Some past
Alyssa's excitement subsided a little. She sobbed and said, "But my feet... that black beetle said I was disabled... you, you also never let me walk..."
"Your Highness." Sewell tried not to look sad. "I found some images of humans. Let me show you."
He activated his computer and played images of interstellar humans for Alyssa. The images showed numerous humans dressed in sharp, modern ceremonial attire, many of them women. They stood before the Zerg, who were generally two heads taller than them, confident and unfazed. "This is the human diplomatic team from the last time the Zerg and humans signed the interstellar boundary and non-aggression treaty."
Alyssa's eyes naturally fell on their feet. They were wearing leather shoes with either flat or low heels. The thin layer of cowhide shaped their feet beautifully. They were not bound feet.
Seville then played a video of a female interstellar human basketball game. The woman in the video was almost as tall as a Zerg. The basketball shoes on her feet were as big as boats. She jumped three feet high, with her arms and legs exposed, and her muscles were tight.
He then played a clip from a costume drama produced by interstellar humans. Finally seeing familiar attire, Alyssa felt a surge of joy. She focused on the dignified young lady, who clearly came from a wealthy family. Yet, she didn't have bound feet. She didn't even know why, with a twist of her long hair, she'd donned military uniform and become a general. With a single, graceful stride, she mounted her horse with grace and grace, and with a delicate shout, she charged into the rain.
Alyssa was completely captivated by the ancient costume idol drama. "How can she enter the city without a pass? What if she's treated as a refugee..."
"Your Highness, Alyssa, as you can see, interstellar women no longer bind their feet. I'd like to ask, when you were in human society before, did everyone bind their feet?"
Of course not. How could soldiers march and fight if their feet were bound? How could farmers work the fields if their feet were bound? Even the maids and teachers at the Four Arts Hall didn't have their feet bound.
"Your feet are too small, making it difficult for you to walk? During your physical examination, we noticed that the bones in your feet were deformed, which is why we wanted to repair them," said Sewell. "If you like your smaller feet, after adjusting your foot bones to a normal angle, we can find ways to make your feet even smaller."
Alyssa looked at Gabriel, and Gabriel nodded in cooperation.
The anxiety that had been hanging in her heart finally had a place to rest.
She had her feet bound since she was seven years old. Because she was obedient and cooperative, unlike her other sisters who cried and made a fuss, she was always praised. Until she was taken back to the Zerg, her pair of standard three-inch golden lotus feet were praised by everyone.
She wasn't disabled. She wasn't disabled. She just walked a little slowly, a little unsteadily. Once her bones were adjusted, as Master Seville had said, she would be able to walk normally.
Alyssa thought of this, and finally felt herself emerging from a long, drowning nightmare. She looked around the room. Aside from Ryan and Vio, all the insects she had taken into her spiritual world were there: the housekeepers, Sister Gabriel, and Young Master Seville.
She recalled that Ryan and Vio seemed to have gone to suppress the black beetle. Her cheeks, which had just regained some color, turned pale again. "Where are Ryan and Vio? They, they weren't hurt by the black beetle, were they?"
Gabriel's face flickered with disgust at the mention of Drake. Her Majesty Alyssa hadn't even remembered Drake had been subdued, which showed how deeply that damned creature had afflicted Her Majesty. "Ryan needs to deal with some of the Third Legion's army beetles accompanying the pilgrimage. Vio is examining Drake's blood sample. Your Majesty Alyssa, that black beetle is Drake Black Armor, the commander of the Third Legion."
Alyssa had already met the First Legion's commander, Tyg Warlock, and had learned about the Zerg's main military composition through the Internal Affairs Officer's general education course. She had heard that Drake was the commander of the Third Legion, and even with her limited political background, she knew it was a bad thing for such a great general to dislike her.
“Why does he hate me so much?” When Alyssa thought of him, she felt as if her ankle was clamped by a cold iron clamp.
"He doesn't hate you. He..." Gabriel's expression changed several times before he finally made up his mind and said to the internal affairs officers, "You go down first."
This meant there was something unsuitable for them to hear and she needed to report it to the Worm Queen. Without a second thought, the internal affairs officers filed out. Seville was about to follow, but Gabriel said, "Seville, you stay."
Sewell's face was full of surprise: "Me?"
Gabriel nodded. After observing her for some time, she could see that even if Seville had some hidden agenda, it was all for Her Majesty Alyssa. What she was about to say would likely be quite shocking to Her Majesty Alyssa. She desperately needed Seville's attentiveness and consideration to help Her Majesty Alyssa clarify this matter.
"Your Highness, I can guess at some of the reasons behind Seville Knox and Drake Black Armor's madness. I'm afraid besides him, I'm the only one in the world who knows. This involves Your Highness's mother, the previous Worm Queen, Her Highness Amyia Kairos. Please keep it a secret."
Gabriel's unprecedented solemn expression made Alyssa and Sewell nervous. Then they heard Gabriel say, "Drake Black Armor's uncle, the previous head of the Black Armor family, Wolf Black Armor, is the blood father of Her Majesty Alyssa and the royal consort of Her Majesty Amelia."
Sewell gasped.
If there is any stain in Her Majesty Aimi's life that deserves criticism, it is that she has never chosen a husband and became pregnant with the next Worm Queen before the choice of the queen was announced.
The exclusivity of pheromone pairing ensures absolute monogamy among the Zerg, even for the Queen. To protect the Queen's absolute power from being eroded or divided by the King's family, once chosen as a King's family, they must separate from their own family and avoid involvement in politics or the military.
But while the rules are laid out, there's always room for flexibility in their implementation. As a male insect beside the throne, his family's name is bound to shine. There will always be some political opportunists who give the Wangfu's surname more respect. Furthermore, Wangfu has been closely associated with the Insect Mother for centuries. The restlessness of his family members, the troubles within the family... the loyal insects around the Insect Mother won't let these minor issues cause Wangfu to worry, or further affect the Insect Mother's mood.
In short, becoming a consort to a king, while sacrificing one's personal future, can bring tangible, long-term benefits to the family. The position of consort to a king is a highly sought-after position for every high-ranking family. Almost every consort to a Worm Mother comes from a high-ranking family.
"Her Majesty Aimi believes that the power of the high-ranking families has expanded too far, making it difficult for other emerging families, remote families, and military factions to gain prominence. This is detrimental to the development of the Zerg, so she has been trying to balance the power of the high-ranking families... She insisted on not choosing a consort from among the candidates nominated by the high-ranking families. Instead, she struck a chord with Wolf of the Black Armor family while patrolling the border."
Gabriel still remembered her panic and fear after learning that Her Majesty Aimi had been paired with Wolf. Her Majesty Aimi smiled and comforted her, "It's not a big deal, why are you more panicked than me?"
His Majesty Aimi's expression at that time was both melancholic and indescribably joyful. "This is the only irrational thing I've ever done in my rational life. Gabriel, you will keep this a secret for me, right?"
This matter must remain secret. Because the Black Armor family is too weak, any family within the five star chains of the Saint Hobel Palace could crush them with a single blow. His Majesty Aimiya said, "This is unfair, isn't it? A family like the Black Armor, who fought bravely on the border until only a few insects remained to support the family, cannot stand before me with their heads held high based on their military achievements. Their risk of deterioration is also higher."
"The Worm Queen shouldn't be someone hidden away by the higher-ups with precious treasures. She should be the mother of every Worm Queen."
His Majesty Aimi's face, always rational, restrained, and serious, finally broke into a warm and sweet smile. "He is now the head of the family, and for the time being, he cannot let go of family affairs. On my side, I also need to suppress some dishonest hands. His brother who died in battle left him an outstanding nephew. When he passes the position of head of the family to his nephew, I can also announce my choice of the king's wife."
"This must be big news that will shock the Zerg." His Majesty Aimi's expression at that time looked a little mischievous.
Unfortunately, before this sensational news reached the official Zerg, His Majesty Aimi was attacked by a wave of alien beasts while patrolling the border. Wolf Black Armor led his troops to the rescue, but was swallowed by the surging wave of alien beasts.
Her Majesty Aimi stood by the porthole on the top floor of the Pompeloo, her face flickering in the light of the explosion of the heavy-armored command ship outside the window.
Gabrielle sensed the desperate pheromones of the Worm Queen in the air, mingled with a hint of unfamiliar, newly born Worm Queen pheromones. She knelt on the ground and begged, "Your Majesty Aimi, I beg you, I beg you... Please don't choose to lay eggs at this time... We need you, we need the Worm Queen..."
The insect mother can choose when to lay eggs. This is a single line of inheritance that the insect mother can choose independently.
"I am destined to be slaughtered." His Majesty Aimi's face was calm yet sad. "Only this child is the hope of the Zerg..."
"You all know what happened next," Gabriel said. "Her Majesty Amelia died while laying eggs, and Her Majesty Alyssa was stranded in another time and space. The First Legion rushed to the rescue and saved the Pompeii and part of the Third Legion. Sadly, Drake was the only one left of the Black Armor family."
Gabriel wiped his face and said, "It was my suggestion that the Third Legion be handed over to Drake. I thought this matter would be buried forever with the death of Her Majesty Aimi and Wolfe, and I decided to let this matter rot in my stomach..."
"But judging by Drake's madness, I'm afraid he knows about this too."
"He may feel that the Saint Hobel Palace owes the Black Armor family the position of a royal consort."
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