I almost forgot to update because I was so busy subbing Soojin's latest V Live on my YT Channel. Sorry~
The vid isn't uploaded yet. I'm redoing it because of errors so if you're also my YT subscriber, I'm sorry for the second time T T I edited a pic for this chapter too but it doesn't want to show. IDK why. Really not a good day for me.

Shuhua took a deep breath and closed her eyes.

She is in the middle of a lake with the members. They chose that place so that Miyeon could easily freeze her and stop her from moving if ever she goes berserk and becomes unstoppable. All of them are far from her except for Soojin who is standing right beside her.

“Get ready”, Soyeon told the members.

They all nod. Yuqi wrapped some veins on Soojin’s waist so she could easily pull her if she fails to stop Shuhua.

In a few minutes, Shuhua fell on her knees.

“Shuhua!” Soojin holds her arm.

Shuhua raised her hand as a sign that she’s fine.

“This power is mine, so give it all to me!” Shuhua lets the fire inside her burn her.

Suddenly, she remembered the day her grandma was killed, the day when she was too weak to fight alongside Soojin, the day when everyone laughed at her for wanting to fight the conquerors, the day she harmed Soojin for wanting to kill Soyeon, she remembered all her hard and rough days that built who she is now.

“I am Shuhua, the person who will save this land and the people on it. I won’t let anyone stop me, even myself. I’ll be a queen, for I am a lion!” Suddenly, the birthmark on her forehead shined the brightest as if it was made of gold.

Shuhua opened her eyes and stood up with a straight face.

Her eyes have turned golden brown like the first time she used her powers. The sun was shining right on her face, making her eyes stand out even more.

“Shuhua, do you recognize me?” Soojin asked.

Shuhua kept silent.

“Should we start?” Miyeon asked Soyeon.

“No, let’s wait.”

Suddenly, Shuhua shouted really loud, making the birds fly away of fear.

“Did she just—roar?” Yuqi asked.

“I think you’re right. That gave a different feeling!” Miyeon said.

“It made me shiver”, said Minnie.

“Me too.” They all felt it.

“Soojin—” Shuhua calls her.

Hearing her speak her name made them all smile, feeling relieved she was able to do it.

“—Get away from me. Don’t interfere no matter what. This is a fight between us”, said Shuhua.

“What is she talking about?” Minnie asked.

“He must be coming”, said Soyeon.

“Who?” All of them asked, except for Yuqi who heard their conversation last time.

“Do as she say, Soojin. Let’s keep a good distance from them”, said Soyeon.

“What’s going on?” The rest of them are clueless.

Shuhua gets out of the water and stands still.

In a while, an enormous lion came with other animals in the forest. The other animals hid themselves when they saw Shuhua, but the lion walked close to Shuhua and roared really loud.

“A real queen won’t be shaken!” Shuhua shouted.

“Whoa~ She’s looking even cooler than Soyeon now!” Yuqi said.

Suddenly, Shuhua ran away.

“Or maybe not—” Yuqi covers her face with her palm.

“No, look!” Soyeon said.

Shuhua attacked two lions who were concealing themselves in the woods.

“I can’t see well but she’s winning, right?” Minnie asked.

“This is frustrating! Let’s just do this!” Yuqi made a big tree grow from below them so they could watch from above.

“Clearer view, isn’t it? You’re lucky I’m here.” Yuqi boasted.

Like a real lion, Shuhua slashed the two lions with her bare hands. One of them jumped to her to bite her, but she managed to punch him away. The fact that she’s a human with a lion’s strength is an advantage for her because there are more things she can do in a combat.

She held the other lion’s head and smashed it on the ground really hard, making the latter run away of fear.

“Stop it”, said the enormous lion as he walk to Shuhua.

“What kind of king are you for you to ask other lions to fight for you?! It would have been acceptable if you joined the fight because knights fight with kings, but you didn’t!” Shuhua exclaimed.

“I was never the king. I was just a substitute.”

“Then where is your king? Bring him to me!”

Suddenly, the enormous lion bowed to her.

All the other animals in the forest came out and bowed with the lion.

“You have come, our queen”, said the enormous lion.

“What’s going on?” Soyeon asked.

“I only speak ‘plant’, not animal”, said Yuqi.

“I think they’re done with the fight”, said Soojin.

“Me too. Can’t you see how all these animals are bowing to her as if she has taken over the forest?” Minnie said.

“Bring us down, Yuqi.” Soyeon commanded her.

“You can just jump down. I don’t wanna kill my beautiful tree”, said Yuqi.

“No, seriously, just bring us down. Make it move or whatsoever if you don’t want to kill it because I’m scared”, Soyeon said.

“She’s been shaking for a while now”, said Miyeon.

“She was closing her eyes the whole time. Have you forgotten she’s afraid of heights?” Minnie asked.

“Oh, that was serious? Okay…” Yuqi makes the tree smaller slowly until it turns back to being nothing but a root.

Suddenly, Soyeon knocked her head.

“Ouch! What was that for?!”

“You’ve always known I’m afraid of heights!”

“But you jump higher and higher on every combat! That’s non-sense!”

“That’s a different thing!”

“Tsk! You’re so—” Yuqi raises her fist, wanting to hit Soyeon.

“Hey, where is Shuhua?” Soojin asked.

All of them shrugged.

Shuhua walked with the lion around the forest.

“You are not just the queen of this forest”, said the lion.

“What do you mean?”

“You are the superior lion, the king of all, just like your father.”

“My father—was not just the king for humans but also animals?” Shuhua asked.

“He was, but he was killed with his wife by the hands of his own son.”

“You mean the king conqueror is actually my brother?”

“He is. And just like you, he has the strength of a lion but something inside him made him unworthy to be the next king, making us all reject him. Due to wrath and greed, he started a war.”

“Our father was a king, but he was able to beat him; that makes him the strongest, doesn’t it?”

“Strength isn’t the only basis to be king. A worthy king will stand in front and fight with his men to save the weak, not fight while hiding behind your men to make sure you won’t be harmed and step on the weak ones afterwards.

“You’re right. I was mad at you earlier because you acted that way.”

“If you need assistance, just call us and we will come”, he said.

“Do you know any giraffe?” Shuhua asked out of the blue.

“I do, but—”

“Please bring me one as soon as you can. Tell him or her that she’s being summoned for an important mission.”

“Yes, my queen.”

“I’ll go for now. They must be looking for me. Bye, Mr. Lion!”

The lion bows.

“If she just knows how hard it is to communicate with those long-necked creatures…”

Shuhua went back to the lake but didn’t find the members there anymore.

“Did they go home without me?” Shuhua tilts her head.

On her way home, she heard their voices as if they were preparing something.

“Soojin, it’s already burning!”

“Don’t decorate. Just focus with cooking.”

“Let’s be quick. She might be home soon.”

“Seriously, Yuqi, enough with the flowers. You’re making me wanna sneeze!”

“But flowers are good decorations!”

“Get away from me!”

“Can anyone help me and chop the mushrooms?”

Shuhua smiled and told herself, “Wandering for a while more won’t hurt.”

After a while more, she came back and heard not much noise from the house anymore.

“Pretend you heard nothing. Be surprised.” Shuhua told herself before coming in.

She opened the door and suddenly, a bunch of flower petals burst on her face.

“Surprise!” They all shouted at the same time.