Shadow Over the Heavenly Throne-Chapter 70: That’s why I love you, my little liar

Morning came too soon.

The light bled gently through the curtains, brushing the room with a delicate gold. The air was still, heavy with unspoken thoughts. A faint rustle of fabric echoed as someone turned in their bed, trying to escape the inevitable pull of daybreak.

Sylphia lay in bed, staring at the ceiling, where delicate shadows danced across the surface from the morning light seeping through the curtains. Just moments ago, she’d been dreaming—something chaotic, tangled—but she couldn’t remember what. The memory struck her like a wave. Tears welled up in her eyes and refused to stop. She didn’t understand why her body reacted this way. She wasn’t a child. And yet, everything hurt more than it should have—Kaen’s gaze, his laughter... like she was a joke. Like her pain didn’t matter.

She shut her eyes tightly, but no more tears came. Her throat felt dry, and her chest trembled with every shallow breath. She lay still, her hands clenched around the blanket as if trying to hold onto that moment again. But there was nothing left in it—just a hollow tension in her stomach and the echo of that explosion that had nothing to do with logic or strength.

She raised her hand and looked at it.

"What was that...?" she whispered to herself.

Shame and anger swirled inside her like a raging vortex, and when she raised her fist, her fingers trembled against her will. Her heart pounded, her breath erratic, as if her whole body demanded a reaction. A violent, uncontrolled one. Yesterday’s outburst... made no sense. It wasn’t hers. And yet...

Her gaze ran over her small, shaking fingers. The pulse in her neck accelerated for no reason, as if her heart had no brakes. Her thoughts tangled and disappeared beneath emotions she used to suppress with a single sigh.

Now? A mere glance, a careless word, and she exploded like a spark in a dry field. This body... was like a glass vessel, fragile and prone to emotional detonations...

Ashamed, she pulled the blanket over her head.

"I’m not going anywhere today."

She made the decision. She had no strength for conversations, glances, or pretending that everything was fine. Today, she would stay in bed. Even if the sky fell.

***

Veynessa’s chamber door was ajar. Dim light filtered in from a single opened curtain. The soft light illuminated the gentle outline of her body lying on the bed.

She lay still for a moment before finally opening her eyes. She immediately felt the familiar warmth of the bedding and the scent of candles. Her gaze moved to the darker silhouette at the desk.

Aldrich.

He sat in silence, watching over her, surrounded by hundreds of documents scattered on and around the desk. Sheets of paper towered in chaotic stacks, forming a paper wall between him and the rest of the room.

"What are you doing here?" she asked, her voice rough from sleep.

"Maybe I am a King who puts the Royal Family and Kingdom first..." he replied without looking up, "...but I’m also your husband. And today, I took the day off. Left everything to my subordinates."

Veynessa turned her head, lying flat on her back. She covered her eyes with a hand.

"Idiot," she muttered. "You shouldn’t have... I had her. I should have won. I was dominating the whole time. But that... that form... too much energy. I couldn’t hold it long enough."

Her words came out chaotic, trembling, too fast, as if late and unable to keep up with the storm in her mind. She clenched the sheets, her eyes darting sideways, unable to bear her own reflection in her thoughts. Her jaw remained tight, her body still echoing unfinished techniques. She had her. It was her fight. Every nerve in her screamed: "You were better." But she lacked the Qi to finish her. It left her on the edge of victory...

Aldrich said nothing. He stood slowly, every movement deliberate, and came closer. Kneeling beside the bed, his hand—steady and calm—rested on hers. He didn’t grip it tightly. He said nothing. He was simply there. His presence wrapped around her like the warmth of a fire after too long in the cold.

They stayed like that for a long moment.

Veynessa took a deep breath, as if trying to wash away the last of her frustration. Her fingers gradually loosened, tension giving way to a cool calm. The sting of failure faded slightly. It still hurt, but now she could look at it. She glanced at Aldrich and gave a slight nod.

"Thank you for being here. Truly."

She sat up with a soft sigh, her movements more composed. Reaching for the robe on the divider, she tied it firmly at her waist and tossed over her shoulder:

"What about Kaelis?"

"His condition is stable," Aldrich answered. "He’ll likely be back to normal in five to seven days."

Veynessa nodded.

"And Sylphia?"

"She hasn’t left her room yet," he replied calmly. "The staff said she asked for tea and doesn’t want to be disturbed."

Veynessa sighed.

"I’m going to check on her."

Aldrich nodded silently and returned to the desk, where the paperwork waited. He picked up his quill and resumed working.

Veynessa walked the corridor, passing familiar turns and heavy doors. She stopped before Sylphia’s room and knocked softly. No answer. Gently, she turned the handle and stepped inside.

The room was dim. The air was warm, filled with the scent of tea. Amid pillows and soft sheets, hair scattered across the pillow, lay Sylphia. Her face was half-covered by the blanket, eyes open and blank—staring at the ceiling as if it held all the answers. Veynessa said nothing. She sat calmly at the edge of the bed, gently shifting the blanket’s fold. Silence reigned for a long moment.

She reached slowly and brushed a strand of hair from her daughter’s forehead. Sylphia flinched but didn’t pull away. She only inhaled quietly through her nose, as if the simple gesture cracked the wall of shame she had built.

"Your father told me more or less what happened," Veynessa said gently, her thumb brushing her daughter’s small shoulder. "And I want you to know... you really don’t have to rush."

She paused, looking down at her, softly stroking her head. "Those childish years, though they feel like a curse... are a gift. They won’t come back. Use them, Sylphia. Laugh, sulk, cry, scream. Cultivation won’t vanish. Its time will come. But not now. For now... accept yourself."

Sylphia didn’t answer. Her lips parted slightly, as if to speak, but only a sigh trembled in her chest. She turned her face into the pillow, hiding half her expression.

Veynessa didn’t yield. Her voice remained soft but firm. "I know it’s hard to accept. I know you want to be Stronger and More Serious already. But your body knows what it needs. And you have to listen to it, Sylphia."

She leaned down and kissed her daughter’s forehead, leaving a brief, maternal kiss. "That, too, is a form of strength. To embrace who you are before choosing who you want to become."

Sylphia trembled under the blanket, and then, slowly, almost shyly... nodded.

A faint smile touched Veynessa’s lips. Without a word, she slid her hands under her daughter’s arms and gently lifted her into her lap. Sylphia fell into her like a bird too tired to fly, nestling without resistance.

Veynessa began combing her fingers through Sylphia’s hair with practiced maternal ease. A soft giggle broke the silence—hesitant, quiet, but genuine. Veynessa raised an eyebrow theatrically and deliberately messed up her bangs, drawing more laughter.

"You know," Veynessa started with a smile that slowly faded, "that fight... hurt more than I expected. Not because of the wounds. Because I was so close. I really thought I would win."

Sylphia looked at her with wide eyes.

"But you looked like a goddess," she whispered.

Veynessa burst out laughing and kissed the top of her head.

"And that’s why I love you, my little liar."

Sylphia giggled, trying to escape her mother’s embrace, but Veynessa gently held her, tickling her side. Both of them erupted into laughter that filled the room with warmth and light, as if neither had to pretend anymore.

Veynessa continued stroking her hair for a moment, then pulled back and looked down with a fond smile.

"Alright. Now freshen up and meet me in the garden," she said lightly, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

She was already heading for the door when she added over her shoulder, almost casually:

"Oh, and tonight you’re joining me and Calista for a bath."

Sylphia had just begun sliding out of bed, looking for something to wear, when she heard the words. Her head shot up from the mattress, eyes wide with disbelief.

"W-what?!"

Her mouth opened, clearly about to protest, but before she could say a word, Veynessa waved a playful hand and left the room, leaving her bewildered daughter behind along with the echo of a disbelieving groan.

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