Free Web NovelChapter 542: The Queen Who Faced Their Hatred (I)
"I don’t think moving a few of them to Noctvaris is the right decision," Salem told Primrose the moment they walked out of the ballroom.
Primrose let out a soft sigh before replying patiently, "They’re deeply attached to each other, so I agree with you." She rested her hand under her chin and murmured softly, "Besides... if we separate them, they might think we sold some of their friends away."
Most of the children had calmed down compared to before, but bringing them into a completely new environment was still a sensitive matter.
"But it’s also hard to leave all of them here..." Primrose whispered.
"I can stay here," Salem suddenly offered.
Primrose looked at him in surprise. "You? You want to stay here? In Illvaris?"
She truly hadn’t expected that answer. Salem had always seemed like someone who disliked humans most of the time, so choosing to remain in Illvaris was a very big step for him.
"Yes," Salem answered firmly. "These children trust me, so I think they’ll feel safer if I stay with them. Besides, after everything that bastard Averon did, those humans probably won’t dare speak badly about beasts for a while."
And honestly, he was right.
In only two days, news about what happened inside Azmeria Palace had already spread everywhere. Some things were still kept hidden, like the strange skull inside the palace, but the important news about the imprisoned beastwomen had already reached the public.
But deep down, Primrose had a feeling the news spread so quickly because her father had secretly asked several newspaper writers to publish the story as soon as possible.
In the end, the news about the Count of Veloria together with the crimes of the King of Azmeria finally forced many humans to realize something uncomfortable.
They were not any better than beasts.
"But once you arrive in Noctvaris, please send a quick letter to my dear Raven and tell her that I’ll be staying here," Salem said. "And unfortunately, tell her that I won’t be able to visit her for a while. But there’s also good news."
A faint smile appeared on his face. "I found someone interesting here too."
Primrose frowned slightly as she processed his words. After a moment, she asked, "The man from the tavern?"
Salem nodded without hesitation. "Yes. The man from the tavern."
"Are you serious about this?" Primrose lowered her voice right away, clearly slipping into her gossiping mode. "He doesn’t treat you badly?"
"Well, we’re still only getting to know each other," Salem admitted. "But so far, he’s handsome, polite, and quite pleasant to talk to." He crossed his arms before adding, "I just hope he stays that way."
Honestly, Primrose still had many questions she wanted to ask. For example... if Salem truly fell in love with someone else, would he still marry Raven in the future?
But in the end, she decided not to ask. Some things were better left alone rather than pushed too far.
Besides, the relationship between Salem and Raven had always been unusual, so she doubted she would ever fully understand it anyway.
In the end, Primrose swallowed all of her questions and simply smiled. "That’s a good thing, then." She added teasingly, "No wonder you want to stay here a little longer too."
The two of them joked around for a while before Primrose finally had to leave to take care of something else.
= = =
"I’m sorry for being so late, Your Majesty," Callen said. He lowered his head slightly, and guilt written all over his face. "I tried to bring them here as quickly as possible, but it was really hard to convince them to come in the first place."
[They truly couldn’t believe their long-lost daughter had been found.] Callen sighed inwardly. [I understand them. If I disappeared for years, my mother probably wouldn’t believe I was still alive either. But still... I even showed them His Majesty’s royal decree.]
Primrose gently patted his shoulder. "It’s alright. The important thing is that they’re here now."
She then turned toward the two people sitting inside the parlor. Both of them looked anxious and hesitant, a clear sign that they still did not fully believe Callen’s words.
"Please bring Miss Evelia here," Primrose said softly. "My husband will arrive soon as well. Until then, I’ll stay here and keep them company for a while."
Callen immediately frowned. "But Your Majesty, wouldn’t it be better to wait for His Majesty first? They probably still hold resentment toward the royals."
Primrose smiled faintly. "Then that makes me the perfect person to face that resentment, doesn’t it?"
"I know, but still... you’re a—"
"Human?" Primrose cut him off gently. "That’s also exactly why I should meet them first."
Before she was a Queen, Primrose was a human first. Someone who belonged to the same people who had caused them years of suffering.
The person responsible for Cecillia’s death was already dead, and the people behind Evelia’s misery were now standing at the edge of ruin.
But even after facing punishment, none of them had ever apologized to the victims. Even the Emperor of Vellmoria saw those cases as nothing more than troublesome matters he wanted dealt with quickly.
"Wait outside for me," Primrose told Callen.
"But Your Majesty, what if they hurt you?" Callen asked worriedly.
Primrose smiled calmly as she walked into the room. "They won’t."
And even if they tried, Primrose could stop them easily. Still, it was better if no one witnessed it, or they might end up getting punished for it later.
The sound of the door closing startled Evelia’s parents. Her father looked stern and guarded, barely showing any emotion. It seemed he was trying his best not to offend a royal in order to protect his family.
Evelia’s mother, on the other hand, made no effort to hide the anger burning in her eyes, as if she no longer cared about anything after losing her daughters.
"Mr. Moretz. Mrs. Moretz. Thank you for agreeing to come here," Primrose greeted them politely with a gentle smile, though she never expected one in return.
"Did you really find our daughter?" Mrs. Moretz asked sharply. "Or are you simply playing with us, just like your filthy kind always does?"
