Chapter 1217 - 1157: Power Struggle

"I don’t know."

Adrian Desmond frowned and looked at Kiya, asking, "Not a single clue?"

"None!"

Kiya fiddled with the tea set in front of him. He had recently become interested in the tea ceremony from Orienta and had been learning it from a master at a farm.

The master said he had potential and now brewed tea very well.

"Try this iron goddess tea. How does it taste?"

Adrian Desmond smoked a cigarette, blowing a smoke ring. Seeing Kiya living such a comfortable life, the more he looked, the more displeased he felt.

Why is it that he and the businessmen of Abyanabad are living in misery, while their Sultan is living so well?

"I’m not in as good a mood as the Sultan."

Kiya glanced at Adrian Desmond and said with a smile, "Over the years, you’ve earned quite a lot of money. How does earning a little less hurt?"

"..."

"This place is beautiful, picturesque. Why don’t you bring your wife over to live for a while?"

Adrian Desmond didn’t drink tea; Kiya drank on his own. The iron goddess tea was grown on Blackwood Mountain, and the water used to brew it was from the mountain’s spring, giving it a rich flavor.

"How’s Curly? Does she still like the diamond I gave her last time?" Kiya had desired a little princess, which made him find the beautiful Curly even more likable.

But with a Night Owl eyeing them, how could Adrian Desmond be in as good a mood as Kiya?

"You don’t plan on returning to Abyanabad?"

"I don’t plan to go back for now."

Adrian Desmond was conflicted, selfishly thinking that Kiya giving up everything in Abyanabad to stay with Paige Desmond would be good for her. However, he also worried about what would become of Abyanabad under a puppet "Sultan."

Though Adrian Desmond was of Chinese descent, he was born and raised in Abyanabad and always considered it his homeland. He didn’t want Abyanabad to decline because of a puppet Sultan.

"...Well, if it doesn’t work out, I’ll just shut down my business in Abyanabad and settle in Sileria City." Adrian Desmond said.

"Yeah, alright." Kiya replied.

Adrian Desmond: ...

...

In the Imperial Palace of Abyanabad,

The Queen Mother arrived suddenly, and Moore was scared to tears by her fury. Gulit was somewhat upset that the Queen Mother frightened the child.

The child was young and afraid of people. Why was she being so fierce? What did her son do to provoke her?

"Moore, darling, don’t cry..." Gulit coaxed softly.

She didn’t like the Night Owl, but she loved her son with all her heart.

The Queen Mother looked at this grandson who didn’t resemble Kiya at all and didn’t like him one bit.

"He’s just like you, crying at the drop of a hat. He’s nothing like Kiya!"

Gulit’s heart skipped a beat, her eyes flickered, and she didn’t dare look at the Queen Mother. The child wasn’t Kiya’s, and even though Kiya was dead, Gulit still felt guilty and afraid.

"What are you all standing around for? Take the Sultan away and comfort him." The Queen Mother ordered.

Gulit looked reluctantly as they took her son away, and her eyes never left him.

"Gulit!" The Queen Mother called out.

Gulit stood there respectfully, waiting for the Queen Mother’s reprimand. After Kiya’s death, the Queen Mother’s temper had become even more difficult.

"Yes, Queen Mother!"

The Queen Mother shouted at her, "You still know I’m your Queen Mother?"

Gulit spoke softly, "I don’t know why you’ve come so late, Queen Mother. What is the matter?"

"Gulit, don’t think that just because your son became Sultan, you can do as you please. I’m telling you, as long as I’m alive, I won’t allow you to be so wanton!"

Gulit looked at the Queen Mother with grievance, her eyes filled with tears, "Queen Mother, I’ve been staying in the chamber taking care of Moore. What did I do to make you so angry?"

"Are you pretending to be confused?"

Gulit looked innocent and said, "Queen Mother, I really don’t know what you’re talking about. I’ve always been in the chamber, caring for Moore every day..."

"Then explain to me why heavy taxes were levied on businessmen under the guise of my sixtieth birthday celebration?" The Queen Mother demanded.

Gulit was confused, "I don’t know."

"You don’t know? Wasn’t it issued in Moore’s name?"

Gulit began to cry, "Queen Mother, you’ve misunderstood. I really don’t know anything."

"Shut up!"

Initially, there were no conflicts between the two, and the Queen Mother liked Gulit very much. Now, with interests entangled, the Queen Mother found Gulit increasingly displeasing.

Gulit stood there, head down, looking at her toes, not daring to cry anymore.

The Queen Mother rebuked, "Look at what a state you’re in. Where’s the dignity of a nation’s mother?"

Gulit kept her head down like a block of wood, letting the Queen Mother scold her. After a few curses, even the Queen Mother found it tiresome.

"I don’t like that cousin of yours. Tell him to leave the Imperial Palace. I’ve given the Chief Guard position to someone else." The Queen Mother commanded.

The Queen Mother had also realized that Gulit was indecisive. Most likely, these issues were caused by that cousin. Once that cousin was gone, the Queen Mother could continue to control Gulit.

"Queen Mother, I..." Gulit looked at the Queen Mother in fear. She couldn’t provoke the Queen Mother or the Night Owl.

"What, you don’t agree?"

Gulit quickly said, "My cousin won’t listen to me."

The Queen Mother’s sharp gaze turned to Gulit, and she scolded, "What do you mean he won’t listen... You are Kiya’s wife, the Queen of Abyanabad. How dare he not listen to you?"

Gulit stood there and started crying again; no amount of scolding from the Queen Mother worked.

The Queen Mother, her head aching from Gulit’s crying, said irritably, "Fine, I’ll go talk to him. Now shut your mouth!"

"..."

"Cry, all you know is how to cry. What else can you do?"

The Queen Mother looked at the pathetic and useless Gulit, feeling disgusted with each glance, and stormed off in a rage.

"The Queen Mother has left, Your Majesty." The maid Hanna said to Gulit.

Gulit wiped away her tears, and all the fragility and helplessness vanished, leaving only indifference on her face.

Hanna defended Gulit, saying, "The Queen Mother is too much, seeing you as easy to bully and scolding you every day."

Gulit didn’t care, "Let her scold if she wants to."

"Your Majesty, why do we have to be afraid of her now?" Hanna asked.

Gulit didn’t want to talk about the Queen Mother, whose temper was worsening. Her mind was only on her son, and she asked, "Where is Moore?"

"He’s stopped crying and just fell asleep," Hanna replied.

"I’ll go check on him."

What concerned Gulit most was her son. She didn’t care about power or money; they could fight and snatch all they wanted.

The Night Owl entered, holding the sleeping Moore in his arms, and Gulit’s steps halted as she looked at the child in his arms.

"Give me back my son!" Gulit said worriedly.