Lahat ng Kabanata ng Provoking a Graceful Bloom: Kabanata 341 - Kabanata 350

The moment Selena pushed open the door, her eyes widened and her heart lurched. With a sharp bang, she slammed the door shut again. The man behind her barely avoided having his nose crushed by it.Everyone standing nearby froze, too terrified to speak. She had just shut Nathaniel out, and with such force too!The prince stood silently outside the door, his gaze fixed upon it. Those nearby hesitated, unsure whether to intervene, fearing they would anger him. Beneath his mask, Nathaniel's expression remained utterly unreadable, devoid of even the slightest hint of irritation. He calmly regarded the door for a long moment before turning and beckoning with a hand.Before anyone could guess what he wanted, Cloud appeared from nowhere with a chair in hand. He placed it by the door, and Nathaniel settled into it with ease.Cloud then had a small table brought over and a pot of tea served. The prince accepted a cup and sipped leisurely, completely at ease. When Nathaniel waved his hand, Cl

After administering needle treatment and prescribing medicine, Selena watched as Lilia took her draught and soon drifted into a deep, peaceful sleep."The smoke damaged the energy channels around her eyes, but not entirely," Selena said."You mean there's still a chance she might recover her sight?" Elias' voice tightened with sudden hope as he stepped forward.Before he could approach, a tall figure seemed to materialize from nowhere, placing himself smoothly between them. Elias forced himself to calm down and quickly stepped back. Only then did Nathaniel withdraw, returning to his chair and resuming his unhurried enjoyment of tea as if nothing had happened.Selena continued evenly, "Since her energy channels are not completely ruined, there remains a chance of recovery. But it is slim, and it will take time.""At least there is still a chance," Elias murmured, his tone heavy yet tinged with relief.He had summoned physicians from both Dawnmere and Aurensia, but none had been ab

"By spending the night in her room, you've already compromised her reputation. There's little point in dwelling on it now," Selena said.Sebastian's face darkened at her words. He wanted to protest or explain, but no explanation seemed adequate.He hardly understood how matters had come to this. When he heard that the princess was seeking him, he had merely gone to check on her. The moment he entered, Lilia had flung herself into his arms in full view of everyone. The physicians had then instructed that she must not be startled, and he had been left to care for her.Even Elias had made it clear that Lilia's wellbeing came before all else, and that he didn't care about a potential scandal. And so, Sebastian had stayed, tending to the princess through the night, alone with her in the quiet hours.By now, much of the night had passed, and the first light of dawn would soon break. When Lilia awoke, she immediately demanded to see Sebastian again. Left with no choice, he returned to her

"All women admire strength, and who is the strongest in the world to them? Naturally, it is the king himself," Elias said.Though Nathaniel's expression remained largely unreadable, Elias had known him for years and could read the slightest flicker of emotion in the set of his brows. The man had reacted. He had been affected!"If she admires the current king, then so be it. After all, he belongs to the previous generation. But should Frederick become king, that would be quite another matter. Not to mention his striking elegance—""Preposterous!" Nathaniel interrupted, a sharp, dismissive snort escaping his lips.Elias hurried on, "Yes, of course. In talent, ability, and even in looks, Frederick is far beneath you. But suppose he ascends the throne? You must understand, becoming king is like being coated in gold. One radiates light merely by holding the position!"I admit that I speak with personal bias, but you're my friend, and I can't bear the thought of seeing you abandoned by

A tightness seized Selena's chest, and her eyes unwittingly welled with tears.Qiana caught the change in her face and let out a soft, almost indulgent laugh. "Silly girl, why grieve so? He is still here, still alive within me."She touched her own chest, over the place where her heart lay.Selena stepped forward and took her aunt's hand gently in hers. Qiana's fingers were cold, far colder than they should have been. She knew then that her aunt had spent her life comforting others, but no one had ever truly been able to comfort her."Lena, don't trouble yourself. My heart may feel hollow, but my life is not without purpose.""And what is that, Aunt Qiana?" Selena asked, surprised by her words.Qiana looked at her for a long moment, then smiled. "To care for your grandfather, watch over you and Sebastian, and protect the Campbell family. That is my life's purpose."Selena rarely cried, but the moment she left Luminous Pavilion, her tears nearly spilled. Her aunt was a remarkable