174. Teater.

In another corner, Elexon and the head maid were speaking with the guards patrolling the play area.

"How has the security situation been lately? Have there been any suspicious movements?" Elexon asked seriously.

One of the guards saluted before answering, "The situation has been quite stable, Sir. After the kidnapping incident some time ago, we increased the number of patrols. So far, there have been no reports of suspicious activity."

The head maid sighed in relief. "Thank goodness. I'm glad to hear that. At least the children can play more peacefully, and the parents can feel safer."

"Of course, Ma'am. This is also thanks to Her Majesty the Queen, who has been so quick to respond to situations like this and cares deeply for the well-being of both the soldiers and the people of Lumina. We will continue to stand guard to ensure that such incidents do not happen again," the guard responded firmly.

Elexon smiled at the answer. The soldiers were so loyal and dedicated—a testament to the fact that Reina was truly fulfilling her duties as a responsible and capable queen.

However, the guard suddenly looked hesitant before mustering the courage to ask, "But... pardon me, Sir, Ma'am. How are things in the palace? Is everything running smoothly? I've heard from some of my colleagues on rotating patrols that spies still occasionally appear around the palace..."

Elexon let out a long sigh upon hearing that. He was well aware that people from the Kingdom of Lynden were still spying on the palace and the kingdom, though their movements were not as aggressive as before. Perhaps it was because Reina rarely left the palace, and security around the area had been tightened.

Additionally, he himself now spent more time in the palace to ensure there were no gaps the enemy could exploit while also training Yosan at Reina's request.

"Hah... That man never ceases to baffle me," Elexon muttered, recalling the unpredictable and erratic actions of Arthur, the King of Lynden.

Just because Reina bought Yosan in a special slave auction and rejected his love, the man had spiraled further into madness.

Despite his handsome appearance, Arthur had nothing but an empty and meaningless royal status. He was cruel, arrogant, and utterly self-centered—even his own people despised him. That tyrant king needed to be removed.

Hearing her husband's complaint, the head maid, who had long been assigned by Reina to monitor Arthur's every move, smiled. "It seems he really enjoys stirring up chaos and making things difficult for you."

"I heard he also frequently causes trouble in other territories, to the point of irritating their leaders," she added.

"That's right. I've heard countless complaints from people who have encountered him, whether intentionally or by chance," Elexon said with an irritated tone.

"There was once a merchant who accidentally brushed against his carriage, causing a minor scratch. Right then and there, Arthur killed him on the spot, in front of everyone around," he continued, recalling the information he had gathered from his subordinates who had witnessed the incident firsthand.

"And if you've ever heard about this, that man also impregnated the daughter of an earl but refused to take any responsibility. In the end, the girl went insane and lost the baby," he added sharply.

"He is truly a cruel and disgusting person. His level of brutality is immeasurable," Elexon muttered. He thought of Lydia, Yosan's childhood friend, who had endured repeated abuse from Arthur. The woman had lost multiple pregnancies due to the tyrant king's cruelty.

Hah! Elexon wanted to end this once and for all and take Lydia far away from Arthur. She had suffered enough for Yosan's sake. She deserved a better and happier life.

The head maid blinked several times, trying to process the information she had just heard. "That bad, huh?"

Elexon nodded firmly. "And just so you know, that man even hastened his own father's death just to ascend the throne sooner."

Like a bolt of lightning, the head maid and the guards listening were left gaping in shock.

"B-But… haven't we always heard that his father had an incurable disease?" the head maid asked, still in disbelief.

"That's right, Sir!" a guard chimed in, equally stunned.

"I only discovered the truth a few months before returning to Lumina. Arthur was the one who gave his father medicine that worsened his condition instead of improving it, causing him to die slowly," Elexon explained, his voice a mix of frustration and disbelief.

"I learned this when speaking with the royal physician of Lynden who treated Arthur's father," he added, recalling the details he had uncovered from the palace doctor.

The head maid still found it hard to believe what she had just heard. Unconsciously, she muttered a few curses. "That ungrateful son! How could he do that to his own father?"

"As cruel as his father was as a king, he was never that ruthless!" The head maid placed her hands on her hips, still unable to fathom it. She remembered that Arthur's father had not been a good king, but his cruelty had never reached such extremes.

"He's bound to face his karma soon!" she added angrily.

"You're right, Ma'am! No matter how ruthless Her Majesty Queen Reina once was, she never did anything like that! At the very least, she has changed a lot since Lord Yosan and Princess Lia entered her life," said one of the guards.

"You're right. Except for how Reina once forced Yosan to sleep with her," Elexon muttered under his breath.

"And a few of her other policies, of course," the head maid added with a sigh.

Back to Reina and Yosan, who were still conversing with one of Lia's friends' parents while keeping an eye on the children playing under the evening sky.

"It's quite unfortunate that Lia has never been able to play with children her age until now. She must have often felt lonely. No wonder she looks so happy playing with her friends like this," said the woman beside Reina.

After hearing Reina and Yosan's explanation, the woman now understood that Reina had never allowed Lia to go out and play with other children. Lia was only permitted to leave for school or urgent matters, such as today when they went out as a family.

Since living with them, Lia had barely played with children her age. Her only playmates were the adult servants in Reina's household, who often accompanied her for entertainment. All of this was because Reina still feared Lia would be kidnapped again.

Hearing this, Reina gave a small smile and sighed. "Even though security and defenses have been strengthened, I still fear that Lia might get kidnapped again, as you mentioned earlier." She held Yosan's hand and glanced at him, recalling the words of one of Lia's friends' parents at the market earlier. "That's why I've never allowed Lia to leave the house since she started living with us."

However, after seeing the joy on her daughter's face while playing with her friends, Reina smiled gently and said, "But if you'd like, you may bring Lia's friends to play at our home. They can visit anytime."

"That would mean a lot to us if Lia could continue playing with her friends like this," she added, this time looking at Yosan as if seeking his opinion.

"Really?" the woman beside Reina asked, her eyes sparkling.

Reina nodded. "Of course."

Lia's friends' parents exchanged glances before nodding together with relieved smiles.

As the evening deepened, Lia and her family decided it was time to head home. The children looked exhausted from playing all day, and their parents also felt it was time to wrap up the day.

However, on the way back, something caught Reina's attention. A theater flyer was posted on one of the poles, announcing that a play would begin that night. Reina's eyes sparkled as she read the announcement. She had always loved theater performances and had not watched one in a long time since returning from her long journey to the Kingdom of Lumina.

"Oh... There's a play tonight?" she murmured excitedly.

Turning around, Reina saw everyone had stopped walking and were staring at her in surprise. With enthusiasm, she pointed at the theater flyer and asked, "Can we watch this for a bit?"

Everyone was shocked. They never expected the usually serious and stern Reina to show an expression like a child seeing something she loved.

Elexon even chuckled and shook his head in disbelief. "It's rare to see you like this," he commented, glancing at Yosan, who could only smile.

"Alright," Elexon finally said, giving in to Reina's request. "There's no harm in getting home a little later tonight."

"Besides, tomorrow is a holiday," Elexon added.