Blue Hall Palace, Waterland.

“Is it done?” Yixing asks, smiling brightly when Ningning nods. “Finally something you can make me proud with.”

Ningning stays with her head down, kneeling in front of the throne. The guards surround them, with Jennie by her side. She doesn’t kneel, of course, because the royal traditions of Waterland court don’t include bowing among members of the same family.

Yixing stands with the crystal sword used for the knight’s ceremony. He closes the gap between them, expecting nothing different from other times, putting the sword over Ningning’s shoulders. A servant then receives the sword and King Yixing hugs her cousin Jennie as part of the protocol.

His smile fades when he feels the blade deep in his abdomen, the blood hidden by the black mesh used in the soldier’s armor. Jennie stabs him again, and again, and again, remembering her promise to Wendy.

Blood oozes from his mouth and he looks around, trying to reach his daughter Ningning or alert his guards and royal court members, but all of them seem to have a smile plastered on their faces.

“What…?”

“We regret our decision and decided to stand by the true heir.”

Jennie smiles, stabbing him one last time and stepping aside, giving the blade to Ningning.

“Finish him off,”

“As you wish, Your Majesty,” she smiles too, ing the blade into her father’s heart and twisting it without any trace of remorse. “It was long overdue.”

•••

Three months later

Death Castle, Dimland.

Seulgi paces aro