The Killer Queen (Noella Briony)

[Was she seriously ill or something?]

Noella raised an eyebrow as she read the two messages in quick succession.

Just as she opened the chat with Horatio, she was bombarded with a flurry of texts full of his grievances.

[She’s nuts. She really is nuts.]

[She actually said… said I’m quite a looker!]

Horatio, though an odd monk, was a genuinely profound spiritual figure. Legend had it that Horatio was the reincarnation of a high-ranking monk, born with a natural affinity for spirituality, carrying endless merits from his previous lives. Right from birth, he was sent to the Dragon Monastery.

In all these years, he had never encountered a woman so… disrespectful!

Noella could almost picture the expression on Horatio’s face as he texted.

She quickly replied: [It’s probably just the pressure of her research making her tease you as a way to unwind. Who doesn’t go a bit crazy at work? Just bear with it. Think of it as part of your spiritual practice.]

Spiritual practice?

Horatio felt like crying.

Never before in his life had he encountered such a method of spiritual practice! Especially since Elara didn’t just compliment him verbally for being handsome; she got handsy!

While eating, Noella texted back.

[Look at your ancestor. Didn’t you say he always remained calm in the face of female benefactors? Horatio, you still have a long way to go on your path to enlightenment.]

Upon sensing the schadenfreude in the message, Horatio closed his phone in dismay. He knew he shouldn’t have vented to Noella!

Seeing the smile on Noella’s face, Palmer asked, “What's up?”

“The monk says my sister is harassing him.”

As she spoke, Noella dialed Elara to get the full story.

Elara, while fiddling with a beaker and observing a sample, answered. “Oh, that? I wasn’t harassing him. I just said his skin looks so good, and asked what skincare product he uses. I did it to de- stress. After all, complimenting other men comes with risks. Noella, you wouldn’t believe it. I once asked a male colleague how his project was going, and he thought I had a crush on him! He even posted online, saying he felt insecure because of my position!”

Recalling the experience, Elara wanted to roll her eyes endlessly. This is property © of NôvelDrama.Org.

“Thank goodness Jasper saw that post and figured out the guy was talking about me. I was so disgusted! Since then, I’ve learned it’s best to not speak to men. But Horatio’s different. He surely won’t take it to heart, so there’s no risk.”

In Elara’s mind, Horatio was hardly considered a regular guy.

After a moment’s thought, she found a more fitting description. “Noella! Horatio is like a sister to me! That’s his payback for refusing my request for him to predict if I’d ever meet my idol!”

Resigned, Noella rubbed her forehead. “Horatio is a monk, not a fortune teller.”

“I don’t care. If he’s such a high-ranking monk, he should find a way! There’s this amazing bakery near our lab. I’ll bring you something after work!”

To Elara, Noella was the baby of the family, deserving of all the pampering. Whenever she tasted something delicious, Elara always remembered to bring some back for Noella too!

Sienna had invited Malvina Gruber to dine with the Schnabel family that evening, making a point to have everyone present, including Palmer.

It was going to be a family dinner!

Sienna started planning the menu days in advance, and Noella worried the grand setup might intimidate Malvina.

After agreeing with Elara, Noella sent Horatio a message, telling him not to worry.

Noella sighed as she put away her phone.

Palmer chuckled lightly. “Horatio is profound in his own way, probably just shocked by Elara. But I’m more curious, how did you and Horatio meet?”

“We met in the mountains. Horatio encountered a bear, and I happened to drive by and save him. A few years back, during an earthquake in Char Village, Horatio called me, and I led a team there.”

Through these interactions, Horatio and Noella became friends.

“I remember Char Village is quite a distance from Dragon Monastery.”

“Yes, he was passing through during his travels and happened to be there during the earthquake. He called me hoping I could help. When I arrived, his hands were nearly incapacitated.”

Noella remembered vividly the sight of Horatio’s hands, covered in blood, his usually serene face streaked with tears, clutching at her sleeves, begging her to save the people below.

His eyes were bloodshot, repeating over and over. “I can’t dig them out. I can’t save them…”

How could one possibly move concrete and steel bare-handed.

“He was young then, not yet able to see life and death with detachment. The family there hosted him for a few days. The child’s mother kept calling for help, and when we finally got them out, both mother and child had already passed away.”

Noella shook her head. “The mother’s phone was open to a note that read, ‘Baby, Mommy will always love you.’ The monk meditated atop the ruins for days, and after conducting a ceremony, he seemed to find peace.”

That experience deepened Horatio’s spiritual understanding. After the rescue, they held a ceremony, and then Horatio left with Noella.

“He accompanied me on border activities for a while, teaching the children there whenever possible, but they always ended up stealing his wallet and phone.”

Children who survived on the border weren’t exactly ordinary kids. They grew up among poppies and sin, their eyes filled with a bloody red. Yet Horatio remained undeterred, insisting he was doing what he wanted, regardless of whether it saved anyone.

Spreading his faith didn’t hinge on having believers. Even if he preached to a rock, Horatio could persist for days and nights. Planting a seed that might never sprout still held the potential for growth!

Palmer now understood why Horatio considered Noella a friend. They were fundamentally the same, at heart pure and transparent, with their own principles and kindness, always steadfast in

following the path they believed in!

"It's destiny, and a blessing, that you and Horatio have crossed paths," Palmer said.

Hearing Palmer's words, Noella’s eyes crinkled with a joyful smile.

"Mr. Pollack, you're on the same journey as me. Don't underestimate yourself."

"My pleasure."

...

At Serene Haven, in the grand Phoenix Tower, within the walls of the Schnabel Manor, the atmosphere was somewhat tense and awkward.

An elderly woman in a wheelchair squinted, surveying everyone in the room.

Marcel looked at her, his displeasure evident in his voice. “You’re not welcome here. What are you doing here?”

Ashlyn coughed twice, her voice filled with anger. “After all, I’ve spent a lifetime with you! Since Elara is not a Schnabel, I demand she be thrown out! She brings bad luck to the Schnabel family, a curse upon us!”

At the doorway, Elara stood frozen, holding a box of pastries. The box slipped from her hands, hitting the floor with a thud, upon hearing those words.