Frost Family Palace…
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Thea paced back and forth in her chamber, her thoughts tangled like a web. She couldn’t shake the image of Lily embracing Kent in front of millions during the royal court. That moment had troubled her heart since it happened. Tonight, she had to know the truth.
She found Lily sitting by the lotus pond in the palace water garden, gazing at the moonlit sky. Her calm demeanor contrasted sharply with Thea’s struggling emotions. Taking a deep breath, Thea approached her sister.
“Lily, what are you doing here?” Thea asked while settling beside her.
“Nothing. I’m just thinking about the upcoming Trident War.” Lily replied while staring at the lotus flowers.
“Lily, I need to ask you something,” Thea said, her voice serious.
Lily turned her head, sensing the weight behind her sister’s words. “What is it?” she asked, her brow furrowing slightly.
“Are you in love with Kent?” Thea asked, locking eyes with Lily.
Lily blinked, momentarily caught off guard by the direct question. “What?” she laughed softly, shaking her head. “No, of course not. Why would you think that?”
Thea’s eyes narrowed, unconvinced. “Don’t lie to me, Lily. I saw the way you hugged him during the royal court—right in front of everyone. You were so emotional, so… attached. No one would believe you did that just out of care for him. So why?”
Lily sighed, rubbing her temples in frustration. “Thea, it wasn’t like that. I… I didn’t even speak with Kent properly until today. I’ve barely known him! How could I be in love with someone I’ve barely interacted with?”
Thea wasn’t having it. Her voice grew firmer. “Then explain the hug. Millions of people were watching, and you embraced him as if he meant everything to you. Don’t tell me that was just a ‘friendly’ gesture.”
Lily’s expression tightened. She stood up, pacing to the edge of the room, looking away from Thea. “I hugged him because I couldn’t stand seeing him like that—almost at the brink of death. I promised myself I would protect him, save him. So I hugged him, yes, but as a friend. As someone who didn’t want to see another person die. You’re reading too much into it.”
Thea crossed her arms, her gaze unwavering. “Is that all it was? A promise? Because it felt like more than just ‘friendship.'”
Lily turned back toward her sister, her eyes sharp. “Why do you care so much, Sister? Why does it bother you? Are you worried I’m going to fall for him just because he’s powerful? Is that it?”
The question hit Thea like a punch, and for a moment, she was speechless. Her mouth opened, but no words came out. She wasn’t sure how to answer. After an agonizing pause, she finally whispered, “I… I care because you’re my sister. I don’t want you to fall for someone just because he’s powerful or admired by others. Be careful, Lily. Choose wisely.”
Lily scoffed, folding her arms. “Thea, I’m more mature than you think. I know how to choose my partner. I won’t let emotions blind me like that.”
Despite her confident words, Thea could see a flicker of something deeper in Lily’s eyes. Was it a doubt? Or was it something more? She couldn’t tell for certain, but a nagging feeling tugged at her heart.
With a helpless sigh, Thea turned to leave, her thoughts more troubled than ever. She didn’t know whether to trust Lily’s words—or her own instincts.
—
Quinn Family Royal Palace…
The grand hall was dimly lit, the flickering glow of aura lamps casting long shadows over the ornate pillars. The scent of exotic incense filled the air, mingling with the rhythmic sound of drums as women dancing seductively in the closed room.
The women were entertaining the two sons of the emperor.
In the center of the room, Maxwell, the first son of the emperor, sipped a glass of fine wine, his gaze occasionally drifting toward the dancers. Beside him sat his younger brother, Phillip, equally absorbed in the dancing women, though his eyes held a sharper glint of focus.
After a moment of watching the dancers in silence, Maxwell leaned toward his brother. “I heard a rumor. A masked man saved Mother during the royal court. And Father… Father tried to punish him beforehand. What’s going on?”
Phillip smirked, swirling his wine in the glass as he spoke. “Don’t worry about that, Brother. Father’s still furious, but Mom—Soya—already sent spies to uncover this masked man’s identity. Once we have the information we need, we’ll wipe that fellow from existence.”
Maxwell raised an eyebrow, his interest piqued. “Wipe him from existence? You sound very sure.”
Phillip chuckled darkly. “I am. You know how this works. No one defies our family and gets away with it. Also, I have a personal reason to kill him. The moment we have his background, he’s as good as dead.”
The brothers shared a knowing laugh, their eyes gleaming with malice. As the dancers swirled around them, Phillip leaned closer, lowering his voice. “But let’s not get too distracted. The Trident Summit is coming up. That’s what we should be focusing on.”
Maxwell nodded, setting his glass down. “I’ve been preparing for that. I’ve learned quite a bit about the Spirit Realm and our competitors. But there’s more…”
Phillip’s eyes narrowed. “Oh? Do tell.”
Reaching into his robe, Maxwell pulled out a thick book, its cover etched with mysterious symbols. He handed it to Phillip, who accepted it with a raised eyebrow.
“What’s this?” Phillip asked, flipping through the pages.
“It’s a detailed account of the Spirit World—the laws that govern it, the fortune places, the hidden paths and clearly described about each demi-god territory.” Maxwell explained. “Everything we need to know to dominate the realm.”
Phillip’s face lit up with excitement as he skimmed the pages. “This… this is invaluable! Where did you get it?”
Maxwell leaned back, a sly smile playing on his lips. “I have my sources.”
Phillip was about to ask more when Maxwell dropped another bombshell. “Oh, and one more thing… I’ve succeeded in learning the Sun Moon Eclipse Art—at least, to some extent.”
Phillip’s eyes widened in disbelief. “What? I always had a doubt. But you actually managed to learn it?” His voice was filled with both awe and envy. “How? That technique is only for the Quinn family bloodline.”
Maxwell shrugged, though his pride was evident. “It wasn’t easy. I had to use a rare item which contained the blood essence of the Quinn-family. Even though I didn’t have full mastery, we can hide our birth secret with it.”
Phillip looked at him, astonished. “Brother, that’s incredible! If you’ve managed even a partial mastery, it could give us a great time to occupy this 7th realm for the generation to come. We must first tell this information to our mother Soya. She would be delighted with this news.”
Maxwell grinned. “That’s the plan. But keep it between our three. No one else needs to know just yet.”
Phillip laughed, his excitement palpable. “Oh, don’t worry, brother. With this and the knowledge in that book, we’ll be unstoppable.”
As they toasted to their future triumph, the music continued to pulse in the background, and the two beautiful half naked girls approached them with a lusty stare.