The Killer Queen (Noella Briony)

"Grandpa's about to kick the bucket!"

Chaos erupted throughout Schnabel Manor.

Tristan's announcement, piercing and urgent, startled everyone in the household!

Five minutes later, the family members, gathered in Marcel's study, looked at Tristan, who had just received a spanking despite being well into his fifties, with a mixture of shock and speechlessness.

Noella coughed softly.

"Considering how Grandpa's still so spry, he seems pretty healthy to me."

The septuagenarian chasing his son around, brandishing a cane like it was a sword, with Tristan having no chance of outrunning him...

It was quite the spectacle.

Elara covered her face.

"Looks like Dad's not as fit as Grandpa after all..."

Marcel, a man of military discipline, had spent his life in rigorous training and combat, unlike Tristan, who had grown comfortable with a sedentary lifestyle in the office.

"I'll teach you to spout nonsense! What, you can't wait for me to drop dead so you can play lord of the manor?"

Tristan, nursing his sore behind, sought refuge behind Sienna.

"Dad! I'm sorry! With all this talk of wills and calling for Noella, I thought... I thought you were on your last legs!"

Especially since Marcel had been skipping meals for days.

And it was after Sexton's passing.

How could anyone not jump to conclusions?

Tristan's imagination had run wild with scenarios of doom and gloom!

Noella stepped forward to calm Marcel.

"Grandpa, did you want to talk about something specific?"

Marcel took a seat, catching his breath after several cups of tea, then waved his hand dismissively.

"I wanted to discuss some matters about the Polaris Star Project with you."

"Getting older, one starts to think about the inevitable. I've been giving it a lot of thought these past days. I need to share some things with you!"

Originally, it was supposed to be a private discussion with Noella, but thanks to Tristan's dramatics, the entire family, including a pregnant Malvina, ended up in Marcel's study.

Marcel advised, "Malvina, you should rest."

"No need, Grandpa. I've napped too much during the day; can't sleep now."

Marcel sought Noella's consent, "Noella, are you okay with them staying?"

After all, the Polaris Star Project involved some sensitive information.

Noella pondered for a moment, "It's okay. I didn't want the family to know before because I was afraid of putting them in danger. But Beckett said we're family; we should share our burdens."

She was a Schnabel, through and through!

Even if Noella wanted to keep some things secret, in a bid to protect the Schnabel family, to the others, they were one family: for better, for worse. Marcel nodded, satisfied, "You've changed since you first came back!"

"Garrick's seriously ill, beyond saving."

Noella was shocked, "When did this happen?"Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g

Marcel raised an eyebrow.

"Just a few days ago. It's your Grandma Helen's wedding gift to you!"

Helen's message was clear: only by taking action could she show her face to Harriet below!

Handing Noella a document, Marcel removed his reading glasses and began to clean them.

Only then did Noella discover that Helen had not only chosen her coffin and burial plot in recent days but had also poisoned Garrick! Garrick, already frail from various underlying conditions and his exposure to hazardous materials during his research at Polaris Star, couldn't survive Helen's lethal concoction.

Marcel sighed, "She could have taken a less direct approach, but time was of the essence. This, my dear, is Helen's gift to you."

"She didn't want to tarnish the younger generation's hands. She hopes you and Palmer have a peaceful and smooth future."

A complex wave of emotions washed over Noella.

"Grandma Helen was the most headstrong and independent woman I've known."

Yet, aside from Harriet and Freya, she was the kindest to her.

This unusual gift was precisely what Noella needed.

Helen's love wasn't in her words but in her profound and enduring actions.

"The Polaris Star Project was located near my military post back in the day."

"Harriet, Garrick, Xavier - they were the pioneers."

"They aimed to create stars!"

Marcel's gaze turned distant.

"The truth is in the hands of a few. They sought to assemble a team of geniuses who would stand at the pinnacle of the world, shining in their respective fields, seizing the high ground globally!"

"And indeed, they succeeded."

Marcel looked meaningfully at Noella.

"If I'm not mistaken, your tutors were members of Polaris Star!"

"Hector, Killian, Rainer... I knew Rainer back in the day."

The Schnabel family was astounded!

Noella nodded calmly, "You're right, Grandpa. My teachers were indeed the elder members of Polaris Star."

"Did they teach you all those skills?"

"Yes, they've always been very kind to me."

Marcel's sharp eyes recognized the deep affection and legacy the old masters had for Noella - a love and caremot even inferior to his own as her grandfather.

"They were Harriet's comrades, it's only right they looked after you!"

Noella agreed, "Though it was at Grandma's request, my teachers truly cared for me."

"The Polaris Star Project is bigger than you can imagine. The base covered thousands of acres. My unit was essentially there to protect them." "Later, Grandma realized that Garrick's methods were just too radical, beyond the pale, so she blew up the base and escaped with Xavier!"

Noella was somewhat taken aback.

Her grandma had been involved in such bold escapades in her youth?

"Besides Garrick, there were several others from his camp who survived."

"Grandpa mentioned the 7-Slayer?"

"That's the one! The benefits the

Polaris Star Project brought were et

immense. Just one prodigy from the project, and it would pay for itself! You get what I'm saying?"

Noella looked down, "Grandpa, but at what cost? Human lives."

Human lives! There's no making up for that!

Marcel tried to explain, "That's not what Grandpa meant! The things the Polaris Star brought us, the allure was too great!"

The 7-Slayer was the key to activating the Polaris Star Project!

Garrick, as Merak, was essentially the 7-Slayer's right-hand man.

Marcel's gaze sharpened as he looked at his grandchildren, his voice grave.

"Now that you're all here, protecting Noella is your duty! Though, given Noella's own skills, she might not even need your help."

Jasper's bold declaration just about to be uttered was swallowed back.

"Grandpa, that really hits where it hurts."

Beckett spoke seriously, "Grandpa, who exactly is this 7-Slayer?"

Marcel's gaze was heavy, his finger tapping on a large photo on the table.

"The former deputy leader, Tavian!"