CHAPTER 151: ATHENA FLAMEHART AND SHIERA (3/3)

Before Shiera could protest further, Athena casually slung an arm around her shoulders, guiding her toward the main hall. Her voice lowered to a more conspiratorial tone.

"But seriously... Amanda told me something."

Shiera turned slightly. "What?"

Athena’s tone shifted again, calm and curious, without the usual playfulness.

"She said that you told Kael straight to his face that you’d never acknowledge him as your husband. That you would annul the marriage the moment you become Queen. But that’s not what I’m seeing here. So, I wonder if you change your mind after seeing him fight with you. Or..."

Her voice dropped to a whisper. "Tell me... did you consummate your marriage, perhaps?"

Shiera froze mid-step, going stiff like a soldier caught by a commander.

"N-No! I... I didn’t...!"

Her voice cracked again, breath faltering. She looked down, flustered, her voice falling into a near whisper. "...plan to..."

The silence after that was heavy. Even the creaking wood beneath their feet seemed to pause.

Athena smirked but didn’t comment immediately. She let Shiera’s hesitation sink into the air around them. When she finally spoke again, her voice was gentler, less teasing. "That didn’t sound so certain."

Shiera bit her lip, eyes cast downward. "I don’t even know what I feel anymore," she muttered.

Athena stopped, placing both hands on Shiera’s shoulders, making her face her directly. "Then stop thinking and feel, Shiera."

Shiera blinked at her.

"You’re a woman. A royal. You barely get to choose your destiny, your battles, and your partner. But if you do feel something... even a flicker... then don’t waste it by overthinking." Athena’s gaze was firm.

Shiera said nothing.

Then Athena leaned in and whispered again with a mischievous twinkle. "Besides... Amanda says your hubby’s a wild horse in bed. Says he can go on for hours. Suppressed her dragon bloodline’s lust, too. That means he isn’t just big. You’ve got a real treasure in your hands."

Shiera’s entire face turned crimson. "No, I... I..." The princess stammered again, her voice barely above a whisper. Her lips trembled as she struggled to form words, helpless against the verbal assault.

Athena leaned in with a mock-whisper, her voice dripping with provocative mischief. "Then... should I give you a hand?"

Shiera froze.

"I could show you," Athena continued in a sultry whisper, "how to make the first time unforgettable... guide you through it. Maximum pleasure, as they say. Maybe we could even do it together, your hubby might like that. Imagine... you on top of his shaft, and me straddling his face..."

"SISTER!!" Shiera all but screamed, her voice shrill and panicked, face now a blazing inferno of red.

Athena couldn’t hold it in any longer. She burst out laughing, clutching her stomach as she doubled over in sheer amusement. "Gods above, you’re too easy!" she wheezed between laughs. "Too damn cute!"

Shiera huffed, folding her arms over her chest and glaring at her elder sister, though the expression was ruined by her still-burning cheeks. "That’s not funny at all!"

Athena wiped a tear from her eye, still chuckling as she composed herself.

"You’re too uptight, seriously. No wonder he hasn’t laid a hand on you yet. You act like he’s going to devour you the moment you undress."

Shiera looked away again, lips pressed tightly together. "He’s not like that," she murmured.

Athena raised an eyebrow but didn’t press further this time. Her tone shifted, her expression tightening into something more serious.

"Alright. Enough fooling around about your husband. Let’s talk seriously."

The shift in her tone made Shiera straighten almost reflexively. It wasn’t often Athena dropped the teasing act, and when she did, it usually meant something important.

"Are you sure?" Athena asked slowly, her amber eyes narrowing, "Was it really the fallen angel Azazel? Not someone just using the name? I’m not asking whether he said that or whether you think it is a fallen angel because he carries black wings or whatever. I’m asking. Are you absolutely sure that it is a fallen Angel that was imprisoned in that statue? Because Fallen Angels are different from Angels. The Angels you might encounter were basically hybrids, the human descendants of the Angels that awakened the power. But, Fallen Angels are original beings, cast out from heaven. They carry the seeds of the fallen, capable of corrupting a human, turning a hero into a villain in an instant."

Shiera took a breath, the weight of the encounter still fresh in her memory. The playful air in the room vanished like smoke.

"I... I don’t know, honestly," she admitted. "I don’t read books. I don’t know what a fallen angel is like. I’ve never met an angel before in my travels either. So, I can’t tell for sure."

She paused, recalling the chilling aura of that night.

"But what I do know is that something awakened from that statue after absorbing hundreds, maybe thousands, of undead souls. Alice called herself Azareia and called it Azazel, her twin brother."

Shiera’s voice lowered.

"At the end of the battle, in order to protect a near-dead Alice, Azazel launched a domain and took her away, almost killing me in the process. It clearly shows that it is a demigod-level being."

Athena’s eyes widened. Her posture stiffened like a soldier hearing an enemy’s name whispered behind enemy lines.

"Domain?" she repeated. "You’re absolutely sure?"

"Yes," Shiera said firmly.

Athena’s expression turned grim. "The fact that both of you are still alive is a miracle."

Shiera stayed quiet. She can’t say that it is not true, and Azazel basically ran away from Kael.

Athena was silent for a long moment, digesting everything. Then she sighed and sat down heavily on the nearby couch, staring at the floor as if trying to piece together the implications. "If that’s the case... then this is beyond anything we can handle ourselves. If I’m correct, Azazel should be greatly weakened because of the seal. There’s no way Tier-9 beasts could pressurize him that much."

She leaned back and exhaled sharply. "This... this is something only Lady Searvale can face."

Shiera sat beside her, hands clenched in her lap.

After a while;

"Anyway," Athena said, stretching her arms with a yawn, "we’ll take care of this Azazel problem. You, however, are heading back to the palace."

Shiera’s brows shot up. "Eh? Why?"

Athena gave her a deadpan look, like she couldn’t believe the question even needed to be asked.

"Did you forget? Mother’s birthday is in less than a month."

Shiera stiffened, eyes going wide. "Oh... right." She looked away, guilty for forgetting. With everything that had happened lately, it had slipped her mind completely.

Athena took a breath, her tone dipping slightly in gravity.

"And it’s highly likely that during the celebration, she’ll announce the official start of the throne trials."

Shiera’s mouth opened in shock. "Already...?"

"Yes," Athena confirmed. "You’ve all been prepared for this since childhood. It was only a matter of time."

"But I’m not ready," Shiera said, voice lower, almost as if she were admitting a personal failure. "I’m only seventeen."

Athena smirked, tossing a lock of her scarlet hair over her shoulder.

"And Mother ascended the throne when she was thirteen. Had no advisors, barely any support. But she still ruled the Queendom with an iron fist."

Shiera’s shoulders slumped a little at that. Her insecurities clung tightly around her like a second skin. "I just... I’m not like her."

Athena reached out and placed a hand firmly on her shoulder.

"Listen, being a Queen doesn’t mean you stop being you, Shiera. You can still be an adventurer. You just carry more weight with every risk. That’s the cost of the crown."

She gave her a knowing smile.

"Besides, you won’t be alone. You have to pick a warrior to assist you, and I’ll support you through the trials."

Shiera stood quietly for a moment. Then, with a firm breath, she shook her head. "I’m not returning to the palace with you. Not yet."

Athena’s face changed, her brows knitting in sudden suspicion. "Don’t tell me you are dropping out of the race..."

"No," Shiera answered quickly. "I’ll be there for the birthday. I’ll face the trials. But there’s something I have to do before that."

Athena raised an eyebrow. "Like what?"

Shiera took a deep breath. "I’m going to visit my teacher."

Athena immediately scowled. "That madman? You can’t be serious."