New Chapter of Highest Tier (May 2021)

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Archdemon Empress Luna

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"Nobody knew where these fires originated. Everyone was asleep. The flames came along with the sunrise and usually killed the Faerie Sentinel we commanded to watch over the top of the turret before we could ask where it came from." Queen Titania said as she glanced down at the fruit cake she had on her plate, stabbing the strawberries around and dipping them into a bowl of vanilla cream.

Luna was slightly taken aback by how casual the Summer Queen narrated the deaths of the Faerie Sentinels as if it was normal—as natural as night and day.

They must not mind sacrificing those people at the turret for the safety of the Summer Castle.

If she would be in the Faerie Sentinel's shoes, the moment she would be tasked to guard this mysterious blaze at the turret, she would flee from the Summer Courts, never to be seen again.

She would rather disappear and play dead than experience literal death.

Blinking, Apollyon pinched his lips together in confusion. "That is strange, indeed, Queen Titania."

"Do you mean that people outside the Castle were alarmed the moment they see this mysterious fire blazing at the top of the turret—" Luna paused as she let that sink into her mind, "--and then when someone from the Summer Courts climbed up the stairs--—"

"—all they found where dead Faerie Sentinels with no blazing fire when we got there." King Oberon finished.

There was an awkward silence before Apollyon spoke up, his voice quiet and thoughtful. "Maybe, you were too late to see them every single time, King Oberon. The Monarchs always take their time even when it came to urgent matters. Monarchs don't want to be rushed and wanting to do things at their own pace." Apollyon tilted his head towards his grandfather and smirked,"—or did your knees hurt from rushing to the top?"

Luna had no idea whether to laugh or cry, but she covered her mouth just the same.

Did he mock the Summer King and Queen that they are too slow to catch this mischievous fire?

Passive, aggressiveness?

Huh.

Two can play the game.

Like Princess Ourania, Apollyon never held back his jibes on his grandparents.

But in Apollyon's case, his stone-cold features were a blank slate.

No one ever knew what his goal was.

That must be the reason why the Summer Monarchs quickly brushed his insults off like it they were breadcrumbs off their clothes.

Her husband must have inherited this random mean streak from his mother.

"I could see the Summer Castle from this gazebo and I am sure that would be long journey without skills of teleportation." Apollyon observed as he rubbed his chin in contemplation.

"You are right. But there was no need of teleportation if I stay in the spare room at the highest tower reserved for the watchers." King Oberon didn't feel offended at all. "When we get there, there was nothing except the Faerie Sentinel's burnt bodies hanging onto the parapet. As if they were desperate to jump and fly to escape, but they couldn't." His grandfather's voice was weak and fragile when he talked about the deaths. "Each of them died in agony and the torture of death by burning. "Faerie wings have limited altitude we can fly in. We can't recognize who was who since their skin was covered with soot, flayed, and torn, and the muscles shrank visibly to the point of contortion."

Luna felt a dropping sensation in her stomach as she listened to the sentinel's struggles, imagining them in her mind's eye.

"Did you hear screaming from the assigned guards?" Luna asked.

She exhaled a harsh breath as she felt this invisible hand squeezing her heart.

"It was abrupt. " King Oberon replied. "As if the Faerie Sentinels were struck by lightning, exposing them to extreme heat."

"You even rested at such an uncomfortable room not built for Monarchs, King Oberon. You took the matters into your own hands. But you still haven't caught the perpetrators despite that." Apollyon's jaws were clenched at this misfortune. " I wonder who are the bastards behind that."

Luna answered Apollyon in her mind. 'Only a god or a demon can do something vile as that.'

"I haven't caught the bastard yet who made these mysterious flames. This level of mischief…" King Oberon's grip on his teacup tightened, and Luna was grateful that the ceramic didn't explode in someone's face. "I think this isn't a mere natural occurrence."

"Do you think it's glamour?"

"Glamour might kill Faeries but that is impossible. Faerie Sentinels, who possess strong powers and unique abilities, were picked specifically from the Summer Villages. Their eyes were already highly trained from the start to detect even the most powerful of glamour. They can see through the weaker members of the royal family's attempts when they do it." Queen Titania replied as she stared at her.

Then, do you think it would be Faeries who practiced witchcraft or any kinds of magic unbeknownst to us?"

Princess Ourania must have been annoyed by Luna's queries since she banged her fork on her plate. Picking up her table napkin, she wiped the corners of her scarlet-painted lips as she gave Luna a frosty glance. "No Fae in this land are stronger than the Summer Monarchs, dear, since this is our territory. Who else would know this Realm well than King Oberon and Queen Titania? Please be careful of what you say, Empress."

Leaning behind her chair, Luna snorted as she stretched her arms above her head and settled them on her armchair.

Goddess, she was seated for a long time only for Apollyon's mother to criticize her when she was only kind? Princess Ourania… she didn't deserve her kindness. "I could say the same to you. I will be careful of what I'm saying. But you should care enough to listen to what was going on in the Summer Castle. What would, a mother like you, do during the day if you aren't taking care of your own daughter?"

"Mind your own business."

"Touche."

Without warning, Queen Titania threw the contents of her teacup in her daughter's face.