Luna's body lifted off the ground and flew several meters before crashing heavily into the dirt.
Gasps rippled through the onlookers.
Prince Philip didn't even spare her a glance. He immediately turned to Zora, expression full of exaggerated concern.
"Miss Zora! Are you hurt?" he asked anxiously, stepping far too close.
Zora shook her head gently. "No. Thank you."
His chest puffed with pride at those simple words.
"It's all right," he said grandly, clearly expecting admiration.
But nearby, Luna struggled up, trembling with fury and heartbreak.
"Fox!" she screamed. "I've been with His Highness for more than a year—HE IS MINE! Who told you to seduce him? How are you so shameless?!"
Her voice cracked, almost hysterical.
The crowd stirred, murmuring with intrigue.
"Luna and the Prince… we all heard rumors."
"So the fox spirit she's talking about is Zora?"
"Does that mean Zora is in love with the Prince, too?"
The air was thick with gossip.
But Zora only smiled, slow and mocking. "The girl is quite amusing," she said lightly. "If I am shameless… then what are you?"
Luna froze. "What do you mean?"
Zora's voice turned silky, yet sharp as a blade.
"As everyone knows, His Highness Prince Philip was once engaged to the eldest miss of the General's Manor. And you, Luna, are her younger sister."
Her eyes narrowed with cold amusement. "A younger sister seducing her own sister's fiancé… if that's not shameless, what is?"
Her tone was elegant, almost gentle, but the words struck like thunder.
This was the hatred carved into the bones of the original Zora—the betrayal of a sister, the humiliation of being cast aside, the cruelty of being forced toward death so the lovers could flaunt their affection before her.
Retribution had arrived.
Luna's face turned deathly pale.
She had always kept that secret buried deeply. No one in the city knew she had stolen her sister's fiancé. Once exposed, her reputation would rot faster than fruit left under the sun.
"I—I didn't steal anything!" she stammered desperately. "His Highness dissolved the engagement with Zora! How can you accuse me?"
But Zora only arched a brow, her smile bright and merciless.
"Oh? The engagement was dissolved only a month ago… yet you claim you've been with the Prince for more than a year."
Her words were soft, but the impact was louder than any shout.
Every jaw in the crowd dropped.
The truth was laid bare—indisputable.
"I—"
Luna's lips trembled. She opened her mouth, but no explanation came out. Her lies tangled together and strangled her tongue.
Everyone around her slowly stepped away, expressions twisting in disgust.
"So she really snatched her sister's fiancé?"
"And pretended to be pure and kind all this time? How vile!"
"I can't believe I used to admire her!"
Luna stood frozen, trembling like a leaf in the storm of judgment.
The goddess mask she had worn for years shattered completely.
And Zora stood there calmly, dignified, radiant—untouched by the chaos behind her.
Although many still believed that Zora's former "useless body" was unworthy of a prince, even they could not deny the truth standing plain before them—Luna had indeed stolen her sister's fiancé without shame.
And that, in any family, was unforgivable.
"I never expected Luna to be this kind of person," someone whispered with disgust. "I used to admire her. What a waste of feelings."
"Poor Zora… having a sister like that."
"Truly, you can know a person's face, but never their heart."
One sigh followed another as the crowd watched the once-celebrated beauty flee in humiliation, her veil barely hiding her ruined features. For a girl who had lived for admiration, today's scorn was worse than death.
Yet while Luna's reputation collapsed, Prince Philip stood unbothered.
He, after all, was a prince.
Who would dare judge him?
And for a prince, having multiple wives was not only acceptable—it was expected. In his mind, the entire matter was trivial. What did it matter if he discarded one woman for another? In the future, wouldn't his harem overflow with beauties anyway?
He lifted his chin proudly and stepped closer to Zora.
"Miss Zora, will you be my woman?" Prince Philip asked, his tone full of self-satisfaction, as if expecting her to faint from joy.
But Zora merely curved her lips into a serene smile, her eyes cold as autumn frost.
"Thank you for Your Highness's regard," she said lightly, "but I believe focusing on my own business suits me far better."
Prince Philip froze.
The world seemed to stop around him.
"You… dare reject me?" he demanded, voice rising in disbelief.
No one had ever refused him. Ever. From servants to nobles, everyone scrambled to win his favor. And yet here this woman—this woman he had once cast aside—stood and rejected him without hesitation.
Zora tilted her head, her eyes gleaming with amusement. "Why wouldn't I dare?"
Her calmness only deepened his humiliation. His face flushed with anger.
"Do you even understand who I am?" Prince Philip thundered. "I am the prince! If you defy me, do you wish to die?"
A few gasps sounded from the crowd, but Zora didn't flinch. Instead, she smiled—slow, mocking, devastating.
"So?" she asked softly. "Does the Prince intend to force a woman into his household?"
Her tone was airy, almost playful, yet her meaning stabbed straight into the heart of his pride.
Prince Philip's expression twisted, words stuck in his throat.
He wanted to roar, "yes."
He wanted to drag her home and make her kneel, to win back the pride he lost.
But he couldn't.
His life had been saved by her hands.
His father, the emperor, openly praised her.
And if he forced her now, while the entire capital viewed her as a miracle doctor…
He would become the disgrace of the empire.
For the first time in his life, Prince Philip realized— He couldn't touch her.
He could only grit his teeth in silence as Zora turned away, the matter dismissed like dust on her sleeve.
From that day onward, Zora finally enjoyed a month of rare peace.
The business of Origin Medical Hall did not fade with time—it only grew. The inns and taverns nearby profited greatly, constantly packed with guests who came from every direction seeking the famous Divine Doctor.
Even merchants and performing troupes found themselves earning more, and many of them blessed Zora's name daily, as if she were a bringer of fortune.
Her medical fees rose higher and higher, yet still the wealthy scrambled to secure a chance to be treated, even fighting over the limited slots.
Because she had reduced her daily patients from ten to three.
What was once a medical appointment had become a symbol of status.
Officials bragged about obtaining a slot as if they had won a prestigious award. Some even used their connections to pull strings for a chance.
Meanwhile, Zora spent less time in the medical hall and more time cultivating. With abundant resources and her past-life experience, her cultivation advanced at a speed that left ordinary practitioners in the dust.
But then…
One morning, a new decree spread across the capital like wildfire.
Three days later, the Imperial Palace Garden will host a grand evening banquet. All officials may bring their daughters.
The words seemed innocent, but everyone understood the true meaning immediately.
The emperor… was preparing to choose a consort for the prince.
The entire city stirred.
And somewhere, a faint, knowing smile curved across Zora's lips.