The Royal Study, Stonewold Palace.
Mirabel was listlessly toying with the files on her desk.
These things gave her a headache.
She planned to hand all this work over to the Chancellor's estate in the afternoon.
Whether it was Auntie Gwendolyn or Sylas, they were both experts at handling government affairs.
Just thinking about being able to slack off made Mirabel grin with delight.
Just then, an announcement came from outside the door.
"Your Majesty, Chancellor Gwendolyn has arrived."
"Auntie Gwendolyn is here? Is she better? Show her in quickly."
Mirabel hurriedly opened the first file and began making marks on it with a brush, putting on a thoughtful expression.
Whenever Gwendolyn came to the study, she tried to appear diligent.
Although she knew this wasn't good behavior, as a junior, she shouldn't make the aunt who raised her unhappy.
She was pretending to read the file when Gwendolyn walked in with a dark expression.
She didn't even glance at Mirabel's performance.
She had seen through these little tricks two or three years ago.
Back then, she had thought that the ruler of a nation was doing things she disliked just to please her, so she humored her.
But now it seemed this very indulgence had led Mirabel astray.
She was almost a complete waste now.
"Your Majesty, your subject has a matter to report," Gwendolyn said with great seriousness, kneeling and performing the formal salute.
This action terrified Mirabel.
In private, Mirabel wouldn't dare let Gwendolyn do it to her.
Gwendolyn was, after all, her aunt. Just the years of raising her meant she was closer than the mother in her fading memories.
She quickly got up from behind the desk, held Gwendolyn's shoulders, and said timidly, "Auntie, just say what you need to say. Please don't scare me."
Gwendolyn said coldly, "How would I dare scare Your Majesty?
Your Majesty has grown up, developed your own thoughts and ideas. This is normal.
I merely wish to resign and return to my hometown, entrusting the kingdom of Stonewold, forged by the late Empress, to Your Majesty."
"...Auntie, please don't say that. Whatever I did wrong, you can hit me, scold me, anything," Mirabel felt the situation was extremely serious. She was truly afraid now.
Mirabel holding her arms, tears streaming down uncontrollably.
Gwendolyn, however, hardened her heart.
She angrily hit Mirabel's arm and snapped, "You still know I'm your aunt? Tell me yourself, what filthy thing have you done!"
Mirabel didn't dare move. She hung her head, sobbing, "I... I... I like Sylas..."
"Is that what you call liking? You lust after his body! You're despicable!"
Mirabel wiped her tears, feeling utterly wronged, but didn't dare refute a single word.
Gwendolyn stood up by herself. She said icily, "Where is the late Empress's ruler? Go get it."
"Auntie... I was wrong... Wuwu, please don't hit me..." Mirabel knelt and hugged her legs, begging incessantly.
She looked up with her tear-streaked face, playing pitiful.
"Go! Get it!" Gwendolyn pushed her slightly.
Mirabel wobbled but then hugged her legs again, crying as if her heart would break.
"Auntie, you love me the most. Please don't hit me, okay? Calm down. I'll hit myself, alright?"
She patted her own thigh, looking quite ridiculous.
Gwendolyn was so angry she felt dizzy.
Had she truly become a shameless rogue?
She covered her forehead, her eyes actually growing slightly moist. She murmured, "Back in the day, when the world was in chaos, heroes rose together.
At the beginning of our venture, your mother and I had not an inch of land to call our own.
Your mother took up her sword, ventured into the central plains, clawing her way out of piles of corpses three times alone.
Through wind and rain, we finally secured a foothold here.
Who knew that before the great undertaking was complete, the late Empress would pass away in her prime, leaving behind only a fragile foundation, barely clinging to life.
The late Empress entrusted you to me. For your sake, I vowed never to start a family of my own.
And what are you doing?
You are forcing a servant in my household!
Is this how you repay me?"
"That's not it... I... I just have this one little desire... Auntie, please let me have this, okay? Why does he have to like you!
It's his fault!
He's a scourge on the nation and its people, he..." Mirabel finally broke down.
She realized Gwendolyn was truly furious.
At this moment, she didn't dare take all the blame, so she tried shifting some onto Sylas.
She could make it up to him later.
Auntie wouldn't do anything too bad to him anyway.
"He is leaving."
Gwendolyn suddenly sank into unprecedented sorrow. She slowly sat down in a chair, looking dejected, as if she had aged several years in an instant.
"You can't let him leave, Auntie! You can't let him leave! I won't harass him, I promise I'll never bother him again from now on.
Quick, make him stay."
Mirabel wiped her tears, ranting somewhat frantically.
Gwendolyn's tone was distant: "I agreed to let him go."
"No... Auntie, how could you... I don't agree, okay?
Auntie, I am still the ruler of Stonewold. I do not agree."
Gwendolyn: "Mirabel, let go. Relying on underhanded methods won't work."
Mirabel said urgently: "It will work! I gave him the Puppet-Heart Potion! With a single word from me, he will come obediently!
Auntie, if you like him, I can share him with you! Just one condition: don't let him leave!"
Gwendolyn stared blankly at the young girl before her, listening to her foolish words, her heart filled with utter despair.
After raising her for so many years, she had ended up like this.
She had truly failed her former comrade-in-arms, her dead liege.
Gwendolyn couldn't help but shed tears.
She wept sorrowfully, "Sister, I have failed you. I have ruined Mirabel."
Then, she raised her head and looked firmly at Mirabel: "Your Majesty, the reason I came today is to tell you one thing.
I command you: for the next three years, you are not to interfere in government affairs, you are not to leave the palace. You will reflect honestly on your mistakes.
Do you understand?
You are confined to your quarters."
Mirabel asked, dumbfounded: "No... I'm the ruler. How can I be confined? Auntie, you can't do this.
You can't treat me like this because of a man.
Didn't I say? I can share him with you..."
"AHHH!!! Shut up!
Guards!"
Even with Gwendolyn's excellent composure, she was now at her wit's end.
This was not something an Empress should say!
She called out, and several older palace maids entered.
Gwendolyn pointed at Mirabel, unable to bear it any longer. "Take Her Majesty to the Hall of
Reflection! Confine her there to ponder her mistakes!"
"Auntie! Auntie! Just don't let him leave, okay? I'll accept the confinement, but please don't let him go!"
Mirabel was dragged away by the maids.
Her legs kicked and flailed as she kept turning her head to shout.
Gwendolyn held her head, feeling extremely irritated and restless.
She immediately ordered them to oversee all of Mirabel's activities from now on.
She swore she would correct this worthless Empress.
P.S. Explanation of the protagonist's motives and actions before going to Hanvale:
Sylas has been inflicted with the Puppet-Heart Potion, so no matter where he goes, he can be controlled.
He must have the potion removed before he leaves.
Because this specific potion has already been used, Seraphina needs him, the one who was afflicted, to help cultivate it (this will be explained later).
Going to Hanvale isn't superfluous.
Sylas feels too uncomfortable staying in Stonewold, feeling he's causing discord between ruler and minister, and is quite ashamed. He plans to leave.
Even though Gwendolyn has confined Mirabel, he still feels too embarrassed to stay.
Those who don't understand can try to put themselves in his awkward position.
As for returning to Aethelred...
The first words were about the abuse he suffered in Aethelred.
The slightest misstep could mean having his eyes gouged out or his tongue removed.
Sylas has feelings for his daughter, but he can't give up everything for her.
This kind of emotion is easy to understand; nowadays, couples with children still get divorced.
After divorcing, they still love their children but won't necessarily remarry.
Finally, regarding the direction of this book: I don't really like padding word count.
After finishing the main points, I think about concluding.
Stories where the protagonist suffers inherently aren't very long.
This book also doesn't involve cultivating immortality, dungeon runs, tournament arcs, etc.
The hardest part is that there isn't even a cheat skill golden finger to use.
So, next, we'll just sort out the clues, tie up the ends, and strive to write a bit more.
last but not least, as my first book, it has reached today, which I did not anticipate.
I am very grateful to see every reader here. Although there are not many of you, you have truly given me great encouragement!
I love you all!