Chapter 210: Chapter: 210 You do not need to bow.

Marinate stood up after combing her hair. She tied it into a wide ponytail that hung down in front of her shoulder.

At the end of the ponytail, there was a small jewel with the letter “V” carved on it.

She stared at it for a long time, then let out a soft sigh.

“Am I becoming obsessive, just like Charlotte?” she muttered, looking at her own reflection in the mirror.

A small smile appeared on her face. She shook her head slowly. “No, I’m completely different from her.”

But as she said those words, a hint of bitterness came into her eyes.

She loved him deeply. She also knew how much Charlotte loved him, maybe even more than anything else in the world.

Still, she wished Charlotte was a little less obsessive.

If only Vivian could love her back, even just a little bit. Just enough so she could live her life happily.

But deep inside, Marinate knew the truth. Charlotte was the kind of person who would give everything for the people she loved.

Yet when it came to him, she would never give up or share. She would never compromise.

Marinate’s face became even more bitter.

“And even if she did compromise,” she whispered to herself, “he wouldn’t.”

She understood him completely. The few years they had spent together were carved deep into her heart.

She knew that special look in his eyes, the soft, warm one full of love, was only for Charlotte.

No one else could ever have it. No matter how hard Marinate tried, no matter how much she wished or prayed, his heart would not move toward her.

Everyone faces this kind of pain sometimes.

Not everyone gets the person they love most. Most people feel sad for a while, then slowly move on.

They meet someone new, build a new life, and find happiness again. But Marinate was different.

Or maybe it was more correct to say, she couldn’t move on.

Every time she tried to forget him, her chest hurt so much she could barely breathe.

The moment she imagined being with any other man, it felt completely wrong, like a betrayal of something sacred inside her.

Her heart refused to let anyone else in.

She wanted to stay honest with him and with herself, no matter how painful it became.

That was why she promised him, She would wait for him until the day she died.

Even if he never looked at her the way he looked at Charlotte. Even if years passed and nothing changed. She would not leave his side. She would not give up.

Marinate closed her eyes for a moment. A single tear slipped down her cheek, but she wiped it away quickly.

She turned away from the mirror. Her footsteps felt heavy as she walked toward the door.

She stopped for a second, touched the jewel at the end of her ponytail once more, then took a deep breath and stepped out of the room.

After she left the room, Marinate noticed the servants right away.

They were walking fast, almost running, with worried looks on their faces.

Their steps were hurried, and they kept glancing around like something bad was about to happen.

Marinate watched them for a moment, but she did not stop to ask what was wrong.

She continued walking toward the gathering hall where the engagement ceremony would take place.

As she moved through the long corridors, she saw even more servants. All of them had the same anxious expressions.

Some carried trays with shaking hands. Others whispered to each other and then quickly went quiet when they saw her coming. Marinate frowned.

“What is this sudden tension…?” she muttered under her breath.

She looked around carefully, trying to spot anything strange.

Her frown grew deeper. She kept walking slowly, feeling a bit uneasy.

Halfway there, Marinate focused her mana on her ears.

A soft glow appeared for just a second around the sides of her head. Her hearing sharpened.

Sounds that were far away now felt close and clear.

“Did you hear…?” a voice came from a side corridor, low but excited.

“What?” another voice answered.

“I heard that Miss Selena was in a relationship with Edward…”

“Hey! Go back to work!” a third, stern voice cut in sharply. The whispering stopped. Footsteps hurried away as the servants scattered.

Marinate froze for a second.

“Edward… Edward… Edward…?” she repeated the name quietly to herself.

She had definitely heard it before. But where? The memory felt so close, yet it refused to come out.

It was not a very old memory. It was more like the name was sitting right on the tip of her tongue, but she could not speak it clearly.

She stroked her chin with one hand, thinking hard. Her brows knitted together tightly.

No matter how much she tried to pull the memory forward, it stayed hidden.

Marinate walked the rest of the way in silence, still murmuring to herself.

“Edward… Edward… I’ve heard this name. In fact, he is very close to someone I know… but who?”

She stepped out of the corridor and stopped in front of the huge doors of the Grand Hall of the Harencross estate.

The tall wooden doors were carved with beautiful patterns and stood wide open.

Inside, she could see rows of chairs, flowers everywhere, and people already starting to gather. Soft music floated out.

But Marinate did not move forward right away. She stood there, staring at the floor, one hand still touching her chin.

“Who…?” she whispered again.

Marinate kept thinking about the name “Edward” over and over as she stepped through the huge doors.

No matter how much she turned it in her mind, nothing clicked. The memory stayed just out of reach.

The moment she entered, the Grand Hall opened up before her.

It was bright and grand, filled with golden lights from the chandeliers above.

Flowers in white and gold covered every table and corner. Soft music played from a small group of musicians in one corner.

Many nobles were already there. Some came from the Arya Empire, she knew almost all of their faces.

Others were from the Indrath Empire. Those ones she did not recognize so easily.

Their clothes were a little different, darker colors and sharper designs.

As Marinate walked deeper into the hall, heads turned.

Eyes followed her. A few nobles smiled and started to move toward her, ready to greet her with polite words and small bows.

But before anyone could reach her, a clear voice cut through the soft chatter.

“Are you Marinate?”

The words echoed just loud enough to carry.

In an instant, every noble who had been walking toward her stopped.

They looked at each other quickly, then stepped back and scattered like leaves in the wind.

Marinate turned toward the voice.

Standing there was a woman with long red hair and sharp red eyes.

She looked so much like Charlotte that Marinate’s breath caught in her throat.

The same beautiful face, the same proud way of standing.

But this woman was older. Lines of age touched the corners of her eyes and mouth.

She carried herself with the calm power of someone who had ruled for many years.

“Charlotte…?” Marinate whispered without thinking.

No. Not Charlotte.

She studied the woman again.

A little taller, a little more filled out in the shoulders, a quiet strength in her walk. This could only be one person.

’Is she her mother?’ The thought hit Marinate like cold water. Yes. That made perfect sense. The Queen of the Indrath Empire.

The woman came closer with slow, graceful steps. Her red dress flowed behind her like fire.

Marinate quickly collected herself. She put on a warm, polite smile.

She lifted the hem of her own dress with both hands in a perfect curtsy.

“It’s an honor to meet you, Your Majesty,” she said clearly, her voice steady even though her heart was beating fast. “The Queen of the Indrath Empire.”

The queen stopped a few steps away. Her red eyes looked Marinate up and down, not cruel, but careful, like she was measuring every detail.

A small, knowing smile curved the queen’s lips.

“You do not need to bow,” she said softly.

Her voice was deep and smooth, carrying the same quiet command that Charlotte sometimes used.

Marinate straightened up slowly. She kept her eyes lowered for a moment out of respect, then lifted them to meet the queen’s gaze.

The jewel at the end of her ponytail caught the light again and swayed gently, shining like a tiny star between them.

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Author’s Note:

This Chapter may feel a little rough compared to the previous ones. The original version was written many days ago but was accidentally deleted long before final revision, and there was no backup available to recover it.

This Chapter was rewritten recently in a short amount of time. I’ve tried my best to stay true to the original intent, pacing, and emotions. Thank you for your patience and understanding.

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