Reborn as the General's Useless Daughter-Chapter 238: The Ancient Ruins (Part-10)

Elowen and the others thought themselves clever, thought they had seen through everything, yet in her eyes, they were nothing but a group of fools.

They knew nothing of her Kael’s true standing, nothing of his past, and that was why they dared to believe that a man like him could genuinely fall for a woman as she impressed him with her talents and knowledge. That was why they were elevating Zora so highly.

But Guinvere knew better.

She knew exactly what Prince Kael had gone through in the past three years.

In her mind, the picture was already clear. It was nothing more than a clichéd coincidence. After Prince Kael was injured and fell into a low point, he countered Zora, and she happened to be by his side. That was all.

As a disciple of Heaven’s Gate, Guinvere naturally had to remain within the guild. She could not follow Prince Kael through life and death outside. Meanwhile, Zora just happened to be there during the days when she and the Prince were apart.

Taking advantage of timing. Taking advantage of proximity.

That was all.

What belonged to her was hers.

She would never allow anyone else to snatch it away.

With that thought firm in her heart, Guinvere no longer hesitated. She walked straight toward Prince Kael and Zora. 𝕗𝐫𝐞𝕖𝕨𝐞𝗯𝚗𝕠𝘃𝐞𝚕.𝐜𝗼𝚖

Her refined and gentle face carried an elegant smile, concern written delicately into her expression. "Kael, you haven’t rested these past few days properly," Guinvere said softly. "You should eat something and take care of yourself."

Prince Kael accepted the food she handed over, a hint of surprise flickering through his eyes. "Guinvere, you should eat it yourself. I’ve already prepared food."

Guinvere’s expression froze for the briefest moment.

The smile on her face stiffened, then quickly softened again, carefully concealed beneath practiced composure.

"This is something you used to like very much back in the guild," she said gently. "You should have some."

Seeing her insist, Prince Kael took it and nodded. "Thank you, Guinvere"

The curve of Guinvere’s lips lifted a little more.

But before that smile could fully bloom, Prince Kael turned his head, and his next words made it freeze at the corners of her mouth.

"Darling," he said warmly, looking at Zora, "this is a specialty snack from Heaven’s Gate. Try it and see how it tastes."

His gaze lingered on Zora, gentle and attentive, as though nothing else existed around him. To him, she was the only scenery worth seeing.

Zora glanced at Prince Kael, a trace of puzzlement flickering through her eyes.

She could not tell whether he was doing this deliberately, but such an attitude would undoubtedly make Guinvere uncomfortable.

Was he... intentionally cutting off her retreat?

For a moment, Zora hesitated. She had never liked being used as a shield. But since Prince Kael had already taken this step, there was no reason for her to retreat.

She might as well go along with it.

"Alright, I’ll try it."

Her red lips curved into a soft smile as she picked up a piece and placed it into her mouth.

The moment the flavor spread, her eyes lit up slightly. Not only was Heaven’s Gate powerful, but even their snacks were also surprisingly delicious.

In her previous life, she had tasted countless delicacies. But after transmigrating, most of her energy had gone into cultivation. Food had long ceased to be a priority.

"This is really good," Zora said with an approving smile.

Seeing her expression, the warmth in Prince Kael’s eyes deepened almost imperceptibly.

"If you like it," he said, his voice low and gentle, "I’ll take you to Heaven’s Gate in the future. You can try all of them."

Guinvere felt her chest tighten.

She stared at Prince Kael, disbelief surging through her heart.

How could her Kael, always so rational and composed, become like this?

Not only Guinvere, but nearly everyone present had their eyes fixed, deliberately or otherwise, on the interaction between Prince Kael and Zora.

Good heavens.

Were they seeing things wrong?

The Prince Kael who was usually aloof and distant, treating everyone with the same cold courtesy, was now personally offering food to Zora, his expression gentle enough to soften water.

Was this real?

Had something gone terribly wrong with their understanding of this man?

Sigmund stared for a moment before breaking into a grin that carried more than a hint of smugness. "It’s over," he murmured to himself. "Kael Moonstone has really fallen this time. Showing that kind of affection in front of everyone... that’s real devotion."

If Prince Kael was already this openly devoted to Zora, then whatever vague possibilities once existed between him and Guinvere were clearly gone.

Which meant...

Sigmund’s smile widened slightly.

Fiona, on the other hand, frowned deeply, her brows knitting together. "How did the prince become like this?" she muttered, disbelief written all over her face.

In the past, Prince Kael had seemed equally distant toward everyone, with only a faint trace of difference when dealing with Guinvere. But now, the contrast was painfully obvious.

The way he treated Zora was on an entirely different level.

Was it really true, as people said, that once someone met the person they truly cared for, they would change completely?

"Heh, this scene is perfect," White said smugly from within the Ring of Chaos. "Love on full display, straight at Guinvere. That’s got to sting."

"Exactly!" Black chimed in with glee. "That woman can forget it. The Prince belongs only to the master. No one else even gets a chance."

Shihtzu had already returned to the Ring of Chaos. After absorbing the demon crystal of the Abyssal Crocodile and a considerable amount of Essence Fruit, it was now digesting the overwhelming energy. Breaking through would take time, but the path was clear.

Guinvere’s expression stiffened for an instant as she watched the two of them. Turbulence churned in her chest, but her face still managed to maintain a barely passable calm.

Zora glanced at her lightly.

She had to admit it. Guinvere’s ability to disguise her emotions was impressive. An ordinary woman would already have lost composure in this situation, yet Guinvere could still act as though nothing had happened.

That alone made her more troublesome than most.

Clearly, Guinvere had no intention of withdrawing quietly. She was prepared to persist as the so-called third party to the very end.

Zora shifted her attention away and spoke calmly, "I’ll go take a look at the sealed stone gate. You haven’t rested these past few days properly. Take some time to recover."

She had heard from Reesa that Prince Kael had barely rested, constantly guarding the stone gate while she was trapped inside. That worry alone must have drained him considerably.

Prince Kael looked at her deeply. Seeing no trace of displeasure in her expression, only concern, the tension in his heart finally eased.

"Be careful," he said softly.

Zora nodded and smiled. "Alright."

Watching Zora walk away, Guinvere’s gaze lingered on her retreating figure, dark and unblinking. An indescribable resentment slowly coiled in her chest, tightening with every breath.

She had always been proud.

From talent to background, she had grown up bathed in admiration, a dazzling star among her peers. Never once had she believed she would lose to anyone.

Yet now, in matters of the heart, she had been defeated by a woman who, in her eyes, possessed nothing more than an empty shell.

"It won’t be long," Guinvere told herself coldly. "Soon, Zora will disappear from my sight entirely."

There were too many eyes around her now. She could not afford to damage her image. But a mere general’s daughter? Dealing with someone like that was far from difficult.

Her methods were plentiful.

Meanwhile, Zora slowly approached the tightly sealed stone gate under the watchful eyes of the crowd. Many spirit warriors were gathered there, some still probing the surface of the gate, others sitting nearby with expressions of exhaustion and frustration.