โButโฆthe palace is huge, right? Could it beโโ Mike still refused to give up.โItโs just not possible,โ Ross interrupted, โI was born and raised there, and I know the palace inside out. They couldnโt have held a child there without me knowing.โMikeโs eyes glazed over as he fell into deep thought. What the prince said was a huge blow to him.Mike always thought Nick was in the Yudonian palace. Although he could not see his son, he knew Nick was in a safe place and would be able to reunite with him. Yet, Ross told him that Nick was not even there. โWhere could Nicky be if not there?โRoss softened when he saw how lost Mike looked. โDonโt lose hope. Even if your son is not in the palace, he could still be in another place. Could he be in Fredโs residence instead? You know, since heโs behind this.""Do you think it's likely?" Mike asked hesitantly. Ross fell silent because he did not know for sure. Seeing his expression, Mike knew the prince could not be sure as well. After some
"Where could he be if not the palace?" Rhea thought for a moment, then suddenly realized something. "Wait a minute. How do you know he's not in the palace? Who told you that?" Mike caught himself. He lost his cool, not knowing where his son was, but Rhea's question brought him to his senses. 'Oh, shit! I can't tell her Prince Ross told me, can I?' he thought in alarm. "Iโฆ" After a pause, he said, "Based on what Alex found out, Nick is not even in the palace. Everything is nothing but a smokescreen. Since you've established yourself in the organization, help me find where my son is, okay?""Alexander?" Rhea frowned but thought Mikeโs explanation was reasonable.Indeed, Alexander had been helping Mike find Nick, but to no avail. That was why Rhea could tempt Mike. "How could you believe what Alexander told you? Has he visited the palace? Did he take you there, or are you saying he has relatives or friends in Yudonia?" Rhea retorted dismissively."He can't even save his wife. D
Soon after Rhea hung up the phone, someone called her to the laboratory. Since it was so abrupt, she felt uneasy and thought something was up.The truth was that she had her own plansโif she could develop the invisibility potion and her hypnotic drug could work consistently, she would no longer need Fred. With those two creations, she could secure her safety and go anywhere she liked.The immortality experiment was absurd to her because it was impossible to integrate two human beings, no matter how compatible they were. Even organ transplants faced rejection issues, let alone a major surgery like that. Of course, she would never share her opinion with Fred because he firmly believed in the experiment and would not listen to her anyway.Besides, making the queen immortal was all he cared aboutโan obsession that puzzled Rhea.โCan he ensure a lifetime of wealth and glory by doing this? Why wouldnโt he try to achieve immortality himself? It puzzles me why an ambitious and scheming m
A commotion broke out, and Rhea frownedโshe did not expect Fred to do this all of a sudden.Fred held up his hands to calm everyone down, saying, โWe canโt afford to make mistakes due to the experimentโs complexity. So you all must stay here to make preparations. BesidesโฆโAfter a pause, he glared at everyone. โAs I said before, I donโt tolerate betrayals or people who canโt keep their mouths shut. So please bear with me for the experimentโs sake.โRest assured that I will provide meals as usual, but youโll have to hand over any communication devices.โ As soon as he said that, the guards took away everything they had on them. Before Rhea could protest, one of the guards snatched her phone away. As no one was allowed to bring any communication devices into the laboratory before this, most devices the guards confiscated consisted of media players like iPods.Fred nodded in satisfaction when he saw what they were.โYour Grace.โ Someone could not help but come forward. โWe have all
Fred stopped and looked at Rhea solemnly. He told her to follow him and turned to leave.Rhea hurried after him and glazed over her shoulder at the others, feeling uneasy.Instead of leaving the floor, Fred led her into an office and pointed his chin at the door. โClose it.โ Rhea quickly did so and turned to see him also sitting down. Fred lit a cigarette and took a puff before looking at her with narrowed eyes, asking, โYou wanted to tell me about the invisibility potion?โRhea nodded. โYes, Your Grace. Mike said I should be able to get my hands on the formula in two days. Itโs not that I donโt want to stay in the lab, but Iโm afraid of missing out on important updates.โ โYour phone is with me,โ Fred tapped the desk and said indifferently, โIf there are any updates, Iโll tell you right away.โโButโฆโ Rhea noticed his warning expression and said carefully, โOnly I can control Mike. If anyone else were to answer his calls, it might affect the effectiveness of the hypnosis.โIf h
Rhea frowned as she sat alone in a corner, not understanding Fredโs actions and the sudden notice. ...Fred knew the decision was indeed sudden, but the queen could not hold on much longer. He knew she was in terrible shape from day one. That was why he desperately tried to find a healthy candidate to be her vessel. Since he had to postpone the experiment due to various troubles, the queenโs organs continued to weaken despite the medical teamโs efforts. Her aging instilled a deep fear in Fred. Even though he was still in his prime, he knew he would also become old and die one day. After all, no one could escape death. โSo what if I canโt obtain supreme power? Iโll still die one day and have nothing left.โFred could not accept that, so he never stopped researching R20. Nothing could make him stop, either. Nothing else mattered once R10 succeeded. If he could live forever, he would not have to care about invisibility potions or controlling others.He knew life was limited, bu
As everything came too suddenly, no one else knew about it. After making all the necessary arrangements, Fred proceeded to the queen's room.He had stationed his trusted aides there to give her the best possible care, but her condition had worsened over the past two days.Initially, Fred even suspected she and Lily had conspired on this as they both experienced health issues simultaneously. However, upon reflection, he realized they had no reason to work together. Besides, they could not have planned it, even if they wanted to. After all, Fred had locked them in separate areas.He entered the room and saw the queen breathing weakly in bed. He hurried over and bent down, warmly calling her, โYour Majesty? Your Majesty?โ The queenโs eyes remained closed despite some movements. It was unclear whether she lacked strength or simply did not want to look at him.Fred waved the others off and held the queenโs hand. He said softly, โItโs me, Your Majesty. Iโve come to see you. You can h
Still, the queen looked slightly better. She no longer looked like she was on the verge of death.Fred quickly answered, โYes, my queen?โ"You haven't told me what would happen if the experiment doesn't work," the queen asked. "It will, Your Majesty," he smiled, patting the back of her hand. Even so, the queen stared coldly at him. After a while, Fred said, โIf it doesnโt work, weโll go with another plan. Still, I doubt youโll be able to see it.โ"You have a backup plan?" The queen snorted. "So you are hiding something from me after all.""Everyone has a secret, Your Majesty. Whatever it is, rest assured that I've always put you first," Fred said earnestly with a smile."What's your backup plan?" the queen asked, no longer getting agitated by what he said. Even if she would, she was too weak for that. "Wellโฆ" Fred was reluctant to tell her, saying, "There's no need for you to know, Your Majesty. If the experiment works, we won't need the backup plan. If it doesnโt, you won't e
Lily tilted her head up to fight back her tears, saying, โThereโs something I find strange.โโWhat is it?โ Mike asked after comforting his son.โInstead of detaining Prince Ross, Her Majesty has sent him back to Yudonia. If so, why couldnโt we reach him?โAfter some thought, Mike answered, โThere are two possibilities. Itโs probably due to poor signals, or he doesnโt want us to contact him.โThe two shared a look, knowing what each other was wondering.โWhy canโt we contact Ross? Is he planning something?โโฆThree days later, Lily inserted the last needle into the queenโs leg and looked up at her, saying, โYou should start feeling your legs tomorrow. Still, itโll take some time before you can stand.โSuddenly, Lily chuckled.โWhy are you laughing?โ Yasmin touched her legs. She had begun to regain sensation in her legs over the last two days. She then began to believe that she could get up. However, the queen was hesitant when the queen heard Lily chuckle.Lily shook her head
Lily straightened up and said without resentment, โOf course, you wouldnโt.โโThatโsโฆ quite a pity,โ the queen murmured thoughtfully.โWell, thereโs a price to pay for everything. Thatโs how the world balances itself,โ Lily continued, โI canโt stop you if you must carry on with R10. Still, I wonโt witness whether or not it succeeds. I just wish the outcome isnโt something youโll regret.โLily smiled and turned to head out the door.Rick heard their conversation as he stood guard outside. After exchanging looks with Lily as she brushed past him, he entered the room and saw the needles in Yasminโs legs. โYour Majesty, those needlesโโThe queen waved dismissively. โItโs okay. Lily will remove them later.โEven so, Rick was wary. โYouโre being too careless, Your Majesty. What if that womanโโโShe wouldnโt,โ Yasmin interjected, shaking her head."Why do you trust her so much?" Rick asked despite himself. The queen fell silent. If Rick had not asked her that, she would not have rea
Lily took out a cloth and unfolded it, revealing a row of silver needles inside. Yasmin was surprised she carried the needles with her.โTell me. What do you want?โ The queen took a deep breath to calm herself. She then reminded herself that she could always say no to Lilyโs request. Still, Yasmin was cautious about Lily trying to trick her.Lily casually said, "I left because Prince Ross wanted to help me. I hope you donโt punish him.""That's it?" Yasmin thought she had misheard Lily. 'Is she trying to talk terms with me just so that I won't punish my son?' she wondered in disbelief."Ross is my son. I won't harm him. Don't you think you've wasted an opportunity by making such a request?" The queen shook her head. "I wasnโt sure if youโd blame him, but he did rescue me once. If I don't do anything, it would be ungrateful of me," Lily said gently, "Also, didnโt you already lock him up?"Yasmin was puzzled. "No, I only sent him back to Yudonia. He kept trying to get me to sto
"Three days," Lily replied.โThatโs it?!โ Yasmin was in disbelief. She thought Lily would try to buy some more time and suspected she would say the process would take several months or even years.โI havenโt felt my legs for over a decade. I wouldnโt mind waiting for three more days.โโAre you sure I can get up and walk in just three days?โ Yasmin pressed her legs hard but felt nothing. She would have treated her legs long ago if it were that easy.The queen had visited many famous doctors from various countries, but they could only stop her legs from getting weaker. However, Lily confidently told Yasmin that she could fix her legs so quickly.Yasmin wanted to believe it.After some consideration, Lily said, โI canโt guarantee that youโll walk as fast as you once could. After all, you havenโt used your legs for a long time, and your muscles have atrophied. Still, youโll recover slowly.โYasmin nodded repeatedly, thinking it was good enough. She never dreamed of walking as well a
โBecause only our opinions matter." Lily thought of something and said, "Unless you choose to believe Rhea.""Iโฆ don't trust anyone." Yasminโs expression stiffened as she turned her wheelchair away."Your Majesty, I know you're dedicated to the experiment, but there are other things in life. Have you ever considered letting go of your burden to sightsee? Youโve done enough as a queen over the last few decades. Arenโt you tired of living a lonely life?โLily gently spoke as she gazed at Yasminโs back.The older woman caressed her knees with both hands and stared down at her legs, murmuring, โSightsee, huh? Iโve forgotten what thatโs like.โYasmin had not used her legs for many years. Initially, she could still stand up and sometimes took a few steps. However, she could no longer get to her feet.She had grown accustomed to sitting in a wheelchair, but she felt a pang of sorrow after hearing Lilyโs suggestion.Lily asked, โWhat if I can help you stand again? What if you can walk a
"Yes, I returned not just for him but also for you," Lily said, "I'm sure you were anxious for my return, weren't you?"Yasmin scoffed dismissively. "Why would I be? I have my bargaining chip. Besides, did you honestly think I couldnโt bring you back?""Bargaining chip? Do you mean Nick?" Lily shook her head with a smile. "Don't forget that he's not my son. Do you think he'll be much of a bargaining chip to you if I choose to ignore him for my three children?"She did not wait for Yasmin to reply and continued, "Besides, Nick still has a father whoโs willing to die for him. If Mike decides to take drastic action against youโ Yes, you're a queen, and you don't care much about an insignificant businessman.โHowever, don't forget that his business spans worldwide. There's no guarantee what he might do. Who knows, he might spread information that can affect Your Majesty and Yudonia's reputation?""Youโฆ" The queen was exasperated but could not retort.Lily noticed it and casually said
Rick could only remain silent at that moment.Yasmin then turned her wheelchair around and blandly said, โBring Lily over. Iโd like to see what excuses that sly woman can come up with.โ"Your Majesty?" Rick was puzzled. "You know she'll just lie to you. Why must youโ"Yasmin interjected, "I'd like to hear what she has to say."Rick had no choice but to leave and do as she said.As Lily was about to doze off, she heard noises from outside and opened her eyes. Immediately after, the door opened, and Rick appeared. He glared at her and spoke coldly, โHer Majesty wants to see you.โLily glanced at Rick calmly and stood up as if she had expected his appearance. On the other hand, Mike rose before her and headed out.However, Rick stopped him as he reached the door. โYou stay.โ"But we came together!" Mike glanced over his shoulder at Lily, signaling her to persuade the man. Rick added, "The queen doesnโt wish to see you. Just stay here!"Lily patted Mike's shoulder and said gentl
Everyone was shocked when Lily returned to the embassy with Mike. One of the staff members quickly left to report the news to Queen Yasmin.Meanwhile, Lily saw people peering at her and Mike from the corner. Afterward, several guarded-looking men appeared. Lilt recognized them as the queenโs attendants. They brought Mike and Lily inside and then gave the duo a thorough search.The men only relaxed after finding nothing suspicious about the duo. Even so, Lily could not see the queen as the men told her to wait in an innermost room instead.After returning to the embassy, Lily felt a sense of strange familiarity. Although she knew the place well, her mindset had changed.She previously hated the embassy and simply wanted to escape. However, she had returned with a critical mission. Not only did she have to complete it, but she also needed to leave the place in one piece.While she was calm, Mike was somewhat anxious. He clasped his hands on his knees and glanced around as he sat dow
"I promise I'll do anything you want, okay?" Mike begged. He was desperate to see his son, so he decided to follow Lily when she insisted on returning to the embassy.Mike continued, โIf any of you go with her, they might stop or suspect you. They wonโt do that to me. Itโs natural for me to want to see and rescue my son. Iโm the best candidate because it makes sense for me to sacrifice myself for him.โAfter a short silence, Lily said, โYouโre right.โ She then looked at Alexander, who pondered before slowly raising his head and saying, โMe too.โDominic tapped the table. "So do I."Cameron thought for a moment before saying, "I've no objections."Seeing this, Austin spread his arms and said, "Since you all agree, what else can I say? Let's do it!"It did not matter whether or not he agreed, but he just wanted to support Mike. The latter nodded and became emotional, saying, โThanks, you guys!โ"Why are you thanking us? Just be careful, and donโt be rash like you promised," Aust