“Well, you must leave home every once in a while.” Lily smiled. “Try the tea.”Anastasia was okay to drink tea, but she only took a tiny sip. As she was about to put down the cup, she licked her lips thoughtfully and took another small sip. “It’s sweet?”She did not look surprised but horrified, as if she had done something terrible. She immediately set the cup down, spilling some of the tea. “Did you add sugar? Why are you doing this to me?”Lily observed Anastasia’s reaction in silence and said slowly, “I didn’t add another sugar. The sweetness came from the tea leaves.”“How is that possible? How can tea be sweet by itself? Besides, I can’t have anything sweet!” Anxious, Anastasia held her neck and wanted to throw up but could not as she only took two sips.Lily poured a cup for herself and spoke after calmly drinking the tea, “This is ginseng oolong tea. Since it’s naturally sweet, it could lower blood pressure and lipid levels. Also, it’s good for your body.” Anastasia’s ey
Anastasia did not know what was wrong with her. Over the years, she had sought help from mainstream specialists and healers of alternative medicine. She even tried going to the gym. However, nothing could solve her problem.The truth was, besides being obese, she was weak and would easily pass out.According to alternative medicine practitioners, she lacked vitality, while the specialists claimed she was suffering from hormonal imbalances. There were several diagnoses and proposed treatments, but none worked.Her father had not restricted what she ate at first, but seeing her getting in worse shape over the last two years, he anxiously decided to treat her the way he ran his department and started to enforce a strict diet plan for her.He thought soldiers were trained by controlling their diet and making them exercise. Although Anastasia could not undergo physical training due to her health problem, he could control what she ate, thinking she would surely slim down by eating little
Lily soothingly spoke when she noticed Anastasia’s anxious expression. After all, being too nervous would affect hormone secretions, which would not be suitable for Anastasia’s treatment.Besides, Lily did not want Anastasia to regard herself as a patient. Anastasia would feel more relaxed if she did not see it as getting treatment.“O-Oh, okay.” Nodding, Anastasia said, “But my father…”“We’ll keep this from him for now.” It was something Lily had wanted to tell Anastasia in the first place. “Let this be a surprise for him.”“A surprise?”“Yes!” Lily nodded assuringly and said, “If you can adjust your condition and slowly become more spirited while slimming down a bit, wouldn’t it surprise him? He wouldn’t be disappointed if nothing happened, either, would he?”Lily wished Anastasia could prepare herself mentally before she started working on improving her health.‘Anastasia mustn’t worry too much about the results. She should be hopeful yet not overly so she wouldn’t be greatl
Surprised, Maria could hardly react. She blinked. “Mrs. Russell? Which Mrs. Russell?” “I’m not sure, and I only know it’s Mrs. Russell. She’s a friend of Anastasia, and she invited her over to her house.” Knowing little, the housekeeper did not dare to say too much.“Russell…”Maria could not think of anyone, but Austin seemed to have an idea. “Are you talking about Lily Christian?”She would be the only Russell in Kingsland capable of developing a friendship with a household like the Rollins. ‘Mrs. Russell… I would never forget about that woman! It’s such a small world, isn’t it?’“Yes, I think that’s the name.”She did not dare to ask much about Anastasia’s personal affair, but she seemed to have heard that the woman’s maiden name was Christian.“Do you know her, Mr. Fike?” Surprised that he guessed the name right away, Maria asked curiously.Clenching his teeth, Austin smiled coldly. “I don’t just know her!”Maria was puzzled. Standing at the doorway with him, she did
Slowing down, Anastasia chewed her food well and tasted flavors she had not tasted before. It was a marvelous and pleasant feeling.After lunch, Lily made a glass of prune juice for her and set it on the table. “Drink it slowly.”“Can I drink it?” Frowning, she took in its mild scent.“Don’t you trust me?” Lily asked her back.Anastasia nodded. It was because she trusted Lily that she had accepted her treatment and agreed to have a wonderful lunch with her. “I haven’t felt like this for a long time,” Anastasia said with mixed emotions. She had suddenly found herself at peace with food today.It was not her enemy, and she did not have to fight it. She needed food, and the food was willing to satisfy her needs. Everything was perfect. She took a small sip of the prune juice and felt its sweetness permeating from the tip of her tongue.Closing her eyes, she felt as if many cute-looking plums were dancing on her tongue and let out a smile.A maid then entered the room from the out
Stunned, Lily did not expect that the two had come together. Since he was already inside, she was unable to reject him in front of her guests even though she had only instructed the maid to let Anastasia's aunt in. Lips curled, Lily looked at him and said, "Well, I never expected to be dogged by misfortune even at home. When one is unlucky, not even their own home is safe, is it?”The moment they spoke, they were already exchanging hostile remarks. Although Maria had no idea what was happening between them, she could vaguely sense that the vibe was not right. She had thought at first that since Austin was acquainted with Mrs. Russell and knew where she lived, the woman should be a friend of some kind. However, when he told the maid his family name, and she returned to tell him that Lily did not want to see him, Maria thought otherwise. ‘Now that the two have met, they seem ready to quarrel. How bizarre!’She looked at Austin, who was smiling despite his anger, then at the h
‘Who is she to look down on me? What qualifications does she have for her to do that? However lousy I am, I should be able to stand tall in her presence regarding herbal medicine, shouldn’t I?’Thus, Austin straightened his back. “You have a problem with that?”Lily chuckled coldly, having nothing to say.“You…” Austin flared up when he noticed her attitude toward him. His face grew stiff, and he forgot he had decided to have a friendly conversation with her on the way here.He wanted to ask about the data at the laboratory. No matter what, Lily had stayed longer than him in the laboratory and knew much more about the experiment than him. He thought he could get inspired from the past data and avoid going in the wrong direction.However, Austin did not expect Lily to infuriate him by saying so little and make him lose his cool. He said mockingly despite himself, “It seems like Mrs. Russell does not trust me and perhaps knows a better candidate. In that case, I’ll get out of your w
Austin strode off, no longer putting on an act. Lily did not bother stopping him since she had not invited him and did not want to allow him into her home in the first place.Anastasia remained quiet when she noticed Lily’s silence. ‘If the house owner hasn’t asked him to stay, who am I to say anything?’Maria looked at them and the leaving man before she hurried after him. “Mr. Fike? Mr. Fike! Miracle Doctor!” She shouted when she realized he was not stopping.Austin suddenly stopped and spun around to look at Maria in rage. “Don’t call me ‘miracle doctor’ ever again! If that woman is up to the task, why don’t you let her treat your niece?”He walked off sternly, no longer paying any attention to Maria.Maria caught herself after two seconds and hurriedly gave chase. “Mr. Fike, don’t let ignorant people upset you. It isn’t worth it. That Mrs. Russell is just a pampered woman who is out of touch with the world!“How would she know how good you are? She’s just an ignorant hillbill
Lily tilted her head up to fight back her tears, saying, “There’s something I find strange.”“What is it?” Mike asked after comforting his son.“Instead of detaining Prince Ross, Her Majesty has sent him back to Yudonia. If so, why couldn’t we reach him?”After some thought, Mike answered, “There are two possibilities. It’s probably due to poor signals, or he doesn’t want us to contact him.”The two shared a look, knowing what each other was wondering.‘Why can’t we contact Ross? Is he planning something?’…Three days later, Lily inserted the last needle into the queen’s leg and looked up at her, saying, “You should start feeling your legs tomorrow. Still, it’ll take some time before you can stand.”Suddenly, Lily chuckled.“Why are you laughing?” Yasmin touched her legs. She had begun to regain sensation in her legs over the last two days. She then began to believe that she could get up. However, the queen was hesitant when the queen heard Lily chuckle.Lily shook her head
Lily straightened up and said without resentment, “Of course, you wouldn’t.”“That’s… quite a pity,” the queen murmured thoughtfully.“Well, there’s a price to pay for everything. That’s how the world balances itself,” Lily continued, “I can’t stop you if you must carry on with R10. Still, I won’t witness whether or not it succeeds. I just wish the outcome isn’t something you’ll regret.”Lily smiled and turned to head out the door.Rick heard their conversation as he stood guard outside. After exchanging looks with Lily as she brushed past him, he entered the room and saw the needles in Yasmin’s legs. “Your Majesty, those needles—”The queen waved dismissively. “It’s okay. Lily will remove them later.”Even so, Rick was wary. “You’re being too careless, Your Majesty. What if that woman—”“She wouldn’t,” Yasmin interjected, shaking her head."Why do you trust her so much?" Rick asked despite himself. The queen fell silent. If Rick had not asked her that, she would not have rea
Lily took out a cloth and unfolded it, revealing a row of silver needles inside. Yasmin was surprised she carried the needles with her.“Tell me. What do you want?” The queen took a deep breath to calm herself. She then reminded herself that she could always say no to Lily’s request. Still, Yasmin was cautious about Lily trying to trick her.Lily casually said, "I left because Prince Ross wanted to help me. I hope you don’t punish him.""That's it?" Yasmin thought she had misheard Lily. 'Is she trying to talk terms with me just so that I won't punish my son?' she wondered in disbelief."Ross is my son. I won't harm him. Don't you think you've wasted an opportunity by making such a request?" The queen shook her head. "I wasn’t sure if you’d blame him, but he did rescue me once. If I don't do anything, it would be ungrateful of me," Lily said gently, "Also, didn’t you already lock him up?"Yasmin was puzzled. "No, I only sent him back to Yudonia. He kept trying to get me to sto
"Three days," Lily replied.“That’s it?!” Yasmin was in disbelief. She thought Lily would try to buy some more time and suspected she would say the process would take several months or even years.‘I haven’t felt my legs for over a decade. I wouldn’t mind waiting for three more days.’“Are you sure I can get up and walk in just three days?” Yasmin pressed her legs hard but felt nothing. She would have treated her legs long ago if it were that easy.The queen had visited many famous doctors from various countries, but they could only stop her legs from getting weaker. However, Lily confidently told Yasmin that she could fix her legs so quickly.Yasmin wanted to believe it.After some consideration, Lily said, “I can’t guarantee that you’ll walk as fast as you once could. After all, you haven’t used your legs for a long time, and your muscles have atrophied. Still, you’ll recover slowly.”Yasmin nodded repeatedly, thinking it was good enough. She never dreamed of walking as well a
“Because only our opinions matter." Lily thought of something and said, "Unless you choose to believe Rhea.""I… don't trust anyone." Yasmin’s expression stiffened as she turned her wheelchair away."Your Majesty, I know you're dedicated to the experiment, but there are other things in life. Have you ever considered letting go of your burden to sightsee? You’ve done enough as a queen over the last few decades. Aren’t you tired of living a lonely life?”Lily gently spoke as she gazed at Yasmin’s back.The older woman caressed her knees with both hands and stared down at her legs, murmuring, “Sightsee, huh? I’ve forgotten what that’s like.”Yasmin had not used her legs for many years. Initially, she could still stand up and sometimes took a few steps. However, she could no longer get to her feet.She had grown accustomed to sitting in a wheelchair, but she felt a pang of sorrow after hearing Lily’s suggestion.Lily asked, “What if I can help you stand again? What if you can walk a
"Yes, I returned not just for him but also for you," Lily said, "I'm sure you were anxious for my return, weren't you?"Yasmin scoffed dismissively. "Why would I be? I have my bargaining chip. Besides, did you honestly think I couldn’t bring you back?""Bargaining chip? Do you mean Nick?" Lily shook her head with a smile. "Don't forget that he's not my son. Do you think he'll be much of a bargaining chip to you if I choose to ignore him for my three children?"She did not wait for Yasmin to reply and continued, "Besides, Nick still has a father who’s willing to die for him. If Mike decides to take drastic action against you— Yes, you're a queen, and you don't care much about an insignificant businessman.“However, don't forget that his business spans worldwide. There's no guarantee what he might do. Who knows, he might spread information that can affect Your Majesty and Yudonia's reputation?""You…" The queen was exasperated but could not retort.Lily noticed it and casually said
Rick could only remain silent at that moment.Yasmin then turned her wheelchair around and blandly said, “Bring Lily over. I’d like to see what excuses that sly woman can come up with.”"Your Majesty?" Rick was puzzled. "You know she'll just lie to you. Why must you—"Yasmin interjected, "I'd like to hear what she has to say."Rick had no choice but to leave and do as she said.As Lily was about to doze off, she heard noises from outside and opened her eyes. Immediately after, the door opened, and Rick appeared. He glared at her and spoke coldly, “Her Majesty wants to see you.”Lily glanced at Rick calmly and stood up as if she had expected his appearance. On the other hand, Mike rose before her and headed out.However, Rick stopped him as he reached the door. “You stay.”"But we came together!" Mike glanced over his shoulder at Lily, signaling her to persuade the man. Rick added, "The queen doesn’t wish to see you. Just stay here!"Lily patted Mike's shoulder and said gentl
Everyone was shocked when Lily returned to the embassy with Mike. One of the staff members quickly left to report the news to Queen Yasmin.Meanwhile, Lily saw people peering at her and Mike from the corner. Afterward, several guarded-looking men appeared. Lilt recognized them as the queen’s attendants. They brought Mike and Lily inside and then gave the duo a thorough search.The men only relaxed after finding nothing suspicious about the duo. Even so, Lily could not see the queen as the men told her to wait in an innermost room instead.After returning to the embassy, Lily felt a sense of strange familiarity. Although she knew the place well, her mindset had changed.She previously hated the embassy and simply wanted to escape. However, she had returned with a critical mission. Not only did she have to complete it, but she also needed to leave the place in one piece.While she was calm, Mike was somewhat anxious. He clasped his hands on his knees and glanced around as he sat dow
"I promise I'll do anything you want, okay?" Mike begged. He was desperate to see his son, so he decided to follow Lily when she insisted on returning to the embassy.Mike continued, “If any of you go with her, they might stop or suspect you. They won’t do that to me. It’s natural for me to want to see and rescue my son. I’m the best candidate because it makes sense for me to sacrifice myself for him.”After a short silence, Lily said, “You’re right.” She then looked at Alexander, who pondered before slowly raising his head and saying, “Me too.”Dominic tapped the table. "So do I."Cameron thought for a moment before saying, "I've no objections."Seeing this, Austin spread his arms and said, "Since you all agree, what else can I say? Let's do it!"It did not matter whether or not he agreed, but he just wanted to support Mike. The latter nodded and became emotional, saying, “Thanks, you guys!”"Why are you thanking us? Just be careful, and don’t be rash like you promised," Aust