Three Daughters of Elektra

Meanwhile, as predicted by Mithras, Honoria left the royal palace, about to enter her carriage when tongues of silver flames sparked from underneath her carriage, lighting it all on fire.

A silver fire bolt came from behind, smashing into Honoria with enough power to slice through all under Minor Expansion. 

With her current Sid level, Honoria could have dodged or destroyed the arrow. But fearing a trap and not wanting to risk exposure, the noble lady moved slightly to the left, making sure the arrow didn't touch her vitals, and gambling that the attacker wasn't aiming for her life. 

"AAAAAAARH!" The moment the arrow pierced through her flesh, a jolt of searing pain ripped through Honoria's veins, and with a shrill cry, she passed out on the ground. The nearby guards reacted the moment next, rushing to Honoria's aid. 

"Lady Honoria!" By the time the guards had reached the court attendant, the flames had vanished completely, with the carriage's ashes and Honoria's injury acting as the sole remainder of the previous assault. 

Two graceful women watched this from a distance, flying above the royal palace while keeping their eyes locked on Honoria.

On the left, Vel'Asha, and on the right, a white-haired beauty laced in a shroud of bright silver flames. She was the Queen of the Blood Smelting Kingdom: Elektra. 

"Queen Mother, are you satisfied?" 

"Not really. She might have taken the blow to prevent suspicion."

"You really think a 25-year-old noblewoman with a top 20 net worth and all life ahead of her would put her life on the line for an act?" Elektra asked with honest curiosity, making Vel'Asha shrug in response. 

"Depends on what she has to hide, and who she wants to protect. Although she can't tell who is attacking her and why, in the royal palace, only the royal family has the means to carry out sneak attacks, and Honoria knows me well enough to suspect I wouldn't let her off so easily." Vel'Asha countered, looking the ravishing Queen in the eyes, and smiling at her deadpan look. 

There was a saying in the Blood Smelting Kingdom that the previous Duke Elektra made a pact with Superior Beings, trading his male bloodline and his daughters' happiness for a peerless legacy. 

With no son and three daughters, the previous duke should have eventually lost control of his house to his brothers and nephews. But his daughters all turned out to be remarkable talents, helping him secure alliances that made him untouchable. 

The eldest became the queen of the nation, marrying Gaiseric and giving birth to his two children. But despite the powers and methods available to the royal family, the previous queen died while giving birth to her prodigious daughter, Celestia, who for reasons unknown, abandoned her royal privileges to take her mother's name. 

The second daughter, Cassandra, became the Duchess of Astalon but carried a cursed gene her elders had to seal to protect her from herself. 

The third daughter, Elektra, turned out to be the most terrifying, born with a first-class Inner Flame that helped her receive the training of the Red Cloud Theocracy. No one knew much about her, but the fact she was named Elektra was proof…that she was considered the most powerful woman in the history of House Elektra. 

All generations combined, she was still number one.

A woman of that caliber could have become a Headmistress or Grand Priestess of the various theocracies. But for reasons unknown, following her eldest sister's tragic death, the Red Cloud Theocracy allowed Elektra to return to the Blood Smelting Kingdom and marry Gaiseric as the new queen. 

The royal family didn't invite anyone to the ceremony. And 18 years later, the new queen had yet to make a single official appearance. Some even doubted that she lived in the royal palace—something that wouldn't be surprising considering the Queen was a Selfless Guru. 

"Gurus seek the end of sufferings and the achievement of eternal bliss. But on that path, they split into two, the Selfless Gurus, who sever the emotions and desires that could lead them to pain, and the Ero Gurus, who indulge in all that brings them pleasure while trying to maintain a balanced state of mind. This doesn't mean that Ero Gurus are all driven by lewd desires. Power lust, murder lust, lover lust, as long as lust and pleasure guide their path, they are Ero Gurus.

Likewise, Selfless Gurus are not all emotionless husks. 

Your eldest sister was an Ero Guru, living for passion, and it drove her to her death. And if I'm right, after tasting that Mithras youth, Honoria also became an Ero Guru—meaning that once her body recognizes that boy as its main source of pleasure and balance, she will become addicted to keeping him safe.

Shame, I had great hopes for her. Then again, it might be for the best. Life would be so dull if all the women around me were like you. 

Elektra, I miss your sister," Vel'Asha said with a mellow smile, a trace of sadness flashing through her eyes as she remembered the previous queen. 

On the contrary, the moment Vel'Asha mentioned her sister, Queen Elektra's eyes turned red, with a flurry of white tails sprouting at her back. 

"The House of Uriah has no right to mention my sister. 

Queen Mother, I only helped you because you said that girl's secrets could help speed up my Inner Meditation and control my ability. But her only noticeable secret is her connection to that thing—aka, you've just wasted my time. 

For your son's sake, let's hope you never repeat that mistake," Elektra said, and vanished in a burst of silver flames—leaving the Queen Mother to watch Honoria from a distance. 

"The junior generation can be so impatient. At least hide your killing intent. You will scare the birds." Unfazed by Elektra's words, Vel'Asha shook her head, turning into particles of dust as she shadowed Honoria. 

The sneak attack became Vel'Asha's excuse to keep Honoria in the royal palace till the wedding ceremony. The ladies of House Astalon had a different opinion, threatening to sue the royal family if they didn't let them train Honoria for the ceremony, as per tradition.

Allergic to scandals, Vel'Asha caved in, returning Honoria, but still tracking her and the Astalon from the shadows.

The Queen Mother would later realize that, too focused on the exchanges between Cassandra and her chief attendant, she had stopped monitoring the royal palace, unable to foresee the disaster that was about to befall the nation. 

But by the time Vel'Asha realized her mistake, it was too late.