"No! Absolutely not! I will not agree to this madness—so don't you dare mention it again!"
Raymond's voice thundered through the room as he turned sharply to face the window overlooking the garden.
It was two days later at their mansion in Lisboa. Ariel had just made her request—to return to the Capital and access the Royal Archives once more, desperate to retrieve her family's records.
"But Father, please," Ariel pleaded.
"You told me not to do anything reckless, to come to you for help. That's exactly what I'm doing. I need those records before the Selection. If I don't get them, those leeches will get there first. Everything will be lost. My revenge will be ruined. Is that what you want? For all my plans to fall apart so I can serve yours and not mine?"
Raymond spun around to face her, his expression hard.
"Of course not! I want to help you with your revenge. But what you're trying to do is nearly impossible! The Royal Archives are the most sacred and heavily guarded place in the palace. You only got in last time because security was lax—no one had ever dared such a thing before. But now that someone's broken in, they'll be on high alert. It's impenetrable now. So no—I will not put your life in danger again! You'll get access to the Archives once you become Queen. And that's final."
He turned his back on her once more.
Ariel shook her head in disbelief and then exhaled slowly.
"I had a dream once," she said quietly.
She paused.
"When I was a little girl."
She swallowed.
"I dreamt I was playing in the garden... at the Sinclair mansion. I was running, laughing with pure, innocent joy. I was surrounded by flowers. And my mom... she was running after me. We were playing together, rolling in the grass, smelling the flowers, dancing around happily. Until, all of a sudden... she stopped."
Her voice trembled.
"I was ahead of her. I turned around and saw her standing still, her eyes filled with pain. I ran back and asked what was wrong. She said she was fine—just tired from all the running. But then..."
She paused again, her emotions swirling like a storm.
"She coughed up blood... and collapsed into my arms. I screamed for help. I cried and cried, but no one came. I held her as she died in my arms."
Raymond had turned to face her now, his expression unreadable.
Ariel's eyes shimmered with tears, her gaze distant, lost in the haze of memory.
"I told my father about the dream. He was shocked. He even scolded me for having such a crude nightmare, said it was just because I loved her too much and feared losing her. He told me not to worry—that nothing like that would ever happen. But just a few days later... she coughed up blood. She collapsed. She died."
Silent tears traced down her cheeks as she slowly lifted her eyes and locked them onto Raymond's.
"I had a dream two nights ago," Ariel said softly.
"The night we returned from the Capital. I won't tell you the details... but it was the most heart-wrenching, horrible dream I've ever had. My enemies got their hands on my family's records. They discovered my existence... and they killed me. Again."
She sighed and wiped away her tears.
"I listened to my father once. I dismissed my dream as a stupid nightmare—just paranoia. And my mother died. If I hadn't listened... if I had insisted... maybe she'd still be alive and breathing right now. That wretched woman would never have seduced my father. Would never have married him. All these nightmares I've lived through—they wouldn't have happened. I'd be with my family right now. Maybe even living happily."
She stepped closer to Raymond, her voice steady now.
"So this time... I'm not going to sit back and watch everything I've worked for—everything I've sacrificed—die right in front of me. Not because I was convinced my dream was just a paranoid delusion and not a divine premonition. I'm going to get those records. With or without your help. And if I die... then at least I'll know I died protecting what's mine. And I'll have no regrets. Ever."
She exhaled, turned, and began walking away—without waiting for his reply.
She had taken only a few steps when—
"Be careful."
Raymond's voice rang out behind her. She paused and turned to face him.
He exhaled, his expression softer now.
"Just promise me you'll be careful. That's all I need."
Ariel offered a faint smile.
"I will. Thank you, Father."
Raymond nodded.
"Just don't make me regret this."
Ariel bowed slightly, her smile lingering, then turned and walked out of the room.
Raymond sighed and watched Ariel's retreating figure for a long moment before turning toward a tall cabinet tucked into the corner of the room. He unlocked it carefully, revealing a hidden portrait.
The painting depicted a woman with black wavy hair, piercing black eyes, a small, sharp nose, and delicate, rosy lips. She wore a regal gown of green and gold, crowned with the emblem of her fief: a lush green island encircled by golden waters and dotted with yachts.
She looked strikingly like Ariel.
"Oh, Elizabeth... my love," Raymond murmured.
"Your niece is as fierce as you were. She carries your twin sister's gentleness—and your fire. She stubborn as a mule and doesn't listen to me."
He chuckled, paused, his voice softening.
"Should I tell her about you? I know she'd be happy to learn the truth—that she's not a stranger in this house, but that she truly belongs."
He sighed, and the warmth in his eyes faded into something colder, harder.
"But I am sorry. I can't. My plans forbid it. Still... I'll watch over her. I'll protect her—as my debt of loyalty to you. You loved me more than I ever deserved. And you lost your life because of me."
His voice dropped, dark and resolute.
"I will have my revenge. On those who wronged me. Who wronged you. Who shattered us. Who now threaten her. I will see the monarchy fall. And when it does, the world will be ours to rule—once and for all. And I swear..."
He leaned closer to the portrait, his eyes gleaming.
"All my sacrifices will not be for nothing."
A dark smirk curled across his lips as he stared into Elizabeth's painted eyes.
...
Meanwhile, at the Palace
"Oh... oh... yes... yes... oh..."
The video of Lady Susan's betrayal played on a sleek tablet inside a lavish study.
"Who sent this?" Lord Archford demanded, his face twisted in a mix of anger and disbelief.
"Who else do you think?" Alicia replied coldly, standing by the window overlooking the palace courtyard.
"Someone who clearly has it out for me—someone who wants to destroy me."
She exhaled sharply.
"If this obscene video leaks, it will ruin my son's marriage—and me along with it. I was the one who allowed him to marry that whore, despite the Royal Court's objections. She came from low noble birth, and I vouched for her. My enemies will seize this to question my regency. They'll use it to bring me down and install that wretched Esmerelda as sovereign ruler of the Inner Court—giving her more power and control than ever."
Archford scoffed.
"Just because of this whore? I doubt they'd go that far. A reprimand, maybe. But stripping you of your regency? That's a stretch."
He switched off the tablet and set it down on the desk.
Alicia turned her head slightly, her voice low and bitter.
"You don't know how many of Esmerelda's minions infest the Royal Court. That's why I regret every single day being a soft mother—letting my sons act like fools, bringing these wretched whores into our house. Not a day passes that my heart doesn't bleed with regret. I was a fool. And now it's too late to turn back time."
Archford sighed.
"We all make mistakes, Alicia. Not a day goes by that I don't regret letting my wife, Daniella, down. Even my own sons—Jeffrey and Theodore—want nothing to do with me. Jeffrey got married without even telling me, without asking for my blessing. Hah... if that doesn't tear your heart to pieces, what does?"
He leaned back in his chair, voice suddenly calm.
"Just give them what they want."
Alicia stiffened.
Slowly, she turned to face him, her eyes narrowing, locking onto his with icy precision.
"What the hell did you just say?"
Archford sighed.
"Look... I'm sure Felistus wasn't foolish enough to leave anything important in that chest. I know my sister too well. She was smart—brilliant, even. She would've done whatever it took to protect what mattered. Even at the cost of her life. I'm convinced there's nothing of real value in there."
"And what if there is? What then? You and I both know why they want that chest. It's not just about secrets—it's about the Blue Diamond Roses. They want to find them. They want to use them to rule the world. And I will not allow that. Not as long as I'm breathing."
Archford exhaled heavily.
"So what's your plan? Let them use this scandal to destroy our family? To strip you of your regency? Alicia, this isn't a game you can win anymore. You have to give them what they want—for the sake of the family. We need you in power. We can't let those venomous snakes take control of the kingdom. I need you here. We all do. Please... try to see what's more important."
Alicia's shoulders sagged.
"I understand you, Archford. I truly do. But sometimes... we have to let the Heavens decide. If no solution presents itself in the next few days—before the Selection—then I'll give them what they want."
She turned back to the window, her gaze fixed on the dark clouds gathering above the palace. Her heart felt heavy, burdened by the weight of legacy, betrayal, and impossible choices.
And silently, she prayed.
'Please... let her sacrifice—and the protection of her family and kingdom—not be all for nothing.'
...
That Night, in the Capital of the Kingdom — The Iron Fortress
A lone figure stood atop a hill overlooking the palace, cloaked in a sleek black outfit beneath a long overcoat. A mask concealed their face and head, blending them into the night.
"I can't believe I agreed to be part of this suicide mission," muttered another figure emerging from the shadows.
He was a bulky man, draped in camouflage gear and carrying a rugged camping bag slung over one shoulder.
"Are you sure about this, Bailey? It's not too late to turn back."
Bailey didn't reply. He looked up at the sky—dark, heavy, and threatening rain. Time was running out.
"It's now or never, RT. I have to do this," he murmured.
RT exhaled.
"Alright. If you say so. Don't worry—I've got your back. Especially with these babies."
He pulled out parts of a weapon from his bag.
"Latest special ops sniper rifle. Fires tranquilizer darts with heat-targeting precision—five-mile radius."
Then he revealed a small device, no bigger than a palm-sized tablet.
"And this... this is the whole cake. Designed by yours truly, built by Cody. A security system jammer. It can hack and override any system—depending on the tech. I've already analyzed the palace grid. It's tight. Almost impenetrable. Getting you in won't be easy."
"How long will I have once I'm inside?" Bailey asked.
"Mmm... twenty minutes, tops. But listen—there's a hidden passage that leads straight into the Royal Archives. It's accessed from the outside. Problem is, it's one-way. No exit. You'll have to escape through another hidden route in the East Wing."
Bailey exhaled deeply.
"Okay. I can do this."
He turned and reached into a sack, pulling out a male royal servant's uniform.
"Good luck, Bailey. I'll see you when you see me," RT said, giving him a nod.
Bailey returned it.
"See you when you see me."
With that, he sprinted into the thick, dark forest surrounding the palace.
The mission had begun.
This time, it had to bear results.
Bailey prayed the Heavens would be on his side tonight.
Otherwise... it would all be for nothing.
....
Inside the Palace
Daniel stood at the window of his study, watching the dark sky churn above the Iron Fortress.
Storm clouds loomed, thick and heavy.
He didn't know why—but he felt they mirrored him.
Dark. Ominous. Unpredictable.
Waiting to strike with furious lightning and burn the world to ash.
They rumbled above, holding their fury in check.
Power coiled within them, waiting—patiently—to be unleashed.
Daniel rubbed his palms together, then clasped them behind his back.
"Aaahh..." he sighed.
"If only I could make it rain brimstone and sulfur upon this wretched world. Maybe then my enemies would learn not to cross me. I would gladly make it rain chaos... until I am satisfied."
He sighed again and turned from the window—
—but paused.
A flicker of movement caught his eye as lightning split the sky.
He peered into the forest beyond the palace walls.
Nothing. No movement. Just shadows.
He almost dismissed it as imagination—until instinct stopped him.
Instead of walking away, he stepped behind the curtain, staying hidden but keeping the view in sight.
Silence.
Then—there.
A figure emerged, slipping down the forested hill.
Lightning flashed, illuminating them for a heartbeat before darkness swallowed them again.
The figure moved swiftly, silently.
Darting between trees, crouching behind bushes.
Avoiding the wall. Circling instead.
Disappearing into the dark.
"Wisp," Daniel called.
A shadow shimmered into view—cloaked in black and gold.
"Yes, Your Highness."
"I believe we have a guest. Prepare to give them a proper welcome," Daniel said coolly.
"Yes, my Prince," Wisp replied before vanishing into the shadows.
Daniel's eyes narrowed, glowing faintly crimson as he stared at the place where the figure had disappeared.
'This time, I'm ready for you.
And trust me—my efforts will not be for nothing.
I will catch you. I will kill you like the rat you are—slowly, satisfyingly—until even your bones snap like twigs.
I'm waiting.'
Lightning flashed.
Thunder roared.
The storm had arrived.
And it was going to be one hell of a night.