Chosen Mate Of The Beastmen Empire

"Look at you-not even that sad, huh?" Banon shook his head. "Royalty's heartless, as expected."

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As a fellow royal, he got it better than anyone. Aurelius had the same blood as him-naturally, they were cut from the same cloth. Nyx might've had a place in his heart, but it'd never outweigh himself, the throne, or the empire.

One Nyx died, another queen would come along eventually. The world's full of beauties-none might match her, but he could find traces of her in others. An emperor wouldn't die for love; he'd just fake some sentimental mourning.

"Come on, kill me to avenge her," Banon said, pointing at his chest, inviting Aurelius to stab. "It's the only thing you can do for her now."

He'd waited for this day too long, long past wanting to live, just lacking the guts to end it himself. The sickness tormented him beyond death. He craved a quick end. Dragging Nyx down with him before dying was his proudest scheme.

"Hurry up already. Maybe I'll catch Nyx on the road to the underworld," he taunted, grinning wickedly. "You broke her heart -maybe she'd rather run into my arms and be my ghost bride."

Setting aside hatred, Banon still remembered that first stunning glimpse-her delicate features, dressed in finery, sitting there like a goddess.

Every time he bedded the Voss sisters after that, he tried to find Nyx in their faces. But despite some slight similarities, they were nothing like her.

"The Voss sisters are still alive, right?" he said, pretending to be helpful. "They're Nyx's half-sisters. Not as pretty, but still beauties. I trained them well. If you miss Nyx, you could use them to take the edge off."

“Shut up,” Aurelius snapped, too disgusted to listen. Smiling, he drew his sword and stabbed it next to Banon's head.

The sharp blade sliced off a strand of his hair. He felt a cold sting on his cheek, then pain-blood trickling down into his ear. His already trembling body shook harder. Fear gripped him, leaving him speechless.

"Aurelius?" Nyx tied up her horse and stepped inside with Erik, catching the scene. Her eyes widened in shock. She thought, "He didn't kill him, did he?'

She lifted her skirt and hurried over. Seeing the guy on the bed still breathing, she relaxed, grabbed Aurelius by the collar, checked him for injuries, and then pulled him away. "Stay back from him."

He hadn't showered for so long. He was filthy, sick, and probably crawling with fleas. She rarely judged people, but it was hard not to judge Banon.

Once a dazzling royal, he'd let himself fall apart without servants, losing all dignity. Noticing Nyx's look, the clean-freak kitty quickly retracted his claws, obediently stepping to her side.

Banon lay still, limbs rigid, staring blankly at Nyx's face. 'So alike. How can she look so much like her. Not just her face- every frown, every gesture, every move was identical.

After a long silence, it hit him. "No wonder you're not grieving-no wonder you scoff at the Voss sisters. You've already found a better replacement!"

"Replacement?" Nyx's ears perked up at the weird word. Her brain churned, finally getting it. She nearly lost it, thinking,

'Does malaria mess with his brain too?'

The two males flanked Nyx, shielding her from Banon's prying eyes. No replacement. There'd never be one. Nyx was Nyx.

Aurelius looked down at him, cutting through his delusions. "Deep down, you know you're a total loser. You're just lying to yourself, too scared to admit it."

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His thoughts laid bare, Banon felt stripped naked in public, his face turning liver- red. With all his strength, he lunged up like a madman, reaching to strangle Nyx.

"How are you still alive? Why didn't you get sick?" he screamed.

The weaker the body, the easier it was to catch deadly diseases. His loyal deathsworn, strong and fit, had all caught it from him one by one. He'd seen the signal that day-his plan worked. Nyx should've been dead already.

Before he could touch a hair on her, Erik smashed the sword sheath into him, knocking him flat. He couldn't even crawl. It was like his bones gave out too. He slumped into a puddle, eyes locked on Nyx's sleeve hem.

Her nails were so red-like the prettiest gems, a color he'd never seen. He mumbled, "She's a fairy. Fairies don't catch plagues. The fairy didn't choose me, so I lost the throne.

"She got mad at my scheming, so she cursed me with this sickness, making me suffer every torment. I disrespected a fairy- that's why I ended up like this."

Nyx couldn't make out Banon's incoherent muttering. She figured the shock had driven him nuts. Losing all curiosity, she waved outside, unwilling to look anymore. She called a young physician over.

"He's all yours. Give him the medicine twice a day, check his pulse once daily, record any changes, and watch for side effects," she said.

The young physician listened carefully, bowing. "I'll do my duty without fail." He was the old director's star pupil, skilled and trustworthy. Nyx felt good leaving it to him.

Banon lay limp, watching her skirt flutter away with a fragrant breeze, flanked by two fierce beasts. His soul seemed to drift off with her.

Someone shoved a bitter pill in his mouth. He swallowed it and closed his eyes, waiting to die. Days passed, but the expected poison never kicked in. Banon didn't die either.

Eating what he thought was slow poison twice a day, he didn't feel poisoned- instead, he started feeling better.

"What medicine are you giving me?" With some strength back, he finally emerged from his despair and spoke to the guy feeding him.

The physician's tone was flat. "Malaria medicine."

Banon didn't get what "malaria medicine" meant, but it didn't sound like poison.

He studied the man's face. "Are you one of my people?"

He didn't recall having a retainer or deathsworn who looked like this. But this guy saving him outta nowhere had to have a

reason.

The physician gave him a look like he was an idiot. "No."

"Then why are you treating me?" Banon bristled at the look, barely keeping his temper in check.

"Lady Nyx sent me to test her new medicine on you," the physician said plainly, then bent back to his notes without fuss.

Banon's pupils shrank. "Nyx is saving me?"

That realization hit, and all his anger melted away. A wild excitement took over, his mind racing with fantasies. 'She finally picked me this time? Does she want me on the throne?

"I'm better-I'm totally fine now," he babbled, grabbing the physician's sleeve. "Go tell Nyx I'll do anything she says from now on, anything she wants."

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Mortals couldn't resist a fairy. He'd learned that and was ready to serve her willingly. A fairy always rewarded her followers well

The physician's pen shook, a drop of ink splattering onto the paper. He set the pen down, checked Banon's pulse, stared at him thoughtfully, then nodded. "You're indeed better."

The trial was done, and the results were great. Once he reported back to Lady Nyx, this recipe could go to disaster relief, along with her mosquito-repellent formula. It'd solve the south's crisis.

"Take one last dose," he said, pulling out the bottle and handing over a pill.

Since it was a fairy's gift, Banon snatched it up and swallowed it without a second thought. Maybe his mindset had shifted- today's pill wasn't bitter. It even tasted sweet.

He couldn't sit or lie still, pacing the floor to burn off his joy, already picturing himself in dragon robes on the throne, Nyx in his arms as his queen.

A metallic taste surged in his throat, blood rushing up. Banon stumbled and fell, eyes wide in disbelief. He stiffly looked down, seeing his clothes soaked with blood spilling from his mouth. "Ny-Ny-"

The poison hit fast. Before he could even say Nyx's name, his face twisted, and he stopped breathing. The physician packed up his bag, slung it over his shoulder, and stepped over the body without a second glance.

From the day he got here, he'd known Banon was a dead man walking. Once the trial ended, he'd act. That was Aurelius's order. General Read had handed him the

poison.

At this point, no one else was to blame-only Banon himself. Even when he plotted rebellion, escaped Hilltop City after his crimes, and turned against Aurelius, the emperor had been lenient enough to spare his life.

He shouldn't have touched Nyx. He crossed Aurelius and the general's line. Death was certain.

**

Banon, confined on Four Peaks Mountain, dropped dead in the villa and was buried as a commoner.

Everyone knew he'd been gravely ill and near death. It made perfect sense, so no one cared. Common folk only mentioned it over tea, clapping and saying he got what he deserved.

By mid-August, the south started getting relief supplies-medicine, grain, and a recipe from the court. Newspapers ran detailed mosquito-prevention notices, listing the dangers of bites and ways to repel them.

With all these efforts, the epidemic didn't make big waves. By winter, as the weather cooled, it faded away.

The south had suffered, with many deaths and farmers losing workers. The court cut field taxes to half a percent for the next three years, letting people recover. Common folk were easy to please, thanking the wise queen and just emperor with gratitude.

The dead couldn't come back, but the living had to keep going. This year was hot but free of drought or flood-a rare bumper harvest.

As the New Year neared, festive joy erased the gloom of death. Smiles returnednoveldrama

to people's faces, especially in the north, with Hilltop City buzzing the most.

The palace was lively too, brimining with cheer.

Nyx wore a dazzling golden robe, prompting the palace staff to bow repeatedly,

saying they wanted to rub off some wealth luck.

Erik combed her hair, skipping heavy crowns for fluffy hairpins, placing them symmetrically on both sides.

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Nyx reached up to feel them, sensing trouble. A mirror check confirmed she

looked like a rabbit spirit. Her ears were practically sticking out.

His skills weren't there yet. She pursed her lips, huffed, and looked away.

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"Don't like it?" Erik stared at her cute, pouty face, unable to resist kissing her, leaving two faint pink blushes on her cheeks.

"I made these myself," he said, touching the yellow fluffy bits. They weren't perfect-not as nice as Nyx's cheeks. If Nyx grew real bunny ears, his gift would pale in comparison and get totally outshined.

Nyx watched in the mirror as his veiny hands fiddled with the rabbit cars-stroking,

petting, pinching. For a moment, she hallucinated they were really hers, feeling

them.

She shivered, dodging his troublesome hands. "I don't dislike them." After lunch, she'd had some wine and felt tipsy. The males carried her to the

bedchamber for an afternoon nap. Her long hair soon tangled, and the fluffy hairpins scattered across the bed.

Night fell, and outside they lit bonfires for the courtyard ceremony. She dragged her wobbly legs out to see the fun.

"Want to check out the city tower?" Aurelius pointed to the highest spot in the

palace.

Nyx loved going there sometimes for the view-it was great. Tonight's scenery was

extra festive. Looking down at the city's sea of lights, then up at the starry sky, Nyx suddenly missed home.

Holidays always made her homesick. She missed her partners and cubs. This test had gone on so long. She wondered when it would end.

A warm chest pressed against her back, a familiar scent wrapping around her,

giving endless comfort. Her fleeting sadness vanished.

"Nyx, I got you a gift too," Aurelius said through her cloak, rubbing his cheek

against her ear.

A bright streak shot across the night sky. Nyx's eyes widened as a huge, dazzling firework bloomed in the darkness.

In decades of life, she'd seen countless fireworks, all kinds, but none thrilled her

like this one. She spun around fast, meeting her partner's calm, deep eyes, like falling into a vast blue sea.

"Aurelius?" Nyx froze. "You got your memories back?“,

Hearing that, a hint of surprise flashed in Aurelius's eyes. "How did you figure it

out?"

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