CHAPTER 213: THE EMPRESS

The prince, for his part, gave no acknowledgment beyond that single flash of resentment. He walked with practiced grace toward the raised dais where the throne stood. He mounted the steps with ease, turned, and settled himself in the smaller but ornate seat placed beside the great throne.

The hall quieted further as he folded his hands neatly on his lap and adjusted his posture, his face the picture of composure. It was no secret why he was there. To sit beside the throne was both privilege and responsibility. It was a lesson, a chance for him to observe firsthand the art of ruling, to watch the Empress command respect, demand loyalty, and weigh matters of the realm.

All eyes returned to the throne. The throne hall seemed to hold its breath as they all waited for the Empress, the supreme ruler of Lechia, to appear.

Lucas sat back down with the girls, his face calm and almost indifferent. He had no interest in Khan’s lingering bitterness. His thoughts were already fixed on what truly mattered, the woman who would soon take her seat upon the throne.

Prince Khan had already taken the liberty of making private enquiries regarding Lucas. He had demanded reports from his informants, questioning servants, soldiers, and even merchants who had crossed paths with the young man from Valerion. He knew where Lucas claimed to be from, but the purpose of his visit was still shrouded in mystery. That alone unsettled him. A stranger who walked with calmness into his mother’s court, bearing an emblem of another kingdom, and yet did not flinch beneath Lechia’s scrutiny...such a man was a threat, even if he had done nothing yet. In his heart, Khan had already made the decision that Lucas would not be allowed to have an easy time here.

Lucas, seated with the girls at his side, could sense it without needing to be told. He had been watched long enough to recognize hostility wrapped in silk. He did not need spies or messengers to warn him; the disdain in Khan’s eyes had spoken loudly enough. Lucas leaned back slightly in his seat, resting one arm on the armrest, his lips curling with the faintest hint of amusement. If Khan thought his disdain would shake him, then he truly knew nothing.

Selene leaned closer, her tone edged with caution. "He has been digging into you. I can see it on his face. He is not the type to sit idle when a stranger stands too tall in his mother’s hall."

Lucas turned his head just enough to meet her gaze, his voice calm and steady. "He can dig all he likes, Selene. He will find nothing that gives him comfort. That alone will trouble him more than I ever could."

Nyx, who had been quietly watching Khan with those sharp violet eyes of hers, added softly, "And when men of his kind cannot find answers, they create obstacles. You must be prepared for that."

Lucas smiled faintly, shaking his head. "Obstacles are nothing new to me. If he wishes to throw them in my path, let him. I’ll step over them the same way I always have."

Their exchange was cut short when the temperature in the throne hall seemed to shift. It was as if the air itself grew heavy, carrying a sudden chill that settled on every shoulder. The murmurs died at once, and silence took hold like a chain snapping shut. Heads bowed instinctively, breaths slowed, and the vast chamber seemed smaller, darker, under the pressure of a presence that needed no introduction.

The Empress of Lechia had arrived.

Her walk wasn’t rushed, nor were they timid. Each one rang out in quiet command upon the polished marble floor, echoing beneath the towering ceilings as though the hall itself bowed to her approach. She did not carry guards flanking her sides; she did not need them. Her aura, cold and suppressive, swept across the room in a wave, and every cultivator present felt their hearts tremble against it.

Lucas’s eyes sharpened the moment he felt it. This was no ordinary monarch relying on the loyalty of her subjects. No...this woman had cultivated far beyond the reach of most living beings. He was certain, with a clarity that made his heart pound, that she stood past the Ascendant Realm. She was not merely a ruler of flesh and blood...she was a storm sealed inside human form.

Selene’s hand twitched slightly at her side. She whispered without looking away, "That... is not just a ruler. That is a force."

Nyx’s and Lira’s lips parted, her voice hushed and reverent. "To hold such power and carry it with such calm... it is terrifying." Nyx admired her.

Lucas did not reply immediately. His gaze was fixed upon her, unblinking, as though committing every detail to memory. A veil of fine silk covered her face, obscuring her features, yet even through that barrier he could sense the allure. Her figure was enough to silence doubts of her beauty. Slender and tall, her movements carried a grace that was almost unnatural, like a dance honed by centuries. Her posture was regal, and her skin...what little of it was visible beyond the veil and sleeves....was like flawless jade, gleaming faintly beneath the torchlight.

Lira exhaled softly, her tone carrying awe. "Even veiled, she commands the room as if no one else exists. What kind of woman can wield such beauty and such power together?"

Lucas’s voice was low, nearly a whisper. "A woman who was born to rule. A woman who became more than mortal."

The veil concealed her face, yet Lucas needed no clear view to know that beneath it lay a beauty so dangerous it would steal the breath of kings and generals alike. Her body spoke for her: the poised arch of her shoulders, the flawless lines of her frame, the balance between slender elegance and the subtle, perfect curves of a woman in her prime. She was no fragile flower, but a goddess carved in flesh.

For the first time since he had entered the palace, Lucas felt something stir in him that was neither defiance nor indifference...it was recognition. This was not a woman to be trifled with, not a throne that could be mocked. She was perfection, sculpted both in form and in power.

She was breathtaking.

As she ascended the dais and moved toward the great throne, every soul in the hall remained frozen, waiting for her to speak.