This was the first invitation I had received since I entered the palace. The invitation came from my nominal rival in love. It's from Catherine, the Prince's ex-fiancee."Sis, are you going to see her?" Vivian cocked her head. She also saw the struggle on my face.How could I not struggle?At the party, Catherine's defiant smile and the implied words still haunt me. I lowered my eyes and remembered that she was wearing a red dress similar to mine, but with a completely different aura, proud and arrogant."Miss, I don't think it's a good idea to turn down an invitation. You'll have to deal with them in the future," Susana said calmly, standing aside. She probably saw my hesitation too, so she suggested it directly.I was silent for a moment. What Kral said to me that day in the lake suddenly crossed my mind.‘Everyone will treat you according to your strength. You must prove yourself worthy of the Queen's Crown.’Cowardice leads only to ridicule and bullying. Running away won't solve t
Alen's povI feel Susana's attitude towards me has changed a little since His Highness announced the marriage at a banquet last night. She began to give me a cold shoulder. I felt she was blaming me for not stopping the Prince's decision to marry. In her eyes, Delia doesn't deserve to be our future queen. His Royal Highness should not have made such an irrational decision. And I was wrong because I didn't correct him in time.Now, I was standing in the doorway of the Prince's palace and I had something important to report to the Prince, but Susana gave me a cold look."Just a moment," Susana said coldly, pushing open the door and leaving me with only her back.Tsk, I'm being disliked. I don't know if Vivian has any potion to increase friendship. I shook the bell hanging on my waist, thinking to myself.The ladies-in-waiting outside were all familiar faces, and I kept my usual friendly smile and talked to them to ask if there had been anything special in the palace last night."Somethi
Alen's povThe heavy wooden door opened slowly, and a cold but powerful voice came from behind."Prince Kral, be sensible in the temple."The gate was wide open. In the dark and empty hall, nine men in white robes and black masks sat around a long black stone table. The glass lamps were placed neatly on the table. Inside the transparent lampshade, the light of the candle takes on a yellowish color, which is reflected on the mask. Everything in the room was shadowy, like a gathering of ghosts.There are many elders who are qualified to wear white robes, but only the elders who can appear at the round table are the ones who hold real power. Since the death of the last king, His Highness Kral has had little contact with these powerful elders, let alone run the country with them. I don't even know who's behind these masks.After years in power, they don't care how much chaos they see. They sat quietly, their eyes almost piercing the mask. The pressure was so great that I could hardly lift
Delia's povThe moment the blood ran down Catherine's cheek, I held my trembling hand down. It was not out of fear, but because I found that my heart was so excited by the bright red color that my fingers began to tremble.It's the second time I've held a weapon to fight. The day Nick died, Kral grabbed my hand and killed Nike. It was the first time I used a weapon against an enemy, and the first time I killed my enemy.The memory of that day is bright red, with a fishy smell. I remember the feel of the dagger in the flesh, like cutting a soft cake. I watched Nick's body grow cold and become a pile of garbage on the floor.I got my first taste of revenge. It's a little scary, but... ... so irresistible.Now, I look at the arrow stuck in the wall. My eyes went blank for a moment. I admit I wanted to kill Catherine when she shot that arrow at me.The thought made my face pale."Wow!" A figure shouted exaggeratedly from the garden entrance, breaking the stifling air. "My dear sister, I n
Delia's povIt was evening when I returned to the palace. The setting sun cast an orange glow on the white marble walls of the palace. The whole palace had lost the haughty look of the day, and showed gentleness.I looked at Susanna and Alen, who were waiting for us at the door, and felt a sense of relief."Sis, look. The palace looks like a big marmalade cake under the setting sun." Vivian rubbed her belly and muttered.Alen touched Vivian's hair. He smiled as he listened to her and handed her something while Susanna and I were talking.Susanna was as serious as ever. Her gray eyes hid all her emotions perfectly. She looked at me and whispered, “How was the party today, Miss?”"Today's party, I think everything is OK," I murmured.I was silent for a few seconds, thinking of Catherine's last glance, her half-smile, and her "See you next time.""Catherine is the adopted daughter of the elder William and a childhood playmate of his Royal Highness Kral, and if you can establish a good re
"Are you saying that Catherine and I are going to have a Queen's test in order to decide who the future queen is?"After hearing Kral's story, he frowned deeply.I understand that Kral's situation is not as easy as everyone understands. From the first day I arrived, the shadow of the royal family hung over my head, such as the mysterious killer of Bernice, the serious elders, and the hidden threats, including the curse of Kral.These things are like thorns around Kral. As crown prince, he was not even free to announce the wedding. When he announced his future wife, he even had to show his sword to the elders and the nobles."Are you afraid, Delia?"Kral came up to me. He lowered his head and brushed his long index finger across my furrowed brow. The slight warmth made me look up.I looked up at his face and heard my voice say, “No, master, I know you have a plan. You won't let me risk my life unprepared. I trust you.”Then I was surprised. Before I knew it, it was as if I had given Kr
Delia's POV"Delia, it's almost time. We should go." As one of the candidates for the Queen's trials, I had been preparing since noon with the help of the handmaids.As dusk fell, the maid beside Susanna raised her lantern, and I sat at my dresser without answering. I just looked at myself in the mirror and remembered what Kral said to me yesterday afternoon."You know what, Delia? Royal burial places were only accessible to women twice. The first was at the time of the wedding and the second was at the burial. Even if I am a prince, I can only go in when I am buried, or it will bring me bad luck," Kral said, his eyes wide open, his golden eyes dimmed in the night."So when you get to my parents' grave, stay a little longer and look at them for me."At that moment, in Kral's low voice, I heard a very deep loneliness.……"Where's the prince?" I said, looking at the crowd at the door before we set off."According to royal rules, the Prince will wait for you at the Moon Goddess's palace,
Alen's povI watched Delia walk away with the men in black. Her white figure stood out in the black silhouette. In the plain, her skirt swayed like a lily in the wind, fragile and tough.“Alen?”A cry came from behind. When I looked back, it was Bud who had sent Catherine, another candidate for Queen of the Kral.Looking at them, I felt a little strange, but I pressed the question and said hello to Catherine."Catherine, you're late." I kept my smile."To give someone a chance to win," she said, her red hair tied up and her proud, sharp eyebrows aggressive. "So what if I give her a step? The victory is mine, anyway."She smiled scornfully and opened the carriage door. She was dressed in a black riding suit, and if she hadn't tied a white scarf to her hair, I would have thought she was on an outing."Catherine, now that you're here, I'm going back," Bud said in a cold, serious voice."What?" Catherine said, squinting her dark eyes. She stared at Bud, who unhappily picked up his riding
Sibyl’s POVBefore I know it, time is running out like a river. My two children, who began as finger-sucking babies in cradles, can now run around the palace. Perhaps they inherited Nuri's strong physique, and even the quiet little princess Terese was full of energy. The wet nurses had run to follow her but she was not tired at all.Today, after breakfast, I caught them trying to sneak out again."Sit your asses down!" I said sternly.The two little ones made faces and sat back in their chairs.Unexpectedly, the child's father suddenly protested. "Children are young. They are at an active age now. Why should you restrain them?""Have you forgotten what day it is?""What day?" asked Nuri, doubtfully, putting down her cup.I knew it! I took a plate of peeled grapes from him and said, "Selene and Lowa are coming to visit us today. Lowa is bringing her little girl!"Shortly after my children were born, Lowa returned to Werebird kingdom with Manolo. Within two months of their return, I rec
Sibyl’s POVSince the birth of the little prince and Princess, the whole palace has become lively. Nuri's excitement is hard to describe. He immediately declared the young prince, Baron, a crown prince and gave him an estate. However, he is still young and currently lives with his sister in a bedroom in my palace.In order to take care of the two children, Nuri arranged for each of them to have three wet nurses and eight maids. He had even begun to think about their playmates.Carol was even more excited to see them every day. She came in the morning as soon as the sun rose, and left reluctantly after dinner.Now all eyes are on the two children."Our Baron and Terese are very popular. Whose credit is that?"Nuri rocked the cradle and looked at me like a big dog with a face full of praise! I couldn't bear to watch. I picked up Terese, who was munching her fingers, and kissed her soft, white, meaty face."Little Terese, who is your mommy?"The little guy looked at me in a daze and sudd
Roth’s POV"Sibyl... my baby..."Blayze's voice travels in Nuri's ears. His hands were tugging at Nuri's, blood gushing from his mouth, but he did not stop, calling the Queen's name again and again.Beowulf pounced. His broken arm was flailing feebly in the air, and Nuri dropped Blayze to avoid his attack. I climbed over and pulled Blayze aside to sit against the wall."How could she be Azariah? Didn't she die in prison?"Blayze didn't answer my question. He didn't even look at me. He just stubbornly called out the Queen's name. Does this really work? Can we wake the king?"Nuri, wake up! Sibyl is unconscious because of you. She is pregnant with your child! She almost died because of you!" Bellowed Beowulf as he dodged Nuri's attack, shouting Sibyl's name along with Blayze. Tears blurred my vision. I wiped my face and joined them loudly.May the gods protect us. The love between the King and Queen could be the antidote to this disaster.For a moment, the council chamber was filled wit
Selene’s POVThe whole palace was in disarray. The doctors were all called in, and the maids went in and out like ants on a hot pan. Everyone was scrambling to do something, but they didn't know which way to go, because the only hostess was still lying in bed, unconscious."Stay calm. You are all trained. Follow the rules." Nuri's grandmother's voice rose into the night, suppressing the panic. She took the maid's hand and got down from the carriage. She glanced at the maids and the doctors, and everyone she saw lowered their heads."We don't need so many doctors. Those who are not good at delivering babies can go home."When she had finished, some of the doctors, after a moment's hesitation, came forward, saluted, and hurried off.“Amy, divide the maids into three groups. One group will prepare hot water, the other will clean up the delivery room, and the last group will serve the empress at any time. If anything goes wrong, the person-in-charge will be punished!”Amy hurried to assig
Sibyl’s POV"Your Majesty..." Amy hesitated."Are you asking me why I didn't kill her?" I stopped and looked up at the Black Sky, where the moon was shining brightly. The stars twinkled in the sky like jewels on a dress."Maybe the moon is too beautiful tonight. I don't want to spoil my mood."Many innocent souls stayed in the palace. Every brick and tile was soaked in blood, and I did not want to add to it any more.The maid thought she was going to die, too. She closed her eyes and waited for the poison to attack, only to find that the pain she had imagined for a long time had not come. She slowly opened her eyes tentatively and looked at me hesitantly."Ah..." when she opened her mouth to speak, she found herself unable to make a sound."I took your voice," I motioned to Amy with my eyes. Amy handed her a bag of gold coins. "This is my compensation to you. I will still keep my promise to you. You can leave the palace tonight. I will let you continue your life as a commoner."With t
Sibyl’s POVThe evening party went on as planned. On the rows of brass candlesticks, carefully carved candles burned brightly, illuminating the faces of each visitor. The scent of ladies' perfumes filled the air, and expensive jewelry glowed in the owner's hair, earlobes, and neck. Everyone smiled and complimented each other."What an elegant crowd." I stood in the shade outside the door and looked at the nobles in the ballroom. "If I hadn't seen the fierce faces of the jealous ladies and the greed of the men in calculating the wealth of the common people, if I hadn't seen the despicable ways in which ministers use their power to do evil," I paused, i turned to Amy. "This is heaven, isn't it?"Amy looked at me in silence, and I knew the question frightened her. How can the nobles be so easily judged? Most people would think so. Nuri still had a long way to go. If he did not change the concept that everyone feared the nobles as much as the gods, the new nobles that he supported now wou
Sibyl’s POVLowa shifts into a giant bird. I sat on her back and soon saw Aphrodite's palace. With no intention of slowing down, she dived straight for the palace door, causing the maids at the door to scream. I walked to the door with a sullen face. Lowa shaved her feathers and shifted back to being a sexy lady.Not surprisingly, there was another shriek from the maids, and several of them had collapsed to the ground. I saw a familiar face among the maids, whose name I can't quite remember, Anna or something. On Aphrodite's first day at court, I met the maid.She's not doing very well. No, rather badly. She was not a pretty girl, but she was impressive, and now her hair was as yellow as a weed, and her figure was unusually dry. The once beautiful eyes also lost their love of life like a pool of stagnant water.She felt my gaze and looked up at me quickly. Her eyes sparkled, but soon became dull. She changed in an instant. When I blinked and looked at her again, she was still lifeless
Sibyl’s POV"Nuri is exaggerating." Selene looked at the room full of clothes and sighed. "So many clothes. Even if there were a few more of you, you would never wear them all!"I looked at the rows of clothes, heart half sweet half trouble. Nuri is in love with me, but, as my sister said, I really do not have time to wear every piece of clothing again. Looking at so many beautiful clothes that I have no chance to wear them, it makes me feel very wasteful."These are all new. Do you like any of them? If you don't mind, just take the ones you like!" I said to Selene. When Lowa heard this, her face darkened and she looked at me angrily. "You have a real sister, and have you forgotten about me? You are so biased!"Selene looked at me awkwardly, worried that something might happen between me and Lowa, and I patted her hand. I smiled at her and said, "She's just kidding!" I turned to Lowa and rolled my eyes at her. "Why are you teasing her? Come on, I'll give you all the clothes in this ro
Nuri’s POV"What's all this?" Beowulf asked as he casually flipped through the notes on my desk. He gave me a smirk. I looked down and coughed."How come I don't remember us getting so close?" His tone was too casual and intimate, as if we had known each other for more than a decade, which made me very uncomfortable. He is the king of the land of the Bears. While I respect him as a hero, that doesn't mean my social distance from him can become intimate. But he didn't seem to feel that way at all."My wife is your wife's sister, and we are brothers, a family! We know each other like the back of my hand!" He took another book from the shelf, he exclaimed, "I always thought that you were an ambitious hero. You spent all your energy on running the country. I can't imagine that you're actually a nanny!"My bookshelf is lined with books on children, medical and educational, from infants to teenagers. On the desk are several thick notes that I have made. These are all the questions I ask doc