(A/N):
Drop a meme here that you find funny. Or reflects your mood.
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Witch Queen's Palace...
The grand crimson hall of the Witch Queen's Palace was unlike any royal structure Ben had ever seen —
It felt alive.
As Ben, Dorothy, and Charlotte stepped through the massive double doors,
The world around them seemed to shift.
The walls themselves pulsed faintly, veins of glowing scarlet light running through the stone like blood beneath skin.
The floor reflected that eerie glow,
Creating the illusion that they were walking upon liquid mana dyed crimson.
The air was heavy —
"...."
"...."
"...."
Thick with ancient magic and the faint, metallic scent of herbs and incense.
Caw~ Caw~
Caw~ Caw~
The sound of soft, rhythmic cawing echoed from above as several ravens flew past them,
Their wings slicing through the silence.
Swish~
Their black feathers shimmered with faint runes as they circled once,
Almost as if inspecting the visitors,
Before vanishing into the high shadows of the ceiling.
Charlotte's hand instinctively brushed the hilt of her sword, and Dorothy's expression was unreadable —
"...."
"...."
But both carried a tension that hummed beneath their composed facades.
At the far end of the hall,
Upon a raised dais carved from dark obsidian,
Sat the Witch Queen herself.
Even seated, her presence dominated the room.
Ben slowed his steps but did not stop.
Thud. Thud.
His boots echoed softly against the blood-hued floor as he advanced,
Every motion deliberate —
The calm confidence of a ruler who'd faced kings, monsters, and devils alike.
Dorothy and Charlotte followed a few paces behind,
Their eyes locked on the Witch Queen,
Their auras ready to respond if things turned hostile.
Finally, when Ben reached the foot of the dais,
He placed a hand across his chest and bowed slightly —
The respectful but firm greeting of one sovereign to another.
"Your Majesty,"
He said, his tone deep and clear.
"Benjamin Salvador Kira, King of Clover Kingdom. I come at your invitation, as requested."
For a moment, there was nothing —
"...."
"...."
Only the sound of the ravens above and the soft whisper of enchanted flames flickering against the walls.
The Witch Queen did not move.
Her gaze stayed fixed upon Ben —
"...."
Unblinking, piercing, unreadable.
There was no hostility, no anger… yet her stare carried something that made Ben's spine tighten.
An ancient, predatory curiosity.
Like she was viewing a rare breed —
Seeing his mana, his soul, the truth buried beneath his calm smile.
Charlotte's breath caught in her throat.
"...."
Dorothy frowned, whispering softly,
Frown~
"She's measuring him…"
Ben met that gaze without flinching,
Her aura was deep —
Not explosive, but bottomless, like a still ocean that could swallow everything in silence.
She is invincible inside the witch forest.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity,
The Witch Queen tilted her head slightly.
Her lips curved into the faintest of smirks —
Smirk~
A subtle, dangerous smile that hinted she'd found something interesting.
"So,"
Her voice finally broke the silence —
Smooth, sultry, and echoing faintly through the chamber like the hum of magic itself,
"the King of Clover dares to walk into my domain… uninvited men have lost their lives for less."
Ben's answering smile was cool and unwavering.
Chuckle~
"Then I'll take it as a privilege that I still stand, Your Majesty."
The Witch Queen's smirk deepened —
Smirk~
A spark of amusement flickering in her teal eyes.
The Witch Queen's gaze remained locked on Ben, sharp and inquisitive.
"You are either brave,"
She murmured,
"or foolish."
Ben's voice was calm, confident —
The kind that made people listen.
"Perhaps both. But I came here because your letter said invitation, not summons."
That earned him a soft, low laugh —
Fufu~
"...."
Not mocking, but genuine, darkly melodic.
The ravens cawed once, as if echoing her amusement.
Caw~
"You have a sharp tongue, King of Clover,"
She said, eyes narrowing ever so slightly.
Frown~
"I like that."
Then she leaned forward, her teal eyes glinting under the crimson glow.
"Let's see,"
She whispered, her smile turning enigmatic,
"just how much of you is fire… and how much is mask."
The air around them thickened —
"...."
"...."
"...."
Ben, however, only stood there —
Calm as ever, his gaze steady on hers.
"You invited me here for a reason,"
He said softly.
"Why not tell me what it is, rather than circling with riddles?"
For the first time, the Witch Queen smiled fully —
A sharp, beautiful, dangerous smile.
"Oh, I will,"
She purred.
"But first… I want to see for myself what kind of man you truly are."
The sharp clap of the Witch Queen's hands cracked through the thick silence,
"...."
"...."
"...."
Clap! Clap!
Reverberating like thunder in the chamber.
The sound carried power.
Almost instantly, several witches entered the throne room,
Each bowing deeply before the Queen.
Their long cloaks fluttered behind them,
Their faces masked by curiosity and disbelief.
"...."
"...."
These were not ordinary witches —
They were her attendants, elite spellcasters chosen for their loyalty and silence.
And yet, even their discipline faltered for a brief moment as their eyes flicked toward Ben.
A man.
A living man, standing upright before their Queen —
Unbound, unburned, unbloodied.
Speaking to her as an equal.
The murmurs rippled quietly between them,
Exchanged through glances more than words.
'How was he still alive? Why would the Queen not turn him to ash?'
The Witch Queen, watching them with her sharp teal eyes, smiled faintly —
"...."
A predator's smile that held amusement and command.
"Do not look so surprised,"
She said coolly, her voice echoing with an ageless authority that silenced the hall.
"The King of Clover and his companions are guests of the Witch Queen. They are to be treated as such."
The attendants froze mid-breath.
"...."
"...."
"...."
For a second, their eyes widened in disbelief —
This was unprecedented.
No man had ever been welcomed in the Witch Queen's domain.
Many had tried.
None had walked away.
But this one… this man… was being offered hospitality.
The lead attendant quickly composed herself and dropped to one knee, bowing deeply.
"As you command, my Queen."
"Good."
The Witch Queen's tone softened slightly,
Though her gaze never left Ben's.
There was a flicker of intrigue there —
Something ancient and curious,
As if she were staring at a puzzle that refused to yield.
"Ensure their quarters are prepared within the crimson wing. Provide what they need. And see to it,"
She paused deliberately, her eyes glinting,
"that no harm comes to them."
The witches bowed again.
"As you wish, my Queen."
Then, with elegant gestures,
They turned and gestured for Ben and his companions to follow.
Charlotte and Dorothy exchanged a quick glance —
"...."
"...."
Both still processing the surreal turn of events.
Dorothy's voice was low, wary.
"She's never done this before…"
Charlotte nodded slightly, whispering,
Nod~
"Which means she's planning something."
Ben, however, only smiled faintly as he inclined his head toward the Witch Queen in silent acknowledgment.
"I appreciate your hospitality, Your Majesty."
The Witch Queen leaned back against her throne,
Her fingers drumming lazily against the armrest as she watched him.
That faint, unreadable smirk still lingered on her lips.
Smirk~
"Enjoy your stay, King of Clover,"
She said, her tone velvet-smooth but layered with meaning.
"The Witch Forest remembers those who walk within it."
Ben held her gaze for a heartbeat longer —
"...."
Neither submission nor defiance in his eyes, only quiet confidence —
Before turning to follow the attendants out of the hall.
As they walked through the blood-hued corridors of the palace,
Whispers rose behind them —
Soft, fleeting, impossible to ignore.
"A man in the Queen's court…"
"She spoke to him like an equal…"
"Who is he really?"
"Maybe he's under a spell… or maybe he is the spell."
Charlotte walked beside Ben, her posture rigid, her hand brushing his arm as if to ground herself.
Dorothy's gaze darted along the hall, her expression serious —
"...."
She knew how volatile the Witch Queen's interest could become.
Finally, the witches stopped before a set of arched doors carved with crimson vines that pulsed faintly with magic.
The lead witch turned and bowed.
"These are your quarters,"
She said carefully, her tone formal.
"Please… make yourselves comfortable. Servants will bring refreshments soon."
Ben nodded politely.
Nod~
"Thank you."
As the witches turned to leave,
One of them dared a glance back at him —
Just a flicker of awe and disbelief before she hurried after the others.
The door closed softly behind them.
For a moment, silence filled the chamber.
Then Charlotte exhaled slowly, tension slipping from her shoulders.
Sigh~
"This place gives me chills,"
She muttered, glancing around at the glowing red decor and the faint whisper of mana in the walls.
Dorothy folded her arms, frowning thoughtfully.
Frown~
"You're not wrong. The Queen isn't just being polite — she's studying him. Watching how he reacts. That's what she does."
Ben chuckled under his breath,
Chuckle~
Glancing toward the window where crimson light filtered through.
"Then I suppose,"
He said lightly,
"we'll have to make the most of her hospitality while she watches."
Charlotte gave him a look that was half-exasperated, half-worried.
"You sound far too calm about this."
Ben smiled, the easy confidence in his eyes unwavering.
"Charlotte, when someone like her stares at you that long — either she plans to kill you…"
He turned toward the window,
Where a raven perched,
"...."
Its teal eyes reflecting his own.
"…or she's curious enough not to."
Throne Room...
The crimson throne room pulsed faintly with mana as Ben's last words echoed through the raven perched on the Queen's armrest.
"…either she plans to kill you, or she's curious enough not to."
The Witch Queen's lips curved upward —
A slow, knowing smirk that deepened as the raven cawed softly,
Smirk~
"...."
Caw~
Its teal eyes glinting with the faint shimmer of spelllight.
"Curious enough not to…?"
She murmured under her breath,
The amusement curling in her voice like velvet flame.
"How perceptive… and yet, not perceptive enough."
She rose gracefully from her throne,
Her long gown of shadow-silk whispering across the floor.
The witches standing guard stiffened as her aura brushed past them —
"...."
"...."
"...."
Heavy, rich, commanding —
But she said nothing.
Her teal eyes glowed faintly,
And the blood-red torches along the walls flickered as if bowing in reverence.
Without another word, the Witch Queen turned and began walking down the private corridor that led away from the public halls —
A path forbidden to all others...
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(Author's POV)
(A/N)Thanks for reading the chapter!
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