Ch. 1691..1700
His Secret Lover Returning from the Dead Chapter 1691
A Protective Brother
Kurt's expression turned ashen.
As he was about to continue searching, he turned and noticed a girl in a blue dress in the crowded outpatient hall downstairs. She carried a handmade cloth backpack while walking towards the exit.
Kurt did not care that there were many people around. He rushed to the safety barrier and shouted, “Vivian!”
After he shouted, Vivian paused her step and turned to look at him.
Kurt could not say anything.
He could never forget how her eyes looked at that moment.
Kurt could not put them in words. When he saw her glare, he could only think of one thing—he was doomed!
His mind went black.
Then, he ran to the stairs and rushed down to stop Vivian. However, she had disappeared by the time he reached the outpatient hall.
It was the first time she left him of her own volition.
Previously, she had always liked to stick close to him, and he could never get her to leave him alone. However, he had hurt her so much this time that she decided to fulfill his wish and left him.
Kurt was shaking all over.
Meanwhile, Vivian got into a taxi. Suddenly, she could not hold back anymore, and tears rolled down her cheeks.
She had finally broken down.
Vivian was only seventeen and was still a child. She finally could not take it after holding back for so long.
Her heart was like a castle wall under prolonged attack, leaving it with numerous holes and cracks. Suddenly, an arrow appeared out of nowhere and crumbled it completely.
Kurt's words were really harsh.
It hurt Vivian so much that she could not stop crying for a long time.
When the taxi was nearing the airport, she finally took out the communication device she used to contact her brothers.
“Matt, I'm going home. Please take good care of yourself,” Vivian said.
Vivian did not want him to worry.
Therefore, she forced herself to stop crying and put up a casual tone.
Matteo was probably in an exam, so he did not reply. Unexpectedly, Ian, who had not been in contact for some time, heard her message and asked immediately, “Where are you going?”
“Ah?” Vivian panicked slightly when she heard Ian's voice.
Unlike Matt, Ian is unusually sharp and clever. If I were a little careless, he would notice something was wrong.
“I... Ian, I'm returning to Yartran to study,” Vivian answered.
As expected, Ian instantly noticed that something was off. “Study? Haven't you dropped out of that school? Who told you to go back there? Was it Daddy or Mommy?”
Vivian began to panic.
She took a long time to calm down after hearing Ian's interrogative tone. Then, she forced herself to sound calm and said, “No, it is my decision. Lady Adalyn called me and said she would arrange for me to attend Royal Academy. Therefore, I need to head there immediately.”
“Really?” Ian asked skeptically.
“Yes, it's true. Ian, I can't chat with you anymore because I need to board the plane now.” Vivian wanted to hang up as soon as possible.
She feared she would break down into tears if she continued speaking.
Thankfully, Ian did not question her further after hearing her explanation. Then, he ended the call.
After that, Vivian ran into the airport.
However, she did not know that Ian had contacted someone else soon after that. Meanwhile, Kurt was still at the hospital and had just obtained access to the hospital's surveillance record. As he was about to rush off to pursue Vivian, the phone in the security room started ringing.
“Hello? Who is this?” the security personnel asked.
“Pass the phone to the person opposite you now!” A stern voice sounded from the phone, causing the security personnel to shudder with fear.
Who is this? How did he know to call here?
He nervously passed the phone to Kurt. “Someone... someone asked to speak to you.”
Kurt was surprised.
He stood stunned for a moment before accepting the phone. “Hello?”
“Haven't you gone too far this time? How many times had this happened already? Do you think you can gain more trust from those people there if you hurt Vivi continuously?”
A familiar male voice sounded from the phone. The man's words were sharp as blades, piercing straight at Kurt.
Kurt narrowed his eyes.
Is that Ian? How did he find me here? Furthermore, how did Ian know about this matter? When did he find out about it? Even Matteo, who is in Elysium, remains unaware. Ian is far away at the base. How did he know so much about this matter?
Kurt felt intimidated by this person who was only two years older than him.
He was the only person apart from his father who could make him feel this way.
“You... How did you know about this?” Kurt asked.
“Why would I not know? You have deep hatred toward Elysium. Moreover, you have been planning how to return there and take revenge. The worm in your body and the Blood Flute are your weapons for revenge against Elysium, aren't they?” Ian replied.
Then, he paused before continuing, “Since you are that clever, do you think you will get captured on that mountain? Kurt, don't you dare underestimate the Hayeses. Matteo may be kind and trusting, and my father is not around. However, I am keeping an eye on you. While I allow you to feign ignorance in Elysium and didn't stop Matteo from helping you, this is not an excuse for you to hurt Vivi!”
Ian spoke the last sentence with a threatening tone.
Kurt's thoughts were a mess.
His Secret Lover Returning from the Dead Chapter 1692
Leaving
Eventually, Kurt drove to the airport as fast as he could, but it was too late.
Vivian had already boarded the flight by the time he got there, and he could only watch as the plane flew past his head.
Zoom!
The deafening sound of the plane's engine caused him to stop in his tracks.
For what seemed like forever, he simply stood there looking up at the sky with a blank look on his face.
I didn't want this to happen, but I can't have her risking her life with me in that d*mned place. Xayden told me that she had already been infected by that nasty stuff! I can't imagine how things would be if he didn't show up! The experiment from last night has shown me that there isn't a single healthy individual in the entire royal family. They've all become hosts to the parasites, and the tribe will most likely be next. There's no way Vivian will be safe if she stays there!
Kurt's slender fingers trembled by his sides as his handsome face turned terrifyingly pale.
Even so, he simply waited until the plane was out of sight before retracting his gaze and walking back like a lifeless puppet.
Something big happened in Elysium on the night that Vivian had left.
After checking the date of Kurt's birthday, the high priest claimed it wasn't a suitable day for a celebration.
Some people speculated that it was because a huge snowstorm would come in a few days.
According to their superstitions, it was incredibly inauspicious to have the future successor chosen on a snowy day.
As such, the villagers got busy with the preparations to bring Kurt's birthday celebration forward.
The office had to take over the orders signed with the overseas merchants after Vivian left, so Riley had come over in person.
“Ms. Cooper? I can't believe they had you come all the way here in this bad weather! Why didn't they send a guy over instead?” the staff on duty exclaimed when he saw that they had sent a fragile-looking woman over.
Riley replied with a smile, “Everyone's busy now that it's the end of the year. Since I happened to be free at the time, they decided to send me instead. I've been here before, so it's fine. Besides, Xayden is here!”
Xayden was rummaging through his moisturizing cream when he heard that. He then looked up at Riley and flashed her an awkward smile in response.
The two of them went to inspect the goods that day. Since Riley's status wasn't as high as Vivian's, she didn't have to go see the king in the palace. All she had to do was keep an eye on the goods.
Fortunately, the Elysians were rather fast workers. Despite having only half a month, Riley was able to complete the orders on time every day after taking over for Vivian.
It wasn't until three days later that she noticed that the production of silver jewelry had slowed down.
“What's going on? We've only completed two-thirds of the orders for today! There's still a third left!” she asked with a frown.
The Elysian supervisor quickly explained, “It's probably due to the cold weather. Production has been affected by the freezing rain and snowstorms in the past few days.”
“Yeah, that's true...”
Riley had a look of concern on her face.
As there was nothing she could do about the weather's effects, she had no choice but to inform the overseas merchants about the situation.
She told them that there would be a slight delay in handing over the goods due to the extremely harsh weather.
Riley breathed a sigh of relief when she saw that the merchants were very understanding of the situation.
However, her feelings of relief were short-lived. She had assumed that they would be able to get the production back on track the next day, only to realize that it had decreased even further.
On top of that, the quality of the goods had also deteriorated. Most of the products were rather rough around the edges.
“What on earth is going on here? Did the cold affect their craftsmanship as well?”
Unable to stand it any longer, Riley headed over to the houses of the silversmiths to find out what was going on.
Upon arriving at the houses of the tribesmen in charge of silversmithing, she realized that they weren't slacking off at all. In fact, they were all working really hard in the extreme cold.
Riley then went straight to the house of a middle-aged woman and called out to her, “Ma'am, are you working in there?”
There was no response from the woman, but a dog that happened to be trotting past started barking at her like crazy.
“Go away, you stupid mutt!” Riley exclaimed in shock.
Having been alerted by the sound of the dog barking, someone came out from the woman's house and shooed the dog off.
“What brings you here so early in the day, Ms. Cooper? We haven't made much of the products yet,” asked the man, seemingly afraid of her showing up.
“Huh?”
Riley grew increasingly confused when she saw the odd expression on the man.
His Secret Lover Returning from the Dead Chapter 1693
The Calm Before The Storm
Aren't they all working their butts off in the cold right now? Why would he say that they haven't made much of the products?
With that in mind, Riley stared at the silverware in his hand and asked, “She's working today, right? Why would the production be so slow?”
“She is, but she messed up quite a few of them. Look at her, and you will see how much clumsier she has become today. I've been scolding her about it earlier!” the man said angrily while picking up a flawed product from the side.
Riley took the product over from him and examined it closely.
Oh, my... He's right. This is supposed to be a pendant with the tribe's symbol on it, but this thing just looks so distorted and disproportionate... How strange...
Sensing that something was amiss, Riley took a closer look at the middle-aged woman in front of her. That was when she noticed something truly shocking.
“Xayden, she—”
Xayden cut her off mid-sentence, “It's normal for people to get a little slow and clumsy on a cold day like this. Come on, Riley, let's go ask the clients for more time.”
He then quickly talked her into leaving the house and dragged her somewhere quiet. He only let go of her arm after making sure that no one was around.
“Why didn't you let me finish, Xayden? That woman was clearly... Well, she just looks abnormal! She had a blank look in her eyes while she was crafting the products! It's like she isn't even paying attention at all!” Riley asked anxiously the moment he released his grip on her.
Xayden nodded, making no attempt to hide it whatsoever.
“Yeah, I know.”
“So, you—”
“She's not the only one. If I'm not mistaken, you will see the exact same thing happening with everyone else when you check on them later. Those in charge of producing silverware, fabrics, embroideries, and so on...” Xayden replied with a frown, his handsome face looking solemn.
Even his eyes were filled with a murderous intent, much to Riley's horror.
I don't get it... The exact same thing has happened with everyone else? What does he mean by that? What on earth is going on in this place?
Riley really wanted to get to the bottom of it all, but it was clearly not something she could afford to get involved in.
After returning to the office, Xayden simply instructed her to stay in there and not go wandering about.
He then left the office. He was nowhere to be seen even when it was dark outside.
Three days later, it was finally time for the tribe to celebrate the birthday of the king's successor.
Noticing that the residents all had blank looks on their faces similar to the middle-aged woman's, Riley grew increasingly uneasy.
“Today is the birthday of the future king, Ms. Cooper. We've prepared a present for him. Could you help deliver it for us?”
Seeing as it was almost time for the ceremony to begin, the staff quickly handed Riley a present that they had prepared.
He seemed to be completely oblivious to the strange behavior of the villagers.
Since they were an official office stationed here, it would only be appropriate for them to deliver a gift on such an occasion.
Riley took a peek at the gift and noticed that it was a six-figure fund meant to aid the tribe financially.
This gift will do, I guess...
After packing up some stuff, Riley headed off to attend the birthday celebration. Xayden left very early in the morning that day and hadn't come back.
“That's weird... Why hasn't the Meyan tribe sent their daughters over?”
“Yeah! The Zenisian tribe hasn't either!”
Every tribe was supposed to attend the birthday celebration, and Riley overheard some of the people discussing the tribes who didn't show up.
As she hadn't encountered a normal person in a few days, Riley got excited and immediately ran up to them.
“Hi, are you guys going to attend Prince Kurt's birthday celebration too?” she asked.
The two girls turned around to look at her upon hearing that. “Yeah, we are. Who are you?”
“I'm from the office. I'm the person in charge of the orders from your tribe!” Riley quickly introduced herself.
“Oh, so you're the one handling that? I have to say, you're like a savior to our tribe!”
“That's right! Are you going to attend the birthday celebration too, miss?”
The two girls became incredibly friendly the moment they found out that Riley was the person in charge of the office. They then invited her to walk with them and chatted happily along the way.
Riley hadn't spoken to anyone for a few days, so she gladly took them up on their offer without any hesitation.
“Of course! This is such a big day for Prince Kurt, so it's only natural that we folks at the office be in attendance! What about you two? Which tribe do you two belong to?”
Although Riley hadn't been here for long, it was enough for her to understand that this primitive tribe was comprised of many other tribes led by their own respective chiefs.
His Secret Lover Returning from the Dead Chapter 1694
A Grand Birthday Party
The two girls revealed their identities by saying, “We're from the Cyanian tribe. Those two middle-aged women in front are from the Mordunian tribe. We're escorting our representative to the event.”
Riley was shocked when she heard those two names. “The Cyanian tribe? Isn't your tribe one of the chosen ones for the role of the consort? The same goes for the Mordunian tribe, right?”
The king had chosen a few tribes to present their representatives before his future successor. The tribes chosen were the Cyanians, the Meyans, the Mordunians, the Zenisians, and the Yepalians.
Unfortunately for the Yepalians, they were disqualified from participation because of what happened to Vivian in Styx Forest, so only four tribes remained as potential candidates.
In terms of their capabilities, the Meyan tribe was the strongest as they occupied the largest amount of land and had the most people. They were so powerful that even the king showed them some respect in the palace.
The Zenisian and Yepalian tribes came in second. They were originally formed when two brothers split up.
Since Darlene was from the Yepalian tribe, one could tell that the Zenisian tribe's power was not much inferior to that of the Yepalian tribe.
However, neither of the chiefs from the two tribes sent their daughters over.
“Isn't it better if those two tribes don't show up? That way, we Cyanians and Mordunians will be the only ones left! The competition won't be as fierce, and Prince Kurt could just marry them both if he can't decide on one!”
“Yeah! That's right!”
The two Mordunian women in front responded with smiles on their faces after hearing that.
Although the people from the two tribes seemed to get along rather well, Riley wasn't feeling all that great.
Poor Vivian... I can't imagine how heartbroken she'd be if the guy she likes ends up marrying two other women! Thank goodness she isn't here to witness all this!
“Aren't you all forgetting someone? The Limmer family has a candidate too, remember? I heard she already moved into Prince Kurt's residence before the election and has been serving him ever since!” said someone from the crowd all of a sudden.
The two girls that Riley had been chatting with broke into deep frowns instantly after hearing that.
“She's just the daughter of someone who married an outsider! What right does she have to steal the position of consort from our tribes?”
“Exactly! She was only able to move in because her uncle is an official for the royal family! She just got lucky, that's all!”
“Yeah! Even if Prince Kurt does marry her, she'll be a concubine at best!”
They showed no regard for Lucy whatsoever, much to Riley's relief.
She had heard the stories about Lucy bullying Vivian, so hearing them badmouth the woman brought a smile to her face.
Riley continued following them to the venue where the grand birthday celebration was being held.
It took about twenty minutes before they finally arrived at the place. To Riley's surprise, the event wasn't held at the tribe leader's residence. Instead, they chose the altar, which was regarded as the most sacred place in Elysium.
Oh, my god! The altar is only used for events like making sacrifices, the succession of the king, and baptism of the royal family! And even during those moments, ordinary citizens aren't allowed to just enter the area like this! Usually, only the king and high priest are allowed in here. But now, we've got chiefs from every tribe as well as Kurt standing atop the altar! This event must be a really grand one!
“Everyone! As you all know, we are celebrating the birthday of my son today! It's been forever since we had such a grand event here in Elysium! All I want is for everyone to have a great time!” said the king as he sat in his chair atop the altar.
Instead of the usual commanding tone that he used when in the palace, he sounded a lot more friendly and casual this time.
Even so, the fact that they were hosting the event in a place like this proved that it was anything but ordinary. Although the king didn't look all that well, he still valued this ceremony greatly.
The chiefs all sat down cross-legged beneath the altar, and the tribal members all fell silent as they watched the high priest prepare for Kurt's coronation.
“Prince Kaiden, you shall officially become an adult after this coronation ceremony. From here on out, you will have to bear the responsibility of being the leader of Elysium,” said the high priest with an endearing smile as he walked up to Kurt with the crown in hand.
The high priest then stood in front of Kurt and waited for him to put the crown on.
Given the king's physical condition, Kurt would indeed have to start taking charge of the tribe's affairs. That was something all the tribal members have been looking forward to this whole time.
Kurt obediently stood up and put on the crown as told, much to the relief of the king as he watched from the side.
Meanwhile, a young girl had changed into a Phoenix Coronet as she waited in a carriage in the distance.
His Secret Lover Returning from the Dead Chapter 1695
Choosing A Wife
Apart from celebrating Kurt's birthday and his coming of age, it was also time for him to pick a wife to spend the rest of his life with.
As such, it was truly a grand event, and the women who have been selected had all arrived at the scene.
“That's strange... Shouldn't there be five candidates? How come there are only three remaining?” someone asked upon noticing two carriages missing.
The tribal members all turned to look at the carriages upon hearing that, and they all gasped in shock when they noticed the two missing carriages.
“What's going on? Which two haven't showed up?”
“Judging by the design of the carriages, I think it's the Meyans and the Zenisians that are absent,” replied a person who was able to recognize the three carriages.
Oh, my goodness! The two tribes that are absent today are the wealthiest ones in Elysium! Why aren't they here?
“Why aren't they here today? Do they not wish to participate?”
“That's impossible! Prince Kurt has been confirmed as the successor of the crown, so there's no way they'd sit out on a golden opportunity like this!”
“Then why are they absent?”
Everyone felt confused. It was the dream of every tribe to have their representative be chosen as the queen consort because it would bring their tribe great glory and wealth.
As such, they couldn't understand why the two tribes would be absent during such an event.
Riley too, was puzzled as she watched from the side.
The high priest returned to his seat after Kurt's coronation ceremony was complete. It was now time for the girls to be presented before him.
“Kaiden, the high priest has reevaluated the representatives from the Meyan tribe and the Zenisian tribe. He found them to be unsuitable for you and has revoked their right to participate,” said the king all of a sudden.
The tribal members began discussing among themselves after hearing that.
“What? They're not suitable?”
“Where did this come from all of a sudden?” “Didn't they already get evaluated during the election process?” “Why would they be deemed unsuitable now?”
Although everyone found it hard to believe, nobody said anything when they saw no signs of displeasure from the chiefs of the two tribes.
After all, they knew they weren't in a position to comment on anything, especially when the chiefs themselves didn't mind it at all.
With that in mind, everyone stopped discussing the incident.
Kurt simply nodded with an expressionless look on his face after hearing the king's explanation.
Eventually, it was time for the girls to present themselves before him. After a brief dance and musical performance, Riley saw the doors to the carriages being opened one after another.
Three girls could then be seen gracefully stepping out of their respective carriages. They were all dressed in beautiful robes and wearing intricate ornaments as they made their way forward.
“They look so beautiful!”
Everyone in the crowd exclaimed in shock when they saw the three girls.
Riley too, was stunned by their natural beauty.
However, she was quick to notice something off about the girl standing on the right of the trio. She was dressed in something completely different from the robes that the other two were wearing.
“Isn't that the Phoenix Coronet?”
“What?”
The two girls from the Cyanian tribe exclaimed in confusion.
The Phoenix Coronet is a traditional Chanaean wedding gown reserved for members of the royal family. This tribe has always been isolated from the outside world, so they probably don't know the difference between this outfit and the ones worn by the other two candidates. D*mn, Lucy sure is a crazy one! Is she wearing the Phoenix Coronet outfit because she thinks she will be chosen for sure?
Riley thought to herself with an icy-cold look on her face.
The three girls first greeted the tribe chiefs before kneeling down in front of the king.
“Go ahead, high priest,” the king said.
“Yes, Your Majesty!”
The high priest stood up from his seat and walked up to the girls with an old-looking book in his hand and a stern look on his face.
“What is he about to do? Are there rules and regulations that you people need to follow when choosing a bride for the king's heir?”
“Yes, there are. Under normal circumstances, the high priest has to evaluate the candidates that will marry the king's descendants. They will be tested for their housekeeping skills, literacy, and embroidery skills. If they are to become the wife of the king's successor, then they will also be tested for their ability in fortune-telling,” the girl from the Cyanian tribe explained.
Riley gasped in surprise when she heard that.
His Secret Lover Returning from the Dead Chapter 1696
Determined To Win
I can understand the first three criteria as they showcase a woman's virtue, culture, and the embroidery skills that the women of this tribe must learn. But, fortune-telling? That is a little hard to believe. I mean, that's literally sorcery! Are the women of this royal family so hardcore that they even need to know how to tell fortunes?
The thought of that piqued Riley's curiosity, and she dedicated all of her attention to what was going on at the top of the altar.
The high priest then walked up to the three girls and handed them a large, red handkerchief. Judging by how thin the handkerchief looked, it was most probably made of high-quality silk.
“This is your first test. You will use this handkerchief during your wedding ceremony after being chosen, so please put your training to good use. You may begin.”
Having received the instructions from the high priest, the girls quickly took the handkerchief over and started stitching away.
The crowd looked even more nervous than the girls as they watched on from below the altar.
For the most part, Riley's attention was focused on Lucy because of her extreme hatred toward her.
A mischievous grin formed on Riley's face when she saw that Lucy clearly wasn't performing as well as the other two girls.
Surely enough, the girl from the Cyanian tribe was the one who performed the best on the test. She had managed to sew a beautiful lotus on the handkerchief in just half an hour.
D*mn, this girl sure is talented!
Riley thought to herself in awe as she complimented the girl from the bottom of her heart.
“Look at how amazing our representative is! That woman doesn't stand a chance against her!”
“I know, right?”
The two Cyanian women began mocking Lucy disdainfully.
Although Riley was laughing along with them, she couldn't help but notice something rather strange about Lucy.
Huh... Lucy doesn't seem to be panicking in the slightest even after failing her first test so miserably... If anything, she looks like she's just calmly waiting for the next test! Does she think she stands a chance in the following tests?
The mere thought of that made Riley hate her even more.
Kurt, on the other hand, didn't show any emotion as he watched on from his seat next to the king. Despite wearing an elegant crown that the high priest had personally put on his head, he had an icy-cold look in his eyes and kept quiet the whole time. It was almost as if everything that was happening before him was none of his business whatsoever.
Riley could only let out a sigh when she saw that.
The second test was a test of the women's literacy and housekeeping skills.
As the daughters of tribe chiefs in Elysium would receive proper education from wise elders after they were born, it was nearly impossible for them to fail this test.
Surely enough, the competition between the three of them ended in a tie.
When it came to the housekeeping test, Lucy put her experience gained from living in the royal family's residence to use.
“Here, have some tea, Prince Kurt!” she said in the most affectionate way possible while serving Kurt a cup of tea on her knees.
Tea wasn't a common beverage in Elysium as it originated from Jazona.
Due to its calming and relaxing properties, most of the people there drank it as a part of their leisurely lifestyle.
In Elysium, however, that was not possible due to the poor economy there. The tribal members struggled just to put food on the table for themselves, so they couldn't possibly be able to afford tea.
In fact, even having a nice, clean glass of water was considered a luxury for them.
Noticing that everyone's attention was focused on Lucy, the two other candidates had disdainful frowns on their faces as they whipped out the snacks that they prepared.
To their surprise, Kurt's eyes lit up when he saw the cup of tea that Lucy served him.
“Did you just brew this tea yourself?” he asked.
“I did, Prince Kurt. This is black tea, which is a very popular choice out there,” she replied while holding the cup of fragrant tea in her hands.
Black tea, huh?
Kurt looked genuinely interested as he picked up the teacup and drank it.
“Oh, my god! Prince Kurt drank the tea she brewed!”
“Why would he do that? If he drinks her tea, doesn't that mean she has won this test? If she wins, then their score will be tied! The fortune-telling test will be the final test left! What do we do?”
The Cyanian and Mordunian candidates were both shocked and angry at what they saw.
Kurt drinking Lucy's tea made her the winner of the third test, so the fortune-telling test was the only one left.
The atmosphere grew incredibly tense all of a sudden as the king and the chiefs anxiously waited to see the outcome.
One of the chiefs came up to the king and whispered in his ear, “Your Majesty, are you sure you want Lucy to marry Prince Kurt?”
The king didn't look too happy when he heard that.
“Of course not! I only agreed to let her participate to make up the numbers because he saved Kaiden back then, that's all! Honestly, why are the girls from the Cyanian tribe and the Mordunian tribe so pathetic? Also, what on earth happened to the Meyan and Zenisian tribes?”
His Secret Lover Returning from the Dead Chapter 1697
The king cast a displeased look at the high priest beside him.
However, the high priest did not even look at him.
In short, the king had no intention of letting Lucy become the royal concubine.
The palace chief said, “If that's so, it's all right. Your Majesty, the next test is fortune-telling. The Cyanians are good at this. I believe his daughter won't disappoint.”
“Okay. What do you know about her specialty?” the king asked.
“I've checked. She is good at geomancy. We only need to ask related questions later. And the daughter of Mordunian is good in phrenology. That's easy too,” the chief palace comforted.
Only then did the king heave a sigh of relief.
Even though fortune-telling was a mysterious thing, it was somehow well-proven. After all, it had a history of over a thousand years. Many things were influenced by it.
With that, the final round began.
Like the palace chief expected, after they asked the first geomancy question, the lady from Cyanian furrowed her brows after first glance.
“Mr. Priest, this is not a good location. Water is an essential element in geomancy. Mountains surround this place on all sides. And it is filled with sands below. It is a bad spot!” The sixteen-year-old girl pointed at a spot on the sand table.
Her statement left the entire altar in absolute bewilderment.
The cemetery was the tomb of the chief of an ethnic group in the tribe. However, it had been hundreds of years. It was precisely because of this tomb that the ethnic group perished.
The king and the high priest showed much admiration for this bright young lady.
Lucy's gaze darkened as she saw that.
Next was the lady from Mordunian, who was also a promising candidate. She scanned the surroundings and suddenly locked her eyes on the king's face.
Instantly, her expression changed.
“What's going on? Do you want to read phrenology for me?” The king acted quite friendly toward her.
It seemed he had already considered her as his future daughter-in-law.
The lady from Mordunian immediately knelt before him. “I wouldn't dare to. But, I see some bad omens from your Majesty's face. I...”
“Are you cursing the king?” All of a sudden, a cold voice interrupted her.
The lady from Mordunian immediately lifted her head. Her face paled in fright. “N-No, that's not what I meant...”
“No? Then why did you say such a thing? Did you see dark shadows on the king's forehead and the sunken cheekbones, so you derived that it was the omen of death?” Lucy stood up and accused the lady of Mordunian, who was wearing a Phoenix Coronet.
She tried to embarrass the latter in front of the crowd.
At that instant, everyone at the altar went into an uproar.
It is our king she is talking about. How could she say something so bold without any proof?
Everyone stared at the lady who was still kneeling on the ground. Meanwhile, the king's expression darkened after hearing what she said. “What nonsense are you talking about?”
“I... I...” she choked on her words.
“Your Majesty, please don't be mad. I know a little about phrenology too. My mother used to be a famous fortune-teller back in Elysium. She had taught me a lot. Why don't you let me have a look?” Lucy even started to recommend herself in the end.
Holy cr*p. Does she know phrenology too?
The crowd around the altar paled upon seeing that scene.
Riley had a bad feeling about it too.
Lucy walked toward the king, knelt, and touched the king's hand for a while. As expected, she used a different statement to overturn what the lady of Mordunian had said just now.
“Your Majesty, you definitely don't have the omen of death. Nonetheless, it is time that you take care of your body. As you have been enjoying life too much, the larger acupoints in your body were blocked.”
“Really?” The king was pleased to hear that.
“Of course. Why don't you let me perform acupuncture on you? You will recover in no time.” With that, Lucy took out a long thin needle from her pocket.
At this point, it was almost confirmed that Lucy would be the one winning this competition.
She had an advantage in fortune-telling, and she even possessed medical knowledge. Undoubtedly, she was the best candidate for the future concubine.
The entire altar was overwhelmed with rage.
Everyone from the two tribes was stomping their feet in wrath.
However, the king was smiling in satisfaction. The crowd knew they could do nothing to eliminate Lucy.
Riley was beyond enraged as well.
She shifted her gaze toward Kurt.
She was bewildered to see him still indifferent as usual. He looked as though the whole episode had nothing to do with him.
This fellow!
When Riley could not bear to watch the outcome and was ready to leave, a loud humming sound suddenly appeared above her head.
What is that?
The crowd immediately lifted their heads, including Riley.
Everyone was left in awe as they saw a helicopter appearing in the sky. It was descending slowly toward the altar.
Holy sh*t. What is going on now?
Riley widened her eyes in bewilderment.
Upon seeing that scene, Kurt, who had been emotionless, finally showed some emotional turbulence on his face.
After the helicopter finally landed, a lady wearing a snow-white dress and a princess crown came out.
Kurt was overwhelmed with shock.
“What's with the hurry? I'm not even here yet. Mr. King, do you think the Jadesons can not be compared to the minorities in your tribe?” Vivian said.
His Secret Lover Returning from the Dead Chapter 1698
The entire altar burst into bewilderment.
Is she trying to crash the wedding? Holy cr*p. This has never happened before in the tribe. Most importantly, it seems like she has a powerful background. Isn't the Jadesons the royal family who rules Jadeborough? If that's so, even the king could not reject her.
Everyone was dumbfounded by what was happening.
“Lucy won't stand a chance now as such a powerful opponent has shown up.”
“Absolutely. She thought the victory would be hers after she defeated the daughters of Cyanian and Mordunian. She must be utterly pissed right now.”
“Look at her! Her face has turned as pale as a sheet!”
The crowd started looking down at Lucy, who had the best chance up till then.
Indeed, Lucy was beyond infuriated at the moment.
Riley had noticed that as well.
She was secretly delighted to see Lucy's victory crushed by the lady who descended from the sky.
What a bold woman! It's your turn to be embarrassed!
“Dear Princess, do you mean you want to participate in my son's royal concubine selection ceremony?” The king finally opened his mouth.
His voice trembled with excitement as he locked his eyes with Vivian.
The high priest and the chiefs were rendered speechless by that.
Kurt widened his eyes in awe as he heard what the king said.
“Do I still need to join the selection?” Vivian asked.
She had such a noble charisma that only an actual royalty could possess.
The king was beyond delighted.
“Of course not!” He let out a boisterous laugh. “You are the princess of the Jadesons. If you want to become my daughter-in-law, it would be our honor. I will have my useless son propose to you right away. How could I let you humble yourself and join the concubine selection?”
In just a few minutes, the ending of the concubine selection ceremony concluded abruptly.
Although some of the crowd could not accept this outcome, they knew of Vivian's status. She is an actual princess, after all. No one from the tribe could be compared to her.
Hence, no one among the crowd dared to show any objection to the matter.
Lucy was overwhelmed with resentment after she knew she stood no chance against Vivian, who suddenly showed up at the scene.
“Vivian, does your family know what you are doing? Do they agree for you to marry into a small tribe?” she questioned viciously.
Before Vivian could respond to that, Kurt's expression turned hostile and intimidating.
Indeed, he was delighted to hear Vivian's answer just now.
An overwhelming feeling burst inside his chest. He had never felt such joy for a long time.
He never thought something he lost would come back to him again.
Yet, the overly ambitious woman got in his way.
“I...” Vivian choked on her words.
“Men, seize Lucy now!” Kurt opened his mouth before Vivian could answer.
He commanded his guards to rid him of the obstacle.
Those on the altar were baffled by his command.
The citizens of the tribe were left in awe as they could not wrap their heads around it.
What is going on? Why does Prince Kurt want to seize the woman?
They were utterly bewildered. Even Riley was dumbfounded as well.
“Do you want to arrest me?” On the altar, Lucy was overwhelmed with emotions.
Her gaze was filled with shock and rage as she could not believe what was happening.
Kurt did not react directly to her question. As the guards arrived, he tossed the seal without any hesitation.
Clang!
It was a seal of execution order made of red copper.
Everyone's heart skipped a beat as their jaws dropped.
Execution order? Why would he kill the woman who had just participated in his concubine selection ceremony?
That got everyone stunned in place.
Lucy's pupils shrank violently upon seeing the seal, and the color drained from her face.
“Why?” She locked her eyes on Kurt and spat out her question hesitantly.
Kurt shifted his cold gaze back toward her. “Why? Do you still need me to tell you the reason? Why didn't Zenisian and Meyan come today?”
A deathly silence ensued.
Meyan and Zenisian? We thought they didn't come as they were destined to be archenemies.
The crowd was left in befuddlement.
Lucy's expression darkened after hearing that.
“What does it have anything to do with me? The high priest said that their path crossed with each other!” As expected, that was her reply.
His Secret Lover Returning from the Dead Chapter 1699
Kurt sneered upon hearing that, “Yeah, indeed. The high priest said it. But he is being controlled by you. The bridal veil and the black tea, and even the fortune-telling, were all your doings. They were all arranged by you, weren't they?”
Lucy was speechless upon hearing that.
“You didn't want to win the game too obviously, so you arranged for them to win the bridal veil test first.” He pointed at the lady of Cyanian and the lady of Mordunian. Both were still standing on the altar.
Beyond exasperated, the two ladies' eyes were reddened.
“Then what about the following round? Kurt, what was wrong with the tea and the fortune-telling session?” The chiefs of Cyanian and Mordunian were enraged as they started to question.
Kurt's lips curled into a sneer as he waved his hand. Soon, his subordinate brought upon something with a silver plate.
“There was nothing wrong with the tea. That was her scheme. She has known me for a long time, and she knew it was my favorite. However, her ace card was the fortune-telling.” He used a fork to pick up a tiny thing on the silver plate.
“Hiss...”
To everyone's bewilderment, the tiny thing started wriggling on the fork and making a scary hissing sound.
What is that thing exactly?
A glint of fear appeared on everyone's face.
Meanwhile, Lucy's face turned as white as a sheet.
Not only did she see the worm, but she also noticed Kurt mentioning that she had known him for a long time and was aware that he liked black tea.
What did he mean that I had known him for a long time? Based on his current memory, he was supposed to encounter me in the palace. Does that mean he has never lost his memory at all? Has he been deceiving me from the start?
Chills ran down her spine; she could not help but shiver.
“Prince Kurt, this...”
“It's a worm. Could you take it to the king? Maybe, there's a surprise awaiting him.” Kurt did not show much emotion after taking out the worm.
He seemed to have a naughty notion as he asked the subordinate to bring the worm to the king.
With that, the guard brought it cautiously to the latter.
Everyone was dumbstruck by the next scene. As soon as the worm approached the king, it let out a loud shriek. The king sitting on his throne suddenly covered his belly with his hands, and appeared to be in anguish.
“Aargghhhh!!”
“Your Majesty. what's wrong?” The palace chief was startled as he immediately ran to support the king.
Those surrounding the altar, including those tribe citizens, froze on the spot upon witnessing that scene.
They were familiar with worms. Even their high priest had some worms with him.
Not to mention, he was the only one capable of possessing it. Worms were indeed dangerous beings. They could either control or kill the host. The palace had long since issued a strict order that no one other than the high priest should raise such a thing.
Then, how could there be worms inside the king's body? Did the high priest insert those worms?
“You...” The king, suffering from the worms, cast a furious look at the high priest.
He seemed to have the urge to kill the latter right away.
Just then, something strange happened.
The high priest did not react at all. He stood at his spot, still smiling. It looked as though it had nothing to do with him.
The king and the crowd were rendered speechless by that.
Even Vivian who was on the altar widened her eyes in disbelief.
There is something amiss about him.
“Yael, what are you doing? The king is talking to you! Yael!” someone among the chiefs shouted at the high priest angrily.
The voice came from the chief of Cyanian who had just voiced out previously.
However, the high priest, named Yael Griffin, did not seem to be bothered. He stood there with an unnatural smile on his face, as though he was a puppet being controlled by someone.
That's so bizarre!
The king had noticed something was off too. Enduring the pain in his body, he stared at the high priest and asked, “What's wrong with him?”
No one dared to answer his question, except Kurt.
“He is just like you. He was fed with the worms, obviously for quite a while now. You are still of use; your brain is not yet consumed entirely. There is still hope for you.” He did not hold back his words at all. There was a glint of provocation in his tone.
The color drained from the king's face upon hearing that. He could no longer hold his composure. “Who? Who the h*ll did this?”
Kurt did not answer this time. He sat there lazily as he shifted his gaze toward the lady wearing the Phoenix Coronet. He looked as though he was a predator targeting its prey.
It has been such a long act. It has been three months since I was attacked in the forest, brought back to the palace, and fed with the worms. Perhaps, it has been even longer than three months.
He began to play with a blood-red bead in his hand.
His Secret Lover Returning from the Dead Chapter 1700
Crash The Wedding Part Three
There was no more hope in Lucy's eyes. She froze on the spot, staring at Kurt. After a while, she asked with a hoarse voice, “You have never lost your memory, have you?”
“I did. For about ten days,” he replied honestly.
Upon hearing that, the two ladies in front of him felt a chill arising in their bodies as their hearts dropped with a thud.
Meanwhile, Vivian could feel her heart racing as though it would jump out of her throat.
He has been faking it all this while! D*mn it! How could he lie to me?
Beyond infuriated, Vivian did not know how to react. Her face turned utterly red.
Lucy uttered, “So all this while, it was all been an act, wasn't it?”
“Yes!” Kurt responded.
Lucy asked again, “Then what have you found out? Did you know my identity?”
“What do you think?”
The conversation ended with a provocative question by Kurt.
Lucy fell into a deep silence.
She stood still and stared at him. After a long while, her pale lips suddenly curled into an eerie smile.
“No, you will never know who I am. And you will never find out what I have done. Kaiden, your performance has been a huge disappointment to me.” She staggered backward slowly as she spoke.
Those on the altar sensed something was wrong. They immediately stood up from their seats and intended to flee.
Yet, they soon discovered that besides the king, the palace chief, and those from Cyanian and Mordunian, the rest was standing there without moving.
Their conditions looked just like the high priest's.
“You b*tch!” The king finally burst into rage.
He shouted as he drew the sword from the guard beside him. He was determined to kill the woman himself.
However, it was too late. Lucy, who had left the center of the altar, suddenly put her finger into her mouth. She made a whistle, and those people standing still immediately started moving.
“Aaaahh!” The two daughters of Cyanian and Mordunian recoiled in fear upon seeing that.
Vivian was utterly stunned as she saw the terrifying scene.
At the critical moment, a figure emerged in front of her. He grabbed her by her waist and led her to jump down from the altar.
Vivian failed to react to that.
She was brought to Riley. By then, she was still staring at Kurt who placed her down gently, not knowing what to say.
“Aunt Riley, please take her away. Ian and Matteo will be here soon,” Kurt said.
“Then... what about you? Did that woman control everyone here? No wonder I thought those people looked strange when I was taking the goods here these few days. What is she up to now?” Riley was also beyond terrified by this abrupt development.
She panicked when she heard Kurt asking her to bring Vivian away.
Nonetheless, Kurt did not answer her questions. At this point, he figured it was better for those he wanted to protect to know less.
Kurt released his hands and was about to leave.
“Hold on a second!” At that instant, Vivian regained her senses as she grabbed his hand tightly.
Kurt was startled, and he halted his feet abruptly.
“Tell me, what do you want to do now? Don't lie to me again!” Tears welled up in her eyes.
She was behaving confidently and arrogantly the moment she arrived in the helicopter. Yet, her face was filled with fear and anxiousness at this moment.
She could not bear to see him leave.
Kurt turned around and looked at her.
He threw away all his disguise at that moment as he could no longer suppress his emotions. He gripped her hand and pulled her into his embrace.
“I'm so sorry...” He choked on his words.
At that moment, Vivian felt as if her mind was blown.
While she felt the familiar warmth and scent of his body, her heart was filled with mixed feelings.
Overwhelmed with indignance, she failed to control the tears from flowing down her cheeks.
“I don't want you to say sorry. I want you to leave with me. Kurt, let's leave this place, okay? That woman is a mad person. Let's not stay here anymore.” She bawled her eyes out like a child, begging him to leave with her.
Even a fool could tell that Lucy was not a kind person.
She even dared to manipulate a high priest. There was unlikely any crime she would not dare to do. No one knew how many schemes she had been planning in her mind.
The only thing Vivian knew was that the entire Elysium had almost fallen into Lucy's hand.
“Kurt, please go back with me...”
“Vivi...”
Kurt, who was still hugging Vivian tightly, called her by her name. That was all he could say.
Can I go back with her? Absolutely not. If I leave now, it would be the end of Elysium.
Even though he hated this place and would not miss it even if it perished, the citizens here were innocent, just like his grandpa and grandma.
There are kids, old people, and families here. Most importantly, Lucy's purpose is not to conquer Elysium, but to use the tribe as a weapon to help that bast*rd rise again!