Third Queen

Kai felt his face start to turn red once more from the fact Anastasia had gotten so close. Seriously, Kai just could not wrap his head around the woman. She was unpredictable, doing whatever she pleased with no remorse for poor old Kai.

And in reality, he had only read the first 2 pages of the book, even though there had had to be over 300.

"Ah, I started it, but didn't get far in. It was... definitely interesting, I didn't realise that you had such a... unique taste."

Anastasia tilted her head slightly, an innocent smile on her pretty face.

"Unique taste? Why, what do you mean. I had assumed that you would like to read up on the theory of Mana, the ways in which in can be applied and such."

Kai froze, his gaze following Anastasia, who had stopped walking a couple of seconds after him.

"Theory of... Mana?"

Anastasia nodded while raising a hand up to her chin.

"Yes, that is the book I got the maid to leave you."

Kai's blush intensified even more.

"I see."

Anastasia gazed at Kai, confused, wondering why he was acting like this. Her eyes narrowed slightly as she fell deep into thought, and not even a second later, a look of realisation dawned on her.

When she had told the maid to deliver the book to Kai's room, there had been two books on the table.

One called Basics of Mana, and the other called...

"Oh my." Anastasia exclaimed, a look of shock on her face. She then laughed softly as she took a few steps towards Kai.

"I'll have to apologise, that was my mistake. I did not mean to leave you... that book, no, that one is for my personal collection. For my... hidden desires, so to speak. I'll have the one about Mana delivered to you tonight."

Kai sighed in relief. He was thankful that it was all a mistake and that Anastasia was not trying to get him to read smut.

...However, that also meant that Anastasia herself was in fact reading it.

"It's fine." Kak shrugged. "I'm sure that everyone has their own hidden desires."

"Oh really?" Anastasia smiled slyly. "Then tell me Kai, what's your hidden desire."

Kai inwardly cursed, having realised he had fallen right into her trap. At this point, he couldn't even make out if she was lying about the fact the smut book was a mistake or she had intentionally left it in her room.

"Well, I don't really have one." Kai said, trying to weasel himself out of the situation.

Anastasia pouted slightly, making Kai's heart ache for a split second before he composed himself.

"Don't be like that, it's not like I'll tell anyone, it's so lonely being in this castle all the time."

Feeling a little guilty, Kai was just about to say something that could be considered an answer, but he frowned after noticing something she had said.

"Lonely? Actually, now that I think about it, isn't there two other Queens? How come they weren't at breakfast."

Anastasia sighed softly, touching the waist of her dress as she began to speak.

"The second Queen is rather reclusive, she rarely ever leaves her room, and when she does, it's only to see Castillian. I don't really know what's up with her, but her and I never really got along. After all, it was only a month after mine and Castillian's own marriage when he went and got a second wife."

Kai noticed that Anastasia kind of spat out those last few words, making Kai wonder if he was imagining things. Why did it almost sound as if she was... bitter?

"As for the third Queen? Well, she came along a couple of centuries after the second Queen and I, so she never really had any sort of standing in the city.

To be honest, since I cannot produce children, and since the second Queen had openly expressed her desire that she did not wish to, Castillian only brought in a new woman to continue his bloodline.

But that plan didn't end up working as-"

While Kai had just been thinking about the fact that Anastasia had said that the third Queen came along a couple of centuries after her, meaning she herself was a couple of centuries old, Anastasia quickly stopped speaking as she gazed in front of her, an amused smile forming on her face.

Kai, who had mainly been focused on Anastasia's smile the whole time, quickly caught himself and followed to what she was looking at.

"That is her there, the third Queen of this city."

The woman who had just come around the corner was shorter than the others that Kai had seen. Rather than being a fair bit taller than him, she was only a little taller than him.

The third Queen had dark black hair that flowed down her back, reaching her waist and covering the back of her clothing.

She also had green eyes, the type that Kai thought he would get lost in if he stared into them for too long.

Oh, and did he forget to mention that she was outrageously pretty?

She looked no older than 22, but Anastasia had said just there that she came along a few centuries after her and the second Queen, meaning Kai had no idea how many centuries had come after that.

She was wearing a rather plain dress, which surprised Kai. Everything that he had seen Anastasia wear was always extravagant and eye catching. Even though he had only seen her in two dresses, he was still a little surpised to see a Queen in such clothing.

To be honest, maybe he was being generous by calling it a dress. While it's colour was rather pretty, it was more of a bath robe than a dress. It hung loosely off her body, not really giving the black haired woman the appearance of a Queen.

Both Anastasia and Kai watched as she turned the corner, walking rather absent-mindedly, as if she didn't even have a destination in mind.

It was only then that the third Queen noticed Kai and Anastasia watching her. In response, she straightened her back, tapped the golden charm that was attached to her basic dress and bowed slightly towards Anastasia.

"I greet Her Majesty."

Anastasia lifted a hand up to her mouth, touching her lips with a finger as she failed to hide an amused smirk.

"Dear, what have I told you? We are all one with His Majesty, so there is no need to be so formal."

Kai just let the conversation play out, not really having a reason to talk.

He had also noticed that Anastasia had started calling the King His Majesty, switching from calling him Castillian while she was walking with Kai.

The third Queen did not lift her head before answering.

"Even if we all are, you are obviously superior as you came first."

The smirk on Anastasia's face grew slightly wider.

"Well, I suppose that you are correct. Still, I would appreciate it if you lift your head."

The third Queen did as she was told and lifted her head, a polite expression on her face.

However, Kai was a little surprised when Anastasia spoke again.

"Are you not going to greet our guest here?"

Blankly, the third Queen turned towards Kai and bowed, but Kai frowned slightly. The way her body was position, why did it almost seem as if she was... scared of him?

"Forgive my impoliteness, I greet the honoured guest."

Kai got a little flustered by the sudden apology, its not like there had been any need for it, so he quickly shook his head and said:

"It's fine, don't worry about it. And, nice to meet you too."

After finishing speaking, the conversation basically died. Kai thought to himself that he would definitely be able to hear a pin drop in all the silence.

However, a few seconds later, the third Queen broke that silence.

"I shall leave you two to go about your business, please excuse me."

Anastasia nodded, and the third Queen quickly left after that.

Anastasia let out a soft sigh as she shook her head solemnly, making Kai turn to look at her and wonder why she did.

"Poor thing, it must be tough for her."

Kai frowned slightly.

"Why?"

Anastasia lightly tapped her cheek before responding.

"As I was saying earlier, she was brought in to bear Castillian's children. The wedding had already been complete as is law here that one cannot bear children without being married.

However, whoever picked her out to bear his seed did not find out enough information about her.

You see, Castillian wants a strong child, a proud one who will one day take over from him.

But to do that, you would also need a strong mother, and the third Queen is the complete opposite of that.

Turns out, she had been cursed by some unknown being. She can't level up, gain new skills, she doesn't even posses an Innate Ability, meaning, Castillian had to give up on his idea of producing an heir with her.

Tis a shame, she is pretty enough that the child would have been quite adorable."

Kai listened silently, thinking to himself about certain aspects of that.

She had been cursed? How did she even get cursed? And not having an Innate Ability, was that really that bad?

But the way Anastasia had said it, it was almost like an Innate Ability was essential.

"Do you have an Innate Ability?" Kai asked as he glanced back up at her.

"I do." Anastasia answered, not bothering to elaborate.

It was then that Kai realised that she was not willing to answer anything that personal about herself, making him wonder what her Innate Ability could possibly be.