Naivete Is Only a Game of Power Balance

There’s a sequence to everything. No matter how dark Prince Nolan’s expression was, no matter how cold the air around him grew, Serena refused to change her mind.

"Little Feng Jin is still so young. If I break my promise to him now, it’ll leave a scar he’ll never forget—and he’ll never trust me again." This was the first time Serena had agreed to take Little Feng Jin out, and it was his first time leaving home. Serena didn’t want to let him down.

"Hmph..." Prince Nolan closed his eyes and said nothing, refusing to loosen his hold on Serena even a bit.

Serena had no choice but to hug Prince Nolan back, burying her head in his chest. "Don’t be angry. Next time... if I take Feng Jin out, I’ll ask you first."

"Mm." After a long while, she finally heard a response. Serena could finally sleep peacefully.

Prince Nolan had to attend court early, as usual. Serena was always one to sleep in, but today she got up with him and shared breakfast together.

Seeing how much effort Serena put in, Prince Nolan finally showed a softer face before leaving.

"Finally coaxed them both." Having two "little men" at home was honestly exhausting.

Serena felt mentally and physically drained. She flopped onto her bed the moment she returned to her room and went back to sleep...

Prince Nathan of Southlyn and Yana Zhan were heading to visit House Wang. After leaving with Serena, they each went their separate ways.

This was Little Feng Jin’s very first time going out. From the moment he stepped out of Feng Manor, those little eyes refused to blink, staring at everything with wonder. Even after getting into the carriage, he kept turning his head, reluctant to look away from the sights outside.

Serena doted on Feng Jin, as long as it wouldn’t spoil him. She usually let him have his way. To make it easier for Feng Jin to see the scenery, Serena asked the driver to slow down, opened the carriage window, and held Feng Jin up to it.

"Sister, look—buildings!" Little Feng Jin was thrilled, pointing outside and shouting, "Flowers... Sister wants them!"

Wherever Feng Jin pointed, Serena would explain, whether he understood or not. The siblings sat together in the carriage, drawing curious glances from passersby. With the Snow Wolf by their side, the group became a little spectacle in the Capital—impossible to ignore.

"You see, Serena treats him very well." In a private restaurant suite, two men and a woman sat together. The speaker was Left Shore, his face cold; the other man and woman were Princess Royal Helena of Lyndaria and her general-lover.

"No matter how well she treats him, she can’t replace his mother. I am Jin’s real mother." Princess Royal Helena refused to accept her son’s Feng surname, but Left Shore wouldn’t let her have her way. "Mother? What does that mean? There are plenty of people who grow up just fine without a mother. His name is Feng Jin. Serena can give him a legitimate surname—can you? Master Ian Reed has already said he won’t acknowledge any connection to your son."

"Left Shore... you’re out of line." Princess Royal Helena’s beautiful face twisted with embarrassment. Left Shore ignored her, turning to her general-lover: "Can you openly write Feng Jin’s name in your family’s genealogy?"

The general-lover’s face darkened; he stayed silent.

Master Ian Reed was no longer the powerless scholar he once was. As Lyndaria’s prime minister, his dignity was not something to be trampled.

"You can’t even give Feng Jin a surname, yet you talk about giving him the throne." Even if Feng Jin sat on the throne, everyone knew who would really hold the power.

"Lyndaria already has a crown prince. Even if Feng Jin returns, the royal clan will never accept him—and as things stand, you can barely protect yourself, let alone help Feng Jin claim the throne." Left Shore didn’t speak much, but it wasn’t for lack of skill; he just couldn’t be bothered.

"Shut up!" Princess Royal Helena was furious. "Who caused all this? If not for you, Terrence would never have become crown prince. My imperial brother promised—he’ll give my son a chance."

"A chance? You actually believe that? Princess, you’re naive to the core. If Feng Jin doesn’t bear the royal surname, he’ll never be recognized by the clan—surely you know that?" Left Shore curled his lip in a mocking smile. "Your imperial brother’s so-called ‘chance’ is just a balancing act, and you actually buy it."

Princess Royal Helena pointed at Left Shore, her hand trembling, unable to speak for a long moment. Finally, she lashed out: "Left Shore, is this how you talk to me? Don’t forget, I’m your mother."

"Mother? My surname is Left... I’m an orphan." Left Shore’s reply was cold and cutting, his gray eyes lifeless.

"Orphan? Fine... You won’t even acknowledge me as your mother. If you want to be an orphan, don’t ever come begging to me again." Princess Royal Helena was so angry she could barely breathe. Left Shore had forced her to face a truth she’d always avoided, but...

As long as there was even a sliver of hope, she wouldn’t let it go.

"Princess, calm yourself." Her general-lover quickly grabbed her hand, trying to soothe her.

They still needed Left Shore to bring Feng Jin back. Now was not the time to fall out with him.

The bigger picture mattered most.

Princess Royal Helena took several deep breaths to calm her fury. "Left Shore... I won’t waste words with you. According to our agreement, hand Jin over to me—I’ll take him back to Lyndaria."

"Our agreement was that I’d personally escort Feng Jin to Lyndaria." Left Shore made it clear he would never hand Feng Jin over to the Princess alone.

"Jin is my son—why would I ever harm him?" Princess Royal Helena slammed the table, shouting at Left Shore.

"Who can say? It wouldn’t be hard for Your Highness to have another son. To you, Feng Jin is just a convenient chess piece—do you really care about his life or death?" This princess-mother was completely blinded by ambition.

If the Lyndarian Emperor truly wanted to pass the throne to her son, why did he make Terrence crown prince within a year?

If Princess Royal Helena could have Feng Jin at her age, she could certainly have another child.

"Left Shore, stop trying to sow discord between me and my brother. I won’t believe you." Princess Royal Helena refused to admit she doubted her brother.

"Whether I’m sowing discord or not, you know perfectly well. Your affairs are your own. I’ll follow our agreement—escort Feng Jin to Lyndaria and protect him. " Left Shore stood, glancing coldly at the general-lover. "This is Eastlyn. If you don’t behave, you’ll die at Prince Nolan’s hands, and you know I won’t save you."

With that, Left Shore ignored Princess Royal Helena’s furious curses and vanished from the restaurant like a gust of wind...

Serena spent the whole day playing with Little Feng Jin. On the way home, Little Feng Jin fell asleep, and Serena was so tired she couldn’t move. But just then, Left Shore returned—with news so bad it couldn’t be worse...