Then suddenly, as if the air itself had grown heavy and tired of holding its breath, Leviathan, or rather, Rebecca.

She broke the silence and said.

Her voice low but sharp enough to cut through every thought in the room,

"Somehow I got my control back, that empress would pay the price."

The words did not come out rushed.

They came out slow, filled with something dark and burning.

As if she had been holding them deep inside her chest for a very long time.

The room felt colder the moment she spoke.

And even the faint sounds around us seemed to fade away.

Giving her words the space they demanded.

Her eyes then slowly fell on the queen.

There was no confusion in her gaze.

No hesitation.

Just recognition and rage.

Rebecca's fingers tightened around the dagger in her hand.

The metal caught the dim light as her grip grew firm, almost white-knuckled.

Her face twisted with anger, her jaw clenched so hard it looked painful.

And she took a sharp step forward before shouting with a voice full of fury,

"YOU!"

The single word echoed loudly, bouncing off the walls.

It kept carrying with it years of pain, betrayal, and unanswered questions.

For a brief moment.

It felt like time itself froze, as if the world was waiting to see what would happen next.

Rebecca's arm lifted, the dagger ready, her whole body leaning forward with intent.

She was going to strike.

There was no doubt about it.

But before she could make another move.

And before the anger could turn into bloodshed.

I ran forward and grabbed her wrist tightly.

My hand closed around hers, stopping the dagger midair.

The force of her movement made my arm ache, but I did not let go.

"Stop it," I said firmly, meeting her furious eyes.

"The queen is working with us."

Rebecca turned her head sharply toward me, her eyes blazing.

She looked like a storm ready to break free, and for a moment.

I thought she might push past me anyway.

She yanked her wrist slightly, testing my grip.

Then glared at me and said through clenched teeth,

"How could we trust her!"

Her voice trembled, not with fear, but with anger and disbelief.

The question wasn't really meant for me alone.

It was aimed at everyone in the room, at the situation itself.

Before I could answer, before anyone else could speak.

The queen slowly stepped forward.

Her movements were careful, almost hesitant.

As if she was walking on fragile ground that could crack at any moment.

There was no pride in her posture now, no royal distance.

She closed the space between herself and Rebecca.

And then, without warning, wrapped her arms around her.

She hugged Rebecca tightly.

Rebecca's body stiffened instantly, like she had been struck by lightning.

Her arms remained at her sides, the dagger still in her hand, unmoving.

She didn't return the hug, didn't push the queen away either.

She simply froze.

The queen rested her head lightly against Rebecca's shoulder and spoke softly, her voice breaking in places,

"I'm sorry, daughter.

I was forced by your hateful grandmother to obey her."

The words came out heavy, each one carrying weight.

The room felt tense, yet quiet, like everyone was afraid to breathe too loudly.

The queen held Rebecca closer and continued,

"It was the choice between either you or Maria, and I wanted you to live like any mother would do."

At those words, Rebecca's body went completely still.

The anger that had been boiling just moments ago seemed to pause.

She was caught between rage and shock.

Her grip on the dagger loosened slightly, and her breathing became uneven.

She didn't speak.

She didn't move.

She simply stood there, silent, as if her mind was struggling to catch up with what her heart was feeling.

The queen seemed to realize too late that something was wrong.

Her expression changed, regret flashing across her face.

Slowly, she released Rebecca and turned her head toward Maria.

Her eyes softened, but they were filled with guilt.

"Sorry," the queen said quietly, her voice trembling.

"It was the choice between you or my daughter."

Maria met the queen's gaze calmly.

There was no anger in Maria's eyes.

No bitterness.

She simply nodded once, gently, as if she understood more than she let on.

Then she said in a soft, steady voice,

"It's alright."

Those two simple words hung in the air, pure and sincere.

I couldn't help it.

I just kept looking at Maria.

In that moment, surrounded by tension, regret, and broken bonds, she stood there with a calm smile, as if forgiveness came naturally to her.

My chest felt tight, and before I could stop myself, the words slipped out.

"You really are an angel, Maria."

She blinked in surprise, then her cheeks turned pink.

She looked away shyly, letting out a small laugh.

"hehehe," she said softly, clearly embarrassed.

The lightness of that small moment eased the heaviness in the room just a little.

Enough for everyone to breathe again.

I then turned my attention back toward the queen.

My expression hardened, and my voice became serious once more.

"Give us all the information about the collaboration of the empress with your daughter and you will get your request."

The queen straightened her posture slightly, nodding in understanding.

She took a deep breath before speaking, choosing her words carefully.

"Thanks to being her daughter, I could learn some information from the empress," she said.

"But even that is not so much."

She paused briefly, shaking her head with a bitter smile.

"She didn't even trust me, her daughter."

There was pain in her voice, but also honesty.

She continued,

"She was an old client of the doctor.

They usually held meetings on a single day in the month, where the moon hung out clearly in the sky."

As she spoke, I listened closely, committing every detail to memory.

"It's 15 days from now," the queen went on.

"She will probably go to her temporary hideout and they will meet when the time comes at Duskport."

When she finished, silence followed for a moment.

I nodded slowly, letting the information settle.

"That's enough information," I said at last.

"I will give you your request but now this."

I stepped closer, making sure she could see my eyes clearly.

"As much as merciful I can be a demon for my enemies," I continued.

"become one of my enemies and I will hunt you until the end of earth."

The words were calm, but they carried a clear warning.

The queen met my gaze and nodded without hesitation.

"Thank you, my king," she said quietly.

The room fell silent once again, but this time, it wasn't heavy.

It was waiting.

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