At the end of the corridor.
The meticulously maintained handsome face of Secretary Edwin Veid was now twisted with jealousy and rage.
His usual gentle and refined mask was utterly shattered, leaving nothing but naked malice.
“You, as the First Princess of Valoran, actually… actually consorted with this stray dog, in the women soldiers’ bathhouse… doing such an outrageous thing?!”
The sharp accusation was like a bucket of ice water, poured straight over Princess Astreia, instantly jolting her out of her strange emotions.
She was holding Wendy in her arms, and her body suddenly stiffened.
The burning flush on her cheeks faded at a visible rate, replaced by a mortified pallor.
Immediately after came a surge of blazing fury.
“Edwin Veid! How dare you!”
Astreia didn’t even consider explaining herself.
She knew well that her reputation had long been tainted by rumors about her looks and figure; a few more bits of idle gossip didn’t matter.
But she would never allow—never allow anyone to throw this filth on Wendy, sullying the name of a prince who had already suffered the agony of a ruined homeland!
A raging fire ignited in her emerald star-like eyes, and her voice turned so icy that it sent chills down the spine.
“Prince Wendy is my honored guest! He was injured by accident, and I helped him—what fault is there in that, by reason or by feeling?! Where is the impropriety?!”
The Northern Lioness’s roar made even the flames of the wall lamps tremble.
“Your Highness, you, you two…”
Edwin Veid pointed at the slightly loosened towel, his implication all too obvious, yet he dared not confront her directly.
However, Wendy began to struggle slightly at that moment, as if trying to break free from Princess Royal’s embrace.
“Astreia, put me down… It’s my fault, I shouldn’t have brought you this kind of trouble…”
Those watery, peach blossom eyes showed just the right amount of grievance, yet also a reluctance to cause her more trouble.
This innocent look made Astreia’s heart ache.
Boom!
Her protective instinct and anger erupted completely!
Instead of letting go, Astreia tightened her arms, holding Wendy even more securely in her embrace, as if she wanted to shield him from all the world’s malice and harm with her own body.
Seeing this, Edwin Veid’s eyes instantly reddened.
The string of reason snapped, utterly melted by the raging flames of jealousy.
“A useless flower vase from a fallen kingdom!”
“A stray dog who only knows how to seduce with his face!”
The Secretary lost control on the spot.
He no longer cared for noble etiquette or rank, pointing at Wendy and shouting with all his might.
His voice was so shrill it broke, successfully drawing several Patrol Guards who rushed over at the commotion.
“He uses sweet words to trick you into going to the women soldiers’ bathhouse! Now he’s using this shameless look to seduce you again!”
“Your Highness! You’ve been deceived by him! He’s nothing but a male harlot! He’ll ruin you!”
Hearing this so-called “righteous” accusation, Wendy could barely suppress a laugh.
‘Bro, you’re really something!’
‘With this performance, I’m afraid my place in Princess Royal’s heart is going to be permanently sealed…’
“Enough!”
Sure enough, the furious roar exploded like thunder through the corridor.
A terrifying aura, forged through countless battles and mountains of corpses, burst forth.
The air around them instantly became thick and oppressive; even the newly arrived guards subconsciously gripped their weapons, their faces turning pale.
Astreia, still holding Wendy, turned around with a stern gaze.
Before all the guards, she declared in the tone of a commander:
“Prince Wendy Black is the most important ally I have invited!”
“Beneath his gentle appearance lies the wisdom to overturn the tides of battle! He will bring us, and all of Valoran, the strategy for victory against the Orcs!”
“From this moment, any disrespect toward him is disrespect toward me, Astreia! And disrespect toward all of Sunset Fortress!”
Her words rang out with force, stunning everyone present.
The air plunged into silence.
The guards looked at each other, faces full of shock and disbelief.
Their Princess Royal, the decisive and ruthless “Northern Lioness,” had never so publicly, so resolutely defended anyone!
Especially… a man.
Could it be, spring has come for Her Highness?
Then, Astreia’s emerald eyes, still burning with anger, locked onto the unfortunate Secretary again.
“Edwin Veid.”
Her voice returned to its usual calm, but carried a chilling undertone.
“You, as my Secretary, think not of helping me repel our enemies, but out of personal jealousy, you speak recklessly here, slandering my vital ally and shaking the army’s morale!”
“From this moment, you are stripped of your title as Secretary and demoted to Chamberlain. You will remain in confinement for one month! If it happens again, you will face military law!”
“Wha… what?!”
Edwin Veid stood frozen as if struck by lightning, his handsome face draining of all color, turning ashen.
His proud noble status, his hard-earned position, his so-called “righteous exposure”…
All of it brought nothing but such a harsh, merciless punishment.
It was over.
In Sunset Fortress, offending Astreia was as good as being sentenced to social death.
But Astreia spared him not another glance, as if he were nothing but a bothersome stone by the roadside.
Still holding the “frightened” Prince in her arms, she strode calmly and resolutely past the stunned onlookers.
Only when the two figures vanished at the end of the corridor did that suffocating pressure finally begin to fade.
Inside the room.
Astreia gently placed Wendy onto the bed, her movements so soft they seemed a world away from her earlier fierceness.
She quickly fetched the medical kit, knelt on one knee by the bedside, and used a soft cloth dampened with clean water to carefully wipe the blood and dirt from Wendy’s knees.
Her actions were meticulous and gentle, as if terrified of causing him even the slightest pain.
Wendy leaned against the headboard, watching her focused profile, the golden lashes trembling in the candlelight, and unexpectedly felt a warmth in his heart.
This “good person” Princess, though destined to turn into a Witch and do all sorts of terrible things to him in the story, was truly adorable in some ways.
Maybe… she deserved a reward?
Soon, the wound was treated, and Astreia found the teal silk robe Edwin had thrown aside in the room and carefully helped Prince Wendy change into it.
Throughout, she kept her eyes averted, without a hint of impropriety.
Just as she was about to get up and leave, her wrist was suddenly caught.
Wendy lifted his delicate face, all scheming and pretense gone from his eyes, leaving only pure sincerity.
“Astreia…”
His voice was soft, tinged with the hoarseness of surviving a disaster.
“I’m scared…”
Princess Royal’s heart clenched tight.
“Astreia, tonight… can you stay with me?”
Wendy looked straight at her, speaking each word clearly:
“I don’t want… to be alone…”
Boom—
Astreia’s mind completely froze!
And just as the atmosphere between the two grew ambiguous and tender, on the verge of turning out the lights for the night.
In an unnoticed shadow, a bewitching figure giggled with delight.
“Kukuku… This flavor is truly the finest delicacy in the world!”
“My little lion, I never thought I’d get to taste your fall so soon~”
Evelyn slowly licked her fiery red lips, her peach-pink eyes full of sickly ecstasy and anticipation.
“Come on, just a little more, even more…”
“Let me see how long the loyalty and chivalry you cling to can last in the face of this sweet Curse~”
“Hehehehe…”