Chapter 24: Ch 24. Just a Healing Tool?
Ahh, Selena remembered... Back then, Prisca had acted just like this when she met her and Jack. She pretended to be weak and played the victim when accused, even though she actually had the same intentions.
She was flirting and acting very attentive in front of Selena’s husband, even ignoring Selena outright. Hadn’t Selena just been asking her a question, but Amena was instead focused on Vylen and even talking to that man?
"I really wasn’t flirting with the Fox King—I didn’t do that. I was just offering him some advice because I was worried about him. The Fox King is a respected ruler; I didn’t mean to overdo it just now," Amena said again, her face looking like someone seeking pity.
Selena let out a soft sigh, while Vylen immediately sat up straight, feeling a bit nervous. Had Selena’s mood changed because of that woman’s words? If so, then that woman was a real pain! What a mood-killer!
"Selena, you can’t just assume that every time a woman speaks or says something to one of the five Beast Kings—who are your husbands—it means she’s flirting, right? I wasn’t flirting with him at all..."
"All right, you weren’t," Selena replied with a blank expression, causing Amena—who had been ready to press her further—to fall silent instantly. "You’re just ignoring my question."
"Question?" Amena furrowed her brow. "Which one of your questions?"
Stevan and Dorven looked displeased with this girl’s attitude. They themselves were paying close attention to what Selena was saying, but could she have forgotten what Selena had just asked her?
She really has no manners!
"Miss, you’re speaking to our wife. The wife of the five Beast Kings—show a little respect, since this is a meeting with members of the royal family and we’re here. So you can’t treat this as just an ordinary gathering," Stevan admonished, unable to hold back any longer.
Selena glanced at him, noticing that Stevan was clearly holding back his irritation because Amena was being so loud. Suppressing a smile, Selena then glanced at Amena, who immediately stiffened.
"Your Majesty the Dragon King, Selena and I have been friends for quite some time. It feels very strange for me to address her as Your Majesty the Queen," Amena replied with a timid expression, though Selena knew it was an act. "Selena is also used to me calling her by her first name—right, Selena?"
Selena leaned back, took the glass that Vylen had poured for her, and sipped it gracefully.
"Yes, that used to be the case."
Amena smiled and then looked at Stevan, who was still displeased. "Your Majesty the Dragon King, I’m not lying—"
"I don’t care if you’re lying or not, if it’s true or not, or if you were close to her in the past or not. I’m simply giving you an order. As the Dragon King, I have the right to decide this because Selena is my wife. Whether you like it or not, you must address her by her title of honor. Selena is the Queen—you must address her by that title!" Stevan snapped sharply, causing Amena to swallow hard.
Amena glanced at Selena, seeking her help, but Selena remained calmly silent. The woman was completely ignoring her, even though Selena used to care deeply about her because they’d been quite close and spent a lot of time together.
But now she was completely different—even her grace and composure weren’t the same as Amena remembered. The Selena Grece who had grown up with her was nothing more than a weak, nervous, timid girl—not nearly as composed as this.
How could her attitude be so different when they’d only been apart for a few months?
"You really are a girl with no manners," Dorven added, causing Amena to look at him before lowering her head in fear. "When a king speaks to you, you must answer him obediently. Not just stay silent like some foolish girl."
"That’s right, how insolent!" Stevan crossed his arms in disapproval. "My status is still far higher, even when compared to your father’s."
Amena lowered her head, not daring to reply. This made Dorven even more annoyed, so he turned to look at Selena with a gentler gaze.
"Queen, for your own good, you shouldn’t think of her as a friend anymore. She’s not the right kind of friend for you—she’s insolent," said Dorven, prompting Stevan to nod in agreement.
Meanwhile, Amena froze, her eyes wide.
"That’s right. From a very young age, the people of Eldoria are taught proper etiquette for interacting with kings and nobles. She lacks those qualities entirely; she’s unworthy of being your friend. From now on, you should never see her again," Stevan added.
This made Selena smile, especially when she saw Amena’s reaction.
"It seems what my husbands said is true," she replied softly, which made Stevan and Dorven squirm.
What? Selena acknowledged them as her husbands? She even called them that?! This isn’t a dream, is it?!
Vylen furrowed his brow jealously, but he remained silent as Selena seemed about to speak.
"I don’t understand what she’s doing either—she didn’t respond to my words and was instead paying attention to the Fox King," Selena said in a voice she made as puzzled as possible. "It seems she really doesn’t like me anymore, so there’s no reason for me to be friends with her or see her again."
"No, that’s not it." Amena shook her head quickly. "Your Majesty, you can’t cut ties with me. We’ve been friends for a long time—please forgive me if I was too forward earlier."
Stevan and Dorven rolled their eyes, looking displeased. But they let Selena speak because she had, after all, been friends with her in the past.
"So what’s your real purpose? You called me by name right out on the street—that’s the first thing I’m asking about. Also, what did you mean earlier when you said you thought my husbands weren’t treating me well? Please explain clearly..." Selena said, making Amena look nervous.
"I was just being playful. Out on the street earlier, I was so happy to see you after all these months, so I reflexively called you by your name. I was being rude—please forgive me," she said, causing Selena to furrow her brow for a moment.
"What about the next question? Were you convinced from the start that my husbands wouldn’t treat me well? Because I remember that after I married them, we never met again. Their attitude and treatment of me—no one knows about it except those within these palace walls. How do you know my husbands didn’t treat me well?"
Amena seemed unable to answer; the girl’s ears pricked up while her hands clutched the hem of her dress with a hesitant, fearful motion.
Selena saw all of this and realized that this girl was indeed no ordinary person; this made her glance at her husbands, who were also listening intently with displeased expressions on their faces.
"My husbands, can you leave me alone with her?" Selena asked in a soft voice she had deliberately adopted, smiling as she looked at her three husbands.
Vylen, Stevan, and Dorven looked at her immediately. Their handsome faces, each bearing the distinctive features of their respective animals, looked very pleased to hear Selena’s request. There was a hidden desire that made them feel perfectly fine about leaving her.
"Are you sure? Can you handle this girl on your own?"
"Yes, I can handle this. You guys can go take care of your business; we’ll meet again at the lunch table later," she said, still maintaining her gentle smile that left them spellbound and aroused.
Selena could see the happiness on her husbands’ faces; their expressions had become childlike and quite endearing.
With a small smile, Selena nodded reassuringly, and the way she smiled made them feel as though they were looking at a priceless treasure.
Dorven, the lion who usually had a rather terrifying appearance in the real world, now looked like a little kitten willing to guard and stay by her side all the time, even licking her to make her happy if necessary.
Meanwhile, Stevan looked like a dragon eager to curl up next to Selena, snuggling against her chest, and Vylen was like a little squirrel wanting to hug Selena’s legs while wrapping his tail around her.
Only Selena could see this other side of them. The other beasts saw them as steadfast and authoritative kings, but in Selena’s eyes, they were nothing more than adorable wild animals.
Tsk! It’s pretty annoying, considering how they treated her before.
"All right then, we’ll be going now. If she doesn’t please you, as it happens, my palace dungeon is still very spacious," said Stevan with a smile at Selena, completely ignoring Amena, who was swallowing hard.
"I know, go ahead..."
Selena watched as her three husbands stood up and walked away. Just as the door was shut from the outside, Selena noticed Amena, who was staring at her right then.
"I never would’ve thought you could control them. You really are a crazy woman," said Amena, no longer bothering with politeness.
Selena wasn’t surprised by the change in her attitude; instead, she gave a small smile. "I already knew you didn’t have good intentions, so there’s no need to keep up the act. Just tell me the purpose of your visit—stop beating around the bush," she replied, picking up her glass again and taking a leisurely sip.
Amena glared at her with the expression of a wild cat ready to tear someone to shreds, but Selena wasn’t the least bit intimidated. She stared back at Amena as if looking at a little kitten angry because it was hungry.
"You know what? After this, you’re definitely going to be cast aside. Once you’ve treated all the kings, you won’t be here anymore, and you won’t be their wife."
"Oh, really? Why would I be cast aside?" Selena retorted, glaring at him fiercely.
"Because, in truth, long before you were appointed the Healer of Extinction, they all already had partners who were destined for them and chosen by the Eldoria World Council. As for you, you’re nothing more than a healing tool for them."