Lumiana remained silent, rely sighing softly.
The room fell into a tense silence.
Lathel could feel the heavy scent of gunpowder in the air, making him increasingly uneasy.
However, even though he was worried, he could do nothing.
Because he had no idea what to say.
"Uh… can I leave?"
Lathel suddenly broke the silence.
Both Catheryne and Lumiana turned to look at him.
Their stares made him even more embarrassed, prompting him to explain quickly.
"I an… you probably have a lot to discuss, and I have no idea what any of it is about. So…"
Catheryne's gaze softened instantly.
Her golden-red eyes were filled with tenderness and affection.
She gently took Lathel's hand, patting its back softly.
"Lathel, stay. You have the right to know everything. I will protect you."
Lathel could feel Lumiana's gaze on them.
He tried to pull his hand back, but Catheryne held on firmly.
Her grip was strong—too strong.
She wasn't letting him go.
With a helpless sigh, he muttered, "It's not really appropriate for to stay here. After all, both of you are rulers of two massive powerhouses. I'm just a regular noble. I don't want to get dragged into all these troubles."
Catheryne gave a small nod.
"Uhm! Then you may go for a walk. Akna is waiting for you outside—she will protect you."
Akna is here?
Lathel's eyes lit up in excitent.
"Ah! Then I'll be heading out."
Just as he stood up—
Catheryne suddenly pulled him back.
Then…
A sensation of warmth and softness pressed against his cheek.
Her red lips.
A light, fleeting kiss—but it left behind a striking red lipstick mark on his face.
Lathel: "…"
He stared at Catheryne in complete shock, his mind unable to process what had just happened.
Quickly, he blurted out, "Your Majesty, what are you doing?!"
"Huh! I'm your mother. A mother kissing her son—isn't that normal?"
Catheryne smiled playfully.
Lathel had no idea how to respond.
Since yesterday, it has been as if Catheryne has beco an entirely different person.
She was no longer hesitant when getting intimate with him.
In fact—she had beco even bolder.
Every ti she saw him, she hugged him.
She was always sticking close to him.
And occasionally—she even kissed him.
But all of that had happened in private.
Where no one else could see.
Now, however—Catheryne had kissed him right in front of Lumiana.
How was this even reasonable?!
"Your Majesty, you…"
"Call mom." Catherine said, her voice infatuated as if it had not given him the right to refuse.
Lathel closed his mouth, took a deep breath, then sighed: "Mom, you... You shouldn't kiss in front of people like this."
"Lathel, if you want to kiss you again, you can keep talking," said Catherine with a smirk.
Lathel: "..."
Right now, he just rembered what kind of woman Catherine was in her past life.
She was mayor, all by herself, supporting a huge family and confronting political monsters.
That's why her personality is so bad and strong. Others, when confronted with her, were frightened by her temperant.
Lathel saw her loathing and strong temper now, and there was a strange feeling in his heart as if to make the queen cold in front of him and obey him.
He shook his head and tried to banish the thought from his mind.
Catherine saw so with a satisfied smile, thinking silently: 'It seems… Lathel is having so twisted thoughts.'
'Very good! That way, Lathel will easily accept the love between mother and son. The more perverts I get, the more I like.'
Catheryne glanced at Lathel with an unguarded look of greed as if deliberately appearing so that he could see it.
Even though Catherine is a perfect woman, that's what people say about her.
The more perfect one is, the greater the darkness in one's heart, much larger than ordinary people.
Why didn't Catherine use a different thod to pursue Lathel?
Why doesn't she pretend to be a normal woman and pursue him so he can accept the love between n and won as usual?
Because she didn't want to.
She's a pervert, too.
She doesn't want normal love; she wants a strange love, so she maintains a mother-and-son relationship with Lathel, even using a different identity.Lathel rùng mình, vội vàng rời đi.
Catheryne gazed at Lathel's departing figure, her thoughts swirling.
'Lathel, I will no longer hesitate to pursue you now.'
"Do you truly love him?"
Lumiana's sudden question cut through the air, laced with disbelief.
She couldn't fathom what she had just witnessed.
Before this, she had thought that the bond between Lathel and Catheryne was only familial love—perhaps stronger than most, but still within the realm of kinship.
However—
Yesterday.
And today.
The emotions written across Catheryne's face told her the truth.
That was not the love of a mother for her child.
That was love—the kind shared between a man and a woman.
Even though Lumiana had never experienced love herself, she could still recognize it when she saw it.
It was like a vegetarian who had never eaten pork but still knew what pork looked like.
Catheryne shot Lumiana a look of disdain.
"You still haven't answered my question."
Her voice was laced with sharp authority.
"My son ca here to cooperate—to beco the Holy Son of the Church. And yet, he was thrown into chaos. He nearly died."
Her golden-red eyes glead dangerously.
"Lumiana, if you fail to give a proper answer today, I will ensure your Church gets a new master."
The room trembled under Catheryne's overwhelming presence.
As if everything was already resting within her grasp.
Lumiana sighed, shaking her head.
"Catheryne, if I told you that what happened yesterday was beyond my control—would you believe ?"
Catheryne remained silent.
Her piercing gaze bore into Lumiana's, unblinking.
Lumiana continued.
"Catheryne, do you really think I wanted this? You saw it yourself—I lost countless followers. The Church was left in ruins."
"Right now, the Church is on the verge of collapse. Do you really believe that I planned this?"
Catheryne let out a cold, mocking laugh.
"Lumiana, we are both rulers. We sit at the top, looking down at those beneath us."
Her voice was razor-sharp.
"Do you think I would believe your words so easily?"
She leaned forward slightly, her golden-red hair cascading over her shoulders.
"A fox who has lived for hundreds of thousands of years like you—didn't expect Ikarys to betray you?"
Her lips curled into a smirk.
"No… You rely used him as bait—to draw out all those who were disloyal. Am I wrong?"
Lumiana lowered her gaze.
She lifted the cup of tea in her hand, her fingers tracing the rim absentmindedly.
With her other hand, she gently removed her veil.
For the first ti in years—
Her flawless, breathtaking beauty was fully revealed.
A beauty equal to Catheryne's.
If Catheryne was like a raging fire—majestic, domineering, and powerful—
Then Lumiana was like a deep, still lake—serene and unreadable, with unfathomable depths.
Two won, both peerlessly beautiful, sitting across from each other.
Their beauty was enough to make the entire room feel more radiant.
Yet, the atmosphere between them was anything but peaceful.
It was thick with gunpowder, ready to explode at any mont.
Lumiana took a delicate sip of tea, her enchanting eyes gazing at Catheryne as she spoke softly:
"What are you talking about? I truly don't understand."
"Huh!" Catheryne snorted in disdain.
"I have no desire to waste words with you."
Her golden-red eyes narrowed dangerously.
"I hope you're not planning to use any dirty tricks to seduce my son."
"If you do, I will burn you to ash with the flas of hell."
Lumiana remained unfazed.
She placed her teacup on the table, then raised her head to et Catheryne's gaze.
Her expression was calm—but her brows furrowed slightly.
"You still haven't answered my question."
"Catheryne, do you truly love him?"
"Yes."
Catheryne didn't hesitate.
She didn't make excuses.
She admitted it instantly.
Lumiana tilted her head slightly, observing Catheryne as if trying to see inside her mind.
Her voice carried a note of curiosity and disbelief.
"How strange…"
"From what I know, you and him… don't have any real connection."
Her eyes flickered thoughtfully.
"You are the Empress of the Karol Empire.
And he… it's as if he was born from nothing.
There are no records of his existence before he appeared in the Goblin Forest."
"Catheryne… I'm quite curious about him.
And I'm even more curious—why do you love him so much?"
"That is none of your concern."
Catheryne's voice was cold as she stood up.
She was about to leave—Until Lumiana's voice rang out again.
"Lathel will still beco the Holy Son of the Church. In fact, I will grant him 50% authority over this place."
Her lips curved slightly.
"To be precise—his power will be equal to mine."
Catheryne stopped in her tracks.
Her eyes narrowed.
"What do you want from him?"
Lumiana's next words sent a shock through the air.
"What if I told you… That I like him too?"
Reviews
All reviews (0)