Brenda was stunned, then quickly composed herself and continued to ask, "Someone dared to lay a hand on the Little Princess?"

She knew her daughter had just gone to the academy. Within the palace walls, those who dared to act against Caroline could only be other princesses and princes. That was why she wasn't overly anxious yet.

Brawls between princesses and princes like this happened often; it was nothing rare! Moreover, usually it was her daughter beating others; she rarely lost.

The servant stammered, unsure how to explain.

Brenda frowned and commanded, "Can't you even speak properly?"

The servant visibly flinched and hurriedly organized his thoughts: "Reporting to the Palace Master, it was someone from the 'Xiaoyue Palace.' They looked exactly like Princess Diya, but they were not the Little Princess Diya!"

What nonsense was this? Brenda frowned again. If it weren't for the servant's frantic report, she would have severely punished him.

Sensing Brenda's displeasure, the servant quickly explained, "Palace Master, the person looked identical to the Little Princess Diya, and the Little Princess Diya even called her 'sister.' As for who she is, this subordinate doesn't know, only that she is very formidable."

Recalling how Robin had unleashed her might, he trembled even more violently than before!

Identical to the Little Princess Diya? A sister??

Brenda fell into deep thought, murmuring to herself: Could it be that child? But that was absolutely impossible; she should have died back then. How could she possibly be alive again? If it wasn't that child, then who could it be?

"Are you certain she looks exactly like Diya?" Brenda asked the servant.

"Yes, I can confirm they look absolutely identical. If they weren't speaking, one couldn't tell which one was the real Little Princess Diya!" the servant replied immediately.

"Could it be Paghi found a substitute for her daughter?" Brenda grew increasingly suspicious as she pondered.

Seeing Brenda remain silent, the servant dared not speak further, but his anxiety mounted. Brenda's demeanor suggested she wasn't taking Caroline being beaten seriously at all.

In truth, it wasn't that Brenda was indifferent to Caroline; quite the opposite, she adored her daughter. The reason she wasn't panicking now was because she hadn't grasped the gravity of the situation, merely assuming it was a common childish spat.

Just as Brenda was lost in thought, hurried footsteps echoed from outside, followed by a voice that pierced the air:

"Report!" The voice was laced with both terror and anguish.

Brenda, unprepared for one incident following another, said gravely, "Enter and speak!"

As she finished speaking, a servant stumbled in, weeping hysterically—the very attendant who had been with Caroline moments before.

Seeing the servant in such a state, a chill ran down Brenda's spine. She quickly asked, "What happened?"

Crying like this, it must be something serious!

"Palace Master, please go quickly! The Little Princess is about to be beaten to death! The guards protecting her, for some unknown reason, suddenly went berserk and started striking and kicking the Little Princess," the servant couldn't continue, as he saw the terrifying distortion of expression on Brenda's face.

Brenda shot up almost with a whoosh, frightening the attending maids into ashen-faced silence, standing frozen lest they make a sound. The entire hall was instantly enveloped in a suffocating atmosphere!

"Where?" Brenda demanded, almost roaring.

.

The scene flashed back to Robin's side.

Because the incident happened some distance from the 'Nanyu Palace,' the report delivered by the two servants was not current; it was behind the actual events!

At this moment, Robin coldly watched the panicked Caroline. After a long silence, she finally spoke again: "Who did you just call a little bastard?"

Caroline was in no state to answer; she was completely catatonic. Everything that had just transpired had exceeded her capacity to process. Though her mind was somewhat mature, she was, after all, just a child. She could hardly withstand such shock; it was a miracle she hadn't gone mad already!

Seeing Caroline silent, Robin wasn't annoyed. She had plenty of ways to make the girl speak, and she rather enjoyed the prospect of the other wasting away like this!

So, with a slight shift of Robin's will, the sound of bone snapping echoed, jarringly loud in the profound stillness.

This was followed by Caroline's even more piercing scream!

Her face, which had recently regained some color, turned deathly pale again from the broken arm. A terror rising from the depths of her soul surged forth.

Caroline finally grasped the terrifying reality of falling into the hands of this little demon before her. All thoughts of vicious retribution vanished; all that remained was the desperate hope that Robin would grant her mercy!

"Who did you just call a little bastard?" Robin's voice returned.

Caroline dared not defy Robin now. She quickly mumbled, "N-no one..."

But her answer did not satisfy Robin, and another sound of bones snapping followed—Crack!

"Ahhh!" Caroline shrieked, wishing desperately she could faint.

Caroline would never have dreamed she would face torture one day. If the maids and servants she had abused before could see her now, how much satisfaction they would feel!

After a scream lasting over ten seconds, Caroline finally calmed down. At that moment, Robin’s question drifted over again:

"Who is the little bastard?"

"I... I am," Caroline, having learned her lesson, quickly proclaimed.

"Your voice is a bit soft!" Robin’s indifferent voice sounded again, but she made no further move.

"I am the bastard!" Caroline immediately bellowed.

Both her hands were broken now, and she had no doubt Robin would move on to her legs. This time, she complied immediately, terrified of lagging behind!

A proud princess, no matter how arrogant her former demeanor, was utterly fragile when faced with true terror!

What followed was a repetition of the above scene. Caroline was utterly subdued by Robin now, answering every question and cooperating exactly as instructed!

Seeing that it was enough, Robin set her down and walked back to Diya’s side.

Diya stood there as if paralyzed, frozen in that posture for a long time, clearly quite shaken by the ordeal!

Robin glanced at Diya, and the coldness in her eyes instantly vanished, replaced by a calm softness! In fact, Robin, much like Zhong Shenxiu, had changed considerably from before; this was a manifestation of her growth! A soft, green light suddenly enveloped Diya’s body, dissipating shortly after. Diya blinked as if awakened.

"So comfortable. Sister, what was that?" In the midst of such tension, Diya asked such a question. Truly, a child’s mind was unpredictable.

"Spiritual energy!" Robin replied concisely. She had noticed Diya was too startled and feared it would leave a psychological scar, so she had used the 'Heart Cleansing Incantation' on her!

"Spiritual energy? What is that?" Diya had never heard that term before.

Robin didn't answer, but instead said, "Let's go back!"

Robin was in a hurry to return not because she feared Caroline's reinforcements arriving, but because judging by the time, it should be nearly mealtime! (A bead of sweat!)

Diya glanced at Caroline, who was slumped on the cold, ancient stone floor, looking miserably at Robin. Though she felt a touch of sympathy, she said nothing.

Perhaps after this, she would stop bullying others so readily?

Thinking this, she took Robin's hand and started walking back the way they came.

Five minutes after Robin and the others left, Brenda arrived with her retinue of guards. When she saw her precious daughter sitting expressionless on the cold stone ground from a distance, she let out a loud cry and rushed over.

Caroline turned her head toward her mother, her face still devoid of emotion—neither joy nor sorrow!

Seeing her daughter like this, rage welled up in Brenda's heart, giving rise to fierce determination. She roared, "Who! Who did this?"

But no matter how loudly she screamed, no one answered. Because at that moment, Robin was already heading home to eat!

"You, how did you protect the Little Princess!" Brenda glared at the guards still standing like statues on the periphery, venting all her fury upon them.

However, these guards, who had been controlled by Robin, remained impassive and did not even spare the Palace Master a glance!

Just as Brenda was so angry she was about to order their execution, an elder, well into his seventies, spoke up: "Palace Master, these guards seem to have fallen victim to a curse from the 'Dark Arts.'"

"Dark Arts?" Brenda paused, her rage instantly cooling by half.

She could unleash fury on others, but she held deep reverence for this elder!

However, the immediate concern wasn't discussing the 'Dark Arts'; it was getting Caroline treated quickly!

"Daughter, don't be afraid. With your mother here, no one can touch another hair on your head! Rest assured, your mother will get justice for you!" Brenda soothed while burning with hatred.

How dare someone use such vicious means on my daughter? I will see just who this person is. 'Dongyue Palace,' we shall see about you!

She immediately ordered her subordinates to carry Caroline away for treatment, while she went elsewhere to plan how to secure justice for her daughter.

So what if they had to tear down the facade? They had done it before; who was afraid of whom!

Soon, Brenda had gathered all the most formidable experts among her subordinates, and without delay, they set off towards 'Dongyue Palace' with murderous intent!

The daughters had just finished their contest; now it was time for their mothers to compete. Fastest update H