Chapter 3: King Leonidas

Note: From here on, i will refer to her as Karina

The heavy black iron doors groaned shut behind her, sealing her inside the lavish chamber. The air reeked of exotic pelts, and a masculine musk.

Karina took a small step forward, taking in a steadying breath.

The man turned slowly, and Karina felt her brain completely short-circuit.

Oh damn.

He was absolutely gorgeous. Not the pretty, refined kind of handsome like General Aldric. This was a dangerous, I-will-ruin-your-life kind of handsome.

The panther king stood well over six-foot-five, his body carved from pure, sun-bronze. He wore a loose, open white tunic that dared to hang off one shoulder, exposing a massive, sculpted chest and an eight-pack that looked like it could crack walnuts. His long, raven-black hair was woven into a thick, warrior’s braid that fell past his narrow waist, tied off with gold bands.

And to top it off, his eyes were a vibrant purple.

He’s hot!!!!!

Karina screamed internally, her cheeks flushing bright red. Attractive! Oh my god, how am I supposed to ignore this?!

"Mew he he he."

Cheshire’s voice buzzed directly inside her skull. A translucent blue holographic screen flickered into her peripheral vision, displaying a stat block.

[SYSTEM ALERT: MALE TARGET DETECTED]

Name: Leonidas (King of the Black Panther Beast Kingdom, Shadow’s Edge)

Age: 28

Beast Form: Shadow Panther

Current Heart Points: -45 (Hostile / Disgusted)

Obsession Level: 0% (Nonexistent)

Mission Update: Do NOT swoon. Do NOT speak first. Stay icy.]

Karina swallowed, forcing her eyes away from his abs. She locked her knees, squared her shoulders, and forced the most bored expression she could muster onto her face.

Leonidas strode toward her. His bare feet were silent against the floor, and he stopped about three feet away from her.

To her surprise, he gave her a curt, shallow bow, the bare minimum of royal etiquette.

He straightened up, his purple eyes scanning her face. His brow furrowed deeply.

There was a heavy, awkward silence.

Karina just stood there. She didn’t throw herself at his feet. She didn’t sob and beg him to look at her. She didn’t try to caress his biceps.

She simply stood there, staring at the embroidery on his collar like it was the most interesting thing in the world.

Leonidas shifted his weight, a wave of confusion flashing across his stoic features. He cleared his throat loudly.

"Empress."

Karina blinked slowly, lifting her gaze to his eyes. "Yes?"

Her voice was flat, completely devoid of the desperate whine the old Karina used to carry.

Leonidas’s jaw tightened. He clearly wasn’t expecting this. He cleared his throat again, his voice dropping into a cold, monotone baritone. "I have gathered the other Beast Kings. We have unanimously come to a decision regarding our.....arrangement."

Karina’s heart hammered, but she didn’t blink. "Oh?"

Leonidas crossed his massive arms, his purple eyes narrowing. "The other Beast Kings and I have decided to annul this marriage."

Eh?!

It was like all the soul got sucked out of her. Annul? They wanted to dump her? Now? What on earth.

Despite the confusion swirling in her chest, she gritted her teeth and she suppressed the trembling in her hands. She couldn’t show weakness, so she forced her face into stone.

"I see."

Leonidas blinked, taken aback by her lack of emotion. He scowled, stepping closer, his massive shadow engulfing her. "Is that all you have to say?!"

Karina didn’t flinch. But inside, her blood was boiling.

The audacity of this man.

[Host! This is the perfect moment!]

[Play it cool! You’re winning!]

She tilted her chin up, her eyes locking fearlessly with his currently enraged purple ones. "Hmm. Any particular reason why you wish for that?"

Leonidas scoffed, a condescending smirk curling his lips. He looked her up and down as if she were a piece of trash. "You’re a terrible mother." He spat. "You leave your cubs to neglectful servants while you cry in your chambers." He took a threatening step forward.

"You’re a terrible wife. You have no political insight, no spine, and you cling to us like a leech. And more importantly," his voice dripped with venom, "we want to have real wives. Women who bring glory to our Kingdoms, not pathetic, simpering burdens. We want heirs we are proud of. Not the byproducts of your desperate political schemes."

Karina felt a vein throb in her temple. The words ’terrible mother’ stung the most, even though she had just inherited these children. But she was enraged. This arrogant, muscle-bound cat thought he could just walk in, insult her, and toss her aside like leftover scraps?

Think again!

Her lips curled into a sneer. She scoffed, her voice filled with sarcasm.

"That’s a lot of big talk," Karina said coolly, her eyes narrowing. "Big talk from a man who wouldn’t hesitate to marry me alone and seize my throne if he had the chance. Don’t act like you’re above political convenience, Leonidas. You’re just bitter that you have to share the prize."

Leonidas’s eyes widened. His jaw dropped. The arrogant smirk vanished, replaced by complete shock.

[Heart Points: -45 → -40]

[ He is in shock.]

Karina took a step back, smoothing her burgundy skirts. She gave him a dead-eyed stare.

"Do whatever you want. I have absolutely zero interest in begging a narcissistic beast to stay in a marriage that brings me nothing but migraines. Enjoy your beast mistresses and whores. Good day, Leonidas, or should I now say your majesty?"

She turned on her heel.

"Inform me of when the annulment is complete. And make sure the papers are properly stamped."

The room fell into dead silence. The panther guards at the door were frozen, their eyes bulging out of their skulls. General Aldric, standing in the corner of the room, looked like he had just seen a ghost. Leonidas stood motionless, his fists clenching at his sides, his eyes tracking her back as she walked away without looking back.

Karina stepped out of the Pavilion, the heavy doors slamming shut behind her.

"Mew he he he! Massive success!"

A blue screen materialized in her vision.

[YANDERE SYSTEM STATUS]

Current Heart Points (Leonidas): -40

Obsession Level: 1% (Confused Curiosity)

Reward: +50 Yandere Points

| Unlocked: [Modern Toiletries Set], [High-End Smartphone (Offline Mode)].

Space popped open in her mind’s eye, a virtual grid locker where she could see a crate of shampoo, conditioner, and a sleek, unconnected phone floating. Her modern goodies.

Yay!

Karina ignored the loot for now. She was walking briskly down the marble corridor, her fists shaking with rage.

Despite the old Karina’s pathetic personality, the memories revealed the truth: those four kings had cheated on her. Over and over. They had brought mistresses into the palace, flaunted them in front of her, and made the poor woman’s life a living hell. She might have been a spineless doormat then....

But I am an Empress now, Karina thought. And I am not her.

She wasn’t sure if they would actually divorce her now that she was showing some backbone, but she couldn’t count on it.

Her main goal was to make them obsessive yanderes anyways. She didn’t need the marriage to that.

Karina stopped walking abruptly. General Aldric was following a few paces behind her, his face a mask of bewilderment.

"Aldric," Karina commanded.

Aldric jumped, startled by her sharp tone. "Y-Yes, Your Imperial Majesty?"

"Take me to my children."

Aldric blinked, his mouth dropping open. The Empress never asked to see the cubs. She preferred to ignore them.

Was he perhaps hallucinating?

"Which.....which one?" he stammered, bowing his head.

Karina’s eyes twitched. "Take me to all of them, General."

Aldric swallowed hard, quickly stepping forward. "At once, Majesty."