CAELAN / EMELIANNA
For an entire week, Commander Caelan Drayke had watched the same news report.
Again.And again.
The holographic screen in his office displayed Vivian standing before the cameras.
Her expression was strangely calm.
"I... Vivian Astronova, hereby dissolve the marriage partnership between my parents."
Caelan’s fingers stopped moving.
Vivian continued.
"I choose to forfeit my royal status and follow my father."
"From now on, I am Vivian Lilian of the Lilian bloodline."
"Thank you."
The screen went dark. Caelan leaned back in his chair.
The corner of his lips curved upward.
His personal guard, Ronan, stood nearby with his arms folded.
"Commander..."
Caelan glanced at him.
"Vivian really loves you."
Caelan’s smile disappeared.
Ronan continued carefully.
"She rejected her mother’s wishes and gave up her royal status because of you."
Caelan let out a deep sigh. "She shouldn’t have done that."
His eyes returned to the blank screen.
"She makes me feel guilty."
"Why?"
Caelan was silent for a moment.
Then he said quietly, "I can’t marry her."
Ronan didn’t respond.
"She is a Zero-Class female. She hasn’t awakened. She has no Beast Core."
Caelan clenched his hand.
"I’m an SS-Class awakened male."
"I need a high-ranked female to stabilize my Beast Frenzy."
"I can’t depend on suppressants and injections for the rest of my life."
Ronan nodded. "But she knows you don’t love her...She won’t blame you."
Caelan looked at him. "That’s not the problem."
His voice became quieter.
"She went against her entire family for my sake."
"I can’t help feeling guilty."
Ronan sighed.
"Her sister, Elena, even asked one of our men why you haven’t contacted her since the engagement party."
Caelan’s expression darkened.
"Why can’t Elena contact me herself?"
"If she wants my attention, she can reach out."
Ronan hesitated.
"Commander..."
"What?"
"Elena is an SSS-Class female with royal status."
"She probably doesn’t want to lower herself by chasing a man."
Caelan scoffed. "That’s exactly what I hate."
He leaned back.
"Women like them are born with everything."
"Royal status."
"High ranks."
"Power."
"They don’t have to fight for it."
His eyes became cold.
"I fought my entire life to reach my current position."
"That’s why I dislike women who think their status makes them superior."
Ronan looked at him strangely. "But you don’t dislike Vivian?"
Caelan was silent.
Finally, he said, "Vivian is different."
"She’s reckless."
"Selfish."
"Vicious."
"She causes trouble everywhere she goes."
Ronan raised an eyebrow.
"That sounds like a long list of reasons to dislike her."
Caelan ignored him.
"But..."
His gaze drifted toward the screen again.
"She does everything to please me."
"That’s her only redeeming quality."
Ronan sighed. The commander is hopeless.
Suddenly, his communicator beeped.
Ronan checked the message.
His expression changed.
"Commander."
"What?"
"Vivian has been officially admitted into the Haxia Military Academy."
Caelan’s eyes narrowed.
"What?"
"She is taking her entrance assessment today."
Caelan stood abruptly. "How dare she?"
Ronan blinked.
"Sir?"
"Is she playing with the life of my child?"
Meanwhile...
The atmosphere inside the Celestial Astral District was completely different.
Emelianna Astronova sat at the center of a long crystal table.
Several royal women surrounded her.
None of them looked sympathetic.
"You should have controlled your daughter."
"Vivian has embarrassed the Astronova family."
"And now Isaac has taken her away."
One woman clicked her tongue.
"The worst part is that Isaac is no longer connected to your family."
Another sighed.
"How are we supposed to use his military connections now?"
Emelianna’s fingers tightened around her cup. Her cousin leaned closer.
"Perhaps you should find another military commander to marry."
"My daughter wants to enter the military academy. She needs connection so she can get a better position."
Emelianna’s expression became ugly.
Her cousin smiled coldly.
"Make sure you bring them back..don’t forget you are a SSS female. Men have to lick your feet.."
The women all left after pouring their anger.
Emelianna clenched her fists.
"So they go around seeking favors from Isaac without my consent..what will he think of me?"
Her guard stepped forward carefully.
"Your Highness..."
"What?"
"Princess Vivian still isn’t answering your calls."
Emelianna’s eyes widened.
"She hasn’t answered?"
"No."
"How dare she?"
Before she could continue, Elena entered the room.
She walked toward her mother and gently placed a hand on her shoulder.
"Mother."
Emelianna turned.
"Don’t worry."
Elena smiled softly.
"I’ll talk to Vivian."
"She’ll eventually realize how much you’ve done for her."
A guard suddenly stepped forward.
"Your Highness."
"What now?"
"Princess Vivian is currently undergoing her entrance assessment at the Haxia Military Academy."
Elena’s expression changed.
"She got admitted?"
"Impossible."
"She has no rank."
"No awakened ability."
"She should fail."
Emelianna scoffed.
"Let her fail."
Her voice was filled with resentment. "Since she has chosen her father, she should stay with him."
"I don’t want her back."
The room became silent. Emelianna’s eyes reddened.
"Do you know how many times people laughed at me because of that girl?"
"A Zero-Class daughter."
"A daughter who couldn’t even awaken."
"Her father is only an A-Class commander."
"He doesn’t deserve me."
She slammed her hand against the table.
"They can both disappear from my life."
Just then...The doors opened.
Another guard rushed inside.
His face was pale.
"Your Highness!"
"What happened?"
"The military guards..."
He swallowed.
"They are leaving."
Emelianna froze.
"What?"
"They said your marriage partnership with Regional Commander Isaac Lilian has officially ended."
"And because of that..."
"They will no longer serve under your household."
Emelianna stood. Her face turned white. "What did you say?"
The guard lowered his head. "They’ve all resigned."
Emelianna’s cup slipped from her fingers.
It shattered against the floor.