Chapter 257: 257

"Youu!"

Adele’s voice cracked, trembling with rage as she stared at Martina’s playful smirk. Her clenched fists trembled, and her knuckles turned white. The fury inside her boiled like molten lava.

She cursed Martina under her breath.Then Rein.Then the entire damned royal court.

Shameless... rotten... vile to the core.

They were like venomous snakes wrapped in silk—dangerous and deceiving. Her nanny had warned her time and time again:

"Dealing with royals is like playing chess with foxes. They smile while stealing your queen."

But Adele, fierce, proud, unyielding—had always believed she could withstand it.

Now, for the first time in her life, she felt truly helpless.

She was outplayed,overpowered and defeated.

Her chest rose and fell in sharp breaths. Her pride screamed, but reality forced her to bow.

She cast one last burning glare at Martina and exhaled heavily.

"Fine... take her."

’I’ll retreat today... but next time... I’ll bury that green-haired witch myself.’

With clenched teeth, she clapped her hands once. "Release the woman."

Martina turned to Kael with a composed nod."Bring her."

Kael saluted silently and stepped forward with steady footsteps.

As he moved, Adele’s curiosity piqued.

"Who is he?" she asked, voice low and sharp

Martina didn’t even glance her way.

"You don’t need to know. You’re not privy to my affairs."

J

Kael followed a guard to a distant carriage. The iron door creaked open.

Inside, dim light revealed Lyria, bound and gagged. Her wrists and ankles were tied tightly with coarse rope, and her face bore faint bruises. Her eyes were closed, resigned to her fate—until she heard footsteps.

They opened slowly, and her lashes fluttered.

That face..Kael.

"Mmm... wuwuwu..."

She struggled to speak, but the gag silenced her.

Kael’s expression darkened instantly. A chilling aura pulsed from him, freezing the guards in place.

’Why... Why does it suddenly feel like winter?’ one of the guards thought, his breath catching.

Kael drew his dagger with silent precision and knelt beside her.

"Shhh... don’t speak. I’ve got you."

He carefully cut the ropes without letting the blade touch her skin. As the bindings fell away, red, swollen marks appeared on her arms and legs.

His eyes narrowed. His jaw clenched.

"They’ll pay for this someday."

He gently lifted Lyria into a princess carry. Her face remained cold, unreadable—but her eyes shimmered faintly.

"Sorry, Lyria... you’ve suffered."

She didn’t speak. She simply nodded

...

Back at the cliff, Martina and Adele locked gazes, the air between them still buzzing with silent hostility.

Kael returned, carrying Lyria in his arms.

"Let’s go," Martina said calmly.

Kael nodded, and together, the two vanished into the distance, leaping off the cliff in a blur of motion.

Wind howled in their wake.

A knight approached Adele as she stood frozen in silence. "Should we send someone to follow them?"

"No." Adele growled.

She turned sharply, entering her carriage and slamming the door shut behind her.

"We’re leaving. Double the speed. We must reach the Dukedom immediately."

The wheels turned.And thus, two forces separated, one retreating to regroup, the other carrying away a wounded girl—and a truth that could shake kingdoms.

----

As Kael and Martina raced down the winding forest path, the wind tugging at their clothes and the canopy above rustling softly, Lyria slept soundly in Kael’s arms. Her face was calm, her breathing steady. At some point during their escape, she had unconsciously wrapped her arms around him, seeking warmth, as if instinctively knowing she was safe.

Kael glanced sideways at Martina, who rode slightly ahead with a composed expression.

"Don’t you have any questions for me?" he asked, his voice low, careful not to disturb the sleeping girl in his arms.

Martina turned slightly, her lips curving into a subtle smile.

"Not really," she replied."In fact, I already had my guesses."

Kael raised a brow. "Oh? And how did you come to that?"

Martina let out a light chuckle.

"Did you think the chaos you caused in Sharon City wasn’t loud enough to reach my ears?"

Kael blinked, surprised. Martina’s laugh was unrestrained, a bit wild, and completely honest. It echoed softly through the trees.

"You might not know," she continued, "but I was the one who cleaned up your mess after you disappeared. That’s when I first got wind of you."

Her gaze shifted down to Lyria, then back to Kael, her smile still dancing at the corners of her lips.

"You disguised yourself well... but she didn’t."

Kael narrowed his eyes slightly. "So... you dragged me there on purpose, knowing Adele would show up? Was that your way of testing my stance?"

He didn’t accuse her, but the question carried weight. Royalty rarely did anything without a reason, and Kael had learned to tread carefully.

Martina, however, shook her head. "I didn’t know Adele would be there."

Kael studied her expression carefully."You expect me to believe that?"

Martina rolled her eyes playfully.

"It’s not about belief. I’m still trying to understand why you came with me at all."

"You clearly didn’t want to be near me... were you afraid I’d turn out to be just another royal bitch who’d get offended and bite?"

Kael fell silent.

Martina broke into a fit of laughter, a genuine burst of girlish delight that shimmered in the quiet air.

At that moment, Kael couldn’t look away.

The sun peeked through the forest canopy above, casting golden patches on her wild, unrestrained hair. Her eyes sparkled with mischief, lips parting in melodic laughter that carried like wind chimes through the trees. Kael’s gaze softened.

Her laughter... it’s different.

Then, she stopped her horse.

"You wanted to know why I invited you, didn’t you?"

Kael, startled from his thoughts, nodded.

She leaned in closer, just enough to make him pause.

Kael didn’t panic. But his heart ticked faster. Her presence was sudden, and intimate.

His eyes locked on her soft, pink lips, moving closer. Her breath brushed his cheek.

Wait... is she seducing me?

The thought struck like a whip, freezing him.

And then her lips brushed against his ear. She whispered mischievously.

Before he could react, she had already turned away, trotting ahead without a backward glance.

"Stop daydreaming and move. You’re not that easy to tease, are you?"

Kael blinked, his thoughts still swirling. Then he smiled—soft, genuine, the kind that rarely graced his face.

Her voice echoed in his mind:

"I promise to tell you...No—after all your hard work, I’ll give you a big surprise next time we meet."

He shook his head slowly, watching her fade through the trees.

"Martina... you really are dangerous."

And with that, he urged his horse forward, following her into the shadows of the forest.