After bidding farewell to Lucian, Celestia left the restaurant and headed straight to the hotel she had booked.
As she had mentioned earlier she had run away from the royal palace.
Now, away from Lucian, she was like a completely different person. The warm, lovely smile she had worn while speaking to him had vanished. In its place was a cold, emotionless mask. Her eyes, calm and calculating, betrayed no vulnerability.
She entered the living room of her suite, where she gracefully settled onto the plush couch. Crossing her legs with an air of poise, she sipped her tea from a delicate porcelain cup. Her demeanor radiated pride and arrogance, her every movement deliberate and elegant. Read exclusive adventures at empire
Suddenly, a knock broke the silence.
Celestia didn’t react immediately. She had been expecting this, even waiting for it. Without sparing a glance toward the door, she said in a voice that carried an undeniable authority, “Come in.”
The door opened silently, revealing an older man dressed in a finely tailored gray butler’s suit. The polished uniform, though understated, spoke of refinement and wealth. The man, appearing to be in his late forties or early fifties, exuded professionalism. His silver-streaked hair was neatly combed, and his posture was impeccable. With one hand clasped behind his back, he moved into the room with measured, calculated steps.
Stopping at a respectful distance from Celestia, the butler bowed deeply. His voice was calm and steady as he spoke.
“Apologies, my lady. As you might have already anticipated, I have come because you left the palace without notice. Her Majesty, the Queen, is displeased, and your brother, Sir Arthur, is quite concerned for your safety. They have both requested an explanation for your sudden departure. Forgive me if my words seem forward, but it is my duty to address this matter.”
Celestia remained silent, her face betraying no hint of emotion. She took another slow sip of her tea, savoring it as if the butler’s words were of no importance. The contrast between her serene actions and the gravity of his message was almost startling.
The butler, waiting patiently, eventually added, “Princess, your safety may be at risk. I would strongly recommend you consider returning to the palace as soon as possible.”
Finally, Celestia placed her teacup down on its saucer with a soft clink. She tilted her head slightly, a faint smirk playing at her lips as she asked, “Oh? And what are Sir Arthur’s plans this time?” Her tone was mocking, her words laced with a quiet venom.
The butler flinched ever so slightly at her question. His professional mask faltered for a fraction of a second before he recovered. “Apologies, my lady, but I am not certain I understand what you mean,” he replied carefully, his tone neutral but cautious.
Celestia’s smirk widened, though her eyes remained icy. Finally, she looked up at him, meeting his gaze for the first time.
“Oh, really?” she said, her voice dripping with sarcasm. “Are you sure you don’t know what I mean?”
Inside her mind, Celestia sighed. Traitors, she thought to herself, masking her true emotions behind her calm exterior. Of course, she knew everything. She had come back from the future regressed to this time and the pieces of the puzzle were already falling into place.
She knew her stepbrother, Sir Arthur, all too well. Adopted into the royal family, he was no saint. Far from it, he was a cunning man with ambitions that stretched far beyond the boundaries of propriety. The throne was his ultimate goal, and he would stop at nothing to achieve it even if it meant eliminating her.
In her past life, this knowledge had paralyzed her. She had stayed hidden within the confines of the palace, fearful and powerless to act against him. But this time, it was different. She was different.
Celestia glanced at the butler, hiding her thoughts behind a carefully constructed mask. This man is one of Arthur’s, isn’t he? she thought, her expression betraying nothing.
With a soft chuckle, she leaned back into the couch, resting her chin on her hand. “So,” she said, her voice light but sharp, “what is my dear brother plotting this time?”
The butler stiffened slightly at her words, though he tried to maintain his composure.
“And,” she continued, her gaze sharp and unrelenting, “I find it hard to believe that he is truly worried about me. I imagine he’s rather pleased that I’ve left the palace. After all, doesn’t my absence make things far more… convenient for him?”
Her words were a carefully crafted jab, veiled in sarcasm, yet the intent behind them was as clear as glass.
“So,” she added, leaning forward slightly, her lips curling into a cold, knowing grin. “What are his plans now? To clean me up since I’ve wandered out of my nest?”
The butler’s eyes widened, the slightest flicker of panic betraying his otherwise stoic demeanor.
“Spot on,” Celestia said, her grin widening at his reaction, amusement flickering in her eyes.
“Please, my lady,” the butler began, his voice steady but strained, attempting to regain his composure. “You’re mistaken. You must be confused. Sir Arthur would never”
Celestia raised a hand, cutting him off. Her expression didn’t change, calm and collected as ever, though her words carried a cold weight.
“Well, well,” she drawled, her voice almost playful, yet dripping with derision. “I find it difficult to believe he could harm me, even if he wanted to. Do you truly think he wouldn’t have tried before now, in all these years?”
The butler remained silent, clearly unsure how to respond.
“And let me make one thing clear,” Celestia continued, her voice steady as steel. “Staying in the castle wasn’t what kept me safe. Isn’t that right?” She tilted her head slightly, her mocking smile returning.
“Arthur…” she paused, letting the name linger in the air, “is nothing more than a scared little boy. A coward. A spineless opportunist too afraid to make a move. He doesn’t have the guts.”
Her tone remained calm, almost conversational, yet each word sliced through the air with precision.
The butler faltered, struggling to find a response. “My lady…” he began weakly, only to trail off, unsure of how to address the situation.
“Yes?” Celestia prompted with a chuckle, thoroughly enjoying his discomfort.
“My lady, please,” the butler finally managed, his voice tinged with desperation. “I beg you to reconsider. Return to the castle. It’s not safe for you to remain here.”
Celestia leaned back, crossing her legs with elegance as she let out a soft laugh. “Ah, how predictable,” she murmured, more to herself than to him.
But then, her demeanor shifted. The lightness in her voice vanished, replaced by a steely resolve that sent a shiver down the butler’s spine. Her eyes darkened, and her tone grew serious, commanding.
“Go back and tell Arthur this,” she said, her voice calm but carrying the weight of unspoken menace. “If anything happens to me, I have 365 reasons he’ll regret that decision. And if, by some miracle, I survive whatever foolish plan he concocts…”
Her gaze turned ice-cold, and her smirk returned, this time sharper, almost predatory. “…he’ll have 1,365 reasons to regret it. Tell him not to even *think* of playing childish games with me. I am not the girl I used to be.”
The butler stood frozen, unable to form a coherent reply. Celestia’s words hung in the air, each one a dagger poised to strike.
“Did you hear me clearly?” she asked, her voice deceptively soft.
“Yes, my lady,” the butler finally managed, bowing deeply to hide the unease that crept onto his face. “I will deliver your message.”
“Good,” Celestia said simply, dismissing him with a flick of her hand.
The butler straightened and retreated, the sound of the door closing behind him barely audible.
Once she was alone again, Celestia picked up her tea, her expression softening into a faint, almost wistful smile.
“Let’s see how brave you really are, Arthur,” she murmured to herself, her voice quiet but laced with determination. “This time, the game will be mine to control.”
“Oh well, so much work to prepare,” Celestia murmured to herself, her lips curling into a sly smile. “But sure… it’ll be fun.”
Her gaze softened slightly as a thought crossed her mind, one that made her cheeks flush faintly. “And ah, I can have my darling all to myself,” she whispered, a faint, dreamy expression breaking through her usually cold demeanor. “The preparations must be flawless.”
She leaned back into the couch, drumming her fingers lightly on the armrest as her mind started ticking through the tasks ahead. “So many things to do… First things first, though.”
Her expression turned contemplative as her sharp mind assessed the situation. “Hmm… As for my foolish brother,” she said with a mocking chuckle, “it’s probably nothing special. Just his usual childish games. Let’s leave him be for now.”
She rubbed her chin thoughtfully, her eyes narrowing. “Though, at this point, I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s already making some moves. It’s just like him to take advantage of an opportunity.”
Celestia shrugged, brushing the thought away with an air of indifference. “Not my problem. But,” her tone darkened, her voice dripping with quiet menace, “if he so much as dares to interfere with my Lucian, he’ll pay a hefty price.”
She leaned forward, resting her elbows on her knees as a wicked grin spread across her face. “Looks like I’ll have to warn him too. Wouldn’t want my dear brother getting any dangerous ideas, now would we?”
Her fingers tapped rhythmically on the table, a beat of anticipation as her mind played out the scenarios. “I’m sure my meeting with Lucian has already set off alarms in Arthur’s mind,” she thought, her grin widening. “Good. Let him worry.”
Her eyes glittered with a mixture of amusement and resolve as she stood, brushing off her dress with elegant precision. “Well then, time to get started,” she murmured. “This game is mine now, and I don’t intend to lose.”
“Oh yes, some meetings with my future mother-in-law and sister-in-law are important too,” Celestia mused, her voice carrying an icy undertone. “I’ve heard they’ve been treating my darling… quite specially.”
Her lips curled into a chilling smile, a glint of mischief and menace in her eyes. “I think they need a little… lesson in boundaries.”
She paused, her smile fading slightly as another name crossed her mind. “And as for that Avey…” she spat the name out as though it left a bitter taste in her mouth. Her jaw tightened, and her eyes glinted with unmistakable killing intent.
“That woman…” Celestia hissed, her hands gripping the edge of the table as though to steady herself. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, exhaling sharply. “Ahhh, calm down, Celestia. Calm down. It’s still not the time to kill her.”
Her hands slowly relaxed, and she sat back, forcing herself to regain her composure. “Not yet,” she whispered to herself, her voice cold and calculated. “But when the time comes, she’ll regret ever crossing paths with me.”
Celestia straightened her posture, smoothing out her dress with an air of authority. “Patience,” she reminded herself, her tone firm. “There’s still work to do, preparations to make. Everything in due time.”
Her lips curled into a dangerous smirk. “But when the time comes, they’ll all understand that my darling belongs to me and me alone.”
—–
sorry guys so late…but i just came back after exam didn’t even…got time to rest and sighhhh
thanks for reading ya all
