Sitting in the empty hall, Mary frowned as she looked out the door. The constant explosions and noises around her made her shift restlessly.
Todd sat on the highest throne, without saying a word.
Mary couldn't help but ask Todd, "Where are the guards? Where are the servants? Why is there no one here except us?"
Todd lowered his head and said calmly, "Soon, some guests will be visiting me, and I don't want to be disturbed."
"guest?"
Todd turned to Mary in the side seat and said, "Although you've given me the answer several times, I still want to confirm with you one more time: are you really going to stay? Even if it's dangerous here?"
Mary looked at Todd, a hint of resentment flickering in her eyes, and suddenly said, "Your Majesty, even at this point, do you still intend to send me away?"
Todd said helplessly, "I'm doing this for your safety..."
Mary turned to Todd and asked in a deep voice, "Your Majesty, I have a question. In your eyes, what kind of existence am I?"
Todd was somewhat taken aback by Mary's question and didn't know how to answer it for a moment.
"Spending every day in a desolate palace, dealing with the kingdom's tedious affairs, diligently and cautiously managing Holy Guard City for the future of the people and the expectations of my subordinates. Do you think this is all I want?"
Mary's words were filled with resentment, sorrow, anger, and exhaustion. She shook her head vigorously and said, "This is not the life I want at all!"
"When I was in Twilight City, although I no longer had supreme power or the crown that everyone admired, I could be with everything I loved most... clothing design, running a shop, appreciating art, without any burdens, without having to be careful with my words and actions, and without having to live in fear every day!"
Mary rose from her seat, removed the laurel wreath that symbolized her as Queen of Saint Guard, and whispered to Todd, "Do you know why I gave up the comfortable life in Twilight City, abandoned my beloved career, and returned to that hypocritical and oppressive hellhole of Saint Guard City? And for whom?!"
It's because of you!
Mary slammed the crown on her head to the ground, biting her lower lip tightly, tears welling in her eyes: "It was because you said I needed to go to Holy Guard City that I went there! It was because you said a stable front was needed that I stayed in that hell, facing death and despair every day!"
“I’ve been waiting every day, waiting for you to appear before me and take me back!” Mary said, her voice choked with sobs. “But what about you?! You’ve disappeared! You’ve been missing for a whole year!”
Todd looked at Mary, his face showing surprise and guilt: "I didn't know..."
"You abandoned Muxi City, and you abandoned those who followed you! Most importantly, you completely shattered my hope!"
Mary walked up to Todd's throne and accused him, word by word: "In your eyes, am I just a convenient pawn? When I'm valuable, a few promises are enough to use me; when I'm not, I'm just casually sent to a corner to fend for myself?!"
Todd rubbed his forehead and waved his hand forcefully: "Mary, I think you must have misunderstood me. I never intended to use you, nor did I ever intend to hurt you."
Mary looked at Todd and asked, "Are you still trying to comfort me with sweet words? Aren't the repeated attempts to make me leave and your various ways of keeping me at arm's length the best proof of that?"
Todd said with a wry smile, "Mary, listen to me..."
"Holy King of Muxi! We have finally met!"
A voice filled with smugness and pleasure rang out at the entrance of the hall, interrupting Todd and Mary's conversation.
Todd looked at the group of fully armed invaders at the entrance of the palace hall, his face showing no surprise, as if he were witnessing something completely ordinary.
Mary quickly turned away, wiping away the tears from the corners of her eyes. Then she turned back to look at the newcomers and exclaimed in surprise, "It's you?!"
Rutledge Dawson led nearly a hundred assassins, carefully trained by his family for many years, through the secret passage beneath the palace and directly to the entrance of the main hall.
Behind Rutledge stood Earl Nar, a former retainer of the Silver Ring, and his gang of henchmen.
Looking at the lofty Todd, Rutledge cautiously glanced around and said, "Your Majesty, please do not trouble yourself to call the guards. I have already lowered all the gates around us and opened all the traps. No one will come to disturb us for the time being."
Before Todd could speak, Count Nar pointed at Queen Mary and shouted, "You whore who has slept with everyone! I knew long ago that you and this man had an affair. The Silver Ring Kingdom has fallen to this state entirely because of you!"
Mary held her head high with arrogance, exuding an unapproachable and powerful aura. She looked at the bald, fat man she loathed and said coldly, "A maggot is a maggot! After devouring a kingdom, are you now choosing your next target?"
Count Nar drew his sword, his face flushed, and shouted, "What did you say?!"
"It was because of you greedy, treacherous, and despicable villains that the Silver Ring Kingdom ultimately met its demise!" Mary glared at Earl Nar and roared, "After you die, your soul will suffer the eternal torment of karmic fire!"
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