Gladiator✔️

Meeting your blood rival

"This Prince has heard a lot about the pearl of Gaerin, it's my honor to meet you." Azure irises that seemed to neither possess envy nor greed looked at the woman whose face was covered with a veil.

"It is this one's good fortune to meet Prince Baez." The reply was polite yet it seemed to draw a line between them.

Lilith(disguised as Princess Semeara), Prince Baez, and Crown Princess Artilia with their ladies in waiting walked alongside the serene lake in the imperial palace. Black lotus floating in the lake reminded Baez of someone that he considered a thorn in his side.

"These Black Lotus flowers remind this prince of Her highness, the Saintess. One was an ardent follower of hers in past yet after my father- Emperor Heun was killed suspiciously and after that Her majesty, Saintess Helixis disappeared this one always feels that it was my fault to trust a stranger too much and follow her without any thoughts of my own.

My ministers suspect the Saintess to have cursed late imperial father or might have been involved in his death yet I still feel that Her majesty can never do so."

Just like a cobra hiding its venomous head, Prince Baez expressed his troubles and difficulties yet at the same time did not blame anyone. If it were other women they might have felt pity yet neither Lilith nor Artilia could feel such emotions for a stranger.

Lilith could not help but frown to that, if she was Princess Semeara then she was not supposed to care about Saintess whom she never met but she- Lilith was blessed in her childhood by the Saintess so how come this person throw mud on someone she looked upto?

"This princess also feels so, Her highness Saintess was someone who always had a mind of her own so one cannot blame her for any crime that one is not certain of."

The silence that prevailed after that was tranquil but Prince Baez's gentle smile made Lilith feel indecipherable.

"Indeed the princess is far-sighted, this prince said those things to only see if the Princess is just or not. Your reply has made this one feel that you are noble and virtuous and would rule Ambrose with kindness in the future, would not judge people based on others's opinions and will not punish people that have not committed crimes..."

Baez sighed as if feeling miserable.

"Princess Semeara.....this one will warn you for once and last. Ambrose is in turbulent times now and is dangerous. You must think judicially before embarking on a journey with this prince to be wedded to my brother."

After that Prince Baez bowed and was guided by the servants to his own quarters.

"Lilith.....this.....this prince what did he say?" Artilia felt that either the man was too noble or hiding ambitions that were too large to see to say such words about his own country.

"Meza....keep an eye on Prince Baez, this princess feels that something is not right. Don't trust too early Artilia, we are surrounded by wolves from all sides."

(A/N: Meza is Lilith's loyal maid)

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Emerald Jade from Southern Empire of Darren which was considered much more precious than one's life was crushed in such a rage that it broke into millions of pieces making the concubines of Prime Minister Artim tremble.

"Foolish daughter! CALL ARTILIA BACK! How dare she go against the Crown Prince. All these years this minister gave her food and silk and this is how that wench repays. All of you leave right now!"

Women warming the bed of the Prime Minister along with the concubines bowed down and swiftly moved outside fearing for their lives. Crown Princess Artilia was not the only legitimate daughter of the Prime Minister's manor since soon after Artilia, the mistress of the manor- Yona gave birth to a son- Helios.

The mistress Yona was abhorred by the Master but the concubines never thought that to be a great thing since whoever received too much attention of Prime Minister Artim was soon traumatized by his psychotic behavior and perished, Yona was only alive since she could give birth to a son and also because Archduke Aeon looked after her welfare. No matter how much Artim hated Yona, he could not dare touch her life.

"That slut Diereze and her sister Yona, both of those whores have made life difficult for this one." In reality Artim had long known that Artilia was not his and Yona's daughter and from the day he came to know that he had hated her. She was the devil's spawn birthed by Diereze.

Yona had faked her pregnancy and secretly adopted Diereze's newborn daughter.

They took him as fool!

Artim wished for Artilia to live a horrendous life, he married her early with Zorah and had turned his eyes away from her sorrows.Only if it wasn't another monster that Diereze gave birth to- Aeon, he would have already taken his revenge.

Servants were called from outside and the man had no intention to delay this any longer.

"Prepare a carriage to imperial palace, one needs to see Consort Jeansen.