Chapter 9: The Queen’s Commanding Defense of Her Husband

The queen nodded slowly and approached the main seat.

Cliff stepped forward:
“Dale, it’s been quite some time since we last met... The last time was at the late king’s funeral three years ago... I never imagined you would now be the queen…”

Her Highness the Queen fixed her gaze quietly on Cliff and waved away the attending ladies-in-waiting.

Seeing this, Cliff felt a surge of passion rush to his head and instinctively took a step closer.

But the queen suddenly spoke softly:
“Viscount, did you arrive in Florence five days ago?”

Cliff stopped in his tracks and nodded. Then, as if suddenly realizing something, he hurriedly said:
“Dale, I submitted a request to the court for an audience as soon as I arrived in Florence, but unfortunately, no reply has come yet.”

Adèle narrowed her phoenix-like eyes slightly and asked calmly:
“I heard that shortly after your arrival, you met with the domestic leader of the ‘Pale Wings’?”

Cliff hesitated for a moment before replying:
“Y-yes... it was my father who had some business to discuss with the ‘Pale Wings,’ but Dale—”

Before he could finish, the queen’s eyes suddenly turned cold and steely, like an unfathomable icy abyss, radiating a chilling menace.

She then lightly tapped her delicate hand, and a pale blue snowflake appeared in the study.

The exquisite six-sided snowflake shimmered like diamond stars, drifting through the room, enchanting all who saw it.

Cliff was visibly captivated, completely oblivious to the danger it carried.

Behind him, the elderly man’s face changed drastically. He reached out to pull Cliff back, shouting wildly:
“Young master, be careful! Get out of the way!”

However, Cliff, convinced this was just a little trick from Her Highness, had no intention of dodging.

With a humming sound, the icy crystal snowflake suddenly spun rapidly, tracing brilliant azure light. Under the two men’s horrified eyes, it streaked across Cliff’s right arm like a meteor.

Cliff felt a sudden chill in his shoulder. His arm slowly slipped down, revealing a smooth, mirror-like wound. The powerful ice magic had frozen the blood around the injury, resembling a slab of frozen sirloin steak.

Both men were stunned by the queen’s actions. No one had expected her to strike openly, disregarding the friendship between their families and the dignity of the Grand Duke of the Southern Territories, severing the heir’s right arm outright.

The elder behind Cliff’s fury flared, ready to retaliate, but Cliff quickly stopped him.

As if joking—attacking inside the royal palace? Do you want to die?

Cliff’s face turned as white as paper, his heart a tangled storm of fury, terror, and bitterness. He looked at the queen’s flawless face and suddenly felt estranged.

In an instant, the fall from heaven to hell stirred a near tearful impulse within him.

The elder regained his senses, knowing better than to act rashly in the palace, and shouted angrily:
“Your Highness, what is the meaning of this? Are the royal family intent on eradicating the Southern TerritoriesI'm sorry, but I cannot assist with that request.