Chapter 109 She instinctively wanted to shake her head, but tears welled up in her eyes…
Whoosh—the wind from the punch whistled through the air.
The explosive force swept through the air and hit us, instantly silencing the buzzing in our ears.
Ophelia took flight.
Before she felt the pain, she saw the white ceiling, and snowflakes began to fall in her vision. Then came an overwhelming, excruciating pain that shot from the bridge of her nose straight to her brain!
"Aaaaaah—!"
Her pig-like scream was immediately drowned out by a series of dull thuds.
Andra straddled Ophelia, his fists raining down like a hailstorm.
Bang!
She threw another punch, and the girl behind her cried out pitifully, "The...the antidote..."
Oh, right, the antidote! Eleanor is still poisoned.
Andra's fist stopped abruptly. She grabbed Ophelia by the collar and violently shook her head. "Tell me! Where's the antidote?!"
If Ophelia had any sense left, she would know that she shouldn't reveal the existence of the antidote at this critical juncture.
If you didn't poison him, why would you have the antidote? And why did you know where it was hidden so quickly?
"Gurgle...gurgle." Blood and tears streamed down her face, saliva and blood mixed together and dripped down. She didn't know how many bones in her face and body were broken, and she couldn't stay conscious at all.
Ophelia stared blankly as she pointed a finger behind her.
"Take me there! Point it out clearly!"
Andra simply lifted her by the shoulders, like carrying a sack of potatoes, leaving her feet scraping against the ground.
She carried Ophelia to the hidden door, glancing back anxiously.
Eleanor slowly stood up, supporting herself on the table, and forced a weak smile at her. Her lips moved slightly but no sound came out, as if to say: Don't worry, I'm fine.
How could nothing be wrong?
Andra bit her lip, her canine teeth pricking painfully.
Her beloved girl was always let down and hurt again and again, and then she would say nonchalantly, "I'm fine, it will all pass."
Eleanor has grown up and is no longer that little girl. But she is still slender and frail, and after her injury, even her smile seems unreal.
"Eleanor".
Before entering, she called the girl by her name and said earnestly, "Don't take any more risks in the future. I will protect you."
Those people—like this piece of trash in her hand—are utterly insignificant.
The girl looked up, her dark hair, damp with sweat, clung to her face, revealing a hint of vulnerability.
She stared at Andra until the young man's figure disappeared behind the hidden door, then softly said "Okay" to the wall.
......
The dead cannot fight against the living.
Eleanor did not die, but Ophelia's mother had been gone for far too long.
The matter was quickly brought to a close: the second princess of Norlana was stripped of her title and imprisoned permanently in a side hall of the royal city.
Ophelia's noble servants were dismissed on the spot, leaving only slave servants as guards and her last "loyal servants".
According to the traditions of the Moonlit Continent, Ophelia's wives were also sent back to their homes, and none of them clamored to live with her in the palace.
After all, if she were to be with this commoner, not only would she be stripped of her noble status and forced to take care of herself in all aspects of life, but she would also be forbidden from having children. These punishments were simply too painful.
"I didn't do it—I wouldn't be stupid enough to directly poison Eleanor!!"
Ophelia wept and wailed in front of her mother.
What she said makes a lot of sense, but why would she have hidden so many poisons and corresponding antidotes, one of which happens to be similar to the one that Eva was poisoned with?
Drinking the antidote a second time has negligible effect.
Fortunately, Eleanor's medical team can optimize the effects of the complete poison and antidote to remove the last bit of toxin from Eva's body, while also developing a comprehensive treatment plan to prolong the king's life as much as possible.
Everything was moving in a positive direction, but the toxins were still severely damaging her body.
“Mother...I want to go to Enlin with my beloved as soon as possible.”
Eleanor took Andra's hand in front of Eva, her eyes filled with affection, and the marriage was thus arranged.
Apart from Manzhu's mother, no one had any objections to this arrangement.
For the next year, Eleanor and her prince lived in Enlin, making the rapidly developing city-state even more prosperous.
Princess Eleanor always reminds one of the attendants of the god of wisdom in mythology, who ride on deer and hold ears of wheat or willow branches to enlighten foolish mortals.
She became more beautiful each day than the day before, and also weaker each day than the day before.
In her letter, she casually wrote, "Mother, please let me try to find a more effective antidote for you."
Along with the reply came Eva herself.
The mother and daughter, both with equally jet-black hair, met at the city gate.
Eleanor, helped by Andra and Manju, greeted her mother and said with a smile, "The journey is so long, Mother, please be careful."
"Me? Be careful?" Eva seemed to want to laugh nonchalantly, but she frowned as she looked at her daughter's barely concealed weakness.
"Hmm...we need to be careful about the safety of the capital, cough cough cough."
Eleanor coughed in the cold wind, her cheeks turning red.
Andra quickly reached out to pull her coat up and pulled her lover into her arms. She stared at Eva rather impolitely, her eyes indicating that it was too windy and they should go back quickly.
"......"
Eva had no time to dwell on Andra's disrespect; she stepped forward and placed her palm over her daughter's forehead.
It's a little hot.
Over the years, she has become accustomed to the effects of the toxins. Now that the remaining toxins have been eliminated and Eleanor's medical team is helping her recover, she hasn't used datura for a long time.
Eleanor's symptoms were clearly different; her body was rapidly deteriorating.
Why is this happening?
Eva wasn't stupid; she quickly realized the biggest difference between the two: the third stage of development granted by the herbal medicine.
"Eleanor".
She lowered her hand and said solemnly, "Come back with me... no, I will hold the ceremony for you to drink the secret medicine in Enlin."
"?!"
Eleanor looked up at her mother, bewildered.
After several cycles of reincarnation, this was the first time Eva had proactively suggested making her a princess.
But......
"Your Majesty, His Highness is already sixteen years old!" a minister hurriedly reminded him.
The secret medicine is best taken before the age of twelve. It is easy to damage the body if taken before the age of eight, and if taken after the age of twelve, the golden period of development will be missed.
Drinking it at sixteen would likely have little to no effect and could even damage one's fertility, which would be a loss.
"So what?" Eva glanced at them coldly.
All the ministers and attendants lowered their heads, and those of lower status even prostrated themselves, touching their foreheads to the ground.
So what? The ministers had no way to express their grievances.
On the surface, there seems to be no problem, but this way the princess will become a royal princess!
So, will they choose Myrcella or Eleanor? What if Your Majesty marries a new queen? How will the new princess compete with the Wise Princess... the Wise Princess?
Eva was aware of their concerns, but as she said—she didn't care at all.
Wang turned his head away, looking only at his terminally ill daughter.
Should we continue living, even if it's full of pain?
certainly.
Eleanor smiled, a genuine smile playing on her lips. "Thank you."
Before her mother could scold her for being "too polite," she tossed her hair with a flourish and squinted her eyes.
"I am expressing my gratitude on behalf of all the people of the world. Please don't be angry."
"Tch." Eva raised her hand as if to knock, but paused slightly when her fingertips touched her daughter's forehead.
In a daze, she seemed to see some illusory fragments in the sunlight. What were they?
[“Mother—I love you the most!”] The girl holding the chess box took out a chess piece and placed it on the table, making a crisp sound.
Few non-existent memories flashed by, leaving only a bittersweet feeling in the king's heart.
They didn't just stand there dumbfounded at the city gate; they quickly moved into the spacious mansion, surrounded by their servants.
After settling her mother in, Eleanor took Andra's hand and returned to the room, quietly closing the door behind her.
"?" Andra blinked in surprise, and before she could speak, she quickly opened her arms and was hugged tightly by her lover who rushed over.
The girl mumbled an apology in her arms. "I'm sorry."
"Why apologize... Oh, that?" Andra couldn't help but laugh, giving her lover's head a good rub.
"What's wrong?" Eleanor peeked out from her arms and met her with a gentle kiss.
"...I'm so glad there was this way." Andra's eyes welled up with tears of joy. "I can't believe I never thought of that before..."
Eleanor seemed to hear the sound of ice and snow melting.
If everything had been discussed openly from the beginning, wouldn't many tragedies have been avoided altogether?
She stood on tiptoe and said somewhat anxiously, "But if I become a princess..."
Andra's eyes were firm, and she answered without wavering, "I will help you."
And you are strong enough.
The light in Eleanor's eyes grew brighter and brighter. Just as she was about to continue speaking, she heard Andra's sincere voice.
"Don't be afraid, I will not break off the engagement, nor will I leave you."
Her lover nuzzled her cheek, his voice fervent: "It'll be faster if there are two of us. Haven't you always wanted Belle? Why not make Belle's princess your queen? Her mother's situation is dire; she'll definitely agree to our request!"
"......"
Eleanor's fingers tightened suddenly, and she twisted them hard.
After a while, Andra realized that his lower back was hurting and asked, with a mix of amusement and exasperation, "What's wrong?"
This guy has absolutely no idea where he said something wrong or what he shouldn't have done!
Eleanor took a deep breath, as if she could hear the sound of her first incarnation crying with a broken heart.
Fortunately, things are different now, and it's not too late for everything.
She stood on tiptoe, bringing her bright eyes to meet his contracting pupils.
She gazed into her lover's eyes and said, word by word, "Andra, there will be no one else between us—I won't allow it!"
It wasn't just a longing for "exclusivity"; Eleanor genuinely hoped... that no one else would become a victim in their marriages, whether a wife or a child.
Although sacrificing some people can save more, she was willing to be willful in this matter and try to replace the easy but cruel choice with ten times the effort.
Eye contact, a long eye contact.
Andra understood the unspoken meaning from her focused gaze.
There will be no one else between them, which means they will not marry anyone, and there will not even be a child to inherit everything.
How can this be? Without a direct heir, all the followers will be very uneasy.
If things continue like this, without that strong bond, we might break up!
Even without his followers' persuasion, Andra's heart was already racing.
She didn't want to lose Eleanor, and she wasn't willing to take even the slightest risk.
Even if she's willing to never have a Hetua heir with another woman for the rest of her life, what about Eleanor? Will Eleanor change her mind during this long period of torment?
Can she, with her delicate nature, withstand the pressure of disappointing so many people? Can she, with her gentle nature, refuse the desire to raise children?
Andra was still very young; she couldn't see the complicated road ahead and knew nothing about what the future held.
Before she could even speak out loud, I could already see the tears glistening in Eleanor's eyes.
She had so much to say, and wanted to have a heated argument with her lover, to tell him that such naive ideas would not end well!
However, Andra had a strong intuition that if she resolutely rejected Eleanor's "request" at this moment, there would be no future between them.
"......"
Andra took a step back, instinctively wanting to shake her head, but a fragile sound escaped her lips that even she couldn't understand.
"Okay, I promise you."
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The author's note: Regarding the union of princesses: those who have drunk the secret medicine (soup) can naturally marry those who have drunk the soup, but since they have almost no fertility (they can't gamble with their lives), they generally rely on "their respective other wives".
In common parlance, it was permissible for them to marry multiple times, with each child inheriting their respective family businesses. A princess (after becoming king) could also appoint a queen.
Andra readily agreed to let Eleanor become a princess and have children with other women for many reasons: Firstly, she wanted Eleanor to survive, and becoming a princess was necessary. Secondly, she had witnessed Eleanor's growth and had confidence in her abilities.
She judged that Eleanor was a rights holder like herself and would not transfer her affections to the "insignificant thing" next to her because of the child.
However, in reality, if Eleanor were to marry another woman, given her personality, she would undoubtedly be incredibly gentle and considerate, while Andra would break down her defenses and resort to all sorts of violence... Andra's reaction here is simply because she suddenly realized Eleanor was saved, and she was so overjoyed that she mistakenly thought she was being very magnanimous (of course not, she would be absolutely furious and seething with rage if Eleanor were with someone else).
Eleanor, who saw right through Andra, said: "Let's be together forever, please don't ruin anything for others."
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