The Revenge Of The Abandoned

"Iris, you...you were wronged." Just as Azer was about to say something, the sharp gaze of his mother made him change his words.

He did not want to admit it, but he was led by the nose by this daughter of his. Accusation, threat, compensation: she played everything like a game, now demanding her reward after winning easily.

"You are right, Father. I was indeed wronged. Now, like I was saying, can we get to the part where you compensate me for all the damage you caused to my...amazing home?"

"Yes, so...what do you want?" Azer gazed reluctantly at her.

"Well..." Iris mused, her finger gently stroking her chin. "Hm...for the damage to my courtyard, I'd ask for a new one. And as you can see my courtyard was in most excellent shape, not a single twisted nail anywhere, so I'd like one just like this, a nice, clean courtyard."

Azer was about to agree, feeling relieved that this was all she asked for, when Iris spoke aloud.

"Oh I know! Father, how about you give me the Rose Drop Courtyard, the courtyard close to my Mom's?"

Rose Drop courtyard was a very luxurious area. It got its name by the beautiful sight of dew drops on the roses that bloomed in its garden.

It was Libera's courtyard, until recently when it had to be emptied out for maintenance, and she was about to move back in a few days.

When she heard Iris demand for it, Libera shot her head up in surprise. Something flickered in her eyes and she eyed Azer carefully.

"What? You want that courtyard? Don't you know its your mother's?" Azer spoke with some anger in his voice.

"Mother's? Aren't you mistaken, Father? My Mother lives in an unnamed courtyard to the West. How did this become hers?" Iris spoke up in surprise.

"You... Not that Mother, I meant..."

"Oh, so you mean Madam. So what if it used to be Madam's courtyard?"

"I never said it used to be..."

"Madam lives in a different courtyard anyway, why can't I live there? Besides, when I think about it, the quality of that courtyard somewhat matches my old courtyard. There's no way that after destroying this one, you'll give me a lower quality one? Especially after defaming me like that?"

"This..." Azer looked speechlessly towards Libera, who was aggrievedly biting her lower lip, and under his Mother's intense gaze, heaved a sigh of helplessness. "Fine, you can have that Rose Drop Courtyard. That's all, right? I'm leaving!"

He would give Libera something else later.

Iris widened her eyes in surprise exaggeratedly. "Father, what about my compensation? You're not going to give me my compensation?"

"What do you mean, didn't I agree to give you the courtyard just now?" Azer paused in his steps.

"That courtyard was just a matter of course. You destroyed mine, so you naturally had to give me another one, right? Grandmother?" She looked in her Grandmother's direction.

Looking at her sly look, The Matriarch sighed internally, this child really was such a handful, and nodded her head.

Azer was once again shocked speechless, gaping at Iris. His eyes trembled with annoyance as he impatiently turned to face her.

"Father, we already had this talk before, but you know I don't have any jewelry, any money or any proper clothes. I don't even get to eat proper meals. How about you at the very least, fulfill these basic needs of a daughter of the great and esteemed Prime Minister of the Country?" Iris spoke with her eyes on the ground.

"Although these things should be given to someone who was born in such a noble position such as me very naturally, but because they weren't, I can only claim them under the guise of compensation. That should be fine for you right, Father?" She rose her head up to meet her Father's eyes unwaveringly.

Her plain, emotionless tone somewhat painted a lonely image of herself.

Azer's face burned with embarrassment. Such an indirect way of mocking him for being heartless and petty had a greater impact than outright saying it.

However, despite feeling all sorts of emotions, not even a pange of remorse crossed his heart, not even once.

"I...know. You'll naturally be provided with the best. For wronging you, I'll compensate nicely. You don't have to worry, Iris. I-I won't be stingy." Having made up his mind, Azer softened his expression and spoke quietly.

"Then..." Iris uttered under her breath, thinking about something. "Why doesn't Father make similar arrangements for my Mother too? She lives in a courtyard far worse than mine, and similarly does not have anything valuable on her. I hope you can count it as my compensation and arrange for better arrangements for my Mother. Its especially because I'm scared that some ignorant, foolish people will run up to my Mother and accuse her of stealing their belongings, just because she doesn't have much stuff herself, just like what happened to me. You'll do this, right?"

It took Azer a lot of strength calming and stopping himself from running up to smack her. He spoke through clenched teeth, "Of course."

And without listening to another word, stormed off in anger.

Iris smiled satisfactorily at the outcome, and all the stuff she had gotten.

Taking her Grandmother's arm, she left the dilapidated courtyard too, glancing at all the people gathered around.

Alright, the drama's over, you can be off now.

Aria, who had been standing quietly to the side, lowered her head further. Her eyes were thoughtful and she discreetly glanced at the confident girl.

Extortion.

This was clearly extortion.

Yet, no one could say anything.

Nothing could be done against her at all.

This type of hidden power, the fear of the unknown, this was the type of power that absolutely couldn't be left alone.

It had to be crushed at all costs, for the sake of the growth of her own power.

For the first time ever, when no one was looking, an incredibly cold and calm expression spread across Aria's face.

She put down her pretenses, her real cold, calculating and genius self was revealed, as she pondered on the destruction of a similarly sinister strength.

She didn't manage to destroy Iris before for nothing.

Yet the sight of this bone-chilling girl was not witnessed by anyone, it was but for a fleeting moment, disappearing like it was never there in the first place...