When it was time to bow twice to the elders, the elders Ximen Lang had never invited suddenly showed up. It was extremely strange.
Especially since these two uninvited guests were the True King and Queen Consort, who had refused to let Ximen Lang through their door ever since Kai'Sa had betrayed them last time by siding with outsiders.
And as luck would have it, the two of them had occupied the two chairs specially prepared for Ximen Lang's elders, one on each side.
Those chairs had been reserved for his closest parents, yet the two of them had taken them.
That really made Ximen Lang uncomfortable.
Why? Because...
"You're taking advantage of me!"
"Taking advantage of you?"
Hearing Ximen Lang blurt that out, Queen Consort Bel'Veth asked in return,
"Am I not your mother?"
Then Bel'Veth pointed at the True King beside her and continued,
"Is he not your father?"
"That's not false, but..."
Bel'Veth had been waiting for Ximen Lang to say exactly that.
"If that's the case, then what's there to say? Or are you saying you never planned to treat us as your parents and honor us?"
Her tone suddenly shifted. Leaning forward, Bel'Veth spoke with immense pressure.
"You don't want us as your parents?!"
A barrage of righteous arguments came flying at him like a string of cannon fire, leaving Ximen Lang unable to utter a word.
This left Ximen Lang thoroughly miserable.
But he could hardly say anything. Helpless, Ximen Lang could only turn his pleading gaze toward Leng beside him.
He wanted Leng to come out and speak a few words of justice for him.
But what Ximen Lang never expected was that Leng not only ignored his plea, she even addressed Bel'Veth and the True King with exceptional warmth.
"Father, Mother, we've