NOVEL NEXT Chapter 147- Preparation for Banquet
"Qi Resonance?" Aleriana's voice beside Kyle told him enough—they clearly had no idea what they were about to face. And that was understandable.
After all, there had to be a reason why an immortal chose to descend into the body possessed by Prince Orion.
That reason… was this very ability.
A rare, inborn power tied to the royal bloodline in eight realm—Qi Resonance.
An inborn ability most suitable for descending mortal possessing a unique power which only royals of the upper realm possess.
A natural phenomenon where the more Qi someone had, the more pressure they felt. It was like turning one's own strength into a mountain, weighing them down.
It reminded Kyle of stories within webnovels or animations where main characters could make entire crowds kneel just by stepping forward and relasing aura.
Which Normally, those possessing stronger key than the others could also achieve But this abiltiy was far differnt than just that—Qi Resonance didn't care about strength or cultivation level.
It responded only to the energy inside a person, making their own Qi a burden.
"Yes," Kyle explained calmly, "Qi Resonance turns your own Qi against you. It presses you down with the same force as the amount of Qi you carry. The stronger you are, the heavier the pressure becomes."
He glanced around. He didn't need to say more. Judging by Aleriana's reaction—her sudden gesture for the head maid to leave—it was clear she understood the gravity of the situation. She wasn't taking his words lightly.
"And his goal—" Kyle began, but Aleriana cut in.
"To crush them," she said coldly. "In front of the nobility. To show his strength."
She wasn't just speaking—her tone had hardened. She was definitely revealing the true intentions of Prince Orion. That much was clear.
If Kyle's words were true and Orion truly had such power, then even the strongest heirs might be forced to their knees.
And if that happened, in public, in front of the aristocracy—it would shake the political balance of the Azure flame kingdom.
Naturally, no one from the First Queen's side would attend. They were too cunning for that. They likely already knew of Orion's power and were making sure their heirs stayed far away from the banquet.
"Yes, that's exactly what he wants," Kyle said with a small smile, stretching his back as he relaxed a little. It was nice having a smart wife who could finish his thoughts for him.
Then, his eyes turned toward Olea.
She had been sitting silently, listening with full attention, but something in her gaze seemed unsettled—like she was hesitating to ask a question.
Kyle leaned forward slightly.
"Your parents' souls are wandering," he said gently, "bound by a curse, Olea."
It sounded almost casual the way he said it, but Olea's reaction was anything but.
"—!"
"Wh-what?" Her voice cracked. She stared at him, wide-eyed, her breath catching in her throat. A tremble ran through her as if lightning had struck her heart.
She had been thinking about Prince Orion, about how to stand against him—but those thoughts scattered like dust in the wind.
Her parents… cursed? Their souls wandering?
And she had never even known?
She opened her mouth to speak, but no words came out. Her lips quivered.
For a moment, she just sat there frozen, her fingers tightening over the fabric of her dress, as if she needed something to ground her.
The pain of not knowing was one thing. But the pain of knowing too late—that was another entirely.
'Ah, so she wasn't thinking that, huh?' Kyle mused.
From her reaction, he realized she likely wasn't thinking about her parents at all. He raised an eyebrow but didn't pry further, shifting the topic instead.
After all, he was determined to make his wife a queen—and this was an opportunity he had to use well.
To be exact, during their marriage ceremony, the nobles who had shown up were utterly useless. None of them had anything of value to offer as backing.
But this banquet hosted by Prince Orion was different.
It was likely that true power players, the strong aristocrats, would be present. And Kyle, who was naturally going to attend, would finally have a chance to interact with them.
Even though he knew he'd be ridiculed, he still intended to flip the situation. He would use the very plan Orion had cooked up against him.
"Finally, this weak body is going to be useful," he smirked to himself.
Unlike others, Kyle had no Qi. Which meant no Qi resonance. He was naturally immune to it—and he was certain Prince Orion wasn't going to target just one person with that power.
No, Orion would likely unleash it across the entire hall, aiming to overwhelm everyone and make them believe he was a god among men.
If Orion targeted a single person, the crowd might simply dismiss it as that person being weak. But if the entire nobility were brought to their knees, gasping and trembling under the weight of Qi resonance, then they would understand the force behind the prince—and treat him with reverence and loyalty.
All the damage Aleriana had done by annihilating the Exorcism Sect? It'd be erased in an instant.
But Kyle wouldn't let that happen. He'd turn this entire plan around on Orion—
A Uno-reverse.
It would be a sight to behold when Prince Orion himself stands alone at a banquet filled with crawling noblemen.
"I'll go there, because I don't have Qi," Kyle declared with a smirk, a strange sense of pride swelling within him. For once, his role was that of the main character.
"…"
"…"
'Hm? Silence?'
What greeted him wasn't awe or shock, just… silence and a blank stare. No one said a word, until he heard someone exhale beside him.
"Hm? Wife—!?"
Kyle casually turned his gaze toward Aleriana, only to feel a sudden, sharp force—like a blade grazing his very soul. His mouth fell open, body stiffening.
That wasn't just a feeling. That was killing intent—pure and sharp—emitted from Aleriana. His legs wobbled.
"Sorry, husband," Aleriana said, her tone sweet and deadly. "But… you do remember, right? No one needs Qi resonance to—Ahem."
She coughed lightly, clearly realizing she may have gone too far. Kyle was drenched in cold sweat, though he quickly wiped it off and focused on the present.
'Shit… I forgot.'
He had completely overlooked the fact that even a single speck of internal energy used near him would toss him around like a ragdoll.
He composed himself.
Death didn't scare him, but that sensation—so primal, so intrusive—shook him like medicine stirring a sleeping instinct not natural fear.
He forced himself to breathe, grounding his thoughts.
"You're right. I forgot about that," Kyle admitted calmly, turning toward Aleriana again.
She was too smart.
He really shouldn't stress himself when he had such a sharp heroine as his wife. So, he asked her plainly, "Do you have a plan, wife? Because I definitely want to attend that banquet."
"…Is it important?" Aleriana asked gently, gazing at him. She didn't want to be an obstacle. The danger to him was minimal, and after seeing his resolve and growth, she was confident.
Still… a creeping anxiety gripped her.
It was the feeling of caring—caring for a husband.
Maybe she did not realize the side effects of loving someone.
"Yeah," Kyle nodded firmly.
"Fine then. Mialthara and Olea will accompany you. And…" Aleriana turned, looking directly at Ashmira—her headless but now fleshed-out body, cloaked in a swirling black aura, transformed from a skeleton. "…You," she said. "You used to be a giant, then a skeleton, didn't you? Can you shapeshift? Can you… be smaller?"