eyes watched them intently as two figures stood there.


    "Are you sure your n won''t fail this time?" Samer asked, looking at the Megaris entourage.


    "I am certain," Zaria replied, her gaze following Samer''s. "Once they cross the border of Nefer and enter the deepest part of the forest, our people are ready to wee them. Once we capture her, you can take her back to Thevailes with you."


    "Sounds like a good idea," he said, his gaze narrowing on the particr carriage in which the concerned person was sitting.


    Inside the carriage, Seren suddenly felt a shiver across her body and shrank herself into Drayce''sforting embrace.


    "What''s wrong, Seren? Are you feeling unwell?" Drayce asked as he held her closer.


    "Not sure. Suddenly, my body reacted as if it sensed danger," she replied.


    Drayceforted her while gently caressing her. "Once we cross Nefer, I will teleport you directly to Megaris. If not for a meeting in another city, we could have left right away."


    "Who are you meeting?" she inquired.


    "In the next city, I am going to meet Duke Maxillious. He is a friend of my father and helped us by sending grains and other necessities during the times when Megaris was dealing with the aftereffects of the Devil''s curse��above and beyond what the Othinian royalty and other kingdoms provided," he exined. "Grandmother instructed me to meet him before we return to Megaris."


    "You should definitely do that," shemented, allowing her tense body to rx in his arms.


    As nned, the Megaris entourage left the capital city, Nefer, and entered the deep forest outside the city after an hour-long journey. The Othinian forests, as majestic as they are, could hide dangers within. After crossing this perilous forest and a few viges, they were set to reach the next city where Drayce intended to go.


    "My Queen, are you feeling alright?" Drayce asked, noting that hours had passed since they had been riding in the carriage.


    "Just a little uneasy. It may be because I ate too much," she replied.


    "Would you like to take a break?"


    "Is it safe in this forest?" she asked, her expression conflicted.


    "With me here, do you even have to worry about it?"


    She shook her head. "Then let''s rest for a while."


    Drayce ordered their entourage to stop by the riverside. Seren stepped out of the carriage and immediately felt better in the fresh air, relieved to be free from the constant movement.


    They set up camp at a nice spot by the river. Seren dipped her feet into the cold water, which was refreshing in the hot Othinian weather.


    "Are you feeling better now?" he asked.


    "Hmm."


    "Servants will bring some snacks and tea for you. If you''re still not feeling well after that, I can teleport us to the next city. We can wait there for the entourage to catch up, and then join them before heading to Duke Maxillious'' residence."


    "No, I am fine. It doesn''t feel right to teleport while others keep traveling," she replied.


    He smiled gently and patted her head. "You don''t have to force yourself to be a good queen. Just focus on what makes you feelfortable. I''ll make up for it by being a good king."


    She shook her head. "It''s not about being a good queen. They all traveled for us and served us despite their own difort. I want to be with them so I don''t feel guilty for enjoying the luxuries thate with being a queen. I''ll get used to traveling."


    "As you wish."


    Just then, someone appeared. "I was hoping to catch up with the entourage here."


    "Mister Yorian, where have you been?" Seren asked.


    "I was just wandering around before leaving this beautiful kingdom," the elf answered.


    The servants brought snacks and tea for them as they settled on the rocks at the riverbank, while Seren was led inside the tent by her servants so she could sit in the shade and rx.


    "Everything seems fine as far as I can sense," Yorianmented.


    "I did not sense anything unusual either, but I have a strong feeling that something will happen. That witch won''t stay put unless she pulls another stunt," Drayce said.


    "I am not sure what makes her so confident that she is being bold in her intentions," Yorianmented, "we have to keep Queen Seren close by."


    Drayce nced towards the tent where Seren was busy with her servants. "I can always sense if she is in danger, and she is always in my sight. Today I am taking this risk as I want to know the extent of that witch''s power and what she can do, so I can always be prepared to face her. If we avoid them this time, they will keep attacking when we least expect it."


    "I agree with this as well. If she attacks this time, I am sure she will use everything she has since she needs to deal with you," Yorian replied. "But it can also put the lives of your servants in danger who can''t fight the supernaturals."


    "yer and Azer have been instructed on what to do. If we are attacked, all the servants and knights will separate from us," Drayce informed.


    "That''s a good approach as they would only lose their lives if they tried to fight," Yorian added.


    yer approached Drayce. "Your Majesty, everything is being followed as you instructed. All the servants and knights have already been told what to do if there is any attack...but��"


    "But your knights are stubborn," Drayce continued, "They would rather die than leave."


    yer added, "That is what knights are supposed to do."


    "Not when the enemy is someone you can''t fight," Drayce countered. "I expect my orders to be followed promptly, without mistake." Drayce''s gaze followed Azer, who was standing at a distance with another knight. "Especially your vicemander; tell him not to be stubborn and to do as he is told."


    "I will," yer said. He knew he had to be firm with them to ensure they followed his and the King''s orders.


    "You really have earned loyal people, King Drayce," Yorian said with a smile, to which Drayce nodded lightly. "I find myself fortunate."


    Just then, Yorian''s pointed ears twitched as he heard and sensed something. He turned to Drayce, who offered him a nod, and then looked at yer. "It''s time."


    yer hurried towards his knights to instruct them to leave the area with the servants. There might be a battle between the supernaturals, and it was not safe for those humans to witness it and put their lives at risk.


    On the other hand, Drayce hurried towards the tent and told her servants, "Follow Vicemander Azer."


    Though confused, the three servants Xena, Marie and Eva hurried out to follow the king''s instructions while Martha stayed with Seren.


    "You should leave as well," Drayce talked to Martha.


    "Her Eminence had provided me with some useful spells," Martha replied which offered a clear meaning to Drayce that she was ready to fight.


    "What''s going on, Dray?" Seren asked, feeling confused that why all the servants and knights were made to leave.


    "We are going to face the enemy," he replied and held her hand to make her stand, "stay by my side, alright?"


    Though scared, she nodded and held his hand. She knew it must be Zaria who was here to abduct her again.''Whatever it takes, I won''t go with her. Dray won''t let her take me away.''

 Chapter 735: Hurt And shocked

    Drayce held Seren''s hand and walked away from the river shore, entering the area covered with trees as it would provide more protection from enemies than standing in the open. Soon, many hooded figures appeared in the forest, their presence exuding an ominous aura.


    "King Drayce, there are more of them than we expected," Yorian spoke. "It seems like they n to target your servants and knights as well."


    "You go with yer and protect the others. I will take care of Seren," Drayce replied as they settled into a secured ce.


    "Are you sure?" Yorian asked, sounding skeptical. "I sense something different about these wizardspared to thest time we faced them."


    "I can handle them," Drayce said as he eyed the distant hooded figures scattered in the forest and slowly approached them. "The safety of my people is important as well. They can''t fight these wizards."


    Yorian agreed, "If there is anything, call for me immediately."


    "Dray��" yer wanted to say something, but Drayce interrupted him. "Do as I told you. Their powers won''t work on you, so you can act as a shield for them."


    yer reluctantly agreed and left with Yorian, while Azer and the other knights marched with the servants. Seren''s grip tightened on Drayce''s hand. "Dray, they seem more malicious than before."


    "Do not worry. I won''t let them touch you," he assured her, his red eyes narrowing as he watched the figures closing in quickly.


    "They seem to be more in number," Seren said worriedly. "If something happens, make sure to protect yourself first."


    "Protecting you first is like protecting myself," he said, and drew a circle on the ground around her with the tip of his sword. "You are not allowed to step out of this circle, whatever happens."


    Though puzzled, Seren nodded and watched as a shield of energy formed around her from that circle. He turned around to face the approaching wizards while standing between them and his wife.


    Seren felt protected and watched him with pride in her eyes. That was her husband, who would protect her from any harm.


    He was holding two swords, both hands ready tobat the enemies. Unlike when fighting with humans, this time his swords began to envelop in strong divine power flowing from his body. Seren could see them shining like gold due to that divine power, and realized how powerful he truly was.


    But there was no trace of darkness. ''Is Dray not going to use his darkness against these practitioners of ck magic?'' Seren wondered. She recalled that Drayce never used his powers against humans and, in any situation, he would resort to divine power but not darkness. ''He knows what he is doing. His divine power seems equally powerful.''


    Therge group of wizards surrounded the entire area, and their leader, d in a hooded robe and holding a staff, faced Drayce. "King Drayce, I am giving you a chance to surrender and hand over that woman to us. It would be better for you and her."


    Drayce''s red eyes red at him. "That woman you are talking about is my wife, and it''s indeed foolish of you to think I will give her up or that you can even take her away from me."


    "You are a warlock, King Drayce, and one of our kin, so we thought to spare you any harm, but it seems like we have to resort to violence," the leader said.


    "I am not your kin as I am warlock while you are lowly wizard," Drayce countered, showing them the difference between their status.Warlocks were born while wizards were made.


    "Do not regret itter," the leader warned.


    "We will see who regrets it," Drayce retorted and gripped his swords tightly as he infused more divine power into them.


    Meanwhile, Yorian had gathered the few servants in one ce and built a barrier around them with his power. "Do note out of it. We are going to face some bad magicians, and only this can protect you from them."


    The servants nodded while Yorian turned to the knights. Suddenly, everyone felt their swords shining and experienced a surge of power in their arms. "I am providing you with some magic so your swords can help you deal with those magicians. You can''t kill them, but you can protect yourselves and stall for some time until we can save you when needed. Do not try to act brave and leave things to us."


    Without asking any questions, all the knights nodded as they watched the hooded figures advancing towards them.


    The leader of the wizards tapped his staff as a signal for his subordinates to ready themselves, and then, at a second signal, every wizard began to unleash their powers in an attack.


    As nned, Seren and the servants remained safe inside the shields created by Drayce and Yorian, while the knights managed to defend themselves for the time being. Drayce, Yorian, and yer were engaged in directbat with the wizards, eliminating any who crossed their path.


    Drayce was notably strong, easily handling the wizards and ensuring none came close to Seren. She watched him skillfully wield his sword, dispatching the wizards effortlessly. A wave of relief washed over her, knowing her husband was the strongest of all, even while using only one aspect of his power. She no longer worried about being taken away from him.


    ''I wish I could use my power to help him, but all I know is giving new life to nts and creating greenery,'' Seren thought. ''Even if I try to use it now, the power of the fire element could trigger and destroy everything here. I worry it might end up harming Dray if I can''t control it. I should just wait for him to handle this.''


    On the other side of the battlefield, yer proved to be the most formidable of all. The ck magic of the wizards couldn''t touch him, and he continued to easily dispatch each wizard, much to their utter surprise. They couldn''t fathom how this human was immune to their magic.


    Yorian continued tobat the increasing number of wizards, using his powers while vigntly scanning the surroundings. He recognized a troubling pattern. ''Has she nned to use the entire army of her wizards today? What exactly is her n?'' Yorian pondered, recalling his past acquaintance with Zaria Lynx, who seemed to be orchestrating the attack.


    "yer, something is not right," Yorian spoke, while continuing to channel his magic.


    At these words, yer''s first reaction was to check on Drayce, who was at a distance, skillfully handling the wizards.


    "He seems to be doing fine," yer observed.


    "I want you to go by his side," Yorianmanded. "I will handle things here. At this moment, you are the strongest among us three to deal with these wizards. They can''t harm you with their magic, and you are skilled enough to prevent them from harming you with any weapon."


    "Will you manage here alone?" yer asked, after dispatching a wizard in front of him who was shocked to see his magic fail against this knight.


    "I will. For now, protecting those two is important," Yorian responded, his gaze shifting to the leader of the wizards who was quietly observing the battle. It appeared he was waiting for the right moment or assessing the situation before making his final move.


    "Alright," yer agreed and started to march towards Drayce''s side, clearing any wizards in his path with decisive ease but it was not easy to reach Drayce as more of them kepting.


    When everyone was busy, there was a sudden change in the air that Seren realized sooner than anyone else due to her sensitivity to the presence of any kind of energy. Her gaze followed the essence of malicious darkness which felt powerful and frightened her senses. It was the leader of the wizards, his body now enveloped in a different and stronger kind of darkness, his gaze fixed on Drayce.


    ''What is he?'' her eyes widened with fear and shock, and the next moment she shouted out a name, the name of the person she cherished the most.


    "Drayyyy."


    When her loud shout stopped, everything around had stopped, and no one moved as all their eyes were fixed on one scene. The King of Megaris was pinned against a tree with the sharp end of the wizard leader''s staff pierced in his chest, a strong dark energy from the wizard''s body covered the shaft, turning it into a powerful weaponced with undefeated power.

 Chapter 736: Embraced The Darkness

    "Dray?" yer shouted as well and dispatched the wizard in front of him so he could reach Drayce.


    Yorian, equally shocked, said, "Darkness, but not from this realm. Zaria did it again. Where did she get it? We made a mistake by underestimating them."


    Yorian cast aside the wizard in front of him and moved to go to Drayce as well but��.


    There was another signal from the leader of Wizard and anotherrge group of Wizard stood in Yorian and in yer''s way, stopping them and attacking the knights and servants who were holding on somehow.


    "Dray," Seren mumbled his name, tears rolling down her eyes as she watched him in pain. She tried to break through the shield but it held her back. She could only tap her hands against it and warned the wizard, "Stay away from him."


    The wizard, as if her words meant nothing, approached Drayce while keeping his staff pierced in his body. "I told you, King Drayce, that you would regret this. Do you understand why now?"


    Despite the sudden, unexpected, and unusually powerful attack that left his body weak and paralyzed in a moment, Drayce opened his eyes and red at him.


    "I am taking her with me, and I will leave you to take yourst breath here," the wizard dered. "The power I used on you is not from this realm, and no supernatural from this realm can withstand it, not even a powerful warlock like you, who have inherited divine power from a powerful mother."


    The leader then turned to look at Seren and signaled two of the wizards, "Get the woman."


    "Do... not dare... touch her," Drayce warned, his voice pained and weak. It was as if that weapon had drained every ounce of his energy and left him immovable.


    "Do not worry, King Drayce. Those are women who will touch your wife. I will respect her dignity by not letting any man touch her," the wizard leader said, eyeing Seren who was crying and frantically tapping on the barrier, trying to free herself to reach Drayce. "In the end, her divine blood will be a great source of our power and someone important to us."


    Seren stopped struggling and looked at her shaking hands. ''How... how am I to use my power?'' She knew what she was taught��to flourish the barren earth. It might not be of much help, but she wanted to try whatever she could. She closed her eyes and tried to focus, getting a hold of her shattered mind and trembling body, but to her dismay, nothing worked.


    ''What? Why is my power not working?'' Shocked, she tried again, but nothing happened.


    "You can''t stop us, King Drayce. Want to see proof?" the wizard taunted.


    Just then, the barrier Drayce had built around Seren disappeared the moment the leader used a magic spellced with that different darkness on it. Seren was free to go to Drayce, but two wizards held her by the arms and stopped her.


    "Dray, say something. Look at me. Are you alright?" she cried out while struggling against the wizards to free herself. "I can''t use my power. Tell me what to do so I can protect you?"


    Drayce''s gaze slowly moved to her, and he warned the wizard again in his weakened voice, "I... said... do not... dare touch her..."


    "Rest in peace King Drayce. Take a look at your wife for thest time," the wizards said, walking away ignoring Drayce and signaling his men to take her with them. "Kill them all," the wizard announced to all his subordinates.


    On the other hand, Yorian and yer were desperate to reach Drayce but those wizards kepting to them.


    "Dray," yer shouted, "Get hold of yourself. They are taking Seren away. Get back for her sake."


    "King Drayce," Yorian shouted as well while fighting the wizards, "You can''t be harmed easily. You know it. You have to fight it. That darkness is not from this realm but you have something that is powerful as well. You are not just a warlock."


    "Dray. Don''t worry about me. You have to stay safe." Seren words fell on his ears as well along with his two friends and knights and servants who were calling for him as they could not see their king hurt and defeated like this.


    Suddenly, the bright sky began to turn dark, and a gravely ominous air started to surround everyone.


    The leader of Wizards stopped in his tracks, looked up at the sky, and mumbled, "What is happening? I am not using that power at this moment?"


    Seren, who was worried for Drayce, sensed something. To everyone, it was an ominous feeling, but to her, it was...


    "Dray," she mumbled this time with her eyes closed as relief washed over her. "Erebus."


    Swing!


    sh!


    Two swordsced with absolute darkness, pierced the leader''s stomach and were pulled out mercilessly.


    In disbelief, the wounded leader, the strongest wizard, turned around to see the person standing behind him, and more than hurt, he was shocked to see the frightening figure in front of him, towering him like a grim reaper that appeared to take his life.


    Pitch-ck eyes with not a trace of white in them, a dark web of veins on the skin around those dark orbs, his jet-ck long hair moving in the ominous air, his entire body covered in the foggy shadows of darkness��he looked nothing less than a angry devil from hell.


    "Who...What are you?" the wizard mumbled in fright, forgetting he was even pierced by the sword.


    There were no words, just a response where the head of the wizard was rolling on the ground the next moment. Every wizard there was utterly frightened to see their leader��the strongest and previously undefeated��now dead by the hand of the one who killed him.


    Erebus'' dark and frightening gaze scanned all of them in a moment like a dangerous predator and settled on the two wizards that were holding Seren''s arms. No one knew how fast it happened, but the lifeless bodies of those two wizards were lying on the ground with no killer in sight.


    Seren opened her eyes and watched two dead bodies on the ground, then turned around to search for Drayce. Though he was moving faster for ordinary eyes, she could find him, who looked angry and scarier than she had ever witnessed him. He was in a mood for utter bloodshed, killing the scared wizards without any mercy, like a demon who craved for blood.


    The essence of his power let her know his intentions, and all she could sense from him was a bloodlust at that moment.


    Yorian chuckled, "Finally, he has entirely embraced his darkness," and stopped dealing with the wizards as they were all Drayce''s prey after angering the devil inside him.


    yer, utterly relieved to see this, stopped as well, knowing Drayce wanted to kill them all. He was familiar with both sides of his friend possessed.


    The wizards found themselves running for their lives, but Erebus created a barrier of darkness around the area that not a single wizard could cross and leave, like the prey''s trapped inside the cage.


    Erebus mercilessly hunted each one of them and killed them, his anger growing with each kill, covering his body in blood from the ones he killed, both his swords dripping with blood running along their ages and spilling around as they moved.

 Chapter 737: Gravely Hurt

    When Erebus had ughtered each and every one of them mercilessly, that entire part of the forest was left covered with blood everywhere, the stench of blood thick in the air.


    Meanwhile, a wizard who had managed to hide himself was aware that he wouldn''t be able to run away. His gaze followed Seren, who was standing alone, her eyes fixed on Erebus. Without much thought, the wizard marched towards Seren, using his magic for swift and faster movement to approach her. ''If I can''t take her with me, then she''d better die.''


    Yorian and yer were alerted by this, and even Seren sensed an evil energy approaching her. Her eyes caught the sight of the wizard, ready to unleash dark magic on her, his staff pointed towards her.


    sh!


    "Ughh��"


    No one could see how, but in the next moment, Erebus was standing in front of Seren like a shield, and both of his swords, coated with darkness, had pierced the wizard''s body to their ends. A pair of devilishly dark eyes gazed viciously at the wizard''s lifeless body viciously.


    Erebus pulled out both swords and, even before the wizard''s body could fall to the ground, the swords moved with speed unseen by ordinary eyes, slicing the body into several pieces midair, with the wizard''s head rolling at Erebus'' feet.


    As if possessed by vengeance, Erebus lifted one foot and crushed the head under it like delicate ripe fruit, causing blood to spill around.


    It was truly a gruesome and heart-wrenching sight to see. With that, the entire surrounding turned eerily silent, so much so that not even birds or bugs dared make a sound, as if they could sense the anger from the Devil.


    Drayce��or more urately, Erebus��sensed the woman standing to his one side, looking at him. He didn''t meet her gaze and turned around to walk away, but��


    "Don''t leave."


    He heard a voice he always found sweetest to his ears and stopped in his tracks. While yer and Yorian stayed back, at this moment it was Erebus they were observing.


    Seren hurried towards him, not minding the blood spilled on the ground or anything else. All her focus was on the man in front of her, the one she cherished the most.


    She stood in front of him, but he turned his face to the other side as if not wanting to let her see him.


    "Do not leave without my permission," she said, her voice gentle and pleading.


    The mysterious and unusually calm man in front of her still didn''t react to her words until he heard her again.


    "Look at me," she said softly, all her fears, previously heightened by those wizards, had already disappeared.


    As ifpelled to obey her, Erebus slowly turned his face towards her, his eyes, the deepest shade of dark, meeting her purple ones.


    It was the first time Seren had seen Erebus'' appearance in clear light. Every time he showed up, it was always dark; she could never see him clearly or read the emotions in his eyes. Now, as she looked into his eyes, she realized she still couldn''t understand his emotions, as his eyes seemed tock any particr expression.


    She didn''t know what to say to him, but she knew she was grateful to him for showing up and protecting her. Her moist gaze fell on his chest where the wizard had stabbed him, and his dark clothes were coated in his own blood.


    She moved her hand towards his chest, cing it away from where he was stabbed. "It must hurt a lot," she said, tears rolling down her eyes as if she felt the pain herself, and looked back at him. "Does it hurt a lot?"


    In response, he only stared at her wordlessly, his eyes and face still emotionless.


    Not objecting to hisck of reaction, Seren stepped forward and hugged him; she felt his body tense up as he probably had not expected this from her.


    "Thank you foring to protect me," she mumbled against his chest, her hands wrapped around him. She didn''t care about his body having blood stains all over from all the ughter he had caused, nor did she feel anything wrong with what he did.


    "I thought I lost you. Thank you foring back to me."


    Erebus didn''t move a muscle as if he didn''t know what to do. His hands remained down, holding those two blood dripping swords, and his mouth remained sealed as if he didn''t know what or how to speak.


    After a few moments offorting herself, Seren created a little space between them, raised her head, and observed the bloodstains on his face.


    She raised her hand towards his face while he stood motionlessly. "Let me wipe it," she said, her fingers gently brushing against his skin to wipe away the bloodstains. "Though you can heal on your own, we still need to treat you. I need to make sure you are not hurt anymore."


    His dark eyes remained fixed on her veiled face, making Seren wonder what he must be thinking or feeling.


    Just then, Yorian and yer, who had been waiting at a distance, decided to approach after yer signaled Azer to take care of the knights and servants.


    Seren watched the two figures approaching and spoke when they got closer, "Lord Yorian, we need to..." Suddenly, she eximed, "Erebus?" as she felt his body lose its strength, leaning over her and she supported him.


    yer and Yorian hurried to assist, and they helped Drayce sit on the ground. Seren made his head rest in her arms, her mind filling with worry. Drayce''s face had returned to its usual appearance and the darkness surrounding him had vanished, indicating that Erebus was gone.


    "Dray, what happened?" she asked, her voiceced with concern.


    Yorian immediately held Drayce''s hands and scried through his body while the other two waited to hear him.


    "He is gravely hurt." They heard Yorian who had opened his eyes that passed worried gaze at Drayce.

 Chapter 738: I Feel Useless

    Hearing Yorian''s words, Seren froze. Her moist eyes, filled with worry, remained fixed on Drayce''s pale face. "But he was fine just moments ago. Erebus was there��"


    "King Drayce had utilized his divine powers to fight, sealing away his darkness as he believed he could manage merely as a warlock against those wizards. However, expected them toe with an unexpected surprise," Yorian exined. "That darkness from other realm attacked his divine core, causing severe damage that now requires healing."


    "I... don''t understand. How could he have fought...?"


    "That was Erebus. King Drayce''s darker aspect emerged when he saw you in danger. Butter Erebus disappeared as his presence would not let us analyze how gravely the divine side is affected. Erebus wants us to heal King Drayce, that''s why he is gone. King Drayce can function as Erebus but it will leave his divine side harmed as it is which won''t bode well for him in future.


    We need to treat his divine side."


    "How are we going to treat him," she mumbled, anxiety covering her mind, then nced at Yorian, "That...that magic pill. We need to call his mother so she can prepare a magic pill for him."


    "Do not panic, Queen Seren. Although King Drayce''s injuries are severe, they are not life-threatening. He will recover, but it will take time since he was wounded by darkness from another realm. Our best course is to move him to a secure ce where he can rest."


    "Duke Maximilian''s residence is suitable. It''s not far from here," added yer, visibly concerned. "We can take Drayce there to recuperate."


    "That sounds good," Yorian agreed.


    As Azer and the other knights arrived, they quickly attended to their duties, despite their concern for their king. Following theirmander''s orders, they carefully carried Drayce into the carriage, while Seren followed, striving to maintain herposure.


    "Your Majesty, rest assured, he will recover," yer reassured her as he escorted her towards the carriage.


    She nodded, having her mind filled with the turmoil.


    Inside, the knights gently positioned Drayce, and Yorian addressed Seren, "Queen Seren, you must ride in a separate carriage. I need to stay with King Drayce."


    Reluctantly, she agreed, understanding the necessity of heeding Yorian''s advice over sumbing to her emotions.


    yer guided her to another carriage where Xena joined her as aforting presence.


    "Azer, dispatch two knights to the Duke''s residence to inform them of our arrival and the necessary arrangements," yer instructed firmly, adding, "His Majesty being hurt, should remain a secret."


    "Yes, Commander."


    As the carriages began to move, the tears Seren had been holding back finally spilled over. She covered her face with her hands, her body shaking with silent sobs.


    "Your Majesty," Xena murmured, her heart aching for her queen. She sat closer, unsure how best to providefort.


    "It''s all my fault," Seren whispered guiltily.


    "No, Your Majesty, please don''t think that," Xena replied, gently cing aforting hand on her shoulder. "His Majesty is strong. He will pull through. We all believe in him."


    "No, Xena. They targeted me, and he was hurt trying to protect me," Seren sobbed, her voice heavy with guilt. "I couldn''t even use my powers to protect him. I felt so helpless while he was out there, fighting for me. Why am I so powerless? I couldn''t even assist him.


    I feel so useless despite owning the powers."


    "Your Majesty, please try to calm down," Xena pleaded, tears also welling in her eyes. "This isn''t your fault. The me lies with those who meant to harm you. We''re thankful you''re safe, and I''m certain His Majesty will recover soon as well."


    "Will he?"


    "Yes, Your Majesty."


    Seren''s cries continued to echo softly in the confines of the carriage, and Xena sat beside her inpassionate silence, offering her presence as sce.


    After a few hours, the carriages rolled into the city of Brixel and approached Duke Maximilian''s residence. The Duke, his hair mostly gray, stood ready to greet them with his servants. A guest house had been prepared specifically for the royal entourage, and strict orders were given that no servant was to speak of the king''s condition outside these walls.


    The local physicians, initially summoned, were dismissed upon realizing that Drayce''s ailments were beyond their skill to treat.


    Once Drayce was settled in his chamber, still unconscious, while Seren stayed by his side.


    yer expressed his gratitude to the Duke. "Thank you so much for your understanding and assistance, Duke Maximilian. I''m sure His Majesty will express his gratitude once he awakens."


    "It''s my pleasure to aid His Majesty," the Duke replied, his smile warm and reassuring. "Let me know if there''s anything else you need. The butler of this residence will be at your disposal as long as His Majesty requires."


    "Thank you," yer responded, relieved to have found such hospitality in a time of crisis.


    As the night deepened, Seren remained steadfastly by Drayce''s side, her presence unwavering. She watched over him, a silent guardian in the dimly lit chamber.


    Yorian, too, stayed close, administering a potion to Drayce and even channeling some of his own divine energy into the ailing king in hopes of elerating the healing process.


    In the quiet of the chamber, Seren''s gaze fell on the newly healed wound on Drayce''s chest. The skin there had closed, forming a seal over the injury, but it was markedly different from the surrounding flesh. Dark and discolored, the patch was a stark reminder of the trauma beneath.


    Her eyes traced the discolored skin, each inch telling a story of struggle and resilience. This mark, though it might fade over time, would always be a reminder of what he had endured for her sake, and the deep, unsettling fear that had gripped her heart when she thought she might lose him.


    "When will he wake up?" Seren asked, her voice a whisper of concern.


    "Not tonight, at least," Yorian replied, his tone measured yet hopeful. "It will take some time for his core to recover, but it should not be more than two days. Were his injuries caused by powers of this realm, his recovery might have been quicker, but..."


    "Two days is eptable, as long as he wakes," Seren interjected softly, her fingers intertwining with Drayce''s. "I wish I could transfer my own power to aid him, but I can''t."


    Seren was unable to use her powers because if she had used them, the element of fire would act as well and put everything in chaos.


    "Don''t be disheartened," Yorian counseled gently. "Even if we were to infuse him with more divine energy, the core''s healing will still require time. What''s needed now is patience. Can you do that?"


    Seren nodded solemnly. "I will stay here with him."


    "I will check in once in a while," Yorian promised, then quietly exited the chamber, leaving the couple in their solemn vigil. The room was filled with a heavy silence, punctuated only by the soft, rhythmic breathing of Drayce and the quiet resolve in Seren''s watchful eyes.

 Chapter 739: Awake

    Deep in the night, Seren was remained awake by Drayce''s side, forgetting about her own rest and appetite. Ana had urged her again and again to eat something but Seren rejected her every time. With Drayce lying unconscious and harmed because of protecting her, how could she even think about her ownfort.


    She maintained a gentle grip on his hand, drawing reassurance from the warmth of his body that whispered promises of his recovery. "You have always looked after me, anticipating my needs before I even voiced them," she murmured. "This time, it''s my turn to care for you. I''ll stay by your side, tend to you, until I''m certain you''re fully healed.


    And even after you recover, I vow to be the one who protects you. I will grow stronger, no longer a burden but your stronger support."


    Seren curled up beside him, her head resting softly on his shoulder, her hand lying over his chest at the ce of his newly healed wound.


    The next day Drayce continued to be unconscious. As predicted by Yorian, he was still recovering and needed time.


    "Mister Yorian, can we not teleport back to Megaris?" Seren asked, a note of desperation in her voice. "I would feel safer at home."


    "I wish that were possible," Yorian replied. "But we must wait another day. King Drayce is still fragile, and teleportation could be too strenuous for him."


    "I understand," Seren said, her voice heavy with resignation, yet tinged with an unyielding hope.


    yer, upon arriving, announced, "I have dispatched all the servants and knights back to Megaris."


    "Good," Yorian replied, "Tomorrow, if Drayce''s condition improves, we will teleport to Megaris. Until then, we must seek refuge elsewhere until our entourage arrives at the kingdom."


    "We could teleport to the Crystal Pce. Grandma Theodora will understand Drayce''s situation," suggested Seren.


    "I was thinking along the same lines," yer agreed. "I''ll notify Duke Maximilian of our discreet departure so he won''t raise any questions."


    "Let''s proceed with that n."


    The following day, as arranged, Drayce, Seren, yer, and Yorian used Yorian''s power to teleport directly to the Crystal Pce. Upon arrival, yer and Yorian quickly settled Drayce in his childhood room, while Lady Theodora was promptly informed of their unexpected arrival.


    She rushed to her grandson''s chamber where hey unconscious. Approaching the bed with concern, she murmured, "Dray? What happened to him?"


    "Grandma," Seren intervened, tears brimming in her eyes as she approached the elderlydy, "It''s my fault he''s injured. He was hurt while protecting me from the enemies."


    Seeing Seren ovee with guilt and tears, the olddy gently took her hand. "Don''t cry," she soothed, then turned to yer. "What happened?"


    After yer recounted the events, she addressed Seren again, "Do not me yourself. As your husband, it is his duty to protect you, even at the risk of his own life."


    She then faced Yorian, recognizing him as the elf who frequently aided Drayce. "How is his condition?"


    "He should awaken soon, but at this moment I can''t predict time urately as his condition has not improved as I had expected it be," Yorian replied.


    "Didn''t you say he would wake up in two days?" Serenmented, her gaze using Yorian for something.


    "I was not lying when I said it, Queen Seren," the elf replied calmly, "just as I said before, his recovery is slower than I had expected. But I assure you, there is nothing to worry about."


    "Did you hear that, Seren?" the olddy said, her voice imbued withfort. "Drayce is strong. He will be fine."


    Seren nodded, attempting topose herself. After spending some time beside Drayce, the olddy escorted Seren away, insisting she eat something and look after herself. Unable to refuse, Serenplied.


    Returning to Drayce''s side, she remained there, her heart yearning for any sign of his awakening. As night fell, her hopes dwindled; Drayce showed no signs of consciousness.


    ''I wish I could perform any magic and create a miracle just like how I revived thend in Abetha.'' she looked at her hand, ''I wish I had a power to revive a hurt person as well. But I am truly of no use. Despite being a demigod, I am useless.''


    That night, shey beside him, her head rested on his shoulder.


    "Dray, I''ve tried so hard not to cry because I know you can feel when I''m sad. I didn''t want to worry you by letting you know I was crying, but seems like I can''t hold them back any longer," she whispered and closed her eyes.


    Unlike the previous night when she had managed to restrain her tears, now they flowed freely, dampening his clothes and sinking into his skin.


    ''Dray, please get better and talk to me. Even though you''re right here, I miss you terribly. Pleasee back to me. I promise I would be good to you, better than I had ever been. Juste back.'' Silent sobs left her throat as she continued to miss him.


    Just two days without interacting with him, without seeing his affectionate gaze or receiving his warm smiles, felt like an eternity. Seren missed how he held her, cared for her, showered her with affection, teased her, and flirted in ways and so many thing she couldn''t begin to count that she missed about him.


    Without all this, without him, the world seemed empty, her own existence felt meaningless.


    The next morning, Seren awoke to a familiar warmth against her cheek. Opening her eyes swiftly, she found herself gazing into a pair of affectionate red eyes. Drayce''s hand was gently caressing her cheek while she slept using his hand as a pillow.


    "Dray?" she whispered softly.


    "Seren," his voice replied, the sound she had longed to hear over the past two days.


    "Am I dreaming?" she asked, her eyes scanning his face closely, as if to confirm that he wasn''t just an illusion.


    His face moved closer, and he gently kissed her forehead. "What do you think?"


    Gradually, she realized it was no dream. Drayce was truly awake, looking far less pale than he had the night before, which had made her fear it was simply a dream, her wish to see him awake.


    "You''re truly awake?" she asked, her smile broadening as she hugged him tightly. "You''re really awake."


    "Yes, I am," he hugged her back, warmth in his voice. "Did I make you worried?"


    She shook her head and murmured happily against his chest, "Everything is fine now that you''re back with me."


    "I am always with you."


    "But I still missed you."


    Drayce understood her feelings and continued to hold her close, savoring the feeling of her soft body against his, relieved that she was safe.

 Chapter 740: Recovery

    Seren sat up in bed and dered, "I will call Mister Yorian to check on you."


    "There''s no need. I''m fine," Drayce interrupted, attempting to sit up, only to let out a groan.


    "Dray?" Seren eximed, her voiceced with concern, but Drayce managed to sit up and insist, "I am alright."


    She wasn''t convinced as she had never seen Drayce in pain as if he was invincible man. Even after her fought with angels on the night of her eighteenth birthday and was gravely hurt, he never showed a sign of experiencing any pain. But, now he could not hide that means he was seriously hurt.


    "No, you''re not," she said firmly. "Stay in bed and don''t move." She then called for a servant and instructed them to fetch Yorian.


    After some time, Yorian arrived in the chamber, apanied by yer and the Great Lady.


    The Great Lady approached with a cheerful smile. "Good to see you awake. You have no idea how worried you''ve made our little girl."


    Drayce looked at Seren with an apologetic expression. "It won''t happen again."


    Seren turned to Yorian, concern evident in her tone, "He seems to be in pain."


    Drayce nced at Yorian and dismissed her worries. "She''s concerned over nothing. I''m fine."


    "That is for me to decide," Yorian countered as he approached the bed. "I did not expect you to wake up so soon, given your conditionst night. I must wonder if my initial diagnosis was incorrect or if some miracle urred overnight."


    Drayce nced at his wife, noticing the traces of dried tears around her dense eyshes, and he knew he had made her cry. He had always kept Seren''s secret��the power her tears held��close to his heart, never revealing it to anyone.


    He could not bear the thought of her sorrow being used as a remedy for others, nor did he want anyone to view her as merely a means to heal their ailments. She was a person, not an object to be utilized. If it were within his power, he would have refused her tears for his own healing, preferring to endure his suffering rather than exploit her gift.


    "You must have misjudged the extent of a Dragon''s self-healing abilities, Yorian," Drayce said. "It''s alright to be wrong sometimes."


    "I believe that might be the case," Yorian replied with a yful smirk, taking Drayce''s hand to examine him more closely.


    "Is there anything to worry about?" Seren asked, her eyes brimming with concern.


    Yorian shook his head. "There is nothing to worry about. The wound has healed entirely due to a miraculous healing ability typical of Dragons," he said, giving Drayce a knowing look. He seemed skeptical of Drayce''s natural recovery but chose not to voice his doubts. "However, the divine aspect of his core is still mending and might take a week or two to fully recover."


    "Not healed yet?" Seren asked.


    "Queen Seren, though he is a Dragon, healing of physical wounds is different from healing of the spiritual ones. When the energy core is injured, it takes time to fully regenerate and regain its strength, even for a deity. King Drayce will be fine; just give it time," Yorian exined. "Do you understand?"


    Seren nodded and turned to Drayce, her tone firm but caring, "Until you are entirely healed, you are staying right here. You need to rest."


    "I will do as you say," Drayce agreed readily, not wanting to cause her any further worry. He had already brought her to tears once; conceding to her wishes now was the least he could do to make amends.


    As the days unfolded, Drayce had little choice but to adhere to Seren''s vignt care. He passed the time mostly confined to his bed, asionally walking in the garden or sitting by theke, all the while focusing on rejuvenating his energy core under Yorian''s supervision.


    After two weeks, Seren, unable to contain her concern, asked, "Dray, how are you feeling now? Any difort or weakness still troubling you?"


    As they prepared for bed, Drayce, sitting on the edge, seized the moment. He grasped her hand and pulled her onto the bed. "It seems it''s time I proved to you that I''m fully recovered."


    Underneath him, Seren pushed against his chest with her hands, her expression serious��a stark contrast to the blushing that might have colored such a moment previously. "Dray, I''m serious. Don''t joke about your health."


    "For the past two weeks, you''ve been using my health as a reason to keep me at bay and stop me being close to you. How can I convince you I''m well if you don''t let me show you?"


    "Is this really the only way?" she asked, her eyebrows knitting together in deep frown.


    "For now, this is the only method I know," he replied, putting on a woefully sad expression. "Please, don''t push me away tonight. I swear I''mpletely healed."


    Seren merely red at him in response.


    "Please, my Queen, my sweet Seren," he implored, his face melting into an even more pitiable expression.


    Despite her attempts to maintain a stern facade, Seren couldn''t suppress theughter bubbling up at Drayce''s exaggeratedly woeful expression. Herughter was a clear defeat of her earlier severity.


    "I''ll take that as a yes," Drayce dered with a grin, gently holding her face to still herughter with his hand and sealed her lips.


    "Umm... I didn''t say yes."


    "I know your answers even if you don''t say them."


    Their yful banter continued, filling the room with light-heartedughter until it gradually gave way to a quiet filled with softer, more intimate sounds.


    Late into the night, while Sereny asleep, Drayce received a discreet signal. Careful not to disturb her, he silently left the chamber and made his way to thekeside.


    "Why did you call me at this hour?" Drayce asked the shadowy figure awaiting him.


    "I received a message from Oriana," came the response.


    "What is it about?" Drayce inquired, his voice a mix of curiosity and concern.


    "Thest time she called for me was during the fullmoon in Othinia, and tonight marks another fullmoon," Yorian spoke as he looked at the bright moon, "I think Prince An is facing the same trouble."


    Drayce''s expression shifted from calm to stern. "I wille with you."


    "You''ve just recovered, and teleportation could be too taxing for you," Yorian advised. "I''ll go first to assess the situation and report back. Then we can decide how best to proceed."


    Drayce nodded reluctantly and watched as Yorian vanished into the thin air.


    Left alone, Drayce gazed up at the moon, now luminous and full in the night sky. ''An, you better be safe. Don''t give me a reason to worry under these circumstances.''

 Chapter 741: Jaspers Chatter

    Drayce had to spend yet another week at the Crystal Pce, as the entourage from Othinia to Megaris was dyed. However, the message of Drayce''s impending arrival was sent to Jasper, the trusted servant and a friend of the King of Megaris, who wasted no time in making his way to the pce.


    In his study at the Crystal Pce, Drayce awaited Jasper''s arrival.


    "Your Majesty, Lord Jasper��"


    m!


    Before yer could finish his introduction, a man burst into the study with a stormy expression. "Drayce Ivanov," he seethed, "How dare you��"


    "Jasper Makedon," Drayce cut in, his voice icy, "spare me your theatrics."


    "Theatrics?" Jasper''s voice rose incredulously. "It would only be theatrics if I were shedding tears over the belief you were dead. How dare you keep me in the dark about your injury? Am I nothing more than a puppet to manage the kingdom''s affairs while you vanish?"


    "I''m not dead," Drayce replied tly. "You know very well I cannot be."


    "This arrogance?" Jasper scowled. "How could you even allow yourself to get hurt? You didn''t even��"


    "I already have a wife to nag me; I don''t need a concubine too," Drayce retorted, maintaining hisposure.


    "I''d rather die a bachelor than be your concubine," Jasper shot back. "Since you don''t seem to value me and don''t find it is important to inform me of your situation, I''ll leave. I''ll have another official bring you the documents." With that, he turned on his heel to leave.


    As Jasper made for the door, yer stepped in his path.


    "What the hell are you doing?" Jasper red, his fury extending from Drayce to yer.


    "His Majesty has not dismissed you yet," yer responded with an icy detachment.


    Jasper turned, frustration etching his features, and looked back at Drayce. "Is there a reason you''re keeping me here?"


    "Come, sit down first," Drayce suggested calmly, recognizing it was time to pacify his incensed friend.


    "I''m fine standing," Jasper protested.


    "Alright," Drayce conceded, rising from his seat and approaching Jasper. "I apologize. I didn''t want to cause you unnecessary worry."


    "Am I your wife, to be worried about?" Jasper snapped back.


    "Given your reaction, one might think so," Drayce quipped, a yful smirk crossing his lips as he looked Jasper up and down with a challenging gaze.


    Jasper crossed his arms defensively, as if to shield himself from those prating red eyes.


    "Keep your gaze to yourself. I''m beyond your reach, the esteemed son of Duke Makedon."


    "Well, since you''ve lost your hair, my interest seems to have faded as well," Drayce retorted, touching a nerve but effectively diverting Jasper from his initial anger.


    "You''re acting like the Prince of Griven. It seems An Cromwell has spoiled you," Jasper remarked with a deep frown, self-consciously touching his hair. "And for the record, I''m not bald. I''ve just lost a bit of them from overworking."


    Drayce raised a brow. "Are you implying I shall keep my interest in you?"


    "You are giving me a chill," Jasper shivered, "I am saying I am not bald and have enough hair though not like before."


    Drayce turned to return to his chair, a mischievous glint in his eye. "That just means you''re capable of handling even more of my work. We shouldn''t worry about a little hair loss then."


    "Hey, no. Now that you''re back, I''m not going to kill myself working. Drayce Ivanov, I''m taking a vacation for the entire month. Stop me if you dare," Jasper dered, turning to leave. This time, yer didn''t block his path, but as Jasper approached the door, it shut by itself.


    Jasper spun around, frowning at Drayce. "Are you using your powers to stop me now?"


    Drayce simply raised an eyebrow, and Jasper resigned himself with a sigh, knowing he couldn''t contest his powers. "When power falls into the wrong hands, it''s bound to be misused," he grumbled, finally sinking into a chair.


    "Now, start exining everything that happened in my absence," Draycemanded, beginning to sift through the scrolls piled on his desk.


    "It seems you always prefer to hear everything from me."


    "I can''t help it when your voice is as melodious as music to my ears," Drayce teased, eliciting a visible shudder from Jasper.


    "Eww, Dray," Jasper grimaced, turning to yer. "Was he hit on the head?"


    "He''s picked up a few tricks since getting a wife," yer replied dryly.


    Drayce nced at yer, noticing the knight''s newfound boldness in his remarks. But yer remained stone faced as if he said nothing wrong.


    "Your Majesty," Jasper began, adopting a more polite tone, "Please, spare me your sweet nothings. Reserve those for your wife. I will attend to my duties diligently."


    "Good," Drayce responded, passing a stack of scrolls to Jasper. "I need all of this handled today."


    "What?" Jasper blurted out, his voice a mix of disbelief and irritation. "Did you just trick me? I ask for a vacation and you pile on more work."


    "Would you rather prefer more of my sweet nothings instead?" Drayce teased.


    "No, save those for your stone-cold knight. Maybe he''ll soften up into something more pliable. I''ll handle the extra work," Jasper conceded, unrolling the scrolls. "Here I was ready to update you on kingdom matters, and instead, you''re adding to my load."


    "You can update me while you work on these," Drayce directed smoothly.


    "Do I have any other choice?" Jasper muttered, then began, "Prince Keiren has been overseeing most affairs during your absence. Now that you''re back, he might n to return to his own territory."


    "I sense there''s more you want to say. Out with it," Drayce prompted.


    "The woman whom Prince Keiren married, she is here in the capital and staying in his residence which is outside the pce," Jasper replied. "Great Lady Theodora summoned her to the Crystal Pce, but Prince Keiren refused to allow it." He paused, then added, "He also denied the Great Lady''s request to register her as a member of the Ivanov family."


    "It''s always been this way, and he won''t change his mind," Drayce said.


    "But she is his wife," Jasper insisted. "Even though he married her secretly and shees from humble family, not from nobility, she is now an Ivanov. Why does he always keep her away and never bring her to family events? Hardly anyone even knows she exists, and it seems he prefers it that way."


    "It''s his choice," Drayce responded. "We shouldn''t delve into his personal affairs."


    "What if one day she has his child?" Jasper pressed on.


    Drayce stopped what he was doing and finally looked at him, only to hear Jasper continue, "Wouldn''t that child be of Ivanov blood? Would he also keep his own child hidden from the family? If not for his wifeing here unannounced, she wouldn''t have made it to the capital at all. I wonder why Prince Keiren did this; I can''t see any malice in his actions, and that worries me even more."


    "You overthink things," Drayce said dismissively, clearly uninterested in Jasper''s concerns.


    "I am your personal adviser, and it''s my duty to look into every matter that concerns you and the people around you," Jasper asserted. "He could have married a woman from noble family with strong hold and increase his power and authority, but he rejected all such offers and married that woman from an ordinary family. Whether his intentions are good, bad, or indifferent, I need to understand them."


    "Let him handle it. That''s his wife and his family," Drayce replied solemnly, returning to his work.


    "Fine! It''s not as if I have time to waste if you''re not interested," Jasper conceded, shifting the topic to more pressing affairs. "The border we share with Thevailes��they have troops stationed there and..."


    As the hour wore on, the study door swung open without prior permission, allowed by yer, the guard stationed outside. Drayce, caught mid-task, looked up to see his wife''s disapproving expression.


    "Dray, how long has it been since you have been working? Didn''t you say you would finish it soon and resume your rest?" Seren asked, her voice tinged with irritation.


    "Good afternoon, Your Majesty," Jasper interjected, bowing deeply before stepping aside.


    She acknowledged him with a brief nod and moved closer to Drayce. "Why are you still here, working?"


    Caught off guard by her sudden appearance, Drayce faltered, his words a mixture of apology and surprise. "My Queen, I almost finished��."


    She nced at the desk full of various documents spread on it and she then turned to Jasper, "Almost finished?" Her gaze questioning and dead serious.


    Jasper promptly responded, "Not at all, Your Majesty. We''ve barely begun. ording to my estimates, it will take several more hours for His Majesty toplete everything."


    Drayce shot Jasper a sharp re, which Jasper met with a mischievous grin. ''Time to pay back, Drayce Ivanov.''


    Drayce''s eyes narrowed menacingly towards Jasper''s hair as if to say, ''You are going to lose all of them soon.''


    Jasper awkwardly cleared his throat and looked away, waiting to enjoy Drayce being scolded by his wife.


    "Dray, did you just lie to me?" Seren''s voice rose with anger.


    Drayce approached her and took her hand gently. "My Queen, I intended to pause for a break and then continue workingter. How could I lie to you? Let''s return to our chamber so I can rest."


    Although Seren seemed unconvinced, she acquiesced and began walking away, signaling for him to follow.


    Before departing, Drayce gave Jasper onest menacing look, making him shiver. "Any slim chances you had of getting a vacation, you''ve clearly lost them," Drayce said, and followed his wife.


    "Dray," Jasper called out, but received no response.


    He turned to yer. "He''s so cruel."


    "You deserve it," yer replied curtly before walking off.


    Left alone, Jasper fought the urge to throttle his two friends. ''Friends?'' he sighed inwardly ''More like my nemeses reincarnated from my past life.''

 Chapter 742: Whether It Is love?

    Under Seren''s watchful eye, Draycey resting in their chamber. Once he had drifted off to sleep, Seren quietly slipped out of the room and made her way to thekeside, settling herself inside the gazebo. She sat in an unusual state of calm, her gaze fixed upon the tranquil waters ahead.


    "What upies your thoughts, my dear?" A familiar voice broke the silence, drawing Seren''s attention. The olderdy, leaning lightly on her cane for support, had joined her at the gazebo.


    Seren offered a gentle smile. "Grandma, I was simply admiring the beauty of theke."


    Theodora let out a soft chuckle as she settled onto the bench opposite Seren. "Seems like you have learned to lie as well. My grandson is such a bad influence on you."


    Seren was caught off guard. "N- No, grandma. I was just��"


    "I would appreciate it if you''d share what''s on your mind," Theodora interjected, her smile radiating warmth andfort.


    Unable to evade the truth any longer, Seren hesitated before admitting, "I was indeed thinking about Dray."


    The olderdy chuckled yfully, and then turned to look at herdy-in-waiting, "Why does that not surprise me, my dear Cerviel?"


    Cerviel smiled warmly in response. "They are just like you and King Esteban in the past, Great Lady. I can see the depth of their love and affection for each other."


    The Great Lady hummed in contentment. "Your words bring me great joy, Cerviel."


    "How about I enhance that joy with some freshly brewed tea?" Cerviel suggested, receiving a widened smile from her mistress. "You always know just what to do."


    With a graceful departure, Cerviel left the gazebo, leaving the Great Lady to turn her attention to Seren, who seemed lost in thought, her gaze following Cerviel''s retreating figure.


    "What troubles you, Seren? Is there something else you desire besides tea?" the Great Lady inquired gently.


    Seren shook her head, refocusing on the Great Lady. "I... was pondering what Lady Cerviel mentioned."


    "And what was that?" the Great Lady prompted.


    "Lady Cerviel spoke of love," Seren replied hesitantly.


    A soft smile graced the Great Lady''s lips. "Ah, why be surprised? It''s evident to anyone, even the trees and birds surrounding us, how deeply you and Dray love for each other."


    "Do you believe, Grandma, that what I feel for Drayce is love?" Seren asked, her voice tinged with uncertainty.


    "Of course, my dear," the Great Lady affirmed. "When Drayce first brought you here first time after your arrival in Megaris, I could sense the depth of his love for you, though I couldn''t be certain of your feelings then. But now, as I observe you, it''s clear that things have changed. My grandson has indeed captured your heart."


    Seren felt silent for a while as she didn''t know how to tell the olddy she had this weird curse that didn''t allow her to fall in love and didn''t allow her to distinguish her feelings towards Drayce��whether it was genuine love or merely a blend of gratitude, habit, and dependency.


    Seeing her quiet, Theordora decided to address something they had not talked about as Seren was busy looking after Drayce, more like nagging him all the time on resting and not letting him off of her sight even for a moment. The olderdy decided to stay out of it and let Seren do as she wished.


    Moreover, it was satisfying to see her stubborn grandson obeying someone without saying a word to resist.


    "You must have been terrified to see him injured," Theodora remarked softly.


    The reminder plunged Seren back into the harrowing moment when she feared losing Drayce. It felt as though her entire world had crumbled, leaving her bereft of the will to carry on.


    Nodding in agreement, Seren confessed, "It pained me deeply to witness his suffering. I cannot bear to see him in pain. I would dly endure it in his stead."


    "It''s a natural instinct to shield our loved ones from harm. Even the slightest injury to them feels like a wound to our own hearts," Theodora offered, her words carrying a soothing reassurance.


    Seren nodded, her mind revisiting that moment of fear and reflection. "In that single moment, I felt a wave of regret wash over me��for all the missed opportunities, the moments we hadn''t seized. I was wondering if we were going to die, was it even worth missing out on them. I would rather do it all and die with him, not having anything left to regret."


    "Then make sure you leave nothing to regret. Life is fleeting, and we should pursue what truly matters to us," the olderdy advised gently.


    "I''ll consider it."


    Their contemtion was interrupted by the arrival of Cerviel with tea and snacks, bringing a lightness to the atmosphere as they indulged in cheerful conversation andughter.


    After a while, Drayce arrived there as he watched Seren and his grandmother conversing happily.


    Seren somehow sensed his presence and watched him walking in their direction. Her gaze stuck at him for some reason like a lovestruck person, her heart started to race, making her wonder, ''Could it be that I truly love him? Has the curse been broken?''


    Drayce''s gaze met with hers, her loud heartbeats reaching his ears even from a distance, making him smirk lightly. How satisfying it was to see his wife was enchanted by him.


    Observing the exchange, Theodora couldn''t help but smile knowingly as she shared a meaningful nce with Cerviel, who returned it with a smile of her own.


    "What are you two discussing, grandma?" Drayce inquired, his gaze not leaving his wife.


    "Shall I answer or leave it to your wife?" Theodora teased, amused by Drayce''s obvious question directed at her but his unwavering gaze fixed on Seren.


    Feeling self-conscious under the scrutiny, Seren awkwardly cleared her throat and lowered her gaze, realizing she had been caught in the act.


    Drayce, unfazed, replied, "Either way works."


    Rising gracefully, the Great Lady intervened, her wordsced with humor. "Let your wife answer that question. I''ll take my leave before you use me of interfering with a pair of lovers."


    Seren quickly interjected, halting the Great Lady''s departure. "Grandma..."


    "Grandma indeed possesses great wisdom," Drayce remarked, agreeing with his grandmother''s decision to give them space.


    "Hair on my head didn''t turn grey by standing simply under the sun," the olddy retorted yfully before turning to leave.


    Seren nced at Drayce, puzzled by his unexpected intervention. "Why did you let grandma leave..."


    He settled beside her, his gaze probing. "The way you looked at me the entire time, I thought you had something to say."


    Did she? Seren pondered, unsure of what she had intended to express. Confess her love to him, perhaps?

 Chapter 743: Serens Order

    Observing her confusion, Drayce raised an eyebrow. "Even in my presence, you seem lost. What''s on your mind?"


    Shaking her head, Seren shifted the conversation. "Why are you out here in the cold? You should be resting."


    "I''m tired of resting," he admitted. "And I wanted to inform you that we need to return to the pce. The royal troop that departed from Othinia has arrived in the capital."


    Seren frowned, concern etched on her features. "Returning to the pce means you''ll be engulfed in work and won''t rest at all."


    Drayce gently took her hand, his touch reassuring. "I am perfectly fine, My Queen," he assured, cing her hand over his heart. "Feel my heartbeat��it''s steady and healthy now. I''ve been away for too long, and I can''t neglect my duties to our Kingdom. You understand, don''t you?"


    Seren nodded reluctantly. "But you must promise to heed my pleas to rest."


    "I will, I promise," Drayce affirmed.


    As evening descended, Drayce, Seren, and yer departed from the Crystal Pce, leaving Yorian''s amodation arranged within its walls.


    "I don''t see Mister Yorian?" Seren inquired as they prepared to leave.


    "He''s gone to visit Oriana. He''ll return soon," Drayce assured her.


    Arriving at the King and Queen''s pce, they were greeted warmly by the servants, who seemed relieved at their masters'' return.


    In the days that followed, Drayce immersed himself in his duties, catching up on the matters that required his personal attention after his prolonged absence. Many misters and high nobles had important matters to discuss with him which kept him upied most of the times. Not to forget the matters rted to Thevailes border where the troubles were brewing recently.


    Seren, meanwhile, found herself lost in her own thoughts, spending her days in thepany of her servants. She only saw Drayce in passing��briefly in the mornings, asionally during the afternoon meal, andte at night when they retired to bed together.


    "My Queen, I apologize for being preupied these days. I''ll make it up to you soon," Drayce murmured softly as they snuggled in bed.


    "I understand," Seren replied calmly.


    Drayce learned from the servants that Seren had been unusually quiet since their return to the pce.


    "My Queen, if you have any concerns, please share them with me," he encouraged.


    "There''s nothing," she assured him, her voice steady.


    After a moment of silence, Drayce broached a sensitive topic. "Are you still haunted by that incident? Does it still trouble you?"


    Seren shook her head as she nestled against his chest, but then her voice, weak and muffled, broke the silence. "I''m scared of losing you."


    Drayce held her close, his embraceforting. "It''s natural to feel that way," he understood her instead of asking her not to worry, "It''s okay to be afraid and to worry. In the end we are not invincible and heartless people but the ones with various emotions and vulnerabilities."


    Seren lifted her head to meet his gaze. "Do you feel scared as well?"


    "I do," Drayce affirmed, meeting her gaze with sincerity. "Losing you is my greatest fear. It''s my worst nightmare. That moment when I was defeated by them and they almost manages to take you away, it filled me with regret. I felt scared and helpless, ming myself for failing to protect you. I despised myself more than ever before.


    I was willing to do anything to keep you safe. Even now, whenever I''m alone, I find myself haunted by those memories, consumed by regret, feeling utterly worthless for letting it happen."


    Seren silenced him by gently covering his mouth with her palm. "You are not worthless. If anything, I me myself for not being able to utilize my powers."


    Drayce removed her hand, his expression tender. "You have no reason to me yourself. You''re my most precious treasure, and it''s my duty to protect you always. We both know why you can''t ess your powers. There''s no need for regret. I''m here to safeguard us both." He nted a kiss on her forehead.


    "My Schatzi."


    "Hmm? What does that mean?" Seren questioned, unfamiliar with the term.


    "It means Treasure." Drayce exined. "I learned it during my travels to another continent on the west."


    It surprised Seren, "Have you visited other continents? I have only heard there are other continents beyond vast sea, but never thought one could reach there."


    "Just a bit of casual traveling, using my powers."


    Seren''s curiosity piqued. "Could you teach me some words from those ces?"


    Drayce agreed, sharing a few random words with her, sparking her interest.


    -----


    The following day, after Drayce had departed once more, Seren slipped back into her familiar routine of solitude.


    Observing her mncholy, the servants decided to lift her spirits.


    "It seems Her Majesty is already missing His Majesty," Eva remarked with a knowing smile.


    "You''re bing quite perceptive, Eva," Marie chimed in. "Who else would Her Majesty miss if not His Majesty?"


    "I wish I had someone to miss me, or someone to miss," Evamented wistfully.


    "It takes time to fall in love and yearn for someone''s presence," Xena interjected. "You''re still on the journey to finding that special someone, Eva."


    Seren nced at Xena, intrigued by her words. "What did you say?"


    "I was just remarking on how deeply Her Majesty loves and misses His Majesty, suggesting that Eva might experience the same someday," Xena rified.


    "Do you believe I''m in love with His Majesty?" Seren inquired, her curiosity piqued.


    The other servants exchanged nces before bursting intoughter. "Your Majesty, are you teasing us?" Marie teased.


    "I''m being serious," Seren insisted.


    In the past few days, Seren had been grappling with her emotions, striving to understand her feelings and reach a decision for both herself and Drayce. Despite growing confidence in her heart, hearing affirmations from others solidified her resolve��first from the Great Lady Theodora, and now from her loyal servants.


    "Indeed, Your Majesty. We all recognize the depth of love between you two," Xena affirmed. "I''ve never witnessed a couple so deeply connected, loving, caring, and respectful toward each other. You are truly blessed, Your Majesty, as is His Majesty."


    Seren turned her attention to Marie and Eva, who spoke in unison. "Our sentiments exactly, Your Majesty. You and His Majesty are a match made in heaven."


    A moment of silence fell upon the room as Seren gazed pensively out the window, catching her servants off guard with her sudden quietude. They exchanged uncertain nces, unsure if they had inadvertently said something amiss.


    Breaking the silence, Seren addressed Xena. "Xena?"


    "Yes, Your Majesty?" Xena responded, attentive.


    "Tonight, I want you to prepare my chamber the same way it was on my wedding night," Seren dered, her gaze still fixed on the scenery outside.


    The three servants couldn''t hide their delight at her request. "Rest assured, Your Majesty," they chimed in unison, eager to fulfill her wishes.

 Chapter 744: Serens Confession- Lets Die Together

    Drayce was away from the pce as he had important matters to attend to outside and had visited the territory outside the capital city. When he finished the work and returned to the pce, it was alreadyte evening.


    ''She must be asleep by now,'' Drayce thought as he entered the pce and extended his hearing senses, but he could hear nothing. ''I shall freshen up quickly and apany her to sleep. I am sure she must have missed my presence the entire day.''


    Drayce went straight to his quarters where his personal aide, Orien, weed him. "Was there any inquiry about me from the Queen''s pce?" Drayce asked.


    "No, Your Majesty," Orien answered, which surprised Drayce. ''Did I upset her by staying away the entire day?'' he wondered while letting Orien remove his robe.


    "The bath is ready, Your Majesty."


    Drayce nodded and entered the bath where the pool was filled with hot water for him to soak. Shedding all his clothes, he stepped into the pool and sat down, restingfortably, but thoughts of going to Seren continued to y in his mind.


    ''When she is deep in sleep, I can surprise her with a warm cuddle and might please her nicely. I am sure she won''t be upset anymore. A nice bath is a good start.''


    After a refreshing soak, Drayce donned a fresh set of night clothes and quietly set off for the Queen''s pce, opting to keep his arrival a surprise. As he crossed the bridge leading to the Queen''s residence and walked down the corridor towards her chamber, he noticed an unusual calm. The floor was devoid of servants, wrapped in an unsettling silence.


    Upon reaching the chamber door, Drayce was greeted by Eva and Marie, and Xena, who stood guard outside. They bowed respectfully as Xena announced, "Greetings, Your Majesty. Her Majesty has been eagerly awaiting your arrival."


    Drayce was taken aback. ''Waiting for me? At this hour? Shouldn''t she be asleep?'' he thought, puzzled.


    Eva and Marie opened the door for him, allowing him to enter the chamber and closed the door behind him.


    The scene inside the chamber took Drayce by surprise��it was decorated as it had been on their wedding night.


    The curtains around the bed had been transformed; now, a gauzy red fabric draped elegantly over the mattress. Red and white flower petals were scattered atop the bedspread, adding a touch of whimsy and romance. The vases throughout the room overflowed with freshly-plucked flowers, their vivid colors and sweet scents enriching the air.


    Instead of the usualmps, numerous scented candles cast a gentle glow, illuminating the chamber. This soft lighting created an ambiance distinct from the usual cozy warmth, steering the atmosphere towards a romantic, almost magical realm, perfectly curated for a special night.


    Drayce''s eyes scanned the room for Seren, but she was nowhere to be seen. He knew instinctively where to find her. Approaching the balcony, he saw Seren standing by the railing, her gaze fixed on the night sky, her back to him. She was d in the red night dress she had worn on their wedding night. Her long hair fluttered softly in the cool breeze, the thin fabric of her dress swaying gracefully.


    She looked serene, embodying the tranquility of the evening.


    "Isn''t she cold?" Drayce worried as he moved toward her.


    "Wait! Stay there."


    Drayce, having taken only a couple of steps forward, halted immediately. His wife was just a few strides ahead, yet he couldn''t approach her.


    "I have something important to discuss," Seren''s voice was solemn, her back still facing him. "And I need you to stay there and listen until I''m finished."


    "I will do as you wish," Drayce replied, standing still, his expression mirroring the seriousness of her tone.


    "Dray, I''ve been thinking for days, and after much consideration, I''ve made a decision for us both," she continued. "I might be wrong, selfish, or scared, but I had to make it. Knowing you, I believe you will understand and support my decision."


    "I will," he assured, he was willing to do whatever she wished him to.


    Facing the sky, she continued, "That day you were injured, I was terrified of losing you. Though I''ve always known how important you are to me, it was in that moment, seeing you hurt, that I truly understood the depth of my feelings for you. In an instant, I grasped all the things I would regret. But now that you''re back to me, I''ve decided I won''t live with regrets any longer.


    I''m not sure what the future holds, but right now, all I want is for us to be together, to live in the moment without fears, even if it means facing death afterwards. I''m prepared to ept death, but I cannot ept that what I feel for you is not love. I can''t bear the thought that my husband, who loves me and sees me as his everything, might believe his love is unrequited."


    She turned to face him, her beautiful eyes shimmering with unshed tears. Drayce ached to close the distance and embrace her, but restrained himself out of respect for her request. How much that single incident had affected her, it was impossible for him to understand. He somewhere knew she was changed since then, and now it was the moment to understand what was going on in her mind since then.


    "Dray, I want us to start over from where we left off��our wedding night. I want to go back to that night where I don''t tell you to not remove my veil and never see my face, where you don''t have hold back out of consideration for me. I want us to consummate our marriage and truly be husband and wife, in every sense of the word."


    Her gaze held a fierce determination as she continued, her heart pounding audibly even through her resolve. "Drayce Ivanov, what I need to tell you is that I love you, deeply and truly, and I know it in my heart. I don''t care if it costs us our lives. I am selfish enough to risk your life, but I can''t live with any regrets.


    You are mine, and we will live together and die together, even if that means dying right now."


    As to prove her words, with a graceful movement, she removed her veil, leaving Drayce utterly stunned. He remained rooted to the spot, honouring her wish for him not to move, his eyes captivated by her unveiled face. Myrid of emotions in his heart because of her words and actions. He was not prepared for it at all.


    "Dray, let''s not let our love be dictated and defeated by that wicked curse. To face it without fear and to die without regrets is as good as winning. Let''s live this moment as we are meant to, and let''s die with no regrets in our hearts. Will you? Will you ept dying with me?"

 Chapter 745: Dream Or Reality?

    Drayce stood rooted in ce, looking at his wife as she poured out all her emotions. He had longed to see her, and now, as she stood before him, removing her veil, he found himself unsure of what to do. Her confession left him frozen. He had confessed his love for her countless times through words and actions, but none of his derationspared to hers.


    The man who had been forged like iron through countless trials, the man who could be shaken by nothing, was now shaken to his core by her words. It was as if her confession was the only weapon powerful enough to affect him.


    He could clearly see that what she felt was true love, not gratitude, and it wasn''t because of the flower mark on her forehead. Her heart had truly fallen for him.


    His usually calm and rational mind was now a whirlwind of emotions. His eyes, which had barely shed any tears over the years, were now glistening with moisture.


    "Dray?" Seren called, seeing him unresponsive, worry evident in her eyes.


    Has the curse taken its effect already? Was it a mistake to confess to him?


    On her call, he finally reacted and took a note of her beautiful face only to have his gaze captivated by her beauty- striking red-brown hair, flowing in soft waves around her face, her face a delicate masterpiece, with aplexion as smooth as porcin, her cheeks tinted with a natural rosy hue, pair of rare purple eyes which had caught his heart long back.


    Each feature, from her gracefully arched brows to her finely sculpted small nose, contributes to an aura of ssical beauty, timeless and utterly mesmerizing. Her appearance was like a gentle, yet undeniable force, captivating and enchanting to him.


    Was it reality or a dream?


    "Dray?" Seren called again, walking towards him until she stood face-to-face with him, his red eyes meeting hers. Only then did she realize how deeply he was affected, for the first time seeing tears brimming in those red eyes, ready to roll down.


    Drayce wanted to respond to her confession, but his throat was choked with overwhelming emotions, preventing any words from escaping. Seren moved closer and hugged him, her hands wrapping around his waist, her face burying at the base of his neck, her own eyes filled with tears.


    Feeling her soft body against his, Drayce realized it was not a dream. He moved his hands to hug her back.


    After a few moments of quiet, Seren lifted her face to look at him. "I truly love you, Dray."


    In response, he reached out to gently wipe the tears from her delicate cheek while holding back his own. He was ready to answer the question she had asked previously.


    "I am willing to die with you, Seren. I am willing to follow every wish of yours," he said, his warm hands cupping her cheeks, his gaze meeting hers. "I want you to know, I love you as much as you love me. I don''t care about the curse," he moved her hand to his heart. "Right here, in my heart, I know what you feel for me is nothing but love.


    For me, it is enough despite the curse''s definition of true love. What we feel for each other at this moment is what matters. Even if we die, I will have no regrets, because for me, we truly love each other, and that is enough."


    Seren''s lips curled into a light smile. This was what she wished to hear: that he felt her love. She ced her hand over his and spoke, "Dray, I am not sure how much time we have left if this curse is to take effect."


    "Do not worry," he replied, "before that happens, we will make sure to live as husband and wife. As you said, we will start over from where you regret being left, our wedding night."


    She nodded, feeling him lean closer, his lips brushing against hers. "If I had known what you were nning, I would have worn the exact nightdress I wore on our wedding night."


    Seren realized she was wearing that same nightdress, which is why he had mentioned it. "It''s alright. The color is still the same," she whispered back, their lips curving into light smiles filled with unsaid emotions.


    Drayce captured her delicate, sweet lips in his, leading to a tender kiss to which she responded in kind. Without rushing, they kissed each other, savoring the moment as it was the first time they were kissing without any obstacle like her veil or the darkness between them. It was a slow, steady, and meaningful kiss, connecting their souls.


    After a while, when they parted, Drayce didn''t let go of her entirely, wanting to feel her moist and soft lips against his a little longer.


    "Seren?" he whispered, his lips brushing against hers.


    "Hmm?" she responded, catching her breath.


    "Shall we head inside?"


    She raised her lowered gaze to meet his intense one. The hunger he felt for her was evident in his red eyes.


    "Yes," she replied, her voice barely a whisper. Deep inside, she knew what she had agreed to.


    Drayce stepped back and picked her up in his arms. She responded by circling her hands around his neck, a light blush covering her cheeks. As they entered the chamber, the door closed behind them on its own, blocking the cold air from the balcony.


    The mming sound of the door made Seren acutely aware of their situation. Though ready for it, she couldn''t help but feel nervous. She realized that talking about it and actually facing it were two very different things.


    Drayce carried her to the bed and gently ced her on the soft mattress. His gaze observed her flushed face, and a light smile yed on his lips at her shyness.


    Was this the same woman who had been so bold with her confession, demanding to start over from their wedding night, and showing her intention of finally consummating their marriage?

 Chapter 746: The Night Of Unveiled Desires

    Drayce sat at the edge of the bed, cradling Seren''s cold hands in his warm ones. "You seem cold," he murmured.


    "Not much," she replied, watching as he brought her hands to his mouth and blew warm air between her closed palms. She gasped softly at the touch of his lips and the warmth of his breath.


    His eyes fell on the bracelet with the red stone that hung from her wrist, a gift he had given her to ward off the cold. He gently removed it and ced it on the bedside table. "You won''t be needing it tonight."


    Though she always took off the bracelet at night and wore it only during the day, his gesture was clearly suggestive, and she understood his meaning. She was no longer a naive woman.


    He raised an eyebrow, waiting for her response. She nodded weakly. Drayce leaned in closer, his intense gaze taking in her beautiful face. One hand rested on her side for support while the other still held hers. He kissed the inside of her palm and then brushed it along his cheek, savoring the delicate touch against his skin.


    The simple act made her heart flutter with a flurry of butterflies. As her palm rested on his cheek, Drayce leaned in to kiss her but paused when he heard her whisper softly, "Don''t we need to put out the candles?"


    Drayce stopped and looked into her hesitant eyes, which held a hint of shyness. "From this moment onward, none of our nights will be surrounded by darkness."


    Seren had grown ustomed to darkness with him, always able to conceal her embarrassment behind her veil or whenever the veil was gone, it was the darkness that hid her face from him. Though she cherished every intimate moment, she was not used to being seen. Now, with the veil gone, she longed for the darkness to hide her once more.


    Drayce sensed her thoughts and spoke gently, "My Queen, from this moment onward, I wish to see every expression your face can have. Whether you smile or cry, are happy, sad, or angry," he moved her hand gently from his cheek, and his warm lips trailed along her wrist, making her gasp and swallow hard, "Whether you moan in pleasure or cry in pain, I want to see it all.


    The pain I am about to give you, I want to see your expressions change from painful to blissful as you ask me to hurt you more, when you beg me to make you feel that pleasure, when you reach where I wish to take you again and again."


    Seren felt her heart almost leap out of her chest at his words, her breathing turning shallow. She knew the kind of pain he was talking about.


    "Are you scared?" he asked, noticing her reaction.


    She shook her head. "A little nervous, maybe?"


    "You trust me, don''t you?"


    "I do. I trust you more than I trust myself," she replied, her eyes reflecting the depth of her love for him.


    His fingers entwined with hers as he pressed her hand into the bed and leaned closer to swoop her into a kiss that revealed the depth of his own feelings for her. Letting go of his inhibitions, he let his body rest on hers, his lips capturing hers, tasting and feeling them as she reciprocated in kind. Her fingers tightened their grip around his, grounding them both in the intensity of the moment.


    Drayce''s tongue entered her mouth, which she weed as they indulged in heartfelt, passionate kisses. Her soft moans mixed with his hungry groans in the dimly lit chamber. When he finally pulled away, panting heavily, his hungry gaze took in her flushed face, her parted lips gasping for air, and her heaving chest pressed against his.


    This was how she looked whenever he left her breathless, and he swore it was the most beautiful sight of her face he had ever seen. He realised how much he had been missing on, and he wondered how she must have looked whenever he made her feel pleasure. The thought made his throat dry with anticipation; he couldn''t wait to find out, couldn''t wait to make her his entirely.


    Her dewy eyes met his in the soft glow of themps, and she saw a man full of desires and needs. She had seen him like this many times, but tonight was different��more intense and passionate. Did seeing her face make a difference, or was it because they were about to consummate their marriage?


    Drayce''s hand let go of hers and moved toward her chest, stopping over the soft mound beneath the singleyer of her silk nightdress. He squeezed it softly, drawing a pleasured gasp from her lips.


    "Dray��" she gasped lightly.


    "Hmm?" he asked, looking into her eyes while his hand continued its work.


    She suppressed her moans and spoke, "Don''t�� look at me�� this way?"


    "Are you embarrassed?" he asked, not moving his gaze away from hers.


    She averted her gaze and nodded. "I do."


    "You look beautiful this way, trust me. All I want is to look at you," he said, his hands working more roughly, making her gasp loudly and look back at him. "Dray��"


    "This is what I was talking about," he said and then asked, "Didn''t you enjoy seeing me that day when you pleasured me so boldly? I want to see you the same, no veil, no darkness. Will you let me?"


    She observed his passionately demanding gaze and nodded, only to hear him say, "Don''t shy away then." This time, his mouth apanied his hands, moving around her mounds over the softyer of silk, making her moan loudly as his mouth roughly worked on her.


    Her hands gripped his shoulders tightly, trying to suppress the moans leaving her throat.


    His hands slid to her shoulders, and his fingers worked to pull her dress down, wanting to remove the silk that separated his mouth from her skin. Slowly, the dress unraveled, revealing her beautiful bosoms to his hungry gaze. Though it wasn''t the first time he had seen or touched her, just like Seren, tonight felt different for him as well.


    Everything was more intense, as if they were experiencing each other for the first time.


    Drayce''s eyes and fingers roamed over her, filled with desire and admiration. He leaned in, his lips brushing against her now-exposed skin, sending shivers down her spine. His touch was both tender and demanding, each movement more deliberate, each kiss more passionate.


    "Dray��" she whispered, her voice trembling with a mix of anticipation and desire.


    His response was a low, husky murmur as his lips continued their exploration. "You are more beautiful than ever, my queen." His hands cupped her breasts, his thumbs teasing her sensitive nipples, drawing soft moans from her lips.


    Seren''s hands tightened their grip on his shoulders as his mouth continued, kissing and nipping at her soft flesh. She arched her back, pressing herself closer to him, losing herself in the sensations he was creating.


    He pulled her dress further down to her waist and then moved back to remove it entirely, leaving herpletely exposed to his needy gaze.


    She watched as he discarded his own clothes, following the trail where her clothesy somewhere on the carpeted floor. Her eyes traced over his exposed form intently, taking in his perfectly sculpted torso��the broad shoulders, firm chest, leading to well-toned abs and waist.


    She couldn''t help but notice the change in him under his pants that hung low on his hips, her own throat feeling dry at the enticing view made even more tempting by the soft glow from themps.


    He moved closer, his hands gently caressing her skin, exploring every curve and contour. Seren''s breath hitched as his touch sent shivers down her spine, the intensity of his gaze making her feel both vulnerable and cherished.


    "You''re breathtaking," he murmured, his voice thick with emotion as he parted her legs, ready to explore more of her.


    She watched him lean his face between her thighs, a familiar act, yet anticipation gripped her heart. His tongue skillfully moved along her wet, soft folds, drawing pleasurous moans and pants from her. Her gaze met his, who was watching her intently, just as he had said he wished to see every expression of hers.


    Though embarrassed, she didn''t shy away, allowing his wish to be fulfilled, her eyes locked on his without wavering. Her hands, as if having a mind of their own, moved to the back of his head, her fingers tangling in his dark hair.


    Under the relentless assault of his tongue, she surrendered to the pleasure, moaning his name again and again. Each stroke of his tongue sent waves of ecstasy through her body, her back arching and her thighs trembling. She felt herself growing closer to the edge, his intense gaze amplifying every sensation.


    "Dray," she gasped, her voice a mix of desperation and delight. "I... I can''t..."


    "Let go," he murmured against her, his voice vibrating through her core. "I want to see you lose yourself."


    With a final, exquisite flick of his tongue, she shattered, her cries filling the room as waves of pleasure crashed over her. Her body trembled uncontrobly, her hands gripping his hair as she rode out her climax.


    As the aftershocks subsided, Drayce moved back up, his lips trailing kisses along her body until they met hers again. She could taste herself on him, a reminder of the intimacy they had just shared.


    "You are perfect," he whispered against her lips, his voice filled with adoration. "And I will never tire of seeing you like this."


    He moved back, watching her dewy eyes gazing at his form as his hands proceeded to remove his pants, presenting himself in all his glory, his arousal evident and pressing against her thigh as he leaned in, impatience growing inside him. Their bodies pressed together, skin to skin, creating a heat that made them both tremble.


    "Seren?" he whispered, looking into her eyes as he positioned himself better over her and between her legs.


    In response, she offered him a silent approval with a light nod and an assuring gaze, trusting him with every being of her. Her delicate palms gripped his muscr hands tightly, both their heartbeats at their peaks.


    She felt him running his hardness along her sensitive wet folds, making her suck in a sharp breath as he stopped to enter her. Gulping, she closed her eyes to bear the moment, her brows knitting with anxiousness, hershed fluttered, fear evident in her reaction.


    "Eyes on me, Seren," he instructed softly.


    She opened her eyes, hershes trembling.


    "It won''t hurt for long," his voice assured, "I will make you feel better than you have ever felt. Don''t close your eyes."


    "I...won''t," she replied, her voice barely a whisper.


    Keeping his gaze locked with hers, Drayce slowly pushed inside, his bare, well-shaped hips moving with deliberate care.


    The difort caused her to suck in a sharp breath, her nails digging into his flesh, but her gaze didn''t waver from his, letting him see her. Soon, as he moved further, tears started to form in her beautiful eyes.


    "Dray..." she hissed in pain, her body trembling under his.


    Though he was hurting her, watching her like this pleased him, as it was proof of him iming her as his. The scent of fresh blood delighted his senses, as if he were a beast, craving to hurt her, craving to draw blood out of her.


    "Almost there," he whispered, his voice filled with a mix of tenderness and possessiveness. Putting aside his beastly instincts, he paused, allowing her to adjust, his thumb gently wiping away a tear that escaped her eyes.


    Seren''s breath came in short, sharp gasps, but she kept her eyes on his, drawing strength from his gaze. Slowly, the pain began to ebb, reced by a growing sensation of pleasure as he moved within her.


    "You''re doing so well," he murmured, his voice a soothing balm. "Trust me."


    She nodded, her grip on his hands tightening as the difort gradually turned into something else, something more profound. Drayce began to move with a rhythm, each thrust careful and measured, building a connection that went beyond the physical.


    "Dray," she breathed, her voice filled with a mix of relief and pleasure but shocked at her own body''s reaction. She was hurt just a while ago but now she was feeling something else. "I... I feel..."


    "I know," he whispered back, his movements bing more assured. "Just let go, Seren. Let me take you there."


    As they became one, their movements synchronised in a dance of love and desire, Seren felt a profound connection to him, knowing that this moment was just the beginning of a deeper bond, one that would only grow stronger with each passing night.


    The pain melted away entirely, reced by waves of pleasure that built steadily, bringing them both to new heights.


    Seren''s breaths turned to soft moans, her body responding to his with increasing urgency, her fingers traced the lines of his back, feeling the strength in his muscles, her touch tentative yet eager. The connection between them felt electric, every touch and nce heightening the anticipation.


    The intensity between them grew as the entire chamber was filled with the essence of passion they shared this night. As they reached the peak together, the world seemed to dissolve around them, leaving only the two of them, united in their shared ecstasy.


    Drayce let go andy on her delicate body, pressing under his weight, inhaling her calling scent at the crook of her neck, her name left his lips, "Seren."


    He had no words to exin what he was feeling at this moment, his mind nk, all he preferred to hold her closer. He felt her hands surrounding him, ruffling through his hair with tenderness.


    "Dray?" she called him.


    He raised his head and looked at her, his breathing ragged, "Am I suffocating you?"


    She shook her head, "Are you alright?"


    A light smile painted on his lips as he hurried his back in the crook of her neck, "I should be the one to ask you this."


    "I am alright," she replied.


    "Really," she heard him again.


    Before she could nod, Drayce moved a little, pulling out of her, only to make her hiss with pain and sudden emptiness.


    He looked at her, her expressions still pained, "I don''t think you are alright."


    Embarrassment engulfed her as she spoke while looking away, "Maybe a little hurt."


    He made her look back at her, "I like it when you are shy like this."


    She pressed her lips in thin line, her sweat covers cheeks covering in pink hue.


    Drayce turned to his side and held her in his arms in aforting hold, her head resting on his arm while his other free hand running through her hair."I love you, Seren," he whispered, his voice raw with emotion.


    She moved her gaze to look at him, "I love you too, Dray," she replied, her voice equally filled with love and contentment.


    In that moment, they knew that they had crossed a threshold, their bond stronger and more unbreakable than ever before. Theyy together in the soft glow of themps, their hearts beating in perfect and peacful harmony, ready to face whatever the future held, together.


    Death, because of that curse? They would wee it with their arms wide opened. But, if they lived, they would make sure, every moment of their lives ahead, would be worth cherishing, together, with each other, forever.


    "Did it hurt a lot?" he asked, pulling her closer, her face buried against the base of his neck.


    "Later it felt better," she replied.


    "I shall take you to bath. You might feel better..."


    "Let me rest a little," she interrupted as her hand wrapped around him tightly, almost burring herself into him and closed her eyes, "I feel tired."


    "As you wish."

 Chapter 747: Heavens In Uproar

    In the Heaven realm.


    Isis was sitting in the chair while watching her favourite angel being punished.


    "F-Forgive me, my sovereign��" Petra''s cries echoed in the closed chamber as she endured punishment from another angel under Isis''mand. A shining, powerful whipced with divine power, capable of harming even a powerful angel, struck her back, staining her pristine white dress with blood.


    "I had tried to forgive you even if you failed to bring back that child Petra, but do you know why I am punishing you now?" Isis''s angry voice echoed in the chamber.


    "I...Do not know, my Sovereign..." Petra''s voice was painful.


    "The Curse, those curse I had casted on that purple eyed child, that have been broken. She managed to break them," Isis gritted her teeth as she spoke, "That means she found true love. Do you know the meaning of it, Petra?"


    "I...I know, my Sovereign...Ahh..." Another whipshed on her.


    "That child found a true love, that means she would be able to use the hellfire. Once she takes control over it, she will be the most powerful being. I will never be able to retrieve that hellfire from her." Isis'' angry voice echoed in the chamber. "I need to kill that child or the one she loves," her hands gripped the hand rests, "Or even better they both die together.


    But how I am going to do it Petra, tell me how, when my most trusted powerful angels are nothing but useless."


    Petra sobbed, "Apologies, my Sovereign...Ahh..."


    "I trusted you, Petra. I tried not to punish you, but��" Isis'' eyes zed with anger, "...your foolishness, your failure is bringing trouble upon us. Grianor will learn everything and question me. My husband, who has always trusted me, might doubt me for the first time. Do you understand what your failure has cost me, Petra? Capturing that purple-eyed girl and bringing her to me was it that difficult?


    I would have killed her and retrieved that hellfire. I would have ruled all three realms."


    "I... understand... my Sovereign. Please, punish me," Petra sobbed. "When the Supreme Lord questions you, my Sovereign, hold me responsible. I will ept any punishment you deem fit."


    Isis inhaled deeply and closed her eyes, attempting to calm her rage. "That is what you have to pay for your failure, but that won''t solve anything. I have to tell him the truth."


    "My Sovereign, you cannot��"


    "The truth that benefits me," Isis interrupted, her eyes gleaming with a wicked n. "It''s time to get even. I will ensure Grianor eliminates them all at once. He, the King of Heaven, is the only one who can act across all three realms."


    The angel was about to strike Petra again, but Isis raised her hand to stop her. The angel bowed and stepped aside.


    "Petra, I am giving you another opportunity to redeem yourself," Isis dered.


    "Y-Yes, my Sovereign. This time, I will not fail you," Petra replied, her head hung low.


    "Take her away," Isis instructed the other angel.


    "Yes, my Sovereign."


    An angel escorted Petra away as another angel entered the punishment chamber of the Deity of Desires. "Supreme Lady, the messenger has arrived from the Grand Hall. You have been summoned by the Supreme Lord."


    As expected, her husband, the King of Heaven, had summoned her. Isis was ready to face him with her own n in mind.


    Soon, she arrived at the Grand Hall of the Supreme Lord. A man with long silver hair, who was emitting the heavenly divinity, sat on a throne made of white crystals. Grianor, the King of Heavens and the Lord of Light.


    As Isis entered the grand hall, she saw that not only the King but also other deities were present. Everyone had sensed the awakening of the Deity of Fire and were aware that the hellfire was missing from its ce. There was uproar among the Deities, and they sought answers from the King.


    As she walked forward, all the deities seated on either side of the aisle stood up and bowed to her, the Queen of Heavens.


    She gracefully continued and bowed to her husband. "Deity of Desires, Goddess Isis, greets the Sovereign of all three realms and all the deities present here."


    Though she was Grianor''s wife, in the grand hall where the King ruled and handled matters rted to all three realms, she was nothing more than one of his subjects, rather than his wife or the Queen of Heavens.


    Grianor looked at her and offered a light nod, and she walked to the side to sit on her chair. Her throne was ced on the King''s right side, but it was a few steps below his, signifying his supreme power and the fact that no one was his equal in this throne hall.


    "You may begin." A dignified voice of the King echoed in the throne hall.


    Solon, who held the responsibility of presenting the matters to be discussed, stood up from his ce, bowed to the King, and then turned to face all the deities.


    "The Supreme Lord is aware that all of you, like us, have been concerned. You all have sensed the awakening of the Deity of Fire, and the hellfire is missing from its ce. However, I assure you that today we will get to the bottom of this matter, as our capable angels have already investigated it thoroughly."


    The deities nodded, while Isis remained calm andposed.


    Solon turned to Isis. "Deity of Desire, we havee to know that at the moment the Deity of Fire was awakened, the angels serving you were present in the human realm. They bear wounds said to be caused by the hellfire, the very element the heavens are striving to suppress. Would you like to enlighten us on this matter? Were you aware that the hellfire was missing, and do you know who stole it?"


    Isis gracefully stood from her ce and turned to the King. "Supreme Lord, today I wish to reveal everything I know, including why angels working for me were in the mortal realm."


    Grianor gave her a light nod, permitting her to speak.


    "I have known for some time that the hellfire was missing, and I also know who stole it," Isis began. "It was taken by none other than Sierra, the one who was once the Deity of Earth," she turned to the King, "The one whom the Supreme Lord considered his dear sister and showed mercy by sparing her life despite her grave crimes."


    There was a shocked uproar among the gods.


    "Did the Deity of Earth do it?"


    "She is no longer a deity. She was banished from the heavens and stripped of her powers."


    "How could she do it? Was she still powerful enough to steal the hellfire?"


    The King, as dignified as he was, maintained hisposure despite his surprise. "If you had known this, why did you not inform me?" His voice was cold and firm.


    "I wished to inform you, Supreme Lord, but you were in seclusion, recovering from your encounter with the hellfire. I did not wish to disturb you. The reason I did not inform the other deities is that I feared it would cause uproar among them, as we are seeing now. As the Queen of Heavens, it is my sole responsibility to take care of this realm in the absence of the Supreme Lord.


    You have returned recently, and I intended to tell you, but before I could, something happened that has now made everyone aware. I believed I could retrieve the hellfire and bring it back��"


    "How were you nning to bring it back?" Grianor questioned. "No one can control hellfire. Also, how did Sierra manage to take it away? Where did she get such power?"


    "To answer this, I must exin what happened since the day Sierra stole the hellfire," Isis said.


    "Proceed," the King ordered, ready to hear everything that had happened in his absence.


    Isis nodded and turned to face the other gods. "I must warn you that what I am about to reveal may shock everyone present. But with the Supreme Lord''s return, I assure you there is nothing to fear."


    "Please, enlighten us on what happened, Supreme Lady," one of the gods spoke, and the others nodded, ready to hear.

 Chapter 748: Isis Revelation Of The Truth

    Isis began, "We all know the previous Deity of Earthmitted the crime of returning to the human realm after her trial as a human had ended. Not only did she return, but she also fell in love with the same human and bore a child for him.


    ording to heavenly rules, such a deity is punished by being cast into nothingness, but the Supreme Lord spared her life, simply stripping her of her title, her divine powers, and sending her to the human realm. Her child was supposed to be perished in her ce, as such a child is not allowed to exist.


    With the Supreme Lord heading in seclusion to recuperate from the harm caused by the hellfire, as Queen of this realm, she was handed over to me for punishment. But..." Isis sighed helplessly, stopping for a moment.


    "What happened?" one of the deities asked.


    "But I failed," she continued, her expression apologetic as she nced at the King and the other deities. "She managed to deceive my angels and escaped with her child before I could punish her. Not only did she escape, but she also went to where the hellfire was kept and stole it."


    "How? No one among us can do that," another deity interjected. "Where did she keep it and how was she able to control it?"


    "She ced it inside her child''s body," Isis announced. "Her child''s body is acting as a vessel for it."


    "Impossible!"


    The deities began murmuring among themselves, unable to believe what they were hearing. Hellfire was something even the King of Heaven could not withstand.


    "It''s the truth," Isis repeated, looking at Grianor. "And how did she do it? She used absolute darkness."


    Another uproar arose among the deities at the mention of absolute darkness. This was something they had always feared the most.


    "He...The Lord of Absolute Darkness, he helped her?"


    "He is not allowed to. Did he break the rule?" "Did he break the oath he had taken?"


    m!


    The King mmed his hand on the armrest, and the entire hall fell silent. His calm but cold re fixed on his wife. "Deity Isis, think carefully before you speak."


    Isis lowered her head, her face sad. "Apologies, Supreme Lord. I know, despite the Lord of Absolute Darkness is no longer being part of the heaven realm, the Supreme Lord values and trusts Him and has always considered Him a true brother. But what I said is the truth. If this truth has upset the Supreme Lord, I will take it back.


    I will say no more and instead ept any punishment the Supreme Lord deems fit for failing to carry out my responsibilities, for not protecting the hellfire, and for putting the heavens in grave danger once more. Please, punish me."


    There was silence in the hall as Grianor simply looked at her.


    "What are you saying, Supreme Lady?" one of the deities spoke. "We all know you have always tried your best to protect the heaven realm. We want to know what happened so we can resolve this matter and bring back the hellfire."


    Other deities voiced their agreement, and Isis raised her head, looking at Grianor, who had controlled his displeasure. He said, "Proceed."


    "Supreme Lord, I am afraid I might reveal something even more distressing," she said.


    "We all wish to know," he replied, his voice calm.


    sis nodded and continued, "After infusing the hellfire into her child''s body with the help of absolute darkness, Sierra fled to the human realms. I sent my angels after her and sessfully brought her back. I intended to punish her as the Supreme Lord had decided, which I did.


    She was stripped of her divine powers, but her child��I could not harm that child," Isis turned to face all the deities, who were listening intently. "That child had hellfire inside her, and we know none of us has the ability to harm one who possesses that power.


    I nned to keep that child in the heaven realm as long as her body could act as a vessel for it, and then discuss it with the Supreme Lord upon his return. But she escaped once more. I failed again��"


    "Ran away?" Grianor''s voice was cold. "Even after she was stripped of her divine power and left as an ordinary earthly supernatural, she managed to escape the grasp of a powerful deity?"


    Isis lowered her head. "I know I have failed you, Supreme Lord. But someone helped her, and I could not discover who it was."


    "Helped her?" Grianor eximed, "Who dares go against heavenly order and help her?"


    "I do not know, Supreme Lord," she repeated.


    Grianor turned to Soren, "Find out who helped Sierra. The one who did it, need to be punished."


    Soren bowed his head, "Yes, Supreme Lord."


    Isis continued, "She managed to escape with her child. However, before she did, I made sure that the child would not be able to control the hellfire. I ced a curse on her, locking that power inside her so she could not manifest it."


    "You did well, Deity Isis," one of the gods praised.


    "I am afraid I am not worthy of your praise," Isis said. "That child has managed to break the curse and can now manifest hellfire if she wishes to."


    Another uproar arose among the deities, while Grianor''s expression turned serious, understanding the gravity of the situation.


    "My angels never stopped searching for them. They found the child again, but now that she can wield the hellfire, she hurt them and escaped once more," Isis added, sounding helpless. "But you must wonder how a powerless deity managed to hide from powerful angels with her newborn powerless child for so long until her child grew into an adult in the human realm. How is it possible?"


    "Yes, how did she do it?" one of the gods asked.


    "The answer is simple and straightforward��Absolute Darkness," she turned to Grianor. "Absolute Darkness is helping her again and again."


    This time, Grianor did not lose his temper and asked, "Do you have any proof of what you are saying, Deity Isis?"


    "The proof is lying in the human realm, a proof whose existence no one can deny," she replied.


    "What do you mean?" Grianor asked.


    "A young dragon, another Lord of Absolute Darkness, is protecting her," Isis said, looking directly at Grianor.


    This revtion surprised him and shocked the other deities, drawing out gasps from them. The existence of another dragon was inconceivable.


    She continued to look at her husband, who met her gaze, and she spoke, "That young dragon is a child born between the Lord of Absolute Darkness and the previous Deity of Water, Evanthe."


    At this, Grianor finally reacted, gripping the armrests of his throne, his gaze filled with various emotions he tried to suppress.


    Isis watched her husband, her hands ready to clench into tight fists, but she controlled her reaction. ''Only the mention of Evanthe is enough to shake him. Anger rose inside her. Even after what happened, his heart cannot let her go. I wish I could just kill her.''


    While these husband and wife battled inside their hearts, the deities present continued to express their utter shock.


    "His child? How can that be possible?" "Did he truly break his oath? He was supposed to live a lonely life in seclusion." "We have always known that He and the Deity of Water loved each other.


    Did he betray the heavens for her sake and break his oath?" "If this is true, it would upset the Heavenly Emperor." "By breaking the oath and helping Sierra, is he nning to go against heaven?" "If it is true, then no one can stop Him. He is the most powerful being."


    "I request all the deities present here to calm down," Solon spoke.


    His words brought everyone back to their senses.


    One of the deities stood up. "Supreme Lord, if this is true, what do you n to do? How are we going to protect the heavens against Him?"


    "Calm down," Grianor said. "I will personally look into this matter. I believe there is no threat to the heaven realm. The Lord of Absolute Darkness would never break his oath."


    "But what if he truly had a child and��"


    Grianor stood up. "I will find out the truth. Until then, I trust you all know how to be patient."


    "Yes, Supreme Lord," the deity said, sitting back down. Grianor dismissed everyone, leaving only Isis and Solon behind with him.


    "Supreme Lord, what do you n to do?" Solon asked.


    "I will visit Him, and question him personally," Grianor replied.


    Isis, who had calmed down after swallowing her anger, turned to him. "But no one can reach Him."


    "But the Heavenly Emperor can," Grianor replied and disappeared from his ce.


    The other two understood that he went to visit the Heavenly Emperor to gain ess to meet the Lord of Absolute Darkness, a Devil himself.


    Solon bowed to Isis and left, while she remained rooted to her ce, staring at the throne ahead.


    ''In this powerful heaven realm, nothing is mine, not even my husband who has someone else in his heart. I will make sure to sit on this throne one day, and when that dayes, I will need no one. I will show them how wrong they were to belittle a Deity of Desires.''


    With her gaze determined, a wicked smile pained on her lips as she turned around to leave the throne hall.

 Chapter 749: The Heavenly Emperor And Talk About Him

    Grianor appeared at the distant mountain, on one of the borders of the heavenly realm, which seemed serene and peacefully quiet. The clouds floated above, a gentle breeze rustled, numerous birds flitted about, and flowers bloomed amidst lush greenery. At the base of a stunning waterfall that transformed into a quietly flowing river, he spotted a beautiful house.


    The view was so tranquil and lovely that it could soothe even the most troubled mind.


    He gracefullynded at the entrance of the home, where a lone servant recognized him.


    "Elion, humble servant of the Heavenly Emperor, greets the Supreme Lord," the young angel said, bowing in respect.


    Grianor offered a light nod and said, "I wish to meet the Supreme Celestial Emperor."


    "Please, this way," Elion guided Grianor toward the main door, which opened on its own.


    As soon as he stepped inside, he could hear cheerful voices.


    "See, even today, you cannot defeat me."


    "Your Divine Excellency is invincible."


    "Do not tter me. Instead, you should y better."


    "Even then, I won''t be able to defeat you, Your Divine Excellency."


    Crossing the drawing hall, Grianor continued walking with Elion in the direction of the familiar voices, a light smile ying on his lips as he listened.


    They stepped out through another small door that led to a beautiful garden at the rear, where two men were engaged in a game. The view behind them was ethereal, with the stunning waterfall serving as a backdrop.


    An elderly-looking man, smiling brightly, sat across from a younger man on a cushion arrangement on the greenwn. A game board filled with white and ck round marbles separated them. As he sensed Grianor''s presence, the elderly man spoke while arranging the marbles.


    "What brings you here this time, Grianor?"


    "Greetings, Your Divine Excellency," Grianor said as he walked forward and bowed. "I am here to visit you."


    The young man sitting in front of the emperor stood up, greeted Grianor, and stepped aside, making room for him.


    The elderly man, Srius the Divine, the Emperor of Heaven who had chosen to iste himself from all heavenly matters and live in seclusion, turned to look at the promising figure before him.


    "Are you sure it is to visit me, Grianor?" Srius raised an eyebrow.


    "Yes, Your Divine Excellency," Grianor answered.


    A light, peaceful smile yed on Srius''s lips, his eyes filled with ethereal calmness. His entire being emitted a divine aura. Despite the wrinkles at the corners of his light caramel eyes and his long hair turned grey, he was as impressive as any celestial being. He was still the most powerful entity in heaven, with unmatched cultivation.


    "But the way you address me suggests that this visit is not just a visit," Srius spoke yfully.


    "What if I say both, but one means more than the other?" Grianor asked.


    "That depends on how you continue to address me."


    "May I have the pleasure of ying with the Imperial Father?" Grianor said.


    Hearing the change in address, Srius chuckled in delight. "Have a seat, then."


    Grianor sat in front of the Emperor, on the other side of the game board, and heard him say, "You''d better defeat me, Grianor. I have grown tired of winning every time."


    "I will do my best, Imperial Father," Grianor replied with a light smile, delighted to visit this man whom he had always considered his father.


    As the two continued to y a new game, Srius asked, "What is the least important reason for this visit?"


    "I want to visit Him, the Lord of Absolute Darkness," Grianor replied.


    "And you do not know how to reach him?" Srius added as he yed his move with the white marble.


    Grianor nodded and ced the ck marble on the board. "No one can reach him unless He wishes it."


    "May I know the reason for visiting him all of a sudden?"


    "I am not sure if it would please or displease the Imperial Father."


    "I am not concerned about any matters rted to any realm; I believe nothing can please or displease me."


    In response, Grianor stayed silent for a while, focusing on the game. After ying a few moves, he spoke.


    "There is said to be a Young Dragon in the human realm, another owner of Absolute Darkness," Grianor said, looking at the Emperor.


    Unlike what Grianor expected, the Emperor didn''t look shocked or surprised. He calmly yed his next move and hummed, "So there is one."


    "Imperial Father doesn''t look surprised," Grianor remarked calmly.


    Srius smiled lightly, a yfulness in his light caramel eyes. "Should I be?"


    "Was the Imperial Father already aware of his existence?"


    "I won''t say I was aware, but I knew it was going to happen," Srius answered calmly.


    "But we know he cannot."


    "That I can''t deny."


    "When the Imperial Father was aware, why didn''t he try to stop him? The Lord of Absolute Darkness can be punished for breaking the oath he had taken. I do not wish to��"


    "Why would I stop him when I was the one to permit him?" Srius said, lifting his gaze from the game board to look at the shocked Grianor. "Then, would the heavens now punish me?"


    Grianor bowed his head immediately. "I do not dare, Imperial Father."


    "Very well," Srius smiled and resumed the game as if what concerned Grianor was not even a least important thing.


    "We all know how he sacrificed himself to protect all three realms, and because of him, we exist today," Srius spoke after the minute of silence.


    "I am aware, Imperial Father. If I had been capable at that time, I would have sacrificed myself instead, but��" Grianor sighed, "...all three realms owe him."


    Srius nodded in agreement. "Back then, when the injustice happened to him, I told him that if he ever needed anything, I would fulfill his one wish, no matter what it was. He was the most powerful being, and giving my word to him like this was indeed thoughtless action. But I trusted that he would never demand something he should not."


    Grianor yed his move on the board. "And that wish was��?"


    "One day, he came to me all of a sudden," Srius said, looking at a spot a little ahead of him. "Just right there, he knelt in front of me with his head lowered and requested me to allow him to do something: to have a child of his own."


    "Didn''t the Imperial Father ask why such a wish all of a sudden?" Grianor asked.


    Srius hummed. "He said there was someone to whom he had once given his words, and those words held equal importance to the oath he had taken with the heavenly realm. He would not go back on the words he had given to that someone."


    Grianor could guess that someone was Evanthe. He swallowed his emotions and maintained his calm. "And the Imperial Father agreed despite knowing he would be punished for going against his oath?" Grianor asked.


    "What reason do I have to deny his simple heartfelt request after taking away all the rights from his life?" Srius replied, a tinge of guilt and sadness in his eyes. He quickly regained hisposure and continued, "The most powerful being in the Universe, who could destroy all three realms at his will, was kneeling in front of me, begging for his wish to be granted.


    If he wished to do something, could we even stop him? But he still came to me, seeking my approval based on the words I had given him once. That shows his loyalty to his oaths, and we should not make things more difficult for him."


    "But we know why he had to take those oaths and why one of them was that he cannot...."


    "I understand this concern as I was the one to make him take those oaths," Srius interrupted him. "If something disastrous has to happen, you can trust Him to protect all the realms once more. The heavenly realm does not have to panic about a young Dragon being born. He was certainly aware of what he was doing and would never put all three realms in harm''s way.


    Moreover, that young Dragon is his own blood, and I believe he must be as righteous and selfless as his father when ites to power."


    Grianor nodded in agreement but looked conflicted.


    Srius chuckled, "You do not have to do anything, Grianor. After his wish was fulfilled, he returned to the heavenly realm and epted his punishment."


    This shocked Grianor. As a King of Heaven he should have been aware of it but...


    He listened as Srius continued, "No one is aware of it other than the one who guards the mountain where one receives punishment. He decided on a hundred heavenly thunder strikes for himself."


    Grianor''s hand, holding a marble, shook. "That��"


    "I know, it was a brutal punishment he decided for himself, but that is how he is. Instead of celebrating that precious moment of his own child being born, he was here to ept the punishment," Srius'' gaze turned emotional. "A punishment, even the most powerful deity can hardly bear one-fourth of what he endured.


    Each thunder strike gets powerful than the previous one as more the person endures it."


    "Imperial Father didn''t try to stop Him?" Grianor asked, clearly displeased his voice distressed. "Was He looking to end himself?"


    "It certainly looked like it," Srius replied, "but possessing such strong poweres with a price. One cannot even choose their own end."


    Grianor calmed himself and lowered his head. "Apologies for losing myposure and acting this way in front of the Imperial Father."


    Srius chuckled. "You do not need to apologize. I am d you still care for him the same."


    "How is he now? I want to meet him."


    "Perhaps still recovering," Srius replied. "Regarding visiting him, I will send him a message. If he agrees, you can visit him."


    "Thank you, Imperial Father."


    "You should y aggressively, Grianor. I see you being defeated," Sriusmented as they turned their attention back to the game.


    "I do not think so," Grianor replied, making his move.


    "Hmm, that is certainly impressive," Srius noted.


    While ying, Grianor nced at Srius asionally, his thoughts conflicted.


    "Say it already," Srius said yfully. "Keeping something bothersome in mind is not a good thing."


    "The person Lord of Absolute Darkness gave his word to, didn''t the Imperial Father try to find out who it was?" Grianor asked, a hint of hesitation in his voice.


    Srius raised a brow, "Should I have?"


    "Yes."


    "As I have chosen to be in seclusion, it''s not for me to concern myself with matters other than whates to me directly on its own."


    "What if that someone concerns you, Imperial Father?"


    Srius smiled yfully at the concerned Grianor. "Then what do you suggest I should do?"


    "Is the Imperial Father truly unaware of who that someone might be?"


    Instead of answering, Srius nced around the board, deducing his next move. "You are getting better at this, Grianor."


    "Thank you," he replied politely and watched him y.


    "Who do you think was always so important to Him that he consider the weight of words given to her was equal to the oaths he had taken with heavens?" Srius finally spoke. "No one needs to even think about it twice. She was his own heaven."


    Grianor understood and said, "Then aren''t you eager to meet your grandson?"


    "As I said before, I only concern myself with those whoe to me here on their own."


    "Isn''t Imperial Father curious about his own daughter?"


    "The same rule applies to her as well, even though she is my daughter. This is the secluded life I chose for myself," Srius replied. "Moreover, isn''t it against the heavenly rules to look into her life in the mortal realm?"


    Grianor nodded and didn''t press further. The two continued to y and talk. After the game was over, Grianor was ready to leave, and Srius walked with him to escort him.


    "I am d someone finally defeated me after so long," Sriusmented in delight. "As expected of the Supreme Lord I had chosen carefully."


    Grianor simply smiled as he walked along and said, "This ce is so peaceful that I feel reluctant to leave it."


    "Are you envious of this old forgotten deity now that I am living peacefully here?"


    "I certainly envy you, but I disagree with the ''old forgotten deity'' part."


    Srius chuckled. "If you envy me, then care to join me in living here?"


    "Can I?" Grianor asked.


    "Hmm. Once you find an heir to pass your throne to, just like I found you and Him. Then, like me, you can live in peace until you decide to cease to exist."


    "I will," Grianor replied. "Being a ruler is rather tiresome."


    "We all have our own roles to y. I wish you to y yours in the most delightful way."


    Grianor left while Srius stood looking at the beautiful sky ahead. ''Young Dragon. I believe he is as wonderful as his parents. Maybe there will be a day when hees to me on his own and gets to see him before I cease to exit.''


    He turned around to return inside, a delightful smile ying on his lips. ''I wonder what traits of mine he has inherited from Evanthe. It would be interesting to see. Hmm, certainly as good-looking as I used to be in my youth. Evanthe always said I was the most handsome person in all three realms. My daughter, she always told the truth.''

 Chapter 750: Hot Water Spring

    The next morning, Seren stirred in her sleep, her fingers gently brushing through her hair and touching her scalp. A light smile formed on her lips as she opened her eyes to see a pair of red eyes gazing back at her.


    "Good morning, my queen," Drayce said, his eyes taking in her beautiful face.


    She smiled in return. "Morning, husband."


    Drayce raised an eyebrow, surprised by the new title.


    "Now we are truly husband and wife," she said, her voice slightly hoarse. "Nothing separates us now, not even that curse, though I''m not sure if it''s still there or if it''s been lifted."


    "You''re right. Nothing can separate us now," he replied, his fingers lightly brushing her delicate cheeks, his gaze exploring every inch of her face.


    "What''s wrong?" she asked.


    "You''re truly beautiful," he said softly. "You shine even brighter in the sunlight."


    "Do you really find me beautiful?" she asked again.


    He nodded. "Just like I always thought my mother was the most beautiful woman, our children will feel the same about you."


    She chuckled lightly. "So, you''re no different from other men who like beautiful women."


    "Yes," he said, "but only when that woman is my wife. I won''t hesitate to tell her again and again how beautiful she is and that there''s no one like her."


    Seren giggled lightly. "King Drayce has always been good with words. But I must say, I liked what he said."


    "So, you''re no different from other women who like to be praised for their beauty," he teased.


    "Only when the one praising my beauty is my husband. I would love to hear from him again and again how beautiful I am, that there is no one like me."


    He smiled and pinched her cheek tenderly. "Queen Seren is getting good with words as well."


    She chuckled happily. "Learning from the best, my husband."


    Drayce kissed her forehead and said, "If you''re no longer sleepy, I''ll take you somewhere."


    Seren nodded but then noticed something. "Wait, we''re not in our room."


    "We are not."


    She looked around the room. It wasn''t her chamber in the pce but a luxurious cottage. The wooden walls were well decorated, and the windows had pristine white curtains that moved with the breeze. The ceiling was adorned with delicate fabrics hung at the center and stretched out toward the walls. The bed, the mattress��everything was different.


    She even wore a different nightdress from the previous night.


    "My clothes?" she asked.


    "I cleaned you and put on fresh clothes before bringing you here," Drayce exined.


    "Where are we?"


    "On the mountain."


    "When did you bring me here?"


    "After you fell asleepst night."


    "Is it ours?"


    "Yes."


    "I want to look around," she said, trying to move but then groaned and smiled at him awkwardly. "Seems like I might need some help."


    Drayce suppressed augh at her embarrassed reaction and lifted her up to carry her outside. "I didn''t even do muchst night."


    Her face turned red at his remark. "Was... is not... much?"


    "I spared you because it was your first time, but it won''t be the same after this."


    "What would you do?" she asked, looking up at him.


    He nced down at her, a teasing glint in his eyes. "You''ll find out. For now, don''t be so curious and tempt me to show you." He carried her outside, and Seren''s eyes were almost blinded by the brightness around them.


    They were on a snowy mountain, every inch covered in a thickyer of snow. Ahead, she saw a body of water surrounded by white stone structures.


    "That''s the hot spring I told you about, the one meant for the King," he exined.


    She remembered the first time Drayce had brought her to a hot spring where children were ying. He had used it as an opportunity to exin the difference between men and women. He told her everyone here soaks in the hot springs during or before winter to improve their immunity against the cold.


    Apart from the ones for ordinary people, the royals and nobles had their private hot springs wheremoners were not allowed.


    "This one is only for us," he repeated, "this entire ce."


    "It''s beautiful," she said, looking around. "Am I going to soak in it?"


    He nodded. "It''s winter, and we don''t want you to get sick. It will help improve your immunity against the cold and has healing properties."


    "Are we going in the spring right away?" she asked.


    "I think you might like to eat something first," he said.


    Seren touched her stomach and realized she was famished. "So thoughtful of you."


    "I always have been, or you wouldn''t be getting out of bed anytime soon."


    Seren gently pped his arm for shameless words, and they smiled together.


    After freshening up and eating a little, Drayce took her to the hot spring.


    "I don''t know how to swim," she said as they approached the spring.


    "You don''t need to swim here. Just sit and soak in the warm water."


    "What if I drown?"


    "It''s not that deep," he passed her an assuring gaze. "Would I ever let you drown?"


    She shook her head. "Let''s go then."


    Drayce turned to face her, his hand moving to her shoulder. Puzzled, she asked, "What are you doing?"


    "You can''t enter with clothes," he said.


    "Is that a rule?"


    "Yes."


    "Who made this rule?"


    "Your husband did."


    She understood this sly man and said, "I''ll do it."


    "Are you sure?"


    She nodded. "Turn around."


    He smirked. "Are you shy now after screaming under mest night?"


    "You..." she frowned. "Just turn around."


    Drayce turned around. "Let me know when you''re ready."


    Just as Seren felt relieved, she sucked in her breath once more, feeling it catch in her throat. Drayce, with his back to her, removed his robe, letting it fall around his feet, and walked stark naked into the water. Her throat felt dry at the sight of the back view of his perfectly sculpted body.


    "Don''t just watch me," she heard Drayce call out. "You might freeze if you take too long."


    Seren snapped back to her senses and hurriedly removed her dress, letting it fall to the ground. She stepped forward into the water, her small feet making their way towards the depth. Despite the cold weather and snow everywhere, the water was perfectly warm and soothing against her skin.


    ''It''s magical.''


    She watched Drayce reach the other side, where he turned and sat on the white stone sitting arrangement submerged in the water. As he sat, the water covered him up to his shoulders.


    ''How elegant he is, so perfect,'' she thought, her eyes unable to move away from him.


    He extended his hand towards her. "Come here."


    The way he looked at her made her instinctively aware that this was not just about soaking in the water. She slowly walked towards him, the water covering her body below her chest. She epted his hand, and he gently guided her to sit between his legs, her back pressed against his firm chest.


    "A-Aren''t we here to soak?" she asked, feeling his hands encircle her stomach.


    "That doesn''t mean we can''t sit together," he replied and dipped his face in the crook of her neck to inhale her scent.


    Shiver ran her spine as she knew she had been tricked or rather fell into a trap.

 Chapter 751: Making Fantasies Come True

    "Did it hurt a lot?" Drayce asked, his voice soft and gentle, a stark contrast to his demanding tone from the previous night.


    Embarrassed, she shook her head. "A little."


    His hands, which had been resting around her stomach, began to trace the curves of her body, his fingertips gently brushing against her delicate skin.


    "Was it cruel of me to demand you keep looking at me, even though you were in pain?" he asked again, his voice still gentle but tinged with guilt.


    Seren knew that Drayce had always put her needs and wants before his own, caring for her like a delicate flower, protecting her from even the slightest harm. For the first time, he had been willful with her, taking what he desired, which must have made him regret his actions.


    She shook her head. "I understand why you did it. You don''t need to feel bad about anything. I loved seeing you like that, the emotions I had never seen on your face before. They were precious."


    "You looked as beautiful and as tempting as well. I can never forget it," Drayce said, pecking her cheek before looking ahead. A serene silence enveloped them.


    "Are you better?" Drayce broke the silence.


    She nodded. "It felt magical and healing when I stepped into the water, as if my soul was being coaxed into the sweetestfort."


    "This water is indeed magical," he said. "It is said that in the past, the Deity of Water descended from heaven. She saw people suffering from the cold and falling sick. She poured divine water from heaven onto this mountain, and each drop of it turned into numerous hot springs. That''s why, despite the chilly cold in this part of the kingdom, people can withstand it."


    "The Deity of Water must be kind and truly care about humans," she said. "I can feel the magic in this water. I''m sure it''s healing."


    "Then we can stay here for a few days if you like this ce," Drayce suggested.


    Seren observed the beautiful view for a long moment before breaking the silence. "Here, it feels like being in heaven. Everything is so pure and peaceful."


    "Have you seen heaven topare this ce to it?" he asked with a teasing smile.


    She chuckled softly. "When something makes us happy and blissful, we say it feels like heaven, and when something makes us sad, we say it feels like hell."


    He hummed in agreement and leaned closer, his lips near her ear. "When I make you feel pleasure, do you feel like you''re in heaven?" he whispered.


    She smiled slightly at his teasing. "Hmm, more like floating on clouds in heaven."


    He tugged gently on her earlobe with his teeth, drawing a light cry from her. "I don''t mind keeping you floating on those heavenly clouds all the time." His hand turned her face to meet his gaze. "What do you say?"


    She noticed the need in his eyes, her gaze lingering on his enticing face before stopping at his lips. "I don''t mind," she answered, mirroring his emotions.


    Drayce captured her lips in his, and they indulged in gentle yet needy kisses. His hand caressed her curves intimately, his hot breath burning against her cold skin.


    "I wish this magical water magically heals you," he whispered against her moist, swollen lips before kissing her again, this time with rough passion.


    Catching her breath, Seren whispered against his lips, "Maybe... the magic has already worked wonders..." and resumed kissing him.


    Drayce paused, his eyes searching hers to see if she meant what she said. In response, Seren stood up, her water-drenched body turning to face him, and she straddled him, her intentions clear.


    "Seren..."


    "I am fine," she interrupted, understanding his concern. She sealed his lips with hers, her hands resting at the back of his head, pulling him into a passionate kiss. His hands caressed her body roughly, reaching her soft bottom, squeezing it and running along her thighs, her soft body pressed firmly against his heated one.


    "Are you sure?" he asked while she tried to grab his lips again, "Hmm," and kissed him.


    He grabbed her hand and guided it downward, making her hold his erect manhood. "Think before you say anything," he warned, his wordsced with a hint of caution, as if to say he might hurt her again.


    She stopped kissing him and looked into his intense red eyes while her hand moved expertly, earning a pleasured groan from him.


    "Seems like reading those books has made you bold," hemented, his own hands grabbing the flesh of her slender waist roughly, making her hiss.


    "Didn''t they mean for me to learn and then act?" she asked boldly, her hand never stopping, her eyes challenging his restrain.


    He gripped both her hands tightly and locked them behind her back with one hand, making her arch her back and press her soft bosom against his chest. His gaze was a clear warning.


    "What are you doing?" she asked, trying to free her hands.


    "Making your fantasies from the bookse true," he replied. The next moment, his mouth descended to her arched chest, allowing him to ravage her soft mounds to his delight.


    "Dray..." she moaned, her head falling back in pleasure. She was entirely trapped, her hands locked behind her back, her legs folded at the knees, straddling him, unable to move.


    She felt his teeth graze the soft flesh of her mounds, making her look down at him. She wondered if he was trying to mark her, but when he looked up at her, there was no darkness in his eyes. He was still Drayce.


    His gaze fixed on her baffled face, and then he did something that made her body jerk. Lost in her worry about being marked, she hadn''t noticed his fingers slipping inside her, still holding her firmly.


    A small cry left her lips as her body shuddered under the skillful movements of his fingers. Soon enough, those fingers were reced by something else, drawing a pleasured cry from her.


    She looked at him, his eyes darkened with desire, the veins on his neck tightened as he felt pleasure just as intensely. He released her hands, letting her put them on his shoulders, while his own hands moved to hold her waist.


    Seren was bold enough to move on her own ord, drawing pleasured groans from him. Her hands took support on his shoulders, while his hands guided her movements, helping her glide smoothly in the water.


    Words were unnecessary as they indulged in the beautiful act of intimacy, their heated bodies moving in perfect sync. The sounds of their passionate union filled the air, creating a symphony of love and desire.


    Seren didn''t know when she had shifted from straddling him to now standing, facing the white stony border of the spring, her hands resting on it while Drayce stood behind her. This new position, one she had read about in the book, filled her with anticipation, ready to receive what he had nned for her.


    "Ahh..." she groaned as she felt him enter her once more. This time, she couldn''t see him, but the sensation was just as incredible as described in those dirty books. She realized how much she had missed out on because of that cursed spell, now feeling a rush of excitement and liberation.


    His hands gripped waist in firm grip, moving with each thrust as strong and calctive, drawing immense pleasure of both of them.Every movement brought new waves of pleasure, and she marveled at the intensity of the experience, d to finally embrace everything she had been deprived of for so long.


    Serencked the track of time and number of times he made her float on the clouds. Drained from even thest bit of her strength, she found herself lying on bed, naked to his still heated gaze, her body drenched, not sure it was the water from the spring or her own sweat.


    "No more," she mumbled weakly, closing her eyes. Draycey, next to her and pulled her into his arms, "I am sure there were so many books."


    "For today, this much is enough," she mumbled weakly.


    He smiled lightly and pecked on her forehead, indicating he had agreed to what she said.


    When he thought she might fall asleep, he heard her. "Dray?"


    "Hmm?"


    "I was wondering, though we are being intimate, Erebus is not meddling," she replied, "Is he alright? He was hurt as well, isn''t he?"


    "Are you worried about him?" he asked.


    "That means I am worried about you," she countered. "Is he alright? I didn''t get to see him after that incident."


    "You have warned him once that he could not meddle between us when we will be consummating marriage, so he must be following your wishes."


    her fingers moved against his chest, drawing small circles, "Is he being obedient?"


    "You don''t want him to?"


    "I am d he listened to me. If he had gone against my words and had spoiled our moments like always, I was going to scold him and give him cold shoulder. I wouldn''t have allowed him to mark me."


    Drayce chuckled at her firm resolve, happily, "My brave Seren."


    "If he is alright, then there is nothing to worry," shemented and asked, "Now we have consummated the marriage, will he mark me?"


    Drayce nodded, "Are you scared?"


    "No, I am not. I was just wondering when will it happen so I can prepare myself and won''t panic if hees to me all of a sudden and sink his canines in my skin."


    "Marking is sacred thing. Though he can be impatient at a time, he knows it well. When the timeses, you will know already."


    "How?"


    "Yorian and I have talked about it. Once he receives a message from my mother, we will go to Agartha. There in front of other supernaturals Erebus will mark you."


    "Is there such a rule?" She asked.


    "It shall be done under the blessing from the elders. Every n of divine beasts follows it. As there is no Dragon n, the elders from other supernatural ns will be there as a witness and give us their blessings.


    Not just for us, but witnessing a divine beast marking his chosen female, holds great importance to them as well," he exined, "moreover, if I mark you here and youy unconscious for days, that would be an issue. Agartha is surrounded by divine barrier and that ce is safe for sacred rituals."


    "I get it," she replied and closed her eyes. "I will wait for the day when our souls will be connected for eternity."

 Chapter 752: Enraged Drayce And Slayer

    After spending more than a week at the cottage, enduring Drayce''s relentless demands for intimacy, Seren finally broached the subject.


    "Dray, when are we returning to the pce?" she asked quietly while eating. She was relieved that he allowed her a reprieve at least during meals. She wished her stomach were bigger so she could spend more time eating, the only time she felt free from his constant attention.


    Drayce served more food onto her te. "Are you bored here, my Queen?"


    "No. I was just thinking you have been away from your duties for more than a week. You already had too much work to do after our visit to Othinia. I think you should resume your duties or our people might feel neglected by their King."


    He stared at her for a moment, making her lower her gaze like a guilty thief.


    "You''re learning to make excuses, aren''t you?"


    "I was just worried about your image as a King. I don''t want anyone to doubt my husband''s capability as a king."


    "You should think about my capabilities as your husband," he said with a meaningful gaze. "I''m sure I excel in that role."


    ''That''s the reason I want to return to the pce. At least there, I won''t be with you every moment of the day and night. If this keeps going on, my body will break. I''m sure it''s only my divine power keeping me alive,'' she thought, offering him a light, awkward smile. "I miss the pce. I want to go back."


    He stared at her wordlessly, as if trying to see through her, making her nervous under his gaze. "Alright. We will return right away."


    As if her life was being saved, her face brightened up. "Really?"


    Seeing her reaction, he chuckled. "When did I not listen to you?"


    "These past few days, you didn''t listen to me," she mumbled, but Drayce heard her. "Did I?"


    She nodded, her gaze using him. "You didn''t listen even when I said to stop, that I was tired, that I wanted to rest. You didn''t listen to me." She could not hold back any longer.


    To her clear displeasure, Drayce simply patted her head. "Alright. I will listen to you. I won''t overdo it."


    "Thank you."


    "How about onest time here before we leave?" he asked, as if everything depended on her wish.


    Though doubtful, she nodded. "Only once, and then we leave."


    "Sure," he offered her a gentle smile, but his gaze... Seren didn''t trust that look.


    ''Have I fallen into his trap again?''


    Drayce observed her doubtful gaze and said gently, "You should eat. The food is getting cold."


    The sweeter he acted, the more she doubted him. This entire week, she learned one thing- never fall for a man''s sweet words."


    Her anxiousness made her lose the rest of her appetite. She drank some water and said, "I... am full."


    "Good."


    Later, Seren realized that agreeing with him had been a mistake. She should have trusted her gut feelings.


    "Dray, you said only once��"


    |em|p,yr


    "Of course, only once."


    "But... it''s been more than once... I can''t��"


    "I was talking about once for me, not for you, and I am not there yet."


    "Dray, you fooled me�� Ahh��"


    "I am simply following what we agreed on."


    "You liar, monster, I won''t trust you anymore��."


    Byte afternoon, Drayce and Seren finally returned to the pce. Seren''s tired body, d in new clothes, was being carried in his arms as he teleported to her chamber. He ced her gently on the bed and pecked her forehead. "Rest."


    Too exhausted to reply, she simply closed her eyes and drifted to sleep.


    When he brought her back in a half-unconscious state, her face was covered with a veil. He preferred it to be her decision when she wished to remove it and show herself to others. He instructed the servants to let her rest undisturbed and then returned to his study.


    Yorian arrived after a while. He greeted Drayce and sat in the chair opposite him.


    "Good to see you back, King Drayce."


    "It''s been just a week since I was gone. Don''t tell me I don''t deserve to spend a week in silence with my wife."


    "When did I say you can''t? I''ve been waiting to inform you about a few things while teleporting between Griven and Megaris. Something that might shock you."


    "About An? What did you find out?" Drayce asked, remembering Oriana had called for Yorian.


    Yorian exined the entire situation about An and Oriana to Drayce. "...So, Oriana is the one your friend has been looking for desperately, his betrothed he wished to kill."


    Drayce was shocked to hear this.


    "Also, your friend revealed to her that he is a Dragon," Yorian added. "More like he did it to scare her away, and he revealed it in the most brutal way."


    Drayce pinched the bridge of his nose. "He is always extreme in everything he does."


    "What I told you is just ordinary gossip. The darker part is yet toe."


    "What do you mean?"


    Yorian exined what had happened to An and how he had been tormented for almost two decades and was still suffering.


    Drayce, shaken to his core and filled with worry for his friend, stood up.


    "Where are you going?" Yorian asked.


    "Where do you think?" Drayce shot him a cold re.


    "I aming as well," yer dered, gripping the handle of his sword, ready to kill anyone who had hurt his friend.


    "Calm down, you two," Yorian raised his voice. "If you two could solve anything, I would have asked you to do it first."


    "I can only calm down once I kill that witch," Drayce roared.


    "And then kill your friend''s family along with her?" Yorian countered. "Do you think Prince An can''t kill her? Why is he still suffering for so long? It''s time to act rationally, King Drayce."


    Drayce inhaled deeply to calm himself and looked at the elf, his red eyes still filled with fury. "What do you suggest then? Let him suffer for eternity?"


    "No. I won''t let it happen," Yorian replied confidently. "If you two calm down, I can exin."


    Drayce sat back in his chair while yer also calmed down.


    "What do you n?" Drayce asked, adding, "Whatever you say, the end should be that witch''s demise."


    "For now, I need Commander Sander''s help," Yorian replied.


    "I will do whatever you say," yer replied, ready to go on a mission to kill someone.


    "I need the help of your abilities that no one else possesses," Yorian said, his gaze fixed on yer.


    yer had never acknowledged his secret abilities, but for his friend''s sake, he was ready to do anything. "I will do it."


    Yorian turned to Drayce. "The night of the full moon is in a few days, and Prince An will go to that witch once more. That night, I n to use the opportunity to understand the witch better and make her reveal her secrets and intentions before we n to kill her, without harming Prince An''s family.


    On that night, yer''s abilities will protect An and Oriana without anyone being harmed." He then turned to yer. "Commander, you are not allowed to kill her. Your job is to scare her and protect An and Oriana. No matter how enraged you are, you won''t kill her."


    "I won''t," yer assured.


    "Once we know everything, we will devise a n," Yorian said, standing up. "I will take my leave now. I''ll return when needed."


    Drayce and yer agreed while the elf left.


    "We didn''t know what he was��." yer frowned. "How could he hide it from us for so long?"


    Drayce was unusually quiet, having no words as well.


    Late that night, Drayce returned to Seren. He was aware she had rested properly and spent a good time with herdy servants, talking and catching up on thetest gossip.


    When he entered the chamber, Seren was resting. Sensing his arrival, she turned to look at him as he approached the bed. She wanted to tell him to stay away from her that night, but seeing his troubled expression, she swallowed her words.


    She let him climb into the bed and slip under the duvet. Turning to face him, he held her closer.


    "Is something troubling you?" she asked.


    "It''s nothing," he said, holding her closer and closing his eyes. "You need to rest more."


    She was certain something was bothering him. "Are you going to hide things from me now?" she mumbled.


    "I just don''t want to worry you with outrageous things."


    "It''s fine. I can handle whatever it is."


    Drayce sighed and exined what Yorian had told him.


    She was shocked but raised her head to look at his worried face. She knew how deep the bond of brotherhood ran between him and his friends and how enraged he must be inside.


    "Mister Yorian said they will be fine. Trust in his words."


    Drayce could only nod, listening to her as she hugged him softly, offering him thefort he desperately needed. "Everything will be alright."


    Drayce''s hands tightened their hold around her, as he hummed and closed his eyes.

 Chapter 753: Angry Slayer

    Drayce had been preupied with border matters for several days, ensuring that the shield he had erected between Thevailes and Megaris remained intact. Following thest attack, Zaria seemed to have either calmed down or was biding her time for the right moment to strike.


    "Dray, you''ve been teleporting back and forth. You must be exhausted," Seren remarked as she ced food on his te.


    "It''s not tiring, don''t worry," Drayce reassured her.


    "Any trouble at the border?" she asked.


    "For now, everything seems alright."


    "Tonight''s the full moon."


    Drayce nodded. "yer and I will leave for Griven shortly. Don''t wait up for me tonight."


    "Don''t worry about me. Just focus on helping Oriana and Prince An."


    Drayce nodded again. "Yorian is with them, so we have better support."


    "Mister Yorian does seem like an angel who appeared in our lives suddenly," Serenmented. "Speaking of him, I was wondering if our mothers have reached Agartha."


    "I''m sorry, my Queen. I forgot to tell you. Mother sent me a message. They''ve reached Agartha and are already working on the issues we''re facing."


    "That green-eyed woman in my dream, did they find her?"


    "They did," he confirmed. "She is a ck dragon, King Draven''s mate, and the reincarnated deity of fire. The fire element in you belongs to her." Drayce exined the entire situation, detailing how things had unfolded. (Note: Kindly refer to the book, The Devil''s Cursed Witch from chapter 445 onwards for further details about how Seren got the hellfire)


    "So, are we going to Agartha to return what belongs to her?" Seren asked.


    "Not yet. Even if we go there, there''s no way to transfer the hellfire from you back to her," Drayce exined. "Mother is also working on reviewing Aureus'' uncle, whom you saw in your vision, along with King Draven''s mate."


    "So he is alive?" Seren asked. "In that vision, I felt like he was gone. I could feel his energy disappearing. Was it the wrong vision?"


    Drayce shook his head. "Something managed to protect his core, which came as a surprise to everyone. In thest message I received, I only learned this. By now, he may have already woken up."


    "Mister Aureus would be d. He protected mest time, and I wish for his happiness as well."


    Drayce nodded thoughtfully, contemting whether he should reveal that Dusk is Aureus. Just as he was about to speak, Seren said, "It''s good that we''re not leaving for Agartha yet. It seems Prince An and Oriana need you."


    Drayce hummed in agreement. "Until An''s issue is resolved, we''re not going anywhere."


    "I agree," Seren said.


    That night, Drayce and yer left for Griven. Unable to sleep, Sereny awake, worrying about what might happen.


    Hours passed with no sign of Drayce''s return. Unwilling to stay in her room any longer, she got up. "Do not follow me," she instructed the servants and walked alone down the corridor.


    When she reached the connecting corridor between her residence and Drayce''s, she continued forward, guided by her instincts and lost in thought.


    As she crossed the bridge, she felt a familiar energy fluctuation. "Is he back?" She hurried, knowing exactly where to find him. The few knights she passed along the way bowed to her, but she paid them little mind as she rushed toward Drayce''s study. Just as she reached the door...


    m!


    Seren froze in ce, rooted to the spot as she heard what was happening inside the study. The enraged voice of a man echoed through the door.


    "What the hell, Dray," yer''s voice rang out. "You have to find a way, or I''m going there and killing that witch."


    "You know well why we can''t kill her," Drayce replied.


    "I know. That''s why I spared her today. But the longer we wait, the more she''ll hurt An," yer''s voice grew more enraged. "I''ve kept quiet because I didn''t want to lose my temper in front of Oriana and worry her. But not anymore. You''re a powerful supernatural, a dragon.


    Find a way. Go to your mother and ask her."


    "Calm down," Drayce''s voice remained steady. "Do you think I''m not angry? But losing our temper won''t help. If this were between humans, we would have dealt with it. But matters between supernaturals are different. Sometimes I think if there were no supernaturals, we could all live peacefully as humans.


    Having powers brings nothing but torment and lives filled with annoying mysteries, where you''re not even sure of your own existence."


    Seren, listening outside, felt the weight of Drayce''s words. She understood. If she were human, her life would have been simpler, but...


    "I''m giving you the time you need. But if this isn''t resolved, I''ll go to Griven and kill her. It''s better than letting An and his family suffer. You know I can do it. You know I can break the magic barrier of that witch''s ce and kill her."


    "I know. Trust me, it will be solved soon. An and his family will be safe," Drayce assured him.


    yer calmed down, and Drayce looked toward the door, sensing his wife''s presence. He used his power to open it, revealing Seren standing there.


    Startled, she looked at the two of them. "I didn''t mean to��"


    "It''s alright," Drayce said, e inside."


    yer bowed to her, then looked at Drayce. "I''ll take my leave."


    Drayce nodded and watched his knight depart.


    "Were you scared, my Queen?" Drayce asked as he walked toward her.


    She shook her head. "What happened? yer looks angry."


    Drayce exined the situation, and Seren felt equally sad and enraged for An and his family.


    "What are we going to do?" she asked.


    "Now that we know her well, Yorian and Oriana will plot something, and we''ll help them," Drayce exined.


    "I will help if there is anything I can," she said, though her tone was not confident. "Though I know I can do nothing but grow nts and then burn them identally."


    Drayce patted her head, knowing she still felt bad about not being able to protect him. "As long as I''m here, you don''t need to do anything. My powers are enough to protect both of us."


    "How about I grow a nt on that witch''s head and then burn it with hellfire?" she chuckled.


    "I''m afraid a nt won''t grow over her rotten head," Drayce replied, drawing a sweetugh from her.


    "There''s something else I want to tell you," Drayce said.


    "Hmm?"


    "You know Zaria is Oriana''s master."


    Herughing eyes immediately showed a tinge of anger at the mention of the one who almost took Drayce away from her. "I know." Her tone was angry. "Being Oriana''s master won''t affect my will to kill her."


    "I hate her as much as you do, but we have to take her help in our mission of protecting An from that evil witch."


    "How?"


    "Only a powerful ck witch can break the blood curse, and Zaria is the only one in existence that we know. Oriana is going to seek her help, and she''s sure that as her master, Zaria will help her."


    Seren understood the implication and said, "That Zaria has caused a lot of harm to innocents. Let her do one good deed by helping our friend. Then we might give her a less painful death."


    "I knew you would understand."


    "Nothing is more important than saving a life. You don''t have to think about what I feel. I want the same thing as you��to protect Prince An, and I''m fine if we have to take our enemy''s help to do that."


    Drayce hugged her. "I feel like every passing moment makes me love you more."


    She chuckled lightly. "I feel the same."

 Chapter 754: Mesmerised By Serens Beauty

    While Drayce was busy taking care of his responsibilities as King, Seren also resumed her work. As taught by Lady Tyra, Seren was going to handle her duties. She visited the royal harem, the Vermilion Pce. Everyone was informed about her arrival and was waiting to wee their queen, who was visiting them after a long time.


    Along with Lady Tyra and herdy-in-waiting, Seren entered the Vermilion Pce.


    "Greetings, Your Majesty, Queen Seren," everyone bowed in respect.


    Seren was led to the main hall, where she sat on the throne while others took their ces. As previously discussed with Lady Tyra, Seren spoke.


    "I am happy to be back and to be able to meet you all once more. The trip was long and indeed trying, so it took me days to make a visit here. From now on, I will make sure to pay attention to the Vermilion Pce." She then looked at rissa, "Lady rissa, thank you for taking care of the Vermilion Pce in my absence."


    "Thank you, Your Majesty," rissa replied, her tone and face devoid of any expression.


    "I would like you to keep handling the responsibilities you have been following. But at the same time, I wish to distribute some important tasks to others as well. As always, you can handle the treasury, but Lady Yavia and Lady Saira will take on some of your other responsibilities."


    "I will follow Your Majesty''s wishes," rissa replied.


    "Today I am going to have my afternoon meal with you all. I do hope it''s the start of better harmony inside the Vermilion Pce."


    "Yes, Your Majesty."


    After Seren discussed various matters with everyone, it was time for the meal. In the hall, a dining arrangement was made for everyone to eat together. Multiple tables and chairs were arranged.


    When the meal started, Seren could feel a few gazes directed at her from some of the women.


    "What happened?" Seren asked.


    One of the women answered, "Apologies, Your Majesty, if we offended you in some way."


    "You did not. Speak your mind."


    "We were thinking, it is inconvenient to eat while wearing a veil. We thought you could befortable with us as we are no outsiders. But we do not mean to imply anything. Your Majesty can ignore us," the woman said hesitantly.


    Seren smiled under her veil. "You are right. You all are no outsiders." With that, Seren removed her veil in front of everyone. "Is it fine now?"


    Everyone, as if in a daze, looked at Seren. No words coulde out of their mouths, as if they were all frozen.


    "What happened?" Seren asked. "Is there anything on my face?" She touched her face to check. "These scales, do not worry about them. They are ugly, but harmless."


    Despite Seren''s exnation, no one uttered a single word. Just then, rissa cleared her throat to bring everyone back to their senses.


    "Your Majesty, you are so beautiful."


    "You are as beautiful as a goddess."


    "Yes, Your Majesty, why would you put a veil on such a beautiful face?"


    "No wonder His Majesty won''t stop you from using a veil. He wants to keep his wife''s beauty only for his eyes."


    The entire hall was filled with praises that left Seren speechless. Lady Tyra and Seren''s servants smiled, knowing that everyone could now see that she didn''t hide her face because she was ugly; instead, her beauty was enchanting.


    Seren looked at Tyra for help. Tyra, who was sitting next to her, lightly mmed her hands on the dining table, enough to make everyone stop. Once they were quiet, Tyra said, "Please start eating, or the food will get colder."


    Everyone started eating, though they couldn''t help taking a peek at Seren once in a while.


    "Our brother got such a beautiful wife," Onyx and Coral, Yavia''s daughters, whispered to each other. Taisie and Ayira, rissa and Saira''s daughters, sitting next to them, agreed as well.


    "I will make sure those daughters of noble families see my sister-inw and stop saying weird things about her," Taisie spoke.


    "Your friends are annoying and spoiled by their families, sister Taisie," Ayira said.


    "Yes, but we need to have them by our side as well. Mother says, though annoying, we need to get along with everyone," Taisie replied.


    "Our mother says the same," Onyx and Coralmented.


    Ayira, the youngest, pressed her lips into a thin line, "Our mothers are the same."


    "How about we call them for tea and then let them see the Queen without a veil?" Taisie proposed.


    "That is possible, but we need to get sister-inw''s permission," the others suggested.


    "We will ask her after the meal."


    After the meal, when everyone sat to enjoy tea, Lady Tyra made a deration.


    "Tomorrow, we have all the noble familydies invited for tea, so Queen Seren can get familiar with them."


    As if the four young princesses got what they wanted, they cheered up and asked, "Can we invite our friends?"


    Lady Tyra turned to them, "Of course. Those are all the daughters of thedies that will be invited. They can apany their mothers."


    The four sisters found a quiet moment with Seren.


    "Sister-inw, you are so beautiful."


    Seren blushed lightly, as she was not used to receiving praises about her beauty. "Thank you."


    "Tomorrow, will you remove your veil as well?" Taisie asked.


    "Do I need to?" Seren asked back.


    "Umm, you should. We want everyone to see how beautiful our brother''s wife is and then shut the mouths of those who called you names behind our backs."


    "They did?" Seren asked, not feeling bad but amused at how these young sisters of her husband seemed upset with what others said about her. Inside, she felt d that they considered her family.


    "What did they say?" Seren asked.


    "Just random things. There is no need to pay attention to it," Ayira spoke.


    "Yes. Once they see you, they will stop eventually," Onyx replied.


    "Does it make you sad if they say bad things about me?" Seren asked.


    "Of course. You are our sister-inw, Your Majesty."


    "Once, ady from the Veron family said something about you to my mother," Taisie spoke. "My mother made sure to shut her down nicely. But they still talk behind our backs, and we feel bad."


    "Yes, our mothers and we were there as well," the others chimed in.


    Seren was surprised to see Lady rissa would take her side. "What was the talk about?"


    "Thatdy said sister-inw is cursed and ugly and that is why you hide your face," Taisie replied, feeling hesitant to say it.


    "And?" Seren asked, amused at the talk.


    "She said your father kept you locked away so you wouldn''t bring misfortune to their kingdom. And now that you are here, they worry you will bring misfortune here as well," Onyx answered. "But trust me, sister-inw, we do not agree with her."


    "Yes, if our brother married you, then you are certainly a good woman," Coral added.


    "What did Lady rissa say to the woman?" Seren asked, wishing to know what rissa thought of her.


    Seren didn''t hate rissa. After knowing the story from the past, she somewhat understood her and her bitter words and actions. To date, she had not revealed to anyone that Drayce was not Theron''s son, which showed her loyalty towards the family. Even if King Theron had warned her, she could have revealed it in any other way to make her son a king, but she never did.


    "Mother was displeased and told her: ''Ugly or beautiful, she is the Queen of this kingdom. Nowhere is it written that to be a queen, one should be a beauty. Even if she is cursed or whatever, our family takes care of it, and outsiders have no right to say anything. She is the Queen of this kingdom, and as a royal family member, I can punish you for saying such words about her.


    In the past, the kingdom was said to have fallen under a curse, and the royal family was the one to take care of it while all of you tried to run away from thisnd. King Drayce''s birth was a mark of prosperity for this kingdom once more, and you dare question his judgment and choice of a queen?''"


    Seren was shocked. "Did she really say that?"


    "And there is more, but I can''t recall all of it," Taisie spoke.


    "Alright, tomorrow we will make sure no one talks bad about our family," Seren assured.


    "Sister-inw, brother Ruven is returning for winter break once his examination is over," Ayira added.


    Hearing the name of the third prince, a pleasant smile painted on Seren''s lips. It was time to see Drayce in the elder brother role.


    Onyx, Coral, and Ayira were called by their mothers while Taisie, looking a little sad, started walking away after she bowed to Seren.


    "Taisie, what happened?" Seren asked.


    "Once Ruven returns, everyone will be together as always, except brother Keiren. I wish he could be with us as well."


    Seren could say nothing as she still didn''t know what kind of person Prince Keiren was and what was in his mind.


    While returning from the Vermilion Pce, inside the carriage, Seren asked. "Lady Tyra, what kind of a person Prince Keiren is?"


    "I can say he is a good son and a good brother," Lady Tyra answered.


    Seren smiled, "Just in a few words, you answered what exactly I wanted to know."


    "I wish he could be together like other siblings of Drayce," Serenmented, "He must be lonely while staying away from the family. I was also wondering, he is older than Drayce, but still is not married."


    "He is married," Lady Tyra answered, "and he married even before King Drayce."


    "What?" Seren almost eximed. "Where is his wife. In the family tree you exined to me when I was new here, you never mentioned about his wife, or did I just miss it?"


    "No. I did not tell you about her. Prince Keiren had refused to register as a royal family member and keeps her away from the capital."


    "Who is she? Which noble family?"


    "She is from ordinary noble family, without any power. Or more like amoner."


    "I thought Prince Keiren is ambitious and might marry someone of high status. Anyone would have married his daughter to him."


    Lady Tyra sighed, "Sometimes it''s difficult to understand someone entirely and Prince Keiren is like that. No one knows what''s in his mind."


    "Lady rissa, did she ept it?"


    "There was no point in it as Prince Keiren married that girl without letting anyone know and lives with her in the territory he is a Lord of. Just like us, Lady rissa had not seen her either."


    "Can I meet his wife?" Seren asked.


    "Seems impossible, but who knows?" Tyramented.

 Chapter 755: A Pregnant Lady

    While Drayce was getting ready to visit the royal court, Seren helped him put on his tailcoat.


    "Dray, today I am nning to visit the city. It''s been months, but I haven''t really explored ckhelm the way I want," she informed him.


    "It''s my fault for not being able to take you out often. Once I finish my work, I will apany you."


    "You do not need to trouble yourself. I can do it on my own with my servants."


    Drayce raised an eyebrow. "Now you don''t want me to be with you?"


    "I do not mean it that way. I just want to learn to be on my own and do things the way I prefer. When you are with me, you are always in charge of everything, and even if I do not n to, I find myself dependent on you for everything. So��"


    He chuckled, "I understand. You can go with your servants, and yer will be with you."


    "yer is themander of royal knights and your guardian knight. Is it alright for him to apany me for such minor tasks?"


    "He would not mind. He knows that protecting you means protecting me. Do not worry about him."


    Seren agreed and heard him say again, "As the curse on you is lifted, you can choose not to wear this veil if you wish to."


    "Are you sure it''s lifted?"


    "Yes. Mother was happy to know it when she found out."


    "How did she know?"


    "The ones who put the curses on you can feel it," Drayce replied. "Other than that particr deity, your mother had also put a curse on you, remember?"


    Seren added, "The curse that did not allow me to fall in love."


    "It was broken and your mother felt it. Your mother, Sierra."


    Seren sighed, "I am not sure when she will tell me she is my mother. It''s not like I don''t know now."


    "Soon, maybe. Have patience."


    Seren agreed and said, "I am not used to showing my face to everyone, so I will take it slow."


    "As you wish."


    Drayce left for the royal court while Seren and her servants prepared to leave. Seren had summoned Tyra.


    "Lady Tyra, is there any spell you can use to change or hide the color of my eyes?" Seren asked. "A purple-eyed woman with a veil, everyone in the market will know who I am. Can you help me with the color change?"


    "Of course, Your Majesty," Tyra said as she used a spell. "It''s done."


    Seren looked into the mirror. "But to me, they still look purple," she turned to Xena. "What do you see?"


    "They are still purple," Xena answered.


    "Your Majesty, those who know you will see the original color. The spell is only for strangers, and they will see your eyes as brown. You can trust me, Your Majesty."


    "Alright. Let''s get rid of these scales now," Seren mumbled something and the scales in her face disappeared.


    Xena surprised, asked, "Your Majesty, why did you never hide them before?"


    "There are many reasons," she looked at Xena, " When I was being married without my consent, I was angry. I wanted to scare away the groom with these scales. But your King was scarier than these scales."


    Everyoneughed to hear it.


    "Then, these scales and the veil were the things that were with me since my birth, since I remember my own existence. I felt like this was something I shall carry with me till the end of my life, they belonged to me. Also, they were given by my mother. I never saw her, but these two things made feel as if she were someone close to me. I didn''t have a heart to part with it."


    "Understood, Your Majesty," Xena replied.


    Seren put on her veil and left with Xena.


    yer and another knight were waiting for them outside the residence along with horses and carriages. All of them had changed into ordinary noble people''s clothes.


    Seren noticed two carriages standing there along with two horses for yer and the other knight.


    "Commander, why the other carriage? Xena and I will sit in the same carriage," Seren asked.


    "The other one is to carry the things Your Majesty will buy," yer replied normally.


    Seren felt a little embarrassed. Did she buy so many things that they needed a separate carriage for them?


    She cleared her throat awkwardly. "There is no need. I won''t be shopping much."


    "It is His Majesty''s order," yer replied. "If you don''t buy anything, it''s alright. We can bring it back empty."


    Seren agreed and climbed into the carriage, with Xena following her, smiling lightly at the embarrassed Queen. This young queen was not aware of the extent to which she bought things, but the King was.


    In the market, Seren and Xena ventured into different shops and even tried snacks from roadside stalls. Seren was like a young girl left free by her parents, with her pockets full of gold coins, enjoying every bit of it. yer and the other knight followed them, keeping an eye on the surroundings, and carried the things Seren bought, stuffing them into the carriage.


    Tired after a few hours, Seren spoke, "Shall we sit somewhere?"


    Xena looked around to find a ce while yer, who heard it, spoke, "There is a restaurant on the side. Your Majesty can rest there."


    "Thank you, Commander."


    They walked towards the small open restaurant where tables and wooden blocks were arranged for seating. Tea and refreshments were ordered, and meanwhile, Seren looked around. Her gaze stopped at the other side of the road where a woman seemed to be tired and looked ufortable.


    "Xena, do you think something is wrong with that woman?" Seren asked, looking in her direction.


    Xena observed, "That woman seems to be pregnant and not feeling well. It looks like no one is with her."


    "We shall help her," Seren stood up, and Xena followed. yer, who was instructing the server, left it to the other knight and followed Seren and Xena.


    "Lady, are you alright?" Seren asked as soon as she reached the woman.


    The woman seemed to be from a noble family. She was delicate, and in her tired and pregnant state, she looked even more frail.


    She looked at Seren with dazed eyes and was about to faint, but Seren and Xena held her. "Lady, are you alright?"


    "We shall take you to sit somewhere," Xena suggested.


    yer reached them, and Seren looked at him. "We have to find somewhere for her to sit. She almost fainted."


    yer looked at the pregnantdy, knowing it was not appropriate for him to touch her. Xena understood and said, "We will just carry her like this. She can walk if we support her."


    Seren and Xena supported her while yer followed closely to lend a hand if needed. yer brought a chair from inside the restaurant, and they made the woman sit on it. Seren offered her water, and Xena gave her a sweet to eat.


    Xena dried the sweat beads from the woman''s face. "Are you feeling alright, Lady?"


    The woman looked at Seren and Xena. "I am. Thank you for the help," she said weakly, her breathing still shallow.


    "Are you alone? Where do you live? Can we take you back home?" Seren offered.


    Just then, a middle-aged woman appeared, panicked, "Mydy, I was searching for you. Are you alright?"


    The woman nodded and smiled at her.


    "I was just paying money in another shop and you already disappeared. You scared me, mydy."


    "I am alright," she said and looked at Seren and Xena, "Thank you so much for helping me today. I am indebted to you two."


    "It''s nothing. As long as you are fine," Seren replied softly, her eyes observing the delicate pregnant woman, worry evident in her eyes.


    "You two look tired as well," the woman said, looking at Seren and Xena. "My home is nearby. Would you like toe for tea and some rest? That way, I won''t feel indebted to you."


    Before Seren could respond, yer spoke, looking at Seren, "Mydy, it would not be appropriate to trouble others."


    yer''s suggestion was clear that Seren should avoid going with strangers.


    The woman offered aforting smile to Seren, "It''s not a trouble. I would really like it if you gave me an opportunity to repay you. I would feel at ease." She had her hand on her belly, she looked around six to seven months pregnant.


    Seren found her genuine, her words sincere. "Alright." She then looked at yer, "It''s alright."


    As Seren said, there was no way yer would go against her words. All he could do was protect her if there was danger.


    The woman asked, "I forgot to ask both of your names."


    "I am Seren, and she is Xena," Seren answered.


    "My name is Edith," the woman replied and signaled to her servant, "and she is Cara."


    Edith stood up with the help of Cara, "Let''s head to my home. Do you have a carriage?"


    "Yes, we do," Seren replied.


    Soon, they headed towards Edith''s home, with her carriage leading the way.

 Chapter 756: Strangers Home

    "Your Majesty, why did you agree so easily to go to her home? Even themander didn''t look willing," Xena asked, while inside the carriage.


    Just like yer, Xena was worried about Seren''s safety, not to forget the recent incidences happened with them.


    "I felt like she was no threat and, not sure why, my heart was telling me to go with her, as if she was no stranger," Seren answered. "If there is any threat, themander is there to deal with it. Do not worry."


    Away from the bustling market, a cozy-looking manor was situated in a quiet area of the capital city on the other side of the river. They reached the manor gates. Looking around, they realized thisdy was truly from a noble family. Though the manor was not grand, one could surely call it a beautiful,fortable, and cozy ce for a family.


    "Pleasee inside, Lady Seren, Lady Xena," Cara said politely.


    They walked together with Edith and entered the drawing room. The moment Seren entered, she felt a warmth of family and wondered what kind of family lived here. Not too exuberant, but a homely feeling was there.


    "Please have a seat," Edith said while slowly sitting in a chair, her hands supporting her belly.


    Seren and Xena sat on the sofa while yer and another knight stood a few steps away, taking their roles as guardians.


    While entering the manor, yer observed a few guards and felt something different about them, which he could not put a finger on. He was sure they were not just ordinary guards. Now he was curious to know who the owner of this ce was.


    A servant brought tea and snacks for them.


    "If my husband were here, he would have thanked you as well," Edith said.


    "Mydy, if master were here, he would have scolded you for being careless in such a situation," Cara said.


    Edith chuckled softly. "That''s true as well. Let''s not tell him then." She then looked at Seren. "My husband worries too much, and since I am with child, he is a little strict. He thinks I am the most delicate thing in the world and that anything can hurt me. Husbands can sometimes be overbearing."


    Seren chuckled as she found her words rtable. "True. My husband is the same. That''s why I came out shopping without him."


    Edith agreed. "Once I deliver the baby and am in good health, before I return home, I hope we can meet again and go out to the market. I am sure I would enjoy yourpany."


    "Of course," Seren said. "Are you not from the capital?"


    "From the way my ent is a little different from yours, you can tell," Edith answered. "I live in the northern part, but at this moment it''s way too cold there. Due to my weak health, a physician suggested my husband take me to the southern side where I wouldn''t freeze with the baby. My husband was taking me to another city, but I insisted oning to the capital.


    I had never been to the capital city, so I wanted to see it."


    "You did well," Seren replied, suddenly finding herself chatty. "If I may ask, what does your husband do?"


    "Ren? He is a merchant. He often travels here and there, so he is familiar with ces and could buy us a nice home here," Edith replied.


    Just then, another servant entered the drawing room. "Lady Edith, the Lord is here."


    As if she had heard the best news, Edith put the tea cup on the table and stood up to hurry to the door.


    "Mydy, careful," Cara followed her in panic.


    Seren and the others watched her. She was going to wee her husband, and Seren found it a sweet gesture.


    They heard voices from outside the drawing room door.


    "Why are you outside, Edith? It''s cold," the man''s voice was displeased but carried a note of worry.


    "I wanted to wee you."


    "Nothing is more important than your health, and why are your hands so cold?"


    Seren''s gaze was fixed on the door in admiration. She could see Edith, and a pair of hands wrapped her in a thick winter coat that seemed to belong to her husband.


    "We have guests. Let me introduce you to them."


    "Guests?"


    "I almost fainted today in the market. They helped me."


    "You went to the market alone?"


    "Don''t scold me in front of the guests now. Come inside," she held his hand and guided him inside the drawing room.


    Seren''s eyes, filled with sweet admiration, changed to a grave shock the moment she saw the man and stood up from her ce. Not just Seren, but Xena and the two knights as well. yer had already found the man''s voice familiar but had not expected this.


    It was the first Prince of Megaris, Prince Keiren.


    The moment Keiren''s gazended on the familiar faces of the guests, he stopped in his tracks. The pleasant smile on his lips and warmth in his eyes for his wife were reced by a shock, mirroring the expressions of the others.


    yer and the other knight were about to bow to him, but Keiren warned them with his gaze.


    "Ren, let me introduce you to them," Edith, unaware of the situation, continued to speak while holding her husband''s hand, "That is Lady Seren and Lady Xena. I met them in the market."


    Keiren simply nodded to her and looked at Seren, who offered him a polite bow, "Lord Ren."


    Feeling relieved that Seren understood the situation, Keiren said to her, "Please have a seat," and sat on the sofa with Edith next to him, her one hand in his as if he was trying warm her cold hand. Clear sign that his wife was the most important to him.


    "Seren, what does your husband do?" Edith asked. "Our husbands might know each other. Ren knows most of the people in the capital."


    Feeling a little heavy in her heart, Seren tried not to lie to her. "My husband is just like yours."


    "Oh, a merchant as well? What''s his name?" Edith asked.


    "Dray," Seren answered.


    Edith turned to her husband, "Do you know him?"


    Keiren''s gaze softened, "You are so talkative today. Weren''t you tired and almost fainted in the market? You should rest more."


    Seren could see how well Keiren treated his wife. She never expected this man to be so gentle and polite to his wife. Was her previous assumption of him being scary a mere illusion put on by him? Which one was real, the one she saw before or the one in front of her now? And why was he lying to his wife about his identity?


    "I am alright," Edith replied. "Finally, I have found friends in the capital, so I am happy," she looked at Seren, "I can consider you my friend, right?"


    "Of course," Seren smiled at her.


    "Then will youe visit me often? I have no friends here."


    "I will."


    "Thank you so much."


    "We shall leave now," Seren spoke. "We are alreadyte returning home."


    "Yes, I won''t hold you back now."


    They stood up, and Keiren told Edith, "I will see them off. It''s cold outside. You stay inside."


    "Alright." Edith turned to Seren, "I will wait for you toe again."


    "I will."


    With that, they stepped out of the drawing room. Keiren walked with them to the carriage. He turned to yer, "I would prefer it the things stayed inside these walls only."


    "That I cannot assure," yer replied.


    Keiren understood yer''s loyalty towards Drayce and said nothing. He looked at Seren and offered her a respectful bow. "Your Majesty, do not take my wife''s words seriously."


    Seren could grasp Keiren meant that there was no need for her to meet Edith again. But Seren had other ns in mind.


    "Edith considers me her friend, and I will keep the promise I made to her," Seren replied. "I will visit her again. But rest assured, I won''t say anything that Prince Keiren does not wish me to say."


    Keiren could only stay quiet and watch them leave.

 Chapter 757: Talk About Family

    Seren returned to the pce with many questions in her mind. She decided to wait for Drayce to arrive and then talk to him.


    ''Dray is a king and he has spies everywhere. I am sure he is aware of Prince Keiren and his wife. But why didn''t Drayce say anything about it? I need to talk to him.''


    In the night, Drayce returned to her. Seren wanted to ask him straight away, but instead, she held back, walked to him, and clung to his arm.


    "You seem tired. Have you gone somewhere?"


    "I was looking into some territory matters, the territories that were merged into our kingdom by the previous king. They are mostly small fallen kingdoms that are now our territories, and rebels are rising there."


    "That must be too much work."


    "Every king has to handle such situations; it''s nothing."


    "Sit here," she guided him to the bed, "I can give you a head massage."


    Drayce chuckled, "Why are you being so attentive today?"


    "Am I not attentive to you always?" She dragged him to the bed, made him sit at the edge, and then got on her knees to stand behind him.


    "I am a Dragon. I don''t get headaches or fatigue due to human manual work," hemented.


    "Can''t you act like a human and let me be a responsible and attentive wife?" she retorted and started to massage his shoulders first, applying gentle pressure with her delicate hands.


    "Alright. I am tired. Make sure to give me a nice massage," his lips curving into a light smile.


    Seren smiled as well and continued, feeling the strong muscles of his shoulders under her touch. ''He is so strong. No wonder he can''t be tired. His body is truly amazing.'' Her heart almost skipped a beat at her own thoughts, especially when she remembered his naked form, unting his perfect body in front of her.


    Unknown to her, her hands stopped massaging and instead moved down his shoulder, ready to explore his chest.


    "My queen, would you prefer if I remove my clothes and then you can take advantage of my body in better way?"


    His words brought her back to her senses. She cleared her throat awkwardly, "No need," and quickly changed the subject, "I wanted to talk to you about something really important."


    "Go ahead."


    She resumed her work of massaging his shoulders. "yer must have told you about today''s incident."


    "He did."


    "Were you aware of it already?"


    "I was. After we returned, Jasper even told me his wife is in the capital now, but I was not aware they are expecting a baby."


    "We are going to be an uncle and aunt. Grandma would have her great-grandchild. How happy she would be if��"


    "I know," he said helplessly.


    "Aren''t you happy that you would be having a niece or nephew?"


    "I am, but it''s his decision to keep us all out of it."


    "Why would he do that? Is it because you became a king and he is angry?"


    Drayce shook his head, "He is not angry."


    "Then?"


    "I am not sure."


    "Shouldn''t you ask him?"


    "He won''t answer. Other than reporting to me as one of my subjects, he never says anything else. There is never a personal talk between us. If I try, he prefers to dodge it and leave." Drayce sounded helpless and sad. "I never pressured him because I already felt guilty about being a king in his ce. I did not wish to meddle in his matters, let alone force him to do anything he doesn''t wish to."


    "Maybe try once and don''t let him go unless he answers you. He is your brother, and you should know what is on his mind. If he is not angry at you, then there is a chance you two can still talk like brothers," she insisted. "Grandma told me that in the past, he used to protect you and he was always a good older brother. I believe this has not changed even now."


    "I was thinking about it as well. Maybe soon, I will talk to him." He held her hand and pulled her forward, her body pressed against his back, her face close to his. He pecked her on the cheek and looked into her eyes. "Thank you for saying this and encouraging me to do what I was just thinking about until now."


    She bnced herself well and smiled. "You do not have to thank me. I believe you would have done it anyway. I know how much you care for the family, even though you never show it."


    Drayce turned and made her fall forward.


    "Ah, Dray..."


    But his hands held her small body in firm hold, making her liefortably on bed and hisp. "How much more do you understand me?"


    Calming herself, she held onto him and looked up at him. "Maybe just enough."


    He pulled her up closer, her body pressed against his, his face just an inch apart from hers, his gaze meaningful. "And what do you understand about me right now?"


    She looked into those red eyes while answering, "That you want to kiss me."


    "That''s it?"


    "Maybe something more."


    "And what is that?"


    "Drayce, don''t be naughty at this hour."


    "At this hour? It''s almost midnight, and a perfect time to be naughty with my wife," he held her tighter and flipped her under him, "Now I wonder what naughty thing I shall start with."


    She lifted her head and pecked his lips, "Maybe from here."


    He smirked at her boldness and moved his hand to her chest, squeezing her soft mounds under hisrge palm, "Maybe from here."


    Seren suppressed her moan, "I do not mind."


    Just as he was about to pull her dress down her shoulders, he felt something, his entire being shaken.


    Seren felt the subtle change in him, "What happened?"


    Drayce moved back after he fixed her dress and sat on the bed, seemingly confused. "I need to leave."


    "Where?" Seren asked, sitting back as well, her expression both confused and worried.


    "I am being summoned," his puzzled gaze fixed on hers as if he understood. "The Queen of witches is awakening. I need to go."


    "Where?"


    "I am not sure," he stepped out of the bed and picked up his long coat from the stand. "It''s Oriana we know. The summoning will guide me wherever she is." He wrapped the coat around him while Seren stepped out of the bed, worried, "Shall Ie with you?"


    "You are not a witch. You should stay here," he hugged her gently and pecked her forehead, "I will return soon. Do not worry."


    Seren nodded and watched him disappear. "I hope Oriana and Prince An are alright."


    After a few hours that felt like an eternity to Seren, Drayce returned. Drayce''s appearance was not as prompt as when he left. Something surely had happened.


    Drayce exined everything to Seren. "��our mothers are there as well with An and Oriana. I returned to inform you of the situation so you won''t worry." (Note: To know what happened, kindly read chapter 469 onwards from the 3rd book, The Devil''s Betrothed)


    "Is Oriana and Prince An alright?"


    "They are hurt, but they will be fine," he assured. "I have to return to be by An''s side."


    "You can. Do not worry about me."


    "I will take you there as it''s An''s wedding in a few days, and the royal entourage has already left the capital."


    "Wedding? Do you think it will happen now?"


    "They have not canceled, so as invited guests it''s our duty to go there. The rest, leave it to them."


    "Alright, you can leave."


    "Thank you."


    "Dray?"


    "Hmm?"


    "Meanwhile, will it be alright for me to visit Prince Keiren''s residence?"


    "What do you feel?"


    "I promised her that I would visit her. And I have also made my intentions clear to Prince Keiren that I would keep my word. I guess I want to go visit her."


    "Do whatever you feel is right. If something goes wrong, I will take care of it," he assured.


    "Thank you."


    "As mother is there, I will talk to her about going to Agartha to mark my mate."


    Seren''s eyes lit up at what he mentioned. Though nervous to know how marking process is happened, she was looking forward to being his mate.


    "I will take a leave." Drayce disappeared once more while Sereny back in bed. "I have not seen Erebus yet. I feel like I miss him and I am neglecting him. Once Drayce is back, I will try to call him out. I need to check if he is alright."


    With the determination she closed her eyes to fall asleep, another thoughting to her mind. "I will visit Edith tomorrow. What excuse shall I make?"

 Chapter 758: Wondering About Having Kids

    The next day, in the absence of Drayce who had gone to Griven, Seren decided to visit Edith once more. She instructed Xena to prepare some gifts for Edith, especially nutritious supplements needed by a woman with a child. In the afternoon, she set off to meet Edith along with Xena, ready in their ordinary noble attire. yer apanied them as he did the day before.


    When she reached the carriage, Seren observed yer''s serious face; it was clear he was worried about something but was keeping his calm.


    "Commander, did Draycee to youst night?" Seren asked.


    "Yes, Your Majesty," he replied, keeping his head bowed.


    "No wonder you look worried," shemented, "Believe me, Prince An will be alright. As long as Mister Yorian and our mothers are with them, nothing can happen to them. They always have a way out to protect us."


    yer nodded, "I will keep that in mind."


    Seren offered him a smile under her veil and climbed into the carriage as yer offered her his leather-protected arm. When they reached the First Prince''s residence, they were allowed to enter the gate without any interruption.


    ''Seems like Prince Keiren has no issue with meing here,'' Seren concluded.


    When she descended from the carriage, she instructed yer, "Commander Sanders, you and the others can return to the pce."


    It shocked yer, "Your Majesty, I will wait here."


    "I know you are concerned about my safety, but trust me, I am safe here."


    "His Majesty would never allow me to leave you alone like this."


    "I am not alone, and I am with family, not strangers," she assured, "I really want you to leave. I hope you understand. Do not even wait outside the mansion gate. All I want is for you to return to the pce, leaving me here alone."


    yer, caught between his duty and hermand, had to obey her and left.


    "Your Majesty, why did you send��."


    "I would have sent you back as well. I almost forgot," Seren interrupted her.


    Feeling worried that Seren would really do it, Xena kept quiet. She would not leave Seren alone, anywhere.


    Edith''s servant, Cara, arrived to wee them. "Good to see you here again, Lady Seren. Lady Edith has been talking about you as if she wanted to meet you again."


    "I am d my arrival is expected."


    They entered the drawing room, but Edith was not there. "Thedy is in her chamber. I will take you there."


    "Is she not well?" Seren asked.


    "Her health has always been delicate, and she needs to protect herself from the cold. Last night she was not feeling well, so Lord Ren has forbidden her from stepping out of her chamber so she could stay warm. I am trying to keep her upied and not feeling bored, but I am out of options. I am d you are here so she can now feel better."


    "I am d I can be of help."


    Along with Cara, Seren and Xena reached Edith''s chamber where she was sitting in bed, resting against the headboard. She was doing some knitting work that seemed like clothes for theing baby.


    "Mydy, they are here," Cara informed.


    Edith looked at Seren and Xena, and her quiet face suddenly brightened with happiness. She was about to move the nket aside from her legs to get out of bed, but Seren spoke, "Please stay there. I aming to you."


    Edith stopped, and Seren approached her. "You should stay warm, or you will be sick, Edith."


    Edith sighed, "I think this is the hundredth time of the day I am hearing it. Ren, Cara, and now you as well."


    Seren smiled lightly, "It''s because we want you to be healthy. I have brought you some nutritious herbal supplements that will help you cope with the cold."


    "Thank you, Seren. Please have a seat." -l-em,py-r


    Cara arranged a chair for her and Xena next to the bed and went to get refreshments for them.


    "I am d you are here. I thought I would faint with boredom," Edithined, "You have toe to meet me every day."


    "I will."


    "Good," Edith then put her hand on her round belly, "When my babyes out, you will be his or her godmother."


    Seren felt excited to hear it. "I would love to." She could not wait to have little born in her arms. She had never experienced it.


    "Do you have children?" Edith asked.


    Seren was taken aback by the sudden question but shook her head, "Not yet."


    Under the veil, her cheeks blushed a little. The thought of having kids with Drayce suddenly felt tempting to her. They had been together for more than a week now. Seren wondered when she would be expecting. Was Drayce ready for it?


    "Good, then you can help me take care of my child and do the duty of his godmother."


    Seren chuckled at how Edith''s every thought involved keeping her around. "I will do my best," she said, then asked, "How long until the baby is delivered?"


    "It''s the ninth month now. It shall be soon," Edith answered. "Oh, you must be surprised to think my belly looks like it''s barely seven months pregnant. It''s because my body is thin despite being pregnant, unlike other healthy expectant mothers."


    "Honestly, I couldn''t tell because I do not have much experience being around pregnant women," Seren replied.


    She could not tell her that her entire life she had been imprisoned and never mingled with women to know all this. After bing a queen, there was no one around her who was expecting a child.


    "Do not worry, you can be with me till I deliver the baby, and you can get some experience," Edith offered, sounding like an elder sister taking care of the younger one.


    "Thank you. I would love to."


    An hour passed by while they continued to talk and enjoy themselves.


    Meanwhile, Keiren returned home. He was informed about Seren''s presence once more. He walked inside and went toward the chamber, only to hear the sounds of womenughing at something. The quiet atmosphere in the home suddenly felt lively. Not willing to disturb them, he walked toward the door, only to find Edithughing heartily.


    "...are you serious, Seren? Were you truly not aware of it?"


    Seren giggled with her, "Hmm, I almost scared my husband to death. I was so naive back then."


    "Your husband is truly great to keep his patience with you."


    "That''s true. I am sure your husband is the same. I could see it yesterday," Serenmented.


    "Indeed, he is a great man, and I feel fortunate to have him as my husband," Edith''s face brightened at the mention of her husband.


    Seren wanted to ask her how she and Keiren got married, but considering it was only their second meeting, she found it too personal to ask. Maybe Edith would tell her on her own.


    Just then, Edith''s gaze moved to the door, "Ren, you are here."


    He walked inside so she wouldn''te running toward him. Seren and Xena stood up from their chairs to greet him.


    "Ren, Seren and Xena are here, so I didn''t feel bored at all," she immediately said. "I n to call Seren here daily."


    "As you wish," he replied and adjusted the nket over her feet. "Just promise me you will follow the instructions given to you."


    "I promise," she said. "It''s mealtime. Let''s eat together," she looked at Seren, "With you here, I feel like I have a bigger family. I don''t fancy eating alone."


    "I feel the same," Seren meant what she said, as she had been having lonely meals until she met Drayce.


    With Keiren, they had a meal together. Seeing Keiren taking care of delicate Edith, Seren suggested, "Lord Ren, have you taken Edith to the hot water spring?"


    "Hot water spring?" Edith asked.


    "She has arrived here recently and due to her health, I could not take her anywhere," he replied.


    "I would suggest you take her there. The water is magical and will help her and the baby to improve immunity to coldness," Seren suggested. "Only if it''s alright for her to go there in her ninth month. When I visited recently, I found the roads are fine and well-prepared for carriages to reach there."


    Keiren was aware of it all. After all, he was a royal family member and had his own private spring.


    "I want to go there," Edith dered.


    "Tomorrow, I will take you there," he assured.


    After the meal, Seren was ready to leave. As expected, Keiren walked with her to the carriage.


    Noticing only a coachman and not a single royal knight in sight, Keiren frowned and asked Seren, "Where is themander?"


    "I sent him back to the pce. There was no need for him to stay here," Seren replied.


    Keiren''s brows furrowed even deeper, "So irresponsible of him."


    "Do not me him. I was the one who insisted that he return. After I assured him that I am with family and not with strangers, and that I am entirely safe here, only then did he agree to leave," Seren informed, suddenly finding herself talking with so much ease with Keiren and she was not afraid of him at all. It felt more she was with Cian.


    Keiren didn''t argue and signaled his knight, who came to him. The knight, aware of everything about Keiren and the royal family, was wearing normal guard clothes instead of the knight''s usual uniform.


    "Get a few more knights and make sure to safely escort Her Majesty back to the pce," Keiren instructed.


    "Yes, Your Highness."


    Seren was d to see this. This Prince was not indifferent to others. His actions clearly showed he cared for Seren as family and considered himself responsible for her safety.


    Seren didn''t reject his offer as this was what she was going to test and the reason she ordered yer to return to the pce.


    The moment Seren''s carriage arrive at the pce''s gate, all the Royal knights came to the carriage as yer had already instructed them to keep watch and let the carriage enter the pce without any disturbances.


    The Royal knights recognised Keiren''s guardian knight. They exchanged silent nods and resumed their works as Keiren''s knight returned after assuring Seren was in safe hands.


    When Seren''s carriage arrived at the Queen''s pce, yer who had be informed about her arrival, reached there.


    "Commander, I had assured you that I would be safe. See," shemented.


    "I am d, Your Majesty. But next time, I would not leave your side," he dered. Only he knew how he had spent every moment, worrying about her safety.


    "Next time, there won''t be a need for you to leave. What I was looking for, is already achieved," she said, smile ying on her lips. "I will head back inside."


    yer offered her a polite bow and she left with Xena.

 Chapter 759: Anticipating To Meet Erebus

    When Drayce returnedte that night after helping An with his current issue, he immediately sought out Seren. He had missed her and couldn''t wait to catch up on what she had been doing in his absence. Seren eagerly told him about her visit to Keiren''s residence.


    "...and I don''t think Prince Keiren objected to my visit with his wife. In fact, he made sure I returned to the pce safely."


    "Now you''ve tested what you wanted to know. After this, never ask yer to leave your side again."


    "I won''t," she promised. "But I can''t deny that I was pleased by how Prince Keiren was displeased when he realized yer was gone. He even arranged for my safety. It almost felt like brother Cian was standing in front of me. Fewer words, but actions that clearly show their intentions."


    "We are family, after all. He cares about our family as much as we do."


    "I see that now." She then held his hand. "Are you really not going to talk to him about what he''s up to?"


    "I''ll think about it," Drayce assured her. "It''s An''s wedding in three days, and we''ll have to go."


    "Will the wedding still happen given the situation?"


    "They haven''t canceled anything, so we have to go, regardless of whether the wedding takes ce or not. Everything depends on An and Oriana, especially Oriana."


    "Will we be gone long? Edith will soon be nine months pregnant, and I want to be with her when she delivers."


    "We''ll teleport and return quickly."


    "Great. I talked to Lady Tyra and have already prepared many things for the baby and his mother. Edith doesn''t have any family members to be by her side, so I''ll make sure she and the baby feel that warmth."


    "You''re bing more and more considerate," he said, giving her a quick kiss on the lips, his gaze turning intense. "Now be considerate of your husband and care for him as well."


    He pushed her down on the mattress, pressing her beneath his body. Her hands rested against his chest, trying to stop him. "Dray."


    "Hmm?" He inhaled the scent at the nape of her neck. "Just a day and I already miss this."


    "I want to talk about something...about us."


    He continued to pepper kisses on her cheek and along her neck. "What about us?"


    "It''s about Erebus."


    "What about him?" Drayce''s fingers pushed the dress aside from her delicate shoulders and gently nipped at them.


    "Dray..." she gasped lightly, "...are you even listening to me?"


    He finally stopped and looked at her. "Why do you have to bring him up at this hour?"


    She red at him, her displeasure clear. "Then are you ever avable to talk to me at any other time?"


    Drayce realized his mistake. "Tell me what it is."


    "I haven''t talked to Erebus since that day. Even though you told me he''s fine, I can''t stop thinking about him. I want to meet him." Her gaze was determined. "Is there a way you can let me meet him whenever I want? It shouldn''t be like always, where he just shows up when he feels like it."


    "You want to control him?" Drayce asked with a chuckle. "Like how you''re used to controlling me now?"


    "I don''t control you," she frowned. "If I did, I''d keep you by my side for twenty-four hours, never letting you leave."


    "Really?" He raised an eyebrow. "Who was the one who got tired of me in just a week and asked me to return to the pce?"


    Her face flushed lightly. "That was different. If you didn''t always do that, I wouldn''t mind spending all my time with you. Now tell me if there''s a way to call Erebus whenever I want to meet him."


    "I''m not sure either. He shows up only when we''re in danger or when we''re in the middle of getting intimate, which he stopped after you warned himst time," Drayce replied.


    Seren pressed her lips into a thin line. "I warned him, that''s true, but it''s been a while since we''ve consummated, so there shouldn''t be an issue with him showing up."


    Drayce looked at her silently for a moment before saying, "Are you getting tired of me or losing interest in me that you now want him?"


    Seren was taken aback. "No. What are you talking about? You are always the most precious one to me, and that will never change." She cupped his face in her hands and kissed his lips. "Nothing can rece you. Don''t misunderstand.


    I''m just worried about his disappearance. After all, he is you."


    He chuckled yfully, seeing her so serious. "I was teasing you. If you truly wish to see him, he might have already heard you and show up. How about we try getting intimate, and he shows up all of a sudden like before?"


    She felt skeptical. "If he won''t show up?"


    "We will keep going on and on until he shows up."


    Seren narrowed her eyes at him. She could see his wicked intentions. "Only once. If he shows up, then fine. If not, we stop and just sleep."


    "Alright, only once��"


    "Not your once, my once," she interrupted him, determined not to fall for his schemes.


    Drayce felt likeughing at how defensive she was being at the thought of being intimate with him, making him wonder if he had truly scared her with his insatiable desires for her.


    "Alright, both of ours once," he agreed, sealing her lips with his own. "No more conditions now."


    Seren gave in, knowing she craved him as well, as long as he didn''t overdo it.


    When they were finally done with their once, Sereny spent in bed, her eyes closed and breathing ragged. "He... didn''t show up..."


    "Maybe we should try again," Drayce offered, ready to start again.


    She opened her eyes and pushed him away, her hands pressed against his bare chest. "No. If he doesn''t want to show up, he can do what he wants. I want to sleep now. Tomorrow, I have to visit Edith again."


    "You have time for everyone but me," his voice held a note ofint.


    "This pitiful act won''t work on me now. I''ve seen all your sides in that one week, and I''m not falling for it again," she said determinedly. "You''llin even more when I spend more time with Edith''s baby. You better prepare yourself." With that, she closed her eyes. "Let me sleep."


    Draycey next to her, sighing deeply as he covered both of their naked bodies with the duvet.


    Late in the night, Seren stirred in her sleep, feeling something unusual. When she opened her eyes, she was met with a pair of dark irises staring at her. Their ownery on his side in the bed, facing her, observing her.


    There was silence in the chamber for a while as Seren didn''t react. She felt like she was dreaming and simply looked at him. He moved his hand, and his fingertips gently caressed her cheek.


    Seren realized it was not a dream and that Erebus had finally shown up. Did he hear her when she talked to Drayce about it? He surely did.


    "You finally showed up?" Her voice was low and gentle.

 Chapter 760: Do You Find Me Beautiful?

    In response, his fingertips moved to her soft lips, his thumb caressing them intently. His eyes showed the hunger he felt for her, but he didn''t attempt to do anything other than lie next to her quietly.


    Seren understood it was because she had warned him not to do anything without her consent. Was he really that obedient to her? It was impossible to understand what was in his mind as he never talked or expressed himself in any other way.


    "How are you?" she asked, not expecting an answer, but she needed to express her worry towards him, to show her sincerity. "You didn''t show up after that day, so I couldn''t help but worry about you. It''s your body as well; it must have hurt, right?"


    Without answering, he continued to explore her face, a beautiful face he was seeing for the first time without a veil. In the light from themps, she looked even more enchanting to him.


    Seren allowed him to observe her. Once his attention finally moved to her long hair and he started to caress it, she moved her hand and ced it over his heart. "Do you feel pain here?"


    Erebus looked at her, emotions in his eyes unknown. He ced his hand over hers and continued to look at her. Seren didn''t get an answer once more.


    Looking into those dark, enigmatic eyes, she asked, "Do you find me beautiful as well?"


    It wasn''t just a question for him; she genuinely wished to know what he thought about her now that there was no veil. But she knew he would never answer her, making her wonder if he even listened or understood what she was saying.


    Was she, like with Drayce, expecting to hear from him how beautiful she was and how much he liked seeing her without a veil? Would she be disappointed to see him not acknowledging the biggest risk she had taken in her life��removing that veil by trusting her own feelings towards Drayce and him?


    Seren noticed his gaze moving down from her face to her neck and her exposed breasts as the duvet had already slipped down. It didn''t linger on her face for long, making her question: Does her appearance even matter to him? Veil or no veil, does it even make a difference to him?


    She had an urge to cover herself, but she held back and waited to see what Erebus would do. He had never been this calm before. All he did was pounce on her whenever he appeared.


    She could see the change in those pitch-ck eyes as they moved further down towards her waist, making Seren gulp and feel nervous under his gaze. Her heart started to race.


    She didn''t know what to ask him. Asking why he was looking at her like this would be idiotic when she was his mate��a mate-to-be, maybe, as the bond was yet to be fully formed between them. There was surely a hunger in his eyes for her.


    Along with the nervousness she felt, there was another feeling��anticipation. What would he do? How would it feel if he were intimate with her at this moment? She had consummated with Drayce, but how would it feel to do it with Erebus? Would he be like Drayce, insatiable with his needs or different from him?


    As if to answer her unspoken questions, Erebus finally moved, pressing her under his naked body. Drayce had no clothes before falling asleep, and neither did Erebus. Just a simple action, but she could feel the dominance and roughness in it, as if showing he owned her and could do anything with her.


    Her breath hitched as he closed the distance between them. Seren''s hand instinctively moved to his chest, feeling the hard muscles beneath her fingers. His touch was different from Drayce''s��more primal, raw. She could sense the power and the restraint he was exerting not to overwhelm her.


    Erebus''s eyes locked onto hers, and for a moment, she saw something flicker in them��something that might have been longing or perhaps recognition or something different.


    He leaned in closer, his lips brushing against her ear as he whispered. "Mine."


    Those words sent a shiver down her spine. She didn''t know what to expect next, but she knew one thing: Erebus was not just a part of Drayce. He was his own entity, with his own desires and needs, and in that moment, he was making it clear that he desired her just as much as Drayce did.


    She found herself gaining a courage and whispered back, her voice trembling with a mix of fear and excitement. "Yours."


    Erebus''s response was a deep, guttural sound that reverberated through his chest. He captured her lips in a fierce kiss, one that spoke of possession and an unspoken promise. Seren''s world narrowed down to the feel of his lips, the heat of his body against hers, and the undeniable connection that bound them together.


    The kiss was rough and intense, as if he were trying to suffocate her or rather punish her. He harshly sucked on her delicate lips, even using his teeth, grazing and tugging them roughly. His tongue explored her mouth with a force that made her tongue numb and left her struggling to breathe.


    Was he punishing her for keeping him away and enjoying her intimate time with Drayce? His actions clearly showed both his displeasure and his possessive side.


    Seren''s mind raced as she tried to keep up with the ferocity of his kiss. She felt a mix of fear and excitement, her body responding to his dominant touch despite the roughness. Her hands, initially pushing against his chest, now clung to him, trying to find a bnce between resistance and surrender.


    As Erebus continued his relentless assault, he suddenly pulled back, leaving Seren gasping for air. His eyes bore into hers, dark and intense, reflecting a whirlwind of emotions she couldn''t fully decipher.


    "Why..." she began, her voice shaky, "why are you so angry?"


    Erebus didn''t answer with words. Instead, he cupped her face in his hands, his touch surprisingly gentlepared to the roughness of his kiss. His thumbs brushed away the tears that had formed at the corners of her eyes, and he leaned in close, his breath warm against her skin.


    "Mine" he repeated, his voice a low growl,den with both anger and an undeniable longing.


    Seren wished he could say more than a single word so they couldmunicate properly.


    She continued on her own, guessing the reason for his displeasure. "I promise you, once you mark me and we form a bond, I will give you as much time as I''ve given Drayce. It will be just the two of us."


    His gaze moved from her eyes to her neck, the desire to mark her right away surfacing in his eyes.


    "You cannot mark me now," she dered, understanding his intentions. "We will go to Agartha soon. There you can mark me. For now, maybe you can just spend some time with me. Let me know more about you, what you think or what you..."


    Seren stopped talking as she felt Erebus'' hand move between her legs. Disregarding her words, he had already moved between her thighs.


    "Erebus, you haven''t marked me yet. Will it be alright for us to consummate..." she sucked in a deep breath the moment she felt his mouth between her thighs, exploring her wet folds. "E...re...bus..." she lost the will to stop him as he skillfully made her body surrender to him.


    Her thoughts became a haze of sensation as Erebus continued, his mouth working expertly to drive her to the edge of ecstasy. Every touch, every flick of his tongue was deliberate and intense, making her forget all her worries and promises. The world outside their intimate bubble ceased to exist, leaving only the raw connection between them.


    As her body responded to his touch, Seren''s hands found their way to his hair, fingers tangling in the dark strands. She could feel the heat building inside her, a fire he had ignite. Her breaths came in ragged gasps, her heart pounding in her chest.


    He was like a beast, reveling in what he desired most, not wanting to let go of her, driving her to intense pleasure.


    All the nerves in her body tensed, sending her to the heights of ecstasy, her mouth letting out loud moans, calling Erebus''s name. But he had no intention of stopping, continuing to taste her as he willed.


    "Erebus, please stop," she pleaded,cking the strength to endure another wave of pleasure. "I might die now," she begged.


    He finally stopped and moved his face up from between her thighs to look at her.


    "Just sleep with me. I can''t take it anymore." Her voice was ragged, and her body was exhausted. "Listen to me."


    Erebus moved back andy next to her, pulling her into his arms just like Drayce always did. He held her firmly against his body, as if not wanting to let her go.


    "Good night, Erebus," she mumbled, all spent and eager to close her eyes.


    In thefort of his embrace, Seren felt a sense of security and warmth. Erebus, despite his primal nature, showed a tenderness that was unexpected. As she drifted off to sleep, she realized that there was no need for her to be wary of him.


    She could not help but wonder, how will it feel to consummate the bond with Erebus, finally allowing him to have his way with her, entirely giving herself to him.

 Chapter 761: Serens Dilemma

    The next morning, Seren stirred in her sleep, finding herself still wrapped in a pair of strong arms. A light smile painted her lips as she opened her eyes to see a pair of red eyes looking back at her. She realized it was Drayce; Erebus was gone.


    She hadn''t expected Erebus either way, but now, looking at Drayce, she felt a twinge of guilt. "Dray."


    He ran his fingers through her hair. "Disappointed to see me?"


    "No, I''m not. I''m not used to seeing him during the day," she said sincerely. She caressed his cheek. "Seeing you made me feel better instead."


    Drayce didn''t press further and kissed her lips softly. "Good morning."


    She smiled at him, but the smile didn''t quite reach her eyes. "Morning." The guilt she felt towards Drayce, as if she had done something wrong, kept her mind unsettled.


    "Are you leaving for Griven again?" she asked.


    He nodded. "After instructing Jasper on the important matters, I will leave. Tomorrow, I will take you there. Make sure to ask your servants to pack everything for you to attend a wedding."


    She agreed. "I will also tell Edith today that I will be gone for a few days, or she will wait for me."


    "As you see fit."


    They had breakfast together, during which Drayce noticed Seren was unusually quiet. Since the moment they woke up, something felt distant between them. Seren clearly had something on her mind, and he knew they needed to talk.


    "I will instruct Jasper on some important matters ande to you before leaving for Griven," Drayce exined. Seren simply nodded.


    Once Drayce left, she returned to her room and stood in the gallery, looking at the sky and sea ahead, despite the cold outside. Her mind was a whirlwind of various thoughts.


    It didn''t take Drayce long to return. Seeing her standing outside in the cold, he brought a thick coat for her and wrapped it around her.


    "You''ll fall sick like this," hemented.


    She turned to look at him. "This magical stone on my wrist helps protect me from the cold."


    "Still, I''d prefer if you weren''t so careless. Winter in Megaris can be dangerous."


    "I''m alright," she replied calmly, her gaze lowered.


    Drayce held her shoulders and asked, "I want to know what you''re thinking about, what''s troubling you. Even if you deny it, I know there''s something. Look at me."


    Seren lifted her gaze, her eyes moist. "Dray, am I being unfaithful to you?"


    Drayce was taken aback by her question. "Not at all, Seren."


    "But I feel that way," she said, tears she had been holding back rolling down her cheeks. "I felt it this morning��that I''m not faithful to you. You asked me if I was disappointed to see you instead of Erebus."


    "I was simply teasing you," he said gently, wiping her tears away.


    She shook her head. "It was the first time I felt you weren''t teasing. You were affected by Erebus'' presence with mest night," she exined, her voice sad. "I''m sorry I hurt you. But I don''t know what to do."


    Drayce now realized what his reaction in the morning had caused her. He felt regretful. "I admit that I was jealous. But it''s entirely my fault, not yours."


    "No, I don''t me you. But if this is how it''s going to be, I want us three to live peacefully without ming each other," she said. "Once he marks me, I don''t want him to takeplete control over our lives. I can feel he is powerful, more powerful than you are, and I''m scared that once there is a bond between us, he will dominate you. I don''t want that to happen. I want you before I want him."


    Her voice turned hesitant as she continued. "I��I admit that I want him as well, and I can''t stop myself from feeling attracted to him, from having feelings for him just like I do for you. When I don''t see him for long, I feel restless. I don''t know why.


    I try to convince myself that it''s because he is you, but there is something more��I don''t know what it is��but something��and that something makes me feel that I''m betraying you��"


    "Because you are his mate, Seren," Drayce spoke gently. "It''s not just him who feels attracted to you; you would feel the same. Even though there is no bond, we are destined mates. If you have feelings for him, being his, my, destined mate is the reason. Moreover, it''s a fact that he is me. I should be understanding towards you and him instead of feeling jealous.


    I give you my word, I will do my best to ept this fact. I won''t hurt you because of my thoughtless words and actions."


    "I don''t want to feel this way. I want us to be like we always have beenfortable with each other, without anythinging between us," Seren said softly.


    "We will be," he assured her.


    "I''m sorry if you don''t like it when I''m with him," she added.


    Drayce shook his head. "I should be the one apologizing and taking the me for putting you in this situation. If I hadn''t separated my dark side, you wouldn''t be facing this. It''s the consequence of my actions that you have to endure my other side. I''m sorry for putting you through this. I wish I could solve it."


    They hugged each other tightly. "Solve it? Does that mean he will be gone?" she asked.


    "Not gone, but he would be a part of me entirely, as we were born as one. He would still be inside me but wouldn''t show up as a different identity."


    She moved her head back and looked up at him, her eyes filled with feeling something she was going to lose. "So, there wouldn''t be anyone I would call Erebus?"


    Drayce nodded. "But I''m not sure if it''s even possible, as his existence has only grown stronger over time."


    "Dray, though he is you, he has his own mind and existence. Making him disappear would be like��"


    "You don''t want him to?" he asked.


    "I''m not sure. Let''s talk about it when the dayes," she replied.


    Drayce observed her for a moment, then smiled.


    "What happened?" she asked.


    "Shall I be happy that you are in love even with my scary side as well? You clearly do not want him gone. You are truly so brave, Seren."


    "Does that mean you don''t mind it?" she asked, her gaze expectant.


    "I know I shouldn''t mind it, but it will take me a while toe to terms with it. Will you allow me to have some time so I won''t be jealous with myself, my other side?"


    "I will," she assured him. "I believe we three would be happy the way we are."


    He hugged her tightly, "We will. I will try to rational and ept the reality of my life that I have created with my own hands."

 Chapter 762: Edith In Pain

    Seren and Drayce had gone to attend An and Oriana''s wedding and were away for a week. (For more details, refer to Drayce and Seren''s visit to Griven for An''s wedding in the third book- The Devil''s Betrothed.)


    After a week, when they returned, Seren couldn''t wait to go see Edith. The day of Edith''s delivery was near, and Seren wanted to be with her.


    "Dray, can I go meet Edith?" Seren asked, settling into a chair after changing into fresh clothes and enjoying a nice meal.


    "You can, but we just returned, and it''s already evening. You''re tired, and it wouldn''t be appropriate to disturb them at this hour. How about you go tomorrow morning?"


    "Hmm, you''re right. She might be sleeping already."


    Drayce nodded and approached her, offering his hand. "You should rest so by morning all the tiredness from teleportation will be gone."


    Seren agreed and climbed into bed immediately.


    Late in the night, Seren felt restless in her sleep. Drayce, who was holding her, stirred. Seeing her so uneasy, he became worried.


    "Seren," he called softly.


    At his call, Seren opened her eyes, gasping lightly.


    "Are you alright?" he asked.


    She sat up in bed, her hand rubbing her wildly beating heart. Drayce sat up as well.


    "Was it a nightmare?" he asked.


    She shook her head. "No. But I don''t feel good." She breathed heavily, "It feels like something bad is going to happen. I can feel it clearly, but I''m not sure what it is."


    "Whoes to your mind? Who are you worried about these days?" he asked.


    "No one?" she said, more like a question to herself.


    "Then it must be because you are tired from teleportation. Your body is still dealing with the ordeal."


    She shook her head anxiously. "No, Dray, there''s something. And I''m not wrong about it."


    "Oriana is alright now��."


    "Edith," Seren eximed instantly. "It''s about Edith. We need to go to her."


    "Are you sure?" he asked.


    "Yes, she is not doing well. I can somehow feel it," Seren insisted.


    "Alright," Drayce said, stepping out of bed. "I will take you there." He went to grab a warm coat for her.


    As long as he could make her feel at peace, he would do anything. Moreover, Edith was family, his brother''s wife. If she was not well, as family, they should be with her.


    Seren stepped out of bed and allowed Drayce to help her put on the coat. Once ready, Drayce and Seren disappeared from their chamber and reappeared in the front yard of Keiren''s residence. The knight standing outside recognized their presence.


    "Who''s there?" the knight shouted, alerting others.


    When they saw Seren, who had been visiting for a while now, they calmed down. But seeing the red-eyed man next to her, they were shocked. There was only one red-eyed man they knew in existence.


    Just then, Keiren''s guardian knight arrived. Seeing Drayce and Seren, he bowed. "Your Majesty��"


    Drayce interrupted him by raising his hand. "We do not have time for this. Seren needs to see thedy of this home."


    The knight nodded and guided them inside the drawing room, where the atmosphere was tense. "I will inform His Highness��"


    But then they already heard Edith''s loud cries. The knight informed them, "Lady Edith is about to give birth."


    Seren now realized why she had been feeling restless.


    She looked at Drayce. "It''s too soon. She hasn''tpleted her nine months yet."


    Seren had been reading books about pregnancy since she met Edith and knew a thing or two now.


    "I need to go to her," she dered, running towards Edith''s room while Drayce followed her.


    As they were family, the knight didn''t stop them.


    Following Edith''s painful cries, Seren reached her room and saw Keiren restlessly pacing outside. He spotted Seren, who entered the room directly. Keiren didn''t stop her. Just then, he spotted Drayce and was shocked, but at that moment, he was more worried about his wife.


    Drayce walked to him. "How is my sister-inw?"


    Keiren anxiously shook his head. "I''m not sure. It''s been so long since I''ve only heard her cries." He looked helpless and scared.


    It was the first time Drayce had seen Keiren like this. He could understand. If it were Seren, he would have gone crazy already. He decided to stay and silently support his brother, who didn''t mind his presence.


    Inside the chamber, Seren was taken aback by Edith''s weak condition. Her heart ached to see Edith in pain while trying to give birth, with a midwife doing her best to instruct her. Besides Cara, a midwife and one more servant were present.


    "Use a little more strength, mydy," the servant holding Edith''s hand said anxiously.


    Edith looked like she was losing all her strength, her entire body drenched in sweat as she tightly held onto her servant''s hand. Her cries slowly weakened as she grew exhausted.


    "You can''t give up, Lady Edith," a midwife encouraged. "Just hold on a little longer."


    Seren, shocked, scared, and worried, felt a whirlwind of emotions and stood frozen in ce. She could see how Edith''s body was slowly losing its energy.


    Seren hurried to the bed and sat on the other side. She held Edith''s hand. "Edith, don''t give up, alright?"


    A servant who stepped outside to get more warm water was met by Keiren. "How��is she��"


    "My Lord," the servant hesitated.


    "Speak," Keiren''s voice rose.


    "Lady Edith doesn''t look to be in good condition," she replied.


    Keiren lost thest shred of his patience and barged into the room. All he knew was that he needed to be with his wife, to somehow relieve her of this pain. He wanted to be by her side in her most difficult time.


    Cara stepped aside, and Keiren sat at the edge of the bed, holding Edith''s hand. His gaze was tender as he looked at her. "Edith��" His voice caught in his throat, his eyes glistening with moisture, mirroring her pain.


    Edith looked at him, her eyes slowly closing. "Ren��" Her voice was weak, and her grip on his hand was loosening.


    "Edith��" Keiren called loudly, fear gripping his heart. He looked at the midwife. "What�� what is happening to her?"


    "My Lord��" the midwife hesitated. "I am afraid Lady Edith has lost all her strength and��"


    "And?"


    "She can''t push the baby anymore, and I fear we are losing them both."


    "You are a midwife! You know what to do. Why aren''t you doing anything?"


    "Apologies, my Lord��" she bowed her head, mumbling helplessly, "only if I could give her all my life''s strength."


    Keiren turned back to Edith, shaking her gently. "Edith�� Edith, wake up. You can''t give up. I don''t care about the baby, but I can''t lose you. Edith, wake up��" Tears rolled down his cheeks.


    Seren, shocked and helpless as she held Edith''s frail hand, felt her pulse growing weaker. She heard the midwife''sst words.


    "I can help," Seren spoke immediately.

 Chapter 763: Arrival Of A Baby

    Keiren, despite his tears, heard her and looked at Seren.


    She met his gaze. "I can help her. Both the baby and Edith are still with us. I can feel their pulses clearly. I have to act before it''s toote," she said hurriedly.


    "Do whatever you can, just keep her safe," Keiren replied, not even questioning Seren''s n. He was ready to cling to everyst hope of saving his wife.


    "You need to call my husband inside," Seren instructed.


    Cara and the midwife were taken aback at the thought of another man in the room while Edith was giving birth.


    Keiren didn''t have time to argue. He turned to Cara and said, "Call the man standing outside."


    Before the servant could move, the door opened, and Drayce stepped in. He didn''t look at the bed, focusing only on his wife as he stood just inside the doorway to stand as far as he could from the bed.


    "Dray, you have to block the hellfire," Seren said, not caring that the others wouldn''t understand.


    Drayce nodded and extended his power of darkness towards her, essential to block the hellfire so she could use her divine power of the earth element.


    "You''re ready to go," Drayce instructed after a few moments.


    Seren looked at the midwife. "Just do what you''re supposed to."


    The midwife, unsure of what this young woman intended, nodded and prayed for the baby to arrive safely with whatever Seren was about to do.


    Seren ced her hands on Edith''s swollen belly and closed her eyes. A soft glow began to emanate from her palms, gradually enveloping Edith''s belly and spreading across her entire body, creating a magical illumination. Edith woke with a loud gasp, as if being pulled from suffocation, while Seren continued to channel her divine power to strengthen Edith and the baby inside her.


    Keiren, the midwife, and Edith''s servant Cara were stunned. They watched in awe as the gentle glow spread across Edith''s body, witnessing a magic they had never seen or expected in their lives. Inside that dimly lit chamber, Edith''s body glowed like a sparkling gem at the depth of the ocean.


    With renewed strength, Edith was able to push, and the midwife assisted, while Seren didn''t move even a bit till she could be sure that Edith''s body was not in any danger.


    Finally, the baby emerged, and soon a loud cry echoed through the chamber. The midwife announced, "My Lord, you are blessed with a son."


    Keiren''s focus remained on his wife. "Edith, are you alright?" he asked anxiously.


    She nodded, offering a weak smile. Tears of relief and joy filled Keiren''s eyes. "You were strong. You did well," he praised her.


    Seren finally withdrew her hands, tears of happiness glistening in her eyes.


    Drayce had already stepped out of the chamber once his task wasplete.


    Edith looked at Seren, who gently held her hand and smiled warmly. "Congrattions, Edith. Thank you for giving me a godson."


    Exhausted, Edith smiled weakly and closed her eyes, finally sumbing to the overwhelming fatigue.


    Leaving everything to the midwife and servant, Keiren stepped out of the chamber. Outside, he spotted Drayce and approached him.


    "Congrattions," Drayce said.


    "Thank you," Keiren replied.


    "What happened today inside that room, I hope it won''t get out," Drayce added.


    "Rest assured," Keiren responded.


    "If you feel worried about anything, let me assure you that my wife is not an ominous evil witch as the rumors says."


    "I do not care what she is. All I know is that I will always be indebted to her for saving my wife''s life. You do not need to assure me of anything. If I had found her evil, I would have never allowed her to meet my wife."


    Seren had been visiting Edith for a long time already, and Keiren had never stopped her. Edith was happy with Seren around, and all he wished for was his wife''s happiness.


    After a while, Seren stepped out of the room. Spotting Drayce, she went straight to him, her moist eyes meeting his. "You are an uncle now."


    Drayce nodded and hugged her. "You must have been scared."


    She hugged him back, allowing herself to rx in his embrace. "I was worried, what if it didn''t work? I didn''t want to lose them."


    "You did well, Seren. I am so proud of you," he coaxed, wiping away her tears.


    "The baby is so small and beautiful," she mumbled, a content smile spreading across her lips.


    Drayce nodded in agreement.


    Keiren, who had been standing quietly to the side, turned to her. "Thank you for saving my wife and son, Your Majesty."


    "You do not need to thank me, Prince Keiren. We are family, after all," she replied. "I am so happy to wee a baby into our family. I am an aunt now."


    Keiren could only nod lightly, not wanting toment further. He had kept away from his family but now realized he might not be able to anymore.


    "For what you did today, Your Majesty, if you ever need something from me, I would dly give it to you," Keiren said earnestly.


    Seren wanted to say she didn''t need anything but instead replied, "I will keep it in mind."


    Just then, Cara stepped out of the room, holding a baby wrapped in a warm, thick cloth. She walked over to Keiren. "My Lord, the baby is absolutely healthy."


    "Edith?" he asked, even before looking at the baby.


    "My Lady is doing well too. She just needs to rest," Cara assured him. Only then did Keiren look at the baby in her arms.


    "My Lord, would you like to hold him?" she asked.


    There was hesitation in his eyes, fearing he might not be able to. "I am not sure if I can."


    "You sure can, my Lord. You are a father, and you will know how to hold him properly," she encouraged, offering the baby to him.


    His trembling hands moved to take the baby, worrying he might drop him. But the small bundle fit perfectly in his arms. As he looked at his son for the first time, his eyes glistened with unshed tears.


    "He looks like his mother," Keiren said softly, observing the baby''s delicate face.


    Drayce watched his brother, seeing the joy in his eyes as he held his child. Various emotions shed across Drayce''s face as he wondered what it would be like to hold his own child, a child that would belong to him and Seren.


    Keiren noticed Drayce''s gaze and walked towards him. "Want to hold the baby?"


    "I''m not sure if I can��" Drayce hesitated.


    "It wasn''t difficult after I held him," Keiren interrupted, understanding his brother''s hesitation.


    "Dray, I was worried too, but once I held him, I didn''t want to let him go," Seren encouraged. "You can hold him. Trust me."


    With a conflicted and worried gaze, Drayce looked at the baby as Keiren handed him over. The moment the small body weighed in his hands, Drayce felt his entire self go stiff. It was an indescribable feeling. Holding a newborn was an experience like no other.


    "How does it feel?" Seren asked gently.


    "It''s�� amazing��" Drayce mumbled, his eyes fixed on the delicate baby in his arms. He looked at his brother. "You are truly fortunate."


    Keiren hummed in agreement. "You will be fortunate one day as well."


    Seren observed the two brothers. Unlike what she had previously thought, there was no tension between them. They clearly had nothing against each other.


    The arrival of this small baby seemed to mark the beginning of bringing them closer as a true family.

 Chapter 764: Blessings From Seren

    Drayce and Seren spent the night at Keiren''s residence, as Seren was too worried about Edith, who remained unconscious, to leave her side.


    Keiren weed their stay and instructed the servants to prepare a guest room for them.


    Keiren himself didn''t leave Edith''s side, his worry palpable. He sat in the chair next to her bed, holding her delicate hand. She looked so frail, and he feared that childbirth had taken a severe toll on her. He wanted to be the first person she saw when she woke up.


    In the guest room, Sereny in theforting embrace of Drayce''s arms. "I never thought I would ever see Prince Keiren like this," she murmured.


    "Like what?" Drayce asked softly.


    "I never expected him to be the kind of man who could be deeply in love with his wife. He always seemed so distant and aloof to me. But the way he cares for Edith, it changed my opinion," she said, raising her head to look at him. "Is it in your blood?" she asked. "I heard from Grandma how much King Esteban loved her, then King Theron and your mother, and now you and your brother.


    All of you seem the same."


    "You can leave King Theron out of that list," Drayce replied. "Though he wasn''t wrong to care for his kingdom and protect everyone from that curse, and he was forced to sacrifice my mother, I wouldn''t say he truly loved her."


    Seren pressed her lips into a thin line, feeling the weight of the secret she carried. Grandma had told her not to reveal the truth to Drayce, and she wondered how she could ever bring it up to him.


    ''Maybe his mother can tell him the truth. I shall speak with her about this misunderstanding between father and son,'' she thought.


    "What are you thinking about?" Drayce asked, sensing her distraction.


    "What if it was your mother who chose to make that sacrifice?" Seren suggested gently.


    "It wouldn''t be surprising. She has always been kind and willing to protect everyone," Drayce admitted.


    "Would you still me your father?" Seren asked softly, her eyes searching his for understanding.


    "If he had truly loved her, he would have valued her sacrifice and lived the way she would have wanted him to��a happy life, taking care of the family. But what did he do? He isted himself from everyone. We grew up without any memories of fatherly warmth."


    "As a son, it''s normal that you are biased towards your mother, and refuse to understand your father. But, your mother''s departure must have broken him to that extent. The pain he felt, we might never be able to fathom it." she said gently. "If I had to leave you one day, what would you do? Would you still be the same Dray?"


    Drayce covered her mouth with his hand. "I won''t ever let you go, so don''t say something like that again."


    "You have power, but your father is just human. Imagine how helpless he must have felt at that time. Try to put yourself in his ce."


    Drayce sighed, a hint of understanding softening his features. "Maybe you''re right. I will try to understand him."


    Seren offered him a light smile. "Let''s sleep now. In the morning, I have to be with the baby and won''t have time for you."


    "Spend as much time as you want here because soon we are leaving for Agartha," he informed her.


    "Leaving? When?" she asked, her voice tinged with surprise.


    "Tomorrow. I wish us to leave then��"


    "I am not going," she interrupted, her eyes filled with determination. "There is a baby in our family and you want us to leave? Besides us, Prince Keiren and Edith have no one here to look after them and the baby."


    Drayce chuckled softly as he caressed her cheek. "You are bing more of a mature family woman now."


    "Shall I not?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.


    "Of course you should," he replied with a smile. "But you should also learn to listen to the entire thing someone is about to say."


    Seren realized what he meant and asked, "What were you going to say?"


    "I initially nned to leave earlier, but I decided to extend our stay for a day or two. You can be with them and the baby."


    "That sounds good," she said, hugging him tightly. "Drayce, why don''t you talk to Prince Keiren about not keeping his family away? Grandma would be so happy to see her grandson."


    "I will talk to him tomorrow. But in the end, it''s his family and his decision."


    "Won''t you insist a little if he denies?" she asked, looking up at him with hopeful eyes.


    "I will do what I can. Now, let''s sleep," he replied, gently stroking her hair.


    ------


    The next morning, when Seren woke up, ra had arranged everything for her. Drayce had disappeared to the pce, nning to returnter so the servants wouldn''t worry about their absence.


    Edith was awake, and Keiren was still by her side. Seren heard them talking as Edith held the baby in her arms.


    "He looks just like you, Ren," Edithmented.


    "To me, he looks like you," Keiren replied.


    "Huh? I don''t think so. He takes after you."


    "As long as you want it to be," he said with a smile.


    "That won''t do, he really looks like you," she insisted and then noticed Seren standing at the door. "Seren,e here and tell us who the baby looks like."


    Seren happily walked forward and observed the sleeping baby. "Hmm, his forehead and eyebrows look like his father''s, while his nose and mouth resemble his mother''s. So basically, he got the best from both of you. As for his eyes, we will only know when he is awake."


    "Oh, when he was awake earlier, I saw. His eyes are the same color as Keiren''s," Edith replied happily.


    Just then, the baby stirred in his sleep. "He sensed his aunt was here and woke up."


    Seren was taken aback by what she said. ''Does she know I am truly his aunt?''


    "Aunt?" she asked, surprised.


    Edith looked at her warmly. "You are like my sister, so aren''t you his aunt?"


    "Of course," Seren said with a smile. "I thought you would say godmother."


    "You are that too, but my child will need an uncle and aunt as well, so you and your husband can fulfill that role. But, of course, only if your husband doesn''t mind."


    "Why would he mind? He would be happy, in fact," Seren replied, gently patting the baby as Keiren stepped aside to give her space.


    "Baby,e to your aunt now," she said, carefully taking the baby from Edith. "He smells so good," Serenmented, breathing in the baby''s sweet scent.


    "Has Dray left?" Keiren asked.


    "He had some work. He will return in a while."


    Keiren nodded and left the two women to talk.


    "How are you feeling now?" Seren asked Edith.


    "Much better," Edith replied. "Last night, I felt like I almost died, and then suddenly, a miracle brought me back."


    Seren knew what Edith felt was not wrong but didn''t wish to delve into it. "You''ve given birth to a new life; it''s no less than a miracle." She looked at the baby and smiled. "And this new life is a cute bunny."


    Edith giggled. "He does feel like a bunny, soft like cotton."


    Seren nted a gentle kiss on the baby''s forehead. "I wish this sweet bunny to have a healthy and prosperous life. May he be smart, courageous, and kind, as well as beautiful like his parents."


    A soft glow appeared where Seren had kissed the baby''s forehead, as if her wish for him had been granted, or perhaps it was a blessing from the deity of Earth herself that the baby received.

 Chapter 765 : Keirens Reasons

    Drayce returned to Keiren''s residence as he had promised Seren they would be having a morning meal together. He clearly understood her intentions; she wanted him to have a morning meal with Keiren. She was doing everything she could to bring him closer to his brother, and he didn''t want to disappoint her. Perhaps he also wanted what she was aiming for.


    The servants prepared breakfast for them, and Drayce, Seren, and Keiren sat around the rectangr dining table. Drayce and Keiren both sat quietly while Seren wondered how to make them talk freely like a family.


    For a moment, she imagined all the Ivanov siblings sitting around the dining table and chatting happily. She especially missed the youngest brother, Prince Ruven. ''If Ruven were here, he would definitely make these two stubborn brothers talk, even if it meant scolding them.''


    Last time when she saw the siblings together, only Drayce and Keiren were missing.


    "Lord Ren," Seren began, "I hope you n to spend the entire winter here. The baby is too small to travel around."


    After what Seren had done to help Edith and his baby, Keiren had no restraint in talking with her. "I will stay in the south until winter is over, but not in this city."


    "Are you nning to leave ckhelm?" she asked, not liking the idea.


    He nodded. "I have made arrangements closer to the coastal area city, which is more peaceful, and no one would recognize us. We will wait until the baby is well enough to travel."


    Seren looked at Drayce. Though calm, she was sure he was not happy to hear it. But he said nothing.


    Seren didn''t know how to convince Keiren to stay either. He was older than her, and it was his decision to make for his family.


    After breakfast, Seren returned to Edith''s room, leaving the two brothers alone, hoping to enjoy the remaining days with the baby before they moved to another city. Meanwhile, Drayce had Keiren head to Keiren''s study, as Drayce wished to talk to him.


    Keiren sat in the chair behind his desk while Drayce walked towards therge window of the study and stood, looking outside.


    There was silence for a while before Drayce spoke, not looking at his brother, his expression serious. "Why are you doing this?"


    "What do you mean?" Keiren asked, seemingly engrossed in the scroll in his hands.


    "Why are you keeping your family away?" Drayce asked. "You''ve even assumed a different identity."


    "I prefer it this way," Keiren replied calmly, not bothered by Drayce''s questions.


    There was another silence before Drayce finally turned to look at Keiren. "Are you trying to go away from us to never return?"


    Keiren''s hands shook slightly as he ced the scroll back on the table. He heard Drayce again, "You''re nning to sever your rtionship with the Ivanovs and live with this new identity of yours."


    Keiren looked up, meeting Drayce''s gaze. "Yes, that is what I am nning."


    "Why?" Drayce asked.


    "After serving as King of this kingdom for all these years, and growing up in the kind of royal family we have, you should be first one to understand my reasons," Keiren replied.


    "I want to hear it from you," Drayce insisted, clearly not happy that his brother was nning go away.


    "Because I don''t want my family to suffer what we have been through, especially my kids. I want a peaceful life with my wife and family. I don''t want to see the day where family members have no love among them and are simply objects of power in others'' eyes. I don''t want one brother against another. I want my family to live an ordinary life where there is no power struggle, no scrutiny from others.


    There should be warmth and love from family. What we as a kind could not get from our family, I want my kids to have it.


    "I want my kids to grow up with their innocence intact and not have to work hard to prove themselves to others. I want my kids to experience the love from their parents that we could never get. I want to make up for what wecked in life. I never wanted to gain any power, but couldn''t stop others from assuming it and then creating a distance between us.


    Until I had Edith, I didn''t have any true family, but now I know what it means to have one. I don''t want it to be tainted by the power of royalty."


    There was a silence in the study once Keiren stopped talking.


    Drayce looked at him, feeling the weight of his brother''s words. He wished he could do the same as what Keiren was nning.


    Keiren continued, "The day you were announced as the king of this kingdom, trust me, I was the happiest person because I knew finally I could be free from all that burden and find my way out. Since then, I have been nning to go away to find my peaceful life, and I am finally seeding. But that doesn''t mean I neglected my duties towards the kingdom that you entrusted to me. I fulfilled them all."


    "I know. You are the one to bring secret news through your spies from Thevailes while others thought you were colluding with them to stand against me," Drayce added.


    "See, this is what I was talking about. Even if I do something good, to others it always looks like we are plotting against each other for the throne. Even when I care for you as my brother and consider you as one, the world would never see it that way. They will always look at me as someone who is displeased because his younger brother is a king. I never wanted the throne.


    All I ever wanted was to run away from it, and you bing a king simply fulfilled my wish."


    "You will never tell your wife and kids who you truly are?" Drayce asked.


    "There is no need. They would know me by my new identity, and we would live as ordinary nobles."


    "So you want to run away, leaving it all to me," Drayce''s gaze filled with sadness.


    "I believe, given the opportunity, you would run away as well, giving up the throne, but you can''t."


    Drayce knew his brother spoke the truth. He would leave with Seren and never return to this chaotic life of power and royalty.


    Seeing his sadness, Keiren spoke, "I am sorry that I found this way for me, but my decision is final. I do hope, with Seren by your side, you will find peace as well."


    Drayce nodded, "She is the reason I can keep going on."


    "I am relieved to see you have a woman like her as your wife," Keiren added. "Even if I leave, I will allow you and your wife to visit me whenever you wish. I hope that will be enough to make up for it."


    Drayce could only agree, knowing there was no way he could stop his brother.


    "Once Drayce stepped out of the study, Seren asked. "What did you talk about?"


    Drayce quietly looked at her, though he said nothing, his gaze conveyed that whatever they talked about had made him sad.


    Seren held his hand in hers, and caressed gently tofort him.

 Chapter 766 : Want A To Have A Baby

    Before leaving Keiren''s mansion, Seren spoke to him, "Lord Ren, you said I can ask you for anything for protecting Edith and the baby?"


    "Yes, I remember. Whatever it is, I will fulfill," his gaze passed by Drayce before it settled back on Seren, "as long as it''s not about making me change my ns for my family."


    Seren offered a gentle smile, "Lord Ren, I have no right to meddle in your decision for your family. Rest assured, I won''t be asking for anything like that."


    "Then please let me know what you wish for."


    "I want to bring my grandmother here to see my friend''s child. I want the baby to receive her blessings," Seren exined.


    Hearing this, Keiren simply looked at her. If Theodora came here and knew it was his family, what would happen?


    "I won''t let Grandma know that it''s your family. You can choose to stay away. Grandma doesn''t know Edith or anyone else here," she added.


    "Let me know when you n to bring her here," Keiren replied, showing his approval.


    "Thank you so much," Seren said and left with Drayce.


    Reaching the pce, Drayce asked as he brought Seren back to her chamber. He helped her remove her winter coat. Seren took it from him and walked to hang it on the wooden stand, but Drayce hugged her from behind, enveloping her slender body in his strong arms.


    "Why did you make such a wish?" he asked.


    Seren understood he was asking about her talk with Keiren. "Grandma is old, and I wish her to see her first great-grandchild. Even though she won''t be aware of it, it would be satisfying to at least let her see him. Moreover, the baby would receive a blessing from the elder of our family."


    Drayce smiled at her thoughtfulness. His deep voice echoed next to her ear. "You really love the baby, don''t you?"


    Seren''s lips curved into a sweet smile which was clearly because of the mention of the baby. "How can one not love such a tiny and cute life? It felt so good whenever I held him in my hands. I felt as if all I wanted to do was protect him and pray nothing bad ever happens to him. Also, he smells so good that I didn''t want to let him go.


    That scent was soforting." As she spoke, her face brightened up with pure joy.


    Drayce''s hand gently moved to her belly, caressing it gently. "How about we have our own baby?"


    The smile on her lips widened, and her eyes sparkled with something she truly wanted at that moment. "I would love to. In fact, I was thinking about it these days."


    "Shall we start making one right away?" he whispered in her ear, drawing goosebumps on her skin.


    "Don''t you have work to do?"


    "It can wait."


    She chuckled softly and turned to face him. "What if I already have one in my belly?"


    Drayce raised a brow, only to hear her say, "We have done it. Shouldn''t I have one by now? Shall I get it checked by the royal physician, or can I wait if I miss my monthly cycle?"


    "Do as you feel is right," Drayce spoke.


    "Umm, it would be embarrassing to visit the physician in case I am not��. I will wait for a while."


    The talk reminded him of that innocent Seren who was asking him why her belly was not round as she was married to him. He felt likeughing at those memories but held it back. Now in front of him stood a mature woman who understood and handled everything really well.


    "What do you say?" she asked, "Shall I wait for a few days?"


    "Sure, and we shall make that wait worthwhile," he lifted her in his arms and carried her to the bed.


    "Dray?..."


    "Don''t you want a baby?"


    "I want, but��."


    "Shh! Focus."


    ------


    The next day, Seren reached Keiren''s home along with the greatdy Theodora.


    "You brought me to the temple to make prayers and now you bring me somewhere else," the olddy said as she climbed into the carriage after visiting the temple. "I never go outside the Crystal Pce, but I could not reject your requests."


    "Grandma, sometimes it''s good to go out among the people," Serenmented. "I have been imprisoned for so long, you can ask me about the importance of it."


    Theodora couldn''t argue with that and allowed Seren to lead her where she wished. Seren knew well that mentioning her past would stop Grandma from asking more questions and would let her go along without much fuss.


    ''Sorry, Grandma, this is the only way I can take you there,'' Seren said inwardly, watching the olddy sitting in front of her.


    They soon reached Keiren''s residence. The knights close to Keiren were aware of who wasing to the residence today and were prepared to wee the olddy, though they disguised themselves as ordinary noble family guards. Seren was now used to seeing them.


    "Where are we?" Theodora asked.


    "Grandma, this is my friend''s home. I thought you must be tired after visiting the temple, so I brought you here to rest and have some tea," Seren replied.


    "Won''t it be a bother?" Theodora asked.


    "Of course not, Grandma. My friend is a lovely woman. She is new in this city and doesn''t have any friends other than me. So, my family is like her family. Even Drayce was here yesterday."


    "Is that so?" the olddy said with a smile. "My Seren has learned to make friends now."


    "Yes, Grandma," she replied and whispered, "But, Grandma, they do not know we are Royals, so let''s just be like ordinary people."


    "Huh?" Theodora offered her a questioning gaze. "Isn''t it like deceiving your friend?"


    Seren pulled a sad face, "I know, Grandma, but the situation was like that. Will you trust me on this one? We won''t lie, but we are just not telling the truth. Not saying something is not lying, right?"


    Theodora sighed, "Alright. I will do as you say."

 Chapter 767: Name For The Baby

    Seren and Grandma reached inside the home and were guided towards Edith''s chamber by ra. Edith was resting in bed while holding her baby in her arms after feeding him.


    "Why are you not sleeping, huh? Are you still hungry, or are you waiting for someone?" Edith continued to talk to him in her sweet voice. "Umm, let me guess. Are you waiting for your father perhaps?"


    "What about he is waiting for his aunt?"


    A familiar voice caught Edith''s attention as she looked at the door of her chamber. A smile on her lips widened to see Seren standing there, but then she noticed an olddy in simple white clothes. Though she wore simple clothes, her presence didn''t feel ordinary. Despite the wrinkles, her face looked gracefully aged and impressive.


    Seren walked ahead with Theodora and spoke, "Edith, this is my grandma, Theodora. We visited the temple nearby, so I thought of bringing her here for some rest."


    "You did well," Edith said and bowed slightly to thedy. "Greetings, Grandma. You are Seren''s grandma, so I will call you the same."


    "That surely sounds good," Theodora offered her a light smile that felt full of affection and warmth. "Seren told me that you two are good friends. I am d Seren now has a friend that she made herself."


    Edith smiled at the olddy, "Seren is sweet. Anyone would want to be her friend."


    "That is true as well," Theodora replied as she walked towards the bed with Seren.


    ra offered them chairs to sit in, which she ced by the bed.


    "I was wondering where you had gone today and didn''te to visit us," Edithined to Seren, "but I forgive you as you were taking care of your grandma."


    Seren chuckled softly and went to get the baby from Edith. "Give him to his aunt."


    "Can I even say no to you?" Edithmented as she handed over the baby to Seren, who held him with ease, as if she was used to it.


    Theodora observed the two talking like true friends and smiled as well. She noticed how Seren''s smile widened the moment she looked at the baby in her arms. She inhaled his scent first and then spoke, "You were definitely waiting for your aunt, weren''t you? Today, let me introduce you to my grandma, hmm?" She carried the baby to Theodora, and the olddy held him with much warmth and care.


    "Such a beautiful baby," Theodora spoke, her eyes brimming with happiness.


    Seren caressed the baby''s tiny palm with her finger, "She is my grandma, so she is your great-grandma, okay?"


    The baby snuggled in Theodora''s arms and cooed.


    "Grandma, it seems like he epted you as his great-grandma," Seren said happily while Edith watched with amusement.


    Theodora chuckled softly, "Seems like it. Who wouldn''t like a beautiful olddy like me as their great-grandma?"


    "True," Seren said happily.


    Edith felt like all of a sudden the air turned blissful, having family members around.


    "What''s the name of my great-grandson?" Theodora asked, as she looked at Edith.


    "I am yet to decide," she replied, looking back at the olddy. She felt as if she was really her family. "Why don''t you suggest a name for him, Grandma?"


    "Me?" Theodora asked in surprise and thenughed softly. "An olddy like me can only have some old names that won''t even sound good in this generation."


    "It''s alright," Edith spoke. "I do not have an elder in the family, so I would ept it as your blessing for my son."


    Theodora looked at Seren, to which Seren nodded immediately. "Grandma, whatever name you choose, it will be the best one."


    "Hmm, let me think." The old woman looked at the smiling face of the baby. "How about Thaddeus? It means courageous and blessed by gods."


    Seren immediately felt that there was no other name that would suit the firstborn of this generation of Ivanovs. It felt closer to the names of Lady Theodora and King Theron. But she remained quiet and looked at Edith. "What do you think?"


    Edith''s smile widened, "I love the name. I will call him by the nickname Thad. It sounds sweet."


    "That''s fixed then," Seren cheered and turned to the baby. "From now on, your name will be Thaddeus." Then she looked at Theodora, whose attention was entirely on the baby. "Grandma, you sure have a good choice of names."


    The olddy looked at her, "Does that mean I get to decide the names for your kids as well?"


    Seren blushed lightly but said, "Of course, Grandma."


    "When will I get to see them?" Grandma asked, turning Seren shy.


    "Umm, soon, maybe."


    "I can''t wait to see Seren''s child as well," Edithmented. "I hope she has a daughter so Thad can have a sweet little sister."


    "That would be great," Seren replied, as her daughter would be Thaddeus'' sister anyway.


    Theodora pulled out a jade ring from her finger and showed it to the baby. "I am giving this most favorite ring of mine, my treasure, to you as you are the first great-grandchild of mine."


    "Grandma," Edith spoke, "there is no need for the gift."


    "I am his great-grandma. Can''t I give anything to him? It''s my blessing," the olddy spoke.


    Edith looked at Seren, who nodded, "It''s for the baby."


    Edith could only agree, and Theodora passed the ring to ra, who gave it to Edith. "Thank you for the blessings, Grandma."


    After spending some time with them and having some tea and snacks, Seren and Theodora set off to leave.


    "Grandma, make sure to visit us again," Edith spoke.


    "Of course," the greatdy agreed.


    ra came to see them off at the carriage. Just as Seren was helping the greatdy to climb the carriage, another carriage entered the gate of the residence, catching Seren''s attention.


    Seren felt worried that due to her, what Keiren didn''t want would happen today. She wished Grandma would climb the carriage before Keiren stepped out, or he would wait a while to get down.


    To her surprise, the man stepped down from the carriage and walked towards them.


    "Grandma," he called.


    Hearing the familiar voice, the olddy turned her face, only to find Keiren walking towards them.

 Chapter 768: Leaving For Agartha

    Theodora was surprised to see her first grandson there. "Keiren?"


    "Yes, Grandma." He approached her and stopped in front of her. "This is my residence, Grandma."


    Theodora was speechless for a moment before finally finding her words. "So, that''s��."


    "Your granddaughter-inw and great-grandson," Keirenpleted her sentence.


    Theodora''s free hand covered her mouth as her eyes filled with tears. "My��" Words failed her as the sudden shock overwhelmed her. She looked at Seren, who added, "Yes, Grandma, that is why I brought you here."


    Her eyes brimming with tears, Theodora turned back to Keiren. "My great-grandson," she murmured, looking at her trembling free hand, while the other was upied with holding her cane. "I just held him. No wonder I felt as if he were my kin. I could feel it."


    "Apologies for keeping it from you, Grandma. I will visit Crystal Pce soon and exin everything to you," he assured her. "I do not wish to hide it from you any longer."


    A light smile spread across her lips. "I will wait for you."


    Seren had a contented smile on her face, her own eyes moist with happiness for them. She appreciated Keiren''s decision, knowing how much he cared about his grandmother.


    Keiren looked at Seren, not knowing what to say, but his gaze was full of gratitude for what she had done. The happiness he saw in his grandmother''s eyes made telling her the truth worth it.


    Seren offered him a light nod, epting his unspoken gratitude, and then turned to the olderdy. "Grandma, let''s return. It''s not good for you to stay out in such cold weather for too long."


    The olddy nodded. After exchanging a few more words with Keiren, they left. Inside the carriage, the olderdy''s eyes remained moist, as she struggled to hold back her tears.


    She turned to Seren. "I am not sure how many things I should thank you for or how I can even begin to express my gratitude."


    "You don''t need to, Grandma. The love you''ve shown me since I arrived in this kingdom and became part of this family is far more precious."


    -----


    That afternoon, Keiren visited Theodora and exined to her why he had kept his family away and what he nned for the future. He told her the same thing he had told Drayce.


    Theodora hummed thoughtfully. "I can''t me you for anything, Keiren," the olderdy said, not upset. "Though you are royals and the most powerful people in the kingdom, you young ones have faced unfair situations and ack of love from the family. If one day Drayce has to do the same, I wouldn''t stop him either. You both deserve to live the life you desire."


    "Thank you for understanding, Grandma." He then began exining how he met Edith.


    "...When I found her in the forest, she was not in a good state. Despite being from a noble family, she was abused for being born to a lowly maid. I took her with me with the thought of saving that frail young woman. She was scared of nobles, so I continued to pretend to be an ordinary merchant.


    She had nowhere to go, so I allowed her to stay and work as a servant at my residence in the north, where others knew me as a merchant as well. My identity was never revealed to her."


    His tone became a little hesitant. "But��I hadn''t expected to fall for her��and��"


    Grandma chuckled. "It would have been disappointing if you hadn''t fallen for such a beautiful and sweet young woman. I''m d that you saved her and provided her with a good life. You don''t have to be hesitant. Falling in love is the best thing that can happen to anyone. But, are you never going to tell her the truth?"


    "I have not given it a thought yet," he replied. "Her body has been frail because she wasn''t treated well, so it''s difficult for her to cope with the extreme cold in the north. I''ll be moving to a city in the south where the weather stays warm most of the year."


    "That''s a good decision," Theodoramented. "She looks healthy despite giving birth to a child. It seems like the weather here is good for her. She even gave birth to a healthy child."


    Keiren contemted what the olddy said and asked, "Grandma, you must be aware that Seren is not an ordinary woman."


    The older woman looked at him for a moment before smiling. "She is a good soul. Her presence can bless any ce she steps into."


    Keiren exined what had happened during childbirth. "She saved both of them, and I owe her my entire life. Edith''s sudden improvement in health seems to be because of her as well."


    "That can certainly be true. Edith and my great-grandson are fortunate to receive her blessings. From now on, you can rest assured about their well-being. It''s as good as receiving a blessing from the deity of life herself."


    Theodora''s words left him shocked, but he quickly regained hisposure. He didn''t ask what Seren truly was, but he knew he would always be grateful to her.


    -----


    As everything was settled, Drayce and Seren were ready to leave for Agartha after making all the necessary arrangements.


    Seren had informed Edith that she would be gone for a long time with her husband and that, in her absence, Grandma Theodora would continue to visit her, ensuring Edith would still feel like she had a family around. Edith was happy to have an elder with her.


    Drayce visited Keiren, requesting him to look after the kingdom''s matters along with Jasper until he returned from his long journey. Since the baby was still small and traveling in the cold wasn''t advisable, Keiren postponed his n to move to another city and epted Drayce''s request.


    The next morning, before leaving, Drayce gave instructions to his two knights, yer and Azer, whom he was leaving behind.


    "yer, the estate given to you��you have never visited it. I order you to go there and take care of it," Draycemanded. "When you have a family and kids in theing year, they will need a proper estate suitable to your status as the King''s guardian knight."


    yer sighed. "There is��"


    "I don''t want to hear that there''s no need, that you n to stay single forever, and so on. I value your loyalty, but not to that extent. I want to see you have a family, and once I return, we will see to it. Until then, take care of your estate the way a duke is supposed to. That''s an order from your king."


    yer could only keep silent and obey the King.


    Drayce then turned to Azer. "You can use this time to be with your family for a while and then return to take charge in yer''s ce,manding all the knights who will have their short vacations as well."


    "Your Majesty, there''s no need for me to visit home. I''ll just take over the Commander''s responsibilities."


    "Don''t want to go home?" Drayce raised a brow. "Would you rather I transfer you to Griven to work under Captain Imbert Loyset?"


    Azer was taken aback. "Y-Your Majesty, why would I go there? I would rather go with the Commander to help him with his estate."


    "I don''t need your help. You can return to your home," yer dered.


    Azer lowered his head in submission, sighing inwardly.


    After taking care of everything, Drayce went to Seren, who was ready to leave.


    "Do you know the way to Agartha?" Seren asked. "I heard it''s difficult."


    "You don''t have to worry when I''m with you two," a familiar voice caught her attention.


    "Mother," Seren smiled at Evanthe, who spoke, "I''m here to take you both there," and hugged Seren gently.


    Seren offered her a sweet smile. "Thank you, Mother."


    Evanthe let go of her and observed Seren''s face, now unveiled. "When I held you in my hands for the first time when you were a baby and saw you without a veil, I knew I was looking at the most beautiful woman in this universe."


    Seren felt a little shy at her words and didn''t know what to say. "Thank you, Mother," she replied, her tone a little hesitant.


    "Who do I look like?" Seren asked, knowing Evanthe had seen both her parents.


    "You are as beautiful as your mother. Being a deity of nature, it''s only natural that no one can match your beauty," Evanthe praised her once more, then turned to Drayce. "Looking at both of you, I can tell I''m going to be blessed with the most beautiful grandkids."


    Though shy, Seren chuckled at this. "And they will have the most beautiful grandma."


    Evantheughed softly. "I agree with that. I know I''m quite beautiful."


    "But Mother, you won''t look like a grandma at all. You still look like a youngdy who''s yet to be married."


    "Then shall I use a magic spell to give myself some wrinkles and gray hair?" Evanthe asked yfully.


    "Is that possible?"


    "With magic, anything is possible. Want to see?"


    "No, no. I want my baby to see a beautiful and young grandma."


    Drayce simply stayed quiet, a light smile ying on his lips to see their warm interaction. He looked forward to what they were talking about and felt like he could not wait for the day when he would be holding his own child in his hands.


    Once ready, they disappeared from the chamber, finally leaving for Agartha.

 Chapter 769: Seren Curious About Drayces Father

    Under Evanthe''s guidance, Drayce and Seren made their way to Agartha. After teleporting to a distant location high in the snowy mountains, they came to a stop.


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    Evanthe looked worriedly at Seren, who was held tightly in Drayce''s protective embrace. "How are you feeling, Seren?"


    Seren felt tired and a little dizzy after the teleportation. She thought she had grown ustomed to it after teleporting with Drayce many times, but she realized she was wrong.


    "I don''t really feel good," she replied weakly, burying her face against Drayce''s chest.


    "Mother, it''s the first time she''s traveled so far at once. We should let her rest," Drayce suggested, concern etched on his face.


    "You''re right," Evanthe agreed. She walked closer to Seren and gently patted her head. "The journey to Agartha is more challenging than normal teleportation across the human kingdom. We will try to make it easier for you."


    Seren nodded weakly, and Evanthe used a magic spell to create a resting ce for them amidst the cold, snowy mountains. A small cottage appeared,plete with a firece, multiplemps, and an energy barrier surrounding it to keep the snow and cold wind out.


    Drayce carried Seren inside the cottage and gentlyid her on the bed while Evanthe brought thick animal hide nkets and covered her.


    "Although we''ve used magic to keep the cold at bay, we still can''tpletely defy nature. You''ll feel the cold, but you should be fine," Evanthe added.


    Wrapped in the warmth of the nkets, Seren nodded and buried her face inside them, struggling with the cold air. Even the red stone around her wrist wasn''t helping. Evanthe offered her a potion, which provided somefort.


    "Dray, stay with her. I''ll prepare some food and a warm drink," Evanthe said, ready to step outside.


    "Mother, stay with Seren. I''ll take care of the rest." Drayce couldn''t let his mother do everything, especially when he felt it was his responsibility to protect the two most important women in his life.


    Evanthe smiled softly, understanding his sentiment. "Alright," she agreed and sat by Seren''s side.


    After Drayce left, Seren asked, "Mother, get inside the nket. You must be feeling cold as well."


    "Shall I?" Evanthe chuckled. "I''m afraid a Dragon might not be too happy to see his mate being apanied by someone else in bed, even if it''s another woman."


    "He won''t mind. He loves you as much as he loves me," Seren assured her, "I mean both Dray and Erebus."


    "As you say so," Evanthe said, slipping inside the nket to lie next to Seren.


    "It feels much warmer now," Serenmented, feeling theforting warmth from Evanthe.


    "If it were Drayce instead of me, you''d feel even warmer."


    Seren suppressed a shy smile. "Mother, can I ask you something?"


    "Yes?"


    "It''s about Drayce''s father," Seren said hesitantly. "If you don''t want to��"


    "You can ask."


    "Why couldn''t you be with him despite him being your soulmate?" Seren asked.


    "He is the most powerful being in these three realms. When someone is so powerful, they are bound by certain rules," Evanthe began. "When he became the lord of absolute darkness to protect all three realms, he was required to take a vow that he would live his life alone, without a family or children."


    "Why such a rule?" Seren asked. "Shouldn''t he be rewarded for protecting the realms?"


    "When someone is powerful enough to protect, it bes their responsibility to do so, as nature has chosen them by blessing them with such power. There is nothing to be reward about. Being able to protect is the reward itself," Evanthe exined.


    "As for why he was asked to take those vows, they believed that if a powerful being like him were to extend his bloodline, it could be a threat to those already holding power."


    "You mean the gods?" Seren asked.


    "Yes."


    "But he still has a son now. That means the vow was broken," Seren said, feeling a surge of worry.


    "It was."


    "Then, was Drayce''s father punished?"


    "He did break the rule, so yes, he was punished," Evanthe said, her face remaining expressionless, not revealing the emotions she kept hidden.


    "Does Dray look like him?" Seren asked curiously.


    Evanthe nodded with a sigh. "I carried him in my belly for nine months, but he has a few simrities with me. Anyone who had seen his father, can tell they are blood rted."


    "Then, his father must be truly good-looking, just like Drayce," Serenmented.


    "You should say Drayce is good-looking like his father," Evanthe corrected with a faint smile.


    "Yes, that''s what I meant."


    Seren wanted to ask more, but seeing Evanthe unusually calm, she hesitated to inquire further about him. Instead, she shifted the topic to someone else.


    "Mother, have you thought about returning home?" Seren asked gently.


    Evanthe shook her head. "Maybe I am not courageous enough."


    Seren understood the unspoken meaning. "If you return, I believe you will be epted with an open heart," she said, referring to Theron.


    "I would have to be shameless enough to expect that," Evanthe replied with a small, wistful smile.


    "It''s worth the try."


    "I will think about it once we''ve taken care of the important matters at hand."


    Seren was d that Evanthe hadn''t outright rejected her suggestion. "Once we return, I''ll take you to visit Prince Keiren''s son."


    Evanthe nodded in agreement.


    Drayce returned, carrying a meal and freshly brewed tea for the three of them. He saw the two womenfortably lying inside the same nket, talking. A warmth spread through his heart at the sight of them getting along so well, like a true family.


    Evanthe looked up at Drayce. "It seems I''m fortunate enough today to eat what my son has cooked."


    "He cooks really well," Seren added with a smile.


    "Does the King of Megaris often enter the royal kitchen to cook for his wife?" Evanthe asked as she got out of the nket and helped Seren sit up.


    "No, but when we teleported back and forth between Megaris and Griven during Prince An''s wedding, we stopped at random ces, and he cooked for me," Seren exined.


    "So, today, I''m lucky too," Evanthe said with a softugh.


    "Mother, if you stay with us always, I''ll make sure both of us get lucky often. We''ll make the King of Megaris cook for us," Seren said, looking at Drayce. "You don''t mind, do you?"


    "I''ll do whatever you two want," Drayce replied calm and serious, serving the meal for them.


    Evanthe turned to Seren, "All your words are always directed towards making me stay with you two."


    Seren smiled awkwardly as if she was caught. "Umm, let''s eat, I am hungry."


    Evanthe chuckled.


    "The aroma has made me hungry as well," Evanthe remarked as she draped the nket around Seren, leaving enough space for her hands to move freely to eat.


    "Mother, won''t you feel cold?" Seren asked, concerned. "We can share the nket while sitting."


    "I''m fine, and it wouldn''t be thatfortable while eating." Just as Evanthe said this, she was surprised when a warm robe was draped over her shoulders. It belonged to Drayce.


    "I don''t feel cold," Drayce said, his voice calm. As a dragon, he was naturally warm.


    Evanthe epted the robe, touched by her son''s care. They then proceeded to eat.


    "Hmm, it''s indeed tasty," Evanthemented, savoring the meal.


    "Didn''t I tell you?" Seren chimed in, enjoying the food as well. "Having spatial magic to keep things is great too. We can cook anywhere using the ingredients."


    Evanthe nodded. "You shall learn it as well once your core is stable."


    "I will," Seren promised.


    "How long will it take us to reach there?" Drayce asked.


    "To avoid overwhelming Seren with teleportation, it will take a few days, maybe four to five," Evanthe informed him. "Reaching Agartha itself is not easy."


    After finishing the meal, Drayce let the two women sleep together in the bed while he opted for the floor.


    "Are you sure you don''t want to sleep with your wife?" Evanthe asked.


    "I''m fine here," Drayce replied, closing his eyes and folding his hands under his head.


    "In the spatial space, I only had one small bed, thinking it would be for you two," Evanthe mused. "Next time, I''ll make sure to have two." As she spoke, she used a spell, and a thick nket appeared in the air, gently covering Drayce.


    Drayce quietly epted it and settled in to sleep,forted by the knowledge that Seren was safe with his mother by her side.


    Drayce had heard it when Seren and Evanthe talked about his biological father. He never thought about him before because he had always considered Theron as his father. But hearing the talk about Him, Drayce felt curious.


    Was his father, the Devil, punished by heavens for breaking the rule and having his won child? If so, the punishment must be brutal. He wondered how was he and why did he even do something which was punishable. Did he truly love his mother that much. What was their story even. He wished he knew about it.


    Maybe one day he would ask his mother directly.


    He asked himself if ever wished to meet his biological father, but answer was not clear. Even if he meet him, will he ever ept him as his father? He had no answer for this as well.


    When Seren asked if his mother ns to return Home, he knew she was asking it for Theron''s sake. But Drayce had no answer whether he wants his mother to reunite with him. Everything felt soplicated.

 Chapter 770: Husband, Wife And A Mother

    At the crack of dawn, Drayce woke up, only to find the two women were still in the deep slumber of sleep. A light smile painted his lips as he saw how Seren was sleeping like a child with her hand wrapped around Evanthe who was sleeping straight, facing the ceiling.


    His wife was clearly enjoying the warmth of motherly love, something she had missed all her life. Not wanting to disturb them, Drayce quietly slipped out to prepare everything before they woke up.


    After a while, Evanthe stirred in her sleep and sat up in bed. She realized it was already morning and could hardly believe she had slept for so long. Feeling the movement, Seren woke up as well. She rubbed her eyes and sat up in bed.


    "It''s already morning?" she wondered.


    "Yes, even I''m surprised to find myself sleeping past dawn after so many years," Evanthe turned to Seren. "It seems it''s all because of you. Sleeping next to you was trulyforting."


    "It''s true," Drayce entered the room, already dressed in fresh clothes. "I''m not sure what magic she has, but it''s trulyforting."


    Seren looked at the two in surprise. "It''s just because Mother was exhausted."


    "No, I stand by what I said," Evanthe replied. "Maybe it has something to do with your elemental power. You are nature itself, which can be soothing. No wonder my son won''t stay away from you even for a single night."


    "I think the same," Drayce added.


    Seren didn''t know what to say.


    "Also, you are one of those rare creations that have no evil in them," Evanthe added.


    Seren blinked a few times. "I see no evil in you two as well."


    Evanthe chuckled softly. "Evil doesn''t always mean being a bad person. Even the most dutiful and selfless person can have their own evil hidden inside, which may not be prominent but can surface at times. Drayce and I, we have our own darkness. We are not perfect."


    Seren felt like she couldn''t fully understand it.


    "You are pure, Seren. What evil lies within you is this hellfire, which is destructive, but you have no evil of your own. Your purity is the reason you can bear being a vessel to it, or by now, you would have been affected by it," Evanthe exined.


    Seren could only nod.


    Evanthe turned to Drayce. "Why didn''t you wake me up?"


    "You two were sleeping soundly, so I didn''t want to disturb you."


    "You''re spoiling me, Dray. If I get used to such sleep, I might seek out your wife often, and you might end up hating me."


    "I won''t," Drayce replied. "As long as it''s you, Mother, I don''t mind."


    Evanthe felt speechless. Her quiet son had be much more open in expressing his affection toward her these days.


    "You might make your wife jealous if you show too much affection to your mother."


    "I won''t," Seren interjected immediately. "I''m fine with it."


    Evanthe frowned and stood up. "You two are too sweet for my liking. I''ll go out and stretch my old muscles."


    Seren giggled. "I don''t see a single old muscle."


    Evanthe sighed as she continued toward the door. "Not just old, but rusty as well. You''d better give me a grandchild soon before I''m too old to y with them," she said as she left.


    Seren continued to giggle at Evanthe''s words. "Your mother is funny."


    Drayce offered her a light smile and sat on the bed. "Did you sleep well?"


    Seren nodded, only to see Drayce leaning in to kiss her.


    She moved her face back. "What are you doing? Mother is here."


    "Didn''t she say to give her a grandchild soon?" Drayce asked as he kissed her.


    With her eyes fixed on the door, Seren let him kiss her for a moment before pulling away. "No more. Don''t embarrass me in front of your mother."


    Drayce chuckled and didn''t push further. "I''ve already prepared a meal��."


    "This overly capable son of mine leaves nothing for me to do," they heard Evanthe''s displeased voiceing from outside. "He''s determined to make me feel old and useless."


    Seren giggled again. "What did you do, Dray?" She was clearly enjoying having her mother-inw around.


    The smile on his lips widened as he found his mother''sints endearing as well. "I just cooked a meal for the three of us."


    Seren understood. "Why is your mother so cute?"


    "You should ask her."


    "Drayce Ivanov," Evanthe called out. Drayce immediately stood up and went outside, with Seren following him.


    "Yes, Mother?" he looked at the seemingly angry woman.


    "There''s nothing left for me to do. You''ve cooked a meal, brewed tea, packed everything��what''s left for me to do?" Her eyes narrowed at him. "Why don''t you just travel to Agartha on your own as well?"


    "Apologies, Mother. Next time, I''ll let you cook," he replied like an obedient son.


    "Good. I''ll make your favorite meal that you used to love as a child. Even if your taste has changed, I don''t care. You''ll have to eat it anyway," she dered.


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    He understood that his mother wanted to cook for him like she used to in the past, and he had taken that opportunity away from her. "I still like it, Mother."


    "Good," she said, turning to Seren, who had a wide smile on her lips. "And what are you smiling at? Do you want to fall sick by standing there without warm clothes?"


    Drayce turned to look at his wife and immediately dragged her inside, wrapping her in a thick nket. "Mother''s right. You can''t be out like that."


    Seren allowed him and replied, while being wrapped in thick nket like a little kitten. "I couldn''t resist seeing her angry at you."


    Once he made sure she was covered, he looked at her. "You seem to be enjoying it, huh?"


    "A lot." She smiled like an innocent child seeking her own entertainment. "Why don''t you make her angry again?"


    "Suggest that if you don''t want me to travel with you two."


    "You''re clearly scared of her anger," Seren mused happily.


    "She is my mother, after all," he didn''t deny. "I do not wish to upset her in any way."


    "I understand."

 Chapter 771: Emotional Drayce

    During their next stop before reaching Agartha, they once again stayed in the same arrangements made by Evanthe.


    "I''m preparing the meal tonight. You go and keep Serenpany," Evanthe instructed.


    "She''s fine. I''ll help you, Mother," Drayce replied.


    "I''m not so old that I need help with a simple task like cooking. Don''t forget, your mother is the most powerful witch who can do anything with just the flick of a finger."


    Drayce had no choice but to listen to her and returned inside cottage by Seren''s side, who was wrapped in a warm nket. She had heard what Evanthe said.


    "Seems like we''re going to eat what you used to like when you were a child," Serenmented, to which Drayce nodded.


    After a while, Evanthe entered the cottage. As she walked ahead, a few wooden trays filled with a variety of food items floated behind her, hovering in the air.


    "Wow!" Seren gasped. "I want to learn magic like that."


    "You will," Drayce replied.


    The trays settled onto the wooden table. Looking at all the dishes, Drayce and Seren exchanged nces. They both understood that Evanthe had long nned to cook for Drayce, given that she had already arranged all the ingredients needed to prepare this meal.


    No wonder she had been upset when Drayce had already cooked earlier. She must have missed her son terribly, and it must have been painful for her to be apart from him.


    Evanthe looked at them. "Stop staring and start eating already, or it will get cold."


    The three of them began eating together. Seren savored the taste. "Mother, everything is so delicious. Dray was fortunate to eat like this when he was a kid." She nced at him, noticing that he was eating quietly.


    For Drayce, each bite brought back memories of his childhood and the moments he had shared with his mother. Overwhelmed with emotion, Drayce chose to remain silent, and neither Seren nor Evanthe disturbed him.


    Once they finished, Drayce stood up and began cleaning, avoiding eye contact with either of them. He carried the tray outside and didn''t return for a while.


    Seren cleared her throat nervously and looked at Evanthe, who was also quiet. "Mother, I think you should go get some fresh night air and take a walk after the meal. It''s good for digestion, and we did eat a lot. I can''t join you, though��I''d only end up freezing."


    Evanthe nodded and stood up. "Make sure you''re well-covered."


    "Don''t worry about me, Mother. I''m already sleepy," Seren said as shey down in bed and closed her eyes.


    Evanthe adjusted the nket over her properly before heading outside, where she found Drayce standing and staring at the sky, his back turned to her. His posture reflected his emotional state.


    Evanthe walked over and stood by his side. They remained silent for a while, neither knowing what to say or how to begin.


    "Won''t you say anything?" she finally broke the silence.


    He shook his head, not a single word escaping his lips.


    "There wasn''t a single moment when I didn''t think about you or miss you," Evanthe said, as if answering his unspoken question, her own eyes turning teary. "It was painful to leave you and even more painful to stay away. I won''t me you if you resent me. You are my son, and you will always be the most precious to me. I would ept everything, even your resentment for leaving you. I��"


    She stopped as Drayce finally turned to look at her, his red eyes glistening with unshed tears.


    It pained her to see him like this. "Dray��"


    Before she could say more, Drayce hugged her, and the tears he had been holding back rolled down his cheeks.


    Evanthe couldn''t hold back her own tears as she hugged him in return. He said nothing, but she could feel the depth of her son''s emotions. She understood his pain and how hurtful everything must have been for him, yet he had never voiced a singleint since they reunited. All he did was respect her and understand the difficulties she faced.


    He held her tightly, as if trying to make up for all the lost years, his tears refusing to stop. When he finally calmed down after long, Evanthe gently wiped away his tears. His red eyes silently looked at her, still saying nothing. But his tears had already said everything he wanted to express.


    "You have been a good son, Dray, and I am fortunate to be your mother. I need nothing more in this life." Her eyes shone with the pride of a mother. "From now on, I''m not going anywhere. I will always be around."


    "I won''t let you go, Mother," he finally spoke. "Whatever trouble you face, I''ll be the one to face it for you."


    She smiled lightly. Until now, she had been the one to protect everyone, but now her son was there to protect her. Just the thought of it made her happier than she had ever felt.


    "I know you will," she replied.


    The mother and son spent a little more time together.


    "We should head inside. I''m sure Seren is still wide awake after sending me out and pretending to sleep," Evanthe said with a light chuckle.


    Drayce''s lips curved into a slight smile as he understood what Seren had done.


    "Your wife is truly sweet and cute," Evanthemented while they walked back toward the cottage.


    "She says the same about you," Drayce informed her.


    Evanthe almostughed. "Once she sees me fighting against enemies, her opinion of me might change."


    They entered the cottage, and as expected, Seren was awake. Her eyes, peeking out from under the nket, were glued to the door, seemingly waiting for them.


    "Didn''t you say you were sleepy?" Evanthe teased.


    "I must have been missing mother''s presence by my side so I could sleepfortably," Seren''s voice was muffled under the nket.


    Evanthe shook her head. "You''re getting smart with words, huh? But I''m not sleeping with you tonight. It''s dangerous."


    "Dangerous?" Seren asked.


    Evanthe hummed. "I''m worried I''ll get into the habit of sleeping in toote. I won''t let that happen," she said as she arranged her sleeping space on the floor. "Dray will apany you."


    Seren cleared her throat awkwardly, thinking it would be strange to sleep with him while his mother was right next to them. "I think I''m fine alone."


    "You won''t be," Evanthe said as shey down. "You''ll freeze by morning," she added, covering herself and closing her eyes.


    Drayce, who had removed his outer heavy robe and hung it to the side, slid straight into Seren''s nket, leaving her flustered.


    He turned to face her and looked into her beautiful eyes. She observed his face, understanding the emotions he had been carrying from earlier. Without saying a word, she moved closer to him and hugged him, burying her face in the crook of his neck��a silent gesture offort.


    His lips curved into a knowing smile. He hugged her back and closed his eyes. During this journey, she had been the one to bring him and his mother closer, and Drayce recognized this fact clearly.


    He was truly fortunate to have her.

 Chapter 772: Arrived At Agartha

    The group of three was finally approaching theirst stop: Agartha. They teleported to the boundary of Agartha, where the protective shield of the kingdom began.


    Before they entered the shield and crossed the invisible boundary of Agartha, Evanthe exined to Drayce, "Dray, you may not be treated the same way when you visit other human royalties. Your experience with Draven might be different. You both are beasts, so even if he wees you, his beast instincts might warn you to stay away since he has a mate. Discover hidden content at m,v l''e-NovelBin


    "You might not be so weed in his residence, or you may not even get to step inside the main building where he stays in the pce. Just because you''re my son, you''re allowed to step inside the pce boundary at least. You understand this, right? As you are a beast as well."


    "Yes, Mother."


    "Why is it like this?" Seren asked.


    "A dragon''s home is like his nest, where only his mate and young children can stay. No other beasts are allowed to enter. Dragons are highly territorial. It''s not just them; other divine beasts like the divine eagle and foxes are the same. Since you and Ember aren''t beast-humans, neither of you would bother with keeping other females away. The issue lies with these two male beasts.


    Understood?"


    "Yes, Mother."


    "Yorian must have already made arrangements for you two to stay in a ce inside the pce boundary but away from the main residence of the King," Evanthe added. "Draven is humanized, so he won''t make things too difficult regarding both of your presences."


    Seren awkwardly cleared her throat and asked, "Is he scary? I mean, in the books, they say the ck Dragon is ferocious?"


    Evanthe chuckled. "Don''t believe the books entirely. He''s ferocious when he fights enemies, but with his own people, he''s like a coconut."


    Seren let out a lightugh at how a most formidable creature she had ever read about was called like this. "Coconut?"


    "Like hard on the outside, but too soft on the inside," Evanthe exined.


    "Alright, so I won''t be scared of this coconut king," Seren replied with a smile.


    Drayce protectively wrapped his arm around her, pulling her closer against his body. "When I''m with you, you don''t have to be scared of anyone, whether it''s a ck dragon or anyone else." His tone was both demanding and possessive.


    Evanthe sighed. "See, his beast instincts are already kicking in when we haven''t even entered the territory of another beast yet."


    Seren observed his face and eyes. He had been quiet since the moment they arrived, and his gaze clearly showed his displeasure at entering the territory of another dragon.


    "You alright, Dray?" she asked, her gaze worried.


    He hummed. "I''ll get used to it soon."


    "You''re not like this when Prince An is with you. He''s a dragon as well."


    "I''m familiar with An, and he''s like a brother to me and my dragon. He''s more like family, a sibling, while this new dragon is entirely a stranger," he exined. "But once I spend more time here, I''ll get used to it."


    "Okay."


    "Let''s enter the territory now," Evanthe spoke, only to hear Seren ask, "Where?" In front of them, there was nothing but dense trees and huge boulders of rock, as if there was no way ahead.


    Evanthe smiled and used her magic, causing the illusion in front of them to disappear, revealing a door to an entirely new world, like something out of a fairy tale.


    "Here," Evanthe replied.


    Seeing the view in front of them hadpletely changed, Seren gasped in delight. "Magical."


    "It is," Evanthe replied, leading the way.


    With each step forward, Seren''s eyes widened in amazement. "I''m dreaming, right?" she asked as she stood at the edge of the cliff.


    Drayce was equally surprised by the breathtaking beauty before them, and the beast within him seemed to revel in being in thisnd of supernaturals, where everything radiated pure spiritual energy.


    From the cliff, they could see a vast, magicalnd brimming with life and color��the major part of the entire kingdom. Thendscape was a living scenery of lush greenery, shimmering under the golden glow of the sun. In the distance, majestic mountains rose, their peaks gently caressed by delicate, wispy clouds.


    Waterfalls cascaded gracefully from the heights, their clear waters feeding into winding rivers that sparkled like liquid crystal.


    Fields of vibrant flowers stretched out in every direction, a living scenery of colorful blooms swaying in the gentle breeze. Butterflies, their wings a mesh of colors, danced through the air, adding to the enchantment. Birds sang sweet, harmonious melodies, filling the air with their joyous chorus.


    Small, wild animals darted here and there, their yful antics adding a touch of whimsy to the scene. It was as if all the colors and emotions of the world hade together in this one magical ce, creating a perfect symphony of beauty and wonder.


    As a deity of nature, Seren was overwhelmed by the beauty of the natural world before her. Her heart swelled with delight, and she felt as if she belonged nowhere but here, surrounded by the splendor of nature.


    "Seems like your wife has just found her most favorite ce," Evanthemented as she observed Seren. "A deity of nature might not want to leave this ce."


    "She goes wherever I go," Drayce spoke, his tone revealing his displeasure that his mate was enjoying the territory ruled by another dragon. "With her powers, she can turn Megaris into a ce like this as well. Once we rid her of the hellfire, she''ll do it."


    "Jealous much?" Evanthe shook her head. "These dragons are so annoyingly possessive, and one of them happens to be my own son."


    "Was my real father the same?" Drayce asked. "He was a dragon as well."


    At these words, Evanthe fell silent and looked at Drayce. He had never asked about Him before��why now? Was he curious about his father and wishing to see him? What would she do if that''s what he wanted?


    Just then, the wind around them stirred, and a familiar divine eagle with majestic golden wingsnded at the cliff. His golden hair moved gently in the soft breeze, and as his wings folded behind his back and disappeared, his gaze took in the three of them, lingering on Seren for a moment longer before shifting back to Evanthe.


    It''s been months since he had seen Seren, and only he knew how he missed her. But he knew it better to bury everything in his heart, than letting his feelings exposed to anyone. He made a mental note on keeping his distance with her and not look at her unless it''s necessary, worried that his words might help him lie, but his gaze might expose his true feelings.


    "Lord Aureus?" Seren said, d to see her protector once more. She had always been grateful to him for protecting her from being abducted by Zaria; otherwise, she wouldn''t be standing here today.


    Aureus bowed to them. "Mother, King Drayce, Queen Seren."


    Drayce offered a polite nod, while Evanthe spoke. "He is your brother, and you are older than him. You can call Drayce by his name."


    Aureus looked at Drayce, who gave him a light nod, granting him permission.


    "All the arrangements had made for you stay," Aureus informed, "Let''s head there," With that he opened his beautiful wings, making Seren gasp to see such a beautiful view of those shiny golden wings which she had witnessed even before."


    Drayce looked at her, making her close her mouth and lower her gaze. She never felt it from Drayce, except for that one time when he was jealous of Erebus recently, but aftering here, she could feel that jealously inside him had intensified to another level.


    Evanthe was right. His beast instincts were kicking in when he felt the presence of other beasts.S he decided to be careful with her behaviour, not to make him feel jealous anymore.


    The three of them disappeared from the ce, while the divine eagle flew at the speed of lighting, to match the pace of their teleportation.

 Chapter 773: A Black Dragon And His Mate

    Everyone arrived at the garden of the pce, where another red-eyed man and his mate were waiting for them. In a moment, Aureusnded there as well.


    "I didn''t expect you to personally wee us, Draven," Evanthemented.


    "I was simply taking a stroll outside with my mate," Draven countered. "But since he is your son and family, I''ll let you think I''m here to wee them."


    "I shall be grateful that the King of Agartha holds me and my family in such high regard, even if it was by coincidence," Evanthe replied with a mocking chuckle before turning to her son. "Don''t mind his rudeness. With thousands of years passing by, he''s forgotten the basic human courtesy. Think of this ce as ours, except for that main pce building ahead��which is that rude dragon''s nest."


    Drayce simply hummed, obedient to his mother while gazing at Draven with wariness, feeling the same from Draven. Of course, two dragons would not be thrilled to have another dragon around with their mates by their sides, but they had to suppress their displeasure.


    Meanwhile, Seren observed Draven, seemingly excited to see another dragon��the one she had read about in books. The ancient creature was now in front of her, and she could hardly believe her eyes. But then she noticed the temperature drop around the man standing next to her, and she awkwardly lowered her gaze and moved closer to him, assuring him she was with him.


    "Seren, this is King Draven, the one you''ve read about in those ancient books," Evanthe said. "Though ancient, he''s still not a fossil."


    "Talk about yourself," Draven retorted. "You seem to have appeared in the human realm even before me."


    "Well, my youthful beauty makes up for it all, so keep quiet," Evanthe countered yfully before continuing, "And this is Ember, Draven''s mate, also a reincarnated deity of fire."


    Seren bowed to the emerald green-eyed woman, who offered her a pleasant smile. "Wee to Agartha, Queen Seren."


    "Thank you, Queen Ember," Seren replied politely.


    "Just call me Ember, I''m not a queen."


    Seren recalled that Evanthe had told her why Ember wasn''t considered the queen of this kingdom despite being the King''s mate. "Thank you, Lady Ember."


    Just then, someone else arrived, stirring the air heavily��a man with a pair ofrge gold wings folded behind him,nding next to Ember. Seren''s eyes widened at the sight of another winged man, and his wings looked even more majestic than Aureus''s. As his wings folded behind his back, his hair and wings shifted from gold to gray.


    "So this is your son, Evanthe. I must say, handsome. Must have taken after his father since hecks your beauty," hemented, clearly aware of who wasing.


    "He''s a man, so he''s supposed to be regal and dignified," Evanthe countered, then introduced him to Seren and Drayce. "This is Morpheus, a divine eagle and Aureus''s uncle."


    Drayce and Seren had heard about him from both Yorian and Evanthe.


    "Wee to Agartha, Drayce," Morpheus spoke casually. "You''re my friend''s son, so you''re like my nephew, not some king. Besides, I don''t care much for titles in human royalty."


    Drayce didn''t mind either. "That''s alright, Uncle Morpheus."


    "Being an uncle to a dragon��that''s something refreshing to hear," Morpheus remarked, ncing at Seren, who was being pulled closer by Drayce.


    Morpheus chuckled. "Nephew, you don''t have to be so wary. Though I am a beast, you see this beautiful woman next to me? My life ismitted to her for eternity."


    Drayce rxed his tight hold around Seren''s shoulder as he watched Morpheus speak to his wife. "Seren, a deity of earth."


    Seren offered a polite bow. "Divine Eagle, Morpheus."


    "You can call me Uncle as well."


    "That makes Ember her aunt," Evanthe chuckled.


    "I''m not going to be her aunt but a friend," Ember dered, ring at Morpheus. "I''m still young."


    "Alright, whatever you say," Morpheus replied, then turned to Seren. "Don''t call her Aunt."


    "I won''t," Seren smiled.


    "You three must be tired," Ember spoke as thedy of the pce. "All the arrangements for you are made in the guest house. Make sure to rx and rest."


    Yorian guided Drayce and Seren to the guest house while Evanthe stayed back.


    Morpheus turned to Ember, and with a flick of his hand, a beautiful bunch of wildflowers appeared. "These are for you."


    She epted the flowers with a smile. "So this is where you disappeared to?"


    Morpheus hummed in response, then looked at Draven. "Control yourself. Though he''s another dragon, he is Evanthe''s son."


    "That''s why he''s allowed to step inside my territory," Draven countered.


    "That''s not enough," Morpheus replied, turning to Ember. "Maybe you should teach him to be a good host. He only listens to you."


    "He''ll be fine," Ember assured him.


    Morpheus hummed and then informed her, "I''ll be with Evanthe. You continue your stroll with that cranky dragon and try to calm him down."


    Ember chuckled and nodded as she left with Draven, while Morpheus turned to Evanthe, and Aureus apanied them as well.


    "How was your time with your son?" Morpheus asked.


    "Every moment was worth it," Evanthe replied with delight. "And now I have the sweetest and cutest daughter-inw whopletes my son and our family."


    "You seem to be smitten by her," Morpheus remarked, ncing at Aureus. "She''s quite adorable."


    Aureus quickly looked away, hoping his uncle wouldn''t say anything in front of Evanthe. He didn''t want her to know how he felt about Seren, especially since Evanthe had been urging him to find a mate or ept a chosen one, which he had somehow managed to avoid.


    "Indeed she is," Evanthe replied. "By the way, I don''t see Sierra."


    "She''s at the witch n with Cornelia," Morpheus informed her.


    Evanthe sighed. "I just hope she tells Seren directly that she''s her mother. It''s time to stop this hide-and-seek and resolve both of their mysteries."


    "Speaking of her, that reminds me of your child''s father," Morpheus asked. "Didn''t Drayce ask about his father?"


    "He did, but we haven''t had the chance to talk about it yet."


    "What are you going to do if he wants to meet his father?"


    "I don''t know," Evanthe exhaled, trying to relieve some of the stress. "I''ll go seek Sierra. Let''s not talk about Drayce''s father right now." With that, Evanthe disappeared, leaving Morpheus to turn to Aureus. "What are you going to do?"


    "About what?"


    "She''ll be marked by Drayce soon. Do you want to get away for a few days? I can keep youpany," Morpheus offered.


    "No need. If I do that, Mother would be suspicious," Aureus replied. "Besides, running away isn''t an option. Eventually, I''ll have to return and see her as someone else''s mate. All I can do is ept the reality."


    "Good. So I don''t have to worry about you," Morpheus said, his wings unfurling. "Let''s go fly somewhere high. It''ll make you feel better."


    Aureus agreed, and soon they both soared into the sky, disappearing beyond the sunny clouds.

 Chapter 774: Evanthes Son

    Drayce and Seren freshened up, had a meal, and rested for a while so Seren could recover from the tiresome journey.


    "I didn''t see my mother," Seren mentioned to Drayce.


    "I''m sure she''s around, just hesitant to face you," heforted her.


    "It''s not like I''m going to question anything. I was just hoping to see her," she said, resting her head against his shoulder. "I sometimes feel envious when I see you with your mother. Both of our mothers left us, so why can''t mine be like yours and be with me?"


    "My mother left me when I was five, but I have good memories of her. Somehow, those memories kept us connected even when we were apart. But it''s not the same for you two. Things might take time, but I believe everything will work out between you two. This afternoon, we''re going to the witch n. Maybe you''ll meet her there."


    Seren hummed softly and closed her eyes.


    ��-


    Meanwhile, the entire kingdom was abuzz with excitement over the arrival of another powerful divine beast��a Red Dragon. Aside from Draven, it was the first time they would witness another dragon, whose existence had been unknown to them. The council members had already begun visiting the King, eager to set a council meeting for the official introduction of the Red Dragon and his mate.


    "I understand your excitement," Draven addressed them in his study. "But they are tired from their long journey, and his mate especially needs rest. Once they''re ready, we''ll hold a council meeting for their introduction, andter, we''ll have a marking ceremony where all the council members and n elders will be invited to offer their blessings."


    "Witnessing a marking ceremony is indeed a fortunate event for us all," Halifax spoke on behalf of everyone. "When His Majesty marked his mate, we couldn''t have a proper ceremony, but this time we will."


    Draven agreed and asked them to be patient. The conversation reminded him of how he had marked Ember��a moment that hade as a shock to everyone, including Ember, who hadn''t known she was destined to be a dragon''s mate. But he had no regrets. Whether there was a ceremony or not didn''t matter to him��only she did.


    ��--


    In the afternoon, Seren and Drayce visited the Witch n, where n members were eagerly awaiting their arrival. As a warlock, Drayce had duties to his own n, especially since his mother had been the queen until Oriana officially took over her role, making his mother the former queen.


    At the n hall, all the important Witch n members were introduced to him. Everyone was delighted to see the young, handsome, and powerful warlock. Whispers echoed throughout the hall.


    "We didn''t know such a powerful warlock truly existed��and we weren''t even aware of it!"


    "He will make our n more powerful, alongside Her Eminence and Sister Cornelia."


    "He would produce children even stronger than himself."


    "It would be better if he chose a powerful witch from our own n and married her."


    "He already has a partner. Can''t you see the purple-eyed woman next to him?"


    "She''s not a witch but a human."


    "His Majesty''s mate is human as well, but Lady Ember is more powerful than any of us. Who knows what power this human holds?"


    "She looks timid, and I don''t think she has any special power. Look at her��her aura is weak, or as good as non-existent."


    "Be careful what you say. He''s a dragon as well. Once they choose a mate, there''s no going back. If any of you have some funny ideas, drop them already, or you''ll face the wrath of a dragon."


    "True. Look how protective and possessive he seems, even when he''s just walking by her side."


    "And she''s beautiful as well. Dragons sure have a liking for beautiful women. Look at Lady Ember��when she first came to our kingdom, we thought she was in, but His Majesty had already seen her true beauty, and now she''s no less stunning than Her Eminence."


    "His eyes��they''re just as intense and terrifying as King Draven''s."


    "That being said, is there a possibility that he''s His Majesty''s son? We haven''t heard of any other dragons."


    "Don''t talk nonsense. Dragons only have children with their mates. Given they can only have one child in their lifetime and Lady Ember is his mate, there''s no way His Majesty had a child with another woman."


    "True. Then who could be his mother? To birth a powerful son like him, she must be a powerful witch herself."


    "Powerful witch? That reminds me, Her Eminence was the one who brought him to Agartha, and she was away for a long time."


    "Do you mean��"


    "Everyone, thank you for your presence here once more," Cornelia interrupted the whispers. "As you all know, we have King Drayce and Queen Seren with us. Though they are rulers of a human kingdom, I won''t call them our guests. Instead, this witch n is their home."


    Everyone agreed, eager to see if their spections would be confirmed.


    "Wee to the Witch n," they said in unison.


    As Seren faced the witch n members, her gaze was searching for her mother, who was still nowhere to be seen.


    Since Cornelia didn''t reveal who Drayce''s mother was, no one dared to ask if he was Evanthe''s son. Drayce had heard all their whispers but remained nonchnt, leaving it to his mother to decide whether to dere his identity or not.


    ust then, Evanthe spoke, "I am d to bring my son to my own n, my home, and I thank you all for weing not just him, but my lovely daughter-inw, Seren."


    Whispers erupted once more, as no one had known she had a partner, let alone that he was a dragon.


    "Your Eminence, does this mean there''s another dragon, who is King Drayce''s father?"


    "Yes, there is," Evanthe replied. "And he is the most powerful dragon in existence. However, matters rted to him don''t concern our n, so I will refrain from discussing him. All you need to know is that Drayce is my son and a member of this n."


    No one dared ask more, quietly epting the queen''s words.


    Once the n members had dispersed, Seren finally asked Evanthe, "Mother, I don''t see Lady Sierra."


    "Oh, her? She''s been a little busy, but she''s looking forward to meeting both Drayce and you. I''ll take you to her while I show you around the n territory."


    As they toured the area, they eventually reached the healing chambers, and Evanthe exined what this ce was: a magical sanctuary where supernatural beings could heal from injuries caused by superior powers, especially when the wounds were too severe for them to heal quickly on their own. Staying in this ce nourishes both body and soul.


    "But why is Lady Sierra here?" Seren asked, worried. "Was she hurt?"


    "There''s nothing to worry about. She was hurt while protecting you from those angels on the night of your eighteenth birthday. The remnants of that injury are still present, and she''s working on healing them here."


    "I�� I want to meet her."


    Evanthe led them inside the circr healing chamber, which had many doors. She pointed to one particr door. "She''s in there. You can go meet her."


    Seren hurried ahead, not even waiting for the others.


    Evanthe turned to Drayce. "Let''s head out and give her time to talk to her mother."


    Drayce nodded, and the two left.

 Chapter 775: I Need A Mother As Well

    Seren knocked on the door and gently opened it, only to see a woman with long golden-brown hair sitting on the bed, her back facing the door where Seren was standing. She seemed to be cultivating her powers, as she didn''t react to Seren''s presence.


    Seren quietly stood there, staring at the view of those long, beautiful locks that shone like delicate silk, realizing they resembled her own hair��a striking proof that this woman was indeed her mother.


    ''Does my hair look as beautiful to others as hers does?'' Seren wondered, captivated by the sight. ''No wonder, Dray loves to y my hair as well. So beautiful they must look just like my mother''s.''


    She couldn''t help but feel the urge to touch it. Her feet moved of their own ord as she walked closer, her hand reaching out to touch those silky strands.


    But before she could, a hooded white robe appeared out of thin air, covering Sierra''s back and hair entirely.


    Startled, Seren snapped back to her senses, realizing she had been about to touch Sierra''s hair. She took a few steps back. "L-Lady Sierra, I''m here to visit you."


    Sierra finally moved, stepping off the bed and turning to face her daughter, once more hiding her appearance beneath the hood. Even through the robe, she could see her daughter clearly.


    For the first time since Seren''s birth, she saw her without a veil and couldn''t deny how beautiful her daughter was. She wished she could continue to look at her like this forever.


    Seeing Sierra quiet and unable to gauge her emotions, Seren didn''t know what to say. "Did I disturb you? I apologize��"


    "No, you didn''t," Sierra replied. "In fact, I''m d to see you. I was just admiring how beautiful you are."


    "Thank you��Lady Sierra," Seren replied, almost stopping herself from calling her "Mother."


    "Mother told me you''re not well, so I thought I''de to visit you," Seren said. "Are you alright?"


    Sierra nodded. "It''s nothing serious."


    "You were harmed while protecting me��"


    "I''m d that I could protect you," Sierra interrupted before Seren could apologize once more.


    "But next time, if I''m in danger, don''t put your life at risk to protect me," Seren urged.


    Sierra, calm andposed as always, replied, "Protecting you is what I''m supposed to do, or there is no meaning to my life."


    "Why should it be this way?" Seren asked, her eyes hopeful that, at least today, this woman would admit being her mother.


    "Because that is my responsibility."


    "That''s it? Nothing else is there you want to add to it?" Seren asked, nervous inside.


    "What more there can be?"


    "Then, who gave it to you?" Seren prayed silently in her heart, ''Say at least once that you are my mother.''


    Sierra was silent for a moment before Seren spoke again, "My mother?"


    Sierra only nodded.


    Seeing that Sierra had no intention of revealing the truth, Seren felt hurt and said, "You can stop now and tell my mother that I''m grateful to her for giving me this beautiful life. My husband is here to protect me; others don''t need to put their lives in danger for my sake. Take care, Lady Sierra." With moist eyes, Seren turned to leave, relieved that Sierra was fine.


    "You don''t me your mother for anything?" Sierra asked before Seren could leave.


    "If I say, ''I don''t me her,'' will shee to me then?" Seren asked, not turning to look back at her. "Can''t she juste to me out of motherly love? Whether I me her or not, whether I''m angry at her or not, do those things matter more than her love for me? Can''t she juste to me because she has all the rights as my mother, just because she gave birth to me?


    Isn''t that enough of a reason that I am her daughter?"


    "She might have her own shorings or insecurities beyond just guilt."


    "If she thinks I''ll judge her for those shorings and insecurities, then I''m not a good daughter in her eyes."


    "No, it''s not that," Sierra replied softly.


    "How can you assure me what my mother thinks?" Seren asked, tears streaming down her face as she kept her back to Sierra. "If I were good enough, she would have shown herself to me instead of hiding."


    Hearing this, tears rolled down Sierra''s cheeks as well. "Seren��"


    "Lady Sierra, let my mother know that I will wait for her toe to me, that I''m not angry at her, but I truly want to meet her. I''m still a child who wants a mother, just like anyone else," Seren said, leaving the room before she lost control of her emotions.


    As she exited the healing chamber, her eyes still teary, Drayce, who had been waiting outside, immediately approached her. "Seren."


    "Dray, she won''t admit she''s my mother," Seren said, looking up at him with tear-filled eyes. "She just wants to pretend to be my protector. Am I such a bad child that she doesn''t want to ept me as her daughter and treats me only as her responsibility to protect?"


    He hugged her tightly. "No, Seren, you''re not."


    She shook her head, her voice trembling. "This was thest chance I gave her. After this, I''m not going to seek her out or ask her if she''s my mother. I''ll think as if I never had one."


    Drayce could feel how deeply she was hurt and turned to look at his mother, who gave him a helpless gaze. If Sierra didn''t want to reveal the truth, there wasn''t much Evanthe could do to force her.


    Drayce let Seren calm down as he heard his mother say, "It''s almost evening now. You should head back to the pce and let her rest. Tomorrow you have to attend a council meeting, and your day might be busy as you Erebus needs to build a ce of his own before marking ceremony."


    Drayce nodded and gently led Seren away.

 Chapter 776: Flower Gift From A Divine Eagle

    The next day, there was a council meeting. Drayce and Seren were invited to the meeting to be introduced to the council members and the elders of all the ns.


    Drayce and Seren entered the massive circr council hall, which was built from intricately carved stones. The chairs were arranged in a half-circle, while the other half featured a single throne meant for the King. The structure was entirely different from the throne hall of the king in the human kingdom.


    Seren found it fascinating to witness apletely different side of the world and how things operated here.


    As the Dragon and his mate entered the council hall, everyone stood to show respect to the most powerful being in the hierarchy of supernaturals��a Dragon.


    Drayce and Seren stood facing the council members after greeting the King of Agartha, Draven Aramis.


    Evanthe stepped forward to address the council members. They all knew that Evanthe was the one who had brought this other Dragon to the kingdom, so she would be the one to introduce him.


    "Respected council members, I am pleased to introduce to you all another divine Dragon. He is the king of the human kingdom, Megaris, a Red Dragon, King Drayce Ivanov, and his mate, Seren Ivanov."


    Everyone bowed to them and weed the pair, unaware that they were about to hear something far more shocking than they had anticipated.


    "Drayce is also my son," Evanthe announced. "He is a Dragon and a warlock."


    A dead silence enveloped the entire council hall. Aside from a few, most looked as if they had been struck by lightning.


    ''The Queen of Witches is a Dragon''s mate? That means there is another Dragon. But where is he?''


    Countless questions began to swirl in their minds.


    Evanthe had anticipated their reaction and exined, "I know what you all are thinking. It is true that Drayce is my son, and his father is also a Dragon. However, I do not wish to reveal any details about his father, as his existence is beyond this world and does not concern us. Having my son here, in front of you all, should be enough."


    Evanthe''smanding voice and determined gaze left no room for further questions. The council members understood that they would not receive any answers if she did not wish to give them.


    She continued, "Let me properly introduce his mate. Seren Ivanov, Queen of Megaris, is also a demigod of the Earth element, the daughter of the deity of Earth herself."


    A shocked uproar rose in the council hall, and everyone instinctively dropped to their knees to bow before a deity. Seren was surprised by their reaction. She nced at Sierra, who stood to the side, and wondered��when her own mother had been reluctant to ept her��whether it was right to ept the title she had inherited.


    "Please, rise, all of you," Seren said gently. "I am no deity. Just treat me as a human with some divine power. I am nothing special."


    Everyone stood, still respectful. They now had the deity of fire among them, and now the demigod of Earth. Agartha seemed holier than ever before.


    Draven then announced, "Tomorrow, we will have the marking ceremony for the Red Dragon and his mate. It will be conducted here in the council hall, in the presence of all council members and the elders of the ns of this kingdom."


    A cheer erupted from the crowd. They were thrilled to witness the proper marking ceremony of the most powerful divine beast and his mate.


    After discussing the ceremony, the council meeting ended, and everyone departed, except for the dragons and those rted to them.


    "I didn''t see Morpheus or Aureus here?" Evanthe asked Draven.


    "Those two are probably flying around somewhere," Draven responded.


    "Make sure Aureus is here tomorrow so he can witness the marking ceremony. As the lord of the Divine Eagle n, his presence is necessary. In the future, when he has a mate, it will be important for him to have seen this," Evanthe said.


    Draven hummed in agreement, and she turned to Drayce. "Dray, have you decided where you''re going to build your ce?"


    "Yesterday, Yorian showed me around, and I chose a spot. Today, I''ll start building it��well, Erebus will," Drayce replied.


    Evanthe was pleased to hear this, recognizing that Drayce was now beginning to acknowledge what should rightfully belong to Erebus.


    "You can head out and start the construction while I keep Serenpany and show her around," Evanthe suggested.


    "I''ll be back soon," Drayce assured Seren, giving her a gentle hug and a kiss on her forehead before getting ready to leave.


    Draven turned to his mate. "Stay with our guest so she doesn''t feel lonely. I''ll join Drayce."


    Ember nodded and watched as Draven, Drayce, and Yorian disappeared.


    Now, only the four women were left. Seren and Ember hadn''t had the chance to speak properly until now.


    Ember approached Seren and said, "You look even more beautiful than I saw you in my dreams." Experience new stories with m v|-NovelBin


    "So, I wasn''t the only one seeing you in my dreams?" Seren remarked.


    "You two are connected because of the hellfire, and that connection will remain as long as a part of Ember''s power resides within you," Evanthe exined.


    Seren looked at Ember apologetically. "I''m not sure how to return it to you. I don''t mean to keep it."


    "I know," Ember reassured her. "In fact, it must have been a burden for you to carry it. I know how powerful the hellfire is. Acting as its vessel must have made things difficult for you."


    Seren nodded. "I can''t wait to give it back to you."


    "We''ll find a way soon," Evanthe assured.


    "Seren, what would you like to do?" Ember asked. "Would you like to visit any of the ns? How about visiting the Divine Eagle n?"


    "The n that Lord Aureus belongs to? The ones with beautiful wings?" Seren inquired.


    "Yes, that''s the one. Would you like to go?" Ember asked again.


    "Of course."


    They stepped out of the pce, and Ember pulled out a whistle.


    "What is that?" Seren asked curiously.


    "It''s a way to call my other mate," Ember chuckled and blew the whistle, though no sound came from it.


    "I didn''t hear anything," Seren remarked, puzzled.


    "Only he can hear it," Ember exined. "Want to see?"


    Seren nodded and examined the finely carved wooden whistle in Ember''s hand, not daring to touch it as it belonged to her mate. "It''s beautiful," Serenmented. "The tiny flower carved on it is exquisite."


    "It''s a real flower called Danshi," Ember exined. "Morpheus infused this whistle with this flower by using his divine power. This flower is meant only for the female that Divine Eagles wish to protect."


    "Danshi?" Seren suddenly recalled something. "I think I have one with me."


    Her words surprised the other women.


    "Are you sure?" Ember asked, intrigued.


    "Yes," Seren replied and pulled out a small brooch from her dress. "This one. One of my servants, who is a witch, infused this flower into the brooch."


    The three women stared at the seemingly ordinary brooch, now understanding it was far from ordinary.


    "Which Divine Eagle gave this to you?" Ember asked. "Your mate didn''t object to you keeping it?"


    Evanthe and Sierra were equally surprised as their minds began to work through the implications.


    "Not a Divine Eagle," Seren replied innocently. "On my wedding day, my pet��an ordinary eagle��gifted it to me. Actually, he was Dray''s pet first, so Dray didn''t mind either."


    "Are you sure he''s just an ordinary eagle?" Ember asked, her tone thoughtful. "Only Divine Eagles of the highest rank can obtain this sacred flower, which connects them to the female they choose."


    Seren felt puzzled, her thoughts turning to her pet. "Dusk?" She looked at Evanthe, who confirmed her suspicions. "Dusk is a Divine Eagle."


    Seren was utterly shocked, speechless.


    "Don''t worry," Evanthe assured her, seeing the disbelief on her face. "He must have given it to you to protect you."


    Just then, two eagles descended, stirring the air around them as theynded. Seren''s gaze immediately found Aureus.


    Aureus looked back at her, his eyes then shifting to the brooch in her hands, where he could sense the presence of the flower he had gifted her.


    The way she looked at him, he understood that something was wrong. He then nced at Evanthe, who was giving him a scrutinizing look as well. He had no idea what to say or do.

 Chapter 777: Are You Dusk?

    Evanthe turned to Seren. "You should give that brooch to me. Erebus won''t like it if you keep something like this. He won''t be as understanding as Drayce."


    Seren looked at the brooch with a conflicted gaze but eventually handed it over as Evanthe suggested.


    Aureus watched her give it up so easily, as if it no longer held any significance to her. As much as it hurt him, he felt a sense of relief. Thest thing he wanted was for Drayce''s darker side to conflict with him.


    He had always treated both Drayce and Erebus like brothers and could only be happy for them. Yet, he couldn''t control his feelings for a certain woman��one who happened to be Drayce, his brother''s wife.


    In his heart, Aureus knew he had liked Seren first, long before Drayce had even met her. When only he, in his beast form, could be near her. If Tyra hadn''t ced the spell that prevented him from transforming into his human form, he would have been the one to protect Seren in that tower and bring her out.


    Would things have been different if he had shown her his human form back then and be herpanion in that lonely tower? He could only wonder. Or maybe there were just not meant to be.


    Morpheus nced at Aureus and understood what was going on. He decided to break this sudden tense silence around and walked to Ember. "You called me," he asked softly.


    Ember, realizing she had unintentionally made Seren aware of something she should not have, responded quickly. "Yes. I was thinking of taking Seren to visit the Divine Eagle n. Would that be alright?"


    "Why not? And who could object when the lord of the Divine Eagle n is right here," Morpheus replied with a smile, turning to a still-quiet Aureus. "My Lord, will it be alright if thesedies visit our n?"


    Aureus snapped out of his thoughts and nodded. "They don''t need my permission. And please, don''t address me by my title."


    Morpheus chuckled. "I''m not wrong, you are a lord. Your position in this kingdomes right after Draven, the most powerful divine beast."


    Aureus sighed, wondering why his uncle had brought that up. It wasn''t like his rank would make any difference to Seren. All her heart held was Drayce. "I''ll head ahead to inform the others so they won''t be surprised when Ember and Seren arrive," Aureus said, and with that, his magnificent golden wings unfolded, and he flew away.


    Seren watched him disappear into the sky, feeling a swirl of emotions. So Dusk, her loyal pet, had been by her side in his beast form all along. It exined so much. She thought back to how long he had been gone, and now it made sense��he had been here, in Agartha. He was the one who protected her from Zaria. If not for him, she might still be locked away in some dark ce.


    More than the deception, Seren felt gratitude. ''He''s the reason I''m still with Drayce. For that, I can only thank him,'' she thought.


    "Seren, shall we leave?" Ember''s voice interrupted her thoughts.


    Seren nodded, her eyes briefly lingering on the brooch in Evanthe''s hand. A part of her wanted it back, but she knew Evanthe was right about keeping it safe.


    Evanthe, sensing Seren''s hesitation, spoke softly, "Don''t worry, I''ll keep it safe."


    Seren gave a small nod, epting it. "How are we getting there?"


    Morpheus pulled Ember close, his arms wrapping around her waist. "My mate is leaving with me," he said with a teasing smile, then looked at Evanthe. "You can take care of your son''s mate."


    Evanthe nodded in acknowledgment, while Seren watched Morpheus and Ember. Morpheus held Ember tightly, his hands firm yet gentle as he pressed her slender frame against him. His wings, now unfurling, shimmered as they shifted from blue-gray to a brilliant gold. Even his hair took on a golden hue.


    "You''ve been missing flying with me, haven''t you?" he teased.


    Ember gripped him securely, her arms circling around his neck, ready to take flight. "Can''t I?" she replied with a yful smile.


    He chuckled, "Only you can," and then flew away with her. Evanthe, using her power of teleportation, left with Seren as well.


    They appeared at Redcrest City, an imposing settlement within the territory of the shapeshifting feathered races and thend ruled by the Divine Eagles.


    Seren was awestruck by the dense forest that stretched across the mountain peaks. This was unlike any forest she had seen in the human kingdoms. The trees were massive, towering like ancient giants. Each tree was so tall and wide that houses could be built atop them. These were ancient trees, dwarfing anything Seren had ever encountered in the humannds.


    She noticed that each tree hadrge thatched homes made from interwoven branches, hanging like nests on the trees'' massive trunks. The structures resembled giant nests, and she found herself curious about how they looked from the inside. She wished to visit at least one of them.


    "Seren, those are homes��or nests, as they are for these people, who are birds," Ember said with a soft chuckle.


    "And you''re one bird''s mate, so that makes you no different, Ember," Morpheus teased.


    Ember smiled, unable to deny it.


    Soon, Agraleus arrived with Aureus to wee Seren. They had informed the others to give their guests some space. Though Aureus was now their king, Agraleus, still serving as the chief of the feathered n, dutifully greeted Seren and introduced her to various aspects of the city. After a brief introduction, he left her with her friends to explore.


    "Your Eminence, I have something to discuss with you," Agraleus said to Evanthe.


    She hummed in acknowledgment and turned to Morpheus and Ember. "I''ll leave Seren with you until I return."


    "Don''t worry, Evanthe," they assured her.


    Once Agraleus and Evanthe had left, Ember turned to Seren. "Would you like to check out one of those homes?"


    Seren''s face lit up, and she nodded eagerly, her gaze fixed on the towering trees.


    "Shall we take her to your nest?" Ember asked Morpheus.


    "Mine, not yours?" he responded with a teasing grin.


    "Sorry, I meant ours," Ember corrected with a smile.


    Morpheus chuckled. "I have a mate, and the presence of another unmated female in my nest wouldn''t be appropriate," he exined. "But we can take her to Aureus'' nest."


    Aureus was stunned by his uncle''s suggestion and shot him a sharp re, trying to figure out what he was up to.


    "You don''t mind, do you, Aureus?" Morpheus asked, a yful tone in his voice.


    Aureus nced at Seren, who was gazing back at him with hopeful eyes, clearly eager to see one of the homes. Helpless in the face of her silent plea, he simply nodded.


    "You''ll have to carry her since she doesn''t seem to have the ability to teleport or fly," Morpheus added, already holding Ember close as he flew toward Aureus'' nest.


    Baffled, Aureus stood there, unsure of what to do. He nced around, hoping Evanthe might be nearby to teleport Seren instead, but she was already gone. It seemed Agraleus had serious matters to discuss with her.


    "Is it alright if I carry you?" Aureus asked, his awkwardness apparent.


    Seren studied him for a moment. It wasn''t the first time he would be carrying her��he had done it before to protect her. But something had been troubling her, and she needed to hear it from Aureus himself.


    "Are you Dusk?" she asked, voicing the question that had been on her mind.


    "Yes," he replied without hesitation.

 Chapter 778: Aureus Nest

    "Why didn''t you tell me before, at least when we after you saved me and you true form was in front of me?" she asked.


    "It was all so sudden and I didn''t know what to do. I didn''t wish to deceive you but things happened this way and I had to leave for Agartha even before I could get a chance to exin the truth."


    "As much I am upset that I was not aware of my own pet, I am thankful you have saved me that night, so I won''t hold it against you."


    He felt relived to hear it. "Thank you so much."


    "Shall we leave now?" she asked, silently giving him a permission to carry her. Not like he was entirely stranger to her as she had been with him when he was her pet.


    Aureus nodded and cast a warning nce around, signaling to those nearby that they should mind their own business. Everyone shivered under their lord''s cold re and quickly resumed their tasks or hurried away.


    Stepping closer, Aureus gently lifted Seren into his arms. She hesitated before resting one hand on his shoulder.


    "Don''t worry, you won''t fall," he reassured her softly, and then, with a strong beat of his golden wings, they ascended into the sky.


    Others watched in awe as their lord carried a female in his arms.But as they had received a warning from their Lord, which they understood clearly though not a single word was said, they all chose to forget it, despite being curious in their minds.


    Aureus and Seren reached the top of the tallest tree in the forest, where a beautiful home had been built��arge, circr nest-like structure. It had a nted roof that gave it a cottage-like appearance. Theynded inside a spacious area that seemed to be the drawing room, open on all sides, with only the roof above. On one side, there were proper walls, indicating that there were other rooms in the nest as well, providing some privacy despite the otherwise open design.


    "What a huge nest our Lord has," Ember chuckled, looking around. "Maybe thergest in the entire n, built on the tallest tree."


    "The king must always have the best, just like Draven has his pce," Morpheus remarked. "But if you want, I can build one like this for you as well. I just didn''t think it was necessary."


    "No need. I love our current nest. It has your essence everywhere," Ember replied with a smile.


    Seren quietly observed the couple, admiring how well Ember treated Morpheus, despite her bond with Draven. Their dynamic intrigued her.


    Ember turned to Seren with a yful grin. "Let''s explore our Lord Aureus''s nest, shall we?" She shot Aureus a teasing nce. "You don''t mind, do you, my Lord?"


    Ember typically addressed him by his name, but now she was teasing him with his title. Aureus simply gave in with a nod, resigned to her yful ways.


    Taking Seren''s hand, Ember led her on a tour of the nest. "Even the nest has rooms, unlike what you''d expect from ordinary birds," she chuckled. "It''s as grand as a mansion."


    Seren admired the surroundings. The drawing room offered a breathtaking view of the clouds, the crowns of the towering trees, and the mountains in the distance. She wondered if looking down from the balcony might make her dizzy��so high was the structure. They noticed a few doors leading to other rooms and decided to explore further.


    The room they entered was furnished with a neatly arranged bed and mattress, along with other essentials. "Looks like this is our Lord''s room," Embermented as she walked over to therge window, which offered a stunning view of the sky and clouds outside. "Aureus seems so serious, but he''s secretly quite thoughtful about what he wants. He prepared this nest himself, and it resembles human homes, doesn''t it?"


    Seren nodded. "Maybe because he''s lived among humans for so long."


    "His mate will be so fortunate to have someone like him��so thoughtful, calm, andposed," Ember said with a soft smile. "Morph always thinks Aureus should act more like other young eagles, enjoying life, having fun. But Aureus chooses to be responsible. Morph regrets not being there for him while he was growing up. Maybe if he had been, Aureus would have lived a more adventurous life, like any young eagle."


    Seren''s heart sank at the thought. She had treated Aureus as just a pet, unaware of his true nature. If she had known who he really was, she would have shown him the respect he deserved.


    Meanwhile, in the drawing room, Aureus turned to his uncle with a stern look. "Is this fun for you?"


    Morpheus raised an eyebrow. "Do you think so? I just wanted her to step inside your nest, even if it''s just this once. After today, she probably won''t evere back."


    Aureus understood the meaning and stayed quiet.


    "Don''t be too hard on yourself, Aureus," Morpheus said, his tone softer. "We both know the pain of wanting someone you can''t have. Cherish whatever moments you can." He nced meaningfully at Aureus. "That flower you gave her��it wasn''t just any gift."


    "It was meant to protect her. Nothing more," Aureus replied quietly. "And it did help me protect her when Drayce wasn''t there."


    "Hmm, hard to argue with that," Morpheus said, then sighed. "I don''t want you to end up like me, but at the same time, a part of me does as at least you can be by her side."


    "Don''t say it," Aureus frowned. "There won''t be anything like that."


    "Looks like I''m going to miss the chance to be a grandfather," Morpheus teased. "Never mind, as long as you''re happy with your choices."


    Aureus narrowed his eyes at his uncle and retorted, "You can have your own children with your mate. Why don''t you actually mate with her instead of just being her mate in name?"


    Morpheus''s expression shifted, a hint of determination in his voice. "Just like you said, there won''t be anything like that. So, forget about ever having little cousins for you."


    Aureus shook his head and fell silent.


    "But Draven and Ember''s children will be like mine too," Morpheus added with a grin. "So, you can treat them as your cousins."


    "Well, since you''re not giving me any cousins, I guess that''s the only option I''ve got," Aureus chuckled yfully. "I''ll be their good elder brother."


    Both men smiled at the thought, their yful exchange bringing a brief moment of lightness. Soon, they saw the two women returning to the drawing room.


    "It''s a beautiful home��I mean, nest," Serenplimented Aureus.


    "The one he built it for, sadly, can''t be here," Morpheus said, throwing a knowing nce at Aureus.


    Seren looked confused and nced at Aureus for rification.


    Earning a re from his nephew, Morpheus added, "Because my dear nephew has yet to find his mate."


    "Oh," Seren said softly, turning to Aureus. "I''m sure you''ll find one soon. A beautiful golden eagle like you will definitely get the most beautiful female."


    Aureus simply hummed, though he knew it was never going to happen as his hearty with her, the most beautiful woman standing right in front of him.


    In his heart, he had already epted the fact that he would be alone for the rest of his life. A powerful divine beast like him could never find a true mate if his heart was already with someone else, and that was the most painful truth of his existence.

 Chapter 779: I Am Your Mother

    Seren returned to the guest quarters in the evening after spending the day exploring the kingdom with Ember. Exhausted, she fell asleep soon after dinner. She had hoped to wait for Drayce, who had been busy building their new home, but her tiredness overwhelmed her.


    In the middle of the night, she stirred awake. Drayce was still not by her side. Sitting up, she noticed a figure standing quietly by the window, gazing out into the night.


    "Dray?" she called softly as she got out of bed and hurried over to him. She wrapped her arms around him from behind, holding him close. "When did you return?"


    Drayce gently ced his hands over hers. "Just a little while ago."


    "Why didn''t youe to bed? Are you tired?"


    He shook his head, his silence unsettling.


    "Did you finish building our home?" she asked.


    "I did��well, Erebus did," he replied, his tone unusually calm.


    Sensing something was off, Seren released him and moved to stand in front of him, her worried eyes searching his face. "What are you thinking about?"


    Drayce met her gaze, his expression calm but distant. "I''m not sure how long it will take before I see you again after tomorrow."


    Seren understood what he meant. After Marking, Erebus would be with her for as long as he wanted. She had promised Erebus she would be with him after he marks her and Drayce won''t meddle in. Now the time was there, she felt worried about Drayce.


    "I''ll find a way to bring you back sooner," Seren reassured him. "Erebus listens to me. But I did promise him equal time��just like the time I spent with you when we consummated our marriage. I can''t go back on my word."


    "I know. I am not ming you. But the thought of not being able to be with you, is unbearable."


    She closed the distance between them, wrapping her arms around him. "Erebus will be with me starting tomorrow. But we still have tonight. How about we make the most of it?" she whispered softly, pressing a gentle kiss to his lips. "Hmm?"


    "When my wife seduces me like this, how could I possibly say no?" he murmured against her lips before capturing them in a heated kiss, leading to yet another passionate night they spent together.


    ----


    The next day, Seren and Drayce were preparing for the marking ceremony. Evanthe approached Drayce with a folded red robe in her hands.


    "Dray, you need to wear this," she instructed.


    He looked at the robe and then back at her, waiting for an exnation.


    "It''s a blessing from all the supernaturals in this kingdom," Evanthe exined. "Since you are a Red Dragon, the robe is red for you and Seren. When Anes for his ceremony, it will be gold for him and Oriana."


    Drayce nodded and picked up the beautiful long red ceremonial robe. He draped it over his outfit, the rich fabric parting slightly to reveal the clothes underneath. "Does Seren have the same robe?"


    "Yes," Evanthe confirmed. "Sierra has already taken it to her."


    Drayce raised a brow, offering her a not so pleased look.


    "Alright, I think this is the right time they both talk about something important," Evanthe exined.


    "Does her mother agree to this?" he asked pointedly. "Thest time they spoke, my wife ended up in tears."


    "Let them handle it. And if she cries again, you''ll be here tofort her, won''t you?"


    Drayce could only hum.


    -----


    In Seren''s chamber, Sierra arrived quietly. Seren, who was getting ready with the help of two elf servants, noticed a hooded figure appear in the reflection of the mirror. Surprised, she turned to face the woman standing there, holding a folded red cloth.


    "I brought this for you," Sierra said softly.


    Seren gestured for the two servants to leave before asking, "What is it?"


    "A ceremonial robe for the marking ceremony. It''s blessed by all the supernaturals in this kingdom and contains traces of their power. It will give you the strength to endure the marking by a divine beast. You must wear it," Sierra exined.


    Seren nodded, reaching out to take the robe, but Sierra stopped her. "I will help you put it on."


    Seren hesitated, staring at Sierra. It struck her as strange that this woman, who had kept her distance ever since they arrived in Agartha, was suddenly so intent on being close to her. Why now?


    Sierra unfolded the red robe and stood behind Seren, waiting for her to slip her arms into the sleeves. But Seren didn''t move. Instead, she asked, "Why are you doing this? Did my mother ask you to do this on her behalf?"


    Sierra''s hands froze. She met Seren''s gaze through the mirror. "Your mother missed your wedding and the chance to prepare you herself. She wants to at least make up for it in some way."


    "Having you do this in her ce isn''t the same," Seren countered. "It''s meaningless if her only concern is making up for what she missed. What about what I''ve missed in my life?"


    Sierra''s grip tightened on the robe. "I apologize for that," she said quietly, still holding the robe open, waiting for Seren to ept it.


    "You don''t need to apologize," Seren replied, her tone curt. "And I don''t expect my mother to apologize either. I just want you both to stop being selfish."


    The room fell into a tense silence as Seren watched Sierra through the mirror. After a moment, she finally moved her hands, slipping them into the sleeves of the robe, not expecting anything more.


    But then Sierra spoke again, her voice trembling. "I''m not apologizing on anyone else''s behalf. I''m apologizing for myself�� I, your mother."


    Seren''s heart skipped a beat. The room felt heavy, filled with emotions long kept hidden. ''Did she ept she is my mother?''


    "I apologize," Sierra repeated, her voice soft and raw. "I didn''t have the courage to face you before... not after everything you endured because of my decisions. But I don''t regret them. I did what I had to in order to protect you. I was ready to watch you from afar for the rest of my life, even if it broke my heart."


    Seren could feel her mother''s emotions, her pain.


    "I told you before, I don''t me you," Seren said gently. "But you shouldn''t have waited so long toe to me."


    Sierra''s voice trembled as she confessed, "I wasn''t brave enough."


    Seren turned to face her, her eyes moist with unshed tears. "I thought that when you finally epted you were my mother, I''d have so much to say. I wanted to tell you how hurt I was when you denied it, even when I asked you directly. It broke my heart. But now... I can''t seem to say anything. All I want is to have a mother like everyone else. I want to be able to say, ''Yes, I have a mother too.''"


    Sierra''s voice was thick with sadness, her own tears spilling down her cheeks. "Your mother isn''t someone you''d want to show around proudly."


    Seren nced at the scales on the back of Sierra''s hands and understood. "Is that why you didn''t want to tell me? Because of how you look?"


    "I would only embarrass a beautiful child like you��" Sierra whispered, her voice trembling with shame.


    "I don''t care about that!" Seren interrupted, her voice fierce. "I don''t care how you look or what anyone else thinks. You''re the woman who gave me life, who endured all the pain to bring me into this world. You are the only one who matters."


    Seren''s mind shed to Edith giving birth to her child, and she couldn''t help but imagine the pain her own mother must have gone through. She knew that giving birth to a child with powers was far more difficult. She had heard about how Evanthe struggled to give birth to Draven, despite being powerful herself. The thought made her heart swell with gratitude for the woman standing before her.


    "For me, you are my mother. I am not going to judge you on how you look," Seren repeated. There was a silence on Sierra''s side before she spoke, "Though I was not with you, my daughter was raised into an amazing person. I want nothing more..."


    "But I want," Seren interrupted, tears now streaming down her face. "I want you to treat me like your child��a child who still needs her mother, even though she''s grown." Her voice cracked with emotion, her expression desperate. "I want a mother. Do you hear me?"

 Chapter 780: I Have A Mother As Well

    In the next bedchamber, Drayce and Evanthe overheard Seren''s emotional outburst. Drayce could feel the intensity of Seren''s emotions and was about to rush to her, but Evanthe gently grabbed his hand. "Give them a little more time, alright?"


    Drayce clenched his fists, holding himself back. "She better not make Seren cry any more. If she doesn''t give Seren what she needs, I swear, I won''t let that woman see her daughter ever again."


    "Calm down," Evanthe said softly, patting his arm to soothe him.


    ---


    Seeing Seren''s outburst and hearing her desperate plea, Sierra immediately pulled her daughter into a tight embrace. "Calm down, please. I''m sorry, alright? I''ve been a bad mother."


    Seren, still sobbing, asked, "Are you doing this just so my anger doesn''t activate the hellfire and cause harm?"


    "No," Sierra replied gently, caressing Seren''s trembling back in an effort to soothe her. "I''m doing this because I want to hold my daughter in my arms. I want to feel you, to imprint your existence in my heart."


    She continued, her voice filled with emotion. "I promise, I will be a good mother from now on. I''ll make sure everyone knows you have a mother who''s here for you��to care for you, to protect you, and to tend to your needs and even your tantrums. I''ll do everything a mother should because I want to. I want my daughter."


    At those words, Seren finally hugged her mother back, letting her tears flow freely. Sierra, too, wept as they clung to one another, mother and daughter united atst.


    Once they had both calmed down, Sierra wiped the tears from Seren''s cheeks. "You should wear this robe now. Don''t keep your mate waiting."


    Seren nodded and allowed her mother to help her into the red ceremonial robe.


    "Red suits you," Sierra said with a warm smile.


    "That''s why I have a Red Dragon as my mate," Seren replied, a soft smile tugging at her lips.


    Sierra chuckled gently. "True. He''s the perfect match for you."


    Seren turned around as Sierra adjusted the front of the robe, letting Seren''s red dress peek through the parted sides. "Beautiful," Sierra murmured softly.


    "Mother," Seren said, her voice tender yet strong. The word made Sierra freeze for a moment. It was the first time Seren had called her that. Fighting to control her emotions, Sierra responded with a simple, "Hmm?"


    "Who did this to you?" Seren asked quietly.


    "One of the goddesses from the heavenly realm," Sierra replied.


    "I''ve heard that the deity of earth is the most beautiful woman in all the realms. Is that why this goddess did this to you? Was she jealous of your beauty?" Seren asked, her eyes lingering on the hood that hid her mother''s face.


    Sierra chuckled softly. "Maybe."


    "Won''t you show me your face?" Seren asked, her tone gentle but curious.


    "I don''t want you to remember me this way," Sierra said, her voice filled with tenderness as she lifted her hand to caress Seren''s cheek. "If you want to see me, just look in the mirror. You look so much like me."


    "No wonder I''m so beautiful, then," Seren teased, understanding her mother''s reluctance and choosing not to push her further.


    Sierra smiled beneath her hood. "Shall we go? I''m sure your mate is desperate to see you."


    Seren nodded, and together, they stepped outside where Drayce and Evanthe were waiting.


    Drayce''s eyes immediately fell on Seren, who looked radiant, even more beautiful than usual. Perhaps it was because of the marking ceremony, or maybe it was the joy that now filled her heart. A light smile spread across his face as he gazed at her, trying to imprint this image in his memory. Soon, it wouldn''t be him by her side, but Erebus.


    Seren hurried toward him and wrapped her arms around him in a tight embrace. Drayce held her just as firmly, savoring the moment. She then looked up at him, her eyes moist with emotion, but her smile content and full of joy.


    "Dray, now I have a mother too," she whispered, her happiness shining through her tear-filled eyes.


    "Congrattions," he replied softly, kissing her forehead. "I''m happy for you."


    Sierra''s heart swelled, feeling like it might burst from all the emotions flooding through her. She wondered why she had waited so long to reveal herself to her daughter. All her fears of rejection now seemed like a silly mistake. Everything had fallen into ce so easily.


    Evanthe, standing beside Sierra, nced at Seren, her eyes filled with joy, and remarked, "I told you to tell her sooner."


    "My mistake for not listening to you," Sierra admitted, her voice full of gratitude. "Thank you for pushing me to do it today."


    "You owe me," Evanthe teased.


    "I''ll make sure to pay you back. What do you want?" Sierra asked.


    Evanthe thought for a moment before responding, "Maybe two jars of wine from Yorian. That stubborn elf won''t even let me have a sip."


    Sierra sighed. "Couldn''t you ask for something easier? That elf is utterly stingy when ites to his wine collection. But I must admit, it''s better than any wine I''ve had, even in heaven. I''ll try to get three jars instead."


    "That''ll do," Evanthe agreed with a grin. "Soon, I''ll figure out where he hides his wine and steal some for both of us."


    Drayce, overhearing the conversation between the two women, let go of Seren and shook his head, amused. How childish their mothers were, despite living for thousands of years.


    He took Seren''s hand, guiding her ahead, while Evanthe and Sierra followed behind, already plotting.


    "It must be somewhere in the Moon Elf n since the High Elf n is in ruins now," Evanthe spected.


    "We''ll have to visit his home, then. Maybe we''ll find it there," Sierra added.


    "He won''t let anyone into his home," Evanthe frowned. "But if we fail, there''s one person who could manage to get inside, and he wouldn''t say no."


    "Who?"


    "Oriana. When she gets here, we can convince her to do it. She won''t refuse us."


    Sierra chuckled. "Love can make even the smartest person a fool, and Yorian''s no exception. Poor elf, though. She already belongs to someone else."


    Drayce, who had been listening to their hushed conversation, turned his head slightly while walking. "Don''t let An hear you talking like that, unless you want Yorian to end up buried deep underground, never to be seen again."


    "I forget my son has sharp hearing," Evanthe sighed.


    "So does An," Drayce reminded her with a smirk.


    The two women fell silent, exchanging guilty nces, and quietly followed the couple out of the guest quarters toward the council hall, where the marking ceremony would soon take ce.

 Chapter 781: Marking Ceremony

    They entered the grand doors of the council hall, where the council members, n elders, and other powerful supernaturals, along with the King and his mate, were gathered. As Drayce and Seren walked inside, all eyes were drawn to them��the sight of the Red Dragon and his mate making their way to the center of the hall.


    It was the first time many would witness a Dragon marking his mate, unlike Draven''s marking of Ember, which had not been a formal ceremony. The moments they could cherish which a ck Dragon marked his mate, those moments were filled with nothing but a grave shock.


    Seren felt the weight of countless gazes from the supernaturals around her, each one radiating the immense power they held. It was overwhelming. Drayce sensed her tension and gently squeezed her hand, his thumb softly caressing the back of her palm, offering herfort.


    King Agartha, Draven, sat on his throne with Erlos standing beside him, while Ember was seated among the other supernaturals, with Morpheus at her side.


    As Drayce and Seren reached the center of the hall, they paused, turning to face each other in front of the ceremonial altar after offering their respectful greetings to the King.


    Draven rose from his throne, hismanding presence immediately drawing the attention of the hall.


    "Today, we gather to witness the union of a Red Dragon and his mate," Draven''s voice echoed, powerful and filled with authority. "This marking not only seals their bond but symbolizes the strength and unity of our kind."


    Drayce''s gaze never left his nervous mate. His eyes were filled with love and reassurance. "You''ll be alright," he whispered softly, his voice steady and calming.


    Seren nodded, trying to settle her racing heart. She had read about this moment in books, but none of them prepared her for the reality. She didn''t know what to expect, but Drayce''s presence gave her courage.


    The elders of various ns began to chant in unison, their voices harmonizing in a spell that resonated through the council hall. The air shimmered with an ethereal glow, indicating the beginning of the ancient ritual��a Dragon was about to mark his mate.


    Drayce inhaled deeply, feeling the ancient energy of the chants coursing through him. His body responded to the power, the dark force within him awakening. He closed his eyes for a moment, and slowly, his form began to change, enveloped in swirling shadows.


    Seren could feel the strong shift in his powers and for the first time watched him slowly transforming into Erebus.


    As Drayce transformed into Erebus, his previously pleasant form radiated a powerful sense of darkness��something so intense that it shook everyone in the hall. The Red Dragon''s true power was on full disy, and it left the onlookers wondering about the origins of this hellish darkness. Who had he inherited this formidable force from?


    Tiny dark veins appeared around his eyes, and when he opened them, they were pitch ck, devoid of any white. His appearance was menacing to all who watched, but not to Seren. She held his gaze, unwavering, and softly murmured, "Erebus."


    His dark, emotionless gaze locked onto her as he moved closer, intent on marking his mate. Seren stood still, her heart steady as she noticed his gaze drop to her neck before returning to her face. His hand moved to the back of her head, and his face inched closer.


    Everyone in the hall held their breath, anticipating the moment when the Red Dragon would mark his mate. But instead of the expected ritual, they witnessed something far more intimate.


    Erebus didn''t mark her��he kissed her. With all the intensity of a dragon who had been starving for her, he captured her lips in his, kissing her with a fiery passion. Seren, unflinching, boldly reciprocated, losing herself in the kiss, forgetting the existence of everyone around them.


    In that moment, Seren realized that Erebus loved her just as Drayce did. He wasn''t driven by beastly instincts to im her. If that were the case, he would have marked her first. But instead, this kiss showed he had a heart��a heart that longed for her, whether he marked her or not. The ritual wasn''t the most important thing; his love was.


    Everyone in the hall was stunned, witnessing such raw affection from a Dragon towards his mate. It was a sight none had expected.


    "The way your son is kissing her, I hope he doesn''t suffocate my daughter and knock her out before he even marks her," Sierramented dryly.


    Evanthe, watching with a smirk, countered, "Your daughter is lucky to be loved so passionately by a Dragon. It has its own unique charm. But you wouldn''t understand�� as you''ve been untouched for almost two decades now."


    "As if you were sleeping with your men every single day?" Sierra scoffed. "What a waste, having two men in your life and not using them."


    Yorian, overhearing the conversation, shook his head helplessly. "Listen to the way you two talk. One is a deity and the other is a queen. Your worshippers and followers would be shocked to death if they heard you talk so out of the line."


    Both women shot him a re, mocking him in return.


    "You just focus on preparing yourself to witness another marking ceremony soon- An and Oriana."


    "Though we have foul mouths, we have a kind heart. We will wipe your tears for you, you pitiful elf."


    "You two are impossible," Yorian muttered, shaking his head before turning his attention forward.


    Erebus and Seren finally broke their kiss, both panting heavily. Erebus leaned down, pressing his face into the crook of her neck, inhaling her scent deeply as his lips grazed the side of her neck, right where he would soon mark her.


    Seren clung to him, bracing herself for what was toe. She felt his warm, moist mouth caressing her skin, his rough tongue trailing along the spot where his mark would be. She tried to focus her attention on all that magical chanting by elders echoing in the hall.


    The next moment, her breath caught in her chest. A sharp, searing pain coursed through her body, so intense that she couldn''t even make a sound. It was overwhelming.


    Erebus sank his canines into her skin, his eyes closed as their souls began to intertwine, forming an unbreakable bond.


    Ember, seated among the others, shuddered as the memory of her own marking resurfaced��the pain she had endured not once, but twice.


    Draven sensed the shift in her emotions and nced over at her, while Morpheus, standing beside her, ced aforting hand on her shoulder. He, too, could feel her emotions through the bond.


    Ember looked at Draven and then to Morpheus, offering them a light smile, assuring them she was alright.


    Once done, Erebus retracted and licked the marking wound with his tongue, relishing the sweet test of his mate''s blood.


    Seren went unconscious, her body slumped into his arms.


    Erebus held her and caressed her beautiful face gently with his hand and disappeared from there in front of everyone.


    "He could not wait to go away," Evanthemented.


    "Can he take care of Seren on his own? He is not Drayce who is used to doing everything for her," Sierra showed her concern.


    Yorian chimed in, "Evanthe, you are his mother, so probably only you would be allowed near his nest. Rest of us would be just dead if we go there."


    "I will go check on them soon," Evanthe assured. "Right now, is not the time. He must want to be with his mate alone."

 Chapter 782: Evanthe And Erebus

    Erebus arrived at the ce where he had built his nest, his home for his mate and himself.


    A beautiful cottage settled at the end of vastnd that led to the valley ahead. The vastnd was covered in beautiful greenery, a lushwn, numerous nts bustling with beautiful flowers blooming everywhere.


    On the other side of the valley there were tall snow covered mountains, a beautiful view which could be seen while standing at the entrance of the cottage which was built facing the valley and the snowy mountain ahead.


    Carrying Seren, he walked inside the newly built cozy cottage which had one drawing room, kitchen and huge bedroom with a vast bed in the center, huge windows behind the bed and a beautiful view of snowy mountain.


    He ced her at the center of the bed gently, his dark gaze not living his mate''s beautiful face. He climbed the bed, enveloped his arms around her, pulling her closer as if coaxing her to afortable sleep. Her small body pressed against his, her delicate face snuggled against his chest.


    He pressed his lips on her head and inhaled her enticing scent which was now stronger after he marked her. He closed his eyes as well, enveloping her protectively as if keeping her from any harm.


    For the beast, they had to be most alert when their mate is unconscious after marking and in her weakest condition where her soul is fighting to stand against the marking. If there are any enemies of that beast, they would try to eliminate his mate so it would end up hurting that male and eventually defeat him.


    Though Erebus had no such threat around him, his beast instincts couldn''t help but want to protect her. If anyone by chance appeared even closer to his nest, he would end up killing them.


    The beasts of feathered races who often patrolled the sky had been instructed not to fly around this area, unless they want to lose their life in the hands of a Dragon.


    By thete noon, Erebus shot opened his eyes as he sensed someone''s presence around. His senses clouded with protective instincts made him fail to recognise the person.


    With his gaze turning darker with a killing instinct, he stepped out of the cottage and darkness started to surround him. He was about to shoot the blow of his darkness everywhere around the cottage to get rid of wherever was around, he heard a familiar voice.


    "Erebus, it''s me. Your mother."


    He looked at the familiar woman standing to his right side. She was smart enough to not stand straight ahead of him, giving him a chance to recognise her before he could directly attack the one who intruded his nest.


    Recognition shed in his dark eyes. He slowly retreated to the darkness forming around him and watched his mother approaching.


    As Evanthe walked towards him, she could not help but think. ''The intensity of his darkness is as powerful as his father''s. If he ever gets hold of his power entirely, he can even destroy all three realms. Thankfully, Drayce is rational and never tried to tap on his powers to that extent. Somewhere it is a good thing Drayce has suppressed his darkness, and didn''t let it take over himself.


    Erebus can truly be dangerous if ever loses his rationality, but Seren might be the reason to keep him in control. I have to try my best to not let his power be disyed entirely, so deities would never be able to find him. If they did, they would do the same thing with him as they did with his father, or might be something even worse. I can never let deities know about my son''s existence.''


    She stood facing him, her eyes observing him as she was seeing him after so long.


    Erebus looked at her as well, the predatory aura around him disappeared at the sight of his mother.


    She slowly moved her hand to touch his face, being careful of not imposing it on him. If he showed any reluctance to be touched by her, she would stop.


    But he stayed still, simply looking at her face, letting her hand touch his cheek.


    Evanthe felt relieved that he didn''t reject her.


    Especially when the beast has their mate just marked, waiting for her to wake up, their world revolves around their mate and they doesn''t like anyone''s presence around whether it was even their mother or a sister, let alone being touched by them. Erebus was a beast through and through as his human side was with Drayce, she was surprised he could suppress his beastly instincts and allowed her to be close to him or even touch him.


    Her hand gently caressed his cheek with motherly warmth, her eyes moist. "I am d you recognise me," she said softly, "It''s been so long since I saw you, Erebus."


    Thest time she saw him, he was barely four and half years old. He started to show his existence when Drayce turned three and had started to develop strong emotions like any other kids, but the anger was the prominent one. By three Drayce started to understand the things that offended him and his darkness would show up as a result of his anger.


    Then she started to teach Drayce not to let his anger or dark side take over him, that he was a human who lived among humans so he should never use his powers. His destiny was to be a King of Megaris, a human kingdom and he should not rule them with the fear of his powers.


    She wondered if it was because of her teaching and the promise he had made to her that he wouldn''t use his powers unless it meant to protect someone. He had started to separate his dark side and also, his will to live like a human, which made him hate it.


    ''He would eventually do whatever he is destined for, and being surpassed till now must be for his own good.''


    Erebus simply looked at her wordlessly, his dark eyes unable to let her see any emotions in him.


    When she was about to retreat her hand, he ced his hand over hers to keep her hand against his cheek and spoke, "Mother!"


    His voice was deeper and heavier than Drayce''s, a tinge of roughness to it.


    The emotions she was fighting, they showed up, tears started to appear in her eyes. She didn''t know what to do and wished she could just hug him, but held back. Letting her touch him was already a limit to the beast''s tolerance.


    She wiped away her tears and spoke, "I would like to talk to you for longer, but at this moment I am here to help you with your mate. Would it be fine for me to check how she is doing?" she waited for his approval, "Only if you allow me to."


    He stared at her wordlessly as if thinking deeply about it and then stepped away, letting her see the entrance of the cottage, the view he was blocking.


    Evanthe understood he permitted her. She felt happy, that whether it was Drayce or Erebus, they both loved her the same way.

 Chapter 783: Mate Bond Mark

    Evanthe entered that huge and beautiful bedroom and approached Seren, who was unconscious. Erebus climbed the bed and sat next to Seren, his protective instincts still kicking in.


    But before doing anything, she looked at Erebus, "Can I check her pulse?"


    He didn''t reject it, so Eventhe held Seren''s hand and let go of it after a while. "She is truly weak while already fighting against the Hellfire and now this mate bonds. It might take her a while to wake up, might be more than two days."


    A vial appeared in her hand and she handed it over to him, "It will help her body during her unconscious state. She can''t eat or drink, so she will need some nourishment."


    Erebus epted it, opened it carefully. He first poured a drop of it in on his tongue, made sure it was safe and only then fed it to Seren.


    Evanthe didn''t mind it, instead smiled lightly. Mother or not, the bests trusted no one when it came to his mate. She was already grateful he trusted enough to even touch his mate at this moment.


    "You can be with her all the time, but you need to be ready for when she wakes up. Have you prepared everything for it?" Evanthe asked, not waiting for his answer, she walked outside the bedroom and searched for the kitchen which she found easily.


    There was a kitchen, every arrangement was made and he had arranged everything to cook on the time, everything that Seren seemed to enjoy eating.


    ''How thoughtful and a well nner my son is. Seems like I was worrying for nothing."


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    She felt Erebus'' presence and turned to look at him, "Do you know how to cook?" Evanthe asked, "Once she woke up, she would be like a hungry monster and would eat a lot. You will have to prepare a lot and also it should be tasty or...umm... your mate would be disappointed."


    Thest line she just said to tease him, but Erebus seems to take it seriously.


    In response to her doubts, he walked towards where the ingredients were kept. He picked up a few random ones and started working on it. Evanthe simply watched him silently. She didn''t find any difference between Drayce and Erebus'' cooking style.


    ''I forgot, when Drayce is doing something, Erebus is always there. He understands and learns everything that Drayce does.''


    Very soon an aroma filled the kitchen that was worth salivating over the food it wasing from.


    Erebus poured soup in a wooden bowl, dragging one table with his free hand. He put it in front of his mother and then ced a bowl over it and looked at her.


    "For me?" she asked. "Shouldn''t you first let your mate taste whatever you have cooked for the first time?"


    In response, he touched the bowl and pushed it further towards her. He was adamant on assuring his mother of his cooking skills and that Seren won''t starve with him by her side.


    Evanthe picked up the bowl and tasted it. "Umm��It''s delicious?" she said and continued to drink it directly from the bowl, keeping the spoon aside. She ced the empty bowl on the table, "Seren is truly fortunate to have such a capable mate as you, and I am fortunate to have you as my son."


    Erebus stayed there, still no emotions on his face.


    "Alright, now I have made sure you and her are perfectly fine, I will take a leave. I will visit tomorrow."


    She didn''t wait for his reaction and disappeared. It''s not good to stay in Dragon''s nest for long, even if he was her son. A certain Dragon, though he was not with her, might mind to sense another grown Dragon''s presence around her, even if this Dragon was his son.


    Erebus returned to Seren, andy by her side, his dark gaze stuck on her face. His fingers caressed her soft cheek, his gaze moved to her lips and he gently pecked on them. He was longing to see her awake, to let her show him how important he was to her, and how much she loved him.


    He could not wait toplete that bond as well, which would connect him to her for eternity. No one would ever be able to separate them, only death would.


    The next two days, Evanthe kept visiting Seren briefly and would leave.


    On the noon of the third day, Seren finally stirred awake in her sleep. Erebus who was standing by the window, quietly staring at those snowy mountain, sensed it and immediately turned to the bed.


    Seren tried to open her eyes, her head felt dizzy. She felt a warm touch against her cheek and looked at the person. Though dizzy, it didn''t take her a time to recognise him.


    Erebus allowed to have her a time, resisting his urge to pounce in her.


    "Er..bus..." low whispered left her lips, her voice hoarse.


    Wordlessly, he continued to caress her cheek, then moved his hand to her neck, sliding away the hair from her neck, while she simply watched him with a heavy lidded eyes.


    A mate bond mark- Purple blossom with red dragon entangled in it.


    His fingers brushed the beautiful mark just like its owner and he leaned closer, his breathing turning heavy.


    Despite her body was weak, Seren could feel the intensity of that simple touch course though her muddled senses, igniting a familiar urge, urge to be close to him.


    His face buried in the crook of her neck, he inhaled her enticing sent as his lips brushed over that mark, his tongue picking out, he licked that mark.


    "Uhm..." a soft, weak moan left her throat, her heart all of a sudden started to race.


    Erebus could feel and sense her through their bond, she felt the urge to be closer to him just like he felt for her.


    He moved back a little, his dark gaze turning intense, he looked into her beautiful eyes, then moved to those delicate lips of her which looked pale and a little dry at this moment.


    But, her didn''t mind. He leaned closer and captured her lips into his, gently, holding back from hurting her.


    Seren, though weak, found it likeable that she ever felt and let him kiss her, while she was too weak to do anything on her side. All she knew, she just wanted it.

 Chapter 784: Plans To Keep In Bed All The Time

    In her weakened condition, Seren found it difficult to breathe through that heated kiss with her mate, but she felt a strong urge not to separate from him at any cost.


    Erebus''s tongue invaded her mouth, searching for hers, groaning in satisfaction when he found and tasted it.


    At the same time, Seren felt overwhelmed by the intensity of the kiss as her body started to give out.


    "Ahem!"


    A familiar voice interrupted, but they didn''t react as if it didn''t matter.


    "Erebus?" the voice called again. "Your mate is suffocating. You might knock her out if you continue."


    The beast, adamant on savoring his mate, finally registered the words and paused. He looked at the woman who had interrupted them. Though she was his mother, the fury in his eyes remained unchanged, as if silently asking how she dared to disturb them.


    Evanthe didn''t mind, knowing it was just how the beast would behave.


    She stood at the threshold of the door, not crossing the boundary, and reminded him again, "You should care for your mate at this moment instead of pouncing on her. She is weak."


    Erebus nced back at Seren, who was gasping heavily, her face flushed as if drained of all energy. His furious gaze softened at the sight of her.


    "You should prepare a meal for her so she can regain some strength," Evanthe said. "If you don''t mind, I''ll take care of her."


    Erebus gently caressed Seren''s face, reluctant to part from her, but finally moved back and stood up. He left the bedroom without saying a word, not even to his mother.


    Evanthe stepped inside the room and went to Seren, who was too exhausted to move, looking at Evanthe helplessly with dewy eyes.


    Evanthe chuckled. "That''s a beast for you��can be really overwhelming." A vial appeared in her hand as she sat at the edge of the bed. "Open your mouth."


    Seren''s lips were swollen and burning, but she did as instructed. Explore stories at m,v l''e-NovelBin


    Evanthe poured the liquid into her mouth and exined, "This will give you some strength, though it won''tpletely heal you. Your body is weaker due to the intense force caused by the marking."


    Seren closed her eyes as she felt her strength gradually returning.


    "Erebus will bring you a nice meal shortly. Once you eat something, you''ll feel much better."


    Seren hummed softly, and Evanthe asked, "Would you like me to help you freshen up?"


    Seren nodded, and Evanthe assisted her to the bath. By the time Seren returned, Erebus had reentered the bedroom with a tray of food. She sat on the bed as he carefully arranged the meal in front of her, then stepped back.


    Evanthe nced at her son, recognizing the effort he was making to remain patient and resist Seren''s scent, while Seren seemed to be struggling with the same.


    "You might want to get some fresh air, Erebus. I''m here with her," Evanthe suggested gently.


    As a mother, she was doing her best to remind her son as she didn''t wish him to be hasty and ruin the beautiful process of consummation with his mate.


    Seren looked at him, his dark eyes fixed on her. Her heart started pounding faster at the sight of him, and she longed to be closer.


    Erebus turned and left the room.


    As the door closed behind him, Seren heard Evanthe''s soft voice. "It''s normal to feel this way after being marked, until youplete the bond with him. But before that, you need to be strong enough to keep up with him, which is impossible with your body in this condition."


    Seren simply nodded and nced at the food. It had been cooked by Erebus, and warmth spread through her chest at the thought. He could even cook.


    Her stomach growled loudly at the sight of the meal, and she started eating like a ravenous creature who had been starved for ages.


    Evanthe chuckled at the sight of Seren stuffing food into her small mouth, her cheeks puffed out like a squirrel''s. "Don''t choke yourself. Take it easy. The entire meal is for you, and I''m sure there''s more if you need it."


    Seren continued to eat and eat for what felt like an eternity, as if there was no stopping. She couldn''t help but wonder when her stomach had be a bottomless pit, or perhaps a valley.


    When she finally finished, Evanthe asked, "Feeling better?"


    Seren nodded. "He really knows how to cook. Everything was delicious."


    "I could see that, given the way you devoured it all like a demon."


    Seren simply smiled but then hesitated before speaking again. "Can I ask you something, mother?"


    Evanthe hummed in acknowledgment.


    "Has Drayce''s father ever cooked a meal for you?" Seren asked curiously. If they were in love, it meant they must have spent a lot of time together, right?


    Evanthe nodded. "I was injured back then when he found me, so he took care of me��which included cooking for me as well."


    Seren was d Evanthe answered and decided to push a little further. "Will you ever tell me how you two met and what happened between Drayce''s father and you?"


    Evanthe sighed softly. "Curious cat, aren''t you?"


    Seren smiled awkwardly. "I was just�� curious."


    "I''ll tell you, but now is not the right time." Evanthe gestured toward the window. "Look, the sky will soon turn dark, and the moon will rise. Tonight is the night of the full moon, and I''m sure you know what the full moon means for mates.


    Seren nodded. She had read in books that on every full moon night, the attraction between mates was irresistible, and they were naturally drawn to each other. It was said that consummating the bond on the night of a full moon was the most fortunate thing, as it strengthened the bond even more.


    Evanthe added, "The day before each full moon night, there''s a festival in Agartha where all the members of the beast n gather. It''s a celebration for mated couples to enjoy together, and for single beasts to find their mates. You missed it this time, but perhaps next month you''ll be able to attend with Erebus."


    "I''ve heard about it," Seren replied. "I look forward to being there."


    Evanthe hummed thoughtfully and stood up. "For now, let''s get you dressed and ready for your mate before it gets dark." Saying this, Evanthe walked over to the wardrobe, where dresses were neatly arranged for Seren.


    "I have clothes as well?" Seren asked in surprise.


    "Don''t underestimate your mate''s thoughtfulness," Evanthe teased, pulling out a red dress. "Put this on."


    Serenplied, with Evanthe''s help, and changed into the dress. She looked at herself in the mirror and frowned slightly. "This dress looks more like something to wear at bedtime rather than for going out. And all the other dresses in there look the same."


    The dress was a long, floor-length gown in a rich red hue, with a round neckline, long sleeves, and delicate frills at the wrists. It wasfortable and loose, yet still looked beautiful.


    "You can probably guess your mate''s intentions from the kind of dresses he prepared for you," Evanthe chuckled yfully.


    Seren nced at Evanthe through the mirror. "Intentions?"


    "He ns to keep you in bed all the time, with no intention of taking you outside," Evanthe answered with a mischievous smile.


    Seren''s cheeks flushed deeply, but then she hesitantly asked, "All the time? Wouldn''t that be... too much?"

 Chapter 785: Her Mates Scent Is What She Ever Wished For

    "It might be too much, but you''ll love it," Evanthe replied, fixing Seren''s hair as she stood behind her. "In fact, you''ll want to be with him in bed all the time."


    Seren stared at Evanthe through the mirror, then hesitantly asked, "How was the night you spent with Drayce''s father? Did you feel good as well? How was he?"


    Evanthe raised a brow and looked at her through the mirror. "Just because I allowed you to ask, you''re being a bit too curious, aren''t you?"


    "Apologies, Mother. I shouldn''t have��"


    Evanthe chuckled softly. "Don''t be. I was just teasing you." She paused and continued, "Intimacy with your mate feels different because your souls are connected. Even though we don''t have a formal bond, he is my soulmate by destiny, so I felt the same way as mates do. I experienced a pleasure so overwhelming that I couldn''t resist it. I feltplete, and everything else faded away."


    Her gaze softened, and her voice grew gentler. "As for him, he was kind to me that night, just as a mate would be. He cared for me as he always had.... But in the end, he is beast driven by instincts and need and was overwhelming for me even when I am a powerful witch. The power and passion the dragon posses for their mates, is beyond we can evenprehend."


    "Shall I be worried then?" Seren asked.


    "No, you shall instead feel fortunate to feel your mate''s passion towards you, when you feel like they have surrendered themselves entirely to you, they can only feel and see nothing but you. That''s something only he can make you feel."


    "Mother, just onest question."


    "Hmm?"


    "How is his dragon tattoo?"


    "It''s beautiful. Something I''d always want to look at."


    "If he had marked you, you''d have his mark as well," Seren murmured thoughtfully.


    Evanthe nodded and sighed softly. "I''m simply not meant to have it. But I did have his child, and that''s enough. Having my son is everything to me."


    Seren understood the depth of those words, but there was still something troubling her.


    "What''s on your mind?" Evanthe asked gently.


    "Mother, will I be able to have a child? They say it''s not easy to give birth to a beast''s child."


    "Of course you will. You''re a deity. If not you, then no one else can," Evanthe assured her with a confident smile.


    "Drayce and I have been��" she hesitated, "But there''s been nothing, and I had my monthly cycle�� My body is fine, right?"


    "It''s absolutely fine. For now, you should focus on consummating the bond. Who knows, soon you might have a little devil growing inside you," Evanthe teased with a reassuring smile.


    Seren blushed deeply and nodded.


    "It''s time for me to leave. The sky is almost dark, and Erebus must be dying toe to you." With that, Evanthe disappeared.


    Seren nced at the darkening sky and wondered what to do.


    Should I just sit on the bed and wait for him, like on a wedding night?


    Not knowing what to do, she wandered to the window and looked outside, only to see a tall figure standing at a distance within the boundaries of their residence. He was gazing at the starry sky, the moon just beginning to rise beyond the tall, snow-capped mountains.


    Seren''s heart grew restless at the sight of him and the glowing moon. Before she knew it, she hurried out of the bedroom and made her way to the rear side of the cottage, the part that faced the mountains.


    She stepped out of the door, her gaze fixed on the tall figure standing with his back to her. His powerful presence made her breath hitch. The way his long ck hair moved gently in the breeze, the calmness surrounding him��it all felt like the calm before a storm, and she was ready to be swept away by it.


    An irresistible pull made her take a step closer to him.


    Erebus had sensed her presence the moment she stepped outside, in fact he had been aware of each of her moves. He had even heard the conversation between her and his mother, thanks to his sharp hearing, which always sought for her.


    He finally turned to look at her��the most beautiful woman in his world. His dark gaze taking into the enchanting sight ahead of him.


    She stood there, wearing the red dress he had personally arranged for her. Her long hair swayed gently in the wind, her radiant skin glowing under the soft light of the moon, and her enchanting eyes focused solely on him. They mirrored the same desire that burned within him. And then, there was her intoxicating scent.


    It was all so maddening.


    He had struggled to hold back, but not anymore.


    In an instant, he vanished from his spot, only to reappear right in front of her, taking her by surprise. He had no patience left to walk and waste precious time.


    He held her closer, his strong arm wrapped around her waist, his other hand gently cupping her cheek. His nose nuzzled against her skin, inhaling deeply the sweet yet enticing scent she emitted��a scent reminiscent of fresh snow mingled with the delicate fragrance of white plum blossoms.


    Seren felt the same. For the first time, she could truly sense his scent, one so alluring it made her head spin. Now, she understood what it meant when people said a mate''s scent could tempt and captivate one''s senses.


    She breathed in deeply, savoring the unique blend. It was a scent of the fresh, clear blue sky, symbolizing the freedom she had always craved��the freedom to soar high above like a bird, breaking free from the confines of that lonely tower. Intertwined with it was the earthy aroma of oakmoss, grounding her, offering a sense of strength and stability she had yearned for her whole life.


    No wonder a mate''s scent was always something the other desired most deeply. To her, Erebus smelled of everything she had ever wished for, and she knew he was the one who could give it to her��her freedom and the strength to embrace it.

 Chapter 786: Calling Her Name

    Erebus captured her lips in a needy kiss, the pull of their bond making it impossible for him to hold back any longer. Seren felt the same. She kissed him back with intoxicating passion, her intense desire to be his mate burning brightly.


    His kiss was rough��unlike Drayce''s. It was raw and intense as he sucked and nibbled at her lips, his teeth grazing her delicate skin. His hand gripped the back of her head firmly, but not to hurt her, just enough to hold her in ce for his fervent need.


    Seren weed the roughness of his kiss, reveling in the way it mirrored her deepest desires. She knew herself well enough to admit she craved the way Erebus kissed her��hungry, desperate, and utterly consumed by the hellish desire he felt for her.


    His tongue skillfully stole her breath, drawing moans from her lips as she panted with yearning. Her hands explored his chest, feeling the deep vibrations of his soft, animalistic groans beneath her touch��sounds that sent shivers down her spine.


    Finally, she wrapped her arms around his neck and rose onto her toes in his powerful hold, seeking to deepen the kiss.


    The peaceful stillness of their secluded surroundings was broken only by the intimate sounds they shared. The Dragon, ready to im his mate,manded a presence so fierce that no bird or animal dared remain nearby, their instincts warning them of his fury.


    When Erebus finally pulled away, his breaths were heavy, his dark eyes drinking in her flushed appearance as she struggled to catch her own breath. Seren opened her dewy eyes to meet his gaze.


    "E��re��bus��" she whispered his name, her voice trembling with longing and the unmistakable desire to be his mate.


    Erebus could feel it, clear as day. To be wanted by his mate��his Seren��was more than he had ever dared to hope for.


    "Seren."


    Despite being intoxicated by the pull of their bond, Seren was still sane enough to process what he had just said.


    He had called her name.


    Her eyes widened in realization, but before she could utter a word, he kissed her roughly once more.


    She barely had time to react before she felt the surge of his powers. The darkness emanating from him enveloped them both, and in the blink of an eye, she found her back pressed against something soft.


    When he finally paused, Seren realized they were now lying on a mattress. Erebus had used his powers to teleport them into the cottage��his impatience to im her clear in every fiber of his being. Find your next read on m_v l|e-NovelBin


    She watched as he moved back slightly, his intense, dark gaze raking over her with an almost predatory focus. Then the realization struck her like lightning.


    She was naked.


    Her breath hitched as she realised. She hadn''t even noticed when or how he had removed her dress. No wonder he was looking at her like this��as if she were a feast he intended to devour.


    Erebus''s hand moved to his chest, gripping his robe. In an effortless motion, she watched something magical unfold��his clothes seemed to dissolve, sliding from his body as though melting away, only to be discarded with a casual flick.


    He didn''t bother with the mundane act of undressing. Whether it was out of urgency or simply to show off his power before his mate, Seren couldn''t decide. Either way, the effect was mesmerizing.


    Her eyes wandered over his body, now exposed to her own hungry gaze. She had seen this body before, but it felt different now. This was not Drayce. This was Erebus. Unlike Drayce''s wless form, Erebus''s body bore traces of something darker��awork of shadowy veins that webbed across his skin in patches, just like around his eyes.


    Part of his chest, his shoulders, his arms, and even his stomach bore the dark veins��a striking evidence to the powerful darkness coursing through him which made him more captivating, more otherworldly, and more dangerous.


    It was a darkness Seren found herself irresistibly drawn to.


    Lying on the bed, her breath hitched as she took in the sight before her. She lifted her hands toward him, silently urging him closer. The desire to touch him, to feel the power in his form, was unbearable.


    Erebus grasped her hands, his dark gaze locked on her captivating face. Slowly, he pinned her wrists above her head, leaning in until their faces were mere inches apart. His burning gaze roamed over her, while his hot breath ghosted across her skin, igniting her senses.


    She couldn''t decipher the thoughts lurking behind his eyes. All she could feel was the maic pull of his desire, mirroring her own.


    "Erebus," she whispered against his lips, her voice trembling with need. "I want you."


    His eyes darkened further, an unmistakable hunger consuming him. Without another word, he imed her lips in a fervent, almost savage kiss. One hand kept her wrists firmly pinned, while the other moved to part her legs, allowing him to settle between them.


    The air around them seemed to hum with the intensity of their bond. He could feel how aroused she was, her body responding to him without hesitation. No patience remained in either of them as he positioned himself between her thighs, his hardness pressing insistently against her wet entrance.


    Erebus broke the kiss, pulling back just enough to look into her hazy eyes. His own gaze, dark and primal, resembled that of a predator relishing the moment before striking.


    Before she could process his intent, he thrust into her with unrestrained force, his raw, beastly nature taking control. The sudden invasion drew a cry of pain from Seren as her body trembled beneath him. Her hands clutched at him desperately, her pain mingling with a peculiar, inexplicable pleasure.


    It hurt��but she liked it. Whether it was her or the bond that made her crave his dominance, she didn''t know, but the ache only deepened her need for him.


    Erebus watched her squirm with a dark satisfaction, his movements relentless. He didn''t pause to ask if she was all right, didn''t slow to ease her difort. Instead, he continued to im her with a feral intensity, each thrust drawing cries that blended pain with undeniable pleasure.


    He held her firmly in ce, his rough pace unwavering, his focus entirely on making her his in every way. The sound of her cries��raw, filled with both torment and ecstasy��seemed to fuel him further, his dominance consuming them both.


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