Chapter 22: Ch 22. John’s Concerns
"Selena, that plant is hot! Don’t let it burn your hand!" Stevan, who had already felt the plant’s heat, immediately rushed after her.
Selena turned her head but didn’t stop walking. "It just feels warm to the touch; I can still hold it for a little while," she replied, but Stevan remained uneasy.
"Prepare the horse-drawn carriage immediately; we must return to the palace at once," the Dragon King ordered his men, who immediately ran quickly toward the exit. "I can feel the heat of this plant even from here—are you really not worried your hand will get burned?"
Selena shook her head. "It’s only natural that you feel this is hot; the only ones who can balance its heat are pure-blooded Phoenixes like Jhon Nix. Even other Phoenixes might not be strong enough to withstand it, let alone those with evil intentions," said Selena, and this made Stevan’s brow furrow.
"What kind of evil intentions?" asked Vylen, who had been standing behind them the whole time; Dorven, standing beside him and listening silently, also looked curious.
"There are many kinds of evil intentions; as long as someone harbors something bad in their heart, they won’t be able to withstand the heat emanating from this plant for very long. The only people who can approach it without being too tormented by the heat are those with sincere hearts, because this plant is quite sensitive and perceptive," Selena explained, gazing at the glowing plant in her hand.
Vylen and Dorven exchanged glances as they walked. Did that mean the plant sensed they had bad intentions, which was why they felt the heat when they approached it?
But what kind of bad intentions could they possibly have? Vylen had merely acted casually toward Selena, even though he had gone to great lengths to make her willing to forgive him.
"Thank you for letting me take this plant; I’ll head home now," Selena said, bowing slightly to Xoruc Dee, who immediately returned the gesture with a polite bow.
"There’s no need to thank me, Healer of Extinction. For the well-being of the people of Eldoria, I’m willing to do anything."
Selena smiled at him, then gazed at the sky, which was growing brighter. "In that case, I’ll head back now. If you ever need my help with healing, don’t hesitate to ask. Just have someone come find me at the palace, and I’ll come to help," she said, causing Xoruc to nod rapidly.
"Of course, thank you, Healer of Extinction."
Selena finally turned and walked away, climbing into the horse-drawn carriage with Stevan and Vylen’s help, then sat down as the three men followed her. Their carriage quickly drove off, while the three kings accompanying her seemed to keep their distance slightly—the intense heat emanating from the Ember Root plant in Selena’s hand was truly overwhelming.
"I’m curious—why is that stag, Xoruc Dee, so arrogant that he refuses to address Selena as Her Majesty the Queen? Even though he knows Selena is the wife of the five strongest Beast Kings in the world of Eldoria, just like us," Stevan remarked, a bit displeased.
"Perhaps because he knows the title ’Her Majesty the Queen’ isn’t any more noble than the title ’Healer of Extinction.’ ’Her Majesty the Queen’ is a title I earned after marrying the five kings who bear the curse of extinction, while the title ’Healer of Extinction’ was bestowed upon me by the gods," Selena replied nonchalantly, leaving Stevan at a loss for words.
"You’re right..." Stevan grimaced slightly, causing Selena to look at him; he immediately flashed a smile, as if feeling awkward.
"Besides, Selena is indeed the Healer of Eldoria’s Extinction—a title greater than that of Her Majesty the Queen. Because all of Eldoria encompasses all inhabitants from every beast clan, whereas the title of Her Majesty the Queen applies only to the five beast clans whose members are her husbands. Those who aren’t part of our five groups would indeed feel more comfortable addressing her as the Healer of Extinction," Dorven chimed in.
Selena turned her gaze toward him. "You’re quite clever," she praised, making Dorven smile until his cheeks flushed. "Besides, if I hadn’t risen to become the Healer of Extinction, I might already be in my grave by now after having my head cut off. What’s wrong with them calling me by that title? I was recognized as Eldoria’s Healer of Extinction long before I became your queen," she added, her expression sharp, causing the three Beast Kings to press their lips together at her sarcasm.
"Why do you still remember that? Isn’t it very painful for you?" Vylen murmured so softly, yet Selena could still hear him clearly.
"Because I’m a woman—and women love to dwell on the annoying wrongs committed by men."
Vylen grimaced with a silly expression; they’d only just discovered this trait about her, since this was the first time they’d truly gotten close enough to interact with her. Stevan and Dorven, for their part, were still trying to stay silent, afraid that speaking might offend Selena.
"Your Majesty the Queen! Selena Grece! Hey!"
Selena, hearing someone call out to her, immediately turned her head toward the outside of the horse-drawn carriage. There, on the fairly busy street used by the residents of Eldoria, a woman with cat-like ears was waving at her.
"Who is she? How dare she call the Queen by name directly!" hissed Stevan, glaring sharply at the woman.
Selena glanced at her briefly, until she suddenly remembered that the woman had once been in the memories of this body’s original owner. She was Amena Cots, from a cat-like species but larger than an ordinary cat.
The woman had been quite close to Selena Grece before she married the five Beast Kings—a figure who, in Selena’s current view, seemed rather sinister with an unpleasant aura.
Very suspicious...
"I don’t have much time; this plant will wither and die if it isn’t taken to the Phoenix King’s palace immediately," Selena said, turning her gaze back toward the front. "Continue on to the palace, have one of your servants go see her and ask what she needs. If she really wants to meet me, tell her to come to the palace and meet me there."
Vylen nodded quickly, giving orders to his men standing beside the horse-drawn carriage as they continued racing toward the palace.
Upon arriving at the magnificent building, Selena got out with their help and headed straight for King Phoenix’s palace. There, Phoenix’s guards, who already recognized her, immediately opened the gate for her. Meanwhile, Selena made her way directly to the main building where Jhon’s private chambers were located.
"Your Highness, King Phoenix is working. Should I announce your arrival?" Sovel asked politely, but Selena had already shaken her head and kept walking.
"Open the door!" she ordered firmly; the heat in her hand was growing stronger, and she didn’t want to hold it for too long because the plant might die.
Sovel hesitantly complied, opening the door for Selena, which immediately caused Jhon—who had been reviewing reports from the Phoenix group—to look up at the doorway.
He was ready to snap because he felt disturbed, but upon seeing Selena enter his office, his gaze—which had been sharp and fiery—immediately softened in an instant. He stood up right away and approached Selena, who had already picked up a vase containing ordinary decorative flowers.
"What are you carrying there?" he asked gently, but Selena paid him no mind.
Instead, without asking permission, she plucked the blooming flower from the vase, tossed it onto the floor, and winced slightly as she felt the heat seeping deeper into her skin.
Jhon stared in shock as Selena’s hand began to turn red, while the plant in her grasp glowed ever more brightly and its leaves began to grow larger than when she had first arrived.
"This plant..." Jhon looked at Selena, who was focused on placing the plant in the vase.
After successfully doing so, Selena took a deep breath, feeling relieved. She looked at the Ember Root, which was growing larger and larger; its light was also getting brighter and spreading out, nearly filling the entire space of Jhon’s private room.
"Selena... your hand..." Jhon, looking worried, took Selena’s fiery-red hand and blew on it gently.
Selena steadied her breathing, watching Jhon’s worried demeanor. Her eyebrows shot up instantly—she hadn’t expected this man to be so gentle with her.
Wasn’t he the coldest and cruelest among the Beast King’s other husbands?
Sovel and the servant who had been following Selena stood frozen at the doorway, watching their King’s behavior. Truly, this was the first time they’d seen Jhon treat a woman so gently. They certainly still remembered how Jhon used to treat Selena—even in bed, Selena would often cry while making love with him.
Why was he being so attentive now? It was as if he were a completely different person!
"What you’re doing isn’t helping much," Selena remarked as she pulled her hand away from Jhon’s grip.
"Why? Your hand looks red, like it’s burned—I was just trying to blow on it to cool it down," Jhon replied, reaching out to take Selena’s hand again.
"No need," Selena refused, glaring at him with an annoyed expression. "Don’t you remember you’re a Phoenix? Your breath is hot—you’re actually making my hand feel even more like it’s on fire!"
Jhon finally fell silent like a dumb bird, while Sovel and the Phoenix attendants present immediately pressed their lips together, struggling with all their might to hold back their laughter.