Diana's eyes sharpened as they locked onto Selene's.

  The words that had just left Selene's lips made her pause, not out of understanding, but because of how senseless they sounded.

  "Huh?"

  Selene brushed a strand of hair behind her ear, her brow slightly furrowed.

  "Just like I said, give the crown to the Duke of the North," she repeated, calm yet insistent.

  Diana let out a heavy sigh as she ignored her, cutting another bite of food with deliberate composure.

  Selene's gaze grew heavier, studying her intently, until a faint smirk curved her lips.

  "Wouldn't that be good for you?" she said, pausing as she caught a flicker of strain across Diana's face.

  "I mean… the burden your father left on your shoulders would finally be lifted."

  "What are you even saying?" Diana's eyes glimmered, cold and sharp, yet strangely bright, like stars in a night sky.

  "You're the one who placed that burden on me… when you left the palace without a single word."

  Selene's brows are knitted, though only slightly.

  "There were matters that I needed to address first. That's why I left the crown to you."

  "Matters you had to address, huh?"

  The warmth from Diana's face disappeared in an instant, replaced by an emptiness, one laced with sharp-edged madness.

  "You mean wiggling your butt in front of the duke? Is that more important than your duties as royalty? Or are you just a bitch in heat every time you see a man with a title?"

  Selene snapped instantly, the vein on her forehead throbbing with rage. Being spoken to like that by her own daughter felt like the greatest insult.

  Without a second's thought, she slammed the table so hard that the maids flinched, their shoulders trembling from the echo.

  "How dare you say that to your own mother?!" she shouted, pointing a shaking finger directly at Diana, her glare sharp enough to cut.

  "I am the one who gave you a life! You should be grateful I allowed you to be born into this world!"

  Diana didn't flinch. She didn't even answer. Instead, she calmly reached for her glass of water, took a slow sip, and then set it back down.

  When she finally spoke, her voice was calm yet firm, her eyes unwavering.

  "Please, Mother. Don't waste the food the chefs worked so hard to prepare for us. Sit down and eat your meal."

  Selene gritted her teeth, the anger still searing through her, but after a long, heavy sigh, she sat back down. Her fork clinked softly against her plate as she finally took a bite, muttering bitterly,

  "You're becoming more and more like your father… sharp tongue and always blind to how your words cut into others."

  Diana let out a faint chuckle. That's…actually a compliment.

  After a couple of minutes, they finally finished eating.

  Diana picked up a handkerchief beside her plate and dabbed her lips with practiced elegance.

  Her gaze then shifted to Selene, who was sipping from a glass of wine.

  "I will not hand the crown to anyone," Diana said, her voice calm but firm.

  "But I am curious about what you said. Why would you ask me to give the crown to the Duke?"

  "Because you are weak and timid," Selene replied, setting the empty glass deliberately on the table.

  "You cannot handle the pressure of being a ruler. You can't even resolve a single crisis despite wearing the crown for so long."

  Diana hummed softly while leaning forward, resting both elbows on the table and clasping her hands together as her eyes locked with Selene's.

  "What do you know about the crisis this kingdom faces?"

  Selene felt it a sudden shift in Diana's demeanor.

  It no longer felt like she was speaking to her daughter, but someone entirely different.

  Her own hands curled into fists as she narrowed her eyes.

  "T-The... the massive increase in numbers of the rebellions in such a short span of time."

  "What else?"

  "W-What else? That's the o-only crisis this k-kingdom faces right now."

  Diana exhaled slowly, leaning back in her chair and lowering her shoulders.

  "Forget it."

  She picked up her wine, took a small sip, and blinked in surprise.

  This is actually good!

  Without thinking, she drained the entire glass. Rose, standing nearby, furrowed her brows and trembled slightly.

  "D-Don't drink it so fast, Your Majesty," she murmured anxiously.

  Suddenly, Selene stood, her chair scraping loudly against the floor. Diana's eyes rose to meet hers.

  "Where are you going, Mother?"

  "I will take my leave. Negotiating for your own good seems like a waste of time and effort. Goodbye!" she declared, stepping toward the door, intent on leaving.

  But before she could reach it, two guards crossed their spears, blocking her path.

  Stolen novel; please report.

  Her eyes widened, a flicker of disbelief flashing through them.

  "Get out of my way!"

  "You're going to leave as soon as you've arrived? Stay in the palace for a week or so…" Diana's voice lingered like a low hum, firm yet calm, echoing faintly through the room.

  Frustration surged through Selene, her teeth grinding together.

  "I have no intention of staying here any longer!"

  She ignored the guards and shoved at them, her fingers trembling with fury, but their stance was immovable, as solid as the stone walls.

  "I'm the former Queen of Apocrypha! If you won't move, I will punish you for your sin!" she spat, her finger stabbing the air at them, her scowl cutting deep lines across her face.

  "This is an order from your Queen. You will remain in the palace as long as I see fit." Diana's tone hardened, her words ringing with unshakable authority.

  Selene's fist clenched so tightly her knuckles blanched. She turned her head slightly, her voice breaking.

  "S-Since when d-did you become so… arrogant?!"

  Diana met her eyes, unwavering. "If you defy my order, it will be considered treason. And I will punish you for it."

  Selene bit her lip until it trembled, her face tightening as anger boiled beneath her skin.

  "Y-You will… d-definitely regret d-doing this to your own mother!"

  The Kingdom of Apocrypha was a land bound by tradition, ruled by a strict hierarchy where prestige flowed from the blood of the King himself.

  At the very top of this ladder stood King Lethros the Great, Towa's father; his word was law, absolute and unyielding, shaping the Kingdom through rigid rules that left little room for mercy, no matter how they weighed on the people.

  Beneath the monarch lay the grand chambers of the royal court, where Dukes and Duchesse, society's highest nobles, presided over vast regions of the kingdom.

  Below them were the Marquises and Marchionesses, guardians of the borderlands, their task to defend Apocrypha from foreign threats.

  Next came the Earls and Countesses, lords and ladies of the inner provinces, the very heart of the Kingdom's economy, while Barons and Baronesses ruled small but vital estates, their voices still carrying weight in law and trade.

  At the base of this noble ladder stood the Knights, who bore no bloodline but had earned their titles through valor and service on the battlefield.

  Yet, despite the rigid hierarchy, the cathedral stood apart, its power drawn not from titles but from the unwavering faith of the people. Its bells tolled louder than the decrees of dukes, its prayers carried more weight than the demands of the marquises.

  Even King Lethros, a ruler whose word was law, had been compelled to grant the clergy a special authority, just a step below his own.

  Until the day King Lethros died.

  What had once been an unshakable order began to splinter. Nobles who once pledged loyalty to the crown now sought independence, fracturing their duties and withholding their oaths.

  The Earls and Countesses, the kingdom's lifeline of trade and production, withdrew their contributions first, and the economy of Apocrypha, once thriving, began its slow descent into ruin.

  Diana sat slumped in her chair, eyes fixed on the same stack of documents she had been reading over and over without pause.

  A heavy sigh slipped past her lips, carrying the weight of long hours.

  "Thanks to Beatrice's idea, the economy is slowly stabilizing," she murmured. Yet her brow furrowed almost instantly.

  "But the nobles' trust in the crown… it's slipping away, little by little."

  Another sigh escaped her, this one deeper and heavier, as if pulled from the bottom of her chest.

  Pushing herself to her feet, she crossed the room and reached for the door, her gaze lowered, her expression dim. But just as she stepped into the hall, she bumped into someone.

  Startled, she looked up and met Leo's confused stare.

  "What's with that look on your face, Diana?" he asked, his tone soft but direct.

  The casual drop of her name caught her off guard.

  "I'm… having a bit of trouble," she admitted.

  He tilted his head, concern flickering in his eyes.

  "What kind of trouble? Is there anything I can do for you?"

  She shook her head gently. "Thank you, but it's okay. I want to take a little break for a while."

  Leo's hand came forward, clasping hers, but not firm, not weak, just steady.

  "If you want a break, why not come see my men train today?"

  Her eyes brightened before she could even think to hide it, and a wide smile bloomed across her face.

  "That's a great idea, Leo!" she said, a giggle slipping out, light and unguarded.

  Seeing her so lively stirred something rare in Leo, a small, warm pulse in his chest.

  He allowed himself a faint smile.

  "Let's go then," he said.

  On their way to the training camp, Diana's gaze wandered across the palace grounds.

  What once felt suffocating and mocking whispers, veiled smirks, and the heavy weight of false courtesy now felt almost peaceful.

  The maids bowed slightly as she passed, not out of obligation, but with genuine respect.

  Her eyes caught familiar sights along the way.

  Rose, polishing the windows with careful precision, each stroke catching the sunlight; Beatrice seated outside, reading the recruitment documents with a sharp, unbroken focus; and Sasha scattering feed for a cluster of birds, her face softened by a rare calm.

  Diana's lips curved into a small, warm smile.

  They look… at peace. And happy with what they do.

  When they finally reached the training camp, Leo glanced at her, a sly smirk tugging at his mouth.

  "They'll train harder than usual, knowing you're here watching them," he said, his tone edged with mischief.

  Diana let out a nervous laugh.

  "I-I see. S-So that's your r-real motive."

  Suddenly, a sharp explosion shattered the air. Diana flinched, her eyes closed as a gust of wind swirled around her, tossing strands of her ponytail hair across her face.

  "W-What's g-going on?"

  "They've already started," Leo replied, calm as ever.

  Diana blinked, confusion flickering in her gaze.

  "S-Started what?"

  "The one-on-one duels," he said, a hint of amusement in his voice.

  Then, more explosions erupted, sending gusts of wind through the area.

  Diana instinctively raised her hands to shield her face from the force.

  When the air finally settled, she turned to Leo, frowning.

  "What's going on? Are they using bombs or… something explosive?"

  Leo tilted his head, his brows knitting slightly.

  "Explosive? Bomb? What are you talking about?"

  "I-I mean, you saw it too, right? Those blasts, there were several at once!" Confusion flickered across her eyes.

  "Ah!" Leo suddenly clapped his hand against his palm in realization.

  "That wasn't a bomb. That was magic."

  Diana's eyes widened in shock, her mouth parting slightly. "Magic?!!"