Chapter 370

Lizzie’s words struck Arthur like a bolt of lightning.

He glared at her, chest heaving violently. The rage in his eyes was so intense it almost felt tangible, like a blade aimed at her heart.

“How dare you!” Arthur slammed his fist down on the desk. His voice, like shards of ice, lashed out at Lizzie. “It seems you have a death wish, daring to curse my reign!”

Winona was horrified. She had never expected Lizzie to speak so recklessly. She was just trying to get herself killed.

Already guilty of severe crimes, she now dared to curse the King. This was sheer madness.

“Lizzie, shut your mouth!” Winona shouted, cutting her off in panic. She pointed at Lizzie furiously. “Guards! Drag this disgraceful thing out of the hall!”

Her intention was obvious. She wanted to protect Lizzie. After all, this was her only youngest daughter.

But Lizzie burst into hysterical laughter, spiraling into madness and desperation. “I am tired of living. From the moment you ascended the throne, I was already dead!”

Her manic appearance shocked Winona, who stood abruptly and yelled, “Guards! Gag her mouth immediately!”

But Lizzie had lost her mind. Laughing wildly, she screamed, “I have nothing left. You all want me dead, don’t you? Then even if I die, I’ll expose your filth to the world!”

She stepped back, pointing at everyone in the hall with hatred in her eyes. “All of you, so high and mighty, but every one of you hides filth in your heart! My dearest royal brother is jealous of Father’s love for me. He had me raped and ruined my purity.”

She continued, “My loving mother, who always appeared to act for my benefit and spoiled me in every way, only did so to stop me from speaking the truth and disgracing the royal family!”

Everyone’s face changed drastically.

The matter of Lizzie’s harassment had been ruthlessly silenced. Anyone who knew had been killed.

Yet here she was, laying it bare in public, tearing away the royal family’s last shred of decency.

And exposing Arthur’s cruelty for all to see.

His face twitched uncontrollably, eyes filled with a venomous glare that could slice her apart.

Lizzie looked strangely relieved. She seemed half–laughing, half–crying, manic in her expression.

She snapped, “Go ahead! Kill me! Kill me and you’ll silence the world. Then no one will ever know the shameful secrets of this royal family!”

Athena’s hands unconsciously clenched. She hadn’t expected Lizzie to have suffered such unimaginable torment.

All because she was favored by the late King, she was violated.

It was tragically ironic, so similar to her own experience.

Pitiful people may have hateful flaws, but none of that justified the atrocities Lizzie committed.

“You won’t dare kill me,” Lizzie shouted louder when no one responded. “Because if you do, how will you explain it to the world?”

Then, from her sleeve, she pulled out a Death Immunity Token, raising her chin in defiance. “Who dares lay a hand on me?”

Even Arthur’s eyes narrowed slightly in surprise.

He knew the late King favored Lizzie, but never imagined he had given her a Death Immunity Token.

Seeing their stunned expressions, Lizzie laughed maniacally. “Brother, you never expected Father would give me this, did you? Because he knew you were cold–blooded. He foresaw today and left me a way out.”

Arthur’s face was now indescribably contorted, his fists tightly clenched.

His desire to kill Lizzie could no longer be restrained.

The guards, seeing the token, all dropped to their knees in fear.

Arthur said angrily, “Lizzie has forged currency and taken countless innocent lives. From this moment forward, she is stripped of her royal title, demoted to commoner, and confined to the Princess Mansion. She is forbidden from ever leaving again.”

“Your Majesty…” Winona trembled as she called out to him.

But Arthur didn’t even lift an eyelid. This decree meant Lizzie would be imprisoned for life.

He wouldn’t kill her, but he’d make sure she never lived in luxury again.

Lizzie’s expression changed instantly. She screamed in fury, “I refuse! I have the Death Immunity Token! You can’t treat me like this!”

Before she could say more, guards gagged her and dragged her away.

Winona clutched her chest in pain, whispering brokenly, “Lizzie… Lizzie…”

The grand hall was silent. No one dared speak.

Arthur’s face was ashen. He gave a weary command. “All of you, leave.”

Everyone filed out, quietly and swiftly.

Outside the palace, the Queen glared coldly at Athena. “Duchess Athena, what a masterful scheme.”

“Your Majesty flatters me. I dare not accept such praise,” Athena replied, meeting her gaze directly. The Empress sneered and stormed off.

She had spent a long time preparing that string of beads, only for Athena to use Lizzie to destroy them, and use the incident to eliminate Lizzie entirely.

Athena and Xander were like silent wolves, killing without a sound, slaying enemies in the shadows.

The Queen fumed silently. If they remained in Pidence City, they would surely become a future threat.

In the prison.

Ferris leaned against the wall, chewing on a straw.

His eyes were dull, staring blankly ahead.

He had been locked up for two days. By his calculations, Arthur should be arriving soon.

Footsteps echoed from the end of the corridor. Ferris raised an eyebrow and turned his head.

Arthur showed up, clad in plain civilian robes.

Ferris rose, kneeling respectfully to await his arrival.

Arthur waved off the guards and walked alone through the cold, damp corridor, stopping at Ferris’s cell.

“Open the door,” he ordered.

The warden complied and stepped back.

Arthur entered slowly, surveyed the filthy room, then sat in the single chair. In a low voice, he asked, “Are you comfortable here?”

Ferris looked up, his hair disheveled, draped over his shoulders.

Only his eyes remained striking, burning like frost stars in a winter night. He said, “To answer Your Majesty… No.”

He continued, “This place is cold and damp. The straw bed is lumpy and full of pests. At night there are rats and roaches crawling all over. Every moment I spend here is like torment in hell.”

Arthur gave a cold chuckle. “You’re quite honest.”

Ferris replied, “In front of Your Majesty, I wouldn’t dare lie, not even hide what’s in my heart.”

“Then… do you resent me?” Arthur asked suddenly.

His gaze wrapped around Ferris like a spider’s web.

Ferris lowered his eyes slightly to hide the chill in them. He replied, “I dare not resent Your Majesty, but I do feel wronged. That’s why I’ve waited patiently for your mercy.”