Chapter 178

Athena clutched the letter tightly, her brows furrowing. She knew how suspicious this message was. However, Margaret meant everything to her.

If anything happened to Grandmother, how could I ever live with myself? Athena thought. She made up her mind and said firmly to Gale, “No matter what, I must return to Pidence City to see for myself. Only when I know Grandmother is safe and sound can I truly be at ease.”

Gale grew frantic and said, “What kind of coincidence is this? Don’t be foolish, child. Willow was gravely injured, and the Monson family treats her like the apple of their eye. They’ll surely seek vengeance for her!”

Athena lowered her gaze, masking the emotional turmoil in her eyes. “Even so, I must return. Besides, I’m fully capable of protecting myself.”

“But…” Gale started to protest, but Athena flashed her a confident smile. “Rest assured, Your Highness, I’ll return unscathed. Even if Willow wakes up, she wouldn’t dare touch me; I’ve got dirt on her.”

Gale gasped in surprise. Athena was becoming more incomprehensible by the minute. Didn’t people say she was cowardly, indecisive, and uncouth? But Athena is nothing like the rumors suggested. This girl has extraordinary resilience. When it’s time to act, Athena strikes without mercy, Gale thought in astonishment.

Worried that Gale might still try to stop her, Athena reassured her firmly, “I promise I’ll come back safe and sound, Your Highness. Please trust me.”

“Then I’ll go back with you,” Gale said anxiously. As she tried to get up, a sudden, violent coughing fit wracked her body, stopping her in her tracks. Lately, she’d been taking good care of herself, and her cough was almost gone. Athena had prescribed Gale a three-course treatment, but she had only completed one course so far. Leaving now would undo all the progress they had made.

Athena quickly stopped her with a confident smile. “Your Highness, this is just a trivial matter, no need to have my back. If I can’t even handle a little trouble like this, how could I possibly face greater challenges in the future?”

Athena’s words instantly put Gale at ease. She let out a helpless laugh, shaking her head with an wry smile. “You little thing, still as stubborn as ever. I remember saying your dancing was terrible, and you practiced relentlessly. Who would’ve thought that a year later, you’d insist on performing for me?”

Athena couldn’t help but chuckle at the memory. Back then, Athena was determined to prove herself. Though raised in the countryside, she was by no means inferior to those noble ladies. She insisted on performing for Gale precisely to make her eat her words. She still remembered how, after finishing her dance, with her chin held high, she challenged Gale. “Your Highness, is my dance good enough for you now?”

Every noble lady in the hall stared at Athena in stunned silence, not a single one daring to utter a word. With that single dance, Athena became legendary, her skill forever unmatched. Gale’s face turned ashen as she forced out two words through gritted teeth. “Passable.”

But deep down, Gale knew that no one could compare to Athena. That was when Gale realized that Athena, though she seemed delicate, was truly unyielding at heart. At the shared memory, Athena and Gale burst into simultaneous laughter.

Gale smiled at her and said, “Go ahead then. I’ll be right here waiting for you. Make it quick so I won’t have to worry.”

“Understood, Your Highness.” Athena flashed her a knowing smile.

Gale added with concern, “Take guards with you. Only then can I rest easy.”

Athena didn’t turn down Gale’s kind offer. Even if I had superhuman abilities, it’d still be impossible to guard against every backstabber lurking in the shadows, Athena thought to herself.

Athena took three hundred guards with her. By dusk, Athena arrived in Pidence City. Without even pausing to catch her breath, she rushed straight to the Monson family.

Athena’s sudden arrival at the Monson family surprised no one. Nicolas neither stopped her nor hurled any sarcastic remarks. He fixed Athena with a pair of dark, unreadable eyes, his gaze boring into her as if trying to pierce straight through her.

Athena asked calmly, “How is Grandmother?”

Nicolas glared at Athena. “Since you dared to come back, you must know what’s coming. Tell me, was it you who hurt Willow?”

Perhaps it was Athena’s unnerving composure that finally made Nicolas snap. He couldn’t comprehend how she could maintain such composure, appearing at the Monson family as if nothing had happened.

Athena curled her lips into a faint, mocking smile and shot back at Nicolas, “But isn’t she still alive?”

Nicolas caught the mocking glint in Athena’s eyes, and his rage erupted instantly. He pointed accusingly at Athena and roared, “That’s a living, breathing person! How could you be so heartless and cruel?”

Veins bulged violently on his forehead. His eyes burned crimson, as if stained with blood. “Give me the medicine, now! You’re the miracle healer. You can save Willow. Hand it over, and you walk free.”

The smile on Athena’s face slowly froze into icy composure. Staring at the deranged Nicolas, she warned coldly, “I am the Viscountess. If you dare lay a finger on me, you’ll regret it for the rest of your life.”

As the Viscountess personally appointed by the Emperor, Athena was untouchable. Nicolas could do nothing to her.

Nicolas let out a cold, mocking laugh. “Did you really think there’s nothing I can do to you?”

No sooner had the words left his lips than a swarm of guards came from all sides, encircling Athena in an unbreakable ring.

Nicolas glared at Athena with icy malice, enunciating each word deliberately. “I can lock you away in this place forever. No one will hear your cries for help, no one will come to your rescue. I’m the Vice Minister of Justice. Framing you would be child’s play.”

Athena couldn’t believe the sheer audacity of his shamelessness. It surpassed even her wildest imagination. She stared at Nicolas in disbelief, her brows tightly knitted. “You’re actually trying to kill me for your adopted sister? Nicolas, have you completely lost your mind?”

Nicolas finally snapped, his patience gone. He thrust his hand stubbornly toward Athena and barked, “I don’t care about anything else, I just want Willow alive! Give me the medicine. Now!”

Athena’s guards swiftly closed ranks around her, forming a protective barrier as they faced off against Nicolas’s men in a tense standoff. Violence loomed imminent, the tension palpable.

Hearing the commotion, Eloise rushed over, clutching her skirts. “Stop! Both of you, stop this instant!” Her eyes red with anger and tears, Eloise struck Nicolas. “What are you doing? She’s your sister! How could you lay a hand on Athena like this?”

Nicolas had always obeyed his mother. After Eloise gave him a few disciplinary slaps, his raging temper gradually subsided.

“Mother, Willow is dying!” Nicolas’s voice cracked with desperation. “The physician said she won’t survive the month without the Life Pill.” He broke down helplessly, his usual composure shattered. Tears streamed down his face, his expression twisted in anguish.

Athena could hardly believe her eyes. Nicolas, the very model of aristocratic composure, was now reduced to this distraught state for Willow’s sake. After all, since childhood, he had always been the very model of manhood. He was the very man whom noble families held up as the exemplar for educating their younger generations. Yet Nicolas was now weeping like a helpless child.

Seeing her son’s tearful distress, Eloise hurriedly dabbed his cheeks with her handkerchief. “Athena’s home now, she’d never abandon Willow. I know she won’t,” she reassured him gently.

With that, Eloise turned to Athena, tears streaming down her face. She sobbed, “Athena, I have never asked anything of you. But just this once, please, save Willow. I’m begging you.” No sooner had she spoken than Eloise actually dropped to her knees before Athena, her desperation plain for all to see.