However, Illyad was smiling. That ‘kind and warm’ smile, typical of her, spread across her face.
It would be less scary if she had started throwing things around, screaming, and showing anger. The expression, utterly mismatching the situation, froze Lynette and all the attendants in place.
“That’s enough. Bring them inside.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
The attendants began to hurriedly move the luxury items inside again. Illyad silently followed the packed boxes towards the Emperor’s Palace where Claudius was.
“Emperor, the Queen has arrived.”
Claudius was in a relaxed attire inside the office, with Selina, of course, by his side.
Were they together since last night? Their skin was openly visible through their loose clothing.
Despite being an official meeting to review and sign documents, any semblance of decorum seemed to be tossed in the trash. Illyad approached Claudius and Selina without any hesitation.
He glanced at the entering Queen and smirked slightly.
“Good morning, Queen.”
“An inconvenient morning, Emperor.”
“Do you dislike seeing us like this?”
What could possibly be the psychology of someone asking such an obvious question? Was it a confirmation kill? Or did he want to see her twist in anger? Illyad entirely changed the subject and went straight to the point.
“I heard you are preparing for war.”
“…That was fast. The news has already reached the Queen?”
Claudius casually looked at the document while stroking Selina’s nape with his other hand. Her light tremble as she snuggled closer to him was blatant.
Despite the overt display, Illyad continued without a change in her expression.
“Because of that, I had to rewrite the budget for the Queen’s Court. Thanks to your generous burden, I haven’t had a moment’s rest.”
Lynette suppressed the chills creeping over her. Illyad, though smiling, had a sharp edge in her words.
Indisputably mocking Claudius’ behavior, yet he just kept grinning.
“So, I’m here to report the reduced budget for the Queen’s Court.”
Regardless of Claudius’ reaction, Illyad pushed the organized documents in front of his nose.
Claudius looked up at Illyad, standing neatly before him. As always, she was composed and radiant.
“I’ll take a look.”
“And I have a suggestion.”
“Considering the Queen has come here in person, it must be important. Selina, would you mind stepping aside for a moment?”
Despite Claudius’ gentle request, Selina shook her head firmly, refusing to leave. She seemed determined to stay by the Emperor’s side no matter what.
Illyad looked at Selina, mixing a drop of kindness into her serene smile.
“No, it’s about Miss Selina, so it’s better if she hears it too.”
The two, so close together, looked puzzled. What could Claudius possibly respond with?
“I suggest officially making Miss Selina the Empress.”
It was a statement that no one expected.
For a moment, it seemed as if time had stopped; everyone in the room focused on Illyad. The one who had made the startling suggestion remained calm, gazing at the Emperor and his consort.
Claudius abruptly straightened up, his face contorting. Selina, not yet grasping the reality of the situation, just blinked blankly at the Queen.
“Queen, what sudden…”
“Unexpected, isn’t it? I thought the Emperor would be the happiest to hear this.”
Illyad deliberately tilted her head with an air of nonchalance, displaying the ease of someone who had gained the upper hand.
The unexpected proposal from the Queen had left Claudius flustered, which was quite a sight to behold.
“Your Majesty’s affection deepens day by day, so nothing could be more fortunate. It’s also a perfect opportunity for succession. However, keeping Miss Selina in the palace without any official position attracts too many watchful eyes.”
As Illyad spoke, a sparkle emerged in Selina’s eyes. She was struggling to contain her excitement, glancing cautiously at the Queen and the Emperor.
The position of Empress, which she had only heard of and dreamed about, was now within reach.
Finally, she could be by Claudius’s side, officially.
Illyad did not miss the laughter seeping out of Selina’s lips. She nailed it with feigned kindness.
“And if Miss Selina ascends to the position of ‘Empress,’ she would enjoy even more privileges than now.”
Clearly, the statement was meant for Selina to hear. By this point, Selina would likely cling to Claudius’s legs, begging.
No one would just watch their status, privileges, and honor slip away – not the Selina Illyad had observed so far.
“Queen!”
Selina broke away from Claudius and knelt before Illyad, the most respectful demeanor she had shown towards the Queen.
“Me, an Empress? I’m overwhelmed with gratitude. From now on, I’ll be even more…”
“I never agreed to it.”
Selina, who had been trembling with excitement and joy, suddenly froze. Her servile eyes quickly turned into resentment.
Claudius, without looking at Selina, who was glaring at him, matched Illyad’s gaze as he slowly stepped forward.
Their eyes locked in mid-air, as if the temperature of their gazes could freeze them solid.
‘My prediction was right.’
My Arch-enemy Sealed My Memory and Said That He is My Husband
This is an incredibly captivating story that you absolutely shouldn’t miss! I’ll give a brief introduction here, and below you’ll find a detailed synopsis of the plot.
The female lead is a fierce and powerful demon king. The male lead is a once-in-a-millennium celestial lord, admired by the entire cultivation world.
They are equally matched, legendary rivals who have battled for centuries.
In the final duel, the female lead is gravely injured. The male lead saves her, seals her memories, and hides her true identity. He tells her that he is her fiancé. His entire life has been flawless—except for the one thing he never expected, never controlled, and never wanted to control: falling for his greatest enemy. She is his inner demon, his obsession.
When the female lead regains her memories, she is furious at his deception.
She makes his life a living hell.
And somehow, the male lead—possibly a total masochist—doesn’t mind at all. In fact, he’s happy she’s paying attention to him.
Yep, we’re back to my favorite trope: male lead suffering. If you love this kind of story, jump into the pit with me now!!!
Intro
Dong Xia lost her memory.
Her handsome and extremely powerful fiancé Li Qing comforted her: “It’s okay if you can’t remember. I’ll always be with you.”
Everyone thought Dong Xia’s ancestors must have burned incense to get such a perfect fiancé. He was the number one person in the immortal realm, yet he remained chaste and only loved her.
…
The day before marrying her fiancé, Dong Xia finally remembered everything.
She wasn’t suffering from memory loss at all.
Her arch-enemy had made her fake her death, destroyed her cultivation, replaced her memories, and pretended to be her deeply in love fiancé.
No wonder he said, “It’s okay if you can’t remember”!
Dong Xia laughed coldly as she pulled out her long knife: Li Qing, prepare to die 🙂
*
Li Qing, as the supreme being of the immortal realm, was the people’s shining beacon.
The only unknown stain in his life was his affection for Dong Xia, the ruler of the demon realm.
In the final battle of the war between immortals and demons, the sky collapsed and the earth shattered. The ruler of the demon realm was finally slain under the sword of the supreme being of the immortal realm, and everyone in the immortal realm applauded.
The cultivation world lost a ruler of the demon realm.
And in the back mountain of Li Qing’s cave dwelling, he secretly hid away a fiancée.
Notes:
1. The female lead is white on the outside, black on the inside, and the queen of flattery; the male lead repeatedly tests the edge of darkness, a VIP guest at the crematorium.
2. Fantasy cultivation world setting.
[Touch the gear icon in the bottom right corner of the screen to move to the next chapter if you want.]
