"What? You don't dare?" Leo asked provocatively.
Samus lifted his eyes to meet his gaze, his eyes blazing with cold fire.
With his S-class abilities and his venom, he might not be unable to fight him.
A terrifying aura emanated from him.
Wisps of black energy escaped from his fingertips, which were hanging under the table, and swirled along his wrist.
Leo didn't see the black aura, but his heart skipped a beat for no reason.
What happened?
Why did he feel a chill run down his spine?
Leo gripped the hilt of his sword, glancing at Samus with a mixture of surprise and uncertainty.
How could that be...
Would he be afraid of an A-rank orc?
It's ridiculous!
He put on a cold, hard expression again, but his fingers tightened their grip on the sword hilt.
Samus was about to get up.
A soft, boneless hand reached out from under the table and gently but firmly grasped his hand.
Samus froze.
The black aura suddenly lost its murderous intent.
He pressed his hand against her fair wrist, which exuded the fragrance of gardenias, and gently entwined and caressed it.
Samus turned his head and met Shen Zhiyi's eyes, which were calmly smiling.
He moved his fingertips, but her hand slipped between his fingers, their fingers intertwined, and she gently and softly held him.
Her thumb even deliberately traced the horizontal lines on his palm.
It triggered a tingling, electric current.
Samus's Adam's apple bobbed.
He gripped her tightly with his large hand, like a shackle, holding her firmly in his own.
Shen Zhiyi slightly curled her lips, turned her head, suppressed her smile, and said calmly to Leo, "Colonel, you dared to provoke my beast husband at my victory celebration banquet. Do you not take me seriously?"
"When did it become your place to lecture my people?"
Her words weren't harsh.
Leo swayed as if he had been pierced by an arrow.
“Princess…” He stared at her in disbelief, his heart aching, “That’s not what I meant…”
She's protecting that black snake?
In front of so many people, they'd rather offend the Astoria family and disregard the dignity of an Imperial Colonel than protect a lowly black snake?!
Leo was a little out of breath.
"That's not what I meant?" Shen Zhiyi raised her eyebrows.
"So you're deliberately trying to annoy me?"
She raised her voice and said, word by word, "Semus is my contracted beast husband. No matter what he was like in the past, his life is now tied to mine."
"Anyone who dares to be disrespectful to him is disrespectful to this princess."
"The majesty of the royal family is not to be trifled with!"
Her gaze slowly swept over everyone in the hall, carrying an undeniable aura of power.
Everyone was stunned.
The eldest princess recently ordered that Samus be imprisoned in the dungeon and tortured.
Now they're actually defending him like this in public.
Was she bewitched by that black snake?
Many nobles secretly shook their heads.
How could the princess rebuke Colonel Leo on behalf of such a lowly and incompetent beast?
This is absolutely outrageous.
The queen secretly took in their disappointed expressions, feeling smug inside.
Shen Zhiyi has lifted a stone only to drop it on her own foot.
That saves her the trouble of taking action.
Samus lowered his gaze, staring blankly at the wine glass in front of him.
The amber-colored liquor refracted layers of shimmering light under the crystal chandelier.
He seemed to see Shen Zhiyi's reflection.
Ripples spread across my heart.
She was protecting him...
Even if it damages the nobles' trust in her, she is still willing to protect him...
The suffering he endured in prison and her current act of protecting him were two intertwined storms in Samus's heart, fiercely intertwined.
He felt the warmth emanating from her palm.
I could hear the slow, heavy heartbeat in my chest.
The blood flow gradually increases.
A strong impulse suddenly rose in Samus's heart.
The urge to hug her, even kiss her...
He snapped his fingers.
He pressed his fingertips against her soft, smooth skin.
I couldn't resist stroking it a little.
Shen Zhiyi paused, pulled him to his feet, and nodded expressionlessly to the Queen, "Mother, we shall take our leave now."
She led Samus through the crowd and out of the banquet hall.
Leo stared at their retreating figures, then sat down in a daze.
He stood there stunned for a long time.
His eyes flashed with intense anger, and he turned to Shen Xiya, saying, "The Second Princess is right. I underestimated that black snake."
Samus's greatest threat is not force.
Rather, it was her position in the eldest princess's heart.
He underestimated him.
Shen Xiya lowered her voice, excitedly asking, "The Colonel is willing to consider my previous proposal?"
Together with her, we will destroy Samus.
Leo nodded, a murderous glint flashing in his green eyes. "But we can't make it that obvious."
He would devise a way to sow discord between Samus and the eldest princess.
Once their relationship breaks down and they lose trust in each other, he will wait for the right moment to strike and kill that troublesome black snake!
At that time, the princess will surely not blame him anymore...
...
Outside the banquet hall.
Shen Zhiyi pulled Samus to a secluded spot and let go of his hand.
You don't need to pay attention to what they just said.
She heard more or less of the nobles' discussions.
He must have heard quite a bit.
She stared at his pale face and said gently, "If you haven't eaten enough, we can have a meal together when we get back to the palace."
"Why?" Samus looked up. "Why would the princess be willing to clash with those people to speak up for me?"
He wanted to ask her.
Are they preventing him from dueling with Leo because they're worried about his safety?
Her situation was already so difficult, why would she rather offend those nobles than stand on his side?
This chapter is not finished yet. Please click on the next page to continue reading the exciting content!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
