Chapter 183

Chapter 183

Maria’s head was splitting.

She forced herself to leave the Queen’s bedroom, the woman’s voice circling endlessly through her mind.

“Your mother wanted you to be safe and happy, while I want this Royal Palace that destroyed her to be utterly destroyed,” the Queen had said. “You should stay far away from here. Tracy is young and handsome, and the two of you are well matched. Marry him and leave this place.”

Absurd. All of this was far too absurd.

She wanted to question the Queen, but words felt too feeble. She understood all too clearly that the other woman’s obsession was not something a few sentences from her could shake.

The Queen wanted to destroy this place.

Barely holding herself together, Maria went to find Tu Nan.

Tu Nan was shocked by her pallor. She helped her sit down and could not hide her surprise as she asked, “Did you just come from the Queen? What happened? You look terrible.”

Maria closed her eyes and rubbed her temples. They were throbbing violently, and she felt as if there were a rabbit bouncing wildly around inside her skull.

“She is Aphro – my mother,” she said, utterly exhausted. “Your guess was right.”

“Then why are you…”

“Why am I not a Witch?” Maria opened her eyes and glanced at her. “No. I am a Witch.” A wan smile touched her lips. “It’s just that my mother didn’t want me to die. She left the Queen a potion and had her seal the magic inside me.”

“Tell Nemesis about this,” Maria said without hesitation. “Maybe she’ll have a way to undo this confinement.”

Tu Nan nodded, then said, “You look awful. I think you should get some proper rest.”

Maria was silent for a moment, then shook her head gently.

“I can’t rest. I feel like there’s a fire burning inside me. It won’t let me close my eyes. I have to do something before it will go out.”

She fell silent for a long time before speaking again. “The Queen wants to destroy this country. I don’t. I think that compared to destruction, my mother would rather see me conquer him – my father, that foolish man.”

Flames leaped in Maria’s eyes. “I want him to watch it all happen with his own eyes. His kingdom will belong to the Witch he hates most.

“I’m going to find Emily. I’ll do my best to persuade her.”

She looked at Tu Nan and held out her hand. “Let’s work together, all right?”

Tu Nan paused, then took her hand.

“By the Witch’s apple.”
—
Tu Nan went to Xu Duoyi and asked her to send a message to Nemesis.

They watched Wu flap its wings and fly away, worry faintly hidden between their brows.

No one knew what Nemesis would do.

“How do you think she’ll react?” Xu Duoyi asked.

Tu Nan shook her head. “I don’t know. But I think… she should have been mentally prepared for this long ago.”

“Someone came to tell me just now that the Church has finished preparing for the sacrifice. They’re planning to hold the sacrificial ceremony tomorrow.”

“They really are in a hurry.” Tu Nan’s gaze turned cold. “I suppose the King can’t hold on much longer.”

Xu Duoyi nodded. “That’s right. He’s terrified every moment that he’ll breathe his last at any second. He can hardly wait to hold the sacrificial ceremony immediately.”

Tu Nan nodded, unable to keep worry from stirring in her heart. She looked at Xu Duoyi. “This is risky.”

“Of course I know that.” Xu Duoyi nodded. “But what isn’t risky in an Instance?” She turned her gaze out the window. The sky was as clear as if it had been washed clean, and in the distance, the sun was sinking little by little. The afterglow of sunset gradually dyed the heavens a brilliant gold.
One side of the Castle was dyed gold, while the other had sunk into shadow.

It was a sight almost impossible to see in reality.

She let out a soft breath and murmured, “I hope everything goes smoothly.”

“Yeah,” Tu Nan said quietly as well. “I hope everything goes smoothly.”

Their eyes met, and in the fading afterglow of the setting sun, they smiled at each other.

**

Tu Nan had no intention of waiting indefinitely in Xu Duoyi’s room for Nemesis’s reply. She told Xu Duoyi to come and inform her the moment a response arrived, then left the room.

Her mind was a mess. A great many things were bound to happen at tomorrow’s sacrificial ceremony, and she planned to return to her room and sort through her thoughts.

The corridor was empty. She walked across the soft carpet with her head lowered, going over what she needed to do tomorrow.

Suddenly, a pair of leather boots appeared in front of her.

Tu Nan raised her eyes and looked at the person before her, somewhat puzzled.

“Prince Dennis?”

Dennis regarded her at his leisure, the corners of his mouth lifting slightly. “Miss Judy, might I have the honor of inviting you to dine with me tonight?”

It was already dinnertime.

Why would Dennis invite her to dinner? Tu Nan wondered expressionlessly.

“I didn’t refuse you this morning, so I assume you won’t refuse me either, will you?” Dennis could not help saying when she remained silent.

Whatever Dennis had in mind, she should not refuse him.

Tu Nan smiled faintly, putting on a shy, bashful look. “Of course. It is my great honor to receive your invitation.”

Ever since the King had been poisoned at the banquet that day, he no longer dined with the Queen, Maria, and Dennis.

His meals were now subject to extremely strict controls. The chef in charge of the King’s food lived in constant fear, with practically every move he made under surveillance.

Without the King at the table, there was no need to be overly restrained. Dennis was more than happy to enjoy the ease of it.

A lavish spread filled the table, but neither of the two seated there seemed inclined to pick up their knife and fork.

“Actually, I wanted to speak with you at noon,” Dennis said. “But I couldn’t find you.”

“What unfortunate timing. I went out with Miss Emily Charles to clear our heads,” Tu Nan said apologetically.

“Oh?” A flicker of surprise crossed Dennis’s eyes. “If I’m not mistaken, you and Emily Charles only met for the first time yesterday.”

“Yes.” Tu Nan inclined her head slightly and said, half truth and half lie, “But the moment I saw her, it felt as if I had known her for a very long time. Miss Charles felt the same. We got along remarkably well.”

“You do seem to possess that sort of magic.” Dennis’s voice suddenly shifted in tone, making his words sound almost like the recitation of a poem. “Miss Judy, there is no doubt that you are a Woman of truly exceptional charm.”

Tu Nan’s brow twitched, a little caught off guard. She froze for an instant, then lowered her head to hide the confusion in her eyes and said in a shy voice, “You flatter me far too much. This is truly rather unexpected…”

“And without question, you are also a very bold lady,” Dennis continued.

Tu Nan lifted her head and looked at him in confusion.

“That night, it really was you who went to find Eddie, wasn’t it?” Dennis asked with a smile. “You are very clever. You all but cleared yourself of suspicion entirely. I almost believed you truly had been wronged.

“But perhaps you do not understand me well enough yet. As it happens, I know a little about the attire of a Woman. I danced with you that night, and I remember very clearly-the discarded dress was the very one you had been wearing at the time.”