[The Eastern Territory Inside the Imperial Carriage]
The heavy, armored Imperial carriage rolled through the snow choked streets of the East, carrying me, Seraphina, Elian, and Arthur back toward the Ducal estate after finalizing our Academy registrations.
Inside the carriage, the silence was suffocating.
"It's not fair!" I growled, punching the plush, cushioned seat next to me.
My eighteen year old, chaotic Three Aditya mana sparked around my knuckles in violent red flickers of pure annoyance.
"How did Lyra end up in the exact same class as Elena Valerius and Vanya Thorne?! There are thousands of students in the Eastern Academy!"
Crown Princess Seraphina had her arms crossed so tightly her knuckles were white, her pale blue eyes flashing with a cold, protective anger.
"You are right. Even Duchess Serene was shocked when the results were posted this afternoon. She didn't think the Academy system would group them together."
"It's the Triple Attribute mana of the babies," Arthur sighed, looking out the frosted window.
"The Academy's automated artifacts sorted Lyra into the 'Sovereign Tier' class because of the raw, monstrous magical potential radiating from her core. Unfortunately, Vanya and Elena also barely qualified for that top tier through sheer expensive tutoring. They are in the same room."
Eight year old Prince Elian shook his head, hugging Cinder tightly to his chest.
"What are we going to do if they try to hurt my sister in law? You know, Big Brother... if you weren't such a massive pervert who got her pregnant, this dangerous situation never would have happened."
My eye twitched violently. I pointed a threatening finger at the kid.
"Stop calling me a pervert! But... you're right. I can't be in her class to watch her back. But I swear on my life, if those two Southern snakes so much as breathe in Lyra's direction, I will make sure the South pays for it in blood."
I leaned back, taking a deep breath to force my aura down. I looked across the carriage at Arthur, a wicked, mercilessly teasing smile slowly crossing my face.
"But we have a much more immediate disaster to deal with," I smirked. "Arthur, tell me... did your girlfriend know your secret identity when you gave her that invitation yesterday?"
Arthur's face instantly went paper white. He swallowed hard, his Adam's apple bobbing.
"I... I asked Mother not to put the Ducal seal on the envelope! I kept it a secret! I'm pretty sure she doesn't know!"
"Oh, please," I laughed evilly.
"Don't play dumb, Arthur. She has the address. You gave a fierce, Weapon Attribute commoner girl the direct coordinates to the highest-ranking military fortress in the Eastern Empire. She definitely knows by now."
[The Orion Ducal Estate The Front Gates]
At that exact moment, Kaelia was standing outside the massive, towering iron gates of the Orion Palace, completely frozen in shock.
She looked down at the elegant handwriting on the invitation, and then up at the colossal, crystal white fortress guarded by hundreds of heavily armed, terrifying Imperial Knights.
"Excuse me," Kaelia said nervously, walking up to one of the stoic Royal Guards.
"Is... is this the correct address for the tea party?"
The guard looked down at the unmarked invitation, recognized the Duchess's personal handwriting, nodded respectfully, and signaled for the massive gates to be opened.
"Yes, Miss Kaelia. The Duchess is eagerly waiting for you in the parlor. Right this way."
Kaelia followed the guard through the impossibly grand, echoing hallways, her mind spiraling into hyperventilating panic.
Arthur... Arthur is a Duke's son?! I've been making the Heir of the East carry my heavy shopping bags for two years?!
As she turned a corner, still completely distracted by her internal crisis, she bumped directly into someone.
"Oh! I'm so sorry!" a soft, gentle voice apologized.
Kaelia looked up.
Standing in front of her was the most beautiful girl she had ever seen, with shimmering silver hair and deep, impossibly kind blue eyes.
The girl was wearing a luxurious Imperial nightgown draped in a thick, expensive fur shawl.
"Are you okay?" Lyra asked gently.
She looked at Kaelia's fierce eyes and the practical combat gear she wore under her heavy winter coat. Suddenly, Lyra's pale face lit up with absolute, genuine excitement. She reached out and warmly grabbed Kaelia's hands.
"Wait! Are you Kaelia? Arthur's girlfriend?!"
Kaelia blinked, completely caught off guard by the girl's radiant warmth.
"Y..Yes, I am. But who are you, Miss?"
"Oh, forgive my late introduction!" Lyra smiled brightly.
"I am Lyra Kaelen."
Kaelia's brain short circuited. Kaelen. The Imperial Family name.
Her fierce eyes dropped to Lyra's stomach, recognizing the faint, glowing hum of the protective, Sovereign Level magical barrier the Royal Doctors had placed around her.
The pregnant Princess of the Empire. The future Empress!
"F..Forgive my rudeness, Your Highness!" Kaelia panicked, immediately dropping into a deep, rigid bow.
"No, no, please stand up!" Lyra laughed lightly, gently pulling Kaelia back to her feet.
"Let's just be informal! You are Arthur's girlfriend, which makes us practically family!"
Kaelia stared at seventeen year old Lyra in pure awe. The rumors are completely wrong, Kaelia thought.
They said the new Princess was an arrogant, spoiled Southern brat. But she is an absolute angel.
Then, a dark, terrifying thought crossed Kaelia's mind.
Wait a minute. If Princess Lyra is an angel... that means the
"Cursed Prince" who forced her into this pregnancy really is a monster! The ugly, lazy pig! She must be utterly terrified of him! Don't worry, Princess Lyra. I will protect you from that pig!
This is the terrifying power of a false narrative: it turns fiercely protective people into blind soldiers, ready to draw their swords against the wrong monster.
"Ah! My future daughter in law!"
Duchess Serene Orion walked rapidly down the hall, beaming with unbridled joy.
She bypassed all royal etiquette, throwing her arms around the stiff Kaelia in a tight hug.
"Arthur has told me so much about you! Come, sit! We have so much to talk about!"
Kaelia smiled politely at the Duchess, but inside, her warrior's soul was burning with pure, unadulterated rage.
You absolute bastard, Arthur. Where are you? Why didn't you tell me who you really were? If I see you, I am going to kill you!
[The Parlor The True Story]
The three of them sat in the luxurious parlor. Duchess Serene poured the steaming tea, leaning forward with a highly mischievous grin.
"So, Kaelia," the Duchess asked, resting her chin on her hands.
"How exactly did you and my idiot son meet?"
Kaelia's face flushed bright red, a mix of embarrassment and lingering anger.
"Well... it was in the Commerce District, Your Grace. He was being an absolute fool."
Duchess Serene burst into uncontrollable, highly un..aristocratic laughter after hearing the story.
"Oh, that is absolutely classic! He couldn't even defend himself!"
Before they could continue, the parlor doors opened. The Chief Doctor walked in, bowing respectfully.
"Forgive my intrusion, Duchess," the Doctor said gently. "But Princess Lyra, it is time for your evening medical checkup and mana stabilization."
Lyra nodded, standing up carefully. She looked at Kaelia with a bright, incredibly warm smile.
"It was so nice to meet you, Kaelia. Let's meet tomorrow at the Academy, my dear friend!"
"Yes, Your Highness," Kaelia smiled warmly, bowing her head.
[The Estate Courtyard]
A few moments later, our carriage finally pulled into the courtyard.
I stepped out, stretching my stiff arms, with Arthur dragging his feet right behind me.
Just as we hit the snow, an Eastern Knight approached us and bowed.
"Lord Arthur," the Knight announced formally.
"The Duchess has summoned you to the parlor immediately."
Arthur's face drained of all remaining color.
"T-Tell her I'm sick. Tell her I died."
"Oh, no you don't!" I laughed wickedly, grabbing Arthur firmly by the back of his uniform collar.
"We are both going! Big Brother is going to watch this!"
"Please, Zion, listen to me!" Arthur begged, his boots leaving deep drag marks in the snow as I effortlessly pulled him forward.
"I don't want to meet her yet! She's going to murder me!"
I ignored his pathetic pleas and dragged him all the way to the parlor.
I threw the heavy mahogany doors open just as Kaelia was buttoning her winter coat to leave.
Arthur instantly froze like a terrified statue.
Kaelia stopped. She looked at Arthur. Her fierce eyes narrowed into terrifying slits of promised violence.
"We meet tomorrow morning in the Academy training ground, Lord Arthur," Kaelia said, her voice dropping to a demonic, deadly whisper that promised absolute suffering.
Arthur gulped loudly. I'm dead, he thought. I am actually going to die tomorrow.
"Goodbye, Mother in law," Kaelia said, turning to Duchess Serene with a completely polite, sickeningly sweet smile. "I will see you soon."
"Goodbye, dear!" Serene waved happily, entirely oblivious or willfully ignoring the murderous tension.
As soon as the heavy doors clicked shut behind Kaelia, Duchess Serene turned to Arthur with a massive, proud grin.
"Arthur, I love that girl! She is exactly as fierce as you said she was!" Serene cheered. But then, she crossed her arms, a viciously teasing smirk crossing her lips.
"But honestly, my son... Why did you kiss her the very first time you met? You are just like your father and your cousins! A family of absolute, irredeemable perverts!"
My jaw dropped. "Hey! Don't drag me into this!"
I turned to Arthur, poking him aggressively in the chest.
"I can't believe it! You fell into a snowbank and kissed a girl you didn't even know?! Who is the real pervert here, Arthur?!"
Arthur buried his burning face in his hands, groaning in pure, inescapable misery.
[The Imperial Capital The Main Palace]
Far away from the comedic chaos of the East, a massive, heavily armored white carriage was being carefully prepared in the Capital courtyard.
Little Leo and Mia were practically vibrating with sheer, uncontainable excitement. They were bundled up in impossibly thick, luxurious white fur coats that made them look like tiny, adorable snowballs.
"Are we ready?!" Leo cheered, jumping up and down in the freezing air.
The massive doors of the Palace opened. Emperor Aldric stepped out. He had traded his usual dark military uniform for a majestic, heavy white and silver Imperial winter cloak.
The absolute, terrifying sovereign pressure of the Kaelen Empire radiated from his every footstep, but as he looked down at the adopted twins, his glacial eyes were incredibly soft.
"Yes, we are ready," Emperor Aldric said, offering his scarred hands to the tiny five year olds.
He lifted them both easily into the plush royal carriage.
The Emperor of the Kaelen Empire was heading straight into the Northern Territory, directly into the political trap meticulously set by Duke Vane.
There is nothing in the universe more catastrophic than a predator who builds a trap for a rabbit, only to realize he has accidentally locked himself inside a cage with a sleeping dragon.
And the North had absolutely no idea what was coming.