NOVEL WEB "Where are you going, husband?" Olivia asked curiously as Bai Ling told her he was suddenly leaving while standing near the front doors.
Lucas grabbed her hand and pulled her towards him to peck her kiss and said. "I am going for a business meeting but I will be back soon. But you should stay here until I get back. Can you do that for me?"
Olivia felt a bit bewildered by his sudden request though she felt he must be concerned for her safety and said with a warm smile. "If that's what you want. It's not like I have anything better to do whenever you are not beside me. So you have to return quickly, okay?"
"I will." Lucas said with a wink.
****
The heavy cloak of night had draped over the Soulstar Kingdom, its thick velvet darkness a fitting backdrop for the secretive maneuvers Yiman found himself embroiled in.
He was determined to secretly follow his mother all the way to the Soulstar Kingdom to settle down his fears. But what shocked him was when he saw his daughter, Olivia, wearing an elegant sleeveless white gown joining his mother in the carriage.
What was she doing here and why was she even joining his mother for this negotiation? He wanted to at least stop Olivia but that would mean blowing his cover and possibly making it impossible to follow his mother.
As the carriage carrying his mother and unexpectedly, his daughter, rolled through the streets towards the grandeur of the Soulstar palace, Yiman's heart pounded with a mixture of apprehension and resolve.
Adorned in the garb of an imperial guard, his identity obscured by the uniform's helmet, Yiman kept a vigilant eye on the carriage from a cautious distance. The dim lanterns flickered along the roads, making the scene all the more surreal as they approached the imposing structure of the royal palace.
Upon their arrival, Yiman watched as Xinmei and Olivia, resplendent in her flowing white gown, were respectfully escorted into the heart of the palace. The sight of Olivia there, involved in matters of such weight, still sent a chill down Yiman's spine. Something was unfolding, and he felt an urgent need to uncover it.
With practiced stealth, Yiman shadowed a lone royal guard patrolling the periphery of a private meeting room. Seizing a moment of solitude, he swiftly incapacitated the guard with a silent, precise strike, dragging the unconscious body into a shadowed alcove. With the guard's uniform now his disguise, Yiman blended seamlessly into the palace's security detail.
He navigated the ornate corridors of the palace with careful, measured steps, his heart a silent drum in his chest. Reaching the vicinity of the meeting room, he slipped into an adjacent chamber that appeared unused and undisturbed. From a pouch at his belt, Yiman retrieved a pair of special spectacles, an ingenious device crafted by the kingdom's top inventors. These glasses allowed him to see through walls, a tool perfect for his current needs.
Adjusting the spectacles on his nose, Yiman peered through the wall into the meeting room. Sitting across from Xinmei and Olivia was an old bald man with a long beard.
His build was muscular which showed how much in shape he was despite being so old and his aura was rock solid, though Yiman still found pride in the fact that he was stronger and way more handsome than this ugly and boorish king.
Vuran Kon…the name itself was always an eyesore for him and now seeing this old bastard sitting in a room alone with his mother and daughter was already pissing him off. He still remembered how this old pig lusted over Nadia despite being her ex father-in-law.
Even now he could see Vuhan ogling at the two goddesses before him which made Yiman clench his fists, though he knew nothing bad was going on.
Vuhan gave a loud wild laugh. "Hoho, I can't believe the Empress herself and her beautiful granddaughter have graced my humble kingdom by coming all the way here."
Olivia seemed to sit with a stiff expression, her head lowered, as if she found it too uncomfortable to look at his eyes.
Xinmei's expression became serious as she said. "My son's kingdom is busy fending off the sudden assault from demon sects who rapidly grew in power. As a king of a neighbouring kingdom, you know it would only be a matter of time before those demon sects run over the borders of your kingdom if my son's kingdom falls."
Vuhan nodded casually. "Of course. But I am sure my kingdom will get a lot of time to prepare in the meantime. You must already know this, Your Majesty. But I am sure such a tragedy won't happen since you can easily take care of these demon sects once you have taken care of the little trouble at home."
"You don't have to play the fool before me, Vuhan. We both know that I can't afford to raise a finger when another empire is trying to choke my empire to death. You are the only one who can help my son's kingdom. If you help then I will make sure you are generously rewarded else I will destroy your kingdom once my hands are free."
Vuhan let out a thunderous laughter. "HAHAHAHA, how terrifying you are, Your Majesty." His smile became sly. "But if you threaten me like that then I won't have any choice but to side with your enemies who will definitely reward me even more generously."
"You old bastard…" Xinmei cursed with gritted teeth and Yiman who was seeing Vuhan acting cocky and arrogant, felt so tempted to smash his teeth in.
How dare he put up airs before an empress!
Vuhan's eyes focused on Xinemi and glanced at an anxious Olivia. "But…..I am willing to help out your son's little kingdom for a very small favor."
"What favor?" Xinmei asked with a frown.
"First, why don't you tell your granddaughter to pour a cup of wine for me and then we can talk." Vuhan said with a curve of his lips, making Olivia raise her head slowly with a cold yet apprehensive expression.