Chapter 2: Schemes Exposed

This was a typical Cultivation world and according to a cultivator's strength, stages were broadly divided into eight Realms: Body Refinement Realm, Qi Refining Realm, Qi Master Realm, Qi Grandmaster Realm, Qi Spirit Realm, Qi King Realm, Qi Emperor Realm, and Qi Saint Realm.

The King and the Queen, both of them were at Qi Emperor Realm, which is the peak strength of any powerhouse within Olen Continent. At their level, they could flatten a small city almost effortlessly, split open the skies and blast a mountain, literally! It was hard to imagine their strength and not be frightened.

For the past ten thousand years, there have been no signs of Qi Saint Realm cultivator. Some estimate that they've left for a different, powerful Continent while some argue their very existence.

In any case, this doesn't really affect Damien who's just a puny Body Refinement Realm cultivator. While he was studying Yin-Yang Harmony Scripture, trying to decipher it's 'mysteries', a person barged into his room unannounced. There were only a handful of people who has the guts or permission to do so, the rest would be executed unquestionably.

Damien glances towards the entrance of his chamber, and spots a onyx-coloured haired girl walking towards him impassively with short, elegant steps. The immediate noticeable part about her perfectly oval face were her grey-coloured eyes. They were bright, intelligent, regal and exuded faint haughtiness.

She was dressed in a meticulously designed white one-piece that emphasised her DD-cup breast. Her long and supple legs were up for display, easily capable of attracting one's attention and ensnaring one's soul.

She was Elvira Igurecia, the Crown Princess of Igurecia Kingdom! Damien wondered what she's doing here. For the past week, she has never shown herself in front of him. But since she was already here, he was not complaining.

"Seems like you're doing just fine, idiotic brother," Elvira says after giving Damien's body a thorough glance. A hint of enjoyment and mocking was hidden inside her tone.

Damien was currently laying on the bed. While the Elixir had healed his injuries, his strength had yet to return completely… at least that was the case until his cultivation increased twenty odd minutes ago. Right now, he was in a perfect condition. Elvira was oblivious to this fact.

Listening to her, Damien simply revealed a small smile. "You are here to check on me? Quite considerate of you. It's almost unimaginable to be blessed with a thoughtful sister like you."

The previous Damien was an arrogant and conceited individual with the dreams of grandeur, every word that escape his mouth was etched with limitless arrogance, so his current calm disposition inevitably caused Elvira's brows to furrow slightly.

The furrow remained only for a brief moment before easing naturally. She released a bright smile right after, her pearly teeth flashing. "Did I hit you too hard? Don't tell me you actually went insane? Or did losing your manhood finally made you reevaluate your past actions?" She viciously spat with a smiling face, her actions and words contrasting each other completely.

"I don't know about that. But… something did change after that incident, I suppose…" Damien replied easily, not minding her mocking as he stood up from the bed. A flash of surprise passed her eyes witnessing how effortlessly he stood up.

'Although I heard that the Queen fed him with 3th-Tier Elixir, but after getting beaten so thoroughly, he shouldn't be standing up for a month at the very least. Just what is going on here?' Elvira internally frowned.

"By the way my dear sister, did you happen to see Isla on the way here?" Damien questioned with a smile, not lingering on that topic any further. The moment he asked that question though, Elvira's eyes sharpened.

Isla was Damien's personal guard—an old woman at Qi King Realm. She was tasked to take care of his daily needs since his childhood under the instructions of King itself.

Incidentally, she took care of King in his childhood too, hence her loyalty was unquestionable. Even Queen gave Isla her support.

Damien knew the reason why Elvira's underwent a change when he mentioned Isla. While the whole story about that incident ten days ago seem to revolve around Damien's lusty nature overtaking him consciousness, the current Damien was doubtful.

His predecessor was lustful, that's for sure, but he knew his limits. Even the Young Misses he targeted belonged to weak noble houses or they were commoners. He wasn't foolish enough to saunter into Crown Princess's room at the night no matter what.

Something was amiss…

And that's when he figured it out. Isla was tasked for his everything—even the food he ate. Now suppose if Isla was working for Princess instead? Suppose if he was fed with some sort of extreme aphrodisiac and thrown into Princess's room involuntarily? Suppose if the whole scenario was a scheme conspired against Damian? Suppose…

"I… didn't see her. Do you want me to call her?" Elvira replied after a moment, mockingly denying the possibility of Damien discovering about her orchestration. Everything was perfectly laid out, how couldn't it be?

She had spent three years into defecting Isla onto her side steadily by giving her tons of benefits and promises.

After she was coronated and became the Queen of Igurecia, she'd grant Isla the title of a Duke and give her a chance to select whatever one item she want from Kingdom's treasury.

When the time arrived, Isla executed her task of feeding Damien the aphrodisiac wonderfully and her master plan played out without any hitch.

Although she understood that Queen would make things difficult for her from now on, but then again, when did she not? Adding to the fact that her mother was King's real love and her own potential in cultivation was manifesting in all its glory, King would definitely support her! He had to be! She was destined to sit on the throne, not this lustful and disgusting piece of shit!

Damien looked at Elvira and chuckled all of a sudden, adding mysteriously, "Heh… You don't have to, you wouldn't find her anymore."

Listening to his voice which seem to contain an undercurrent of amusement, Elvira eyes narrowed. A bad premonition entered her mind.

"What do you mean? Why can't I find her anymore?" Elvira still played dumb, she didn't dare believe that someone like Damien could figure it all out.

Damien didn't answer her. He went around the room and settled himself onto a luxurious couch. Lifting his amused eyes, he questioned instead, "Why do you think?"

"I have no idea," She responded calmly.

Seeing her calm face, Damien sneered viciously, revealing slowly while pouring himself some high class wine, "My mother came looking for me two days ago and you know what she found at that time?—Something very interesting. You know how she's a part of Illustrious Venom Palace, and especially sensitive at discovering the scent of some… questionable things.

"Well… she had found traces of a particularly strong type of aphrodisiac in my room."

Damien paused. Taking a leisure sip, he looked towards Elvira who wore a very grave expression at the moment and continued, "Now the question is what is an aphrodisiac doing in my room? I surely don't remember bringing it. That means… someone placed it here intentionally. I wonder what kind of perverted whore did it?"

He took a sip again, rotating it inside his mouth before gulping. "I don't need to remind you who's my caretaker, right? Isla is currently being confined by mother and she's probably on the brink of death.

"I don't need to remind you how serious mother gets when things involves me. I imagine the memory of that Duke Clan suddenly disappearing overnight five years ago wouldn't escape your intellectual mind.

"I wouldn't doubt if mother had already used some evil techniques on Isla to pry open her mind and discover her secrets…"

Elvira struggled to maintain her calm persona for a some time after listening to everything. She questioned hesitantly, "That seems… a bit excessive, isn't it?"

Damien shook his head calmly, and laughed. "Haha! How can it be excessive? Surely something is going on here. According to mother, the traces of aphrodisiac leads back to exactly ten days ago…" He looked at Elvira's pale countenance and scoffed amusedly. "You wouldn't happen to forget what happened ten days ago, right? How could you? It was a memorable day for both of us, after all."

Elvira looked at entertained Damian and gritted her teeth subtly, her breathing turning a bit uneven underneath the calm facade. How did this happen? How can Queen sniff that aphrodisiac out?! And from the looks he had been giving her and his behaviour of slowly revealing everything… he seems to be suspicious of her!

Obviously she knew of Queen's extraordinary senses and that's why her plan's success depended majorly on the Queen's absence.

Even if she has extraordinary senses, but finding the trace of an aphrodisiac from over a week ago? Is a Qi Emperor Realm cultivator that formidable?! Did she underestimated Queen's abilities?! Just imagining the consequences of Isla spilling everything, Elvira felt her blood running cold, a feeling of dread seeped under her skin.

She'll be ruined. No, she'll be killed! Queen is an absolute cold-blooded menace when it involves her son. She had once poisoned every member of a long established clan in this Kingdom decade ago simply because they were being suspected of Damien's unsuccessful assassination!

As for the consequence? None! She is THE Queen! But more importantly, she's the Vice Sect Master of one of the Four Major Sects! Even if Elvira were combine three nearby Kingdoms with Igurecia, their might wouldn't hold a candle against Illustrious Venom Palace who have excited for tens of thousands of years!

Hailing from such a mighty background, Queen's personality could broadly be described as cold and aloof, she rarely seems interesting in anything. However, whenever an incident is related to her son, she becomes hyperactive, not giving a flying fuck about anything in the path!