"Y-Yes... as you command, My Lord." Thandria immediately lowered her head in fear. That gaze and that aura she felt from Rios made her feel like a weak rabbit in the forest under the constant watch of a giant predatory tiger. She had always treated the former Elf Queen and the current queen casually and naturally, always acting like her mischievous self. She thought things would be the same this time as well, but she was wrong.

"Anyway, where did you get these men’s clothes?" Rios waved his hand and looked at the garments, discovering that they looked remarkably similar to the martial arts training uniforms from his previous world.

"They’re the clothes I train in, My Lord!" Thandria answered weakly and stiffly. It was as though something inside her had broken after experiencing Rios’s overwhelming aura.

"My Lord, if you permit me, I wish to say something." Queen Elena stepped away from Rios’s half-naked body, retreating a few paces. The embarrassment faded somewhat from her expression, though her face was still flushed.

"Speak." Rios glanced at Elena while narrowing his eyes slightly as he continued putting on the clothes.

"My Lord, please forgive Thandria and pardon her. She has a kind heart and would never speak to someone that way unless she truly liked them or trusted them!" Queen Elena dropped to one knee and pleaded with Rios.

"Your Majesty..." Thandria looked at Queen Elena in surprise. Her eyes glistened as tears began to gather, but she forced herself to hold them back.

"Are you finished?" Rios looked at Elena with a dangerous gaze before taking a few steps toward her and reaching out his hand to her head.

Elena trembled as she saw his hand approaching, but she gritted her teeth, lowered her head, and said firmly, "Yes, My Lord."

Rios placed his hand on Elena’s head and felt her trembling. He released some of Blessing of Life’s energy into her body, and once he sensed that she had finally calmed down, he began gently rubbing her hair. Then he looked toward Thandria with a smile.

"I know she didn’t mean those words and that they slipped out naturally. But you—and everyone else—must learn how to address me. I am not a monster, nor am I someone without an origin. I am Rios Astar, the greatest of the Nine Sacred Trees in this universe, the King of the City of Light and of the Elf race... and in the near future, the King of this world. Do you understand who I am now? Do you understand how you should address me?" Rios declared proudly. Ambition coursed through his veins, and his hunger for power radiated from every fiber of his being, and all those traits were reflected in his eyes without the slightest concealment. Elena and Thandria could clearly see the extent of his pride, ambition, and hunger.

The two women exchanged glances as countless thoughts flashed through their minds. They remained silent for a while before looking back at Rios.

They gazed at him with deep admiration, excitement coursing through their bodies as they imagined the day he would truly shine. At that moment, both silently made the same vow: they had to remain at the forefront beside Rios when he attained glory. They knew perfectly well that they could not share that glory merely because they were beautiful women. Beautiful women would naturally flock to Rios once he displayed his strength and talent.

At that instant, there was only one thought in both Elena’s and Thandria’s minds:

"I must become stronger! If I want to stand by his side forever, I must grow stronger! If I want a place for myself in his kingdom, I must seize it through my own power! If I wish to share in his glory and honor, then I must prove my worth!"

After those confident words, and once Rios’s aura had reached its peak, he stopped stroking Elena’s head and walked toward Thandria with unwavering steps.

Startled, Thandria instinctively wanted to step back, but both her instincts and her mind refused to obey.

Rios stopped directly in front of her until barely an inch separated them. His chest almost touched her ample bosom, and he leaned so close that the tips of their noses nearly met. Their breaths intertwined until they seemed to become one.

"M-My Lord... w-what are you doing?" Thandria trembled before him. Her face reddened until it was the color of blood, her vision blurred as she stared directly into Rios’s eyes, and she wanted to retreat, yet felt as though something was preventing her.

"M-My Lord... t-this!" A sensation like electricity ran through her entire body because of his sudden closeness. Her face turned even redder, and she stammered helplessly before looking toward her friend for rescue.

Instead, she found Elena looking away with an embarrassed expression and a face flushed crimson from overwhelming shyness.

In that moment, Thandria had only one word to describe her closest friend:

"Traitor!"

Rios brought his lips close to Thandria’s long pointed ear and whispered in a playful voice filled with mischief and arrogance, like the whisper of a ghost.

"She said you only speak to someone like that if you like them or trust them. So... does that mean you like me and trust me?"

The warm breath leaving Rios’s mouth brushed against Thandria’s ear, sending a violent shiver through her entire body.

"M-My Lord, you’ve definitely misunderstood! Her Majesty didn’t mean it that way at all..." Thandria said while trembling in panic.

"So you’re saying I’m the one who misunderstood?" Rios replied suspiciously, deliberately toying with her emotions.

"My Lord, pleeease!" Thandria cried out miserably, nearly bursting into tears from embarrassment and the sheer absurdity of the situation. A few teardrops had already formed at the corners of her eyes.

Rios smiled in satisfaction as he continued teasing her, moving even closer until their noses touched. His face kept approaching hers until their lips were almost about to meet.

Thandria closed her eyes and surrendered to her fate without resisting.

Then, all of a sudden, her backside hit the ground.

"W... what?" She opened her eyes and found herself sitting on the floor, staring at Rios’s back as he casually walked away toward Elena.

"Go to Etham and oversee the preparations for the coronation. I don’t want to see any changes or unexpected incidents," Rios said as he walked toward Elena, giving his orders to Thandria.

Thandria climbed back to her feet, still unable to comprehend Rios’s abrupt and bizarre change in behavior. In the end, however, she nodded obediently.

"As you command, My Lord."

"As for you..." Rios raised his hand and pointed at Elena. One of his flexible purple branches shot out and wrapped around her, lifting her into the air.

"Ah... w-what do you want?!" Elena panicked at Rios’s sudden attack. Yet despite her keen perception and the incredible speed granted by her law of light, she hadn’t sensed his strike at all and had no chance to evade it.

"What am I going to do? Hehehehehe... You’ll definitely find out once we’re in your bedroom!"