Adonis turned with steady steps, his final words low but soaked in contempt:
"Remember, Hellebore, I am the one who keeps this empire standing. As for you… you're nothing but a faded shadow."
Without looking back, Adonis left the hall, his black cloak swaying behind him. Hellebore remained in place, running a hand along his neck as if the sword had left a mark. His eyes, full of malice, watched Adonis disappear, a cunning smile never leaving his lips.
In the majestic palace garden, where vibrant flowers dotted the marble paths, Adonis stood among the soldiers, giving out orders in a confident and firm tone. His black cloak fluttered lightly in the breeze, and his piercing blue eyes scanned the troops with stern authority. The garden was quiet, the only sounds were the whispers of the wind through the tall trees and the rhythmic steps of the soldiers.
As Adonis was absorbed in his conversation, he noticed soft footsteps approaching him. He slowly turned to find Empress Amifira standing just a few steps away. Clad in her finely tailored white gown and adorned with golden jewelry that glistened under the sunlight, she looked like the very embodiment of regal authority. Her dark eyes were fixed sharply on Adonis.
She took a step forward and spoke in a calm voice laced with authority:
"Strange... I didn't see you this morning."
Adonis, showing no reaction on his face, raised an eyebrow slightly. He paused for a moment, then replied with a cold tone tinged with sarcasm:
"The strange thing is that you and your son keep repeating the same lines. Do you rehearse them together? Or is there a secret I don't know about?"
Her gaze didn't falter, but she didn't respond immediately. Adonis continued, not waiting for her reply, deliberately ignoring her attempt to provoke him.
"In any case, I've just finished dealing with Hellebore, and I have more important matters waiting for me. If you want more answers, go ask your precious son."
With those words, Adonis turned on his heel with confident steps, his cloak flowing behind him. He left Amifira standing there, her features frozen between shock and disbelief. She remained silent, staring at his back as he walked away, as if his words had hit her in an unexpected way.
In the palace corridor, Amifira walked quickly, her face etched with anger. Her royal white cloak fluttered behind her, reflecting the sharpness of her emotions. When she reached a spacious hall overlooking the balcony, she found Hellebore leaning against the wall, looking out toward the garden with a relaxed gaze, as if nothing in the world could bother him.
She strode toward him and glared sharply.
"What nonsense is Adonis talking about?!" she yelled, her voice echoing through the space.
"What was the conversation between you two? What happened this morning?!"
Hellebore turned slowly, hands behind his back, a sly smile playing on his lips. Before he could reply, Amifira noticed a faint wound on his neck, and her voice shifted to sudden concern.
"Wait... what's that wound? Was... was he the one who did this?"
He raised an eyebrow slightly, then touched the wound as if noticing it for the first time.
"Oh, this? Don't worry, just a small scratch… maybe from one of the roses in the garden."
Then he smirked and added sarcastically,
"But, what are you implying? I haven't seen Adonis this morning. Looks like he's starting to lose his mind. Maybe you should talk to the palace physician about his condition."
Amifira stepped back slightly, her anger starting to overtake her concern.
"Are you mocking me now?"
"Me? Never, dear Amifira. I'm only pointing out something far more important."
He paused, then gestured toward the hall.
"Why don't you go talk to Father about my marriage? He seems to enjoy complicated conversations these days. As for me..."
He turned smoothly and walked a few steps toward the exit.
"I'll go enjoy a glass of wine and think about my happy future."
The mockery in his voice was enough to reignite Amifira's fury.
"Where do you think you're going?! Stop!"
He raised a hand dismissively, waving without turning back.
"To a place where this many questions aren't asked."
She kept staring at him as he walked away confidently, shouting after him:
"I'm not here to listen to your nonsense, Hellebore! If you don't stop now, I'll have your father deal with you!"
But he simply waved again and continued on until he was out of sight. She remained there, torn between rage and frustration, wondering how one person could be so indifferent and so sarcastic at the same time.
As the days passed, Adonis's gaze toward Daphne began to change gradually, as if his heart was beginning to understand something it had never felt before. His once cold looks started to soften, replaced by something deeper—something carrying a sense of curiosity and concern. He didn't notice it at first, but he began to feel an unfamiliar emotion creeping into his heart—something akin to both loss and comfort. Sometimes, he would observe her thoughtfully, as if she were a mystery he couldn't quite grasp.
And every time Daphne came near him, his emotions became more tangled. It felt as though he were looking at someone different, someone extraordinary—someone who held something he had never possessed in his life: a sense of safety, a comfort that melted away all his burdens. It wasn't just admiration or pity—it was something deeper, something that made him feel like, for the first time, he understood the true value of what stood before him, even if he couldn't put it into words.
Daphne, on her part, was feeling a shift in her heart with each passing moment. Her feelings toward Adonis were slowly growing, and he sensed it more clearly than ever. Her emotions were starting to take a new shape. She wasn't yet sure if it was love or affection, but she knew her heart raced whenever he was near, and her breath quickened when their eyes met. His presence filled the room with something intangible, something that words couldn't capture.
At first, Daphne focused solely on her goal—the reason her life had suddenly changed and dropped her into this strange era. But as the days went by, that goal began to fade slowly into the background of her emotions. She no longer felt the same urgency to uncover the reason behind her presence in this world. Her heart beat faster whenever Adonis came near, and her mind became entangled with thoughts of him. Her feelings were forming unconsciously, and she found herself trapped in a silent conflict between who she was and what she wanted to become.
In those quiet moments, when she saw him move cautiously in his room or caught a glimpse of his subtle smile, she felt like she needed nothing more than those simple moments. Each glance he gave her left a deep impression on her soul, like an invisible bridge connecting them. She knew she couldn't express what she felt with words, but she could feel its weight in every heartbeat. With every passing moment, her feelings grew clearer, though she didn't dare face them. She feared that they were only her dreams pulling her away from reality, away from her mission.