“Follow me,” said the green parrot. After uttering these words, it moved forward to lead the way.Jonas followed at a slow pace, maintaining a certain distance from the person ahead. Wherever they went, lights illuminated their path, contrasting with the cold and desolate atmosphere outside. The scene inside was magnificent if anyone would be awe-struck. The entire vault of the palace was cast from solid gold intricately sculpted above. The windows were designed like rose petals, and the stamens were giant crystal beads. On either side of the palace entrance, guards in white armor stood solemnly, looking not much different from the gold statues.“This is where our queen lives,” the green parrot said.Though Jonas couldn’t see much, he could sense the opulence of the palace. Even the fact that the floor was paved with quartz showed the immense wealth of this mysterious power. Not only were they wealthy, but they were also adept at exploitation. Jonas could tell that merely laying the f
Charlette chuckled softly upon hearing that. She knew Jonas would never accept becoming her subordinate. This time, she didn’t intend for Jonas to come here to make him her subordinate; that wasn’t what she wanted.“Alright then, this matter is not difficult,” Charlette said, loosening her attitude towards Jonas. She signaled the green parrot to advance.“Before visiting your friend, let me introduce someone to you. You two have already met. This is Gogy. Normally, he operates outside in the guise of the green parrot.”“Hello, I’m Bogy. I was impolite before.” Bogy stepped forward, bowing respectfully to Jonas.Jonas still didn’t respond to them; these matters didn’t concern him. Whether the one in front of him was Gogy or Dogy, he was indifferent. His only concern at the moment was Brendan. Until he saw Brendan, he didn’t want to engage in any other conversation.“Charlette, as I said, I want to see Brendan.”Charlette frowned slightly; until now, only Jonas dared to speak to her wit
"Why, feeling shaken, aren't you?" Charlette spoke with a smile, knowing that Jonas would be moved by this condition."What do you want, in the end?""It's simple, Jonas. I want to make a trade with you. You see, you have something I need, and coincidentally, I have something you need."Jonas could vaguely guess what Charlette was referring to. He just couldn't comprehend why, if she wanted it, she didn't just take it directly. Clearly, she had plenty of opportunities to do so. Maybe even now, even if Charlette wanted to take it, he couldn't resist.Charlette approached Jonas, and her small hand extended to delicately touch his face. She traced her fingers up to his eye, seeming to examine it closely."These eyes are truly beautiful. If they fully fulfill their inherent purpose, they will be even more stunning." Charlette spoke with a sinister smile. What she wanted was indeed his eyes, just like Cuktor. Initially, she didn't want to involve herself with Cuktor's influence, but now th
Upon hearing this, Charlette's face turned reddish-purple, and she felt infuriated. She did everything for this world, yet Jonas dared to label her as the villain. She was the queen, the mistress here, and every action she took was for the sake of people as naive as Jonas."Damn it! I am the queen. I treat everyone kindly and generously!" Charlette yelled at Jonas. From the largest to the smallest, Charlette had not encountered anyone as ignorant as Jonas. Clearly, she had welcomed such a wretch with open arms, and he had the audacity to doubt that Charlette was evil. Even his friend Brendan had been warmly received by her. One could question what delicacies Brendan had enjoyed since arriving!"In the end, can't maintain that calm and gentle demeanor?" Jonas teased as he turned his head towards Charlette. He knew Charlette had been dissatisfied with him for a long time. From the beginning until now, she had always been clawing at him to keep herself calm. It seemed that Charlette's na
Jonas contemplated Charlette. He knew this was the highest price Charlette could offer for this deal. Charlette was not wrong; if he agreed to her request, both he and she would benefit, with him gaining the most. Unfortunately, Jonas had no intention of making this deal with Charlette from the start. The world was not only filled with beautiful landscapes and vibrant colors but also with dark and sordid corners. If he handed over his eyes to Charlette, those dark corners would likely expand. Jonas lived not only for himself but also for others in this world, especially for those he loved. Evan, Etham, Brendan—surely they didn't need protection from the likes of Charlette. Protection traded for the lives and peace of others. He knew that even Selena and Karl at the Nine Springs did not want him to do such a thing."Charlette, I apologize, but I decline this deal."Charlette, who was brimming with confidence just moments ago, jumped in anger. She couldn't believe Jonas would make such
“I’m sorry, I... I... I was just scared of you!” Brendan trembled incessantly. In reality, he had intended to lie like the others, saying that Charlette was good and beautiful just to get through the situation. However, Brendan couldn’t bring himself to do it. He didn’t come here willingly, nor did he willingly eat those foods. He did all those things out of fear. Furthermore, looking at Jonas gave Brendan the motivation to speak the truth. The girl who claimed to be the queen brought him here for one reason only – to force Jonas to give her his eyes. Since then, she had been providing reasons to persuade Jonas. If Brendan now lied, saying Charlette was a good person, the probability of fooling Jonas would be higher. Brendan knew that Jonas trusted those around him, and the words of those subordinates might not be believed, but Brendan’s words sometimes could sway Jonas. Perhaps that was why Charlette asked Brendan if she was a good person. She only wanted to prove to Jonas that givin
The empty wooden bedspread, Brendan, had disappeared for a while now. Outside, the wind grew stronger with each passing moment, blowing the curtain straight into the empty room.“Brendan is missing!” Evan shouted loudly. In his heart, there was a great deal of anxiety; he didn’t know what was happening and couldn’t guess which force had taken Brendan away. Now they were stuck between Cuktor and the force behind that green-eyed bird. One wrong step could ruin the entire chessboard.“What’s going on? What’s happening?” Etham, one hand covering a yawn, the other hastily putting on a coat, rushed out of his room. He had been sleeping soundly when he heard Evan’s voice. Though he didn’t know what was happening, he came running.Behind Etham were Christina and Mei. Unlike Etham, the two siblings seemed much more alert.“Evan, what’s going on? Why did you say Brendan is missing?” Christina looked at Evan skeptically, clasping her younger sister’s hand.Evan was also quite distressed now; Bre
“There was one time I saw it in my parents’ room! A painting exactly like this scenery!” Mei exclaimed, surprised. She was sure she had seen it before, in her parents’ study! A painting identical to the forest in front of them.“Mei, are you sure?” Christina leaned down to ask Mei, her eyes filled with both hope and a hint of doubt.“I’m sure.”As soon as Mei said that, three pairs of eyes turned towards each other. Evan, Etham, and Christina - they could be the only hope and opportunity for these three.“Let’s go!”Evan was the first to change direction and run towards Christina’s house. Etham, Christina, and Mei pursued suit. They sprinted with all their might. Christina’s house was where Lucia’s eyes were kept, guarded by Christina’s parents. They were secretive, profound, and held many secrets. What they knew about this forest and its related stories seemed to be certain. For Evan’s group, only by unraveling the secrets of the forest could they find Jonas and Brendan. Time was run