Chapter 370
Yuna shot a sideways glance at Setan, her disdain entirely undisguised. Compared to Nina, her son fell short in every conceivable metric. No wonder the girl hadn’t accepted him; the more Yuna thought about it, the more convinced she became that Setan was simply aiming far above his station.
Steeling her nerves, Yuna edged a little closer to Nina, her eyes shining with sudden hope. “Nina… can we be friends from now on p>
Since her hopeless son clearly lacked the capability to win Nina’s heart, Yuna had pragmatically adjusted her expectations. If she couldn’t be Nina’s mother-in-law, being her friend was an excellent consolation prize—just the thought of it brought a ridiculous surge of joy. Of course, securing that mother-in-law title would still be the crowning achievement of her life.
Lamenting that impossible dream, Yuna immediately whipped around to glare resentfully at Setan. Useless, she thought. Absolutely incapable of accomplishing anything.
Setan blinked, utterly bewildered. He met his mother’s hostile gaze with a blank stare. What had he done wrong this time? He hadn’t even opened his mouth.
Nina smiled warmly, breaking the silent tension. “Of course we can p>
The answer instantly illuminated Yuna’s face.
Before anyone else could hijack the moment, Yian hurried forward. “Nina, I’d like to apologize as well,” he said, rubbing the back of his neck as a flush of genuine embarrassment crept up his skin. “I was wrong about you from the very beginning. My attitude wasn’t fair, and I judged you without knowing the whole story p>
Meeting her eyes, he asked with deep sincerity, “Can you forgive me as well p>
Nina shook her head lightly, her voice calm and reassuring. “It’s alright, Uncle. You were only acting on the information you had. I never blamed you p>
In truth, because of his relationship with Setan, she had never taken those minor frictions to heart anyway.
Visible relief flooded Yian’s face, and his smile widened. “Thank you. Thank you for your generosity.” He couldn’t help but think that Setan had been right all along—Nina truly was an exceptional female.
“Lady Nina, I came to apologize as well p>
Maya quickly stepped forward, determined not to be left behind, and bowed deeply. Her cheeks burned crimson. “I was ignorant and foolish before, which is why I said such terrible things to you. I am genuinely ashamed. I’m so sorry p>
Gesturing anxiously toward the packages she had brought, she added, “I prepared these apology gifts myself. I truly came here to make amends p>
Of everyone in the room, Maya’s presence surprised Nina the most. Her gaze instinctively drifted over to Setan. Wasn’t this female supposed to be infatuated with him? Why was she apologizing too?
Catching the confusion in Nina’s eyes, Maya rushed to clarify, her words tumbling out in a hurry. “I’ve already given up on Setan! From now on, he has absolutely nothing to do with me p>
The declaration was so sudden and vehement that even Setan looked startled.
A faint blush spread across Maya’s face as she looked down. “And I will never say those kinds of things ever again p>
The mere memory of her past behavior made her mortified. How had she managed to spout such shameless nonsense with so much confidence? At the time, she had genuinely believed she was fighting a noble battle for love. Now, she just wished the floor would swallow her alive.
Hesitating for a moment, she looked back up at Nina, her voice softening into cautious hope. “Lady Nina… I was incredibly immature before. I truly am sorry.” She clenched her fingers nervously into her skirts. “Can you… forgive me too p>
For the first time since she had arrived, there was no trace of the proud, stubborn female Maya used to be. Instead, she just waited anxiously, terrified that her apology had come far too late.
Seeing the genuine remorse softening Maya’s features, Nina smiled gently. “Since you’re apologizing so sincerely, I’m happy to forgive you p>
“Really?” Maya’s eyes flashed with pure joy, her entire face illuminating. “Thank you, Lady Nina p>
Relief washed over her, sweeter than she could have imagined.
Truthfully, she had prepared herself for a long, grueling siege. She had fully intended to return tomorrow, the day after, and every day following, weaponizing sheer persistence until she earned her redemption.
To have it granted so easily made her feel even more ashamed. If someone had challenged and insulted her the way she had targeted Nina, she certainly wouldn’t have been this magnanimous.
Eager to prove her gratitude, Maya hurriedly scooped up one of her brought treasures.
“Lady Nina, look at this,” she urged, her eyes sparkling as she carefully pried open an ornate box. “This jewelry set is crafted from a rare gemstone found exclusively in Blazing Flame City. The artisan only produces a single set each year, and they sell out almost instantly. I worked incredibly hard to pull strings for it.” She looked up expectantly. “You’ll look absolutely stunning in it p>
Beside them, Yuna’s face twisted with immediate envy. No wonder she hadn’t been able to secure that set; Maya had stealthily beaten her to the punch.
Nina hesitated, eyeing the breathtaking craftsmanship. “Isn’t this far too valuable p>
“Not at all! It’s just jewelry,” Maya dismissed with a casual wave of her hand. “Besides, it suits you perfectly. If I really want another one, I’ll just try my luck again next year p>
Faced with such overwhelming enthusiasm, Nina found it impossible to refuse. “Alright then,” she smiled warmly. “Thank you p>
The moment Nina accepted, Maya looked happier than if she had unearthed a legendary treasure herself; that acceptance alone made her entire week.
Not wanting to be outdone, Yuna immediately thrust her own carefully curated gifts forward. Within minutes, the three females were huddled together, happily trading opinions on jewelry, fabrics, and cosmetics, transforming the courtyard into an unexpectedly lively haven.
A short distance away, Rin remained utterly oblivious to the chatter. His attention was completely locked onto Sunny.
The little Lion cub trotted around the courtyard, entirely unaware of the intense gaze tracking his every move. Rin stared, a strange sense of familiarity tugging at his mind. Where did this cub come from? And why does he look so oddly recognizable?
Suddenly, a subtle ripple of elemental energy drifted from the boy. Rin’s eyes widened slightly. An awakened ability? At such a tender age? A flicker of deep admiration stirred in his chest. What extraordinary talent.
Looking around the courtyard properly for the first time, he realized just how many cubs were actually playing there. The previous day, they had been standing far in the back with Aviel, so he hadn’t thought much of it. Since they all appeared to be roughly the same age, he had never once connected them to Nina.
As he observed them, Keil strolled over, practically bouncing Mimi in his arms. “What are you staring at, old lion p>
Rin immediately snapped his gaze away. “Nothing p>
The smug, self-satisfied grin plastered across Keil’s face instantly irritated him. This old fish was clearly showing off his great-granddaughter again.
Rin shot one last, longing glance at Sunny. If only that little cub were his great-grandson, he wouldn’t have to endure Keil’s insufferable gloating every time they crossed paths.
His eyes drifted toward Setan, and a heavy, helpless sigh escaped him. Sadly, it was a pipe dream. His foolish grandson wasn’t even mated yet. At this rate, who knew how many decades he’d have to wait? Would he even live long enough to see a great-grandchild?
Keil took one look at the old lion’s tragic expression and nearly burst out laughing. This old beast is hopelessly blind, he thought merrily. He was going to milk this irony for the rest of his life.
Annoyed by Keil’s increasingly suspicious smirking, Rin snorted. So what if the fish had a head start? One day, he would have great-grandchildren too. Steeling his posture, he marched over to Nina.
“Female,” he began, his tone considerably more polite than the previous day. “Thank you for saving Setan yesterday p>
He glanced briefly at his grandson, who was standing nearby looking happier than he had in years. After a moment’s hesitation, Rin cleared his throat.
“You are undoubtedly an excellent female. However, you already have many mates. In my opinion, that makes you entirely unsuitable for Setan. I hope you can understand a grandfather’s position p>
The courtyard went dead silent. Everyone froze.
Setan’s face drained of color. “Grandfather!” he yelled, his voice cracking in sheer panic. “What are you talking about p>
Yuna and Yian nearly collapsed on the spot. Their skin turned an identical shade of ghostly pale.
No. Not again. They had just painstakingly mended their relationship with Nina, and with a single sentence, Rin was bulldozing all their hard work into the dirt.
Completely immune to the horror radiating around him, Rin pressed on righteously. “I know Setan likes you, but I will never agree to the two of you being together p>
He folded his arms, his tone leaving absolutely no room for debate. “In fact, Setan once had a proper marriage arrangement—a political alliance with Princess Nina of Spirit Stone City. Unfortunately, Yian behaved irresponsibly and broke the engagement p>
He shot a fierce, disapproving glare at his son. “I have always believed that was a grave mistake p>
He raised his chin. “Therefore, I have decided to reopen negotiations with Spirit Stone City. Recent intelligence suggests the negative rumors surrounding Princess Nina were entirely fabricated.
Furthermore, her other suitors have already withdrawn. In my eyes, she is the perfect match. This union will repair our fractured relations and prove that Blazing Flame City honors its word. More importantly, given Setan’s strength and appearance, I am confident Princess Nina will agree to take him as her primary, if not sole, mate p>
Across from him, Nina widened her eyes.
Slowly. Very, very slowly.
Let me get this straight, she thought, a surreal sensation washing over her. He fiercely disapproves of Setan being with me. Yet, the prestigious female he is determined to force Setan to marry… is also me.
Nina found herself completely paralyzed by a question: Should she politely decline, or should she graciously agree?
Staring at the proud, utterly self-assured old lion, she truly had no idea how to respond.