The head priest Hector was in the queen’s office waiting for her arrival. He was sitting elegantly in the lounge chair sipping a cup of tea while reading one of many stacked reports on the queen’s desk. High priest Hector was Queen Patricia’s most trusted advisor thus he was also tasked to review the reports sent to the queen.

’Bang’ The office door opened abruptly and the queen quickly went in with her ladies in waiting following behind.

"Your majesty, the doctor said that Princess Alicia is doing fine now. The princess will regain consciousness maybe later in the afternoon or in the evening, so there is no need to worry." One lady in waiting reported.

"I understand. You may go." Queen Patricia waved her hand and dismissed her ladies in waiting.

With the queen’s signal, the ladies in waiting curtsied and exited the office. After they have closed the door, the queen let out a long sigh and slumped on her chair. She was visibly exhausted with her finger massaging her temples.

High priest Hector poured a cup of tea and stood up. He walked towards the queen and offered her the cup.

"Thank you priest Hector." Queen Patricia said. She lifted the cup and took a sip of the tea.

"I thought you would take a while with your niece." High priest Hector said questioningly. "What happened?"

Queen Patricia put down her cup and looked serious. "I was planning on extracting some information regarding Leticia’s other half of the pendant. Like I thought, Alicia had seen it before." She replied.

"You showed the princess your half of the pendant?" High priest Hector looked shocked. "Is that okay? I mean we are not yet sure if she is our ally or enemy."

"I have my reasons why I showed it to her." Queen Patricia looked sharply at priest Hector. "By the way, what are the results of your investigation regarding the fire in the library?"

High priest Hector picked up the paper and resumed reading the report. "Like I thought the fire was not an accident, it was intentional."

"Are you saying we are looking at arson?" Queen Patricia’s voice became cold. It is visible that she is furious. "How did the enemy enter our territory? What have our soldiers been doing lately?!" She slapped the desk in front of her. The objects on the desk rattled with the vibration. High priest Hector held the tea cup so that the contents won’t splash out.

"I am afraid we have a rat inside our territory your majesty." High priest Hector let out a smile. His smile was rather a chilling one.

"Then find that rat and dispose of it immediately!" Queen Patricia yelled with anger.

"Of course your majesty. I am on it." High priest Hector bowed politely. "By the way, what happened to Princess Alicia? Why did she become unconscious?" He asked calmly.

The queen sighed. "You know that I have embedded powerful gravitation magic in that room using the half of my pendant as catalyst. Only I can cross that room unscathed." Queen Patricia said. "When we entered of course I held her hand to protect her from the powerful gravity."

"Oh, then what happened? Why is the princess unwell now?" High priest Hector asked nonchalantly.

"When Alicia told me that Leticia pawned her half of the pendant in exchange for some medicine, I became furious." Queen Patricia explained. "I lost my temper and pushed her out of the safe zone."

"Ah, you lost your temper once again." High priest Hector said. "But I thought your niece has high aptitude in magic after you have observed her. Wasn’t she able to defend herself?"

"Yes, I can see her high magic aptitude. That is why I selected her to be my son’s wife. The offsprings in their union will surely be powerful." Queen Patricia said. "But she just had a backlash on her magic the other day and her body is still recovering. She wasn’t able to withstand my gravity magic."

High priest Hector nodded in understanding. "Your magic power is really something after being amplified with the pendant. Similar to what you have done with the weather almost twenty years ago." He said. "This forever winter here in Jennovia was of your doing, correct?"

Queen’s Patricia’s face crumpled in the memory of what happened almost twenty years ago. That was the time that the former king of Jennovia took her as a hostage and made her his play thing. After the first time the former king raped her, she held the pendant hard and her grief and despair was overflowing. And that time she cursed him and all the land he governs.

"Yes, I was the one that cursed this land. It was because of that filthy man!" Queen Patricia roared in anger. "I never thought that my magic will be amplified by the pendant tenfold. The magic imbued inside the pendant for sure was from the almighty one. He heard my prayers and cursed this land that filthy man governs. Do you hate me for doing so? You are a priest of this country after all." She looked at high priest Hector with a mocking smile.

"I do not care of your own personal vendetta my queen. I am helping you because I have my own reasons. Please do not forget our deal." High priest Hector maintained his calm smile.

"Hahaha, for a high priest you also have a dark heart. Knowing that the people of Jennovia are suffering because of the weather made by me, but you turn a blind eye because of your own personal agenda." Queen Patricia sneered. "Do not worry, I won’t forget our deal. Once we win this war, you will get your just compensation. That is a youthful body having similar to immortality. It can be accomplished with the use of the forbidden magic in the hands of the chosen one."

High priest Hector smiled. "Thank you your majesty."

"Anyways, what are the reports in the front lines?" Queen Patricia asked. "Is our plan for a surprise attack in the Duess River on schedule?"

"Yes your majesty, all is in schedule. When the crown prince comes back with the army from Alvannia, we can commence the surprise attack and go in the offensive." High priest Hector replied.

"We still don’t have the forbidden magic within our grasp, but if we can kill that b*astard young king of Grandcrest we will have lesser problems to think about." Queen Patricia said. "He is currently a huge thorn in my plans."

"Then what are your plans about the search for the other half of the pendant?" High priest Hector asked.

"I will leave the investigation of the pendant to you. See if it was really pawned in the village where my sister and niece were residing." Queen Patricia said. "I have a feeling that Alicia is hiding something from me."

"Then what will you do if you find that your niece is a traitor?" High priest Hector asked.

"No matter, she is still useful to me and so I won’t throw her away. And Gladiolus is infatuated with her. I don’t want to incur my son’s wrath." Queen Patricia smiled while lifting her cupping. She took a sip of her tea.

***

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