CHAPTER 120: A VISIT LONG AWAITED

Lady Emberg’s eyes widened ever so slightly as a soft chuckle escaped her lips. Her gaze blankly stared at the man, whose face remained serious and professional.

"I believe you’re new here... Knowing this place, a well-trained guard would not possess such a low IQ as yours," she spoke matter-of-factly, clearly amused. The fact that she wasn’t allowed in while her carriage was permitted past the gate almost made her laugh at the absurdity of the matter.

The carriage driver, who had noticed this, walked toward the carriage door and opened it. He entered and took out an envelope from inside. Holding it in his hands, he walked up to the guards and presented it to the man.

"Such disrespect—to not allow Lady Emberg in," he said, as the guard’s face fell slightly, though it quickly returned to its professional expression. He stared at the letter, which bore the castle’s name and address. He bowed as the door was pushed open, and the carriage driver immediately bowed to Lady Emberg.

"I apologize, Lady Emberg, about him. He is new. That’s why his uniform is red," the carriage driver explained.

Lady Emberg calmly clicked her tongue—just as she had initially thought.

"My apologies," the man bowed again respectfully. Lady Emberg knew he was only trying to do his job, and she couldn’t blame him. Not to mention, he was new, which made his actions understandable for a newcomer.

"Apology accepted," she muttered as she entered the castle and began walking down the corridor.

**

Zavren walked through the painting gallery—the one with the special paintings—as his calm eyes drifted over each piece. He pointed at a small one and spoke.

"Send that one downstairs, to the corridor.

"Yes, Your Majesty," Raven replied, noting it down. He kept walking beside Zavren, whose expression could be called neither cold nor happy. If only he knew what his king was thinking—even just a little—he would have been glad, but he didn’t.

"Your Majesty, I’m guessing Lady Emberg would be here by now," Raven suggested as they walked.

"Go and confirm. If she is, bring her here," Zavren said. Raven nodded calmly.

"Okay, Your Majesty. I’ll be taking my leave then."

He walked off, gently closing the door behind him. Zavren’s expression remained calm and controlled.

He walked toward a particular painting—it was a drawing. His thoughts ran deep as he stared at it, his eyes tracing every angle. After a moment, he turned to leave, just as the door opened and Lady Emberg entered. A small smile finally graced her lips.

She walked calmly toward the sofa at the center of the room, surrounded by walls filled with artwork. She sat down with grace.

Raven entered the room and quietly closed the door behind him. It had been a long time since he had last seen Lady Emberg. Seeing her again was quite surprising—she hadn’t even aged, despite all the time that had passed since their last meeting... or rather, since he had last seen her when she came here.

Lady Emberg’s eyes moved around the room as she stared at the paintings. A particular one caught her eye, but just when she was about to observe it more closely, Raven moved and pulled it out, placing it onto the rolling cart.

"Are you planning to discard that?" the lady asked curiously, raising a brow. Raven turned, bowed, and then spoke.

"His Majesty no longer wants them, so I’ll be taking them downstairs to hang them on the hallway walls."

"Oh, nonsense. I love that painting..." she shifted her gaze now, her voice rising ever so slightly. "Your Majesty?"

She turned to Zavren, who had been calm until now, and finally spoke.

"You wanting this gives me more reason to keep it. I know you don’t just get interested in something unless it has a deeper meaning you can see," Zavren’s cold voice rang out, as the lady chuckled.

"Oh, Your Majesty, why would you say such a thing? You know it just caught my attention," she replied. The painting was simply of rain hitting a dead plant. It wasn’t something most would find attractive, but for some unknown reason, she liked it.

"Raven," Zavren called, and Raven nodded, bowing.

"Package the painting. Lady Emberg will be taking it home."

A small smile graced Lady Emberg’s lips. She crossed her legs and then spoke.

"Your Majesty, I’m glad I finally visited. Congratulations—you’re now a father."

Zavren’s body stilled, his eyes widening slightly. Lady Emberg noticed the expression, and a knowing smile rested on her lips.

Zavren didn’t know why, but it suddenly hit him—he would now be called ’father.’ He was a father. His lips curled upward into a smirk as his eyes moved to a painting far ahead. What else did he want, when he had all he needed? He was a husband to a beautiful woman, and now a father.

"Your Highness, I was even wondering when you would finally visit me, but I realized you had a lot on your plate. It’s been months now, I must say... yet it already feels like years," she said softly.

Zavren walked toward the window and looked through it before speaking calmly.

"As we know, our mind is our greatest enemy. It is skilled at deceiving us," he said.

Lady Emberg nodded in agreement. She then asked calmly,

"About ’Beauty Is Pain’?"

Zavren’s expression remained unreadable.

"The painting has been settled. It’s already been moved for shipping," he replied.

Lady Emberg nodded, clearly surprised.

"Who would’ve thought that the painting we’d been searching for all these years was in Apenths, in the smallest village?" she said in disbelief.

That painting, Beauty Is Pain, had been searched for across the lands—only for it to be casually displayed in a small village auction.

"I would really love to meet your wife, but I know she’ll be needing rest now... I’ll just be staying for the night," she said as she stood calmly, walked to the door, and left. The door closed gently behind her.

Zavren’s eyes rested on a particular flower—the very one beneath which he had buried someone. His gaze gave nothing away, yet his head moved with calculated thoughts and plans.

Beauty Is Pain was not just a painting. That painting held a paper... and a powder.

A spell that could cause the Earth’s destruction.