Chapter 254

For a fleeting moment, she felt immense shame—it was the first time anyone had seen her like this... This appearance was the complete opposite of her former arrogance and aloofness... How could a Grand Marshal, second only to the Emperor, have become a lowly house dog...

Even though it was a sham political marriage, Eldred was still nominally her husband.

After the shame subsided, she suddenly felt a very strong, strange feeling... she couldn't quite describe it.

But at least... at least...

It doesn't seem so bad...

It's even a bit...

After a moment's thought, Tianna returned to her previous state.

Shame was gone, thought was gone... she didn't want to think about anything anymore.

Looking at the man walking towards her, a deep sense of disgust and contempt was revealed in her dazed eyes.

Eldred, she always looked down on him.

"Tianna... why is this...?"

Eldred finally touched the first step, but with his hand—under extreme psychological trauma, he could barely walk, and before he even began to climb the steps, he stumbled and fell to the ground.

Looking at the woman he had always felt he could never reach, he felt utterly devastated.

To him, Tianna was always more isolated than the steps of the main hall... more unattainable than the throne...

To gain the other party's respect—even just a proper look—he was willing to betray Demacia by assassinating the king and prince... He always wanted nothing more than for the other party to think highly of him...

Ever since that political marriage, he had longed for Tianna's respect... He did many things... He spared no effort to reach the center of power... All for her sake...

Can... I think more highly of him...

Even just bowing your head once would be good...

He just wanted to prove that he wasn't a useless person who could only gain power through arranged marriages...

The woman he could never reach... the respect he could never attain... that incomparably proud dignity...

But why...?

"Why...!" Eldred let out a wail, her painful cry echoing throughout the main hall.

The woman he could never touch had now shed her impenetrable armor and knelt at Chen Ce's feet like a lowly house dog...!

Tianna was wagging her tail and begging...! She was desperately wanting Chen Ce to touch her...!!

She was wearing a collar... a dog leash...!!!

"Ah...!!"

Eldred wailed in anguish.

Chen Ce simply smiled and released his grip.

Thud. The chain connecting the collar fell to the ground.

Tianna tilted her head.

Then...

He lowered his body and picked up the chain with his mouth.

It was then handed to Chen Ce.

"Master... don't let go of me..."

"But someone's looking for you." Chen Ce smiled and reached out to scratch Tianna's chin, a gesture as gentle as soothing a dog, which Eldred witnessed.

Eldred completely broke down.

He drew his sword without hesitation, staggered up the steps, and wanted to kill the young man sitting on the throne with one blow.

But as soon as he stepped onto the platform, Tianna moved with a grim expression.

She reached out and shoved Eldred down the steps.

Her well-trained physique was lacking, and Eldred was in a completely dazed state at the moment, so the push naturally sent her tumbling down.

Eldred's head slammed against the gilded steps, drawing blood, but the pain was nothing compared to the numbness in his heart.

His eyes were bloodshot, and he looked at Tianna with an expression of extreme pain.

The latter simply looked at him with the same disdainful gaze one would give someone—just like any other gaze he'd ever had before.

Then, without hesitation, she turned away, her gloomy expression instantly transforming into a pleading one.

"Master... he didn't hurt you, did he... I'm sorry..."

"Yeah, I'm fine, it's just..." Chen Ce chuckled, then suddenly tugged at the chain in his hand.

The collar attached to the other end was immediately pulled over.

Tianna naturally pounced on him.

She instinctively let out a soft gasp, then obediently lay down on the other person's lap.

Then, she parted her lips slightly:

"Woof..."

"Our esteemed commander of the Mageseeker Order doesn't seem to be looking too good," Chen Ce added, completing the sentence.

Upon hearing this, Tianna didn't even glance at Eldred, but continued to rub against Chen Ce's hand like a courting dog.

"Ignore him... Master..."

"Is that so?" Chen Ce smiled, stroking Tianna's chin while looking down at Eldred at the bottom of the steps.

The commander of the Mageseeker Order was completely desperate.

He, who only wanted to be respected as the Grand Marshal, was now groveling before others like a stray dog... He had completely broken down.

The situation in Demacia was turbulent, and he placed all his hopes on Tianna, but she...

But she became someone else's...

Dog...

One can only imagine what he was thinking at that moment.

Tianna even hit him for another man just now.

She ruthlessly pushed him down the steps, then rushed to someone else's feet to woo him again.

"Chen Ce... Chen Ce...!"

Eldred broke down and roared, his mind on the verge of madness.

But what drove him even crazier was yet to come—

The main hall doors were pushed open once again.

Two familiar figures entered the main hall.

One is Xin Zhao, the resolute-looking Seneschal of Demacia of Demacia.

Another old man...

Naturally, it's the person that the Seneschal of Demacia risked his life to protect.

Jarvan III, the Lightshield, King of Demacia.

Eldred's eyes widened.

Now, his brain has completely shut down.

King...

Wasn't he dead...?

"Long time no see, Eldred..."

Chapter 105 Lux: Does she like her aunt instead of me?

Eldred could hardly believe his eyes.

Everything that happened today... everything he saw... he even wondered if he was still dreaming.

He wanted to slap himself like some fools do to make sure he wasn't dreaming, but the pain he'd just felt had already proven everything... the pain of stumbling and falling down the stairs... the pain of Tianna ruthlessly pushing him down...

A trickle of blood seeped from the wound on his forehead, blurring his vision. Pain radiated from all parts of his body, but it paled in comparison to the anguish in his heart.

How could Tianna have become like this...?

How could the king... how could he...!

He should have died the day the wizards rebelled... Even the Seneschal of Demacia was knocked unconscious... That state of despair couldn't possibly be faked... How could they be acting...!

Why is that damned old man still alive...?!

This is impossible...!!

"Eldred, you seem to be trembling."

The old king's weathered and majestic voice rang out, and Eldred's complex eyes were filled with madness.

Impossible... This is absolutely impossible... It must be fake...

It's all fake...!

Everyone is lying to me... They've all conspired to lie to me...! They must be lying to me...!!

"Tell me...! Where did you hide the real Tianna?!"

Eldred pointed at the woman beside the throne and berated her sharply, but she didn't even bother to look at him—even if she were to take pity on him and give him a glance, it would be the look of utter contempt, just like before.

"You imposter... how dare you impersonate Tianna...!!" Eldred trembled as he bent down and picked up his sword from the ground.

Tianna, on the steps, simply stretched lazily, then continued to rub her cheek against Chen Ce's hand. "Master... he's so noisy... woof..."

This was said only to Chen Ce, so the voice wasn't loud, but Eldred still heard a little of it.

This enraged him even more.

"You've all lied to me...! You've all conspired to deceive me...! You've all been putting on an act!!"

Eldred charged up the stairs again like a madman.

But this time, Tianna didn't even need to push him down herself.

"Commander of the Mageseeker Order, Eldred, you are now officially under arrest!"

With a sharp shout and a piercing glint of cold light, Seneschal of Demacia Xin Zhao rushed to the halfway point of the steps in almost the blink of an eye.

Instead of killing the pathetic, pitiful, and hateful man directly, he used the barrel of his gun to lift him high into the air.

Thump! Eldred fell heavily to the ground, making a dull thud as two bloody teeth broke off on the steps.

He completely disregarded his physical pain, not even glancing at the broken tooth on the ground, and charged towards the nearest old king Jarvan III, with his longsword raised high.

"It's all fake... you're all fake...!"

"You're all insane...!!"

"This world is fake! This world has gone completely mad!!"

Eldred charged forward frantically, screaming, clearly mentally unstable.

The old king neither dodged nor flinched, but simply sighed softly—at this moment, he finally realized his mistake—regardless of granting the Mageseeker Order power, he had at least misjudged them.

Eldred... was not some "loyal subject devoted to his country."

"I will shatter the illusions of this world! You damned Black Mage, don't even think about fooling me with illusions! Hahahaha!!"

Eldred started laughing again, and his sword swings became completely erratic, resembling a madman wildly hacking at people.

A complete madman.

"You're bewitched..." the old king sighed again.

Eldred, however, continued to charge forward to "assassinate" him, disregarding the danger.

"I'm going to kill you damned Black Mage! I did it! Hahahaha!!"

Maniacal laughter echoed in the main hall, and Xin Zhao had somehow returned to the old king's side.