Why Are You Still Sitting Here

"Father Emperor, I'll go too," said First Prince Brandon Xiao.

The Celestial Emperor nodded, and the two of them followed the Divine General out.

Lucia Lu also found it odd. She remembered Adrian Drake and Ryan Lu saying that Sigil Sect disciples had used a powerful array to trap that Demon Beast inside the Coiling Dragon Formation.

The seal at the Dragon's Nexus was extremely strong—how did that Demon Beast escape?

Maybe she should go back and find Adrian and the others, and head down to take a look?

Just as she was thinking how to request leave from Empress Grace, she heard Second Prince Victor Xiao ask, "Sean Shaw, I heard you got struck by lightning at the Gatekeeper's shrine?"

Sean Shaw didn't answer.

"Second Brother! I saw it with my own eyes!" Princess Quinn Xiao chimed in, her mockery obvious. "When he was offering incense, the lightning just came down—boom!—right on his back! Scared me to death!"

Second Prince Victor Xiao laughed and shot Sean a sideways look. "Sean Shaw, how hated are you, exactly? Even the Gatekeeper's shrine couldn't stand you and struck you with lightning?"

Sean looked at him and said, "Getting struck by lightning doesn't necessarily mean you're hated. Maybe the Gatekeeper actually likes me?"

"Pfft! Hahahaha!" Second, Third, and Fourth Princes, along with Princess Quinn Xiao, all burst out laughing. "Likes you? The Gatekeeper likes you? Ha! Her way of showing it is pretty special—she hit you with lightning!"

Sean didn't respond; he just sat there alone, calm and dignified, as if surrounded by a powerful barrier, quietly sipping his wine.

It seemed their mockery couldn't touch him at all.

But Lucia could clearly see that his old wound had split open again, blood seeping through.

Honestly, he should've left with the Celestial Emperor just now.

Why is he still sitting here?

Her fists clenched. Suddenly, she spoke up: "That lightning really was unusual! Maybe the Gatekeeper had some deeper meaning. Fifth Highness, you should go down to the undersea Divine Tomb and check it out—maybe there's some hidden opportunity!"

Of course, she hadn't actually seen anything special about that lightning.

She was just trying to help him save face.

But Sean glanced at her, then lowered his eyes, faint anger flickering across his face.

Lucia froze for a moment.

Did she say something wrong?

Henry Xiao looked at Lucia, then at Sean. "Sean, it's not often that our eldest and second brothers come home, and you're sitting here with that frozen face—who are you trying to impress? If you're so unhappy, just leave! No one's making you stay!"

"Exactly!" Princess Quinn Xiao blurted out, as blunt as ever. "We all find you an eyesore. You can go now!"

Sean finally couldn't sit still. He stood up and walked out.

Lucia noticed that the Celestial Empress looked at him with pure disgust.

Henry Xiao let out a sigh of relief and said to Lucia, "Don't be mad at him, Lucia. He's always like this, face frozen all day like the world owes him something. He's sick in the head!"

Lucia lowered her eyes and said nothing.

After a while, she stood up and said, "Your Majesty, the Demon Beast that escaped was the one my second brother and the others sealed. I'm worried it'll try to get revenge, so I'd like to excuse myself and go check on things."

The Celestial Empress nodded. "I see. Then go ahead! Henry, you escort her back."

"No need to trouble Fourth Highness!" Lucia said. "I'll have my people meet me here, and we'll go down together."

"Lucia, let me go with you," Henry Xiao said.

Lucia replied, "Leaving the banquet early is already very rude of me! If Fourth Highness leaves too, Her Majesty's family dinner will be too empty! I'll go with my people, and I'll be sure to keep you informed if there's any news."