Chapter 3

Genevieve POV: To the world, I was nothing but a "dragonless" outcast, an adopted orphan completely devoid of draconic warmth. I was confined to the decrepit shadow of the estate, despised by the legitimate matriarch. Yet, none of them knew that the supreme, ancient Dragon God bloodline pulsed beneath my skin, granting me senses far beyond their mundane comprehension. Through the chilling wind, their voices drifted from the stone pathway leading to the inner courtyard, clear as day. "Blaire, just because of a dream, you want to marry that lowborn Sixth Lord?" Eleanor Cruz's voice was laced with deep concern as she held her daughter's hand. "I truly feel this is a mistake. As long as you are willing, I can swap your carriage with Genevieve's on the day of the wedding..." "Mother." Blaire Cruz stopped in her tracks, her tone uncharacteristically resolute. "It wasn't just a dream. It was a prophecy of fate. Just like how I woke up today and immediately knew the Dragon King would send the royal decree of marriage. These are absolute, undeniable truths." Eleanor sounded torn. "But I simply cannot fathom what extraordinary abilities the Sixth Lord possesses..." "His lowly birth is his greatest camouflage," Blaire replied, a profound, almost arrogant amusement in her voice. "The Fourth Lord, Jonah Montgomery, on the other hand, has always been a thorn in Queen Corrin Frazier's side. If I were to marry him, my life would be a living hell in the Dragon Court." I heard Eleanor sigh, a sound of reluctant surrender. "Since your mind is made up, I will support you. But once married, you must watch your words. If the Sixth Lord is truly hiding his power, you must pretend ignorance and never draw attention to it, understand?" "Rest assured, Mother." Only after finalizing their little conspiracy did they bother to send a servant to my quarters. In this grand estate, no one gave a damn about me. Why would anyone care about the fate of an insignificant, unloved ward? Shortly after, a maidservant named Chloe Hicks stood before me. "So, she actually wants to marry the Sixth Lord of her own accord?" I asked, looking at the girl with feigned surprise. "Lord Bronson's standing is notoriously abysmal. Is my sister truly willing to lower herself?" Whether Chloe was genuinely naive or just eager to gloat, she smiled brightly. "The Second Lady said she had a vision—a dream that the Sixth Lord is the true destined ruler chosen by the dragon spirits. So..." "Chloe!" A sharp, furious voice cut through the air outside my door. "What absolute nonsense are you spewing in front of my eldest sister? Do you want me to slap you into silence?" Chloe's face went pale. She spun around as Blaire swept into the room, immediately bowing her head. "I beg your pardon, my lady. My tongue slipped. I was just too thrilled for you." "Get out." "Yes, my lady." Blaire walked over and gracefully took a seat by my divan, looking at me with a perfectly crafted expression of helpless exasperation. "Don't listen to that wretched girl's babbling, Sister. The Dragon King's edict simply stated that you are to be wed to the Fourth Lord, and I to the Sixth Lord. It has absolutely nothing to do with any dreams." I remained silent, but a violent storm of realization surged within my chest. Has Blaire returned from the past, just as I have? In our previous life, the moment Blaire heard the marriage decree, she threw a massive, hysterical tantrum, violently refusing to marry Bronson Montgomery. She even forced Alistair Cruz to go before the Dragon King and beg him to retract the edict. She wanted neither the Fourth Lord nor the Sixth. It wasn't until Lord Alistair exploded in rage, warning her that defying a draconic decree meant total annihilation for our house, that she reluctantly accepted the situation—only to secretly swap our bridal carriages on the day of the ceremony. Ultimately, it was I who married the Sixth Lord, Bronson. Yet today, upon hearing the exact same decree, Blaire was practically giddy. She showed zero resistance. It was glaringly obvious: she had lived through the previous timeline. She knew Bronson would eventually ascend to the supreme throne, so she decided to intercept my fate and marry him herself. A cold, mocking sneer curled the corners of my mind. Among all the dragon-blooded royals, Bronson's situation was by far the most pathetic. He wasn't even granted his own manor until after the marriage decree. In the palace, his draconic aura was so weak and his status so despised that even the lowest scale-scrubbers and castle servants sneered at him. No daughter of the noble houses, not even a minor baron's child, would willingly wed him. But a royal decree left the Cruz family with no room for defiance. Fortunately, I was a woman of relentless ambition and meticulous calculation. No matter how deep the abyss, I never wallowed in self-pity; carving out my own path to power was my deepest instinct. So, I had made the best of it. I used every ounce of my hidden draconic healing arts and ruthless political acumen to pave Bronson's bloodstained path to the crown. In return, he swore upon his very dragon soul that we would be the sole ruling pair for a lifetime. But when Bronson finally dragged his mediocre, heavily compromised self onto the supreme seat of the Dragon King... he conveniently forgot every vow. The moment I became pregnant, he claimed I needed rest. He began bedding the palace maids, then used every political excuse imaginable to fill his harem, utterly trampling our sacred pact. He even allowed those garish, power-hungry concubines to parade their inferior scales in front of me, flaunting their temporary favor. I never had the patience to play his petty, degrading harem games. Since the king had forsaken his honor, I was done with him. A Dragon Queen obviously couldn't legally divorce her husband under the ancient laws. But I could certainly arrange for the Dragon King to meet a sudden, agonizing demise.