Morgan Shangguan didn't know whether to be angry or amused. With a hint of helplessness, she said, "You're overthinking it."
Damien Gray looked dissatisfied. "Have you forgotten what you promised me, Princess?"
Morgan Shangguan sighed and asked directly, "What will it take for you to leave?"
Liam Duanmu watched the two with their intimate gestures, lowered his eyes, and took a sip of tea to hide his loss of composure. Yet the bitterness slowly spread in his heart—he couldn't tell if it was the tea or his own sorrow.
When she looked up, Morgan Shangguan's eyes seemed both angry and helpless. Then, she reached out, wrapped her arms around Damien Gray's neck, and kissed his lips.
Liam Duanmu put down his teacup, sitting upright as if nothing had happened. No one noticed how tightly his hand was clenched beneath his sleeve, barely restraining the urge to rush over and separate them.
Damien Gray glanced at him from the corner of his eye, a faint smile appearing on his lips. If anyone was to blame, it was Liam for falling for his woman!
Damien Gray finally left, though clearly reluctant. Before leaving, he warned Morgan Shangguan to mind her behavior. Morgan watched him walk out of the courtyard with a headache, then turned her gaze to Liam Duanmu and said, "Alliance Leader, you may speak now."
With those words, her gaze returned to the stone in her hand, waiting for Liam Duanmu to speak.
After a long moment, Morgan Shangguan seemed to remember something. She picked a few beautiful crystal-blue flowers nearby, and as her eyes swept over to Liam Duanmu, she was reminded of his presence. Meeting his sympathetic gaze, Morgan paused, then smiled faintly and asked, "Am I really that pitiful, Alliance Leader?" She didn't feel there was anything about herself deserving of pity or sympathy!
Liam Duanmu frowned, suddenly realizing that her smile was different. When she smiled at Damien Gray, there was a warmth in it. But now, though she was still smiling, it felt distant and cold, so ethereal it was impossible to grasp.
"We can find another opportunity to discuss this; there's no rush. You don't have to resort to such methods..." Liam Duanmu trailed off, still gazing at Morgan Shangguan with sympathy, his eyes filled with complex, indescribable emotions.
Morgan Shangguan wasn't used to being stared at with such pity, and couldn't help but laugh. "No one can force me to do what I don't want to do!" As she finished, she paused—did that mean everything was her choice? Not Damien Gray's manipulation?
Morgan Shangguan let out a soft, self-mocking laugh. If she hadn't chosen this herself, Damien Gray's schemes would have been useless. She could have simply walked away, never needing to tolerate him. How could she have missed something so obvious? Or was she just deceiving herself?
Hearing this, Liam Duanmu frowned and asked, somewhat agitated, "Do you truly want to be Empress?"
Morgan Shangguan returned to herself, the corners of her lips curving into a silent smile. She gripped the flowers in her hand tightly, and the blue, transparent liquid dripped onto the Bloodstone, where it was completely absorbed. The stone gradually turned purple.
This strange scene failed to draw Liam Duanmu's attention. He simply stared at Morgan Shangguan, waiting in vain for her reply, and finally spoke, "If you want to escape this chaos, I..."
Morgan Shangguan didn't give him the chance to finish. With a cold expression, she interrupted, "Alliance Leader, don't make promises lightly—especially promises you can't keep. That only hurts people more." Giving hope and then taking it away is the cruelest thing of all!
Liam Duanmu said urgently, "I'm serious. If you want to leave..."
Morgan Shangguan looked up at him but didn't speak. Yet faced with her gaze, which seemed to see through everything, Liam Duanmu couldn't continue. He hesitated, tried to explain, but then heard Morgan Shangguan ask calmly, "Alliance Leader, do you want to take me away?"
Liam Duanmu hesitated and nodded. He had spoken with conviction before, but now, for some reason, he was uncertain.
Morgan Shangguan smiled gently and said, "Alliance Leader, you should know that I'm entangled with the royal family, and among them are the most powerful people in Silvermoon Kingdom. This even affects relations between two nations. If you take me away, it will surely bring trouble." Both countries were evenly matched, their relationship delicate. The court had factions for war and peace, and no one knew when the one on the throne might decide to go to war. If that supreme ruler ever grew ambitious, this matter would be used as a pretext, and she would become the excuse for war.
Seeing Liam Duanmu about to speak, Morgan Shangguan gave him no chance, continuing, "Perhaps you aren't afraid of trouble, but what about your family? Would you drag them into this because of me? Could you really watch the people of both nations suffer from war?" As she spoke, her tone was calm, but her presence seemed even more ethereal, as if she were drifting farther from the world, ready to vanish at any moment.
Liam Duanmu looked at her, unable to speak, powerless to argue.
Morgan Shangguan seemed unconcerned, smiled, and said, "Alliance Leader, don't make a rash decision out of loyalty. Otherwise, you may hurt many people—including the very person you wish to protect!"
Liam Duanmu's breath caught, as if a heavy stone pressed on his heart, making it hard to breathe. He closed his eyes, slowly released his clenched hand, and forced a bitter, self-mocking smile. "I'm sorry," he said.
He really had acted too impulsively. He admitted he felt differently about Morgan Shangguan—perhaps he truly loved her. But could he really throw everything away, even if it meant his family was ruined? Could he watch two nations go to war for the sake of his own feelings? He couldn't do it.
His pity for Morgan Shangguan was now tinged with apology and helpless heartache.
Morgan Shangguan smiled faintly. "It's all right," she said.
She had never expected anyone to stay by her side, because no one could guarantee they'd never let go, no matter what happened. Even blood relatives couldn't do that. If she was destined to be alone in the end, it was better to be alone from the start—at least that way, she would have fewer unnecessary troubles.
Although her grandfather had always treated her well, in all those years, she could count their meetings on one hand. Whenever something happened, she had to handle it herself; there was no one she could rely on. Especially during those three years at the training base, when she was tired, it was natural to want someone to lean on. But once you let yourself trust someone, the only outcome was betrayal—sometimes even death. She had seen too much of that. So, to survive, it was best not to have such thoughts at all.