SUPREME ARCH-MAGUS

Frost family palace, Behind the personal room of Lily…

Lily sat by the freshwater pond behind her personal room, her gaze locked onto the swirling images on the glass orb she held.

The glass orb displayed the pictures of Kent and Princess Sony Stick, accompanied by the damning public announcement that had sent waves across all 33 Nations of the Seventh Realm.

The orb displayed words she wished she could erase, revealing that Sony Stick, the prideful princess of the wealthiest family in the realm, had announced her engagement to Kent, the masked man who had earned fame from his fight against the Doom family.

The announcement is spreading like wildfire, making Kent, who had carefully hidden his identity, suddenly the center of attention. The orb contained details about Kent's background on the blue planet— [Not The Real Real Identity].

The announcement wasn't just a royal declaration. It was a strategy to stake a claim on Kent, a claim that made Lily angry to the core. She had worked so hard to bring Kent with her, to mold him into her plan, and now Sony Stick was trying to snatch him away in broad daylight.

As she stared at the orb in frustration, footsteps echoed behind her. Lily didn't need to turn to know it was her sister, Thea.

"Lily," Thea's voice was soft yet filled with concern. "Why do you look so... troubled? What's going on?"

Without a word, Lily handed the orb to Thea, her fingers trembling slightly as the images of Kent and Sony continued to swirl. Thea's eyes widened as she took in the details.

"As I thought, you were definitely stuck in this news." Thea said in an expected tone.

Lily exhaled, her voice strained with annoyance and helplessness. "What can I do, Sister? That evil woman is trying to spoil everything! I worked so hard, planned every detail, and with great effort, I brought Kent here as a love interest. But now this egoistic Sony Stick is trying to snatch him from my hands! How dare she?"

Thea glanced at her sister, noticing the genuine frustration in her voice. "Sony Stick is many things, but I never thought she'd make such a bold move. But Lily, don't be too worried. Kent will never choose a woman like her."

Lily shot Thea a look of disbelief. "You think Kent can resist her? Do you know who she is? Sony is from the richest family in the entire realm, and with this announcement, she's made Kent the talk of the realm! Everyone's talking about him, and with her backing, he's gaining influence like never before. She's spreading rumors, digging up things even I didn't know.

How can I fight that?"

Thea shook her head, a faint smile on her lips. "You don't know the whole story. Did you hear what happened yesterday at the training grounds?"

Lily frowned, her curiosity piqued. "No. I went to the ancestral burial ground. What happened?"

Thea sat beside her, her tone growing lighter. "Princess Sony visited the grounds yesterday. She made her intentions quite clear and... well, Kent wasn't exactly impressed. He rejected her marriage proposal right there in front of everyone."

Lily's eyes widened, a flicker of hope igniting. "He did?"

"Yes," Thea nodded. "Not only that, he treated her like she was nothing more than an annoying fly. I've never seen Sony so flustered. Kent completely ignored her advances, even when she tried to show off her status. He didn't care one bit."

A grin spread across Lily's face as relief washed over her. "That stubborn man. He really rejected her?"

"Like she didn't exist," Thea confirmed. "So don't worry too much. No matter what she tries, Kent won't choose Sony over you."

Lily let out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding, her posture relaxing for the first time that day. "You're right... Maybe I overreacted."

"Overreacted?" Thea teased, nudging her sister lightly. "You've been acting like a jealous lover. By any chance, have you fallen for him?"

Lily immediately laughed, a little too quickly. "Fall for him? Me? Don't be ridiculous. I'm only worried because of the plans... this fake marriage arrangement.

If Kent gets married to someone else, it could ruin everything." Experience more content on My Virtual Library Empire

Thea raised an eyebrow, staring at her sister with suspicion. "Are you sure that's all it is? You've been awfully concerned about him lately... more than I expected. Are you afraid of losing Kent to another woman, or is there something else you're not admitting?"

Lily waved her hand dismissively, though her heartbeat quickened. "Oh, stop it. I don't have time for romance. I just need to make sure my plans don't fall apart. Kent's just... a tool."

Thea narrowed her eyes but then shrugged, accepting her sister's words at face value. "Alright, if you say so. But if you're so sure, why did you look so distraught when you saw Sony's announcement?"

"I told you," Lily insisted, though her voice wavered slightly. "It's the plans. I can't let them fall apart because of some meddling princess."

As Thea nodded, believing her sister's response, she didn't notice the subtle rise and fall of Lily's chest or the slight flush on her cheeks. Inside, Lily's thoughts were a mess, her heart racing at Thea's earlier question. Was she really afraid of losing Kent to another woman? She shook the thought away.

---

Meanwhile, in the grand halls of the Lin family palace, the atmosphere was far from peaceful. Jerome Lin stood in the center of the room, his face flushed with anger as he glared at the shattered remains of the glass orb at his feet.

He had been watching the same announcement, and the news of Princess Sony's bold announcement to marry Kent had sent him into a rage. The betrayal was too much to bear.

"Why are all these women falling for that masked man?" Jerome yelled, his voice echoing through the hall. "He already had Lily in his grasp, and now he's subdued that mad woman. What the hell is going on?!"

Across the room, Scott Lin leaned against the doorway, a wide grin spreading across his face as he watched his father's meltdown. "I told you not to trust the Stick family. Now look at what's happened. Should've listened to me, old man."

"You idiot," Jerome spat, glaring at his son. "Why are you happy when we've just lost our strongest alliance? This is a disaster!"

Scott chuckled, taking a leisurely sip from his glass of wine. "Oh, I'm not worried. In fact, this works out perfectly for me. Once Sony marries that masked fellow, I can swoop in and take Lily for myself. Besides, this is only bad for you. You've lost the Frost family and now the Stick family too."

Jerome seethed, his fists clenched. "You don't get it, do you? This isn't just about the alliances. The entire plan for the Trident Summit is falling apart because of this! Every faction is realigning. Do you have any idea what this means for us?"

Scott shrugged, still grinning. "All I know is that in the end, I'll win. You, on the other hand... well, good luck with that."

Jerome could only glare at his son, his mind racing with thoughts of betrayal and lost power. The Stick family's sudden change of stance had thrown the entire political landscape of the 33 Nations into chaos, and the upcoming Trident Summit would now be a battlefield of shifting alliances.

-

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