Chapter 125:War of hearts 2
Fine by me.
I appreciate the Emperor's concern.
But the Emperor can assign bodyguards.
Or the army. Why you three?
You are the Emperor's precious daughters.
How did he allow you three?
Seraphina, Celestia, and Freya became awkward.
If they said they had stayed here of their own volition.
No one had forced or ordered them.
Maya would surely be angry.
And it would become difficult for them to live here with Maya.
Seraphina understood very well that Maya was correct.
Assigning commanders or the army was a better choice instead of princesses.
But her heart was telling her to protect Ank and never leave him.
She did not want to admit this feeling, but she was losing.
Slowly, her hidden feelings were leaking.
Everyone noticed but did not comment.
Everyone had their own set of problems.
And Maya did not want more competition.
Freya was more than enough trouble for her.
Princess Seraphina looked at Maya for some time and said,
With a tone full of respect and authority,
"He saved this planet.
He saved its people.
He saved our empire.
He saved us.
Standing watch over him is the least we can do in return."
She also said the same line to her heart so it could ignore these feelings.
She had also doubted whether she had this feeling because of some spell.
How had she fallen in love with him after spending less than one hour?
How was this possible?
She had many questions that only Ank knew.
Princess Freya, who had been quiet until now,
spoke, her tone sharper.
"And why are you irritated, Maya?
This isn't your concern.
You have no right to question why we stay close to him."
She was angry at Maya for saying "my Ank" without knowing .
What Ank would reply to her confession.
Instead, she was someone who held the title of Ank's first fiancée.
And her mother-in-law had allowed her to marry Ank.
When they reached the right age.
Her mother-in-law had also told them everything about Maya.
How Ank had put her confession on hold.
He did not say yes to her confession.
While thinking this, a blush appeared on her face that everyone saw.
Maya's throat tightened.
Her heart hammered violently.
No right?
No concern?
She watched how Freya was blushing,
how Seraphina was trying to dominate her,
how Celestia was mocking her.
Her eyes became red due to anger.
"No right? I lived with him.
I made food for him.
I watched over him while he was
unconscious like this many times.
He saved me multiple times!
Tell me again that I have no right."
"And I am his fiancée."
Princess Seraphina rose from her seat,
her gown swaying with her movements.
Her eyes met Maya's, and she said,
"And do you think you're the only one he's saved?
The only one who owes him their life?"
Her voice trembled slightly as emotion surged through her words.
"Don't forget he protected me too.
Not me, but us.
He stood between us and death.
When we could do nothing.
We owe him more than gratitude."
"And he promised me.."
She coughed.
Quickly correcting herself.
"He promised us that he would protect us.
Now he has to fulfill his promise by protecting me…"
She coughed again.
"Protecting us."
Her declaration stunned the room into silence.
"Yes, we owe our lives to Ank."
Both Princess Celestia and Freya said in unison.
Maya's breath stopped for a moment.
She saw not a rival, but another woman
who had witnessed the same courage,
the same unwavering strength that had captured her own heart.
Yet jealousy clawed at her insides.
Drowning out sympathy.
She bit her lip.
"Fine. I won't ask again.
But remember this… Ank is mine."
Her voice cracked slightly, not from weakness.
But from the intensity of her conviction.
The silence that followed was heavy.
Then.
Princess Celestia spoke in a curious tone.
"Yours?
You are mistaken about one thing.
Ank is not yours yet.
Let the future decide who Ank will belong to..
You or someone else."
Maya's nails dug into her palms.
Her entire body trembled with anger.
"You…"
"Enough," .
Princess Seraphina interrupted sharply.
"If you two wish to quarrel like children,
do it elsewhere.
Do not disturb him with your.
cat and mouse fight."
Her words froze both Maya and Princess Celestia.
The tension still boiled.
But neither dared to speak because of fear.
They knew Seraphina would scold them harshly.
Princess Freya, however, lowered her eyes.
whispering almost to herself,
"Still… I wonder.
If he were awake.
what would Ank say?".
The question pierced Maya's heart like an arrow.
What would Ank say?.
Would he smile at her, the way he had so many times before?
Would he choose her?
Or would he look at the princesses.
Noble, beautiful, untouchable.
And step away from the girl who had nothing but her stubborn heart to offer?
The thought made her chest ache.
She clenched her fists tighter.
Fighting back fear and doubt.
"I don't care what you all think."
Maya said firmly, her voice sharper now.
"He belongs to me.
I won't lose him."
He already asked me for time to reply.
I believe he will not reject me.
Maya thought in her mind.
And my mother-in-law already gave me her blessing.
And I know he will not choose them.
I believe him.
Princess Celestia smiled,
Her voice clearly indicated that she was happy.
"Then prepare yourself, Maya.
Because you're not the only one who feels that way."
The air between them crackled with unspoken rivalry.
Princess Seraphina also rose from her chair and said again,
"Enough for tonight.
If you truly care for him.
Then pray for his recovery instead of fighting like jealous children.
The Emperor entrusted us with his protection.
That duty comes before all else."
Her words struck them like cold water.
And though neither Maya nor Princess Celestia replied.
Their glares locked in silent war.
In the corner, Ank remained unconscious on the bed.
He had used his unsealed 0.5 percent power.
Without improving his body condition due to the system.
His body was slowly adapting to his unsealed state.
But Ank did not know that when he awoke.
A different battle was waiting for h
im.
One far more complicated,
Far more dangerous than the clash of swords and armies.
And his mother had used all her strength to make this war more complicated.
Leaving Ank with no choice but to accept all her conditions.
And the battle had already begun.
This was not a war for survival.
This was a war of hearts.