《I Don't Want to Be Loved》 Chapter 0 Prologue

Chapter 0 Prologue

Chapter 0: Prologue It was damp and cold. Here sat the most humble of the kingdome and it was no ce for the queen of a nation. She was of noble identity, but she was trapped and she did not know when she¡¯d see the light again. In fact, she had long given up the desire to escape and hope to survive. From the time the unborn child in her womb died and the time her husband abandoned her was the moment she died from the inside. Squeeek¡­ The prison door opened and a woman dressed in baroque clothing walked in. She was wrinkled with fanciful jewelries and ornaments that was befitting of a queen. Near the prison bar rested a chair and the noble-like woman sat on it. ¡°Hello, dear sister.¡± Rihannan looked up. The noblewoman¡¯s fiery eyes stared at Rihannan with unknown desire. ¡°Poor dearest sister.¡± Unlike the words that flowed out of the the noblewoman¡¯s mouth, her countenance was one of ridicule and criticism as opposed to one ofpassion. ¡°I told you, sister¡­ you needed to step back and give way to me. This would not have happened had you listened.¡± Rihannan who listened to her half-sister without expression smiled in dismay. Yes, that was true. If she had chosen to back away quickly from him, none of the tragedy may have never urred and she¡¯d never have fallen from grace either. But it was all his fault. She loved him. And that was also her fault. ¡°Sister, your throat will be slit open tomorrow. He no longer cares. You¡¯ll die a miserable death as the crowd watches your tragic death. Your head will be severed, dropping to the ground and rolling over the dirt. Your blood will taint the ground whole. As your dearest sister, I can¡¯t bear to watch that.¡± Leticia, Rihannan¡¯s half-sister, raised a small ss of bottle in her hand and passed it to Rihannan. Licking her lips, she continued. ¡°You don¡¯t want others to watch your decapitation, do you? Give in. This is thest option to protect my sister¡¯s honor and thest consideration I can give to you.¡± The noblewoman¡¯s purpose to rid of Rihannan quickly and oh she truly looked forward to this very moment for the longest of times. She¡¯d even prepared Rihannan¡¯s fall from the shadows long before. But what was the point of it if Leticia did not receive the reaction she expected? It was all over and Rihannan had nothing left, but¡­ ¡°Yes, thank you.¡± Rihannan reached for the ss of bottle in Leticia¡¯s had. She entangled her fingers around the bottle. This would be her end. Whatever Leticia¡¯s purpose was, it was not so bad to die alone like this, Rihannan thought. In fact, she hoped to meet the hands of death ever so quickly. A bitter smile spread on Rihannan¡¯s lips. ¡°Thanks to you, thisst road I take will befortable. I¡¯ll drink this well.¡± ¡°¡­why are you pretending to be noble until the very end?!¡± Leticia gritted her teeth and shouted. Her eyes which should have celebrated in joyous victory fluttered with a deep-seated anger. ¡°Why? Why aren¡¯t you frenzied with madness? Why don¡¯t you cry for help? Why do you pretend to be so calm when you¡¯re not?!¡± ¡°Is that what I¡¯m doing? Why? What¡¯s the point?¡± ¡°Because I feel¡­ I can¡¯t stand your hypocrisy!¡± ¡°You¡¯ve already taken everything from me. My father, my husband, and now, my humble position. Is that not enough?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be ridiculous. I took it from you? No, it was mine from the very beginning. Mine! If it weren¡¯t for you, they would have belonged to me long ago. You don¡¯t know that?¡± It was an absurd remark. One day, at the age of twelve, Rihannan¡¯s half-sister suddenly appeared and grabbed a hold of all that she owned, leaving her with nothing. Her family, the man she loved, and the child she could never have¡­ all gone. Rihannan closed her mouth and said no more. She was tired, too tired to argue. She only wanted to end it all. That was her only wish. Advertisement ¡°I hope you¡¯ll let me rest even in my death.¡± ¡°¡­you¡¯re still going to put on airs until the very end.¡± Leticia rose from her seat, donning a cruel smile over her beautiful face. ¡°This here is where you¡¯ll die. It¡¯s the perfect ending for you.¡± After Leticia left the prison, darkness and silence pervaded the room once again. Rihannan opened the lid of the ss bottle and drank the contents¡¯ without a moment¡¯s hesitation. The medicine quickly spread all over her body. Her guts felt like it¡¯d been torn apart and she vomited red blood countless of times. Soon after, the tingling sensation in her arms and legs disappeared and slowly, her heartbeat faded. Rihannanid on the cold, hard ground and waited for peace and serenity toe. At the veryst moment of her life, the face of someone she loved came to mind. Tears streamed down her cheek. ¡®It¡¯s a miserable end Rihannan¡­ you were thest person I expected to betray me¡­ you stupid thing¡­¡¯ Her eyes closed gradually and she breathed herst. If there was a next life, all would be different. She would never love again nor would she give her pity. It was herst breath¡­ But her eyes opened again. Chapter 1 Golden Birds Feather

Chapter 1 Golden Bird''s Feather

Chapter 1: Golden Bird¡¯s Feather To Rihannan¡¯s surprise, she was twelve again. She had awakened from a deep slumber and noticed she lied on the bed of a mansion, the ce she lived in until she was married off. And her body, it was that of a small child. Rihannan rolled off the bed and looked at the mirror. Her eyes opened wide at the sudden understanding that she was twelve once more ¨C¨C the time of her mother¡¯s death. ¡°I¡¯vee back to the past?¡± But she shook her head in denial. She could not believe it. She¡¯s dreaming. That or she¡¯s seeing her past before crossing the river of death. But by the time she saw the rising sun, Rihannan was forced to ept her reality. She was back. She was really back. She was twelve. It was an unbelievable reality and Rihannan sat back on the bed and watched the door in silence. If all was true, the door would open and her maid, Mary, who took care of her since she was a babe would walk right in. Mary¡¯d often wake her every morning and she never missed a single day ¡®till she was kicked out of the mansion with a false charge. ¡°Miss?¡± The most up-to-date novels are published on l__ightnovelworld_ Before long, the door opened and Mary entered the room. She gave a startled look at the sight of the young Rihannan wide and awake first thing in the morning. ¡°Miss, have you been up all night? Oh my goodness, you haven¡¯t slept all night!¡± Mary quickly ran to Rihannan and stroked her pale face. ¡°It¡¯s because of your mother, right? Don¡¯t be so sad, Miss. This¡¯ll ruin your health¡­¡± ¡°Mary¡­¡± ¡°Yes, Miss?¡± Rihannan looked at Mary, the woman she hadn¡¯t seen in a long while. After the death of her mother, her father took in the child of another woman into the house and? Rihannan gradually became isted. Mary was one of the two people who stood by her side ¡®till the very end. However, Mary was eventually driven away on the charge of the theft of her half-sister¡¯s jewels. ¡°I missed you¡­¡± ¡°Miss?¡± ¡°Mary, I really missed you,¡± Rihannan said hoarsely. The most up-to-date novels are published on l__ightnovelworld_ Mary took a quiet, deep breath. Her warm, brown eyes carefully examined the young Rihannan and concluded that the child who¡¯d recently lost her mother was in a state of shock that she¡¯d gone and said strange things. ¡°Oh, poor child. You had a scary dreamst night, didn¡¯t you?¡± Mary swept Rihannan into her arms affectionately and caressed her fine silver hair. ¡°It¡¯s alright. You have your father and I. Don¡¯t worry. Everything will be alright.¡± Embraced in the arms of Mary, Rihannan bit her lip recalling the past. ¡®No, that¡¯s not true. Father will bring her in and he¡¯ll take everything away from me¡­¡¯ When the memories of her past came flooding in, Rihannan¡¯s heart was wrought with pain. ¡°There, there. The Count will arrive soon. Though I don¡¯t know why he went off in a hurry soon after the funeral, but all will be alright. The Count will always be with you.¡± Advertisement Mary did not know, but Rihannan already knew he ran off in a hurry. He went to pick up his illegitimate daughter before he had the chance to see his dead wife buried six-feet-under. It was as if he had waited for this very moment toe. The most up-to-date novels are published on l__ightnovelworld_ ¡°Then, Miss, wash your face first¡­¡± ¡°Mary, before that, would you call awyer?¡± Surprised, Mary raised her brows. She looked at Rihannan¡¯s ice-blue eyes and asked, ¡°Awyer? You mean Ned?¡± ¡°Yes. Call Lawyer Ned.¡± ¡°Why do you need awyer all of a sudden?¡± ¡°Mary, we¡¯re running out of time. I have something to check with him before fatheres back. Please, get in touch with him right away and tell him to see me.¡± To Mary,wyers were the kind of people she found difficult to understand, much so the nobles. And as for Rihanna, no matter how educated she was, she¡¯d have a difficult time understanding what she¡¯d been taught until she grows of age. And so far, Mary hadn¡¯t recalled a particr encounter between the Miss and thewyer that was worth remembering. Ned was always busy dealing with Count Alessin, the owner of the mansion. So why does a girl like that suddenly wants to speak to awyer? But regardless, Mary had no intention to refuse the youngdy¡¯s earnest request. ¡°Alright. I will send someone to see thewyer. Wait a moment please.¡± After Mary left the room, Rihannan sorted the messy thoughts muddling her mind. Today was the day after her mother¡¯s funeral and the day her father, Count Alessin, brought in his illegitimate daughter. It was also the day her misfortunes began. Maybe it was God¡¯s mercy that she returned to the past for a second life. The most up-to-date novels are published on l__ightnovelworld_ If that is the case, she won¡¯t pass up on the opportunity the deity provided her. Rihannan clenched her lip, ice-blue eyes twinkling with determination. Chapter 2 Loveless Marriage

Chapter 2 Loveless Marriage

Chapter 2: Loveless Marriage Rihannan¡¯s mother was of noble lineage from the neighboring country of Crichton. Both Arundell and Crichton were two countries that shared the samenguage, writing system, and the long-standing marriage alliance between nobles and royals. And as of recent, there exists a track record of Arundell and Crichton joining hands and fighting the same enemy together. When her mother was young, she came to Arundell, the neighboring country, at the invitation of her cousin and fell in love with a young man at first sight. Only problem was his lowly status, and in addition, he already had a lover. For these reasons alone, her parents actively tried to stop the marriage, but she was adamant and fiery and stubborn. She was resilient and had a warrior¡¯s heart. Many men had fallen for her because of her carefree attitude, but she only had eyes on that young man ¨C¨C she wanted to be with that young man. And that was it. So her parents made a suggestion. If the young man were to end his rtionship with his old lover and ept the marriage, the Arundell¡¯s would grant him the title of Count and the Crichton¡¯s would purchase him a huge estate and a grand mansion. After a long back and forth struggle, the young man epted the offer. It was the only way and the only path. It was difficult for a low-ss aristocrat to refuse the title of ¡°Count¡± and the huge fortune he¡¯d get, much less rise to fame and reputation through his own means. It was like a dream, a mirage, an illusion. He would receive it if he were to ept the marriage. But even then, even then¡­ there was no love in their marriage. It was a one-sided love. The man never loved his wife. His heart had already been upied and his wife gradually lost her hope and vigour. And so when she died of a broken heart, he quickly, without restraint, brought in his illegitimate child that he¡¯d been hiding to his mansion. And her name? The most up-to-date novels are published on ligh_tn_ovelworld_ Leticia Alessin. Her mother, amoner, continued her secret love affair even after knowing he was married to another woman. When she died during childbirth, the man grewpassionate towards her, and was ridden with guilt, guilt that he was not able to raise his own child. But now that his wife was now dead and buried six-feet-under, he was no longer chained from his cage. ¡°Hello, Leticia, this is your sister, Rihannan.¡± Young Leticia was distracted by the sight of the grand and splendid mansion, a view she had never seen before. With lovely rosy hair and red eyes, Leticia greeted Rihannan with a bright smile. ¡°Hello, sister. It¡¯s nice to meet you. My name is Leticia.¡± All this happened the day after the funeral of Rihannan¡¯s mother. Her face immediately turned white as Leticia greeted her newfound half-sister. ¡°Rihannan, what are you doing? You should say hello.¡± At her father¡¯s quiet urging, Rihannan clenched her small fist. She was usually a quiet, well-behaved child. She¡¯d never once disobeyed her parents, and she¡¯d always choose to follow the opinions of others rather than remain stubborn and adamant like her mother¡­ But¡­ The most up-to-date novels are published on ligh_tn_ovelworld_ But the current and sudden situation seemed so strange to Rihannan. Why was she suddenly entering Rihannan¡¯s house and where had her mother lived all this time? And if that was true, then her father had been seeing other women while he was with Rihannan¡¯s mother. And here he was standing before her not making any excuses. Leticia bowed her head as Rihannan failed to give a warm greeting. ¡°You don¡¯t seem to like me¡­ or that I don¡¯t belong here¡­¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s not true¡­ Leticia, no¡­¡± The father¡¯s countenance softened seeing the child¡¯s tearful face. His face was full of love and gentleness, and the look on her father¡¯s face which Rihannan had never seen before broke her heart to pieces. Advertisement He gave Rihannan a good scolding. ¡°Rihannan, are you belittling Leticia because of her lowly status? It seems that you¡¯re just as arrogant as your mother! Good. If you can¡¯t ept her, then so be it¡­!¡± Rihannan wanted to protest and say that it wasn¡¯t true, but¡­ before she could, he warmly embraced Leticia in his arms. That, too, was the love Rihannan never had. The most up-to-date novels are published on ligh_tn_ovelworld_ Her father led Leticia to his room with her chin resting on hisrge, broad shoulders. She stared nkly at Rihannan, and slowly a smile crept on Leticia¡¯s face. It was the sort of clever smile that said to rethink her position in the mansion. Everything changed from that very moment. ¡°Miss, Lawyer Ned is here.¡± Mary¡¯s voice rang and Rihannan awakened from the recollection of her past. As Rihannan looked up, Mary pointed to the door. ¡°Miss, he¡¯s waiting for you.¡± Rihannan smiled softly. ¡°Yes, we have a lot to discuss.¡± Chapter 3 Queen

Chapter 3 Queen

Chapter 3: Queen When a middle-aged man wearing a round-rimmed sses walked in, Rihannan immediately sent Mary out on the pretext of bringing the carriage over. The man stared at the small, little girl on the big chair for a moment before quickly bending over to a bow. ¡°I heard you called me, Lady Rihannan. What¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°Sit down first.¡± As ordered, the man nodded and sat on the chair closest to him with a face full of questions. He could not understand norprehend the reasons why the youngdy called for him. He¡¯d had the fortune of meeting her from time to time, but he can¡¯t recall any particr conversation worth remembering except for the perfunctory greeting. He¡¯d always seen her as the little girl whose hair and eye color were unique to the northern part of the country and the little girl who was quiet and always stayed close to her mother. Today was the first time he heard her voice properly. Suddenly, he realized that he¡¯d never offered his condolences to the girl himself and expressed deep regret. ¡°I am really sorry for your loss and offer my condolences. May she forever rest under the wings of Elheim.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± For more, visit lightnovelworld. Her calm response surprised him. Only a day had passed since the funeral¡­ it was natural and normal for a child of her age to cry. ¡°¡­.May I ask what you called me for? But before that, I brought the documents asked me to bring, but¡­¡± ¡°I would like to look at my mother¡¯s wedding contract, and in addition to that, what I will inherit.¡± For an instant, Ne¡¯d mouth drooped to the floor. He doubted his eyes and wondered whether the youngdy sitting before him was 22 or 12. No, even if they were 22 years of age, most noblemen and noblewomen were blind or carefree regarding such matters. ¡°How could it¡­¡± ¡°Should I ask permission to see it?¡± ¡°No, but there needs to be a guardian present and his or her agreement too. Your current guardian is Count Alessin.¡± At Ned¡¯s words, Rihannan smile softly to which surprised Ned. ¡°That means you won¡¯t show it to me without father¡¯s permission.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not like that¡­¡± For more, visit lightnovelworld. ¡°Ned Gowan, you better see to it that I don¡¯t send a letter to the pce today unless you show me the documents I requested for right now.¡± Rihannan lifted her chin up. Her silver eyshes fluttered and a cold, dry look fell on her face. Advertisement ¡°The letter¡¯s recipient is the Queen. It states that Count Alessin and awyer working for him, Ned Gowan, are embezzling taxes and therefore requests a thorough and proper investigation.¡± Ned paused, lips quivering for moment, but he soon regained his rity and donned on the face of a seasonedwyer. ¡°Whatever do you mean? Tax embezzlement? Miss, are you having a bad dream? I understand the shock and sadness you¡¯ve been throughtely, but this is too much¡­¡± ¡°Of course, the Queen will be rather curious regarding the contents of the letter, surprised that a 12-year-old-child is using her?own father. Wouldn¡¯t you be surprised? And when the Queen receives the letter, I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll send someone to confirm whether what was written in the letter is true. It isn¡¯t that difficult to predict considering my rtionship with the Queen. Now, what are you going to do, Ned Gowan?¡± Ned¡¯s face instantly turned ashen gray. She was right. The girl had a close rtionship with the Queen. Herte mother, who recently passed away, was an old friend of the Queen. That and the fact that she and queen were rted by blood and hailed from the royal family of Crichton. Moreover, the Queen was the godmother of Rihannan. If Rihannan were to theoretically write what she told him, the Queen would certainly send her men to the check because she was her goddaughter. And the Queen, the Queen was the most powerful woman in the country. Her son, who became King a few years ago, was still young and so all current state affairs are controlled by her hands. In addition, she, a pre-established royalty married into another royalty and became Queen. Her son was King and her family was royalty ¨C¨C her father a King. The Queen was a unique case, different from previous women married into royalty. For more, visit lightnovelworld. In fact, she was originally supposed to be King. And that was because she was a princess and the heir apparent nominated as the next King before her father, thete King, passed away. Chapter 4 Hertia Cesca

Chapter 4 Hertia Cesca

Chapter 4: Hertia Cesca Hertia Cesca. She was the only bloodline borne between Arundell¡¯s King Edgar II and was politically married off to the prince of the neighboring kingdom, Crichton. When Edgar II was at the twilight of his life, he did not have any other children. As his death drew near, the old king¡¯s troubles deepened. No woman had ever be king in the Kingdom of Arundell. Yet, at thest minute, the old king handed over the next throne to his one only child and daughter, leaving hisst will on his deathbed. His will? ¡®The next king will be my daughter, Hertia Cesca.¡¯ Some followed the king¡¯sst will faithfully, but others did not. There were dissident voices in y until eventually, some of the nobles conspired to crown the king¡¯s cousin, Duke of Lancas, as the next king and locked Hertia in the castle. The sessful coronation of Arundell¡¯s throne seemed easy to define at first but things immediately turned around when Hertia escaped the castle she was locked in with the help of Crichton. Hertia quickly embraced Crichton¡¯s aristocracy which gained the ire of the Arundell nobles. Of course, her action was only to prove that she too, as a woman, was capable of leading. And she was right. She led the nobles in Crichton because of her intelligence, temperament, and brevity. She was an iron-willed woman who despite bearing a child at a young age, dressed herself in battle armor and rode through the battlefield with her apanying warhorse. The civil war and fight over the thronested for a year. Hertia and Lancas, who could no longer bear to see their country fall to ruins, met and struck an agreement. The agreement? For more, visit ligh_tnovelworld The throne would be passed over to Hertia¡¯s son, as opposed to her after Lancas passes away. So the treaty pact was made. The war had ended and the country soon entered an era of peace. And as Lancas passed away at a young age, Hertia¡¯s son quickly ascended the throne, but because he was young and inexperienced, Hertia was currently managing all state affairs. Rihannan¡¯s mother was of Crichton royal blood who came to visit her rtive, Hestia at the end of Arundell and Crichton¡¯s civil war. It was at that time Rihannan¡¯s mother fell in love with her father. And after her mother got married and settled in Arundell, her exchanges with Hertia remained constant and steady to the point that the Queen was willing to be the godmother of her child. Hertia could never ignore Rihannan¡¯s letter. She was the daughter of her beloved cousin. ¡°¡­.Okay¡­¡± Ned surrendered and raised a white g. He handed the documents to Rihannan and she began to read the documents and the terms and conditions without much difficulty. Looking at her, Ned wondered inwardly how she learned of their tax embezzlement. But he didn¡¯t have the guts to ask. And strangely, she seemed like an experienced, mellowed adult, and not a 12-year-old-child who¡¯d just lost her mother, but someone ustomed to serving countless people. It was iprehensible why he thought that way. For more, visit ligh_tnovelworld ¡°It¡¯s just as I thought.¡± As Rihannan studied the documents carefully, she opened several pages in front of Ned. ¡°I¡¯d like to hear the opinion of an advisor on the interpretation of these provisions.¡± Rihannan smiled. ¡°And, of course, it will go the way I want it to. Unless, that is, you prefer rotting in jail instead.¡± *** When Mary arrived with the carriage, Lawyer Ned Gowan fidgeted around nervously, listening intently to Rihannan¡¯s instructions. When she finished, he had no time to drink his tea and immediately left in a hurry to carry out her orders. ¡°What did you talk to thewyer about?¡± ¡°I told him to freeze all my properties.¡± Rihannan answered Mary¡¯s question, whose face was full of pure curiosity. For more, visit ligh_tnovelworld Advertisement ¡°Miss?¡± ¡°My father won¡¯t be able to touch it.¡± Mary nearly threw out another silly question, but s, it was futile as Rihannan turned her head and looked out the window. She opened the curtains and stared silently at the carriage entering the gates. ¡°The Count is finally here, Miss.¡± Mary said cheerfully. ¡°Yes. He¡¯ll have a guest with him.¡± ¡°A guest? Coming today?¡± Mary tilted her head, then wrapped her hand around her cheek. ¡°Oh my goodness, what do we do? I¡¯m not prepared to wee any guests!¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright. I¡¯ll send her back soon as she arrives.¡± For more, visit ligh_tnovelworld ¡°But, Miss, that¡¯s not polite¡­¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go, Mary.¡± Rihannan said, releasing the curtains from her hand. Chapter 5 Queen Candidate

Chapter 5 Queen Candidate

Chapter 5: Queen Candidate The maids and servants quickly busied themselves at the news of the Count¡¯s return. Rihannan stood on the second floor stairway and waited for the door to open. Today, in her previous life, she¡¯d been a busybody crying her heart out and missing her dead mother. That day, she ran out in delight hearing that her father had returned. She wanted to see his face as soon as possible to fill up the loneliness invading her heart. All she wanted and sought for wasfort and constion and to share the mourning from the loss of her mother and his wife. He was the only one who understood and could possibly share the same sadness, and she even expected that even his heartless father would embrace her in his arms¡­ But reality was far from the truth. What she saw when she ran out the door was a little girl holding her father¡¯s big hands. The moment she saw the child¡¯s happy, twinkling eyes, she had a hunch that the child was somehow rted to him. And well, she found out very quickly. He didn¡¯t hesitate to confirm it himself. She was her half-sister, Leticia Alessin. Ever since he abandoned the traumatized child who¡¯d recently lost her mother and brought in an illegitimate child without her knowing, Rihannan lost everything. She was never the same after that. Rihannan suddenly recalled what her father said at the time. ¡°Rihannan, this is the child who had to grow up alone in the outside world because of you and your mother. I hope you treat her well. Please, Rihannan.¡± Reminiscing over the past, Rihannan tightened her grip on the stairway railings for a moment. She red at the door, the one that was tightly closed while her fingernails scraped the dark mahogany wood. For the next few years or so, she lived a life without problems, at least she thought so. At the time, Rihannan had no idea, but Count Alessin paid diligent attention to the outside eyes as he was in a position to manage the properties inherited by his daughter as guardian. If anything should happen to Rihannan, it was obvious her maternal rtives in Arundell and Crichton would certainlye forward demanding an exnation. So he tried, he tried extremely hard in not allowing rumors regarding Rihannan spread outside, and she was deftly cut in the middle to prevent her from contacting them personally. The years hadn¡¯t been good to her. Rihannan never felt at ease due to Leticia¡¯s veiled bullying of her. She could get away with many things; she was father¡¯s favorite. Fortunately, the harassment and bullying never crossed a certain line. Leticia coveted her clothing and jewels and her father would ascend to her requests. That was tolerable and somewhat eptable. Only after Rihannan was pronounced Queen that Leticia¡­ When the young king was old enough to marry, Hertia thought of Rihannan. She would be his bride. Shecked in nothing and she¡¯d be the perfect candidate. And too boot, she was the Hersia¡¯s goddaughter, making it all the more pleasant. In fact, Rihannan was the only queen candidate chosen. Advertisement ¡°She and I share the same father¡­ why is she the only to be queen candidate? Why am I not given a chance?¡± One day and shortly after the letter arrived from the Queen, Rihannan happened by chance to see the figure of Leticia clinging to her father in tears. Dressed in expensive clothes and essories, she made a desperate appeal. ¡°Leticia, this is beyond my control and something I can¡¯t do. The Queen herself appointed Rihannan, and we can do nothing but obey the Queen¡¯s orders.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t you send a letter to the capital? She can¡¯t be Queen! I can¡¯t stand her bing Queen! Father, what am I to do when she bes Queen? Don¡¯t let her go anywhere, father!¡± ¡°If we don¡¯t send Rihannan away, the Queen will send someone here herself. That¡¯ll make things worse.¡± ¡°I¡¯m the only daughter you really love, but I can¡¯t even be your real daughter!¡± Thews of the country did not recognize illegitimate children. It was the same for the nobles and royalty. If Leticia¡¯s mother was still alive and remarried Count Alessin after the death of Rihannan¡¯s mother, it¡¯d have been a different story, but the child would have been stigmatized for life as illegitimate for they did not marry officially when she gave birth to Leticia. And if Leticia¡¯s mother was of aristocracy, she¡¯d have no problem mingling with other members of nobility, but that too was difficult. Her mother was amoner and there was no changing that. Leticia lived in the house not as the Count¡¯s biological daughter but as a foster daughter. She could have nothing legally unless she was of biological blood. She had no wealth nor social status in truth and it is for this reason alone that Count Alessin used Ned Gowan to embezzle money early on. It was to give to Leticia, otherwise, she¡¯d not have anything. It was all for Leticia. Chapter 6 Get Out

Chapter 6 Get Out

Chapter 6: Get Out When the King, whoter became Rihannan¡¯s partner and husband, went on an all-out investigation, one originallyunched on a premeditated investigation to capture the power of the Queen, Count Alessin was instead caught. At the time, the young King, who¡¯d just started dealing with state affairs, was full of spirit and vigour to do all he could do to escape the shadows of his mother during the converging clean-up. Both the young King and Queen weren¡¯t in a good rtionship despite sharing the same blood. The Queen, who should have been King by nature, did not easily let go of her power during the converging clean-up process which was a major obstacle for the young King who¡¯d just began his statehood affairs. That¡¯d also been the reason he was hostile towards Rihanann from beginning to end, except of course, their first meeting. The sole reason? Rihannan was the Queen¡¯s rtive and goddaughter and holds blood rtions to the Crichton forces he¡¯d been trying to drive away. Though the truth of the matter was his overt friendliness when they¡¯d first met. It seemed like the blossoming of a new rtionship, but soon as he found out Rihannan¡¯s true identity did he change. Since then, he¡¯d always look back at her with a grimace and an outsider. ¡°Which side are you on? Me, your husband, or the Queen?¡± Rihannan, recalling his cold piercing voice, pressed her lips together. It¡¯d be nice to be able to choose a side, but it was impossible. The Queen was like a mother to her, recing the loneliness in her heart when herte mother passed away, and the young king was a man who¡¯d already taken her love and heart from their first meeting. And Rihannan understood. She understood the feelings of the Queen who could have been King herself, but gave it up for her son, and she understood the son¡¯s miserable feelings of being crushed under the shadows of his mother who had more power than him, the king. Rihannan tried to solve their failing rtionships and mediated in between the two, but the more they struggled, the worse it became. But looking back, there was one thing she never understood. At one point he raised his hands to punish Count Alessin when ambitiously carrying out the tax investigation. With his arrangement, numerous nobles were caught in his trap, Count Alessin included. So why then did he stop in the middle? ¡°Wee, Count Alessin!¡± The door suddenly opened and Count Alessin appeared. Rihannan moved her leaning body against the railing of the stairs and moved a step forward. But her steps was only so little. Unlike her previous life, she neither rejoiced at her father¡¯s return nor did she hurry down the stairs. She stood at a higher position than the Count, quietly watching him walk in holding the hand of a little girl near her age. ¡°Greetings, Count Alessin. This kid¡­¡± The Count smiled brightly while handing his coat to the old butler. ¡°She is my child. I had no choice to leave her outside back then.¡± ¡°Yes? What¡­?¡± The old butler¡¯s eyes widened in astonishment, and soon afterwards, looked towards Rihannan. He saw her standing on the stairs, alone. Rihannan looked at him with sad eyes. The old butler¡¯d always served the mansion for as long as she could remember. He was always fair and impartial. With fair judgment, he¡¯d take a look at Count Alessin¡¯s misbehavior. Eventually, a few yearster, the Count kicked him out of the mansion without a letter of rmendation. Advertisement He ruined the old man¡¯s life. The old butler¡¯s face, who quickly grasped the situation, turned white. He cast a sympathetic look at the young and innocent Rihannan while she watched the scene from the stairs trying to sort things out. ¡°Count, you¡¯ve just arrived. Let us go and¡­¡± ¡°Rihannan,e down here. Let me introduce you to your sister!¡± Count Alessin called Rihannan, who at this time, was on the stairs. He didn¡¯t care to hide his gushing feelings. Rihannan, with her white clothes and silvery long hair had a pale face. She looked haggard and small like she hadn¡¯t eaten much since the death of herte mother. ¡°I told you toe down here. This is Leticia, my daughter and your sister. For certain reasons, she had to live outside, but she will live with us together in this mansion from now on.¡± ¡°Get out.¡± ¡°What?¡± Rihannan coldly looked at the Count. ¡°Get out of my house, father¡­ along with your daughter.¡± Chapter 7 Rightful Heir

Chapter 7 Rightful Heir

Chapter 7: Rightful Heir The air grew chilly and froze in an instant. Everyone was dumbfounded by Rihannan¡¯s sudden remarks towards the Count, her father. They were amazed. Speechless, the Count and young Leticia opened their mouth. The old butler was the first toe to his senses. ¡°My Lady, what do you¡­ what are you trying to say?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve recently spoken to thewyer a while ago and finished the necessary procedures. Starting today, the owner of this estate belongs to Rihannan Alessin, the rightful heir, and I now exercise all rights to the property I¡¯ve inherited from my deceased mother. First of all, to the guest I never allowed in my home, get out. And to you too, father.¡± ¡°Rihannan!¡± The Count roared, breaking out in anger. ¡°What the hell are you doing? Get down here right now!¡± Count Alessin was furious and urged Rihannan toe down from the stairways immediately. When Rihannan did not heed his words and looked at him with a nk expression, he shouted again in anger. ¡°Your house? What a load of crap! You must be out of your mind. What? Did losing your mother make you go crazy and now you want to covet your father¡¯s fortune? Where is thew?¡± ¡°Mary.¡± Rihannan stretched out her palms. Mary watched the unfolding situation with a startled look and hurriedly handed to Rihannan the documents she¡¯d been entrusted with. Rihannan looked at the documents. ¡°It¡¯s all arranged here. Check for yourself. Jeffrey, check and read the contents of the documents, and then take it to the Count.¡± The old butler quickly moved his feet and hurried up the stairs, receiving the papers Rihannan handed to him. He slid on his thick sses and read the documents, eyes furrowed. Then he bowed politely to Rihannan and went down to present the documents to the Count. The Count snatched it away. His body trembled as he read terms stated. What was written on the document was the provision of their marriage contract, thew of inheritance, and thewyer¡¯s interpretation. The contents were as follows¡­ If the marriage between Reagan Alessin and Anastasia Priebius were to end halfway, all wealth would go back to the original owner, Anastasia Priebius, and Reagan Alessin¡¯s status as Count would be reverted to its original title. The heir to seed the properties and wealth is limited to those borne through Anastasia Priebius. If Anastasia Priebius passes away at first, all property and wealth would immediately pass over to the descendants of Reagan Alessin and Anastasia Priebius. All rights can be exercised by Reagan Alessin, if and only if there are no descendants borne through Anastasia Priebius. Advertisement The adviser was Lawyer Ned who signed off the provisions that Rihannan Alessin was fully qualified to exercise all rights to properties and wealth she was entitled to immediately. At the end was his signature written stating his responsibility aswyer and adviser to the Alessin Family. Count Alessin tore the paper in frenzy and threw it on the floor. ¡°Even if you have the right to your mother¡¯s property, I am your guardian! You cannot exercise your rights in this country as you are not yet of proper age. Rihannan, you should obey your father¡¯s orders! This is also my duty as a parent!¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t read through the end, father. At the end, there is a use and provision that gives the heir the right to choose their own guardian based on the peculiarity of a marriage between two nations. As pointed out, my guardian is my uncle in Crichton. You are not my guardian, father.¡± ¡°Like hell I¡¯d hand over my property to the Crichton¡¯s!¡± ¡°It was never father¡¯s to begin with. Haven¡¯t you enjoyed the title of Count and all the benefits you enjoyed thus far in exchange for marrying mother? But¡­ you betrayed mother and gave birth to a child from another woman. And now you want to live her to live here¡­ you are only getting what you deserve.¡± ¡°Betrayal? I never meant to marry your mother from the start and I had never given her my heart.¡± Rihannan thought, no, believed that there was nothing more that could hurt her, but his words scratched her open wounds. Herte mother suffered from deep lovesickness in her maiden days after she ran into a sweet-looking young man who had a different and unique charm as opposed to the men in Crichton. Blind with love, she sought to marry him knowing he had no love for her. But she thought otherwise. She thought she could make him love her, given time. So her family drew up a marriage contract to tie him up in a marriage that he could never run away from if he were to ept, otherwise, he would lose everything he gained. Chapter 8 Wanting His Love

Chapter 8 Wanting His Love

Chapter 8: Wanting His Love Ironically, it was Rihannan who benefited from the marriage contract after death of her mother. ¡°You had a choice back then. You could have refused to marry mother¡­ you could have given up the fame and riches to be with your loved one. Maybe you and mother might be happy. I wouldn¡¯t have been born either.¡± For the first time, Rihannan voiced her thoughts out loud. Her father was a selfish man. He had a fair choice handed to him ¨C¨C for fame and wealth that he could never achieve in his lifetime, he¡¯d need to forget his old lover and at least¡­ at least learn to love the woman he would marry. That was the duty of a man, to care and love his wife and daughter even if his heart was upied with another woman. It was an easy choice to make. But he didn¡¯t. He had an affair and a child with another woman. Perhaps it was best herte mother died before she learned the truth. ¡°Your mother was a scary woman who had driven her away without my knowing! If it wasn¡¯t for her, this kid wouldn¡¯t have suffered so much!¡± The Count bellowed. Rihannan¡¯s eyes glued to Leticia, the girl clinging to the count. ¡°Mother already knew the child existed?¡± She asked, staring coldly at Leticia. ¡°Yes. She paid Emily a handsome fortune. She was pregnant at the time and she was already dead by the time I found her. And Leticia, she grew up a miserable life in an orphanage. This is all because of your mother!¡± Rihannan pursed her lips, suddenly recalling what her mother said to her. She ced Rihannan on herp. Stroking her silver hair and talking to herself, she said ¡°It¡¯s better to be unhappy by his side than to be apart and never knowing him. I don¡¯t regret anything¡­¡± Rihannan bit her lip. ¡°If you feel sorry for her¡­ feed, dress, and give her a roof over her shoulder with your own money, not mother¡¯s money!¡± ¡°How dare you speak to your father like that¡­¡± ¡°No, you¡¯ve never been a father to me. At least in memory¡­¡± Rihannan was grief-stricken. *** ¡°Rihannan, would you please ask the Queen to let Leticia enter the pce?¡± And so she did, wanting earn his praises. After year of marriage between Rihannan and the King, rumors spread in the court that there was no news of pregnancy and that the King and Queen weren¡¯t getting along. That, and the scandalous rumors of the king falling in love at first sight with Leticia¡¯s beautiful appearance at the royal ball at the invitation of her sister, Rihannan. And one day, her father came to the struggling Rihannan asking for a favor. ¡°You are the Queen of the kingdom and you¡¯ve yet to bear the King a child. Wouldn¡¯t it be nice if your sister could do it in your stead? Besides, considering Leticia¡¯s status, it¡¯d be difficult for her to take your position. You won¡¯t have anything to worry about. If you cooperate well with Leticia, all will be better and your position as Queen will be further solidated.¡± Advertisement *** ¡°You¡¯ve never been a father to me¡­¡± She wanted to be loved, wanted his love, to walk alongside her and hold her little hands, to teach her things, to keep her safe from the scary world, to give her guidance¡­ to do things a father should do¡­ but all he ever did was leave nothing but scars and questions that haunted her at night. Rihannan searched for that kind of love from him and she struggled so much, so very much to even receive a piece of his love, but the end result was her downfall¡­ And so she decided she won¡¯t love anymore. She won¡¯t be the daughter who¡¯ll beg her father for a rtionship. She deserved better than this. If it¡¯s a love she¡¯ll never receive, then she¡¯ll throw all remaining inkling of it away. ¡°I¡¯ll say it again, take her out of the house. Right now. Or I¡¯ll have servant drag her out.¡± ¡°How dare you¡­¡± At Rihannan¡¯s warning, the Count was frenzied. He shouted to the old butler beside him. ¡°Jeffrey! Grab that child and lock her in her room right now! I can¡¯t bear to see her speaking to me like this. I can¡¯t believe I raised a child like that! I¡¯ll have to give her a good whipping!¡± But his orders was met with silence. There was no response from the old butler, only staring at the Count nkly. ¡°Jeffrey, what are you doing? Did you not hear me?¡± The old butler shook his head slightly. ¡°But Count, ording to the documents, it¡¯s quite obvious that the owner of this mansion is the Lady.¡± Chapter 9 A Noblemans Pride and Dignity

Chapter 9 A Nobleman''s Pride and Dignity

Chapter 9: A Nobleman¡¯s Pride and Dignity ¡°¡­What?¡± The Count was dumbfounded. ¡°Once you calm down and have a quiet and proper talk with Lady Rihannan¡­¡± ¡°You bastard!¡± Count Alessin clenched his teeth. The old butler was a knowledgeable and nagging man that had always a pain to his neck, but he kept him around because of his loyalty. He was good at his job and his wife and daughter loved him. ¡°You¡¯re saying that you¡¯ll betray me and take her side?¡± He scoffed. ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll kick both you and Rihannan out!¡± The Count walked up the stairs in frenzy. In one fell swoop, he waved his hand at Rihannan. And she, expecting it, closed her eyes. She knew it woulde to this, but it was fine. His assault would make it easier to kick him out. Boom! But instead of the burning tingling sensation she should feel, the sound of someone rolling on the floor urred instead. When she opened her eyes, Rihannan saw Mary lying on the floor. ¡°Mary!¡± The Count clicked his tongue realizing he¡¯d beaten the maid, not Rihannan. Mary suddenly stepped in the middle and he hit the wrong person without knowing. He sighed and raised his hand again, but this time, the old butler stopped him from what he was about to do. ¡°Count Alessin, stop!¡± Meanwhile, Rihannan tended to Mary. She was bleeding a lot. So¡­ if Mary, an adult, was inflicted with damage to this extent, what more if she¡¯d been the one to receive it? Rihannan took out a handkerchief and wiped the blood from Mary¡¯s cheek before giving the Count a cold stare. Count Alessin was never a violent man. Sure, he had his faults but he wasn¡¯t that kind of man. He was, after all, a man of great importance. The people held him as a man of culture and decency. It was expected of a noble. He would keep his basic manners with Rihannan¡¯s mother whenever out in public. Those who did not know their story would have thought they were a match made in heaven. In truth, the Count had a great deal of obsession with wealth and the estate he thought belonged to him. Rihannan¡¯s mother never saw his greed and lust for wealth, only seeing his charming side. And so when the biggest opportunity of a lifetime came knocking on his door, he, the son of a humble and lowly nobleman snatched the opportunity and gained far greater wealth and fame than he could ever imagine. When it seemed like what he thought was his was to be taken away, he had suddenly lost all reason. ¡°Count Alessin, why do you act this way?¡± At Jeffrey¡¯s rebuke, the Count realized he had momentarily lost hisposure and dignity. He was ashamed for he had ruined the honor of a nobleman. The Count took a step back. Jeffrey quickly formed a blockage between Rihannan and the Count. ¡°If you find anything at fault, then we can discuss thews civilly in court, with truth and honor as our backing. Count, this is the virtue and pride of an Arundell nobleman. Moreover, you had beaten a woman, and a child no less that you attempted to hit in a fit of anger and without reason. What would the people think were they to find out?¡± The Count¡¯s face turned red seeing the servants below watching them with shocked faces. To show respect to ady and his wife was also the basic culture an Arundell nobleman should hold. But from what the servants had seen, the Count was mortified. ¡°Count, please back away from Lady Rihannan. Do not lose the bearing and dignity of a Count.¡± ¡°Jeffrey.¡± Advertisement The Count gritted his teeth. He had always regarded the old man as a thorn in his side. Always so righteous and stuck-up. ¡°It seems like you¡¯re dying to get kicked out. You¡¯re making a big mistake if you think I would turn the other cheek. There¡¯s no need to have dogs under me who won¡¯t listen.¡± Rihannan heard the simr words her father once said. When Leticia¡¯s tyranny grew to an extreme, Jeffrey advised the Count that he shouldn¡¯t allow her to run wildly. The Count threatened him with simr words. And Jeffrey, he replied with the same answer. ¡°I¡¯ll leave. I¡¯m old enough to die anyway. Yes, I¡¯m afraid, but I don¡¯t want to live with my eyes closed.¡± Rihannan smiled faintly at his answer that was no different than thest. And right after, Jeffrey was kicked out. No one would dare to speak up again as majority of the servants had been reced with the Count¡¯s chosen dogs. But things werepletely different now. Only a day had passed since the death of her mother. Many of maids and servants were employees her mother brought in when she married Count Alessin while some she picked up seeing their unfavorable conditions. And now that their Countess had died, their master was now Rihannan, not the Count. But the Count, unable to grasp the situation, shouted. ¡°Why are you looking at me like a fool? Get him out of here right now!¡± There were some who winced at his words, but the majority remained silent and unmoving. The Count¡¯s face changed when no one made a move. Chapter 10 Send Them Out

Chapter 10 Send Them Out

Chapter 10: Send Them Out ¡°What are you doing? Get him out of here right now!¡± The employees exchanged nces at one another and soon turned their eyes away from him. A little while ago, they looked at the documents, which had thewyer¡¯s signature and was certified by him. And based on what they heard, they knew all too well that if they sided with the Count, chances of being kicked out of the mansion alongside him was high. ¡°You¡­ you¡± Rihannan, who watched quietly, parted her lips open. ¡°Send the Count and his child out courteously.¡± When Rihannan¡¯s voice fell, this time, a few sturdy servants moved. The Count only came to realize his current situation until he was forcibly kicked out. ¡°Ri¡­ Rihannan! You¡¯re cruel!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, father. You¡¯ll be given minimum pension.¡± Her voice was cold,cking any semnce of warmth. For more, visit lightnovel_world ¡°It won¡¯t be enough, but it¡¯s enough to make a living, to have a roof over your shoulder. I am still your daughter¡­ regardless¡­¡± ¡°Rihannan!¡± Ignoring the Count¡¯s shrieking voice, Rihannan slowly descended down the stairway. And there was Leticia, looking at the situation with incredulity. Rihannan stopped in front of her. Leticia¡¯s voice trembled. ¡°Uwuu¡­ sister¡­¡± Rihannan let out a coldugh. ¡°Sister¡­ sister¡­¡± The smile, which bloomed like white flowers wilted as coldness pierced the air. ¡°Who gave you permission to call me sister?¡± For more, visit lightnovel_world Leticia¡¯s big eyes was filled with tears. She suddenly knelt on the floor, rubbing her hands together and crying. ¡°Lady Rihannan, please let me stay here. I¡­ I don¡¯t want to go back to the orphanage. I¡¯ll do anything, anything! Please don¡¯t kick me out! Anything you ask, I will do. What do you say¡­?¡± Rihannan looked down at Leticia without emotion. Perhaps this child was innocent, as all children are. She hasn¡¯t done anything. No, she hasn¡¯t, at least not right now. Both she and Rihannan were borne through the selfishness of their parents, but regardless¡­ Rihannan wasn¡¯t at fault that Leticia was an illegitimate child. No, it was her father who damaged her. He was selfish. And so, Rihannan thought that she should try to ept Leticia as best as she could like she was her own blood. She was innocent in all this and a victim of selfish decisions, but¡­ ¡°That dress looks good on you.¡± At Rihannan¡¯s sudden remark, Leticia looked down at her dress. It was silk, the first luxurious clothing she¡¯d ever worn. It was like heaven, a reminder that she had escaped from her bitter hardships. Before this, she wore a type of rough and patchy clothes. That was her usual go-to. For more, visit lightnovel_world ¡°It¡¯s the only dress my mother made for me and it¡¯s very precious to me. Now you¡¯re wearing it.¡± Only then did Leticia realize that something was wrong. ¡°Sorry, sorry! I did not know¡­ it was the only dress father gave me¡­¡± ¡°The only thing you¡¯ll ever take from me is the dress you¡¯re wearing.¡± Advertisement Leticia¡¯s red eyes turned to Rihannan. It, too, was one full of grief. ¡°Other than that, you won¡¯t receive anything from me. If you want something, work for it yourself.¡± Leticia¡¯s lips quivered. ¡°Why¡­¡± Leticia understood what she meant. Rihannan had it all, everything fell into herp since she was born, so why does she have nothing? They both share the same father, but why was Rihannan of noble spirit and she, a meremoner and an illegitimate child? For more, visit lightnovel_world It was unfair. She could¡¯ve had it all. So why did Rihannan and her mother take away what could have been hers? Why? ¡°You won¡¯t go back to the orphanage. I highly doubt you will. Father will raise you. And just like you hope, you two can live together for the rest of your life.¡± Leticia¡¯s face distorted. Soon after, she casted an unnatural and hateful nce towards Rihannan. With all that hostility, Rihnannan smiled bitterly. In the past, she acknowledged Leticia and did try to share to her what she owned. But in the end, she was the one used of taking everything from her. Perhaps it was not so easy to change the past, but despite this, Leticia¡¯s hatred towards her was still the same. ¡°Send them out.¡± For more, visit lightnovel_world T/N: Hello, we¡¯re 10 chapters deep in! I hope you¡¯re enjoying the mass releases thus far. Happy early holidays to you ?? this is my gift from me to you. Also, this should also be enough for you to form an opinion of what you think of the novel so far. And it would really mean so much to me if you could give IDWTBL a good rating and review on NU. Of course, you don¡¯t have to, but it would be greatly appreciated. Click here. Again, thank you very much! Chapter 11 To Crichton

Chapter 11 To Crichton

Chapter 11: To Crichton ¡°Send them out.¡± Rihannan¡¯s words fell and the two were immediately kicked out of the house. Of course, Rihannan knew this was not the end. Her father would try to gain back the estate by mobilizing all his powers, but eventually, he¡¯ll learn that all means of resistance would be useless. ¡°Mary, let¡¯s get you treated. Did it hurt?¡± After giving Mary a warm hug, Rihannan looked at Jeffrey. ¡°Jeffrey, I would like to speak to you after Mary¡¯s treatment.¡± ¡°Yes, My Lady.¡± Rihannan used her small hand and dragged Mary into her room. It looked very much like a child dragging a huge, cuddly bear. ¡°Mary, why did you do that?¡± The most up-to-date novels are published on lightnovelwor__ld Rihannan asked, her small hands tapping Mary¡¯s cheeks with a cold towel. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Why did you allow yourself to be hurt? Like a fool¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯re a little girl, Miss. You¡¯re small. If the Count really did hit you, you¡¯ll die and he¡¯ll go to¡­ I¡¯d rather take the chance and be sick for a few days.¡± Rihannan looked at Mary fondly with hints of anguish. Mary was pure and kind-hearted, giving all her goodness to others unconditionally. To Rihannan, she was special. ¡°Mary, will you go with me to Crichton?¡± Mary¡¯s eyes widened at her sudden suggestion. ¡°What? Why all so suddenly?¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to Crichton as soon as possible. Will youe with me?¡± Mary had been a maid most of her life. She was an orphan, originally, and was offered a chance to work at the mansion. Later on, she was ced in charge of Rihannan and over time grew fond of her. The most up-to-date novels are published on lightnovelwor__ld ¡°It¡¯s okay to refuse my offer. You can stay here and continue working in the mansion, if you¡¯d like, or I can write you a letter of reendation.¡± Mary was an Arundell native, not Crichton. Rihanna knew it¡¯d not be easy to ask her to leave her nativend, so she didn¡¯t have much expectations. In fact, Rihannan believed Mary¡¯d more likely to stay in the mansion. But much to her surprise, Mary answered Rihannan¡¯s cautious suggestion right away. ¡°What nonsense are you speaking, Miss? Wherever you go, of course I¡¯ll follow you.¡± ¡°¡­.Really?¡± Mary nodded relentlessly. ¡°Yes. I don¡¯t have a family here anyway. Thanks to yourte mother, I was able to serve you. I would like to follow you, if you don¡¯t mind.¡± Little by little, a bright and carefree smile was stered on Rihannan¡¯s face ¨C¨C it was that kind of smile Mary hadn¡¯t seen for a long time. Mary smiled back and then suddenly spouted something worrisome. ¡°But shouldn¡¯t you inform the Queen first?¡± Hertia Cesca, Queen of Arundell. Arundell¡¯s very own Queen and princess, a cousin to her mother, and godmother to Rihannan. The most up-to-date novels are published on lightnovelwor__ld Advertisement ¡°Yes¡­ I should¡­¡± ¡°So when we leave, we should let the Queen know first.¡± Rihannan had followed her mother to the royal pce several times before. At that time, she found the Queen a scary person ¨C¨C her being the woman known to have jumped directly into a battlefield filled with corpses and blood to regain the throne¡­ she also suppressed the aristocratic forces that revolted against her after she became Queen. Arundell was traditionally known to the region as an exceptionally strong and powerful country with a somewhat backward system. The Council of Nobility, with each noble representing a region, had more power than the King. So Arundell remained at a standstill using the former system while surrounding nations transformed into a powerful, centralized state. One person who wanted to change Arundell¡¯s doom and fate was the Queen¡¯s father, Edgar II. Because of his view, he suffered numerous conflicts with the nobles throughout his reign, of which continued until his death. At that time, the nobles tried to downy her ruling and attempted to crown her cousin over Hertia Cesca, the rightful heir to the throne. Though the partial reason was that she was a woman and the nobles were worried that she would fulfill her father¡¯s vision. After Hertia handed over the throne herself to her cousin on the condition that her son seed the throne, the reduced aristocracy seemed to expand again, but much to their dismay, the King passed away early on. And her son, who was pronounced King at the time, was young an inexperienced and so Hertia regained her power through the convergence cleanup. It was done so naturally too. The most up-to-date novels are published on lightnovelwor__ld But right after, the nobles struck again. The nobles who sided with the previous King, Hertia¡¯s cousin, abandoned the treaty and decided to establish one of his sons as the next King. The nobles schemed in secret and it looked like it would have been sessful but¡­ *** * Hertia Cesca is pronounced as [Er-sha Chess-ka] Chapter 12 Feared Queen

Chapter 12 Feared Queen

Chapter 12: Feared Queen shback. Hertia Cesca suffered ignominy when she was a young, naive princess. Failing to read the signs of rebellion brewing, she was locked in the castle. Since then, she swore she¡¯d never repeat the same mistakes again. Learning of the nobles nefarious machination and plot in advance, Hertia temporarily arrested the nobles supporting thete king¡¯s sons. Hertia was right. The nobles resisted fiercely, but all their ns was fruitless for they were quickly put behind bars due to the damning evidence none could deny. Had their schemingse to fruition, it¡¯d be considered retaliation. So before they could make a move, Hertia cut off all their limbs. From then on, thete king¡¯s sons hid from Hertia¡¯s eyes. Since then, Hertia worked on series of burdens and tasks to establish a strong, centralized government from fixing the tax system to disbanding the nobility-affiliated knights to weakening the aristocratic fiefdom. After the series of convergence clean-up, the reigning Queen gained a notorious reputation as the most feared person in Arundelle. Arundelites feared her; not following her orders was akin to sinning. But to Rihannan, the Queen¡¯s goddaughter, Hertia was nothing but warm, affectionate, and loving. In the early days, when all Rihannan knew was happiness, though the absence of fatherly-love was stillcking, she was fine and content with her mother. She was still alive then and Rihannan often followed her in the royal pce. It was in the royal pce Rihannan saw the Queen for the first time. The Queen looked at her big, innocent eyes affectionately and immediately ced the little child in herp, bribing her with a snack. Rihannan remembered those memories like it was yesterday. Those were happy memories. Speaking of fond memories, there was also the garden the Queen and her mother frequented to. They¡¯d walk about in the garden where bonsai trees lined up perfectly. In that peaceful garden, they¡¯d talk about everything and anything. Oftentimes, Rihannan¡¯s little feet struggled to keep up and so she decided she¡¯d journey in the garden by herself. Looking around, she saw scenes of serene flowers and beautiful butterflies. It distracted her. Then came the sound of a bird chirping. She looked over and saw a golden little bird with its wings tangled in the branches. Rihannan looked to the left and saw a cat nearby ready to pounce. ¡°Ah¡­¡± Rihannan quickly looked for means to save the bird, but it was to no avail. All innocent little her could do was pick the stone resting on the ground and throw it to the cat, albeit weakly. The stone flew only a few centimeters before dropping. It was only a matter of time before the bird would end up as the cat¡¯s prey. ¡°Give it up. That, that is the bird¡¯s fate.¡± ¡°!!¡± Rihannan was startled and she had almost tripped on her footing. ¡°Why are you so surprised?¡± Rihannan looked at the boy. He ran his fingers over his glossy ck hair, revealing those deep, dark violet eyes. It was of vivid color. He had dark hair, dark eyes, and a typically soft appearancemonly seen from an Arundelite, and a unique cold air, one uniquely different from Rihannan¡¯s Crichton cousins. ¡°Who are you?¡± Rihannan asked, looking at his indifferent gaze. If Rihannan was a little bit older, she¡¯d have quickly realized that there was only one boy in the royal pce that could walk around infortable clothing. But she wouldn¡¯t have known. She was young, after all. Advertisement The boyughed, finding Rihanna¡¯s bewilderment amusing. ¡°You¡¯re absurd. Who are you?¡± He said. ¡°I¡¯m Ri¡­ no, I need your help!¡± Rihannan grabbed his hand and quickly pulled him towards the bird. But it was a futile action. Like a heavy rock, the boy refused to budge. It didn¡¯t match his babyface one bit. ¡°I told you to give it up. That¡¯s the bird¡¯s destiny.¡± The boy pointed to the cat approaching the bird. ¡°You see that cat? Look at her drooping belly. She¡¯s a new mother. If the hunt fails, the bird will live, but her kittens will starve.¡± The boy looked at the mother cat who¡¯d recently given birth to her kittens. Her breast milk was stretched out and she had left her younglings to go hunting. ¡°Yes, but¡­¡± Rihannan¡¯s face turned sullen. She liked neither birds nor cats, truth be told, but all things small, cute, and warm. Rather than save the bird, Rihannan did not want to see the kittens starve. And truth be told, the boy was right. But¡­ That did not mean she liked to see the mother cat pouncing on the little bird in front of her eyes. If there was a way, she would have liked to save them both, but she could not. She was powerless and that made her all the more frustrated. *** Would mean a lot if you could give the novel a rating and review. Click here. Thank you very much!! Chapter 13 Make a Wish

Chapter 13 Make a Wish

Chapter 13: Make a Wish shback continued¡­ ¡°¡­Are you crying?¡± Rihannan shed tears like a river dam flowing uncontrobly. The boy covered and flinched, unsure what to do and at a loss for he¡¯d never seen a woman tear up since birth. ¡°Don¡¯t cry! People will think I made you cry. Hey, don¡¯t cry¡­ ok?¡± After soothing the troubled Rihannan, albeit in failure, the boy grinded his teeth. ¡°Oh, okay, I got it! I¡¯ll save the bird!¡± The boy ran to the big tree and climbed up the trunk in one fell swoop. The mother cat, with its mouth wide open, was about to pounce on the bird. Judging that he was running out of time, the boy jumped over the thick branch without a moment¡¯s hesitation. Chirp, chirp! Swoosh! The most up-to-date novels are published on _ligh_tnovelworld.c_om ¡°Ahhhh!¡± Boom! In that moment, various sounds mingled in with sounds of harmony that filled the entire garden. Rihannan came running up in amazement at the sight of the boy crashing to the ground. ¡°Are you all right?¡± The boy donned a face that did not look alright and groaned softly. The small, little bird was in his hand and the mother cat, frightened, ran away. As soon as the boy opened his hand, the little bird flew up into the blue sky, pping its wings happily. ¡°Ah¡­¡± Rihannan¡¯s eyes widened. While distracted by the bird that now appeared as a small dot, the voice of the boy came from below. ¡°What? I threw this precious body in danger for you and you don¡¯t even care?¡± The most up-to-date novels are published on _ligh_tnovelworld.c_om Only then did Rihanan turn to the boy who looked irritated. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Are you hurt?¡± ¡°Nope.¡± He said bluntly as he rose up with Rihannan¡¯s help. Rihannan looked at him anxiously. Fortunately, like he mentioned, he didn¡¯t incur any injuries, aside from his torn and dirty attire. His face was covered with ck soil; Rihannan used her hand and wiped the dirt off his face. The boy¡¯s purple eyes widened for an instant before looking away. ¡°Who are you¡­?¡± ¡°Did you see it?¡± Rihannan asked excitedly. The most up-to-date novels are published on _ligh_tnovelworld.c_om ¡°What?¡± The boy was confused. ¡°I know that bird.¡± ¡°What bird?¡± ¡°It was Ataraxia!¡± Ataraxia was not a real bird, but a bird that only appeared in myths. It was the same in Crichton. They too had their own mythical bird called Myastra. Myastra was a half-god and half-human that lived in between the human realm and the heaven. In the human realm, it was no different from the average bird. As mythical birds were often threatened, they¡¯d grant one wish to the person who saved their lives. ¡°You know, when the bird flew into the sky, it suddenly grew so big that it sparked ever so brightly. I saw it clearly!¡± ¡°¡­..¡± ¡°I see¡­ wow, that¡¯s amazing. So I saw something really great.¡± The most up-to-date novels are published on _ligh_tnovelworld.c_om The boy was about to say something, but he soon closed his mouth and sighed. Contrary to his words, his expression wasn¡¯t the least bit surprised, but Rihannan didn¡¯t care. She was ttered by his response. ¡°That wish is yours.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± Rihannan looked around and soon found what she wanted ¨C¨C a small yellow feather that fell on the floor. She handed it over to the boy. ¡°You saved the bird¡¯s life. Make a wish with this.¡± The boy picked up the yellow feather without saying a word. The tip of his lips went up a little. Chapter 14 The First and Last

Chapter 14 The First and Last

Chapter 14: The First and Last shback continued¡­ ¡°My wish, will ite true?¡± Asked the young boy. ¡°Of course. Dimi did it. He held the feather and made a long wish and Myastra appeared.¡± ¡°Dimi? Who is that?¡± ¡°My cousin. Dimi knows everything.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± The boy pondered over something and looked at the yellow feather again. Rihannan¡¯s face grew a little sullen. ¡°Don¡¯t you like it?¡± The most up-to-date novels are published on l_ightnove_lworld_ ¡°No, I like it, but I was thinking that it should be you to write that wish.¡± ¡°But you saved the bird.¡± ¡°Yes, but we did it together. If it weren¡¯t for you, the thought of saving the bird would note to mind in the first ce. Take it. Think of it as my gift to you.¡± At his reasoning, Rihannan¡¯s face brightened. In truth, she too wanted the mythical feather. ¡°Wait, you said Myastra, didn¡¯t you? Is Dimitri your cousin from Crichton?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°You¡¯re a Crichton, too?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m an Arundelite. I was born and raised here.¡± ¡°Who are you?¡± Rihannan¡¯s lips opened, about to answer the question repeated three times, when a womanly voice from afar rang out. The most up-to-date novels are published on l_ightnove_lworld_ ¡°Rihannan?¡± It was her mother. Next to her was the Queen. They had walked all the way from here, looking for Rihannan after their time spent together. ¡°Mother!¡± Her mother looked at Rihannan fondly, then soon found the boy with Rihannan and bowed her head hurriedly. ¡°Your Highness, you were with my daughter¡­ perhaps Rihannan has caused you trouble.¡± It was then that Rihannan realized the boy¡¯s true identity. The boy she spoke ill off and climbed the tree for her was Igor Cesca, Arundell¡¯s boy king. ¡°¡­.It¡¯s been a long time, Countess Alessin.¡± The boy king bowed politely to the Countess, his voice distinctly colder than it had been a while ago. ¡°Igor, Rihannan, I had ns for you two to meet someday, but this is great too. What were you two doing?¡± The Queen approached Igor with joy and tenderness. Igor hurriedly handed the feather to Rihannan and she epted it in a fumbled mess. The most up-to-date novels are published on l_ightnove_lworld_ ¡°It¡¯s nothing, I was just talking to this child.¡± ¡°And Igor, what¡¯s wrong with your clothes?¡± Igor¡¯s clothes were torn and crumpled with dirt from the fall earlier ago. Rihannan¡¯s face turned ashen. Afraid of the punishment she¡¯d incur from the damage she made, Rihannan quickly hid behind her mother and grabbed the hem of her skirt and shivered. ¡°I was just free and bored. I unknowingly rolled on the floor by myself. It¡¯s no big deal. No need to bother about it, Mother.¡± Igor did not involve Rihannan and ced all the me on him. He said his farewell to everyone before leaving garden. Rihannan stared nkly at the boy¡¯s back from the horizon. There was a haze in her heart and her cheeks glowed rosy red. The handsome face of the boy, who smiled freely and so casually, filled her mind. And to keep their own little trite secret, Rihannan treasured the feather in her hand. She thought she¡¯d like to visit the pce again in the near future and speak to him again. Advertisement But that was the first andst goodwill he held towards Rihannan. Rihannan realizedter on that he was at odds with his mother, someone who belong to Crichton. The most up-to-date novels are published on l_ightnove_lworld_ shback end. ¡°Of course, I¡¯ll tell the Queen, but I won¡¯t be present in Arundell when I decide to inform the Queen. Rihannan, who returned to the present, spoke quietly to Mary. ¡°When do you n to go to Crichton?¡± Mary asked, somewhat surprise. ¡°In two days time.¡± ¡°I¡­ I see.¡± Mary thought she¡¯d leave as soon as possible, but she did not think it would be this fast. ¡°Wait, Miss, that¡¯s so fast!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be taking care of everything urgent that needs to be taken care off and leave the rest to Jeffrey. He will do fine taking care of things without me¡­ you don¡¯t have to worry about packing either. We¡¯ll only take what we need. The rest we can grab in Crichton.¡± The most up-to-date novels are published on l_ightnove_lworld_ ¡°Miss, why are you rushing to leave so quickly? Are you worried the Count will return and ruin everything?¡± ¡°No, it has nothing to do with my father. No matter how many times father intrudes, he¡¯ll only be met with resistance and the freedom for the servant to kick him out.¡± ¡°Then why are you¡­¡± *** T/N: IDWTBL is set to be released daily Monday through Friday, but I will first be working on stacking up for advanced chapters and in the case that I fall ill and end up having trouble tranting. Chapter 15 Is This Your Answer?

Chapter 15 Is This Your Answer?

Chapter 15: Is This Your Answer? Arundell and the mansion, it was the ce Rihannan was born and lived all her life without obstacles. Though she visited Crichton several times, they were all temporary and fleeting. Mary was stupefied; she did not easily believe Rihannan, who¡¯d never lived elsewhere, could leave her hometown without hints of regret. ¡°I just want to leave this ce quickly. There are so many bad memories here.¡± She bit her lip and closed her eyes. shback¡­ A few years had passed since the first visit to the royal pce. Rihannan was forced once again into the royal pce as queen candidate. She had the full support of the Queen. There also exists several opportunities to meet Igor, the boy king she once knew. But he was unusually cold to her. Rihannan consoled herself, saying that he had changed because he¡¯d grown to an adult. That sweet, little boy was just hiding from a facade. It was not until she entered the pce that Rihannan knew that he would never wee her. Their rtionship as King and Queen was only that ¨C¨C a close aide and watcher to the Queen. ¡°Are you satisfied, Mother? You¡¯ve managed to keep my limbs, my hands, and feet all tied down. Are you musing in your own enjoyment?¡± Visit ligh_tnov_elwor_ld. for the best novel reading experience That was the conversation Rihannan heard prior to the wedding. His sarcastic remark made the Queen furious. ¡°What do you mean? Rihannan is a good girl. She¡¯s the best match for you, Igor. I don¡¯t know why you keep distorting my words.¡± ¡°That¡¯s exactly what I thought my Mother would say.¡± He clicked his tongue, left the room, and ran into Rihannan, who stood at the door. Her face turned a pale a white. Igor concluded that she had heard the conversation and so, wore an embarrassed look momentarily. Rihannan wore the same expression she made when she was young; she chuckled when looking back at that situation. Igor¡¯s face immediately hardened. ¡°It¡¯s something you should know anyway. It¡¯s good. Now there¡¯s nothing to hide. You will have to choose soon. Will you give me all of you, or will you remain as Queen?¡± It was a warning; clear as daylight. If she doesn¡¯t choose properly, she¡¯ll only meet unhappy results. After the hectic wedding, she was to have her first night with the King. Though it was nothing like the fantasy she dreamt of, it was still a marriage between a King and Queen of the country. Even their most private lives needed a sort of official confirmation. Behind the bedside curtains, witnesses of their marriage watched their union. Rihannan felt ashamed. She could not hope to receive affection from her newly-wedded husband under such circumstances. Visit ligh_tnov_elwor_ld. for the best novel reading experience She recalled herte mother who married a man who had not a speck of love for her. She was a young woman, a mother who loved a man so much that she¡¯d keep him at her side by all means that she could. But it was no use. He avoided her and had a child with a woman he loved on the side. And as soon as her mother died, he let that woman¡¯s child into her home. Remembering those memories, she made a vow, a vow that she¡¯ll never give her love like her mother did, that she¡¯ll never do anything stupid. But now, she found herself on the same path as her mother. Realizing this mere fact alone, Rihannan wept in hot tears. As Igor¡¯s face drew near, Rihannan turned her head, disgusted at herself. She ced her hand on his chest and pushed hard. Her resistance stopped Igor¡¯s movement and he stared at her quietly. Something unusual had gone through his dark purple eyes and Rihannan trembled in fear of it. The witnesses behind the curtain trembled little by little. The King hadn¡¯t made a move yet. As their hushed voices grew louder, there was a low growl. ¡°Is this your answer?¡± Chapter 16 Virginity

Chapter 16 Virginity

Chapter 16: Virginity shback continued¡­ Rihannan knew he despised the wedding, and Rihannan sincerely hoped he¡¯d be the first to break their marriage. If, at this very moment, he deres they not consummate their marriage before the true sexual intercourse takes ce between the two, amotion would arise, but¡­ she would be able to avoid a marriage she and Igor did not want. Of course, she¡¯d end up stigmatized, forever known as the woman divorced on the day of her wedding. She would never marry again; and who would marry a bride abandoned by the King on the first night? Maybe she¡¯ll never have a ce in society again. But that was good enough. It was a better alternative than living with a man whose love wascking. She didn¡¯t want a man like her father. Rihannan would much rather hear whispers behind her back than to live every second of her life knowing her husband had no love for her. ¡°Yes¡­¡± Rihannan managed to answer Igor; she closed her eyes tightly. The most up-to-date novels are published on lightnovelwo__rld. From the first day the Queen was pronounced guilty of disloyalty to the King, no one would want a Queen around. Rihannan expected Igor¡¯dsh out in rage; she thought he¡¯d take his hands off her body, put his attire back on, then get out of bed and im their marriage invalid ¨C¨C their consummation had yet to be established. But after a long time, there was no response from Igor. Rihannan cautiously raised her head and what she saw was his purple eye infused with cold, derisive anger. ¡°¡­I see.¡± He lowered his head and whispered quietly in her ear. ¡°Then, my wife, I don¡¯t want it either, but endure it, even if you don¡¯t like it. You can¡¯t run away from this now.¡± Soon as he finished his statement, Igor bit on her ear. Rihannan screamed loudly, but managed to suppress her scream in her throat. And instead of getting out of the bed and announcing the annulment of their marriage, Igor held Rihannan¡¯s body without a moment¡¯s hesitation. There was no love in his action, only pure coldness, but regardless, it was a mechanical action, a mechanical bond to prove the witness that their two bodies were connected as one. The most up-to-date novels are published on lightnovelwo__rld. He thrusted in her, not caring for the pain she¡¯d feel. In and out, Igor pushed deeper inside her, feeling her more. In this one-sided act, Rihannan could feel nothing but pain. By the time he reached his climax, the witnesses quietly left the room and Igorid beside her with a long sigh. In time, only the man and woman¡¯s breath filled the space. Rihannan was in static shock; ?sheforted her mind that this was bound to happen¡­ finding true love was rare. There were lucky lovers ¨C¨C they grew up bound by love and married with love in their hearts. Most aristocratic nobles married for political purposes. It was natural that a mandatory rtionship would be established without affection between two parties. Suddenly, Igor¡¯s voice rang when Rihannan had given up, her eyes shut tightly. Advertisement ¡°You¡¯d better not think I¡¯ll continue to tolerate your ambiguous attitude.¡± With eyes closed, he said coldly. The most up-to-date novels are published on lightnovelwo__rld. That was thest conversation they had. Igor soon fell asleep while Rihannan was up awake that night with eyes wide open. When the night passed and sunrise came, the maids walked in and took the bloodstained bedcloth, a proof of their official union. Now, there was no choice but to keep their marriage alive and intact. Of course, there exists other methods of divorce, but that was not realistic. Since then, Rihannan quietly isted herself with the King and Hertia Cesca, whose conflict deepened over time. In the meantime, their loveless act of love continued in bed. It¡¯d be for the best if he avoided seeing her, but he was eager to produce an offspring, an heir. This too was political. Igor¡¯s maternal grandfather, thete king, had no real male heir and experienced a total war of devastation after his death. Igor may have wanted to avoid that. He visited Rihannan frequently and spent the night together, but over time, she bore him no children. Rumors circted throughout the court that the Queen was infertile. The burdens of bearing the King a child dawned on Rihannan and she became exhausted. The most up-to-date novels are published on lightnovelwo__rld. Then, one day, he stoppeding. Rather than celebrate in happiness, Rihannan¡¯s grief rose at the thought that she was, indeed, abandoned by him. Chapter 17 Dimitri Priebius

Chapter 17 Dimitri Priebius

Chapter 17: Dimitri Priebius shback continued¡­ One day, at the maids¡¯ urging, Rihannan sat on the garden and overlooked the blooming flowers and deep-green trees; birds and butterflies happily yed with the nts. She heard a yful song from behind. What she likes is a chubby rabbit, But the best thing in the world is rabbit meat. Yum, yum, So delicious! Rihannan jumped from her seat and turned around. It was her cousin, Dimitris. He sung the song for her. She remembered that he¡¯d used to tease her when she went to Crichton as a child. While venturing the forest with her cousins, unaware that it was a rabbit hunting, Rihannan¡¯s capable cousins caught a small, white rabbit. Little Rihannan was amazed by the novelty and cuteness of the rabbit. It was the first she¡¯d ever seen of it. When she followed her cousins to the water¡¯s edge, she saw a scene of horror; the searing fire sizzled the rabbit full. Rihannan burst into tears and her mischievous cousins kept making songs as they made fun of her, of course, while appeasing cute, little Rihannan. ¡°Dimi!¡± Dimitris Priebius, one of her Crichton cousins. He had a fondness for mischief. Even now he was smirking. It was great to see him again in these days, Rihannan thought. Though Dimitri was not a member of the royal family, he was nevertheless, of Crichton noble blood. The princes died one after another from an epidemic, and he suddenly found himself thrown in the royal throne as Crichton¡¯s crown prince. Of course he had to visit Rihannan. Given his status, he could do so by all means. ¡°Beautiful and noble Queen Rihannan, I can¡¯t believe you still remember this humble song¡­¡± Before Dimitri could finish hisical and exaggerated act, Rihannan ran and jumped to him for a hearty-hug. Surprised by the warm wee of his cousin, who was far more intense than he had expected, Dimitri burst out inughter. ¡°My God, Rhia, did you miss me that much? Obviously, thest time we met, you said you¡¯d never talk to me again!¡± ¡°That¡¯s because you drew a beard on my beloved doll!¡± ¡°That¡¯s because I thought that if I did that, you wouldn¡¯t go until all your dolls were fixed up!¡± ¡°Why are you here now¡­? Have you forgotten me all this time?¡± Rihannan burst into tears in his arms. It was as if she¡¯d returned back to her happy childhood. Although Dimitri hadn¡¯t been in the pce for long, he smiled bitterly. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m sorry, ?Rhia. I did wrong.¡± He began appeasing his cousin. He remembered that she¡¯d always been tearful, soft, and tender-hearted since she was young. Dimitri patted her slender back with his hand and kissed her cheek, something he¡¯d done regrly as a child to calm her down. ¡°It¡¯s hard, isn¡¯t it ? If you keep crying like this, you¡¯ll copse. Stop crying. Huh¡­?¡± After soothing Rihannan, Dimitri looked up. From one side of the garden, the King and his servants looked at them with firm faces. It was only then that Rihannan felt something strange and took her face off Dimitri¡¯s chest. She immediately froze upon seeing Igor¡¯s cold and steel-hardened face. He hadn¡¯t seen her these recent days, but he suddenly appeared without notice. ¡°Your Grace¡­¡± Igor approached the nervous Rihannan. His face was filled with an elegant and refined smile. He greeted Rihannan with a friendly greeting and held her hand firmly. Rihannan was nervous and mindful of his movements. Advertisement Dimitris greeted Igor first. ¡°Congrattions, Your Highness. When I came to the pce regarding Lexington¡¯s affairs, I suddenly had this urge to see how my cousin was doing. I hadn¡¯t seen her in a long time! I didn¡¯t expect that we¡¯d meet like this.¡± Lexington was a small state connected between Arundell and Crichton. It was an independent state, but in truth, it was under the control of two countries, Arundell and Crichton. A recent conflict broke out, involving Arundell and Chrichton. Apparently the cause of it was amission done by the King of Crichton. Igor¡¯s expression changed subtly soon as he heard the state¡¯s name. ¡°¡­.It¡¯s amazing how I first heard about the envoying here regarding the Lexington Principles.¡± ¡°Oh, it¡¯s with the Queen, and it¡¯s already¡­¡± Dimitri soon realized his mistake and quickly closed his mouth. Dimitri was an intellectual man and had an eye for things. He was quick to judge the situation and quickly noticed that the younger King was excluded from the line of work. ¡°Perhaps the Queen doesn¡¯t want His Majesty to worry about trivial matters.¡± ¡°Do you think so?¡± ¡°Yes. We all know that the Queen cares very much for her son, His Majesty. She gave up her throne for you.¡± ¡°Yes. I feel heartfelt gratitude to my Mother. Everyone likes to remind me of this.¡± Their conversation was noble and full of grace, but underneath it was a hidden veil of thin ice-like tension that never seemed to break. Rihannan realized that she had built another misunderstanding between him for he saw with his own eyes the scene of her meeting Chrichton¡¯s envoy, whom he did not know and was privy to. He must¡¯ve thought again that she had conspired with the Queen in advance, furthering his despise for Rihannan. Chapter 18 Life In Her Belly

Chapter 18 Life In Her Belly

Chapter 18: Life In Her Belly shback continued¡­ ¡°If you don¡¯t mind, I¡¯d like to spend some time with my wife, alone. Would you excuse me?¡± At his sudden remark, Rihannan looked at Igor with eyes of surprise. She¡¯d only met her cousin for the first time in ages and she did not want her and Dimitri to break away so soon. Since her mother died, she¡¯d been out of touch with her Chrichton rtives. It was not until she¡¯d grown of age she learned of her father deliberately interrupting their calls in the middle, afraid Rihannan would escape from his grasp and the power of her foreign family. ¡°¡­..¡± However, she could not afford to refuse Igor. Rihannan lowered her head in submission. Dimitri immediately noticed her agitation, but there was nothing he could do against Arundell¡¯s king. He did not have the power to go against him, at least not at the moment. ¡°Rhia is a good girl. Please take care of her. She¡¯s very precious.¡± Igor smiled. ¡°Thank you for your advice, but my wife is no longer a child. It is time that you stop calling my wife by her nickname. You should also cease close contact with her. Times have changed. I hope you¡¯ll keep my heed in your mind at all times from now on.¡± ¡°¡­.Of course¡­¡± And that concluded thest of their conversation. Rihannan was led to her quarters by Igor. That night, he held her in the most violent act ever. The act, which would end in one round previously, continued tirelessly that night. He inserted his shaft inside her repeatedly, plundering her in a fiery passion of anger. And then dawn rose. Rihannan was exhausted. She could not lift her finger even. And soon she fell asleep. And Igor too was wrought with tiredness. He too had a look of desperation she¡¯d never seen and she had no idea what it was. When she opened her eyes in the afternoon, Igor was nowhere to be seen. The cold bed sheets next to her gave her the indication that he¡¯d left long ago. That was thest night they spent together. Not long after, Rihannan finally sumbed to her father¡¯s subtle threats to help Leticia enter the pce. It seemed like the only path to gain her father¡¯s fake love. And so Leticia was invited to the royal ball. The Queen¡¯s beautiful half-sister immediately became a hot topic among the nobledies. Though, the hottest gossip of all was the royal intrigue. The King broke all customs and danced with Leticia several times during the royal ball. Advertisement After the royal ball, rumors of the royal scandal spread like wildfire. It was bound to happen, they thought. It was widely known priori that the King had no inkling interest for the Queen, who was thete Queen¡¯s close aide. In addition, she had not borne him a child for years. And one thing was clear, Rihannan was nothing like her father. Since the royal ball, Count Alessin openly dered that thete Queen should give all power to the new King and step back. Therefore, if Leticia were to give birth to his child, well, no one could openly defy Count Alessin. And above all, time was fair to everyone. As time passes, the center of power would shift from Hertia Cesca to Igor Cesca. So their attention leaned to the King¡¯sck of love for his Queen. The people expected a divorce. She hadn¡¯t borne him a child, after all. Then one day, while the rumors continued to spread and caused Rihannan grief, she found that life was growing in her belly. Thest night he spent with her, the baby he so desired, finally came to fruition. Rihannan, reminiscing the memories of that time, quickly felt a painful ache in her chest. Although inside her lives the body of her unborn, the memory of another life wriggling inside Leticia¡¯s belly remained vividly clear. Not long after, she lost her child and she suffered in despair. Following her loss, she was then abandoned, abandoned by Igor. And soon she lost any meaning and will to live. She had no regrets drinking the poison Leticia gave her. She¡¯d do it again given the chance. And even without it, she knew death awaited her. She¡¯d be dragged out, tongue cut off, and head decapitated in front of the masses. shback end¡­ Chapter 19 He Believed In Her

Chapter 19 He Believed In Her

Chapter 19: He Believed In Her Present day¡­ ¡°I understand, Miss. Let¡¯s leave as soon as possible.¡± Seeing Rihannan¡¯s countenance darken, Mary hurriedly consoled her. ¡°I¡¯ll prepare and pack the clothes and all that we need. You don¡¯t need to worry about everything else.¡± ¡°Thank you, Mary.¡± ¡°You¡¯re wee, Miss. I can start packing right now, if you¡¯d like, if we want to leave within two days.¡± ¡°First, we need a ship. Find one for us, please, Mary. Thank you. You don¡¯t need to reserve a whole ship for us. It¡¯d be for the best if there are other people present. That would be enough.¡± ¡°Yes, Miss. Don¡¯t worry, you can trust me.¡± Mary smiled, cing her hand on her chest. ¡°Would you please tell Jeffrey toe inside on the way out?¡± ¡°As you wish, Miss.¡± Mary left the room, seeking the old butler, Jeffrey. A whileter, the butler knocked on the door, a sign of his timely appearance. He entered and Rihannan pointed to the chair next to him. ¡°Have you waited for a long time, Lady Rihannan? I apologize.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s alright. I spoke to Mary for a long time, too. First, have a seat. We have a lot to talk about.¡± The butler sat on the chair , seat facing her, his wrinkled face full of expression. ¡°I¡¯m grateful for you helping me, Jeffrey. Your deeds won¡¯t go unnoticed.¡± Had Jeffrey sumbed to the Count¡¯s order and locked her up, her path might have turned out differently. Count Alessin would prevent all means of contact from Rihannan¡¯s Crichton rtives and from the Queen with excuses of her falling ill and her being mentally unstable due to her mother¡¯s death. And they would ept that too. It was a proper excuse by all means. They¡¯d tend to believe universal right. And it was easy to ept an illegitimate child brought into the house of her noble father. That too, wasmon. Leticia lost her mother, Rihannan lost her mother. That too, they thought would be amon bond of grief Leticia and Rihannan could share. Jeffrey shook his head. ¡°No, Lady Rihannan. I just did what I thought was right.¡± ¡°I know it¡¯s not easy turning a blind eye to the person you¡¯ve been following for a long time. I heard that you¡¯ve looked after father since he was young.¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± Jeffrey¡¯s eyes glinted, recalling the memories of the young and carefree Count Alessin. ¡°Lady Rihannan, do you have something you want to say?¡± ¡°I¡¯m about to leave for Crichton.¡± Jeffrey nodded slowly. ¡°I was making some guesses. I think it would be best for you too. Your Crichton rtives will be your strong support.¡± ¡°While I¡¯m away, I want you to take care of this ce.¡± Jeffrey¡¯s eyes widened, surprised for an instant. ¡°The management here is¡­ the officials, the royal court¡­ they¡­¡± ¡°I will give you all responsibilities and power to manage the estate. I¡¯ll be writing a letter to you once a month.¡± ¡°But, Lady Rihannan, how can I¡­¡± ¡°If no one else, father will end up regaining this house.¡± Advertisement The old butler breathed a low sigh. He relived the face of the Count¡¯s full and fiery resentment. ¡°¡­.Okay. If that is your wish, then I will ept.¡± ¡°Everyone here in the mansion knows that Jeffrey is an effective butler and manager.¡± Rihannan smiled cutely and spread out a rolled piece of paper on the table. It was a map of thend that she was entitled to. ¡°It would be difficult for you and I to take care of all thend considering our distance, so it¡¯s better to organize and sort it out. First, we¡¯ll sell all the less productivend or businesses and leave only what we need. I need your help for this.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a good idea.¡± Jeffrey had, for many years, spearheaded the management of the estate. He knew more of thend¡¯s economic situation than the Count or anyone else. He began pointing out details that Rihannan¡¯d need to sort out and what she¡¯d need to leave behind. Then his fingers pointed to an area of open field. ¡°The soil here is so poor that crops cannot grow. There are also many rugged stones, making it unsuitable for raising sheep and cattle. Though it doesn¡¯t mean it¡¯s not essible as a trade route. We¡¯d better sell this area at a bargain price.¡± ¡°No. Leave this ce as it is.¡± He looked up at Rihannan. ¡°But, Lady Rihannan, this is¡­¡± ¡°I know what you want to say. I have something in mind for this area. Just do as I say.¡± So far, Rihannan had epted all his opinions thus far and ?had not made any concession. Jeffrey looked back at thend he found of little use to see if he overlooked anything, but he saw nothing. ¡°Alright.¡± Regardless, she was the owner of thend. It was best to let her do as she pleases. Finishing up, Jeffrey stared at Rihannan, who would soon leave to Crichton in two days time. Leaving Arundell and settling down in another country was no easy feat. No matter how close she was to her rtives, she was still a child, after all. Jeffrey was worried for her, but after today, she seemed different, and he thought that she would do just fine in Crichton. He believed in her. Chapter 20 I Dont Want To Marry

Chapter 20 I Don''t Want To Marry

Chapter 20: I Don¡¯t Want To Marry ¡°Lady Rihannan, is there a chance you¡¯lle back to Arundell?¡± ¡°Yes, maybe. I do not know.¡± ¡°I see¡­¡± Jeffrey let out a faint sigh. He had watched her since she was a babe. It pained him to know the child he had known since for and ever would be leaving so soon. ¡°I had thought all this time that you¡¯d end up marrying a good man and have a child with him, but now, I can¡¯t bring myself to do so.¡± Rihannanughed briefly at Jeffrey¡¯s words, one that was full of regrets. ¡°I don¡¯t intend to get married. And a child? I don¡¯t want one.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°You think I¡¯m young and that I don¡¯t know much, but that¡¯s not true. Jeffrey, I really don¡¯t want to get married or have children. I mean it.¡± Rihannan sped her hand together. Because¡­ When there was life in her belly, it only brought her pain and suffering. shback¡­ When it was revealed a new seed of life sprouted in Rihannan¡¯s belly, her world changed quickly. The Queen¡¯s Pce was crowded with thousands of people and nobles who secretly respected Rihannan visited her with a congrattory greeting and showered her with expensive gifts. And above all, Igor was ted. He¡¯d visit her whenever his schedule permitted him to and often checked her health, asking if she had eaten yet. She shook her head, smiled, and softly muttered, ¡°I didn¡¯t know the King has this side of him.¡± And from then on, it seemed like the cold years between them began to melt rapidly. Awaiting the birth of their child, they¡¯d frequently have a conversation for the first time. ¡°I wonder if we¡¯ll have a son or a daughter.¡± One day, he ced his hand on her growing belly and said softly. Unlike Igor, who was full of expectations, Rihannan thought so otherwise and she shrunk a little at his words. ¡°Please be a boy.¡± He said. It mattered not to Rihannan whether her unborn child was of a specific gender. No matter the oue, she intended to pour every drop of her love, but she knew the hardships her child would face if born a princess. And knowing the hardships of bearing a child, Rihannan did not believe she¡¯d be pregnant again. Perhaps, this child would be her first andst. Rihannan looked at Igor gently and said, ¡°I won¡¯t care if we have a son or a daughter.¡± But her answer was unthinkable to Igor. Rihannan looked at him with eyes of curiosity. Igor, in return, smiled. Advertisement ¡°Of course. Never mind the child¡¯s gender. You¡¯ll slowly find out what I mean.¡± She wasn¡¯t sure what he meant, but she was somewhat relieved. At least she knew he¡¯d not turn a blind eye if the unborn child was born a princess. Ande to think of it, those were the happiest moments she spent with Igor. He¡¯d been nothing but friendly to Rihannan, and her father and Leticia kept mum and silent after it was known that she was soon to bear Igor¡¯s child. As time passed, her body gradually became heavier and she needed more and more rest. Rihannan left the royal pce and vacated herself in the seasonal pce. There, she spent most of her time reading books or knitting clothes for the child she was expecting, breaking away from the duties of a Queen. There were times when a loud ruckus would ur outside, but her servants usually took care of the matter quickly and so she never needed to worry. Then, one day, Rihannan voluntarily visited Igor¡¯s office in the royal pce. The thought of her doing so would have been inconceivable before, but given their restored and renewed rtionship, it seemed natural to visit him. At least she thought so. But what she saw caused her trauma. There, in that office, she saw a man and a woman. There, was a woman with red hair lying obliquely on the royal desk with legs wide open and moaning in deep-seated pleasure. And the man, he stood in between her legs, inserting his all inside her. The woman had her arms twirled around his neck like a coiled snake and her red lips pressed on his cor. In Rihannan¡¯s eyes, Igor seemed willing to enjoy the woman¡¯s caress. The two turned their heads to find Rihanann¡¯s presence before them. Igor donned a look of surprise whereas, Letica wore a smile full of sneering satisfaction. So it was like that¡­ Chapter 21 I Want to Live Happily

Chapter 21 I Want to Live Happily

Chapter 21: I Want To Live A Happy Life shback continued¡­ Rihannan turned around and ran down the hall. So, they¡¯d been meeting for sexual encounters in private eyes. Of course. She should have known. He had never once sought her body for a long while as he had found another to resolve his crazed desires. ¡°Ah¡­¡± When she walked downstairs, her mind was wrought with pain and bouts of headaches and dizziness. Her body reeled slightly forward, strength drained away from her. Maybe it was stress, maybe it was shock, but whatever the case, she did want to lose consciousness at a time like this, but she did and everything turned ck. By the time she regained rity, the life in her belly disappeared ¡ª gone. She could not believe it. In sorrow, she caressed her belly. She could not shed tears. She should, but there was not a drop of ounce avable. The maids, tearing up, attempted to console her, saying she could have another child again. But Rihannan knew deep down that it¡¯d never happen. She had lost the new life in her belly because of mere carelessness. Days had passed since the incident and Igor had yet to visit her. When she asked, the servants stared at one another and kept their mouths shut. And that was when she realized her fate. The most up-to-date novels are published on light_novelworld.c__om She was abandoned after losing his child. She no longer had use for him. Not long after, soldiers arrived in her pce and dragged her to prison and was found guilty of sin for disobedience to the King, selling the country¡¯s secrets to foreigners, and consigning with Crichton. Rihannan did not have an ounce of will tough at the absurdity of the matter. Perhaps he could not stomach the true reasoning for choosing to abandon her. It would not paint a good picture to the people of Arundell, after all. And so he looked for a good reasons to lock her away and finally, turn his back. And besides, what better timing too. Dimitri Preibius¡¯s coronation was happening at the same time. And then there was the falsely damning evidence found that she had an affair with Crichton. Of course, she knew it was far from the truth, but the masses believed the lies they were fed with. Above all, it was a golden opportunity for the King. He¡¯d be able to usurp the power of thete Queen and capture Chricton¡¯s power. Igor could finally have all the power he wanted in return for her downfall. Leticia came to her prison not long after. That she was able to enter and leave freely proved her elevated status and position. ¡°Poor dearest sister.¡± The most up-to-date novels are published on light_novelworld.c__om Leticia mocked her. ¡°You don¡¯t want others to watch your death and decapitation, do you? Give in. This is thest option to protect my sister¡¯s honor.¡± Rihannan was willing to take the poison Letica gave her. There was no trace of regret in her decision. All she wanted¡­ was to end her dreaded life quickly. But, in the end, she returned to the past. She did not know why this happened, but one thing was clear, she would never make the mistakes her former self made. And she would never allow her heart to open up so carelessly. shback end¡­ ¡°Jeffrey, I¡¯m going to leave this ce, and I will live a life under my own terms. I won¡¯t allow anyone to control me.¡± Advertisement Rihannan had stopped thinking for herself since the death of her mother. Her small world shrank since then and ever since, she continued to seek love from others who did not reciprocate and that continued on in her adulthood. She anxiously sought the love from her father as a child and sought the love from her lover as a woman. But she won¡¯t live like that anymore. ¡°I want to live a happy life, Jeffrey.¡± And she would live it to the fullest. The most up-to-date novels are published on light_novelworld.c__om Looking at her determination, Jeffrey nodded and smiled softly. ¡°Yes, Lady Rihannan. Live freely and happily at your own terms. I¡¯m sure thete Countess would want that too.¡± ?? ? ???? ? ?? Two dayster, Rihannan and Mary headed to the port. As their estate was close to the ocean, the journeysted approximately two hours. The boat Mary booked was a regr ferry traveling to Arundell, Chrichton, and back. The white and blue boat floated on the sea was like a picture in a clear, sunny weather. This was the start of her happiness. Chapter 22 Of Crichton Blood

Chapter 22 Of Crichton Blood

Chapter 22: Of Chrichton Blood Rihannan and Mary stepped foot out of the carriage and sauntered to the VIP check-inne. Rihannan looked to Mary and gave a brief nod. ¡°Yes, Miss,¡± said Mary. Mary shuffled the tickets from her trouser and passed it to the sailor whose eyes gawked in surprise looking at the ticket. ¡°Excuse me¡­Mdy¡­¡± The sailor ran out and called for the ship¡¯s captain. The captain arrived shortly. ¡°Pleased to meet you, Mdy. I expected the Count to be here to see you off. Thought I¡¯d even get the chance to meet his noble presence too.¡± The captain bowed, gracefully too, and reached out his hand. Rihannan smiled, picked up her dress, ced her hand on his palm, and entered the ship under his guide. ¡°I¡¯m a bit surprised someone of your status would use a ferry instead,¡± the captain said. ¡°I wanted to leave the country without knowing eyes,¡± Rihannan replied bluntly. Surprised, the captain coughed and said, ¡°Ah, I see. Well, we¡¯re d to have you.¡± His mind was full of questions, unable toprehend why¡¯d a young nobledy would leave her home country in secret, but no matter, he was content to serve a client of noble status. He personally led Rihannan to the ship and led her to her cabin. It was small, but cleanly managed. She won¡¯t have problems in the few days at sea sailing to Crichton. ¡°And this is your room, the best in the ship! If you¡¯re feeling ufortable and need anything, please let me know immediately. I¡¯ll be at your call.¡± The captain bowed, a nominal greeting to a noble, and stepped aside. The maidservants and the crew loaded their luggage into the cabin. Mary wore a curious look and pulled Rihannan¡¯s hand. ¡°Miss, we still have time. Let¡¯s go to the deck,¡± Mary said, the pitch of her voice slightly higher than normal. ¡°Mary, if I¡¯m not wrong, you look more excited than I am.¡± Rihannan smiled. ¡°Oh, Miss,¡± Mary heaved, ¡°I¡¯ve never been to a ship before.¡± Rihannan smiled lightly. Mary was more a child than she was. The duo walked to the ship¡¯s deck and oversaw the vast ocean and the bustling port from below, trotting to the head of the ship thereafter. At the head of the ship was a pointed bow and a golden statue facing towards the sea. It was a vivid statue of a bird whose wings looked like it¡¯d spread any minute. The statue, it was a gargantuan behemoth that Rihannan needed to lean over the railings to catch a glimpse of the bird¡¯s face. She had even touched its ws as support to bnce herself. ¡°It¡¯s Ataraxia, our ship¡¯s guardian,¡± said a passing sailor. Rihannan turned her head cutely and looked at the passing dark-skinned sailor with a startled look. ¡°Did you just say Ataraxia?¡± Rihannan asked curiously. ¡°Yes. This ship is called The Ataraxia. Didn¡¯t you know?¡± Rihannan shook her head in reply. Advertisement The dark-skinned sailor grinned, his pearly white teeth a stark contrast against his caramel skin tone. ¡°Well I¡¯ll tell ya. If you touch the statue, you won¡¯t be swept away by the raging sea, and you¡¯ll return safely back to Arundell. Now that you¡¯ve touched Ataraxia, you¡¯ll be back in Arundell one day.¡± ¡°I have no intention ofing back to Arundell,¡± Rihannan said tly. ¡°Oh, you don¡¯t believe me, do you?¡± The sailor raised his brows. ¡°Well, you¡¯ll see.¡± Then there was a loud booming voice from behind. It was the voice of another sailor warning the boarding passenger the ship was departing. Soon after, the sails slowly spread out and became one with the wind. At the same time, the anchor that was once submerged under the sea slowly rose up. The ship, all set and ready to set sail, slowly moved away from the port and into the sea. Meanwhile, Rihannan mused on the sailor¡¯s words a while ago. His words was thoughtless but she could not help but continue to allow the words to pester her mind. Suddenly, she remembered what the Queen once said. Despite circumstantial evidence that she and Igor were not on good terms, Hertia firmly believed her son cared for Rihannan. Hertia Cesca once said, ¡°I know my son best. If he truly had no inkling feelings for you, he would not marry you. It¡¯s in the nature of our Chrichton blood. He¡¯ll never do anything he doesn¡¯t want to do. He has a strong desire and obsession to do everything by his own will and thought. I, too, was strongly influenced by that blood and it¡¯s the same for Igor.¡± * * * Due to issue with most KR novels¡¯s source material, there exists many issues in itself like: inability to differentiate dialogues with inner thoughts,ck of transition from shback to present, or indicating who the speaker is, the editing process was done liberally and polished heavily to maintain high quality without losing the original meaning. This chapter will be the new standard. Chapter 23 Golden Feather

Chapter 23 Golden Feather

Chapter 23: Golden Feather At the time, Rihannan refuted Hertia¡¯s words inwardly, but she did not speak her thoughts out loud and drank the tea quietly instead. However, Hertiaughed lightly, reading the lines in Rihannan¡¯s face. ¡°Rihannan, you don¡¯t believe me. Look, I put on my battle armor shortly after the birth of my child and dashed straight through the battlefield to keep the crown that rightfully belonged to me. And what of your mother? Wasn¡¯t your mother, who was usually so gentle, kept her beloved man by her side by all means? Keep my words in mind. Igor is the same. He won¡¯t give up on you so easily.¡± But the Queen¡­ she was wrong. She was wise and all-knowing beyond her years, yet she knew nothing about her son. Her words only gave Rihannan false expectations of a happy ever after. Igor Cesca, he was a cruel man. Knowing he could not see his future heir with her, he abandoned her, used her as a scapegoat to remove her power, and stripped her of her status until she had nothing. And so while the sailor believed in Ataraxia, the little young girl did not. She had died, her belief of the world perished beyond saving for all she saw was nothing but darkness. ¡°Mary.¡± Mary turned her head at Rihannan¡¯s call. Rihannan watched the whirling sea. Igor, he was like the sea. She fell for the way his surface sparkled, but failed to see the unknown that rested in his depths. ¡°Yes, Miss?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a little chilly. Could you please head to the cabin and grab my shawl?¡± Rihannan said, crossing her arms. ¡°Yes! One moment, please.¡± Mary hustled straight to the cabin to pick up the shawl. A momentter, Rihannan took out an item she kept close to her. It was a golden feather. From the moment she received the golden feather and up until her death, she kept it as treasure. It was foolish of her to keep it now. Rihannan closed her eyes, breathed deeply, and threw the feather on the deep blue sea. The feather, it floated atop the waves, but soon sank and disappeared without a trace. Not long after, Mary came back and brought Rihannan her woolen shawl. ¡°Actually, Mary,e to think of it, I think it¡¯s better that we go back inside. I¡¯m feeling a little chilly and I think I¡¯ming down with a cold. I¡¯m sorry for the trouble¡­¡± Rihannan gave a weak smile. ¡°Oh, Miss, it¡¯s quite alright. If you catch a cold, now that¡¯d be a big problem for the both of us.¡± Mary headed towards the stern of the ship with Rihannan and soon arrived in front of the cabin. Mary¡¯s footsteps wasrge and ahead of Rihannan. She stood at the side waiting for the youngdy, and the moment Rihannan opened the door, there was amotion on the port. Two people riding atop a horse stopped at the docks. They shouted out loud, but their voices could not reach the ship that had left the sea minutes ago. A young boy riding the horse jumped off, but it was too hurried to the point of causing the horse to trip over. Soon after, the boy mored and argued with the sailors. By gesture alone, it seemed like an order to turn the ship around. Annoyed, the seafarers surrounded the boy threateningly to stop his loud and violent protest. A much older man who followed the boy jumped off his horse and pulled out a knife from his waist. Mary gasped at the sight, her eyes keen. When Rihannan heard the mor slightly, she stopped in her tracks and looked up at Mary. ¡°Mary, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Advertisement ¡°Oh, it¡¯s nothing much, Miss. There¡¯s a bunch of guys at the harbor behaving like thugs. It¡¯s nothing we need to worry.¡± Mary pushed Rihannan towards the cabin, not wanting her to witness the sight. ¡°If they wanted to get on the ship, they should have arrived earlier, else they¡¯d bete. What¡¯s wrong with them? Anyway, there¡¯s a lot of people in this world who have nomon sense, Miss.¡± ¡°Did that really happen?¡± Rihannan looked at Mary and smiled. The twodies entered the cabin and closed the door behind tightly. In the middle of the door was a printed image of Ataraxia soaring into the sky. Meanwhile, in the harbor, the boy looked at the distant ship with a nk countenance. Behind him was a man confronting the frenzied sailors alone with his trusty sword. The sailors, they grew livid at the boy¡¯s excessive demands and the man¡¯s subsequent threats to the point that they too pulled out their weapons. As the sailors narrowed the gap gradually, the man with his trusty sword whispered hurriedly to the boy behind him. ¡°Your Ma¡­ Mr. Igor, do something about this, or we¡¯re both going to die!¡± But the boy¡¯s eyes were glued to the sea, uninterested in anything but the ship leaving Arundell. And then, he opened his mouth. ¡°Go and apologize. Give them your bag,¡± the young boy said, eyes remaining unmoved. This would not have happened had they left minutes earlier. ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°Then go and take care of them all by yourself.¡± Chapter 24 If She Did Her Job Properly

Chapter 24 If She Did Her Job Properly

Chapter 24: If She Did Her Job Properly¡­ The man stared at the boy with eyes of dramatic ir. He did not have much option left, this he knew well, and so he groaned, he groaned and pursed out the bag hanging from the side of his waist and held it out nervously. His lips donned a clumsy, crooked smile geared towards the bitter and chaffed sailors. ¡°Ah, aye, let us not act like this, what do you say? ?Why not calm down first, how does that sound? My mas¡­ I mean the little boy, he¡¯s just lost his temper. That¡¯s all. No need to get jumpy. How about this. Take this bag as a token of my apology,¡±ughing nervously, he belched forward and stuck his hand out. The sailors, all with a grim and ghastly countenance immediately brightened at the sound of coins jingling inside the bulky bag. One sailor immediately snagged the bag from the man. ¡°Aye, I agree, mate. We can settle this like real men,¡± said one of the sailors. ¡°You gotta learn to discipline that boy, my friend, else he¡¯ll die of early death.¡± ¡°Ha-ha, yes¡­¡± the manughed apprehensively. The sailor looked over his shoulder and stared at his mates. ¡°We¡¯re not angry, are we?¡± he said. ¡°No, ¡®course not! I was just out here wonderin¡¯ if the little boy¡¯d lost his mind,¡± said one sailor. ¡°All¡¯s good. We good here.¡± The rest agreed, nodding their head vigorously. At one point someone suggested they head to the bar for a drink and they did;ter they were found drunk as a fiddler. Only the man and boy was left in the dock. The man wiped the cold sweat on his forehead and looked at the boy gazing at the blue sea. ¡°Your Majesty, what is happening? I¡¯m confused as a bee without nectar! Pray tell me what is going on, Your Majesty.¡± Without warning, the young king mmed his door open at dawn a few days ago ¨C¨C told him to dress up and get ready. Fast. Then they jumped on the horse and immediately galloped straight south. Didn¡¯t even get no exnation. They¡¯d been on the road without sleep and food for a few days and the man was heavily famished. He requested the young king for a short rest. Said the horse needed rest else they¡¯d die from overworking themselves. The young king nodded at his assessment and atst they took a break. The man smiled, relieved. Thereafter, they entered a nearby inn and hurriedly eat as they listened to the conversation between twomoners. ¡°Aye, d¡¯ya hear what¡¯s happening in the mansion?¡± ¡°Ya talkin¡¯ ¡®bout Count Alessin, right?¡± ¡°Ya, that one.¡± ¡°Ya. So I heard his wife died recently. Heard he left the funeral early. Didn¡¯t even bother to see his wife buried. Heard he had an illegitimate child from a love affair too. Soon as his wife died he brought that child to his home, but his legal daughter kicked him an¡¯ the bastard child out like it was nothin¡¯.¡± ¡°Huh. How¡¯d that happen?¡± ¡°The legal daughter didn¡¯t want no child from another woman in the mansion.¡± Advertisement ¡°Wait, how¡¯s that possible? Why would the Count with a title get kicked out o¡¯ his own house an¡¯ by his own daughter?¡± ¡°Heard thete Countess was o¡¯ noble royal blood. Her property was the dowry for marriage. It was signed in the contract that should she die, her heir would be her child. Guess the Count had no right to his wife¡¯s properties. A load of bullocks I tell ya.¡± ¡°God, can¡¯t believe he¡¯d get kicked out by his own daughter. What an embarrassment!¡± ¡°Know what though, the Count¡¯s got a headstrong daughter. He won¡¯t hafta worry ¡®bout her future.¡± ¡°See, that¡¯s why I can¡¯t have no daughter. God, I can just imagine what ah¡¯ll hafta deal with, but if I do end up getting one, best believe she¡¯ll be an obedient, little girl. Can¡¯t have a child runnin¡¯ loose like that. Not in mah¡¯ house.¡± The innkeeper¡¯s wife, she¡¯d been stirring the pot as the two men raved on thetest scandal. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you?¡± she said irritably. ¡°What kind of a father brings home a bastard child from another woman soon as his wife dies? That sure tells a lot the kind of man he is! A stinkin¡¯ bastard, that¡¯s what!¡± ¡°What a load o¡¯ bullish nonsense is you speakin¡¯, you ignorant woman! If the Countess had done her job properly, he wouldn¡¯t needa go out findin¡¯ someone else to fulfill his desires! He¡¯d stay faithful! Hah! Bet the Countess¡¯ a fish in the bed!¡± ¡°What? Oh, so this is the woman¡¯s fault? What rotten values have ya got in that fart brain of yours?! Aiish, you don¡¯t deserve my food! Spit ¡®em all out, you damn bastards!¡± * * * T/N: Coughs¡­ I read the dialogue in an Irish ent¡­ I don¡¯t know why¡­ Chapter 25 The Boy and the Sun

Chapter 25 The Boy and the Sun

Chapter 25: The Boy and the Sun Ladles and tes flew overhead and soon, the inn became rambunctious. Meanwhile, the boy and the man sat in the corner and ate their fill silently. ¡°You best keep a good watch on your groin ¡®lest you find yourself without balls!¡± said the angered woman. ¡°Aye, curse you, woman!¡± one man cursed and covered his lower area immediately. ¡°The youngdy just so happens to be leavin¡¯ the estate an¡¯ soon to board the ship to Crichton soon,¡± the woman said. ¡°What say youe with me? We¡¯ll tell the youngdy herself how you spit on her mother¡¯s grave!¡± ¡°I spit on yer¡¯ mother¡¯s grave!¡± the man retorted. The boy froze, the fork falling from his grip. He jumped to his feet and approached the rowdy table. ¡°What did you say? The youngdy, she¡¯s leaving Arundell?¡± the boy said anxiously. The man and woman looked somewhat puzzled at the boy¡¯s sudden appearance, but still, they told him what they knew. ¡°Kid, ah¡¯ heard it from a rtive that worked in the mansion,¡± the man said. ¡°The youngdy sold some properties an¡¯nd then booked ah¡¯ ticket from Salerno Port to Crichton. They left this afternoon¡­¡± the woman added. But before they could finish, the boy dashed out of the inn. The man, the boy¡¯s servant, choked on his meal for he was left without a choice but to follow the boy¡¯s lead. ¡°Your Majesty, wh¡­ where are we going?¡± No matter how many times he asked, the boy gave him no answer. The oddity of the boy¡¯s change confused him too. He was stubborn, true, and he had a bit of a nasty temper, but he¡¯d never treat his subordinates coldly until now¡­ The man was truly at his wits end. And by the time they arrived at the port, the ship had long left the dock. The boy leaped off his horse and protested the sailors bring the ship back to dock. Of course the sailors would not listen to a child throwing fits and tantrums. And who¡¯d follow orders from a boy? The boy grew sour and irritated; he did not hesitate to threaten them unless theyplied with his orders. But a boy was a boy and his young age could only get him so far. The rough sailors were infuriated and the man needed to interject in between to protect the young king. And those previous actions led up to where they were now ¡ª him and the boy alone in the port. The man sighed and ran his fingers through his disheveled hair. He and the boy, no, the young king left the pce without a word of warning. He¡¯s sure the royal pce had been torn upside down. The young king suddenly disappeared and it¡¯d be no exaggeration for the Queen to immediately mobilize a troop believing her son was kidnapped. But as the man was reminded of her tiger-like ways, his face turned red immediately. He¡¯s sure the Queen would would slice off his head with a single blow. No, actually, that¡¯d be an honorable death. Being chopped to pieces and then fed to the pigs would be a shameful death. ¡°Your Majesty, we should contact the royal pce, or leave head bound to the capital city immediately. And¡­ and when you meet the Queen, you must speak highly of me, otherwise, I¡¯ll die!¡± Despite the man¡¯s earnest request, he was ignored. The boy stared at the sea in silence. ¡®Your¡­ Your Majesty, are you listening to me? Why do you treat me like a rock rolling along the streets? Oh¡­ I¡¯m a dead man. The Queen¡¯ll have my head¡­¡¯ the man thought aggrievedly and wept in sorrow. ¡°Basil,¡± the boy said. The man, Basil, quickly looked up with a joyful heart. The young king¡¯s finallye to his senses. ¡°Yes! Your Majesty, we¡¯re going back to the pce?¡± Basil smiled broadly; his smile reached his ears. Advertisement ¡°Are you out of your mind?¡± Igor clicked his tongue. ¡°Why don¡¯t you go back alone instead.¡± ¡°But¡­ Your Majesty¡­¡± Basil was stabbed in the heart, his suggestion ignored downright. However, he could not ignore the young king¡¯s order. He was ordered to leave. Basil turned around and walked away from Igor. With Basil driven out, Igor stared at the ship that looked like a dot on the horizon. The dark blue waves rolled and wiped out the only physical evidence of the ship. Igor saw nothing but an endless blue sea and white sky. Igor pressed his lips gently and sighed. ¡°Haaah¡­¡± As he breathed out inmency, several birds flew overhead, and before he knew it, orange gold stretched far and wide across the skies. Igor watched the sea, lost in the rhythmic percussion of waves rolling in the port. His eyes were steady to the horizon, face aglow with thest orange rays before twilight beckoned the stars. As darkness gradually subsided, a mournful sound rang in the air. It was the song of a woman missing her lover who had left for the sea. Igor reached towards the sky, looking at the thick clouds and birds freely wandering through the skies. The birds flew through the ever developing canvas of dawn, as if their wings were fine quills drawing such buoyant hues. The wings in the sky became the colors of dreams. Igor looked at his hand ¨C¨C in his hand was a shiny golden feather. When he awoke from a deep sleep a few days ago, the thoughts and feelings of finding the feather rammed through his head incessantly. His thumb smoothed the tips of the feather that was the color of red as his purple eyes glistened while the dying sun shone. And then, his face was soon sealed with a newfound determination. The young king turned around and shouted loudly, ¡°Basil, let¡¯s go back to the pce!¡± Chapter 26 Years Later

Chapter 26 Years Later

Chapter 26: Years Later Arc 1 endedst chapter. We¡¯re now in Arc 2. Six yearster¡­ Tars, Capital of Crichton. Gentle noblemen gathered in the garden full of fallen leaves. ?Many dressed nicely, all full in their warm woolly clothes hinting a touch of the clear autumn weather, a clear contrast to their tense faces. They held a long wooden stick ¨C¨C the sort that did not match their elegant attire. A white ball rested above the colored maple leaves sleeping quietly on the ground. Meanwhile, a woman¡¯s voice rang out and the gentlemen stared with breathless eyes. ¡°And¡­ begin!¡± As soon as the woman¡¯s battle cry fell, the ball rose and leaped into the air. The gentlemen moved quickly and ran after the ball, the sight somewhat amusing. One gentleman threw his stick towards the ball, managing to catch it, but another person from the side immediately snagged the ball from the gentleman. The stealer swiftly turned around and ran towards the other side at a frighteningly rming speed. ¡°Oh no!¡± The stealer running fast on the narrow path blocked in between the trees yelped our horridly. He was blocked by two other men; the force had him groaning and rolling to the ground. Then a scuffle ured. One gentleman created an illusion of hitting the ball, but in truth, his kicknded a blow on someone¡¯s stomach. Meanwhile, a gentleman hiding from the bushes jumped out and rushed towards the ball, but he lost his footing and fell on the mud while another gentleman yanked the ball from the man who fell on the mud. Then, he ran towards the opposite direction, but he was immediately caught by the other team. The game dragged on. None had yet to score a goal. Their clean attire were now stained with mud. The woman was surrounded by beautifuldies. The woman smiled brightly and opened her mouth. ¡°Maybe you all want to jump into theke? If you can¡¯t score, might as well be a one big group, don¡¯t you think?¡± The gentlemen expressed their deep sighs of regret. They¡¯d rush back and forth to win with all their might ¡®lest they find themselves at the losing odds ¡ª losers were to jump in theke. Meanwhile, the nobledies looked at the woman, no, the princess with mixed feelings, realizing the princess¡¯s true purpose for proposing the match. A while ago, they¡¯d gone to the saloon and discussed a heated debate regarding thetest issues and scandal. One man, the one currently rolling in the mud, said something that caused the princess¡¯s agitation which led to this very moment. Agitated, the princess suggested they y Kiritte, a Chrichton based game. The losing team was to jump into the cold, coldke as penalty. Seeing the young men¡¯s misery, the young nobledies turned to the silver-haired womanfortably sitting next to her. She was the only one who could stop the princess. The silver-haired woman looked over her shoulder and gave a somber look. ¡°Stop now, princess.¡± ¡°Why? It¡¯s been fun.¡± Advertisement ¡°You¡¯ve done let enough already. If you were to end up injured, the men included, we¡¯d only face many troubles. Let¡¯s end it here.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± The princess showed signs of concern, cing her palm on her chin. And then the noblemen and women raised their voices. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right, princess. What if you end up hurt?¡± ¡°Yes, this is a bit too dangerous.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s stop here¡­¡± Helena, the princess, looked at them coldly. The other party immediately shut their mouths. They dare tell her what to do? Helena snorted, but eventually, she raised her hand and the whistle blew, a sign of the match ending. Relieved, the men sighed. The game was over long before someone was pronounced the winner. They hoped she had her fill of fun and that she returns back to the pce. But, against their bitter hopes, Helena¡¯s voice brutally trampled their expectations. She raised her head as the sun shone on curly tinum hair and light-green eyes and said, ¡°I¡¯ve given you enough time, yet no one was able to score. And I don¡¯t think it¡¯s fair for all of you to jump into theke, so why not one of you do it in their stead. Rhia, won¡¯t you pick one for me?¡± All eyes turned to the silver-haired woman. Chapter 27 Im A Chrichton

Chapter 27 I''m A Chrichton

Chapter 27: I¡¯m A Crichton The silver-haired woman, she shook her head and said, ¡°No, I won¡¯t.¡± ¡°Why? Come on, pick one,¡± the princess said. ¡°Do it yourself.¡± The silver-haired woman turned away and refused the princess tly. Because the king loved his daughter wholeheartedly, her words andmands was akin to the king¡¯s orders. She was known for her hot temper and none could cate her excerpt the royal family, her rtives, and the nanny. And so, none had the guts and boldness to speak to the princess in a manner unbefitting their image. Helena burst out inughter and stood up from her chair. ¡°I was merely jesting. Don¡¯t tell me you thought I¡¯d make you lots jump and drown into theke in this freezing weather.¡± The young noblesughed awkwardly and thought, ¡®You¡¯re the type to do that.¡¯ Helena crossed her arms. ¡°Of course I won¡¯t do it. Since Rhia said so, we¡¯ll be stopping here.¡± One gentleman blushed at her words. He was the cause of their suffering for his veiled sarcastic remark earlier that said, ¡°Is Rihannan truly an Arundell spy?¡± Had Rihannan chose to turn his life upside down, well¡­ he did not want to imagine what the princess would do to him and what the future would entail. ¡°Oh Lord, what¡¯s all this?!¡± A shrill voice rang out from behind and all turned their heads at the same time and saw the princess¡¯s nanny stare at them with a look of astonishment. ¡°What is all this? What is happening?¡± The sons and daughters of the nobility looked a hot mess. Muds and leaves clotted their face and their clothes torn and tattered. They looked like amonerboring in the field all day. The nanny thought this was the princess¡¯s doing and immediately grabbed a hold of her. The nanny reigned her annoyance and spat out, ¡°Well, what are you all doin¡¯ here? Scram!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± And they scattered. Helena looked back at the nobles without a remote sign of emotion,ining rather that she suffered from emotional distress. ¡°Princess, follow me this instant. You too, Rihannan!¡± On the way to, the nanny drowned Helena and Rihannan in thenguage of nagging, a discourse Helena despised. ¡°Why must you do this, princess?¡± She scolded Helena. And she rebuked Rihannan and said, ¡°And you, why did you help the princess rather than stop hear?¡± As the nanny grew ever-so-bold cing the me towards Rihannan, Helena burst out into a fit of anger. ¡°I had nned to do this from the very start! If Rihannan hadn¡¯t been present, who knows what might¡¯ve urred.¡± ¡°Goodness, princess, you can¡¯t continue to act like this.¡± And then she nagged. She nagged and she nagged, but eventually, she had to let go. Rihannan and the princess needed a break under the pretext of tea time. Advertisement ¡°Rhia, you know that I yed Kiritte intentionally to have Ashton suffer. Why didn¡¯t you choose him when you were given the chance?¡± Helena said as she stuffed her mouth with sweet cookies. ¡°Because I do not want to.¡± ¡°Why? You¡¯ve been provoked all this time. They continue to ask of your allegiance between Chrichton and Arundell for the naval battle. I¡¯m sure it¡¯s a shadow in your back,¡± Helena said. Rihannan smiled softly. ¡°It¡¯s true that I¡¯m a half¨Cblood, but it matters not to me. I don¡¯t care much what Ashton has to say. No matter what they think of me, I¡¯m a Crichton. I¡¯ve long forgotten Arundell.¡± There exists a certain firmness in Rihannan¡¯s light sky-blue eyes; Helena sighed gazing at it. ¡°Yes, I know. You loathe Arundell more than anyone.¡± ¡°Yes, so don¡¯t worry. Ashton¡¯ll continue to talk like always, but I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll be more quiet and even more so when the naval battle is over,¡± Rihannan replied. ¡°Yes, we¡¯ll win this time again.¡± Helena lifted her teacup and smiled. ¡°Our Crichton fleet would never lose to Arundell, after all.¡± Helena¡¯s smile beamed with arrogance and confidence. Crichton had never lost a battle in the sea. Not now and not ever. Rihannan lowered her eyes and listened to Helena¡¯s words full of pride. Helena was right. Crichton would win the naval battle. This was absolute truth. Long ago, Crichton consolidated itself as a naval power while Arundell was known for its dominance innd. And though Arundell and Crichton border each other, rough terrains often separated the two nations and made the journey by foot difficult. So back and forth travel often urred via seafare route. Arundell bordered many countries and their surroundingnd had a vast rich resources whereas Chrichton built their wealth on sea trades. Both Crichton and Arundell had long maintained an alliance with so few military shes, but conflicts had always urred at a local level. One example was Arundell tasting bitter defeat at the hands of Chrichton in the naval battle. Arundell¡¯s skills could not defeat the experienced Chrichton, the strongest yer in the sea. Chapter 28 Young King

Chapter 28 Young King

Chapter 28: Young King Rihannan did not know why Igor loathed Chrichton ¡ª maybe his mother was of Chrichton descent. Though it mattered not to Rihannan any longer. Regardless, each time he would attempt to usurp Chrichton by increasing Arundell¡¯s maritime power, Igor met the Queen¡¯s heavy opposition. So long as the alliance with Chrichton remained intact, the Queen thought it proper that Arundell ced more effort to keep Toulouse Empire in check. Toulouse was located in the heart of the continent while Chrichton on the seaside. Long ago, both Arundell and Chrichton formed a coalition through national marriage to prevent Toulouse from growing in power. Rihannan vividly recalled his angered voice, hisshing out behind closed doors. He¡¯d say, ¡°Do you ignore these tant issues because you¡¯re of Chrichton blood?¡± ¡°Rihannan, the young king of Arundell is fearless,¡± Helena sighed. Rihannan smiled bitterly at Helena¡¯s sudden remark. She did not expect she¡¯d hear his name from the princess. ¡°Rihannan, you¡¯re twenty¡­ right? I¡¯m not sure what happened to you before deciding to move to Chrichton. Couldn¡¯t you maintain a steady rtionship with the Queen? Rihannan, have you met the young king before?¡± Rihannan gulped. ¡°We met at the royal pce once when I was young. We had no proper conversation at the time. I don¡¯t know much about him. I¡¯m sorry.¡± Visit li_ghtnovel_world.c_om for a better experience ¡°Hmm¡­ I see.¡± Helena squinted her eyes and stroked her chin. ¡°Though to witness at present the Queen¡¯s power thrown away this quickly, Arundell¡¯s young king is truly a remarkable man. Apetent one too.¡± Rihannan¡¯s grip on the teacup tightened, her fingers trembling faintly. She bit her lip and said, ¡°That¡¯s true¡­¡± Six years ago, Rihannan and Igor¡¯s future changed. She was no longer Queen of Arundell and she chose to live a peaceful life in Chrichton. She was content. Though what she did not expect was the future¡¯s dramatic change. She thought and believed Igor would simply take another woman as Queen while she lived a quiet life in Chrichton. But the unexpected happened. Igor had not taken a partner. Furthermore, he fought a tough battle with his mother and immediately grabbed control of all statehood affairs. Even now he continues to fight thete Queen¡¯s forces and adamant supporters. As for the tax probe, the investigation Igor halted in the middle of the process previously, well, he saw through thepletion of the investigation in this lifetime. Igor seeded and cut off all important figures against him, including those who supported Chrichton. Naturally, Chrichton saw this act despicable. Previously, Chrichton shed their own blood to help thete Queen gain back her power, and now their own blood was shed again because of her son¡¯s despise towards Chrichton. This led to a growing conflict that brewed silently over the years. Still, though, in consideration of their long-standing alliance, both sides avoided military shes. But then an incident urred months ago. A noble from Chrichton was beheaded in Edirne, Arundell¡¯s capital. Arundellbeled the Chrichton noble a spy. Chrichton¡¯s anger soared like a roaring me and set off a chain of irreversible events no one could foresee. Visit li_ghtnovel_world.c_om for a better experience The Chrichton King sent his proudest warship off the coast of Arundell. Though Chrichton King¡¯s action was not intended to cause war but more of a demonstration of protest. Had Arundell¡¯s King conveyed his deep regret for the matter, Chrichton would have backed away. But this was not the case. Advertisement The King of Arundell chose an all-out-war in the sea, not onnd. This chain of events did not ur in her past life. It was new. ¡°But let¡¯s not care what people say. What they say, Rihannan, doesn¡¯t matter. A king who knows nothing about the world will soon find out how foolish it was to fight us in the sea. Once reality dawns on him, he¡¯ll quietly step back,¡± Helena said. Rihannan smiled softly at Helena¡¯s concern. ¡°Yes, princess. Thank you for your concern.¡± Rihannan set the teacup on the table and stood up from her seat. ¡°A long time has passed. I have to go now.¡± ¡°Oh, Rhia¡­ can¡¯t you just live in the pce with me?¡± Helena pleaded. ¡°Do you really have to go back home?¡± Rihannan smiled solemnly. ¡°I¡¯d love to stay with you, princess, but the pce feels too stuffy for me.¡± Helena sighed. ¡°There we go again. I¡¯m a princess at the end of the day to you. Rhia, why can¡¯t you call me by my first name?¡± Visit li_ghtnovel_world.c_om for a better experience ¡°Because I¡¯m of half Chrichton blood.¡± Chapter 29 Another Funeral

Chapter 29 Another Funeral

Chapter 29: Another Funeral Thereafter, Rihannan bid her farewell and left the room. When she arrived in Chrichton six years ago, Rihannan became Helena¡¯spanion not long after. Helena was the youngest royal child and dutifully loved by the House of Crichton. Many noblemen tried and wooed the princess¡¯ heart, but unable to bear her temper, they quit. But Rihannan, who was also of royalty by blood and the same age as the princess, arrived like a knight in shining armor and became Helena¡¯s true friend. Rihannan, she was authentic and Helena liked that. Helena grew fond of Rihannan despite their personality differing on the extreme end. Helena had quite the temper while Rihannan was gentle and patient. They fit in together, like twoplete pieces to the puzzle. The princess had even requested, pleaded that Rihannan live with her in the pce, but Rihannan refused. The thought of the pce made her sick. Strolling out from the princess¡¯ residence, Rihannan passed through the garden in the middle of the pce. The sun faded to rest and the cold air prated through the crevice of her clothes. Rihannan stopped walking and warmed her hands, her mind recalling the conversation she had with the princess previously. The battle between Arundell and Crichton was raging in the middle of the sea as of current. Crichton should have the upper hand. Sure there exists anomalies between her past and present life, but she¡¯s certain of Chrichton¡¯s victory. For Arundell to build their naval power within a short period of time and surpass Chrichton, it was impossible. Yet¡­ She was curious. For more, visit lig_htnove_lworld Igor was somewhat sanguine but far from reckless. Rihannan knew how long the bitter process he prepared to take power. He¡¯d have found other methods, one that did not include waging wars he could not win. And she was curious. Curious that he was able to subdue the Queen¡¯s power and forces, something Igor found extremely difficult previously. ¡®Is it because I was not around his presence?¡¯ Rihannan¡¯s silver eyshes drooped. Perhaps¡­ perhaps her presence near Igor was toxic, perhaps they were toxic, like fire and water ¡ª one that could never mix and they destroyed themselves in the process, burning a thousand times ying with fire. ¡®This is for the best,¡¯ Rihannan thought. ¡®Isn¡¯t this what you wanted, Igor? You¡¯re able to do what you want.¡¯ Igor was no longer the same person she once knew and Rihannan was no longer the same person Igor once knew. And¡­ There was also one more difference in this life. Her father. He who lived a healthy and pleasant life before passed away a year ago. Her father, she spent her life trying to please his twisted disease. She gave herself up, begging for eptance, but there was nothing in the world Rihannan could do to receive the love from her father. He clipped her wings and became a bird that could never fly. For more, visit lig_htnove_lworld Jeffrey sent her a letter a year ago. It contained the Count¡¯s obituary. As she had promised six years ago, Rihannan sent the Count the minimum monthly pension. And as it turns, the Count lived on the minimum pension with Leticia. And all should be well. The minimum pension was enough for the two to livefortably, but Count Alessin gambled the money away andter suffered from rising debts. When the private lenders discovered that he could not afford to pay his debts, they visited Jeffrey and threatened Rihannan to cough out the money, but with Jeffrey¡¯s deft handling, they was forced to give up their venture. Because they were unable to have Rihannan cough out the debt, they turned back to the Count and went on a rampage. The Count, unable to pay his debts, fell to his lowest point and killed himself. One morning, Leticia entered his room and found her father on the floor and a poison ss bottle lying next to him. Advertisement That was the contents from the letter Rihannnan received. The rest of the Count¡¯s family, or the family from Rihannan¡¯s paternal side, hoped that he would remain a member of the nobility in death. They dyed his funeral and requested Rihannan if he could be buried where her motherid to rest. Rihannan had her reservations at first, but she made her decision quickly. She thought her mother would wee him by her side even in death despite her one-sided-love. Rihannan epted their request. For more, visit lig_htnove_lworld Rihannan asked Jeffrey for Leticia¡¯s whereabouts. Jeffrey replied that the Count¡¯s rtives turned their back on her and refused to ept her. After all, she was an illegitimate child. No one knew where she went. And Rihannan, she felt nothing. She did nothing when she learned her father passed away. She did not go to his funeral, and she did not try to find Leticia, whose whereabouts were unknown. They had history and that was something Rihannan could overlook. Sure, the Count was furious that Rihannan took away the chance for his other daughter to experience the life of luxury, but that was not Rihannan¡¯s problem. She should feel sorry, but she did not know how to. Her father and her sister, they brought her to the abysmal darkness. To Rihannan, the two weren¡¯t worth her sympathy. And now, their ties was cut. The Count was dead and Leticia was nowhere to be found. There was nothing that tied her to them. Chapter 30 There Was a Time

Chapter 30 There Was a Time

Chapter 30: There Was a Time¡­ Chirp¡­ chirp¡­ chirp¡­ Rihannan looked at the sounds of birds flocking in the sky, their chirps ever so distinct. A bird¡¯s nest sat atop arge tree nearby; the mother eagerly fed her children. ¡°You¡¯re as big as me¡­ children, they grow up fast,¡± Rihannan whispered. She happened to pass by a bird¡¯s nest sometime ago and surreptitiously watched them on a regr basis. Then, a week ago, the mother birdid her eggs while the father bird cared for them with tender care. Then one day, Rihannan heard the soft chirping sounds from the nest. They¡¯ve hatched. Now they¡¯ve grown. Rihannan stood still from her ce and watched the birds with intensity. In the past, the mother bird would set out hunting for food while the father bird, perched on a nearby tree, watched Rihannan, eyes gleaming and vignt. Rihannan smiled, finding their actions amusing. Currently, the father and mother bird was busy feeding their hungry children. They took alternate turns, one fed and one guarded. As she watched the baby birds swallow the worms with its red beak, Rihannan unconsciously stroked her belly. There was a time¡­ a time she imagined herself holding a precious baby in her cocoon of arms¡­ imagined feeding and loving that sweet little baby. She would rock that baby, soothe that baby, sing lubies¡­ and whisper sweet wonders. But¡­ eventually, her child left without warning, without goodbyes. Rihannan had her regrets. Had she known¡­ ¡°Miss Rihannan!¡± Rihannan turned around. Mary was running towards her. She looked tired and breathless. ¡°Miss, I came to pick you up,¡± Mary said. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯mte, aren¡¯t I?¡± Mary shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s alright. What happened in the pce?¡± ¡°The princess decided to y a game.¡± ¡°Oh goodness. Is it Kiritte? Why all of a sudden¡­?¡± Kiritte was a sport for all ages and men and women alike. Mary knew how violent the game could be when the yers get carried away. It often lead to multiple injuries. Rihannan smiled. ¡°Possibly. The princess was set on joining, but thedies stopped her.¡± Mary sighed. ¡°That¡¯s a relief.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Rihannan asked curiously. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t want that nagging girl to get hurt, but knocking some sense into her would probably do her some good,¡± Mary waved her hand and hissed. ¡°Right, anyway, Miss, you haven¡¯t been sicktely, it seems like.¡± Rihannan caught a fever not long after arriving in Chrichton. She did not know if it was sickness from the pain in her heart or the sudden relief to escape from the clutches of her past. She even had trouble eating properlybined with her fever. Her uncle decided she needed to visit the royal doctor for treatment. After recovering a little, Dimitri grabbed her by the hand and led her outside with the aim of improving her physical strength. Advertisement ¡°I can¡¯t leave you alone like this. You¡¯re too weak right now. As your cousin, this is my duty,¡± he would say. Forced to walk around under the care and watch of her cousin, Dimitri, and going out to watch her her cousins hunt, y Kiritte, her health slowly recovered. Slowly¡­ her healing began. It took time, felt like forever ¡ª the pain, the falling, the breaking apart, but Rihannan held on. She gave herself the care that was long overdue. She was healing. Rihannan beamed. ¡°It¡¯s all thanks to Dimi. I don¡¯t need to kneel to others anymore. I¡¯m able to stand with my own strength.¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯s a bit barbaric here in Chrichton,¡± Mary said. ¡°Well¡­ no, but it¡¯s a bit more wild than Arundell.¡± Rihannanughed at Mary¡¯s words. Unlike Rihannan who had been exposed to the Crichton natives since childhood, Mary was not. She suffered extreme culture shock, surprised by Chrichton¡¯s somewhat rough lifestyle. For example, when a huntingpetition was held, Arundell¡¯s was more proper, Arundell¡¯s was controlled. They¡¯d release a few deer into a controlled hunting ground and would shoot them with arrows, but here in Chrichton, whenever they went hunting, they¡¯d go into the deep mountains. She was scared to death once. Mary once saw Rihannan¡¯s uncle and Dimitri throw a bloody bear in front of the door foaming at the mouth. ¡°So, Miss,¡± Mary coughed. ¡°Would you like to go back to Arundell?¡± Chapter 31 Unconditional Love

Chapter 31 Unconditional Love

Chapter 31: Unconditional Love Rihannan smiled weakly. ¡°No, Mary. I¡¯m used to living here. Besides, what¡¯s the point? I have no family in Arundell. What about you, Mary? Do you miss home?¡± ¡°To be frank, Miss¡­¡± Mary replied cautiously. ¡°Thest time the Count passed away, I thought you¡¯d go to Arundell for a visit. And¡­ there¡¯s¡­ also¡­ your mother¡¯s grave¡­¡± Like Mary, the marquis, Rihannan¡¯s uncle, and Dimitri grew replete with surprise realizing that she had no intention to visit Arundell and attend her father¡¯s pitiable funeral. But regardless, they quietly put the matter aside and did not probe any further. Though unaware of the details, they did notice Rihannan holding a certain dislike for Arundell. What it was, they did not know. ¡®What had happened in Arundell?¡¯ they¡¯d ask themselves. When Rihannan first arrived in good ¡®ole wild and barbaric Chrichton (as Mary liked to call it¡­ in private), she was in great pain. Nightmares often struck her in the dead of the night. Her dream, a great torment, was of Leticia offering her the poison over and over and over¡­ it urred repeatedly, the dream. Leticia would look down at her lifeless body, a wicked smile stered on her lips. She¡¯d look at Rihannan without a modicum of mercy on her face, look at her cold body sprawled across the floor, her toes and fingers deathly cold. Rihannan closed her eyes and heaved softly. ¡°Mary¡­ I know. Someday¡­ I¡¯ll have to go¡­¡± There¡¯lle a time when she¡¯d have to return to Arundell. But not now¡­ not now. She needed time to heal, time to erase her hatred, her nightmares, and her sufferings. She needed time. Only then would she be able to tread on Arundell¡¯s soil. ¡°Let¡¯s go, Mary. We¡¯ll bete for dinner.¡± Rihannan touched Mary¡¯s shoulder, passed her by and entered the carriage. Mary sighed and jumped inside the carriage. When they arrived at the mansion, Dimitri awaited them at the front gates. He was sitting atop a horse. Grunting, he hopped off his ride and hurriedly pushed aside the servant standing to the side of the carriage door. ¡°Rhia, it¡¯s me!¡± Dimitri hollered. As Rihannan stepped out of the carriage, Dimitri immediately grabbed her waist and lifted her up. She seemed weightless like a doll. ¡°Did you y with that bad-tempered princess today? I¡¯m sure that must¡¯ve been quite the hassle.¡± he said merrily, stroking and caressing her head. It was a habit, treating the girl who was eighteen years of age (and soon heading towards her twenties) as if she was still that innocent, little girl he once knew. ¡°You¡¯re correct. I was with her and Princess Helena is a nice person. And stop that.¡± Rihanna pped Dimitri¡¯s hand. Advertisement ¡°You were sent there because they think that you¡¯d be of some use to them,¡± Dimitri frowned. ¡°Anyways, I don¡¯t like youing in and out of the pce like that.¡± Dimitri had every right and reason to speak such things. Chrichton¡¯s custom of orders was simr to Arundell¡¯s. The king¡¯s words was absolute andw. To disobey is to rebel. If anything ever happened to the king, all fingers would be pointed to anyone working inside the royal pce. Dimitri opposed the idea of Rihannan working in the pce, even more when asked to live there. Nothing good ever came about when associating with the royals. Regardless, they could not refuse the king¡¯s order. Eventually, Rihannan was ordered to y with Helena. Theyplimented each other well. Young Dimitri at the time was distraught. He grabbed Rihannan¡¯s hand and hid in the gardens to hide. He did not want anyone to take her. But¡­ eventually, he had to let go. To Dimitri, Rihannan was his life. He took care of her like she was his own sister. She was his favorite and he did his best to make her feel like she belonged in Chrichton. He had no sisters; he envied others who did, Maybe that¡¯s why he ced that familial love onto her. And, perhaps, he wanted to fill the gap of her broken heart from losing her mother at a young age. Young Rihannan thought the situation rather strange. It had been a while since she received unconditional love. Eventually, the day came to an end. Dimitri suffered from a severe cold while Rihannan was ordered to y with Princess Helena. Chapter 32 The Dream

Chapter 32 The Dream

Chapter 32: The Dream ¡°Princess Helena, I know she¡¯s your friend, but dear cousin¡­ you should be wary of others¡­ the Crown Prince especially. Don¡¯t get too close to him. I¡¯m serious, Rhia.¡± At the Dimitri¡¯s repeated warning, Rihannan nodded. Truth of the matter, the Crown Prince was the true king of Chrichton. He was a man of cruelty, someone who knew how to wield his strength, power and influence. He satiated himself in desires of trampling those who dare disobey his ruling. Over time, nobles feared him and dared not defy him. He was a fierce man, but he had a fault, a weakness. He loved his sister, Helena, to death. Unlike Arundell monogamous culture, Chrichton men engaged in polygamous rtionships. The old king had sons from concubines without rights to seed the throne. Only he and Helena had true rights to the throne ¡ª a direct descendant born of the same mother. To Helena, the Crown Prince gave her full affection. She was Rihannan¡¯s best friend. Therefore, the Crown Prince refused to touch her. ¡°Stop nagging too much. Let¡¯s go in.¡± Rihannan smiled and grabbed his arm, leading him towards the mansion. But Dimitri did not stop. He continued his banter until he sat down at the table with his uncle. ¡°Right, what do you think the oue will be against the naval battle with Arundell?¡± The conversation which began with a friendly banter of daily trivialities quickly turned to the topic of work in quick session. ¡°Yes. What do you think will be the oue of this naval battle against Arundell?¡± the Marquis asked. Dimitriid down the fork and knife in his hand and looked at the Marquis. ¡°The odds are in our favor, as expected,¡± Dimitri said. ¡°Everyone¡¯s certain of our victory, but I think there are other ways to look at it,¡± the Marquis sighed. ¡°Arundell¡¯s king, he¡¯s ced a lot of effort building his naval strength over the years. Lexington was given an aggressivemission to ensure a smooth supply of wood for shipbuildingst year. Isn¡¯t that right? And while our navy is strong, we have no experience inside Arundell¡¯s water borders. If he¡¯s prepared, truly, the oue will be different.¡± Not long ago, the Grand Duke of Lexington passed away, much to everyone¡¯s surprise. He had no children, no heir, and therein lies the problem. Thus, the need to appoint a new Duke rose. Both Arundell and Crichton reached out, attempting to ce their influence in The Republic of Lexington, a small but resource-rich country. Rihannan knew Igor was unaware of the envoys exchanges between the two countries in connection to Lexington in the past. But it was different this time, it seems. And the result was his victory. While Chrichton cared only for the throne¡¯s heir, Arundell won the hearts of Lexington¡¯s nobles. Thus, when a new Grand Duke was appointed atst, he favored Arundell. Crichton immediately noticed their mistake of overlooking the importance of the aristocratic council. ¡°I¡¯m worried. Everyone is careless to underestimate Arundell,¡± the Marquis added. By his own volition, the Marquis was right. Crichton was a war veteran in the sea. It was only right that the Crichton natives believe they¡¯d win the war, but the Marquis knew well how dangerous it was to underestimate an enemy. Past experience told him so. ¡°Dimi, you need to take extra care to assist His Highness. There is more than meets the eye with King Igor.¡± Advertisement As the flow of the story moved to Arundell, Rihannan remained mute and quiet. Dimitri noticed her solemn silence and immediately threw an off handed-remark. ¡°Assist?¡± Dimitri questioned, his eyes incredulous. ¡°Don¡¯t speak nonsense. I¡¯ll only toss myself around the ship and go on an adventure.¡± The Marquis¡¯ face turned sour. Dimitri¡¯s speaking nonsense again. Rihannanughed beside him. ¡°You haven¡¯t given up your dream of bing a pirate?¡± In their youths, Dimitri often pronounced to the world his dream of bing a pirate and traveling the vast world. His little cousins who knew nothing of his grand aspirations cheered him on. He¡¯d be a great pirate, they¡¯d say. ¡°Yes. I won¡¯t be bound by this ce. I want to live freely. You¡¯ll see.¡± Rihannan¡¯s lingering smile faded. A year from now, she knew he¡¯d be forced to be Crichton¡¯s king against his will. His dream of sailing the world would end up in pieces ¡ª shattered¡­ Chapter 33 Plague, Massacre, and Defeat

Chapter 33 gue, Massacre, and Defeat

Chapter 33: gue, Massacre, and Defeat Dimitri¡¯s shattered dreams urred when all the major heirs to the throne fell down in consecutive session along with the gue. Many of the Chrichton natives fell ill, meeting the hands of death far too suddenly. The cause of their death was unknown and after much investigation, it was revealed their waterways had been infected. There was no current known methods to cure the infection, thus, shortly after, the royal family members fell one after another, their deaths far too quick. Fortunately, after the long struggle from the epidemic, the king did not die¡­ but¡­ on the other hand, he was the only living male royal. The Crown Prince was dead and the other living male royal members were unable to function normally. The king could only look to the sons of his concubines or a line of descent far from the throne ¡ª like Dimitri. After much pondering, it was agreed that the heir to the throne and the next king would be Dimitri. The sons of the concubines had no right to the throne and thus they rebelled believing it unfair for a distant rtive to take the throne and not them, the king¡¯s closest blood. Not long after, a massacre urred and ended until Dimitri ascended the throne. The opposing side had attempted to assassinate Dimitri, but fortunately, he managed to escape from the brink of death. Dimitri became a man far too quickly and buried himself in the blood of his rtives to protect his life and his family. His life¡­ was¡­ a tragedy¡­ Knowing this truth, Rihannan wanted to let him know; she wanted him to leave the country else he face a bloody future. But she was afraid, afraid of changing the future from her words alone. Already much of the future had changed from her choosing her own path and journeying to Chrichton rather than staying in Arundell. She was afraid. Perhaps she¡¯d face a terrible consequences, perhaps Dimitri would lose his life if he left Chrichton to avoid a bloody future. She was afraid¡­ So¡­ Rihannan kept her mouth shut. She¡¯d never forgive herself if anything happened to Dimitri, the boy and man who treated her kindly with earnest heart. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Rihannan? Are you not feeling well?¡± Dimitri asked, his voice somewhat anxious. Rihannan¡¯s paleplexion worried him. ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± Rihannan shook her head and smiled lightly. ¡°Could you please get me medicine?¡± In her youth, she often took medicine because of her fragile health and inability to sleep at night. Secondster, there was a sudden knock outside and before the Marquis could answer, the door swung open and a man in royal uniform walked in and bowed. ¡°I beg your pardon and apologize for the sudden intrusion but Ie with an urgent message. The king wants you toe to the pce immediately.¡± The Marquis rose from his seat. It was alreadyte in the evening. The king calling him at this time of hour was certainly unusual. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± the Marquis asked. The messenger looked at the Marquis with a wistful look. ¡°We lost to Arundell, sir.¡± * The Crichton Pce was turned upside down. The royal members and nobles were shocked from the news of their unexpected defeat from the distant sea. Advertisement And what happened next was even more frustrating, to say the least. Right after Chrichton¡¯s defeat, they fortunately did not experience great damage, but the Arundell sea¡¯s rough currents left them helpless. Thereafter, Arundell¡¯s ships arrived and ransacked them and left Chrichton to the point of extinction in the sea. Seeing the situation of the war growing increasingly unfavorable in their side, the veteranmander made a quick, hasty decision. Theck of knowledge of Arundell¡¯s sea led to the decision of stepping back to reorganize else they face a greater blow. They retreated and headed back home. Much to their dismay, most of their ships sunk on on the way back to Chrichton. And then¡­ they faced another pressing situation. As they neared the coast, Arundell created an element of surprise ¡ª a sneak attack. They had set up camp earlier and waited in hiding patiently. The Marquis and Dimitri, who had been called to the pce for this very matter, did not return. Not only them, the other nobles faced the very same urrence. Rihannan was left alone in the mansion; she stayed up all night with eyes wide open. The future was changing¡­ fast. She could not regret now for no matter how much she repents, she never would have guessed the significant change the future would make from her decision alone. And a year from now¡­ she wouldmit suicide from the use of poison. Rihannan was afraid. Something far more dreadful wasing and she was not prepared. Chapter 34 New Man

Chapter 34 New Man

Chapter 34: New Man Rihannan slept through the night alone and with a heart full of worries. And then¡­ night passed and morning arrived peacefully. Rihannan journeyed to the princess¡¯s pce. Inside the walls of the pce was Helena wrought with considerable shock. Soon as she saw Rihannan, the girl who looked confident, Helena immediately rushed towards her and wrapped her arms around the silver-haired girl for a tight hug. ¡°You heard the newsst night, didn¡¯t you?¡± Helena said. ¡°What do you think will happen to us now?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry too much, princess. Arundell¡¯s king must know that it¡¯s dangerous to turn Chrichton into their own enemy. He¡¯s not a fool.¡± Rihannan patted Helena¡¯s back andforted her gently. ¡°Do you really think so?¡± ¡°Yes, and above all, the threat of the Toulouse Empire hangs above us. In the first ce, he never liked Chrichton¡¯s constant interference in Arundell¡¯s internal affairs. Waging an all-out war provides no benefits to both parties.¡± Rihannan did not console the princess with words of lies for she believed it herself. She saw no logical reasons for Igor to wage an all-out war with Chrichton for their conflicts would only benefit the Toulouse Empire. Arundell had given Chrichton enough shame by crushing their ego and confidence. Igor¡¯d surely step back and give Chrichton face and possibly¡­ a letter of apology. Helena recovered from her anxiousness and looked at Rihannan, her gaze profound and deep. Rihannan tilted her head. ¡°Why do you look at me that way, princess?¡± ¡°So that¡¯s what you think of yourself all this time.¡± ¡°¡­.What?¡± Rihannan was confused. ¡°I mean Chrichton. You don¡¯t believe you¡¯re a Chrichton.¡± It was a mere thought. Rihannan looked at Helena and sighed. ¡°Princess, that¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°Rhia, it¡¯s not that I me you. I know you¡¯re not an Arundell but a Chrichton¡­ you keep repeating this far too frequently, but¡­ I feel as if you don¡¯t think you belong anywhere. And I¡¯m afraid you¡¯ll end up leaving solely because you don¡¯t know where you fit in¡­¡± Rihannan smiled bitterly. ¡°Where would I go? I have nothing in Arundell. I feel more at home here.¡± ¡°Then get married!¡± Helena raised her voice a pitch higher. ¡°Marry a man from Chrichton and settle down once and for all!¡± Rihannanughed. ¡°You keep pestering me about this. I don¡¯t want to get married.¡± ¡°Rhia, why won¡¯t you marry? There¡¯s a whole line of noblemen anxious to speak to you! Or¡­ do you have someone in mind? Let me know. I¡¯ll drag him to you and have him get on his knees asking for your hand in marriage!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be counting on you.¡± Rihannan chuckled. ¡°Be prepared. Once all this chaos is over, I¡¯ll introduce you to a new man every day until love blossoms in the air.¡± Helena snickered. ¡°Yes, yes. Nowe here. Your hair is messy. Let meb it again.¡± Rihannan picked up theb resting on the table as Helena sat down on the chair. The princess, she loved when Rihannan brushed her hair. She was like a meek puppy who loved to be petted. With her voluminous tinum hairbed, Helena closed her eyes and enjoyed the pleasant feeling. ¡°You know, Rhia, I feel like you¡¯re much older than me.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes. I don¡¯t think it¡¯s about personality. You¡¯ve always been like this. And a little bit weird.¡± ¡°In what away?¡± Advertisement ¡°Always aloof? It¡¯s like you don¡¯t look forward to what tomorrow will bring and what the future holds.¡± Rihannan paused for a moment then continued brushing while a bitterugh escaped her mouth. She did try her best to act like a child of her own age, but she failed. She could not perfect it for she had already experienced a lifetime of pain. Fortunately, the people in Chrichton helped to ease the pain that was caged in her heart. Though most think of her as a child mature far beyond her age, but in the past, she was just a normal child, one much more timid, weak, and tearful. ¡°Rhia, I wish I could stay with you like this for the rest of my life.¡± At the princess¡¯ words, Rihannan burst out intoughter. ¡°Didn¡¯t you urge me to get married right away a little while ago?¡± Helena snorted. ¡°Well, if you get married, you won¡¯t need to go to a faraway ce.¡± ¡°But what if the princess has to go far away because of her husband?¡± ¡°Impossible. Mother, father, and brother wouldn¡¯t do that, would they?¡± Rihannan nodded. Helena was right. The king treasured her and her brother loved her dearly. They¡¯d never do such a thing. Finishing up, Rihannan and Helena heard a mor outside and the door suddenly burst open. It was the princess¡¯ nanny. She looked rough and haggard. ¡°Nanny?¡± Helena said. ¡°Princess!¡± the nanny cried. ¡°Nanny, what¡¯s wrong? What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°Princess, what should I do?!¡± The old nanny dashed towards Helen and burst into tears. Rihannan knew something unusual had happened and so she approached the old nanny and asked, ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± The nanny looked at Rihannan with tearful eyes and said, ¡°Arundell has demanded a state marriage to the princess in return for the loss of this naval battle¡­¡± Chapter 35 The Bride To Be Is...

Chapter 35 The Bride To Be Is...

Chapter 35: The Bride To Be Is¡­ A heavy dreadful silence filled the conference room. After news of their defeat, extreme anger roused their unsettled heart, but now, only a somber tune filled the ce. ¡°But won¡¯t this turn into a national wedding? It isn¡¯t like this hasn¡¯t happened in the past. We don¡¯t need to worry too much¡­¡± The prince snorted at the nobleman¡¯s remark. ¡°Your example ispletely wrong. Previously, when a national marriage from both sides urred, it was for the purpose of peace, unity, and harmony, and this time we¡¯re forced to unterally give up our princess as if she¡¯s mere pawn? Do I have that right?¡± ¡°No¡­ I¡­¡± The nobleman twitched. Sensing the atmosphere taking a downward turn, he shut his mouth. The noblemen next to him began to voice their thoughts one by one. ¡°It¡¯s an unexpected request, really. I¡¯ve heard that in Arundell there¡¯d been a number of repeated arguments concerning the king¡¯s marriage, but the king himself vehemently refused each time¡­ this time he suddenly asked for a national marriage.¡± ¡°What is the king of Arundell¡¯s purpose¡­ I wonder¡­¡± ¡°Our beloved princess is of royal lineage. Arundell¡¯s king seeks a national marriage. We have no choice but to give up our princess.¡± As they voiced their opinions one after another, they¡¯d forgotten the prince¡¯s love and care for his sister. Only then did they notice the prince¡¯s expression turn awry and thus spoke no longer. The prince gritted his teeth and said, ¡°Is there no other way?¡± Arundell¡¯s king awaits in the port of Sheviet, a strategic position where he could push straight into Tars, the capital of Chrichton. It would take two days. Chrichton has no time to dy. In other words, either agree to his request or wage an all-out war, neither of which looked favorable. Should they go to war, the damage will not end with simply losing their military and warships. No, it¡¯ll sweep thend. Then¡­ Duke Ivan opened his mouth. ¡°The king¡¯s demand¡­ didn¡¯t he request for a royal marriage?¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± A nobleman gave an insipid reply. ¡°Then¡­ it doesn¡¯t necessarily have to be a princess.¡± All eyes were on Duke Ivan. ¡°What do you mean?¡± the prince asked. ¡°I mean, if you¡¯re of royal blood¡­ you¡¯re either a direct descendant or of royal lineage. Don¡¯t we have other royal women close by to give to Arundell¡¯s king?¡± Rihannan. Everyone¡¯s eyes immediately fell on Marquis Priebius. His face was flushed with embarrassment. ¡°What the hell does that mean? This is too much spection. Isn¡¯t the expression ¡®a royal woman¡¯ in itself refers to the princess?¡± ¡°No, I don¡¯t think so.¡± Duke Ivan shook his head. ¡°I am well aware of Arundell¡¯s characteristics. It is a country full of rigorousws and mandates. They¡¯remitted to using the exact words and expressions in every document to avoid future indemnity and damage. If he meant to marry the princess and only the princess, he¡¯d have written on the document ¡®Send Princess Helena, a royal of direct bloodline, as a bride.¡¯ but he did not.¡± A light could suddenly be seen on their hopeless tunnel. There was an escape n and everyone grew heated with excitement. Meanwhile, Marquis Priebius¡¯ face was heavily distorted. He would be sending off her niece to¡­ god knows what¡­ The prince burst out in merryughter. ¡°I see. In the first ce, this matter was of no concern. Even if that foolish king is angered that we sent another woman instead of the princess, we can argue that we¡¯ve kept our promise to send a royal woman. Ha-ha!¡± Chapter 36 Suffer the Same Fate

Chapter 36 Suffer the Same Fate

Chapter 36: Suffer the Same Fate ¡°Damn it!¡± Marquis Preibus cursed as somber thoughts pervaded his mind. What if¡­ Arundell¡¯s king truly sought the princess¡¯s hand in marriage andter grew enraged at the sight of Rihannan? All the pent up anger would be ced on his niece. No, he would not allow it. He could not; he would not. ¡°Rihannan is ipetent for the task. She¡¯s a weak and fragile person who suffers from nightmares to this very day. She won¡¯t be able to bear the title of Queen. Please think again,¡± the marquis begged. ¡°So you¡¯d rather that my sister, my only sibling, suffer?¡± The crown prince¡¯s golden-colored eyes chilled. The nearby noblemen who saw his steel-hardened face breathed quietly. ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± Marquis Preibus tried to concoct words of defense, but he was at a loss. In the end, he shut his mouth for he knew further resistance would only lead to greater consequences for him and his family. ¡°Don¡¯t worry too much, marquis. Your niece once lived in Arundell when she was child. She¡¯s used to their culture. She¡¯ll not have a difficult time adjusting.¡± ¡°Yes, this is the best situation we could hope for. Rihannan is both a Chrichton and an Arundell. This fact can¡¯t be absolved. And moreover, I¡¯ve heard that many of the Arundell¡¯s nobles have a thing for beauty. I¡¯m sure their king will be pleased with Rihannan¡¯s appearance. Don¡¯t worry. She¡¯ll live well.¡± The words brought forth by the noblemen with means to console the marquis only drew out his ire. If their daughter was taken to Arundell as hostage, a tool, and a mere pawn, would they be able to say such things casually? ¡°Then let¡¯s proceed with the thoughts of sending her to Arundell,¡± the crown prince said. With the crown prince¡¯s deration, there was nothing more the marquis could do but remain silent and watch his niece be the king of Arundell¡¯s bride without her consent and knowledge. *** When Rihannan returned to the mansion from the royal pce, Marquis Preibus and Dimitri had long returned and settled in the study room to talk. They¡¯d yet to eat dinner. Rihannan had a mind full of questions regarding the princess¡¯s sudden marriage to Igor but she could simply could barge in, so she waited outside and reminisced the conversation she had with Helena. ¡°Arundell has demanded a national marriage with the princess as stake for defeating Chrichton¡¯s naval warships¡­¡± Hearing the old nanny¡¯s brooding announcement, Helena staggered back in shock. Rihannan and the old nanny helped her up and had her down a ss of cold water to calm her nerves. Bursting in tears, Helena said, ¡°Rih¡­ Rihannan, what do I do? Will I have to go to Arundell as a hostage?¡± ¡°No, princess. It won¡¯t happen.¡± Rihannan quickly consoled the princess. ?¡°There must be another way.¡± Hourster, she returned to the mansion. And soon as she arrived she had wanted to confirm if what the old nanny said was true from her uncle, but he had note out of the study room with Dimitri as of yet. She was fidgeting and had trouble staying still. Rihannan had never expected this. Igor, what a cruel man he was. He had calcted that Chrichton would not be able to do anything behind his back should he tie the knot with the princess of Chrichton. If Chrichton we¡¯re to do anything foolish, he¡¯ll surely chop off his wife. Rihannan was confident of this. He¡¯d not care to drop Helena in a heartbeat for he had done the same to her. Rihannan sighed heavily. She felt guilty. The future had changed and the princess would be the one to meet the fate of suffering instead. If only she could find a way¡­ ¡°Miss, won¡¯t the Marquis and Mr. Dimitri have dinner?¡± Mary looked at Rihannan worriedly. ¡°Mary, give me something simple. I¡¯ll take their meals inside myself.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Mary nodded and walked away. A whileter, Rihannan stood at the door with a tray full bread, soup, and simple meat prepared. She knocked but there was no answer. Sighing, she opened the door without permission. At that moment, Dimitri¡¯s voice rang out loud. ¡°Does this make sense?! Why should Rihannan go to Arundell as hostage instead of the princess?!¡± Bang! Advertisement The tray Rihannan was holding fell to the floor. The Marquis and Dimitri turned their heads at the same time and saw Rihannan¡¯s figure standing by the doorway. ¡°Rihannan¡­¡± the marquis¡¯s voice trailed. The tes and the tray¡¯s loud mor sent the maids running in, Mary included. She saw Rihannan standing in between the broken pieces of ss and said hurriedly, ¡°Miss, it¡¯s dangerous. Let¡¯s go this way.¡± Rihannan raised her hand and gestured to Mary. ¡°No, it¡¯s alright. You don¡¯t have to. I¡¯m fine.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°The mess can be cleaned upter. Everyone, out. Now.¡± Mary and the other maids exchanged nces. It was rare for Rihannan to order them. But they did as she instructed and left and quietly closed the door behind them. Rihannan took a step forward towards Dimitri and her uncle. ¡°What did you say? I¡¯m going Arundell instead of the princess?¡± ¡°Ah¡­ Rhia¡­¡± Dimitri quickly approached her and wrapped his arms around her for a hug. He stroked her silver hair, a gesture of love. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. You¡¯ll never go to Arundell. I¡¯ll make sure of that.¡± Unlike Dimitri¡¯s assurance, his uncle had a face full of agony. No matter how hard he hid his frustrations, Rihannan could see it. Rihannan patted Dimitri¡¯s back and looked at him; he stepped back. She turned her gaze to her uncle and said, ¡°Exin in detail, uncle, how this happened.¡± Chapter 37 Grief and Shame

Chapter 37 Grief and Shame

Chapter 37: Grief and Shame Short chapter. The marquis exined in detail what urred at the emergency meeting of state affairs hours ago. Arundell managed to surround Crichton in the sea and officially conveyed the king¡¯s intentions through an envoy. Arundell wished for peace and harmony, never the antagonizing of Crichton. As proof, he asked to send a royal member of Chrichton to him. She will be his queen. Rihannan listened to the story intently, her countenance stiff. And atst, the marquis ended the story saying, ¡°At first, everyone was furious for they thought Helena¡¯d be Arundell¡¯s tool, but after a consensus that a?royaldy?could be anyone, you, Rihannan, was chosen¡­ I¡¯m sorry I could not be of any help.¡± The marquis¡¯ face flushed with bouts of guilt and drooped his head. Rihannan was beautiful, but oftentimes beauty was the cause of a nation¡¯s downfall. He believed there¡¯lle a time when he¡¯ll abandon her¡­ ¡°So you want to send Rihannan to Arundell, to death? You can¡¯t be of help so you give up? What do you think will happen if she goes there in this state? Do you think those shameless royals will treat her well? And Chrichton too! They¡¯ll certainly n their revenge. Rihannnan will be a pawn. Death awaits her in Arundell! You¡¯ll let her go knowing this?!¡± Dimitri shouted angrily. The marquis lost his temper. ¡°So what will you do? You¡¯llmit crimes of infidelity against the royal family and let us all be traitors and die?!¡± ¡°You¡¯re afraid of death now?¡± Dimitri scoffed. ¡°I never pegged my father to be a coward!¡± ¡°You bastard!¡± The marquis could not contain his anger and pped Dimitri on the cheek. Rihannan covered her mouth in surprise. Until now, the marquis had never been one to touch his son except for corporal punishment for his wrongdoings. Dimitri swallowed his anger and stared at his father¡¯s eyes coldly. ¡°It¡¯s much better to die together. At least I won¡¯t be betraying Rihannan.¡± ¡°You still¡­!¡± ¡°Uncle!¡± As the marquis¡¯ hand rose again, Rihannan hastily cut in between them. ¡°Don¡¯t do that. Both you, stop and calm down. You¡¯re filled with too many emotions right now.¡± After a while, the marquis slowly lowered his arm that had been held and blocked by Rihannan. His cheeks trembled and twitched and soon uttered amentable remark, ¡°Do you think I want this? Rihannan¡¯s the only blood connection I have left of my sister. Dimi, don¡¯t you know how much love I have for my sister and her daughter, my niece? I can¡¯t do anything, I¡¯m not powerful enough¡­ if I could, I¡¯d prevent this from happening¡­ but, I don¡¯t see a way¡­ how can I¡­¡± His voice croaked at the end, almost tearful. The gray-haired nobleman was crumbling with grief and shame. In return, Dimitri could not contain his anger and punched the desk. Rihannan¡¯s eyes lowered in mncholy. The room was filled with near silence that seemed to explode at any moment. Chapter 38 A Future Far Worse

Chapter 38 A Future Far Worse

Chapter 38: A FutureFar Worse ¡°¡­.Dimi, uncle, it¡¯s gettingte. Let¡¯s rest for now and talk again tomorrow with a clear mind.¡± Rihannan sent them out of the study, rubbing her forehead in the process. If she were to leave their wounds untouched, an irreparable scar will form. She walked out of the study room thereafter and saw Mary outside on standby. Her deep-brown eyes coarsed with tears. She ran straight to Rihannan. ¡°Oh, Miss¡­¡± Mary croaked. Rihannan smiled bitterly. ¡°Did you hear everything?¡± Mary wiped her tears and nodded. ¡°Yes, I heard it when the door opened earlier. Miss, is it true? Will you have to go to Arundell instead of the princess¡­?¡± Rihannan could not answer Mary¡¯s question. She did not know. Until today, she worried about Helena incessantly, but now, everything had changed. She now needed to worry for herself. ¡°Uncle said he¡¯ll find a way. Don¡¯t worry too much, Mary. I¡¯m tired now and I want to rest. You should too.¡± Mary, still in tears, nodded. ¡°Yes, Miss. I¡¯ll bring you to your room.¡± Mary brought Rihannan to her bedroom and gave her the medicine she took regrly. Mary, still full of worries, stayed by Rihannan¡¯s side ¡®till she fell asleep before leaving. But¡­ Rihannan had trouble sleeping. Throughout the night, she kept tossing and turning ¡®till finally, sheid on her side wide awake pondering what happened earlier in the day. She thought how difficult it was for her uncle to refuse the king and the crown prince¡¯s order. Disobedience to royalty in this country was in itself a heinous crime. Should he chose to hide Rihannan and refuse to hand his niece over to them, he and Dimitri would be executed for treason. This was the worst oue. Therefore, Rihannan needed to go on her own volition to minimize the damage it would cause to her uncle and to Dimitri. They¡¯ll be safe from harm. But¡­ there was one thing she did not understand. Igor. Why he used a vague expression of marrying Chrichton¡¯s royal woman as stated in writing on the documents, Rihannan had no clue. When writing a document, the outline and principle needed to be precise and the mistakes corrected to prevent misinterpretations. But perhaps he could not afford to be precise considering the current situation. Igor¡­ Rihannan recalled those cold purple eyes and felt a sudden chill for a moment. Maybe¡­ maybe she won¡¯t be able to avoid going back to Arundell. Her fate might turn out for the worst¡­ In the past, she became queen because she was an Arundell noble and thete queen¡¯s close aide. The Queen, she held great power at the time. There was a certain basis for that. And the Queen adored her, showed her affection. But this time, this was not the case. The Queen was a toothless tiger who¡¯d long lost her power and throne. This time, no one would be at her side. It was as Dimitri said. She was walking on thin ice and any mistake could cost her her life. Advertisement Rihannan¡¯s thoughts strangled her and she was helplessly plunged in a deep sense of abyss. If this was the case, why did she not die and returned to the past instead? If she¡¯ll have a future far worse than the past, what was the point¡­? Rihannan recalled Helena¡¯s words, she who shed sobbing tears said, ¡°I don¡¯t want to go to Arundell as a hostage¡­¡± By now, she should have known. Helena will know that she¡¯ll go on her behalf. Rihannan wondered what she was thinking. Would she be angry? Upset? ¡®I¡¯ll go see her first thing tomorrow morning.¡¯ Rihannan could not rely on her uncle to shoulder the burdens all alone. Though she¡¯s not sure where the princess stands, if she even feels a slight bit of guilt, maybe she¡¯ll be able to help her. Maybe there¡¯ll be another way, another path. Pulling the covers back up, Rihannan rxed and drowned in sleep. A whileter, footsteps, slow and steady, could be heard, disturbing Rihannan from her slumber. Rihannan opened her eyes, face aghast to discover a dark figure standing beside her bed. Chapter 39 Run Away, Girl

Chapter 39 Run Away, Girl

Chapter 39: Run Away, Girl ¡°Who¡­ who¡­¡± ¡°Shh¡­¡± Rihannan struggled to voice out her words with her mouth blocked, but she stopped resisting hearing that familiar voice. ¡°Dimi?¡± she whispered softly, her beautiful silhouette shining through the moonlight pouring through the window. Her cousin, Dimi, pressed his finger on her lips and quietly mouthed, ¡°Be quiet.¡± Rihannan looked at Dimitri with unforeseen astonishment as he handed her a coat, shoes, and a hat and said, ¡°Put this on first.¡± ¡°Dimi, what is¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ll exin to you on the way. There¡¯s no time. Come on. Hurry.¡± At his urgent request, Rihannan dressed up frantically. Putting on her shoes, Dimitri grabbed her hand and left the room straight away. She was led outside of the dark mansion and into the stable. Dimitri rashly mounted Rihannan on the horse and he quickly climbed up and sat behind her. It had taken the duo a short time to leave the mansion. ¡°Dimi, be honest. What¡¯s going on?¡± After reaching a quiescent ce, Rihannan asked. Regardless, Dimitri remained mute and continued their journey in silence until Rihannan lost her patience and asked again, this time more forceful. ¡°Leave Crichton for a while,¡± Dimitri said. ¡°What?¡± Started, Rihannan twisted her back as far as she could. ¡°Eyes forward.¡± Dimitri twisted her body back. ¡°You¡¯ll stay at the border with a friend I know. It¡¯s safer. Stay there for the time being.¡± ¡°What? Dimi, talk to me.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Stop the horse now!¡± But there was no sign of stopping. Rihannan forcibly took the reins from Dimitri. Feeling the touch of an unfamiliar stranger, the horse bucked; it lowered its head and stood on its hind legs with the forelegs kicking the air, forcing Rihannan and Dimitri toe falling down. Dimitri furrowed his brows and said angrily, ¡°Rhia, we don¡¯t have time for this! I need to get you out of Tars by the end of the night.¡± ¡°And what will happen if I leave you and uncle like this?¡± Rihannan snapped. ¡°Why are you worried about it? We¡¯ll take care of our own affairs, so just focus about your own problems. Do you think it¡¯ll be easy to hide in Tars, in a ce where you¡¯re easily recognizable?¡± Advertisement ¡°Dimi!¡± Rihannan roared. ¡°How can you be so foolish and emotional at a time like this? The crown prince won¡¯t stand still. Don¡¯t you know that?¡± ¡°What do you expect me to do, Rhia? You want me to watch you be taken as hostage? No, I won¡¯t allow it!¡± ¡°There has to be another way. We can¡¯t go about it like this.¡± ¡°Rhia¡­¡± Dimitri was pent up with anger. This was the first time he felt so helplessly mad with frenzy. ¡°You¡¯re able to say such things because you don¡¯t know anything. The crown prince, you don¡¯t think he¡¯ll retaliate against Arundell? He¡¯ll never forgive anyone who dares to trample his pride. As soon as Chrichton rebuilds itself, he¡¯ll certainly wage a war against Arundell and you¡¯ll be caught in the middle of it! And what of Arundell¡¯s king? You think he¡¯ll leave you alone once he finds out you¡¯re not the princess? Those bastards will bring the death of you!¡± ¡°But this isn¡¯t how we should go about it. This isn¡¯t a proper solution and will only bring about a chaotic mess,¡± Rihannan sharply rebuked Dimitri and took a deep breath. Then, she grabbed his arm and said gravely, ¡°In the future, you¡¯ll experience much more pain and hardship than this. Even then, if you treat such matters lightly like this, everyone will die. Wake up, Dimi. We¡¯re not children anymore. It¡¯s time we grow up¡­¡± Dimitri had always been a man of integrity¡­ even now. Even in the past Rihannan had been inwardly dependent on him, often exchanging letters. It was the same now despite meeting earlier than imagined. Six years ago, he was young, small, and immature but she could always rely on him. He would take care of her¡­ like she was his own sister. Growing up with Dimitri, she learned he had an emotionally spontaneous side to him she was unaware of in the past. Though this was probably his true self. It was just that she¡¯d never had the chance to know him truly before. And now he¡¯s grown up and was still that same reliant, emotional, and spontaneous person she knew. ¡°What are you saying all of a sudden? What do you mean? What will be harder than this?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Rihannan bit her lip and looked at Dimitri. She wanted to say it ¡ª the truth. Maybe others will call her crazy, but Dimitri, who has the vision of a dreamer, might believe her. ¡°Rhia¡­¡± As he called her name, something shed nearby. Chapter 40 Danil Lyurik

Chapter 40 Danil Lyurik

Chapter 40:?Danil Lyurik Short chapter. Next chapter will be long and lengthy. ¡°Rhia!¡± Dimitri pounced on Rihannan, immediately embracing her in his arms and shielding her from an unknown object. Rihannan and Dimitri looked up and saw stones shining brightly around them. They realized what it was and their face quickly hardened. It was an ore named Arc Stone and categorized as one of the rarest minerals in the world. When burned, it produced light and heat without odor. Every nation made great to acquire Arc Stones. For its usefulness, the masses titled the ore Lord of Light. Apart from its purpose to burn lights, arc stones had far too many purposes ¨C one included flying through the air to reveal their target. Though the problem was the rarity of the stones. It was not easy for regr folks to have one in their hands. Only the powerful and wealthy could afford such luxury and Rihannan and Dimitri know fairly well who wielded that power in Chrichton. A few minutester, a dozen men appeared in the light the stone burned. A man stood in the middle and faced Rihannan and Dimitri. Dimitri knew him. ¡°Danil.¡± At Dimitri¡¯s call, Danil Lyurik, duke and the eldest son of the crown prince¡¯s closest aide walked forward. Dimitri red at him intensely. He and Danil had never been on good terms. Dimitri quietly despised for his misbehavior and misconduct while Danil felt pity for Dimitri, pity for his life as he lived a life without power and away from the center of power despite his royal lineage. ¡°Surprised? I had a hunch that a rat would escape tonight.¡± Dimitri gritted his teeth as Danil smiled. ¡°You waited for us for a reason, right? Is it not to capture and hand us over to the crown prince?¡± Dimitri said lowly. Danil smiled. ¡°Yes. I knew you¡¯d make a move. You shouldn¡¯t have shown such overt affection for your cousin. Well, she is beautiful. I can see why.¡± ¡°As the crown prince¡¯s dog, you¡¯ll truly wag your tail,¡± Dimitri growled. ¡°Ah, ah, ah.¡± Danil wagged his finger. ¡°Be careful what you say. What I give to the crown prince is loyalty but you¡¯ve only shown insults and¡­ treason.¡± Dimitri gritted his teeth. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Danil looked over his shoulder. ¡°Tie them up.¡± The soldiers rushed and followed his order. Dimitri momentarily ced his hand on the sword tied around his waist, but he soon gave up. Rihannan¡¯s situation would only worsen. ¡°Then take me alone. Send Rihannan back home. That child is only guilty of being forced to go with me! Don¡¯t you think we don¡¯t have guards at our house? How could she run away?¡± Dimitri appealed to Danil desperately. Danil¡¯s gaze turned to Rihannan. He had already seen her in the pce. The impression he received from her was of a beautiful yet quiet woman who was always by the princess¡¯s side calmly. She was a contrast to the princess¡¯s lively character. But he soon realized that she was a little different from what he had originally thought. She was not surprised nor in tears. Instead of crying useless tears, she looked at Dimitri quietly. She had a cute little frown on her lips before turning her head to him. For a moment, it felt like the cold winter sky poured down. ¡°Take me to the crown prince. I have something to tell him,¡± she said, facing Danil whose eyes were a deep blue. Advertisement Chapter 41 Tied to Him

Chapter 41 Tied to Him

Chapter 41: Tied To Him Rihannan was to wait until the following morning to meet the crown prince. Meanwhile, Dimitri was sent to prison and Rihannan locked and confined in the mansion. She was under heavy surveince and unable to do anything. She only had a small leeway until the promised meeting with the crown prince. Until then, she needed to go to the princess. Only she could help her. ¡°But¡­ I can¡¯t meet her right now¡­¡± Not mentioning her confinement, she¡¯d have trouble entering the pce. Besides, there were guards outside the mansion preventing her from escaping. But¡­ there was a guard nearby standing still and proper. She walked to him. ¡°Please pass this message to the princess¡­?Rihannan wants to meet you.¡± However, the guard did not react. Hecked the slightest sign of willingness to convey her words. Rihannan sighed dismally. As she tried to look for alternative methods, someone from the outside barged in. ¡°Lady Rihannan!¡± It was the princess¡¯s old nanny. Rihannan smiled and weed her. ¡°Nanny, is the princess in the pce? Please help me¡­.¡± But the old nanny smiled bitterly, shaking her head at Rihannan¡¯s earnest plea. ¡°The princess was ced on a curfew. No one is allowed in and out of her pce. You won¡¯t be able to meet her today.¡± For a slight fragment of a second, a look of great disappointment shed on her face. If the king had already made a decree, it would be nigh impossible to meet the princess. ¡°Lady Rihannan¡­¡± The old nanny sped her hand as tears coursed from the corner of her eyes. ¡°I¡¯m ashamed to say this, and I know I¡¯mmitting a heinous crime that I could never wash, but¡­ I will say it in spite of the great shame I feel¡­ Lady Rihannan¡­ won¡¯t you please make a sacrifice for the sake of the princess just this once?¡± Rihannan looked at the old nanny. She was speechless. The princess, she had always been kind and warm to Rihannan. To think it would turn out like this. ¡°How could you¡­¡± ¡°You know how immature our princess is. If she goes, she won¡¯t ever be able to hold on. On the other hand, Lady Rihannan has lived in Arundell half of her life. And more than anything else¡­¡± ¡°Is this Princess Helena¡¯s position?¡± The old nanny shook her head in a hurry at Rihannan¡¯s cold inquiry. ¡°No¡­ absolutely not. Don¡¯t misunderstand. Princess Helena is worried about you. If it weren¡¯t for the orders from the king, you would be able to meet the princess. His Majesty is all-powerful and the princess has no power aside from her title¡­¡± Rihannan took a step backward and shrugged her hand away from the old nanny. Helena was the king¡¯s beloved child. He would give the world to her. Even her violent brother, the crown prince, was as gentle as a sheep in front of Helena. Helena was innocent. She lived a life without struggle and hardship. What the old nanny said was true. She was weak. She¡¯d not be able to hold on¡­ Rihannan looked up at the pce the princess resided in briefly before turning her gaze back to the old nanny. ¡°Tell her that I understand.¡± Then she turned around and left. Advertisement The cries of the old nanny rang loudly in the background. After a long, hectic walk, Rihannan noticed that she was heading towards a familiar path. It was the garden she often visited on the way back home from the pce. It was here she met the crown prince without knowing his true identity. Tired, Rihannan sighed and gently rubbed her forehead. ¡®Get a hold of yourself, Rihannan. This is not the time to be¡­¡¯ A shrill cry of birds interrupted her thoughts. She turned around and saw the bird¡¯s nest under attack by a big snake. The snake coiled its body around the tree, hissing as it made its way upwards. Some of the birds had already be its prey, the number of baby birds decreasing. The adult birds pped their wings and flew around, pecking hard at the snake, but it was not enough. The snake swallowed the remaining baby birds one by one¡­ ¡°Ah¡­¡± At the thought of helping the birds, she remembered a voice she had long forgotten. ¡°Give up. That¡¯s the bird¡¯s destiny.¡± It was the voice of a young boy lying in the garden. It felt like it was yesterday. ¡°Ah ¡­¡± ¡°Look at her drooping belly. She¡¯s a new mother. If the hunt fails, the bird will live, but her kittens will starve.¡± At the time, she was at a disadvantage. The boy¡¯s reasoning was not wrong, but she could not bear to see that bird die. There was nothing she could do, but eventually¡­ the boy climbed up the tree himself as she shed tears. Rihannan¡¯s ice-blue eyes quickly dimmed. Sometimes she thought¡­ what if he had not climbed the tree for her? Would they have avoided the tragedy of a loveless marriage? No, she was fooling herself. The Queen loved her that she chose her as the only queen candidate for her son, Igor. Her fate was tied to him. It seemed to be the case in this life. One could resist, but they¡¯d only be eaten in the end. That bird might have managed to avoid the cat¡¯s attack, but it could have been swallowed by a snake that appeared out of nowhere the very next morning. Life seemed to work like that. It truly is ephemeral. She had tried to live a life on her own path, but here she was¡­ back to square one. So long as the crown prince and the king continue pushing her as candidate for the national marriage instead of their beloved princess, she¡¯ll end up in Arundell and to that life as Queen all over again. And¡­ she knows she¡¯ll wake up in that pce to find her heart breaking all over again long the day has begun. Just likest time¡­ Chapter 42 A Favor

Chapter 42 A Favor

Chapter 42: A Favor When she thought of this, she lost all her energy. Why does she struggle so hard? The future won¡¯t change no matter what she does. She was tied to?him.?For a time, Rihannan stared forward absent-mindedly ¡®till a sudden flick of wings buzzed in her ear. Chirp, chirp! A shrill cry of the bird rang out. The bird, who earlier fought with the snake, circled around her. It sought Rihannan¡¯s help after seeing her familiar figure. Rihanann turned around and looked at the bird¡¯s nest. Only two baby birds were left, the rest swallowed by the snake. Chirp, chirp! The bird chirped again, hurriedly and anxiously. Understanding its intent, Rihannan picked up a wooden stick lying on the ground and ran straight to the tree. She threw the stick at the snake whose venomous fangs crept closer to the baby birds. Wack! The snake, hit right on the head, fell off the tree. It was unconscious for a moment before it crawled quickly into the grass. It disappeared and peace was found once again. The bird circled around her and returned back to its nest. ¡°Ha¡­¡± Rihannan exhaled a deep sigh. For more, visit lightnovelw_orld.c_om She had found her answer. Originally, Rihannan intended on visiting the crown prince to offer all she had for concession ¨C her intent was to free Dimitri from prison and protect her uncle and his family. The wealth she had was the vast wealth of the future and knowledge only she knew. She nned to sell that knowledge in exchange for the protection of her family and to prevent herself from being sent to Arundell as Chrichton¡¯s tool. But now she understood. It was all useless. She would only give her head to a natural enemy who sought to eat her and the crown prince was the hungry snake who would eat her even after she gave all that she had to offer. ¡°Lady Rihannan.¡± The voice of a man disrupted her thoughts. It was the watchman guard assigned to follow her every move. ¡°It¡¯s time.¡± Rihannan who had found her answer no longer wore a look of hesitation. ¡°Yes, let¡¯s go meet the crown prince.¡± * The crown prince¡¯s pce was luxurious from the expensive rugsid bare on the floor to the marble-like walls. It was splendid. There was not a ce to be found without decorations. Everything was covered in gold and splendor ¨C even the railing was painted gold. Gold¡­ the color was used to show off Chrichton¡¯s mighty power. She was immediately escorted to the crown prince¡¯s bedroom. The crown prince¡¯s bedroom quarter was a private space whose location was privy only to the royal family and their closest acquaintances. That the crown prince brought Rihannan to his room held a certain notion that he treated her as a figure of?importance. Advertisement ¡°Come in.¡± At his signal, Rihannan entered the room and saw the image of the crown prince lying on the huge bed covered with only silk and velvet. A blonde woman beside him clung to his shoulder bare naked. She was his lover, this much Rihannan knew. Fortunately, the prince was dressed. For more, visit lightnovelw_orld.c_om ¡°I see your tastes have declined, Your Highness,¡± the woman purred. The crown prince smirked and slowly pulled himself out of the bed. He looked at Rihannan appreciatively before whispering to the lover by his side. The woman smiled slightly and covered herself with a nket before disappearing into the small door behind. The crown prince had not the mind to tidy up his disheveled clothing and proceeded to sit on the bed with his legs crossed. ¡°You wanted me, is that right? Let me hear your reason.¡± Rihannan bowed politely. ¡°I have a favor I would like to ask the crown prince.¡± Chapter 43 Fear Must Be Overcome

Chapter 43 Fear Must Be Ovee

Chapter 43: Fear Must Be Ovee ¡°Let me guess,¡± the crown prince rubbed his chin, ¡°You want me to free Dimitri from prison? Or maybe you¡¯re pleading that I not send you to Arundell? Did I hit the mark?¡± ¡°If I ask you of that, Your Highness, would you ept my request?¡± ¡°Impossible,¡± he snorted. ¡°If this is your sole reason foring here, go back home. I epted your visitation request as I thought you¡¯d have anything special to say, but how utterly disappointed I am.¡± ¡°Arundell¡¯s king asked for Princess Helena. You know that.¡± ¡°You¡¯re Helena¡¯s friend but you are her servant, first and foremost. As her servant, you¡¯re to make sure you keep her away from harm at all times. This is how it works.¡± Then he smiled, raising the corner of his lips upwards. ¡°But of course, it¡¯s not like there¡¯s no way out.¡± His gaze swept through Rihannan¡¯s chest and waistline. She looked pleasing to the eye. Rihannan saw through his lewdness and greedy thoughts. He looked at her like a delicious prey. She wanted nothing but to run and escape, but she persevered. She sped her hand and dug her fingernails on her skin. ¡°You¡¯ve interrupted a good time with my lover so why don¡¯t you make it up for me. Actually, I¡¯ve had you in my mind for a while, but much to my dismay, I could not touch you. Now, you better use your body to good use and I¡¯ll decide whether to send you to Arundell or not.¡± And slowly, he rose from his bed and shuffled towards Rihannan. He looked ready to put his words into practice. Rihannan looked straight at him and smiled. ¡°No, you don¡¯t have to. I will go to Arundell instead of the princess.¡± The crown prince, dumbfounded, did not expect to hear Rihannan utter those words. ¡°¡­Just now¡­ what?¡± ¡°I will go to Arundell instead of Princess Helena. But before that, I ask that I have a moment alone with Arundell¡¯s king.¡± ¡°A moment alone? Why?¡± ¡°To persuade the king.¡± The crown prince knitted his brows. ¡°Persuade him from what?¡± ¡°For him to choose me, not the princess, in regards to the national marriage.¡± ¡°Why do you want to persuade him?¡± ¡°Everyone knows the person the king seeks to marry is the princess. But do you think he¡¯ll let you go once he learns the truth, that I¡¯m no princess, just someone associated with royal blood? And what do you think he¡¯ll do to me? He won¡¯t let me go. It¡¯s not good for me nor for you and Chrichton. I¡¯m aware Chrichton seeks peace with Arundell. This can only happen if he decides to choose me as queen, not the princess.¡± ¡°And how will you persuade him? Your beauty?¡± His voice was full of ridicule. He doubted that she had the means to seed. ¡°There are many ways to persuade a man. If you just give me time alone with him, I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll seed.¡± ¡°What if you fail?¡± His voice was threateningly low. ¡°If I feign ignorance and send you as the princess, thene the wedding date, he¡¯ll have no choice but to make you his queen. And, moreover, he had never seen the princess. This works to our advantage. But if you meet him and fail, he¡¯ll ask for Helena¡¯s hand in marriage right away. Wouldn¡¯t we be at a disadvantage instead?¡± ¡°You won¡¯t fail. I have my own ideas.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°I apologize, but I can¡¯t tell you.¡± ¡°You won¡¯t tell me?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Rihannan nodded. ¡°Heh. Then why should I believe in you?¡± ¡°This is the best oue for all parties, for you, for me, for the princess, and for the kingdom.¡± Advertisement The crown prince looked at Rihannan. She had always stood at Helena¡¯s side and was never the kind of woman to speak nonsense. She was quiet and rarely spoke. He never knew what went on her head. Sighing, he said, ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll give you a moment alone with Arundell¡¯s king. Go and persuade him. Have him choose you, not the princess. If you fail, your cousin, Dimitri, will die.¡± Rihannan¡¯s cold sunken eyes were directed at him. She had expected this much. ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡± ¡°Get an answer out of him by the end of the day. And he should be here soon. Go to the harbor of Sheviet right now. I¡¯ll prepare guards and attendants to journey with you.¡± ¡°Thank you for your consideration, Your Highness.¡± Rihannan bowed. The crown prince, who watched her, smiled. ¡°Whenever you see me, you always tremble like a rat in front of a cat, but now you stand here chatting with me so admirably. Are you not afraid?¡± Rihannan stared at the door briefly before staring straight into his eyes. She did not avoid his gaze. ¡°¡­For someone who has made extreme choices, fear must be ovee.¡± He won¡¯t know. What is it like to take your own life? What are the fears of a man who had already ended his life with his own hands? She was only experiencing her second death. This much was nothing. Chapter 44 Ill Be Alright

Chapter 44 I''ll Be Alright

Chapter 44: I¡¯ll Be Alright The Crown Prince did not believe Rihannan and failed to delve into her thoughts, into her pain and suffering. He failed to look at her, really look at her. He failed to see that a house lived inside her. She had secrets locked inside her house; her house was big and beautiful but¡­ inside that house is full of secret rooms and hiding ces once filled with innocentughter and joy that turned to one of despair. Chuckling at what he thought was mere bragging, the Crown Prince said, ¡°You can go now. I have nothing more to say.¡± Rihannan bowed. ¡°I¡¯ll be on my way, Your Highness.¡± She turned around and walked towards the door, but suddenly stopped as she ced her hand on the door. ¡°The Crown Prince¡¯s downfall¡­¡± The Crown Prince raised his head. ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°I tell you this now in advance for the chance that I may not return. I want to say my farewell to you, Your Highness, as a member of Crichton¡¯s royal blood. May you live a long and prosperous life.¡± The Crown Princeughed. ¡°Yes, in fact, I do not want to be buried in the hands of my dear blood rtive. I mean it. And Dimitri resembles his father well and has talent in diplomacy. I hope your persuasion pays off. You¡¯re worth more as Arundell¡¯s queen than a pawn to be yed.¡± Rihannan smiled lightly and bowed her head. When she turned, her back facing him, the smile on her lips faded. A year from now¡­ within a year¡­ all the bloody mess will unravel. Leaving the Crown Prince¡¯s bedroom quarter, Rihannan bit her lips hard. *** Dozens of ships floated picturesquely on the calm, raging sea. The rough winds that sunk Chrichton¡¯s ship disappeared without a trace. The weather was sunny and clear as Arundell¡¯s ship docked on the port. Unlike the picturesque scenery of the sea, the atmosphere at the port was stern and of high tension knowing that their own ship could arrive at any moment and dye the sea with its own blood. And¡­ today was theirst day to answer to the king of Arundell¡¯s demands. If anything turns to the unexpected, the port will immediately be a battlefield. And so the Chrichton natives waited for the envoy from the pce to arrive. They prayed dearly for the envoy¡¯s safe arrival. Meanwhile, a group arrived at the harbor. There was a carriage bearing Chrichton¡¯s royal seal and the king¡¯s personal guard escorting both sides. General Chris, in charge of the port¡¯s maintenance and peace immediately rushed out towards them. The carriage slowly came to a stop and the door opened. A woman stepped foot off the carriage. She wore an expensive overcoat and high-quality leather gloves. General Chris assumes the woman was of noble status¡­ that and the carriage bearing the royal seal signified her great importance. The general paid his respects. ¡°Wee. Thank you foring.¡± Rihannan looked at the general calmly as she was greeted by him and the nearby soldiers. ¡°Are you General Chris?¡± ¡°Yes, mdy. What is your name and status?¡± ¡°My name is Rihannan Alessin. My uncle is Prince Preibius, a rtive of the royal family. I¡¯m here to meet Arundell¡¯s king under the orders from the Crown Prince.¡± ¡°You came to see the King of Arundell?¡± Surprised, the general asked. He thought a chieftain¡¯d see and negotiate with Arundell¡¯s king or to deliver the king¡¯s letter. He did not expect a young noblewoman to be the one ced in charge. ¡°Here is everything in the details. Please deliver this to King Igor.¡± Advertisement The letter was sealed with two lions facing each other, an undeniable proof of the Crown Prince¡¯smand. ¡°As you wish, Lady Rihannan. Please wait inside for a moment for the other party¡¯s reply.¡± The general immediately delivered the letter to the soldier in charge ofmunication. Meanwhile, Rihannan was guided to a VIP room. On the way to, her gazended briefly to the ship docked on the port. Somewhere on that ship was Igor. Recalling the horrid memories of the past, terror briefly invaded her mind. In front of the Crown Prince, she bravely said she had ovee her fear, but it was not true. She was afraid of him, afraid of Igor. She did not want to die in a cold ce filled with loneliness simr to the past. At least she hoped for a peaceful rest with warm farewells from her loved ones. Was it too much to ask for? Was it alright to ask for happiness? ¡°My Lady, are you all right? Is there any inconvenience?¡± Looking at Rihannan¡¯s pale face, the soldier asked worriedly. Rihannan breathed deeply. No, there is nothing to be afraid of. That man on that ship was different from the man from his past life. In this present life, he had never done any harm to her. She need not be afraid. ¡°I¡¯m alright.¡± Rihannan smiled. Soon, the two arrived at the VIP room. Chapter 45 You Who Treats Me Like a Dog

Chapter 45 You Who Treats Me Like a Dog

Chapter 45: You Who Treats Me Like a Dog News of the envoy¡¯s arrival from the pce roused the soldiers and sailors nearby. The port was bustling. The soldier on board Arundell¡¯s ship delivered the letter to a messenger as he waited. His mission was to deliver the letter with the king¡¯s seal and return to thedy with a proper answer. ¡°Your Majesty!¡± The king¡¯s loyal servant, Basil, with a grin nted on his face, entered the cabin holding a letter in his hand. A ck-haired man sitting on the desk raised his head. His Chrichton blood was apparent. His hair and eyes had the distinctive traitsmon amongst Arundell while his height and facial shape differed from Arundell¡¯s men. He raised his hand and swept his hair back ¨C his skin was slightly tanned while those dark purple eyes gave off a sense of intensity. ¡°The letter has finally arrived!¡± Basil ced the letter stamped with a royal seal on the desk. Then he said excitedly, ¡°Now that the letter is here, are we heading back to Arundell? I¡¯m sure the letter contains an agreement to send their princess.¡± Igor did not reply and tore open the sealed letter. While reading, Basil¡¯s mouth moved nonstop. ¡°Do you know how much my wife has been cursing at metely? It¡¯s been over a month since I¡¯vest seen the birth of my second child. Aiish, it¡¯s all because of this mess. I¡¯ve yet to properly give him a hug¡­¡± Basil sniffed. ¡°It¡¯s all because of you, Your Majesty¡­ who treats me like a dog¡­ ahhh!¡± The king, Igor stood from his seat with a bang and Basil, surprised, shrieked loudly. His legs weakened and he replied with a fervent and sincere excuse. ¡°Oh, no¡­ I mean¡­ I don¡¯t me you at all, Your Majesty¡­ uh¡­ just rx and¡­¡± Much to his surprise, Igor moved to the window instead of criticizing him. Basil wondered what oddity spun in the king¡¯s head this time. Igor¡¯s eyes seemed to look at something¡­ at someone¡­ like a puppy who needed to sh*t. Basil cleared his throat and hurriedly dispelled the naughty thoughts in his head. ¡°Your Majesty, what¡¯s wrong with you all of a sudden? What the hell is written in the letter¡­¡± ¡°A noble whose family name is Alessin has arrived as Chrichton¡¯s messenger. That person wants to be alone with me.¡± ¡°Allessin¡­ ah¡­ wh-what if¡­¡± Basil suddenly remembered an incident a long time ago, an incident he would never forget for it nearly cost his life. shback. One day, out of the blue, without informing the Queen of their sudden departure, Igor and Basil escaped the pce and ran all throughout the night to a small estate in the south. They journeyed for days without end and rest, without eating. But s¡¯, the young king failed to meet?her.?He was so anxious to see her, but in the end, she had long sailed off to Chrichton before they arrived. And then, the next problem urred. Though they safely returned to the pce without problems, a brewing storm quickly headed his way. The Queen, furious, immediately unleashed her wrath to Basil, the young king¡¯s servant. Basil had been threatened left and right demanding where they ran off to. If he fails, he¡¯ll die from a torturous death. But prior to that, Igor once asked if he could trust Basil. ¡°Can I trust you?¡± Igor asked. Advertisement ¡°Of course, Your Majesty!¡± Basil blurted. ¡°Then do as I say if you want to live.¡± Basil was moved to tears at the boy¡¯s answer. He won¡¯t die! ¡°Yes, Your Majesty!¡± And so, Basil was dragged away by the Queen¡¯s people. And the Queen herself was like a dragon that spewed fire. Yes, Basil vividly remembered that fiery spit spewing out from her mouth nonstop like a fire breathing dragon¡­ she was like a heroic female general. The Queen approached Basil with her sleeves rolled up, lips smiling cruelly, and hands nearing his neck. No, it was no heroic female general but a devil! Basil knew his death woulde from the Queen herself ¨C death by choking. ¡°Where have you been with Igor?¡± the Queen asked. But he remained silent and so he was beaten to the point of near-death. Then the Queen asked again. But Basil was silent. And beaten he was again and thrown to prison thereafter. Igor probably had a bit of sympathy left over. Heter came to save Basil from near death. And in the end, their secret rendezvous became a secret locked in their hearts. No one had known that the young king had ns to visit Count Alessin¡¯s estate that day. Chapter 46 Ill Kill You Myself

Chapter 46 I''ll Kill You Myself

Chapter 46: I¡¯ll Kill You Myself ¡°Your Majesty, is it the youngdy from before?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Igor¡¯s mind spun erratically, his breathing growing heavy. Basil noticed the slight change in his aura. ¡°I never thought of this¡­ I¡­ I did not expect that we would meet like this¡­¡± His body shivered, albeit momentarily. Igor straightened his clothes and wiped the sweat from his palms in his bottoms before proceeding to sweep his hair back. Basil stared in wondrous curiosity. ¡°Your Majesty, what¡¯s your connection to Count Alessin? I know you¡¯ve met the Count in the royal ce a few times. Oh,e to think of it, the Countess was of royal blood from Chrichton¡­¡± Then, at that moment, Basil realized something and quickly shut his mouth. ¡®Oh my god! Was His Majesty¡¯s first love the Countess¡¯s daughter? Not Princess Helena? So he expects them to offer the Countess¡¯s daughter and not the princess?!¡¯ Basil¡¯s legs wobbled at the sudden revtion. Igor nced over his shoulder and looked at him without denial of affirmation. He threw his head back to the window and looked at the port with a nervous face struck on his face. His look affirmed Basil¡¯s theory. Visit _lightnovelworl_d.c_om for the best novel reading experience ¡°My goodness, Your Majesty, what is all this¡­ is she here to plead to step down from the marriage?¡± Igor gave a deep sigh as he looked out the window. He softly muttered, ¡°I suppose so. There¡¯s no other reason she would meet me than to ask for that.¡± ¡°Is that why you did not explicitly ask for the princess¡¯s name at the time and instead used a vague phrase to ask for a woman with royal blood? I thought your action foolish back then. Who writes official documents between two conflicting parties so vaguely? Now I know, but why do you have to do this? If you had ns to marry her, why did you not personally propose to her yourself? Though she¡¯s of royal blood, she¡¯s not of Chrichton¡¯s direct lineage. Marrying her was eptable.¡± ¡°Then she¡¯d run away and hide¡­¡± Basil was stupefied and looked at Igor as if a stupid child. He did not understand why the youngdy would run away the moment he proposed to her. ¡°Umm¡­ Your Majesty, did she borrow money from you? How much is it?¡± Igor¡¯s face darkened and looked at Basil pathetically. An arrow struck Basil¡¯s pained heart seeing his cold response. Basil cleared his throat. ¡°So what will you do, Your Majesty? Will you ept her request to meet you? She waits alone in a room at the port.¡± The king¡¯s countenance grew impatience, a sight Basil rarely saw. He¡¯d always been a brilliant boy from an early age and his abilities in recent years had been nothing but terrifying. He turned to the sea to improve their naval power and eventually won against Chrichton. It had been a while since Basil bore witness to Igor¡¯s weakness and all be damned should he miss this opportunity to gain some leverage. Visit _lightnovelworl_d.c_om for the best novel reading experience ¡°Then, we can refuse. I¡¯ll go to their messenger right now and¡­¡± ¡°Shut up,¡± Igor said. Advertisement The king quietly gave a message to the noblewoman¡¯s messenger, ordering her to be brought to the ship. Her request for time alone with Igor was epted. When the messenger went out, Basil chimed in. ¡°Well, this is great too. Weren¡¯t you upset that you never had the chance to meet the youngdy when you were a child? If you could take this opportunity to exin¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t tell her.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± Basil was confused. Igor strode up to Basil, emphasizing each and every word stringing out of his mouth. ¡°You should never tell her that I¡¯d gone to see her that day.¡± ¡°Am I not supposed to?¡± A bright idea popped into Basil¡¯s head. ¡®Why don¡¯t I take this opportunity to end my rtionship with him and run away? I don¡¯t want to suffer under his viciousness anymore. Over the past few years, I¡¯ve grown old suffering from excessive work¡­ ugh¡­ I just want to rest.¡¯ Visit _lightnovelworl_d.c_om for the best novel reading experience ¡°Then if I open my mouth, well this be the end for you and me, right? Will you fire me?¡± No,¡± Igor said dismally, ¡°Because I¡¯ll kill you myself.¡± Chapter 47 Useless Black

Chapter 47 Useless ck

Chapter 47: Useless ck-Haired Beast Basil looked stupefied. His n backfired¡­ threatened with murder¡­ goosebumps shook his core. ¡®Oh my god!¡¯ Basil felt an intense sense of betrayal. How he was able to raise that spoiled, rotten, and stubborn kid all those years, he did not know. Basil stood up for him against the feared Queen, almost falling to the hands of death keeping his secret locked. And now he was threatening him? Ungrateful! Basil clicked his tongue. He should have never raised this useless ck-haired beast. ¡°Mr. Basil, Chrichton¡¯s envoy is arriving.¡± Basil looked at the deep blue sea. A small boat was approaching. He saw a woman with long silvery hair and a pearl-like skin. ¡®What is the rtionship between you two?¡¯ He tilted his head and pondered over his lingering question and curiosity. He had always followed Igor since he was a child. However, no matter how many times he thought about it, there had been no contact between them other than their short prior meeting as a child in the pce. Then, he suddenly remembered. Not long ago, Igor reconstructed the queen¡¯s pce intensively. The king¡¯s loyal servants were pleased to know he was ready to marry. Some had even thought Igor liked men. He¡¯d even bought myriads of silks and jewelries he had no need for. Basil wondered if Igor developed a weirdly strange hobby at the time. If he did?like?men¡­ Basil was unsure how to deal with him¡­ But it was all for the silver-haired woman¡­ ¡®Oh..! That crazy guy!!¡¯ Basil groaned and pulled on his hair. He could not believe that the king had long nned to marry and live with her before they¡¯d even met. The man was crazy, no, royalties were crazy! Who knows what goes on in their head! He drowned himself in cursing and agony but quickly rposed back to his calmposure when the noblewoman arrived. He sympathized with the poor woman who had been captured by that lunatic. ¡°Wee, Lady Rihannan.¡± Basil greeted her. Rihannan looked at him, her icy-blue piercing eyes glinting. Basil marveled at her incandescent beauty. She had grown up well, he thought. She was like a pretty doll when she was a child, but now her beauty far exceeded his imaginations. She was a goddess of the sun, of the moon. Even the stars themselves decided to rest behind the soft cushion of her lips. She looked disarmingly unaware of her beauty. Basil wondered if the king fell in love at first sight from her beauty alone. She had a rare unique beauty, a woman hard to be found, and she exuded a strange charm that could not be exined in words. ¡°I¡¯m Basil, your humble servant. You can call me Basil, mydy. Come, I¡¯ll guide you. Please follow me.¡± Basil¡¯s voice was modest and soft-spoken. He thought of imprinting a good image to Rihannan. He might as well if she¡¯s to be queen. Maybe he could get on her good side¡­ abandon that rotten brat to serve the goddess instead. Yes, he¡¯ll do just?that. Basil snickered inwardly as a devilish n formed in his mind. Rihannan nodded and followed Basil quietly. Walking in silence, Basil suddenly noticed her gaze locked on him. Basil smiled handsomely. ¡°Is there something on my face?¡± Rihannan looked away. ¡°I apologize¡­ that was rude of me. It¡¯s just that you have a familiar face¡­ a face simr to someone I knew before¡­¡± Basil chuckled and eloquently waved his hand while stars around him sparkled. ¡°No, I have a prettymon face in Arundell. Ha-ha¡­ I¡¯m sure you know of it well, Lady Rihannan.¡± Advertisement ¡°Yes, that¡¯s true¡­¡± Rihannan closed her lips and spoke no longer. While guiding her to the king¡¯s quarters, Basil did his best to rx her by telling her stories one after another. In fact, he was somber and felt pity that her partner would be his master, the arrogant bastard. Basil hoped to make her stayfortable at least. They soon stopped at the door of the cabin. Basil held the door of the cabin and said courteously, ¡°Here is Igor, the king of Arundell. He¡¯s waiting inside. Please,e in, Lady Rihannan.¡± The door opened slowly. As the interior decor and design gradually came to view, Rihannan took a deep breath. She had made up her mind. She won¡¯t show any weakness. And fortunately, the only thing he knows of her is their past few encounters as a child and nothing more. If she were to show signs of excessive fear and hatred, he¡¯ll grow wary, finding Rihannan¡¯s behavior strange. Rihannan bit her lips. This mission was important. She needed to change his mind to choose her, Rihannan, and not the princess. Otherwise¡­ the Crown Prince will have Dimitri¡¯s head¡­ he¡¯ll die a miserable death before he ims the throne¡­ Soon, she lifted her head and took a step inside. It was a simple room with so few furniture. Across the door was a window overlooking the vast blue sea and arge desk to the side. Next to the desk was a man with ck hair and deep purple eyes. Chapter 48 Long Time No See

Chapter 48 Long Time No See

Chapter 48: Long Time No See Igor¡­ Rihanna¡¯s eyes convulsed, shoulders rattling briefly. The tall ck-haired man looked at her, his countenance nk and devoid of emotion. He was handsome, a perfect golden ratio structure from the depths of his eyes to his masculine appearance and exotic charm¡­ the same as before¡­.always the object of admiration by the courtdies. They were intimidated by the mysterious rumors of the king¡¯s toned body¡­ left wondering how good he was in bed as a lover. They sought answers from the queen but she was without answers. The nights she spent with Igor left her in a state of great suspense. A look of macabre often stered his face as if he hated¡­ despised touching her. And oftentimes, they¡¯d spend the night without fulfilling their obligations. After Leticia¡¯s appearance in the court, she¡¯d gone around with the courtdies discussing the secrets they longed to know. The answer? The king was ecstatic and fervent in bed. The rumors could not live up to his name. Since then, the courtdies looked down at Rihannan with mocking eyes. The pitiable and foolish queen who¡¯d never been favorited by the king had lost her husband to her half-sister. This was the court¡¯s assessment of Rihannan. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Soon as Rihannan¡¯s eyes locked on Igor, she trembled¡­ momentarily. Dark purple eyes assessed her. In that instant, memories of the past flooded in never-ending waves. From the little boy who climbed the tree for her to herst moments spent with Leticia¡­ she almost turned away to run as fast as she could, to escape far away from Igor. It seemed that he would rip her apart with cruel words and drag her back to hell. ¡°Lady¡­ no, it should be Countess now.¡± Igor spoke first while Rihannan remained frozen. His voice was low-pitched and he gave a perfect and unexpected soft smile. ¡°Long time no see.¡± She was caught by surprise, her orbs flickering. ¡°It¡¯s been a while. Thest we¡¯ve seen each other was when we were kids.¡± That¡¯s right¡­ he had lost his memories of the past. He was referring to the time when they were kids. Rihannan bent her head hurriedly, holding her skirt together. ¡°Your Majesty, I apologize. My actions seconds ago were somewhat rude, if not more. I am the daughter of Count Alessin. And it is as you say, it has been a while since ourst meeting.¡± She was pleased with herself; she neither quivered nor revealed her deep fear and hatred in her heart. Though she made a few blunders in the beginning, Rihannanforted herself. Their start was not too bad. ¡°Please, sit down. The servant will bring us a drink soon.¡± Igor pointed to the round table situation in the middle of the room. Rihannan nodded and moved towards the table while Igor pulled out a chair for her. Rihannan sat down on the chair silently unable to reject his burdensome kindness. After she sat down, Igor walked away and sat opposite of her. Soon, Basil brought a tea set and prepared tea for Igor and Rihannan. Rihannan kept her head down as much as possible with her silver eyebrows slightly lowered. It was to hide her tumultuous heart and emotions as much as possible. This, here, was already too much for her. ¡°Now, let¡¯s have a nice conversation,¡± Igor said. After Basil picked up the tea kettle, Rihannan parted her lips while keeping her head down even after hearing the door behind her close. ¡°Thank you very much for epting my request, Your Majesty¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m d you¡¯re well. It really has been a while. I heard from mother that you¡¯ve gone off to Chrichton. How have you been?¡± Chapter 49 Marry Me

Chapter 49 Marry Me

Chapter 49: Marry Me ¡°Yes, both my uncle and cousin are good people.¡± shback. The Marquis and Dimitri truly were the lights of her world. It was not until she came to Chrichton that she realized how deranged and abusive her past life was. Leticia never allowed Rihannan to hold onto anything better than her. If she did, god forbid, she¡¯d cause a scene or formte a n in secret to steal that which?should?belong to her. And if she can¡¯t have what Rihannan has, then¡­ At one time, when Rihannan was a child, a point when most of the youngdies would meet to form acquaintances, Leticia was unable to go due to her illegitimate status. She¡¯d weep and cling to her father upon learning Rihannan could go and she could not because of her status. ¡°Father, if I can¡¯t go, don¡¯t let Rihannan go,¡±?Leticia would say. And so the Count immediately banned Rihannan from outside activities. She spent most of her time confined inside the walls of the mansion until she married into the royal pce. The only people she had social contact with were the Count, Leticia, hired teachers, and the servants and maids hired by the Count personally¡­ the previous servants had long left. She was a gentle and carefree person originally, but the life she lived in?captivity?drained her of her innocence. Living in the royal pce was no easy feat either. Thete Queen, the only one on Rihannan¡¯s side, secretly hoped she¡¯d agree to her words andmands too. Rihannan¡¯d avoid the Queen¡¯s pestering for she did not want to be dragged in the world politics and intrigues. All she hoped for was peace. But she knew this?hope?of hers was too much to ask for. She sided with the Queen¡¯s desires in the end. There was no way to avoid it when the topic came. The Queen would be overjoyed. When Igor found out, she¡¯d say that it was Rihannan, his wife¡¯s will. The Queen¡¯s thoughts were the same as Rihannan and Rihanann could not deny it in front of him for the Queen had already spoken it into existence. Then, he¡¯d wear a look of disappointment or anger before turning his head and walking away from her in disgust. At the time, Rihannan thought it merely because of herck of confidence and stupidity that she found it difficult to have a normal conversation or a proper rtionship with people, but this was not the case. When she came to Chrichton, she felt the love and protection from her uncle and Dimitri for the first time, something that surprised her. Her life in captivity from the mansion had hindered her growth¡­ What she had gone through as a child and into her adulthood was abuse¡­ shback End. ¡°They really love and care for me. They¡¯re like family to me.¡± At this statement of hers, Rihannan somehow grew ired. She could have lived a peaceful life with her loved ones in Chrichton, but that had been shattered by the marriage proposal. If Igor of the past was the man she feared, then the Igor of this present angered and annoyed her. Rihannan breathed softly and slowly raised her head and looked at Igor. Advertisement ¡°I requested a meeting to see you because I¡¯ve something to ask of you.¡± She was calm; her nerves calm. She did not tremble when her eyes met his deep purple eyes. Good. She had the courage to speak. ¡°That is¡­¡± ¡°If you¡¯re asking that I step down from the marriage offer, I cannot. I cannot allow that,¡± Igor abruptly cut her off. ¡°No, it¡¯s not that. In fact, what I was going to ask of you was the opposite.¡± Only then did Igor look at her with confusion. ¡°The opposite¡­?¡± ¡°I earnestly ask that you choose me, not the princess, for marriage.¡± Igor stared at Rihannan silently. He donned a stiff look ¨C he looked at her, just looked at her and said nothing. By the time his gaze changed gradually, Rihannan realized the teacup in his hand was tilting slightly. She noticed the hot tea was about to spill over onto his thighs. She opened her lips, but he hurriedly put the teacup down on the table and said, ¡°Now, is what I heard correct? You want me¡­ to choose you for the marriage and not the princess? Is that right?¡± Rihannan interpreted his words as one of displeasure. She quickly said, ¡°I know how rude and reckless it must be to ask this of you, but I am not asking this without any strings attached. I¡¯ll give you far more benefits should you choose me.¡± Igor frowned. ¡°A bigger gain¡­?¡± Chapter 50 Divorce Me a Year Later

Chapter 50 Divorce Me a Year Later

Chapter 50: Divorce Me a Year Later ¡°I have and full of Arc Stones. I¡¯ll give all of it to you. It¡¯s enough for Arundell to use for the next hundred years.¡± In the past, Count Alessin¡¯s position in the court was not stable, more so because of hisck of experience. He¡¯d always sneer that he rose to this position because he had a good rtionship with a woman, namely Rihannan¡¯s mother. He was loud ¨C always had much to say, always the vehement opposition force against the Queen to the point that the Queen investigated his estate out of ire and annoyance. And from there on the Arc Stones was discovered. Turns out that the hills, once considered the most useless in the kingdom, was the Nordaji Mines. They came to know that it had taken the longest of times burrowing the ground, but regardless, the mere fact of the Arc Stone¡¯s existence was buried deep underground further increased Count Alessin¡¯s presence and value beyondparison. None could ignore the Count who grabbed hold of a great massive wealth overnight. Rihannan had asked the butler not to sell thends and arranged to keep it as the property lingered in her mind. She had no interest in its growth but she believed it would prove useful one day. And she was right. ¡°These are the correspondence from my butler at the mansion in Arundell. From the documents, you¡¯ll see that I¡¯m not lying. If you find yourself in Arundell again, Your Majesty, please feel free to check it out.¡± Rihannan unfolded the letters Jeffrey sent her. It contained documents and contents only Rihannan was privy to. ording to her instructions, the easy-to-find Arc Stones had been used to help relieve the livelihood of folks who were victims of famine or natural disasters. Igor reached out and began reading over the papers in a somewhat insincere manner. No signs of surprise were written on his face, a reaction Rihannan did not expect. She thought he¡¯d be pleased. ¡®Why¡­¡¯ For more, visit lightnovelw_or_ld Rihannan looked at him nervously. She knew what Igor wanted and sought for ¨C it was power. And to seize that which he sought for, amassing great wealth was necessary. Igor¡¯s extensive tax probe was aimed at the royal family and to prevent money from flowing elsewhere, and he¡¯s sure to have spent a hefty amount building those warships. Rihannan knew to some extent that Arundell¡¯s treasury of finance was not so vast. She¡¯s sure Igor needed a cash cow to fill the empty coffers. ¡°It¡¯s an interesting proposal.¡± Igor smiled half-heartedly as he read through the document. ¡°Don¡¯t you like it?¡± Embarrassed, Rihannan asked. ¡°No, I like it very much. How can I be dissatisfied with what you¡¯re offering me?¡± However, his face said so otherwise. He seemed¡­ disappointed. Maybe Rihannan¡¯s imagination was getting the best of her¡­ ¡°But I don¡¯t think this is enough. I¡¯m sure you have a condition you want in exchange for this proposal,¡± Igor said. Rihannan was surprised but she quickly recovered. ¡°Yes, Your Majesty. There is one more condition in exchange for all thisnd. If you agree, all this will belong to you.¡± ¡°And what is that condition?¡± ¡°Please marry me and divorce me a yearter.¡± A year from now, most of Chrichton¡¯s royal males will die off and after a fierce battle for the throne, Dimitri wille out a winner and proimed as king. For more, visit lightnovelw_or_ld When he bes king, Dimitri won¡¯t leave Rihannan alone. He¡¯ll bring her back to Chrichton¡­ somehow. So, by then, she¡¯ll have the means to return to Chrichton. ¡°Did you say divorce?¡± Igor replied sharply. Advertisement Chapter 51 I Accept Your Offer

Chapter 51 I ept Your Offer

Chapter 51: I ept Your Offer ¡°Did you say divorce?¡± Rihannan repeated Igor¡¯s words inwardly. ¡°Yes,¡± she nodded. ¡°Though I am not quite sure why you want this.¡± A scowl formed on his lips. ¡°You ask me to marry you, and now you want what, a divorce?¡± ¡°It can be done, Your Majesty.¡± Chrichton would have paid Arundell a great lump of money to take back their princess. But the moment Igor spoke of a national marriage, another issue arose. Should he choose to give up on the princess and ept Chrichton¡¯spensation, the public would call him despicable ¨C that he only married the princess for her wealth. He¡¯d be condemned. So, Rihannan would intervene. She¡¯d bring her assets. That and she needed to finish this solution as soon as possible without worries. She¡¯ll only be married to him for a year-long anyways. ¡°You need a marriage partner that can bring you and Arundell great benefits. It won¡¯t be a great loss but a gain. Even after you divorce me, you¡¯ll be left with masses of fortune.¡± Though Rihannan could not say this proposal was to save her cousin in prison ¨C the same cousin who sought to save her from her tragic fate. Igor would not understand. How could he? He locked his wife in prison to gain the power he sought for. The most up-to-date novels are published on lightnovelw_orld Rihannan subconsciously lowered her head. ¡°Any reason for the divorce is fine¡­ that I could not bear you a child, that I was infertile¡­ if you could divorce me in a year, I¡¯ll ept anything.¡± This was all Rihannan could do, so she waited for his decision. But as his silence grew longer, cold sweat formed on her back. She held her knees to prevent the jitters. It bothered her that Igor showed no reaction, but she did not try to show it. She thought¡­ she thought he¡¯d be surprised and his mind shaken from the temptation and enormous wealth offered to him. After a long time, no response came from Igor and Rihannan fell into a sense of despair. ¡®¡­..Was the proposal a failure¡­?¡¯ ¡°Alright.¡± Just as she gave up, Igor¡¯s voice suddenly rang, and Rihannan looked up in surprise. ¡°¡­..Yes?¡± ¡°I ept your offer.¡± His voice was sharp, almost as if he had no interest in the terms and proposal sheid out, but still, he epted. Rihannan looked at him in disbelief. She could not believe what she had heard. The most up-to-date novels are published on lightnovelw_orld Advertisement Noticing her expression, Igor said, ¡°If you changed your mind somehow, then I¡¯ll take back what I said.¡± Rihannan shook her head in reply. Right¡­ she needed to push the matter ahead quickly before he changes his decision. ¡°Could you write out the agreements in a contract?¡± Rihannan asked. ¡°You want me to fill out a marriage contract document?¡± Igor growled lowly; he sounded displeased. ¡°Yes. It¡¯s not because I do not trust you, but it¡¯s to prevent anything unsavory from urring in the future.¡± As she said this, Igor smiled while his eyes remained despondent. ¡°It seems like you¡¯ve not forgotten your Arundell roots, after all. Alright, let¡¯s do it right now.¡± Igor called for Basil who came running in right away. When asked to bring in a set of papers, pens, and seals, Basil grew curious but regardless, he brought them in quickly and without problems. There, in that room where the windows overlooked the blue sea, the documents were written andid out. More than five pages were scribbled down to the gritty details. Among them, the most important use was as follows: Rihannan and Igor would marry within a month of the contract date and divorce exactly one year after their marriage. In the event of a divorce, all ownership of the Nordaji Mines within Rihannan Alessin¡¯s estate would transfer from Rihannan Alessin to Igor Cesca. Their marriage-rted contract will remain a secret, and if broken, the other party had the right to ask forpensation. Rihannan read through the document¡¯s wording over and over again. She found nothing strange. This was enough¡­ a victory she could say. But just as she signed the paper, Igor interjected and said, ¡°I think we need to add one more use here.¡± Rihannan looked at him with a somewhat nervous look. ¡°What use do you want to add?¡± The most up-to-date novels are published on lightnovelw_orld ¡°Even though it¡¯s a contract marriage, ites with it the formalities and the proceeding rtionship. What if you end up bearing a sessor within this short year of our marriage? I¡¯d like to add a use that I¡¯ll have the right to keep the child even after separation.¡± Painful memories of the past struck her wounded chest. A child¡­ she¡¯d forgotten about this because she knew she had difficulties bearing Igor a child. There was little to no chance for her to bear the sessor he wished for. And even if she did, it was proper for the child to grow up inside the royal pce. There are no cases in history where the female brings the child home long after a royal marriage is put in ce. ¡°That¡¯s a given. Though I don¡¯t think it necessary, but if it lessens the burdens in your mind, you are free to add the use.¡± ¡°You mean¡­ it doesn¡¯t matter?¡± Rihannan nodded. ¡°Yes.¡± He muttered something simr to a curse and immediately wrote down the use. Rihannan did the same. She knew Igor longed for a sessor¡­ but she knows she won¡¯t be able to provide him one in this lifetime and in their short marriage. It had taken her years to bear one, after all. And when she finally did, she had lost her unborn child¡­ Chapter 52 Igors Regret

Chapter 52 Igor''s Regret

Chapter 52: Igor¡¯s Regret Rihannan and Igor exchanged the documents they¡¯d written and read through them before signing. Finally, when the storm was over, Rihannan rxed, her strength drained away. Dimitri¡¯s life was saved and she, too, would gainplete freedom within a year. But suddenly, her face darkened soon as she remembered Dimitri. She worried for him, worried that he may try to escape. ¡°Your Majesty, may I ask you one more favor?¡± *** Basil quietly watched the boat carrying Rihannan back to the port. Then he looked to Igor who stood next to him. He¡¯d been quiet as ofte. Basil thought he¡¯d be happy to finally meet his?first love?but he looks as if he¡¯d explode at any minute. With this thought lingering in his mind, Basil backed away a little. He learned from past experience that it was best to avoid him at all times. Who knows what nonsense the ck-haired beast would make him do. But the moment he moved out of his sight, Igor broke the silence. ¡°Basil.¡± ¡°Ye¡­ yes, Your Majesty!¡± Basil quickly ran to his side. ¡°Just give me your orders. Whatever it is¡­¡± ¡°Chrichton. Find any rumors going on from Chrichton. I want any leaks or information you can find.¡± Visit li_ghtnovelworld. for a better experience ¡°Eh?¡± Basil was frightened and surprised, two sets of emotions intermingling as one. Leaks from Chrichton? Was he sending him on an espionage spy mission to Chrichton¡¯s pce? ¡°But Your Majesty¡­ I still have a baby waiting¡­¡± ¡°Send someone to find out exactly what stories and events are going on in their pce and regarding the Crown Prince in regards to the state national marriage.¡± Basil gave a sigh of relief. ¡°Oh, that¡¯s what you meant. Yes, Your Majesty. Some of our men have already been nted. I¡¯ll have someone send me the details right away.¡± Basil quickly ran away from Igor on the pretext of hurrying to work. Even long after he left, Igor¡¯s eyes remained on the small boat floating on the sea. ¡°Ha¡­¡± Igor burst out into a despondentugh; it was augh full of shame and disgrace. He had no intention of epting her proposal, but he found himself agreeing to her every offer. The moment he saw her appearance, her gentle features, he knew he could not say no. How could he? If he did anything out of character, she¡¯d go and throw herself into the sea¡­ A fatal death¡­ Advertisement His head copsed to his hands, memories full of dreadfulness running through. It was imprinted in his mind and something he could never forget¡­ in a damp, dark prison, pieces of the broken bottleid scattered all over the ground¡­ white clothes soaked in a pool of blood¡­ and a body of an angelic woman lying deathly still¡­ Each time he thought of that figure, deep regret shed through his aching heart and the only means he could contain that bitter regret of his was to destroy and kill anything in his path¡­ he wished he could retract all the horrid things he had ever said. They were never a reflection of her but his inner demons. In his misced entitlement, he gave her passive-aggressive rage. His guilt was like gasoline in his guts; his insides dying slowly in the toxicity and needing no more than a spark to set it aze. That regret, it burned him out so badly that there was nothing left but a shell, an outline of a person¡­ only blood and death could fill that void of perfect regret and guilt. Visit li_ghtnovelworld. for a better experience His hands trembled, covering his face to calm his mind as he watched that boat reach the port. Only after confirming the silver-haired womannded safely in the port and was transferred to the carriage and to the royal pce did he go back to his cabin. *** Can¡¯t wait to read ahead? Want to show your support? Click here?to be a sponsor and get additional chapters ahead of time plus exclusive ess to unreleased novels and additional benefits. Alternatively, you can support us freely by giving the novel some love ???? give it a rating and a review?here???? Thank you very much! The Patreon Page was created to help cover the expensive cost of licensing many our tranted works.?Ch. 74: Queen¡¯s Pce?Ch. 73: Wedding Ceremony?Ch. 72: Women Love Flowers ?Ch. 71: Torturous Beauty?Ch. 70: Public Disgrace?Ch. 69: Marriage Without Love?Ch. 68: A Wife Who Does Not Love?Ch. 67: Pleasure of Desire?Ch. 66: He Liked Her, After All?Ch. 65: Your Wish?Ch. 64: Are You Crying??Ch. 63: Igor Cesca (Perspective)?Ch. 62: You¡¯re My Wife, I¡¯ll Protect You?Ch. 61: Rihannan, My Love?Ch. 60: Mother¡¯s Grave?Ch. 59: She¡¯s to Marry Me ??Ch. 58: Rihannan and Arundell?Ch. 57: Not Your Real Wife?Ch. 56: Your Majesty, Please Get Out?Ch. 55: She¡®s Already Dead?Ch. 54: Suicidal Impulse ??Ch. 53: For Dimitri¡¯s Sake Chapter 53 For Dimitris Sake

Chapter 53 For Dimitri''s Sake

Chapter 53: For Dimitri¡¯s Sake The next day. In the early morning, the port was crowded with thousands of people. There, Rihannan exchanged herst greetings with her uncle. ¡°I still can¡¯t believe I¡¯m sending you off. What¡¯s more¡­ it¡¯s all too sudden. I don¡¯t know how I¡¯ll exin this to Dimi,¡± the marquismented. Dimitri was still locked in prison and Rihannan did not know when he would be released, only that after she leaves for Arundell will the royal family release him and only then would he learn of her departure. ¡°I¡¯ve put too much burden on you, uncle.¡± Rihannan wore an apologetic look. She¡¯s sure her uncle would bear Dimitri¡¯s sorrows and fits of anger, hurling out harsh words upon learning of the sudden news. If there was any other way, then she would stay¡­ but¡­ ¡°I left a letter saying it was my choice but I don¡¯t think he¡¯ll listen. I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯re talking nonsense. I know you did this for Dimitri, but¡­¡± He drew Rihannan into his embrace and gave her a tight hug. ¡°Don¡¯t worry too much, alright? We¡¯ll find a way.¡± Rihannan nodded. She had no great expectation for what he said. Only if Dimitri were to be king a year from now would everything be solved. ¡°¡­..I¡¯ll be going now. Please take good care of Mary.¡± Visit lightn__ovelw_orld.c_om for the best novel reading experience Rihannan managed to convince Mary to stay despite her heavy sorrow of tears. Mary hanged on to her until departure. It¡¯d only be difficult for Mary. She had a family now and was married to a man in Chrichton. And if something were to happen to her in Arundell, Mary would be wrought with grief. It was best that she stay in Chrichton. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll take good care of her.¡± With the marquis¡¯s assurance, Rihannan nodded and said her final farewell. ¡°Then¡­ goodbye, uncle.¡± Rihannan turned around and began walking. Talking any further would only make it harder for the both of them. ¡°Rihannan!¡± A loud voice echoed from behind. Rihannan turned around and saw Helena; she walked with a limp. She was walking on crutches, her arms wrapped around with bandages. The old nanny was beside her. When Helena stood in front of Rihannan, she threw everything away and flopped down on the floor bursting in tears. ¡°¡­.Rhia¡­ I¡¯m so sorry!¡± Rihannan did not reply to her desperate apology. She stood there like a stone, like a statue as she looked at Helena. She recalled the anger she felt at the time but she managed to settle it back down¡­ little by little. Why did Helenae, she thought. Was it to settle down her conscience or the extreme selfishness of wanting forgiveness? Visit lightn__ovelw_orld.c_om for the best novel reading experience Helena wept as she looked at Rihannan, her face growing increasingly stiff. ¡°I¡­ I didn¡¯t push you into the fray and turned you away¡­ I¡¯m telling you¡­ please believe me¡­!¡± Her nanny who stood by her side was in tears. ¡°I mean it, Miss Rihannan¡­ she wanted to help you somehow, but she could not because she was locked in her room. She ended up hurting herself trying to sneak out.¡± Rihannan looked at her injured leg. It was wrapped around with a cast. ¡°She tried to escape from the window but she missed a step and fell down. Fortunately, she didn¡¯t get hurt badly, otherwise¡­¡± Rihannan thought it might have been a false lie, but there was a wound imprinted on Helena¡¯s body. It looked like a deep wound. Maybe a scar would appearter on. ¡°Father barely allowed me to meet you when you were about to leave, Rhia¡­ I¡­ I really don¡¯t know what to tell you¡­¡± Advertisement She, who had never bowed to anyone except for her family, dropped her head in front of Rihannan. A nearby passerby looked at their princess in astonishment. Helena did not care. Rihannan sighed. ¡°Helena¡­¡± Helena¡¯s pale green eyes widened. She¡¯d always ask Rihannan to call her by her first name, but she was adamant on refusing and would stick to calling her princess as if she wanted to keep a distance from her, from everyone. It was the first time Rihannan called her name. ¡°Rhia?¡± Visit lightn__ovelw_orld.c_om for the best novel reading experience Rihannan sat in front of her. She sat there, indifferent to the people around her and pushed Helena¡¯s flowing tinum blonde hair over her ears. Helena burst in tears again feeling Rihannan¡¯s usual affection. ¡°Rhia¡­¡± Rihannan gave Helena a warm hug. She cried like a child in Rihannan¡¯s arms. ¡°Helena, I don¡¯t hate you. I never did. And¡­ I¡¯m sorry too,¡± Rihannan whispered softly. Helena sniffed. ¡°¡­..What are you sorry about?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve done one thing wrong to you and I can never tell you. So let¡¯s just say that I chose to go to Arundell on my own will instead of letting you go. You don¡¯t have to feel guilty.¡± ¡°What¡­ I don¡¯t understand¡­ no matter how much I¡­¡± Rihannan looked down and smiled sadly. She knows her family would soon die of a pandemic and she never intended to reveal it. They¡¯d die a painful death and Helena was sure to experience miserable pain. For Dimitri¡¯s sake, for him to be king¡­ she would never reveal the future. And like this¡­ Visit lightn__ovelw_orld.c_om for the best novel reading experience They no longer owe each other anything. ¡°Now go back to the pce, Helena. Goodbye¡­¡± Rihannan let go of Helena and walked away. Helena got up and tried to reach out to her friend, but her injured leg prevented her. ¡°Rhia¡­¡± T/N: I¡¯m not crying¡­ (;¡ä??§¥??`) it¡¯s the onions¡­ *sniffs* Can¡¯t wait to read ahead? Want to show your support? Click here?to be a sponsor and get additional chapters ahead of time plus exclusive ess to unreleased novels and additional benefits. Alternatively, you can support us freely by giving the novel some love ???? give it a rating and a review?here???? Thank you very much! The Patreon Page was created to help cover the expensive cost of licensing many our tranted works.?Ch. 75: Can¡¯t Fool Me Twice?Ch. 74: Queen¡¯s Pce?Ch. 73: Wedding Ceremony?Ch. 72: Women Love Flowers ?Ch. 71: Torturous Beauty?Ch. 70: Public Disgrace?Ch. 69: Marriage Without Love?Ch. 68: A Wife Who Does Not Love?Ch. 67: Pleasure of Desire?Ch. 66: He Liked Her, After All?Ch. 65: Your Wish?Ch. 64: Are You Crying??Ch. 63: Igor Cesca (Perspective)?Ch. 62: You¡¯re My Wife, I¡¯ll Protect You?Ch. 61: Rihannan, My Love?Ch. 60: Mother¡¯s GraveCh. 59: She¡¯s to Marry Me ?Ch. 58: Rihannan and Arundell?Ch. 57: Not Your Real Wife?Ch. 56: Your Majesty, Please Get Out?Ch. 55: She¡®s Already Dead?Ch. 54: Suicidal Impulse Chapter 54 Suicidal Impulse

Chapter 54 Suicidal Impulse

Chapter 54: Suicidal Impulse ¡°Rhia¡­!¡± Rihannan could hear Helena¡¯s sorrowful cries. She paused for a moment, bit her lips and moved on. If she turned around now, she¡¯d lose all theposure she mustered. When she first became Helena¡¯spanion, everyone looked at her in pity and said that she¡¯d go through many troubles befriending the princess. But she thought otherwise. After arriving in Chrichton, sickness and affliction hit her and she suffered from mild depression, something her uncle and Dimitri were unaware of. She hid it well, her sadness. They believed Rihannan had adapted to the Chrichton life thoroughly. But when she was alone deep in the night, when no one was there, Rihannan often suffered from suicidal impulses, from suicidal thoughts¡­ suffered from the unseen, the unheard, the silent killer¡­ she suffered from pain that became too much to bear, too much to cope, too difficult to deal with. She could not escape it no matter how hard she tried. It followed her around like a ck shadow that was slowly eating her on the inside to the point that she did not want to live another day, another night. There was nothing to satisfy the loss and betrayal she felt from her family ¨C the family with a twisted disease that she spent all her life trying to please. She had tried to be the person they wanted, even gave up her identity while begging for eptance. But all was futile. In the end, it wasn¡¯t enough. Rihannan bathed in Chrichton¡¯s brightness but she herself was burning. And perhaps her conditions would have worsened had Helena note along. Her appearance marked a turning point for Rihannan. ¡°What about you? You¡¯re Rihannan? Hmm. That¡¯s a pretty name. Why do you look sad?¡± The arrogant and stubborn little princess gave her assessment of Rihannan and ordered her to brush her tinum golden hair. If Rihannan refused her orders, she¡¯d start her wailingints but it never came to that point. Rihannan had godly skills that made her fall asleep. The immature princess saw right through her but never bothered to pry. And slowly, her lonely and empty heart gradually felt the love from her newfound friend. ¡®Helena, I don¡¯t hate you. In fact, I cherish you.¡¯ But she had circumstances she could not escape from. She realized that her fate was tied to Igor and that she feared what would be of Dimitri should she change his future¡­ ¡®Goodbye, Helena¡­ I am sorry¡­¡¯ All the ships that had threatened Chrichton for the sole purpose that they promise to make do with the state national marriage slowly left the harbor and began their journey to Arundell once Rihamnan boarded their ship. The Crichton natives sighed in relief as they watched the ships drifting silently over the blue sea. *** ¡°You can use this room.¡± Inside a ship, Basil guided Rihannan to her cabin. Rihannan looked around. There were clear signs the cabin had been cared for and properly decorated. Within a day, the room was filled with feminine items. Even the window had a sky-highce curtain. Rihannan doubted what she saw for a moment. Aced curtain on a warship¡­ even the ship, Ataraxia, she rode to Chrichton wasn¡¯t as cute as this. ¡°¡­..You¡¯ve put a lot of thought into this room.¡± Basil grinned cheekily at her words. ¡°Right? You like it, don¡¯t you? If you find it to your liking, please tell the king. Please?¡± Advertisement He asked desperately that Rihannan ended up nodding. With that, Basil straightened his back and smiled proudly in victory. Then he looked around. ¡°But where are your servants? I haven¡¯t seen them yet.¡± ¡°There is none.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± Basil opened his mouth in surprise. ¡°I did not bring a servant with me,¡± Rihannan repeated. ¡°But this is a warship¡­ there is no woman to serve you¡­ ahhhh¡­!¡± Basil tore his hair like wildfire. ¡®Should we turn the ship around? Oh my god¡­ oh my god¡­ he¡¯s going to kill me!¡¯ Rihannan looked at Basil¡¯s gibberish tirade. She thought that her not having a servant might prove difficult for him. ¡°It¡¯s alright. I know how to take care of my body. I can do things myself. Don¡¯t worry about it,¡± Rihannan consoled him. ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ll call you when I need anything. Thank you.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Basil sighed. ¡°If you need anything else, please do call me. Just pull on this string and I¡¯ll immediatelye to your call. Then¡­ Miss Rihannan, please rest in peace.¡± Basil bowed and closed the door. He turned around with a worried look on his face. He did not bother to hire a maid for he thought the Countess would bring a servant herself. If only he knew¡­ he¡¯d scour every corner of Chrichton¡¯s to hire a maid because he¡¯s sure that ck-haired beast woulde crawling in. ¡°Why didn¡¯t I think of hiring a servant?¡± But who would have known that a high-ranking noblewoman would not take a maid with her. ¡°Basil.¡± A deep voice immediately froze Basil¡¯s heart in fear. Can¡¯t wait to read ahead? Want to show your support? Click here?to be a sponsor and get additional chapters ahead of time plus exclusive ess to unreleased novels and additional benefits. Alternatively, you can support us freely by giving the novel some love ???? give it a rating and a review?here???? Thank you very much!Ch. 76: Igor¡¯s Debt [Update]Ch. 75: Can¡¯t Fool Me Twice?Ch. 74: Queen¡¯s Pce?Ch. 73: Wedding Ceremony?Ch. 72: Women Love Flowers ?Ch. 71: Torturous Beauty?Ch. 70: Public Disgrace?Ch. 69: Marriage Without Love?Ch. 68: A Wife Who Does Not Love?Ch. 67: Pleasure of Desire?Ch. 66: He Liked Her, After All?Ch. 65: Your Wish?Ch. 64: Are You Crying? [Update]Ch. 63: Igor Cesca (Perspective)?Ch. 62: You¡¯re My Wife, I¡¯ll Protect You?Ch. 61: Rihannan, My Love?Ch. 60: Mother¡¯s Grave?[Update]Ch. 59: She¡¯s to Marry Me ?Ch. 58: Rihannan and Arundell?Ch. 57: Not Your Real Wife?[Update]Ch. 56: Your Majesty, Please Get Out?Ch. 55: She¡®s Already Dead Chapter 55 Shes Already Dead

Chapter 55 She''s Already Dead

Chapter 55: She¡¯s Already Dead The man in question, Igor, frowned at him. ¡°What happened to the information I asked you to find out?¡± Igor said. Basil wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and delightedly pulled out the letter and handed it to Igor. ¡°Here it is, Your Majesty. I was actually on my way to deliver it to you,¡± Basilughed wholeheartedly. Igor began to read the letter. His face darkened and he immediately crumpled the letter into a ball. ¡°What is it about?¡± Basil asked. Igor threw away the letter but Basil quickly picked it up and read through the contents. A momentter, he let out a dismal sigh. ¡°The Crichtons locked the Countess¡¯ cousin in jail and threatened her. The Crown Prince, along with the king¡¯s approval, nned to kill him should she refuse to take the princess¡¯s position. Is that why she asked for a moment of time alone with you to request that she choose you instead of the princess?¡± Basil spoke with a straight face rarely seen as Igor looked at the port. ¡°The Countess must have had a rough time. She gave up a lot.¡± ¡°What is she doing now?¡± Igor asked softly. For more, visit _l_ightnovel_wor_ld ¡°I took her to the cabin, the one you threatened me to have transformed into a princess¡¯ room overnight.¡± Basil recalled yesterday¡¯s situation and gnashed his teeth in frustration. After Rihannan went back to Chrichton, Igor ordered Basil that he clean and decorate her cabin room immediately. Basil had experienced many troubles overnight. He had to use all his connections, such as blood ties, to purchase all the items and necessities he needed in a kingdom that despised Arundell. ¡°Her face didn¡¯t look so good. I think she shed some tears after meeting the princess at the port. I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s okay for her to be alone in that room without a maid. Please be good to me from now on since I¡¯ll also be tending to her. Please¡­¡± Basil begged. ¡°What do you mean no maid?¡± Igor picked up the food he spilled. ¡°Well¡­ the Countess did not bring a maid with her¡­ I thought you would have done it¡­¡± Basil replied with caution. ¡°Basil!¡± Igor¡¯s angered voice caused Basil to flinch and he hurriedly worked to pacify his anger. ¡°Ah, I beg you, Your Majesty¡­ but what can we do about the ship already leaving? Until we arrive back home, I¡¯ll do my best to check up on her every hour, every second! So please let go of your anger.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Okay.¡± Fortunately, the king fell for his words. Basil breathed a sigh of relief while Igor looked at the cabin Rihannan stayed in nervously. The situation was far worse than he had expected. If he had known this would have happened, he should have checked on her before leaving the port. For more, visit _l_ightnovel_wor_ld Igor bit his lips. But if she were to find out that he was the same man she knew, everything would be over. No one would ever forgive the person that caused their death. He was well aware that Rihannan epted him because he was not the?Igor?she knew from the past but the?Igor?of this present. Advertisement Igor looked at Rihannan¡¯s cabin nervously once more. He had made all the arrangements to see her again and seeded to have her by his side. But there was one problem¡­ he had no idea how to win her heart¡­ her closed and caged heart. Then, the curtains from Rihannan¡¯s window were pulled back and Igor saw her figure. She looked up at the sky, her icy pale blue eyes evident. After staring at the sky briefly with a calm expression, she took something out. It was a small ss bottle containing a liquid. At that moment, memories from the past pervaded his mind. shback... ¡°She¡¯s already dead.¡± The woman with ming red hair burst out intoughter; it wasughter that contained madness. ¡°She took the poison I gave her without hesitation. She believed like a fool that you¡¯ll have her throat slit and head decapitated tomorrow. She died resenting you until she no longer breathed. How do you feel now?¡± Then Igor ran straight to the prison she was in. Everyone at his side dissuaded him, but he pushed them all aside and ran like a madman towards Rihannan. He had not seen her drink the liquid poison, so he thought there was hope¡­ hope that she was alive. Though she was vulnerable, though naturally weak, Igor believed she would never do it. But what he found when he got there was that she who was always so indecisive did not hesitate in herst moments¡­ shback End¡­ For more, visit _l_ightnovel_wor_ld ¡°Your Majesty?¡± Igor suddenly ran towards something. Basil felt something unusual going on and thus chased after him. The ce Igor ran to like a lunatic was Rihannan¡¯s cabin. Not long after he entered her room, a shrill cry rang out. Basil immediately drew his sword. ¡°Your Majesty!¡± Can¡¯t wait to read ahead? Want to show your support? Click here?to be a sponsor and get additional chapters ahead of time plus exclusive ess to unreleased novels and additional benefits. Alternatively, you can support us freely by giving the novel some love ???? give it a rating and a review?here???? Thank you very much! Ch. 77: Duchess Kisses Her Hand Ch. 76: Igor¡¯s Debt Ch. 75: Can¡¯t Fool Me Twice Ch. 74: Queen¡¯s Pce Ch. 73: Wedding Ceremony Ch. 72: Women Love Flowers Ch. 71: Torturous Beauty Ch. 70: Public Disgrace Ch. 69: Marriage Without Love Ch. 68: A Wife Who Does Not Love Ch. 67: Pleasure of Desire Ch. 66: He Liked Her, After All Ch. 65: Your Wish Ch. 64: Are You Crying? Ch. 63: Igor Cesca (Perspective) Ch. 62: You¡¯re My Wife, I¡¯ll Protect You For more, visit _l_ightnovel_wor_ld Ch. 61: Rihannan, My Love Ch. 60: Mother¡¯s Grave Ch. 59: She¡¯s to Marry Me Ch. 58: Rihannan and Arundell Ch. 57: Not Your Real Wife Ch. 56: Your Majesty, Please Get Out Chapter 56 Your Majesty, Please Get Out

Chapter 56 Your Majesty, Please Get Out

Chapter 56: Your Majesty, Please Get Out After Basil excused himself, Rihannan smoothed her wrinkled clothes. Induced with a need to?dosomething, she sought to unpack her luggage. It was rxing and did not take too much of her time. She barely packed. Finished, she stretched her arms and pulled the curtains back, looking at the blue sea and the deep azure. She could think of nothing than to waste her time watching the scenery that calmed her, but thereafter, her head throbbed and she proceeded to pull out the medicine bottle from her luggage. For the time being, she would have no choice but to rely on drugs. While opening the lid, the door suddenly burst open. She was taken aback as something struck her. ¡°Ahh!!¡± She fell to the floor, struggling to stand as a heavy weight pressed on her body. Her wrists were locked tightly by a man that she was no stranger to. ¡°¡­..Your Majesty?¡± Rihannan noticed the identity of the assant straightaway. It was Igor, his countenance grave and disconcerting. While left awestruck, Igor hardened his grip on her. Rihannan came to her senses and pushed him away but Igor did not budge. He pushed her hand back to the floor and looked at her with a face full of despair and anxiety. ¡°What were you about to do?¡± he said. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Rihannan replied. For more, visit lightnov_elworld Igor quickly became conscious of his abrupt informal speech but there was no time to exin. His deep purple eyes zed through. He growled, as if ready to pounce at immediate notice. ¡°You did not hesitate to bring a maid with you. Was the contract simply a trick?¡± Rihannan tried to shake him off, but all attempts made were futile. Rather, she was suffocated by the pressure weighing in on her. Rihannan frowned ¡°¡­..What¡¯s wrong?¡± Igor chuckled grimly. ¡°Don¡¯t make meugh. If I had thoughts of killing you, I¡¯d have done it the moment you stepped foot on my territory. I¡¯ll not have you die before me!¡± Her eyes widened, surprised at his sudden outburst. Unlike his threatening words, he looked like he was on the verge of tears. ¡°¡­..Igor?¡± Rihannan whispered his name unconsciously, and unexpectedly, the hysteria and madness written on his face slowly subsided. His lips curled but a loud voice behind him interrupted his thoughts as he tried to say something. ¡°Your Majesty!¡± Basil jumped in through the wide-open door, sword out and ready, but what he saw was his master and?new master?lying together in a tangled mess. He dropped his sword and pulled on his hair instead. ¡°Your Majesty, what¡­ what are you doing¡­?!¡± For more, visit lightnov_elworld Igor breathed a feeble sigh and unlocked his grip on Rihannan. As he slowly backed away from her, Basil hurriedly approached Rihannan and helped her up. ¡°Are you hurt anywhere, Lady Rih¡­ um¡­ are you fine, miss?¡± Advertisement ¡°Yes, I¡¯m alright. Thank you.¡± Rihannan nodded and rubbed her tingling wrist. ¡°I sincerely apologize for His Majesty¡¯s action on my behalf. He¡¯s not usually like this, but I don¡¯t understand why¡­¡± Basil was interrupted midway for Igor¡¯s voice rang coldly. ¡°Basil, I¡¯ve something to speak to the Countess. Stand outside for a moment.¡± But Basil shook his head and relented. ¡°I can¡¯t do that. Rather, you should get out of here, Your Majesty!¡± Igor fired him a threatening look but Basil did not give in despite his trembling hands and said, ¡°Why must you treat your soon-to-be-bride like a pirate¡­!¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t make excuses! I saw it with my own eyes!¡± Basil gulped nervously. Should?he?say it? Should he? Damn it all! He¡¯ll say it! For more, visit lightnov_elworld ¡°I saw it¡­ the scene where His Majesty attacked her like a beast!¡± Igor groaned. His lips parted, ready to reply, but a soft voice said, ¡°Basil, please go out.¡± ¡°I¡­ I said I won¡¯t¡­¡± Basil turned around, realizing the voice did note from Igor but from Rihannan. ¡°I think we have a misunderstanding. I¡¯d like to talk it out. Is it alright if we could have privacy, please, Basil?¡± ¡°¡­..Are you sure?¡± Rihannan nodded and smiled lightly. Basil¡¯s face softened. ¡°Then¡­ if you insist¡­¡± Can¡¯t wait to read ahead? Want to show your support? Click here?to be a sponsor and get additional chapters ahead of time plus exclusive ess to unreleased novels and additional benefits. Alternatively, you can support us freely by giving the novel some love ???? give it a rating and a review?here???? Thank you very much! For more, visit lightnov_elworld Ch. 78: Human Nature Ch. 77: Duchess Kisses Her Hand Ch. 76: Igor¡¯s Debt Ch. 75: Can¡¯t Fool Me Twice Ch. 74: Queen¡¯s Pce Ch. 73: Wedding Ceremony Ch. 72: Women Love Flowers Ch. 71: Torturous Beauty Ch. 70: Public Disgrace Ch. 69: Marriage Without Love Ch. 68: A Wife Who Does Not Love Ch. 67: Pleasure of Desire Ch. 66: He Liked Her, After All Ch. 65: Your Wish Ch. 64: Are You Crying? Ch. 63: Igor Cesca (Perspective) Ch. 62: You¡¯re My Wife, I¡¯ll Protect You Ch. 61: Rihannan, My Love Ch. 60: Mother¡¯s Grave Ch. 59: She¡¯s to Marry Me Ch. 58: Rihannan and Arundell Ch. 57: Not Your Real Wife Ch. 56: Your Majesty, Please Get Out Chapter 57 Not Your Real Wife

Chapter 57 Not Your Real Wife

Chapter 57: Not Your Real Wife Igor¡¯s mouth dropped to the floor, dumbfounded that Basil would change his mind at immediate notice from Rihannan¡¯s simple request. Before going out, Basil left with hisst word. ¡°Miss, I¡¯ll be standing right outside the door. If anything happens, don¡¯t hesitate to call me.¡± As the door closed, the room grew reticently quiet. Rihannan sighed and looked at Igor. ¡°What happened, Your Majesty? You almost broke my ribs.¡± She pointed her finger at the medicine ss bottle that fell on the floor. ¡°¡­..Why did you do that?¡± ¡°What medicine is that?¡± Igor asked, his nce stealthy. Rihannan picked up the ss bottle and put it on the table. ¡°It¡¯s the medicine I¡¯ve been taking since I was a kid, a collection of herbs that helps ease my tension. What¡¯s wrong with this?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a problem.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll be Arundell¡¯s queen soon. Everything you touch must be thoroughly tested, be it food or medicine. Don¡¯t you know that?¡± Igor said with a straight face. For more, visit lightnovelworl_d_. ¡°That¡¯s true, but¡­.¡± She who remained reserved, her head bowed down, fumed in anger realizing that she was on the verge of apologizing. A sea of mes suddenly raged in her eyes. ¡°But why would you go so far as to tackle me? Besides, this prescription was prescribed by my uncle¡¯s doctor.¡± ¡°I was only making sure¡­¡± Igor coughed, ¡°that aside¡­ from now on, you¡¯ll take only medicine prescribed by a verified doctor in Arundell. If ever I find you putting unknown drugs I¡¯m unaware of¡­¡± ¡°And what? You knocked me down once. You mean to tell me you¡¯ll do it again?¡± Igor frowned slightly. ¡°That¡¯s a bit harsh.¡± ¡°Not as harsh as what you did. I¡¯m simply calling it as it is,¡± Rihannan retorted. ¡°You¡¯ll soon find out what I mean,¡± Igor said. ¡°Why are you so interested in what I do?¡± Rihannan questioned. ¡°Because you¡¯re my wife,¡± Igor said grimly. ¡°But I¡¯m not your real wife.¡± Igor was struck in the heart. ¡°Of course, you¡¯re free to say that a year from now, but right now, you¡¯re my wife.¡± For more, visit lightnovelworl_d_. Rihannan raised her brows. ¡°We haven¡¯t even had a wedding yet.¡± ¡°There will be a wedding. For now, you¡¯re in my ship and under my protection and influence.¡± ¡°So what is the extent and limit I¡¯m able to do under your protection and influence? Don¡¯t you think that you should tell me in advance so I can behave properly and act in a manner so I won¡¯t grow out of your favor?¡± ¡°Rihannan¡­!¡± Igor¡¯s sudden bellowing roar startled Rihannan. His eyes immediately softened and he sighed softly and rubbed his neck. ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t want to fight with you, Rihannan. Things will be different from now on. You¡¯re no longer in Crichton. Take into ount your current position and identity.¡± Rihannan interpreted Igor¡¯s words as wanting her to act in a?subservient?manner in consideration of her identity and that she should not forget that she was no princess but a recement. Why did she board the ship again? Advertisement ¡°I understand. From now on, I won¡¯t forget my position and identity.¡± Her gentle words relieved Igor from his worries but the ensuingments from Rihannan left him speechless. ¡°I had forgotten for a moment that I am the princess¡¯ recement. Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll keep this in mind, Your Majesty.¡± Igor¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°No, that¡¯s¡­¡± For more, visit lightnovelworl_d_. ¡°Basil, His Majesty¡¯s finished his business. Please show him out the door.¡± Can¡¯t wait to read ahead? Want to show your support? Click here?to be a sponsor and get additional chapters ahead of time plus exclusive ess to unreleased novels and additional benefits. Alternatively, you can support us freely by giving the novel some love ???? give it a rating and a review?here???? Thank you very much! Ch. 79: I Like You, Queen Ch. 78: Human Nature Ch. 77: Duchess Kisses Her Hand Ch. 76: Igor¡¯s Debt Ch. 75: Can¡¯t Fool Me Twice Ch. 74: Queen¡¯s Pce Ch. 73: Wedding Ceremony Ch. 72: Women Love Flowers Ch. 71: Torturous Beauty Ch. 70: Public Disgrace Ch. 69: Marriage Without Love Ch. 68: A Wife Who Does Not Love Ch. 67: Pleasure of Desire Ch. 66: He Liked Her, After All Ch. 65: Your Wish Ch. 64: Are You Crying? Ch. 63: Igor Cesca (Perspective) Ch. 62: You¡¯re My Wife, I¡¯ll Protect You Ch. 61: Rihannan, My Love Ch. 60: Mother¡¯s Grave Ch. 59: She¡¯s to Marry Me Ch. 58: Rihannan and Arundell Chapter 58 Rihannan and Arundell

Chapter 58 Rihannan and Arundell

Chapter 58: Rihannan and Arundell Basil entered Rihannan¡¯s cabin snappily and ready to drag the ck-haired-beast by the foot if need be. This was the best opportune time to gain Rihannan¡¯s favor. She would be Arundell¡¯s queen soon. Once this happens, well¡­ then it was time to switch sides. Igor, on the other hand, was not finished with Rihannan. He grunted and parted his lips, but Basil quickly shouted, ¡°Your Majesty, if you¡¯re done with your business, let¡¯s go!¡± Igor¡¯s sharp eyes immediately shed a deathly re towards Basil for his sudden interruption. At his resentful gaze, Basil clicked his tongue inwardly. ¡®I¡¯m just helping you. It will only get worse for you if you stay here any longer, Your Majesty.¡¯ ¡°Your Majesty, pleasee this way!¡± Basil said, his tone proud and ever so brave. At Basil¡¯s repeated urging, Igor was forced to back down. He gnashed his teeth and said to Rihannan, ¡°¡­..Rest well.¡± And so, Igor was driven straight out of the cabin pitifully. As soon as Basil closed the door, Basil tried to quickly escape, but s¡¯, he was caught by the neck. ¡°Oh, ha-ha¡­ Your Majesty, it¡¯s you. Just calm down and let me say¡­¡± Undaunted by Basil¡¯s desperate appeal, Igor let out a demonic chuckle and said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll listen to what you have to say all night, Basil.¡± *** A few dayster, the ship reached the port of Arundell. The party of three got off the ship and stepped foot inside a carriage. Rihannan did not bother asking where they¡¯d go. She believed they would head straight to Edirne, the capital city. Rihannan¡¯s thoughts were seized with mixed feelings as she looked at the scenery passing by. She not only came back to the ce she hoped to avoid¡­ and now she could not help but feel frustrated at the sudden thought of the people she would encounter in the pce. Thete queen, though she cared for Rihannan, she was a difficult person toprehend. She was the only figure in her life who stood by her side and supported her, but Rihnannan found it difficult to keep their rtionship well and alive. Rihannan knew that should the Queen turn her back on her, then her life was as good as dead. And those aristocratic nobles, they¡¯ll be a thorn in her flesh and side, now more than ever before. Her current situation this lifetime was no better than her past life. There was no doubt that she would be their prey should she thread on the wrong path. ¡®Sigh¡­ how troublesome¡­¡¯ Rihannan¡¯s past was full of failed rtionships while craving love and affection from others, but this time, she did not wish for love, did not want to be loved, did not want the baggage that came with it. She wanted a break. ¡®Will I be able to live a different life here this time¡­¡¯ As worries afflicted her troubled mind, sleep dawned on her. When she awoke, she feltfortable. She was sure that she had her head leaned against the carriage wall in an ufortable position, but strangely¡­ she felt like she was lying in afortable bed. Someone brushed her hair gently and affectionately. Only one man came to mind. ¡°¡­..Dimi?¡± Advertisement The touch stopped right away. Rihannan, slightly awake, fluttered her eyes open and realized that she was lying on the carriage chair and had something hard propped on her head for support. When she turned her head, purple eyes looked down at her and she immediately rose in panic, appalled to discover that she had used?his?thighs as a pillow a little while ago. ¡°How can I¡­¡± Before falling asleep, she rode in the carriage alone, but when she woke up, there was Igor looking down at her. ¡°I opened the door a while ago to notify you that we¡¯ve reached our destination, but you were asleep. I lent my body to you for a while because you looked ufortable. That¡¯s all.¡± ¡°Oh, I see. Thank you.¡± Rihannan bowed, sweeping her disheveled hair over her ear. ¡°Where are we at?¡± It should have taken them a few days¡¯ worth of ride before arriving at the capital. The travel was too fast. ¡°If you¡¯re curious, look out the window.¡± At Igor¡¯s remark, Rihannan pulled the window curtain back. ¡°Ah¡­¡± Her eyes trembled gently. Before her was a scenery so rightfully familiar. It was the garden she yed in as a child¡­ the garden of evergreen, the garden of flowers. The long chair resting under therge oak tree where she would often read a book with her mother was still there, and behind it was the mansion. It was her estate¡­ ¡°How¡­¡± As she looked at the view with a face full of surprise, Igor said, ¡°You probably won¡¯t see them for a while. It¡¯s hard to get here from Edirne. It¡¯s also a good time to greet your mother. And it just so happens that we¡¯re close to the harbor.¡± Igor got off the wagon first, then he stretched his hand out to her and smiled lightly. ¡°I can¡¯t give you much time because of our tight schedule. Go and say hello. Your people miss you.¡± Can¡¯t wait to read ahead? Want to show your support? Click here?to be a sponsor and get additional chapters ahead of time plus exclusive ess to unreleased novels and additional benefits. Alternatively, you can support us freely by giving the novel some love ???? give it a rating and a review?here???? Thank you very much! Ch. 80: I Remember You Ch. 79: I Like You, Queen Ch. 78: Human Nature Ch. 77: Duchess Kisses Her Hand Ch. 76: Igor¡¯s Debt Ch. 75: Can¡¯t Fool Me Twice Ch. 74: Queen¡¯s Pce Ch. 73: Wedding Ceremony Ch. 72: Women Love Flowers Ch. 71: Torturous Beauty Ch. 70: Public Disgrace Ch. 69: Marriage Without Love Ch. 68: A Wife Who Does Not Love Ch. 67: Pleasure of Desire Ch. 66: He Liked Her, After All Ch. 65: Your Wish Ch. 64: Are You Crying? Ch. 63: Igor Cesca (Perspective) Ch. 62: You¡¯re My Wife, I¡¯ll Protect You Ch. 61: Rihannan, My Love Ch. 60: Mother¡¯s Grave Ch. 59: She¡¯s to Marry Me Chapter 59 Shes To Marry Me

Chapter 59 She''s To Marry Me

¡°Lady Rihannan!¡± Soon as Rihannan jumped off the carriage, people poured out of the mansion at once en masse. They chatted freely amongst one another as they saw a carriage emzoned with the royal seal in front of the mansion. Then in front of their sight was a silver-haired woman getting off the carriage, her hands clutching onto a man. The memories of their youngdy came to mind. She had grown up¡­ and she had returned, atst¡­ ¡°Oh my god, My Lady, how could you not give us notice in advance¡­!¡± Mrs. Burns, the head chef, hugged Rihannan tightly. Tears streamed down her face. In her past life, Mrs. Burns watched over the ever-so-young Rihannan until the count fired her. Rihannan looked around and saw familiar faces. They stuck around, it seems like. ¡°It¡¯s been a long time, everyone,¡± Rihannan said. Yes, a long time had indeed passed. Mrs. Burns¡¯ slight graying hair, though not as noticeable as before, now covered most of her locks. And next to her was Tom who had grown to be a reliable young man. This was a sight Rihannan had never seen before. They had left or were kicked out before she became an adult previously. ¡°You¡¯re all here¡­ I didn¡¯t expect that you would all stay¡­ Jeffrey sends a letter once in a while, but I¡­¡± ¡°There is no one in this world who pays us generously as you do, Miss. And Jeffrey¡¯s a bit of a tough old man to crack. Oh¡­ I¡¯m still having a difficult time dealing with that nagging butler. He¡¯s not getting any younger. He needs to rx a bit.¡± Looking at the chef who did not hesitate to make a snide remark against the old butler, Rihannan burst out inughter. It was still the same. Mrs. Burns and Jeffrey had always quarreled, bantering back and forth with their opinionated mind. The most up-to-date novels are published on lightn_ovel_world ¡°Where is Jeffrey?¡± Rihannan asked, ¡°I don¡¯t see him anywhere.¡± ¡°He went out to inspect thend. He should be here soon. Oh¡­ speak of the devil, he¡¯s here.¡± Rihannan turned around and saw Jeffrey from afar. Jeffrey, too, was surprised to find Rihannan¡¯s silhouette. He rushed over at immediate notice. ¡°Lady Rihannan? Oh my god, it¡¯s you!¡± The old butler puffed out a handkerchief and wiped the sweat off his forehead. ¡°I thought I was seeing things¡­ haha, my eyesight¡¯s growing worse. But Miss, you didn¡¯t notify me beforehand? Did you make a surprise visit to see if this old man was doing his job right?¡± ¡°No, of course not. I just heard from Mrs. Burns how good you¡¯re doing,¡± Rihannan smiled. Jeffrey gave Mrs. Burns a mysterious nce. She looked the type who never had a good thing to say about him. Advertisement Then he looked back at Rihannan with a nervous look and said, ¡°But, Miss, that man in the back¡­¡± At Jeffrey¡¯s remark, Rihannan became cognizant of the fact that she had forgotten to introduce Igor. She dropped her head in a hurry and apologized. ¡°Your Majesty, I¡¯m so sorry. I wasn¡¯t in the right mind¡­¡± Her servants jumped at her words. They knew it was someone that came from the pce based on the royal seal but they never thought it¡¯d be the king himself! The most up-to-date novels are published on lightn_ovel_world The servants, once clustered together in front of Rihannan, spread out in a sh and lined up in two straight lines and bowed deeply. Their eyes shook in all directions, fearing that they might be punished for daring to ignore the presence of a king. ¡°No, it¡¯s alright. I was the one who asked you to greet them.¡± At his words, the servants ejected a sigh of relief. The old butler closed and opened his lips repeatedly. After summing thest vestige of his courage, he wiped off the sweat dripping from his temple and said, ¡°Miss, may I ask what is going on? Why is the king¡­¡± The old butler knew that Rihannan had gone to Chrichton six years ago and that Arundell had gone to war with Crichton as of recent, and now, they had appeared here in the estate?together. There was a possibility that they met in Chrichton, but there was no way of knowing¡­ Igor answered in Rihannan¡¯s stead and said, ¡°She¡¯s to marry me and be my wife.¡± Can¡¯t wait to read ahead? Want to show your support? Click here?to be a sponsor and get additional chapters ahead of time plus exclusive ess to unreleased novels and additional benefits. Alternatively, you can support us freely by giving the novel some love ???? give it a rating and a review?here???? Thank you very much! Ch. 81: Dinner With Igor Ch. 80: I Remember You Ch. 79: I Like You, Queen Ch. 78: Human Nature Ch. 77: Duchess Kisses Her Hand Ch. 76: Igor¡¯s Debt Ch. 75: Can¡¯t Fool Me Twice Ch. 74: Queen¡¯s Pce Ch. 73: Wedding Ceremony Ch. 72: Women Love Flowers Ch. 71: Torturous Beauty Ch. 70: Public Disgrace Ch. 69: Marriage Without Love Ch. 68: A Wife Who Does Not Love Ch. 67: Pleasure of Desire Ch. 66: He Liked Her, After All The most up-to-date novels are published on lightn_ovel_world Ch. 65: Your Wish Ch. 64: Are You Crying? Ch. 63: Igor Cesca (Perspective) Ch. 62: You¡¯re My Wife, I¡¯ll Protect You Ch. 61: Rihannan, My Love Ch. 60: Mother¡¯s Grave Chapter 60 Mothers Grave

Chapter 60 Mother''s Grave

Chapter 60: Mother¡¯s Grave Surprise and bewilderment left the servants awestruck, their hearts jolting as they looked up at their king¡¯s face, before quickly lowering their heads. Jeffrey rarely wore a look of shock. This time he did. ¡°Mydy will be the queen of this country?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Igor replied then looked at Rihannan and said to her, ¡°I said before that we¡¯re on schedule. I can¡¯t give you much time. Do you think you¡¯ll finish up in an hour?¡± Rihannan nodded. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s enough. I appreciate your consideration.¡± ¡°I see. So¡­¡± Igor picked up his foot and moved towards a certain direction. The servants sighed in relief and straightened their backs when he was no longer standing before their presence. Rihannan smiled bitterly. ¡°That¡¯s how things turned out. Let¡¯s go inside for now.¡± Rihannan ryed to Jeffrey the dismal and discouraging events that urred in Crichton. They would find out soon enough¡­ that Chrichton¡¯s king and nobles handed her over like a pawn in exchange for avoiding the war. Rihannan, under Jeffrey¡¯s guidance, looked around the mansion for the first time. It was clean and properly taken care of as if she had only left yesterday. cing Jeffrey in charge was the best choice, after all. ¡°Thank you for all this time, Jeffrey.¡± ¡°Naturally. It is my job, Miss.¡± Rihannan smiled. Still the same as always. Like the unchanging mansion, Jeffrey, too, had not changed. She and Jeffrey walked up the stairway. Every nook and cranny of the mansion was filled with only memories of her and her mother. Traces of the count was removed ¨C even his portraits and statues were nowhere to be seen. Atop the stairway, Rihannan turned around, recalling the moment she drove her father and half-sister away and remembering the time she woke up confused and only to realize she returned to the past. ¡®I had no idea I¡¯de back like this.¡¯ Bitter thoughts invaded her mind like a gue. ¡°My Lady, you said before that you¡¯d never marry or bear a child. Now you¡¯re to marry soon,¡± Jeffreyughed softly, interrupting Rihannan¡¯s thoughts. ¡°If you bear a beautiful childter, please bring him or her back here. I¡¯m sure thete countess would love to see her grandchild.¡± ¡°Jeffrey, have you heard from Leticia since then?¡± Rihannan changed the subject and look at the old butler briefly. Jeffrey shook his head. ¡°No, not at all. Thest she came to this ce was during the count¡¯s funeral.¡± ¡°I see¡­¡± Rihannan nodded. Leticia, she¡¯ll be fine. Wherever she goes, Rihannan¡¯s sure that she¡¯ll use her cunning mind. ¡®She¡¯ll be okay.¡¯ There was no need to worry about her. ¡°Jeffrey, I¡¯d like to see my mother¡¯s grave for thest time.¡± *** Rihannan¡¯s mother, Anastasia Alessin, slept quietly in the family resting ce. Next to her was the man she loved. A sense of depriving exhration came over Rihannan¡¯s trembling heart. The Alessin Family pleaded for him to rest by her side, but she knew her father would have refused to lie next to her but next to his lover. Advertisement Forever ¡®till death do they part never existed. Her mother loved him so much that if need be she would have stolen all the stars in the gxies. When she looked at him, she could not stop, and before she knew it, she had given her heart to him unconditionally. She had dreams with him, dreams of looking back from the past when they were old and gray, hoping to see that their hands still fit perfectly together as she tells her grand-kids that the greatest adventure of her life was loving him. But it was not enough. She brought him into her life¡­ absorbing his poison and calling it love. Rihannan stroked the tombstone with her mother¡¯s name on it. ¡°Mother¡­. please tell me I did a good job¡­¡± To bury her mother¡¯s love next to her and leave Arundell days after her death only to return back to the soil she was born¡­ did she make a mistake in her choice? Rihannan feared the unknown future, afraid that she would tear down all her efforts by sheer mistake. If only her mother was here tofort her, maybe¡­ maybe she¡¯ll gain the courage she did not have. But such an answer cannote from a dead man. ¡°Mother¡­¡± As Rihannan¡¯s face gradually darkened, a small bouquet of flowers was ced in front of the tombstone. ¡°They love flowers,¡± Basil said. Rihannan looked up in astonishment. Basil had appeared so suddenly without sound. And next to him was Igor. He looked down at her, stared at her surprised face for a second, before looking back at the countess¡¯ tomb and said, ¡°Of course, I don¡¯t believe it at all, but I think the countess will like those flowers¡­¡± The flowers he had brought were crude like they had been plucked from the grass. The length of the flower was not proper but jagged and tied around a string sloppily. At first, Rihannan thought it was Basil who had done it, but then she noticed dirt staining Igor¡¯s hand¡­ Chapter 61 Rihannan, My Love

Chapter 61 Rihannan, My Love

Chapter 61: Rihannan, My Love Igor flinched and hid his hands behind his back noticing Rihannan¡¯s lingering gaze nted on his fingers. Rihannan looked away, deciding not to point out what she had seen. ¡°¡­.I had never thought to bring a bouquet of flowers,¡± she said. Heavy silence scattered all around thereafter. One could hear the steady rhythm of their heart. The series of incidents in the ship left the two parties, Rihannan and Igor, in a sour mood. They could not face each other properly, let alone talk. Though in truth it was Rihannan¡¯s doing. She chose to avoid him on purpose. Unable to bear the still sullenness, Rihannan opened her lips and broke the quietness. ¡°But mother had always loved flowers, especially flowersmonly found in the road rather than therge, exotic flowers in the garden. Thank you. I¡¯m sure she¡¯s happy.¡± ¡°¡­..¡± Igor¡¯s eyes quivered and looked away. Rihannan looked down, fingers wiggling. She had nothing to say thereafter. Then Igor looked at the grave next to the countess coldly. ¡°The count was buried here too¡­¡± Rihannan nodded. ¡°My paternal rtives were eager to bury him next to her.¡± ¡°You¡¯re too generous. I heard the count brought a child from another woman the day of her funeral.¡± ¡°Ah, yeah¡­¡± Rihannan lips tightened. The day she left for Chrichton, she wrote a letter to the Queen of her sudden decision to live with her maternal rtives and the appearance of a new half-blood sister. The Queen herself had probably revealed Rihannan¡¯s sudden departure to Igor. And Rihannan was aware of the needless folks cursing her cold-bloodedness, her actions breaking the sacrilege of familial rtions. They spat their tongues out at her, speaking words of bane because she had the audacity to kick out her?own?father and her half-sister who had?no?home. At least Igor did not me her and did not point his fingers at her. But it was strange. She was having a conversation with Igor. This was the most they had ever spoken to one another. Igor was not the man she knew from the past, the one whose heart was always full of acrimony and disgust. He always shed with his mother. But in this life, he was more stable, more rxed. Perhaps it was because he stepped foot on the throne much earlier. The Igor Rihannan knew would have never picked flowers for her mother. ¡®¡­..You¡¯re not the only one who changed¡­¡¯ She, too, had changed. She was no longer that poor, foolish, and naive little girl whocked brevity. This was fine too. She needs not bury herself in the past. It was time that she put it away. As long as she can hold a proper and amicable rtionship with Igor, then that too was fine. And after that, they would separate peacefully. Igor noticed a discrepancy in the countess¡¯ tombstone. ¡°¡­.Rihannan, what is this text? I¡¯ve never seen it before.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡±. Rihannan moved in front of him and stroked the tombstone. There was a short phrase carved on it. ¡¸My beloved mother, Anastasia Alessin. (Rihannan)¡¹ Igor pointed to thest letter and asked for its meaning. ¡°I wrote my name. It¡¯s an ancient text from Chrichton¡­¡± Advertisement At present, both Chrichton and Arundell used the samenguage and phics, but hundreds of years ago, theirnguage differed greatly. They had their own separate culture andnguage. Despite their barriers, they couldmunicate using thenguage of Lisaa, the empire they served under. But one day, the Great Lisaa Empire walked down the path of destruction. Outside foreigners piged the Empire of Lisaa until only Chrichton and Arundell was left. The othernds of Lisaa were now under the Toulouse Empire¡¯s rule. With only Chrichton and Arundell left, the two kingdoms became a unified ally and integrated the ancient empire¡¯snguage and letters. Their historical backgrounds and ancient ties were the reason they were able to maintain their military alliance despite their animosity against one another. The text carved into the tombstone was Chrichton¡¯s ancientnguage before the invasion. ¡°In fact, my name itself was an age-oldmon phrase in Chrichton.¡± ¡°What does Rihannan mean in Chrichton¡¯s ancientnguage?¡± ¡°¡¸Rihannan¡¹ My love.¡± Rihannan smiled shyly. ¡°My mother truly loved me.¡± A moment of thought appeared in his mind and he soon parted his lips. ¡°Rihannan.¡± And then, he repeated her name with his tongue¡­ savoring its taste several times. ¡°Rihannan, Rihannan, Rihannan¡­¡± Soon after, he smiled broadly as he looked at Rihannan. ¡°Rihannan¡­ what a pretty name that is, Rihannan.¡± Chapter 62 Youre My Wife, Ill Protect You

Chapter 62 You''re My Wife, I''ll Protect You

Chapter 62: You¡¯re My Wife, I¡¯ll Protect You Rihannan¡¯s gaze turned downcast. Whenever Igor called her name with slightly raised lips, a sort of welling sadness formed in her caged heart. He rarely called her by her name, if ever¡­ ¡°I want you to call me by my name too, Rihannan. Igor. Call me that. Is this okay with you?¡± Tears had fallen, almost. His carefree smile brought her back to their first meeting. The painful memories had been wiped out and only the memory of that boy in the garden remained. She hoped this couldst. ¡°Yes,¡± Rihannan bit her lips and answered. ¡°Rihannan, I know you¡¯re in a difficult position and I can¡¯t imagine how you feel, but I¡¯d like to make it clear to you that I¡¯ve no intention of treating you like a hostage. You¡¯re my wife. I¡¯ll protect you from any danger. Don¡¯t be nervous, please¡­¡± His voice was gentle. Rihannan nodded her head. It would have been nice if he was like this in their past life, but she was satisfied. This, too, was enough. She never had any thoughts of getting back at him when given a second chance at life. And she was not capable of revenge and did not want to repeat a life full of hatred and pain. There was no point to cause Igor suffering when he had done nothing to her in this life. And she could have caused her father and Leticia further troubles and misery, but kicking them out was enough. The most up-to-date novels are published on lightn_o_velwor_ld A life gued with revenge was never her goal, only to live peacefully, quietly, and happily. Living a second life with thoughts of revenge, what was the point? She would only drown further in darkness. Rihannan did not want that life. Life was short; why waste it on sadness and despair? And their rtionship would end within a year. She hoped this life would treat her well, hoped they could live without hatred. Then, when her body is old and withered, she would love to rest quietly with nature¡­ among the wildflowers. This was the life she hoped to live ¨C peace and quiet. *** The royal carriage left the mansion an hourter. A red-headed woman watched them from afar since their arrival. To be precise, not long after their arrival, the woman scurried and hid in seclusion. Nothing good woulde if her presence was noticed. As she hid in the dark forest, the woman saw two figures walking towards the carriage. They talked affectionately like lovers. The man¡¯s appearance was beautiful and ethereal. He was tall, had broad shoulders, and silky ck hair¡­ a face of perfect harmony. He was a man perfect for her. While looking at the man with ecstatic eyes, her eyesnded on the silver-haired woman standing within reach. Her face suddenly distorted. ¡°Madam? Madam Leticia¡­¡± The most up-to-date novels are published on lightn_o_velwor_ld Leticia turned around at the sound of a voice calling her from behind. It was the plump horseman looking at her nervously. ¡°We have to go now. If it¡­¡± ¡°Okay, shut up!¡± The fidgeting horseman shut his lips and Leticia turned her head back, her ring eyes directed towards the royal carriage. The branch in her grip snapped. ¡°It¡¯s all because of you¡­¡± Tears formed around her eyes. ¡°If it wasn¡¯t for you, I would¡­ by now¡­ I would¡­¡± A slight sob escaped her lips. Her gaze was full of resentment and hatred. She did not leave the ce ¡®till the carriage disappearedpletely from her view. Chapter 63 Igor Cesca (Perspective)

Chapter 63 Igor Cesca (Perspective)

Chapter 63: Igor Cesca (Perspective) My wife doesn¡¯t love me. This was the only thing I know. *** ¡°Your Majesty, where are you? Your Majesty, the Queen is looking for you.¡± The servant was looking for me. I had no intention to be seen and so, I hid behind the tall pirs and kept quiet. Troublesome and ufortable things awaits me, this I know well. ¡°Your Majesty! Oh¡­ Your Majesty! I know you¡¯re listening to me. Your Majesty¡­!¡± Watching the servant¡¯s movement, I slowly walked toward the opposite direction and arrived in the deserted garden. Iid there, resting, for the time being, hoping to avoid that slow-witted but determined servant. I sighed and looked up the blue sky, staring relentlessly at the ring sun and the drifting clouds. But as somber thoughts came to mind, I covered my eyes with my arms and bit my lips tightly. ¡°The throne was originally mine.¡± For more, visit lightnovelwo_rld Mother used to hold onto me¡­ I¡¯d sit on herp while she whispered words I never understood. Each time she said those words, the guilt that I¡¯d taken away her throne haunted me. ¡°So you have to listen to me. Understand, Igor?¡± I¡¯d nod obediently. Mother was next in line to the throne, but through mishaps, she was forced to sacrifice her throne to her cousin, Duke of Lancas. I loved mother and I sympathized with her pitiable circumstances. I owe my life to my mother. I was made king because of her. She had sacrificed her wants, her purpose, her dreams so I could live. I¡¯d have given her the world, anything she wanted. I would. I had no ns to exclude her from politics long after I became old enough to rule the country. I would share the kingdom with the mother who made me king. I loved my mother. But¡­ When I had fallen ill, my life gravely hovering between life and death, I learned something I wish I¡¯d never known. I wish I could have remained ignorant of it¡­ maybe things would be different. Drowning in a nightmare, I awoke in the middle of the night with thoughts to see mother. In that room was the silhouette of mother and her close associate, Prince Rosan. It was improper of me to listen in on their conversation¡­ ¡°I¡¯ll need to get Igor married as soon as possible.¡± ¡°Your Majesty? Isn¡¯t he too young for marriage? Why all of a sudden¡­?¡± ¡°Did you not see? My son had almost died from sickness. What do you think will happen to the throne after his death?¡± For more, visit lightnovelwo_rld ¡°¡­..It¡¯ll fall in the hands of thete king¡¯s progenitor.¡± I was sure Prince Rosan was referring to thete Duke of Lancas¡¯ progenitor. Yes¡­ should something happen to me¡­ the throne will end up in theirp. ¡°That¡¯s why Igor is to marry as soon as possible and bear a child. They¡¯re spying on me. You need to be prepared in case things turn upside down, otherwise, our power will end up in their hands.¡± My eyes widened at the sudden realization that I was nothing but a tool, a means to an end for my mother. I was not her precious child, but a thing that could be thrown away as she sees fit. ¡°Then¡­ who do you have in mind?¡± ¡°One of ours.¡± Advertisement ¡°You mean?¡± ¡°Anastasia¡¯s little daughter.¡± ¡°Countess Allessin¡¯s daughter?¡± ¡°Yes. She¡¯s my goddaughter. I¡¯ll need to ask Anastasia to spend time in the pce with her daughter one day. I¡¯ll have her and Igor meet. They¡¯ll form a rtionship, an affection, and then marry.¡± For more, visit lightnovelwo_rld My heart ached. I turned around and ran away, tears pouring down my face. Mother intended to sell me off to a girl I do not know and bear a child with her¡­? I know now that mother never regarded me as her son, but a livestock that could benefit her. And from that moment on, I began to avoid her. The boy who always listened to her, always filial, always obedient, was no more. I¡¯d skip sses she set up¡­ anything to get away from her, and anything that she was involved in. I wanted nothing to do with her. I acted up. I grew up a troublesome boy. People thought it was puberty¡­ but I became obsessed with the thought of causing her distress¡­ my own mother¡­ I felt betrayed. Why couldn¡¯t we have a proper rtionship? Was it because she was a princess? Because her throne was unjustly taken away? Or because I was made king, not her? If I did not have this kingly title and she was no royal, would we be able to live happily as mother and son? I thought about these things as Iid in the grass. I realized toote that a droplet of tear fell. I was crying¡­? I wiped it away with my sleeves. No, I should get rid of these feelings. My life wasn¡¯t worth anything. I was a puppet, a tool tied to mother¡¯s whimsical thoughts. My fate was in her hands. I¡¯ll marry a woman I do not love, bear a child I do not want and live the life of a dead man. This was my fate. Chapter 64 Are You Crying?

Chapter 64 Are You Crying?

Chapter 64: Are You Crying? The book reverts back to third person. ¡°¡­..I need to be stronger¡­¡± Igor said, his heart bitter and disheartened. Greed had never controlled him. He hoped to be a king neither horrid nor ipetent but a king able to manage his kingdom well and to live a happy life with his wife, one whom he could respect as a human being, if not love. But¡­ did he hope for too much? A soft hup snapped Igor from his whimsical thoughts. He turned his head and saw a little girl. Tears fell from her cheek and she wiped it roughly with her sleeves. She looked distracted, thus failing to take notice of his presence. Igor moved, not wanting to have his presence known. Though he unconsciously watched her from afar. She was pleasant to look at, cute like a doll. She had porcin skin too puerile and silver hair too innocent. She was younger than Igor, it looked like. Her beauty could not be disguised from the pearl-shaped tears rolling down her cheeks from her wide luminous eyes. ¡°¡­..Huh?¡± Igor followed her line of gaze. It was directed towards the tree in front of him. Igor looked up and found a small yellow bird with wings hanging from the branch unable to fly and p its wings. Meanwhile, a cat nearby approached the little thing carefully. ¡°Oh no¡­.!¡± The girl stamped around and thrashed its arms around. ¡°Wh-what do I do?¡± ¡®What do you mean what you will do? Leave it.¡¯ Igor mumbled. There was nothing wrong to have a ravenous cat crave the bird¡¯s flesh and meat. And the tree was too high. It was dangerous for her. Igor clicked his tongue and shook his head slightly. He continued watching. The girl picked up a stone and threw it, but the stone could only go so far. It fell down helplessly. Igor thought she would have given up, but much to his expectation, the girl moved around, looking for other ways to help the bird. Though she was near Igor, she had not seen his presence for her eyes was glued to the bird on the tree. Eventually, Igor opened his lips and said, ¡°Give it up. That is the bird¡¯s fate.¡± ¡°!!¡± The girl looked over her shoulder with a look of surprise. It was as if she had seen a ghost. When did you get here, her beautiful oceanic eyes asked. Igor was dumbfounded. Then he chuckled. He thought it cute and innocent. He ran his fingers through his disheveled hair and looked at the girl stupefied. ¡°Who are you?¡± she said. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Yes. He was left stupefied. No matter his age, he was a king and he had never seen anyone speak to him as such. ¡®This girl¡­¡¯ ¡°You¡¯re absurd. Who are you?¡± Igor said. ¡°I¡¯m Ri¡­ no, I need your help!¡± Advertisement Suddenly, the girl quickly grabbed him by the hand and dragged him towards the tree, but her actions proved ineffective. Her slender arms could not budge him. Igor looked at the whimpering girl, her eyes doe-like and innocent. Then he sighed and walked toward the bird. ¡°I told you to give it up. That¡¯s the bird¡¯s destiny.¡± He pointed to the cat. ¡°You see that cat? Look at her drooping belly. She¡¯s a new mother. If the hunt fails, the bird will live, but her kittens will starve.¡± ¡°Yes, but¡­¡± At his words, the girl¡¯s face which had brightened slightly seconds ago grew somber. The girl had epted his words to a certain extent. ¡®Well, this is enough.¡¯ But just as Igor had thoughts of leaving, he discovered droplets falling from the corner of her eyes. ¡°¡­..Are you crying?¡± The girl shed tears like a river dam flowing uncontrobly and Igor did not know what to do. He had fallen in the deepest difficulty of his life. He had never soothed a crying girl before. ¡°Don¡¯t cry! People will think I made you cry. Hey, don¡¯t cry¡­ ok?¡± Still, her tears did not stop. Eventually, Igor gritted his teeth and said, ¡°Oh, okay, I got it! I¡¯ll save the bird!¡± Chapter 65 Your Wish

Chapter 65 Your Wish

Chapter 65: Your Wish Igor clenched his fist and eventually, he climbed up the trunk in one fell swoop. He¡¯d rather save the bird¡¯s demise than to watch those falling tears helplessly. As he climbed, the cat was ready to pounce on the bird and bite its neck. He needed to hurry else the bird would end up someone¡¯s food. Chirp, chirp! Swoosh! ¡°Ahhhh!¡± Boom! He fell to the ground with the small bird wrapped safely in his hand. Fortunately, he had not injured himself as he had used anding technique he learned during fencing. But it did hurt like hell like his bones would break in pieces. ¡®What am I doing¡­?¡¯ ¡°Are you all right?¡± Igor looked at her with fiery eyes and wanted to say, ¡°No, it¡¯s not okay!¡± but he held it in. It was best he checks the bird¡¯s status first. As he opened his hand, the girl held the bird. At that moment, the bird screeched, pped its wings, and soared into the deep, blue sky. ¡°Ah¡­¡± While the girl looked up, eyes expressing unknown admiration, Igor patted his sore shoulder and back to rid himself of the dirt. Heughed in vain. Basil would go nuts if he saw his current situation. As for the girl, she continued to stare into the sky without any semnce of interest towards him. ¡°What? I threw this precious body in danger for you and you don¡¯t even care?¡± Igor¡¯s lips tightened and a gruff statement came out in dissatisfaction. Only then did the girl¡¯s oceanic eyes face him. It was not until he saw her worried look that he felt a bit better. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Are you hurt?¡± ¡°Nope.¡± The girl held out her hand and Igor grabbed it, but his grip was too strong that it seemed as if she would fall straight ahead. Igor quickly bnced himself, pretending to hold her hand roughly. The girl then began to wipe the dirt off his face and Igor felt awkward. It became difficult for him to keep his eyes in one ce. ¡°Who are you¡­?¡± he said. ¡°Did you see it?¡± Again, Igor was taken aback, looking at her in shock. ¡®I¡¯m the king¡­ why do you continue to ignore what I say?¡¯ But he did not express his inner thoughts and said, ¡°What?¡± ¡°I know that bird.¡± ¡®What are you saying?¡¯ ¡°What bird?¡± Igor was confused. ¡°It¡¯s Ataraxia!¡± ¡®I don¡¯t understand¡­¡¯ ¡°You know, when the bird flew into the sky, it suddenly grew so big that it sparked ever so brightly. I saw it clearly!¡± ¡°¡­..¡± Igor thought she¡¯d been reading too many fairy tales. Ataraxia? Was she that naive to believe that? He wanted to say, ¡°You fool, there¡¯s nothing like that in this world!¡± but he did not. He sighed instead. If he said such words, she may cry yet again. ¡°I see¡­ wow, that¡¯s amazing. So I saw something really great.¡± Igor responded roughly. ¡°That wish is yours.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± She picked up a golden feather from the ground and held it out to him proudly. ¡°You saved the bird¡¯s life. Make a wish with this.¡± ¡®¡­..Wish?¡± Igor looked at the feather, remembering what his wish was. His wish was to be a good king, meet a nice girl, and live happily with her. He knew this feather alone was not enough to fulfill it, but somehow, it warmed his heart. He felt an unexpected constion. The tips of his lips rose slightly as he twirled the feather around his finger. ¡°My wish, will ite true?¡± Igor asked. ¡°Of course. Dimi did it. He held the feather and made a long wish and Myastra appeared.¡± ¡°Dimi? Who is that?¡± ¡°My cousin. Dimi knows everything.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Advertisement Igor squinted his eyes as he watched the girl speak so highly of this Dimi. ¡®I¡¯m the one who climbed the tree for you, but why are you praising the wrong guy?¡¯ He was hurt¡­ struck with an arrow. Igor looked at the feather again. Meanwhile, the girl¡¯s face grew slightly sullen, asking if he did not like the golden feather? ¡°No, I like it, but I was thinking that it should be you to write that wish,¡± Igor replied. ¡°But you saved the bird.¡± ¡°Yes, but we did it together. If it weren¡¯t for you, the thought of saving the bird would note to mind in the first ce. Take it. Think of it as my gift to you.¡± The girl¡¯s face brightened immediately at his words. Igor¡¯s lips twitched. ¡®You¡­ you wanted it all along. Fool, you could have just taken it from the beginning¡­!¡¯ ¡°Wait, you said Myastra, didn¡¯t you? Is Dimitri your cousin from Crichton?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°You¡¯re a Crichton, too?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m an Arundelite. I was born and raised here.¡± ¡°Who are you?¡± Just as he was about to hear her name, a womanly voice rang from the distance. ¡°Rihannan?¡± Igor turned around and saw two figures, his mother and one of her loyal aplice. He knew who that aplice was¡­ Chrichton¡¯s royal family member and his mother¡¯s closest friend. His mother the queen had once said that she¡¯d bring thedy¡¯s daughter in the pce and make her queen and bear a child with Igor. ¡°Mother!¡± The girl ran straight to thedy and Igor immediately learned her identity. She was the child he would wed. At this thought, his heart sank, feeling like he was in a fairytale world only to be thrown back to reality in the next moment. Chapter 66 He Liked Her, After All

Chapter 66 He Liked Her, After All

Chapter 66: He Liked Her, After All ¡°Your Majesty, you were with my daughter¡­ perhaps Rihannan¡¯s caused you trouble.¡± Thedy, a countess, greeted Igor hurriedly while the girl hid behind her with a look of embarrassment as she realized his true identity. ¡°¡­.It¡¯s been a long time, Countess Alessin.¡± ¡°Igor, Rihannan, I had ns for you two to meet someday, but this is great too. What were you two doing?¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing, I was just talking to this child,¡± Igor said lowly and continued, ¡°I was just free and bored. I unknowingly rolled on the floor by myself. It¡¯s no big deal. No need to bother about it, Mother.¡± Igor felt a sense of shame hearing his mother¡¯s pleased voice. The thought that he had been caught and trapped in her wicked n upset him. He did not want to y with her games, so he hurried away and hoped to never see the girl again. However, his mother had other ns. She had marked the girl as her target as the next Queen of Arundell and called her to the royal pce now and then. Every time he saw her, she was still the same pure and innocent girl he met in the garden. She¡¯d look at his mother with envy and respect, unaware of the queen¡¯s ulterior motive. Each time he saw her, perverse thoughts wrapped around his mind. He wanted to tell her, tell her how the queen truly sees her, how she¡¯s a pawn in her hands, a tool to carry a child¡­ and most of all, tell her to run, run as fast as she can. But in the end, he did not. She was too young to understand and he had no power. On the other hand Igor though she¡¯d not care much even if she knew that she was a tool for the queen. Power drives people to do crazy things, after all. As time passed, Igor became an adult and before he knew it, his voice lowered and he was much stronger. One day, he saw her again in the royal pce. She had be a woman, a goddess. Her body was still small, but it could not hide the swelling of her chest and the revtion of her beautiful curves. For more, visit lightnovelworld Most of all, when he saw her sweet and shy smile, Igor blushed unconsciously, his heart beating erratically. It was difficult to look at her without feeling anything. He ced his hand over his heart, confused by a strange feeling washing over him for the first time in his life. That night, Igor had a dream. In his dream, heid in bed with a woman who had long, silver hair. In that dream, he made love with her. Not a single spot of her porcin skin was left untouched. He explored her ¨C each and every part of her. Even her soul he explored. And then, when they fell into the deepest pleasure, he pushed himself inside her deepest ce and drowned themselves in the purest form of bliss. And then he woke up. His lower area was wet. He realized what he had just done. Igorughed despondently. Much to his bitter disappointment, he liked her, after all. And then, Igor thought that it was fine to marry her just as his mother wished despite it being a forced marriage. He did not hate her nor despise her. Rather, he liked her innocence. She was never the kind to smile innocently only to stab him in the back. Igor realized that maybe he could learn to live with her even if his mother desired a child with her for the sake of her ns. Maybe, this was fine too. Maybe¡­ Since then, Igor had done what he could. Since he could not stop his mother¡¯s n, he dyed the wedding as long as he could until he developed some strength. If he had not resisted the political marriage so much, she¡¯d havee to the pce much earlier. Advertisement *** Time flew by quickly. For more, visit lightnovelworld Within a month would be Igor¡¯s scheduled marriage with her. She began to stay at the pce to learn social and royal etiquettes. Igor asionally watched her from afar in seclusion. Igor knew that it was not easy for her to adjust in a strange ce she did not know alone. His mother had requested that she perform her duties to the utmost perfection. Whenever she made the slightest mistake, she¡¯d lower her head out of shame. Each time, she¡¯d feel intimidated and shrink further. Originally, it was her mother who should have given her advice, guidance, and constion, but that was impossible. Her mother had passed away far too early. Furthermore, his mother sent her a Maid of Honor to make sure she did everything properly. The Maid of Honor would report each mistake made to his mother. And Igor, too, was unable to show her any significant affection. Doing so would show his weakness to his mother. That and because he was naturally poor at expressing his emotion. And the Queen, who had keen eyes that could see through people, quickly saw Igor¡¯s affection for her. Before the day of their wedding, she brought Igor to a room and said her thoughts out loud. ¡°Aren¡¯t you d that you¡¯re to marry Rihannan? I know you like her. I¡¯m trying so hard for you. Don¡¯t be like this, Igor.¡± Chapter 67 Pleasure of Desire

Chapter 67 Pleasure of Desire

Chapter 67: Pleasure of Desire Igor¡¯s brows tightened and he scoffed. He wished his mother would reveal her true intentions. Maybe he¡¯ll not despise her this much. He despised it so, despised the false image she gave ¨C a mother who refused evil and gave up her throne so her son could live. This was her image. But it was false. It was her ambition. The world was her theatre and she the main lead in the y. Igor and the woman he¡¯s to marry would be prey in the palm of her hands. ¡°Are you satisfied, mother? You¡¯ve managed to keep my limbs, my hands, and feet all tied down. Are you musing in your own enjoyment?¡± ¡°What do you mean? Rihannan is a good girl. She¡¯s the best match for you, Igor. I don¡¯t know why you keep distorting my words.¡± ¡°That¡¯s exactly what I thought my mother would say.¡± Igor scoffed and clicked his tongue, swiveling his feet and walking toward the door. And then he saw her¡­ he saw Rihannan standing at the front door, her face a pale white. He surmised that she had heard their conversation and he was ashamed, but¡­ this was something she would know soon, and now that she was living here, she¡¯ll need to realize this world was no fairytale with a happy ending. ¡°It¡¯s something you should know anyway. It¡¯s good. Now there¡¯s nothing to hide. You will have to choose soon. Will you trust me, or will you remain by her side and under her protection?¡± Her face was ashen and bleached with white. He had pushed her too far ahead of the marriage¡­ this revtion was too sudden for her, this Igor knew, but it was better for her. As time passes, she¡¯ll understand why he said this and why she should never trust the Queen. *** The most up-to-date novels are published on _li_ghtnovelwo_rld The wedding ceremony ended and night came. The newly wedded king and queen would consummate in marriage during their first time. Igor thought this custom unpleasant. Such old and traditional customs that had all but disappeared remained in Arundell. Their neighboring kingdom, Crichton, chose to eradicate the customs too. Nobles were not to interfere with the royal¡¯s fornication, but in Arundell, this was not the case. Igor gnashed his teeth. ¡°When I have strength, I¡¯ll remove this age-old custom.¡± He was furious that nothing could be done on his end. Knowing the truth of his mother¡¯s true colors, he saw those nobles as nothing but beasts that enjoyed watching intimate acts of pleasure and love. And so he intended to hold their first consummation of marriage and quickly kick them out. Though that did not mean he did not have his own sexual thoughts. He knew a woman¡¯s first time was painful and Basil, in particr, advised him that he give his bride maximum consideration on their first night. And he would do that. But each time he closed his eyes in the dark, he dreamed of her. He was lost, his pent-up desire gradually simmering as he stripped off his robes. He looked at her, stroked her soft skin slowly and caressed her cheek. She was beautiful and much softer than he imagined. The feel of her smooth skin clinging onto him enchanted him. He¡¯s sure he¡¯d be a prisoner to her beauty. She took his breath away. Her naked form was sirenic and enthralling. He leaned forward and pressed his lips deeply against her soft skin. Her scent was sweet. It was not perfume but her natural scent. ¡®Is this how women smell?¡¯ His mind grew dizzy and he felt hot. The moment he kissed her mountainous peaks was when he fell to the pleasure of desire. The most up-to-date novels are published on _li_ghtnovelwo_rld But it was only a dream and this dream could never amount to reality. Chapter 68 A Wife Who Does Not Love

Chapter 68 A Wife Who Does Not Love

Chapter 68: A Wife Who Does Not Love Igor realized then that she was real, that he liked her. No matter what others will think of her, she would be his wife and he would protect her, They¡¯d be two people sharing their bodies and minds their whole lives. They did not have the best start as a couple, but he¡¯s sure that they could spend the rest of their life amending their mistakes, right? What does it matter that she came here under his mother¡¯s own malevolent strings? She only needs to choose him, not the queen. Igor thought she would too, but¡­ to think she¡¯d chosen a life of antagonizing her husband¡­ that, he never sawing. Suddenly, he remembered that they¡¯d never kissed properly. Their only shared kisses were the formal kiss during the wedding ceremony. So he leaned in closer, but she coldly turned away from him. He saw no excitement to consummate their marriage on her face. Rather, her expression was close to displeasure as she shed tears. He was rejected. At that moment, Igor came to his senses while the truth poured on him like a bucket of ice. She did not want him. He could tell from when he pushed her hand against her chest, though feebly. ¡°Is this your answer?¡± Igor bit his lips, unsure how to ept the bride who pushed away from the groom on their first night of marriage. She hesitated for a moment then answered, ¡°Yes.¡± And the truth was revealed. She chose the power of the queen, not him, not the man she married, but his mother. Perhaps she did not want a life of the Queen weighing down on her, perhaps she thought it better to hold onto the power of the Queen more than her feeble husband. After all, many nobles joined the Queen¡¯s side. He had nothing. What could he possibly ever give his wife? Igor chuckled wryly in vain. Was there anyone else like him who had a wife abandon her husband on their first night? ¡°Yes¡­¡± she said again. His heart tightened. He had no power¡­ she turned away from him because he had no power. If she chose this path, it¡¯s inevitable. Be it hatred or indifference, they were to live together¡­ forever. ¡°Then, my wife, I don¡¯t want it either, but endure it, even if you don¡¯t like it. You can¡¯t run away from this now.¡± The only thing left from his excitement and desire was a bundled up ball of cold anger. Witnesses from across the curtain worried in wonders seeing their king and queen remain still. This was the room to show their physical connection. Otherwise, they¡¯d have to interfere with love-making. Igor thought it best to finish as soon as possible to satisfy their desires. He stopped caressing her and pulled out his manhood and burrowed deep inside her dry flesh. ¡°Ugh¡­¡± Advertisement For a moment, she opened her eyes and let out a small grunt, her face full of confusion, but soon, she stretched out her arms as if she¡¯d given up. Her unprepared womanhood was too cramped for Igor to fit in. When he had trouble with her insides, he pulled out and pushed inside, hard. As he forced his way in, she turned her head and bit her lips in pain. Her hand was red from gripping on the crumpled bedsheets. He knew she was in pain, he knew. Even he was unhappy with the act. After several moves, he quickly released inside her. Only then did the nobles leave when the?ritual?wasplete. A heavy silence followed thereafter while heid beside her. He looked at herplicatedly. He dreamed of a life with her, but it copsed so quickly and now he¡¯ll need to endure a life with a woman who did not love him. If that¡¯s the case, she¡¯ll endure a life with a husband both cold and cruel. ¡°You¡¯d better not think that I¡¯ll continue to tolerate your ambiguous attitude.¡± Chapter 69 Hope of Love

Chapter 69 Hope of Love

Chapter 69: Hope of Love Igor warned her that he¡¯d not sit idle should she cross a certain line. But inwardly, he thought of letting go of her clumsy spying. If only she stood by his side instead of his mother, he¡¯d have protected her at all cost, but this was not the case¡­ ¡®¡­..Why does it hurt so much?¡¯ Igor did not know the sort of expression she made at his remark. He gave her onest look before turning to the other side, falling asleep thereafter with a heavy heart. Their cold rtionship continued, never to be amended. After their first night, guiltiness struck his heart recalling her painful face. He felt terrible¡­ like he had raped her. No, he did¡­ What had he done¡­? ¡®¡­..Is this what marriage is like?¡¯ But when he looked at Basil, his servant, it was not like that. After years of marriage with his wife, he remained true and devoted. He was the happiest man in the world whenever he spoke about his lover. Igor¡¯s mind wandered back to his wife, wondering if she would neglect her duty to bear him a second child after their firstborn, one that the nobility and the queen kept nagging them. And so Igor held the woman who shrank at his embrace regrly. They had little dialogue and Igor found this unbearable. Their rtionship as husband and wife was unbearable. And love? There was none. They would live in a cold and bitter rtionship for the rest of their lives. But Igor hoped that someday¡­ it would change. Not now, but someday. Someday. In the meantime, he gradually built a n to destroy the Queen¡¯s power using means to drive out her people without bloodshed. It would be through the tax audit, a n he prepared long ago. After a long while, he caught the tails of the major nobles on the Queen¡¯s side. Some of his people fell in his trap, but he persevered. In this silent war, he¡¯ll need to give up an arm or a leg to beat his opponent. ¡­But the problem was his wife¡¯s father. He was on the list. For over a decade, he had been siphoning off a huge amount of taxes and putting them in his pocket. Igor was troubled. It would affect his wife¡­ was he willing to hurt her in the process and destroy any chance of reconciliation? Igor was at a loss. Not long after, the queen noticed his n. Donning a carefree smile, she said, ¡°It¡¯s capital treason and a sin to siphon the kingdom¡¯s taxes from the people. It¡¯ll shake the nation¡¯s foundation. You¡¯re right, Igor, it¡¯s not a bad idea to use this opportunity to get rid of the bad apples in the tree.¡± She agreed with his n. ¡°Though I hear that Count Alessin, Rihannan¡¯s father, pocketed a lot of the kingdom¡¯s taxes too. The Queen¡¯s family that should set an example for the kingdommitted felony and treason. Yes, Igor, throw the Count in jail and take away his title while destroying your wife in the process.¡± ¡°¡­..Are you trying to shield my wife?¡± Advertisement It was widely known to the nobles that the Queen cared for his wife dearly ¨C always worrying about her health and well-being. Her needs came first before Igor, her only son. In his eyes, he was the outsider, the third-wheel interfering with his wife and his mother¡¯s loving rtionship. ¡°Of course I would. I want her safe. How can I not like that kind and caring child? Don¡¯t harm her, Igor, but if you¡¯d like to continue, you¡¯ll need to throw her away toplete your ns.¡± It was a warning. If he continued the tax audit and probed any further, the fault of her father¡¯s crime would be ced on her. She would be the sinner. Igor¡¯s first battle against his mother resulted in a loss. At her reasonablement, he gave up. Though his wife abandoned him and turned her back on him, he could not do the same. The chance and hope to reconcile their broken rtionship and build a happy future together meant more to him than going against his mother. Since then, nothing had changed. The nobles caught in the tax audit were pped with a light punishment such as fines. They maintained their existing status and authorities. What¡¯s more, their loyalty to the queen grew fervent and dealing with her became more difficult than ever for Igor. ¡°Igor¡¯s interest in the sea has grown as of recent.¡± Not long after, the Queen brought the topic up at a banquet where all major nobles gathered. While Igor had ordered the tax audit previously, he also turned to the sea. As Chrichton built their wealth through active trades with other nations, Arundell remained at a standstill. The reason why was because Chrichton controlled the sea. Igor, however, had a strong urge and need to build his own strength in the sea. He was not sure when their alliance with Chrichton wouldst. In addition, the Toulouse Empire showed great and earnest ambition to capture neighboring kingdoms. Igor could only turn to the sea. For the sake of Arundell¡¯s survival, Igor needed the sea. Chapter 70 Public Disgrace

Chapter 70 Public Disgrace

Chapter 70: Public Disgrace ¡°I understand that feeling, though I hope we¡¯d not need to pour our hearts to our enemies which are the most important things to us Arundelites and Chrichtonites. We are the only heirs of the ancient kingdom, after all.¡± Lisaa was a fallen ancient empire that once flourished for thousands of years. Their blossoming knowledge and splendid invention spread to neighboring countries only to copse from the invasion of nomadic tribes, proceeding to call themself an empire using Lisaa¡¯s inheritance thereafter. But regardless, both Arundell and Chrichton remained the most prominent inheritor of Lisaa¡¯s culture and knowledge. The two kingdoms would band together to confront said fledgling empire while despising one another and calling the opposite side barbarians. ¡°It¡¯s not the time to fight against Chrichton. Our ultimate enemy is the Toulouse Empire.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t Her Majesty, the queen, a symbol of a strong alliance between the two countries? We need to unite together as a united front else we face cmity and destruction.¡± ¡°Your Majesty, the king is a bit too young, and if anything, a bit reckless to make any decision as of current¡­¡± Their logic and rationale always came to the final conclusion ¨C Igor was young and ignorant of the ways of the world. Igor, who was present at the meeting, opened his mouth but his mother the queen interjected and said, ¡°I spoke of this issue with Queen Rihannan yesterday. She held the same concern as I did and requested that I act in our kingdom¡¯s best interest. Isn¡¯t that right, queen?¡± Thete queen looked at Rihannan. Igor, too, stared at her stiffly. Rihannan¡¯s face turned pale at that moment. She quickly dodged Igor¡¯s gaze and nodded softly. The Queen smiled victoriously. ¡®So it¡¯s like that¡­¡¯?Igor thought. ¡°This old mother shouldn¡¯t worry about what my lovely wife thinks. I¡¯m sure everyone here thinks so, right?¡± Igor said. The nobles gathered chuckled merrily and sympathized with thete queen. When thete queen held her ss suit, the nobles followed suit in unison. This act was a clear indication of who the owner of this pce was. Igor wore a bitter smile. He wasn¡¯t angry, only chuckling at his own demise. This, too, was natural. Who would follow a king who¡¯s wife even turned a blind eye to? At the end of the banquet meeting, Igor got up and headed for his living quarters. As he walked down the hall, his wife ran after him. ¡°Your Majesty, hold on¡­¡± He looked back. A cold frown hung around his lips. ¡°What? Do you have anything to say?¡± She looked at him nervously, her lips quivering several times before bowing. ¡°¡­..It¡¯s toote, but thank you for thest time. I haven¡¯t had a chance to tell you¡­¡± ¡°Last time?¡± ¡°For covering up my father¡¯s faults.¡± ¡®¡­..This is the only reason you¡¯ll talk to me properly?¡¯ Igor scoffed. Even he had lingering regrets letting her father¡¯s wrongdoings go unnoticed. ¡°Are you done talking?¡± She flinched at his cold response. She opened her lips and sped her skirt tightly and said, ¡°The truth is¡­ there¡¯s also something I want to tell you about what Her Majesty, the Queen, said earlier¡­¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need to make excuses. I know exactly what you¡¯re thinking. I¡¯ve asked you this before:?whose side are you on??And so far, you¡¯ve shown me that you¡¯d rather remain at her side,¡± he spat out coldly, ¡°It¡¯s clear now. I understand. You don¡¯t need to tell me more.¡± And he walked right past her. She quickly turned around and grabbed his hand, but Igor shook her off, a gesture that looked as if he had touched something dirty. Advertisement He growled lowly, and said in disgust, ¡°Do you know the kind of people I despise most? It¡¯s not the coward nor the despicable but someone like you who says one thing but does another. That¡¯s what you are. You insult me and now you want to remain on good amicable terms?¡± Her face was drained of blood and color. She lowered her hands and dropped her head and said nothing more as she walked away from him. The mouths of the nobles quickly moved. Rumors of the king¡¯s cold treatment to his queen began to circte in earnest from then on. He knew that such public disgrace would leave her in a pitiful situation, but he was neither willing to take into ount her circumstances for his pride had already been torn to shreds. A long whileter, he¡¯d think back to those days and realize all toote that that was one of the most courageous acts she had done against the man, the husband she feared and whom she believed dearly was her tormentor every night. What if he had held her hand then? What if he had buried his injured pride and listened to her? Would things end up differently? But there was no?what if¡¯s¡­ He should have looked into her past. Maybe he¡¯d realize sooner that there was more than meets the eye. They were so far apart. He believed one thing and she thought another. If only he hadmunicated with her¡­ Maybe things would be¡­ different. Chapter 71 Torturous Beauty

Chapter 71 Torturous Beauty

Chapter 71: Torturous Beauty ¡°Your Majesty, we¡¯ll soon arrive at the Countess¡¯ estate.¡± A voice entered Igor¡¯s ear. He raised his head and looked ahead. The journey from Chrichton to Arundell was smooth. After two hours of time getting off the port, entering the carriage, and beginning their journey, they had finally arrived at Rihannan Alessin¡¯s estate. The original n was to journey straight to Edirne, the kingdom capital, but Igor deviated slightly from the nned schedule and stopped by the mansion. He thought she¡¯d have a much difficult time going back to visit her servants. ¡°Stop.¡± The royal carriage stopped at the king¡¯s instructions as Igor got off the horse and approached the carriage Rihannan was on. For formality¡¯s sake, he knocked on the door before entering. ¡°Excuse me.¡± What he saw after opening the door was her leaning against the window. She was tired and hadn¡¯t gotten a single rest from the port and to here. Aftermanding his people to remain quiet, Igor hopped inside the carriage and sat in front of her while carefully closing the door. Rather than wake her up, he intended to wait. It was slightly dark inside the carriage and silence all around. There was the asional sound of her soft breathing that he could hear. This was the first time he had gotten a good look at her face. In his past life, though married, he had never found the chance to truly look at her like this. Even in their most intimate acts, all he saw was her white skin. The sun shone through the crevice of the curtains in the small window. Her silvery eyshes, which stretched downwards, glowed softly under the light. Her lips parted slightly and a weak breath flowed out. Igor smiled unconsciously. He lookedpletely defenseless. When he looked at her again, he saw that she had trouble sleeping. There was a slight crease between her brows and a fidgeting that looked ufortable. ¡®That you¡¯re like this, I¡¯m sorry. I caused this¡­¡¯ Then he frowned at the thought of her drinking the medicine that he thought was poison¡­ thoughe to think of it, his actions were disgraceful. She must have thought she was dealing with a lunatic suddenly lunging at her out of nowhere. He too would have been surprised. What¡¯s worse¡­ was their conversation afterward. His words only angered her further and she hadn¡¯te out of her room since then throughout the voyage. Igor looked at her sleeping face, wondering how he should resolve their misunderstanding. Basil advised him that he should be upfront with what he had done, but¡­ Then her head fell from the window and gradually leaned to the other side. Watching her with a shaky gaze, Igor rushed forward and sat next to her as her body leaned heavily to the side. He had intended to ce her head on his shoulder, but she slid straight down. He could not breathe properly as sheid on his thighs. Igor clenched his teeth and groaned softly. ¡®This is torture¡­¡¯ He turned his eyes away with his hand wrapped around his face. He felt his blood boiling. He was no adolescent boy, but he could not believe he would react like this. After taking a deep breath, he managed to regain hisposure and looked at her small frame that rested on his thighs. Chapter 72 Women Love Flowers

Chapter 72 Women Love Flowers

Chapter 72: Women Love Flowers It was like he dreamt of her, of her silhouette, of her illusion ¨C that she was there physically present only to awake in an empty bed. He had lost her once, the girl, who, without notice, became his universe. It hit him. He thought he had forever to amend his mistakes, but the truth was, he did not¡­ they had met during a time when everything was an intricate mess and had much to figure out. How could he have known how crucial every word said, every action made, or losing her would be something of a bitter regret? He had lost her once and he did not want to repeat the same mistakes. Igor looked down at her evesting beauty and hoped this moment wouldst¡­ forever. Though he may never touch her closed heart once more, he¡¯ll always be there. Whether it bete at night or early in the morning, she¡¯ll always have him. He would spend the rest of his lifetime atoning for his sin. Igor raised his fingers stiffly and touched strands of her hair. His heart palpitated. Meanwhile, she muttered, ¡°Dimi¡­?¡± His hand stopped. Dimi¡­ that was her cousin¡¯s name, a man special to her, a man she had gone through lengths to save. Was his heart aching? ¡®¡­..Stop it¡­ you don¡¯t deserve to be¡­¡¯ He pressed his palm on his heart and turned his head to the side. Meanwhile, she awakened slowly and blinked. Soon as she saw his silhouette, a faint surprise crossed her lips and she quickly rose up. The warmth of her body faded away and Igor was back to reality. He cleared his throat and informed her that they had made a detour to her estate. For more, visit lightnovelworld She looked thankful and d. While spending time with her people and exploring the estate¡¯s current condition, Igor paced back and forth in the garden alone. He recalled Dimi, the person she called out to in her dreams. He was a special existence, even now and even then. The obvious expression on her face showed that she cared and held deep affection for him. She had cried in tears when she saw him, the cousin she had not seen for years in the past. It was the same this time as well. ¡°Your Majesty, are you still thinking about that? Just be honest with her.¡± Igor intended to take a quiet walk alone, but as always, Basil popped in like an unwanted insect. Igor¡¯s face darkened as he looked at Basil. ¡°Don¡¯t give me that face. I have a new piece of information. Surely you want it, Your Majesty? But first, be nice to your loyal servant.¡± Igor ignored hisstment and asked, ¡°Information?¡± ¡°I heard from the servants that the count was buried here.¡± He looked at Basil. ¡°The Count¡¯s tomb is here?¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty. Speaking of which, did he not bring in an illegitimate child into the estate only to have Lady Rihannan kick his father and his daughter out before journeying to Chrichton? In any case, the Count was buried next to his wife after death. It was what Lady Rihannan agreed to. She might have grown soft to him after his death.¡± For more, visit lightnovelworld Advertisement In the past, Rihannan could not let go of her family unaware of her father and half-sister¡¯sck of love¡­ even going as far as to grant them all their selfish requests. But what about now when she had realized all this? Why had she allowed him to be buried next to her mother? Was it pity or forgiveness? We¡¯re it him, he¡¯d never forgive them in the past nor the present. Igor, too, unknowingly, and so many others, had caused her pain and anguish. Igor shut his eyes tightly. He would never forget the demon inside him that was unleashed. The blood that soaked his hand¡­ the sensation of bones breaking and flesh grinding¡­ the shrill scream. He remembered those unforgettable days vividly. It was something no human should go through. Man should be righteous, but at that time, it was as if evil that had never existed awoke inside of him and controlled both his body and spirit. And he had since lived a life of destruction and hatred till time turned back. Even he did not want her to know the evil that ran amok inside him after she passed away. Even he was ashamed, and now too¡­ ashamed that he was deceiving her. ¡°I know you have a lot of thoughts going on, Your Majesty, but why don¡¯t you see her? It might be moreforting to have someone by her side than to be alone.¡± Igor turned his head at Basil¡¯s remark. ¡°You should resolve the misunderstanding from the ship, Your Majesty. It might be awkward, but you should go. And take a flower with you. Women love flowers.¡± ¡°¡­..Does her mother like flowers?¡± Chapter 73 Wedding Ceremony

Chapter 73 Wedding Ceremony

Chapter 73: Wedding Ceremony ¡°¡­..¡± Basil stood in ce bbergasted and taken aback. Was it notmon sense that women loved flowers? If they did not¡­ well, he had never met one. ¡°You make it so obvious that you don¡¯t want to answer my question, Basil.¡± Basil grumbled and muttered softly,?¡°Forget it, I won¡¯t give you advice anymore. This beast will only irritate me.¡± But in the next moment, Basil donned a wide smile and pped his hand. ¡°Of course, that¡¯s not the case, Your Majesty. Of course, of course! The Countess will truly appreciate your kind goodwill.¡± And in the end, Igor decided to pluck sets of flowers from the garden for her mother. He intended to pay the Countess a proper respect. Her mother was her only true family member that cared for her, but¡­ because of the Countess¡¯ close rtionship with the his mother, the Queen, he had long developed a great dislike toward her. He regretted¡­ She stood next to the Countess¡¯ grave, as expected, and Igor ced the flowers in front of the tomb. He looked at Basil. ¡°They all love flowers,¡± Basil quickly replied. ¡®Why don¡¯t you say it yourself, beast?!¡¯ Igor was somewhat nervous¡­ afraid that she¡¯d kick him out, but fortunately, she showed no signs of disdain. While talking to her, his eyesnded on the Count¡¯s grave, and coldly stared at his tomb. He had never known her family history. That was his fault. He never sought to amend theirck of dialogue. No¡­ it was more urate to say that he never knew his wife. Only after she passed away did he learn the truth. ¡°Rihannan, I know you¡¯re in a difficult position and I can¡¯t imagine how you feel, but I¡¯d like to make it clear to you that I¡¯ve no intention of treating you like a hostage. You¡¯re my wife. I¡¯ll protect you from any danger. Don¡¯t be nervous, please,¡± he said nervously. He wished dearly in his heart that she believed his words. He would never hurt her and it would be thest time he would do so¡­ he knew forcing her to return back to thisnd was a selfish act he had done for himself¡­ he knew this¡­ and this would be hisst selfish request¡­ Fortunately, she nodded softly. It was the first time she had epted his presence. That gentle nod brought him extreme happiness, his heart fluttering. In herst life, she sought love from the wrong people but it only brought her pain and suffering. She even thought she deserved it not knowing she was worthy of every wonderful thing in life, even love¡­ Igor knew she may never love him, but this was fine. He was fine with that. He did not need to be loved by her. It was not something he deserved. Instead, he would give the love he had never given her. And if ever there came a chance, he hoped one day that he could confess his sins and ask for forgiveness¡­ This was his earnest wish in front of her mother¡¯s grave. End of Act 2 *** Act 3: Wedding Ceremony The entrance to the pce came about quietly and without notice. They hade back from victory over their arch-nemesis and rival, Chrichton, and thought they¡¯d walk through a stage of victory parade, but this was not the case. They returned straight to the pce without a particr schedule in mind that even the people of Edirne did not realize their King had returned. However, the weing ceremony inside the royal pce was splendid. When Rihannan arrived in the pce with Igor, everyone rushed out in an ordered manner and weed their arrival. ¡°Wee, Your Majesty and Her Majesty the Queen.¡± Before the wedding procession began, the pce servants had already called her Queen. Advertisement ¡°She is the Matron of Honor that will take care of you.¡± Igor introduced the servant to Rihannan. Thedy was of old age as she held her skirt and bowed her head deeply. ¡°Thete Duke Cessley is my husband. You can call me Mrs. Cesley, My Queen.¡± And it was then that Rihannan recognized her. Duke Cessley was a just nobleman who heldrge territories in the province. Duke Cessley¡¯s family lineage could be traced since the founding of Arundell. As a result, the Duchess wielded great influence in social circles, but after her husband¡¯s death, she returned to her estate and remained there quietly. ¡°Nice to meet you, Mrs. Cesley,¡± Rihannan smiled. Though inwardly, she had no intention of maintaining a deep rtionship with thedies-in-waiting for she knew she would leave the pce within a year¡¯s time. Besides, she had no good memories from her previous maid of honor. When she first came to the pce at a young age, the Queen had ced a Countess who was her close aide as Rihannan¡¯s Maid of Honor. She and the Countess never got along. With the Queen¡¯s background, the Maid of Honor was arrogant and even acted superior to the Young Queen. Rihannan had lived her life in the pce walking on thin ice, waiting for knowing eyes to find a cause for mistake to use against her. Still, it was all right. She managed to live through the hardships. Especially that one time¡­ that even after a year had passed and she was not able to conceive a child, she was forced to take medicine. Chapter 74 Queens Palace

Chapter 74 Queen''s Pce

Chapter 74: Queen¡¯s Pce Rihannan often gagged, even vomiting out the nasty-vored medicine. It did not matter that her organs despised the medicine, the Maid of Honor would bring in a new set and have her down the medicine fully despite Rihannan¡¯s distress. The Maid of Honor kept a close eye on her, making sure she finished the medicine before proceeding her reports to the Queen Mother. Those memories, Rihannan loathed it. ¡°Please take good care of me.¡± This time around she¡¯ll damn well make sure no one forced her to drink or eat something she did not want. She faced Igor thereafter and said, ¡°I think it¡¯s proper that I say my greetings to the Queen first. Is it alright to visit her?¡± Igor¡¯s countenance hardened. ¡°¡­..You don¡¯t have to.¡± Rihannan thought it rude of her that she skips on the formalities. It seemed rightfully proper to greet the Queen Mother. ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± she said. ¡°I mean¡­ you don¡¯t need to say hello to her. You must be tired. Let¡¯s get some rest.¡± Rihannan marveled in surprise. She knew Igor and his mother had an estranged family rtion, but she never expected Igor¡¯s reaction to being on the extreme side. ¡°But that¡¯s against reason,¡± she replied. ¡°Mother isn¡¯t in the pce, to begin with. She¡¯s residing in Burke Castle. You need not worry about her.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°¡­Rihannan.¡± Rihannan sighed and shut her mouth. If she spoke any longer, it¡¯ll only lead to a public quarrel in front of numerous courtiers and nobles. She needed to thread the pce well and to ne¡¯er show signs of disobedience against the king. Moreover, unlike the past, the Queen Mother who had been her great support was no longer present. ¡°¡­..Alright.¡± Noticing the atmosphere grow tense, Mrs. Cessley, stepped forward and said, ¡°Please follow me, My Queen. I¡¯ve prepared many things and I simply cannot wait to show it to you.¡± Mrs. Cessley approached Rihannan and sped her arm warmly. Rihannan gave Igor a nod and left the scene together with Mrs. Cessley. ¡°My Queen, you¡¯ll stay at a separate pce for a month-long until the day of your arranged wedding ceremony. And¡­ also¡­ the Queen¡¯s Pce is currently under construction.¡± On her way to the pce, the Duchess gave Rihannan much information, most of which Igormanded her to prepare. ¡°His Majesty¡¯s instructed us to refurbish the Queen¡¯s Pce months ago. I¡¯d have hurried a little bit more had I known Her Majesty would have arrived much earlier than nned.¡± ¡°His Majesty gave you and the maidservants¡¯ orders months ago?¡± ¡°Yes. I only realized toote that His Majesty nned to return with the woman he was to marry¡­¡± The Duchess¡¯ words were akin to praises for the King¡¯s cleverness, but to Rihannan, a cold chill ran down her back. It meant that he had long nned many months ago to win the naval battle against Chrichton and demand a national marriage with the princess in return. She was somewhat curious. Advertisement What happened to Igor¡¯s life in this timeline that she was not aware of? How was he able to aplish many feats that seemed impossible in their past life. ¡°I¡¯ve heard that you¡¯ve visited the pce several times as a child, my queen,¡± said the Duchess. Rihannan nodded. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°But you¡¯ve never visited the Queen¡¯s Pce before, have you?¡± Rihannan hesitated. ¡°¡­No.¡± ¡°Then it is my crucial responsibility to make sure that your stay in the Queen¡¯s ce isfortable. I hope you¡¯ll like it in the end.¡± Contrary to her answer, Rihannan had lived and visited the Queen¡¯s Pce long ago. Her early stay in the Queen¡¯s Pce was a decision made after much consideration from thete queen so that she adapts to the pce far more quickly. Though it hardly proved any use to her. Rather, life in the royal pce became more painful and unbearable. Had she not borne witness to the Queen Mother and Igor¡¯s conversation, she may have lived a life of treating Igor indifferently. Her death at his hand may have remained the same, but at least she¡¯ll not live in misery knowing her husband despised her very presence. ¡°At that time, I visited the Queen¡¯s Pce with my mother. The Queen was very kind to me. And so, when I left for Chrichton, I sent her, my godmother and a friend to my a mother, a letter of farewell.¡±, ¡°Yes, I heard about that story.¡± ¡°So it does have me slightly worried. How is she now?¡± Rihannan asked with a smile. Chapter 75 Cant Fool Me Twice

Chapter 75 Can''t Fool Me Twice

Chapter 75: Can¡¯t Fool Me Twice The Duchess, Mrs. Cesley, gave Rihannan a proper answer right away and said, ¡°She¡¯s resting in peace. Queen, after you left for Chricton, Her Majesty retired from politics not long after. A few years ago, she moved to Burke Castle. Her Majesty thought the pce too¡­ messy. So, it is as the king said. You need not worry too much about her, My Queen.¡± ¡°¡­It sounds like King Igor drove her out.¡± The Duchess stopped for a moment ¨C Rihannan too. The Duchess, who looked around the age of forty, was a woman of mature and gentle beauty, but she did not look glum by any means. Her dark gray eyes glittered and showed unfathomable depth that seemed like it could see through all of Rihannan¡¯s thoughts. Her eyes zed with mature age, a clear juxtaposition of a young girl who longed to break free. But Rihannan¡¯s question prior ago caught her off guard, embarrassed her even. When Rihannan lived in Chricton, she inherited a few traits from Helena. The princess often threw wicked people off guard with questions of surprise. It showed their true colors. She¡¯d ask sudden questions when she encountered new people. As Helena lived in a pce full of men and women with malicious thoughts and selfish ambition, she grew up fast and learned to differentiate people¡¯s true intention or their hidden selves while unprepared. Helena had used this method on Rihannan once. She had ordered the silver-haired girl to work on low-level menial work. Helena tested her, curious to know whether Rihannan had a strong ego of rebelliousness or was a dog that followed her master¡¯s orders faithfully. But Rihannan had done something out of the tradition Helena grew used to. Under the princess¡¯mands, Rihannanbed her hair and said, ¡°Princess, are you curious about who I am?¡± Her questioning satisfied Helena, and from then on, she became attached to the silver-haired girl. Rihannan wondered what Igor thought of the Duchess he sent to her. She knew the Duchess was ever faithful to Igor¡¯smands, though that mattered not. The answer she sought to know was if Igor was trying to control her from the sidelines. Long ago, she¡¯d been imprisoned, deemed a criminal, a spy for exchanging letters with Dimitri. Piles of evidence were strewn together incidentally and separate conclusive evidence of espionage handed to the royal family. There, too, existed letters full of secrets between Arundell and Chrichton that were found along with her personal letters. It was not hand-written, but printed on woodblock print, so the handwriting was never revealed. However, woodblock print was used for official purposes by Arundell and thus the circumstances of the woodblock print traveling between two countries became certain. The letters that had been found in her private stash became conclusive proof of her crimes Advertisement . But to Rihannan, it was the first she¡¯d seen of them. She had never exchanged letters with anyone in Chrichton other than Dimitri. She surmised someone had intentionally ced those letters in her secret stash, and so she had no choice but to suspect the Maid of Honor was involved in the affair. She always had a key with her and Rihannan was unsure how she became involved with the matters. Maybe she was Leticia¡¯s dog or she herself approached Rihannan with impure purpose from the very beginning. Rihannan vowed that she¡¯d never again repeat that cycle. This time she¡¯ll grasp the knowledge she never had and examine the kind of people who stood next to her. No matter how perfect a person may appear, their true self was bound to show in unexpected situations. This was what Rihannan hoped for. ¡°Ha¡­¡± The duchess swiftly covered her mouth andughed lightly. Then she bowed her head. ¡°Oh¡­ I¡¯m sorry, My Queen. I made a big mistake¡­¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s alright. I¡¯m no Queen right now, so there¡¯s no need to be formal,¡± Rihannan replied coolly. She remembered thedies-in-waiting¡¯s ridicule and deliberately giggling and whispering menacing words in her back or close to her so she could hear¡­ those voices of wickedughter remained vivid and now there was nothing that could hurt her. A lifetime of sorrow had given her strength, but it did not mean that she was immune. Chapter 76 Igors Debt

Chapter 76 Igor''s Debt

Chapter 76: Igor¡¯s Debt The Duchess¡¯ quickly picked herself up and removed theughter on her face, donning a thoughtful look thereafter. And then she bowed. ¡°I disrespected you, My Queen. Please forgive me. I never meant tough at you,¡± she sighed and continued, ¡°Listening to the Queen, I thought ¡°His Majesty¡¯s anxious concern is useless, after all.¡± Regardless, it doesn¡¯t excuse my disrespectful action.¡± Rihannan tilted her head as Igor¡¯s name suddenly popped out. ¡°What does that mean?¡± ¡°His Majesty¡¯s been on edge and anxious since nning the national marriage.¡± The Duchess looked at Rihannan¡¯s surprised face. ¡°My Queen, I have lived in the royal pce with my husband until passing away. From then on, I lived a quiet life in the countryside without intents ofing back to noble society. Truth be told, I was satisfied with the quiet life I lived. But a year ago, His Highness called me back to the pce and informed me that he will marry and the kingdom will soon have a queen. His Majesty asked, no, pleaded that I stay and help you, My Queen.¡± ¡°You already knew the woman he¡¯d marry was from Chricton?¡± Rihannan asked indifferently. The Duchess shook her head. ¡°No. His Majesty did not give me any more information than that, but considering that His Majesty meticulously prepared everything from the beginning, I had thought our new queen would be of amon background and I was sure our new queen who had lived abroad for years would be worried, doubtful even upon return.¡± The Duchess had misunderstood the details, the details of Igor intending to bring her back from the very beginning. His sight was never on her but the princess, but Rihannan did not bother correcting the Duchess. It was tooplicated. For more, visit lightnovelworld ¡°I will give you the answer you asked of me earlier, My Queen. In truth, Her Majesty was driven away by His Majesty.¡± Rihannan looked at the Duchess wide-eyed, her lips shaped to an ¡®o. She did not expect the Duchess to answer her straightforwardly. The Duchess smiled and met Rihannan¡¯s eyes. ¡°Not only that, His Majesty treats her as someone who never existed.¡± ¡°Like she doesn¡¯t exist?¡± ¡°Yes, My Queen. His Majesty and the Queen Mother have not seen each other in years. His Majesty treats her coldly since long ago. It was natural that she resolved to move to another pce. I don¡¯t believe there is a mother who can stand the cold and silent treatment from her son. Moreover, she was once the most powerful figure in the country.¡± Rihannan never expected this. She knew Igor loved his mother deeply despite her faults, despite her ws, despite their constant bickering views, and despite the setbacks from her. Despite this, he¡¯d always take care of her health and well-being. Rihannan knew this better than anyone else because she¡¯d seen him watch over his mother from the sidelines. Advertisement She questioned the thought of Igor treating the Queen coldly as if she never existed. And did he not grab onto the seat of power rtively easy in this as opposed to his past life? It seemed¡­ irrational that his hatred for her would grow to this extent. ¡°The people of the kingdom believe the powerful queen had been ousted by her son, the king. My Queen should know what everyone in this kingdom knows. Do you have any other questions? I will answer to the best of my ability.¡± Rihannan surmised the Duchess would repeat the same words of a monotonous puppet like her previous Maid of Honor. Most Maids of Honor wore the same character and demeanor, but the Duchess was¡­ different. ¡°Why did you ept the position as maid of honor?¡± For more, visit lightnovelworld Rihannan knew the Duchess preferred the quiet life in the countryside after the death of her husband. The colorful life in the capital did not suit her. There must be a reason why she made the decision to remain in the capital. ¡°If you¡¯re wondering why, My Queen. It is not because I owe His Majesty, but on the contrary, His Majesty owes me.¡± Chapter 77 Duchess Kisses Her Hand

Chapter 77 Duchess Kisses Her Hand

Chapter 77: Duchess Kisses Her Hand ¡°If you¡¯re wondering why, My Queen. It is not because I owe His Majesty, but on the contrary, His Majesty owes me.¡± ¡°!¡± Rihannan¡¯s eyes trembled ¡°My husband and I supported the young king when forced to pick a side. I persuaded my husband, who could not decide whether to back the queen or the young king at the time. I was once head of noble society. At one word I could sway the decision and thoughts of the aristocrats. I saw the king¡¯s potential. My eyes are often precise, My Queen. The king knows this strength of mine well. After the death of my husband, His Majesty requested that I remain in the capital, but I refused. I left for the countryside hoping to spend the rest of my life in quiet solitude. And then, as if predestined¡­ I came back to the capital¡­¡± The Duchess smiled brightly. Her smile was one of happiness growing, much as a spring flower does. Rihannan could tell that her smile came from deep inside to light her eyes and spread into every fiber of her being. ¡°My Queen, I was curious. The woman who had made the king so anxious to hurry and prepare everything ording to his ns¡­ I was curious. Rumors spread around the kingdom that His Majesty was not interested in women, but men. We prepared for it, too, prepared when the deration came and he announces to his subject that he was fond of men. But¡­¡± the Duchess chuckled, ¡°this was not the case. In any case, the king looked distressed and overwrought with troubled worries wondering if his queen would fit in well, but it seems His Majesty need not worry. You¡¯re strong, My Queen. Given the courage to ask me that question soon as your arrival, I have no doubt you¡¯ll be able to navigate through the wickedness of the many aristocrats¡¯ malicious thoughts.¡± The Duchess pondered for a moment, her flickering eyes twinkling with excitement. ¡°But, My Queen, you do not trust me and I know nothing about you. I understand. So, how about this¡­ why not spend the rest of this month before the wedding to get to know each other? Is this not a sound idea?¡± ¡°Princess, you don¡¯t know me. Aren¡¯t you curious to know the kind person I am, right? Then, why not spend the rest of our time getting to know each other?¡± For more, visit lightnovelw__orld Rihannan said simr words to Helena after brushing her tinum hair. Helena was only ustomed to people who asked for her unconditional trust or blunt expression that they¡¯d follow the princess to the ends of the world. Rihannan¡¯s offer was fresh. None had ever told Helena to experience and judge for herself. And now, the Duchess had given Rihannan the same offer she asked of Helena. ¡°You¡¯ve been away from Arundell for a while and things have changed. You¡¯ll navigate through the unknown, and you¡¯ll need help, if not me. Once you¡¯ve judged me trustworthy, I will stay by your side, My Queen. If not, then we shall part.¡± Rihannan thought it fortunate that she was able to see through Helena¡¯s sincerity. The Duchess must have thought the same. Because of Helena, Rihannan had learned many things, otherwise, she¡¯d never take the Duchess¡¯ proposal positively. Rihannan smiled softly and reached out her hand. The Duchess noticed her meaning and kissed the back of her hand. ¡°Please take good care of me from now on, duchess.¡± The Duchess let out a soft smile. The two walked to the pce together. *** The first thing she saw was antique paintings hanging on the walls, a stark contrast between the Chrintonites who enjoyed decorating their walls and ceilings with other items other than paintings. For more, visit lightnovelw__orld Rihannan raised herself up and breathed a sigh of relief. For a moment, she thought she had returned to the past to experience the nightmares with eyes wide awake over again. She looked out the window. It was early dawn. She tossed and turned around in her bedte at night till she fell asleep. She had trouble sleeping, afraid of returning to that cold, shivering prison. Afraid¡­ that¡­ maybe¡­ this was all an illusion¡­ Rihannan curled herself up on the bed and brought her knees to her forehead. Was it the drugs that had been thrown away making her think such thoughts? Or was it the new environment? She feared her dreams, her nightmares. Last night she saw Igor¡¯s face and felt his coldness. But Rihannan was used to this. It was fine. And then she saw her father¡¯s face and Leticia clinging onto him, his back facing her as if she had been abandoned¡­ Her heart crumbled and she awoke from her sleep crying out in pain and she thought she had returned to the past¡­ fortunately, it was not so. As the sun rose gradually, the room brightened. A knock from the other side of the door rang and the maids entered when she answered. ¡°Your Majesty, would you like a face wash or a bath prepared?¡± For more, visit lightnovelw__orld Rihannan examined the faces of herdies-in-waiting who she did not have time to take a proper look atst night. None of them had attended her in the past. It seems the people in the pce have changed drastically more than she expected. ¡°A face wash is fine.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty. We¡¯ll prepare a face wash right away.¡± ¡°And Mrs. Cessley?¡± ¡°She will be here soon, Your Majesty.¡± Can¡¯t wait to read ahead? Want to show your support? Click Advertisement here to be a sponsor and get additional chapters ahead of time plus exclusive ess to unreleased novels and additional benefits. Alternatively, you can support us freely by giving the novel some love ???? give it a rating and a review here ???? Thank you very much! Other Series On Patreon: ? For more, visit lightnovelw__orld I Don¡¯t Want to Be Loved?(19) ? Saving You, Viin?(19) ? Your Majesty, I Want You?(19) ? I Don¡¯t Want to Regret ? Baby Tyrant ? 22 chapters ¨C 29.99 Ch. 99: Using You Ch. 98: Predatory Marriage Ch. 97: The Duchess¡¯ Advice Ch. 96: Yearning Kiss For more, visit lightnovelw__orld Ch. 95: Nothing Better In Life Than a Woman Ch. 94: You¡¯re Beautiful Ch. 93: I Liked You Since Then Ch. 92: Dimi Over You Ch. 91: Will You Trust Me? Ch. 90: I¡¯m Sorry, Rihannan Ch. 89: Mother and Son Ch. 88: The Truth ? 10 chapters -14.99 Ch. 87: Queen¡¯s Motive For more, visit lightnovelw__orld Ch. 86: Anastasia¡¯s Daughter Ch. 85: The Betrayal Ch. 84: I Owe It to Her ? 6 chapters ¨C 9.99 Ch. 83: Thought He Liked Men Ch. 82: Igor¡¯s Clumsiest Best Ch. 81: Dinner With Igor ? ?3 chapters ¨C 2.99 Ch. 80: I Remember You Ch. 79: I Like You, Queen For more, visit lightnovelw__orld Ch. 78: Human Nature Chapter 78 Human Nature

Chapter 78 Human Nature

Chapter 78: Human Nature When Rihannan was decreed to be Helena¡¯spanion, she remained at the princess¡¯ side for a period of time before returning home unless a special asion arose. Rihannan oftentimes returned to the mansion before dusk. Last night, the Duchess reminded Rihannan that she would check up on her early in the morning as she had work cut out for her until the day of the wedding. But contrary to her words, the Duchess did note till the sun¡¯s first blush painted across the sky. Rihannan had finished washing her face and changed into a new set of attire embedded with regalia. The Duchess¡¯ smile reached the corner of her eyes. ¡°My Queen, did you sleep wellst night? I waste. That big oof would not let me go till the first cockcrow.¡± Rihannan tilted her head. ¡°You mean Basil?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± the Duchess nodded, ¡°I¡¯ll tell you the detailster. First off, let¡¯s have a meal, My Queen.¡± The couplet drank tea together after a simple breakfast. The Duchess soon ryed to Rihannan what urred in the early morning. ¡°Well, My Queen, His Majesty requested to spend breakfast with you this morning. Basil delivered His Majesty¡¯s message to ask what you think of it. I answered in your stead, stating that you had only arrived yesterday and was wrought with tiredness. I ask that you be given time to rest.¡± Rihannan listened to the Duchess¡¯ retelling, her eyes tremulous and jittery. She doubted what she had heard, unable to believe what Igor said. She wondered briefly if she had ever spent breakfast with him other than necessary royal obligation. The most up-to-date novels are published on l_ightnovelwor_ld_ No memory came to mind. There was a precedence to this. A king and queen oftentimes dined together during lunch hour or the evening. Breakfast together hardly exists. ¡°I apologize for deciding on your behalf without asking your opinion, My Queen.¡± Rihannan shook her head. ¡°No, you did a good job.¡± The Maid of Honor not only stuck to the queen¡¯s side, she, too, managed the queen¡¯s schedule. The same urrence happened to Rihannan back in Chrichton. She sorted out the schedules of Helena¡¯s meeting, then asked her opinion. The duchess handled the matter well. Her duty as Matron of Honor was to care for her master¡¯s health. That took precedence over everything else. ¡°Report to His Majesty that I will dine with him tonight.¡± ¡°Yes, My Queen.¡± Then Dhe duchess pulled out a thick book. The most up-to-date novels are published on l_ightnovelwor_ld_ ¡°This is¡­¡± ¡°It is a list of Arundell¡¯s nobles. Ipiled a separate list of major high-ranking nobles. Let¡¯s not worry about the lower-ranking nobles, for now, My Queen, but it is imperative that we memorize the name and history of the high-ranking nobles. You¡¯ll end uping face to face with them.¡± Rihannan looked at the thick book nervously. The faces of those nobles suddenly drilled inside her mind. ¡°A pity, Your Majesty. You lost your husband to your sister¡­¡± ¡°Your Majesty, I hear that His Majesty refuses to sleep with you? Is that true?¡± Their cynical and derisiveughter echoed in her ear. When she looked at the familiar names on the list, those painful memories reyed in her head like a series montage. The duchess looked at her silently. Her lips parted. ¡°Humans tend to kick those they perceive are weaker than them by instinct. It is human nature to crush those they view as a weakling. You should not give them any opening, My Queen.¡± Rihannan knew this well. As the Duchess said, those who grew up in noble society dominated by thews of the jungle felt the flow of power within the ruling ss more shrewdly than ordinary folks. Rihannan was unaware of this at first. The most up-to-date novels are published on l_ightnovelwor_ld_ When she stood before the crowd, those sneering eyes quickly noticed hercking in many ways. She had a disorder caused byck of affection,ck of social skills, and low self-esteem¡­ and it showed. Rihannan did not know how to hide her weakness. They initially spared their harsh words in her presence because she was Queen, but gradually they grew bolder noticing the King¡¯sck of affection toward her. And when Leticia appeared in court, the ridicule Rihannan faced peaked to new heights. Now she would face those nobles again. But she knew better this time. Never will she allow herself to be eaten. But¡­ Advertisement Rihannan bit her lips. Would she be able to do it well? This time, the Queen Mother was no longer present to support her. ¡­Perhaps her time spent in Crichton without problems was because Helena, the princess who wielded considerable power, stood by her side. ¡°My Queen.¡± Can¡¯t wait to read ahead? Want to show your support? Click The most up-to-date novels are published on l_ightnovelwor_ld_ here to be a sponsor and get additional chapters ahead of time plus exclusive ess to unreleased novels and additional benefits. Alternatively, you can support us freely by giving the novel some love ???? give it a rating and a review here ???? Thank you very much! ? 22 chapters ¨C 29.99 Ch. 100: Taste of Wine (19) Ch. 99: Using You Ch. 98: Predatory Marriage Ch. 97: The Duchess¡¯ Advice Ch. 96: Yearning Kiss Ch. 95: Nothing Better In Life Than a Woman The most up-to-date novels are published on l_ightnovelwor_ld_ Ch. 94: You¡¯re Beautiful Ch. 93: I Liked You Since Then Ch. 92: Dimi Over You Ch. 91: Will You Trust Me? Ch. 90: I¡¯m Sorry, Rihannan Ch. 89: Mother and Son ? 10 chapters -14.99 Ch. 88: The Truth Ch. 87: Queen¡¯s Motive Ch. 86: Anastasia¡¯s Daughter The most up-to-date novels are published on l_ightnovelwor_ld_ Ch. 85: The Betrayal ? 6 chapters ¨C 9.99 Ch. 84: I Owe It to Her Ch. 83: Thought He Liked Men Ch. 82: Igor¡¯s Clumsiest Best ? ?3 chapters ¨C 2.99 Ch. 81: Dinner With Igor Ch. 80: I Remember You Ch. 79: I Like You, Queen Other Series On Patreon: ?Beauty of Thebes?(19) ?Saving You, Viin?(19) ?Your Majesty, I Want You?(19) ?I Don¡¯t Want to Regret ?Baby Tyrant The most up-to-date novels are published on l_ightnovelwor_ld_ Chapter 79 I Like You, Queen

Chapter 79 I Like You, Queen

Chapter 79: I Like You, Queen Rihannan looked up, eyes meeting the Duchess at her calling. She noticed Rihannan¡¯s quivering eyes and thought she was the sort of woman who wore her pain like an invisible cloak none could see unless one peers through her icy-blue eyes. The Duchess¡¯ keen eye saw right through her. ¡°My Queen, do you remember what I spoke of yesterday? That you¡¯ll navigate through many profane men and women, that you¡¯ll have no one to trust?¡± Rihannan nodded. ¡°Yes. I remember.¡± ¡°If ever you need a tool, use me, My Queen. Trust me. Trust what my eye can see.¡± Rihannan stared at her. A yful glint ran around in circles within the orbs of the Duchess¡¯ eyes. ¡°¡­..Why?¡± Rihannan said. ¡°I like you, My Queen.¡± Rihannan let out a cuteugh at the Duchess¡¯ out of the blue remark. She found herself believing in her. ¡°Okay. I will trust your eyes more than I trust myself right now.¡± She had no choice but to and the Duchess was a person she could see herself cing her trust onto. And she had to prepare for the wedding ceremony in earnest. Rihannan needed her help. She had no time to adjust to the pce for she knew it would be a busy month for her. Crichton¡¯s Crown Prince had sent a huge lump of money from their national treasury to congratte the national ceremonial marriage between Crichton and Arundell. Various luxuriousmodities Crichton shipped off would be used as well soon as they arrive within the corridors of the royal pce. Since Rihannan had married once, she knew the proceedings well. Still, she sought advice from the Duchess. ¡°The wedding gown won¡¯t change its shape from what had been used in the time past. We don¡¯t have much time. But, however, considering the changing of the season, we need to change the fabric materials. It will take a while. I¡¯ll meet the jeweler and the contracted designer first. What do you think?¡± The Duchess was fond of Rihannan¡¯s thoughts. ¡°Yes. Since we¡¯re running out of time, let¡¯s go with that. We¡¯ll arrange for you to meet with the pastor, the merchants and jewelers tomorrow in the early morning.¡± Rihannan and the Duchess discussed the proceeding for hours, going through the details of the wedding immactely. Rihannan looked at the time. It was of the cocktail hour. The Duchess left the mini-pce earlier than scheduled to deal with what she and Rihannan had discussed. Rihannan was left alone in her chambers. She flipped through the pages of the thick book and studied the names of the nobles. Alongside their names, a brief history of their past was written. She appreciated the Duchess¡¯ fine attention to detail. Her assessment was consistent with what Rihannan had known in the past. The Duchess truly had a keen and urate eye as rumored. There were fewer high-ranking nobles on the listpared to the time past. This was expected. The Mother Queen¡¯s loyal supporters had been relegated from the central political scene. There were also names Rihannan was unfamiliar with. ¡®The future has truly changed,¡¯ she thought. Advertisement But aside from the few names she did not know, Rihannan had no trouble remembering the nobles of the past. Flipping the page, her face hardened momentarily and she quickly checked the names of the lower-ranking nobles. There, in fine print, was a familiar name. Leticia Olbach. ¡®Is she the same person?¡¯ she wondered. No, it could not be. Leticia was a rtivelymon name in Arundell. She could not make an affirmed guess with only one clue. And it was difficult to remember the names of all the lower-ranking nobles. Maybe a noblewoman named Leticia of the past did exist. While she drowned in her thoughts, a knock rang from the door and a maid entered. She passed a letter to Rihannan. ¡°What is this?¡± ¡°A message from Her Majesty the Mother Queen,¡± the maid bowed. Rihannan looked at the letter. A seal belonging to the Mother Queen was stamped diligently. The texture of the paper was unique. It was used exclusively by the royal family for official work. She opened the letter and read through the content. Chapter 80 I Remember You

Chapter 80 I Remember You

Chapter 80: I Remember You There, written in the letter, was a simpleton message weing Rihannan back home to Arundell and that she hoped to see her as soon as possible. At the very end was her unique signature: From Mother Hertia Cesca . Rihannan fell into a new set of deep agony. Igor said she need not care for her, but all things considered, their past connection was not a thing she could ignore. For the time being, the promised dinner was near. A maid sent by His Majesty informed her of their appointment and came to pick her up. Rihannan nodded, putting away the letter. ¡°Are we going to his office?¡± ¡°No, Your Majesty. Somewhere else.¡± ¡°¡­Oh?¡± Taken aback, she raised her brows. She had no great anticipation, mainly a simple dinner at his office or the main pce. But she seemed to have guessed wrong. ¡®Well, that¡¯s fine also.¡¯ She breathed a shallow sigh, a little too far away from the maid¡¯s hearing field. The office was thest ce she wanted to be in¡­ the ce she saw Igor and Leticia tangled in carnal pleasure. The event urred long ago, she was aware of this, but she was not particrly gay to the thoughts of dining in the office. A thought came to mind. Should she indulge in pleasant conversations with Igor? What of the Queen¡¯s letter she received? Was it something she needs to speak of? She was torn and she had not a clue what she should do. She realized btedly that she was heading in apletely different direction when she raised her head. ¡°I don¡¯t think this is the way to the main pce,¡± Rihannan said with a raised brow. ¡°Yes, Your Majesty. We¡¯ll not be heading to the pce,¡± the maid replied, her smile polite. ¡°Then¡­¡± Astonished wonders circled around her as she caught on. She closed her mouth and recalled that this was the true Queen¡¯s Pce, not the mini-pce she slept inst night. ¡°We¡¯re here, Your Majesty.¡± Rihannan looked at the building standing grandly before her. The exterior had beenpletely transformed. The garden, which was once full of shallow grasses and uneven trees, was smooth and filled with myriads of newly nted trees and flowers. Walking inside, she noticed the interior was¡­ smashing. The stone-cold marble floor, decorum, soft carpets and furniture resting against the wall was homely. It was different, different from the memories she was ustomed to. She knew the true Queen¡¯s Pce was under construction for minor repairs. But this¡­ this was beyond her wild imagination. She guessed she now knows why the Duchess was gleefully excited earlier. ¡°Wee, Queen.¡± This time, Basil weed her. ¡°How are you, My Queen? Do you find the pce fitting for your stay?¡± Rihannan nodded. ¡°Yes. I like it very much.¡± Those were not empty words. The Queen¡¯s Pce was warmer. Cozy, too. ¡°You must¡¯ve gone through many troubles,¡± she said. Advertisement ¡°Nonsense,¡± Basilughed at herment, ¡°I was not alone in this endeavor. The interior design, My Queen, had beenpletely thrown out and re-designed.¡± And then he turned his head to the side and softly puffed and huffed, ¡®Because of that damn ck-haired-beast, I had to run around crazily¡­!¡¯ Rihannan stared nkly, wondering what Basil was up to. But her thoughts did notst long. Basil faced her again and beamed a wide smile. ¡°But, if you do enjoy this pce, please be sure to speak highly of me in front of His Majesty, My Queen.¡± A light bulb popped in his mind and his mouth widened to an ¡®o shape. ¡°Oh! My Queen, you probably do not know, but some nobles asked me in disdain why I was doing this. Pfft! Don¡¯t they know? That the Queen rests in afortable ce takes high priority! Though I do apologize it is not as luxurious¡­ you know, resources and all,¡± he rubbed his head and continued, ¡°I did take priority in making sure that thefort level is of utmost quality.¡± Rihannan chuckled lightly and walked alongside him. She listened to his erratically amusing storytelling on the way to. They soon arrived in the drawing-room. Everything was perfectly prepared. She knew the pce was under construction and was told that it would take a while, but looking at the garden and interior, it seems that all the refurbishment had already beenpleted. Basil read her confused expression and said, ¡°My Queen, the roof is still under construction and will be finished before the wedding. His Majesty expected that all would be finished before our return back to the royal pce. He had his chest puffed out and all awaiting to proudly show you the new Queen¡¯s Pce, but things went against his bitter expectation. He¡¯s a bit upset, probably sulking in the corner. Pleasefort him.¡± Rihannan burst out intoughter. Basil wore a smug look, pleased that he was able to make herugh. ¡°It¡¯s like I¡¯m seeing your younger self, My Queen. Youughed a lot when you were but a child. Of course, you were too young to remember me.¡± ¡°I remember. You gave me candy.¡± Basil¡¯s mouth fell to the floor, eyes flooded with shock. ¡°My Lord! My God, you remember all that?!¡± Chapter 81 Dinner With Igor

Chapter 81 Dinner With Igor

Chapter 81: Dinner With Igor Basil¡¯s mouth fell to the floor, eyes flooded with shock. ¡°My Lord! My God, you remember all that?!¡± Rihannan giggled lightly, one hand covering her mouth. ¡°Yes. I remember. I hid it secretly and ate it away from my mother¡¯s eyes. She never gave me treats. Thought my teeth would rot if I did.¡± ¡°You were young. I thought you wouldn¡¯t remember at all, Your Majesty.¡± ¡°Basil, I was only ten-years-old at the time. Of course I¡¯d remember a lot of things. Hehe¡­¡± ¡°No, no. Few people have clear memories of their youth. You¡¯re smart¡­¡± ¡°How long will you stand there?¡± Igor¡¯s voice rang from behind. Rihannan and Basil stiffened at his sudden appearance. They hade to the door of the drawing-room and did not enter, merely talking casually to themselves. Basil coughed and bowed politely. ¡°I¡¯ll be taking my leave, My Queen.¡± As Basil¡¯s figure faded in the background, theughter on Rihannan¡¯s face quickly drained away as she said nervously, ¡°I was talking to Basil. I had disrespected you. I¡¯m sorry.¡± For more, visit l_ightnov_elworld Rihnannan bowed. Igor opened his lips and raised his hand, but he quickly put it down and looked away. ¡°Come on in.¡± Entering the drawing-room, she noticed many changes. In particr, the interior decorations that could not be seen from the outside were particrly noticeable. Rather than simple paintings that hung on the wall, tapestries, mosaics, and other decorums hinted more of a Crichton characteristic vibe than that of Arundell. It was as if she had been transported back to her room in Crichton. Igor looked at her, his eyes soft. ¡°Rihannan¡­ I thought the environment you¡¯re familiar with would suit you better and so you¡¯re able to adapt.¡± Rihannan nodded at his words. ¡°You¡¯ve really prepared for the princess. I¡¯ve no doubt that Princess Helena would be deeply impressed with your devotion.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Igor bit his lip and sighed. He pulled the table chair back and called her name. ¡°Come. Sit down.¡± Rihannan nodded and sat opposite of him. They did not wait long. The servants served the dishes on the table efficiently and their quiet meal began. The silence was somewhat familiar to Rihannan. Igor had never spoken to her in the past. For more, visit l_ightnov_elworld ¡°You don¡¯t look too good. Is there something wrong?¡± Igor said out of nowhere. Rihannan touched her face. The Duchess and Basil had never mentioned her paleplexion. She thought she?looked?fine but seems like this was not the case. ¡°I guess it might have to do with having trouble sleeping wellst night. The environment has changed,¡± she said. Yes. That was true. In a familiar environment, she felt secure, but dining here or having breakfast¡­ it would not be surprising to fool herself that she returned to the past. ¡°I understand. Don¡¯t worry. It¡¯ll get better over time.¡± Igor said softly. Rihannan quickly nodded. She thought Igor misunderstood her as finding the pce ufortable. Igor looked at her. He cut a slice of meat and put on her te. She stared at him wide-eyed. Advertisement ¡°Don¡¯t just eat vegetables. Have some meat also,¡± Igor said. Igor surprised Rihannan, surprised to see his behavior¡­ different from what she knew. Things he would never do¡­ he did. For more, visit l_ightnov_elworld Rihannan looked down at her te. She enjoyed fresh fruits, vegetables, fish, and bread more so than meat. ¡°Oh¡­ I don¡¯t really like meat.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll end up having a weak body,¡± Igor replied.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Rihannan shut her mouth before retorting, ¡°Are you saying that I¡¯m a picky eater?¡± ¡°¡­That¡¯s not it¡­¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know why I have to hear things from you that my uncle and cousin never pestered me about,¡± Rihannan said coolly. ¡°¡­I was just making sure you¡¯re eating well,¡± Igor looked down and said softly, his voice too soft for Rihannan to hear. Rihannan said nothing more and stared at Igor tly. Igor looked as if he was thinking of something, his countenance somewhat red. He took back the meat on her te thereafter. ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m not forcing you to eat¡­ just that I would like for you to have a bnced diet. If you are unable to eat it, it¡¯s fine also.¡± For more, visit l_ightnov_elworld Chapter 82 Igors Clumsiest best

Chapter 82 Igor''s Clumsiest best

Chapter 82: Igor¡¯s Clumsiest Best Igor fidgeted around awkwardly and only then did Rihannan notice that he was trying his clumsiest best tomunicate in his own way. It did not look like he was forcing her to eat, though it dide off as one. He had a difficult time speaking his thoughts out. Rihannan was amazed, her lips parted slightly. After a moment¡¯s bout of hesitation, she ced a slice of meat on a te and cut it into small pieces before putting it in her mouth. It was not too bad but it could be better. ¡°¡­..¡± Igor looked up and his aura brightened. A faint smile spread around his lips. ¡°Um¡­ how¡¯s the Duchess? Tell me if she isn¡¯t qualified. I¡¯ll rmend someone else.¡± ¡°No,¡± Rihannan shook her head, ¡°it hasn¡¯t been long since we met but I¡¯ve grown to like the duchess. You need not worry.¡± ¡°I¡¯m d to hear that. Though she¡¯d been away from the capital and from noble society for a long while, her status and connections remain. She¡¯ll be a great help to you,¡± he said, twirling the fork around in circles. Rihannan smiled lightly. ¡°Yes. I think so too.¡± She thought of the thick book, wondering whether to ask the duchess of the name Leticia Olbach. Though the possibility exists that the Duchess may not know either, but knowing her wide array of connections, she might find out a thing or two. ¡°Rihannan, how¡­ how¡¯s the wedding preparation?¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t too difficult. The Duchess really helped me out. I n to make it as simple as possible and throw out all that I don¡¯t need to save¡­¡± ¡°No.¡± Igor immediately objected to her words. ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry. Clothes, essories, whatever it be, there¡¯s no need to worry.¡± ¡°But I can¡¯t afford it all¡­ besides, spending so much for temporary marriage is¡­¡± Igor flinched at her words. ¡°If it¡¯s about preparation,¡± he hesitated on what he would say next and gave her a furtive nce with a slightly perplexed look before letting out a sigh. He continued, ¡°there are a few things we¡¯ve already prepared.¡± ¡°Prepared in advance? What is it?¡± ¡°¡­You¡¯ll find out when you see it and if there is anything else you need, don¡¯t worry about the cost and buy them without a thought in mind.¡± Rihannan could not resist his words. He was adamant. Stubborn, too. If so, there was no need to refuse his goodwill. ¡°Then, I¡¯ll do that.¡± Igor nodded. ¡°And as you can see, the Queen¡¯s Pce has been repaired and renovated extensively. If there is anything that does not fit your liking, feel free to change it as you see fit.¡± It sounded as if she would continue to live in the pce long after their scheduled divorce, but Rihannan paid it no mind and said, ¡°Of course.¡± A faint gloomy aura hung around Igor at her brief and short answer. Confused, Rihannan looked at him. ¡°You don¡¯t like it?¡± Igor raised his brow, the pitch of his voice slightly higher. ¡°What?¡± Advertisement ¡°The¡­ the change¡­ you don¡¯t like it?¡± ¡°No. I like it. I talked about it with Basil.¡± ¡°Ah, okay. I see. I did see youughing and enjoying your time with him¡­¡± At his remark, Rihannan blinked. ¡®Huh?¡¯ Was he sulking or something? She remembered Basil¡¯s words of Igor wanting to show off the changes to the Queen¡¯s Pce only to be disappointed with the unfinished renovation. So¡­ had he been sulking in the corner all along? Did he needforting? ¡°¡­Thank you. I really like it.¡± ¡°¡­..¡± Igor raised his head and looked at Rihannan with lips wide open and quaking eyes. ¡°Really. I like it. Thank you.¡± ¡°I¡¯m¡­ d.¡± At that moment, his face loosened and he wore a freeing smile. ¡°Also, I¡¯ll be leaving the pce for two days,¡± he said hastily with a tinge of nervousness. ¡°I¡¯ll need to visit the State Department of Estate. It had been pre-scheduled and I did not expect you¡¯de to Arundell with me¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. I don¡¯t mind,¡± Rihannan replied. ¡°I¡¯ll only be away for a short while. Don¡¯t hesitate to ask the Duchess for help should you need anything. And in the meantime, there will be people wanting to approach you. Decline all of them. We don¡¯t need to rush.¡± That, too, was fine. She had no prior thoughts of integrating with noble society till she gained an understanding of the current political scene. She knew the dangerous intricacies andplexities when dealing with political proponents unprepared. She recalled the letter she received from the Mother Queen and sighed faintly. The sufferings she faced when caught in the middle of Hertia Cesca and Igor Cesca¡¯s battles were troublesome indeed. Should she step on the wrong path, the end result will remain the same. But regardless, her reasoning was not enough to ignore the Mother Queen. Despite all things, the Mother Queen had been the only figure who stood by her side time and time again. This was a fact she could not ignore. She was the Mother Queen¡¯s goddaughter and she thought it wrong to turn away from the person who treated her well despite her many faults. And most of all, Igor and his mother surely would not have a deep, fractured rtionship despite their estrangement. ¡°Rihannan, do you have any other concern?¡± Igor asked cautiously, noticing a slight crease on her forehead. Rihannan expressed a mncholic smile. ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± Later on that day, Rihannan wrote a letter to the Queen. It was formal rejection and that she expressed her deep apologies for her inability to visit her right away. The next part stated her excitement and how she looked forward to visiting her in the near future. Chapter 83 Thought He Liked Men

Chapter 83 Thought He Liked Men

Chapter 83: Thought He Liked Men ¡°My God¡­ what is all this¡­?¡± The next day, after Igor¡¯s departure, numerous offeringsid before here. Silk made of rare materials and top-of-the-line essories quietly rested on the table. It is as Igor said. He had prepared in advance. Rihannan had no choice but to admit that Igor never had ns to drag the princess of Chrichton by the foot and slit her throat. If not, why had he renovated the Queen¡¯s Pce for the princess to this extent? ¡°You won¡¯t have to worry about theck of jewels for a while after the wedding. Isn¡¯t that right, My Queen?¡± The duchess¡¯ eyes smiled a twinkling light. Rihannan chuckled. ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± She picked up a beautifully tailored blue cloth. From the surface, it looked in, but the texture of the cloth spoke much depth. She was sure the designer ced much thought duringposition. ¡°I don¡¯t know why he told me this now¡­ it¡¯d have been great had he informed me earlier,¡± Rihannan said. It might have been easier to decide on the items she needed for the preparation too. The duchess smiled. ¡°Maybe His Majesty felt ashamed to speak his thoughts out loud.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°Otherwise, why did he have so much trouble saying anything when he had many gifts prepared for the woman he likes?¡± the duchess said as a yful smile crossed her lips. ¡°¡­I don¡¯t think that¡¯s the case.¡± ¡°My Queen, women aren¡¯t the only ones who feel shame and shyness. In addition, His Majesty never involved himself in a romantic rtionship. This was probably his first time giving a woman a gift.¡± ¡°¡­No way.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t believe me?¡± the Duchess asked coyly, ¡°I¡¯m serious. I¡¯m not sure if you were aware, but we all thought he liked men and had no interest in women. Some of us had lost hope. We, the people of Arundell, prepared ourselves and steeled our hearts when he would announce his loverboy. Finding out that he would soon marry¡­ a woman, nheless, truly shocked us. This was something we did not expect either.¡± And then a knock rang just as Rihannan parted her lips, ready to reply that it was ridiculous. One of the many maids entered the room and delivered a message, ¡°Your Majesty, the Mother Queen¡¯sdy-in-waiting is here and requests the presence of Her Majesty.¡± Rihannan and the Duchess looked at one another with a face full of shock. Thedy-in-waiting¡¯s visit was sudden. ¡°The queen¡¯sdy-in-waiting? Why all of a sudden?¡± the Duchess asked sharply. Rihannan wondered the same while chagrin shyness filled her. It seems the Mother Queen was ecstatically awaiting her visit sooner than Rihannan thought. ¡°Your Majesty, what would you like to do?¡± Advertisement ¡°Let her in,¡± Rihannan answered. The Queen was not a person she could ignore. Rihannan owed her much. The figure who entered the room soon after was a face Rihannan was familiar with. She was the wife of Count Lausanne. She had always remained loyal to the Queen. Countess Lausanne bowed. ¡°Long time no see, Your Majesty. It¡¯s been long. Do you remember me?¡± Yes. Rihannan remembered her, though vaguely. The Countess was always quiet. Never spoke much, but the Mother Queen thought highly of her. In truth, the royal pce had been run by her hands on behalf of the Mother Queen who was preupied with state and national affairs. The matters in the royal pce were handled by the Countess herself. ¡°Of course. It has been a while, Mrs. Lausanne.¡± ¡°I wish you a life of bountiful blessing.¡± ¡°Thank you very much.¡± While she and the Countess exchanged a proper greeting, the Duchess looked at the countess disapprovingly. Thereafter, the Countess turned to the Duchess. Chapter 84 I Owe It To Hear

Chapter 84 I Owe It To Hear

Chapter 84: I Owe It to Her ¡°Long time no see, Duchess Cessley. I heard you¡¯ve gone back to your estate, but here you are,¡± Countess Lausanne smiled. ¡°Yes,¡± the Duchess smiled stiffly, ¡°at His Majesty¡¯smand, I¡¯vee to serve the Queen, Countess Lausanne.¡± Their conversation was short and brief, but Rihannan noticed from the Duchess¡¯ tone that she had little feelings for the Countess. The Duchess was the sort of person who treated everyone with kind words and smiles, but toward the Countess, it was of clear hostility. ¡°Countess, how long have you traveled and what took you so long to get here? I sent a letter to Her Majesty yesterday,¡± Rihannan said with a smile. ¡°After receiving the letter, Her Majesty earnestly asked to see you again. That¡¯s why I¡¯m here today, Queen.¡± She had tly refused, but the Queen Mother refused her?refusal. Rihannan sighed. How troublesome. It truly is difficult to avoid visiting her. ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll visit Her Majestyter¡­¡± ¡°Queen, Her Majesty would like to meet you at this moment¡¯s notice.¡± The duchess immediately reacted to the Countess¡¯ remark. ¡°That¡¯s too sudden! Have you no basic courtesy?¡± The most up-to-date novels are published on lightnovelworld The Countess lifted the corners of her mouth. ¡°Basic courtesy? Is it rude for Her Majesty, the eldest living royal member of the royal family, to want to see her daughter-inw? On the contrary, isn¡¯t it expected for her daughter-inw to visit Her Majesty? This is simply basic courtesy, Duchess.¡± ¡°You would dare to find fault and me Queen Rihannan?¡± the Duchess retorted. ¡°She is not Queen yet. Officially, that is. And Countess, do you know that your attitude towards me is growing irkly rude? Remember, I serve Her Majesty!¡± The atmosphere grew intensely severe. Rihannan was forced to intervene. ¡°Both of you, stop.¡± Both the Countess and Duchess red at one another, their looks deathly and vicious. But they stopped at Rihannan¡¯s urging. Rihannan sighed. ¡°All right. I¡¯ll see Her Majesty right now.¡± ¡°Queen!¡± The duchess strongly protested against it. ¡°It is as the Countess said. It is only natural for me to visit Her Majesty,¡± Rihannan said, soothing the duchess¡¯ worries. The most up-to-date novels are published on lightnovelworld This time, she could not refuse the Queen Mother¡¯s request. She had sent herdy-in-waiting in person, and if Rihannan were to refuse this gesture, it would only insult her further. The Duchess was aware of this and thus could not easily deny Rihannan¡¯s words. And so she said, ¡°Then I¡¯ll cancel today¡¯s schedule, My Queen.¡± Today, the merchants would be called to the royal pce so she and Rihannan could choose the cloth and jewelries as previously discussed. It would take two hours to go to the seasonal pce where the Queen Mother¡¯s stayed at from the royal pce. She and Rihannan would have no time to meet the merchants. Advertisement ¡°I¡¯ll get ready now.¡± ¡°No. Duchess, you don¡¯t need to go,¡± Countess Lausanne said. The Duchess fumed and red at the countess. ¡°I¡¯m Her Majesty¡¯s Maid of Honor. Note? What are you implying, Countess?¡± ¡°Have you no shame daring toe to the pce Her Majesty resides in? Or have you forgotten what you and your husband did to Her Majesty?¡± the Countess said bitterly. Rihannan soon realized why they came to this hostile rtionship. Among those who had gone against the Queen Mother over thest six years were the deceased Duke and the Duchess who now serves her. It was natural that the Countess had some bitter feelings toward the Duchess. ¡°Then I¡¯ll go by myself. Mrs. Cessley, please stay here.¡± The most up-to-date novels are published on lightnovelworld ¡°Queen!¡± The Duchess reacted violently. ¡°You would go there alone at a time like this without His Majesty¡¯s presence?¡± ¡°¡­She¡¯s my godmother. I owe it to myself to visit her at least once¡­¡± ¡°But¡­!¡± Rihannan smiled lightly. ¡°It¡¯ll be alright. I¡¯ll be back by the end of the day. Don¡¯t worry too much.¡± Chapter 85 The Betrayal

Chapter 85 The Betrayal

Chapter 85: The Betrayal The Duchess knew she could not prevent Rihannan from leaving. Convinced that the situation was unavoidable, she stepped back. ¡°¡­I await your safe return, My Queen.¡± Rihannan nodded and followed the Countess to the carriage journeying to the seasonal pce. The pce the Queen Mother resided in was located on the cool hignd and used mainly for rxation during summer seasons. It was also the ce Rihannan rested in to care for her body while pregnant. She resided in the seasonal pce for a month-long. Those were happy times. Igor visited her daily. She thought things might change, that maybe, this?wastheir beginning. Then one day, Igor did not visit her. Curious, she went to his pce without notifying him in advance and saw him with Leticia¡­ their bodies tangled together. Rihannan looked out the window to shake off the painful memory. The road to the seasonal pce was strewn with fallen leaves. The autumn season had begun long ago in Chrichton, but Arundell was just now ushering to a new season. The Countess¡¯s voice interrupted Rihannan¡¯s thoughts as she looked out at the beautiful scenery of early autumn. ¡°Queen, Her Majesty has been hurt by the series¡¯ of events from the past. It would truly be of greatfort if you were to console her.¡± Rihannan looked at the Countess. She was a quiet person. Never had any particr moments Rihannan could remember. Their only chance encounter was when she came to deliver the Queen Mother¡¯s message. But this time, it was the Countess who sought her presence. Rihannan wondered what urred in Arundell the past six years. She knew it impossible to ask Igor. Maybe she¡¯ll gain new information from the Countess or the Queen herself. ¡°I¡¯ve been gone for six years. After returning home, many things have changed and I feel embarrassed¡­ to learn that Her Majesty left the pce¡­ what happened, Countess?¡± ¡°¡­It¡¯s all because of His Majesty.¡± It looked like the Countess had difficulty speaking. ¡°His Majesty brutally attacked Her Majesty. It hade out of nowhere.¡± The Countess further borated. Igor, still a young boy, secretly visited Duke Cessley. Igor knew the duke had inner antipathy toward the Queen Mother and thus recruited him as his loyal supporter. And then the tax investigation came which further sent the Queen¡¯s followers into a downward spiral. Advertisement The Countess sighed. ¡°No one knew what went through His Majesty¡¯s mind. It all began in his neenth year. His Majesty swept away the Queen¡¯s forces mercilessly and Her Majesty did not have time to pick up her feet as it happened overnight like a cmitous storm. She felt betrayed¡­ by her own son, nheless. You have no idea how much pain she¡¯s in.¡± ¡°How long does Her Majesty n to keep the power in her hands?¡± She did not mean toe off like she supported Igor, but it did. She knew the intense power struggle urring between the mother and son duo. But now¡­ the Countess pictures the Queen Mother as a victim of a tragedy. Rihannan found it difficult to believe. She knew the Queen desired power and did not hesitate to take control of it long after her son became an adult able to make sound decisions. ¡°Queen, do you think Her Majesty intended to hold onto the throne of power the rest of her life? Then you¡¯re mistaken. She was biding her time. She had ns to give all of it to His Majesty at the right time.¡± ¡°But when will that be? And I¡¯m sure it¡¯s difficult to let go of that power given Her Majesty¡¯s nature. Countess, I don¡¯t think that timing is a matter for Her Majesty to decide alone. Isn¡¯t Igor¡¯s opinion just as important?¡± The Countess looked at her. ¡°And I want to make this clear, Countess. My visiting Her Majesty is to keep our ties of the past intact and with respect to her rtionship with my mother. If her sole reason is to maneuver me politically, don¡¯t think that I¡¯m not afraid to leave the pce right away.¡± Chapter 86 Anastasias Daughter (Teaser)

Chapter 86 Anastasia''s Daughter (Teaser)

Chapter 86: Anastasia¡¯s Daughter The Countess, her face distortedly pale, looked at Rihannan for a moment before muttering, ¡°Her Majesty¡¯s judgment was wrong. Well, this was long ago¡­¡± Rihannan looked at her. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°My Queen, you¡¯re different¡­ more than I expected. You¡¯ve got a strong side to you,¡± she sighed, ¡°and you need not worry. All that remains of Her Majesty is the spirit of a tiger who had lost her teeth and paws and now only hopes for quietness for the rest of her life. If you¡¯re able to give her constion, then that is also fine.¡± And with that, the Countess turned her head and shut her mouth tight and said nothing more. Rihannan, too, said nothing till they arrived at the pce. ¡°Wee, Rihannan.¡± The Queen Mother greeted Rihannan at the front entrance. As soon as she stepped foot out of the carriage, the Queen ran towards her and embraced her in a warm, loving hug. Rihannan smiled and returned the warmth, her arms wrapped around the Queen Mother¡¯s shoulder. ¡°It¡¯s been long, Your Majesty. How have you been?¡± Rihannan asked curtly. The most up-to-date novels are published on lightnovelworld The Queen smiled bitterly. ¡°¡­..I¡¯m sure you know what happened.¡± Hersia Cesca looked much older ¨C a testament to the sufferings she went through. Rihannan held both her hands and grazed her thumb over it affectionately. ¡°Yes. I¡¯ve heard some of it roughly. I hope you¡¯ve been well.¡± The Queen smiled brightly at her words. ¡°Rhia, how can you still be so kind and friendly? You¡¯re just like your mother. Anastasia used tofort me during times of hardship. She¡¯d always put the needs of others before her. And¡­ you look more and more like her as you grow older. It feels like I¡¯m back in the old days.¡± She held Rihannan¡¯s hand and weed her inside the pce. ¡°You must be tired. Come. I¡¯m a bit too excited also. It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve had a guest over. There are so many stories I want to hear from you.¡± Rihannan smiled. She was still the same. There were moments like this where the Queen Mother let down her guard and remained carefree. Though it rarely urred. Rihannan sat next to her. ¡°So, did Chrichton life treat you well? As soon as Anastasia passed away, I was surprised to hear that you¡¯d gone to Chrichton. I thought you¡¯d stay in Arundell.¡± The most up-to-date novels are published on lightnovelworld ¡°It was so sudden, wasn¡¯t it? I apologize.¡± ¡°Yes, it was sudden, but all the more surprising was Count Alessin. I never thought you had that side to you, Rihannan.¡± Advertisement Rihannan smiled bitterly. Yes¡­ that would have been a cause for surprise. The Queen had thought her a calm and quiet child since their first meeting and never one to take the first action. ¡°In a man¡¯s mind, angels and demons, and fire and water coexist,¡± Rihannan said. ¡°Yes. Human beings have many different aspects to them. They love and hate a thing or someone at the same time.¡± The Queen Mother nodded. She sipped her tea and let out augh. It felt forced, Rihannan thought. Behind the Queen¡¯s mask, Rihannan knew she suffered from loneliness. ¡°I was surprised to hear you came back with Igor. I expected this to a degree.¡± Rihannan looked at her astonishingly. ¡°You expected it? How?¡± How did she know? ¡°Igor has always liked you since you were but little kids. And so, I thought you would end up as his queen.¡± The most up-to-date novels are published on lightnovelworld Rihannan was taken aback. The Queen Mother tilted her head. ¡°You didn¡¯t know? He had held affection for you since long ago. He likes you. Constantly, consistently, continually you. You took my son¡¯s breath away, Rihannan.¡± ¡°¡­That can¡¯t be.¡± Chapter 87 Queens Motive

Chapter 87 Queen''s Motive

Chapter 87: Queen¡¯s Motive Rihannan shook her head in a hurry. There was a misunderstanding. The Queen knows nothing of their past life. ¡°I¡¯ve no choice but to return to Arundell. It¡¯s definitely not what Her Majesty thinks,¡± Rihannan said. The Queen smiled. ¡°That is because you don¡¯t know Igor yet. He possesses the blood of Chrichton. He has a strong desire and obsession to pursue his own goals. He¡¯ll never do anything he does not want to do. If he truly had no inkling feelings for you, he would not marry you. It is in his nature of Chrichton blood.¡± The Queen said simr words to her before. She thought it was mere empty words said tofort her once, but now she knew it to be the opposite. ¡°I had thoughts of matching you with Igor from the beginning, so I purposely asked Anastasia to bring you to the pce with hopes that you and Igor would fit in together. Was it because of you that his clothes were torn and dirty during your first meeting? He did something for you, right?¡± Rihannan flinched and covered her gaping mouth. ¡°¡­You already knew then?¡± ¡°Yes. To be honest, I was surprised. Igor rarely showed interest in others. You probably imprinted a deep image in his heart and soul. Whenever you came to the pce, Igor always wore a sour look and wanted nothing more than to escape. But I knew that it was merely a front. Igor¡¯s a master at hiding. Basil could never find him unless he wanted to be found. But whenever your presence was around in the pce, Igor was there close to you.¡± The Queen wore a fleeting smile across her lips. Words left Rihannan¡¯s mouth at the sudden revtion. ¡°¡­And look at you. You¡¯ve grown up, Rihannan, and so has my son. I never expected him to attack Chrichton in that manner.¡± ¡°Yes. And this was the end result,¡± Rihannan said. ¡°It¡¯s good for now. I¡¯m sure he¡¯s proud to have a defeated kingdom kneel before him, but I think it¡¯s shortsighted. Would Chrichton dare to maintain a steady and proper rtionship like before? It¡¯s already good that things did not turn out worse.¡± The Queen¡¯s voice dropped. Though Arundell won the war against Chrichton, she did not look merry, but upset. Rihannan pondered. She had always wondered about the Queen¡¯s choices regarding Chrichton. The Queen was wise and ever-knowing but whenever it came to Chrichton, her decisions were nothing but iprehensible. She confronted the Toulouse Empire confidently but always half-drawn when it came to Chrichton. Rihannan thought it lied in the foundational support from the neighboring kingdom, but long after she gained enough power, the Queen would not let go of her connection with Chrichton and thus triggered a confrontation with Igor. Advertisement ¡°¡­Your Majesty, do you want Arundell to be subjugated to Chrichton?¡± Rihannan asked. It would be unthinkable of her to ask that sort of question in the past. Even she surprised herself. The Queen smiled subtly. ¡°What do you think? Rihannan, do I look like the type who would sell the kingdom for my own benefit?¡± Rihannan looked at the Queen momentarily. She shook her head. ¡°No. I don¡¯t think so. If you were that sort of person, you would have never resigned during the civil war. I heard from rumors that it was you who offered the contractual agreement first because you could no longer bear to see the kingdom¡¯s devastation. I don¡¯t think you¡¯re the kind that would allow Arundell to fall.¡± The Queen smiled. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I do not know your thoughts, Your Majesty, but I think the direction Igor is pursuing is right. Chrichton had ns to expand their oceanic influence, fearing the Toulouse Empire would sabotage allnd routes. Arundell and Chrichton were allies, but Chrichton would be unwilling to give up the trade routes they secured. Igor¡¯s ns would only strengthen Arundell¡¯s riches.¡± Rihannan had much to say about Igor, but when it came to the well-being of Arundell, he was a person she could trust. If only he was a tyrant¡­ despising him would be easier. ¡°Yes. You¡¯re right. You think I don¡¯t know that, Rihannan?¡± The Queen looked at the window. A dreamy look crossed her face. ¡°I had big dreams for this kingdom, dreams that no one would ever dream of. Yeah¡­ there¡¯s nothing more to hide now¡­¡± A small sigh escaped her lips as she looked into Rihannan¡¯s blue eyes. Chapter 88 The Truth

Chapter 88 The Truth

Chapter 88: The Truth ¡°Rihannan, what do you think will happen should Chrichton¡¯s immediate royal members befall a tragic death?¡± The Queen spoke on the assumption of the future that coulde to existence. ¡°What do you mean by that? Why would you¡­¡± ¡°What do you think will happen?¡± Rihannan shut her eyes. ¡°¡­The throne will fall in Igor¡¯sp.¡± Like Arundell, Chrichton¡¯s bastard children from their concubine mothers have no rights to kingship titles. It was a tradition that originated from the ancient empire. ¡°Yes. Should all the immediate royal male members fall, the king¡¯s illegitimate children hold no im to the throne. And because no female royals would be recognized as a sessor ording to kingshipws, the rights will only pass through another direct royal family line. Can you guess who that would be?¡±. The Queen¡¯s lips curved to a smile. ¡°Igor will end up as Chrichton¡¯s king¡­ and jointly rule over the two kingdoms.¡± Rihannan held her breath, blue eyes quivering. ¡°Why is that¡­¡± ¡°Rihannan, my mother¡¯s a Chrichtonite princess before she was Arundell¡¯s queen. Chrichton blood flows through Igor. If Arundell and Chrichton¡¯s rtions remain favorable, Igor having im to the throne is certainly qualified should the royal members pass away. Should Igorbine both the powers of Arundell and Chrichton, to build an empire able to go against the Toulouse Empire would no longer be a dream.¡± Rihannan looked at the Queen, her heart palpitating. The Queen¡¯s thoughts were valid. Igor was a legitimate heir and in terms of genealogical purity, he was first in line before Dimitri. Igor¡¯s family tree came directly from Carl I¡¯s lineage tree whose descendants were the direct members of the royal family while she and Dimitri were descendants of the Preibius ancestry. Preibius was Carl I¡¯s brother. Rihannan never arrived at this notion before. When Chrichton¡¯s direct royal members fell to the gue, the issues of pure lineage would emerge as well. She recalled the memory of Dimitri¡¯s crowning. She was pregnant at the time and took a rest in the seasonal pce away from official duties. It was expected that she would be left in the dark of the current situation. The teacup in Rihannan¡¯s grasp trembled. The Queen had dangerous thoughts pervading her mind for a long while. Since when? ¡°But Your Majesty, it¡¯s practically impossible. The Crown Prince is vigorous and healthy and there exist several immediate male royal members.¡± Advertisement ¡°¡­Yes. And since the rtionship with Crichton dwindled to this point, it has be an impossible dream,¡± the Queen sighed solemnly and looked out the window with a nk face. ¡°Igor won¡¯t follow me even if that were to happen. I had hopes¡­ he used to be a little rebellious but never this much. It happened at the time when the pce turned upside down at his sudden disappearance. And then he came back¡­¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯m not sure I follow,¡± Rihannan asked curiously. The Queen Mother was the core power of the kingdom and she had the strength and means to wield it. Rihannan did not know how Igor suddenly left her eyes without notice. He was always under extreme protection. ¡°Everyone¡¯s mouths were shut tight. No one knew Igor went missing except for a handful of close associates.¡± The Queen looked down at her teacup and sighed once more. ¡°Why did he go missing? Was he kidnapped?¡± ¡°No. Given Basil¡¯s attitude, he had gone somewhere in secret with Igor, but he refused to tell me. Regardless, I paid it no mind. I was only d that he came back safely, but ever since then, life with him changed,¡± she frowned, recalling those painful memories. ¡°He looks at me like a murderer, like a person who had killed someone dear to him. This is our current rtionship now, Rihannan.¡± The Queenughed; it was a despondentugh. ¡°And you don¡¯t need to worry. I¡¯ve no hopes of making aeback. All my limbs had been cut off ¨C my people, my loyal supporters destroyed. What can I do now but spend my life away like this? I¡¯ve long given up. I didn¡¯t call you here for malicious means. I only wanted to see you. You remind me a whole lot of your mother. Sometimes I see a wisp of her soul in you. She was a kind-hearted woman.¡± The Queen reached out and patted Rihannan¡¯s cheek, her eyes watery. Her wrinkled face spoke many stories. She had left her dreams in the mud of history and never to see its ending end. She built her kingdom out of splintered spine and blood, but it was no longer. Rihannan felt the sincerity in her voice. She grasped the Queen¡¯s hand tightly and whispered affectionately, ¡°I¡¯m also very happy to see you again.¡± Chapter 89 Mother and Son

Chapter 89 Mother and Son

Chapter 89: Mother and Son It was dark. The blue haze of day lifted to reveal the twinkling stars. Rihannan and the Queen¡¯s reminiscent talks came to an end and she said her farewells to the Queen, but a brewing thunder and heavy rain fell. The roads would be muddy and dangerous to thread on at this time of the hour. The Queen dissuaded Rihannan from leaving. She nodded and stayed overnight. The Queen guided Rihannan to the guest room she¡¯d sleep in. The maids were attentive to her every need. After a fresh bath, she slumped on the bed and tossed and turned¡­ unable to sleep. Time had taken on a different form, more plentiful than it ever was. Her mind was alight with forms of darkness, but eventually, sleep overtook her and dreamt of heavy ckness. She awoke from the strange noise outside the pce. The pitter-patter rain had long ceased to be. A silhouette light seeped through from the gaps on the window curtain. She looked around. The door burst open a secondter. Rihannan stepped out of thefort of her bed and identified the unknown figure. ¡°¡­Your Majesty?¡± It was Igor. Purple eyes swept through the bed then fixed onto her face. A sigh of relief crossed his face before it hardened. Rihannan grew nervous at the sight of his coldness. The ck cape he wore was wet. Droplets of water dropped onto the floor. A ck sword slung over his waist. Rihannan pursed her lips. ¡°What are you¡­¡± Igor jerked his head and turned around. ¡°Put some clothes on. I¡¯ll give you a minute,¡± he spat out quickly. Rihannan wore nothing but a thinyer of pajamas. Igor closed the door and left while she hurriedly covered herself subconsciously. She did not know what had urred. The current air was thick and unusual. She hurriedly put on a set of clothing over her thinyers and a coat before walking out of the door. A hand snatched her wrist abruptly. ¡°Your Majesty!¡± She did not have a chance to protest. Igor held her hand and began to walk. She had difficulty keeping up with his wide strides and above all, his face looked like it¡¯d explode at any moment. ¡°Stop right now at this instant, Igor!¡± A loud moring voice rang from behind. Igor stopped and turned around, pulling Rihannan behind him. It was the Queen. She was in her pajamas and a wide shawl. She must¡¯ve been sleeping not too long ago. ¡°How rude of you? How dare you make a fuss in the middle of the night?¡± Her face was wrought with anger. She¡¯d never experienced an ordeal of her son nor anyone trespass her residence in such manner. Igor¡¯s action showed contempt toward her. It was natural that she felt angry, but Igor paid it no mind. ¡°Don¡¯t call for my wife without my permission in the future. I won¡¯t allow this to happen again,¡± Igor said coldly. ¡°Must I be treated like this for wanting to see my goddaughter?¡± She was hurt. ¡°She is my wife before she is your goddaughter, mother. Or are you mistaking this as a time when every little thing was wrapped around your fingers?¡± Advertisement Rihannan covered her mouth, amazed at the intensity of Igor¡¯s words. She¡¯d never seen his ruthlessness toward his mother. Though his words were sharp, he always kept his basic courtesy at hand. The Queen was left speechless. She looked at her own son and could not hold back her rising anger¡­ but¡­ her eyes spoke much sadness. ¡°Is this the sort of thing you say to your mother? Do you have nothing kind to say to me? To the person who you¡¯ve not seen for a long time?¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have to say such harsh things if you hadn¡¯t dragged my wife away.¡± ¡°Why would I think of doing such a thing? Ask Rihannan. Did I, like he said, drag you here to be locked up?!¡± Rihannan was once again caught in the middle, and once again she had no choice but to intrude. And what she would do was rify the truth. ¡°Your Majesty, I¨C¡± ¡°I¡¯ll hear you out when we get back to the pce.¡± Igor interrupted her words. He looked at Rihannan; his gaze was soft and courteous, but it told her not to speak a single word out loud. ¡°This is a matter between me and my mother. Please don¡¯t intervene¡­¡± Rihannan sighed and nodded. Fine. She¡¯ll let it be and hold her breath for his sake. ¡°¡­Why do you do this to me, Igor? Why do you treat me like this¡­?¡± Words full of sorrow seeped out from the Queen¡¯s lips. Her heart cracked open. Chapter 90 Im Sorry, Rihannan

Chapter 90 I''m Sorry, Rihannan

Chapter 90: I¡¯m Sorry, Rihannan Rihannan was left unaware of the events that urred over thest six years while she lived in Chrichton. All she knew was Igor¡¯s deep-seated hostility against his own mother was much greater than the past. ¡°Didn¡¯t you already take me down and take everything? My power, my people, my limbs, all of it. Why are you so wary of an ipetent old woman who can do nothing? Igor, I¡¯ve done so many things for you¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you dare say that it¡¯s for me,¡± Igor¡¯s voice rose, his teeth grinding against one another. ¡°You say it¡¯s for the kingdom, that it¡¯s for me, but in truth, it¡¯s all done to satisfy your vain greediness. Don¡¯t force your views on others under that dirty hypocrisy of yours!¡± ¡°Igor!¡± Igor¡¯s mind was full of cynical thoughts. ¡°You knew that I¡¯d eventuallye here should my wife decide to?visit?you, but it makes no difference. Our rtionship will remain as is. But it¡¯s good that we¡¯re here. Don¡¯t call for Rihannan again without my permission. You should do well to remember this advice,?mother.¡± He shut his lips and said no more and walked out with Rihannan by his side. The queen, stunned and dispirited, stood in ce for a long while. ¡®¡­Igor, what did I ever do to you¡­?¡¯?she thought solemnly. Meanwhile, Rihannan and Igor reached the royal carriage. The servants opened the carriage door. Rihannan entered first, followed by Igor. He sat opposite of her. While the carriage left, Igor maintained a look of anger and she did not know how to speak to him. ¡®I wonder what I should do.¡¯ Rihannan bit her lips and closed her eyes. Things were growing worse and she was afraid when his anger would spill over onto her. This life would be the same as herst, she thought. She expected Igor to find fault in her for wanting to see the queen. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. For dragging you out like that¡­ I¡¯m sorry. It was very unbing of me.¡± She was taken aback. Words she never thought she¡¯d hear flowed out of his mouth. She opened her shut eyes and looked at Igor. His gaze was soft, almost dolent. ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­ if I scared you. For what you had to hear, I¡¯m sorry. I nned to bring you out quietly, but we ran into my mother¡­¡± Relief washed over her. It seemed like he had no intention of ming her. This was good¡­ This was progress¡­ ¡°I visited the Queen because she sent herdy-in-waiting and it made it impossible to refuse¨C¡± ¡°I know. The duchess exined everything.¡± Rihannan was confused. ¡°The duchess?¡± ¡°She came to see me personally and recounted the whole event.¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°Um¡­ did my mother say anything to you?¡± Advertisement ¡°¡­Nothing special.¡± But he was dissatisfied with her answer. He stared at her and she felt the silent pressure. Rihannan sighed lightly. ¡°¡­Just a few words ofmenting and the story of His Majesty¡¯s childhood.¡± ¡°Igor.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Call me Igor¡­ like west agreed.¡± Rihannan hurriedly fixed her words. ¡°Yes. The Queen wanted to fix the rtionship between the two of you. But she wasn¡¯t forcing me. We just talked. That¡¯s all.¡± He was silent and did not reply. Rihannan chose to break that silence. ¡°Igor, what happened?¡± she asked after much thought. Anger was attached to both sides and she could not see why Igor held onto that anger even after his mother had long lost everything in her grasp. ¡°¡­What happened over the years? I don¡¯t remember it being like this,¡± she said. He remained tight-lipped and she thought she¡¯d not get an answer out of him. ¡°Because I¡¯m afraid of being with my mother,¡± he said not long after. Chapter 91 Will You Trust Me?

Chapter 91 Will You Trust Me?

Chapter 91: Will You Trust Me? Rihannan looked at him with questioning eyes. Afraid of his mother? What did he mean by that? ¡°I¡¯m not sure I follow¡­¡± she trailed off. ¡°When a person¡¯s mind is traumatized beyond repair, they¡¯re left with extreme methods. And that¡¯s when you¡¯re given two choices¡­ take your own life or take the lives of others.¡± Rihannan¡¯s face hardened. She was reminded of her past choices. ¡°Killing one¡¯s own self is a sacrifice itself, but when that trauma and anger is directed towards others, it doesn¡¯t end with one sacrifice. What follows is a terribly horrid and endless cycle of death. Sometimes, the person who you think is incapable of doing it might¡­¡± Igor bit his lip and choked on his words, ¡°Anyway, we¡¯ll never know the result of one¡¯s action till it¡¯s all over.¡± Purple eyes looked at her like it was peering through her soul, asking her which side she had chosen. Those purple eyes seemed to know that she had chosen the first, that she had taken her own life because she was mentally incapable of living on. But she found it hard to predict which category Igor belonged to. He was cold, brutally cold, but it was difficult to imagine him as a tyrant who ughtered countless innocent lives in cold blood. ¡°If you hold hate, especially for those you hold affection for, it¡¯s bound to grow until it can no longer be contained. That¡¯s¡­ that¡¯s why I¡¯m afraid of her, of my mother,¡± he sighed lowly, ¡°I know I¡¯m saying too much and you may not understand, but I just wanted to let you know.¡± ¡°¡­So you do have something you fear,¡± Rihannanughed bitterly and looked at him, ¡°When we were young, I thought you were strong, like you had nothing to fear. That¡¯s what went through my mind.¡± ¡°No, you¡¯re wrong. I¡¯ve always been afraid,¡± he gave a bitter smile, ¡°There were always people who sought after my title, who wanted to rece me, and a mother who thought of me as a tool to be moved around like a mere chess piece. If I weren¡¯t her only son, I¡¯d already be used and abandoned long ago.¡± ¡°It¡¯s true that she¡¯s different from other mothers, but it doesn¡¯t mean that she¡¯s not willing to spare you, her only son.¡± Igor chuckled wryly. ¡°Maybe so¡­ but everyone loves to y king the most when ying chess. If the king dies, the game¡¯s over. I know my mother was kind to you. I know. But sometimes the cruelest person is your closest kin. You are my mother¡¯s goddaughter, that¡¯s true, but you¡¯ll soon be my wife. Please keep that in mind. Don¡¯t judge her by her appearance alone. She can be the cruelest person¡­¡± Rihannan looked at him for a moment and said, ¡°I¡¯ll believe you¡­ but Igor¡­ you were probably lonely.¡± His eyes widened slightly. He never thought of himself as one. ¡°Lonely? Me?¡± ¡°You said you never had anyone to rely on. No one. And I¡¯m sure Basil has his limits. It would be strange not to fall in the pits of loneliness.¡± Rihannan knew well what it was like to be shunned by your own blood. Even she was made victim of it without knowing. Igor¡¯s frustrations must have grown while she was torn and stuck in the middle of him and his mother¡¯s conflict. ¡°You think you¡¯ll never feel loneliness, that loneliness isn¡¯t what you¡¯re feeling as other thoughts and feelings gue your heart and mind. And then you realize everything all toote and what it was all along was¡­ loneliness,¡± Rihannan said. ¡®We¡¯re much more alike than we thought, Igor. Don¡¯t you think so? Why couldn¡¯t we be like this before¡­? What happened to us?¡¯ Like Rihannan, Igor longed and yearned for his mother¡¯s love in the same way she yearned for the love of her father. Like Rihannan, he was just as lonely and broken as her. Had she known, would things have ended differently? Had she tried more, would she have known that there was more than meets the eye? Advertisement ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± Igor smiled bitterly, ¡°I must¡¯ve been lonely¡­¡± His voice rang, interrupting her deep thoughts. ¡°I thought it was important that I grab hold of power¡­ but some things were missing. Maybe it is as you said, maybe it is loneliness. I have power now, but¡­¡± Igor reached out and held onto her hand. He looked into her blue eyes, eyes that he could drown in, eyes that hold specks of sunlight, of depth and raw emotion, and eyes that could freeze him in a trance. ¡°Rihannan, I¡¯m cing all my trust in you¡­ will you trust me?¡± Unable to understand his intention, she was at loss for words. ¡°You¡¯ll believe me? Trust me? It hasn¡¯t been long since we¡¯ve met. How can you readily trust me?¡± Igor had never believed in her during their marriage. But now, when they¡¯ve just met, how can he allow himself to trust her? *** ¡®We¡¯re much more alike than we thought, Igor. Don¡¯t you think so? Why couldn¡¯t we be like this before¡­? What happened to us?¡¯ TN: Haha¡­ this was Igor¡¯s thoughts essentially during his POV arc. He should have looked into her past. Maybe he¡¯d realize sooner that there was more than meets the eye. They were so far apart. He believed one thing and she thought another.? If only he hadmunicated with her¡­ maybe things would be¡­ different. ¨C Igor¡¯s POV. Chapter 70 Chapter 92 Dimi Over You

Chapter 92 Dimi Over You

Chapter 92: Dimi Over You ¡°Remember when I said I¡¯d protect you? Do you not believe in those words?¡± ¡®Rihannan¡­ I¡¯ll be here for you, always. You¡¯ll never leave my mind, you¡¯ll always be there; mentally if not physically. I took you for granted¡­ I didn¡¯t know it then, but you are the sky and the clouds, the gentle river and the birds that sing¡­ I don¡¯t need your love. It¡¯s not something I deserve. I don¡¯t need you to love me. Just¡­ let me protect you, let me give you all of me¡­¡¯ Igor looked at her. That eyes of hers, it had stolen his heart. His heart beat hard and slow and the words he wanted to say remained lodged in his throat, blocking out words that wished to escape. Rihannan shook her head. ¡°No. I think your words were sincere.¡± He said those words in front of her mother¡¯s grave and she believed him. Igor was many things, but he was not cowardly enough to tell lies. ¡°Do you think it¡¯s possible to protect someone or an object that you haven¡¯t known for long?¡± she asked. ¡°¡­..¡± A desire to protect will only disappear if that trust fades. ¡°I¡¯ve decided to trust you. The next choice is up to you¡­¡± He closed his mouth and said no more. Rihannan looked at the hand resting on top of hers. He gave her his unteral promise to protect her. Was she willing to do the same? The moment she reciprocated, much of the future will change. After a moment¡¯s bout of hesitation, she ced her hand on top of his and gave it a light squeeze. Igor¡¯s cheeks blushed of rouged red, clumsily bowing his head and kissing the back of her hand. A strange feeling passed through her and she felt a tingling sensation where his lips touched. She managed to keep a calmposure. ¡°From now on, we¡¯ll tell each other only the truth. I won¡¯t hide anything from you. If there are things you end up learning, questions you demand answers from, I won¡¯t hesitate to give it to you.¡± She nodded quickly at his words and waited for him to let go of her hand. But he did not. ¡°Igor.¡± ¡°Is it alright if I ask you a question?¡± he asked with a soft smile. ¡°Ask,¡± she said cautiously, somewhat anxious. ¡°Are there any other men in Chrichton better than me?¡± Rihannan was at a loss for words and looked at his face nkly. ¡°Wh¡­ what¡­?¡± ¡°Is there?¡± She was embarrassed, cheek beet red. She tried to pull her hand away from his hold, but he did not let go. She realized that he¡¯ll only release when she gave an answer. Rihannan bit her lips. ¡°No. There is none.¡± He immediately let go of her hand. The look of satisfaction written on his face disgusted her somewhat. She wanted to say there were better men than him, but she could not. Cause there was none. Chrichton¡¯s men disappointed her. Rumors of the handsome and unmarried king from Arundell were so well-known that it flowed into every street and corner of Chrichton. Given Igor¡¯s status and superior appearance, only so few couldpare to him. The Crown Prince was one. But he was a rascal and lustful. Other noblemen disappointed her too. Except for one person. ¡°Of course, except my cousin, Dimitri.¡± The smile of victory painted across his lips quickly disappeared. He looked at her with squinting eyes. ¡°I¡¯ve heard that name since we were children. You spoke of him admirably too. It looks like it¡¯s still the same even now.¡± Rihannan¡¯s eyes widened at his words. ¡°I said that back then?¡± Advertisement ¡°You spoke highly of him when we first met and on many asions thereafter.¡± Rihannan was amazed that Igor remembered a thing of the past so urately. Even she did not remember mentioning Dimitri¡¯s name during their first encounter. Perhaps it came out naturally. She had frequent exchanges and meetings with Dimitri then when her mother was alive. ¡°I didn¡¯t know I talk about my cousin that often.¡± ¡°You even called his name in your sleep.¡± ¡°What?¡± Rihannan was lost in confusion. ¡°When you fell asleep in the carriage with your head resting on my legs, you said his name.¡± ¡°Well, if I did¡­ it¡¯s because he¡¯s close to me and I treat him dearly.¡± ¡°Do cousins lend each other¡¯s legs in Chrichton? How deep is the rtionship between cousins?¡± Rihannan was baffled. ¡°I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on with your head, but marriage between cousins in Chrichton is forbidden.¡± ¡°But not in Arundell. Marriage between cousins is possible here. It¡¯s been a long while since you¡¯ve left Arundell, so maybe you¡¯ve forgotten.¡± ¡°What¡­?¡± Rihannan, truly at a loss for words, suddenly felt an air of jealousy. ¡®What? Is he jealous? This guy?¡¯ Chapter 93 I Liked You Since Then

Chapter 93 I Liked You Since Then

Chapter 93: I Liked You Since Then Rihannan immediately denied it but the Queen¡¯s words echoed in her mind. No. It can¡¯t be. ¡°I have a question too, Igor.¡± Igor gave a nod, an indication to ask away. ¡°Her Majesty said to me that every time I came to the pce when we were just kids that you were always there at a distance looking at me. She said you wanted to get away, but it¡¯s not true, right?¡± A while ago, he had driven her to the corner as if a hunter chasing a rabbit, but now the tables have turned. His face hardened immediately. ¡°As you know, I won¡¯t ever lie to you,¡± he looked at her nervously and sighed quietly, ¡°Heh. I didn¡¯t think a counterattack would happen so quickly, but yes. She¡¯s right.¡± For more, visit lightnovelworld ¡°¡­Why?¡± ¡°I wanted to see you again.¡± ¡°Me? Why¡­?¡± ¡°I liked you. I ended up liking the girl who interrupted my rest in the garden. Even after finding out you were the daughter of my mother¡¯s friend and my mother¡¯s goddaughter, I couldn¡¯t stop liking you.¡± ¡®And I only realized toote that I did like you¡­ and horridly terrible at expressing it.¡¯ ¡°¡­..¡± Rihannan did not know what to say at his confession. She thought he hated her, despised her, but what he¡¯s saying now¡­ it went against what she believed. ¡°¡­I see.¡± Rihannan turned her head and leaned against the carriage. She closed her eyes, a silent sign that it was the end of the conversation. The truth she learned was one of bitter sadness than of happiness¡­ For more, visit lightnovelworld Then¡­ where did it all go wrong? Where did?they?go wrong? Meanwhile, the carriage arrived at the Queen¡¯s Pce. Mrs. Cessley, who had waited anxiously at the side, quickly approached Rihannan. ¡°My Queen!¡± She breathed in rapidly, seeing Rihannan wearing only thinyers of clothing and a long robe. ¡°Oh Goodness! Let¡¯s go inside¡­!¡± Rihannan looked back at Igor as she entered the pce. Advertisement Igor smiled and gestured for her to go in. Rihannan nodded and turned around. Thedies-in-waiting tended to her ¨C washed her body, poured her warm tea, and made sure all was properly taken care of. Mrs. Cessley poured tea on Rihannan¡¯s cup and said, ¡°It was gettingte. You didn¡¯te back so I visited His Majesty. I¡¯m sorry if you were surprised.¡± For more, visit lightnovelworld ¡°No. It¡¯s fine. It was a mistake on my part. I thought everything would be fine.¡± ¡°As soon as I told His Majesty that you went to visit her, he grew so angry thinking that you were being held hostage. He had almost flipped the tables.¡± Mrs. Cessley¡¯s words were no exaggeration, this she knew. His reaction at the seasonal pce was no different from what she said. ¡°My Queen, did you have any problems?¡± Rihannan shook her head. ¡°No. Igor and Her Majesty had some arguments, but nothing more than that. I don¡¯t think their rtionship will improve any time soon.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true,¡± Mrs. Cessley acknowledged with a sigh. ¡°On the way back, I asked him what happened between them. He said that it was because he was afraid of being with his mother like he might end up hurting her. Did Her Majesty ever do anything to him?¡± Mrs. Cessley pondered but soon shook her head. ¡°No, of course not. There arose some conflicts in the process of cutting out pieces of Her Majesty¡¯s power, but it was never to the point worthy of murder. The work ended so quickly. We had prepared for so long that when the time came, Her Majesty did not have the time to fight back. Rather, if there is anyone worthy of hatred, it should be Her Majesty. She had suffered humiliation,¡± the Duchess set down the teacup and continued, ¡°but let¡¯s not worry too much, Queen. Parents and children can¡¯t always have amicable rtionships. We can only hope that it¡¯ll get better one day. You must be tired now. Come, let¡¯s go sleep. We can talk more in the morning.¡± Chapter 94 Youre Beautiful

Chapter 94 You''re Beautiful

Chapter 94: You¡¯re Beautiful ¡°Mrs. Cessley, I have one more question I¡¯d like to ask of you.¡± When Mrs. Cessley hurried her to sleep, Rihannan grabbed her arm and looked into her eyes. She hesitated momentarily before parting her lips, ¡°Do you happen to know the name Leticia?¡± Mrs. Cessley tilted her head. ¡°¡­I can¡¯t remember well. What is her noble status?¡± ¡°I saw it in the book you gave me. Herst name is Olbach, and I understand that she¡¯s the wife of Gaith Olbach.¡± ¡°I vaguely remember. If that¡¯s the case, it¡¯s most likely that he¡¯s a distant rtive of Count Clovis.¡± ¡°Count Clovis¡­¡± ¡°Yes. The former king¡¯s first son.¡± She knew the name fully well. Count Clovis was the former king¡¯s eldest son. He lived a private life and hid in the shadows and was hardly ever seen in public gatherings. The former king¡¯s small loyal supporters nned to ce him on the throne and rece Igor. For more, visit lightnovelworld ¡°A few years ago, Gaith Olbach, the viscount, remarried. The person you¡¯re asking for might be that woman. I¡¯ve encountered his former wife once. She was around my age.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve met the viscount¡¯s former wife?¡± ¡°Yes. But it was long ago when I¡¯ve just married my husband.¡± ¡°So that woman the viscount remarried is older?¡± ¡°Possibly. At first nce, the viscount had more wrinkles than I did and I¡¯m well over forty. Who knows how much wrinkles that old man has now,¡± she said yfully. ¡°But My Queen, why do you ask? I don¡¯t believe Viscount Olbach is an influential noble in the court?¡± Rihannan shook her head. ¡°No, it¡¯s nothing. I thought it was someone I knew, but it doesn¡¯t seem like it.¡± ¡°Are you looking for someone, My Queen? We¡¯ll send investigators should you have a need for them.¡± Rihannanughed quietly. ¡°No. There¡¯s no need. It¡¯s gettingte now. Let¡¯s go to sleep, Mrs. Cessley.¡± Mrs. Cessley gave a slight nod and left. Rihannan jumped into the bed and rested. She had trouble sleeping. So many things had urred. For more, visit lightnovelworld Leticia¡¯s name appearing in the thick book startled her and she mused over the bigger past. She thought she had ovee her past, but now she knows she did not. It was merely hidden under the mask she wore. In this life, Igor had never met Leticia, yet, sometimes, she sees them together in her dreams. She wondered when the nightmares of her past would stop haunting her. Rihannan closed her eyes and hoped for a peaceful night. *** Time passed ever so quickly and soon, it was the day of their wedding. Though the month was long, it was hardly enough time to prepare for the wedding, but somehow, all the preparations were wless and perfect. The invitations passed out was of sess. Invitations for court gatherings, weddings, and the likes were a hit and run. Either the guest came or not. But for this asion, the invitations sent out bore fruition. More figures attended than she remembered the day of her wedding in the past. The scale of the wedding itself was much bigger. Igor¡¯s influence across the kingdom truly spread far and wide. In their past lifetime, their marriage was made under the influence of the Queen Mother, but in this lifetime, those that gathered came for Igor and his partner-to-be. The neighboring kingdoms that watched over Arundell and Chrichton¡¯s alliance over thest few decades, decided to join the scene and congratte the king and his queen on their wedding day. For more, visit lightnovelworld Advertisement Days ago, Edirne, the capital, bustled up and down with many envoys and foreign guests. Even the pce had seen endless carriages brimming with numerous gifts. Rihannan was upied with busyness. She tended to many things, even the temple where the royal ancestors rested. She and Igor were to go to the temple and pray separately then make their way to the main pce where the wedding ceremony would be held. ¡°Rihannan.¡± When Rihannan finished her business at the temple, she waited at the Queen¡¯s Pce. Meanwhile, Marquis Preibius came to visit her. ¡°Uncle!¡± She ran in joy and quickly wrapped him in her embrace. Her flowing skirt dragged on the floor and thedies-in-waiting executed their duty perfectly well and pulled it up. Rihannan paid no mind to the people around her nor the crooked crown atop her head. After a while, she let the marquis go and asked, ¡°When did youe? Was it just now?¡± ¡°I came herest night. I meant toe here earlier, but the schedule had been dyed due to the heavy rain and wind. To think I almost missed your wedding.¡± For more, visit lightnovelworld The marquis smiled gently. ¡°But Rihannan, you look so beautiful, like a goddess, like your mother.¡± NOTE: PLEASE WAIT UNTIL THE BEGINNING OF NEXT MONTH TO SUBSCRIBE SO YOU WON¡¯T BE DOUBLE CHARGED! Chapter 95 Nothing Greater In Life Than a Woman

Chapter 95 Nothing Greater In Life Than a Woman

Chapter 95: Nothing Greater In Life Than a Woman ¡°Rihannan, my father once told me that there is nothing greater in life than a woman. He¡¯s right. You look beautiful, my dear niece.¡± Rihannan was a gorgeous bride, the most beautiful in the world and no one could dispute this, but he knew how disarmingly unaware she was of her prettiness. Her silver-colored crown decked with jewels and her traditional bridal robe embroidered with silver and gold thread reminded him of the time when her mother married. The marquis sighed, eyes overwhelmed with emotion. ¡°I¡¯m reminded of the time when I sent my sister to Arundell. I took her hand during the ceremony on behalf of my father who was not feeling well at the time¡­ funny isn¡¯t it? Seems like I¡¯ll be holding her daughter¡¯s hand as she marries a man from Arundell.¡± Rihannan smiled and stroked his hand gently. She heard that when her mother married, her uncle had much to say and objected to the marriage. She¡¯s sure that this was not the marriage her uncle hoped for. ¡°Uncle, where¡¯s Dimi? He didn¡¯te?¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± he hesitated to answer. ¡°He¡¯s still mad, isn¡¯t he?¡± Rihannan asked with solemn eyes. Dimitri was released from prison shortly after Rihannan arrived in Arundell. She invited her uncle and Dimitri for she knew the marriage could not be stopped as it had progressed to this extent. But.. he did note. He must be angry with her, she thought. ¡°I understand. Dimi¡¯s usually gentle, but when he¡¯s angered, you really can¡¯t calm him,¡± she smiled lightly. ¡°That¡¯s not it. Actually, Dimitri¡­¡± he seemed to want to speak but eventually, he smiled a bitter smile. ¡°Nothing, dear. I don¡¯t think it¡¯s time to talk about it, yet. But don¡¯t worry. He¡¯s fine. He¡¯ll be fine. He wanted me to tell you to be happy. Are you?¡± The marquis rubbed her head. Rihannan smiled. ¡°What do you think?¡± ¡°Mmm¡­ not too bad, actually. Your face looks healthy.¡± ¡°I told you didn¡¯t I? The letter I wrote was no lie. His Majesty treats me well and so do the people around me.¡± Yes. She passed through the month peacefully without any particr concern. It was quiet, peaceful, andfortable. She liked it. She thought she¡¯d die right away when she first arrived too. Thedies-in-waiting interrupted her. ¡°Your Majesty, it¡¯s time to leave.¡± ¡°I understand,¡± Rihannan said before nting a kiss on his cheek, ¡°I¡¯ll see you at the ceremony, uncle.¡± *** The streets where the royal carriage passed through were lined with crowds weing the king and his queen. Rihannan waved her hand gently, recalling her past self. Advertisement She was sixteen at the time, a newly pronounced Queen who knew nothing of the world¡­ a queen heavy with depression who found it difficult to smile and wave. She was afraid of the crowd, the ones cheering her on, and she was afraid of her husband, the one rumored to have made abusive remarks at her before their marriage. Her husband who loathes her, the Queen Mother who treats her well but ces her in a difficult position, the nobles awaiting to prey upon her, and countless strange eyes watching her every move¡­ it suffocated her. The scars of her dark past suddenly came to life and she drowned deep into the abyss without notice. Then¡­ Her hand which clutched onto the hem of her dress was held by a man¡¯srge hand. She raised her head and looked at him. His eyes were on the crowd. He said nothing, only holding on to her hand. ¡°¡­.¡± A husband who despised her, a husband who turned his back on her was¡­ friendly. Without the Queen Mother¡¯s oppression, this man grew up differently. He was bright, more confident, and gave others thought and consideration. Their silence wasforting. She did not know why, but she felt like he knew what went through her head. Rihannan smiled again, erasing the dizzy thoughts forming in her head. She was fortunate. That he was a different person, she was fortunate, otherwise, she¡¯d live a difficult life re-living the horrors of the past. NOTE: PLEASE WAIT UNTIL THE BEGINNING OF NEXT MONTH TO SUBSCRIBE SO YOU WON¡¯T BE DOUBLE CHARGED! Chapter 96 Yearning Kiss

Chapter 96 Yearning Kiss

Chapter 96: Yearning Kiss Arriving at the front of the pce, Rihannan and Igor stepped foot out of the carriage. Countless men and women waiting for their appearance quickly shouted in ted joy. Petals fell from the sky like a never-ending snow. Igor held Rihannan¡¯s hand warmly and headed to the grand hall where the wedding ceremony would take ce. A magnificent and beautiful ce was heralded in disy. Everything¡­ was¡­ perfect. She recited the same oath she once said and held the wedding ceremony in the same order ¨C a kiss from the groom, the king, and to the bride, the queen. Rihannan slowly closed her eyes remembering her previous wedding. He lifted the veil covering her features. Rihannan kept her eyes shut and waited for the procession to pass quickly. But even so, she felt nothing touch her lips. Curious, her eyes fluttered open and looked at the man whose gaze seemed far away. Purple eyes¡­ Those purple eyes that once stared at her with cold anger, like it wanted to stab through her in her past life, was full of warmth. She had trouble maintaining the gaze that she turned her eyes away, but at that moment, his face grabbed her chin and she had no choice but to look him in the eyes all over again. And now, in this lifetime, she had a clear look of those purple eyes once more. Those clear and deep purple eyes were a clear gic trait seen amongst Arundell¡¯s royal lineage. Igor inherited many features from Chrichton ¨C hisrge physique and sharp features were one, but his noticeable ck hair and pupils belonged to Arundell. For more, visit lightnovelworld_ Their eyes connected. Igor looked at her and stared longingly. He bent down and kissed her soft lips. He kissed her as if she was a poem, as if every poetic wordid bare on her lips. He kissed her in the same way the red sun kissed the sky. She was caught in a sudden reverie of surprise. She did not think to close her eyes but epted his kiss that contained a sort of longing like the night sky yearning for stars to shine. She remained firm, though unable to breathe till his thick ck eyshes flickered and his purples were revealed again. He straightened his back and touched his lips, his movements¡­ shy? Rihannan realized what had urred turned red from bashfulness. It was no deep kiss that prated her mouth but soft and different, neither violent or lustful. She was confused. Her heart quickened. Igor pulled down her veil thereafter. She could feel her heart thumping loudly. Fortunately, she was covered in a veil and no one could see her current expression. ¡°Throughout this ceremony, Rihannan Alessin and Igor Cesca have vowed, in our presence, to be loyal and loving towards each other. They have formalized the existence of the bond between them with words spoken and with the giving and receiving of rings. May the blessings of life, the joy of love, the peace of truth, and wisdom and strength be your constantpanion, now and always. I, therefore, proim His Majesty the King and Her Majesty the Queen husband and wife.¡± The priest joined their right hands together as the processional was nearing its end and dered their matrimony with the giving and receiving of a ring that they be blessed by the heavens. For more, visit lightnovelworld_ After the ceremony finished, Igor reached out to her hand again and squeezed it, pulling her to his side. On this day, Rihannan Cesca was pronounced Queen of Arundell. NOTE: PLEASE WAIT UNTIL THE BEGINNING OF NEXT MONTH TO SUBSCRIBE SO YOU WON¡¯T BE DOUBLE CHARGED! Chapter 97 The Duchess Advice

Chapter 97 The Duchess'' Advice

Chapter 97: The Duchess¡¯ Advice ¡°His Majesty will be here soon.¡± That night, in the Queen¡¯s Pce, Rihannan was changing her robes as she sat on the bed listening to the Mrs. Cessley talk about Igor. He¡¯d make his way to this room at any second and Rihannan knew fully well that a series groups of aristocratic men would bear witness to their consummation. She¡¯d been silent since earlier and Mrs. Cessley took notice of it and held her hands. ¡°My Queen, do you remember what I spoke of yesterday?¡± Rihannan nodded, her smile bitter. Yesterday morning, Mrs. Cessley spoke in great detail what would ur on her and Igor¡¯s first night. It was her mother¡¯s duty to instruct her, but she had long passed, so the Duchess stepped in and took the mother-like role for Rihannan. Her former Maid of Honor had, too, been instructed to teach Rihannan what to do on her first night, but she was no help, only telling her to remain still and follow her husband¡¯s instruction. Rihannan was ignorant of what urred during the?consummation process,?only to realize what went on in the midst of the night when Igor stripped his clothes off and drowned in pleasure. Mrs. Cessley gave her a detailed ount of what a man?should do?on their first night and what it meant. Her exnations were simple and Rihannan, who had many?experiences, learned something new. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Mrs. Cessley. I remember everything you said,¡± she answered calmly. Mrs. Cessley smiled softly and stroked her cheek. ¡°A woman¡¯s first time will always be painful. I know you¡¯re scared, but that pain is unavoidable.¡± Rihannan lowered her eyes. She was naive then¡­ thinking that if she pushed Igor away then all problems would simply disappear, but thinking back to it now, it was quite reckless of her. How could a king, a ruler of a country, who had already dered and established his marriage to her in front of many spectators and the priests easily back away as if nothing had happened? He was a king, but even he had no choice. They were being watched. ¡°Then, my wife, I don¡¯t want it either, but endure it, even if you don¡¯t like it. You can¡¯t run away from this now.¡± Those cold words she did not understand at the time was made clear. A marriage could not be canceled, especially not on their first night, and those wretched nobles would see to it that theymit the?pleasurable act. ¡­Maybe that¡¯s why he took her action as siding with his mother..? ¡­What a beautiful, tragic misunderstanding. Rihannan sighed inwardly. Fortunately, the situation this time around was better than theirst. She and Igor had a rtively good rtionship and she had no intention of rejecting his advances. Mrs. Cessley said the physical pain would pass and soon she¡¯ll feel good. ¡­But the witnessing nobles would be watching¡­ ¡°I understand, Mrs. Cessley.¡± ¡°You won¡¯t feel the pain all the time. After a while, it¡¯ll feel nice, as if you¡¯re walking on?clouds.¡± Rihannan knew Mrs. Cessley had much experience with the?act, but there were parts she could not agree with. Whenever she and Igor slept together countless times, she never felt the joy Mrs. Cessley described. But maybe she¡¯ll?feel thatsweet goodness?this time around. ¡°Of course, His Majesty will have to work hard,¡± Mrs. Cessley said, her smile rather mischievous. Soon, a maid politely entered and announced Igor¡¯s arrival. Advertisement ¡°His Majesty is on the way.¡± The door opened not long after. Mrs. Cessley gripped on Rihannan¡¯s hand onest time and stood up. ¡°Have a?good?night, My Queen.¡± As the sound of her footsteps faded, Rihannan looked at the floor. She was nervous. Perhaps the Maid of Honor of the past was right ¨C that it was better to lie like a fish when there are countless eyes watching? ¡°Rihannan.¡± A voice rang. Rihannan noticed the room was quiet. Too quiet. She could not hear the voices of the witnesses. She raised her head slowly and took in a deep breath. It was only Igor. He was taking off his robes that he¡¯d worn all day. Rihannan turned her eyes elsewhere. NOTE: PLEASE WAIT UNTIL THE BEGINNING OF NEXT MONTH TO SUBSCRIBE SO YOU WON¡¯T BE DOUBLE CHARGED! Chapter 98 Predatory Marriage

Chapter 98 Predatory Marriage

Chapter 98: Predatory Marriage ¡°¡­Where are all the others?¡± Rihannan whispered audibly. It was only her. Igor too. Witnesses from both kingdoms should have surrounded the bed with white curtains drawn by now. But it was empty. ¡°Most likely enjoying the wedding reception banquet.¡± ¡°¡­What do you mean?¡± He poured a ss-half-full of liquor and passed it to his wife. She took it half-heartedly. He poured another ss for himself. ¡°It¡¯s a wedding and it¡¯s only natural a reception is held to celebrate the bride and groom. They¡¯re most likely dancing, drinking, ying, and fooling around. They won¡¯t be home until after dawn.¡± True. A reception was as natural as the passing of time. Even now, she heard the rambunctious echoes of excitement and melodies ying from here. But this was not the answer she sought for. ¡°They won¡¯t being? The people who would bear witness to our¡­¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Igor looked into the eyes of the girl he loved¡­ like the blue of the sea cradled by the moonlit night. He loved the rain, the ocean, the river¡­ it reminded him of her eyes; eyes the color of blue. But she hated purple¡­ that purple eyes of his¡­ the eyes that she feared. ¡°Rihannan, the custom of witnesses watching on the sidelines to ensure the first night¡¯s ceremony urs no longer exists. I got rid of it.¡± ¡°¡­¡± She blinked and looked at him. This was a first and the first she learned that an ancient tradition in Arundell could be easily abolished. ¡°Do you know why there exists a custom of nobles bearing witness to the royal¡¯s first night of marriage?¡± as he asked, he tilted the ss and took a sip. Rihannan followed suit. ¡°No. I don¡¯t know anything about its origin,¡± she said. ¡°Long ago, rtives from both the groom and bride stood as witnesses to prove that their marriage was no predatory marriage.¡± ¡°I heard about that in ancient times¡­¡± ¡°Yes. That¡¯s right. Before they were influenced by the ancient empire, this kingdom was once awless world.¡± ¡°¡­¡± She learned as of recent from Mrs. Cessley that the ancient times had a sort of logic where only the strong and powerful prevailed. Abductions to obtain brides often urred, causing various problems to arise ¨C one being the difficulty of determining the legal status of a child depending on the legality of the marriage. ¡°In those days, when Arundell was no kingdom but consisted of tribal chiefs, bride abduction was amon thing, and when those tribal chiefs became king, the tradition continued, causing much confusion to the legality of marriage. If the marriage was illegitimate, the king and its heir would be disqualified to sit on the throne.¡± ¡°¡­I see,¡± Rihannan nodded in understanding. Advertisement Rihannan listened to his exnation while sipping on her wine little by little till it was almost empty. Igor poured a bit more wine into her ss. ¡°When the throne became a hereditary session, the legality of marriage became an important factor. If not yed well, it may end up in the hands of others. In other countries where royal authority was firm, there was no need to worry over whom the king married. His words werew. But on the other hand, here in Arundell, the aristocracy had a strong grip on power and it is why the custom of witnesses remains to this day.¡± ¡°Then what got rid of it..?¡± ¡°Proof of my own strength,¡± he raised his lips and smiled softly. Rihannanughed. He looked like that young boy she once knew. ¡°You did a great job.¡± ¡°Heh. The man you married is capable of this much.¡± ¡°I already know of your outstanding ability. That I¡¯m here right now is living proof.¡± A man who could pressure Chrichton and take the?princess?as hostage and as his wife was no ordinary man. Igor had done what he could never dream of in the past. Rihannan finished her wine. She felt tipsy and brave. ¡°And with or without witnesses, everyone is aware of the story of how I became your wife. In a way, it¡¯s no different from a predatory marriage. You drove your ship to Crichton all high and mighty and threatened the royal and nobility to give up their princess. It¡¯s obviously not normal.¡± NOTE: PLEASE WAIT UNTIL THE BEGINNING OF NEXT MONTH TO SUBSCRIBE SO YOU WON¡¯T BE DOUBLE CHARGED! Chapter 99 Using You

Chapter 99 Using You

Chapter 99: Using You As she talked to him, the prior nervousness and tension corroding her body faded. She extended her ss to him. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I know we¡¯ll argue sooner orter, but I¡¯ll do all my duties faithfully as your wife during this one-year-contract,¡± Rihannan smiled, waiting for another ss of drink. Igor took back her wine ss. Her icy-blue eyes immediately widened. ¡°Why¡¯d you take it? I wanted to drink some more.¡± ¡°I gave it to you to rx, not to get drunk.¡± ¡°I wasn¡¯t nervous. And I¡¯m not drunk.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not now, but one more drink will send you to the edge. Besides, you¡¯re freer to talk to and you¡¯re open to talking about your thoughts when drunk. It¡¯s not bad, but not tonight.¡± He set down the ss on the table and approached her. ¡°It¡¯s time,¡±?she thought. Though, originally, drowning in carnal pleasure should have begun as soon as he entered the room, but it had been dyed due to their conversation. He¡¯ll soon entangle his body with hers. She knew what it was now and the fears she once had lessened. Moreover, she was not pressured. There were no witnesses and there would never be. And Igor was a changed man ¨C more kind and thoughtful. He¡¯d not do anything that would hurt her. Not on purpose. Hisrge hands reached out and cupped her flushed cheeks. She epted his touch without repulsion. His hands were warm, heating her slightly cool cheeks. ¡°¡­I admit that my methods was and is abominable in the first ce. What I¡¯ve done to you is no different than our ancestors¡­ kidnapping and forcing you to marry me.¡± At his remark, she raised her head angrily. She realized she made a huge mistake, a slip of the tongue for she was swept away by the spirit of alcohol and the carefree atmosphere that she had unconsciously criticized him without notice. As her lips opened to make an excuse, he said, ¡°So I¡¯ll give you a choice.¡± She was puzzled. ¡°¡­What choices?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to spend the night with me if you want.¡± She was unsure what he meant. Was he not going through the wedding ceremony or did he have ns to nullify the marriage? ¡°What do you mean?¡± she asked. ¡°If you¡¯re unable to ept this, now and in the future, we don¡¯t need to do it. You¡¯ll sleep on the bed and I¡¯ll sleep on the couch over there. It¡¯s your choice, Rihannan.¡± ¡°But if that happens, our marriage will¡­¡± ¡°I told you¡­ my words arew and more important than witnesses. If I say I¡¯m married to you, then I¡¯m married to you,¡± he said gently, ¡°but remember, if you ept me, I won¡¯t stop. I won¡¯t stop holding you, each and every part of you. So¡­ think about your answer carefully.¡± Advertisement Rihannan looked at him, her eyes trembling. His words were sincere. That eyes, that purple eyes spoke with much honesty. He could have lied, but she knew he was honest. Perhaps it is as he said ¨C that they¡¯ll pass through the night withoutmitting to themselves. But¡­ ¡°¡­I was the one who suggested this marriage in the first ce. I asked you to marry me.¡± But how long could their rtionship remain fair in the battle, in the royal court full of intrigues and debauchery? Rumors of the king who had turned his back on his queen¡­ rumors that she was held hostage¡­ that he had never sought her body would spread like a sea of mes. The nobility was toxic. They had eyes everywhere and always on the ready to trample the weak, the royalty, too, when an opening came. It was something she herself had gone through in the past and her life spent in Chrichton. ¡°I said to you that I would faithfully fulfill my obligations without the slightest intention of running away.¡± She raised her head and ced her hand on top of his. ¡®Igor, I feel as if I¡¯d be using you knowing what I know¡­¡¯ She held his hand tight and looked straight into his eyes. ¡°So hug me, Igor.¡± NOTE: PLEASE WAIT UNTIL THE BEGINNING OF NEXT MONTH TO SUBSCRIBE SO YOU WON¡¯T BE DOUBLE CHARGED! Chapter 100 Taste of Wine (19)

Chapter 100 Taste of Wine (19)

Chapter 100: Taste of Wine (19) ¡°Hug me, Igor.¡± At that moment, she took his breath away but her physical presence reminded him to breathe. He stared at her soft lips and slowly leaned over the bed. The distance of their faces shortened as the bed sank a little under his weight. And then¡­ he kissed her. She tasted of wine; it was like taking a sip of eternity, of the sun, of the stars, of the sky¡­ The touch of her lips filled his core with desire as if fire raged within his bones and as if his soul became water¡­ Their lips rubbed, gently. The feel of her lips¡­ the softness¡­ it melted him away, no, ignited his soul. He caressed her hair and cupped her cheek, her neck, and embraced her with all that he could give. She raised her hand slightly and her lips parted a little. His tongue prated her mouth. For more, visit l_ightnovelworld ¡°Ah¡­¡± Her tongue had been pushed back. Roughly. Her tongue was covetous, he thought. Instinctively, she pulled back and ran away, but he followed her. Persistently. He twined his tongue with hers. His heart pounded. Violently. He sought to find his ce in between her arms, in between her tender lips. She plucked the courage she never had and carefully kissed him back. For more, visit l_ightnovelworld Clumsily. Her kiss was inelegant but he stopped his movement and a groan slipped out of the gap of his lips. ¡°You¡­ Rihannan¡­¡± he muttered with flushed cheek that was as red as wine. Her body fell back and touched the bed against his pull. As she fell, he kissed her passionately. She felt his weight under his frantic kiss. She had trouble moving. Whenever his tongue moved with hers, she could hear sloppy wet sounds and she blushed red. It was the first she heard of such dirty sounds during a kiss. Was this normal? She never had such strong, passionate kiss with him nor could she remember. Their kisses were always formal and awkward. She¡¯d stay still with eyes shut tightly. It was what she was taught to do when spending the night with a man. And¡­ she was afraid of the man who despised her. It sent her further in oblivion. He¡¯d touch her, caress her for minutes long and she¡¯d remain like a stone. He¡¯d pull away from her and sighed lowly. She did not know what his action meant, but her instinct told her that he did not like spending time with her. Her body tightened further and dried up. And when he sought her body, her garden, she bit her lips and endured the shame. For more, visit l_ightnovelworld The night would end with pain. But she did not know that this was abnormal. Advertisement She thought it was though. That this was how love was made. But this was not the case when she heard rumors whispered in secret by thedies-in-waiting that he was dissatisfied with her and received much greater pleasure with Leticia. She pushed the thoughts away and looked at him, at Igor. His ck-hair flowed down his forehead and his eyes looked at her like she was the only one. She was unaware that she smothered his thoughts and dreams and danced beautifully inside his heart. Igor stared at her with trembling eyes and rubbed her swollen lips gently. ¡°¡­I told you¡­ that¡­ once you ept me¡­ I¡¯ll want you¡­ and¡­ I¡¯ll never stop¡­¡± He spoke lowly, softly, tenderly and held her face in his hands. He kissed her. Again. Deeply. For more, visit l_ightnovelworld He was hers. He belonged to her. His fingers roamed her body, roamed her chest covered with thin clothing. She bit her lips and shut her eyes. A slight sensation struck her. ¡°Ah!¡± A loud moan slipped out and she blushed with shame while he drew his lips to a content smile. ¡°Are you feeling it, Rihannan? ¡®Feel what¡­?¡¯ Chapter 101 Large Physique (19)

Chapter 101 Large Physique (19)

Chapter 101: Large Physique (19) Rihannan was lost in confusion. Meanwhile, Igor untied her loose string. Her clothes loosened and he pulled it down slowly. Her pretty skin descended into view and he sucked in a deep breath admiring her beauty. She had a sort of magic in her that always pulled him in¡­ back then and even now. He leaned forward and sucked her slender neck lightly and she bit her lips to hold back the moan that longed to leak out. But it was hard. It was difficult. The longer he continued, the greater the tingling sensation she felt. And then he sucked her bre*st. Her skin tasted like symphony and her sweat like moonshine. The shape of her consumed him, devoured him and each caress dragged him deeper into the abyss of pleasure. She would be his religion, someone he would worship to the ends of the earth. ¡°Ha¡­¡± She covered her mouth with one hand, muffling her constant moans. While he bathed in the suppleness of her skin, her bottom lips drowned in moist alluring fluids. His hands voyaged down to her skirt and pulled her p*nties to the side and touched her moist garden. She grew a fervent red. ¡°Ah¡­¡± Her body twisted. She moved to avoid his touch, but he held her down and locked her in his arms and kissed her cheek, bit her ear, and devoured her lips one after another. ¡°Rx. I won¡¯t hurt you.¡± His pouring kiss was soothing and her tension gradually eased. And strangely¡­ she saw herself floating¡­ somewhere. ¡®Is this what Mrs. Cessley means?¡¯ The thought came to mind and left shortly. Igor reached her secret womanhood. His fingers ravaged her insides and moved in and out. She breathed and sped his clothes tightly with both hands. ¡°¡­That¡¯s right. Just hang onto me, Rihannan,¡± he whispered in her ear and nted soft kisses on her neck. Her body trembled. He felt her flesh tightening on him as he moved carefully inside her. ¡°Are you feeling unwell?¡± She shook her head. Sure it was ufortable, but it did not hurt. It was strange rather¡­ and embarrassing. Why? She hardly felt this new sense of euphoria before. ¡®Is this how we talk?¡¯ Mrs. Cessley advised her not to put up with the pain when she felt ufortable at any moment and inform him right away. Communication was key. She did know what Mrs. Cessley meant, but maybe it was something like this¡­ But each time she drowned in her thoughts, her mind dwelled back to the swelling sensation in her lower lips. His fingers entrenched her garden and moved in and out. Advertisement She shivered and gasped under his crumpled clothing. ¡°Nggh!¡± Her bosom rose and her toes curled. Her breath grew heavier and the sensation stranger. Her lips parted naturally and a tongue immediately invaded her. Pleasure gradually gathered from the top and bottom and all she could do was cling closer to him. ¡°Ah¡­¡± Then, at one point, she saw a sh of white and something poured out of her. Her muscles spasmed and then rxed. ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± He calmed her and blew into her ear. Her body continued to shiver. The lingering sensation remained. A sense of new desire burned up inside her and it would not go away. She was in a daze. Everything was blurry. When she looked up, he undressed his clothes. She hurriedly turned her head. This was the first she saw a clear glimpse of his nakedness for she would close her eyes or deliberately turn the other cheek. The bodies of a man and woman differed. Hers was soft while he was surrounded by solid muscles. He had arge physique, much bigger than she originally thought. And below too¡­ she wondered how that managed to fit inside her¡­ Her face reddened again. Chapter 102 Maidenhood (19)

Chapter 102 Maidenhood (19)

Chapter 102: Maidenhood (19) ¡°It¡¯ll hurt at first, My Queen, but soon enough you¡¯ll feel better.¡± She remembered Mrs. Cessley¡¯s words as the sound of clothes falling on the floor echoed. The subtle movements in the room soon calmed and Igor¡¯s weight pushed the bedding down and hovered over her body. She was looking not at him, so he cupped her cheek and looked into her soulful eyes he could get lost in. ¡°Um¡­ Rihannan? At first¡­ it¡¯ll hurt¡­¡± He leaned forward, their forehead touching. ¡°Butter on, it will fade and it¡¯ll feel better¡­¡± She nodded, but she had little hopes. His skillful fingers touching her made her wet, but a man of his size would tear her apart. She breathed loudly and rxed as his hands worked to spread her legs. He stood in the middle of her s*x, the thickness of his manhood stroking her swollen lips. And then, he pushed inside her. His manhood making its entrance inside her flesh did not hurt as much as she expected. The memories of the past told her it¡¯d just be as painful, but she was wet this time and the process was smooth. However, she quickly felt a stabbing pain as he dug deeper inside. ¡°Ah!¡± She had tried to hold it in, but eventually, a painful groan broke out and she clutched on the quilt with one hand and covered her mouth with another. She thought she¡¯d grow familiar with the pain. She had experienced it before. But¡­ pain was still pain. His manhood forced inside her narrow path and tore through her maiden flesh. Igor gripped on her hand and then her shoulder. He wiped away the bubbly tears and whispered,¡± Rx¡­ Rihannan¡­¡± ¡°But¡­¡± She could not. She tried, but the tingling pain would not leave. Her body flinched and she groaned in suffering. Igor rubbed her swollen fleshy cl*t and Rihannan moaned from the sudden stimulus. He pushed his waist forward and stabbed her insides deeper than before. It was hot, painful, and it burned. Rihannan gasped and unconsciously bit his shoulder. ¡°¡­I can¡¯t¡­ it hurts so much¡­¡± Recalling Mrs. Cessley¡¯s advice, she made a desperate appeal, but he did not pull out. ¡°Sorry, I can¡¯t stand it anymore¡­¡± he muttered in a coarse voice. He breathed heavily and dug into her deepest parts. The trapping pain grew unbearable and she once more groaned. But her voice disappeared. Her lips had been caught by Igor, his mouth exploring her. A momentter, he pulled away and looked at her. Rihannan stared at him with a gaze full of resentment. Advertisement ¡°The Duchess said I could speak my voice when it became unbearable!¡± Igor smiled bitterly at her voice full of injustice. She quietly groaned as she felt the slight wriggling inside her. He caressed her silver hair that clung to her forehead from the cold sweat. ¡°I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll get in trouble once she finds out¡­ Mrs. Cessley stressed to me several times that I be gentle with you too,¡± he said as he rubbed his thumb in circles on her cheek. ¡°Are you still in pain? Is it unbearable?¡± His voice was soothing and friendly and she felt a sudden urge of unknown emotion. She looked at him withplex eyes. She did not know how to look at him. The Igor she knew would never caress her warmly nor speak to her softly. Whenever theymitted themselves in the throes of passion, his face was devoid of warmth. He always looked angry, always cold. He¡¯d push her aside thereafter without any words spoken. He was an emotionless man but now¡­ he was sweet and more than willing to listen to her. He was a cruel man to his wife and had chosen power over her, but this before him was different that she wondered if they were the same person. At this thought, sadness filled her. Where did they go wrong? Chapter 103 The First Pleasure (19)

Chapter 103 The First Pleasure (19)

Chapter 103: The First Pleasure (19) Where did they go wrong? Rihannan sighed. She fell for him when she was young, when she was stupid, when she was naive. If only she was like Helena, maybe she¡¯d not trod the road of misery¡­ and maybe¡­ she¡¯d not lose Igor to her sister and her life taken away by a thread of strings. ¡°Yes¡­ I¡¯m in pain,¡± she replied, shooting him with eyes full ofplications. Despite the pain, her heart ached more than her body. She thought there was no ce he could hurt her for she¡¯d already been torn apart in pieces. But it was a lie. Memories of the bitter past came flooding in and she saw Igor pouring out his resentment, his anger, hisint against her. ¡°¡­You keep hurting me.¡± She did not realize she had voiced out her thoughts. It came out tearful and rough. Why did she remember those cruel nights she spent him? ¡°¡­It¡¯s all because of you¡­ you¡¯re hurting me.¡± The most up-to-date novels are published on lightno_velwor_ld ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Igor looked at her with a solemn smile and sunken eyes. He wiped away the tears dripping down her pretty cheek. ¡°For any pain and hurt I¡¯ve caused you, I¡¯m sorry,¡± he lowered himself gently and nted a kiss on her forehead, lightly whispering, ¡°I can¡¯t fix your pain right now, but¡­ I¡¯ll make sure you¡¯ll never suffer again. I promise.¡± He promised in her mother¡¯s resting ce that he¡¯d keep her safe and she chose to trust him. This time, he made a vow, an oath that he¡¯d never hurt her. His words pierced through her heart. It was as if she knew that it was not the aching pain in her body but her heart and mind. He continued to caress her, but he had yet to make a move. He stood still ¨C unmoving. The entrance of her garden was painful, but as time passed, it had lessened and she could breathe without trouble. On the other hand, she could feel him pulsing inside her and his breath growing heavier. She saw sweat dripping from his face. He¡¯d been holding himself back. After a little hesitation, she picked up her hand that was holding onto his shoulder and grabbed hold of his face. She¡¯s not sure where her courage came from but she pulled Igor closer and nted a kiss on his lips. ¡°Ha¡­¡± A trembling sigh escaped his mouth and soon he moved inside her. He moved without thought and filled her insides with his love. He gave her little room to breathe. The most up-to-date novels are published on lightno_velwor_ld ¡°Ah¡­!¡± he moaned. Then she moaned. A dam-like scream burst out from her small body. ¡°¡­Why are you¡­ big¡­ haa¡­¡± She could feel the shape of his manhood¡­ the thickness of it¡­ Igor had lost all reason and pounded her. Each thrust and pull rocked her like a small boat being swept away by the angry waves. She was pushed on the edge while the sound of Igor¡¯s heavy breathing filled the room. At this moment, he was a wild beast full of lust. ¡°Rihannan¡­!¡± He called her amorously and a tingling sensation ran down her spine. The ce where they connected tightened. She looked at his dark purple eyes and clung her arms around his nape and pulled him towards her. Ironically, she was the one who first expressed her wants to flee, but this time, she was the one locking him in and preventing him from escaping. The most up-to-date novels are published on lightno_velwor_ld ¡°¡­Igor.¡± The sound of her sweet voice calling his name drove him to a new level of high. He became addicted. He¡¯d never be able to escape. He kissed her again. Fire seemed to live within her kisses. She melted every part of him. Rihannan wrapped her legs around his waist. The pounding pain inflicted her, but as he continued pounding her, she felt something new¡­ Advertisement When his manhood rubbed against her flesh, a swelling sensation burst out. ¡°¡­Ah¡­¡± She bit his nape and let out a muffled moan. It sent Igor to the depths of pleasure. He moved harder, faster, deeper. Her mind grew nk and white. He was nearing his end. He came. The most up-to-date novels are published on lightno_velwor_ld White fluids filled her garden. ¡°Ha¡­ ha¡­ Rihannan¡­¡± His body fell over her. He was heavy, but it was not so bad hearing the rhythmic thumping of each other¡¯s hearts. For a while, only their harsh breathing filled the room. Once it settled, he slowly pulled himself out of her and kissed her lips. It was over. She did not have the slightest energy left to cover herself with a nket. What would take her a while to fall asleep came quickly as sleep lulled her in. Her eyelids were heavy¡­ and she had spent too much energy. From her vision, a hazy figure appeared and rubbed her head tenderly and kissed her forehead. ¡°Sleep tight. Sweet dreams, Rihannan.¡± As if it was ordered, she was sucked into a deep sleep. Chapter 104 Garden Check (19)

Chapter 104 Garden Check (19)

Chapter 104: Garden Check (19) Rihannan¡¯s body felt heavy and sore in the first light of dawn. A feather-like weight wrapped around her, causing her unable to move. She slowly opened her eyes and saw a man sleeping innocently before her. He was fast asleep. ¡°¡­..¡± Thick eyshes, sharp nose, shapely defined lips, and sculpted face¡­ she stared for a moment, her mind recalling their deeds fromst night. Now heid before her and slept peacefully. Gone was his aggressiveness from before. The thought of it caused her to blush red. Thest vestige of memory she remembered was him telling her to sleep. Everything after that was nk. Well, she did sleep thereafter. ¡®I wonder how much time has passed.¡¯ She lifted her head and looked at the window. The sun had risen and her maidservants would soon arrive. She should get up and prepare before they make their arrival¡­ but¡­ Igor hugged her waist tightly. It would be difficult to wiggle out of his grasp. As she struggled, albeit futile, to escape, arge hand suddenly pressed on her forehead. ¡°Rihannan, if you keep moving like that, you¡¯ll only awaken the tiger that had finally fallen asleep.¡± Igor¡¯s eyes looked at her. It twinkled. He was a bit sleepy and doozy. Maybe it¡¯s why his once sharp re loosened slightly. ¡°¡­¡± Secondster, she realized the meaning of his words and carefully parted her lips, ¡°¡­But it¡¯s morning already. It¡¯s no longer nighttime, so why are you saying¡­¡± His eyes widened and blushed slightly. Seeing him flustered, she thought deeply whether she made a blunder of mistake with her words. Igor burst out inughter. After calming down, he caressed her arm and pulled her hand down to his pelvic area. ¡°Men always wake up with morning wood. You didn¡¯t know that?¡± he said with a veiled voice. The manhood she grabbed¡­ had risen to its full size and thickness¡­ She looked at his face. His expression was a nk and stupefying face. Though there was that yful smirk smeared across his lips. This sort of thing would never happen in the past. He¡¯d leave right away in the morning or have a meal together for formality¡¯s sake. This¡­ thing¡­ this conversation they had in the early morning was never something she expected. ¡°¡­I¡­ I did not know.¡± She quickly pulled back her hand and stumbled on her words. She remembered Dimitri joking casually with her that she should?never?rudely enter the men¡¯s room while sleeping in the early morning. She now understood what he meant. ¡°¡­But¡­ doing that¡­ um¡­ it¡¯ll be a little difficult for me¡­ right now¡­ um¡­ you see¡­ my body is a bit¡­¡± she said shyly, her face beet red from embarrassment. Advertisement The moment she awakened her lower area had been aching from pain. The swelling paid did not hurt muchpared to their first night, but taking in a man of his size was not something she¡¯d be able to do at this moment. She worried what would be of her should Igor choose to embrace her nightly¡­ ¡­Would she break in half? Drowning in worries, Igor suddenly pulled the nket covering her. Her naked body was revealed and now in full view. Rihannan quickly covered herself with both hands. ¡°¡­Igor?¡± He went down near her garden and spread her legs open, unwrapping her blossomed flower. He pointed his head down and looked at her beautiful and alluring flesh. The sweet scent of her nectar wafted in the air. He breathed in the flowery scent. Shocked, she quickly tried to close her legs. ¡°Wh-wh-what are you doing? Don¡¯t do that!¡± ¡°I¡¯m just checking if this pretty thing is okay.¡± Chapter 105 Blooming Flower (19)

Chapter 105 Blooming Flower (19)

Chapter 105: Blooming Flower (19) Igor ced his hands between her soft legs and looked at her blooming flower. Rihannan covered her face and shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m fine¡­ so stop¡­¡± ¡°I already saw everything while I washed you cleanst night. I¡¯m sure you¡¯d faint from the sight of it.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Her body froze. That¡¯s right. She was full of sticky sweatst night before falling asleep, but now she was clean from top to bottom. Even the area where the bloodstains and white fluid were supposed to be was spotless. She gasped, realizing what he had done. ¡®¡­How was he able to clean me thoroughly while making sure not to wake me up?¡¯ For more, visit lightno_ve_lworld As the tumultuous shock quietly ran through her eyes, Igor¡¯s eyes grew stern and serious like a reliable man. With her legs apart and her blooming flower in full view, he examined the fleshy area that was red and swollen. He gently touched it. Feeling his warm and smooth hand rubbing up and down her fleshy flower, Rihannan bit her lips. His other hand moved towards her cl*t and he breathed hotly on it. The sight of her fleshy garden was cute. A yful smile crossed his lips as his eyes twinkled as if her garden was a treasure trove shimmering brightly. Heat slowly rose from her body like a harrowing tempest. ¡°It doesn¡¯t look like it¡¯s wounded. Are you hurting, Rihannan?¡± Igor slipped a finger inside and rubbed her flesh gently before pulling his hand away and asked carefully. She kept her mouth shut. Any moment her mind would explode while an unsettling feeling of anxiety slowly crept on her face. ¡°Rihannan, I know I¡¯d been handling you roughlyst night. I tried my best to hold myself back¡­ but I wasn¡¯t able to do it properly¡­¡± while she remained silent, her mouth shut, Igor hurriedly continued, ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯re upset and that your experience was horrible. It was your first time, after all, but you¡¯ll be fine after a while. I know I¡¯m being hastying to this conclusion when we¡¯ve only done it once¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s not it,¡± Rihannan cut off his words and corrected him. The amount of care he ced on her and his tender and gentle words was too much for her to bear. ¡°It¡¯s true¡­ it did hurt, but I never felt any awful intent from you. You don¡¯t have to worry. Towards thetter half, I enj¨C¡± Enjoyed it. It was what she would have said had she not shut her mouth swiftly. She must¡¯ve gone crazy to think of saying those embarrassing words out loud. For more, visit lightno_ve_lworld She hoped with all her heart that he did not hear what she said. Right. It¡¯s best that she switches the topic right now. But Igor had keen ears. Like a hunting dog that found its chunk of meat, his eyes lit up and he said with a tinge of excitement, ¡°¡­What were you going to say? Enjoy?¡± He slowly leaned his face closer to her while she pushed herself away from him and more toward the back of the bed. But she had already reached the end and there was no ce to run to. She was cornered. Completely. Not wanting to cause any problem by pushing him away and that she had no idea what to do, she nervously pulled up the nket and covered herself. Advertisement ¡°Um¡­¡± Igor smiled a simple smile. She was incandescently beautiful. Though he knew she was going through hard times, mentally and physically, she continued to tend to her flowers and it bloomed beautifully. Despite all that she¡¯d gone through, the warm rays of the sun never failed to shine on her. ¡°¡­Rihannan.¡± He pulled down the nket lightly and kissed her soft lips. He kissed her a million times till her lips swole. He craved her again, over and over again. For more, visit lightno_ve_lworld The amount of kisses they shared was more than their years of marriage she had with him. He kissed her again, and again, and once more, and then another. He stuck his tongue out and gently swept over her swollen lips. A light taste of her lips spread to his tongue. It was intoxicating. He cupped her cheek, held her face, and pushed his tongue deep inside her and rolled it around. ¡°Ha¡­¡± he groaned inwardly. It had only been a day since she awkwardlymitted a night of passion with him, but now she took in his advancements with natural grace. Rihannan ced her hand in his shoulder. She gave in to his whims and kissed back. Her sweet, sweet tongue fought back and explored every corner of his mouth. Igor¡¯s cheek reddened as their saliva mixed and their hot breath mingling as one. Knock! Knock! Chapter 106 All Night Moans

Chapter 106 All Night Moans

Chapter 106: All Night Moans Both Igor and Rihannan flinched at the door¡¯s sudden knock. Rihannan quickly shut her eyes from the fervent embarrassment while Igor¡¯s lips parted slowly. A hint of sadness and anger shed in his eyes as he said, ¡°Let¡¯s leave this here for this morning. We¡¯ll have many nights together in the future.¡± He spoke without much hesitation and bashful shame. He smiled lightly and covered her body with a nket. Afterward, he stood up and put on the robe resting quietly next to the bedside table. ¡°Come in.¡± As hismanding words echoed, two maidservants entered. They came to collect evidence of their marriage. Igor carefully handed them a cloth neatly folded away in the corner of the bed to the maidservants, and they who received it bowed respectfully and left the room. As the door closed, Igor looked over his shoulder and stared at Rihannan. She was in the bed with a nket pulled up to her neck, revealing only her bashful and red face. The tail-end of his lips raised to a coquettish smile seeing that angel. He made his way to her with a skip and with blushing cheeks the color of rouged red, he pinched her cheek lightly and said gently, ¡°I wish to spend more time with you, but I¡¯m afraid I¡¯ll have to let you go. I¡¯ve to tend to the honored guests that visited us for the wedding. I¡¯ll tell Mrs. Cessley to care for you. For now, I think that it¡¯s best that you take a good rest for the whole day.¡± He gave a light kiss on her lips, her nose, and her forehead. ¡°I¡¯ll see you soon,¡± Igor said. Then he left and opened the door connected to the adjacent room, his presence disappearingpletely. Rihannan fell back onto the bed. Her mind was aplete utter mess. Yesterday¡­ today¡­ everything that urred at that time was¡­ unreal. *** Entering the adjacent room, Basil stood at the side with a towel in hand. He saw that Igor¡¯s face was full of satisfaction. Basil smiled happily. ¡°Looks like it turned out well, Your Majesty. So¡­ how was your first time like?¡± Igor swiped the towel from his hand and gave no reply. He detested the touch of othersying their hands on his body. But Basil was an exception. And¡­ Rihannan too¡­ yes¡­ he would offer his body to her whenever she liked. ¡°I was left wondering whether to knock on the door before it got toote¡­ but¡­ when I thought of it again, well¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s a good thing you didn¡¯t. You¡¯d be dead by now.¡± While Basil splurged his thought out loud, Igor replied with a low, growling voice. Basil sulked and thought,?¡®Of course you would, ck-haired-beast.¡¯ ¡°Uh¡­ yes. You did mention that you wanted no witnesses present for the consummation ceremony. I did think that you would execute me had I interrupted the moment,¡± Basil said then he softly muttered to the side, ¡°You even chased out the witnesses too.¡± Advertisement ¡°If you understood, you did well to keep my words in your mind.¡± Igor pulled off his clothes and stepped foot inside the bath. Basil smirked. He had a devilish intention to tease the beast a little. ¡°But you know¡­ it was her first night. You should¡¯ve held back a bit more. The sounds I heard all night long was pretty shocking. I was scared, even worried for Her Majesty. I even thought that she¡¯d run away from¡­¡± m! As the door closed, it opened again instantly. Igor, in hisplete naked form, his manhood dangling side to side, walked towards Basil with a seething look. ¡°What did you hear?¡± His teeth ground together and his eyes were like a zing inferno. He was enraged to the point of grabbing the decorative sword on the wall to slice Basil apart. Basil cleared his throat and quickly trashed away his joking intent and hurriedly waved his hands¡¯ side to side. Chapter 107 Basil

Chapter 107 Basil

Chapter 107: Basil ¡°I-I was jesting, Your Majesty! All the rooms inside the pce are perfectly soundproof! Th-there¡¯s no way I¡¯d be able to hear anything¡­! It¡¯s the honest truth! Cross my heart! Your Majesty, I couldn¡¯t even hear footsteps from there! If doubt crosses your mind, you can checkter for any noise in the room!¡± Igor¡¯s stern look loosened, though somewhat. Thereafter, Basil went down to his knees and grabbed it. It throbbed in searing pain. The damn beast kicked his leg while naked with his thing dangling off. Disgusting! ¡°If you make jokes like that again, I won¡¯t go easy on you next time.¡± Igor turned around and went to the bathing room. He mmed the door close. Basil blew and huffed and rubbed his knee while not forgetting to swear under his breath towards that bad-tempered, nasty king. Seeing how horrid the beast reacted to his simplistic joke, cold sweat formed on his temples. Had he made a blunder of mistakest night to open the door, he really would have been executed on the spot. But he doubted it. The Goddess Queen would be there to protect his life. ¡®That brat, he was only little when I saw him. Now he¡¯s all grown up and finally married to a beautifuldy,¡¯?Basil chuckled. Their first meeting urred not long after the civil war that spread across Arundell ended in a bloody concession. When the civil war was at its height, the Queen Mother, a princess at the time, gave birth to a boy whom she handed off to a nanny for breastfeeding while she ventured off into the unknown, into the battlefield. Coincidently, Basil¡¯s mother, who had recently given birth, was taken in as a wet nurse in the pce. She breastmilk not to her daughter but the newborn prince. No one knew whether the prince would be Arundell¡¯s king or that he¡¯d bebeled as the son of a traitor. As the civil war came to an end, it was proimed that the newborn prince would be Arundell¡¯s next king. Basil was on his way to see his mother when he chanced upon the baby boy waddling around the garden. He had many young siblings at the time and saw the lone baby looked pitifully lonely. He lingered around, coddling and ying with the baby boy instead. The queen was passing by at the time and saw his interactions with Igor. Not long after, Basil was given a living quarter in the pce. While tending and caring for Igor, Basil received higher education inside the corridors of the pce. As time passed and the preceding king passed away, Igor ascended the throne at an early age. Advertisement His mother had long returned back to her family home, but Basil stayed. He was not of noble title, but living inside the pce court with a humble duty to his name was fulfilling. When Igor grew of age and was able to give out orders properly as king, he raised Basil¡¯s status from amoner to the title of Grand Chambein. The feat shocked the nobility. The Grand Chambein¡¯s position we¡¯re only given to the king¡¯s favorite retainer amongst the loftiest of nobles. Many made derisivements and went against Igor¡¯s decisions. He did not have much power at the time. Even the Queen Mother who thought highly of Basil disapproved of Igor¡¯s decision. But the truth was¡­ the true reason why Igor ced Basil at a high position and allowed him to stay by his side was because he trusted the big oaf. Everyone else was unworthy and could not be trusted for they had ulterior motives. Basil was aware of this reason. It was an indication of their long and past history. Though Igor had grown up a little crooked, a little mean, and a little tyrantpared to his young, innocent self, Basil looked after Igor in his own way despite his inner cursing. And so Basil was moved. It was like his own youngest brother had grown of age and was now marrying a girl. But most of all, he was d that Igor is able to be with the girl he had feelings for since long ago. Chapter 108 Dimitri

Chapter 108 Dimitri

Chapter 108: Dimitri ¡°This is the list of honored guests you¡¯ll be having breakfast with, Your Majesty. They¡¯ve long expressed their wish to see Arundell¡¯s great king. After the meal, the honored guests will return back to their homnd.¡± While Igor finished washing himself clean, Basil handed him a paper listing the names of the honored guests. Igor gave the paper a slight nce and looked at Basil. ¡°¡­Hmm. Chrichton¡¯s Dimitri won¡¯t be attending? Why is that? And I see that Marquis Preibius is physically present but his name isn¡¯t on the list.¡± Basil lifted his head with wide eyes. A lightbulb popped up as if he had just remembered. ¡°Ah, right. He did note this time, Your Majesty. Only the Crown Prince Ivan and Marquis Preibius came as Chrichton¡¯s representative for the wedding ceremony. Of course, it¡¯s understandable you¡¯d not know of this since¡­ you were too busy with¡­¡± Basil choked and muttered eerily soft to the side, ¡°¡­pleasuring the Queen Goddess to notice the small minute details¡­¡± Igor did not hear hisst words, else he¡¯d be dragged to the depths of hell. ¡°What¡¯s their reason for not attending?¡± Igor asked with furrowed brows. ¡°ording to the statement, it was of personal issue, Your Majesty. Though I do find it unexpected actually. Dimitri¡¯s love for his cousin the queen runs deep, but I somewhat understand his thoughts. His choosing not to attend is possibly an indirect expression of not acknowledging the marriage ceremony. Well, there¡¯s no need to worry and dwell over the matter. Even if he thinks like that, what can he do now?¡± Basil¡¯s reaction was proper and right. Dimitri, now a baron, was in no position of bing king. He was powerless. When he¡¯d tried to escape Chrichton, he was locked away in prison unable to do anything while his cousin journeyed to another kingdom for a hand in marriage without his knowledge. Igor looked down at the lists of names. He was lost in thought. Dimitri had no ambition. Yet. He was weak and feeble, but Igor knew that once he put his mind to it, he¡¯d be a powerful enemy. He was a man who ascended Chrichton¡¯s throne through a bitter bloodbath massacre and upon learning of his beloved cousin dying inside the cold, dark prison grounds from poison and that she was falsely used of treason, Dimitri¡¯s hellish wrath fell upon Arundell. Dimitri was a man who treasured Rihannan dearly. His choosing to attack Arundell for the sake of his cousin¡¯s death was no political move. He cared for her. Truly and consistently so. If that was the amount of care he gave Rihannan in the past life, then the Dimitri of this life cared for Rihannan more than ever. His love for her had deepened due to the lengthened time they spent together. Igor gave an exasperated sigh. The future had changed. And greatly so. Advertisement Dimitri won¡¯t cause blood, carnage, and massacre towards the male members of the royal family to ascend the throne in this life, but Igor knew he needed to be cautious. When it came to Rihannan, Dimitri was not, by any means, normal. ¡°¡­If he has strong feelings of disapproval regarding this marriage, then we¡¯ll need to keep a close eye on him. Tell the spies in Chrichton to be cautious and wary while they collect the necessary information.¡± Basil thought he was being overly cautious towards a man without political powers, but he did not disagree with his decision. ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± Igor stood up from his seat. He looked at Basil and wore an energized face, the most Basil had ever seen in all his life. Igor smiled. ¡°Now, let¡¯s have breakfast, shall we?¡± Chapter 109 Raging Duchess

Chapter 109 Raging Duchess

Chapter 109: Raging Duchess Rihannan was left alone in the room after Igor left. She wrapped her body with a nket swiftly before the maidservants arrived. Then she stepped out of the bed. ¡°Ah¡­¡± But as soon as her feet touched the cold floor, she unconsciously lost strength. Her legs wobbled and she fell to the floor. She knew the issue of her problem. It was not only her lower area aching in pain, her whole body, too, ached in a ze ame like it¡¯d been beaten and whipped all night long. She grabbed onto the bed frame pole and struggled to stand. Meanwhile, Mrs. Cessley came into the room. Behind her were the maidservants holding the bathwater filled full with warm water. Mrs. Duchess saw Rihannan¡¯s struggle. She gasped in immediate surprise and quickly ran over to her. ¡°My Queen, are you all right?¡± Rihannan looked into her eyes and gave a weak smile. ¡°Mrs. Cessley¡­ I apologize but could you lend me your hand a bit¡­? I¡¯m a little out of energy right now¡­¡± ¡°Oh my goodness¡­¡± Mrs. Cessley propped Rihannan up. She gasped at the sight of her naked body in view between the gaps of the nket. She turned to the maidservants putting the bathtub down and ordered, ¡°All of you, go outside now. I¡¯ll do Her Majesty¡¯s cleaning for today.¡± The maidservants nodded and left the room. Mrs. Cessley rolled her sleeves up and helped Rihannan into the bathtub. ¡°What a thoughtless person that foolish king is! To think he¡¯d end up causing his newly-wedded wife to turn into this state on her first night together with him!¡± Signs of colorful bruises smothered her body. The spots he held her hard had clear bruise imprinted on her smooth skin. ¡°He should¡¯ve known that our beloved queen has the type of skin that gets bruised easily, so he should¡¯ve been a little bit more careful during his first night with you,¡± Mrs. Cessly said in seething anger, ¡°Did that fool even consider my warning at all?!¡± She spoke in vehement anger as she rubbed Rihannan¡¯s body with a soapy towel. Despite her rough tone, the hands that cleaned Rihannan¡¯s body was smooth and gentle like she was handling a newborn child. Though Rihannan was not the one being berated at, she, for odd reasons, made an excuse for his sake. ¡°He didn¡¯t do it on purpose. So please don¡¯t misunderstand¡­¡± ¡°Of course he didn¡¯t! That foolish king can¡¯t think properly! That¡¯s a given, of course!¡± ¡°¡­..¡± Rihannan shut up and said nothing more. If she spoke any further, she¡¯d only anger the fiery duchess. She¡¯d never been yelled at like this, not even from her mother. How to react in this situation, she did not know. Advertisement With innocent eyes and pursed lips she looked down and watched the bubbles pop in her hand. She looked like a cute and innocent child who had done wrong. ¡°If that foolish king ns to embrace you tonight as well, you should kick his bum and shove him out the door. If he insists, cut off his you-know-what. Though I¡¯m sure he¡¯s not that careless, but if he does, by all means, do so. You understand what I mean, right?¡± Blushing, Rihannan quickly nodded. Though she¡¯d never do such a thing like kicking the king¡¯s bum or cut off his¡­ she had no courage to say no to Mrs. Cessley who was zing with anger. ¡°And My Queen, you shouldn¡¯t allow that foolish king to do as he pleases with you. He¡¯s in that phase right now where he can¡¯t tell from fantasy to reality, so his mind is only filled with those thoughts. If you think that men are simple, know that they¡¯re much simpler than you think. He¡¯s no exception.¡± Rihannan was amazed. Mrs. Cessley¡¯s thoughts and adamant opinion amazed her. Her previous Maid of Honor would push her to hurriedly procreate and bear the king a child, but here, Mrs. Cessley spoke the opposite tune. ¡°But in any case, it does look like you won¡¯t be able to wear the dress prepared for the banquet tomorrow.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Rihannan had a look of confusion. ¡°That dress, My Queen, has quite a deep neckline.¡± Looking at the red marks kissing Rihannan¡¯s neck and nape, Mrs. Cessley gave a deep sigh. On the other hand, Rihannan gave a sigh of relief. The subject was changing quickly and she took advantage of it. Chapter 110 He Cares For You

Chapter 110 He Cares For You

Chapter 110: He Cares For You Rihannan looked into the duchess¡¯ gentle eyes. ¡°Mrs. Cessley, are you talking about the banquet that¡¯ll be hosted in the pce?¡± ¡°Yes. It¡¯ll be the banquet where you, My Queen, and His Majesty greet and tend to the nobles in the gathering together as a pair for the first time. You don¡¯t need to feel pressed. The only useless thing they¡¯ll be interested in is what trendy dress the queen is wearing and how many times she danced with her king. You¡¯ll only need to greet them with an adequate smile. They¡¯re merely innocent cats hiding their ws in the beginning, after all.¡± It is as Mrs. Cessley says. The banquet tomorrow will only be of quiet reconnaissance and the first she¡¯ll make an official appearance as queen. The nobility will watch her every move with keen eyes and judge the sort of queen they think she is. From there, they¡¯ll decide how to proceed with her. Rihannan remembered the time when she was an easy target for the nobility to prey upon. She had ack of experience handlingrge crowds of people. The ability to lead the topic of conversations confidently nor reply to any subtle witty remarks were nonexistent. And¡­ also¡­ the king looked like he did not favor her. Their estranged rtionship looked uneasy and they believed it had been forced upon by the Queen Mother. In the end, though she was the main attraction of the banquet, she could only sit in the corner wistfully before quietly returning back to the Queen¡¯s Pce. Rihannan crossed her arms and smiled. ¡°¡­Though we¡¯ll need to teach those greedy cats a lesson. They shouldn¡¯t dare to show their bare ws if they value their lives.¡± This was fine. She¡¯d remain in Arundell for a year but it did not mean she was willing to return back to her old self, the self she despised for being weak. She¡¯ll not allow herself to be easy prey for the power-hungry nobility and she¡¯ll damn well make sure it would be made known. Though she did not exactly wish to rule over them like a bloody tyrant, she¡¯ll not take their greedy actions lightly. As she said those words, the hand washing her shoulder gently, stopped. The duchess looked at her for a moment nkly, then smiled. ¡°You¡¯re perfectly right,¡± Mrs. Cessley said. After finishing her bath, Rihannan changed into a new set offortable clothes. She had a simple breakfast with Mrs. Cessley and chatted lightly while drinking tea. When lunchtime came, her maternal uncle visited her and gave hisst farewell and bid goodbye before returning back home to Chrichton. ¡°Uncle!¡± Rihannan smiled brightly as she greeted him. The marquis gently hugged his niece and the girl who became queen of a kingdom overnight. ¡°This is good. You look happy, Rihannan,¡± he said. Advertisement Rihannan was surprised. She rubbed her cheek andughed lightly. Life in the pce wasn¡¯t too bad but she did not think she¡¯d be happy and at peace. ¡°His Majesty pulled me aside after breakfast to tell me something personally, Rihannan.¡± Rihannan looked up. ¡°What did he say?¡± The marquis smiled. ¡°That he¡¯ll treasure you and protect you so I won¡¯t go insane thinking about your safety while going back home.¡± Rihannan¡¯s eyes widened at his unexpected words. ¡°H-he said that?¡± The marquis nodded. ¡°That¡¯s right. And it¡¯s why I feel like I can leave this ce without many worries. It seems that he cares for you sincerely. The look on his face speaks much depth. I think he¡¯s a good man,¡± he lightly patted her shoulder, ¡°Well, I think I¡¯ll give Anastasia myst farewell before I leave. It¡¯d be great if I could stay by your side a bit longer¡­ but¡­¡± Hearing him say suchpletely unexpected things, Rihannan¡¯s eyes quivered. Chapter 111 Dimitris Change

Chapter 111 Dimitri''s Change

Chapter 111: Dimitri¡¯s Change Rihannan gave a bright, beaming smile. ¡°I¡¯ll be fine, uncle. Don¡¯t worry and go. I¡¯m sure mother¡¯s missing you dearly too. And¡­ please give this to Dimi as well.¡± She passed the letters she wrote personally to the marquis. Though the letters a queen writes should have a seal of royalty before being sent, this letter was written beforehand and before she was pronounced queen. The letter was also personal. The one letter she sent to the Dimitri of the past became a problematic urrence thatbeled her as a spy sharing Arundell¡¯s secrets to Chrichton. She needed to be careful, for her sake and for Dimitri¡¯s sake. This, too, would probably be thest letter she¡¯ll send to Dimitri for the many months toe. The marquis nodded his head and looked at the letter in hand. Rihannan noticed his expression turn sour when she spoke of Dimitri. ¡°Did something happen to Dimi? He didn¡¯te to the wedding ceremony, and on top of that, I know he was fuming with anger that he directed it towards you beforeing to Arundell.¡± The marquis sighed exasperatedly. ¡°It¡¯s not much of a big deal. It¡¯s just¡­ he¡¯s changed a bit¡­¡± ¡°Changed?¡± Rihannan asked worriedly. ¡°After he was released from prison, he learned that it was you who¡¯d been sent to Arundell instead of the princess. He began taking active interests in stately affairs and engaged in internal matters thereafter. It¡¯s hard to see his face these days. And as you know, Dimi hates politics to an extreme degree and would always run off saying foolish things like bing a pirate. I¡¯m d he¡¯s had a change of mind, but on the other hand, I¡¯m worried about him. Perhaps he might do something irrational because of what happened to you¡­¡± Rihannan realized what the marquis had been worrying about. Should Dimitri engage in the affairs of the state, he¡¯ll gain political powers. However, there¡¯ll be numerous conniving nobles who¡¯d try to keep him down from gaining strength and power far too quickly. ¡°¡­Uncle, don¡¯t worry too much. Though it may not look like it, Dimi is wise and I believe in him. He¡¯ll be able to handle anything thates his way. The royal family also has debt they owe to me and him. They wouldn¡¯t dare to act too rashly.¡± After she gave her farewell and sent him off, a sudden thought she never had came to mind. After her passing death, she wondered what became of Dimitri at the time. What would he have done? Knowing now that he cared for her like she was his sister, he¡¯d not sit idly by. It was not in his nature. He would have done something. She was sure of that. *** ¡°Rihannan.¡± As the sky darkened and enveloped the sky, Igor came to visit her. Rihannanid on the bed reading a book for she had trouble sleeping. Advertisement She did not expect Igor to visit her. Surprised, she stood up from the bed and said, ¡°Igor? Why are you here?¡± He walked towards her with big strides. He did not reply and immediately nted a kiss on her lips, his arms wrapped around her. His kiss seemed as if it was the most normal thing in the world. He kissed her. Deeper. His tongue coiled around hers and his hand went up to her cheek. She closed her eyes and dedicated her lips to him. The duchess¡¯ words this morning came to mind, but for odd reasons, she did not feel like doing what the duchess advised her. Even she was unsure where her own heart was treading towards. Igor broke away from her lips and looked at her. He pulled her closer to him and asked with a smile, ¡°What did you do all day today?¡± Chapter 112 Soft, Comfortable Mounds

Chapter 112 Soft, Comfortable Mounds

Chapter 112: Soft, Comfortable Mounds ¡°Well, I had a good rest like you told me. I also saw my uncle.¡± Igor¡¯s eyebrows frowned slightly at her reply, at the word?uncle.?She noticed that he was not annoyed at her meeting with the marquis, but that he¡¯s trying to gauge her reaction. ¡°He told me how you pulled him to the side and reassured him that you¡¯d take care of me and protect me. Thank you, Igor, for putting his mind at ease. He was relieved after hearing those words from you.¡± Somewhat flushed, his head turned slightly to the side. He looked a little bit awkward. Clearing his throat, he said, ¡°I see. Umm¡­ were you reading a book?¡± With glinting eyes and a rueful smile, he held her hand and led her towards the bed and sat together with her on the edge of the bed. He picked up the book she¡¯d been reading seconds ago. ¡°Ah. A report, I see. It¡¯s a report highlighting past events from ten years ago.¡± ¡°Yes. I¡¯ve been away from Arundell for so long that¡­¡± Igor let out a small sigh. ¡°You¡¯re a diligent person. You could have taken a simple rest for the day, yet here you are studying like this.¡± His words sounded akin to pity. Rihannan looked at him and said, ¡°You say that, Igor, but look at you. You¡¯re still wearing those clothes. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve been working till now.¡± Igor smiled. ¡°That¡¯s right. I¡¯ve been working till now. When I finished, I came to see you immediately. We¡¯ll¡­ actually¡­ I¡¯ll need to leave again. My job isn¡¯t finished yet. Though what I actually want to do most at this very moment is to lie in bed with you.¡± He tossed the book back to where it belonged and wrapped his arms around Rihannan. ¡°¡­Rihannan.¡± He pushed her down the bed. Gently. His heart palpitated while he buried his face in her nape and breathed in the scent of her sweet skin. His lips turned to a smile. As his hands moved to stroke her back, Rihannan¡¯s body stiffened slightly. ¡°It¡¯s okay. I¡¯ll only be hugging you like this for now. I know you¡¯re tired.¡± It was as if he had read her mind. She rxed at his words, but a momentter, strange thoughts formed in her head. If he did note to pleasure himself, why did he seek her presence? ¡°¡­Rihannan, what kind of king do you think the people will record me as in the future?¡± The conversation came out of nowhere and she realized it had to do with the book she¡¯d been reading a while ago. ¡°I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll say that you were a righteous and just king. A king that ruled over his people well. You¡¯re being one right now, after all,¡± she said without much thought. Advertisement Compared to their past lifetime, the Igor of this current time pushed his mother from the seat of power much earlier, and because of his action, Arundell was viewed in a different light from foreign kingdoms ¨C Arundell was powerful and affluent and a kingdom none could ignore. And she saw evidence of this when she traveled from the port to the pce during the carriage ride. It¡¯d been a long while since shest saw Arundell, but it was more colorful than the grayish aura she remembered. The markets were more vibrant and the people¡¯s smiles were brighter and more carefree. And to top it off, Igor won the naval battle against Chrichton. Igor was satisfied with her answer and gave a weak smile. ¡°I hope that¡¯s the case,¡± he said. And then heid his head into her chest. The feel of her soft mounds was ever sofortable. He sighedfortably. ¡°You should sleep. I¡¯ll leave after you fall asleep.¡± Rihannan raised her brows. ¡°¡­You¡¯vee all the way here to¡­ lull me to sleep?¡± Igor cleared his throat. ¡°Well¡­ among other things.¡± ¡°But I¡¯m the type to take a long while before falling asleep¡­ it¡¯d be best for you to just go.¡± Then he picked up his head and looked into her starry eyes. Chapter 113 Igors Wish

Chapter 113 Igor''s Wish

Chapter 113: Igor¡¯s Wish Igor¡¯s eyes softened and shed momentarily. ¡°You said something like that before as well. When did it ur? When did you have trouble sleeping?¡± Rihannan smiled bitterly and said, ¡°Six years ago¡­ when my mother died.¡± He looked at her with solemn eyes and stretched his hand out to caress her head. ¡°So you¡¯ve had a difficult time sleeping at night because of that,¡± his voice was soft, ¡°I understand. To have someone you love dearly leave you would frighten anyone, after all.¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± But truth be told, the moment insomnia gued her at night was the moment she re-lived the past. She had no ns to wallow in self-pity or ming others for the misfortunes she¡¯d gone through, but it was difficult¡­ was it depression? Fortunately, she was able to recover and mend her broken heart to an extent in Chrichton, but when night came, memories of her death and thest minutes of it kept rolling on repeat. It was difficult to sleep. If she closed her eyes, she kept wondering if she¡¯d end up in that cold and dark prison cell. ¡°You won¡¯t be alone. I¡¯ll be here. Rx and sleep, Rihannan.¡± Igorid next to her and pulled her in his warm embrace. He patted her back soothingly. Rihannan nodded. But would she be able to sleep in this state? She sighed the more she thought of it. *** Her body shifted left and right ufortably till she finally calmed and breathed rxing sounds. Igor opened his closed eyes and carefully moved his body so as not to wake her and got off the bed. Looking down at his sleeping beauty, he remembered that day. shback¡­ Days and nights passed without meaning, without hope. He lived each day in this damned world in despair. He regretted his foolish act over and over and over again¡­ but¡­ that person would never return¡­ she passed on and she¡¯d never return to his side again. Each day he awoke in the morning feeling hopeless with a ck, empty heart. He lived and drowned in the dark abyss with nowhere to escape. Her figure always followed him in the shadows as regret filled him. One day, he found a golden feather among the objects she left behind. Years had passed but the feather looked no different from the short memory he had of her. He could tell the amount of effort she put caring for the golden feather. The thought that she kept this feather with her cracked his broken heart. Advertisement ¡°Why¡­ Rihannan¡­¡± his voice croaked painfully. He cried andughed, a mangled tone of bitterness that became a repeated cycle. He looked like a madman. Then, finally, he fell asleep from exhaustion. As he slept, he met a being in his dream. That being had a halo of golden light shining around itself. The light was blindingly bright as he stood in front of the being. Its head was the shape of a human, but below its neck was the body of a crow. Its entire body emitted a powerful and uneasy aura. Igor felt the presence of this being beyond the dim boundaries no human could imitate. He soon realized that this being was Ataraxia. For the first time after her death, a bright, joyous smile conquered his lips. Even if this was merely an illusion and a simple dream, it was fine. He was okay with this little sliver of hope. He would willingly cast his life and everything that he had for this little bit of hope. ¡°Would you like to make a wish?¡± Ataraxia¡¯s voice was not of the humannguage, nor was it vocal, but simply waves of thoughts traveling through his mind delicately. Igor voiced his wish right away¡­ it was to bring her back from the dead, to see her again, to have her beside him, to ask for a second chance¡­ However, Ataraxia calmly shook its head. ¡°I, too, have a debt to pay her. She does not wish to be with you. I cannot grant you that wish.¡± Chapter 114 The Time She Wants

Chapter 114 The Time She Wants

Chapter 114: The Time She Wants Hearing Ataraxia¡¯s words, Igor¡¯s heart broke into a million pieces. This heavenly being granted him a chance to fulfill his lifelong desire in the form of a wish, yet it could not work out as he hoped it to be. ¡°¡­Do you not have any other wish? This is your only chance.¡± This heavenly being was merciless. Igor looked up. Ataraxia¡¯srge pool of golden eyes bore no emotions. None at all. It looked at Igor with nk, quiet eyes. After a while, it shook its head and floated away. Ataraxia was leaving. Igor gritted his teeth and spoke,?¡°Then turn back time¡­! I¡¯ll be the one to change her feelings for me.¡± ¡°Time¡­ yes. That is possible. What time do you want?¡± ¡°¡­The time she wants.¡± Whether it be the moment she drank the poison or the time she had never known his existence, it mattered not to him. As long as she was alive¡­ as long¡­ then¡­ he¡¯d be ready to chase her through the ends of the earth to change her broken and caged heart. He¡¯ll make sure of it. ¡°I understand. I¡¯ll grant this wish of yours.¡± And with that, the illusory dream came to an end and he woke up. His eyes fluttered open and he noticed his body was much smaller than he recalled. On the bedside table was the golden feather resting quietly. After realizing the current date, he quickly journeyed to Count Allesin¡¯s territory. He was nervous. Advertisement What would he say to her? How would he introduce himself? Would she remember her cruel past? But maybe she might not know anything of their past life¡­ Questions after questions pervaded his mind. He had yet to sleep nor had he eaten properly. The only thoughts rummaging through his head was Rihannan. She kept his hope alive. He rode the horse to where she resided as fast as he could hoping that she knew nothing at all¡­ that way¡­ she¡¯d look at him without resentment. However, this hope of his shattered when he received news of her leaving for Chrichton. It suddenly dawned on him that she, too, retained the memories of their past. He quickly ran towards the port, but he was a second toote. At that moment, he med himself greatly. He had missed his only chance. If only he moved a bit quicker, maybe he¡¯d have caught her. But now¡­ when he thought of it again, it was a good thing that she left for Chrichton. Had he met her then with her memory intact, their current rtionship now would not be possible for he was sure that she¡¯d resent him more and probably up until her death. shback end¡­ ¡°Nnghh¡­¡± Rihannan¡¯s eye squinted slightly. Her breathing was soft and rxed, but every so often, it quickened and grew harsher only to rx once more. Igor leaned over and rubbed his thumb over her cheek and over her forehead and temples. She had trouble sleeping. Even when she fell asleep, she continued tossing and turning heavily. ¡°It seems to me that Her Majesty is afraid of falling asleep.¡± The court doctor assigned to Rihannan¡¯s case exined to Arundell¡¯s king the reason for her chronic inability to sleep. After she stopped taking the medicine she received from the doctor in Chrichton, Arundell¡¯s court doctor prescribed her medications. Igor made sure the doctor watched over her health as closely as he could. As a result, the doctor reported that she had no problems in terms of physical health, but that she had a mental blockage causing her to develop insomnia since she was young. Can¡¯t wait to read ahead? Want to show your support? Click here?to be a sponsor and get additional chapters ahead of time. Alternatively, you can support us freely by giving the novel some love ???? give it a rating and a review here???? Thank you very much! Click here to learn more about this tier.Ch. 154: Leticia?Ch. 153: Rihannan Initiates the Kiss?Ch. 152: Mischievous Igor?Ch. 151: A Certain Fragrance (Unedited)?Ch. 150: Could We¡­ Start Anew??Ch. 149: Finding the Culprit?Ch. 148: Hot S*x (19)Ch. 147: Riding Igor (19)Ch. 146: Embrace Me, Igor (Unedited)Ch. 145: Igor¡¯s Worries (Unedited)Ch. 144: Rihannan¡¯s Fall (Unedited)Ch. 143: Skillful Queen (Unedited)Ch. 142: Detestable Sweat (Unedited)Ch. 141: No Danger Must Come (Unedited)Ch. 140: Crichton¡¯s Crown Prince (Unedited)Ch. 139: Fruit of Friendship (Unedited)Ch. 138: To Meet Your Expectations?(Unedited)Ch. 137: Together With You (Unedited)Ch. 136: Basil¡¯s SiblingsCh. 135: Erratic MenstruationCh. 134: Mrs. Cessley¡¯s NaggingCh. 133: The Duchess¡¯ Rage, Again (19)?Ch. 132: Destined Fate??Ch. 131: Screams of Ecstasy (19)Ch. 130: Tight and mp Flesh (19)??Ch. 129: May I Kiss You? (19) ????Ch. 128: To Not Be MiserableCh. 127: Why Do You Cry? (19)?Ch. 126: Cold Purple Eyes?Ch. 125: Embracing Other Women?Ch. 124: Have A Rest, Queen?Ch. 123: Struggle For Sweetness?Ch. 122: Sincere Apology?Ch. 121: Mocking the King and Queen?Ch. 120: My Late Mother?Ch. 119: Hostage Queen?Ch. 118: Deep In Love?Ch. 117: Can I Have This Dance??Ch. 116: Affectionate King?Ch. 115: Pce Ball Chapter 115 Palace Ball

Chapter 115 Pce Ball

Chapter 115: Pce Ball ¡°Your Majesty, this phenomenon usually urs with children. Those children fall asleep thinking they¡¯ll never wake up from their deep slumber. So they begin to fear the night and fear the thing so natural to us. I¡¯m not sure why Her Majesty¡¯s experiencing a simr case when she¡¯s a grown adult now,¡± the court doctor said with tightened brows, ¡°but in any case, I had tried to ease the symptoms of prescribing medical herbs that would ease her nerves, but topletely eradicate her insomnia, I will have to ce the responsibility of finding the cause root of her problem to you, Your Majesty.¡± Igor nodded. He knew already the true cause of her suffering. She said that her troubles began after the death of her mother, but in truth, it had to do with the life experiences of her past and the memories she retained. The answer was obvious to see. For a fragile person like her who came back from the dead, how can she not be afraid of the dark? His eyes were full ofplex emotions looking at the sleeping Rihannan. He used his one wish Ataraxia granted him to bring her back, to have her by his side on his own selfish whim, and now, she¡¯s right here¡­ If he could make just one more wish¡­ His hand slowly moved downward and stopped at her belly. He bent down and left a soft kiss on her belly. He desperately begged to the heavenly being above that they¡¯d regain the precious child they had lost in the distant past¡­ Numerous numbers of maids and butlers ran around frantically inside the busy pce tending to their designated work. It was the day of the pce banquet. The newly wedded king and queen as well as many important figures from Arundell and neighboring kingdoms would be participating in the ball. The ballroom where the event would be held was filled with colorful and expensive things. And then, eventually, delicate sounds of instruments indicating the start of the ball echoed from behind the giant curtain. A momentter, an attendant came out and called the names of nobles from the highest-rank to the lowest-rank, and one by one, they all made their timely entrance. The one empty ballroom was slowly being filled with warm bodies one by one. The faces of the nobility greeting one another were full of smiles and curiosity. They had many thoughts and opinions of the banquet¡¯s main characters ¨C the king and his wife. Advertisement Their engagement was¡­ different¡­ and the traditional wedding ceremony to signify their union never urred. As such, the crowd had high interests as to how they¡¯d react, and thus causing many whispers and gossips about the newly-wedded king and queen. ¡°I heard that Duchess Cessley became the Queen¡¯s Matron of Honor.¡± ¡°That egotistical Duchess?¡± ¡°Yes. It was rumored that she stuck by Her Majesty¡¯s side throughout all ofst month to help the Queen adjust to the pce.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ she is the king¡¯s closest advisor. He must truly care about his wife to have the Duchess be the Queen¡¯s Matron of Honor.¡± The noblemen spoke. Meanwhile, thedies fanned themselves. ¡°Even so, she¡¯s still living as a hostage, in the end, right?¡± the voice lowered slightly and let out a peal of sneeringughter. Someone was ying devil¡¯s advocate. ¡°At this rate, should our rtionship with Chrichton turn sour, what will be of the Queen? We don¡¯t know.¡± the voice spoke once more. ¡°But Her Majesty is the Queen Mother¡¯s goddaughter, is she not? Surely nothing horrid would happen to her. There¡¯s spection that even if Her Majesty did not move to Chrichton and stayed in Arundell instead, she¡¯d have risen to the status of Queen much earlier.¡± Chapter 116 Affectionate King

Chapter 116 Affectionate King

Chapter 116: Affectionate King ¡°It matters not. Her Majesty has no power nor does she currently wield one. That she is the Queen Mother¡¯s goddaughter means nothing!¡± a voice said snarkily. ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± one noble nodded and pondered over the matter, ¡°Even after the wedding ceremony, Her Majesty attended the night party for a brief moment before returning back to the Queen¡¯s Pce. Moreover, I heard our king was furious after learning that she¡¯d gone to meet the Queen Mother without his knowledge not too long ago.¡± Another sighed musingly and looked down at the wine ss in hand. ¡°It looks like their bitter rtionship between His Majesty and the Queen Mother still remains. I wonder when they¡¯ll make up again¡­¡± As the talks moved in full swing, the melodic musing stopped abruptly alongside the chattering lips gossiping here and there. The main attendant yelled at the top of his lungs and announced the majestic entrance of the king and queen. ¡°His Majesty the King and Her Majesty the Queen now enters!¡± The nobility moved to the side briskly and opened a wide, straight path toward the throne. The ballroom grew reminiscently quiet as all eyes were locked and focused onto the king and queen ¨C their hands more precisely. The sight of the newly wedded pairs holding hands caused small gasps of astonishment to escape their pretty little lips. ¡°¡­What a beautiful pair they make.¡± The most up-to-date novels are published on ligh_tn_ovelworld_.c_om ¡°You¡¯re right. They look better together than I ever imagined.¡± The nobility lived their entire lives striving for youth and beauty. They relished in the thought of it. To let genuine gasps of astonishment and surprise at the sight of the beautiful queen and charming king shining ephemerally indicated their high view of them. As they watched the king gazed at his queen with eyes full of love and affection, the bitter opinions they had short moments ago turned anew and changedpletely. It seemed unlikely that their rtionship was broken and even more so that the king disapproved of his queen as she was merely a hostage and only brought to Arundell as his wife in name. While multitudes of questioning gazes and thoughts were directed toward the king and queen, the two pairs walked to the throne and sat down at a mannered pace. The king¡¯s handid on top of the queen¡¯s hand as it rested on the armrest. Each and every gaze from the nobility were focused on that specific point. Even while the king gave a toast with a broad smile on his lips, he did not let go of her hand. ¡°Wee, honored guests. You¡¯vee all the way here to visit and congratte us on our marriage and union. For that, I thank you, and I hope you have a wonderful time.¡± ¡°Congrattions on your marriage! Blessings be to Your Majesty the King, and Your Majesty the Queen!¡± The nobility celebrated their marriage merrily. The hands of the many nobles in the ballroom lifted their drink simultaneously. The music yed again as the crowds resumed their talks. The most up-to-date novels are published on ligh_tn_ovelworld_.c_om The ball started in earnest. At that moment, as the eyes of the guests turned away from the king and queen for a moment, Igor quietly leaned over and whispered to Rihannan, ¡°I told you so, did I not? All their eyes and gazes won¡¯t look away as they try to see when our hands will separate, and desperately so.¡± Rihannan shook her head side to side and sighed quietly in solemnity. Igor smiled and gripped her hand tighter. ¡°There¡¯s a way to make sure you don¡¯t grow nervous in the ballroom. Would you like to try?¡± Igor asked. Chapter 117 Can I Have This Dance?

Chapter 117 Can I Have This Dance?

Chapter 117: Can I Have This Dance? Before making their public appearance, Igor had attempted to pacify his beloved wife sensing that she was wrought with anxiety and nervousness. Heaving a sigh replete with anxiety, she readily agreed to Igor¡¯s suggestions. At her consent, he immediately grabbed hold of her hand and did not let go. Unknown to her, his heart gushed with mellow happiness. What he told her afterward shocked her more than his suggestion. He said that so long as she held his hand tight, the eyes of the nobility will remain fixated on their hands that none would care to look at her. It seemed to prove sessful too. When they sat down on the throne, Igor did not let go of her hand. She had tried to sneakily pull her hand away, but Igor would not budge. It was a fortunate case that all eyes were glued to their locked hands despite pretending not to. From the moment they made their appearance in public with hands locked together, the nobility immediately lost interest in the queen and vied to know their rtionship. It was a rare sight to see a king and queen show signs of true affection in an official setting like this. Soon, the nobles all lined up prettily and greeted the king and queen personally. The order was from the high-ranking nobles to the lower-ranking nobles. The husband and wife from the House of Lissel touted a long tradition of greeting the royalty first. ¡°Congrattions on your marriage, Your Majesty the King, and to you, Your Majesty the Queen.¡± He bowed down and kissed the back of Igor¡¯s hand then kissed Rihannan¡¯s as well afterward. ¡°You two look marvelous together. I hope the heavens¡¯ blessing be with you now and forever.¡± As the duke finished his greeting, the duchess started hers. She greeted the royalty the opposite way and walked up to the queen first and the king second. Like her husband, she left them a message of congrattions and stepped away thereafter. As the noblemen and their noble partners came to greet them one by one, the orderly line grew smaller. Meanwhile, Rihannanughed and whispered with a small voice, ¡°Just when will you let go of my hand?¡± ¡°We¡¯ll be holding hands again. Why let it go now?¡± ¡°¡­We¡¯ll hold hands again?¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± As the greetings from the nobility continued, Igor and Rihannan whispered amongst each other, but soon stopped their bickering and smiled brightly at the nobles walking up to them. When the final greeting came to an end, Rihannan was able to hear Igor¡¯s reasoning. ¡°Because you have to dance with me, Rihannan,¡± Igor said, gesturing his hand to the ballroom dance floor. He raised a finger, and at that moment, the music changed from a serene melody to one fitting for dancing. He stood up from his seat and reached out his hand. Rihannan had received kisses on the back of her hand, a symbol of the nobles¡¯ absolute loyalty to her. Now it was Igor who stood in front of her and bowed down deeply simr to the nobility. He pulled her hand and nted a soft, gentle kiss. ¡°Rihannan, my wife, can I have this dance?¡± Igor smiled gently, his eyes brimming with affection. Igor looked at her longingly. Advertisement Rihannan looked back. In her eyes, she saw the man she once knew from the past standing behind the man before her. ¡­It was the Igor she once knew. The Igor of the past wore a stoic and angered expression. They had the worst night, their marriage consummation ending bitterly. He could bother to put on a fake smile and merely danced with her sourly for it was a necessary obligation. To the Rihannan of the past, it was as if she was a cow being dragged to a ughterhouse. Though it was custom to dance with their partner twice, Rihannan was unable to withstand the sneering gazes of the nobility and whisperings and thus was unable to continue onto the second dance. Seeing that she looked like she¡¯d copse at any moment, Igor let her go and walked away. He did not request a second dance from her. But that was then¡­ Rihannan looked into Igor¡¯s eyes, the man belonging to this timeline. ¡°¡­I ept.¡± Chapter 118 Deep In Love

Chapter 118 Deep In Love

Chapter 118: Deep In Love Rihannan threw away the memories of her past and stood up from her seat. She had many times to think over the past month. The one enlightenment she came to was the people who wreaked havoc in her life were no longer, and the Igor of this present life was a different man. She believed in this truth well. The king and queen walked down hand in hand. Meanwhile, the nobles hurriedly moved aside to create an empty space in the middle. After bowing to one another, they stretched one side of their hand outwards and spun in a circle in the spot. Their eyes did not move a single inch away from each other. While they spun the other direction, their gazes did not falter. Igor pulled Rihannan¡¯s hips closer to him and moved a step forward. He looked at her. She looked at him. Her lips were filled with genuine smiles. He smiled broadly as they danced. No matter who saw them, they saw nothing but a king and queen stripped off their status and was simply a man and woman deeply in love. ¡°¡­It looks like His Majesty cares for the queen much more than I expected.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± a nobleman chuckled, ¡°perhaps we¡¯ll see a new royal family member soon enough. They look so happy together. I¡¯m sure her pregnancy is near.¡± ¡°Oh? Looks like we¡¯ll bear witness to good news again.¡± While the nobility gave their opinions of the king and their newly pronounced queen, the king and queen¡¯s second dance came to an end. They bowed to one another and left the dancing hall elegantly. The nobles soon gathered in the hall and danced as they pleased. A melody with a faster tempo began to y throughout the ballroom. The noblemen grabbed the hands of their partner and whisked her away for a dance. The attendants busily delivered light snacks and alcohol to the guests standing freely and watching the dance in amusement. The ballroom was filled with cheerful moods. After the dance ended, the king and queen separated and began in earnest their socialization with the nobles, to which many looked forward to. The nobility immediately came up to their queen as soon as possible. ¡°My Queen, she is the wife of Duke Safia.¡± Mrs. Cessley stayed by Rihannan¡¯s side as she introduced the nobles with the intent to socialize with the queen. The nobles who were able to give a mere simple greeting previously were now able to speak to her as they wished. ¡°My Queen, I wish to invite you to join us in our domain should you find the necessary time and if heaven wills it. The scenery there is absolutely beautiful. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll love it.¡± The duchess¡¯ words were full of sincerity. Advertisement Rihannan fanned herself and smiled gently. ¡°Thank you for your offer, duchess. I truly appreciate it, however, I¡¯ve yet to fully adjust myself to the pce, so it would be difficult for me to make any promise to visit your domain. Once I familiarize myself, I¡¯ll be sure to remember your earnest request.¡± ¡°Whatever do you mean, My Queen? You seem plenty adapted to this ce already, especially seeing how close you are with His Majesty as well! Isn¡¯t that right, Madam Cessley?¡± Hearing her words, the nobles nearbyughed heartily at the same time. Mrs. Cessleyughed alongside and sent a veiled gaze. ¡°You have no idea how much His Majesty cares and adores Her Majesty. I¡¯ll simply tell you that what you¡¯ve seen today is nothingpared to how they are.¡± ¡°My goodness! To think their love runs deeper than this! Once I saw how close His Majesty and Her Majesty were together, I lost count how many times I pinched my husband¡¯s hips in a fit of anger and jealousy. I¡¯m pretty sure it¡¯d be bruised at this point!¡± Another round of heartyughter ensued. As they conversed further, an attendant came and looked for Mrs. Cessley. Someone from the residence sought her presence. Seeing that Rihannan easily immersed herself amongst the nobles, she felt reassured and left to attend to a matter that needed her attention. She judged that Rihannan would be able to continue the flow of the conversation when left alone. . Chapter 119 Hostage Queen

Chapter 119 Hostage Queen

Chapter 119: Hostage Queen However, the moment Mrs. Cessley left the area, another group keeping a close watch on the queen all throughout slowly made their way to her. Rihannan looked at them. She recognized the young woman leading the group and immediately, her countenance hardened. ¡®Seraphina.¡¯ Seraphina Rissel. In the past, she was one of the leading nobles who mocked and showed her derisivement behind her back and in secret. She was married then, but for odd reasons, she remained unmarried and without a noble partner in this present life. ¡°Greetings, Your Majesty. I am the eldest daughter of Duke Rissel, Seraphina Rissel from the House of Rissel.¡± The air changed subtly at that moment. The nobles who could not get enough of the queen and talked in fervent shut their mouth tightly as if there was a lingering unspoken promise. Their eyes drifted towards Rihannan and Seraphina back and forth, attempting to read the mood. Theyy in wait seeing what would happen next. Rihannan¡¯s intuition beckoned her that something was off. She felt that some key knowledge was missing. She¡¯d try to figure it out based on the information Mrs. Cessley told her, but nothing came up. ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure meeting you, duchess.¡± At the queen¡¯s reply, Seraphina raised the corner of her lips sleekly. Rihannan knew from abundant experience that Seraphina¡¯s expression was one made beforeunching an all-out attack, but even if she predicted the duchess¡¯ attack at any moment, she did not know the reasoning. If only Mrs. Cessley was by her side then she¡¯d have helped her quickly analyze the situation, but now, she was alone in a den of lions. It had been set up from the beginning. The group waited and bid their time for when Mrs. Cessley would leave so none would be able to help her. ¡°I had ns to greet you earlier, My Queen, but Her Majesty¡¯s poprity was so overwhelming that I feared I would not be able to speak a word.¡± Rihannan could the slight sting of a thorn in Seraphina¡¯s rosy voice. ¡°You praise me too much. They came to me to help thinking that I do not know anyone here and that I¡¯d feel lonely. They¡¯re really kind and caring,¡± Rihannan answered with a thin smile. Advertisement Seraphina lifted her fan askew and stared into the queen¡¯s icy blue eyes. ¡°You¡¯re right, My Queen. You came back to a ce you do not know and stayed in an unfamiliar ce for a month. Indeed, you must be lonely.¡± At that moment, Rihannan heard small gasps of air from the nobles around her. Soon, a silence as quiet as the tundra covered the ce. It was of her own choice not to remain in Chrichton till the day of her marriage and came to Arundell a month early under the escort of the army, but not many knew of this particr detail. The nobility came to the idea and notion that their king requested Chrichton to send him a royal family member as a hostage and thus their newly pronounced queen was dragged back to Arundell. Everyone thought of this, but none truly spoke this out loud in existence for the harsh mistreatment of the queen they believed in their hearts had all been canceled once they saw the king¡¯s genuine love and affection for his queen, but herees Seraphina re-instigating the?mistreatment?they once thought. The main point she had wanted to deliver was that even if she and king were close, the fact remains that she was hostage taken away from a foreign kingdom. . Chapter 120 My Late Mother

Chapter 120 My Late Mother

Chapter 120: My Late Mother ¡°I¡¯m actually quite unaware of the situation abroad, thus I needed to bring myself to ask you that question, My Queen. If perhaps you found myment distasteful and off-putting, forgive me.¡± Seraphina created an excuse of ignorance as means to escape in the case that she had been in the wrong should Rihannan correct her, and should Rihannan take offense to her words, Seraphina would merely say she had no intention of offending the queen while making a desperate plea as she cried crocodile tears to further enhance her innocence. Rihannan studied Seraphina Rissel carefully and her people. They were daughters of nobles at a ripe age for marriage. Their emotional eyes contained rage and jealousy targeted towards her, not like the noblewomen surrounding her. But why were they angered and jealous? The answer soon fell. It was anger and jealousy that they¡¯d lost their chance of bing queen. Igor was a talented young man popr in terms of marriage candidacy among the unmarried women, so much so that rumors of his name spread beyond Arundell. The daughters of the noblemen in Arundell would never ept that Rihannan had all but taken their only chance. Rihannan smiled inwardly. At least this had not changed. When Igor¡¯s political power had been taken away by his mother in the times past, many women vied for his love and affection, and among them was Leticia. Rihannan looked up and stared into Seraphina¡¯s eyes. Arge gap in the social hierarchy would be made when there was no queen or princess present. During that time, it meant that the highest noblewoman in noble society would be Seraphina Rissel, therefore, many treated her as queen-to-be. Even then, Seraphina strung the noblewomen along and created all sorts of made-up rumors in society. Rihannan wondered if she had high dreams and hopes of bing Igor¡¯s lover and queen. Igor married young for he¡¯d been pressured by his mother back then, but in this life, he lived the life of a bachelor his whole life. It was enough for many to concoct hopes of bing his lover. Maybe Seraphina had yet to marry merely because of this small hope of possibility. Rihannan smiled lightly. If this was the reason, then the problem was nothing she could not handle, and she already that type of person Seraphina Rissel was. ¡°I¡¯ve given the request to His Majesty to take me with him if he returns to Arundell actually,¡± Rihannan replied. ¡°You made a request to His Majesty the King first, My Queen?¡± Advertisement ¡°Yes,¡± Rihannan nodded with somber and grief-stricken eyes, ¡°I wanted to see myte mother as soon as possible. I hadn¡¯t found the chance to visit her once while I lived abroad in Crichton¡­¡± As she recited her mncholic reasoning, the noblewomen immediately showed a face of sympathy andpassion. ¡°¡­Ah¡­ I see¡­ Your Majesty, it must have been¡­ very painful for you¡­ you have my condolences¡­¡± ¡°As I had lost my mother at a young age and was sent off to Chrichton right away, the thought of seeing her again¡­¡± The story of a child losing their mother at a young age always brought out the sympathy from kindhearted souls and especially the noblewomen in theirte and mature years. They made attempts to soothe Rihannan¡¯s sadness. Rihannan made a small smile. ¡°Thank you. I appreciate your constions. Thankfully, His Majesty knew of this and set aside a n to visit my domain on the way to Edirne. I was thankful to His Majesty that I was able to give my greetings to myte mother as he stood by my side quietly.¡± ¡°How caring of our king!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. His Majesty¡¯s consideration for your feelings is truly endearing.¡± Chapter 121 Mocking the King and Queen

Chapter 121 Mocking the King and Queen

Chapter 121: Mocking the King and Queen Gone was the dreadful air. The atmosphere turned cheerful and joyous and the talk of the king¡¯s deep care for the queen as well as regards of constion for Rihannan¡¯s deceased mother. Seraphina, whose sole intent had been to insult the queen had resulted in the nobility sympathizing with her due to her tragically sad past. Her face hardened the more the nobilityforted and extended their hearts out to their queen. She bit her lips in anger when a thought formed in her pretty, little head and she immediately smiled smugly. ¡°Your Majesty, is it not a fact that both your parents are buried in that ce?¡± Seraphina asked. Rihannan nodded. ¡°Yes. After my father passed away, bothid to rest in that same ce. I gave them my heartfelt greetings and n to do so each visit.¡± Seraphina¡¯s lips raised slightly. ¡°Then why do you speak of your mother and not your father? Ah, I think I know why. After Her Majesty¡¯s mother passed away, you had chased your father out of his own home. Am I correct?¡± Her voice wore a triumphant victory. It was unprecedented and unheard of for a child to chase out their own parents. Those who valued tradition and sense of honor and duty would dare use the queen of shoddy behavior. Had she not travel straight to Chrichton afterwards and remained in Arundell, Seraphina was sure that she¡¯d suffer bacsh and criticisms. ¡°I was surprised actually after learning of this. To think such things could happen¡­ I¡¯m sure you had an adequate reason, Your Majesty, but for me¡­ I dare not imagine myself doing such a thing.¡± At her crude remark, a wave of silence fell onto the room. Even those in the corners of the ballroom felt the uneasy air emanating from the queen¡¯s location and shut their lips tight. Rihannan noticed that everyone¡¯s gazes were focused on her. She looked at Seraphina and smiled warmly. ¡°You speak such an awfully interesting story. Please continue.¡± Her reaction was unexpected, neither angered nor flustered, but a soft and warm smile. Seraphina became more aggressive. ¡°What do you mean? Interesting story? Are you not able toprehend my words, Your Majesty? Is it not wrong for one to chase out their parents? And you were a child too. To do that to your own father, it¡¯s sphemous! It¡¯s unheard of and¨C¡± ¡°Seraphina!¡± A loud, booming voice stopped Seraphina¡¯s vulgarment midway. It was her father Duke Rissel. His face was white and pale as he quickly ran towards his daughter and grabbed her arm. ¡°What crude things are you saying to the Queen?!¡± ¡°What is it, father? What I speak of is no lie,¡± Seraphina answered. She did not know why his father hurried towards her uncouthly. Duke Rissel lowered his voice and whispered, ¡°Are you mocking both the king and queen themselves¡­?!¡± Advertisement The duke¡¯s daughter realized promptly what she should not have said. The king¡¯s situation was the same as the queen. Like her, he too had chased out his mother out of the pce. The words she spoke meant to openly criticize the queen¡¯s wrongdoings had indirectly extended to chastising and condemning the king¡¯s action. Seraphina¡¯s face paled. ¡°F-father¡­ I didn¡¯t mean that¡­¡± ¡°Shut your mouth!¡± Duke Rissel sternly shut his daughter¡¯s attempt to retort. He turned to face Rihannan and bowed deeply. His receding hairline was wet with cold drops of sweat. ¡°Your Majesty the Queen, please forgive us. My immature daughter had said things that she did not mean. I ask that you grant us mercy.¡± He turned his head slightly towards the king tucked far away in the corner. He was fortunate that he seemed unable to hear what his daughter had spoken into existence, merely staring at them as if attempting to figure out the current situation. Therefore, if he was able to appease the queen¡¯s anger¡­ then the issue may not take a turn for the worse. He quickly bowed his head. ¡°My Queen, please be charitable and forgive my daughter¡¯s impertinent and cheeky behavior directed towards you. I promise to go home and give her just punishment ordingly.¡± . Chapter 122 Sincere Apology

Chapter 122 Sincere Apology

Chapter 122: Sincere Apology ¡°Hm? A mistake, you say? It did not seem to me that your daughter spoke such things on a slip of the tongue, Duke Rissel,¡± Rihannan said with a slight smile, pointing out that his daughter, Seraphina, had yet to apologize to the queen properly. ¡°Apologize sincerely to Her Majesty now!¡± Duke Rissel swiftly turned to Seraphina and scolded her strictly. Hearing her father¡¯s orders, Seraphina shut her two eyes tightly and clenched her fist. She knew the only way out of the hole she buried herself in was to offer her sincerest form of apology to the queen, and should the queen ept her apology and forgive her of her unbing behavior, the queen, in consideration of her dignity, will not speak to the king of her problematic way. Seraphina kneeled on one knee. Meanwhile, the nobility near her and those watching her from afar with piercing eyes kept quiet and fanned themselves. Seraphina the noblewoman had been the one to control the rumor mills and social circles to her will and decree, but now she kneeled in front of hundreds of gazing eyes. This was unheard of. ¡°Your Majesty, I was a fool and made a terrible mistake¡­ I hope you can grant me forgiveness¡­¡± Rihannan¡¯s icy blue eyes were calm andposed. She looked down at Seraphina and lifted her chin. The most up-to-date novels are published on light_novelworld.c_om ¡°Please get up.¡± At the queen¡¯s order, Seraphina stood up. The hands holding onto the hem of her skirt trembled. ¡°I think that it¡¯s important for you to be more considerate of your words and actions from this point on,¡± the queen said with a smile on her face, ¡°I¡¯m sure you understand that there¡¯s a limit to how much trouble you¡¯re able to avoid responsibility using ignorance as a mere excuse.¡± ¡°¡­I will keep your warning in mind, Your Majesty,¡± Seraphina answered bitterly. The father and daughter hurriedly left the scene. The nobility shook their heads disapprovingly while they watched the members from the House of Rissel quickly leave in haste out of embarrassment. ¡°The youngdy had been quite haughty up till now¡­¡± ¡°Yes,¡± a voice nodded in agreement, ¡°She acted as if she was queen in the absence of the Queen Mother. In the end, her sheer arrogance caused her trouble.¡± ¡°But she¡¯s learned a valuable lesson, right?¡± Thereafter, when the slight disturbance had been resolved, the once quiet ballroom was filled with merryughter. Mrs. Cessley who left for a moment reappeared and stood by the queen. The most up-to-date novels are published on light_novelworld.c_om The merry conversation grew invigorated and Rihannan had a delightful chat with the nobles. This time, a group of gentlemen came up to her. Advertisement ¡°Your Majesty, I apologize if we had intruded your lively talks, but would it be alright of us to join in as well?¡± ¡°Yes, of course. Do join us.¡± Rihannan nodded and tilted her head to the sight with a smile at Marquis Parvad¡¯s request. The marquis pped his son¡¯s shoulder. ¡°This is my son, Your Majesty,¡± then he leaned over to his son and said, ¡°Go on, give your greetings to the Queen.¡± A baby faced young man held the queen¡¯s hand and gave a meaningful kiss on the top of her hand. ¡°I am Ash Parvad, the eldest son from the House of Parvad. It is an honor to be in your presence, Your Majesty.¡± Rihannan smiled. ¡°A pleasure to meet you as well, Sir Parvad.¡± As only the nobility with prestigious titles and their house were unable able to greet the king and queen at the start of the ball, there were now many nobles who wished to introduce their sons and daughters to the royalty. The most up-to-date novels are published on light_novelworld.c_om As the exchange of greetings came to an end, Marquis Parvad asked, ¡°What was the topic of the conversation?¡± Rihannnanughed brightly. ¡°We were merely discussing trivial things like the books we¡¯ve enjoyed reading recently.¡± ¡°Is that so? I¡¯m quite curious as well to know what books our youngdies are reading these days,¡± the wife of Count Saphia answered. Chapter 123 Struggle For Sweetness

Chapter 123 Struggle For Sweetness

Chapter 123: Struggle For Sweetness ¡°It was Her Majesty¡¯s turn to list out the books she had read previously,¡± a noblewoman answered. Marquis Parvadughed broadly and extended his hands. ¡°Looks like I¡¯ve joined a good time. If it¡¯s alright, may we hear them out as well? We¡¯ve been looking for good books to read as of recent, truth be told.¡± Rihannan pondered for a moment at his subtle request. A title soon came to mind and she answered, ¡°Recently, I¡¯ve been reading the book called?¡®The Struggle For Sweetness¡¯?and I found it an enjoyable read and to my liking.¡± A few of the young bachelors burst out in cheerfulughter. ¡°The title of the book is called?The Struggle For Sweetness??Is that right? Goodness, it seems like a book rted to desert making.¡± Before Rihannan could reply, Ash Pavard parted his lips open and said, ¡°Hmm¡­ Sir Killian, I think you have some sort of misunderstanding. The book is quite famous and renowned for its humanities of sorts. It looks like you don¡¯t know of this.¡± The young men who wore a burst of cheerfulughter early on reddened immediately. Their faces were simr to a tomato. The other gentlemen looked at them with pity while the noblewomen clicked their tongue and shook their heads. Ash Parvad looked at the queen with eyes of glinting fascination. ¡°I quite enjoyed reading that book, Your Majesty. It struck me with strong interest that the authorpares bees to humans of their struggle against the weather and other dangers to create beeswax is equivalent to humans working together to create preciousmodities, the beeswax being the?sweetness?the title is referencing,¡± Ash Parvad said. ¡°Yes. That sweetness represents the systems of humanities that we must keep that helps us form a better society. The main point of the book was the highlight of creating talented men and to work hard for their livelihoods as if every day was a battle.¡± Ash Parvad nodded sagely and said excitedly, ¡°Yes! It looks like you¡¯ve figured the exact implications of the book, Your Majesty. Then what do you make of the two factors of wind and light the book referenced?¡± Rihannan smiled. ¡°Though it¡¯s difficult for me to be definite about my theory as the author failed to exin the factors separately, but when you think of it to an extent, bees creating high-quality beeswax is the wind and light. The wind is the driving force carrying the seeds to different areas and the light is the assistance helping seeds grow and bloom to a flowery bud. It shows us that to create a talented individual, not only is effort required, it¡¯s important that we improve ourselves, but to do this, society must provide a foothold to stand on their own.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± Ash Parvad nodded in understanding, ¡°what Your Majesty says reiterates my assumption.¡± The queen and the eldest son from the House of Parvadughed politely. Advertisement Meanwhile, Countess Safia interrupted their talks, ¡°Your Majesty, I¡¯ve enjoyed reading that book as well. I personally enjoy the many works from the author Professor Laghman.¡± Rihannan faced Countess Safia and smiled. ¡°That¡¯s right. He¡¯s a poet as well as a critic. He¡¯s quite well-known for his intellectual thoughts that puts actions into words so¡­ eloquently.¡± ¡°I¡¯d love to invite you to my domain one day Your Majesty and engage in an earnest conversation with him. I find it a shame that your excellent observation to be simply carried away without his presence here,¡± Countess Safia said. Rihannan gave a heartyugh. ¡°When I was in Chrichton, I had no choice but to open a salon with Princess Helena. She enjoyed debating with many of the young gentlemen and noblewomen. Should a chancee by in the future, I would very much like to invite everyone to the pce for a formal debate simr to what I¡¯d done while living abroad.¡± ¡°Of course, Your Majesty. It would be an honor to have you invite us,¡± Ash Parvad said and kissed the back of Rihannan¡¯s hand. Meanwhile, someone appeared from behind the queen and pulled her hips towards him. ¡°Sir Parvad, I think you¡¯ve gone a little too far kissing my wife¡¯s hand twice today.¡± Chapter 124 Have a Rest, Queen

Chapter 124 Have a Rest, Queen

Chapter 124: Have A Rest, Queen Hearing the voice¡¯s words, Ash Parvad was shocked but he quickly recovered andposed himself. He had not realized the king had appeared before him and held onto the queen with one hand as if showing that she was his. Ash Parvad was extremely nervous, but once he saw the king¡¯s yful smile, he realized he¡¯d been joking. Ash Parvad calmed down and gave an awkward smile as his face blushed a faint red. ¡°I apologize, Your Majesty. I¡¯d been too focused on this merry conversation I hadn¡¯t had in a while that I ended up overstepping my boundaries.¡± ¡°It seems everyone is focused on talking rather than dancing in this ballroom. At this rate, won¡¯t a rumor ur that our Queen kept everyone at bay talking for hours on end and refused to let them go? How about you take the lead, Sir Parvad, and dance with the daughters of the affluent nobles?¡± At the king¡¯s words, the young daughters of the nobility smiled excitedly and fanned themselves. Ash Parvad was a noble scheduled to inherit the dukedom. He was handsome and had a wonderful personality to boot. Among the noble daughters, many saw him as a good husband candidate. Ash Parvad nodded and walked up to one of the noble daughters and politely requested for a dance. ¡°Miss, may I have this dance?¡± The youngdy smiled happily and nodded. Ash Parvad smiled in return and held his hand out and escorted his partner into the hall. With him paving the way, many of the gentlemen followed suit and requested the hands of the noble daughters. ¡°Rihannan, if you¡¯re too tired, how about going inside for a rest?¡± Rihannan nodded at Igor¡¯s suggestions. She was beginning to show signs of fatigue. ¡°My Queen, pleasee this way.¡± Mrs. Cessley led Rihannan to the interior. Rihannan apologized to the nobility and excused herself, leaving the ball ahead of everyone. After returning to the Queen¡¯s Pce, she had a bath immediately, drying herself thereafter. She sat on the bed and brushed her hair when Mrs. Cessley came in and gave Rihannan a warm cup of tea. ¡°You must have been nervous today. Please have some of this to relieve your stress.¡± Rihannan nodded and sipped on the tea. Mrs. Cessley could not help but give a pleased and victorious smile. ¡°You¡¯ve done well today, My Queen. You also did an amazing job handling the House of Rissel¡¯s daughter. What had urred today was merely of her own doing and will not affect your reputation.¡± Rihannan looked up. Advertisement ¡°You were watching?¡± Mrs. Cessley nodded. ¡°Yes. I was on my back when I saw her attempt to make a mockery of yourself. I had ns to step in, but I thought that you would be able to handle yourself well so I did not interfere and watched from afar instead. I had also prevented His Majesty from hurriedly intervening and had him calm down and watch the situation for a moment.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Rihannan sipped on the tea. She was lost in her thoughts for a second before looking in the eyes of herdy-in-waiting. ¡°¡­But Mrs. Cessley, why did you not tell me of Seraphina Rissel ahead of time?¡± ¡°My Queen, what do you mean by¨C¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure you already knew that she had feelings of malice towards me and because it had to do with the king¡¯s rtionship with mine. I am asking why you did not inform me of this beforehand. Knowing you, I know you¡¯re not one able to miss these details well.¡± A look of embarrassment crossed the duchess¡¯ face. It was a rare sight. She always wore a rxed countenance. Mrs. Cessley hurriedly walked up to the queen and knelt down. Chapter 125 Embracing Other Women

Chapter 125 Embracing Other Women

Chapter 125: Embracing Other Women ¡°Please forgive me, My Queen. I did not mean to deceive you nor was it done out of malice. When His Majesty reached the age of eligibility but showed no signs of interest in marriage, the many nobles came together and selected Ms. Seraphina Rissel as queen candidate, however, His Majesty declined the request right away. He had never once shown any personal interest to her. As this incident happened long ago, I did not care to bring it up to you for I was sure that if you were to learn of it then it may have caused you unnecessary difort,¡± Mrs. Cessley said in disgrace. ¡°I understand and I appreciate that you put my feelings into consideration. However, I wish that you not do this next time. Even if the information were to cause me difort, I need to know so I¡¯m able to prepare ahead of time with what I know should I be ced in an awkward situation like today. The duke¡¯s daughter dug the grave herself, but it does not mean that a simr urrence won¡¯t happen again.¡± Mrs. Cessley nodded vigorously. ¡°Yes, My Queen. I¡¯ll keep your words in mind.¡± Rihannan nodded and lightly gestured to the door. ¡°You did well today. You may go back to your room and rest.¡± Mrs. Cessley bowed and left the room hitherto. Rihannan sighed and slid her finger along the rim of the teacup and fell into a deep in forlorn. She experienced what it was like to have ady-in-waiting in times past and she knew the importance of gathering information before rying it to the queen. Thedy-in-waiting had to make sure the information was factual otherwise it¡¯d damage the queen¡¯s image. Maybe Mrs. Cessley had indeed hid information about Seraphina Rissel to Rihannan purposely so she not feel difort, but it may have to do with it being disadvantageous to Igor. Thinking of it now¡­ Igor did send Mrs. Cessley to her. For more, visit lightnove_lworld Maybe¡­ maybe she¡¯d never give her information that would put the king she served in a disadvantageous angle. Rihannan knew this was inevitable, but it saddened her so. Meanwhile, there came a knock on the door before it opened. ¡°I hope I¡¯m not bothering you.¡± It was Igor. He stepped closer to her. The faint smell of soap wafted in the air. The ends of his hair looked damp as if he had just finished bathing. And like yesterday, he stretched out his hand and cupped her cheek. As he came in for a kiss, Rihannan turned her head to the side. ¡°¡­Rihannan?¡± His voice echoed confusion. For more, visit lightnove_lworld Rihannanposed herself and quickly walked back. Fortunately, he did not close the distance as she moved away from him. ¡°I have something I need to speak to you,¡± Rihannan said quickly while not looking him in the eye. Igor¡¯s lips, which was filled with smiles, slowly tightened in worry. ¡°Go ahead,¡± he said. Advertisement Rihannan steeled herself and breathed deeply. ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry about me too. I¡­ I can handle myself.¡± ¡°¡­What do you mean?¡± ¡°I am saying that you need not bind yourself to me and lose your freedom in the process. I do not mind if you have another woman you hold in your embrace during our marriage. You¡¯re free to embrace her as much as you want without consideration of how I will feel¡­ I¡¯ll be fine.¡± She had entertained these thoughts after what happened with Seraphina Rissel, wondering if the deeds of the past would ur again. Would he embrace other women, she wondered. For more, visit lightnove_lworld He had left arge hole in her heart when he pulled Leticia to his side and embraced her¡­ it was the most talked topic in the kingdom after many nobles learned of their affair¡­ But¡­ Even though he treats her well now, would he lose interest in her after enjoying her body as much as he ced? If it will end up like this, Rihannan thought it better that she draws the line. She had no ns to be made aughing stock simr to the past. ¡°But please be careful so that rumors don¡¯t leak out since it is rted to my dignity, after all.¡± Chapter 126 Cold Purple Eyes

Chapter 126 Cold Purple Eyes

Chapter 126: Cold Purple Eyes Rihannan kept her mouth shut and pursed ever so tightly. An ill-fitting thorny silence filled the room as Igor had yet to answer. The dolorous silence was like the calm before the cmitous storm. Rihannan carefully lifted her head. She was immediately met with purple eyes that were frozen cold. Unconsciously, she gasped in silent fear. It was as if the Igor of the past stared at her and let out abusive words he knew would wound her broken heart. ¡°¡­Freedom, huh,¡± Igor scoffed and slowly mumbled. He picked up his feet and shuffled toward her. In reaction, Rihannan backed further away, but despite this, he walked towards her, neither slow and neither hurried, just fast enough to outpace her distancing. As her back reached the wall, she realized she no longer had a means of escape. Had she known this would ur, she¡¯d not have sent out Mrs. Cessley. The bitter regret filled her core, but she knew wallowing in regret would only prove futile. ¡°Are you telling me to embrace the woman I want to be with as much as I want?¡± Igor questioned with aggravated breath and leaned close enough to her. She could feel his hot breath. Looking at her icy blue eyes shaking heavily, Igorughed sharply. ¡°¡­Then, my dear, it looks like I should carry out what you wish for me to do right now.¡± Igor¡¯s two strong,rge hands grabbed her soft face and lifted her chin upwards as he forcefully stole her lips with hers right away. He assaulted her lips, defiled her tongue and dug deep into her mouth without skipping a beat. She could not escape. All means of resistance proved futile. When she pulled back her tongue, his tongue wrapped around hers and pulled it toward him. She was powerless. He had caught her in his trap. ¡°Mmphh!¡± She tried desperately to take in a semnce of air as he kissed her roughly. A small gasp escaped from the corner of her lips as it rubbed with his. She could not push him away. It was impossible. Instead, she grabbed his shoulder and pushed him aside, but instead, she was pushed back into the wall further and further till she was left with nothing. With nothing else in mind, she clenched her fists into a ball and beat on his shoulders fatigue, to which he crudely grabbed both her wrists and pinned it onto the wall. At the same time, he bit down hard on her soft and luscious lower lips. Advertisement ¡°Ugh..¡± She could taste bitter iron in her mouth. Both her hands were tied up. She was caught in his grasp with nowhere to escape and soon, she lost all will to fight back. In that moment of bitter surrender, he pulled on her lightlyyered pajamas and ripped it apart in a whole. Rip! Her goddess-like and alluring body had been revealed and touched the cold open air. Her swollen lips strongly pressed against Igor moved away from him slightly and she could see his faint purple eyes looking down at her with intents to swallow her pearl-like and frail body whole. She saw his lustful eyes taking in her naked formpletely. She was defenseless; both her hands had been tied up and she could do nothing but stand in quandary bashfulness. She desperately wished to cover herself in any way possible, but due to her current plight, she knew it to be impossible. Soon, Igor¡¯s hand went down her appetizing twin peaks and rubbed it in full. As his palm gripped hard around her scious peaks, Rihannan¡¯s body shivered. ¡°Ah¡­¡± Chapter 127 Why Do You Cry? (19)

Chapter 127 Why Do You Cry? (19)

Chapter 127: Why Do You Cry?(19) Rihannan let out a short, delicate moan. Synchronous to her gasping breaths, Igor bit down on her nape and felt the smoothness of her skin and devoured her. She looked akin to a prey waiting to be eaten by a beast. While she shut her eyes tight, her willowy brows furrowed together, Igor friskily rubbed her twin peaks and did not stop. His ceaseless attacks from both sides made her nearly lose her mind. A second breathter, Igor let go of her wrist and lifted her. Rihannan gasped as he grabbed her perky butt and pushed her up against the wall. Behind her, the rough texture of the tapestry hung on the wall rubbed against her skin while a man blocked her from the front, his body pressed tightly onto her with only a singleyer of silk in between. She struggled fruitlessly despite knowing all attempts of escape were hollow and useless. ¡°Nnnh¡­¡± The unbridled Igor bit the edge of her ear. Rihannan instinctively shrank her body in reaction. ¡°What is it? Is this not to your liking? I recall that you, my wife, had given me the allowance to embrace any woman as much as I please and like.¡± He whispered in her ear madly; a tongue slipped out and swept over her. His coarse and deep voice and the wet licking sound echoing right against her ear seemed threatening. Her chest beat fast and was on the verge of exploding. ¡°I-I¡­ I meant someone else¡­¡± Rihannan gasped out a weak answer. ¡°I chose the woman I want to embrace. No one can dictate who I can or cannot hold. You don¡¯t realize this simple fact?! Have you forgotten who I am, Rihannan?!¡± Igor¡¯s cold voice was embedded with volcanic rage. That was when she realized the cause of his anger. She may have triggered a hidden emotion due to the words she had spoken. Igor had, after all, suffered under the shadows of his mother in the past. Though the amount of effort and taxation of stress in his back was wholesome to win back the political power the Queen Mother stole from him, he managed in the end. Maybe her words triggered a memory he put away¡ªthat was being ordered around. Igor wore a nk expression and held Rihannan closer to his arms and wrapped it around his neck. He ced his hand on her stomach and slowly fumbled down the space between her legs, entering her fleshiest parts and digging deep inside. She drew her head forward and buried it into his shoulders and let out an unnerving moan. Her garden was dry and had yet to be watered¡ªeven taking in one finger was excruciatingly painful. He licked her skin and sank his teeth on her nape and bit down hard as he worked on moistening her flesh. As his movements became a repeated urrence, her fleshy garden slowly moistened with humidity before she realized what was happening. ¡°Haa¡­¡± Igor let out a shivering voice. His manhood had grown erect to its maximum length. Advertisement He removed his finger from her flesh and pulled down his bottoms. As he worked to push his member inside her, he noticed his shoulder growing increasingly wet. ¡°¡­Rihannan?¡± A bucket of tears dampened his clothing. Yet she made no sounds. She bit her lips and prevented the tearful voice from escaping. ¡®Damn it!¡¯ Igor came to his senses and he cursed himself. He realized his mistake. ¡°¡­Rihannan, why are you crying?¡± His voice softened soothingly. Her tears did not stop. Igor let out a despairing sigh. While holding onto her body, he walked towards the bed andid her onto it. He pulled up a nket and wrapped it around her naked body tightly like a cocoon. Thereafter, heid next to her and stroked the silver-colored hair sprawled over the pillow. ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m sorry¡­ I was wrong¡­ please stop crying¡­¡± Chapter 128 To Not Be Miserable

Chapter 128 To Not Be Miserable

Chapter 128: To Not Be Miserable Rihannan buried her face into his chest. Her warm, salty tears, the river to her soul, coarsed his chest area wet, and she showed no signs of stopping. It looked like it¡¯d fill the ocean anytime soon. Igor let out a long, painful sigh and said, ¡°Rihannan, do you remember the time when I climbed the tree to keep you from crying? What¡­ what should I do this time? Should I go up the spire and pick out a star from the night sky? Would you then stop? I¡¯m¡­ sorry¡­¡± Her shoulders shivered lightly at his reply. Though in tears, he felt her lips drew to a smile. His pained and regretful heart was relieved. ¡°It was my fault. It¡¯s all my fault. I touched you without your consent¡­ I ripped off your clothes¡­ I am so sorry¡­ I¡¯m regretting my actions¡­¡± A momentter, Rihannan lifted her head. She had cried and cried that her eyes were red and dry, hoping to fill the void she felt inside. Igor¡¯s heart ached seeing the terrible state she was in. He wiped the tears from the corner of her eyes. Droplets of lukewarm tearsnded on his finger. ¡°I thought you were upset with me¡­ because I overstepped my boundaries,¡± Rihannan mumbled. ¡°¡­Overstepped your boundaries¡­?¡± ¡°I felt that I had offended you telling you to embrace other women¡­ ordering you to¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s true. I was wrought with anger a while ago, but you¡¯re wrong. There¡¯s nothing you could ever do that would overstep any boundaries,¡± Igor¡¯s eyes softened, his lips palpitating. For more, visit lightnovel_world He held her face like she meant the world to him. ¡°But why did you say that? There must¡¯ve been a reason you said those words out of nowhere,¡± he asked with a tempered voice. ¡°Because of Seraphina Rissel,¡± Rihannan answered with a solemn sigh after hesitating. Igor¡¯s eyes glowed. ¡°Did that woman do something to you?¡± He should have¡­ stayed longer with her¡­ The events urring in the banquet hall came to mind and evoked a sour frown. His lips rolled together in bitter anger. He thought everything would be fine. Rihannan conversed with the nobility without troubles, but halfway through the banquet, he noticed his wife was in a precarious situation. His worries heightened instantly and his mood in chaotic disarray. Seraphina Rissel stood in front of his beloved wife, and the people circled around them kept their mouths shut and watched in curious silence. The House of Rissel¡¯s daughter had been crowned queen with the support of the Privy Council, but he quickly denied the suggestion fiercely. Though his action proved effortless. Seraphina Rissel always appeared in front of him using coincidence as the pretense with means to grow closer to him and be his wife and queen. ¡®That damn woman,¡¯?Igor cursed inwardly. As he moved a step forward and made way towards Rihannan, Mrs. Cessley suddenly appeared in front of him and blocked his movement. For more, visit lightnovel_world ¡°Your Majesty, I apologize for my rudeness, but why not leave Her Majesty to tend to the matter?¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡±?Igor asked angrily. Advertisement ¡°It looks like Miss Seraphina came to Her Majesty with mischievous intent. She intentionally brought up the topic of the Queen who¡¯d been brought to Arundell as a hostage. She ns to make Her Majesty flustered and make an embarrassing blunder in front of the nobility. Her Majesty won¡¯t fall for it so easily. Please have some patience and wait. Remember that you won¡¯t be able to be by Her Majesty¡¯s side at every moment.¡± Igor¡¯s lips parted. Mrs. Cessley¡¯s judgment was right. Though he could show his love and affection for her as queen, it¡¯ll not prevent those who loathed her existence. It was Rihannan who¡¯ll need to form connections and rtionships herself. We¡¯re he to step in and rebuke Seraphina Rissel, Rihannan would escape the current trouble, but she¡¯ll have difficulties building her own dignity. As Igor and Mrs. Cessley kept close watch, Duke Rissel immediately intervened and berated his daughter whose face became pale as sheer. The ufortable air and discourse urring in the ballroom ended with Seraphina Rissel kneeling down in front of the queen and apologizing for her mistake. The nobles present soon realized at that moment that Rihannan was not someone to easily mess with. Igor believed the issue had been solved, but perhaps he was wrong. ¡°Please tell me¡­ did she threaten you in any way, warning you to stay away from me and keep a distance?¡± He asked, voice tinged with furious anger. Rihannan hurriedly shook her head. ¡°No. She did not. It was me. I told her to be careful of her words.¡± Igor sighed and let out a sound of admiration different from his early frenzy. Rihannan was unable to speak out a word in the past, but now she hade a long way. For more, visit lightnovel_world ¡°If that isn¡¯t the case, then¡­ why did you tell me to embrace other women?¡± ¡°¡­Because¡­ I don¡¯t wish to be miserable, Igor. I don¡¯t want another thing like this to happen in the future. I believe you¡¯d soon grow tired of me and I thought that if that was the case, it was better to give you permission. I¡¯d at least be able to keep my dignity intact.¡± Chapter 129 May I Kiss You? (19)

Chapter 129 May I Kiss You? (19)

Chapter 129: May I Kiss You? (19) Rihannan fluttered her eyes downwards¡ªher strength had left her. Igor won¡¯t ever fully understand the deeper intricacies of her words and what it meant when she muttered of never wanting to be miserable. He was not the man of the past. Divulging her secrets would only confuse Igor and send him to the spiral unknown. He¡¯ll never understand the feelings of man experiencing things that have yet begun. She pondered, wondering how to respond should he return with another question when he grabbed her chin and looked in her oceanic eyes. ¡°Next time, do this as well,¡± Igor said. ¡°What¡­? What do you mean by¡ª¡± ¡°Exin to me the situation first like this. Don¡¯t just jump to conclusions like that, or else I won¡¯t know what you¡¯re thinking.¡± Igor lightly wiped her cheek wet with dewdrops. ¡°And I want to make this clear, Rihannan. For as long as you¡¯re my wife, I¡¯ll?never?embrace another woman. Not now and not ever.¡± Rihannan fumbled and watched him, the look in her eyes expressed one of surprise and the unforeseen she did not expect Igor to say. ¡°So¡­¡± Igor trailed, ¡°please don¡¯t say things like that again. It¡¯ll only hurt the both of us. Okay?¡± He strongly emphasized and Rihannan quickly nodded. The most up-to-date novels are published on l_ig_htnovelw_orld. Later on, when her mind was clear and had the time to think, she¡¯d find the blunder in her mistake and that it was the best solution. She won¡¯t need to worry and she could let out her thoughts to Igor. And with the case settled, Igor¡¯s menacing wrath subsided and Rihannan sighed in relief, only realizing the state she was in. She was nakedpletely so and wrapped in nothing but a cocoon of nket. She needed to dress, she thought and hurriedly moved away from him, but she had troubles. She was stuck and instead lost her center of bnce and fell forward, smacking her forehead into Igor¡¯s face. ¡°Ah! I¡¯m sorry!¡± Rihannan apologized. Her hand felt something hard touching her. It was Igor¡¯s manhood. It wiggles from behind the bedsheet and revealed it¡¯s mighty existence to her. ¡°¡­.¡± Her cheeks blushed red. Right. It was only moments ago that she was pushed up to the wall and nearly proceeded the deed. As she wiggled her body, Igor bit down his teeth and rolled his lips together. ¡°Rihannan, stay still¡­ if you keep moving like that¡­¡± The most up-to-date novels are published on l_ig_htnovelw_orld. He grabbed and pulled on Rihannan¡¯s shoulder, their eyes connecting. His purple eyes were dark and overflowed with lust. He longed to swallow her whole again, push her up against the wall and drown in pleasure. Rihannan endured just lustful eyes, her breath hitching. ¡°¡­May I kiss your lips?¡± Hearing his sudden words, her eyes widened. Till now Igor had stolen losses from her lips whenever he pleased. It was suspicious that he act like this, but she remembered his words, remembered his apologies forying a hand on her without permission. ¡°Yes.¡± She nodded, allowing Igor to touch her as he liked. Igor gasped and locked lips with hers. He tangled his fingers into her hair and gripped it tightly as he locked her soft lips endearingly. Advertisement Her mouth opened naturally to his advanced and his tongue coiled around hers more aggressively than ever and sucked her sweet, delicate tongue. Their breaths and saliva coagted that it became hard to distinguish. Rihannan found herself lying on her back. Surprisingly, it was she who longed for his touch and wished for him to enter her body and fill her uppletely with all of him. Igor smiled and climbed on top of her and groped her mountainous peaks endlessly. He left kisses around her body, not forgetting to pull the nket off her. His lips kissed her nape, down to her belly button, then further down the sensual treasure trove garden he loved. The most up-to-date novels are published on l_ig_htnovelw_orld. Rihannan¡¯s hips lifted from his unexpected touch and shivered strongly. ¡°W-what are you doing?!¡± Igor licked his lips and reached onto the little erect cl*t below. Rihannan tried to pull herself away and grabbed his hair, but he gripped her ankles and pushed her flower closer to his face. He inhaled a scent and sighed pleasantly. ¡°Stay still.¡± His tongue soon devoured her flower. The flower immediately bloomed and moistened, producing sweet, juicy nectars. He ate her like a soulful meditation¡ªone peaceful and light and slowly moving deeper in trance, deeper inside her flesh. Her mind emptied from her lover¡¯s tongue that opened her locked pleasure box. ¡°Ahh¡­¡± Her back arched automatically. She had tried to stop him however she could and pulled his hair, but it only brought his tongue deeper inside her tightened, coiled flesh. The most up-to-date novels are published on l_ig_htnovelw_orld. Her moist nectar slid down her shapely legs¡ªbody shook with electrifying energy as he devoured her from cl*t to c*nt. She had trouble handling her emotions and muffled moans that she rustled his hair and gripped it tight, causing Igor to push deeper and flick his tongue faster. ¡°N-no¡­ stop!¡± Rihannan let out an unrestricted moan, his tongue sucking and swirling upon her helpless flower. He continued volleys of licks, nearly stopping her breath, while his hands mped onto her outer thigh, ensuring her flower was locked to his skillful tongue. Sensing that she could take no more, he quickened his pace, licking her softly with hyperspeed. In seconds, spasms after spasms rocked her body with overwhelming rapture; soft fluidy juice burst out of her. Strength left her body and she fell straight to the bed. She breathed heavily and Igor gulped down her juicy nectar with a smile on his wet lips. ¡°I have to do this so you won¡¯t feel pain.¡± He slid out from under her and climbed to her again, enveloping her body with his. He delighted feeling the aftershocks continue to affect her¡ªbody shaking and all. He bit her nape and lightly gnawing on her ear before moving up to her lips and kissing it lewdly. Chapter 130 Tight and Clamp Flesh (19)

Chapter 130 Tight and mp Flesh (19)

Chapter 130: Tight and mp Flesh (19) A momentter Igor parted his lips with hers and stared into her soulful eyes. Rihannan¡¯s cheeks were wet with dews of raindrops; her silver eyelids were stained with damp droplets as well. Her appearance, god it mesmerized him, enough to have anyone be addicted to her charms. The face she made as she breathed heavily, glossy lips parted open, and her screams of ecstasy brought him a sense of euphoria. ¡°Rihannan¡­ Rihannan¡­¡± He wanted her¡ªbadly. Hisden gaze did not let off her. How badly he needed her, needed to devour her; to put her in the ecstatic trance that drew him like a ma to her in the first ce. He needed to taste the flesh of this irresistible creature. She wasn¡¯tpletely used to the feeling of him touching the depths of her inside that she winced slightly. ¡°Rx your body. Remember when did itst time?¡± ¡°Ah¡­ y-yes¡­¡± Rihannan nodded a little too enthusiastic. Igor chuckled and kissed her forehead. ¡°Now, wrap your legs around me.¡± He grabbed her legs and helped her wrap it around his waist. Rihannanpleted the wrapping, her long, slender legs locking him tightly. Her flesh-like petals tightened and mped down on him; Igor let out a small gasp of air. God¡­ what were her organs made out of? It was so tight, so sweet, so juicy, so gratifying that he could barely hold back submitting to his lustful greed of pushing deeper into her depths. He rested his two arms next to her head, not forgetting to groan. He had moved a bit too hurriedly their first night, causing her to ache painfully. Should he do the same this round as well, she¡¯ll end up despising their pleasure-filled night. Igor moved his hips slowly, filling her insides then letting it breathe as he pulled out. The process repeated again and again. All the while, his gaze stayed on her face. Rihannan didn¡¯t avoid him either and gazed back, icy-blue eyes shimmering. It was their first time like this¡ªconcentrating on nothing but their soulful eyes deepened their connection. Igor leaned forward and smothered her lips, his shaft impaling her garden in and out. Rihannan let out a small, incoherent sigh. Her flower trembled. As his movements grew frantic and quickened, her eyes became hazy, and soon, a loud moan leaked out, gasping for air and whimpering. The sound made was not one of pain but of ecstasy. ¡°Ah¡­ Igor¡­¡± Igor pounded her, ravaged her, impaled her. Rihannan¡¯s head bent backward. Her moans gradually heightened to a higher pitch, body shaking and trembling visibly. Advertisement His manhood swelled and grew bigger; his one hand grabbed her soft, plumpy buttocks and gave it a gentle squeeze. As the pleasure-filled ecstasy reached near climax, blood pounded his head as well as his groin. His thoughts became distant and he remembered what she had told him moments ago. ¡°You need not bind yourself to me and lose your freedom in the process. I do not mind if you have another woman you hold in your embrace during our marriage. You¡¯re free to embrace her as much as you want without consideration of how I will feel¡­ I¡¯ll be fine.¡± Her unreasonable words angered him. Just when he thought their rtionship deepened and grew closer, she showed him a face of coldness. It felt unfair to him. He knew what she meant but it made him anxious and pressed to make some kind of action¡ªanything but staying still. The only thoughts he had to numb the anxiety was to push himself inside her. And then¡­ ¡°I have different thoughts from my father. For me, Your Majesty, you¡¯re the only thing that fills my mind, so please, cast aside Rihannan and embrace me instead.¡± The face of a woman smiling cunningly with red lips and vibrant red hair entered his mind. She was his wife¡¯s sister¡ªthe woman greedy for everything Rihannan had. In the end, the greed of all those around her and Leticia caused her death. Igor bit his lower lips. A wave of uncontroble burning anger raged from within remembering the request that woman had given him, the woman who was the cause of Rihannnan¡¯s death and poisoning to which she did not hesitate. Her death drowned him in the abysmal abyss and lived a life of hellish torture he could never escape from till he was given the second chance. ¡°Rihannan, you allowed me to embrace you, hold you,¡± Igor whispered in her ear and nted a gentle kiss. ¡°So I¡¯ll do whatever I wish to do to you today. Prepare yourself.¡± Chapter 131 Screams of Ecstasy (19)

Chapter 131 Screams of Ecstasy (19)

Chapter 131: Screams of Ecstasy (19) At his sudden words, Rihannan¡¯s opened her shut eyes. With hazy eyes, she looked at Igor with a bundle of questions filling her mind. ¡°What do you mea¡ª¡± But before she could finish her words, Igor flipped her body over and she found herself bent over the bed. She had tried to wiggle away from him, but he grasped her from behind; then he pushed his hands under her belly and lifted it so her butt perked straight up. In this unfamiliar pose she found herself in¡ªforced on her hands and knees¡ªshe had tried to wiggle away from him, but Igor pulled her back, shaft rubbing up and down her entrance. ¡°Just what are you do¡­ah¡­ahh!¡± Her entrance was moist with his dripping prec*m and slowly, Igor pushed his engorgement inside her with a thrust. It didn¡¯t hurt as much as she had expected. His member entered deep inside her and she could feel that he was much bigger than before. She was feeling a new euphoric sense of stimtion that she gasped, eyes wide, mouth round. She had tried to hold the moans that longed to escape but it was proving difficult to do so. Her insides tightened and clenched around his member. Igor growled lowly, letting out a hot breath onto her back as he thrust into the heat of her s*x. His manhood seared with pleasure, splitting her flower with intensity and pounding her wet insides rhythmically. Rihannan trembled, goosebumps dimpling her skin as she let out a loud scream. ¡°I-I¡¯m scared¡­ please stop!¡± A sense of horror overcame her. She wasn¡¯t able to see Igor¡¯s face in this position. This was unfamiliar territory and it felt like he had changed to a person she did not know. She doubted herself too as she was bent over taking in a man¡¯s engorgement like this. Yet instead of the usual embarrassment, she felt blissful rapture. Igor felt sweat begin to drip off his body while her flowery nectar dripped off his manhood. He stopped for a moment, held her round globes, leaned forward, and kissed the back of her neck wet with sweat. A long sighed followed thereafter. Rihannan felt shivers down her spine; she instinctively shrank down, but Igor held tightly onto her shivering body, his chest copsing on her back. ¡°It¡¯s okay, Rihannan. This is just another way of making love to you. I would never do anything to bring you harm.¡± Rihannan tried to understand his words in her confused state, but her nk mind had troubles. There were also other ways to make love to each other that had almost driven her mad like this? Igor moved again, devouring her moist flower once more, his manhood rubbing against her folds. Advertisement Rihannan grabbed tightly onto the sheet. His other hand grabbed her shaking mounds and massaged it. At this moment, she could no longer hold back her moans. ¡°Haa!¡± she panted, grabbing tight to the sheets. Igor, too, let out an uncontroble groan next to her ear, sending shivers down her spine. Their eyes flicked into white and they let out a pleasurable moan at the same time. Warm, white fluids sprayed her insides as they copsed onto the bed. Rihannan, bent over, breathed heavily. Igor lowered his head and whispered something in her ear. ¡°¡­..¡± She was out of strength and his voice inaudibly weak that she could not hear properly; eyelids closed itself faster than she couldprehend. She felt Igor softly rubbing her hair beforeplete darkness enveloped her mind. Chapter 132 Destined Fate

Chapter 132 Destined Fate

Chapter 132: Destined Fate The young girl fidgeted as she held a boat in her hand. The boat was made of wood and meticulously crafted by a skillful expert all for her sake. The young girl looked at the young boy sitting in front of her with big, innocent eyes. She hoped he¡¯d ask in kind what she was holding in her hands likest time, but it looked like the young boy had no profound interest, merely turning his head away and not sparing her a nce. ¡°Hey, um¡­¡± With great difficulty, the young girl¡¯s small lips parted. The young boy¡¯s intense purple eyes looked toward her direction; the young girl¡¯s heart thumped erratically and she forced down dry saliva stuck in her throat. She lifted her hands above the table and pushed the wooden boat in her hand toward the young boy. ¡°It¡¯s a present. It¡¯s something I treasure dearly,¡± smiled gently. The young boy gazed at the wooden boat with disinterest. His gaze averted and looked at the young girl. He had noticed that whenever their eyes met, he¡¯d see her face heat up and turn red. ¡°¡­Present?¡± he asked with a cocked eyebrow. ¡°Yes,¡± the young girl nodded with a soft smile. ¡°It¡¯s the pirate boat Dimi will use to sail around the whole world in the future.¡± ¡°¡­..¡± The young boy looked at her, his expression somewhat strange. The young girl tilted her head, wondering if she made a blunder and said something weird. The young boy let out a woeful sigh. ¡°You¡¯re talking about that cousin of yours again,¡± he said ¡°Ah¡­ well¡­ Dimi made the boat.¡± The young boy¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°So why are you giving it to me?¡± She smiled. ¡°Because I treasure it the most.¡± ¡°¡­Why do you keep giving away things you treasure to other people? You did this thest time we met.¡± ¡°Because¡­ I want to see them smile with happiness¡­ and¡­ and because I felt sorry for taking the featherst time¡­¡± Her voice became smaller and smaller toward the end till it was equivalent to a buzzing fly¡¯s voice. The young boy, ck hair illuminated by the sun, furrowed his brows. He showed no signs of willingness to take her present. The young girl studied his expression. She made a disappointed face and slowly pulled back the wooden boat toward her. The young boy stretched his hand out. ¡°Since you¡¯re giving it to me, I¡¯ll take it, but only this time. Don¡¯t give me something like this again¡­¡± he said softly. The young girl¡¯s face once dyed with sadness lit up. Smiling gleefully, she said, ¡°Dimi said that the person who conquers the sea conquers the world.¡± ¡°That¡¯s the first time I ever heard of that.¡± ¡°But because he says that Arundell has no interest in that kind of thing, so we¡¯ll never know if it¡¯ll happen.¡± ¡°¡­..¡± He didn¡¯t reply to her words, yet the young girl smiled innocently. ¡°Rihannan, it looks like you and His Majesty have a close rtionship,¡± the young girl¡¯s mother said to her daughter not long after. Rihannan beamed a smile. Advertisement Her mother, Anastasia Alessin, said that they¡¯ll be able to visit the pce regrly. She didn¡¯t understand what her mother meant but she somewhat understood the gist of it¡ªshe¡¯d be able to maintain a close rtionship with the ck-haired boy. She liked that. Rihannan hoped to see him again. He was more mature than her childish cousins back in Chrichton. They were young then, the boy and the girl, unaware of the destined tragedy they¡¯d face in the future. *** When Rihannan opened her eyes, it was already the crack of dawn. What she saw first thing in the morning was a pair of purple eyes looking back at her. Sheid on the bed, head resting on his arms and embrace. Rihannan blinked; she hadn¡¯t shaken off her drowsiness yet. They stared at each other for a while. ¡°¡­Igor¡­ when did you get up?¡± ¡°Not too long. Perhaps¡­ an hour ago?¡± Igor stretched out a finger and rubbed her soft eyebrows. ¡°And what were you doing for that one hour?¡± Rihannan asked gently. ¡°Just waiting for you,¡± Igor smiled. ¡°¡­Waiting for me?¡± ¡°Yes. I was waiting for you to wake up.¡± Chapter 133 The Duchess Rage, Again (19)

Chapter 133 The Duchess'' Rage, Again (19)

Chapter 133: The Duchess¡¯ Rage, Again (19) Igor lightly kissed her lips, climbing on top of her. Rihannan¡¯s eyes widened, realizing what he nned to do. Looking at her cute and surprised expression, Igor smiled and lifted an eyebrow. ¡°I told youst time, didn¡¯t I? When men wake up in the morning, they want to do it even more.¡± Before she could muster a reply, his shaft poked her abdomen. It increased in size and pressured down on her ringly. ¡°I¡¯m only like this because you fell asleep right after we did it¡­ once¡­ I could barely hold back my desires to pounce you while you were asleep¡­¡± Ah¡­ the reasons why she felt his frustrations and why he embraced her tight first thing in the morning was because of¡­ her¡­ Rihannan was dumbfounded. ¡°¡­Igor¡­¡± Nevertheless, Igor steadily opened her legs, his fingers running up the skin of her legs as he lowered his hand and bit onto her thighs, chewing lightly as if a form of punishment. Rihannan¡¯s skin practically glowed at his touch. The most up-to-date novels are published on lig_htnovelwo__rld.c_om ¡°It¡¯ll feel nice, you¡¯ll feel good¡­ don¡¯t look annoyed.¡± Igor nted light kisses in her inner thighs. He looked at her flower; it was slightly damp from their deedst night. He spread her open to look inside. It was pink and perfectly smooth¡ªcreated in perfection. Igor buried his tongue inside her wet flower. Her body had gone rigid from the sudden connection. She mumbled incoherent words as he fought to keep his tongue inside her folds. ¡°Ha¡­.!¡± Thereafter, Igor rose up and ced his shaft at the entrance of her garden. He pushed forward, Rihannan¡¯s inner sh parting easily to happily greet his manhood. She gripped him with tenacity as she cried out, letting out an unintelligible moan. The insides of her muscle slowly took the shape of him. Igor gave a low grunt. He could already feel the pleasure starting to build. Rihannan¡¯s arm shook; she wrapped it around his neck and left her body to the pleasure of sensation. She hadpletely spent her energyst night; she had no strength left in her, so she allowed Igor to do as he pleased. He didn¡¯t move too fast nor too slow¡­ just perfect. The most up-to-date novels are published on lig_htnovelwo__rld.c_om Light sounds of breathing and skin pping against each other we¡¯re the only sounds filling up the room in the early crack of dawn. His slow and calm thrusting quickened. He could feel her churning and writing as their breathing became heavier. The unbridled pleasure of org*sm coursed through the both of them. And then, reaching climax, Igor grunted and Rihannan wailed in unrestrained ecstasy, bodies shaking heavily. Igor pumped his seed inside her, feeling her womanhood clenching in him desperately as she climaxed. He jammed his mouth against hers and kissed her fervently, feeling the need to touch her. Thereafter, he copsed on top of her. Rihannan could the warm fluids inside her spread around as she closed her eyes. The heavy weight of the man pushing her down was not the least bit ufortable. Though it hadn¡¯t been long since they slept together, she had grown hard to hisforting presence. Advertisement Igor rubbed her lower lips lightly as he watched her breathe in and out. ¡°¡­It must have been painful,¡± he mumbled. He licked her lips, which swole and bruised from his caress. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. This won¡¯t happen again.¡± She wanted to reply, but she had already closed her eyes and slowly fell asleep. Igor looked at her dreamlike expression and let out a sigh. ¡°Are you going to sleep again?¡± The most up-to-date novels are published on lig_htnovelwo__rld.c_om Rihannan had fallen into a deep slumber. *** ¡°That fool¡¯s driving me crazy,¡± Mrs. Cessleyshed out as she helped wash Rihannan in the bathtub. She had ordered the maids to step out while she personally tended to Rihannan. ¡°Your lips are all bruised and the marks on your nape¡­ hmmph!¡± If onepared to how Rihannan looked in her fight with Igor, then she left the battlefield with only a few bruises. When she walked into the room, Mrs. Cessley did not expect to see Rihannan with curl lips and bite marks first thing in the morning after sleeping with the king. She immediately sent the maids away and grabbed Rihannan¡¯s hand, asking sincerely if anything happenedst night between her and Igor. Rihannan assured her nothing happened, to whichforter Mrs. Cessley¡¯s mind a bit. Regardless, Mrs. Cessley¡¯sints didn¡¯t stop as she threw out endless curses andints toward the no-good-king. Chapter 134 Mrs. Cessleys Nagging

Chapter 134 Mrs. Cessley''s Nagging

Chapter 134: Mrs. Cessley¡¯s Nagging ¡°They say that if one keeps their pent up frustrations inside, it¡¯ll only make one terribly desperate to relieve itter on. I think this saying matches that foolish king, don¡¯t you think so? I¡¯m wondering how he was able to push down his desires for so long. Hm¡­ maybe he¡¯d been¡­¡± Mrs. Cessley cleared her throat. ¡°Anyway, I think I¡¯ll need to have a stern talk with His Majesty. The other parts are fine, but why does he need to rip apart your poor lips like this?¡± Rihannan pulled her hand out of the water and swept it across her lip for a moment. She remembered Igor licking her lips gently while apologizing. A zing red blush immediately tinged her cheeks. ¡°I don¡¯t think we¡¯ll be able to hide this with makeup. Perhaps we can make it work with a deep red lipstick? Though it¡¯s not like we have official meetings you¡¯ll need to attend, but if you walk around like this, I don¡¯t doubt that the servants will surely start a rumor¡­ um¡­ Your Majesty? Are you listening to me?¡± Rihannan jumped, hurriedly pulling her hand away from her lips and bobbing her head up and down vigorously. Mrs. Cessley shook her head and sighed exasperatedly all while looking annoyed. ¡°Looking at your expression, My Queen, I can tell that it¡¯s not only that foolish king enjoying himself. So you were flying in the clouds too. Goodness¡­¡± Thankfully, that was thest of the duchess¡¯ nagging. Rihannan was relieved. After finishing her bath, she dressed up with the help of the duchess and began her day¡¯s schedule in earnest. ¡°My Queen, about the big event¡­ it¡¯ll be one month from now. It¡¯s the annual Kiritte game held on the hunting grounds near the ce where the leading nobility will be attending.¡± Just as Kiritte was a popr pastime hobby in Chrichton, it is the same in Arundell. However, there exists a difference between the two in terms of rules. ¡°Would you like to participate in the game, Your Majesty, or would you prefer to spectate?¡± Rihannan didn¡¯t know much about Kiritte in the past, so she merely sat on the sidelines and watched the match in solemnity. It was a lonely experience as the noblewomen near her age enjoyed themselves in the immerseful game while she sat from afar watching the matches alone. She didn¡¯t want to sit out this time. ¡°I¡¯ll participate,¡± Rihannan replied. ¡°Do you know how to y Kiritte?¡± Rihannan smiled. ¡°Yes. I learned from my cousins in Chrichton.¡± Mrs. Cessley nodded. ¡°I understand. Then I¡¯ll prepare the schedule ordingly so you¡¯ll be able to participate in the game personally. There¡¯s also an official invitation letter from Duchess ?Saphia inviting you to her domain to celebrate her birthday. What would you like to do?¡± Duchess Saphia was the noblewoman Rihannan conversed with the most during the banquet held yesterday night. Rihannan hadn¡¯t developed any negative thoughts of her in the past, and public opinions of her from the nobility were generally favorable. Rihannan thought the same. As she pondered whether to ept the duchess¡¯ sincere invitation, Mrs. Cessley interrupted her thoughts and said, ¡°My Queen, I don¡¯t think she¡¯d be a bad person for you to form a rtionship with as your first friend in Arundell as queen.¡± Rihannan nodded. Mrs. Cessley came to the same conclusion as her. There was a difference in the level of authority executed when a queen invites a noblepared to a noble inviting a queen to visit their domain. The first was an order and thetter meant that the noble intended to establish a close rtionship with the queen. And on top of that, this was her first time visiting noble. Rihannan will need to be cautious about her decisions. Advertisement Chapter 135 Erratic Menstruation

Chapter 135 Erratic Menstruation

Chapter 135: Erratic Menstruation ¡°I hear that Duke Saphia has a growing interest for business as of recent and is investing much of his wealth into it.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Rihannan nodded, ¡°I heard about that. They say he¡¯s developed an interest in the spice trade business.¡± In times past, Arundell failed in entering the spice market. Their efforts often proved futile, but this time, under Igor¡¯s leadership, much of Arundell had changed. It was likely that Duke Saphia would gain heavy profits from his spice investments. It, too, favored Igor¡¯s policies. The more Rihannan thought, the more she viewed Mrs. Cessley in a favorable light as her personal aide to help Arundell move forward as a kingdom. ¡°I understand. I¡¯ll ept the duchess earnest invitation to visit her domain. When is it?¡± ¡°Two months from now.¡± Rihannan nodded. ¡°Then I¡¯ll write a personal letter to her.¡± Rihannan grabbed a papyrus paper and picked up the pen resting on a table. She¡¯de to realize that her act had been for the betterment of Arundell. Sheughed to herself bitterly. Well, this was fine. She was queen now. She¡¯ll need to act ordingly and see to it that Arundell remains prosperous. ¡®No matter what bes of me or what I think, I should always ce the people¡¯s needs over my own,¡¯ Rihannan thought, giving a small sigh. Her thoughts previously had been selfishly foolish. She never yed the part of a queen, only wallowing in self-pity of her circumstances. But she knew better this time. She allowed herself to chase after people, chase after their love¡ªthe love she sought from them. But when she was imprisoned in that cold, dark room, she realized that she had no one, not even the Queen Mother. Her mind went to a dark ce. When she lost her baby, she never once saw the Queen Mother¡¯s face. She was at her happiest seeing Rihannan¡¯s bulging belly, so she thought the Queen Mother would visit her at least once¡­ But¡­ Perhaps after she heard the news of her soon-to-be¨Cgrandchild who¡¯d suddenly left the world, she became angry and disappointed toward Rihannan¡¯s carelessness. ¡°My Queen, may I ask you a question?¡± After sealing the letter with wax and a royal stamp, Mrs. Cessley cautiously raised a question. ¡°Yes. Go on.¡± Advertisement ¡°¡­I apologize if my question offends you, but is your monthly period erratic?¡± It was a question that gued Mrs. Cessley incessantly. It had been confirmed that Rihannan was a virgin on her first night with Igor and since then, she hadn¡¯t had her monthly menstruation. It was easy for Mrs. Cessley arriving at the conclusion that she¡¯d soon bear a child. ¡°Yes. Of course. My monthly menstruation is erratic¡­ and always has been. I¡¯d often skip a month or two. It¡¯s better for you to assume that I¡¯m not able to birth a sessor in this short amount of time. And I want to make it clear that I won¡¯t take any medication to solve this problem.¡± When Rihannan was unable to bear Igor a child after a year of their marriage, the Queen Mother made attempts to change her constitution with medication. Among them were remedy medicine she was forced to ingest that had disgustingly live organisms¡­ It was in those moments that Rihannan, who had a small appetite to begin with, abhorred eating meat. Mrs. Cessley shook her head. ¡°Who¡¯d dare for you to do something you don¡¯t wish for, My Queen? And a child is a gift the heavens bless us. If we spend our days without thinking of such matters, we¡¯ll suddenly find ourselves with one. Don¡¯t worry about it too much.¡± ¡®A gift blessed by the heavens, huh¡­¡¯ Rihannan wore a bitter smile. She desperately sought one previously and it arrived like a miracle. But she lost that child from a moment of carelessness. Would the heavens bless her one this time around? No. She doubted it. Unless it was a cruel trick, a second pregnancy was unlikely to happen. Chapter 136 Basils Siblings

Chapter 136 Basil''s Siblings

Chapter 136: Basil¡¯s Siblings ¡¶Volume 5: Kiritte Competition¡· Rihannan opened her eyes, eyshes fluttering in butterfly strokes. She turned her head slightly to the side and saw him, hands embracing her in a spoon. Most often than not, he¡¯d awaken earlier than her and watch her innocent face sleeping. But sometimes, it was he who slept longer than her. The tables would turn and Rihannan would stare at his god-like face. Looking at his even eyebrows and high nose bridge and slightly full lips, his eyelids eventually rose and revealed deep, purple eyes that twinkled. ¡°Did you have a good sleep?¡± Igor said. As a normal routine, the morning kiss began with Igor kissing her forehead, her perky nose, and the corner of her lips¡ªhe kissed her a million times a day. Looking at her made him want to simply kiss her. And then, as he stroked her back, his groin heated up. The same could be said for Rihannan. Before they knew it, clothes had been torn and thrown on the floor. They made love, his shaft inside her flowery flesh. He¡¯d pushed deeper inside the abyss of pleasure, her legs wrapped tight around his waist and arms around his neck. As the pleasure climbed, she¡¯d hold onto Igor tighter, hips convulsing as they both climaxed and arrived at heavenly pleasure. Afterward, they¡¯d eat breakfast together and chat happily. It became a daily ritual that had gone on for over a month. At first, their talks were only trivial and on the surface level like Igor¡¯s work or the gossip Rihannan heard in the social circle. Later on, their talks grew deeper. Igor recited the events he went through when he was young with Basil as his caretaker. While learning of his childhood, she found a particrly interesting topic. ¡°Just counting his sisters, Basil had three of them.¡± ¡°He had three sisters? I didn¡¯t know that.¡± ¡°If I remember correctly, it was around the time he was sending all three off to their marriage¡­ Basil looked like a madman who¡¯d gone senile. Not a single one of his sisters was willing to listen to Basil¡¯s lunatic suggestions.¡± Rihannan burst out inughter. She clutched her stomach in pain imagining Basil¡¯s exasperated look right away. ¡°Basil used to treat his youngest sister like his own little daughter he had raised with painstaking efforts¡­ but it was that sister of his who gave him the biggest betrayal.¡± ¡°Wh-what happened?¡± ¡°She ran away from the house¡­ together with the servant she fell in love with.¡± Rihannan smiled. ¡°My goodness. What happened thereafter?¡± Igor chuckled. ¡°He thought she¡¯d been kidnapped. He came crying to me, begging on his knees to search for her whereabouts. He wouldn¡¯t let go of my legs so I had no choice but to dispatch dozens of men. They soon found her but she had already gone through the wedding ceremony in secret with the servant. Basil was livid but he had no choice but to acknowledge their marriage. Well, he always had a soft spot for her. Later on, I hear that his youngest sisters lived the happiest life among his other two sisters.¡± Advertisement ¡°That¡¯s good,¡± Rihannan sighed in relief. ¡°When you¡¯re young, one won¡¯t usually see it as a mistake. They¡¯ll only end up regretting it when they¡¯re a little older. It¡¯s good that their love for each other remained true.¡± Seeing Rihannan fully engaged in their chats, Igor smiled and rested his chin on the palm of his hand. ¡°How have you been during that time? When you were in Chrichton.¡± ¡°Hm¡­ I¡¯d spend most of my time with¡­ my cousins. Other than that, I¡¯m always next to Princess Helena¡¯s side.¡± Rihannan knew that Dimitri was a touchy subject to Igor so she said cousins instead of cousin. She swallowed her food and kept a close watch on Igor. Just as she thought, she noticed his eyebrow raised in annoyance. ¡°And what do you often spend your time doing with your cousins?¡± Igor prodded. ¡°Well,¡± Rihannnan touched her lips, ¡°we¡¯d have lessons together, y together, eat together¡­ ah¡­ the person who taught me how to y Kiritte was one of my cousins, Dimi. He won the Kirittepetitions before so I had him teach me.¡± She had tried not to show her feelings, but she did not realize the smile on her face happily talking about Dimitri. Igor¡¯s expression grew irate. ¡°You must have learned well from him,¡± Igor said, clicking his tongue in annoyance.¡± Chapter 137 Together With You

Chapter 137 Together With You

Chapter 137: Together With You ¡°You could say that,¡± Rihannan smiled, holding her hands together. ¡°I often yed together with Helena. She¡¯s quite athletic, but¡­ I¡¯ll lose on purpose. I¡¯m much better than her in terms of skill.¡± Igor snickered. Rihannan¡¯s lips curled to a light frown. She thought he wasughing at her. ¡°You don¡¯t believe me? Watch. I¡¯ll show you how good I am in the nextpetition. I¡¯ll make you regret it.¡± Igor grabbed her hands that tightened up to a ball and pulled it towards him. He stroked her hand, drawing light circles with his thumb. ¡°Just don¡¯t push yourself too hard to prove me wrong. I don¡¯t want you to get hurt.¡± ¡°You need not worry. That won¡¯t happen. Compared to Crichton¡¯s rough game, Arundell¡¯s is more quiet and subdued.¡± Though she quietly criticized Arundell, Igor didn¡¯t seem to care, and only strengthened his grip and said, ¡°On that day, there¡¯ll be a lot of people. Since we¡¯ll be at the hunting grounds, there are hidden and dangerous factors you wouldn¡¯t be able to expect. Please keep my words in mind.¡± She heard his repeated warning for a second. Rihannan didn¡¯t refute and gave a nod. She looked down at her hand, waiting for him to let go. Igor refused and continued to hold on. As she locked her eyes on both their hands, Igorughed and dragged her fingers near his lips. ¡°Do you remember what I told youst night?¡± ¡°¡­No. What are you¡­¡± She tried recalling the words he spokest night. It was no different than the usual days she spent with him over thest few months. They¡¯d meet in the evening, chat till they transitioned to mixing their bodies together and drowning in carnal pleasure. After that, she¡¯d fall asleep in his embrace. Rihannan looked at his purple eyes with a mix of confusion. A momentter, she remembered one thing. ¡°I have one thing I wish to do with you.¡± Igor had whispered those words to her in her while in the midst of their love making. She couldn¡¯t say much back then. She¡¯d been too busy attempting to prevent her moans from leaking out. ¡°What is it?¡± Rihannan asked, her breathing heavy. ¡°I want to go to somece with you other than the pce and stay there for a few days. Just the two of us¡­¡± Caught in the throes of pleasure, her sense of reasoning was thrown in a disarray. She had trouble figuring out the difference spending time together in the pce versus outside. After a night of passion, his words filled her mind before falling asleep. It was as if Igor had read her mind. He smiled and said gently, ¡°There¡¯s too many people here. It feels suffocating. What I mean is that I wish to spend time alone with you without the courtdies, those pesky nobles, nor anyone else. I don¡¯t want us to be king and queen¡­ just a man and woman.¡± Igor would make a request time to time out of the blue, forgetting that their marriage was contractual. Each time, she¡¯d fall in a troubled state of mind. She wondered if it was alright¡­ if it was okay to continue living like this. What if they grew used to each other¡¯s presence¡­ would they be able to separate quietly? If¡­ she fell for him¡­ what should she do? In good timing, a wave of sleepiness washed over her, avoiding the need to answer his question. Now, this was the question he was bringing up. Advertisement Chapter 138 To Meet Your Expectations

Chapter 138 To Meet Your Expectations

Chapter 138: To Meet Your Expectation ¡°There are many areas with wonderful scenery to look at around the hunting grounds. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll love it, Rihannan. After thepetition ends, what do you think of spending a rxing day together? Just the two us.¡± He looked at her, eyes full of anticipation and blithe eagerness. Rihannan pursed her lips together. She found it onerously difficult to decline him and there was no justification to do so. Besides, he looked wholesome at this moment. Rihannan smiled and nodded. ¡°That sounds good. It¡¯s been a while since I spent time outdoors. Let¡¯s do it.¡± Igor beamed brightly and stuck his chest out haughtily. ¡°That¡¯s great. We¡¯ll have a private area for ourselves and I¡¯ll make sure to have sweet delicacies. I¡¯m not too sure about how I rank amongst the other yers in Kiritte, but I¡¯m pretty confident in my hunting skills. Since your appetite for meat has grown quite a bit these days, I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll be able to eat a whole deer, right?¡± Igor joked around and grinned. He looked down, staring at the fist-sized meat left on his wife¡¯s te. Rihannan giggled and shook her head. ¡°I¡¯ll try my best to make sure I meet your expectations.¡± ¡°Goodness. You don¡¯t need to do your best to meet my expectations. You already have. Matter of fact, you blow me away,¡± said Igor, voice warm and tender. Every day, he discovered new sides of her that he loved more and more. His beating heart, only she could cause it to thump capriciously. And her deep blue eyes, god¡­ he could get lost in it. She¡¯s looking at him with those eyes and he adored it. ¡°¡­..¡± Rihannan looked at him, wondering what he meant. He¡¯d speak such words out of the blue sometimes. Igor smiled yfully and sucked on Rihannan¡¯s finger that he held onto the whole time. ¡°How about we go through all the homework we dyed?¡± Rihannan¡¯s face swiftly turned a rosy wine and red at the man who dered lewd words early in the bright morning. When they had a big fight a month ago and made up thereafter with passionate love, she realized many different ways for a man and woman to¡­ There were positions she never knew and the thought of it embarrassed her so. Fortunately, Igor didn¡¯t pressure her so whenever she refused. He often wished his wife would ride him or that they bathe together, but the thought of it flustered her and she¡¯d shake her head vigorously. He had no choice but to abide by her wishes and calmly put away his suggestion in the back of his mind. However, each time she refused, he¡¯d smile yfully and say that this would be their homework in a sly manner. Rihannan turned her head and studied the expressions of the maidservants on standby. They didn¡¯t seem to find anything particrly odd with his words. Thankful, she heaved a sigh of relief. Thoughpared to the meaning of his words, the outwardly surface seemed benign. ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s the kind of words you should be speaking while we¡¯re having a meal. Please keep your dignity in line, Your Majesty,¡± she said in the calmest voice she could muster while managing to hurl out words of faultfinding. Igor let out a loud snort. ¡°Dignity, you say? If you know what¡¯s going on in my head, I¡¯ve no doubt that you¡¯d fai¡ª¡± Rihannan red and kicked his feet under the table, causing him to shut up. Meanwhile, Basil mmed the door open and walked in the crudest way possible. Advertisement ¡°Your Majesty, My Queen, something amazing just arrived and I brought it here for you!¡± He brought the basket he¡¯d been holding onto and set it down on the table for the Goddess Queen to see. The basket made with wooden weaves was filled with multiple green-colored fruits. The fruit was called Nori. It was a seasonal fruit and it would only grow around this time of the year in Arundell¡¯s soil. Even then, the fruit only grew in the warmest areas down south. Its yield was drastically low, so it was quite difficult to find them in numbers. ¡°It¡¯s been a long time since I saw this!¡± Rihannan looked at the basket with genuine excitement. For the past six years, the time she spent in Chrichton, she had never gotten the chance to eat her favorite fruit. Basil smiled widely andughed. ¡°I knew you¡¯d like it! I know it¡¯s quite rare to see this in Chrichton too. Shall I peel off its skin for you?¡± Without waiting for an answer, Basil crudely pushed Igor away and stood in between them intentionally as he began peeling the fruit¡¯s skin. Igor wore a dumbfounded look at Basil¡¯s unexpected action. ¡°You should¡¯ve peeled it before bringing it here. Why¡¯d you have to bring them unpeeled?¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s because a certain queen here loves this particr fruit and a certain king nagged and nagged in my ears to bring one to the pce as soon as possible. That¡¯s why.¡± Rihannan looked at Igor hearing Basil¡¯s words. Igor swiftly turned his face away and hid his blushing face, but it was to no avail. Rihannan had seen it and she giggled lightly. Chapter 139 Fruit of Friendship

Chapter 139 Fruit of Friendship

Chapter 139: Fruit of Friendship ¡°Thanks for the fruit, Basil. It¡¯s wonderful,¡± said Rihannan, smiling. Basil beamed and handed the fruit, which had revealed its ripened yellow flesh, to Rihannan. ¡°Here, My Queen, have some. His Majesty¡¯s not the kind who¡¯d feed on a single fruit like this, so let¡¯s not worry about him and enjoy as much as you want.¡± Rihannan giggled. She bit on the fruit and relished the taste, expression ecstatic. ¡°Wow. It¡¯s good!¡± ¡°Eat as much as you want. There¡¯s plenty more.¡± Basil looked at Rihannan happily munching on the fruit. It was as if he was watching his own daughter eating her meal and finding new discoveries. Rihannan bit the fruit one after another. She suddenly remembered the Queen Mother loved the nori fruit, too. She often ate it by herself, pouring honey on it overnight to sweeten the taste more. ¡°Basil, pick the best ones and send it to the Queen mother as well.¡± The most up-to-date novels are published on lightnov_e_lwor_ld ¡°Y-yes.¡± Basil quickly turned his head and studied the king¡¯s reaction habitually. Igor gave a light nod as Basil grinned widely, eyes watering up. ¡°I¡¯m sure the Queen Mother will be overjoyed!¡± If there was one thing that changed over the month, it was Igor making attempts to overlook Rihannan¡¯s maintaining a certain level of friendship towards his mother. He knew she¡ªas the queen¡ªhad a responsibility and duty to keep the rtionship between them as godmother and goddaughter. Therefore, he allowed Rihannan to make trivial exchanges of gifts and letters to the Queen Mother. As the disconnected rtionship between Rihannan and the Queen Mother was established, Basil became the happiest man on earth upon hearing the news. The hopes of the king and his mother reconnecting maye to fruition one day. The things that she once found ominously difficult in her previous life had been solved far too easily this time. The rtionship with her husband, dealing with the nobility, and bing a peaceful mediator between Igor and his mother was everything she failed at then. She was afraid at times, thinking that all she had aplished would suddenlye tumbling down. As these thoughts gued her, the nori fruit close to her lips, she noticed Igor starting at her intently. Strangely, he wore a wolfish and hungry-like expression, eyes flickering a me of desire. She wondered why. ¡°Would you like some, Your Majesty?¡± The most up-to-date novels are published on lightnov_e_lwor_ld Basil leaned over and asked. Rihannan looked up in curiosity. Arundell¡¯s king loathed sweets strongly. Even during tea time, he¡¯d nevery his hands on sweets and snacks that were usually served. It was why she didn¡¯t offer a fruit to him, but perhaps his mind had changed. Seeing two pairs of curious eyes locked on him, Igor hurriedly shook his head. ¡°No, I¡¯m fine. Go ahead and have as much you want.¡± Igor turned his face and looked in another direction. Rihannan saw his cheeks blushing lightly. Advertisement Basil covered his mouth and held in hisughter realizing what had happened. ¡®A beast is a beast, after all.¡¯ *** When Rihannan left and closed the door, Basil immediately ran away as far as he could from Igor. He knew the beast would kick him to death. The most up-to-date novels are published on lightnov_e_lwor_ld ¡°Please calm down first, Your Majesty. I-I only said those words to help you! Cross my heart I¡¯m telling the truth!¡± Basil yelled on the other side of the room that was furthest away from Igor. ¡°You think I don¡¯t see you trying to make fun of me in that manner?!¡± Basil gulped and cleared his throat nervously. ¡°Your Majesty, if a man does something for a woman, you have to make it noticeable so she¡¯ll see your goodwill. If you don¡¯t, they¡¯ll never know the bountiful kindness thatys dormant in your heart. I only said those words so Her Majesty will be able to see your immense love for her and for her to enjoy the fruits!¡± Yes, what he said was right. Rihannan, who usually doesn¡¯t eat, devoured the nori fruits right away. In the end, she looked as if she wanted to eat more, but she had no choice toy the fruit down. Her stomach was full and bloated. It filled her with much disappointment. Igor understood. Sighing, Igor sat down in front of a table and said, ¡°Alright. I get it. Juste over here and give me the report. How¡¯s the situation like in Chrichton these days?¡± Chapter 140 Chrichtons Crown Prince

Chapter 140 Chrichton''s Crown Prince

Chapter 140: Crichton¡¯s Crown Prince After theirst defeat, Crichton seemed to have spent their days quietly on the surface. When Rihannan and Igor had their marriage ceremony, Crichton sent one of their princes, Ivan, as a visitor along with adequate amounts of wedding gifts signifying their wish to keep and maintain a friendly rtion between two nations. Despite this, Igor was sure that Chrichton had hidden ns. ¡°It would seem that the progress of the construction of their naval ship has not been well. They, after all, suffered quite the heavy loss due to blight and harmful insects¡­ and from us as well, Your Majesty. Not only has it be difficult to acquire wood to begin their constructions, they¡¯re having trouble collecting taxes and so funds are running out. And with the strained rtionship going on so far, they¡¯re unable to request help from Lexington. Things aren¡¯t going well.¡± Crichton¡¯s Crown Prince who showed a friendly appearance upfront was, in fact, giving orders to prepare for war and the first issue they needed to fix was the rebuilding of the naval warship they lost during thest battle with Arundell. However, after Chrichton had been heavily hit by unexpected blight and harmful insects, his grand n hit a major roadblock. If it was like any other time, they¡¯d have already turned their attention to the principality of Lexington, but with Arundell favoring a figure who had already taken over as Grand Duke, they¡¯ll give Chrichton trouble to provide them lumber nor will they make a move without permission from Igor. On top of that, Lexington¡¯s Grand Duke saw the result of the battle between Arundell and Chrichton and how thetter faced great devastation during their naval battle. Afterwards, Lexington expressed their wish to build stronger ties with Arundell. ¡°But the crown prince isn¡¯t one to give up so easily,¡± Igor replied. In Chrichton, the royal family bore great and omnipotent power over the ruling country. On top of that, the crown prince was powerful enough for all his ns andmands toe to fruition. The most up-to-date novels are published on light_nov_elwo__rld ¡°Yes, Your Majesty. As predicted, he gave the orders of enforcement. Though there¡¯s much less harvest this yearpared to before due to the blight, he gave out orders to collect more taxes than before. There are even talks that it was not enough and that they¡¯ll take more from the nobles as well.¡± Though Chrichton went through the same problems in the past, it hadn¡¯t be a huge issue then. They had an abundance of food and if there was anything theycked, they¡¯ll trade via sea routes. However, with the loss of the naval battle, the situation turned a 180. ¡°Voices of resistance are bing stronger from the people of Chrichton, something of a rare urrence. There¡¯s talk about the crown prince¡¯s right to remain on his seat of power, too. His notorious acts before had lowered the people¡¯s image of him to a boiling point, contributing to many disdains from both the nobility and themon folks.¡± Igor nodded. ¡°That¡¯s probably the case.¡± Advertisement Political power is only stable when things are calm and peaceful. When the seemingly indestructible castle walls showed signs of cracks and when the milk and honey the people once took for granted gets cut off, the nobility will form different thoughts and opinions, especially if the person in question was someone they loathed. ¡°A group of people opposing the crown prince is quietly gathering with Prince Ivan as the head¡­ and Baron Dimitri as well. It seems though that it¡¯s Dimitri controlling everything behind the shadows.¡± Prince Ivan is the youngest brother of the current king and was five years older than the crown prince. He was also second in line to the throne should anything happen to the crown prince. He was closer to the throne than anyone else and was someone the royalty should worry, but because he had a good friendship with the king and bore a gentle personality, he was not someone who sought the throne and hardly anyone was cautious of him. Butpared to the past when he had no strong rtion with politics, he now had people gathering under his banner and the person making all things possible was Rihannan¡¯s cousin, Dimitri. Igor sighed. He knew well Dimitri had that ability. He was someone that, if pushed to the edge, would destroy all his political opponents and be king himself. But it remains to be seen whether his current move is done with the thought of changing Chrichton¡¯s position of power to help Rihannan or that he had a far more grand ambition. The most up-to-date novels are published on light_nov_elwo__rld Chapter 141 No Danger Must Come

Chapter 141 No Danger Must Come

Chapter 141: No Danger Must Come ¡°¡­In any case, internal conflict in theirnd ultimately helps us out,¡± Igor muttered. ¡°Yes, of course, Your Majesty. It would prove difficult for them to make a move while internal strife continues. Besides, when I think about it, it¡¯s good timing to have a blight hit Chrichton. If not, they¡¯d have grabbed hold onto the opportunity tounch a counter attack. When the boats of Chrichton had all sunk, blight covered the kingdom whole in a fortunate moment. Some joked that the king of Arundell was a being able to peer into the future. Though it was Chrichton who attacked Arundell first, it was Igor the nobles residing in Arundell for treason that goaded Chrichton to wage a war at the right timing. ¡°How¡¯s the preparation for the Kiritte Competition that¡¯s to be held in a few days?¡± ¡°We¡¯re making sure that everything moves as nned. The workers are searching every acre of the hunting grounds to make sure that it¡¯s safe.¡± ¡°Since my wife will be participating in the sports herself, you make sure that there¡¯s not a single danger that presents itself when the timees.¡± Basil smiled. His eyebrows narrowed thereafter. ¡°But besides that¡­ I think you need to be careful with your expressions in front of Her Majesty. She¡¯s quite innocent still, and she had only asked if you wanted a bite of the fruit, but from others eyes, you looked like you wanted to eat not the fruit but her right there and there. Goodness, My King, to tempt her in broad daylight¡­ have you be the king of seduc¡ª¡± ¡°If you have nothing else to say, stop spouting useless things and get out!¡± Igor growled, voice menacing. Basil bit his tongue, holding back hisughter. He bowed to the king and quickly left the room. As Igor was left alone in the room, he rubbed his face with his hand. Because of Basil¡¯s reminder a moment ago, the image of her face from that scene suddenly came to mind. Soon as he saw her take a bit of the fruit and lick the leftover juice on her lips with her red tongue, fire surged down his lower area and he felt a powerful urge to send everyone away before pushing her to the table and embracing her. He desired to see her shiver in ecstasy each time he pushed himself inside her, simr to their passionate night the day before. It was as if he was drinking seawater. He¡¯d embrace her over and over out of thirst, but it was inadequate and his thirst grew even more. At first, he only wished that she¡¯d not hate him, but god¡­ the touch of her skin, her lips, the tightness of her entrance¡­ it was too much. He found himself wanting more. And when he realized that she didn¡¯t detest his touches, he grew wanting more. He¡¯d probably be able to satisfy his urges if he was able to do as much as he desired, but unfortunately, her stamina couldn¡¯t keep up. Which was why he suggested spending a day outside the pce grounds. They could spend the whole day rolling and turning around in the bed making love and enjoying dishes made with natural ingredients. It would be a day meant only for them. It¡¯ll be special. It was something he¡¯d never dare think about in the past. Chapter 142 Detestable Sweat

Chapter 142 Detestable Sweat

Chapter 142: Detestable Sweat Igor opened the documents and picked one out of the pile on his hand with a very happy mood. His eyes caught a glimpse of a fruitid out in a bowl. It was a Nori fruit, which may have been left there by Rihannan due to the guilty feelings she had of eating them all by herself. Igor smirked and forced himself to have a bite of the fruit which wasn¡¯t his preference at all. ¡°Basil, please pick the best ones out of the bunch and send it to the Queen Mother.¡± He remembered what she said to Basil. At the same time, his expression grew dark. Hearing her speech filled with purely innocent intentions, he could do nothing but staying quiet and biting down on his lips. Rihannan was taking care of the Queen Mother as best as she could as if she was the mother, even though the Queen Mother now has no power left at all. That she had an emotional attraction to the Queen Mother was an extremely obvious thing considering that she had lost her own mother at a ?young age. It was actually a harsher demand to force her to choose only one husband, whom she was in a worse rtionship than anyone else in the past. That was why he didn¡¯t urge her to not do such things at that time. In any case, the Rihannan right now knows nothing about the things that urred in the past¡­ about what happened after she had lost her child and what the Queen Mother did afterward and so on. And he wished that she¡¯d stay not knowing such things. It was better for him to swallow back the painful memories. *** Fweeeeeep! With the sound of the whistle, hoards of people ran out. It was the moment that the Kirittepetition had begun. Although the rules of the Kiritte sport where you hit the ball with the stick to put it in the goal first wasn¡¯t different from how it was yed in Chrichton, there were differences in particr parts of the rules. The biggest difference was that Arundel¡¯s version of Kiritte doesn¡¯t allow for body contact fights. Therefore, while matches in Chrichton were closer to fights, matches in Arundell were much closer to a simple game. It was the main reason why Kiritte was a popr sport for all ages. However, even when that was the case, there were still a number of people who declined for one reason or another. ¡°I won¡¯t be joining. I simply detest sweating.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll also sit by and watch, Your Majesty. My body is so old that I can¡¯t y sports like I used to do¡­¡± Before the start of the match, Basil and Madam Cessley both apologized deeply and quickly moved off to the rear. It meant that the masters will be participating in the sport, yet the closest aides of the masters were not joining in. Igor and Rihannan both didn¡¯t really mind that part. However, long before the match even began, Igor had a longint. ¡°Just when did the tradition start of needing to separate the king and queen to opposing teams if they are to both participate in the match¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s actually a hundred-year-old tradition, Your Majesty.¡± As Basil added the fact without realizing Igor¡¯s mood, Igor shot him an angry re and Basil quietly shut his mouth. ¡°It seems that some rules will need changing.¡± ¡°If the two of you are paired together, who in their right mind would dare to win against you both? They¡¯d end up losing intentionally so they¡¯d not need to face you both. Of course, the fairness of the match would all be thrown out the window. Please stopining, Your Majesty and focus. Currently, your side is losing,¡± Madam Sessly spoke to Igor with yfulness in her voice. Advertisement Chapter 143 Skillful Queen

Chapter 143 Skillful Queen

Chapter 143: Skillful Queen Mrs. Cessley pointed at the heavily pushed back group of yers with her folded up fan. Currently, they were all struggling to try and get the ball out of the tree where it was stuck. On the other side, the side that Rihannan was on was quickly pushing forward. ¡°Mrs. Cessley, ?cannot help them out at all. It¡¯s in the rules that the person who made the ball stuck up there has to take it down themselves. And it seems to me that it will take around 10 minutes to take it down,¡± Igor mumbled to himself as he watched the man who was so weak with sports that he couldn¡¯t even ride horses for a prolonged period of time trying to take down the ball from the tree. To Igor, it honestly didn¡¯t matter too much whether he won or lost this match. His eyes were actually on Rihannan who was in the midst of chatting with other team members. Rihannan was wearing a short dress that reached down to her ankles. The dark blue dress matched well with the chilly weather and her thin little body. Every time she nodded to acknowledge something in the conversation, her silver hair danced a little bit. Even though they were in the middle of the match, his eyes were still lovingly directed at her. ¡°Actually, I didn¡¯t know that the queen was this good.¡± Basil followed Igor¡¯s direction of gaze andplimented the queen with a surprised tone. Since she was a queen that came after living for a long time in another country, no one knew how good she would be with it. However, the moment Rihannan smacked away the ball for the first time, everyone couldn¡¯t hide their surprise. The ball¡¯s long and low trajectorynded perfectly at the target area. ¡°I heard that she learned how to y from Duke Dimitri who is her cousin¡¯s older brother. He must have quite some skill with this game.¡± Hearing Mrs. Cessley¡¯s continued observation, Igor had to swallow to keep himself back from yelling out angrily. ¡­The man who made the always sad and depressed Rihannan smile at once, the only person who shared memories of childhood together with her and is able to talk about everything with nothing held back, while Igor couldn¡¯t¡­ he was someone that Igor didn¡¯t like a single bit about him and enough to make him thankful that they were actually rtives. Who knows what that man would do with Rihannan. ¡°Your Majesty! It¡¯s time for you to hit the ball.¡± At that moment, a person came searching for him and Igor sighed at the same time he grabbed the stick that he threw away carelessly at a corner. ¡°Give it your best, Your Majesty. Although we¡¯re going to lose anyway, you still have to do your best until the end!¡± Ignoring the cheer that was mixed with jeering that he heard from behind his back, he stepped down to the grass ground. If he finishes this match, then he¡¯ll be able to spend the whole day together with Rihannan. Thinking about that, Igor made a smile. On the other hand, Rihannan was actually staring at the ball with a very serious face. It was a very vague location. In front were numerous trees so if she were to just hit it right away, it would likely end up on the tree like the opponent¡¯s team did. But to hit it to the side, there was also ake over there. If the ball were to fall into theke, it would be an even worse oue. Advertisement ¡°What should I do?¡± As everyone agonized along with her trying to figure out what to do, they suddenly saw the opponent¡¯s team chasing right up to them. Rihannan judged that there is no longer time to waste anymore. ¡°Let¡¯s send it to the front. If the ball falls into theke, then we¡¯ll end up losing after all.¡± In the end, everyone agreed with that. Just as she said, if the ball went up the tree, it would take a moment to retrieve it, but if it fell into theke, it would be hard to find it again. The man who was next to hit the ball clearly had a very anxious expression as he stood to hit the ball. And just as they thought, the hit had too much power put into it, as it smacked the trunk of the tree and went to apletely incorrect direction. ¡°Ah, no!¡± Everyone pulled their hair in shock and frustration at the same time as they watched the ball fly to theke. ¡°Find it quickly!¡± Chapter 144 Rihannans Fall

Chapter 144 Rihannan''s Fall

Chapter 144: Rihannan¡¯s Fall Everyone started scrambling towards the direction that the ball fell into. Rihannan also hurriedly ran between the trees trying to find the ball. The faster they find the ball, the more they can save time. As she searched around for a while, she suddenly was met with a turquoise-coloredke. Rihannan admired the wonderfully clear water and walked up to it. Feeling the refreshing cool wind, she stood for a moment to cool her head that was dripping with sweat. She then found the white ball right next to theke. ¡°So here it is.¡± The ball was teetering on the edge, so Rihannan was d it didn¡¯tpletely fall into it. As the depth of this water is very deep, it would be hard to pick it out of the bottom. Rihannan picked up the small whistle that is hanging around her neck that¡¯s used to calling the people toe around her area. Just as she was going to blow on it as hard as she can, someone came from behind and pushed her hard as they could. Ssh! Right away her body was engulfed with cold water. There was no time to look behind her in time to see who had pushed her. Water rushed into her mouth and nose quickly before she could act. Rihannan struggled with her body to save her life, but her body fell deeper into the water. As her sight became blurred and dark, she saw someone quickly run away. ¡®¡­ Who?¡¯ And with that thought, all her strength gave out. Feeling her body sink deeper into the bottom of the river, Rihannan closed her eyes. ¡®I¡¯ve been revived, yet now I end up dying like this.¡¯ Just as this thought crept in her mind, someone pulled her body into their embrace and pulled her straight out of the water. ¡°Cough!¡± As soon as she was pulled out of the water, Rihnnan coughed out water from her lungs first. After seeing Rihannan cough out some water and begin to breathe properly, Igor finally let out the sigh of relief he was holding back on. ¡°Damn it!¡± She then heard him curse out loudly, which was so unexpected that her eyes widened. She suddenly remembered the moment when he saw her taking medicine and he mistook it as her trying to suicide. Perhaps he thought that was what was happening now as well. ¡°Your Majesty!¡± Before Rihannan could make any kind of excuse, Basil came running from afar. Behind him were numerous nobles following behind as well. Basil found the twopletely soaked to the bone and gasped at the sight. ¡°My goodness! What happened to you two!? Your Majesty, are you all right!?¡± Rihannan nodded her head but didn¡¯t have any energy to properly make a reply. More than anything, she suddenly felt a huge surge of chill run up her body and shivered heavily. Igor saw Rihannan chattering her teeth as she shook from the cold and swore once again but with a low voice. Basil brought a nket from somewhere and handed it to him. Igor wrapped the nket around Rihanna¡¯s body, then wrapped her in his arms as he stood up. The most pressing concern is to bring up her body temperature. ¡°Where is the closest vi from here?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a 5-minute walk from here.¡± Without any hesitation or any more words, Igor hurriedly started walking towards the direction that Basil was pointing at when Rihannan pulled on Igor¡¯s wet clothes. His purple eyes burned up with rage turned directly to her immediately. Rihannan shivered her body with both cold and fear as she spoke. ¡°¡­S-Someone pushed me from behind. That¡¯s why I was in the water¡­¡± Chapter 145 Igors Worries

Chapter 145 Igor''s Worries

Chapter 145: Igor¡¯s Worries All the people that heard her words gasped in surprise. It confirmed that she had not fallen into the water by ident, but that there were people trying to bring harm to the queen in this area right now. The hands that held Rihannan gripped harder than before. Igor¡¯s wrathful eyes headed towards Basil immediately. Basil becamepletely pale in the face as he kneeled down to one knee. ¡°M-My apologies, Your Majesty¡­¡± ¡°Search around the area around here with escorts. Don¡¯t let even a little rat escape this area if they¡¯re suspicious!¡± His voice seemed to grind the very bones of Basil. He was not going to ept a single mistake from this point on. ¡°As you wish!¡± Instead of making any excuses, Basil immediately left to search for the man who tried to kill the queen. Igor quickly moved towards the vi again. As Rihannan shivered heavily from the cold, he hugged her tightly as he rubbed his face against her cold cheek. For more, visit lightnovel_world.__ ¡°It¡¯s okay, it¡¯s okay¡­¡± Igor wasn¡¯t sure whether he was calming her down, or himself as he mumbled with earnest tone. The vi was somewhere that people would be able to escape to if rain were to suddenly fall. Inside the building was an already lit firece that was done in case of sudden rain. He closed the door behind him and as soon as he entered, undressed Rihannan. He was practically ripping her clothes off as it had stuck right onto her skin due to the wetness, and afterwards, he thenid her on a bed and wrapped her body with a nket. Igor also took off all of his clothes as well, took Rihannan wrapped in a nket in his arms, and sat in front of the firece. Even though the air temperature inside the building was hot thanks to the firece, her body still felt like it was made of ice. Igor kept holding her body in his arms and rubbed here and there. After a long time, her shivering small body slowly started to regain itsplexion. After checking that her body was starting toe back to body temperature, he let out a long sigh. Back when he heard Rihannan let out a shocked cry after seeing the ball fly in the wrong direction, he was still feeling very cheerful. He couldn¡¯t help butugh as he saw her in despair with her hands in her hair. After seeing Rihnnan follow after the ball, he slowly followed behind her. He was simply worried that she may fall over as she went through the forest. As he was following her, he suddenly heard the sound of something falling into the water. He had a bad feeling in his mind when he heard that. After hurriedly running towards the sound, what he saw on the surface of the coldke was many strands of silver hair. He didn¡¯t remember exactly what happened afterwards. When he came to, he was already pulling Rihannan out of theke. After making sure that she was okay, his head was filled with so many thoughts that it felt like it was going to explode. She may have been trying to take her own life this way. No, there¡¯s no way she would. She had been happily participating in the sports even just moments ago after all. For more, visit lightnovel_world.__ ¡°Damn it!¡± More then anything, he was angry that she had fallen to such a dangerous situation. If he had not followed her back then, what would have happened? He¡¯d have ended up finding her head. As soon as he had that thought, he felt like blood was beingpletely drained out of his body. After he heard from her that there was someone that tried to push her into the water, his head became so filled with wrath that his head becamepletely cold right away. How dare someone attempt such a thing! ¡°Did you see the person¡¯s face?¡± Hearing his question, Rihannan shook her head while in his arms. ¡°No¡­ it was such a sudden thing that¡­¡± Chapter 146 Embrace Me, Igor

Chapter 146 Embrace Me, Igor

Chapter 146: Embrace Me, Igor Igor swept Rihannan¡¯s hair that was still wet with water. He kissed her on her forehead reassuringly. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I swear I will capture them.¡± No matter who they were, or where they hid, he¡¯d find them and kill them. He thought of ripping all of their skin off their bones. He had given up so much to get her back, after all. He had gone through hell itself, and to take her away from him like this, he¡¯ll not ept such a thing. He grasped Rihannan right onto his body. He promised himself over and over again that he would never let go of this warmth from her body ever again. ¡°First, let¡¯s warm up our bodies for a moment here then go back to the pce.¡± Hearing his words, Rihannan nodded without much strength left in her body. ¡°But who could that be? Who would do such a thing to me¡­¡± No matter how much she thought, there was no one that would hate her enough to do this. The best guess would be Seraphina Rissel from the previous banquet. However, she wasn¡¯t seen even once outside after that banquet and even gave an excuse of having a cold to skip attending thispetition. Of course, she could have had thoughts of revenge after that moment and carried out this n, but would she really do it this way where it was too obvious? Visit _lightnovelworl_d. for the best novel reading experience For someone to have a hatred so strong enough to cause someone to murder, one must have had even stronger resentment than just that. Not just hate for the person, but pure malice that wanted topletely destroy the person¡­ Leticia. Suddenly, the thought of Leticia came to mind. She was a person Rihannan hadn¡¯t thought of for so long. The face of her sister from a different mother smiled genuinely as she handed her poison. ¡°That¡¯s right, die here like this. Miserably. That¡¯s the best end for you, sister.¡± Remembering the violent hostility she had felt from her from that moment in the past, Rihannan unconsciously shivered her body. The nightmare of the past enveloped her mind again. Could it have been Leticia? No, there¡¯s no way that¡¯s possible. Leticia had disappeared for a long time after her father had passed away. As a young woman with no guardian or family to protect and take care of her, what would she be able to do? The best thing for her would be if she was just still alive. There was no way she would be able to set foot in a ce like this. ¡°Rihannan? Are you still cold?¡± seeing Rihannan shiver her body again, Igor asked her with a worried voice. Rihannan shook her head side to side as hard she could. She tried her best to stop her shivering, but it didn¡¯t work as well as she wanted. The feeling of nearing her death just a few moments ago kept returning into her mind. As well as the memory of drinking poison in the past and feeling her throat burn up from the inside, a horrifying death. The despair and horror that she thought she had forgotten now hade back again and swallowed her mind whole. Visit _lightnovelworl_d. for the best novel reading experience Advertisement ¡°Sob¡­¡± As the emotions became stronger, she finally let a single hot tear roll down her cheek. Her life, something she was finally able to get back after returning. She thought those memories no longer had anything to do with her. As she had gained an additional life, it¡¯s fine for her to die whenever she said to herself that she no longer had any regret. But as she found herself again at the doorstep of death, she realized that it wasn¡¯t the case. She wanted to live no matter what. That¡¯s why she struggled. As she didn¡¯t want to be left alone in the darkness where no one was there for her again. ¡°Rihannan!¡± Igor noticed that Rihannan¡¯s condition didn¡¯t seem well, and tapped his hand on her cheek. Rihanna¡¯s blue eyes that overflowed with tears just vacantly stared back at her. Every time she blinked, her tears flowed down her cheeks. Feeling like she waspletely empty inside, he quickly spoke. ¡°If you are feeling sick, then we¡¯ll return to the pce right away¡­¡± ¡°Embrace me.¡± Chapter 147 Riding Igor (19)

Chapter 147 Riding Igor (19)

Chapter 147: Riding Igor (19) At her sudden words, Igor¡¯s eyes bulged, doubting the words he had heard and looked at Rihannan with endearing and cautious eyes. ¡°¡­What do you¡ª¡± ¡°Right now, Igor, I want you to embrace me, touch me.¡± She wanted to feel alive and the only way to confirm that she was alive and breathing were the nerves and hot blood electrifying her body whole. ¡°But to do that¡­ your current condition is¡­¡± ¡°Please, Igor.¡± Rihannan¡¯s curled fingers stretched out and wrapped it around his neck. She swept her soft hand on his hardened back neck, moving it towards his tousled hair, tangling her fingers and pulling him towards her. His head naturally followed the gravity of her pull¡ªhis hardened lips pressed onto her soft lips. She was on the offensive; she wanted him. Her tongue dug between his closed lips and coiled itself around his. Igor¡¯s eyes remained open; he had rendered himself in surrender to this woman. His heart fluttered at her taking the lead. Igor¡¯s body reacted to her touches, his hip area rocking back and forth. He thought of pushing her down right away and have his way with her while he crush her underneath his embrace, but he stopped midway and pulled away from her sweet and enticing lips. ¡°¡­Th-then let¡¯s first go back to the pce a-and¡ª¡± But before he could finish the words he meant to say, Rihannan used the weight of her body and pushed his upper torso down, his back touching the bed. Soon as he saw her atop him, Igor¡¯s head panged and circled in dizziness. Her pearl-skinned body¡­ half of it covered with a nket was proactive and sensual; her erect twin peaks, slender hips, and silver hair covering her back brought out a raging fire from within. She was the epitome of a seductress. Seeing her body illuminated by fire, not a single spot of her body had been stained with dirt. She was alluringly attractive. As she slowly lowered her body, her cold and soft hair fell upon his ch*st¡ªher slight raised bre*sts touched his skin, and from then on, he knew he¡¯d no longer be able to put up a front and resist. ¡°Uggh¡­¡± Igor groaned, stretching out his hand and pulling the back of her head. Previously, he only had a small taste of her lips and mouth, but this time, he tasted all corners of her. The kiss was soft at first, and then with a soft gradation of intensity that made her fingers cling to his torso. His insistent tongue parted her shaking lips, sending wild tremors along her nerves, evoking from her sensations she had never known. She gave a smooth moan, grabbing tight his shoulder¡ªsmoldering intensity overcame her. Her hand slid down the side of his waist in a straight line down his toned and muscled b*tt. Igor let out an intensifying howl, lips still kissing her. Their breaths filled the room and grew heavier, their kisses cutting through the open space. Advertisement His free hand ran through her flower and explored her wet and moist parts. But it wasn¡¯t enough just yet for her to take him in. He pushed one finger, two fingers. He teased the bud of her clitoris with his thumb as his fingers slid in to explore her. Her muscles tightened around him and she let out more viscous fluids. Igor filled his mouth with her jiggling peaks, his fingers pistoning her fleshy flower. Rihannan curved her back and moaned loudly. Each movement drove her to higher pleasure. ¡°Aaah!¡± Her love juice was plenty enough to wet her cavern wet passage and leaked out. ¡°Climb on top of me.¡± Igor grabbed her hips and pulled her to his center. Her b*tt lowered down and slowly swallowed his member. Half had all been swallowed up. Rihannan shook her head and shivered. Perhaps due to the position, he felt bigger than usual and harder to push inside. It felt like an impossible task. ¡°Ah¡­ I¡­ don¡¯t think I¡­ haa¡­ can¡­¡± As she had tried to pull away, Igor grabbed her b*tt and pushed his hips upwards, mming his manhood all the way inside her fleshy insides. Chapter 148 Hot S*x (19)

Chapter 148 Hot S*x (19)

Chapter 148: Hot S*x (19) ¡°Hmmph!¡± Rihannan¡¯s body shook, engulfing his throbbing manhood in one movement. It had touched the deepest parts of her. She ced her hands on top of his thighs and threw her head back as she moaned. Igor stroked her back slowly for she was barely able to breathe. He gave her time to get used to the feeling while lightly grinding his hips in pleasure. ¡°Go ahead and move as much as you want.¡± Up till now, the one who had taken the lead whenever they were consumed with passionate love was Igor. Though she sometimes moved her hips together in pping rhythm with him, there had never been an instance where it was her taking the lead. Not long after, Rihannan realized that this position allowed her to move however she wished. She was in charge and the one to move her body to feel the induced pleasure. She raised her hand and lowered it onto his muscled ch*st and began her movement. Her hips moved, sliding her flower up and down his shaft by the motion of her hips while keeping her upper body still. Her flesh squeezed his erged manhood with her inner muscles. Her pelvis mmed down onto him over and over again. ¡°Haaa¡­¡± At first, her movement was slightly awkward, but after learning the ce where his manhood pleased her the most, she quickly learned how to move. Soon, the pace of her hips increased, gripping and squeezing his shaft that was buried inside her with her tight flesh as she moved. She could feel the tip of his shaft nudge the edge of her tunnel and she let out an ecstatic moan, her hips gyrating every now and then. ¡°God, Rihannan!¡± Igor gasped and let out a blood-curling groan. He grabbed her buttocks and helped her feel heightened pleasure. Her internal muscles continued to squeeze him dry. Igor moved his own hips, slowly, to match her rhythm. When he slid upwards to go as deep as her insides allowed, Rihannan quivered and gasped. Their passionate love became longer, their skins rubbing against each other. They had lost themselves to the pleasure of delight. It had been a while since Rihannan had moved her hips that strength quickly left her. She could only push herself up and down his manhood weakly. In the end, she fell on top of his body before reaching climax. Igor tossed her to the side and swapped position with her¡ªhe nowid on top of her. He was at his wits¡¯ end. Rihannan moved too slow to give him proper pleasure. Before she could react, Igor ced himself between her legs and spread it wide. The head of his shaft pressed against her cavernous entrance. Then, he pushed forward and drove his manhood without hesitation. ¡°Unnghh! Igor¡­ w-wait¡­ ahh!¡± Rihannan moaned. Igor lifted her two legs, allowing him to sink his length deeper inside her wet, tight flower. Hot and heavy breaths fell into her nape. He drove his hips forward and buried his hard, throbbing manhood as deeply into her as he could. She cried out, lifting her hips toward him. Each time he moved violently, she felt like she had been washed over by endless hot waves. Igor drove inside her flower in long, deep, powerful strokes, gripping the rounded globes of her buttocks tightly. Rihannan was rendered helpless beneath him. All she could do was to keep her legs wrapped around him as her body writhed in overwhelming satisfaction. And then¡­ she came. Violent juicy fluids exploded inside her like a bomb and she cried out in ecstasy as the waves of pleasure came crashing down on her. Everything in front of her broke down into pieces and like before, she felt Igor¡¯s manhood throbbing and pulsing as it pumped stream after streams of hot, thick white fluids deep inside her. It pumped again and again and she thought it would never stop. Advertisement Igor squeezed his eyes shut and groaned through clench teeth as he emptied himself inside her wet, tight flesh. Not long after, he copsed on top of her, panting for breath. The intensity of their passion-filled love left them both gasping for air. Theyid motionless for several minutes as they regained theirposure and senses. Rihannan could feel her eyes slowly closing as she was lulled to sleep. She¡¯d always faint to sleep each time they did their deeds. Igor¡¯s semi-hard shaft was still inside her. He did not pull out for he wanted to feel her tight insides more. Meanwhile, he changed position so she would be on top of him. Rihannan was half asleep. Heid her face on his ch*st soaked with sweat. ¡°Haa¡­¡± Igor let out a long sigh, grabbing a nket and covering her body while his mind was filled withplicated thoughts. He wondered how Mrs. Cessley would react finding out he had slept with his wife after pulling her out of the water. He¡¯s sure she¡¯d reprimand him hard while looking at him like he was an animal. Igor smiled bitterly at his extremely small patience. But still, he was satisfied to be with the warmth of the woman sleeping in his arms. He stroked her silver hair and closed his eyes. Right now, the only thing in the world that mattered to him was her existence and that she was by his side. Chapter 149 Finding the Culprit

Chapter 149 Finding the Culprit

Chapter 149: Finding the Culprit She could not remember much of what happened after deep sleep overtook her. Half-awake, her consciousness slowly came back to its senses, noticing that she was in the arms of someone. Arge hand stroked her face with profound gentleness. ¡°¡­Igor?¡± she said, unwittingly calling out his name. She saw the man¡¯s lips tug to a smile. ¡®Why¡¯s he smiling so happily?¡¯ Rihannan wondered. ¡°Go on. Sleep a little more. We have a long time till we arrive back at the pce.¡± Rihannan came to notice that she and Igor were currently inside a moving carriage and that she had on a white sleepwear and a nket wrapped around her. He may have carried her to the carriage while she was passed out in a peaceful sleep. She blinked her tired eyes several times as Igor leaned over to kiss her, as if soothing her to go back to sleep. ¡°Mmn.¡± Rihannan nodded, following his rmendation and let sleep flood in. His warm embrace allowed her to drift awayfortably. Igor smiled, wondering what she was dreaming of. Even after arriving at the pce, Rihannan slept in the arms of a dream so beautiful, as if making up for the many struggling years of little to no sleep. She spent the following days doing nothing but eating and sleeping. Meanwhile, in the backdrop, the investigations at what had urred in the hunting ground days ago continued silently. ¡°No illegal trespassing that came from the outside was found, Your Majesty¡­¡± Basil answered, eyes and face droopy. Igor growled lowly and mmed the table. ¡°There was no evidence found from the guests and anyone entering the hunting grounds with ulterior motives. We¡¯ve thoroughly investigated the butlers, servants, and maidservants as well as the hired employees during the event, but we¡¯ve confirmed that each of them were at a different venue the moment Her Majesty fell into the water.¡± Advertisement Igor¡¯s finger quietly rapped on the table. No evidence of an assassin sneaking in had been found, and the hired folks were nowhere near the site when it urred. Then¡­ there was only one thing remaining. ¡°¡­So it means that among the guests officially invited to the event, one of them dared to push my wife into the cold water.¡± Basil nodded. ¡°Yes, Your Majesty. I¡¯m sure one of the guests was the perpetrator.¡± ¡°Did any of them behave strangely?¡± Igor asked with a thundering voice. ¡°Currently, it¡¯s a bit of a difficult situation to characterize all the invited guests. We¡¯ll need to bring in all of the nobility in one space and investigate their houses, but as Your Majesty knows, my authority doesn¡¯t reach that far¡­¡± ¡°Right.¡± Igor bobbed his head. It was not possible nor right tobel all the nobility as possible perpetrators from suspicions alone. Though it was possible in Chrichton, but in Arundell where the nobility traditionally held the seat of power¡­ to do such a thing would only incite their rage and resistance. Should they act rashly, they¡¯ll only fall to the possibility of a trap. They¡¯d be attacked in the heat of confusion. Igor needed proof of circumstantial evidence, but where should he begin? Even finding hints of clues proved itself taxing. ¡°Could it be Chrichton who did this?¡± Basil carefully suggested the possibility. ¡°They wish to avenge the losses that happened in the past,¡± Igor said, ¡°If anything happens to the queen, wouldn¡¯t it be a good enough excuse for them to point fingers. But¡­ it¡¯ll only lead to an all-out-war, which Chrichton can¡¯t afford. At least not yet. They¡¯d not do this. It was someone else.¡± A few weeks ago, a rare event urred in Chrichton. The crown prince pushed his ns ahead to prepare for war, but Prince Ivan and the nobles shed with his ns vehemently and disagreed with all their might, different from the past where the orders of the king were absolute. Basil nodded in agreement. ¡°You¡¯re right, Your Majesty. Even if they¡¯ve fabricated the situation, time isn¡¯t ripe on their side.¡± Igor rubbed his chin. ¡°Hmm¡­ perhaps¡­ was Count Clovis acting strange?¡± Hearing the name of the previous king¡¯s eldest son, Basil looked up in surprise. ¡°Why do you suddenly speak of his name, Your Majesty?¡±Ch. 197: To Take Advantage (19)Ch. 196: Illegitimate Sister (19)Ch. 195: Her Wish and HopeCh. 194: Death By Her Own HandsCh. 193: Care For the QueenCh. 192: Forgiveness?Ch. 191: You Should Be With MeCh. 190: Have a Child With LeticiaCh. 189: Bitter RealityCh. 188: My ChildCh. 187: Arrest HerCh. 186: Leticia¡¯s PoisoningCh. 185: Basil¡¯s PleadingCh. 184: She Didn¡¯t Look BackCh. 183: Heir Infatuation (Unedited)Ch. 182: You Who I Despise Most (Unedited)Ch. 181: You Killed Me (Unedited)Ch. 180: Rihannan¡¯s FindingCh. 179: Ominous GuessCh. 178: Basil¡¯s Great RevealCh. 177: PregnancyCh. 176: An Old MemoryCh. 175: The Truth RevealedCh. 174: Mrs. Cessley: (¨s¨F¡õ¡ä)¨s¦à©ß©¥©ß?Ch. 173: Keep It a SecretCh. 172: Rihannan¡¯s Cold AnswerCh. 171: Rihannan¡¯s CounterattackCh. 170: Bad RumorsCh. 169: Haunting Memories Come To LifeCh. 168: Striking Red HairCh. 167: The Worried RihannanCh. 166: For HelenaCh. 165: Stealing the King¡¯s HeartCh. 164: Leticia Reaches Climax?(19)Ch. 163: Leticia and S*x (19)Ch. 162: Suicide By PoisonCh. 161: Strained RtionshipCh. 160: Don¡¯t Turn Away From MeCh. 159: To Keep Her DistanceCh. 158: Leticia¡¯s FascinationCh. 157: The Fault Lies In YouCh. 156: Have You Been Well, Sister?Ch. 155: ming Red HairCh. 154: LeticiaCh. 153: Rihannan Initiates the KissCh. 152: Mischievous IgorCh. 151: A Certain FragranceCh. 150: Could We¡­ Start Anew? Chapter 150 Could We… Start Anew?

Chapter 150 Could We¡­ Start Anew?

Chapter 150: Could We¡­ Start Anew? Many years had passed since the name of thete king¡¯s son came out of Igor¡¯s cold lips. Count Clovis, the eldest son of thete king, spent his days in solemn silence ages ago when he and his followers pushing to elect him as king were suppressed. Basil was unsure why Igor suddenly spoke his name out of nowhere. ¡°Do you find him suspicious? Or perhaps you¡¯ve something?¡± Igor shook his head. ¡°No. That¡¯s not it.¡± ¡°Your Majesty, on that day, the count attended in the early morning for a moment for the sake of formality before heading back to his ce. His wife stayed behind but she did not go anywhere close to the like, merely spending the hours with other noblewomen inside the tent. Under these circumstances, I find nothing suspicious at all,¡± Basil argued. ¡°I understand.¡± Igor let out a deep low sigh. ¡°In?anycase, the possibilities remain. Investigate them all. You aren¡¯t allowed to let any single person pass.¡± ¡°Understood, Your Majesty.¡± Basil bowed and left. Thereafter, Igor went toward the opposite direction of the door where Basil had just left. The door from his study room was connected to another room. Igor turned the doorknob and opened the door wide. There, in that room, was arge bed on the?biddle?and his wife sleeping peacefully. For more, visit lightnovelw_o_rld._ After returning from the hunting ground, he had?Rihannan?sleep in his own quarters instead of the Queen¡¯s Pce. He¡¯d even used his personal library as his office so he could stay by her side. He worried for her sake, worried that something would happen to her. Igor carefully made his way toward her. He sat on the edge of the bed, making sure not to wake her up. He reached out, stroking her silver hair. After she moved to his quarters,?Rihannan?slept peacefully, every day and every night. Igor worried about the abnormal long sleep pattern that he called for the pce doctor. His worries?was?unfound when the doctor informed him?no?to worry. ¡°Your Majesty, you need not worry. Her Majesty is finally in a state of rxation. It would seem the problems that gued her had been solved, somewhat. After taking a proper rest, she¡¯ll naturally return to her normal, daily routine.¡± ¡­Perhaps she had realized that someone stood by her side watching over her¡­pared to the life she lived in the past without support. Igor wore a bitter smile. ¡®We¡¯ve gone through rough times, right? The both of us did¡­ perhaps¡­ once we cross this hill¡­ maybe¡­ maybe we can forget all that happened and start anew? What¡­ do you think,?Rihannan?¡¯ ¡°¡­Igor?¡± At that moment,?Rihannan¡¯s?eyes shook and she awakened from her slumber. Though she hadn¡¯t fully recovered, Igor smiled hearing her sweet, gentle voice call his name. To her, she now considered his presence a natural thing, as if he was the only man in the world able to watch her¡­ embrace her¡­ touch her while she slept. For more, visit lightnovelw_o_rld._ Advertisement Her icy blue eyes, half-asleep, looked at him. Whenever she looked at him with eyes ofplete trust and without defense, Igor¡¯s heart ached. The urge to tell her the truth echoed in his mind. But once that happened¡­ he knew the false rtionship he built with her would break apart. Igor pulled the nket and snuggled next to her.?Rihannan?nestled her head on his shoulder like a small beast seeking warmth. ¡°Igor, for some odd reasons, I¡¯m always drowsy with sleepiness even after resting for many hours. Do you know why this is happening?¡± ¡°The doctor said it¡¯s a natural thing. Don¡¯t worry. Sleep some more.¡± ¡°Did he say how long it¡¯llst?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure. He said to let you sleep as much as you want,¡± Igorughed and stroked her smooth back. Suddenly remembering the event at the hunting ground,?Rihannan?lifted her head to face him. ¡°Igor, there¡¯s something I remember.¡± Chapter 151 A Certain Fragrance

Chapter 151 A Certain Fragrance

Chapter 151: A Certain Fragrance ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°The person who shoved me behind my back. When the person approached me from behind, I smelled a certain fragrance from their body.¡± Igor¡¯s surprised gaze turned towards her. ¡°You smelled a fragrance? Do you remember what fragrance it was?¡± ¡°Yes. It was the smell of a?mintbus. I¡¯m definitely sure.¡± ¡°If it¡¯s a smell of mint, then it wouldn¡¯t be amonly used perfume¡­¡± Mints weren¡¯t usually used in making perfumes. It was often used as medicine to relieve pain. This could be used as an important point of evidence. ¡°It would have been great if I remembered that information sooner, but for some strange reason, I only remembered it after calming down.¡± As she spoke as if she was ming herself, Igor stroked her back reassuringly. ¡°You¡¯ve done well just by remembering it now. It¡¯s normal that you wouldn¡¯t be able to remember all the details when it all happened so suddenly.¡± For more, visit lightnovelworld ¡°Would this be of help at all?¡± ¡°I¡¯m definitely sure it will help. We¡¯ll use it in any way to catch the tail of the perpetrator.¡± Igor kissed on her forehead. ¡°Now, go ahead and sleep more. There¡¯s still time until it¡¯s morning again.¡± Rihanann?nodded her head. She then snuggled up to his chest then fell asleep again. However, Igor couldn¡¯t sleep at all. The one incident that happened in the past wasn¡¯t able to get out of his head. In the past, among the people that were aiming to murder?Rihannan?was Count Clovis. This was possible because Count?Alessin?was still alive back then. Count?Alessin?was the owner ofnd that was filled with buried Arcs stones, and the amazing wealth that he owned was plenty enough reason to give anyone greedy thoughts. However, in this lifetime, Count?Alessin?had passed away long ago already. All the ownership of the Arc¡¯s stones that he used to own all belonged to?Rihannan. Because of this, he didn¡¯t think that Count Clovis was not the mastermind to this murder attempt, but in this current situation where there was not a single evidence that the enemy left behind, he had to cast at least some suspicion towards them. It was because among the people he knew in the past, the only person who would have enough power to influence the hunting grounds was him. Igor held?Rihannan?tight who had fallen deep into sleep. He was willing to do anything to not let this warmth stray away from him again, and was already to do so as well. *** For more, visit lightnovelworld Just like the doctor said, her normal lifestyle returned. As Basil became busy dealing with investigating the hunting grounds,?Rihannan?stood instead for Basil and helped Igor¡¯s work a little bit at a time. Advertisement Thanks to that, she realized just how much he had been overworking Basil. Basil was his personal servant as well as his secretary, and outside he was the Grand Chambein who managed the royal treasury. On top of that, in emergency situations, he would also act as the king¡¯s royal bodyguard as well. ¡°My Queen, please search for His Majesty. He seems to be hiding and I can¡¯t see even a strand of his hair anywhere!¡± One day, Basil suddenly came running to her sounding like he was dying with worry, and?Rihannan?started to immediately feel worried. ¡°Did you really try everywhere? For such arge-sized man, I don¡¯t think there are any ces he could hide so easily.¡± ¡°You just don¡¯t know it, My Queen. Ever since he was young, he was a professional at hiding! I spent half my life trying to find him!¡± His voice was filled with real emotions of regret.?Rihanann?quickly nodded before Basil would start talking way too long again. ¡°All right. I will find him and give that to him personally, so leave that document here.¡± Hearing her words, Basil rejoiced and quickly pulled out the bundle of documents from his coat that he handed to?Rihannan. For more, visit lightnovelworld When she checked the document after Basil left, all of the documents were urgent ones that all required approval by today. She now understood why Basil was so anxious. In any case, just where did he go to? Chapter 152 Mischievous Igor

Chapter 152 Mischievous Igor

Chapter 152: Mischievous Igor Rihannan?left the pce and searched for Igor, who had yet to show his presence after lunchtime. They had spent every minute, every hour, every day together after thepetition. His disappearance left arge gaping hole in her heart, oddly enough. Looking around the ces he¡¯d likely be at, she suddenly found herself in the garden where she and Igor first met when they were but innocent children who knew nothing of the intricacies of the world. She stepped foot inside the garden and saw his graceful figure resting on the grass and sleeping peacefully. He developed a habit of scaring off his caretakers when they got near while pretending to sleep as a small child. The habit seemed to have continued on to his adult life. Rihannan?approached Igor with precise wariness and sat next to his sleeping figure, wondering whether to let him be or wake him up. But a hand suddenly stretched out and grabbed her. ¡°Ah!¡± The small shawl wrapped around her shoulder fell to the ground as her small body let out a light scream. Pulling her close to him, Igor¡¯s lips drew to a smile. ¡°You were awake this whole time? Crazy man, you surprised me!¡± Igor buried his face into her hair and breathed in her flowery scent. ¡°Basil¡¯s looking for you right no¡ª¡± Igor pulled her hips tight, indicating that he no longer wished to hear any more of it and said bluntly, ¡°Basil likes to go around all day long, overworking me to death. Please let me stay away from him for at least a moment.¡± Rihannan?pursed her lips together. ¡°But it seemed urgent. The documents that need to be approved today¡­¡± ¡°Hm¡­ but,¡± he smirked,?¡° I?have an urgent need to release right now as well.¡± Rihannan?cocked an eyebrow. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Rihannan, as I hold you like this, the thought of wanting to embrace you badly grows¡­¡± Rihannan?pped the arms hugging her and cursed. ¡°I told you not to speak those words when we¡¯re outside and when there are others nearby!¡± ¡°Who else but us two are in the garden right now? Speaking of?others¡­¡± Igor licked her nape and kissed it. ¡°Does it include the birds and bugs as well? If so, I¡¯m sure that you¡¯re no human but a fairy.¡± He teased her, voice taunting. Rihannan¡¯s?brows furrowed. ¡°I¡­ I think I made the wrong impression when I first met you.¡± Advertisement Igor smiled, grabbing her chin and rubbing his thumb in a circle. There were creases between her eyebrows, as if egging him to figure out what she meant. ¡°I thought you were more mature and wiser than my cousins¡­ but I was wrong. Seeing you?now,?you¡¯re..?to put it quite frankly, devilish and mischievous¡­ my cousins can¡¯tpare to you,¡±?Rihannan?said. Igor let out a burst of snortingughter. ¡°I ?don¡¯t?quite like that you¡¯reparing me to your cousins,¡± he muttered, leaving a quick kiss on her lips. ¡°But let me say this¡­ at least I¡¯m more mature than your cousin who still talks about pirate ships and sailing the seas.¡± ¡°Pirates¡­ and ships¡­¡±?Rihannan?let out a thin sigh. ¡°It was Dimi¡¯s roundabout manner of not wanting to be involved in politics. But it¡¯s difficult for him to escape that now¡­¡± Rihannan?had heard of Dimitri¡¯s current status through word of mouth. Not long ago, evidence of the nobles resisting the crown prince had been leaked. Behind the forces was Dimitri. The event caused?Rihannan?many worries; she believed he¡¯ll end up falling in abysmal troubles. ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± Igor patted her back, ¡°I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll be able to handle all troubles thate his way with ease and ingenuity. I believe he can do that.¡± Chapter 153 Rihannan Initiates the Kiss

Chapter 153 Rihannan Initiates the Kiss

Chapter 153:?Rihannan?Initiates the Kiss Rihannan?gazed into his purple eyes, prodding for any hints. His unexpected response surprised her. It was the first she heard Igor viewing Dimitri in a positive light. ¡°¡­Do you really think so?¡± Igor did not reply and made a somewhat vexed face. He traced his hand around her neck and lightly pulled her face toward his chest. He had no ns¡ªor what seemed like one¡ªto work anytime soon, and so?Rihannan?said with slight hesitancy, ¡°Basil left the documents with me before leaving. If you don¡¯t finish your work, the me will fall on me.¡± ¡°¡­Why did you take it from him?¡± Igor clicked his tongue. A fit of slight meager anger crossed?Rihannan¡¯s?face sensing that Igor was ming her for taking the responsibility. ¡°You¡¯re the one exploiting and overloading Basil with piles of work! Why do you continue to overwork him like that?¡±?Rihannan?criticized. ¡°Actually¡­¡± Igor quickly pulled out an excuse card, ¡°Rihannan, part of that¡­ well¡­ Basil brought it upon himself.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°¡­In the past, when I appointed Basil as Grand Chambein, there came a massive amount of protests from the nobility. They say his status was too low to ce him in?that?position of power. Therefore, I intentionally left the Grand Chambein¡¯s position empty while handing the work of a Grand Chambein to Basil. As the seat of the Grand Chambein¡¯s position remained cold and empty, Basil became the prime candidate, and now we¡¯re here.¡± Rihannan?wasn¡¯t satisfied. ¡°But your reasoning shows that Basil didn¡¯t bring it upon himself, but you who forced that position on him.¡± Igor gave a helpless sigh before exining to escape?Rihannan¡¯s?murderous mouth. ¡°I had originally nned to give Basil a title of nobility. If he became a noble, the nobility would have no choice but to ept him. However, Basil vehemently declined the offer, only willing to bear the work of a Grand Chambein without a noble title.¡± ¡°¡­I don¡¯t understand. Why did he decline the offer?¡±?Rihannan?asked. ¡°For amoner to receive the title of nobility, they¡¯ll need to undergo a sessful trial worthy enough to receive des. I ordered Basil to venture to a conflicting region and act as amander. Should he seed in his efforts for one month battling the region, he¡¯ll automatically receive a noble title, but Basil declined with fervent passion. He ims that if a single life was lost due to his leadership, he¡¯d have no face to deal with his wife.¡± Rihannan?burst outughing. ¡°Goodness, that¡¯s just like him.¡± In the end, Basil would rather be with the person he loved than to gain power¡­ unlike a certain someone. Rihannan?closed her eyes, remembering the words her father said to her. ¡°Your mother was testing me.¡± Had she not suggested a contract of providing himnd, estate, and power, he¡¯d have lived a happier life with his lover. But he never came to the realization that the problem was not the contract but him. Before his passing, he had probably cursed her to death. Advertisement ¡°Oh yes, Igor, you know that I received an invitation to visit Countess Saphia¡¯s ce next month, right?¡± Igor¡¯s face quickly hardened. ¡°You n to go?¡± Rihannan?nodded. ¡°I¡¯ve already promised.¡± ¡°It¡¯s dangerous out there right now. I think it¡¯d be best for you to cancel it.¡± Rihannan?puffed her cheeks. ¡°Igor, Count Saphia and his wife are beneficial to the royal family. I don¡¯t wish to let go of this opportunity. Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll bring an adequate amount of bodyguard knights and Mrs.?Cessley?will be with me.¡± ¡°But¡­ still¡­¡± At that moment,?Rihannan?kissed his lips. It was as if fire ignited his bones, like his soul returned to the gentle water, like every part of him came back to life again. She had left him breathless. Since thest incident, she¡¯d initiate a kiss like this. Not that he wasining. He was overjoyed on the inside, happily dancing while receiving her clumsy signs of affection¡ªthe clumsy kisses of poems she left in his mouth. However, her kiss that tasted of love troubled him. She¡¯d use it to seal his mouth. Chapter 154 Leticia

Chapter 154 Leticia

Chapter 154: Leticia ¡°¡­Rihannan, I won¡¯t let you¡­¡± Igor¡¯s growling voice soon turned to one of deep moaning, the pitch of his voice a little higher than normal. It was a strange feeling. The more he satisfied his own desire, the more his affection toward her grew deeper, so much so that he could never possibly measure the depth of his love for her. When their lips finally parted, his expression looked simr to that of a defeated man. ¡°¡­Come back as soon as you can. I don¡¯t like being alone¡­¡± he mumbled while out of breath. ¡°You make it sound like I¡¯ll be gone for several days. I¡¯ll only be gone for a day,¡±?Rihnannanughed, her voice a melodic rapture. ¡°And that¡¯s precisely why I¡¯m letting you go. If you don¡¯t return the night after, I¡¯ll create a big fuss andmotion¡­ more than when you visited my mother,¡± Igor said yfully. ¡°¡­I-I understand,¡±?Rihannan?stuttered. Seeing her stutter in reply, Igor smirked.?Rihannan?tried to escape his arms of embrace, wiggling a few times, but it was to no avail. After a while, she surrendered and sighed weakly. Igor turned her around and held her hand. He looked at her as if telling her not to move, so?Rihannanid next to him quietly. ¡°Actually, how long will we be like this?¡±?Rihannan?asked not long after. ¡°Why? Do you hate it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that I hate it, but the documents¡­¡± ¡°Ugh¡­¡± She heard the sounds of teeth grinding together. ¡°I swear on my name and honor that I¡¯ll take care of all those documents before the day ends, so please stay like this with me for a bit longer.¡± Rihannan?thought that if she said anything further, then he¡¯d simply tear apart the documents in front of Basil angrily so she gave up and closed her eyes. As sheid there, sleep soon took over. The insomnia that troubled her for the longest of time was no longer and she could sleep with ease. Ignore noticed that her breathing turned to one of deep sleep and quietly smiled. ¡¶Volume 6: Leticia¡· Duchess Saphia weed her 30th birthday with a grand banquet. It was a grand asion too. The queen herself would be visiting personally. For this reason alone, the duchess had been in a fervently ted mood for the past month. It was rare for a royal such as the queen herself to visit a domain, unless one had a prestigious family title. ¡°Happy birthday, Duchess Saphia.¡± As the banquet began, the queen arrived at the party and greeted the duchess, who in return smiled broadly. ¡°Your Majesty, it¡¯s an honor to have your gracious presence. I appreciate Her Majesty for taking the time out of her day.¡± Advertisement Rihannan?smiled. ¡°I should be the one thanking you for allowing me to attend.¡± It was no mere emptypliment. The banquet was massive in scale irrespective of the ce it was held. The number of guests invited ranged in the hundreds. The duchess had even invited clowns and dancers to liven the mood. It was clear that she had devoted much of her time and effort to her grand banquet. ¡°It¡¯s but a humble small party. It can¡¯tpare to the banquets at the pce or the parties the previous duchesses had thrown in the past. I¡¯m moved to tears to hear you praise this banquet so highly.¡± Rihannan?gave a bright smile at Duchess Saphia¡¯s humble reply. ¡°I¡¯ve brought you a present. I hope it¡¯s to your liking.¡± Mrs.?Cessley, who stood next to the queen, presented a small box to the duchess. Everyone¡¯s gaze immediately turned to the box in her hand. It was a royal gift the queen presented to someone for the first time. It was obvious that it¡¯d grab their attention. What would be inside? Jewels? Perhaps something worth of value? Everyone wondered in curiosity. Duchess Saphia gently opened the box. Inside it was a simple looking book. While everyone wore a look of disappointment, the duchess gasped deeply in shock. Chapter 155 Flaming Red Hair

Chapter 155 ming Red Hair

Chapter 155: ming Red Hair ¡°My goodness¡­ this is¡­¡± ¡°As I thought. I knew you¡¯d understand the value of the book right away,¡± smiled?Rihannan, cheerfully so. ¡°That¡¯s right. It¡¯s the first version of Professor Rahman¡¯s critically acimed book. They say there are only a few prints left in the world. Since the duchess loves books so much, I thought you¡¯d enjoy this book more than anything else I could ever give you.¡± The duchess¡¯ eyes shone brightly, the pools of her eyes gazing into?Rihannan¡¯s?icy¨Cblue eyes. The look in the duchess¡¯ eyes was akin to rapture. ¡°Your Majesty¡­ I¡¯m¡­ I don¡¯t know what to say¡­ is it alright for me to possess such a valuable object?¡± The invited nobility noticed Duchess¡¯ Saphia¡¯s genuine voice of surprise and raucous happiness. They quickly fixed their expression of disappointment and awkwardly congratted the duchess for the valuable gift she received. ¡°Congrattions, Duchess Saphia. The gift must¡¯ve sent you to the heavens.¡± ¡°Yes. Of course. To the duchess, this book has more value than gold or any other valuables she possesses.¡± With the nobility¡¯s message of ttery, the banquet continued in earnest. The duchess¡¯ birthday celebration was the first banquet after the incident at the hunting grounds urred. Today, everyone celebrated in ted excitement. For more, visit lightnov_elworld.c__om With the help of Duchess Saphia,?Rihannan?was introduced to numbers of noblemen and women she hadn¡¯t met during the previous banquet at the pce. The talks flowed smoothly with the friendships she formed. Their disposition surprised?Rihannan. They bore a dignified aura that was difficult to sway, yet highly educated, cheerful, and sharp wits. Laughter and merry conversations echoed and ripened the banquet with glee. ¡°Your Majesty, there¡¯s strawberry juice avable. Would you like some?¡± Halfway through, Mrs.?Cessley?noticed?Rihannan¡¯s?throat slightly parched and dry and rmended her a drink. As?Rihannan?was not the type to enjoy alcoholic drinks at banquets like this, she preferred drinking fruit juice as opposed to wine or any drinks of the sort. ¡°Thank you, Mrs.?Cessley.¡± Rihannan?stretched out a hand and took the drink Mrs.?Cessley?offered her. Meanwhile, she noticed a certain figure at the banquet standing out. Amongst the crowd, she had morous red hair and eyes staring directly at?Rihannan. She was a woman of outstanding beauty that stood out from the other noblewomen. She looked untouchable, unreachable, like a blood moon rising in a sky of a thousand nebe bursting. For more, visit lightnov_elworld.c__om As soon as that blood-red gaze met?Rihannan¡¯s?icy¨Cblue pools, her face froze instantly. She hadn¡¯t realized she had lost strength in her hand, causing the cup of ss to fall. Clink! ¡°Your Majesty, are you alright?¡± Duchess Saphia yelled out in surprise. The ss fell to the side and next to Mrs.?Cessley¡¯s?skirt, leaving behind a red stain. Meanwhile, the woman with ming red hair turned around and disappeared into oblivion. Rihannan?came back to her senses and hurriedly apologized to Mrs.?Cessley. Advertisement ¡°I apologize, Mrs.?Cessley. I was absent-minded for a moment and¡­ I don¡¯t know what came over me¡­¡± Mrs.?Cessley?hurriedly changed the queen¡¯s mistake and who was at fault to hers instead. ¡°Not at all, Your Majesty. It was I who made a mistake. This wouldn¡¯t have happened if I hadn¡¯t passed you the drink properly,¡± sheughed heartily, paying no heed to the stain on her dress. ¡°It¡¯s a good thing, actually. I didn¡¯t like the look of this dress to begin with. I brought a spare change of clothes, so I¡¯ll quickly change ande back.¡± ¡°Mrs.?Cessley, pleasee this way.¡± For more, visit lightnov_elworld.c__om Duchess Saphia guided Mrs.?Cessley?to a private room. As the two women left the banquet,?Rihannan?quickly walked toward the direction the red-haired woman disappeared to. She opened the door to the exit; it was connected to a long hallway. She walked down the path for what seemed like ages, but she could find no one. Rihannan?soon realized she had threaded a dark ce and that she was alone. Igor had warned her to make sure she was with someone at all times, but the sudden surprise caught her off guard that she¡¯d forgotten his warning. Rihannan?shook her head. Perhaps it was her own imagination. Yes¡­ it was simply an illusion¡­ But as soon as she convinced herself with that thought, a curvaceous figure appeared in front of her. Chapter 156 Have You Been Well, Sister?

Chapter 156 Have You Been Well, Sister?

Chapter 156: Have You Been Well, Sister? The figure¡¯s red ming hair swayed beautifully under the moonlit night. Her beauty was overwhelming, enough to make one think that she was a goddess, that she belonged to the heavens. Her smooth luscious skin put the beauty of the red flower to shame. No mortal couldpare to her splendor. It was as if everything around her dimmed a little to make way for her presence. The red-haired beauty stood in front of?Rihannan?with a deep smile. ¡°It¡¯s been a while,?Rihannan,¡± said the beauty. Leticia¡­ her younger sister had appeared in front of her again after six years. Rihannan?looked at the curvaceous figure who stood close to her. She was as beautiful as ever¡ªred luscious hair and big eyes¡­ rose-tinted cheeks and features that reminded one of a blooming?flower. She looked no different from the girl?Rihannan?knew in her past life. Rihannan?stared back, eyes in disbelief. Leticia lowered her gaze and bowed deeply. ¡°I apologize,¡± she said humbly, ¡°I forgot. You said never to call you by your name. Then¡­ Your Majesty. Is this fitting instead?¡± ¡°How did you get¡­¡± Leticia smiled. ¡°An invitation. It had been quite difficult getting one, you see.¡± Leticia had once received the protection of her father despite her illegitimate status. But he had long passed away, never toe back in this life. Rihannan?wondered how Leticia received an invitation to Duchess Saphia¡¯s banquet¡­ Looking at?Rihannan¡¯s?curious-filled face, Leticiaughed sweetly. ¡°You¡¯re probably wondering why I¡¯m here though I¡¯m not of noble blood, right? Well, the truth is¡­ I¡¯m married.¡± ¡°¡­Who did you marry?¡± ¡°Gaith. My husband¡¯s name is Gaith?Olbach. You may know him as Viscount?Olbach.¡± Gaith?Olbach.?Rihannan?had seen that name on the guestlist before. The name?Leticia?Olbachwas written next to it as well. ¡°You¡¯re Leticia?Olbach?¡± Leticia nodded. ¡°Of course. They call me Viscountess?Olbach.¡± ¡°But I heard the viscount remarried several years ago¡­ you¡¯d have been too young to marry back then.¡± Leticia smiled. Advertisement ¡°It hadn¡¯t been long since you returned, so I¡¯m sure you¡¯d be less informative about the happenings here in?Arundell, but I guess my spection was wrong. That¡¯s right. My husband remarried several years ago to the madam I was serving. After she passed away, he remarried me. It happened several months ago.¡± Rihannan?opened her eyes wide as she looked at the red-haired beauty. It made sense¡­ why Mrs.?Cessley?knew nothing of Leticia¡­ it made sense. Mrs.?Cessley?was too preupied with renovating the Queen¡¯s Pce around that time.?Rihannan?figured that she¡¯d not willingly go as far as to remember the names of the wives of the lower-ranking nobles. To Mrs.?Cessley, they were but a mere speck of ants not worth mentioning. ¡°In any case, this waspletely unexpected. I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d remember me. You¡¯d only seen my face once and that was long ago.¡± Leticia¡¯s eyes lit up in wonder. She was genuinely curious. Just as Leticia said,?Rihannan?had only seen her face once. However, she did not know that?Rihannan?knew every single, every detail about her. On the surface, Leticia wore the appearance of an angel-like goddess, but the truth was that a devil awaiting to break freeid dormant inside her. ¡°Have you been well, sister?¡± Leticia asked once more. Rihannan?showed signs of fluster, but her turbulent aura immediately calmed and she returned to her normal state of mind, her sensesing back. There was no need to linger in the past nor did she need to be afraid. The Leticia of this present life was not the daughter of a count nor a sibling who enjoyed the affection of the king. She was a simple wife married to a low ranking noble. She was no longer the Leticia?Rihannan?knew but the Leticia of this present life. Chapter 157 The Fault Lies In You

Chapter 157 The Fault Lies In You

Chapter 157: The Fault Lies?In?You ¡°Have you been well?¡±?Rihannan?regained her calm and returned Leticia¡¯s question to her. Leticia¡¯s face frowned slightly in opposition and said, ¡°Have I been¡­ doing well?¡± ¡°It would seem so. You¡¯re married now.¡± Leticia gripped her hand to a tight fist. ¡°Do you know how old my husband is? Do you know that¡­ that he¡¯s forty years older than me?¡± Rihannan?stared nkly. ¡°Is that important?¡± ¡°Of course?it is! What sort of woman would willingly want to live with an old, sick man? Or perhaps¡­ since Her Majesty is living with such a young and handsome man, you care not what happens to others?¡± Rihannan?sighed. ¡°I don¡¯t understand you. Why do you argue with me? Was your marriage not of your own choosing or something?¡± ¡°No, it was of my own volition. It was the only way I could rise through social ranks and be a noble!¡± Leticia¡¯s ming red eyes flower with fervent passion. ¡°But¡­ why do you think I ended up with that decision? Was it not because Her Majesty casted me and?our?father out? Because of Her Majesty, we lived in poverty¡­ without help, without money. Debts continued to chase father. Later on, he mixed himself into gambling. Those people invaded my home every day threatening to pay us back the overdue amount.¡± Leticia gritted her teeth. ¡°Do you understand how painful it was to live that life every day? The only way out of that hellhole was to sell my body to that disgusting noble.¡± Her words were pure and honest. Leticia believed with all her heart that the fault in?Rihannan. Because of?Rihannan¡­ she had no other choice but to marry that old man. ¡°People who fall into debt don¡¯t walk the path as you did,¡±?Rihannan?replied tly. ¡°That isn¡¯t something you can say so easily. You¡¯ve lived your whole lifefortably in Chrichton beforeing back to be?Arundell¡¯s?queen. How could you possibly ever understand my pain?!¡± Rihannan?closed her eyes. ¡°¡­If I had taken you in back then¡­ what would have changed?¡± ¡°At least¡­ at least I would have ended falling to a dead end and marrying that disgusting man. If you had given me the tiniest amount of sympathy, I wouldn¡¯t have fallen to this state.¡± Leticia¡¯s beautiful red eyes glistened with a tear. Rihannan?looked at her with conflicted eyes. Was her decision back then a mistake? Leticia had be a viiness. Rihannan?gave a bitter smile. Rihannan?gave everything Leticia ever wanted in the past, yet she loathed her. In this life, she cast her away, and still, she was hated. In both lives Leticia despised her. Maybe this was fate¡ªthat they were destined to have an irrevocable rtionship. Their hatred ran deep and it was something that couldn¡¯t be changed easily. Rihannan?sighed quietly, icy-blue eyes looking straight into Leticia¡¯s ming red eyes. Advertisement ¡°Leticia, no matter what I give to you, you¡¯ll still hate me in the end.¡± She no longer felt the need to continue their conversation. At this rate, they¡¯ll only end up hurting each other. Rihannan?ended the conversation abruptly. Just as she was about to pass Leticia, the window curtain rustled and the gentle wind blew by. At that moment, a familiar sense of?deja?vu washed over her. Rihannan?stopped immediately walking. With a stiff and frozen body, she slowly turned around. ¡°¡­That scent¡­¡±?Rihannan?trailed off. ¡°Scent? Ah¡­¡± Leticia donned a confused expression before proceeding to smell her own clothes. Her brows tightened in annoyance. ¡°My husband needs continuous treatment for arthritis. I¡¯ve to keep carrying around medicinal herbs which include herbal mints. Perhaps that scent permeated onto my clothes.¡± Rihannan?gasped quietly. Her eyes trembled and her hands shivered unconsciously. ¡°You¡­ did you go to the hunting grounds?¡± At?Rihannan¡¯s?questioning, Leticia¡¯s expression changed. She looked somewhat surprised at first, but it immediately changed to a cunning smile as if realizing something. ¡°Yes, Your Majesty. I did go.¡± Chapter 158 Leticia’s Fascination

Chapter 158 Leticia¡¯s Fascination

Chapter 158: Leticia¡¯s Fascination Rihannan?was silent, but it onlysted a moment¡¯s breath. ¡°Your name wasn¡¯t on the guest list.¡± A cunning smile remained on Leticia¡¯s lips. ¡°One of the noblewomen I know personally was in great pain and unable to participate in thepetition so I came in her stead. It¡¯s why you didn¡¯t see me on the list.¡± Rihannan?wanted to know, wanted to ask why she needed to go so far as to attend a mere?Kiritte?Competition, but she did not. Her lips had trouble moving. It was the same then and it was the same now¡ªRihannan?couldn¡¯t understand Leticia¡¯s unconditional hatred towards her. ¡­Was it fate? ¡°I was curious. I wanted to see how Her Majesty¡¯s doing these days, to see how well you¡¯re living life after you cast me and father aside. And¡­¡± The corner of her lips lifted to a devilish grin. ¡°¡­More than anything, I wanted to see His Majesty up close. Though I saw him once before, he was far away in my area to see clearly. And just as the rumors specte, His Majesty is quite the handsome man. His charm, dignified smile, and all those things are iparable to any average men.¡± Leticia approached?Rihannan?closely. If it was Leticia who had attempted to put her life in danger, then the possibility exists that she¡¯d use this moment as a chance.?Rihannan¡¯s?instinct called her, urged her to escape from the darkroom, but she didn¡¯t. The touch of pride in her heart remained. She was aware that her pride could possibly lead to her downfall, but¡­ ¡°His Majesty was very kind to you. I still remember it clearly. Your Majesty, what do you think if that smile was directed towards me rather than?you¡­¡± Leticia leaned forward and whispered in?Rihannan¡¯s?ear of words akin to toxic beauty. mes danced in the pools of her zing red eyes filled with greed and desire. Rihannan?had seen that look before. It was when Leticia first saw Igor at the banquet¡ªeyes full of ambition to steal his heart and reach the pinnacle of power. ¡°¡­Your Majesty?¡± Mrs.?Cessley¡¯s?voice rang. Leticia broke away from?Rihannan?and quickly distanced herself, immediately leaving noticing the presence of another. Mrs.?Cessley?gave the red-haired beauty a furtive nce, not once bothering to greet her. Mrs.?Cessley¡¯s?found something amiss. The air was unpleasant, too, but she paid it no mind and approached the queen. ¡°I searched all over the ce for you. I didn¡¯t know you were here. And who was that woman? I¡¯ve never seen her before. What were you talking?abo¡­?My Queen?¡± Rihannan?put her shivering hand on her lips. Nausea rose from her stomach up. All kinds of dirty and dangerous thoughts inside her ran amok chaotically as if trying to break free. Then, she could no longer hold on that she violently retched a thin stream of vomit. Advertisement The surprised Mrs.?Cessley?hurriedly helped her. ¡°My Queen, are you unwell?¡± Rihannan?nodded her head lightly while Mrs.?Cessley?brought her to a separate room with fresh open air. ¡°Come this way, My Queen.¡± The banquet ended in such fashion. Rihannan?spent the rest of the day in a guest bedroom. She stopped retching, but she was in no state tough and mingle. Rihannan?apologized to Duchess Sophia countless times before stepping foot on the carriage and heading home earlier than nned. She leaned against the carriage wall. She had no strength left. Mrs.?Cessley, who had quietly tried to find a moment to speak, open her mouth with precise caution, ¡°My Queen, I apologize for my impudence, but shall we have your body checked after returning to the pce?¡± ¡°Mrs.?Cessley, the issue isn¡¯t because I¡¯m in pain. It¡¯s not that¡­ there¡¯s no need to worry.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant¡­ It¡¯s about¡ª¡± Chapter 159 To Keep Her Distance

Chapter 159 To Keep Her Distance

Chapter 159: To Keep Her Distance Mrs.?Cessley¡¯s?voice trailed off at the end, voice full of worries and it was then that?Rihannan?realized what the duchess meant. Her expression hardened. ¡°I¡¯ve made it clear before that you shouldn¡¯t have any hopes of a sessor¡­¡± ¡°My Queen, that¡¯s not it. I was just thinking that¡­¡± ¡°Perhaps you take my words as a joke, enough to simply ignore it?¡± Hearing the queen¡¯s cold and unexpected response, Mrs.?Cessley¡¯s?expression flustered. She bit her lower lip and lowered her head. ¡°I apologize, Your Majesty. I acted out of line and made a mistake. This won¡¯t happen again.¡± ¡°¡­Just don¡¯t say anything to?him¡­ or who I met and that I vomited because I was feeling unwell.¡± ¡°But My Queen, that¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°If you are mydy-in-waiting, you wouldn¡¯t hesitate to ascend to my request. If that¡¯s not the case¡­¡±?Rihannan?pursed her lips together, ¡°¡­then do whatever you want.¡± She turned her head and closed her eyes thereafter, blocking out any outside noise. Mrs.?Cessley¡¯s?worried face made her heart break and her insides as if it was being ripped apart, but this was necessary. She knew now the person who pushed her into theke was Leticia¡­ but that didn¡¯t mean she nned to tell the truth to Igor. Ironically, she¡¯d rather die than seeing them together all over again. She couldn¡¯t exin the feeling in her guts, but it told her that if by chance they meet again, they¡¯ll fall in love. It was an obvious natural urrence of two people who fell in love in the past to fall deeper for each other once more in this life. She could also reason that the reason Igor was kind and affectionate towards her was that he hadn¡¯t met Leticia yet. She saw how they practically fell in love at first sight back then and there was no telling how fiery their love would be in this life. Rihannanughed inwardly in dismal bitterness. Though the thought of Igor and Leticia bing a couple made her want to vomit, she found herself more revolting. She was trying to rip their fated love in this situation. It was pathetic, she was pathetic. And what was she doing now? Even lowly animals who had experienced death would avoid everything that was the cause of their death at all cost, yet, here she was, following the same terrible road she once walked down in. She volunteered to be his wife, and before she noticed, she fell in love all over again. Love. When the word popped in her mind, deluges of indescribable feelings rose up from the inside.?Rihannan?bit her lip hard, enough to bring her back to her senses. Advertisement That word was something she was always afraid to touch and explore. But now, that once empty hatred and loathing she had for Igor had been reced with pure love. She couldn¡¯t understand these feelings she had. Why had she be like this? What happened to all the promises she made back then? It had gone down the drain. However, if there was one thing different from the past, it was that she wasn¡¯t willing to watch Igor cast her aside and choose Leticia as his lover over her. She¡¯ll cast him aside before that ever happens. When she arrived back at the pce, she didn¡¯t follow Igor¡¯s suggestion to visit him right away at the main pce but went straight to the Queen¡¯s Pce. The curious Mrs.?Cessley?who wanted to voice a question kept her mouth shut. Rihannan?smiled bitterly, wondering if this was the point where the?rtionship?she built with Mrs.?Cessley?will break apart. It was saddening that they¡¯ll slowly drift apart, but this was inevitable¡­ In any case, she¡¯ll leave?Arundell?and head to Chrichton soon while Mrs.?Cessley?would be staying. It was best to keep her distance from the duchess from now on. That¡¯s right¡­ This was how it should have been in the beginning¡­ with Mrs.?Cessley?and Igor¡­ yet she allowed herself to get close to them until now. Why does she do that knowing how it¡¯ll end up the same? Had she not learned her lesson properly? Chapter 160 Don’t Turn Your Back On Me

Chapter 160 Don¡¯t Turn Your Back On Me

Chapter 160: Don¡¯t Turn Your Back?On?Me ¡°Rihannan.¡± Not long after she arrived at the Queen¡¯s Pce, Igor made his way towards her. He saw his wifebing her hair in front of a mirror after having a quick bath. Mrs.?Cessley?noticed the mood would soon turn?awry?from what she knew. She excused herself as?Rihannan?let down herb. Rihannan¡¯s?eyes nced to the side, looking at his face reflected in the mirror. ¡°I heard what happened. That you came back because you¡¯re unwell. Did anything else happen? Have you gotten better?¡± Igor approached?Rihannan?from behind, wrapping her in a gentle hug. He stroked her hair, kissed her on the cheek, and sought her lips. Rihannan?epted his advancements, staring at him with half-closed eyes. His mouth dug her sweet tongue and explored every inch of her for a while before realizing something was amiss. He pulled his lips away and looked up. Eyes devoid of emotion stared back at him in the mirror. ¡°Rihannan?¡± It was as if she was a doll made of ice. Her half-closed icy blue eyes, lifeless face¡­ everything about her exuded cold iciness. She seemed untouchable. ¡°¡­Did something happen at the banquet?¡± The seriousness of his voice tightened. He was nervous.?Rihannan?rose from her chair seeing Igor¡¯s hardened expression. ¡°Nothing happened.¡± ¡°No, something happened.¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothing like that.¡± ¡°Rihannan, have you forgotten the oath we made to each other? That we¡¯ll be honest and upfront? What happened?¡± ¡°¡­Nothing really?hap¡ª¡± ¡°Rihannan¡­!¡± conflicted, Igor raised his voice, but it hardly affected?Rihannan. She turned her head sharply: ¡°I¡¯m tired. I wish to rest. Please leave now.¡± ¡°You¡­ you¡¯re kicking me out right now? Without telling me anything?¡± ¡°I told you. There¡¯s nothing else to say.¡± ¡°¡­..¡± ¡°¡­And from now on, I n to stay here. It¡¯s already been a month since that?thing?happened at the hunting grounds. I¡¯m sure that I¡¯ll be safe now.¡± Rihannan?rose from her seat. ¡°¡­Be safe on your way back.¡± Rihannan?didn¡¯t notice his gaze as she walked past him straight towards the bed, but¡­ he grabbed her arm. ¡°Let go.¡± Advertisement Rihannan?put power in her harm and pushed away from his grasp. But it was futile. Igor, with tightened brows, pulled him in his embrace. He had the size of a body big enough to cover all of her. Envelopedpletely in his embrace while burying his face on her nape, he earnestly whispered, ¡°¡­Please don¡¯t do this. Don¡¯t turn your back on me. Not like this¡­¡± Rihannan¡¯s?eyes trembled. She bit her lips. It¡¯d be a lie if she said that his words hadn¡¯t shaken her up. She didn¡¯t think he¡¯d plead like this¡­ it made her aching heart throbbed for a moment. Igor grabbed her face and kissed her soft lips lovingly. He held her tight, lips pressed onto the lips of her that were so¡­ endlessly smooth. Rihannan?squeezed her eyes tight. Not wanting the chance to pass, his tongue moved and devoured hers. Rihannan?wavered, her walls being pushed back by Igor. She was caught at the corner of the bed, falling on top of the mattress. Proficiently exploring the insides of her lips, Igor caressed her body. He moved his hand in a hurry and went down her garden. He knew what she liked and what made her exited from the moments of passion he spent embracing her over the past month. Sucking and stroking her sensitive parts,?Rihannan¡¯s?core slowly heated up. The entrance of her flower grew moist and wet and she let out an inaudible moan as she gripped the nket sheets. She had made attempts to push him away, yet her body spoke a different tune and epted himplete with open arms. Chapter 161 Strained Relationship

Chapter 161 Strained Rtionship

Chapter 161: Strained Rtionship Rihannan¡¯s?head became more fogged. Theplicated thoughts swirling her mind crumbled away bit by bit. Maybe it was fine to forget. What was wrong taking what he gave to her? But as she was ready to give up and throw herself into piles of ecstasy, Leticia¡¯s words came to mind and her consciousness snapped back into ce. ¡°His Majesty was very kind to you. I still remember it clearly. Your Majesty, what do you think if that smile was directed towards me rather than?you¡­¡± Rihannan?slowly shut her lips. Yes, that¡¯s right¡­ The person¡­ the woman Igor will love was not her at the very end. Even when he¡¯s smitten with her now,?Rihannan?was sure that he¡¯d change once he runs into Leticia. They were meant for each other like a preordained fate. The only reason he hadn¡¯t met Leticia much earlier was that?Rihannan?changed his fate. But this was temporary. Igor and Leticia¡­ they were meant to meet. Visit lig_ht_nove_lworld. for a better experience The time it took for her fiery heart topletely cool down to cold iciness was instantaneous. Rihannan?let go of the strength from her body, hand going limp. Igor continued to desire and explore her body in the meantime. She shut her eyes, waiting and waiting for the deed to be done. She had experienced this many number of times without desire, without emotion back then. Even if it was ufortable, she¡¯ll be patient. The end wille sooner orter. It won¡¯t be any different. Igor devoured her silky white peaks in his mouth and rolled his tongue over it. But a secondter, he realized the reactions from her body changed. He pulled his mouth away and lifted his head; the face of his lover was cold and hardened. His eyes swiftly zed with anger. ¡°Do you think I¡¯ll give up on you like this? That I¡¯ll leave and let the rtionship between us return to the one in the past?¡± ¡°What did we have between us in the first ce, to begin with?¡± Visit lig_ht_nove_lworld. for a better experience ¡°¡­What?¡± Igor stared at her with eyes of disbelief. ¡°What we have¡­ it¡¯s nothing more than a contracted rtionship. What more did you want? What do you wish from me? If it is my body you desire, then take it. I had no intention of resisting you since the very beginning. Rihannan?turned her head and shut her eyes. Advertisement Igor gazed at?Rihannan¡¯s?still body on the bed waiting for him to ravish her fully. He?grit?his teeth and clenched his fist. She looked no different than an animal awaiting its timely death after it was dragged to the ughterhouse. As this thought popped in his mind, the fury burning inside him faded until it was no longer. It was as if the rtionship they had built burned down. Igor let out a long sigh and stepped off the best, trying his hardest best to calm the festering anger burning wildly within him. Afterward, he tossed the nket onto her body and bitterly said, ¡°Sleep here today, and from tomorrow on, sleep in the main pce. It¡¯s better to guard you there, after all. In the meantime, I will be staying at a different quarter. You don¡¯t need to worry. Understand that this is an order. If you¡¯re still here tomorrow, I will remind you that you¡¯ll be forcibly moved to the main pce.¡± Visit lig_ht_nove_lworld. for a better experience He left the room immediately. With the sound of the door closing,?Rihannan?slowly pulled the nket to her face. She couldn¡¯t understand who¡¯s feeling were hurt. She knew he had cut his heart apart, yet why did hers throb in pain? A momentter, sounds of sobbing came from her lips as hot, wet tears soaked the nket. Though, one definite thing was that both of them would sleep with a deep scar in their heart. Chapter 162 Suicide By Poison

Chapter 162 Suicide By Poison

Chapter 162: Suicide?By?Poison After getting off the carriage, Leticia right away went to enter the brightly lit mansion. As the employees in the building noticed her and frowned, Leticia slowly made a smirk. This was good, as she was in a bad mood. ¡°Kya!!¡± Leticia pped down the maid that was right next to her. As the maid copsed onto the floor and grasped her pped cheek, she red at Leticia. Leticia didn¡¯t like that look she gave. ¡°Argh! W-Why are you doing this! Stop, please!¡± As Leticia grabbed her hair and shook it, the maid ended up crying as she begged. Without even a bit of remorse, Leticia pulled even harder on her hair. Screams of the maid echoed throughout as her hair ripped out from her scalp. A handful of brown hair was left in her hand as it was ripped from her head and scattered onto the floor. It had all happened before anyone could even try to stop her. ¡°How strange. You already know this was going to happen, yet you still go against me like this. Why? Why do you all keep being like this?¡± Leticia looked down at the wailing maid and smiled happily as she spoke. Even though her smiling face looked like an angel, the acts she took were no different than one of a?devil. As everyone looked at the scene in shock, a loud voice rang out from behind. ¡°What are you doing in my home?!¡± The employees quickly stepped to the side. The person who angrily walked towards Leticia was Count?Clovis¡¯s?wife. The employees were d that she had appeared but also stared at the female owner of the estate with pity. Even as the countess scolded angrily with a loud voice, Leticia didn¡¯t look even a bit scared. Instead, she spoke to the countess with a smile on her face. ¡°Because the maid of this ce was stepping out of line, so I was teaching her a lesson.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Countess, I think you should be more careful about teaching your underlings. I couldn¡¯t hold it back anymore as this keeps repeating every?time?I enter this mansion.¡± ¡°How dare you, you little dirty?wh*re!¡± Wh*re. The moment the countess spoke out that word, the surrounding area all became deathly quiet. That was the word everyone thought of as she entered but never dared to let out. Leticia, who was staring at Countess, gave a fierce smile. ¡°Be careful with your words, Madam. If I am the?wh*re, then you¡¯re more pitiful for losing your husband to a mere?wh*re like me, isn¡¯t it?¡± Advertisement ¡°Why you!¡± The countess couldn¡¯t hold back her anger and swung her hand. However, Leticia grabbed ahold of her swinging hand right away. ¡°H-How dare you¡­!¡± As the countess had only lived a high-ss life since her birth, those were the only words she could say. Even though her husband was cheating with her unapologetically and was practically showing off Leticia to her, as she entered and left the house without any fear. Leticia couldn¡¯t help butugh at that. ¡°I really wished not to say this, but you leave me no choice.¡± Leticia tilted her head. Her crimson-colored lips came near the countess¡¯s ear as she whispered. ¡°I¡¯m sure that you know the fact that my father as well as the previous Viscount?Olbach¡¯s?wife hadmit?suicide by drinking poison. If you keep acting like this, you may end up the same way as them, Madam.¡± The countess¡¯s face quickly lost its color. Her legs shook for a moment a bit, then fell into the arms of the maid as she copsed. Leticia smirked at seeing her copse from just this level of threat and went straight to the study. Chapter 163 Leticia and S*x

Chapter 163 Leticia and S*x

Chapter 163: Leticia and S*x When Leticia stepped foot inside arge, copious room and closed the door behind her, she saw the count sitting at his desk working hard. She was sure he heard themotion she stirred up outside, yet his face held no ounce of emotional reaction in rtion to it. ¡°I¡¯m here, love.¡± Simr to the voice of a little bird tweeting, Leticia walked around the table and embraced his shoulders. ¡°¡­The banquet ended much earlier than I expected. I came to see you straight away. I missed you dearly so.¡± The count stopped and put his pen down. He looked up, turning his chair around. His fingers rapped the table twice then pointed downwards. ¡°¡­..¡± Leticia knew fairly well what he meant. She smiled, kindly, and knelt on the floor in front of him. She unbuckled his belt and buttons, pulling down his pants thereafter. His thick, erect male member showed itself immediately. A strong, fishy smell swirled around the room, making her want to vomit, but Leticia smiled warmly and enveloped the tip of his shaft with her full red lips. She thought he¡¯d give her time and a breather, but he immediately pulled her head towards his member right away, his shaft thrusting all the way down her throat, causing her to gag. ¡°Kghh!¡± He thrust in hard and lost all control, his lust taking over, shaft ufortably pushed against her tonsils, forcing them apart and moving its way down her throat. He ruthlessly grabbed her hair, moving his waist back and forth however he wished. By this point, tears streamed down her face, his balls hitting her chin. Slowly, he pulled out just a little and Letica prayed that it was over, but then he moved it back in¡ªout and in again. She could feel him getting harder and swelling inside her mouth, thrusting in a not so gentle rhythm. She felt like vomiting, her stomach sick to the core, but still¡­ she had no choice and did her best to pleasure him with her mouth. ¡°Get up.¡± After a satisfying session, he shot down the back of her throat once again and carefully pulled out, member twitching. Then, he pped the top of his thighs lightly. Without taking the time to wipe the fluids on her lips, Leticia pulled down her panties and sat on his thighs. Without forewarning, his hot rod prated her beautiful flesh right away. The rtionship between the two had always been like this. He¡¯d satisfy his sexual cravings that his haughty wife could never do and used the youthful body of the redheaded woman. At first, Leticia enjoyed their pleasurable interactions. Though it was one-sided, it was better than?Vicount?Olbach, her sterile husband. The viscount was unable to satisfy her sexual desires. He was old and sickly¡ªwas always resting in bed too. Even the very thought of having a nightly rendezvous with the wrinkly old man that is her husband sickened her. Every time his fat lump of a body pushed her on the bed, an immediate thought of murdering the man came to mind, but she had to stop herself frommitting the act. Advertisement In any case, their marriage was not based on love, but because she was greedy for the position of power and wealth. Should the old and frail viscount pass away, whatever tiny amount of wealth he has left will be hers and she would be left with the title of viscountess. But to carry out her n was far too dangerous. People were suspicious¡ªsuspicious of the death of her father and the previous wife of the viscount who died in a somewhat simr manner. Should the old man suddenly pass away, she¡¯ll have a difficult time ying the innocent sheep. Therefore, Leticia turned her eyes outside. She required a man who¡¯d lead her to far greater wealth and power into the future while maintaining her marital rtionship with her current husband, Gaith?Olbach. Count Clovis, a distant rtive of her husband, was a good candidate for the position. He was in his early forties¡ªpretty young for his age. His appearance wasn¡¯t bad. He kept himself groomed. But more than anything, he was the son of the previous king, making him the person with the highest title among those she met. Should the viscount learn that she was a mistress to the count, there¡¯d not be much her husband could do. In the past, Leticia dreamt of marrying a young and capable noble through an official wedding. She knew her beauty stood out amongst all the women in the kingdom and she thought she¡¯d be able to use that to her advantage. But¡­ in the end¡­ Chapter 164 Leticia Reaches Climax

Chapter 164 Leticia Reaches Climax

Chapter ?164: Leticia Reaches Climax What she realized was that though they craved her body, she¡¯lltch onto the position of a noble wife with her status as an illegitimate child haunting her. Though men praised her for her beauty endlessly,?mouthings?words of love, they were only willing to give her the position of mistress and nothing more. She had nothing, no noble family backing her nor riches. Her position meant that she¡¯d be thrown away soon as she ages and loses her beauty. It was why she sought so desperately to gain the title of a viscount¡¯s wife. And now, she was a mistress to a count. She thought she¡¯d be satisfied with this sess, content with it. Had she not chanced a glimpse of the king¡¯s face while visiting the grave of her father, perhaps this thought would have remained the same. ¡°Haaa!¡± As she shook her body while riding the count, she let out a loud, pleasurable moan. The count¡¯s in face in front of her soon turned to a handsome face with ck hair. He smiled at her, purple eyes looking at her affectionately. She felt her sense of ecstasy rise dramatically. ¡°Hnngh!¡± She didn¡¯t care that her sounds of moaning leaked out through the door. Even if the count¡¯s wife heard her, she cared not for she sought to see the tortured face of the smug woman¡¯s face acting all high-ss. Leticia saw the count¡¯s wife as having everything she wanted¡­ money, title, heritage, all which Leticia vied for. His wife was akin to a pig wearing a pearl ne. For an ugly and idiotic woman to be the count¡¯s wife¡­ and for a in and unremarkable woman to be queen¡­ Visit l_igh_tnovelworld. for a better experience ¡°I hear that His Majesty cares so much for Her Majesty. Look, even now, his eyes are only set towards her.¡± Wherever she went, she only heard stories of the king and queen. It was the same on the hunting grounds, which she had much trouble entering. All the many whispers were of those around her that spoke of the king, of how he¡¯s eyes were meant only for?her. He¡¯d always look towards her whenever the chance found itself and then he¡¯d smile seeing her smile. But whenever she furrowed her willowy brows in deep thought, he¡¯d do the same as well. Leticia¡¯s insides felt like they were twisting in a knot as she watched them. They were born of the same father, yet why do they live different lives? Why was?Rihannan?made queen and she, Leticia, a mistress, a wife of an old viscount? When Leticia was young and lived in an orphanage, her father suddenly came and picked her up in a grand carriage. She didn¡¯t think her future would suddenly change seeing him, she didn¡¯t have much hope. But¡­ When he said he¡¯ll bring her out of the orphanage and take her with him¡­ she began to have hope. Watching?Rihannan?with ring eyes during the hunting grounds made her remember the time that hope had been pulled out. Therefore, the golden opportunity presented itself, she didn¡¯t let it pass and pushed?Rihannan?into theke. Not an ounce of guilt was felt. It was all because of that woman. Visit l_igh_tnovelworld. for a better experience She was the reason Leticia¡¯s life turned into a bundle of mess. It was because?Rihannan?kicked her out. Had Leticia lived as the daughter of a count in that big mansion, perhaps it would be her who¡¯d be queen. Advertisement ¡°Nngh!¡± As rising pleasure filled up her tight inside, she was suddenly pushed off by the count who was about to climax. As she fell into the floor, he grabbed her hair, and pushed his member inside her mouth and shot out white fluids. Gritting her teeth, Leticia swallowed the count¡¯s seed. He¡¯d always finish like this. It was a way for him to make sure she¡¯d not have a chance to be pregnant with his baby, and the thought of whether she¡¯d been fully satisfied never crossed his mind. ¡®That greedy son of a b*tch.¡¯ Leticia held back the words from escaping her mouth, then spat out his male that had shriveled up to a tiny sized. Gasping heavily, the count caressed her cheek with the back of his hand as if congratting a pet for a job well done. Visit l_igh_tnovelworld. for a better experience ¡°¡­Have you thought about the proposal that I gavest time?¡± Leticia said. Chapter 165 To Steal the King’s Heart

Chapter 165 To Steal the King¡¯s Heart

Chapter 165: To Steal the King¡¯s Heart A whileter, after hearing Leticia¡¯s words, the count furrowed his brows. He wore a look of consideration and pondering. ¡°Do you have the conference to pull it off?¡± he said, firmly. Leticia lifted her chin and looked at him, eyes twinkling. Her full lips stained with light fluids looked immensely wicked and crafty as she smiled cunningly. ¡°Have I never not satisfied you? Not even once?¡± A brief smile shed on his lips, letting out a soft scoff. Her words with her. She satisfied him, more so. She had served him well this whole time. ¡°¡­I¡¯ll open a window of chance for you soon.¡± Finally, a concrete answer came, one that satisfied her. Leticia smiled joyously, rubbing her face on his leg. ¡°Just you wait. I¡¯ll definitely steal the king¡¯s heart for you.¡± After returning from the hunting grounds, wretched loathing filling her heart, Leticia immediately proposed a n to the count who was always afraid of the king. Arundell¡¯s king was the kind who¡¯d rip the count¡¯s neck apart whenever he so desired. Regardless, the count greedily coveted the kingship throne. Hoping that he¡¯d be able to steal, a sliver of chance appeared and Leticia took advantage of it. ¡°I¡¯ll help you out by bing the king¡¯s mistress,¡± said Leticia, licking her lips Hearing her words, the count donned a genuinely concerned look. He was aware of her capabilities and he knew what would be of her once she grows close to the king. Not only so, but he¡¯d also gain immense power and advantage. Was Leticia confident? Of course she was. Given the chance to meet the king, she¡¯d n to lure him in with her charms, making him fall in a trap. He¡¯d fall like any other men who desired her looks and body. Since she was his mistress, he might as well let her do as she so pleased. ¡°Do your best,¡± Count Clovis said. Leticia nodded, smiling. *** After that night, Rihannan hadn¡¯t bothered to see Igor¡¯s face, not even once. Though he was just beyond the door, sitting in his and working, he had never once stepped foot inside her room. Rihannan yed her part well, trying her best to make sure all was well on the surface. ¡®This is a good thing,¡¯ she thought. It was better to live together apathetically than to be hurt. She had repeated these words to herself a thousand times over, yet deep down, she knew her heart said otherwise that she was lonely and bitter. Her rtionship with Mrs. Cessley became awkward and tense, too. Rihannan had wanted to apologize. She knew she was in the wrong, yet her pride and ego didn¡¯t allow her to put any effort to rebuilding their strained rtionship. So¡­ She decided that her rtionship with Mrs. Cessley was over. Advertisement ¡°I have not said a word to His Majesty.¡± Mrs. Cessley said one day. ¡°I only said that you came back early from the Duchess¡¯ wedding banquet because you were feeling blue and under the weather. I never mentioned to him about who you saw nor that you vomited. I am only informing you of this just in case.¡± Rihanna¡¯s lips parted, her face surprised. She thought by now that Mrs. Cessley had already divulged everything to Igor. ¡°¡­Did he not ask you about it?¡± Rihannan questioned. ¡°He did,¡± Mrs. Cessley smiled bitterly, ¡°He¡¯d constantly pester me about it nonstop. My Queen, you probably won¡¯t be able to imagine the amount of pressure he put just to make me talk.¡± Mrs. Cessley let out a big sigh. From her expression, Rihannan was able to understand the amount of pressure and exhaustion she suffered. ¡°Mrs. Cessley, aboutst time¡­ I¡¯m sorry,¡± Rihannan mumbled bitterly. ¡°Ished out at you when I shouldn¡¯t have. It was in no way of your own fault, but of my own inferiorityplex.¡± ¡°Please don¡¯t have those kinds of thoughts, My Queen. It¡¯s true that I disobeyed your orders, after all. Let¡¯s not worry about that anymore.¡± Mrs. Cessley stroked the back of Rihannan¡¯s hand and smiled. Rihannan smiled gently. Though they said nothing, the silence was all they needed to understand each other. Chapter 166 For Helena

Chapter 166 For Helena

Chapter 166: For Helena ¡°My Queen, is it alright to speak my thoughts out?¡± Nodding lightly, Rihannan said, ¡°It¡¯s fine. Go ahead.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not exactly sure the problems you and His Majesty have, My Queen, but know that he cares and loves you, deeply so. If you knew how much he¡¯d changed after you came here, you¡¯d be quite surprised. He smiles more often now, he¡¯s less tense and more carefree. And¡­ he nags less and less.¡± ¡°He¡¯s changed that much?¡± Mrs. Cessleyughed and nodded. ¡°Why of course. In the past, he didn¡¯t have much free time like he did now. He was quite crazy and always had something preupying his mind. He was someone who didn¡¯t know when to stop working. I¡¯ve never seen him rx, not even once to take a break. It was as if he was reaching towards an unattainable goal. And then he met you¡­¡± Mrs. Cessley spoke of everything, in great details, all that had urred over the past six years of Igor¡¯s life: how he rallied the nobles to his side while managing to hide it from his mother as he grew into power, how he was able to secure control of the nation once he turned of proper age, how he used the tax investigation to kick out all the nobles waving their gs under his mother¡¯s banner. Then, after he arranged the state coffers properly, he used the funds to build a modern, cutting-edge naval ship to prepare for an all-out war against Chrichton. ¡°I was unaware of this until recently. I know now why he works soboriously. It was all done because of you, My Queen. There can¡¯t be any other exnation but that.¡± Rihannan shook her head. ¡°¡­That¡¯s not true. There¡¯s actually something¡­ a truth that you don¡¯t know. I wasn¡¯t the person he wanted in Chrichton from the beginning but Helena, Chrichton¡¯s beloved princess. But because of circumstance, it was I who was wedded to him instead of the princess.¡± Surprised, Mrs. Cessley¡¯s eyes widened. The queen¡¯s honest reply was not something she expected to hear. ¡°T-there¡¯s no way¡­ I¡¯m sure there are some misunderstandings here, My Queen. He had even gone so far as to repair the Queen¡¯s Pce for you.¡± Rihannan¡¯s eyes softened. ¡°That, too, was for Helena. Mrs. Cessley, our rtionship was built to pacify both kingdoms from entering a war. How could I allow myself to misunderstand?¡± Rihannan let out a small sigh. ¡°In any case, I understand what you try to say, Mrs. Cessley. I¡¯m aware that he¡¯s doing his best to make sure I¡¯m living well andfortable in Arundell. For that, I¡¯m grateful. That¡¯s something I have to thank him for. You don¡¯t need to worry about my rtionship with him and what would be of us.¡± Mrs. Cessley looked as if she was ready and desperate to share her thoughts, but in the end, she kept her mouth shut. Moving her gaze, she looked at the item in Rihannan¡¯s hand. ¡°But who are you making that for, My Queen?¡± she asked. Rihannan had been sewing to pass her time away. She adjusted the knitting in her hand. The size of what she had sewed so far was only a small piece. ¡°I¡¯m knitting a shawl to give to the Queen Mother. The weather will grow cold soon, and the royal vi the Queen Mother resides in is colder than ours. I think that giving her a shawl to wear would at least help her out.¡± Mrs. Cessley smiled. ¡°You genuinely care for her, don¡¯t you, My Queen?¡± ¡°She¡¯s my godmother, after all. Though it¡¯s terrible of me to say this when I never once contacted her when in Chrichton, but I never forgot the good things she did for me and I even thought of her oftentimes while living in Chrichton. Though I can¡¯t give her much, at least this much is feasible.¡± Mrs. Cessley looked at Rihannan with warm understanding eyes. Chapter 167 The Worried Rihannan

Chapter 167 The Worried Rihannan

Chapter 167: The Worried Rihannan After the Queen Mother had lost her position, power, and authority, most turned their backs on her, ignoring her name and existence. It was a natural urrence when one thought about it. After all, who would pay attention to a royalty who had lost all her powers? However, here was Rihannan¡ªan outlier¡ª who took care of her after returning from Arundell. She was not someone who would easily disregard the care someone gave her. When someone is put in a difficult situation, one will only see the true value of a person who once had a rtionship with the other party. Mrs. Cessley knew that Rihannan was the kind of person who saw the goodness in others. ¡°I¡¯m sure the Queen Mother would be happy to receive a gift from you, My Queen. How about you make one for His Majesty too after you finish sewing that one? He¡¯ll love it as well.¡± Mrs. Cessley smiled, sneakily asking a question in the heat of the moment. Rihannan smiled awkwardly. ¡°I wonder. I don¡¯t think men would like presents like these in particr¡­¡± She would leave once their contract ends, too. Was there a need to bother him with a present? Mrs. Cessley started at Rihannan for a moment. Her lips parted after a second bout of thought suddenly popped into her mind. ¡°Actually, there was something Basil had told me in the past if I remember it well. He said that His Majesty has something inside the drawer of his work table in the study. He¡¯d sometimes take it out and look at it solemnly when alone. Basil thinks the object is rted to you, My Queen. Have you ever given him a present of some sort in the past?¡± ¡°No, I haven¡¯t given him one that I can think of¡­¡± For more, visit lig_htn_ovelworld ¡°¡­Is that so? Then I wonder what it could be,¡± Mrs. Cessley tilted her in confusion, immediately changing the subject thereafter, ¡°But it matters not. Anyways, you know that His Majesty¡¯s in aching pain recently?¡± Rihannan looked at Mrs. Cessley, eyes wide and surprised. ¡°Did he hurt himself? How? What kind of pain is he in?¡± Seeing Rihannan¡¯s worries expression, Mrs. Cessley gave a sly hidden smile. ¡°It¡¯s nothing serious, but a bad case of cold. The big oaf Basil was worried sick because His Majesty kept working and working till he passed out. He ended up catching a cold.¡± Rihannan quickly erased the surprised look on her face and lowered her eyes. ¡°¡­I¡¯m sure he knows well to properly take care of his cold,¡± Rihannan said. ¡°Of course. He would,¡± Mrs. Cessley pped her fan and smiled. Rihannan had lost this battle of wits. Mrs. Cessley could figure out what she was thinking even after pretending nonchnce. That night, she awoke in the middle of her sleep. Rihannan saw a faint light leaking through the gap of the door that led to the study room. For more, visit lig_htn_ovelworld Advertisement She looked up at the clock. It was 3 AM. Rihannan bit her lip, worried that he¡¯d still be working at this time of the hour. Rihannan stepped off the bed and put a shawl on top of her pajamas. She leaned her ear against the door, but it was futile. She couldn¡¯t hear any sound. Opening the door carefully to look inside, she saw Igor sleeping with his face lying on the table supported by his arms. Around him were numerous documents scattered around messily. These days, Basil didn¡¯t need to go around searching for him to sign documents that needed to be worked on. Igor had been busy telling him to bring work even when there was none. Rihannan walked up to him quietly. His face that was visible below his hair looked haggard and worn. Mrs. Cessley¡¯s words of Igor in pain was true. Rihannan worriedly put the back of her hand on his cheek. Noticing the high temperature radiating from his skin, Rihannan¡¯s worries increased. Igor was a sensitive person to touch that he¡¯d wake up quickly from Rihannan¡¯s touch, but he slept heavily. She didn¡¯t feel well seeing his weakness, more so than usual. Their happy memories over the past month came flooding back to her mind and all she wanted was to hug him¡­ Chapter 168 Striking Red Hair

Chapter 168 Striking Red Hair

Chapter 168: Striking Red Hair She wanted to honestly let out the words that the sole reason she¡¯s pushing him away was not that she didn¡¯t like him, but the memories of her past still haunted her to this day. But she couldn¡¯t¡­ It was an unbelievable im, and even if Igor believed in it, it¡¯d not solve the situation for she had already believed that she was not meant to be with Igor. Perhaps it would have been better if she didn¡¯t have the memories of her past. Thinking so, Rihannan smiled bitterly. Maybe she¡¯d not fear the unknown nor the future she knew would happen¡­ and maybe¡­ she¡¯d not push him away like this either. Rihannan grabbed the nket sitting next to the couch and spread it on top of him. The temperature of the room was too cold to leave him without warmth. That¡¯s right¡­ She¡¯s only making sure his cold doesn¡¯t worsen¡­ This was the only reason, the justification she made in her mind as she walked back to her room and quietly closed the door. *** Basil stared at the king¡¯s face with a wildly nk expression. Igor had been at the rock bottom of hell these days, but today, for odd reasons, he wore a happy and ted look, which was rare. Those purple eyes kept staring at the nket folded neatly on the table, lips smiling uncontrobly. ¡°¡­Did Her Majesty leave that here for you?¡± Igor nodded happily. ¡°That¡¯s right. When I woke up after sleeping yesterday, I found the nket on my shoulders.¡± ¡°Her Majesty¡¯s so caring. Usually¡­ when a husband and wife have a fight, the wife wouldn¡¯t even bother to see a hair of her husband, yet here is our queen caring for you this whole¡ª¡± Basil coughed, quickly shutting his lips noticing Igor¡¯s deathly re. Clearing his throat, he poured a new set of tea on Igor¡¯s empty cup. ¡°Oh yes, by the way, there was some progress we found while investigating the hunting ground incident.¡± Igor immediately lifted his head. ¡°Well, do go on,¡± Igor said lowly. ¡°It was about the smell of mint. As mints aren¡¯t often used as perfumes, I thought that perhaps the reason why the scent of mint permeated on their body was that they often worked with medicine that involves mint as the main active ingredient.¡± Basil spread his hands proudly. ¡°Therefore, I looked into finding the nobles that had recently used medicine that contains mint or is suffering from a sickness that requires the use of mint for treatment. And though the medicine is used to treat ailments universally, the range of people using the medicine regrly shouldn¡¯t be far in between.¡± Igor tapped his finger on the table. ¡°So there¡¯s a high probability that the culprit is among those people.¡± Basil nodded vigorously. ¡°Yes. And when I looked into Count Clovis¡¯ recent doings, he didn¡¯t seem the least bit suspicious at all. However, it¡¯s rumored that he recently brought in a mistress.¡± Advertisement ¡°Mistress?¡± asked Igor, brows furrowed. ¡°Yes. Though she is Viscount Olbach¡¯s wife, she is the mistress of Count Clovis. She seems to be of peasant background. Aside from her name, we weren¡¯t able to find any particr details about her nor her alibi. If you wish, we can continue investigating.¡± Igor shook his head. ¡°There¡¯s no need. I don¡¯t care about the love affairs of a noble¡¯s wife and their mistresses.¡± ¡°But Your Majesty, there is one thing to note about this woman.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Viscount Olbach suffers from serious arthritis and often uses mint as medicine for his ailing pains. He¡¯s aged quite a bit, after all.¡± Understanding what Basil meant, Igor¡¯s brows tightened. ¡°¡­You mean to say that the scent could have attached to her since she¡¯s married to him? Did she make an appearance at the hunting grounds?¡± ¡°Her name was not on the list. However, it was somewhat strange after investigating it a bit more. There was someone who imed that they saw her at the hunting grounds. In truth, because she has a humble background, no one really knows much of her, but many im that they would never forget her striking appearance.¡± ¡°What do you mean when you say her appearance is striking?¡± ¡°That she is an extremely beautiful woman, Your Majesty. They say that anyone who sees her is immediately struck by her beauty. They mention her red shining hair and red ming eyes that were so captivating they found it hard to look away. Well, though she¡¯s a peasant, but because of those striking features¡­ she was able to be a count¡¯s mistress and a wife of a viscount.¡± Chapter 169 Haunting Memories Come To Life

Chapter 169 Haunting Memories Come To Life

Chapter 169: Haunting Memories Come To Life Igor¡¯s hand holding the teacup froze in an instant. He looked up stiffly and asked with a serious and lower toned voice, ¡°Basil, what is that woman¡¯s name?¡± ¡°It¡¯s Leticia Olbach, Your Majesty.¡± As Basil watched Igor¡¯s expression grow gravely rmed, he breathed deeply and cautiously asked, ¡°Do you know that person, Your Majesty?¡± ¡°She¡¯s¡­ Rihannan¡¯s sister¡­ an illegitimate child that bastard father brought from the outside,¡± Igor grit down his teeth hard. ¡°H-huh? Are you talking about the sister that had been kicked out by Her Majesty alongside her father back then? My goodness¡­ what a coincidence¡­¡± ¡°No. It can¡¯t be a coincidence¡­ not when that vile woman is involved.¡± Igor pushed his chair away from the table and violently rose from his seat. He paced back and forth near the window for a moment before looking at Basil. ¡°Is it possible that Leticia also participated in Duchess Saphia¡¯s banquet?¡± Igor asked. ¡°I don¡¯t know for certain, Your Majesty. However, if you asked Mrs. Cessley the question, I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll be able to find the truth right away.¡± Visit l_ightnovelw__orld. for a better experience ¡°Just go and check to confirm my suspicions. She may not answer other things, but maybe she¡¯ll answer that one at least.¡± After returning back from Duke Saphia¡¯s domain and his wife¡¯s banquet, Mrs. Cessley never spoke a word about what happened back then. He had tried begging and threatening her, in the end, he failed to get a word out of her. Mrs. Cessley was stubborn to the end, telling him that she was unable to speak a word of it until she receives permission from the queen. In the end, Igor gave up. However, he was now able to deduce most of the situation without Mrs. Cessley¡¯s confirmation. He was sure Rihannan bumped into Leticia at the banquet. Then¡­ she must¡¯ve figured out that Leticia was the unknown person who had tried to murder her at the hunting grounds. And¡­ now he understood the reason why she pushed him away. If what haunted her to this day was the memories of her past, Rihannan would only regress when she believed righteously so that her memories woulde back to life. ¡°If it¡¯s true that she did participate in the banquet, what am I to do afterwards, Your Majesty?¡± ¡°Investigate the ces she¡¯d gone to previously. How she¡¯s been living and what method she used to get close to Count Clovis and Viscount Olbach. Investigate everything,¡± Igor said gravely. Basil nodded. ¡°Yes. Understood!¡± After Basil left, Igor sighed. He was deep in thought for a moment before walking back to his desk. Opening the drawer, there was a box inside and an ornament made of carved wood. When he opened the lid of the box, inside was a golden colored feather. Visit l_ightnovelw__orld. for a better experience He stared at the feather still shimmering and shining to this very day, remembering the many memories of his past. Six years ago¡­ when he could do nothing but powerlessly watch the boat Rihannan boarded float away to the horizon of the endless sea, he decided to change the future for her sake. Advertisement He¡¯d no longer be someone that was unable to protect the person he should¡¯ve protected only to cry innguish afterwards. He might¡¯ve sent her away like this, but he made an oath that he¡¯d bring her back to Arundell. But before that, he needed to make a decision. Should he remove the people that would be a problem and thorn to his side in the future, or leave the past as it was and judge them for the things they¡¯ve done wrong in this life? He agonized over it, but the decision was made quickly. He had already experienced a long life full of hatred and thoughts of revenge. Those were horrible memories that no man should go through. More than anything, he let her go because there was a chance of a bloodbath urring should she stay in Arundell. But in any case, Rihannan had made her decision in rtion to the questions filling Igor¡¯s mind. She stopped at kicking out her family members that would ultimately end with her didn¡¯t. She didn¡¯t judge them for what didn¡¯t happen. And so Igor made his decision. Instead of catching those who¡¯d bring him trouble and killing them early on, he decided to follow after Rihannan¡¯s footsteps. Visit l_ightnovelw__orld. for a better experience However, he realized in the process that the future wasn¡¯t pre-determined, but could change slightly ording to different variables. Chapter 170 Bad Rumors

Chapter 170 Bad Rumors

Chapter 170: Bad Rumors One example was the Queen Mother. After all her power had been stripped of her, she had neither the capability nor the will to bring harm to her in this timeline. Therefore, Igor allowed Rihannan to care for that woman. If it made Rihannan feelfortable and as long as she was willing, then so be it. However, for Leticia, she somehow avoided the changes in fate. Though her life was no longer the same, though she lived anew in a different environment, she was still that wicked and greedy woman he remembered her to be. He knew her wicked deeds would never end if he didn¡¯t put a stop to it. Igor put the golden feather back to the box. Rihannan treated Leticia with generosity not with death but to be thrown to the side. Leticia paid the price for her wicked deeds in the past and now it was time to judge her of her wrongdoings in this life. *** As the rtionship between Arundell¡¯s king and queen grew more distant, slowly but surely, the horrid news began to spread inside the pce. With Chrichton suffering from internal conflict, reducing the chance of a re-invasion, a rumor sparked that Chrichton gave up on taking back their queen. There was also another rumor¡ªthe king¡¯s heart and affection for his queen started to grow cold. When Rihannan heard those rumors, she waved her hand and smiled. She expected this much. Wicked rumors like those spread far and wide. It was something that wouldn¡¯t burn out easily. Things won¡¯t be different now. Rihannan took in the current situation with calm ease. In the times past, she felt immense pain from the many whisperings of the noblewomen in court in regards to her, she paid it no mind in this life. She didn¡¯t care. Whatever rumors they made up of her, it was of no concern to her. She only needed to take care of herself. ¡°This is quite delicious,¡± smiling, Rihannan said to Mrs. Cessley as she enjoyed a meal with her. Mrs. Cessley looked at her with a somewhat peculiar countenance. The queen was neither picky with the food and vegetables she ate, but she had a dislike for vegetables with a strong smell. Yet¡­ it was what she was currently eating without a problem. ¡°You never used to eat these. I remember that you¡¯d scrunch up your nose. Where has your pte taste gone to?¡± Rihannanughed lightly. ¡°I think that it¡¯s because I¡¯m slowly growing ustomed to Arundell that my taste acquired from when I lived in Chrichton is slowly changing back to Arundell¡¯s food. Where it before, I¡¯d have avoided eating these delicacies because of its strong smell and since it¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve eaten them. Now? I can¡¯t get enough of it.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll inform the head chef about your new acquired taste. I¡¯d like for you to enjoy your every meal, My Queen.¡± ¡°Thank you for caring about the little things, Mrs. Cessley.¡± ¡°It¡¯s my pleasure to serve you.¡± Advertisement Mrs. Cessley looked around to survey the area for a moment. Judging that it was deemed safe, she parted her lips carefully and said, ¡°My Queen, there is something I wish to speak to you about the meeting that is to be held soon.¡± There was a n to invite a few high-ranking nobles and hold a simple tea party in a few days. The list of the attending nobles was set, but the invites had yet to be sent. ¡°It¡¯s just¡­ I think that it would be for the best not to invite Marquess Pless.¡± Rihannan immediately understood why Mrs. Cessley suggested so. It was in Marquess Pless¡¯ nature to be inherently curious about many things. She was one to speak so rudely of topics without thinking ahead. Even Rihannan was ced in an awkward situation several times back then because of her. She was the marquess who would immediately jump the boat to confirm the swirling rumors about the current rtionship between her and Igor. ¡°I understand your concern, but it¡¯s fine. I have a n to deal with the contingency.¡± ¡°It looks like I¡¯ve been unnecessarily worried. I understand.¡± Despite that, the worries in Mrs. Cessley¡¯s eyes did not change. Chapter 171 Rihannan’s Counterattack

Chapter 171 Rihannan¡¯s Counterattack

Chapter 171: Rihannan¡¯s Counterattack Rihannan smiled, thinking of the tea party that would be held in a few days. Unknown to Mrs. Cessley, she¡¯d been properly preparing her mind for the uing tea party. She grew tired of the situation of which her position kept changing depending on the affection she received from the king. This needed to change. Whatever happens so that she¡¯s able to spend the rest of her contracted time withoutplications, she needed to make sure the nobles understood that she was a queen to be feared, that her power was a given separating her rtion to the king. As nned, the tea party began. The ce the party was held was in a garden full of magnificent flowers blooming incandescently. The heaven-like sight was a rare thing for the nobles to see. They were normally not privy to view the garden. It was this reason alone why the garden was specifically chosen. As expected, the courtdies¡¯ reactions were good. ¡°The garden is extremely beautiful, My Queen.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right. The flower petals swaying in the wind makes it look like it¡¯s raining beautiful flowers.¡± The sunlight was warm and the green grass floor of the garden scattered with flower petals made the scenery look picturesque. As they drank tea merrily, breathing in the sweet scent of the flowers, the talks between the courtdies continued happily. ¡°Even the people of the other nations praise Arundell¡¯s pce gardens highly. It¡¯s quite famous. They speak of the difficulty to see beautiful gardens like this in their nations and even in Chrichton.¡± ¡°Really? Is that true, My Queen?¡± Hearing that, Rihannanughed lightly. ¡°The people of Chrichton love nting trees more than making their flower garden pretty. However, I do agree that there is no other garden more beautiful than the one in Arundell.¡± ¡°Oh my!¡± The courtdies fanned themselves. ¡°Since Her Majesty did live in Chrichton for a while beforeing here and to have you acknowledge it, then it must be true.¡± A clear and ringingughter among thedies rang out at once. But as they did so, Marquess Pless who¡¯d been studying Rihannan¡¯s face for a while suddenly made her move. Parting her lips, she said, ¡°But My Queen, you look pale in the face. Do you have any worries as ofte?¡± Mrs. Cessley and Duchess Saphia¡¯s faces, who stood next to the queen¡¯s side, quickly hardened. They knew the marquess was someone who¡¯d speak out her thoughts before thinking. Rihannan slowly raised the tips of her lips and stared at Marquess Pless. ¡°Not really. I don¡¯t have any particr worriestely. I wonder why you speak as if I do, Marquess.¡± Hearing Rihannan¡¯s reply, Marquess Pless let out a low sigh. ¡°My Queen, there are rumors circting that the rtionship between you and the king has grown sour and distant. Have you not heard of it?¡± ¡°Marquess Pless, what are you talking about?¡± In the end, Duchess Saphia was unable to hold back her rage. Marquess Pless widened herrge, round eyes as she rested her hand on her chest. ¡°Oh my, Duchess, please don¡¯t misunderstand. I¡¯m only saying this because I¡¯m worried about our queen. If there is any trouble brewing between her and the king, we should be the ones to help out, is that not right?¡± ¡°Marquess, how dare¡­¡± As Rihannan raised her hand, Duchess Saphia quickly closed her mouth. She could only stare at the marquess quietly while biting her lips. Rihannan looked at Marquess Pless with a soft smile on her face. ¡°So there are rumors like that floating around? Funny. My ears have been deafened due to the fact that I¡¯ve only spent my days quietly inside the pce it seems. But you¡¯re quite kind, Marquess, to kindly tell me of this rumor because you seem so worried about me.¡± Chapter 172 Rihannan’s Cold Answer

Chapter 172 Rihannan¡¯s Cold Answer

Chapter 172: Rihannan¡¯s Cold Answer Though everyone was aware of the queen¡¯s hidden and double-edged meaning behind her words, Marquess Pless was ignorant of it. She simply did not realize what would be of her. Her expression looked smug as she quickly mouthed her words, muttering, ¡°That¡¯s right. I¡¯m always on your side, My Queen. Pardon my rudeness, but I see you as my friend, a close friend, My Queen. And when rumors spread, is it not the duty of a friend to tell each other rather than hiding it? Is this not what true friends do?¡± Duchess Saphia turned her head slightly and snickered. Mrs. Cessley fanned herself despite the temperature being cool enough. It had more to do with the atmosphere¡¯s rising awkwardness. Regardless, among the courtdies present, it was only the marquess who grew vigorously energized by the topic. ¡°That is why, My Queen, I¡¯d like to know¡­ is there no problem between you and the king? I¡¯d like to help you out. Please be honest.¡± The noblewomen nearby tried their best to look disinterested, though their ears were kept open, ready to devour the truth. Rihannan smiled,ughing quietly in her mind. She knew there were always those who relished in the misfortunes of others, and it sickened her each time she saw evidence of it with her very own eyes. ¡°Before that, Marquess, is that rumor truly such an onerous problem?¡± Hearing her innocent-sounding question, Marquess Pless drew a shocked expression and quickly replied with fluster, ¡°Of course. I¡¯m sure you¡¯d not be able to understand the intricacies of the court since you¡¯re still young, but it isn¡¯t good to let those sorts of rumors float around.¡± Rihannan cocked an eyebrow. ¡°Oh? Why is that?¡± ¡°Because it would be unbing and troublesome for you, My Queen.¡± ¡°Why would that trouble me?¡± ¡°That is because¡­¡± ¡°Even if the rumors holds true and the king no longer cares for me, am I supposed to oust myself of the position as queen? Or do you think the king will kill me right away and hang me in the gallows? I¡¯m asking because I, too, am curious.¡± It was at that moment that the marquess noticed something amiss. Worry immediately crossed her face. ¡°O-of course not. There¡¯s no way he could¡­¡± Marquess Pless knew that if she continued to speak, she¡¯d end up crossing a line to the point of no return. As she stuttered back her words, she kept studying the queen¡¯s expression desperately so. ¡°If that is not the case, then why are you worried?¡± ¡°I just¡­ yes¡­ it may only be a false rumor. I, as a friend to you, My Queen, simply wanted to ry the rumor to you. That was all. And you can then make a decision based on what you¡¯ve learned.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Rihannan slowly nodded her head, pondering. Just as Marquess Pless let out a sigh of relief, Rihannan attacked her. ¡°If that is the case, then as a friend to you, Marquess, I should also inform you of a rumor I heard concerning you.¡± Advertisement Marquess turned and faced Rihannan, face filled with worries of the unknown. ¡°¡­Rumor? Of what¡­?¡± ¡°I came to the knowledge that Marquis Pless has built up quite a number of debt due to his gambling¡­ high enough to the point where the mansion can be taken at any time.¡± Marquess Pless¡¯ mouth turned to a full circle. Momentarily stunned, her face grew gravely pale. ¡°Wh¡­ what are you saying? Where did you hear such a strange rumor¡­?¡± ¡°Is it a false rumor?¡± ¡°Of course it¡¯s a false rumor!¡± However, opposed to what she said, Marquess¡¯ Pless¡¯ hands holding the teacup trembled violently. ¡°Then I¡¯ve made a grave mistake. I was only making sure. I had, after all, wanted to help you out as a friend if that was the case,¡± Rihannan muttered another word seeing her reaction. Marquess Pless gasped quickly. She quickly added, ¡°How? What do you mean you will help us out¡­? Do you mean to say that you¡¯d be willing to lend us¡­ money¡­?¡± Chapter 173 Keep It a Secret

Chapter 173 Keep It a Secret

Chapter 173: Keep It a Secret Though she denied the rumor just seconds ago, she immediately returned with a question that sounded akin to admitting truth. While the noblewomen shook their heads in utter disgust, Rihannan smiled lightly. ¡°Instead of me lending you a loan, there¡¯s a more certain way to deal with this.¡± ¡°¡­What would that be?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure you already know of this. My father met an unfortunate end as he had gambled his life away.¡± ¡°Of course. I know this very well¡­¡± Marquess Pless could not understand why the queen suddenly spoke of Count Alessin, herte father. The engines in her mind began to turn, quickly trying to find an answer in her head. ¡°I was solemnly struck with sadness learning of his death and it had be a shadow in my back for a long time. Even if I parted from him, the blood rtion between us still exists. I was upset and saddened. That is why as queen, I¡¯m willing to use my right to propose a neww to the State Council.¡± Visit l_ightn_ovelworld. for the best novel reading experience ¡°When you say a neww¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s to make the money borrowed for the express purpose of gambling that the receiver isn¡¯t obligated to pay it back. If that is the case, loan entities would be less willing to give a loan for the purpose of gambling. There¡¯d be less misfortune from many taking their lives because of gambling.¡± Marquess Pless let out a gasp. ¡°Is that truly possible? To need not pay back the money borrowed?¡± ¡°Of course there¡¯ll be restrictions ced in to prevent unwarranted problems, but if we rely on the importance of passing thew to show the evidence of lives lost, then the money borrowed from gambling will be relieved. I¡¯ve had these thoughts in my mind for quite some time. It¡¯s definitely aw that Arundell should pass. If the Marquess so desires, I¡¯m willing to step forward and advocate. Now, do you need my help?¡± Marquess Pless sped both hands together, the corner of her eyes tearing up. ¡°Of course, My Queen. If you¡¯re willing to help me out like this, then there¡¯s nothing more I could ever ask for. How could I ever repay this debt to you¡­?¡± ¡°From now on, there¡¯s one thing you should know, Marquess,¡± Rihannan gazed at her with a cam, steady gaze. ¡°I¡¯m grateful for your intentions of wanting to help me out, but I¡¯m not in the position nor the status to receive help. Please keep that in mind from now on.¡± ¡°¡­..¡± ¡°Also, please remember that helping others out is done like this¡­ in this manner, Marquess and not by simply pointing out the faults and problems of others to merely satisfy your own eager curiosity.¡± Visit l_ightn_ovelworld. for the best novel reading experience Speechless and eyes wide open, Marquess Pless was at a loss for words. Rihannan turned her steady gaze away from her and looked at the other nervous noblewomen with an innocent smile on her face. ¡°I hope that you can keep what I¡¯ve spoken to Marquess Pless today a secret as well as the rumors surrounding her. I¡¯m sure that none of you are women who enjoy spreading rumors about the misfortunes of others for your mere enjoyment.¡± This was Rihannan¡¯s aim to all the noblewomen who bore a reluctant attitude a moment before. The noblewomen much older than Rihannan flinched unconsciously before nodding their head and swearing an oath. Mrs. Cessley and Duchess Saphia quietly looked at each other and sent a message of understanding with their eyes. They both had to hold back theughter lodged in their throats. Advertisement Chapter 174 Mrs. Cessley

Chapter 174 Mrs. Cessley

Chapter 174: Mrs. Cessley ¡°My Queen, how did you hear about the rumors surrounding Marquis Pless? He indeed built up some few debts through gambling, but we were left in the dark not knowing it¡¯d be that high.¡± After the tea party came to an end, Rihannan and Mrs. Cessley,ughing merrily along the way, went back to the pce. ¡°And did you see the faces of those noblewomen? They looked stunned that you knew so much about her. Did you see all them shivering from the bottom up hoping that you don¡¯t know about them as much as you do about Marquess Pless?¡± Rihannan smiled, muttering, ¡°It was simply a passing rumor I heard by chance sometime ago. In truth, I wouldn¡¯t be able to do much to the marquess if she dismissed it as a false rumor, but she took the bait immediately. She looked anxious to solve the problem, too.¡± In the past, the House of Pless was pushed to the edge of bankruptcy due to the amount of debt umted through gambling. And then, they hit rock bottom, their status and position falling in society. Fortunately, they were able to recover their loss due to the passingw which required gambling debt to be forgiven. Even if Rihannan didn¡¯t help and turned a blind eye to their troublesome situation, they¡¯ll end up fine in the future. Rihannan used this knowledge she knew to her advantage. ¡°I know that it¡¯s wishful thinking if everyone was like you, Mrs. Cessley, or Duchess Saphia even, but this wishful thinking is far from the truth. And so I thought to warn them of any unbing attitude rather than appeasing them, especially people like the marquess who light their lips on fire far too frequently.¡± Mrs. Cessley nodded her head in agreement. ¡°Yes, I agree. It¡¯s best to deal with people ording to their predisposition. Marquess Pless often runs around with her mouth loose before she¡¯s able to think properly. From now on, they¡¯ll be much more careful with you.¡± The most up-to-date novels are published on lightnovelworld As they left the garden,pletely immersed in their conversation, Rihannan and Mrs. Cessley bumped into Igor and Basil. It was the first time the king and queen had seen each other since that night. ¡°¡­..¡± ¡°¡­..¡± Heavy silence permeated in the air. Basil and Mrs. Cessley exchanged short nces. They didn¡¯t mutter out the usual formal greetings and moved to avoid each other¡¯s awkward nces. Though, to be precise, Mrs. Cessley pulled off a high-skilled ventriloquist move as if uttering, ¡°Say something so you can shorten the distance between those two!¡± to Basil without saying anything. Understanding the meaning of her words, Basil nodded determinedly and gave Rihannan a friendly smile. ¡°My Queen, it¡¯s been a long time since west met. I thought my neck would fall off trying to find you everywhere.¡± Rihannan let out an awkwardughter at Basil¡¯s cheesy joke. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s been a long time, hasn¡¯t it? Have you been well, Basil?¡± The most up-to-date novels are published on lightnovelworld Basil pped his hands together and jumped with glee. ¡°Of course! I¡¯m always doing well. How can I not be well? And yes, it¡¯s been a long time since we¡¯ve seen each other like this. Ah, I know! I have a great idea. How about having tea together? His Majesty and I justpleted our tasks for the day.¡± Advertisement It was a powerful attack. One wouldn¡¯t be able to reject, but¡­ Mrs. Cessley stood behind Rihannan. Her expression quickly turned sour and she let out a sigh. Mrs. Cessley: (¨s¨F¡õ¡ä)¨s¦à©ß©¥©ß ¡®You big, dumb oaf! She just had her teatime! Why would you offer to drink tea again?!¡¯ She wore a look ready to pummel Basil to the ground. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Bail, but I was on the way back to the pce. I¡¯ve just had tea with the other noblewomen. I also have other matters to tend to. It¡¯s a shame, but I¡¯ll have to push the offer another time.¡± Rihannan bowed towards Igor. ¡°I hope that you can be understanding as well, Your Majesty. Farewell.¡± The most up-to-date novels are published on lightnovelworld Rihannan walked past him. Mrs. Cessley clicked her tongue, eyes burning with fire as she looked at Basil before chasing after Rihannan. Meanwhile, Igor kept his silence and did not utter a single word as he stood there. Chapter 175 The Truth Revealed

Chapter 175 The Truth Revealed

Chapter 175: The Truth Revealed ¡°AHHH!!¡± After Rihannan and Mrs. Cessley were at a far distance, Basil snapped and grabbed his hair in a fit of rage. ¡°Your Majesty! Why¡­ why would you stand there and do nothing? If she already had tea, then immediately suggest a meal together! If not a meal, then suggest a merry walk! If not a merry walk, then anything! But¡­ you should¡¯ve tried to say something at the least! Why¡¯d you let her go? Don¡¯t you understand that it¡¯s rare to meet them coincidentally like that?¡± Basil couldn¡¯t understand this¡­ this uncanny beast. From the looks of it, he had no inkling intention of repairing his rtionship with Rihannan. None at all. Basil thought he¡¯d warm up and beg for forgiveness after Rihannan covered his sleeping body with a nket, but instead¡­ he became cold and avoided her presence even more. Basil couldn¡¯t wrap his head around it. What was Igor doing? Basil knew he wanted her back, so why was he not making any effort? ¡°Argh! Your Majesty, please say something. The only way you¡¯ll be able to appease her anger is to suck it up and admit defeat! If this tactic worked with my wife, it¡¯ll work for you! Now¡¯s not the time to keep your dignity, Your Majesty. I¡¯m not sure what happened, but go and ask Her Majesty for forgiveness right away with a sorrowful face like this!¡± Basil¡¯s eyes bulged, eyes simr to a puppy. Basil knew he¡¯d receiveshing from Igor, but instead, he let out a long sigh. The most up-to-date novels are published on lightnovelwo_rld ¡°Basil.¡± ¡°Y-yes?¡± ¡°I appreciate your care and worries, but it¡¯s no use. Right now¡­ she¡¯ll never ept me.¡± A look of solemness bore deep in his eyes, and with dejected steps, he walked towards his destination. Basil realized the gravity of the situation was not something easily mendable after hearing the words from Igor that akin to giving up. ¡°Foolish brat, just what did you do? Ugh¡­ what do I do about this situation¡­?¡± Basil rested his chin on his palm and fell into deep wonders. It looks like he¡¯ll have to risk his life and intervene. ¡¶Act 7: The Truth Revealed¡· For a while, Rihannan busied herself with work. The first work she dived into was thew on gambling. Though the king and queen had the right to motion aw in sequence, it required the full approval of the Council. If the royalty failed to persuade the nobility, thews would never see the light and be thrown in piles of trash right away. The most up-to-date novels are published on lightnovelwo_rld Rihannan didn¡¯t want to see failure but sess, so she poured all her heart and soul to the proposal down to the nitty-gritty detail. From the background information as well as the effects of thews together with problems that¡¯d arise, she wrote it down. Advertisement She knew thew was passed in motion in her previous lifetime. Many noble houses and the head of the families fell into a gambling addiction and umted debt that they gave away their houses,nds, even children to pay it off. Then, a heated dispute between making gambling illegal or regting gambling arose and a passionate discussion came to y. From the dissenting point of view, no one can prevent human nature¡¯s basic instinct for pleasure and gambling was pleasure. Back then, Rihannan watched at the series of many debates from afar. She didn¡¯t know much about the issue, but the knowledge that people sold their children hit her in the heart. In this timeline, this was the very first proposal she thought after returning to Arundell as the would-be-queen. Her father¡¯s passing had also pushed her to solve the issue. He, too, was once a wealthy man with power to his name. It was of an extreme shock to her after learning he took his own life due to his gambling addiction. And then¡­ she met Leticia at Duchess Saphia¡¯s banquet. Regardless of any personal resentment Letica harbored towards her, Rihannan felt pity for her. Leticia grew up in a problematic environment. Rihannan wondered if her father had thoughts of selling Leticia at one point. He seemed like the type. Putting any bitter conflict they had, Rihannan hoped to deal with the issues of gambling. She hoped that many children need not suffer a terrible fate due to the actions of their parents. And it just so happened that Marquess Pless¡¯ current dilemma coincided with her goal. The most up-to-date novels are published on lightnovelwo_rld It meant that Rihannan¡¯s sess in passing thew heightened. But¡­ she was aware how difficult it¡¯d be to pass thew in motion under the discerning eyes of the nobility. In their viewpoint, it was no different from a foreigner passing a suggestion to them even if she was queen. Chapter 176 An Old Memory

Chapter 176 An Old Memory

Chapter 176: An Old Memory Rihannan sighed relievingly, thinking of the people she brought to her side and winning the masses goodwill. She¡¯d participate in politics actively this time and if all goes well, the people will realize that she was no doll but a queen with position, a figure sitting on the throne of power and influence. As she prepared setting up suggestions to propose the gambling forgivenessw, she used the remaining time left knitting the shawl she nned to give the Queen Mother. She thought it¡¯d take a few months toplete her work, but because she had more time herself to concentrate on the work, the shawl waspleted in less than a month. Smiling, Rihannan ced the shawl inside a neatly prepared box before sending it to the Queen Mother. Not long after, Rihannan received a letter of reply back from her. The feel and texture of the letter were of high quality, a testament the Queen Mother received the shawl and replied back in genuine gratitude. A strange feeling washed over her for a moment. It was always the Queen Mother showering her with gifts and kindness, making Rihannan think that she not do anything that would anger her. But now, the tables have flipped. Finding the change quite strange, she folded the letter and stared at the remaining threads left. Making a vague estimate with what she had left, she guessed that she could make another piece for an adult male. Mrs. Cessley did say men liked receiving presents from their beloved in secret. When she lived in Chrichton, she¡¯d always knit clothes to her uncle and Dimitri. They¡¯d beam brightly, enjoying her gifts and proceeding to proudly wear it around in public. The memory brought a smile to her face. ¡®Yeah, I have enough left, so I¡¯ll just make one. It¡¯d be a waste not to use it, and I¡¯ll just give it to him in passing.¡± Coming to a conclusion, Rihannan suddenly remembered a memory she had long forgotten. She once told Mrs. Cessley she never gave a present to Igor, but now that she remembered, there was that one time¡­ It was the time when her mother was alive¡ªone of her happiest memories. She remembered giving Igor a wooden boat that Dimitri made as a sign of thanks for the golden feather he gave her. She held onto that golden feather until her death in the past life, but in this life, she threw the golden feather into the sea without an ounce of regret. It, too, was a sign of determination to live her life to the fullest. Rihannan wondered if Igor kept the wooden boat, the object which held no value, all this time. As the threads messily tangled in her fingers like her current chaotic thoughts, Rihannan noticed that she made a single stitch with the needles. Her hands fumbled and moved quickly as stitches after stitches formed from the needles. *** ¡°My Queen, have you already finished eating?¡± Advertisement While Mrs. Cessley had a meal together with Rihannan, she donned a slightly surprised countenance. These days, Rihannan ate much more than usual and Mrs. Cessley quickly picked up at the new changes. If a dish with coriander leaf as the main ingredient was served to Rihannan, she quickly finished the meal and te clean. The change was massive and Mrs. Cessley wondered if she was forcing herself to eat. ¡°You¡¯re right. It does seem like I¡¯m eating much these days. Perhaps I¡¯m unconsciously putting on some weight for theing winter.¡± At her slightly embarrassing joke, Mrs. Cessleyughed. ¡°Yes, you do need to put on some weight, My Queen. Eat as much as you want. Should I inform the chef to prepare more of the same dish?¡± Rihannan shook her head. ¡°No. I¡¯ll be having tea not long after. I think this much food is enough for now.¡± ¡°I understand. Still, I¡¯m d you¡¯re eating well, My Queen. I was worried you were losing weight due to the many worries in your mind,¡± Mrs. Cessley said Chapter 177 Pregnancy

Chapter 177 Pregnancy

Chapter 177: Pregnancy Finding out that Mrs. Cessley was talking about the rumors of her falling out with Igor, Rihannan couldn¡¯t help but smile a bitter smile. Noticing the slight change in Rihanna¡¯s aura, Mrs. Cessley hurriedly continued her words to change the topic at hand. ¡°Of course, now that it¡¯spletely solved, there¡¯s no need to worry about it from now on.¡± And just as Mrs. Cessley said, the rumors of the queen falling out with the king that spread outside the pce visibly died down. The passive half-threat she gave to those noblewomen during the tea party a few weeks ago helped quell the rumors. But most of all, it was thanks to Igor officially warning the nobility to cease all talks in regards to those rumors. Since Igor personally gave out his cold warnings to others, the noblemen and noblewomen immediately ceased the strings of spreading the rumors any further lest they wish to receive the king¡¯s wrath. It, too, officially cemented the thought that of them falling out as false if the king himself grew mercilessly angry. As for Rihannan, she was puzzled. She couldn¡¯t understand his thoughts and actions. In the past, when simr rumors flew about in regards to his fiery hot affair with Leticia, Igor remained tight-lipped and watched it happen. Sometimes, he looked as if he was encouraging the rumors to shower the entire kingdom in mes. He¡¯d often sit together with Leticia, too, in public spaces and have a friendly chat or a walk together, showing off their rtionship at every chance possible. And worst of all¡­ he knew his actions hurt Rihannan, broke her heart, and squeezed everyst drop of it. He never once apologized for his action nor did he care to give an exnation. She was at her wits end back then. Everyst bits rays of hope were gone. Dimitri¡¯s little visit managed to re-ignite any sense of happiness she had left, but¡­ it only angered Igor to the oblivion. After that, he never set foot inside the Queen¡¯s Pce again. Everyone thought, even her, that he spent all his time with Leticia. But suddenly, his seemingly evesting affair with Leticia ended once the truth that Rihannan had conceived his child was made known. His once cold disposition towards her was gone. He smiled freely and hugged her tightly. He was at the highest peak of his life it seemed like. But to Rihannan, she was both happy and despaired while in his arms. It only further cemented the thought that he never loved her, nor cared for her. Bearing him a child was her only worth. If this was the case and the life she would live, it was fine as well, Rihannan thought. She knew he¡¯ll love and care for their unborn child far more than her father ever did to her. If he vowed to cut off his association with Leticia and dedicate his life to the life in her belly, she was willing to bury all their painful past. If she hadn¡¯t seen that moment in his office¡­ then she might have been willing to live a life of ignorance for the rest of her life. Rihannan let out a small sigh. What had caused a drastic change in him in this life? Surely the change in the future shouldn¡¯t change the characters of everyone so drastically? ¡­So¡­ why was he different? Why was he willing to put himself forward to quell the damaging rumors? It wasn¡¯t like she was pregnant, so¡­ Pregnancy. The moment the word came to mind, the truth hit her like a hammering thunder. The reason why her body was feeling different than the usual¡­ the reason why¡­ Advertisement Her menstrual cycle usually skipped a month from time to time, but it had never skipped several months in a row like this. And to top it off, she started liking aromatic food that she once despised¡­ it was the same back then and it was the same now. ¡°¡­My Queen, are you all right?¡± Hearing Mrs. Cessley¡¯s worried voice, Rihannan quickly returned to reality and fixed her expression. ¡°I was thinking about something for a moment. Mrs. Cessley, I¡¯m okay now. You should go back for today. I wish to rest a bit earlier.¡± Mrs. Cessley nodded her head in understanding. ¡°You¡¯ve been working hard on the bill, after all. Please have a good rest, My Queen.¡± After Mrs. Cessley left, Rihannan ced her hand on her stomach. There was no sign or indication that she was conceiving and she hadn¡¯t been informed by a doctor. But¡­ but she knew right away that she had once more bore a new life within her body. Drip¡­ A teardrop fell,nding on the back of her hand. At this moment, she felt both the happiest joy in life, mixed with abysmal despair. How odd is fate? She felt the same feeling now¡­ like that certain moment in the past. Chapter 178 Basil’s Big Revelation

Chapter 178 ¨C Basil¡¯s Big Revtion

Trantor ¨C Yue Many days after she knew there was life within her womb, Basil went to visit Rihannan. Basil¡¯s daily scheduled revolved around Igor and his needs, but today he came only to drink tea. ¡°Does Igor not give you time to eat?¡± Rihannan asked curiously after watching Basil eat snack after snack. ¡°It¡¯s not that. I usually don¡¯t have time to eat anything. That guy simply doesn¡¯t like seeing people seated, not even for a moment. I could barely escape from him today¡± Basil replied, a crumb stuck on his lips. Rihannan smiled calmly and pushed the te of cookies towards Basil. ¡°I¡¯m sure you are not only here to eat all my cookies and drink all the tea I have in my room. So, tell me, Basil, why are you here?¡± Rihannan asked him after he¡¯d filled his belly a little. Basil cleared his throat and averted his gaze from her. However, a gleam of determination appeared on his face. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. I actually have something to tell you, my queen¡± Rihannan¡¯s eyes slightly widened. ¡°What is it?¡± she asked. ¡°Please, don¡¯t tell Igor I talked to you about this. My life could be in danger if he ever heard a word of this.¡± Rihannan chuckled. ¡°I swear I won¡¯t say a word. Tell me.¡± ¡°Six years ago, Igor disappeared for a while. Do you know anything about that?¡± After suddenly hearing this, Rihannan nodded. ¡°Yes. I heard about it from the Queen Dowager. She also told me nobody but you knew where he went.¡± Basil smiled grimly. ¡°Actually, my queen, at that moment¡­ Igor left the pce looking for you.¡± Rihannan shuddered after hearing that. ¡°What do you mean, he went looking for me?¡± ¡°Yes. That was six years ago. One day he suddenly got up, grabbed me and jumped on a horse like a mad man. I had no idea where we were going, but as his protector, I had to follow him to guarantee his safety. We arrived at Port Salerno where a ship was leaving towards Chrichton.¡± Port Salerno was the port where Rihanna set sail towards Chrichton. ¡°However, his majesty couldn¡¯t reach you in time. When we arrived at port, the ship had already left towards the horizon. We were toote. We caused a ruckus begging people to make the shipe back, but it was to no avail. We almost ended up getting in a huge fight with the sailors.¡± Rihannan vaguely remembered themotion that happened at port that day. So¡­ that was Igor and Basil? Rihannan lifted her head and looked at Basil with a stern face. ¡°Why did you try to reunite with me, then?¡± ¡°Uh¡­ I¡¯m not sure. His Majesty didn¡¯t tell me why.¡± Basil exhaled a long, deep breath. ¡°But, my queen, there¡¯s one thing I¡¯m sure of. His Majesty has been waiting for your return to Arundell all this time. He¡¯d gathered enormous power and went through lots of hardships yearning for your return, thinking only about how he could protect you properly once his position as king stabilized.¡± ¡°But Basil¡­ I¡¯m sure you already know this. Igor¡¯s goal was Princess Helena from Chrichton, but he had no choice but to ept me¡± Basil shook his head. ¡°Of course not, my queen. From the beginning he wanted you, always you¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Chapter 179 A Disturbing Riddle Chapter 179 ¨C A Disturbing Riddle Trantor ¨C Yue T/N: Extra-long chapters from now on, since you¡¯ve all waited long enough ? ¡°¡­my queen, when His Majesty wrote the contract, he never specifically mentioned Princess Helena¡¯s name. The contract was vague, it only mentioned royalty. He predicted that Chrichton would never send their beloved princess, so they¡¯d use you instead.¡± Rihannan¡¯s eyebrows furrowed, perplexed. She couldn¡¯tpletely understand this. ¡°Even if you are telling the truth, why would he do that in such¡­ senseless manner? It¡¯d had been simpler if he¡¯d proposed to me directly, don¡¯t you think?¡± ¡°That¡¯s because¡­¡± If I do that, she¡¯ll run away, hide somewhere and never appear again! Basil suddenly remembered what Igor said so stubbornly. He instinctively knew not to say a word about it. ¡°I¡¯m sure His Majesty had his reasons, my queen. I¡¯m notpletely sure why you and His Majesty are distanced right now, but if you have any questions, I wish you won¡¯t doubt His Majesty¡¯s feelings. He lived many years admiring you. If what I¡¯m saying is false, may the heavens punish me and grant you the right to take my life for the lies I¡¯ve said.¡± Basil had a yful nature rooted since birth. What¡¯s more, he wasn¡¯t the type of man who¡¯d gamble his life lightly. Now, he was truthfully begging her, so Rihannan couldn¡¯t ignore his words. ¡°I¡¯m desperately begging you to do something, my queen. Please, go meet His Majesty and have a sincere conversation. I¡¯m sure His Majesty will be able to answer the questions that I couldn¡¯t answer.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll consider what you¡¯ve said today, Basil. I will have a talk with Igor, as you¡¯ve rmended, so please, don¡¯t worry.¡± Basil smiled broadly. ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll take you for your word, my queen!¡± When Basil left her room, Rihannan looked at the ceiling and went into deep thought. She remembered Igor¡¯s strange behavior with her. She didn¡¯t understand why. Why did Igor go to the port six years ago? And, what was the reason why he made such scandal to bring her back to Arundell instead of directly proposing to her? She had a disturbing feeling. No, it was more a doubt. Before, he could have looked for her at any moment, so why did he only do so when she went back in time after drinking poison and dying? Why¡­ did he choose this exact moment to go looking for her? Till know, she was the only person that went back in time. She¡¯d talked to lots of people with which she¡¯d had a connection before and they showed no sign of remembering their past life, so she never once considered the possibility that somebody else went back in time. So¡­ what if Igor also went back to the past? Rihannan quickly shocked her head. No, that was impossible. If that were true, he¡¯d have did anything to avoid this marriage. Igor had no feelings for her, so there was no way he¡¯d ept her again after she¡¯d left overseas. However, she needed an answer to her questions. There was no other way besides asking Igor and, she also had something important to tell him. Rihannan sighed and caressed her belly. As the days passed by, it was more evident that she was pregnant. There was still some time left in their contract, so she wanted to know what to do about her current situation. The best option for her would be to go back to Chrichton while pregnant, but she¡¯d already surrendered that right in the contract. Anyways, even if she hadn¡¯t, Igor wouldn¡¯t easily give up his son, as he was so obsessed with the idea of having an heir back then. It would be the same this time. And, what would happen if she were to give birth to a princess? The Queen Mother came to power after many bloody sacrifices and tears. Her baby, the princess, would have to walk a thorny path to be the governing monarch. Rihannan had a weak constitution, so this would probably be the first andst time she¡¯d give him a baby. Therefore, she knew Igor would remarry to get a male heir. Perhaps¡­ he¡¯d let her go if that were the case. Having made up her mind, Rihannan gathered her courage and stood up from her seat. After walking past many rooms, she stood in front of the study room and knocked. She remained there for a while before slightly pushing the door open. As expected, Igor was nowhere in there. However, it didn¡¯t seem like he nned on noting back soon, as there were many documents scattered on his desk. Igor had the tendency of keeping things clean and organized, so he usually arranged his documents neatly after finishing work. Rihannan wondered whether she should wait for him or juste backter, when she noticed that one of the desk¡¯s drawer was slightly ajar. It wasn¡¯t like she had the habit of peeking into other people¡¯s things when they weren¡¯t there, but Basil¡¯s words kept resounding in her head nonstop. She wanted to know the reason why Igor did what he did six years ago. The answer to that riddle might as well be within that drawer. Rihannan took the drawer¡¯s handle and pulled. Within, there was a small wooden figure shaped like a ship. ¡°This¡­¡± She took the small figurine in her hands, surprised. She had assumed Igor had thrown in away or lost it years ago. She hadn¡¯t seen this wooden ship again since she¡¯d gifted it to him. Rihannan examined the toy carefully. It was polished and clean, as though Igor had stored it with the utmost care. For a moment, she got lost in her thoughts, tenderly caressing the ship with her fingers. Perhaps, just as Basil had said, Igor did have a reason he couldn¡¯t tell her. She shouldn¡¯t doubt him any longer, but go and ask him directly¡­ With these thoughts, she was putting the wooden ship back into the drawer when something suddenly caught her eye. There was a small box deep within the drawer. Rihannan took the box and opened it. Inside, there was something she thought she¡¯d never see again. ¡°¡­¡± She looked at it for a while before carefully picking it up with trembling hands. It was the golden feather. She¡¯d thrown it to the sea six years ago¡­ but here it was¡­ perfectly kept. What was the meaning of this? Did Igor get an extra feather during their first encounter? That could be it. If that was so, he¡¯d shared both feathers between them and¡­ Rihannan shook her head. That day, Igor had left the garden first. He couldn¡¯t have possibly found another feather, much lesse back for itter. Creak¡­ At that moment, the creaking sound of the door opening took her out of her reverie. Rihannan turned around, rigid. Igor was standing there looking at her, surprised. To be more precise, he wasn¡¯t looking at her, but at the feather she was holding. Without thinking, Rihannan held the golden feather tightly in her grip. ¡°Why do you have this?¡± she asked. Igor didn¡¯t answer. Suddenly, his surprised visage changed into a calm expression. He slowly closed the door and approached her. ¡°Answer me first. Why do you have this?¡± Rihannan yelled. Chapter 180 You murdered me Chapter 180 ¨C You murdered me Trantor ¨C Yue Rihannan made gestures to indicate that he should note near her, but Igor simply ignored her and kept walking in her direction. ¡°I found it among your belongings¡±. ¡°My belongings? I never brought this into the pce. I threw it into the sea six years ago, when I was onboard the ship that took me to Chrichton. I definitely remember seeing it floating on the ocean, so stop telling lies!¡± ¡°It was pressed inside a book you cherished¡±. ¡°¡­¡± Rihannan suddenly stopped breathing. She starting backing away, as though she¡¯d seen a ghost. ¡°That¡¯s why it took me so long to find it. It must have taken me three years after that day¡±. Igor¡¯s voice suddenly lowered. ¡°The day you died¡± Rihannan bit her lips till they bled. ¡°It¡¯s¡­ impossible¡­¡± ¡°A long time ago, you said that if one held on tightly to that feather and asked for a wish from the bottom of the heart, Ataraxia would appear again and grant that person his wish¡±. ¡°No!¡± Rihannan sobbed while blocking her ears with both hands. shaking her head. This couldn¡¯t be true, something was definitely wrong. To think that the husband she hated the most was standing in front of her right now, even though he¡¯d changed a lot. As she was backing away, she suddenly collided with a shelf. Her body shook while looking intently at Igor, who stood still a few paces away from her. ¡°I implored Ataraxia to bring you back into my arms¡±. ¡°Lies¡­¡± ¡°Ataraxia said you also had the right to have your wish fulfilled, and therefore mine could note true. That¡¯s why I asked for time to go back. That wish came true¡±. ¡°Even if what you are saying is true, you had no reason to ask for that kind of wish. You had no right, because¡­ you¡­¡± You are the one that murdered me. The moment that thought came to her mind, Rihannan felt a burning rage within her. His purple eyes that always stared at her coldly. The hurtful words he¡¯d said to her were still fresh on her mind. His radiant smile as he danced with Leticia. Knowing that they were rolling on the sheets while she was left aside, pregnant. To Rihannan, all those memories were still vivid, as though it¡¯d all happened yesterday. And to think that that very same person was standing in front of her now! How could she fall in love with the man that murdered her? He¡¯d even kissed her and enveloped her with his skin! With her head filled with rage and her vision turning red, all rational thought escaped from her mind. She took all the books she could carry from the shelf and threw them at him. ¡°You murdered me! It was you!¡± As the books were too heavy for her to throw far, some of them fell to his feet. However, she did managed to aim the target with some, hitting him. ¡°You didn¡¯t need a wife who¡¯d aborted your baby, so you imprisoned me over a made-up crime and threw me into prison!¡± Igor lowered his head as he received Rihannan¡¯s blows. One of the books finally hit him in the forehead with the pointy edge, and blood run down his face. Even so, Igor¡¯s expression didn¡¯t change at all, as though he could feel no pain. ¡°Then, you sent Leticia toe find me. She told me to drink poison and die quietly, lest I wanted a shameful death in front of a huge crowd. So, tell me, after you¡¯ve done all that, why did you bring me back?¡± ¡°I did not do that¡± Rihannanughed sardonically. ¡°You didn¡¯t send Leticia? Then, who did it? She came and went as she pleased with your permission. Who else could have granted her that right, if it wasn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°That was¡­¡± ¡°And if you did save my life, then I¡¯m sure it was only for this reason¡±. Rihannan lips were trembling. ¡°Perhaps this time you not only wanted to strip the Queen Mother of her power over Arundell, but are also looking into taking over Chrichton! I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll be able to win an all-out war against Chrichton after taking me hostage and killing me¡±. ¡°I never had the intention to harm you in the past, nor do I have it now¡±. ¡°Those aren¡¯t the words the person who murdered me should be saying¡±. Igor let out a painful sigh. ¡°Rihannan, to tell you the truth, there were many misunderstanding between us in the past. I now it¡¯s hard to believe, but¡­ it¡¯s difficult to exin, so I can¡¯t tell you everything now¡±. ¡°Misunderstandings? They were all misunderstandings? Thest time you saw me in my past life, you were doing it with Leticia in your office. Was that a misunderstanding as well?¡±. Igor¡¯s face paled. ¡°That day, it definitely looked as though you were seducing Leticia. Are you really saying that was just a misunderstanding?¡±. Igor, rubbing his face furiously, angerly replied ¡°there was a reason why I had to do that back then. Really, it wasn¡¯t that I wanted¡­¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± Rihannan couldn¡¯t help butugh. She never thought Igor would give out such terrible excuse for his behavior. ¡°But I can exin it all to you, so please¡­¡± Rihannan closed her eyes tightly before opening them again. Tears were pooling within her eyes. ¡°Do you know what type of people I hate the most?¡±. She suddenly asked. She noticed she was repeating the words he¡¯d said to her in her past life. ¡°¡¯Not the cowards, nor the liars, but the people who wear different faces as soon as you turn your back¡¯. That¡¯s what you said to me. You criticized me, saying I was muttering terrible things behind your back, and that I was only giving you excuses. From that moment on, I couldn¡¯t say anything in front of you, as any word I¡¯d say would be seen as mere excusester on¡±. Tears were rolling down Rihannan¡¯s cheeks. Igor couldn¡¯t say anything, as his lips were numbed. ¡°So let me say the same to you now, my king. You insulted me in my past life, so you have no right to give me excuses in this life. And I don¡¯t wish to hear any more nonsense from you, ever again¡±. Rihannan turned her back, walking out of the room. The moment she was about to step outside the door, Igor spoke. ¡°Alright. I won¡¯t give any excuses. But, Rihannan, I¡¯m sure you have something else to say to me¡±. Rihannan slowly turned around to face him. ¡°Something I have to say to you?¡± ¡°About the recent changes in your body¡± Rihannan felt out of breath. Igor approached her while looking into her trembling blue eyes. ¡°All this time, I¡¯ve been receiving reports about you, what you¡¯ve been eating, whether you¡¯ve slept well, if something hurts¡­ anything about you. It¡¯s been a while since you havest menstruated, andtely you are enjoying foods withtro leaves. These are the same symptoms you¡¯ve had in your past life when you were pregnant, or am I mistaken?¡± Chapter 181 You, the one I hate the most Chapter 181 ¨C You, the one I hate the most Trantor ¨C Yue Rihannan suddenly felt weak. She extended her hand and gripped the wall, looking for support. She never expected Igor to be the first to find out, especially since not even Mrs. Cessly had noticed. ¡°I didn¡¯t want to hide it from you¡­ I was nning on telling you today¡±. Igor¡¯s face abruptly changed in that instant. A radiant smile filled with happiness appeared on his face. He reached out his hands towards Rihannan. ¡°Rihannan! You really are¡­¡± Rihannan brusquely pped his hands away from her, staring at him coldly. As he was violently turned down, Igor was left paralyzed, unable to step any closer. ¡°It seems like that¡¯s the one thing you haven¡¯t changed at all. Your obsession to have an heir. You are repugnantly the same, even now. But don¡¯t think that I¡¯ll let you y with me again, as you did in my past life, even though you¡¯d cheated on me with my sister¡±. Rihannan tightened her jaw as she spoke. ¡°I know. To you, having an heir is more important than anything else in the world. If I give birth to a boy, I won¡¯t do anything about it. You can keep your right over the child, as stated in our contract. However, if I give birth to a girl, I hope you¡¯ll let me leave this ce with my daughter, once our contract is over¡±. Igor looked intently at Rihannan with a perplexed expression before slowly opening his mouth. ¡°Do you remember what I said in the past, regarding the child¡¯s gender?¡± Rihannan bit her lips. Of course she remembered. When she¡¯d asked him what would happen if the child she gave birth to was not a boy, he said he wouldn¡¯t care at all. ¡°My answer is the same as back then. Regardless of whether the child is a boy or girl, it will be brought up within this pce¡±. Even though she was happy about Igor¡¯s answer in the past, after all that¡¯s happened, she couldn¡¯t agree with him. Enraged, she yelled at him. ¡°What use would a daughter be to you if she¡¯ll struggle to keep your lineage? If your goal is to harass me, then stop. Isn¡¯t what you¡¯ve done to me in the past enough?¡± ¡°Even if she¡¯s a princess, it won¡¯t make a difference. She¡¯ll inherit the crown. I¡¯ll make sure no one opposes my decision¡±. Igor approached Rihannan. He was close enough for her to feel his breath on her skin. Rihannan raised her chin and looked at him. The blood that was flowing down his face had hardened on his temples, making him looking more threatening. ¡°I¡¯ll say it load and clear. I¡¯ll hold my end of the contract, and I won¡¯t give up the child, boy nor girl. If you want to leave this ce once the contract is over, you may do so, but you¡¯ll do it alone, leaving the child behind¡±. Two sets of eyes stared at each other, unblinking. In the past, whenever Rihannan looked into Igor¡¯s dark eyes, she¡¯d feel frightened, as though everything that has happened was her fault, a direct result of her inadequacy, so she¡¯d always quickly lowered her gaze. In this life, however, she¡¯d never do that again. She stood her ground, her gaze leveled, and not once did she think of backing down to his threats. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, then alright¡± Igor¡¯s eyes widened in shock. Rihannan pressed her lips, lowering her head with regret. ¡°As mentioned in the contract, if our child is born, regardless of gender, I¡¯ll leave this country leaving him or her behind¡±. ¡°Rihannan¡­¡± ¡°You probably thought I¡¯d break down and submit to your will, that I wouldn¡¯t abandon our child. If I were the same person you knew in my past life¡­ perhaps that¡¯d be true. I¡¯d hate you to my core, but I¡¯d stay for the child¡¯s sake. But I did not spend the past six years wasting my life away, like before! It wasn¡¯t grand, but I lived the best I could¡±. Rihannan¡¯s eyes shone, blue fireballs dancing within her eyes. ¡°The day I came back to the past, I made up my mind of living an adequate life of my own free will. Not yours, nor my father¡¯s, nor anybody else¡¯s. You won¡¯t understand the sufferings I went through. How could you? When I was willing to understand you, you weren¡¯t. And you won¡¯t understand my pain from thest six years, either. That¡¯s why you brought me here under false pretenses, is it not? You want to ruin me, right? You pushed me down once and now you want to do it all over again¡­ but this time, I won¡¯t make it easy. I will not die in that cold prison under false charges!¡± After saying those words, Rihannan spoke with a cold voice. ¡°Till I give birth, I¡¯ll live in the Queen Mother¡¯s Pce¡±. ¡°Rihannan!¡± ¡°If you bring Leticia here, you may do whatever you want with her, I don¡¯t care. Do what you will, as you¡¯ve always done. Even though she¡¯s now the wife of an old viscount, she loves you very much. I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll be happy toe running into the pce and straight into your arms¡±. ¡°Don¡¯t say those things¡±. Igor looked furious. ¡°I do not have those thoughts, nor do I want that woman!¡± ¡°Heavens!¡±. Rihannanughed dejectedly. ¡°Hearing you say that¡­ it seems like she couldn¡¯t satisfy you enough after my death in my past life, Igor¡±. Igor held onto Rihannan¡¯s arms, squeezing her. Looking into his purple eyes, Rihannan lowered her voice and murmured. ¡°If you are not willing to kill your son with your own hands, then let go of me, Igor¡­ forever¡±. Igor couldn¡¯t reply. Dumbstruck, he slowly let go of her. Rihannan left the room without ncing back. *** ¡°Grand Chambein! Grand Chambein!¡± Mrs. Cessly run desperately, holding on her skirt. People around her looked curiously. Mrs. Cessly always held herself with elegance, so her behavior now was attracting plenty of curious looks. Mrs. Cessly grabbed one of the servants walking pass her and asked ¡°have you seen the Grand Chambein?¡± ¡°He said he¡¯d go visit the Pce¡¯s Treasury for a while¡­ oh, here hees¡±. The servant pointed at Basil, who was walking peacefully. Mrs. Cessly approached him in the blink of an eye and grabbed his wrist. Startled, Basil struggled as though he was under attack. Mrs. Cessly growled. ¡°Now is not the time toin! You must go stop Her Majesty the queen!¡± ¡°Stop Her Majesty?¡± Chapter 182 Basil’s Plea Chapter 182 ¨C Basil¡¯s Plea Trantor ¨C Yue Looking at Basil¡¯s perplexed expression, Mrs. Cessly patter her chest, frustrated. ¡°Her Majesty the queen wants to move her residency to the Queen Mother¡¯s Pce! This time she said she¡¯ll nevere back!¡± ¡°What does that mean¡­ why does Her Majesty suddenly want to¡­¡± ¡°There¡¯s no time to lose. His Majesty the king can¡¯t do anything about it. It¡¯s all useless. The problem is, she cannot be in the Queen Mother¡¯s Pce. I¡¯m sure you are aware of this, Grand Chambein¡±. ¡°Of course! That¡¯s because the Queen Mother would shoot you an arrow the second she hears you say a word of even if she s-¡­¡± Basil then realized¡­ this all happened because of what he¡¯d said to Rihannan. It seemed like it wasn¡¯t embarrassment, but a more profound reason why Igor had hidden that incident from her. ¡°I¡­ it looks like I¡¯ve made a terrible mistake¡±. Basil immediately took off, sprinting. *** When he arrived at the main pce, Basil saw Rihannan leaving the building towards a carriage, ready to depart. ¡°My queen!¡± Basil barely made it in time. He was panting unevenly. Rihannan didn¡¯t even greet him properly. Her blue eyes were staring at him coldly. ¡°Your Majesty¡­ you can¡¯t leave like this¡±. Basil pleaded. ¡°Basil, stand aside¡±. ¡°Please, at least consider changing your mind, I beg you¡±. ¡°If you don¡¯t stand aside right this instance, I¡¯ll have your head cut off¡±. Mrs. Cessly, who¡¯d had just arrived, was startled at Rihannan¡¯s words, even though she knew she didn¡¯t really mean them. Basil looked at Rihannan, perplexed. Basil had a farmer¡¯s background, so many people in the Pce kept their distance from him. The queen, however, had always shown him respect, heading to his words. This was the first time she behaved like that with him. ¡°You think I won¡¯t dare? Who do you think you are?¡± Basil made a firm decision in that instant, and immediately bowed to the ground. ¡°Then, alright, Your Majesty. Cut off my head¡±. ¡°Basil!¡± ¡°I¡¯ve said this before, haven¡¯t I, my queen? You may take my life¡±. Upon hearing his mncholic words, Rihannan grew furious. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. You said that if you lied to me, I had the right to end your life. Then, I¡¯ll exercise that right¡±. Swing! Rihannan grabbed the sword from the guard closest to her. ¡°Your Majesty!¡± The servants screamed, surprised, and run to Rihannan in an attempt to stop her, but Mrs. Cessly quickly blocked their way before they could do anything. ¡°Stay behind. Do not anger Her Majesty any further. Stay back¡±. Hearing Mrs. Cessly¡¯s soft voice, the servants backed away from Rihannan. Mrs. Cessly anxiously analyzed the situation. She knew Rihannan would never kill Basil, but she was getting nervous nheless. Mrs. Cessly prayed over and over again so that the worst may not happen. The sword reached Basil¡¯s neck. For someone without experience, the sword would be quite heavy, but Rihannan held it without showing any signs of tremor. ¡°This is yourst chance. Stand aside, Basil¡±. ¡°I can¡¯t do that, Your Majesty¡±. ¡°Are you underestimating me as queen because you are the king¡¯s servant?!¡± ¡°No, Your Majesty! Not at all, that¡¯s not true!¡± Basil looked at her. Tears started welling in his deep green eyes. ¡°I never thought of you like that, Your Majesty. Both the king and the queen are precious to me. That¡¯s the truth¡­¡± The sword that was resting on Basil¡¯s neck shook for a moment. Rihannan innerly bit her tongue, without showing any emotion on the exterior. When she spent her days in that cold prison cell, Basil was the one who smiled at her, talking to her warmly during those depressing days of her life. ¡°That¡¯s why¡­ if what I¡¯ve said a moment ago turned into a problem, you should chastise me instead, Your Majesty. If I let you go like this, I¡¯d never forgive myself. If that were to happen¡­ I¡¯d rather die here and now!¡± Tears were falling down Basil¡¯s cheeks. Many people would find it absurd that a grown up man was crying like that, but no one thought that of Basil. People were looking at him with pity. Rihannan let out a sigh. ¡°That¡¯s why I shouldn¡¯t have allowed myself to get close to you¡±. She whispered, letting go of the sword. The sword fell to the floor with a heavy thump. Mrs. Cessly let out a relieved sigh and looked at Basil for a moment before walking quickly to Rihannan¡¯s side. ¡°My queen¡­¡± Hearing Mrs. Cessly cautious tone, Rihannan started moving her feet. ¡°I¡¯ll stay in the Queen¡¯s Pce. I do not wish to stay in the Main Pce any longer¡±. ¡°Yes, Your Majesty!¡± Mrs. Cessly quickly followed behind her. The fact that the queen did not move into the Queen Mother¡¯s Pce was the best oue Mrs. Cessly could have hoped for. *** ¡°I¡¯vemitted a capital offense, Your Majesty. Please, punish me as you see fit!¡± Basil kneeled down before a huge sword. Igor furrowed his brow, holding his forehead with his palm. ¡°Enough. Get up¡±. ¡°No¡­ I dared go against your orders and chitchatted to much when I shouldn¡¯t have¡­ that¡¯s why¡­¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t your fault. It was mine¡­ stop crying!¡± When Basil¡¯s eyes starting welling up, Igor quickly rose from his seat. Basil cried, tears falling to the ground. Unable to stand Basil¡¯s pitiful look, Igor turned his head to avoid looking at him. ¡°Basil, if you don¡¯t stop crying this instance, I¡¯ll cut your head off¡±, ¡°But¡­¡± Seeing that Basil¡¯s tears wouldn¡¯t dry up any soon, Igor sighed. ¡°You must have suffered many difficulties because of me in the past. Think of this as me paying you back for all I¡¯ve caused you in the past¡±. Basil realized what Igor was talking about. Six years ago, he was almost beaten to death for protecting Igor¡¯s secret. ¡°How did you know? I didn¡¯t think you cared at all¡­¡± ¡°Enough. Just tell me what you found out about Count Clovis and his lover¡±. As Igor sat down again, Basil regained hisposure and stood up. Holding back his tears, he took a paper from his pocket and talked. ¡°The reason why that woman became Count Clovis¡¯ lover is because he is Viscount Olbach¡¯s distant rtive. The viscount remarried some years ago and Leticia served his wife as a servant¡±. Basil stopped for a moment to wipe his tears. ¡°It is rumored that Leticia was the viscount¡¯s lover even when his wife was still alive. The wife was so pain struck that shemitted suicide with poison¡±. ¡°You mean the Viscount¡¯s wife killed herself with poison?¡± Basil nodded. ¡°Yes. As Your Majesty knows, Count Alessin, Leticia¡¯s father, alsomitted suicide with poison.¡± ¡°So, two people had died from poison¡­¡± Igor let out a twistedugh. Actually, Leticia had murdered one more person with poison, but the people in this world would never know*. Chapter 183 Arrest her Chapter 183 ¨C Arrest her Trantor ¨C Yue ¡°Yes¡±. Basil nodded. ¡°After the viscount¡¯s wife passed away, his lover Leticia became his new wife. Afterwards, she became Count Clovis¡¯ lover¡±. ¡°Did you find additional information about the deaths of Count Alessin and Viscount Olbach¡¯s first wife?¡± ¡°Of course! You may always count on me, Your Majesty!¡± Basil gave Igor a single sheet of paper. ¡°I interviewed a servant who used to work on Count Alessin¡¯s home. ording to the witness, the day before the Count died he had a horrible argument with his daughter. The next day, the Count was found lying on the floor with a bottle of poison in his hand¡±. ¡°And they regarded his death by poison as suicide?¡± Basil nodded. ¡°Because Count Alessin had huge debts to his name at the time, House Alessin wanted his death to be resolved quickly. What¡¯s more, his only family member, the queen, was abroad¡±. ¡°And what about the death of the Viscount¡¯s wife?¡± ¡°After finding out that her husband had a lover, she died shortly after bymitting suicide with poison. Her actions brought shame to her family, so her death was quietly swept under the rug¡±. Basil sighed. ¡°There are suspicions, Your Majesty, that Count Clovis helped facilitate the viscount¡¯s wife death. The investigation of her death was carried out too lightly and rather hurriedly. What¡¯s more, the detective in charge was hired by the Count¡±. ¡°Is there any information regarding what type of poison they used?¡± Igor asked. ¡°Yes, that information has been revealed in the investigation. Both the viscount¡¯s former wife and Count Alessin ingested a poisonous nt named talis. But this nt has a peculiar characteristic, my king. Talis is a poisonous nt, but usually¡­¡± ¡°People don¡¯t usually use talis tomit suicide. It¡¯s a toxic substance that makes the victim suffer utter pain, as though they were in the deepest pits of hell¡± Igor added. Basil looked at Igor, his eyes widened. ¡°How do you know that? But it¡¯s true. Even though talis is effective and quick, it causes the victim too much pain to be used for suicide. It would destroy the victim¡¯s organs and make them throw up blood nonstop before finally finding themselves at death¡¯s hands. Thus, even if one were tomit suicide, it would be with other poisonous nts, definitely not talis¡±, Igor¡¯s fist tightened. With those words, he felt as though ants were crawling all over his skin. ¡°Arrest her¡±. He growled. Basil nodded. ¡°Yes¡­ even though there isn¡¯t enough evidence, it should be enough to make her confess her crimes¡±. ¡°No. That woman will never confess. She¡¯ll y innocent, as though she¡¯d never yed any role in that n¡±. ¡°If that was so, Your Majesty, then proving her guilt will be difficult. Even before, no definite proof was ever found¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s why it¡¯s necessary to arrest Count Clovis¡±. Basil inhaled sharply. ¡°Count Clovis? Why¡­¡± ¡°For treason, of course¡±. ¡°Your Majesty!¡± Basil was so shocked he couldn¡¯t help raising his voice. Basil had seen Arundell in ruins after an inner conflict that had happened 20 years ago, so he was particrly sensitive to any event that might destroy the country. They¡¯d barely ovee the bloodshed that happened back then, and he didn¡¯t want anything remotely simr from ocurring again. If Igor didn¡¯t leave behind any heir, the crown would go to Count Clovis. If they arrested Count Clovis over treason, an inner conflict would arise. ¡°Your Majesty, you can¡¯t do that without conclusive evidence¡±, ¡°You said we only needed a confession, right?¡± Igor replied. ¡°But you just said that that woman would never confess her sins¡­¡± ¡°Count Clovis himself will confess¡± Basil looked at Igor, his jaw to the floor. ¡°How do you know that, Your Majesty?¡± ¡°Because he is someone who¡¯d get rid of whomever necessary to survive. Even without back up, he¡¯ll plot again and again in the shadows. However, if you threaten him for whatever reason, he¡¯ll immediately turn into the world¡¯s most servile man and will bow to the floor, Basil¡±. ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°Arrest him for now. If we do that, he¡¯ll confess all his sins without us doing anything¡±. ¡°But that¡¯s too dangerous! Please reconsider Count Clovis¡¯ arrest, Your Majesty¡±. ¡°Basil, Rihannan will give birth to my child¡­ our baby¡­¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s why please rec-¡­ what?!¡± ¡°Rihannan is pregnant¡±. Basil¡¯s mouth gaped. ¡°Aksahfksja!!! What?!!!¡± Basil covered his mouth, but strange sounds kepting out. ¡°Is that true? Your Majesty will have a baby? Oh, my God! What a happy day! Well, happy day, the events that happened a while ago notwithstanding¡±. Basil coughed. ¡°Please, don¡¯t tell anyone else. No one besides you know¡±. ¡°Yes, of course. Please, don¡¯t worry. This time I¡¯ll keep my mouth shut¡±. Basil made the gesture of sewing his own mouth, like a mime. After that, he smiled happily, holding his cheeks. He spoke in a happy tone. ¡°All that Her Majesty the queen needs to do right now is give birth to a prince. We won¡¯t have to worry anymore about the heir issue¡±. ¡°Even if the newborn baby is a princess, she¡¯ll inherit my throne¡±. ¡°Eh? But¡­¡± Basil remembered what the Queen Mother went through as a princess. If the baby was born a girl and inherited the crown, a case simr to the Queen Mother¡¯s would be repeated, shacking the kingdom upside-down. Igor looked at Basil¡¯s worried face and smiled bitterly. ¡°Rihannan has a weak constitution. It will be impossible for her to give birth to another baby. Even giving birth to this baby will be harsh on her. It¡¯s ok if we only have one child. That¡¯s enough for both of us¡±. Igor sighed. ¡°Basil, I don¡¯t want my daughter to walk down the same path as my mother. To make sure that doesn¡¯t happen, we must take care of Count Clovis first. He is always lusting after my position, and he won¡¯t hesitate to put my daughter in danger as long as he achieves his goal¡±. In the past, both Leticia and Count Clovis worked together, each making ns to achieve their own selfish goals. One was after the king¡¯s throne, the other after the queen¡¯s death. In spite of Count Alessin¡¯s death, both evil beings found a way to meet again in this life. Igor wondered if this was all part of a perverse destiny. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I do not want to start a bloodshed. I only want to strip him and his rtives of any right to ascend the throne¡±. ¡°His right to inherit the throne?¡± ¡°Yes. That¡¯s the only sin they¡¯vemitted so far, and that will be their punishment¡±. Igor wasn¡¯t nning on taking their lives. They would be all safe, now and in the future. ¡°I¡¯m sure there is a servant named Rode among the people working in the Main Pce, right?¡± Basil¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Yes¡­ that¡¯s right¡­ but, why would you remember the name of a humble servant?¡± ¡°He is a spy ced there by Count Clovis¡±. ¡°Eh?¡± ¡°He¡¯s been reporting all that¡¯s happened in the Castle every day for the past years. Whether I was suffering, if I threw up my food¡­ things like that¡±. ¡°If you knew what was happening, why did you leave him alone, Your Majesty?!¡± Basil roared, enraged. ¡°If I have to catch a rat, I might as well do it when it¡¯s useful¡± Igor calmly replied. ¡°Then you should have told me before, at the very least!¡± Chapter 184 The bitter reality Chapter 184 ¨C The bitter reality Trantor ¨C Yue Igor sighed. ¡°Keep an eye on that servant. If he gives Count Clovis valuable information, gather evidence immediately. If I show him plenty of proof that he¡¯s been spying on me for years and threaten him a little¡­¡± Igor smiled bitterly ¡°¡­then he¡¯ll probably be willing to give up his right to session. I¡¯m sure Count Clovis is also aware of that woman¡¯s past sins. We can use his testimony to arrest his lover immediately¡±. ¡°Yes, Your Majesty! I¡¯ll obediently carry out your orders right away!¡± While Basil was about to leave the room with a determined fighting spirit, Igor suddenly opened his mouth. ¡°Basil, you remember, right? What you have to do in case something happens to me. You remember, don¡¯t you?¡± Basil¡¯s expression stiffened. Soon after his marriage, Igor told Basil something and, due to his authoritarian attitude, Basil had to choice but to promise something against his will. ¡°Why are you saying that again? You are young and healthy. Why would something happen to you?¡± Basil mumbled, avoiding Igor¡¯s gaze. ¡°Promise me you¡¯ll fulfill what I asked you, Basil¡±. Basil agreed with a bitter expression. ¡°Ah¡­ yes, of course. I will. Good, then¡­ I should get going¡±. He hurriedly fled the room. Igor didn¡¯t move for a while. After some time, he finally stood up from his seat and headed to the door that was on the opposite end. When he opened that door, a dark, empty space was revealed. Looking inside, Igor lowered his head. The past¡­ his past¡­ what a messy disaster. He wanted to go after her, ask her if she felt any pain, if she wanted anything to eat, but right now he had no strength left to go see her. He felt ashamed. He was grateful that Basil had risked his life to stop her from leaving, most probably forever. Igor suddenly realized the bitter reality he was living in. The illusion he¡¯d created through a web of lies was crumbling down. His currently rtionship could not be considered any better than the one in his past. During these past six years, he barely managed to contain himself from going into Chrichton and bringing her back home. But he didn¡¯t. He knew that would only shock her¡­ she¡¯d be shocked at seeing her killer¡¯s face. In his past life, there was a moment in which he genuinely thought all their problems would be resolved if she just gave him a child. Even though his mother used him as a pawn, a tool, he thought everything would change when Rihannan gave birth. Igor thought his mother would realize she needed to change for the sake of that baby. That¡¯s why he worked so hard, but whenever he had her in his arms, Rihannan silently forced herself to endure everything. When they slept together, she¡¯d always look to the other side, both her hands tightly gripping the bed sheets, thinking that all her problems would vanish if she endured it¡­ just a little more¡­ But Igor didn¡¯t help her. He was always angry whenever he had her. The look on his face must have scared her. At the beginning, she pretended everything was ok, but whenever he reached out his hand to calm her anxiety, she¡¯d back away from his touch to protect herself. There was only one emotion Igor could extract from her: the desire for him to quickly finish his job and go away. That broke Igor¡¯s heart. He didn¡¯t want to feel that pain whenever he held his wife in his arms. At the end, he frequented her bed less and less. Suddenly, the fact that Igor wasn¡¯t sleeping with Rihannan became public. The Queen Mother and the rest of the nobility started talking about his responsibility to produce an heir, making him feel pressured. So¡­ when did it all go awry? The growing pressure to produce and heir took hold of Igor, as he kept listening serpent whispers telling him that, if he failed, the crown would go to the children of past kings. If that happened, the current nobility would lose their powers. ¡°Your Majesty, if you keep treating the queen so coldly, it will only be harder for her. Her heart is delicate and frail¡±. On the other hand, Basil had always regarded Rihannan as someone weak and pitiful. His experience with his younger sisters gave him that perspective. ¡°Please, have a proper discussion with the queen, Your Majesty¡±. Talk. Igor couldn¡¯t remember thest time they¡¯ve had a proper conversation. Thest time¡­ was when they were children. If he were direct and honest with her, would their tense rtionship be solved? He wanted her to trust him. He was willing to do the same for her. After making a hard decision, Igor went out looking for her everywhere but¡­ he found her standing beside her cousin. Dimitri had built a solid businesswork after taking over his father¡¯s diplomatic position. It was Rihannan¡¯s first time seeing Dimitri visit Arundell as an important foreign envoy, having taken over his father. Everyone excepting Igor knew that he¡¯d visit. But¡­ What shocked Igor the most was seeing Rihannanughing and weeping in his arms. It was his first time since childhood seeing her smiling so happily. Strong emotions surged within him, spiraling. Seeing her happy¡­ughing¡­ crying¡­ emotions he¡¯d never had from her were being disyed to another man. His heart hurt. It was jelousy. That night, Igor embraced her. He usually spent the night with her at least once before going to bed, but that night¡­ when Rihannan turned around, thinking that they¡¯d finished, Igor grabbed her shoulder and pinned her down, embracing her. He ignored themotion in her blue eyes and raped her body so many times he lost count. The violent act kept going into the depth of night until she passed out. Igor looked at her body, wrapped in the sun¡¯s warm light with a dark face. Her white skin was covered in red and purple marks, showing just how violent he¡¯d been with her the night before. He wrapped her body with a nket before leaving the room, ashamed. Every time he wanted to fix their rtion ande closer to her, the distance between them widened more and more. If they were doomed to that¡­ then¡­ perhaps¡­ it would be better to do what she wanted and leave her in peace. From that day on, he never set foot on the Queen¡¯s Pce again. Not long after, the Queen Mother called him and suggested: ¡°If you can¡¯t solve things with Rihannan, why don¡¯t you produce and heir with her sister? You just have to pretend that Rihannan was the one that gave birth and raise that child as such. Even though I don¡¯t particrly like Count Alessin and that daughter of his, we have to take matters into our own hands quickly. This is for the best. Even Count Alessin gave his approval¡±. Igor didn¡¯t have neither the mind nor the heart to disagree. It wasmon for a mother like his to treat her only son as nothing more than a pawn for her own benefit. Igor turned his back to her. ¡°Haven¡¯t you thought that Rihannan might want this as well? Or do you want to kick her out of the pce? If not, then ept this suggestion, Igor!¡± Chapter 185 Igor and Leticia Chapter 185 ¨C Igor and Leticia Trantor ¨C Yue Ignoring the echo of the voice behind him, Igor bit his lips and walked away, his fist tightly clenched. There was no need to worry about his mother. The n to kicked her out of power was advancing smoothly, anyways. Perhaps she felt confident now, but soon, she¡¯d lose all she¡¯d protected up to now. However¡­ ¡°I¡¯ll invite my sister to the next ball¡±. When Igor reunited with his wife after not speaKing to each other for a while, those were the words she¡¯d said. ¡°Perhaps¡­ could you also dance with her that day? It¡¯s hard to find an appropriate dance partner and¡­¡±. She lowered her gaze and folded her hands. When those words left her tender lips, Igor felt a deep sense of disenchantment. His beating heart kept doing summersaults sporadically. ¡°Have you spoken about this with your family?¡± Rihannan nodded in a low voice and said ¡°yes¡­ my father¡­ straight up asked me¡­ about my sister¡­¡± His own wife was speaKing in the same tune as his mother, and he couldn¡¯t help but think that the people around him were secretly speaKing behind his back as well, while he remained oblivious in the shadows. Maybe Rihannan did ept his mother¡¯s suggestion since she wanted to keep her position as Queen. Igor looked at her with loath, and when their eyes met, her blue pupils quickly shook with fear. In the end, Igor thought both his mother and wife treated him the same way. They only sought to keep their positions, and did not look at Igor as though he was a human being. ¡­even dogs raised by the family were treated better. Igor let out a bitter smile. ¡°If that¡¯s what you want, I¡¯ll dance with her¡±. And then, the day of the ball arrived. As scheduled, Rihannan¡¯s step-sister, Leticia, made her debut into noble society after being granted an invitation by her sister, the Queen. The objective was for Leticia to make her first appearance at the Pce and into politics, so she could find a stable position within the nobility with ease. If the King was to leave the Pce frequently, rumors would spread. On the contrary, Leticia was Rihannan¡¯s sister, so it was a normal for her to frequently visit her sister, the Queen. And what better method for Igor to produce and heir than with his wife¡¯s sister? That way, he¡¯d avoid rumors. Igor felt awful, as though his guts were all tangled up. Normally, he¡¯d have opposed his wife¡¯s and mother¡¯s n. He wouldn¡¯t let himself be driven by their selfish wishes, nor would he allow them to manipte him as a marite doll. But¡­ he¡¯d use this chance for vengeance. Revenge for how they¡¯ve treated him. That day, Igor broke all etiquette rules and danced with Leticia all day. The nobility¡¯s whispers got louder and louder, and the longer the dance went on, the paler his wife¡¯s face got. When Rihannan couldn¡¯t stand it any longer, she left the ball. Only then did he stop dancing with Leticia. He should have felt satisfied with that, but he only felt filthy. Why¡­ why did things turn out his way? ¡°Your Majesty, I¡¯ve admired you since a long time ago¡±. Afterwards, Rihannan¡¯s sister confessed the deep love she¡¯d felt for him since the first moment they¡¯ve met. Igor was dumbstruck. Even though they both had different biological mothers, she should have felt some guilt for trying to steal her sister¡¯s husband, but her face showed not even an ounce of shame. She had a malicious grin. At that moment, Igor knew something was wrong. He then found out about the cold rtionship between his wife and her family. Igor didn¡¯t know anything about his wife¡¯s past, nor her family, nor what happened after her mother¡¯s dead. He only knew the Count had brought over another daughter he¡¯d sired with another family. ¡°To begin with, my elder sister was not destined to be Queen. This is how things are meant to be, Your Majesty¡±. Igor immediately became aware of Leticia¡¯s evil nature. Even though she was beautiful and seductive, like an allusive painting, her guts were full of a toxic vanity. However, he didn¡¯t pay that any mind. He¡¯d make use of this moment to spread and intensify rumors till the Pce became nothing but a web of lies. He¡¯d use her to his advantage. Women like Leticia would make up lies even if he didn¡¯t do anything at all. If that happened, his mother would have no choice but to back off from her n. As time went by, rumors of Igor¡¯s illicit affair spread far and wide, just like he¡¯d predicted, and his mother was burning up with fury. She didn¡¯t care if he had an affair or kept a lover, but she would not allow rumors when that woman was supposed to give birth to an heir in secret. The scandal would only harm the child born from Leticia for the rest of his life, threatening his right to the throne. And then, just when his mother had given up, it became known to the public that Rihannan was pregnant. Igor celebrated with glee. He run to her, smiling broadly as he hugged her. It¡¯s been too long since hest felt her warmth. Igor was ready to forget all that¡¯d happened and only look ahead. He let down his guard when he was with Rihannan. He¡¯d do anything to fix whatever needed mending¡­ he was ready to do that. But he still had lots to do in regards of his mother¡­. He decided he¡¯d tell Rihannan the truth after his n was set in motion, but this small mistake cost him everything. ThinKing back on this, he realized that was a stupid decision. If he¡¯d informed her about all his ns, revealing everything, perhaps that tragic ending would have never taken ce¡­ ¡°Your Majesty¡±. A voice brought Igor back to reality. Mrs. Cessly looked at Igor, who was alone in the middle of a dark room, and heavily sighed. ¡°I knew you¡¯d be like this. You should at least turn on the lights. How¡¯s your injury?¡±. Igor touched the bandage he had on his forehead. ¡°It¡¯s alright. How¡¯s Rihannan?¡±. ¡°I came here after she¡¯d fallen asleep. Don¡¯t worry. She¡¯s unstable, but the doctor said she¡¯ll be alright¡±. Mrs. Cessly smiled with enthusiasm. There was a hint of sadness in the depths of her eyes. ¡°And I¡¯d like to sincerely congratte you. The news took me by surprise, Your Majesty¡±. ¡°The doctor confirmed her pregnancy?¡± asked Igor. Mrs. Cessly nodded. ¡°Yes. It¡¯s been a month since she¡¯s conceived. I made sure to get everyone out before the medical checkup, just like you ordered¡±. ¡°That¡¯s good¡±. Even after hearing confirmation of the existence of his child, Igor¡¯s visage remained somber. Anyone who looked at him would think he was going through depression. It was the first time Mrs. Cessly saw him with such a look of defeat in his eyes. Mrs. Cessly thought she was going crazy. For a moment she¡¯d seen a sh of love in his eyes, but that changed quickly¡­ ¡°I¡¯m not sure what¡¯s happened, but once Her Majesty¡¯s belly grows and widens, her wrath will also diminish. After all, all parents are weak towards their children¡±. Mrs. Cessly said. ¡°Maybe she was like that before, but now¡­ I¡¯m not sure¡±. In her past life, when Rihannan conceived a child in her womb, everything was happiness. She never asked about Leticia, nor any past suffering. She was willing to leave everything behind for the sake of her child. But not this time. This time, she¡¯d leave her baby in his hands and go back to Chrichton on her own. Igor was worried. Knowing her, she didn¡¯t say those words without previous thought. What was he supposed to do if she left? If he forced her to stay¡­ their rtionship would further rip apart. He couldn¡¯t make her change her mind, either. ¡°Your Majesty¡­ in my opinion, if you caused any harm on the Queen¡¯s body, or said any an y offensive words¡­ the Queen will forgive you, considering her personality¡­¡± Igor tightened his fist. His face darkened. Mrs. Cessly quickly closed her mouth when she noticed his sudden change. It was hard to believe, but she knew something had happened between the two of them. Chapter 186 Good and bad seeds Chapter 186 ¨C Good and bad seeds Trantor ¨C Yue ¡°I¡¯ll make sure to look after Her Majesty the Queen¡­ so please rest assured and don¡¯t worry, Your Majesty¡±. Mrs Cessly said in a respectful tone. ¡°It seems like I¡¯m in debt with you and Basil¡±. Igor said with a bitter smile. ¡°All I¡¯ve done was to follow after the Grand Chambein, Your Majesty. It was thanks to his efforts that Her Majesty the Queen changed her mind. In the end, truth makes everyone change their mind. Please, don¡¯t be impatient and give Her Majesty some time¡±. Hearing Mrs. Cessly genuine worry and subtle warning, Igor smiled softly. He was relieved to know that she¡¯d be in Rihannan¡¯s side. He knew Mrs. Cessly would take care of Rihannan¡¯s deep wounds. *** Mrs. Cessly knew about the current tense situation. In the following days, she didn¡¯t mention Rihannan Igor¡¯s name, ignoring the King and paying all her mind to Rihannan¡¯s wellbeing. Rihannan wondered if her own mother would have taken care of her like Mrs. Cessly did during this difficult times. ¡°Thank God¡± Mrs. Cessly sighed, relieved. ¡°Your morning sickness is not as terriblepared to the one I had. Mine was so bad I vomited blood!¡± ¡°Actually¡­ me too¡­¡± Rihannan was about to talk about her morning sickness, and how terrible it was, but she stopped herself before uttering a word. In her previous life, her morning sickness was unbearable to the point of not being able to eat properly, but on this life, her condition was much better. The more she thought of this, the more her mind wandered around the notion that this baby was different. She was pregnant, she conceived, but this was not the same baby. ¡°I¡¯m d it hasn¡¯t been as hard for me¡±. Rihannan smiled bitterly. ¡°When I was on my mother¡¯s belly, I heard her morning nausea was terrible, simply unbearable. Luckily, this isn¡¯t my case¡±. ¡°Although there are instances in which mother and daughter have simr morning sickness, that isn¡¯t always the case. It can also vary between the first and second baby. A woman¡¯s body is truly astounding and full of wonders, don¡¯t you think, Your Majesty?¡± ¡°¡­you¡¯re right¡±. Rihannan lowered her gaze and peacefully looked at the flower-painted teacup. This was for the better. If it had been the same baby she¡¯d lost in the past, it would be harder for her to leave when the time arrived. She¡¯d have given that baby all the love she could muster. It wasn¡¯t fair, but she¡¯d leave this little one behind. When the time came¡­ it would be really hard¡­ ¡°My Queen, I heard thew act has been approved. I¡¯m sure you feel relieved¡±. Rihannan smiled a lightly. ¡°I¡¯m surprised, too. I didn¡¯t think that project would be approved so quickly¡±. ¡°It was the perfect moment. Many nobles were in trouble after losing their dignity and states due to gambling. There was also the pressure from people who benefited from gambling. But, thew project would not have been approved so quickly had it not been thanks to Your Majesty¡¯s efforts.¡±. ¡°I think using my father¡¯s case as an example was quite effective. No noble wants to end up like him. Even with the establishment of a neww act, it¡¯s better to give out realistic examples as a warning, though I never imagined using his death for something like this¡±. ¡°I found out he took the decision of ending his life due to the debts he¡¯d umted. If you didn¡¯t feel anything for him, you wouldn¡¯t have proposed this act¡±. ¡°¡­I only wished for him to go on living normally, that was all¡±. Rihannan did wish for her father to have a normal life. She knew her father was angry at her, maybe even hated her, but at least¡­ she wanted him to live a good and honest life. She didn¡¯t know what ending he¡¯d had in her past life. Perhaps they had a happy ending, Leticia and him. Maybe they¡¯d achieved all they wanted. However, this life was different. Leticia became the wife of and old decrepit man and another man¡¯s lover. She had an unfortunate childhood. And her father¡­ hemitted suicide with a poison simr to hers. ¡°¡­¡± Rihannan suddenly realized something. Two people were dead due to poisoning. Was this a coincidence? TaKing into ount that Leticia was the one responsible for her death by poison¡­ maybe¡­ she ended her father¡¯s life? ¡°Mrs. Cessly, maybe you¡¯ve heard anything about my father¡¯s death? As you know, I was in Chrichton at that time, so I never knew any details¡±. Mrs. Cessly tried remembering. She was silent for a while, then shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, my Queen. After expelling Count Alessin from your property, he didn¡¯t step foot on politics. I¡¯m not sure what happened to him afterwards¡±. ¡°¡­I see¡±. In her past life, after the discovery of the Arch Stone, her father became known as the richest man in Arundell, his power and rank within the nobility growing considerably. He was so powerful he could easily influence many political debates. But on this life, he lived a life of poverty before ending up with a sad and tragic death. ¡­if his death had been caused by Leticia, his beloved daughter, how miserable it must have been to die at the hands of the daughter he loved more than anything else in the world. In a certain way, it was an appropriate finale. ¡°Mrs. Cessly, do you remember that nobledy that was alone with me during Duchess Sofia¡¯s birthday party?¡± Mrs. Cessly nodded. ¡°Yes, I remember her¡±. ¡°Leticia Olbach. She is my sister. We have the same father¡±. Mrs. Cessly put down her teacup, startled. ¡°Oh, my God¡­ did you meet her by chance?¡± ¡°It didn¡¯t look like a coincidence, but that¡¯s not important¡±. ¡°Why isn¡¯t it important, my Queen? It isn¡¯t normal if she approached you with evil intent in her heart. I knew it. I suspected it from the beginning. Besides, that bighead also asked if the wife of Viscount Olbach went to the ball. I never imagined she was your sister¡±. Rihannan realized Igor was aware of the situation, but that didn¡¯t matter anymore. Even if he met Leticia again and fell in love¡­ nothing mattered anymore. ¡°I guess it¡¯s hard for people to change¡±. Rihannan could never understand Leticia. From the moment she came to the mansion, she¡¯d always viewed Rihannan as an obstacle, an enemy that had stolen everything away. It didn¡¯t matter to her that the riches and luxury did not belong to her father, but Rihannan¡¯s mother. She¡¯d stopped trying to understand Leticia long ago. And now, with the current situation, she couldn¡¯t understand her either. Rihannan thought Leticia would change if she was brought up in a different environment. In her past life, she¡¯d given Leticia all she wanted, an on this life, she took everything away. Perhaps both choices had been a mistake¡­ ¡°My Queen, do you remember thest conversation we¡¯ve had at the ballrom?¡± asked Mrs. Cessly upon realizing Rihannan¡¯s somber visage. The conversation revolved around a book by Professor Laghman. Rihannan nodded. ¡°We talked about the type of environment one ought to have to be a good person, capable of contributing to society. However, I have a slightly different opinion. Even if poisonous nts are sometimes used for maKing medicine, that doesn¡¯t change the fact that they¡¯re still poisonous. Even if said nts are lucky enough to be carried by the wind into fertile soil with lots of sunshine, that won¡¯t make them change. They¡¯ll still be poisonous nts¡±. Mrs. Cessly smiled warmly and continued. ¡°On the other hand, when good seeds are nted into safe and fertile soil, they¡¯ll bloom brilliantly. Of course, I believe there are people capable of change, while others are not. That¡¯s why, my Queen, I don¡¯t think you have to worry too much about your sister and¡­ what about His Majesty?¡± Suddenly, tears started falling from the corner of Rihanna¡¯s eyes. Mrs. Cessly quickly wiped her tears with a handkerchief, surprised. ¡°My Queen, did I make a mistake with my words? Please, don¡¯t cry, my Queen¡±. Rihannan couldn¡¯t help her tears from spilling. Mrs. Cessly hugged Rihannan and gently patted her back. Inside the arms of the duchess, Rihannan let out her tears. Perhaps Mrs. Cessly didn¡¯t know it, but her words eased the problems that gued her heart. Just like Mrs. Cessly said, there was no need to repeat a life full of suffering in an attempt to fix everything. Rihannan wanted her sister to be a good seed. She wanted them to somehow be able to life together happily. She hoped for the wind to take her to fertilends, where she could bloom into a beautiful flower that allowed the bees to carry her pollen to other flowers. She wanted her to be a flower that could help others, the ones in need. She wished for that. *** When Leticia arrived at Count Clovis¡¯ mansion, the servants grew tense and silently bowed their heads. After seeing Leticia boldly grab a maid by the hair, they were afraid of looKing her in the eye. It didn¡¯t matter what they thought of her, they couldn¡¯t do anything due to fear. Leticia smiled with satisfaction. Whenever she saw the people who¡¯d previously looked at her with disgust kneeling down, she felt quite the stimting sensation. She went to Count Clovis¡¯ office with a smile on her lips. While she was lost in thought, she bumped into a man that was exiting the office. ¡°Oh, my apologies. Are you alright,dy?¡± The man had a pitiful appearance. She could tell his clothes were torn and dirty with a simple nce. A ck robe was covering his body from head to toe. As the man reached out his hand to her, Leticia furrowed her brow. ¡°I¡¯m alright, just get out of my way!¡± Her words were filled with disgust. Meanwhile, the man¡¯s lips, which were visible under the hood, slowly curved into a smile. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, it seems like I¡¯ve startled you¡±. Men usually praised her. That was the usual reaction whenever she met any man. Leticia was aware of her beauty and she¡¯d grown ustomed to the melodic, praising voices of men. Because of this, she became wary of this man¡¯s strange words. He looked like a beggar, but nheless treated her haughtily, in a way that showed his contempt. His robe covered all his body, but he gave out a strange vibe. His body was slightly bigger than the average Arundell man, and his hair, which was lightly exposed through his hood, had a colormon in the north. Chapter 187 Illegitimate sister Chapter 187 ¨C Illegitimate sister Trantor ¨C Yue Upon looking at him, Leticia thought he was a foreigner. The man stepped aside, bowed his head and let her pass through. ¡°Go in,dy¡± Leticia let out a loud ¡°Hmmmph!¡± and started walKing. There was no need to worry about a man as trivial and average as him. When she stepped foot within the office, the man closed the door behind her. Then, the butler who¡¯d been waiting for him approached him and guided him out the door. ¡°This way please, sir¡±. Following the butler, the men heard the maids¡¯ins about the woman with red hair. ¡°Did you see that? Did you see her conceited re? She believes herself the owner of this ce!¡± ¡°My heart is boiling with fury. Our poor mistress¡­ how awful!¡± ¡°¡­so that woman¡­ is she the Count¡¯s lover?¡± the man asked the butler. He had an elegant ent, quite characteristic of northern people. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right¡± the butler answered, turning his head. ¡°She looks strangely familiar to me¡­¡± said the man. ¡°That¡¯s because Viscount Olbach¡¯s wife is the sister¡¯s Queen. She is the ilegitimate daughter of the deceased Count Alessin¡±. The man quickly processed this information in his head before promptly replying ¡°¡­she is the Queen¡¯s step-sister?¡± The butler nodded. ¡°Yes, sir. She is the illegitimate daughter Count Alessin had with a lover, amoner woman. Before the Queen moved to Chrichton, there¡¯s been rumors saying that she kicked her own father and sister out of the mansion. Nobody knew the Viscount¡¯s wife was the Queen¡¯s sister till now¡±. The man smiled maliciously. ¡°I see¡­¡± The man turned his head and looked at the Count¡¯s office, where the woman had entered just a while ago. His silver eyes, hidden by the shadows of his hood, shone with fierce determination. ¡°Young Duke?¡± Upon hearing the butler softly calling him, the man quickly hid his evil re and smiled elegantly. ¡°It¡¯s nothing. Let¡¯s go¡±. *** Upon entering the office, Leticia saw two sses of alcohol on the table. She felt a growing sense of curiosity. The man just now looked humble, like a farmer, but the Count had a drink with him anyways, with this beggar, as though it was normal. ¡°Who¡¯s the man that just left?¡± ¡°Why do you need to know that?¡± Leticia grew angry at Count Clovis¡¯ insensitive response, but before she could say anything, he added ¡°by the way, you finally have your chance, Leticia¡±. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°There¡¯s discord between the King and Queen at the moment¡±. Leticia¡¯s face immediately lit up. ¡°Is that true?¡±. Count Clovis smiled. ¡°That¡¯s right. The Queen tried to abandon the Pce in a state of fury. The King didn¡¯t stop her. Their rtionship is tense, without a doubt something must have gone wrong. Let¡¯s use this crack in your advantage, so sit down and patiently wait¡±. ¡°Oh, Count Clovis, I¡¯m so happy!¡± Leticia cheerfully wrapped her arms around his neck, pleasantly rubbing his erect virility which was hidden under his pants. His manhood pressed against her sensual area, maKing her let out an eloquent moan. She kneeled down, rubbing her hand in a circr motion against the cloth that hid his virility before unbuckling his pants. Soon, his manhood was freed. Leticia wrapped one hand around his waist, softly caressing him while ncing into his eyes. An almost imperceptible growl escaped his throat. ¡°I swear I won¡¯t fail. You know me, after all. You know how good I am to make people fall for me¡±. Count Clovisughed, then moaned. ¡°Yes, Leticia. I know that well enough¡± he said, caressing her head. Then, he pushed her into the sofa and lifted her skirt, revealing her smooth skin. Suddenly, he slid her underwear down her legs. Rubbing her wet entrance, he said ¡°I¡¯m not sure about the rest, but your face and body sure are useful¡±. Without warning, their sexual act began. Leticia let out an appropriate amount of moans, with sensual expressions. Count Clovis was nning on maKing her his pawn and the King¡¯s lover, but actually, she wasn¡¯t going to follow along that path. As soon as she¡¯d conquered the King¡¯s heart, she¡¯d bid her time and wait patiently before revealing Count Clovis¡¯ rebellion ns against Igor. If she became the King¡¯s lover, she wanted to be in the arms of an attractive man, not some old decrepit man. Maybe I could also use this chance to be Queen¡­ Leticia smiled, drawing up this thoughts in her mind. If, as his lover, she saved the King against harm, Igor¡¯s cold heart would definitely melt, deeply falling in love with her. That was it. It wasn¡¯t enough to be the King¡¯s lover to exact her revenge. She¡¯d have to do better and rob her sister of her husband. Only then would she be satisfied. Leticia thought of Rihannan, her sister with noble blood. ThinKing of her made Leticia clench her teeth. For a long time, she felt deep hatred against her sister, moreover whenever she remembered Rihannan kicKing her out of the house that belonged to her and her father. That selfish woman, with a huge property, plenty ofnd and riches didn¡¯t want to share any of that with her own blood?! The audacity! She¡¯d treated Leticia with contempt. That¡¯s why¡­ that¡¯s why, because of her, she had no choice but to crawl on the ground and hold onto the feet of others to survive. From that moment on, Leticia vowed to destroy all that belonged to Rihannan with her own hands, and right now she was carrying out that vow. She became a nobledy thanks to her own efforts, and now she¡¯d seduce the King, robbing Rihannan of all that ever belonged to her. ¡°Ah!¡± As a deep wave of pleasure was devouring her, Leticia opened her lips and moaned out loud. She imagined herself having a passionate moment with the King, and then being found out by ident by Rihannan. Just thinKing of the expression her sister would make at that moment made Leticia smile maliciously. To look at Rihannan¡¯s proud face crumbling, running away in tears¡­ that would be amazing. Her heart quickened while she imagined her sister¡¯s face distorted by pain. *** Rihannan started remembering the past 12 years she¡¯d spent in Chrichton. In a way, she was subconsciously running away from her past. At that moment, she thought that was the best she could do, knowing what was up ahead. The only thing she knew was that she didn¡¯t want to give her father nor sister anything. She didn¡¯t want to be a chess pawn under the pretense of marriage, either. Even after leaving for Chrichton, she didn¡¯t do anything to change the future. The only thing she did was live out her life the best she could, plentily and without remorse. She was satisfied with just that. She wanted peace and quiet. To live out the rest of her life without being perturbed. But while she lived her days without doing anything, Igor actively worked to change the future in such way that would benefit him the most. The new future he¡¯d built implied that she¡¯d be at his side. ThinKing of that now, Rihannan regretted not doing anything. If she¡¯d tried intentionally changing the future, just like Igor did, maybe things would have turned out different. Rihannan questioned herself. Is she really living her life to the fullest? Or was she the same girl as before? Chapter 188 To change the future Chapter 188 ¨C To change the future Trantor ¨C Yue Rihannan¡¯splex thoughts naturally looked into what was soon to happen. In a month, there would be an incident in Chrichton. A highly contagious virus would spread among the people. She knew that would happen, but she didn¡¯t do anything since she knew Dimitri and her uncle would rise victorious. But, what would Igor do with this information? If it¡¯d been him, he would have stopped the death of many members of the nobility. That was the most effective method. Rihannan had changed many letters with Dimitri in her past life, and knew the angst he felt. His heart was torn after spilling so much blood in his path to acquire the throne. He¡¯d seen the deaths of many close friends because of that. And¡­ he¡¯d never wanted the crown. He¡¯d wanted his freedom, but it seemed as though some invisible force was constantly pushing him towards the throne. She knew that, but didn¡¯t lift a finger. She was going to let the same events to happen all over again. But now, she¡¯d realized her selfishness. Deep inside, she wanted him to suffer throught the hardships and maybe¡­ unconsciously, she wanted him to have more power as King, rather than a noble. Rihannan couldn¡¯t stay with her arms crossed and allow fate to repeat itself again. Maybe in changing the future she¡¯d cause unwanted results to unfold, but she wouldn¡¯t allow Dimitri to fall into despair because of her own fear and selfishness. After leaving the Queen¡¯s Pce, Rihannan went to the central office. ¡°Your Majesty?¡± Upon reaching the central office¡¯s door, Basil, who was just leaving, was astounded by Rihannan¡¯s sudden visit. This was their first encounter afterst time¡¯s incident. Rihannan didn¡¯t dare look him in the eye. She avoided his gaze altogether. ¡°Is His Majesty inside?¡± she asked. Basil moved his head up and down many times. ¡°Yes, he¡¯s there¡±. ¡°Then, please, inform him that I¡¯ve arrived and¡­¡± ¡°No need for that! Please, enter, my Queen!¡± Basil opened the door. ¡°Then, I¡¯ll go bring some tea right away!¡± he said, happily. ¡°That won¡¯t be necessary. We are just going to talk. Please stay outside for a while¡±. Basil smiled broadly upon hearing her words. ¡°Of course, of course. I¡¯ll make sure nobodyes in. Please, rx and talk all you want¡±. Merrily hopping, Basil soon left. It seemed liked he¡¯d forgotten Rihannan had threatened his life not long ago. LooKing at Basil¡¯s cheerful aura, Rihannan felt as though a heavy rock was lifted off her head¡±. Breathing deeply, Rihannan entered the office. Igor stood up. Rihannan¡¯s nce focused on the desk, where the blurred memories of Igor embracing Leticia started spiraling like hurricanes. Igor quickly distanced himself from the desk and approached Rihannan. ¡°Rihannan, why are you here¡­?¡± ¡°There¡¯s something I need to say to you¡±. ¡°Then have a seat. We¡­¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need. I won¡¯t take long. I¡¯ll leave after saying what I¡¯vee to tell you¡±. Hearing her cold tone, Igor didn¡¯t dare say anything more. ¡°Rihannan¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure you know what will happen in around a month¡±. Rihannan opened her lips, avoiding his face. ¡°I wish to stop the deaths of the members of Chrichton¡¯s royal family. I wish to send Dimitri clues of what will happen, before the tragedy unfolds¡±. ¡°Clues? Then, you mean¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ll tell him the truth about the sanctuary¡¯s water, where an old ritual will be held. If it¡¯s Dimitri, I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll find a way to avoid the virus from spreading¡±. If her n was sessful, then she¡¯d prevent the deaths of the royal family members. Even though she¡¯d hoped the Crown Prince would fall victim of the tragedy¡­ Dimitri¡¯s freedom was more important. If she could guarantee his happiness, nothing else mattered. ¡°The sanctuary is a holy ce for Chrichton¡¯s royalty. It¡¯s a ce where no one besides the direct lineage of the royal family can ess to. The fact that I know of that secret ce means that, if I¡¯m not careful, they¡¯ll harbor doubts about me. As you know, Dimitri has been previously used of bad behavior and conspiracy against Chrichton. They even put him in jail for a while¡±. ¡°¡­¡± ThinKing back on those hurtful moments, Rihannan tightly grabbed her skirt. ¡°I went through many humiliations, and I do not wish to go through that process all over again. I hope you can put your signature besides mine in a letter I¡¯ll be sending to Dimi. If you sign as well, they will not think I¡¯m babbling nonsense. I¡¯m sure of that¡±. After saying all she¡¯de to say, Rihannan awaited for his answer. There was silence for a while. Rihannan lifted her face and stared at Igor. He had aplicated expression, as though it was hard for him to answer. She came to the conclusion that Igor wanted to deny her request. ¡°I see. Then, I¡¯ll solve this matter on my own¡­¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need for that¡±. Rihannan, who was walKing towards the door, quickly turned around. Her gaze went straight to him. She looked at him and asked, incredulously ¡°what do you mean by that?¡± ¡°¡­you don¡¯t need to do anything at all¡± he replied. ¡°What are you trying to say? You want me to do nothing and let them die?¡± ¡°No¡­ I¡¯m saying there¡¯s no need. The event that worries you will not happen¡±. Rihannan frowned. She couldn¡¯t understand a word he¡¯d said. ¡°Are you saying the tragic event that took the life of many members of the royal family will not take ce?¡± ¡°Yes¡±. ¡°It definitely happened in the past. Why are you so sure it won¡¯t happened now?¡± The incident had to rtion to Arundell. Both Igor and her had reincarnated, changing events, but she doubted theirbined decisions could cause that big of an impact in the future. ¡°Please, exin to me why you think that¡±. After her repeated questions, Igor dropped his head and sighed. He held his forehead with one hand. A momentter, he spoke, slowly. ¡°It wasn¡¯t a contagious disease. It was my mother¡±. Rihannan¡¯s ice blue eyes reflected Igor¡¯s pained expression. ¡°My mother poisoned the water in Chrichton¡¯s sanctuary to get rid of the royal family¡­¡± Igor closed his eyes as he remembered the events from his past life. Chapter 189 Rihannans hell Chapter 189 ¨C Rihannan¡¯s hell Trantor ¨C Yue Memoirs from the past¡­ ¡°Your Majesty, we have a big problem!¡± The incident started with Basil¡¯s urgent calls. Rihannan spent her days dreaming of the baby inside her womb. Right then, she heard some terrible news from Chrichton. Many members of the royal family who were carrying out a ceremony at the sanctuary suddenly fell ill to some incurable disease. The King, the Crown Prince and many heirs from the direct bloodline fell on the table, one after the other, their lives hovering close to death¡¯s doors. If it had been a natural phenomenon, people would have considered it an unfortunate event and prayed for their health. However, it all changed when the truth was revealed. The Queen Mother had frustrated that n, along with many other Chrichton nobles who were against the tyranny of the ruling royal family. Igor, enraged upon the terrible massacre she¡¯d carried out, roared at her. ¡°Are you crazy? How could you do that? There¡¯s something wrong with your head!¡± For the first time since his birth, Igor talked disrespectfully to his mother, his own blood. While Igor was shaken upon these horrible events, the Queen Mother looked calm, as usual. ¡°It was all for your sake, Igor. Now you are also first in line to seed Chrichton¡¯s throne. You¡¯ll rule two countries¡­ you¡¯ll be an Emperor!¡± Igor was aware of his mother¡¯s unique position. She had both Chrichton and Arundell blood within her veins. She always dreamed of building an Empire capable of fighting against Toulouse. If she had be the ruling Queen, just like she nned, then she¡¯d have been able to seize the throne herself. But she didn¡¯t. Therefore, she tried aplishing her goals through her son, her own flesh and blood. But she never bothered to find out what Igor really wanted. ¡°Stop saying nonsense! And do not cause more trouble that what you¡¯ve already done!¡± But his mother kept pestering him about bing the next in line for Chrichton¡¯s throne. Igor was losing his patience. He¡¯d learned the hard way that it was time to take the power away from her. The time hade, and if he allowed his mother to continue doing whatever she pleased, him and his wife would not be able to have a life of their own. Igor made up his mind. He sent Rihannan away from the Central Pce before seriously carrying out his ns. He didn¡¯t want her to be involved in the problem, especially not while pregnant. His mother would use Rihannan to make him vow to her will. Besides, he needed to send Rihannan away from her own family. When her pregnancy was announced, if not for formal asions, Igor stopped meeting with Leticia altogether. Count Alessinint about that. ¡°Your Majesty, are you trying to get rid of my daughter like this? Even after the whole world is gossiping about how she became your lover, and the nation¡¯s concubine? You can¡¯t do that, Your Majesty! Rihannan barely has any importance!¡± Igor saw how the Count¡¯s benevolent father¡¯s fake fa?ade was slowly tearing apart. He knew Rihannan¡¯s father didn¡¯t treat her with special love nor care, but he¡¯d thought that at least he respected her within the boundaries of a distant fatherly figure. But now that his true colors were slowly being revealed, Igor saw right through him. The Count was never a fatherly figure to his wife. He never cared about her. He only had Leticia in mind. Afterwards, he learnt that Rihannan had suffered many psychological traumas after her mother¡¯s dead thanks to the cold, loveless environment in which she grew up. He thought of her when they were younger, of her calm, smiley personality. But as they grew up, she became rigid, timid, nervous and restless. He¡¯d always wondered about her change, but now he knew why. She couldn¡¯t live a normal life with a father and sister who despised her. They would always let out poisonous words that diminished her existence. ¡­it must have been hell. And then, she went through another hell thanks to him. ¡°From the start, Rihannan has always been and will always be my only wife. My sessor will be the baby Rihannan gives birth to¡±. Igor clenched his teeth and fist. He stopped himself just in time. Afterwards, Igor severed all links with Count Alessin. The man only believed in money and was far too confident on his ability to rule over the King. ¡°From now on, I will not see you again, Count Alessin. Be grateful that I won¡¯t do anything else, considering that you are my wife¡¯s father¡±. Count Alessin swallowed his anger before leaving the Pce with loud steps. Soon after, Igor excluded the Count from all political affairs. To begin with, he never wanted the Count near him. He was too ipetent and greedy. A few dayster, Igor stood in front of the carriage assigned to take Rihannan to the Royal Family¡¯s vi. When she arrived, she smiled at him awkwardly. It¡¯d been many years since their wedding day, but there was an ufortable wall between them. Igor was desperate, as though there was no light at the end of the tunnel. ¡°I¡¯ll visit you regrly, though I won¡¯t be able to do it daily¡­ no, if time allows it, I¡¯ll visit you every day¡±. Her wide and innocent blue eyes gazed at him, slightly surprised. Then, she blushed and lower her head. Igor held her tightly. Her body was smallpared to his. He found that cute. Upon realizing the draining life they¡¯ve had, Igor closed his eyes. He regretted all the things he¡¯d done to her. Telling her to choose a side, either him or her godmother. Meanwhile, she never had a real family she could rely on. Then, Rihannan boarded her carriage. While the carriage was slowly moving forward, Rihannan opened the curtains and looked at him. Igor smiled. Rihannan smiled till her figure slowly vanished in the horizon. Igor felt happy, waiting impatiently for the day in which she¡¯de back to his arms. When the time came and all their problems were properly solved, they¡¯d live a happy life. Together. His heart was filled with hope. But, in the end¡­. End of past memories¡­ ¡°Are you saying that the Queen Mother killed all those people? Even those who were innocent of any wrongdoing?!¡± Chapter 190 Dimitri Chapter 190 ¨C Dimitri Trantor ¨C Yue Rihannan felt scared upon hearing Igor¡¯s confession. Igor looked at her carefully, searching into ount any detail, just in case the news made Rihannan faint. ¡°Since a long time ago my mother¡¯s had great interest in creating a huge nation capable of fighting against the Toulouse Empire. To achieve that, she wanted to unite Chrichton and Arundell under the same banner. That¡¯s why shemitted that terrible crime¡­¡± ¡°But¡­ those were also the Queen Mother¡¯s rtives. How could she¡­?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve told you before, have I not? My mother is someone capable of extreme cruelty¡­ even to the people close to her¡±. Rihannan remembered the words he¡¯d said to her in the carriage, after returning from the Queen Mother¡¯s Pce. She felt breathless. She realized Igor hadn¡¯t just said those words to keep her away from the Queen Mother. ¡°Then¡­ that time¡­ since she was already like that¡­¡± ¡°This time, she can¡¯t do anything. She¡¯s lost her will and the power tomit that crime. I¡¯ve also made sure she¡¯ll never be able to do that again¡±. ¡°¡­I see¡±. Rihannan held onto her skirt, clearly agitated. She couldn¡¯t decide if this was good or not. In any case, people wouldn¡¯t die like in the past, and Dimitri would not be forced to be king, so¡­ All was good. ¡°However, Chrichton¡¯s Crown Prince will abdicate his position, regardless if the poisoning happens or not¡±. Upon his sudden words, she looked at him. ¡°What do you m-¡­¡± ¡°Nobody¡¯s told you anything, but right now the current Crown Prince is in aplicated position. His bad governance seems more tyrannical, and instead of apologizing, he¡¯s ming some other nobles. Besides, a noble¡¯s daughter has recently passed away due to his acts. Many nobles are furious because of this, and they are wondering what would be an appropriate punishment for his crimes¡±. ¡°So he¡¯s done something terrible again!¡± Though he didn¡¯t give out any details, Rihannan immediately knew what he wanted to say. Igor stared at Rihannan in silence. She red at him, enraged. ¡°That man¡¯s always been like that. Since he can have whatever he wants, there¡¯s nothing that can frighten him. I¡¯ve been able to live safely all this time thanks to Princess Helena, but when they were about to take me to you in her stead, he tried to rape me. His goal was to dishonor me to insult you. He stopped when I said I would personally carry out the negotiation¡±. Igor¡¯s face paled, turning rigid. Rihannan made fun of his expression. ¡°You shouldn¡¯tin about what he did. There¡¯s no difference between you and the Crown Prince, as you both are intoxicated with power. After all, you seize anything you want through force. In any case, I do not wish to speak of this matter any further, so let¡¯s stop. Since now I know nothing will happen to Dimi in the future, that matter isn¡¯t important anymore¡±. She was about to finish their conversation when he spoke. ¡°It will matter¡±. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°The one who controls the people conspiring to take down the Crown Prince is your cousin. I¡¯m sure that the Crown Prince has already realized that as well. That there¡¯s someone else behind Prince Ivan¡±. Rihannan lips trembled. She knew Dimi was actively involved in politics and acted as the de facto Crown Prince. After all, knowing his personality, he couldn¡¯t tolerate the Crown Prince¡¯s behavior. Nevertheless, she didn¡¯t think he¡¯d be involved in this. ¡°Why would Dimi go that far¡­?¡± Rihannan suddenly knew the answer. The reason why Dimitri got involved in politics and was actively seeking to take down the Crown Prince was¡­ her. He couldn¡¯t sit back and see the Crown Prince seeking war between Chrichton and Arundell, thus endangering Rihannan¡¯s life. In her past life, Dimitri had confessed to her that, had he not gotten directly tangled up in the fight for the throne, he would have left everything behind and run away, living a secret life. Back then, the reason why he didn¡¯t do so was that, if he did, many people around him would die, his uncle included. Now, the reason why he¡¯d gotten involved had changed. Now it was because of his cousin, Rihannan. Looking at her face filled with worry, Igor opened his mouth. ¡°No need to worry. If he needs it, I¡¯ll dly give him a hand. Of course, it would be hard for me to give him aid directly¡±. ¡°When did I ever say anything about you helping him?¡± Rihannan replied brusquely. She didn¡¯te here because Dimitri needed help. She was there because she wanted a certain situation to be avoided. She didn¡¯t want to hear any charity from Igor. Especiallying from someone who¡¯d once murdered her. ¡°Do not concern yourself regarding our situation again. Dimi does not need your help, nor do I¡±. ¡°Rihannan¡­¡± Igor reached out for her arm, but she swatted his hand violently. Igor didn¡¯t dare reach for her hand again, and instead tightened his fist. ¡°There¡¯s something¡­ you need to know about. It¡¯s about your past. And your sister, in this lifetime¡±. ¡°Why are you telling me that? I¡¯m sure I¡¯ve already told you to do whatever you want¡±. ¡°Rihannan, please, listed to what I have t-¡­¡± ¡°If you want to exin the situation, you should have done so back then!¡± Rihannan¡¯s eyes filled with tears. ¡°After seeing you two deeply embracing each other in this ce, I ended up falling down the stairs and losing my baby. At least you should havee to me that day and admitted you¡¯ve made a mistake. But not only did you note to see me, you made soldiers arrest me and throw me in jail. And you are saying now, without an ounce of shame, that you want to exin the situation? How dare you¡­¡± One she opened her eyes after losing conscience, the baby in her womb had died. Even then, Rihannan only wished for the man she both loved and hated to give her some tant excuse once more. However, whenever she asked for Igor, the servants would only shake their heads with a worried expression. ¡°The moment I needed you the most, you threw me away and crushed me with your feet¡±. She wanted to share the pain of losing a family member with someone, but whenever she desperately needed them, they avoided her. Her father, too, just like her husband. The tears that were falling down her cheeks quickly soaked her entire face. Seeing her face, Igor couldn¡¯t say a a single word. His purple eyes filled with pain and sorrow. He reached his hand, as though he wanted to dry the Queen¡¯s tears, but Rihannan shook her head, avoiding his touch. When she wanted to exist the room, Igor blocked her path. She tried walking around him, but he firmly grasped the door¡¯s handle. ¡°Step aside. I have nothing left to say, and I don¡¯t want to hear anymore from you¡±. Igor spoke hurriedly. ¡°Alright. I will not force you to listen to what I have to say, but I¡¯ll go call Basil so he may safely escort you back. Please, go back with him¡±. ¡°I can do that on my own¡±. ¡°You can do whatever you want, but I will not stay here with my arms crossed, hurting myself like I did in the past¡±. Igor whispered, as if he were threatening her. ¡°And from now on, you cannot walk alone. Wherever you go, you must make sure you are with Mrs. Cessly. If people see you wandering off on your own again, I¡¯ll have no choice but to limit the scope of ces you can go to, like I did in the past¡±. I bet you can¡¯t stand the thought of the baby being harmed, rather than worrying about my safety. Swallowing the words that never left her mouth, Rihannan dried her tears with the back of her hand. Soon, Basil was summoned into the room. When he read that the mood between the two of them waspletely different from what he¡¯d expected, he looked down. Nheless, when Igor ordered him to escort the Queen back to her Pce, he obeyed withoutins. Rihannan kept pouring silent tears nonstop on her way back. If it¡¯d been like her past life, Basil would be chatting with her merrily, but this time, all he could do was anxiously follow behind her. When the Queen reached the Queen¡¯s Pce, Basil finally spoke. ¡°My queen, please, stop crying. Please¡­¡± Chapter 191 A brief moment of kindness Chapter 191 ¨C A brief moment of kindness Trantor ¨C Yue However, there was no stopping Rihannan¡¯s weeping with just those words. While Rihannan kept crying, Basil quickly reached inside his pockets and took something out. ¡°I heard that when you are in a bad mood, you¡¯ll feel better if you eat something sweet. Your Majesty, at least have some of this¡­¡± He had a piece of candy in his hands. When Rihannan looked at the candy with tears still in her eyes, surprised, Basil clumsily attempted to hide his hands. He felt ashamed. As a kid she¡¯d have happily taken it. I guess it¡¯s too much of me to think that you¡¯d do that now¡­ ¡°My apologies. I shouldn¡¯t have¡­¡± ¡°Why are you so kind to me, Basil?¡± At her sudden question, Basil¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°What?¡± ¡°You¡¯ve always been like this. In the past and even now. Even though I treated you terriblyst time, you are still kind to me¡±. Hearing her trembling, crying voice, Basil felt as though he was listening to his own youngest daughter, and had to stop himself from unconsciouslyughing. ¡°Well¡­ who could hate a Queen as pretty and beautiful as you?¡± ¡°No, Basil. You may not know about it, but there¡¯s plenty of people who hate me. Even my own family hates me. They¡¯ve always have¡±. Basil smiled broadly. ¡°If somebody hates you or isn¡¯t fond of you, then that person has a problem, not you, my Queen. That¡¯s for sure. Besides, you didn¡¯t really mean what you saidst time¡±. This time, Basil took out a handkerchief to wipe Rihannan¡¯s cheeks. It was a soft movement of a hand, like a father trying to pacify his daughter. ¡°You¡¯ll always be loved by the right people, my Queen. Even Mrs. Cessly isn¡¯t someone who can easily make friends with others, but she¡¯s especially weak towards you. Didn¡¯t you know that?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it because Mrs. Cessly is a good person?¡± ¡°Since you are a good person, Mrs. Cessly can only treats you as such. Mrs. Cessly is usually quite cold and harsh towards others. Even the scary Queen Mother is careful around her¡±. When he finished wiping off all the tears, Basil put his handkerchief away. Then, he extended again the hand holding the candy towards Rihannan, a smile still upon his lips. ¡°If you think it¡¯s ok, please try one. This is something my wife gave me, so I wouldn¡¯t give it lightly to anybody else¡±. Rihannan hesitated for a moment before taking the candy. Then, she replied softly. ¡°¡­Thanks¡± Basil understood that that word held a much deeper meaning and smiled happily. ¡°Please, have a nice rest. While it won¡¯t solve your problems, I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll still feel better after a good sleep¡±. Rihannan nodded. After checking that her lips were slightly curved into a smile, Basil finally let out a relieved sigh. When Rihannan got into her room, Basil¡¯s warm gaze quickly turned cold. Ever since they¡¯ve left the office, he¡¯d felt as though someone was looking at them. And, right when the Queen vanished from view, that sensation also disappeared. ording to his intelligence, one of the Pce¡¯s servants was constantly gathering information about the King and Queen, and selling said data to someone outside the Pce every three days. He was surprised he hadn¡¯t noticed any of this all this time. ¡°It seems as though he¡¯ll make a move tonight¡±. Basil coldly whispered to himself. It was already time to catch the rat that¡¯s been hidden within the Pce all along. *** Rihannan went back to her room. There was a letter addressed to her, written and signed by the Queen Mother. The letter suggested Rihannan to go visit the Royal Family¡¯s vi before winter arrived. At the end of the letter, there was an additional line stating that if Igor prohibited her from going, it was fine if she didn¡¯t. The two of them usually exchanged letters, so it turned into a habit. Rihannan grabbed her quill and began writing. She¡¯d found out something new about the Queen Mother. However, even though Igor had described her as some cruel, monstruous woman capable of poisoning an entire kingdom, Rihannan couldn¡¯t shake off the maternal feeling she got from her. Rihannan knew that the Queen Mother was strict and fearsome, but she was also wise and gentle. She¡¯d abandoned her rightful im to the throne and even sacrificed her position for the sake of peace. Arundell would have fallen to ruins had she not stopped the war. But, upon listening to Igor¡¯s revtion, Rihannan suddenly became aware of a striking truth. Igor¡¯s mother was someone capable of killing off her own cousins without mercy nor remorse, all in the attempt to reach an impossible dream. How many events from the past were hidden from Rihannan? How many of them was she not even aware of? Looking at the soft surface of the letter, her clear blue eyes fogged. Memories from the past started surfacing. After moving her residence to the Royal Vi, Igor kept his word of visiting her regrly. Rihannan was euphoric. He took care of her and her baby, which gave her a lot of happiness, something she¡¯d never felt before. As always, Igor would leave the vi, reminding her that he¡¯d visit her again the next day. The next morning she waited for him wo arrive, but he didn¡¯t. In his stead came a letter, short and concise. The letter said he was worried about something and busy, so she didn¡¯t need to wait for him. She read the letter again and again. She was sad she couldn¡¯t see him, but this was also the first letter she¡¯d ever received from him. The elegant handwriting captivated her and, even though the letter¡¯s content was short, she read it again every minute. This was a letter from Igor. A thought popped in her mind. If he was worried, why didn¡¯t she pay him a visit? It would be a surprise visit. Would Igor hate it if she appeared without prior notice? She pondered for a while, but he¡¯d been so good and sweet to her in the past months¡­ After much thought, she shook off all doubts and headed to the Pce in a carriage. The kindness and tenderness he¡¯d shown her gave her heart some sce. She never thought an abhorrent sight was awaiting for her. Upon opening the central office¡¯s door, she saw Leticia lying on his desk, her legs spread open, and Igor hovering over her in the middle. She realized that was the reason why Igor had sent her to the vi. Tears filled her eyes, which impaired her vision, causing her to fall down the stairs. Because of her clumsiness, she lost her baby and she was thrown into a cold prison cell. What was her crime? Because she came to see him? Only that, and they considered her a sinner? She lost her will to live. She willingly drunk the poison Leticia handed to her and took her life. That was all she knew. She could still remember it all, vividly. The circumstances were clear, so Igor could not make up any excuses. Was Igor lying? Making things up for her to foolishly believe? Or did he see her as the same ignorant girl she used to be? In the end, Rihannan threw away her own letter. With a deep sigh, she gave up trying to write a reply and let go of the quill. If Igor had spoken the truth, Dimitri woulde out victorious. She didn¡¯t need to worry about his suffering due to a future carnage and bloodshed that would not happen. He¡¯d live a happy and fruitful life. Chapter 192.1 Setting the trap Chapter 192.1 ¨C Setting the trap Trantor ¨C Yue Taking advantage of the dark of night, Rode stole into the Pce grounds and waited for in the agreed spot. He was used to this, as he¡¯d done it already many times. Rode soon heard footstep sounds and quickly turned around. It was one of Count Clovis¡¯ servants. He stood there, waiting for his intel. ¡°Today you are quitete¡±, Rodeint. The servant shrugged his shoulders. ¡°Today I took the precaution of taking another path, that¡¯s why I¡¯mte. You brought the information, right?¡± Rode nodded, taking out a piece of paper where he¡¯d written all he¡¯d heard and seen in the Pce corridors. The servant got excited and quickly stuffed the piece of paper in his pocket. In exchange for this piece of information, he gave Rode a stash filled with coins. ¡°Then, be careful on your way b-¡° Before he could utter hisst word, a group of armed guards emerged from the bushes. Rode quickly realized that they¡¯d been cornered and tried to escape, but it was already toote. Someone stood on his way, blocking the path. Rode¡¯s face quickly turned white upon seeing who it was. ¡°Grand Chambein¡­¡± Basil was always smiling, but on this precise moment he looked like a herald from hell. Basil coldly took the piece of paper from the servant¡¯s hand and read its content, his terrible gaze shifting to Rode. Rode gave up any attempt of giving excuses and lowered his head. They¡¯d caught him giving out inside information to a stranger red-handed. He could not escape from this. He was guilty, and he knew the harsh punishment he¡¯d receive for this crime. Bam! Basil punched Rode¡¯s face with his fist, making him fall and roll on the ground. ¡°How dare you?! How dare you sell information about Her Majesty while under mymand?! Did you think you could get away with this?!¡± ¡°Please, forgive me¡­ I apologize for what I¡¯ve done!¡± Rode lowered his head and ttened himself on the ground. Basil could hardly contain his suppressed anger. If he could get away with it, he¡¯d have this traitor¡¯s head off. ¡°Take this man to the King and arrest Count Clovis immediately!¡± Basil yelled, enraged. *** In a beautiful night, Count Clovis was taken to an underground prison right below the Pce. He was familiar with this ce, it was somewhere especially designed for those who dared betray the Royal Family. He knew something had gone wrong. To be brought to this depraved ce, Count Clovis deduced they¡¯d had discovered something, but he couldn¡¯t quite tell what. He thought about it over and over, but he had no idea what could have gone wrong. He lived a carefree and isted life, far from the King¡¯s eye. Besides, he made sure to keep his ambition for the throne under check. What could have gone wrong? Finally, the King showed up. He had a cold expression on his face, without an ounce of feelings. The Count knew then that he was doomed. He felt extremely uneasy. ¡°Your Majesty¡­ what is all this? Why have you brought me to this ce?¡± Count Clovis didn¡¯t know how he¡¯d ended up in this situation. However, he needed to y his part and deny any wrongdoing. That was the only way to escape this ce without being punished for any crime. Igor slowly sat down on a chair that had been previously prepared for him. He did it calmly, slowly. Count Clovis kept looking at him nervously. It looked like the King didn¡¯t care at all if people found out he¡¯d apprehended and arrested him. The Count hid his fears from the King¡¯s gaze. ¡°Perhaps¡­ if you are trying to me me over something, it would be best if you didn¡¯t. Did you forget, your Majesty? The promise that was made after the tragedy that shook Arundell?¡± Chapter 192.2 Setting the trap Chapter 192.2 ¨CSetting the trap Trantor ¨C Yue That promise was a pact made discreetly after the two tragedies that shook Arundell. The first tragedy took ce when the Queen Mother rebelled against the new King, causing a bloodshed, and the second tragedy happened when some nobles chose Count Clovis over their King and tried to usurp the throne from the young monarch. The coup d¡¯¨¦tat failed, but much violence happened. Therefore, after these two bloody episodes, a promise was made among both parties for the sake of Arundell. ¡°The Queen Mother and I promised never to cause discord again, but Your Majesty, you, who reaped the most benefits from this pact, are you trying to break the promise that your predecessors agreed on after so much pain?¡± Due to the civil war and the conflicts caused by the Queen Mother, Count Clovis, son of the King, had to step aside and be reced by Igor, who took the throne. That¡¯s what Count Clovis was referring about. Igorughed. ¡°If you knew that promise so well, you shouldn¡¯t have attempted such evil ns while cowardly hiding.¡± The Count was about to explode from anger after hearing Igor¡¯s words. Evil ns? But before he could reply, Igor threw a bunch of papers at his feet. ¡°These were found in your office. Please, exin to me, Count Clovis, why did you order your servant to inform you of our every single action?¡± Count Clovis looked at the scattered papers, wishing they would all magically disappear. Gritting his teeth, he raised his head and gazed at Igor. ¡°I do not deny doing that. Yes, it¡¯s true. I did bribe one of the servants to get inside information of the Pce. However, if you are trying to frame me of treason over that, you are very mistaken, Your Majesty. That fact that I collected intelligence doesn¡¯t mean anything. Did I ever use it against you, to threaten you? No, isn¡¯t that right?¡± Igor grinned. ¡°That¡¯s notpletely true. You threatened our security.¡± ¡°What do you m-¡° ¡°My wife. You tried giving the Queen medicine, didn¡¯t you? You tried to make sure she¡¯d never have kids, right?¡± Count Clovis¡¯ jaw fell to the ground. His evil ns began soon after the King and Queen held their wedding reception. If they sessfully made an heir, the probability of stealing the throne would vanish into thin air. That¡¯s why he made ns and carried them on. He decided to mix anti-conceptives into the Queen¡¯s food. However, his efforts were all in vain. He bribed one of the court¡¯sdies with a ton of money, waiting for the right moment. But, for whatever strange reason, the Queen¡¯s food and medicine were always under the heaviest security measures. The Count had never seen anything like it. The Queen¡¯s meals were under the same level of security as the King¡¯s life. He had to choice but to bitterly give up and now, Igor was well aware of his ns. Sudden chills run down his spine when he realized that Igor knew all about his daring attempts, even when he¡¯d failed. How did he know? The Count was frozen in his seat, unable to utter any answer. Igor smiled. ¡°You also plotted with your lover, Count. You¡¯d use Leticia Olbach, the Queen¡¯s step-sister, to get close to me, knowing full well the hatred she bears my wife. Am I mistaken?¡± The Count¡¯s face went pale. ¡°Did that woman say that?¡± Did she say it was my idea?¡± ¡°The wife of Viscount Olbach said that once she got close to me and became my lover, she¡¯d help you be the future King.¡± Igor threw the bait and the Count was quickly trapped in it. A sitting duck. ¡°No! That¡¯s not true, that woman is lying! Those were her words¡­ that she¡¯d seduce the King and help me steal the throne¡­¡± Count Clovis quickly shut his mouth, but it was already toote. He¡¯d said things he shouldn¡¯t have, so he felt extremely uneasy. ¡°Please forgive me, Your Majesty.¡± He slid from his chair and immediately kneeled in front of Igor. Given the circumstances, he had to beg the young King as much as he could while looking for a way to get out of this situation. He could n his next moveter, once he was freed from prison. ¡°What you¡¯ve heard is true, but I¡¯ve never epted her suggestion, not even once. She nned it all by herself. So, please, forgive my life and¡­¡± ¡°I won¡¯t kill you. Not this time, at least.¡± Not this time? Count Clovis was wondering what he meant by that when they King¡¯s purple eyes suddenly darkened. ¡°Since you are no threat to me even if I let you live, and given that you are so useless, I¡¯ll pardon your life. Besides, I do not wish to soil my hands at the moment. But, to let you go,you need to tell me everything you know about Leticia.¡± ¡°¡­Leticia?¡± ¡°Only then will I have enough reasons to set you free. If the truth is that you fell under the spells of an evil woman, then you¡¯ll gain some sympathy. Then, I¡¯ll settle this case by saying that only you and your brothers plotted to steal the right to session.¡± ¡°What do you mean by stealing the right to session?¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t agree, then die.¡± The Count thought he¡¯d misheard for a second. This King was known for his wisdom and mercy on his subjects. It was said that he never had a hidden agenda and that he always solved issues by following the due legal process. Because of this, he was able to seize power from the Queen Mother without spilling blood in the process. He even achieved victory for Arundell in a naval war against Chrichton while maintaining as little casualties as possible. That very same man was now threatening him. The Count blinked a couple times, wondering if there was the possibility that he was talking with someone else altogether. But, the man coldly smiling at him was definitely Igor Cheska, King of Arundell. ¡°It won¡¯t finish with just your death, Count. I¡¯ll gather all your siblings with a right to the throne and I¡¯ll me them of insurgency before hanging them from their necks at the castle walls. You think I won¡¯t dare?¡± The Count thought to himself for a moment, then realized that the King wasn¡¯t speaking empty threats. Was there ever a moment in which Igor didn¡¯t get what he wanted? He managed to steal political power from his mother, who once seemed indestructible, and he also made Chrichton¡¯s most powerful naval warships bow down to his will. Achieving all this without spilling blood was the hardest method. Therefore, if Igor was willing to let go ofplicated tactics to quickly get him out of the way by cutting off his neck, he¡¯d do it without blinking. What¡¯s more, there wasn¡¯t any hint of light in his dark, colorless eyes. The Count, who had gone through many things in his life, recognized this a sign of hardly suppressed madness. ¡°I¡¯m sure you know the nobility will not support you once they find out you nted a spy in the Pce to learn each and every one of my movements. That would be enough to bring them to my side.¡± While the Count was still dumbstruck, Igor smiled and calmly went on. ¡°What would you like to do? Would you like this to end with you giving up your right to session and spilling everything you know about that woman? O would you like to throw away your miserable life because of that greedy heart of yours?¡± The Count lowered his head, speechless. Just then did he realize that his ns had been ruined before he could even start. Chapter 193 Murder Charges Chapter 193 ¨C Murder charges Trantor ¨C Yue While her husband was loudly snoring as he slept, Leticia slowly got up from her bed. A strong smell of mint wasing from her husband¡¯s decrepit sick body. That¡¯s why her own body smelled of mint. Leticia clicked her tongue and slid one leg down the bed. As she did so, a white thick liquid slid down her legs. She wanted to immediately wipe this disgusting liquid off her legs, but since doing so might wake her husband up, she didn¡¯t. Leticia put on clean pajamas and headed to the sofa. There, she reached out her hand towards the unfinished bottle of alcohol her husband hadn¡¯t finished the night before, but stopped herself. It would do her good to abstain from alcohol for the time being. It was best for her to keep this seed within her for as long as she could. This way, once she¡¯d slept with the King for a night, she would be able to argue that it was his child. Leticia sat down, thinking that she¡¯d soon be in the arms of the man who held the highest position in the kingdom, not this decrepit old fool. Just thinking about that made her happy. She felt as though she was finally being rewarded for all her sufferings. If she could steal the King¡¯s heart now, considering his ill rtionship with the Queen, then, all those who¡¯d one singled her out for being a bastard orphan would look at her with envy. She wanted to exact revenge on every person who¡¯d once made her suffer. Obviously, the Queen would be the first to be punished. While her mind wandered off, she suddenly heard loud noisesing from outside. Leticia looked at the door with a disgruntled expression. What were the servants doing at this time of night to cause such ruckus?¡± ¡°My Lord, my Lady!¡± The butler suddenly burst into the room. Leticia stood up and yelled with all her might. ¡°You! How dare you enter¡­?!¡± ¡°My Lady, there¡¯s been an emergency! There are soldiers breaking into the mansion!¡± The loud snores came to an abrupt halt. Viscount Olbach woke up after hearing the butler¡¯s screeches and rapidly rose from bed. ¡°What? What did you say? Soldiers?¡± ¡°My Lord, it isn¡¯t just soldiers, the royal army¡­¡± Before the butler could finish his sentence, armed soldiers appeared right behind him. The butler screamed, terrified, running off to hide in a corner. Leticia, however, looked as though she hadn¡¯t yet grasped the situation. Just as the butler had said, the symbol in the soldiers¡¯ breasttes belonged without a shred of doubt to the royal army. Why would the royal army be here? Leticia looked at her husband. While she was pondering whether he¡¯dmitted some sort of grave crime, a voice rung through the silence of the room. ¡°Are you Mrs. Leticia Olbach?¡± They didn¡¯t mention her husband¡¯s name, but hers. Leticia turned her head, her eyes wide open. The soldiers¡¯ sharp-edged swords were directly pointed at her. Suddenly, Leticia btedly realized the royal army hade to arrest her. ¡°Yes¡­ I¡¯m Lady Leticia Olbach¡­¡± Without further notice, the soldier made a sudden gesture with his chin, and two other soldiers came forth. They each grabbed one of Leticia¡¯s arms and started dragging her out. ¡°Let go of me!¡± Leticia screamed and thrashed while she struggled. ¡°Why are you arresting me? How dare youy your hands on a nobledy such as myself!¡± ¡°You are under suspicion of murder¡±. Upon hearing this, Leticia remained silent for a while. Then, her lips started trembling. ¡°Murder charges?¡± ¡°We¡¯re talking about your father and Viscount Olbach¡¯s previous wife. Besides that, you have also attempted to murder the Queen¡±. Leticia was enraged. This is most definitely because of that bitch. She acted all calm and dainty, as though she didn¡¯t know anything, but deep inside she was plotting all this! ¡°With what evidence? You are arresting me without any evidence! Do you think Count Clovis will remain still while this happens? You! Why are you standing there like idiots, without doing anything? Go tell Count Clovis what¡¯s happening, now!¡± Hearing Leticia threateningly yelling at her maids, the soldier let out a small giggle. ¡°Did you say evidence? The person who¡¯s testified against you is Count Clovis himself. He¡¯s confessed all your crimes¡±. ¡°¡­what?¡± Confused and dumbstruck, Leticia fixed her gaze on the soldier who¡¯d just spoken. ¡°And that¡¯s not all. He has also confessed that you used somebody else¡¯s identity in order to steal into the Pce¡¯s hunting grounds. It will be hard to deny that, so just give it up already. Take her!¡± Leticia was dragged outside the mansion without any shoes on and pushed into a carriage that had been previously prepared for her. As soon as the door was closed behind her, Leticia heard the sound of a heavy lock being put in ce. She banged the door over and over, like she¡¯d gone mad, but the ck carriage used to transport criminals was sturdier that she¡¯d thought. When the carriage started moving, Leticia cuddled up inside the dark carriage with no windows. She thought of escape ns while biting her nails, but none seemed possible. This is unbelievable. Leticia let out a hollowugh. She¡¯d done so many things, gone through so much, just to reach her current position. She¡¯d earned the title of nobledy by bing Viscount Olbach¡¯s wife, and she was just about to get close to the King thanks to Count Clovis¡¯ help. Just a little more, and she could have had within her grasp the highest title in the kingdom. But, suddenly, it all crumbled down. Now, she was going to die like this. ¡°Open up! Open up the door!¡± Leticia started pulling on the door¡¯s handle. She would never forgive Count Clovis. She¡¯d been loyal to him for so long, so, how could he betray her like this? If she was going to die, she wanted to kill him too. She was not going to go down alone. When Leticia started screaming with an ever more desperate voice, the carriage suddenly came to a halt. Simultaneously, she heard the sound of metal shing, as well as the screams and sobs of other people. Leticia crawled to the corner of the carriage furthest from the door and shrank her body as much as she could while she shivered in fear. The sounds she could hear in that utter darkness increased the terror she felt. Perhaps Count Clovis had sent someone to dispose of her, since he didn¡¯t want his secrets revealed. At that moment came the metallic sound of the lock unlocking, and the door was opened. Leticia covered her head, fearing for her life. ¡°Lady Olbach¡±. The voice was strange, but eerily familiar. It was definitely the voice of the man she¡¯d bumped into the other day. Leticia lifter her face. Outside the carriage there were many corpses scattered around. In the midst of that darkness, a tall masculine figure extended his hand to her. ¡°If you want to live, follow me¡±. Chapter 194 The reason why Rihannan couldnt get pregnant before Chapter 194 ¨C The reason why Rihannan couldn¡¯t get pregnant before Trantor ¨C Yue ¡°You lost her?¡± Igor asked, his voice full of reproach. Basil lowered his head. ¡°My apologies, Your Majesty. They said she escaped while she was being transported¡±. ¡°Excuse me, Basil, but are you saying you allowed a woman surrounded by soldiers to escape?¡± Basil knew he¡¯d made a grave mistake. ¡°She didn¡¯t escape on her own. Someone was helping her¡±. Igor frowned. ¡°Someone sent by Count Clovis, or her current husband?¡± ¡°We aren¡¯t sure yet, Your Majesty. But both cases aren¡¯t possible. Those two are under heavy surveince, after all. Since they are being investigated, we¡¯ll apprehend them soon¡±. Igor rubbed his forehead and sighed miserably. His mind wandered to memories from his past, remembering every small detail. Who could have helped her escape? It didn¡¯t matter how much he squeezed his brain, he couldn¡¯t think of anyone in particr. ¡°No matter what, find her. We don¡¯t know what she¡¯s capable of doing¡±. Straightening his back, Basil dered ¡°Yes, sir! We¡¯ll make sure she is captured!¡± Once Basil left, Igor heavily dropped himself on his seat. He rubbed his face with both hands. His eyes were red, tired due to severeck of sleep. But, he didn¡¯t care. He would not be able to rest properly before making sure that that woman was captured and thrown in jail. That evil woman had ruined all he¡¯d been carefully working on, all his efforts. Back then, he had thought that he could live happily ever after with Rihannan, but Leticia coiled her tail around her like poison, taking down all he¡¯d worked so hard on. Back then¡­ ¡°Count Clovis and Count Alessin have been meeting up in secret, Your Majesty!¡± After sending off Rihannan to the vi, Igor spent his days neck-deep in his work. He kept a close eye on his mother and the problems she¡¯d caused in Chrichton while simultaneously putting all his efforts into suppressing her authority. At that time, Count Alessin was eerily calm. Before the Count had revealed his true colors, he had been treated as one of the King¡¯s closes aids. Now that he¡¯d been vanished alongside his daughter, Igor thought he¡¯de seeking revenge for his downfall. ¡°It seems like there¡¯s been some sort of dispute between them¡± said Basil. After reading Basil¡¯s reports on the matter, Igor realized the reason why Count Clovis had behaved so calmly for the past years. The past ten years, the Count had remained quiet like a mouse, hiding his ambition and greed for the throne in the shadows. He¡¯d nted a spy within the Pce who would regrly give him reports regarding the Royal Family. Count Clovis had been using this information to his advantage. As he investigated deeper and deeper into all issues regarding Count Clovis, he found out something terrible. All this time, ever since Rihannan first entered the Pce, Count Clovis had been poisoning the Queen¡¯s food with anti-conceptive pills. If she couldn¡¯t produce and heir, the Count and his bloodline would naturally inherit the throne. That had been his n all along. Once the Count had found out about the deteriorated rtionship between the King and the Queen, he¡¯d ordered his spies to cease putting pills into the Queen¡¯s food. He¡¯d thought there would be no way of them conceiving a child, given their ruined rtionship. Igor struck the wall and clenched his teeth. He felt the strong urge to strangle and murder Count Clovis. The King and Queen had been incapable of producing an heir. Everyone thought Rihannan was sterile and badmouthed her. Rumors within the Pce walls med her for her weak constitution. If Rihannan had not taken those anti conceptive pills, she would have born an heir long ago, and their rtionship would not have turned sour. Their rtionship was noticeably better ever since she¡¯d became pregnant with his child. When he heard news of Rihannan¡¯s pregnancy, Count Clovis¡¯ meticulous ns were thrown to the trash. He was at the edge of reason, so he approached Count Alessin. He wanted to take advantage of Count Alessin¡¯s hatred towards the King. The best Count Clovis could do was use Count Alessin and Leticia to put an end to the life within Rihannan¡¯s womb, while also plundering Count Alessin¡¯s vast fortune. That¡¯s why Igor made up his mind of using Leticia. Igor knew very well her vanity, her desires and her ambition for the throne. She feverishly wished for her sister¡¯s position. She wanted to be the Queen of Arundell. And she actually believed she had a chance to achieve that. Of course, she informed her father and Count Clovis about it. At that time, all that had happened around him could be used in Igor¡¯s favor. He sessfully hid the fact that it was her mother who¡¯d poisoned Chrichton¡¯s Royal Family, and pressured her with the letters she¡¯d exchanged with Chrichton¡¯s nobility, His ns wouldn¡¯t have worked had she not paid for sensitive information about Chrichton and masked the Royal Family¡¯s poisoning as an infectious disease. Igor threatened his mother. He told her he¡¯d publicly announce the terrible crimes she¡¯dmitted against Chrichton. She immediately quieted down. Many hands that had formerly supported her stopped doing so. She was being pushed to the edge till she finally gave up and decided to relent, rather than directly opposing her son. This sequent of events made him let down his guard. The years he¡¯d spent silently preparing his revenge dissipated. The obstacles he¡¯d once had had been surpassed. His conviction reached new heights. He thought everything would go as he¡¯d imagined. But he never thought that one small mistake would cost him everything. *** Leticia calmly looked at the man sitting in front of her with his legs crossed. This man had brought her to some unknown ce without revealing his identity, nor why he¡¯d brought her here, nor what he was nning on doing to her. He simply left her there, locked up inside some sort of cabin, without telling her their location. She could only see dense trees from her window, which didn¡¯t let through even a ray of sunlight. The cabin she slept in didn¡¯t have any electricity and was also quite damp. And just like that, days went by. Leticia caused a ruckus, screaming to the top of her lungs and demanding the presence of that man. But it was all useless. That man came and went as he pleased, always covered from head to toe with that ck robe. ¡°Who are you?¡± Leticia asked, cautiously. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you thank me first?¡± the man replied calmly. ¡°Why should I thank you?¡± ¡°If not for me, Viscountess, you¡¯d be spending your life in a cold, dark prison. Your mind would be under constant torture. You are guilty of murder, of killing your own biological father and the Lady you once served. You even conspired to kill the Queen of Arundell. It¡¯s highly likely that they¡¯d torture you. Death will note easily to you¡±. Leticia¡¯s jaw dropped. ¡°How did you kn-¡­?¡± ¡°The whole world is upside-down right now, Viscountess. You¡¯ve be a highly wanted criminal¡±. Chapter 195 Leticias crimes Chapter 195 ¨C Leticia¡¯s crimes Trantor ¨C Yue Leticia¡¯s beautiful face paled. She tightened her fist with all her strength. There was no way to deny that. She¡¯d even publicly threatened Count Clovis¡¯ wife¡­ she told her, if she didn¡¯t want to die a cruel death by poison, she¡¯d better keep her mouth shut. Before, she could say those words freely thanks to the Count. Count Clovis¡¯ deeply desired her body, and she took advantage of that. Leticia thought it was a fair trade. But one day, her world turned upside-down. She¡¯d be a wanted criminal. These news made her burst out in fury. ¡°Then, what should I do?¡± Leticia yelled with a hoarse voice. ¡°You mean I¡¯ve lived my life till now for nothing? That crawling on the floor as an illegitimate child didn¡¯t amount to anything? Even if I didn¡¯t wish for any of these? I¡­ I never asked for any of these!¡± Herbel and title of illegitimate daughter followed her everywhere since birth. Those echoes prated her ears since tender age, and continued to do so after she¡¯d learnt the humannguage. She wasn¡¯t the one to me for her birth¡¯s condition. Perhaps her father could have put an end to those rumors. Her father, noble by birth. He had wealth, power¡­ but he barely held onto the minimum pension he received from Rihannan. He never stood up for her. Things only got worse when he started trying his luck gambling, and his debts snowballed. ¡°I never wanted to kill my own father, my own blood. But if you¡¯d found out you were being sold as a ve to pay for his debts, you would have done something too, right? That¡¯s why I killed him! I never wanted to do it! I¡­¡± Her own blood, the father that had once promised her a new world, had threatened to sell his daughter into servitude and very. That was the only way he had left to pay off his growing debts. And when she found out about that, she realized she needed to put him aside in order to survive. She was all alone in this world. She quickly bought poison. Had she poisoned him over an extended period of time, the chances of someone finding out his real cause of death were high. She needed something potent, something that killed instantly. She found it a littleter. One day, her father came home drunk. In his drunkenness, she mixed the poison in his ss. Her father noticed his body was reacting strangely, but it was already toote. He tried calling for the servants, but Leticia hurried up and covered his face with a pillow till he breathed for thest time. He didn¡¯t breath anymore. Leticiaid him down in a nket covered with bloodstains. She opened a bottle of pills and put it beside him. After a job well done, she rubbed her hands and instructed the servants not to disturb him, since he was deep in sleep. Finally, the worst was over. And just as she¡¯d expected, when they found out about his death, his family members were ashamed of the fact that he¡¯dmitted suicide after umting massive debts due to gambling. They quickly covered up his cause of death. After her father¡¯s dead, she received one single pension, but debt collectors soon took everything away from her. On the other hand, her father¡¯s side of the family treated Leticia as though she were a leech. At that moment, a nobledy that was walking by took pity on her and offered her a position in her home. How about youe with me to my home and work as a maid? Since you are of half noble origin, I¡¯ll make sure you won¡¯t have to do any hardbor. It will be enough if you clean the office room. Leticia¡¯s happiness was short lived. A deep hatred towards this nobledy surged within her after hearing her words. This noble was behaving as though she was doing her some sort of huge favor. That was ridiculous. She would still work as a simple maid. Bitterness spread in her heart. She thought of throwing poison at her face. When the nobledy married again, this time to Viscount Olbach, Leticia realized her chance for revenge hade. A few charming smilester, the old foolish Viscount quickly fell in love with Leticia. His noble wife witnessed them reach climax together. Trembling with fury, he yelled at Leticia. I was generous to amoner like you and this is how you pay me! I let a snake into my house! The nobledy even wondered why her husband had cheated on her like that. She was old and ugly, so he was logically lusting after a younger face. Leticia gave him just that. The nobledy used up all the power she could muster to throw Leticia out of the house, but failed. Leticia killed her. She¡¯d killed her for insulting her. Maybe because she¡¯d done this before, this second crime came easier to her. ¡°I¡¯m sure this has all been nned by the Queen¡± Leticia said. All this time, she never faced any problems. Nobody ever dared threaten her, but it all got twisted after meeting the Queen. ¡°It¡¯s the royal family. Their footprints are everywhere¡± the man confirmed. ¡°Grand Chambein Basil got personally involved in this matter¡±. Enraged, Leticia clenched her teeth. Who put her in this mess? In this messy, problem-riddled life of hardships? That was her step-sister¡¯s mother. If that woman hadn¡¯t stolen her father¡¯s love, her parents would have lived happily ever after within a formal wedding ceremony. She wouldn¡¯t have been an illegitimate child. However, in spite of all that, her step-sister didn¡¯t feel an ounce of empathy for her nor the life she¡¯d been dealt with. She even went as far as revealing the sins Leticia hadmitted. ¡°Please, don¡¯t worry. I want to help you, Viscountess¡±. Hearing these surprising words, Leticia lifter her head. ¡°You¡¯ll help me?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll help you exact revenge on the Queen, Viscountess. Isn¡¯t that what you want?¡± ¡°And why would you do that? How would that benefit you? And, who are you?¡± The man remained silent for a while, just smiling to the red-haired beauty in front of him. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you consider your own situation before demanding to know my identity?¡± ¡°My situation?¡± Leticia scoffed. ¡°I¡¯m quite aware of it¡±. ¡°I¡¯m thinking of tossing you aside if you are of no use to me¡±. Leticia¡¯s lips parted slightly. The man continued speaking. ¡°If you are worried I¡¯ll have you killed, that will not be necessary. I don¡¯t like such barbaric methods. But if you do not want to get revenge, that¡¯s fine. I¡¯m thinking of setting you free. It will take less than a day for the soldiers to find you and throw you into a cold cell, anyways. They are wandering around this ce. You will not be able to escape, not without help¡±. Leticia understood the restless feeling she got when she first met this man. He hid a dark secret. Compared to her, this man was a snake with mortally venomous fangs. Hisment about tossing her aside if she refused to help weren¡¯t hollow threats. Besides, he¡¯d kept her alive all this time just to set his ns into motion. ¡°What do you want me to do?¡± The man shook his head. ¡°I rmend you make a decision. If you decide to get revenge on the Queen, we¡¯ll help you. We¡¯ll give you the chance to infiltrate the Pce and stick a knife into the Queen¡¯s heart. On the other hand, if you decide not to do that, you can simply leave this ce whenever you please¡±. ¡°Why are you making that suggestion?¡± ¡°The reason isn¡¯t important. I¡¯m just giving you options. It all depends on you, whether you are willing to carry out your vengeance or calmly rot in prison¡±. Leticia¡¯s red eyes violently shook. Reading her expression, then man said ¡°Ok. Now, I¡¯m asking you again, what are you going to do?¡± She was trapped in a dark alley with no exit. In order to live, to survive, she had to agree on his n. ¡°¡­do you have an appropriate n?¡± she asked through clenched teeth. The manughed, delighted. ¡°The Queen will soon hold a birthday banquet¡±. This reply had no rtion to her question. Leticia frown, but the man suddenly hit the table with his fist. ¡°Since you¡¯ve agreed on exacting vengeance, let us now begin our talks regarding the n¡±. Chapter 196 A name for the baby in her womb Chapter 196 ¨C A name for the baby in her womb Trantor ¨C Yue As time passed by, Rihannan¡¯s body began to change little by little. When she looked at the baby growing in her belly, Rihannan felt happiness and sadness at the same time. Would she really be capable of leaving this baby here and parting for Chrichton on her own? She became sad whenever she thought of this. But she also felt happy whenever she thought of the fact that she was carrying a baby once again, considering she¡¯d previously believed she¡¯d never be able to conceive again. She knew that, even if she wasn¡¯t by this baby¡¯s side, Igor, Mrs. Cessly and Basil would be there, giving him all the love in the world. On the other hand, Mrs. Cessly was looking at Rihannan¡¯s belly growing by the day, getting increasingly nervous. Rihannan had yet to officially announce her pregnancy, which was why the public wasn¡¯t aware of this fact. Mrs. Cessly was worried that, at some point, strange rumors would start circting about the Queen¡¯s body. Nheless, neither the King nor Queen were willing to publicly announce this piece of information. Therefore, there was nothing Mrs. Cessly could do to prevent this rumors from spreading. She could only wish for their rtionship to get better as quickly as possible, so they could find happiness with their baby. ¡°What are you doing? Is that the same thing you were doingst time?¡± Mrs. Cessly spoke as Rihannan was knitting. After getting pregnant, Rihannan distanced herself a little from her duties as Queen. Now, she usually used up her free time for knitting. ¡°I didn¡¯t particrly want to knit that again. I want to try something new this time¡±. After knitting something for the Queen Mother, she¡¯d started knitting what was definitely men¡¯s clothes, but she put that aside and started working on a new project. Before, Mrs. Cessly would have softly suggested her to continue working on the item for the King, but she couldn¡¯t do that anymore. Mrs. Cessly pretended not to notice what Rihannan was up to a while ago, and quickly changed the topic. ¡°Have you thought of the name for your baby?¡± Rihannan said no with her head. ¡°It¡¯s alright, the father will give the baby a name. I don¡¯t care which name¡±. Hearing this sudden answer, Mrs. Cessly quickly sobered up. ¡°But, my Queen, they say the name of a person determines their destiny. If you take your time to look for an appropriate name for the baby, then I¡¯m sure that will be best for him¡±. Rihannan bit her lips to hide the sudden storm of emotions that erupted in her mind. If the name of a person determined their destiny, then Rihannan should be experimenting a life being loved more than anyone else, since her own name meant ¡°my love¡±. ¡°¡­I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll find and appropriate name¡±. Then, Rihannan kept knitting without uttering a single word. Seeing her reaction, Mrs. Cessly realized her predictions could have been wrong. She thought if Rihannan started showing love and affection for her baby, then surely she¡¯d bear the same feelings for the baby¡¯s father as well. But in reality, the Queen behaved coldly, not just with the King, but with the Queen Mother as well. Since it¡¯s been a long time since the Queenst replied to the Queen Mother¡¯s letters, the Queen Mother kept insistently sending letters in a clear sign of anger. However, Rihannan didn¡¯t even bother reading her letters anymore. When Mrs. Cessly couldn¡¯t take it anymore and told Rihannan to have a look, the Queen calmly said she¡¯d take care of it herself, so Mrs. Cessly shouldn¡¯t bother her about it. Fearing that the Queen might kick her out if she overstepped her boundaries, Mrs. Cessly didn¡¯t say anything else. ¡°Soon it will be your birthday, my Queen¡±. Mrs. Cessly spoke, trying to change the topic. Rihannan fixed her gaze on her before blushing, ashamed. ¡°So, you¡¯ve remembered?¡± ¡°Of course. It¡¯s the first time we are celebrating your birthday since you¡¯ve be Queen¡±. Mrs. Cessly smiled warmly. ¡°There¡¯s still a month left till that day. How about we start diligently preparing for it now? Do you want any theme in particr?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care, whatever is fine¡±. ¡°Hmmph. I knew you¡¯d said something like that, My Queen. But I¡¯m nning on holding a big party. After all, we cannot allow the Queen¡¯s birthday party to fall short of Countess Saphia¡¯s, so you can¡¯t stop me¡±. Mrs. Cessly put on such a fiercely determined look, as though she¡¯d never give up, that it made Rihannanugh. ¡°Alright¡±. ¡°We need to buy some articles for the banquet. How about we ask the merchants to bring in various samples? That way you can choose whatever you like, my Queen. Just likest time¡±. ¡°That sounds good. Also, I¡¯ll need some things to prepare for winter¡±. Rihannan had previously summoned merchants into the Pce many times during her wedding ceremony preparations. That was the most effective method, so she wouldn¡¯t have to get out of the Pce and visit every store herself. ¡°Then I¡¯ll make sure it¡¯s done¡±. ¡°Thank you¡±. Mrs. Cessly left the Queen¡¯s Pce to carry out her job. She then bumped into Basil, who was spying nearby. ¡°Grand Chambein, what are you doing¡­?¡± ¡°Oh, you¡¯ve scared me!¡± Looking quite surprised, Basil held onto his chest and exhaled a deep relieved sigh. ¡°Actually¡­ we are looking for the Queen¡¯s step-sister¡±. Basil told Mrs. Cessly the recent events that had happened till now. He told her it was her who tried killing the Queen in the hunting grounds, and that she¡¯d already murdered two people in the past. After hearing Count Clovis¡¯ testimony, they tried capturing her, but she managed to escape. Hearing that she was on the loose, Mrs. Cessly was left speechless. ¡°Oh, my god¡­ why haven¡¯t you said anything till now?¡± ¡°Our Queen has plenty on her mind right now, I didn¡¯t want to worry her because of this as well. She¡¯s been depressed enough these days, has she not?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right¡­¡± Now that there were plenty of happy reasons to be merry, the Queen¡¯s mood was extremely gloomy. The court¡¯s doctor even said that if her mood remained as it was, there was a change that that might negatively affect the baby, which made everyone worry. Her mood finally improved when she started focusing on her knitting. ¡°So please, don¡¯t say any of this to the Queen. I¡¯m sure once that woman is captured, the King himself will tell her¡±. ¡°Alright, then. I promise I won¡¯t say anything, so don¡¯t worry¡±. Basil scratched his head while he spoke. ¡°I¡¯m actually beginning to think that it would be better for the Queen to remain in the Queen Mother¡¯s Pce till all this mess is sorted out, rather than staying in the vi. Maybe I¡¯ve made an unnecessary mistake back then¡­¡± Even if they all kept their mouths shut, it would be difficult to stop rumors from circting within the Queen Mother¡¯s Pce. Therefore, if the Queen Mother were to find out that the Queen was pregnant, she would definitely pour all her love and care on Rihannan, without a doubt. ¡°Actually, I¡¯ve also been feeling a bit worried because the Queen¡¯s mood has been very downtely. Just as you said, Grand Chambein, perhaps a new scenery would be good for her. How about you suggest this to His Majesty?¡±. Basil turned pale. He seemed as though he was deeply surprised and scared by her words. ¡°What are you saying?! If I do that, His Majesty¡¯s fury will fall on my head. I don¡¯t want to die yet, I still have a young daughter!¡± Mrs. Cesslyughed. ¡°Speaking of that, I¡¯m sure your second youngest daughter has grown a lot. You said she was a child, right?¡± Basil¡¯s eyes twinkled like stars. ¡°Yes, they are truly wonderful and cute. Completely different to boys. That¡¯s why I believe His Majesty also wants a daughter¡­¡± ¡°His Majesty wants a princess¡­ not a prince?¡± ¡°Well, he didn¡¯t exactly say that. He said he didn¡¯t care if the baby was a boy or girl, but I have the impression he prefers a daughter. Considering he¡¯s already chosen a name for the baby¡±. ¡°What? He¡¯s already chosen a name for the child? Then¡­ why didn¡¯t he say anything?¡± ¡°He can¡¯t say anything because he is worried about the Queen. But the name is quite unusual, to tell you the truth¡±. ¡°What¡¯s the n-¡­?¡± Basil whispered the name into Mrs. Cessly¡¯s ears so nobody else could hear it. After hearing that name, Mrs. Cessly showed a very perplexed expression. *** Many merchants were lining up in front of the gates of the Queen¡¯s Pce. This was the first time the Queen had summoned them into the Pce after her wedding ceremony. Everyone was waiting patiently with the hopes of selling their craft and gaining some recognition. For that to happen, they would be personally received by the Queen¡¯s perceptive blue eyes. Chapter 197 Leticias plan into action Chapter 197 ¨C Leticia¡¯s n into action Trantor ¨C Yue To get ready for the Queen, everyone had prepared numerous expensive items. There were many carriages filled with the highest quality silks that could change color depending on the light. Moreover, there were also plenty of thread and leather especially designed for the Queen. However, before heading to the Queen¡¯s Pce, they had to go through a strict control procedure. ¡°I¡¯m Chris, from Orban Merchants¡±. After all merchants stated their names andpany names, they were all subject toplete body scans. Their items would also be thoroughly searched. Everyone seemed pissed at the fact that entering the Queen¡¯s Pce would be quite the ordeal, as it looked as though pce security was willing to scrutinize even the tiniest ant that passed through with their merchandise. ¡°Please,e on in¡±. After being inspected, they were granted permission into the Queen¡¯s Pce. Once there, a maid would give them instructions to head into the reception room, where they¡¯d meet directly with the Queen herself. Leticia was mixed among them. She had dyed her hair ck and changed her skin tone with makeup, besides also modifying some of her facial features. After putting on a merchant¡¯s clothes, she looked quite good. At the beginning, she doubted ¡°that man¡¯s¡± words, but they¡¯d turned out to be true. They¡¯d informed her nobody would suspect a criminal of infiltrating the Queen¡¯s Pce, of all ces (T/N: cuz nobody¡¯s that stupid besides you, sweetie). Besides, the guards were more focused on whether anyone carried weapons, dangerous artifacts or anything strange among their items, so nobody looked much at her appearance. Leticia was extremely nervous as she entered the Pce grounds, but once she reached the Queen¡¯s domains, she felt more rxed. ¡°All of you, wait here¡±. The representative merchants entered the reception room. Lower ss workers like Leticia were ordered to stay put in their designated areas and look after the merchandise. While she was heading there, Leticia quickly hid from the servants¡¯ gaze and escaped. Then, she searched for a ce she¡¯d previously studied in a map and hid herself, awaiting. While she waited, she took out the small knife she¡¯d hidden inside a yarn ball. Now, all she had to do was wait for the Queen to pass by and stab her with this knife. The ce Leticia was hiding in was next to a hall corridor, which had a small round sunken part in which one could hide. Covered by a curtain, Leticia waited for the Queen. Not long after, she heard approaching footsteps. She saw the Queen and some maids leisurely walking by,ughing softly. Seeing the Queen, Leticia felt enraged once more. Rihannan wasn¡¯t wearing thetest trend. She had boring, in clothes that looked as clothes for daily use. Her hair was tangled up, without any essory. However, she stood out among the many maids that surrounded her. You could easily tell at first nce who was the Queen among that group of women. She exuded this elegant aura around her, as though she¡¯d been born and raised in the Royal Family. That made Leticia¡¯s anger grow madly. In spite of her current attire, that woman was still noble and beautiful. Leticia tightly held the knife she had in her hand. In any case, all was going well ording to the n. She¡¯d infiltrated the Pce, and just as she¡¯d been previously told, the Queen was indeed heading to the reception room walking down this hall. Leticia waited in her small hole inside the wall, and once they¡¯d walked past her, she opened the curtain. Just when she was about to jump on the Queen, someone approached her from behind and held her. ¡°¡­!¡± A big hand covered her mouth. Even though her arm was twisted in a painful angle behind her, she couldn¡¯t let out a single moan of pain. After getting a hold of Leticia¡¯s body, the man waited for the Queen and her maids to walk by. Once they¡¯d disappeared from the hall, the man spoke as though he couldn¡¯t believe it. ¡°I suspected it was you when I heard someone with a simr appearance had entered this ce. But to think that you¡¯de here yourself! That¡¯s unbelievable. I¡¯m not sure if you are brave or stupid¡±. (T/N: See? I told you nobody was THAT stupid.) The man clicked his tongue and lowered the hand that has sping Leticia¡¯s mouth. She turned around and red fiercely at him. ¡°Let me go!¡± ¡°You think I¡¯ll let you go because you asked? Please, think before speaking, Mrs. Viscountess Leticia Olbach¡±. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Shhhh. Please, shut it. Our Queen is feeling very happy today, and it¡¯s been too long since that¡¯s happened. I do not want to ruin her mood¡±. Basil looked at Leticia¡¯s face. Her face had certainly changed a little, but it was still the same face as the one portrayed on the ¡°wanted¡± posters. (T/N: Lastment, but *facepalm* this woman tried infiltrating the Pce with just foundation on). Basil frowned. ¡°Why do people say you are the most astounding beauty that¡¯s ever existed? From my perspective, you are not¡±. Leticia couldn¡¯t think of any word to say at that moment. While studying her astonished expression, Basil yelled to the soldiers nearby. ¡°Take this woman! This is the criminal that tried to kill the Queen!¡± Leticia tried to scream and struggle once more, but she couldn¡¯t do so for long. Her lips were sealed with a cloth, and her eyes covered with a ck blindfold. She was escorted by the guards and forced to walk beside them. After reaching a certain building, she went down some stairs. She started feeling dampness, like some sort of unpleasant smell. Since she couldn¡¯t say anything, her fear grew. After being forced into a room, they made her kneel on the ground. She spent a lot of time in this position, with her breaths heavily echoing throughout the room. After a long time had passed, just when Leticia thought she couldn¡¯t take it anymore, she heard a heavy metal door opening up. The sound of footsteps told her someone had approached her. Then, she heard someone sitting in a chair right in front of her. Leticia wished for someone to take off the blindfold that was covering her eyes, but there was no reply. Just when her patience was running thin, she heard a man¡¯s voice. ¡°Take it off¡±. Immediately, the dark blindfold was off her eyes. The torches that were illuminating the room momentarily blinded her, but she soon saw the figure of a man sitting in a chair in front of her. When her sight finally went back to normal, the man spoke. ¡°The ropes around her hands, too¡±. ¡°Your Majesty, that¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°Do what I¡¯ve said. And everyone, get out of this room, now¡±. Hearing those wordsing out of the man¡¯s mouth, Leticia swallowed hard. She finally realized the identity of the man sitting in front of her, who she couldn¡¯t see quite well due to the torches¡¯ intense luminosity. Igor Cheska. This nation¡¯s King, and that woman¡¯s husband. Chapter 198 The truth behind the affair Chapter 198 ¨C The truth behind the affair Trantor ¨C Yue Leticia¡¯s hands were freed thanks to the King¡¯s orders and the guards left the room. Leticia growled while she rubbed her pained wrists. When her eyes finally grew ustomed to the light in the room, she could properly see the man sitting in front of her. He was handsome, like a pleasant view for her eyes or a delicious majestic-tasting candy. His ck hair was shining, moving like ss des in a meadow by the wind. His beautiful purple eyes shone as though a jeweler had carved the most precious stones and put them inside his eyes. But more than anything else, he had an elegant aura that exuded around him. She had desired this man from the first moment she¡¯d seen him, and wanted his gaze exclusively on her, not that silver-haired woman. She liked his smile, which should only belong to her. Leticia had lots of ambition, but she¡¯d never wanted somebody as much as him in all her life. Perhaps this was also part of destiny. If not, then, why did she so desperately want this man, a man she¡¯d never even spoken to before? ¡°¡­I¡¯ve wanted to meet you for a long time, Your Majesty¡±. She said timidly. There was a slight tremble in her voice. The king¡¯s lips curved up, slowly. Leticia gathered her courage and approached Igor, carefully cing her hand on his knee. She looked at him with an innocent expression and the most captivating gaze she could put on. Every time she did this, men around her would bow down to her. Be it either lust or human interest, it never failed her. This man would also fall for her. Besides, his rtionship with her step-sister, the Queen, was ruined. She was sure Igor wanted the pleasure she could give him. This would be her chance to steal his heart. ¡°Am I not more beautiful than my sister?¡± The Rihannan she knew was an egocentric woman. She knew many women like her, who cared only about themselves and didn¡¯t mind letting the others unsatisfied. Women like them could never console a man. Their presence wore down anyone around them, which made their partners seek pleasure elsewhere. ¡°I can console your heart, Your Majesty¡±. Leticia slowly rubbed his thigh, lovingly. A few momentster, Igor reacted, making Leticia smile. Igor¡¯s big hand moved and reached for the top of Leticia¡¯s head. However, Leticia¡¯s expectations soon died down. ¡°Ahhh!!¡± It was painful. She felt so much pain in her scalp. Death was calling to her. Igor didn¡¯t caress her head, like she thought he would, but violently yanked her hair out. ¡°It seems like you haven¡¯t changed at all¡± Igor¡¯s icy voice resounded. Leticia frowned with pain and looked at Igor with tears falling down the corner of her eyes. She was confused, but when their eyes met, she was frozen. She could feel a bloodthirsty beast¡¯s gaze seeking to appease his hunger with her blood. She felt hatred and fury in his purple eyes. Leticia shivered, scared. ¡°What do you mean¡­¡± Igor looked at her with eyes filled with contempt. The tragic events from his past life popped in his mind, filling his heart with shadows. That red-haired woman had opened his office¡¯s door and sprang towards him enthusiastically. She was willing to do anything to tempt her step-sister¡¯s husband, Igor. ¡°Your Majesty, you don¡¯t know how happy I am that you¡¯ve summoned me of all people!¡± She run to his arms, her eyes red and wet due to her tears. After hearing that her father and Count Clovis were secretly meeting up, Igor summoned Leticia. She was very happy, and Igor smiled. ¡°You must have felt lonely all this time, Leticia¡±. He said, caressing her hair as though she was a puppy. Whenever he saw her, this was all the psychical contact he was willing to have with her. However, rumors of his affair with her spread, nheless. Igor rapidly realized that Leticia was tricking everyone with her innocent lies. If he¡¯d said he¡¯d never spent a single night with her, Leticia¡¯s status in court would plummet and she¡¯d be vanished from society. ¡°There¡¯s a rumor Count Alessin is having strange thoughts these days. Do you know anything about that, Leticia?¡± Igor gently asked her while her red eyes kept gazing at him. Her lips curved. ¡°My father and I think differently. I only have eyes for you, Your Majesty¡±. Leticia wrapped her arms around his neck and ced her lips near his ear, whispering ¡°for you, Your Majesty, I¡¯m willing to renounce my father. If there¡¯s anything you need to know, I¡¯ll tell you¡±. Igor smiled. That was the answer he was hoping for. ¡°But before that, please embrace me¡±. Leticia¡¯s desperate imploring eyes were burning fiercely. ¡°If you embrace me¡­ here and now¡­ I¡¯ll tell you everything my father and Count Clovis are nning¡±. Leticia was in love with him and desperately yearned for his touch. Igor always smiled at her, but had neverid hands on her. Leticia actually thought that Rihannan was the one holding Igor back. She was certain Igor wanted her too, but since the Queen kept him in check, he didn¡¯t make any move. Therefore, Leticia made the decision of taking the initiative with him first. She retreated a few steps back and untied her dress. Her clothes slid down her body softly, leaving her breasts exposed. The curves of her waist shook as she raised her hand to her hair, taking off all hair essories. Her beautiful red hair fell like a waterfall down her back. She was charming, blindingly beautiful. Beautiful enough to attract anyone¡¯s attention, just like she did during her debut into society at the banquet ball. Igor¡¯s thoughts were elsewhere, though. He didn¡¯t feel an ounce of lust upon seeing her naked form. It seemed that his heart preferred cuddling up in a corner, hiding itself to avoid being seduced by this red-haired beauty. He wanted another woman. He could imagine it. Always. He yearned to see Rihannan trembling and curling up, to hear her moans while calling his name in a fit of pleasure, their hot bodies tangled up together as one in a night of passion. But reality was different from his fantasies. His wife usually turned her back to him after he¡¯d finally emptied his white fluids inside her. What¡¯s more, thest time they¡¯d spent the night together was because he¡¯d felt jealousy and anger of her cousin. Igor took her body many times that night, butter felt repulsed by his own actions. His mind was filled with thoughts of his wife instead of this naked red-haired woman. While he was lost in thought, he didn¡¯t notice Leticia undressing him. If this was what she¡¯d wanted, he could follow her lead up to some point. Igor grabbed Leticia and pushed her to the desk, positioning himself between her legs. Leticia sighed heavily, rubbing her sex against him. ¡°I¡¯ve always known¡­ from the start, I¡¯ve always known Your Majesty wanted me, not Rihannan. There¡¯s no way you¡¯ll ever feel satisfied with her after tasting me¡±. Leticia wrapped her arms around his neck like a snake and pressed her red lips to the base of his throat. ¡°So, Your Majesty, stop thinking of Rihannan and embrace me¡±. Igor looked at her with his cold purple eyes that showed no sign of lust. He was ying with her. He slowly caressed her leg, just enough to make her want him more. Leticia moaned. Igor inclined his face just enough for his lips to be close to her ear and softly asked ¡°what are your father and Count Clovis up to?¡± Leticia moaned and caressed his chest with her hand. She further pressed her wetness against him. ¡°They¡­ they are nning to make the Queen miscarriage¡­¡± ¡°How?¡± Leticia¡¯s lips were on the base of his throat. Igor wanted to strangle her and barely contained his desire to push this woman to the floor. ¡°They¡¯d lure Rihannan outside the Pce and make it look like an ident¡­¡± Creak¡­ Just then, he heard the door opening up and saw Rihannan standing there, frozen, her hand still on the door¡¯s handle. Igor was astonished. He couldn¡¯t utter a single word. Rihannan couldn¡¯t believe her eyes. She was hurt. Her eyes welled up, tears running down her cheeks. She bit her lips, but couldn¡¯t feel any pain. She quickly turned around and started running away. Igor pushed Leticia to a side and hastily went after her. This had all been a mistake¡­ Chapter 199 Who helped you? Chapter 199 ¨C Who helped you? Trantor ¨C Yue Igor snapped back to the present and clenched his teeth. He didn¡¯t want to remember what had happenedter. Just thinking of that made his heart hurt. ¡°You¡¯ve always been nasty and dishonest. You¡¯ve had a different life this time, but I¡¯m astonished you¡¯ve still changed so little. Had I known you¡¯ve have done something like this, I¡¯d have killed you when I had the chance six years ago.¡± ¡°Your Majesty, what¡­?¡± Igor freed himself from her grip, making Leticia fall to the ground. He raised from his seat and approached her. She was shivering from fear on the ground, and Igor simply kept looking at her like a pathetic insect. Only then did she realize he¡¯d had no interest in her all along. No, worse than that. He loathed her. This was their first meeting, she was sure of that. Then, how could he feel such deep hatred against her? Igor ducked in front of her. That simple movement froze her to her bones. ¡°Who saved your life? Who helped you into the pce?¡± he asked, whispering. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t want to talk, I don¡¯t mind cutting off your fingers one by one.¡± Igor looked at Leticia¡¯s body up and down, slowly. That gesture made Leticia realize the hidden real nature of this man. Was he that cruel to Rihannan in private, as well? His face, which gave off a gentle, kind impression, was nothing but a fa?ade. What hid behind that mask was nothing more than a cruel beast lurking in the shadows. His cold purple eyes filled with ill-will bore into hers. How could she not see this before? His face seemed ready to jump on her with sharp fangs and ws, wishing to tear her apart. Leticia was frozen, unable to say anything. Her lips were trembling. Igor grabbed the knife he had hanging on his hip and fixed his gaze on her. ¡°If you don¡¯t want to talk after I¡¯ve cut off your fingers, I¡¯ll rip your eyes out and pull off your limps, one by one. That useless tongue of yours will be thest to go.¡± With a quick movement, he took hold of Leticia¡¯s hand and pinned her to the ground. Before he could stab her finger with his knife, Leticia yelled, horrified. ¡°Someone working with Count Clovis helped me.¡± ¡°Count Clovis?¡± Leticia hurriedly nodded her head. ¡°After saving me from the carriage, he took me elsewhere¡± ¡°Where?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. Somecepletely surrounded with huge trees¡­¡± Holding back her sobs, Leticia kept talking. ¡°He took me there, and then he told me he¡¯d help me get revenge on the Queen. He¡¯d already had everything prepared for me to stalk into the Pce. So, please, don¡¯t do this to me and go talk with Count Clovis instead. I¡¯m sure he knows everything.¡± In truth, Leticia didn¡¯t know anything about that man. Not his name, not even his face. ¡°I honestly don¡¯t know anything else. I¡¯m saying the truth¡­¡± Leticia sobbed and cried. She was trembling in fear thinking her answer wouldn¡¯t be considered enough and therefore he¡¯d actually cut off her finger this time. Fortunately for her, once Igor let go of her hand, she immediately got away from him by sprinting to the corner of her cell and curling up into a ball. ¡°¡­you¡¯d better be telling the truth. If we find out you are lying, I¡¯ll make you experiment exactly what I¡¯ve just said.¡± Leticia nodded pitifully with her head. After Igor left her prison, she crumbled to the ground. She realized only then that she¡¯d had been containing her breath all this time. She realized toote that she should have neverid her hands on him. *** When Igor left prison, Basil hurried to his side. ¡°You Majesty, how was your tal-¡­¡± When Basil saw Igor¡¯s expression, his mouth froze. Igor had a visage he¡¯d never seen before in his life. A face void of emotions, with eyes so shadowed they were almostpletely dark. Basil felt as though he was seeing someone else¡¯s face. Basil suddenly realized he had actually seen the same expression in someone else¡¯s face in the past; specifically speaking, the people who¡¯de back alive from horrible warzones. People who had to cut down others till they didn¡¯t think of them as human beings anymore, but simple pieces of meat, finally losing all vestige of their humanity. Igor had that expression on his face now. He felt a cold shiver running down his spine. ¡°Your Majesty?¡± Hearing Basil¡¯s voice, Igor blinked very slowly. Little by little, light came back to his eyes. ¡°Your Majesty¡­ did something happen in there¡­?¡± ¡°No. There¡¯s no need to worry¡± His face went back to his old self, so Basil sighed, relieved. ¡°She said someone working with Count Clovis helped her.¡± ¡°Someone working for Count Clovis? So she¡¯s trying to say Count Clovis requested that? But Leticia¡¯s order of arrest was given when the Count was in prison, he didn¡¯t have time to do anything.¡± ¡°We have to find that out from now on.¡± ¡°Actually, I¡¯d gathered all of Count Clovis¡¯ servants and inquired about the past. They said someone who looked like a mercenary recently visited Count Clovis¡¯ mansion, so maybe it was him who helped Leticia.¡± ¡°A mercenary, uh¡­¡± ¡°If he¡¯s really a mercenary, then he¡¯d have already left long ago. That¡¯s how they would usually operate. We¡¯ll continue investigating, but there won¡¯t be any more immediate threats to the Queen, so you don¡¯t have to worry.¡± People only hire mercenaries for two reasons. Either as bodyguards, to protect someone¡¯s life, or to hurt someone else. As soon as they finished their part of the agreement, mercenaries would hide while avoiding being linked to the incident. People who worked only for money would usually behave that way. ¡°Actually, there¡¯s one more thing I should tell you.¡± Basil took something out of his pocket and showed it to Igor. In the palm of his hand, there was a small stone that shone with a white light. ¡°¡­this is an Arc Stone¡± ¡°This stone was hidden in the wall cracks around the Queen¡¯s quarters.¡± Igor¡¯s expression turned stone cold. He knew many things about Arc Stones, so he understood what would happen if they were nted in such ces. ¡°They wanted to nt explosives in the Queen¡¯s Pce? They were aiming at Rihannan?¡± Chapter 200 Déjà Vu Chapter 200 ¨C D¨¦j¨¤ Vu Trantor ¨C Yue T/N: Long chapter today ? I need a break Arc Stones were very valuable and extremely difficult to preserve. If left exposed to too much sunlight, they¡¯d explode, destroying anything in its surroundings. Therefore, once mined, people always made sure of storing them somece dark, with no chance of sun exposure. ¡°It seems like it. While I was busy with Ms. Viscount Olbach, I¡­¡± Basil¡¯s voice was charged with guilt. Once he heard they¡¯d notice a suspicious woman, Basil immediately went after her. Once he¡¯d captured her trying to assassinate the Queen, he tried going after the men who¡¯de with her, but they¡¯d already escaped. A whileter, they realized things weren¡¯t over yet. Infiltrating Arc Stones into the Pce domains wasn¡¯t that difficult, since Arc Stones had many usages. ¡°How many more stones are left in the Queen Pce?¡± ¡°We are still searching, but if we carry out a big-scale hunt, the Queen will surely notice what¡¯s happening.¡± Igor discreetly bit his tongue. He didn¡¯t want her to worry too much since she was pregnant. Basil spoke again, cautiously. ¡°So, I¡¯ve been thinking¡­ how about we send the Queen to the Vi for a while, Your Majesty?¡± ¡°¡­the Vi?¡± ¡°Yes. I think it would be best to send her to the Vi for a short time while we finish our search and make sure everything is safe. After all, it will be difficult to hide the fact that we are looking for Arc Stones inside the Pce. I also heard Mrs. Cessly say that the Queen might benefit from a change of scenery.¡± Igor frowned. If possible, he wanted the Queen to stay inside the Queen¡¯s Pce. How could he send her where the Queen Mother was when she now knew what she¡¯d done? However, Igor didn¡¯t have a choice. Maybe Rihannan didn¡¯t love the Queen Mother like before, knowing full well of her crimes, but there was no other safer ce. And maybe, once the Queen Mother knew that Rihannan was pregnant, she¡¯d be happy and care for her with kindness. Igor let out a long sigh. ¡°All right. Send a message to the Queen Mother. Tell her Rihannan is with child and wishes to rest in the Vi for a while.¡± *** Even Rihannan knew something strange was happening within the Pce. Yesterday, when she was choosing some articles to buy from the merchants, Mrs. Cessly received a message from one of the maids which made her frown, surprised. When Rihannan asked about it, Mrs. Cessly vaguely avoided her, saying it was nothing important. Later on, the maids would avoid Rihannan¡¯s gaze whenever she passed them by. They looked as though they¡¯d faint if Rihannan were to ask them what was happening, so she didn¡¯t dare say anything. And thus, Rihannan intuitively knew the people working in her Pce were hiding something from her. Of course, Mrs. Cessly included. However, Rihannan didn¡¯t press Mrs. Cessly for answers, likest time. She thought perhaps Mrs. Cessly herself didn¡¯t grasp the whole situation, and also, maybe she was doing things in such way to avoid worrying her. Thinking how things had changed so much since the beginning, Rihannan let out a bitter smile. Back then she was angry that she¡¯d hidden information about Princess Rissel, but know Rihannan fully trusted Mrs. Cessly. As Rihannan stared at autumn¡¯s falling leaves from her window, she felt time had indeed passed by. This deste scenery reminded her of Chrichton¡­ It should be snowing right now¡­ Rihannan¡¯s eyes were filled with longing. During this time, whenever she woke up in Chrichton, the windows would bepletely covered in snow. After pushing the frozen window frames open, her eyes would meet a vast snowy scenery, which she deeply longed for. While thinking of her desire to go back to Chrichton as soon as possible, a surprising thought suddenly crossed her mind. If she were to go back to Chrichton, would she long for Arundell as well? Longing for this kingdom, with the people she¡¯d leave behind. ¡°My Queen, His Majesty is here.¡± Rihannan was surprised of hearing he¡¯de without prior notice. ¡°Why so suddenly?¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± Mrs. Cessly had still struggling to exin what was happening when Igor suddenly opened the door and entered. Mrs. Cessly made a gesture with her eyes, making all maids leave the room. ¡°I hope you have a nice talk. We¡¯ll bring some tea soon.¡± After saying that, Mrs. Cessly left the room, leaving the two of them alone. Then, a horrible silence ensued. With their mouths shut, they avoided looking at each other. Finally, Rihannan opened her mouth first. ¡°Please, have a sit.¡± Even after sitting face to face, no more words were exchanged. When the servants came in with tea, only the sound of teacups being ced on the table was heard in that dreadful silence. Rihannan had to open her mouth once again. ¡°Can I ask the reason of your visit?¡± ¡°How about you stay in the Vi for a while?¡± It was a very sudden question, just like his surprise visit. Rihannan was left speechless for a while. She didn¡¯t expect Igor to say that, especially after what had happened in their past life. ¡°Are you telling me to leave this ce and go with the Queen Mother?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, but¡­¡± Rihannan remembered the crimes the Queen Mother hadmitted in her past life. She couldn¡¯t understand why Igor was asking her to move in with her now that she knew what she¡¯d done. ¡°Even if this suggestion of mine is quite sudden for you, I wish for you to carry it out.¡± The question what¡¯s wrong? reached the tip of Rihannan¡¯s tongue, but she contained herself. She had wreak havoc not long ago saying she¡¯d move in with the Queen Mother, so she would only make a fool of herself now if she said she didn¡¯t want to go anymore. ¡°¡­alright. I will.¡± When Rihannan answered obediently, Igor looked deeply relieved for a moment. ¡°I understand your feelings towards my mother are not as good after what I¡¯ve told you, but she really does care for you.¡± ¡°Of course, I won¡¯t show my opinion of her had changed. You don¡¯t have to worry about that.¡± Even though Rihannan was shocked by the crimesmitted by the Queen Mother, those incidents didn¡¯t actually happen in this life. It had been a while since she¡¯d learned the truth, and she was quite d that the current Queen Mother had no power to carry out those horrible acts now. ¡°When should I head to the Queen Mother¡¯s vi?¡± ¡°You should leave tomorrow, immediately. I¡¯ve already informed my mother of your pregnancy, so everything you need should have already been prepared.¡± ¡°¡­I see.¡± Rihannan had previously tried moving into the Queen Mother¡¯s Pce but Basil had hold her back, so she should be happy now that she could go where she wanted without any issues. But she wasn¡¯t. Listening to Igor saying that she had to leave tomorrow, immediately, made her feel as though she was being kicked out. She remembered her past life. The whole Pce was filled with rumors. Whenever she asked the maids what was happening, they¡¯d always tell her that nothing was wrong. Igor also avoided talking to her by saying that she should only worry about the baby. And, just like now, he suggested she stay over at the vi. She felt a sense of d¨¦j¨¤ vu. She felt as though she¡¯d experienced this before. Even when there were clear differences between this life and the past, Rihannan couldn¡¯t shake off this feeling. In their past life, Igor had also managed to strip the Queen Mother of her powers over the nation, albeit a bitter. Another thing inmon was the fact that Leticia wanted him, and that now she was being send off to the Vi, as if she was being kicked out¡­ ¡°I just have one question.¡± Igor blinked many times. It looked as if he never expected her to ask any questions. In fact, he looked quite sour about it. ¡°Go ahead. I¡¯ll answer anything.¡± ¡°Before, you said you found the feather three years after my death. My father¡­ was he still alive at that moment?¡± Rihannan thought that if something had changed between her past and current life, it was her father¡¯s death. In her past life, her father was quite alive and healthy, but he¡¯d died on this life. She thought that his death had happened because of her changing the future. But¡­ what if he¡¯d also died in her past? ¡°¡­No.¡± He lowered his gaze, avoiding her eyes. ¡°Not long after you¡¯d died, your father died as well.¡± ¡°Why¡­¡± Rihannan was about to ask why and how he¡¯d died, but stopped. For some strange reason, she had a bad premonition. She felt that after she¡¯d died, Igor was too overwhelmed with problems he couldn¡¯t endure. ¡°I see¡­¡± Rihannan gave up asking further questions. She couldn¡¯t make up her mind. Did she want to know more of what¡¯d happened in her past life, or did she want to ignore it? Her emotions were in turmoil. Alright, then. Thank you for answering.¡± Rihannan rose from her seat. If she was to leave first thing tomorrow, she had to get ready. ¡°Then, just as you¡¯ve said, I¡¯ll leave tomorrow¡­¡± ¡°Rihannan.¡± Igor grabbed Rihannan¡¯s wrist. While she stared at him, surprised, he slowly let go of her hand. Every time he did something like this, she felt more and more confused. Even though she now knew the Igor from her past and the Igor standing in front of her were the same person, they acted inpletely different ways. Where was the man that used to look at her with loathing? The one who¡¯d tell her hurtful words? ¡°¡­what I¡¯ve saidst time wasn¡¯t true.¡± ¡°What are y-¡­¡± ¡°I do not want you to leave this kingdom while leaving your baby behind. What I want more than anything else is for you and our baby to remain by my side. I said what I said because I wanted to avoid you leaving me using any possible method.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Listening to his sudden confession, Rihannan couldn¡¯t find any answer in her mind. She thought she didn¡¯t want to stay with Igor, and that the moments she¡¯d spent with him made revolted her stomach, but in the end she couldn¡¯t define any of these thoughts in her head. While Rihannan kept her mouth shut, Igor nodded slightly and rose from his seat. ¡°Please, do not worry about what I¡¯ve said. We¡¯ll talk again, when youe back from the Vi.¡± Igor quickly left her room. While staring at the closed door, Rihannan felt her strength leaving her body and copsed on the sofa. What were his real feelings for her? If he¡¯d mistreated her before because he had a hidden reason, then, did he deserve her forgiveness now, even though it was already toote? Is that why he¡¯d done all these things now? Then, that could only beplete selfishness from his part. There was nothing he could possibly do to make her forgive him for what he¡¯d done in her past life. There was nothing that could fix thepletely disastrous rtionship they¡¯ve had. ¡°I will never forgive you.¡± Rihannan thoughts intensified. She could hardly contain the tears that were forming in her eyes. She hated Igor now more than she did in the past. At least, the man she¡¯d met before had never tried to manipte her. Chapter 201 A strange letter Chapter 201 ¨C A strange letter Trantor ¨C Yue The next morning, before leaving the Queen¡¯s Pce, Rihannan wanted to check the contents of her mailbox, which she hadn¡¯t done in a long time. The outside exterior of the mailbox was adorned with gold and intricate patterns, quite pleasing to the eye, but upon suddenly remembering that she¡¯d been locked in prison for the mails found within this very box, her expression turned sour. Igor would answer all her questions if she asked, but he could lie. It would be useless to ask him what had happened after her death. She¡¯d only end up thrusting one more nail into her broken heart. Rihannan realized the reason why she was trying to keep her distance from Igor. She was doing it in self-defense, so he couldn¡¯t hurt her anymore. She didn¡¯t want to hear the truth Igor wanted to tell her. With a sound, the mailbox opened. Rihannan made sure all her mails were ssified and answered appropriately. When she wasn¡¯t sure of the sender, she didn¡¯t even bother opening the letter and simply burned them in a pile. While Rihannan was organizing the letters she¡¯d received from the Queen Mother, her gaze shifted to a pile that was neatly arranged next to her mailbox. Those were the uncatalogued letters, the ones she¡¯d told Mrs. Cessly not to bother checking nor organizing, which were now piling up. Rihannan realized the amount of work Mrs. Cessly had in her hands. Just then, Mrs. Cessly entered the room. ¡°My Queen, are you ready?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Rihannan rose from her seat. Mrs. Cessly covered her with a fur coat. ¡°Since the first trimester of your pregnancy has already passed, you don¡¯t need to worry, but if you somehow start feeling even a little bit ufortable, please inform the assistants immediately.¡± ¡°I understand.¡± ¡°And since it¡¯s much colder in the Vi, you must be careful with your body temperature. You must always make sure that your hands and feet are warm and¡­ oh, I should really follow you all the way there¡­¡± Looking at Mrs. Cessly fretting so anxiously, Rihannanughed softly. ¡°You said the Queen Mother would definitely shoot you an arrow if you ever went near her. I wouldn¡¯t bear losing you that way, so please don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll go alone. More than that¡­¡± Rihannan pointed towards the pile of letters, embarrassed. ¡°While I¡¯m away from the Pce, could you help me sorting out these letters? As I thought, it is a bit too much for me to do it alone¡­¡± Mrs. Cessly chuckled merrily. ¡°Yes, My Queen. Of course, leave it to me¡± Igor had already sent a carriage with guards for Rihannan. When she got in, the vehicle immediately began moving. Sitting inside the carriage alone, Rihannan looked through the curtains as she was about the pass by the Pce. An elegant Pce surrounded by a breathtaking garden came to view, but Rihannan focused her attention on the window situated at the top of the building. She remembered a moment from her past life. Back then, she was euphoric, so much so that she thought she had all the happiness in the world within her reach. She felt like this because her husband had said to her, before parting: I¡¯ll visit you regrly. I might not be able to do it every day, but¡­ no, if time allows it, I¡¯ll most definitely visit you every day! And when he¡¯d hugged her, she felt as though her wounds had disappeared for a moment. She thought the three of them could get over the painful past and move forward as a happy family. In the end, it was all a lie. Rihannan backed away from the curtains with a sigh. She ced her head against the carriage cushions and closed her eyes. Now, all she wished for was for everything to end so she could go far away, once and for all. ** Mrs. Cessly suddenly remembered the ck-haired young man who¡¯d once visited the Duke¡¯s residence in the middle of the night so long ago. The boy was fifteen years old at that time, and he¡¯d given her an intense stare with his dark purple eyes. I want you toe work for me instead of my mother, the Queen. At that time, the Queen Mother had the most power as a ruler, as she¡¯d disced her young son as the ruling Queen Dowager. Afterwards, she slowly began winning over the nobility, thus increasing her power. Even though the youngd who once hid behind his mother¡¯s skirts looked different now, he was still a young boy who knew nothing of the world. Looking at the young King, Mrs. Cessly thought he would still need a few more years to mature. Therefore, she wasn¡¯t going to oppose the Queen Mother for a green boy like this. Her husband and her were quite respected among the nobility. What¡¯s more, they had a peaceful life, something that neither of them wanted to change. However, the boy that came back to her a few dayster lookedpletely different, even though not much time had passed. The boy¡¯s eyes were stone cold, as though he¡¯d be apletely different person. Looking into his eyes, Mrs. Cessly realized she wanted to help him. That young man definitely had a goal he wanted to reach. Be it political power or whatever, that boy was definitely ready to throw away his own life if it meant a slight chance of attaining that goal. He began exining Mrs. Cessly a detailed n which made her doubt that those words were indeeding from the mouth of a 15 year old. Afterwards, he tried convincing Mrs. Cessly to work for him. I swear to you, you¡¯ll never regreting to work for me! Those words shook Mrs. Cessly¡¯s heart. She could continue living a peaceful life, but listening to this young man¡­ hearing how she could help shape the future was extremely tempting. *** The King, who was brave and strong, now spent his days living in fear. Basil sighed, trying to remember thest time Igor had a good night¡¯s sleep. He wasn¡¯t a fearful man, so, why was he so terrified when in came to things concerning the Queen? Mrs. Cessly sighed as well and began busying herself organizing the Queen¡¯s pile of letters. There were so many of them it was enough to cover the whole desk. She was already used to this. All she had to do was open a letter, read through its contents and ssify it by topic. While she was doing this, a letter with a family crest that looked oddly familiar caught her attention. In the middle of the enveloped there were two lions fighting each other. There was also a red wax seal with the shape of a swan. ¡°¡­Princess of Chrichton?¡± From what she could tell, this letter definitely came from Chrichton¡¯s Royal Family; more specifically speaking, from their Princess. It was suspicious that a letter from a foreign Royal Family was mixed among the other letters, since these were usually delivered directly to the Queen through a royal messenger. Mrs. Cessly doubted for a moment whether she should open this letter. The Queen¡¯s personal letters, such as the ones she used to change with the Queen Mother were directly delivered to Rihannan. If this was a letter from Chrichton¡¯s Princess, then it must surely be a personal matter. Mrs. Cessly left the letter aside and continued organizing the remaining letters. However, her mind was filled with suspicion. Why would the Princess of Chrichton ignore all protocol and send the Queen a letter this way? She couldn¡¯t have possibly known that her letter would end up lost among a pile of letters, otherwise she would have delivered it straight to Rihannan. After fighting with her own mind for a while, Mrs. Cessly gave up and tore open the letter, quickly reading though its contents. She turned pale and quickly run off. *** As the carriage was going down a rtively deserted path in the forest, it suddenly came to a halt. Rihannan opened the curtains and looked outside. Themander of the King¡¯s guard responsible of her procession stopped by her window and bowed his head. ¡°What is happening?¡± ¡°Please, don¡¯t worry. We¡¯ll settle this soon.¡± ¡°Settle what? What do you mean?¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± Rihannan looked at him. He had a strange expression on his face, so she stretch her neck and looked out the window. Soon, she realized what had happened. Some tree trunks were piled in the middle of the road, blocking their path. Chapter 202 Hungry Children Chapter 202 ¨C Hungry Children Trantor ¨C Yue ¡°How did this happen?¡± ¡°It seems like the vigers that were collecting wood left this here and went out. If you could please what for a moment, we¡¯ll unblock the road soon¡±. ¡°Is there no other path?¡± ¡°No, my Queen. This is the only road heading towards the Vi, so¡­¡± Themander looked increasingly nervous. He had stopped the Royal procession in the middle of the road and was now making the Queen wait, which meant he¡¯d most likely be heavily reprimanded upon his return. Rihannan simply nodded her head. ¡°Well, that¡¯s fine, too. I wasn¡¯t feeling very good, so I wanted to rest anyways. Let me out of the carriage. I want to breath fresh air¡±. ¡°Really, my Queen?¡± Themander¡¯s face lit up. When Rihannan got down from her vehicle, he put down a heavy nket in the grass and led Rihannan there. He even covered her with a shawl, while another soldier quickly went off to bring her some tea. ¡°If you need anything else, please let us know¡±. ¡°I will, thank you¡±. While the soldiers were struggling to remove the tree trunks, Rihannan peacefully enjoyed the autumn view surrounding her. The sky was clear, as though dollops of white paint had been smeared across a blue canvas. As Rihannan was admiring the seemingly never ending extension of the mountain chains and the river below the sky, she quickly noticed some kids hiding behind the trees, looking at her. They looked like kids from the nearby vige. They had unkept curly, dry hair. Rihannan made a gesture with her hand. ¡°Could you pleasee closer? I¡¯ll give you something to eat.¡± The kids did not approach her. They looked at the armed guards surrounding Rihannan and quickly hid behind the trees again. Rihannan looked at her guards and gave them an order. ¡°Bring some of the food that¡¯s been packed for the Queen Mother.¡± ¡°Eh? But¡­¡± The guard quickly shut his mouth. They were wondering whether the food that¡¯s been carefully packed for the Queen Mother could be shared with filthy children like these. ¡°If the Queen Mother finds out that some starving children ate to their heart¡¯s content, I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll be delighted. Also, the children seem scared of all of you, so please retreat a little.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± With the Queen¡¯s orders, the guards had no choice but toply and step back. Soon, the perfectly baked bread, rare fruits, sweet cakes and other precious, expensive foods were ced on the pic nket. The kids were salivating from their hideout in the trees. ¡°It¡¯s alright. Come and take some.¡± Hearing this, the kids quickly sprang towards the food. Rihannan felt a little ufortable as she looked at them stuffing their mouths with whatever they could get a hold of with their dirty hands. The nearby vige was inhabited by people who lived from wood-cutting and agriculture. She knew the locals here didn¡¯t have a wealthy lifestyle, but she didn¡¯t expect them to live this badly. If these children were hungry, then their parents were most definitely even hungrier. Therefore, Rihannan felt ashamed when she realized how ignorant she was. She grew up with parents who showered her with love and infinite resources all her life, so she could notprehend the difficulties these people were going through. ¡°Take your time to eat. There¡¯s plenty for everybody.¡± With those words, a young girl smiled happily. She looked around ten years old. Rihannan reached out and wiped the dirt in her cheeks, making her smile even more while she was busy putting more food into her mouth. ¡°What are you all doing here?¡± ¡°We are ying.¡± ¡°What are you ying at?¡± ¡°We are catching bunnies.¡± A kid mumbled a reply enthusiastically with food in his mouth, making Rihannanugh. Memories of her childhood flooded her mind. She could remember ying with her other cousins, who were simr to Dimi, running around and hunting rabbits. ¡°Did you catch any?¡± The boy quickly shook his head, his expression turning sour. ¡°No. They were so fast it was hard to catch them.¡± ¡°Are you trying to catch them with your bare hands? Of course, they¡¯ll be too fast for you.¡± ¡°Then, how do you catch them?¡± ¡°Try using baskets.¡± A nobledy was giving them instructions on how to catch rabbits. The kids looked at Rihannan, their eyes wide with astonishment. ¡°Baskets? How?¡± ¡°ce a basket upside down with a stick. Then, put some food inside, under the basket. If you tie a cord around the stick and wait in a nearby bush. Pull the cord as soon as a rabbites inside the basket and you¡¯ll trap it.¡± ¡°Oh, we caught some birds like that. Does it also work with rabbits?¡± ¡°Of course. My cousins and I used to hunt rabbits like that.¡± ¡°Then, let¡¯s try it your way next time, big sister!¡± The girl next to the boy elbowed him. ¡°Don¡¯t call her sister, you are being rude!¡± ¡°Then, how should I call her?¡± ¡°You have to call her Lady¡± ¡°But calling herdy is too weird! You usually call old grumpy women dy¡±! The kids were quite confused on how to address Rihannan. In the meantime, Rihannan wasughing out loud, something she hadn¡¯t done in a while. ¡°You may call me however you like,dy or sister. But, personally, I¡¯d rather you call me sister.¡± After exchanging words for a while, the children¡¯s eating speed slowed down considerably. As they had filled their stomachs to their heart¡¯s content, the food quickly made them drowsy. Rihannan packed the rest of the food and gave it to them. ¡°Here. Take this and share it with your families.¡± ¡°Thank you!¡± Their voices were louder than before, perhaps because they weren¡¯t hungry anymore. Rihannan chuckled. Then, the young girl gave Rihannan a folded piece of paper. ¡°What is this?¡± ¡°Well, actually, a while ago a man told me to give this to you, sister.¡± ¡°A man?¡± ¡°Yes. We were waiting for the chance to give you this.¡± That¡¯s why they were waiting nearby, just for a chance to approach her? Rihannan opened the letter, curious. She couldn¡¯t even guess who¡¯d possibly try to contact her this way. Ria loves bunnies¡¯ plump behinds! But there¡¯s nothing more delicious in this world than rabbit meat. Yum, yum, delicious! Chapter 203 Dimis return Chapter 203 ¨C Dimi¡¯s return Trantor ¨C Yue Rihannan sighed. She recognized this childish content. It was the song Dimitri used to sing to make fun of her as a kid. ¡°Who wrote this letter?¡± ¡°He¡¯s down there.¡± the girl pointed to the river bank. ¡°Did you see his face?¡± The girl nodded. ¡°It was someone with shiny hair color like you, sister. He was also tall.¡± Dimitri was here. An overwhelming happiness enveloped Rihannan. She didn¡¯t know why Dimi would seek her out like this, but she didn¡¯t care. Dimitri has always been quite yful, so perhaps he had nned a surprise visit for her birthday. Rihannan was about to run off to the river bank when she suddenly stopped her steps to look at her guards. Many of them were still busy clearing the path while the rest of them were keeping an eye out in case any suspicious person approached. Dimi did not officially announce his visit to Arundel, so nothing good woulde out of telling everybody that he was here. What¡¯s more, Dimi came to her in the stealthiest possible way, so It would be better if she listened to what he had to say in private. ¡°Children.¡± The kids who were busy packing the food looked at her. Rihannan smiled. ¡°Could you lend me a hand?¡± *** The swords shed with a loud sound. It¡¯s been too long since they sparred, but neither side wanted to surrender. Basil could hardly fend off Igor¡¯s attacks. For some reason, his stance showed signs ofck of refinement. Unlike the elegant style that was poprly taught to nobles, Igor¡¯s fencing style was more savage. It was a style mostly used by soldiers who had spent years in the battlefield. ¡°Did you go out of the Pce without telling me? Where did you learn to fight like this?¡± As he finished saying this words, Igor¡¯s sharp sword barely missed his head, making Basil shut up immediately. If he kept babbling, he would truly die. It wouldn¡¯t be an exaggeration to say that Basil had spent all these years glued to Igor. Whatever he did, Basil was always by his side, so much so that Basil knew more of Igor than he did of his own wife. That¡¯s why he couldn¡¯t help but feel surprised whenever Igor acted in a way he had never seen before. These type of situations were more notorioustely. After Igor threatened Viscount Olbach and his wife, Basil was genuinely wondering whether a fox had disguised itself with Igor¡¯s skin. He thought that the Igor he knew would never be able to do such thing. ng! In that moment, as Basil was distracted in his own thoughts, Igor took his chance and hit Basil¡¯s hand with his sword grip. Basil¡¯s sword fell to the floor, among the autumn leaves. Basil rubbed his hand, smiling bitterly. ¡°Do you feel invigorating after beating me up as much as you wanted?¡± Igor had been extremely nervous ever since Rihannan left the Pce. He couldn¡¯t concentrate in anything at all, as though he was obsessed with something he couldn¡¯t understand. Basil had told him that the best thing he could do was to exercise his body while leaving his mind nk, which was why he brought Igor for a sparring session. He didn¡¯t think Igor would hit him like this, though. Igor grabbed a handkerchief and wiped the sweat from his forehead. He let himself fall to the ground and Basil silently sat by his side. Then, Igor, who had remained silent all this time, finally spoke. ¡°No news from the mercenary yet?¡± Basil let out a long sigh.Even after all these exercise, Igor¡¯s worries were still guing his mind. ¡°No, Your Majesty. For some strange reason, Count Clovis keeps his mouth shut tight when ites to anything rted to that mercenary. But we¡¯ll find out soon, don¡¯t worry. Please, wait patiently for a little longer.¡± Up till now, Count Clovis was quick to provide any information or secrets that were required from him, and was willing to help in anything he could. However, he would not say anything regarding that assassin. Since their only link to that man was the Count, who remained silent, the investigation was brought to a halt. This made Igor burst in anger. The King finally ordered his guards to kill the Count unless he cooperated. Even if this threat was half-hearted, it should be enough to scare anyone. The order must have already been delivered to the Count¡¯s cell, so all they had to do was wait for him to talk. ¡°The reason why the Count remains silent must be because, if he does talk, he¡¯ll be in even greater trouble.¡± Igor thought of that. He knew the Count would end up revealing anything he knew, but he was wondering what was the dy. The Count wasn¡¯t behaving like he¡¯d expected. Actually, Igor kept having this nagging feeling which made him think he had done some grave mistake. ¡°Now I¡¯m not sure whether sending Rihannan to the Vi was the right choice¡­¡± Looking at his darkening expression, Basil shrewdly said ¡°Then, why don¡¯t you follow her? You can make up with the Queen Mother while you are there, as well.¡± ¡°You still think I can make up with my mother, uh?¡± ¡°What¡¯s stopping you? It¡¯s not like the Queen Mother is trying to steal your position. Anyways, that¡¯s impossible now. Please, show her some mercy. When she dies, it will be toote to feel remorse.¡± ¡°Remorse¡­¡± Igor whispered angrily. ¡°Basil, if all my mother had taken from me was power, I wouldn¡¯t hate her as much as I do now.¡± ¡°What else did she do for you to hate her like this?¡± ¡°She shifted all the anger and hatred towards me. In the end, that woman escaped from all the criticism and me that should have been directed against her. She wanted people to think of her as a good person till the end, regardless of what she had to do to achieve this.¡± Ironically, the Queen Mother really liked Rihannan. That¡¯s why she didn¡¯t tell Igor to get rid of her once she knew she was unable to have children, but instead, she¡¯d urged him to find an alternative womb to conceive his heir. It was an unexpected suggestion, especially considering how the Queen Mother usually delt with problems. It would have been easier for her to get rid of Rihannan and ce another woman in her position. Even when the Queen Mother was the one who created a crack between them, in contradiction to her actions, she had truly wished for Rihannan to give birth to a baby so they could be a happy family. The Queen Mother knew that the only person who had genuinely treated her with kindness was Rihannan. She was happy about this, but it didn¡¯t stop her from taking advantage of the situation. ¡°Basil, there¡¯s something I need to confess to you.¡± ¡°¡­¡± For a moment, Basil had a strange thought cross his mind, which made him shudder and step away from Igor. Igor could barely hold back his desire to hit Basil. Looking at his reaction, he must have surely thought something stupid. ¡°I once heard a conversation between my mother and Marquis Rozan.¡± ¡°What sort of conversation?¡± ¡°They talked about how she could lose all her power if I suddenly died, which is why they were hoping for me to have an heir soon to continue the lineage, in case anything happened to me.¡± Basil¡¯s jaw went ck for a moment. This was a shocking revtion to him. ¡°When did this exchange happen?¡± ¡°When I was eight¡­ it was after I was gravely injured. The Queen Mother realized just then the fragility of her power.¡± ¡°Is that why you¡¯ve hated the Queen Mother ever since?¡± ¡°Basil, if it were you, what would surprise you more, your wife¡¯s betrayal, or the backstabbing of someone you had no rtionship with?¡± Basil shuddered. He didn¡¯t want to imagine such a scene. ¡°¡­I¡¯d be more surprised if my wife betrayed me. I would not be able to handle it.¡± ¡°Of course. That would be normal.¡± After chasing Rihannan all the way to the Port of Salerno and not being able to reach her before she left, Igor came back to the Pce. There, he found out that Rihannan had sent the Queen Mother a letter filled with words of kindness and consideration. No one would think that such a letter was written by someone who had just gone through a painful, miserable death. Rihannan hated herself. However, she still loved and treasured the Queen Mother, who had been cruel to her, to the point of personally writing her a letter just before leaving everything behind to go to Chrichton. Before parting, it seemed like her only happy memories where those she¡¯d had with his mother. How would she react if she found out that his mother, the one she loved so dearly, was the culprit behind such heinous crimes? It was at that point that Igor considered that, even if Rihannan found out that he, too, could remember their past life, he¡¯d never reveal the truth about his mother to her. ¡°I don¡¯t want Rihannan to feel the same way as I do. There¡¯s no need to make her feel more hatred.¡± Basil looked at him, confused. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Your Majesty!¡± Suddenly, the urgent voice of Mrs. Cessly resonated in the room. She was frantically running towards Igor and Basil, without worrying about appearances. The two man immediately stood up. ¡°Mrs. Cessly, what¡¯s the p-?¡± ¡°Please, look at this!¡± Mrs. Cessly was struggling to catch her breath. She quickly gave the King a crumpled letter. ¡°What is this?¡± ¡°Please¡­ read it quickly, Your Majesty! it¡¯s a letter from Princess Helena!¡± Igor focused his gaze on the letter, quickly unfolded it and read through its contents. To my beloved Ria, My elder brother is nning to kill you. I think he is doing it to get revenge on Baron Dimitri. He has dug out all he could about you, and he¡¯s nning on using this information to lure you out. I¡¯m sorry. I found out about his ns toote¡­ He is nning on luring you out of the Queen¡¯s Pce to¡­ assassinate you. Please, be careful. I hope I¡¯m not toote. Your friend, Helena. Chapter 204 Abduction Chapter 204 ¨C Abduction Trantor ¨C Yue Igor crumbled the letter in his fist, making it into a ball. ¡°You mean¡­ the Crown Prince of Chrichton wants to assassinate Rihannan?¡± Mrs. Cessly nodded her head. ¡°ording to the letter, yes. Princess Helena¡¯s words are quite straight forward, don¡¯t you think? They have a close rtionship, like best friends. After reading this letter¡­ I¡¯m worried Her Majesty might be in danger if she¡¯s send to the Vi.¡± ¡°But there¡¯s no other way to guarantee Rihannan¡¯s safety¡­¡± Igor suddenly realized the identity of the man he was so worried about. Everything was going on smoothly. Too smoothly, actually, as though the world was on his side. Even catching Leticia had been too easy. She herself entered the Pce, and her suspicious behavior was soon detected by the guards he¡¯d previously nted. The Stone Arc was hidden in a ce too easy to locate. Hell, they¡¯d even found it within the day. That¡¯s why Igor had sent Rihannan off to the Vi the very next day. What if all this was actually someone¡¯s n? What if even Leticia¡¯s infiltration in the Queen¡¯s Pce was nothing but a trap? A trap to make Rihannan leave the safety of her Pce¡­ ¡°Your Majesty!¡± Someone else was running towards them. It was the person in charge of interrogating Count Clovis. He quickly knelt before the King. ¡°Count Clovis has confessed the identity of the mercenary. He said it¡¯s a high ranking noble from Chrichton.¡± ¡°A noble from Chrichton¡­¡± Igor¡¯s voice suddenly faltered. ¡°Yes. Danil Durik. He is a member of Duque Durik¡¯s family, and the personal advisor to the Crown Prince. It looks like they¡¯ve joined hands and are working together now.¡± Three pairs of eyes suddenly widened in astonishment. Mrs. Cessly and Basil looked at Igor at the same time. ¡°I¡­¡± Before Basil could say anything, Igor quickly set off, running. Basil said something to Mrs. Cessly in a hurry and run after his king. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, mydy. I promise we¡¯ll bring the Queen back safe and sound.¡± Mrs. Cessly nodded a couple times. Her brave eyes were now wet with tears. She sped her hands together and prayed with all her might for these three people toe back safely. Igor was running with his mind nk. His heart was pounding quickly. He had been careless. In the past, the people that had harmed Rihannan had been his mother, Count Clovis and her own family, so he had actually thought that if he dealt with them first, she¡¯d be safe. However, as he¡¯d changed the future, an unexpected turn of events unfolded. Igor had forcefully taken Rihannan to Arundel to marry her. if he hadn¡¯t done that, her cousin would have stayed still. However, the Dimitri now had gone against the Crown Prince, since he knew the Crown Prince was someone willing to sacrifice Rihannan if it meant an excuse to go to war against Arundel. Igor also knew that the Crown Prince would use Rihannan¡¯s death as a warning to Dimitri, as a sign of how far he was willing to go just to stop him. In the end, all his efforts had been in¡­ ¡°You gained this yourself.¡± He remembered his mother¡¯s words from his past life, the answer she had given him when he asked why she¡¯d done all those things to Rihannan. You pushed people to the edge, to the point in which things turned out this way! Have you never thought of how rats will bite when cornered? I didn¡¯t want to do this either, you know how much I loved that baby! In the end, it¡¯s your fault Rihannan died! Igor bit his lips till they bled. If she died again because of him again¡­ He didn¡¯t even want to think about it. He wanted to believe that God couldn¡¯t be so cruel. Igor and Basil quickly broad the Royal Guard with them, and soon set rode off full speed on their horses. When they were about to reach the path that led to the forest, they found the carriage Rihannan had left in. It didn¡¯t seem like a battle had happened anywhere near. There was no fallen soldier nor anyone injured. Ahead of the carriage, they could see some tree trunks on the side of the road. Perhaps they stopped for a moment because those trunks were blocking the path. If that had been the only issue, then everything should be fine. Igor let out a relieved sigh. He led his horse near the carriage. ¡°Your Majesty!¡± the guard¡¯smander immediately approached Igor when he saw him. ¡°Where¡¯s the Queen?¡± Igor quickly asked for the Queen as soon as he got off his horse. However, themander was silent. He looked nervous, as though there was no possible way for him to answer his question without getting into trouble. Suddenly, themander knelt on the ground and lowered himself. ¡°My apologies, Your Majesty!¡± Igor¡¯s expression turned cold. ¡°I asked you about the Queen¡¯s location. Why do you answer with apologies?¡± ¡°Actually¡­ we are looking for her right not¡­¡± ¡°Looking for her?¡± Igor¡¯s voice was calm as usually, but it was obvious that he was barely containing his anger. ¡°While we were on our way to the Vi, some trunks were blocking our path and¡­¡± ¡°Straight to the point. What happened to the Queen.¡± Igor¡¯s anger was barely in check. Themander swallowed loudly and answered, a shake in his voice. ¡°We lost sight of the Queen a moment ago. She disappeared when the soldiers were distracted by some children. The kids said the Queen went to theke after receiving a letter from somebody. We are currently looking around the ar-¡° Igor brusquely left towards the river bank, Basil and themander right behind him. The river bank was covered on both sides with rattan forage that had grown so tall, they were taller than the average person. The wind was gently blowing by, making them swing like ocean waves. The sound of tall grass rattling was so loud it was hard to listen to anything else. Even if someone were to pass them by on a boat and walked right nex to them, they wouldn¡¯t know. ¡°Find her! Cut the grass if necessary!¡± Hearing the King¡¯s furiously screaming, many soldiers went into the grass immediately. Soon, they covered the whole area. Just when Igor¡¯s patience was about to run out, Basil run to his side. ¡°We found this.¡± Basil gave Igor a shawl that women would to wear around their shoulders. Igor recognized this shawl. Seeing it dirty, covered in mud, Igor¡¯s eyes trembled. ¡°There are traces of lots of people heading to theke. It definitely looks like they took a boat and went off somewhere else.¡± Basil quickly reported his findings. ¡°There are no signs of blood spilt anywhere. We believe she is alright.¡± ¡°Where is thiske headed to?¡± ¡°Well¡­ theke is split in three different directions: South Dalia, West Anz and North Calsis.¡± That meant there was no way of knowing for sure in which direction they headed to. Igor held his head and let out a disgruntled scream. Time was running out. These people did not want to negotiate. They wanted Rihannan dead. There was no way to chase after them in the three different paths, either. If he wasted time, Rihannan could¡­ When Igor imagined the worst possible oue for a moment, his eyes trembled in fear. His mind wentpletely nk and he couldn¡¯t think of anything else. What if he arrived toote again? No, perhaps it was already toote. To see her cold corpse in front of his eyes, just like that time again¡­ ¡°Your Majesty!¡± Basil grabbed him by the shoulders and violently shook him. ¡°Please, get a hold of yourself. If you don¡¯t, you will not be able to save the Queen!¡± Basil kept shaking him roughly. He knew that if he stepped out of line, Igor would strangle him himself. The other soldiers held their breath as they saw Basil roughly handling their king. ¡°If you don¡¯t want to regret this momentter, you have to make a decision, now. There¡¯s no time to doubt.¡± Igor pursed his lips and nodded his head. Just like Basil said, if he continued wasting time like this, it would be like allowing the events from his past life to happen again. He inhaled deeply and closed his eyes. In a moment, his head was cold and tranquil. Where could this people head off to? ¡­a ce with many trees, like a dense forest! Suddenly, he remembered Leticia¡¯s words. It would not be easy for a foreigner to find a good hideout. They were most likely to go to the same ce Leticia was. In that case, where could he find huge trees in this area? ¡°¡­huge trees.¡± ¡°Uh?¡± Igor opened his eyes and looked at Basil. ¡°The ck Forest is in Calsis, right?¡± ¡°Ah¡­ yes, that¡¯s correct. That ce is filled with trees so big they don¡¯t allow any light in, which is why people call it ck Forest¡±. ¡°Is there anywhere else with those same characteristics?¡± Basil thought for a moment and shook his head. ¡°No. That¡¯s the only forest of its kind in Arundel. After all, not many ces gather so many thousand-year-old trees.¡± ¡°We are going to Calsis.¡± ¡°Yes! We¡¯ll follow your orders!¡± Basil replied energetically. Chapter 205 Danil Lyurik Chapter 205 ¨C Danil Lyurik Trantor ¨C Yue Basil did not ask Igor how he made up his mind on going to that specific ce. Igor had a frighteningly calm, cold expression. Basil knew that whenever he made that face his judgment was rarely mistaken. Basil turned to the nearby soldiers and ordered them. ¡°We are going to the ck Forest of Calsis effective immediately. Make sure you turn every stone in that area!¡± *** When she opened her eyes, all Rihannan saw was a dark room. She could feel the humidity and a weak smell of mold around her¡­ Rihannan finally snapped back to her senses and stood up. The room was pitch ck. There was a window nearby, but not even a little bit of light came through. She could barely make out the shape of the objects around her. The room waspletely empty, except for the messy bed in which sheid, and the floor was covered with some damp hay. Rihannan had seen this same scenery in the past. Not in this past, but her previous past. This ce looked exactly like the prison where she was thrown into, as though she were a piece of garbage. ¡°¡­ugh.¡± Rihannan started having some difficulties with her breathing. She felt as though an overwhelming fear was slowly enveloping her. She clutched her chest with her hand. This is most definitely a dream. That¡¯s right. She was having again the nightmare she hadn¡¯t had in a long time. There was no way she¡¯de back to this ce in reality. However, for whatever reason, everything felt too real¡­ the damp air around her, the rough texture of the nket¡­ Rihannan pped herself on both cheeks. She wanted to wake up from this nightmare. Her cheeks turned red and swollen while tears automatically fell from her eyes. It didn¡¯t look like she would wake up anytime soon. Only then did Rihannan realize that this might be real. If this was her reality and not a dream, then, what was the meaning of this? Maybe she went back to the moment before her death in her previous life? Rihannan¡¯s chin trembled slightly. Many thoughts were hurling inside her mind. She lost her sanity. Suddenly, the dark room in which she was in started morphing, with huge iron bars blocking her escape. She could feel the soldiers staring at her, judging her for selling her own nation. Maybe the fact that she went back in time to her own 12-year-old self was the actual dream. Right, toe back to life¡­ To think that a bird granted a wish and made time unwind was absurd. It would be more realistic to think of her second life as nothing more than a dream. As her mind slowly began reaching that conclusion, her whole body started trembling uncontrobly. Rihannan went to a corner in the bed and shrank herself into a ball. Then, what would happen now? Would shee out of the cell soon to be executed? Or would Leticiae to bring her poison? Both possibilities were too scary and she didn¡¯t want any of them. But, since she was arrested, she didn¡¯t have more options. I¡¯m sure the one who wants me dead is you again. Rihannan buried her head between her knees while tears silently fell down her cheeks. Maybe she did go insane. After losing her baby, being framed and backstabbed by her own husband, maybe she did lose allmon sense and created a fantasy world within her mind¡­ While her knees were being soaked with her tears, Rihannan suddenly remembered something. The baby! Rihannan ced a hand on her belly. It wasn¡¯t that prominent yet, but it was indeed swollen. Her baby was still within her. ¡°Oh, my god¡­¡± Rihannan let out a big relieved sigh. She calmed down, and the turmoil within her mind started clearing little by little. This was not a dream. If it had all been a dream, she wouldn¡¯t have a baby right now. Then, what is this ce? Rihannan finally broke out of her delirium and came back to reality. There were no iron bars in front of her. It seemed like she was in some sort of abandoned hut in a remote ce. Her memories from right before she lost conscience slowly came back to her. After telling the children to help her distract her guards, she went straight to theke to meet up with Dimitri. She had seen a tall man standing in the middle of the tall grass field, with his back to her. Just like the kids had said, he had a tall, strong, muscr built. His silver hair under his hood shone faintly under the sunlight. ¡°Dimi!¡± The man slowly turned around as soon as he heard her call. She knew that face. However, he was not Dimitri. Creak¡­ Suddenly, the creaking sound of a door opening interrupted her thoughts. A man entered the room, and the small candlestick in his hand illuminated the interior. Rihannan tensed her jaw. She looked at the man¡¯s face, which shone under the candlelight. ¡°Danil Lyurik.¡± He was the eldest son of Duke Lyurik and the closest advisor to the Crown Prince of Chrichton. Even when she was living in Chrichton, Rihannan had never exchanged words with him since Dimi really disliked her talking with anyone working for the Crown Prince. That`s why she had tried avoiding these type of people as much as she could. Then¡­ why was this man here now, in Arundell? When she was at theke shore, Rihannan was so shocked she couldn¡¯t talk for a while. Danil quickly approached her and covered her mouth with his hand, then dragged her to the boat that had been previously prepared. Rihannan lost consciousness due to fear, and shortly after woke up in this dested ce. ¡°Are you nning something? Why did you bring me here?¡± Danil simply nodded his head, without even bothering to offer her any excuses nor chances to negotiate. His conceited attitude made her anger surge. ¡°Duke Danil Lyurik, did you forget who I am?¡± He walked towards her, quickly reaching the end of her bed. His huge built was enough to make anyone afraid. Rihannan hid her fear by keeping her facial expressions as stoic as possible. She did not want to show any sign of weakness. ¡°Why have you taken me to this ce? I won¡¯t ask you again. Let me go immediately. If you do, I will not say a word to anyone about what you have done.¡± ¡°Rihannan Alessin. No, perhaps I should call you Rihannan Cheska from now on.¡± Suddenly, he grabbed Rihannan¡¯s chin quite forcefully. He held her with such force that she could not move her head at all. Rihannan¡¯s eyes trembled in rage. Her usually serene, tranquil blue eyes now resembled a raging stormy sea. Looking into her eyes, Danil Lyurik said ¡°so now you can actually show emotions, uh?¡± ¡°¡­what?¡± He abruptly let go of her chin and grabbed the candlestick that was on the bedside table. ¡°Eveytime I saw you near Princess Helena, you always looked like an emotionless doll. Someone without hopes for the future.¡± Those words were simr to what Helena had told her in the past. The Princess of Chrichton had once said that Rihannan acted like someone without any curiosity for what tomorrow might have in store. The fact that someone she didn¡¯t talk much to could observe her to the point of saying those words greatly perturbed her. Rihannan felt a chill running down her spine. ¡°But, to my great surprise, you now do look like a living human being.¡± Rihannan ignored him and asked ¡°How did you know that song?¡± The lyrics that were written in that piece of paper were made up by Dimitry when they were kids. Dimi had altered the verse of a Chrichton folklore song to tease Rihannan. In other words, someone who wasn¡¯t close to Rihannan couldn¡¯t possibly know such intimate detail. ¡°That¡¯s a song Dimi used to sing to me when we were kids. How do you know about that?¡± ¡°I heard it from Princess Helena.¡± Rihannan was taken aback. Did Helena have anything to do with this? Danil looked at Rihannan¡¯s puzzled face and smiled. ¡°I¡¯ll only say this because I do not want unnecessary misunderstandings. Princess Helena simply answered the Crown Prince¡¯s question without thinking much about it. That was it.¡± ¡°Then¡­ you used that information to lure me out?¡± ¡°It hadn¡¯t been easy to make you leave your Pce. We thought of many ns¡­ we originally thought of using Count Clovis, but that n went down the drain the instant the King suddenly decided to arrest him. That¡¯s why we decided on using your step-sister instead.¡± ¡°My step-sister?¡± Chapter 206 You are his weakness Chapter 206 ¨C You are his weakness Trantor ¨C Yue ¡°Oh, you didn¡¯t know? Your sister is currently in prison for attempting to assassinate you.¡± Rihannan looked at him, perplexed. Honestly speaking, this was the first time she was hearing about this. ¡°Judging from your expression, you didn¡¯t know any of this, did you? You recently called some merchants into your Pce for your birthday celebration, right? Leticia disguised herself as a merchant and tried to kill you. The King had her arrested and ced in prison.¡± ¡°How could she¡­¡± ¡°The King had issued an order of arrest for both Count Clovis and Leticia. That woman barely managed to escape alive thanks to me and became a fugitive. She wanted her revenge, so I used that in my favor. While the guards were busy arresting her, we managed to ce a few Arc Stones around your Pce. That¡¯s why the King immediately sent you away, just like we anticipated.¡± So¡­ that¡¯s why Igor sent her off. For her own security. But¡­ why didn¡¯t he say anything? If he had told her why, then¡­ Rihannan suddenly remembered how she¡¯d been treating Igor all this time. Whenever he¡¯d asked to speak to her, she firmly refused. She even got angry at him and said she didn¡¯t want to hear anything about Leticia. So, even if he¡¯d tried, he didn¡¯t have the chance to properly exin things to her. ¡°Then¡­ why did you kidnap me for?¡± There was no time to regret not listening to Igor. Right now, what was more important was for her to understand why she¡¯d been kidnapped under Chrichton¡¯s Crown Prince¡¯s orders. ¡°Dimitri has overstepped his boundaries. The Crown Prince decided on sending him a warning¡­ with you.¡± ¡°So you are saying you¡¯ll kill me because of Dimitri?¡± ¡°Only then will he realize he¡¯d made a mistake opposing the Crown Prince and back away.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not Dimitri¡¯s blood sister, but a simple cousin. Why would you choose me?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure you already know this better than anyone else, but you are not just a cousin to him. Dimitri was never interested in political power, but because of you he is actively involving himself in the struggle, is he not?¡± Danil had an amused expression on his face. He smirked. ¡°You know, Dimitri has always hidden his true potential, but because of you, he went out of his way to win the Kirittepetition. Just for you.¡± Looking at Rihannan¡¯s confused look, he narrowed his eyes and went on. ¡°I once told Dimitri that If I ever won the Kirittepetition, I¡¯d ask for your hand in marriage. I only said that to irk him. I was wondering if he would show his true colors with such threat.¡± Danil had always disliked Dimitri. To be precise, he¡¯d always felt jealous of him and deeply resented him. Even when Dimitri made the conscience decision of keeping a low profile, Danil could sense that in reality Dimitri regarded the rest of them as beneath him, which was why he didn¡¯t even bother seriouslypeting against them. Danil soon realized that Dimitri would lose on purpose whenever he challenged him in anything, be it fencing, academics or even friendly sportpetitions. ¡°If I win the next Kirittepetition, I¡¯m think of asking the Crown Prince for your cousin¡¯s hand in marriage. I¡¯ve always been attracted to her.¡± That¡¯s why Danil couldn¡¯t help but taunt him with those words. He said that the Crown Prince would definitely agree since he was his loyal servant. However, Dimitri¡¯s eyes suddenly turned dark. The man who used to spend his days as though nothing in this world mattered to him suddenly turned into a demon with superpowers at the Kirittepetition. ¡°The Dimitri who didn¡¯t care about anything suddenly won thatpetition with frightening ease. That¡¯s when I realized¡­ you are his major weakness. If I want to break his spirit, all I have to do is ruin you. Or kill you.¡± Since Rihannan was taken to Arundell as a hostage in the stead of Princess Helena, Danil wanted to put his theory to the test. If the girl that suddenly became Queen of Arundell suffered some sort of disgrace, or if she died in an ident, Dimitri would surely crumble to pieces. However, unlike what he imagined, this girl did actually manage to persuade the King of Arundell, and was even being treated as a real Queen. After she¡¯d crossed the sea, Danil ocassionally heard some rumors about the King and Queen of Arundell. He even heard that they were deeply in love, as though they¡¯d been destined to be together. During this period, Dimitri actively began seeking for power. His goal was clear. He wanted to block the Crown Prince from attempting to do any harm to his precious cousin. The Crown Prince only took notice of Dimitri¡¯s increasing power after he¡¯d started pressuring him as the close advisor of Prince Ivan. ¡°I cannot allow Dimitri to keep gathering power. What¡¯s his weakness? How do I destroy him?¡± The Crown Prince was now wary of Dimitri. He had realized toote that Dimitri had been hiding his true nature all this time, which made him increasingly nervous. That¡¯s when Danil used this opportunity to whisper in his ear: ¡°it¡¯s his cousin Rihannan! He once ignored a royal edict to attempt running away with her!¡± ¡°But harming Arundell¡¯s Queen is too risky! I should just kill of Dimitri¡­!¡± ¡°The death of Arundell¡¯s Queen would open a window for you, Your Majesty! You could use it as a decoy! Think about it¡­ you could solve your inner problems by shifting the attention abroad. If she dies by the hand of an Arundell citizen, in Arundell¡­ what could happen? All of Chrichton would be enraged by the news¡­ their hatred towards Your Majesty would be shifted to the King of Arundell. We would also be able to use her death as an excuse to pressure Arundell¡­ if you make the best of her death, the nobles who are trying to rebel will surelynd on your side!¡± ¡°I see! Understood!¡± The Crown Prince looked cheerful upon hearing his advice. He was the type of person who enjoyed getting revenge on whoever opposed him. To prepare for his n, he personally traveled to Arundell to approach Count Clovis. The Count was quite interested in his offer: if he helped him in killing the Queen, Danil would help Clovis in bing the new King. The negotiations went on smoothly¡­ until the King ruined their ns by suddenly arresting Count Clovis. Danil made sure of first rescuing Leticia. He had already calcted that even if her chances of sessfully killing the Queen were small, he could use her failure to lure the Queen out of her Pce. ¡°That¡¯s why, Rihannan Cheska¡­ you have to die here, now.¡± Chapter 207 The same ending Chapter 207 ¨C The same ending Trantor ¨C Yue The announcement of her death. She¡¯d die today. In spite of the fear, Rihannan stared at him in the eye with loathing. ¡°If I die by the hands of someone from Chrichton, I fail to see how you¡¯d by any better.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll make sure if looks like you were abducted by Arundell citizens. A few poor, starving farmers saw the expensive clothes and essories you were wearing and simply couldn¡¯t help themselves¡­ then things got out of control and, well, they made a mistake.¡± Only then did Rihannan notice that all the essories she was wearing were gone. Even the coat Mrs. Cessly had given her had disappeared. ¡°I¡¯m thinking of burning this ce. I¡¯ll leave some of your things here and then I¡¯ll give the rest to those starving idiots. Once they try selling your stuff in the market, the Pce Guards will surely catch wind and follow their trace. They¡¯ll be judged, imprisoned and executed in the end, and everything will go on ording to my ns.¡± Danil looked at Rihannan with his silver eyes. He had imagined that Rihannan would burst into tears by now, pleading for her life. However, she only looked at him silently. He could tell that she was burning with a cold rage. ¡°I once had this thought¡­ that my words would pressure Dimitri to be better, and that it would lead to the two of you getting married. If that had been the case, then perhaps my rtionship with Dimitri wouldn¡¯t be as it is today. If that had happened, I wouldn¡¯t have sent you off to Arundell.¡± This tiny woman was frequently in his mind. In the past, whenever he saw this lifeless doll besides Princess Helena, he felt the urge to crack her head open to see what she was truly thinking. That¡¯s when he realized¡­ perhaps the words he¡¯d once told Dimitri weren¡¯t as calcted as he thought. But, regardless, none of that mattered now. ¡°So, it is truly a pity. To think that I¡¯d end up killing you with my own hands.¡± ¡°Duke Danil Lyurik.¡± Rihannan slowly parted her lips. Blue mes were burning within her eyes. ¡°I¡¯m the one who is feeling sorry. Even if you could rewind time, even if you could change everything¡­ I¡¯d never fall in love with you. You are nothing more than a filthy dog who serves the Crown Prince, that¡¯s why I truly despise you.¡± Danil could feel the disgust in her tone. ¡°And even if you kill me, right here, right now, you¡¯ll never be able to stop Dimitri. After all, Dimitri is someone more frightening and powerful than you could ever imagine. He¡¯ll make sur you pay for the crimes you¡¯vemitted today. Until then, you¡¯ll spend the rest of your days in eternal fear and anxiety.¡± Danil didn¡¯t even show any hint of anger. The corner of his lips twisted upwards, as though they were forming a vague smile. ¡°As expected of Dimitri¡¯s cousin¡­ you have the same attitude towards me¡­¡± he let out a sigh and grabbed something from his pocket. It was a small ss bottle. Rihannan immediately knew what it was. She silently looked at the clear, sky-blue liquid within the bottle. ¡°I think it would be best if you died from poisoning rather than being burned alive. I heard this is a medicine frequently used by those whomit suicide. I can¡¯t say you won¡¯t feel any pain, but at least it will give you a quick death. Die by poison or die by fire, up to you.¡± When he finished talking, he looked at Rihannan for a while and then left the room. Rihannan could hear the sound of a lock being ced on the door, as he evidently did not want her to escape once the fire started. Rihannan didn¡¯t move for a while. After a long moment, she slowly reached out her hand. Her fingers coiled around a crystal bottle. Rihannan realized that the nagging feeling at the back of her head soon became a reality. In the end, it would all end the same way. ¡°Ha¡­¡± She couldn¡¯t helpughing at her own tragedy. Six years ago, all she wanted to do was to die, which is why she drank the poison Leticia gave her without second thoughts. This time, however, she felt too regretful to leave this world like this. She knew her death would hurt Dimitri, who¡¯d would me himself. She was pained by the fact that her baby would die once more without being given the chance to be born. Mrs. Cessly would also wallow in despair upon hearing the news. Basil would cry again, just like he didst time. And¡­ When Rihannan thought of Igor, she shook her head. She didn¡¯t have any choice, anyways. Just like Lyurik said, it would be quicker and less painful to be poisoned rather than burning alive. Rihannan unscrew the lid of the bottle. Looking at the clear liquid, the promise she made herself in her past life came to her mind, that ¡®if there was life after death, it would be different¡¯. That she¡¯d never fall for Igor again, and that she¡¯d never forgive those who¡¯d wronged her. In the end, she couldn¡¯t even fulfill her own promise to herself. She stupidly fell for Igor once more, and she couldn¡¯t even bring herself to hate Leticia. People were given one opportunity, and only once. Realizing this truth, Rihannan brought the bottle to her lips. Chapter 208 Its too late (1) Chapter 208 ¨C It¡¯s toote (1) Trantor ¨C Yue ¡°My Duke, it¡¯s time.¡± With the signal, Danil himself tensed his bow, ready to shoot the arrow. By this time, the Queen must have already drank the poison, so she should be dead by now. Danil knew that people on the verge of death always chose the less painful method to go. ¡°Ignite the arrow head.¡± As soon as he said his order, the cloth imbued with oil that was tied around the arrow head quickly caught fire. The cabin was made of wood, but they¡¯d taken the precaution of spreading oil around the area, anyways. The second the arrownded anywhere near the cabin¡­ It would be quick. Danil wished Rihannan had indeed taken the poison he¡¯d offered her. It would be foolish of her to hope for a way out, and besides, he¡¯d been honest when he said he didn¡¯t want her to suffer. Danil inclined his head as ast farewell. He aimed nervously at the cabin, ready to let the arrow why when¡­ A knife came flying towards him, stabbing his hand. At the same time, many voices around screamed ¡°Catch them! Catch them all!¡± With a screech, numerous soldiers came out from the forest. The zone quickly turned into a battlefield and. In the increasing chaos, Danil took out the knife that was firmly stuck on his hand and reached for the bow and arrow that was still ame. Just then, a sharp pain spread all over his body, making him moan. This time, anotherrge dagger stabbed his good hand, rooting it to the ground. The shadow of a man approached him. The man put out the fire burning in the arrow by stepping on it with his foot. Then, a menancing voice called out. ¡°Danil Lyurik.¡± Danil grid his teeth. Count Clovis must have spilled the beans on him. He¡¯d told him before that if he ever dared rat him out, he¡¯d make him pay dearly. In the end, it seems that the weak fool was even more scared of the King¡¯s threats. Danil raised his head. He knew he¡¯d die here anyways, so he didn¡¯t even think of pleading for his life. He could see the enraged visage of the man above him. Danil smiled. ¡°Igor Cheska. You are toote. Your queen is dead. She drank the poison herself.¡± Igor¡¯s expression froze. ¡°¡­poison?¡± Danil felt great satisfaction upon hearing his astonished voice. He¡¯s always wanted to see the man who humiliated Chrichton crumble down to pieces at least once in his lifetime. ¡°I gave it to her. I let her choose between being poisoned and being burned alive.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s been a long while, now. Her body must be cooling down by now.¡± The King¡¯s face immediately changed, as though his soul had left his body. His eyes filled withmotion trembled violently, while his steps faltered. The King left Danil and immediately run off to the cabin. When some of Danil¡¯s men approached him, he slit their throats without even blinking. When Igor opened the cabin door, the inside of the room was pitch ck. He felt a strong sense of d¨¦j¨¤ vu. Six years ago, under the same circumstances, he¡¯d run off and opened a cell door. Those horrible memories from his past life came back to haunt him once more. After Rihannan had witnessed the misunderstanding with Leticia, he immediately chased after her and¡­ ¡°Rihannan!¡± Back then, Igor¡¯d desperately called out for her, but it seemed as though she couldn¡¯t hear him at all. He¡¯ hoped that once he¡¯d reached her and exined everything, that it was a misunderstanding, that he¡¯d never slept with Leticia and had never even been interested in anyone but her, she¡¯d understand. He¡¯d exin it all and not hide a single detail. However, just when he was about to reach her, he saw her tripping over at the top of the stairs. Everything happened in slow motion. Rihannan¡­ her hand on her forehead, as though she was fainting¡­ her body losing bnce¡­ Without thinking, Igor instinctively jumped at her. What happened afterwards was all blurry, agoon in his memory. He remembered he did manage to grab her and shield her in his embrace. But the fall¡­ he could not stop that fall. As the fell together, her heavily pregnant body wrapped tightly in his arms, his body crushed against the hard steps of stone, giving him great pain. In the end, he hid his head against the edge of one of these steps. He felt warm blood flowing down his face, the world slowly turned dark and¡­ ¡°Igor?¡± A faint voice was calling out his name. ¡°Igor!¡± His mother¡¯s voice clearly resonated in his ears. Little by little, he started growing ustomed to the light. He saw the colorful ceiling, his mother weeping of happiness and the merry doctor looking relieved. ¡°Igor, did you regain your senses? do you know who am I?¡± ¡°Mother¡­¡± The Queen Mother was ecstatic after hearing his voice. She quickly turned to the doctor beside her. ¡°I don¡¯t think there¡¯s anything wrong with his head. Look at him more carefully if you still think so.¡± The doctor inspected Igor while asking some questions. Igor made sure to answer everything as calmly as he could, even though his head was still spinning around. In the end, the doctor triumphally dered: ¡°Queen Mother, I don¡¯t think you have anything to worry about, the King does not have any serious injury!¡± ¡°Oh, thank God!¡± The Queen Mother was deeply relieved. Igor could slowly feel that his head was finally settling down. Just then, he realized that the person he cared for the most was not anywhere near the room. ¡°¡­where¡¯s my wife?¡± The two people who had been happily babbling till then suddenly turned serious and shut their mouths. The memories of what happened before he lost consciousness slowly came back to Igor¡¯s mind. The scene in which he rolled down the stone stairs with his wife. Igor quickly stood up from the bed. ¡°Igor, don¡¯t! You must rest, you shouldn¡¯t m-¡° Igor pped away his mother¡¯s hands rudely. He sat up and notice bandages wrapped around his head. Not only that, many parts of his body were heavily bandaged. ¡°Thankfully you didn¡¯t break any bone, but you suffered a great hit to your head. We thought you would never wake up again.¡± ¡°I asked where is Rihannan. No. Is she ok? Did she get more injured th-¡° Looking at their sealed lips, Igor feared the worst might have happened. Maybe¡­ did she die after falling down the stairs¡­? ¡°Mother¡­ is Rihannan¡­ dead?¡± m! With a loud noise, the door suddenly flew open. He could also hear many agitated voices. ¡°Move! Move aside! If you stand in my way, I¡¯ll cut you all!¡± Chapter 209 Its too late (2) Chapter 209 ¨C It¡¯s toote (2) Trantor ¨C Yue The man who caused suchmotion was Basil. Igor realized the strangeness of the situation as Basil threatened the royal guards, who were approaching him with swords in hand. Shouldn¡¯t his Grand Chambein be among the people by his side as soon as he opened his eyes? Why were they trying to block him from entering the room? ¡°Basil, what¡¯s all this¡­?¡± ¡°Igor!¡± Basil started crying when he saw him. He threw his sword and quickly went to Igor¡¯s side. ¡°So you are really awake. The Queen is¡­¡± ¡°Basil!¡± The Queen Mother yelled with rage. ¡°What are you trying to tell someone who¡¯d just regained consciousness? Don¡¯t say useless things and leave, now!¡± ¡°Your Majesty, Queen Dowager! You can¡¯t do that. I need to tell His Majesty the truth immediately!¡± ¡°You dare oppose my orders? I¡¯ve been to indulgent with you for too long, and now you dare talk back to me? Guards! Take him!¡± Upon the Queen Mother¡¯s orders, the guards approached Basil. However, they were stopped by Igor. ¡°Back away.¡± ¡°igor!¡± Igor grit his teeth. ¡°Did you forget, mother? The ruler of this nation is me!¡± Igor¡¯s strength came back to him, his fragile appearance gone. While the Queen Mother was astounded, Basil quickly freed himself from the guards and kneeled beside Igor¡¯s bed with teary eyes. ¡°Right now, the Queen is in prison.¡± Igor could not process his words. He did shield her with his body, but she fell down the stairs nheless. She couldn¡¯t possibly be without injuries. Shouldn¡¯t she be in bed, recovering? Why would she be in prison?¡± ¡°Prison? Why?¡± ¡°She was imprisoned under suspicion of treason.¡± ¡°Treason? What the hell are you talking ab-?¡± ¡°The letters. They found the letters the Queen used to exchange. Those letters were used as evidence and¡­¡± Igor knew that Rihannan¡¯s cousin became Chrichton¡¯s Crown Prince. He also knew that Rihannan used to exchange letters with him since long ago. However, those letters only contained friendly banter. Why would anyone use her of treason based on her letters? While Igor pondered about this, Basil was tantly staring at the Queen Mother with unmistakable loathing in his eyes. His mother, on the other hand, had her face turned away, avoiding Basil¡¯s gaze. Just then, Igor remembered something. There was one letter, but it wasn¡¯t Rihannan¡¯s. A letter that detailed the incident in which his mother sold off secret Arundell information in exchange of the poisoning of Chrichton¡¯s royal family. Igor had previously threatened his mother with this. ¡°¡­was it you, mother?¡± Igor asked with a shaking voice. He desperately wished for his worst suspicions to be false. His mother surely loved and treasured Rihannan, even in her own strange, unconventional ways. He never thought his mother would be capable of doing such a terribly cruel thing to her. What¡¯s more, wasn¡¯t Rihannan pregnant with his child? She would never undermine his child that way. ¡°Please tell me, Mother. Did you frame Rihannan for your crime?¡± Igor really wished she¡¯d deny it, that perhaps he was misunderstanding something. His mother, however, remained silent. ¡°It hasn¡¯t been long since the Queen suffered a spontaneous abortion. Just thinking that she is trapped in prison right now¡­ my heart is breaking. But I have no authority to stop this.¡± Basil couldn¡¯t stand it anymore and started crying loudly. Igor then realized that he¡¯d indeed lost his child. An overwhelming feeling of despair, not sadness, enveloped him. He couldn¡¯t even shed tears. The life that was within Rihannan, the life that he¡¯d fought so hard to protect, was gone. Finally, after a long while, Igor spoke. ¡°First, let¡¯s get Rihannan out of prison.¡± He had to get her out of there first. He wanted to solve one thing at a time so he could then carefully investigate what had happened while he was unconscious. Basil¡¯s face immediately lit up. ¡°Then, I¡¯ll bring the Queen here, right n-¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s toote.¡± The person who¡¯d interrupted their conversation was none other than Leticia. She was standing by the door frame adorned with a dress even more extravagant than the Queen Mother¡¯s. Before Igor could ask her why she was here, Leticia spoke. ¡°That bitch is dead. I gave her poison a while ago.¡± Leticia looked at Igor¡¯s frozen face andughed. There was madness in her eyes. ¡°She drank the poison I gave her without second thoughts. I told her you¡¯d have her executed the very next day, and she stupidly believed it. I¡¯m sure that bitch held a grudge against you until her veryst breath. How does that make you feel?¡± For the first time in his life, Igor felt a searing pain across his chest. The pain was so extreme that he had to hold his chest with his hand. He felt his own heart stopping, and his vision turned dark. He couldn¡¯t breathe, either. Leticia had asked how he felt. He felt deathing for him. If something had really happened to Rihannan, then his life was already over. His life or his soul. It was all over. ¡°Basil. Go ahead. I¡¯ll catch up to you soon.¡± Hearing his order, Basil didn¡¯t even answer back but hurriedly ran out of the room. When Igor stood up from the bed and walked after him, the Queen Mother tried to stop him. ¡°Igor! I told you, you shouldn¡¯t move yet¡­¡± igor shifted his gaze on his mother. She couldn¡¯t muster a single more word and stepped back in fear. Igor¡¯s eyes were shining with a menacing spark. It was the gaze of a crazed beast, ready to tear apart whomever stepped on his way. ¡°ce the Queen Mother and this woman under arrest.¡± ¡°Igor!¡± ¡°You should pray over and over again that Rihannan is alive. If she is not¡­¡± Igor lowered his voice and whispered. ¡°I¡¯ll tear you all to pieces.¡± The Queen Mother fell to the ground. Igor didn¡¯t react at all and simply walked towards the Pce prison. He had been trapped in the hospital bed for so long, so he struggled to move his legs appropriately. His whole body felt numb, and every step he took made him sweat profusely. His face was drenched in sweat since his first steps, but he didn¡¯t care. He wished he wasn¡¯t toote. He wished Rihannan hadn¡¯t taken the poison. He wished she¡¯d waited for him. if not for him, at least he wished she feared death so much it made her doubt. If that was the case, he¡¯d kneel to the ground and beg for her forgiveness. For making her lose their baby due to the misunderstandings he¡¯s caused. For allowing them to imprison her in such a way. However, when he reached the prison cell, he say a teary Basil holding the corpse of a woman. Her body was already growing cold. These painful memories from the past flooded Igor¡¯s mind, wave after wave. He was standing in front of the cabin door. Igor grit his teeth and charged against the door, breaking its lock. m! The inside of the cabin was pitch dark, without a single ray of light. There was no sound, either. His body unconsciously started shaking. This was exactly like in his past life. By the time he¡¯d arrived to her cell, everything was dark and silent. There was no trace of life, only desperation and death. Basil quickly left Igor alone without saying a single word, so there were only the two of them left inside. She was lying on the floor, with numerous blood stters everywhere, as though she¡¯d spilled all her blood. When he approached her, he saw that her white clothes and silver hair were also stained with blood. The crystal bottle next to her was clearly empty. Igor realized that Rihannan must have spent herst moments twisting in pain and anguish. He noticed that her nails were bloodied and broken, as if she¡¯d scratched the walls. Rihannan! He called out her name, but there was no answer. Only then did he realize that he¡¯d never truly called her by her name. Not really. He uselessly repeated her name many times to no avail. Kneeling besides her corpse, he screamed in anguish. He couldn¡¯t even bring himself to look at the face of the woman that¡¯d died. His voice was like that of an injured beast. The woman he¡¯d loved more than anyone else in the world had died in the most miserable way, in the lowest ce of the Pce. And everything was his fault. ¡°Rihannan¡­¡± Chapter 210 It was all a lie Chapter 210 ¨C It was all a lie Trantor ¨C Yue This time, he called her name again in real life, not in his past life memories. His eyes moved in the dark but couldn¡¯t see anything. Since there was no response, Igor¡¯s faith started vanishing. He was toote, again. Did he repeat his past life mistakes? Was it foolish to bring her back to life again, just to let her die again with the same anguish¡­? Creak¡­ Igor heard something behind him and quickly turned around. The faint light that wasing from the opened door allowed him to faintly see. When his eyes finished adjusting to the dark, he could tell that there was a pile of something, possibly wood, on the floor. He could also see the silhouette of a person sitting against the wall. It was Rihannan. ¡°¡­¡± He was looking at her with his own eyes, but he couldn¡¯t believe it. He had pictured her lying on the floor, dead, too many times, so seeing her alive felt like an hallucination. ¡°Rihannan?¡± He approached her, stunned. He could see that there were scratches on her hand. Rihannan followed his gaze and simply shrugged. ¡°¡­I was just trying to break this.¡± Finally, Igor realize what she¡¯d been doing. Just like she said, she had been attempting to tear apart a corner of the wooden cabin. ¡°I thought that the rotten wood from this side of the cabin would be weak enough for me to tear open, so I could escape¡­¡± ¡°That man¡­ he said he gave you poison and¡­¡± Hearing his words, Rihannan simply muttered ¡°ah¡± and, as though remembering its existence, she took a small crystal bottle from her pocket. ¡°I did take it, but I didn¡¯t drink from it. Well, I was going to, but¡­¡± Rihannan let out a long sigh. ¡°Before drinking from it, I remembered the words you said to me.¡± ¡°What¡­?¡± ¡°You said I should believe in you this time.¡± Just before drinking the poison, Igor¡¯s voice had resonated in her head. He¡¯d asked her to ce her faith on him. What¡¯s more, he also promised in front of her mother¡¯s grave that he¡¯d protect her regardless of the cost. Rihannan didn¡¯t want to experience a painful death again, but if she didn¡¯t drink the poison, she¡¯d have an even worse ending burning alive inside the cabin. That¡¯s why she¡¯d tried blocking Igor¡¯s voice out of her mind, but she just couldn¡¯t bring herself to drink the poison. It was as though she¡¯d been hypnotized by his words. ¡°That¡¯s why, I thought I should find a way to escape this ce.¡± Rihannan made the conscious decision of living, regardless of what might happen in the future. That¡¯s why she made up her mind of trying, rather than simply waiting around. She touched around the walls till she would a ce that smelled of rotten wood. Once she began digging with her fingers, the wood that had been consumed by the humidity easily crumbled in her hands. ¡°I was busy trying to destroy the wood when I hear noises outside. That¡¯s why I sat silently and waited. I thought that if someone came through the door, I could use that opportunity to escape. I actually didn¡¯t think it would be you who barged in, but since you were calling my name¡­¡± Rihannan couldn¡¯t finish her sentence since Igor quickly approached her and knelt in front of her. ¡°Igor?¡± He took a handkerchief from his pocket and ripped it in half. Then, he carefully wrapped the cloth around Rihannan¡¯s hand, which was bleeding from tearing to wood. She wanted to say that it wasn¡¯t really necessary, but couldn¡¯t say anything after seeing Igor¡¯s face. Once he was done bandaging Rihannan¡¯s hand, Igor ced both his hands on his wife¡¯s cheeks and lowered his head. ¡°Ha¡­.¡± He let out a long, relieved sigh. When Rihannan saw his shoulders shaking uncontrobly, she realized the whirlwind of emotions that were crossing his mind. ¡°¡­Thank you.¡± He said, his voice low and barely containing his emotions. ¡°Thank you for waiting for me this time¡­ for not dying¡­¡± His words were charged with despair and remorse. Rihannan realized what he actually meant to say. ¡°¡­did you really go to my prison back then? After I¡¯d died from poison¡­ to save me?¡± Igor bit his lips and nodded his head. ¡°But Leticia said that you gave the order to have me executed the next d-¡­¡± Only then did the truth dawn in her mind. It was all a lie. Leticia had lied to her. Leticia would constantly ce Rihannan in difficult situations because of her lies. Leticia used to lie about Rihannan to her father, so she could further weaken their father-daughter bond. She would usually lie to frame the servants she didn¡¯t like. Even though she knew of Leticia¡¯s habits, she foolishly fell for that veryst lie. ¡°It was all a lie.¡± Tears flowed down her eyes. She couldn¡¯t help letting out a sigh while she silently cried. She still couldn¡¯t believe that she¡¯d made such foolish decision in her past life. ¡°Why¡­ would I believe such foolish¡­¡± ¡°Rihannan¡±. Igor grabbed her in his arms. She ced her cheek on his chest while he caressed her hair. ¡°It wasn¡¯t your fault, but mine.¡± ¡°No. It all happened because I¡¯d been stupid. She didn¡¯t even have to force me to drink the poison, I did it myself willingly. How stupid of me!¡± Igor did not like her self-derogatory words. He couldn¡¯t allow her to ce the me on herself. ¡°In the first ce, you were ced in prison because of me. My ipetence and stupidity took you to your death.¡± His words were filled with angst and despair. Silently, Igor ced his head on her shoulder and wept. Rihannan could feel his tears drenching her shoulder. When he spoke, his voice was charged with remorse. ¡°I should have exined everything to you and beg for your forgiveness. I¡¯m sorry. I can only do that now.¡± Since Igor didn¡¯t exin everything to her, Rihannan could only guess that, just like she¡¯d caused many misunderstandings between them, the same thing must have applied to Igor. Thus, she could not me him any further. Rihannan reached out her hand and caressed Igor¡¯s head. She started thinking¡­ her past life was filled with misunderstandings, but there were also cruel truths that she wasn¡¯t aware of. ¡°¡­when we go back to the Pce, please exin everything to me. Everything that happened between us in the past.¡± Rihannan whispered in his ear. Igor tightened his arms around her waist. ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll tell you anything you want to know. I won¡¯t hide a thing.¡± ¡°My Queen!¡± Suddenly, someone barged hurriedly inside the cabin, yelling at the top of his lungs. Basil¡¯s expression was anxious as he scanned the room. As soon as his eyesnded on the couple, his face split in a huge grin. Basil smiled happily while crying his eyes out, cleaning the snot running down his nose with his sleeve. ¡°I¡¯m so happy¡­ I was fearing the worst but it seems like I was worried for nothing.¡± This happy scene made Igor think¡­ six years ago, the three of them were in a simr situation, but the oue had beenpletely changed. Had the made a single mistake, the past tragedy would have urred again. When they left the cabin, the outside battle had concluded as well. Danil and his henchmenmitted suicide by cutting their own necks. It seemed like they¡¯d nned on doing this since the beginning if anything went awry. Igor left Basil to deal with their corpses and took Rihannan back to the Pce. None of them said anything while they were traveling inside the carriage, however, Igor gripped Rihannan¡¯s hand tightly on the whole journey back, as though he couldn¡¯t rx unless there was some sort of physical connection between them. Chapter 211 Confessing the truth Chapter 211 ¨C Confessing the truth Trantor ¨C Yue Once back in the Pce, Mrs. Cessly burst into tears upon weing Rihannan back. She sobbed loudly while hugging her. ¡°my Queen, I¡¯m so happy you¡¯re alright. I¡¯m so happy¡­ I was very worried thinking of what could have happened to you. Oh, God, what happened to your hands?¡± The sight of Mrs. Cessly, whose eyes were swollen and red from crying so much, made Rihannan tear up as well. Once more, she realized the importance of having someone like Mrs. Cessly by her side. Mrs. Cessly immediately went to call for a doctor so he could check Rihannan¡¯s wounds. The treatment was simple. The doctor carefully removed the wood shards from Rihannan¡¯s hands and then proceeded to clean and disinfect the area. Mrs. Cessly would anxiously look at the doctor from time to time, and only when he assured her that both mother and child were safe did she let out a relieved sigh. ¡°In any case, my Queen, you must be exhausted after what happened today. You should go to bed early, rest and¡­¡± ¡°Actually, Mrs. Cessly, I have a few things I need to discuss with the King.¡± Rihannan looked at Igor, who silently nodded. Mrs. Cessly realized they had some important personal issues to talk about, so she didn¡¯tin and simply stood aside. ¡°Alright. But if you feel any difort during your talk, you must rest. Think of the baby, please.¡± Rihannan had to reassure her many times that she¡¯d be careful with her health. Only then did Mrs. Cessly leave the room. Rihannan and Igor sat on the receiving room of the Queen¡¯s Pce. They sat there, together, without saying anything. When the tea in front of them grew cold, Igor finally parted his lips. ¡°I¡¯m not so sure where to start. But I suppose I should tell you about Leticia first¡­¡± Rihannan could sense that a misunderstanding had happened, but she still felt scared of what he¡¯d tell her. ¡°I basically spread rumors about an affair with Leticia.¡± Rihannan looked at him surprised, he so quickly added ¡°Please, don¡¯t get me wrong. What I mean to say is, it was only that, rumors. I never had any physical contact with Leticia. The rumors of me sleeping with her were all made up by her. I did encourage these rumors, though¡­¡± Then, the long story started to unfold. Igor exined to Rihannan why he¡¯d allowed the rumors of his affair with Leticia to spread. He exined that since Rihannan couldn¡¯t have children, his mother pressured him to use Leticia as a surrogate womb. But instead of following her orders, Igor tried discouraging the Queen Mother by spreading the rumor of Leticia being his lover. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me that?¡± Rihannan reprimanded him with resentment in her voice. Had she known this, she wouldn¡¯t have suffered so much thinking that her husband was having an affair with her step-sister. Igor lowered his head. ¡°I thought that¡¯s what you wanted, too. After you asked me to dance with her, I thought you agreed with my mother¡¯s request and therefore there wasn¡¯t any need to speak further of the n.¡± ¡°The reason why I asked that of you was for the sake of Leticia¡¯s status. No one at the ball would have asked her for a dance. Also, there¡¯s the old tradition that if someone does not have a partner for the first dance, a member of the Royal Family should offer to dance with that person. Of course, it was my father who suggested that, but I never¡­¡± Rihannan quickly stopped talking. She couldn¡¯t really me him for not telling her the truth. Their rtionship back then wasn¡¯t optimal, so they never really talked openly. If she had asked him first, he would have answered her honestly. In the end, they were both to me. ¡°But¡­ I didn¡¯t know the Queen Mother felt that way.¡± Above all things, this is what surprised Rihannan the most, the fact that it had happened because the Queen Mother was pressuring him. As far as she knew, the Queen Mother never showed any interest in her rtionship with Igor. She had believed that everything had happened because of her step-sister and her father, but she was wrong. Igor silently shook his head. ¡°Regardless, it¡¯s my fault. I can¡¯t give you any excuses.¡± But, there was still something she couldn¡¯t understand. If Igor¡¯s affair with Leticia wasn¡¯t real, then¡­ why did he leave her on her own after she fell down the stairs? ¡°Why didn¡¯t youe see me after I lost my baby? I¡­ I still wanted to see you, even after that incident. I sent the maid many times to ask you to meet with me, but I was refused every single time.¡± Igor slowly raised his hand and pointed at his head. ¡°Rihannan, back then I got severely injured right here. It even scarred me. Of course, that mark is no longer here.¡± ¡°You were injured?¡± ¡°You weren¡¯t the only person who fell down the stairs. I held you in my arms¡­ and we both fell down.¡± ¡°But I can¡¯t remember that¡­¡± ¡°When I grabbed you, you¡¯d already lost consciousness.¡± Rihannan looked back in her memories of that day. As Igor said, she did lose consciousness after feeling dizzy on top of the stairs. Of course, she wouldn¡¯t be able to remember anything of what happened soon after. ¡°At that moment, I rolled down the stairs and suffered a blow to the head. I didn¡¯t wake up until ten dayster. And when I woke up¡­¡± he let out a sigh. Then, he slowly talked of that terrible memory that was deeply rooted in his brain. ¡°You had been incarcerated. Leticia told me she gave you poison, so I immediately went after you, but¡­ it was already toote. You were dead, and there was nothing I could do.¡± ¡°¡­why was I put in prison?¡± Rihannan¡¯s eyes teared up. ¡°If it wasn¡¯t you who framed me for working with the enemy, who did?¡± Igor stared into Rihannan¡¯s blue eyes. There was rage within them. He couldn¡¯t bare it for long, so he lowered his head. Rihannan could tell that Igor felt guilty, so she couldn¡¯t understand what he meant when he said it wasn¡¯t him who put her in prison. ¡°Just tell me who gave the order¡­¡± Then, Rihannan realized something. Back then, there was only one person who had the same authority as the king. Only one person¡­ who could shape the kingdom at her will while the King and Queen were in such predicament. ¡°There is no way¡­¡± Rihannan shook her head. She had reached an answer she did not want to ept. There was no reason for that person to do what she did to her. That person had always protected her. Even when many others insisted that the King should get rid of her as Queen to find another wife who could actually give birth to an heir, that person stood up for her and protected her. Then¡­ why would that person frame her for a crime she did notmit and have her thrown in jail? ¡°It is not¡­ who I think it is, right? I¡¯m mistaken, right?¡± She desperately wished for Igor to tell her she was wrong, but he remained silently looking at her. His eyes were shaking. Rihannan then remembered the letters used to incriminate her. Her mailbox was filled with letters she¡¯d never seen before. Within, there were many letters from some nobles from Chrichton, but there was one letter in particr that had been sent from Arundell. That was the letter used to prove that Rihannan had sold off secret information to the enemy. That letter had been written on high quality paper, which was only produced in a certain area in Arundell. Since the color and aroma of the paper both exquisite, it was widely used among the female nobility. That letter was filled with numerous national secrets. Rihannan did not know anything of what was written in the letter, but people quickly assumed it had been her. The letter was printed, so she couldn¡¯t even argue that it wasn¡¯t her handwriting. There was only one person among the Royal Family besides herself who also used that same type of paper. The Queen Mother. Even the letters she¡¯d send to her in this life also used that very same paper. Rihannan¡¯s jaw started trembling. What if those letters were the Queen Mother¡¯s? Maybe someone else had stolen the Queen Mother¡¯s letters without her knowing and ced them on Rihannan¡¯s mailbox¡­ At that time, there was only one person could open Rihannan¡¯s mailbox besides herself. Count Egail¡¯s wife. The person who had been herdy in waiting in her past life, appointed by the Queen Mother herself once Rihannan was crowned Queen. Back then, she suspected the Countess, thinking that perhaps she did It under someone¡¯s coercion, or because someone else had bribed her¡­ but that wasn¡¯t the case. The Countess was simply following the orders from her superior. ¡°Ngh¡­!¡± Rihannan quickly covered her mouth, but she couldn¡¯t help her scream of anguish froming out. ¡°Rihannan!¡± Igor rose from his seat immediately. He quickly walked around the coffee table dividing them and grabbed Rihannan¡¯s shoulders. ¡°No. I must know. Now.¡± She shook off his hands and yelled, tears pouring down her eyes. ¡°Tell me, right now. Who was that person, the person that pushed me to my death!¡± Igor¡¯s face contorted horribly, but he remained silent. Just when Rihannan was about to yell again, enraged that he wouldn¡¯t tell her the truth as he¡¯d promised, Igor¡¯s voice finally came out. ¡°The Queen Mother.¡± Rihannan¡¯s face paled. She looked as if she would faint. Igor couldn¡¯t stand looking at her expression anymore and closed his eyes. ¡°The person who framed you and put you in prison was my mother, the Queen Dowager.¡± Chapter 212 Why did you do it? (1) Chapter 212 ¨C Why did you do it? (1) Trantor ¨C Yue T/N: These are memories from Igor¡¯s past life. ¡°Why?! Why did you do it?!¡± After leaving Rihannan¡¯s cold corpse, Igor ran off to find his mother. He was furious. ¡°She just lost her baby but you didn¡¯t care! You didn¡¯t show her any mercy and simply threw her in prison! Why?! I¡¯m asking you, why did you do it?!¡± To anyone it would seem that Rihannan had just witnessed her husband being unfaithful to her. Immediately afterwards she lost her baby in an ident. That would be enough to scar her for life. However, the Queen Mother did not show her any pity nor mercy and had her put in jail. Igor couldn¡¯t believe that his own mother would do such thing. ¡°I¡¯m asking you, why did you do it?¡± Igor grabbed her by the shoulders and shook her. He could barely hold back the urge of strangling her. ¡°You did that! You caused this!¡± the Queen Mother pushed Igor¡¯s hands away and screamed at him. ¡°It was you who forced mi into it. You put me on that spot, and you cut off all possible escape routes around me. Did you ever stop to think how a cornered woman would eventually bite her hunter?¡± ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± Igor whispered, but the Queen Mother¡¯s rage could not be stopped. She continued yelling at him. ¡°The doctor said you¡¯d not wake up again. He said that even if you did, the blow to your head was to severe you would not be able to continue living a normal life. What else could I do in that situation? Everything would be ruined if you died. What else could I have done?!¡± If Igor had died, the crown would go to Count Clovis. That wouldn¡¯t have happened if Rihannan¡¯s son was alive, but the baby did not survive. ¡°Is that why you teamed up with Leticia?¡± ¡°Leticia came looking for me. She said she had your baby in her womb.¡± Igor let out a crazedugh. He could not believe what he was hearing. ¡°My baby? I never slept with her, not even once. How could she have a baby with me?¡± ¡°I knew the child wasn¡¯t yours but it didn¡¯t matter. Leticia was pregnant and everyone knew that you¡¯d been unfaithful to Rihannan with her.¡± Igor¡¯s face froze. He could now piece together his mother¡¯s ns. ¡°Anyone would believe that Leticia¡¯s child is really yours. It doesn¡¯t matter who¡¯s the real father. If a baby was born from a woman who had an affair with the King, everyone would automatically assume that it is from your seed. The problem is¡­¡± ¡°Even if that child was born, it would be a bastard.¡° ¡°That¡¯s right. Even if everyone agreed that it is a baby born from your seed, he¡¯d lose the right to the throne if he was born a bastard. That¡¯s why, I had no other choice. I did what I did to Rihannan¡­¡± The Queen Dowager covered her face with shaking hands. ¡°I had no other way of crowning Leticia Queen as soon as possible. To do so, I had to get rid of Rihannan, strip her from her title as Queen¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s why, even if it was you who provided Chrichton with national secrets, you framed Rihannan. You did it to incarcerate her and force her into drinking poison.¡± Igor¡¯s voice had suddenly turned eerily low and menacing. However, the Queen Mother did not realize this yet as she was too busy shaking her head. ¡°No. I did not poison her. Leticia did that on her own without my consent as soon as she found out that you woke up. Please, believe me!¡± ¡°Believe you, uh¡­¡± Aughter exploded throughout the room. Aughter so sinister, void of any other emotion¡­ Only then did the Queen Dowager raise her head to look at Igor¡¯s expression. His gaze was icy and filled with deep hatred. It wasn¡¯t the look of a son towards his own mother. It was a gaze directed at one¡¯s worst enemy. The Queen Mother unconsciously stepped back. ¡°I did not want things to end this way either. You know how much I loved and cared for that girl!¡± she could barely speak, frozen with fear. ¡°If you had only done what I told you, this wouldn¡¯t have happened. If you hadn¡¯t allow rumors of your affair to spread, either, this wouldn¡¯t have happened! In the end, Rihannan¡¯s death is your fault!¡± Did Rihannan really die because of him? Igor thought of this and immediately epted it. His mother was right. Rihannan died because of him. She fell down the stairs because of him, and lost her baby because of him. If she hadn¡¯t lost her baby, then things would have turned out differently. As Queen, she would have been able to retain her power for the sole reason of having the heir within her womb. But the baby was gone, and she died soon afterwards. Because of the rumors with Leticia, he had given his mother an excuse to kill her off. ¡°Do you have any idea how much pain I felt in my heart after making that decision? I treasured that girl above anyone else in the world. I weed her as my own daughter. That¡¯s why I¡¯ve been so kind to her all these years, even if she was infertile. It had not been an easy decision!¡± Her words had some truth in them. The Queen Mother loved Rihannan in her own way. However, she loved power more. She would not let anyone get in between herself and herst chance at keeping power. After all, the reason why she pressured Igor to choose Rihannan and marry her quickly was so they could conceive and heir for her to control. The Queen Mother was blind with avarice, and there was nothing that could blind a person to that point than the desire for something they once had in their grasp, especially if it was that much power. Since the power she had worked so hard to obtain was on the brink of disappearing, the Queen Mother ced her ambitions above the life of any other person. Even the lives of her own son and daughter inw. ¡°I think I can understand you a little better now, mother.¡± Hearing those unexpected words, the Queen Mother felt extremely happy. ¡°Yes, thank you, Igor. Thank you for understanding. Ah, it¡¯s a pity that things turned out this way.¡± there were tears running down her cheeks as she approached Igor. ¡°But I¡¯m d you woke up safe and sound. It¡¯s a pity what happened to Rihannan, but even then, after so long¡­¡± She couldn¡¯t finish her sentence. A long dagger was deeply stuck on the Queen Mother¡¯s stomach. The Queen Mother looked at herself, then at Igor, unable to believe what had happened. ¡°I¡­ Igor¡­¡± ¡°Now I understand I¡¯m exactly like you, mother.¡± Chapter 213 Why did you do it? (2) Chapter 213 ¨C Why did you do it? (2) Trantor ¨C Yue Igor took out the dagger from her stomach. Blood poured everywhere, staining the floor. The Queen Mother let out a pained gasp and copsed. Looking at her lying on the floor, impotent, Igor simply stared at her with no emotion on his face. He whispered ¡°you and I are the same type of person, mother. We can¡¯t forgive anyone who dares take what we desperately want. You wanted the right to the throne and I wanted her. I wanted Rihannan, and you took her from me.¡± The Queen Mother had not always been blinded by power. On her days as princess, she was brilliant and smart. However, to keep the peace in Arundell, she surrendered her crown to Igor. The fact that she could never yield power on her own right ate her from within her mind until she finally went mad. Igor knew that he carried the same madness in him. Once Rihannan died, it all lost meaning. Even when he stared at his hand drenched in his mother¡¯s blood, he didn¡¯t feel any emotion in particr. It was as though he¡¯d turned into apletely different person overnight. He know understood. He could understand the Queen Mother¡¯s mind, which allowed her to kill off many Chrichton Royal Family members, as well as Rihannan. They had the same mind. People didn¡¯t seem like people anymore. If he needed them, he would not kill them. And if he didn¡¯t¡­ did it matter? He could kill off as many people as he liked. They¡¯d all die easily so, what would be the problem? He should have used this method before. ¡°Your Majesty¡­¡± Basil called out for him before entering the room. When he saw the Queen Mother¡¯s bloodied corpse, he fell on his knees. However, he quickly came back to his senses and hurriedly closed the door so nobody could see the corpse. This amused Igor. Seeing Igorughing, Basil felt even more scared. ¡°Your Majesty, why¡­¡± ¡°Clean it up.¡± Igor looked at his mother¡¯s corpse with a chilled expression. ¡°The Queen Mother killed off many members of Chrichton¡¯s Royal Family and tried to hide it as a contagious disease. She then framed the Queen of secretly selling secrets to Chrichton. I took the decision of executing her for her crimes.¡± Basil was shaking with fear at this point. There was no way he could remain calm seeing the bloodied corpse of the Queen Mother and the King who¡¯d just gone mad. ¡°I¡¯ll let everyone know the truth.¡± Basil finally came back to his senses. ¡°¡­everyone? Who¡¯s everyone?¡± ¡°Every person on earth. I¡¯ll tell them the exact reason why the Queen and Queen Mother died.¡± Basil was astonished. ¡°If you do that, there will be war!¡± Even though Arundell and Chrichton shared close diplomatic ties, there was no way they¡¯d remain calm once the news of the Queen Mother poisoning their royalty came to light. What¡¯s more, the Queen¡¯s cousin had recently been named Crown Prince. There was no way Dimitri would remain still upon hearing the truth behind Rihannan¡¯s death. ¡°We¡¯ve worked so hard till now to make sure the Queen Mother¡¯s actions remain hidden¡­ you can¡¯t. If you do that, Arundell will fall.¡± Basil knelt on the ground and pleaded with tears in his eyes. Basil had always been by Igor¡¯s side, so he knew how much pain he¡¯d endured up to now. The pain inflicted by both the Queen Mother and the other nobles. Now that he could really behave properly as King, he wanted to let it all burn to the ground. ¡°Then, let it fall.¡± Igor stepped over the blood puddle on the floor while speaking. ¡°I don¡¯t care.¡± ** After that fateful day, a bloodshed swept through Arundell. Igor first incarcerated all the people involved in Rihannan¡¯s death. He executed Count Clovis, who had a right to session, and hung his out outside the castle walls. He ordered Count Alessin and Leticia to be cut to pieces, and their remains thrown to hungry beasts. Since the King had gone mad, even killing his own mother without a proper trial, the nobles quickly rebelled against him. However, this rebellion was short lived. Chrichton¡¯s fury soon reached Arundell once the news of the Queen Mother¡¯s deeds spilled all over the continent. Besides, Dimitri demanded blood for the way Rihannan had died. One day, in the middle of all this chaos, Arundel¡¯s misty shores saw Chrichton¡¯s warships approaching. War broke out. For a long time, Arundel became a Battlezone were people killed each other nonstop. Murder fed vengeance, which would in turn keep igniting more murder, and so on, endlessly. The reason why war stopped after almost a year was because the Empire of Toulouse suddenly showed interest in the weakened Chrichton and Arundel. Both sides realized the danger of being simultaneously conquered by Toulouse, so war came to an armistice. Chrichton would have been able to save its dignity had it gained something from Arundel. However, they did not, as they had to stop war and go back to their homnd with empty hands. After the war, people hailed Igor as the King who protected Arundel against the invasion attempt from Chrichton. The people would celebrate him while he stood there atop a hill of corpses and blood. Ironically, Igor managed to learn all of Chrichton¡¯s weaknesses thanks to this war. Therefore, when he dered war upon Chrichton six yearster, he managed to subjugate the nation without much blood spill. *** ¡°So¡­ it was the Queen Mother¡­¡± Rihannan sobbed. Igor looked at her silently while thinking¡­ she wasn¡¯t lying dead on the floor. She was alive, crying in front of him. In this new life, when Rihannan went back in time she did not do anything against the people who led her to her death. She simply left quietly. That¡¯s why Igor was worried. Rihannan did not take any vengeance against anybody. How would she react if she knew he killed numerous people without remorse, like a psychopath? She¡¯d definitely fear him or hate him. He was no different from his mother. Therefore, even though Igor told her everything that happened in their past lives, he could not bring himself to confess to her that he brutally killed his mother, Count Clovis and her family. She was too overwhelmed as she was, so there was no need for her to hear anymore. ¡°And she¡­ put me¡­ in pri¡­¡± Rihannan kept sobbing and crying. Igor reached out a hand slowly. Just when he was about to dry one of Rihannan¡¯s tears as she couldn¡¯t use her own bandaged hands, the doors suddenly burst open. It was the Queen Mother. ¡°Rihannan!¡± Igor was taken aback at her sudden appearance and tried to hurriedly get her out of the room. He saw that Mrs. Cessly was standing right behind her, looking ashamed. Mrs. Cessly shook her head. ¡°I tried stopping her but she is too stubborn¡­¡± The Queen Mother headed towards Rihannan, who was sitting on the couch. Rihannan¡¯s face turned pale when she saw her. The Queen Mother, who had no idea of the burning fury within Rihannan, reached out her hand to her. ¡°I heard the news that you were kidnapped on your way to the Vi. Oh, god, your face¡­ are you alright, my daughter?¡± Before she could touch her, Igor quickly stood in between and blocked her out of Rihannan¡¯s sight. ¡°We¡¯ll speakter. Leave now, please.¡± ¡°Stand aside, Igor. I need to personally verify that both Rihannan and the child are safe.¡± ¡°Mother!¡± Igor roared. ¡°Why did you do it?¡± A small voice came from behind Igor. Rihannan slowly rose from her seat, her teary eyes burning with blue mes. She yelled ¡°Why did you do that to me? What have I ever done to you?!¡± Igor held Rihannan as she approached the Queen Mother. She tried shaking him off with all her strength but couldn¡¯t. He was holding on to her tightly. The Queen Mother was astounded at Rihannan¡¯s expression. She couldn¡¯t grasp the situation. ¡°Rihannan, what are you talking about? What have I¡­¡± ¡°When I lost my own mother, you said you¡¯d be a mother to me from now on. I believed those words. I never doubted you, not even for a second! But you! You crushed me under your feet! Do you feel any remorse of guilt of what you¡¯ve done? What did I mean to you?¡± Igor turned Rihannan¡¯s head and buried her face on his chest. He then looked at his mother and pleaded ¡°Please, leave the room, now! Mother, please!¡± The Queen Dowager kept her lips sealed tightly. Seeing Rihannan in a deep state of panic, she realized that there was nothing she could do by stubbornly staying there. Once the Queen Mother left the room, Rihannan felt her strength leaving her body. She sobbed on Igor¡¯s chest. ¡°Did my past life have any meaning?¡± Those words were like a stake to Igor¡¯s heart. Igor wanted to tell her that she was the most important thing in his life above anything else in the world. But that wasn¡¯t something that a man who¡¯d previously ignored her to the point of causing her death could say to her. What¡¯s more, it wouldn¡¯t be of any help at the moment. ¡°So now I can confirm once more that my life has no meaning.¡± Rihannan¡¯s voice faded slowly. She closed her eyes and copse on Igor¡¯s arms. ¡°Rihannan?¡± Her forehead was covered in cold sweat. Her face was pale, as though there was no blood flowing in her veins. She looked as though she¡¯d die at any moment. Igor screamed while hugging her body. ¡°A doctor, call a doctor! Now!¡± Chapter 214 This time, Ill be by your side Chapter 214 ¨C This time, I¡¯ll be by your side Trantor ¨C Yue Rihanna¡¯s face was as pale as a sheet. She was lying in bed while a doctor was examining her for the second time. ¡°Both the mother and child are fine, you don¡¯t have to worry so much about them.¡± Igor let out a relieved sigh. However, he still looked anxiously at the doctor while waiting for the examination to finish. ¡°However, you must let the Queen rest without anyplications from now on, regardless of what happens.¡± ¡°Will she be ok if she rests?¡± ¡°Yes. Please, do not give any additional stress to the Queen such as now. Of course, she must rest her body as well.¡± When the doctor left, Igor, Basil and Mrs. Cessly moved to the adjacent room, where they sat silently for a while. Basil and Mrs. Cessly would asionally steal some nces at Igor, but none of them dared say anything. They couldn¡¯t really tell what Igor was thinking from his stoic expression alone. In the end, Mrs. Cessly couldn¡¯t stand the silence any longer and lightly stepped on Basil¡¯s foot. Basil gave her an annoyed re and cleared his throat, but before he could say anything, Igor spoke first. ¡°Danil Lyurik¡¯s corpse. Did you get rid of it?¡± Basil was actually quite happy of being asked about this topic rather than something else, so he replied enthusiastically. If it was something rted to work, he¡¯d happily speak of the issue at length. ¡°We¡¯ve seized the body for now. We tried to keep alive some of his subordinates, but they allmitted suicide. We were nning on sparing at least one¡­ but it was not possible. It seems like they¡¯d nned on killing themselves anyway incase their n failed.¡± ¡°¡­and the Crown Prince will pretend he knew nothing of this.¡± That was quite clear from the looks of it. Since the n failed, they all sealed their lips forever. Even If Igor demandedpensation from Chrichton for this murder attempt, they¡¯d only pretend that it was all Danil¡¯s idea, and that they had nothing to do with it. ¡°But we cannot let this slide. Regardless of what happens, we must demand an appropriatepensation for the Queen¡¯s assassination attempt!¡± Mrs. Cessly spoke those words in a fit of fury but Basil knew best. The Crown Prince would not admit to his crimes, so the only way for Chrichton to pay an appropriatepensation would be through war. War wasn¡¯t a trivial matter. People would only go to war once they¡¯ve epted to sacrifice many lives in the process. The fact that they were victorious during the first war with almost no casualties could only be considered a miracle. But this time it would be different. The Queen was had Chrichton blood on her. If she tried seeking revenge for what they did to her, it would only put her in a more unfortunate position. ¡°We¡¯ll make sure they pay the appropriate price.¡± A low growl came from Igor¡¯s mouth. Basil felt frightened by Igor¡¯s words. He thought that perhaps the King had lost his senses because of what happened to his Queen. ¡°Your Majesty, war is not a joke¡­¡± ¡°That man will definitely pay for what he¡¯s done. And I¡¯ll make sure he pays the price I want.¡± Oh. Igor didn¡¯t mean war. Basil didn¡¯t know what he wanted, but it seemed like he had a n. ¡°I understand.¡± ¡°Make sure to follow the appropriate measures to deal with this issue. There¡¯s no need to go out and attack them if they don¡¯t want to admit their crimes.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°Make sure Count Clovis and Leticia¡¯s trials go smoothly. There¡¯s no need to hold them back any longer.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± ¡°Also, for a while, I¡¯ll personally take care of Rihannan.¡± Mrs. Cessly¡¯s eyes widened with surprise. ¡°Take care of her? Your Majesty, will you look after the Queen yourself?¡± ¡°I won¡¯t only take care of her till she recovers. I will also be by her side and take care of her every need. So, Basil, please take care of everything in my stead for the time being. Postpone any important issue all you can, unless it¡¯s an emergency.¡± Basil was also surprised, but simply nodded. ¡°Understood.¡± ¡°But, Your Majesty¡­¡± Mrs. Cessly was still worried. ¡°I understand you are concerned, but I¡¯m afraid you¡¯ll harm your own health like this. If I did anything wrong to displease you, please¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m not doing this because I¡¯m angry at you.¡± Igor smiled bitterly. ¡°There was a time in the past in which Rihannan suffered a lot, much more pain than one would suffer in a lifetime. Back then, I was not by her side to take care of her. If things take an unexpected turn¡­ then, there would be consequences, if you understand what I mean.¡± Even though the doctor had clearly said that there would not be any issues as long as Rihannan got some rest, Igor was worried. Rihannan had never had a peaceful day in her life, not a single day in which she could be absolutely rxed andfortable. What¡¯s more, the memory of losing their child from their past life was still haunting Igor¡¯s mind, so he was deeply paranoid of the same events repeating again. He had no power to stop the probability of Rihannan losing her child in this lifetime due to stress. However, he knew that this time he could at least be by her side. If she miscarried again, then this time he¡¯d at least be by her side to share the grief rather than letting her wallow in pain all by herself. Mrs. Cessly bowed to Igor. ¡°Yes, Your Majesty. I¡¯ll follow your orders.¡± Once both Basil and Mrs. Cessly left the room, Igor went back to Rihannan. He looked at her sleeping face for a while. It seemed as though she¡¯d fall deeper into her bed till she eventually disappearedpletely. This illusion was reinforced by her pale white face and her flowing silver hair. Igor spent the whole day by Rihannan¡¯s side. Time went by, night arrived and the moonlight illuminated their room. While Igor observed Rihannan as quietly as he could, barely moving and trying to mute his own breathing, he fervently wished for this tranquility to never end. If Rihannan lost her child again, their rtionship would crumble irreparably forever. Even if Igor wanted to selfishly hold on to her for himself, he wouldn¡¯t have any reason nor right to force her against her will. Rihannan had originally wished to leave this country with her baby after learning that Igor had also turned back in time. She had also fainted after hearing the truth of her past life. Would her heart ever heal after all these? ¡°Mmmgh¡­¡± Just then, a low moan escaped her lips. Rihannan opened her eyes slowly while Igor approached her. ¡°Rihannan, are you awake?¡± Her half-asleep eyes darted to him. After staring intently at him for a while, her face contorted in fear and horror. ¡°No!¡± Rihannan deliriously tried getting up from bed to escape Igor. ¡°Rihannan?¡± ¡°No!¡± Igor grabbed Rihannan by her shoulders and locked her in his embrace in an attempt to calm her down. However, she was still trembling with fear. ¡°So¡­ so much blood¡­¡± ¡°Blood? there¡¯s no blood. You fainted and lost consciousness for a while, that¡¯s it.¡± Rihannan fiercely shook her head. ¡°No! I definitely say blood! I saw a lot of blood flowing from between my legs after I fell¡­¡± Only then did Igor realize that Rihannan was confusing reality with a dream. He bit his lips, took Rihannan¡¯s hand and carefully ced it on her stomach. ¡°Feel it yourself. Your baby is still safe and sound inside you.¡± Rihannan began rubbing her belly, Igor¡¯s hand still covering hers. Seeing as she was calming down a bit, Igor said. ¡°However, the doctor specifically said you must be careful. It will be best if you rest in bed for the time being.¡± Rihannan looked at Igor for a while when tears suddenly dropped down her cheeks. ¡°This is all my fault.¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t your fault that you fell down the stairs. It was my ipetence. I should have made sure that my mother could not enter our room and¡­ I was careless again.¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s not the problem.¡± Rihannan sobbed loudly. ¡°Actually, I can¡¯t stop thinking I don¡¯t need this child. I can¡¯t take him with me nor take care of him as he grows up, so I feel like I shouldn¡¯t develop any attachment to him. I¡¯ve tried¡­ I¡¯ve tried not developing any feelings for this baby while thinking that. Even if it was for the best, I kept thinking that I would get rid of this baby soon¡­ I thought that even from the early stages of pregnancy¡­¡± Igor¡¯s expression turned dark. The fear she¡¯d been feeling all this time was caused by him since he was the one who told her she¡¯d have to leave the baby behind if she were to leave for Chrichton. Rihannan continued crying on the bed. Igor wanted to tell her to stop crying since it would be harmful for the baby, but he stopped himself. He knew she¡¯d me herself even more if he said that. ¡°Rihannan¡±. Igor reached out his hand carefully. He thought she¡¯d push him away, but instead, she grabbed his hand quickly and held on firmly. She raised her voice while crying. ¡°I¡¯m scared. I¡¯m scared of losing this baby again, just like back then.¡± ¡°That will not happen. The doctor said it will be alright.¡± Igor dried the tears from her cheeks. ¡°There was blood flowing nonstop in my dream, but there was nothing I could do about it so I tried looking for you. I was running around, hating you and cursing your name when I woke up. I didn¡¯t know¡­ all this time, I didn¡¯t know you also suffered while being unable toe see me.¡± ¡°This time, I¡¯ll be by your side. Always. I will not leave you alone, so rx and have some rest.¡± Rihannan nodded. Her blue eyes, wet with tears, simply stared at him in silence for a while. Then, her eyes started slowly closing. Little by little, she fell deeper into her slumber. Igor tried letting go of her hand so she could sleep morefortably but even deep asleep, Rihannan would not let go of him. Igor gave up on letting go of her hand and simplyid down next to her. He turned his head to look at her, closed his eyes and thought ¡°What can I do for her from now on?¡± Chapter 215 I wish to see her Chapter 215 ¨C I wish to see her Trantor ¨C Yue Rihannan kept having the same nightmare over and over again. Before she only dreamt of falling down the stairs but now, the dream would go on and she¡¯d see herself at the bottom of the stairs with blood flowing between her legs. Every time she saw this, she knew the baby she was carrying inside her was probably dying and, since she was only human, there was nothing she could do against it. ¡°Igor!¡± She reached out her hands. She felt that if Igor could only hold her now, her pain and suffering would slowly go away. But she knew. She knew that Igor was nowhere around. Even if she went looking for him with blood running down her legs, he wouldn¡¯t show his face. He wouldn¡¯t even tell her why he didn¡¯t want to see her anymore. Her wish to see her husband soon turned to desperation. Just when she was about to drop her hand, she felt someone pulling her firmly. ¡°Rihannan.¡± When she opened her eyes, his face was in front of her. While she wandered between the limits of dream and reality, Igor held her firmly in his arms. A gently hand caressed her tangled hair. ¡°You are having a bad dream again. You and your baby are fine, don¡¯t worry.¡± ¡°A dream¡­¡± ¡°Yes. A bad dream. A dream of a past that¡¯s already disappeared, gone. There is no chance of the same thing happening again.¡± Rihannan remembered the words he¡¯d once told her in her past life, long ago. That he¡¯d always be by her side, that he would not leave her on her own. It was a promised he¡¯d said over and over again but this time, he was actually keeping his word. Whenever she was in pain or felt confused, she¡¯d wake up to Igor¡¯s voice by her side telling her that it was all a bad dream and that everything would be alright. A week like this passed by. Every single day, Igor would lie with her in bed, holding her in his arms and gently waking her up from her nightmares, telling her that everything was alright. He¡¯d also personally cook her meals. After a while, when the doctor realized that Igor wouldn¡¯t even let Rihannan leave her bed, he tried scolding Igor saying that there was no need to exaggerate, but quickly shut his mouth upon seeing Igor¡¯s deadly gaze. In a way, it seemed like Igor was quite happy taking care of Rihannan on his own. As time went by, Rihannan¡¯s health slowly starting stabilizing again. She didn¡¯t have any more nightmares, either. She finally made peace with the fact that this life was quite different from her past. The baby in her womb was growing strong, and Igor would constantly take care of her, never leaving her side. It was as though he was ovepensating for what he¡¯d done to her in the past. One day, when Rihannan woke up from a short nap, she saw that Igor was still by her side in bed taking care of her. He was caressing the back of her hand with his thumb while absentmindedly staring out the window. When Rihannan looked at wherever Igor was looking at so intently, she realized that there was a heavy downpour outside, and that the rain was crashing against the windows. She wondered what he was thinking of. He looked as though he was somewhere else, in another time. His gaze was so out of focus, lost somewhere, that she found it hard to speak. ¡°Did you wake up?¡± A short whileter, Igor turned back to her when he realized she was awake. His lost gaze quickly focused on her face. He smiled. ¡°You are hungry, right? I¡¯ll order some food for you right away.¡± Under Igor¡¯s care, Rihannan had been sleeping and eating quite well. Thanks to that, her face color improved a lot and she even managed to gain some weight. However, Rihannan was aware of how Igor was clearly leaving aside his responsibilities as King. Besides, seeing as he was always awake whenever she opened her eyes, she was sure that Igor hadn¡¯t sleeping well in a long time. ¡°I don¡¯t want to eat anything right now. More than that, is it ok for you to be here like this?¡± Igor looked at her with confussion. ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± ¡°I¡¯m asking If it¡¯s ok for you to be here for so long without caring for the Nation¡¯s issues.¡± Hearing her exnation, heughed it off. ¡°Rihannan, all this time I¡¯ve doing my best to make sure that nothing gets out of control in case something sudden urs to me. After all, I don¡¯t want the oue of our past life to repeat itself again. There won¡¯t be any issues even if I¡¯m not there myself to deal with things for a while.¡± ¡°What will happen if something happens to you?¡± ¡°Well, first, there are two scenarios, depending on whether you have the baby or not.¡± Igor lowered his gaze as he kept exining. ¡°If we hadn¡¯t had this baby and you wished to get out of this country immediately, you could. Regardless of where you¡¯d want to go, be it Chrichton or somewhere else, it doesn¡¯t matter. Basil would escort you.¡± ¡°And if I have my son?¡± ¡°If you have a son, the moment I¡¯m unable to make more decisions for this Nation, you¡¯d be the highest authority effective immediately. I left a will so that my mother would not be able toy a single finger on you. I also left a list of nobles who¡¯d help you. Also, since Basil has been by my side all this time, he knows everything there is to know so he¡¯d help you, too. He¡¯s the most talented person I have, and also the most trustworthy.¡± In their past life, the moment Igor lost consciousness, all power went straight to the Queen Dowager¡¯s hands. That¡¯s why Rihannan couldn¡¯t do anything to avoid being incriminated by her. It seemed like Igor hadid out this n specifically in case something like this happened again. ¡°¡­I see.¡± Rihannan didn¡¯t think that Igor would n so far ahead. She soon realized that Igor had actually given much thought to what would happen in the far future, much more than she could have possibly anticipated. ¡°¡­did the Queen Mother say anything about me?¡± Rihannan had yelled at her about things that the Queen Mother couldn¡¯t possibly know of in this life. She¡¯d certainly be confused of the things Rihannan had said. She might even think that Rihannan had gone mad. ¡°It seems like she only thinks you lost your senses for a while due to the stress of being kidnapped. She things you said those things while being deeply confused and traumatized, so you don¡¯t have to worry much about it.¡± Rihannan could finally understand why Igor got so mad that one time she went to visit the Queen Mother without telling him. Knowing what he did of the evil deeds the Queen Dowager hadmitted in her past life, it was no wonder he wanted to avoid Rihannan getting close to her. ¡°What will happen now with Leticia?¡± Igor¡¯s face suddenly turned somber. As he kept silent, Rihannan spoke again. ¡°It¡¯s alright. Just tell me. I need to know.¡± ¡°As you were recovering your strength, a trial was held against her.¡± Igor found it hard to continue speaking. ¡°For the two murders she¡¯smitted, and for the two times she¡¯s tried killing you, she¡¯s been sentenced to death. If Count Clovis hadn¡¯t testified against her, the trial would have gone on for a while. Since she was actually caught in the act of trying to murder you, there was more than enough prove against her so the trial ended quite quickly. She¡¯ll be beheaded.¡± Rihannan already knew something like this would happen, so she wasn¡¯t too surprised by the news. After thinking silently for a while, she dered. ¡°I wish to see her.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not possible.¡± Igor¡¯s expression changed to fear. Maybe since he saw how much seeing the Queen Mother had affected her, he had the clear resolution of not letting her meet up with Leticia, regardless of the circumstances. ¡°There¡¯s something I want to say to Leticia in person.¡± ¡°Do you know what that woman did to you in your final moments?¡± Igor grid his teeth. ¡°She gave you the type of poison that would give you the most painful death of all. Just to make sure that you¡¯d die as quickly as possible.¡± Rihannan remembered the indescribable pain she went through as she died and her face paled immediately. She¡¯d already had an idea when she saw the poison Danil had given her, but now she was reconfirming her suspicions. Leticia had actually hated her till herst breath with every single fiber of her being. ¡°I need to see her, regardless.¡± ¡°Rihannan!¡± ¡°This time, I will not do things like fainting. My body has healed and, what¡¯s more, Leticia would never dare to harm me in this state.¡± Rihannan smiled a little. It was a smile Igor hadn¡¯t seen in a while. ¡°I¡¯ve never asked you anything, not even once, right? I would really like you to grant me this wish. My first andst with to you.¡± Chapter 216 You havent changed at all Chapter 216 ¨C You haven¡¯t changed at all Trantor ¨C Yue Prison was just like Rihannan remembered. Dark, humid and cold. A ce where you¡¯d put the people the world¡¯s has thrown to the trash. Rihannan trembled for a second while remembering herst time in this ce but quickly got back on her feet. She wouldn¡¯t allow herself to be consumed by nightmares from her past anymore. After all, what she went through in this ce, theoretically, never actually happened. Leticia was sitting in a corner of her dark room burrowed into a ball. Her face was buried between her knees. As soon as she heard noises from the outside, she quickly lifter her face and looked straight into Rihannan¡¯s direction. When she recognized her, mes burned in her eyes. ¡°You!¡± Leticia immediately sprang towards her cell bars. She reached out her hands between the iron bars trying to reach her. ¡°It was you, wasn¡¯t it? You did this to me, right? You are the one¡­¡± The red hair that everyone once hailed for its immacte beauty was now tangled up, and her once hypnotic face was now contorted and wrinkled like that of a demon. Rihannan looked at the Leticia in front of her. She thought that once she saw Leticia she¡¯d feel fear, likest time, or that at least she¡¯d feel angry at her. However, contrary to her own expectations, she didn¡¯t feel anything towards her half-sister. She just thought it was quite ironic that their positions had switched so much between this life and the past. ¡°Look at me now¡­ this is all your fault!¡± ¡°It isn¡¯t my fault, Leticia. You¡¯ve earned it yourself with everything you¡¯ve done.¡± Hearing Rihannan¡¯s calm voice, Leticia¡¯s bloodshot eyes opened wide, inmed with fury. ¡°Shut up! If you hadn¡¯t thrown me out in the first ce¡­¡± ¡°You might not remember, but I did let you in in the past.¡± ¡°You let me in? What do you mean, ¡®you let me in¡¯? The first day I went to that house you threw me out!¡± ¡°No. In the beginning I most definitely epted you and let you in. Of course, I didn¡¯t really want to, but since you were my sister, I thought I should treat you with kindness.¡± ¡°What nonsense are you talking about?¡± ¡°Leticia, six years ago you killed me in this prison after I drank the poison you gave me.¡± Leticia¡¯s lips remained closed for a while. She looked at Rihannan, confused, then let out an incredulousugh. ¡°You¡¯ve gone mad! You say you died after drinking the poison I gave you? Are you listening to yourself?¡± ¡°When I drank the poison you gave me and died, I woke up again as I was at twelve years old. I went back in time to the same day you came to my house.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve been saying these crazy stories like a madwoman for a while. Just tell me the truth. You came here tough at me! You came here to make fun of how low I¡¯ve fallen!¡± ¡°Whether you believe me or not doesn¡¯t matter. I just wanted to say that, that you were given one chance to change your life.¡± Rihannan¡¯s face turned somber. ¡°Even in the past you¡¯ve always been greedy of anything I had. You wanted to rece me as Queen and to keep my husband to yourself. When things didn¡¯t end up the way you wanted, you gave me poison. In this life, you definitely had the chance to change, to be better¡­ but you wasted your one chance and now you are trapped in this cell, awaiting your own death.¡± ¡°Does the King know you¡¯ve gone crazy? Hahaha, the things I would do just to see his reaction once he finds out!¡± Rihannan didn¡¯t answer back. She simply looked at theughing Leticia. Just when Leticia was about to scream at Rihannan again, a human figure emerged from the darkest corner of the room. As soon as he walked under the light, Leticia realized who he was and immediately calmed down. ¡°Your Majesty¡­¡± Leticia suddenly remembered herst moments with him and automatically backed away from the cell bars. She was shaking with fear, but nheless she gathered the little strength she had to yell. ¡°Did you hear her? The crazy story that she spewed out her mouth? That she¡¯d died ande back to life. What do you think of that? Did you already know that she¡¯d gone mad?¡± Leticia thought that since Igor had heard himself the craziness Rihannan had just said, he¡¯d show some sort of emotion, at least. She definitely thought that Igor would look at Rihannan as though she was a madwoman, just like she¡¯d done. However, unlike what she¡¯d anticipated, he only focused his icy purple gaze on Leticia herself. ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear her? This woman ispletely mad! She said she¡¯d died ande back to life!¡± Instead of worrying about the Queen going crazy, the King simply stood beside his Queen. He gently pulled Rihannan to his side by cing his arm around her shoulders. Regardless of how you¡¯d look at it, it definitely looked as though he was protecting his Queen. Leticia realized that something was off. No way. Did he actually¡­ believe her? How could he buy such nonsense¡­? Then, Leticia remembered something Igor himself had told her. The words he¡¯d said to her that she did not understand back then. You¡¯ve really haven¡¯t changed at all! You are still as vile and repugnant! Your tendency of lusting after other people¡¯s belongings hasn¡¯t changed at all. Had I known six years ago that you¡¯d still be like this, I would have killed you right away!¡± ¡°Six years ago¡­¡± Leticia mustered to herself with a trembling voice. He¡¯d definitely said that. He¡¯d said he¡¯d have killed her six years ago. That meant there could only be two possibilities. One, they are both crazy or, two, they are telling the truth. Leticia felt her strength leave her body and copsed on the floor. While her mind was still filled with confusion, Rihannan slowly approached her. ¡°The only difference between you and us is that we both still retain the memories of our past lives.¡± Leticia bit her lips and violently shook her head. Tears were flowing out her eyes. ¡°Then this is unfair. If what you are saying is true, then of course you¡¯d both have an advantage since you still have your memories.¡± ¡°If you had your past life memories, would you have done things differently? would you have changed?¡± ¡°Of course! If I had known everything that was about to happen, I would have acted differently!¡± ¡°Leticia, what do you think you would have done if you had kept your memories?¡± ¡°Well, of course I¡¯d¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯d get rid of any obstacle in your path. A human being or whatever, you¡¯d have gotten rid of anything that stood in your path.¡± Rihannan smiled bitterly. ¡°How would that be different from your current life?¡± Leticia realized that Rihannan was right. If she went back in time with her memories intact, she¡¯d have definitely lead a simr life. She knew that better than anyone else. ¡°If you had known what the future had in store, you¡¯d have killed both father and I much sooner. However, even if you did that, the final oue wouldn¡¯t have changed much. You yourself hasn¡¯t changed, so it would be no different if you lived again.¡± ¡°Who are you to talk and talk, as if you knew everything!¡± Leticia screamed while she cried. Even if Rihannan pretended to stand on a higher moral ground, she was born as the daughter of a respectable noble family. Rihannan even lived in double the luxury as soon as she became Queen. On the other hand¡­ what about herself? What type of life did she live? She¡¯s been through hell ever since she was born because of her illegitimacy. Everything was Rihannan¡¯s mother¡¯s fault! ¡°You¡¯ve never experienced any humiliation nor disdain from anybody in your whole life! You¡¯ve never known what it¡¯s like to be poor! Can you even imagine what it¡¯s like to live with a father that¡¯s gone mad because of gambling?¡± ¡°Is that why you killed father with poison?¡± ¡°It¡¯s true, I did kill him, but I had no choice!¡± ¡°No, Leticia. You definitely had a choice. Not everybody solves their problems with murder. You simply didn¡¯t bother trying to find another way. You¡¯ve just given poor excuses for your crimes.¡± Rihannan continued bluntly reprimanding Leticia with her icy voice. ¡°It¡¯s also silly of you to be mad at me for kicking you out of my house. You ruined your own life yourself, but you¡¯ll probably never admit it. Yes, I know that what I¡¯m saying makes no sense to you.¡± Rihannan looked at Leticia intently for a while, then continued. ¡°Tomorrow you¡¯ll be sentenced to death by beheading.¡± Leticia¡¯s face, which was filled with malice and hatred, suddenly became pale, void of any emotion. ¡°Beheading?¡± ¡°I heard that the evidence against your attempts of murdering me were so conclusive that the verdict was proimed quite quickly.¡± Leticia looked at Rihannan with fear in her eyes. Nobody could hide their fears in the face of imminent death. ¡°I¡¯ll give you a choice.¡± Igor, who was standing by Rihannan¡¯s side, frowned but kept his mouth shut. He didn¡¯t really like Rihannan¡¯s decision. Rihannan took out a crystal bottle from her pocket. It was the same bottle Danil had given her. ¡°You¡¯re still my sister, after all. Even if you hate me to the extreme, I do not wish for things to end in a sour way. That¡¯s why, for my sake, and for the sake of the child inside me, I want to give you my condolences.¡± Leticia¡¯s gaze shifted to Rihannan¡¯s belly. As she saw her caressing her belly with tenderness and care, her hatred was ignited once more. ¡°Are you pregnant?¡± ¡°Yes. I once lost this child in my past life because of you, but he¡¯s growing strong now.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°In my past life, the poison you gave me caused me unimaginable pain before I finally died. However, I do not wish to do the same to you. This is a different kind of poison. I can¡¯t guarantee you won¡¯t feel pain, but at least it will be better than being beheaded.¡± ¡°Why are you saying all these? ording to you, I did awful things to you in the past.¡± ¡°¡­do you know thest thing I said to you after you gave me the poison?¡± ¡°How could I possibly know!¡± ¡°I said I was thankful.¡± Leticia¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°What?¡± ¡°I felt thankful since I was able to die on my own in this ce rather than going through the shame of being executed in front of arge crowd. Of course, you didn¡¯t quite say it that way, but in any case, you gave me a choice and I was truly grateful for it. I also thought that you didn¡¯t wish for my dead to be an amusement for arge crowd.¡± Rihannan opened her hand and showed her the crystal bottle. ¡°The choice is yours. What will you do?¡± Leticia¡¯s eyes, which were burning with fury, suddenly turned calm and cold. In the blink of an eye, a deep bitterness took hold of her face. ¡°Thank you, sister.¡± Leticia slowly got back on her feet. She dried her eyes and approached Rihannan. ¡°Thank you for offering me yourpassion after all the things I¡¯ve done to you. Even if I die, I will not forget the kindness you¡¯ve shown me.¡± Leticia reached out both hands through the iron bars. Rihannan stepped closer to her so she could hand over the bottle of poison while Igor watched worriedly. Then, when Leticia grabbed the bottle with one hand, she crashed it with all her might against the cell bars while grabbing Rihannan by the neck with her free hand. Fragments of ss shattered on the floor, but thergest shard remained firmly grasped in Leticia¡¯s hand. ¡°Die!¡± Just when the bloodied ss shard was about to stab Rihannan¡¯s neck, Igor quickly reacted and pulled her body backwards into his arms. ¡°Rihannan!¡± Igor barely managed to snatch Rihannan out of Leticia¡¯s grasp on time. As soon as he held her, he looked at her neck, making sure she had no injury. Once he saw with his own eyes that she was alright, he let out a relieved sigh. If he hadn¡¯t been on his toes the whole time, he might have been too slow and the sharp ss de would have caused a fatal injury on Rihannan¡¯s neck. Igor¡¯s enraged eyes immediately shifted towards Leticia. ¡°You¡­¡± Chapter 217 Father Chapter 217 ¨C Father Trantor ¨C Yue Igor grid his teeth while he took out his sword. Beforeing down here, when Rihannan told him she¡¯d nned on giving her poison, he firmly opposed her. Perhaps he would have considered it if it had been the same poison Leticia had used, but Rihannan was actually nning on giving her a peaceful dead. That¡¯s why Igor adamantly opposed. However, the only person who had the right to decide Leticia¡¯s demise was Rihannan herself. If that was what she wanted, nobody had the right to stop her. Therefore, Rihannan offered her kindness to Leticia until the veryst moment, but her half-sister insisted on stepping on her good heart. Now, Igor definitely could not forgive her. ¡°If you want to die so badly, then I¡¯ll kill you here, right now. Just like I did back then.¡± He was nning on killing her the exact same way he did in his past life. First, he¡¯d cut off her fingers and ears¡­ then, he¡¯d go on with her limbs. He¡¯d make her suffer as much as possible till herst breath¡­ She¡¯d be the one begging him to behead her once and for all. ¡°Open the doors!¡± Upon the King¡¯s orders, the prison officer standing guard outside hurriedly came into the room. When he was about to insert the key on the cell doll, Rihannan stood on his way. ¡°Step aside, Rihannan.¡± Igor warned Rihannan with a strange chilly expression on his face, but Rihannan simply shook her head. ¡°Enough. You don¡¯t need to soil your hands.¡± ¡°Rihannan!¡± ¡°Since Leticia turned down my offer, she¡¯ll be publicly beheaded tomorrow morning. After all, that will be an even more humiliating death for her.¡± Igor was still resentful of Leticia, but he backed off as Rihannan had asked. Rihannan turned once more towards her step-sister, facing her. Everything had happened so quickly¡­ when the fact that she¡¯d failed onest time to kill off Rihannan finally sunk into Leticia¡¯s mind, she started crying. Rihannan didn¡¯t even bother trying to understand the reason behind her tears. She finally understood that there was no need to bother with that. ¡°Since everything is over for you, I¡¯ll tell you something you didn¡¯t know.¡± ¡°Something I don¡¯t know?¡± ¡°My mother never seduced a man who was already promised to someone else.¡± ¡°¡­what?¡± ¡°My father met my mother for the first time at a ball. As a member of the neighboring country¡¯s Royal Family, he met with the woman who came from a noble family close to the Queen Mother, the person who held the most power at the time. What do you think dad thought when he met her?¡± ¡°What are you trying to say¡­?¡± ¡°That man hid the fact that he¡¯d already promised a future together to another woman, and seduced my mother with sweet words. Since she was innocent, my mother fell for his lies. When she finally found out he was actually engaged to someone else, she was already pregnant with me. Mother thought father would break off his engagement with your mother, that¡¯s why she married him. If she hadn¡¯t, I would have been born an illegitimate child.¡± ¡°¡­L-lies!¡± ¡°But even after marriage, father continued visiting your mother. When my mother found out your mother was pregnant with you in her belly, to protect her family, she tried bribing your mother with money to send her off somece far away. Father resented my mother for doing that.¡± ¡°What madness are you saying now?!¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t know any of these either in my past life. After all, mother never told me anything when she was alive. Perhaps she thought I¡¯d be hurt if I knew the truth. I finally found out the truth when I was in Chrichton. In the end, father lied to us all.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no way. There¡¯s no way he¡¯d lied to me¡­¡± ¡°Leticia. You are aware, aren¡¯t you? About the type of person father was?¡± A tear fell down to the floor from Leticia¡¯s chin. Looking at Leticia, Rihannan felt strong enough to speak her mind, so she spoke coldly. ¡°Your execution will take ce tomorrow, as scheduled.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Rihannan!¡± Leticia grabbed the cold iron bars and begged. ¡°I was wrong, so please, save me. I was simply jealous!¡± Leticia screamed desperately while she cried. ¡°Seeing you standing atop the stairs of a huge mansion, surrounded by many servants¡­ you looked beautiful, like a princess. But since you kicked me out so coldly, I¡­¡± ¡°You took everything away from me in my past life. Beautiful dresses and jewelry¡­ you even took away my father¡¯s love. But, what did you do afterwards?¡± ¡°But you said you became Queen in your past life! That¡¯s something I can¡¯t achieve regardless of how much effort I put in¡­ If I had been born in your position¡­¡± ¡°Then you¡¯d have been jealous of whomever had a better standing that you. You¡¯d have hated that person and lusted after whatever they had that made them better than you. Am I wrong?¡± Seeing that Leticia was losing her strength, Rihannan continued reprimanding her coldly. ¡°Mydy-in-waiting once told me that in this world there¡¯s always people like poisonous nts. Even if said nts grew up in fertile soil, they¡¯ll still be poisonous and they¡¯ll never change their nature. That¡¯s why, now I understand¡­ there¡¯s also people in this world that will never change, regardless of what happens. I¡¯m sure you are one of those people.¡± Rihannan paused for a moment, deep in thought. Then, she finished saying ¡°You, who resemble a poisonous flower, ruined yourself in the end.¡± Leticia¡¯s hands, which were tightly gripping on the iron bars, slowly lost force and started sliding down to the floor. Rihannan turned her back on her and the King escorted his Queen out, his hand gently resting on her back. Neither of them bothered to give Leticia ast nce. Once they both left, the room turned dark again, as if someone had turned off all lights. Alone in the dark, Leticia let herself fall to the ground. Hot tears fell down her face. While she wailed, she remembered a moment in her youth. Her mother had always told her this. Your father is a person with very high status! We might be living apart for now, but someday he¡¯lle back to us! After her mother had died and she was thrown into an orphanage, she desperately held on to her ne. It was a ne her father had gifted her mother as proof of his love. She knew the medallion hanging on that ne meant that her father would one daye for her. All the kids in the orphanage were jealous of her because of that. Ever since young age, Leticia unted her astounding beauty, the medallion ne that looked extremely expensive at a first nce and the confidence that her father was a high status noble that would surelye for her one day. To the kids living in the orphanage, she was a kid that boasted of everything they wished they had, straight out of a novel. Leticia also thought like that. That she was a unique child. That she was definitely different and far better than those low-born peasant boys surrounding her. One day, her father dide to pick her up upon a carriage. It wasn¡¯t a fantasy, but her reality. When the rest of the orphan kids realized that her biological father wasn¡¯t just a noble, but a Count, they all looked at her with astonishment. Even at first nce, her father was a handsome man. Every angle of his face unted elegance. The way he walked, even the way his fingers lifted the cup of tea werepletely different from the imbeciles she¡¯d met till that day. He was a true noble whose refinement exuded from the very marrow of his bones. Leticia¡¯s father held her and whispered: I did not abandon you. It was all because¡­ yes, it was all because of that woman. Things ended up this way because she seduced me. If it hadn¡¯t been for that woman, then I would have never left your mother. So, please, forgive me, Leticia! He¡¯d once promised to marry her mother. He¡¯d said that even if her mother was amoner, he truly loved her nheless. I love you, Leticia. I have another daughter, but the one I love is you. So please, wait a little longer. My wife is in critical condition. As soon as she dies, I swear I¡¯lle back for you to take you home right away! Those words were sweeter to Leticia than any candy she¡¯d had in all her life. Since then, Leticia desperately waited for that day toe. She wished for the Countess¡¯ death to arrive soon. No, she actually wished for her to die as soon as possible. Since her biological father visited her that day, every kid in the orphanage treated her differently, as though she was apletely different person. Even the orphanage¡¯s head, a usually nasty old man, trembled in fear in front of Leticia. That¡¯s when she realized for the first time what it meant to have power over others. She realized that with power she could rule over whomever she wished. After the Countess¡¯ funeral, Leticia¡¯s father made her wear a beautiful dress before leading her away in an elegant four-wheeled carriage. On her way to her father¡¯s domains, Leticia¡¯s head were filled with sweet dreams. What sort of days would the future hold in store for her from now on? The main protagonists in fairy tales usually ended up as queens. Perhaps that would be her destiny as well. Her father¡¯s domains were vast, with a magnificent mansion. If someone had told her it was the King¡¯s Pce, she¡¯d have believed it. As she got off the carriage while being carried away in her father¡¯s embrace, her heart beat furiously. Numerous servants aligned in two rows around her and bowed their heads. Leticia truly felt as though she¡¯d suddenly became a princess. As soon as she entered the mansion, she saw a girl of her same age standing atop the highest ce of the main stairs. She had the characteristics of the people from the north, with long silky silver hair. She was looking at her with a chilly gaze. A girl born from a member of the neighboring country¡¯s Royal Family and a high ranking noble father. A girl born in the highest peak of nobility. Looking at the beautiful girl, Leticia couldn¡¯t help but feel some apprehension in her heart against her. She tightened her fist and held back her feelings of uneasiness. Even if it¡¯s her, I¡¯m the daughter father truly loves. She is nothing but a side character standing in my way. However, from that fragile little girl¡¯s mouth came out words she could have never imagined. I already told you to leave my house, father! Leave with your daughter! Father got very angry at her, but in the end they were both thrown out. To Leticia, there was no worst possible nightmare. Her father, who stood so tall and powerful like a God to her couldn¡¯t even protest properly in front of that little girl. To add insult to injury, what astonished her more was that all the riches and wealth did not belong to her father, like she¡¯d originally thought, but to that girl. When she realized that now she had to live with her father, who was no different from a beggar, Leticia¡¯s gaze darkened. Leticia instinctively knew that once she left that mansion, everything would be over. Her previous experience at the orphanage had told her that, be it bread or clothing, once you lose your chance to obtain something, it will nevere back to you. If you don¡¯t want something taken from you, you must steal it first, and whatever other people tried to take from you, you must do whatever possible to keep it for as long as you could. The only thing you¡¯ll take away from me is the dress you are wearing! When Leticia begged that girl to allow her to stay in that ce, she replied icily to her. The fact that not even the dress she had on was truly hers felt like a stab in the chest. Leticia grew furious and grid her teeth. Leticia never imagined this oue in her head. No book she¡¯d read at the orphanage had a story like hers. She¡¯d dreamt that after arriving to the mansion, she¡¯d grow up receiving much more love from her father than her sister, that she¡¯d wear beautiful dresses every day and that one day, she¡¯d finally go to a grand ball at the Pce where she¡¯d identally meet the King, who¡¯d fall in love with her at first sight and marry her. However, the cruel reality was that she was thrown out the house before she could even spend a single day in it. Afterwards, the life she led with her father was far from a happy ending. With the meager pension he received, he barely managed to buy a small old house. They were always running out of money, and when her father started gambling, their debts started growing out of control. Her father med her for all their problems. He was convinced that, had he not gone looking for her, none of this would have happened. Only then did Leticia finally realize the type of person her father was. Unlike his elegant, handsome exterior, he was actually a despicable man on the inside. He didn¡¯t even protest about selling his own daughter to pay off his debts, even when that very same mouth had once said that he loved her dearly. However, rather than resenting her father, Leticia hated Rihannan much, much more. She had everything Leticia had ever dreamed of. Besides, she was in that hellhole because of her mother, wasn¡¯t it? What¡¯s more, Leticia wouldn¡¯t have suffered as much had Rihannan only shared with her some of the wealth she¡¯d been born into. But¡­ Rihannan said that Leticia had once lived a life of luxury, loved by her father and hailed as the most beautifuldy in the mansion. The things Rihannan had said about her father were surely true, as well. Leticia knew that her father had the tendency of ming others when things didn¡¯t turn out the way he wanted. Therefore, he¡¯d surely lie about the things in his past for his own benefit. Actually, I think we are both quite alike. Leticia thought. Alone in her dark cell, she couldn¡¯t help letting out a bitterugh. If Rihannan hadn¡¯t said anything to her about her past life¡­ if she had left her alone¡­ she¡¯d have died feeling resentful against Rihannan till her veryst breath. However, she felt as though she didn¡¯t have the right to hate her anymore. Rihannan said she¡¯de to give her a painless way out through poison, but what she actually managed to do was to deal Leticia the finishing blow. To know that no matter how many times she lived, she¡¯d always end up in defeat¡­ With a pained cry, Leticia copse on the floor. From that night on to herst morning, tears didn¡¯t stop flowing down her eyes. Chapter 218 A choice Chapter 218 ¨C A choice Trantor ¨C Yue Leticia¡¯s execution took ce the following morning. In spite of being very early, many people gathered around the execution ce. People gathered there to insult her for killing her own father, her benefactor and even trying to assassinate her own sister and Queen. She was seen as a true viin, an evil rarely seen before. Leticia listened to their insults and taunts until her veryst moment. Even though Rihannan had said that she¡¯d no longer show any consideration towards Leticia, she did make sure that the most skilled executioner was selected to carry out her punishment. She¡¯d heard of previous rare cases in which the neck was not cleanly cut off in one single strike, forcing the executioner to hack at the neck, which caused lots of pain and anguish before dying. After Leticia¡¯s death, Rihannan passed her days in a state of continuous astonishment. She rarely went outside and spent most of her time in her room. However, she did make sure of eating and resting well, for the sake of her baby. She wanted the baby to grow strong, so it could take the ce of the child that had died without being able to look at this world. Rihannan also started seeing little of Igor. Once Rihannan healedpletely, Igor had to go back to attend the issues he¡¯d overlooked while caring for her. Even though she felt as though she¡¯d grown closer to him, she simultaneously felt as though they were distancing again. That was probably natural, actually. Igor had cared for her as much as he humanly could after her kidnapping, something she would have never expected before. While she was on her weakest moment, Igor stepped in and made her trust him again with all her heart. However, even after telling each other the truth and untangling the web of misunderstandings, that did not mean that the events from their past life were gone for good. They both had too many emotions and memories that stopped them from oveing their problems overnight. Perhaps, for now, she should content herself with simply not hating him anymore. While thinking of this, Rihannan absentmindedly caressed her belly and looked out the window, seeing the snowkes falling outside. It was the first snow of the season. Rihannan suddenly realized that she¡¯d never lived long enough to see snow in her past life. While staring out the window with a knot on her throat, Mrs. Cessly approached her. ¡°My Queen, the King is here.¡± She turned her head and saw Igor standing by the opened door. He smiled at her when their eyes met for the first time in a long time. Rihannan smiled back. ¡°It¡¯s been a while, Igor. Wee.¡± The two of them sat together, drinking tea and looking at each other while it was snowing outside. The only sound in the room was the cracking of the firece inside the room. Neither of them spoke much, but there was a rxing atmosphere surrounding them. Finally, after a while, Igor spoke first. ¡°We¡¯ve received an official letter from Chrichton.¡± After Leticia¡¯s execution, Igor had sent an angered letter to Chrichton, demanding an exnation over the assassination attempt of the Queen of Arundell. The reply had finally arrived. ¡°What does it say?¡± ¡°The Crown Prince has denied any rtion to the case. He said the Duke nned everything on his own.¡± ¡°Just as you expected.¡± Rihannan let out a long sigh. ¡°I knew he¡¯d never admit it. He¡¯d never be able to deal with the storm of consequences if he did, after all.¡± If the Crown Prince himself admitted he¡¯d attempted to kill the Queen of a neighboring country, the very existence of Chrichton¡¯s Royal Family would be in danger. To them, making Arundell forget this incident was the top priority. ¡°Another report came in, too.¡± ¡°About what?¡± ¡°About Duke Lyurik. We thought he¡¯d stay outside of this since he¡¯s turned his back on his own son, Danil, but he¡¯s shown a different reaction. He wrote a letter saying his son had only followed the direct instructions of the Crown Prince, and that he was directly against Chrichton¡¯s Royal Family for it.¡± ¡°Are you saying the Duke is rebelling against the Crown Prince? I can¡¯t believe that¡­ the Duke¡¯s family is very close to Chrichton¡¯s Royal Family. Besides, it¡¯s not like the Duke has any special feelings for his son Danil.¡± Rihannan knew that Duke Lyurik was a cold-blooded person. He never showed any mercy to anyone in a lower position than himself, including his own blood rtives. That personality of his made him follow the Crown Prince, who in turn allowed him tomit illegal acts to obtain huge benefits for a long time. ¡°It seems like Prince Ivan is the one behind this. If he can pull Duke Lyurik to his side, then this time he¡¯ll be able to knock down the Crown Prince for good.¡± ¡°¡­I see.¡± Rihannan remembered the letter Dimitri had sent her not long ago. After finding out the incident of Rihannan¡¯s kidnapping, her causing sent her a letter hastily. The letter was filled with words in which he med himself for what had happened to her. Her cousin begged for her forgiveness for not being by her side at that time, and vowed to never forgive the Crown Prince for what he¡¯d done. ¡°It looks like the Crown Prince will not remain silent after this, either. His main ally the Duke is turning his back on him, after all. But it¡¯s toote. It looks like he¡¯ll be dethroned soon.¡± Before Rihannan left Chrichton, it seemed like no one could take down the Crown Prince. He had the most power and did not doubt on taking drastic measures against whomever stood in his way. In this life he¡¯d not die of poisoning, but he was already in the brink of losing it all. Sometimes, it seemed as though the world would never change and some destinies were set in stone. Other times, things would change drastically in a short span of time, just like their case. ¡°I want this to end here. I don¡¯t want this issue to get even moreplicated, and I want you to do leave it alone as well. Honestly, if you think of how things ended up in the past, you also benefited from this all.¡± Instead of replying to her, Igor simply pointed at something with the cup of tea in his hand. Rihannan looked over the table. ¡°What is this?¡± It was a document he¡¯d brought with him when he arrived, but Rihannan didn¡¯t notice it till he pointed it out. ¡°Open it and you¡¯ll see.¡± Rihannan ripped the envelop open and looked at the paper inside. When she read over its contents, her eyes widened. She gave Igor an astonished look. ¡°This is¡­¡± The marriage contract they¡¯ve both signed on the ship to Arundell. Both their signatures were clearly engraved on this piece of paper. ¡°Why are you giving me this¡­?¡± ¡°I want to give you the chance.¡± ¡°Chance?¡± She was still surprised, so Igor replied with a bitter smile. ¡°A chance to end this marriage.¡± Chapter 219 A decision Chapter 219 ¨C A decision Trantor ¨C Yue Rihannan¡¯s jaw slowly opened. ¡°When you say, ¡®a chance to end this marriage¡¯¡­¡± ¡°You never wanted to marry me in the first ce. You were forced into it because the Crown Prince threatened to kill your cousin if you didn¡¯t.¡± ¡°But why are you giving me this? This marriage will automatically end in a year, anyways.¡± Their contractual marriage had a time period clearly stipted. Rihannan couldn¡¯t understand why he was giving her a choice right now. ¡°If you want to end this marriage, then you don¡¯t need to wait for the time to be up to do so. I¡¯ll make sure you leave this country safely first thing tomorrow if you so wish it.¡± ¡°Then¡­ what will happen to the baby I¡¯m carrying¡­?¡± Rihannan¡¯s voice faded. Her eyes darted to the contract uses. There, she herself agreed on leaving all rights concerning the child to Igor if she were to get pregnant. With the opportunity he was giving her, she¡¯d be able to flee and hide somewhere far, far away, and he¡¯d never be able to im his rights over the child ever again.¡± ¡°I¡¯m giving this contract to you. You can burn it, rip it to pieces¡­ it¡¯s up to you. If you do that, you¡¯ll be free from your obligations, and all rights concerning the child will naturally be passed over to you.¡± ¡°Are you saying I can take my baby and leave?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± He nodded. Rihannan looked at him, stunned. As far she knew, Igor wanted a sessor more than anything else in the world. It was hard to think of Royal Families willing to give up their heir so easily. To Royalty, each and every family member was extremely valuable, so she could not understand the reasons why Igor was doing this. ¡°Why are you giving me this choice?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve told you already. You were originally forced toe here against your will, so I¡¯m giving you choice. I¡¯m giving you the chance to decide for yourself.¡± Igor shifted his gaze elsewhere while he continued speaking. ¡°I rushed things because I wanted to have you here. I was wrong. I mistakenly thought that if I brought you here, everything would be alright. That the way I did things didn¡¯t matter at all. But now I¡¯ve learned that I took decisions that weren¡¯t mine to take in the first ce. I was wrong, and you almost died because of me. I can¡¯t guarantee that such a thing won¡¯t happen again. So¡­ I¡¯m leaving thest decision to you.¡± Igor kept his mouth shut for a while before finally finishing. ¡°Choose. Choose whether you want to stay here or leave with the child.¡± Rihannan¡¯s mind felt numb as she was plunged in deep confusion. Not long ago she had definitely wished with all her heart to leave this ce behind with her baby, safe and sound. After she copsedst time, her obsession over her baby grew more and more. If time went on, her increasing love for her baby might force her to never leave this ce. If he had given her the choice of leaving back then, it would have been incredible. But¡­ it was also true that his words had shaken her to her core. Now she knew that the things that had happened in her past were not as she¡¯d thought. Igor was not to me. He was another victim who¡¯d suffered deeply, just like she did. Perhaps if she just scratched it all off and remained by his side, things would go well. But, what would she gain with that? Rihannan¡¯s sight turned blurry. Whenever she saw him, memories from her past would continueing back to her. What¡¯s more, as long as she remained here, it¡¯d be impossible topletely avoid the Queen Mother. Rihannan did not want to me or hate the Queen Mother for crimes she literally did notmit in this life. Regardless, she knew that simr events would happen in the future. As Igor¡¯s wife and Queen of Arundell, she¡¯d always be exposed to danger. More than anything, Igor¡¯s mind was filled with guilt. He med himself for what happened to her in her past life, and he also med himself for what happened to her in this life. Guilt. Remorse. Sympathy. Compassion. Is there anything else left in Igor right now? And also, he¡­ Rihannan bit her lips and lower her gaze silently. ¡°Thank you.¡± instead of letting her emotions take control, she had to think carefully. When Rihannan thought of this, she reached a conclusion quite easily. ¡°Then I¡¯ll leave as soon as possible once I¡¯m done with some arrangements.¡± Igor looked at Rihannan. He was stunned. His purple eyes shook terribly due to themotion. When Rihannan saw that the cup of tea he was holding in one hand was tipping over to one side, spilling the tea, she quickly tried saying something but, in the blink of an eye, Igor lowered his cup and spoke. ¡°¡­Understood. Then, I¡¯d be best if you contacted your rtives in Chrichton as soon as possible before leaving. Even if the Crown Prince is currently losing power, things might change and it may not be safe for you over there.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take care of that on my own. You must be quite busy with your own affairs as well, so there¡¯s no need to worry about me.¡± Igor¡¯s lips trembled for a moment, as though he¡¯d lost his ability to reply. He clumsily nodded his head. ¡°Alright. Go ahead, do it. Call me if you need any help as well.¡± ¡°I will.¡± When their conversation came to an end, Igor slowly rose from his seat. Rihannan got up as well. Just when he was about to turn around, Rihannan spoke. ¡°I wish for you to stop feeling guilty of all that¡¯s happened to me.¡± Igor¡¯s eyes focused intently on Rihannan. For some reason, she found it hard to look him back in the eye, so she averted her gaze. ¡°I don¡¯t dislike you anymore, Igor. I¡¯m grateful to you for letting me live my life again and leave this ce with my baby.¡± ¡°Grateful¡­uh.¡± While he bitterly mumbled to himself, Rihannan nodded her head. ¡°After all, you did put in a lot of effort in saving my life. I¡¯ll make sure I do everything in my power to live a happy life from now on. I¡¯m notpletely alone anymore, after all.¡± Rihannan ced a hand on her belly. ¡°Once this baby is born, I¡¯ll only let him see and listen to the most wonderful things. I know I can¡¯t stop the darkness of this world to reach him, but I¡¯ll make sure that nothing bad or dangerous ever happens to this child.¡± Rihannan smiled. ¡°We both had a terrible and unfortunate childhood, so I¡¯ll make sure this baby has a wonderful life filled with love. So, please, do not worry.¡± Igor looked at Rihannan for a while. Then, he said in a low whisper. ¡°Alright, Rihannan.¡± He slowly turned his back. ¡°I know you¡¯ll do a good work.¡± When he finally left the room, all strength left Rihannan¡¯s body. The cold tea and the marriage contract were the only things left in the room. The light scent of Igor¡¯s cologne quickly vanished from the room once he left. Rihannan realized that it had alle to an end, finally. She was now on her own. From now on, she¡¯d have to get used to living without him. ¡°Everything will be alright.¡± She whispered to herself many times, over and over. She had married Igor in the first ce with one objective in mind. Now, all she had to do was follow her own n. Yes, everything would turn out just the way she¡¯d nned. But for some strange reason, a weird feeling she couldn¡¯t quite identify was swallowing her whole, like a tsunami. Her heart was hurting as though it¡¯d been plunged into a dark hole. Standing there alone, without being able to identify her own emotions, Rihannan let out a single tear. Ten dayster, she left the Pce. It all happened in the blink of an eye. Chapter 220 Evil thoughts Chapter 220 ¨C Evil thoughts Trantor ¨C Yue Ten days passed by rather quickly. As soon as Rihannan sent a letter inquiring about security to go back to Chrichton, Dimitri immediately sent a person to help her. Within this short period of time, the internal conflict in Chrichton was quickly solved. The Crown Prince was stripped of all power, and discussions soon broke out on whether Prince Ivan should be crowned as the next heir. Since things ended the way Dimitri had nned, he hastened the return date of his cousin, Rihannan. It was as though he couldn¡¯t wait a single more day away from her. Rihannan¡¯s farewell happened so quick and smoothly that it was simply astonishing. Mrs. Cessly didn¡¯t even show up on thest day. Basil insisted adamantly on escorting her to port, but Rihannan refused. Igor saw once more that Rihannan had made up her mind and that nobody could stand in her way. And thus, when the day arrived, Igor witnessed Rihannan slowly leaving the Pce from his office window. She was already inside the carriage. Then, when the carriage got far away, so far that he couldn¡¯t follow it with his gaze anymore, he couldn¡¯t help letting out a defeated sigh. ¡°Your Majesty¡­¡± Basil¡¯s worried voice came from behind his back. Igor stood there, his gaze focused on the window. ¡°I wish to be alone, so stay away. And make sure that no one enters my chambers.¡± Upon his orders, Basil bowed his head. Igor heard the sound of the door closing, and after a long time, he finally shifted his gaze from the window. He looked at the pile of documents on his desk, but couldn¡¯t concentrate at all. Eventually, he put the papers away inside a desk drawer. While he did this, his fingers identally grazed over a small wooden sculpture inside the drawer. It was a clumsily made wooden ship. It was thest trace of the past. Igor smiled bitterly as he remembered what had happened so long ago. It¡¯s a gift! It¡¯s something that I cherish very much! At that time, his younger self was smiling broadly, knowing full well that she wanted him to like her gift. However, Igor could not smile like he did as a boy anymore. As a boy, knowing that his mother was the one inviting that girl to the Pce, Igor made up his mind on making sure he¡¯d not feel anything for her. Thus, he made sure to keep a stony face all the time and to not hear anything that girl ever said. He said it¡¯s the pirate ship in which Dimi will cruise and sail all over the world in the future! However, before he¡¯d even realized it, he was already listening to every word she said quite intently. She looked so cute saying those things with such honesty, and the fact that she was willing to give away her most treasured possessions to someone else also caught his attention. Besides, it was at that time that he became interested in the sea for the first time. Before that, Igor¡¯s world was limited to the continent he grew up in. Since his mother only spoke to him about how he needed to strengthen the nation to face with the adjacent Empire in the future, Igor thought that that was all he ever had to worry about. Seeing that this girl knew of things he wasn¡¯t even aware of opened his mind. He¡¯d always wanted to distance himself from his mother but¡­ in reality, did he perhaps give up and was just conforming himself by staying in her shadow? That¡¯s why, even if he pretended not to hear Rihannan, he was actually listening quite carefully. But once he became her husband, he couldn¡¯t listen to her anymore. Rihannan did not have that same sparkle in her eyes when she spoke, and he made up his mind on not listening to anything she had to say anymore. Had I known it would be like this, I should have pretended not to hear her at all to the bitter end. Igor let out a cynicugh. He shouldn¡¯t have given her the chance to choose in the first ce. It would have been better to continue threatening her with leaving her baby behind. If he had done so, Rihannan would have never left. Igor had realized that Rihannan¡¯s thoughts on her baby had changed since long ago, after all. And if even then she had chosen to leave for Chrichton¡­ all he had to do was tie her hands and feet so she could never leave. He didn¡¯t care if her cousin protested. If Dimitri asked him to return Rihannan, all he had to do was ignore him. And if he tried invading Arundell to save her, Igor would happily crush him again. He¡¯d done so in the past, anyways, so he was confident he could do it all over again. While these sort of thoughts filled his mind, Igor saw his own reflection in the window ss. He had the face of an evil man who was thinking evil, wicked ns. Then, he realized. After all this time, his mind was still filled with horrible thoughts and ideas. After a long sigh, Igor took out a bottle of alcohol and started drinking. He never drank that early in the morning, but this was the only way left he had offorting himself. When he started feeling drunk, he sat on his chair with his gaze unfocused. He remembered the events from the past 10 days. The foolish man who¡¯d given Rihannan the choice of staying or leaving with her baby without the slightest concern. He¡¯d honestly thought she¡¯d say she was staying. Hell, he thought she¡¯d at least ask for some time to think things through. She now knew the truth of everything that had happened in the past. Even if she was still a little shocked, it looked like she was slowly recovering a little. That¡¯s why he wanted to fix their current situation. That, since she had no choice to begin with, he¡¯d give her the opportunity of leaving or staying with her own free will. She had chosen to leave rather easily. Seeing with his own eyes that she felt nothing for him made him desperate. She said that once the baby was born, she¡¯d make sure of showing him only the most wonderful of things. But that was what Igor wished to do above anything else. She said that she could not stop the world¡¯s darkness from reaching the baby, but Igor was more than ready to make sure that nothing ever reached nor threatened that child. Be it boy or girl, Igor would make sure that nothing would evere across that baby¡¯s path. But it didn¡¯t matter. In the end, Rihannan decided on raising that baby away from him. With those bitter thoughts in his mind, Igor quickly emptied his bottle. As day turned into night, someone dared disobey his orders of not disturbing him and entered his room. ¡°Your Majesty.¡± It was Mrs. Cessly. Once she stepped inside the room, she was surprised of seeing an empty bottle of alcohol on his desk. ¡°What is all this? You don¡¯t even like drinking.¡± Igor smiled, satisfied. ¡°Just in time, ma¡¯am. Care to join me for a drink?¡± ¡°If you wanted someone to drink with, why didn¡¯t you call the Grand Chambein? I came here as fast as I could because I was worried about you.¡± ¡°I cannot let Basil drink with me. I know that if he does, he¡¯ll start crying uncontrobly and I¡¯ll have no choice but tofort him.¡± Mrs. Cessly burst inughter. ¡°You are right. He was quite attached to the Queen, after all.¡± Mrs. Cessly sat in front of Igor and let out a resigned sigh. ¡°Of course, I¡¯m also quite fond of her as well¡­ it¡¯s just that, I was quite angry.¡± Yesterday, the Queen suddenly told Mrs. Cessly of her decision to leave. Rihannan told her that she¡¯d be leaving for Chrichton first thing in the morning. What stunned Mrs. Cessly even more was what she said afterwards. ¡°My marriage was tost for one year only, as per the contract. Time¡¯s up. I thought I should at least tell you the truth about that, Mrs. Cessly. I¡¯m sorry.¡± Mrs. Cessly was so shocked she only looked at Rihannan for a while. Then, her facial expressions turned rigid. A formal, cold smile appeared on Mrs. Cessly¡¯s face. Seeing that you are just telling me all this now just one day before leaving, I can tell that your contractual marriage is finished. I understand. I will not see you off. I hope you have a safe trip tomorrow. And that was it. As she said, Mrs. Cessly did not see her Queen out when she left the Pce. ¡°I¡¯ve turned quite stubborn with age. I didn¡¯t even see the Queen today, even though I knew it would be thest day.¡± ¡°It was not Rihannan¡¯s fault. I added a use in our contract which demanded that not a single word was said to anyone about our marriage situation. She couldn¡¯t tell you anything about it even if she wanted to.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not about that!¡± Mrs. Cessly angrily grabbed a ss from the table and poured it full of alcohol. Then, she gulped it down all at once. Her voice was raspy and strange as she hit the table with her ss. ¡°I¡¯m not angry because she didn¡¯t say anything. I understand it was a special circumstance that she could not control. But, couldn¡¯t she at least say something to me, at least once, in these past ten days she was preparing to leave? She could have at least told me she was nning on leaving for Chrichton. Why did she tell me about it just one day before leaving? Did I really matter that little to her?¡± A tear emerged from Mrs. Cessly¡¯s eyes. Suddenly, she started sobbing out loud. Igor pressed his temples with his fingers. It was him who wanted to cry, but she¡¯d started ahead of him. Had he known this would happen, he would have allowed Basil in instead. If it was Basil, he could at least throw him out and tell him to go cry elsewhere. ¡°Mrs. Cessly, please stop cr-¡° ¡°This is all your fault, Your Majesty!¡± Chapter 221 Motherly advise Chapter 221 ¨C Motherly advise Trantor ¨C Yue T/N: The chapter we¡¯ve been waiting for ? Mrs. Cessly wailed and started savagely criticizing Igor. ¡°This is all Your Majesty¡¯s fault. It¡¯s because you allowed the Queen leave for Chrichton. Why did you do that?¡± ¡°All I did was give her a choice.¡± ¡°A choice?¡± ¡°I told her to choose. To stay here, or to leave with the baby.¡± ¡°Why on earth did you tell her that?!¡± ¡°There¡¯s a reason behind my marriage to Rihannan. I lied to her and forced her toe here.¡± ¡°Ah, I remember the Queen told me something like that. That Your Majesty did not wish to marry her, but Princess Helena. Is it rted to that?¡± Igor nodded. ¡°Yes. I had no choice. If I had proposed to Rihannan, she would have run away from as fast as she could.¡± Mrs. Cessly looked at Igor intently with aplex look in her eyes. Seeing that Mrs. Cessly¡¯s head was spinning top speed to find out what could possibly make Rihannan want to run away from Igor, he added in a slow voice. ¡°She definitely didn¡¯t owe me money nor anything like that. I can¡¯t tell you the reason, so please don¡¯t ask any further.¡± Mrs. Cessly got angry at him. ¡°How dare you say that¡­? Who do you think I am to think those sorts of things? I did not think of that, not even for a second!¡± Mrs. Cessly shook her head angrily before speaking again. ¡°In any case, if what you are saying is true, then it all went ording to Your Majesty¡¯s n? You did what you did since you knew that if you directly asked for her hand in marriage, she¡¯d turn you down.¡± ¡°¡­yes.¡± ¡°And when you gave the Queen the freedom to choose to stay or leave, the Queen chose to leave?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Igor nodded. ¡°I¡­ I actually had a few ns to ensure that Rihannan would never be able to leave. It would have been quite coward of me, but I could have caused enough problems in Chrichton so that she could never go back there anymore. I had countless other methods as well, all readily nned to make sure she¡¯d never leave¡­ but I knew that I mustn¡¯t. It was Rihannan¡¯s decision, and I wished to respect it.¡± Mrs. Cessly blinked a few times while she was deep in thought. She didn¡¯t know the whole story behind the two of them, but she was sure of one thing. They had both made a grave mistake over something. ¡°Your Majesty. To begin with, using those sort of methods is not the right thing to do. That¡¯s no way to treat someone you love if she decides to leave. Threats, conspiracies? No way, no¡­ absolutely not. There¡¯s another way, don¡¯t you think?¡± ¡°Another way?¡± ¡°Did you confess your feelings to the Queen, Your Majesty?¡± Igor¡¯s purple eyes stayed fixed on Mrs. Cessly. Seeing that he did not understand her question, Mrs. Cessly¡¯s anger rose again. Taking a deep breath to calm herself down, she asked again. ¡°I¡¯m asking whether you confessed your love for her before giving her the choice of leaving.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I can¡¯t believe it. Did you really say nothing at all?¡± Igor couldn¡¯t reply. He was stunned. Mrs. Cessly was speechless. ¡°That¡­¡± ¡°Oh, my God. If you were going to let her choose, you should have at least made sure that she knew! You should have assured her that it would be alright to spend the rest of her days beside a man like you! But no! You went ahead and told her she could leave without giving her any reassurance! Don¡¯t you know her? Don¡¯t you understand her personality? She is a very introvert person! Telling her to choose to leave is no different from telling her to pack her things and leave immediately!¡± ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°All this time, have you never ever confessed your love to her correctly, not even once?¡± ¡°¡­¡± At this point, Igor was left speechless. He still had his tongue, but he felt as though he couldn¡¯t say anything at all. Mrs. Cessly silentlymented herself in her head with tears in her eyes. Oh, my God¡­ this fool! He knows nothing of romance! ¡°If you don¡¯t say it properly, how is the other person supposed to know what you are feeling? Does Your Majesty understand the Queen¡¯s feelings? Why does Your Majesty think that the Queen decided to leave in the end?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Mrs. Cessly ced a hand on her forehand. It was hard to tell whether the throbbing pain she felt in her head was caused by the alcohol or the King¡¯s ipetence when it came to love. ¡°Excuse myck of manners, Your Majesty, but if you were my son, I¡¯d kick your ass and tell you to go after your wife immediately.¡± Seeing that Igor remained rooted in his seat with his mouth shut even after telling him that, Mrs. Cessly growled. ¡°¡­just go after her now. Tell her you want her to stay by your side, that you love her with all your heart. She might give you a different answer if you do it.¡± ¡°Do you really think so?¡± ¡°Of course! To expect the other person to understand your feelings isn¡¯t just inconsiderate, but also a way of avoiding the problem altogether. You are scared of having your pride hurt. Even if your love is rejected, you must make sure that you convey your feelings in all honesty. Only then you¡¯ll be left with no regrets.¡± Mrs. Cessly had plenty of experience when it came to how society worked. She had even been regarded as the ¡°Queen of High Society¡±. After dealing with so many people throughout her life, she didn¡¯t only have plenty of experience with love, but one could even say that she¡¯d mastered the art of reading other people¡¯s minds. ¡°It¡¯s toote to leave for today, so perhaps tomorrow morning¡­¡± Before she could finish speaking, Igor rose from his seat and darted out the room without saying anything. Seating alone in the room, Mrs. Cessly realized that the Igor had gone out to look for Rihannan. She smiled. The whole pce would be plunged in a state of panic upon realizing the King¡¯s sudden escape, but Igor didn¡¯t care and went after his Queen immediately. ¡°Oh, my God¡­¡± Mrs. Cessly whispered to herself. She noticed a small wooden toy shaped like a ship in the desk. The toy had clear signs of being quite old. It seemed like the King had been staring at this figurine for a while before storming out. ¡°Hmmm¡­¡± Mrs. Cessly picked up the boat figurine and ced it neatly on the desk. A smiled came up to her lips. For some reason, she had the feeling that everything would be alright. Chapter 222 A farewell letter Chapter 222 ¨C A farewell letter Trantor ¨C Yue The Port of Salerno remained unchanged. Tall, imposing walls surrounded the beach. There were numerous houses with scarlet-colored rooftops everywhere. A seemingly endless turquois-colored. Everything was as calm and beautiful as before. There was only one ship resting on the shores. A white, modern, elegant ship. When the Queen¡¯s carriage arrived to port, the usually hectic port city suddenly turned tranquil. The carriage¡¯s door opened and the Queen descended from her vehicle surrounded by her guards. She was wearing a thick coat, hat and gloves all made of silver fox fur, as though she was nning on going somewhere far colder than Arundell. A little whileter, the ship¡¯s captain approached her. He took out his cap and bowed to the Queen of Arundell. ¡°Greetings to the most honorable woman in Arundell, Your Majesty the Queen. May Elheim¡¯s light always shine upon you.¡± A smile came up to Rihannan¡¯s lips. ¡°Greetings, captain. I¡¯ll be under your care.¡± The captain pointed at the two uniformed men by his side. ¡°This is the first official who¡¯ll be piloting the ship with me, and this is our best navigator.¡± Both men took off their caps and bowed to Rihannan. Then, they both answered to the captain at the same time. ¡°It is an honor to serve you, Your Majesty. We¡¯ll make sure you reach Chrichton safe and sound.¡± Rihannan looked at the two men. One of them, the one who¡¯d been addressed as the best navigator, looked quite young, almost a boy. He could not be older than 20 years old. As Rihannan kept looking at his face quite intently, she suddenly had the thought that the boy looked very familiar. Seeing that the Queen was eyeing him with interest, the boy smiled. ¡°Your Majesty, in the past you were onboard the ¡®Ataraxia¡¯, a ship sailing for Chrichton, right?¡± Rihannan remembered him. ¡°Were you¡­¡± ¡°Yes. I was a novice crew member back then. I exined to you the origins of the Ataraxia statue that was in the ship. Do you remember?¡± A bright smile adorned Rihannan¡¯s face. ¡°Of course I remember. You¡¯ve be the top navigator around here in such short time?¡± ¡°Yes. I¡¯m talented, so I managed to rise a little earlier.¡± The rest of the crew members surrounding them a little distance away looked at the boy with envy. They seemed to be wondering when and where on earth could he have met the Queen herself in person. Rihannanughed. ¡°Yes. It¡¯s nice to see meet you again in your new position.¡± ¡°The pleasure is mine as well, my Queen. Then, could I salute you separately?¡± Rihannan extended her hand. The sailor quickly kissed the back Rihannan¡¯s hand, who was still wearing her leather gloves. The rising jealousy waveing from the crew members was almost tangible. ¡°In any case, what did I tell you back then? The bonds with Ataraxia are strong. I told you you¡¯d end uping back to Arundell, didn¡¯t I?¡± ¡°You were right¡­ though I came back under different circumstances.¡± Rihannan murmured bitterly thatst part to herself. The sailor didn¡¯t hear her and continued talking to her excitedly. ¡°Do you know how surprised I was when I heard that the girl I¡¯d met had be Queen? I went around town bragging about how I¡¯d met the Queen but nobody believed me. Now they will.¡± The quick-tongued sailor continued talking to Rihannan. ¡°Why are you going back to Chrichton? Are you going there to visit your cousin?¡± Rihannan¡¯s face stiffened a little. Seeing her reaction, the captain, though btedly, stepped in. ¡°Stop right there. How can you act that way in front of Her Majesty? Step back.¡± The sailor immediately shut his mouth and took a step back. Rihannan felt bad for the boy who stopped smiling and looked frightened, but she was d for the captain¡¯s interruption nheless. She had felt ufortable with his question. ¡°Then, Your Majesty, it¡¯s time to board.¡± Rihannan turned back to look at the soldiers who¡¯d escorted her onest time. They¡¯d go back to Edinere city once she left. On the other hand, Rihannan would board the ship Dimitri had sent to retrieve her back to Chrichton. Once she arrived, Dimi and her uncle would be waiting for her to wee her back. ¡°Thank you all for bringing me safely here. You may go back.¡± The Royal Guard¡¯smander approached Rihannan, taking an envelope out of his pocket. He courteously inclined his head and gave it to her. ¡°Please, take this.¡± ¡°What is this?¡± ¡°He told me to give you this once you were onboard the ship, Your Majesty.¡± Rihannan didn¡¯t need to ask who he was referring to. She smiled bitterly and epted the letter. ¡°Thank you.¡± After she bid her final farewells, Rihannan got on the ship. Her guards lined up on the port and bowed onest time to their Queen. ¡°We are leaving!¡± With onest yell from the captain, a strong Vroom! resonated everywhere and the ship slowly starteding to life. Rihannan stayed on deck, looking at the horizon. Finally, she took out the envelop themander had given her. There was a folded letter inside. Taking a deep breath, she began reading. The first word written on the letter was her name. ¡®Rihannan. Did you know that I¡¯d never called you Riha, not even once?¡¯ Rihannan tried remembering. Now that she thought about it, whenever he talked to her he always said ¡°Rihannan¡±, her full name. She¡¯d previously thought that perhaps Igor simply didn¡¯t like using nicknames, but apparently she¡¯d been wrong. ¡®Honestly, after you told me the meaning of your name, I¡¯ve always wanted to continue calling you by your full name. Maybe you don¡¯t even realize how much happiness it gives me to call you Rihannan.¡¯ When she realized the meaning of his words, Rihannan¡¯s lips quivered. Ironically, she wasn¡¯t even sure that the person who wrote her this letter even knew what he was talking about. ¡®Since there are still truths I couldn¡¯t bring myself to tell you about, I wrote you this letter¡­ about what happened in our past life, after you died.¡¯ The letter described calmy everything that had happened after her death. About the violent way he¡¯d killed her father, Leticia and the Queen Mother. It even detailed the gruesome war between Arundell and Chrichton. As she continued reading through the letter¡¯s content, Rihannan felt like she could barely breathe. The letter detailed the three violent years following her demise. Even though the war between Arundell and Chrichton had been horrible and cruel, the tyranny he¡¯d imposed afterwards was no different. Igor¡¯s tyrannical reign had sown so much terror that, not surprisingly, nobody dared oppose him. He¡¯d been such ruthless cruel against his enemies, so whomever dared oppose him would either end up being crushed by his military power, or straight up executed. Even the once powerful noble families had their hands tied. War with Chrichton had been possible because of his undisputed rule. And thus, after the cruel war ended. the King of Arundell alone had much more power than the whole Chrichton Royal Familybined. There was no one in the continent who dared oppose the King of Arundell. ¡®At that time, I was probably no different from Chrichton¡¯s current Crown Prince. I was a man you¡¯d have hated and held in contempt above anyone else in the world.¡¯ Rihannan covered her mouth with her shaking hand. Igor had said something like this before¡­ that once someone suffers a shook, no psychological therapy in the world would help, and that person would end up taking extreme measures. Some would kill themselves, while others would take their fury and redirect it somewhere else, causing a genocide. She could finally see that Igor had been referring to himself back then. After she died, he was broken beyond repair. ¡®The blood of the Queen Mother, who¡¯d cold-bloodedly killed many members of the Royal Family without batting an eysh, is also running through my veins. I think I made the right decision by allowing you to choose. It¡¯s better for you to live somewhere safe, surrounded by trustworthy people, rather than by my side. That would be better for the baby as well.¡¯ The letter wasing to an end. ¡®Rihannan. Many times I imagined a future where I¡¯d look at you and see light wrinkles adorning your eyes while your silver hair turned a beautiful shade of white. You are beautiful now, but I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll be even more beautiful in the future.¡¯ Reading those words, Rihannan couldn¡¯t help an emptyugh from escaping her lips. The man who¡¯d never told her she was beautiful was now saying he loved her. It was a letter filled with affection sent at the veryst moment, when they¡¯d never see each other again. ¡®I wished for my time with you in this life tost for eternity, and at the same time I wished for the twilight of our lives to arrive as soon as possible. By then we would have spent decades of our lives together, and I would no longer have to maddeningly worry about my fear of losing you again. In all honesty, I¡¯d wished to spend my life growing old by your side. Now I know that my wish was not meant to be.¡¯ Rihannan felt something unrecognizable surging from the bottom of her heart. Her eyes welled with hot tears. She had to let out a sigh when she felt something pressing hard against her chest. ¡®I hope you have a wonderful life, Rihannan. Live the life you couldn¡¯t in your past.¡¯ And that was it. There was nothing else written below, just a nk space. Rihannan took the other thing that was in the envelop. It was a feather. Under the shiny light of the sun, the feather swayed gently in her hand with the sea breeze. The golden feather she¡¯d thrown to this very sea six years ago was once more in her hand, as though destiny was making fun of her. A tear dropped on the feather. Rihannan didn¡¯t even bother trying to wipe the seemingly endless tears that were rolling down her cheeks. She cried for a long time. Chapter 223 Wishes coming true Chapter 223 ¨C Wishesing true Trantor ¨C Yue After listening to Mrs. Cessly¡¯s words, Igor immediately hopped on a horse and sprang to port. This time there was no Basil by his side, it was just him. While he galloped top speed, the events from these past six years came to his mind. When he arrived, the ship had already sailed. He was toote, again. He felt an empty space in his heart. He got down his exhausted horse and slowly walked to the edge of the beach. He had a desperate expression on his face. He stood there looking at the horizon when he felt something hot. There were hot tears trailing down his face. All the tears he¡¯d held back all this time suddenly broke free. Despair and destion surged from inside him. He sobbed and cried. Six years ago, when he¡¯d missed her just like this, he¡¯d managed to hold back his tears since there was still hope of seeing her again in the future. Instead of destion, he turned his back to this very sea with the hopes of seeing her again soon. However, this time it was different. More than anything else, he regretted not telling her once how much he loved her. All this time, he never told her his feelings. Just as Mrs. Cessly had said, if he had told her properly how he felt for her, he would not be feeling so desperate now. Why didn¡¯t he tell her how charming and beautiful she was to him? How precious she was in his eyes. If he had told her that, maybe she¡­ The whole world was dyed blood. Igor simply stood there looking at the blood-red sunset in the horizon without bothering to wipe his tears. He did not know for sure how long he stood there. Suddenly, the sound of footsteps behind him awoke him from his reverie. ¡°Igor.¡± His body froze. Feeling an extreme tension, he slowly turned around. He saw the blurry silhouette of a woman. ¡°¡­¡± A woman with white face wearing a ck hood that covered her from head to toe. A very different attirepared to what she was wearing when she left the Pce. A few strands of her silver hair were waving freely in the wind, highlighting her hooded face. Her face had a surprised expression. Her silver eyshes batted many times as she looked at him. Igor was convinced that this was an hallucination. Or maybe he was dreaming right now. There was no other exnation. She could not possibly be here. Her ship had sailed. ¡°Igor?¡± After hearing her voice one more time, Igor felt he was regaining his consciousness again, little by little. A tear dangling from his chin fell to the ground. He could not believe his eyes, so he remained staring at her, incredulous. ¡°Are you¡­ crying?¡± Rihannan approached him. She reached out her hand and wiped the tears that were falling down his chin. When he felt her cold fingers touching his skin, Igor unvoluntarily quivered. He grabbed her hand. ¡°How is this possible?!¡± Besides, why was she here, unapanied? Where were her guards? Thinking of that, fury and worry immediately expanded in his heart. ¡°What happened?! Why didn¡¯t you board the ship?! Why are you alone, here?! Do you know how dangerous it is?!¡± ¡°Well¡­ After getting on the ship, I got off. Well, to be more precise, the ship did leave port but I asked them to turn around. I told them that it would be fine and to please leave again since I did not want to dy its passengers any longer. Of course, I left them with a message for my cousin and uncle.¡± Igor was dumbstruck. He could not understand what she was saying, so he looked at her with his mouth open. ¡°What are you saying? Did you leave the ship?¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± After struggling for words, Rihannan bit her lips as though she¡¯d reached a decision. ¡°I think there are still some things you haven¡¯t told me.¡± ¡°What¡­¡± ¡°The words that were written on your letter. The words you never said to me properly! It isn¡¯t enough to exin things clearly in a letter!¡± Rihannan waved the paper she held in her hand. It was the enveloped he¡¯d order the Guard¡¯s Commander to give to her once she boarded her ship to Chrichton. The letter containing the golden feather. ¡°If you have something to say to me, say it to my face rather than writing it in a letter. If you want something so desperately, then rather than asking this feather, ask me directly. Me, a real human being. Who knows! I might not be Ataraxia, nor even a semi-goddess. I may only be a simply human, but I might be able to grant you that wish of yours, you know?¡± Still looking at Rihannan entranced, Igor let go of her hand and took the envelop. He took out its contents. Under the red light of the sun, the golden feathered shined like a jewel. This time he was confident his wish would finallye true. The wish that had been rejected the first time he asked would nowe true. ¡°Rihannan, my love.¡± Igor looked at Rihannan. The beautiful woman that came from the neighboring country with her shining blue eyes and mesmerizing silver hair. He looked at the person he cherished above anything else in the world with devotion. ¡°Can this foolish man hope that you, the one I love¡­¡± He knelt on the ground still holding the golden feather with both hands. ¡°will stay by my side, forever?¡± Rihannan burst into tears and practically leapt into his arms. Igor held her firmly in his arms. While caressing her silver hair with one hand, he kissed her deeply. As their tongues intertwined, their tears also merged in their kiss. It was a salty kiss, and the sweetest they¡¯ve ever shared. ¡°Rihannan, Rihannan, Rihannan.¡± After breaking their kiss, Igor kept calling her name over and over again. Rihannan could hear it in his voice now, how much he loved calling her name. ¡°I love you, Rihannan.¡± He wasn¡¯t hiding his feelings anymore. He kept kissing her and telling her he loved her numerous times. Rihannan replied in a shaking voice. ¡°I love you, too.¡± Before, when she didn¡¯t know that Igor retained his past life memories as well, Rihannan vowed that she would not fall for him in this marriage again. She would keep her heart locked to him. However, her resolve quickly crumbled to pieces. Her heart ached again. She soon noticed that her eyes and ears kept following him once more. She tried justifying herself by saying that the Igor now waspletely different from the Igor of her past life. She did not want to admit to herself that she loved him still. ¡°Even back then, when I thought you¡¯d betrayed me¡­ even when I hated youpletely, a part of me could never stop loving you.¡± In her past life, Rihannan was sure that she did not deserve anyone¡¯s love, which was why she could give up her life so easily. However, she now knew that all this time there was one man who loved her more than anyone else in the whole world. Igor held her hips while he continued pouring sweet kisses on her. ¡°Since my wish has finally been granted, from now on you cannot leave my side.¡± In the end, no God nor any other unknown existence had the power to genuinely grant him his heart¡¯s deepest desire. It was not divine power that moved another person, but one¡¯s sincere words and actions. As the sun began to set, the two of them sat side by side in the port looking at thest reddish rays of sunlight disappearing. Igor took off his jacket and ce it on Rihannan¡¯s shoulders. He was still worried that she might catch a cold so he pulled her close and warmed her with his own body. They talked in whispers. ¡°How did you know that I¡¯d run after you?¡± ¡°I thought you¡¯d definitely chase after me this time again, just like you did till now. Now I¡¯ve learned about how you feel about me, after all.¡± Igorughed merrily. ¡°But, what would you have done if I did not show up? Were you thinking on boarding another ship to Chrichton?¡± ¡°No. There are many carriage services around here, so I was thinking of taking one to my residency and spending the night there. I¡¯d go to the Pce afterwards. You should be grateful. Had I not walked back here, it would have been harder for you to find me.¡± Igorughed again and kissed her on the temples. ¡°Mrs. Cessly would have probably kicked me out of the Pce before that. She did say that she¡¯d have kicked my ass if I were her son.¡± Igor caressed Rihannan¡¯s face while he ced his own chin on her hair. When the moonlight started spreading everywhere, they heard the melodic voices of the sailors around them. The songs mixed with the sounds of waves crashing did not seem mncholic anymore. Grrrrrrr. Igor heard a sudden noise that was noting from him. It was Rihannan. Apparently, the noise wasing from her stomach. Chapter 224 Together once more Chapter 224 ¨C Together once more Trantor ¨C Yue ¡°Salerno Inn¡± Rihannan read the old sign that was hanging atop a building. It was an inn, so it definitely offered food and shelter to travelers. ¡°It would take us around two hours to reach your mother¡¯s mansion. It might be faster if we rode my horse together, but you can¡¯t while pregnant¡­ if you don¡¯t want to spend the night in a ce like this, then I¡¯ll find another way¡­¡± Igor murmured while trying to assess Rihannan¡¯s reaction. He knew that the inn was old and gloomy. He¡¯d spent some nights here before himself but he knew that it was different for Rihannan, who¡¯d only lived in mansions and pces. She might even find this ce repulsive. He did not want the news of them here to spread too much, which was why he¡¯d chosen this ce as he could keep their identities hidden. But¡­ perhaps he should have thought of Rihannan more. Maybe it would be best to go to someone else¡¯s house and reveal their identity so they could spend the night somewhere morefortable. As he kept thinking of this, Rihannan pulled the hem of his clothes and spoke. ¡°It looks a bit old but seems clean and nicely kept. Let¡¯s get in.¡± When Igor opened the door, the cold night air was immediately reced by the warm interior of the inn. The people inside, who were noisily enjoying their dinner, turned their eyes on the neers out of curiosity. Their gazes remained fixed on them. It was quite easy to tell at first nce that they were a man and woman from high ss. Their appearance was impable and their cloaks were obviously made with high-end fabric. However, what intrigued them more was their unnatural beauty. The man was tall and handsome with a firm body that did not resemble the sailors that usually visited the inn. He had ck ebony hair, deep eyes and a well-rounded mouth that marked him as a high-born. The woman, on the other hand, was shorter than the average woman and looked even frailer. Her face had a peculiar shape and her brows were dyed silver. Anyone would say that she was obviously from the north, or had blood-rtives from there. The woman realized that they were staring at them and hurriedly covered herself with her tunic. She stepped behind herpanion and lowered her head. Someone in the crowd burst inughter. ¡°Hohoho, you both look like fugitive lovers! Make sure your families don¡¯t catch you!¡± His jest prompt a wave ofughter from the rest of the inn visitors. Among the noise, a man asked curiously ¡°wait, how do you know that? is there a way to identify eloped lovers?¡± ¡°It¡¯s obvious. A noble man and a noble womaning here thiste at night, to this port, no servants in sight. And look! they are holding hands! that means they are not married. Only fresh lovers hold hands like that, married couples are already over that stage.¡± ¡°Hmm, you¡¯re right. Here, here!¡± Rihannan¡¯s face reddened immediately. Out of shame, she tried letting go of Igor¡¯s hand but he would not let her. Igor simply ignored the nosy people around them and walked straight ahead while firmly holding Rihannan¡¯s hand. The owner of the ce approached him and began talking to him. ¡°Are you nning on spending the night here?¡± ¡°Yes. We¡¯ll only stay for the night. Do you have any room avable?¡± ¡°Oh, of course. In fact, we¡¯ve just prepared a nice newly furnished, pretty room on thest floor. You can both stay there if you want, but it¡¯s a bit expensive. Is that alright?¡± Igor nodded without asking the price. The innkeeper¡¯s eyes shone brightly. Igor looked around again and asked once more. ¡°Are you referring to the third floor?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. You won¡¯t have to worry about the cold. We¡¯ve even installed a brand new heating system to make it nice and cozy.¡± ¡°How many rooms are in that floor?¡± ¡°Five. Why?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll pay full price for the five rooms on that floor, so please clear them out and make sure that nobody¡¯s allowed to go up there.¡± Igor took out a bag full of money from his pocket and passed it over. Even without seeing the contents one could tell that it was quite heavy. As soon as the innkeeper received his pay, he immediately turned around and yelled out and order. ¡°Nick! Go and move the luggage from the clients on the third floor to the second floor. Now!¡± Upon his order, one of the inn¡¯s workers immediately run up the stairs. There was somemotion from the people who were forcefully moved out their rooms, but this soon died out when coins exchanged hands. Seeing this, Rihannan whispered in Igor¡¯s ear. ¡°Why are you paying for the whole floor? We only need one room.¡± ¡°I was originally nning on clearing the whole inn, but I thought it would be a bit heartless to throw them out on the cold, so I had to restrain myself to the third floor.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Rihannan kept her mouth shut thinking that perhaps, if she protested, Igor would definitely chase everyone out. Once their floor was ready, the inn¡¯s owner personally showed them to their rooms. ¡°Please, follow me. Over here.¡± They went up the creaking wooden stairs till they reached a long corridor. The room they¡¯d spend the night in was located at the end of said corridor. The room was nice and tidy. It had a bed, a closet to put their clothes in, some simply chairs and a small table. There was a window covered with curtains right in front of the door, and there was another small room that seemed like the bathroom adjacent. ¡°You can¡¯t see it now since it¡¯s dark, but the view from here Is wonderful. You can look at the sea from the window. When would you like to have dinner served?¡± ¡°Please bring the food here as soon as possible.¡± Igor gave the man some extra money, which prompted him to nod enthusiastically. ¡°Yes! Right this moment!¡± When the innkeeper left, Igor asked Rihannan to wait for a bit while he checked their room. After he¡¯d personally looked at every nook and cranny including the bathroom and under the bed, he went back to Rihannan. ¡°Nothing seems particrly dangerous. The room is clean, too.¡± Rihannan was happy that the room was nicely prepared for an old port inn. There was no dust on the floor and the bed sheets smelled clean as well. Just when she was about to step into the room, she felt Igor¡¯s hand on her shoulder. Thud. The sound of the door locking right behind her sent shivers running down her spine. ¡°Rihannan.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Hearing him calling her name, Rihannan ced a hand on her chest and looked at him, nervous. ¡°Perhaps you should wash first. Would you like to bath before dinner?¡± Rihannan quickly shook her head. ¡°No, it¡¯s alright. I¡¯ll eat first. You told them to bring dinner as fast as they could, after all.¡± ¡°Alright¡­¡± Rihannan sat on the bed. For some strange reason, she felt anxious. They¡¯d been glued to each other in the port with no problems, but now she was anxious. She could not understand why she felt that way. Maybe it was because they were both alone in a small inn room, but that didn¡¯t make sense. They were married. They did live a bit apart for a while because of their broken rtionship, but didn¡¯t they spend every night together before that? So, why was she suddenly feeling like this? Rihannan did everything in her power to remain calm. She fervently wished that Igor would not sit on the bed beside her. If he did, she might even find it hard to breathe. Contrary to her wishes, as if to increase her embarrassment, Igor started walking towards her. When he reached out a hand, Rihannan shivered and closed her eyes. She waited, but since there was no contact, she slowly opened her eyes again. She saw Igor looking at her with his purple eyes, his hand still close to her shoulder. He quickly lowered his arm. ¡°I was going to take off your hood since you looked ufortable¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ll do that myself.¡± Rihannan quickly took of her robe and the coat she was wearing inside, cing them beside her. Igor took her clothes and stored them inside the closet. After thinking a little, Igor spoke. ¡°I¡¯ll go to the stables for a moment.¡± ¡°The stables?¡± ¡°Yes. I forced my horse to run a long distance, so I should check his horseshoe. I¡¯lle back soon so keep the door locked. Do not open the door to anyone else.¡± Igor left the room. Once on her own, Rihannan worried that he might have misunderstood her reaction. Maybe he thought she was rejecting his advances. Is that why he left the room so hurriedly? She did not mean it that way, so, what should she do now? While she paced the room in circles thinking of this over and over again, she heard someone knocking on the door. Igor! A bright smile appeared on Rihannan¡¯s face. Delighted that he¡¯d returned, Rihannan run to the door. *** When he left the stable, Igor walked pass the curious nces of a group of people who were clearly still curious about them. After he¡¯d ordered the innkeeper to bring some hot water for a bath an hour from now, he went up the stairs to find their room¡¯s doorpletely open. Igor drew his sword from its sheath and run inside. A whirlpool of regret and remorse passed through his mind. He should have never left. He should have never left her on her own, not even for a moment. Chapter 225 Happily ever after Chapter 225 ¨C Happily ever after Trantor ¨C Yue T/N: This is the end, so extra-long chapter for today ? Igor irrupted into the room, sword in hand and a murderous look in his eye¡­ to see Rihannan licking her fingers. In front of her there was a huge te filled with food. There was an abundance of seafood. Next to her was a worker who looked at Igor with widened eyes. ¡°Igor?¡± Rihannan quickly took her finger out of her mouth and looked at him. She asked again, nervous. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Did something happen?¡± The inn worker looked alternated nces between Igor and the sword in his hand, his legs shaking. ¡°Oh¡­ it¡¯s just¡­ it looked like your wife was pregnant, so I was only asking if there was anything she disliked so I could bring something else¡­¡± Since Rihannan had taken her robe and coat off, she was wearing a light dress that showed her bulging belly clearly. It seemed that the inn boy had noticed it and was only asking whether she liked the food. Igor felt ridiculous for getting angry over something like this. No, more than that, his own reaction left him dumb-struck. Seeing Rihannan licking sauce off her fingers with her huge, round belly ignited a strong sexual impulse within him. He felt extremely aroused just by looking at her. Igor quickly fixed his expression. Rihannan had previously shown hesitation and fear of his touch, so his sudden impulse of lying with her were no different from a beast¡¯s. Igor spoke in a lower tone to hide his surging emotions. ¡°The food is fine, you may leave.¡± His tone of voice seemed a little displeased, so both Rihannan and the worker quivered. The inn worker left the food tray on the table and left the room as though he was escaping. In the ufortable silence that followed, Rihannan¡¯s eyes finally settled on him. ¡°I opened the door because they said they were bringing food. So¡­¡± Igor quickly shook his hand to stop her. ¡°No, I¡¯m not angry about that.¡± ¡°Oh. Then I apologize for eating without waiting for you. I was just going to taste the food but I felt so hungry, I¡­¡± ¡°It isn¡¯t that, either.¡± ¡°Then, why are you angry?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not angry.¡± ¡°You look angry.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Igor let out a sigh. He could not tell her his honest feelings, so he tried making his voice sound as natural and rxed as possible. ¡°I was surprised to find the door open. Since the food is already here, let¡¯s eat.¡± He ced Rihannan in front of the table and sat across from her. As expected from a Port city, there was a lot of fresh seafood on the tray. Igor grabbed some fist-sized shrimps, cut them to smaller pieces and carefully ced them on Rihannan¡¯s te. Rihannan pierced the meat with her fork and began eating. As she smiled happily while chewing her food, Igorughed. ¡°Luckily, the food seems to agree with you.¡± ¡°Yes. I¡¯m sorry for saying this, but their seafood might be even better than the food prepared by the Pce cooks. I might end up taking them with me home.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll consider g-¡­¡± ¡°Please don¡¯t take my jokes so seriously.¡± Rihannan reprimanded him for being too serious while she spread some butter over some lobster and ced it in Igor¡¯s te. A bright smile spread on his face. This was the first time in his life he was eating something Rihannan had personally served him. The seafood Rihannan had ced on his te was extremely soft and sweet, a taste he¡¯d remember for the rest of his life without a doubt. Then, conversation between them flowed naturally. ¡°Before, in the past, you serve me food first. It was meat. Do you know what went through my mind at that moment?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I thought that you were trying to torture me or something like that. I was so anguished back then¡­ I couldn¡¯t digest anything I ate. However, you kept putting meat on my te, trying to force me to eat.¡± ¡°I¡­ I only did that because you looked frail and without energy, so¡­¡± ¡°I know. When I saw you talking half the meat from my te, I knew that was not your intention.¡± Rihannan reached out towards the cooked vegetables. At the same time, Igor reached out his hand to grab a ss of water. Both their hands lightly brushed against each other in the air. Rihannan quickly took back her arm and averted her gaze, trying to avoid him. Seeing her acting like that made Igor¡¯s expression suddenly turn dark and somber. Just when he was about to sink into a deep depression, he saw through Rihannan¡¯s loose hair strands that her ears werepletely red. Her eyes kept darting everywhere without knowing what to do. It was a different expression from when she was afraid. Igor knew then that she was not avoiding him. She was simply being shy. ¡°¡­¡± Slowly, Igor¡¯s lips curved into a smile. He barely held back the urge tough. He spoke in a rxed voice. ¡°If you are still hungry, tell me. We can always order more food.¡± When Rihannan filled her stomach a bit more, her eating speed lowered considerably. The umted fatigue came to her in a wave and her eyelids struggled to remain opened. Just when she was about to fall asleep, someone knocked on the door. ¡°If you¡¯ve finished eating, I¡¯m here to pick up your tes!¡± The person who came into their room was the samed that¡¯d delivered the food. Perhaps because he still had the memory of Igor¡¯s drawn sword in his mind, his eyes kept fixed on Igor¡¯s hip, where his sword was hanging. They¡¯ve finished most of the food. Igor made a gesture with his hand and the servant quickly picked everything up and left the room. Before leaving, thed said ¡°Oh, and water for your bath will be sent immediately.¡± ¡°A bath?¡± Hearing Rihannan¡¯s voice, Igor smiled. ¡°I told them to bring up some hot water after we finished eating. You must be tired after such long journey in the carriage, not to mention walking alongside the port. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll sleep better after taking a bath.¡± Rihannan nodded. Just like he said, a hot bath would wash her fatigue away. ¡°Thank you for being so considerate, Igor.¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯m not sure I¡¯m being that selfless now¡­¡± He was smiling. ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± ¡°Well, I just remembered something I said to you before.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°What I told you before the Kirittepetition.¡± Rihannan struggled to remember, but nothing came to her mind. All this time, Igor had a weird expression on his face. Actually, he¡¯d been smiling nonstop for a while now. Somehow that made her feel nervous. ¡°Why¡­¡± She¡¯d wanted to ask why he was smiling like that, but she was interrupted by the servants carrying up the bathtub. Afterwards, they brought in many buckets filled with hot water, which they poured into the tub. Soon, the room was filled with hot air and steam. When the workers left, Igor spoke. ¡°Alright then, get in and wash yourself.¡± Igor made a hand gesture for her to go to the bathroom. Rihannan went in with a confused look on her face. It looked like Igor was nning something, but she could not put her finger on what it was. Perhaps she was just overthinking. In any case, she could finally take a bath, something she was very much looking forward to. Rihannan took off her clothes, tied up her hair and submerged her body on the tub. Once in the hot water, the fatigue she¡¯d felt quickly vanished. She felt so rxed¡­ she found it hard to lift a finger. Just when she was about to close her eyes and doze off, she heard the door opening. Rihannan¡¯s eyes widened. For a second she thought that perhaps she¡¯d heard wrong, but she didn¡¯t. The person who¡¯d opened the door and came in was definitely Igor. ¡°Eeeeek!¡± Rihannan quickly covered her chest with both arms. She wanted to say something, but she couldn¡¯t think of anything as she was too surprised. While Rihannan¡¯s lips opened and closed repeatedly without saying anything, Igor started unbuttoning his shirt. Seeing that, Rihannan became flustered. She yelled at him. ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°I wanted to take a bath as well.¡± His confident reply came out without hesitation. Rihannan was still speechless. ¡°Why¡­ why would we bath together¡­?¡± ¡°I told you before the Kirittepetition, didn¡¯t I? That there were things I had to do with you.¡± Rihannan suddenly remembered what he¡¯d told her before going into the hunting grounds for the Kirittepetition. ¡°How about we continue where we left off?¡± When she thought about it, her face became a deep scarlet red. She realized that she wanted him, too. She didn¡¯t want to just eat and talk with him, she wanted to feel his hot skin. She wanted him to hold her so tight she couldn¡¯t breathe, to caress his tongue with hers, and¡­ she wanted to fill her emptiness right now. Rihannan clutched her cheeks with both hands and lowered her head. She was embarrassed and afraid that Igor might notice that she was thinking such lewd thoughts. Besides, she was pregnant. After sharing the news of her pregnancy, he never embraced her again at night, not even once. That meant that Igor had not clearly seen how much her body had changed. What if he felt disappointed if he saw how much her belly had grown? What if he thought that her feminine charms had diminished? ¡°Well¡­¡± Seeing Rihannan silently battling with thousands of conflicting thoughts in her mind, Igor gave her an undecipherable smile. ¡°If you don¡¯t want to, then there¡¯s nothing I can do. I will not force you to do something you don¡¯t want.¡± Hearing that, Rihannan let out a relieved sigh. She thought that he¡¯d leave the room immediately. However, his next words left her speechless. ¡°Instead of that, I¡¯ll help you wash your body.¡± But hearing him, Rihannan could only open her mouth and looked at him, astonished. Igor yed with Rihannan¡¯s wet silver strands of hair. ¡°I¡¯m sure you are so tired you don¡¯t have any energy left to wash yourself.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s not like that. I¡¯m fine.¡± ¡°A moment ago you looked as though you¡¯d fall asleep.¡± Igor knelt down, grabbed a wet towel and started rubbing Rihannan¡¯s body. More than feeling ashamed, Rihannan was surprised of the fact that the King himself was on his knees scrubbing her body like a mere servant. Even though Igor had said in the past that it was natural for married couples to bath together, Rihannan was sure that no normal husband would do this for his wife. ¡°It is said that when a woman is with child, she¡¯ll naturally gain weight. Then, why do you look frailer than before?¡± Igor said this while carefully washing her slender arm, which looked as though it would easily break in half. Seeing his burrowed brows, Rihannan quickly spoke. ¡°That¡¯s because you haven¡¯t seen my belly yet, darling. My belly has gotten so big I can¡¯t wear dresses anymore. I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll end up rolling rather than walking soon enough.¡± Igor¡¯s gaze quickly shifted below, pass her submerged breasts, to a specific ce of her body. Rihannan was about to cover herself again but Igor held her arms. ¡°¡­would it be alright if I touched your belly, just this once?¡± He asked seriously. He anxiously waited for Rihannan¡¯s permission, fearing that she might reject him. Now that he thought of it, unlike his past life, he had never properly felt their baby in her belly. If Rihannan had really left Arundell on that ship, he¡¯d have spent the rest of his life without experiencing any link with his heir. He would most probably miss their child till his death as well. Instead of replying, she took his hand and ced it on her belly. His big hand caressed her curved belly carefully. Whenever he moved, warmed water swayed everywhere. Igor let out a long sigh. ¡°I still can¡¯t believe it¡­ the fact that you and my child are here with me.¡± He smiled. ¡°Every night, while I was looking at your face, I¡¯d pray to God for you to give birth as soon as you could. I thought that if that happened, we¡¯d be able to continue our rtionship, albeit its instability since it was based on a contract¡­ no, actually, I just wished for the baby to be born. The fact that our baby from the past could never be born weighted heavily in my mind.¡± Rihannan¡¯s eyes immediately reddened with tears. She could finally see how much Igor had loved their child all this time. His threats of making her leave without her baby had been nothing but a desperate ruse to make her stay. But, the two of them were the same. They both wanted to desperately keep their child in their lives. Regardless of that, Igor allowed Rihannan to leave Arundell. It must have been a hard decision. Rihannan extended her wet hand and caressed his chin, calming him. Igor ced his hand over Rihannan¡¯s, pressing his face into her palm. As soon as their gazes met each other, they kissed, almost by instinct. Their lips crushed hurriedly in desperation. Rihannan parted her lips and Igor lost no time licking the inside of her mouth. He wanted her everything, as though he didn¡¯t want to lose any detail of her. The hand that had been caressing Rihannan¡¯s belly was now on her bosom. As he caressed her mounds, which were big and sensitive due to her pregnancy, Rihannan couldn¡¯t help moans from escaping her lips as they kissed. Enjoying the sensation of his hands rubbing her breasts, Rihannan moaned louder. ¡°Aaah..!¡± Rihannan held onto his ck hair. As she pulled him closer to her, she kissed him deeper. A pool of heat soon spread from between her legs, making her unconsciously rub her thighs together. She wanted him. Igor was only kissing her and rubbing her nipples, but she could feel herself close to climaxing. She could not hold her desire in check any longer. The lower part of her body which hasn¡¯t received any attention from Igor in a long time was desperately begging to be filled with love. Right now. ¡°Igor, Igor¡­¡± Rihannan screamed his name as she held onto him for dear life. Igor held her head with one hand while he continued kissing her. Rihannan reached out her hand below and grabbed his erect manhood, making Igor inhale loudly. ¡°Ngh¡­!¡± Igor bit his lips. As soon as Rihannan touched his manhood, it became so big it seemed impossible to hold it with just one hand. Igor felt like he was already about toe from that one touch. He could barely hold back his urge to plunge savagely inside Rihannan. If he allowed his wild side lose, the baby inside Rihannan might get hurt. The same applied to Rihannan, who was probably not ready for that yet. Igor grabbed Rihannan¡¯s hand and gently led her away from his manhood. Then, he positioned himself behind her, got inside the tub and ced her body so she would be sitting on top of him. Rihannan¡¯s back was lying against Igor¡¯s chest. Her muscles tensed due to the unknown position, but soon began to rx little by little. Since this reminded her of the time she got on top of him at the Vi by her own volition, she was not afraid. Rather than that, her whole mind was filled with thoughts of desire for him. Igor reached out both hands and started caressing Rihannan¡¯s breasts. As his hands dexterously caressed and rubbed her nipples, small moans began floating out of her lips. His hard manhood was also pressed against her buttocks, stimting her further. ¡°Ah, Igor¡­quickly¡­¡± Rihannan moved her own body trying to take him inside her, but Igor did not grant her her wish. He bit her reddened ear and let out a smallugh. ¡°I can¡¯t. You are not ready to have me inside you yet.¡± ¡°I¡¯m perfectly ready. I can take it all inside.¡± ¡°Calm down, Rihannan. I can barely hold back myself.¡± Igor sighed and slowly caressed Rihannan¡¯s body. Her wet skin was as white as milk and as smooth as a pearl. Feeling her skin made him utterly happy. When Igor¡¯s hand started trailing his way down, Rihannan suddenly remembered the state of her body. She was worried that perhaps her belly would seem even bigger from that position. Just when she was about to cover herself quickly, Igor whispered in her ear. ¡°Do you know how beautiful you are right now?¡± His hot breathe tickled the back of her neck. ¡°You look so beautiful¡­ I want to remember how you look like, now, forever. Really, when I saw you licking your fingers before, you have no idea how much you aroused me¡­¡± His fingers, which were lovingly caressing her belly, started descending. When he reached her garden, Rihannan squeezed his hand and arched her head back. ¡°Ahh¡­!¡± The sensations were engulfing her body whole. It was too much. She wanted something else desperately but since Igor was not willing to give it to her, she was going crazy. ¡°Igor, please¡­¡± His fingers did not enter her immediately. Rather than that, he lovingly and carefully rubbed the surrounding area. When his fingers finally entered her, Rihannan had to bite her lips to stop herself from moaning out loud. Her hips started rocking back and forth unconsciously while her insides squeezed Igor¡¯s fingers. As his dexterous fingers kept moving inside her, Rihannan soon trembled in his arms till a white fluid starteding out from her. Seeing that her body was ready, Igor lifted Rihannan. Then, slowly, he ced her carefully on his manhood. Rihannan felt his big, thick manhood entering her little by little, making her sigh. ¡°Does it hurt?¡± When Igor stopped moving to check on her, she hurriedly shook her head from side to side. ¡°No, I¡¯m fine¡­ please don¡¯t stop.¡± Igor began moving again. The more he entered her, the more his breath quickened. When he finally entered herpletely, they both moaned loudly at the same time. *** Rihannan was exhausted after all they did together, so Igor finished washing her body, wrapped her up in a towel and gently carried her to bed. Igor had originally nned on making a little fun of her while helping her wash, but things quickly got out his control and he ended up sucking whatever energy she had left in her body. Rihannan was half asleep when Igor ced her on the bed, but when she felt him sitting down next to her, she struggled to open her heavy eyelids. Igor lied down and started caressing her damp hair. ¡°Go ahead, sleep.¡± Rihannan nodded. Just when she was about to fell into deep slumber, Igor whispered sweetly in her ear. ¡°After you give birth, I will not hold back anymore.¡± Rihannan asked with her eyes half closed. ¡°¡­Hold back? What¡­ do you mean?¡± ¡°Up till now I have not embraced you too much since I feared you might hate it.¡± Rihannan could feel his smile on his lips as he gently kissed her eyelids. ¡°But now¡­ after you give birth, I¡¯ll take you over and over again, even if youin and say you¡¯re tired.¡± Rihannan smiled, crawled closer into his arms and hugged him firmly. A littleter she really fell asleep. Her small, delicate breaths were the only sounds that resonated in the quiet room. Igor kept looking at Rihannan¡¯s face for a long time, softly caressing her and admiring her beauty. He could finally feel his mind easing up from all the worries that were consuming him not long ago. He had been so scared¡­ scared of this incredible miracle vanishing someday. She could have left, just like she did in the past, somewhere far far away where he¡¯d never be able to reach her again¡­ But now, she would not leave his side. They¡¯d spent the remaining of their lives together with this baby,ughing, crying and finally growing old together. Igor closed his eyes and slowly fell asleep. He had the first sweet dream since he went back in time six years ago. He fell into deep slumber while holding onto Rihannan, without waking up not even once because of worries nor nightmares. The next morning, Rihannan woke him up. She was surrounded by the morning light, gently shaking him awake and telling him to look at the morning view out the window. The end. T/N: Epilogueing up! Chapter 226 Epilogue (1) - Dimitri Epilogue (1) ¨C Dimitri Trantor ¨C Yue Yearster. ¡°¡­and Elheim truly loved his human woman. But he was a God, pure and divine, so he could not remain too much longer on earth. If he stayed in the human world for too long, he¡¯d lose all his divine powers¡­¡± The man who was reading the book out loud paused for a while and looked at a particr direction in his audience. There, there was a little girl with the same hair color as him. He saw her yawning while little eyes narrowed with displeasure, as though wondering why he¡¯d stopped. The man resumed reading the book. ¡°In the end, Eiheim had no choice but to leave the woman he loved and to go back on earth. However, he wept for the love he had to leave behind on the human world and those tears turned into rain. At the same time, a baby was growing inside his woman¡¯s womb, a baby created from their union. This baby was born strong and healthy, and she had an incredible power. She had the power to turn himself into a bird. In the human world, she¡¯d have amon bird form, but once she reached the heavens, she¡¯d turn into a golden bird with blinding beauty. And the name of that bird was Maiastra.¡± The man turned the page. ¡°Maiastra traveled from one side to the other between her mother and father, carrying the love message they longed to tell each other. In the end, the two of them could finally reunite and live happily ever after. Thus, till this day, the great legend of Maiastra has been told generation to generation. The legend also says that if a human saved Maiastra¡¯s life, he or she could wish upon one of her golden feathers and the wish would be granted, regardless of anything.¡± After reading the whole story, the man closed the book and looked at the little girl, smiling. ¡°Do you understand? If you have a wish, then you must go looking for Maiastra. The golden bird will definitely grant you your wish¡­¡± ¡°Hmmmph! Liar!¡± The girl made fun of him. She did not believe a word he said. ¡°That¡¯s just a silly old legend. There¡¯s no way there¡¯s a bird who grants wishes.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s true, the bird does exist. I saw it when I was young!¡± ¡°You must have seen wrong.¡± ¡°Think of your own name, do you think you were named after that bird for no reason?¡± ¡°Why does my name has anything to do with whether the bird exists or not?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Dimitri stared at the charming girl in front of him. She looked very much like his cousin, but on the inside she was a little demon. When Rihannan was her age, she believe anything he told her. But this girl was set on not believing a single word anyone said, as though she spent her time finding out that she¡¯d been living in a lie. What¡¯s more, she spoke using anguage more suitable for a grown adult rather than a little girl. She also liked discussing every minute detail with a clear, cold logic. ¡°You are really¡­¡± Just like your father. Dimitri was about to say those words when the doors opened. The little girl¡¯s eyes immediately lit up. ¡°Mother!¡± The girl run happily across the room towards the beautiful woman. While she hugged her hips, she deeply inhaled the wonderful fragranceing from her mother¡¯s body. ¡°Mai.¡± Her mother smiled warmly while she caressed her daughter¡¯s head. She bent down to kiss her plump cheeks. ¡°It looks like your uncle was reading you a book. Was it fun?¡± ¡°Yes! It was very fun and interesting. I did not even feel time passing by, mother.¡± Hearing that, Dimitri was dumbfounded. The girl who¡¯d just yawned and showed no sign on interest whatsoever till just a while ago was now saying those words without a hint of shame. This girl, in spite of her young age, had a quick mind and a super critical assessment of the situation. She knew that her mother wished for her to build a close rtionship with her rtives from this side of the world, so she behaved as though she truly enjoyed spending time with Dimitri. Rihannan smiled brightly. ¡°The stories Dimitri used to tell me in the past were always fun and fascinating. Of course, most of them were overly exaggerated or merely made up¡­¡± ¡°Ugh!¡± Dimitri grabbed his chest, faking profound pain in the center of his core. Mai burst intoughter and agreed with her mother. Rihannan looked at her daughter and smiled. ¡°Mary said she¡¯d go to the forest to pick up strawberries for the cake. If you want to tag along, you¡¯d better hurry or you won¡¯t reach her.¡± Mai¡¯s purple eyes shone immediately. ¡°Yes, mother!¡± Mai run out the room excitedly. Even when she disappeared from sight, the echo of her loud footsteps running down the hallway could still be heard. Dimitri shook his head. ¡°I never thought winning the heart of that tomboy princess would be this difficult.¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s all because of this beard of yours.¡± Rihannan joked while teasingly pulling his beard. Dimitri hadn¡¯t shaved in years, so it was no exaggeration to say that half his face was covered with hair. ¡°I told you. Mai only likes people who resemble her father. Someone clean and dignified. She definitely dislikes people who resemble beasts, like you.¡± Dimitri scratched his cheek with a finger. Looking at his aloof expression, Rihannanughed. ¡°If you shave, you might be among her top 4 list. Really. I¡¯m serious.¡± ¡°What? Why would I be top 4 and not top 3?! Isn¡¯t it you, that guy and then me, in third ce?¡± ¡°Pffft. You¡¯ve got a rival. Someone called Kaka¡­¡± ¡°Kaka? Who¡¯s that? Someone after Mai¡¯s hand in marriage?¡± ¡°She¡¯s only seven, Dimitri. Why are you bringing up marriage? Geez¡­¡± Rihannan sighed and crossed her arms. ¡°Kaka is Mai¡¯s dog. The dog is huge and wonderful, Mai adores it. I had to put my foot down or she¡¯d have brought it here.¡± ¡°Are you saying I¡¯m below a dog?¡± ¡°Oh, Dimitri. Please stop being so obsessed with my daughter and marry already, then you can have a daughter of your own.¡± Rihannan gave him a yful p on the shoulder. ¡°Mai told me there are more wrinkles in your face. She was wondering to herself whether your lineage would die with you.¡± The Marquis was extremely worried. His son was almost 30 years old but showed no inclination towards marriage. Dimitri loved Mai, which made everyone believe that he wanted a child of his own, but¡­ there were girls lining up trying to get close to him, but he still preferred wandering the seas. ¡°In any case, the day for me to marry wille someday. But, can I really be top 4, then?¡± He caressed his beard while he pondered. Rihannan smiled brightly and pulled his arm. ¡°Of course! Let¡¯s go shave your beard right this instant. I¡¯ll do it myself!¡± *** Rihannan let out a deep sigh as she remembered all that¡¯d happened till now. Igor did keep his word of treasuring Mai more than anyone else in the world. Ever since her birth, Igor not only personally bathed her, he also stayed by the baby¡¯s side every night till she fell asleep whenever he had the chance to. Once Mai grew old enough to raise her own head, Igor brought her in to work with him, letting her sit on hisp while he sorted out government issues. It actually got to the point in which Rihannan had to take her child away almost by force, telling him not to monopolize their daughter¡¯s time too much. ¡°Why are you still calling him ¡®that guy¡¯? He has a name. His name is Igor.¡± Dimitriughed at Rihannan¡¯sint. ¡°I still don¡¯t like him.¡± ¡°What makes you not like him?¡± ¡°He did take you away from us by force. If he had brought gold and treasures in exchange for your hand, we¡¯d have still needed time to consider it, but he simply took you away as hostage.¡± ¡°Well¡­ the circumstances were¡­¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter the circumstances, I will never ept himpletely.¡± Dimitriined with fury. There was still hatred in his heart. It seemed like ¡®what happened back then¡¯ was still engraved in Dimi¡¯s mind, fueling his hatred towards Igor.. Six years ago, Rihannan gave up on returning to Chrichton and went back to Igor, which deeply infuriated Dimitri. He soon found out that Igor had actually gone to the port to take Rihannan back to the Pce. He firmly believed that Igor had gone after Rihannan, threatening her and forcing her to never leave his side. Dimitri then proimed that Igor had broken his promise and officially asked for Rihannan to be safely returned to Chrichton, but Igor firmly refused. It looked like the incident ended there but, not long after, Dimitri himself appeared on Arundel¡¯s Royal Pce. Soon, all hell broke loose. Dimitri was firmly grasping a document with the seal of the King of Chrichton, wreaking havoc within Arundel¡¯s Pce. ¡°I have proof that this marriage is void! King of Arundel, give me back my cousin!¡± At that time, Rihannan was on herst month of pregnancy. Upon hearing the news that her cousin hade to visit, Rihannan got so happy that, in spite of her heavy body, she managed to walk straight to the reception hall to greet him. However, as soon as she opened the door, she saw both her cousin and her husband going head to head against each other. At that time, Rihannan felt as though she¡¯d stepped into an overgrown forest filled with ferocious, savage predators. Seeing both men screaming and yelling at each other, Rihannan ced a hand on her forehead. She did send Dimitri multiple letters exining that it was her decision and that Igor did not threaten her, but Dimi didn¡¯t believe her. He thought that she was sacrificing herself for the good of the nation or something like that. After all, she did end up in Arundel in the first ce because of such argument. ¡°What do you mean this marriage is void¡­!¡± ¡°Read it yourself!¡± Igor brusquely ripped the document from Dimitri¡¯s hands. Reading through its contents, his eyes trembled. Rihannan grew curious. What was is in that letter that made Igor react like that? ¡°¡­¡± After reading the document, Igor didn¡¯t say anything. He bit his lips nervously while Dimitri stared at him with a smug expression. ¡°Rigorously speaking, Ria is not part of Chrichton¡¯s Royal Family. Since Ria, who is NOT a member of Chrichton¡¯s Royal Family, married the King of Arundel under the status of a member of the Royal Family, which she is not, then logically this marriage is void.¡± Mrs. Cessly, who was standing silently behind her Queen, inhaled loudly in surprise. She quickly run to Igor, who was frozen from the shock, yanked the paper from his hand and went back to Rihannan. Both women ced their heads closely together and quickly read the document. There, the document stipted the extension of Chrichton¡¯s Royal Family ever since the country¡¯s foundation. The direct line till the fifth generation would be recognized as Royal Family. Branch lines, on the other hand, would be recognized as Royal Family up till the third generation. During Chrichton¡¯s foundation, the chaos that ensued forced the redistribution of titles andnd among nobles, who sketched this document to settle who¡¯d be treated as part of the Royal Family. As years went by, the Royal Family was selected based on the order of possible candidates to the throne, and Dimitri was among that list. Therefore, it was obvious that Ria, his blood cousin, would be considered part of the branch family. However, ording to the document they had at hand, based on thews established upon Chrichton¡¯s foundation, neither Rihannan nor Dimitri could be considered members of the Royal Family. The document then read that Rihannan¡¯s marriage was void, that Chrichton would be responsible for whatever damaged was caused and that the King of Arundel would receive properpensation. Both Rihannan and Mrs. Cessly stared at Dimitri with a look ofplete horror. Dimitri had an astounding tenacity. In his attempt of bringing back his cousin, regardless of the cost, he¡¯d unearthed this ancient document and dered on his own that Rihannan¡¯s marriage was void. ¡°Oh, my goodness¡­!¡± Mrs. Cessly shook her head, perplexed. ¡°It¡¯s the first time I see someone with such tenacity in my life. He¡¯s unearthed a hundreds year old document, putrid from humidity and mold, just to make his cousin divorce! Now I understand how Chrichton¡¯s Crown Prince fell so quickly. There¡¯s nothing the whole world can do against such stubborn man!¡± ¡°Dimi is usually quiet and calm, but he can do things like these when he puts his mind in it.¡± ¡°But in any case, this will give His Majesty a great headache. After all, what Dimitri is saying isn¡¯t false.¡± Rihannan ced a hand on her belly and sighed. Recently, Igor had done everything in his power to get along with Dimitri. Once the baby was born, he was nning on inviting over Rihannan¡¯s family from Chrichton, and to treat them with extreme care and kindness so that the animosity between both sides could fade away. However, before he even had the chance to repent, Dimitri struck first. While Rihannan discussed this with Mrs. Cessly, both men continued yelling at each other. One side argued that the marriage was void and that he¡¯d take Rihannan back to Chrichton effective immediately, while the other side retaliated by saying that none of that matter, that such argument was useless and to please get the hell out of the Pce as soon as possible. From Rihannan¡¯s stand point, both men were extremely stubborn and no solution would be reached. Just when she was about to move her heavy feet towards them to order a cease fire, since neither of them had even realized that she, too, was in the room, Rihannan felt a sharp pain in her belly. ¡°Ah¡­!¡± When Rihannan stopped abruptly while clutching her belly, Mrs. Cessly¡¯s face turned ghastly pale. ¡°My Queen?!¡± Rihannan shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s nothing, my belly is just contracting a little bit, like usual.¡± She had reached a point in her pregnancy in which it wouldn¡¯t be a surprise if she suddenly went intobor. Just when the pain had gone away, making Rihannan feel like it was another false rm¡­ ¡°Ahhh¡­!!!!¡± This time, she felt another type of pain in her belly, different from any other she¡¯d felt till now. It was so painful tears sprang in her eyes. It didn¡¯t stop there. Something began dripping down her legs. ¡°My Queen, are you having contractions?!¡± Mrs. Cessly quickly supported Rihannan. When her water broke, Mrs. Cessly realized the gravity of the situation, so she threw aside all the elegance and manners she¡¯d always held herself with till that day and yelled at the top of her lungs. ¡°Your Majesty! Now is not the time to argue! The Queen¡­!¡± Hearing Mrs. Cessly screaming, both Igor and Dimitri turned their heads at the same time. ¡°Rihannan!!!¡± ¡°Ria!!¡± Both men stopped fighting and run towards Rihannan. Dimitri tried to hold Rihannan and lift her up but was tackled by Igor, who pushed him aside with his shoulder, got to Rihannan first and carried her away in his arms to an already preparedbor room. Twenty four hours of painter, Mai was born. Thinking back of that day, Rihannan burst intoughter. ¡°Mrs. Cesslyter that day told me it was fun and bizarre to see two men who¡¯d been previously bickering at each other suddenly stand frozen outside thebor room.¡± Dimitriughed softly. ¡°I didn¡¯t know anything about childbirth, so I feared there was something wrong with you. I thought you were going to die.¡± ¡°Yes, Igor thought the same. He must have been shocked seeing my water break.¡± ¡°Honestly, after I saw you giving birth, I know you¡¯d nevere back to Chrichton. I realized you did love him.¡± Rihannan stopped wiping Dimitri¡¯s wet chin with the clean towel and looked at him, surprised. Dimitri had never recognized Igor before, not till now. Dimitri looked at his cousin with his eyes curved as he smiled. ¡°Was that why you stopped opposing our rtionship?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. I was actually trying to judge for myself your rtionship, Ria. If you truly wished to stay beside him, I was nning on turning around and leaving Arundel in peace, making no fuzz. But that bastard¡­!¡± Dimitri hit the wall with his fist, growling in fury. ¡°That bastard threw me out by force and sent me straight to Chrichton. He even made sure I¡¯d never be able to step in the Pce ever again. How am I supposed to understand that?!¡± ¡°Igor didn¡¯t know you¡¯d changed your mind. He was worried you¡¯d really use that document to get me out of Arundel. I¡¯m not sure if I should tell you this, but Igor most probably wanted to throw you at sea rather than putting you on a boat back to Chrichton.¡± ¡°Ria, are you seriously defending him?¡± Hearing his voice charged with fury, Rihannan burst intoughter and kissed his cheek. ¡°Don¡¯t be mad. You know, I¡¯ve never shaved my husband¡¯s beard before. You are the first person I do that to, cousin.¡± The kiss on the cheek immediately cated Dimitri¡¯s anger. While he smiled like an idiot, Rihannan finished wiping his face with a rather sad smile on her lips. ¡°But, are you really ok?¡± ¡°Hm? What do you mean?¡± ¡°I¡¯m asking you if you¡¯re ok with your current life.¡± Three years ago, Prince Ivan was crowned as Chrichton¡¯s new King. Had it been their past life, the rightful owner of the throne would have been Dimi. However, the future in this life had been changed. Rather than bing King, Dimitri dedicated himself to sailing the sea. He traveled far, far away, reached many unknown nations and met other people and their exotic cultures. He set up maritimemercial routes. He was living the life he¡¯d dreamt in his youth. However, had it not been because of Igor and Rihannan¡¯s interferences, Dimitri would have sat on the highest throne of Chrichton. If he knew this truth, he might even end up hating Rihannan. ¡°You never thought of¡­ bing King?¡± ¡°What are you saying? Me, King? I might have the right to ascend the throne, but there¡¯s a bunch of other better qualified people with even better pedrigree than me.¡± Rihannan lowered her head. ¡°You might never know. All those royals who are ahead of you might simultaneously encounter some sort of unfortunate ending¡­¡± Dimitriughed. ¡°I¡¯m not sure why you¡¯re saying those things, but I have no interest in sitting the throne. You asked if things are alright, right? I¡¯m satisfied. More than satisfied. If I wasn¡¯t, I wouldn¡¯t be sailing around the seas without bothering to get married, right? Ah, I guess being King would have some perks. I could show off in front of your husband. But, since you yourself are leading a good life, I have no need for that anymore.¡± Dimitri raised from his seat. Then, he lightly inclined his body forwards and caressed Rihannan¡¯s head. ¡°Are you worried? There¡¯s no need. That man died long ago, and there¡¯s nobody out there who can hurt you.¡± Dimitri was referring to the previous Crown Prince. Five years ago, the Crown Prince was found dead. After being overthrown from his position as Crown Prince, he went out hunting one day and suffered a terrible ident that put an end to his life. His body was found charred. There had been a fire on that side of the mountain at the time, and people simply assumed that the Prince had had no time to escape. His body had been so burned he was only identifiable based on the ring on his finger. And thus, his existence was soon forgotten. Rihannan had the vague suspicion that Igor had actually been involved in his demise. The previous Crown Prince had died the same way Rihannan herself could have died. She wasn¡¯t neither stupid nor na?ve to not make a connection between these two facts. Chapter 227 Epilogue (2) - Maiastra Epilogue (2) ¨C Maiastra Trantor ¨C Yue ¡°Mother!¡± Hearing her daughter¡¯s call, both Rihannan and Dimitri walked out of the room. Mai had arrived with Mary holding baskets filled with strawberries. When Mai saw Rihannan, she cheerfully run towards her. ¡°Mother! Look, I picked all these myself!¡± Seeing her daughter holding up a basket filled to the brim with berries, Rihannanughed. ¡°Mai, that¡¯s too much. Even if every single person in this mansion eats strawberries every day, it will take them some time to finish them all!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll eat all the leftovers! I swear I can do that!¡± After Mai finished bragging about how many strawberries she could eat, Mary spoke. ¡°The princess was amazing. She picked up so many berries in such short time, it barely took her a second! If I had not stopped her, she¡¯d have finished harvesting the whole forest¡­ Oh, my goodness!¡± Mary turned around to look at Dimitri, who¡¯d changed into apletely different person. She was so surprised that she let go of the basket of berries. Dimitri sprang forward and caught the basket before itnded on the floor. ¡°Oh, my God. Who is this? Our handsome young lord Dimitri is finally back!¡± Mary was astonished. In the short time it took them to go out for strawberries, Dimitri had changed from a furry monkey into a handsome young man. Hearing Mary¡¯spliment, Dimitri smiled with satisfaction and focused his gaze on Mai. Mai also had a surprised expression on her face. ¡°Mai, my princess. How do I look? Do I look more handsome now that I¡¯ve shaved?¡± Mai studied every inch of his face as though she was a teacher looking for imperfections. She gave him a quick nod. ¡°Hmmm. At least you look better than before. Do not grow a beard again.¡± Dimitri was brimming with happiness. ¡°Really? Then, Mai, can you give me a kiss on the cheek?¡± ¡°Ugh!!¡± Mai shuddered at her uncle¡¯s silliness and run off to the kitchen. Rihannan gave the disheartened Dimitri a pat on the shoulder and offered him somefort. ¡°Don¡¯t be sad, Dimitri. One day you¡¯ll receive a kiss from her for sure.¡± Dimitri was still sad. ¡°It looks like Mai still hates me¡­¡± ¡°She is a little hard to please. She inherited that trait from her father. Don¡¯t give up, Dimitri.¡± After dinner, dessert was served with the many berries that Mai had picked up earlier that day. Mai talked excitedly about her adventures in the forest, making the whole familyugh with her funny urrences. When it gotte, Rihannan put Mai to bed and tucked her in. She would usually fall fast asleep as soon as Rihannan covered her up with a nket and gave her some soft pats on the chest, but for whatever reason, Mai could not fall asleep at all that night. ¡°Mai, are you not sleepy?¡± Mai grabbed Rihannan¡¯s hand and ced it on her face, rubbing her cheek into her palm. ¡°Yes, mother. But I¡¯ll fall asleep faster if youy down with me.¡± Ever since they¡¯ve arrived to Chrichton, Mai became clingier to her mother. It seemed like she held herself back in Arundel, where she had to keep up an appearance appropriate of a princess, but here she didn¡¯t need to worry about protocol anymore. Rihannan lied down next to her. Her charming daughter was the spitting image of her beautiful mother, with her shiny silver hair, exceptionally white skin and delicate face, she looked more after Rihannan then Igor. On the other hand, Rihannan thought that Mai had inherited the same deep purple eyes as her father. Actually, whenever she looked carefully into her eyes, she could even make the mistake of thinking she was indeed looking at Igor. Her personality also resembled her father¡¯s in many aspects, so much so that Basil was said that Mai behaved exactly like young Igor. ¡°Mother, please, tell me the story of how you met father.¡± Looking into her daughter¡¯s sparkling purple eyes, Rihannan chuckled. ¡°Again?¡± ¡°Yes, please. Again.¡± It was a story that had been told many times, but Mai always begged to listen to it one more time. Rihannan cleared her throat and began speaking. ¡°When I was ten, I visited the Royal Pce with my mother. While my mother was speaking to the Queen Mother, I was ying on my own in the Pce garden when¡­¡± ¡°When you met father, right? And father was lying on the grass at that time.¡± Rihannan nodded. She could not understand why Mai always begged to listen to the same story when she already knew it by heart. However, Rihannan didn¡¯t say anything and continued. ¡°That¡¯s right. I didn¡¯t even know your father was in the garden. Then, something caught my eye as I was looking at the garden flowers and butterflies.¡± ¡°You mean the cat that was trying to catch a bird to eat it, right?¡± Rihannan couldn¡¯t help bursting intoughter. She caressed her daughter¡¯s hair lovingly. At this point, she wasn¡¯t sure who was telling who the story anymore, or if they were simply discussing past events together. ¡°Yes. In the end, your father climbed up the tree and saved the little bird.¡± And the story always ended up right there. Neither Igor nor Rihannan ever talked about the incredible miracle that happenedter. After all, that miracle was their little secret, and only theirs. Mai pulled Rihannan out of her reverie. ¡°What made you fall in love with father?¡± ¡°Well¡­ his face¡­¡± Rihannan blushed but her daughter didn¡¯t even bat an eysh. Even when Mai heard her mother¡¯s embarrassing confession that she first fell in love with her father because of his looks, she was not surprised at all. In fact, the little girl only nodded her head, as though she agreedpletely with Rihannan. ¡°Well, I also like father¡¯s pretty face very much. I understand, mother.¡± Rihannan suddenly realized that her daughter had inherited her tendency of preferring things based on their outward appearance. ¡°Yes¡­ thank you very much for understanding¡­¡± Rihannan felt the urge of making Mai fall asleep as soon as possible. ¡°Mai, if you want to get up early to y tomorrow, you need to go to sleep now.¡± Rihannan covered her daughter to the neck with the nket and prepared to bid her sweet dreams. However, Mai still had something to say to her. ¡°Tomorrow is ourst day here, right?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°So, the time hase¡­ ahh, time did fly by.¡± ¡°Are you sad?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Their three-day short visit hade to an end. At first, Mai found this ce a bit ufortable, but soon began to enjoy herself as though she¡¯d been born and raised in Chrichton. Rihannan studied her daughter¡¯s face carefully. ¡°Then, shall we stay a bit longer? Just for a couple more days?¡± ¡°No! Anything but that!¡± Hearing her daughter¡¯s adamant rejection, Rihannan looked at her, surprised. ¡°Why? I thought you said you were sad?¡± ¡°Father said that if mother ever mentioned staying longer, I should do whatever in my hands, cry, beg, throw a tantrum, anything, so we could go back home as soon as pos-¡­ ah!¡± Mai quickly covered her mouth with both hands, but it was already toote. She¡¯d already sold herself and her father out. Rihannan¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°Mai. What did you talk about with your father beforeing here?¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± Mai soon revealed the whole truth. The day before they boarded the ship to Chrichton, Igor told Mai in secret that if her mother ever talked about staying longer, it was her duty to immediatelyin and beg to go back to Arundel. To even roll on the floor while throwing a tantrum, if necessary. Rihannan couldn¡¯t help butugh out loud. She had been wondering to herself why Igor had suddenly agreed to let her travel to Chrichton, and now she knew the truth. Igor wanted them to go back home desperately. ¡°Mother, father did give me that order, but it is true that I want to go back to Arundel. It¡¯s not like I don¡¯t like it in here, but¡­ I want to see father.¡± Mai¡¯s eyes shone with longing for her father. Since Igor and Mai spent the longest spending time together, it was only natural that she missed him dearly. ¡°Alright, I understand. Now go to sleep.¡± Mai smiled shyly and closed her eyes. Not long after, she fell asleep. Seeing her daughter calmly breathing, Rihannan remembered many things from her past. These past few years did feel like a dream. To give birth to her child and see her grow up were the happiest memories of her life, so much so that sometimes she found It had to believe that these memories were, in fact, her reality. ¡°Mai.¡± Mai smiled like an angel in her sleep upon hearing her mother¡¯s whisper as though she¡¯d heard her, even in a dream. Rihannan kissed her daughter¡¯s forehead and whispered again. ¡°My daughter, Maiastra.¡± The golden bird who could make wishese true. After giving birth to Mai, Igor confessed that he¡¯d thought of that name since a long time ago. He said that when there seemed no chance of their rtionship ever healing again, he held onto onest desperate hope and thought of the name Maiastra. Rihannan had asked why Maiastra, since the bird¡¯s name in Arundel was Ataraxia. Igor exined that he¡¯d chosen that name in case the worst possible oue happened. If he did end up with no choice but to let his wife and daughter go back to Chrichton, the two of them would end up living there with their daughter¡¯s name honoring Arundel¡¯s golden bird, which might be embarrassing and ufortable for both. That¡¯s by, fearing that her name might be a burden, he chose Chrichton¡¯s version, Maiastra. Rihannanughed at his silliness. ¡°You really are an idiot.¡± With a smile on her lips, Rihannan hugged Mai firmly. it had been difficult to organize this trip. She¡¯d originally intended on staying in Chrichton for a week, but seeing Igor¡¯s firm refusal, she agreed on staying over for just three days. At first, she feared they might regreting over for such short period of time, but just like Mai said, she longed to see her husband again as well. Rihannan closed her eyes while thinking how much she wanted to see Igor again, as soon as possible. *** On theirst day in Chrichton, Rihannan¡¯s family escorted them to port, where she bid farewell to her uncle and cousin. ¡°Then, we shall take our leave. Please stay safe and healthy.¡± ¡°Alright, Rihannan. Next time I¡¯ll go visit you.¡± The Marquis made a goodbye gesture with his hand. Dimitri, on the other hand, exuded sadness in his face. After hugging Rihannan and bidding her a safe trip, he murmured angrily under his breath. ¡°Just three days. I really can¡¯t forgive that guy¡­¡± Seeing him speaking ill of her father in front of her, Mai raised her eyebrow, making Dimitri immediately shut his mouth. He was practically digging his own grave, speaking ill of Igor in front of Mai! ¡°Mai,st call. Can you give me a kiss in the cheek?¡± Dimitri continued begging for her love till the veryst minute, a behavior that bordered being too clingy. He even presented his own cheek on the same height level as Mai. Actually, Dimitri had no hope of ever receiving a kiss from his niece. That shy princess would surely ignore him and turn her back to him. But a miracle urred. Mai stepped closer to him, hugged him and kissed his cheek. ¡°It was very nice to see you. You shoulde to Arundel next time.¡± Dimitri touched his cheek with a dumbfounded expression on his face. And with that final farewell, both Rihannan and Mai boarded their ship. The ship soon set sail, quickly disappearing in the horizon. The ship was sailing top speed towards the man that they both loved very much. Chapter 228 Epilogue (3) - The end Epilogue (3) ¨C The end Trantor ¨C Yue When they arrived to the Port of Salerno after such long journey, Igor was already waiting for them. The moment Mai got off the boat, she run straight to Igor¡¯s arms. ¡°Father!¡± Igor hugged Mai as she jumped into his arms. Mai wrapped her tiny arms around his neck while kissing her father¡¯s face repeatedly. ¡°I missed you, father. I missed you a lot!¡± Igor kissed his daughter¡¯s cheek as well, returning the gesture. After all that fuss, he finally let Mai on the ground. ¡°Where is Kaka?¡± Mai began looking for her dog, calling to him. A servant holding Kaka on a leash a bit farther away from Igor suddenly had trouble keeping the dog calm. The huge ck dog, big enough to be confused with a bear, thrashed on the leash until he finally broke free and run straight towards Mai. He began licking her face nonstop. ¡°Kaka! Stop! Stop! You are giving me tickles!¡± While Mai was receiving the dog¡¯s enthusiastic greetings, Igor approached Rihannan. Without being able to hide his broad smile, he took Rihannan¡¯s hands. Then, he quickly pulled her hips to him. ¡°Rihannan.¡± That one word held many different meanings. That he¡¯d been worried all this time and that he¡¯d missed her so much. Rihannan buried her face on his chest. As soon as she heard his heart beating, the mysterious emptiness in her chest finally disappeared. ¡°I missed you, Igor.¡± Then, the hands that were holding her hips suddenly gripped her tighter. Rihannan fell chills running down her spine. Igor held her face in both hands and gave her a small kiss on the lips. While their lips grazed softly, their eyes met. Igor seemed calm, but his deep purple eyes were burning with desire. Igor chuckled. ¡°I was worried for a moment about what to do if you decided on not boarding that ship.¡± ¡°Why? Where you nning on sending a whole fleet of warships again to threaten them or something like that?¡± He caressed Rihannan¡¯s cheeks with his fingers lightly. ¡°Do you think I¡¯d stay here with my arms crossed?¡± ¡°In any case, there would have been no need for you to do that. After all, you did give Mai instructions, didn¡¯t you? You told her that if I wanted to stay in Chrichton longer, you should roll on the floor and cry about going back hom.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Seeing that his secret n was out, Igor kept his mouth shut. Luckily for him, Mai and Kaka approached them. The enormous beast held onto Rihannan, happily greeting her. After Kaka deemed that he¡¯d received enough caresses from Rihannan, they finally got onto the carriage towards home. The journey home took them two hours until they finally reached Count Alessin¡¯s old mansion. The servants were already lined up outside, waiting to offer them their formal greetings. It¡¯s been a long time since they came back. ¡°Wee home, Your Majesties and Princess.¡± Jeffrey was standing tall at the front of the line. He was wearing a monocle and a bright smile on his lips. He also had more white hairpared to thest time they¡¯ve seen him. ¡°Jeffrey.¡± Rihannan approached him first and took his hand. She could feel many more wrinkles on his skin, a sign of a clear passing of time. ¡°I heard your knee isn¡¯t goodtely. How are you feeling?¡± ¡°Mydy, it¡¯s natural for some parts of the body to ache with old age. Please don¡¯t worry about that.¡± His personality remained the same in spite of the many years that had passed since she was a child. Rihannan sighed with relieve. She was crowned Queen seven years ago, but Jeffrey still addressed her as Lady. Perhaps, in this mansion, she¡¯d remain seen as the beloved young daughter of her parents. ¡°Princess Mai, it is an honor for this butler to officially greet you. You will be our master in the future.¡± Mai¡¯s eyes widened with surprise. She turned around, perplexed, and looked at her mother. ¡°Mother, what does that mean?¡± Rihannan didn¡¯t say anything, she only held her daughter¡¯s hand. *** The road towards the cemetery behind the mansion was filled with flowers. Igor asked Rihannan to wait for a little bit and started gathering some flowers here and there. Seeing that he knew perfectly well which flowers to pick, Rihannan could easily imagine him doing this exact thing seven years ago. Soon, there was a bundle of flowers in his hand. Igor looked around for something to tie the flowers together. Noticing that, Rihannan took off a ribbon from her hair and passed it to him. ¡°Tie it with this.¡± Igor took the blue silk-ribbon Rihannan gave him and tied the flowers carefully. Then, he picked one white flower from the grass and gave it to his wife. ¡°This was the prettiest, so I wanted to give it to you directly.¡± Rihannan blushed. She smiled shyly and epted the flower. She ced it under her nose and carefully inhaled its fragrance. It had a wonderful smile. They¡¯ve been living together for a long time now, but whenever Igor made such gestures, her heart would still beat furiously. Rihannan had the inkling that she¡¯d remain the same even if a hundred years passed by. ¡°Did you know?¡± Rihannan asked him as they resumed walking. ¡°What?¡± ¡°The moment I began opening my heart to you was when you gave me those flowers. I saw you picking the flowers with your own hands, so I thought that had changed.¡± ¡°Oh, God, then I guess I should be grateful to Basil for that advice.¡± ¡°Was that Basil¡¯s idea? I knew it¡­ I¡¯m disappointed.¡± ¡°No, wait, I didn¡¯t mean to say that it was Basil¡¯s idea, but¡­¡± Rihannan looked at her husband, who still got so flustered with each and every word she said and smiled. She gripped his hand tightly as they walked. When they reached her mother¡¯s tomb, Igor ced the flowers down and silently stood there with her. After a while, Rihannan spoke. ¡°Mother really liked you, actually.¡± Igor turned around to look at her with a surprised expression. That was news to him, since she¡¯d never said anything in her past life. ¡°Why¡­¡± ¡°She said you didn¡¯t express yourself much, but you were not the type to lie to other people. If she¡¯d really not approved of you back then, she¡¯d have never wanted me to assume the position of Queen, regardless of what the Queen Mother said. She could also tell that I was already falling in love with you, too.¡± Igor lowered his gaze. He¡¯d always thought that his marriage had been decided based on political benefits but now, once more, he had been proven wrong. The more he knew of his past life, the more painful the memories of his past mistakes became. Seeing his eyes turn darker, Rihannan quickly changed the topic. ¡°Ah, now that I remember¡­ the King of Chrichton is showing a favorable position regarding you.¡± Igor smiled and looked at Rihannan. ¡°Is that right? That¡¯s good to hear.¡± ¡°Yes. Well, it is beneficial for all of us if bteral rtions are good. His rule is still unstable, after all.¡± Strictly speaking, the current King of Chrichton was a member of the nobility, but not from Chrichton¡¯s Royal Family, something that had never urred before. Seeing that his position was still hanging on a loose threat, there was nothing to lose and everything to gain by being friendly to the neighboring country. ¡°I told him I¡¯d actively support Mai in bing the heir to the throne.¡± Rihannan¡¯s visit to Chrichton was not only to visit her rtives. As soon as she arrived, she headed straight to the Royal Pce to meet up with Helena, who was now married to a Count, and then went to visit the King separately. She did so to arrange all the fine details involved in ensuring Mai¡¯s position as the heir to the throne of Arundel. These past seven years, Igor and Rihannan did not have any more children. Igor did not want any more heirs other than Mai, and though Rihannan did want to have another baby, she soon gave up the idea for her daughter. If another baby was born, Mai¡¯s position as heir would getplicated. From the very beginning, the two of them established a n to ensure that Mai would be a suitable ruling Queen in the future. However, some nobles still opposed the idea of crowning Mai as heir since the King and Queen were still young and fertile. Perhaps, with time, a male child would be born, so they opposed the idea of speeding up the crowning ceremony. Rihannan was worried about this, but Igor simply went ahead and arrange all that was necessary to proim Mai as his heir. He was adamant on not putting any pressure of giving birth to a boy on Rihannan, as had happened in their past life. They were also nning on giving Mai the status of Countess. Count Alessin¡¯s vacant position would have been passed on to any male baby born by Rihannan; however, since that would not happen, they needed to publicly proim their decision of making Mai their sole heir. Thus, Mai not only had the right to inherit her position as Countess, but to the throne as well. Rihannan spoke with a firm voice, tightening her hand into a fist. ¡°I¡¯ll make sure that Mai does not experiment the same tragedy the Queen Mother had to go through.¡± Their rule was firm, but they knew that many people would not feelfortable having Mai as their ruling Queen, more so considering that issues like this had originated civil wars and other inner conflicts in the past. From those people¡¯s perspectives, it made no sense to have a ruling Queen. After all, even if no male heir was born, if Mai renounced her right to the throne, her future husband would be crowned King. Igor hugged Rihannan. He caressed her round shoulders and whispered. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll make sure that never happens again.¡± Rihannan nodded her head and snuggled into his arms. Ironically, their main ally in supporting Mai¡¯s role as future ruling Queen had been the Queen Mother herself. She¡¯d raised Igor with a cold attitude, but was nothing other than a loving grandmother to Mai. The Queen Mother really wished with all her might for Mai walk a different path from hers. That¡¯s why she was set on doing anything in her power to help Mai. It was the Queen Mother who¡¯d rmended to Rihannan to speak with Chrichton¡¯s Royal Family first, before publicly announcing their decision to all of Arundel. She said that things would go smoother if people saw that they had the support of the neighboring countries. And, as the saying goes, time heals all wounds. Seeing the Queen Mother dote on Mai that much made Rihannan¡¯s hatred towards her lessen little by little with each passing year. All the viins from her past life were either dead or punished, but perhaps the Queen Mother would manage to live the rest of her days peacefully since she didn¡¯t let her second chance at life go to waste. ¡°Let¡¯s go now, Mai could be looking for us.¡± Rihannan said to Igor when the sun set and the wind started to blow. They didn¡¯t know when they¡¯d be back again, so Rihannan bid herst farewell to her mother¡¯s grave. ¡°Mother, I¡¯m living a happy life now.¡± *** ¡°I don¡¯t regret it.¡± They had almost finished descending the hill back home when Rihannan uttered those words. Igor stopped on his tracks and looked at her. ¡°I said it before, didn¡¯t I? My mother loved my father for everyday of her life so, regardless if she hated him or loved him, she was always the happiest when she was by his side. I¡¯m the same.¡± Rihannan knew that Igor still felt guilty for what happened in their past life, and wished for him to stop feeling that way. ¡°Many things happened after I married you but I don¡¯t regret in the slightest being by your side. I¡¯ve always wanted to tell you that.¡± Igor held Rihannan¡¯s gaze, his eyes still trembling with guilt and remorse. ¡°Even if you died because of me?¡± ¡°The person who brought me back to life after my death was also you. Besides, it wasn¡¯t your fault. You also had to pay a high price for what you¡¯ve done.¡± Igor had confessed to her at some point that the three years following her poisoning were hell to him, so much so that he¡¯d fervently wished to die at the battlefield. That¡¯s why, Rihannan made up her mind of living longer than him in this life. If it wasn¡¯t possible to die together, she really wished to survive him for a little longer so that he¡¯d never have to experience the same torment and pain as in theirst time. ¡°If you hadn¡¯t met me, you¡¯d have probably led a peaceful life.¡± ¡°But I would also not be as happy as I am right now. I prefer living my life with the people I love.¡± Igor finally smiled. His expression was filled with happiness. He whispered to her, cing his big palms on Rihannan¡¯s cheeks. ¡°I love you. Every moment you were away from me, I desperately wanted to say those words to you.¡± Rihannan¡¯s eyes curved as she smiled. He¡¯d be so sweet to her. ¡°I love you too, Igor.¡± Their lips met into a deep kiss. As their kiss deepened, Igor¡¯s mind became hazy. His desire for Rihannan, which had umted over the days she was away from him, was about to burst out. There was no way he¡¯d be satisfied with just a kiss. His mind filled with lustful thoughts of how blissful it was whenever his manhood reached the deepest, warmest ce of her body. ¡°¡­I want to do it. Now.¡± Igor whispered in a low tone to her among heavy breaths. His purple eyes were burning with desire as he gazed at Rihannan, making her blush. Rihannan desperately wanted him, too. She thought of the many times he¡¯d made her reach climax over and over again. She wanted him so much she was even willing to let himy her down on the very grass they were standing on just so they could do it immediately. ¡°Please, make love to me, Igor¡­¡± With those words, something broke inside Igor¡¯s mind. He immediately raised her up in his arms as he hurriedly carried her inside the mansion. Rihannan tightly held onto the flower he¡¯d gifted her with one hand while her other arm was coiled around Igor¡¯s neck. They didn¡¯t stop kissing as they moved. ¡°I¡¯ll make sure you don¡¯t sleep tonight. We¡¯ll worry about your resting from your travel when we get back to the Pce.¡± Rihannan burst intoughter with his threat. ¡°Are you saying you¡¯ll let me sleep without bothering me once we are back in the Pce?¡± ¡°Well¡­ I¡¯ll have to think about it¡­¡± Farther away, they faintly heard the barks of a dog and the voice of a little girl calling for her parents. In any other circumstance they would have rushed to their daughter¡¯s side, but just for this one time, they moved stealthily so that they wouldn¡¯t be spotted. Right now, they were longing to be in each other¡¯s arms. The end *** T/N: Thank you for reading this novel! And a big shout out to the LNH team for always working so hard to give us amazing content. It¡¯s been my pleasure to coborate this time ?? The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!