An eerie silence gripped the throne room. Corpses—dozens of them—lay scattered across the cold marble floor. Fresh blood seeped into the white stone, turning it crimson in patches. The heavy scent of iron hung in the air, suffocating and inescapable.
"Shall I burn the corpses?" Xi ili’s calm voice finally broke the silence, her words cutting through the oppressive atmosphere.
"There’s no need," Mireya replied with a weary sigh, though a faint smile tugged at her lips. "I have use for them. But... thank you for your thoughtfulness, ili."
Across the hall, the three remaining elders stared at her in disbelief. They were frozen—not by fear alone, but by shock. The woman they had always known as a gentle, benevolent ruler now stood before them surrounded by blood and death, her eyes cold and unyielding.
’When...? When did Mireya beco this ruthless?’ Elder Camilla Rose thought, her heart pounding. She was never like this before... Regret washed over her like ice.
"Y-You’ve gone mad, Mireya!" Elder Davis suddenly erupted, his voice shaking but loud. "How could you kill Elder Sylvester and Elder Tharion like that?! Are you out of your mind?! No matter what cris they committed, you don’t get to decide their fate!"
"Shut your mouth!" Mireya’s voice cracked like a whip, her brows knitting into a sharp glare. "I won’t be lectured by soone like you. And rember—this is my kingdom. I decide all of your fates."
A dangerous grin curved her lips as she stepped forward. "And now... it’s your turn to face the consequences for daring to remove from my throne, Elder Davis."
Her gaze snapped toward the other woman. "You as well, Elder Nyria. You played your part in Sylvester’s sche. Don’t bla for being ruthless."
The air thickened, pressing down on everyone present. A suffocating wave of killing intent rolled from the Queen like a storm.
Finally, Mireya’s cold gaze shifted to Elder Camilla. "And you... Elder Camilla. You’re supposed to be the wisest of them all. Why stoop so low? Did Sylvester promise you sothing so tempting you couldn’t resist?"
"You’re slandering , Your Majesty," Camilla said calmly, though her tone carried the weight of exhaustion. She sighed deeply. "In truth, I only ca along to see how you would handle this confrontation. And..." Her eyes flicked briefly to Yuan. "...to see what role this handso young human plays in your life. He is... quite fascinating, I must say."
Mireya studied her for a long mont, suspicion flickering in her eyes. "Was that truly your only reason for coming here? With them?"
"Believe it or not, yes," Camilla replied with a faint, knowing smile, before briefly glancing at Davis and Nyria.
"I see..." Mireya’s expression softened slightly. Then, before anyone could guess her next move, she walked back to the Evergreen Throne and gracefully lowered herself onto Yuan’s lap. Her tone shifted, warm and unashad. "Then let introduce my husband—Yuan. He has been my greatest ally. And during my ti undercover, I fell in love with him... and beca his wife."
Camilla’s composure faltered for the first ti. At first, she had assud Yuan was rely a lover—or perhaps just soone Mireya admired. But now, hearing the truth, she was struck silent, her thoughts scrambling to process the revelation.
’I see...’ Elder Camilla thought, her expression unreadable. ’No wonder she allowed him to sit on the Evergreen Throne. Technically... he is our King now, since he is Mireya’s husband.’
The realization left her oddly unsettled.
Across the room, Elder Davis and Elder Nyria exchanged wide-eyed looks of disbelief. The revelation struck them like a bolt of lightning—they could not comprehend why Mireya, a Queen with the purest royal bloodline of their people, would choose a human as her life partner. To them, it defied all logic, all tradition.
Mireya caught their expressions and chuckled softly. "I know you’re wondering why I chose a human over one of our own kin. The answer is simple—I was drawn to him, and I fell in love. Nothing more complicated than that."
Elder Camilla allowed a faint smile to form. "I see... then congratulations on finding your partner, Your Majesty."
Still, her mind raced. ’This will shake the kingdom. The citizens will be shocked—perhaps even divided—when they hear of this.’
Her eyes then shifted toward Elder Davis and Elder Nyria. She studied them for a long mont, wondering what fate Mireya would choose for them after their betrayal.
Finally, Camilla spoke. "Your Majesty, what will beco of Elder Davis and Elder Nyria? They did act against you, but I believe they were rely pawns in Elder Sylvester and Elder Tharion’s sche. Death might be too severe a punishnt."
Mireya’s gaze turned cold as she regarded the two elders. She let the silence stretch before speaking, her tone like steel. "They conspired against and aided traitors. That alone warrants consequences." Her eyes sharpened. "However, I will not execute them. Instead, they will serve as laborers for twenty years, stripped of all privileges. Their positions as council elders are hereby revoked—permanently."
Her voice carried like a blade through the room as she continued, "As for Sylvester, Tharion, and the soldiers who sided with them—let their corpses be displayed in the public square. The people will see their true faces. Their families’ assets will be seized, their noble status revoked, and they will live the rest of their days as commoners."
She stepped forward, her presence pressing down like a physical weight. "There is no place for traitors in this nation. A full investigation will be launched to uncover anyone else connected to them. I expect the full cooperation of you three."
"...We understand, Your Majesty," Elder Davis said quietly, lowering his head. The sha was already eating at him—regret twisting like a knife in his chest.
Nyria, too, lowered her head, her face pale. She could feel the heat of humiliation burning in her cheeks. She had been deceived—willingly, even eagerly—by Sylvester and Tharion’s honeyed lies.
’How could I have been so naive? So utterly blind?’
"Now that I’ve made my decision, you two may leave. Elder Camilla will remain here for a while longer." Mireya’s tone was final as she dismissed Elder Davis and Elder Nyria with a flick of her hand.
The two elders bowed stiffly before retreating, their sha weighing heavily on their steps.
Once the room quieted, Mireya turned her gaze to Camilla. "Elder Camilla, tell everything that happened in the kingdom during my absence. I want every detail—leave nothing out."
"As you wish, Your Majesty." Camilla inclined her head respectfully before beginning her report.
The recounting took nearly an hour. She spoke of political shifts, trade changes, unrest among the people, and the more subtle machinations within the council. Yuan and his wives listened intently, occasionally exchanging glances when certain events caught their attention.
"I see..." Mireya’s brows furrowed as Camilla reached a certain point. "So the Dragon Blood Tribe has approached us repeatedly, demanding my hand in marriage? How barbaric." Her voice was laced with contempt.
The Dragon Blood Tribe—one of the most dominant tribes on the Beast Continent—controlled vast territories and was notorious for their arrogance. They were a warrior people, quick to anger and always hungry for battle. This wasn’t their first attempt at an alliance through marriage; they had been turned down countless tis, yet persisted like an unyielding shadow.
Camilla nodded. "Not only that, but this ti they’ve threatened us with war if we refuse. They are... troubleso to deal with."
Mireya’s lips curled into a cold, fearless grin, one that bore an uncanny resemblance to her late mother’s expression before battle. "Let them try. If they want war, we’ll give them one. And we’ll make sure it’s their last."
Camilla exhaled slowly, worry flickering in her eyes at Mireya’s boldness.
Mireya tilted her head slightly. "And what of their conflict with the Ogre Tribe? Is it still raging?"
"Yes," Camilla confird. "Even now, neither side has shown any intention of backing down. In truth, I suspect this ongoing war is the main reason the Dragon Blood Tribe is so eager for an alliance with us." She shook her head, a note of disdain in her voice.
"I see... so they want us to fight their war against the Ogre Tribe," Mireya muttered, leaning back against Yuan with a faint sigh. "No wonder they’re so persistent about this so‑called alliance."
The Ogres were a formidable race—a people born for battle. They respected only strength, and looked down on the weak. They bowed to no one unless defeated in direct combat, and even then, it was with grudging respect.
Their culture revolved around strength so deeply that even marriage was a contest of power. A male ogre who could not prove his might was ignored entirely, while a female would only choose a partner who was strong enough to crush any challenger. To ogre won, finding the most powerful man was a lifelong goal, and they expected him to be unmatched in battle.
"Ogre Tribe, huh? I’ve never actually seen one before. I wonder what they really look like..." Yuan said absently, his mind drifting. On Earth, video gas, manga, and fantasy novels had painted ogres as bulky, green‑skinned, hideous creatures. But now, he found himself curious about the reality.
Mireya chuckled softly. "Well, ogres are indeed proud of their strength. Most males are massive, with large muscular builds, two long front teeth, and horns sprouting from their heads. Their skin is a shade of grey."
She smirked faintly before continuing, "As for the females, they’re quite tall—taller than most human n—and far more powerful than they look. So are surprisingly beautiful, though they too have horns on their foreheads and the sa grey skin."
"I see..." Yuan nodded thoughtfully, filing the details away.
Mireya’s smile deepened. "But don’t be fooled by appearances. Ogre won are as strong as the n, and so are even more dangerous. Underestimating them could be your last mistake."
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