Page 136 of The War God’s Favorite

“Look at this! Does she seem fine to you?”

Cassandra stood up unexpectedly, all eyes on her. She had enough of Phetra’s petty game, trying to make such a performance, even using her younger sister like this.

“Take off her bandage, then.”

“Excuse me?”

“Take off her bandage. I am the Imperial Physician, I will be able to tell if she is injured or not.”

Phetra was about to protest, but a glare from the Emperor kept her quiet. Cassandra was appointed Imperial Physician by the Emperor himself, she had every right to make use of that title. After a few seconds of hesitation, Phetra put on a smirk.

“I’m sorry, unfortunately she cannot. The Imperial Doctor who already saw her warned that the bandages cannot be removed for two weeks, or else she will scar.”

Cassandra sighed. This woman was so stubborn.

One could tell everyone in the Great Hall was waiting to see who would have the last word between the War God’s Favorite and an Imperial Princess. The tension was palpable; some of the women were excited to see how this would turn out. Princess Phetra had a triumphant smile on already. Whereas Cassandra, no matter how favored by the Prince or Emperor she was, couldn’t disobey her.

“Is that so?”

Those three simple words from Cassandra took everyone by surprise. Her voice was too calm. While Phetra was still dumbfounded, the young concubine stepped away from her Prince’s knee and walked down their way, seemingly unafraid. Everyone watched her cross the Hall without saying a word. Had that woman gone crazy?

However, Cassandra was walking very calmly and without an ounce of fear in her eyes. Maybe her baby was giving her some unexpected strength, but she couldn’t stand being afraid of those people anymore. The fire of a dragon was glowing in her eyes.

She arrived in front of Phetra and her younger sister Valeria. While not giving one look at the first, she seemingly bowed to the other. After a few seconds of that strange posture, she got back up, turning to Phetra.

The Princess didn’t even bother to hide her annoyance.

“What are you doing! I forbid you from touching her!”

“I do not need to touch her,” Cassandra retorted. “This bandage doesn’t even smell like medicine. It doesn’t smell like anything.”

A silence followed her words, and Phetra went paler and paler as everyone present slowly understood.

Medicine in the Dragon Empire always smelled strong, and most of the time, horribly so. It was usually made of greasy and thick balms that would smell even worse, had they been kept under bandages like the one on Valeria’s arm. However, from what the young concubine had said, it was obvious. While faking Valeria’s injury under such bandages, they hadn’t even bothered to apply any kind of balm underneath, and anyone could tell with a sniff. Even the second Prince’s dragon behind them, that was usually so moody for nothing, was resting in its cage, unbothered. The creature certainly wouldn’t have stayed put with the smell of the medicine so close.

Cassandra stared right into Phetra’s dark eyes for a few seconds, not showing an ounce of fear, and turned back before her enemy could even reply.

“You…You…!”

But nothing came out of the Princess’ lips, and Cassandra calmly walked back to her Prince. Kairen had a terrifying smirk, much like Shareen’s. As his concubine joined him and sat on his lap again, his eyes didn’t leave Phetra for one second.

Meanwhile, the Emperor slammed the Golden Throne again, and this time, his Golden Dragon behind him growled loudly, as if to show his Master’s anger.

“Phetra, what is this? Valeria, take off that bandage! Right now!”

The Princess was completely white, as was her younger sister. Slowly, trembling hands took off the bandage, revealing a perfectly fine arm. Kairen slowly kissed Cassandra’s shoulder, proud of his young concubine. His sister, too, was exulting.

“Look at this, Father. My sisters work so hard at insulting and framing me, don’t they?”

“Father, I…I can explain. She…Valeria came to me crying! I only wanted to get justice for…”

Phetra kept trying to justify her lie, miserably. Cassandra frowned. That woman was really too disgusting. She was in such a hurry to throw her younger sister in the death pit when she was obviously the one behind all this. Even worse, the Second Prince completely ignored them, as if this whole situation wasn’t his concern. He wasn’t any better than Phetra. Cassandra exchanged a look with her Prince, but Kairen remained silent, continuously caressing her back and hair, his dark eyes still fixated on Phetra with a murderous glare.

“Silence!” yelled the Emperor, followed by his dragon’s furious growl. “I shall not hear any more! Valeria, you’ll be punished by Shareen for framing her and lying. I don’t care what it is! And you, Phetra, I will personally deal with you later. Now you better sit down and shut up until this banquet is over! I don’t want to see either of you at the New Year’s celebrations, either!”

Despite everything said, Cassandra felt unsatisfied. Phetra was obviously devastated, but Cassandra found that the punishment was way too light for her. Seeing her clenched fists, Shareen gestured for her to ignore it.

“She is our Second Brother’s favorite sister,” she whispered. “Father will never punish her too harshly, unless she really pushes it.”

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