I won't fall for the queen who burned my world-Chapter 227: Side - : Lara the player last part

The words "We caught the murderer this morning" barely had time to settle before Lara sat back with an exaggerated exhale and reached for her unfinished croissant.

"Well, fantastic," she said, voice half-sarcastic, half-sincere. "Justice is served, breakfast is served, and with the assassin caught, I can finally get the hell out of here."

She stood. A fork clattered somewhere.

Serisa didn’t move though her eyes flicked up, cautious.

"I’ll pack my things," Lara continued, already making a beeline toward the polished double doors of the dining hall.

"Send your regards to Malvoria, tell her I survived diplomacy and demonhood alike, and that next time she wants me to babysit political sparkles she can go kiss—"

"You’re not leaving," said the Queen.

Lara froze mid-stride.

She turned slowly, like a predator trying to confirm if she just heard another animal growl.

"Pardon?"

The Queen’s tone didn’t change. "The murderer was only one part of the threat. We don’t yet know who sent him, or if others remain."

Lara blinked. "You have guards. Walls. Celestial detection magic. What the void do you need me for?"

"We need you," the Queen replied, calmly sipping her starlight-colored tea, "because you’re loud, stubborn, and immune to most enchantments that would have otherwise killed my daughter. You’re staying."

Lara smiled sweetly. "Respectfully... no."

She pivoted back toward the door.

The floor shimmered.

"Oh come on—"

A golden rune lit up beneath her boots.

Chains erupted from the ground like serpents—elegant, glowing, and far too enthusiastic.

They coiled around her ankles, wrists, waist, pinning her mid-stride like some overexcited magical pet who hadn’t seen its owner in weeks.

Lara was yanked backward mid-leap.

"SERIOUSLY?!"

She landed in a heap at the base of her chair, tangled in gold and glaring daggers.

The Queen raised one perfect brow. "Captain Lara, please behave."

"I am behaving," Lara hissed. "This is me behaving! I didn’t set fire to your entire collection of imported moonwine! Which, by the way, you keep in a very flammable room!"

Serisa, seated like a porcelain statue of composed royalty, looked suspiciously like she was trying not to laugh.

Lara turned her head, narrowed her eyes at her. "Don’t you dare smirk. I still have pillow burns, and you know it."

The Queen folded her hands. "Yes, about that."

Lara’s stomach sank.

"I heard quite a bit of noise last night," the Queen continued, each word poised like a knife gliding over silk. "Quite a bit. At an indecent hour. In my daughter’s wing."

"Oh no."

Serisa’s face went from neutral to faintly flushed.

The Queen rose slowly. "Let’s go talk privately."

Lara sighed and slumped into her bindings.

"Can’t wait."

---

They walked—or rather, the Queen walked and Lara shuffled behind like a disobedient goat bound in golden chains.

Every five steps, Lara tested the bindings.

And every five steps, they glowed brighter and tightened like a smug magical parent saying "Don’t even think about it."

They reached a private antechamber with glittering crystal walls, too many pillows, and the unmistakable air of impending doom.

The Queen took a seat on a high-backed chair draped in silver. Lara was deposited onto a much smaller stool by magic, with all the dignity of a dropped sack of flour.

"So," the Queen said, crossing one leg over the other. "Captain Lara."

"Your Radiance," Lara drawled, eyes narrowed. "Regent of stars. Keeper of peace. Master of dramatic entrances. Did I miss any titles?"

"You missed the one where I trusted you to protect my daughter, not sleep with her."

There it was.

The royal scolding.

Lara groaned and threw her head back. "You’re seriously going to make me sit here and talk about this like I’m in trouble with my third-grade archery tutor?"

The Queen’s eyes sharpened like daggers made of moonlight. "You were sent here to investigate a threat. Not to become one."

"Oh come on," Lara snapped, rattling her golden bonds.

"You act like I used her as a shield or stole a national artifact. I didn’t plan to sleep with your daughter—it just happened. She’s the one who made her move!"

The Queen’s voice dropped, lethal and smooth. "She was under the influence of an unknown magical agent. And you, instead of resisting, leaned into it."

"She literally told me, and I quote: ’Just fuck me already.’" Lara cried. "What part of that screams ’help me, I’m under a spell’ to you?!"

The Queen did not blink.

"I hate this conversation," Lara muttered.

"Not as much as I do," the Queen replied. "This was meant to be a diplomatic visit. Your presence was a symbol of unity. Now it’s become the subject of scandal, laughter among nobles, and worst of all—there are rumors."

Lara blinked. "There are rumors? It was one night!"

"One night that echoed across three wings of the palace!" the Queen snapped, finally raising her voice.

"Do you know how many guards reported ’mysterious magical surges’ from Serisa’s chambers? I had three astrologers knock on my door at dawn asking if the stars were collapsing!"

Lara smirked. "...Well, they did align last night."

Golden chains immediately yanked her backward into a slouching position.

The Queen massaged her temple. "You are infuriating."

"I hear that a lot."

Then the Queen stood, slowly, and the mood shifted from royal anger to cold, commanding steel.

"I won’t undo the chains."

Lara blinked. "Excuse me?"

"You are too impulsive, too reckless, and too dangerous. And if you think I’m letting you run back to Malvoria with this mess behind you—"

"Oh no, no, no, no—" Lara began, already fidgeting.

"—then you are deeply mistaken, Captain."

"I’ve had enough," Lara said. "I am not sitting here and being royal-grounded because your daughter is hot and magically reckless!"

She pulled at the chains again.

Nothing.

She gritted her teeth.

"You want me to stay?" she said. "Then you better tighten those chains, because I’m not sticking around for a week of gossip, chastity, and passive-aggressive breakfast glances!"

The Queen raised an eyebrow. "Try it."

Lara narrowed her eyes.

"Don’t tempt me."

The Queen said nothing.

Fine.

With a dramatic inhale, Lara summoned her flames.

Yellow and wild, her magic burst to life like a solar flare, heat spiraling around her body, tendrils of light licking up her arms. The chains glowed white-hot. The Queen’s lips parted—surprised, just barely.

"Three... two... one—"

With a roar, Lara exploded into motion.

The chains melted in an instant, dripping golden sparks onto the marble floor.

"GOODBYE, YOUR MOONLIT MAJESTY!"

And she bolted.

A flash of yellow light streaked through the halls, knocking over a stunned servant carrying fruit, and sailing past Serisa, who had just stepped into the corridor and blinked as Lara rocketed by like a chaos comet.

"I regret nothing!" Lara shouted over her shoulder.

Then she was gone.

Just like that.

Leaving behind an amused princess, a fuming queen, and the faint smell of singed pillow stuffing.