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