Chapter 82: Chapter 82: The Witch Asked Me to Give You a Message

"..."

Calvin squinted, his eyes fixed on the Queen.

"My apologies. It seems I was too forward."

After a few seconds of silence, he let out a soft chuckle.

"Sianna, I’m sure you understand how passionate my feelings for you are... The Stag Kingdom is small and remote. The reason I’m willing to stay here and give you my precious ’Spring Technology’ is to express my sincerity and my love."

"I know."

Sianna turned away, her tone calm.

"That is precisely why I agreed to the marriage."

"Since you aren’t ready, I will take my leave."

With that, the man bowed, his hand over his chest, then turned to leave.

But he paused briefly before walking out the door.

He tilted his head slightly, his deep voice carrying back:

"Good night, my Queen. I hope you won’t be so cold to me on our wedding night."

Then, he strode away.

THUD.

Sianna let out a quiet sigh of relief.

At the same time, the sadness in her heart deepened.

Barefoot, she paced to the window, resting one hand on the sill and the other on her forehead.

Even as the Queen of a nation, Sianna felt her life was not her own. Countless invisible pressures weighed on her, making her feel as though she were trapped in a cage.

’Isabella, what should I do?’

Sianna murmured.

’Is there anyone who can help me?’

"I can help you."

Just then, a strange man’s voice sounded out, so close it made Sianna jump.

"Ah!"

She snapped her head up and saw a young, dark-haired man sitting on the edge of her windowsill.

The night wind had blown off the young man’s hat, and his hair and black satin Cloak billowed. The moon was at his back, making his entire form seem to glow.

"You..."

Sianna’s pupils contracted.

"An assassin?!"

She spun around, opening her mouth to scream while reaching for the jeweled dagger on the table.

But in the next second, she felt a firm chest press against her back. A large, warm hand clamped over her mouth, and the hand she had raised was caught firmly in his other.

He held her completely in his embrace.

She couldn’t move a muscle!

"Mmph!!"

Sianna struggled relentlessly, a mixture of shame and fury coursing through her.

But the man’s hands and arms were like iron, and she couldn’t budge them in the slightest.

"Shh." A gentle voice came from behind her. "Her Majesty the Queen, I am no assassin, and I mean you no harm... But to meet with you alone without Calvin knowing, I was forced to resort to such a discourteous method. I hope you don’t mind."

"..."

Sianna’s gaze was icy.

’Not mind?’

’How could I possibly not mind?!’

’First Calvin, and now this stranger. What do they take my private chambers for, a place anyone can just walk into?!’

’And what’s more, for me, the Stag Queen, to be held in such a shameful embrace...’

Her breathing grew ragged, her heart filled with rage.

"I know the true cause of your father’s death. He was murdered..." the man behind her said softly.

"?!"

Sianna froze.

She stood motionless, as if struck by lightning.

"My time is short. Please, be rational so that I can tell you the truth."

’Rational?’

’How do you expect me to be rational?!’

Sianna was agitated, but she ultimately suppressed her shame and anger, giving a heavy grunt of affirmation. Since he hadn’t made any further offensive moves, she decided to see what this person truly intended.

Wang Xi released her from his embrace.

He took half a step back, bowed slightly, and performed the same hand-over-chest salute for Queen Sianna—positioning himself just so the moonlight from the window would illuminate his handsome face.

This allowed her to clearly see his sincere expression.

"Please allow me to introduce myself."

Wang Xi lowered his eyes and said softly.

"I am a peace envoy from the Magic Forest, Gai Farrell of Randall."

"An envoy from the Magic Forest?"

Queen Sianna’s lovely brows furrowed. As if recalling something, her pupils contracted.

"I’ve heard of you. A bloodthirsty, brain-eating, brutal Warlock... I never thought you’d become a running dog for those wicked Witches!"

"..."

Wang Xi was silent for two seconds, then shook his head with a faint smile.

"Rumors die with the wise. I had originally thought the Stag Queen would be a shrewd leader, but I see now you’re just a little girl who believes everything she hears, with no mind of her own."

"No wonder you’ve been completely taken in by a second-rate swindler like Calvin."

"You..." Sianna took a deep breath, pressing her lips together. "What do you mean?"

"I only mean to say, Her Majesty the Queen,"

Wang Xi straightened up, walked over to the window, and gazed at the bright moon outside as he spoke coolly:

"You are like a butterfly trapped in amber, your perception of the outside world has become muddled."

"Calvin is no prince of the Clockwork Kingdom. He’s just a common thug who nearly starved to death on the streets... a traitor who abandoned his benefactor and stole his teacher’s research."

"And you haven’t even noticed his ambition. Calvin wants to use you and the Kingdom’s power to build a Mechanical Puppet Legion for himself... and those Court Ministers have long since been bought."

He laid out the truth of the matter.

Queen Sianna’s brows knitted tightly. She said coldly,

"Why should I believe you?"

Wang Xi turned and looked at her calmly.

Then, he took out the written confessions, ledgers, and testimonies of Minister Ando and Coinage Officer Dick, presenting them to Sianna.

"Take a look at this."

"..."

Sianna silently took the documents and began to read.

After a short while of reading, her expression grew increasingly grim.

"Damned traitors! Parasites!"

"And this."

Wang Xi produced a pale purple gear and placed it in the Queen’s hand.

"This is a back door Calvin installed in the Mechanical Dolls. In reality, he holds the highest authority over all of them... With the Court Ministers and the Mechanical Puppet Legion on his side, what authority does that leave you, the Queen?"

Hearing this, a chill ran down Sianna’s spine.

Her breathing quickened, and her fingers tightened, unconsciously wrinkling the parchment and ledgers.

"You... you said just now that my father’s death was a murder." Sianna’s head snapped up. "Who killed him?!"

Wang Xi didn’t answer.

He simply took out another glass vial, the size of a finger, filled with a deep black liquid.

"This is water from the Black Lake in the Magic Forest. That lake was tainted by a mysterious power. Any Demon that drinks its water turns into a savage, bloodthirsty creature."

"Are you saying...?" Sianna stared blankly at the vial in his hand. "My father drank this water, and that’s why he was suddenly struck by that terrible illness..."

"Yes. That lake is forbidden in the Magic Forest. The Witches have tried to eliminate it, but to no avail."

Wang Xi explained in a steady tone.

"Calvin exploited this lack of information to frame them for your father’s death, thereby inciting hatred between the Kingdom and the Magic Forest."

"What proof do you have—"

Sianna’s mind was in turmoil, her voice slightly hoarse.

But before she could finish, another piece of parchment appeared before her. The dark-haired young man continued:

"These are the memoirs of Pharmacist Marco. They document your father’s various symptoms and the hidden details of his illness from two years ago. And, of course, the matter of his teacher being secretly executed by Calvin..."

"?!"

Sianna’s hands trembled as she took the parchment and read it carefully.

Her expression became one of disbelief.

Although she couldn’t be one hundred percent certain that the evidence the young man showed her was the truth, in her heart, Sianna already had the answer.

’Yes...’

’This was all Calvin’s conspiracy.’

’He killed my father just so he could better use me to incite hatred between the Kingdom and the Magic Forest.’

’And I was just a puppet in his hands, completely oblivious... Ah, how foolish. To think I was about to marry my father’s murderer and nearly hand over the entire kingdom as a dowry.’

Queen Sianna staggered back and collapsed onto the edge of her bed. Her face was a mask of despair, her small hands clenched into fists.

"Your Majesty, the Witches asked me to deliver a message."

Wang Xi stood in the moonlight, tilting his head as he spoke coolly:

"They once lived in peace with the Kingdom, but they have grown weary of Calvin’s constant provocations. The Magic Forest has been heavily deforested and polluted, and the Demons are dying one after another..."

"On behalf of the Magic Forest, they have declared war on the Kingdom, vowing to raze all of Daphne to the ground."

"?!"

Sianna’s head snapped up, her eyes wide with shock.

"You... you’re a human. Why are you working for the Witches?"

"It is precisely because I am human that I was willing to take this great risk to come and tell you the truth."

Wang Xi said with a sigh.

"The Kingdom and the Magic Forest once coexisted peacefully, but an ambitious man who fled here has instigated a feud to the death between them."

"I don’t wish to see the innocent people of the Royal Capital die needlessly, nor do I want to see the tranquil Magic Forest laid to waste."

"Your Majesty, I truly understand your position. You must endure the humiliation of this marriage while guarding against the betrayal of your ministers. Isn’t it all for the sake of peace in the Kingdom, so your people can live and work in contentment?"

Wang Xi took a step forward, gazing at the trembling Queen, and said in a low voice:

"But has Your Majesty ever considered—"

"When you are forced to share a bed with your father’s murderer, how can your father’s soul ever rest in peace?"

"When you believe that Magic Technology can eliminate the threat of the Magic Forest, Calvin has already used that tiny gear to hang a sword over your neck."

"When you lie awake at night worrying about the financial deficit, your most trusted Coinage Officer and Minister are smelting silver ore into gleaming Silver Coins, only to line Calvin’s pockets."

"Your Majesty, are you willing to be a puppet on a string?"

"Are you willing to let that murderer wear the fine robes of a prince consort, to let loyal officials and generals devolve into corrupt maggots, to let the pure streams of the Magic Forest be stained with the blood of Daphne’s people?"

Every word he spoke was like a heavy hammer striking Sianna’s heart, leaving her breathless.

Wang Xi had now reached the Queen.

He knelt on one knee in the moonlight, performing a Knight’s salute.

Under Sianna’s stunned gaze, he gently took one of her hands and, bowing his head, said:

"I am not just a messenger for the Witches, Your Majesty. I am your messenger as well."

"If you just nod your head, then before dawn, Daphne will be free of the Witches’ threat, the treacherous ministers, the wicked schemer, and... a Queen forced to wear a wedding ring."

"Because I will help you."

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