What does she think, becoming the Queen with just a mere baby? How can this fragile infant possibly stand in for the fifteen years of anguish I have endured?" Queen Miyuki seethed, her voice dripping with contempt as she approached Lady Kazumi's chamber. "The great Queen arrives!" the Announcer's voice rang out, echoing like a thunderclap through the hall. Everyone, including Lady Kazumi, bowed deeply, but Queen Miyuki's eyes were laser-focused on the baby cradled in Lady Kazumi's arms. A tempest of emotions surged within her—pain, jealousy, and an overwhelming sense of betrayal. This was the moment she had yearned for, yet it was marred by the presence of this innocent child, a symbol of everything she believed she had been denied. She cleared her throat, her heart racing as she sacked everyone except for Lady Kazumi and her child. "Lady, I'm just a door away. Call me, and I will be right by your side," Maidservant Harumi said, her voice filled with warmth. But Queen Miyuki's gaze turned icy, a look so sharp it could cut through glass, her smile twisting into something almost sinister. "Prepare a bath for the little prince," she ordered, her voice a low growl, desperate to keep her true intentions veiled.
"You are finally going to be the queen, aren't you?" Queen Miyuki asked, inching closer, her desperation palpable as she clung to the hope of reclaiming her dreams.
"I do not wish for that, my queen," Lady Kazumi replied, her voice thin but steady, a beacon of confidence that only fueled Queen Miyuki's growing frustration. The queen's heart raced, a storm of emotions churning within her as she fought to maintain control in a world that felt increasingly out of reach. "Liar! Why did you give birth? You've destroyed my life, Kazumi! I've lost everything—my position, my honor, my dignity—just name it! All my sacrifices over the years have been in vain because of you and your worthless child! I will destroy you both!" Queen Miyuki roared, her voice echoing off the stone walls, her eyes ablaze with a fury that could ignite the very air around them.
Lady Kazumi, her heart pounding like a war drum, clutched her baby tightly, feeling the warmth of innocence against the coldness of the queen's words. The child's green eyes glimmered with untainted purity, sparking a fierce resolve within her. "I won't let anyone harm you, my prince. I swear to protect you with every breath I take," she breathed, her voice trembling but resolute as she pressed a kiss to his forehead, channeling all her love into that single moment.
But before she could devise a plan, Queen Miyuki, consumed by her rage, lunged forward, sending the torches crashing to the ground. Flames erupted violently, licking at the walls and casting eerie shadows that danced like specters in the flickering light. "I will end this baby's life today and right now! Nothing can stop me!" she screamed, brandishing a dagger that shimmered with an otherworldly glow, its blade reflecting the inferno around them. Lady Kazumi's instincts surged, and she dashed towards the door, adrenaline surging through her veins as she fought to escape the wrath of a queen whose heart had turned to ash, determined to protect her child from the storm of jealousy and despair that threatened to consume them both.Lady Kazumi sprinted through the chaos, her heart pounding like a war drum in her chest. The air was thick with smoke, swirling around her like a sinister specter, as flames licked hungrily at the walls. Each breath she took was a struggle against the choking heat, and the acrid scent of burning wood clawed at her throat. Clutching her baby tightly, she felt the warmth of the little one's body against her, a fragile light in this inferno of despair. The glowing dagger, a wicked harbinger of doom, glimmered in the shadows, drawing closer with every frantic step she took. She screamed for help, her voice a desperate plea swallowed by the roar of the flames.
Above her, a deafening rumble shattered the air, the very foundation of the palace shuddering as if in response to her terror. She glanced up, her heart dropping as she witnessed the ceiling begin to collapse, heavy beams crashing down like the wrath of the gods. The ground trembled beneath her, and she realized time was slipping away, the walls closing in on her like a predator ready to strike.
Meanwhile, Maidservant Harumi raced towards the Lord's chamber, her feet pounding against the polished floor, each step echoing her urgency. "My Lord! Queen Miyuki has unleashed chaos upon Lady Kazumi! The room is engulfed in flames, and the baby's cries pierce the air like a siren's wail!" Her voice trembled, a mix of fear and determination fueling her words.
"My Lord, the door is sealed with dark magic! The arcane warriors are powerless against it!" a guard interjected, his face pale with dread, eyes wide with the weight of impending doom.
Lord Yamato, his heart heavy with the gravity of the situation, felt the walls of his resolve begin to crumble. "We must act swiftly! Lady Kazumi and her child cannot be left to perish in this inferno!" he declared, his voice cutting through the panic like a sword.
"My Lord, the only one who can break this seal is your brother!" Maidservant Harumi implored, her eyes pleading for action, desperation etched into every line of her face.
"My Lord, the flames are raging! Time is not on our side!" another guard burst in, his breath coming in ragged gasps, urgency radiating from him.
With a fierce determination, Lord Yamato clenched his fists, the weight of his family's legacy pressing down on him. "Summon my brother at once!" he commanded, the authority in his tone leaving no room for dissent.
But Kazuki Saito, standing defiantly in the shadows, interjected with a cold smirk. "You would risk everything for a throne that is not rightfully yours? If he comes, he'll demand the crown, and you know the truth—you are the lesser heir, forever in his shadow," he taunted, his words dripping with disdain.
"How dare you challenge my authority at a time like this!" Lord Yamato shot back, anger igniting within him, the stakes rising higher with every moment that passed.
In that charged atmosphere, the fate of Lady Kazumi and her innocent child hung precariously in the balance, the flames of ambition and desperation threatening to engulf them all. "How dare you defy my command? My wives are far more worthy than this miserable throne!" Lord Yamato roared, his voice a tempest that shook the very foundations of the chamber. He surged to his feet, a towering figure of fury, his eyes blazing like twin suns ready to scorch the earth. The air around him crackled with electricity, shadows twisting and writhing as if they too were afraid of his wrath.
"But my Lord," Kazuki Saito managed to stammer, desperation clawing at his throat. "You must understand—"
"Silence!" Lord Yamato's voice boomed like thunder, drowning out Kazuki's plea. "Speak another word, and I will have your head mounted on my wall by dawn!" The threat hung in the air like a guillotine, a chilling promise that left everyone breathless, caught in the storm of his fury.
"Lord Yamato is leaving," the announcer said, his voice steady yet trembling, aware of the storm brewing in the room. The tension was a living thing, wrapping around the onlookers, who held their breath, caught in the electric moment.