Knock! Knock!
Queen Lustia's lips pressed into a thin line as the knock echoed through the room. She exhaled sharply, her gaze flicking toward the door.Who is it now?
"Come in!"
The door opened, and Prince Ariel and King Magdon entered.
Prince Xavier's gaze darkened as it fell on Prince Ariel and Consort Watelonu. His jaw tightened, and a muscle twitched near his temple. What are they doing here?
When his gaze fell on the flowers in the queen's hands, his face grew even more unsightly.
How did this kind of trash end up in my room?
The thought of so many people stepping into his space made him feel deeply uncomfortable. Agitation churned within him, and he resolved: I'll have to change my room today.
Rara swallowed hard, her gaze darting to the prince and the queen. Their presence felt like a weight pressing down on her chest. She wanted to faint again—anything to escape their piercing stares.
Her hands clenched the bedcovers, her fingers digging into the fabric as the imposing figures of the imperial family surrounded her. Her vision blurred momentarily, and she shifted uncomfortably on the mattress. Was it relief or sheer overwhelm that made her chest tighten?
A lump formed in Rara's throat as she glanced at the gathered nobles. Their presence was suffocating, each gaze heavy with expectations. Gratitude and unease warred within her, making her pulse race.
The imperial family...
She sighed internally.What a life I'm living!
"Your Grace?"
The woman's breath hitched at the sound of his voice. Her chest tightened faintly at the way he addressed her.
She lifted her face, a graceful smile softening her features. "Chief Lisun, you're here."
She gestured for him to sit at the table across from her, but Chief Lisun remained standing, bowing his head slightly. His posture was that of a polite servant who wouldn't dare act improperly before his master.
Seeing this, the woman felt a pang of discomfort. As she gazed at Chief Lisun's face—so eerily similar to someone buried deep in her memories—her eyes began to mist.
"Your Grace, what orders do you have?"
Shaking away her thoughts, she blinked and retrieved a bracelet hidden in her waist belt, holding it out to him.
"Do you recognize this?"
Chief Lisun glanced at the bracelet, a brief flash of shock overtook him.
He stared blankly, thoughts drifting to his ailing father at home. The bracelet tucked within his sleeve suddenly felt like it was searing his skin.
He recalled his father's words about a woman who would remain unforgettable in his heart—a woman with whom he had promised to share a lifetime, their love marked by matching bracelets.
Who would have thought...
"Chief Lisun?"
Chief Lisun's chest tightened at her composed tone, his lips pressing into a grim line. How could she sound so unbothered, so detached, after everything?
Straightening his stance, he looked away, his expression stern. The respect he had once held for her evaporated in an instant.
"What are you doing here?" he asked, his voice laced with anger.
The woman sighed, looking at her son's hardened face as he avoided her gaze.
"Lisun—"
"Don't call my name—you lost that right the day you walked away."
"Son..." Her voice wavered with helplessness.
"If there's nothing else, Your Grace, I'll take my leave." Chief Lisun's tone was cold as he turned to leave.
"Son, let me make it up to you!" She stood abruptly and hurried after him.
Chief Lisun's lip curled, his expression twisted with disdain as he pivoted sharply on his heel, his boots clicking against the floor. "You abandoned me when I was just two—left Dad to suffer alone with his illness for twenty years! How could you ever make up for that?"
The woman flinched, her shoulders hunching as her son's voice thundered through the room. Her fingers trembled, clutching at the folds of her robe as if for support. Looking around anxiously, she hoped no one had overheard.
Seeing her like this, Chief Lisun's gaze burned with fury, his eyes narrowing to slits as his hand curled into a tight fist by his side.
After making sure no one was around, she looked at him and asked, "Your dad... where is he now?"
"You don't need to know!"
"Lisun, please, just tell me where he is—I need to see him. I've searched for years, but I never knew where to find you both."
Chief Lisun scoffed. "If you cared, you would've found us. But you didn't."
"Lisun, please, just let me explain—I've waited years for this chance to make things right.", She tried to explain, but the words got stuck in her throat.
"Don't bother," Without another word, Chief Lisun stormed off without glancing at her.
The woman stood frozen, her hands clenched tightly beside her as her son stormed away. His anger left an ache in her chest that made it hard to breathe. A single tear slipped down her cheek, silent but heavy with regret, as the room grew painfully quiet.
'I searched for years, but every lead slipped through my fingers. How could I ever explain this to him now?'
Her thoughts remained unspoken as tears streamed down her face.
From the corner of the garden, a shadow slipped away, unseen.
"Your Majesty, I swear I saw and heard it myself," the maid said, kneeling as she recounted the scene to the king.
The king waved dismissively, and the maid bowed before exiting the hall.
Now alone with Head Minister Ragang, the king's expression turned contemplative.
"Your Majesty, what do you think?"
The king stared into the distance, memories stirring within him.
Concubine Beanilda.
He recalled meeting her during his return from visiting King Locetag Lidu in the Ropok Kingdom.
A woman cleaning the tables of her small shop had caught his interest.
Unlike other shopkeepers he'd encountered, who often had partners assisting them, this woman worked alone—swiftly and efficiently.
Her beauty captivated the customers, undiminished by her plain clothing.
King Magdon had ordered his driver to stop and entered the shop, dressed simply to blend in.
He ordered several dishes. While they didn't rival the food from his palace, they were far superior to anything his two wives had prepared. Point for her cooking.
What impressed him even more was how she treated him the same as her other customers, showing no special attention.
When the shop closed, he ordered his driver and bodyguard to hide at the roadside and waited for her to lock up.
He then approached her again, revealing his identity as the King of Haguar.
Her face went pale with shock, and she nearly knelt before him, but he stopped her.
"I've taken a fancy to you," he told her bluntly, "and I want you to become my concubine."
She hesitated, her gaze lingering on the floor for a moment before meeting his eyes with faint defiance. Her shoulders stiffened, and the silence stretched uncomfortably. Magdon's chest tightened as doubt flickered in his mind. Why wasn't she eager, like all the others?
Yet her hesitation added another point in her favor, intriguing him further.
Unbeknownst to him, the determination in her eyes wasn't about ambition—it was her vow to reunite with the son and husband she had left behind.
'No, her ex-husband now,'he thought, bitterness creeping into his chest.