Shien's words made Anxi pause slightly.
Not just Anxi—even Aridia, who had remained silent all this time, furrowed his brow and looked at Shien.
Yet Shien felt no pressure at all.
Because he knew very well that Anxi was merely testing him.
After all—
"Your Majesty should have known long ago that Roxie never wanted to become Queen, right?" Shien said calmly. "She has no desire to inherit the throne. She even wants to support her elder sister, Liyadella, in becoming Queen. I assume Your Majesty is well aware of that."
Anxi fell silent.
As both King and father, there was no way he could have been unaware of it.
Roxie had never tried to hide those thoughts in the first place.
She had said such things many times in front of Ria as well.
Thus, the Kingdom had long known that Roxie had little interest in the throne.
Otherwise, there would have already been many factions among the Kingdom's upper ranks supporting Roxie's ascension, building momentum for her succession well in advance.
"The Kingdom intends to let Princess Ria inherit the throne as well, doesn't it?" Shien said with a faint, knowing smile, as though he had witnessed it himself. "Although Roxie is undoubtedly more outstanding and talented, compared to Roxie, you would rather have Princess Ria inherit the throne."
That statement genuinely surprised Anxi.
Because Shien was right.
"The Kingdom does indeed intend for Ria to inherit the throne." Anxi pondered for a moment, then chose to reveal this important information. "But even Roxie and Ria don't know about this. How did you know?"
That was what surprised Anxi.
Other than the true core of the Kingdom's upper echelon, no one knew that Anxi had already designated Ria as the heir to the throne.
Everyone else was unaware