Chapter 90. Secret Communication

Third Prince Wing, Imperial Palace, Capital City of Inidal Empire

The messenger bird flapped its exhausted wings in haste, landing heavily in a small, hidden nest tucked away in a quiet corner of the courtyard. A lady with bright blonde hair and a faint smile gently untied the small scroll fastened to its leg.

“It must have been a tough flight all the way from the Northern Winter. Rest well, little friend,” she whispered, gently patting the bird’s feathers.

With a confident stride, she turned and made her way down the main palace hallway. Her golden dress left very little to the imagination. Its jeweled bodice hugged her curves with almost indecent precision, the glittering fabric instantly drawing the attention of the armored knights standing guard. Along one side, the gown fell away into a bold cutout, exposing a tantalizing stretch of bare skin before the fabric curved tightly around her hips.

A high slit climbed all the way up her thigh, parting with every step to reveal flashes of smooth skin beneath the sparkling folds. Crystals scattered across the fabric followed the contours of her body like trails of liquid light, making it seem as though the gown had been designed not merely to dress her, but to deliberately tease every single one watching.

As she arrived at the grand double doors of the Prince’s bedroom, she smirked, casting a seductive glance over her shoulder at the flustered guards before slipping inside without even waiting to be announced.

“Did you see that? Yet another one...” one of the knights scoffed, shaking his head at the closed door. “At this rate, every high noble woman in the Capital will reject the Third Prince if he keeps calling these Companions to his bed.”

“His Majesty is having a miserable time finding a match for him because of how shameless he is. Does he think he is the male reincarnation of the Goddess Hakio or something?” the other knight muttered in disgust.

Inside the Room

Mm-muah..~ Mwah... ~

The wet sound of heavy kisses echoed from the main velvet sofa, currently occupied by a scantily clad woman and a hazel haired young man. They parted reluctantly as soon as the blonde lady entered the room.

“Motya? Oh, I wasn’t expecting you so soon!” The man called out, untangling himself from the girl on the sofa.

The girl nodded respectfully to Motya. “I... I will take my leave. Please, Motya... go on ahead.” She quickly gathered her clothes and slipped out of the room.

Meanwhile, Motya elegantly climbed onto the sofa, slowly letting her golden dress slip off her shoulders. “I just missed you, Your Highness Vadim,” she purred, smiling as she leaned in to kiss him.

Thud.

The moment the heavy door clicked shut, the playful atmosphere shifted instantly. Prince Vadim’s hands roamed over Motya’s body, keeping up the physical act just in case anyone was listening outside, as she seamlessly slipped the hidden letter into his palm.

“Lana seemed rather disappointed by your sudden interference,” he chuckled softly.

Trailing kisses down his chest, Motya whispered near his ear, “The Origlana family’s marriage proposal officially fell through today... exactly as planned, once they heard about your scandalous hobbies.”

“Good... It seems my brothers still don’t suspect a thing about our intelligence network,” Prince Vadim smiled, casually breaking the wax seal of the Ironwood letter with one hand while Motya continued trailing kisses along his neck.

“I still don’t understand why you won’t just get married already, Your Highness... all three of your closest childhood friends are in committed relationships now,” she whispered.

Effortlessly flipping their positions so he was hovering over her, Prince Vadim shook his head. “Don’t you see my situation? I don’t want to drag an innocent woman into this deadly political crossfire. Plus, I have all of you.. my favored Companions, don’t I?” he smirked.

“Hmph... I know we are just a convenient shield to distract your brothers and ruin all the matchmaking attempts by His Majesty so he can’t implant a spy in your bed. You don’t have to sweet talk me,” Motya pouted playfully as Prince Vadim tossed the empty envelope aside and leaned down.

“Is that really what you think? That I don't genuinely adore the beautiful guard girls who protect my life every single day? Is my reputation really that low in your eyes?” Prince Vadim asked with a charming smile, capturing her lips in a passionate kiss.

When they finally parted, she looked down at the parchment in his hand. “So, what is the letter from Lord Miller about?”

Prince Vadim’s smirk widened into a genuine, thrilled grin as he pulled her up onto his lap. “It is an official invitation for a New Year’s celebration... He has something major planned for us.”

Pressing a celebratory kiss to her neck, he finished, “have everyone Pack their things, Motya. We can finally leave this hellhole of a palace.”