The Crown's Seduction-Chapter 38: [Bonus chapter]I’ll Kill You

That night, Mineah prepared herself to attend the festivities happening on the main deck of the ship. For the occasion, she wore a silky high neck long sleeved dark green gown that perfectly hugged her curvy and perfect body. It was also accentuated with pearls and beads, making look regal despite the simplicity of the gown.

Confidently, she walked through the hallways going to the main deck. Already, she could hear faint sounds of laughter and music as she came near her destination.

"Greetings to our Queen!"

As soon as she stepped inside, Gregory announced her presence, making everyone greet her as they bowed down to show their respect. Returning their greetings with a curt nod, she then walked towards the chair prepared for her beside Nikolai's.

Taking a seat, Mineah sighed as she turned her gaze to the vacant seat beside her. It had been two days now since he had seen Nikolai. She couldn't help but miss him as she turned her gaze back to the celebration before her.

Still, she was there for a reason. Her eyes roamed as she searched for a specific figure. One that was particularly Rosela-shaped.

"Your Majesty, it's an honor that you graced us with your presence tonight despite the absence of His Majesty," Gregory sincerely stated. "For tonight's celebrations, Lady Rosela has prepared one of Valcrez's many masterpieces. You might love this…"

Mineah flinched, but she managed to smile as she said, "Is that so? I would be delighted to hear what Lady Rosela has prepared for us with her talents then."

And with that, all the lights in the main deck suddenly went off. A singular light illuminated the area, humming as if waiting for its next move.

"Oh, my apologies for being late," Alexa whispered from behind her, making Mineah smile as she saw the woman. "I was planning on skipping tonight's celebration, but I heard you will be present, so I thought I might as well accompany you while Nikolai isn't around."

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Smiling brightly, she whispered back, "Come and sit with me then, Aunt Alexa."

"Oh, my pleasure…" Alexa hummed as she firmly positioned herself near her. "And I made it just in time too."

The silence continued, but what followed next was the sound of live instruments playing as the lights suddenly came back to life directly over Rosela.

As the performer, she was sitting in the center stage of the main deck of the ship. And as the music began to play in earnest, Mineah couldn't help but hum as the familiar tune played itself around her.

It was a beautiful song, one intended to be performed by a female soprano.

Then Rosela started singing, and Mineah gulped at the talent being displayed before her. Although she didn't like the woman, she could at least admit that she had a gift when it came to singing.

Rosela presented it as an opera, one that told the tension between the love of a woman to a man. It had an interlude expressing lyrical simplicity and love, all in contrast to the atmosphere of hypocrisy, jealousy, double-dealing, and feuding that the melody expressed.

"She's good," Mineah couldn't help but whisper.

"Indeed," Alexa proudly replied. "She's the best opera singer in Valcrez."

Mineah nodded along. Now knowing what she knew, she wanted to ask Alexa if Dahlia had the same talents too, and if she knew that Rosela had feelings for Nikolai. However, she also knew she had to do it privately so that she would get her timing right.

Before long, the performance ended. As expected, Rosela gained everyone's standing ovation, hers included. She might not like her, but she at least appreciated talent if she saw one.

"A toast for Her Majesty!" Rosela suddenly announced.

In line with the toast, everyone grabbed a cup. In Mineah's case, a servant offered her a cup before she could even ask for one, giving her a glass of red wine to match with the rest of the attendants.

"All hail our Queen!"

Rosela cheered, and Mineah could barely suppress herself from laughing at the sound of it. And here she thought she was the best when it came to acting… Apparently, she was wrong because it looked like she would lose to Rosela with how sincere she almost sounded.

Back on the stage, the Scion was smiling widely at her, even curtly bowing to her despite how Rosela was obviously cursing her in her mind.

Mineah knew this because she was already reading the woman's mind at that point. She had been close enough to look her straight in the eyes, and likewise, Rosela was doing the same to her.

[Enjoy the moment while you can, breeder! Your only use is for the Prophecy to be fulfilled! You're nothing but a tool to Nikolai!]

'A prophecy?'

Mineah mused to herself as she tried her best to maintain the smile plastered on her face. It looked like she still had a lot to ask Gregory.

While she wanted to ask Alexa, the older woman was an Exordium, so she wasn't sure if she could completely compel her. Reading her mind wouldn't be enough for what she wanted. She needed precise answers, ones that she would only get if she compelled the person she was talking to.

Mineah was still busy plotting when Rosela approached her and spoke, "Did you enjoy the song, Your Majesty?"

"It's a good performance, Lady Rosela," she sincerely stated. "You're a very talented singer."

"I love singing and performing in the opera, Your Majesty," Rosela began, somehow still managing to sound taunting despite her words. "His Majesty, without a miss, would always watch my performance with how good I am."

"Oh, I guess my husband will have me as his company now to watch your performances, Lady Rosela," Mineah sweetly replied. "I love operas, and I would be delighted to see you perform more and watch it together with my husband."

[You… bjtch! I'll kill you before that even happens!]

Mineah's face suddenly dimmed at that thought coming from Rosela.

Despite her thoughts, however, the Scion gave her a lovely smile and said, "Long live Her Majesty. May you accompany His Majesty and stay by his side for a long time."

"Don't worry, Lady Rosela. I have no intentions of dying just yet. His Majesty already asked me if I want him to turn me into his Scion, you know?" Mineah stated with a radiant smile.

"So in order to live long and stay by his side, I'm considering taking his offer seeing how genuine he was in confessing to me how he looks forward to the two of us being together for eternity."

Predictably, Mineah heard Rosela cursing her and calling her words in her mind. In fact, some of them were so imaginative and amusing that she couldn't help but chuckle and snort at them.

"Oh, I can't wait for His Majesty to turn me into his Scion," she taunted. "I said I'll think more about it, but he's willing to do it anytime I want to. Sincerely, hearing your well wishes for us is encouraging."

Behind her, Alexa coughed hard, audibly trying to break up the intense but subtle glaring between her and Rosela. "Oh, we should continue with the celebration," she all but insisted. "How about we all have a dance?"

"Ah, Aunt Alexa, I can't dance yet because Nikolai is being quite possessive at me," Mineah timidly hummed but still made sure that she was loud enough for Rosela to hear her words. "He told me that I shouldn't let any other man hold me. That's why my partner during practice a while ago was a female dancer…"

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AN: You can listen to "O mio babbino caro / Oh my dear Papa" as a reference for the music Rosela performed hehe.