When Sunlight opened the door to the Sunlit Chamber, the advisors quickly knelt. She cast a glance at them, her eyes carrying the unquestionable authority of the new Queen.
"The Maharaja is ill," Sunlight announced in a calm yet firm voice. "He will rest. From now on, all royal decisions will be enacted in the name of Queen Sunlight. No questions are to be asked. Place the highest security around the chamber, but maintain silence within."
The advisors immediately bowed their heads and accepted the order.
But Sunlight did not rush toward the royal throne. She paused for a moment. Her war was over—she was free. Yet, in a deep corner of her heart, the man she hated, but couldn't bear to be without, still lay.
She gently closed the door again.
Sunlight slowly returned to the bedside.
Hirday was still weak, but with the bond severed, his breathing was now somewhat normal.
Sunlight sat beside him. She took his hand, then gently leaned towards Hirday's forehead. She used her fingers to straighten his disheveled hair and wipe the sweat from his face.
"Are you alright?" Sunlight whispered. It wasn't just a question; it was an inquiry to her own heart.
Hirday did not reply; he was in a deep sleep.
Sunlight did not get up again. She slightly moved the blanket beside him. All the exhaustion of her war, all the fire of her rebellion, now surrendered to a soft peace. She was the free Queen who had seized power.
She lay down beside Maharaja Hirday in a deep sleep. She rested her head on his chest and gently held him with her arm.
This embrace was one of free, pure love. Their bond was no longer made of blood, but depended on their complex, intensely personal relationship. The room was silent. The first light of dawn streamed through the windowpanes onto the bed.
Sunlight was in a deep sleep. All her fatigue, mental pressure, and the storm of rebellion had settled, resting her head on Hirday's chest. She believed she was free and the new Queen of the throne.
Maharaja Hirday slowly opened his eyes. He wasn't asleep, but had been feigning weakness all this time. His Nexus Crystal was now glowing faintly—as if he was drawing power from a deep source of energy.
He felt no blood-bond on his body. Sunlight had indeed severed the bond.
Hirday slowly looked at Sunlight. There was no defeat or weakness in his eyes. There was a deep, calculating smile. That smile was strange—it held affection, amusement, and the satisfaction of the ultimate victor.
He seemed to be saying in his mind: 'My dearest Queen, you thought you severed the bond? You merely fulfilled the condition of the bond. My weakness was not my weakness; it was the test of your heart.'
Hirday very carefully, so as not to wake Sunlight, raised his hand. He gently kissed Sunlight on her forehead.
There was no authority in that kiss, only deep affection and a secret signal.
Then, he whispered low, only next to Sunlight's ear:
"You are still a part of me, Queen. You may be free, but you can never leave my game. Let the throne be yours. But the key to breaking the bond still remains in my hands. Because... your heart's choice was the supreme law of the Nexus."
Hirday closed his eyes again. He fell into a deep sleep—but this time, for rest.
Sunlight remained in a deep sleep, the touch of Hirday's last kiss lingering on her free body. The bright sunlight fell directly onto the bed.
Sunlight woke up. She felt all the fatigue in her body had dissolved into a deep tranquility. She sat up. All the events of last night, the severing of the bond, and the control of the throne—everything was real.
But when she touched her forehead, the touch of Maharaja Hirday's last kiss still lingered there. Along with that touch was an ominous, cold feeling.
Sunlight was startled. She quickly looked at Hirday.
Maharaja Hirday was still lying with his eyes closed. His breathing was calm, the Nexus Crystal glowing with a faint light. He was now well, but weak.
The whisper from last night echoed in Sunlight's mind: "The key to breaking the bond still remains in my hands."
Was he awake? Is he trying to start a game with me again? Or is this just the effect of illness?
Sunlight did not wait another moment. She understood—her current task was not to sit hesitantly by the bedside, but to formally establish her power. If Hirday had indeed started a game, Sunlight must make the first move.
She quickly got out of bed.
First Steps in the Royal Court
The chief advisors were waiting outside the Maharaja's chamber. Their eyes were filled with sleep and anxiety. When the door opened and Sunlight emerged, she was wearing her old gown, but her eyes held the steely gaze of the state's new ruler.
The advisors quickly knelt.
"The Maharaja is well," Sunlight announced. "But he will remain in complete rest. No one other than the royal physician will enter this chamber."
The chief advisor bravely asked, "Queen Mother... shall we begin the wedding ceremony today?"
Sunlight looked at him. "There is no need for a wedding. According to royal law, upon the Maharaja losing consciousness, all power of the state automatically transfers to the Queen. I am now the sole ruler of this Nexus Empire."
Her declaration was clear and final. The advisors asked no further questions. They knew that at this moment, no one was backing the Maharaja, and the Queen's Nexus power was now the strongest in the entire realm.
"First task," Sunlight commanded, "publicly announce the treachery of the two old advisors and the matter of the diamonds they stole. Then, secure the treasury and the secret passage."
Sunlight gave them no further opportunity. She quickly walked toward the royal court. Her pace carried the power and confidence of the state's new Queen. After establishing her power in the royal court and issuing the necessary directives, Sunlight returned to her private chamber. She wore no crown, but she was now the Queen of the Nexus Empire. She sat in a heavy chair, her mind still immersed in the mystery of Queen Alisa's diary and Hirday's last kiss.
She knew her political victory was only the beginning. Until Hirday publicly acknowledged her, her throne was not completely safe.
Just then, the chamber door gently opened. A maid was supposed to enter, but standing at the door was—Maharaja Hirday.
He was not completely healthy; his face was still a bit pale. There was a slight weakness in his walk, but his eyes had regained their old, burning intensity. Defying all the doctors' predictions, he had suddenly and miraculously woken up.
Sunlight was stunned to see him. All the power, all the resolve in her body seemed to vanish for a moment. A wave of intense joy struck her heart. Despite all her rebellion, she had wanted this man to live, and he had risen.
Sunlight was happy. She quickly rose from her seat, tears of unbound joy in her eyes. It was not her identity as Queen, but the joy of an ordinary woman regaining her lover.
Hirday smiled softly. That smile was complex—it contained the joy of overcoming weakness, the satisfaction of understanding his opponent's emotion, and some secret cunning.
He quickly walked toward Sunlight. Before Sunlight could say anything, Hirday placed his hands under Sunlight's waist and back.
Despite a slight weakness, Hirday lifted Sunlight into his arms with all his strength.
Sunlight was startled and wrapped her arms around his neck. Despite their differences in height and power, this embrace was complete.
"Why did you do that, Queen?" Hirday whispered, his voice filled with intense affection. "You freed yourself, but you did not free me from my game."
"I fell in love with you, Maharaja," Sunlight sobbed. "I couldn't hate you."
Hirday laughed. "I knew it. And love, my dearest Queen, love is the supreme law of the Nexus. Your love brought me back to life." After lifting Sunlight into his arms, Hirday said nothing more. A weak smile still lingered on his pale face. Sunlight held tightly to his neck. Her tears touched Hirday's shoulder.
Hirday slowly walked toward the soft sofa in the middle of the chamber. He sat on the sofa with Sunlight still in his arms.
He was still holding Sunlight. His two arms were no longer holding the Queen's body, but holding his life's only weakness and only desire.
In this moment, all of Maharaja Hirday's cruelty, all his arrogance, seemed to crumble. A stream of tears gathered in the corner of his eyes and rolled down his cheek. He cried. This was not a cry of defeat, but a cry of liberation and surrender to love.
His voice trembled with emotion. Holding Sunlight close to his chest, he spoke a breathtakingly beautiful sentence:
"You are not just my Queen, Sunlight. You are my Nexus. All my strength and weakness—you are everything. I wanted to rule you, but you have conquered me with love."
Hearing Hirday's words, Sunlight also burst into tears. She understood that Hirday had not truly desired hatred or power—he had wanted love. Their battle was actually a test of love.
Hirday held Sunlight even tighter, as if he feared she would disappear into the void if he let her go. The power game was over for now. Now, there was only the intimate embrace of two shattered hearts, which was initiating a new, complex empire.
The kingdom was now Sunlight's, but her heart was now Hirday's, and Hirday's heart was also now Sunlight's—this bond of love no one could sever.