Viper Among The Wolves

'The character description of this man about being the most beautiful guy in the continent did give him justice.' While watching the ethereal-looking prince stride toward the crown prince's receiving area, Yuri thought.

Yuri nonchalantly sipped her favorite Oolong Tea, not minding the imposing fourth prince standing a good two meters away from her seat. Even in the modern era's monarchy, it was customary to greet the host upon visiting, especially if the host was higher in rank. But the pompous good-looking prince remained passive in front of her, so Yuri pretended to enjoy her tea – ignoring the standing prince in the process.

Prince Hyan cleared his throat.

Only then Yuri pretended to gasp as if she was shocked by the prince's presence before her. "Oh my!" She placed her left hand atop her heart. "I didn't notice the prince. Forgive this crown princess, your highness. This princess is tired that I failed to hear your greetings." Putting down the teacup on the table gracefully, Yuri stood up.

"Blessings to the Empire's star, Prince Hyan Rezenia Bezarius." With only a flimsy robe covering her fresh bath body, Yuri curtsied in front of the standing prince. Her wet, one-of-a-kind black hair followed her move as her cleavage peeked at the prince. "Please, have a seat."

Her words were meant to stab the prince's lack of courtesy. But the scumbag only gave her his usual faked smile as he followed her greetings. "Blessings to the Empire's flower, Crown Princess Ivynia Ilorde Rosehil."

Yuri returned his smile with equal fervent. "To what do I owe the pleasure of your sudden visit, Your Highness?"

'You saw something last night, right? You planned to sabotage the dinner between the crown prince and the crown princess, but Crown Prince Leonedas removed all the servants and knights because of me. So you changed your plan and brought the emperor to the crown prince's palace – to witness the empire's future in a compromising situation. You wanted the crown prince to lose his face in front of the emperor and probably kicked me out in the process – only I stopped your plan again.' Yuri thought solemnly while taking her sweet time brewing a tea herself instead of calling Riza. After all, Riza had some errands to do.

"Please have some Oolong Tea, Your Highness." The wretched sweetness of her voice dripped like venom.

Upon receiving her tea, the fourth prince held the teacup and stared at it for a while. Amidst this blatant insult, Yuri remained calm and maintained her sweet façade in front of the double-face devil in front of her. "The reason why I dared to disturb the Crown Princess Ivynia's rest is due to my curiosity and fear," the fourth prince began. "I remembered our fated meeting in Sunflower Garden. Though I do not understand your words, I fear I somehow offended the crown princess." Worry etched upon his beautiful face, but the coldness behind his cerulean eyes gave him away for Yuri. For someone who lived her past life with deception and malice around her, Yuri came to learn how to read someone's intent no matter what façade was laden between them.

Yuri decided to throw her façade away, seeing she could not benefit by standing firm on her act. With a devil like the fourth prince, Prince Hyan, she needed to face him head-on. Thus, she laughed in hysteria – completely throwing him off. In her peripheral vision, she saw his eyes widen with wonder and curiosity before his pretty face turned sour.

Her mocking laugh continued, and it almost made her spill her tea. Oops!

But her mocking laugh suddenly stopped, her once sweet smile turned into a wicked grin, and he innocent eyes became sinister – it was as if someone else possessed the sweet and meek crown princess. "Pardon my vulgar reaction, your highness. I find it tedious, you know, speaking in a roundabout way. It takes time and energy to pretend to be something you are not. Don't you agree, your highness?"

Prince Hyan accepted her provocation. His once gentle façade turned cold as if what she saw earlier was a mere illusion. His eyes held no bullshit sense – the eyes of a cold-blooded killer. He was the kind of guy who would kill without staining his hands for his ambitions and desires. People like him were easy to read for Yuri. After all, she always dealt with them back in her past life.

The reality of crushing someone's expectations always brought joy to Yuri. Her grin widened as she watched him lament his expectation of fooling her.

'Such a novice.' Yuri thought while grinning like a Cheshire cat behind her cup of tea.

"Seeing how lively the crown princess is, I believe she forgot her act of treason last night?" Crossing his legs, Prince Hyan put his teacup on the table, his eyes never leaving hers as if he were waiting for her to crack.

'And he finally strikes!'

Yuri placed her finger on her chin as if she was thinking dumbly before answering Prince Hyan with a sick grin. "Oh, you mean when I drugged the crown prince? What of it?"

'You want to blackmail me? You are too early, my dear prince. Come back to me when we are in the modern era where cellular phones and CCTVs run amok.' Yuri mocked internally while waiting for the fourth prince's comeback.

"This matter will reach father emperor." Prince Hyan stood up; displeasure was written on his face upon not hearing what he expected to hear from her. He probably thought that she would beg him, thus, giving him the leverage to control the future empress of the empire.

"May the goddess bless you, your highness. After all, who would the emperor believe? His fourth son, who was peeping at his brother's copulation or his crown prince, who remembered every steamy detail of that night?" Yuri nonchalantly waved her hand to the fourth prince, who was about to leave but stopped midway after hearing her.

'That's the power of my chemistry knowledge, ha! I put that hallucination as a safety net, you dumb scumbag.' Yuri thought upon witnessing Prince Hyan's face darkening.

"A viper like you does not belong in the Imperial Palace or the Imperial Court. You will not be able to hide your stench forever, Lady Rosehil." His blatant disrespect and threat pricked Yuri.

'I am a viper in a wolf's den. So before you crush me with your claws, I will poison you one by one.' Yuri promised in her mind. Seeing she remained speechless, Prince Hyan took at his first win between them. The cruel grin resurfaced on his lovely face as he turned his back on her – not minding the lack of courtesy.

She replied after shrugging his threats, watching him as he was about to open the double doors. "I notice something quite curious. You did not like the bitter taste of Oolong Tea, Your Highness. Is it because you preferred the sweet-savory flavor of Chamomile tea?"

The malice dripped from her voice, her eyes laughing with wickedness as she watched him tense. After all, Lady Amina loved Chamomile Tea to the bones.