CH 77.3

A week passed.

The news of Prince Edward’s death due to internal rebellion within the imperial army shook the entire empire. Meanwhile, the Federation and Zerg armies had already breached the imperial border and invaded the empire’s territories, causing the displaced people of border planets to flee.

Queen Vanessa mourned for Prince Edward while taking care of the comatose King Edmund.

Just when the empire’s people believed that the Odysseus Empire would be succeeded by the Third Prince under the leadership of the mysterious and powerful Prince, earnestly hoping that he would lead the empire’s armies to repel the Federation and insect armies, and reclaim the invaded territories…

A new king was indeed crowned.

But this king was none other than Kyle Odysseus, the one who was declared dead by the outside world.

During the coronation ceremony, King Kyle sat in his wheelchair.

Witnessing all of this, the hearts of the empire’s people were filled with despair. Instead of the anticipated joy of a coronation, many people broke down and cried on the spot. The scene was one of sorrow and hopelessness.

It felt as if this wasn’t a coronation ceremony, but rather a funeral for the Odysseus Empire.

Even the empire’s generals and soldiers stationed at the border were retreating in successive defeats. The Federation and Zerg armies had penetrated the Thirteenth Star System of the empire, gradually approaching the imperial capital.

After Kyle became king, Bai Huaiyu naturally became the queen.

The official media of the Empire broadcasted the scene of the coronation ceremony. Bai Huaiyu, dressed in a refined and luxurious gown, stood beside King Kyle, wearing a ring symbolizing the queen. Despite his gloomy and pale face, no hint of joy could be seen.

Unintentionally, as Bai Huaiyu raised his wrist, revealing the bruises, it caused great concern for someone who had been keeping a close eye on him.

Ying Yao widened her dark and lustrous eyes, watching the video repeatedly, anxiously observing Bai Huaiyu’s unhappy expression.

… She thought Teacher Bai would lead a happy life.

As Queen, Bai Huaiyu’s body accumulated more and more scars. Consort Katie, driven by the desire for an heir, continuously forced Bai Huaiyu to the basement.

Even after becoming King, Kyle, that coward, remained fearful, hiding in the basement. He even spent a considerable amount of imperial military funds to fortify his residence like a fortress, seemingly afraid of someone launching an attack.

Bai Huaiyu was forced to endure, as if his senses had become numb. His rationality was on the brink of collapse, and he himself feared that he would strangle his husband in bed one night.

A new pastry chef arrived at the palace.

She made a type of commoner pastry that Bai Huaiyu loved.

The wild grass dumplings had a soft and chewy texture, with a sweet red bean filling that melted with each bite.

Bai Huaiyu didn’t want others to know that he liked eating this inexpensive pastry. He intentionally ordered other exquisite and expensive pastries, only occasionally ordering the green dumplings every two or three days.

To his surprise, no matter what type of pastry he ordered, a round green dumpling would always be included.

That taste… strangely familiar.

Bai Huaiyu couldn’t help but feel curious about the pastry chef. He had someone summon her for a meeting.

As he looked at Ying Yao wearing a chef’s hat, Bai Huaiyu was astonished.

“… Ying Yao?”

“Hello, Your Majesty, I am Beta, the newly hired pastry chef. My name is Ying Yao,” Ying Yao cheerfully replied.

How could she, a female alpha, disguise herself as a beta pastry chef and come to the palace?!

Amidst his astonishment and confusion, Bai Huaiyu met Ying Yao’s bright and hopeful eyes, inexplicably wanting to avoid her passionate and sincere gaze.

Suddenly, everything became clear to him, but he couldn’t understand why Ying Yao, unaffected by his pheromones, would still be willing to take such risks to come to the palace…

Inside the palace.

Bai Huaiyu suddenly had an assertive pastry chef accompanying him, adding a touch of warmth to his numb days.

But secrets cannot be concealed forever.

When a visible wound appeared on Bai Huaiyu’s body, Ying Yao, who was obviously an alpha, cried with red, teary eyes, firmly urging Bai Huaiyu to leave with her.

However, Bai Huaiyu knew full well that he couldn’t leave the palace, and Consort Katie would never allow him, someone who knew so many secrets, to depart.

The only way was to have his abusive husband die.

Bai Huaiyu pleaded while crying.

“… Ying Yao, can you help me?”

Listening to Bai Huaiyu’s plea, Ying Yao’s clear eyes became clouded, yet she smiled and said, “Okay, I hope Teacher Bai will continue to make more great dramas in the future. Ying Yao is your loyal fan.”

Bai Huaiyu was stunned, unable to meet Ying Yao’s sincere and bright eyes.

Kyle died as he wished.

After eating a pastry, he foamed at the mouth and died.

Consort Katie was furious. How could poison find its way into the palace? She ordered the guards to find the culprit.

But it didn’t take long for the culprit to confess.

Ying Yao admitted to being the murderer. The poison was mixed into her bloodstream, making it undetectable. When she poisoned the pastry, she cut her own finger and mixed her blood, laced with poison, into it.

Due to Yao Ying’s resistance to toxins, even when the poison infiltrated her bloodstream, it did not harm her body. She was unaware of this fact, but Bai Huaiyu knew. Witnessing Yao Ying being imprisoned inside the palace, awaiting execution, Bai Huaiyu restrained his trembling body, his lowered eyes filled with astonishment. Why? He had carefully arranged for Yao Ying to escape successfully after poisoning him, so why did she not flee in the end?

Bai Huaiyu dismissed all the guards and entered the sealed prison chamber alone. Yao Ying, who was detained, was bound to the interrogation chair, covered in ferocious wounds. Her knee was damaged to the extent that the white bone was exposed. Her watery eyes resembled a dying fish, lifeless and feeble.

When Yao Ying saw Bai Huaiyu approaching, a faint smile appeared on her torn lips, as if this place was no longer a pitch-black prison. Bai Huaiyu walked into her world like sunshine.

“Why didn’t you escape?” Bai Huaiyu asked with a bitter tone.

“Because I did something wrong, and when you played the role of a police officer, Teacher Bai, you were shining in my eyes. You were always shining in my eyes…”

Yao Ying, covered in injuries, had a weak and heavy breathing. Her once bright and pure eyes were no longer the same. Still, she tried to smile, as if afraid of frightening Bai Huaiyu.

Bai Huaiyu froze, tears suddenly overflowing from his eyes, unstoppable.

“Your husband, as the king, can make mistakes without being punished. Teacher Bai, as a vulnerable Omega, shouldn’t there be an Alpha to protect you… Although I’m just a weak Alpha, during my time at school, people used to mock me for not being as tall and strong as Omegas and Betas. Haha… But I really hope to protect you, Teacher Bai. So, you have to live well from now on. I’m your fan… I like you, Teacher Bai.”

Yao Ying struggled to utter her last words, like a fan confessing to their idol, yet it felt genuine, a confession meant only for Bai Huaiyu.

“Do you like me?” Bai Huaiyu suddenly asked.

Yao Ying paused, lifted her heavily bruised face, and looked at Bai Huaiyu with eyes shimmering with a faint light. She earnestly said, “I like you.”

“That kind of liking is not enough.”

Bai Huaiyu leaned down and kissed Yao Ying’s lips, tasting the tinge of bloodiness. The kiss grew more intense and fierce, as if he wanted to devour her completely.

Yao Ying’s struggling whimper was swallowed by Bai Huaiyu’s kiss.

“Teacher Bai, no, you’re married… Sob, sob…”

“Shut up!”

In response, Bai Huaiyu kissed her even more ferociously, sitting on her lap. Yao Ying seemed to catch a gentle floral fragrance in the air.

Goodbye, Teacher Bai.

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