Neil and Rowan were sitting on opposite sides. They exchanged surprised glances and were hesitant to speak. They had entered the palace together, following Zuko's instructions, but they didn't expect to hear about it again in this setting.The three of them sat in silence in the spacious hall, interrupted only by the sound of boiling water.Alexander took a deep breath and inquired, "What else did he say?"Loyal and devoted, Remus smiled and replied, "His Lordship also mentioned that if this task isn't accomplished, he will inform his father and ensure that his father never visits Southeast Aciatic again!"Alexander coughed, almost choking on his tea."That... That rascal!" He was amused and irritated, casting a helpless look at the two men.Neil struggled to hold back his laughter while Rowan quickly stood up to apologize."Your Majesty, please forgive us. Zuko is still a child...""Yes, still a child!" Neil interjected mischievously. "Your Majesty, you mustn't let him off the
All eyes were fixed on Lina, their gaze piercing her like needles."Why?" she asked, feeling indignant.Heidi rolled her eyes, not bothering to explain.However, Violet rushed over, sneering at her. "Hah, why? Because you look so shabby!"Lina, why don't you go back to your room and take a good look at yourself? Look at what you're wearing. Seriously, we're visiting the palace! It's the noblest place in all of Southeast Aciatic! With your appearance, you'll be the laughingstock once you step foot in the palace!""You..." Lina tightly clenched her hands, her knuckles turning white.Violet flaunted her newly purchased LV bag, put on her sunglasses, and smirked mockingly before walking away."Lina." A familiar voice suddenly came from behind.Lina was startled to see it was Gia. It was the first time she had voluntarily spoken to her since they traveled from Jangasas to Southeast Aciatic."Gia, I—"Gia interrupted her. "Lina, I think what Violet said makes sense, and Ms. Lister'
Lina felt like she was in a dream, surrounded by royal convoys and guards, approaching the majestic palace. It was as if she had transformed into a cherished princess, receiving respectful gazes and warm smiles wherever she looked.Despite the spacious and comfortable car she was in, she couldn't relax. Quietly, she took out her phone and called Zeke."Hey, what are you up to?" she asked.With just an hour's time difference between Southeast Aciatic and Jangasas, Lina checked her watch. Zeke was probably working at the supermarket. She could hear the chaotic noise on the other end."I'm collecting payments! Quite busy with customers today," he replied."Oh... never mind then.""Wait!" Zuko quickly snatched the phone and gave an intimidating glare to drive away the customers. He asked in a hushed voice, "What's wrong?""I just... wanted to talk to you. It feels so surreal like I'm dreaming!" Lina spoke softly.Zuko paused, a faint smile appearing on his lips. She must have recei
The students couldn't help but exclaim in admiration as they looked at Lina, a mix of confusion and astonishment on their faces."T-This is too precious!" Lina finally calmed her pounding heart. "How can I wear this?""But to enter the palace, you must wear a long blouse and a long skirt to cover your arms and legs. It's a royal rule!""Sir, please find me an ordinary set of clothes," Lina looked at her classmates. "Something like what they're wearing...""Oh." Remus hesitated for a moment but continued, undeterred. "The royal family specially prepares the clothing they're wearing for visiting dignitaries. It's made uniformly. But since you arrived a bit later and all the clothes have been distributed, we can only ask you to wear this."Lina felt a little bewildered.Nevertheless, she would have to follow their rules if she wanted to enter the palace. Her T-shirt and jeans were indeed inappropriate.Lina nodded and carefully carried the clothes, entering the adjacent dressing ro
Heidi's eyes widened in disbelief, freezing her in place, and even her breathing came to a halt. "But I...," she stammered."Ms. Lister!" Remus held up the list in his hand and sneered. "I'm sorry, but your name is not on the list.""How is that possible!?" Heidi exclaimed."I wouldn't know. All I know is that we must follow His Majesty's requirements and check the list to allow entry," Remus explained.Heidi's expression turned extremely grim. Her face paled, and she broke out in a cold sweat despite the scorching sun."Ms. Violet Grist," Remus drawled, raising an eyebrow. "Your name is not on the list either!""What?" Violet protested. "What's going on? I have an invitation letter. I—""I'm sorry, Ms. Grist, but according to the royal rules, the invitation letter has no effect. The final reference is the list," Remus clarified."Well—""Heh, but I believe it would be a waste for you to enter, Ms. Grist. The Southeast Aciatic palace does not welcome someone like you!" Remus t
After everyone had entered, the two "statues" suddenly came to life, pounding their chests and cursing."What's this all about? We came all this way, and they won't let us in?""What's so special about this lousy palace? Even if they invited me, I wouldn't go inside!""This place is a dump... I need to take pictures. I—"The palace guards swiftly surrounded them, not touching the two women but giving them cold stares. They held long spears with gleaming blades under the sunlight.Violet instantly felt intimidated, while Heidi, fearing trouble, quickly handed over her phone.The guards glanced at Violet and confiscated her phone as well.Both of them were denied entry to any of the palaces and were left standing in the open square, exposed to the scorching sun. A group of guards surrounded them.Gia stood nearby, wearing a dark expression. She recalled the man's words—"Do you know who the man beside Lina is?"Zuko, the eldest heir of the Hamertons of Centrolis. He's currently o
Lina's face blazed with heat as she averted her gaze from the screen. "What did you just say?""I said, let's take a bath together!" Zuko's smile widened as he slowly removed his shirt, revealing his muscular upper body. "Why aren't you looking at me?""Zeke, you..."Lina pursed her lips, torn between not wanting to look at the screen and stealing a few glances. She caught glimpses of his chest, washboard abs, and strong arms...Her face grew even redder, and her heart raced uncontrollably.Zuko remained composed and calmly said, "Do you actually want to look or not? If you don't want to, you can just end the video call, right?""You...""Since you're not ending the call, I'll take it that you're willing to take a bath with me."A mischievous curve formed at the corner of Zuko's lips. "Lina, don't you undress when you take a bath?""Zeke!"Lina's face turned as red as a tomato. She couldn't help but smile, trying to keep it subtle, as her heart overflowed with sweetness.Her
At Southeast Aciatic…Lina, unable to sleep, tossed and turned in bed. She considered making a phone call to find out what was going on. The image of Zuko and Dave locking eyes replayed in her mind, causing her to burst into laughter.Suddenly, there was a knock on her door. Startled, Lina approached quietly and peeked through the peephole. To her surprise, it was Gia."Lina, are you awake?"Lina hesitated for a moment before deciding to open the door.Gia looked into her eyes and gave a weak smile. "Lina, can we have a proper talk?"Lina remained silent, sensing that Gia had changed. People would change, and she didn't hold it against Gia, but she wanted to know the reason.Gia continued cautiously. "Lina, let's find a quiet place to talk, okay?""Let's just stay here," Lina replied, leaning against the door frame, not inviting her in or showing any desire to accompany her. A few words would suffice to clarify things.Gia looked around hesitantly. "But this place...""It's q
"Only Morpheus and Sephy aren't like that. They respect and understand me. Sephy told me once, 'One's appearance doesn't indicate anything. A clean heart is what truly matters!'"Rebecca chuckled dismissively."You're a psychologist, yet you fail to grasp this," Wynn said coldly. "Actually, I pity you. You could have stepped out, yet you insist on dwelling on the trivialities."Morpheus has psychological barriers, a consequence of returning from the battlefield. No one has cured his PTSD except Sephy... It shows that a true psychologist is never just a title."What truly heals everything is love!"-One particular morning a year later, sunlight streamed through sheer cream curtains onto the floor.Persephone was sound asleep when she suddenly felt something pressing down on her... Then, Morpheus' strong arms wrapped around her slender waist. She drowsily opened her eyes to find him sealing her lips with heated kisses.Over the year, his kissing skills had improved, and Persepho
With Morpheus' involvement, the police didn't slack off and quickly found Rebecca.That day, Rebecca was preparing to escape from a small port. The boat she had found was an illegally operating one.As she was about to board, piercing sirens sounded nearby.The boat owner, enraged upon hearing the sirens, grabbed Rebecca by her hair and pushed her into the water.Rebecca screamed for help, but he roared, "I didn't expect you to be sent by the cops!""I'm not..." Rebecca choked on water. "Sir, let's leave now. Your boat is fast. As long as we reach the open sea, no one will catch you!""Dream on!" The boat owner wanted to strangle her. "Do you not understand? These sirens are from the royal guards! Who did you bitch provoke?"Rebecca was dumbfounded. Being a foreigner, she naturally didn't understand the local affairs in the Southeast Aciatic region.The police and royal guards quickly caught up, armed, and surrounded them.Rebecca turned pale and trembled all over, her gaze gr
"You had no choice on the battlefield."Persephone looked at him with her crystal eyes. There was a magical power in them. Even if a devil was tearing him apart, her eyes would always bring him back to light.She smiled and caressed his cheek. "Though you killed your father, you saved the country.""Do you really… think so?"She nodded. "You're not at fault. He was the one who made a mistake. You were just fulfilling your job as a general to protect the country."But I also understand that he's your father who brought you up, after all. You guys must have had happy days before that happened, right?"Morpheus held his head low in silence."You did well as the protector of the country," she said softly. "But as a son, you can secretly pay homage to him."Persephone held his hand. "Reconcile with your father, Morpheus. You'll also reconcile with yourself by doing that, okay?"He was stunned for a long time and felt a lump in his throat.-Morpheus stayed with Persephone in the
"No way!" Christopher smirked, glancing at Morpheus. "To him, you're his only princess! I just got lucky for the princess carry, thanks to you!""Yeah, at least you're self-aware!" Persephone nodded, rubbing her chin."We've known each other for so long! What kind of person do you think I am?" Christopher laughed. "I can be a bit shameless at times, but..."But upon learning that the one she loved was the unbeatable god of war, he willingly stepped back, offering his blessings with a smile."Okay, okay. You two stop crowding around me!" Christopher waved his hand. "Sephy needs more rest, and I'd like to get some more sleep, too! Once we heal, let's go out and have some fun together!""You're still thinking about fun?" Morpheus' deep voice intervened with a wry smile. "With the factory explosion incident, the royal family is furious and will thoroughly investigate it. Many people will probably be coming to talk to you both in the next few days. After all, you two are the most direc
"Let's get out first!""Hey, wait..." Persephone pointed to the other side.In moments of life and death, it wasn't appropriate to laugh, but Morpheus still chuckled. The young Prince Christopher was sprawled on the floor in a very ridiculous pose, and they almost forgot about him!"Don't worry," Morpheus whispered. "I won't let anything happen to him."He had Persephone cling to his back and then carried Christopher.Christopher was a tall fellow, so it took some effort to carry them both to a safe place.Fire trucks, ambulances, and police cars rushed in. Their sirens pierced the sky, startling a flock of birds.The fire was soon extinguished, and Persephone and Christopher received timely treatment. Luckily, their burns weren't too severe, and even more fortunately, their faces were unharmed.When Christopher woke up, he felt bandages wrapped around his head, and his skin had a burning sensation. His heart sank, and he was almost on the verge of tears."Tell me the truth! A
There was fire everywhere. Flames rushed toward Persephone like menacing dragons. Her consciousness grew increasingly blurred, but the searing pain coursing through her body became clearer. She struggled to get up, the agony almost unbearable.Despite several attempts, it was futile...Something was pinning her feet down, and stones kept falling on her. She couldn't even muster a shout.Many images flashed through her mind in that fleeting moment, each frame featuring Morpheus' face…She remembered the times they had spent together in Flinge, how he had initially distanced himself from her, then later had exerted every effort to protect her. She recalled how he would gently ruffle her hair and call her "silly goose"..."Morpheus, I'm afraid I might have to go first..."The fire grew fiercer, explosions resonated continuously, and she could no longer hold on.Christopher, who was nearby, wasn't any better.Amidst the roaring flames, he couldn't see anything clearly, only pulling
"No need, you can go back first." Morpheus glanced at him. "I'll wait here for her a little longer.""Prince Christopher wouldn't do anything to Ms. Hamerton...""Alfred, what are you thinking?" Morpheus couldn't help but chuckle. "I know exactly what Christopher is like, but I just want to wait here for Sephy. Christopher mentioned that she'd specifically designed these fireworks for me. Hah! I'm the useless one. I don't even dare to go inside and take a look.""Sir, don't say that.""If I wait here, will it count as accompanying her in her efforts?"Alfred nodded.Morpheus smiled and sent Alfred back. He continued waiting under the tree.The air in Southeast Aciatic was hot and humid. The shade of the banyan tree offered some relief, but it couldn't completely dispel the oppressive heat.Morpheus took a deep breath, about to move elsewhere, when he glimpsed a suspicious figure swiftly darting through the factory's side gate.The security at the side gate was lax, making it e
Christopher struggled to swallow the bite of the sandwich in his mouth for what seemed like ages. He gazed at Persephone, his mind wandering back…He didn't just know Morpheus. He had been close since childhood to the children of the two prominent military families in Southeast Aciatic.Compared to the Harrises, he preferred visiting the Ortons, especially when he got to spend time with Morpheus. He considered Morpheus a friend, a brother even, having engaged in countless mischief together, much to their parents' dismay.In his memory, Morpheus was someone who smiled a lot, radiating warmth and brightness like the Southeast Aciatic sun when he did.However, from the moment Kaiden betrayed the country, Morpheus never smiled again, gradually growing distant from Christopher as well.It wasn't until that evening at the gates of the palace that Christopher felt like it had been a lifetime."I... I don't know him." Christopher forced a smile. "Where would I have met your boyfriend!"
Morpheus wasn't just an ordinary person!Christopher wholeheartedly accepted his defeat to Morpheus."Then... I'd like to invite you to come over to my place for a while as a friend. That's fine, right?"-A few days later, Persephone finally ran into Christopher, who had been missing in action for days, in the classroom."Hey, you finally showed up!" She dashed over, plopping down in the seat beside him and handing him breakfast. "You haven't eaten, right? Let's eat together!"Usually, Christopher would readily accept, but he waved his hands now. "No, no, no!""What's wrong?" Persephone widened her eyes. "This breakfast isn't poisoned!"Christopher awkwardly smiled. "You have a boyfriend, so maybe... we should keep some distance."Persephone burst into laughter. Then she remarked, "Strange... Morpheus was right!""Uh, what?""My boyfriend!" She chuckled. "He made this breakfast. I asked if he could also make a portion for you, and he said sure, just worried you wouldn't tak