In the middle of a deserted training ground, a slender figure stood upside down, balancing her slim frame just using the tip of her index finger.
Her body swayed ever so slightly as the cold evening wind caressed her, but she still remained steady and unmoved.
When Charlotte first heard about the different events that had unexpectedly transpired, she had locked herself in her chamber for several hours in utter shock and dismay. Every single detail she heard was a severe blow to her heart and her ego.
With every day that passed, Tang Yue was getting closer and closer to the love of her life.
While she hadn't managed to even occupy a small spot in that man's heart for more than a decade, the damned snake had easily managed to become his personal disciple.
Even though from the outside, it looked as if Tang Yue didn't care at all about being the queen consort or the official wedded wife to the Crown Prince, every single thing she did effortlessly pushed her one step closer.
She casually achieved what Charlotte couldn't even after putting all of her heart and mind into it. The poor elf was completely heartbroken.
Someone was stealing her entire life step by step and she was absolutely powerless to do anything about it.
Charlotte continued to remain in this state of absolute misery until her mother forced General Salvatore to pay her a visit and talk to her patiently.
The old man sighed deeply. He hated seeing his daughter like this too, but what could he do? She had acted impatiently and out of jealousy and now, she was paying for it.
General Salvatore knocked on her chamber and entered inside. The poor child was curled up on her feathered bed and was sobbing silently under her blanket.
"Please, father. Leave me alone." Charlotte mumbled, wiping the snot off her beautiful face. Her enchanting and mesmerizing eyes that were typically full of life and energy now seemed empty and lifeless.
The old man sighed again. How was he supposed to console a young broken-hearted woman in love?
He was a war general, a man who has trained and dedicated his entire life to battle and serve his country and his King.
If it was a strategy meeting, he would have readily thought of a solution by now, but what could be possibly said now? He was completely helpless in this department.
The General looked at his wife for help, but the elf only sternly looked back at him. Charlotte had always been her father's daughter and so his wife trapped him to take care of this situation.
The old man sighed again and remained silent for a while. He gently patted his daughter without saying anything.
Only after a long while, his lips slowly moved. He didn't know what to tell her and he knew that his daughter wouldn't give up on the man even if he insisted, so he decided to treat this as a strategy meeting and help her.
"Do you even remember why her highness, the Empress, selected you as the Queen consort in the first place?"
Charlotte slightly stirred from her fetal position and looked up at her father with her bloodshot eyes. She then lightly nodded.
"Hmm… Good that you remember. You possess the Divine Trigram constitution. A constitution that is even better than his highness, Xander's natural body constitution."
"This is why the Empress hastily betrothed you and his highness, the minute you were born."
"While others toiled and stayed up late nights to work hard and cultivate, you effortlessly improved your strength by doing nothing."
"You didn't show interest in alchemy, rune inscription, beast hunting, or anything for that matter."
"You squandered your time and spent your day scheming and lording over the commoners."
"How many times have I advised you to change your ways, but you never listened to me."
"One's status doesn't simply depend on one's birth. One's true status only depends on their strength and talent."
"And now, his highness had selected someone far more hard-working, talented, and worthy of his own status."
"And what do you do about it? You lock yourself into your room and cry endlessly. Is that going to change anything?"
General Salvatore looked at his daughter sternly and waited for her response. There was no trace of pity or sympathy in his eyes.
Charlotte was stunned. Everything that her father said hit the nail right on its head. Instead of focusing on her own development, she had spent far too much time and effort to win over Xander's heart.
Orchestrating accidental run-ins, spending far too much time with the Empress, fussing unnecessarily on her wardrobe, bullying the other consorts in the harem, the list just went on and on.
Charlotte bent her head down in shame and embarrassment. She was unable to even meet her father's eyes, let alone give any sort of answer to his sharp words.
Now that she had truly hit rock bottom, several things became more and more clear to her.
General Salvatore sighed and patted her wordlessly. He then stood up and left the chamber to return back to the meeting in the royal courtroom. Charlotte's mother as well left her alone to give her some space to think things through.
Only the beautiful elf was now left in her chamber, spacing out and blankly staring at the wall in front of her. She simply sat like that silently for almost an hour.
When Charlotte's chamber doors opened again, she stepped out of her room dressed in her training attire. There was a new spark of focus in her eyes and her destroyed and defeated aura was nowhere to be found.
The slender figure then directly headed to the Salvatore family's private training grounds and started relentlessly practicing her Fire Dragon Sword art and Divine Trigram cultivation technique.
"Hmph. Tang Yue. Just you wait, I will show you exactly where you stand and where I stand." She straightened her posture and continued maintaining her cultivation stance.