Sophie Qiu smiled and said, "A woman's intuition is always sharper. Lady Sapphire is very cautious, but I can still tell that she feels differently about His Highness."
Prince Ethan remained silent. Sophie Qiu continued, "His Majesty has always been cautious, even with Lady Sapphire. Sometimes, it's easier for me to act than for Lady Sapphire to do so." Compared to Lady Sapphire, Emperor Alexander actually trusts Sophie Qiu more.
Lady Sapphire belongs to Prince Ethan—he is well aware of this. Although Lady Sapphire seems favored, Emperor Alexander has never truly trusted her.
"How does Miss Qiu plan to proceed?"
A sharp gleam flashed in Sophie Qiu's eyes as she replied, "I will find a way. I will make sure to remove any obstacles for Prince Julian, so you can rest assured!"
Prince Ethan did not insist; it was better for him not to be involved in this matter. Even if Sophie Qiu failed, it would not implicate him.
Sophie Qiu glanced at him and said with a smile, "Prince Julian seems quite interested in Morgan Shangguan."
At this, Prince Ethan snorted coldly, "There's no need for you to worry about that, Miss Qiu!"
Sophie Qiu was not annoyed. She said calmly, "I'm only concerned. If Your Highness lets romance distract you from important matters, I too will suffer the consequences! If Prince Ethan cannot become emperor, how can I become empress?"
A cold glint flashed in Prince Ethan's eyes as he replied in a low voice, "You needn't worry about that. I won't let any woman affect me. Once I've dealt with Damien Gray, Morgan Shangguan won't remain either! An emperor may like someone, but he cannot love. I don't want to remove Morgan, so I've tried not to think about her, but thoughts are uncontrollable. There's nothing I can do about it."
Outside the room, a chilling darkness surged in Damien Gray's eyes. It seemed he had come at just the right time—Sophie Qiu and Prince Ethan were indeed colluding.
Originally, he planned to use Sophie Qiu to ensure Prince Ethan would lose his chance at the throne. But now, hearing those words, he felt his original plan was far too merciful!
After leaving the Prince's Mansion, Sophie Qiu sensed someone following her. A flash of coldness crossed her eyes as she walked toward a deserted alley—her goal, naturally, was to discover who was stalking her and eliminate them.
Damien Gray had anticipated this, deliberately exposing himself to lure her in.
As Sophie Qiu entered the alley, she felt a cold, oppressive aura envelop her, making it hard to breathe. She instantly realized she had made a foolish decision—he clearly didn't intend to strike in the open, but had exposed himself purposely to lure her into this empty alley. And she, foolishly, had played right into his hands.
She looked up at the dark figure—his black robe, edged with blood-red, seemed to shimmer ominously in the sunlight. Even in daylight, his chilling aura remained undiminished. His lips curved in a way that should have been seductive, but to her, it was not a smile, but cruelty. She recognized that eerie ghost mask. "Ghost King..."
Shrouded in that cold aura, Sophie Qiu felt as if she had already stepped one foot into hell.
Damien Gray spoke coldly, "Is the Empress's throne all you desire?"
Sophie Qiu's heart skipped a beat. She instantly understood that everything she and Prince Ethan had discussed had been overheard by the man before her. She didn't bother denying it—the icy pressure made her realize that, in front of this man, honesty was her best chance at survival. If even honesty couldn't save her, then nothing could.
With her head bowed, Sophie Qiu replied respectfully, "I'm a woman—I can't be emperor!" Whether in Silvermoon Kingdom, Azure Kingdom, or any other small state, there had never been a precedent of a woman ascending the throne. She had thought of creating that precedent, but knew the chance was slim—male supremacy was deeply rooted.
Damien Gray seemed quite satisfied with her honesty, a cold smile flickering on his lips. "I can help you—but there are conditions."
Watching Damien Gray leave, Sophie Qiu's legs nearly gave out. She steadied herself, mind racing with thoughts of why the Ghost King would help her. For her, it was only beneficial, but for Prince Ethan... it was cruel.
It seemed Prince Ethan must have done something to anger the Ghost King!
Sophie Qiu narrowed her eyes—this worked out perfectly for her! She hadn't been so confident before, but now, with the Ghost King's support, failure was no longer an option. Still, she knew not to provoke that man; otherwise, Prince Ethan's fate might become her own.
Sophie Qiu stood up and walked out of the alley as if nothing had happened.
"Chief, Quentin Hua has already left the Crown Prince's Mansion."
Hearing this report, Sophie Qiu paused. "Is that so?" Then Crown Prince Adrian must have decided to act. With Quentin Hua's temperament, if Crown Prince Adrian didn't listen to him, he naturally wouldn't help anymore.
Quentin Hua...
Sophie Qiu looked at her reflection in the mirror, but her mind was on another face, one as beautiful as her own. Seeing her own furrowed brows, she suddenly swept the mirror to the floor, her eyes filled with an unreadable expression.
She was well aware of her own ambition, so she could never be like ordinary women, giving up everything for a man. To gain, one must lose. She and Quentin Hua were destined to have fate but no future together.
Crown Prince's Mansion.
Adrian Yarrow sat alone in the courtyard, drinking wine, his gaze thoughtful. If Emperor Alexander died, it would be good for Azure Kingdom, which was why he agreed to cooperate with Crown Prince Adrian. He knew Emperor Alexander was waiting to catch him in a mistake, but he wasn't foolish enough to leave any evidence behind.
He let out a cold laugh. It was about time for Damien Gray and Prince Ethan to go to war—those two were his real targets. If they both ended up wounded, and he helped Crown Prince Adrian eliminate Emperor Alexander, it would be perfect. Plus, he'd get the benefits Crown Prince Adrian had promised him. For those benefits, he would ensure his own survival. From this, he realized Crown Prince Adrian was even more foolish than he'd thought, and not worth fearing.