Christina remained silent as she observed the man closely. He wore dark, almost black clothes which easily blended into obscurity where the light of the candles couldn't reach. He also wore a mask which hid most of his facial features. Still, she noticed slight strands of blond hair spilling under the man's hood.

The man also observed Christina back, most likely trying to figure out how to take advantage of her. She held no delusions that the man was here to help her. Everyone wished to gain something; it was only about how much they were willing to lose in the process. As Christina was willing to gamble once, she was also willing to do so again. However, she would only do so while weighing the risk.

While she had no doubts the man could offer what she wanted, it would all depend on their sincerity. She wasn’t in a habit of running a charity. The man would have to prove himself before she heard him out. She motioned for Claire to act, which she did with a slight mocking smile.

Claire pounced forward, striking in an arc with her sword. The edge of her blade glowed slightly, radiating an intense heat within the confined room. Claire held no doubts that the man would be cleaved in two if he tried to parry her blow.

To her surprise, the man did just that. A small blue dagger emerged from under his clothes and intercepted Claire’s blade mid-flight. The two collided, and yet, her blade's path was thwarted. Only a small nick was visible on the blue dagger. Claire's eyes narrowed, seeing the unexpected. While not the first time she had experienced such a thing, it wasn't a common occurrence. The guess in her heart was that this was a relic. Only such mysterious objects could survive her powers.

Satisfied, Christina motioned for Claire to disengage, returning to her side. The man had proven himself worthy of pleading his case. Still, if he were to waste her time, worse, lead her into a trap, he would undoubtedly pay the price. Of that, she would make sure.

“Are you ready to listen?" the man asked slightly mockingly.

While Christina wouldn't lopsidedly demand respect, this was her realm; she was its ruler and would decide the rules. Her golden eyes shone under the dim candlelight as lightning arced on her outstretched hand. An oppressive aura permeated the close-off room, wishing to press the man to his knees for his impudence.

The man resisted as best as he could, but his knees soon buckled under the weight. He gritted his teeth as his pride prevented him from showing weakness. While his opponent was a princess, his one true god gave him this divine mission. He wouldn't dare to fail in his duty lest it besmirch his lord's honour.

Blue incandescent lines appeared on the man's exposed skin. They pulsated slightly, empowering him with renewed strength. He slowly rose as if battling the waterfall crashing down on him until he stood straight, unshakable. His gaze locked onto Christina, wishing to see who would endure the strain the longest.

Seeing those blue irises, Christina flashed a slight smile. This was something new, something she hadn’t expected. Still, she could work with this. While she hadn’t had prior contact with something resembling this, she possessed the knowledge.

As the future Queen, her mother had educated her regarding the various forces holding sway over the continent. The Kingdom wasn't arrogant enough to think only the Empire could contest its dominance. Numerous small but hidden groups possessed the means to threaten them, such as this one.

“What does the Azure wants?” Christina asked in a low, threatening tone as if everything was within her hands. "Does she think she can meddle in our affairs unimpeded?"

The man, slightly taken aback by this revelation, flashed a look of surprise before a mask of indifference soon covered it. He was a professional and wouldn’t divulge the information his opponent wanted that easily. Still, Christina did notice that look of surprise, however slight it was, and it only corroborated her suspicions.

She pondered while keeping the man in her sights. What would those witches have to gain by pitting her against the Duke? The answer was simple; everything, mostly. A civil war would be everything they dreamed of.

While they mostly kept to themselves in the Northern States, their presences were felt more often than ever in every part of the continent. She also figured they were responsible for the upheaval in the Empire; she wouldn’t put it past them. Now, they set their sights on the Kingdom.

Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

Still, it would take decades before they were ready with whatever their plans were. They could wait; the Duke was a more pressing matter.

Christina retracted her pressure, allowing the man to do the same. While Christina's breathing was still deep and relaxed, the man's clothes were soaked in sweat, and his breathing was ragged. If not for Christina reigning herself in, the man had no doubts he would have been unable to resist.

He gritted his teeth, unable to swallow this shame, not aimed at himself but his goddess. If not for his inadequacies, he could have channelled more of her power, proving she was beyond the reach of mere mortals. Alas, he could not. Still, he had a mission and would see it through to the end.

After calming down, the man said, "We can help you," but Christina interrupted him before he could elaborate.

“Were you the ones who lured me to that lake?” she asked in a glacial tone. While she held no doubts they could help her, she knew this help wouldn’t come for free. To scheme against one of her nation’s Duke, using foreign aid would be nothing short of treasonous. She wouldn’t stoop that low, however much she wished for their downfall. Still, she would wring out whatever information she could from that man before disposing of him.

“We were...” the man said sheepishly. While he was an elite, trained especially for these types of missions, he couldn’t help but gulp nervously, as if in front of a strong predator. Somehow, that woman’s aura slightly resembled her goddess. He shook his head, dispersing those blasphemous thoughts.

"What's the significance of that lake?" Christina slowly asked, emphasizing every word as if to imprint them into the man's skull.

Still, the man couldn't help but be emboldened by Christina's curiosity. His grim expression soon transitioned to a smile as he thought he could accomplish the mission entrusted to him. Next, he spoke boldly and confidently, yet he shocked Christina to her core.

"That lake is a farm for Lunar Lotuses," he said with a derisive smile. "I suspect I don't have to explain to you the significance of this statement."

Indeed, he didn’t. Christina was all too familiar with those plants. She had suspected it at the time, but it seemed too outlandish. She didn’t want to recognize the facts as it could lead to the nation’s downfall. Still, to hear such words from an outsider’s mouth, she had no choice but to relent.

To her side, Claire watched Christina's expression suddenly shift from surprise to puzzlement, then anger. She wasn’t privy to what Lunar Lotuses were, yet this heavy atmosphere marked their significance. She wished to ask, but knowing the answer wouldn’t always be a good thing.

Christina pondered for a while. She had many questions in her heart. How did the Duke get his hands on Lunar Lotuses in the first place? As far as she knew, the only place they grew within this nation was deep within the bowels of the Royal Palace itself. Did he manage to steal some from there?

No, this was more than absurd. Even with his status, he wasn't privy to information about them, much less the right to obtain one. Even if he somehow managed to steal one, her mother would know immediately. It would be the same as signing his clan's death warrant. The Queen would stop at nothing to wipe them from the map, even if they were one of the Four Great Clans.

One had to know those plants were indispensable; they were the nation's very foundation. Without them, they would slowly die out, becoming less than they were with every passing generation until they returned to their roots as mere humans.

Indeed, Lunar Lotuses were related to the Founding Queen's technique to imbue her retainers with their prey's blood and strength. Without it, the Kingdom would have never come to be. Seeking to take possession of them would be akin to the worst form of treason. Their endings would be nothing but death, only if they were lucky.

Even as the Princess, Christina wasn't cleared to come into contact with them. She had never seen a live specimen; she had only read their records. As far as she knew, the methods for raising them were complex, to say the least. Just the amount of essence they required was astronomical.

No wonder she felt the world's essence gather in the lake if they were growing lotuses. Still, even that massive amount was lacking. She didn't imagine they were bound to succeed without the infrastructure needed. They were only bound for failure while trying to keep it a secret.

Still, she knew why the Duke would try despite the obvious disadvantage. That clan had always been ambitious. Over the eons, they had reigned over the Western Regions; they grew so powerful they could rival the Royal Family, yet they never rebelled.

This was the reason. Without Lunar Lotuses of their own, their freedom would be short-lived. This was the leash binding all the clans to the Kingdom. This was the pillar supporting it all.

Christina shook her head, dispelling her idle thoughts. She needed to deal with the situation at hand, first and foremost. She couldn’t allow foreign powers to hold such sway over them. What would stop them from giving this information to the other Dukes, prompting them to start their own research into growing the lotuses? This would only spell doom for the Kingdom.

Her eyes narrowed as she looked at her uninvited guest, which brought a shiver down his spine. While the man was ready to face his own death at her hand, he still wished it wouldn't come to that. He held on to a small wish in his heart that his goddess would intervene were such an event to come. Seeing his calm and composed attitude, Christina sighed.

“What are your terms?” she asked as she rested her head on her hand to her side.

The man sighed in relief; everything was going as planned, yet something was amiss. However, before he could get to the bottom of that feeling, his head had already departed from his neck. The object fell as blood sprayed from the wound. Yet, before it would reach the ground, it disintegrated into ashes, leaving nothing behind. The same held true for the inanimated flesh.

It all happened too quickly for the man to realize his demise. Claire stood behind the man, with her sword drawn as flames wreath the blade. After she was done, all that remained of the man's existence was a small pile of ashes, which she kicked in the air. Airborne, even those ashes couldn't bear the radiant heat of her flames and disappeared altogether, leaving nothing behind except the small blue dagger that resisted the inferno.

Christina paid no heed to the man's demise. She had much to ponder. Obviously, she had no intentions of entertaining any of that man's thoughts. She wouldn't let herself be blackmailed; if she were to show weakness, they would never give up their hold on her.

Even if he possessed more information worth sharing, she wasn't interested. Everything he knew would have been deliberate, a trap for her to fall into. She would rather find her own answers than trust a snake like him. Still, it seemed her vacation within the White Tiger Clan would need to be extended.