A Queen’s Truth After a Night of Surrender

(Henry's POV)

The first thing I felt when I woke up was warmth.

Not just the warmth of the golden sheets wrapped lazily around us, but the lingering heat of her.

Aurelia.

The Celestial Queen.

The woman who, just hours ago, had been untouchable. Unshaken. Untamed.

And yet—she had melted in my arms.

I opened my eyes, watching as she stood at the edge of the ruined bed, slipping into a silken nightgown that barely hid the marks I had left on her divine skin.

She caught me staring, her golden eyes flashing with amusement as she adjusted the thin straps over her shoulders.

"Enjoying the view, mortal?" she teased.

I smirked, stretching lazily. "Would be a crime not to."

She rolled her eyes but didn't argue.

Instead, she took a deep breath, as if centering herself, before turning to face me fully.

Her expression shifted—regal, composed, yet something softer lingered in the way she looked at me.

"Since you completely satisfied me," she said smoothly, arms crossed, wings lightly flexing behind her, "I will answer your questions."

I grinned, sitting up against the broken headboard. "Oh? Just like that?"

"I am a Queen of my word," she said simply.

I smirked, tilting my head. "And here I thought you'd make me work harder for it."

Her gaze flickered—half challenge, half memory of what had transpired hours ago.

"You already did," she admitted, her lips curving slightly before she quickly composed herself.

I chuckled, running a hand through my messy hair.

"Alright then, Your Majesty." My tone was still teasing, but my eyes were sharp now, focused. "Tell me what the hell Project Hades has to do with this world."

Aurelia's face grew serious, her golden aura flickering slightly, as if just mentioning it sent ripples through the very fabric of this realm.

"You are not going to like what I have to tell you, Henry."

I leaned forward, intrigued.

"Try me."

Aurelia's golden eyes darkened, her expression unreadable as she studied me.

For a moment, the teasing, the power play, the intimacy from last night—all of it faded.

This was different.

This was serious.

She exhaled slowly, stepping toward the large window that overlooked the celestial city beneath her floating palace. The sky outside was painted in shifting hues of gold and silver, a realm untouched by time.

"Project Hades…" she murmured, her voice carrying a weight that I hadn't heard before. "It was never just a mortal experiment."

I frowned. "Yeah, I figured that much. The system basically told me as much. But what does that have to do with the New World?"

She turned back to me, arms crossed, her wings slowly folding behind her.

"Project Hades wasn't just about creating enhanced beings, Henry. It was an attempt to forge something that could replace gods."

I stilled.

"Replace?"

She nodded.

"The scientists and rulers behind it weren't just experimenting on humans. They were playing with celestial and abyssal DNA. They wanted to create something stronger than divine entities."

My jaw clenched.

"And you're saying they succeeded?"

Aurelia's lips pressed into a thin line before she spoke again.

"Not entirely."

I narrowed my eyes. "What do you mean?"

She stepped closer, lowering her voice.

"The original test subjects were failures. Either they couldn't handle the power, or they were destroyed before they could evolve beyond control." She paused. "But there was one success."

A cold sensation crept into my chest.

"One?"

She nodded.

"Yes. The last test subject. The only one who survived the final stage of Project Hades."

I felt my fingers tighten into fists.

"Where is it now?"

Aurelia's eyes locked onto mine, golden and deadly serious.

"Here."

Silence.

I stared at her, waiting for her to clarify.

"The last subject of Project Hades was sent to the New World. But it didn't just arrive here, Henry." She took another step forward, her tone darker than I had ever heard it.

"It's ruling a part of it."

A slow, dangerous smirk spread across my face.

"Well… isn't that interesting?"

Aurelia frowned. "Henry, you don't understand. This thing—it's not like anything you've fought before. It wasn't just given power—it evolved beyond what even the gods could predict."

I shrugged. "And? It still bleeds, doesn't it?"

She studied me for a long moment before sighing.

"Your arrogance is either your greatest strength… or your greatest weakness."

I smirked. "Guess we're about to find out, aren't we?"

Aurelia hesitated, then finally spoke the words that changed everything.

"The last subject of Project Hades… it calls itself The Hollow King."

The air shifted, and I felt something in the world respond to that name—like an ancient force stirring from slumber.

The Hollow King, huh?

"Then I guess it's time I paid him a visit."