Chapter 17 – Royal Audience

Chapter 17 – Royal Audience

On the other hand, Duke and Duchess Rivera were meeting His Majesty, King Grayson Alvaro, of the Alvaro Kingdom. The meeting took place in a private room rather than the usual audience chamber, due to the overwhelming number of guests gathered for the royal engagement. The King’s schedule was packed, and only high-ranking nobles were granted private audiences.

Duke and Duchess Rivera greeted the King and Queen Alvaro with practiced grace. King Grayson appeared like a typical elderly man at first glance, but his eyes held the wisdom and sharpness of a seasoned ruler. Queen Alvaro, elegant and refined, gave them a graceful nod as they took their seats.

“It’s been too long, Duke Rivera,” the King said, his voice warm but firm. “And Duchess Rivera, you’re as radiant as ever.”

“You honor us, Your Majesty,” Duchess Rivera replied with a soft smile. “We hope Your Majesty and Her Majesty are in good health.”

“Ah, as good as an old king can be,” he said with a chuckle, waving it off. “But tell me, how fares your household?”

The Duke and Duchess exchanged a look. “We’ve been well, Your Majesty,” the Duke replied cautiously. “Though we’ve had... a few tiring weeks.”

The King leaned back. “Yes, I heard something about your daughter... a fall? Some accident?”

The Duke’s eyes narrowed slightly. “Indeed. She’s recovering well.”

The King didn’t miss the guarded tone. He leaned forward, steepling his fingers. “And the rumors that she awakened unique magic? That part isn’t a fabrication, is it?”

Duke Rivera paused. “Her awakening did come as a surprise... but yes, Your Majesty. It is true.”

The Queen, who had been silent until now, raised an eyebrow. “Unique magic, you say? Those are exceedingly rare. There are only a handful on the continent.”

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The King’s smile tightened. “That starlight hair of hers... quite the spectacle. Is that the manifestation of her magic?”

The Duke had no choice but to lie to the King. He knew that no ordinary magic could produce an effect as bizarre as the one Stella exhibited. Even after thorough research, no one truly understood what "Unique Magic" was—its nature remained a mystery. With no other plausible explanation, the Duke claimed that Stella had awakened a rare and unknown form of magic, hoping that the label alone would be enough to deflect suspicion.

“Yes,” the Duke confirmed, his voice calm. “It’s a visible side effect.”

“Fascinating,” the King murmured. “Fascinating indeed.”

For a few seconds, silence hung between them, heavy with unspoken thoughts.

“Such talents shouldn’t be left wandering aimlessly,” the King continued, carefully measuring his words. “The realm could use someone like her. Especially... in the royal family.”

Duchess Rivera's smile thinned.

“Are you suggesting a political match?” she asked, though her tone made it clear she already knew.

The King chuckled. “Just a thought. What if we made Stella the Crown Princess?”

Duke Rivera’s gaze hardened. “Your Majesty,” he said slowly, “Stella will decide her future on her own. We will not force her into a political marriage—regardless of the title offered.”

Queen Alvaro’s eyes narrowed slightly, but she said nothing.

“She has a strong will, I’ve heard,” the King mused, swirling the wine in his glass. “Quite unlike the demure noble daughters at court.”

“She always has been,” Duchess Rivera said. “Stubborn, bold, and infuriating... but she is our daughter.”

“And we love her as she is,” the Duke added.

The King gave a slow, approving nod. “Then perhaps... the Crown Prince will simply have to win her over himself.”

The King remained unaware, but the Duke and Duchess had once quietly asked their daughter if she had ever been married during her long cosmic journey. Stella, with her usual distant calm, had replied that none of her soul fragments had truly held worldly desires. Their incompleteness had made them less emotional, more driven by instinct than attachment.

During her quest to gather those fragments, countless beings—some arrogant, others sincere—had proposed to her. Some sought power, others offered genuine love. But Stella had only one goal: to become whole. Marriage, romance, and sentimentality had no place in her path.

Even so, many of those beings still held lingering desires to court her—beings who had once crossed paths with fragments of her soul and now longed for the whole. Stella, however, remained unmoved. She had formed deep bonds, yes, but only a few had ever grown truly close. Among them was Nyx, her most loyal and delightfully troublesome companion.

“That’s a tall task,” Duchess Rivera said with a knowing smile. “And one not without... competition.”

The King blinked. “Competition?”

The Duke didn’t elaborate. He simply said, “Let’s just say... those interested in Stella are not the type you’d want to challenge lightly.”

The Queen finally spoke again. “You make it sound as if we’d be contending with monsters.”

The Duke met her gaze evenly. “You might be.”

The Queen looked confused. The King, however, laughed. “Well, monsters or not... I look forward to seeing who she brings to court.”

As the meeting ended with exchanged pleasantries and veiled smiles, one thing was certain—Stella Rivera was now the subject of the capital’s deepest curiosity and the King’s most ambitious plans.

But what none of them realized was that before the Crown Prince could so much as hand her a flower, he’d have to step over the corpses—literal or otherwise—of beings that defied logic, sanity, and death itself.

And Stella? She was already far beyond their grasp.

None of them intended to share her.

No one dare claim her.

And she had no intention of being claimed.