Jenaro arrived hastily, throwing on a dark outer robe in passing, revealing an open chest that indicated nothing worn underneath.

The luxurious and heavy fabric of the dark outer robe immediately sank deeply into the clouds of her bed and covers upon landing.

His presence pressed like a mountain, mingled with the aggressive scent of expensive incense.

"Don't touch me," Serena dodged backwards, avoiding Jenaro's outstretched arm.

He chuckled again, his starry eyes narrowing slightly, lips quirking. "Madame is too shy."

Addressing her as "madame" subtly implied her duties as a wife.

Serena's voice was soft but firm. "Haven't you already found someone else to replace me? Using a country bumpkin to replace Achillea King's daughter? What a joke! Do you want me to endure such humiliation? Even if I agree, Achillea will never accept it!"

In the Cloud Realm's eighteen provinces, men could marry three wives: one primary and two secondary. Given the social environment, talking about loyalty and devotion to one man was a joke.

So Serena could only argue based on her status.

Jenaro's face darkened for a moment.

It had been years since anyone had dared to defy him. Immediately, he found a perverse satisfaction in the defiance of this exquisite beauty before him.

Although Corina resembled her, she fell short in many ways, like comparing a fish to a pearl. The Sang clan had exceptional soil and Serena was nurtured as a celestial being. There was only one like her in the entire world.

"Ivana told you, didn't she?" Sorrow and longing flickered in Jenaro's eyes. "I simply missed you too much. Seeing that woman who resembled you so much while drunk, I lost control for a moment. I sent her away, never to see her again in this lifetime."

Serena lowered her gaze, masking the mockery in her eyes.

Sending her away was ridiculous.

After a moment of contemplation, she calmly said to him, "Fine. I'll give you one month to resolve this matter. If, after one month, I no longer hear any rumors, then I'll forgive you and be your true wife."

Jenaro's brows furrowed slightly, puzzled. "It won't take a month. I can do it now."

Serena interrupted him, a smile playing on her lips. "My body needs time to recover."

Jenaro explained, "Sere, I'm not a lustful person. I didn't intend to do anything to you today. I'll make arrangements now, and I promise that tomorrow, when you wake up, nothing will trouble you."

"Mm," Serena brushed the stray hair from her forehead to behind her ear, saying, "I trust you not to be entangled with anyone else."

"Of course," Jenaro's eyes softened with a fond smile.

"If you break your promise," Serena said, half-jokingly and half-seriously, "then I'll return to Achillea, and we'll never see each other again in this lifetime."

Jenaro laughed heartily. "A real man keeps his word! Sere, you're mine, now and forever."

He gazed steadily at the exquisite beauty before him, the resolute glint in his eyes softening even more.

This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

His throat was dry, his breath heavy. The woman before him was like a cool, soft cloud, and he couldn't imagine what it would feel like to hold such a cloud in his arms. Would it dissipate, leaving him empty-handed?

He still remembered the day of their wedding, when an old guard who had followed him for years suddenly betrayed him and attempted to assassinate him. In that moment of distraction, she, like a fiery moth, threw herself in front of him, saving him from the blade.

He should have protected her when she was unconscious.

But that woman! That woman named Corina, how could she resemble her so much!

He didn't regret bedding a wild woman in the least. But the thought of waiting another month made him feel it wasn't worth it.

Although the other woman was delicious, the woman before him was truly a rare beauty. And more importantly, her status would bring him countless benefits.

He sensed that she had changed somewhat.

Achillea was an interesting place, where men were fierce and women were gentle, perfectly embodying the yin and yang. As the daughter of Achillea King, Serena was gentle, elegant, and exceptionally beautiful, making her the most suitable candidate for a wife.

Such a woman should be as accommodating as water, accepting everything.

But now, she had some sharp edges, which he found surprisingly charming.

Serena noticed him staring at her, cleared her throat, and said with seriousness, "There's another matter."

"Please go on," Jenaro's voice softened involuntarily.

"You don't actually believe Ivana has stopped at this point, do you?"

Jenaro lowered his gaze. "I'm well aware of this. That woman, I won't let her live past tonight. Rest assured, no one will harm you anymore."

"I don't trust that," Serena said bluntly. "Ivana has been in charge of the harem for five years, and many here are her confidants. You probably only have a vague idea of who they are. I'm not reassured. I want people from Achillea to come into the palace and protect me."

Although she had been thrust into the world of fantasy cultivation, Serena was self-aware. She knew that relying on cultivation to reverse her fate was nothing but wishful thinking. What she needed most now was manpower.

Jenaro hesitated slightly.

Serena continued, "Ivana can bring people from Acesia into the palace. Why can't I?"

Jenaro had no retort and could only nod.

The survival environment in the Cloud Realm's eighteen provinces was extremely harsh. With countless warriors dying in battle every day, the gender ratio was severely imbalanced, resulting in a strict patriarchal society.

Even though a female emperor had been in power for ten years, she had only changed people's perception of her, placing herself outside the category of "women." Other women still had low status.

When a woman married, she became the wealth and reproductive tool of her husband's family. Even as a princess, she was no exception. After marriage, life and death, prosperity, and honor were all tied to her husband. Even her personal maids only numbered two.

Fortunately, Ivana's example paved the way, making Serena's request less abrupt.

After contemplating for a moment, Jenaro said, "Before the people your father sent arrive, I'll have Han Twelve and Han Thirteen stay behind to protect you."

The guards granted the surname of the royal family were the elites among the elites, the best of the best. The higher their ranking, the higher their cultivation level and the more they were valued by their lord. Twelve and Thirteen were addressed as "generals" outside.

As soon as he finished speaking, two figures in black with residual shadows darted into the hall and stood behind Jenaro.

Jenaro looked steadily at Serena for a moment, then said gently, "I have some official business to attend to. I'll come see you early tomorrow. Sere, rest assured, I'll protect you for the rest of your life."

The betrayal of Han Five at the wedding had deeply affected Jen

aro for over a month. Today, Ivana's reveal of the antidote had exposed her hand, and Jenaro was surely anxious to investigate the matter thoroughly.

Serena slowly lay down and closed her eyes.

She was truly exhausted, and after achieving her goal, she had no energy to entertain Jenaro.

The two guards woke up the palace maids, who were trembling with fear. They quickly and efficiently cleaned up the mess caused by Ivana, wiped Serena's back, and changed her into a fresh and dry robe.

She remained motionless as they tended to her, silently planning her future. First, how would she convince her biological father, Achillea King, to agree to send a few skilled individuals to Belleria King's palace?

This matter was quite rebellious.

Although she had entered the palace, everything provided to her was the best in the entire Belleria region.

Jenaro treated her extremely well, taking time out of his day to chat with her and fulfilling their one-month agreement meticulously.

After about two or three days, Jenaro walked into the hall with a strange expression. His eye twitched slightly, and he said, "The people your father sent have arrived."

Serena's heart skipped a beat. "Let me see!"

Jenaro hesitantly waved his hand. Two rows of towering, burly men strode into the hall, causing the gold dust to fall from the ceiling with their imposing presence.

Roughly counting, there were about forty or fifty of them!

The man leading them had a booming voice. "Sangda, leading Sanger, Sangsan, Sangsi forty-eight, ordered to guard the princess!"

The most trusted guards had been sent! Serena's heart swelled with complex emotions.

The palace maids in the hall trembled—these barbarians looked too terrifying, their fists as big as their heads.

Jenaro's expression was the worst.

He had expected that even if he agreed, the Sang clan would know their limits and not go too far. Who knew that Achillea King would send so many people!

This group came over with great fanfare, their arrival marked by the sound of thundering hooves. It was said that nearly a thousand of the best Cloud Realm beasts had died in the process—a testament to their capabilities!

Moreover, why were they still calling her "princess" after she had married into Belleria? Did this mean they didn't recognize him as their lord?!

Jenaro's brows furrowed, about to erupt, when an urgent message arrived, stating that Acesia King had crossed the border with imperial edicts and would arrive at Belleria Capital by evening.

"Isidoro?!" Jenaro's pupils shrank, his knuckles turning white involuntarily.