When her elder sister entered the room, Die Feidan showed no sign of panic. Instead, she smiled and said,
"Sis, come over here! Doesn't this robe look great on Chen Mo?"
Upon hearing that, Queen Medusa's face immediately darkened as she walked over. Her steps, however, seemed a bit stiff, as if she were injured.
Die's expression changed at once, and she asked with concern,
"Sis, what happened to your leg? Are you okay?"
Queen Medusa shot a glare at Chen Mo, then replied curtly,
As she spoke, her gaze drifted to Chen Mo's white robe. The craftsmanship was exquisite, and it fit him perfectly, accentuating his tall, lean figure.
Her brow furrowed as she asked Die,
"Yep!" Die nodded proudly and beamed. "How is it, Sis? Not bad, right?"
"The design is nice... but it's a bit tight," Queen Medusa commented, her eyes shifting to Chen Mo. "Isn't that right?"
"Eh? Too small?" Die turned her eyes to Chen Mo as well.
Feeling the burning gazes of both sisters locked onto him, Chen Mo became increasingly uneasy.
Are you two trying to kill me here?!
"I think it fits just fine," he replied stiffly.
After all, Die had poured her heart into this robe, spending dozens of nights carefully sewing it by hand. Chen Mo already felt guilty toward her—he couldn't just side with the queen now.
Queen Medusa's five fingers clenched into a fist, a glint of danger flashing in her phoenix-like eyes.
Die, on the other hand, was overjoyed.
"If that's the case, then I'll make you another one—so you'll have one to change into!"
"Actually, that might be too much trouble..."
Hearing Queen Medusa's cold snort, Chen Mo quickly changed his tone.
Die pouted in displeasure.
"Sis, what are you doing? I'm just making him a robe, that's all."
"I didn't say anything," Queen Medusa replied flatly. "My throat's just a little sore. I coughed, that's all." She let out a deliberate cough and sat down on a nearby stool.
As her skirt shifted, a pair of long, radiant white legs came fully into view—right in front of Chen Mo's eyes.
She even crossed one over the other, her eyes flickering with cold intent as she glanced between Die and Chen Mo. She hesitated for a moment, uncertain whether to speak.
Die furrowed her brows and asked,
"Sis, aren't you going to handle state affairs today?"
That question seemed to push Queen Medusa to a decision. She stood up and said,
"Die, come outside with me. I have something to tell you."
Chen Mo began coughing violently out of sheer panic and quickly interjected,
"Your Majesty, I—I also have something to say to you!"
"Whatever it is, you can tell me later. Die, come with me." With that, Queen Medusa turned and walked out of the hall.
"I'll go see what Sis wants. I'll be right back."
Before Chen Mo could finish, Die had already followed Queen Medusa out.
Chen Mo pressed a hand to his forehead.
The queen's really going to lay everything bare for Die...
In Queen Medusa's private chamber...
The heavy doors were shut tight.
As soon as they closed, Queen Medusa spoke.
"Die... I owe you an apology."
Die was stunned. She didn't understand where this was coming from. If anyone needed to apologize, it should be her. After all, she'd been the one troubling her sister for some time now—especially by asking her to look after Chen Mo.
If Queen Medusa hadn't protected him, the Grand Elders might have already done something terrible to him.
"Sis, you don't owe me anything. If anything, I owe you."
"No... I do." Queen Medusa suddenly stepped forward and placed her hand on Die's delicate shoulder. Her white teeth bit down on her red lips as she asked,
"Do you... really like Chen Mo?"
Die froze at first, then lit up with joy. She thought her sister had come around, that she was finally going to bless their relationship. So she answered earnestly,
"Yes, Sis. I truly love him. I feel like I can't live without him. Maybe you don't see him the same way I do, but he's not like other humans—he's kind, and without him, I probably would've died long ago..."
She poured out all the feelings she had buried deep in her heart.
Queen Medusa, who had already made up her mind, began to waver once more. Her lips, already bitten raw, trembled as she asked,
"If I were to separate you from Chen Mo... would you hate me?"
Die hesitated, then shook her head.
"No. Sis, both you and Chen Mo are the most important people in my life. I don't want to lose either of you.
You've already carried too much for me. Even if you really forced us apart, I would never hate you. It's just..."
"Just what?" Queen Medusa asked urgently.
"It's just... in that case, I might leave you behind and go with Chen Mo. If you tried to stop me..."
Maybe the topic had gotten too heavy. Or maybe Die hadn't fully thought through what she'd do if it really came to that. She smiled faintly and added,
"Sis, don't you think it'd be wonderful if I could live with the two people I love most in the world, and never be separated from either of you?"
"No... That's not possible. We carry the noble bloodline of the Medusa. How could two sisters possibly—"
"Hm? What are you saying, Sis?"
"N-Nothing." Queen Medusa's face flushed. She realized she had misunderstood Die's words. Her sister likely meant emotional closeness—not that kind of closeness.
Ugh, it's all that pervert's fault for whispering such nonsense every day...
She silently cursed Chen Mo before continuing,
"Then... if I were to take away the most important thing in your life, would you hate me?"
At this point, Queen Medusa had practically laid her cards on the table.
But Die's train of thought was entirely different.
"Take away the most important thing in my life? Sis... y-you're not thinking of... killing Chen Mo, are you?!"
She remembered how much her sister hated him. "Take away"? That had to mean taking his life!
Die flung her arms around her sister in panic.
"You can't! You said yourself that Chen Mo has done a great service to the Snake-People! How could you possibly want to kill him?!"
"When did I ever say I was going to kill him?!"
"Didn't you just say you were going to take away the most important thing in my life?" Die asked, eyes full of confusion.
"So your first thought was that I'd kill him?" Queen Medusa said, frowning.
"Well... what else could it mean?"
"Sigh... I'm sorry, Die. The truth is, I already lo—"
Just as Queen Medusa was about to confess everything, someone knocked on the door.
Yue Nu's voice came from outside:
"Your Majesty, the Elder Council wishes to discuss something with you."
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