Provoking a Graceful Bloom Novel

---- Chapter 256 Selena froze for a moment, startled. She knew the Obsidian Monarch had been seriously injured at the hunting grounds, but not to the point of danger. Had something gone wrong along the way? Without wasting a second, she hurried back to her room and grabbed her medicine chest, then followed Sebastian out. As they walked, she anxiously asked, "What do you mean he's not well? Did the wound fester? Does he have a fever? How is he now? Is he still conscious?" Still, something didn't add up. That Demon Lord was the monarch of the Northem Frontier.

His body should've been far hardier than most. How could his condition worsen after returning home? Shouldn't he recover faster than any ordinary warrior? Sebastian's expression was oddly hesitant. Once they were both inside the carriage, he finally said, "His Highness' injury hasn't worsened, nor has he lost consciousness. He's just... out of sorts. Selena blinked. "Out of sorts?" That was what Sebastian meant by not well? Couldn't he have ---- been a little clearer? He nearly frightened her half to death!

"Lena..." He studied her carefully for a while before asking, a little too cautiously, "Do you care about Prince Nathaniel very much?" "He was injured saving my life. Showing some concern is only proper," Selena replied smoothly, leaving no room for misunderstanding. "No other reason for that concern?" Sebastian asked, curiosity plain on his face "When did you become so nosy, Seb?" Selena gave him a teasing glance, though there was no real annoyance in her voice. She knew exactly where his thoughts were headed.

"Ihave no intention of marrying in this lifetime, so you may put your curiosity to rest," she said calmly. "When Prince Nathaniel and | were attacked by the black wolves, he could have escaped unscathed. But he mistook me for someone unable to defend herself and got injured protecting me." "Lena, his intentions were good. You mustn't treat it as something trivial." Still, her skill in combat had been a surprise to them all. No one was used to seeing her as a skilled fighter. With her gentle, ---- delicate looks, it was only natural that others felt the urge to protect her.

Selena merely smiled and asked, "Why did you say he's out of sorts?" Sebastian gave her a strange look. "You haven't gone to see him, have you? That's why. He's sulking." He reached into his robe and pulled out a folded letter, handing it to her with a helpless expression. "Here, Cloud gave me this." Selena took the letter and unfolded it. The moment her eyes swept across the page, she was speechless. What sort of man was this so-called Demon Lord? When he was cold and merciless, he was terrifying.

He resembled a creature carved from ice, radiating a chill so sharp that even Sally dared not approach him. Yet that same ruthless, dangerous man had written something like this? It was utterly inconceivable. She glanced at Sebastian, who looked just as uncomfortable "Don't look at me like that. | don't understand him either. But | think he's honestly... feeling wronged," he said. The letter contained only a few words-'Seb, my brother. Lena doesn't care for me.

| feel so wronged.' If Cloud hadn't handed it ---- over personally, Sebastian would never have believed the Obsidian Monarch had written it himself. After all, he was described as unfathomable, cold, ruthless, and aman of iron will. He was the monarch of the Northern Frontier. Who could meet him without a shiver of fear? And yet, the man whose very presence kept people at a distance could be this childish in private. To make matters worse, every time he called him "brother', Sebastian's composure went right out the window.

The instant the title left Nathaniel's lips, not only did Sebastian's legs grow weak, but his heart softened as well. "Lena, you'd better go see him. Just look at the poor man. He's so aggrieved he's writing me letters to complain. Honestly, he's so pitiful!" he said.