The court dispersed under Sephie's command, her authority absolute. Gid left with visible frustration, his aura simmering but suppressed. Soldiers carried out the wounded in silence.
And then, with a single gesture, she summoned me.
"You. Follow me."
Her tone wasn't harsh, but there was no room for refusal.
I separated from Lala with a whisper of reassurance in her mind—"I'll return."—and materialized into my humanoid form, stepping into the Queen's shadow as she led me away.
We passed through long crystalline corridors until the noise of the battlefield faded. Finally, she stopped before a private chamber.
The door closed behind us, and the atmosphere shifted. No guards. No witnesses. Just me and her.
Her gaze pinned me like a spear."You wear her trust like armor," Sephie began, voice calm yet sharp. "But I need to know what lies beneath."
I smirked, though her aura kept my instincts taut. "You mean, am I a threat?"
Her eyes softened for a fraction, though the steel never left her tone."You are already a threat. That much is clear. But not all threats are enemies."
I tilted my head. "So, what am I to you?"
She stepped closer, regal yet maternal, her presence wrapping the chamber."That depends entirely on how you answer me now. Do you love my daughter—or are you merely using her?"
The question cut deeper than any blade.
For a moment, silence pressed between us. The system stirred, almost eager to interfere—
[Alert: Emotional Query Detected → Recommend Response Optimization]
I muted it. This answer wasn't the system's. It was mine.
"I don't own her," I said finally, my voice steady. "And I don't control her. What she gives me—trust, affection, love—it's hers to give. Not mine to take."
Her eyes narrowed, searching me as though to pierce through every layer of my being.
"You speak like someone who understands desire," she murmured. "But do you understand responsibility? Lala's happiness is not something you can gamble with. If you betray her… I will end you myself."
Her aura surged briefly, enough to make the walls hum with energy.
And yet—I smiled. Not mockingly, but with conviction."Then I suppose you and I want the same thing. Her happiness. That's why I'll protect her… even from myself if I must."
The words surprised even me. But they rang true.
Sephie studied me for a long, silent moment. Then, finally, she nodded."You may not be the partner I would have chosen for her. But perhaps… you are the one she chose for herself."
Her tone softened, almost wistful. "Do not prove me wrong."
The tension broke, leaving the chamber heavy with unspoken understanding.
For the first time, the Queen wasn't just judging me.She was… acknowledging me.
[System Update: Relationship Path → Sephie Michaela (Recognition: Conditional Trust)]