"What happened?" he asked, his voice carrying through the hall. "You look… transformed. How is this possible?"
Olivia looked at Kraven for a brief moment. He gave her a small, almost imperceptible nod, encouraging her to speak. She took a slow breath before turning back to her husband and the rest of the hall.
"For a few years now," she began, her voice steady and clear, "I have noticed that my cultivation rarely progressed. It was not that I was not diligent or that I neglected my mana training. But I felt something strange inside my veins, as if something was obstructing my progress."
Everyone in the hall listened silently. The nobles leaned forward in their seats, their eyes fixed on the Duchess. Even Liam and Louisa watched with sharp attention, though their expressions remained carefully neutral.
Olivia continued, her tone calm but carrying the weight of long-held frustration.
