"Lady Lyra, I apologize for interrupting your break. Can you tell me where Her Majesty Liliana is? General Merlin hase from the outer pce and urgently needs to speak with her."


    The moment those words were heard, Liliana and Lyra both paused their conversation. Their expressions shifted as they turned toward the door, surprise shing across their faces.


    "Merlin? What could he possibly want?" Liliana murmured, her voiceced with confusion.


    As the Demon Emperor, Liliana''s time was precious, and anyone seeking an audience with her had to request permission first, though even that was no guarantee it would be granted. She clearly remembered that no one from the outer pce had received permission toe to the inner pce today.


    How could Merlin dare toe without her permission?


    Liliana''s gaze darkened, her narrowed eyes reflecting a chill as a tense, cold aura began to gather around her.


    Sensing Liliana''s rising displeasure, Lyra stood and asked respectfully, her tone calm andposed, "Would you like me to send Merlin away, Your Majesty?"


    Liliana inhaled deeply, calming herself as she rose gracefully to her feet.


    "No need, Lyra," she replied coolly, a dangerous undertone in her voice. "I happen to have time right now, and I''m curious to hear what he wants."


    Lyra blinked once before bowing slightly. "As youmand, Your Majesty."@@novelbin@@


    ***


    "Hahaha! You''re caught, Fiona!"


    In the inner pce garden, Iris and Fiona were engaged in a lively game of chase. But since Iris was faster, Fiona was finally caught, making her pout.


    "Humph! You caught me because I was careless," Fiona huffed, puffing up her cheeks.


    Iris chuckled at Fiona''s adorable expression and teasingly pinched her right cheek. "Hehehe! You''re still a hundred years too early to beat me, smelly girl. Now it''s your turn to chase, and mine to run!"


    With that, Iris released her pinch on Fiona''s cheek and sprinted away from her.


    Fiona blinked, momentarily stunned, but her round eyes quickly lit up with determination, as if epting the challenge.


    "Humph! I''ll definitely catch you!" She snorted, then sprinted after Iris.


    The chase continued, filled withughter and excitement.


    Meanwhile, Charlotte and Ste sat on a garden bench, watching the yful scene with faint smiles, each sipping a ss of milk.


    "Don''t you want to join them, Sister Ste?" Charlotte asked softly, her curiosity evident.


    Ste smiled shyly and shook her head. "I''m too old to y with them."


    At six years old, Ste felt that games of chase were no longer for her. Moreover, having faced numerous obstacles and hardships in her past, she had matured far beyond other children her age.


    She turned her gaze to Charlotte and asked, "What about you, Charlotte? Don''t you want to join them?"


    Charlotte smiled faintly and shook her head. "I feel the same as you, Sister Ste. That kind of game just doesn''t feel right for me anymore."


    Her words left Ste momentarily puzzled. She scratched her head in confusion. "But... aren''t you still a child, just like them?"


    Charlotte sighed softly, her voice tinged with mncholy. "Yes, I''m still a child like them, but for some reason, I''ve never found interest in games like that."


    At times, Charlotte felt uncertain about herself. Compared to her younger sisters and other children her age, she felt her mind and attitude were far more mature.


    Rather than joining in childish games, Charlotte preferred to be alone in the library, reading captivating books.


    In her solitude, a question often crossed her mind, making her doubt herself: "Am I really just three years old?"


    She longed to share her confusion with her mommy and daddy, but she was afraid—afraid they might think she was strange and stop loving her.


    So, she kept her thoughts to herself, never revealing them to anyone.


    Ste listened quietly, unsure of what to say. She could sense that Charlotte was different from other children she had met in the capital, but it didn''t make her ufortable or fearful. On the contrary, she felt proud. After all, Charlotte was Uncle Leon''s daughter, and now she was her sister.


    Who wouldn''t be proud to have a smart and talented sister like Charlotte?


    With a warm smile, Ste gently reached out and stroked Charlotte''s head.


    "You don''t need to feel down, Charlotte. The things that make you different are what make you special. You''re a genius. Don''t ever feel inferior. Okay?" Ste said lovingly.


    Charlotte could feel Ste''s genuine care, and her heart warmed. A small smile tugged at her lips as she nodded and replied, "Um... thank you, big sister."


    At that moment, hurried footsteps echoed from the front, startling both of them.


    Instinctively, they turned toward the sound and saw Fiona and Iris running toward them with panicked expressions.


    "Sister Charlotte! Sister Ste!" Fiona and Iris shouted, breathless, as they came to an abrupt stop in front of them.


    Charlotte and Ste exchanged confused nces before looking back at the frightened duo.


    "What''s wrong? Why do you two look so scared?" Charlotte asked softly.


    She slowly rose from her seat and approached them, gently rubbing their heads in an attempt to calm them down.


    Herforting gesture worked. Slowly, they began to catch their breath, their nerves easing under her touch.


    Iris lifted her head, still nervous, and exined, "Sister, while we were ying, we saw a strange man in the pce waiting room. He was staring at us with such a sharp, shocked gaze—it was terrifying."


    "Yeah! Sister Iris is right! That uncle was really creepy!" Fiona added seriously, nodding her head like a chick.


    Charlotte and Ste''s expressions shifted. Charlotte''s, in particr, grew serious as she looked at them with deep concern.


    "Why were you ying all the way in the waiting room? Didn''t Mommy tell you not to go that far? What if someone from the outer pce saw you? How am I going to exin this to Mommy?" Charlotte asked, her eyes narrowing slightly.


    For reasons unknown to her at the time, Mommy had strictly forbidden them from going to the pce''s parlor or waiting room. At first, Charlotte didn''t understand why, so she had asked Lyra about it.


    Lyra exined that the restriction was to prevent them from being seen by demons from the outer pce. However, she didn''t borate further, only telling Charlotte that she would understand when she grew older.


    Now, her two little sisters had slipped into the waiting room and encountered an unknown man, which naturally made Charlotte feel both upset and worried.


    If Mommy found out, they''d all be in big trouble!


    Sensing the anger in Charlotte''s voice, Iris and Fiona were immediately taken aback and lowered their heads, looking guilty.


    They quickly realized the serious mistake they had made and were unsure of what to do next.


    Noticing the fear and guilt in their expressions, Charlotte''s annoyance gradually faded. She sighed softly and gently rubbed their heads.


    "Alright, don''t worry. If Mommy scolds you, I''ll stand up for you," Charlotte reassured them, then added firmly, "But you mustn''t make this mistake again. Understood?"


    Iris and Fiona looked up, their faces filled with guilt, and murmured, "Understood, big sister. We''re sorry."


    Ste, who had been quietly observing, quickly stood from the bench and approached them.


    "If Aunt Liliana gets angry, I''ll help you too," Ste offered kindly.


    Iris and Fiona felt a wave of relief at Ste''s words.


    "Thank you, Sister Ste," they replied, their voices lighter and more at ease.


    ***


    In the waiting room, a handsome man in slightly grayish-ck armor stood rigidly, his gaze fixed on the door with a look of shock and disbelief.


    "Did I... see that correctly?" he muttered, rubbing his eyes in surprise.


    This man was none other than Merlin, the First General among the eight Demon Generals in the outer pce. His purpose for arriving at the inner pce had been urgent: to meet Demon Emperor Liliana and deliver some critical news.


    However, to his astonishment, he had just witnessed two adorable little girls ying chase.


    The girls, who appeared almost identical to each other, took him by surprise not only because of their sudden appearance but also due to their striking resemnce to Demon Emperor Liliana. The snow-white hair and nearly identical facial features made him feel as though he were looking at miniature versions of the Emperor herself.


    If it weren''t for the ring difference in their eye colors, he might have copsed from the shock of the resemnce.


    Shaking himself from his thoughts, Merlin furrowed his brow and lightly rubbed his forehead.


    "No... I must be imagining things," he muttered, shaking his head in disbelief. "There''s no way there are little girls who look so much like Her Majesty Liliana."


    Merlin attributed the strange vision to the exhaustion that had built up over the past few days. Yet, the more he thought about it, the more the two little girls seemed undeniably real, and his doubts returned.


    "Could they... be Her Majesty Liliana''s daughters?" The thought struck him like a bolt of lightning, and his expression immediately stiffened. His body trembled as a chill ran down his spine.


    After a moment, he took a deep breath, trying to dispel the absurd idea.


    "No! That''s impossible! Her Majesty Liliana is an honorable woman. She couldn''t have daughters without a husband. Besides, I clearly remember that she doesn''t like any men. I must be mistaken," Merlin said firmly, trying to convince himself.


    Just then, the sound of footsteps approached, apanied by the soft voice of a young woman.


    "Apologies for the wait, General Merlin. Her Majesty Liliana has granted your audience and is expecting you in the parlor. Please follow me."


    Merlin was taken aback by the unexpected news. He had assumed his request to see Her Majesty Liliana would be denied, yet here it was granted.


    Suppressing the surge of excitement, he nodded slightly and replied, "Thank you."


    The maid soon escorted Merlin to the parlor, unaware that a young girl, her gaze fixed on his back, watched quietly from a distance.