After crushing Hridoy's authority by the Nexus Power, Sunlite returned to her room from the library, her body filled with a victor's steady, cold self-confidence. She understood that Hridoy was now weak, but not completely defeated. She was running out of time.
She carefully hid Queen Alisa's newly found diary beneath her trunk. This diary was now her greatest weapon. She stood before the mirror and touched her Nexus Crystal—its stony coldness now as unyielding as her own heart.
Just then, a gentle knock came at the door.
"You may enter," Sunlite granted permission in a calm voice.
Lisa, the maid, entered the room, holding a heavy golden dress. Her eyes still showed a mixture of the Maharaja's terror and a newfound respect for the Queen. Lisa placed the gown on the bed and stood with her head bowed.
"It is the Maharaja's command, my Queen," Lisa whispered. "There is a special festival this evening in the palace's main hall. Royal guests are arriving from far and wide."
Sunlite's brow furrowed slightly. A festival? When his empire was on the brink of collapse?
"Maharaja Hridoy told me," Lisa continued in a lower voice, "that you must prepare. There must be no flaw in your appearance. Because he is the King, and it is your duty to maintain his royal honour. He also said that this festival will be your first royal coronation."
Sunlite turned around. In her eyes, a steady, blue flame, born of Queen Alisa's revenge and her own emerging power, was burning. There was no sign of a smile on her pink lips, only an icy resolve.
"Honour?" Sunlite questioned in a calm, but stone-hard voice. "What honour are you speaking of, Lisa? A person should have honour when they have merit, justice, and truth."
She slowly advanced toward Lisa. Lisa began to tremble with fear.
"Lisa, a person who seizes power through treachery, a person who kills his Queen in the name of love, a person who wants to turn an entire kingdom into his personal prison—he should have no honour."
Sunlite looked at the extravagant gown placed on the bed. It was embroidered with diamonds, a symbol of her future enslavement.
"You go and tell Maharaja Hridoy," Sunlite commanded, her voice now carrying authority, not a request. "I am preparing. But I am preparing for myself, not for the Maharaja. Tell him, I will come to the festival. But this arrival will not be the surrender of a slave; it will be the new Queen's first declaration of war."
Lisa immediately rushed out of the room, her heart pounding. She was certain a terrifying storm was coming this evening.
Preparation
Sunlite took the dress in her hands. To wear it meant accepting Hridoy's terms. To wear it meant being his prisoner.
But Sunlite was no longer afraid. She knew, this very gown was now her armour.
She put on the golden embroidered dress. The Nexus Crystal glowed brightly on the deep blue fabric of the dress. She tied her long hair tightly, which expressed her strong determination. Seeing herself in the mirror, she smiled—the smile of a victor.
"Hridoy," she thought to herself. "You wanted to weaken me, but you left me with your greatest weakness. You wanted to make me a Queen, but you made me a warrior."
Sunlite felt the power from the Nexus Crystal flowing through her bloodstream. She recalled the second sentence she learned from Alisa's diary: 'The choice of the bloodline is the highest law of the Nexus.'
This evening, she would declare her choice. She would permanently nullify the Maharaja's authority over the throne.
Sunlite walked out of the room. Every step towards the royal staircase was silent, steady, and precise—just like a general's steps before a battle. She was now ready to go to the festival.
The Showdown
Sunlite stood at the top of the royal staircase. Below, the main hall was filled with guests. The room was glittering with the light of hundreds of lamps. Maharaja Hridoy sat upon a high throne, with his advisors beside him. Anticipation to see the new Queen was visible in the eyes of everyone.
Maharaja Hridoy had expected Sunlite to wear the golden gown—the symbol of her servitude. He had hoped she would arrive fearful, submissive, and in surrender.
But as Sunlite began her descent from the top of the stairs, a profound, breathless silence fell over the hall.
Sunlite was not wearing the golden gown.
She wore a vibrant, deep red dress. That red color symbolized rebellion, fire, and the coming war. The outfit was lavish, but it lacked the golden embroidery; instead, it had only the cool, blue glow of the Nexus Crystal—which shone even more intensely against the red. Her attire was minimal, but her eyes held a steady, indomitable power.
In her right hand, instead of the royal fan sent with the golden dress, she held a pair of delicate, black wings. These were traditionally seen only in the hands of Queens who were either the sovereign ruler of the empire or prepared to make the ultimate decision to protect the throne.
As Sunlite moved down step by step, the guests watched her, mesmerized.
Awe: Everyone was astonished by the new Queen's appearance, her fearless posture, and the audacity of her attire.
Fear: Many guests felt that this was not merely a change of clothing, but a clear insult to Maharaja Hridoy's authority.
Respect: Old advisors saw the shadow of Queen Alisa in her—the same pride and the same rebellion.
The Maharaja's Astonishment
Maharaja Hridoy sat motionless. The calm smile on his face slowly vanished. He could not believe his command had been defied so brazenly.
He was stunned to see Sunlite in the red dress. This outfit was a direct challenge to his authority. Hridoy realized that what had happened in the Nexus Chamber was not just about sealing power; Sunlite was no longer his prisoner.
Sunlite slowly descended the main staircase. Her wings seemed to gently sway with every step, creating a dramatic atmosphere for her arrival.
When Sunlite finished the stairs and set foot on the hall floor, the silence deepened further. She walked directly towards Hridoy's throne.
Hridoy harshly suppressed his inner fury. He stood up, forcing back that cold, controlled smile onto his face. He had to protect his honor.
"Welcome, my Queen," Hridoy said, keeping his voice forcibly calm. "Your arrival has illuminated the court."
Sunlite stopped in front of the throne. She offered Hridoy no greeting, no sign of respect. She simply looked at the Maharaja with steady eyes.
"Maharaja Hridoy," Sunlite said clearly and loudly, as if her voice was meant to reach the far end of the hall. "I have followed your command. I am prepared."
She gripped the wings tightly in her left hand and held her Nexus Crystal-blazing chest high.
"However, I have come with a choice of my own," she announced. "And this attire, this color—it is the symbol of that choice."
The cold fire in Hridoy's eyes quickly ignited. His face hardened. He knew this girl was now ready to take not just his power, but his life. This celebration was not her coronation—it was the stage for her rebellion.
"What do you mean, Queen?" Hridoy asked in a hushed tone, his voice now only a warning.
Sunlite brought that terrifying, victorious smile to her lips. She knew this moment was the ultimate one.
"I mean, Maharaja," Sunlite replied directly. "The Nexus Power, which is the very foundation of this kingdom, is now governed by the choice of my bloodline. And my choice is clear."
She placed her hand on the Crystal on her body. All the lights in the hall seemed to go out for a moment, and only Sunlite's Crystal blazed with a fierce, blue light.
"From today, this throne is no longer yours," Sunlite declared the ultimate announcement. "It belongs to the Queen."
Hridoy's face turned ashen. He realized what deadly information Queen Alisa's diary had given her. This red dress was not just a rebellion—it was the declaration of power's nullification.
The hall was now silent in terror. No one knew whose side to take in this war.