Grandpa Cadmus did not linger around and left shortly after handling Sylvia the keys. She was thankful for that.

Just like how she was thankful when he was quick to come to her rescue back at the throne room when the King had demanded her to shift.

The past few days had changed her life a lot for better or for worse. While she didn't want to think about any of that, she also couldn't refrain from thinking about them.

It was suffocating and she couldn't breathe.

Sylvia silently watched the old man walk away and then turned around to insert one of the bigger keys into the keyhole on the giant door.

Just like everything else in the palace, this door as well looked like an ancient gate to some sort of temple.

It seemed to be made of pure gold and had exquisite carvings on it, depicting some sort of creature that she had never seen before.

It looked like a snake but it also had weird horns and terrifying eyes that almost looked alive.

Sylvia pushed open the giant doors and entered the huge open hall.

The hall was connected to an open courtyard that led to the gardens and several rooms were littered around it, with the courtyard as the central structure.

It was fully furnished with luxurious and comfortable looking items. There were big velvet cushioned chaise lounges and settees.

There were also pieces of leather furniture, a huge crackling fireplace, and an aristocratic dining hall just like the one she had seen in the King's castle back in Kalindor.

Elegant oil paintings and other sculptures decorated the wall. A huge chandelier with a complex and delicate pattern hung on the ceiling.

Sylvia looked around patiently, not because she was impressed by the lavish riches vomited all over the place but because this was where her mother had lived, at least from what she had heard so far.

Her eyes roamed, walking all over the castle chambers, searching for anything related to her mother but she couldn't find even a single portrait of her.

Considering everything else that was happening in her life, Sylvia was not too disappointed. She let out a soft sigh and then walked out into the garden.

A gentle breeze grazed her body, caressing her tired soul. Her long silver locks swayed in the wind just as the trees around her did.

Surprisingly, the plants and shrubs in the garden were not neatly trimmed and pruned. The lawn was mowed, but everything else was allowed to grow as they naturally did.

Wildflowers laid scattered here and there. They were small and vibrant colored and glistened in the sunlight, with morning dew drops still clung to the petals.

They looked beautiful and smelled divine, gently easing the soreness in her heart.

These were the most prevalent plants in the garden, making Sylvia wonder if her mother was particularly fond of these.

She bent down and leaned to smell the flowers without plucking them, but ended up laying on the wet grass.

The fresh earthy smell mixed in with the scent of the flowers was heavenly.

She took long deep breaths and stared at the clear blue sky up above. It calmed her heart and mind like a soothing balm.

Sylvia laid still, closing her eyes and drowning her senses in the warm embrace of the air around her.

And before long, the wounds still fresh and bleeding reminded her of their presence and tears spilled out of her eyes.

Sylvia immediately jolted up and sat straight. She wiped the tears off of her eyes, replacing the hurt and pain with freezing coldness.

She did not want to cry ever again.

She stood up and walked along the rest of the garden, coming to a stop in front of a small pond.

Big lotus flowers floated atop the pond, their petals shimmering in the sunlight. Golden lotuses? Sylvia was stunned by their enchanting beauty and walked closer.

And as soon as she neared them, energy coursed in her veins, and her tired and weak body suddenly felt extremely energetic.

She inhaled and a thick surge of mana entered her body.

"Hmmm… Are these lotuses medicinal?

"

Her eyes gazed at them in awe, her body hungrily absorbing the small pockets of energy effervescing from the flowers.

As she absent-mindedly continued admiring the lotuses, a group of hurried footsteps sounded behind her.

"Your highness.

"

"Your highness.

"

"Your highness.

"

Sylvia turned around to see three young women standing in front of her with their heads bowed.

"Your highness, Patriarch Akhekh sent us. If it pleases your highness, it would be our honor to serve you from this day forth.

"

Sylvia was startled for a moment and then nodded indifferently.

Though she didn't care much for all of this extravagance, she also didn't want to unnecessarily refuse the old man's kindness and attract more attention in doing so.

She liked this peace and quiet and for now, she desperately needed it to last, at least until she figured certain things for herself.

"Your highness, would you prefer your breakfast served in the dining hall, or shall we prepare for it here in the garden?

" One of the maids smiled and asked.

"What is your name?

" Sylvia looked at the young woman who wore a bright and bubbly smile that seemed foreign to her.

"I am Evie, your highness.

" The maid blushed and answered.

The other two maids as well promptly stepped forward and introduced themselves without Sylvia having to individually ask them.

"Evie, Coral, and Lola,

" Sylvia repeated their names.

"Thanks. I appreciate your hard work. I would like to have my breakfast here in the garden.

"

All three maids smiled and bowed again, before rushing away to prepare everything and Sylvia returned back to gazing at the pretty mysterious lotuses.

Meanwhile…

Inside the grand hall of the Lycan castle, a guard rushed over, sprinting on all four limbs, his hands, and legs hairy like that of a beast.

The fact that he had to revert to his beast form partially in order to hurry along and convey the message, showed the seriousness of the situation.

"What happened?

" Roman asked, raising his brow.