Provoking a Graceful Bloom Novel

---- Chapter 236 "Your Highness, | think we should hurry and find that black bear," Selena said, pressing her fingers to her temples. If she continued talking to him, she feared her mind would unravel entirely. How on earth had the conversation turned to marriage? She strode ahead, with Nathaniel following behind her. Both carried bows and quivers, venturing into the heart of the Beastlands. Though the royal hunting grounds were far from perilous, this section was known to house black bears, so caution was warranted.

"Where are you headed?" Nathaniel asked, his gaze following her with a spark of curiosity. Selena glanced over her shoulder at him, then continued forward. "Your Highness, weren't you skeptical of my route initially? Why do you now follow so willingly?" "| didn't know where you intended to go at first, so naturally, | hesitated. But wherever you go, | will follow," Nathaniel replied. He maintained his place behind her, never more than three steps away, regardless of her pace. "And now?" she asked. ---- Nathaniel paused, then smiled.

"Now, | think my dearest Lena is indeed clever." Selena merely smiled in return, offering no words. There was one undeniable benefit to being with someone clever. So often, one need not explain anything. They simply understood. The black bear they sought had likely been hunted before and had undoubtedly been startled. Because of that, it wouldn't roam freely now. Most likely, it had taken refuge in some shadowed corer. Crowded areas, such as the popular central grounds the hunters favored, would hold no appeal for a creature so frightened "These hunting grounds are unfamiliar to both of us.

Please be careful, Your Highness," Selena warned. It was her first time here, while Nathaniel had visited a few times in years past, but it had been five years since his last foray. "Don't fret. The fiercest creature here is the black bear. So long as the beasts are not in packs, a few of them pose no real threat, he assured, Pack beasts? For some reason, a strange, unshakable unease crept over her ---- as she turned to meet Nathaniel's eyes. "Should we continue?" he asked, tilting his head down to study her, his expression unexpectedly grave.

"There is something unusual in the air." Selena stopped, glancing back at him. "You feel it too, Your Highness?" Unconsciously, they had passed through the heart of the Beastlands, where the fiercest creatures roamed. This stretch now seemed calm and serene, utterly divorced from danger. Yet the stillness felt like the calm before a storm. The quieter it was, the stronger the sense of something lurking beneath the surface. "You can't achieve success or great rewards without taking risks, " Nathaniel said.

"Since you're so determined to win, how can | refuse to risk my life by your side?" Still, his gaze flicked to the dagger at her waist. "Give me that." Are you afraid of dying, Your Highness?" She thought the great Demon Lord feared nothing in this world Also, he had his own blade, didn't he? Selena didn't think much of it and simply took off the dagger, handing it to him. Nathaniel took it at once, fastening it to his own belt. Just as she moved to step forward, another dagger was pressed into her hand. ---- He studied her face, his gaze intense and commanding.

"Use mine." Selena blinked, startled. Was he asking her to swap blades? She accepted it and drew the dagger in a single motion, only for her eyes to widen in shock. "This is... Skyvault?!"