In another place.
The Royal Palace of the Terith Empire. Continue reading on freewebnovel
A woman sat on the golden throne inside the grand, majestic, and solemn council hall.
A mist-like aura enveloped her, obscuring her face from view.
Below her, numerous individuals knelt with their heads pressed to the floor, their expressions filled with reverence and fear.
"If you have something to report, speak. If not, the court is dismissed." Her voice rang out, brimming with authority and divinity, making those kneeling tremble in fear.
Suddenly, a man clasped his hands before him, bowing his head as he spoke. "Your Majesty, regarding the new territory… are we truly going to ignore it?"
Though he could not see the Queen’s face, he could sense that his question had displeased her.
"How do you expect us to intervene?" the Queen’s icy voice echoed. "That territory is a completely isolated world, separate from ours. Even if we wanted to interfere, there is nothing we can do."
"You need not worry. Perhaps this is the perfect opportunity for the greenhouse flowers you have been nurturing to finally taste blood and brutality."
Hearing this, the man sighed softly. His heart weighed with fatigue.
"Besides…" The Queen continued, "You all… ack!"
Suddenly, an unusual sound escaped her lips, like the startled gasp of a woman caught off guard by an unexpected touch.
The Queen herself was taken aback. One hand covered her mouth, while the other clutched at her chest. Her expression was a mix of shock and fear. Her eyes widened to their limits.
Fortunately, the mist shrouding her body remained intact. Otherwise, the court would have seen her peculiar reaction or, worse, the blush spreading across her face—an expression filled with vulnerability and allure.
"Your Majesty…" Standing five meters away, the royal housekeeper furrowed her brows in confusion upon hearing the strange sound and immediately asked, "Is something the matter?"
"No! Nothing… Um!" The Queen barely managed to respond before another strange, alluring sound involuntarily escaped her lips.
By now, her face was burning red, as if it might burst into flames. Flustered, she hastily waved her hand, leaving behind only a single command—"Court is dismissed." Then, she vanished.
The royal housekeeper stood by, utterly perplexed.
Nonetheless, she remained composed and professional. She turned toward those still kneeling and announced, "The Queen is feeling unwell. Please return. If there are any urgent matters, leave a message through the Emergency Communication System."
With that, she, too, departed, leaving behind a hall full of puzzled individuals exchanging glances.
Ultimately, they decided to leave as well. Since the Queen was no longer present, there was no point in staying.
Outside the hall, the middle-aged man from earlier looked up at the sky and sighed deeply.
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"Lylia… I hope you are safe," he murmured.
"Simon!" A voice suddenly called out. Another middle-aged man approached him with a smile and asked, "Are you worried about your daughter?"
Upon seeing the man, Simon’s eyes flickered with displeasure, though he kept his emotions in check. He nodded lightly and replied, "Yes. After all, that is an unknown territory—lawless, filled with danger."
"Hahaha…" The other man chuckled. "You needn’t worry. Your daughter is a Rank A Lord. Do you truly believe she would fall behind others?"
Simon shook his head, unwilling to continue the conversation. He knew that no matter what he said, the other man wouldn’t understand.
More importantly, he simply had no desire to speak with him. His eyes made it clear that he did not want to engage with this man.
"I believe we should cooperate," the man said.
Simon frowned. "Janky, the Queen has chosen not to intervene. There is no need for us to act meaninglessly."
"I am indeed concerned for my daughter. However, as the Queen said, this may be the perfect opportunity for Lords to experience the brutality of the world."
"Hahaha…" Janky laughed. "Simon, do you actually buy into that nonsense?"
Simon’s expression darkened, his eyes tinged with irritation as he stared at Janky. "Janky, I know you want to tie my family to yours to put us on the same boat. However, let me remind you—my daughter has no interest in your son."
"Their engagement was something my father and your father arranged on a whim. If I become the head of the family, I will immediately annul it."
Hearing this, Janky did not appear angry. Instead, he smirked provocatively.
"Hahaha… Simon, you are mistaken. Their engagement was set by our fathers. Even if they were not in their right minds then, we must still honor their decision."
"Are you suggesting you would defy your father’s will? Remember, your current status is thanks to him. Without him, you would be nothing but a dog—not worthy of standing before me."
"You…" Simon clenched his teeth in fury. However, he knew he was no match for Janky. Therefore, he chose to leave without another word.
Janky watched Simon’s retreating figure, his eyes filled with cold malice.
"Master!" A shadowy figure emerged behind Janky, frowning. "Shall I teach him a lesson?"
"No need," Janky said with a grin. "He’s just a dog. If not for the fact that his daughter is still of use to me, I would have sent him to the underworld long ago."
"Just wait a little longer. Once my son claims his daughter, then… I will show him what true hell looks like."
Elsewhere, in her private chamber, the Queen sealed the room and erected a barrier, ensuring that no one could listen in or spy on her.
She sat on her bed, both hands clutching her chest, feeling as if someone was groping her.
"What the hell is this?" she snapped. "Why am I feeling this?"
"Could it be… that wretched woman has broken free from my seal?"
"No! I sealed her within eternal ice. I even destroyed the key to the tomb. There is no way anyone could rescue her."
"But…"
The Queen gritted her teeth, her face flushed red as if it were about to ignite. The sensation was too real; worse, it was happening right now, filling her with embarrassment and rage.
"Ah… um… um…" Soft, seductive moans escaped her lips against her will.
She struggled to suppress them, but it was futile.
After a long moment of torment, the Queen collapsed onto the bed, sighing deeply in relief. She felt like she had just been swept into a storm of desire.
Suddenly, her cheeks burned with embarrassment, and her body trembled as she noticed a dampness in her dress.
Grinding her teeth, she burned her undergarments and dress to ashes, ensuring no one would ever know what had happened. Then, she changed into a new outfit.
"Your Majesty, are you alright?" The royal housekeeper’s voice came from outside.
Because she could not hear any sound from within, nor could she enter due to the barrier, she had no choice but to stand outside and wait.
The Queen took a deep breath, forcing herself to regain composure. With a wave of her hand, she dismissed the barrier and said, "Enter."
The housekeeper gently opened the door and stepped inside. Suddenly, she caught a faint, strange scent.
It was slightly sour, slightly musky—reminiscent of…
"What are you sniffing?"
At the Queen’s sharp voice, the housekeeper immediately knelt. "Forgive me, Your Majesty."
The Queen clenched her fists so tightly that her knuckles turned white. Her chest heaved with each breath.
Of course, she was not angry at the housekeeper.
She was furious at the woman she was thinking about.
’Carlotta! What the hell are you doing?!’