The Spider Queen

(Hydra Star System- Planet Rexone)

(Northern Territory- Castle Blackmore)

Qiana stood outside a wooden door and took in a few deep breaths in order to calm down her nerves.

She stretched out her hand and lightly tapped against the door a few times.

There was a brief moment of silence and then a voice came from the other side telling her to enter.

The room beyond the door was her father's private study. It was a forbidden place to most members of the family aside from the clan's elders and his only daughter.

The study room much like the man himself was incredibly minimalistic. The walls were painted white and only a single desk and chair could be found inside.

A single window was in the left corner of the room, and it had never been opened in all times that Qiana had visited her father in here.

The room was cold, inhuman and impersonal.

All descriptions that suited the man who had rose to the head of House Abazin by slaughtering most of his siblings.

"Father, we need to talk," Qiana coldly spoke as she entered the study room and saw the head of the family standing in front of the window.

Two days has passed since she had returned home after discovering that a mysterious noble had intentionally been slowing down the rate of production of the mining colony.

And there was also the fact that her uncle had paid a few of the workers to take her life using an explosive device.

"This so called 'competition' is nothing more than a waste of both resources and time," Qiana bluntly spoke as she hid her trembling hands in her pockets.

Even after all this time… she could not face her father without feeling a hint of fear after the repeated beatings.

No… she was stronger.

He was no longer a terrifying monster.

"And why do you say that?" Count Abazin replied after a brief moment of silence.

"My father held the same competition, and I was the one who succeeded. You may be the future head of the family but…"

"You will need to kill or subdue anyone who stands in your way."

"Did you know how much money my uncle planned to give those workers? Three billion Enas… hell he even gave them a ten million Enas deposit," Qiana argued fiercely.

"Our family is burning through their wealth for a competition that does not make sense. I am already the best option."

"No one else has the cultivation talent or the mentality to lead this house. Should one of my relatives succeed and kill me then do you really trust them to become the next head?"

"I will simply have another child," Count Abazin coldly spoke.

His simple sentence brought a terrible quietness to the room.

Qiana stared at the man who had always looked at her as if she was a stranger and a bitter smile came to her lips.

"Then I pray that your next child will not be such a disappointment," Qiana calmly spoke as she bowed her head and left the room.

Count Abazin watched her retreating back as she got further and further away but made no attempt to stop her.

Qiana gently closed the door behind her and let out a heavy sigh of frustration. Did she have no other choice but to play her father's game?

Try to kill her relatives before they killed her?

There was a lot on Qiana's mind as she walked though the magnificent castle where expensive pieces of artwork lined the walls.

House Abazin did not have an infinite amount of wealth. They were rich and powerful but honestly speaking…

They were only counts.

The truly powerful nobles were the dukes and duchess. Ancient families with connections and personal strength almost on par with the royal family.

If it were not for the ascension level cultivators protecting the Imperial family, then the high noble houses would have probably overthrown them centuries ago.

Qiana frowned slightly as she reached into her pocket and pulled out a slightly dirty rag which she then used to clean her glasses.

If there was any silver lining to her low mood it was the fact that most of her family had left the castle a few weeks ago to return to their own private residences.

The castle was now completely empty save for herself, her father and the robots that roamed the building.

Qiana found her footsteps leading her towards a familiar sight. A locked room with a small flower pattern painted on its surface.

"Mom… I'm back…" Qiana softly whispered as she stretched out her hand.

Her fingers stopped mere inches away from the handle of the door as she could not bring herself to open it and look inside the room.

Some memories were too painful to relive.

Qiana turned away from the door and walked towards the outside gardens.

It took her ten minutes to finally reach the front entrance after passing through a labyrinth of side passageways and corridors.

The portraits of her ancestors on the walls seemed to smile mockingly at her as she moved through the castle.

Qiana felt trapped.

Trapped by her responsibilities as the next head of the family.

Trapped by her relatives who wanted nothing more than to see her dead.

And trapped by her father who saw her as nothing more than a tool to ensure the future legacy of their house.

A tool that could easily be replaced should she fail his expectations.

In fact, Qiana would not be surprised if there were several illegitimate children outside who would eagerly replace her.

Or perhaps her father would remarry and have a proper noble heir with some wealthy house to increase their family's influence.

The young woman sighed unhappily as she walked outside and felt a cool breeze brush against her face.

It was now fall and the leaves on the trees outside were already beginning to turn a beautiful range of colours.

Orange, red, yellow. The bright colours of autumn slightly lifted up Qiana's mood as she wandered outside the castle.

Her life was not entirely bad.

It would only be a few weeks and then she would have the chance to see her girlfriend and her friends again.

Astrid may be busy now, but their relationship was still strong despite the long-distance nature of it over the summer vacation.

Qiana looked forward to seeing the beautiful Mendolesa girl and her siblings again. Astrid's family was what she had always imagined a loving family to be like.

Sure, they would argue and fight occasionally but the genuine bond between the four of them left Qiana feeling just a bit envious.

Only her mother had ever made this lonely castle feel like home and now she was gone forever.

Qiana was grateful for the enhanced memory that cultivation gave her because she never wanted to forget her mother's smile.

A leaf fell down from one of the trees and Qiana casually snatched it from the air. She wandered silently through the garden with numerous thoughts on her mind.