1487 A Dangerous Beauty

"Your highness, what's wrong with you today? Why do you look so out of it?"

Minister Abdali spoke for everyone.

They had also noticed his highness's strangeness.

'Could it be that his highness is getting the shivers before his big day? Was he anxious about the Coronation ceremony?'

--Silence--

The entire room fell into a solemn state of quietness.

The sounds of papers and documents being turned over, stopped.

Those taking sips of tea also stopped.

Many paused on their feet, while others leaned forward in their seats instead.

Now, everyone was looking at Gregory squarely.

What could be troubling his royal highness?

"Your highness, please speak. Tell us what's on your mind."

"Uncles..."

Gregory swept his uncertain gaze past the gathering of men.

"Uncles... Maybe I'm overthinking things... But I fear that my coronation might not be as peaceful as we hope."

"Are you talking about Duke Cletus? Impossible! It's impossible for him to make it over here on time even if he wanted to." Someone added, and many also nodded in agreement.

Abdali tapped the corners of his chin thoughtfully. "Everyone, I think his highness might have a reason to worry. After all, even if Cletus isn't the problem, let's not forget that some other sneaky people are also vying for the throne."

Everyone looked at each other tactfully.

Of course they knew who Abdali was talking about.

Duchess Camila, that over-ambitious woman, might try pulling a disposable act during these next few days, or even on the violation day itself.

They wouldn't put it past the woman to openly contend against her cousin-nephew and kill him publicly.

.

You see... Camila was a unique woman and the only cousin to the late Monarch, making her Gregory's distinct aunt.

She too had Royal blood flowing through her veins and pushed her sons to enter the royal court to keep fighting against Gregory.

Their ambition for the throne was high. And unfortunately, since the woman and her sons were stationed in and around the Capital city, they also heard about the late Monarch's passing, making it impossible for them to hide the news from the sneaky woman.

Don't look at her beautiful face, stunning body, and charming voice.

The woman was a pure devil even more cruelly than Cletus Ghoul.

The woman was a nightmare to those who crossed her path.

And as for her husband, he too was another slippery character.

It's said he dissolved his marriage to his first 2 wives, driving them and their children away from his private estate.

For Camila, he drove everyone away without delay.

The couple might be vicious to others, but to themselves, they treated each other like gold.

And in truth, Camila was one of the most beautiful women many had ever seen in their lives. Even they had to admit that Camila was prettier than their wives.

That walk... That voice... That face...

Sigh...

Too bad it was all placed on a vicious woman.

Even after getting her husband's first wives out of the paper, she didn't rest with her overflowing jealousy. And before many could react, these ladies soon found themselves with burnt faces or torn open wounds that destroyed their beauty.

And as for their children, she made sure they never stood tall compared to her darling sons and daughter.

Served them right to compete with her, a woman of royal blood!

Of course, many of these facts were things people in the empire didn't know about. Only they with power had gotten wind of these things.

.

In the eyes of the public, Camila was a loving and kind woman who couldn't even hurt a butterfly.

She had also mastered the art of looking weak in public, gaining a large group of followers who could swear on her innocence at every turn.

Additionally, the love affair and dedication between her and her husband made so many women yearn for her kind of love, seeing her as a role model.

All this made the 2-faced woman look even better in the public eye, but to talk of the fact that her children were also famous and well -sought after too.

Too bad this couple hadn't become theater performers.

Even their private lives were too dramatic.

These 2 seemed addicted to killing, so much that they would act out cheating scenes on a regular.

Sometimes, the husband would invite young ladies over just to watch his wife boil in jealousy, so much so that she would kill the seductress there and then.

But many times, those who came in were innocent, thinking they would be made or anything of that nature.

Likewise, Camila would invite handsome paupers too.

All in all, Camila was a dangerous woman that even they had to thread along on thin ice when dealing with her.

She and her husband had powerful hidden forces not just in Titarian but in a few other Zohl empires too.

Who didn't know that her husband's older brother had willingly married a princess from another empire?

The man left Titarian and headed to one of the nearby empires to marry in for good.

And while there, he managed to kick off the Crown Prince of that said empire, uprooting himself as monarch.

Such a thing was hard to accomplish. But with the princess so in love with him, she used everything in her power to put him on the throne, hoping he would rule beside her as queen.

But this was where she miscalculated.

Many said she died in the cold palace during childbirth, while others said she was poisoned by her beloved instead.

In the end, a man from Titarian became a monarch for another empire.

And once more, to further secure his stay there, he married countless women from many powerful families.

One should never underestimate the forces behind Camila's husband.

.

Everyone's face turned grim, thinking of the psychotic couple coming after his highness' throne.

"Your highness. During these next few days, I propose you make sure all food and drinks are tested before taking them in!"

"Yes! Minister Abdali is right. You will also need to have more guards by your side. We can't leave your survival to luck!!"

They knew his highness was a fellow with immense luck. But who could say whether his luck would run out when the crazy duo attacked?

They did make counter-plans against the duo.

But now that Gregory had brought it up again, they also felt overly worried.

Good heavens! The couple won't execute his highness in public, would they?

(<°□°<)

One by one, they began talking to one another in anxious tones.

"Everyone!" Abdali called for attention. "No need to panic just yet. Deep down, had we not already known these 2 will attack his highness?"

Everyone nodded subconsciously.

Yes... They did expect it and even made plans.

But their sudden anxiousness was due to Gregory's concern.

You have to know that whenever his highness's left eye spasms so greatly, bad things always follow.

You may say it's ridiculous. But from young to now, they who have followed him know of this bizarre twitch that had to do with his immense strange powers.

.

Luck.

His highness's power was luck.

He could move amidst a rain of arrows, and would someone survive without a scratch.

Once, a wild horned tiger rushed up to eat him but suddenly kicked its foot and slipped on the ground when it was close to him.

There was again another time when Gregory wasn't paying attention to where he was walking, almost falling into a deep hole that looked bottomless out in the forest.

If it were someone else, they would've long gone to meet their maker.

But what did they see?

Vines from the trees above suddenly fell, coincidentally giving Gregory something to hold on to.

Even the Purple-chested monkey above that pushed the vines was shocked.

[Monkey]: Erm... I was just passing by and accidentally pushed the vine. Believe me; I had no intentions of saving this human!!

In this way, his highness Gregory had survived countless assassination attempts from Cletus and Camila.

His luck seemed too unbelievable that even some assassinations felt their peers were makings things.

[Assassins]: So you're telling us you managed to infiltrate his highness' room but suddenly had an intense belly ache when you held a blade over his sleeping face?... ARE YOU KIDDING US? What sort of sh**y excuse is this?

The ministers and many others couldn't help worrying, seeing Gregory's left eye twice so much.

This was the highest it had ever twitched. It moved so much that they felt his eye was about to pop out and explode.

Sure enough, the danger this time would be the greatest they might have to face!

This time, they worried his highness' luck might run out... Especially if the enemy comes at them all at once.

Abdali frowned. "The scouts have assured us that Cletus and his forces are nowhere to be seen. So our problem isn't him, but the she-devil Camila."